August 23, 2017

The Jazz of the Music Biz with Talib Kweli and More at the 2017 SXSW Conference [Video]

“I have to be me. It seems like it’s taking a chance, but it’s really being safe . . . It’s really doing the most efficient thing to just be yourself. If I tried to play it safe, that would be taking a chance or taking a risk that’s not worth taking.” – Talib Kweli

The Jazz of the Music Biz session at the 2017 SXSW Conference provides a dialogue on how the ethos of jazz music has been preserved in the modern music industry. Jarret Myer, Cofounder of Uproxx and Rawkus Records, moderates the conversation between iconic hip-hop artist Talib Kweli, Grammy-nominated composer and trumpeter Christian Scott aTunde Adjuah, and Grammy-winning record producer Om’Mas Keith.

Moderator Jarret Myer cofounded Rawkus Records, Uproxx, and Big Frame. His relationship with Talib Kweli stems from their work together through Rawkus Records, the label that released his early albums. Kweli is also an activist for reforms to the U.S. Justice System. Christian Scott aTunde Adjuah is a celebrated and prolific jazz composer and trumpeter who began studying music at a young age in New Orleans and honed his art at the Berklee College of Music. As a record producer, Om’Mas Keith has worked with many influential musical artists including Kweli, Frank Ocean, Erykah Badu, and many more. Keith’s was awarded a Grammy Award for Producing Frank Ocean’s channel.ORANGE.

“We always learned that jazz was a synonym for blues . . . I don’t mean blues as in melancholy ‘woe is me’ music. I mean blues like the human being’s most sincere expression. Them excavating what is really going on within, and trying to project that as a means of communicating something and creating a relationship.” – Christian Scott aTunde Adjuah

The conversation centers around how jazz has stayed relevant in the modern music industry. The Featured Speakers identify musical trends that are in dialogue with jazz styles, they discuss the musical ethos of some of the major players of the style, and they make a case for jazz becoming even more prevalent in future music industry trends.

Watch the video above for the full 2017 SXSW Conference Session The Jazz of the Music Biz. Interested in being a Showcasing Artist at SXSW 2018? Read the 5 Reasons to Apply to Showcase at SXSW 2018.

Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and SXSW News for the latest SXSW 2018 coverage, announcements, application tips, and updates.

Jarret Myer, Talib Kweli, Christian Scott aTunde Adjuah, and Om’Mas Keith – Photo by Tim Strauss

The post The Jazz of the Music Biz with Talib Kweli and More at the 2017 SXSW Conference [Video] appeared first on SXSW.

Source: SxSW Music

August 23, 2017

New Music! SXSW Artist Releases – Friday, August 25

This week, we take a look at our biggest list of SXSW weekly artist releases so far this season. There is a good mix of artists in different stages of their careers as well as a good variety of genres getting attention this week. Let’s get right into it since we have so many new albums to listen to this week.

Last week the SXSW Artist Releases write-up featured the new album from A$AP Ferg, and this week the full crew, A$AP Mob, is on deck with Cozy Tapes Vol. 2: Too Cozy. British rock band CYMBALS return with Light In Your Mind. Veteran indie-folk artist Iron and Wine releases Beast Epic. Queens of the Stone Age will release Villains to add to their catalogue of stoner-rock. If you like your rock music a bit more experimental, Tera Melos has a new album called Trash Generator releasing this Friday as well.

Pulling from these weekly releases, we pick one new release and make a playlist for fans incorporating new music from past SXSW artists for them to discover. This week, we’re selecting a indie-rock playlist inspired by The War on Drugs whose new album A Deeper Understanding is getting released this Friday. Go ahead and give it a listen because these playlists will only be active for seven days before we pick a new artist to focus on. Keep up with our playlists on the official SXSW Spotify channel, and be sure to follow the playlist.

Release of the Week Playlist

Past Showcasing Artist July 21st Releases

A$AP Mob – Cozy Tapes Vol. 2: Too Cozy
CYMBALS – Light In Your Mind
EMA – Exile In The Outer Ring
Gogol Bordello – Seekers And Finders
Iron & Wine – Beast Epic
Oh Sees – Orc
Queens of the Stone Age – Villains
Stephen Doster – New Black Suit
Tera Melos – Trash Generator
The Cadillac Three – Legacy
The Fresh & Onlys – Wolf Lie Down
The War on Drugs – A Deeper Understanding
Widowspeak – Expect The Best

The War on Drugs – Photo by Nicholas Kwasny

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Source: SxSW Music

August 22, 2017

5 Reasons to Apply to Showcase at SXSW 2018

Showcasing Artist applications are open for SXSW 2018, and here are few good reasons why you should apply now, before time winds down any further. If you’ve already made your mind up to apply, you will want to read tips on how to make the most of your application from the Music Festival team.

Find a new audience

At SXSW 2017, 75.1% of domestic Showcasing Artists listed expanding their audience as a main focus of performing, and winning over new fans was the most popular reason to perform for both domestic and international artists. SXSW is unique from many other music industry events because our audience is not solely comprised of people attending for music, which means there are a lot of fresh ears that have yet to hear you. In fact, in the past few years we have continued to see more and more SXSW Interactive attendees checking out music showcases in the evenings after conference programming.

Attend the SXSW Conference

Less than half of the Showcasing Artists who perform at SXSW indicate that they attended Music sessions at the 2017 SXSW Conference. We understand that many of the bands performing keep very busy schedules during the event, and that extra time can be the most elusive resource, but these conference sessions are highly informative about the future of the music industry. We highly recommend taking some time before arriving to go through the Conference schedule and identify any sessions that may be able to take your career to the next stage.

Connect with Fellow Musicians

This is the second most common reason for performing at SXSW cited by domestic artists, and third with international artists. More than 2,000 Showcasing Artists performed at SXSW this past March, and this large pool of artists makes SXSW an ideal place to meet future collaborators. If this is one of your goals, we recommend researching other artists you may want to meet by staying on top of SXSW news and our Schedule page, and attend as many events as possible while you’re here.

Furthering Your Career Goals

SXSW Showcasing Artist goals include: find sync opportunities, find distribution, sign to a label, sign with an agent, get attention from concert and festival promoters, find a manager, and many more. With such a heavy music industry presence, SXSW is an ideal place to achieve these goals. By taking an account of what your artistic project needs to go to the next level, and staying focused on your performance, you stand the best chance of success. These opportunities are the reasons why 78% of domestic SXSW 2017 artists are planning to apply for SXSW 2018.

Make New Friends

Don’t hold it against us for ending on a sentimental note. SXSW brings together tens of thousands of people annually to create, explore, discover, and celebrate each other’s ideas and passions. While not every artist gets a million dollar record deal or picked up for support on a stadium tour, everyone gets to participate in this large creative environment and make new connections with other like-minded individuals. The SXSW community that sustains the event is the strongest and most accessible asset offered to you if you perform or attend. In fact, most people attending SXSW start getting to know other attendees at the airport on the way to Austin, long before they even set foot in downtown Austin.

Apply Now

In addition to being a great time to apply to showcase, now is also the best time to register to attend SXSW 2018 and book your hotel.

Lewis Del Mar – Photo by Robert A Tobiansky/Getty Images for SXSW

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Source: SxSW Music