Music Industry News

Second Magic City: Sun Ra in Chicago

Source: Night Lights Classic Jazz
October 27, 2008

Sun Ra, whose real name was Herman or “Sunny" Blount, grew up in Birmingham, Alabama in the 1920s and 30s, living within sight of a huge sign welcoming Birmingham visitors to “the Magic City." It's a prophetic sign in the Sun Ra legend, for Herman Blount--who was named by his mother after the popular vaudeville magician Black Herman-- went on to become a sort of musical wizard, staging shows with dancers, wild lighting, musicians dressed in space costumes, sermons on ...

Continue Reading

EMI Loses a Bundle

Source: Michael Ricci
October 26, 2008

To paraphrase one of its late great former acts, when EMI was 77, it wasnt a very good year.

According to new figures just released, the underdog of the four major labels suffered losses of $1.2 billion in the financial year ended March 31, far deeper than the prior years $455 million. Revenue declined to $2.3 billion from $2.8 billion. The report came from Maltby Capital, owned by funds managed by Guy Hands' private equity firm Terra Firma, which purchased ...

Continue Reading

For Your Consideration: Grammy Members Can Help Nominate George Kahn and Brian Bromberg

Source: Imaginary Friends
October 26, 2008

The Grammy Award Nominations have begun, and George Kahn's new album Cover Up! Is on the official entry list for possible nomination for a Grammy in 7 different categories. Please note this is not a nomination--it only allows members to vote for the album to qualify for a nomination. But, official entry does put us in the running for a potential nomination!

Grammy members and others: i have created a special website to allow you to listen to the music ...

Continue Reading

Mingus Awareness Project: A Word from Jon Godston

Source: RVAjazz
October 25, 2008

Mingus Awareness Project co-creator Jon Godston sent the following message after the most recent piece was published:

It was an idea that Dan and I talked about after our Mom passed away in May'06. Both of us live in Chicago, and Dan is pretty active on the jazz scene (his non-profit, Borderbend Arts Collective, organizes a few music festivals here) - his main instrument is the trumpet (I've been playing the soprano sax for a few years). We've ...

Continue Reading

Compatible Quotes: Harry James

Source: Rifftides by Doug Ramsey
October 24, 2008

This very thin guy with swept back hair...climbed on the stage. He'd sung only eight bars of “Night and Day" when I felt the hairs on the back of my neck rising.--on first hearing the unknown young singer Frank Sinatra I was the only member in the band to be silly enough to put some of those drunken ideas into practice. Amazing what alcohol does for you eh? The only problem with having a great year is it makes you ...

Continue Reading

Ticketmaster Gets in the Artist Management Game

Source: Michael Ricci
October 23, 2008

The turf war between the world's top ticketing company and the world's top concert promoter just got bloodier.

Ticketmaster Inc. announced today that it had acquired a controlling stake in Front Line Management Group Inc., the artist management company that's home to legacy acts like the Eagles and Journey along with divas and divos like Christina Aguilera and Axl Rose's Guns N' Roses. The deal gives the much-maligned ticket giant a boost in a category in which it previously didn't ...

Continue Reading

Jazz Drummer & Agent Myles Weinstein's Success / Miguel Zenon 2nd MacArthur Award Client

Source: All About Jazz
October 22, 2008

Drummer and percussionist Myles Weinstein has led two very different professional lives, one as a performing artist and the other as a booking agent to many of the best musicians in jazz today. One of those musicians, Miguel Zenon, was the latest to receive the MacArthur Award, often called the “genius” award. Weinstein’s booking agency, Unlimited Myles, Inc., exclusively represents multi-award-winning artists including violinist Regina Carter, his first artist to receive the MacArthur Award; pianists Kenny Barron and Vijay Iyer; ...

Continue Reading

David Sanborn Save the Music Foundation Auction Update

Source: Universal Music Enterprises
October 22, 2008

Maverick saxophonist David Sanborn, who has performed alongside such heavyweights as James Brown, Eric Clapton, Stevie Wonder, Bruce Springsteen, David Bowie, and innumerable others is stepping up in support of young musicians across the country and participating in an exclusive auction to benefit the VH1 Save The Music Foundation, which donates instruments for public school music programs.

Beginning on October 14th and closing on October 24th on eBay.com. The auction boasts two tickets to any one of Sanborn’s upcoming tour ...

Continue Reading