Friday, March 7, 2014

ONE THE MOST SOUGHT AFTER JOBS IN THE MUSIC BUSINESS



March 7, 2014
by Dwight L. Quinn

Every person born into this World is gifted with something and they may go on through life forever without ever recognizing that special gift.
When started Quinn Records TM in 1971, the first thing that I did, inorder to feel useful, was to start looking for a Job in the Company that I could do and do fairly well,and strangely enough it turned out to be Music Producing, though at the time it never dawn on me how important this particular Job was in the industry.
So,once I started doing it I began encouraging my artists to do the same, and today I still encourage them to Produce like,Oliver Johnson, James Gilbert,Kevin Wheeler, MC Larry Moody, Carlina Q. Aldridge and others that have shared their time, talent and gift with the Company.
From this very experience we now know that the Music Producer has one of the most sought-after music careers in the music business, they  works dilentgy to get an album produced and within budget and being a small company like us almost always using our own hard-earned dollars controlling budgets is a Cardinal rule in this house.
The altimate goal for most Music Producers is the hope of producing a chart-topping album.
This nerve-wrecking goal,puts a lot of responsibilty on the Music Producer.
One of key jobs of the Music Producer is to help the artist choose which songs they are going to record for the album. The Music Producer will then go to work selecting the studio and booking the estimated amount of recording time that he or she think will be enough time to complete the full album.The Music Producer will work very close with the music arranger and audio engineer,to attempt to achieve the desired sound and feel for the album, the Music Producer in a small company wears many hats and may have the job of
bringing in background vocalists, he may even fill in as a background member or play an instrument on the album or even  be the music arranger themselves to assist with the songs depending how they are written.
.
This being a standard practiced performed by the Music Producer,when the studio recording starts, the Music Producer will works closely with the engineer,(it's all about the sound) who helps him find or achieve certain specific sounds or feel to flow through the album.
This collabration will almost always continue throughout the entire studio session, as the Music Producer will often offer the imput of his own opinions on just how each song on the album would work best.
The Music Producer with all these actions going on, has the monetary responsibility of staying on budget, this oversight of going over the budget could be costly to the label or to the artist, leaving either of owing thousands of dollars.

After each song is recorded, the Music Producer is usually the person who then mixes it into its final version. This isn't always the case, though, as sometimes special engineers or mixers are hired to perform this job. When that happens, the record producer still supervises the mixing process, as it's such an important aspect of creating an album.Even at this point, the Music Producer still has plenty of work to do.
Many times, an entire album is recorded in the studio, complete with songs that don't end up making the final cut.
In other words, they are not included in the album when it's finally released. Part of the Music Producer's job is to help choose which songs make the final album and which don't.
They'll also help decide what order the songs will play in throughout the album (i.e. the songs' track numbers).
The Music Producer will also be a part of selecting which songs will be promoted and sold as singles.

As you can see, the Music Producer is heavily involved with every single step and detail of creating an album. Even when the creative process comes to an end, the Music Producer's responsibilities certainly do not. There is still licensing to be worked on, as well as copyright issues, and consent forms and releases from artists, engineers, photographers, and pretty much anyone else who receives credit for their work on a given album.
Once all of that is complete, the Music Producer submits receipts and pays bills to the record label,if he or she is an independent,or final reciepts are submitted to the A&R Administrator, if he or she is label staff member.

Certain Music Producers work as employees for record labels, reporting to the A&R department head,as mentioned above. Others work independently as freelancers, and and may be contractors for either an artist or a record label.

When working on staff at a record company Music Producers generally earn a base salary, along with royalties from records they produce. If they are as an independent for the record company, they will still usually earn royalties, but they'll command a fee instead of a salary.

Music Producers that have a proven track record of success can negotiate larger royalty payments, usually in advance.

Staff Music Producers can earn anywhere from $27,000 to $115,000 or more per year, while
very successful independent producers may earn up to $1,000,000 or more annually.

Every single album that is sold has a Music Producer attached to it, though sometimes that producer can be a member of the band, or even the staff engineer.
Some albums will even require more than one producer to complete the job.
For these reasons, there are quite a few possibilities for employment within the Music Production specialty, but due to the nature of the position, it's important to start with at least one foot in the door. Small labels is place to start and began building you a track record.

 Once a Music Producer proves his ability to produce hit records, he can eventually move on to working with more prestigious artists.
This can lead to a position at a larger record label, where the Music Producer can command an even larger salary.
Of course this creates a nice cycle of success for him, as he can now work with even better well-known artists, and become even more in demand as a Music Producer.

by Dwight L. Quinn

Sources;
History
Career Services
The Internet
Quinn Records TM

Visit us:
Our Wbesite: www.quinnrecord.net
Facebook: facebook.com/dwight l.quinn
Twitter:  Twitter.com/quinnrecords
LinkedIn: LinkedIn/quinnrecords

Monday, March 3, 2014

IT'S "FATS TUESDAY"WEEK LETS GO PARTY


by Dwight L. Quinn

With thousands of visitors celebrating the Mardi Gras in New Orlean, this week is the Big One Fat Tuesday it's the climax of this entire good time party that has turned into one of the biggest street-party in the world.

“Fat Tuesday,” which refers to the practice of eating and indulging in rich,
fatty foods before beginning the fasting season of Lent on the next day, Ash
Wednesday. It’s also called Shrove Tuesday in some places, which comes from the word shrive, which means “to confess.Mardi Gras, is a Frence word that means,"fat Tuesday".

Traditionally accepted as a Christian tradition, Mardi Gras actually began
as a pagan fertility celebration thousands of years ago.
When Rome accepted Christianity, church leaders decided to adopt the traditional Roman festivals of Saturnalia and Lupercalia into the church calendar as a prelude to the 40 days of fasting that lead up to Easter.
The first Mardi Gras in the United States is thought to have taken place in 1699 in Louisiana, just south of what would become New Orleans.
The ritual was celebrated for several decades until the debauchery was banned when the Spanish took control of the city. Bans were lifted when Louisiana became a U.S. state in 1812, and Mardi Gras lives on.

Hundreds of thousands visit New Orleans for Mardi Gras and the buildup to the Fat Tuesday celebration each year, and estimates of the economic impact go as high as $500 million in a given year.

The Mardi Gras season is marked by parades every day through the French Quarter and other areas in and around New Orleans, as well as the expected food and drink for which the region is famous. It all ends, though, the minute the calendar says that Fat Tuesday is over. At midnight on the morning of Ash Wednesday, A line of New Orleans police officers on horseback start at one end of the French
Quarter and move through the area announcing that the party is over and everyone must clear the streets.
The season of fasting and repentance has begun. And the worlds biggest street-party  has come to a close,until next year.
 Those who readied for Fat Tuesday now see Mardi Gras end and the cleanup begin. The line of police officers is immediately followed by street cleaners, and life in New Orleans fast-track back normal.

By Dwight L. Quinn

Sources:
History
St. Louis Post-Dispatch



Friday, February 28, 2014

IN LOCAL HISTORY: LEO GOODEN "BLUE NOTE" CLUB, 4200 MISSOURI AVENUE,EAST ST. LOUIS,ILLINOIS


by Dwight L. Quinn


When I was growing up in East St. Louis, music was every
where, at night live bands was heard coming out of the
doors of almost every lil club or travern on a corner.
And don't let the club be close to a Church were they are
having night service,now you're getting it all. On radio
there's a Live, remote broadcast going a local band is 
jamming and people are having themselves a good time.
There were clubs like this on both sides of the wateri.e
as we would than describe the division of the Mississippi 
River. The Club that was getting popular than in the early
60's was the The Blue Note Club,located at 4200 Missouri
Avenue, in East St. louis,Illinois owned by the late Leo 
Gooden. Leo, as most people, who knew him would address 
him was an important local St. Louis mover-and-shaker 
whose ear for talent helped him assemble one of the best 
bands of its time, assembled initially to be the house 
band at Gooden's Blue Note Club.

A look into the mini-soul empire of Leo Gooden -- an tiny 
little enclave in East St Louis that was making some mighty 
hip music in the early 60s! Gooden wore many hats at the time 
-- politician, club owner, and local businessman -- but he 
also put together his own band and record label L. G. Records. 
He worked in a very hip mix of R&B and early 60s soul jazz modes! 
Through his nightclub, The Blue Note, Gooden came into contact 
with a variety of great musicians, both national and local -- 
and he brought their inspiration to play on sessions recorded here 
for his LG family of labels – he is featured on a handful of 
singles and two rare LPs.

Early 60s East St Louis jazz band. Originaly assembled to be the 
house band at Leo Gooden's Blue Note nightclub. The group, anchored 
by the Hammond B-3 playing of Don James, the dynamic drumming of 
Kenny Rice, and the tenor sax work of Charles "Little Man" Wright, 
pre-shadowed the organ-led jazz combos that appeared later.
Albert King would frequently set in with the Band and was given
the opportunity to play on several Leo Five recordings,"Worrisome 
Baby","Lonesome",and "You Threw Your Love On Me So Strong". Other 
local greats that worked with Leo and his L.G.Record Label was 
Ccharles Drain and Jamie Ross.

Members of Leo's Five:
Charles Wright, Don James, Fred Jackson, Leo Gooden

The 60's bands couldn't have been so widely recognized if it hadn't
been for the newer upcoming Radio personalities,bringing in a new
way of introducing music to the general listening public one of those
pioneering radio personalities of the time in the Greater St. Louis
was Spider Burks one of St. Louis’ first black disc jockeys, and 
he is remembered for giving jazz an urban identity in St. Louis market. 
He had graduated from Hampton Institute and began working at KXLW here 
in 1947. During his stint at that station, which lasted until 1956, 
Spider became a huge moneymaker for the station and himself.
He got the job initially when a radio shop owner on Easton Avenue 
sponsored a half-hour block of time and used Spider as his disc jockey.

Things went so well that the station hired him, and he would sell 
advertising to supplement his income.
He’d bring in his own records, and his two shows, “After School Swing 
Session” and “Down the Alley Behind My House” were huge favorites of the 
high school set. The record companies soon realized Spider Burks’ show 
could really “sell” their product.

Burks also worked as a disc jockey on KSTL, KADY/KADI-FM and KATZ, 
leaving the business in 1969.

St. Louis and East St. Louis histroically been a huge contributor and
weight station for all types of music,especially the sounds of blues,
gospel and jazz.Making St.Louis not only the Gateway to the West,but 
also the one of the Main birth places of the Blues.

Sources:Ace Records,East St. Louis Library Archives,Monitor and 
D.L. Quinn



Monday, February 24, 2014

IN HISTORY: Josephine Baker 1906-1975 Her Activist Side

by Dwight L. Quinn

Josephine Baker supported the American Civil Rights Movement during the 1950's while living in France. Mrs. Baker and her husband Jo when they arrived in New York she was refused reservations at 36 hotel because she was Black.She was so taken back by this racist treatment that she began writing articles on the segregation in the United States and held Public talks about this problem. Fisk University in Nashville, Tennesssee the all Black University was were she gave a talk, the subject was,"France, North America and The Equality Of The Races In France".
Mrs. Baker also went as far as to refuse to perform for segregated audiences this
couragous act by Mrs Baker later helped to intergrate shows in places like Las Vegas. She began recieving threats from the Klu Klux Klan after these accident but the threats didn't rattle the nerves of Mrs.Baker.
In 1963, Mrs. Baker spoke at the March on Washington at the side of Martin Luther King,Jr.
Mrs. Baker was the only official female speaker, she wore her Free French uniform
emblazoned with her medal of the Legion d'honneur she introduced the Negro Women for
Civil Rights. She acknowledged Rosa Parks and Daisy Bates who both later gave speeches.
Dr. Kings widow Coretta Scott King approached Mrs. Baker after the assassination of Dr.
King,to ask her if she would take her husband place as leader of the Civil Rights Movement,
but Mrs. Baker declined.
Josephine Baker's reputation as a Civil Right Activist grew to an extent that the NAACP
had Sunday May 20th,1951 declared as Josephine Baker Day. She was presented with life
membership of the NAACP by Nobel Peach Prize winner  Dr. Ralph Bunche. The honor she was
paid caused her to further speak out with the "Save Willie McGee" famous rally in 1948
protesting the beating of the furniture shop  owner in Trenton, New Jersey. As Mrs. Baker
became more and more outspoken  about the injustice against  Black in the United States of
America, some Blacks began to see Mrs. Baker as toublesome or to controversial and began
to avoid her,for fear she may hurt or derail their cause. Josephine Baker lived to see the
pillars of segregation in the United States of American crumble and calaspe under the      
weight of the work of stamping out injustice, in all of its forms,like her and so many
other Black leaders were doing.
Josephine Baker died April 12th,1975 at her home in Paris, France.

Visit us at: www.quinnrecords.net
Email us at: quinnrecords@quinnrecords.net
Follow us at: Twitter/quinnrecords
Like us at: Facebook/dwight l.quinn

Monday, December 23, 2013

CHECKOUT THE UPGRADE TO OUR COMPANYS EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY POLICY

12/23/2014

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY POLICY


It is the policy of Quinn Records TM Company (the “Company”) to provide equal opportunity to all employees and applicants for employment relative to all aspects of the employment relationship.
The Company has made a commitment to select the most qualified person for each employment position based on the individual’s demonstrated abilities, credentials, past performance, prior experience, and training.
No person will be discriminated against in any aspect of his or her employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, ancestry, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, familial status, disability, genetic information, veteran/military status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.
Consistent with our People Basic Belief that every employee makes a difference, the Company embraces the unique aspects of each employee and the value that diverse backgrounds and viewpoints bring to the strength of our organization.
We value our employees and believe we must all embrace and take ownership of the Company’s commitment to diversity in the workplace. To that end, the Company embraces an equal employment opportunity (“EEO”) workplace as one of its
core principles and as a fundamental component of its Basic Beliefs, as follows:
This EEO policy applies to all terms, conditions, and privileges of employment and all policies, procedures, and practices
of the Company.
While general oversight for implementing and enforcing this policy is assigned to the Human Resources Department and/or Dwight L. Quinn,Owner an effective EEO policy and program cannot be achieved without the support of all executives, managers, supervisors, and employees at all levels.
Consistent with our Basic Beliefs, we firmly believe that the highest business ethics require the highest personal ethics.
Accordingly, each individual is expected to understand the principles and values set forth in this EEO policy and to incorporate them into day-to-day work and interaction with all of our constituents.
Any communication from an applicant for employment, an employee, a customer, a government agency, or an outside attorney concerning any equal employment opportunity matter should immediately be referred to the Human Resources Department and/or Dwight L. Quinn,Owner.
Employees who believe they have been subject to, witnessed, or otherwise become aware of conduct that violates or may violate this EEO policy should immediately report such matter to their supervisor, a manager, or the Human Resources Department and/or Dwight L. Quinn,Owner.
All concerns raised regarding conduct that may be in violation of this EEO policy will be investigated promptly in as confidential a manner as possible and consistent with the Company’s need to conduct a thorough investigation.
The Company will take steps to ensure a timely resolution of any such concern and such resolution will be communicated to the parties involved. The Company prohibits any form of retaliation against employees for raising concerns, providing information, or cooperating in any other manner with an investigation of such reports about conduct that may potentially violate this EEO policy.
The Quinn Records TM Company expects its executives, managers, supervisors, and employees to work together to live the principles outlined in this policy and our Basic Beliefs, and, consistent with Our Commitment to Each Other, promote an atmosphere of mutual respect for one another.
Any individual may talk with any manager or Human Resources if they have any questions related to these principles.

Monday, December 16, 2013

-We're Hiring! We Have A Job Opening In Our St. Louis Office For A In-House Booking Agent

In-house Booking Agent                                     Pay: Commission only
Employer: Quinn Records TM                            15% of Artist fee
City, State: St. Louis, MO.
Duration: Career

About the job 
We are seeking a In-house Music Booking Agent.
Our office is located in St. Louis MO. This position is open to St. Louis and St. Clair County residents ONLY.
We are seeking a very special individual who is positive by nature, confident, hard working, self-motivated and driven for success. An individual with a vision in terms of their career goals in the entertainment industry who wishes to play a major part in working for a very successful entertainment company whose main focus is the music industry.
 We operate a highly successful a record company that is distributed in over 28 countries and a worldwide music publishing firm. We are expanding into the area of live music bookings on a regional and eventually a national / international basis.
 This exciting position has tremendous growth potential for someone who possesses the correct skills, persona and ability to move forward with a rewarding career in the entertainment industry. We do require a person with booking agent experience on either the local or national level.

 The following is a list of attributes we would find attractive in our potential employee.

 1. Must be mature, professional and disciplined and have a great love of music. Be familiar with the current trends in a vast majority of different musical genres. Be aware of which type of music is most appealing to various age groups and demographics. Have an in-depth awareness of what is necessary to successfully market a band or artist in the regional marketplace.

 2. You must be willing and able to attend artist's showcases, performances and auditions. To listen and review artist's material which is submitted to our company. You need to know and understand this is not an hourly position nor is it necessarily office work only, there are no established hours.

 3. Able to attend and represent our company at various seminars and conferences related to the live music industry.

 4. Must be able to work with others in a cooperative team environment, to take direction, be able to listen carefully, absorb information quickly and comprehend clearly.

 5. You must be computer literate enough to deal with your e-mail client, web site and social media research and possess basic computer use skills. Also, literate in terms of using the English language well in composing e-mail texts and letters. If you believe yourself to be a qualified applicant, please submit your resume, a cover letter sharing your thoughts about being a booking agent for our company, and professional references for consideration.





Please apply online at
https://quinnrecords.recruiterbox.com/jobs/28149
for a complete job description and application instructions
EOE/M/F/V/D
No phone calls please

Friday, December 13, 2013

We're Hiring! We Have A Job Opening In Our St. Louis Office For A In-House Booking Agent

In-house Booking Agent                                     Pay: Commission only
Employer: Quinn Records TM                            15% of Artist fee
City, State: St. Louis, MO.
Duration: Career

About the job 
We are seeking a In-house Music Booking Agent.
Our office is located in St. Louis MO. This position is open to St. Louis and St. Clair County residents ONLY.
We are seeking a very special individual who is positive by nature, confident, hard working, self-motivated and driven for success. An individual with a vision in terms of their career goals in the entertainment industry who wishes to play a major part in working for a very successful entertainment company whose main focus is the music industry.
 We operate a highly successful a record company that is distributed in over 28 countries and a worldwide music publishing firm. We are expanding into the area of live music bookings on a regional and eventually a national / international basis.
 This exciting position has tremendous growth potential for someone who possesses the correct skills, persona and ability to move forward with a rewarding career in the entertainment industry. We do require a person with booking agent experience on either the local or national level.

 The following is a list of attributes we would find attractive in our potential employee.

 1. Must be mature, professional and disciplined and have a great love of music. Be familiar with the current trends in a vast majority of different musical genres. Be aware of which type of music is most appealing to various age groups and demographics. Have an in-depth awareness of what is necessary to successfully market a band or artist in the regional marketplace.

 2. You must be willing and able to attend artist's showcases, performances and auditions. To listen and review artist's material which is submitted to our company. You need to know and understand this is not an hourly position nor is it necessarily office work only, there are no established hours.

 3. Able to attend and represent our company at various seminars and conferences related to the live music industry.

 4. Must be able to work with others in a cooperative team environment, to take direction, be able to listen carefully, absorb information quickly and comprehend clearly.

 5. You must be computer literate enough to deal with your e-mail client, web site and social media research and possess basic computer use skills. Also, literate in terms of using the English language well in composing e-mail texts and letters. If you believe yourself to be a qualified applicant, please submit your resume, a cover letter sharing your thoughts about being a booking agent for our company, and professional references for consideration.


Submit resume to Quinn Records TM,
 771693,St. Louis, MO. 63177-1693, 
or quinnrecords@quinnrecords.net
EOE/M/F/V/D
please, no phone calls