Danny Melnick
President & Director
Danny Melnick formed ALE in the autumn of 2007. In short order, the company has produced tours, festivals, concerts and special events throughout the world. These include a four month-long U.S. tour celebrating Blue Note Records' 70th Anniversary; a 45 concert world tour commemorating the 50th anniversary of Miles Davis's "Kind of Blue" recording; 25th anniversary concerts at Carnegie Hall and Boston Symphony Hall for Keith Jarrett, Gary Peacock, Jack DeJohnette; 75th birthday concerts for Wayne Shorter in New York and Boston; Keith Jarrett in an evening of solo piano improvisations at Carnegie Hall; the Afro Cuban All Stars at Town Hall; the reunion of Gary Burton & Pat Metheny in Boston; the opening night concert of the Honor! Festival at Carnegie Hall; "The Rumi Symphony Project," the first Persian headlining concert at Carnegie Hall, the 80th birthday concert for Sonny Rollins in Boston, the NYC debut of AfroCubism, the Kodo Drummers of Japan at Avery Fisher Hall, and numerous concerts at Zankel Hall.
Danny proudly serves as the Artistic Director of "The Shape of Jazz," a concert series presented by Carnegie Hall, now in it's 8th season and is the producing partner and Artistic Director of the Freihofer's Saratoga Jazz Festival in Saratoga Springs, NY. He has enjoyed being the backstage manager at the JazzTent during the past three New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festivals.
Prior to forming ALE, Danny was the Artistic Director and a Senior Producer at George Wein's company, Festival Productions, Inc. He played a central role in producing annual events including the JVC Jazz Festivals in Newport and New York, the Bermuda Music Festival, the Verizon Music Festivals and the Hampton, VA Jazz Festival. He produced the Mellon Jazz Festivals in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh and the Freihofer's Saratoga Jazz Festival in Saratoga Springs, NY. His resume includes Artistic Director of the Newport Jazz 50th Anniversary Festival in 2004. All told, Danny has helped to create and produce over 95 festivals in Europe, Japan and the US.
From 1996 through 1998, Danny was a Booking Agent at Ted Kurland Associates in Boston, MA. As an agent, he represented the most prominent roster of Jazz artists in throughout the US and Puerto Rico. His client list included Pat Metheny, Sonny Rollins, Chick Corea, Branford Marsalis, Dee Dee Bridgewater, John Scofield, Danilo Perez and many others.
During his first stint at FPI, (1990-1996), Danny was a Staff Producer for major festivals, tours, jazz cruises and concerts in the U.S., Japan, Europe and Central and South America. He produced the Boston Globe Jazz Festival; numerous jazz cruises on the QE2 and worked on European tours for George Benson, Buddy Guy, Ray Charles and Maceo Parker. He coordinated projects such as the Carnegie Hall Jazz Series and the Blues Alley Japan Jazz Club, and handled all aspects of marketing, sponsorship, merchandise sales, promotions and budgets for festivals and tours.
As an Economics major at The American University in Washington, DC, Danny managed a student band and was the public relations assistant at the famed Blues Alley Jazz Club in Georgetown. He studied international economics and sociology in London and enjoyed a work experience program at the Wembley Stadium and Arena complex where he was exposed to all aspects of how the venue was run, including catering, stage production, venue management and box office operations.
After graduating from college, he returned home to New York and worked at The Blue Note Jazz Club as the Director of Marketing and Public Relations.
He has been a guest speaker at the Berklee College of Music, Fairfield University, and the New School for Social Research and has served as a panelist and moderator at numerous music conferences.
Danny Melnick lives in New York City and on Long Beach, Long Island, has traveled to over 30 countries and still uses a turntable.
Tracy Reid
Senior Producer
Tracy Reid comes to ALE having recently served as an Associate Producer and Production Coordinator for Festival Productions, Inc.
Throughout her eight-year tenure, Tracy booked artists for the legendary Newport Folk Festival, and coordinated event logistics for that festival in addition to the JVC Jazz Festivals in Newport and New York, the Freihofer's Saratoga Jazz Festival in Saratoga Springs, NY and the Bermuda Music Festival; working in tandem with artists, managers, agents and vendors in the process.
In addition to her 'day-job', Tracy has worked on major events including the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival (2007-2010), the Essence Music Festival (2005-2007), Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival (2005), the Sundance Film Festival (1998-2000), the San Francisco Jazz Festival (1998), the San Francisco International Film Festival (1998) and Woodstock '94. She also discovered the merits of securing the bottom bunk of a tour bus as Tour Ticketing Manager for U2's Elevation Tour (2001) and as Tour Ticketing Associate for Pearl Jam's No Code Tour (1996).
Raised in Pennsylvania, and a graduate of the Pennsylvania State University as a Communications Studies major, Tracy spent a decade in Philadelphia building a solid base of arts administration, box office and venue management skills while employed at the Mann Music Center, the Theatre of Living Arts, TLA Video and the Merriam Theatre.
Tracy is currently an active and proud resident of New York City.