Esteemed panel featuring Christian McBride, Camille Thurman and Andre Guess will discuss artistic expression, identity and the creation of marketable brands

Free and open to the public

On Thursday, June 29 , Local 802 American Federation of Musicians and The Council for Living Music will present JAZZ MENTORS 10, "Marketing Your Creativity," a free panel discussion headlined by renowned bassist-composer-educator Christian McBride, award winning saxophonist-vocalist-composer Camille Thurman, and career architect and advisory Andre Guess to discuss the relationship between originality in artistic expression, marketing, and the establishment of a brand in the music industry. The panel and discussion will focus on how to take original ideas and establish an identifiable niche in the marketplace, learning to use contemporary branding tools and media platforms and strategies for developing and maintaining a consistent audience.

Together, these jazz community leaders will draw upon their own career experiences while sharing advice, insight and guidance with emerging musicians, thereby addressing a neglected aspect of musicians’ career development. The informal setting allows for a free flowing exchange between the audience and artists, encouraging full audience participation and interaction.

Who:

• Bassist, composer and educator Christian McBride is a four-time GRAMMY winner who has been likened to a force of nature, fusing the fire and fury of a virtuoso with the depth and ground of a seasoned journeyman. Powered by a relentless energy and a boundless love of swing, McBride’s path has described a continuous positive arc since his arrival on the scene in 1989. With a career now blazing into its third decade, the Philadelphia native has become one of the most requested, most recorded, and most respected figures in the music world today.

• Saxophonist and singer Camille Thurman has been acclaimed by Downbeat Magazine as a singer with "soulful inflection and remarkable, Fitzgerald-esque scat prowess." Ms. Thurman has been amazing audiences throughout the world with her impeccable tenor sound, remarkable vocal virtuosity and captivating artistry. Her rich, warm sound on the tenor has led others to compare her to greats Joe Henderson and Dexter Gordon. An accomplished performer and composer, Camille has worked with notable Jazz and R&B icons George Coleman, Dianne Reeves, Dr. Lonnie Smith, Terri Lyne Carrington, Jon Hendricks, Pattie LaBelle, Chaka Khan, Louis Hayes, Russell Malone, Nicholas Payton, Jacky Terrasson, Alicia Keys, Lalah Hathaway, Jill Scott and Erykah Badu, among others.

• Andre Kimo Stone Guess is the president and founder of GuessWorks, Inc., an artist management and consulting firm whose client include: Darin Atwater, Aaron Diehl, Sean Jones, Christian McBride and Warren Wolf. Guess was the CEO of the August Wilson Center for African American Culture in Pittsburgh and also was VP and Producer for Concert Operation at Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York.

About Jazz Mentors

Unlike the performance, practice and technical components of becoming a successful musician, a strong knowledge, understanding and appreciation for the financial and business requirements of building a career is often overlooked by young intending to build a career. Though this knowledge is essential to succeed in the industry, it is often ignored or under-appreciated in our musical training institutions. The JAZZ MENTORS series is designed to combat this shortfall, and is an important component of Local 802's efforts to support the growth and cultivation of New York City's diverse and unmatched music environment.