Listen Up! Campaign Gains International Support

At an advance screening for Lionsgate-released film “Step Up All In,” Hong Kong campaign supporters distributed leaflets to moviegoers in both English and Cantonese that described how the company is offshoring music jobs on U.S. taxpayers’ dime by accepting millions in tax subsidies. Photos & images: Courtesy Listen Up!

Activist and labor groups in Hong Kong show support for American musicians calling for Lionsgate to stop offshoring film scoring jobs on U.S. taxpayers’ dime

Hong Kong-based Students and Scholars Against Corporate Misbehavior (SACOM) and several other Chinese activist groups have announced support of the American Federation of Musician’s Listen Up! campaign calling to end offshoring film scoring jobs.

At an advance screening for “Step Up All In,” the fifth release in the motion picture franchise, Hong Kong campaign supporters distributed leaflets to moviegoers in both English and Cantonese that described how Lionsgate Entertainment is offshoring music jobs on U.S. taxpayers’ dime by accepting millions in tax subsidies. Continue reading →

Keeping the ‘Hollywood Brass Sound’ Alive

Vince DeRosa tribute album pays homage to the local living legend

words by Linda A. Rapka

photos by Bonnie Perkinson

In homage to one of the greatest brass players of the Hollywood Brass Golden Era, “Hollywood Epic Brass: The Vince DeRosa Tribute Album,” an album conceived by Kevin Kaska, debuts this month.

It was from listening recently to a massive number of film scores on which DeRosa played that Kaska hatched the idea for a tribute album. “I wanted to pay tribute to one of the world’s greatest brass players still alive,” Kaska said. “Many Los Angeles brass players have him to thank for the techniques he has taught.” Continue reading →

Roy’s Run for Christopher

Onlookers at the Burbank Tennis Center cheer on Roy Wiegand during his July 4th Run For Christopher, during which the trumpeter and ultra-marathon runner ran 86 miles to benefit families and children suffering from cancer. All photos courtesy Roy Wiegand

Trumpeter and ultra-marathon runner Roy Wiegand runs 86 miles to benefit families and children suffering from cancer

by Linda A. Rapka

Christopher Wilke, the inspiration behind Roy’s Run for Christopher.

Fourth of July weekend to most of us means lazing around with family, friends and BBQ. But for Roy Wiegand, the holiday weekend was spent running 86 miles in the blistering summer sun in memory of a young cancer victim.

In honor of Christopher Wilke, a 12-year-old boy who died of cancer in March, the trumpeter and ultra-marathon runner ran his Run for Christopher all the way from Angels Stadium in Anaheim to the Michael Hoefflin Foundation in Santa Clarita, all to raise funds to benefit the families of children with cancer as well as the children themselves, in addition to child-cancer research. Continue reading →

Notice to Self-Pay Medical Plan enrollees: Kaiser rates to increase Oct. 1

Please be aware that effective Oct. 1, 2014, Kaiser self-pay medical plan rates will increase. Enrollees will be soon be receiving a notice in the mail about this increase from French Cormany Insurance Services.

To review the new rates and access the updated member packet, please log in to your member account.

Boundless Resolve

Horn player Brian O’Connor received the Tenacious Bravery Award at UCLA’s Golden Portal Awards July 12, where the two-time brain tumor survivor performed two of the horn solos he originally played on the TV series “Star Trek: Deep Space Nine” and “Star Trek: Generations.” Photo: Vince Bucci

Renowned horn player, two-time brain tumor survivor Brian O’Connor receives Tenacious Bravery Award from UCLA Medical Center

by Marie Matson and Linda A. Rapka

Internationally recognized French horn player and teacher Brian O’Connor boasts an impressive career. He has recorded more than 2,400 films, numerous television shows and records during his career as a first-call L.A. studio player. He served for seven years as president of the Recording Musicians Association of Los Angeles, and taught French horn at UCLA for 11 years.

But most impressive of all is the strength and bravery O’Connor has shown in overcoming a brain tumor and surgery — twice. Continue reading →

AFM Local 47 2014 General Election Nominating Petitions Now Available

The next General Election of the AFM Local 47 Executive Board, AFM Convention Delegates/Alternates and Hearing Board takes place Tuesday, Dec. 9, 2014.

Nominating petitions for the upcoming General Election are available from the Secretary/Treasurer’s office as of Aug. 1. All completed nominating petitions must be delivered to the Secretary’s Office, in exchange for a signed and dated receipt, no later than Monday, Sept. 15, 2014.

See full nominating petition requirements and more election information on page 11 of the August 2014 Overture (member login required).

Hollywood Musicians Union AFM Local 47 Hosts 30th Annual Regional Orchestra Players’ Association Conference

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

PASADENA, CA (July 31, 2014) — The American Federation of Musicians Local 47 is proud to host the 30th annual conference of the Regional Orchestra Players’ Association (ROPA).

Each year, regional orchestra musicians from throughout the United States gather each year in a unique host city for an annual conference. A representative organization within the American Federation of Musicians, ROPA pursues activities conducive to the general welfare and artistic well-being of member orchestras and their musicians, and serves to enhance communications among those orchestras and with the AFM and individual Locals. Local 47 ROPA member orchestras include the California Philharmonic, Hollywood Bowl Orchestra, Los Angeles Opera Orchestra, New West Symphony, and Pasadena Symphony and POPS.

The opening ceremony for the 30th annual ROPA conference takes place Friday, Aug. 1, at the Pasadena Central Library. Guest speakers include U.S. Representative Judy Chu (D-CA, 27th District), Los Angeles County Federation of Labor Executive Secretary-Treasurer Maria Elena Durazo, and Los Angeles Alliance for a New Economy (LAANE) Deputy Director James Elmendorf. Continue reading →

#listenLA spotlight: Heroes in a Half Shell

Brian Tyler scores big on the new “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” movie

The latest reboot of the classic “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” film series boasts an orchestral score by Los Angeles composer Brian Tyler and a 70-plus piece orchestra contracted by Peter Rotter.

On the famed Eastwood scoring stage on the Warner Bros. lot in Burbank, the scoring sessions took place over several days in June.

Read more and check out photos from one of the recording sessions at listen-la.com!

‘King of the Honkers’ Still Going Strong

Big Jay McNeely made some of the biggest waves on the 1940s R&B scene with his screaming tenor sax and still reigns supreme

His mighty tenor sax squawking and bleating with wild abandon, Cecil “Big Jay” McNeely blew up a torrid R&B tornado from every conceivable position — on his knees, on his back, being wheeled down the street on an auto mechanic’s “creeper” like a modern-day pied piper. As one of the titans who made tenor sax the solo instrument of choice during rock’s primordial era in the late 1940s, McNeely could peel the paper right off the walls with his sheets of squealing, honking horn riffs.

Big Jay had been retired from full-time music for 20 years, but in 1983 he returned to performing and hasn’t looked back. He is still tearing it up at venues around the world and knows how to delight and entertain an audience of any size, from small clubs to stadium crowds. He speaks here with Linda A. Rapka about his incredible musical career.

You became known as “the king of the honkers” as much for your skill on your instrument as for your flamboyant stage presence.
“I first started playing in Clarksville, Tennessee, a small little country town down south. People didn’t respond to our music. After intermission I was trying to figure out what I could do, so I got on my knees and laid on the floor. The crowd went wild. After that I said lemme try this again. I laid down anywhere I could get the suit clean the next day. When I got to L.A. a couple sax players started copying my act.” Continue reading →

IEB Adopts Dual-Capacity Policy

On July 19, 2014, the AFM International Executive Board adopted a policy regarding dual capacity Federation members’ participation in Local and International union meetings open to the general membership concerning Federation collective bargaining agreements and campaigns. Read the full policy here.