eMajor Marketing

Great advice on using text messages to promote shows

2011-07-22T21:33:00.001-06:00

Video discusses the problems with Facebook invites and email blasts and provides a great alternative.

Kristin Samet, "Goin' Nowhere" Top Ten for 26 weeks straight

2011-07-22T21:15:00.002-06:00

Kristin Samet, "Goin' Nowhere" has been Top Ten on SoundClick's Country &
Country-Pop charts for 26 weeks!
Hear it at: http://www.bluezmama.blogspot.com

Number One! Stephen Sea, "Ballad of Dylan James"

2010-11-16T13:08:00.001-07:00

eMajor Marketing congratulates Stephen Sea!"Ballad of Dylan James" is *#1* on the SoundClick Guitar Rock Charts! http://tinyurl.com/2g8afmk

Progress vs. Perfection by Scott James

2010-10-08T03:09:00.001-06:00

Progress vs. Perfection
by Scott James

About 8 years ago I used to smoke two packs of Marlboro Red cigarettes a day. It was hard for me to imagine what it would really take to quit. I tried to kick the habit cold turkey a few times and it just made me want to crawl out of my skin. Then I heard about the patch and decided to give it a try.

I put it on one morning and made it until about 10PM before I ripped it off and started smoking. The fact that I don’t smoke today has a lot to do with how I chose to look at what happened that day. Was it a success or was it a failure? You could make a good case for either side. I decided that it was a success. I had proven that I could go almost an entire day without a cigarette.

If I decided that that day was a failure than I wouldn’t have anything to build on. I would just be reinforcing the idea in my mind that I’d never be able to quit. By focusing on the positive I was able to convince myself that my experience would help me do better the next time.

Sure enough I was able to go well over 24 hours the next time. It probably took a good 6 or 7 tries over the course of about a year to quit for good. I was able to do it because the only thing I was looking at was my progress. I built on that until I achieved the outcome I wanted. I never beat myself up when I would fall off the wagon. Instead I let myself enjoy my cigarettes while mentally preparing to do even better the next time.

When you compare yourself to perfection or your ideal then you’ll always fall short. It’s demotivating and it will never make you happy. Getting somewhere worthwhile take time and practice. If you have ambitions then chances are you can’t get from where you are to where you’d like to be in one step. You need to have the right mindset to stay on your path while you’re still short of your goal.

For example, maybe you’re a solo artist who usually ends up losing money at gigs because you have to pay your band and you aren’t bringing in enough money to cover your expenses. Between the gig and rehearsals you’re paying out $800 a show. At the last gig you pulled in $500 and ended up losing $300. At the next gig you bring in just over $600 and end up in the hole by just under $200. Are you going to consider that a success or another failure?

Chances are if you consider it a failure then you will loose motivation and have a cynical outlook for the future. If you focus on your progress then chances are you’ll be thinking about what you can do to build on it. You’d probably start to think that you’re getting pretty close to breaking even. You might vow to do a better job of letting people know about the CDs you have for sale in the back. You might decide to recruit a friend to help you sell some merch at the show. Maybe you put a little more effort into your promotion. Before you know it you’re actually making money at your gigs.

So what are you focusing on? Your success or your failures? The answer might be more important than you can even imagine.

Article by Scott James of The Independent Rockstar Blog.

Progress vs. Perfection — Echoes - Insight for Independent Artists http://blog.discmakers.com/2010/09/progress-vs-perfection/#ixzz11kx7klZw

Stephen Sea, "Date Street Shuffle" #9 Soundclick Electric Blues Chart! Please click to help us move up!

2010-05-23T12:42:00.000-06:00

Stephen Sea, "Date Street Shuffle" #9 Soundclick Electric Blues Chart! Please click to help us move up! http://tinyurl.com/275ode7

Stephen Sea, Ballad of Dylan James debuts in Top 50 Guitar Rock on Soundclick!

2010-05-18T16:11:00.000-06:00

Stephen Sea, Ballad of Dylan James debuts in Top 50 Guitar Rock on Soundclick!
Please support indie music!

Click:

Stephen Sea - To the Stars Top Ten Soundclick NuJazz Charts:

###
Kristin Samet, eMajor Marketing
http://emajormarketing.googlepages.com

Stephen Sea Music
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Stephen-Sea/121228617888991

Top 5 ! Stephen Sea "Proclamation" Soundclick charts 5/7/2010

2010-05-07T09:51:00.000-06:00

Thank you for listening & all the great support! --Stephen Sea

Inertia Records Artist Stephen Sea
New EP, "Proclamation: Sonic Prelude"

Chart Positions

To the Stars # 5 in NuJazz / #41 debut / Jazz
[listen: http://soundclick.com/share?songid=9105494 ]

Walk With Me # 15 in Smooth Jazz
[listen: http://soundclick.com/share?songid=9105495 ]

Date Street Shuffle: # 12 in Electric Blues
# 77 in Blues General
[listen: http://soundclick.com/share?songid=9105331 ]

Love is Gonna Find You
# 30 in Progressive Rock / # 216 in Rock
[listen: http://soundclick.com/share?songid=8967625 ]

White Shoe White # 47 in Blues General
[listen: http://soundclick.com/share?songid=9107051 ]

Ballad of Dylan James
# 2,002 in Instrumentals (Total songs: 1,131,265)
# 632 in Instrumentals with Hooks (Total songs: 13,756)
[listen: http://soundclick.com/share?songid=9105330 ]

###
Kristin Samet, eMajor Marketing
Global Internet Music Promotion
http://emajormarketing.googlepages.com

Coldplay:Free Live LP download “LeftRightLeftRightLeft”

2010-04-05T10:17:00.001-06:00

Starting with their May 15th show in West Palm Beach, Florida, Coldplay will give all fans that attend a gig on their North American Viva la Vida summer tour a free live album.

Fans who aren’t holding tickets to any of those performances can get the nine-song collection, LeftRightLeftRightLeft, as a free download on the band’s official Website at
http://www.coldplay.com/lrlrl/lr.html

The live album culls performances from several cities during the band’s last year of touring and will be available only during its summer tour, which runs until August 9th.

“Playing live is what we love. This album is a thank you to our fans — the people who give us a reason to do it and make it happen,” Coldplay said in a statement. Over half of LeftRightLeftRightLeft’s track list draws from the both the band’s Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends and their recent Prospekt’s March EP. The collection is rounded out by their X&Y hits “Fix You” and “The Hardest Part’ plus A Rush of Blood to the Head’s “Clocks.”

LeftRightLeftRightLeft track list:

1. Glass of Water
2. 42
3. Clocks
4. Strawberry Swing
5. The Hardest Part/Postcards From Far Away
6. Viva La Vida
7. Death Will Never Conquer
8. Fix You
9. Death And All His Friends

Kermit Driscoll, NYC Bassist, Nominated For Grammy Award 2010

2009-12-21T20:19:00.005-07:00

eMajor Marketing congratulates bassist Kermit Driscoll

on his Grammy Award Nomination for his work

with the John Hollenbeck Large Ensemble

Visit Kermit Driscoll on the web

http://www.kermitdriscoll.com

http://www.youtube.com/user/kermitdriscoll

http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/pages/Kermit-Driscoll-Quartet/117873790148

http://www.myspace.com/kermitdriscoll

Published on Interlochen Center for the Arts

(http://www.interlochen.org/news/sixteen-alumni-nominated-52nd-annual-grammy-awards)

Sixteen Alumni Nominated for 52nd Annual Grammy Awards

Sixteen Interlochen alumni have been nominated in thirteen categories for the 52nd annual Grammy Awards, to be presented January 31, 2010.

Norah Jones (Camp '94-95) with Willie Nelson - Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals
Peter Erskine (Academy '68-71) with Bob Florence Limited Edition - Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album
Jeremy Viner (Academy '01-04) with John Hollenbeck Large Ensemble - Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album
Kermit Driscoll (Academy '73-74) with John Hollenbeck Large Ensemble - Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album
Jerry Hey (Academy '65-66) with David Fosters (arrangers), Seal - Best Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying Vocalist(s)
Benjamin Zander (Camp Faculty, '87), Philharmonia Orchestra conductor - Best Orchestral Performance
Stephen Bryant (Camp '74), principal soloist for Marco Polo - Best Opera Recording
Dennis Keene (Camp '69), conductor, Voices of Ascension - Best Choral Performance
Carlos Miguel Prieto (Camp, '78 & '81), conductor, Orquesta Sinfonica de Mineria - Best Instrumental Soloist(s) Performance (with Orchestra)
Caroline Goulding (Camp '02-03), violin - Best Instrumental Soloist Performance (without Orchestra)
Yolanda Kondonassis (Academy '78-82), harp (with others) - Best Chamber Music Performance
John Dalley (Camp '46-52) with Guarneri Quartet - Best Chamber Music Performance
Lorraine Hunt Lieberson (Camp '71) - Best Classical Vocal Performance
George Crumb (Camp '47, Faculty '57-61) - Best Classical Contemporary Composition
Keith Lawrence (Camp '94-96, Academy '96-97) with Quartet San Francisco - Best Classical Crossover Album
Ann Marie (Simpson) Calhoun (Camp '97) with Steve Vai - Best Rock Instrumental Performance

Since 1958, 91 Grammys have been awarded to Interlochen alumni. Many more Grammys have been awarded to orchestras or ensembles in which alumni perform.

JOHN HOLLENBECK Triple Bill @ Le Poisson Rouge, 30 NOV 2009

2009-11-07T08:24:00.000-07:00

TRIPLE BILL:
·JOHN HOLLENBECK LARGE ENSEMBLE
·FUTURE QUEST (MUSIC OF MEREDITH MONK)
·TRIO WITH TODD REYNOLDS + MATT MORAN

CELEBRATING TWO NEW CDS: "ETERNAL INTERLUDE" and "RAINBOW JIMMIES"

Doors Open: 7:00pm Show Time: 8:00pm
Venue: Le Poisson Rouge, Greenwich Village, 158 Bleecker St (between Sullivan St & Thompson St) New York, NY 10012
Tel: (212) 505-3474 Web: http://lepoissonrouge.com
Tickets: $15 Minimum Age: 18+, Wheelchair Accessible: No, Alcohol: Full Bar, Smoking: No, Coat Check: Yes

Description:John Hollenbeck has gained widespread recognition as the driving force behind the Claudia Quintet and the John Hollenbeck Large Ensemble, groups with roots in jazz, world music, and contemporary composition. He is well known for his longtime collaboration with Meredith Monk, composing and performing the percussion scores for her Magic Frequencies, Mercy, and The Impermanence Project.
Hollenbeck was named as both the Rising Star Composer and the Rising Star Arranger of the Year two years in a row (2008 and 2009) in Down Beat Magazine’s Critics Poll. John’s first large ensemble recording, A Blessing, received a 2006 Grammy Nomination, and in 2007, John was awarded the prestigious Guggenheim Fellowship.

PART ONE: John Hollenbeck This show spotlights Hollenbeck in each of these roles, opening with music from Rainbow Jimmies (GPE), his new CD of chamber works, played by violinist Todd Reynolds, vibraphonist Matt Moran, and John Hollenbeck.

PART TWO: Future Quest, a quintet devoted to “re-imaginings” of Meredith Monk’s music, with vocalist Theo Bleckmann, saxophonists Ellery Eskelin and Tony Malaby, pianist Gary Versace, and Hollenbeck on percussion. Meredith Monk will be in attendance.

PART THREE: John Hollenbeck Large Ensemble, performing music from the group’s new CD, Eternal Interlude (Sunnyside), including three New York premieres.

Artists
John Hollenbeck Large Ensemble: Sunnyside CD Release Performance for "eternal interlude" with...
Woodwinds: Ben Kono flute/soprano/alto sax, Jeremy Viner clarinet/tenor sax, Tony Malaby soprano/tenor sax, Ellery Eskelin tenor sax (perseverance), Dan Willis tenor/soprano sax/soprano sax/flute/english horn, Bohdan Hilash bass clarinet/baritone sax/contrabass clarinet.
Trombones: Rob Hudson, Mike Christianson, Jacob Garchik:(tenor horn on eternal interlude), Alan Ferber
Trumpets/Flugelhorns: Tony Kadleck, Jon Owens, Dave Ballou, Laurie Frink
Acoustic and Electric Bass: Kermit Driscoll, Drums (keyboard-The Cloud): John Hollenbeck, Piano/Organ/Keyboard: Gary Versace, Marimba, Vibraphone, Glockenspiel, Crotales: John Ferrari (eternal interlude, Perseverance, no boat)
Vibraphone: Matt Moran (Foreign One, Guarana, The Cloud), Voice: Theo Bleckmann, Conductor: JC Sanford
=========
Future Quest: with Theo Bleckmann, Ellery Eskelin, John Hollenbeck, Tony Malaby, Gary Versace
Vocalist Theo Bleckmann and percussionist John Hollenbeck have both spent considerable amounts of time in the ensemble led by visionary singer, composer and choreographer Meredith Monk. Completing the lineup are saxophonists Ellery Eskelin and Tony Malaby, and keyboardist Gary Versace.
=================
Hollenbeck/Reynolds/Moran trio
Rainbow Jimmies is largely devoted to Gray Cottage Studies, composed for Todd Reynolds. The seven studies, scored for violin with vibraphone and/or drumkit, were written by Hollenbeck while at the Blue Mountain Center arts retreat in the Adirondack Mountains.

For more information, please visit: http://www.johnhollenbeck.com
# # #

internet publicity: Kristin Samet, eMajor Marketing

DO YOU REMEMBER SWINGING AT THE BARN?

2009-11-05T15:53:00.000-07:00

DO YOU REMEMBER SWINGING AT THE BARN?, WEEK OF NOVEMBER 12-18, 2009
The Wilmington Journal
Originally posted 11/16/2009

http://www.wilmingtonjournal.com/news/Article/Article.asp?NewsID=100084&sID=4

BY LARRY RENI THOMAS
CONTRIBUTING WRITER

SWINGING AT THE BARN: A STUDY OF WILMINGTON, NORTH CAROLINA'S JAZZ DANCE HALL (1944-1952), an oral history project, which will consist of interviews and videos, is looking for people who frequented ''The Barn,'' during the 1940s and 1950s. The popular dance hall played host to several great jazz bands like Lionel Hampton, Louis Armstrong, Count Basie, Buddy Johnson, Louie Jordan and many others. We are looking for people who frequented ''The Barn'' or have heard about ''The Barn'' from others. We want them to talk about times at that black-owned and operated establishment. Located on South Eleventh Street, it was not only a thriving black business, but it was also a place where blacks held meetings, wedding receptions, debutante balls, birthday parties and family functions. Locals would point proudly to ''The Barn,'' as a shining example of black pride in the midst of a segregated Wilmington when ''Whites Only'' signs made some African-Americans feel less than human. It meant that blacks could have something first-class, and that they could dress up, go out to some place nice to enjoy themselves. At ''The Barn'' they danced their troubles and the night away. It was known as the place where the dancers seemed like they were ''flying in the air'' all the time.

''The Barn'' was owned by Mr. and Mrs. Charles Whitted, who lived in a big two story on South Seventh Street.

Sometimes they would make accommodations for some of the musicians to stay with them because white motels and hotels would not allow them to stay at their establishments.

There were some very famous musicians who stayed with the Whitteds. One of them included vocalist Billy Eckstine, whom their granddaughter, Gerrie Lemon, in an interview during the 1980s, recalled hearing singing one morning, while he shaved, in a bathroom across from her bedroom. The legendary saxophonist Jimmy Heath, who was a 1943 graduate of the all-black Williston Industrial High School, remembered one of his very first concerts as a professional, with the Nat Towles Band, was at ''The Barn.'' Heath said, during a 1989 interview, that it was where he first met a young saxophonist who would later be known as Yusuf Lateef. The famous trumpet player John Birks ''Dizzy' Gillespie also played at ''The Barn'' early in his career in The Cab Calloway Band and he also came back later as the leader of his own big band during the late 1940s.

All of these all-star, well-known big bands played in Wilmington during what was called the Big Band era of the jazz, during the World War II years of the mid to late 1940s. Wilmington was part of a Southern tour that included Raleigh, Durham, Kinston, Rocky Mount and other North Carolina cities. The port city was known as a party place and a classy city where blacks appreciated good jazz music and fun times. Oftentimes, the band members would arrive early in the week, say on a Wednesday, or Thursday. That would give them a chance to play in softball games against the local teams. It was a joyous occasion for all and permitted the band members a time to relax and to get to know their fans. It also helped the citizens feel good about meeting and seeing these musicians up close and personal. It was a thrill for the public to see them play softball on a Friday and perform on the bandstand on a Saturday night.

SWINGING AT THE BARN: A STUDY OF WILMINGTON, NORTH CAROLINA'S JAZZ DANCE HALL, our oral history project, will need the help of the general public.

We are asking all who have photos, memorabilia and mementos to let us know about these keepsakes. We would like to interview people who would like to talk about ''The Barn.'' We realize that time is moving quickly and that time is of essence because most of the people who need to talk to are getting older.

Contact us by sending an e-mail to: larryrthomas@bellsouth.net or mailing a letter to P.O. Box 4171 Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27515. You can also contact The Wilmington Journal. We plan to donate our research results to local educational and cultural institutions. We are thrilled, inspired and very excited about this project. We look forward to hearing from you, so we can leave a legacy for future generations to read, brag and boast about, and to show that Wilmington was and still is, a major cultural center, a place that has always been filled with great, highly-professional, pleasing, excellent entertainment.

Larry Reni Thomas, a Wilmington native, is a writer/ radio announcer based in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. He is the host of Sunday Night Jazz, WCOM-FM, Chapel Hill-Carrboro, North Carolina, and is contributor to www.allaboutjazz.com

Newport Jazz 2009

2009-08-17T21:57:00.002-06:00

Dave Brubeck performs at Newport Jazz

Newport Jazz 2009
http://www.npr.org/music/newportjazz/index2.html

About Jazz At Newport
One of the most diverse and intriguing lineups in recent memory comes to the annual jazz festival in Newport, R.I., celebrating its 55th year this August. NPR Music, with partners WBGO and WGBH, will present live coverage and recording archives of George Wein's CareFusion Jazz Festival 55.

Hear full, archived performances from Newport Jazz 2009:

Claudia Acuna
The Bad Plus with Wendy Lewis
Steven Bernstein's Millenial Territory Orchestra
Brian Blade & The Fellowship Band
Dave Brubeck Quartet
Michel Camilo Trio
James Carter Organ Trio
Hiromi's SonicBloom
Vijay Iyer Trio
Joe Lovano UsFive
Rudresh Mahanthappa's Indo-Pak Coalition
North Carolina Central Ensembles
Esperanza Spalding
Cedar Walton All-Stars with Lew Tabackin & Curtis Fuller
Miguel Zenon Quartet

You May Be Too Old for the Gig if...

2009-07-15T10:53:00.005-06:00

You May Be Too Old for the Gig if...
(A few clues to tell when you're past prime time)

Your gig stool needs to have a back.
You need a nap before the gig.
The waitress is actually your daughter
All your fans get up and leave by 9:30 p.m.
You feel like hell before the gig even starts.
You prefer a music stand with a light.
It's more important to find a place on stage for your fan than your amp.
Your gig clothes make you look like George Burns out for a round of golf.
All you want from groupies is a nice foot massage and back rub.
You like taking the elevator since you can sing along with most of your playlist.
Instead of adding another member, your band wants to hire a roadie.
You forgot where you put the directions to the gig.
You need your glasses to see the amp settings.
You've thrown out your back jumping off the stage.
You stop the set because your ibuprofen fell behind the speakers.
Most of your crowd just sits and sways in their seats.
You ask the club owner if you can start at 8:30 instead of 9:30.
You find your drink tokens from last month's gig in your guitar case.
You refuse to play without wearing earplugs.
You're related to at least one member in the band.
You hope the host's speech lasts forever.
You never let any one else sit-in on a tune.
After the third set, you ask the club manager to let you quit early.
During the breaks, you go to your van to lie down and rest your eyes.
You don't recover from the gig until Tuesday afternoon.
You buy amps because of their weight, not their tone or cool factor.
You have a hazy memory of the days when you could work 10 gigs in 7 days.
You can remember at least seven different club names for the same location.
You feel guilty looking at hot women at the bar since they're younger than your daughter.
You scream at the drummer to stop hitting those annoying cymbals.
You refuse to play out of tune.
Each gig finds you warming up additional body parts.
The after-show party is held at the International House of Pancakes.
You hire band members for their values instead of their talent.
Prepping for the gig involves trimming chin and nose hair.
Most of that hair is gray.
You’re thrilled to get New Year’s Eve off.
You no longer use a tip jar.
You can’t play without a set list.
You say you double on bass.
You discourage playing longer than contracted.
You have a contract.
You know all the words to “Aqualung.”

The CareFusion Jazz Festival Series

2009-07-09T04:36:00.005-06:00

George Wein's Jazz Festivals Get Infusion of Cash

In this Aug. 10, 2008 file photo, Newport Jazz Festival founder George Wein performs at the Newport Jazz Festival at Fort Adams State Park in Newport, R.I.

At 83, George Wein hoped the future of his Newport folk and jazz festivals would have been set. But the founder of the annual Newport events and the New York jazz festival has been working harder then ever to keep the events alive.

Yesterday at a New York press conference, Wein announced that he’d received a lifeline from CareFusion, a planned spinoff of Cardinal Health’s clinical and medical products businesses.

The company outlined an expansive sponsorship deal for what will be called the CareFusion Jazz Festival Series; the kickoff event will be George Wein’s CareFusion Jazz Festival 55 at Fort Adams State Park in Newport.

The company will also help Wein revive the New York jazz festival next June, and it will sponsor jazz fests in Chicago, Monterey, Calif., Paris and Australia.

“This is a great boost for jazz,” Wein told the Herald by phone before the press conference. “JazzTimes magazine is going under. No one can find sponsors for festivals. The arts are in trouble. And then CareFusion walked in the door. It’s more than a light at the end of the tunnel. We are out of the tunnel.”

The CareFusion Jazz Festival Series will open in Newport, R.I. The kickoff event will be George Wein's CareFusion Jazz Festival 55, the oldest of the festivals and the one that has set the tradition for jazz festivals as they are known today.

The full schedule includes:
George Wein's CareFusion Jazz Festival 55 (Newport, R.I.), Aug. 7 - 9, 2009
Chicago Jazz Festival presented by CareFusion, Sept. 4 - 6, 2009
CareFusion Presents Dizzy's Den at the Monterey Jazz Festival, Sept. 18 - 20, 2009
CareFusion Manly Jazz Festival (Australia), Oct. 3 - 5, 2009
CareFusion Jazz Festival Paris, Oct. 16 - 24, 2009
CareFusion New York Jazz Festival, June 2010 (exact dates to be determined)

Sources:

http://www.carefusionjazz.com/

http://sev.prnewswire.com/health-care-hospitals/20090707/LA4286107072009-1.html

http://www.bostonherald.com/entertainment/music/general/view/20090708weins_jazz_festivals_get_infusion_of_cash/srvc=home&position=also

CHICAGO THIEVES Live@Hare & Hounds 04 July 2009

2009-06-30T02:02:00.002-06:00

CHICAGO THIEVES Live@Hare & Hounds 4 July 2009
The Hare & Hounds, Cowfold, West Sussex, 8.30pm.
The village of Cowfold is hosting its annual Village Day celebrations on July 4th - Independence Day in the USA.
Check out www.hare-and-hounds.co.uk for further information or call 01403 865354.

For more info: http://www.chicagothieves.co.uk/gigs.php
***NEW!!! CD "IN THE WINDY CITY" available at***
http://cdbaby.com/cd/chicagothieves
*THE CHICAGO THIEVES*
www.chicagothieves.co.uk
www.myspace.com/thieves21
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Chicago-Thieves/38775751117

JAZZ in NYC! Kermit Driscoll Quartet, Live! 25 June@The Stone,NYC

2009-06-20T04:42:00.013-06:00

Former Bill Frisell bassist, Kermit Driscoll, with his Quartet,
Live! 25 June@The Stone,NYC

Date: Thursday, June 25, 2009
Time: 8:00pm - 9:30pm
Location: The Stone, NYC
Corner of Ave C & 2nd St., New York, NY

Kermit Driscoll Quartet Live! @THE STONE, NYC
feat: KERMIT DRISCOLL: Bass; KRIS DAVIS: piano; TERRENCE McMANUS: guitar; BROOKE SOFFERMAN: drums.

The Kermit Driscoll Quartet will be playing songs from their upcoming CD featuring KERMIT DRISCOLL, BILL FRISELL, VINNIE COLAIUTA & KRIS DAVIS.

The Stone is a not-for-profit performance space hosted by JOHN ZORN dedicated to the EXPERIMENTAL and AVANT-GARDE.
All expenses are paid for by the MUSIC itself - 100% of the nightly revenue goes directly to the musicians.

There are no refreshments or merchandise at The Stone.
Only music.
All ages are welcome.
There are no advance ticket sales - all admissions are at the door prior to each performance.

ADMISSION
$10.00 per set
Students (13 to 19) admitted half price
Children (12 & under) free

Kermit Driscoll on the Web:
Website
MySpace
Facebook

Sammy Cahn said thank you

2009-06-13T00:31:00.003-06:00

© 2009 Derek Sivers
used by permission of the author

In 1990, at the age of 20, I moved to New York City and got a job as the tape room guy for Warner/Chappell Music Publishing.
It was a small office, about 12 people, but the door to one room was always closed. I assumed it was unused.

One day, after a few months, I hear an old man yelling, “Goddamn it! What’s wrong with this typewriter? Can’t someone make a simple goddamn typewriter work?! What the hell?”
He was in the previously-closed room, door open, fighting with the typewriter. I went in to help, and as I was fixing it, I noticed some press clippings on the wall about Sammy Cahn, then looked at the man and realized it was Sammy Cahn!

Legendary songwriter Sammy Cahn who wrote most of those huge Frank Sinatra hits! “Love and Marriage”, “Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow”, “All the Way”, “High Hopes”, “Call Me Irresponsible” and many more. He lived in Los Angeles, but the New York office kept an office for him, which he’d visit every few months.

I fixed his typewriter, then said, “Sammy – my name’s Derek. If you ever need anything, just buzz number 12 on your phone and I’ll be glad to help.” He scowled at me, then waved me out of his room.
But from them on, every time he’d come into town, I’d be the first to know, because his voice would bark over my intercom, “[beeeep] Derek, goddamn it, get in here!” Everyone else at the office avoided him.

One day, he had me go to the Time/Warner Cafeteria to get him his favorite bowl of soup. When I gave it to him, he yelled at me for not filling the cup all the way to the top.
One day, he had me get some Ben Gay from the drug store. When I gave it to him, he asked me to rub it on his neck, which I did, but I used too much, and he yelled at me for making his neck all goopy.
But I liked him. His cranky personality was like a running joke, and didn’t bother me a bit.

He was still writing songs every day. Usually custom lyrics for existing songs, tailored for friends’ birthdays or special events. But he was still writing new songs, too.
I spent hours with him helping him autograph his songbooks. He patiently answered all of my eager questions about songwriting. (“As soon as I hear a melody, I can tell you what that song will be called. The piece of paper goes in the typewriter, I start typing, and when it comes out, it’s done! No edits!”)
I’d find an excuse to be in the room when he was writing new songs with composers like Walter Afanasieff. I played him some of my songs, and he gave me advice. I was thrilled. 20 years old, living in New York City, and working with Sammy Cahn.

One day as I was xeroxing something in the kitchen, he was yelling at the coffee machine. (“What’s wrong with the goddamn coffee? Can’t I get a simple goddamn cup of coffee anymore? What are all these buttons?”)
I laughed and said, “Sammy, you know what? I like you.”
He looked at me, and his usually-scowling face went blank. Like the mask he always wears had dropped. Like he hadn’t heard “I like you” in a long long time.

He paused for a while, then said, in an unusually nice voice, “Thank you. You’re a very nice man.”
Then he went back to yelling at the coffee machine.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A few months later, in November 1992, I quit my job to be a full time musician, and went out to an isolated part of the Oregon coast to record. No TV, no newspaper, no internet, no radio. Just me, all alone, just recording. Warner/Chappell Music was long behind me, and I didn’t keep in touch with anyone.
Every morning I’d wake up with no alarm clock, and remember all of my dreams. I started writing them down. The more I wrote, the more I remembered. Sometimes it would take 45 minutes just to write down all the vivid details.

One Friday in January, I had this vivid dream that I was outside a big military building in the 1950s. A mounted air force jet outside, and General MacArthur was at the door. We talked for a minute, then he let me in. I walked down a long empty hallway, then took a right, and walked down another long empty hallway.
At the end of the hallway was a younger Sammy Cahn, in the 1950s, with a full head of brown hair, waving his arms, yelling at someone. (“Goddamn it! What the hell were you thinking?”)

As I got closer, he stopped, turned to me, and said, “Who the hell are you?”
I said, “Sammy, you don’t know me, but I came back from 40 years in the future to tell you that in 40 years, you’re still going to be alive and well and writing songs every day.”

Just like that day in the kitchen, his face went blank. His mask dropped. He said, in that rare nice voice, “Thank you. I really appreciate it.”

Then I woke up.
I wrote it all down.

The next day, a friend of mine called me at the beach and said, “Well… I guess you heard the news?”

“Uh, no. I don’t get any news out here. What’s up?”

“Your friend Sammy Cahn died last night.”

The same night I had the dream.
Whoa.

I didn’t believe in any of that stuff before, but couldn’t help but wonder about that life-after-death stuff you hear about, or maybe ESP, or something. Who knows if I had the dream right before he died or right after, but I still think he came by to say thank you.

Music Humor

2009-06-09T08:58:00.001-06:00

(so silly, it's brilliant!)

C, E-flat and G go into a bar. The bartender says, "sorry, but we don't serve minors." So E-flat leaves, and C and G have an open fifth between them. After a few drinks, the fifth is diminished and G is out flat. F comes in and tries to augment the situation, but is not sharp enough.

D comes in and heads for the bathroom saying, "Excuse me. I'll just be a second." Then A comes in, but the bartender is not convinced that this relative of C is not a minor. Then the bartender notices B-flat hiding at the end of the bar and says, "Get out! You're the seventh minor I've found in this bar tonight."

E-Flat comes back the next night in a three-piece suit with nicely shined shoes. The bartender says, "you're looking sharp tonight. Come on in, this could be a major development." Sure enough, E-flat soon takes off his suit and everything else, and is au natural.

Eventually C sobers up and realizes in horror that he's under a rest. C is brought to trial, found guilty of contributing to the diminution of a minor, and is sentenced to 10 years of D.S. without Coda at an upscale correctional facility.

On appeal, however, the C is found innocent of any wrongdoing, even accidental, and that all accusations to the contrary are bassless.

The bartender decides, however, that since he's only had tenor so patrons, the soprano out in the bathroom, and everything has become alto much treble, he needs a rest and closes the bar.

Got The Twitter Jitters? Twitter For Beginners

2009-05-13T05:07:00.006-06:00

Hi folks,
Some useful items for helping you to learn to use Twitter without all the anxiety.

First, watch this 4 min video on YouTube:
How to Use Twitter for business
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=86xsgdt5GoM

Then, download the free PDF "Twitter For Beginners" at:
http://www.crowinfodesign.com/downloads/twitter_beginners.pdf

A fun thing to check out is Twittervision: A real-time geographic visualization of global posts to Twitter.
http://twittervision.com/

a 3-D version of Twittervision is here:
http://twittervision.com/maps/show_3d

Tweet Tweet! Kristin

Kristin Samet
eMajor Marketing / Global Internet Music & Arts Marketing
http://emajormarketing.googlepages.com
http://www.linkedin.com/pub/5/9b0/405
http://www.myspace.com/bluezmama
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=649788759
http://www.emajormarketing.blogspot.com
http://twitter.com/kristinsamet

Melanie: The 41st Dover Sole (Podcast)

2009-04-21T09:13:00.005-06:00

The Singer Songwriter Melanie draws you into her temporal world, the Roadburn Cafe as she reads entries from her journals about her life and thoughts, telling stories of her life with pathos and insight. [5:40 total time]

http://www.musicallmusic.com/podcasts/melanie/brandnewkey_podcast.mp3

Melanie Safka

The Voca People

2009-04-20T05:39:00.007-06:00

The Voca People is an international vocal theater performance that combines vocal sounds and acapella singing with the art of modern beat-box which imitates the sounds of drums, trumpets, guitars and other instruments and musical effects without using any musical instrument on stage, performed in a humoristic way and with audience participation.
The Voca People is an ensemble of 8 musician-actors; 3 female singers (alt, mezzo, soprano) and 3 male singers (bass, baritone, tenor. In addition there are 2 beat box artists that create human beat box sounds.
Performers: Eyal Cohen, Oded Goldstein, Liraz Rahmin, Adi Cesare, Adi Kozlovsky, Naama Levi, Boaz Ben David, Inon Ben David.

The secret formula to every album ever, and why no one buys CDs anymore

2009-04-19T09:16:00.004-06:00

CLICK THUMBNAIL FOR FULL SIZE IMAGE

Twin Solid State Musical Tesla coils playing the Zelda theme song

2009-03-31T02:56:00.005-06:00

The music that you hear is coming from the sparks that these two identical high power solid state Tesla coils are generating. There are no speakers involved. The Tesla coils stand 7 feet tall and are each capable of putting out over 12 foot of spark. They are spaced about 18 feet apart. The coils are controlled over a fiber optic link by a single laptop computer. Each coil is assigned to a midi channel which it responds to by playing notes that are programed into the computer software. What is not obvious is how loud the coils are. They are well over 110dB. Listen for the echo after the notes stop. These coils were constructed by Steve Ward and Jeff Larson. Programming and musical content by Steve Ward. Video was captured by Terry Blake and edited by Jeff Larson.

Free Bob Dylan Download-Mar 30 only

2009-03-30T18:18:00.002-06:00

Free Bob Dylan Download-Mar 30 only.
Go to http://www.bobdylan.com to download "Beyond Here Lies Nothin'".
Completely free & legit. Song is GREAT!

William Vacchiano and Miles Davis

2009-03-29T09:09:00.017-06:00

William Vacchiano, was one of the top trumpet teachers in the country who taught trumpet at Manhattan School of Music Mannes College of Music and at the Juilliard School for 67 years.

His students included Wynton Marsalis, Gerard Schwarz, and Miles Davis.

Vacchiano was big on teaching trumpet students to transpose various parts for variously pitched trumpet parts.
Miles Davis studied briefly with Vacchiano in the 1950's.

During one lesson Vacchiano asked Miles: "If the piano is in the key of E, where does that put the trumpet?"

Miles replied, "Back in the f**king case."

explanation for non-musicians: The "concert pitch" is the original key that the instrument is in. Concert pitch can be found from the score of the piano. The piano is a "C" instrument. The trumpet is a B flat instrument. Any B flat instrument will be two half steps down from the original key. That means that if the original key is in C on the piano, you go down two half steps on the trumpet, which is B flat.
The process for transposing is this: if the piano is in the key of E flat, you have to go down two half steps, leaving you at the key of D flat. If you are transposing an entire score, you will do this to every note that you play in order to get the same note as the piano.

REVIVAL Big Band Jazz video

2009-03-25T20:28:00.002-06:00

REVIVAL Big Band Jazz de Mexico under the musical direction of Ernesto Ramos Nieto.6 saxophonists, 5 trumpets, 4 trombones, piano, drums, bass guitar and tuba. 3 vocalists, 6 dancers and video clips. Aqua Hotel, Mexico City.

REVIVAL Big Band Jazz from moises regla on Vimeo.

Mr. Audiophile Tweaks His Turntable

2009-03-18T09:12:00.003-06:00

Here's an audiophile rigging up his turntable to make it sound better.

Spinal Tap to record new material + Stonehenge Interview with Nigel

2009-03-02T12:31:00.021-07:00

The spoof metal band, the subject of 1984 "mockumentary" 'This Is Spinal Tap', will release new music via download later this year followed by physical releases.
Band member Derek Smalls (aka actor Harry Shearer) told BBC Radio 5live: "It'll be for download as well as on conventional media later this year."

He went on to give details about which songs would be likely to be released.
"We've never recorded the song we did at Live Earth [at Wembley Stadium in 2007], 'Warmer Than Hell'," he said.
"I think they [Spinal Tap] are trying to revisit their old success. Not that they were ever popular, maybe in their own universe. We'll do a song called 'Gimme Some More Money', probably with some dubious results."

Spinal Tap: Current members
David St. Hubbins (Michael McKean) – rhythm & lead guitars, lead & backing vocals, acoustic guitar (1964–present)
Nigel Tufnel (Christopher Guest) – lead & rhythm guitars, backing & lead vocals, acoustic guitar, mandolin, violin, violin bow, harmonica, keyboards, piano (1964–1982, 1982–present)
Derek Smalls (Harry Shearer) – bass guitar, backing & lead vocals, acoustic bass guitar (1967–present)
"Caucasian" Jeffery Vanston (C. J. Vanston) – keyboards, backing vocals (198?–present)
Drums, percussion
John "Stumpy" Pepys (1964–1967) Died in a bizarre, unexplained gardening accident
Eric "Stumpy Joe" Childs (1967–1974) Choked on vomit of unknown origin
Peter "James" Bond (1974–1977) Spontaneously combusted onstage
Mick Shrimpton (R. J. "Ric" Parnell) (1977–1982) Onstage explosion
Joe "Mama" Besser (1982) Quit the band, claiming he "couldn't take this 4/4 shit"; according to an MTV interview with Spinal Tap in November 1991, he disappeared under mysterious circumstances
Gary Wallis (Amnesty International performance in 1991) (Wallis pretended to explode at the end of the performance)
Jody Linscott (Amnesty International performance in 1991)
Richard "Ric" Shrimpton (1982–1999) Allegedly sold his dialysis machine for drugs, presumed dead
Mick Fleetwood (2000) The only one to survive unscathed
Scott "Skippy" Scuffleton (2001–2007) Fate unknown
Plus 14 other drummers at various times all of whom are dead

VIDEO: Spinal Tap’s Nigel Tufnel shares his unorthodox views about Stonehenge.

Spinal Tap Stonehenge Interview Pt.1

Spinal Tap Stonehenge Interview Pt.2

Spinal Tap Stonehenge Interview Pt.3

Spinal Tap Stonehenge Interview Pt.4

Spinal Tap Stonehenge Interview Pt.5

Podcast: Performance Coach Tom Jackson on Creating Moments On Stage

2009-02-16T01:52:00.009-07:00

Tom Jackson Tom Jackson Productions is a performance coach and is one of the leading live music producers for tours, showcases and shows in the music industry. He works with major label artists from all over the world in order to produce stage shows that will create a memorable experience for concert goers. He develops artists onstage skills to produce shows that are unique. He works with artists from every genre of music, including comedians and speakers. Knowing your songs and reproducing your record live isn’t enough to dazzle an audience.
Tom helps artists develop shared moments on stage that often send an audience clambering to the merch table. Tom says the trick is to develop a structured show that leaves room for spontaneity.
Tom teaches that "if an artist thinks that playing tight, singing correctly, moving a lot or being cool is what moves a crowd, they've lost an opportunity to connect with their audience. The goal is capture, connect and emotionally move everyone in the building!"
Audiences come for 3 reasons:
To be captured and engaged.
To experience moments.
To experience change in their lives.

As artists invest much time, energy, and money, into practicing, writing, recording, buying equipment, promoting, courting record companies, creating web-sites, etc.... IT ALL ULTIMATELY LEADS TO THE STAGE.

"Tom Jackson is a jaw-droppingly outstanding live performance coach. His insightful observations and suggestions were so dead-on. A true master, and I don't mean that lightly. I'm recommending him to every serious performing artist I know." (Derek Sivers, founder of CD Baby and Host Baby)

In this podcast and Tom shares his expertise on being a successful performing artist. Podcast: Tom Jackson - Creating Moments On Stage
Podcast: 51:08m

FREE album download - The Damnwells - One Last Century

2009-02-14T14:40:00.010-07:00

Download - The Damnwells - One Last Century

Enter your email address and click submit to download The
Damnwells' new album, One Last Century.By entering your email address, you are opting in to The Damnwells email list and the Paste Lifeline.

The Damnwells are an indie rock band from Brooklyn, New York. The band formed in 2001 and has released two full length albums, Air Stereo (2006, Zoe/Rounder Records) and Bastards of the Beat (2003, Epic Records). Over the years, they have toured most of United States and have had numerous television and radio appearances. The 2008 released motion picture Chaos Theory features five Damnwells songs on its soundtrack. The Damnwells came into media spotlight in 2007, when Chaos Theory lead actor Ryan Reynolds and actress Scarlett Johansson were seen as a couple at a Damnwells concert in Hollywood.
The Damnwells have shared the stage with many well known bands over the years, such as The Dixie Chicks, Augustana, Cheap Trick, The Fray, Los Lonely Boys, Blue October and Cary Brothers.
A new studio album, One Last Century, was released as a free download from Paste Magazine on February 10, 2009. It was recorded together with drummer Andrew Ratcliffe, bassist Adrian Dickey, producer/guitarist Freddy Wall, and producer Wes Kidd.

Free Amazon MP3s (limited time)

2009-02-10T03:07:00.007-07:00

Free Mieka Pauley Album
After winning their Star Launch competition, Cosmopolitan named Mieka Pauley their first fun, fearless female rock star. For a limited time, you can download this rising star's whole 11-song album, Elijah Drop Your Gun absolutely free. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0017KNVEE

Free Real World Sampler
Explore sounds from around the globe on the 11-song Real World Sampler, featuring the likes of Afro Celt Sound System, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, the Blind Boys of Alabama, and more--available free for a limited time.
track listings here: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001QP9ZG8/
download sampler here: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001QP7VD2

More Free Songs
For a limited time, enjoy these five additional songs for free:

"Be Mine," Vota http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001RJJ4A0
"Focus," Cyndi Harvell http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001R33ZVK/
"Tucheses and Nenes," Golem! http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001PZABYE/
"Money (feat. David Byrne, Chuck D, Ras Congo, Seu Jorge & Z-Trip)," N.A.S.A. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001MYUDDC/
"Resuscitation of a Dead Man," by Thursday (feat. Tim McIlrath) http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001NS5LI4/

Free Amazon MP3 Downloads

2009-02-05T12:08:00.007-07:00

Free One Little Indian Sampler, Cliff Eidelman, Antony and the Johnsons, Lisa Hannigan, RH+, Nels Cline

Free One Little Indian Sampler
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001R20JI8
Featuring six songs from Lloyd Cole, Pieta Brown, Jesse Malin, and others, the One Little Indian Label Sampler is a good introduction to what this notable indie record label has in store for 2009. Download it free for a limited time.

More Free MP3s (Limited Time Only)
"He's Into Me," Cliff Eidelman http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001QP5SQE
"Another World," Antony and the Johnsons http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001P1HU1A
"Lille," Lisa Hannigan http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001QW9X22
"What About," RH+ http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001QS5UFA/
"Prayer Wheel," Nels Cline http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001R64HBO

Video - Wheel Of Fortune: w/James Brown, Little Richard, Weird Al & Lee Greenwood

2009-01-28T00:37:00.005-07:00

Weird Al told an interviewer that during the practice game before the taping of this show, James Brown asked for an "A."
"Sorry, James," Pat Sajak said, "that's a vowel. We need a consonant."
The Godfather of Soul thought hard for a momemt. "Okay," he said, "...Europe!"

Pat Sajak asks at the end "What's wrong with this picture?". LOL!

June 1967: Jimi Hendrix opens for the Monkees

2009-01-27T04:35:00.002-07:00

Fresh from the Monterey Pop Festival in June of 1967, Hendrix paired up with the Monkees on their American tour. At the time, Hendrix was not widely known in the US, but had developed a strong following in England. After a couple of shows in the south, which weren’t that well received — given his psychedelic performance and the playing of his guitar with his teeth, the teeny-bopper fans of the Monkees, drowned out Henrdix’s riffs with screams of “We Want Davy (Jones)!”

What were they thinking? Answer: The Monkees wanted respect, and Hendrix wanted publicity. Despite the notoriety from his guitar-burning appearance at the Monterey Pop Festival the month before, Hendrix was better known in England than in the United States, and was far less popular than the Monkees, who had been created for a television sitcom and whose fans consisted mostly of prepubescent girls.

According to an account of the incident in "Oops," a new chronicle of modern fiascoes by Martin J. Smith and Patrick J. Kiger, Hendrix's temper boiled over at Forest Hills. The problem wasn't the performers, who got along pretty well. It was the Monkees' fans, who had little interest in the scary psychedelic dude who preceded their idols. Hendrix's riffs were drowned out by screams of "We want Davy!" (Davy Jones was a Monkee.) Finally, Hendrix gestured obscenely, with words to match, and stomped offstage, going down as one of the most bizarre pairings in pop music history.

Free Amazon MP3 downloads

2009-01-27T02:51:00.001-07:00

Free Amazon MP3 downloads:

Free Exclusive Steve Martin Song
He's an excellent bluegrass banjo player. Download his song, "Daddy Played the Banjo," free at Amazon MP3.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001PTKQKE

Free Exclusive Park the Van Sampler
Home to artists like Dr. Dog and the Spinto Band, Park the Van Records has made the indie-rock world a more awesome place. Sample their catalog with the 11-song album, Worn & Grazed," available free at Amazon MP3.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001PZC4QW

More Free Songs:
"What I Do," Sepultura http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001PJ7KCQ/
"Detroit," Black Gold http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001PZC4OY/
"Going Down to the River," Saffire - the Uppity Blues Women http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001PCIETQ/
"Midnight Man," Renee Olstead http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001OG5EQ4/
"Lay Your Body Down (Goodbye Philadelphia)," Peter Cincotti http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001ONZ1VA

10 Ways to Improve Your Band’s Image

2009-01-26T02:42:00.001-07:00

10 Ways to Improve Your Band’s Image
In theory a band should be judged entirely on their musical ability. The reality, though, is that musicians are often judged on their overall image. A young band is put in the unfortunate position of trying to perfect their sound, and at the same time, appeal to their community. Here are some ways that you can improve your image—both onstage and of—and increase your recognition.

1. Be a copycat…in your own unique way.
Go find local bands that have already become successful and watch what they are doing. Poke around on their website, see their show, and talk to people about them to find out what makes them so popular. Depending on how approachable they are, you may even want to contact them and build a mentoring relationship, or at the very least ask if you can take them out for a beer and pick their brains. You’re not looking to reproduce another band’s success step by step, but you are trying to come up with a plan for establishing yourself based on tried and true methods. Look at what has already worked and see if there are variations you can adopt in your own band.

2. Play
There are hundreds of local events every year that you can support by volunteering to play. Treat these like genuine gigs, even if you aren’t making any money off of them. This is an opportunity to reach an audience you might never see in the normal club scene, and it will gain you an enormous amount of recognition—especially if you play and support organizations or events that have some real meaning in the community. Is there an annual 10k race that raises money for your local shelter? What about an art auction that raises money for the local museum? Most of these events have social gatherings where people meet before and after for drinks and networking—and you can volunteer to perform for attendees. Your community will see you as a contributor and supporter, not just a rock band.

3. Web Presence
The internet is the single most important marketing tool in this day and age. That means you need to have a real web presence. There are about a million bands on MySpace Music—and yes, you should be on there, too. But don’t underestimate the need to have your own website with your own domain name. You also want to take advantage of Web 2.0—that is, social networking and building relationships on the internet between individuals and websites. If you know anyone with a website, ask them to link to your band’s page. Set up a message board, or join and participate in a message board for musicians. Get a blog and update it weekly at the bare minimum. Keep your website updated with band info, photos, show dates, and audio or video snippets. You may even offer free MP3 downloads of your tunes to generate web traffic.

4. Watch a video of yourself
It is next to impossible to get an objective view of yourself and your performance without watching a video of your own performance. Have a friend take a standard VHS recorder to your show and take footage of the band for you to view later. When you sit down to watch the video, make sure you have some non-band members there to give you a balanced perspective—and as you watch, resist the urge to make comments or discuss things until the whole show is finished. Take notes and plan to have a formal band meeting directly following the video to discuss what you’ve seen. Be as objective as possible, and if you’re commenting on other people make sure you are sensitive to their feelings. Discuss what you liked and what you think needs improvement, and when you are done schedule a second meeting with the band after about a week. During that time, ask everyone to come up with constructive ways to address the issues that need improvement. Try to do this on a semi-regular basis—a couple times a year at the least.

5. Invest
You’re not going to be rolling in the dough when you first start out. Money is going to be tight—and that’s just the way it is. But any money that you do earn as a band should be immediately reinvested back. There is no end to what you can spend your money on, so have a list of things to buy that everyone agrees on – equipment, website design, t-shirts, recording fees. You are probably going to have to invest your own money in to some of these things, too. You may feel like skimping on your band’s needs, especially when you’ve had macaroni and cheese for the third night in a row; but don’t let yourself be distracted from your ultimate goal.

6. Take care of what you already have
You may not have the world’s best equipment, or all the fancy bells and whistles that other bands have—but that’s no reason to trash what you do have. Take care of your stuff—make the most of what you have and show respect for your existing resources. People will recognize the care you give your whole image, even if it isn’t sparkly and new. No one expects you to have it all—but they will recognize if you don’t care enough about your stuff (and your career) enough to take care of it.

7. Talk to a stylist
You won’t have the budget for a full-time stylist, but it can’t hurt to talk to someone about your look. No, you don’t want a manufactured appearance, but again, it is hard to be objective about yourself. Simply asking someone to look at your overall style (or lack thereof) and offer suggestions will give you some feedback about how the average person views you. You can make your own style choices once you have a clear view of how you look to your audience.

8. Find a good photographer
You may not want a cheesy band poster (a la NKOTB), but you do need a couple shots that you can use for your publicity. Find a photographer who you can talk to about your band’s overall vision and ask them to be a creative collaborator with you on some pictures that capture who you really are. Brainstorm on some great locations or cool poses, and make your photo shoot fun. Encourage the band to let their personalities come out. Your photo may be someone’s very first impression of you—so try to capture the whole concept of your band in just one picture.

9. Design a bitchin’ t-shirt
T-shirts are walking billboards, advertising you to the world. Put some effort into creating a shirt that people will wear again and again, and that other people will instantly be drawn to. Then, even if you plan to sell them, set some aside to give out to friends and family and make them promise to wear them frequently. When you design your shirt, remember that your artwork is going to reflect your band’s music and vision.

10. Be nice.
This may seem self-evident, but don’t be fooled in to thinking you don’t need your fans. You aren’t some elite god of rock—you are a musician and an artist—and people want to feel a connection with you. Don’t finish your show and go sit in a corner with your beer or run out of the club. Spend some time schmoozing the people who have showed up to support you. Even if you’re not performing, keep your charm on when you’re out and about wearing your band t-shirt or promoting your upcoming show. Respond to fans when they email you, too. Even if it’s something simple like, “Thanks for your support!” or “See you at the next show!” You cannot underestimate how far a smile and a little appreciation for your fans will go in building an image that lasts.

TrackBack URL for this entry:
http://www.typepad.com/services/trackback/6a00d83451720369e2010536aa025b970b

How To Make "Quality" Music (great read)

2009-01-25T02:45:00.000-07:00

***Bob Ezrin On Quality***
Bob Ezrin is one of the most influential music and entertainment producers of all time with a successful career that spans 38 years, crosses all genres and media.
He has been called "the Producer's Producer," and the arc of his career reads like the progression of popular entertainment. He has worked on legendary recordings with some of the world's leading artists including: Alice Cooper, KISS, Pink Floyd, Lou Reed, Roberta Flack, Peter Gabriel, Dr. John, Nils Lofgren, Kansas, Rod Stewart, Berlin, Hanoi Rocks, Nine Inch Nails, The Jayhawks, 30 Seconds to Mars, The Darkness, Jane's Addiction and many others. One of his most noteworthy productions is Pink Floyd's "The Wall", a seminal masterpiece that is often credited as one of the greatest albums of all time.

----- Original Message -----
From: Bob Ezrin
To: Bob Leftsetz

Bob,

You start this with the word "Quality" and then you proceed to counsel struggling musicians to contort themselves and what they do to fit the market so that they can "make it in this business". But here's the true bottom line: This business of exploiting art and entertainment is built from it's very inception on creativity and quality, on special things made by special people that touch, inform, elevate, divert, soothe, numb, challenge or sometimes even drive other people enough so that they are drawn to it and want it to be a part of their lives - either for the moment or for a very long time. When they want it, they sometimes pay for it in one way or another and this special stuff sometimes accrues a value beyond the ephemeral and actual makes money for its creator and for the folks who help to support and market it. Sometimes it becomes more vaulable than gold and stars are born.

But unless it is especially touching in some way (even if it's in a juvenile or prurient way), nobody will care and it will end up having no value at all. Which then goes to your title "Quality". If a thing lacks quality of some sort, it will not touch anyone. It will simply be a not so special thing in a world of not so special things. It will blend in and disappear. But if a work or performance is of high quality and special, then it has at least a shot at becoming valuable to someone - and the person who creates it has a shot at being appreciated and rewarded for it. If I were talking to "struggling musicians" I would say:

First, be special. Make something of such high quality that anyone would care. And that's not as easy as it sounds. Just because you can use a sequencer and play an instrument doesn't make you an artist. You have to create something that is special - unique and capable of moving others in a meaningful way. Once you are truly special, truly great at what you do, you may have a chance at finding an audience willing to reward you for your specialness. More than likely you will not, because special - by definition - belongs to the very few. But if you do, then someone somewhere might recognize that and show up to help you to take your creativity out to a wider audience.

How do you get recognized in the first place? Play to people as much as you can. They will let you know if and when you are truly special because they will either begin to pay you to do this, to be able to be close to you - or they will ignore you. Play: in your town; at your school; in the next town over; on the web (but that's a whole other and longer discussion); at parties - anywhere you can. If you have created something truly special someone will recognize this and the ball will start rolling.

But whatever you do, DO NOT pick a market and try to create for it. You may decide to do that later in life when you become so good at your craft that you can aim your creativity wherever you wish, even when it doesn't please you. But you cannot start there. No one is born a hack. Hacks are failed or jaded artists, each and every one. First you must be able to create for yourself and find the way in which you may be special, and then you have to work on becoming really great at that. Create from your heart and from your will. Your will is what you use to keep you practicing and trying and trying to get better at what you do. Your heart is where the inspiration comes from to use that ability to make something really truly special. But above all DO NOT listen to critics, pundits or "experts" who try to bend you to what is happening now. By the time you get there, now will be long gone.

Dedicate yourself to quality, to being the very best at what you do and then use that quality to create or be something truly great. Then you may have a shot at "making it". But whether you become a star or not, you will have become and will forever be someone very special. And others will know you for that.

End of lecture.
Thanks
Bob

--
Visit the archive: http://lefsetz.com/wordpress/
--
If you would like to subscribe to the LefsetzLetter,
http://www.lefsetz.com/lists/?p=subscribe&id=1

My Dream Is Dead but My Book Is Published

2009-01-23T03:15:00.000-07:00

For anyone who's EVER had their creative project rejected by a publisher, record label, studio, : WATCH THIS FUNERAL FOR A BOOK! when it gets boring at 2:26, fast forward to 8:28 for a wonderful list of self-published authors. KEEP YOUR DREAMS ALIVE!!!!! -- Kristin

Mary Patrick Kavanaugh's novel "Family Plots: Love, Death & Tax Evasion" has been rejected by a list of top NYC publishers. After her agent suggested self publishing,the author held a funeral to bury her dream of landing a lucrative book contract. VISIT HER AT www.MyDreamIsDeadButImNot.com

Cartoon: What?

2009-01-13T03:52:00.000-07:00

Playing For Change: Songs Around the World "Stand By Me"

2008-12-28T03:57:00.001-07:00

From the award-winning documentary, "Playing For Change: Peace Through Music", comes the first of many "songs around the world" being released independently. Featured is a cover of the Ben E. King classic by musicians around the world adding their part to the song as it travelled the globe. This video and "Don't Worry" will be available at iTunes 1.27.09 while other songs such as "One Love" will be released as digital downloads soon; followed by the film soundtrack and DVD in stores on 4.18.09.
http://playingforchange.com