Greenleaf Music

Self production seems to be the way things are going in the music industry. Internet focused models that help create better connections with listeners, and access to more varied output from the artists are gaining traction. (See Artist Share)

Dave Douglas’ new label, Greenleaf Music, has an interesting subscriber model. Check out their subscriber page for more info on what it entails. They also offer individual song downloads, as well as full album downloads and physical CDs. The downloads are mp3, which implies no DRM, so you can actually listen to the music you buy on the player of your choice. There is a blog and internet radio as well. Looks like a couple of steps in the right direction to me.

Thanks to be.jazz for the heads up.

Territory Band 4 – Company Switch

Dealing with free improvisation in the context of a large ensemble has always been a challenge. Sometimes a larger group just means more and louder noise. Other times, it can mean more arranged material and a lesser feeling of freedom. On Company Switch, Territory Band – 4 does a good job of balancing those extremes, and creating interesting and challenging music.

There are times when the music really swings in a spirited manner similar to the great Coltrane quartet. The rambunctious blowing one can expect from most Ken Vandermark projects is also present. The noisy elements of this CD receive great contributions from the guitar and electronics. The approach to the acoustic parts of the music is so, well acoustic, that the electronic entrances can be jarring. I am fairly confident that this is the intended effect. I don’t really like the way the acoustic instruments and the electric ones are mixed, but that is more likely a function of personal taste than bad production practices.

The album is made up of 2 CDs with three tracks each. The third track on the first disc is entitled “Franja.” This cut alone is worth the price of admission. It manages to effectively touch all of the bands varied musical bases in just under 21 minutes, and the music that happens during Fredrik Ljungkvist’s tenor sax solo is astounding.

This isn’t music that works in the background as you go about your daily business. The dynamic range is wide and the subtleties are an integral part of the musical experience. As with most music that stretches, Company Switch rewards the attentive listener.

This Cd is on the Okka Disk label.

Record label to music fans: no song lyrics on your computer!

Boing Boing: Record label to music fans: no song lyrics on your computer!

This guy wasn’t even hosting the lyrics. He just wrote a freeware tool to find and display lyrics that are already on display on the web.

I understand that all of the sites that post song lyrics are violating copyrights, but this guy is violating copyrights no more than the makers of Internet Explorer, which can do pretty much what this guy’s app does.

I understand the need to protect one’s copyrights, but many of these music labels and publishers seem like they don’t get it, on a very basic level.

UPDATE 12/16/05: According to this CNET article Warner/Chappell has issued an apology.

Oops…our bad.

Rob Wagner trio with Hamid Drake and Nobu Ozaki

I heard some great music tonight. Before the hurricane, Rob Wagner played Monday nights at dba steadily for a couple of years at least. He was back tonight, with Nobu Ozaki on bass, and Hamid Drake on drums. They are all in town to record Rob’s next CD.

Rob Wagner Trio 2

The music was great. These particular guys have not played together a great deal, so each member of the group was extra attentive, and the focus payed off. The music was nimble and lively with a buoyant spirit about it. The musicians interacted gracefully, but were not hesitant to follow the music to its boisterous heights.

They go into the studio this week. I look forward to hearing the results.

A Model For Big Content?

Artists are always trying to find new ways to finance the creation of their art, and ways to connect with an audience.

Artist Share worked well for Maria Schneider who won a Grammy for a CD available only online and finaced through listener support.

The concept outlined in the following link combines the fan support with an open license concept. Pretty cool. It could work if you have enough fans with enough trust.

OpenBusiness » Blog Archive » A Model For Big Content?