march 2018
studioexpresso eZine
Since 2000 
 
We March to the sound of music. Look who's at Abbey Road!  Join in the celebration at Paisley Park.  This month we jump forward into Spring, run deep with a Diva, visit a historic Nashville studio and enjoy Colours of Sound and more...  

Thanks for our 2 4,000 + industry readers and community of artists and studios who enjoy the promotional and networking benefits of studioexpresso. Thank you.  
  
In This Issue
Renew Today...for 2018!
MUSIC ROW's SOUND STAGE PUTTIN' ON THE RITZ
Simon Pilbrow's COLOURS OF SOUND
A PRINCELY Celebration 4/19-22
RUN DEEP with A Diva
Grammy News
 
Renew Today!

Studio Spotlights
Producer Profiles
eZine archive
 


 


MUSIC ROW's SOUND STAGE PUTTIN' ON THE RITZ  
Warren Rhoades, Mike LeBlanc, and Chuck Ainlay collaborate to update all three Studios featuring ATCs
 
Two historic Nashville studios on Music Row are thriving under new management by Bla ck River Entertainment (BRE).

Sound Stage Studios and Ronnie's Place with their forty-plus year-old history claim over five hundred number-one singles and hundreds of millions of albums sold by major country and crossover music, including Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, and, more recently, Miranda Lambe rt and Carrie Underwood.
 
"People have always come to Sound Stage and Ronnie's Place to get solid work done," says legendary Grammy Award-winning engineer and producer Chuck Ainlay (right) who remains the principal resident of his longtime home, Back Stage (after he sold his share to BRE).  
The facility offers a winning mix of  SSL J-Series analog consoles, ATC mains, nearfields and a work ethic that reliably transmutes creativity into chart-topping hits. After a series of renovations that aligned the complex' three main tracking rooms, the rooms are online and jumping. 
Warren Rhoades, Mike LeBlanc, and Ainlay collaborated to update all three spaces. They kept its SSL console but replaced the existing mains with ATC SCM300ASLs. "Front Stage is now an ideal version of the modern Nashville tracking studio, with plenty of acoustic isolation but minimal visual isolation," says Ainlay. Read more here
 
For more information on   ATC Monitors contact  Brad Lunde 702-365-5155 or visit   www.transaudiogroup.com  

 
    




SKB booth at NAMM 2018   l-r: Claris Sayadian-Dodge, Dash Radio's Evolution Of The Groove host Vince Wilburn Jr. interviewed "All About That Bass"   panelists Brent Fischer and (panelist not photographed: Nik West, Neal Pogue , Leland Sklar, Rhonda Smith and Jenny Mason) Presented by Trans Audio Group and studioexpresso
 
   
TransAudio Group, U.S. distributor of super high-end professional recording equipment introduces legendary drummer and engineer Geoff Daking newest creation at NAMM 2018 on January 24-27. The new Daking Mic Pre II combines two Mic-Pre-One units in a single rack space form for low price of $1099 MAP.  
Like the Mic Pre One, the Mic Pre EQ, and the Mic Pre IV, the Daking Mic Pre II circuitry is based on a classic console design of the 80s with some upgrades: Variable High Pass Filters on each channel and Jensen input Transformer and ClassA amplification is featured. Add extreme high headroom (+24), and a single-sided 48V power supply.
Geoff Daking brings honest and high-end analog signal processing equipment to users at an unbeatable price. Users will appreciate Daking Mic Pre II for is tremendous headroom, musical sound and special high-pass filter.  It has a continuously-variable cutoff between 10Hz and 200Hz, drops at 12dB per octave and seems to have a magical ability to clean up the muck while making what remains sound even better. It is extremely helpful to DAW users who inadvertently record sub sonics that muddy up tracks and mixes.   
 
In addition to the features mentioned above, the Daking Mic Pre II has 70dB of gain, switchable polarity, a twenty segment combo VU and peak hold LED meter, a 20db pad with constant reflected impedance, switchable phantom power, direct 1/4 inch instrument inputs on the front panel, and balanced XLR and 1/4 inch outputs.
 
Units will begin shipping in February 2018. $1099 MAP. 

 

Drawmer's New Baby: MPA-90 

Ivor Drawmer and his handpicked team of engineers unveiled the new Drawmer MPA-90 two-channel class D power amplifier. Its small dual monoblock design, with tabletop or rack mountable footprint, houses guts capable of delivering 90W per channel (into 4 Ohms) or 180W bridged - all with no annoying fan. Like Drawmer's MC2.1 Monitor Controller, the new MPA-90 treats audio signals with integrity: its output is lusciously transparent, revealing the beauty (and the faults!) of whatever is run through it. Also, like all Drawmer's products, the MPA-90 is built in England to last a lifetime, priced fairly at $695.

"The new Drawmer MPA-90 is the perfect partner to small passive loudspeakers like the Auratone® 5Cs or other small passives" says Brad Lunde, founder and president of TransAudio Group, Drawmer's longtime US distributor.
"Many Class D amps out there are just raw Class D modules, but the MPA-90 has a Drawmer designed and built custom front end to improve its sound. The MPA-90 sounds excellent and with the bridging feature, provides a future upgrade path. The MPA-90 is really the perfect complement to the Drawmer MC1.1 or MC2.1 Preamplifiers in matching housing, but it works great with any preamp."
Switching the Drawmer MPA-90 from stereo to mono bridged is easily accomplished with the flick of a switch and use of the mono loudspeaker jack. Its inputs are either balanced XLR or unbalanced phono to cover the two universes of gear, pro versus semi-pro/consumer that may feed it. It features thermal, overload, and power-up/power-down protection and front-panel standby, fault, and clip indicator LEDs. Its rugged steel chassis and brushed aluminum cover speaks to the Drawmer MPA-90's design integrity and longevity.
The MPA-90 is now available for shipping.  PRICE: $695.00 MAP

 
TransAudio Group, Bettermaker's U.S. distributor, introduced the path breaking Bettermaker C502V at the AES's 139th Convention earlier this year in New York City. Like the rest of Bettermaker's catalog - which in just a few short years has earned numerous TEC, Resolution, and Prosound award nominations and wins, the C502V combines a boutique analog signal path (newsworthy in its own right) with intuitive, musical controls and complete parameter recall and automation from a linked DAW-based plug-in - high-end analog sound paired with a superior digital workflow. The C502V is the first compressor from Bettermaker, although with three distinct VCA flavors in one 500-series chassis, it could just as easily be described as the first three compressors from Bettermaker! Stereo, dual mono, or M/S modes, as well as USB or analog side-chain with adjustable high-pass filtering and "look ahead" functionality expand the C502V's universe of possibilities.




 
Trans Audio Group 
  

 
Rodgers Joins Abbey Road Studios
  

Grammy Award-winning producer, guitarist, arranger and composer Nile Rodgers (Chic organization) has been appointed to the newly created role of Chief Creative Advisor at the legendary Abbey Road Studios. His role at the recording studio extends to consultation on Abbey Road's experiments in audio technology, including Spatial Audio. Rodgers appointment comes as the studio works to modernize itself. Over the past two years, Abbey Road has added new studios designed for emerging artists, opening a Mix Stage for film sound post-production, launching Abbey Road Red - Europe's first audio tech incubator. The studio has also launched apps, giving creators around the world access to the studio's engineering staff's technical expertise. "We're excited to have the benefit of Nile's experience and creative vision to push our audio tech innovation even further," says Isabel Garvey, Abbey Road Studios Managing Director. "I've had the privilege of now working here many times and in the last few months alone I've been joined by Nao, Anderson .Paak, Anais, Mura Masa, Bruno Mars, Disclosure and many others. I would like to thank not only the Abbey Road team for entrusting me with this duty but also Sir Paul for his congratulations," says Rodgers. 

Diawara Has Something To Say (Fenfo)
Fatoumata Diawara's New CD May 18

Diawara most recently appeared at Carnegie Hall alongside David Crosby, Chris Thile, Snarky Puppy and others for an evening of topical protest music. Her ode to the power of women, 'Mousso,' sung in her native language, is hypnotic.
Rising Malian singer, songwriter, guitarist and acclaimed actress Fatoumata Diawara is set for the release of her second solo full length album Fenfo (which translates as "Something to Say"), out May 18 on Shanachie Entertainment. In celebration of the forthcoming album, NPR Music is premiering the video for the album's first single "Nterini," directed by Ethiopian photographer and contemporary artist Aïda Muluneh whose work is slated to appear in the "Being: New Photography 2018" exhibition at New York's Museum of Modern Art later this month. 
The stylized short film brings awareness to world migration.   Watch it here


Run Deep
With A Deva  
Mahal's Debut
Release Out March 23    
Deva Mahal showcased earlier this month at the Hotel Café in support of her
debut album Run Deep, released on March 23 on Motéma Music.  
Run Deep offers twelve songs  produced by Scott Jacoby (Vampire Weekend, José James, Coldplay), with two tracks produced by Jarrett Wetherell (
Beyoncé/FKA Twigs).
The album's title track 'Run Deep' raises the vibration, celebrating the power of music and the triumph of rising above all
obstacles, with a stunning feature by Deva's sister Coco Peila. Reinforcing her strength and belief in humanity, 'Optimist' shines with its organ-driven rock beat.
Comments Deva: "All the tracks on this album are letters. Letters to myself (both past and present), to people who have meant something meaningful in my life, to the world and the things about it that I find frustrating, and to all of the great loves in my life."
Mahal is the daughter of Grammy-winning music icon Taj Mahal.   
 

House With Studio For Sale
Located in Los Angeles FOR SALE - A rare opportunity to purchase this unique Home with a recording studio .Two complete studios: Studio A features large sound room w/ control room. Studio B features a large control room w/ medium sized sound room. Charming mid century style home with four bed and four bath. More photos and details here
SALE: $1,825,000
Contact: Entertainment Real Estate Services Inc.  Phone 310-422-2283

 
Vintage Reborn
Telefunken Diamond Series 
 

The studio standards : C12, 251, and U47 are on the wish list of every engineer.  
Now with Telefunken Diamond series the vintage sound is reborn.    TransAudio Group and Telefunken are organizing dealer showroom shootouts .  Dealers who participate can use their choice of support gear and any comparable vintage microphone models they'd like to put up against the new Telefunken Elektroakustik C12, ELA M 251 and U47 mics.
"Genuine shootouts are the only way we can think of to sidestep the hype that's out there about mics and get to what actually matters: Sound Quality," says Brad Lunde of Trans Audio Group.
Sweetwater recently held shootouts between the vintage AKG C12 and the new Telefunken C12 (click to listen); between the vintage Telefunken ELA M 251 and the new Telefunken ELA M 251 (click to listen); and between the vintage Neumann U47 and the new Telefunken U47 (click to listen). 
Interested dealers should contact TransAudio Group directly at 702-365-5155. 
 


Trans Audio Group's Brad Lunde talks about ATC inventor Billy Woodman (left) during # GearFest 2017 Listen to the interview with Sweetwater's Lynn Fuston about ATC monitoring systems  here 
 




A Whole Lotta Mastering System 
Bettermaker Mastering Limiter Shipping Now! 

TransAudio Group, U.S. distributor of high-end professional audio recording equipment, is shipping the Bettermaker Mastering Limiter.  
 
 
"You cannot look at the Bettermaker Mastering Limiter as just one tool," explains Brad Lunde, founder and president of TransAudio Group. "It is a whole mastering system that replaces more than a few plug-ins and analog devices: limiter, clipper, saturator, M/S matrix, and a very sophisticated metering device. Its bright touchscreen display is pleasant to look at and frees up the computer screen. "Bettermaker's plug-in control is great. Not only can users recall and automate settings, but they can easily A/B settings from the plug-in to make smart decisions. You can also store and save presets right from the front panel or within Pro Tools or other DAW's," says Lunde. 
U.S. PRICING: $3495.00 List * $2995.00 M
     
 ATCs At World's Best Studios

 You can hear ATCs at some of the world's best studios: East West, the Village, and Blackbird Studios. 
TransAudio Group's Subwoofer Pros Studio Subs complemented the ATC SCM25As.   TransAudio Group will combine the SCM12 Pro with ATC's all new P1 Pro 150W/channel rackmount amplifier in a bundle that breaks previous price barriers for ATC. The SCM12/P1 Pro monitor/amp package will carry a bundle MAP price of US $4350. If purchased separately, the SCM12 Pro is $1,990/pair MAP, and the P1 Pro amp is $3,490 MAP.
For more information on  ATCs  
contact  Brad Lunde at www.transaudiogroup.com  or call  702-365-5155.
ATC SCM25As in stock today at your favorite Pro Audio Dealer. Follow the link:

Trans Audio Group at NAMM 2017, Anaheim unveiling the new Drawmer MC3.1 and the newest and smallest member of the ATC family: the SCM12 Pro, among other cool studio toys. 
 
Alex Jacobsen of Auratone  Auratone 5C Sound Cubes 
The TEC-nominated Auratone Super Sound Cube reference monitor is a legend in the recording, broadcasting, and motion picture industries for its unfailing ability to represent mixes as they will so often appear in the "real world" - on small-format, zero-crossover loudspeakers.     
 
For more information on Aurotones visit  www.transaudiogroup.com  or call  Brad Lunde at 702-365-5155.   
 

Bettermaker, the Poland-based maker of high-end analog equalizers with plug-in control and recall, earned two nominations: one for the Bettermaker EQ502P 500 series module and one for the
Bettermaker EQ232P MKII rack-mount.

 
Drawmer's 1978 Tone Shaping Compressor, which incorporates different analog character circuitry and variable saturation, and Tube-Tech HLT 2A, which pairs high and low shelving with an innovative "tilt" midrange filter, earned nominations as well. Finally, ATC earned a nomination for the ATC SCM45A, three-way compact near-field monitor with unparalleled midrange fidelity. The winners will be determined by online voting via Mix, Pro Sound News, Pro Audio Review, and Electronic Musician and via professional audio and sound production organizations. 


"All of these nominations go to inventor-owned companies, the kind of companies where innovation is king. The sound quality of Bettermaker's equalizers would have earned TEC nominations by itself, but the fact that their fully-analog circuitry can be recalled and automated via a plug-in interface has obvious advantages in a modern workflow. The Drawmer 1978 and the Tube-Tech HLT 2A prove that traditional compressor and equalizer topologies are not the only way to inspire fantastic mixes. Taking a different tack, ATC's SCM45A gives engineers a beefier three-way ATC nearfield with fidelity that ensures mixes will translate outside of the studio. Obviously, we encourage folks to cast their votes for these innovative tools!" adds Lunde.
  
For more information on  Auratones, Bettermaker EQ232P MKII , Drawmer's 1978 Tone Shaping Compressor, Tube-Tech HLT 2A  and   ATC SCM45A  For the latest info on Tube-Tech contact  Brad Lunde at www.transaudiogroup.com   or call  702-365-5155.


Trans Audio Group  
tag crew
l-r: Richard, Todd, Janis and Brad at Trans Audio Group    
 
 
For the latest info contact   
Brad Lunde at  702-365-5155 [email protected]
www.transaudiogroup.com  
TransAudio Group, founded by industry  veteran Brad Lunde, has quickly become the premier US importer/distributor and/or US sales and marketing representative for high-end audio. Success hinges on TransAudio providing dealers and end users with a higher standard of product expertise and support far beyond the norm. TAG product line includes A-Designs (USA),  ATC Loudspeakers (UK),
Questions- pricing, availability and dealer locations please email [email protected]
   

M April 2, 7:30
Brent Fischer Orchestra
Simon Pilbrow's Colours of Sound Album Release
Vitello's, Studio City

2018 Prince Celebration
April 19-22
Paisley Park,  Chanhassen, Minnesota  
 
    


    


Celebration 2018 
Honoring the life and legacy of the prodigiously talented cultural icon Prince Rogers Nelson is taking place between April 19-22, 2018  at Prince's historic home and recording sanctuary outside Minneapolis.
Musical guests set to perform at Paisley Park during CELEBRATION 2018 include internationally acclaimed artist and long-time Prince collaborator and friend Sheila E; fDeluxe, formerly known as The Family. In addition to featured musical guests, Paisley Park will host    guest speakers who will take part in exclusive panel discussions at CELEBRATION 2018.  The list includes close creative collaborators and friends like Brent Fischer who's on the Arranger Panel on Thursday and Friday.
Get your VIP tix today here
New this year is an exclusive off-site concert event titled PRINCE: Live on the Big Screen, to be held Saturday April 21at 8PM at in Minneapolis available now via
Target Center or by calling 888-9-AXS-TIX



Take A Tour of Library of Congress' Recording Archive
Presented by AES on June 28, 2018  

Located at the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains in Culpeper, Virginia, the  Library of Congress (LOC) Packard Campus of the National Audio-Visual Conservation Center provides underground storage for the Library's extensive collection of audio, video and film. It is the nation's largest public collection of sound recordings, containing music, spoken word and radio broadcasts - nearly 3.5 million recordings on nearly every audio format, from cylinders to CDs
Now you can take a tour of the entire facility when you join The AES Audio Archiving, Preservation and Restoration (AAP&R) Conference .
Thursday morning, June 28, at the beginning of the AAP&R Conference.
Capacity is set for 180 attendees, so be sure to  register early here!

AMP Up Music Producers
L-R The Recording Academy's Daryl P. Friedman, Chief Advocacy & Industry Relations Officer; Maureen Droney, Managing Director, P&E Wing; and Neil Portnow, President/CEO join with Michael Huppe, President & CEO of SoundExchange, and GRAMMY winning songwriter/producer/guitarist Nile Rodgers to celebrate The AMP Act.

The AMP Act (Allocation for Music Producers), which was re-introduced in the House by Rep. Tom Rooney (R-Fla.) and Rep. Joe Crowley (D-N.Y.), creates a way for producers and engineers to receive direct payments from SoundExchange (rather than from the artist in question) when recordings are used on satellite radio and online radio services like Pandora. 
 



A Great Generation


They are the first true digital natives. They take in information instantaneously and can lose interest just as fast. They will call your  BS.  They are united in stopping gun violence. They are generation Z (born '96-2010). These
young Americans will not go to school in fear and are demanding for stricter federal gun laws in the wake of the parkland Florida school shooting on Feb 14.  They say thank you, but thoughts and prayers are not the solution. They are demanding real change. They speak against corrupt politicians (backed by gun lobbyists and NRA). 
Their demand: Pass laws to ban the sale of assault weapons, prohibit  the sale of high-capacity magazines and close the loophole in background check.
Arm teachers with pencils, pens and FACTS (not guns) said one student.
Paul McCartney was at a NY.   "One of my best friends was killed in gun violence right around here, so it's important to me," said McCartney referring to John Lennon who was gunned down more than 30 years ago near his Central Park home.   Other celebrities who attended the Washington rally included Amal and George Clooney and Jimmy Fallon. Singers Ariana Grande, Jennifer Hudson, Miley Sirus and Demi Lovato performed. Yolanda Renee King, the 9-year-old granddaughter of Martin Luther King Jr., appeared on stage to tell the crowd that she too has a dream. Then she asked the sea of attendees to repeat after her: "We're going to be a great generation."
  March For Our Lives  drew 800,000 in Washington and many big cities across US on March 24.  Z stands for A Great Generation. And they're just getting started!
  

Brilliant music is language of abundance, peace, love, science, math, wisdom and it always wins.  Happy Birthday J.S. Bach celebrating Birthday #333.  I f Bach could have gone back to the future, how many Grammys or royalty checks would he collect?! Perhaps it doesn't matter at all. As long as your music lives for future generations to enjoy! Here's to his spiritual and emotional beauty and devotion. Happy Birthday!
Watch the inspired video by organist Dr Christoph Bull playing J.S. Bach: Praeludium und Fuge in G Dur, BWV 541  here 

With Ms Jennifer Hudson  

Happy Spring and Happy Easter!

Until next month,
Music lives and moves!

Claris Sayadian-Dodge, Founder I Editor studioexpresso



Visit exotic studio destinations at  studioexpresso home page
Help fans find you easily by updating your studioexpresso profile or studio spotlight
(sample: Kenny Aronoff).   To Renew, simply send an email to c [email protected]
 
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Simon Pilbrow is an accomplished jazz pianist from Australia. In 2012 he sent a letter expressing his admiration for another composer, Clare Fischer.  After Dr Fischer's passing, the letter found its way to his son, Brent Fischer (also influenced by his father's musical genius).  Simon and Brent began a long distance friendship and collaboration which has resulted in a vibrant new album released this month on Clavo Records: Colours Of Sound.
"Dr. Fischer's music was an epiphany," says Pilbrow, who says it opened up a new vista or musical landscape for him.
"I've come to appreciate similar qualities in Brent's musical skills,"
adds Pilbrow
who maintains a thriving medical practice down under while developing his passion for jazz.
"These long-unheard works have been given brilliant new life through the arrangements of Brent Fischer and his virtuosic and gifted Fischer orchestra. It's wonderful to hear great musicians play my tunes and bring the music to life," says Pilbrow.    "I wrote it so that the phrasing would represent what I first heard when Simon played the melodies for me," says Grammy-winning producer, arranger/composer Brent Fischer. 
Colours of Sound kicks off with a brisk, lively swing, Pilbrow's ode to his native land, "Australia."   "A New Beginning" is a gentle waltz written for Pilbrow's wife, Jean, highlighted by a warm soprano turn by Alex Budman and Larry Koonse's spiraling runs. 
Jean also acts as the muse for the ballad "September," here swathed by the rich tones of a string ensemble. "The first of many she's inspired over our 28- years together," says Pilbrow.
"A Fischer's Line," is an homage to Clare Fischer.  Pilbrow originally envisioned it as a clarinet feature. Brent Fischer adds his touch with a five-part clarinet choir, anchored by 89-year old bass clarinetist Gene Cipriano, purportedly the most recorded saxophone player in history!
The Latin-inflected "Studio City," is directly inspired by Pilbrow's visits to the Fischer compound in Los Angeles. It reflects the city's multi-cultural urban landscape. "Remembering Woody Shaw" was penned not long after the trumpet great's death in 1989, and following Pilbrow's chance to meet the jazz legend in '81. Here Ron Stout, who counts Shaw among his mentors, offers a bristling solo.  Another favorite composer, Antonio Carlos Jobim is memorialized by the breezy Bossa Nova "Autumn Breeze" with beloved trumpeter Blue Mitchell, and bop-flavored "Blue Six," which includes a standout solo by Bobby Shew.
Finally, "Surprise" and "Joyful" bloom with Fischer's polyphonic re-imagining.  
On Colours Of Sound you're treated to expansive solos, and wide-ranging arrangements by Brent Fischer -- from a full-throttle big band, sleek quintet voicing, and lush string orchestrations to an elegant clarinet choir. 
"I wanted to showcase Simon's writing talents in a unique way. Rather than making a whole album with one quartet or one big band, I felt we should present the broad swath of his compositions in an equally broad variety of settings," says Brent Fischer.
"It's been a wonderful experience," says  Simon Pilbrow.
 
Colours of Sound will delight hearts and minds and that's just what the good doctor ordered!     
 
Live performance in  Los Angeles -
Upstairs at Vitello's
Monday April 2, 7:30pm
Get your tix today!
https://vitellosrestaurant.ticketfly.com/event/1655958-simon-pilbrows-colours-studio-city/

studioexpresso & TransAudio Group
The star-studded Panel
All About That Bass
Namm 2018

 


Congrats to TEC Award Winners

 


 
Trans Audio Group booth at Summer NAMM

A Designs HAMMER 2, an easy-to-use amplifier for both main mixing and tracking.
Bettermaker's Award-Winning 502V 500 Series boutique analog compressor
Daking's Famous Line of Compressors and Mic Pre's
Drawm er's MC1.1

Monitor Preamp and the new 1978 Stereo FET Compressor.
And the Auratone Reference Monitors ever present at every studio!   



  

 

   

Cograts to all 2018 Grammy Winners!


 

MusiCares Benefit Honors   Pearl Jam's Mike McCready 

Pearl Jam's Mike McCready will be honored at 2018 recovery benefit, presented by Amazon Music.  Performances feature Barrett Martin, Duff McKagan, Mike Ness, Slash, Chad Smith and Nancy Wilson at The Showbox in Seattle on
Thursday MAY 10, 2018.  
"Recovery is a journey that you take each day, and mine has been affirming from a musical standpoint and a community perspective," said McCready. "To be able to raise funds for MusiCares and the critical addiction recovery work they do for music people across the country all year long is humbling, and it speaks to the way we can come together to help those in need."
An active member in the music community, McCready has also been a member of Levee Walkers, Mad Season, the Rockfords, and Temple Of The Dog. Additionally, McCready plays with friends in Flight To Mars, a UFO tribute band that hosts charity events for the Crohn's and Colitis Foundation's Camp Oasis program and the Jennifer Jaff Care Line. When not performing live, McCready scores TV and film projects which include Fat Kid Rules The World, "Fringe," The Glamour & The Squalor, "Hawaii Five-O," Horrible Bosses, "Shameless," and We Bought A Zoo.
In 2013, McCready founded HockeyTalkter Records, a small vinyl record label and media outlet specializing in limited edition seven-inch singles with releases from Star Anna, Brandi Carlile, Danny Newcomb, Stereo Embers, and Thunderpussy.  
 
Tickets range from $250 for Highboy Individual Cabaret seating to $5,000 for Platinum Prime Cabaret floor seating for four. All tickets will include a buffet. For more information, contact Wynnie Wynn at [email protected] or at 310.581.8659  

 
Grammy Celebrates Advocacy

On April 18, the Recording Academy™ will celebrate 20 years of advocacy in Washington, D.C., by honoring Karen Fairchild, Kimberly Schlapman, Phillip Sweet, and Jimi Westbrook of three-time GRAMMY® winners Little Big Town at the annual GRAMMYs on the Hill® Awards.
The awards dinner and show will take place at the Hamilton Live in Washington, D.C., and will feature unique live performances and musical surprises. The GRAMMYs on the Hill Awards are sponsored by music rights organization SESAC Inc.  
The following day, April 19, the Recording Academy will host the annual GRAMMYs on the Hill Advocacy Day, Capitol Hill's largest and most prestigious legislative event for music creators. This year's Advocacy Day will feature current and past GRAMMY winners and nominees, along with other esteemed industry leaders from across the country visiting with lawmakers to discuss important issues facing today's music creators.  
Key issues that will be discussed with members of Congress as a part of the Academy's Advocacy Day include the need for comprehensive music legislation that benefits all creators-performers, songwriters, producers, and engineers-and brings copyright law into the 21st century.
 For more information about GRAMMYs on the Hill and to stay up-to-date on the latest Recording Academy advocacy efforts, visit www.grammy.com/advocacy






I'm Still Standing
 
Star-studded Grammy ® Salute To Elton John
null  
Miley Cyrus, Kesha, Lady Gaga, Miranda Lambert, John Legend, Little Big Town, Chris Martin, Shawn Mendes, Maren Morris, Ed Sheeran, Sam Smith, and SZA celebrate the illustrious career of Elton John on the tribute special "Elton John: I'm Still Standing-A GRAMMY® Salute," to be broadcast

Tuesday, April 10 (9-11 p.m., ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network.


 
GRAMMY Camp® In Session 
Tuesday, July 17 - Saturday, July 21, 2018
Application Deadline: MARCH 31, 2018    
 
Los Angeles (nonresidential day camp) is hosted by the University of Southern California Thornton School of Music and  open to talented high school students
from the United States and will take place in Los Angeles this summer. The program offers campers the opportunity to work in integrated industry teams in eight tracks: Audio Engineering; Electronic Music Production; Instrumental Performance; Music Business; Music Journalism; Songwriting; Video Production & Motion Graphics; and Vocal Performance.
GRAMMY Camp will be nonresidential, and students must provide their own accommodations and transportation.
Tuition is $1,500. Financial assistance is available to qualified students.

The deadline to apply is March 31, 2018, with a $25 application fee; applications can be found online at www.grammyintheschools.com/programs/grammy-camp/apply


Among GRAMMY Camp Sponsors: The Bruno Mars Scholarship Fund, the Ella Fitzgerald Charitable Fund, Hot Topic Foundation, RBC Foundation USA, and the Recording Academy

*******
    

 
 
 
HAMMOND HANG
at
250 W Duarte Rd. Suite B Monrovia, CA 91016
  
 
    
The Sound . The S oul . The One 
  the Hammond SK2 organ
 
"The event is a chance to get 'up close and personal' with a different featured Hammond artist every month," says Emiko, Hammond's social media liaison and HamTV hostess.   
The interviews are streamed live on Facebook where you can take part in the
Q&A following. The format includes a short performance by the guest artist, and networking with refreshments at Hammond store:
250 W Duarte Rd Suite B, Monrovia, CA 91016 
 
RSVP 2/24 here: [email protected] 

  

  Hammond and Leslie products in Southern California contact
CKC
800.717.KEYS

Hammond gear, gig bags and more... 

Serving Pro Artists in the studio or on stage  
Call Nelson at 909-599-7899 to
schedule your visit and ask for     
artist pricing available only at  
Church Keyboard Center 
 
Tavis Smiley interview with 'The Ambassador of Soul" and Hammond artist Ellis Hall for PBS  Mr Hall performed two songs and spoke about the depth of his musical career
Watch it here




 
  Taxes, Copyright Laws And Musicians
 
According to Scott Stratton, financial adviser and trombone player (married to the Dallas Symphony's principal oboe) your deduction for Unreimbursed Employee Expenses are taking a huge hit for musicians who often spend tens of thousands on an instrument and supplies. There aren't too many other jobs where an employer expects you to have $5,000, $50,000, or $500,000 in "tools" as a requirement of your employment. In addition to "Tools and Supplies", losing Unreimbursed Employee Expenses also means you can no longer deduct:
  • Union membership and work dues
  • Dues to professional societies
  • Home office expenses
  • Educator expenses and college research expenses
  • Travel, mileage, and meals for work
  • Required concert clothes
  • Medical Expenses that exceed 7.5% or 10% of your income
  • Tax Preparation Fees
  • Moving For Work (over 50 miles)
  • Gambling Losses or Casualty Losses
  • The $7,500 tax credit for a plug-in electric vehicle will be repealed
Musicians who are "employees" and receive a W-2 at the end of the year, their expenses go on Schedule A as itemized deductions. Musicians who are "independent contractors" (more advantageous) and receive a 1099 list business expenses on Schedule C and these expenses will continue to be valid under the Bill.   Many musicians have both W-2 income (from a school or full-time orchestra) and 1099 income (church gigs, part-time orchestra, etc.). You will probably want to apply as many expenses as possible towards your 1099/Schedule C income going forward.
You can still reduce your taxable income further by increasing your contributions to
pre-tax accounts such as a 401(k). 
You don't want to jump into the new tax law, without arming yourself with information. Make tax planning a priority. 

Capital gains, is another story.  The profit made from the sale of your song catalog (much like a property or stock) is taxed at a lower rate of 20% so long as the seller owned the asset for more than a year (long-term capital gains). 

"I didn't want to be the guy who bought John out," says Paul MCCartney (when he brought the Northern Songs catalog offer of $20 million to Lennon). The story goes that John and Paul offered only $4 mill so Michael Jackson ended up buying it for $47.5 million. "I wasn't willing to pay that much for my own songs. It's difficult, when you've written them for nothing, to pay $50 mill to get them back," says McCartney who credits having good people around him who have helped him recover his copyrights (See h ttps://www.copyright.gov/title17/)  
Take it from Sir McCartney. Value your catalog!  
 


What it takes to survive a session with horns, winds and strings! From "Recording Unhinged" by Sylvia Massy. See if you can find Danny Elfman,   Al Schmitt, Hans Zimmer, Susan Rogers and Leslie Ann Jones
 







 


"Despite their efforts, many African American women felt discrimination from racial bias in the women's suffrage movement."
-Susan Brownmiller, In Our Time:
Memoir of a Revolution   
  
 






















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