Martin Briley Signs with MPL

MPL Communications have entered into an exclusive publishing deal with acclaimed songwriter Martin Briley. MPL will oversee Martin's new music publishing interests worldwide. Briley is considered by many to be one of the most prominent songwriters in America today, writing for such artists as Celine Dion, N'Sync, Jessica Andrews, Michael Bolton, Pat Benatar, Gregg Allman, Kenny Loggins and Barry Manilow to name just a few. Pictured (l-r) are MPL's VP of Creative Services Alan Tepper, Briley and MPL's Senior VP of Promotion Bill Porricelli.

Darren Lyons

Darren Lyons was featured in the March issue of Modern Drummer Magazine. Drummer Lyons leads his own acclaimed, award-winning band, The Darren Lyons Group, who perform regularly at jazz festivals and clubs both here in the U.S. and overseas. His most recent album, Resonator, was mixed by John Arrias (Jeff Beck, Little Feat). His follow-up CD will be recorded this fall with production and performance by David Sancious (Sting, Seal, Eric Clapton). For more info, go to: www.darrenlyons.com.

New York Songwriter's Circle

ASCAP's Loretta Muñoz hosted ASCAP night at the New York Songwriter's Circle at the famed club The Bitter End. The audience was treated to an intimate evening of remarkable music from Simon Bruce, Amy Correia, Johnathan Rice and Spottiswoode. Pictured (l-r) are ASCAP's Jenna Derhammer, Spottiswoode, Bruce, Rice, Correia, the Circle's Tina Shafer, Muñoz and the Circle's Caroline Bernard and Julie Henry.

Comp and Co.

Def Jam Recording artist Comp (left) stopped by ASCAP in New York City recently to meet with ASCAP's Keith Johnson.

Composer to Composer

The Society of Composers and Lyricists presented another of its continuing "Composer-to-Composer" seminars in June at the American Film Institute in Los Angeles. The featured guest was ASCAP composer Michel Colombier, whose prolific career includes more than 100 filmscores, along with numerous ballets, symphonic works, songs, chamber music and "video operas." Colombier has arranged with and recorded for diversified artists including Madonna, Prince, Barbra Streisand, Herbie Hancock, Joni Mitchell, Herb Alpert, the Kronos Quartet and many more. Pictured (l-r) are SCL President Dan Foliart, ASCAP Senior VP Nancy Knutsen, Colombier, and composer Lynn Kowal who moderated the evening.

Living Archives

The ASCAP Living Video Archive continues to grow, thanks to a generous grant from the Cain Foundation. In August, ASCAP's Jim Steinblatt traveled to Asheville, North Carolina and Nashville, Tennessee to conduct in-depth interviews with ASCAP members Billy Edd Wheeler ("Coward of the County," "Jackson," "High Flying Bird"), Felix Cavaliere ("Groovin',""People Got to Be Free," "I've Been Lonely Too Long"), and Guy Clark ("L.A. Freeway," "Desperados Waiting for a Train," "Homegrown Tomatoes."). Pictured, left, is Billy Edd Wheeler and, above, Felix Cavaliere with Jim Steinblatt.