SPONSORS
 (2).JPG)
Louisiana Music Commission
Cutting Edge Entertainment Law Seminar August 14th, 15th, & 16th
Cutting Edge KeyNote Interviewee: John Rudolph
CEO, Bug Music
John Rudolph is the CEO of Bug Music, Inc., a leading global independent music publisher and innovator in music business services for over 30 years; headquartered in Los Angeles with offices across the US and in Europe. Handpicked by Bug’s founders, Dan and Fred Bourgoise, for his knowledge
of music and writers and his proven, diverse business acumen, John carries on the legacy of one of the world’s most significant independent publishers. With a deep understanding of music publishing, copyright statutes, technology and global finance, he is a future focused proponent of publishers and creators rights across the world. John will sit down with Cutting Edge Interviewer John Snyder for a substantive conversation on his vision for the future of Bug Music and artists rights.
Friday, August 15th 5:30pm
CLE/Film Luncheon Speaker: Kelly Crean
Creanspeak Productions/Falcon Film Funding
Kelly Crean is founder and president of Creanspeak Productions, Falcon Film Funding, and Creanspeak's financing arm Creanspeak Funding, LLC. She is the managing member of three film financing funds, one of which is based and traded internationally. The other two are housed at UBS & Merrill Lynch respectively. Ms. Crean is currently in pre-production on ONCE WASLOST,the follow up feature to writer/director Bradley Gann’s BLACK IRISH,(www.blackirishmovie.com), starring multi-platinum rapper T.I.
Kelly will be speaking on film funding and tax credits
Friday, August 15th 12:30pm
Cutting Edge KeyNote Interviewer : John Snyder
Grammy Winning Producer
Loyola University Music Chair
John Snyder is the founder and president of the Artists House Foundation, a nonprofit music
company dedicated to creating educational presentations in several areas; including instruction for instruments, master classes, careers in the arts, and legendary performers. Additionally, John is the Conrad N. Hilton Professor of Music Studies at Loyola University New Orleans.
In addition to his producing career, Snyder has held positions at the upper levels of many major
recording companies. As the assistant to the president of CTI Records, Creed Taylor, Snyder oversaw legal and business affairs, publishing, manufacturing, distribution, and artists and repertoire operations. He served as director of Horizon Jazz Series for A&M Records. Snyder later served as director of jazz production for Atlantic Records, where his responsibilities included production and packaging, promotion, publicity, and marketing. John will lend his considerable knowledge to this year’s Cutting Edge Conference as Keynote Interviewer
Friday, August 15th 5:30pm
2008 Panelist
Kenneth J. Abdo, Esq. is a Vice President of the Lommen Abdo Law Firm and Co-Chair of the Entertainment Law Department. In over more than 20 years of practice, he has helped build the largest, most visible and successful entertainment law practice in the Midwest. Ken’s practice is limited to entertainment law, and his primary focus is on all music law transactions. He is a known artist advocate and leader within the national entertainment law community. He is a popular author and lecturer. A life-long multi-instrumentalist/songwriter and former disc jockey, Ken has a love and deep knowledge of music, music business and music law.
He has served as legal counsel to artists which most recently include, among others, Jonny Lang, Michelle Branch, Garrison Keillor, Anna Nalick, Johnny Rivers and Sugarland writer/performer, Kristen Hall. He has been selected as a Minnesota “Super Lawyer” in Entertainment Law and a “Minnesota Leading Attorney” every year since 1994. He is AV rated by Martindale-Hubbell (highest competency) since 1992.
Ted Baldwin, CEO and Chief Creative Officer of 3rd Coast Digital Films, Inc., is an active producer who did his first film 30 years ago. He has written and completed more than 1500 documentary and training programs in the last 15 years, and was head of Science TV at LSU for 11 years. Ted wrote film reviews for five years, has hundreds of radio commercials to his credit, and helped hundreds of young people enter careers in broadcasting.
David Bartlett,is co-founder and owner of 525 Worldwide – a management company out of Boston that oversees the careers of Lifetime Grammy Award recipients Mavis Staples and Booker T Jones, Anders Osborne and Holy Hail. Born in Madison, NJ, Dave went to Colby College in Waterville, Maine before entering into the music industry as an intern at Rounder Records. Dave became President and co-owner of Tone-Cool Records and signed the North Mississippi Allstars, Susan Tedeschi, Taj Mahal and Garage a Trois to the label. During his tenure, the label received 4 Grammy nominations, was named Billboard's Blues Label of the Year in 2003, won the Blues Album of the Year from NARM in 2003 and won the Blues Foundation's Keeping the Blues Alive Award in 2003. He left the label on May 25th, 2004 to co-found 525 Worldwide.
Carol Bebelle, is a native New Orleanian, she received her undergraduate degree from Loyola University in sociology and her master's degree from Tulane University in education administration. She spent nearly 20 years in the public sector as an administrator and planner of education, social, and health programs.
She is project director for the touring art exhibit by Douglas Redd called /Efforts of Grace/ and serves as producer for a multi-disciplinary performance art work called /The Origin of Life On Earth/An African Creation Myth/.
In 1998, Bebelle and Douglas Redd founded Ashe' Cultural Arts Center in Central City, New Orleans. Ashe', as it is familiarly known, is a pivotal force for the revitalization and transformation of Oretha Castle-Haley Boulevard, formerly known as Dryades Street, into an African and Caribbean cultural corridor. She is committed to building bridges, accessing resources, and helping to make being an artist and a culture bearer a part of the creative industries.
Suzette Toledano Becker maintains an international arts, entertainment and Internet legal practice with emphasis on copyright, music licensing, recording contracts, music publishing contracts and business entities. Her client list proudly includes artists, composers, producers, record labels, music publishers, webcasters, wireless providers and motion picture production companies, with a couple of Grammy nominees/winners among them!
Robert (Trey) Berning, III
Director of Production & Photography
Robert Berning ProductionsAfter studying at the University of Miami, Trey transferred to the University of New Orleans where he received a Bachelor of Arts in Communications with a concentration in Motion Picture Production. He has been a member of the Berning team for 14 years and most recently was awarded Director of the Year by the Ad Club of New Orleans for his film and commercial work. His responsibilities on the set have ranged from Production Assistant, Grip and Electric, 2nd Assistant Cameraman, Assistant Cameraman, Director of Photography. In addition to his film direction, Trey manages the production and post-production staff and facilities.
Mark Berry,Originally from Brooklyn, NY, Mark began his music career in 1972 when he arrived on the doorsteps of AIR Studios in London owned by Sir George Martin. Working with Sir George started out simply recording classical records in the different cathedrals around London and soon began setting up and assisting on various George Martin and Paul McCartney sessions. The AIR experience led to his first major assignment; Carly Simon's No Secrets, which included the worldwide smash, You're So Vain, and would be his very first engineering credit and number 1 single. However, this was only the beginning. "I'd say the most amazing session had to be Live and Let Die. Performed by Paul McCartney and Wings, "They had a 63 piece live orchestra in there. I felt like I had emptied every ashtray known to man before the end of that one." The AIR tenure included credits such as Electric Light Orchestra, Procal Harem, Climax Blues Band and Deep Purple and worked under the tutelage of renowned British rock engineers/producers such as Bill Price, Geoff Emerick, Chris Thomas, Jeff Lynne and Tony Visconti to name a few.
With some celebrated credits in hand, Mark returned to the states in the mid 70’s. He began freelancing in New York City at some of the top recording facilities like Electric Lady, Record Plant and the Hit Factory. In 1977, Mark was approached with the position of Staff Engineer and in-house A&R/producer for Vanguard Records (Joan Baez, Buffy Saint-Marie, Country Joe & the Fish) where he worked for over nine years.While at Vanguard, Mark continued to engineer and mix projects for several of New York's top dance producers and became heavily involved in the early 80’s New York hip-hop movement working with artists and producers such as Afrika Bambatta & Soul Sonic Force, New Edition, Arthur Baker, Freeze, Eddie O’Loughlin, Tommy Silverman and many more. During this time Mark felt the explosive pulse of New York City street rhythms and his A&R skills directed him to discovering and producing up & coming dance acts such as Alisha, selling in excess of 2M units worldwide. In the mid 80’s Mark moved into the area of 7" & 12" dance and rock mixing and re-mixing for major multi-platinum Grammy & Juno winners such as David Bowie, Duran Duran, Talk Talk, Toto, Cameo, Yes, Billy Idol, Boy George, Kool & The Gang, Stephanie Mills, Jimmy Barnes, Animotion, Joan Jett, to name a few. During this time, Mark's “ahead of the times” engineering and mixing skills contributed significantly to the international success of these acts.
In 1991, Mark moved further towards rock production and relocated to Toronto. In that same year, Mark re-mixed Glass Tiger (EMI) and produced the hit album Get Off for multi-platinum Canadian act Haywire (Attic Records). Mark also discovered and produced I Mother Earth (EMI), 2 platinum albums for The Headstones (MCA/Universal), live solo Burton Cummings, (Guess Who) Up Close & Alone for Universal, another multi-platinum awarded production as well as the critically acclaimed Outer Limits (MCA/Universal) for Voivod, arguably one of Mark’s most compelling productions with the 17 minute opus Jack Luminous.
The mid 90’s saw the advent of the Internet. This got Mark to thinking that it was control of media content that would determine the future of the entertainment industry. I guess he was right… With start up capital from a small music publishing company controlled by Canadian media giant Alliance Atlantis, he went on to release, via his own imprint Attack, some of the very records he was hired to produce, along with securing them insertions in some of the biggest TV shows and feature length films in the entertainment business. While creating quite a buzz with his new talent (that the majors were as usual ignoring) Mark was putting together international licensing and insertion deals for masters that he was involved with either as a producer, co-publisher or master owner.
Mark is presently at the helm of the Attack Media Group. AMG is a fully independent media company with an international mandate for signing new & emerging artists and film/DVD content on the international scene. Literally starting alone in his bedroom 10 years ago to a present staff of 5, AMG’s rock and urban record division has over 50 masters that are distributed worldwide along with his film & DVD content. He has a long standing worldwide co-publishing arrangement with Cherry Lane Music in NYC and has had music insertions in projects such as The Matrix Reloaded, Dawson’s Creek, Coach Carter and many more.
Always opinionated and controversial, the facts speak for themselves; Mark S. Berry is a master of today’s high tech equipment with vivid stereo and vocal images, strong bass and hard direct rhythms. He has amassed 36 international Gold & Platinum record awards for projects he has either produced, engineered or mixed.With an eclectic variety of indispensable skills, Mark is one of only a handful of producers who can truly take a project from concept to completion and expertly handle all of the steps along the way. His experience and artistry have combined not only to create current top chart hits all over the world, but first and foremost to create state-of-the-art MODERN MUSIC. He is currently conquering the eardrums of international record executives with his latest productions and DVD content.
Jess Blue has been involved with the music business since 1994. She has studied Theatre, Music, and Public Relations at the University of Kansas at Lawrence.Jess founded Get On The Stage Productions, a production company dedicated to changing the face of the music community by promoting and reinforcing unity, respect, and accountability for both artists and patrons. Get On The Stage Productions is one of the primary producers One Family Gathering, a mobile music festival dedicated to unification, diversity, and education. Within the event, sustainable living practices and alternative energy solutions are demonstrated at the Eco-village, a community-building social-economic experience is encouraged with a barter fair, and an eclectic selection of music is provided on multiple stages twenty-four hours a day. More information about the event is available online at www.onefamilygathering.info
Scott Bomar is a Memphis-based musician, film composer, music producer and recording engineer.In 2005, Bomar composed the score for Craig Brewer's award winning film, Hustle & Flow, for which Bomar has received much critical acclaim for his Memphis soul meets hip hop score. Bomar returned in 2006 to collaborate with the film makers of Hustle & Flow as Executive Music Producer and composer of the film, Black Snake Moan. He worked with film's stars Samuel L. Jackson and Christina Ricci in the studio to record songs for the film which are performed on screen. Bomar composed the score utilizing musicians with Memphis music roots, such as harmonica legend, Charlie Musselwhite and members of the contemporary blues/rock group, The North Mississippi Allstars.
Through his work with the instrumental surf rock group Impala, Bomar has toured internationally, and released five albums. Impala's version of the Henry Mancini theme "Experiment in Terror" was featured in George Clooney's directorial debut, Confessions of a Dangerous Mind. Bomar has had several compositions placed in many feature film trailers, TV shows and advertisements.
Bomar served as musical director for a segment of Martin Scorsese's PBS series "The Blues." In 2006 Bomar appeared as the subject of an episode in the BET series, "The Musicmakers", and performed at London's Barbican Performing Arts Centre as part of the "It Came From Memphis" music and film series.
Bomar has also gained prominence as a bassist, backing legendary Stax artists like Rufus and Carla Thomas, Eddie Floyd, Sir Mack Rice, William Bell, Sun Records pioneer Rosco Gordon, and jazz guitar great and former Ray Charles sideman Calvin Newborn, both in studio session and on the road.
Bomar is also the leader of The Bo-Keys, a Memphis soul/funk group featuring former Stax/Volt and Isaac Hayes session players Skip Pitts, Willie Hall and Ben Cauley. The Bo-Keys performed on the film and soundtrack for Hustle & Flow, the Paramount/Nickelodeon animated feature Barnyard, directed by Bob Oedekirk, and will be appearing in the upcoming film Soul Men, performing on-screen with stars Samuel L. Jackson and Bernie Mack. In addition, he has worked with producer Willie Mitchell on Al Green's Grammy nominated comeback recording "I Can't Stop" and the follow up, "Everything's Okay".
Scott has also served as an instructor for the after-school and summer camp programs at the Stax Music Academy, a program for at-risk youth, at the Stax Museum of American Soul Music. He serves on the Board of Governors of the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences.
Partial Filmography
Gospel Hill
Directed by Giancarlo Espositio
Composer/Music Supervisor
FoxBlack Snake Moan
Directed by Craig Brewer
Executive Music Producer/Composer
Paramount Vantage 2007Barnyard: The Original Party Animals
Directed by Bob Oedekirk
Song producer: "Kick It", Performed by the Bo-Keys
Producer
Paramount Pictures 2006Hustle & Flow
Directed by Craig Brewer.
Composer - Original Score
Paramount Pictures 2005
Partial Discography
Black Snake Moan: Music From the Motion Picture
Soundtrack Album ProducerThe Bo-Keys, The Royal Sessions (nominated for W.C. Handy Award)
ProducerCalvin Newborn, Newborn
ProducerAl Green, Everything's OK (Grammy nominated)
Assistant EngineerAl Green, I Can't Stop
Assistant EngineerMark Lemhouse, Big Lonesome Radio (nominated for W.C. Handy Award)
Producer
Karl M. Braun, Esq., was admitted to bar 1993; Georgia and U.S. District Court, Northern District of Georgia, 2002; Tennessee. Education: Eckerd College (B.A., 1980); Georgia State University (J.D., magna cum laude, 1993); Outer Barristers Guild. Associate Editor, Notes & Comments, Georgia State Law Review, 1991-1992; Member: Henry County and Atlanta Bar Associations, State Bar of Georgia.
Rico Brooks a Manager is responsible for the leadership, coordination and overall direction of an individual, team of individuals and/or enterprise. As President of Block Entertainment and Manager of Superstar Rapper Yung Joc and Co-Manager of Rapper Gorilla Zoe, Rico Brooks leads his team to their current and future success.
Born and raised in Albany, Georgia, Rico Brooks moved to Atlanta to earn an Associates Degree in History from Atlanta Metro College and attended the coveted Morehouse University to graduate with a Bachelor of Art in History. Upon graduating, life took a turn and Brooks found himself working as a Sales Associate for Peppermint Music. His undeniable love for music turned his need for a job post-graduation into a full-fledged career of 10 years in music retail. Brooks climbed the ladder from Sales Associate to Manager to District Manager and back to Manager after the decline in record sales.
Brooks’ entrepreneurial drive and leadership skills became even more evident when he formed International Music Distribution (IMD) with fellow industry pioneers, Vince Phillips, Dan Brown and Brad McDonald. IMD opened doors for new artists Lil Scrappy, Trillville, D4L and Bonecrusher to get their records heard by a wide audience of music industry tastemakers and record breakers. Brooks determination did not go unnoticed. Russell “Block” Spencer, CEO of Block Entertainment, hired Brooks to help break records for signed acts, Big Gee (Mechanicsville USA), Boyz N Da Hood, and rising star Yung Joc. Soon after, Rico Brooks became Manager to Boyz N Da Hood (previously featuring Young Jeezy) to his current title as Manager for Yung Joc, Co-Manager for Gorilla Zoe and President of Block Entertainment.
As an Artist Manager and record label President, Rico Brooks is responsible for making executive decisions daily, including: Calendar management, promotion, marketing, radio spins, New Media, publicity, and coordination of Travel Agents, Booking Agents and Publicists to smoothly transition acts from new artist to Superstar. Brooks believes in being an advocate for the artist when dealing with the major labels to fight for what’s needed to strategically brand an artist in the marketplace.
Rico Brooks notes his biggest accomplishment as bringing “new blood into an evolving industry” by helping to break phenomenal new artists. His persistence is evident when noting the fact that his determination has helped to unleash a new artist for 3 consecutive years including Boys N Da Hood (2005), Yung Joc (2006), Gorilla Zoe (2007) and R&B artist JC (2008). Yung Joc had over 200 paid dates in 2006 alone, more than any rapper during that time-a testament to the team guiding his career.
The possibilities are endless for Rico Brooks. Not one to be comfortable in his current position, Brooks plans on developing a career in Movie Production, Branding and Strategic Marketing. He also envisions the music industry’s growth in the digital age and how to best align his artists to change with the times.
As an avid reader, Brooks leaves this advice to others in pursuit of their career path: Learn about the industry, learn other jobs besides yours in the industry, don’t be dispensable and see gems in everyone from the intern to the President.
Kerry Brown, has been a professional drummer and musician for 39 years. He began his professional career, on the road, with Clarence “Gatemouth” Brown and Gate’s Express. This introduced him to all kinds of opportunities, both onstage and behind the scenes. Kerry grew up playing in the Baptist church which led to playing with traditional New Orleans jazz legends such as Danny Barker, Thomas Jefferson, Teddy Riley, Chester Zardis, the Olympia Brass Band, the Royal Brass Band, the Excelsior Brass Band, the Treme Brass Band and the Storyville Stompers Brass Band.
Kerry has played and toured with B.B.King, Freddie King, Albert King, Buddy Guy, Little Milton, “Champion” Jack Dupree, John Mooney, Jimmy McGriff and Hank Crawford, McCoy Tyner, also legendary rock and roll icons the Allman Brothers, Jimmy Page and country oultaw David Allan Coe. His recording history includes sessions with Clarence “Gatemouth” Brown, “Champion” Jack Dupree, Willy DeVille, Guitar Slim Jr., John Mooney, Carlo Ditta, Little Freddie King and David Allan Coe.
Kerry has put his skill of juggling many sounds into creating music festivals and conferences here in the New Orleans area. He produced the New Orleans Drum Summit. He was production director for the L.M.N.O.P. Music Conference. He was the director of the Algiers Armed Forces Festival for five years, the Jeff Fest for nine years and is currently in the midst of producing the Gretna Heritage Festival for the tenth consecutive year. When he is not touring Kerry can be found in New Orleans playing with the Preservation Hall Jazz Band.
Donald Cager II,is a New Yorkbased, writer, director, and producer of commercials, music videos, and film. Previously, he was a Production Manager for Chelsea Pictures, Inc., an
award-winning bi-coastal commercial production company. Prior to Chelsea, where he bid, pre-produced, and supervised production, Donald served as Head of Production for Atherton
& Associates/Cylo, where he helped chaperone the international production demands of their Commercial Division. Complimenting his production persona, Donald has worked in development for Steamroller Pictures and distribution for Buena Vista Pictures Distribution. A 1995 Film Production graduate of the University
of Southern California, he rounds out his ongoing creative experience as the writer, director, producer of awardwinning
shorts such as “The Portrait of Madame Marrousia” and “Mad Boy”. Lured by the challenging frugalness of the :30 second story, he has helmed subtle, yet humorous commercial clips for Levi’s Dockers, American Airlines, Coca-Cola, and Air Jamaica.
Ann Chaitovitz, Esq., Executive Director, Future of Music Coalition,is an attorney with more than 15 years of copyright experience representing songwriters, publishers and recording artists. From 2005 to 2007, Ann was an attorney-advisor for the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), specializing in domestic and international copyright law. Prior to the USPTO, Ann worked as a labor associate at New York law firm Milgrim, Thomajan & Lee, then as a staff attorney at ASCAP, where she practiced copyright law, and finally, as the National Director of Sound Recordings at AFTRA, the labor union representing recording singers, as well as performers and broadcasters in radio and television. At AFTRA, Ann worked on domestic and international copyright issues. She worked to repeal the amendment to the 'work made for hire' definition of the US Copyright Law, to ensure the direct payment of digital performance fees to artists and to change the structure of SoundExchange, so that artists would share control. She also focused on the rights of U.S. performers internationally and negotiated with foreign countries' collecting societies to ensure that U.S. performers receive their share of royalties. Ann has served on the Boards of Directors of the Alliance of Artists and Recording Companies (AARC) and SoundExchange.
Windy "Fleetwood" Coleman
With over 13 years of experience in the entertainment industry, Windy Coleman is currently active in the film industry in New Orleans. She heads *The Hollywood South Actors Studio *preparing aspiring actors for film and television acting. She has worked with the likes of Sean McNamara, Producer and Director of many influential Disney television shows and Avi Arad producer of Spider-Man, X-Men and Ironman. She is currently producing independent films for Southwood Films and VRW film production.
Ernest Collins
Executive Director Arts & Entertainment-City of New Orleans
Since following Cox cable executive Ray Nagin to City Hall five years ago and taking a job as the mayor's director of arts and entertainment, Ernest Collins has been juggling dual roles, acting as ambassador for New Orleans' creative industries while also running a private video production company. Prior to his work at City Hall he produced the award winning music show “Louisiana Jukebox”. He has documented Rehage Entertainment’s Voodoo Music Experience since its inception.
Doug Colton is the President of Murrah Music Corporation under the direction of Chief Executive Officer and company owner, Roger Murrah. In that position, Colton directs the overall business of the company with an emphasis on vision, growth and copyright protection. His responsibilities include the development of commerce strategies, all legal and business affairs, major negotiations, financing structures, and he represents the company in its dealings with investors and bankers. Colton's duties also include the analysis and securing of potential catalog acquisitions, international relations, as well as A&R and development responsibilities with respect to the Pop/Rock, Latin and Urban music markets.
Prior to being appointed President, Colton acted as Murrah Music's General Counsel and Director of International Relations. Colton is an attorney specialized in music publishing, copyright and intellectual property law. Before joining Murrah Music, he was in private practice working with the highly respected, international entertainment firm of Sukin Law Group, P.C. headquartered in New York. He has represented a diverse array of clients such as Warner Chappell Music, the Estate of Elvis Presley, the Gershwin's, along with songwriters, artists and an extensive list of international music publishers.
Colton is a graduate of Vanderbilt Law School, and holds a B.A in Communications from the University of Washington. Prior to attending law school, he was a songwriter and performer himself. This experience has given Colton a unique perspective, combining the legal and business aspects of the company with the creative fields of songwriting, recording, music publishing and entertainment. A major supporter of songwriter and publisher rights, Colton's accolades include authoring the Amicus Brief of the Nashville Songwriters Association International to the U.S. Supreme Court in support of the 1998 U.S. copyright extension.
Lawrence Cotton,was born New Orleans; he was self-taught until he began taking lessons after a stint in the Air Force. During his career on the road he played with and backed up such artists as Lloyd Lambert, Joe Turner, T-Bone Walker and Guitar Slim. In New Orleans, Mr. Cotton played in local R&B groups including the band of legendary producer, Dave Bartholomew. In the 1970s he began playing traditional jazz in Bourbon Street nightclubs. He traveled to Europe with trumpeter Wallace Davenport. Today, in his eighties he can be heard at the Maison Bourbon Jazz Club.
Ms. Crean has also launched a thriller division called TROCAR Films (www.trocarfilms.com) with four films slated for the first year and six for the second. She is an executive producer of "Gagsters!" the first hybrid reality/scripted TV show for children, now sold in over forty countries. She also co-created and executive produced “Doctors of Rock” for HDnet. In collaboration with living Hip Hop legend Kool Mo Dee, Ms. Crean produced the revolutionary documentary There's a God on the Mic, based on his highly acclaimed book of the same title. She is currently in post production on SPEED SHIFT,a new reality series for the WE network, created and produced JUST AS FAST, a reality show also for the WE network about the few women who compete in the world of auto racing.
Ms. Crean formerly served as an associate producer on "EMERIL LIVE!" and worked as an assistant to producer Cary Woods at Miramax on Swingers, Scream, Citizen Ruth, Gummo and Copland. Earlier in her career, she worked in production at MGM, CBS News and Engel Brothers Productions.
A former member of the U.S. Ski Team, Ms. Crean earned a degree in English Literature from Columbia University, studied film production at Columbia University's School of the Arts. She is a voting member of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. Her affiliations include AFI, AFTRA, IFP, EO, the Film Society of Lincoln Center and Women in Film.
Wallace Collins is an attorney in private practice in New York who is currently "of counsel" with the firm of Serling, Rooks & Ferrara LLP specializing in entertainment law and intellectual property matters. Wallace was a recording artist for Epic Records in the late 1970's before attending Fordham Law School.
Clients of the firm have included BRYAN ADAMS, The B-52s and JEFF BUCKLEY, and Wallace has represented r&b acts such as DRU HILL, reggae superstar EDDY GRANT, rappers BEANIE SIGEL, I BORN and CRAIG MACK as well as personal managers who have represented acts such as BLONDIE, THE RAMONES, BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN and ROBERTA FLACK and producers who have done work for DAVID BOWIE, SONIC YOUTH, PHISH, MARY J. BLIGE and SALT'N'PEPA.
Wallace also represents photographers, cartoonists, graphic artists, and infomercial clients like HOWARD BERG, the "World's Fastest Speed Reader". He represents independent record labels like WAAKO, DIRT, KULT and VICIOUS RECORDS as well as magazines like D.M.A., SONGWRITER'S MONTHLY and internet companies like mcy.com . In addition to structuring & negotiating deals, Wallace has also won several high-profile litigations, including a copyright infringement case with the largest monetary judgment ever awarded for the use of a single "sample" in the song "Whoomp! There It Is."
He has authored numerous articles for legal and trade publications and is a regular contributor to Billboard, Entertainment Law and Finance and The New York Law Journal. He is a member of N.A.R.A.S. (the National Academy of Recordings Arts and Sciences) and The Copyright Society of the USA. He is a frequent speaker on panels, at lectures and at seminars throughout the country on current entertainment business and intellectual property issues, including rights issues related to the Internet. Wallace has appeared on many national television and radio broadcasts including COURT TV and HARD COPY.
David A. Dalia His practice includes copyright infringement litigation and numerous other intellectual property issues, as well as labor, contractual, succession, and injury cases. Mr. Dalia currently serves as Museum Counsel to the Louisiana State Museum, and the Louisiana Museum Foundation and serves as counsel for many screenwriters, songwriters, musicians, visual artists, and other individuals, businesses, and families.
Judith DeFraites, Esq., New Orleans, LA
Paul Diaz, Paul’s love of music startedat 8 when he heard the sounds of the70’s. He began running live sound forlocal artists out of the back of his 86’Isuzu Trooper (which, by the way, still runs!). The first incarnation of Tree Sound was built in his parent’s basement,which he quickly outgrew. He then built a studio inside a local music school, where he became a teacher.When space again became an issue, Paul began his search for a new building.He happened upon an old printing plant in Norcross Georgia and through his inspired vision and unrelenting determination, Tree Sound Studios was reborn. Working in tandem with renowned studio designer George Augsperger, the design was created and implemented with artistry and precision. Since then, Paul has expanded the facility to include three unique studios and a killer live soundstage. A self proclaimed “gear hound” Paul has outfitted his studios with the best audio equipment available and is vigilant to insure the quality that is Tree Sound Studios. He is an avid adventurist and his interests include full tilt rock & ice climbing, snow
boarding, white water rafting, scuba diving (with sharks, by the way!), sky diving, and he is also an expert marksman. His adventurous spirit fills Tree Sound Studios with what our clients call “the coolest vibe around”. His focus is always on the music, and he is a staunch advocate of artist’s rights.
Jim Dickinson was born 11.15.41 in Little Rock, Arkansas. His family moved to Memphis, Tennessee in 1949. He attended White Station High School, where he formed his first band, The Regents in 1958. Signing his first recording contract with Rubin Cherry’s Home of the Blues on Beale Street, he later recorded as an Artist for Sam Phillips’ SUN label. He attended Baylor University in Waco, TX, studying drama under Paul Baker. Returning to Memphis, he married Mary Lindsay Andrews. The couple graduated from Memphis State University with degrees in History and Anthropology. He participated in the now-famous Memphis Country Blues Festivals at the Overton Park Shell with Furry Lewis, Sleepy John Estes, and Fred McDowell.
After getting his first real break from Bill Justis in Nashville, he began his work in the Memphis music industry, playing sessions at American Studio for Chips Moman, ‘65/‘66; then for John Fry at Ardent Studio, ‘66/’67; then Sam Kessler at Sound of Memphis Studio, ‘68/’69, where he joined Charley Freeman, Tommy McClure, and Sammy Creason in the rhythm section that became know as the “DIXIE FLYERS.” In Muscle Shoals, Alabama, in December, 1969, Dickinson recorded “Wild Horses,” with the ROLLING STONES, for their album Sticky Fingers.
In 1970, the Dixie Flyers moved to Miami, Florida, contracted to ATLANTIC RECORDS as the house band backing such artists as Aretha Franklin, Sam & Dave, Jerry Jeff Walker, and Carmen McCrae. Dickinson left the Dixie Flyers and returned to Memphis, recording his solo album, DIXIE FRIED for Atlantic. He began a career as a producer working with Ry Cooder and Big Star. In the early ‘70s, he toured with Arlo Guthrie after recording “City of New Orleans.”
In the 1980s, in collaboration with Ry Cooder, he concentrated on motion picture scoring (Paris, Texas; The Border, Crossroads, The Long Riders), and toured Europe twice. Honored by local NARAS chapter with the Board of Director’s Governor’s Award in 1992, Jim Dickinson won Producer of the Year seven times before retiring his name from the competition. He performed regionally with the infamous MUDBOY AND THE NEUTRONS for twenty-three years. Dickinson played on BOB DYLAN’s Time Out of Mind, 1998’s Grammy winning Record of the Year. Sons Luther and Cody Dickinson, have achiever international acclaim as the NORTH MISSISSIPPI ALLSTARS, three time Grammy nominated for Best Contemporary Blues Artist. Dickinson's latest C.D. productions includes Amy LaVere's "Anchors and Anvils," John Hiatt's "Master of Disaster," and the North Mississippi Allstars' "Electric Blue Watermelon" and "Hernando."
Charles Driebe, Esq., entertainment attorney and manager, is the founder and CEO of Blind Ambition Management Ltd. in Atlanta. Blind Ambition manages the Blind Boys of Alabama who, during Charles' tenure, have won four consecutive Grammy Awards, appeared on the Grammy Awards television show, performed at the White House, toured internationally with Peter Gabriel, collaborated on a CD with Ben Harper, and appeared on numerous national TV shows including "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno" (four times) and the "Late Show with David Letterman" (twice). Blind Ambition also manages blues harmonica icon Charlie Musselwhite, and rising singer/songwriters Pieta Brown and Steve Poltz. Actively involved in community and professional organizations, Charles serves as a board member of the Georgia Lawyers of the Arts and is the former chairman of the Board of its predecessor the Southern Entertainment & Art Law (SEAL) Center, nonprofit corporations dedicated to educating artists and art organizations about legal and business issues.
Mr. Lionel Ferbos,(born 17 July 1911) is a New Orleans jazz trumpeter.
Lionel Ferbos, right, with Lars Edegran.Of slight sickly build in his childhood, his family denied his desire to play trumpet early in his youth. When he saw a petit woman trumpet player with Phil Spitalny's All Girl Orchestra, he insisted he should be able play trumpet. He learned to play music professionally in addition to a day job metalworking. He played in the "Mighty Four" band with Harold Dejan. He will be the oral histroy subject at the Oral History Brunch, performance by Lionel Ferbos and his Louisiana Shakers.Jon H. Freis,Mr. Freis has been a licensed California attorney for over eight years and is a solo practitioner in Beverly Hills, California. In his law practice, Mr. Freis specializes in entertainment as well as real estate law. The firm has extensive experience with issues related to corporate and partnership law, and financing alternatives. Mr. Freis regularly advises independent film producers and writers, as well as real estate developers on various aspects of financing their projects. The firm's transactional experience includes private offerings, public offerings, mergers and acquisitions, partnership/corporate formation, dissolution, and buy-out agreements. Mr. Freis possesses a B.A. from the University of California in business economics with an emphasis in accounting and holds his law degree from California Western San Diego School of Law.
Dick Gabriel was recruited by AFM after a successful music career performing both as an artist and backup musician. He had performed with such legends as Chuck Berry, Elvis Presley, The Buddy Miles Blues band, and The Beach Boys. He was also a member of the 60s/70s music group, "Gary Puckett and the Union Gap." At the AFM, he eventually became the head of the Electronic Media Division, negotiating contracts and providing services to musicians working in commercials, television, motion pictures and phonograph recordings. Dick developed the AFM’s system to monitor and collect for musicians when their recording is used for any purpose other than that for which it was originally produced. This system brings millions of additional dollars to musicians each year. His focus is to make the industry more aware of the numerous and often overlooked services that are available to both royalty and non-royalty performers. Such services include additional sources of CD revenue, tour protection, legislative action, and retirement benefits. He negotiates unique agreements for AFM musicians and speaks at music business conferences, seminars, colleges and other educational events on the business of music and better ways to approach it.
Jordan Hirsch,
Executive Director-Sweet Home New Orleans
Jordan Hirsch, a New Orleans native, has orchestrated relief efforts for the city's music community since the levee failures of 2005. As Chief Administrator of New Orleans Musicians Hurricane Relief Fund, he provided direct assistance to artists displaced around the country. As Executive Director of Sweet Home New Orleans, he oversees programs that have provided $2,000,000 to more than 2,000 households. He is an advocate for the practitioners of New Orleans' indigenous traditions.
Steve Jones President of Brash Music
Steve is a music lifer. He started playing in the school orchestra in the 4th grade, and then in the 7th grade sold his sax, bought a guitar and has been rockin' ever since. Steve played in a band called "The Jades" (is that 60's enough for you) during high school. Two years of radio followed seven years of college. Then, after a stint producing the weekly syndicated radio show "Rock 'N Roll Roots", it was time to go to work for a major label. 1978 saw the start of a 26 year run with Atlantic Records. The first 10 years were in radio promotion, where he worked with The Rolling Stones, AC/DC, Chic, U2, INXS, Bette Midler, Genesis, Foreigner, The Spinners, Yes, Laura Branigan, Debbie Gibson and some others he's forgotten about. Then in 1988, he moved over to the marketing/sales side of Atlantic and was instrumental in the development of the careers of Hootie & The Blowfish, Edwin McCain, Seven Mary Three, Matchbox Twenty, Collective Soul and Tori Amos, among others. 2004 brought on another WMG "downsizing" and Steve became the one Atlantic let get away. He saw this as an opportunity to join the fine folks at Brash Music on their path of re-thinking the music business. In his role as President of Brash, he has aided in the development of the careers of Anthony David, Aaron Shust and Chris Sligh.
Scott Keniley,former Vice President of Business & Legal Affairs for Compendia Music Group, a large 13,000 master recording independent record label and distribution company. He is now director of the entertainment law practice “the Keniley Law Firm.” He also chairs the Southeastern Regional Entertainment & Sports Law Conference.
Shirley Kennedy is the owner of SJK Public Relations, LLC, where she works as a publicist for several independent bands. She holds a Bachelor’s in Political Science with an emphasis on Creative Writing from Agnes Scott College and a Master’s in Public Administration from the University of Phoenix. Shirley’s writing talent was discovered by Bo Ball, a writing professor at Agnes Scott and a published author. Dr. Ball nurtured Shirley’s talent and helped her to hone her skills during her tenure at Agnes Scott.
Shirley began entertainment writing by preparing articles about American Idol for The National Ledger, an on-line news publication. She has been touted as one of several experts on American Idol on the Internet and is considered the southeast’s premier writer on the show. From those early writings, Shirley began interviewing and profiling musical artists, beginning with Elliott Yamin and Ace Young, the third and seventh-place finishers, respectively, on season five of American Idol. Since that time, Shirley has interviewed several independent musicians and communicates directly with Bruce Iglauer, President of Alligator Records, to schedule interviews of the artists on his label, including Tinsley Ellis and Eric Lindell.
Shirley’s work has been published by The National Ledger and Jazz Quad, two on-line publications. Jazz Quad translates Shirley’s articles to Russian and publishes those pieces in its paper magazine. Shirley continuously establishes relationships with other media, which allows her to create press opportunities for the musicians and clothing line she represents. She was honored last year by inclusion in the liner notes of “Elliott Yamin” (Hickory Records), the largest selling independent CD in SoundScan history with the highest debut in the Billboard Top 100. She has since been included in the liner notes of the re-release of “Contradictory” by Lucas Cates (PopBomb Records) and on “These Parts Unknown” by Mike Droho (Ruff Roads Records), both clients of SJK Public Relations, LLC.
Recently branching out into other areas of the entertainment industry, Shirley is a founding member of Opus Entertainment Agency, a Division of SJK Public Relations, LLC, which provides booking, artist development, and artist management services. Opus’s clients include The Lucas Cates Band (Madison, WI), Mike Droho and The Compass Rose (Madison, WI), the Sharp and Harkins Band (Stoughton, WI), the Tony Sims Band (Atlanta, GA), Ethan and the Ewox (Atlanta, GA), Falling In Two (Fayetteville, NC), and the agency’s newest addition, Fact and Fiction (Nashville, TN).
Shirley is a member of the National Writers Union, a trade union for freelance and contract writers; Freelance Writing Organization International; the Atlanta Association of Black Journalists; and the Entertainment Publicists Professional Society. Shirley is the NACA Agent and Tour Manager for The Lucas Cates Band, Mike Droho and The Compass Rose, The Sharp and Harkins Band, and Fact and Fiction. She has recently partnered with iNatty Records, which represents Know Boundaries, Natty Nation, and dumate at NACA.
Pete Knapp is the President/CEO of Shut Eye Records & Agency in Atlanta; a record label and radio promotions company focusing on Americana, Alt. Country and Roots Rock music. Shut Eye has promoted and released music by Jay Farrar, Matt Pond PA, Rich Robinson (Black Crowes), BR549, Kaki King, Mary Lou Lord, Bobby Bare, Webb Wilder, Jeff Black, The Greencards, Wrinkle Neck Mules, Hoots & Hellmouth, Fiend Without a Face, Heather Knox, The Whipsaws and over 800 other artists since 1996. Knapp cut his teeth in the music industry at WGHR 102.5fm in Atlanta as a DJ and music director. His award-winning local music radio show Knapptime was a mainstay at WGHR in the early 90’s. Knapp then moved on to GroovePort, Inc. where he managed label clients as diverse as London-Sire, J-Bird Records, Ubiquity Records and its sub-labels as well as over 100 other independent labels in licensing and content acquisition. As a musician, Knapp has a long discography including playing bass in the CMJ-charting pop-rock act Atomsplit, as well as The Indicators and Nillah among others.
Tami Lester, is Senior Director of EMI Music Publishing, Film Soundtrack Division. EMI Music Publishing is the world's largest music publisher with more than one million copyrights including some of the best known songs ever written. Included in the EMI Music Publishing catalog are iconic songs such as “New York New York”, “You’ve Got A Friend”, “Lady Marmalade”, “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough”, “Over The Rainbow”, “I Heard It Through The Grapevine” and “Singin’ In the Rain”. Its current hit-making writers and producers include Arctic Monkeys, Beyoncé, James Blunt, Alan Jackson, Norah Jones, Alicia Keys, Pink, Usher, Kanye West, Pharrell Williams and Amy Winehouse.
With 25 years in the music business, Tami’s worked as an in-house music supervisor with WB Television, Promotion at Epic Records and with Elton John’s Rocket Records.
Currently Tami works on placements for EMI Artists as well as creating music for projects with hit songwriters. In addition, she is the artist contact for showcases with supervisors and film studios. During her 9 years at EMI, she has also been an independent Music Supervisor, working on such projects as, Dance with Me, Wild Things, Cupid, Barbershop 2, Fastlane, Kevin Hill and consulting for ABC/Touchstone during their 2006-2007 pilot season.
Kevin Mills, Esq., has held senior business affairs positions with several studios, including Republic Pictures Corporation, Independent Artists Company, Hal Roach Studios and what is now Hallmark Entertainment. Over the past 12 years, Mr. Mills' practice has encompassed all aspects of talent representation and also the financing, production and distribution of entertainment product in the areas of both television and feature films. He has extensive experience in international television and film distribution and has studied international business transactions in London, England. Mr. Mills is a member of the Beverly Hills Bar Association. He also serves on the Copyright Protection Committee of the American Film Marketing Association, the trade association for independent producers and distributors.
Don Marshall,
Executive Director
New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival & Foundation
As the first Director of the Contemporary Arts Center, his five years as Executive Director of Le Petit Theatre du Vieux Carre, the instigator of community events that include the Tennessee Williams Festival, the New Orleans Film & Video Festival, the Krewe du Vieux, and the north shore’s Bluesberry Festival. He moved back from Hammond where he was Cultural Resource Director for SLU to become a professor and the Director of the Office of Arts Administration at UNO. This native New Orleanian was made the Executive Director of the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival & Foundation after a national search. He has expanded their year round programming to include free festivals like the Fiesta Latina, The Crescent City Blues and Barbecue Festival, the Louisiana Cajun Zydeco Festival and the Congo Square Rhythms Festival.
Lisa Moore, is the principal of her own entertainment and intellectual
property boutique law practice, The Moore Firm, LLC. Ms. Moore has previously served as an Adjunct Professor at the University of Georgia School of Law where she taught Entertainment Law and Visual Arts and the Law. She lectures frequently around the country on music,
film, television, literary publishing, copyright, new technology and new media issues. Ms. Moore currently represents numerous songwriters, record labels, music producers, bands, literary authors, poets, screenwriters, production companies, magazines, galleries, actors, managers, directors, graphic and clothing designers, visual artists, performing artists and numerous other entertainment clients on contracts, licensing, copyright, trademark, FirstAmendment issues and all other legal aspects of the film, television, music and literary publishing businesses.Her practice focuses exclusively on both litigation and transactional entertainment and intellectual property matters. She is a frequent lecturer and contributor to various
entertainment journals and related publications. She is also the Chairman of the Sports & Entertainment Section Executive Board of the State Bar of Georgia. In recognition of her
extensive experience in the entertainment industry, she was recently chosen to serve as Editor of Volume 5 of Matthew Bender Entertainment Industry Contracts, a publication of LEXIS and one of the world's leading publishers of legal analysis and case law. After matriculating at
the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill where, as a Phi Beta Kappa, she received a BA in History and Political Science with Honors and Highest Distinction in 1995. Ms. Moore graduated from the University of Virginia School of Law in 1998. During law school, Ms. Moore served on the Managing Board of the Journal of Social Policy and the Law as Articles Development Editor, after which she clerked for the Honorable A. Joe Fish on the United States
District Court in the Northern District of Texas. Ms. Moore joined the law firm of Arnall Golden & Gregory in the fall of 1999 where she worked in the general litigation department and practiced in the areas of entertainment,employment, bankruptcy and intellectual property. She opened in her own firm in 2001.
Kris Muñoz is the Director of Business and Legal Affairs at leading independent music publishing administrator, Bug Music. Ms. Muñoz joined the Los Angeles office just over 2 years ago and immediately surged ahead in full force quickly making herself a vital part of Bug Music’s executive team. Ms. Muñoz is responsible for all aspects of the company’s music publishing legal and business development needs, including contract drafting and negotiation, talent acquisition and developing business in an A&R capacity for all three of Bug’s U.S. offices in Los Angeles, Nashville and New York. A graduate of UCLA and Chapman University School of Law, Ms. Muñoz worked at such notable entertainment law firms as Davis Shapiro Lewit & Hayes, LLP and Myman Abell Fineman Greenspan & Light, LLP prior to joining Bug. Since joining Bug Music she has signed notable artists, writers & publishers with hits such as Evanescence, Natasha Bedingfield, Daughtry from American Idol fame, Macy Gray, Vanessa Hudgens the star of Disney’s High School Musical, Morningwood, Lyrics Born, Jane’s Addiction, Madball, Project 86, Porno For Pyros and many others. Kris Muñoz works closely with City of West Hollywood and the City Council and is the Co-Chair of the LVC Committee serving as the head of entertainment for annual high profile events and is also directly involved with the National Task Force on Health Care. She annually attends and/or has been a panelist at music industry conferences and events throughout the country.
Margot Nassau, Royalties & Licensing Manager, Smithsonian Folkways Recordings Margot handles business affairs matters for Smithsonian Folkways, the non-profit record label of the Smithsonian Institution in Washington DC.
The Folkways label, which started in 1948 and later came to the Smithsonian, has a catalog of over 2500 albums with more than 30,000 tracks from all over the world and in almost every genre. Margot is responsible for artist royalties, 3rd party licensing, copyright and rights clearance, and mechanical licensing and royalties. She is involved with the production of (average) 20 new recordings a year and also works with the in-house mail order staff at Smithsonian Folkways.
Prior to coming to Washington in 2001, Margot was the leader of the artist management team at The Rosebud Agency in San Francisco, where she had the honor of working for John Lee Hooker, The Robert Cray Band, The Dirty Dozen Brass Band, Loudon Wainwright III, and others. She graduated from Tulane University with degrees in Business and Music.
Mike Olsen, Esq., is Chief Operating Officer of the New York based entertainment holding company Sheridan Square Entertainment. Sheridan Square is currently the fourth largest independently distributed music company in the United States. Over the past 24 months, Sheridan Square has completed or been actively involved in more than 10 acquisitions of small to medium sized music companies. Its holdings include Artemis Records, Musicrama Distribution, Light Records, Intersound Records, Triloka Records, Vanguard Classics and Tone-Cool Records. Sheridan Square is scheduled to complete a merger that will take the company public by the 4th quarter of this year. Mr. Olsen is also an attorney who is licensed to practice in the state of Georgia.
Ellis Jay Pailet, Esq. has been in private practice in New Orleans for over thirty years. Mr. Pailet is recognized as one of the most prominent entertainment lawyers in the city of New Orleans. His concentration is Sports and Entertainment Law.
Gloria Powers,is a cultural anthropologist, event coordinator, and project consultant. She provides services through A New Muse LLC, an international entertainment resource company. She has twenty five years experience planning, coordinating and implementing special events, cultural programs and music productions. A published writer with experience in editing and print media production Since 1991 Gloria has served as Executive Director for the Foundation of Entertainment Development and Education, producing the Big Easy Entertainment Awards sponsored by GAMBIT Weekly in New Orleans, and the associated Tribute to the Classical Arts luncheon offering awards for classical music, opera and dance (since 1994). These events require contact with the entire performing arts community of New Orleans, the organization and management of committees, public relations and publicity. Proceeds from both events benefit the Foundation for Entertainment Development and Education which supports educational projects in the performing arts through annual grants and gifts.
Gloria also serves as the Project Director/Company Manager of the Louisiana Living History Project. She also served as the Project Manager for the National Spirit Project’s Vo-Du Macbeth and The Louisiana Spirit Suite, humanities and performance projects that presented the history of the gens du colour libre of Louisiana.
Gloria has coordinated events, festivals, international cultural heritage conferences and art exhibitions for the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), the City of New Orleans, and the Latin American Chamber of Commerce. She served two years as the Director of the Delta Folklife Festival held in Ferriday, Louisiana (funded by the NEA). She serves as a consultant to the New Orleans Music Business Institute and its annual Cutting Edge Music Conference (since its inception in 1992), including three years as the Coordinator of the Roots Music Gathering portion of that conference. Gloria served on the staff of the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival for seven years (1988 - 1994). She served three terms on the Music & Entertainment Commission of New Orleans, and was Project Director for the Professor Longhair Square sculpture memorial, a public art project of the Professor Longhair Foundation and the Arts Council of New Orleans.
David Robinson Jr. is an active jazz performer, historian, and educator. On trumpet, cornet, valve trombone, and vocals, he has played and toured with the top traditional and swing bands in the Washington DC area.
He is the founder of the Traditional Jazz Educators Network, is Past President of the American Federation of Jazz Societies, and has produced the Smithsonian's Jazz Concert Series. Mr. Robinson directs the internationally-acclaimed Capital Focus Jazz Band youth learning program. He helped to launch the Traditional Jazz Youth Band Festival in Sacramento, where he serves as clinician, lecturer and adjudicator, and he also serves on the faculty of the STJS Trad Jazz Youth Camp in the Sierra Nevada mountains. He hosted "The French Quarter" on XM Satellite Radio for three years. Mr. Robinson is currently producing the Traditional Jazz Curriculum Kit for national distribution.
Jay Rosenthal is General Counsel for National Musical Publishers Association in Brookeville, MD. Professorial Lecturer in Law at the George Washington University Law School, teaching Entertainment Law.
He is a Board Member of SoundExchange, a former Copyright Examiner with the U.S. Copyright Office, a vice president of the Washington Area Music Association, and an Advisory Board Member of the Songwriter
Association of Washington and The Public Domain Report. Mr.
Rosenthal has authored numerous articles on entertainment law and intellectual property, and is a periodic contributor to Billboard and other industry newsletters and journals.
He has lectured extensively across the country on entertainment industry topics. Mr. Rosenthal's former and present clients include Thievery Corporation, ESL Music, The Recording Artists' Coalition, Mya, Salt N Pepa, DJ Kool, VGR Entertainment, SEV, Sweet Honey in the Rock, Toshi Reagan, Jimmies Chicken Shack, Mary Chapin-Carpenter, Rare Essence, Bill Kirchen, Butch Cassidy, Lloyd Dobbler Effect, radio personalities Albie Dee, Mark Kaye, Kristian Gamble, and Bill Curry, comedian Robert Schimmel and monument maker/sculptor Robert Berks.
Born in Chicago and raised in Hendersonville just outside of Nashville, John was first exposed to music through his father, who toured with Woody Herman and Stan Kenton’s bands, among others, in the 50s and 60s. He began his music career carrying his father’s trombone case to union gigs in the 1970s after his father left the road. From there his knowledge and love of music grew through his father’s work in promotions and radio in Nashville in the 1970s and 1980s, attending over 100 concerts by the age 12, and later working in a Nashville record store for five years throughout high school and college.
In 1989, John began his professional career in corporate finance with IBM and was a member of the LBO team that spun out the Lexmark printer company in a $1.6bn transaction in 1990. In 1991, after experiencing the entrepreneurial latitude within a large, global technology based organization at IBM, he continued to an international accounting and consulting firm, BDO, and was based in Atlanta. At BDO, his clients included a Fortune 500 client as well as middle market service and technology companies and he received awards for productivity and client service.
While at BDO in Atlanta in the early 1990s, John provided consulting and business strategy services to a small, upstart record label, LaFace Records (a joint venture of LA Reid, Babyface Edmonds, and BMG/Arista), that was recognized as a company that revolutionized Urban and Pop music, nurtured creative as well as executive talent, and put Atlanta on the map as the center of Urban music.
After a secondment with BDO in Sydney Australia in 1994, John returned to Atlanta to work as business manager to LA Reid, LaFace Records, Reid’s Stiff Shirt Music/Hitco, and other prominent Atlanta writer, producers and artists. During this time, John managed Stiff Shirt Music Publishing with Grammy winning and chart topping hits as TLC’s "Waterfalls" and Tony Rich’s "Nobody Knows". In 1996, due to the success of Stiff Shirt, he helped Reid’s Stiff Shirt create a joint venture with Windswept Pacific called Hitco Music Publishing, a premier urban music publisher.
From his experience with Windswept in the Stiff Shirt venture, John was recruited by Evan Medow, CEO of Windswept Pacific, and in 1998 was hired as Windswept’s Chief Financial Officer at the age of 30. Beyond the financial affairs, his responsibilities included strategic planning, international consolidation, technology and online markets, and the occasional creative signing. In 1999, John, with his fellow executives, engineered the sale of Windswept to EMI for a reported $200mm in what was one of the largest music publishing transactions at the time.
In 2000 John founded Sherpa Ears, LLC, a technology company based on "Influence Technology" he developed involving social networks and an early predecessor to social networking firms like MySpace and FaceBook. Managing all aspects of the business from technology development to marketing to key partnerships, he assembled the thought leaders in sociology/social networks and music from across North America as advisors.
Out of the ashes of the Internet boom in 2001, John founded and served as the CEO of Music Analytics, the leading strategic advisor to music publishers and record companies. Rudolph developed the firm into a recognized leader in the music and money space with experience in over $3.1 billion in recorded music and music publishing music transactions. Clients included Warner Music Group, Ryko, Leiber & Stoller, Saban Music Group, Dreamworks Music Publishing, Windswept Holdings/Hitco Music, Bug Music, Savoy Label Group/ZelnickMedia, Six Degrees Records, Dominion Capital/Compendia, Carlin America, and various estates, artists, private equity and legal firms, among others.
John assumed the reins of Bug Music as its CEO in July, 2006 committed to Bug’s core ethics of advancing publishers and creators’ rights and the melding of music and technology for the promotion of arts and commerce.
John received his Bachelor’s degree with honors from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville and passed the Tennessee Certified Public Accountants examination in 1992. He has spoken at such important events as the Billboard Music & Money symposium (02, 03, 05, and 06), the American Bar Association Entertainment Conference (06) and numerous other music conferences. He is an avid snowboarder and mountain climber, having climbed the highest mountain on five different continents.
Jason Samuel is General Manager of WGCS-91.1 FM "The Globe" which serves the South Bend, Indiana radio market. The radio station is owned by Goshen College, from where Samuel graduated in 1993 and now teaches radio related courses in the Communication Department.
Samuel came back to his alma mater in 2003 after ten years in commercial radio. He changed the station format from classical music to a hybrid mix of Americana, Triple A, and world music. One of the station’s most successful features is to invite artists in-studio for live sessions - sometimes lasting over an hour - with the idea of building a relationship between listener and artist. Since the format change overall listenership has increased seven-fold.
Samuel is a two-time Indiana Sportscaster of the Year from his tenure in commercial radio. Under his leadership "The Globe" has won numerous state awards for excellence in broadcasting.
Ashley Scales, Black Entertainment Television (BET), New York, NY
Snyder is the founder and president of the Artists House Foundation, a nonprofit music company dedicated to creating educational presentations in several areas, including instruction for instruments, master classes, careers in the arts, and legendary performers.
In addition to his producing career, Snyder has held positions at the upper levels of many major recording companies. As the assistant to the president of CTI Records, Creed Taylor, Snyder oversaw legal and business affairs, publishing, manufacturing, distribution, and artists and repertoire operations. Under the tutelage of Herb Alpert, he served as director of Horizon Jazz Series for A&M Records. Snyder later served as director of jazz production for Atlantic Records, where his responsibilities included production and packaging, promotion, publicity, and marketing.
Snyder is currently a member of the New York Bar. As a former member of the New York Chapter of the Recording Academy, he served on the Board of Governors, Education Committee, and Grammy in the Schools Committee. He has been with the College of Music faculty since 2004.
Vernon P. Thomas, Esq., Directors of the Music Business Institute, Inc., the organization that produces the Cutting Edge Conference and INDIE magazine. Thomas is an independent attorney for entertainment and sports law with litigation experience in copyright and intellectual property. He has a major practice in class action suits.
Craig W. Weinlein, Esq., is a partner at Carrington Coleman and the leader of the Firm's Intellectual Property Practice Group.
Mr. Weinlein has a complex litigation practice that is concentrated in intellectual property, patent, trademark, copyright, trade secret, false advertising, unfair competition and professional liability matters, and cases involving high technology, computers, consumer products, publishing, entertainment, and professional services. His specialty is a high-stakes lawsuit between business competitors involving unique intellectual property issues or unusually aggressive competition.
In non-litigation matters, Mr. Weinlein represents clients in obtaining trademark and copyright registrations and in contested administrative proceedings before the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board, including opposition and cancellation proceedings. Mr. Weinlein assists clients with drafting and negotiating contracts involving trademarks, copyrights, trade dress, and trade secret rights, including licensing agreements, proprietary information and confidentiality agreements, merchandising contracts, publishing contracts, and various entertainment industry contracts.
Mr. Weinlein is a member of the Advisory Board of The Sedona Conference, a nonprofit research and educational institute dedicated to the advanced study of law and policy in the areas of antitrust law, complex litigation and intellectual property rights. Mr. Weinlein is also active in the International Trademark Association, a not-for-profit membership association dedicated to the support and advancement of trademarks and related intellectual property as elements of fair and effective national and international commerce.
Mr. Weinlein speaks to various organizations on litigation, intellectual property, trademark law, copyright law, and publishing contracts. Mr. Weinlein's prelaw background brings additional knowledge and experience to his legal practice involving the entertainment and music industries. He has extensive experience as an actor, musician, and dancer, having appeared in numerous national television shows and in Broadway theater. He was a member of the Actors' Equity Association and The American Federation of Musicians.
Fred Wesley, (born July 4, 1943) is an American jazz and funk trombonist, best known for his work with James Brown in the 1960s and 1970s.
Wesley was born in Columbus, Georgia, the son of a high school teacher and big band leader. During the 1960s and 1970s he was a pivotal member of James Brown's bands, playing on many hit recordings including "Say it Loud - I'm Black and I'm Proud", "Mother Popcorn" and co-writing tunes such as "Hot Pants". His slippery riffs and pungent, precise solos, complementing those of saxophonist Maceo Parker, gave Brown's R&B, soul, and funk tunes their instrumental punch. In the 1970s he also served as band leader and musical director of Brown's band the J.B.'s and did much of the composing and arranging for the group. He left Brown's band in 1975 and spent several years playing with George Clinton's various Parliament/Funkadelic projects, even recording a couple of albums as the leader of a spin-off group, The Horny Horns.
Wesley became a force in jazz in 1978 when he joined the Count Basie Orchestra. He released his first jazz album as a leader, To Someone in 1988. It was followed by New Friends in 1990, Comme Ci Comme Ca in 1991, the live album Swing and Be Funky, and Amalgamation in 1994.
In the early nineties Wesley toured with his colleagues from the James Brown band, Pee Wee Ellis and Maceo Parker, as the JB Horns. With the departure of Ellis the band became The Maceo Parker Band. Wesley was featured trombonist with Parker until 1996 when he formed his own band, The Fred Wesley Group.
Wesley's 35-year career includes playing with and arranging for a wide variety of other artist such as Ray Charles, Lionel Hampton, Randy Crawford, Vanessa Williams, The SOS Band, Cameo, Van Morrison, Socalled and rappers De La Soul, to name a few. Many other artists have sampled his work.
In 2002 Wesley wrote Hit Me, Fred: Recollections of a Sideman (ISBN 0-8223-2909-3), an autobiography about his life as a sideman. Also in 2002 he recorded an album entitled Cuda Wuda Shuda with a group of jazz musicians calling themselves the Fred Wesley Band.
Wesley served as an adjunct professor in the Jazz Studies department of the School of Music at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro from 2004 to 2006
Reid Wick
Reid Wick Instructor of Music Industry Studies-B.A., /Loyola University New Orleans/
Reid Wick has served the New Orleans music community in various capacities for many years. With the College of Music, he serves as marketing communications manager, concert series producer, and as a special events producer for the Music Industry Studies Program. He has worked with several music industry projects, including GRAMMY in the Schools, Future of New Orleans Music conference, LMNOP Music Industry Conference, and the New Orleans Mayoral Candidates Music Forum.
Additionally, Wick has worked with local artists and independent record labels to produce over 20 critically acclaimed releases. He continues to perform on a regular basis as guitarist and vocalist with local R&B, jazz, and choral ensembles. He has been with the College of Music faculty since 2003.The 16th Annual Cutting Edge Music Business Conference
and Roots Music Gathering
August 13-17, 2008
Location: Westin New Orleans Canal Place-3rd Floor, 100 Rue Iberville, New Orleans - MAP
Register Now online or click here to download your registration form
Cutting Edge/Music
Business Institute |
|
