T A X I R O A D R A L L Y 2 0 0 6
S c h e d u l e o f E v e n t s
Wednesday, November 8th
5:30pm – til close: Rally Registration – Grand Ballroom, across the pool deck on 5th floor from main building – make sure to bring your Photo ID!
6:00pm – til close: One-to-One Mentor Registration – In the Echo Park Room on the hotel’s 3rd Floor – Choose your mentor for Thursday’s session. Members only, please. One mentor session per member – first come, first served. Refer to the Mentor Bios sheet to help you select your perfect Mentor. You must already be registered for the Rally and have received your badge before signing up for your Mentor.
6:00pm – 7:30pm: Dinner – On your own. Check out all the great places to eat within the Hollywood/Highland complex.
7:30pm – 11:30pm: Open Mic – Grand Ballroom – Names are drawn at random to play in front of your fellow members and their guests. Members only on this stage, please. One song per performer.
Thursday, November 9th
8:00am – All Day: Registration – Continues at the Rally Registration area in the Grand Ballroom.
9:30am – 9:35am: Welcome to The Road Rally – Grand Ballroom – TAXI CEO, Michael Laskow.
9:35am – 9:40am: Meet The TAXI Staff – Grand Ballroom – Michael Laskow introduces you to the people who help you all year long and at the Rally: Chris Baptiste, Clint McBay, Cathy Genovese, Jonathan Thomas, Navin Watumull, Tom Stillwagon, Gint Gedgaudas, Tina Scozzaro, Emilie Maniquis, Tricia Arosemana, and Michael Caroff.
9:40am – 10:15am: Keynote Address – Creating Your Own Path To Success – Grand Ballroom – Not everybody is going to be a Rock Star, but there are plenty of other ways to earn your living making music. Hit Songwriter (50 million + album sales) and best-selling author, Jason Blume, will help you look at all your options! He’s an incredible speaker. You really don’t want to miss this!!
10:15am – 11:30am: Member Success Stories – Grand Ballroom – What did they do that helped them turn their TAXI Forwards into full-time careers and hit records? We’ll bet they’re not that different from you.
Michael Laskow (Moderator)
Elliott Park – Co-wrote Billboard #1 Country Song “I Loved Her First” by Heartland.
Matt Hirt – Created a full-time career in film, TV and commercials from TAXI forwards.
Adam Watts & Andy Dodd – A forward from TAXI led to a smash hit with Jesse McCartney and a string of cuts on Disney CDs that have sold millions.
Denny Earnest - Tons of film/TV placements with just acoustic instruments.
11:30am – 12:15pm: NSAI Legislative Update – Grand Ballroom – With James Dean Hicks and Ralph Murphy. The good folks at NSAI do a lot to make sure songwriters don’t get the short end of the stick when it comes to getting paid. TAXI supports them in a big way, and you should know what they’re doing for you.
12:30pm – 2:00pm: Mentor Lunch #1 – Hollywood Ballroom in main hotel building (Mezzanine Level - 2nd Floor).
1:55pm Sharp: Win A Demo Session With Grammy-winning Producer Michael Lloyd – Grand Ballroom – The audience votes to pick the winner!
2:00pm – 3:00pm: Why Do Things Seem So Hard? – Can't I Just Write What I Feel, Put It On The Internet And Let The World Find Me? - Grand Ballroom – Legendary producer, Michael Lloyd has more than 100 Gold and Platinum Records to his credit. He loves helping others become successful too – why not you? Acoustic Guitar drawing during his speech. Must be present to win, so bring your ticket stubs!
3:00pm – 4:30pm: A&R Panel #1 - Listening/Q&A – Grand Ballroom – Live critiques, music will be randomly drawn. Genres: World, Electronica, Folk, Blues, Americana, Jazz, Contemporary Christian, Gospel, and Rap/Hip Hop. You must be a current TAXI member to submit your music for this panel.
Michael Laskow (Moderator)
Fabian Alsultany – Director of A&R and Festivals, Palm Pictures Group (World)
Barbara Cohen – Cage Free Productions (Electronica)
Frank Fuchs – Grammy-nominated Producer, Wolfing Lumpkin Music (Folk, Blues, Americana)
Bud Harner – A&R, Rendezvous Entertainment (Jazz)
Michael Puryear – EMI Music Publishing (Contemporary Christian, Gospel)
Darius Jones – Dir. of A&R, Urban Music Capitol Records (Rap/Hip Hop)
4:30pm – 5:30pm: Composers, Trailers, Commercials, and Video Games – Grand Ballroom – We told you that being a Rock Star isn’t the only way to make money with your music! Learn how to turn your music into what we like to call, “Mailbox Money.”
Michael Laskow (Moderator)
Linda Kordek – Agent/Owner, The Kordek Agency (Scores for film & TV)
Jesse Goodwin – Music Supervisor, Seismic Productions
Mike Zarin – Sr. Director, Film Trailers and New Media, Groove Addicts
Victor Rodriguez – Music Director, THQ Video Games
6:30pm – 8:30pm: Dinner – Your big chance to check out Hollywood’s finest eateries. Remember, this is the town that coined the phrase, ‘Eat or be eaten’!
8:30pm – 11:30pm: Open Mic – Hollywood Ballroom (Mezzanine Level - 2nd Floor in main hotel building) – Night #2, names are drawn at random to play on the main stage. Members only, please. One song per performer.
Apple Computer Demos & Classes – Los Feliz Room in main hotel building (3rd Floor) – There’s a really good reason the Apple Store in your mall is always crammed with people – their products are just plain remarkable! You’ll never get a better chance to go hands-on with their awesome computers and incredible software than in this room at the Road Rally. Because of the support we get from companies like Apple, the Road Rally continues to be a FREE event. Please stop in and show a little love. The schedule for Apple’s Demos and Classes is on a separate sheet tucked neatly inside this tri-fold schedule.
Roland Presents – Mt. Olympus Room in main hotel building (3rd Floor) – Take your recordings to the next level! Get hands-on instruction and learn mixing and production techniques on state of the art recording workstations. Space is limited – signup at the Roland exhibit. Session titles and times posted outside the Mt. Olympus room. Because of the support we get from companies like Roland, the Road Rally continues to be a FREE event. Please stop in and show a little love.
One-to-One Mentoring – Thursday Nov. 9th only - Whitley Heights & Franklin Hills Rooms in the main hotel building (3rd Floor). A&R People, Producers, Hit Songwriters, and Industry Pros of all kinds will sit down and listen to your song, answer your questions, and give you real-world advice. Members-only, and by appointment only. Sign-up in the Echo Park Room (3rd Floor of the main hotel building), Wednesday Nov. 8th, starting @ 6:00pm.
TAXI Drivers’ Ed Classes – Thursday Nov. 9th – Saturday Nov. 11th - Located on the 3rd Floor Meeting Rooms in main hotel building. Many of our favorite experts will be sharing their secrets of success in these intimate “classrooms.” These have been a huge hit every year we’ve had them, so we’ve added even more classes for ’06! Seating is limited and on a first-come, first-served basis. See the Driver’s Ed sheet for class times, rooms, and descriptions.
Friday, November 10th
9:30am – 11:00am: Declaration Of Independents Panel – Grand Ballroom – Major labels not your thing? This all-star panel will help you figure out what you need to do to become successful on your own.
Michael Laskow (Moderator)
Tony van Veen – VP of Sales & Marketing, Disc Makers
Derek Sivers – Founder, CD Baby
Steve Corn – Co-founder, Big Fish Media, LLC
Michael Colledge – Vice President/Senior Financial Advisor, Merrill Lynch
11:00am – 12:15pm: Publisher/Film & TV Q&A Panel – Grand Ballroom – The role of publishers has changed a lot over the last few years. Some of them do what the Major Labels used to. Join us for this panel and find out what that is, and so much more.
Michael Laskow (Moderator)
Judy Stakee – Senior VP of A&R, Warner/Chappell Music
Jeff Freundlich – Co-founder and President, Wild Whirled Music
Michael Eames – President, PEN Music Group, Inc.
Ted Lowe – President, Choicetracks
Cassie Lord – General Manager/Executive Producer, Rescue Records / 5 Alarm Music
12:15pm – 2:00 pm: Lunch – On your own. By this time, we’re sure that you’ve made plenty of friends you can dine with at the fine establishments in the complex. Please stop by and visit with the sponsors as well!
2:00pm – 3:30pm: Publisher/Film & TV Listening Panel – Grand Ballroom – Randomly picked songs get played for some of the top people in the industry. Tons of TAXI members have signed deals and made some serious cash as a direct result of this panel! You must be a member to submit for this panel.
Chris Baptiste (Moderator)
Jeff Freundlich – Co-founder and President, Wild Whirled Music
Michael Eames – President, PEN Music Group, Inc.
Ted Lowe – President, Choicetracks
Cassie Lord – General Manager/Executive Producer, Rescue Records / 5 Alarm Music
Tanvi Patel – V.P., Crucial Music and Point Classics
3:40pm Sharp: Win an Alesis HD-24 Digital Multi-Track Recorder – Must be present to win. Name will be drawn at random. This thing is awesome!
3:45pm – 5:00pm: Living Legend Award 2006: Robbie Robertson - Michael Laskow interviews one of the greatest songwriters/musicians of our time — Robbie Robertson of the Band!
5:15pm – 6:30pm: MasterWriter Presents – Grand Ballroom – Find out why hundreds of the top songwriters in the world use this software to improve their songs. They’ll be giving away an Epiphone Masterbuilt AJ 500ME Acoustic-Electric Guitar (retail value, $1000!) Bring your ticket stubs – must be present to win.
6:30pm – 8:30pm: Dinner – OK, if you haven’t found some friends to hang with by now, you might want to check your breath mints!
8:30pm – 11:30pm: Open Mic – Grand Ballroom – Night #3, names are drawn at random to play in the Grand Ballroom. Members only, please. One song per performer. This is your last chance to say that you played a gig in Hollywood! Must be present to be selected.
Saturday, November 11th
9:30am – 10:30am: Singer-Songwriters Vs. The Radio – Grand Ballroom – Ralph Murphy (Hit Songwriter/VP of Membership, ASCAP) examines the “battle” between singer-songwriters and commercial radio and “how to win some, and why you lose some.” And engaging and insightful hour with a Rally favorite.
10:30am – 12:15pm: A&R Panel #2 - Q&A Only – Grand Ballroom – These are not the Ivory Tower Jerks you might imagine them to be. These folks are hand-picked by Michael because they’re likable and honest. Find out why they ask for “new and different,” but we still hear the same crappy music on the radio. This is going to be fun.
Michael Laskow (Moderator)
Guy Routte – A&R, Sony Urban/Co-founder, Renegade Media
Tony Ferguson – VP of A&R, A&M/Interscope Records
Kirk Boyer – Senior Director of A&R, Lyric Street Records
Steven Melrose – A&R, Virgin Records
12:15pm – 2:00pm: Mentor Lunch #2 – Hollywood Ballroom in main hotel building (Mezzanine Level - 2nd Floor).
2:00pm – 3:45pm: A&R Panel #3 – Listening Only – Grand Ballroom – The panelists and the audience listen to randomly drawn demos from TAXI members. Maybe you’ll be one of the lucky ones! Everybody sits in the A&R “hot seat” during this panel. You must be a member to submit for this panel.
Marshall Altman (Moderator)
Guy Routte – A&R, Sony Urban/Co-founder, Renegade Media, Inc.
Tony Ferguson – VP of A&R, A&M/Interscope Records
Kirk Boyer – Senior Director of A&R, Lyric Street Records
Steven Melrose – A&R, Virgin Records
4:00pm – 5:15pm: Hit Songwriters Panel – Let’s see… Kara may be the Top Pop Writer in the business, Dave is a freakin’ legend that’s always done it his way and been incredibly successful, and James has a truck-load of #1 Hits. We’re going to take what they’ve learned, and pour it directly in to your head!
Michael Laskow (Moderator)
Kara Dioguardi – cuts by Christina Aguilera, Pussycat Dolls, Jewel, Kelly Clarkson, Gwen Stefani, etc.
Dave Stewart – cuts by Eurythmics, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, etc.
James Dean Hicks – cuts by Kenny Chesney, Lonestar, Wynonna Judd, Blake Shelton, etc.
5:15pm – 6:00pm: Back To The Real World – Now What? – Grand Ballroom - Jason Blume Okay, we’ve spent the last three days together. You’ve learned tons of great new stuff that you can really use, but now what? We want you to go home with a plan. We want to see you on the Successful Members Panel next year. We’ve never met anybody better at tying it all together and putting a bow on it than Jason. Come to this, and you’ll go home with a lovely parting gift – a plan of action!
We hope you had a great time. See you next year,
and please travel safely on your way home!