2010 Boston Music Conference Confirmed Panelists & Moderators

BMC SHOWCASE JUDGE AND LATIN LABEL PANELIST
Aldo Gonzalez
A&R Manager
Universal Latin/Machete Music

Aldo "The Master" Gonzalez, has been working with Universal in various capacities since 2003.  As a Jr. Label Manager he worked on Wisin Y Yandel's "Los Extraterrestres", Don Omar "King Of Kings Live" Caribbean Connection, "Urban Salute To Hector Lavoe" and many others.  Aldo arranged for Nelly Furtado to do the official remix for the song by Wisin Y Yandel  "Sexy Movimiento". Presently he is working on new albums for Wisin Y Yandel, Don Omar, David Bisbal, Juanes, Christian Castro and many others.

Recently Aldo has worked with Universal Pictures on the "Fast & Furious 4" Sound Track. He is also responsible for the recent collaboration between Machete Music artist Angel Y Khriz with top selling American recording artist Flo Rida and recently engineered the collaboration between Latin superstar Wisin Y Yandel and Jive Records recording artist T-pain for Wisin Y Yandel’s album.  Aldo "The Master" Gonzalez currently is the A&R Manager for Universal / Machete Music.

BOSTON MUSIC CONFERENCE SHOWCASE JUDGE
Al Gomes
Music Producer, Independent A&R Director
Big Noise

Producer Al Gomes has been in the music business for over 30 years. Al is the founder of Big Noise, an international artist development and music production firm that has overseen the release of more than 300 recordings and projects.His clients include Christina Aguilera, Katharine McPhee, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Chicago, Jay Geils, Paul Doucette from Matchbox 20, recent Rock and Roll Hall of Famers Little Anthony and the Imperials, and actor / directors Andrew McCarthy, Tiffani Theissen, and William Shatner.

His work has earned him gold and platinum awards from the Recording Industry Association of America. Al has composed songs with many award-winning and reknowned songwriters including John Cafferty, Sean Callery, Jimmy Crane, and Mike Viola, among others. Al is also a nominating and voting member with the Grammys Awards' Recording Academy.

BMC SHOWCASE JUDGE AND MARKETING LABEL PANELIST
Angel Martinez
Product Manager
G-Unit Records
Angel Martinez is currently the Product Manager for G Unit Records, working with DJ Whoo Kid, Young Hot Rod, Spider Loc, Tony Yayo, and Lloyd Banks.  Angel has worked on a number of album projects, including:
G Unit: T.O.S. - Terminate on Sight-2008, Young Buck: Buck the World-2007, 50 Cent: Curtis-2007, Lloyd Banks: Rotten Apple-2006, Tony Yayo: Thoughts of a Predicate Felon-2005, Slim Thugg: Already Platinum-2004 and Jadakiss: Kiss Of Death-2004.

Angel has a variety of work to his credit. Prior to working at G Unit Records, Angel worked at Interscope Records. He is also a Webisode Producer for Thisis50.com and has worked as a Radio Producer on Sirius XM Satellite Radio and Managing Editor of Pow! Magazine.

BMC WORKSHOP LEADER AND MARKETING LABEL PANELIST
Barry O’Connell
Director of Licensing and Entertainment Relations
VerveLife

As the Director of Licensing and Entertainment Relations, Barry O’Connell manages all licensing and custom production activities for VerveLife, and oversees the company’s relationships with artists, management, labels and across the media and entertainment industry at large.

With more than fifteen years of music, television, film, and brand marketing experience in both Chicago and Los Angeles, Barry specializes in content acquisition and exploitation, rights management and global intellectual property issues. Under Barry’s guidance, VerveLife successfully negotiated one of the first DRM-free blanket licenses with a major record label and has executed more than two dozen innovative programs featuring artists such as Taylor Swift, Rihanna, Brad Paisley, Enrique Iglesias, Smashing Pumpkins, Santana and many more.

BOSTON MUSIC CONFERENCE AUDIO ENGINEERING WORKSHOP LEADER
Dave Moulton
Engineer, Educator and Golden Ears Author

Dave Moulton is co-founder and principle faculty member at the Parsons Center for Audio Studies. He is a long-time master teacher, noted author, Grammy-nominated recording engineer, composer, creator of the industry-standard audio ear training CD’s (the Golden Ears series), and a co-creator, with Bang & Olufsen, one of the finest loudspeakers on Earth: the BeoLab 5. A graduate of Bard College and the Juilliard School of Music, he has served as Chairman of the Music Production & Engineering program at Berklee, and the Sound Recording Technology program at SUNY/Fredonia. He has taught at Berklee, SUNY, the University of Massachusetts at Lowell, the School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Emerson College, Full Sail, and elsewhere.

BOSTON MUSIC CONFERENCE LATIN PANEL MODERATOR
David Morales
Deputy Chief of Staff to Governor Deval Patrick

David Morales has enjoyed a stellar career in politics and public service beginning as a Budget Analyst for the House of Representatives’ Committee on Ways & Means, and then as an adviser to the Speaker of the Massachusetts House of Representatives on health care policy and state fiscal matters, and later as the Senior Adviser to the former President of the Massachusetts Senate.   In March of 2007, David Morales was recruited by Governor Deval Patrick to serve as his Senior Adviser on Policy and Strategic Planning, where he was actively engaged in a host of policy and strategic affairs.  Today, he serves as Governor Deval Patrick’s Deputy Chief of Staff.

BOSTON MUSIC CONFERENCE KEYNOTE SPEAKER
Don Gorder
Chair, Music Business/Management Dept.
Berklee College of Music

Don Gorder, Chair and founder of the Music Business/Management Department at Berklee College of Music, is an educator, attorney, and musician. He holds advanced degrees in law and music (B.M. University of Nebraska, M.M. University of Miami, J.D. University of Denver), has authored numerous articles on the music.
Don is Past President of the NAMM-Affiliated Music Business Institutions, a past officer and Board member of the Music and Entertainment Industry Educators’ Association, and currently a Trustee with the Arts & Business Council of Greater Boston. He served for fourteen years with the International Association for Jazz Education as the Resource Team representative for music business/management.

BOSTON MUSIC CONFERENCE SPECIAL GUEST & LATIN LABEL PANELIST
Echo
Producer/Songwriter (3 Grammy Awards)
Insomnio Inc.

The three-time Grammy Award winning Puerto Rican producer/songwriter known as Echo has worked for the last 10 years with major Latin Hip-Hop & Reggaeton artists, producing beats, recording and mixing songs.  In 2004 Echo received a Latin Grammy for Best Urban Album as producer and engineer on Vico C's "En Honor a la Verdad". In 2005 he received a Latin Grammy for Best Engineered Urban Album on Daddy Yankee's (El Cartel Records) "Barrio Fino" album and he was also nominated for Best Latin Rock/Alternative album for Vico C's "Desahogo".

Recently his work has been included in movies like" The Fast and The Furious" and "Bandoleros". Echo is currentlty working on Tego Calderon's new release "Mr. T", Pitbull's spanish album, Alexis y Fido new proyect, Cosculluela's first solo album and Christian Bob Music, and he is the Supervisor and Arranger on two upcoming Hollywood movies by Franc Reyes.

BOSTON MUSIC CONFERENCE MARKETING LABEL PANELIST
Elizabeth Healy
Executive Director
The Recording Academy NY Chapter

Prior to joining The Recording Academy, Elizabeth Healy owned her own business, Healy Entertainment, Inc. Her company provided producing and marketing services for the music industry, the performing arts, theatre, television, film and live concert events. Project highlights include executive producing/producing the musical stage show and tour of The Velveteen Rabbit; producing shows in New York City’s Central Park, and numerous other theater, television, film and live concert events. Healy’s clients included Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, Universal Music Group; BMG Music; Verve Music Group; Sony; Bethel Woods Center for the Arts; Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater; Boosey & Hawkes music publishing; the George Balanchine Trust; Herbie Hancock; National Ballet of Canada; and PolyGram Film & TV Music. Prior to starting her own company, Elizabeth’s credits include PolyGram Classics & Jazz; New York City Ballet; Saratoga Performing Arts Center; Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra, and Finger Lakes Performing Arts Center.

BMC SHOWCASE JUDGE AND DEALS & DISTRIBUTION LABEL PANELIST
Eric Gast
Producer, Mixer, Engineer (Britney Spears, Kid Rock, Will Smith)
CEO, FM World Charities

With over eighteen years in the music business, Eric Gast is a respected and versatile producer, mixer, and audio engineer. He has amassed impressive credits in genres as diverse as rock, hip-hop, jazz, gospel, and world music. Eric is the Founder/CEO of FM World Charities a charity that uses music/celebrities to raise money for primary health care in underserved communities throughout the world. Eric has had the pleasure of working with artist of all genres including Tribe Called Quest, Billy Ocean, Peter Gabriel, Britney Spears, Will Smith, Kid Rock and many others.

BOSTON MUSIC CONFERENCE SONGWRITING WORKSHOP LEADER
Jack Perricone
Chair, Songwriting Department
Berklee College of Music

Jack Perricone co-founded the department and developed the songwriting curriculum which is presently taught at this prestigious college. He is an academically trained musician with degrees in music theory and composition (BM, Music Theory, Hartt College of Music, University of Hartford and MM, Composition, Indiana University) whose songs  have appeared on the Pop, Country and R&B charts.

Jack Perricone’s distinguished career as songwriter, composer, and arranger include such hits as "Run, Joey, Run," which reached Billboard’s 1975 Top Five, and Angela Bofill’s, "What I Wouldn’t Do (For the Love of You)."  His songs have appeared on the Pop, Country and R&B charts and have been recorded by Lou Rawls, Jerry Butler, K.T. Oslin, and many others. Recently his songs have received performances on national t.v.shows such as the mini series, "Witness to the Mob" and the soap opera, "The Young and the Restless". His book, "Melody in Songwriting " is available on Berklee Press, distributed by Hal Leonard Publications.

BOSTON MUSIC CONFERENCE DEALS & DISTRIBUTION LABEL PANELIST
Jay Harren
A&R Manager
Columbia Records/ Sony BMG

Jay Harren began his career in the music industry in 1997 at Atlanta’s powerhouse alternative radio station 99X/WNNX where he was the music director of the station.  In May of 2006 Jay left 99X, to accept the position of A&R Manager at Columbia Records where he reports directly to legendary producer and co-Chairman of Columbia Records Rick Rubin and has signed two bands to date, both of which are seeing critical and commercial success. The first is buzz band Manchester Orchestra, who just finished a sold-out headlining tour of the US, and are currently on the road with Silversun Pickups. The second is Hey Monday, a power-pop band that too just wrapped up a sold out national headlining tour. Jay partnered with Fall Out Boy’s Pete Wentz on Hey Monday and works closely with him on building the band’s profile on an international level.

BOSTON MUSIC CONFERENCE DIGITAL PANELIST
Jeff Marshall
Executive Producer
Harmonix Music Systems

Jeff Marshall is the Executive Producer of the ROCK BAND NETWORK at Harmonix Music Systems / MTV games.  Jeff has a deep and diverse background within the Boston music scene and beyond.  He founded and directed the operations of Monolyth Records, one of Boston's most successful independent record labels. He also directed and crafted innovative promotions at many of Boston's top live music venues as Director of Marketing and Live Music Operations for the Lyons Group, including the Paradise Rock Club.  He has acted as a consultant to the Fenway Sports Group for their Celtics and Bruins post-game concert series producing shows with such artistssuch as Godsmack, All American Rejects, Staind, Plain White T's & Dropkick Murphy's.

BOSTON MUSIC CONFERENCE DIGITAL PANELIST
John Stringer
Partner
Indie HitMakers

John Stringer is co-founder of PolyPlat Records and front man of the Billboard charting, indie rock band, State of Man. His music industry experience as an independent label owner and artist provided the catalyst for PolyPlat Records Artist Development Services Division and IndieHitMaker.com - an artist development company offering low cost, innovative services such as independent venue sales reporting to SoundScan. With a rapidly growing unsigned/indie/DIY artist roster and other innovative music industry solutions in development, PolyPlat ADSD and IndieHitMaker are poised to play an expanding role in the success stories of emerging artists.

BOSTON MUSIC CONFERENCE DEALS & DISTRIBUTION LABEL PANELIST
Johnny K
Producer (Plain White T’s, Staind, 3 Doors Down)
Groovemaster Recording

Johnny K is a Grammy Nominated Producer best known for his work with Disturbed, 3 Doors Down, Staind, Finger 11, Plain White T's, and Black Tide! Johnny has also worked with many other great bands such as KillHannah, Simple Plan, Avenged Sevenfold, Drowning Pool, Halestorm, Machine Head, Royal, and Twigs. Look for his releases this year from some new artists as well as veterans SOiL, Adelita's Way, Valora, Powerspace, and Airbourne. Records produced by Johnny K have sold nearly twenty million copies worldwide which includes 7 Gold and 4 Platinum awards.

 

BOSTON MUSIC CONFERENCE LATIN LABEL PANELIST
Jorge Fonseca
Director of A&R
Sony BMG

After receiving a degree from Cal State University in Audio Engineering and programming, Jorge Fonseca worked as a Freelance Recording Engineer in Los Angeles in the 1980’s engineering for Latin acts like Juan Gabriel, Amanda Miguel, Lucia Mendez, Rocio Durcal, Isabel Pantoja, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Michael McDonald, Black Crows and many others. He was then signed as a Latin rapper in the early 90’s and continued his career as engineer and producer until he landed as an A&R for SONY Music in 1999.  He is responsible for artists like Da’ Zoo, newly signed "duo" Dyland & Lenni, Toby Love, Calle 13, Oscar de Leon, Alexis y Fido, and Voltio, amongst others.

BOSTON MUSIC CONFERENCE MASTER OF CEREMONIES
Kelly Peters
Choreographer

With over 22 years of hip hop experience, NYC-based Kelly Peters is THE experienced choreographer and master teacher. Kelly's résumé spans from The Fugees to Carly Simon, from FOX to ESPN II, Alvin Ailey, Broadway Dance Center, and STEPS on Broadway. Kelly is amping up his clients’ performances from coast to coast—literally—with dancers from all over the world purchasing his MAKE IT HAPPEN Hip hop DVD.

BOSTON MUSIC CONFERENCE MARKETING LABEL PANELIST
Kimberly Thompson
VP of Marketing
Sonicbids

Kimberly joined the Sonicbids team in 2002 when the community included 1,500 members. Through a combination of creative online marketing campaigns and product development the Sonicbids community has grown to over 200,000 emerging bands and 18,000 promoters. The Sonicbids marketing strategy includes the use social media (including blogs, Facebook, Twitter, Myspace, Flickr and Youtube), affiliate programs, email marketing, online & print advertising, event attendance & sponsorship and public relations.
Prior to joining Sonicbids Kimberly ran marketing for Oasis CD manufacturing, one of the top manufacturing companies for independent musicians in the US.

BOSTON MUSIC CONFERENCE PANEL MODERATOR
Mark Ethier
CEO/Founder
iZotope

Mark Ethier is CEO of iZotope, Inc., a company he co-founded in 2001. iZotope’s products and audio technology are used by millions of people in over 50 countries, from consumers to independent musicians to major film, TV, and radio studios. Some of the diverse clients include musical giants like NIN, KORN, Butch Vig of Garbage, Peter Gabriel, Just Blaze, Randy Bachman of Bachman Turner Overdrive, Third Eye Blind and BT; radio stations like the iconic WGBH in Boston; and hit TV shows like CBS Survivor.
Mark is a member of the Boston Committee for the New York Chapter of The Recording Academy®.  He is a 2001 graduate of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology with degrees in computer science and music. Currently, Mark resides in Cambridge, MA where iZotope is headquartered

BOSTON MUSIC CONFERENCE DIGITAL PANELIST
Neeta Ragoowansi
Director of Artist-Label Relations
SoundExchange

Neeta Ragoowansi is the Director of Artist-Label Relations for SoundExchange. In her capacity at SoundExchange, she is responsible for reaching out to and educating the thousands of recording artists and record labels who are still unaware of the new performance right in the U.S. and stream of revenue it creates for them. Neeta is also an award winning musician/songwriter and entertainment attorney. She was Assistant General Counsel for the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and the National Symphony Orchestra, as well as General Counsel/Contest Director for the Songwriters Association of Washington, DC. Currently, she is also serving as Vice President and Legal Counsel for NYC’s Women In Music and on the Membership Committee of The Recording Academy/NY Chapter.

BOSTON MUSIC CONFERENCE DIGITAL PANELIST
Pedro Guzman
Director of A&R
Universal
Music seemed a natural path for 26-year-old Pedro Guzman born to a modern dancer and a video director, who studied to be a bassist.  But when Guzman attended Berklee College of Music, he also signed on for an emphasis in music business that led him to his first job as an A&R coordinator for Sony/ATV Music Publishing.  After signing writers like Tito "El Bambino", he caught Universal’s eye.  "He’s the executive with the most potential I have seen in years, " Universal Latino president Walter Kolm says.  Guzman has helped sign and develop multiple tropical acts like Lenny and Eddie Lover.  But his creative supervision applies to all of the label’s releases in all genres.

BOSTON MUSIC CONFERENCE DIGITAL PANELIST
Phil Antoniades
President/Founder
Nimbit

An honors graduate of the Berklee College of Music, Philip Antoniades is consistently focused on finding innovative business solutions that create real income for musicians. This is the essential concept behind Nimbit, Inc., the company he represents as Co-founder and President. The Nimbit platform continually sets precedence for today's direct-to-fan sales and marketing model. Philip Antoniades is familiar with the many facets of the industry, he has toured internationally as a professional drummer and has been consistently involved in the business side of the music world founding Johnny Brock Management, Artist Development Associates, CDFreedom.com and Nimbit Inc.

BMC WORKSHOP LEADER & LATIN LABEL PANELIST
Porfirio Piña
Senior Director-LatinWriter & Publisher Relations
BMI-Broadcast Music Inc
Porfirio Piña is BMI’s Writer & Publisher Relations and the Latin Music Senior Director.  At BMI, he establishes and maintains relationships with Latin songwriters and publishers and handles BMI’s New York Latin department administrative and creative functions. He also assists with the planning and execution of BMI’s Annual Latin Awards gala, serves as the Director of the BMI Foundation’s peermusic Latin Scholarship, and serves on the NARAS Latin Music Committee.
Before joining BMI, he managed talented songwriter Nicolas Tovar (Cristian Castro, Paulina Rubio, and Ricky Martin) and was instrumental in the development/creation of the pioneers of Merengue Hip Hop’s Proyecto Uno, Ilegales and Sandy & Papo MC. The groups that he has managed have received numerous Gold and Platinum Records Awards, Billboard Awards, Premio Lo Nuestro Awards, Orquidea de Oro (Venezuela), ACE Awards (New York), El Casandra Awards (Dominican Republic) and Latin Grammy Nominations.

BOSTON MUSIC CONFERENCE SPECIAL GUEST & PANELIST
Q
Grammy Award Winning Vocalist, Songwriter, Producer & Member
of the Multi-Platinum Recording Group 112

Q Parker of the multi-platinum recording group 112 has transformed a dream into a 13+ year long career.  He brings a signature blend of harmony and a lyrical brilliance that is unparalleled.Q is an accomplished award winning songwriter that has worked on the project's of renowned musicians like Keyshia Cole, Faith Evans, New Edition, Pink, Kelly Price and Kevin Little.  Q has received six ASCAP awards for his writing contributions on 112’s "Peaches & Cream", "Cupid" and "It’s Over Now." Q is also an official spokesman and champion for the Alzheimer's Association.
Members of the singing group 112 gained the attention of Sean "Diddy" Combs, and they were the first vocal group signed to the Bad Boy Records roster in '96.  112's self-titled debut album released in '96,went double platinum and featured the hit singles "Only You" and "Cupid," both of which peaked at #13 on the Hot 100 and #3 and #2 on the R&B charts.

BOSTON MUSIC CONFERENCE DEALS & DISTRIBUTION LABEL PANELIST
Raheem Thomas
A&R Manager
Universal Motown Republic Group

BOSTON MUSIC CONFERENCE PANEL MODERATOR
Tim Estiloz 
Entertainment Reporter (two time Emmy Award winner)
Comcast
Tim Estiloz is an experienced, Emmy-winning and multi - talented broadcast journalist / performer with over a decade of covering entertainment news, hard news, program hosting, anchoring and much more.  His skill as a host, reporter, interviewer and producer has garnered him two New England Emmy Awards and multiple other Emmy nominations, a New England Cable Television Award, and a Telly award for broadcast excellence.

Tim has interviewed and profiled many of Hollywood’s top Oscar-winning film and television actors, music stars and other notable celebrities... including Meryl Streep, Will Smith, Kate Winslet, Brad Pitt, Denzel Washington and many others.  His diverse on-air reporting and hosting experience includes stints with NBC, HGTV, E! Entertainment Television, Comcast Cable programming, PBS, and various Boston TV news operations.

BOSTON MUSIC CONFERENCE GUEST COMEDIAN
Tom Morello
Comedian

From his early day in the alternative comedy scene in Cambridge, to his mainstream training in the competitive Boston comedy circuit, Tom E’s act features a unique blend of comedy styles that defies categorization.  With a smooth delivery, a sharp look and a wiseguy grin, Tom E Morello incorporates absurdity, ethnicity and storytelling within the confines of traditional set-up and punch-line delivery.  Tom is one of the fast rising stars in comedy.
Tom E. Morello hasshared the stage with Robert Klein, Jeff Dunham, D.L. Hughley, Mike Birbiglia,Gary Gulman, Christian Finnegan, Todd Barry, and Steven Wright.

BMC DEALS & DISTRIBUTION PANEL MODERATOR
Tone Capone
Executive Vice President
Coalition Music Group (Distributed by Universal Motown)

Tone Capone, entrepreneur and music industry executive, is the Executive Vice President of Marketing and Artist Development of CMG/Motown-Universal and Hot 97 radio producer of the Street Soldiers.  Along his road of success, he also worked as a VJ for the Latin television show The Roof (broadcast in several Latin American countries, and produced a comedy series known as the Comedy Jump Off, which is now located at retail outlets.  From garnering radio spins and stretching the mainstream envelope for artists such as Britney Spears, R. Kelly, Ciara, Mobb Deep and Justin Timberlake; Tone established a permanent foothold in the music business by operating the promotions department for Jive Records.