|
| |
Music Newz!
Archived Newz
2002 !
Find
current, up-to-date info on
Notes & News!
|
|
Newz! |
|
|
|
Here's a new feature
forged from an old friendship ... jazzinorlando.com and WLOQ 103.1
FM are partnering to bring you the best in music and music news!
Now, here's an intro to the first article, with more to come in
the future. |
Saxophonist Paul
Howards is one of the most successful, if not the most successful
of Orlando's jazz musicians.
He's very modest, even humble about it. Still, there's no denying
it.He tours with one of the most
popular bands in the world ('N Sync) who can pick any musicians
they want ... and they picked Paul. He's released four of his own
CDs, all to positive reviews and airplay. He's a favorite of
Disney's Michael Eisner. In fact, Eisner often asks for Howards'
band to perform at functions he attends while in Orlando. And it
was Eisner who brought Howards onboard to play the inaugral voyage
of Disney's first cruise ship.
A 1999 interview with Howards was the first of many articles to
appear on the pages of jazzinorlando.com. So it seems only fitting
to bring him back for another first ... this first article in a
newly forged partnership between jazzinorlando.com and WLOQ 103.1
FM.
Future interviews ... with more of
Orlando's very best jazz musicians ... will appear bi-monthly on
the same publishing schedule as WLOQ's Smooth Jazz and Leisure
Magazine. So stay tuned to the WLOQ web site for updates and
information!
And, now, here's the article! |
|
|
|
Paul Howards takes it all in stride
... and shares some of his experiences along the way!
Exclusive ...!
Paul
Howards and jazzinorlando.com have a little something for those of you who
were unable to join him for his recent
performance at the Largo Cultural Center.
It's cool, you'll like it ... so
...
get more info here!
Sorry ...
wallpaper is no longer available. |
|
|
It goes without saying that a successful, professional
musician like Orlando-based saxophonist Paul Howards gets a lot of email
... a lotta, lotta email.
But one recent message stood out among the others. The message was from another
Orlando-based jazz saxophonist asking if Howards might be willing to act as a
mentor, or at least be willing to share some of his experiences for the benefit
of other musicians.
Although Howards says he appreciates the complimentary nature of the message,
his busy schedule (he's currently playing an exclusive out-of-town gig in luxury
surroundings) precludes following through on the request.
But the request struck a note (pun intended!) with jazzinorlando.com. Eventually
an idea evolved ... Howards could share his knowledge and experiences through an
article on the web site. When asked, he readily agreed to spend some time
talking through the voluminous information he's acquired and accumulated since
his professional start.
|
|
Sax-man Paul Howards' start inspired him to write "Plastic Violation" ...
a tune from his first CD, "Into My Heart"
|
"Well, first thing you do is max out all your credit cards
and get a second mortgage on your house!" Howards laughed when asked for the
short story on succeeding.
Truthfully, that was his approach in the beginning. The initial product was
Into My Heart, his first CD which was originally released in 1992, then
re-released in 1995. It's no coincidence that the CD includes a cut
titled Plastic Violation, "a tune written about a little credit card debt
I got into," Howards says. But it was the title cut from Into My Heart
that garnered his first radio airplay.
|
|
"It was on my birthday, and I was in the shower when I heard
it [for the first time] on WLOQ," he says. "I was pretty excited, jumping around
and everything," he says smiling at the memory.
Howards credits WLOQ 103.1 FM for many memorable experiences and lessons since
his career began ... including one from the early days when he booked an
important gig at a downtown club.
Knowing radio promotion would help bring a big crowd for the event, Howards
says, "I asked Steve Huntington [a former Program Director at WLOQ] when they
were going to start announcing the gig, and he said they weren't because the
club hadn't bought a schedule." Howards didn't know it at the time, but a
"schedule" is radio-talk for advertising announcement spots. And, the way radio
works is no schedule, no announcements. Once he learned that, Howards went back
to the venue and convinced them to buy a small schedule. The gig went well, and
Howards gained a little business insight.
It's unfortunate, he says, that college curriculum neglects the business aspects
of being a professional musician. "They don't prepare you for that in college
... maybe academia doesn't understand it," he says contemplating the exclusion.
Regardless, Howards considers college an important step toward success.
|
Howards' has played over 1,000
sessions for albums, films, television, and jingles.
He's toured
and performed with N'Sync, Gloria Estefan, Aerosmith,
and Britney
Spears.
|
During his own college days ... first as a music education major at the
University of Michigan, and later, as studio music major at the University
of Miami ... Howards' goal was to tour with a big-name group, a goal he
achieved when he began touring with 'N Sync in 1999. "I really didn't
think I'd have my own band," he says.
Further back, before 'N Sync, and before having his own band, he taught
privately for a time but gave it up when it became obvious that his young
students were coming to lessons unprepared and without having practiced.
(Later, he realized he had done the same thing when he took private
lessons ... except he was good |
enough that his teachers never knew!)
After graduating college in 1988, he joined a Top 40’s show band in the
Miami area. Then, within a couple of years, he went along for the ride as
circumstances carried him to the ultimate dream of most musicians ...
having his own band.
The change meant moving from band member to bandleader. It also meant
moving to Orlando to take advantage of opportunities offered by a new
Disney venture ... Pleasure Island. The
entertainment complex had yet to open, so Howards audition consisted of
his performance at JazzMaTaz in Ormond Beach,
Florida. It landed him and his band the opening spot for the Jazz
Company and regular performances there and on the West End Stage.
After opening the club, the group settled into a routine of playing a few
single nights, and a few back-to-back, each month. But it was generally
less than Howards was satisfied with. Rather than look for work elsewhere,
or in addition to other gigs he was already doing, Howards asked for ...
and got ... what he wanted, full-time work at the Jazz Co. The band began
playing four or more nights consecutively in heavy rotation. It lasted for
several years before Howards traded bandleader for band member and went on
the road with 'N Sync.
If the story of Howards' experience makes success seem easy, be assured,
it's anything but. There were long road trips touring the Eastern United
States with five guys and a lone female (former band manager Kathleen
Richards) ... and their stuff ... crowded into one van. No cushy 'N Sync
tour buses here! There were also many times, long ago in pre-email days,
when Howards and Richards stuffed newsletters to his fans into envelopes
until the wee hours of the morning.
Howards also recalls a road-trip to Atlanta for a showcase performance at
a big music industry convention, "We took along all this gear, we thought
it was going to be a big venue. It turned out to be a pizzeria with a
seven-foot stage. My sound guy's like 'yeah, I think I can work with
that!'"
Experiences of the sort make for countless lessons along the way to
success.
|
|
Dealing
with interviews, and sitting still for photographs, are signs of success.
|
Success, of course, means dealing with the media. "All press is good
press!" is Howards' immediate response when asked how musicians deal with
negative reviews of their music.
He's quick to point out that what appears to be a bad review on the
surface usually has some good tucked away beneath. In one article, Howards
says, a reviewer referred to him as a watered-down version of David
Sanborn. "It was great, I got compared to one of my idols!" he says
contentedly. Both musicians have since changed
their style, but Howards says |
|
the comparison to a jazz legend was fun while it lasted. "You can't let
that stuff get to you," he adds in reference to music review strife.
It may seem that reading the many articles published about himself and his
music would make Howards feel that he had "arrived" on the music scene. To
the contrary he comments, "I don't think you ever feel that way, you just
do what you do. Sometimes I stop and think ... I'm just really blessed."
Then he adds, "You always want to grow. Even if you're doing something
like 'N Sync you still want to grow."
He's grown ... and he's learned.
He's disappointed with some of the things he's learned about the music
business ... like, it's as much, or more, about money than talent. For
example, end-cap and bin positioning of CDs in stores is sold ... bought
and paid for. It's not based on music quality, talent, or even popularity.
Learning the details of how the music business works (i.e., there's a
price tag attached to everything) held the most surprises and
disappointments for Howards. "The music business is, collectively, the
largest business in the world," he says. Yet success, or just making a
living at it, remains an illusive dream for many.
Still, money is no guarantee of success. Neither is talent. "It's a lot of
work. You need to work hard, go to college, take private lessons, and
whatever else you can do to be successful." Howards says emphatically.
This provoked a related question ... how important is an agent or manager
in achieving success ... and how does a musician know when to hire one?
"That's a good question," Howards responds, "a lot of smooth jazz
musicians don't have either [an agent or manager] ... and, right now,
neither do I." So ... surprise! ... a musician who's good enough can be
successful even without an agent or manager.
|
Howards is comfortable in his new studio, even
though finishing work is still in progress.
|
In and among the surprises and disappointments,
Howards says he's had many rewarding and memorable moments. Hearing his
music on the radio for the first time ... on WLOQ, of course ... is one.
(He credits the station saying, "WLOQ's been absolutely awesome to me.")
Playing NBC TV's Saturday Night Live, especially the first time, ranks up
there. "I grew up watching that show ..." he starts before smiling and
letting the sentence trail off as he becomes lost in thought and memories. |
There are countless other memories ... like the memory of his band's first
gig as part of Roland's Brevard Jazz Series on Florida's East coast. (At
the time, the band included Ron Cangro, who's now percussionist for thom
chambers' band). Early in his career there were
live radio broadcasts from Orlando clubs ... one from Townsend's on New
Year's Eve, another from the Sapphire ... carried on WLOQ. Trumpeter Rick
Braun ... who was known at the time, just less so than now ... once opened
for Howards at a gig in Jacksonville.
One very memorable and defining moment was with 'N Sync in a live, HBO
television broadcast from New York's Madison Square Gardens. There were
lengthy close-ups of Howards as he took the musical lead several times.
Commenting on the obvious pressure of a live performance, Howards says,
"If you mess up, you mess up ... there's no fixing anything!"
Actually, his first gig with 'N Sync was another live performance,
broadcast on Pay-Per-View, and he thinks the five singers may have been
more nervous that he was.
Personally, he says the most nervous he's ever been was at his sister's
wedding, three years ago, when he performed a song he wrote for the
occasion ... and that's even compared to the
nervousness of performing for
arena and stadium audiences of 50,000 to 275,000 people.
Nerves aside, huge audiences illicit their own particular response.
According to Howards, every venue and crowd has a different feel ... in
part because of their size and setting. "Rockin' Rio was 275,000 people.
There were people as far as the eye could see," he says of an 'N Sync
concert. And, he says, playing to a crowd of that size ... in a setting
like Rio ... is a rewarding experience.
|
Relating to the audience
... and seeing 'em smile ... is Howards' biggest reward.
|
Many of the rewards of his work are found in those and other performances.
But the biggest reward, he says, is the satisfaction of relating to the
audience and seeing them smile when they relate to his music. That makes
it easy to believe he's sincere when he says it doesn't really matter to
him if he's playing for five people, or 50,000 people.
That said, Howards pauses to reconsider the statement. After a moment he
amends it saying, "Actually, it's better playing smaller rooms |
because you can get close and get out in the audience." It must be
because, that way, he gets to see 'em smile.
Regardless of the size of the crowd, whether he's bandleader or band
member, Howards takes it all in stride and remains as easy going as ever.
"Who knows what's around the next corner? That would take all the fun out
of it!" was his reply when asked about his plans for the future. In
addition to his out-of-town gig, he's currently recording and producing a
bluegrass band, "I'd like to do more of that kind of stuff," he comments.
He also has a couple of proposals to do music education books. The project
may never materialize because, he says, "I'm not sure my methods would
work all that well for any other musicians."
The future may be a question mark, but Howards says he knows one thing for
sure about his career so far, "I wouldn't change anything about it!"
Check out photos from Paul Howards' performance at the Largo
Cultural Center.
This 333-seat theatre
was a perfect setting to
host Paul's up-close and personal style.
~December ,
2002
Presented by
jazzinorlando.com and WLOQ 103.1 FM
... now partnering to bring you the best in music and
music news! |
Newz!
Two new CD's from Michael
Andrew
... and another OMA nomination! |
|
|
|
Months ago, singer
Michael Andrew was sincerely humble when talking about
his nomination in the jazz category of the
Orlando Music Awards (OMA's).
He admits to feeling
both honored and awkward being nominated alongside
musicians like
Orlando's jazz-great Sam Rivers. After all,
Rivers received a Grammy nomination in 2001.
When the OMA's took place in mid-October, Rivers took the award in the
jazz category ... and no one could be happier about it than Michael
Andrew. Well, except maybe Sam Rivers himself!
|
|
Right along with
simultaneously releasing two
new CD's
, vocalist Michael Andrew had something else to celebrate
... his fifth
Orlando Music Awards (OMA's) nomination.
In the past five years the OMA’s, an annual event sponsored by the Orlando Weekly,
gave Andrew the
nod for five nominations ... and
Orlando music fans gave him four consecutive wins to date.
Earlier this year, when the
OMA nominations were
freshly announced, Andrew had precious-little time. He’d just returned
from a working vacation and was arranging multiple celebrations for the
simultaneous release of two new CDs ... one solo titled Michael Andrew Pays
Tribute to Frank Sinatra, and one with his big band, Swingerhead, titled
Destination Moon.
|
|
Andrew's
recording studio.
|
Still, he opened his newly
remodeled recording studio for a conversation about the new releases.
It’s unusual to release two CD's at the same time, and
Andrew says the diversity is both appealing and challenging.
The projects started two years |
ago when he played the Coconut Club
in Los Angeles regularly. Originally, he
planned to record live performances at the venue and release a diverse CD of
cha-cha, mumbo, and swing music. When reality got in the way
... in the form of the Coconut Club closing ...
Andrew adjusted his approach and moved forward with what became Destination
Moon.
Around the same time a fortunate event influenced the Tribute
project.
Andrew and Swingerhead recorded tracks for the movie Heartbreakers a year
before ... at a grueling pace of
12 songs in three days ... but the producer wanted to re-record some
tracks. Incredibly, the re-recording took place in Capitol Studio, the same
studio where Frank Sinatra, Nat King Cole, Johnny Mercer, and other music
legends recorded.
The idea for Tribute was
developing anyway ... so, in spite of the challenges
of working on two CD's at the same time, Andrew moved forward with Michael
Andrew Pays Tribute to Frank Sinatra.
Both Destination and Tribute have deep technical detail with
close attention given to beats, pitches, quarter notes, and style. Transitions
from instrument to instrument are sometimes so seamless it’s almost as though
one instrument actually becomes the other.
|
Tribute also has some very special touches. Al
Viola, Sinatra’s guitarist in the day, plays on three tracks. "I used him as a
benchmark," says Andrew. Indeed, having an original Sinatra band member play on
the recording speaks of the level of quality of this tribute.
Of the quality challenge, Andrew says, "One of
the challenges is that I didn’t want to
be |
|
One of two CD's.
|
|
cliché. I wanted all the songs to have that element
of surprise where you go ‘oh, that’s Michael Andrew’s twist to it!’ ... I
wanted to put my signature on it."
Continuing, he adds, "This [style of music] is different from rock where
everyone’s trying to find things that have never been done before. This style
has to be handed down, that’s something a lot of guys neglect now and I think
it’s a big mistake."
Talking through the song selections Andrew says Goody Goody and Angel
Eyes are two of his favorites. He feels his rendition of Night and Day
sounds just like Sinatra, although he added bongos to change it up a little.
The House of Bamboo, on Destination, is the most kitschy and
produced. And then there’s My Way.
"My Way has kind of a punk, rock rhythm. Anyone can listen to it and not
be offended," Andrew comments. "But the horns are more like the original style
... loungy, big band," he adds.
Commenting on his choice of music style ... and of
singing instead of playing an instrument ... Andrew explains, "I was never
patient enough to master an instrument, and I didn’t
really find the style of music I love now until college. I love the feel of the
music, it’s [like today’s] popular music ... just from another era.
Continuing, Andrew says, "Swing is a predecessor to rock, but that concept seems
unnatural to players now." Expounding on the concept he says the sounds of Bill
Haley and the Comets, whose influences are still present in rock today, were
basically swing.
Even after finding his style, Andrew chose not to major in music in college, but
he still focused on the arts. "I was an artist, and I knew it," he says. He
started college with an undeclared major, was eventually drawn to theater, and
then added a self-declared minor in promotions ... knowledge
he's now able to use in his current work.
He still acts occasionally, appearing recently in Orlando’s Mad Cow Theater
production of As Thousands Cheer, and combines the best of acting
and music in his present work. "I wanted to be an actor or performer of some
sort, and being a bandleader combines that," he explains. "I have a kind of a
romantic view of being a singer, it’s easy to think of myself as an actor
playing the part of a singer," he adds.
|
|
Destination Moon
|
There’s another talent Andrew incorporates into his work. A
gifted graphic artist (he
considered majoring in art in college) Andrew
often does much of the design of his promotional material as well as some of the
artwork on his CD’s.
In fact, he created a spacesuit over a |
|
photograph of himself for the cover of
Destination Moon.
It may be because he can incorporate so many other talents into it that music
remains his first choice. "Singing came more naturally
to me than any other instrument, I didn’t have the personality to sit in a room
and practice. With singing, I felt I could quickly express ideas through music
... and I was bold about it!" he says of his primary work.
With his two CDs out, and four OMA's on his mantle, Andrew reflects, "I’m proud
of Destination Moon and Tribute.
I worked hard for two years with some incredible
musicians. It’s not just about the vocals though, I enjoyed the process and that
they get the sounds they get from their instruments ... I’m just trying to
combine modern recording techniques and equipment with old style music. I tried
to put out two albums that appeal to the masses and are fun music."
So, here’s your invitation to give Destination Moon and Michael Andrew
Pays Tribute to Frank Sinatra, a listen. You’ll likely agree that Michael
Andrew achieves his goals!
~October, 2002 |
|
Editorial!
A disappearing jazz scene
...
why listeners are staying away in droves!
|
|
A frequent topic of conversation around
town is the limited selection of jazz music and venues in Orlando,
and it's getting more limited every day. The number of venues
featuring jazz is rapidly dwindling as new and established venues close
their doors for good, and others change their music format to something
other than jazz. There are as many opinions about why it's happening as
there are people talking about it, and jazzinorlando.com has an opinion as
well.
|
A typical venue ... without
patrons
|
Take a look at this photo representing a
typical Orlando-area venue, consider how it relates to the disappearance
of jazz in Orlando.
It shows who turns up ... and turns out ... to listen to jazz at the few
remaining venues. Oh, but wait, there aren't any people in this |
picture. That's right, there aren't any people
in this picture. Granted, this is an
exaggeration, but fewer and fewer listeners are getting
out to hear jazz.
When it first opened, the Black Fin Seafood Bar and Grill, in Winter Park,
partnered with WLOQ radio for Live-After-Five to bring live jazz
music to fans on Wednesday nights. The partnership lasted over a year, and
there was much complaining ... and many long,
loud wails ... all over town when it ended.
Even though the Black Fin still features jazz on
Wednesday nights (and, frequently, on Tuesday, Friday and/or Saturday
nights) the crowds who used to turn out in droves for Live-After-Five
have thinned considerably.
Obviously, the increased promotion and awareness ... a benefit of the
partnership with WLOQ ... helped boost attendance during the partnership.
Still, when WLOQ partnered with a different venue to revive
Live-After-Five earlier this year, it lasted three weeks ... three
Wednesday's ... before the venue pulled their support. The reason they
gave, quite candidly, was poor turnout.
It's simply, understandably, a matter of economics.
No one suggests any venue be given a free ride to price-gouge patrons, but
there are costs involved in hosting and promoting these types of events,
and something's gotta give when the cost exceeds the return on investment.
The return on investment comes from you, folks. It's directly related to
how many of you show up, and how much money you spend while you're there.
|
|
|
A recent evening at the Pleasure Island Jazz
Company, once a premier venue that now seems likely to close, epitomizes
the issue of spending. The Jazz Company serves cocktails and beverages in
glasses or bottles, they serve water in bright yellow plastic cups
emblazoned with the Pleasure Island logo.
There was one favorite drink on this night ... on
almost every
|
|
A sign of the times outside
the Pleasure Island Jazz Company ... a
replacement sign says simply "Live Music" hinting at a change in format
|
|
table in the somewhat empty room sat a bright
yellow cup, there was hardly a glass or a bottle in sight.
Very few
people spent very little money on beverages that
night, they drank water.
Okay, so maybe jazz listeners like water, or maybe they're avoiding
alcohol, or sugar, or the caffeine found in most sodas. Fair enough. Surely they'll
indulge in an appetizer or other food served at the Jazz Company.
But, oh, wait ... the Jazz Company no longer serves food.
Plus, they no longer allow musicians to sell their CDs
in the lobby ... all sales are now done on the sly and under the table.
So, now you know ... the venues aren't blameless in their own demise. In
fact, in this case, when they stopped serving food, the Jazz Company let a
cash cow walk out the door.
In fact, they seem particularly intent on giving that cow some company.
Some of the club's cost-cutting measures are doing more than showing a
cash cow to the door, they're showing it to the slaughterhouse door.
For example, since last year, the
Jazz Company has gone from presenting the best
local and national acts to an embarrassing calendar of solo acts.
The evidence that the calendar is embarrassing comes from some of the
musicians themselves. A few asked
for their solo appearances to
be
excluded from the jazzinorlando.com calendar (it isn't
the type of performance they want to be know for), and club management
was embarrassed enough that they stopped requesting the list of scheduled performers be posted way back in the
beginning of the year.
It's important to note here that the solo musicians are excellent
musicians, and they give very good solo performances. The point is that,
by slashing the talent to solo acts in an effort to cut costs, the Jazz
Company is likely contributing to their own downfall.
Over the years, many Orlando area jazz fans and listeners have patronized
the Jazz Company. But now, with Island admission over $20.00 bucks a pop,
both local and visiting patrons who're anticipating hearing a
nationally-known group feel cheated by a solo act ... regardless of the
quality of the performance.
Things change, clubs change. The lighted marquee sign
above the
entryway of the venue
offers a hint of the future of the Jazz Company. It used to read "Jazz Company" ... a replacement sign
reads simply "Live Music" ... a noncommittal way of allowing the
club to venture in any direction featuring any format.
|
|
City Jazz
at City Walk
has a great roster of
soul and swing
musicians
|
Not far from the Jazz Company another club, City Jazz
at Universal Studios' City Walk, has a great roster
of regular performers ... soul singer Sisaundra Lewis,
who has a home page on jazzinorlando.com, and another jazzinorlando.com favorite, swing
singer Michael Andrew. But note the descriptors
... soul and swing.
|
|
City Jazz gave up on jazz long ago. Same thing, economics.
In fact, they were forced to boost the price of admission
slightly on
swing nights. They also sell bottled water, instead of serving iced tap
water for free (mine with lemon, please!), on those nights because swing
dancers rarely eat or drink alcohol when they dance. But they do get thirsty, so
they buy bottled water instead of cocktails or soda.
Lewis' soul sounds also get City Jazz patrons dancing
and using lots of energy (albeit in a less stomach-rattling way than swing
dancing), and that translates into food and beverage sales.
That's how City Jazz responds to the issue of dwindling
crowds.
In the midst of it all, the House of Blues is actually ramping up jazz on
their calendar, they're also becoming more attentive to jazz listeners.
(They're likely attracting disgruntled patrons of other venues too.) They
now offer additional seating where there was little before. The change is
in direct response to patrons saying they simply would not support the
venue without more seating. Of course, ticket prices went up accordingly.
So there ya go, full-circle, it's about economics
... cost vs. return on investment. The venues
have to make money in order to stay in business, and they have to be in
business in order to feature music.
At the moment, economics seem to be indicating the worst. So, get out and
enjoy listening to jazz in Orlando while you can. And, whether it's now or
after jazz music disappears from the scene completely, feel free to share
an opinion (or, hey, claim this one as your own if you'd like!) whenever
you hear complaints about the lack of jazz music and venues in Orlando.
Send your thoughts or comments to
editor@jazzorlando.com!
~JINO Editor
October, 2002 |
|
Newz!
Dream Work
... WLOQ's Amy McGuire enjoys making a living! |
|
|
|
This has been a busy year for WLOQ Marketing & Promotions Director Amy
McGuire.
The station is wrapping up a yearlong celebration of
their 25th year on the air, and Amy's been in the middle of it all. She's
still standing, and enjoying every minute of it!
|
|
Everyone dreams of making a living doing what they
enjoy. Some, like Amy McGuire, actually do. McGuire,
Marketing and Promotions Director at WLOQ
103.1 FM in Orlando, plans and implements all of
the station’s events and promotions.
Listen to one of their Around Town announcements, or take a look at the
Around
Town page of the WLOQ web site, and it’s clear … this is no small task. There
are dozens of events coming and going from the calendar, last minute additions
and cancellations, large events, small events, and people … station and venue
staff, outside vendors and clients, artist’s, record label reps, and more … to
deal with.
|
|
And McGuire’s right in the middle of it all.
She says event planning has always been natural for her, even in her high school
days, so it was a natural to choose Advertising and Public Relations as her
major at the University of Central Florida.
Earning the degree included an
internship requirement, and McGuire’s included promotion and event planning at
WOMX 105.1 FM (Mix 105).
|
|
Amy McGuire
|
After graduation, she continued working
at Mix 105 and, later, in promotion amd corporate event planning at WKMG
Channel 6 TV. Then, two years ago, a former co-worker told her about an
opening for the marketing and promotions
position at LOQ. McGuire jumped on the chance to land the job.
Part of the appeal was working in radio again. "Once you’re in radio you never
leave!" McGuire says of making the move from television back to radio. Working
at an independent station also appealed to her. "Being at an independent station
is nice, decisions are made here [instead of at a corporate level]," she
explains.
She says she also enjoys that, unlike other genres, the smooth jazz format
attracts people who are into the music, not the celebrity of it all.
In jazz, and smooth jazz, that seems to be true of
musicians and listeners alike. |
|
McGuire says WLOQ offers plenty creative opportunities too.
"Things are always changing, there’s a lot of creative freedom … which works
well at an independent station," she says. |
|
Even so, the job has as many challenges as appeals. "You have
to be detail oriented, and a little bit of a control freak … and you have to
follow-up on everything," McGuire says of the work.
And sometimes, she says, event attendees make unreasonable demands of the venues
and station. Sometimes area venues who want to promote their own events have
difficulty understanding why WLOQ asks the question "what’s in it for
our listeners?" before agreeing to get behind a
project.
Those infrequent challenges are quickly balanced by times when McGuire hears
positive comments from listeners. "Those times make you love your job all over
again, it’s when you know you’re doing your job well," she says. |
|
|
|
|
|
McGuire supports the station philosophy … the listener comes
first … because, she says, "Without the listener, we’re out-of-business." On the
flip side, she knows they also have to please their advertiser clients. It’s an
ongoing loop ... please listeners so they’ll listen so advertisers will buy
advertising that listeners will listen to. |
|
|
Wake up and
smell the pabulum!
Even at the start of a new television season,
LOQ is the only jazz station in the country playing
Joe McBride’s Woke Up This Morning, the theme song from the hugely
popular HBO series, The Soprano’s. The song is edgy and frank, but it’s
good music. WLOQ plays other good music that never gets
air elsewhere. Again, it’s good music. But other corporate-giant controlled
stations are force-fed play lists of music blended and homogenized into such
pabulum that it’ll never offend, but it’ll never inspire. Ironically, this is
the worst offense. The product that meets the corporate-giant criteria for
airplay is numbing the musicians and listeners … and bleeding the life out of
the entire genre.
~JINO Editor |
Asked about her favorite part of the job McGuire replies,
"That’s a tough one, … the artist’s are a big part." She says she also enjoys a
few other benefits ... like two trips to Jamaica for
live broadcasts!
Asked what she wants listeners to know about the station her reply was quick and
sure, "Internally, we all care so much about the product, not just the job. We
enjoy every minute of it, and each other."
Next time you’re listening, listen closely … can you hear that they care about
the product? You bet you can!
~September, 2002 |
|
Newz!
Rico Monaco & Sol Sons
... sweeping nominations and mapping a path to success! |
|
Countless loyal fans of
Rico Monaco & Sol Sons helped the group
sweep the 2002 JINO Awards.
They're also nominated in the World Music category of the Orlando
Music Awards, sponsored by the Orlando Weekly, for the second year.
Now, meet the man behind the band ... Rico
Monaco!
|
|
It’s a given that a talented guitarist could
own Orlando. Jazz music listeners all over town talk about it often.
Those same listeners know that owning Orlando takes more than just showing up
and playing a venue. That talented guitarist has to play
great shows consistently, put all of their energy into delivering entertainment,
be professional, have good business sense, work hard, and
appreciate their listeners and fans.
|
|
Rico Monaco
|
Folks, meet Rico Monaco, front-man for the
band Rico Monaco & Sol Sons (RMSS).
You may know their music already. If not, get to know
it because he’s the guy just described ... an amazing
and talented guitarist who plays great shows
consistently, puts all of his energy into delivering |
entertainment, is professional, has
good business sense, works hard, and appreciates his
listeners and fans.
RMSS either owns Orlando already ... or will soon.
Accomplishing that may be
made a little simpler for Monaco and
the eight-member band because of their broad appeal
and crossover style.
Monaco describes the group as Latin rock, but their sound is jazzy enough to
land a spot in the WLOQ 103.1 FM Jazz Jam series this summer. The station also
plays music from the self-titled CD,
Rico Monaco & Sol Sons.
|
You'll want to add
this CD to your collection.
The almost exclusively original material was written and composed by Monaco,
with the exception of one tune by Stevie Wonder and
another by Tito Puente ...
and Tito Puento, Jr. lends his talent as a featured guest on
that track.
Monaco’s goal extends beyond owning Orlando. "I’ve never felt so close to
|
|
The
group's self-titled CD, Rico Monaco & Sol Sons
|
|
[reaching] my dream, I’m
going for it ... no risk, no reward," he says emphatically.
His dream has already taken him to Paris where RMSS headlined, with Puente, Jr.
as their guest performer, at the Mundo Latino Festival. They’ve played San
Fransisco’s Black & White Ball.
Closer to home Monaco and RMSS played major events in Miami, Tampa, and
Jacksonville. Orlando venue performances include Hard Rock Live, House of Blues,
a Magic game halftime event, and Epcot’s New Year’s Eve 2001 and 2002
celebrations.
He and the band just returned from playing ... and packing the house ... at Le
Bar Bat and East Village’s Arlene Grocery, two premiere venues in New York City.
He'll spend the last eight
days of August playing
eight mid-West and East-coast cities as the special
guest guitarist for the Thrusters, a rock/surf/punk/pop band
(that, undoubtedly, will secure his place in genre crossover forever).
Monaco says the effort to reach his dream "comes from desire, and love of what I
do." That and more ... much, much more. More like hard
work, being a talented player and composer, a great
entertainer, seeking and heeding advice, studying
the music business, and mapping
his path to success.
So, if you’ve ever wondered what the path to success looks like, just watch Rico
Monaco as he makes the trip for himself and the Sol Sons!
Sample Tell Me
(55sec:646k:mp3) from
the CD, Rico Monaco & Sol Sons!
Visit Rico Monaco & Sol Sons' web site at
www.ricomonaco.com!
~August,2002 |
Newz!
Guitarist Peter White
... what more can be said?! |
|
Peter White
after the House
of Blues
show.
|
When guitarist
Peter White played the House of Blues recently he was as good as
he’s ever been. He was as good as you’d expect an excellent guitarist of
his caliber to be. He played, and he played well.
So, rather than offer up yet another glowing review repeating what
you’re likely to read about every Peter White performance, here’s a
story with a slight shift in focus ... it’s a little insight into one of
White’s band members, bass guitarist Andre Berry. |
|
Introducing bass guitarist Andre Berry!
... when he gets funky
he plays with
saxophonist Warren Hill, trumpeter Rick Braun, and guitarist Peter White
as well as his own band! |
|
|
|
Offstage, he’s quiet and unassuming . Onstage, he
becomes "Ninjabass" ... a very present bass guitarist who adds interest
to every show he plays. And he plays a lot of shows with a lot of musicians.
Primarily, Berry adds his talent to the performances of three separate players
... saxophonist Warren Hill, trumpeter Rick Braun, and guitarist Peter White. If
you’ve seen or heard music from any of the three, you’ve more than likely
noticed and appreciated Berry’s work.
What may’ve gotten by unnoticed is Berry’s solo work.
|
|
In fact, Berry has a new release with a huge collection of
his musician friends, Introducing ... The Deep Fried Funk Society, that
debuted in mid-July.
All songs are original, and Berry wrote all but one. One other was co-written.
Most are vocal tracks.
It’s guys like Berry who keep the wrinkle |
Introducing ...
The Deep Fried Funk Society
|
in the sheets of smooth jazz.
They rock, they’re funky, and they kick (hmm, it must be the kick that adds the
wrinkle) in their solo efforts ... many of which, unfortunately, may never see
enough air play to suit fans. |
|
Andre Berry
relaxing backstage after
the House of Blues show.
|
Just the fact that Berry, and others like him, put together
bands and play their own brand of music keeps their style fresh.
And that’s an important part of what keeps the jazz genre alive and ... well,
alive and kickin’.
They bring an essential |
|
freshness and style from their solo work to the Warren
Hill’s, Rick Braun’s, and Peter White’s of the genre.
This solo work is creditable. The Deep Fried Funk Society is funky, and
it’s good music that strikes a balance between influences. Besides funk, the mix
includes a flavor of rap, hip-hop, a little melodic pop, and a couple of ballads
of the quality you hear on WLOQ.
So, if you like jazz or smooth jazz ... but like a kick that puts a wrinkle in
it ... give Andre Berry’s The Deep Fried Funk Society a listen.
After all, who can help but love a song like Summertime
that raps "... headin’ to the party with a gansta stride, steppin’ with
my honey, grab a glass of wine ...". Rap and wine. Berry’s touch blend the two
in a very cool way.
Give it a listen and feel a
little Summertime
funk for yourself! Summertime
audio clip :: 44sec.865k.mp3)
Visit
The Deep Fried Funk Society web site!
~August,2002 |
|
|
jazzinorlando.com extends a huge ... absolutely huge ... thanks to Cindy Adams
for making this article, and the accompanying photos, possible! |
|
Newz!
Take a Dream Journey with Krystof
... his new CD provides the transportation! |
|
Pianist and keyboard player Krystof Sebrakowski
recently performed music from his new CD, Dream
Journey, in a unique setting ... the concert room of Steinway
Piano Galleries in Altamonte Springs. Close to one hundred people attended to
listen as he played the entire CD solo, with the balance of the music sequenced.
This is the first release for the Orlando-based musician whose name may be
familiar from his stints with Groove Logic and another Orlando musician,
guitarist Cristian Valenzuela. And, if you do know his music from his days with
these two, then you know how good a player he is. He’s just as good writing and
composing.
The music is quality. It has all the elements
necessary for good listening ... good rhythm and beat, plenty
of energy, outstanding musicians to back Krystof's
outstanding work, and more.
|
|
Dream Journey is the perfect name for this CD. Some
songs are contemplative at first, then they surge into
a take-a-deep-breath-and-smile
inspiration ... ah, life is good is the feeling that finishes
this journey into feeling fine.
Another song, Concerto, offers a different kind of journey. It’s a
journey through |
|
Dream Journey
|
|
musical styles. The composition starts
with a classical, style
changes to new age, and blends into jazz/smooth jazz
for the ending.
|
A couple of other things contribute to the appropriateness of
the title. For example, releasing his own CD was one
of Krystof’s dreams. Another dream is to perform music from
it with the Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra at the Bob Carr Theatre.
Now, here’s a journey through a few other songs from the CD.
The way Krystof introduces
one of the nicest songs, Words Unspoken, says as much as the song itself
says. "I play better than I talk. This song says something I can only say
by playing," he comments. |
|
Krystof celebrates the release of
Dream Journey by playing music from the entire CD in a performance
at Steinway Piano
Galleries.
|
Something to Say to You is dedicated to another
Orlando-based musician, the late
guitarist Steve Veale.
"He was a great person, a wonderful artist, and a good friend," Krystof says of
Veale.
Hawaiian Rendezvous, was inspired by trip to the island. Away in Paris
was written while his wife, Nina, was ... well, while she was away in Paris.
|
|
Krystof writes from life and it’s inspirations, even the
simple ones that get by others who are less creative
and talented.
But take your own journey to see, and hear, Krystof. He’ll be performing at
various venues around town soon. So,
go ... pick up your own piece of a dream
in Dream Journey.
~August, 2002
Check for
Krystof's performance dates in the Calendar! |
|
Meet Dave Kosh
...
Program Director for WLOQ! |
WLOQ 103.1, Orlando’s independent smooth jazz
radio station, has been very busy
celebrating its 25th anniversary
of broadcasting. Twenty-five years in radio ... with essentially one,
albeit finely tuned, format ... is big, it’s a very long time,
and a real accomplishment.
Dave Kosh, Program Director, kindly agreed to give an inside look at
how the station outlasts so many others, how they stay on top of their
market and please their listeners ... and just kind of how the whole
thing works.
Kosh started with some statistics and programming information.
Of the adult stations, whose listeners are 25 to 54 years old, LOQ is
ranked #4 in the metro-Orlando market. The active music library is
approximately a thousand songs at any
given time. Kosh receives around 300 CDs a week for
consideration for airplay. A song has about
eight to 12 seconds to present a good groove or a unique harmony
before it’s done.
Programming is a balancing act as the station strives to grow its
listener-base ...
while continuing to please core listeners and maintain a solid
foundation. There’s no formula, it takes a a lot
of experience mixed with a little
experimenting. |
"We’re able to be more experimental,"
Kosh says of being an independent station.
And this, he says,
is where it gets fun.
He continues ... adding that LOQ often plays
songs and artists that, unimaginably,
rarely show up on other smooth jazz stations.
He’s referring to some major players
too, like Dido and Ray Charles
for example.
At one point, LOQ was the only station in
the country playing Bonnie Raitt’s new tune, I Can’t Help You Now. |
|
Dave Kosh, WLOQ Program Director
|
And, even though Joe McBride's Woke Up This
Morning (the theme from HBO's
The Soprano’s), is
wildly popular, LOQ is one of the few
stations to put it on the air.
Speculating about the reason, Kosh says, "It’s pretty gritty."
Being an independently owned and operated allows WLOQ to determine
their own playlist, how often to play the songs,
when to play them, and when to pull
them off the list. It means they can respond to area listeners
preferences quickly and frequently.
But, more importantly, they actually listen to what listeners
want.
In fact, in 2000, Kosh established the
WLOQ Listener Advisory Board just for the
purpose of finding out what listeners want.
The Board gives listeners a vehicle to give the station their input.
The information is compiled and analyzed ... then it’s actually used
for things like determining the playlist, planning events ... and
deciding which musicians to bring to town
for those events.
Kosh says the Board also connects the station and listeners. It gives
listeners an important sense of ownership in the
music and music community, and it
gives the station a sense of responsibility to listeners.
|
The
station has played smooth jazz for 25 years.
|
|
While it’s important to gather and utilize this
type of internal research Kosh says it’s also critical to "know your
business and make decisions accordingly." (So, there you have it ...
listeners don’t get to run the station entirely after all.)
An important aspect of business is that little thing about growing the
listener-base.
The approach taken by LOQ is to play crossover music ... and there’s a
reason for that. |
Crossover music comes complete with vocals ... and
there’s a reason for that too. It’s easier to listen to music
with vocals, so most listeners like vocals. Vocals make it easier to
remember the music and song titles, so the
music becomes familiar and comfortable
quickly . Understandably, if a station wants to attract more
listeners, they play more vocal tunes.
Smooth jazz, with few exceptions, is instrumental. And
... as even core listeners
know ... without vocals,
there's nothing to conveniently hang a title on. It may take awhile
for a title to stick. Learning to recognize musicians by instrument
and musical style, instead of by voice, takes a bit longer ... but
it's a fun challange. Even so, once
you remember song titles, and begin to recognize
artists by their style, just exactly how do you remember
which goes with which?
Kosh and LOQ came up with something to help. It’s called
top-of-the-hour branding, and here’s how it works. At the beginning of
the hour (obviously ...)
a pre-recorded audio clip plays. An LOQ announcer
says "smooth jazz is ..." then a short music clip plays. Then the
announcer says the title
of the
song and the name of the artist.
This accomplishes two things ... it helps the listener relate
the songs with the titles and
artists. It also helps the station with product branding
that quickly let’s listeners know what music
the station plays. The stakes are high, listeners
may stay tuned ... or tune out ... based, in part, on product
branding. |
|
