Tag Archives: member profiles

World-class Guitarist Claude Sirois Stays Grounded in Quebec

May 29, 2019 IM

Throughout a successful career and a slew of highpoints and “firsts,” classical guitarist Claude Sirois of Local 406 (Montreal, QC) remains committed to family and to community. As he says, “Music comes second; family comes first.”

From the beginning, Sirois held strong to his union membership in Local 406. “It was [logical] to get a membership with the Local 406,” says Sirois. “My guitar teacher told me, ‘That’s not necessary. [Why] did you do that?’ And I told him, ‘I’m a musician; and if I’m a musician then I need to have a membership as a musician.’”

He discovered his passion for creating music early on, as a member of a rock band of the late 1960s, Équipe 79 (Team 79). His love of rock and roll notwithstanding—The Beatles and Rolling Stones, in particular—Sirois decided in the early 1970s to dedicate himself entirely to the study and pursuit of a classical music career.

Sirois performed at the Hôtel Iroquois, at the time, a venue outside of the Local 406’s jurisdiction. Playing this gig prompted an inquiry by local officials. Rather than punitive, however, the outcome was remarkably positive for the then 25-year-old Sirois, who explained there were no other options in the district. “They saw that I was an honest musician trying to earn a living. After that, every time I came to them, it was like they knew me. In life, if you have a good contact with a good organization it’s going to help you much better than if you have a bad one,” he says.

He was the first to capitalize on a uniquely Québécois classical guitar style. In 1977, Sirois released his first recording and a book for solo classical guitar. Guitare Seule was the first work of classical guitar music to be published in Quebec. In a career that spans more than four decades, he has released several albums of classical guitar arrangements and original compositions, as well as 16 compilations of works, which are available throughout Canada. His most successful album, Verseau (Aquarius), earned him the 1985 Felix Award for Instrumental Musician of the Year. In 2018, Sirois was honored by Local 406 with a lifetime membership.

Sirois has been a private instructor for 40 years, teaching piano, mandolin, bass guitar, and classical guitar. He has written a number of books on guitar and mandolin method. From 1985-1999, he taught guitar workshops throughout the school districts of Quebec.

Even as he ascended the classical guitar world, Sirois regularly refused contracts and performance opportunities outside of Quebec, away from his family. Sirois recalls, “I was holding my son in my arms at the hospital the night that he was born, and then the radio began playing my version of “Quand Vous Mourrez de Nos Amours” by Gilles Vigneault. And I said to my son, ‘Listen, daddy is playing on the radio.’”

Having last toured in 1999, the now 70-year-old Sirois fully acknowledges that his success is the product of a music industry of the past. “That’s normal, that’s life; everything passes. You get older, but that doesn’t mean that you have to be sad or pity yourself,” he says.

From home studios to the fast pace of the industry, Sirois admires the levels to which musicians are taking their careers. Progress can come at a cost, though, he says. The potential for independence can also lead to isolation in the music business. He encourages musicians to join the AFM. “Living is meeting people. You have to make contacts. And the American Federation of Musicians is there to help you.”

Sirois feels fortunate to have taken the journey from aspiring professional to being honored with an AFM lifetime membership. He’s come a long way from L’Hôtel Iroquois. A recording at age 19 and a Felix Award are among a lifetime of highlights, but hearing his music on the radio at the hospital when his son was born, that’s when he felt he was on top. The much celebrated guitarist knows what is truly important to him: “My grandchildren, they give me so much love. I’m a lucky guy.”

Warren Howe: Percussionist Chronicles History of the West Point Band

May 22, 2019 IM

A Life Member of Local 161-710 (Washington, DC), Warren Howe has had a full career as a percussionist, historian, and educator. He is long retired from the US Military Academy Band (as musician, Sergeant First Class), a post he held 20 years, since 1983. But it’s in retirement that he may be taking on his biggest challenge yet.

The West Point Band was an ideal gig for a percussionist and historian. “I started looking at the origins of the band, which has a fascinating history,” Howe says. He began combing through documents housed in the Academy’s library and in the National Archives and reviewed the Army Corp of Engineers’ muster rolls and pay records. He dug deeper, accessing the Academy’s Superintendent’s Letter Books with handwritten directives and details of national events and performances by West Point musicians. After a few hundred pages and 300 footnotes, Howe realized he had the beginning of what could be the authoritative history of the West Point Band.

George Washington first ordered occupation of West Point by troops that included company fifers and drummers during the Revolution in 1778. While a full band was not formed until the War of 1812, Howe says, “As the academy evolved, so did its military band.”

“What you’re really doing is writing about the evolution of military music at West Point, from its tactical use during the Revolution with the use of company-level fifes and drums, to the formation of a highly skilled professional band that continues today.” Howe explains that it’s also about placing this musical history within the US Military Academy’s development throughout the past two centuries, as well as documenting the impact of the US Army’s 200-year influence on the Academy and its military music/Academy Band.

It’s a massive undertaking, but one for which he is uniquely qualified. Only a trained historian can construct the intricate narrative of 200 years. “Writing history,” Howe says, “is a kind of a science and an art.” Tentatively titled The History of Military Music at West Point, he hopes to reach the 1970s by this summer.

When researching the book, Howe says, “It’s fascinating because you can involve things like immigration to New York City in the 19thcentury. Many European musicians were coming to the United States, Germans and Italians, especially, getting away from the political disruptions going on in Europe. They came to New York City and formed neighborhoods to help each other. The Germans, for example, had a social organization in the city that included a subsection of musicians. They basically had a union, which kind of predated Local 802 [New York City]. Now, you’re talking about the history of the union movement.”

In 1989, Howe marched in the New York parade celebrating the bicentennial of Washington’s first inauguration. It was a notably smaller event than the centennial parade of 1889. Back then, The New York Times reported 50,000 participants and a million spectators. Considered “the golden age of bands,” the late 19th century was a time when great bandmasters were emerging, like Union Army Bandmaster Patrick Gilmore (lyricist for “When Johnny Comes Marching Home”). Another rising star was Director of the US Marine Band John Philip Sousa, who also composed its official march, “Sempre Fidelis.”

Howe, who has earned two masters’ degrees—one in percussion from the Manhattan School of Music and another in government from Maryland University’s School of Government and Politics—also received a doctorate in education policy and administration from Fordham University. Early on, while a member of the West Point Band, he performed in orchestras and bands throughout the Hudson Valley and Connecticut. He also taught music and history at St. Thomas Aquinas College, Dominican College, and Mount St. Mary College. Before enlisting at West Point, Howe was on the faculty at Washington, DC’s Duke Ellington School of the Arts.

Of his hometown of Washington, DC, he says it’s a strong union city, where years ago membership was mandatory to play at the hotels. “The service staff union [Service Employees International Union] would back you up. Otherwise, you could easily get abused by contractors,” he says.

At 77, Howe continues to teach on the faculty of Frederick Community College, as a professor of history and American government. When he’s not working on his book, he also teaches percussion at a local parochial school in DC, where two of his percussion students are seventh grade girls—which used to be a rarity among the once male-dominated instrument. Howe says, “I showed them a video of Evelyn Glennie, the Scottish percussionist, a virtuoso who solos with major orchestras around the world—a phenomenal player. I showed them her playing the snare drum, stressing the fact that here’s a woman who’s a successful percussionist on an instrument that doesn’t attract many women.”

Howe’s own teacher and principal influence was his father, a timpanist with the National Symphony. “I kind of grew up with drums all over the house,” he says. “[My father] taught me how to play.” During WWII, his father worked as a welder at the Navy weapons plant, and after that, Howe says, he began freelancing, playing with the National Gallery Orchestra and teaching in DC Public Schools. It was through his father that Howe heard of Fred Hinger, the renowned Metropolitan Opera Orchestra timpanist, with whom Howe would eventually study at the Manhattan School of Music.

Member Profiles

Timucua Arts Foundation Brings a Taste of Montréal’s Music Scene to Orlando

April 16, 2019 IM

In Orlando, beyond the popular theme park attractions, a vibrant arts scene has been quietly gaining traction. For the last 18 years, Benoit Glazer of Local 389 (Orlando, FL) and his wife Elaine Corriveau have run the Timucua Arts Foundation—until recently, a self-funded nonprofit that began in their living room. For the Montréal-born Glazer, a trumpet player, composer, and conductor, it was a natural synthesis of art and life.

After the couple relocated to Florida, Glazer says it was not easy to find live music that matched the musical offerings of Montréal. So, in 2000 they began hosting concerts out of their home for small groups of 20-25 people. It quickly turned into a monthly, then weekly event. “Basically, we started this in a normal suburban home. Then, after a year or two, the living room became too small. So I tore down a wall and another wall and then, eventually, there were no more walls to tear down.”

In 2004, after a night of Brazilian music attended by seemingly much of Central Florida’s large Brazilian population, it became clear the venue needed to expand. Glazer says, “They all came! The house was overflowing. Parking was an issue. So, I said to my wife, well, we can slow down or find another place and build a house that would be more suitable for these kinds of events.”

He explains, they could have retired comfortably on savings and the pension he had earned working under union contracts or invest it all in bringing music to the community. “We looked at each other—my wife, to her credit, she’s been a strong supporter of the project from the beginning—and she said, ‘No, let’s go for it. I don’t want to die rich. I want to live rich.’”

Glazer and Corriveau poured their life savings into a new 5,000-square-foot home with a built-in concert hall, which accommodates a hundred guests. It’s now the official residence of the Timucua Arts Foundation. The name honors the Native American Timucua—the neighborhood’s original inhabitants.

The Foundation is in the midst of transition and becoming community funded. In the last decade, the concert season has swelled to more than 90 events a year. The Sunday schedule varies—classical, jazz, Latin, folk, and world music. The fourth week is alternative, featuring literary events, poetry, theater, and film. Three or four nights a month, they offer master series and a Saturday afternoon series for families. “We are trying to make it easier for everyone to go out and see good art,” says Glazer.

Both Opera Orlando and the Atlantic Center for the Arts conduct outreach events there. Glazer, who plays for several local orchestras, says his tuba concerto will premiere next month. In the arts community, he says, “We all try to get inspiration and energy from one another. The more art available to the community, the more the community will go to arts events.” Glazer says, “It’s about flooding the community with art so the world will know that Orlando is full of art and music, theater, and film.”

Glazer came from a musical family outside of Montréal. His father, Jean-Marie, and grandmother, Philomène, were accomplished fiddlers. Glazer was 12 years old when he began taking theory lessons from a jazz guitarist. “I’m thankful that I was exposed to music theory from the viewpoint of a jazz guitarist because they have a unique way to look at harmony and voicings.”

Glazer played drums, saxophone, and clarinet in high school. For a time he considered becoming a physicist, but changed his mind at the last minute. The trumpet was one of the few instruments he had not yet learned. Undaunted, he practiced for six weeks, passing the college audition. In the summer, he immersed himself in the rigorous training of Drum Corps International (DCI), and for three years was a conductor.

Throughout a busy academic career, he played in big bands about 40 hours a week, sometimes in 13 different bands at other universities and professional bands. He says, “Anything I could find.”

His ingenuity served him well. At 21 years old, he was already teaching jazz studies at McGill, a position he held for a decade. “Throughout the ’80s and ’90s, I was touring Europe with fusion bands during school breaks,” he says.

The variety of musicians that Timucua draws is impressive, a function of Glazer and Corriveau’s instinct for pairing composers and artists. It explains why they host so many world premieres.

The foundation has hosted Nestor Torres, the virtuoso flute player and Latin Grammy winner; Muriel Anderson of Local 257 (Nashville, TN), the world-class finger-picking guitarist (who played harp guitar); Polish pianist Adam Golka; and Taiwanese-born pianist Jenny Lin. Glazer says, “We try to have a good balance of local talent—because Orlando is replete with great musicians—and internationally recognized musicians,” says Glazer.

From the outset, any advertising for events was word of mouth. “Musicians come to us,” says Glazer, who books 18 months ahead and has a waiting list of 60 or 70 groups. In addition to a high-quality back line, including an upright bass once played in the Sam Rivers trio, the venue houses a recording and broadcast studio.

Local 389 Secretary Treasurer Sam Zambito says, “[Timucua] is a gift to our local community, which gives residents an opportunity to hear our most talented artists in a noncommercial setting playing music for the sake of art!”

Glazer adds, “We’ve been working closely with the union for a long time. We’re planning on producing a radio show and even a TV show, which would be covered with a joint venture agreement.”

“My job at the foundation is to make the experience magical for the musicians and artists, while my wife and her team make it special for the audience. This intimate setting redefines the equilibrium between performers and audience,” he says. With its bold vision and dedicated audience, Timucua (timucua.com) is fast becoming a music destination along the Southeast corridor. As Glazer says, “Everybody who comes once wants to come back.”

Member Profiles

MPTF Releases MusicianFest Documentary, “Never Too Old”

April 9, 2019 IM

In March, the Music Performance Trust Fund (MPTF) launched an uplifting documentary, Never Too Old. The film spotlights the experience live music performances create for performing musicians and their audiences as they come together at three senior centers located in New York City, New Orleans, and the Los Angeles area. The official release of the film was March 19 in New York City and the first screening was at VISIONS Center on Aging, also in New York.

The 27-minute documentary highlights the MPTF’s MusicianFest initiative to provide free musical performances at senior centers and assisted living facilities in the US and Canada. Never Too Old explores the many paths that led these musicians, sometimes seniors themselves, to perform for the older audiences. Audience members share their impressions about what these live music performances mean to them. Senior center professionals give their perspectives of the impact these small performances have on the physical, mental, and social wellbeing of the individuals they serve.

“Live music’s impact on the lives of seniors is truly immeasurable,” states MPTF Trustee Dan Beck. “These performances stimulate our emotions and get people to interact with each other, to get up and move, and to reconnect with joyful memories.”

“The state has cut funding for our senior centers,” explains Harmony House Senior Center Executive Director Norman Smith. “For these individuals to want to take their time to come here, it’s important to us. It makes us feel that someone cares. We care about them and they care about us. I think it’s a plus-plus for all of us.” Harmony House Senior Center in New Orleans, Louisiana, evolved from an abandoned firehouse after Hurricane Katrina, to become a central gathering place in the city’s Treme section.

Elyse Nordholm Garcia, senior center director at Long Beach Senior Center in California, adds, “At least 40% of our population is homeless or semi-homeless. They come here and they can relax and escape into the entertainment. Then we get to know what’s going on in their lives and if we can help them with services.”

Never Too Old is available in multiple lengths. In addition to the full 27-minute version, a 10-minute version provides the essence of these messages while focusing on the reach and goals of MusicianFest. MPTF will provide an abridged version to AFM locals for use on their websites and in meetings in their communities.

You can view the full film on the website musicpf.org/never2oldmusicfilm. For more information on arranging a film screening or organizing a MusicianFest performance in your local’s community, call MPTF at 212-391-3950.

Member Profiles

David Finck: New York Bassist’s Talents Extend Beyond Four Strings

March 1, 2019 IM

In David Finck’s multi-faceted freelance career he’s had the opportunity to articulate the musical language of a range of artists. A longtime member of Local 802 (New York City), Finck first joined AFM Local 66 (Rochester, NY) while attending Eastman School of Music.

Finck arrived at his affinity for jazz through his father’s extensive collection—Count Basie’s band, Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, Miles Davis, and Red Garland. Among his influences on bass, which he began playing at age 10, are Paul Chambers, Ray Brown, Scott LaFaro, Eddie Gomez, George Mraz, and Ron Carter of Local 802.

“Ron Carter is a huge influence on me,” says Finck. “I say, if you are a bass player and you don’t have any Ron Carter in your playing, you haven’t been listening to music.”

Finck studied classical bass in high school and college, but he was also an a eager participant in Eastman’s jazz program and played gigs in and around Rochester. “Undergraduates had to major in classical music,” he says. “I studied with bassists in The Philadelphia Orchestra when I was a kid, so I took it fairly seriously. I wasn’t sure what was going to happen, then it kind of evolved into jazz and pop.”

After college he was educated in what it means to be a freelance musician. In those days, it was a rite of passage for jazz players to tour with one of the big bands once they finished school, he says. He went on tour for about a year with Woody Herman and the Thundering Herd.“They used to call Woody the road warrior,” says Finck. “It was a professional experience, a training ground. Being on the road, riding a bus, I built strength as a player.”

When he settled in New York City he became a member of Local 802 and began networking. His experience with Herman’s band served him well. “I would call and say, ‘I just left the Woody Herman Band and they’d say, ‘Oh, I played with Woody in 1959.’ So you had a kind of connection,” he recalls.

“It wasn’t too long before I did a Broadway show,” says Finck, who has done several in his nearly 40 years in New York. Another early gig was with jazz pianist Steve Kuhn and his trio. “We made many records and we traveled to Japan and Europe, as well as around the states and Canada,” says Finck.

From there, he built a solid reputation as a versatile bassist who’s worked in jazz, pop, Latin, and classical music. Among the artists he’s collaborated with are Dizzy Gillespie, Sinead O’Connor, Herbie Hancock of Local 802, Al Jarreau, Rosemary Clooney, Linda Ronstadt of Local 47, and André Previn. His list of more than 100 recordings includes platinum or gold records with Rod Stewart, Natalie Cole, Barry Manilow, Clay Aiken, and Elton John, as well as Grammy wins for Paquito D’Rivera, Jon Secada, and Pete Seeger.

Finck says the key to his success is learning other musicians’ languages. “You have to know a lot of songs,” he says. You have to think on your feet. “Sometimes all of a sudden the singer says, ‘I do this song in Ab,’ when you typically do it in the key of C. And their language may include alternate chords that may not be written out. You have to be in the moment, keep your ears and eyes open, and know what your options are for getting to the next section of the song.”

“You also have to learn to play with different people rhythmically,” he says. He learned Latin rhythms from playing in Paquito D’Rivera’s band. “Paquito was very helpful. He’d come over and sing a bass line in my ear so I could know, for example, what a traditional cha-cha-cha bass line was.”

“There was a Brazilian player in the band, so I learned some language from him, as well.” Finck thought he knew what samba was until he heard Brazilians play it. “I listened to hundreds of Brazilian records until I figured it out.” It paid off. Eventually he was invited to Rio de Janeiro to record and he toured for about a year with Brazilian pianist Eliane Elias of Local 802.

Aside from the technical skill, Finck stresses that freelancers need to be on time and reliable if they want to work. “There are a lot of wonderful bass players in this town,” he says. “There are some guys, I love the way they play, but I couldn’t call them to sub for me because they are a liability.” You also have to give your best always. “You have to bring it every time you play. There’s an old saying, ‘You are only as good as your last gig.’ If you have a bad night, there’s always someone who heard it and remembers it.”

Finck’s curiosity for the language of music led to arranging, songwriting, and producing projects for the past 20 years. This includes two albums of his own: Future Day (2008) and Low Standards (2017). A third project is in the works. All of them are signatory to AFM agreements. Among others, he has produced three records for actor Tom Wopat, including a Christmas record with Wopat’s Dukes of Hazzard costar John Schneider.

Finck says he learned a lot about producing from his earlier experiences in the studio. “I watched a lot of people waste a lot of money because they didn’t have a vision of what the product was supposed to sound like. I could see where we could do things more cost effectively. And, because I know a lot of musicians and arrangers, I make sure that I call the right people for the job. I did plenty of records where I couldn’t believe the band I was playing with—they were all good players but didn’t belong together playing that kind of music.”

“I’ve also watched some great producers and recording engineers operate,” he says. “I worked a lot for Phil Ramone, recording with Gladys Knight, George Michael, Natalie Cole, Michel Legrand, and other talented people. Phil loved music and he loved musicians. I saw him diffuse some intense situations. That’s part of the job. You have to be a little bit of a shrink sometimes.”

It’s evident that Finck will continue to bring his language to live performances and recordings. “There’s great joy in working in the studio and creating something that’s going to be permanent and having the freedom to adjust things. But there’s something special about playing live, too,” he says.

No matter what kind of project, Finck says he always pushes for AFM contracts. “I’ve always been a champion of the union,” he says. “Certainly I like the pension and health contributions. I like the idea that I have some kind of protection from future usage. You never know when something you’ve recorded is going to end up in a movie. If you haven’t filed a contract, there’s not a whole hell of a lot you can do about it. It gives me a sense of security.”

The other big benefit is quite simple, he says, “I like the idea that you don’t have to negotiate; Here’s the scale, here’s what it pays, this is what you get. If you play enough sessions, you’ll get a few bucks from the Special Payments Fund at the end of the year. Nothing wrong with that!”

Member Profiles

Rachel Barton Pine’s Landmark Project (#blackisclassical) Shines Light on Music by Black Composers

February 15, 2019 IM

The internationally renowned violinist Rachel Barton Pine’s Music by Black Composers (MBC) project has collected about 900 works by more than 350 black composers from the 19th through 21st centuries. Through the Rachel Barton Pine (RBP) Foundation, the Local 10-208 (Chicago, IL) member has so far released four MBC materials: Music By Black Composers (MBC) Violin Volume 1 pedagogical book; The Rachel Barton Pine Foundation Coloring Book of Black Composers; a timeline poster of more than 300 black composers; and the Blues Dialogues album of classical works written by 20th and 21st century composers.

“In the 15 years since we first conceptualized Music by Black Composers we have had the opportunity to speak with many black musicians about the importance of role models in the arts,” Pine explains. “Even today, many aspiring black students live in a community where their particular town’s orchestra may not even have a single player of color in it or leading it. As much as they may love the music, they don’t see a future for themselves. Our goal is to present a variety of black leaders representing professions in the classical sphere, so that young people may consider the different avenues they may take in music and see someone who looks like them in that role.”

MBC Violin Volume 1 is the first in what will be a series of eight violin volumes, graded from beginner to advanced concert level. It features 22 works from 16 black composers. The coloring book features 40 prominent black composers drawn by Dallas Symphony Orchestra violinist and Local 72-147 (Dallas-Ft. Worth, TX) member Sho-mei Pelletier. The black composer timeline poster was created in partnership with the Sphinx Organization.

It is particularly relevant that Pine is releasing an album in conjunction with the MBC books as the idea for MBC started with Pine’s 1997 recording Violin Concertos by Black Composers of the 18th and 19th Centuries. Following its release, Pine found herself sitting on diversity panels and fielding questions about where to find more works by black composers. After discovering that most repertoire by black composers was out of print or existed only in manuscript, she committed her nonprofit foundation to the Music by Black Composers project.

Composer Billy Childs called the project important and timely. “I sincerely hope that one day projects such as this, which focus on an underexposed segment of the classical composing world (underexposed, it seems, because of race or ethnicity), will no longer be necessary because every good composer will be regarded with equal seriousness, regardless of race,” he says.

“I’m particularly excited to inspire African-American children,” Pine says, “so that they feel like they’re part of classical music’s history and future—but also to normalize diversity of repertoire for all students, so that they grow up with this stuff and become audience members and performers, that reflect the totality of the human experience.”

The MBC materials have already been adopted by some schools. Local 77 (Philadelphia, PA) member and Career Studies chair at Curtis Institute of Music Mary Javian says, “Curtis is proud to pilot this curriculum in one of our partner schools as part of our Community Artist Fellowship. The work Rachel Barton Pine and her foundation have done to bring these important composers to students will help advance the field of classical music, as well as deepen our relationships with the communities we serve.”

Member Profiles

Jazz All-Star Gerald Albright Brings His “A” Game

February 8, 2019 IM

Saxophonist Gerald Albright of Local 47 (Los Angeles, CA) has dominated contemporary jazz since the 1980s. Albright made a name for himself as an R&B instrumentalist and his venerated status in the studio as a skilled session musician resulted in solo contracts with major labels. At 61, the eight-time Grammy nominee is still at the top of his game.

In 2016, he self-produced G under his own label, Bright Music. The opening track, titled “Taking Control,” sends a clear message: He is forging a second career as an independent jazz artist. He created the horn sections, texturing alto, tenor, and baritone around the lead melody, while handling the thick bottom with bass guitar. Albright’s newest album, 30, is an anniversary project of some his best music over the last three decades. Its big, multilayered sound is reminiscent of his high school band years in the 1970s, he says, where he learned to double on other instruments, an ability that has served him well.

Born and raised in South Central Los Angeles, Albright was influenced by gospel music. He began taking piano lessons from the church choirmaster, who also gave him his first saxophone when Albright was around nine years old. “It was like a toy. I can press these cool keys. Still, I knew it was the instrument I wanted to play,” he says.

Albright was already an accomplished saxophonist by the time he enrolled at the University of Redlands. When he saw Louis Johnson in concert, he learned to play bass. After graduating from college, he got a call from Local 47 member Patrice Rushen, a friend from high school. Her record, “Forget Me Nots,” was charting very well. Albright, who played tenor sax solo on the song, says, “She called asking me to go on tour, saying, ‘I’d love for you to be a part of the horn section.’” So, from 1980-1985, he was on the road with her new band and later, when the bassist abruptly left in the middle of it, Albright replaced him and finished the tour on bass guitar.

Inspired by Maceo Parker (of the James Brown band) and Cannonball Adderley, Albright launched his solo career in the infancy of smooth jazz with Just Between Us in 1987 and has been at the center of the genre with chart-topping albums ever since. Albright has worked with Anita Baker, Ray Parker, Jr. of Locals 5 (Detroit, MI) and 47, Atlantic Starr, Stanley Clarke, Maurice White, and Les McCann and Quincy Jones, both of Local 47. He has enjoyed hit collaborations—24/7 with guitarist Norman Brown and Summer Horns by Dave Koz and Friends (including Mindi Abair of Local 47 and Richard Elliot). He’s also been on the road with South African singer and guitarist Jonathan Butler.

In the late 1990s, he memorably toured with Phil Collins. “I was amazed that all these people came to see one guy on stage—looking out at the masses—you couldn’t see the back of the audience. Venues were packed solid, in some cases 100,000. That solidified what success in music could be. As I toured with him on and off for several years, I took a lot of knowledge and applied it to my own career; same with Whitney Houston. These were steps for me to become a solo artist and front my own band.” Albright adds, “I’m elated now to be almost 20 records deep in that career.”

Although his style runs along the contemporary urban jazz and R&B spectrum, Albright says, “I approach it with more energy and more depth—what I’d like the audience to hear and feel. Feeling is just as important as hearing it. I want them to know I’m giving 100%. I want them to hear and feel the story that I’m trying to convey through my horn and it’s genuine, not something fabricated. Whatever mood I’m in, without filters, comes through the horn to the audience. Genuine, honest—and all the hours I’ve put in to attempt to perfect this instrument. Above all, I want them to walk out of the venue feeling better than when they walked in.”

Albright comes from a tradition of virtuosity, saying, “If Miles Davis was doing a show and you stepped up on his stage and he granted you five minutes to do a solo, you better be on your ‘A’ game. These days, persona and stage presence, often override commitment to horn or the voice.” As he tours, he says, “I do see plenty of young musicians who could carry the baton.”

In 2005, Albright and his family left Los Angeles for Colorado. He says, “I did some soul searching; I started looking at how records were being marketed, the strength of the Internet, looking at the budgets that had been depleted for artists to do their records, and the ownership of masters.” Albright explains, “Basically, if you sign a record deal, you give away your masters, they take your licensing away.” Albright had produced some of his own music at the outset of his career. Eventually, he says, “I was fortunate enough to work with labels that just said, ‘Bring us a good record that we can market.’”

In LA, he was in “the clique.” He had done a lot of sessions and several movies. Early on, Albright knew that, to be successful, he had to manage his own campaign, reaching out to as many artists as possible, getting his sound and style in as many places as possible. He built a loyal audience—a fan base to whom he felt he could easily market new music.

“I stepped out on faith. I let my manager go, I let my record company go, I even let my travel agent go, and put everything under the umbrella of Bright [Music].” He’s never looked back, adding, “I’m happier now as an independent artist than I’ve ever been as an artist signed to a label.”

For Albright, who joined the union in the ’80s, it was very functional. He contracted signatory recordings through the union, saying, “Over the years, it’s worked logistically. I love our union, and in terms of protecting musicians, they do a stellar job.”

“It’s a whole different way of marketing now,” says Albright and that means leveraging his fan base. He has found excitement in the second stage of an already illustrious career. “Now that my record company has a nice foundation, we can fulfill some dreams. Now, I can record any album I want to record and not on a label’s schedule.” He’s looking to dabble in different genres. Albright says, “I want to do a gospel record—keep the R&B and contemporary jazz—but do a traditional jazz record, a Christmas record. I want to be able to rent out a studio and bring in some favorite musicians and do it old school again, with real sound. The real deal.”

Member Profiles

Percussionist Sean J. Kennedy: Serendipity Led to Success

December 1, 2018 IM

You can see Local 341 (Norristown, PA) member Sean J. Kennedy’s TED Talk at https://youtu.be/Ku70874c3vg.

Drummer and percussionist Sean J. Kennedy first joined Local 45 (Lehigh Valley, PA) and later transferred to Local 341 (Norristown, PA). He says, “It was amazing how much networking was immediately available. Area musicians and the people I knew increased rapidly, just by joining the local.” He adds, “What was most amazing, because I was in the union, it was almost like I had street cred instantly. The sense of camaraderie—I think that is what really thrilled me to be part of this group.”

In his recent TED Talk, “Grooving with Serendipity,” Kennedy explores the art of percussion through the lens of history. It’s also a reflection on a journey of self-discovery, one he calls a series of “happy accidents,” from being compelled to join his high school marching band and discovering the drums to meeting his heroes, like Liberty DeVitto of Local 802 (New York City), with whom he wrote his first book.

An educator, bandleader, and composer, Kennedy cut his chops in recording sessions for the famous Allentown Band. He’s led master classes and workshops in schools, universities, and jazz camps across the country and built a multifaceted career, working with marching bands and teaching at Montgomery County Community College in Philadelphia

Making art accessible to his students often means straddling the world of reading music and improvisation. For percussionists, in particular, Kennedy says, “It’s about making it fit into the context of whatever act we’re supporting. The same can be true with your education and learning the drum set, bass, or piano. I think to be successful you have to be able to do everything.”

One of the challenges he faced when writing his book I Used to Play Drums with DeVitto, was developing a textbook for beginners and returning players that allowed them to learn technique as a more natural process. “You could leave the page and still make music.” Throughout, he reminded students, “Listen to your recordings. Here’s some notation—but listen.”

Balancing these two worlds has been the key to success for Kennedy, who says, “The more adaptable you are, and the more creative you are, the more opportunities to make music—if you don’t pigeonhole yourself.” He emphasizes, “Just create; I’m trying to get everyone to that happy medium between reading and improvising, based on their specific needs.”

Kennedy credits his teacher, drummer and percussionist Ray Deeley of Local 77 (Philadelphia, PA) for his own inspired approach to teaching. When Kennedy talks about the history of The Beatles, he says he hopes it’s a catalyst for students to mine YouTube or their parents’ old record collection. “I think it was Duke Ellington who said, ‘There are two kinds of music, good and bad.’ So I break down those walls. I basically tell them there are no genres. You could listen to Bach and then put on Gershwin and they’re all communicating in their own way.”

He counts Deeley among his “heroes,” along with John Williams of Locals 47 (Los Angeles, CA) and 9-535 (Boston, MA), Dave Brubeck, and Vince Guaraldi.

Kennedy’s “Kaku, Kupala (Fear in Neutral Buoyancy)” original orchestral composition premiered at Carnegie Hall in 2016, performed by the 500-member Youth Philharmonic International Orchestra, conducted by Jose Luis Gomez. Kennedy went on to conduct the original choral piece “Lux Contritum (Broken Light)” with orchestral accompaniment, commissioned by The Archdiocese of Philadelphia, which debuted in 2017 at The Kimmel Center’s Verizon Hall.

Two of his most popular jazz compositions, “Ashley & Juliet” and “Boogaloo Sub,” will be included in the forthcoming Real Philadelphia Book, Vol II. Kennedy’s other books include Camp Jam: Rock Solid Drum, nominated as a 2011 Educational Drum Book of the Year in Modern Drummer magazine reader’s poll and Sixty Second Solos, which won second runner up in the 2015 Drummies, Drum! magazine’s readers poll award.

Kennedy has played with orchestras nationwide. He’s performed with Italian operatic pop trio Il Volo, Roger Daltrey and members of The Who, The Strauss Symphony of America, Rocktopia Live, and Jerry Garcia Symphonic Celebrations with Warren Haynes. But, he says, “If I had a dream gig, it would be playing standards from the great American Song Book with a guy like Tony Bennett. A small group, a lot of interplay between the musicians, and room for personal expression.”

To learn more about artists and innovators in the music industry, visit Kennedy’s website and the podcast, Backstage at The Enharmonic with Sean J. Kennedy. Some of his guests include iconic drummer Hal Blaine of Local 47, The Philadelphia Orchestra Acting Associate Principal Bass Joseph Conyers of Local 77 (Philadelphia, PA), Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Bass Michael Kurth of Local 148-462 (Atlanta, GA), and big band leader Gordon Goodwin of Local 47.

Member Profiles

JinJoo Yoo: Pianist Thrives in the Jazz World

December 1, 2018 IM

Jazz and access to like-minded artists drew Jinjoo Yoo to New York City. The 29-year-old South Korean pianist enrolled in the Aaron Copland School of Music at Queens College in 2015, earning a master’s degree in jazz performance in 2017. She observes, “The fact that New York is a hub for talented musicians from all over the world—it’s something employers might take advantage of. I believe this is why artists need to gather and act together. Better conditions for artists will improve the quality of their work—jazz fans, the music industry, our society, and community will benefit.”

Yoo first heard a live jazz trio when she was 17, an experience she says, “simply blew my mind! I thought, ‘jazz is weird and I like it!’” She could relate to the way it seemed to describe the world—its joy, beauty, and pain. In South Korea, she studied sociology and economics, but joined the university’s jazz band and found herself becoming increasingly immersed in the music.

“I still remember the first time I heard Bud Powell playing his tune ‘Cleopatra’s Dream.’ His music got stuck in my head and I could not get rid of it. I bought a jazz harmony book and studied chords and voicings myself. The jazz lecture videos of legendary pianist Barry Harris [of Local 802] were tremendously helpful. I still remember the thrill when I finally met him in person in New York in 2015,” she says.

Having a strong musical foundation prepared Yoo for the rigors of learning a new genre. As a youngster, she took part in piano competitions, but distinctly remembers it was not the classical music that thrilled her, rather the sound of the piano. “I always wanted to arrange or compose songs and improvise melodies over original songs. Unfortunately, nobody recommended that I learn jazz because nobody from my hometown knew about this music,” she says.

“Learning jazz is like learning a language—a new vocabulary, idioms, grammar, and expressions that help me communicate with people,” Yoo explains. Jazz greats Charlie Parker, Dexter Gordon, and Billie Holiday became part of her vernacular. She devoured the piano stylings of Mary Lou Williams, Wynton Kelly, Teddy Wilson, Sonny Clark, Art Tatum, Jimmy Rowles, and Carmen McRae.

In New York, Yoo joined Local 802. As a student in South Korea, she worked with labor unions and non-governmental bodies. “My experience working with different organizations and unions made me realize that it is very important to fight together for our common rights,” she says. The Korea Musicians’ Union, established in 2013, was officially registered as a labor union just last year. Yoo sees signs of major progress in the South Korean music industry, which has not historically fostered a culture of negotiation.

Now performing with seasoned players, she says, “I think finding the right people (colleagues, jazz authors, labels) to work with is very important. I was lucky to meet and get to know some incredible jazz artists who helped me to adjust to this city and enlightened me with their beautiful approach to the music.”

Fellow musicians promoted her musical development, culminating in the 2018 release of her CD I’m Curious. She has toured in support of the album in the US and Europe. Last month she traveled to Spain to celebrate the album’s release there. “It represents a search for the music I love and want to pursue,” she says. “I believe that I am still in the middle of the journey.” She will tour the UK next year with trumpeter Chris Hodgkins.

In 2016, Yoo was invited as a guest artist to perform for the Book and Jazz Concert hosted by Root Impact, a South Korea-based nonprofit active in the US in support of projects for greater social investment. The following year, she was selected as one of the finalists for the Baku Jazz Competition. Yoo credits her success to important lessons she learned watching other musicians: “They know how to put music before themselves. I try to be patient and honest in music, like them.”

Of New York City, Yoo says, “This city always surprises me. Every night, somewhere in this city, great jazz music is happening. I think this is the ‘jazz culture’ that we are missing in [South] Korea. This culture is firmly rooted in American history that cannot really be imitated. It is amazing to listen to and talk to the greatest jazz musicians in this world right in front of you.”

Member Profiles

Kingdom Hearts Tour Hires Local Musicians Across the Country

November 14, 2018 IM

by George Fiddler, Director AFM Touring/Theatre/Booking Division

The phenomenon of live orchestras performing on stage with videos projected on a large screen probably started with the Star Wars tour. On that tour, an 86-piece orchestra played the score live to scenes from the wildly popular Star Wars film.

This past summer, the Kingdom Hearts Orchestra tour made its way across the country with 11 stops, from Boston to Las Vegas. The tour employed nine touring principal musicians covered under an AFM agreement and hired 52 additional local musicians at each stop to fill out the complement. For those 52 musicians, agreements covering that type of employment were utilized and filed in each local.

I attended one of the concerts at the Mann Center in Philadelphia in early August. I was astounded at the quality of the overall sound and musicianship of the group playing live, with no additional recorded reinforcement or electronic sweetening. This live acoustic music was a delight to behold.

The enthusiastic audience, fans of the Kingdom Hearts video games, knew the music intimately and applauded after each scene from the game.

The logistics of traveling nine musicians around the country is at once exciting and challenging. Yet, when I met with the travelers in Philly, with only Phoenix and Las Vegas left on the tour, they were upbeat. They all enjoyed playing a one-time three-hour rehearsal and two-and-a-half hour show with a different orchestra in each town they performed.

Colleen Ruddy, the touring principal bassist and member of Local 9-535 (Boston, MA) says, “Performing on the Kingdom Hearts Orchestra tour was a true privilege. The playing in each city was notably different in terms of styles and traditions—Pittsburgh players’ style was different than the players’ in Boston and similarly in all of the other cities we had the opportunity to perform. I believe this difference results from the musical culture in each city, the influence of area teachers, a ripple down effect of the style of each full-time symphony and the musical opportunities available. The score for Kingdom Hearts included rich cinematic moments intertwined with familiar Disney melodies—the fans loved it. Music, travel, and friendship, new and old, all seem to come together during this opportunity.”

The contractor and personnel manager for the tour was Boston-based Steve Olans, also a member of Local 9-535. He both hired the touring musicians and was the liaison between the producer and the contractors in each city that hired the 52 local musicians who completed the orchestration.

Olans faced numerous challenges in meeting the needs of the group, such as renting a bass in each city for the principal bassist. “Rather than travel with a double bass we would rent one in each town,” he says. “It was always interesting when I would ask our touring bass player, Colleen, what she thought of the rented instrument. Sometimes she indicated that the instrument was great, and on occasion, she would smile in her good natured way and indicate that it wasn’t quite as good.”

“The first thing I did was secure the nine Boston-based touring musicians,” explains Olans. “Then I contacted the officers of each local. They were certainly glad to hear that the musicians traveling with the tour were working under an AFM National Touring Contract that was negotiated by AFM’s Director of Touring George Fiddler. All of the AFM locals were aware that this show was coming their way. They wondered who was playing the show, if it was self-contained or going to hire a local orchestra, and if it would pay union scale and file union contracts. There was a sigh of relief when I told them I was going to contract/sub-contract a union orchestra using their members, alongside the touring musicians. Each local would have a union contract along with pension, work dues, and all of their other wage scales and working conditions.”

He continues, “In some cities, we hired an existing orchestra—the Chicago Philharmonic or the Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia—and in other locals we worked with some incredible groups of freelance musicians.”
Steve Olans rose to the occasion in an unflappable way, negotiating last-minute changes. The success of this tour demonstrates to producers the quality of hiring professional union musicians at fair wages and benefits. It affirms that projects can be both financially and artistically successful.