Tag Archives: recent news

SUPPORT THE FAIR PLAY FAIR PAY ACT

April 15, 2015 IM

On April 13, AFM President Ray Hair; AFM International Executive Board member (IEB) and Local 257 President (Nashville, TN) David Pomeroy; IEB and Local 802 (New York City) President Tino Gagliardi; the musicFIRST Coalition; record labels; and other members of the music community to support the Fair Play Fair Pay Act of 2015, introduced by representatives Jerrold Nadler (D-NY) and Marsh Blackburn (R-TN). This monumental legislation would finally ensure that musicians are compensated fairly when their music is played on any radio platform—Internet, satellite, or traditional AM/FM.

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Recent News

Bonnie Raitt ‘Buy This Fracking Album’

March 31, 2015 IM

Bonnie Raitt of local 47 (Los Angeles, CA) is a founding member of Musicians United for Safe Energy and has always been an activists for a better future by opposing unfriendly projects to the environment such as fossil fuel reliance. Now, she considers the most critical issue of today is Hydro-fracking and she claims it needs a nationwide ban.

Food & Water Watch partnered with Movement Music Records to release a compilation record cleverly titled, “ Buy This Fracking Album. ” It will include 22 artists to spread knowledge about the dangers of fracking. All the songs have been donated and the proceeds from the album will be sent to groups working towards a ban on fracking.

The album isn’t complete yet, and needs about $40,000 to be finished. You can donate here to help the album become a reality, and you will be one of the first to receive the album if you do donate.

Recent News

‘Star Wars: The Force Awakens’ to be scored in Los Angeles

March 30, 2015 IM

When Star Wars: The Force Awakens plays in theaters on December 18, 2015, the music will be the sounds of local 47 members and not the London Symphony Orchestra, the musicians behind the previous six Star Wars films. In a time when many jobs – including Hollywood film scoring – are being outsourced to other countries, the famous local 47 composer John Williams will be working with the freelance members of the LA union, better known as the Hollywood Studio Orchestra.

The scoring sessions will begin in April and span several months. Needless to say, this will generate millions in wages, benefits, and other spending for the Hollywood film scoring community, something that is greatly needed in this time when offshoring is sadly becoming more common.

“We are excited and proud that our talented pool of Local 47 musicians are scoring the next ‘Star Wars’ film here in Los Angeles,” says AFM Local 47 President John Acosta. “This marks a significant achievement not only in efforts to revitalize the musical community in Hollywood, but also in bringing work historically done abroad here to the United States. We look forward to celebrating many similar future successes.”

“I’ve had the privilege of working with the very best musicians in both the U.K. and the U.S.,” says Williams. “The London Symphony Orchestra has consistently performed with great artistry on all six of the prior films in the Star Wars saga, and I will be forever grateful for their commitment and dedication. Equally, it has been my honor to have worked with my brilliant colleagues in Los Angeles, and always appreciate the invaluable contribution they’ve made to my scores and to those of other composers.”

Recent News

NJ AFL-CIO Gathers Women for Empowerment Conferen

March 24, 2015 IM

In March, more than 200 union women gathered in East Brunswick, New Jersey, for the 12th annual AFL-CIO Women in Leadership Development (WILD) conference. Conference founder Laurel Brennan, secretary-treasurer of the New Jersey State AFL-CIO spoke on the theme of economic empowerment. “Women still earn 78 cents for every dollar earned by a man, a statistic that unfortunately hasn’t improved in the past decade,” says Brennan. “This conference enables our union sisters to focus their collective power and energy on public policy injustices that affect women and families, such as gender pay inequality. The best pay equalizer is still a union contract.”

The biggest event of its kind, WILD brought women from across the country together. Participants attended workshops on obstacles to economic prosperity for women and ways to overcome them.

Recent News

Nominate Those Who Inspire You

March 24, 2015 IM

The Musicians Hall of Fame & Museum honors all musicians regardless of genre or instrument. As a member of the AFM, you are eligible to nominate up to 10 musicians, two producers, two arrangers, and two engineers for induction into the Musicians Hall of Fame. Simply log on to the Musicians Hall of Fame nomination page (http://www.musicianshalloffame.com/nominations/) and enter your picks before the end of the year. Previous honorees have included Local 257 (Nashville, TN) members Billy Cox, Fred Foster, Charlie Daniels; and Local 47 (Los Angeles, CA) members Steve and Jeff Porcaro; and Local 47 member Steve Lukather and Local 257 member David Hungate with the band Toto.

Recent News

Napoleón Gómez, Mexican Labor Leader, Addresses AFL-CIO Council

March 24, 2015 IM

AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka welcomed Napoleón Gómez Urrutia, president of the Mexican mine and metalworkers’ union Los Mineros, to Atlanta at the end of February. Gómez addressed the AFL-CIO Executive Council saying, “As long as Mexican workers don’t have rights, workers in America are under threat.”

In his remarks, Gómez argued that low wages and repression of workers in Mexico hurt US workers by reducing exports to Mexico and creating unfair incentives to relocate plants from the US. “Workers in the US and Mexico have to fight together, even harder, for justice and against inequality,” he argues. He called for the halt of the Trans-Pacific Partnership and demanded real labor reforms for both countries. While the Los Mineros union has doubled the real wages of its members in the past decade, most Mexican workers face repression when they try to join democratic unions.

In 2011, Gómez received the AFL-CIO’s Meany–Kirkland Human Rights Award but was unable to attend the ceremony because of criminal charges filed against him by the Mexican government, which have since been defeated. “This is a great victory for democratic unionism and international solidarity,” says Trumka of the long-awaited visit by the respected labor leader.

Recent News

Healthy Families Act Would Let Workers Earn Sick Time

March 24, 2015 IM

In February, Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) and Representative Rosa DeLauro (D-CN) introduced the Healthy Families Act to give workers the opportunity to earn up to seven paid sick days. More than 43 million American workers currently earn no sick time and have to make a choice between losing wages and staying home if they or a family member are ill.

According to the AFL-CIO website, more than four in 10 private-sector workers and 81% of low-wage workers do not have paid sick days. A 2014 study by the Institute for Women’s Policy Research shows that Latinos and those who make less than $20,000 a year are the workers least likely to have paid sick days. Even worse is the fact that many of the workers without sick days are food preparation or service workers, despite health department recommendations that these workers not go to work sick.

There is growing momentum across the country to pass paid family leave and paid sick days legislation. Twenty jurisdictions nationwide now have paid sick day laws in place. Philadelphia is the most recent city to pass legislation.

Recent News

Drummer Clayton Cameron Used Math to Impress James Brown

March 16, 2015 IM

Clayton Cameron of Local 47 (Los Angeles, CA) has drummed with Sammy Davis Jr, and has also recorded 15 albums with Tony Bennett. He’s a skilled drummer for sure, but he says his secret is how understanding math has increased his drumming capability. He explains on NPR how he used math to impress James Brown, who was known for not liking what other drummers played in his band. Cameron was pleased to report he was met with a satisfied Brown as he told Cameron “that was funky.”

Clayton Cameron gave a Ted Talk about using math with drumming to explain drumming in a new way to children. He breaks down the style of drumming into musical measures to which he then explains using mathematical terms. A style he coined as “A-Rhythm-Etic” Watch the video and see how a new way to look at drumming may open up new ways to play.

Recent News

Watch Weird Al Perform with Autistic Singer Jodi DiPiazza

March 9, 2015 IM

Weird Al of Local 47 (Los Angeles, CA) performed at Comedy Central’s Night of Too Many Stars benefit for New York Collaborates for Autism. However, he did not perform alone. He shared the stage with 13-year-old autistic singer Jodi DiPiazza to perform a memorizing duet of Weird Al’s 1985 classic “Yoda” a parody of “Lola” by The Kinks. Towards the end of the song they are joined by a choir of autistic children to empower the finale. You can watch the video below and make sure you visit New York Collaborates for Autism for more information.

Recent News

Cleveland Orchestra Musicians Visit Miami Community Center

March 4, 2015 IM

Cleveland Orchestra violinist Eliesha Nelson, seated, works with a violin student Tuesday at the Barnyard center in the Coconut Grove neighborhood of Miami (Zachary Lewis/The Plain Dealer)

It isn’t exactly uncommon for an orchestra to help out in its community, but Cleveland Orchestra of local 4 (Cleveland, OH) goes the extra mile — or a thousand. On a trip to Florida to perform at Miami’s Arsht Center Cleveland Orchestra has developed a habit of visiting Barnyard, a nonprofit after-school center in Miami’s Coconut Grove neighborhood. The tradition remained intact as two musicians visited the program to share their music experiences with the class.

Violinist Isabel Trautwein and violist Eliesha Nelson took time out of their day on Tuesday to perform and teach to very eager elementary school-aged children. The two musicians performed numerous songs and then asked the children questions about what they heard.

“Each of you has a different way of hearing music. That’s the magic of music.” explained Trautwein who also founded a music training program back in Cleveland called El Sistema@Rainey.

Then they taught children with hands-on training as other children watched and learned. Even when the children were beginners they still were eager to learn. Learning proper hand positions and tips to stay in the right position is imperative among younger musicians. Learning the techniques now will ensure they continue to use them as they develop their music career, whether that is recreational or professional.

Diana Rosenberg, a Barnyard board member says it is this interaction that keeps the Cleveland Orchestra so loved in Florida.

“It gives [the students] something else to dream about,” she said. “You can see how important it is. I love the way that they’ve become a part of our community. It’s changed our lives.”