CMC (Contemporary Music Center)

2007-11-26T13:16:00.000-08:00

Well...I have been very busy as of late traveling to New York City, meeting with major and indie record label executives and living as a New Yorker for 10 days!! It has been a complete blast and am hopeful that by next fall i may be living in the big apple. (i think new yorkers hate it when people call it the big apple but what the hell:) 10 days ago, our whole group left the CMC for our mid/end semester road trip. This semester it was New York (L.A. and Nashville being the 2 other cities that are chosen from each semester.) and let me tell you I was sooo excited to go, as i have never been to NYC before. We arrived in the city (via van caravan) on Friday and had the whole weekend to do whatever we pleased before our two full days of meetings at various businesses in the music industry. Let me just say by the end of each day, my feet were DEAD from walking everywhere! I definitely got in some good exercise in NYC!

The first night there, I went with a couple people to "The Living Room", a hole in the wall bar where CMC alumni "Gretel" performed their last concert on their short East Coast tour. Gretel came to the CMC and performed for us the first night we were here and have grown to be one of my favorite bands during my semester of music-listening overhaul. It was great to talk to them again and meet other CMC alumni that are now living and working in NYC. I also got to eat at KATS...AKA: the diner in "When Harry Met Sally" (Meg Ryan's infamous scene...yeah that one.) It was fun just walking around with friends in a new big city! I found it was much easier to walk around with 4 or less people!! The rest of the weekend was full of walking around Times Square, Rockafeller Center, SOHO, and more! There was just so much to do! The food was amazing wherever we went...for the most part.

Then came Monday, our first of two days of meetings. First stop being Sony Records. We met with some big names, V.P.'s of A&R, College marketing, Celine Dion's A&R guy, digital marketing execs and more. It was really cool to have these women and men take time out of there busy schedule's to sit for an hour and just talk to some college students and answer there questions. It was a pretty surreal experience to be in the offices of people who have the jobs I have always wanted! After 4 hours at Sony, we headed down the the Avenue to The Orchard...a licensing company for indie artists and their labels. It was so hot there, we didn't even remember a lot of what was said because we were exhausted and sweating to death! We learned a lot about licensing and how important it can be especially in this time, to get your artist on a tv show soundtrack or a commercial on tv.

Tuesday was started at BMI (Broadcast Music Incorporated), one of the three performance rights organizations. This was a very exciting day because we got to talk to a music business lawyer who has worked in the business for over 30 years with all sorts of artists, famous and not. We also talked to two A&R agents, one for Razor and Tie record label, the other for a publishing company. But the most memorable guest for me was JULIE GOLD...most famously known for her song "From a Distance" (which she performed for us!!) made popular by Bette Midler. She was the most inspirational and awe inspiring speaker i have ever met. It was amazing to hear her life story, and how long it took her to make it big and how much pain and hard living she had to endure. But this was so great to hear that even in this cut throat business of music where virtually everyone is disposable, that if you work hard and follow your gut and heart, you WILL succeed. She said you just have to keep saying "They're WRONG!" talking about "The Man" or the industry big wigs. After talking to us and answering our questions, she walked over to the piano and performed From a Distance for us. I don;t think there were many dry eyes during or after the performance. Before we left I got to talk to her and tell her how much that song means to me and how it is sort of a theme for how i feel about life. I remember hearing that song for the first time at family camp in Michigan (Friedenwald) when i was a little kid listening to Tom and Louis Harder sing and play it for everyone. I was smiles for the rest of the day after this meeting at BMI.

We then stopped at the Grammy building which was neat, but we didn't really gain much from the speakers until they left and we got to talk to Dan Beck from Sony Records. (Yes he worked with Michael Jackson on the Thriller album!) But our last stop of the day was at Nettwerk, a management company as well as a record label. they are in the forefront of the change in the industry these days working with all sides of the industry to help the artist as much as possible. I would love to work for them some day! They are all about the artist and staying true to the pureness of the artist/manager/label relationship and make sure it's about "the music." and not political BS. It really made me want to move to NY immediately! If only it was that easy to get a job! :)

Wednesday was the start of Thanksgiving break, but myself along with 14 others stayed in the hostel and spent the rest of the week in NYC. I missed my family and friends dearly, but had an unforgettable experience!! I won't even go into the details because this blog would go on and on! But my relationship with many people from our group was fully bloomed and i was able to connect in a way that i haven't been able to with many friends in my life. This experience ceases to amaze me and i am dreading the day i must leave!! (although i do miss everyone back home a LOT!!)

Two other notable awesome things that i did were go on the Today show with my friends Ryan and Rachel...we got up at 5am but got perfect spots!! We were on tv for a solid 5 minutes right behind, Ann Curry , Matt Lauer, Meredith Vieira, Al Roker and Willard Scott!! It was crazy! i got to talk to Ann Curry and shake her hand!! Rockafeller Center was one of my favorite places to go while being there...watching people ice skate, seeing the huge tree (lit up on accident!!) and all of the lit up snowflakes and trees was just gorgeous!! i miss it already!

We are back on the island now, and last night when we arrived, a real Christmas tree was put up in the cafe and decorations were out for us to put up!! I was ecstatic!! So we started a fire in the hearth, made some hot chocolate and played Christmas music while putting up garland, ornaments, wreaths and lights! It made me happy since this is the first year I haven't been at home to decorate the house, tree and put up lights outside!! So thank you to the CMC for making feel at home!

Well...i am now sitting in front of the fire in the cafe playing Sarah McLachlan's Christmas album and hoping to take a nap after this! Hope to find you all in good spirits and ready for the Christmas holiday...if not, too bad...it's here!! :)

Peace...

Late night recording sessions...uggghhh...OH and HURRICANES!!

2007-11-05T02:28:00.000-08:00

So it's 5:00am and i am in the studio (since 4:30am) finishing up Cam's 2nd master recording. (final touch vocals and mixing.) I got about 3 hours of sleep before so that is always helpful...good thing those who had studio time before us weren't done yet so i got hot chocolate for us as not to subject them to my grouchy "just woke up" attitude...hopefully this session goes well and we come out with a great recording! Tomorrow (or today i guess) @ 9:30am we all will listen to each others masters and get reamed out...i mean critiqued, by Tom, Warren and Will. Speaking of Tom, Warren and Will...they decided we have been working ourselves too hard and they can see we are getting worn out. So...they cancelled CMC LIVE for this week! We were all so excited! That means no rehearsing and more downtime to nap and relax or whatever...we all just need a break...it's nice to see that Tom and Warren realize how herd we work.
Next subject...yeah, so we were in a hurricane this weekend! There are trees that split and huge branches fell...we were out of power most of the night after 7:00pm. It was probably one of the most enjoyable nights so far! A few of us lit a fire in the cafe and played some great games. I feel like we all got to know each other better and just got closer because we had nothing else to do but sit and talk to each other for hours. It was great! The wind was freaking ridiculous! a couple people went to the beach and recorded the waves and how strong the wind ones. Thank God it wasn't worse than is was though...the only bad part of the night was my artist lost some recording time...hence this 5:00 am session!
In my last blog i forgot to mention something pretty important...a couple weekends ago my Mom and Aunt Karen and Lisa came to visit!! It was so weird to see them get off the ferry!! i was thinking, "why are they here now, at my school, on Martha's Vineyard?" it was such a fun weekend! They got to the Vineyard on Thursday night...i went to Boston to see Tori Amos live in concert on Friday...we spent all day saturday driving around with a friend (Edie) on the island going to the beaches, lighthouses and just having a blast. Laura (who graciously let us stay with her) cooked us dinner that night and Aunt Karen made my favorite pie!! (Old Fashion Cream!) i was very sad to have to take them to the ferry at 7 am Sunday morning. it was so great to see family!! if only my WHOLE family could have made it!! well, i really need to go be an active manager and start mixing the recording now.

peace

FALL!!!

2007-11-01T08:58:00.000-07:00

So it has been way too long since my last blog! It has just been so busy here at the CMC lately. Our second master recording is due this coming Monday, so I have been in the studio with my 2 artists several hours the past few weeks. (Yesterday we were mixing from 12-6!! Let me tell you, listening and tweaking 1 song hours on end is a very tedious process!!) We are all happy with how things are turning out with this second master. The first round of masters were completely picked apart, so we learned a hard lesson in criticism!!
Last night one of our artists played at Outerland club for their Halloween party and it was awesome! It was so packed with people in crazy costumes! (i went as a nerd...BIG STRETCH for me!! LOL! I'll have to put a picture up soon!) It has been getting a bit colder these past few days, although right now it is just gorgeous! Perfect fall day today! Not to cold, windy, a bit overcast...I am always in complete amazement at the beauty of God's creation while here on the island. It is impossible not to see Her in all the beauty that is Martha's Vineyard. I just want fall to last a while! Snow can wait till December!! I have been going to my spot (a bench down by the pond) every day, writing in my journal and just taking in everything...just reflecting. It helps me get through the stressful days! i have been missing home lately...family and friends are missed dearly. I think it the fall season. I will be missing my first Trick-or-treat at home this year! there will be no sitting on the front porch with neighbors handing out candy, coffee and cocoa on hand, blankets keeping us warm...we did have a Halloween party on campus which was fun! (pictures later maybe...)
I have also been making the local coffee shop Beetlebung's a second place of comfort where i go when i need to get off campus. great coffee and pastries and a little outdoor seating. It makes me miss Common Grounds! I can't wait to start working there again! i miss my fellow baristas!
Tonight is another CMC LIVE! Both of my artists are performing at this concert. I am very excited because I get to watch the show this week! i don't have to work backstage for once!

I'll leave you there...peace and blessings to all.

Hello again from the CMC (part II)

2007-10-08T18:45:00.000-07:00

Hello again! It is time for my next installment of life at the CMC. It's a dreary Monday evening, I just got back from a 2 hour rehearsal with a couple artists who are performing at a local club this Friday. One of the artists I am managing is performing and we are all pretty excited to play a show for the island "regulars." The club that they are performing at is the one Carly Simon previously owned which is pretty cool. I just hope my "sniffles" are gone by this Thursday. I will be producing the 4th CMC LIVE show this Thursday. (We hold 1 live concert a week with 7 of our artists in the "Barn": a small venue on campus) I was stage manager 2 weeks ago and the MC at last weeks show. They are always rockin' and full of high energy and introspective performances. We have an amazing group of artists this semester; all have a unique sound and genre, including folk, rock, hip-hop, country, alternative, pop, jazz and many more. To give you an idea of how crazy they get: this week Jon came out in a old ripped wedding dress and enough eye make-up to rival Tammy Fay-Baker! :) I had an esspecially fun time at this last concert because I got to do some back up vocals and play my violin for a hip-hop set. It was a blast! And we had a dance party in the cafe' as a post-party.

Lately, us executives are getting press releases ready for each students school's newspaper. Also, we have been busy in the studio with our artists and engineers getting the first master track for each artist ready! It can be a long and tedious but extremely fun process; doing the final mixing, laying the last tracks whether that be gang or back ground vocals, or that last minute glockenspiel part!! Us executives had the pleasure of sitting in on the artists songwriting class today to see what goes on and the process of picking apart the raw form of a new being/song.

At our weekly "family meeting" with everyone involved in the CMC program, we get to talk to each other about our problems (personal, professional, maintenance, etc.) with each other and "sort through our feelings", etc. It is a good place to let out our frustrations and concerns as well as laugh at each other and talk about how crazy, stressful and fun things are that particular week. There was discussion this week of the "honeymoon phase" being over and how we are all getting to the point where it is easy to get frustrated and annoyed with each other. But we have such an amazing group of people here that it has not been a problem and we can actually talk it out with each other and move on.

I guess the only thing i have left to say right now is kind of a reflection on how amazing and perfect this place is for me and others like me. I can't imagine any other place where a community of people who live for music are put together to make music and talk about music and live in one place where creativity thrives. There is a constant aura of goodness in the air that comes only with the harmony, peace and emotion of people creating music. It is a glimpse of the Creator and what is still good on this earth. God is here, in this place, in these people...and it is beautiful. I am grateful for this experience every day I am here and we are all finding ourselves already dreading the day we have to leave!! But we must live in the moment and enjoy every minute we're here. As I write this I am listening to Joni Mitchell's new album "Shine" and am reminded of a lyric from her old song "Circle Game.":

"And the seasons they go round and round
And the painted ponies go up and down
We're captive on the carousel of time
We can't return we can only look behind
From where we came
And go round and round and round
In the circle game."

This is a little glimpse of how I feel now as I am living in this intentional community of musicians. I urge any one at Bluffton who wants a career in music to COME TO THE CMC!! It is truly a chance of a lifetime!

Well, this is a bit of a long entry, so sorry for that! Hope I didn't bore you too much! thanks for reading and I will not write as much next time!!

Peace,
jordan

The Contemporary Music Center Semester 13

2007-10-03T16:09:00.000-07:00

Well, this is my first blog and it has already been almost a month since being here on Martha's Vineyard at the place we call the CMC, or the Contemporary Music Center. I came into this experience knowing nothing of what the semester away from Bluffton was to bring me. Looking back at how nervous I was before arriving, I can laugh at myself for I immediately felt at home with the 35 other students who are sharing this experience with me. I will not go into specifics about the CMC: 1) I would bore you with all these things i think are amazing and you would have no idea what i mean AND 2) you can go to the AMAZING website that tells what the CMC is and gives you pictures, quotes and an in depth schedule of what a typical week is like for a student here. That website is www.thecontemporarymusiccenter.com
Just a few things about my experience so far: I arrived after a LONG 15 hour drive from Lima, OH with Dad. The ride went surprisingly fast! We had luckily made a connection with someone on the Vineyard who picked us up after we got off the ferry and let us stay the night at her house. She even took us on a tour of the island that night and the next morning before I moved on campus. Anyways, I moved in the next day, thanked Laura for her hospitality and said goodbye to Dad. I was about the 10th person there to arrive and it felt a little like arriving at summer camp! (the property that is used is a camp in the summer)
*I am skipping through so much, but this blog would be 10 pages long if I wrote everything out!*
The next few days were full of getting to know people and being prepared for what was going to be going on the whole semester. Class started on Monday and let me tell you, class (for us executives) takes place in the loft of a log lodge in comfy leather office chairs, and a sweet sound system. Other classes for all of us takes place in the cafe with a fireplace and a wrap around porch. The other "classes" that we have take place in the recording studio with over $500,000 worth of equipment. Let me just say, the sounds we make in that studio are amazing!
I quickly found myself sharing a lot more about myself and my beliefs/views with the other students and friendships were kindled very quickly. We keep telling each other that we all feel like we have known each other for years! it's pretty amazing how music can bring very different people together. It's a very beautiful sight actually. I know these friendships are going to last a lifetime! I can truly thank God for bringing me to this place! It is obvious that these 35 people are suppose to be here. no question about it.
The MUSIC: I can only tell you that the music we are making here is phenominal. Many of the artists here (in the artist track mostly) have experience in writing, but many of them haven't. It is the same for us in the executive track. Some of us have no experience managing artists or bands and some have. But you learn quickly everyone has a lot to learn and at the same time everyone has a lot to teach everyone else.
I think I will leave you here for this first entry and talk a little bit about the concerts we've had so far.

Peace
~Jordan