Local 802 AFM Launches Jazz Mentors for Emerging and Aspiring Musicians
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, February 25, 2016

Press contact:
Christopher Carroll

Maya Kremen
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mkremen@getodemilly.com

Jazz Mentors will connect up-and-coming musicians with some of New York City’s premier artists to discuss the business of Jazz
New York, NY—Thursday, February 25, 2016—Associated Musicians of Greater New York, Local 802, in partnership with the Council for Living Music, today announced the launch of Jazz Mentors, a new forum for up-and-coming musicians to learn about the business of Jazz from some of the most successful artists in New York City. This Jazz Mentors forum, which will focus on “Organizing Your Career: Getting Started in the Business of Jazz,” will be led by bassist Bob Cranshaw, clarinetist and saxophonist Paquito D’Rivera, and vocalist Jazzmeia Horn, who will speak about their working lives as musicians and offer ideas to jump-start and sustain a career. These pre-eminent Jazz leaders will guide participants through a discussion of some of the most vital aspects of launching a career, including: representation, touring, protecting your recordings in digital format, the impact of streaming services, and building a secure financial future.Jazz Mentors will be located at Local 802, an informal setting that will allow free flowing exchange between the audience and the renowned artists, encouraging full audience participation and interaction.

“It is vital that we ensure that emerging artists across the city have the knowledge and skills necessary to fulfill the promise of their enormous creativity and artistic talent,” said Tino Gagliardi, president, Associated Musicians of Greater New York, Local 802 AFM. “As an organization that represents the best musicians in the world, Local 802 is glad that we are able to help support the artistic and financial health of our great arts community by providing the public with access to real-world advice and mentorship from some of our most successful colleagues.””The music industry is in the midst of yet another paradigm shift with streaming services like Apple Music and Tidal changing how people get their music,” said Christian McBride, GRAMMY winning bassist and Local 802 member. “As musicians, we have to stay ahead of the curve in terms of information, particularly in matters of business so that we can make the most informed decisions possible regarding our careers.”

Who:

Bassist Bob Cranshaw has been a leading figure in the Jazz world for decades, having performed with many of America’s greatest Jazz musicians, including Sonny Rollins, Lee Morgan, Sarah Vaughan, Horace Silver, Ella Fitzgerald, McCoy Tyner, Clark Terry and Bob Brookmeyer, among many others.

Clarinetist, saxophonist and composer Paquito D’Rivera, a winner of fourteen GRAMMY Awards, has had an extraordinary jazz, latin and classical music career. In addition to an extensive and diverse discography of over 30 solo albums, Mr. D’Rivera has founded numerous ensembles around the world, including the Orquesta Cubana de Musica Moderna, Irakere, United Nation Orchestra, the Chamber Jazz Ensemble, the Paquito D’Rivera Big Band, and the Paquito D’Rivera Quintet.

Vocalist Jazzmeia Horn, winner of the 2015 Thelonious Monk Institute International Jazz Competition and the 2013 Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocal Competition, has quickly established herself as a rising star of the Jazz world. Ms. Horn has performed at many of the city’s premier venues, including Lenox Lounge, The Apollo Theater, The Blue Note, Minton’s, The Jazz Standard, Smalls Jazz Club, Zinc, Jazz Gallery and Birdland, as well as many national and international venues with her group, “The Artistry of Jazz Horn.”

Where: Local 802, Club Room, 322 West 48th Street, Manhattan

When: Thursday, March 10, 6:00 PM

The event is free and open to the public

To register, please fill out the form located here or contact Todd Weeks: tweeks@local802afm.org; 212-245-4802 X185 or Bettina Covo 212-245-4802 X152

About Local 802
Local 802, AFM is the largest local union of professional musicians in the world. Our members include musicians who play on Broadway, at Lincoln Center and Carnegie Hall, and in New York’s top clubs and venues, whose hard work helps keep New York an arts and entertainment capital. We unite to fight for the common interests of all musicians by advancing industry standards that dignify our labor and honor and enrich our art. We seek to organize a community of all musicians and aspiring musicians, and we reach out to all who share our interests and our passion. We are committed to upholding the integrity of live musical performance and to advancing the vital role of music in education, and in the economic, cultural and social life of our community and beyond. We advocate for economic and social justice for musicians and for society as a whole.