Cotton Hill Recording Event

Join us March 14 and 16 for a two-part discussion and demonstration on recording in a professional studio. The Coalition has partnered with Cotton Hill Studios in Albany to put on this unique look into the recording process.

Part One: Discussion

Date: Thursday, March 14

Time: 7:00 pm

Place: Fuzz Records, 209 Lark St, Albany, NY (map)

Ray Rettig and Aaron Scher from Cotton Hill Studios will discuss topics including how to prepare for a studio session, what to expect from a professional studio and the post-production process, with time allotted for questions and answers.

Part Two: Demonstration

Date: Saturday, March 16

Time: 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm

Place: Cotton Hill Studios, 13 Walker Way, Albany, NY (map)

Participants are invited to experience the studio and take part in a more in-depth discussion and demonstration of recording. Rettig and Scher will be joined by local musicians Tom McWatters and Bob Buckley for the demonstration. Due to space constraints, participation in this portion of the event will be very limited. Attendance is free but registration is required. To join us for this session, please fill out the form below:

Registration for this event is closed.

Hope to see you there!

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admin, February 28th 2013 | Tags: , , , , , ,
Posted in Coalition News, Education, Events

RPM Challenge Kick-Off Party @ Pauly’s Hotel on February 1st!!!

 

Event: 2013 RPM Challenge Kick-Off

Date: Friday, February 1

Time: 8:00 p.m.

Place: Pauly’s Hotel, 337 Central Avenue, Albany, NY 12206

Ages: 21+

 

 

 

 

Bring your voices and instruments and join the Albany Music Coalition for an evening of collaborative, participatory sound as we all come together on February 1 to guarantee RPM success. The evening’s work will be recorded and made available online shortly after the event.
After the recorded portion of the evening, stay to enjoy a performance by Oobleck, a five-piece funk-based instrumental horn band! Other special guests may be announced in coming days.

You can find more information about the RPM Challenge at www.rpmchallenge.com.

This event will be free and open to the public (ages 21+).

 

Check out the facebook event to find out who’s going!

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The RPM Challenge is a national project sponsored by The Wire Magazine that invites musicians to record an album during the month of February each year. The Challenge is a fun, non-competitive creative experience that many area musicians have participated in over the years.

Some participants say the best approach to the RPM Challenge is to record an album’s worth of just about anything on Day 1, to alleviate the pressure to produce and guarantee that, by the end of February, you will have “successfully completed” the Challenge. You will then be liberated to transcend the anxiety related to mere completion, and fully prepared to receive the sublime influence of genuine inspiration (or, at least, free to move on to the anxiety related to putting out a satisfactory performance in 28 days’ time).

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Katie, January 23rd 2013 | Tags: , , , , ,
Posted in Coalition News, Events

Deciphering Songs – A panel discussion and workshop series on the art of songwriting

The Albany Music Coalition Presents:
“Deciphering Songs”
A panel discussion and workshop series on the art of songwriting

The series will be held at Fuzz Records on Lark Street at 6:30pm on the following dates. Fuzz Records is located at 209 Lark Street in Albany, NY.
Panels Include:

“Lyrics First”
August 2
Panelists:
Eric Margan (The Red Lions)
Eric Krans (The Parlor)
Jen O’Connor (The Parlor)

“Instrumentals First”
August 23
Panelists:
Tim Koch (Sgt. Dunbar and the Hobo Banned)
Chris Tenerowicz (Aficionado)

“Structure & Arrangement”
September 13
Panelists:
Meagan Duffy (Hand Habits)
Michael Eck (Ramblin Jug Stompers)
Matthew Loiacono (Matthew Carefully, Rosary Beard)

 

Additional panelists may be added in the coming weeks. Participants should feel free to bring instruments, but it is not necessary. The events will be free and open to the public. (Donations accepted at the door)

The Albany Music Coalition is an organization that aims to connect local artists, fans, media and other members of the Capital Region’s active and diverse music community.

 

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Katie, July 24th 2012 | Posted in Coalition News, News Releases

We Are Launched!

Michael Eck by Sebastien Barre

Michael Eck performing at the Launch Party, by Sebastien Barre

Many thanks to all those who came out last Friday to help us inaugurate the Albany Music Coalition! The show was a great success, a load of fun, and a great opportunity to chat with some more members of the community about our goals and how everyone can get involved.

A few specific thanks are in order. First and foremost, thank you so much to Matthew Carefully, Michael Eck, and Tom McWatters and the Philo Beddoe Band for performing. They have all been involved, to varying degrees, with the Coalition during our establishment and preparations for launch, and we are deeply appreciative of all their support.

Matthew Carefully by Sebastien Barre

Matthew Carefully performing at the Launch Party, by Sebastien Barre

Also, a great deal of thanks must go to Howard Glassman, who has been in on the planning of the Coalition literally since the moment we had the idea for it, and who has been endlessly accommodating, and to the amazing staff at Valentine’s who kept everything running smoothly. And last but not least, thanks to WEXT for co-sponsoring the event.

If you were at the show, and took pictures, we would love to see them! Add them to our brand-shining-new Flickr Group, Facebook, or send us a link to where we can find them.

Tom McWatters by Sebastien Barre

Tom McWatters and Scott Smith, by Sebastien Barre

So, what next? There is of course no rest for the weary — we are hard at work on launching a series of events for this summer, which we hope to be announcing soon. As always, you can remain informed about our activities and learn how to become involved by signing up for our mailing list. You’ll find the form to the right of this post, or by clicking here.

All photos in this post by Sebastien Barre. Check out his blog here.

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Harith, April 17th 2012 | Tags: , , , , , , , ,
Posted in Coalition News, Events

Who Are We?

Katie Hammon and Harith Saam at The Albany Music Coalition Press Event

Photo taken by Jesse Matulis at The Foundry for Art Design + Culture

As The Albany Music Coalition steps up into the community, here is a little more depth into what we have in the works for this coming year.

In building the vast community of musicians and music lovers, we plan to work across all genres, ages, professions and experience; providing events that will pull the community together as well as educate those around us. There are many subsets of musicians and professionals working in the music field that seem to be unaware of one another; we plan to bridge the gaps and connect these communities into one large music community.

Through our website we plan to have an interactive calendar that anyone can submit events to, a monthly newsletter, features on local artists, as well as a series of informational and educational podcasts on topics related to our music community. We hope that the music community will use these tools as well as other items on our website, but we are most focused on events and educational materials that help to connect those around us in person.

Some of the events we are planning for this year include a local musician’s concert series, shows for kids, workshops, panel discussions, town hall meetings, and a culminating conference. In founding the Albany Music Coalition Harith Saam and I, Katie Hammon, discussed many issues we saw in The Albany Music Community. We formed the Coalition as a way to solve these issues and improve the community as a whole.

We founded The Albany Music Coalition for the musicians, and music lovers and hope that the community will jump on board as we work together to make Albany and the surrounding area a more cohesive place to be a musician, write about music, record music, teach music, listen to music, and much, much more.

Coaltion Press Event Attendees

Photo taken by Jesse Matulis at The Foundry for Art Design + Culture

The Coalition wishes to provide free benefits for the first year and possibly more depending on our ability to sustain ourselves solely on volunteer work and ticketed events. If and when we move to a paid membership, dues will help fund educational projects and events requiring more resources then we can currently afford. We do not wish to turn anyone away; therefore dues will be very low.

I hope those interested in The Albany Music Coalition understand a little more about who we are and what we have to offer. We hope you will attend our first event on April 13th to learn a bit more about The Coalition and enjoy the sounds of these amazing local musicians. Admission will be used to support The Coalition as we move through the process of establishing non-profit status.

Thank you for all of your support and interest.

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Katie, April 11th 2012 | Tags: , ,
Posted in Coalition News

Launch Party Set for April 13

Launch Party Flier

We’ve been working hard for the last few months to get the Coalition ready to go, so we’re anxious to actually get out into the community and get started. Luckily, the wait is over: our official launch is Friday, April 13, at Valentine’s in Albany. Performing will be the outstanding local musicians Michael Eck, Matthew Carefully, and Tom McWatters and the Philo Beddoe Band. The event is co-sponsored by WEXT.

Aside from seeing some really great performances, this will be our chance to start talking to members of the music community about setting up some of our activities. The idea of the Coalition is to foster communication among everyone involved in music in the Capital Region, so there is no better way than to get as many people involved as possible. I personally can’t wait to start getting people on board for some of the great events and programs we’re hoping to launch over the next year.

To see the full press release, click here. See you on the 13th!

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Harith, April 3rd 2012 | Tags: , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in Coalition News, Events, News Releases

News Release: Albany Music Coalition Preparing for Launch

To view a PDF of this release, click here.

NEWS RELEASE

For Immediate Release
February 20, 2012
Contact: Andria Bentley, Press Secretary
albanymusiccoalition@gmail.com

Albany Music Coalition Preparing for Launch 

Group aims to connect musicians with informational resources, fans and each other

Albany, New York (February 20, 2012) – To provide an interactive forum for local musicians to share ideas and coordinate efforts, a group of local performers and fans recently formed an organization called the Albany Music Coalition. The Coalition aims to serve as an informational resource for the Capital Region’s active and diverse music community, as well as to host and help publicize performances, creative gatherings, and educational programs.

“There are so many amazing events happening all the time around here,” said co-founder Harith Saam. “We want to make it easier for musicians to get together, and for fans to keep track.”

Co-founder and musician Katie Hammon noted the value of a convenient communication hub. “Too often I hear murmurs of new festivals in the works, similar shows planned for the same nights, or these great ideas that simmer out due to a lack of community to make them happen,” Hammon said. “It would be great to have a way to come together from the start, to maximize the energy we put toward common goals and projects.”

Saam and Hammon first conceived of the Coalition as a way to connect area musicians, record labels, venues and media. Fans will be able to subscribe to a mailing list to receive a monthly calendar of events. The Coalition also plans to host its own showcase concerts and community events, as well as seminars and discussions on topics such as the creative process and marketing.

Hammon added, “Over time, we hope to provide a diverse range of resources for our members. Members will give and take of one another through a members-only platform for the exchange of information, ideas and opportunities. We hope to work with musicians and music lovers of all ages and backgrounds to enhance the capitol region’s music community as a whole.”

The Coalition will function as a volunteer-operated organization, offering free membership until 2013. After the free pilot year, the organization plans to implement a low-cost dues schedule to support and expand activities and services.   The Coalition recently began the process of incorporating.  Its first event will be an April kick-off show to raise funds to achieve non-profit status and officially launch the organization.

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Andria, February 20th 2012 | Tags: , ,
Posted in Coalition News, News Releases

Welcome to the Albany Music Coalition

We are thrilled to welcome you to the web home of the Albany Music Coalition. The Coalition, a recently-formed group of local musicians and fans, aims to serve as an informational resource for the Capital Region’s active and diverse music community, as well as to host and help publicize performances, creative gatherings, and educational programs.

Keep a close eye on this space for more announcements of our events and services, including our official launch party this April.

To learn more about the people behind the Coalition, please visit our Board of Directors page.

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admin, February 15th 2012 | Tags: ,
Posted in Coalition News