Jazz | UnRated Magazine - Your Music Entertainment - Veteran Run https://www.unratedmag.com Discover a blend of Music Articles, Reviews, Interviews, Concert Highlights, and Entertainment on our platform. Proudly Veteran-Run, we bring you the best in music culture and beyond. Thu, 01 Feb 2024 03:56:46 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.4.4 https://i0.wp.com/www.unratedmag.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/cropped-app_ur.png?fit=32%2C32&ssl=1 Jazz | UnRated Magazine - Your Music Entertainment - Veteran Run https://www.unratedmag.com 32 32 157743393 Governors Ball is Coming to New York City https://www.unratedmag.com/governors-ball-is-coming-to-new-york-city/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=governors-ball-is-coming-to-new-york-city Thu, 01 Feb 2024 03:56:40 +0000 https://www.unratedmag.com/?p=890195 Governors Ball held in Flushing Meadows Corona Park, in New York City, NY is an annual music festival held in the early months of June every year and is an event catered towards a wide audience. Filled with music from almost every genre, it contains everything any music enjoyer will want to hear. This year the festival returns on June 7-9, 2024 at Flushing Meadows Corona Park in NYC. 

This year the lineup of artists contains some of the biggest names in the music industry with Post Malone, Rauw Alejandro, The Killers, 21 Savage, SZA, and Peso Pluma. Post Malone was one of the headliners in 2021 and he returns this year with three more albums added to his catalog and he will definitely put on an incredible show. SZA has been on an incredible run recently going on a huge extended world tour this year and last year, and her songs have garnered well over a billion plays in 2023 alone. Peso Pluma has gained heavy traction only recently in 2023 with the release of his song Ella Baila Sola which has gone viral on practically every major platform. 21 Savage also returns to Gov Ball this year as the headliner after performing in 2021. With his new release of his album “american dream” he will put on a performance you will not want to miss out. These artists cover a huge range of music including Latin R&B, Rap, Rock, and more.

 

Incredible food options exist all around the festival this year with over 50 food options in 2023 and even more expected this year. Located in the heart of New York City, Governors Ball will be three days of fantastic energy and fun. With a beautiful park and so much to explore there will be lots of room to move around. Getting to the festival is very simple and convenient with options such as trains, buses, and the airport is close by as well. This year comes with the addition of one-day, two-day and three-day tickets which allow people to choose which days they want to attend and get the most bang for their back. Be sure to bring your best friends, your best energy, sing your heart out, and get ready to have the time of your life this year at Governors Ball 2024. Grab your tickets right now on the official website governorsballmusicfestival.com/ 

Be on the lookout for any news on the social media pages.
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Pink Martini featuring China Forbes at GSR for their Annual Reno Christmas Show https://www.unratedmag.com/pink-martini-featuring-china-forbes-at-gsr-for-their-annual-reno-christmas-show/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=pink-martini-featuring-china-forbes-at-gsr-for-their-annual-reno-christmas-show Fri, 29 Dec 2023 12:21:19 +0000 https://www.unratedmag.com/?p=881631 Pink Martini

The Grand Sierra Resort

Reno, NV

December 11, 2023

By Dan Locke

During the first part of the Christmas Holiday Season, Artown brought the 13-piece orchestra Pink Martini to the Grand Sierra Resort.Season. Artown provides opportunities for hundreds of artists and organizations throughout the year, creating a real presentation of arts and culture for the Reno community, which they had never had before.

Pink Martini is led by Thomas Lauderdale, who created Pink Martini to showcase a rotating collection of eclectic musicians. Playing classical and jazz, Latin and pop, what threads the performances together is a light-hearted, jazz vibe that commands you to dance and enjoy the night.

Twenty years after their inception, Pink Martini featuring China Forbes still tours the world, singing in 22 languages at opera houses, concert halls, film festivals, museums and fashion shows. In 2014, Pink Martini was inducted into both the Hollywood Bowl Hall of Fame and the Oregon Music Hall of Fame. 

Beth Macmillan and Abbey Stephenson (credit: Dan Locke) To see more photos click on the play button on the left side.

The night started off with an introduction by Beth Macmillan and Abbey Stephenson giving us a fun view of how Pink Martini and Artown have become part of the holiday season in Reno.

Pink Martini set was a true Christmas show with music basic off their Christmas album (Joy to the World) and a sparkle of other Christmas and Hanukkah songs from their music catalogue.

Click the play button to see Pink Martini from their Reno Show.

What was nice was they took timeless songs (give them a fresh sound) and a great explain was a trio of Christmas songs: “Do You Hear What I Hear” featuring full Latin percussion rhythms and trumpet solos, with China Forbes’ amazing voice putting it to the top. Next was an updated version of “Santa Baby” reflecting our political correctness society. And last was a jazzed version of “We Three Kings” which I have included within the slide show.

The best song of the night was “Hey Eugene” while it was not a Christmas song it was a love song about a boy China met at a party and she gave him her number and never called her. I am sure if he ever heard the song he would say what a fool I was. But to China, it was his loss.

For your information you may wonder has Pink Martini ever had a hit?

Hey Eugene! Debuted at number 30 on the US Billboard 200, selling 19,000 copies in its first week. As of 2009, 140,000 copies had been sold in the United States, according to Nielsen SoundScan. In 2014 it was awarded a diamond certification from the Independent Music Companies Association, denoting sales in excess of 200,000 copies across Europe. According to Pink Martini, the album has sold more than 350,000 copies worldwide.

They closed out the night with Auld Lang Syne. What a night for a party. There was dancing all through the place.  And not a dry eye at the end.

Setlist

  • Tempo Perdido
  • Amado Mio
  • Little Drummer Boy
  • Merry Little Christmas
  • Congratulations
  • Ocho Kandelikas
  • Destino
  • Patapan
  • Elohai
  • Jingle Bells
  • Talj Talj
  • The Flying Squirrel
  • Sympathique
  • Do You Hear What I Hear
  • Santa Baby
  • We Three Kings
  • Hey Eugene
  • Dansez-vous

Encore

  • White Christmas
  • Ixim Ixoq
  • Tomorrow
  • Auld Lang Syne

The band

  • Thomas Lauderdale – Leader, Piano 
  • China Forbes – Lead Vocals
  • Jimmie Herrod – Vocals
  • Edna Vasquez – Vocals, Guitar
  • Timothy Nishimoto – Vocals, Percussion
  • Phil Baker – Upright Bass
  • Tom Barber – Trumpet
  • Antonis Andreu – Trombone
  • Nicholas Crosa – Violin
  • Dan Faehnle – Guitar
  • Brian Lavern Davis – Congas, Drums, Percussion
  • Miguel Bernal – Congas, Percussion
  • Reinhardt Merz – Drums, Percussion

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Sandra-Mae Lux Talks about the Music Industry https://www.unratedmag.com/sandra-mae-lux-talks-about-state-of-the-music-industry/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=sandra-mae-lux-talks-about-state-of-the-music-industry Thu, 30 Nov 2023 14:04:05 +0000 https://www.unratedmag.com/?p=874166

Sandra-Mae Lux

Interview conducted on November 29, 2023

Award-winning multi-instrumentalist and vocalist Sandra-Mae Lux was singing almost before she was walking.  Even at a young age, Sandra-Mae had an ear for melody and was already penning songs by the time she was 10.

Completing her academic training at Capilano University British Columbia, Sandra-Mae graduated with a Bachelor of Music in Jazz Studies on Saxophone. She received multiple awards such as the Phil Nimmons Scholarship for Outstanding Achievement in Jazz, and was spotted as a stand-out Top 30 Under 30 in a Vancouver newspaper. She has performed twice at the Ottawa Jazz Festival where she shared a stage and performed with many recognized artists such as Robert Glasper, Herbie Hancock and opened for Dave Brubeck. 

 What is your upbringing?

I grew up in a fishing village called Steveston on the outskirts of Vancouver, BC (Canada). My parents were immigrants from The Netherlands so I grew up bi-lingual. I’ve always had a natural draw towards music, and my mom told me that I sang before I spoke haha.  Some of my earliest memories are standing on tables and singing at family gatherings!

At what age did you get into music?

My parent’s divorce at age 9 hit me very hard, and it started me on a road to episodes of deep depression which I still struggle with today. Plus, in high-school, you tend to only get “socially elevated” when you’re good at sports, rather than the arts. And while I was very good at a lot of sports, especially soccer, I was a gawky and nerdy kid who loved everything music. So, inevitably I got very bullied. It got so bad in high school, that were it not for encouragement from my high school music teacher Jeremy Hepner, I might not be here.

After high school, I went to university and got my bachelor’s degree in music in jazz studies on sax.

I started playing piano at age 6, took up saxophone at the age of 11, and guitar at 13.

How did you discover music?

My mom told me that I sang before I spoke, and had the ability to sing along in perfect pitch with the songs that came on the stereo, and then recite them at will. She also thought that all young kids could do this, until I went to school for the first time and she realized that might not be the case!

I’m also very lucky that my family members and parent’s friends had great taste in music, and would always bring around their latest finds whenever they came over. So I grew up listening to artists like Frank Sinatra, Diana Krall, Astrud Gilberto, Stan Getz, Otis Redding, Etta James and Bob Marley.  All of those artists (and a lot more now) inspire the music I create today.

How did you start to write music?

I think growing up with a piano in the house really helps because it’s just always around, and you can always go to the piano and tinker.  I was bullied a lot growing up, so many afternoons I’d come home from school, sit at the piano and just…play.  It was a kind of therapy, an escape, a way to exorcise some of the negative emotions I’d been feeling throughout the day. That’s pretty much where it all started!

Describe your music.

I would say my music is an upbeat fusion of soul, disco, MOR and pop, with elements of jazz.  In terms of songwriting, my partner and I write in a similar style to the golden age of Brill Building songwriting duos (think Goffin & King, Weil & Mann, Sadaka & Greenfield, etc).

What was your first performance like?

The first performance I can remember was a piano recital at age 7.  I was very lucky that my piano teacher’s husband at the time owned part of one of Vancouver’s nicest studios, and we got to have our piano recitals there.  I remember it so well; I got to play a beautiful grand piano in a huge studio with wooden floors, walls and ceilings. I learned all my music by ear, and my piano teacher had no idea I couldn’t read music!  At this recital, I took the music up to the piano, and played the song without actually reading it.  She did eventually find out, and that’s when I started learning music theory.

Royalties never appear like magic. Royalties are only sent to you through work undertaken by a PRO to ensure that their members are getting paid. If you’re not yet signed up to a Performing Right Organization like ASCAP, BMI or SESAC, you may not be receiving all the royalties you deserve.

Do you belong to any songwriters’ organizations like the International singer-songwriter association, SESAC, BMI or ASCAP ?

Yes I do! It’s totally essential to join a PRO to track usage and receive regular pay-outs.

What makes a good songwriter?

Talent! But seriously, I think a good songwriter has three important qualities:

1 – An intuitive ability to completely observe a moment in life.

2 – An understanding of form (but knowing when to throw it out the window).

3 – The ability to perfectly articulate a complicated feeling in 3 minutes.

Oh, and it takes a lifetime to master. See? Easy!   Personally I feel like the best songs have all been written by teams of 2-3 people. Think of all the incredible Brill Building songwriting duos who churned out hit after hit. And I’ll bet that even the greatest of solo writers (Joni Mitchell, Gordon Lightfoot, Billy Joel) all bounced their best songs off of other people. It’s kind of arrogant to think that you do it all on your own.

Tell me about being a finalist in the John Lennon Songwriting Contest?

Another unexpected honour with my track “Moment In The Sun!”  I’ve always known this song really has something, so it was nice to have it confirmed by such a prestigious songwriting contest.  I look forward to seeing this track really find its place in the world. 

What was the title of your first original song? Did you record it?

I actually don’t remember, and didn’t record it! However, the first song my songwriting partner and I wrote was called I Believe, which made it to the finals of CBC’s Searchlight Competition.  I re-recorded it for my album titled “Happily Ever Now” which you can listen to here.

What is the process of writing your music?

My writing partner Alan and I have been writing for years together, and he’s mostly the lyric side, while I’m more on the music side (think Bernie Taupin / Elton John or Greenfield / Sedaka). However, we both influence each other’s work. Generally, I’ll come to Alan with an “emotion dump,” or an idea for a song, and he’ll write it down (kind of like a therapist haha) and then he’ll make sense of it and create lyrics.

Alan does a lot of automatic writing, and sometimes a poem will fall out. Both of us feel that a poem in its original form doesn’t necessarily make good song lyrics. So we’ll edit the poem and transform them into lyrics. Other times a great stray line will just fall out randomly, either from him or myself, and that becomes the basis of a new song. We have tons of stray lines written on post-it notes scattered all over our flat – we’ve got a lot more songs to write!

After we’ve finished finalizing the shape of the lyrics, I’ll then sit at the piano or pick up a guitar and let the lyrics guide where the melody/harmonies/arrangement/groove wants to go.  The song will tell you what it wants to do; all you have to do is get out of its way!

Tell me about your song Perfect Weather?

This is one of those songs that just “fell out” during an inspired moment!

This song is really about two lovers who weather their relationship through any weather – (metaphorically) good or bad.

Originally it fell out as a classic Bossa, but once Juno award winning producer Chris SD got his hands on it, and put a heavy beat behind it, the song really lit up. I added a sax solo, and – voila! A lovely track that just makes you smile, rain or shine.

How was it to be on the UK Soul Charts with your song You Me and Tomorrow?

It really was an honour, and definitely not something that I expected! This was another one of those songs that just “fell out” and wanted to be here, so my writing partner and I just got out of its way and let it happen.  I also made a conscious choice not to promote it heavily, and see what it wanted to do. What a lovely surprise to see it get to No. 3 on the UK Soul Chart!

What are you feeling about streaming music?

Wow. Where do I even start?

I think streaming was a great idea that was completely hijacked by the Big Three record companies (Sony, Warner and Universal).

Streaming is now completely unsustainable for independent artists and is the death of great independent music. Artists get paid almost nothing for streaming. Literally nothing.  Actually, just the other day it was announced that Universal has cut a deal with Deezer in an attempt to define what a “professional” artist is.  Their benchmark for being a professional is getting more than 1,000 streams per month, which so many independent artists do not get.  How dare the Big Three and the DSPs set the rules to what is and what isn’t considered “professional” and then pay those people even less per stream!  A stream should be worth the same for every artist. If you want to stream an artist you like, why should a huge part of your monthly subscription fee go to big artists you don’t even listen to?  It is wrong in every way.

But here’s the kicker – they are keeping track of all the analytics! How do we know that it’s even honest? There are no checks, no balances, and at the moment they control the outlet. They want to define what music is, and then control the music, the outlet, and the marketing completely. In any other industry, this would be classified as restraint of trade. But once again, the artists are completely at the mercy of their record labels.

And guess what? Record companies have never known what music is, and what people actually want to hear.  When streaming is the only game in town (because gigging and touring are also completely financially unsustainable now), you have to ask yourself what kind of a music world do you want to live in?  If you turn on the radio right now and listen to new music, it all sounds exactly the same.  And that is a direct result of the total monopolization of the music industry, and the way we consume music, ie streaming.

The symbol # is known as the number sign, hash, pound sign and a sharp sign in music. The symbol has historically been used for a wide range of purposes Since 2007, widespread usage of the symbol to introduce metadata tags on social media platforms has led to such tags being known as “hashtags”, and from that, the symbol itself is sometimes called a hashtag. Are people forgetting that the # is a part of music?

Ha! Yes that may be so! Having studied music and music theory since the age 7, the use of the # has always been music first for me. The # as an accidental actually started showing up in music notation as far back as the 11th century.

Digital vs. vinyl?

Definitely vinyl for me!  I have a lovely vinyl audiophile set-up at home and it truly is a different experience.  There’s so much more warmth and depth with vinyl, and the listening experience is so much more intimate and interactive. Also, the mix can sometimes be very different from the digital version of the same recording. Sometimes I go back to vinyl recordings, and I’ll hear things that I couldn’t in the digital version, which is a real treat!  Although digital is a more convenient way of listening to music, sometimes it is because of its convenience that it makes the listening less active.  I’d love for more people to start actively listening to music again instead of just listening to wallpaper playlists on the streamers.

What song from the past is in your mind right now? Moreover, what is the meaning that song means to you?

The song Lush Life by Billy Strayhorn has been going around in my head lately.  The lyrics are incredibly poignant, and the arrangement is just sublime. It really is a stunning jazz ballad that doesn’t actually get played that often. The chord changes are delicious!  When I was about 13 I was enamored by the chords and learned them all. It was like a masterclass in theory!

Is pay to play still a thing?  Now pay to play also means things like a playlist on the internet and opening slots for a major band on tour.

Unfortunately, yes it is.  I could book 10 gigs tomorrow if I wanted, but there’s no way I could afford to do them. Venues now charge (a lot!) for the hire of their sound engineer, a percentage of ticket sales, and sometimes even a percentage of the merch sold. I’d also have to pay for promo materials, pay all my band members (a proper fee), pay for rehearsals and rehearsal studio time, travel costs, food, etc.

It’s a similar situation to open for a band on tour; you’d have to pay for the travel, accommodation, performer fees and food for the entire band, plus any promo.

And yes, paying to be playlisted on a DSP is also definitely a thing, although I really do not recommend doing that because there are a lot of shady playlisters out there, and if the DSPs find out that you’ve paid to be playlisted they can blacklist you and your music in future releases.

The show Star Trek introduced people to the holodeck: an immersive, realistic 3D holographic projection of a complete environment that you could interact with.

Today holograms are already being used in a variety of way, such as medical systems, education, art, security and defense.

Performers like Tupac, Michael Jackson, Roy Orbison, Frank Zappa, Elvis Presley, Amy Winehouse, Buddy Holly, Ronnie James Dio, Marylin Monroe, and Whitney Houston have done it already. The band ABBA just announced that they will be making a comeback together after nearly 40 years as holograms on their next tour.  With ABBA it was with the help of George Lucas.

If the cost was down to the point, you could do it also, would you be willing to do Holographic concerts in our living room?

I’d definitely think about it, considering the current prohibitive costs of touring!  P.S. I’m a huge Star Trek (Next Gen) fan and think Gene Roddenberry was incredibly brilliant and so ahead of his time. Did you know that without Lucille Ball, Star Trek would never have happened?

In the past if a musician stopped doing music they found a new career.  For example David Lee Roth from Van Halen became a licensed EMT in NY for 6 years, San Spitz (guitarist for Anthrax) became a master watchmaker, Dee Snider (Twister Sister) voice over work for SpongeBob SquarePants.. If you can’t do music what would you like to be doing?

Well actually I am a professional voice actor! My latest project is playing Eve in the #1 New York Time’s Best Selling Audible Audio drama Sandman by Neil Gaiman, directed and adapted by the brilliant Dirk Maggs. So if I ever stopped doing music (very unlikely), I guess I’d just keep on doing voice work.

What is your happy place?

Anytime I’m behind a mic (as a singer, sax player or voice actor), or behind an instrument working out a new song or arrangement.  Whenever I’m doing those things, it feels like time ceases to exist and I’m in complete flow. It’s an incredible feeling.

Red Hot Chili Peppers are about to sell their entire song catalog for $140 Million.  In the past year a lot of musicians such as Stevie Nicks ($100 Million) , Bob Dylan (over $400 Million), Taylor Swift, Journey, Def Leppard, K.T. Tunstall, John Legend, ZZ Top and Shakira have sold their catalog rights within the last year.  Bob Dylan sold his entire catalog for a reported $300 million.   Neil Young sold 50 percent of his worldwide copyright and income interest in his 1,180-song catalogue to Hipnosis Songs Fund limited. Once you get to the age of about 70.  Publishing is far more lucrative than the mechanical royalties paid to artists based on sales, airplay and streams.  A good example of this is Michael Jackson brought the rights to the Beatles catalog in 1985.  And in the late 80’s the Beatles Revolution appeared in a Nike commercial.

The lump sums being offered by publishing firms are more tax friendly concerning estate planning.

On January 19, 2021 Hipgnosis Song Management acquired 80% of Kenny Chesney’s recorded music royalties, covering the country superstar’s discography from his 1994 debut In My Wildest Dreams through 2017’s Live in No Shoes Nation.

 Someone who was totally against selling his rights was David Crosby.  He did not want to sell his publishing rights.  In addition, it was not an easy thing for him to do.  However, by making a deal with Irving Azoff’s Iconic Artists Group, it took a big weight off his shoulders.  He could pay off his house and cover other bills.  Now he does not have to work for a living.  It should be noted that David is battling tendinitis in his hands, which hurts his ability to play guitar.

Do you think you would be willing to sell your back catalog if someone like Universal is willing to buy everything, such as all the rights to all your songs?

If the price was right – absolutely! I can always write more songs.

There are many platforms out there that allow artists to get their music heard. Artist Republik, DistroKid, Tunecore & plenty others offer distribution services. These services enable independent artists to put their music on some of the most popular streaming services globally, from Spotify to Apple Music & everything in between. If you’ve been in any part of the music industry in recent years, you probably know someone who has distributed a song.

Spotify reports that in 2021 were about 8 million artists on the platform. Of those 8 million artists, about 57,000 are raking in a whopping 90% of the total revenue from streams. That means that .71% of the artists on Spotify are making good money. In 2020, there was a total of around $5 billion paid out to artists on the Spotify platform alone.

Therefore, it’s reasonable to assume that, by the end of 2021, SPOT will be home to over 90 million tracks. And that in the early part of next year, it will surpass a catalog of 100 million for the first time.

What do you think that could mean to independent artists?

 Unfortunately, it is the death of independent music. It is an absolute killer for independent artists.  We are just getting buried by the sheer avalanche of music being uploaded – almost half a million songs per week. And the streamers, under pressure from the Big Three (Sony, Warner, and Universal) have always biased subscription revenues towards the biggest artists (number of streams). That means that I get paid a lot less for one stream of my music than someone like Dua Lipa. It’s the “winner takes all” attitude.  Computers now could have incredibly accurate analytics (just look at the ads that pop up on your phone)!  Are you telling me that streaming services, with all their analytics, can’t track which artists someone actually streams, and have their monthly subscription pay for who they actually listen to?

The current model is completely unsustainable in this “winner takes all” streaming approach. The major labels control 70% – 88% of Spotify’s playlists, so the game is rigged.

Over half a billion active users around the world share their favorite music on TikTok either with something like a dance challenge and lip-sync videos or creating a funny skit or candid camera moment.

TikTok has become a great platform for music promotion, sharing songs, and finding new listeners.  In which it has become a place for music artists to earn revenue when people use their music.  In many cases the daily promotion on TikTok has led to huge boosts on other platforms like Spotify, Facebook and YouTube.

TikTok algorithmically generates a feed of content for each user, which you see as the displaying of #. The more a user engages with content, the smarter TikTok gets at guessing what kind of videos the viewer wants to watch.

Because a song can go viral because of this.

Sony Music and Warner Music Group- , The ByteDance-owned video app revealed that it has struck an “expanded” global licensing agreement with Universal Music Group.  Now that TikTok is now fully licensed by all three major record companies, will you start using TikTok more?

I really enjoy TikTok as entertainment, and I actually learn a lot there!  My algorithm is mostly funny animals, spirituality, and cooking – which says a lot about me ha-ha.  I don’t think I’ll use it more, as my music has already been licensed for use on TikTok for a few years now.

Breaking news: TikTok is launching TikTok Radio, a full-time SiriusXM music channel going live this summer. The station will be available in vehicles and as a streaming channel on the SiriusXM App, desktop, and all connected devices.

Some of the members on TikTok include Cassyette, YukoEXE, Ashinikko, Palaye Royale, Josh Dun (Twenty One Pilots), Yungblud, Morrissey, Ozzy Osbourne, Joan Jett, Gene Simmons, and Mick Jagger.

The station will be part of a new TikTok collaboration with SiriusXM and its subsidiary, Pandora, to jointly promote emerging talent.  Do you think this platform could become a force in the future of streaming music?

I sure hope so, especially for independent artists!  However, if the Big Three have anything to do with it, it will most likely only play and promote signed artists.

Are you into Dr. Who?

As a UK resident, I think I have to be haha! The Russell T. Davis did an amazing job with the Dr. Who reboot.  I haven’t really taken the time out to watch through the entire series, but living here you do feel like you get to know the series by osmosis.  Fun Fact – my songwriting partner has been in a couple of the Dr. Who audio dramas! His latest was playing HP Lovecraft in The Lovecraft Invasion.

How was it being a part of ALIEN- Sea of Sorrows?

Voice acting brings me so much joy and fulfilment and being a part of this No. 1 New York Times Bestselling Audio Dramas (directed by the legendary Dirk Maggs) was incredible from start to finish.  And getting to work with other actors at the top of their game is just an absolute thrill.

Do you think it will be made into a movie.

Who knows?! The scripts, story, score and sound design are all there, so I feel like it’s pretty much a movie already!

Anything you would like to say in closing.

The music industry has gradually eroded the earning power of artists, to the point where they are being paid virtually nothing for their creations. When someone buys an album, song, mug or t-shirt directly from an artist, they circumvent the middleman, and all the people who have nothing to do with the actual creation of the music.  Why should a music fan pay multi-billion-dollar record company executives, or CEOs of streaming services (who have virtually nothing to do with the creation of the music), for the songs they like, when they have the ability to pay an artist directly?  

The current system of remuneration for an artist is unsustainable. Purchasing music directly or becoming a patron to an artist, cuts out the middleman.

If I have to work three jobs just to survive (which I do), that leaves me very little time and mental capacity to create new work.

Composers and artists like Mozart and Beethoven were financially resourced through direct patronage. Maybe it’s time to look at that system again.

On that note, feel free to purchase my music on iTunes or BandCamp at Merch from Sandra-Mae Lux

Website | Facebook | YouTube | TikTok | Twitter | Instagram |

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The Trilogy Tour featuring Ricky Martin, Pitbull, and Enrique Iglesias https://www.unratedmag.com/the-trilogy-tour-featuring-ricky-martin-pitbull-and-enrique-iglesias/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=the-trilogy-tour-featuring-ricky-martin-pitbull-and-enrique-iglesias Thu, 09 Nov 2023 06:31:00 +0000 https://www.unratedmag.com/?p=867396 The Trilogy Tour featuring Ricky Martin, Pitbull, and Enrique Iglesias

United Center

Chicago, IL

November 1. 2023

Keeton Robinson

The Trilogy Tour featuring Ricky Martin, Pitbull, and Enrique Iglesias recently ignited a musical frenzy at the United Center in Chicago, IL. The star-studded event brought together three iconic Latin artists, captivating the audience with a dynamic blend of energetic performances and a captivating stage presence. In this concert recap, we will explore the electrifying highlights of the unforgettable night that left fans yearning for more. 

The concert started with the incomparable Ricky Martin, setting the stage ablaze with his infectious charisma and unrivaled talent. As the crowd erupted excitedly, Ricky Martin appeared on stage, captivating everyone with his tantalizing moves and powerful vocals. 

Check out Keeton’s photos of Ricky Martin. Just push the play button on the left

Performing his greatest hits, including “Livin’ La Vida Loca” and “She Bangs,” Martin effortlessly engaged the audience, leaving no doubt about why he is considered an international music sensation. His impeccable dance moves and remarkable stage presence had the crowd on their feet, dancing and singing along to every beat. 

Check out Keeton’s photos of Pitbull. Just push the play button on the left

Following Ricky Martin’s exhilarating performance, the one and only Pitbull took the stage, instantly transforming the United Center into a massive dance party. Known for his infectious energy and chart-topping hits, Pitbull wasted no time getting the crowd on their feet. 

With tracks like “Give Me Everything” and “Timber,” Pitbull delivered an electrifying performance with the entire audience moving to the rhythm. His suave presence and magnetic stage charisma immersed concertgoers in the music, creating an atmosphere of pure euphoria. 

Check out Keeton’s photos of Enrique Iglesias. Just push the play button on the left

As the night progressed, anticipation filled the air as Enrique Iglesias prepared to grace the stage. The Latin heartthrob emerged, captivating the crowd with his undeniable talent and charm. From the moment he began singing, the audience was under his spell. 

Enrique Iglesias effortlessly serenaded the United Center with his soulful voice, performing hits like “Hero” and “Bailando.” His emotional connection with the audience was palpable, as fans swayed and sang along to every word. Iglesias’ powerful stage presence and intimate interactions with the crowd created an atmosphere of intense connection and shared musical experience. 

As the concert drew close, the three Latin superstars united on stage for an unforgettable encore. Ricky Martin, Pitbull, and Enrique Iglesias united their talents, creating a once-in-a-lifetime performance that left the crowd in awe. 

The trio performed a medley of their greatest hits, showcasing their unique styles and complementing each other flawlessly. The energy in the arena reached its peak as the audience sang along to every word, clearly immersed in the magic unfolding before them. 

The Trilogy Tour featuring Ricky Martin, Pitbull, and Enrique Iglesias at the United Center in Chicago, IL, was a concert experience unlike any other. From Ricky Martin’s charismatic stage presence to Pitbull’s infectious energy and Enrique Iglesias’ soulful serenades, each artist brought flair to the stage, captivating the audience throughout the night. 

The concert was a true celebration of Latin music, uniting fans from all walks of life to indulge in an unforgettable musical extravaganza. As the final notes echoed through the United Center, the overwhelming satisfaction lingered, leaving fans eager to relive the magic again. 

Get ready to dance, sing, and embrace the spirit of Latin music as these legendary artists continue to conquer stages worldwide. The Trilogy Tour will forever hold a special place in the hearts of those fortunate enough to witness the magic unfold at the United Center in Chicago, IL. 

Ricky Martin Website | Facebook | YouTube | Twitter | Instagram |

Pitbull Website | Facebook | YouTube | Twitter | Instagram |

Enrique Iglesias Website | Facebook | YouTube | Twitter | Instagram |

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So You Wonder What Wonderstruck Festival is? https://www.unratedmag.com/so-you-wonder-what-wonderstruck-festival-is/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=so-you-wonder-what-wonderstruck-festival-is Thu, 24 Aug 2023 03:48:28 +0000 https://www.unratedmag.com/?p=843850 Wonderstruck Festival

Community College

Kirtland Ohio

Michelle Waters

As summer rolled through the campus of Lakeland Community College in Kirtland, Ohio the average festival goer might at first be confused by the music they heard coming from the multi-stage setup at Wonderstruck Festival.

Through a conscious decision, the once more pop and rock-focused fest has begun to morph into a wider variety of performances, including hip-hop and country music. In an effort to reach a wider audience, this is truly set to become the event for people who say they “Love all kinds of music”. After the sheets or rain let up halfway through day 1 of Wonderstruck, music lovers began to peel off their ponchos and trade in those protective layers for sunscreen. Yes, one of the coolest little discoveries I found at Wonderstruck this year was a crew walking around and spraying people with an airbrush gun loaded with sunscreen.

Paris Jackson

No matter your musical interests, you were sure to find something new to enjoy. Local artists were featured-mainly on the smaller Radd Stage, off to the side of festival grounds. Artists like Maybe, Mac Saturn, local favorites Wavrunner and The Vindys, Michael (Jackson)’s daughter, Paris, and true performers like Siena Liggins and Leah Kate all lit up the smallest stage of the three.

Echosmith

Looking for something eclectic? Indie artists, rock artists and hip-hop artists all rotated performances on the middle, White Claw stage. Here’s you could find artists such as Tall Tall Trees, Echosmith, The Struts, and Flo Rida on Saturday of the two-day festival. On day 2, this stage’s performance schedule included The Beaches, Tai Verdes and Nelly.

Walker Hayes

The largest stage, while at first listening seemed to feature mainly country artists, also included crowd favorites Coin, Khalid and Hembree. Folks who stuck around to the end of country star Walker Hayes’ performance on Saturday (night 1) got to see a rare live duo performance of he and Flo Rida performing their famous song, High Heels. How often do you get to attend an event where country and hip hop are so equally represented that this was possible?

Also under question was the possibility of The Struts joining forces with Paris Jackson for a duo of Low Key in Love, but that didn’t pan out. It could have been because the set schedule got a bit jumbled. But you can often only do so much with live performances. I didn’t hear anyone complaining, and really only heard how cool it was to check out such a diverse rotation of music in one place.

Check out a galley of bands Michelle photographed during the weekend.

I’ll definitely be checking out this festival again, next year. The “Wonder Series” also includes several other stops with Wonderbus (Columbus), Wonderroad (Indianapolis) and Wonderworks (Pittsburgh), and all events feature a completely different lineup.

Website | Facebook | open.spotify | Twitter | Instagram |

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Samara Joy @ Keystone Korner Baltimore https://www.unratedmag.com/samara-joy-keystone-korner-baltimore/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=samara-joy-keystone-korner-baltimore Sat, 17 Jun 2023 03:39:07 +0000 https://www.unratedmag.com/?p=824495 Samara Joy

June 10, 2023

Keystone Korner

Baltimore, Maryland

by Maja Rios

Todd Barkan’s Keystone Korner jazz club, Baltimore MD, is celebrating 50 years in business, with many great artists, including Samara Joy,  a young jazz vocalist, in her twenties, who I feel is an ” old soul” jazz vocalist (from Bronx , NYC),a vocalist, who sings the essence of ” old school” jazz vocals, that are elegant, traditional, yet all her own. She also has a ” girl- next- door” vibe and patter.

     Samara and her seven young band mates: piano, bass, drums, trombone, tenor sax, trumpet, and alto sax, were  all great accompanists, who never overpowered the vocals.

Many styles of jazz were represented, including, Jazz Standards( You Stepped Out If A Dream and Guess Who I Saw Today) Bossa Nova( Chega De Saudade and Nica’s Dream) Ballads( Guess Who I Saw Today/ Lately( Stevie Wonder) and Barry Harris, Now or Never,  Some band originals, including my favorite, by her trombonist, “A Fool In Love Is  Called A Clown”.and Be-bop( Tight by Betty Carter and Nostalgia by Fats Waller( with nice lyrics by Samara).

     Samara delivers lyrics with a clarity and wisdom that defy her age, as well as her improvisations of melody, that go from low to high notes with ease, much like a horn player in phrasing. She twists and turns a melody in unexpected ways that seem to be her own way of improvising. She seems pretty humble as well and focused on the music itself, which I love. I think she and her musicians will keep jazz alive in the future! I really enjoyed her!

Website | Facebook | YouTube | Twitter | Instagram |

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Pitchfork Music Festival Preview https://www.unratedmag.com/pitchfork-music-festival-preview/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=pitchfork-music-festival-preview Tue, 30 May 2023 03:02:53 +0000 https://www.unratedmag.com/?p=819062 Pitchfork Music Festival Preview

Union Park July 21-23

Chicago, IL

When you hear something that makes its return in Chicago, it’s usually some great news. One of the biggest eclectic music festival in makes its return to the windy city. Returning to Union Park, Pitchfork music festival is going to be bigger and better this year. Big Thief, Bon Iver, The smile and others headline the annual festival. With the popularity growing rapidly each year, the 3 day super festival usually book to similar artists last year. With Pitchfork Media being the curator, who knows what kind of special guests that he may bring out.

Some returning artists include Killer Mike, Jpegmafia, Big Thief, and others. Some of the female artists that’ll grace the stage include Yaya Bey, Grace Ives, Koffee and many more. With having so many artists on the lineup, the headliners balance well just as much as the undercard. Whether you want to listen to artists like 700 Bliss, Deeper, Jlin or bigger artists like Killer Mike and Bon Iver. Pitchfork Music Festival has plenty of artists to fill your listening pleasure.  

Having the festival in Chicago, the festival has plenty of artists from different regions of the country. The festival is one of those festivals that makes you feel like you’re welcomed by everybody that traveled from around the country. The music memories that’s going to be made this year will be throughout the festival.  The energy is very laid back and its one goal which is to have fun & be safe. Check out their socials to stay updated. Follow Lovers & Friends festival on Twitter and Instagram.  Be sure to get your tickets at https://pitchforkmusicfestival.com/

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram |

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2023 New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Fest Second weekend https://www.unratedmag.com/2023-new-orleans-jazz-and-heritage-fest-second-weekend/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=2023-new-orleans-jazz-and-heritage-fest-second-weekend Sat, 20 May 2023 03:26:55 +0000 https://www.unratedmag.com/?p=816405 2023 New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Fest Second weekend
Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots, New Orleans, LA, USA
May 4-7, 2023
by Mary Aandrews


Fans had many moments to relish on the second weekend of the 2023 New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival. There were four days for fans to devour multi-genre music with the Dead and Company being the highlight. Although, many fans would argue with us on that point.

The Dead and Company (credit: Mary Andrews)

The weather ‘Gods’ caused challenges for festival goers due to strong thunderstorms on Saturday morning that caused a two hour delay in opening fest. Otherwise everything went as planned.


“Locals Thursday” had many people taking advantage of the “$50” ticket discount for Louisiana residents.  The highlights of the day had Santana headlining on the main stage.  Santana came on stage starting with “Soul Sacrifice,” “Black Magic Woman,” and “Evil Ways.”  He played long, clean runs with his eyes closed as he soared through fan favorites. As a note, Cindy Blackman, Santana’s wife, is the drummer for the band.
Chicago blues giant, Buddy Guy, was on the main stage after spending several years closing the blues tent. Guy is presently touring with his ‘Damn Right Farewell Tour.’ He festured his son, Greg, playing some great solo guitar. Guy always seems playful often making his guitar do the ‘talking.’ He picks guitar with his tongue and often plays with his guitarheld toward his back. His guitar styling is often imitated by many other instumentalists. Guy played snippits of songs that he loves from John Lee hooker, Hendrix, and Clapton.

Larkin Poe (credit: Mary Andrews)


Larkin Poe gave a very informative interview prior to their set closing the Blues tent on Thursday. The sister act rocked out to tunes like “Strike Gold,” “She’s a Self-Made Man,” and “Preachin’ Blues.”

Irma Thomas (credit: Mary Andrews)


Thursday was also the day that the festival honored Walter “Wolfman” Washington, native New Orleans performer who passed away in December 2022. The members of his band, the Roadmasters, reminisced about him during an interview at the Allison Miner Music Heritage Stage. Later, they fired up a set of Wolfman favorites at the Blues Tent with some very special guests including Irma Thomas, Deacon John, John “Papa” Gross, Alex McMurray, and Mem Shannon.

Mem Shannon (credit: Mary Andrews)

S
John Batiste closed the large stage on Friday and many fans will testify that his was the best show of this year. His set included “Tell the Truth,” “I Need You,” and “Rain Dance.” Batiste was there to show his hometown folks how his talent has grown.

Kane Brown (credit: Mary Andrews)


Country singer, Kane Brown, thrilled throngs of young women during his set on Friday. Brown seemed disappointed that he wasn’t able to utilze his typical concert laser beams and backdrop videos. That said, he danced across the stage singing everyone’s favorite Kane Brown songs with aplomb. It was a fun set from a probable future country superstar.

HER (credit: Mary Andrews)

H.E.R. aka Having Everything Revealed aka Gabriella Wilson is an R’n B artist that mesmerized the crowd from the moment she took the stage. It helped that the rain that came down on festers all day had stopped. She bagan without any of her guitars and moved across the stage as if she owned it. Songs performed included “Cheat Code,” “Best Part,” and “Make It Rain.”She donned her guitar later in the set.

The Dead and Company (credit: Mary Andrews)


Bob Weir, Jay Lane, Oteil Burbridge, Jeff Chimenti, Mickey Hart, and John Mayer took the stage as Dead and Company. They easily had the largest crowd on the last Saturday after a day of constant rain had stopped. Fan favorites included “Truckin,’” Cumberland Blues,” and “Uncle John’s Band.” It was a set for the partying crowd that lasted for two hours.


The final day of fest had Mumford and Sons, Tom Jones, Melissa Etheridge, Trombone Shorty, and Ne-Yo among many others. Tom Jones is one of the few remaining survivors of the British Invasion of the 1960s. He has performed at Jazz Fest many times and always delivers the best. Jon Batiste made a surprise appearance during Trombone Shorty’s set. Fans left feeling that they could not wait until next year’s festival. Only 345 days to go! Maybe we will see Ringo Starr next year

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Zeeteah Massiah- Has recorded and/or toured with artists including Robbie Williams, Tom Jones, Michael Jackson, Phil Collins, Sting and Leo Sayer https://www.unratedmag.com/zeeteah-massiah-has-recorded-and-or-toured-with-artists-including-robbie-williams-tom-jones-michael-jackson-phil-collins-sting-and-leo-sayer/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=zeeteah-massiah-has-recorded-and-or-toured-with-artists-including-robbie-williams-tom-jones-michael-jackson-phil-collins-sting-and-leo-sayer Wed, 10 May 2023 11:41:38 +0000 https://www.unratedmag.com/?p=813598 Zeeteah Massiah

Interview conducted on April 28, 2023

By Dan Locke

Zeeteah. (Pronounced ZEE-tee-ah). Born in Barbados… grew up in London… been a singer all my life. I’ve had a number one dance hit in America and been in a major West End musical. I’ve sung with some amazing artists like Robbie Williams, Tom Jones, Sting and Johnny Hallyday. I make music with my husband Paul and my wicked band, mixing up reggae, dancehall, soul and jazz. I love it all. I hope you will too.

What is your upbringing?

I was born in Barbados, in the countryside, and moved to England with my parents when I was six years old. I grew up in London.

How did you discover music? 

Music discovered me. My mother says I was singing before I could talk, and I announced at a very early age that I was going to be a singer. I was a soloist in church as a child, and I used to play music for the other kids on my little record player for the other kinds in my school playground.

How did you start to write music? 

My husband Paul and I are a musical duo.  I do all the performing, and he does most of the writing and the production. Paul started writing music as a teenager and was a songwriter and a member of a successful pop group in the 80s.

Describe your music.

Our music is a sensual collision between reggae, dancehall, jazz and soul.

What was your first performance like? 

My first public performance was as a child soloist in church.  I don’t remember too much about it, but I remember that I liked it. The first performance outside of church that I remember was singing reggae at a club in West London as a teenager.

Do you belong to any to songwriters’ organizations like the International singer-songwriter association, SESAC, BMI or ASCAP ?

I belong to PRS, MCPS, VPL and ASCAP. 

What makes a good songwriter?

The great 18th century poet Alexander Pope famously described great writing as “What oft was thought, but so ne’er so well express’d.” I think that’s what great songwriting is: coming up with lyrics and melodies that people instantly relate to without actually having heard them before.

What was the title of your first original song? Did you record it?

It’s so long ago that I can’t remember. But  the first song that Paul wrote for me was entitled “Whatever This Is” and yes, we did record it, and release it. It’s a lovely song and it still sounds great. 

What is the process of writing your music

Paul says that I inspire him to write. He certainly inspires me. Song ideas seem to come to him at all sorts of different times and places, but it often happens when we’re out listening to music or dancing to it – he’ll suddenly have an idea and start singing it into his phone.

Tell me about making your album at home:

Five years ago my husband-/-musical-partner Paul and I moved from our flat in Notting Hill to a house in Buckinghamshire. Moving out of London enables us to have much more space, and in particular it meant that we could build a proper recording studio in our new home. It’s a wonderful thing to have and we use it all the time. 

We also have a large open-plan living room which, by pure luck, has great acoustics, and we used this as a large “live room” for recording when necessary. When we recorded the album, Wat A Ting, we started with a live rhythm section, consisting of bass, drums, guitar and keyboards, and we set all this up in our living room.

The musicians were Marcin Bobkowski on guitar, the legendary Horseman on drums, Grammy award-winner Don Chandler on bass and Calvin Bennion on piano and hammond. The guys slept here for three nights and worked on the tracks for four days.

It was a brilliant way to work, and we got wonderful results. We then spent the next few months adding grand piano synths (Pete Billington) percussion (Horseman again) and tenor soprano and baritone sax (all Rob Hughes). Horseman added some vocals.

Then it was my turn to do all the lead vocals, harmonies, and backing vocals. After that Paul locked himself in the studio for a few weeks and mixed everything. 

We feel truly blessed to have been able to create music in this way.

Are you ready for my upcoming tour?

I don’t have an upcoming tour — we’re too busy working on our next album which shares some dancehall influences from the last one but also brings in a heavy dose of AfroBeats.

You have worked with the likes of Robbie Williams, Tom Jones and Sting. Do you have any stories you’d like to talk about?

There have been some amazing times, and so many stories I can’t tell – pop stars can be very naughty. But here’s a little memory from the Tom Jones world tour.

Tom was a lot of fun to work with, and was most definitely what you’d call a ladies’ man.  Anyway, about halfway through the tour we were playing a big venue in Melbourne, Australia and towards the end of the set all the musicians in the front line started moving more and more over the right-hand side of the stage until we were all clustered there in a little group. Tom could see that we were all staring at something in the audience but couldn’t see what it was. It wasn’t until the show was over that we were able to tell him that there was a very attractive girl in the front row wearing an extremely short skirt and no knickers, and she kept flashing Tom trying to attract his attention.

When he found out, he was absolutely gutted that he’d missed her, and started trying to round up security staff to go and try to find her. Of course by then it was way too late but he never really got over having missed her and we kept teasing him about it for the rest of the tour. Every now and then we’d all pretend to be staring at someone in the audience and Tom would go crazy trying to concentrate on his singing at the same time as trying to see what we were looking at.

Eventually he stopped believing us, but Tom, if you’re reading this – she really was there in Melbourne!

What are you feeling about streaming music? 

It’s great that all the music in the world is now available to everyone all the time. What an incredible luxury. We should all be very grateful.

Of course, a side effect of the streaming revolution is that there is now vastly more music available than ever before and therefore the income available to individual musicians can be pretty meagre unless they make it big. But in a sense it was always like that – the majority of musicians have always struggled to make a living. And I don’t think it’s a good look when megastars complain that their royalty checks don’t have enough zeros on the end.

Digital vs. vinyl?

Both. 

 What song from the past is in your mind right now? Moreover, what is the meaning that song means to you?  

The song that’s in my head right now is Jerusalema by Master KG and Nomcebo Zikode. I absolutely love it. As for songs from the past – there are so many that I adore that I don’t really know where to start. The first one that springs to mind right now is “Sweet Sensation” by The Melodians.

What do these songs mean to me? 

They make me feel good. That’s what they mean to me.

Is pay to play still a thing?  Now pay to play also means things like a playlist on the internet and opening slots for a major band on tour.

Of course it is. It always was and it always will be. The music business is a business, after all. But it’s not the only way to be heard.

The show Star Trek introduced people to the holodeck: an immersive, realistic 3D holographic projection of a complete environment that you could interact with.

Today holograms are already being used in a variety of way, such as medical systems, education, art, security and defensePerformers like Tupac, Michael Jackson, Roy Orbison, Frank Zappa, Elvis Presley, Amy Winehouse, Buddy Holly, Ronnie James Dio, Marylin Monroe, and Whitney Houston have done it already. The band ABBA just announced that they will be doing a comeback together after nearly 40 years as holograms on their next tour.  With ABBA it was with the help of George Lucas . 

If the cost was down to the point you could do it also, would you be willing to do Holographic concerts in our living room?

No. For me, live performance is all about the exchange of energy between the audience and the performer. That’s what I love about it and it’s where all the power comes from. That wouldn’t work if I was a hologram.  

In the past if a musician stopped doing music they found a new career.  For example David Lee Roth from Van Halen became a  licensed EMT in NY for 6 years, San Spitz (guitarist for Anthrax) became a master watchmaker, Dee Snider (Twister Sister) voice over work for SpongeBob SquarePants.. If you can’t do music what would you like to be doing?

No one’s ever going to stop me making music.  

What is your happy place? 

On stage singing, in the studio or in my garden.

 Red Hot Chili Peppers are about to sell their entire song catalog for $140 Million.  In the past year a lot of musicians such as Stevie Nicks ($100 Million) , Bob Dylan (over $400 Million), Taylor Swift, Journey, Def Leppard, K.T. Tunstall, John Legend, ZZ Top and Shakira have sold their catalog rights within the last year.  Bob Dylan sold his entire catalog for a reported $300 million.   Neil Young song 50 percent of his worldwide copyright and income interest in his 1,180 song catalogue to Hipnosis Songs Fund limited . Once you get to the age of about 70.  Publishing is far more lucrative then the mechanical royalties paid to artist based on sales, airplay and streams.  A good example of this is Michael Jackson brought the rights to the Beatles catalog in 1985.  And in the late 80’s the Beatles Revolution appeared in a Nike commercial.

The lump sums being offering by publishing firms are more tax friendly concerning estate planning. 

On January 19, 2021 Hipgnosis Song Management acquired 80% of Kenny Chesney’s recorded music royalties, covering the country superstar’s discography from his 1994 debut In My Wildest Dreams through 2017’s Live in No Shoes Nation.

 Someone who was totally against selling his rights was David Crosby.  He did not want to sell his publishing rights.  In addition, it was not an easy thing for him to do.  However, by making a deal with Irving Azoff’s Iconic Artists Group, it took a big weight off his shoulders.  He could pay off his house and cover other bills.  Now he does not have to work for a living.  It should be noted that David is battling tendinitis in his hands, which hurts his ability to play guitar.

Do you think you would be willing to sale your back catalog if someone like Universal is will to buy everything, such as all the rights to all your songs? 

Let’s be sensible about this. It all depends on how much they’re offering, and how badly I need the money.

There are many platforms out there that allow artists to get their music heard. Artist Republik, DistroKid, Tunecore & plenty others offer distribution services. These services enable independent artists to put their music on some of the most popular streaming services globally, from Spotify to Apple Music & everything in between. If you’ve been in any part of the music industry in recent years, you probably know someone that has distributed a song.

Spotify reports that in 2021 there are about 8 million artists on the platform. Of those 8 million artists, about 57,000 are raking in a whopping 90% of the total revenue from streams. That means that .71% of the artists on Spotify are making good money. In 2020, there was a total of around $5 billion paid out to artists on the Spotify platform alone. 

Therefore it’s reasonable to assume that, by the end of 2021, SPOT will be home to over 90 million tracks. And that in the early part of next year, it will surpass a catalog of 100 million for the first time.

What do you think that could mean to independent artists? 

It used to cost a lot of money to record music, and it used to be virtually impossible to distribute it without a record deal. Now anyone can record music in their bedroom, and distribute it with a couple of clicks. So, millions and millions of people now do exactly that. That means that there’s now way more music being made than the public can possibly consume. 

Not that long ago, it was really hard to release a record, but if you did, there was a good chance it would get heard. Now, it’s extreming easy to release a record – but that’s when the real work starts. Getting noticed is a huge challenge, and, as always, only a few very talented (and lucky) people will manage it.

Over half a billion active users around the world share their favorite music on TikTok either with something like a dance challenge and lip-sync videos or creating a funny skit or candid camera moment.

TikTok has become a great platform for music promotion, sharing songs, and finding new listeners.  In which it has become a place for music artists to earn revenue when people use their music.  In many cases the daily promotion on TikTok has led to huge boosts on other platforms like Spotify, Facebook and YouTube.

TikTok does this  algorithmically generating a feed of content for each user, which you see as the displaying of #. The more a user engages with content, the smarter TikTok gets at guessing what kind of videos the viewer wants to watch. 

Because a song can go viral because of this. 

Sony Music and Warner Music Group- , The ByteDance-owned video app revealed that it has struck an “expanded” global licensing agreement with Universal Music Group.  Now that TikTok is now fully licensed by all three major record companies, will you start using TikTok more?

@zeeteahmassiah

Something I Can Feel is the second single from my new reggae album. #Simmer #vibes all the way. 💃🏿🕺🥳❤️🌻@soulcook Find it on @Spotify Enjoy 🤩

♬ Something I Can Feel – Zeeteah Massiah

I already use TikTok a lot. Like it or not, it is now the single most important communication channel for musicians.

Breaking news: TikTok is launching TikTok Radio, a full-time SiriusXM music channel going live this summer.The station will be available in vehicles and as a streaming channel on the SiriusXM App, desktop, and all connected devices.

Some of the on TikTok include Cassyette, YukoEXE, Ashinikko, Palaye Royale, Josh Dun (Twenty One Pilots), Yungblud, Morrissey, Ozzy Osbourne, Joan Jett, Gene Simmons,  and Mick Jagger.

The station will be part of a new TikTok collaboration with SiriusXM and its subsidiary,Pandora, to jointly promote emerging talent.  Do you think this platform could became a force in the future of streaming music?

It’s too early to tell. Just because TikTok has been a big success, it doesn’t mean that TikTok radio will be. These brand extension plays often fail.

Anything you would like to say in closing.

TV talent shows promote the seductive but dangerous myth that anyone can be a star if they try. The truth is that, while anyone can now make and release music, hardly any of that music actually gets listened to. The number of artists making hit records and winning a place in the public consciousness is about the same as it ever was, but it’s now a far, far smaller proportion of the total number trying to be heard. 

This unfortunately leads to disappointment for a great many people. But it’s not a problem that can be ‘fixed’.

Musicians need to enjoy making music as a wonderful activity, and not get too depressed if they don’t get billions of streams or millions of dollars.

Website | Facebook | YouTube |Twitter | Instagram |

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Marcus Roberts Trio https://www.unratedmag.com/marcus-roberts-trio/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=marcus-roberts-trio Sun, 30 Apr 2023 15:24:42 +0000 https://www.unratedmag.com/?p=810583 Marcus Roberts Trio

Music Institute of Chicago

Evanston, IL

Live Stream April 15, 2023

Review by Maja Rios

Photos by Mike Grittani

The first time heard Jacksonville, Florida native, Marcus Roberts, jazz pianist. He was superb! His trio was also great, Jason Marsalis, drums (brother of Wynton)  and newcomer, Martin Jaffe, Bass. Marcus, called it ” three generations” of jazz”, Marcus being the oldest. Jason though younger, has been with him 30 years.

The trio played mostly jazz standards, reworked in new ways by Marcus and the band. The band started with jazz standard, “Where or When”, as up tempo straight ahead, with brushes by Jason. Best brush work I ever heard! Jason played brushes on most selections, which was different and great! I never heard brushes swing so hard! Marcus even quoted ” Love Supreme” riff, in his solo!

Marcus Roberts Trio (credit: Mike Grittani) Checkout Mr. Grittani photos by pressing the play button on the above photo.

Next song was “Jitterbug Waltz” by Fats Waller done as a fast Bossa Nova!  with brushes by Jason! Fabulous!

Other selections included Martin Jaffe, bassist, featured in Charles Mingus, Haitian Fight Song, with many tempo changes. Jason Marsalis was featured on a snare drum solo, which he played alone. I never heard so many rhythms on just a snare.

A favorite of mine was original piece, “Do not Suffer Alone” by, Marcus, who is blind since age 5,and it was soulful ballad. Also a favorite was samba version of “Mack the Knife”, done again by Jason on brushes! Superb! Other selections included New Orleans Blues, “What is This Thing called Love”, and another original piece by Marcus, Cole “After Midnight”, dedicated to Nat King Cole. Marcus never let his great technique, make his gospel and blues influence stray!  He kept it real throughout! It was one the best shows ever for me!

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