Music Industry News

Major Record Company Seeks U.S. Jazz Talent

Source: All About Jazz
February 6, 2009

Compass Management, along with one of the worlds largest and most respected record companies, are creating an original and exciting new jazz act to launch in the Autumn of 2009. The act will be stylish, dynamic, aspirational and will bring something new and very unique to the worlds music stage. The concept of the project is to bring the very best of young U.S. jazz talent together, to broaden the appeal of the genre and showcase these talents across Europe ...

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Springsteen Blasts Ticketmaster over on-Sale

Source: Billboard Magazine
February 5, 2009

Bruce Springsteen and his manager Jon Landau are blasting Ticketmaster for redirecting customers attempting to buy Springsteen tickets to their secondary ticketing site, TicketsNow. On Monday, fans trying to make face-value purchases for tickets were instead sent to TicketsNow, “even when other seats remained available at face value," says a letter posted on BruceSpringsteen.net. “We condemn this practice." “We perceive this as a pure conflict of interest," the post continues. “Ticketmaster is there to ensure that we have a good, ...

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Joe Russo Can't Be Stopped

Source: JamBase
February 5, 2009

By: Andrew Bruss

Joe Russo by Rod Snyder Drummer Joe Russo's stature on the concert circuit saw a drastic rise during the summer of 2006, a season that opened up a whole new world to him. But for every door that opened, it seemed as though two more closed in its place. By the end of the year, Russo and Marco Benevento (keys, organ, piano) slowed their longtime collaboration, the Benevento/Russo Duo, to a crawl, ...

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Correspondence: Hard Bop

Source: Rifftides by Doug Ramsey
February 5, 2009

Rifftides reader and occasional correspondent Red Colm O'Sullivan writes from Ireland (where else, with a name like that?):And here's another frequently used term that has no meaning whatsoever: “Hard Bop". I have NO IDEA what that MEANS (as opposed to supposed to mean). That brought to mind something I wrote for a 2000 compilation CD on the Savoy label. The two-disc album was called The Birth of Hard Bop. It was made up of music recorded in 1956 ...

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Edition Records Signs Deal for Their UK Distribution with Harmonia Mundi

Source: All About Jazz
February 5, 2009

2008 proved to be a very successful first year for Edition Records. Following a sequence of critically acclaimed, beautifully produced and packaged CD’s from Dave Stapleton, Matthew Bourne, Bourne Davis Kane, Paula Gardiner and Kevin Figes, 2009 looks even better with the first 3 releases of 2009 including Geoff Eales' new album with Chris Laurence and Martin France, Dave Kane's Rabbit Project and a new album from the Mark Lockheart Group. In early January 2009 New Note, one of the ...

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The Gourds: Luddite Juice and Tex-Mex Miles

Source: JamBase
February 4, 2009

By: Dennis Cook

The Gourds by John Carrico Things get wild at a Gourds show. Fiddle sawing, accordion flailin' and dust rising, one dodges elbows and wild, stompin' feet as one of Austin's finest shows you what real broadminded American musicians can do. I've never walked away from one of their gigs without a good-sized bruise somewhere on my body - and I've seen 'em about 15 times since they began in the mid-'90s. The ...

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Losses Continue as EMI Pays the Piper

Source: HypeBot
February 4, 2009

Losses at EMI narrowed to $221 million (155 million pounds) in the last six months compared to $462 million (324 million pounds) in the previous half year. The company achieved the improved results despite a falling economy in part by slashing 1500 jobs.

But the debt which new owner Terra Firma took on purchasing EMI is the major cause of the continuing red ink. Financing charges in the last half year period were $214 million (150 million pounds). Interest on ...

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In Tough Times, Showbiz Firms Hold Their Own

Source: PC Magazine
February 3, 2009

There are some showbiz companies that haven't been weakened by the lousy worldwide economy. In fact, some in Hollywood are thriving in these tough times, and a slim few might actually be benefiting from recession-related shifts in consumer spending. LOS ANGELES - The entertainment industry is recession-proof, right? Tell that to the thousands of people who have lost their jobs in the movie, TV and music sectors during the past few months. Still, there are some showbiz companies that haven't ...

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