Shazam Keeps it Real with Wyclef

Shazam Keeps it Real with Wyclef

Shazam leverages Wyclef Jean’s new EP drop to debut its AR platform. The Fugees lead alum headlines SWXW’s “How Did Shazam Get Wyclef in AR on My Phone?!” March 15. The new massively scaled augmented reality (AR) platform is the next generation of which is the next generation of the Shazam’s visual recognition feature, launched in 2015 to provide custom content […]

Groffman Takes Aim at 360 Deals

Groffman Takes Aim at 360 Deals

As a longtime attorney for artists, Elliot Groffman is no stranger to taking on record labels, but to hear him recount his career highlights and assess the current state of the industry, one knows he is a conciliator, and that like every top businessman, he knows the road to a sustainable future is paved with win-wins. Groffman, […]

Live Event Sound for the 21st Century

Live Event Sound for the 21st Century

For nerds who love rock music, there are few careers as promising as engineering for a production sound firm. Clair Global is the largest, operating from headquarters in Lititz, PA, the company serves the needs of the live touring concert industry, festival and rehearsal clients, and broadcast and corporate projects. The company does everything from piano […]

Karpman in ‘Step’ with Dance Doc

Karpman in ‘Step’ with Dance Doc

One of the most original composing talents on the scene today, Laura Karpman has an incredible ability to tailor her inventive style to the needs of whatever project is lucky enough to secure her services. In a field in which women are few and far between, Karpman has maintained a successful career spanning film, television and […]

She Knows How to Make an Entrance

She Knows How to Make an Entrance

Lady Gaga descended into more viewer households than the game itself, spiking the FOX sport program from a 48.8 household rating to a 50.0, which seems to indicate that sponsor Pepsi Zero Sugar succeeded in whetting the thirst of curiosity seekers with its two weeks of teaser ads counting down the days, then hours, to the […]

‘Negro’ Score a Jazzy Genre-Buster

‘Negro’ Score a Jazzy Genre-Buster

In his Oscar-nominated documentary I Am Not Your Negro filmmaker Raoul Peck envisions the book James Baldwin left unfinished upon his death in 1987. Helping to tell the tale are a dozen classic blues tracks and an original score by iconoclastic Russian composer Alexei Aïgui. Aïgui’s subtle, sophisticated music composed for the film is being digitally released by Lakeshore […]

Sundance Spotlight: Greg Tripi

Sundance Spotlight: Greg Tripi

Greg Tripi’s musical career is somewhat unusual in that he is a classically trained orchestra bassoonist who arrived at film composition after a detour in heavy metal, bass guitar and drums. I’ve got a lot of different styles, and they all contribute. It’s fun to cross pollinate. I’ll find myself using classical orchestration on my […]

African Drums and the Legal Beat

African Drums and the Legal Beat

Native drums have long been associated with Africa’s cultural roots, integral to the daily life and rituals of many communities. Their repercussions have spread worldwide, providing the launchpad for a multitude of music styles from jazz to rock and roll, which influence is widely recognized. Less known is the disruptive effect of colonial drumming regulation as […]

US Gets Whiggy With ‘Victoria’

US Gets Whiggy With ‘Victoria’

Nineteenth century England — it’s not just for prigs! From hipster TV critics to 87-year-old aunties, Americans are recovering from their Downtown Abbeyance with Victoria. The latest period extravaganza from PBS Masterpiece Theatre premiered on the UK’s ITV network in August, triggering a media tempest around the romance of stars Jenna Coleman in the title role and Tom Hughes as […]

A ‘Film Music Documentary’ with Gravitas

A ‘Film Music Documentary’ with Gravitas

Film music is ready for its close-up, thanks to Matt Schrader and Gravitas Ventures, which has acquired North American rights to Score: A Film Music Documentary. Schrader, a three-time Emmy-winning, writer, editor and news producer, directed this labor of love. Sixteen months, two crowdfunding campaigns and 50 interviews later, Gravitas has swooped in to give […]