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Events > Molson Canadian Nova Scotia Music Week 2010 > Buyers Program
International DelegatesAlbert Marshall (UK) – Take-Two Interactive Software Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. is a leading worldwide publisher, developer and distributor of interactive entertainment software, hardware and accessories. The Company's proprietary brand franchises include Grand Theft Auto, Sid Meier's Civilization®, Max Payne, Midnight Club, Manhunt, Red Dead Revolver, BioShock®, Sid Meier's Railroads!®, Sid Meier's Pirates!™, and Top Spin. Licensed brands include the sports games Major League Baseball® 2K, NBA® 2K, and NHL® 2K.
Benji Rogers (UK) – Pledge Music
Benji Rogers is an independent musician from London England who has been making his own records since 1999. Through PledgeMusic Benji will be releasing his 5th independent record under the name Marwood. Born in London, but having lived in New York, Los Angeles and Boston Benji has variously worked in television and film, as a camera operator, and audio engineer. He has even run a bar in New York!
Cillian Stewart (Ireland) – Castlepalooza/Cherrycool Promotions Cillian Stewart, Managing Director of Cherrycool Promotions, leapt from his successful post in sales at Newstalk radio station after seeing a gap in the Irish music market. He created the Castlepalooza Music & Arts Festival in August 2006 as an alternative choice for music fans - the beginning of four popular years of entertainment at the enchanting Charleville Castle, Tullamore, IRELAND. In 2007, Cillian created the Irish Festival Awards for Irish people to cast their vote on the events in the Irish music calendar. Castlepalooza is always excluded but has already being nominated twice in the UK Festival Awards for 'Best European Festival'. 2009 also saw it being nominated in the European Festival Awards for ‘Best Small Festival’. Fraser Hill (CDN) - EMI Music Canada
Fraser Hill has been in the music industry for more than 25 years starting out placing stock music in film, television and commercial productions. He later moved on to become an assistant engineer at Eastern Sound in Toronto which lead to freelance engineering and co-producing; Red Rider, Tom Cochrane, The Grapes Of Wrath and Anne Murray. In 1985 he formed a music management company with partner Ed Smeall, where they co-managed The Northern Pikes for several years and in that time, along with his production partner Rick Hutt, co-produced and engineered several of The Northern Pikes recordings one of which “Snow In June” garnered them a Juno nomination for Engineer of the year.
Gary McClarnan (UK) - Sparklestreet Gary is a serial entrepreneur who started out studying Engineering, Technology and Design in the early 1980's, then moved on to photography. He contributed to the definitive Hacienda book, 'The Hacienda Must Be Built', and then joined the team at Mixmag, taking it from dj fanzine to leading club culture glossy. Alongside this, he turned a failing rock venue in Stoke, Shelley's, into a leading dance venue and took DJ Sasha from bedroom dj to national icon. In 1992 he went to University to study business and finance. In 1995, Gary started an artist management and event production company in Manchester and discovered dj Mr Scruff, who is still a client, and has helped him reach international fame, selling over 500,000 records. He's produced events for Adidas, Manchester City Council, Arts Council of England, the BBC, Jone's Laing Lascelle, PRS, Penguin and others and synchronised my clients' music to Adidas, Virgin Atlantic, Mastercard, Volvo, Lincoln, Pathe Films, Universal Films, BBC, C4 Films, Bacardi, Accors Hotels, BT and more. In 1997 Gary joined the Music Mangers forum board, later becoming 'Head of New Strategies' (1999), and contributed to the development of Mpeg4 and Mpeg7. Since 2001, he's been consulting for two software companies on fanbase systems, artist online retail stores and touring logistics.
Gregg Boggs (CDN) – Sony Music Canada
Greg Boggs began his career in New York City in the back offices of performing rights organization BMI. For a few years, he bounced between the Writer/Publisher Relations departments of BMI and SESAC, signing various artists from Spoon and Promise Ring to Kid Rock and Creed. He then took up with Time Bomb Recordings (Arista/BMG) as East Coast A&R, where he signed Canadian artist Starling. In 2000, Boggs joined the A&R department at Columbia Records in New York City, where he worked with lostprophets, Acceptance, Aqualung, & Robi Rosa, among others. Since early 2006, Boggs has held the position of Head of A&R for SonyBMG Canada (now Sony Music Entertainment Canada). Since taking over A&R duties for Sony Canada’s domestic roster, his signings include illScarlett, Ash Koley (whose debut album will be released this spring), and Crash Parallel. Boggs holds a Marketing degree from Richard Stockton College of New Jersey. He is currently based in Toronto.
Henning Ahrens (Germany) – Four Artists Booking Henning Ahrens started his career into the music industry in 1997 at Blue Star Promotion in Bremen. Within the first two years he used to work as an Assistant for different Booking Managers in the company. When Blue Star Promotion was sold to the DEAG (Deutsche Entertainment AG) in 2000 Carlos Fleischmann, Philipp Styra and Henning Ahrens moved to Ossy Hoppe's office (CoCo Tours) in Frankfurt. After a year they all moved to DEAG headquarter in Berlin. By that time Henning Ahrens already worked as a Junior Booker for Artists like Kylie Minogue, Muse, The Roots, Black Eyed Peas, Erykah Badu, Kosheen and many others. In 2005 he started working with Four Artists Booking Agentur GmbH in Berlin. Since then he constantly build his own international roster now including acts like Wintersleep, The Courteeners, Atmosphere, Brother Ali, Rich Aucoin, Art vs. Science, Philadelphia Grand Jury, Teitur, Asher Roth, Balkan Beat Box and many others. He does also promote two german artists. Culcha Candela and Sido. Both are signed to Universal Records and have Gold status with their current releases. Four Artists was founded in 2000 by the german HipHop pioneers "Die Fantastischen Vier". The company has a very strong national roster containing acts from different genres. The most well known artists are Peter Fox, Seeed, Die Fantastischen Vier, Digitalism, Clueso, Culcha Candela, Sido, Stanfour, and many others.
Jim Benner (UK) - MAMA Group
Kieran Hanrahan (Ireland) – Temple Bar Trad Festival Kieran Hanrahan is an Irish radio host and high profile musician, born in Ennis, Co. Clare. He began playing traditional Irish music on the tenor banjo at the age of fourteen, and had won the All-Ireland banjo championship by the time he was eighteen. Over the years, Kieran has helped found a number of traditional bands, including Inchiquin, Stockton's Wing, and the Templehouse Ceili Band. In April 2009, Kieran was appointed Temple Bar Trad Festival programmer. Each year Temple Bar comes alive a series of festival concerts and a rich line up of musical performances, workshops, high quality street theatre, family events and much more in a celebration of traditional Irish music and culture. The 2009 festival featured such luminaries, as Kevin, Seamus and Paddy Glackin, Solas, Moya Brennan, Paddy Keenan, the Tulla Ceil Band and many other renowned artists. The Temple Bar TradFest 2010 will run from 27th-31st January. Now in its fifth year the festival will hope to build on its previous success. Having won the coveted title of “Best Traditional Music Festival” in the 2008 Irish Festival Awards the sky is the limit as far as festival organisers are concerned. The 2009 Trad Festival was organised by TASCQ and sponsored by Bushmills and Dublin City Council.
Marigny Lee (USA) – Summerstage/New York City Parks Foundation
Marigny has worked for City Parks Foundation, a nonprofit organization which is the largest presenter of free performing arts in New York City for 8 years. She has held various positions within CPF (currently as the Artist Relations Manager in the music programming dept.) and is responsible for marketing, production and programming (specifically with Central Park & Citywide SummerStage, CityParks Concerts, and Charlie Parker Jazz Festival). She has also worked in artist management with the likes of the Gypsy Kings, Hugh Masekela, Dr. John, Gogol Bordello, Olu Dara, Cassandra Wilson, etc. with Impact Artist Management.
After gaining a First Class Honours Degree in Economics at Cambridge University, Peter Jenner became a Lecturer at the London School of Economics at the tender age of twenty-one. His career in academia lasted four years after which he left to devote his attention to managing an up-and-coming modern music group that had caught his attention. The band's name was Pink Floyd. He then on went to manage and produce Ian Dury and the Blockheads and manage The Clash, The Disposable Heroes of Hiphoprisy, Michael Franti, Robyn Hitchcock, Eddi Reader and Baaba Maal, amongst others. Currently, Jenner manages Billy Bragg's career and has done so for more than twenty five years. He is President Emeritus of the IMMF, a director of the UK MMF (Music Managers' Forum) and on the advisory board of The Featured Artists Coalition. Jenner has also taken an active role in discussions on future digital music delivery systems and payment to artists, in many countries. He has an overriding interest in securing artists rights and their income from these rights and has spoken frequently and publicly on the subject. In 2006, Jenner courted controversy with a seminal paper and subsequent conference called ‘Beyond the Soundbytes’. Here, he proposed an ‘Access to Music Charge’ that he saw as some small compensation for artists, in addition to removing the attraction of using unauthorised sites in the digital environment (such as Limewire and Pirate Bay). However he accepts that the Control of Copyright is no longer a practical approach and that the challenge has become getting appropriate remuneration for the digital use of music. For more details, see
Ryan McCann (UK) – Music Ally Ryan is both the editor of Sandbox, Music Ally’s specialist digital music marketing publication, and manages Music Ally’s digital marketing activities. Ryan was previously digital marketing coordinator at Rough Trade Records, where he managed a number of successful digital campaigns. As a writer he was responsible for all copy at RoughTradeRecords.com, artist press releases and also worked as a freelance music journalist for The Stool Pigeon. Campaigns Ryan has worked on have included Jarvis Cocker, Antony & the Johnsons, Super Furry Animals, The Hold Steady, The Libertines, My Morning Jacket, Micachu & the Shapes, British Sea Power and more.
Shain Shapiro (UK/CDN) - CIMA Shain Shapiro is an the UK and EU manager of CIMA, the Canadian Independent Music Association. CIMA is Canada's largest independent music trade association, representing over 180 members across the country. In addition, CIMA coordinates and maintains the Canadian brand abroad, producing showcases called 'Canadian Blast' globally at events like SXSW, Midem, PopKomm and others. In addition, Shain works with CIMA members to develop infrastructure Europe wide, while assisting European companies exporting into Canada. Shain lives in London, UK and is currently writing his PhD at the Birkbeck, University of London in music funding analysis part-time.
Steve Savoca (USA) - Domino Record Co. Steve Savoca is the global head of digital for the Domino Recording Co. His primary responsibilities involve driving new digital business, developing strategic marketing partnerships and managing the company’s digital infrastructure. Savoca is a music industry veteran with 14 years of experience in all facets of the business including A&R, project management and sales. But his focus and passion of the last 12 years has been online, where he has helped the evolution of digital marketing and sales. He has held senior roles at celebrated Warner Music imprint, Sire Records, where he started the new media department and at Zomba Label Group, during its teen-pop period. For Zomba’s winning Jive Records division, Savoca developed cutting edge online campaigns for super-star artists, such as Justin Timberlake, Britney Spears, R. Kelly, Chris Brown and many others. He played a key role in building the company’s digital commerce business pioneering initiatives with vital retail partners. At Domino, Savoca has secured licenses for the label’s renowned catalog with market leaders and innovators in digital and mobile commerce, including; Apple, Google, Nokia, eMusic, Napster and many others.
Steve Mayall is MusicAlly's mobile expert. He has previously worked as a senior analyst for the Informa Telecoms and Media group focusing on the global mobile media market, where he co-authored the last three annual executive reports on mobile music. Prior to that he worked in business development for the Somethin' Else group where he was involved in developing Europe's first ever music service over early WAP phones, and also worked at the MCPS PRS Alliance providing intelligence on digital music at the end of the nineties.
Suze Casey (CDN) – Calgary Folk Club Suze is the artistic director for the Calgary Folk Club. The Calgary Folk Club is the largest folk club in Canada, now in its 39th season. Suze books top talent from Calgary and from around the world. Besides being an exceptional place to play, it is also a good place to listen to music. There is no bar service during performances so the focus remains on the music. And it has grown into a social event. People have sat at the same tables with the same people for years. Some bring their own food and they decorate their tables at Christmas. And as with most folk clubs, it would cease to exist without the volunteers. It started with the wives and families of the band members, but grew in numbers and professionalism. Suze first attended as an audience member in 1978 and started by stacking chairs at the end of the night. "We've built a community," she says. "It's become more than the music. It's a place like the world should be, when you're here." Casey, a former schoolteacher, now works professionally in music. She learned her trade at the club. Past legendary performances include Stan Rogers, Rita MacNeil, Tom Paxton and Odetta.
Domestic buyers are: Paula Davis – Port Hawkesbury Civic Centre |
Jim Benner is the Head of Special Events at the MAMA Group. The London-based company recently bought by HMV promotes festivals (The Great Escape, Love Box, High Voltage, Global Gathering), manages artists (Crystal Castles, Kaiser Chiefs, Franz Ferdinand) and owns and operates venues (Hammersmith Apollo, Jazz Café, The Garage) throughout the UK. As well as promoting gigs and club nights including a regular night with the NME, Jim books the HMV Next Big Thing festival which launched in February this year and showcases new artists tipped for big things in the coming year. Previous to working at MAMA Group, Jim spent 12 years running all of the events for UK radio station Xfm including gigs with Coldplay, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Oasis and Paul Weller.
