The accidental jazz fan
The accidental jazz fan
The mental health benefits of music therapy
Writer’s note: This post was originally published on Medium’s “We Need to Talk” on January 20, 2020.
In a list of my favorite five genres, jazz would’ve never been considered before 2010. I became an accidental jazz fan just trying to keep my career intact, and it may have been one of the best decisions I ever made for my mental health.
After I resigned from a newspaper as an entertainment reporter and web editor, I missed interviewing music artists. I didn’t expect to though. As cool as it is to meet and talk to people who you are a fan of, entertainment reporters also have to deal with a few cons — meeting your favorite artists who turn out to be nothing like you expected, haggling for interview times with their publicists, and cringing while asking some of the more awkward and newsworthy questions.
But you can’t beat how much fun it is when the press receives free tickets to music concerts, live musicals and music charity events. And meeting celebs who turn out to be even more amazing people in person is a win-win!
But honestly, I didn’t miss working for that particular newspaper; I just missed the job. And I still wanted to keep my ear to the street of the local music scene. So when I saw an ad for a jazz concert volunteer, my first thought was, “I love the idea of being a concert volunteer … but does it have to be for elevator music?”
I knew I wanted to find another entertainment writing gig. Filming and editing videos of live performances and interviewing jazz artists sounded like a great way to keep my resume up to par.
Even though I wasn’t getting paid for this volunteer work, I was still gaining marketable skills and getting eyes on my name from people who otherwise wouldn’t know who I was. But it wasn’t until I walked into the first chapel and heard the blast of a saxophone that I realized I was an accidental jazz fan.