Monday, March 17, 2014

Post-Bop and Avant-Garde Jazz Saxophonist Keith Gamble: Please Do Not Feed The Sharks

Post-Bop and Avant-Garde Jazz Saxophonist Keith Gamble: Please Do Not Feed The Sharks:      Reading through a post I found on Linkedin`s Group called Placement Of Original Music In Film/TV/Commercials, one member wrote a post c...

Please Do Not Feed The Sharks

     Reading through a post I found on Linkedin`s Group called Placement Of Original Music In Film/TV/Commercials, one member wrote a post called "Don`t Feed The Sharks!, written by Dave Yowell. I found Dave Yowell`s post to be very interesting and insightful. As a composer I could not help being drawn to Yowell`s topic. Before reading "Don`t Feed The Sharks!" I was watching the short film "Wrong Girl" on YouTube. Wrong Girl is a short film from 48 Hours Films-Detroit, in which I provided the music.

     So, what are these sharks? Songsharks are dishonest music publishers and services that prey on the naivete of new songwriters to charge for services a legitimate publisher would not charge clients. In an online article from MusicDish e-Journal, March 17, 2014, in an article titled "Fleecing The Indie Community: The Song Shark Controversy - Part I", author John Foxworthy from Garage Radio reported on a band that was charged  a minimum of $597.00 for a music service to shop their music to radio stations and record labels. I think we all know how that went. In the end, the music service did not follow through on its obligations, and were neglectful.

     I have to agree with Dave Yowell. To get placement of songs and compositions requires a focus on personal contacts with real professionals, and establishing relationships. As a composer I am working to develop, establish, and form professional relations with those I know, and work together within those relationships to develop art and music that speaks to our audience, and in the process rewards us with artistic and economic success.