The Committee For A More Responsible Local 47

 

12/16/17

I. AFM RETURNS WORST IN CLASS
II. AFM SPENDING MORE PENSION DOLLARS
III. AFM’S LATEST ON THE SUBJECT
IV. COMMENTS
V. EVENTS

HAPPY THANKSGIVING FROM THE COMMITTEE!

…Absolutely guaranteed anonymity – Former Musician’s Union officer

…The one voice of reason in a sea of insanity – Nashville ‘first call’
scoring musician
…Allows us to speak our minds without fear of reprisal – L.A. Symphonic musician

…Reporting issues the Musicians Union doesn’t dare to mention – National touring musician

 

================================

 

I. AFM RETURNS WORST IN CLASS

How the AFM-EPF’s Investment Fees
Actually Measure Up

When the trustees recently made a major statement about
how low the AFM-EPF’s investment fees are, we checked it out.

EXPENSES
As we know all too well, the trustees spin the facts,
especially when assessing their own performance.
Everything they say must be checked thoroughly.
So, when the trustees recently made a major statement
about how low the AFM-EPF’s investment fees are,
we checked it out. And not surprisingly, we found
their statement failed to tell the whole story.

In their December 9 email, they point out that
their investment fees compare favorably with
averages contained in a broad industry study
performed by Greenwich Associates. Since
the Greenwich Associates study is only
available to high paying subscribers (and
that does not include MPS), we thought we
would simply compare the AFM-EPF
investment expenses to the peer group in
the entertainment industry.[1] In any event,
we think the peer comparison provides a
more accurate measurement than a broad,
ill-defined industry study.

We took the industry standard measurement,
which is the ratio of investment fees[2] to
assets under management. It turns out
that AFM-EPF investment fees are 84.3%
higher than the mean[3] for the entertainment
industry peer group:

AFTRA: 0.36 Investment/Assets (%)
DG: 0.25 Investment/Assets (%)
IATSE: 0.024 Investment/Assets (%)
PW: 0.21 Investment/Assets (%)
SAG: 0.78 Investment/Assets (%)
(MEAN): 0.25 Investment/Assets (%)

AFM: 0.615 Investment/Assets (%)

 

We also looked at how AFM-EPF compares
with our sister fund in Canada, The Musicians
Pension Fund, which is affiliated with the
AFM. The investment fees of the AFM-EPF are
78% higher than our Canadian sister fund.

MUSICIANS PENSION FUND OF CANADA:
0.27 Investment Fees/Assets (%)
AFM: 0.615 Investment Fees/Assets (%)

 

To get one more relevant comparison, we
looked at the investment fees for an index
fund like Vanguard. The investment fees
of the AFM-EPF are 175% higher than
Vanguard’s:

VANGUARD: 0.04 Investment Fees/Assets (%)
AFM: 0.615: Investment Fees/Assets (%)

We need to remember that all these investment
fees paid out by AFM-EPF produced worse
performance than any of the funds cited
above. To take one example, the 10-year
annual average return earned by the Vanguard
passive index was 6.83%. [4] The 10-year
annual average return at AFM-EPF was 3.2%.
Overpaying for investment fees has a corrosive
effect on investment returns, especially over
long time horizons. Here’s a good explanation
of this phenomenon from Vanguard:

“Investment costs might not seem like a
big deal but they add up, compounding
along with your investment returns. In
other words, you don’t just lose the tiny
amount of fees you pay, you also lose
all the growth that money might have
had for years into the future. Imagine
you have $100,000 invested. If the
account earns 6% a year for the next 2
5 years and had no costs or fees, you
end up with about $430,000. If on
the other hand you pay 2% a year in
costs, after 25 years you’d only have
about $260,000. That’s right: the 2%
you paid every year would wipe out
almost 40 percent of your final account
value. 2% doesn’t sound so small
anymore does it?”[5]

Our trustees refuse to acknowledge that
the AFM-EPF has an expense problem.
As we have previously pointed out (see
prior post here), the AFM-EPF has
multiple layers of investment managers.
First, they have two investment consultants
who are taking substantial fees for their
overall management of the fund. These
two firms choose no less than 25 outside
investment managers, each of whom take
a cut of the assets under management.
Then under these 25 managers, there
are often sub-managers who take a further
cut. On top of all that expense, AFM-EPF
pension plan has a full staff of over 70
people, headed by an executive who
earns $425,000 per year. Given the layers
of consultants, outside managers, sub-
managers, and the full in-house staff, it
is no wonder that the AFM-EPF pays by
far the most expensive investment fees
in the relevant peer group, and has returns
that are worst in class.

===================================

II. AFM-EPF Trustees Find New Ways to Spend Your
Pension Dollars
DC Pollster Hired to Run Focus Groups

Participants in the AFM-EPF Pension Plan have recently
begun receiving e-mails from Geoff Garen, President of
the well-known Washington DC polling and political
strategy firm Hart Associates. They are offering $100
to musicians to participate in focus groups: “We believe
the insights you possess and the experiences you have
had would be extremely valuable to the Fund as it seeks
to better understand the perspective of plan participants
and to provide them with helpful and timely information
about the fund.”

So, who is Geoff Garen, and why is he being paid with
our hard earned and scarce pension dollars?

Geoff Garen is a pollster and political strategist who
has worked on the campaigns of many Democratic
politicians, including Hillary Clinton, Chuck Schumer,
Dick Durbin, Mark Warner and Diane Feinstein. He is
the man behind the now much-ridiculed attempt to
re-brand the Democratic Party: the so-called “Better
Deal” economic agenda, which was rolled out in July
2017. Widely seen as a poll-driven and focus group-
driven set of talking points, “The better deal is
covered not as an ongoing messaging effort but
as one event in July that quickly lost voters’
attention,” said the Washington Post. “It quickly
disappeared.”

We are sure Geoff Garen is very good at what
he does, which is furthering the careers of image-
conscious politicians. The problem is that the
AFM-EPF trustees are not politicians. They
are supposed to be guardians and fiduciaries
of our pension, not supporting their own
self-interests.

When they hire a political consultant, it is not
because they want to understand us better or
to communicate with us better. It is because
they want to limit the reputational damage
that they have suffered from their miserable
stewardship of our pension fund. But the
trustees have a problem: their failures are just
too obvious at this point and no political
strategist will be able to fix that. Other pension
funds in the entertainment industry are
operating at healthy levels and with expenses
well within their means. Our own sister fund
in Canada is doing fine. Our pension plan
stands alone for its remarkably abysmal
performance. No amount of spinning or
messaging is going to be able to change that.

As our pension plan approaches critical and
declining status, trustees should be making
extraordinary efforts to cut down on expenses.
Instead, our trustees are burning through our
hard-earned pension dollars more than ever
before. They are hiring layers upon layers of
expensive investment managers, consultants,
law firms and now pollsters. In a year when
AFM-EPF narrowly staved off being in critical
and declining status, every dollar is precious.
The trustees are spending our hard-earned
pension dollars to rehabilitate their image,
and that is an outrage.

You don’t need a pollster to know that.

*We’ve received multiple emails asking
whether plan participants should take part
in these focus groups. Our response is you
should absolutely. Ask the tough questions,
tell Geoff Garen what actions you would
like the trustees to take and let the data
they collect communicate how you feel
about the current leadership of the AFM-EPF.

================================================

III. AFM’S LATEST ON THE SUBJECT
(Why is our money being spent on this?)

Our Commitment: Timely, Transparent Communications
and Listening to Participants

The American Federation of Musicians and Employers’
Pension Fund (“the Fund”) and its Trustees are
committed to n this/ensuring that all participants
have access to timely and accurate information
about the Fund and its financial status. We want
to hear your questions and concerns, as well as
your communications preferences.

To this end, the Fund recently engaged the firm of
Hart Research Associates to assist us in this effort.
Hart is a well-respected firm that has deep experience
assisting unions, including those in the entertainment
industry, in listening to the needs and concerns of
members. Hart will conduct several telephone focus
groups to help us gain insights into our participants’
knowledge, views and questions about their pension
benefits and the financial status of the Fund.

This is part of our ongoing commitment to transparency.
We will use the insights gained from this process to
identify and answer the most pressing questions on
the minds of our participants—and help keep you
well-informed as we explore actions we can take
to protect your benefits.

We recognize that participants rely on different
sources of information, so we will be utilizing a
number of tools to listen to and inform participants
of important news regarding your pension benefits.
Soon, you will receive an invitation to participate
in a webinar that the Fund will host in January 2018
that will include a question-and-answer session
with the Trustee Co-Chairs, Fund Staff and Plan Advisors.

We believe that, while there are costs involved, it
is a necessary, appropriate and responsible use of
Fund resources to enhance and increase our
communications with participants at this time,
particularly given the ongoing barrage of
misinformation being put forth by individuals with
their own political agenda.

You can find additional information on our website at
www.afm-epf.org.

================================================
IV. COMMENTS

the afm/pension plan folks are SO full of shit !!

the mps ([email protected])
is So right on. thank you, Committee, for
shining the light on this dichotomy !

and come on everyone, please check out
Musicians for Pension Security, and let’s
help them put a stop to the AFM’s plan
to cut our pensions A LOT !!!

———–

Re: Strike Vote by Pasadena Symphony

CONTAGIOUS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

What comes around goes around.

Now they get a taste of what those
who came before them.

Letting it go for almost three years
since 2015 ?

The symphony thought the pops would
bring in more money from a different
subscriber group. I guess maybe it hasn’t.

 

====================================

V. EVENTS
DEAN AND RICHARD
are now at Culver City Elks the first 
Friday of 
every month.
7:30pm-10:30pm,
11160 Washington Pl.
Culver City, 90232
310-839-8891

————————————

12/17/17

ASMAC/LAJS Holiday party @ Catalina’s in Hollywood

Dec 17 @ 11:30 am – 3:00 pm

Bill Cunliffe Trio with special guest Denise Donatelli

———————————–
12/20/17
GLENDALE NOON CONCERTS
Pianist HAROUT SENEKEREMIAN
performs works by
Haydn, Tchaikovsky, and Stravinsky.

Concert at 12 noon.

http://www.glendalenoonconcerts.blogspot.com
Thank you!
Jacqueline Suzuki
Curator, Glendale Noon Concerts
818-249-5108

————————————-

12/21/17

John and Gerald Clayton
Father/Son concert at
BACCHUS KITCHEN

December 21, 2017
6pm
John & Gerald Clayton performing at
Bacchus Kitchen
626.594.6377
1384 E. Washington Blvd, Pasadena 91104
http://www.bacchuskitchen.com

—————————————-

1/17/17

CalStateLA Symphony Orchestra/Olympia Youth Orchestra

You are cordially invited to attend the admission FREE concert
given by the CalStateLA Symphony Orchestra/Olympia Youth
Orchestra on Sunday, January 14, 2018 at 3PM at the San
Gabriel Mission Playhouse, 320 S Mission Drive, San Gabriel, CA 91776.

This concert will feature the 2017 ASTA-LA Competition
Grand Prize winner, 15 year old cellist Jessica Lee as soloist
in the 4th movement of the Elgar cello concerto. The
repertoire will also include Suppe Poet & Peasant Overture,
Sibelius Karelia Suite and Schubert Unfinished Symphony.

Young musicians age 12 through college in the orchestra
gain admittance to the orchestra through our annual
competitive audition. This is the first concert of this 2017-2018
concert season of the orchestra.

Please come give these young musicians the support they deserve.

Looking forward to seeing all of you there.

Sincerely,
Fung Ho
Music Director & Conductor
CalStateLA Symphony Orchestra/Olympia Youth Orchestra

 

——————————————-

 

The Pacific Northwest Film Scoring Program at the Seattle Film Institute

is now accepting applications for the one-year

Master of Music in Film Composition

One of the Top 4 Film Music Programs in the World!

Recently rated as the #4 school in the world for film scoring education by Music School Central.

“in just one year, the school places students into a pressure cooker of intense learning resulting in a professional demo reel that can be used to obtain future paid commercial opportunities.”

 

Learn from Industry Professionals

All PNWFS faculty are active professional film and game composers, orchestrators, copyists, and engineers, including the program’s creator and lead instructor Dr. Hummie Mann.  Hummie is the two-time Emmy Award winning film composer of “Robin Hood: Men in Tights” and featured in Variety Magazine’s article “Leaders in Learning”.

Our Program Features:
• 9 live recording sessions with professional musicians at Studio X, Seattle’s premiere, world-class studio.
• Opportunities to work with student directors to score actual films from film programs all over the world.
• 
Training in all major software programs used in the industry.
• 
A state-of-the-art workstation assigned to each student fully installed with the latest versions of all software, sample libraries and plug-ins needed to complete the program.

 

Accelerated and Affordable

We are a one-year Master of Music in Film Composition program which not only gives our graduates the opportunity to enter the industry and start their careers a year sooner than other programs but saves them an entire year of living expenses. In addition to our accelerated format we also offer the most affordable tuition out of competing programs. Our students have access to FAFSA financial assistance, loans, and scholarships as well.

 

History of Success

We are very proud to have a high success rate for our graduates who have gone on to work on television shows such as Castle, Empire, and Once Upon a Time; video games such as World of Warcraft, Spate, and Destiny; and films such as The Revenant, Trolls, The Dark Tower, and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2. Apply now and you could be joining their ranks!

Applications are being accepted for the Fall 2018 school year.
We offer rolling admissions – no deadline to apply.

 

 

(800) 882-4734 | www.pnwfilmmusic.com
——————————————–

UNTIL NEXT TIME,

THE COMMITTEE FOR A MORE RESPONSIBLE LOCAL 47

 

12/11/17

I. MUSICIANS FOR PENSION SECURITY ANSWER AFM COMPLAINTS
II. TRUSTEES BEHIND CLOSED DOORS
III. WHAT THE AFM/PENSION PLAN SENT OUT
IV. EVENTS

HAPPY THANKSGIVING FROM THE COMMITTEE!

…Absolutely guaranteed anonymity – Former Musician’s Union officer

…The one voice of reason in a sea of insanity – Nashville ‘first call’
scoring musician
…Allows us to speak our minds without fear of reprisal – L.A. Symphonic musician

…Reporting issues the Musicians Union doesn’t dare to mention – National touring musician

 

================================

 

I. MUSICIANS FOR PENSION SECURITY ANSWER AFM COMPLAINTS

When our trustees sent out a letter one year ago in
December of 2016 disclosing for the first time that it
was quite possible that we could be facing cuts to our
existing benefits as soon as spring 2017 there was a
lot of confusion, unanswered questions, and shock.
In the months following, when many AFM members
looked to our elected leaders and trustees for help,
information and a plan. It became clear that our
elected leaders were not going to help and that we
would have to deal with the pension crisis ourselves.
A group of concerned musicians organized to
address the ongoing pension crisis and founded
Musicians for Pension Security. Our mission
statement from the beginning has been clear and
simple: We have come together in search of
more information about the state of our pension
and, ultimately, to demand more transparency and
accountability from the AFM-EPF Trustees. With
input and participation from plan participants across
the country, we will be able to speak with one
unified voice working towards a sustainable
long-term plan for a secure pension.

On 12/9/2017, participants of the AFM-EPF
pension plan received an email (read it here)
from our trustees who say they want to “set
the record straight” and accusing “individuals
who have attacked Fund Trustees” with
information “not supported by data and ignoring
facts that don’t serve their agendas.”

If this is directed at MPS, then we will set the
record straight about our organization. We are
not a few “individuals.” MPS is now a national
organization that reaches into every major
local in this country. It took us only five days
to crowdfund $15,000 to hire a highly respected
actuarial firm, Bolton Partners. We have organized
thousands of plan participants through our website
www.musiciansforpensionsecurity.com and the
MPS Facebook page. Our national conference
calls are regularly attended by scores of engaged
participants across the country. Policymakers in
Washington D.C. like Senator Sherrod Brown and
Senator Lamar Alexander (Chairman of the Senate
Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee)
regularly deal with MPS as a serious and impactful
interest group representing the concerns of pension
plan participants. Our grassroots organizing capability
was recently shown when we spearheaded an
extremely successful call to action where thousands of
AFM members called and emailed AFM President Ray
Hair urging him to support The Butch Lewis Act. MPS
Executive Director, Adam Krauthamer, recently received
an award from the Pension Rights Center in Washington
DC in recognition of his services to the AFM-EPF plan
participants. He received this award alongside several
other highly respected pension activists and journalists.

Far from “promoting our own selfish interests,”
as the trustees put it, MPS volunteers are doing
the thousands of hours of work it takes to try and
help our friends and colleagues around the country
stay informed in the face of this pension crisis, while
at the same time seeking solutions. We all do this
while holding down demanding careers as professional
musicians. It is unclear how trying to protect
our fellow members can be deemed selfish.

MPS does not have armies of advisors, consultants,
lawyers and Washington D.C. pollsters controlling our
actions and messaging like the AFM-EPF does.
Through rigorous analysis of the facts, and help from
our legal counsel, actuary and the Pension Rights
Center, we have been able to debunk much of the spin
and misdirection put forth by the trustees. For nine
months we have published numerous pieces with clear
explanations disproving many of the things our trustees
have said and written about regarding our pension fund.
All articles are painstakingly fact-checked and
can be found here.

The trustees’ latest email blast is yet another example
of their spin and misdirection. Let’s take each item in
order:

The Butch Lewis Act

The Butch Lewis Act provides low-cost government
loans to plans like AFM-EPF and would guarantee a
100% pension payout for everyone in the plan. It is
a no-brainer for our trustees to support. (The AFM
supports it, but critically the AFM-EPF trustees do not.)
They state AFM-EPF actuaries are analyzing it but
they have had this legislation in their hands for over a
month. The actuaries have software and could produce
any necessary analysis inside of one day. Our trustees
continue to support the NCCMP and refuse to disassociate
themselves from NCCMP’s active opposition to the Butch
Lewis Act. (See the previous post here). The trustees’
refusal to endorse the Butch Lewis Act does not support
the long-term interest of the fund. It is damaging the
interests of plan participants.

“Streamlined” Investment Management

Our trustees claim that adding another investment manager to
oversee the day-to-day decisions of the investment portfolio will
“streamline” the investment strategy. However, they still keep a
bloated staff of 70 plus people, including Maureen Kilkelly, who
earns by far the most of any executive director of any pension
plan we are aware of in the peer group. They will also keep
investment consultant group Meketa on board despite their
industry worst investment performance for our fund but, we
are told, for a reduced fee. It is unclear why one more dollar
would be spent on them based on their performance. (See
our previous article on fund expenses here.)

Investment Expenses

The trustees do not even attempt to defend their overall
expenses of $25 million per year. Instead, they take one
sub-category, investment management fees, and try to
show they compare favorably. They claim that they pay
their investment managers less than other union pension
funds do. Whether it is true or not, it is like saying if my
electricity bill is less than yours, that means my total
household expenses are less than yours are.

Administrative expenses

The trustees make the same specious argument they made
in the Roadshow in March 2017: they compare absolute
administrative expenses of much larger funds, like the
Screen Actors Guild to ours. That is not the standard measure
of efficiency in the investment business. The industry standard
way to compare is to look at the ratio of expenses to assets
under management. On this basis, AFM-EPF has by far the
highest expenses of any peer pension plan. The trustees try
to make themselves look better by cherry picking their data:
stripping out expenses they don’t like (depreciation, professional
fees, PBGC premiums). Of course, if you can customize your
comparison you’re much more likely to get the results you want.
See our previous article on this topic here.

In closing, we would like to say that we will continue to raise
our voices until the AFM-EPF trustees and fund administrators
accept their responsibility and work to fully protect the pension
benefits of all fund participants. We encourage all AFM members
to do the same.

 

================================================

II. Trustees Tout Expense Cuts
But Behind Closed Doors it’s Another Story

Recently posted in the Frequently Asked Questions section of the
AFM-EPF website is a highly important new disclosure that the
trustees have hired Cambridge Associates as an “Outside Chief
Investment Officer” (OCIO). This is an important development
because it puts in perspective just how out of touch the AFM-EPF
trustees are in December 2017. They are not replacing Meketa,
our fund investment consultant since 2010, but they are adding
another layer of management and expense heaped on top of
what is already the bloated administration of our pension fund.
It is no wonder that the expenses of the AFM-EPF are by far
the highest in our industry. Our trustees spent over $250 million
over the last 10 years, with an investment return that is dead
last in the business. (The 3 and 5-year returns are also at the
bottom of the peer group. See our previous article about
these numbers here.)

Now with the addition of an Outside Chief Investment Officer,
Cambridge Associates, expenses at the AFM-EPF will be
even higher. The layers of expenses at the AFM-EPF are
truly staggering. First, we have Cambridge Associates (OCIO),
then Meketa our fund consultant, both of which are taking
substantial fees for their overall management of the fund.
These two firms then choose over 25 investment managers,
who each take a cut of the assets under management.
Then there are often sub-managers who take a further
cut. For example, in the private equity and alternative investment
sector (in which AFM-EPF is heavily invested), most of the
funds we invest in are a “fund of funds.” These funds are
nothing more than general contractors who sub-contract
out the actual investing to other funds.

On top of all that expense, AFM-EPF office has a staff of
over 70 reporting to Maureen Kilkelly, who is earning
$425,000 per year and her deputy, Will Luebking, who
earns $280,000 per year. Cambridge Associates has
been hired by AFM-EPF as its “Outside Chief Investment
Officer (OCIO)”. If our trustees have outsourced the role
of chief investment officer, then what are all the high-
priced managers on staff at the AFM-EPF doing?

Finally, we must ask why, after turning in the worst
investment performance in our peer group over the
past decade, is Meketa still serving as investment
advisor and why is Meketa collecting a handsome
fee for doing the same work that Cambridge
Associates is doing? MPS has learned that in early
2016, the trustees hired Gallagher Fiduciary Advisors,
LLC, to select a new investment advisor. In October
2016, Gallagher recommended that Meketa not be
considered for this role. The trustees overruled that
recommendation and made the decision to hire
Cambridge and keep Meketa as well.

In December of 2016 when our trustees disclosed
for the first time that we might be facing cuts to existing
benefits as soon as spring of 2017, they sent to plan
participants an offensive letter stating What Participants
Can Do:

“Given our financial status, we are faced with the reality
of the one-dollar benefit multiplier as the basis for any
benefits earned in the future. This means that while
the AFM-EPF pension you receive will still be important,
for many the benefit will be a modest one. A modest
pension emphasizes the importance of having a
comprehensive retirement strategy that includes a
personal savings component to supplement the AFM-EPF
pension and Social Security benefits.”

In December of 2017, as our trustees still seem to be
embracing a plan to cut our existing benefits in the
near future, MPS has a message for “What Trustees
Can Do” on behalf of plan participants: Stop wasting
our money. Stop making poor management decisions
and stop saying publicly you are going to cut down on
expenses at the AFM-EPF while behind closed doors
the opposite is true. Start being accountable to plan
participants for your actions both past and present.

 

================================

 

III. WHAT THE AFM/PENSION PLAN SENT OUT

Recently, participants have received emails from
individuals who have attacked Fund Trustees and
have misrepresented information about the Fund—
either by cherry-picking or presenting things without
any factual context—while making judgments not
supported by data and ignoring facts that don’t serve
their agendas.

We recognize that the financial status of our Fund
and the security of our participants’ pension benefits
is a concern shared by all. We have heard from you
that these third-party communications are causing
both confusion and distress among Fund participants.

Today, we want to set the record straight on some
important issues. We also call upon those who do
not support the long-term interests of the Fund, and
who are promoting their own selfish interests, to
cease making false and misleading attacks, and to
redirect themselves toward responsible, productive
efforts to protect the pension benefits of their fellow
Fund participants.

We are committed to ensuring that all participants
have access to timely and accurate information
about the Fund and its financial status. You can find
additional information on our website at www.afm-epf.org.

AFM-EPF Actuaries Analyzing Federal Legislation
to Assist Troubled Multiemployer Pension Funds

On November 16, we informed you of the Butch Lewis
Act, which was introduced by U.S. Senator Sherrod
Brown to address the severe challenges being faced
by multiemployer pension funds across the nation.
Congressional Democrats have stated their intent to
include this legislation in the omnibus spending bill that
must be passed by a now-extended deadline of
December 22.

When this legislation was first introduced, the AFM-
EPF Trustees, immediately and not due to any
prompting, directed our actuaries to determine if
the bill would, if enacted, provide the Fund with
the financial support required to avoid insolvency.
This analysis is currently underway.

If it is determined that the Butch Lewis Act helps
protect our participants’ pension benefits, then the
Trustees would support it, as we would any legislative
proposal that provides relief to the AFM-EPF.

OCIO Approach Streamlines Investment Strategy,
Expected to Generate Increased Returns

The Fund’s Trustees recognize the need for both
expert advice and the ability to respond quickly to
often rapidly-changing conditions in the financial
markets. As detailed in our recently updated FAQs,
we recently made the decision to streamline our
investment structure and process by shifting to an
OCIO (Outsourced Chief Investment Officer) model.
The respected firm of Cambridge Associates, LLC
has been engaged to oversee day-to-day decisions
for the Fund’s investment portfolio, acting within
parameters established by the Fund’s Investment
Committee and Board of Trustees.

Meketa Investment Group will no longer serve in
the role of Investment Advisor and will instead,
under a reduced fee structure, adopt the role of
Independent Monitoring Fiduciary for the OCIO.

We expect that, over the long term, this approach
will allow us to be more responsive to new and
changing market dynamics, and will lead to higher
investment returns after fees.

AFM-EPF Investment Expenses are Lower
Than Those of Other Union Pension Funds

The Trustees closely monitor investment fees and
make every reasonable effort to keep them to a
minimum. According to Greenwich Associates’
most recent survey of union pension funds (2016),
AFM-EPF’s active investment manager fees are
lower than the average in every asset class. Trustees
have also reduced investment fees by moving
assets into passive index funds where it makes
sense to do so.

AFM-EPF Administrative Expenses Closely
Monitored, Comparable with Other Entertainment
Industry Funds

Despite the false claims made by others, the data
proves that AFM-EPF’s administrative expenses
are actually in line with other large pension plans
in the entertainment industry. The chart below shows
that we fall right in the middle of our peers. Since
each plan has its own fiscal year end, for this analysis
we used the fiscal year (shown in parentheses in the
table) that contained as much of calendar year
2015 as possible.

It’s important to remember that our Plan was the only
stand-alone pension plan in this group. All other
entities administered a health fund, and, in most
cases, other ancillary funds among which general
administrative expenses, including staff salaries,
are shared. When comparing administrative expenses,
we adjusted the Form 5500 numbers to account for
that. We also removed PBGC premiums, depreciation
and professional fees to make this more of an “apples
to apples” comparison. Any comparison that doesn’t
account for these critical factors is totally inaccurate
and misleading.

Being in the middle of our peers is an accomplishment
because we run a far more complicated Plan than many
of our peers – we have thousands more collective
bargaining agreements and interact with thousands
more employers than most. When you compare our
Plan’s administrative expenses to six other similar
entertainment industry plans, we have the lowest
expenses per number of collective bargaining agreements,
the second lowest per number of employers and the
third lowest per number of participants.

====================================

IV. EVENTS
DEAN AND RICHARD
are now at Culver City Elks the first 
Friday of 
every month.
7:30pm-10:30pm,
11160 Washington Pl.
Culver City, 90232
310-839-8891

 

————————————

12/17/17

ASMAC/LAJS Holiday party @ Catalina’s in Hollywood

Dec 17 @ 11:30 am – 3:00 pm

Bill Cunliffe Trio with special guest Denise Donatelli
——————————————–

UNTIL NEXT TIME,

THE COMMITTEE FOR A MORE RESPONSIBLE LOCAL 47

 

12/1/17

I. OLD UNION BUILDING A LANDMARK?
II. MUSICIANS FOR PENSION SECURITY HONORED
III. AFM-EPF Trustees Ties to NCCMP — that’s a problem.
IV. EVENTS

HAPPY THANKSGIVING FROM THE COMMITTEE!

…Absolutely guaranteed anonymity – Former Musician’s Union officer

…The one voice of reason in a sea of insanity – Nashville ‘first call’
scoring musician
…Allows us to speak our minds without fear of reprisal – L.A. Symphonic musician

…Reporting issues the Musicians Union doesn’t dare to mention – National touring musician

 

================================

 

 

I. Hollywood’s 1950s musicians union building
could become a city landmark

The “foremost entertainers and studio musicians”
of the 1950s were members of the union
by Bianca Barragan Nov 20, 2017, 1:33pm PST

A two-story commercial building built in the ’50s
for a musicians union may be added to the city’s
roster of historic-cultural landmarks. The Cultural
Heritage Commission voted Thursday to consider
the Musician’s Union Hall on Vine Street near
Waring Avenue as a potential monument.

The historians at Esotouric noted that while this
is the first step on the road to landmark status,
it’s something to be excited about. The property
owners, Lincoln Property Company, are not
contesting the designation, and a representative
from the office of Los Angeles City Council
member Mitch O’Farrell spoke in favor of the
landmarking.

Completed in 1950, the Musicians Union of
Hollywood was one of the final commissions
of architect Gordon B. Kaufmann before his
death in 1949. Kaufmann was the architect
behind the Greystone Mansion in Beverly
Hills, a 1930s-era section of the Los Angeles
Times’s Times Mirror Square complex in
Downtown, and Hollywood hotspots the
Earl Carroll Theater and the Palladium.

With its boxy form; concrete, steel, and
glass construction; and its bands of metal
framed windows, the union hall is considered
an excellent example of Corporate International
architectural style, says the planning
department’s report on the structure.

Until July of this year, the structure “served
as a clubhouse and organization headquarters
for the Musicians Union Local 47, now known
as the American Federation of Musicians
Local 47,” the report says.

Both the building and its interiors have been
altered over the years, but many vintage
features remain, including a 1950s-era sign
next to the building’s marquee that features
an eighth note festooned with a “47” ribbon
and the words “Professional Musicians”,
“Local 47”, and “American Federation of
Musicians, AFL-CIO.”

The “foremost entertainers and studio musicians
of the era” were members of the Local 47,
including the famed Wrecking Crew, a group
of studio musicians who were the go-to
players for such big names as The Beach
Boys, Phil Spector, Frank Sinatra, Elvis,
The Byrds, and Simon and Garfunkel.

Read the article here:
https://preview.tinyurl.com/yc5q8ajn

[Colleagues, There was one commenter named
DISGUSTED who obviously was an interested
party, even knowing the numbers of the union
members who voted to sell. {Sensing recording
musician or local leadership.} Totally trashed the
whole idea of it’s consideration as a historical
monument.]

 

================================

 

II. Musicians for Pension Security Honored in Washington DC

The Pension Rights Center honored seven activists
and financial columnist Michelle Singletary at an
event held on November 7th, 2017 at the Carnegie
Institution in Washington, D.C. One of the activists
honored was Adam Krauthamer who is currently
the Executive Director of Musicians for Pension Security.

The Center honored retiree and worker activists
for their work to stop pension cuts and to work
toward a solution to solve underfunding in
multiemployer plans and protect retirees’
benefits. In speaking about the activists,
Karen Friedman, the Center’s Executive
Vice President, called them, “supermen
and superwomen and some of the most
inspirational people I’ve ever met. They truly
represent democracy-in-action.” Friedman
went on to say that, “Many of these individuals,
shy at first, have become fearless warriors,
first-rate financial analysts and lobbyists. They
have created an unstoppable movement and
have inspired legislation.  I am convinced their
efforts will help stop pension cuts and save
multiemployer plans.” Read more about the event here.

================================

III. AFM-EPF Trustees Have Deep Ties to NCCMP
—and that’s a problem.

National Coordinating Committee for Multiemployer Plans
(NCCMP) is a trade association of multi-employer plans
in Washington DC. In 2014, they were instrumental in
formulating and passing MPRA, which is the law that
would allow cuts to our hard-earned pension benefits.

Our pension fund, the AFM-EPF, has deep connections
to the NCCMP going back many years. The AFM-EPF
is a dues-paying member of NCCMP and our AFM
trustees attend their conferences every year. Two of
our trustees, Christopher Brockmeyer and Bill Moriarity,
serve on NCCMP’s Board of Directors and Steering
Committee. Both have given lectures at those
conferences. Brockmeyer, the AFM-EPF’s trustee
co-chair, served on the NCCMP working group
which formulated the MPRA proposal.

MPRA has been a public policy disaster as many in
Congress on both sides of the aisle have openly
acknowledged. (Read the articles linked below.)
Even with bipartisan support to replace MPRA with
a much better alternative, the NCCMP is currently
fighting to preserve it and subvert current efforts to
replace it.

The alternative they are trying to block was recently
introduced by Senator Sherrod Brown and is called
the Butch Lewis Act, which would provide low-cost
government loans to troubled pension plans. The
proposed law would guarantee that all plan participants
receive 100% of their promised pension benefit.
This is a very worthy piece of legislation that
deserves our support and that of our trustees.

Unfortunately, NCCMP is circulating their own
proposal under which federal loans would not
be available to plans like the AFM-EPF plan.
Instead, the AFM-EPF plan would be forced to
stay under the current MPRA law and undergo
cuts to accrued benefits.

It would be a gross dereliction of duty for our
trustees to not actively support a legislative
proposal that preserves 100% of our hard-earned
pension benefits. That is what the Butch Lewis
Act does. We demand that the trustees reject
NCCMP’s attempt to undermine the Butch
Lewis Act.

ARTICLES ABOUT MPRA

Restoring pension accountability by giving
workers and retirees a seat at the table:
Rob Portman (Opinion)

https://preview.tinyurl.com/y9rkmaon

———————–

Portman Introduces Bill to Protect Pensions for 48,000 Ohioans

https://preview.tinyurl.com/y7jmdaxw

———————–

That awful congressional plan to allow pension cuts heads for enactment

https://preview.tinyurl.com/ybv2zt75

———————–

MORE ABOUT NCCMP:

http://nccmp.org/
http://nccmp.org/team/

 

===========================

 

IV. EVENTS
DEAN AND RICHARD
are now at Culver City Elks the first 
Friday of 
every month.
7:30pm-10:30pm,
11160 Washington Pl.
Culver City, 90232
310-839-8891

————————————-

12/6/17

PRESS RELEASE/ Wed DECEMBER 6, 2017 at
12:10-12:40 pm at the Free Admission

GLENDALE NOON CONCERTS/ Cellist DEREK
STEIN performs solo works by Hindemith, Prokofiev,
Nicholas Deyoe, P.D.Q. Bach, and Penderecki.

The DEC 6 Press Release & a color photo jpeg
cellist DEREK STEIN are attached.
http://www.glendalenoonconcerts.blogspot.com
Thank you!
Jacqueline Suzuki
Curator, Glendale Noon Concerts
818 -249-5108

————————————

 

12/6/17

First WEDNESDAYS: Joe Kraemer
Dec 6 @ 7:30 pm – 10:00 pm

Joe Kraemer will be discussing his compositional
process, from spotting, through thematic development,
composition, mocking-up, recording, and finally
mixing.  He will be including clips of his work
from JACK REACHER and MISSION
IMPOSSIBLE, including behind-the-scenes
footage and alternate cues, as well as examples
of sketches and conductor’s scores.

————————————

12/17/17

ASMAC/LAJS Holiday party @ Catalina’s in Hollywood

Dec 17 @ 11:30 am – 3:00 pm

Bill Cunliffe Trio with special guest Denise Donatelli
——————————————–

UNTIL NEXT TIME,

THE COMMITTEE FOR A MORE RESPONSIBLE LOCAL 47

11/20/17

I. CHRISTINA LEXUTT PASSES
II. Will AFM-EPF Trustees Act on New Pension Legislation?
III. EVENTS

HAPPY THANKSGIVING FROM THE COMMITTEE!

…Absolutely guaranteed anonymity – Former Musician’s Union officer

…The one voice of reason in a sea of insanity – Nashville ‘first call’
scoring musician
…Allows us to speak our minds without fear of reprisal – L.A. Symphonic musician

…Reporting issues the Musicians Union doesn’t dare to mention – National touring musician

 

================================

 

I. CHRISTINA LEXUTT PASSES

 

The Los Angeles music community lost one of its hidden heroes
today. I suspect 95% or more of the people here will not have
known Christina Lexutt, but she was one of the faces behind
the payroll company Sabron which handled all the payroll on
huge numbers of recording sessions.

As such, if you are a recording musician chances are overwhelming
you got paid because of her. And if you’re a composer (particularly
a Peter Rotter client) chances are that she is who you paid,
in order to pay the musicians.

She was a very lovely human being, and this is indeed sad news.

 

=========================================

 

II. Will AFM-EPF Trustees Act on New Pension Legislation?
“This is a plan that will work. This is a plan that will work without
cuts.” -Senator Sherrod Brown
Just last week, on November 16, many of you received the
email from AFM President Ray Hair regarding recently proposed
legislation to assist multiemployer pension funds by US Senator
Sherrod Brown (D-OH). In the email, President Hair says:

“I have been in direct communication with Senator Brown’s
staff regarding this legislation. Now that the legislation has
officially been introduced, the Trustees of American
Federation of Musicians and Employers’ Pension Fund
(AFM-EPF) will carefully review its specifics to determine
if it addresses the issues confronting the AFM-EPF…”

Encouraging words, but so far the Trustees’ position on
this potentially very helpful piece of legislation has been
extremely skeptical.  Here’s what Local 802 President
and AFM-EPF Trustee Tino Gagliardi said about Senator
Brown’s legislation just a few weeks ago at a Local 802
membership meeting:

“The Trustees would consider favorably and support
a legislative proposal that will help the fund and that
stands a chance of passing this Congress and being
signed into law. As we have witnessed so far in 2017,
this seems to be a very high bar.”

In 2014 the AFM-EPF Trustees fully participated in
getting MPRA passed. They traveled to Washington
DC to engage with the trade groups, the multiemployer
pension community, and policymakers. (MPRA is the
law that allows Trustees to cut our accrued benefits.
Read more about MPRA here.) But now, our Trustees
are taking a skeptical position and have yet to make
a meaningful effort to proactively find a legislative
solution to our pension crisis that doesn’t start with
them making cuts to our existing benefits.

MPS has been working with Senator Brown’s staff
on this legislation for 2 months and recently brokered
a meeting between the Senator’s team and the AFM-
EPF Trustees. We have also relayed several requests
for information that would be helpful to assess the
benefits of Brown’s proposal from his office to the
AFM-EPF. To this date, outside of that single meeting,
there has been zero cooperation from the AFM-EPF.
All requests for assistance from Senator Brown’s
staff have been turned down flat by our Trustees.

So, while we are glad for the encouraging words
from President Ray Hair, what we really need to
see is action.

Read more about Senator Brown’s proposal:

Senator Sherrod Brown and Congressman
Richard Neal Introduce bills to save financially
troubled multiemployer plans and protect retirees
http://www.pensionrights.org/newsroom/releases/senator-sherrod-brown-and-congressman-richard-neal-introduce-bills-save-financiall

Teamsters Support Brown-Neal Legislation
to Solve Pension Crisis
https://teamster.org/news/2017/11/teamsters-support-brown-neal-legislation-solve-pension-crisis
 

===========================

 

III. EVENTS

DEAN AND RICHARD
are now at Culver City Elks the first 
Friday of 
every month.
7:30pm-10:30pm,
11160 Washington Pl.
Culver City, 90232
310-839-8891

 

——————————————

11/24/17

Friday, November 24th, 2017 / 8:00 pm
Pete Christlieb & Linda Small
with the Ray Ohls Trio
Ray Ohls on piano
Derick Polke on bass
Tim Malland on drums

Brother Don’s
4200 Kitsap Way
Bremerton, WA 98312
Reservations: (360) 377.8442

————————————-

MUSIC AT WESTWOOD – A LOS ANGELES TRADITION

MARIA NEWMAN CONDUCTS
a SPECIAL EVENT PERFORMANCE
George Frederic Handel’s
“MESSIAH”
Join Us and Sing Along

WESTWOOD MASTER CHOIR
SOLISTI & CHAMBER SYMPHONY
Namhee Han, organist

December 1st, 2017
Friday Evening at 8:00 pm
inside the beautiful
Westwood Presbyterian Church
10822 Wilshire Blvd.  ~  Los Angeles, CA 90024
For more information: (310) 474 – 4535

www.malibufriendsofmusic.org

Be inspired. Be uplifted. Join us.

$10.00 Admission at the Door
Scores will be available for $10.00
Reception to Follow – Parking is FREE

Westwood Master Choir Solisti:
Christina Borgioli, soprano
Nandani Maria Sinha, mezzo soprano
Larry Duplechan, tenor
Scott Noonan, tenor
DImitri Smith, baritone
Matthew Lewis, bass
Performance Venue:
Westwood Presbyterian Church
10822 Wilshire Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 90024
(310) 474-4535
Music at Westwood – A Los Angeles Tradition
is the City Partner Venue of the
Malibu Friends of Music
www.malibufriendsofmusic.org

For information please contact: [email protected]
(310) 474-4535
www.westwoodpres.org

Or visit: www.malibufriendsofmusic.org
(310) 589-0295

————————————-

12/1/17

Edendale Up Close Concerts,
in ECHO PARK, at the Edendale Branch Library (LAPL).
Saturday DECEMBER 2, 2017 (Noon-1:00pm) performance,

mandolin virtuoso Evan J. Marshall.

Complete info about the program can be found
at http://edendaleupclose.blogspot.com

Thank you!
Jacqueline Suzuki
Curator, Edendale Up Close Concerts
818 -249-5108

 

————————————-

12/6/17

PRESS RELEASE/ Wed DECEMBER 6, 2017 at
12:10-12:40 pm at the Free Admission

GLENDALE NOON CONCERTS/ Cellist DEREK
STEIN performs solo works by Hindemith, Prokofiev,
Nicholas Deyoe, P.D.Q. Bach, and Penderecki.

The DEC 6 Press Release & a color photo jpeg
cellist DEREK STEIN are attached.
http://www.glendalenoonconcerts.blogspot.com
Thank you!
Jacqueline Suzuki
Curator, Glendale Noon Concerts
818 -249-5108

————————————

 

12/6/17

First WEDNESDAYS: Joe Kraemer
Dec 6 @ 7:30 pm – 10:00 pm

Joe Kraemer will be discussing his compositional
process, from spotting, through thematic development,
composition, mocking-up, recording, and finally
mixing.  He will be including clips of his work
from JACK REACHER and MISSION
IMPOSSIBLE, including behind-the-scenes
footage and alternate cues, as well as examples
of sketches and conductor’s scores.

————————————

12/17/17

ASMAC/LAJS Holiday party @ Catalina’s in Hollywood

Dec 17 @ 11:30 am – 3:00 pm

Bill Cunliffe Trio with special guest Denise Donatelli
——————————————–

UNTIL NEXT TIME,

THE COMMITTEE FOR A MORE RESPONSIBLE LOCAL 47

 

11/9/17

I. THE TRUTH ABOUT AFM-EPF EXPENSES
II. STUDIO CONSOLIDATION – MEMBER COMMENT and LINK
III. ASMAC WORKSHOP WITH CHRISTOPHER YOUNG – NOV. 11th (TOMORROW!)
IV. MEMBER COMMENT
V. EVENTS

…Absolutely guaranteed anonymity – Former Musician’s Union officer

…The one voice of reason in a sea of insanity – Nashville ‘first call’
scoring musician
…Allows us to speak our minds without fear of reprisal – L.A. Symphonic musician

…Reporting issues the Musicians Union doesn’t dare to mention – National touring musician

 

================================

 

I. THE TRUTH ABOUT AFM-EPF EXPENSES

 

Musicians for Pension Security has discovered more

manipulation of the facts by AFM-EPF Trustees who

are trying to spin the truth about the performance of

our pension fund. Recently posted to the AFM-EPF

website is an updated presentation concerning our

fund performance (you can find it here) where the

Trustees state that AFM-EPF administrative expenses

are “comparatively low” within the peer group.

 

The peer group consists of five other pension plans,

all in the entertainment industry.
 
Given the Trustees’

spotty record for accuracy in these matters we decided

to check it out. Not surprisingly, MPS found the Trustees’

statements to be inaccurate and misleading.

Our analysis found that the administrative costs of AFM-EPF

are by far the highest in the peer group. We did this by using

a standard measurement for cost efficiency, comparing the

administrative expenses to assets under management.

What we found is that the average in the peer group was

0.73% whereas the AFM-EPF is 1.21%.  The AFM-EPF’s

expenses are 49.4% higher than the average in the peer

group of five other entertainment industry pension funds*.

We also compared the salary of the highest paid employee

in the peer group. As many of you know, Maureen Kilkelly,

the Fund Administrator of AFM-EPF since 1997, as of 2015

makes $422,667 per year. The peer group average is $231,346.
AFM-EPF Fund Administrator Maureen Kilkelly’s salary is

57.7% higher than the average for the peer group.

Clearly, all that extra expense does not produce better

performance at the AFM-EPF.  We came to this conclusion

by comparing the peer group of five entertainment industry

pension plans funded ratios versus funded ratio of the

AFM-EPF.  Pension plans track their financial health each

year by calculating its funded ratio through a simple formula

that divides plan assets by the present value of benefits

they must pay to participants.

 

The average funded ratio for the peer group is 89.5%.

Ours is 69%.  AFM-EPF Funded Ratio is 25.8% lower

than the peer group.

Finally, we compared net cash flow of the peer group

vs. AFM-EPF. We found that each of the five peer funds

are strongly cash flow positive, while ours is the only

one that is cash flow negative.

 

We are losing $121.2 million per year.

In last week’s email, we highlighted a statement that

President of Local 802 Tino Gagliardi (AFM-EPF Trustee

since 2010 and Investment Committee member) made

about the state of the pension fund:

“In the eight years since the end of the financial crisis,

the Fund’s average annualized return is 9.8% before fees.

That’s good, particularly since, in three of those years,

the fund didn’t make its target 7.5% assumed rate of

return**.”
Using numbers straight from the Trustee’s own investment

reports MPS showed plan participants just how bad the

investment performance has been, and how off base President

Gagliardi’s assessment is.

This week MPS again took the Trustees’ own numbers, from

their updated AFM-EPF presentation, to bring clarity to the

issue of expenses and we have come to the same conclusion:

They continue to spin the numbers and  they are not straight

with us. We have to ask again: Where is the accountability?

Where is the transparency? And when are the Trustees

going to do something to address the poor performance

of this pension fund?

________________________________________________

Screen Actors Guild (SAG)
International Alliance of Theatrical

Stage Employees (IATSE)

Producer-Writers Guild of America

Pension Plan (PW)
Directors Guild of America (DG)

American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (AFTRA)

American Federation of Musicians (AFM)

 

=========================================

 

II. STUDIO CONSOLIDATION – MEMBER COMMENT and LINK

Another Change for the neighborhood. Consolidation. While new players are entering
the business, Amazon, Apple, Netflix, etc.the big four are inevitably were going to feel
the squeeze. CBS Hollywood Sale has shown how the

Business is retiring from the old business model to survive the new kids on the block.

So what have WE done? Let LA Burn for the few.

When the big four made themselves distributors of film years ago to control the product
in movie theaters, now with a future of streaming, who needs distribution. People
will watch where and what ever they want.

See Link:

http://www.latimes.com/business/hollywood/la-fi-ct-disney-fox-sale-talks-20171106-story.html#share=email~story

 

====================================

 

III. ASMAC WORKSHOP WITH CHRISTOPHER YOUNG – NOV. 11th (TOMORROW!)
This coming November 11th, ASMAC will be having a
winning masterclass with Award Winning Composer
Christopher Young!

Join ASMAC for an exciting Master Class
with Christopher Young!
“Scoring Genre Films”
Moderated by Sylvester Rivers
Saturday, November 11th – 11:00am – 2:00pm
Over the years Chris has scored over 125 movies including Spider-Man 3,
The Rum Diary starring Johnny Depp, The Hurricane with Denzel
Washington, The Shipping News with Kevin Spacey and Drag Me
To Hell. Chris has been on the faculty of the USC Screen Scoring
program for over ten years, a two-term past president of The Film
Music Society and the president of the Madrid Film Music Festival
in Spain. Young teaches and mentors around the world in countries
including Bulgaria, Ireland, Germany and Australia and in 2010
established the “Tilden House” residency program, providing
housing assistance to those who might not otherwise be able to
start or continue their composing careers in Los Angeles
MODERATOR
Composer, arranger and pianist Sylvester Rivers has recorded with
numerous hit artists including Lionel Richie, Diana Ross, The
Jacksons, Sammy Davis, Jr., Dionne Warwick, Nancy Wilson,
Kenny Rogers, Johnny Mathis, Aretha Franklin, New Edition,
Smokey Robinson, The Temptations, Gladys Knight & The
Pips, Barry White, Marc Bolan & T. Rex, Ray Parker, Jr. &
Raydio, Deniece Williams, The Fifth Dimension and many others.
Composing, arranging and orchestrating for television and film,
as well, such as the television series, “Fame,” songs for the Kevin
Bacon/ Laurence Fishburne film, “Quicksilver,”
“Breakin’ 2: Electric Boogaloo,” “The Arsenio Hall Show”
and numerous others, he has been prolific in producing music
throughout a wide spectrum.

The masterclass will take place at
Rancho Cordillera del Norte
9015 Wilbur Ave
Northridge, California 91324
ranchodelacordillera.com

Cost will be $25 for members and students.
$40 for non-members

 

===========================

IV. COMMENT

Re: Ripinsky – Moving company is holding
our archive. Being kept safe.
2,400 sq. foot area for archive.
74 filing cabinets of contracts.
some out -of-work musicians could be employed to
go through all 74 cabinets of those contracts, and
with Mr Ripinsky’s guidance, find some of us the
money we will never have otherwise. (i wonder..
how many contracts were destroyed in that
mysterious fire ?)
i have suggested this to union bigwigs since Max
Herman days; they all looked at me like i was nuts.
there’s work dues in those files, you idiots !

===========================

 

V. EVENTS
DEAN AND RICHARD
are now at Culver City Elks the first 
Friday of 
every month.
7:30pm-10:30pm,
11160 Washington Pl.
Culver City, 90232
310-839-8891

 

——————————————

 

11/9/17

Orchestre Surreal
Thursday November 9th – 8PM

The El Portal Theatre
5269 Lankershim Blvd
North Hollywood, CA 91601

Ticket Price – $30

————————————-

11/12/17

DOCTOR WU at VITELLO’S
Sunday, November 12th, 2017

If you love the music of Steely Dan, please join us for this
special night as The Doctor Wu Band returns to Vitello’s
(upstairs) for another great show.  This is a beautiful listening
room with delicious Italian cuisine. With the passing of the
great Walter Becker, co-founder of Steely Dan, shortly after
our last show, we are honored to be back and playing this
timeless music for you once again.

** Table reservations/Advanced Tickets are $10 and strongly
recommended. Click here to make your reservation:
http://www.vitellosrestaurant.com/purchase-tickets

Please note: Vitello’s recently implemented a $10 increase
in the cover at the door on the day of the show so be sure
to reserve in advance **

818.769.0905
4349 Tujunga Ave
Studio City, California 91604
Valet or street parking

About the The Doctor Wu Band:
Steely Dan produced an amazing number of recognizable
radio hits well known to all.  The Doctor Wu Band’s recreations
of this astonishing string of chart-toppers and album favorites
have thrilled fans all over Southern California for over a decade!
With a full line-up that includes a 4-piece horn section, this
talented group of professional players love to have fun and
share the joy of performing the music of Steely Dan.

Members of Doctor Wu have performed and recorded with the
likes of Chicago, Dave Benoit, Echo & the Bunnymen, Stanley
Clarke, UB40, Dionne Warwick, Chaka Khan, Poncho Sanchez,
The Temptations, Jay Graydon and more.

Line up:
Tony Egan: Lead Vocals
Leigh DeMarche & Lauri Reimer: background vocals
Gil Ayan: Guitar
Steve Bias: Bass and backgorund vocals
Mark Harrison: Keyboards
Roch Bordenave: Trombone
Jeff Dellisanti: Saxophones
Frank Villafranca: Saxophones
Kurt Walther: Drums
Andy Weiner: Trumpet

 

We look forward to seeing you there!
The Doctor Wu Band
http://www.doctorwuband.com/
https://www.facebook.com/doctorwuband

——————————————–

UNTIL NEXT TIME,

THE COMMITTEE FOR A MORE RESPONSIBLE LOCAL 47

 

11/4/17

I. FACTS VS. AFM-EPF TRUSTEE SPIN
II. ASMAC WORKSHOP WITH CHRISTOPHER YOUNG – NOV. 11th
III. COMMENT
IV. EVENTS

…Absolutely guaranteed anonymity – Former Musician’s Union officer

…The one voice of reason in a sea of insanity – Nashville ‘first call’
scoring musician
…Allows us to speak our minds without fear of reprisal – L.A. Symphonic musician

…Reporting issues the Musicians Union doesn’t dare to mention – National touring musician

 

================================

 

I. FACTS VS. AFM-EPF TRUSTEE SPIN
Musicians for Pension Security has discovered documents from
the AFM-EPF’s own files that contradict their repeated claims
that the investment performance has been favorable. We now
have clarity on the subject:

Deep within an investment report recently posted to the AFM-EPF
website (you can find it here, see page 41) is a comparison chart
showing AFM-EPF investment performance versus the performance
of peer multiemployer pension funds. The answer is clear – the
investment performance of our fund is unbelievably poor.  It is so
poor that it makes no sense that the Trustees attempt to put a
positive spin on it.

AFM Pension Fund vs Peer Multiemployer Pension Funds

The comparison group includes 23 multiemployer pension plans similar
to the AFM-EPF with assets over $1 billion. The 23 plans are then ranked
by the percentile they fall into with the 99th being the worst and the 1st
the best. The comparisons are made over different time horizons from 1
year, 3 years, 5 years to 10 years. The chart below (again, straight from
the AFM-EPF website) shows these time periods, rankings and percent
of return on investments.

1. The AFM pension plan produced a 3.2% annualized investment
return over 10 years. This placed AFM-EPF in the 99th percentile,
dead last in the peer group.

2. The AFM pension plan produced a 7.3% annualized investment
return over 5 years.  This placed AFM-EPF in the 91st percentile,
another poor result placing us again at the very bottom of the
peer group.

3. The AFM pension plan produced a 4.5% annualized investment
return over 3 years. This put them again at the bottom of the
rankings in the 87th percentile within the peer group.

4. Finally, the AFM pension plan produced an 11.4% return on
investment for 1 year.  This placed them in the 64th percentile
for the peer group, middling at best.

These returns are well below average and unacceptable, but if you
took our Trustees at their word, you would think the AFM-EPF is
doing well compared to other peer pension funds. President of L
ocal 802 Tino Gagliardi, AFM-EPF Trustee since 2010 and Investment
Committee member, just last week wrote the following statement
regarding the pension fund:

“In the eight years since the end of the financial crisis, the Fund’s
average annualized return is 9.8% before fees.  That’s good,
particularly since, in three of those years, the fund didn’t make
its target 7.5% assumed rate of return.” This claim is taken from
his written statement handed out at a Local 802 Membership
Meeting on 10/18. Click here for the whole document.

If you were to only read Trustee Gagliardi’s statement, you
might think that the AFM-EPF investment performance is “good”
but the AFM’s own documents conclusively show that is not
the case.  AFM-EPF plan participants now know that the
Trustees would rather spin numbers for us than be transparent
and accountable for their poor performance. It is time for the
Trustees to face the reality of the numbers in their very own
reports. It is time for them to accept responsibility for their
actions. It is time for them to get actively involved in seeking
out solutions to save our pension beyond taking the easiest r
oute: cutting our hard earned benefits.

 

====================================

 

II. ASMAC WORKSHOP WITH CHRISTOPHER YOUNG – NOV. 11th
This coming November 11th, ASMAC will be having a
winning masterclass with Award Winning Composer
Christopher Young!

Join ASMAC for an exciting Master Class
with Christopher Young!
“Scoring Genre Films”
Moderated by Sylvester Rivers
Saturday, November 11th – 11:00am – 2:00pm
Over the years Chris has scored over 125 movies including Spider-Man 3,
The Rum Diary starring Johnny Depp, The Hurricane with Denzel
Washington, The Shipping News with Kevin Spacey and Drag Me
To Hell. Chris has been on the faculty of the USC Screen Scoring
program for over ten years, a two-term past president of The Film
Music Society and the president of the Madrid Film Music Festival
in Spain. Young teaches and mentors around the world in countries
including Bulgaria, Ireland, Germany and Australia and in 2010
established the “Tilden House” residency program, providing
housing assistance to those who might not otherwise be able to
start or continue their composing careers in Los Angeles
MODERATOR
Composer, arranger and pianist Sylvester Rivers has recorded with
numerous hit artists including Lionel Richie, Diana Ross, The
Jacksons, Sammy Davis, Jr., Dionne Warwick, Nancy Wilson,
Kenny Rogers, Johnny Mathis, Aretha Franklin, New Edition,
Smokey Robinson, The Temptations, Gladys Knight & The
Pips, Barry White, Marc Bolan & T. Rex, Ray Parker, Jr. &
Raydio, Deniece Williams, The Fifth Dimension and many others.
Composing, arranging and orchestrating for television and film,
as well, such as the television series, “Fame,” songs for the Kevin
Bacon/ Laurence Fishburne film, “Quicksilver,”
“Breakin’ 2: Electric Boogaloo,” “The Arsenio Hall Show”
and numerous others, he has been prolific in producing music
throughout a wide spectrum.

The masterclass will take place at
Rancho Cordillera del Norte
9015 Wilbur Ave
Northridge, California 91324
ranchodelacordillera.com

Cost will be $25 for members and students.
$40 for non-members

 

===========================

III. COMMENT

Re: Ripinsky – Moving company is holding
our archive. Being kept safe.
2,400 sq. foot area for archive.
74 filing cabinets of contracts.
some out -of-work musicians could be employed to
go through all 74 cabinets of those contracts, and
with Mr Ripinsky’s guidance, find some of us the
money we will never have otherwise. (i wonder..
how many contracts were destroyed in that
mysterious fire ?)
i have suggested this to union bigwigs since Max
Herman days; they all looked atme like i was nuts.
there’s work dues in those files, you idiots !

===========================

 

IV. EVENTS
DEAN AND RICHARD
are now at Culver City Elks the first 
Friday of 
every month.
7:30pm-10:30pm,
11160 Washington Pl.
Culver City, 90232
310-839-8891

————————————–

10/26/17

Tall & Small 11 piece Band NW: New Frontier Lounge

featuring:
Pete Christlieb & Linda Small
October 26, 2017, Thursday 8 PM – 10 PM

New Frontier Lounge

301 E 25th St, Tacoma, Washington 98421
(253) 572-4020

Presented by The B Sharp Music Society, dedicated
to the presentation and promotion of live music:
Pete Christlieb and Linda Small

The Tall and Small 11 Piece Band NW

featuring: Pete Christlieb saxophones and
Linda Small trombone

saxophones: Travis Ranney, Jeff Kashiwa,
Jack Klitzman, Bill Ramsay

trumpets: Kevin Seely, Ollie Groenewald

piano: David Deacon Joyner bass: Michael
Glynn drums: Tim Malland

cover $10. two for $15

TICKETS

Directions

——————————————

11/8/17

The BBB featuring Bernie Dresel
3 year anniversary / Bernie Birthday Bash
(13 horns, guitar, slap bass, and plenty of drums!)

THIS WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER(nie) 8th
from 8:30pm-11:00pm
at Joe’s Great American BBBar & Grill
NO COVER CHARGE!! No reservations necessary!! 21 and older
4311 W. Magnolia Blvd. BBBurbank, CA 91505

We will be debuting 3 NEW CHARTS on WEDNESDAY
including one by Tower of Power founding member Greg Adams!
AND we’ll be swingin’ & rockin’ selections from Live n’ Bernin’
submitted in this year’s Grammy
BBBEST SURROUND SOUND ALBUM category.
You can find the:
BBBlu-ray audio 96k/24bit (stereo/5.1 surround/9.1 Auro-3D surround)
at Amazon.com, CDBaby.com, & ElusiveDisc.com

 

—————————————-

11/9/17

Orchestre Surreal
Thursday November 9th – 8PM

The El Portal Theatre
5269 Lankershim Blvd
North Hollywood, CA 91601

Ticket Price – $30

————————————-

11/12/17

DOCTOR WU at VITELLO’S
Sunday, November 12th, 2017

If you love the music of Steely Dan, please join us for this
special night as The Doctor Wu Band returns to Vitello’s
(upstairs) for another great show.  This is a beautiful listening
room with delicious Italian cuisine. With the passing of the
great Walter Becker, co-founder of Steely Dan, shortly after
our last show, we are honored to be back and playing this
timeless music for you once again.

** Table reservations/Advanced Tickets are $10 and strongly
recommended. Click here to make your reservation:
http://www.vitellosrestaurant.com/purchase-tickets

Please note: Vitello’s recently implemented a $10 increase
in the cover at the door on the day of the show so be sure
to reserve in advance **

818.769.0905
4349 Tujunga Ave
Studio City, California 91604
Valet or street parking

About the The Doctor Wu Band:
Steely Dan produced an amazing number of recognizable
radio hits well known to all.  The Doctor Wu Band’s recreations
of this astonishing string of chart-toppers and album favorites
have thrilled fans all over Southern California for over a decade!
With a full line-up that includes a 4-piece horn section, this
talented group of professional players love to have fun and
share the joy of performing the music of Steely Dan.

Members of Doctor Wu have performed and recorded with the
likes of Chicago, Dave Benoit, Echo & the Bunnymen, Stanley
Clarke, UB40, Dionne Warwick, Chaka Khan, Poncho Sanchez,
The Temptations, Jay Graydon and more.

Line up:
Tony Egan: Lead Vocals
Leigh DeMarche & Lauri Reimer: background vocals
Gil Ayan: Guitar
Steve Bias: Bass and backgorund vocals
Mark Harrison: Keyboards
Roch Bordenave: Trombone
Jeff Dellisanti: Saxophones
Frank Villafranca: Saxophones
Kurt Walther: Drums
Andy Weiner: Trumpet

 

We look forward to seeing you there!
The Doctor Wu Band
http://www.doctorwuband.com/
https://www.facebook.com/doctorwuband

——————————————–

UNTIL NEXT TIME,

THE COMMITTEE FOR A MORE RESPONSIBLE LOCAL 47

10/24/17
I. MEMBERSHIP MEETING
II. MUSICIANS FOR PENSION SECURITY Update
III. DAVID’S QUILT
IV. EVENTS

…Absolutely guaranteed anonymity – Former Musician’s Union officer

…The one voice of reason in a sea of insanity – Nashville ‘first call’
scoring musician
…Allows us to speak our minds without fear of reprisal – L.A. Symphonic musician

…Reporting issues the Musicians Union doesn’t dare to mention – National touring musician

 

================================

I. MEMBERSHIP MEETING

LOCAL 47 Meeting 10/23/17
Called to order at 7:39 by Pres. Acosta
Quorum reached.

Building not quite completed.
1) AFM Offices are in place.
2) Credit Union will be in the building as well
3) RMA Offices are in place.

Roll taken – most of board in attendance.
No 50 year pins to give out
Minutes: Approved
————————————–
Recognize departed members – Secretary
has list, About 12.
————————————–

PRESIDENT’S REPORT
Since last meeting:

Aug. 19th – Concert for viable tax credit.
(Will only benefit RMA. BUYOUTS are
the only solution, but that will never happen.)

Used empty “solidarity” arguments for why
non-recording folks should support it.

Acosta went to represent unions in China and
to understand unions in China.

Then to Canada – international executive board
meeting.

Settled charge with collective media guild.
The union prevailed. (so they say)

Some agreements renewed.
LA Phil nego done – $156,000 starting salary
Some still in process.
Some committees to be formed for the future.

Organizing report given:
1) Member survey results – 1030 responded.
A bit less than a fifth of the membership.
Will update soon.
2) Non-Union Orchestras – what would it
take to make them union.
3) Working with orch committees: Budgets
are not going to musicians, but to
facilities, administration and conductors.
4) Video tape agreement being nego. –
streaming revenue discussed.
5) Tax credit campaign – bill is 2 year bill,
must be re-upped in January.
6) Next Thursday will be a meeting about
tax credit 1pm, Nov. 2nd.
7) Want to try to show a united front.

Lalo Schifrin concert was a big success.
Has been disconnect with Composers he wants
to fix it.
Brought back VG score from England.
Low budget agreement.

Thanked VP and Secretary for their work
on the move.

Question: Russ Ripinsky has worked for
us for years. Will he still be here?
A: Not an employee, but is a researcher
and are open to having him back.
Statement: He’s found money for us
we’d not have otherwise.

VP REPORT

Re: Ripinsky – Moving company is holding
our archive. Being kept safe.
2,400 sq. foot area for archive.
74 filing cabinets of contracts.

Introduced film of John Williams celebrating Lalo.

MOVE: Sept 11-12 final stuff was moved
to new building. Everything that was in the old
building is now in the new building.

Oct 16th –golf tournament happened.
Dec. 11th – 15th – round 4 of live tv nego.
Very contentious negotiation.
Spoke at Cal State Long Beach – class of
35 composers.

SECRETARY REPORT

2nd quarter review – revenues $2,535,573 /
expenses $2,319,067
excess of 216,506 dollars
AFM47.org/radio – all union radio station.
Check overture for ongoing events.

Media Awards –Won 3rd place general ex;
2nd place for Local 47 Beat; 1st place writing
for electronic media; 1st Place: design award
for overture.

Now have paypal portal,.. can pay dues there.
Also take MC, Visa, Discover or AMEX through
Paypal

MUSICIANS CLUB.

Revenue $130,829 Expenses $321,747
$190,918 oss
$142,492 Legal
$182506 Lease back 94,011

Improvements to building – $5,110,138

Over 2 million in fixed income through
Merrill Lynch
Over 2 million in stocks etc. through
Merrill Lynch

OLD BUSINESS

MEMBER:
Resolution I – carried over from many
meetings earlier
Change way COLA is done. No Quorum
for the previous meetings.

Motion to amend is not an incidental or
privileged motion. It was not done properly.
Should have been called out of order but
was not. Ex. board should rescind decision.

Parliamentarian; says committee made
motion properly and can amend it themselves.

Member: Can work with a quorum, but
CANNOT work without a quorum. Exec.
Board meeting, NOT membership meeting.
It’s a special way to deal with a resolution.

Parle: Committee is not a member, they
present the motion.

Member: You’re wrong.
Backpedaling by Parle. ensued.

Minutes said particular member presented
it (cannot be done by particular member,
only committee, and it is not appropriate.

Executive board kept making decisions when
there was no quorum.

Twice it was pub. Twice gen. membership meeting
didn’t happen.
They are making decisions about COLA that they
should not.
They are having a say over their own income.
Inside dealing.

Parle: Once a bylaw is amended it can only be
amended by another bylaw amendment.

Membership can repeal the bylaw amendment.
With a 2/3’s vote.

One of the RMA Leaders tried to point out quorum
was lost to shut down the member. Oops,… only 48 –
no quorum, cannot have a vote,…
HOW CONVENIENT!
Member shut down.

New Business
Downey Sym will feature Brad Dutz – Jan 20th

Meeting Adjourned at 8:47 PM

 

===========================

 

II. Important update from “MUSICIANS FOR PENSION SECURITY”

Important Developments in Washington DC

As you may know, several proposals have been made in
Washington DC to address the crisis in the multi-employer
pension sector. These proposals would impact not only the
AFM-EPF plan but also the Teamsters pension plan and
dozens of others that are chronically underfunded.

Below, we will review the four most talked about proposals.
Of the four, only the third (Rob Portman’s proposal) has
been introduced as legislation. But policymakers are actively
reviewing all four and we would not be surprised to see
legislation introduced in the near future that incorporate
some of the ideas outlined below.

The UPS Proposal

United Parcel Service, which is a large employer of Teamsters,
could be liable for up to $4 billion of pension plan liability if the
Teamsters pension plan becomes insolvent. It has made a
proposal to address the pension crisis. Under the UPS proposal,
the federal government would provide 30 -year loans at 1% to
troubled pension plans to cover their cash flow shortages.

The problem with the UPS proposal is those benefit payments
would be reduced up to 20% for all participants immediately,
and UPS is also calling for increased PBGC premiums,
employer surcharges, employee membership fees and union
surcharges.

The Teamsters Proposal

The Teamsters proposal calls for low-interest long-term
government loans to underfunded plans. The government
would sell bonds to investors to fund the loans. The troubled
pension plans would be required to invest in the loan
proceeds conservatively, such as purchasing a group annuity.

The Teamsters proposal involves no cuts to accrued benefits.
However, it does contemplate a new benefit design for future
service accruals that would minimize future underfunding.
This could take the form of a variable annuity plan or an
adjustable pension plan.

Senator Portman’s Pension Accountability Act

Senator Rob Portman (R-OH) has proposed that any cuts in
accrued benefits be put to a fair vote of the plan membership.
No cuts could be made unless a majority of plan participants
who cast a vote approve the benefit cuts. Currently, the way
the law is written, a majority of all plan participants, whether
they vote or not, must reject the benefit cuts in order to
prevent cuts from being made. The recent experience of the
NY Teamsters illustrates why Portman’s proposal is necessary.
There, the proposed cuts were voted down by a margin of
2-1, but the cuts were made anyway. This is because a
majority of the membership didn’t vote.

The Portman Bill would also eliminate the authority of the
Department of the Treasury in the case of systemically
important plans to override votes of plan participants to
reject benefit cuts. (A plan is “systemically important”
if projected financial assistance to the plan will exceed
$1 billion if benefit cuts are not implemented.)

NCCMP Proposal

The NCCMP is a trade group of multi-employer plans in
Washington DC. AFM-EPF is a dues-paying member,
and two of our trustees sit on various boards and
committees of the NCCMP.

NCCMP is the group that wrote MPRA and got it passed
by Congress in 2014. MPRA contains numerous
provisions that are deeply prejudicial to our interests,
including a provision that deprives pension beneficiaries
of any real say in whether they are to receive cuts or
not, and a provision that deprives the right of pensioners
to have judicial review of the cuts.

MPRA is a law that takes vested property rights away
from us, and NCCMP is trying to pass more legislation
that would take even more rights away from us. Currently,
the NCCMP is lobbying for its proposal regarding
Composite Plans. Under the NCCMP proposal, the
Composite Plan would be required to be funded to a
ridiculously high 120% funded ratio over the next 15
years. Any funding shortfall would prompt benefit cuts.
The trustees would not have to go to the United States
government for any approval to get benefit cuts, and
benefits would not be insured by the PBGC. Luckily,
right now, the Composite Plan proposal would not
apply to AFM-EPF. But it easily could.

====================================

III. DAVID’S QUILT

The UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music and the Max
Hellman Institute will present the world premiere of
“David’s Quilt,” an original oratorio about biblical King
David. David’s Quilt is the result of 15 very different
composers joining together to tell the story of David
through their own artistic lens. The Quilt explores
different episodes of David’s life, composed in a
variety of musical idioms.

Sunday, November 5, 2017
7:00 — 9:00pm
Stephen S Wise Temple

FREE ADMISSION. RSVP at bit.ly/DavidsQuilt

The new work by 15 Los Angeles-based composers,
including school of music faculty and students, will be
performed by UCLA students and alumni including the
Chamber Singers.

The concert at Stephen S. Wise Temple is presented
by The UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music, in collaboration
with the Max Helfman Institute for New Jewish Music.
Funding is provided by the school of music’s Lowell
Milken Fund for American Jewish Music and the David
and Irmgard Dobrow Fund, as well as the Max Helfman
Institute.

The concert will also serve as the opening event of a
two-day conference that will bring together renowned
experts, historians, composers and artists to discuss
the past, present and future of “American Culture and
the Jewish Experience in Music.”
“American Culture and the Jewish Experience in Music” Conference.

Conference, Day 1:
Monday, Nov. 6, 2017 | UCLA Luskin Conference Center
UCLA Luskin Conference Center

Conference, Day 2:
Tuesday, Nov. 7, 2017 | Room 314, Royce Hall, UCLA

For a full schedule of conference activities, please click here.
 

===========================

 

IV. EVENTS
DEAN AND RICHARD
are now at Culver City Elks the first 
Friday of 
every month.
7:30pm-10:30pm,
11160 Washington Pl.
Culver City, 90232
310-839-8891

————————————–

10/26/17

Tall & Small 11 piece Band NW: New Frontier Lounge

featuring:
Pete Christlieb & Linda Small
October 26, 2017, Thursday 8 PM – 10 PM

New Frontier Lounge

301 E 25th St, Tacoma, Washington 98421
(253) 572-4020

Presented by The B Sharp Music Society, dedicated
to the presentation and promotion of live music:
Pete Christlieb and Linda Small

The Tall and Small 11 Piece Band NW

featuring: Pete Christlieb saxophones and
Linda Small trombone

saxophones: Travis Ranney, Jeff Kashiwa,
Jack Klitzman, Bill Ramsay

trumpets: Kevin Seely, Ollie Groenewald

piano: David Deacon Joyner bass: Michael
Glynn drums: Tim Malland

cover $10. two for $15

TICKETS

Directions

——————————————

10/30/17

KAIROS MUSICAL SOIREES
Montgomery Arts House for Music & Architecture 2017

MAHMA’S
“Spooky Sonorities”
…a chilling Chamber Music Event
Monday, October 30th, 2017
…at 7:30 pm

A candlelit night of
macabre music & silent cinema…

Monday, October 30th, 2017 at 7:30 pm
Join us for Wine & Cheese
and the evocative artwork of
Christine O’Grady Martin at
7:00 pm ~ just prior to the concert

For Reservations click:
www.malibufriendsofmusic.org

Or Call MAHMA’s Reservation Line at:
(310) 589-0295

 

————————————–

 

11/1/17

A CONCERT WITH THE MASONS

GLENDALE NOON CONCERTS
CALICO WINDS:
Works by Daniel Gregory MASON, Lowell MASON & William MASON
12:10-12:40 pm at the Free Admission

Info about upcoming programs through MAY 2018
at the Free Admission Glendale Noon Concerts series
(concerts every first & third Wednesday at 12:10-12:40 pm)
are listed at http://www.glendalenoonconcerts.blogspot.com

Thank you!
Jacqueline Suzuki
Curator, Glendale Noon Concerts
818-249-5108

 

————————————-

11/12/17

DOCTOR WU at VITELLO’S
Sunday, November 12th, 2017

If you love the music of Steely Dan, please join us for this
special night as The Doctor Wu Band returns to Vitello’s
(upstairs) for another great show.  This is a beautiful listening
room with delicious Italian cuisine. With the passing of the
great Walter Becker, co-founder of Steely Dan, shortly after
our last show, we are honored to be back and playing this
timeless music for you once again.

** Table reservations/Advanced Tickets are $10 and strongly
recommended. Click here to make your reservation:
http://www.vitellosrestaurant.com/purchase-tickets

Please note: Vitello’s recently implemented a $10 increase
in the cover at the door on the day of the show so be sure
to reserve in advance **

818.769.0905
4349 Tujunga Ave
Studio City, California 91604
Valet or street parking

About the The Doctor Wu Band:
Steely Dan produced an amazing number of recognizable
radio hits well known to all.  The Doctor Wu Band’s recreations
of this astonishing string of chart-toppers and album favorites
have thrilled fans all over Southern California for over a decade!
With a full line-up that includes a 4-piece horn section, this
talented group of professional players love to have fun and
share the joy of performing the music of Steely Dan.

Members of Doctor Wu have performed and recorded with the
likes of Chicago, Dave Benoit, Echo & the Bunnymen, Stanley
Clarke, UB40, Dionne Warwick, Chaka Khan, Poncho Sanchez,
The Temptations, Jay Graydon and more.

Line up:
Tony Egan: Lead Vocals
Leigh DeMarche & Lauri Reimer: background vocals
Gil Ayan: Guitar
Steve Bias: Bass and backgorund vocals
Mark Harrison: Keyboards
Roch Bordenave: Trombone
Jeff Dellisanti: Saxophones
Frank Villafranca: Saxophones
Kurt Walther: Drums
Andy Weiner: Trumpet

 

We look forward to seeing you there!
The Doctor Wu Band
http://www.doctorwuband.com/
https://www.facebook.com/doctorwuband

——————————————–

UNTIL NEXT TIME,

THE COMMITTEE FOR A MORE RESPONSIBLE LOCAL 47

10/14/17

I. CBS INTERVIEWS BROKERS
II. CONCERT FOR PEACE
III. COMMENTS
IV. EVENTS

…Absolutely guaranteed anonymity – Former Musician’s Union officer

…The one voice of reason in a sea of insanity – Nashville ‘first call’
scoring musician
…Allows us to speak our minds without fear of reprisal – L.A. Symphonic musician

…Reporting issues the Musicians Union doesn’t dare to mention – National touring musician

================================

I. CBS interviewed brokers to sell its Television City campus: sources
By Hannah Miet | September 27, 2017 07:00AM

The Real Estate News.

“This building has enough concrete in it to build 28

miles of four-lane highway,” Edward R. Murrow

proclaimed in a 1953 CBS special about “Television

City,” the network’s mammoth complex in Los

Angeles’ Fairfax District.

Over the next six decades, TV City would became

an iconic venue that hosted shows such as

“The Price is Right,” “All in the Family,” and

“Dancing with the Stars.”

But its status as a center of entertainment

and culture may be in flux. CBS Corporation

has been in discussions with brokerages to

shop the complex at 7800 Beverly Boulevard,

The Real Deal has learned.

After interviewing more than five firms for

the roughly 25-acre property on Beverly

Boulevard and Fairfax Avenue — which

has about 1 million square feet of studio

and office space, including eight stages —
CBS recently narrowed the search down

to two, sources said.

The network hasn’t indicated if it intends

to vacate the property entirely, sources

said. The nature of what will be marketed

— a full sale, a sale-leaseback or a ground

lease — remains unclear.

Representatives for CBS did not return

multiple requests for comment.

CBS subleases much of the space at TV

City to other production outfits, sources

said. The network may be looking to

consolidate its own operations at its Studio

City campus at 4024 Radford Avenue,

they said.

Though the discussions are in a preliminary

stage, interested buyers are said to be circling.

At least two major developers looked to talk

with CBS once chatter about the broker

interviews began to spread, sources said.

TV City does not appear to be entitled for

new development.

 

The campus, designed by architect Gin Wong

at Pereira & Luckman, was built in 1952 on

the former site of Gilmore Stadium. CBS acquired

the land from the A.F. Gilmore Company

for $1.2 million in 1949.

=====================================

II. CONCERT FOR PEACE – TONIGHT! October 14th

In October there are concerts all over the world
dedicated to Violinist/Journalist Daniel Pearl.

Here is one….

MAHMA 2017
KAIROS MUSICAL SOIREES
A CONCERT FOR PEACE
Saturday, October 14th at 7:30pm
in the beautiful
MAHMA Great Room

Intimate Musical Soirees with
Old World Hospitality and Charm
Presenting Extraordinary Concert Artists
and Distinguished Speakers

Saturday, October 14th, 2017 at 7:30 pm
This Concert Event will take place in the
MAHMA Great Room

Tickets and reservations are available at
www.malibufriendsofmusic.org
or call: (310) 589-0295

Presenting Exceptional Works of
Gustav Mahler, Riccardo Joshua Moretti,
J.S. Bach, Laurence Sherr
Leonard Bernstein, and Maria Newman

FEATURED GUEST ARTIST:
Karen Becker, cellist

MAHMA RESIDENT ARTISTS:
Wendy Prober, pianist
Maria Newman, violinist
Scott Hosfeld, violist

INTRODUCING RISING STAR:
Sofia Cohen, voice

MASTER OF CEREMONIES:
Samuel Thatcher

For more information on the
Malibu Friends of Music
please visit: www.malibufriendsofmusic.org

===========================

III. COMMENTS

Contributing dollars to the RMA/RMALA to
either RMALA membership or RMA night
enables RMA to ingratiate itself by
capitalizing on most professional
recording musicians to use for it’s
exclusive financial benefit at the
expense of most career recording
musicians demise.

===========================

IV. EVENTS
DEAN AND RICHARD
are now at Culver City Elks the first 
Friday of 
every month.
7:30pm-10:30pm,
11160 Washington Pl.
Culver City, 90232
310-839-8891

————————————–

10/15/17

“The Trio”
Sunday, October 15 at 4:00PM

Special concert featuring the “The Trio” comprised  of
Terry Trotter – piano
Chuck Berghofer – bass
Joe LaBarbera – drums

at
Keyboard Concepts
5539 Van Nuys Blvd.
Sherman Oaks, CA

Seats are $40 each payable in cash or by check only at the door

Please reserve your seats now at [email protected]

Limited space, first come, first served

——————————————–

10/18/17

Wed OCTOBER 18, 2017 at 12:10-12:40 pm at the
Free Admission
GLENDALE NOON CONCERTS/ JONATHAN FLAKSMAN

Solo Cello Recital: Works by BACH, FLAKSMAN, YSAYE

Thank you!
Jacqueline Suzuki
Curator, Glendale Noon Concerts
818-249-5108

UNTIL NEXT TIME,

THE COMMITTEE FOR A MORE RESPONSIBLE LOCAL 47

10/6/17

I. AFM/LOCAL 802
II. EVENTS

…Absolutely guaranteed anonymity – Former Musician’s Union officer

…The one voice of reason in a sea of insanity – Nashville ‘first call’
scoring musician
…Allows us to speak our minds without fear of reprisal – L.A. Symphonic musician

…Reporting issues the Musicians Union doesn’t dare to mention – National touring musician

================================

I. AFM/LOCAL 802

The AFM is buying a Building in southern Manhattan,  It is reportedly
almost an entire floor, described as a condo. Considering the membership
of the Federation has gone down to 60,000 from 100,000 in the last ten
years, is this a smart investment?

Till recently the AFM has been renting.

——————–

Local 802

A member noticed one contractor for Jewish weddings was doing
a lot of them, and was never billed for them because there was
no billing procedure.

Now they’re telling the members who played those weddings they
owe 5 years or more of fees, after the fact.

nice…

Meanwhile,

AFM raising the dues Locals have to pay to the AFM,  is driving
a lot of smaller locals to close and causing them to be absorbed
by those locals that are left.

===========================

VI. EVENTS
DEAN AND RICHARD
are now at Culver City Elks the first 
Friday of 
every month.
7:30pm-10:30pm,
11160 Washington Pl.
Culver City, 90232
310-839-8891
————————————-
LA WINDS JAZZ KATS 584
NO COVER, NO MINIMUM.
Every 2nd and 4th Tuesday of the month at
Viva Cantina
7:30-10:00.
900 Riverside Drive, 
Burbank.

Free parking across the street at Pickwick Bowl.
Come hear your favorite charts played the way
they 
should 
be. 

We are in the back room called
the Trailside Room. 


Come on down.

Guaranteed to swing.

—————————————

10/15/17

“The Trio”
Sunday, October 15 at 4:00PM

Special concert featuring the “The Trio” comprised  of
Terry Trotter – piano
Chuck Berghofer – bass
Joe LaBarbera – drums

at
Keyboard Concepts
5539 Van Nuys Blvd.
Sherman Oaks, CA

Seats are $40 each payable in cash or by check only at the door

Please reserve your seats now at [email protected]

Limited space, first come, first served

——————————————–

10/18/17

Wed OCTOBER 18, 2017 at 12:10-12:40 pm at the
Free Admission
GLENDALE NOON CONCERTS/ JONATHAN FLAKSMAN

Solo Cello Recital: Works by BACH, FLAKSMAN, YSAYE

Thank you!
Jacqueline Suzuki
Curator, Glendale Noon Concerts
818-249-5108

UNTIL NEXT TIME,

THE COMMITTEE FOR A MORE RESPONSIBLE LOCAL 47

9/29/17

I. LALO SCHIFRIN CELEBRATION CONCERT
II. ‘BEN HUR’ MUSICIANS
III. EVENTS

…Absolutely guaranteed anonymity – Former Musician’s Union officer

…The one voice of reason in a sea of insanity – Nashville ‘first call’
scoring musician
…Allows us to speak our minds without fear of reprisal – L.A. Symphonic musician

…Reporting issues the Musicians Union doesn’t dare to mention – National touring musician

================================

I. LALO SCHIFRIN CELEBRATION CONCERT

CELEBRATING LALO SCHIFRIN
AN 85th BIRTHDAY CONCERT

OCTOBER 7, 2017 – 8:00  PM
Alex Theater
216 N. Brand Ave.
Glendale, CA 91203

Musicians at Play and AFM Local 47’s Music Fund Los Angeles and
Varčse Sarabande are honored to present Lalo Schifrin’s 85th
Birthday Concert on Saturday, October 7th 2017 at the historic
Alex Theatre in Glendale.

Guest Conductor Chris Walden will lead an big band and special
guests in celebrating Lalo’s life, artistry, and esteemed body of
work.

Flutist Sara Andon will solo with the band for a few historic Schifrin
pieces. Additional special guests include Michael Giacchino,
Alan and Marilyn Bergman, Steve Tyrell, Denise Donatelli and
Sandra Booker Holley, Brett Ratner and more!
‎
Lalo Schifrin is a venerated composer, conductor, pianist, and
jazz musician. He has written classic television themes and over
100 film scores including Mission: Impossible, Mannix, Bullitt,
Cool Hand Luke, The Cincinnati Kid, The Competition and so
many more.

His five Grammys, one Cable ACE Award, and six Academy
Award nominations is a testament to his impact on the music
industry.The evening will be hosted by Robert Townson.

Proceeds will go to support music education in schools and
aide for Local 47 professional musicians in crisis.

Tickets:
http://preview.tinyurl.com/yby5t9fp

=======================================

II. MGM, Paramount Say ‘Ben Hur’ Musicians Not Covered

by Union Agreement
September 28, 2017 7:58am PT by Eriq Gardner

The studios make their move to dismiss a lawsuit from

a guild that claims that musicians haven’t been properly

compensated. MGM and Paramount Pictures are moving

to dismiss a lawsuit brought by a guild that claims

musicians who recorded the score for the 2016 film

remake of Ben Hur have been denied rightful wages,

benefits and residual compensation.

In a motion filed Wednesday, the studios argue that

these musicians are not covered under a collective

bargaining agreement. The lawsuit comes from

The American Federation of Musicians of the United

States and Canada, who assert that the studios are

violating Section 301 of the Labor Management

Relations Act. In the complaint, the guild noted

that Ben Hur was shot in Italy, but that producers

retained the services of a California composer,

Marco Beltrami.

Each of the major studios is a signatory to a

union-negotiated 2015 agreement over

motion pictures.

But MGM and Paramount are relying on the

allegation that Beltrami was hired by Paramount’s

“contractor,” BH Productions LLC. According

to the defendants,

this puts the musicians — who they say were

fully compensated — outside the relevant

bargaining unit. What’s more, the defendants

question whether the musicians have ever

consented to this lawsuit.

“Because the AFM lacks standing under

Section 301 to pursue claims on behalf of

the musicians allegedly hired by the composer,

the AFM cannot seek damages on their behalf,”

states the motion. “The AFM has not alleged,

and cannot allege, that the musicians ever

authorized the AFM to seek financial recovery

for purported injuries caused to them. Indeed,

the AFM has not even alleged that the musicians

are aware that the AFM is seeking to represent

their interests in this action.”

Paramount previously used similar arguments

to beat an AFM lawsuit over the score to Same

Kind of Different as Me. That legal action

challenged how the film wasn’t scored in North

America in alleged breach of the CBA. Crucially,

the case failed after a judge determined that the

musicians weren’t employed by Paramount,

but rather by the production vehicle, SKODAM Films.

In some ways, Paramount is being even more

bold in its defense of Ben Hur.

The adjudication of Same Kind of Different as Me

happened at the summary judgment phase after

the parties engaged in discovery and explored

evidence of Paramount’s control over the picture

and whether it could be deemed a joint employer.

In contrast, MGM and Paramount are now looking

to kill the Ben Hur lawsuit on a motion for judgment

on the pleadings. What that means is that the studios

don’t want any costly discovery. Represented by

attorney Adam Levin at Mitchell Silberberg & Knupp,

they are challenging whether AFM has even alleged a

plausible case.

[EC: The article doesn’t state whether the score

was recorded here. IMDB does not make it clear

where it as recorded, but it seems it was scored

overseas considering none of the names are

familiar and LA wants all the credit it can get.

So, does the AFM think that if an American

Composer is hired now, it has to be scored here?

The movie was made in Italy. They have squat

to say about it…. further, if there were a number

of instruments recorded here, not on contract,

again the AFM has nothing to say about it.

Way to make sure MORE companies don’t want

to work with us, AFM.]

===========================

VI. EVENTS
DEAN AND RICHARD
are now at Culver City Elks the first 
Friday of 
every month.
7:30pm-10:30pm,
11160 Washington Pl.
Culver City, 90232
310-839-8891
————————————-
LA WINDS JAZZ KATS 584
NO COVER, NO MINIMUM.
Every 2nd and 4th Tuesday of the month at
Viva Cantina
7:30-10:00.
900 Riverside Drive, 
Burbank.

Free parking across the street at Pickwick Bowl.
Come hear your favorite charts played the way
they 
should 
be. 

We are in the back room called
the Trailside Room. 


Come on down.

Guaranteed to swing.

http://www.responsible47.com

———————————————-

10/1/17

Los Angeles Symphonic Winds
Oktoberfest Concert/Beer Tasting!

Sunday October 1, 2017 at 2:30 pm

Calabasas High School Performing

Arts Education Center

22855 Mulholland Hwy,

Calabasas, CA 91302

An exhilarating afternoon of works by Strauss,
Lehar and Orff plus a post concert Beer
Tasting Event.
Repertoire for Oktoberfest concert:

Bach/Schaeffer Passacaglia in c minor

Orff Carmina Burana excerpts

Strauss Der Rosenkavalier Suite

Henze Don Quixote

Mendelssohn Overture for Winds

Howard The Little German Band

————————————

10/4/17

FREE GLENDALE NOON CONCERTS

Violinist JACQUELINE SUZUKI
Pianist CHARLES FIERRO

will perform the Lekeu Violin Sonata &
the Debussy- Heifetz “Beau Soir”.
Thank you!

Artist Bios:
JACQUELINE SUZUKI, violin, is a longtime
member of the Long Beach and Santa Barbara
Symphonies. A native of San Francisco, she
began her earliest chamber music studies on
scholarship at the San Francisco Conservatory.
She has performance degrees from the
Mannes College of Music (BM), where she studied
with William Kroll, and the California Institute
of the Arts (MFA).

As a Los Angeles freelancer, she has performed
with many ensembles and in many genres, from r
ock, jazz, Latin and Arabic, to playing in the pit
for the Bolshoi Ballet and onstage with the Three
Tenors. She has recorded with diverse artists:
Snoop Dogg, Neil Sedaka, Leonard Cohen, Whitney
Houston, Bocelli, Lalo Schifrin, McCoy Tyner,
Placido Domingo and many others, and appears
on recordings by the Long Beach, Santa Barbara
and Pacific Symphonies. She has spent summers
at the Peter Britt, Oregon Coast, Carmel Bach
and Cabrillo Festivals and has performed in a
string quartet “in residence” on a raft trip
down the Green River in Utah. Tours have
taken her many times to Japan, Taiwan,
Mexico, Canada, Europe, the Middle East
and throughout the US. She initiated and
curates the Free Admission Glendale Noon
Concerts http://glendalenoonconcerts.blogspot.com
and also the
Edendale Up Close Concerts: http://edendaleupclose.blogspot.com

One of Southern California’s leading pianists,
Charles Fierro has made concert tours for the
National Endowment for the Arts and the California
Arts Council and has given more than 25 concerto
performances with orchestras.  He has appeared
twice at the National Gallery of Art and the
Dumbarton Oaks Foundation in Washington,
D.C.  In 1976 he played the American
Bicentennial Recital at the Palace of Fontainebleau
in France on the personal invitation of the
legendary musician, Nadia Boulanger.  He
has interpreted the music of Beethoven,
Schumann, Schoenberg and Liszt at the Ojai
Festivals and performed more than a dozen
times at the prestigious Monday Evening
Concerts in Los Angeles, presenting the
American premieres of important new works.

UNTIL NEXT TIME,

THE COMMITTEE FOR A MORE RESPONSIBLE LOCAL 47