July, 2021 | VOLUME 6 | ISSUE 7
JULY 2021
Mike Ruggirello & Bart Mendoza
BY BART MENDOZA © MUSICSCENESD // MUSICSCENESD.COM
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SDTV SDTV
San Diego music fans has a new spot to check out news on local happenings; Music Scene SDTV. The weekly program mixes info, interviews and live performances, showcasing some of the best artists in the area. In addition to acclaimed musicians, weekly guests include behind the scenes folks, such as promoters, club owners, instrument makers and more for a well-rounded look at the local music scene. The program is the brainchild of
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national (and international). So with something like Music Scene SD TV, we get to be a part of an in-depth and systematic exploration of the music community in our own backyard...and San Diego really does have a tight-knit community.” He considers the timing to be good for a show like this. “It’s a time where artists are finally emerging from the lockdowns, so the new energy is bound to be explosive.” According to Berezetsky the inspiration for EnterTalk itself (and later Concerts.Cafe) really started with a simple question, “How the heck are musicians supposed to make a living these days?” “Both me and my partner Florentino Buenaventura are musicians and avid music lovers, and at the time were actually in a band together,” he recalled. “What inspired us to found EnterTalk was the realization that no one in the music business really had a clear idea of how to adapt to all the changes that swept through the industry. in 2015 we started a podcast called “The Changing Stage,” examining where the music industry was at and where it was heading. One podcast grew into twenty, podcasts grew into video series, we were producing livestreamed events, concerts and clinics and we soon had a whole media network on our hands.” A media network on the surface, that is. “Incognito, it was a massive intelligence gathering operation, mapping the Brian Witkin Johnny Vernazza Bart Mendoza
Casey Hensley
host Bart Mendoza, Brad Weber of newspaper publisher Local Umbrella Media and the projects heavy hitters, CEO Florentino Buenaventura and COO Paul Berezetsky, co-founders of Broadcasting & Media Production Company, Enter Talk Media.net. How do they choose programming? “First and foremost, we’ve created shows where the hosts are themselves highly placed music industry pros,” Berezetsky said. “From the most elite session players to producers, engineers, concert promoters, PR gurus and entrepreneurs. We´re talking cats that produced, recorded or toured with Santana, Michael Jackson, Earth Wind and Fire, Tony Bennet, etc.” He notes it’s pros talking with other pros. “So it’s conversations you don’t normally get to hear unless you´re backstage, in the green room, in the inner sanctum. And that was the idea - to bring the viewer or listener behind the scenes so to speak but also to always try and map out a path for success and explore ways to actually have a sustainable career in the music business.” Some of those same elements played a part in getting Music Scene SDTV on air. “What attracted us to the show was the opportunity to really dig into the local music scene of San Diego, not just the audience-facing aspects of it but all the goings on behind the scenes - the labels, the tours, the history, the technology, the struggles and the success stories,” Berezetsky said. “Although we have been involved in the local scene as musicians, community organizers and content producers, as a network our focus has been more LOCAL NEWS | LocalUmbrellaNews.com
signed the platform, the artists also get their own analytics dashboard where they can track their sales and splits in real time. We are adamant about keeping everything as simple and transparent as possible.” The various artist coffees include many organic, sustainably grown, single origin selections and unique blends from Ethiopia, Colombia, Brazil, Sumatra, Kona, Mexico, Kenya and Guatemala. We are also adding coffee subscriptions, so die-hard fans can support their favorite artist on an ongoing basis, while getting amped up on some of the most refined, delicious, freshly roasted coffee in the world. Some of our current artist coffees include prolific local artist Rebecca Jade, reggae legend Garth Dennis and Earth Wind and Fireś musical director Myron McKinley. What does Berezetsky hope viewers take away from the programs? “We hope viewers of Music Scene SD TV as well as from our livestream shows on Concerts. Cafe will feel a sense of rejuvenation and a re-energizing of the live music community,” Berezetsky said. “As well as an appreciation for the fact that local artists are still out there doing their thing, persevering and putting out creative energy,” he reflects on the latter. “If there is one lesson that I think everyone has taken away from the insanity of the last 18 months, it’s to not take anything for granted,” he
Mike Ruggirello, Wayne Riker, Emily Bartell
pitfalls and opportunities within the changing music industry, until a new paradigm began to emerge for us: If it’s becoming harder and harder to make money by selling recorded music but becoming easier and easier to reach a massive audience - the value is in that reach, in the artist´s brand and the loyalty of the fans. It’s just a matter of commoditizing something other than the music itself.” Thus was created Concerts.Cafe, a live streaming and on-demand concert portal, but also one where music artists would also carry their own gourmet, specialty, private label branded coffees - consumable merch that most people already love and purchase regularly “only this coffee is selected and crafted to reflect the artist’s unique personality and vibe… their flavor, if you will.” There is no cost or setup or carrying inventory for the artists. “We and our roaster partner handle everything. All the artist has to do is keep making music, stay hip, help promote and collect their revenue split. The way we de-
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said. “Music is an expression of life and, like life, it’s powerful and all-pervasive but also fragile and transitory. We hope that our viewers will keep that sense of appreciation alive, stay involved and engaged in the scene and keep supporting local musicians.” Upcoming productions from Enter Talk Media include rock-reggae favorites The Resinators, SDMA nominees Crucial Blend, as well as the Michael O’Neill Trio and Myron McKinley, keyboardist and music director with Earth Wind and Fire. In the meantime, be sure to tune into Music Scene SDTV each Friday at 6:30 p.m. for the latest on San Diego’s incredible music community. www.entertalkmedia.com
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