[FA Worldmusic] a post from anonymous on entrypoints, tokenism, and art

[Imbizo at aol.com]

"The problem is when the mentality for promoting projects takes a "the next  
Buena Vista Social Club"
approach..."  er, I dont see where the problem  is in this - I'm in the 
business of selling artists and their music - if  labeling something 'the next X' 
works, i'll do it until it doesn't  work.  Some will outgrow that label and 
forge their own identities, some  wont.  Market mechanics.   I find this refusal 
to engage in and /  or disdain for established marketing techniques in 'world 
music' perplexing -  its as if 'we' are too good for this kind of thinking.
 
There are plenty of formulas going around...a record company marketing  plan, 
World Circuit trademarking the BVSC name, Six Degrees' packaging, Concord  
and Starbucks, Starbucks racking, virtually every press and promo campaign I  
engage requires NPR attention for some if not all of its success, and certainly  
touring is the sine qua non of success.  More than ever, in  fact.  The 
touring circuit, is after all, a formula too. 
 
We need more formulas, not less.
 
Mel Puljic
 

The  successes, however they happen, are good news. Period. Whether
from PBS,  whether from Paul Simon's large spotlight, whatever. And in
theory, there  is enough carry-over from any such thing to sustain and
build some more  interest. The problem is when the mentality for
promoting projects takes a  "the next Buena Vista Social Club"
approach, since for the most part those  kind of large successes are
not repeatable, but are the result of many  factors converging,
including sometimes just simple right-thing/right-time  fortune -- a
harmonic convergence or perfect wave kind of  phenomenon.

In other words, there is no formula that can be recreated.  Each
project demands its own approach, or so it seems to this  armchair
quarterback.

-----------------------------------
Check  out my  column:
http://www.spinner.com/category/around-the-world/
-----------------------------------

On  Aug 16, 2007, at 9:01 AM, Todd Walker wrote:

>  pardon.
>
> you know how clearly I present  myself....right?
>
> that's what I am asking.  I think there  are different formulas for
> everyone,
> would love to know how it  has worked for others.  It always starts
> with the
> solid  team - agent, manager, publicist, label all working together
>  cohesively.
>
> RyG was all about radio to start then TV then  festivals, small
> clubs to
> large and so on.  What was  REALLY unique about their whole rise to
> fame was
> this  placement they got on you tube.  One of their songs sat on
> their  home
> page for about 2 days and they got hundreds of thousands of  hits.  The
> surprising thing for this band was why did radio pick  up on it so
> hard?
>
> What was the story on Gotan?   Vieux seems to be rocking right now.
> Where
> did Baobab  go?  Bembeya Jazz?
>
> Lots of great music to chose from for  all you presenters, the better
> question is how to keep the career  moving forward.
>
>
>
> Todd Walker
>  International Music Network
> 278 Main Street - Gloucester, MA  01930
> 978.283.2883 // 978.283.2330 fax
> www.imnworld.com  <http://www.imnworld.com>
>
> Check out www.imnworld.com  <http://www.imnworld.com/>  for info on
> all our
>  artists, tour updates, news, tech riders, image downloads and  more.
>
>  ********************************************
>
> This message and  any attachments are intended only for the use of the
> addressee and may  contain information that is privileged and
> confidential.
> If  the reader of the message is not the intended recipient or an
>  authorized
> representative of the intended recipient, you are hereby  notified
> that any
> dissemination of this communication is  strictly prohibited. If you
> have
> received this communication  in error, notify the sender immediately by
> return email and delete the  message and any attachments from your
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>
>
>
>
> -----Original  Message-----
> From:  fa-worldmusic-bounces+todd=imnworld.com at folk.org
>  [mailto:fa-worldmusic-bounces+todd=imnworld.com at folk.org]On Behalf Of
>  Dmitri Vietze
> Sent: Thursday, August 16, 2007 11:28 AM
> To:  fa-worldmusic at folk.org
> Subject: Re: [FA Worldmusic] a post from  anonymous on entrypoints,
> tokenism,and art
>
>
>  Uhhh, Todd... you forgot to tell us the formula? So BVSC is due to
>  PBS, and
> Ceu and Angelique thanks to Starbucks. What about  R&G?
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Todd  Walker" <todd at imnworld.com>
> To: "Dmitri Vietze"  <music at rockpaperscissors.biz>; <fa-
>  worldmusic at folk.org>
> Sent: Thursday, August 16, 2007 9:00  AM
> Subject: RE: [FA Worldmusic] a post from anonymous on  entrypoints,
> tokenism,and art
>
>
>>
>>  Ah yes - just the sort of this we shoudl be getting  into.
>>
>> First off, I like the term "world music" and  much as I like the terms
>> "Rock", "folk" "electronic" "metal" and  the rest of it.  I will
>> refrain
>> from
>>  citing the infinite specific examples, but really who  cares?
>>
>> Also, do remember how uneducated we are as  Americans - "world music"
>> offers
>> a bit of clarity for  most.
>>
>> I want to start hearing some thoughts like  homeboy (or girl) below.
>>
>> How do we cross WORLD MUSIC  into the main stream?  I have had a few
>> successes but really  isolated and many can't seem to put a finger
>> on it.
>>  Rodrigo y Gabriela is the best example, whom many of you may know  the
>> recently ran for the CAA border to become movie  stars.
>> Regardless, you
>> have
>> a Mexican  guitar duo who basically folded directly into a
>> mainstream  plan.
>>
>> Why?
>>
>> Why did AAA radio  get so crazy on it, why did comm. radio go nuts,
>> TV  came
>> along and all of a sudden you have a MEXICAN guitar duo who  will
>> probably
>> sell over 250K records on their first  release.  INSANE!  I personally
>> think
>> they  are an incredible show, but more importantly this experience
>>  reinforced
>> my faith that music from across the world can cross  over into the
>> mainstream
>> and contend with commercial  rock bands.
>>
>> CeU and Angelique are crushing it right  now thanks to Starbucks.
>>
>> Buena Vista thanks to  PBS.
>>
>> There are many more examples, but this is an  essential focus for
>> us.  Of
>> course I want all you  ethnomusicology nerds (myself included without
>> degree)
>>  to know about these artists, but above and beyond I want to bring  my
>> artists
>> from the corners of the earth into the  living rooms of people
>> outside of
>> the
>>  major markets.  Not only is there brilliant music being made,  but
>> culturally
>> this education is  imperative.
>>
>> What are your  successes?
>>
>> The ideas that flow, the closer we get to a  system when tours/records
>> don't
>> happen once.  We  can start building a foundation and structure to
>> make
>>  some
>> noise in this country.
>>
>> violins (fade  in)...cello....and now the woodwinds
>>
>> with  respect.
>>
>> Todd Walker
>> International Music  Network
>> 278 Main Street - Gloucester, MA 01930
>>  978.283.2883 // 978.283.2330 fax
>> www.imnworld.com  <http://www.imnworld.com>
>>
>> Check out  www.imnworld.com <http://www.imnworld.com/>  for info  on
>> all our
>> artists, tour updates, news, tech riders,  image downloads and more.
>>
>>  ********************************************
>>
>> This  message and any attachments are intended only for the use of the
>>  addressee and may contain information that is privileged and
>>  confidential.
>> If the reader of the message is not the intended  recipient or an
>> authorized
>> representative of the  intended recipient, you are hereby notified
>> that any
>>  dissemination of this communication is strictly prohibited. If you
>>  have
>> received this communication in error, notify the  sender
>> immediately by
>> return email and delete the  message and any attachments from your
>>  system.
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>  -----Original Message-----
>> From:  fa-worldmusic-bounces+todd=imnworld.com at folk.org
>>  [mailto:fa-worldmusic-bounces+todd=imnworld.com at folk.org]On Behalf  Of
>> Dmitri Vietze
>> Sent: Wednesday, August 15, 2007  10:01 PM
>> To: fa-worldmusic at folk.org
>> Subject: [FA  Worldmusic] a post from anonymous on entrypoints,
>> tokenism,and  art
>>
>>
>> ----- Original Message  -----
>>
>> So much to say and so little  timeb&
>>
>> Dmitri has encouraged me to post my  comments to this list.  My
>> response to
>>  him
>> was that the usual suspects intimidate me.  My own  paranoia, but
>> simply
>> put,
>> my label would  be layperson by comparison to you all who seem much
>>  more
>> knowledgeable in this arena. So, Ibm comfy w/remaining under  the
>> radar.
>> Ibm guessing though, if you donbt stand  up, you donbt stand a
>> chance.
>> b  Genesis
>>
>> Many years ago, while having a discussion with  a colleague about
>> the title
>> of
>> an under  attended art exhibition, she pointed out that the chosen
>> name  was
>> an
>> obvious title for those intimate with the  history of art; however,
>> the
>> obscure
>> title  for the general populous might not motivate them to visit w/
>> out  some
>> sort of hook, or rather, context.
>>
>>  Butb&did you know the bicycle was invented then?  Wow, that gave  this
>> period
>> some everyday relevance.  And,  perhaps this new reference point
>> would even
>> arouse  enough curiosity to inspire a visit.  A little
>>  oversimplified, but
>> just
>> trying to make a  point.
>>
>> While attending a programming meeting prior to  the opening of an
>> exhibition
>> of
>> the work  of Barnett Newman, a now deceased artist that formerly
>>  created
>> larger
>> than life, more or less, mono-chromatic  canvasses w/a stripe or so
>> down
>> the
>>  middle, or positioned on some other location on the painting.   You
>> know,
>> one
>> of those artists that elicit  reactions such as, bMy Kindergartner
>> could
>>  do
>> that!b orb& bI just donbt get it!b Curators and  educators were
>> debating about what type of tours and gallery talks  to present.  Some
>> historian suggested, bWouldnbt it be fun  to just send people
>> into the
>> exhibition and then  gather together after seeing the show for a
>>  discussion?b
>> Maybe fun for them, even if modern art wasnbt their  area of
>> expertise,
>> because they had the knowledge base  to bhave funb w/reactions,
>> understanding the history of art in  general.  When one is
>> intimidated,
>>  such
>> as
>> myself, Ibm embarrassed to explore my  reactions b/c what if theybre
>> wrong.
>> Poor assumption  on my part, Ibm aware, but as a stereotype,
>> thatbs  just
>> the nature of the beast, Ibm afraid.  Coincidentally,  during that
>> show, I
>> took a musician into see it.   The curator happened to be standing
>> in the
>> middle of  one of the main display galleries, where every work of
>> art  was
>> enormous, brightly colored, and the gestalt was magnificent  and
>> powerful.
>> The
>> focus for me, as well as  the musician, was on the room, the
>> installation,
>>  not
>> just the individual works of art. Following our  emotional
>> introduction,
>> the
>> curator joined  us and waxed eloquently about all of it.  It was an
>>  eye
>> opening
>> and exciting experience for all that  gravitated towards her.
>>
>> So, labels, hmmmm.  When  convenient, they are great.  When
>> problematic, we
>>  tend to reject them and bwish they would go away.b
>>
>> I  for one enjoy a love hate relationship with them.  When hired  to
>> program,
>> I
>> didnbt have a clue as to  what I was doing.  Oy, yet another
>> uninformed
>>  producer! But, I had strong feelings about other conundrums, and  they
>> evolved,
>> just as I did, in this baptism by fire  sort of situation.  The
>> first issue
>>  was
>> what do I do on a bBlack Historyb night.  That made me  cringe.
>> There
>> were
>> a series of problems  with this label.  First, I hate token, thematic
>>  evenings
>> such as that, or Womenbs History night in March, or, you  get the
>> picture.
>> They donbt bother me as much if  throughout the remainder of the
>> year, a
>> broad spectrum  of events is presented without an air of tokenism.
>> Also,  I
>> was
>> told that during my predecessorsb bBlack  History Nightsb that
>> Caucasians
>> didnbt attend and  neither did African Americans b/c the overall
>> museum
>>  attendance reported a 1% diversity statistic. That made me angry
>>  enough to
>> attempt to change that.  Long story short again,  Black History
>> night, my
>> first
>> one, drew  the usual 1,000 visitors, rather than the previous
>> scaled  down
>> 300.
>> An African American friend and colleague  offered, bDonbt be
>> smug, let me
>> see you do it again,  and not just once a year.b
>>
>> This led to questioning  other types of programming.  The origins
>> of the
>>  above
>> mentioned, weekly series were to take a thematic approach.  The
>> themes were
>> to
>> highlight the museumbs  exhibitions and permanent collection.  We
>> all  know
>> there are an infinite number of themes in art; therefore,  the
>> programming
>> had
>> no boundaries.   Wouldnbt it be fun to opt for some general theme,
>>  Hearts
>> and
>> Flowers, if you will?  What ethnic  group fits there?  Can Abba
>> satisfy
>>  that
>> theme? Can the Carolina Chocolate Drops? You betcha.   But, that
>> doesnbt
>> mean
>> you canbt turn  around and have an American Roots night, or celebrate
>>  Malian
>> culture on another.
>>
>> I lost myself  here with my own free associations, but perhaps, in
>>  conclusion,
>> labels arenbt so much the issue, but what, when and  how one uses
>> them.
>>
>> Enjoy the music and the  art...
>> _______________________________________________
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