As an artist I catch a lot of the limelight, but I can’t create my albums just by myself. I could not do it with a team of supporting cast members, and I have one of the best. It takes many steps to take some songs from an idea I have to the finished CD the listener can enjoy.

Wolfgang Amadeus

It starts with the recording process, where I relied on my friends Greg Watmore who helped me with getting guitar sounds, Wolfgang Amadeus who recorded my acoustic guitar and lend me additional mics and gear I needed, and Eddie Brown to help me with arrangement ideas.
Then there are the players: Ricky Lawson, may he rest in peace (I miss you my brother), laid down some incredible grooves. He was always a step ahead at the sessions and new exactly what I wanted or needed on a track.

Ricky Lawson

Clydene Jackson and Oliver Brown have been my core band members since I produced their Gravity 180 CD. Cly’s tasteful keyboard parts and Oliver’s exciting percussion grooves are just a phone call away.

Johnny Britt happens to live just around the corner and was always ready to laydown a horn section, vocal or keyboard part if needed. Nate Harasim lives all the way in the Detroit area, but that did not prevent him from laying down some killer keyboard parts. Furthermore he took time out of his busy schedule to mix a track for me when I was under a crunch. Dov came by and did overdubs on violins and violas to create a live string section.

Nils, Clydene Jackson and Oliver C. Brown

Yes, I suppose anyone could have hired musicians and studio engineers to record and play the parts. But my friends came for the love of the music, and it’s hard to put your finger on it exactly, but I believe one can hear it on the recordings. Bassist Darryl Williams said: “I really love these tunes you have me play on” , “ and you made them sound so much better”, I replied. It’s the mutual appreciation of each other’s talents that strengthens our friendship.

Nils – Styling by Dion Julian

When it came to the album cover, my friend and stylist Dion Julian made me two custom suits for my photo shoot in less than 2 days. He would have just let me use the outfits for the shoot, but I ended up buying the suits from him anyways.

My friends at Pax Stereo TV: Meko Williams, Victor Allen and Mario Hemsley helped me with getting the word out about the new CD by putting us on their program.
Then there are my live band musicians like Tony Moore, Donnell Spencer Jr, Reggie McBride and Roberto Vally always go the extra mile and make sure the shows are rockin’. They brought their A-game when we performed our first two CD release concerts, and the raving reviews are the proof.
We also just shot video for Gravity180 and myself with film director Len Rosen, a incredible talented film maker and friend who just donated his time.
Life is great. It seems I have amazing talent available on tap. And for an artist, composer and producer there is nothing more valuable than that. These are relationships I nurtured over years, it takes work , dedication and mutual support. Now I am harvesting the benefits. So I am incredible thankful to all who helped me on my current project Alley Cat. This also includes Kathryn Bostic, Malcom McPearson, Reggie Codrington, Carsten Schmelzer, Eric Marienthal, Dave Rideau and I ask for forgiveness for anyone I might have forgotten to mention.
I might be the one on the front cover, but it takes a whole tribe. I could not have done it without a little help of my friends.
Thank You

Nils interviewed by Victor Allen at PaxStereoTV

Much has been said about the tumult in the music industry. CD stores are almost a memory of the past. CD sales have been declining, and even downloads are giving way to streaming, which pays the artist and the record label next to nothing. The old model of the music industry has been shattered.

But dear fellow musician, do not despair. I’ve seen the future, and I am telling you the future looks bright. The internet and digital file sharing might have killed the old way of doing business, but it opened a whole new avenue for us performers.
For one, Internet radio is slowly, but surely becoming the driving force in presenting our music to the audience. Now with new cars models offering wifi access, you can listen in your car, the office and at home to your favorite music mix. And I must say the selection is way more exciting than traditional radio, covering a wider variety of artists and fresh sounds.

Last weekend I did a TV taping at PAX Stereo TV an internet TV channel, run by Mario Hemsley and Victor Allen. My main reason for going was to create some new content to promote my new CD ALLEY CAT. As I mentioned in my previous blog “smooth jazz artist as content creator “, this is a new central part of my job as an independent artist. I have been seeing them a few times before, when there were maybe 15 viewers. This time we did some basic publicity on social media and had 500 – 1000 tuned in who then re-broadcasted the show to another 500 or more of their friends and followers. Internet TV and live streaming is still in its infancy, but the pioneers at Pax Stereo TV showed me what is possible.

The whole thing was very low key. I brought Clydene Jackson, keyboardist and singer extraordinaire and we literally picked up a drummer off the street who happened to walk in. Turned out this was Marvin Smitty Smith, drummer of the Tonight show band for 15 years. That’s just one of the perks about living in LA. We had a relaxed hang, talked about the new CD and played live a few of the new songs. We got a great response and questions came in from Hawaii to Australia. I immediately understood the potential.
With adding pay-per view into the mix, we could organize a party and invite fans all over the world to tune in at our house concert. The business model is simple: everybody could tune in to a free preshow. Then they would have to pay a modest fee to stream the actual concert live into their living room. The after show would be free again advertising a paid download of the concert for those who missed it.
The tools are available, the technology works. There are several platforms available and right now most of them offer their service with a free trial for you to check it out.

Nils Interviewed by Meko streamed through iPhone

Another great aspect of this technology is, that it is interactive. We had 4 live streams going, using cameras and cell phones. The viewer can switch different angles and follow interviews done by online personalities like Meko Williams or Victor Allen. Take it a step further and the paying viewer could place a camera into their living room and I would be able to see their party on a monitor and interact with them in real time. Anybody ready to have us perform at New Years eve in their living room?

I see only exciting possibilities, like cliniques, Q & A sessions or join our rehearsal.  Just let you imagination flow. And its all in the hand of the artist. Indeed I think the future is bright I gotta wear shades.

Here are some resources for you to explore

Streaming apps for smartphones:
Periscope
Meerkat
ANGL

Links to streaming services:

http://paxstereo.tv

http://www.numubu.com
http://www.dacast.com