Allegro
Warning: Attempt to read property "name" on false in /srv/users/prod-local802afm-org/apps/prod-local802afm-org/public/wp-content/themes/sink_local802/_socialink_core/helpers/content.php on line 207
Warning: Attempt to read property "name" on false in /srv/users/prod-local802afm-org/apps/prod-local802afm-org/public/wp-content/themes/sink_local802/_socialink_core/helpers/content.php on line 207
Currently Browsing: 2005,
OCB Declares War on Live Music
802 Rallies Against Company's Use of Machine
The battle to save live music is rapidly turning into an all-out war. In total defiance of its own agreement with the union — and a complaint issued by the New York State Employment Relations Board — the Opera Company
The Sweet Sound of Success
Knitting Factory Recording Artists Win Historic Settlement
Click here for Honor Roll. See below this article for additional pictures not found in Allegro. It took two years of hard work and organizing, but on Dec. 15, musicians who recorded for Knitting Factory Records won an historic victory
Save the Plaza!
Musicians Rally to Protect Historic Live Music Venue
Live music may be losing a treasured venue. On Feb. 17, musicians, hotel workers and community members rallied to save the Plaza Hotel, which stands at Fifth Avenue and Central Park South. The hotel was recently sold to Elad Properties,
Virtual Showdown
Musicians Fight Canned Opera
Any threat to live music is a threat to musicians everywhere. Members of Local 802 recently sprang into action to make sure employers know of our commitment to live music. This time the latest assault on live music was perpetrated
It’s a First!
Member of Off Broadway League Agrees to Standards
We’ve passed another landmark in our efforts to organize Off Broadway. For the first time, a member of the Off Broadway League has signed 802’s “pink book” – our Off Broadway standards – for a new musical called “Altar Boyz.”
Face to Face
802 Musicians Meet With International Executive Board
More than a hundred recording musicians packed the 802 Club Room on May 11 in an historic face-to-face meeting with the International Executive Board of the AFM. The meeting was called by Local 802 in response to recent policy modifications
Keeping it Live!
ABT Agrees to Ban Machine as Part of New Contract
Musicians in the American Ballet Theatre are now the first resident orchestra at Lincoln Center to have a ban on the virtual orchesta machine in their contract. Pictured are bassoonists Bernadette Zirkuli and Cy Segal. See below for more pictures
Our Voice is Heard!
802 Wins Seat on International Executive Board
Local 802 president David Lennon was elected to the AFM’s International Executive Board at the AFM’s 96th Convention in July. Receiving the highest vote of twelve non-incumbent candidates, his election as a first-term local union president to the IEB is
Live From Staten Island!
When an Orchestra Folded, Musicians Stepped In
See below article for photos by Claire Houston. Members of the now-defunct Gateway Symphony of Staten Island have formed a new orchestra. The Staten Island Philharmonic Orchestra performed its first concert on Aug. 21 at the Noble Maritime Museum to
Met Orchestra Makes Deal
Pension Climbs High in New Contract
Musicians in the Met Opera Orchestra ratified a new contract that will lead to a big increase in pension payouts. From left, Michael Ouzounian, Sylvia Danburg and Shirien Taylor. More photos by Claire Houston below article. Musicians at the Met
President’s Report
Radio City in Perspective: Our Fight to Keep the Music Live
The crisis at Radio City, and the innumerable difficult decisions that were made throughout the struggle, will most certainly be the subject of much discussion and debate for some time to come. In so many ways, our fight at Radio
Honor Roll
Knitting Factory Rally
Dozens of artists from the jazz, new music, and avant-garde rock scenes came out to make noise at the Knitting Factory rally on Dec. 15. Many brought their instruments and inspired the crowd despite the 30-degree weather. Here are some
NY Pops Sign Deal
First Freelance Orchestra to Renew Contract
On Dec. 13 the New York Pops signed its new contract with Local 802. As Allegro went to press, the union’s Executive Board had approved the deal, which now goes to the musicians for ratification. This leads the way for
President’s Report
Keeping Our Promises
2004 DUES INCREASE In October 2003, in response to a bylaw resolution submitted by the Local 802 Executive Board, members voted in favor of raising dues by a margin of over 2-1. It was the first time since 1996 that
President’s Report
The “All Shook Up” Arbitration Decision — A Travesty
As previously reported, on Sept. 30, the Special Situations Committee convened to hear the first case under the new terms of the Broadway agreement. The request for consideration of Special Situation Status came from the producers of the musical “All
Leading the Way for Working Families
Local 802 Joins Working Families PartyPresident's Report
Local 802 recently became the newest member of the Working Families Party of New York. Joining with over 80 other labor and community organizations, we are the first entertainment industry union to enter the Working Families Party. By becoming a
St. Luke’s Sets Pace
Freelance Negotiations Update
Local 802 and St. Luke’s Chamber Ensemble have reached a tentative agreement. What sets this agreement apart from other freelance orchestras is that St. Luke’s has agreed to an additional fourth year. Wages are effective and retroactive to Sept. 8,
President’s Report
The Battle is Joined
Local 802 and AFM Local 47 (Los Angeles) recently teamed up to fight the use of the virtual orchestra machine at the Nederlander’s Pantages Theatre in L.A. At the center of the fight is Realtime Music Solutions, the company that
President’s Report
The AFM Futures Committee
EMERGENCY RECOMMENDATION NO. 8 The AFM Futures Committee was established by order of the delegates of the AFM’s 95th biennial convention of 2003, through the adoption of Emergency Recommendation No. 8. The Recommendation put in place a comprehensive financial package
President’s Report
Delegates to AFM: “Fight the Virtual Orchestra Machine!”
Delegates to the AFM Convention voted unanimously to adopt 802’s resolution calling on the AFM to take whatever steps necessary to ban the virtual orchestra machine. The resolution directs the AFM to commit whatever resources necessary to wage the national
President’s Report
Responding to Katrina
Click here for information if you need help, or if you want to donate. When the waters came, the music in New Orleans stopped for the first time in 300 years. Symphony players, jazz artists and street musicians all tried
President’s Report
Local 802 Endorses…
Mayor: Mike Bloomberg Mayor Bloomberg has a demonstrable record on the arts and his administration has proven to be one of the most supportive of the arts community in decades. His administration lobbied successfully to create tax incentives for the
Is Arbitration Final? Maybe, Maybe Not
Local 802 Legal Corner
Ever since the Supreme Court rendered its seminal decision in the Steelworker’s Trilogy, arbitration has become the preferred means by which industrial disputes are resolved. Arbitration is particularly well suited for this purpose. It is both quicker and cheaper than
Eos Orchestra Ceases Operations
Focus on Orchestras
In late December the management of Eos decided to cease operations and cancel performances scheduled for the 2005 season. This came as much of a shock to Local 802 as it did to many members. Whenever the management of an
Mayor and City Council Commend 802’s Efforts on Affordable Housing
The following remarks were made by Mayor Bloomberg at a public hearing on local laws: “The last bill before me is Introductory Number 530, sponsored at the request of the Administration by Council Members Provenzano, Avella, Jennings, Quinn, Katz, Palma,
Now’s the Time to Join the Union!
Save $100 by Joining Before June 30
Membership application now available online! There has never been a more important nor opportune time to join Local 802. Beginning April 1 the union is conducting a three-month membership drive during which time both the local’s and the AFM’s initiation
New Freelance Scale Set
Now that three freelance orchestras have agreed to the same three-year economic package, and others have indicated that they’ll do the same, these economics have been promulgated by the Executive Board as the new single engagement classical wage scale. On
V.O. Machine Stands Trial in L.A.
Doug Caine is a member of Local 47. He is also the special assistant to Hal Espinosa, the president of Local 47. This article originally appeared in Overture, the newspaper of Local 47, and was edited for Allegro. My union
Member Wins $23,000 Grievance
If you’ve ever grumbled about paying union dues, consider this. Part of 802’s job is to assist and represent members when they feel they were mistreated. Most recently, percussionist Ed Uribe won a $23,000 grievance because an employer failed to
Machine Can’t Take West Coast Heat
As reported in the June 2005 issue of Allegro, Local 802 and Local 47 (Los Angeles) recently joined forces in the fight against the replacement of live music with the virtual orchestra machine. 802 president David Lennon appeared as an
Katrina Help and Donation Information
DONATE INSTRUMENTS TO FELLOW NEW ORLEANS MUSICIANS! The Moonshine Project, a non-profit entertainment company in NYC, has partnered with The Tipitina’s Foundation in New Orleans, LA to put instruments back into the hands of musicians who lost everything in Hurricane
Organizing New Musicals at Their Roots
Organizing Matters
From left, Allison Spratt, Hollie Howard, Richard Todd Adams and Jodie Langel in “Plane Crazy,” one fo the shows in the New York Musical Theatre Festival. Despite rising production costs and real estate obstacles, it appears that the theatre industry
Congratulations on a Great Contract and Victory at Radio City Music Hall
Guest Commentary
On behalf of the 2.5 million members of the New York State AFL-CIO, I would like to extend my congratulations to the members of AFM Local 802, to the musicians who perform at Radio City Music Hall and to your
A Housing Success Story
Guest Commentary
Last year at this time I was invited by Local 802 to write a piece for the Women’s History Month edition of Allegro. I am flattered to be asked again this year to make a contribution in what is becoming
When You Hire More Musicians, You Win!
And in the end, there were six Tony awards to… “The Light in the Piazza,” which proved to be worth every penny that was spent on hiring more live musicians (see last month’s Allegro). While Lincoln Center had previously extended
2005 — Onward and Upward
Affordable Housing, Education and 802's Fight to Keep Music Live!President's Report
On Dec. 13, Local 802 testified on behalf of the Hudson Yards Affordable Housing Committee before the New York City Council. As Allegro went to press, the council was holding hearings on the redevelopment of the Far West Side of
Scandia Achieves First Contract
Focus on Orchestras
Local 802 has reached a first collective bargaining agreement with the New York Scandia Symphony Orchestra. One of the most important achievements in this new agreement is the establishment of job security for the 43 musicians on the primary hiring
Jazz Educators Need Benefits, Too
Local 802 and the union’s Jazz Advisory Committee were an important presence at the 32nd annual convention of the International Association for Jazz Education (IAJE). At our booth were Recording Vice President Bill Dennison, Jazz Representative Bob Cranshaw and myself.
Local 802 Looks Ahead
Strategic Planning Process Underway
Change or Die” is a slogan often adopted by organizations as a way to focus attention on the need to adapt to a continually changing environment. Organizations that plan, change and adapt to challenges are better suited to move confidently
President’s Report
International Executive Board To Meet With New York Recording Musicians
On May 11th, an unprecedented meeting will take place between the AFM International Executive Board (IEB) and New York recording musicians, at Local 802 headquarters. Local 802 extended this invitation to the IEB at its first quarter meeting in New
Art Beats Money? It Can Happen
"Light in the Piazza" Increases its Sound...the Right Way
In the beginning there was music, and it was good. At times though, the music was lonely. So music found theatre and they intertwined, sharing their unique styles of expression to become a new manner of storytelling. The contemporary art
Musician Wins Appeal of Denied Benefits
Ruling Affirms Right to Unemployment Payments
In an important decision for New York musicians, the state’s unemployment insurance review board has upheld musicians’ status as employees, thus maintaining their eligibility for unemployment insurance benefits. The lengthy ruling by the board reversed an earlier decision denying unemployment
Unions Call for End of War
AFM and AFL-CIO Say Troops Should Come Home
Musicians and other protesters rallied against the war last September in New York. Both the AFM and the AFL-CIO at their respective conventions in July passed strongly worded resolutions calling for the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq. The resolutions
Musicians in the Storm: Voices from New Orleans
Nicholas, Jeremiah, and Akeem are three kids displaced from Hurricane Katrina. They’re pictured with Lovie Smith-Schenk, the president of AFM Local 65-699 (Housten) at a benefit concert for Katrina survivors. I had just had surgery a little over a week
802 Reaches Out to Young Musicians
Bonus photos below article. On Oct. 5, Local 802 hosted a “meet and greet” networking meeting for the musicians of the New York Musical Theatre Festival. It marked the finale of 802’s Theatre Community Initiative, which had been set in
Radio City Retrospective
On Dec. 27, 1932, a new theatre debuted in New York accompanied by its 100-piece orchestra. The theatre was Radio City Music Hall and its orchestra and famous organ have brought music to millions for 73 years. In those days
Advocating the Power of Community
David Lennon (BM ’85, MM ’86, viola) often hears, “You used to play music — now all you do is fight about it.” As president of the largest local musician’s union in the world, American Federation of Musicians (Local 802),
A Vision, A Movement, A Video
Music and Universal Health Care
Across America there is a huge amount of activity revolving around the connection between music and health care. First and foremost, there are the thousands of benefit concerts that musicians stage for each other every week when a brother or
A Year With a Union Contract
Circus Trumpeter Reflects on New BenefitsOrganizing Matters
How many musicians have to work alongside camels, dogs, and a guy who juggles vases? For musicians at the Big Apple Circus, that’s just part of a day’s – or night’s – work. The Big Apple Circus first opened in
No Health Insurance? There’s Hope…
If you’re a jazz or freelance musician and you need health insurance, help is available! But you have to take the time to visit the union and find out how you can access these benefits. A March 28 seminar on
Major Freelance Orchestras Conclude Negotiations
In a flurry of activity, nearly all the remaining major freelance orchestras have reached tentative agreements with Local 802. Those orchestras are the American Symphony Orchestra, Brooklyn Philharmonic, Long Island Philharmonic, American Composers Orchestra, Riverside Symphony and Bronx Arts Ensemble.
Recording Musicians Speak Their Minds
Recording musicians spoke their minds at the May 11 meeting with the International Executive Board, which was the first time 802 members met face-to-face with the AFM’s leadership. As reported in last month’s Allegro, the hottest topic at the meeting
Capturing New Work
New Movie and TV Film Contracts Cast Broader Nets
(Editor’s note: The following article reports on the recently concluded AFM negotiations covering theatrical motion picture and TV films. These new contracts have not yet been ratified by the musicians themselves. It’s the AFM’s general policy not to publicize contracts
Canned Music for Ballet Sparks Protest
802 member Pedro Diaz with Kathy Caballero, co-chair of the Pittsburgh Opera and Ballet Orchestra Committee. The “Ballet Handbook,” a primer for children on the Web site of the Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre, defines ballet as “a way of telling a
A Turn for the Worse
Broadway on Broadway Using Some Recorded Music
Phil Reno conducts the 2005 Broadway on Broadway performance. Canned music has started creeping into the annual show. Photo by Walter Karling. Over the past 14 years, the League of American Theatres and Producers has sponsored “Broadway on Broadway” (BoB),
Stamford Center Signs Contract
A new agreement has been reached between the Stamford Center for the Arts, AFM Local 52-626 (Norwalk, Conn.) and Local 802 for this season’s performances of the Nutcracker ballet at the Palace Theatre in Stamford, Conn. Historically this work has
LOCAL 802 MEMBERSHIP SURVEY
As part of an ongoing effort to make Local 802 more responsive to its members and to be better able to cope with a fast changing industry, the Local 802 Executive Board has arranged for a professionally designed and conducted
802 Protests Brooklyn Opera Company
802 in the Press
The following article was posted by the Associated Press on Dec. 15, 2004. A Manhattan concert hall stopped the Opera Company of Brooklyn from holding a planned event there Tuesday evening after a musicians’ union scheduled a protest against the
Remembering Harlem
Uptown Jazz -- Then and Now
Jazz and Harlem go hand in hand. But for most folks, the legacy of jazz in Harlem is a mystery. Indeed, we may often be completely un-hip to the fact that Harlem was once the stomping ground of some of
If the Boss Calls You In…
On the Job
In most union shops or gigs, the union’s rep on the job is an employee who has been designated or elected as the shop steward. It is the job of the shop steward to be the union’s eyes and ears
Financial Prudence is the Key
Financial Vice-President's Report
While 2004 was a successful year ending in the black at a higher level of profitability than in the preceding year, there are some ominous clouds on the horizon. As you are well aware, there was a work dues rate
The Promise of Pension
New Law Would Channel Money from Clubs to Musicians' Benefits
If you have ever performed in a Broadway pit, you know that the benefits — especially pension — are some of the best. But many may not know that the reason Broadway pension is so good is that Broadway theatres
Plaza Hotel Saved…For Now
The new owner of the Plaza Hotel and union workers reached a tentative deal on April 14 to preserve the landmark hotel’s Grand Ballroom, Palm Court, Oak Bar and hundreds of guest rooms, reported the New York Times. Since January,
Goldman Band Shuts Down
In late May, the Goldman Memorial Band decided to cancel the 2005 summer season and cease operations entirely. Management chose to shut down operations after band members voted to reject an extremely concessionary offer. The offer included cutting the band
Freelance Negotiations Wrap Up
Contract Includes Ban on Machine
Pending ratification, a tentative agreement has been reached with the Queens Symphony Orchestra. The agreement has the same terms and conditions (including economics) as the other major freelance orchestra agreements Local 802 has negotiated in New York City. The Queens
The Future Will be Live!
Theatre Community Initiative Breaks New Ground
Duke LaFoon and Megan Lawrence in “Monica! The Musical,” one of the shows in the New York Musical Theatre Festival. Photo by Daniel Shiffman. This fall Local 802 began a unique relationship with the New York Musical Theatre Festival —
802 in the Press
802 President David Lennon was profiled in the Juilliard School’s centennial journal; his biography from the journal is reprinted here. David Lennon is President of Local 802, the American Federation of Musicians. A professional musician by trade, Mr. Lennon was
NYU Grad Teachers Strike
Picket lines went up on Nov. 9 in front of NYU. The union of graduate employees at New York University is fighting for the basic right to a union. After four years of collective bargaining with its graduate employees, the
Labor Debates Its Future — And Ours!
Recording Vice-President's Report
A critically important debate has begun in the union movement about its future, its structure and the direction and focus of its activity in the coming period. The debate has been prompted by the continuing decline in union membership and
A New Kind of Strike
Local 802 Legal Corner
Probably the single most effective weapon in labor’s arsenal against unfair treatment by management is the strike. A strike, however, may take different forms and be precipitated by many different reasons. For example, the most common form of strike is
Tax Tips for Musicians: Tax Year 2004
Each year, as the tax season approaches, Allegro publishes these tax tips provided by Local 802’s accounting firm, Gould,Kobrick & Schlapp P.C. OVERVIEW AND HIGHLIGHTS The Working Families Tax Relief Act of 2004, signed into law on Oct. 4, 2004,
Getting Rid of a Bad Decision
Appealing the "All Shook Up" Arbitration AwardLocal 802 Legal Corner
In last month’s column I “admitted” (a rare occurrence for an attorney!) that vacating an arbitration award is probably one of the most difficult tasks that a lawyer can seek to accomplish. I posed this rhetorical question: under what set
A Voice of Experience
Contractors in Their Own Words
Red Press, who plays flute, piccolo, sax and clarinet, began his musical career in the 1950’s playing first sax with Benny Goodman and Tommy Dorsey. He recorded with Tony Bennett, Rosemary Clooney, Pearl Bailey, Lena Horne, Leonard Bernstein, Itzhak Pearlman
New York’s New Song
Guest Commentary
Music makes the world go round, and we at NYC & Company are hoping the world will be inspired to visit New York with the release of “New York: For the Time of Your Life,” an original tune to promote
Be Your Own Organizer
Organizing Matters
Rob Susman (center, holding trombone) with members of the Symphonic Brass Alliance. In this month’s organizing column, we hear from a member who is also an employer. It may seem strange to think about workers who are also bosses, but
Licensing Music Online
Legal Corner
Let’s say you own a restaurant and you want to have recorded music playing in the background. Can you? If you wrote the music yourself, then you own the copyright. Otherwise, you generally need to get permission, otherwise known as
Has Stress Got You Down?
Musicians' Assistance Program
Musicians are athletes. Exercising your body is vital to successfully producing intricate and professional sounds in performance. Like any athlete, a musician is at risk for injury. This month, we’ll look at repetitive stress injuries and what you can do
A Long Haul is Over
802 Reaches New Contract with Ballet School
Under the threat of using canned music, and only hours before the first rehearsal of the summer season, Local 802 reached a tentative agreement with the School of American Ballet. The agreement includes a ban on the virtual orchestra machine.
Pataki Vetoes Music Club Tax Bill
Governor Allows for a Second Try
If you’ve ever performed in a club that serves food, you probably weren’t aware that the owner of the venue has to pay tax on the “music charge” or admission. Earlier this year Local 802 introduced legislation in Albany that
Health Care for New Orleans Musicians
LEGAL HELP, TOO Gulf Coast musicians affected by Hurricane Katrina can receive free legal help through Reed Elsevier. The publisher can help with employment contracts, commercial agreements, copyright issues, general advice as well as help with negotiations. To apply, musicians
Vision: Health Care for All
On Oct. 22, Local 802 hosted a networking meeting, cosponsored by Rock and Rap Confidential, for groups and individuals interested in exploring how musicians and artists can play a role in addressing the current health care crisis in the U.S.
Organizing Tales From the Front
Organizing Matters
Perhaps this has happened to you. You’re at a wedding or a big corporate party. It’s in one of those swanky Midtown hotels. All the guests are in their finest clothes. The floral centerpieces are the size of your typical
Anatomy of a One-Hit
Organizing Matters
New York City — the live music capital of the world. There are hundreds — perhaps even thousands — of jobs occurring every night. Many, if not most, of these jobs are nonunion. So here’s a little puzzle: what do
Meet More Contractors!
Michael Keller and Jon Taylor
MICHAEL KELLER Michael Keller has been contracting for about 11 years. He was the contractor for the 60-piece orchestra of Barbra Streisand in her 1994 and 2001 tours. He’s contracted for “Bombay Dreams,” “Fiddler on the Roof,” “Wicked,” “The Boy
Broadway Theatre Committee Adopts New Bylaws
On March 2, the Broadway Theatre Committee unanimously adopted a new set of bylaws that will govern its operations for the future. Paragraph one of the bylaws, titled “Purpose,” reads: “It shall be the function of the Broadway Theatre Committee
Do You Know Your Delegates?
From the Theatre Committee
As reported in last month’s Allegro, on March 2 the Broadway Theatre Committee unanimously adopted a new set of bylaws that will govern its operations for the future. The new bylaws state that each elected delegate’s primary responsibility is to
A Contractor Veteran Speaks
Meet the Contractors
Emile Charlap has been contracting for about 50 years. He has been a member of Local 802 since 1940 and is an honor member. In addition to being a contractor, he is also a trumpeter, copyist and arranger. He was
Don’t Tax Jazz!
Guest Commentary
802 members Hank Jones (top) and Jimmy Owens performed with Slide Hampton in Albany. My father was a dress designer who taught himself how to play the piano by ear and would play for his own amusement. Because of his
Organizing Matters: Bridging the Gap
How We Won the KnitMedia Settlement
It’s Payback Time! Recording Artists Win Deal Local 802 and KnitMedia recording artists recently settled the claims they had asserted in a lawsuit against KnitMedia, Inc., parent company to the Knitting Factory and Knitting Factory Records. Under the terms of
Hang Together or Hang Separately
New Seminar Offers Tools to WinOrganizing Matters
Ben Franklin said, “We must all hang together, or assuredly we shall all hang separately.” That’s especially relevant today, when unions are under fire and fighting for musicians’ rights and workers’ rights is tough. In June, I attended a newly-designed
Union Women Learning Together
Every summer for 30 years, women union members, staffers, and leaders have come together to participate in the weeklong Northeast Regional Summer School for Union Women, sponsored by the United Association for Labor Education, the AFL-CIO, and the Coalition of
Taking Our Financial Pulse
Financial Vice-President's Report
If thoughts of balance sheets, profit and loss statements and revenues versus liabilities tend to make your eyes glaze over, you should know that these items allow all Local 802 members to keep a finger on the financial pulse of
Live From the Picket Line!
Photo Section: Music and Solidarity
The spice of any picket line is live music. Local 802 member Bill Ware and Groove Collective lent some energy to striking teaching and research assistants at Columbia on April 20. “We’re on strike to win the basic right to
Labor Parade 2005
Photo Section
Music makes the labor movement stronger! On September 10, Local 802 joined hundreds of other unions in the Central Labor Council’s annual labor parade. Performing in Local 802’s contingent were Sam Bardfeld (violin), Curtis Fowlkes (trombone), Norbert Marius (bass), Roy
Tenth Anniversary of International Women in Jazz
Photo Section
International Women in Jazz celebrated its tenth anniversary at St. Peter’s Church on Oct. 6. The evening honored Nobuko Cobi Narita and featured jazz legends including Valerie Capers, Della Griffin, Sarah McLawler, Helen Merrill and Carline Ray. Also performing were
Meet the Contractors!
John Miller, Jill Dell'Abate and Neil Balm
How do you find work in this town? That’s the number-one question asked by new members of Local 802. As musicians quickly discover, the union’s main mission is to help you improve and sustain your work. We do have a
My Own Sound
A Conversation with Kenny Garrett
Since his late teens, Kenny Garrett has been living the kind of life most musicians only fantasize about. He’s been a side musician for legends like Miles Davis, Art Blakey, Freddie Hubbard and Woody Shaw, and also performed with the
Gravity and Space
A Conversation With Jane Ira Bloom
Soprano saxophonist and composer Jane Ira Bloom has been steadfastly developing her unique voice on the soprano saxophone for over 25 years. A pioneer in the use of live electronics and movement in jazz, as well as the possessor of
‘Lennon’ Deemed a Special Situation
Soon after the recent troubling arbitration decision in “All Shook Up,” the union was presented with an opportunity to start to define, for future panel cases and for potential future arbitrators, what a Special Situation truly is, and not only
A Gig at Joe’s Pub Goes Union
Organizing Matters
It takes small steps, but each organizing victory is one more way musicians build up their collective strength. This month’s organizing column deals with a new kind of space: a spin-off of an Off Broadway venue. One phone call from
Open Your Mind
Musicians' Assistance Program
June is Gay Pride Month, and revelers in the various pride celebrations throughout the world are asked to celebrate pride heritage. This means celebrating all those things that make being gay a joyous state rather than a painful condition. Unfortunately,
Are Casinos Good for Musicians?
Beat on the Street
The state AFL-CIO is supporting the creation of five casinos in Monticello, New York. Casino gambling can bring with it employment – potentially, employment for musicians. Do you support casino gambling in New York? Of the 80 responses Allegro
‘Without strings, there is no disco’
Barry White (1944-2003) during a live concert performance at the Royal Albert Hall, London, in 1975. Check out the live orchestra! (Photo by David Redfern/Redferns/Getty Images) When producers of “Priscilla” say that disco plus live strings doesn’t work, they are
Honoring Florence Nelson
The following resolution, adopted at the AFM convention, awards emiritus status to Florence Nelson, the outgoing AFM secretary-treasurer. WHEREAS, Florence Nelson has served the interests of musicians throughout the United States, Canada, and through her activities as AFM representative to
Never Stop Learning
Views from the Board
This new column will feature thoughts and opinions from your Executive Board. During the week of July 11, I was given the opportunity by our local to attend a full-week seminar at Cornell University’s School of Industrial Labor Relations as
Catastrophic Plan Now Available
As everyone who has lived through a serious illness knows, hospitalization bills are a killer. Recent studies showed that half of all bankruptcies are due to medical expenses. Now Local 802 is offering an inexpensive catastrophic plan that will supplement
Union Makes Gain
Controller's Repor
For the six months ended June 30, 2005, Local 802 realized a gain of $290,016, compared with a gain of $176,735 during the first six months of 2004. The audited financial statements for the six month period appear elsewhere in
Three Win Anne Walker Prizes
The Anne Walker Scholarship Fund has awarded three scholarships for the coming academic year, to help 802 members or their children pursue studies in music. Below are profiles of the winners. As usual, next year Allegro will print application information
Local 802 and MPF Summer Music Series
Times Square and Bryant Park
Local 802 and MPF, in conjunction with the Time’s Square Alliance and Bryant Park Restoration Corp., are sponsoring several events this summer. Here’s the lineup… Duffy Square (near the TKTS booth) Tues., June 14 Wed., June 15 Thurs., June 16
Lights, Camera, Action!
Making More Movies in New York
When you think of making movies, Los Angeles is the first city that probably comes to mind. But Local 802 hopes to make you think of both Los Angeles and New York. A new City Council bill would create a
Broadway from the Ground Up
John Miller, "Meet the Contractors" Part II
Allegro’s contractor series continues with part two of John Miller’s article, continued from last month. John Miller is a bass player and contractor with many years’ experience. He contracts for recordings, films, jingles, concerts and Broadway, and has been a
The First Lady
New Book Tells Story of Pioneering Broadway Composer Kay Swift
“FINE AND DANDY: THE LIFE AND WORK OF KAY SWIFT,” by Vicki Ohl (Yale University Press, 2004). Vicki Ohl has written an excellent, important and timely book, the first full biography of a woman who experienced and contributed to the
The ‘Norma Rae’ Ballet
Dancers Prevail Against Anti-Union Campaign
Unity is the special ingredient of the labor movement. The theatrical unions that make up COBUG – the coalition of Broadway Unions and Guilds – came together in 2003, galvanized by Local 802’s strike to save minimums and live music
The Musicians’ Voice
DANCING TO LIVE MUSIC To the Editor: Bravo to Joan Acocella for going out of her way to extol the virtues of live music in her dance column in the New Yorker issue of May 9, 2005. After favorably reviewing
How the AFM is Helping Casino Musicians
Ray Hair is president of AFM Local 72-147 (Dallas-Fort Worth) and is a member of the AFM’s International Executive Board. He chairs the AFM’s Casino Industry Study Committee. He can be reached at rhair@musiciansDFW.org. When the citizens of New Jersey
Local 802’s Election Endorsements
Here are Local 802’s endorsements in the primary election to take place on Sept. 13. (The general election is Nov. 8.) To register or to find our your poll site, call (866) VOTE-NYC. For more information, contact Heather Beaudoin at
Bush Uses Hurricane to Blindside Poor
Guest Commentary
With the federal government poised to spend more than $50 billion to rebuild areas destroyed by Hurricane Katrina, the AFL-CIO is calling on Congress to reverse President George W. Bush’s Sept. 8 executive order that would allow contractors to pay
AFM Web Sites Now Have Gig Info
Looking for gigs? The AFM now has two new Web pages that might help members get jobs. The first is on the AFM’s own Web site, www.afm.org. From the main page, click “Members login.” Once you’re logged in, click on
Ten Labor Proposals for NYC
The proposals paraphrased here are from Norman Siegel, the candidate for public advocate endorsed by Local 802. Living Wage Law. City subcontractors should pay a living wage and provide health and retirement benefits. Land Use Policy. Employers or organizations that
Jingle Musicians Win 12% Pension
Printed on page 17 are the new jingle rates (also online in the Wage & Contract section of this site). These are rates that apply to musicians playing on TV and radio commercials, like the McDonald’s theme, “I’m Lovin’ It,”
Caring for an Aging Parent
Musicians' Assistance Program
Caring for aging or ill parents may be something you never expected to have to do, but nevertheless, here you are. The people who fed you, got you to school, and left a quarter from the tooth fairy under your
Mastery Without Pain: Musicians and the Feldenkrais Method
Musicians' Assistance Program
Playing is a complex process. It begins with a musical intention that is translated into a series of movements involving weight, speed, orientation in space, and relationship to gravity. When these movements are inefficient and not optimally organized, the result
Virtual Orchestra Machine Resolution
802 Urges AFM to "Take Whatever Steps Necessary" to Stop VO Machine
“Keep Music Live” has been Local 802’s mission. Local 802 believes this fight must be expanded to the national level. 802 has therefore submitted the following resolution to the AFM biannual convention this summer. WHEREAS, the virtual orchestra machine is
Pamphlet B: It’s Now or Never
On March 31, the contract between the AFM and the League of American Theatres and Producers covering touring theatrical musicals – Pamphlet B — expired. Preparations for the negotiation of a new agreement have been under way. Federation officials, local
When Workers Are Enslaved
Guest Commentary
Lots of us think we have bad bosses, but imagine if your boss held you hostage to your job at gunpoint. Three years ago, six Mexican farmworkers found themselves in such a position. The workers had been promised good agricultural
Legislative Update
RENT HIKE LOOMS CLOSING THE HEALTHCARE DIVIDE THE GAMBLE ON SOCIAL SECURITY RENT HIKE LOOMS On May 3, the New York City Rent Guidelines Board recommended increases for the city’s one million rent-controlled apartments. Although the board has the power
Bill Potts, Bigger Than Life
Bill Potts with granddaughter Meg (left) and daughter Christi. Potts, 75, passed away on Feb. 15. My dear friend Bill Potts, 75, passed away on Feb. 15. Outrageous, bigger than life, self-destructive, but with an I.Q. through the roof, Bill
Does the SRSPF Have Money Waiting For You?
Is there any sweeter feeling than collecting money that you didn’t know was yours? Each time you perform on a union recording session, you become eligible for five years’ worth of “special payments.” The entity that collects and distributes this
NEA Wins $4.4 Million Increase
The National Endowment for the Arts won a $4.4 million increase in its 2006 budget. Approximately $3 million of the NEA increase will restore funding to the popular Challenge America program, providing arts grants to under-served communities, which President Bush’s
A Coast-to-Coast Solution
Views from the Board
At the recent AFM convention, members sent all of us a loud signal that they want a union that is inclusive and united. I’m happy to report that the IEB has met this challenge and bridged a gap that had
Photo Op: Pete Seeger
Pete Seeger, a lifelong 802 member and the dean of folk music, was celebrated on May 21 at the Community Church of New York on East 35th Street. Pete’s legendary band, the Weavers, was also honored by a tribute band,
Photo Op: Larry Ham
802 member Larry Ham swings in Bryant Park. Local 802 and the MPF are funding live music in Bryant Park all summer. See www.BryantPark.org. Photo by Mikael Elsila.
Prescription Changes!
Attention All Members Who Use the Union’s Prescription Plan
Dear Member: Effective Jan. 1, 2005 the Musicians’ Local 802 Health Benefits Plan will be changing its prescription benefit manager from National Medical Health Card (NMHC) to UlliCareRx/Medco Health Solutions, Inc. On or about Dec. 15, 2004 you should have
New Year, New Hope
Guest Commentary
As 2005 begins, it is time for a new direction. Our nation is at war. Our economy is stuck in neutral and our budget deficit is the largest in history. Social Security and Medicare each need special attention as our
Apply for New MPF Funding by April 20
April 20 is the deadline for requests for funding from the Music Performance Fund (MPF). You can use this money for gigs that take place from May 1, 2005 through April 30, 2006. If you have never applied for this
Labor Movement Slams Wal-Mart
Guest Commentary
After invading town after town throughout the United States, Wal-Mart is now trying to bring its trail of destruction to New York City. Don’t let its bright lights fool you. Communities with Wal-Marts are often left in the dark as
A Plan or a Scam?
Beat on the Street
As an 802 member and as an American, what are your concerns about the proposed changes in Social Security? We should not let the “bull” of Wall Street into the “china shop” of Social Security. Ernest G. Wilson, Jr. As
Club Date Employer Settles With Pension Fund
A major club date employer has paid nearly $8,000 as part of a settlement with Local 802 and the pension fund. The settlement covered contributions that the employer failed to make on behalf of 24 individuals in 2001 through 2004.
It Takes Two (or More) to Tango
"Concerted Activity" and Labor LawLocal 802 Legal Corner
At the very heart of the National Labor Relations Act is Section 7, which states, in pertinent part the following: Employees shall have the right to self-organization, to form, join or assist labor organizations, to bargain collectively through representatives of
Bylaw Resolutions
The following bylaw resolutions have been submitted for the October membership meeting which will take place on Tuesday, Oct. 11 at 3 p.m. in the Local 802 Club Room. Resolution #1 Whereas: Benefits under the Members Legal Services Fund should
If You Don’t See Taxes Withheld — Watch Out!
Over the summer, a few record companies have submitted payrolls without taking deductions from musicians — in other words paying them “net.” This means that such companies will need to issue 1099’s to each musician at the end of the
The Musician as Protestor
MusicMobe is a new Web site (www.MusicMobe.org) that reaches across borders and amplifies the many voices for peace, democracy, environmental protection and global justice. I became involved in this project while on tour in Europe during the most recent U.S.
A Gift to Your Colleagues
Musicians' Assistance Program
A Local 802 member called the Musicians’ Assistance Program recently to inquire about getting short-term counseling for a distressing personal problem. He wondered whether or not M.A.P. provided such a service, and if so, what would it cost? When I
Jan 31 is Deadline to Apply for Union Plus Scholarship
For more than a decade, the Union Plus Scholarship Program has been helping students from working families achieve their educational goals. Jan. 31 is the deadline to apply for an award in 2005. Local 802 members, their spouses and dependent
Another Labor Scholarship Opportunity
Each year the New York State AFL-CIO awards a four-year scholarship to a 2005 graduating high school senior who intends to pursue a career in labor relations or a related field. This year, the award will be for $2,000 per
Scholarship Opportunity
Each year the New York State AFL-CIO awards a four-year scholarship to a 2005 graduating high school senior who intends to pursue a career in labor relations or a related field. This year, the award will be for $2,000 per
Smash the Glass, Dance the Hora
...But Make Sure the Band is Union!
If you are a single engagement musician, please do your part and help us organize! See below (“Why a Separate Scale?”) for more information. Can organizing and religion mix? In Brooklyn, they often do. As principal business rep in Long
Don’t Believe the Hype!
Social Security Shouldn't Be Trashed
What happens when you saw one leg off of a three-legged stool? You fall over! But that’s exactly what President Bush and his team are proposing to do. The “three-legged stool” is the classic metaphor for how you are supposed
Negotiations Roundup
Merce Cunningham Dance Company. 802 has reached an agreement with the dance company covering a week of performances of a composition entitled “Ocean.” This engagement will employ a minimum of 112 musicians from July 11-16. “Ocean” was last performed in
Make a Deal with the Doctor
Musicians' Assistance Program
We’ve all become accustomed to checking out the sale racks when we’re shopping for clothes or trying to talk down the price of that great chair at the local flea market. When it comes to medical bills however, we often
Make 30 Grand in 30 Seconds?
On October 29, the Recording Musicians Committee hosted a discussion with Wendell Hanes, award-winning producer and composer of advertising music. Hanes presented ideas from his book, “The 30-30 Career: Making 30 Grand in 30 Seconds Producing Music for Commercials” to
Why Vote Working Families?
Guest Commentary
When you vote on Nov. 8, you should vote on row E, the Working Families Party line. Why? Voting for a candidate on the WFP row counts just as much as if you voted for these same candidates on the
“Can You Keep It Down?” Practicing in Your Apartment
Legal Corner
Last year in this column, I briefly analyzed several cases that involved the rights of musicians to practice in their own apartments. At the time when I wrote that article, however, I had not yet acquired first-hand experience in litigating
Smooth as Satin
Jazz Master and Honor Member Bobby Pring
If there’s any one phrase that captures the playing of trombonist Robert Edward Pring – known to most of us as Bobby Pring – it is “smooth as satin.” The epiphany that determined his musical direction occurred prior to World
When Two Musicians Record a CD, Who Owns It?
Legal Corner
This month I would like to present you with an interesting hypothetical situation. You and your friend have decided to make a seven-track CD of some original tunes you both have been working on, just for the fun of it,
New Contract for City Opera
Gail Kruvand Earlier this year, the New York City Opera orchestra ratified a new four-year agreement, which is in effect from June 1, 2005 through May 31, 2009. Even though the company said it had a deficit of just over
Introducing New Concert Rep
Jacob Heyman-Kantor passed his 90-day probation on Nov. 21 and joins the staff of 802 as concert rep. Prior to coming to 802, Heyman-Kantor worked in the political action department of the United Federation of Teachers and studied labor relations
Legislative Update
IT PAYS TO FILM IN NYC LABOR SHOWS WAL-MART THE DOOR HEALTH CARE FOR WORKERS IT PAYS TO FILM IN NYC New York City currently ranks below both Los Angeles and Toronto in the number of productions shot in each
Musicians’ Voice
To the Editor: Thanks for acquainting us with Phil Ramone and Jill Dell’Abate in the January Allegro (“Meet the Contractors!”). They have collaborated to give musicians their “shot.” Apparently, this opportunity requires behavior modification. When the young man in Jill’s
“Has the Internet Made an Impact on Your Life as a Working Musician?”
Beat on the Street
The Internet has been an amazing “global” resource for me. It has enabled me to create a personal Web site, sell my products, order music, and most importantly, has been a versatile tool for research — both musical and labor-intensive.
End of Life — and Other Big Choices
Musicians' Assistance Program
Making end-of-life decisions is now front page news. Phrases like “health care proxy,” “advance directive,” and “living will” might be familiar to you now — although you might not know what they mean. Perhaps you made some resolutions in this
Grievance Corner
Gateway Playhouse. An unfair labor practice charge filed recently by Gateway Playhouse against Local 802 for allegedly bargaining in bad faith has been dismissed by a regional director of the National Labor Relations Board. The charge was filed when 802’s
Bylaw Resolution
For the October 2005 Membership Meeting
Whereas: Benefits under the Members Legal Services Fund should more closely reflect the actual cost for contract negotiations and, Whereas: Recent revisions have increased the cap on benefits for eligible bargaining units and Whereas: the per member formula should be
Flying Through Life With Michael
Reminiscences
I was very sad to hear about Michael Gibson’s passing. I was good friends with Michael when I still lived in New York. And I’m proud to say that I was responsible for getting him hired on “Onward Victoria,” for
It’s Time to Buy a Home…Do You Know Your FICO Score?
Musicians' Assistance Program
As a musician, what may be at the forefront of your mind are thoughts about events in the approaching weeks and months, such as any upcoming gigs, rehearsals or special engagements. With all of this it’s easy to get caught
Listening to the Masters
Book Notes
“Fifties Jazz Talk, an Oral Retrospective” by Gordon Jack (Scarecrow Press, 2004). A new addition to Scarecrow’s “Studies in Jazz” series, this book contains transcribed interviews with thirty jazz musicians, survivors of the 1950s jazz scene, who were selected by
The Man Who Knew Everyone
Book Notes
“‘I Just Happened To Be There…’ Making Music With the Stars” by Nick Perito (Xlibris, 2004). Though he was a musician since his childhood in Denver, Nick Perito’s career as an accordionist, pianist, arranger, composer and conductor began in New
If You’re Paid Cash, Watch Out!
Legit 802 Payroll Service
If you’re a musician and you’re paid cash or on a 1099, it means that you’re actually losing money and your employer may be breaking the law. It may seem like a good thing to not have taxes deducted from
Lucile Lawrence Fund Seeks Donors
On Nov. 7, a concert in memory of Lucile Lawrence, harpist, teacher and long-time member of Local 802 took place at the Manhattan School of Music. At the concert, the school announced the establishment of a scholarship fund in her
Negotiations Roundup
“The Light in the Piazza.” A four-month agreement was negotiated with Lincoln Center for this production going into the Vivian Beaumont Theatre (Adam Siegel, general manager). The minimum performance scale for side musicians is $1,036 for an eight-performance week. The
Legislative Update
NOISE ABOUT THE NOISE CODE On Jan. 26, City Council held hearings on a bill that would substantively alter the city’s noise ordinance. This legislation, which would be the first change the code in nearly thirty years, could have a
No More Chaos Theory — Get Organized!
Musicians' Assistance Program
April is a month of change and renewal; the clocks move forward as the weather warms, and the race begins to complete your taxes by the 15th of the month. It may be too late to reduce your level of
Worthless Gadgets? I’ll Take Three!
New Working Theater Play Debuts This Month
The Working Theater is celebrating its 20th anniversary season with a continued commitment to creating theatre for and about working people. The company’s new play, “Disconnect,” takes aim at the telecommunications industry and corporate America’s incessant need to create newer
Allegro Wins Awards
Allegro won three awards in the annual labor journalism contest sponsored by the Metropolitan New York Labor Communications Council, an umbrella group made up of labor newspapers in New York City. Allegro won: Honorable mention for an interview Allegro editor
The Sounds of Summer
Photo Section
Summer and live music: the best combination. The MPF and the Council for Living Music co-sponsored dozens of concerts this summer as part of our efforts to promote live music, including performances at Bryant Park and Times Square. Also pictured
The Musicians’ Voice
PARTNERS IN TIME To the Editor: I invite members of 802 to join me in a project. Since around 1990 or so I have been doing interviews, mostly with rhythm section players — including Ray Brown, Percy Heath, Milt Hinton,
Flu Crisis Speaks to Larger Crisis
Guest Commentary
The collapse of public health care through decades of deliberate neglect in the U.S. makes the country as vulnerable to a flu pandemic as any bottom tier third world country, and it may be too late to do anything about
Legislative Update
TRANSPORTATION BOND ACT IS PASSED In the Nov. 8 elections, New York State voters approved the $2.9 billion Transportation Bond Act that will finance transportation projects statewide, including part of the Second Avenue subway and a link between the Long
Season of Conscience
Guest Commentary
As we finish up our shopping for the holiday season, let’s not forget Wal-Mart, the worst sweatshop abuser in the world today. Each year, the National Labor Committee runs a campaign during the “shopping season” called the Holiday Season of
Negotiations Roundup
Blossom Dearie Enterprises. Local 802 has renewed its agreement with Blossom Dearie Enterprises covering the performance work of what is typically the Blossom Dearie Trio. The two-year agreement provides for a 10 percent pension contribution and a guarantee of Plan
Legislative Update
PUSHING ALBANY TO DO BETTER The New York State AFL-CIO announced its 2005 legislative agenda which included such items as job creation efforts, healthcare and affordable housing. The recommendations proposed harnessing the engine of public procurement to create good jobs
The Hero Violinist; Hentoff’s Jazz Essays
Book Notes
“Molly and the Sword,” by Robert Shlasko, illustrated by Donna Diamond, Jane and Street Publishers, 2004, www.JaneAndStreet.com. Here is a children’s book, for seven-year-olds and up, with a musical theme. At the beginning of the story, Molly is courageous and
Executive Board Minutes
February 22, 2005 -- March 22, 2005
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2005 Meeting called to order at 11:15 a.m. Present: Financial Vice President Blumenthal, Executive Board members Babich, Gagliardi, Gale, Landolfi, Schaffner, Shankin, Weiss, Controller Bogert and Jazz Advisory Committee Liaison Owens. President Lennon excused on union business.
Listen Up!
802 Promotes Live Music on Labor Radio
Local 802 has joined forces with Air America and Worker Independent News (WIN) to launch radio spots to promote live music and advocate for the rights of musicians in New York. WIN is an independent radio service that was created
Legislative Update
HILLARY RESPONDS TO KATRINA In response to the devastation of Hurricane Katrina, Senator Hillary Clinton has introduced legislation to restore FEMA, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, to Cabinet-level, independent status. Clinton argued that when FEMA was moved to the Department
Copyright Protection for Arrangers
Legal Corner
Probably one of the most difficult litigations I have ever handled was a suit which I just settled for what I consider to be a substantial sum of money. (Don’t ask because I can’t tell!) Now that the litigation is
Negotiations Roundup
Billy Taylor Productions. Local 802 has concluded a contract with Billy Taylor Productions covering musicians performing with the legendary jazz pianist Billy Taylor. The agreement outlines the minimum wages to be paid for various types of engagements including concert performances,
When You Shop This Year, Avoid These…
Following are some of the national boycotts endorsed by the national AFL-CIO. The boycotts were instituted by and are conducted by the unions noted in the descriptions. For more information, check out www.unionlabel.org BUILDING MATERIALS & TOOLS Jet Equipment &
Executive Board Minutes
October 19, 2004 -- November 9, 2004
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2004 Meeting called to order at 11:15 a.m. Present: Recording Vice President Dennison, Financial Vice President Blumenthal, Executive Board members, Babich, Gagliardi, Gale, Giannini, Landolfi, Whitaker, Controller Bogert, and Assistant to the President Delia. President Lennon excused
Grievance Corner
Boston Conservatory of Music. Local 802 and the Boston Conservatory of Music recently settled a music preparation grievance involving the failure to pay wages and benefits to the orchestrator for its production of the opera “The Captain’s Daughter.” The contract,
Negotiations Roundup
SEM Ensemble. An agreement has been reached with the SEM Ensemble, retroactive from May 15, 2003 through May 14, 2006. The new agreement requires that SEM follow single engagement classical wage scale and all terms and conditions for all performances
Introducing 802’s New Controller
Matthew Milne is Local 802’s new controller, replacing Jon Bogert who retired April 1. Matt comes to 802 with a wealth of experience from the finance and business management fields. With a career that spans two decades, he has managed
Working Families Party Grows
As reported in April’s Allegro, Local 802 has become the newest member of the New York Working Families Party (WFP). A minor party with a major impact, the WFP forcefully injects the issues of working-class, middle-class and poor people into
Is Your Information Correct?
Membership Alert
The 2006-2007 Local 802 directory will be published at the end of this year. Thousands of musicians receive a copy of this book and use it as a valuable resource. Here’s how to check if we have your correct information:
Negotiations Roundup
New York Grand Opera. A three year agreement has been reached between Local 802 and New York Grand Opera, Inc. When performing in New York’s major venues and Flushing Town Hall, the employer has agreed to pay the appropriate Local
You Can’t Always Get What You Want…
...but if you try sometimes you can get what you need
Conflict is an unavoidable part of life. Just getting on the subway at rush hour can feel like a battle to the death. Finding equitable resolutions often seems very difficult, and the desire to save face or prove that one
Grievance Corner
Music Prep. Local 802’s Music Preparation Department has settled a grievance against a Broadway producer, recovering more than $21,000 in wages and benefits for a member. The grievance arose when the producer failed to make payment to the orchestrator for
Club Date Collections Top $100,000
The Contract Administration Department collected just over $100,000 in missing wages, health benefits, pension and work dues for musicians in 2003 in both the club date and hotel fields. Collection amounts are based on grievance settlements, internal and external audits
Liability Insurance is Here
More and more, clients, venues and catering houses are requiring bandleaders to have liability insurance. Why? Easy — they want to protect themselves from lawsuits arising from personal or property damage. Local 802 can help! When you file your engagement
Keep the Arts Alive and Support the NEA!
This summer, an amendment will be introduced on the floor of the Senate that will increase funding for the National Endowment for the Arts’ 2006 budget by $5 million. Many professional musicians and music organizations around the country depend on
Legislative Update
PAYOLA DOESN’T PAY New York State Attorney General Elliot Spitzer announced on July 25 an agreement to halt pervasive “pay-for-play” in the music industry. Under the agreement, Sony BMG, one of the world’s leading record companies and owner of a
Grievance Corner
Kaufman Center. The union brought a grievance against the Kaufman Center to the American Arbitration Association for the failure of the center to provide 2 percent raises to faculty teaching in the center’s outreach program. The arbitrator denied the employer’s
If You Don’t See Taxes Withheld — Watch Out!
If you are a recording musician, and you are paid without taxes withheld, you are actually losing 8.5 percent of your total pay. Instead of your employers remitting their portion of Social Security and Medicare, this is now thrown onto
Remembering Bobby Short
Reminiscences
Bobby Short was a perfect example of how thoroughly the music of the Great American Songbook has become an international institution. Demand for his music was worldwide. It was not unusual for him to be summoned across the Atlantic to
Requiem
Fred Baldovin – Accordion Ralph Bianculli – Electric Bass Gordon Boelzner – Piano/Conductor Elise Bretton – Piano/Arranger/Copyist Al Casey – Guitar Michael Dunn – Piano/Conductor/Arranger/Copyist Andrew A. Fuchs – Accordion Jonathan Lindenfeld Hazen – Violin Shirley Horn – Piano/Vocalist Steven
Sexy Lawsuits Hog the Press
Local 802 Legal Corner
Why is it that certain lawsuits seem to receive a huge amount of media attention while others do not? This is a question I’ve begun to ask since I have found myself enmeshed in a suit that has received a
Executive Board Minutes
November 16, 2004 -- December 14, 2004
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 2004 Meeting called to order at 11:10 a.m. Present: President Lennon, Recording Vice President Dennison, Executive Board members, Babich, Gagliardi, Schaffner, Shankin, Weiss, Whitaker, Controller Bogert, and Assistant to the President Delia. Financial Vice President Blumenthal excused
Executive Board Minutes
December 21, 2004 -- January 11, 2005
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 21, 2004 Meeting called to order at 11:10 a.m. Present: President Lennon, Recording Vice President Dennison, Financial Vice President Blumenthal, Executive Board members, Gagliardi, Gale, Shankin, Weiss, Whitaker, Controller Bogert and Assistant to the President Delia. Recording Vice
The Musicians’ Voice
SHAKING UP THE LABOR MOVEMENT To the Editor: Over the past year, the president of the service workers’ union (SEIU), Andy Stern, has tried to shake up and wake up the labor movement. While I admire much of his work,
Legislative Update
RAISE THAT MINIMUM WAGE! Senators Clinton and Kennedy introduced the Fair Minimum Wage Act of 2005 which will raise the minimum wage to $7.25 an hour in three steps: 70 cents two months after enactment, 70 cents one year after
Negotiations Roundup
Early Ear Ratifies Contract Teachers and pianists at the Early Ear ratified a new seven-year contract on Aug. 4. The unanimous vote culminated nearly a year of negotiations for a second contract at the Early Ear, which has three studios
Legislative Update
Heather Beaudoin HEALTHCARE SECURITY ACT VETO OVERRIDE City Council overrode Mayor Bloomberg’s veto of the Healthcare Security Act. This pioneering legislation will require employers in the city’s grocery and food retail industries to provide health care to their employees. This
Executive Board Minutes
June 21, 2005 -- July 12, 2005
TUESDAY, JUNE 21, 2005 Meeting called to order at 11:10 a.m. Present: Recording Vice President Dennison, Financial Vice President Blumenthal, Executive Board members Babich, Gagliardi, Gale, Giannini, Landolfi, Whitaker, Assistant to the President Delia and Jazz Advisory Committee Liaison Owens.
Marshalling Your Body’s Intelligence
Alexander Technique for Musicians
In a memorable performance, we know when there is a sense of rightness and ease, when we’re buoyed up by the rhythm, the feel of other musicians or the responsive pulse of the audience. But when we don’t have that
Legislative Update
MTA TO JETS: IT’S A TOUCHDOWN On March 31, the MTA unanimously approved the New York Jets’s bid to build a stadium on the Far West Side of Manhattan. The New York Sports and Convention Center, which will include the
Grievance Corner
New York Collegium. For an April 15 concert, the employer canceled a number of rehearsals with less than seven days’ notice, a violation of Collegium’s CBA with the union. Concert Rep Jacob Heyman-Kantor contacted the employer and filed a grievance.
Executive Board Minutes
April 12, 2005 -- April 26, 2005
TUESDAY, APRIL 12, 2005 Meeting called to order at 11:20 a.m. Present: President Lennon, Recording Vice President Dennison, Financial Vice President Blumenthal, Executive Board members Babich, Gagliardi, Gale, Giannini, Landolfi, Schaffner, Shankin, Weiss and Assistant to the President Delia. Recording
Executive Board Minutes
May 3, 2005 -- May 10, 2005
TUESDAY, MAY 3, 2005 Meeting called to order at 11:20 a.m. Present: President Lennon, Recording Vice President Dennison, Financial Vice President Blumenthal, Executive Board members Babich, Gagliardi, Gale, Giannini, Landolfi, Schaffner, Shankin, Weiss, Whitaker, Assistant to the President Delia and
Negotiations Roundup
Chinese-American Arts Council. On Sept. 18, the Chinese-American Arts Council was scheduled to perform an opera at Alice Tully Hall with nearly 80 nonunion musicians. Four days before, Local 802 received an anonymous tip from musicians who had been hired.
New Year’s Greetings from Friends of 802
Actors, Artists, Athletes and Authors: Happy holidays and best wishes for a prosperous New Year. We’re here for your tax and business services needs all year round. By appointment. 1501 Broadway Suite 1607, NYC 10036. (212) 869-0513. thebizside@aol.com. Actors Federal
Negotiations Roundup
“Play Without Words.” Local 802 negotiated an agreement with Brooklyn Academy of Music and Alice Bernstein for this production at the 874 -seat Harvey Theatre. The current production represents a 6 percent wage increase over the 2002 contract that covered
Executive Board Minutes
April 1, 2005 -- April 5, 2005
FRIDAY, APRIL 1, 2005 Meeting called to order at 11: 15 a.m. Present: President Lennon, Recording Vice President Dennison, Financial Vice President Blumenthal, Executive Board members Babich, Gale, Schaffner, Whitaker, Controller Bogert, Assistant to the President Delia and Jazz Advisory
Musicians Assistance Program Support Group
COOLING DOWN WHEN THE HEAT IS ON: PERFORMANCE ANXIETY 101 Bewitched, bothered and bewildered… Would you like to learn more about what triggers your own performance anxiety, and get some new ideas about how to cope? Join your peers in
Bylaw Proposal
The following proposal will be voted on at the February 2005 membership meeting Whereas: Local 802 has a mandate from the membership to promote live music and, Whereas: A significant portion of 802 dues moneys has been committed to public
The Musicians’ Voice
The Musicians’ Voice is an open forum for discussion about the state of union affairs. The views expressed here do not express the views of Local 802. Please keep all letters to 300 words and send them to Allegro, c/o
Executive Board Minutes
January 18, 2005 -- February 8, 2005
TUESDAY, JANUARY 18, 2005 Meeting called to order at 11:15 a.m. Present: Recording Vice President Dennison, Financial Vice President Blumenthal, Executive Board members, Babich, Gagliardi, Giannini, Landolfi, Schaffner, Shankin and Controller Bogert. President Lennon excused on union business. Blumenthal chaired
Executive Board Minutes
May 17, 2005 -- June 14, 2005
TUESDAY, MAY 17, 2005 Meeting called to order at 11:10 a.m. Present: President Lennon, Financial Vice President Blumenthal, Executive Board members Babich, Gagliardi, Gale, Giannini, Landolfi, Whitaker, and Assistant to the President Delia. Recording Vice President Dennison excused on union
Negotiations Roundup & Grievance Corner
NEGOTIATIONS ROUNDUP Irish Repertory Theatre. A two-year agreement was negotiated with the nonprofit Irish Repertory Theatre (Ciaran O’Reilly, producing director), which is the first long term agreement the theatre has signed with Local 802. Its current show is “After the
Executive Board Minutes
September 28, 2004 -- October 12, 2004
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 2004 Meeting called to order at 11:15 a.m. Present: Recording Vice President Dennison, Executive Board members, Babich, Gagliardi, Giannini, Landolfi, Schaffner, Shankin, Whitaker, Controller Bogert, Assistant to the President Delia and Jazz Advisory Committee Liaison Owens. President
Bill Crow’s Band Room
Joe Wilder is such a perfect gentleman that it often comes as a surprise to anyone getting to know him that he has a devilish sense of humor. In its mildest form, it expresses itself in outrageous puns, but in
Bill Crow’s Band Room
On a warm afternoon last January, my wife and I spent the day strolling through the New York Botanical Garden in the Bronx, where we are members. As we walked toward the conservatory we heard the sound of a trumpet,
Bill Crow’s Band Room
Have you seen many dollar coins in circulation these days? They can be used in the new parking receipt dispensers on the block in front of Local 802, but they don’t turn up too often. You have to remember to
Bill Crow’s Band Room
Joe Rutkowski graduated as a clarinet major from Mannes College in 1976, and took a summer job as custodian at the college, as did an oboe major who had graduated a year earlier. They both had teaching positions that began
Bill Crow’s Band Room
Lyricist Jack Segal, who died in California last February, was one of my first New York friends. Dave Lambert introduced us. Jack’s most well-known songs are “Scarlet Ribbons,” When Sunny Gets Blue,” “When Joanna Loved Me,” and “Here’s to the
Bill Crow’s Band Room
Here’s a story that Joe Bennett gave me: The old Ed Sullivan Show featured a great variety of entertainment, from circus and vaudeville acts to the fine arts. Once Rudolf Nureyev and Margot Fonteyn were booked for a pas de
Bill Crow’s Band Room
The late Billy Bauer made a tape in response to some questions by Frad Garner on Nov 15, 2004, when Billy was 89. He spoke about Zeb Julian, a guitarist who was briefly on the New York jazz scene, but
Bill Crow’s Band Room
For several years I had a cheap cell phone that I rarely used. I just kept it in my car for emergencies. Since the phone was never turned on, I never gave anyone the number. Once, about three years ago,
Bill Crow’s Band Room
When I worked with jazz bands in the 1950’s and 60’s, I filled in the frequent holes in their schedules with club dates that I picked up on the union floor. Besides the differences in the music on those jobs,
Bill Crow’s Band Room
I lost another of my first friends in New York last December when Frank Isola passed away in Detroit. Frank was the first drummer I met when I moved to New York in 1950, when I was still a valve