Tuesday, June 19, 2007

Payola pays off

A long time ago, in the far-away galaxy known as New York State, a whole bunch of record companies -- and later radio conglomerates -- settled lawsuits by then-New York Attorney General Eliot Spitzer (who now lives in a “green” mansion in Albany working as something else, I think).

The labels were paying the stations to get play for acts that apparently needed help — acts like Celine Dion, Green Day and U2, to name a few.

(Where’s Bono when you need him?)

From those settlements, a music fund was created. The music fund awarded $32 million to 371 music projects throughout the state, with more than a dozen area groups benefiting. Life had the skinny in January.

This week’s Preview showcases the Maverick season, which also received one such grant. If you’ve noticed, a great many Previews have featured acts that came to the area thanks to those grants. Black Mozart, Michelle Shocked and Ladysmith Black Mambazo are but a few that come to mind.

What follows is the area list of who received how much and for what. The complete one is available at http://www.rockpa.org/.

Grants List

June 2006
Deep Listening Institute (Kingston) $65,000
To support Deep Listening Convergence 2007 presenting workshops, open rehearsals and live performances for in-person and online audiences.
Dutchess County Arts Council (Poughkeepsie) $16,000
To support the Hudson River Arts Festival which includes a series of folk music performances featuring African-American gospel, Puerto Rican jibaro and salsa, and bluegrass at different venues in Hudson Valley.
Hudson Opera House (Hudson) $100,000
To support the 06/07 presentation series featuring Afro-Cuban, flamenco, Latin American, classical and jazz music, as well as educational and artist workshops related to the performances.
Michael J. Quill Irish Cultural and Sports Center (East Durham) $45,000
For Catskills Irish Arts Week featuring performances, singing and over 60 daily music classes in new and traditional Irish Folk music.
The Olana Partnership (Hudson) $16,000
For a series of performances from a variety of musicians and musical genres such as pop, soul, bluegrass and swing.
Potential Unlimited Productions (Poughkeepsie) $37,000
To support the Summer Music Institute and Fall Mini-Institute projects which allow adult, performing artists with developmental disabilities from throughout New York State to develop their natural talents, explore performance media, hone skills, perform and network with other performing artists with and without disabilities.
Richard B. Fisher Center for the Performing Arts at Bard College (Annandale-on-Hudson) $100,000
For The Blackamoor Angel, a new opera in three acts written by Carl Hancock Rux with music by Nancy Zi and Grisha Coleman.
Unison Arts and Learning Center (New Paltz) $80,000
To support a series of live performances showcasing a variety of artists from genres such as hip-hop, electronic music, zydeco, Cajun, folk or hula-blues.

December 2006

Arm-of-the-Sea Theater (Malden on Hudson) $12,000
For a series of free public performances throughout the eastern half of New York State in collaboration with different local partners showcasing music by Dean Jones, Juan Basilio Sanchez and the Big Sky Ensemble in a number of shows of the company’s repertoire.
Bard College/Bard High School Early College (Annandale-on-Hudson) $100,000
To support the expansion of contemporary music education through artist residencies that will include performances, workshops and classes open to community residents and students; and for creating a new after-school music program.
Bardavon 1869 Opera House (Poughkeepsie) $195,000
To support 36 performances of contemporary music in Poughkeepsie and Kingston through the Bardavon/UPAC Mainstage Series, the Bardavon’s Hudson Valley Philharmonic Symphony Concert Series, and the free Hudson River Arts Festival.
Catskill Mountain Foundation (Hunter) $100,000
For the year-round Music on the Mountain, presenting an eclectic lineup of concerts in genres from classical to folk to jazz, in partnership with various local arts organizations.
Center for Creative Education (Stone Ridge) $130,000
For the collaboration with the Kingston City School District to utilize the Carnegie Library building for teaching music and music technology through training in digital composition, sound recording, podcasting, video music production, and acoustic instrumental music; and as a rehearsal space for music and dance ensembles.
Maverick Concerts (Woodstock) $44,000
To commission and premiere a chamber orchestra version of the opera Final Alice by David Del Tredici that will be professionally recorded for broadcast over public stations WMHT and WRHV to reach a wider audience throughout the region.
Michael J. Quill Irish Cultural and Sports Centre (East Durham) $63,000
For the Catskills Irish Arts Week 2007 presenting concerts, music activities and over 70 music classes in new and traditional Irish folk music.
Mount Saint Mary College (Newburgh) $58,000
For a series of free community education music classes and a free concert series, featuring genres such as African, Caribbean, klezmer, jazz and Brazilian music.
Planet Arts (Catskill) $30,000
For Jazz in the Hudson Valley, a comprehensive initiative that will provide jazz programming from New York City to Albany through performances, open rehearsals, student and adult workshops and lectures in Ulster, Greene and Columbia counties.
Soundscape Presents (Accord) $57,000
To present, record and distribute via CD and radio broadcast a public concert of the Trombone Shout Band, featuring trombonist Roswell Rudd and the Rondout Valley High School.
Unison Arts and Learning Center (New Paltz) $75,000
For Unison’s Performance Series, live concerts from a variety of musical genres including jazz, blues, folk, ‘new’ country, Tex-Mex, gospel, Latin, Cuban rumba, Parisian cafe tunes and retro-hip.
Woodstock Guild of Craftsmen (Woodstock) $75,000
For Roots and Traditional Music showcasing both emerging and established artists of the Hudson Valley playing American roots music, indie rock and folk; local bluegrass banjo greats; and women singer/songwriters who sing blues, jazz, folk and pop.