[FA Worldmusic] Ska Doc

Thu Aug 16 18:43:18 ADT 2007

Thanks!  I'm forwarding the suggestion to Brad.

> Looks very cool Paul - The guys at Shout! Factory might be
> interested in
> this....
> Ian M
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From:
> fa-worldmusic-bounces+ian=menziesmixedmedia.com at folk.org
> [mailto:fa-worldmusic-bounces+ian=menziesmixedmedia.com at folk.org]On
> Behalf Of Paul Harding
> Sent: Thursday, August 16, 2007 1:23 PM
> To: fa-worldmusic at folk.org
> Subject: Re: [FA Worldmusic] a post from anonymous on
> entrypoints,
> tokenism,and art
>
>
> Speaking of the "Buena Vista Social Club of Mongolia," a
> friend of mine is making a movie that will NOT be marketed
> as the Buena Vista Social Club of Jamaica, but the
> comparison is fairly apt.
>
> It's the "Legends of Ska" - that culminates in a two night
> concert in Toronto that he held a few years ago, featuring
> a truly amazing line up, and I was lucky enough to attend.
>
> At this point, he's still seeking funding to complete the
> project, so if you or someone you know might be interested
> in investing in a great document of old Jamaican artists,
> please contact him.
>
> You can view a trailer here:
> http://www.legendsofska.com
>
> -Paul
>
>
>
>> I'm not so much concerned about the labeling as the
>> belief
>> that
>> something actually can repeat the success of a Buena
>> Vista
>> or
>> whatever. Buena Vista was a unique project, successful
>> for
>> reasons
>> distinct to itself (including timing) and trying to
>> duplicate that
>> seems to me doomed to failure. You can't simply put
>> together a bunch
>> of artists from wherever, label them the "Buena Vista
>> Social Club of
>> Mongolia" or whatever and expect it to have the same
>> level
>> of
>> success. Just ask all those folks who were marketed as
>> "the next
>> Dylan"... for every Bruce Springsteen there are hundreds
>> of Elliot
>> Murphys.
>>
>>
>>
>> On Aug 16, 2007, at 10:31 AM, Imbizo at aol.com wrote:
>>
>>> "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
>>> > 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: 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, b
My
>>> Kindergartner
>>> >> could
>>> >> do
>>> >> that!b
 orb& b
I just donbt get it!b
 Curators and
>>> educators were
>>> >> debating about what type of tours and gallery talks
>>> to present.
>>> Some
>>> >> historian suggested, b
Wouldnbt 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 b
have 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 b
wish 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 b
Black 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 b
Black 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,
>>> b
Donbt 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...
>>> >> _______________________________________________
>>> >> FA-Worldmusic mailing list
>>> >> FA-Worldmusic at folk.org
>>> >> http://www.folkserv.net/mailman/listinfo/fa-worldmusic
>>> > _______________________________________________
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