Event Management
Absolutely Live Entertainment can produce any type of event, from corporate to private, from theaters to outdoor concerts or small gatherings. We have expertise with event budgeting, staffing, infrastructure, ticketing, site design, staging, scheduling, logistics, and more.
Two unique events ALE managed recently were Louis, A Silent Film at the Apollo Theatre, which featured the Wynton Marsalis Ensemble and pianist Cecile Licad performing live to Dan Pritzker's homage to Louis Armstrong; and James Frey's New York City Bright, Shiny Morning book release blow-out party at the Gramercy Theatre.
Concert Presentation
Absolutely Live Entertainment has presented numerous concerts since it's founding in 2007. We have strong and extensive venue relationships and have proven to be a dedicated promoter for many artists in New York City and in Boston.
Recent presentations include Jon Anderson (The Voice of YES) at the Somerville Theatre, A Celebration of Kate McGarrigle at New York's Town Hall, and the Iranian folk singer, Sima Bina, also at Town Hall. ALE served as consulting producer of Chicago Orchestra Hall's United Sounds of America series - six unique concerts celebrating the musical heritage of different American cities, which took place in June, 2011. Additionally, Danny Melnick has curated "The Shape of Jazz" series at Carnegie Hall's Zankel Hall since 2003.
Since our inception, Absolutely Live Entertainment is proud to have presented Kodo Drummers of Japan, Wayne Shorter Quartet, Keith Jarrett (solo & trio), AfroCubism, Sonny Rollins, Gary Burton Quartet with Pat Metheny, Iranian Sounds of Peace: Rumi Symphony Project, the Canadian Brass, Afro-Cuban All Stars, among many others.
Tour Promotion
Absolutely Live Entertainment produces originally conceived concert tours and manages them for artists, agencies and sponsors. We produce profitable tours from "soup to nuts", professionally handling all aspects of the project including sponsorship management, finance, travel, media relations, promotion, merchandising and box office operations.
ALE, along with Boston-based booking agency, Ted Kurland Associates, is currently routing dates for a night in Treme, the Musical Majesty of New Orleans, featuring Donald Harrison, Jr., Soul Rebels Brass Band, Cyril Neville, Glen David Andrews, Rebirth Brass Band, James "12" Andrews, Dr. Michael White, Big Sam Williams, and a host of other fabulous New Orleans musicians.
In 2013, ALE will produce the Montery Jazz Festival's 55th Anniversary Tour featuring Dee Dee Bridgewater, Christian McBride, Chris Potter, Ambrose Akinmusire, Benny Green and Lewis Nash.
Other ALE tours of note include Danilo Perez's Things to Come: 21st Century Dizzy 2010 tour, which dazzled audiences with its all star lineup, and pan-global collaborations; The Blue Note 7 tour of 2009, featuring Peter Bernstein, Ravi Coltrane, Lewis Nash, Nicholas Payton, Peter Washington and Steve Wilson, and musically directed by Bill Charlap, paid tribute to Blue Note Records' 70th anniversary, with a North American tour spanning four months, and a critically lauded CD recording, The Blue Note 7: Mosaic. Jimmy Cobb & The So What Band's Kind of Blue @ 50 tour took the band around the globe, paying tribute to one of the greatest jazz recordings of all time, Miles Davis' Kind of Blue.
Festivals
Absolutely Live Entertainment's Danny Melnick and Tracy Reid have extensive histories of producing and presenting music festivals. Currently ALE partners with Saratoga Performing Arts Center to produce the Freihofer's Saratoga Jazz Festival in Saratoga Springs, which will celebrate it's 35th anniversary on June 30 & July 1, 2012. The festival presents the best names in jazz, R&B, Latin and world music. In August 2011, Danny Melnick was personally chosen by Newport Jazz Festival founder and producer, George Wein, to return to Newport and serve as Associate Producer for the Newport Jazz Festival.
As veteran employees of George Wein's company, Festival Productions, Inc. in New York, Melnick & Reid helped to produce and present JVC Jazz Festivals in New York and Newport, the Newport Folk Festival, the Bermuda Music Festival, and the Verizon Music Festivals, among others. Melnick produced the Mellon Jazz Festivals in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, the Boston Globe Jazz Festival and served as Artistic Director of the Newport Jazz 50th Anniversary Festival in 2004.
They bring further experience to the table having worked on many of the largest festivals in the country (New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, Essence Music Festival, Sundance Film Festival, DelFest, et al) and with countless partners, municipalities and sponsors.
All told, our team has helped to create and produce over 100 festivals in Europe, Japan and the US.