I. REFERAL SERVICE POTENTIALLY UNDER ATTACK YET AGAIN!
II. LET’S TALK CONFLICT OF INTEREST
III. THE LATEST MAILING FROM THE LOCAL
IV. JR PHILHAMONIC AUDITIONS
V. ASMAC HONORS STU PHILLIPS
VI. MEMBER COMMENTS
Greetings Local 47 Colleagues!,
There are many important things going on right now, things you need to
know about and become active for. There may be more mailings than usual
over the next few weeks and we apologize for the extra mailbox space taken
ahead of time. We hope you’ll take the time to read, and if moved
to do so, call or write our Local, its officers and the Overture to let your
feelings be known. If they refuse to print your letters, or even if they do
print them, please send them to us as well, more exposure is always better.
THE COMMITTEE
I. REFERAL SERVICE POTENTIALLY UNDER ATTACK YET AGAIN!
Rumor has it the Executive Board is at it again!
Our sources at the Local tell us that the EB is trying yet again to move
the Referral Service in direct violation of a clear 2004 membership
mandate. We also hear that the EB is considering giving the RS spot
to the Musician’s Credit Union, or tearing it down to “enlarge the lobby,”
as if we needed that.
In June 2004 the membership voted overwhelmingly to return the
referral service to its membership mandated location, the EB having moved
it previously against membership wishes.
How many more times will this EB try to further cripple our referral
service? They’ve dragged their feet for years on a RS website, knowing
there was a FREE AFM created software package that could easily
work as an interim solution. In fact it was connected to our website
for over a year, till it was unceremoniously dumped by our Local.
Who would have control of that? Think about it.
REFERRAL SERVICE ADVERTISING MONEY CUT
To add insult to injury, the EB cut the majority of the funding for referral
service advertising, a once a year expenditure for each directory. Since most
directories are only printed once a year, it’ll be at least a year till we
can get it back.
WHY THE CONTINUED ATTACKS ON THE REFERRAL SERVICE?
This EB has had it out for the referral service for years, but why?
We think we’ve finally found out. An EB member was overheard saying
that the reason they don’t want the RS to function effectively is:
“If David Schubach hadn’t become so popular when he ran the RS by
getting (Members) work, he would never have won as VP.
We have to make sure not to allow that to happen again.”
Certainly, this sentiment from some of our EB members will
come as a no surprise.
There it is, folks. The real reason the EB is trying so hard NOT to have an
effective referral service to increase work for our members.
While it is possible that the actions above are only rumors, all evidence points to their reality, and it’s going to be up to the members to head off any Board action. We didn’t want to wait until we got a call from our sources saying the office is being physically ripped out, making any protest too late.
GOVERNING REPRESENTATIVES
The EB are elected governing representatives of the Local and as such work for
us. If the membership approves a policy by voting at a general membership
meeting, and it runs counter to the agenda of these “representatives,” they have
an ethical obligation and duty to fulfill that vote. Otherwise, what is the point
of having meetings, anyway?
Oh, that’s right; they tried to take away those, too. Could this just be plan B,
to be used when plan A failed?
If this rumor is true, the EB is essentially putting their hidden agenda
above the livelihoods of most of our members, a stance which we
demand they justify publicly.
SOME HISTORY:
In a special meeting, held in June of 2004, members in attendance forced
the board to move the referral service back to its former prominent place.
(The board had moved and hidden the office, for no viable reason.)
The membership clearly voted by mandate to move the referral service
back to the front office and be kept there.
In 2006, the EB again moved the Referral Service office. At the April 24,
2006 meeting, several members protested the move, citing the June 2004
vote. The Referral Service was moved back to its proper location yet again.
The MEMBERSHIP is the primary authority; the Board is the secondary
authority yet this board blatantly violated a membership mandate by daring
to again move the referral office.
When asked for a specific reason, President Espinosa, said it was an emergency.
When asked what the emergency was he actually said they moved the office so
that Nancy, the new person running the referral service at that time, wouldn’t
have to walk down the hall to the old referral service office!
When a member then brought up the obvious by asking, “Are you seriously
saying that you violated a membership mandate and went against the membership
so an employee didn’t have to walk 40 yards down a hallway!?”, President Espinosa
was speechless.
==============
II. LET’S TALK CONFLICT OF INTEREST
A member brought up some very good questions in our last offering.
We thought we’d take a closer look.
Here are three quotes:
QUOTE ONE: From Jon Burlingame’s Variety article about the
PMG (“Professional” Musicians Guild):
L.A. musicians have placed the American Federation of Musicians
on notice: Shape up or face possible decertification as their collective-
bargaining agent for film and TV recordings.
More than 200 of the estimated 900 professional musicians who are
most active on film-scoring dates have already joined the new
Professional Musicians Guild, according to PMG president Andrew
Malloy.
(The PMG has never disavowed this article, nor demanded a
retraction.)
QUOTE TWO:
Andrew Malloy, President of the “Professional” Musicians Guild has stated: Marc Sazer is the Secretary of the Professional Musicians Guild.
QUOTE THREE: From the Union Members Bill of Rights
(You can find them by Googling “Union Members Bill of Rights”)
Note: The union may not discipline you for exercising protected
Rights; however you may be disciplined for the following activities, among others:
Participating in wildcat strikes (Simpson’s video game walkout anyone?)
and
advocating decertification of the union (the exact wording in the
Variety article.)
SO TO THE QUESTION?
Why has President Espinosa and the Board, WHO ARE ELECTED AND
PAID BY US TO PROTECT OUR LOCAL, not removed Marc Sazer from
his webmaster post at our Local? We could not imagine a more direct
conflict of interest, nor a more damaging position in our hierarchy should
the PMG try to decertify our union than Webmaster, unless it were
to be a member of the Hearing Board responsible for
enforcing AFM infractions against people like himself.
We suggest you let the board know that you do not want any member
dues going to anyone openly hostile to our very Local’s existance. Why
the board has allowed this situation is inexplicable and it mustn’t be
allowed to continue.
With his three conflicting positions, which include advocate, violator, and
enforcer of union policy and by-laws, Mr. Sazer is a stellar example of
the importance of showing up when we have Local elections and
making sure those elected have the interests of ALL the members in mind.
———————————-
III. THE LATEST MAILING FROM THE LOCAL
Notice the most recent mailing from the Local discussing the SELA?
The EB seems to try to take credit for it’s very existence. For those of
you who do not know the history of our jurisdiction’s SELA, it was based
on the AFM’s LS-2 form, but was not appropriate for our Local. It was
the idea of David Schubach to create the SELA and did so with the technical
assistance of current Local 47 Counsel Lewis Levy.
In any future discussions involving the SELA, let’s keep in mind that it
was David Schubach’s inspiration and persistence that lead to the SELA,
not the EB. Let’s all try putting credit where it is due.
=============
IV. JR PHILHAMONIC AUDITIONS
71st ANNUAL AUDITIONS – Concert at WALT DISNEY HALL.
The JR. PHILHARMONIC is now auditioning advanced young musicians,
ages 12 through 25, for its 71st Anniversary Season. The orchestra is
composed of 115 members from 5 Southern California counties. There
are currently NO audition fees and NO membership charges. Rehearsals
are on Wednesday evenings from 6:15 – 8:30 in the westside of Los Angeles.
Founded by Dr. Ernst Katz in 1937, the Jr. Phil is one of the oldest and
most prestigious young people’s symphony orchestras in the nation.
The Jr. Phil now partners with the LOS ANGELES PHILHARMONIC
which provides members with section rehearsals, master-classes, concert
opportunities and more. Several Jr. Phil members performed in the
Hollywood Bowl Orchestra on Opening Night this summer.
The orchestra’s repertoire includes original major classical works as well
as Broadway show music (See more detail below). Jr. Phil concert venues
include the DOROTHY CHANDLER PAVILION, KODAK THEATRE
and SHRINE AUDITORIUM and on November 11, the orchestra will perform
again in the WALT DISNEY CONCERT HALL.
Audition applicants will be asked to sight-read passages from symphonic repertoire
and play a short portion of a prepared piece.
For more info, please call (323) 272-3667, visit www.JrPhil.org or e-mail us
at [email protected]. Auditions can be set at a mutually convenient time.
MORE DETAILS. . .
Typical repertoire includes Beethoven Symphonies 5, 7, 8; Mozart Symphony
41, Sinfonia Concertante, Overtures: Magic Flute, Marriage of Figaro, Il
Seraglio; Prokofiev’s Lt. Kije, Peter and the Wolf; Tchaikovsky Symphonies
4 and 5, 1812 Overture, Capriccio Italien, Romeo and Juliet, Piano Concerto,
Violin Concerto etc. etc. The orchestra has performed Camelot with Robert
Goulet and Michael York, West Side Story with Carol Lawrence, Music Man
with Shirley Jones, Sound of Music with Florence Henderson, Show Boat with
Debby Boone, Brock Peters and Jordan Bennett, My Fair Lady with Dale Kristian
and Kevin Early among many others. The Jr. Phil has annually recorded CDs.
Our recording of Rhapsody in Blue is broadcast on the classical music station
KMZT.
Thank you for recommending your students.
Gary S. Greene
Concertmaster/Conductor
Jr. Philharmonic Orchestra
157 South Fairfax Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90036
323-272-3667
[email protected]
www.jrphil.org
==================
V. ASMAC HONORS STU PHILLIPS
AMERICAN SOCIETY OF MUSIC ARRANGERS AND COMPOSERS WELCOMES
STU PHILLIPS
SPECIAL LUNCHEON GUEST SPEAKER
WED. AUGUST 15 – 11:30AM AT CATALINA’S
Stu Phillips has had a long, varied and successful career in the
field of music. He has gone from playing piano in cocktail lounges to
conducting the Los Angeles Philharmonic. In between, he spent time as
an arranger and conductor for several night club performers; was a
successful A&R record producer; and a composer for television and
theatrical movies.
His first professional job was as a copyist for the Milton Berle
Texaco Hour. Stu produced and received gold records for “Blue Moon”,
with the Marcels, “Johnny Angel”, with Shelley Fabares, and “Goodbye
Cruel World” with James Darren. Among the other artists he produced
while at Colpix Records were Nina Simone; Vince Edwards; The Chad
Mitchell Trio; The Skyliners and Jimmy Beaumont; and the Ronettes.
At Capitol Records, Stu was the creator, producer and arranger of the
Hollyridge Strings and while there recorded a total of 12 albums.
While head of West Coast A&R for Epic records, Stu recorded the
Doodletown Pipers, Nancy Ames, Enzo Stuarti and Bob Crane. He also
worked as a composer for The Donna Reed Show, a few Gidgets, and The
Monkees. Among the feature films to his credits – Hells Angels on
Wheels, Beyond the Valley of the Dolls, Macon County Line, and Ride the
Wild Surf. Tammy Wynette, B.B. King, George Hamilton, Dino, Desi &
Billy, and The Sandpipers are among those who have recorded songs
written by Stu and various co-writers.
In 1974, Stu began a seven-year undertaking at Universal Studios
composing the music for The Six Million Dollar Man pilot; followed by
McCloud; Quincy; Switch; The Hardy Boys & Nancy Drew; Battlestar
Galactica; Buck Rogers, Knightrider and others. When Glen Larson left
Universal for Fox, Stu accompanied him and scored 96 episodes of The
Fall Guy, Masquerade, Automan and The Highwayman.
Stu has been nominated for four Grammys and is currently a member of
AMPAS, ATAS and NARAS. Over the last ten years of semi-retirement,
Stu has tackled the task of orchestrating some classical works for
symphonic orchestra, specifically two Beethoven Sonatas and five
Rachmaninoff Preludes/Etudes. And, of course, he wrote his
auto-biography “Stu Who – Forty Years of Navigating the Music
Business”…. Stu should have a lot to say…. Don’t miss it!
Catalina Bar & Grill
6725 West Sunset Blvd. Hollywood, CA 90028
(1 BLOCK E OF HIGHLAND – north side of street – cor of
McCadden)
Cost: ASMAC Members & Students $30 • Guests and all walk-ins $35
Parking: Valet $3.00 • Enter on McCadden – west side of
Catalina’s – lot at back
Please make reservations by
Tuesday morning, August 14th @ 818/994-4661
OR by email to [email protected]
AND check out our
website—www.asmac.org
VI. MEMBER COMMENTS
The comments below are the views of the contributing members and not
necessarily those of the COMMITTEE.
——————–
I know that being “fired” for all kinds of reasons under the sun happens in
every field, but you would think that maybe music, being so noble could
perhaps be different. Every hard working, talented musician deserves respect,
whether in a “symphony” or not at all. Being a member of a large group does
not constitute superiority. It is a choice and a good thing when it happens, but
no player ought to be accepted and then forced out of that choice, even for
financial reasons for another group to survive. How about really creative fund-
raising on the part of everyone, and telling all what is really going on??
This is based upon common sense, I am not involved in all this in any way
regarding Pasadena.
——————-
It has been brought to light that the AFM is going to start facilitating employers
that would normally go out of town to record to now stay in town with a single
project short form deal. This is due because LA is clearly becoming a ghost town
as far as recording high, mid and low budget projects, especially lower budget
projects – valid jobs still at that.
With the advent of NEW ERA SCORING, there really is no other choice and
the fact that you have to wait a month to six weeks to get a free time slot to
record in Seattle doesn’t help matters. The AFM was not founded on a sweetheart
fund that was created back in the 60’s to get studio players to re-join the AFM.
The AFM was FOUNDED on wages, pension, health and working conditions.
For instance: If you happen to be playing 2nd fiddle in a studio orchestra – do
you really think that your 2nd fiddle parts you played are truly intellectual
property?? Come on – get a grip. The only new uses for the most part happen
when hit RECORD date tunes are used in movies, jingles, or TV shows. A score
that has been recorded for a past movie RARELY fits another scores picture and
timings so…….new uses are a beautiful thing…….but the GLOBAL SCORING
ISSUES HAVE TO BE ADDRESSED and that is what the AFM is going to do……
get AFM musicians back in the marketplace…..get the AFM up to speed with
the globe.
It’s only business, and we are watching it pass LA by daily. Unfortunate times
but reality has to be addressed.
——————–
Get rid of MARC SAZER as Webmaster for LOCAL 47 site immediately –
RMA elite and PMG defector – and start THERE with the referral service
getting back up to speed
==============
Until Next Time,
THE COMMITTEE FOR A MORE RESPONSIBLE LOCAL 47