Greetings Brian and everyone!

I'd like to share some very positive career and musical progress of recent months...

A lot of you who post here may remember me and my music from as far back as 1999 when I first began using the Internet to promote my music at the old MP3.com and other OMD sites on the web. As a life-long working professional jazz musician who plays and writes mostly acoustic instrumental jazz (non-smooth/pop jazz), it has been a great learning experience in many ways.

First, I actually had to learn some of the fundamentals of marketing my own art in a paradigm where acoustic jazz music fans are again in large minority. However, I found that there was and is an audience for my music online too.

Next, due to the Internet, I was signed to a real jazz label here in Kansas City and things have been progressing positively ever since for the recording artist aspects of my career activities. With the advent of the legal subscription and download services (Apple, Real, Sony, etc.) being available to any artist with a professional product, legitimate access to the music buying public was finally achieved.

Our label has since added more artists over the past couple of years (we started with just two - me and the founder), and has also finally secured a "brick and mortar" distribution deal for all of our released with an established jazz distributor in New York. This firm is very, very selective about what releases that they will buy from labels at wholesale to distribute to their retail store clients. It is a good deal and a good fit for our label and all of the artists on the roster.

The coolest thing about our label distribution situations (both, digital and traditional) is that we now have a similar reach of any record label on the planet - despite the fact that we are independents. As artists, we are now able to primarily concentrate on producing our art. We have also found that we are finally able to focus any advertising and promotional efforts into better advertising campaigns and marketing initiatiatives.

For our label, much of the above has culminated with the latest CD release by Alaadeen, titled "New Africa Suite". CD and download sales have been great; press reviews have been great; jazz reporting station radio air play has been significant enough to "make some noise"; and residual opportunities for the artist (and label) continue to materialize into tangible rewards.

So, I guess what I am getting at here is to say to everyone who is an independent artist and has been at this a while - DON'T GIVE UP! If instrumental acoustic jazz musicians can do it, anyone can!!!!!

Have a great day!

Peace, Cb

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