Help Me Fund My Next CD: Saxtini
A Fan Funding Initiative.
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. Here’s a few songs that capture the essence of the vibe we’re going for on Saxtini:
Jeepers Creepers (Frank Sinatra)
There Will Never Be Another You (Sammy Davis, Jr.)
Are You Having Any Fun? (Tony Bennett with the Count Basie Orchestra)
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 (includes ‘Concert Weekend For Two In Nevada City’ give-a-way entry): 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 (includes ‘Concert Weekend For Two In Nevada City’ give-a-way entry): 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 For Two 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 For Two 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 For Two 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 For Two 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 For Two 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 For Two 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,
