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PHILADELPHIA MUSIC REPORT
JULY 2004
A team of industry veterans made up of Alan Rubens, David Chackler and Linda Komorsky have
united to create 215 Music & Media, a record label, music publishing, consulting and
management company. The record label will be aggressively focused on the adult consumer market
through branding in the smooth jazz, urban A/C and adult markets. The company, which has
offices in Jenkintown, PA and in Beverly Hills, CA signed a distribution deal with IDN for the
US and is presently negotiating distribution deals for other territories. 215 Records has just
released it first three smooth jazz CD's, Alan Hewitt, Torcuato Mariano and Soul Ballet. The
publishing division is administering the publishing of the Charlie Rich estate, Rampage,
Special Ed, James Gang Music and Val Watson.
http://www.215music.com
Master percussionist Doc Gibbs will start taping the upcoming season of the Food Network’s
Emeril Live in August and will be performing with his band Picante at the second annual Emeril
Lagasse "Bam on the Beach," a fundraiser for the Lynn Meadows Discovery Center.
http://www.docgibbstv.com
Veteran Philadelphia disc jockey Michael Tearson is hosting and producing the Bob Dylan Radio
Hour for Sirius satellite radio’s Folktown channel. The show airs on Sundays at 10am and 7pm.
Tearson also produces Saturday Morning Sixties for WMGK and Psychedelic Psupper and The Attic
for WBZC, in his own LynTown Studio.
Ben Arnold recently released Calico, his debut album for Sci-Fidelity Records, the Boulder,
Colorado based record company started by the String Cheese Incident. Arnold can be heard on
the nationally syndicated World Café Live on August 11.
http://benarnold.com
Phil Roy is in Chicago working on his second CD for Or Music (Los Lonely Boys, John Cale,
Tower Of Powe). Producing is Jim Tullio, who just finished producing Mavis Staples’ upcoming
album, which includes two of Phil’s songs. Phil also has a co-write on the Billboard Top 10
Los Lonely Boys CD, and will be playing The Philadelphia Folk Festival on August 28.
http://www.philroy.com
Also appearing this year at the Philly Folk Fest is Robert Hazard. Hazard made Philadelphia
music history in the ‘80s as a charismatic rocker who galvanized the region with his incisive
lyrics and hook-laden melodies. He also penned “Girls Just Want to Have Fun,” one of the most
enduring pop songs of our time. Hazard makes his Philadelphia Folk Festival debut with his
new roots band just as he’s returning to his roots, and his recording career, with The Seventh
Lake. Produced by the legendary T-Bone Wolk, Hazard’s haunting new collection of intimate and
revealing songs about life, love and relationships, showcases his rootsy, blues-inflected
side. www.folkfest.org.
Vincent James’ second single from his CD "One More Night" is climbing the AC Radio charts this
summer. The fun uptempo track "Love Makes the World" is now #7 on the New Music Weekly Chart
and #50 on the Friday Morning Quarterback Charts with over 40 commercial stations spinning it.
James’ first single off the CD was the romantic title track "One More Night" which peaked at
#3 on the New Music Weekly chart and #35 on the FMQB chart.
Philadelphia Songwriters Project invites submissions for their VOTE! Music Festival
Songwriting Contest. Submit a song about time in life where you needed to take a stand,
defend your ideas or ideals, where you are standing up for what you believe in, or making a
significant choice. All genres welcome. Contest prizes include appearing at the September 12
Philadelphia Songwriters Project VOTE Music Festival anchor show, recording time at Turtle
Studios, a CD duplication package from Disc Makers, and a live radio interview with WXPN’s
Helen Leicht. www.Phillysongwriters.com
Philadelphia Songwriters Project is also hosting “Songs In The Minor Key,” in collaboration
with ASCAP. This show, a yearly showcase of performers 18 years and under, is on Sunday August
8, 7pm, Adrienne Theater 2030 Sansom Street. www.Phillysongwriters.com
July was another busy month for Masterwork Recording. Artists coming through the studios for
mastering included King Britt, Buddy Turner, Barbara Mason, Dominique, Big Shot, Mix Match Box
and Malachi, John Porsia, Larry Kay, Scott Silipigni, Syncere Praze, Unhallowed, Chris Wasko,
Michael Franks, The Electric Farm, Katalyst, Malc Farrar, Tangled, Sleepy Brown, Bruce Bennet,
Clean Slate, Machine Dog, Up and Runnin, and Voletta. Masterwork has also been providing DVD
authoring services for clients including hip hoppers Tough Struggle, Hustle Industry and Paper
Chasers. www.masterworkrecording.com
ItsAboutMusic.com recently added a number of Philadelphia area artists to its roster: Stygian
Veil, Continuum, Eyelevel (formerly Giant Sequoia), The Curiosity Shop, Nik Everett and
Dakota. Get more info and listen to songs at www.itsaboutmusic.com
Bernard M. Resnick, Esq., P.C’s clients have been busy this summer. Producer/songwriter
Melvin "Rugged Ness" Carter delivers a song called "Have Mercy" for the upcoming Beanie Sigel
CD. Producer/songwriter Leon Huff II, better known as "Pop Trax", earns his first gold album,
for delivering the song "Gangsta" for 8Ball & MJG's latest album. Producer/songwriter Quincy
Ledbetter earns his first gold album, for delivering the song "Jungle Music" for Petey Pablo's
latest album. Producer/songwriter Qur'an Goodman of Face Off Entertainment, Inc., delivers
the song "After Party" for the latest Method Man album. Roc-A-Fella recording artist Peedi
Crakk earns a platinum album for co-writing and a featured rap performance on Freeway's song
"Flipside," which was used in the soundtracks for the film Bad Boys 2 and Sony Pictures' You
Got Served. Producer/songwriter Timbaland has agreed to remix the song "I Don't Think We've
Met," by Virgin Records recording artist Nikka Costa (and featuring Prince) for her upcoming
album. Timbaland also will be in the studio this week with Fat Joe, and Slick Rick is on the
horizon. Salme Dahlstrom's song "Thinking About It, Baby" has won the song of the month
competition in Songwriter Universe magazine. www.bernardresnick.com
Trumpet/flugelhorn/alto horn player, composer, arranger and producer Todd Horton has relocated
to Philadelphia where he runs a jazz, folk and world music record label, Soulsearch Music.
Horton has also started a jazz booking office, Welcome to the Party, which provides musical
entertainment for special events.
http://toddhorton.com/ http://soulsearchmusic.com
http://welcometotheparty.org
As part of its “View from the Top” series, the Philadelphia Chapter Of The Recording Academy®
is presenting "The Bowie Sessions" with GRAMMY®-winning guitarist Carlos Alomar, music
director, bassist, and engineer Mark Plati, engineer Peter Humphreys and vocalist Robin Clark,
The event, moderated by World Café’s David Dye, will be on August 17, 7-10pm, Hyatt Regency
Penn's Landing. View from the Top is a unique professional development series programmed for
key entertainment executives, recording artists and community leaders. Centered on in-depth
discussions and interviews, the series provides an intimate setting where nationally
recognized artists, producers and industry professionals provide insider information regarding
their careers and crafts and discuss important issues facing the music and entertainment
industries.
http://grammy.com/philadelphia.aspx
The Kwait Brothers Band (KBB), led by twin brothers Rob and Rich Kwait, will join the line-up
at this year's Newport Folk Festival (Aug. 6-8). The band be debuting material to be recorded
this fall with producer/engineer Aaron "Professor Louie" Hurwitz (The Band, Mercury Rev,
Graham Parker) and engineer Dave Cook (Juliana Hatfield, 10,000 Maniacs, B-52's). The new
record will be released on Woodstock Records and will be the first label release for the KBB.
http://www.kwaitbrothers.com/
Having conquered the recent Los Angeles Film Festival with the heavily buzzed world premiere
of its documentary and must-see live show, The Paul Green School of Rock fully realizes the
rock ‘n’ roll dreams of its students by sending them onto America’s concerts stages for their
first-ever U.S. tour. Paul Green, the self-proclaimed überlord and apparent inspiration for
Jack Black’s character in last year’s feature film smash School of Rock, will be leading 24 of
the best and brightest students (ages 12-17) from his three Philadelphia area schools on a
16-day, 17-show tour. The Paul Green School of Rock recently appeared on MTV’s Total Request
Live and soon will be profiled on the CBS Evening News with Dan Rather. They also have been
featured in The New York Times, Tracks, Mojo, Reuters and a 2002 Spin magazine spread written
by James Iha of Smashing Pumpkins. The school is now the subject of a feature-length
documentary, Rock School (www.rockschoolthemovie.com), that will be released in early 2005 by
Newmarket Films. Produced by Sheena M. Joyce and Don Argot, Rock School was hailed by the Los
Angeles Times and the L.A. Weekly upon its June 18 world premiere at the Los Angeles Film
Festival, and by the end of the month became the first film to emerge from the festival with a
major deal. The film follows Green taking his rag-tag group of kids and training them to be
rockers through group lessons, individual instruction, and finally, a concert at the Zappanale
2003 festival in Germany. www.schoolofrock.com
Philadelphia's legendary Dixie Hummingbirds Gospel Quartet is in the midst of a European tour
which includes stops in Finland, France (opening for Stevie Wonder), Sweden, and England.
The Philadelphia Walk of Famers will also be performing this summer at a string of Canadian
music festivals and at the Newport Folk Festival.
WXPN has announced a new community outreach project dedicated to delivering the healing power
of music in area hospitals. Dubbed WXPN Musicians On Call, this program features live in-room
performances given by volunteer musicians for patients undergoing treatment or who are unable
to leave their hospital beds. Lauren Hart, Jim Boggia, and Mutlu have signed on to be the
first performers in the Philadelphia program. To volunteer or learn more, go to
http://www.xpn.org/moc.php
Jerry Gross and Mark Stevens of the Dovells along with Mike Dano of Creative Entertainment
have joined forces with DeSimone Cadillac/BMW to form a marketing/entertainment conglomerate.
DeSimone Enterprise Group will be concentrating on all phases of the entertainment world. A
recent Robin Williams corporate date in NY, the casting of a new movie to be shot in Long
Beach Island, NJ, television commercials and concert promotions are just the beginning for
this new synergetic company. A full staff including booking agency, graphics department,
writers and advertising department round out this new entertainment company. For more info
call 856.761.0740.
Philadelphia International Records continues to expand in aggressively exposing its legendary
catalog to TV, film and commercials. The label’s top executive Chuck Gamble is at the helm of
this effort.” Our goal is to expose this internationally known but Philadelphia based music
treasure to all traditional and non-traditional outlets, including Ringtones and Ringtunes,”
says Chuck. PIR is also working with many hit making producers to sample and do cover tunes on
many of released and unreleased material. Donald Trump’s “The Apprentice” has renewed the
deal to use the Gamble and Huff hit song “For the Love of Money” for its second season.
www.gamble-huffmusic.com
John Francis Maher has released “Philadelphia,” an EP recorded in the spring of 2003 with
producer/engineer Phil Nicolo of Studio 4 (Lauryn Hill, Sting, James Taylor, John Lennon).
Maher performs, with Mutlu, at The Point on Saturday, August 7, 8pm.
http://www.johnfrancismaher.com/
The Disc Makers Independent Music World Series is the country's most exciting live indie music
showcase. Independent artists get the chance to perform in front of music industry insiders
and executives and win over $35,000 in recording gear, instruments, CD manufacturing services,
DJ equipment, and memberships. The Disc Makers IMWS searches for the best unsigned talent
throughout the country with showcases in New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago, and Nashville.
Professional A&R screeners from TAXI listen to each submission and select 100 semi-finalists
from each region, and the editors of Billboard magazine choose the top six finalists to
showcase in front of fans and industry judges.
http://www.discmakers.com/imws/
The Amercian Musicians’ Resource Network is holding its Fifth Annual Musicians’ Party on
August 6, 9:00pm – 2:00am, Concilio’s, 705 Franklin Street in Northern Liberties, with a
buffet dinner and music by Shubaby & Freestyle and Maxx. For more information call
215-473-5527.
The Mann Center for the Performing Arts continues its 2004 Young People’s Concert Series.
With performances by regional youth troupes, this series offers area young people a chance to
experience and be inspired by the talents of others their age. Upcoming shows include, on
August 4, A Moment of Sharing with The Freedom Theater Performing Arts Training Program. For
more than three decades Freedom Theatre’s Performing Arts Training Program has provided over
10,000 students serious training in the arts, with all its demands, and empowering students to
become artists, advocates of the arts and productive members of society. On August 11,
Sedgwick Arts Youth Jazz & Percussion Band, pianist Mateo Jimenez, and Time for Three will
perform. All shows are 11:00am-12noon at the Mann Center and are free and open to the general
public.
http://www.manncenter.org/Pages/YPC.html
Come out on August 24 at 8:00pm to be a part of George Manney’s video documentary City of
Brotherly Love which explores the Philadelphia pop music scene from 1957 to 1975. Manney will
be shooting a live concert performance of artists representing over five decades of
Philadelphia’s musical history, including Charlie Gracie (“Butterfly”), The Orlons (“South
Street”), Byard Lancaster Band, Rufus Harley, Soul Survivors (“Expressway”), Nazz II
(featuring Stewkey, voice of “Hello It's Me”), Essra Mohawk (“Change of Heart”), American
Dream (“Frankford El”), Tommy Conwell (“I'm Not Your Man”), Lauren Hart, Linda Cohen, Last
Minute Jam Band, guest DJ's and an All-Star Jam. The show is at the TLA, 334 South Street,
and tickets are $12.50 in advance, $14.50 day of show.
http://www.geosound.org/all-star-artists-info.htm
leflaw
smooka
Larry
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