Initiative to be Amplified by AllAboutJazz.com and JazzNearYou.com as Exclusive Media Partner
NEW YORK, NY / ACCESSWIRE / March 12, 2024 / The recording industry’s Music Performance Trust Fund (MPTF), a leading non-profit organization enriching lives and uniting communities through the power of music, is preparing to launch its annual initiative to sponsor admission-free live performances celebrating Jazz Appreciation Month (JAM) in April. Awareness for the 2024 campaign will benefit from the addition of media partners Allaboutjazz.com and Jazznearyou.com, websites which boast the world’s largest jazz events calendar and reach a combined 240,000 viewers per month.
MPTF Trustee Dan Beck commented, “We are thrilled to have these two dynamic websites involved in driving awareness to our admission-free live performances. Not only will jazz fans be informed about our Jazz Appreciation Month initiative, but they will be able to get specific information about the bands, dates, times, and places for these jazz concerts.”
Primarily funded by four major record companies, including Sony Music, Universal Music Group, Warner Music Group, and Walt Disney Records, the MPTF has also played a vital role in support of the music industry’s gig economy. The independently run organization has distributed millions of dollars in financial resources and grants, engaging professional musicians who are members of the American Federation of Musicians (AFM) to perform live in admission-free events across North America. Since its founding in 1948, it has distributed approximately $620 million (USD) in sponsorship money.
The MPTF formalized its jazz appreciation program six years ago, and despite the negative impact of Covid-19, it has grown rapidly. In 2019 the initiative provided 125 fully funded performances throughout the U.S. and Canada; that grew to 270 events in 2022. This past year, MPTF’s JAM events more than doubled again to 575 performances with grants totaling nearly $800,000.
Over 2,500 musicians participated in events in 77 North American markets in April 2023. In addition, 75 concerts were live-streamed free through the MPTF Facebook page. Combined, the MPTF sponsored well over 1,000 jazz performances throughout 2023.
Michael Ricci, founder and publisher of AllAboutJazz.com and JazzNearYou.com added, “Our primary goal is to give venues and presenters a platform to freely list their jazz events and reach a wider audience while simultaneously helping jazz enthusiasts locate and attend live jazz events in their communities. We will post dates for these admission-free performances on our website and we are thrilled to work with the Music Performance Trust Fund and support union locals of the American Federation of Musicians throughout the U.S. and Canada.”
Events will be organized by American Federation of Musicians locals to ensure fair compensation for all performers.
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About the MPTF: The recording industry’s Music Performance Trust Fund is a 501(c) (3) nonprofit public service organization whose mission is to support admission-free, live events performed by professional musicians throughout the United States and Canada. We seek to enrich the lives of the public, young and old, through music, and to contribute to the public’s knowledge and appreciation of music. We also seek to make music and music education an exciting experience, and to expand it to every child’s life experience. The MPTF was established 75 years ago by recording companies including Sony Music, Universal Music Group, and Warner Music Group. Interested parties may contact Natty Hepburn-Beaty, Manager of Marketing Services, at nhepburnbeaty@musicpf.org or visit www.musicpf.org.
About the AAJ: All About Jazz has been a pillar of the jazz community since 1995, championing the music as an art form and, more importantly, supporting the musicians who create it. Their enduring commitment has made “AAJ” one of the most culturally important websites of its kind, read by hundreds of thousands of enthusiasts, musicians and industry figures every month. For more information, contact Michael Ricci at mricci.aaj@gmail.com.
CONTACT:
Natilyn Hepburn-Beaty, Manager of Marketing Services
SOURCE: Music Performance Trust Fund
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