2009

JUMP

CD MANUFACTURING 

Ophelia of the Spirits (Grant amount $3882.50) Newtown, NSW Angela Little is Ophelia of the Spirits. Angela will use her grant toward the CD manufacture of 1000 full length albums. The purpose of the grant will not only increase immediate revenue through sales, but will also allow her to pursue other opportunities for growth – for example, the AMP (Australian Music Prize) which requires an album release for eligibility. Most importantly it will mean that Angela would have made the album independently, a great start to long-term self-sustainability. 

Outcome - "My mini-album 'The Secret Garden' was the culmination of a year of writing and performing with my amazing band, and The Seed really helped make the project a reality. 
Receiving the grant from The Seed allowed me to make my music available at shows and in stores with a beautiful booklet containing the lyrics which many fans have commented on. Apparently it is better to have both words and music! 
I could not have become a self-sustaining act at this point without the grant and it is a wonderful feeling to know that the money I am making from selling my CD's is going to be able to go back into making my project grow!" Angela Little
 

Maya Jupiter (Grant amount $4000) Croydon, NSW Maya Jupiter will press and package 3000 full length albums. The CD will allow Maya to generate income by increasing her profile as an independent artist leading to more bookings, broader distribution & paid guest appearances. Profit will also be made from CD sales & APRA royalties. This will contribute to Maya's development as an artist, furthering her career and enabling her to make music full time. 

Outcome – "I am very happy to have accomplished the manufacturing of 3000 4 panel digi-pak CDs that are environmentally friendly – printed on 100% recycled board. As well as 22 CDs in paper sleeves for promo use. Being the owner of the master and having stock to sell and distribute independently gives me a great advantage as an Independent artist. 

It is very liberating not to ave to compromise my artistic expression… I am extremely happy with the outcome of this project." Maya Jupiter
 

Ngaiire Joseph (Grant amount $1991) Ashfield, NSW Ngaiire will use her grant towards the manufacture of 1000 copies of a full length album. The CD will be sent to media, distributed through MGM and sold at live shows. This will put Ngaiire in front financially by being able to increase audiences and further the proliferation of her musical genre. A small amount of the albums will also be made available through online stores. 

Outcome – "Before I received this grant I was unsure as to what musical direction I wanted to take. Having so many influences as an artist meant that people could not identify me as being a particular sound. After months of work-shopping production, I've finally settled on a sound that is strong, commercially viable yet still defines me and what I stand for. 

Without this grant I would not have been able to manufacture my CDs and communicate my direction to people as well as deliver new music to a fresh and broader audience." Ngaire Joseph
 

Tha Deadly Boyz (Grant amount $1342) Mount Marker, SA Stinga T and Big Sexy are Adelaide / Perth rap duo Tha Deadly Boyz. TDB will use their Jump Grant to manufacture a run of 500 copies of their upcoming second album. The album will allow TDB to reach a wider audience and the profit from album sales will help further TDB's promotion by enabling them to make music videos, future albums and more touring. 

TOURING 

Buddy Knox Blues Band WA tour (Grant amount $4000) Tamworth, NSW Buddy Knox plans to tour Western Australia in conjunction with his appearance at the Bridgetown Blues Festival. The tour will take place in November and December 2009 and Buddy hope to raise his national profile as a dedicated and professional Blues artist. The success of the tour will be quantified by audience attendance and CD sales at gigs. 

Outcome – "My Victorian Tour to Melbourne is one of the best things I've done with my blues gigs. I had the opportunity to go interstate and play at Federation Square in The Atrium, with the tour highlight being 'The Bluestrain' without any doubt! The whole experience was great and I hope to be able to do it again sometime. Thank you for the support." Buddy Knox 

Ajak Kwai Womex (Grant amount $4000) Northcote, VIC Ajak Kwai will attend Womex in Copenhagen to promote herself, create new markets, seek CD distribution and touring opportunities. She will then travel to Chile following an invitation from established Chilean musician Nano Stern to collaborate on new music with both him & Australian / Chilean musician Pin Rada, While in Chile, Ajak will perform, promote & distribute her current release. By undertaking this project, Ajak intends to create a new sound in the Australian world music market. 

Outcome – "There is now way I could've built the network I now have, without The Seed grant. Going to Womex in Copenhagen and then to Chile was a very big step for my music career and the performances from around the world I was able to see, were very inspiring. From the shows I played, I've been asked to perform at the Women Festival in Vanuatu and have interest from festivals and booking agents in Helsinki, Tokyo and the UK. Big thanks to The Seed, I couldn't have done it without you!" Ajak Kwai 

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Miriam Lieberman (Grant amount $4000) Bondi, NSW Miriam Lieberman is going to travel to Mali, West Africa to study Kora under the guidance Toumani Diabate, one of the foremost Kora players in the world. Miriam is seeking to further develop and hone her technical and rhythmical skills (both instrumentally and vocally), as well as improve her kora playing melodically. She will acquire an understanding of the context within which kora music was developed, which will greatly enhance singing and playing of the kora in the West African style. 

Outcome - "Spending three months living in Mali deepening my knowledge of the kora- 21 stringed African harp, has been a life changing experience. I feel so fortunate to have had the opportunity to study under Toumani Diabate taking notes from the master. Learning first hand of the rich traditions of West African music has made a huge impact on the quality of my playing and inspired me to write many new compositions. I want to thank the JB Seed for giving me this opportunity to fulfill a dream." Miriam Lieberman 

Rob Imeson (Grant amount $2070) Yamba, NSW Rob Imeson will attend the CMAA Australian College of Country Music. The college has an intensive, two-week residential program, held at the fully-equipped Calrossy School in Tamworth, NSW. The college prides itself on developing and enhancing each student's own area of need. Specialist tuition is delivered in the areas of songwriting, vocal technique and delivery, business, management and marketing studies, personal and performance techniques, instrumental technique and music theory. 

Outcome – "Being the oldest student (34years) and one of the least musically endowed was certainly a challenge for me at the college. I had to learn fast and at times, I felt a little overawed. However, the two weeks will be up there with some of the most memorable in my life. I made some great friends, and learned an enormous amount about what it takes to make it in the music industry. 

Daily subjects included: marketing, publishing, video production, independent music, producers view points, music theory, songwriting workshops, radio in country music. Night time masterclasses of: vocal technique, harmonica playing, rhythm guitar, fingerpicking guitar, performance technique. We performed on two occasions in front of a warm, country crowd which was a lot of fun. 

The College highlighted to me that Country music is not just songs of the drought, sung by cowboys with big hats – it's a very open genre that encompasses many different styles with a focus on themes about our country, our land, our people." Rob Imeson
 

Tim Clarkson (Grant amount $4000) Kirribilli, NSW Tim Clarkson will travel abroad to New York to study Mark Turner's ground-breaking development of Post-Coltrane harmony and improvisation using polytonality in improvisation on the saxophone. His harmonic techniques are a powerful influence on his own musical development. Turner uses a unique system of playing polytonally. He is known as one of the best in the world and an outstanding educator. 

MARKETING

Sierra Fin (Grant amount $4000) Stanmore, NSW Sierra Fin will use their grant to work with a publicist and photographer to promote an album release and corresponding tour. The result will be increased revenue through higher album and ticket sales. Sierra Fin also hope to gain interest from industry professionals for future projects and advice, mainly publishers to lineup a publishing deal. 

The Casio Brothers (Grant amount $3842) Abbottsford, VIC The Casio Brothers and Demolition B-Girl will market and promote themselves with a CD / DVD, brochures and online material to schools, councils, festivals and events around Australia. They hope that this round of marketing will create full time work as self-sustaining musicians, create revenue towards recordings and give the band the financial ability to support disadvantages kids and communities in Australia with music programs, workshops and tuition. 

Outcome – "The whole process – from the marketing research, applying for The Seed grant, the creation of our first live DVD and then putting the plan into motion – has been incredibly valuable to me and I have learned a lot about whit it means to manage an up and coming kids act. The ball is well and Truly rolling and I feel we've stepped into a more professional mindset that will continue to keep us focused on creating full time employment as musicians / performers." Zane Beck – Manager

MANAGEMENT WORKSHOP

The management workshop aims to address the lack of practical strategies when managing a band or performer in the early phase of their career. This workshop brings together a group of significant professionals in the music industry, including Philip Stevens, Correne Wilkie, John Watson, Brett Oaten, Simon Moor, Sebastian Chase, Sally Howland and Russell Thomas to name just a few! All of these representatives from the music industry will share their knowledge and offer strategic advice on ways to enhance performers' opportunities in the music industry. The Management Workshop will be delivered as a three day intensive, including customised personal advice. Of the 99 applications received we are happy to announce the following successful participants in this year's workshop:

Abby Gee manages Blues and Roots act Liz Stringer. Abby has overseen Liz record two full length albums, secured support slots for her with acts such as Mia Dyson, Jen Cloher, Ash Grunwald and play numerous festival slots. Abby will assist Liz will embark on her first US tour in the not too distant future. VIC 

- "the standard and programming of the workshop was exceptional. " 

Anita George is a natural story teller, evocative folk singer / songwriter and truly independent artist. George honed her craft over several years of touring festivals and venues across Australia and Canada including NXNE Festival (Canada) and will soon release her second full length album, followed by a national tour of Australia. TAS 

- "It was fantastic, thanks so much for the opportunity" 

Anto Skene currently manages two garage rock bands – The Jacknives and The Once Overs. The Jacknives have independently released three CDs and shared the stage with the likes of The Misfits, Nekromantix, The Horrorpops, The Fireballs and Slim Jim Phantom. Anto will soon assist The Jacknives release their fourth CD, sales of which will fund their first Japanese tour! VIC 

- "Thank you, thank you, thank you. I was quite lost and uninspired by my new chosen career path before I came to the Blue Mountains but now see everything so clearly and feel so on-track again. Nice work guys." 

Ben Preece manages two acts, The Hungry Kids of Hungary and Tara Simmons. All three acts have garnered national radio airplay and have successfully toured Australia several times over, playing headline shows, support slots and making festival appearances. Ben will guide his acts through the recording and touring process whilst constantly reaching out to new audiences. QLD 

- "You cats are pretty darn incredible. When is the reunion?" 

Clara Iaccarino manages indie-pop act Fergus Brown. Fergus' music has featured prominently on US TV and he has already performed with Martha Wainwright, Jens Lekman, Sarah Blasko and New Buffalo. He was also the winner of the John Lennon Songwriting Competition, an emerging artists award scheme overseen by the Lennon Foundation in New York City. Clara is looking to connect and learn with likeminded independent managers at the workshop. NSW 

- "THANK YOU! Not only was this one of the best weeks of my life, it has truly shaped me personally and I will never forget the impact of the management workshop." 

Dallas Frasca manages herself and describes herself as a modern day troubadour. She is an energetic and remarkable live performer. In 2005 she won Triple J's 'Light Your Fuse' competition and from there she has played many of the major festivals in Australia and abroad including Bluesfest, Falls Fest, Pyramid Rock, International Earth Day in Montreal among others. VIC 

- "Perfection!! Everything about the course was bloody perfect, thank you from the bottom of my heart for having me!" 

Elana Stone manages her band of the same name. They have toured Europe, traveling through 6 different countries, won the Musicoz competition and have recently had high rotation on Triple J. Elana Stone will build her bands fan base by releasing new album 'Your Anniversary' followed by national tour of Australia. NSW 

- "I found the whole experience to be completely invaluable and amazing. Thank you so much" 

Emma Haslam manages up and coming indie rock band The Shiny Brights. In a very short space of time the Shiny Brights have supported bands such as The Living End, The Vines and The Grates and have appeared at Parklife, Big Day Out and Fuse Festival. The band was also invited to play CMJ showcase festival in new York. Emma hopes to leave the workshop with inspiring ideas and a clear vision of what's ahead for the band. SA 

- "As soon as I get to the level where I'm financially stable I want to be able to give back to this amazing program. Thanks a million for the opportunity and I really hope that it can be available for Australian managers for years to come." 

Jade Masters manages and plays drums for Indigenous group The Yabu Band. The band have performed for the Prime Minister and Premier of WA, appeared on national TV and have just released their debut album 'Gundulla – We Dance.' Jade is looking for ways The Yabu Band can travel the country passing their knowledge and stories onto a greater audience. WA 

- "Above all, it was the most amazing thing I have ever done. Thanks for inviting me and selecting me as a manager." 

Jess Ribeiro is a singer / songwriter and also manager for her band Jess Ribeiro and The Bone Collectors. Since the band's formation, they have toured the country and had national radio airplay on Triple J, picking up an unearthed spotlight and New Crop Artist feature along the way. Jess is looking for inspiration and ideas to release, promote and tour her band's debut album. NT 

- "It was amazing information and the speakers were inspiring- I feel really excited about the future of myself and my band" 

Kristy Brown is label manager of Sub Continental Dub Company and dubstep act Westernsynthetics. With national radio airplay, several single releases, high profile supports and festival slots, Kristy would like to see Westernsynthetics become more recognized on a global scale. The workshop will be a catalyst for her to generate new management ideas, receive guidance & support which in turn will benefit her artist. NSW 

- "Overall it was an excellent course and an even better experience. The support I received from fellow participants, speakers, facilitators and the very caring JB team were beyond my expectations. The relationships that were developed and continue to develop as a result of the course are completely invaluable to me. The JB Seed is an experience that will continue to shape me as a music industry professional long into my career and I am so thankful for being a part of the course." 

Laura Kelly manages acoustic act Paul Appelkamp. Paul has toured the east coast and had three previous releases, which has established a loyal fan base of listeners. Paul will continue touring Australia extensively, building his fan base and aims to achieve triple J airplay in the near future. Cronulla, NSW 

- "I have learnt so much in 4 days and I am so grateful and honoured to have met so many beautiful, inspiring talented, driven, focused and amazing and down to earth people! I hope I can put all I have learnt to good use and help to get the amazing music we have in Australia out there, whilst possessing those same qualities!" 

Luke Penman is the manager of electro-pop duo Radio Spectacular!!! Luke and the band have secured a licensing agreement for national television airplay. Now they look toward touring interstate on the back of the release of their third EP. NSW 

- "I can't thank you enough. I feel like I've actually moved from being "some guy who's passionate about music and working with a band he thinks has potential" to "Artist Manager". The JB Seed seems to have clarified everything I was confused about, and set me on a path to become a professional in the music industry." 

Maxine Harman manages punk rock band Asleep In The Park. Maxine has overseen several releases and international tours. Maxine wishes to grow Asleep In The Park's Australian fan base and gain new ideas to cover ground costs for future touring in Australia and overseas. VIC 

- "I think you've nailed a winning formula" 

Michael Correa manages Colombian Roots band Watussi. The group have toured internationally and their debut album has been nominated for an ARIA award. Watussi will record their second album on return to Australia. NSW 

- "It was personally a very successful week and I am very glad I was chosen to participate" 

Mihirangi Fisher is a self-managed soul singer / songwriter. Mihirangi has had five releases and has toured all over the world playing the festival circuits. Mihirangi is currently building an independent label with more recording and international tours ahead. NSW 

- "I love you guys! Thank you soooooo much! I sincerely wish I could come back every year and be a fly on the wall… I sincerely can't thank you all enough and I wish you all the love and generosity that you have shown us. Noho ora mai ite tirohanga Atua!" 

Ngaire Joseph manages and fronts nu-soul band NGAIIRE. Rolling Stone has named her as an artist "to look out for" and has she has also appeared in the ARIA charts through her featured vocals on a Paul Mac track. Extensive touring is on the horizon for this emerging artist. NSW 

- "Thank you guys, for creating something that's only bringing our community closer together. Thanks for allowing me to be a part of such a ridiculously amazing 3 days." 

Rachel Davison manages two electro-pop acts The Transients and Brash and Sassy. The Transients were named Artist of the Year at the 2008 MusicOz Awards. Brash and Sassy have played festival slots at Parkliffe and The Big Day Out. Rachel will take both bands from being WA-based to being recognized on a national level. WA 

- "It really was fantastic." 

Sarah Heald manages Charles Du Cane. Charles has performed at Falls Festival after winning a Triple J Unearthed competition and has toured extensively since. Next year Sarah will oversee the promotion and release of Charles Du Cane's second album. TAS 

- "Eternal gratitude for the opportunities, networking, friendships and relationships made personally and professionally. This is otherwise so difficult for regional artists/managers… I didn't want to leave!" 

Sarah Patrick manages hip-hop act Indigenous Intrudaz. The Duo have won a MusicOz Award for the Best Indigenous Hip Hop Group. Sarah will be guiding the Indigenous Intrudaz through the release of their debut EP – Letcha Know. QLD 

- "You couldn't have done any one thing better." 

Skye Riggs is the manager of alt-folk artist Vorn Doolette. Vorn has supported the likes of Lior and Kate Miller-Heidke and released his debut album to critical acclaim. Vorn will continue to build audiences by touring Australia. VIC 

- "It was pretty damn amazing, you guys are awesome and a total inspiration! thanks also to everyone who contributed their time and money." 

Stew Riddle plays in and manages art-rockers Drawn From Bees. The band write, record and release a new batch of music every six months and have enjoyed support from independent radio stations around the country. Writing, recording and touring are on the cards in the near future. QLD 

- "Thank you so much for the opportunity to be involved with your management workshop program. I feel very honoured to have been able to participate in such a worthwhile experience, making a stack of new friends and undergoing a huge learning curve, all in the space of a handful of days! I will be recommending your workshop to all of my industry friends." 

Tim McArtney is a self managed folk-pop artist playing under the name mcArtney. After the release of his debut EP, mcArtney's 'Circles' won best song on an Australian music sampler at MUSEXPO in Los Angeles. Tim will soon release his second EP. NSW 

- "I thought it was brilliant." 

ART FOR THE PUBLIC

3CR Mural (Grant amount $5000) Melbourne, VIC Three local Melbourne artists Bindi Cole, Tom Sevil and Reko Rennie will create a mural on the exterior walls of community radio station 3CR. The radio station was established in 1976 to provide a voice for those denied access to the mass media, particularly the working class, women, Indigenous people and the many community groups and community issues discriminated against in and by the mass media. The station is situated in Melbourne's inner city in an area rich in cultural diversity and the mural will reflect this history, as well as the role of 3CR as a hub of community activism.

Outcome - "It was fantastic to have the support from The Seed in this creative cultural project. We have created an amazing mural across the front and down the side wall of the 3CR building at 21 Smith Street, Fitzroy. The mural contains painted artwork, stencils, paste ups, two light boxes, a vinyl photographic sticker window image, a garden installation and hopefully one day a neon sign" Juliet Fox, 3CR Special Projects Co-ordinator 

Youth Express (Grant amount $5000) Pymble, NSW Ku-ring-gai Council (Youth Services) will run a public art project where young local artists are commissioned to develop public art. This will be a collaborative project which will maximise youth participation and create a sense of ownership. The project will engage artists who; display a high level of commitment, can demonstrate artistic ability, have an understanding of the planning required for such a project and are willing to work together to deliver a good community outcomes. 
 

Outcome - "To be able to provide young people with such great opportunity is a privilege. I was able to watch and encourage their growth as artists and as young adults. The pride in what they have accomplished and the confidence they have developed are just some of the many great outcomes of a project like this, I really believe public art is a powerful way to send out positive messages to the community." Jenna Bloom, Project Co-ordinator 

Monday 21 (Grant amount $5000) West Preston, VIC Monday 21 is a billboard size (12 X 3.5 m) digital photograph of an entry in the artists sister's diary at 9 years old during "The Troubles" in Northern Ireland. The normalisation of daily violence is highlighted by a child's acute awareness of their absence on Monday 21 – "today people blew up nothing". The project will be to tour the existing billboard installing it in public sites during the summer of 2009/10. 

Evolution Videowall (Grant amount $5000) Middle Park, VIC Safari Team and the 2010 Next Wave Festival present "Evolution Videowall" – a series of imaged lightboxes which will be installed in a linear sequence in a section of underground train tunnel in the Melbourne City Loop. These lightboxes will be placed in such a way that a short animation-like image sequence (videowall) can be viewed through the window of a moving train. The resulting "videowall" will be of 20-40 seconds in length. 
 

Outcome – "Being involved in this project was a huge learning curve. Collaborating with technicians, architects and engineers was extremely educational." Lillian O'Neil

"For me, being involved in this project was a valuable professional development experience. Undertaking a public art project for the first time, I learnt new important new skills such as dealing with the logistics, organizing and financing of a large- scale arts projects, in addition to experimenting with new multi-channel video technology." Jon Oldmeadow

"Throughout the project we managed to pull together a support network of architects, engineers, builders and artists to make sure it went to plan. I think that through this collaborative experience I've attained valuable logistical skills and learned about just how much work goes into public art." Blaine Cooper


Abstract Intervention (Grant amount $5000) East Melbourne, VIC. Rowena Martinech will create a work in the centre of the business precinct of Melbourne, exposing her work to an unexpecting audience. The luminous work aims to transform neutral environments into the spectacular, stimulating thought and reflection in the viewer utilizing colour and text. A glass entry facade will be encapsulated in saturated colour through the collaged application of painted vinyl. The abstract expressionist imagery will contrast grey urban & conservative surrounds, challenging the viewers perception of their environment. 
 

ST5K (Grant amount $4936.75) South Plympton, SA ST5K street art festival will take place alongside the Format Festival on the whole of Peel street, Adelaide. This street will be closed to traffic, an amazing venue for a project that brings together the best artists from the street in an open, friendly environment so they can connect and share their techniques and meet the other names behind the artwork. The vision for ST5K is to give young artists a legal outlet for their art, to connected with a wider art community and other young artists so they can create networks to run their own street art exhibitions and work with graphic designers and illustrators to find work. Works created will be projected onto the walls using the GRL bike projector and also painted onto a huge recycled box wall, pieces will also be exhibited of canvas / wood pieces in the 5000 Gallery.

THE JACQUI MCCOY (GEIA) TRUST

From Little Things (Grant amount $5000) Elwood, VIC Pip Kelly will produce an art-doco film combining photos & interviews made by a group of inspirational young Sudanese mothers from the River Nile Learning Centre, who're determined to continue their education in the face of complex resettlement and integration issues. Pip Kelly and Ezeldin Deng will give photography & interview workshops with the women, addressing relevant themes such as Future Aspirations & Babies. The photographs will become a Blog that the women maintain. I will make a film with that incorporating the photos & interviews. 

Hip Hop Project (Grant amount $5000) Sydney, NSW The Hip Hop project is a series of hip hop skills development workshops for The Wild Cats; who consist of seven members, all of whom identify as having a disability. The workshops would run over three weeks with Australian hip hop artist, Morganics. The sessions will be integral in leading the group to become a more self sustained, tight knit ensemble with a well formed, structured & strong hip hop routine & will also work to raise the profile of people with a disability. The routine created through workshops held at the Powerhouse Youth Theatre in Fairfield will then be able to be performed at various events, festivals and hip hop gigs and hopefully lead to paid gigs for The Wild Cats. 

Outcome – "Without the support of the JB Seed the First Flight Crew would not have had the stellar routine that allowed them to perform at three mainstream hip hop gigs- including Platform 3 Sydney largest Hip Hop Festival. It enabled them to be brought out of the disability sector into the hip hop arena where they can share their spunk, attitude and talent to the wider community." Alison Richardson

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