Monday, October 31, 2022

Music, Entrepreneurship and Careers

      Are musicians entrepreneurs? The answer to that is Yes and No. Yes, we can create businesses, but we are members of a gig economy. That is interesting in-that musicians created the word meaning I have a job (gig) to play. As musicians many of us have learned to play our instruments with others. We form friendships, bonds, and collaborations with other like-minded musicians. In music we make life long friends, and are members of a community of musical artist.


     Musicians create music that is meaningful to us as artist, and through that process hopefully we are creating music that you will enjoy and love. As songwriters and composers we work to make our music meaningful, and sustain public interest to our music. That is our responsibility as musical artist, not entrepreneurs.


     Musicians are employed in industries that include entertainment, music business, and arts administration. Careers for musicians include art administrators, business owners, community arts advocates, performing musicians, and public, private or charter music teachers in our school systems. If someone is interested in a career in music you have choices. You can become an independent musician. As a musician you perform and create music. Music industry executive. This professional carries-out the vision of a music company, as well as securing financial backing for music projects. Artist manager. The artist manager has vision, or fulfills the vision of the artist`s career. Managers do everything from negotiating contracts, balancing checkbooks, overseeing tours, and scheduling recording sessions.


     Other opportunities in music include music marketing representative to help artist get their work out to a broader audience by radio, and other nontraditional ways. This professional leverages latest techniques that engages with musicians. Music industry consultant. This professional offers strategies required to elevate an artist`s career. There are other careers in music, just do your research.

Friday, August 19, 2022

Thursday, August 18, 2022

Drummer Nate Smith

      Drummer Nate Smith was born Ira Nathaniel Smith on December 14, 1974, in Chesapeake, VA. Nate Smith is a drummer, songwriter, producer, and educator whose love for music began with his record collection, which included recordings of Quincy Jones and Herbie Hancock. While listening to these recordings Nate Smith would particularly listen to the drummers.


     Nate Smith began playing drums like many of us in K-12 education. He played in the Indian River High School band program in Chesapeake, Virginia, playing in concert band, marching band, and jazz band. Outside of school Nate Smith played in church. Nate grew-up in a quiet church community of parishioners, so he only played during special occasions. Gospel drumming was not a large part of his drumming foundation.


      Along with his siblings Nate Smith took piano lessons after his mom purchased a piano for the family home. Nate would loss interest in playing piano after a year of lessons, and returned to playing drums. Nate Smith would come back to the piano, but drums was his true passion.


     Nate Smith was greatly influenced by Art Blakely and the Jazz Messengers of the 1980`s. He was also influenced by Elvin Jones, but Smith would not learn about Elvin Jones until he was enrolled in college. During his college years Max Roach was also a discovery, but not merely as a drummer, but a conceptualist and composer. Nate Smith was quoted as saying "Elvin, Max and Art Blakely are the triumvirate for me as a drummer."


     For over 20 years Nate Smith has worked with some of the greatest names in jazz, R&B, rock, pop, and hip-hop as performer, composer, arranger, with Pat Metheny, Dave Holland, Chris Potter, Jose James, John Patitucci, Ravi Coltrane, Somi, and others. Nate Smith has two Grammy-nominated albums; Kinfolk: Postcards From Everywhere Project, and Kinfolk 2: See The Birds.

Wednesday, June 8, 2022

Post-Bop and Avant-Garde Jazz Saxophonist Keith Gamble: Hippie Live 2022

Post-Bop and Avant-Garde Jazz Saxophonist Keith Gamble: Hippie Live 2022:      Yes! American society is back! You see it with traffic jams going into downtown Detroit, and numerous musical performances. One venue i...

Hippie Live 2022

     Yes! American society is back! You see it with traffic jams going into downtown Detroit, and numerous musical performances. One venue is the Hippie Living Fair. Although not in Detroit, this is one of many festivals in the State of Michigan.


     The Hippie Living Fair is not a jazz festival, and I do not even know who is performing at the Hippie Living Fair, but that is not the point. The music community is back after three years of isolation. Yes, it is great to see musicians are working again. So, if you happen to be in the area of Berrien Springs, Michigan, go check-out the festival`s live performances.


     Dates for this years Hippie Living Fair is from July 1-3, 2022, in Berrien Springs, MI. This event has live performances reminiscent of the 1960s Hippie movement, featuring three days of music on three stages with jam bands from around the world. Also, experience Bohemian - themed markets at the Hippie Live 2022 festival.


     Check-out the Hippie Living Fair, at 9122 US Highway 31, Berrien Springs, MI 49103. For more information, call (269)625-0364, or email Info@HippieLivingFair.com. For additional information, just Google Hippie Living Fair. For those of you that attend, please respond by commenting on this blog your experiences at the Hippie Living Fair. 

Monday, April 11, 2022

Favorite Recordings From Herbie Hancock

      As I was reading an on-line article from Jazzwise, titled Herbie Hancock: 21 Essential Albums, by Alyn Shipton, Monday, October 18, 2021, I got an idea to share my list of favorite Herbie Hancock recordings. Alyn Shipton`s Herbie Hancock: 21 Essential Albums is a helpful list that points to the great works pianist and composer Herbie Hancock has shared with his fans throughout the years.


     The Miles Davis Quintet of the 1960s was known as "the greatest small group of the 60s put Herbie on the map as an international star". These notable albums were ESP, Nefertiti, and Sorcerer.


     Herbie Hancock`s 1965 Blue Note recording of Maiden Voyage was an album that captured the grandeur of sea life. Speak Like A Child was a Herbie Hancock recording from Blue Note Records recorded in 1968. Speak Like A Child was also the title sound trac for the album. Speak Like A Child is such a beautiful recording, especially the background harmonies of Jerry Dodgion on flute, and Thad Jones on flugelhorn. The Prisoner is one of my favorite Herbie Hancock albums. I am particularly crazy about the recording "I Have A Dream", and Joe Henderson`s tenor saxophone solo on that recording. The Prisoner was also the end of Herbie Hancock`s association with Blue Note Records.


     Mwandishi was the start of his affiliation with Warner Brother Records, in 1970. Herbie`s line-up featured Eddie Henderson on trumpet, Julian Priester on trombone, and Bennie Maupin on woodwinds.


     Herbie Hancock moved to Columbia Records, in 1973. This move to Columbia Records took Herbie Hancock into funk music with his Head Hunters album. "Chameleon" was the popular hit on Head Hunters that introduced Herbie Hancock`s music to huge audiences. Continuing on with Hancock`s Columbia years, other albums have become my favorites, such as V.S.O.P. (Columbia, 1976). I love this album! Especially the Herbie Hancock Sextet. The Herbie Hancock Sextet is the Mwandishi group performing "Toys" and "You`ll Know When You Get There" on the recording. Yes, I have to admit it, the album Future Shock (Columbia, 1983) is a guilty pleasure.


     When you get a chance listen to my favorite Herbie Hancock picks, and I am sure you have yours; please share them. Well, excuse me; I have some listening to do.




Shipton, Alyn. Herbie Hancock: 21 Essential Albums. Jazzwise October 18, 2021, www.jazzwise.com



Tuesday, February 15, 2022

Post-Bop and Avant-Garde Jazz Saxophonist Keith Gamble: 70`s Soul

Post-Bop and Avant-Garde Jazz Saxophonist Keith Gamble: 70`s Soul:       "People Make The World Go Round", "Pay Back Is A Dog", and many others are recordings I grew-up with as a child in...

70`s Soul

      "People Make The World Go Round", "Pay Back Is A Dog", and many others are recordings I grew-up with as a child in Detroit, MI. I remember the sounds of Motown and other soul and R&B music playing on the radio and record player inside our home. YouTube has brought back those memories with YouTube`s 70`s Greatest Hits Soul. On YouTube`s Greatest Hits Soul you hear the 70`s favorites and classic hits. As an African-American child growing-up in the 1970s, soul and R&B is what we listen to everyday.


     The movie "Crooklyn" presented a representation of an ordinary family with its struggles and challenges, and music playing a major part in their lives. Crooklyn was a wonderful film about family life, and how music was interwoven into the lives of family members. Thank you, Spike Lee for that depiction of a family in Brooklyn, NY, that looked like my family, and the people I grew-up with.


     As an individual I acquired a love for jazz, but my musical roots come from my family with R&B, soul, and the blues, and yes, jazz.


     If you get a chance, check-out YouTube`s 70`s Greatest Hits Soul; I think you will be impressed. Oh, and by the way, don`t forget to wear your high-heel platform shoes.