Now is the right time to become an American Federation of Musicians member. From ragtime to rap, from the early phonograph to today's digital recordings, the AFM has been there for its members. And now there are more benefits available to AFM members than ever before, including a multi-million dollar pension fund, excellent contract protection, instrument and travelers insurance, work referral programs and access to licensed booking agents to keep you working.
As an AFM member, you are part of a membership of more than 80,000 musicians. Experience has proven that collective activity on behalf of individuals with similar interests is the most effective way to achieve a goal. The AFM can negotiate agreements and administer contracts, procure valuable benefits and achieve legislative goals. A single musician has no such power.
The AFM has a proud history of managing change rather than being victimized by it. We find strength in adversity, and when the going gets tough, we get creative - all on your behalf.
Like the industry, the AFM is also changing and evolving, and its policies and programs will move in new directions dictated by its members. As a member, you will determine these directions through your interest and involvement. Your membership card will be your key to participation in governing your union, keeping it responsive to your needs and enabling it to serve you better. To become a member now, visit www.afm.org/join.
For Klezmer Flute Duets, Michael Lösch has selected eight pieces from the huge repertoire of old, traditional pieces, plus five of his own compositions that were inspired by traditional klezmer music. The book includes “Mazel Tav,” “Lebedik,” “Der Heyser Bulgar,” and more.
Klezmer Flute Duets, by Michael Lösch, Universal Edition, www.universaledition.com.
Sharon Jones struggled for years to make it in the music industry, singing weddings and talent shows, and frequently being told she was “too short, too old, too fat, and too black” to make it as a headliner. But in 1996 she was discovered by Daptone Records and became the dynamic frontline singer for the Dap-Kings, performing her own brand of gospel funk. This book offers a deep appreciation for the bighearted star who beat the odds and did it her way.
Long Slow Train: The Soul Music of Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings, by Donald Brackett, Backbeat Books, www.backbeatbooks.com.
Stepping into a choral classroom from a band directing background can be daunting. This book is designed to bridge the path between abstract knowledge and practical application with relevant, practical pedagogical tools that are supplemented with listening and visual examples. There are many examples of how what you already know about teaching band can be transferred to teaching choir.
Yes, You Can! The Band Director’s Guide to Teaching Choirs, by Derrick Fox, edited by Denise Eaton, Carl Fischer, www.carlfischer.com.
Franz Liszt’s piano transcriptions promoted the reception of the music by composers who were unknown at the time or inaccessible outside of major European capitals. From 1833 to 1846 he transcribed 58 lieder of Franz Schubert for piano solo, many of which he performed in his years of concert touring. From 1848 to 1881 he transcribed 12 lieder of Robert Schumann and three of Clara Schumann. Many of Liszt’s transcriptions were forgotten after his death. This edition includes 15 transcriptions of Schubert’s lieder, 12 of Robert Schumann, and three of Clara Schumann.
Franz Liszt: Transcriptions of Lieder by Franz Schubert, Robert Schumann, and Clara Schumann, compiled and edited by Nicholas Hopkins, Carl Fischer, www.carlfischer.com.
Electro-Harmonix has launched a line of electric guitar strings. Each string is made in the USA to EHX specifications, precision-wrapped with round nickel-plated steel onto a high-carbon, hexagon-shaped steel core. The plain strings are made from the same high-carbon steel as the hex cores. A high quality steel and computer controlled winding process results in strings with accurate intonation that stay in tune and vibrate evenly for maximum sustain. The strings are available in super light (09-42), regular light (10-46), and medium (11-48). The ball ends are color-coded to make it easy to identify each string and are packed in corrosion-inhibiting bags.
This Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album Grammy-winning project comprises standards and classics made famous by Frank Sinatra. On it, Willie Nelson of Local 433 (Austin, TX) sings some of the most beloved songs of the Great American Songbook. My Way was produced by Local 257 (Nashville, TN) members Buddy Cannon and Matt Rollins and includes lush string and horn arrangements.
Nelson and Sinatra were close friends and colleagues and admirers of each other’s work. In the 1980s Sinatra opened for Nelson at Golden Nugget in Las Vegas. Nelson says he learned a lot about phrasing from Sinatra.
Nelson previously “covered” the Great American Songbook in his 1978 Stardust album and his 2016 Summertime: Willie Nelson Sings Gershwin, which won a Grammy for Best Traditional Vocal Album. Nelson’s My Way was released September 2018 on Legacy Records.
This chamber music CD from composer and Local 47 member Gernot Wolfgang contains six compositions that acknowledge his deep Austrian roots filtered through more than 20 years of California living. The subtitle Groove-Oriented Chamber Music, Vol. 4 refers to his integration of rhythm (grooves) from jazz, rock and roll, pop, world music, and electronic dance music (EDM) into concert music idioms to create an added musical layer. To counterbalance the grooves, there are also extensive slow, floating, meditative musical passages as well.
Vienna and the West was recorded May 15-18, 2018 in Los Angeles with some of the finest classical musicians. Among them are Local 47 members of the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, Los Angeles Opera Orchestra, and first call studio musicians. The release is a follow-up to his CD Passing Through: Groove-Oriented Chamber Music, Vol. 3, which was nominated for a 2016 Grammy Award for Best Classical Compendium.
This is the Travelin’ McCourys debut album. McCoury brothers, Ronnie (mandolin) and Rob (banjo), are the sons of bluegrass legend Del McCoury and spent years on the road with their dad. Jason Carter (fiddle), Alan Bartram (bass), and Cody Kilby (guitar) join them in this bluegrass supergroup. Each of the Local 257 (Nashville, TN) band members has been recognized independently for their instruments by the International Bluegrass Music Association.
The 14-song Best Bluegrass Album Grammy-winning collection demonstrates the group’s inventive style and stellar musicianship with a soulful and transcending sound drawing influences from both Bill Monroe and Jerry Garcia. “The album definitely shows what we’ve evolved into as a band,” says Rob. “And, it’s a pretty good representation of what’s happening with the whole genre. The old bluegrass material is something I love but it’s been done many times. We’re forging ahead with our own sound. That’s what you have to do to make it all work.”
It’s often not possible for drummers to bring every percussion instrument they want to a gig. Great for players who are new to hybrid drumming, the Roland TM-1 trigger module lets drummers easily add electronic elements to their acoustic kits. TM-1 is designed similar to a guitar effects pedal. It features 15 ready-to-play kits with two instruments each, including various kick and snare combinations, as well as synth loops. Two dual-trigger inputs accommodate up to four Roland trigger devices, while direct-access control knobs and two footswitches make it simple to operate.
The film noir genre of the 1940s typically includes a strong but flawed male lead and a beautiful woman who coerces the male into committing murder or is herself the killer with a twisting plot that involves one or more murders. These dark dramas shot in black and white are the inspiration for Noir Vignettes for Double Bass and Piano. Its four movements comprise aspects of film noir: “Murder at Midnight,” “Loaded Gun,” “Femme Fatale,” and “Last Cigarette.” String bass parts are provided both for standard orchestral tuning and solo tuning.
Noir Vignettes for Double Bass and Piano, by Stacy Garrop, Theodore Presser Company, www.presser.com.
