Home » Jazz News » Music Industry

1

International Music Network Announces New Ownership: 40-Year Legacy Continues Under Leadership Of Veteran IMN Agents

International Music Network Announces New Ownership: 40-Year Legacy Continues Under Leadership Of Veteran IMN Agents
It’s been a rewarding four decades supporting the careers of some of the most creative and iconic musicians of our time.
—Scott Southard
Scott Southard
Director and Founder of International Music Network (IMN), Scott Southard proudly announces the transition of ownership to veteran IMN agents, Jeanna Disney & Alycia Mack, effective January 1, 2026. Scott will remain manager of clients Brad Mehldau, Joe Lovano, and Danilo Pérez and Alycia & Jeanna will take over leadership of agency business, continuing to provide top-tier performance booking services to these and the other exceptional artists on the IMN roster including Chucho Valdes, Ladysmith Black Mambazo, John Scofield, Lila Downs, Cherish The Ladies, Dave Holland, Kenny Barron, Kathy Mattea, Regina Carter, and Stanley Clarke among others.

Celebrating its 40th anniversary in 2025, IMN built a business on social values, becoming a leader in cross-cultural exchange, setting the trend for global music appreciation, and establishing jazz as a staple of performing arts series. Over the decades, IMN helped develop the careers of artists such as Brad Mehldau and Esperanza Spalding, provided creative support to visionaries like Terri Lyne Carrington and Hiromi, enshrined the great legacies of Wayne Shorter and Wayne Shorter, and introduced cultural icons Caetano Veloso, Youssou N'Dour, Paco de Lucia, Maceo Parker, Herbie Hancock, and Buena Vista Social Club to a whole new generation of fans.

“It’s been a rewarding four decades supporting the careers of some of the most creative and iconic musicians of our time,” Scott Southard reflects. “I came into this field with no experience, but through the generous opportunities given to me by professionals like Ted Kurland, George Wein, John Cumming, Darlene Chan, Alan Pepper, and others, I learned a craft that I can pass along to future impresarios. I'm ready to step back and let a new vision take shape with fresh energy and ideas. We've been a collaborative team, and I'm proud of the many contributions Alycia and Jeanna have made to IMN in the last 25+ years, and I’m grateful that our business is in steady hands.”

Jeanna Disney and Alycia Mack have been essential members of the IMN team since 1998 and 2001, respectively. Both bring their deep industry knowledge and multiple decades of experience as agents, seasoned leaders, and mentors to their new roles, making them uniquely well-poised to lead IMN into its next chapter.

“This is more than a simply a new role for us,” says Jeanna Disney. “It’s a journey Alycia and I are eager to embark on, exploring new areas of opportunity, providing personalized, creative service to the truly special artists with whom we work, and continuing to build on Scott’s long legacy. This transition has been years in the making and Alycia and I are so thankful to have learned from the best. We are enthusiastic about the future for IMN’s artists and our dedicated team here. We are passionate about keeping with IMN’s mission of an ear for music, an eye for discovery, and a heart for community.”

Alycia Mack adds, “Jeanna and I want our combined experience and individual strengths to become part of a shift we hope to see in all facets of the industry. I’m thrilled to help foster that change in a field I’m deeply passionate about. I had the chance to grow in my career alongside artists like Jason Moran and Chris Potter who now inspire the next generation of artists. This is an exciting opportunity to mentor new leaders and continue to support and add to IMN’s exceptional roster of established icons, mid-career artists, and rising stars who are shaping the future of music.”

Scott looks forward to his next steps: deepening his engagement in artist management with some longstanding clients, exploring a few new projects, and giving his time to work on social projects in his community.

Scott Southard Talent Inc will continue to do business as International Music Network (IMN) for management business, and the newly formed Big Names LLC will also operate under the IMN name for agency business under Alycia Mack and Jeanna Disney.

About International Music Network (IMN)

International Music Network (IMN) – Celebrating 40 years as one of the most respected boutique agencies for creative artists at the highest level of musical expression, IMN has guided a diverse list of artists to worldwide acclaim through live appearance representation and artist management including Brad Mehldau, Terri Lyne Carrington, Chucho Valdés, Lizz Wright, John Scofield, Ladysmith Black Mambazo, Stanley Clarke, Kenny Barron, Joe Lovano, Caetano Veloso, and Youssou NDOUR. Over the years, IMN is proud to have delivered tours by legacy artists such as Buena Vista Social Club, Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra, Paco de Lucia, Michael Brecker, McCoy Tyner, Joe Zawinul, David Sanborn, Maceo Parker, and Wayne Shorter. To learn more about International Music Network visit imnworld.com, or follow @imnworld on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn.

About Scott Southard

Founder & Director of International Music Network, Scott Southard has led IMN for forty years, booking countless tours, representing iconic artists, developing future stars, and fostering cultural exchange. Having worked with Miles Davis and Pat Metheny under the guidance of Ted Kurland, Scott went on to build an agency that set the trends in jazz and global music representation. From trailblazing tours for Cuban artists like Buena Vista Social Club, to breaking new talent like Best New Artist GRAMMY winner Esperanza Spalding, and celebrating legacy clients like McCoy Tyner and Wayne Shorter with grace and respect, Scott has been one of the premier talent agents and managers on the international stage.

About Alycia Mack

Co-Director of Big Names LLC dba International Music Network, Alycia Mack has worked at IMN for 24 years. Born in Massachusetts, Alycia graduated from Boston University’s School for the Arts with a degree in Theatre Studies. She started her career in the mailroom at APA in Los Angeles, later working for Walt Disney Feature Animation and Warner Brothers Television. Alycia moved back east in 2001 to join the IMN administrative team, quickly working her way up to a promotion as an agent and soon after establishing herself as a widely respected leader in the agency and the industry. She is the Responsible Agent for Hiromi, Stanley Clarke, Brad Mehldau, Chucho Valdés, Lila Downs, John Scofield, Dave Holland, Kenny Barron, Jason Moran, Terri Lyne Carrington, Chris Potter, Kandace Springs, Cherish the Ladies, Tyreek McDole, James Francies, and others.

About Jeanna Disney

Co-Director of Big Names LLC dba International Music Network, Jeanna Disney has worked at IMN for 27 years. Born in Tennessee, Jeanna graduated from the University of Tennessee with a degree in Theatre and Speech. After spending time teaching English in the Czech Republic, Jeanna got her start in the music industry through production and operations, and then as talent booker for the Riverbend and Kaleidoscope Festivals in Chattanooga, TN. A fortuitous move to Gloucester, MA led her to a role at IMN as a sales assistant, and soon after, to a role as an agent at the company, where she built a highly respected reputation within the organization and beyond. She is the Responsible Agent for Ladysmith Black Mambazo, Kathy Mattea, Lizz Wright, Immanuel Wilkins, Mountain Stage on the Road, Bria Skonberg, The Hot Sardines, Habib Koité, Fatoumata Diawara, Regina Carter, Yilian Cañizares, Saha Gnawa, and others.

Visit Website

For more information contact .

Tags



Comments

Near

News

Popular

Get more of a good thing!

Our weekly newsletter highlights our top stories, our special offers, and upcoming jazz events near you.

Install All About Jazz

iOS Instructions:

To install this app, follow these steps:

All About Jazz would like to send you notifications

Notifications include timely alerts to content of interest, such as articles, reviews, new features, and more. These can be configured in Settings.