Tag Archives: AFM

AFM, Media Convergence and Performance Rights, Part 5

June 1, 2016 Ray Hair

Below, in the fifth and final part of our series, we examine the growth of streaming and the potential to drive new money to MPTF, SPF, and AFM-EPW.

Revenue from Music Streaming Continues to Grow

From the early 2000s to date, with consumption racing toward streaming and away from physical sales and analog broadcasting, royalty collections from streaming have grown from a trickle to a flood. SoundExchange, the US collective for record labels and featured artists, is now the biggest rights management organization in the world. SoundExchange has collected and distributed more than $3 billion since 2003 and will top $1 billion this year. In 2016, the AFM & SAG-AFTRA Fund will distribute to musicians and vocalists more than $50 million derived primarily from streaming royalties paid by satellite radio and webcasters like Pandora and SiriusXM.

Continue reading →

AFM Canada Musicians Take Home JUNO Awards

May 10, 2016 IM

by Canadian Electronic Media Contract Administrator Daniel Calabrese and International Representative for Canada Allistair Elliot

AFM Electronic Media Contract Administrator Daniel Calabrese (left) with Local 247 (Victoria, BC) member Alex Cuba.

The 2016 JUNO Awards were held in Calgary, Alberta, Sunday, April 3. Leading up to the televised event, the city hosted JUNOfest, which included more than 150 performances in 15 different venues. In true Canadian fashion, there was a hockey game, appropriately named: JUNO Cup, featuring ex-NHLers against musicians. Canadian Office International Representative Allistair Elliott and Contract Administrator Daniel Calabrese represented the AFM/CFM at JUNO Week.

One thing that struck a chord was the diversity that defines Canada’s culture. The JUNO Awards were created to honour and promote Canadian Artists.

We attended a broad range of performances, from Local 180 (Ottawa, ON) members the Cancer Bats, to Local 247 (Victoria, BC) member Alex Cuba. The majority of the venues reached capacity, as they packed with fans in love with Canadian music of all genres. From performances of emerging artists to inducting legends like Local 190 (Winnipeg, MB) member Burton Cummings into Canada’s Music Hall of Fame, it was refreshing to see a vast number of AFM/CFM members taking part in JUNO Week. We were proud to celebrate the many members who took home a JUNO this year (a list of AFM/CFM JUNO Award winners with signatory recordings follows).

The live, televised award show, from Calgary’s Saddledome, was co-hosted by Local 547 (Calgary, AB) member, Jann Arden, and included performances by Local 149 (Toronto, ON) members Robi Botos and Allison Au, together with 80-year-old, first-time nominee Al Muirhead (of Local 547). He was supported by Tommy Banks of Local 390 (Edmonton, AB), Kodi Hutchinson (Local 547), and Mark Kelso (Local 149). They performed a memorable all-star jam at the awards gala the previous evening.

Muirhead passionately felt the support of the whole community, performing alongside his friend and musical partner Tommy Banks (Local 390) from the nominated album It’s About Time. Between these two gentlemen, there is more than 120 years of musical history, plus 60 years of friendship. After being a sideman for countless projects, Muirhead’s nomination for [Solo] Jazz Album of the Year, was very well deserved. His supporting cast is pictured above.

Calgary set the bar high during this year’s JUNOFest. Next year the nation’s capital, Ottawa, will be the host city. JUNO Week 2017 will be one of the major events in the city as it celebrates Canada’s 150th anniversary with a yearlong series of special events, exhibits, and immersive experiences.

Photo: (L to R): Chris Andrew of Local 390 (Edmonton, AB); Kodi Hutchinson of Local 547 (Calgary, AB); Jens Lindemann and PJ Perry of Local 390; Al Muirhead of Local 547; Tommy Banks of Local 390; Tyler Hornby of Local 547; and AFM Canadian International Representative Allistair Elliott.

AFM Member JUNO Award Winners whose albums were signatory to AFM Contracts include:

Classical Album of the Year Large Ensemble or Soloist with Large Ensemble Accompaniment: Symphony and New Works for Organ and Orchestra, Orchestre symphonique de Montréal, members of Local 406 (Montreal, PQ)
Breakthrough Group of the Year: Dear Rouge, members of Local 145
Producer of the Year: Bob Ezrin of Local 47 (Los Angeles, CA)

Officer Columns, Vice President from Canada

Local 406 Is Back!

May 4, 2016 Alan Willaert

After what seems like years, I am pleased to report that a service agreement has been reached between La Guilde des musiciens et musiciennes du Quebec and the AFM, allowing them to continue as an important, vibrant part of the Federation. Difficulties had progressively mounted, as our third largest local, Local 406, was straddled with the overwhelming obligations of representing all musicians in the province under Status of the Artist.

In addition, Local 406 could not just compel producers to sign onto existing AFM agreements, as other laws require a “made in Quebec” solution, which was made even more complex with language laws. These unique circumstances were ultimately addressed by the International Executive Board, resulting in an arrangement that allows more flexibility for the local, while maintaining their charter in the AFM.

Special thanks go out to both AFM International President Ray Hair and the Local 406 team, led by President Luc Fortin. To their credit, they showed tremendous patience and understanding, which allowed for the necessary dialogue and the resulting solution.

Music Supervisors Summit

Several weeks ago, an incident occurred involving our New Use Department that led to a decision, which has echoed through most of the production houses in Toronto. At the core, was a request for paper backup to substantiate new use fees on a popular tune from the 1960s.

As always, the client was in a hurry for a final quote, and our office knew that it would take many days, perhaps weeks, to track down a contract from 50 years ago. Knowing the band was AFM, and knowing the label was signatory (Warner), our team went online to determine how many musicians were on the track. We quickly responded to the production company with the answer—four musicians (five units), and gave them the fee.

That should have been the end. However, the company refused to acknowledge that the track was AFM unless we produced the B4 report form. Knowing that would take time, we instead obtained the “label copy” from Warner and were, of course, able to identify each musician on the album. Still, that was not satisfactory.

I started to become fearful that there was a game at play. Did the producers realize that on a track that old, we could very likely be chasing paper for some time? By stating that without the B4 there was no proof it was an AFM product, they could potentially pocket the fees paying nothing to the musicians who did the recording. For me, such a notion is incredibly unacceptable. Also, we met the burden of proof in other ways, as did Warner. So, I then made the decision to cease providing a copy of the B4, to anyone, period. After all, it’s an internal document, resulting from an agreement between the labels and the AFM. A third party should not be entitled access to a document containing wages, pension, and Social Security or Social Insurance Numbers.

When informed of my new policy, the production company, of course, was extremely upset. In what appeared to be a search in support for their cause, the company then reached out to other music supervisors, the jingle agencies, and even the major labels. Copies of the Master Licence Agreements issued by the labels were obtained to determine exactly what language tied the licensee (producer) to paying new use fees to the AFM. When the dust settled, a meeting of all concerned was scheduled in downtown Toronto, ostensibly to challenge my decision, and possibly to the extent of challenging the labels’ licence language, and the validity of new use.

Contract Administrator for Canada Daniel Calabrese and New Use Administrator James Gadon attended, along with myself, as the presenter for the AFM. The turnout was surprising. There were more than 50 attending in person, with SAG-AFTRA representatives Skyped in from Los Angeles. The meeting lasted in excess of two hours.

SAG-AFTRA presented first, followed by the labels; it was then CFM’s turn. I prefaced the question period with a brief history of the SRLA, the rationale for new use payments, and the fact that similar requirements live in all our scale agreements. I also detailed the setup of our ramped-up new use department, new servers, contract scanning procedures, and link with Los Angeles as our view was to deliver a new use quote in minutes, not days or weeks.

We answered all questions quickly and succinctly, and in the end, not one music supervisor dared to suggest that the musicians did not deserve new use fees for having their music synchronized or repurposed. In fact, all comments directed at the CFM were positive. It seems our quotes and responses were understood and very well received. All were left with the knowledge that we’re approachable and easy to work with. Indeed, good news to our team.

I believe the meeting was a major step forward in having a working relationship with the city’s music supervisors, and a reminder to them that tracks must be cleared through our office. In addition, dialogue that occurred with the major labels prior to the meeting, as well as after, was a positive step toward developing a sustainable rhythm in the process of tracking, billing, collecting, and disbursing new use fees to our members.

Organizing

Candidates Seeking Election for AFM Office

May 1, 2016 IM

An important part of each AFM Convention is the nomination and election of international officers who will lead the organization during the next three years. Also elected are delegates to the AFL-CIO Convention. Article 19, Section 2 of the AFM Bylaws provides for the publication of campaign statements by those candidates who have declared their intent to run for office. No candidate is required to publish a statement and all candidates may at any time prior to nominations pursue an office other than the one identified below.

INTERNATIONAL PRESIDENT

Raymond M. Hair, Jr., Local 72-147 (Dallas-Ft. Worth, TX)

Thank you for the privilege of serving as your president with this marvelous Unity Team. We’ve restored and maintained fiscal responsibility. With openness, activism, and real unionism, we’re negotiating and enforcing smart, progressive agreements. Through governmental advocacy, we’ve protected musicians’ interests and improved their lives. We’ve opened doors and found new rights money for AFM members, who make the music the world wants to hear. Difficult problems resolve with teamwork and Unity. Working together, we can preserve and protect our union and keep it strong, because we are stronger together. We ask for your vote. We are a winning team.

INTERNATIONAL VICE PRESIDENT

Bruce Fife, Local 99 (Portland, OR) President

It’s been an honor to represent and serve you as vice president of the American Federation of Musicians. Our union must remain strong and consistent in its leadership, provide the tools and support for our locals to remain vibrant, organize, and build our membership, and continue to strive for successful outcomes in critical local, national, and international negotiations. While we have not won every campaign, our team remains strong and our victories noteworthy. I ask for your continued trust, support, and guidance as we move forward and work together to keep our union strong and adaptive in this evolving industry.

VICE PRESIDENT FROM CANADA

Mark Jamison, Local 149 (Toronto, ON)

Canadian AFM members want to undertake a consensus-based review of AFM Canada’s activities that will serve the needs and aspirations of Canadian musicians. I was trained and worked as a symphony bass player and have had a successful career as an association executive leading media, business, and cultural membership organizations. With the skills, knowledge, and management success that I offer, as VP AFM Canada, I will help members identify approaches to key 21st Century contractual, regulatory, and professional image challenges and opportunities. I appreciate the encouragement of many members across Canada. It would be a privilege to serve you.

Alan Willaert, Local 149

The challenges facing Canadian musicians, and those of us who represent them, have increased exponentially over the last few years. Status quo is no longer an option, and we have therefore served notice to bargain on several large employers in the broadcast world. While this action will undoubtedly increase employment opportunities for members, the additional work involved is substantial. It has been my honour to serve as vice president from Canada, and I’m asking for the opportunity to continue, face those employers across the table, and finish what we started.

INTERNATIONAL SECRETARY-TREASURER

Jay Blumenthal, Local 802 (New York City)

Like so many of you, my 41 years of AFM membership has played a central role in my career as a professional musician. Every dollar the Federation receives to advance our mission is tied in some way to the work that you do as a professional musician. That’s why the spending of union funds must improve the lives and protect the livelihoods of our members. Creating a financially stable AFM while fighting for justice in the workplace, building solidarity, and educating our membership will ensure a stronger union for current and future members.

INTERNATIONAL EXECUTIVE BOARD

John Acosta, Local 47 (Los Angeles, CA) President

It is with great humility that I announce my candidacy for the AFM International Executive Board. For over a decade it has been an honor to serve the amazing musicians of our great union. Together we have fought on the street and at the bargaining table, and on the IEB I will continue the fight for improved economic conditions and better standards for all AFM members. It is an honor to be part of President Hair’s “Team Unity,” the stabilizing force that has rebuilt our AFM. Music is our passion! Now let’s put the same passion into our union!

Joe Boettger, Local 542 (Flint, MI) President

Joe Boettger, President of Local 542, Flint, Michigan, intends to run for an executive board member seat on the International Executive Board. He will be a voice for post-industrial and small locals. He will listen to all Local leadership and advocate continually for them at the international level. He has a pragmatism and fortitude developed from surviving in one of the most hostile labor and human environments currently in the United States. Canadian artists often work in his jurisdiction and he will advocate equally for their concerns. AFM needs a person of this vision and understanding on the IEB now.

Tino Gagliardi, Local 802 President

Having been a part of a union that continues to transform itself through honest and open discussion about the challenges we face is rewarding and has benefited our union over the past six years. This collaborative, comprehensive model contributes to our standing at the bargaining table and continues to address the financial and organizational challenges we face. Working on behalf of all musicians, it is this administration that continues to foster and promote this environment. Please support the Unity Team so we may continue to improve the standards for our members and strengthen our union.

Tina Morrison, Local 105 (Spokane, WA) Vice President

Our union changed directions by electing this administration and then re-electing our team. Stabilization came first with much accomplished via a complex network of activities setting foundations for new relationships and future income streams for musicians in this global economy. We’ve faced many challenges together, however there is more to do. Certain paths became labyrinths but the goals set forth by our mission statement continue to guide us forward. I would appreciate your vote so we can continue the work of making our union inclusive and relevant to all working musicians.

Joe Parente, Local 77 (Philadelphia, PA) President

The last convention has given the Federation the tools to continue in the direction of improving the lives of all AFM members. The IEB has had to make difficult decisions in dealing with the problems we are all facing. With the confidence the last convention showed us, Team Unity will continue to represent our members in an effort to improve all of our lives as professional musicians. I am dedicated, as are all the Federation officers, to continuing to fight for the rights and welfare of all members of the AFM. I ask your support for re-election to the IEB.

Dave Pomeroy, Local 257 (Nashville, TN) President

It has been an honor to serve you as an IEB member for the past six years. I have been a working musician for nearly 40 years, and first got involved in AFM issues long ago because I saw a need for our union to “get real” and evolve with the times. It has not been easy, but the bottom line is that this team has made a real difference in how the AFM takes care of business for its members. We will always be stronger when we are united by our common goal of promoting respect for all musicians.

George Troia, Jr., Local 5 (Detroit, MI) President

I, George Troia , Jr. announce my candidacy for a seat on the International Executive Board of the American Federation of Musicians of the United States and Canada. I am grateful to have been blessed with a with a multi-faceted musical career over the past 50 years, full of experiences that I believe to be valuable to the direction of the Federation in this new century. My primary goal in union representation is, and will always be, making life better for musicians. I humbly ask you for your support in this endeavor.

Officer Columns, Secretary-Treasurer

Secretary-Treasurer Annual Report Synopsis

May 1, 2016 Sam Folio

The following is a synopsis of my office’s recently submitted 2015 Annual Report.

At the close of business 2015, I was pleased to report income over expenses of more than $1.3 million. This is the fourth year that the AFM has net income of a million. AFM Comptroller Michelle Ledgister and her staff are to be commended for keeping Federation finances on track, while working extremely short-handed.

In 2015, we started a payroll service. This service will bring funds to our members on a more timely basis, while providing an easier billing system.

New use payments are increasing. This trend is expected to continue exponentially as the AFM anticipates future growth. Payments from the AFM SAG-AFTRA fund are more than $350,000. We expect the AFM-SAG AFTRA fund to grow to $1 million in 2016. Local 257 (Nashville, TN) member Bruce Boudin is a rank-and-file trustee carrying out his responsibilities as trustee, even while on tour. AFM President Ray Hair is co-chair of the fund and I am a trustee and chair of the investment committee. Delegates to the AFM Convention should look for the AFM SAG-AFTRA booth. You and your members may have money waiting for you.

In 2015 we saw the visa opinion letters grow to an all-time high of $1.6 million.

While funds grew, membership shrank, but only by 1,400 during the last year. In 2005, when I was elected secretary-treasurer, we were losing more than 10% per year. Fortunately, over the past few years, that trend has slowed.

I believe this is in part because of our online presence. This is evidenced by statistics from AFM IT Department Information Systems Manager Walter Lopez. More than 5,000 members have joined the AFM online.

I want to compliment Lopez, Information Systems Support Manager Michael Ramos, and Programmer/Developer Gary Goode for completely updating our computer systems as that was sorely needed. The IT department has really stepped up to the ever-growing technology demands of the AFM and its locals, as well as the increasing IT expectations of our members.

Cindy Pellegrino continues to keep staff on track as administrator of the Human Resources Department of the Federation. Pellegrino oversees and negotiates various insurance contracts, fields grievances, handles internal labor relations and employee discipline, as well as providing general good cheer.

At the close of 2015, Lew Mancini ended a legacy with the AFM. Mancini, my assistant secretary and the AFM’s chief operating officer, retired, leaving a void in our hearts and minds. Mancini and his family’s history of work for the AFM goes back to the ’40s. Mancini’s father-in-law, Bob Crothers, provided Mancini with a model to follow that will never be replaced. I really miss Mancini.

My assistant, Nadine Sylvester, is my alter ego and confidant, as well as the rudder on our AFM vessel. Sylvester continues to be the editor of the List of Locals directory and works closely as the liaison for Union Privilege and Mercer on the various programs that they have to offer our membership.

I would be remiss if I did not acknowledge Mailroom Administrator Dennis Pitkofsky. He provides a valuable service to all staff and members. The mail must go through and Pitkofsky is our guy.

It’s a pleasure for me to walk into the office as Judith Vizueta epitomizes the word reception, as she greets staff and guests as they enter Suite 600. It is a pleasure to come to work and see Vizueta’s smiling face.

New Insurance Provider

I am pleased to announce Take1 as a new approved insurance provider. Take 1 specializes in protecting touring entertainers, music tours, outdoor festivals, live events, and professionally managed bands by offering a broad range of insurance products. Their mission is to become the insurance program of choice for those who need a solution provider to help sort out the often complex and specialized insurance needs of the entertainment industry.

We will soon be launching a survey with Take1 so they can better gauge the insurance needs of our member musicians.

Officer Columns, Secretary-Treasurer

Getting Back to the Music

April 15, 2016 Sam Folio

Amid the flurry of day-to-day activities—being immersed in bylaws, finances, budgets, audits, and convention preparations—we tend to forget what we’re here for, the creative forces we represent: music, musicians, performers, and art. At times, we must step back and enjoy the music. Spring is here. Take in a Broadway show and treat yourself to the finest in opera, at the Met.

Over the weekend, I attended Don Pasquale, a time-honored opera, which premiered at the Met in 1900. I found myself in the Family Circle, a modest ticket of $35. The usher assured me I would not be disappointed, and that the acoustics in these seats were exquisite. He was right. (It happens he was also a member of Local 802, New York City.) The orchestra sound was perfect.

Next, it was on to Broadway for An American in Paris. If there is a Broadway play with old-school charm it’s this one—a post-war romance of hope and reconciliation. A full pit orchestra, the score by Gershwin, and performances were staged to perfection. The voices and the dancing were simply fantastic. Again, I was not disappointed.

Apropos remembering music: I want to mention a giant in the music world we lost recently—Frank Sinatra, Jr., who was also a loyal union member of Local 47 (Los Angeles, CA). On three different occasions I was involved in his productions in North Lake Tahoe at the Cal Neva Resort and Casino. He always insisted on bringing in a full complement of musicians—fine players, all renowned in their own right. Frank, Jr., was gracious and worked around our dates, and never turned us down, saying, “Pops loved this place.”

Indeed, Sinatra, Sr., did love the Cal Neva, having been an owner at one time, hence, the Frank Sinatra Celebrity Showroom. Frank, Jr., was a true gentleman, a musician of the first order. As his father’s musical director and conductor, he understood composition and mastered the technical side of production as well. For instance, he selected lighting and a specific soundboard, which always guaranteed a flawless performance. After each and every run Frank, Jr., would take everyone involved in the show out for an evening of fine dining.

What a gentleman! He will be missed.

Organizing

A Glimpse of ROPA

April 13, 2016 IM

by Carla Lehmeier-Tatum, ROPA President and President of Local 618 (Albuquerque, NM)

The Regional Orchestra Players’ Association (ROPA), now in its 32nd year, represents 85 regional orchestras throughout the US. One main catalyst for starting ROPA three decades ago was to ensure there was a voice for musicians of regional orchestras within the AFM. The resounding motive for founding ROPA, which is often heard from the founding members, was the necessity to create an internal network to assist in establishing professional standards.

When I look back on my 10 years of service on the ROPA Board, I am pleased to report that our delegates are extremely engaged and communicate daily. This is no easy task. The day-to-day lives of regional orchestra musicians often entail membership in numerous orchestras, commuting, teaching, gigging, and working outside the field. ROPA Delegates are extremely in-tune with their industry through our delegate email list, as well as regular contact from our board members at large. Each quarter the ROPA Board sends out questions about the industry, their orchestras, and what assistance those orchestras might need.

I wanted to devote most of this column to a group of orchestras that has taken the lead in networking within ROPA. Years ago, ROPA Vice President Nancy Nelson, who at the time was the board member at large assigned to the opera and ballet orchestras, created regular communication between these 17 orchestras. This communication continued with current board member Mike Smith of the Minnesota Opera Orchestra who was assigned the delegates of the pit orchestras. I found it to be extremely powerful for the pit musicians to have this network as they face the challenge of rarely being seen by their audience.

We have witnessed ROPA pit orchestras connect successfully with their communities through Facebook and other social media, as well as establish musician-initiated programs that serve their communities. In Houston, the Houston Grand Opera musicians collected and donated instruments to area schools. The Houston Ballet created a “pit pal” program where students were invited to come down to the pit during the intermission of The Nutcracker. Musicians collected contact information and then mailed quarterly newsletters to the students with information about the musicians, music, cartoons, and puzzles. This program was shared with ROPA orchestras and has now been adopted by another.

Arizona Opera was one of the first ROPA orchestras to create a website and post YouTube videos to share information about the musicians as they contended with difficult contract negotiations eight years ago. In recent years, many positives have come from these initiatives. The musicians have continued to maintain contact with their community by posting regularly on Facebook. These initiatives have established advocacy campaigns for the musicians, the organization, and their art form. Despite the constant media focus on financial hardships in orchestras, ROPA opera and ballet companies have been highly successful, with record ticket revenue, sold out world premieres, innovative media projects, and unique outreach initiatives.

These successes have enabled their organizations to thrive:

In June 2015, the Houston Grand Opera announced their endowment campaign raised $172.9 million, exceeding its $165 million goal. Total ticket sales in 2014-2015 reached 98% of capacity.

Minnesota Opera created a program called Seven Days of Opera, a festival of free, short, pop-up performances that brought opera to unexpected places in the Twin Cities community—malls, zoos, farmers markets, breweries and more. Ticket sales for Carmen broke all ticket sales records in the Minnesota Opera’s 52-year history.

The Dallas Opera has attracted substantial media attention, generated community awareness, and launched new programs that have realized increased single ticket sales, along with a steady stream of major gifts.

Arizona Opera experienced great success in a four-year capital campaign that raised $3.1 million of its $5 million goal in the first year.

LA Opera hosts a website that includes bios of the musicians, a behind-the-scenes blog, video clips, stories of interests, social media, behind-the-curtain podcasts, live radio broadcasts, and live simulcasts. In January, the company added a performance of Figaro staged with the title characters as undocumented Mexican workers in present day Beverly Hills. The score was transformed into an entirely new English (and Spanglish) libretto.

Michigan Opera Theatre recently announced a balanced budget for fiscal year 2015. The overall increase in net assets for the financial year was $1.3 million, with revenues of $14.7 million. The company also reported a surplus in its operating budget in more than a decade with a year-end result of $532,582.

These amazing success stories provide a landscape for the musicians of opera and ballet orchestras to create natural advocacy campaigns through social media.

ROPA has featured PR specialist Randy Whatley, president of Cypress Media, at a number of ROPA conferences. He guided participants on how to effectively communicate their message to their communities. It is gratifying to see how this incredible resource has been utilized within our orchestras in both positive and difficult times.

I want to thank all of the ROPA Board Members and ROPA Delegates who have dedicated countless hours engaging their orchestra colleagues through initiatives that promote ownership, involvement, awareness, and pride. This invaluable investment provides a better future for musicians and our organizations.

Please mark your calendar and plan to attend the ROPA Conference in Madison, Wisconsin, July 26-28, 2016.

Transparent Agreement Shows Pride for Musicians

April 11, 2016 IM

AFM Local 47 (Los Angeles, CA) musicians, union officials, and JLC Western Region Executive Director Leslie Gersicoff leaflet outside a Transparent shoot March 29. The show’s producers recently agreed to sign an AFM agreement to cover its musicians. (Photo by Linda A. Rapka)

The AFM and Local 47 announced that an agreement has been reached with the producers of Amazon original series Transparent to cover musicians working on the show under a union contract.

Producers at Picrow swiftly agreed to sign on to the AFM television and new media agreement after musicians from the Los Angeles musicians union spoke out publicly late last month asking where was the pride for musicians, pointing out the unequal treatment of musicians who were not covered under a labor contract unlike all the actors, writers, directors, crew and other workers.

The new contract covers the employment of professional musicians, arrangers, copyists, leaders, conductors, and sideline musicians, guaranteeing they will receive fair wages, benefits, health care, pension, and other union protections.

“We thank Transparent producers at Picrow for stepping up to treat musicians as equal workers,” says AFM Local 47 President John Acosta. “Musicians contribute as much to a production as all other workers, and we are happy that those working on the series will receive fair treatment, dignity and respect in the workplace.”

Organizing

Everyone’s Voice Counts: Is Your Local Represented?

April 11, 2016 IM

by Joe Parente, AFM IEB Member and President of Local 77 (Philadelphia, PA)

In two months, the AFM will hold its 100th Convention in Las Vegas. Aside from being a historic event for the Federation, the convention will once again afford the opportunity for delegates to help shape the future of our union.

Since the last convention in 2013, the Federation has successfully negotiated most of its media agreements; collected money for musicians due them for violations under the Motion Picture Agreements; continued the fight for expedited visas, the ARTS Act, and for musicians traveling to this country; and supported the creation of the Fair Play Fair Pay Act, which would require AM/FM radio to pay performance rights royalties. However, none of this would be possible without what is probably the most important factor—the Federation’s ability to maintain its financial stability.

Any success the Federation has had over the last three years have not merely been the result of the Federation itself. The AFM relies on each member of the union, through its locals, and in turn, through its delegates at the convention, to make decisions on resolutions, recommendations, and bylaw changes that will affect all members of the AFM. These decisions establish the policies for the Federation going forward.

However, the reality is that we have had an increase in merged locals. And when we merge locals, we lose members. Not once in a while … not every so often … every time. Loss of members means less per capita for the Federation and fewer locals and delegates attending the convention, resulting in some members not being represented.

The number of locals attending conventions over the last 10 years has been steadily declining. Fewer locals, equal fewer delegates, and again, more members not being represented. I know some locals are experiencing financial hardships. I also know that all locals should be involved in the process of shaping the Federation in the future. Those two statements seem to pose a problem to which no one has an answer—at least not yet.

Everyone’s opinions count. Everyone’s ideas count. Everyone’s voice counts. We must find a solution so everyone counts!

Member Profiles

Maggie Scott and the Great American Songbook

April 8, 2016 IM

Local 9-535 (Boston, MA) member Maggie Scott has had a long career performing from the Great American Songbook and teaching it to students at Berklee College of Music.

In a career that has spanned seven decades, jazz vocalist and pianist Maggie Scott of Local 9-535 (Boston, MA) still draws inspiration from the music she grew up with, in an era when the big bands were in full swing.

Scott remembers waiting at the stage door of the RKO Theatre on Washington Street after shows for autographs of Gene Krupa, Anita O’Day, and Tex Beneke. Hearing the Tommy Dorsey band, with Frank Sinatra, was a highlight. “He was thin,” she recalls, “He sang really well—and in those days, girls swooned. I was still in high school and the fare going into Boston was 10 cents!”

The smoky piano lounges and full jazz orchestras may be long gone but Scott, who still performs at the Top of the Hub in Boston, has done her part to introduce the canon of standards to a new generation. At Berklee College of Music, where she has taught since 1978, Scott is something of a legend.

Her own story lends an illuminating dimension to the course she teaches: The Great American Songbook. She draws on her experiences to help students develop phrasing, tempos, style, and artful presentation. She is a purist who urges students to learn as many jazz standards as possible, a solid repertoire of George Gershwin, Cole Porter, Rodgers and Hart, Irving Berlin, and Johnny Mercer.

“The lyric is the song! Tell the story,” she instructs her students. “A jazz piece never requires vibrato, but straight sound always,” she says. Only when a student has mastered the song and knows it inside out can he or she improvise, change keys and tempos.

“An experienced singer starts to hear other melodies that fit the chord progression,” she says. It’s a natural process, but one Scott insists takes time. For diction, unparalleled tone, and range, she points to First Lady of Song, Ella Fitzgerald. “As a singer matures and sings them long enough, the lyrics take on new meaning,” she says, adding, “Billie Holiday, for example, her pain came through on so many of her ballads. You could just hear it.”

To learn harmony and chord progressions Scott studied the piano stylings of Art Tatum and Teddy Wilson. Later, Oscar Peterson, Bill Evans, and Tommy Flanagan all inspired her playing. She says, “These trios were exceptional—I thought, very swinging, beautiful harmonies.”

Vocalists who had a strong influences on her development included Peggy Lee, Julie London, Chris Connor, June Christy, and Jo Stafford. Classical training came later, in 1950, when she auditioned for Arthur Fiedler. After nearly three years of practice and a second audition, she earned a solo with the Boston Pops, playing Gershwin’s “Concerto in F.”

Scott, who in the 1970s accompanied many of the greats—Cab Calloway, Eartha Kitt, John Raitt, Tommy Tune, Toots Thielemans, and Natalie Cole—studied at the Juilliard School of Music in the late 1940s with jazz pianist John Mehegan.

She had joined the AFM in 1946, just out of high school, and was already playing piano at hotels and clubs around Boston. “I knew the best musicians belonged to the local and I aspired to play with them—and ultimately I did,” she says. “There is a certain amount of respect given a member, and playing with my peers was all part of it.”

She went on to become the first woman elected to the union’s local executive board, where she served for 31 years, from 1979 to 2010. Back in the days of crowded, smoke-filled union halls, the exchanges could become quite heated. Scott says, “I charged 25 cents for every swear word, and actually collected $11. And I bought donuts with the money!” She adds, “I also bought a ‘no smoking’ sign.”

Scott laments the loss of live venues for musicians, noting DJs have flooded the industry, competing for wedding and club engagements once reserved for casual-date players. “There has been a tremendous loss of gigs for the union musician. The jazz clubs have suffered as well,” she says.

Her job now, as she sees it, is to educate a new generation of Songbook devotees. “The lyricists were unbeatable. Students should know the music, become familiar with it because it may influence what they may want to pursue as part of their music education,” she says. Given the scores of young stars and high profile students—Lalah Hathaway, Antonia Bennett, Lauren Kinhan, and Robin McKelle—who have all crooned their way through her classes, there is no doubt of her success.