Category: This & That

English · This & That

Cellphones, Education And You

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Allen_20Johnston    Allen Johnston – The Music Specialist
 www.asha.com

Traveling internationally has opened my eyes and mind to the opportunities available for people of color worldwide.  In particular are the opportunities available for African-American musicians and multi-media creators worldwide. What I have found is that EVEYONE aspires to have the American notoriety and success that is witnessed in the magazines, movies, and videos worldwide.  People want to “BE LIKE MIKE” worldwide and Mike is the African-American celebrity.

As you know I am a proponent of education and I truly believe that African-Americans have a commitment to help educate and protect Africans worldwide. Let’s talk about the state of the Black music business within the United Sates today. Discretionary income controlled by African-Americans rose to more than $20 billon last year.  Even though this seems like a humongous amount of money it pales in comparison to the fact that Shell Oil posted profits in the UK alone of 13.6 Billion Pounds or $30 Billion dollars this year.  This is only one company in one country that significantly affects people of color worldwide.

Believe that this 30 Billion dollar profit will not be used to educate or protect people worldwide.  So the question to me becomes how we can effectively affect the education of people of color worldwide.  One way is the creation of music and multi-media projects that contain “Old-School” Values and Morals, never using filthy language, sexually based & tasteless innuendoes, sharp, ruthless or condemnatory statements or nonsense verbiage.  But having a message or under current that causes renewed thought, interest, incite or unrest within the hearts & souls of its listeners!

Accessibility and affordability are the key factors in being able to reach large masses of people worldwide.  The Internet is the medium of choice and opportunity to accomplish these goals.  For the developing world the Internet is going to be a wireless experience and delivery will be over cell phones.  Sixty one percent (61%) of the world’s 2.7 billion mobile phone users are in developing countries compared with ten percent (10%) of the world’s 1 billion Internet users.  This information is based on the International Telecommunication Union’s Regulatory and Market Environment Division head Susan Schorr’s report.  Africa accounts for more than half of the world’s poorest countries with people using low-cost cell phones rather than PC’s for connectivity.

India has a cell phone subscriber ship of over 226 million about nineteen percent (19%) of its total population with about 7 million new subscribers a month.  This is creating a decline in the cost of cell phone manufacturing making them more affordable and also creating unbundled services lowering the costs of phone service.   Approximately eighty five percent (85%) of all Indian cell phone contracts are prepaid, while in Africa shared cell phone services are taking off.

The Grameen Foundation has brought the Village Phone model to Africa.  People wanting to become stand alone mobile phone operators can take out micro loans, letting them buy Village Phone kits that include a cell phone, a rooftop antenna that picks up signals 25 kilometers away and a car battery or solar panel for recharging.  They setup shop in their homes, selling phone calls and mobile data transfer to other villagers.  Ultimately allowing the world to invade the “outback” and the opportunity to place information directly with the people that need it the most.

Cellphone based Internet delivery bypasses the governmental media controls and is a viable alternative information source.  Just recently there was great unrest in Kenya and the Kenyan government imposed a blackout of ALL news sources.  Resourceful Kenyans started text messaging information to the Mashada website and got the world to see the problems while being able to maintain contact with different villages and families.

As a producer, writer, musician, film maker, artist or educator this now opens up an entirely new avenue to get your projects, products and ideas to an interested world market.   Cellphones and other wireless devices will continue to get more people connected to the Internet or at least give them access to a wealth of information, knowledge and communications capabilities that previously were out of reach.

The only thing missing is you and what you have to share with the world.

English · This & That

Music2deal Showcase 27th October 2013

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On 27th October Music2Deal UK and Malta held a music showcase at the Captain’s Table restaurant on the tiny island of Gozo in the Mediterranean.

The venue was packed out to an extremely appreciative audience and we were incredibly pleased that Mario Christiani – Managing Director of Music2Deal came over specifically to attend the event and co-host with UK Music2Deal Managing Representative Richard Rogers.

The acts that played were particularly diverse and included artists from Malta, Scotland, Gozo and England.

The evening started off with a cracking set from Chris who sent the audience off with his exceptional falsetto delivery of various songs over the last 4 decades. This was followed by Gozitan band The Run who released a tight set of new numbers from their forthcoming rock album and proving that there is a lot of untapped talent on this small yet beautiful island.

Following this an excellent performance by the superbly under-rated Scottish pop act Kevin McGowan, mixing a heady mixture of self penned material and styles based on his love of artists such as The Beatles, The Kinks and Gerry Rafferty but still containing an excellent individual sound that the audience adored. Standout tracks were the forthcoming single ‘Hibernation’ and the recent hit ‘Stockholm’ with his band Racecar.

Filling in following a last minute dropout were Stevie D. and Les performing 8 tracks from their extensive repertoire that had parts of the audience lapping it up at the front of the stage. Next up was Maltese artist Indigo Darkpsych playing a goth metal rock mix of material from her first three albums including material from her recently released All That Remains album. Some decent songs, good mixing and a strong vocal ensured an excellent end to a wonderful evening of talented artists.

Mario Christiani spoke of the excellent blend of styles of the artists and recounted his thoughts of an wonderful evening of entertainment. In fact so good were all the artists that Mario and Richard have decided to give them all a free professional account on the Music2Deal site.

The Music2Deal Showcase in Gozo is just one of a series of showcases that have been put together over the years particularly in the UK and shows the commitment towards its members by Music2Deal.

Thank you to everyone for all their help and support and to the artists themselves for what was an amazing show.

 

English · This & That

Call To Mobilize

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Allen_20JohnstonArticle by Allen L.  Johnston – The Music Specialist
http://www.asha.com

This year I came to a drastic realization that American Urban based artists, publishers, producers; writers, film makers, label owners, magazine owners and entertainment industry entrepreneurs are wholly under rated and under represented on the world market place. During one of my daily walks around the MIDEM convention exhibition area, I ventured in to the Electronic / Urban Village at Midem.  The name suggested that here would be a place where various types of Electronic and Urban based musical products and opportunities would be found. A place where companies from around the world could come and find music, DVD’s, film, magazines and digital deals from the best Urban and Electronic makers in the world. Feeling that the Urban marketplace should be over flowing with product by and about people of color I went looking for the best in the world

What I saw was several different spaces occupied by every nationality BUT people of color.  Blatantly missing were American Hip Hop, R&B, Southern Soul, Blues, Jazz and Gospel companies.  In fact I saw NO REPRESENTATION at all from any Black or Hispanic owned company from the United States in this area.  At least 50% of all the music I saw, and heard during MIDEM came from people of color world wide, but there was less than 5% participation from African Americans conference wide and less than 1% booth participation.  The only Hip Hop artist of any notoriety that I saw making meetings and doing deals was Chuck D, and he brought a group of business people with him as a support factor. American Hip Hop has made major influence around the world I saw Death Row Records from Germany and even though South Africa has licensed Little John’s music thru TVT there was not another Atlanta based rapper or representative at the conference.

Countries from around the world were looking for music and DVD products from American based “Urban” companies yet there were virtually none to be found. The Japanese, South Africans, French, Belgium, Swedes and every English speaking country are all looking for American Hip Hop, Jazz, Gospel, Southern Soul and Reggae, but once again there were NO representatives of any of the major artists nor any revenue generating INDEPENDENT  COMPANIES available that I saw or heard of.

This has to stop now especially while there is a window open for such great financial and cultural reward.

So I am making the first call to mobilize the American Urban based artists, publishers, producers, writers, film makers, label owners, magazine owners and entertainment industry entrepreneurs.  I have started talking with different companies and organizations to acquire a cadre of African American owned entertainment businesses that will be able to represent their products and make deals on an International basis for MIDEM 2014.

Please take a moment and look at your long range goals, if they include a digital market or an International market lets find some time to talk.  Plan your work THEN work your plan.