Tag Archives: Music

The Effects Of Internet, Technology And Social Media On The Music Industry

The Effects of the Internet, Technology and Social Media has had on the Music Industry

As social networking and technology evolve, more people are online adding more challenges for the music industry.  Has social networking become a problem for the music industry?

It can be hard for the recording industry to make money because so much of the music is readily available online free of charge. However, this doesn’t put the record label out of business; readjustments and strategic planning with marketing must be made in order to make money and become of value to the artists and the industry as a whole.

Bands and Artists are finding new ways to stay relevant and to make money. They seem to be doing just fine because they are keeping up with technology and social media, which is valuable tool and much more affordable, especially for new artists. Social media had made it possible to create, promote and sell in the comfort of your home.

As I watch Tour Manager, Andre Washington setup, he says “Artist’s still make a major part of their money touring and states that technology will never replace the love of music and the human connection artist’s makes with their fans during live performances”.

Andre

Photo compliments of Andre Washington (C) 2013

Today, online skills should automatically become a part of every artist requirements for the industry.   It allows artists to become closer to their art because they’re not tied to what the record labels would normally do to create a product.  Just as YouTube has made people famous without a label, success is still at your reach while simply working in the comfort of your own home.

IMG_4243

(c) 2013 Photo by D. Garvin

According to Wade Jones, CEO/Co-Founder of Peach City Records, he stated that being a newly formed label, social media help to make the journey exciting. “To have the opportunity to get my artists exposed to a wider audience on a very low budget would not have been possible just a few years ago.”

Digitization of content has become inevitable in this age of technology. From the creation of music to the consumption of music, it all demonstrates how it has become digitized. Take IPOD’s, smart phones and tablets for example, and even apps created for these devices, they’re all the creation of digital technology.

IMG_4258

(c) 2013 Photo by D. Garvin

According to Pandodaily,  “popular digital music services have been criticized for not paying enough in royalties to the rights holders.  It escalated into a debate with Congress in the form of the Internet Radio Fairness Act, a bill that aims to change the way royalty rates are set.”

Because the labels and digital music are helping each other today, digital music sales have gone up drastically.   Services like Song Kick and bands in town are platforms that bring people to shows, which is how most artists make their revenues.  Technology has definitely shifted the control of the record label to the control of the artists.

Social media had made it possible to bring all sides together, and allow more freedom for artist’s creativity.  But, don’t get it twisted, record labels are still needed and used today because someone has to do all the legwork.  In the end it’s a lot of work, and the coming together of the old and the new as a team can be very profitable.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The 36th Annual 2013 Atlanta Jazz Festival

The 36th Annual 2013 Atlanta Jazz Festival brings in about 50 Thousand plus Attendees Memorial Day Weekend

Group 3 (2)

Photo by L.A. Jackson

The Atlanta Jazz Festival is one of the Country’s Largest Free Jazz Festival, which takes place at Piedmont Park, located in the heart of midtown Atlanta.  Historical Piedmont Park is one of Atlanta’s prime locations for a host of annual events, including Midtown Music Festival, the Atlanta Pride Festival, Dogwood Festival, and many more.

The Annual Jazz Festival was originally created by the former Mayor of Atlanta Georgia, Maynard Jackson.  The first African-American Mayor of Atlanta, who has also had the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport named after him in his honor.

Alexandra Jackson

Atlanta 2013 Jazz Festival (c) 2013 Photo by Robb D. Cohen

One of the first time performers of this year’s event was Maynard Jackson’s youngest daughter, Singer Alexandra Jackson.

The Atlanta Jazz Festival organization says that they are a non-profit cultural organization, whose mission is to educate and entertain a diverse audience of jazz fans; and to nurture the next generation of jazz musicians.

 

 

 

Youtube clip by Only in the “A”

Here are just a few examples of some of the Atlanta Jazz Fest lineups:  Rialto Youth Jazz Orchestra under the direction of Dr. Gordon Vernick . Cécile McLorin Salvant, Dominick Farinacci, Meshell Ndegeocello, José James, Tia Fuller, Aruán Ortiz, Gretchen Parlato, and Rudresh Mahanthappa

The Publicist for the Atlanta Jazz Festival, Karen Hatchett Says the 2013’s theme for the festival is “Generation Next”.  This year’s festival is more about the new up and coming artists, focusing on the future generation of artists.  This year also included something for the youth, which are two of the youth jazz band competition winners from two local high schools Benjamin E. Mays High School Jazz Orchestra and Westlake High School Jazz Ensemble, which performed on stage for the event.

2013  Atlanta Jazz Fest

2013 Atlanta Jazz Festival, Photo by L.A Jackson

Group 4 (1)

Huge Crowd enjoying the 2013 Atlanta Jazz Festival (c) 2013 photo by D. Garvin

Atlanta Jazz Festival attendee, Tracy Sykes says “that the crowd was large, the weather was hot and the energy through the roof”.  Sykes, also stated “that the best time to attend the event was late in the evening due to the hot weather.”  She also made a point to say, along with many other attendees is, that the “event could have been a little better had there been a different or better lineup of performers.” Oh well, you can’t please them all!

Never-the-less, the Atlanta Jazz Festival is always the place to be for the Annual Memorial Day Weekend. Expect the event to get better and continue to grow annually, there’s always something for everyone.

Tough Times Make Tough People

 L.A. Jackson embodies this old adage in just five words

  “Never Let the Dream Die”  

L.A Jackson

L.A Jackson Profile Story (c) 2013 Photo by Mike Blocker         Keep It Moving

L.A. Jackson, is a native of Kingston Jamaica, the capital of Jamaica.  He also speaks the native language called Jamaican Patois.  Jackson say’s Bob Marley is his idol because he demonstrated to him that It’s OK to be Jamaican and still accomplish your goals”.  Jackson’s motto has always been  Keeping It Moving”

The Early Years                                                                                                                              

As a young child in the mid 60’s, Jackson and his family relocated to Brooklyn New York where he grew up. He has a close relationship with his brother and sister.  His mother was a housekeeper and his father was the superintendent of the apartment building where they lived.   Jackson experienced the culture shock of racism or what some may call reverse racism. It was disturbing to young Jackson because it came from  his own race.  However, he was considered an outsider due to his Jamaican heritage; living in the ghetto around other children of color Jackson had no understanding of why he was teased, spat on and called crude names.

Although he faced discouraging opposition from his peers, he remained optimistic and used that opposition as his source of motivation to catapult himself to the next level. In the third grade he was placed in the (IGC) Intellectually Gifted Children program for three years in a row and by the fifth grade was made Valedictorian of his school.  His mentor and fifth grade teacher Bernard Percy saw great potential in Jackson and made him a contributing author to his nationally published books, including (How to Grow a Child: A child’s advice to parents, The Power of Creative Writing and Help your child).

From 1984-1994, Jackson spent 10 yrs marketing Columbia, Epic and Def Jam Records for Sony Music. In 2001, he executive produced the Atlanta Artist Against Violence CD, for the “Million Mom March Foundation” following the murder of a friend, DeKalb County Sheriff, Derwin Brown. This project lead him to manage Baba Oje, formerly of the musical group Arrested Development.

Today

Jackson is President and Co-founder of Peach City Records in Atlanta and head of the marketing & sales dept. Jackson spends a major part of his day on the phone, online, and going to meetings & events.   He met Wade Jones at a music studio and they immediately connected and in less than a year formed a business partnership. According to Wade Jones Co-Founder/CEO, of Peach City Records,  “L.A is enthusiastic and energetic; he follows through on his great ideas and don’t mind sharing his expertise.”  He also states that “he has the gift of gab and knows how to rub elbows.” L.A. recently wrote his own seven series book called Musicology 2101. To further promote the book, he’s planning a book tour that includes musical groups.

Jackson have his hands full in several ventures, including his MKM Multi-Media Works company which oversees the media production of music, audio visual, home theater and sales of books & merchandise.  He’s also a member of the (NARIP) National Association of Record Industry Professionals, as well as the (GMIA) Georgia Music Industry Association.

Jackson’s favorite quote:

2013 COVER 

 “Everything Turns Out Right in the End.  If it isn’t Right, It isn’t the End”

One Member Of The Successful 1990’s Multi-Platinum Hip Hop Rap Duo “Kris Kross” Has Died At The Young Age of 34

Rapper Chris Kelly formerly of the successful 1990’s Multi-platinum Hiphop rap duo “Kris Kross” has died at the young age of 34.

http://storify.com/dagarv7/another

Another Tragic Loss For The Hip Hop Community

Rapper Chris Kelly formerly of the successful 1990’s Multi-platinum Hiphop rap duo “Kris Kross” has died at the young age of 34.

Rapper Chris Kelly formerly of the successful 1990’s Multi-platinum Hiphop rap duo “Kris Kross” has died at the young age of 34.

http://storify.com/dagarv7/another