No Money, No Sheryl Crow, says Sonoma Jazz Plus

After seven seasons of crowd pleasing big-time shows, told business leaders, in an open community meeting Tuesday evening, the festival is on tenuous ground.

"Because of the cost of booking the talent coupled with slow ticket sales, they'll need a certain commitment before they'll move onto the following year," said Darius Anderson, the festival's Sonoma chair. 

In short, the festival needs a capital investment of $500,000, which Anderson said say is enough to cover the estimated $200,000 worth of debt accrued by this year's festival, as well as provide an "insurance policy" for the 2012 festival. 

The $500,000 figure clocks in at just over $450,000 Sonoma Jazz Plus donated to Sonoma's school music programs since 2005, to keep them alive.

Staff attributes the growing deficit, in part, to reduced ticket sales, which they say have dropped post-2008 by 25-35 percent.

"We're at seven-years, so we're at the absolute tipping point where we either grow and sustain or we...don't," said Jim Horowitz, Sonoma Jazz Plus President and CEO. 

Horowitz said more business partnerships, such as the three-year sponsorship agreement the festival holds with , are key to raising the funds.

Only 30 percent of the festival costs are funded by tickets, said Horowitz, the remaining 70 percent comes from partnerships. A large cash fund would allow the festival to ramp up their schedule; book talent by November, and allow for a six-month promotional period, rather than three-month period the current financial process allows. 

"Please know we're doing a top-for-bottom look at what we can change," said Horowitz, inviting attendees to email their thoughts and questions to festival staff and participate in a festival-focused survey of the business community.

Attendees had their own take on what to change: get rid of the tents, sack the name ("jazz, really?"), bring in better food vendors -  or any vendors other than Johnny Garlic's - and invite more community participation.

Community members expressed mixed reactions to the festival's request for a fund infusion.

"As a person who runs a nonprofit, if I can't sustain it I need to change it," said Kathy Witkowicki, the executive director of the . "To take $500,000 out of the community, when every other nonprofit is trying to get funds...I just don't get it."

Horowitz confirmed that the festival plans to look outside the Sonoma Valley area, at least in part, for investment deals. This year, Anderson negotiated deals with several large bay area corporations, including AT&T, PG&E and Chevron.

"Sonoma Jazz brings a lot of money to this community," said Marshall Bauer, Jazz Plus board member who's business,  Wine Country Party & Events, was also a vendor at this year's festival.

"Just because we have vegetables doesn't mean we don't want meat...we have six or seven thousand people that weekend who wouldn't be here if not for having a 'big engine' nonprofit around," said Bauer. 

Still, it's grow or perish for the festival.

"Right now we're still an event, but we'd like to create an institution," said Horowitz.

Festival chair's encourage feedback through Sonoma Jazz Plus's website and via email.