BREAKING NEWS!!

“At The Border”, the latest Music Video from acclaimed Singer/Songwriter Mark Newman is now available on his Official YouTube Channel and social media pages. The video was Directed by George Panagakos of 525 Media.

“At The Border” [Official Music Video]

Regarding the genesis of this tune, Mark explained, “At The Border” was originally written about the struggles of the people fleeing the war in Ukraine, but is also inspired by the millions of people all around the world trying to escape oppression and hunger on an ongoing basis”.

In a pre-production meeting, Newman told the director, “This has been going on since the times of Ancient Egypt. People have had to leave their homes to find better lives elsewhere throughout history. It’s a worldwide problem. That’s what this song is about, and what I’d like to see represented in this film.”

No stranger to tackling tough topics, Mark has always worked to bring about political and social change with his songs, including the recent releases “When I Aim My Gun”, and “Tulsa”, which solemnly recounts the Tulsa Massacre of 1921.

The current global estimate is that there are approximately 281 million refugees worldwide, which equates to 3.6 per cent of the global population. Overall, the estimated number of international migrants has increased drastically over the past five decades.

Of the more than 44 million immigrants in the United States as of 2019, one-third (14.8 million) were low income, meaning that their family’s income was below 200% percent of the federal poverty level.

Upcoming Mark Newman Shows:
5/13 Mark Newman & Friends at Natchitoches Jazz/R&B Festival, Natchitoches, LA
5/19 Mark Newman w/ Sailin’ Shoes (Little Feat Tribute) at The Warehouse, Amityville NY
5/20 & 5/21 Mark Newman at Montauk Music Festival, NY
6/24 Mark Newman w/ The Hitmen, Coppell, TX
7/15 Mark Newman w/ Streetfighter at Jones Beach Bandshell, NY
7/16 Mark Newman w/ Sailin’ Shoes (Little Feat Tribute) at Woodbridge Concert Series
7/23 Mark Newman w/ Sailin’ Shoes (Little Feat Tribute) at Great South Bay Music Festival
8/10 Mark Newman w/ Jeff Lake at Jones Beach Bandshell, NY
9/03 Mark Newman w/ Allmost Brothers at Jones Beach Bandshell, NY

Newman has worked with many soul, blues and rock greats including John Oates (Hall & Oates), Jim McCarty (The Yardbirds), Willy DeVille (Mink DeVille), Sam The Sham, Bobby Whitlock (Derek and the Dominos) and Sam Moore (Sam & Dave).

BREAKING NEWS!!

The Long Island International Film Expo (LIIFE) is excited to announce that discounted Pre-sale Gold Passes for the 26th Annual Festival and Expo are now available at: www.longislandfilm.com/tickets.

Pre-Sale Gold Passes are discounted at $100.00 until June 1st. Regular Gold Passes will be $125.00 and after July 1st, Last Minute Gold Passes will be $150.00. The Gold Pass allows you entrance into all film blocks and expo events including industry panels, parties, the DP Meet and Greet, live screenplay reading, and our star-studded closing night award show! Full schedule and film guide coming soon.

For the past 26 years, LIIFE has been the premier filmmaker community on Long Island, and one of the most respected festivals of its kind in the world; each year showcasing over 130 independent films in a variety of genres.

This year, the 26th installment of LIIFE will be held from July 19th - July 23rd at the historic Bellmore Movies, 222 Pettit Ave in Bellmore; featuring films from around the globe.

Festivals of the past have included such luminaries as the late Danny Aiello and Ed Asner, Blue Bloods’ Robert Clohessy and Abigail Hawk, Ralph Macchio, John Amos, Daniel Baldwin, Ally Sheedy, Catherine Curtin, Chad Coleman, Steve Buscemi, Ed Burns, Ilene Kristen, and so many more.

LIIFE has become a summer playground for filmmakers; with local and international film screenings, celebrity appearances, entertaining and informative panels, a star-studded awards ceremony, and networking galore. LIIFE is presented by the Long Island Film/TV Foundation (LIFTF) and sponsored by the Nassau County Industrial Development Agency, Gold Coast Studios, and the County of Nassau.

For more information on LIIFE or to purchase a Pre-sale Gold Pass, please visit: www.longislandfilm.com.

BREAKING NEWS!!

Add some fun and upbeat vibes to your summer playlist with Stacy Gabel’s new single “Great Escape”, the ultimate feel-good track for summertime!

Perfect for outdoor adventures, cruising on the water, or just chilling with friends.

With its catchy melody and lively lyrics, “Great Escape” is sure to get you in the mood for warm sunny days spent in the open air, and have you singing along in no time! Don’t miss out on this exciting new release from one of the most promising artists of the year.

Stacy Gabel is an accomplished and award winning performer and singer/songwriter. A graduate of AMDA (American Musical and Dramatic Academy in NYC), and a member of SAG/AFTRA, she has appeared in many TV & film roles including Charmed and General Hospital to name a few.

She has been gaining national and international attention recently, winning several Global Music awards and a Los Angeles Pinnacle Film award for Best Song and making press appearances on PBS, NBC, FOX, Forbes Living Magazine and on various music blogs and podcasts. Her music has topped the Indie European Charts and received many spins on international and US radio stations.

Stacy is also a former TV promo producer/writer at Nickelodeon/MTV Networks in NYC and Los Angeles, and is thrilled to be teaming up with TV/Film Producer Anthony Friedman, a former Nickelodeon colleague, on “Great Escape”.

Listen to “Great Escape” on Spotify!.

Watch “Great Escape” on YouTube.

www.stacygabel.com.

BREAKING NEWS!!

In aid of the Parkinson’s Foundation, Think Loud for Parkinson’s Disease sung by Kindred Spirit featuring Leo Sayer was written by Ian Grant, Josh Phillips and Paul Mitchell and recorded by the above to raise awareness for Parkinson’s Disease worldwide and especially Think Loud speech therapy.

Think Loud for Parkinson’s Disease - Kindred Spirit featuring Leo Sayer [Official Video].

Strictly theme co-composer and Procol Harum organist Josh Philips have joined forces with producer Paul Mitchell, legendary music manager Ian Grant and entrepreneur and philanthropist John Caulcutt CBE, to create a new, original track to raise awareness and funds for Parkinson’s, and encourage people living with the condition to keep using their voices.

Featuring Leo Sayer and performances from John Illsley (Dire Straits), Marcella Detroit (Shakespears Sister), Stuart Elliott (Cockney Rebel, Kate Bush) and backing from a full gospel choir (The Jordan family gospel group), it is a foot-stomping, rousing, soulful, pop-rock track complete with a chorus that you cant help but sing along to.

THINK LOUD is now available to purchase or stream on all major platforms, and you can also watch the music video on youtube. All proceeds are being split between Cure Parkinson’s in the UK and the Parkinson’s Foundation in the US.

10 million people worldwide are living with Parkinson’s and we urgently need to find a cure.

If you have been inspired by the track, record a clip of yourself singing along and post it on social media using the hashtag #ThinkLoud4PD. You could even get your friends and family to sponsor you!

Please donate here: www.justgiving.com.

Cast in order of appearance:
Mark Butcher (Former Surrey and England cricketer)
Tony Butler (Former Big Country bass player)
Leo Sayer (Legendary Singer / Songwriter)
Josh and Kai Grant-Howard
Terl Bryant (Session drummer)
Pat Cash (Wimbledon tennis champion)
Clem Burke (Founder member of Blondie) and Glen Matlock (Founder member of Sex Pistols)
Baz Warne and JJ Burnel (The Stranglers)
Clint and Clinton Jordan (Jordan family choir)
The Reverend Peter Owen-Jones (Priest, author and TV presenter)
Paul Mitchell (Producer)
Stuart Pearce MBE (legendary Notts Forest and England footballer)
Elizabeth McGovern (Downton Abbey and countless movies)
Marcella Detroit (Eric Clapton, Elton John and Shakespears Sister)
John Illsley (Founder member bass player of Dire Straits)
Jordan Family Choir
Miles Hunt (The Wonder Stuff)
Jake Burns (Founder member of Stiff Little Fingers)
Josh Phillips (Member of Procol Harum for 25 years
John Coleman (Author of ’Stop Parkin’ and Start Livin’)
Ian Grant (Veteran Rock ’n’ Roll manager)

Music producer - Paul Mitchell
Music - Paul Mitchell & Josh Phillips
Lyrics - Ian Grant
Video production - Ian Grant & Paul Mitchell
Video editor - Rupert Style
Co - executive producers - Ian Grant & John Caulcutt

www.justgiving.com.

Please donate here: www.justgiving.com.

BREAKING NEWS!!

Today, the president of the Society of Composers and Lyricists, Ashley Irwin, testified on behalf of the SCL before the Subcommittee on Courts, Intellectual Property and the Internet of the House Committee of the Judiciary (HCJ) Hearing on Artificial Intelligence and Intellectual Property: Part I — Interoperability of AI and Copyright Law.

The hearing examined the intersection of generative artificial intelligence (AI) technology and copyright law. Among the topics addressed were the use of copyright-protected works in the training of generative AI models, copyright protection of works that were produced with the assistance of generative AI, and the economic impact of generative AI on creators and creative industries.

Irwin was invited to participate in the hearing because of the legislative solutions the SCL has offered so far considering the ongoing conversation about Artificial Intelligence and music.

Irwin’s testimony is as follows:

“Chairman Issa, Ranking Member Johnson, distinguished members of this Subcommittee, thank you for the opportunity to testify today on the important issues involving artificial intelligence and the impact on the creative industries. My name is Ashley Irwin, and I am currently serving my 6th term as the President of the Society of Composers & Lyricists (SCL). I am here today to advocate for my members, who are already feeling the negative impact of generative artificial intelligence (AI) on their craft and its potential threat to their profession.”

“First, some background on me, and on the SCL.”

Ashley Irwin Background - “In my forty-plus years as a composer and arranger, I have written music for over 1,000 hours of film and television, and more than 3,000 commercials. Since 1990, I have provided musical compositions and arrangements for 23 Academy Awards shows and been part of several Emmy-winning teams. I have had the pleasure of collaborating on many films with Oscar winners such as Clint Eastwood and Bill Conti. Over the years, my arrangements have been performed on numerous occasions for Presidents Clinton, Bush and Obama, and one of my choral orchestrations of was performed during President Ronald Reagan’s state funeral service.”

The SCL Background - “The Society of Composers & Lyricists is the premier U.S. organization for music creators working in all forms of visual media. With chapters in Los Angeles, New York and Nashville, the SCL operates as the primary voice for over 3,000 members who work as creators of scores and songs for film, television, video games, and theatre.”

The SCL’s Thoughts on Generative AI - “While the SCL advocates for our members on several different fronts, the issue that has consumed the majority of our time recently has been generative AI. The rapid introduction of generative AI systems is seen as an existential threat to the livelihood and continuance of our creative professions, unless immediate steps are taken on legal, interpretive, and economic fronts to address these emerging issues.”

“I want to be very clear, my goal in raising issues pertaining to the rights of writers and creators is not to block AI research and usage. We are simply advocating for the creation of a policy framework that ensures generative AI is developed and utilized responsibly, ethically, and with respect for human creators and copyright, so that the creative arts – that are the real engine of generative AI - can continue to flourish.”

“The SCL believes that AI companies, and their generative models, should adhere to the fundamental “Three Cs”: Consent, Credit, and Compensation:

1. Consent, by creators for the use of their works in generative AI media,
2. Credit, wherever audiovisual creators’ works are used, and
3. Compensation, at fair market rates, for the ingestion of any portion of human creators’ copyrighted works by AI generative machines and the subsequent output of new derivative works.”

“I’d like to spend the rest of my time discussing three challenges posed to music creators by generative AI – potential solutions to which I have offered in my written testimony:

Issue #1: Generative AI has been equipped using copyright-protected human-authored works and programmed to mimic those works without consent, compensation, or credit.

Issue #2: Copyright information (metadata) has been removed during the ingestion process of these models.

Issue #3: The market will be diluted due to AI generated works and as a result, copyright protection should not be granted to AI-generated works.”

“In closing, I thought I should address why America’s success important to me? As you can, no doubt, tell by my accent, I am not originally from the United States. I came here from Australia as a young man because I wanted to be a part of the vibrant culture that is the U.S. entertainment industry. However, the rise of generative AI poses a threat to this unique American artform. If we do not protect and nurture our human creators, we risk losing one of our greatest exports and its profound influence. It is essential to prioritize policies and regulations that safeguard the intellectual property and copyright of creators and preserve the diverse and dynamic U.S. cultural landscape.”

“The protection of creators is not now, nor has ever been, in conflict with technological development. Our founding fathers recognized that. The only place the term “right” is mentioned in the Constitution is with regards to intellectual property. Specifically, the rights granted to authors and inventors in Article I, Section 8, Clause 8 are “To promote the Progress of Science and useful Arts”. Respect for copyright and development of AI should go hand-in-hand. That way, all of humanity can benefit.”

“I believe this committee has the power, authority, and motivation to lead the charge, and I look forward to working with each and every one of you to achieve that common goal.”

The Society of Composers & Lyricists (SCL) is a non-profit and primary organization for professional film, television, video game, and musical theater composers and lyricists, and those working in our industry such as orchestrators, arrangers, music supervisors, music agents, music attorneys, music editors, copyists, recording engineers, and related jobs, with a distinguished, nearly 77-year history in the fine art of creating music for visual media.

Current SCL Members include the top creative professionals whose experience and expertise are focused on many of the creative, technological, legal, newsworthy and pressing issues of the film music, television music, game music, and musical theatre industry today.

BREAKING NEWS!!

This Father’s Day weekend, on Saturday June 17th, beginning at 7pm, bring Dad over to Buddha Jams, located at 192 Glen Street in Glen Cove for a special performance by reggae legend Mighty Mystic.

Visit the sprawling facility and let the reggae music fill you with positive vibes in a comfortable environment, inspiring you to unabashedly dance your way to enlightenment. This is an exclusive one time intimate acoustic performance on Long Island by a world renowned music superstar that is not to be missed!

Act fast as an extremely limited number of tickets are available for only $35 NOW at www.BuddhaJams.com .

Mighty Mystic, is a Jamaican-born, Somerville, Massachusetts-based reggae artist. He is the younger brother to current Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness.

Born in St Elizabeth, Jamaica, he moved to Boston at the age of nine with his family. He began performing as Mystic and broke through with his 2006 single Riding on the Clouds, which received radio airplay across the East coast of the US.His debut album Wake up the World (2010) included Revolution, Riding on the Clouds, Original Love, and Slipped Away, with appearances from Shaggy and roots rocker Lutan Fyah.

The Groundbreaking Buddha Jams Yoga and Event Center is blossoming in Glen Cove. Offering visitors an immersive experience designed to enlighten and fill your body, mind, and spirit with lasting positive energy and vibes. In contrast to a traditional Yoga studio, the brand new expansive 5,000 square foot indoor/outdoor instantly enlightening Buddha Jams Yoga in Glen Cove is far from your average studio.

At night Buddha Jams duals as an event space complete with two stages, professional sound, and has an owner who is not only a yoga teacher but an entrepreneur who has also produced massive events, concerts, and music festivals.

Buddha Jams prides itself on teaching students to live in a state of consistent communal connection, culture, and spiritual freedom through connection to the self, guided by breath, and explored through music and movement.

BREAKING NEWS!!

Singer/songwriter, musician, and advocate for the LGBTQ Community Calliope Wren has announced her anthemic new single “Her and I” is now available on all the major music services.

“Her and I”, which in line with its June release, celebrates pride, personal freedom and the journey of individual exploration.

“For people who may need a song like this (I know I did when I was exploring my sexuality), it’s about the embracing of something new and different, that just feels right.” - Calliope Wren

As is said of the wren, “for such a small bird, it has a remarkably loud voice”, and Calliope Wren has been stretching those powerful pipes. Not unlike her ancient ancestral namesake, Calliope (Wren) is “pure eloquence. Her poetry is epic! The ecstatic harmony of her voice makes her the Chief of all Muses”.

Pre-Order Links

Official Website

Wren @ Facebook

Wren @ Twitter