5/4/17
I. AFM & SAG-AFTRA Fund II. ACADEMY OF SCORING ARTS
II. ACADEMY OF SCORING ARTS EVENT
III. MEMBER COMMENTS
V. EVENTS
…Absolutely guaranteed anonymity – Former Musician’s Union officer
…The one voice of reason in a sea of insanity – Nashville ‘first call’ scoring musician
…Allows us to speak our minds without fear of reprisal – L.A. Symphonic musician
…Reporting issues the Musicians Union doesn’t dare to mention – National touring musician
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I. AFM & SAG-AFTRA Fund in the Spotlight at ASCAP Expo
from the Hollywood Reporter
by Jonathan Handel
The little-known AFM & SAG-AFTRA Intellectual Property
Rights Distribution Fund pays royalties even to oft-neglected
session musicians and backup singers. Stevie Wonder was
the headliner — and closing act — of the ASCAP I Create
Music Expo that concluded this weekend, but musicians
and singers will be interested to know that an obscure
fund, jointly run by the American Federation of Musicians
and performers’ union SAG-AFTRA, also had a moment
in the sun at the annual conference for songwriters,
composers, artists and producers.
If those two unions seem like an odd pairing, they aren’t:
since its 2012 founding by way of merger, SAG-AFTRA,
like AFTRA before it, has represented recording artists
— singers — as well as actors and others, such as
broadcasters.
The joint fund, the AFM & SAG-AFTRA Intellectual Property
Rights Distribution Fund, distributed about $60 million
in royalties in 2016 and thus will be welcome as anything
but odd by those who receive checks from it — a variety
of singers and musicians, including such non-featured
performers as backup singers and session musicians,
who otherwise might not receive music royalties at all.
Although that total is far less than the approximately
$1 billion in residuals that SAG-AFTRA distributes annually,
and is also less than the $90 million to $100 million in
audiovisual AFM residuals that are disbursed each year
(which are administered by yet another organization,
the Film Musicians Secondary Markets Fund), the
checks can be significant, ranging up to $1 million
in some cases, said fund executive director Dennis Dreith.
“We do for non-featured performers what SoundExchange
and AARC do for featured performers,” explained Dreith,
referencing two other music royalty organizations. He
spoke to The Hollywood Reporter after conducting a
seminar Friday for about 100 people at the Expo.
One recipient of a payment from the fund was so
unaccustomed to receiving royalties that she rang
up Dreith and asked if she was really allowed to
cash the check. He assured her that she was.
Citing the case of a former Motown session bass
player who he said died impoverished after helping
churn out hit after hit (“You Can’t Hurry Love” by
The Supremes, “My Girl” by The Temptations, and
dozens more), Dreith added that the fund helps
ensure that “there won’t be another James Jamerson,”
at least in the economic sense.
Where the Money Comes From
Unlike Expo organizer ASCAP, which collects and pays
royalties to songwriters and composers, the joint union
fund is for performers. It was established in 1998, which
may give a clue as to its initial scope: the royalties are
collected from U.S. digital platforms, but not from U.S.
terrestrial (conventional) radio, as to which there is no
provision in law for performance royalties. The Fair Play
Fair Pay Act, which the fund and unions vigorously
support, would change that and require AM and FM
stations to pay such royalties, too.
Those for-now digital royalties are paid to non-featured
vocalists and non-featured musicians regardless of their
union membership or affiliations. The fund collects
foreign performance royalties for U.S. non-featured
performers as well, but only for members of AFM and
SAG-AFTRA.
That, anyway, is what the sound recording division of
the fund does. Two more recent arms, the symphonic
royalties and audiovisual divisions, represent evolutions
beyond digital-only. The first focuses on royalties for
featured and non-featured performers in symphonic
sound recordings, including archival recordings
and radio broadcasts licensed for use on cable,
satellite and digital media. And the audiovisual
division collects royalties — again, for featured
and non-featured singers and musicians — from
foreign territories for films and television programs
containing U.S. performers ,which have been
broadcast on Spanish and German television, and
motion pictures containing U.S. performers, which
have been exhibited in cinemas in Spain.
There is no word on whether that limited geographic
portfolio might expand.
Like residuals, which inspired this reporter to prepare
a colored chart that Backstage likened to “a periodic
table of elements on mushrooms,” music royalties are
complex: a flowchart in the ninth edition of Harold
Vogel’s definitive Entertainment Industry Economics,
which features almost two-dozen circles, squares and
other shapes and a similar complement of connecting
lines, looks like an oil refinery diagram — except that
the latter is easier to understand. Indeed, turning
bauxite into aluminum is apparently simpler than the
way money flows in the music business. But in one
small corner, at least, the AFM & SAG-AFTRA
fund has it covered.
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II. ACADEMY OF SCORING ARTS:
Scott Healy’s Ellington Group
With Special Guest Brent Fischer!
Saturday, May 6th, 2017
10am – 12:30pm
E-Spot Lounge Above Vitello’s
4349 Tujunga Ave, Studio City, CA 91604
You asked, we answered! We’ve enjoyed partnering
with Scott Healy to bring you Ellington, the high level
jazz study group. Now, we’ve added even more value
to our session by adding a guest interview segment.
Our Saturday session will feature special guest Brent
Fischer. Brent is the son of the late, great composer
and pianist Clare Fischer, who was one of our most
prolific and innovative jazz composers and performers.
Brent is a fantastic composer and multi-instrumentalist
in his own right. While he collaborated frequently with
his dad, he also developed his own unique musical
voice as a composer and performer.
We are now handling our ticketing through Eventbrite.
Be sure to get yours online! Ticket prices will be higher
at the door.
Scott Healy will continue the exploration of harmonic
rhythm, focusing on how jazz players and composers
use chord movement. This topic comprises much more
than just cool chord substitution and complicated
altered harmony. Harmonic rhythm defines phrases,
form and pacing, and your heightened awareness of
the flow of harmony will direct and focus the emotional
content of your writing. We will refer to examples from
Ellington/Strayhorn and Bob Brookmeyer.
Then after a break we’ll introduce our special guest,
Brent Fischer. Brent will present some of Clare’s harmonic
and orchestration concepts, and talk about how he’s
carrying on his dad’s legacy. This is deep stuff, so
bring your analog or digital notation aids and put
on your thinking caps! We will have a few handouts,
and also project all of the scores and examples.
They will also be available online for your laptops
or tablets.
Please go to http://ellingtonstudygroup.com
for more details, and we’ll see you there.
$15 pre-sale (deadline May 5), including light breakfast
$20 at the door
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III. MEMBER COMMENTS
Dear Editor,
It is GREAT that there were so many sincere friends and
colleagues of those honored able to attend the ceremony
on Monday night!
What is also telling is that the business of the Union was
of so little interest that they did not stick around for the
last quarterly meeting in our historic Vine Street home.
The disenfranchisement and manipulation of the
membership should be obvious.
No doubt the salaried leadership at 47 will be marching
on May 1st with full pay…the rank and file are encouraged
to volunteer? The Union Officers, Directors and
employees pick up a check every Friday. Do you?
Longtime Member
———-
well – if they win (the lawsuit) it that would be great but
what’s the odds of us winning?
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IV. EVENTS
DEAN AND RICHARD
are now at Culver City Elks the first
Friday of
every month.
7:30pm-10:30pm,
11160 Washington Pl.
Culver City, 90232
310-839-8891
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LA WINDS JAZZ KATS 584
NO COVER, NO MINIMUM.
Every 2nd and 4th Tuesday of the month at
Viva Cantina
7:30-10:00.
900 Riverside Drive,
Burbank.
Free parking across the street at Pickwick Bowl.
Come hear your favorite charts played the way
they
should
be.
We are in the back room called
the Trailside Room.
Come on down.
Guaranteed to swing.
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5/5/17
DOCTOR WU PERFORMANCE
We’ll be doing one set starting promptly at 8:00 PM at the Saint
Francis de Sales Festival on Friday, May 5th:
Saint Francis de Sales School
13368 Valleyheart Drive
Sherman Oaks, CA 91423
The Doctor Wu Band line up for this show will be:
Tony Egan: Lead Vocals
Leigh DeMarche: Vocals
Jodi Fodor: Vocals
Gil Ayan: Guitar
Steve Bias: Bass and Vocals
Jeff Dellisanti: Saxophones
Mark Harrison: Keyboards
Paul Salvo: Trumpet
Frank Villafranca: Saxophones
Jack Cook: Drums
Admission is free and we look forward to seeing you there!
The Doctor Wu Band
http://www.doctorwuband.com/
https://www.facebook.com/doctorwuband
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5/6/17
KIM RICHMOND/CLAY JENKINS
HEY fellow L.A. Musicians,
This is my second notice about this coming
Saturday. My favorite jazz trumpet player will be
in town this next weekend: Clay Jenkins. We will
be playing together at the Desert Rose. Clay
doesn’t make it to L.A. very often what with his
teaching position at Eastman School of Music
in New York, so you should try to catch us
this weekend. Details below.
WHAT: Clay Jenkins and Kim Richmond at the
Desert Rose, with the Mark Z. Stevens Trio
WHERE: Desert Rose Restaurant & Saturday jazz
venue. 1700 N. Hillhurst Avenue, LOS FELIZ
VILLAGE, Los Angeles, CA 90027
WHEN: This coming Saturday, May 6, 7 to 11. 3 sets
WHO: Clay Jenkins, trumpet; Kim Richmond,
alto & soprano saxophones, Mark Z. Stevens,
drums; Lou Foresteri, keyboard; Harvey Newmark, bass.
PARKING: Valet parking available
FOOD: excellent cuisine
RESERVATIONS: Recommended (323) 666-1166.
Ask for inside seating. That’s where the band is.
if you’re planning to join us, it’s absolutely
necessary to make an “INSIDE SEATING RESERVATION”
by the Wednesday or Thursday immediately
proceeding the event. If you wait until the last minute,
the room will probably be sold out. If you make
your reservation early in the week, you’ll be in the
best area to hear the jazz. (If your plans change,
you can always call and cancel.)
Hope to see you there.
All the best,
KIM R
My website address is:
www.kimrichmond.com
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5/13/17
ASMAC presents
A MASTER CLASS WITH GEORGE S. CLINTON
MODERATED BY: Sylvester Rivers
Valley College – Music Building
5800 Fulton Ave., Valley Glen, CA
Corner of Fulton & Oxnard
Saturday, May 13, 2017
10:30 am – CHECK-IN – Coffee/Refreshments
11:00 am – 2:00 pm – Master Class
“Scoring Comedies: Comedy is Serious Business
– The Scoring Art & Technique.”
Join us for an informative – and entertaining – Master Class.
Mr. Clinton is an award winning composer who has
scored over 100 films, most notably “Austin Powers
International Man of Mystery” and it’s blockbuster
sequels; Disney’s hit “Santa Clause” sequels;
“Mortal Kombat” 1 & 2; “Wild Things”, “Red Shoe
Diaries”, John Water’s “A Dirty Shame” and the
Emmy Award winning “Bury My Heart At Wounded Knee.”
He began his professional musical career as a
singer/songwriter/arranger in Nashville while
earning degrees in music and drama. Upon
moving to LA, he became a staff songwriter
for Warner Brothers Music with songs recorded
by the likes of Michael Jackson and Joe Cocker
and continued working as a session musician
and arranger. It was the music from Clinton’s
solo album “The George Clinton Band Arrives”
that attracted the attention of Cheech and Chong,
giving him the chance to score his first film “Still Smokin”.
In addition, Mr. Clinton is an advisor at the
Sundance Composers Lab, serves on the Music
Executive Branch of The Academy of Motion
Picture Arts and Sciences (The Oscars), is on
the boards of the Society of Composers and
Lyricists and the Alliance for Women Film
Composers, is a member of ASMAC and the
Television Academy, and was Chair of Film
Scoring at the Berklee College of Music 2012-2015.
Awards include a Platinum record for his score
to Mortal Kombat, Grammy and Emmy nominations,
the SCL Ambassador Award, the Spirit of Tennessee
Award, and nine BMI Film Music Awards, including
their highest honor, the BMI Icon Award.
MODERATED BY: SYLVESTER RIVERS
Composer, arranger and pianist Sylvester Rivers
has recorded with numerous hit artists including
Lionel Richie, Diana Ross, The Jacksons, Sammy
Davis Jr., Dionne Warwick, Nancy Wilson, Kenny
Rogers, Johnny Mathis, Aretha Franklin, New
Edition, Smokey Robinson, The Temptations,
Gladys Knight & The Pips, Barry White, Marc
Bolan & T Rex, Ray Parker, Jr. & Raydio, Deniece
Williams, The Fifth Dimension and many others.
Rivers has composed, arranged and orchestrated
for television and film as well, such as the television
series “Fame,” songs for the Kevin Bacon/Laurence
Fishburne film “Quicksilver,” “Breakin’ 2: Electric
Boogaloo,” “The Arsenio Hall Show” and numerous
others; and has been prolific in producing music
throughout a wide spectrum.
Valley College – Music Building
Sat., May 13, 2017
11:00 am – 2:00 pm
(Check-in & Refreshments – 10:30am )
Free parking in lot on corner of Fulton and Oxnard.
ASMAC Members and Students – $25
Non-Members – $40
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5/13/17
SAN FERNANDO VALLEY SYMPHONY
Saturday, May 13th, 2017
AGOURA HILLS/CALABASAS COMMUNITY CENTER
8:00 pm
27040 MALIBU HILLS RD
CALABASAS, CA
Price: $25
Saint-Saens: Bacchanale from “Samson and Delilah”
Tchaikovsky: Romeo and Juliet Fantasy-Overture
TWO PREMIERES!
Tuttle: By Steam or By Dream Overture
Inaugural Performance
Egizi: Orchestral Suite “In memoria di mio Padre”
Inaugural Performance
To purchase tickets for this concert, click here.
For information on the pre-concert dinner, click here.
(Program subject to change
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5/14/17
LOS ANGELES SYMPHONIC WINDS
Sunday, May 14th, 2017 – 2:30 pm
Calabasas Performing Arts Education Center
22855 Mulholland Hwy, Calabasas, CA 91302
Extraordinary Women – A Mother’s Day Concert to Remember
The LA Winds pay tribute to remarkable women who helped
shape the course of human history. Featured works will
include Giuseppi Verdi’s stirring “Overture to Joan of Arc”,
Mark Camphouse’s powerful “A Movement for Rosa”,
and Eric Coates’ regal “The Three Elizabeths”.
For tickets contact:
Mary Gallegos at [email protected]
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5/17/7
FREE ADMISSION GLENDALE NOON CONCERTS
On Wednesday May 17, 2017 at 12:10-12:40 pm
the Free Admission Glendale Noon Concerts will feature
the Calico Winds performing duos and trios by
Heitor Villa-Lobos, Malcolm Arnolf and Joseph Canteloube
at the Sanctuary of Glendale City Church,
610 E. California Ave. (at Isabel St), Glendale, CA 91206.
For more information, email [email protected]
or call (818) 244- 7241.
HEITOR VILLA-LOBOS Bachianas Brasileiras No. 6 for Flute & Bassoon
MALCOLM ARNOLD Divertimento for Flute, Oboe and Clarinet
JOSEPH CANTELOUBE Rustiques for Oboe, Clarinet and Bassoon
Theresa Treuenfels (bassoon)
Rachel Berry (horn)
Ted Sugata ( oboe)
Kathryn Nevin (clarinet)
Eileen Holt (flute)
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5/20-21/17
CENTER STAGE OPERA PRESENTS
The Best of Broadway Volume III
Performing Arts Center (on the campus of Reseda High School)
Reseda, CA
May 20th – 7:30 PM
May 21st – 3:00 PM
Music from
Camelot, Cabaret, Guys and Dolls, A Chorus Line,
Snoopy the Musical, Company, Sweet Smell of success,
Miss Saigon, Woman of the Year, Avenue Q, The Wiz, 70 Girls 70
and Annie
Featuring
Nick Navarra
Stephanie Fredericks
Kate Bass
Dylan F. Thomas
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5/21/17
SONG OF THE ANGELS FLUTE ORCHESTRA
Founder, Frederick Staff
Music Director, Charles Fernandez
JAZZY FLUTES!
Sunday, May 21st 7pm at the
First Lutheran Church in Torrance
Guest artists
Ali Ryerson
David Shostac
Fred Seldon
and Billy Kerr
for tickets go here:
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5/27/17
CULVER CITY CHAMBER ORCHESTRA
Music Director/Conductor Arlene Cardenes
Saturday May 27th, 5:00PM
A Culver City Centennial Celebration
This performance will feature a new
fanfare by Cary Belling.
Also
Andres Cardenes, Violinist and COnductor
Turning Point School Auditorium
8780 National Blvd.
Culver City, CA 90232
Click here for ticket information
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7/11-14/17
SANTA BARBARA JAZZ WORKSHOP
The LA Jazz Society is proud to partner with Kim Richmond
and Kimberly Ford in presenting the Santa Barbara Jazz
Workshop, July 11-14, from Tuesday afternoon to Friday night.
A faculty of Jazz professionals teach instrumental/vocal master
classes, improvisation, Jazz Listening (How to listen, and who to
listen to.), modern Jazz combo and Big Band playing with concerts
each late afternoon (open to the public) where advanced students sit in
For more information, visit www.santabarbarajazzcamp.com.
Presented by Kim Richmond and Kimberly Ford
at the Marjorie Luke Theater and SOHO Jazz Club.
You can read all previous offerings at:
http://www.responsible47.com
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UNTIL NEXT TIME,
THE COMMITTEE FOR A MORE RESPONSIBLE LOCAL 47