Musicians For Musicians (MFM) Presents “Music Is Essential” ZOOM Roundtable Discussion w. Adam Reifsteck, Barry Heyman, David Newhoff, Jerome Harris, and Roger Blanc on the Impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the Music Industry
Date: Tuesday, December 12, 2023
Time: 5:00 – 6:30 p.m. ET
Venue: ZOOM – Ticket: FREE
Report by Dawoud Kringle
On Friday, July 8th, 2022, MFM presented its tenth Zoom Webinar. The theme was How to Set Up One’s Home Studio. The speakers were two MFM members whose qualifications in this area can only be described as exemplary: Adam Reifsteck (musician, composer, producer, owner of Teknofonik Records) and Jeffrey Green (musician, composer, Sweetwater sales rep, whom I interviewed for Episode 32 of the MFM Speaks Out podcast https://mfmspeaksout.
“We cannot be in lockdown forever with this virus…we need events…we need art in our lives, and we need interaction with art and with music. More importantly, music cannot be taken for granted. We can make shows happen in a safe and positive way for everyone involved.”
In this episode of the “MFM Speaks Out,” Adam Reifsteck interviews Brooklyn-based producer and powerhouse performer Anne Wichmann about immigrating to the United States from Germany and finding a home in the New York underground Indie Electronica music scene. Topics also discussed include the issue of gender inequality in the music industry and creating opportunities in spite of a global pandemic.
Anne Wichmann is known for her edgy indie Electronic Pop project She’s Excited! With an appetite for intelligent and genre-bending music of icons like David Bowie and Björk as well as grooving Future Pop and Dark Electronica of artists like Billie Eilish and ODESZA, she listens to music defined by limitless imagination rather than genre. This bleeds into her versatile style of edgy and dark yet sparkling Electronic Pop that she merges with empowering and uplifting lyrics. She’s Excited! is a solo project, yet Anne collaborates with singers, musicians, producers and artists all over the globe.
In this episode of MFM Speaks Out, Adam Reifsteck interviews singer-songwriter, DJ, and producer Flaviyake (aka Duck The Bass) about the importance of combining multiple musical skills to achieve lasting success, immigrating to the United States, the issue of gender inequality in the music industry, and the biggest challenges musicians and DJs face in the current digital landscape.
Flaviyake is a record label owner, Pop and EDM producer, songwriter, DJ and Grammy NEXT alumna with releases on prominent dance music labels such as Acapulco Music, Blanco y Negro, United Music Hits and SoundEvolution. Originally from Moldova, she started her music career by studying the flute and piano at the Sergey Rachmaninov School of Music in Chișinău. After spending a few years working in the London music scene, she moved to Los Angeles where she currently writes and produces songs for various artists. Her song “Lonely Seal” became an anthem for a Californian Marine Mammal Rescue Center.
In this episode of MFM Speaks Out, Adam Reifsteck interviews German saxophonist and composer Axel Mueller about his work as a musician and activist which led to co-founding a new union in Germany called Pro Musik that supports freelance musicians. Topics discussed include the challenges gigging musicians face in Germany that has only been exacerbated by the pandemic and the importance of coming together as a community to enact social and political change that uplifts the livelihood of all professional musicians.
Saxophonist & multi-instrumentalist Axel Mueller enjoys a varied career as a composer, arranger, and sideman for top artists in Germany. A graduate of Mannheim University of Music, he started the brass band Blassportgruppe with 9 other wind colleagues and began touring Europe with the cabaret act The Les Clöchards. In addition to touring, Axel plays in the horn section of the TV show Sing mein Song with the band Grosch’s Eleven, now in its 5th season, with artists such as Xavier Naidoo, Roger Cicero, Sarah Connor, Yvonne Catterfeld and Samy Deluxe & South African Sunset. Together with his brass colleagues Johannes Goltz (trombone) and Christoph Moschberger (trumpet), Axel has led the horn section for renowned artists such as Nena, Wolfgang Niedecken, and Mark Forster, which has resulted in 8 Gold and Platinum releases.
Visit Axel Mueller at axelmuellermusic.com
