In This Issue Blasting Into 2014

February 19, 2014 Vol 2 Issue 3

IN THIS ISSUE BLASTING INTO 2014 ...... 2 SOONER IS BETTER: SOUNDEXCHANGE MOVES TO MONTHLY PAYMENT SCHEDULE ...... 4 RESOLVE TO RESPECT ALL MUSIC ...... 5 THE STATUTORY LICENSE: 2014 TIPS AND REMINDERS ...... 7 JUNIOR’S MUST HAVE GEAR: A DIFFERENT KIND OF AXE FOR THE WINTER . . . . . 9 MUSIC APPS FOR MUSIC LOVERS: PART 2! ...... 12 NICE TO MEET YOU: 2013 CONFERENCE RECAP AND LOOK AHEAD TO 2014 ...... 16 BACKSTAGE WITH AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLER . . . . .18 Follow us. Like us. SOUNDTRACK REWIND ...... 24 Watch us.

UPCOMING EVENTS ...... 26

www.soundexchange.com BLASTING INTO 2014 2013 was an exceptional year for digital music streaming, and SoundExchange once again set quarterly and year-end records, including distributing $590 million to recording artists and record labels in 2013. But with all the success, the organization isn’t slowing down as this year gets under way.

Already this year, SoundExchange is bolstering efforts towards better serving the industry and supporting the long-term value of music. • First, SoundExchange became the only sound recording performance rights organization (PRO) in the world to provide monthly payments for artists and labels. In fact, most sound recording PROs around the globe only offer annual or semi-annual payments. SoundExchange is already hearing from industry colleagues throughout the music industry who are expressing their widespread support for the initiative. The announcement was also positively covered throughout the media. • Second, SoundExchange extended the contract of President and CEO Michael Huppe through 2018. The SoundExchange Board expressed total confidence 2

February 19, 2014 www.soundexchange.com Vol 2 Issue 3 in Michael’s ability to lead the organization, which sits at the forefront and is responsible for 45 percent of worldwide streaming music industry’s revenues (as of 2012).

And That’s Just the Beginning. Later this year, SoundExchange will roll out additional services for the artists and labels it serves including an online portal to check account and payment status, new and exclusive benefits just for SoundExchange members, and different ways to leverage and connect to the SoundExchange repertoire database.

SoundExchange will also have an expanded presence on Capitol Hill (after the addition of a dedicated vice president of Global Public Policy in 2013). The organization, as always, will continue to promote performance rights, including but not limited to a renewed focus on the need for a Performance Rights Act. AM/FM radio stations are not required to pay record companies for the use of their sound recordings — an unfair situation that sets the U.S. as an outlier among all other industrialized nation. This remains one of the fundamental disparities in the music business today. There will also be an extensive focus on the copyright review process now in progress. SoundExchange plans to actively participate in hearings before Congress and rate setting proceedings before the Copyright Royalty Board. The organization will always continue to push hard for fair rates for artists and labels across all platforms.

The music industry has been, is and will likely always be a daily roller coaster of complexity and change. But at the end of the day, SoundExchange is ready to tackle these complexities and protect your interests in order to make it a smooth 3 ride for you. Here’s to 2014 and the exciting year ahead!

February 19, 2014 www.soundexchange.com Vol 2 Issue 3 SOONER IS BETTER: SOUNDEXCHANGE MOVES TO MONTHLY PAYMENT SCHEDULE

Let’s face it. No one likes to wait. Recognizing that sooner really is better, SoundExchange is pleased to announce it has begun offering monthly royalty payments to those artists and labels that are signed up to receive electronic payments. This new initiative kicked off in January 2014. Previously, the organization distributed royalties quarterly.

Initially, monthly royalty payments will be sent to those that are signed up to receive electronic payments, and have royalties due of at least $250. Artists and labels that do not meet this minimum threshold will continue to be paid on a regular, quarterly schedule under the organization’s existing guidelines. After the initial roll out period, SoundExchange will re-evaluate eligibility qualifications for the monthly payment program.

February 19, 2014 www.soundexchange.com Vol 2 Issue 3 “SoundExchange takes great care to ensure artists and labels are paid accurately and efficiently for their creations,” said Jonathan Bender, Chief Operating Officer. “After thoughtful consideration and discussions with the creators we serve, we’ve decided to offer our registrants monthly payments. We’re excited to make royalties available sooner, so creators can focus on making the music we all love.”

SoundExchange is the first sound recording rights organization in the world to offer monthly distributions. Most sound recording performance organizations in other countries pay only annually or bi-annually.

Have questions? The SoundExchange team is happy to provide you with any information regarding this new change. Please contact SoundExchange at [email protected] or speak to a SoundExchange Representative at 1-800-961-2091.

RESOLVE TO RESPECT ALL MUSIC In December 2013, John Conyers (D-MI), ranking minority member on the House Judiciary Committee, wrote an op-ed in USA TODAY about pre-1972 copyright laws and the way in which some digital radio services interpret the law. As a result of their interpretation of the law, hundreds of artists with sound recordings made prior to February 1972 are not paid for their creations – simply because of the date their sound recordings were made. SoundExchange is asking that digital radio make a firm resolution in 2014: pledge to treat all musicians equally. 5

February 19, 2014 www.soundexchange.com Vol 2 Issue 3 Some digital radio services believe that if a recording was made in 1971, the recording artist isn’t entitled to compensation. If recorded after 1972, the artist is paid. It’s a matter of simple fairness and uniform treatment of all sound recordings.

SoundExchange is committed to working on behalf of pre-1972 rights owners to ensure they, like post-1972 artists, receive compensation for their sound recordings. SoundExchange advocates for all artists whether they recorded in 2009 or 1969. The organization strongly believes in the value of music and that all artists, regardless of the date they produced their recording, should be compensated for their work.

More information regarding this issue, along with industry lawsuits relating to this issue, can be found on the SoundExchange website here. And click the image below to hear SoundExchange President and CEO Michael Huppe discussing the issue (among other important issues facing the digital music industry today) on Bloomberg TV.

Stay tuned and follow @soundexchange and @musicFIRST for the latest news.

February 19, 2014 www.soundexchange.com Vol 2 Issue 3 THE STATUTORY LICENSE: 2014 TIPS AND REMINDERS If you’re a service provider and you’re not sure how to comply with the statutory license, please contact the Licensee Relations department at [email protected] or speak to a SoundExchange Representative at 202-559-0555. SoundExchange is happy to answer questions about the statutory license anytime.

Below are tips to help digital music services fulfill their responsibilities quickly and accurately.

Statements of Account and Payments u When you submit a payment, it should always be accompanied by a statement of account form. u Hand-sign your statement of account forms before you send them to SoundExchange. u Know the deadlines for submitting forms and payments. For commercial services, monthly royalty payments and monthly statement of account forms are generally due 45 days after the end of each month.

Reports of Use u Reports of use and statements of account are different. Statements of account show the amount of the royalty payment due, telling us how much money a service is submitting. Reports of use (i.e. logs) identify the sound recordings that a service performs during the reporting period and the size of the listenership for each track (telling SoundExchange how to distribute that 7 money to the artists and copyright owners).

February 19, 2014 www.soundexchange.com Vol 2 Issue 3 u Know the deadlines for submitting reports of use. For most commercial services, reports of use are generally due 45 days after the end of each month. u Streaming providers that facilitate the streams for Internet radio stations can often help you produce your reports of use. u You can also use the templates for reports of use that the organization provides on the SoundExchange website at the Reporting Requirements page. u If your service operates multiple stations or channels and you report them on a single statement of account, please submit a single report of use. Keep a 1-to-1 relationship between statements of account and reports of use. u Monthly reports of use should include a complete census of all tracks streamed during that month (NOT a two-week sample).

General Reminders u If you’re streaming and paying royalties to ASCAP, BMI and SESAC, you probably still need to pay royalties to SoundExchange. ASCAP, BMI and SESAC collect royalties for the performance of the musical work, but you still need a separate license to perform the sound recording. If you don’t have direct licenses for the sound recording and instead rely on the statutory license, then don’t forget to pay your royalties to SoundExchange. u Make sure you’ve filed a Notice of Use with the U.S. Copyright Office. You only need to file this form once when you begin streaming. The Notice of Use form is available by clicking here. Be sure to send the form to the Copyright Office (not SoundExchange) with the $25 filing fee. u SoundExchange does not invoice. It’s up to you to remember to submit your payments, statements of account and reports of use on time, every time. 8

February 19, 2014 www.soundexchange.com Vol 2 Issue 3 JUNIOR’S MUST HAVE GEAR: A DIFFERENT KIND OF AXE FOR THE WINTER Martin OM-28 Marquis Acoustic Guitar “Gear” last visited acoustic guitars in 2012 with the Martin D-28. It was mentioned that Johnny Cash played a number of Martin guitars, including the D-28, which he claimed, perhaps erroneously, to have played on his first album. Daughter Rosanne Cash is also a member of the Martin guitar family, with her custom OM-28 Marquis, which may be heard on her new album The River & the Thread on Blue Note Records coming out on January 14. Only 100 of this monster dreadnought were made, so buyers not needing “CASH” on the fingerboard will have better luck seeking out the more affordable Marquis model, upon which Rosanne’s axe is based. The two editions share very retro, virtually identical features, save for mostly cosmetic changes. The Marquis’s basic appointments refer to Martin’s “Golden Era” between 1930 and 1940, while the limited edition contains such modern features as Madagascar rosewood for the back and sides. Cash’s special edition has a low profile neck, while the Marquis sports a modified V, which naturally, depends on the player’s grip preferences.

The most substantive distinction between the Marquis and Ms. Cash’s custom job is the bridge string spacing, which is 2-1/4”, compared to the 2-3/8” on the M. The slightly narrower spacing seems to accommodate both flatpicking and finger styles comfortably, where the wider spacing of the M’s vintage styling tends to be favored predominantly by finger-pickers in need of some extra wiggle-room. But all told, these are superb guitars for the working singer-songwriter searching for a big sound.

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/guitars/martin-limited-edition-om-28m- 9 rosanne-cash-acoustic-guitar-with-case

February 19, 2014 www.soundexchange.com Vol 2 Issue 3 Fender Mustang Electric Guitar Indie rock artists and their punk brothers and sisters might want to have a look at the occasionally trendy Fender Mustang electric guitar. The original models were first introduced in 1964 as a serious student instrument, transitional into the professional Strats and Teles. It was distinguished from other student guitars at the time by its tremolo arm and vibrato system, which not surprisingly, had finicky intonation. The guitar’s array of switches allows for a number of tonal possibilities.

This short-ish scale guitar proved popular with indie bands in the ‘80s and early ‘90s, and notably with grungy bands, which led Fender to reissue the axe in 1990. Theresa Wayman of the post-punk band Warpaint favors the vintage ’64 or ’65 models, which you can expect to hear on the band’s new self-titled album on Rough Trade Records on January 21. You can also check out Warpaint’s earlier releases, where Ms. Wayman used her Mustang to weave prominent, melancholy tones. http://www.fender.com/guitars/mustang/

February 19, 2014 www.soundexchange.com Vol 2 Issue 3 Fender Jaguar Electric Guitar Speaking of Warpaint and their January 21, 2014 release, the band’s guitarist and vocalist Emily Kokal likes to wield the Fender Jaguar in tandem with colleague Theresa Wayman’s Mustang. The Jaguar was first minted in 1962, based on the earlier Jazzmaster. The Jaguar has a similar offset body style as the earlier Jazzmaster, and the later Mustang, but was loaded with switches, enabling the player to achieve even more tones through the instrument’s dual-circuitry. Her ‘60s vintage guitar was a gift from former collaborator John Frusciante, and is her go-to for both studio and live gigs. While not as prominent as Theresa Wayman’s guitar parts, the contrast of the instruments’ distinct tones contributes effectively to the band’s sonic palette. The Jaguar itself found similar popularity among punk rockers, similar to the Mustang, and modern reissues beginning in 1999 include signature artist editions, based on the classic models, for Jag enthusiasts such as Johnny Marr and Kurt Cobain.

http://www.fender.com/guitars/jaguar/

February 19, 2014 www.soundexchange.com Vol 2 Issue 3 MUSIC APPS FOR MUSIC LOVERS: PART 2! Back by popular demand, SoundByte is sharing more innovative apps to give readers an edge when it comes to upcoming concerts, song recognition tools, and more! Without further delay, here are for the latest iPhone, Android and tablet apps to join the mix:

MTV Artists (FREE) Users can connect with artists by way of in-depth profiles containing things such as photo galleries, videos and upcoming tour dates. The app includes “Sound ID,” a function that quickly identifies songs—similar to Shazam.

The Good: MTV Artists include a vast collection of band photos and artists in concert. Music videos lovers have access to thousands of videos, along with MP3 tracks, artist bios, search lyrics, learn what new artists are trending, and find out what are the most popular songs in under a minute. Users can also connect with artists’ Facebook and Twitter pages, view tour dates and purchase concert tickets from within the app.

The Bad: Currently, MTV Artists is only available for iOS (iPhone-optimized), but an Android version is in the works and set to come sometime in 2014. (Though the app is much cooler, for those confined to their desks, MTV Artists can also be accessed on a PC.)

February 19, 2014 www.soundexchange.com Vol 2 Issue 3 Groove (FREE) Groove allows users to discover and create their own playlists. The app studies the listener’s habits and creates a sampling of similar mixes based off of the preferences of the user.

The Good: The app syncs into users’ iTunes collections to quickly create unique playlists and instant mixes. Groove’s unique algorithm is designed to remember your likes and dislikes to create a personalized listening experience. Groove’s interface is aesthetically pleasing, features high-res photos and is easy to navigate.

The Bad: This app is only available for iPhones and iPad.

Soundwave (FREE) Soundwave is all about discovering music what your friends, family members and celebrities are listening to all around the world. The beauty of Soundwave is its ability to pinpoint the exact geographic location of other listeners by allowing the user to drop a “pin” similar to Google maps. The pin then lets users see what music app users in other locations are listening to.

The Good: Most music lovers stream via apps like Pandora, Spotify, Rdio, etc. on their laptops, iPads or iPhones. Soundwave uniquely syncs songs played on your streaming devices into your Soundwave profile. Soundwave is available for both Android and iPhone. Soundwave was voted Best of 2013 app according to the Apple app store. 13

February 19, 2014 www.soundexchange.com Vol 2 Issue 3 The Bad: At times, there are not enough people using the app to pinpoint anyone around listening to similar music. The app could also use a Twitter sharing function.

Figure ($0.99) Figure is a fun music-making app lets users make songs with drums, bass and lead synth. By gliding or tapping your finger across the screen you can hear the bass line play and you can easily set the rhythm and play with drums at the tip of your fingers. This app reminded me of Garage Band for Macs, but is not quite as sophisticated.

The Good: This app is fun and easy to use for those interested in making music. The rhythm wheels does have preset patterns and beats to help warm up beginners and also spark inspiration. The range wheel helps you select how wide your notes span. Once you have a track down you can email it to other users for them to remix, rework, and share feedback. And with export feature, you can export your music as an audio file to keep working on it elsewhere.

The Bad: Make sure to have the latest operating system on your iPhone. If you update your phone after creating tracks you will lose your musical masterpieces.

Qello (FREE and Subscription based) The lovely folks at Qello gave SoundExchange complimentary access to review the subscription based version of Qello which provides a truly unique, audio visual music experience. If you’ve never heard of Qello you’re sure to be addicted to it once you give it a try. Qello streams on-demand, full-length, high definition 14 (HD) concert films and music documentaries. Users can find concerts dating back

February 19, 2014 www.soundexchange.com Vol 2 Issue 3 to the 60’s up to present day, artists such as Elvis to Florence and the Machine, Bob Dylan to The Airborne Toxic Event, The Doors to Pet Shop Boys. Qello says, “And for the music fans that love to know the history of the music, there is a host of award-winning music documentaries as well as the classic album series, which reveal the stories behind the making of legendary albums.”

The Good: For just $4.99/month, the All Access subscriber’s gain access to the entire video vault to watch anytime, anywhere. The same account gets you access on all your devices. Qello also allows users to jump immediately to the song they want to hear within the concert without fiddling with a time scroll at the bottom of the video. The HD quality is fantastic and really brings the viewing experience to life. The app is downloadable for iPhone, Androids, PlayStation, Sony TV and Smart TVs, and tablets.

The Bad: Searches for R&B singer Frank Ocean turned up no results. Also a search for concerts from British rock band Coldplay turned up only one result from 2003 despite the fact that Coldplay has toured many times (most recently in 2012 for their latest album Mylo Xyloto). Last, there is a lack of indie and up and coming artists in Qello’s library. But all-in-all the good definitely outweighs the bad when it comes to Qello. Though there were a few acts I couldn’t find, I did gain access to thousands of acts I would have never had the opportunity to enjoy, including Ray Charles, Blondie, Velvet Revolver, Culture Club, The Grateful Dead, Eric Clapton, The Who, Ben Harper, George Jones, Foo Fighters, and The Pretenders.

February 19, 2014 www.soundexchange.com Vol 2 Issue 3 NICE TO MEET YOU: 2013 CONFERENCE RECAP AND LOOK AHEAD TO 2014 Throughout 2013, SoundExchange invested in time on the road, awareness and education and building valuable relationships, which are essential in the music industry. SoundExchange representatives attended various conferences and events to educate attendees and meet with individuals about digital royalties, ongoing advocacy efforts and the future of the music industry. The following is a recap of just a few of the planned (and chance) encounters:

In March 2013 SoundExchange staff met up DOVE award-winning hip-hop artist Lecrae at the annual South by Southwest (SXSW). Arguably one of the largest music industry events of the year, SoundExchange was fortunate to spend an evening with Lecrae and learn more about the issues that are important to him. But time wasn’t entirely spent hobnobbing with artists. While in Austin, SoundExchange also participated on four panels and discussed topics such as revenue streams, performance royalties and copyright battles.

16 Mike Huppe on a panel at SXSW 2013

February 19, 2014 www.soundexchange.com Vol 2 Issue 3 The ASCAP “I Create Music” Expo in Los Angeles this past April 2013 gave SoundExchange the opportunity to explain the basics of how streaming royalties are maximized in a SoundExchange 101 panel and with information at the SoundExchange booth. Supporting indie, unsigned and emerging artists is just as important to SoundExchange as supporting major artists. Fighting for artist New York was home to New Music Seminar 2013 featuring the SoundExchange and label rights is Digital Broadcasting Summit and was yet another opportunity to connect with at the heart of what artists and increase awareness of the latest changes in the realm of digital we do, but service streaming and copyright law. For SoundExchange’s part, the three day conference featured a keynote speech from SoundExchange President and CEO Michael providers are certainly Huppe, a SoundExchange digital radio workshop for artists and record labels, and SoundExchange’s a SoundExchange workshop for service providers. biggest partners.

Fighting for artist and label rights is at the heart of what SoundExchange does, but service providers are certainly SoundExchange’s biggest partners. Collaborating with service providers helps SoundExchange all when it comes to receiving better data and distributing more royalties to artists.

The Technology and Entertainment Convergence Conference in San Francisco in mid-September was an excellent venue to focus on service providers. The SoundExchange panel on music licensing was largely attended and offered valuable face time with the people behind the station call letters.

SoundExchange closed out the year by attending CMJ 2013 and the National Student Electronic Media Convention. CMJ 2013 gave SoundExchange a platform 17 to host four sessions, and up and coming artists gained valuable knowledge

February 19, 2014 www.soundexchange.com Vol 2 Issue 3 about royalties in the digital age of radio. The National Student Electronic Media Convention allowed SoundExchange to connect with the next generation of service providers and industry professionals.

Stay tuned to the SoundExchange events page for where the organization will be in 2014! See you on the road!

BACKSTAGE WITH AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLER If you hear “air traffic controller” and think “air travel,” you wouldn’t be alone. But head up to Boston, and you will find a different “Air Traffic Controller,” a band founded by singer-songwriter and former U.S. Navy servicemen Dave Munro, that is taking flight – and fast.

February 19, 2014 www.soundexchange.com Vol 2 Issue 3 Air Traffic Controller (ATC) is made up of Munro, his brother Richie (drums), Steve Scott (lead guitar, keys and more) and Casey Sullivan (bass guitar and singer). The group hails from Boston and both Steve and Casey (the non-siblings of the group) met Dave in and around the city. The group formed around the making of the band’s first album following a DIY studio built by the Munro brothers.

The group released their first album, The One, in 2009. In 2011, the band was ready to release their second album and turned to Kickstarter to raise the money. After a successful campaign, the band released NORDO, a self-described “all- American indie pop” record.

Several band members gathered to chat about their musical influences, the current state of the music industry and what’s ahead after winning the New Music Seminar’s 2013 “Artist on the Verge” Award in June 2013.

SoundByte: Does the band have any musical inspirations? Are there any musicians in particular that influenced individual members of the band?

Dave Munro: I was mostly inspired by The Beatles. Paul Simon and Tom Petty were very influential as well.

Steve Scott: The Police and XTC have always been way up on my list of favorite bands. The eclectic “come as you are” approach to presenting a song is definitely part of what ATC strives for. When I’m wearing my string/winds arranger hat for ATC I feel like the folk song arranging that Vaughan Williams and Holst did continues to find its way into my writing.

February 19, 2014 www.soundexchange.com Vol 2 Issue 3 Casey Sullivan: I grew up listening to The Beatles, Van Morrison, The Doors and The Talking Heads. That was all my parents’ favorite music and it became mine too. I also had a massive phase in my younger years where I listened to nothing but Fleetwood Mac. I love Stevie Nicks.

SB: How are you responding to the shift in the music industry from a sales driven model to a streaming model? Are CD sales, downloads, merchandise and touring still important revenue sources for the band?

DM: Every penny adds up for us, I’m sure that goes for most indies. At the moment, music licensing seems to be our strongest income contributor, which is amazing, but I hope for things to shift as we continue getting the music out there. We want people to own our albums, in any form, and really know our band. Even if CD sales and touring amounted to very little, they would always still be very important revenue sources because they would be the most meaningful connection with an audience.

SB: What was the process like using Kickstarter to fund the band’s second album? Do you see organizations like Kickstarter and PledgeMusic as vital to the future of the music industry in the current DIY culture?

DM: The Kickstarter campaign for our album NORDO was one of the most stressful yet exciting experiences I’ve ever had. We were ready to make this record, but I honestly had no idea how we were going to afford it. I cried like a baby the moment we blew past our goal in the first 12 hours. The response from our wonderful fans made me believe even more in what we were doing. I knew they liked us, but I was amazed at how much they were anticipating this album. 20

February 19, 2014 www.soundexchange.com Vol 2 Issue 3 I do see Kickstarter and Pledge being vital to up and coming acts forever into the future of music. I also see it as an awesome alternative for established artists to connect with fans and have more meaningful, as well as financial, success.

SS: We could never have made NORDO were it not for Kickstarter. It gave us direct contact with our fans while also providing a credible platform they knew they could trust. It was a really validating feeling to have met our funding goal in the first day — and then to eventually triple our goal. I think it sent a mandate to the band that we really needed to make a special record.

SB: How important are revenue streams from organizations like SoundExchange? Do you find it helpful to have a “one stop shop” for all performance royalties from the 2,000+ digital radio services streaming music?

DM: I need to repeat here, every penny counts, and from what we’re experiencing with SoundExchange, they certainly do add up. [Digital royalties] are a source of income that, for some artists, are often taken for granted, and uncollected. Easy registration, direct deposit, collecting from everyone; it’s a no brainer. These organizations are so important as they monitor what is happening out there in the world (wide web) with an artist’s songs. This kind of monitoring and collecting isn’t something you can just do on your own.

SS: Without a doubt. Since so many bands like us are operating on a DIY level, we could never track down all of the various bits of royalties that are owed to us, and every bit counts when you’re a growing band. SoundExchange is a big help in getting that all organized for us.

February 19, 2014 www.soundexchange.com Vol 2 Issue 3 SB: What is the biggest struggle the band faces trying to navigate through the industry?

DM: Even with all of today’s technology, and an award-winning album, with award-winning songs, it’s still evident that the main ingredient for truly “breaking through” in this industry is ... “Luck.” We’re doing everything we can to increase our odds, and although I’m having the most fun I’ve had in my whole life, it is still a struggle.

SS: The industry today couldn’t be more different than it was when we were kids reading about that band that made it big signing a huge record deal. There aren’t a lot of “golden tickets” anymore. We’re tap dancing our way through learning the new landscape that exists today and I imagine we are (like most other bands) finding our own path to bring our music to wider audience. If anything, I’d say the struggle is in reminding ourselves regularly that there is no single set path for bands today.

SB: What was it like winning New Music Seminar’s “Artist on the Verge” award?

DM: Winning that big beautiful award was one of the most gratifying experiences of my life. That same day, we won the Independent Music Award for best “Indie Alternative Song of the Year,” so I was already on Cloud Nine. It was a proud day for ATC, and we couldn’t be more thankful to New Music Seminar (NMS) and all the sponsors for the honor.

SS: It was a huge honor to be selected by such a prestigious panel of judges. Obviously there were a bunch of other bands that we really admire that could have equally been selected, so we’re really humbled by this.

February 19, 2014 www.soundexchange.com Vol 2 Issue 3 CS: It was really amazing. I don’t think any of us got to NMS with the mindset that we were going to win anything. We were just so excited to be there. Then when we heard that we won, it was like an enormous bonus to an already amazing experience.

SB: Is there anything new on the horizon for the band?

DM: Winning the awards was a clear sign that more people need to hear this record. So, although we are continuing to write and record, we are still focused on bringing the joy of NORDO as far as we can reach.

For more on the band, sign up for their monthly newsletter on their website.

February 19, 2014 www.soundexchange.com Vol 2 Issue 3 SOUNDTRACK REWIND Robert Glasper Experiment: Black Radio 2 Released: Oct 29, 2013, Blue Note Records

Jazz will always cater to a certain audience, many of whom do not believe that sweeping changes to its composition are necessary to its future success. Consequently, that fan base is slowly diminishing as this generation casts jazz into the shadows.

Upon releasing his 2012 Grammy award-winning R&B album Black Radio, Robert Glasper made an astute observation — “Jazz isn’t dying — it’s changing. And what’s emerging is ruthlessly exciting and eclectic.” Robert Glasper makes a good point. A little ruthlessness is exactly what jazz needs.

Robert Glasper Experiment’s 2013 album, Black Radio 2, is a marvelous follow up, but in no way a duplicate, of Black Radio. It is, in fact, an experiment — a collaboration of multiple independent variables attempting to achieve a positive result. With an all-star squad of vocalists, including Common, Patrick Stump, Jill Scott, Marsha Ambrosius, Black Radio 2 establishes itself as a bubbling concoction of jazz, hip-hop, R&B, and rock.

February 19, 2014 www.soundexchange.com Vol 2 Issue 3 In the heat of the mix, all of these musical elements are forced to sacrifice a bit of their original structure. Their greatest discernible components, however, continuously complement each other, thereby proving that these genres truly need each other to achieve a higher potency.

Glasper’s quartet remains the control group, a musical guarantee for jazz enthusiasts and an unwavering backdrop to each track. Black Radio 2 is far more song-centric, which is inevitable considering its myriad of talented vocalists. Each track highlights the vocalist’s greatest attributes — Common’s introspection in “I Stand Alone,” Jill Scott’s poise in “Calls,” and Marsha Ambrosius’s seduction in “Trust”— to name a few.

Black Radio 2 is the result of some beautifully ruthless chemistry. The Robert Glasper Experience has staked its place on the forefront of Jazz’s resurgence, and Robert Glasper takes no mercy as this generation’s harmoniously mad scientist.

February 19, 2014 www.soundexchange.com Vol 2 Issue 3 UPCOMING EVENTS DEW Conference Los Angeles, CA February 18–20 SXSW 2014 Austin, TX March 9–14

February 19, 2014 www.soundexchange.com Vol 2 Issue 3