Mark Maxwell, Saxophonist

One of my professional goals is to be an Endorsing Artist for the companies who’s equipment I use. My strongest endorsement, of course, would be for my Yamaha saxophones. I do, in fact, endorse Yamaha saxophones; someday Yamaha will endorse me.

In the meantime, here’s a great article written by John Wittman who is the Manager of Education and Artist Relations for the Band and Orchestral Division of Yamaha Corporation of America.

“Musicians performing at all levels consider acquiring endorsements at some point in their career. Some play with the idea; others move on it. Ultimately, it is the reasoning or motive behind one’s actions that determines success as an endorsing artist.

From the manufacturer’s point of view, endorsements are designed to help promote the credibility of a company’s instruments or accessories. They also exist to give the appropriate support to established artist and to help the company sell more instruments.

Ask Why

When someone asks a manufacturer that they want to endorse their instruments, they listen without interrupting until they are completely finished with their pitch. Then, after a long pause, they look you straight in the eye and say one word, which is one of the most empowering words in our language. They simply ask “Why?’

The artist’s response will ensure or quell any interest on the manufacturer’s behalf. If they continue talking about how good they are, or how close they are to signing that big record deal, or how they would be crazy not to sign them, then they’re invited to send a package and the conversation is ended as quickly and politely as possible.

If, on the other hand, the artist says that they love the instruments, have found complete freedom in musical expression playing them, and indicate that they will continue playing them whether they are endorsed or not, they continue to listen.

Be Professional

It is amazing that musicians will apply to several manufacturers at the same time. Consider the lack of credibility involved here. What does this say about their musical decisions? What they are really saying is that it doesn’t matter, musically, what instrument they play and that they are just looking to find the company that will give them more.

Musicians - get a clue. If you want to be taken seriously in the big leagues, act like a professional, make a musical decision, and stay with it. If you want to be considered for a corporate, musical, and personal relationship through an endorsement, consider the following:

1) Cast a clear vision for yourself: know who you are; determine your own sound; devote yourself to music … the songs, the group, the sound, your students, and your career. When you are making a living playing music and have something to offer others, then move on to number two.

2) Ask yourself why. Why are you asking for an endorsement? What are you willing to offer? What do you bring to the table that would matter? What attributes do you have as a person and as an artist that would make you invaluable to a company?

3) Do you have an established career in music? This is a yes or no question. Be realistic, as this is the real world. Some guidelines: how many thousand or tens-of-thousands of recordings were sold last year with your name listed as the main artist? Are you currently on a major tour? How long have you been in your current band or symphony? Of what college or university are you a faculty member? If you are still in college, stay focused on your music and forget about endorsements.

4) In order to merit clinic support, you must be a great clinician. A great player is not necessarily a great teacher or clinician. This is an important point. Before you ask for clinic support, have 100 clinics under your belt and make sure that belt is a black belt in the art of teaching. It is important to the manufacturers that someone who calls himself or herself a clinician is indeed artful and effective at this work.

5) Make yourself an expert on the company that manufactures the instruments you play. You show know its history, philosophy, current artist roster, and position in the market. If you want to be an endorsing representative of a company, you simply must know and respect whom you would be representing before you approach them. Study the company’s website and determine how it represents its artists. Do you fit in the roster?

6) Establish rapport. Introduce yourself at trade shows to the company’s staff without presenting a package or even mentioning the word endorsement. They assume, if you are talking to them, that you can play. Remember, many of the people working for instrument manufactures are fine musicians. Many of them would surprise you if you ever heard them play. In the endorsement context, you need to present yourself as a businessperson. They would like to know what it would be like to work with you…

7) Prepare a well-crafted promotional package. Your package should include a short letter, a biography, a recording, a photo, and the URL to your website. Take time and have fun constructing this package; it is your first impression. Do some background work and be sure your sending it to the right person. Get the correct spelling of his or her name, as well as that person’s correct title.

Don’t expect free instruments or to be paid money in return for playing a company’s instrument. Artist discounts will be discussed after your package has generated interest. Companies expect endorsing artists to play their instruments exclusively; to mention their companies at educational events; to thank the company for their support; and, when possible, to include the company’s name on recording materials. Individual companies may have other expectations beyond these, which will be discussed if they are interested.

9) Keep focused on the music while paying attention to your sound and to your business skills. Music manufacturers are, above all, interested in being represented by good, professional musicians who truly love the tools of their trade.

An endorsement relationship with a company is a privilege. It is a truly reciprocal relationship, which is based on trust and great communication. Endorsements do not exist to propel anyone’s career. Rather your successful career will propel endorsements.“

Help Me Fund A New CD

A Fan Funding Initiative. (This is where I ask for your help in funding my next CD.)

Dear Friends,

The music industry is dying a slow death - or at least morphing into something entirely new and different. The old-paradigm record company way of doing business - controlling the artist and taking most or all of their rights and power - is quickly becoming obsolete.

More and more we’re seeing direct fan-funded CD projects. It’s great marriage between fans and artists - I, the artist, get to do work I love doing, and you, the fan, get directly involved in my career as a patron of the jazz arts. Plus, as you will read below, you get some awesome gifts of gratitude from me.

So I’m reaching out to you, the music lover, the arts patron, and those of you who support the entrepreneurial spirit, asking for your support to fund my next CD project.

The project that you will be funding is called Saxtini. The musical saxophone martini: Dean Martin, Nat King Cole, Sammy Davis, Jr.; hollow-body guitar, vibes, upright bass, brushed drums; that hip, swinging, snap-your-fingers-on-2-and-4 style of music that sounds like a dry martini with three olives. (That’s my makes-my-mouth-water drink. Feel free to insert your own in that sentence.) Here’s a prototype of the cover:

Looks hip, doesn’t it? It will sound hip, too, believe me.

So here’s the idea summed up: I need money to arrange the music, rent the studio, pay the players to rehearse and record, have photos taken, produce the CD art, mix and master the music, promote the project, produce the CDs, all the things both large and small that go into the CD production process.

In return, I offer you, my fans, the following fabulous gifts and rewards:

• $10 - “I Like Your Music” Level: you get a free digital download of the CD when it’s released. Hey, that’s what you’d pay anyway.
• $25 - “I’d Like An Autographed CD” Level: you get an autographed advance copy of the CD before it’s released to the public.
• $50 - “Mark Thanks You In Print” Level: an autographed advance copy of the CD, and a heart-felt ‘Thank You’ in the CD booklet.
• $100 - “I Want A Saxtini T-Shirt” Level: an autographed advance copy of the CD, a heart-felt ‘Thank You’ in the CD booklet, and a commemorative Saxtini t-shirt in your size.
• $250 - “The After Hours Lounge” Level: all of the above, plus a lifetime membership into my virtual jazz club, the ‘Saxtini After Hours Lounge’. This is an exclusive section of my website where I’ll do things like: DJ cool podcasts; publish outtakes, alternate mixes, and interesting musical oddz ‘n enz that no one else hears; and general riff on the many ideas that I have that I think are cool and interesting and fun for you to see and hear.
• $500* - “Platinum CD” Level (includes ‘Concert Weekend In Nevada City’ give-a-way entry): This is where it gets really good. You’ll get all of the above stuff (including the ‘Saxtini After Hours Lounge’ access), plus the highly desirable personalized CD thank you plaque like this one:

• $750* - The “Talk To Me” Level (includes ‘Concert Weekend In Nevada City’ give-a-way entry): Exactly like the Gold Level except that you give me more money, and I’ll call you on the phone and we’ll chat about how grateful I am.
• $1,000* - “Write Me A Theme Song” Level (includes ‘Concert Weekend In Nevada City’ give-a-way entry): You’ll get everything listed above: the signed CD, the booklet “Thank You” credit, the cool t-shirt, the “Saxtini After Hours Lounge” membership, plus - and get this - I’m going to write you an original theme song, something you can put on your answering machine or show off to your friends or use on your company’s radio commercial, and I’ll name it after you (we’ll decide together what to call it). What would really be cool is if I get enough of these to make a whole separate CD. We could call it ‘I’m Your Sax Puppet’ or something like that.
• $2,500* - “I’m The Executive Producer” Level (includes ‘Concert Weekend In Nevada City’ give-a-way entry): You get everything listed above including the custom-composed theme song named after you, and you are now listed as an Executive Producer on the CD. This is a very prestigious title in the music industry. It means you move and shake.
• $5,000* - The “House Concert” Level (includes ‘Concert Weekend In Nevada City’ give-a-way entry): Ah, here’s where it gets really good again. You get everything listed above including being listed as an Executive Producer on the CD, and - fanfare - I’m going to come and do a House Concert at your house. Invite your friends, shake up some martini’s, roll me out, wind me up and I play for you till my lip breaks. This is actually a very smart choice economically because House Concerts are pretty common and it’s an accepted procedure to charge at the door and make your money back. I’d go for this one if I were you. Wouldn’t you just love to have me play at your house? (For more information about sponsoring a House Concert, Google it.)
• $10,000* - Sponsorship Level (includes ‘Concert Weekend In Nevada City’ give-a-way entry): You get everything. And, instead of me playing your House Party, I’ll bring my whole band to the function of your choice: Company Christmas party, summer backyard party, your wife’s birthday party, your parent’s anniversary, you name it. If this is a company contribution, I’ll consider it a sponsorship and put your logo on my website, promotional materials, and advertising. And don’t forget you’ll get a custom original Mark Maxwell composition/theme song named after you. And I’m pretty sure you can write it off as a business expense, advertising or something

*And finally, last but certainly not least, and this may be the most fun thing of all, anyone who contributes $500 or more will be entered into a drawing for the ‘Saxtini Concert Weekend In Nevada City’ prize package. On December 13 of this year we’ll be producing our annual Christmas Concert here in Nevada City. You’ll win a two-night stay at a Bed and Breakfast here in Nevada City where I live, two free tickets to the concert, and dinner for two at one of our fabulous local restaurants. That sounds awesome, doesn’t it?

And, hey, I’m open to any other suggestions you might have in terms of contributions and what I can give back to you. Let me know if you think of anything creative that you’d like me to consider.

The coolest part of all of this of course is that there will be a lot of great music generated from this campaign, and I promise I’ll make a great record for you: Saxtini! And, of course, I’ll keep you apprised of the amount we collect and how we use it.

Click the button below to make a secure Paypal or Google Checkout donation.

Or, if you prefer, you can send a check or money order to:

RSM Productions
PO Box 1328
Nevada City, CA 95959

Or, if you’d like to talk to me and contribute by phone, here’s my number: 800-627-5629.

Thank you, thank you, thank you for your consideration and participation. I deeply appreciate the support you’ve given me over the years, and I look forward to sharing my life and music with you for many more years.

Blessings,

Check out this very interesting interview with the great Frank Zappa:

The industry has changed forever, my friends. Frank Zappa saw it coming, knew it all along…