Joe Perry, a member of our 10th IMA Judging Panel, is on the road this summer with Aerosmith.

Check out their tour dates here:

Film composer Alex Wurman won the 2010 “Creative Arts Emmy for Outstanding Music Composition for A Miniseries, Movie, Or Special” for the HBO film Temple Grandin.

Reposted from: http://www.soundtrackcollector.com/ Original Article here: www.SoundTrackCollector.com

Wurman was nominated in 2008 in the same category
for the HBO film, “Bernard and Doris.” According to
“Temple Grandin” director Mick Jackson, “Wurman’s
score for ‘Temple Grandin’ is astonishing and truly original
– both cosmic and intimate, full of boundless energy,
yet movingly simple. An amazing achievement.
This music really finds and gives voice to the true spirit
of the movie.” The film stars Claire Danes as a young
woman who persevered while struggling with
autism at a time when it was still quite unknown.
The film chronicles Temple’s early diagnosis to her
emergence as a woman with an innate sensitivity and
understanding of animal behavior.

When it came to scoring “Temple Grandin,” Wurman took
the assignment and the challenges of Autistism very
personally, “My nephew is autistic and I’ve learned alot from
him and my tireless sister. This film gave me the opportunity
create music that conveys the frantic, smart and passionate
mindset of Temple Grandin,” said Wurman.

During his career, Wurman has shown himself to be a truly
versatile composer with a broad musical palette: the eerie,
spare piano melodies of “Confessions of A Dangerous Mind,”
the lush 85 piece orchestral chases of “Hollywood Homicide,”
avant-heartland score to the Emmy nominated HBO film
“Normal,” groovy ‘70’s themes for the outrageous comedy
“Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy,” contemporary
interpretations of French impressionism for “Thirteen
Conversations About One Thing” and soulful melodies
combined with ethereal orchestrations for “March of the
Penguins,” in which the music gives voice to the characters.
His signature style is defined by an emphasis on harmony,
rhythm and melody, not sound design.

After studying music at the American Conservatory of Music in
Chicago, Alex Wurman moved to Los Angeles to pursue film
music scoring. Independent films started coming his way, and
soon he was working with directors such as John August,
Doug Liman and Ron Shelton. Wurman’s resume reflects the
quality and diversity of his talent. Wurman’s next film,
The Switch, starring Jennifer Aniston and Jason Bateman,
will be released nationwide on August 20.
He is also scoring the 2011 feature “The Convincer.”

The musical is based on her 2005 concept album, “The Forgotten Arm.”

Reposted from www.CMJ.com. More at Aimee Mann To Preview New Musical On Tour

Renowned singer/songwriter Aimee Mann has announced an upcoming month-long fall tour, which she will use to preview new songs from a stage musical she is writing that is based on her 2005 concept album, The Forgotten Arm. The tour opens with a three-night stand in Minneapolis at the Dakota Jazz Club on September 13. Other highlights include a two-night residency at the Old Town School Of Folk in Chicago in mid-September and three nights at Yoshi’s in San Francisco in early October. The tour concludes in Napa, California, at the Uptown Theater on October 10.

The story for The Forgotten Arm‘s musical is set in the 1970s and follows John, a Vietnam veteran/boxer, and Caroline, a disillusioned-yet-hopeful young woman, as they fall in love and take a road trip across the United States. The 2005 concept album was a far cry from Mann’s latest work; she released the Christmas-themed One More Drifter In The Snow in 2006 and her wryly humorous non-concept album, @#%&! Smilers, in 2008.

Tour Dates For Aimee Mann:

09/24 – Asheville, NC – The Orange Peel
09/25 – Atlanta, GA – The Variety Playhouse
09/26 – Knoxville, TN – The Bijou Theater
09/28 – Nashville, TN – The Belcourt
09/29 – Tuscaloosa, AL – The Bama Theatre
10/01 – Los Angeles, CA – Largo at The Coronet
10/07 – San Francisco, CA – Yoshi’s
10/08 – San Francisco, CA – Yoshi’s
10/09 – San Francisco, CA – Yoshi’s
10/10 – Napa, CA – Uptown Theater

Mavis Staples performs for NPR’s Tiny Desk Performances.

Reposted from: http://www.NPR.org/ Watch Staples’ performance at Mavis Staples: Tiny Desk Concert, -Bob Boilen

Mavis Staples is a legend, but she’s not stuck in the past. You probably know her work with her family band, The Staple Singers, which was all over the radio in the ’70s with hits like “Respect Yourself,” “Let’s Do It Again” and “I’ll Take You There” (which she excerpts in her performance here).

What you may not know is that Mavis Staples has been actively working with her fellow Chicago musician (and Wilco leader) Jeff Tweedy on her upcoming album, You Are Not Alone. Tweedy produced the record and wrote a few songs for her, as well — including the title track, which she sings here.

The album was recorded at Wilco’s studio, The Loft, and it includes songs by John Fogerty, Randy Newman, Rev. Gary Davis, Allen Toussaint and Pops Staples. You Are Not Alone also features a fine guest roster, including not only Tweedy (on bass, guitar and vocals), but also Neko Case, Kelly Hogan and Wilco’s Patrick Sansone on keys and vibes.

Rick Holmstrom, the skilled guitarist who accompanies Staples here, also plays on the record and in her touring band. And while You Are Not Alone doesn’t come out until Sept. 14, you can get a good idea of what a treat it is by watching this stripped-down but soulful Tiny Desk Concert.

Jazz musician Vijay lyer, a member of our 10th IMA Judging panel, is on tour.  Check out his tour dates here:

Aug 29 2010 1:00P
Tompkins Square Park – Charlie Parker Jazz Festival New York City, New York , US
Sep 11 2010 7:30P

Eastern State Penitentiary – solo piano concert / Live Arts Festival Philadelphia, Pennsylvan, US
Sep 13 2010 8:00P

Jazz Club Hannover – solo piano concert Hannover, DE
Sep 15 2010 8:00P

Jazz Club Tonne – solo piano concert Dresden, DE
Sep 16 2010 8:00P

Unterfahrt – solo piano concert München, DE
Sep 17 2010 8:00P

Theaterhaus – solo piano concert Stuttgart, DE
Sep 18 2010 8:00P

Alte Kaserne – solo piano concert Winterthur, Zurich , CH
Sep 19 2010 8:00P

Vortex Jazz Club – solo piano concert London, GB
Oct 3 2010 8:00P

John Anson Ford theatre – wadada leo smith’s golden quartet Hollywood, California, US
Oct 9 2010 8:00P

Miller Theatre at Columbia University – vijay iyer / craig taborn: duo piano New York, New York , US

Oct 13 2010 8:00P

Jazzhouse – vijay iyer trio Copenhagen, DK
Oct 14 2010 8:00P

Victoria – vijay iyer trio Oslo, Oslo , NO
Oct 17 2010 8:00P

Köln Philharmonie – vijay iyer trio Köln, DE
Oct 18 2010 8:00P

Hybernia Theater – vijay iyer trio Praha, CZ
Oct 19 2010 8:00P

Jazzwerkstatt – vijay iyer trio Berlin, DE
Oct 20 2010 8:00P

Saarländischer Rundfunk – vijay iyer trio (concert w/ radio broadcast) Saarbrücken, DE
Oct 22 2010 7:00P

Haute-Garonne – vijay iyer trio / / Jazz sur Son 31 festival Toulouse, Midi-Pyrén, FR
Oct 23 2010 8:00P

Cork Jazz Festival – vijay iyer trio / cork jazz festival Cork, IE
Oct 29 2010 7:00P

Auditorium Flajano – vijay iyer trio Pescara, IT
Nov 14 2010 7:30P

Yerba Buena Center for the Arts – vijay iyer trio / san francisco jazz festival San Francisco, California, US
Nov 20 2010 7:30P

Library of Congress – wadada leo smith’s golden quartet Washington, Washington, US
Dec 3 2010 7:30P

Duke University – vijay iyer trio Durham, North Caro, US
Dec 6 2010 8:00P

De Singer – solo piano concert Rijkevorsel, BE
Dec 8 2010 8:00P

Jazzwerkstatt – solo piano concert Berlin, DE
Dec 9 2010 8:00P

Beethoven-Haus – solo piano concert Bonn, DE
Feb 1 2011 8:00P

The Loft – vijay iyer trio San Diego, California, US
Feb 2 2011 8:00P

Mondavi Center – vijay iyer trio Davis, California, US
Feb 3 2011 8:00P

Mondavi Center – vijay iyer trio Davis, California, US
Feb 4 2011 8:00P

Mondavi Center – vijay iyer trio Davis, California, US
Feb 5 2011 8:00P

Mondavi Center – vijay iyer trio Davis, California, US
Feb 8 2011 7:30P

Jazz Alley – vijay iyer trio Seattle, Washington, US
Feb 9 2011 7:30P

Jazz Alley – vijay iyer trio Seattle, Washington, US
Feb 11 2011 7:30P

Dalton Center – vijay iyer trio Kalamazoo, Michigan , US
Feb 12 2011 7:30P

Power Center-Performing Arts – vijay iyer trio Ann Arbor, Michigan , US
Feb 16 2011 8:00P

De Singel – vijay iyer: solo & chamber works Antwerp, BE
Mar 4 2011 8:00P

Salle Robert Krieps – raw materials: vijay iyer / rudresh mahanthappa duo Luxembourg, LU
Apr 18 2011 8:00P

Schloss Elmau – vijay iyer / craig taborn duo piano Elmau / Oberbayern, DE
Apr 30 2011 7:30P

Sixth & I Historic Synagogue – vijay iyer trio Washington, Washington, US
May 13 2011 8:00P

McCarter Theatre – vijay iyer trio Princeton, New Jersey, US

Read more: http://www.myspace.com/vijayiyer

Children’s music artist Laurie Berkner Released “The Best of the Laurie Berkner Band,” a compilation containing 20 select songs from all 5 of her past album releases.

Copied from http://www.laurieberkner.com/

In June 2010, Laurie released her first-ever compilation of songs, The Best Of The Laurie Berkner Band. All five of the band’s CDs are represented, along with special bonus tracks including a new song, “Open Your Heart,” which was written for the children’s charity The Pajama Program. A deluxe digital version features four videos including the new “Mouse In My Toolbox.”

Laurie continues to be inspired by her audience. “I want to create songs that matter for children,” she says. “I was singing once and saw a four-year-old girl shut her eyes and start swaying to the music. I thought, That’s the reason I got into music.’ It keeps me wanting to do more.”

To find out more details about Berkner’s release and more go to: http://www.laurieberkner.com/site/best_of.php

Interview with Drummer, Studio Musician, Author, and DIY Genius, Martin Atkins.

Reposted from www.PunkMusic.com. Read more here: An Interview with Martin Atkins
“Get out there and do it!”, -Ryan Cooper

Martin Atkins is a legendary drummer with a career that has spanned decades and genres. Over the course of his career, he’s played with legendary and influential bands like PiL, Ministry, Nine Inch Nails and Killing Joke. He founded PigFace and Invisible Records, and has contributed to countless projects under that label.

Most recently, he has taken his years of touring experience and turned them into a book called Tour:Smart, where he teaches musicians to put together tours. A sequel entitled Band:Smart is due for release, and he is now taking his experience on the road with the 2010 Vans Warped Tour, where he’ll be teaching newer bands how to not make the same mistakes he did.

We caught up with Atkins just before the launch of the Warped Tour, where he let us know what he’s been up to, and also how he feels about the PiL lineup for the most-recent reunion.

RC: First of all, as longtime fan of PigFace, Ministry, RevCo, Invisible, Damage Manual, and on and on, it’s an honor to speak with someone who has played such a large role in the history of industrial music. What have you been up to lately?

MA: Well, thanks. What have I been up to lately? Well f**k! Teaching, reworking some courses, writing a book – Tour:Smart – video blogging, going to China and making an album and a documentary there, having a few children, dj-ing my mash ups quite badly, starting a new gig at Madison Media Institute where I’m going to be working with their very cool staff to create some real world entrepreneurial courses and hopefully create a place where people will leave with a set of skills and a mindset that will help them to triumph in the face of adversity on a daily basis – whatever the economic situation. I was just in Brazil and I’m heading out all over the place during the rest of the year – bouncing between Chicago, Madison and the rest of the world!

RC: And also a new book – Band:Smart. What is Band:Smart about?

MA: Hmmmmmm, it’s like a band-centric version of Tour:Smart. Loads of people asked if I’d write something to help them with their band situation… so, a couple of years later, there’s 600 pages! There’s no shortage of information out there on the internet about everything – but it’s mesmerizing and not very funny – so I pissed all over it, kind of, and twisted it up a little, and stumbled into some pretty good ideas along the way. Great stuff about why you would even want a deal these days – but how to go about getting one if you do – but please don’t!

How to build a soundproof room, strategies for choosing a lineup and engineer, a manager, how to fill a room, more great stuff about being better at being a band, creating a great show, getting people there, making better decisions about routing, merch, food, drugs – all of that stuff – and great tips for recording, putting an album together, making more money every night from your merch booth and, errr… 400 more pages…

RC: Now you’ll be spending some dates on the Warped Tour. What will you be doing there?

MA: That’s a good question, I’ll be over at the Kevin says stage a lot seeing the bands – involving myself in the DIY panels that they are having over there – I might do some Tour:Smart things if there’s space and desire, or I might use the opportunity to hang with some bands and give them a quick business tuneup. I’ll be video blogging a lot and just taking the opportunity to immerse myself in someone else’s nightmare tour!!!

RC: Is there a single message you can sum up for bands right now on the best way to tour smart?

MA: Get out there and do it – the more you play the better you’ll be at being you as a band, the better you’ll be at choosing the right gigs next time and avoiding all of the mistakes you are going to make the first few times. You’ll be better at doing interviews, deciding on the merchandise you’re going to make yourselves – all of it. You’ll stop playing the sh**ty songs and write better ones, the road will help you grow as a band and as a brand. Unless you’re sh*t, rude, lackluster f**kheads – then it will stop you in your tracks.

RC: Are there any bands or musicians that you look at how they’re going about being a band and touring, where you say “they are totally doing it right?”

MA: Well, Amanda Palmer is really doing some great sh*t with Twitter – then I look outside of music and see Panera taking the Radiohead idea and offering “pay what you feel” food at its St. Louis store – then I look at other businesses outside of music to see who’s doing what that’s inspiring; from telecoms to shrimp marketing there’s great shit out there, you just have to open your eyes and look. Right now I’m reading Soccernomics and a new book from Micah who started Oasis CD manufacturing. And, I’m always getting email suggestions and ideas from bands who are out there doing it – Kimberly Freeman of One Eyed Doll is amazingly entrepreneurial – an inspiration to any band trying to get a foothold.

RC: Looking back on your years of touring, is there one thing that you know now that you wished you known in the beginning?

MA: Oh, f*ck. I wish I’d had my book.

Seriously, they say that you only really start to learn when you teach, and that’s true. One of my first classes, a seven-hour touring class at Columbia Chicago seven years ago, I was thinking about bringing my agent in to talk to the students – then I realized he was an a**hole! I excused myself from class and fired him.

Writing stuff down is a great way to have it reenter my consciousness and actually become learned behavior so I can get on with my life version 3.0 and onwards. I think, having had a few people with whom my creative DNA is mixed with on vinyl or CD or whatever medium you choose – having seen them die and know that I can’t make music with them anymore, or just hang out and smile a bit about some of the sh*t we got up to, I think I would have stayed in touch more. Making music with people is special and I’ve been really lucky to have done that with some f*cking amazing people.

And, if I’d known what I know now about having a record label I might not have done that at all…

If you would like to read Atkins book you can purchase it here:

http://www.amazon.com/Tour-Smart-Break-Martin-Atkins/dp/0979731305

Sugarcult singer, songwriter, and guitarist, Tim Pagnotta is now a successful Record Producer.

Tim Pagnotta is a member of our 10th IMA Judging Panel.

2009 marked the 10 year anniversary of the legendary Alt. Rock/ Power Pop group Sugarcult, and instead of touring and recording a new album the artists decided to put their band on hiatus to showcase their many talents in the musical field.  The multi-talented singer, songwriter, and guitarist of Sugarcult, Tim Pagnotta has begun to produce recordings for upcoming artists.

Pagnotta recently produced the synth-pop group Neon Trees, who have been fairly unknown since their song “Animal” topped Billboards Heat Seekers chart this year at number one.  “Animal” is off the the album Habits produced by Tim Pagnotta and mixed by Mark Needham (The Killers, Fleetwood Mac) and released on Mercury/ Island Def Jam.  There is no doubt, Pagnotta has produced a great recording!  The album manages to walk the fine line between Pop and Rock, with a carefully planned vocal contrast between rough and smooth that pulls at the listeners emotions.   The vocal contrasts of Neon Tree’s lead singer are reminiscent of Tim Pagnotta’s vocal talents in Sugarcult recordings and make his positive producing presence on this album most evident.

Neon Trees’ Music Video for the hit song “Animal”, song produced by Tim Pagnotta

Tim Lambesis, front man of the Hard Rock group As I Lay Dying and part of our 10th IMA Judging panel, will embark on an extensive 3 month tour kicking off in Texas September 14th.  Check out the tour dates here:

Read more:HTTP://WWW.MYSPACE.COM/ASILAYDYING

Brandi Carlile’s performance at the Newport Folk Festival is available streaming at NPR.com. Carlile is a member of our 10th IMA Judging Panel.

Reposted from www.NPR.org. Listen to Carlile’s performance here: Brandi Carlile In Concert: Newport Folk Festival 2010

Brandi Carlile first gained national renown after a memorable performance at the Sasquatch Music Festival, during which she caught the attention of Dave Matthews, among others. The native of Ravensdale, Wash., has gone on to release a string of well-received albums — and, of course, to land her songs (“The Story,” et al) on an even longer string of TV shows. Carlile’s new album, Give Up the Ghost, is full of raw, big-voiced emotion. Here, she performs live at the Newport Folk Festival in Newport, R.I.