Issue I: The Future is Unwritten by Center Stage

Issue 1 December, 2015

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“The Future is Unwritten”

Axel Audio

Marcela

David Rozenblatt

THE TEAM EDITOR IN CHIEF Angela O’Reilly MANAGING DIRECTOR Veronica Sanchez DESIGNER Christiana Kaimis TEAM WRITERS & EDITORS Kelby Khan Ulises Amaya

CONTRIBUTORS David Rozenblatt John Munro Marcela Alcala Samantha Oh

Search for CSMusicCenter Facebook & YouTube Center Stage Music Center www.CenterStageMusicCenter.com

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Cover Photo: Marcela Alcala of Ocho Ocho Ocho at Arleneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Grocery, by Sean Greenberg.

CONTENTS

6 Letter From the Editor Photo by: Michael Rathsam

8 Axel Audio: Customizable & personalized headphones

9 Marcela: from Ocho Ocho Ocho Photo by: Marek Marlikowski

Photo by: Samantha Oh

16 Songs That Keep You Cozy

17 Sit down session with David Rozenblatt

22 Backstage with Kelby Khan Photo by: Michael Rathsam

Photo by: Pavel Antonov

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LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

Photos by Michael Rathsam

First and foremost, this is a music magazine; written and published by musicians. From every stretch of the world music has played an important role in pop culture, politics, fashion, film, art, dance and traditions. Music has become a culture and a lifestyle, it certainly is for me. But, somewhere down the line, music has lost a little bit of its luster and timelessness and has become somewhat utilitarian. You can turn on the radio and hear the most popular song of the moment, and it will disappear from your ears in 6 months. “That’s old, I don’t listen to them anymore.” When did music become disposable?

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Center Stage aims to bring back the love and passion for creating, playing and listening to music. Music for music’s sake. Featuring interviews, video tutorials, interactive advice, reviews, playlists and art, we want to bring you the music and people who have the ability to inspire a generation of change and musical enlightenment. We hope to evoke and reawaken in our readers the passion and creativity that music can bring. Enjoy, Angela O’Reilly Editor & Author

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AXEL AUDIO

A Customizable and Personal Listening Experience Written by Angela O’Reilly

Axel Audio is a family owned modular headphones company based out of New York. Their vision and motto is to “return control back to the users” and allow the user to define the listening experience in both sound and design at a reasonable price. The most unique feature of Axel’s headphones are the personalized and interchangeable headphone speakers which they dub “Soundscapes.” There are three different Soundscape options: Soundscape Pure, Soundscape Core and Soundscape Deep (all which come in “on ear” and “over ear” versions). Soundscape Pure delivers a more refined sound that highlights the details in the music (perfect for listening to Classical/ Jazz and Folk). Soundscape Core is perhaps the most versatile of the three soundscapes as it offers a very balanced sound quality which works great for listening to a wide variety of music (from rock to indie to pop. Soundscape Deep delivers a very hard hitting bass heavy sound without being overbearing. For bass-heads, DJ’s and for people who need to hear that kick, Soundscape Deep is the perfect choice. If you’re not sure which Soundscape is right for you, check out their web application which imports your Spotify playlist and based on the music you listen to, will match you to the Soundscape which works best for you.

While personalized sounding headphones isn’t necessarily a new concept, Axel Audio’s customizable Soundscapes are by far the most streamline and user friendly design out there. Axel Audio believes that you shouldn’t have to pay more for different sound colorations. The different Soundscapes do not vary in price and easily slide on and off the sleek headband piece so that you can change your Soundscapes depending on what music you are listening to. You can also interchange the colorful silicon headband inserts so that you can essentially change your headphones to match your outfit or mood.

Photos by: Samantha Oh

@axelaudio

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Meet the Makers: An Interview With Axel Audio’s Creative Director Samantha Oh WHAT IS THE VISION BEHIND AXEL AUDIO’S DESIGN? “I worked in fashion before we started Axel Audio so style and design was really important. I went to Johannesburg, South Africa, to write my thesis on how the youth there are using urban fashion as a platform to discuss political and race issues. Through this I saw the power behind fashion and that people use it to discover their identity. I believe that fashion is a form of self expression and we want to be able to give people the option to customize their look, which is why we are offering different interchangeable color options. Our vision is to unite all of us in our differences, like you can be that country girl from Kentucky or that graffiti artist from Bushwick and listen through our headphones. We are offering so much choice in design and sound that you can all be a part of this with us.” WHAT WAS YOUR MUSICAL BACKGROUND GROWING UP? Growing up, my dad (Sam Oh: Co-Founder & CEO) would always play guitar and sing and that’s where we fell in love with music. My brother Kevin (Co-Founder and Director of Strategies) and I both began learning

piano at the age of four and then the cello in the 4th grade. Music has always been a big part of our lives. While we were classically trained in piano and cello, Kevin is also a self taught guitarist, singer and songwriter and he is doing really well in his own musical projects. DO YOU THINK THAT YOUR MUSICAL TRAINING HAS HELPED IN DEVELOPING THE HEADPHONES? Yes, I think it definitely has. Kevin had to test over 135 headphones and had to hear all the different nuances between them and his musical background helped him there. Also, we are so much more passionate about our project, not just because it’s our business, but because we have this personal attachment to music. We really want to showcase the beauty of music, wether that’s building community around certain artists who aren’t well known or just sharing this passion with the world. TELL ME ABOUT YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA PRESENCE. We’re doing a lot of instagram takeovers because we really want to build this artistic community. We want to get people from different cities to come onto our feed and showcase their photography and their story. What’s unique is that these aren’t just pictures of our headphones; the contributors are creating visual stories around the different Soundscapes so that people viewing the pictures can relate personally.

Photo by: Nik Schulte @aestetnik

You can purchase your personal pair of Axel Audio headphones at axelaudio.com

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MARCELA From- Ocho Ocho Ocho

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s What ' Marcela all about ? Written By Krispy

Marcela Alcala is the multi-ethnic, multi-faceted lead singer of the band Ocho Ocho Ocho. Her neo-classical look and sultry attitude have gained her notoriety not just in the Latin music community but it has also helped establish herself as a model and make-up artist. Even if you don’t know her music yet, you may have already seen her face. She has been featured during New York Fashion Week, on Makeup.com, AirbrushAction.com, and in Siempre Mujer Magazine. However, her passion has always been music and her evolution into what the band calls “neo-latin thunderfunk” has gained her a wholly new audience. The band’s upcoming EP “Marcela’s Quinceañera” is a nod to the fiesta vibes that fill listener’s ears and the sometimes riotous grooves this band brings to their performances.

Ocho Ocho Ocho has been in the studio over the summer working on a debut EP. I sat down with lead singer Marcela in August to discuss her musical roots, her style, and the making of the band’s upcoming EP. 10

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DO YOU REMEMBER WHAT THE MUSIC SCENE WAS LIKE GROWING UP IN MEXICO? I remember going to social parties such as weddings and quinceañeras and experiencing traditional Mexican music like banda, cumbia, and mariachi! I also remember the early 2000’s , when some of my top favorite artists got their break.

WHAT’S THE FIRST MUSICAL MOMENT YOU CAN REMEMBER? Oh my! I remember so many! I think mainly classical music and opera. I remember my mother dressing me up to go to the philharmonic or opera house in Mexico.

WHO WERE SOME OF YOUR EARLY INFLUENCES? My earliest musical influences were Broadway shows and old 50’s tunes.

ARE THERE ANY PARTICULAR GROUPS THAT YOU REMEMBER LISTENING TO AS A YOUNGIN’?

Photo by Paul Tkaczuk

Yes! Many! Some of my heroes include Natalia Lafourcade and Julieta Venegas. They are incredible and mix regional Latin music with modern genres. I also loved Café Tacuba, Belanova and lots, lots more!

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Photo by Chan Lin

" 12

We don't ever stay in our comfort zones.

WHAT DO YOU THINK IT WAS ABOUT THOSE SONGS, GROUPS AND MUSICALS, THAT DREW YOU IN? Natalia has been a huge inspiration for me. I think her lyrics really captivated my attention. She is extremely metaphorical and uses everyday things like fruits and furniture to describe life, love and so much more. She opened me to a new world of possibilities. She makes me feel that it’s ok to explore and write what resonates with you. She inspires me to be myself in music. And to love who I am in what I do.

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M A R C UT EP Q U I N C E L A’ S EAÑ E IS AV RA AI L ABLE

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WHEN WAS THE FIRST TIME YOU FELT LIKE YOU WERE MAKING MUSIC MORE SERIOUSLY? I always am very serious when working on a musical project. However, I think the best experience has been writing my own music and producing it, that definitely feels the most serious.

WHAT DO YOU ENJOY ABOUT PERFORMING? Everything! I love getting ready, hopping on stage, being surrounded by lighting, and being able to transmit our music to the audience. I like the challenge of letting go and converting all the nervousness and fluid energies in my body into a performance.

WHAT INSPIRES THE MUSIC YOU’RE MAKING TODAY? Mainly Latin music, because I am extremely attracted to it by culture and sound. However, another main inspiration for our band is the input and influences of my bandmates. All of their personalities and musical likes show through our music heavily.

Well definitely musical style! I no longer do Broadway! (HAHA) I think most importantly and cool is that we experiment with music styles and ideas. We do not feel limited or restricted to try anything, to go over any boundary or to mix genres. I think that is what makes us interesting and also what keeps us on our toes. We don’t ever stay in our comfort zones.

WHAT KIND OF BAND ARE YOU WORKING WITH NOW? Right now I am working with my band Ocho Ocho Ocho. We have self termed ourselves neo-latin thunderfunk, meaning that we are a very bright and colorful collage of Latin music swirled with other musical flavors. I think thunderfunk describes it well in the sense that we are a musical storm!

WHAT MAKES STYLE SO IMPORTANT IN PERFORMANCE? A while ago I met this band called Ay Balazo. And what struck me about them was their unique style. I was completely obsessed, not only are they talented musicians, but they have very interesting musical treats for their audience. Very similarly, Los Amigos Invisibles, another band whom I love, you never know what’s going to happen in each of their songs. Style is very important because it sets you apart and because it showcases your personality. Besides, everything that is out there is already done, so what else can you contribute? How are you going to surprise us?

Photo by Sean Greenberg

WHAT HAS CHANGED FROM WHEN YOU STARTED TO WHERE YOU ARE TODAY?

WHAT KIND OF TRAINING HAVE YOU HAD, FORMAL OR NON-FORMAL LESSONS? I have had both. I think you always need a formal base. You need to work on your basics and master them. Once you have that, you can incorporate non-formal training/experiences to add on to your base. Once you mix both, things begin to get interesting and you start finding your own colors.

WHAT DOES MUSIC MEAN TO YOU? Other than my family and those whom I dearly love, music is the one single thing that I am most passionate about. I don’t care about becoming rich or famous. I care about being able to do music every day.

WHAT’S YOUR DREAM CONCERT? I think my dream concert would be in Mexico. That is where my life and musical journey began and nothing would make me happier than to bring it back to my country.

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SIT DOWN SESSION WITH... David Rozenblatt is a drummer, producer and composer whose talents have drawn him to all corners of the globe and all styles of music, performing in the world’s most revered concert halls as well as intimate nightclubs. He has performed and collaborated with some of the finest talents in Pop, Jazz and Classical music, including Paul Simon, Bruce Springsteen, Elton John, Neil Diamond, John Legend, Usher, Alice Cooper, The Killers, Jennifer Hudson and Esperanza Spalding to name a few.

IN THIS SIT DOWN SESSION: Enhance independence and creativity through over the bar-line playing. Conserve energy and achieve speed through the correct use of the wrist and arm. Don’t compromise ‘time’ or lose the sense of the ‘groove’ while playing fills.

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David Rozenblatt lesson 1 1. Over the bar line playing in Rock, Pop and Latin Kick in groups of 3 played over snare back beat in groups of 2

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Add shuffle rhythm to ride

Groupings of 5 on top of basic samba pattern

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David Rozenblatt lesson 1 2. Kick Drum technique 3. When playing exercises, GROOVE takes precedent over all 4. Developing speed with the use of dynamics and rebound strokes

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Orchestrations 6

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7. Keeping steady time while playing fills R L R R >L

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Photo taken at Niagara in NYC

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BACKSTAGE WITH KELBY KHAN

Dear Kelby, How do musicians make money in today’s world? I know of a couple different jobs but I am wondering if there are any other opportunities to make some real money! -StarvingMusician27

Dear StarvingMusician27, Being a musician today can be difficult but there are indeed some occupations that can lead to making a very livable income. Here are a couple ideas that I’ve pursued myself, or that I know of! Teaching: While this isn’t quite a performing position, teaching music is a big money maker for many people. Teaching privately can earn you as much as $100 an hour (or even more) if you’re a well qualified teacher. (Having a degree helps). Teaching at a studio may pay less, but they are usually good with recruiting new students and making a schedule for you. (Studios pay around $20-$30 an hour). Nowadays, you can even teach via Skype from the comfort of your own home! If you have a teaching license you can land a public school job which usually starts around $30,000 and can lead up to $100,000 if you’re there for 20+ years. In addition, there are usually benefits and a retirement plan. Gigging: For many musicians, this is the ideal job situation. The tough parts about gigs are working late hours and sometimes for not a lot of pay. I’m currently in a couple of bands, one does originals and the other does covers. If you’re looking to make money playing originals, beware! Venues will expect you to bring a certain amount of people before you get paid, and to do this consistently is very hard to do. Make sure you’re heart is in your music, because you probably won’t get paid anything substantial at first. If you’re band is doing well and making money, then keep up the good work! Cover bands usually garner more cash,

just because of the nature of the beast. You can play anywhere such as weddings, restaurants, bars, parties, etc. A decent night will yield you $100, and sometimes even more. On the flip side, being in solely a cover band can be a little soul sucking, as nobody wants to play Whitney Houston’s “Dance With Somebody” over and over! Producing/Recording: Nowadays having a home studio is very easy to do. Technology is more accessible and cheaper (which is both good and bad). If you do good work and have quality equipment, you can attract musicians to come to your studio and record. This usually pays anywhere from $50-$100 an hour. If you’re really good, then you can up your price. If you’re into producing your own music, you can either try to blow it up through the Internet OR put it on a catalog and license it. What this means is that you can have a person or company pay to use your track. Some terms of agreement will result in you getting royalty checks each time your track is played on TV, radio or the Internet. I know of some people who wrote a few tracks that were used as theme songs on famous TV shows and now they’re millionaires! All it takes is one track, but with a market that is overly saturated, getting found is very tough. A little disclaimer though: make sure you know what you’re doing. Too many people these days think that buying fancy equipment makes them a legitimate producer. Having musical skill at an instrument and a possessing a good ear makes a good producer, and don’t forget it!

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- Kelby Khan

ABOUT CENTER STAGE Center Stage Magazine is a branch of Center Stage Music Center, a teaching studio in Westbury, New York. Since opening our doors in 2011, our goal has always been to create a comprehensive learning experience beyond what is taught in the classroom. This magazine is a natural extension of that goal and aims to provide an even greater array of musical knowledge for general readership and the budding musician. Written by musicians for music lovers, our desire is to bring all the diamonds in the rough to the masses and to inspire the next generation of artists, musicians, and listeners.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Music expresses that which cannot be said and on which it is impossible to be silent.â&#x20AC;? -Victor Hugo We want to hear from you! Send us your questions and comments and you can get some time Backstage. Kelby@csmc.info

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