|
|
Greetings!
Black Music Month has come and gone with only a small whimper within the industry. The 2011 Southeast Urban Music Conference celebrated Black Music Month in Atlanta with 3 days of education and "LIVE" music.
Sincerely, Allen Johnston
The Music Specialist
3058299010 |
|
|
WORLD'S LARGEST SOUL GENRE CONFERENCE
 . |
|
SUMC AWARDS
2011 SUMC Glass Ceiling Award
 | | SHANTI DAS, TONY BARAKA |
2011 SUMC Legends Award  | | IAN BURKE, TONY BARAKA |
Jack The Rapper Excellence Award
 | | ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT, TONY BARAKA |
|
MOGO, the largest original music video platform in China, has partnered with MusicDish*China for the exclusively premiere of PALE's powerful music video "Catastrophic Skies" in China. Starting on June 16th, MOGO will be featuring the extended 9 minute video and "The Making of..." on its video platform as well as its branded channel on popular sharing sites Tudou and Youku.
PALE music videos on MOGO
* Extended Catastrophic Skies - PALE
http://www.mogo.com.cn/?program_id=7957
* The Making of Catastrophic Skies - PALE
http://www.mogo.com.cn/?program_id=7958
s. |
|
DISTRIBUTION, MARKETING, CO-PRODUCTION SERVICES
CaribbeanTales Worldwide Distribution is the first full-service film distribution company in the English-speaking Caribbean, and aims to become the go-to solution for producers and buyers of Caribbean-themed content. The company holds marketing events through the CaribbeanTales Film Festival Group, and provides co-production services to producers. CTWD was founded by award-winning filmmaker Frances-Anne Solomon, and its principals include creative industries expert Dr. Keith Nurse (chair), economist and businessman Dr. Terrence Farrell, media personality and producer Lisa Wickham, and filmmaker and writer Mary Wells. CTWD is a member of the BIM Ventures family of entrepreneurs.
The CaribbeanTales New York Film Showcase, that closed CTO's Caribbean Week in Brooklyn last month was an exhiliarating event, celebrating the exploding new Caribbean film and television industry from the heart of the Big Apple's vast Caribbean community.
The wonderful day of film-watching and discussion included a live interview with the Mighty Sparrow conducted by award-winning Trinidad-born novelist Elizabeth Nunez
 | | Calypso @ Dirty Jim's in Barbados |
VISIT CARIBBEANTALES WORLD WIDE HERE
|
|
SESAC VICE PRESIDENT
 | | JAMES LEACH |
Performing rights organization SESAC announced the promotion of James Leach to Vice President, Writer/Publisher Relation, West Coast Operations. Formerly Associate Vice President, Writer/Publisher Relations & New Technologies, Leach has been with SESAC for ten years and will now be responsible for SESAC's Los Angeles office operations. Leach will also continue to recruit writers and publishers for SESAC as well as facilitate catalog affiliations.
Leach began his music career at Famous Music Publishing before landing with ATV Music Group where he was eventually named Director of Creative Affairs. Upon leaving ATV, Leach formed Leach Entertainment Enterprises where he consulted for several indie labels and placed music recording projects in various film/television projects. Leach rejoined Famous Music Publishing and was responsible for signing current million-selling artist/producer AKON and also served as Music Consultant/Coordinator for the groundbreaking TV show, "New York Undercover" as well as serving as a Music Supervisor for Fox Television before joining SESAC in 2001.
. |
 | |
Atlanta's 2011 SUMC Black Music Month Conference
|
Created to inform, educate and entertain the SUMC had a diverse schedule of industry events featuring executives, artists and technology professionals. Artist performances are always the highlight of the Southeast Urban Music Conference and SUMC 2011 celebrated Black Music Month with more live music events.
|
|
Columbia UK is seeking great new sounds in Rock, Dance & Alternative. If you have what it takes to be successful on our label we want to hear what you've got. Please submit only your best material. We're listening and don't want to miss out on anything we need to hear.
Founded in 1888, Columbia is the oldest surviving brand name in pre-recorded sound, being the first record company to produce pre-recorded records as opposed to blank cylinders. Columbia Records UK is a fully owned label of Sony Corporation of America.
CLICK HERE FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY
We need great music in all genres for a new advertising campaign by Chevrolet. We're looking for the best up-and-coming bands and solo artists. If one of your songs is selected, it will become part of a very exclusive library that will be in the hands of every single Chevrolet advertiser in the world to use in their local ads. There is no guarantee that it will be used, but you will be on a very short list of music, so the likelihood of placement is extremely good.
Our publishing company works with brands across the globe and your music will also be made available for many other high-profile companies through our music licensing platform.
This is also a completely non-exclusive deal, so you can still place your music elsewhere and you retain 100% of your copyrights.
CLICK HERE FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY
Libertaria: The Virtual Opera is in need of male singers who can sing in opera and/or Broadway musical style. All voice types needed.
ABOUT THE OPERA Libertaria: The Virtual Opera is a cutting edge animated opera by award-winning composer S. Pena Young. Set in the year 2139 AD, Libertaria: The Virtual Opera follows the tale of Libertaria, an orphan discovered in an abandoned Lady Liberty Shop after nuclear war has decimated the world. Searching for the only mother she ever knew, Libertaria finds herself entangled in a web of genetic engineering, political assassination, and the mysterious Underground, where the misfits of society dwell.
CLICK HERE FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY
|
|
SOUNDS OF THE SOUTHEAST URBAN MUSIC CONFERENCE
 Click on the logo to hear the 2011 SUMC Podcast created by Acid Trip Music. |
|
|
|
|
COMMENTS
Hi Allen, loved your featured article man.
Kind regards
Jeff Brownrigg
Managing Director
Brownrigg Production Services Pty Ltd
ABN: 24 008 856 48
(Incorporating Spinfx Records - Viking Music (Australia) - and Spinfx Media Group)
Melbourne - London - Oakland - Perth
Dear Allan,
Thanks for the latest newsletter - great review of the changes in the record business.
If you have any additional info on Publishing in a Box, please forward. Cannot find online to date.
Thanks!
Best, 
The Music Specialist P.O.Box 310540 ATLANTA, Georgia 31131 3058299010 |
|
|
|
|
DON'T DRINK THE KOOL AID
 | | THE MUSIC SPECIALIST |
This is one of those articles that I couldn't wait to write. The names have been changed to protect the guilty.
Recently I participated in a conference with the opening night event geared for a Freddy Rolle (former Grammy Award winning producer) press event announcing the signing of his latest act The Bank. The acts manager (let's call her Daffy) structured the deal and was to invite press, professional athletes, the reunion of the singing group White Road and of course Freddy Rolle.
DON'T DRINK THE KOOL-AID.
The Freddy Rolle Kool-Aid is a condition that affects weak minded people who believe that Freddy Rolle is the epitome of the music industry, everything he says is fact and NO ONE is as good as him. A belief that everything the act & management does must please Freddy Rolle and stepping on other people is the correct way to show how much they respect Freddy Rolle.
DON'T DRINK THE KOOL-AID.
Daffy sent photographs of the super producer and acts to me for publicity, the day after I started posting the photos Daffy calls and says "Who gave you permission to use those photos?, White Road is upset about their picture being seen and want it off the web". Right then I knew that this person was drinking the "Freddy Rolle Kool-aid".
The day of the event Daffy shows up with her act The Bank for a sound check. The first words I heard from her were "No one else can be on the stage; this event is only for my act. We are going to have a 2 hour press party and Freddy Rolle doesn't want to see anyone other than his new act". Amazingly this woman thought that our entire event was going to change into something she perceived and had not communicated to anyone else. Really this is not new thinking, most people when they are "Drinking The Kool Aid" feel that they are better than you and they can command you to do what they want. Unfortunately for her I have seen Kool Aid drinkers before and understand their thought processes, (or lack of). I calmly explained that we already had a show planned and her act would be the finale. The show would go on as anticipated but I would make sure that she had at least 1 ½ hours to do whatever it was she wanted to do. We provided a large elevated stage, professional sound & lights, invited press & corporate sponsorship, had 3 camera crews onsite, were streaming the entire event "live" and had reserved 5 tables for her entourage. The only stipulation was that ALL SOUND had to be off at 11:00pm due to Atlanta city ordnance resulting in a $10,000 automatic fine.
DON'T DRINK THE KOOL-AID.
Daffy then proceeded to rant and rave because her act needed wireless microphones to perform. Please remember that this is 4 hours before show time, there was no rider or communication prior to her arrival and her attitude was "shitty" at best. I immediately had to calm the sound engineers down for she had cursed them out and told everyone within ear shot that we were ALL ass holes. By the way her daughter and grand daughter were with her and the act, resulting in a massive lesson in how to be a diva before you are a star. With the help of a few friends I was able to find her 5 microphones for The Bank's sound check and performance.
They left telling me that the stage had to be cleared and ready for a 9:30pm performance.
Our show was excellent giving a cross section of Black Music Month performances by both young and old. Opening with 80 year old Mr. Tommy Brown who lectured, sang, danced and told standup comedy, followed by Neo Soul, R&B, Gospel and Hip Hop acts culminating at 9:27pm when the stage crew cleared the stage for The Bank.
DON'T DRINK THE KOOL-AID.
Daffy's daughter arrived just at 9:30pm and we asked her where was (super producer) Freddy Rolle and the act The Bank? She basically told us that they would arrive when they wanted to and to stop bothering her
DON'T DRINK THE KOOL-AID.
At 9:45pm we started text messaging Daffy telling her that we were under time constraints and the show had to be concluded by 11:00pm. She texted back that they were 7 minutes away. This continued in 10 minute intervals until they arrived at 10:46pm.
DON'T DRINK THE KOOL-AID.
The super producer and act's entrance to the event was momentous, not only did they have the required amount of video hoes, but they also carried their own television camera crew to record their "honored" arrival.
Instead of placing the act onstage they put Daffy's grandchild on stage for a one song performance, followed by Daffy herself taking the stage and reading a 2 page bio on (super producer) Freddy Rolle.
DON'T DRINK THE KOOL-AID.
The act finally took the stage at 10:58pm and at 11:00pm exactly the venue management cut the power The Bank never got to the bridge of their song. Of course it was my entire fault, I didn't have the proper equipment, I mistreated the act and I completely disrespected super producer Freddy Rolle, who by the way hasn't had a record deal in over 10 years.
Interestingly enough The Bank has not recorded anything yet with super producer Freddy Rolle and their current project tanked. They DO NOT have a major deal but are spending money like they are a major and carrying a lot of ego, disrespect, dishonesty and drinking way to much KOOL AID hiding what ever talent they may have.
|
THE BLACK FEMALE MUSIC EXECUTIVE -...THE NEW DINOSAUR? by Shanti Das
Now I am all for everyone succeeding no matter what race, creed or color, but is it me or are mostly all of the black female High Level Executives non-existant in the music business? Back in the day you had black women that ran their own labels, major labels, or were heads of Black music divisions such as Perri "Pebbles"Reid, Sharon Heyward, Sylvia Rhone, Jean Riggins, & Tracey Edmonds to name a few. Granted Sylvia Rhone JUST left Universal Motown and may land somewhere else but as of TODAY, June 24, 2011 we DO NOT EXIST as power players. There are a few great black female managers (Tina Davis, Mona Scott-Young, Phillana Williams, Ethiopia Habtemariam, etc) but I am saddened by our extinction at the record labels! I could also take it a step further and talk about how black music departments at record companies don't really exist anymore either, but that's for another day! In the last 10 years, there have been talented black women in senior exec positions (Yvette Noel-Schure, Lisa Cambridge-Mitchell, Ashley Fox, Kirdis Postelle, Gina Harrell, Jana Fleishman, Jackie Rhinehart, Tracy Waples, etc) but not nearly enough and that number has significantly decreased since then. And even sadder, it seemed as if no one person was truly grooming the next wave of those top senior execs as mentioned earlier in the article. Boy I can remember being a young girl just breaking into the biz and looking up to SO many strong black women in music such as Martha Thomas-Frye, Johnnie Walker, Karen Mason, Davett Singletary (R.I.P.) and SO many more!! So who do we blame it on?? Well of course the game has changed and it's more about dollars and cents than it ever was. Consumers don't value music like they used to, which has led to the decline in record royalties for labels, techonolgy has shifted the business model and so on and so on...so it's pretty clear that the man behind the man could care less about the empowerment of the black female executive. ("It's All About the Benjamins Baby"). I would be remiss if I did not place a small amount of the blame on the sistas who cared more about themselves and about hating, instead of elevating and congratulating. LADIES, there is POWER in #s and we could have been reaping the benefits way more at a time when the business was really flourishing; if we had just stuck together a little tighter! Surely this has ALWAYS been an industry where "you take care of your people," but I saw way less support from females to one another in the last 10 years. Now, we are faced with the grim reality of a tough economy, the downsizing & consolidations between the labels, fewer job opportunities, and more people jocking for the same positions! I am so grateful, thankful and blessed that I came up in the music biz when I did and over the past 20 years, I was able to dream and soar to new heights from Intern to Executive Vice President. Back in '09 I saw a shift on the inside and decided to take a leap of faith and take a shot at being an entrepreneur. But what about my young sistas who are just graduating from college and are bright eyed about working in the music industry? Or what about the black females who work at labels now as assistants/directors? Do they still have that passion (given the lack of black women currently in senior positions) to become Sr VPs, EVPs or even President? Or that encouragement that it can even STILL happen in 2011? What does the future really hold? Well I certainly cannot predict it, but I will say we need to unify and support one another (shout out to Valeisha Butterfield and the W.E.E.N. academy for training these young ladies in entertainment). We also need to work HARDER but SMARTER (embrace the internet) and fight for those few executive positions that may still be left. DON'T GIVE UP!! Remember the Power of the P - Perserverance that is! If you really want it, you gotta take it OR create it!!! .
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
