Music Industry News

Why We Steal Music

Source: Michael Ricci
August 25, 2009

By Moses Avalon You don’t have to scratch your head too much to recall that Jim Carrey or Schwarzenegger got about $25 million to perform in their movies, or to remember the $280 million dollars it cost to make Titanic. I’d like you to ask yourself a question: why in the hell do you know these facts? They are not important to your day-to-day survival, yet they are part of pop common knowledge. Now ask yourself this: How much did ...

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Michael Jackson Died of Lethal Levels of Propofol

Source: Michael Ricci
August 24, 2009

L.A. County coroner's officials found lethal levels of the powerful anesthetic propofol after examining Michael Jackson's body, according to a search warrant affidavit unsealed today in Houston.

According to the search warrant, Jackson's doctor, Conrad Murray, told LAPD detectives that he had been treating Jackson for insomnia for about six weeks. He had been giving Jackson 50 milligrams of propofol every night using an intravenous line, according to the court records.

But Murray told detectives that he feared Jackson was ...

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Universal Music Australia to Distribute Savoy Label Group

Source: Michael Ricci
August 23, 2009

Universal Music Australia has signed an exclusive distribution agreement with the US based Savoy Label Group which includes Denon Classics, SLG Records, 429 Records and Savoy Jazz. UMA is Australia's leading music company and SLG is home to many of the greatest recordings in contemporary jazz by artists such as Charles Mingus, Milt Jackson, Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie. Denon Classics is one of the world's most respected labels. SLG President Steve Vining said, “SLG is thrilled to be associated ...

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What Myspace Buying iLike Means for Musicians

Source: HypeBot
August 22, 2009

You've spent countless hours tweaking your iLike profile. You're using iLike widgets to spread the word across other sites and particularly on Facebook where its the most popular music app available. But now MySpace has bought iLike and things are going to change. Facebook is going to kick iLike widgets off their site because that it's owned by it's top competitor MySpace. Fortunately, for now at least, there's no need for alarm. ...

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James Blackshaw:the Glass Bead Game

Source: JamBase
August 20, 2009

By: Dennis Cook

Meditative but never somnambulant, James Blackshaw's latest merges the the comforting acoustic layering of early, excellent Windham Hill albums with the more highfalutin' fingerpicked guitar machinations of Sandy Bull and Robbie Basho. The Glass Bead Game (released May 26 on Young God Records) builds from the tintinnabulous base of Blackshaw's exquisite 12-string guitar, adding empathetic strings, wordless vocals, splashes of piano and other subtle touches. He's joined by Current 93 members John Contreras (cello) and Joolie Wood ...

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Chick Corea Renews Contract with Boosey & Hawkes

Source: All About Jazz
August 19, 2009

Boosey & Hawkes is proud to announce that it has extended its publishing agreement with the legendary Chick Corea, one of the most influential and prolific composers of our time. Under the agreement, Boosey & Hawkes will continue to be the exclusive agent for both existing works (from 1995 forward) and forthcoming compositions, identifying opportunities for synchronization placement in television programs, films and commercials, handling commissions, and licensing for choreographic uses of his compositions. Boosey & Hawkes has represented Corea's ...

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Doomsayers May Be Playing Taps, but Jazz Isn't Ready to Sing the Blues

Source: Michael Ricci
August 19, 2009

The crowd was robust, lively and engaged at a recent jazz gig in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, and by the looks of it most people were in their early 20s to mid-30s--about the same age as the band members. It could have been almost any given night on the New York club scene, though you might not have had that impression, depending on your sources. Over the last week or so, as Woodstock commemoration reached its happy zenith, the jazz world has ...

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Notes from the Net: Kind of Bloop and Other Miles Davis Tributes; Oliver Lake on NPR; Plus News, Reviews, Interviews, and More

Source: St. Louis Jazz Notes by Dean Minderman
August 19, 2009

Here's the latest compilation of assorted news briefs and links related to jazz, improvisation, and creative music in St. Louis, including news of musicians originally from the Gateway City, recent visitors, and coming attractions, plus assorted other items of interest:* This past Monday, August 17, marked the 50th anniversary of the actual release date of Miles Davis' landmark album Kind of Blue, and so there's been more anniversary coverage in the press of the sort that we've been ...

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