Category Archives: Features

Member spotlight: Phil Upchurch

upchurch-officers AFM Local 47’s three titled officers were pleased to present Phil Upchurch with his Life Member pin following the meeting. His lifetime membership in the Los Angeles musicians union was recognized in a letter presented to him by U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein. From left: President John Acosta, Phil Upchurch, Secretary/Treasurer Gary Lasley, Vice President Rick Baptist.

A prolific guitarist whose distinctively funky, blues-steeped jazz style has graced well over a thousand recordings across the popular music spectrum, the legendary Phil Upchurch has also recorded 27 albums of his own leadership, as well as movie soundtracks.

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‘Yo, Cip’ – Gene Cipriano documentary film

Yo Cip is a feature film dedicated to telling the story of one of the longest working session musician around today. This is a tale of an amazing yet unsung career in session music from Sinatra to the Academy Awards. Continue reading →

ProMusicDB.org Gains Momentum with Enrollment of Founding Artist Members

Enrollment for ProMusicDB.org is off to a strong start, with numerous accomplished musicians, songwriters, singers and producers signing on as Founding Artist Members. As the first artist-controlled authority of music credits, ProMusicDB.org enables artists to take control of their credits, identity, metadata and digital legacy.

“We are thrilled at receiving such an enthusiastic response to the launch of our organization’s digital platform and are honored to include some highly respected music industry professionals as our Founding Artist Members,” says Christy Crowl, Founder and CEO of ProMusicDB.org. “Our Founding Artist Members have already done the hard work—creating the art. Now they can protect and preserve their works by their own means and control, and their metadata can be stored centrally and repurposed across industry platforms as they so desire.” Continue reading →

Organizing: Building Power for Musicians in Los Angeles

Musicians from throughout the United States and Canada gather in solidarity at the 35th AFM Convention in Boston, 1930. (Photo: courtesy International Musician/AFM archives)

by Jefferson Kemper

Organizing has always been the foundation of the AFM. The strength of this union is predicated on our ability to get working musicians to agree on core principles and to advocate together for our common benefit. Since the late 1800s when the AFM was created and when musicians around the country founded their own local chapters, it’s been the ability to organize that has provided the leverage to demand fair compensation for the value of musicians’ work. Continue reading →

SIUW: Breaking Down Barriers and Borders

Summer Institute on Union Women, Class of 2016 (Photo: Carla Zarate S. carlazarate.com / solartradio.com)

Hundreds of union women leaders convene in Los Angeles for Summer Institute on Union Women 2016

Every summer, women organizers from unions, community rank-and-file activists from the Western States, British Columbia and beyond come together for a week of leadership development, engagement on current issues, skills-building and networking.

Sponsored by the United Association for Labor Education and hosted by the UCLA Labor Center, the 2016 Western Regional Summer Institute on Union Women brought together hundreds of workers and leaders from unions, worker centers, and student and community organizations from the western United States, Canada, Mexico, Central America, and Japan. Continue reading →

Bowled Over – Celebrating 25 Years With the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra

by Linda A. Rapka

In July of 1991, after a three-decade hiatus, the notion to revive an orchestra from the obscurity of distant memory became reality with a string of Independence Day concerts at the Hollywood Bowl. Rebranded in both name and impetus, the new Hollywood Bowl Orchestra made its debut under the leadership of LA Philharmonic Association executive vice president/managing director Ernest Fleischmann and the newly appointed principal conductor, John Mauceri. A quarter century later, HBO stands as a pioneer in the orchestral world and continues to deliver an eclectic repertoire as diverse as Hollywood itself. Continue reading →

68th Emmy Awards

Congratulations to all of the Los Angeles Local 47 & AFM members who received 2016 Annual Emmy Awards nominations and awards, and to all of the talented L.A. musicians who performed on over FIFTY of this year’s nominated series, commercials & TV specials! Winners were announced Sunday, Sept. 18. Continue reading →

H&W: Get Healthy, Stay Healthy

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Professional Musicians, Local 47 and Employers’ Health & Welfare Fund

Your health matters, to you and to your family

Getting healthy and staying that way doesn’t have to be complicated.

You can reduce your risk of many health problems by taking care of the basics, like preventive tests and exams and paying attention to your eye health, which might hint at bigger health issues.

Concentrate on these areas to get and keep yourself on track. Continue reading →

Meet the Musicians of the Pasadena Symphony Orchestra: Lisa Gass

Lisa Gass: Master Bass Crafter

Pasadena Symphony Orchestra member Lisa Gass not only knows how to play the bass – she knows how to build one.

The founding owner of Los Angeles Bass Works since 1984, Lisa showed an early aptitude for wood sculpture as a child after she received woodworking tools as a birthday gift. By age 13, having toyed around with piano and violin, she decided her true love was the string bass. Continue reading →

Orchestra Novo Honors Violinist Kathleen Lenski With Scholarship Fund

kathie Orchestra Novo has created a scholarship fund to honor acclaimed violinist, former Local 47 Life Member Kathleen Lenski. Fifty individuals contributed a total of $7,100 for students attending the Orchestra Novo Summer String Music Academy.

Twenty-three students from across the country attended the Academy, an immersive summer camp for committed music study. It took place at Camp Arroyo Grande July 17-24 and included string orchestra rehearsals, chamber groups, sectionals, individual coaching, as well as social activities, games, and swimming. In total, Orchestra Novo distributed $12,750 in scholarship funds to students attending the camp. Continue reading →