On Sunday, July 10th, sixteen musically gifted high school students from across the US pull into Charlotte for 10 days of music related experiences they will never, ever forget. NOISE! is a summer camp that takes music education to the next level by giving talented teens an innovative and unique opportunity to gain first-hand experience inside the music industry. Students will rub elbows and work directly with songwriters, arrangers, producers, sound engineers, studio musicians, audio architects, label execs, radio programmers, music celebs and educators. NOISE! is life altering for these teens, not to mention mind-bending and dream-inspiring!

NOISE! has been on tour the last 10 years, previously held in NY, LA, Atlanta and Nashville. This year Muzak brings it home to the Charlotte area so their 500 Home Office employees can see and hear first hand the impact NOISE! camp has on the kids.

On the last night of NOISE! camp, July 19, these musically gifted students will perform the annual talent show to hundreds, live in Muzak’s City Center. This highly anticipated showcase of talent, called NOISE! Live, will also be streamed live for all who won’t be able to attend the show in person.

Check to see if one of this year’s NOISE! students might be from your town:

Hannah Cook (Belleville, IL)
Sierra Gant (Spring, TX)
Maggie Thorn (Bloomingfield, MO)
Jordy Searcy (Fairhope, AL)
Joneka Percentie (Charlotte, NC)
Drew McDaniel (Phoenix, AZ)
Willie Griswold (Orlando, FL)
John Hargett (Charlotte, NC)
Sarah Kelli Fleming (Wilmington, NC)
Andrew Stevenson (Doswell, VA)
Filip Skrzesinski (Carpenterville, IL)
Madison Early (Charlotte, NC)
Julia Pettiecord (Yardley, PA)
Brendan Carchidi (Holliston, MA)
Leigh Vargo (Mentor, OH)
Lee Landess (Charlotte, NC)

All sixteen students have been granted scholarships to NOISE! 2011 by the Muzak Heart & Soul Foundation, a 501(c)3 non-profit organization dedicated to supporting music education.

This year we are working hard to allow friends, family and supporters to be part of the action:

Read daily blog posts and regular updates on the Muzak Heart & Soul Foundation Facebook page, follow us on Twitter using #NOISE11 and watch NOISE! Live on the Foundation’s Livestream site: http://www.livestream.com/muzakheartsoul

It’s always been amazing to me that a company like Muzak would open up shop for the first time during the depths of the Great Depression.  Was Muzak’s inventor, Gen. George Squier, a visionary or just a wild dreamer?   By 1934, the year Muzak was founded, the Great Depression had forced the GNP to drop by 30%, 13 million jobs were lost and unemployment had risen to almost 38%.  This sure didn’t seem like a good time to start a business; especially one that produced a non-essential product like music…. right

What’s important to understand is that during these hard times music delivered not only escape from the realities of the depression, but hope.  Musicals, storytellers, spirituals, big band, hillbilly music, opera and novelty songs were the medicine of the day.  Even though the common American was going without many of their basic necessities, radio and phonograph sales were dramatically on the rise.

So I guess George was a visionary after all!  He figured out an innovative way to distribute music to thousands of consumers and businesses by the mid ‘30s.  Ben Selvin, Muzak’s first VP of Programming, was the guy who produced recordings that captured the heart and desires of the American people during the depression.  Recordings by the likes of the Dorsey Brothers, the original Riders of the Purple Sage, the Deep River Boys, the Green Brothers, Fats Waller, Jan Pearce and thousands of incredible artists who performed in the ‘30s and ‘40s.  This was the music that entertained and gave hope to a nation in the depths of the Great Depression.  The rest is history and Muzak was in the middle of it all.

Contributed by Bruce McKagan

Inventing a Business Model

I’ve spent the last few posts getting you up to speed on the Muzak recording sessions held in our Manhattan during the late 1930’s. But why did Muzak need to record so much music… and in so many genres? Wasn’t Muzak primarily into instrumental versions of traditional songs?  You know, “elevator music” versions of classic melodies?

Well, in the early years of Muzak, our business model was much different than you might think.  Starting in 1934, Muzak’s business model was created not only to offer high quality music to businesses, but also to homes. Muzak’s means of distributing music was via telephone lines (the broadband cable of its day) offering customers clearer and more consistent reception than by the less reliable radio. And, since radio stations could not broadcast records sold to the public (due to licensing restrictions) most of the music was performed live, which had its own quality issues.

So just imagine: Muzak’s transcription recordings were high quality soundtracks by exquisite musicians and arrangers, broadcasted via state-of-the-art telephonic technology. And Muzak’s library was building by leaps and bounds on a weekly basis. With such high quality content delivered by a high quality signal, businesses and residences were lining up to get their subscription.

After only a few short years, it became extremely apparent that there was an additional revenue opportunity for Muzak.  In 1935 Muzak corporate introduced Associated Program Service (AMP).  This new business arm offered Muzak’s transcription library to radio stations, giving broadcasters a viable option for more cost effective and quality music programming.  Radio stations across the country immediately began to sign up for the service.  AMP provided a healthy revenue stream for Muzak for nearly two decades.

All of this meant that executive producer Ben Selvin’s task was clear – record lots and lots of music for Muzak’s library:  a variety of artists, playing all kinds of musical styles for a multitude of business models and a broad listening audience.  And that he did – nearly 8,000 recordings in his 13 years at Muzak (1934-1947). No person and no company has produced more quality recordings by top artists than Ben Selvin and Muzak in the 1930s and 40s.

Elevator music?  Not even close.  Muzak captured the soundtrack of American Pop Culture and we’ve got thousands of master recordings in our archives to prove it!

I’ll be back in just a few days.  See ya then.

Contributed by Bruce McKagan

www.muzakblog.com

My New Hero: Ben Selvin

Posted by Brittany Lyke on 12/14/10 • Categorized as Blogging the Archives, New

I’ve been a huge Beatles fan all my life. As a left handed 14 year older, I took up bass in 1964 just like my idol Paul. The music of the Fab Four has had a profound impact on my music, my career and my life. But after digging into the history of Ben Selvin over the past two years, I have a new music hero. How about some highlights so you can see why I think so highly of this music genius?

A few posts back, I took a look at Muzak’s first recordings in 1934, which were produced by VP of programming Ben Selvin. Ben orchestrated hundreds of recording sessions for Muzak over the next ten years, producing well over 7,000 songs. The more I look into his life, the more I’m amazed by the impact Ben Selvin had on this music industry of ours. Not only was he an exquisite musician, producer, arranger and band leader—he was also a wise and crafty businessman.

Born March 5, 1898, he quickly became recognized as a child prodigy for his creative and unique fiddle playing techniques. His first appearance was in a New York nightclub, at the age of 5! Ben was playing on Broadway at 7 and had steady gigs by 15. He finally formed his own band at 19. In 1919, he signed to Columbia Records, and Ben Selvin’s Novelty Orchestra recorded “Dardanella”, which became the top selling record (5 million) over the first quarter century. But this was just the beginning. Through the next decade he recorded for over 9 record companies, including Vocalion Records, Paramount, Plaza Music Company, Banner, Brunswick and Columbia, playing several roles in over 2,500 releases.  Every label had him directing, producing, arranging, leading his own orchestras, as well as their other musical acts.  He was the darling of the industry, commonly titled “the Dean of Recorded Music” as he released several more hits through the 20’s including, “I’m Forever Blowing Bubbles”, “Blue Skies”, “Yes! We Have No Bananas”, “Oh, I Miss You Tonight”, “Manhattan”, “Happy Days Are Here Again”, and “When It’s Springtime in the Rockies”. I liken him to our current day Quincy Jones. Not bad company!

In 1934, newly formed Muzak was looking for the right guy to oversee its “transcription” recording operation in NYC, and Ben Selvin was the obvious choice.  Once hired, he simply opened his rolodex brimming with the best musicians and bands in the industry, and started booking recording sessions.

Ben Selvin is said to have recorded nearly 20,000 titles over his 7 decades in the business. The Guinness Book of Records says that Ben Selvin has produced more records that anyone to this day. Ben passed away in 1980 at the age of 82.  I never got the chance to meet him, but last year I had the occasion to get together with two of his grandchildren, David and Emily Selvin. We shared stories, listened to lots of grandpa’s music and scratched our heads as to why he has yet to be recognized by the Recording Academy. It’s high time we changed that.

I can’t imagine what the music industry would be like today without the vision, exquisite ear, business savvy and musical know-how that Ben Selvin shared over 3 quarters of last century.  Muzak would have never found its music man… and I would only have the Beatles.

Contributed by Bruce McKagan

For more Muzak archive information go to http://75.muzak.com

Posted by Brittany Lyke on 12/02/10 • Categorized as Featured, New

I’m about to go on a pretty unique trip: through seventy-six years of our historical archives, which include original recording sessions at Muzak studios in Manhattan. Before we start, let me introduce myself: my name is Bruce McKagan. Coming from a very musical family, my entire personal and professional life has been a chorus line of musical experiences.  Rock bands through high school in Seattle and the U of W provided a steady income and some pretty dang good times. Coming out of college it was time to get serious, so I put together a touring band with some excellent Seattle musicians that played and recorded through the 70s.  Next came almost 3 decades in the field of entertainment management. First the creation of a mid-west booking agency in 1980, then director of several west coast restaurant and nightclubs chains, followed by heading the country’s largest provider of music videos for businesses. In 1995 I joined Muzak, where I’ve held several executive positions throughout the years. Suffice it to say that my life is largely defined by these musical experiences, and my passion for this industry is absolute.

One of my current assignments at Muzak is the enviable task of working with a team of employees to research, organize, preserve and expose our music archives. Untouched for nearly 50 years, we’ve uncovered over 40 pallets of original recordings, from 16” master discs to 2” tape. Most of these masters are in pristine shape, thanks to the fact that they’ve been under lock and key in climate controlled storage for all these years. As you can imagine, having this opportunity to touch, listen to and share recordings that haven’t been heard for over half a century is pretty exciting for a passionate music buff like me.

I know what you’re thinking: the history of elevator music doesn’t sound that inviting. But what I hope to help you discover is that the 1930’s, 40’s and 50’s at Muzak were nothing like the instrumental covers produced by Muzak in the 60’s and 70’s, known by baby boomers as ‘elevator music’. The earlier years actually couldn’t have been more different, and were filled with recording sessions by the hottest bands, best musicians and vocalists of the day, with greats like the Dorsey Brothers, Fats Waller, the Carter family, Louie Prima, the Deep River Boys, Earl Wild, Larry Clinton, Ozzie Nelson, the Polka Dots, Rosemary Clooney, and the list goes on and on. Nearly 2,000 recordings sessions covering every genre in the book: big band, jazz, hillbilly, classical, musicals, gospel and popular vocals. As best as we can tell, our archives hold somewhere close to 20,000 original recordings by the original artists that have never been released to the public.

Our journey will include dusting off these masters and discovering together the sounds of these incredible musical decades at Muzak, with a look at the evolution of policies and laws that have shaped our business and the recording industry as a whole. It is not well understood that in when Muzak first opened in 1934, music recordings for broadcast were almost non-existent. Broadcasters (radio stations and music providers like Muzak) weren’t permitted to play records on the radio, because the industry assumed that the radio play would actually damage record sales. This law forced early radio stations who wanted music as part of their programming  to book artist to perform live on air. Muzak, whose business model was to broadcast music to businesses continuously during work hours, had a real problem, because airing live performances was not realistic. So Muzak unearthed a little used option at the time referred to as ‘transcription service’, which allowed recording music for broadcast only onto records that could not be sold commercially to the public.

Muzak jumped all over this option and immediately set up shop to start recording as many artists as humanly possible. Renowned music producer Ben Selvin was hired to kick start the process. He built a state of the art studio in the heart of Manhattan and started scheduling all of his musician and band buddies to record songs they’d perform nightly at clubs and concerts.  The Dorsey Brothers were one of his early calls and their initial recording session was held on January 17^th, 1935.  Bob Crosby (the first recording artist in Bing’s family) joined the band on vocals and the 3 hour session produced some great tracks, including “Eccentric”, “Sugar Foot Stomp”, “By Heck” and “Dese, Dem & Dose”. Amazing recordings by incredible musicians, with 12 songs recorded in one short afternoon gig. That type of output is unheard of by today’s standards. These recording sessions became commonplace at the Muzak studios throughout the 30s 40s and 50s.

I plan to post about twice a week, so please check in as we discover the music, technology and people behind Muzak’s fascinating 76 years in business.

Contributed by Bruce McKagan

Charlotte, NC -May 12, 2010 – Hot off the heels of their debut album Soul Complete, North Carolina-based songwriting duo Cagle & Nash are back from the studio with their sophomore release – Loungevity. From the moment you pick up the disc and see the album art adorned with pics of sunglasses and cocktail bars, it’s clear that Greg Cagle (lead vox, guitar) and Rick Nash (horns) have taken the lounge aesthetic to heart for this album. And the pair don’t disappoint, with 11 smooth and soulful new tracks spanning a range of cocktail-friendly genres.

The overall vibe of Loungevity fits in the jet-set philosophy of the classic Space Age Pop and Lounge acts from the ‘50s and ‘60s. There are the lush horn and string arrangements, topped with Cagle’s smooth baritone and accented by tight female background vocals. But Cagle & Nash also add a bit of funk and bite to the mix, drawing influences from late ‘70s acts like STEELY DAN and CHICAGO.

Loungevity begins with the upbeat and radio-friendly “Straight to L.A.,” a perfect track to start any day. “Black Tie Affair” tells tales of the good life, spent behind the bar with a cocktail in one hand and a stack of money in the other. “If Only” and “Mmm Paradise” draw influences from the smooth bossa-nova vibe, while “A Little Bit of Attention” is a full-on funk jam. All-around, Cagle & Nash tackle each genre with masterful execution, both in terms of songwriting and arrangement. The playing is top-notch and the record exudes a certain class and sophistication.

The duo of Rick Nash and Greg Cagle first got their start back in the ‘60s, playing in bands near their hometown in North Carolina, most notably in the band Sugarcreek. Fast forward to the ‘80s and the duo reunited to begin composing and recording songs. Rick and Greg worked together on and off until 2008, when they officially united to form the duo Cagle & Nash. In 2009 they released their debut album Soul Complete, which was received well by both radio and press. O’s Place Jazz Newsletter even named the record one of the Best Albums of 2009. Now, with the release of Loungevity the duo are back on the scene and ready keep making music.

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Please check out Cagle and Nash’s sophomore release Loungevity for a full dose of smooth music and laid-back vibes. If you have any questions, comments or would like to set up an interview don’t hesitate to contact Rob Phillips at Powderfinger Promotions. You can learn more about Cagle & Nash and see their latest show dates on their website at http://cagleandnash.com.

Charlotte, NC – April 8, 2010

Loungevty - 2nd Full CD release for Cagle & Nash

“Loungevity” is songwriting/producing duo Cagle & Nash’s second release in less than a year following hot on the heels of their first project “Soul Complete.” Well, unless you count their holiday single release “Celebrate the Holidays.”

The title “Loungevity”is a play on the word longevity that only serves to indicate the mood and tone of these 11 songs. Each of them is uniquely crafted. The lack of an overall theme is intentional. The strategy is to deliver some of the duo’s best arrangement and production yet. Songs from this CD like “If Only,” “I Don’t Mind,” and “Big Ol Empty Room” are destined to receive airplay across at least three genres (smooth Jazz, Soul/R&B, and Pop). The A cappella song “You Remind Me” is a cross between McFerrin and Take 6 with a nice poignant lyric and all vocals supplied by Greg Cagle. Very hip! Very cool! The lead-off track “Straight to LA” delivers plenty of punch and puts the “it’s a brand new day” attitude in your mind. Refreshing! “The Grass was Always Greener” is another up-tempo tune with a full horn section kicking butt and some great solos by Jon Thornton on trumpet, Tim Gordon on alto sax, and none other than French jazz guitarist Daniel Domenge.

This project consists of an all-star line-up of David Rhyne, David Floyd of Floyd’s Produce, Kenneth Leonard Jr. (of Anthony Hamilton band), Jon Thornton, Tim Gordon, and a host of others accompanying Greg Cagle and Rick Nash. Exquisite touches of Robyn Springer and others provide background vocals. Arrangements are Cagle, Nash, and Bobby Aycock. Both Cagle & Nash share production. All compositions are co-penned by Cagle and Nash.

“Loungevity” – Cagle & Nash
PREVIEW ALL 11 TRACKS

We are provided you with a streaming preview for each full song by simply clicking on the hyperlink Song Titles below.  Doing so takes you to our ReverbNation page as well

1. STRAIGHT TO LA  (CLICK TO LISTEN)
2. Dream My Life Away  (CLICK TO LISTEN)
3. I Don’t Mind  (CLICK TO LISTEN)
4. If Only  (CLICK TO LISTEN)
5. The Grass Was Always Greener  (CLICK TO LISTEN)
6. Black Tie Affair  (CLICK TO LISTEN)
7. Big Ol’ Empty Room  (CLICK TO LISTEN)
8. A Little Bit of Attention   (CLICK TO LISTEN)
9. You Remind Me  (CLICK TO LISTEN)
10. Mmmm… Paradise  (CLICK TO LISTEN)
11. Road Kinda Cool  (CLICK TO LISTEN)

Songs Written By:  Gregory Cagle / Richard Nash
Produced By: Rick Nash / Greg Cagle
Arranged By: Greg Cagle, Rick Nash & Bobby Aycock
Recorded By: David Rhyne @ Traffic Sounds

Now Available for Digital Download

Download via iTunes
http://tinyurl.com/LoungevityiTunes

Download via Amazon MP3
http://tinyurl.com/LoungevityAmazon

Download via CD Baby
http://tinyurl.com/LoungevityCDBaby

Download via the facebook
http://tinyurl.com/facebookstore