Music is Business...What is this

How does one get the gig of their dreams? Yes, we must practice but what else is there to i?. What about networking and your 30 sec elevator pitch which is probably more like 15 sec. There are several approaches to obtaining the dream performance job and during this podcast we talk about our experiences and those we have come into contact with. Take a listen and leave a comment about how you ended...

We all have influences wether it be family members or just bands we like. In this episode we have an amazing guest who has studied all types of music and is a house hold name in the several corners of the world. "Dee Alexander" expresses her thoughts on music and how she became who she is. If you are a young or not so young musician you will want to listen to this because she takes us deep into th...

What does it mean to produce something is a great question in our era. 40 years ago it meant getting all the necessary musicians together, booking the studio, making sure the food is great, and what ever else the musicians want. Today this term takes on a different meaning. I challenge you to ask someone under 40 and see what the answer is to this job. During the next 20 minutes we dig deep into w...

Do you communicate with emoji's?

Have you ever arrived at the concert or gig and the whole band is there except the band leader? This always creates an interesting energy in the room the first few times this happens in a band. Of course there is always things that can go wrong like bad traffic, baby sisters not arriving, the car not starting but what happens when this is a regular habit to the point the club owner ask the band to...

The age old question of is music getting better or worse is what we attempt to cover today. Many of us used to hear our parents or older relatives say "This isn't music. I'll show you some real music." Not to discredit them but we all have what we call our music or real music. Take a listen and see if you will fall into this same category one or some day with your music.

Jeremiah Hunt discusses with long time friend and Chicago native Zeshan B’s breakout album “Vetted” was released in April 2017 to commercial and critical acclaim with the album debuting at #8 on Billboard's Top 10 Albums (World Music) and peaking at #1 on iTunes’ World Music chart. Additionally, “Vetted” has received rave reviews from Rolling Stone, NPR, ABC, NBC, PBS, Salon Magazine, Democracy No...

Do you keep good records of where your money is coming in from and where it is going? Many of us want to make good money but as an artist how do we keep track of it is the question. In this episode we will discuss several parameters of what this involves.

Have you ever wanted to tour and wondered how to book or arrnage the concerts/gigs and set up the routing? In this podcast we discuss how all of the behind the scenes jobs get done to make a tour successful. How do we know about this. Richard D. Johnson has tour managed bands and high school groups for over 20 years. Every spring he manages thousands of high school students and helps them with the...

Have you ever wondered how people made it before social media? It is a legitimate question even though social media has only been around in its current format for 25 years or so. Almost everyone uses it who wants to be current and if they are not a company or someone else is doing it for them. In this episode we discuss is really needed today and if word of mouth still really exist. Let us know yo...

Have you ever really wanted to play with a band or an artist and they finally reach out. What emotion did that give you? I know what it did to and for me. In this episode we discuss the preparation for the gig or concert. We also talk about was it an actual call or a text. In this era everyone is texting so respecting the text is a real concern. We would love to hear your feedback after listening...

Have you ever thought how do great jazz musicians who teach in High schools or Middle schools do it? We have one of the best in the Business here. John Wojciechowski has played with tons of great artist and teaches at St. Charles North High School. He discusses how he went to New York from Detroit and then ended up in Chicago. It's a crazy story that has tons of information in it. Even if you thin...

You ever wonder how some bands are put together? Its not always the best of the best. Sometimes it's who is available and keep do the job. Often this can create a great unexpected situation. It could also go bad real fast too. In this episode we discuss how musicians are chosen for the gig.

Have you ever been sick and you really need to take the gig but you don't think you will make it? I've been there and had to tough through it. What are your options if you are in your hometown or what happens when you are on the road and a tour and you are the only person within 500 miles that can make the gig. Well listen up.... you have found the right podcast.

How do you get people to come to your performance. Do you use email, social media, word of mouth, snail mail, youtube, a promotion company. There are numerous different ways to get people to attend your performance. In this episode we discuss what a promoters does and what their background normally is to make your concert a hit!!!

You ever wonder who picks all the music during Netflix, Amazon Prime, Hulu, Movies and many more. In this episode we discuss another form of income that you can get involved in and make a really good living.

Sharel Cassity opens up the the New Year discussing with us how she made it to winning Rising stars Best Alto Sax category award in Downbeat magazine. This is definitely an episode to not miss to start the year off on the right food. Sharel has worked with Multi-Grammy Award-winning artist Jennifer Hudson, Top 40 hit singer-songwriter Natalie Merchant, Aretha Franklin, Vanessa Williams, Trisha Yea...

Happy Holidays!!! This episode is all about negotiation. We all need this especially during the holidays. In this episode we get into some heavy discussions on how to deal with getting the most for work effort. Enjoy!

How do you enjoy playing Holiday Music? This is always a hot topic for musicians because some of us love it because of the extra "Dinero" and others of us are not fans because of........well if you listen to this episode you will find out the good and bad that comes with the Holidays.

Do you ever wondering what you are going to wear to a concert? As a musician this takes time fro some and for others no time at all. What is the appropriate dress for a concert hall, Jazz club, outdoor event, Donor Party, etc. In this episode we discuss all these things and if it makes a different in todays world. Sit back relax or not and think about what do I have on and does it affect my image...

Have you ever gone to a concert and seen several groups in a row that are all similar looking and we are not talking about the clothes? In this episode we discuss is there (enough) diversity in bands and why is it such a hot topic these days.

In this episode we have Romaine Johnson or "Mrs. R" with us to discuss customer service in the Music Industry. She has a long history in the banking industry and is known for heleping her clients grow their business & wealth with a smile. This topic is often over looked by many musicians because of the focus on their music. You are going to want to listen and watch this one.

Born in Pittsburgh, home to jazz greats Art Blakey, Ray Brown, Jeff "Tain" Watts and Ahmad Jamal, Richard D. Johnson has strong territorial jazz roots. He was first introduced to the piano at the age of five by his father, a gospel pianist in the church. After graduating from the Berklee School of Music in just two years, Richard entered the Boston Conservatory where he earned a Master’s degree in...

Have you played a concert and wondered what the venue is going to be? Sounds strange because you usually get a description in the contract or word of mouth. Often we as musicians are given incorrect information or descriptions of the Venue because the people given the contracts are not musicians. In this podcast we discuss how often this happens. Enjoy and leave us your feedback.

He has played bass for the best and has traveled around the world. Listen to his story about how he arrived in Chicago. You will learn alot about how to make your own path to your destiny.