If you are a New Yorker with any love for live music at all, there is little down you have been to a concert Erika Elliott has been involved. Perhaps it was at SOB's where Erika was reponsible for booking uban music, more likely Summerstage.
Erika is the Artistic Director of the non-profits, City Parks Foundation's Summerstage: A five borough 110 show smorgasboard of all types of music under the sun (and under the moon). From hip hop to indie to classical to world, every summer we lucky ones get to see the greatest musicians on the planet. For Free.
Last week we (well, I) spoke with Erika, and posted our conversation here. But the heart of the interview was done via email and as promised, here it is.
In order to maintain control of an enterprise as large as Summerstage, working between bureacrats and artists, you have to be not only very savvy, which figures, but very very nice. Ms. Elliott is very, very nice. You can hear it in her voice, and read it in her replies to my somewhat obvious questions…
1. What sort of music did you play on college radio? Is there any creativity left in commercial radio?
My radio show was called “soulvation”, and it was classic R&B, Jazz and Soul music. I was mainly looking to play songs that were being sampled by hip hop acts.
I wouldn’t want to say that there is no creativity in commercial radio, mainly because I know people in various roles in radio that are passionate about music and creative people. It is still an important medium for people to listen to music.
2. What do you listen to for pleasure?
Hip Hop, R&B, Soul mainly but really artists that I love, regardless of genre. I love everything Feist does, can’t stop listening to Gregory Porters new album, have Criolo, Alabama Shakes, SMOD, Robert Glasper, and Michael Kiwanuka on heavy rotation.
3. Did you have a favorite Wu? Did you know ODB?
I would say I got to know, and interact with Raekwon more than the others, and found him to be a gentleman, with a big heart and great sense of humor, and love to food.
4. Capital Punishment is a personal fave, what was it like being involved with such a major work.
It was an amazing time to be working at LOUD and in the record business. Fresh from college there was no better intro into New York City music scene and industry. I remember listening to rough cuts from the album on cassette (yes I said cassette!) and just feeling like the album was something really special.
5. William Morris is pretty big time, any thoughts about working for such a large Agency… except that it was brutal.
Brutal – yes that’s true, but without that training I wouldn’t have been as prepared to do all that I have done since. I was so lucky to work for one of the most important women in the business (Cara Lewis) whose roster then (and now) is a “best of” list of urban music.
6. Moving out of a major label seems like a smart career move. Any thoughts on the majors and modern music distribution?
It wasn’t as strategic as it was “time” when I left RCA, but in looking back and what I’ve done since, I couldn’t be happier with the decision. At the time I was an assistant, and besides not being a decision maker, I also felt a big disconnect from the music I was working on. When I started booking Sounds of Brazil, I feel in love with the immediacy of booking. I was in charge of booking Urban talent, which was everything I listened to and loved, so I would say could I get The Roots, or Outkast, Pete Rock and CL Smooth to do a date?, and make it happen. I really felt I build something there, and the crop of talent that went on to be signed by major and have careers from there speaks for itself.
I don’t know that I could make an intelligent statement about the state of labels these days, but I will say that it feels like an exciting time for musicians to be making music as the paradigm has shifted and musicians have more control but also more responsibility.
7. The move from S.O.B.'s to CPF seems a little strange, was it due to your more ethnic background in music: hip hop and Latin, World even.
Actually when I joined CPF, I didn’t initially believe I was well suited for the job, as I did not have a strong “World Music” background, but Im a quick study and dug in and paid attention and followed the lead of people I respect who love genres Im not as well versed in and 8 years later, I think the diversity and strength of the music SummerStage presents is arguable as well rounded and representative of New York City (and the World) as you will find anywhere, and Im extremely proud of that.
8. What exactly does a talent buyer do? And an artistic director?
Well, it’s a bit of semantics, and in means different things different places BUT Talent buyer comes more from the commercial music business, and is what it says – you buy talent for a venue or promoter. Artistic Director is a Non-Profit / Presenting organization title for roughly the same job, but also means that I am in charge of strategic development, and the overall vision on the festival.
9. Were you involved in the annual Charlie Parker festival?
Yes, in fact I program that as well. We are celebrating our 20th Anniversary this year, and expanding the beloved Sat/ Sun tradition to include a Friday night, and a week of other Audience engagement activities, including performance, panel, poetry, and workshop for kids and more.
10. Now that Summerstage has expanded beyond Central Park, do you match artist with park?
Yes, the goal is to connect communities with their parks , so I aim to use music that a people are attracted to get them into the park.. I also am always trying to bring artist from neighborhoods where we have concerts back to those neighborhoods, for example this summer we have Boot Camp Click playing in Brownsville at Betsey Head Park (Buckshot and other members of the group grew up nearby). I was thrilled to get KRS-One to play 3 years ago in the South Bronx. To be able to have him say lyrics like “South Bronx, South South Bronx” in the South Bronx is exactly the type of thing that makes me love my job.
11. Do you see the Summerstage season as an entire artistic vision? Or is it a case of catch artist as catch can.
A little of both, a lot of getting artists has to do with timing, so I try to be ahead of the curve and get artists early, but also keep in mind larger themes or programs that are timeless.
12. There seems to be more World music in the past 12 years, was this intentional.
Really? I actually feel like its about 50/50 but it’s a big part of who we are and what we have been presenting the last 27 years. Most importantly, we could not be (in my opinion) a NYC festival and not have a great mash up of culture, genre, and music from around world. That diversity is what makes New York City great.
13. Would you care to discuss your personal life as it effects your work?
I always like to say I don’t have a personal life, when you love your work and especially when its music you don’t turn it off at night. My son (now 4) has been at concerts since he was 3 months old, and came with me to Googa Mooga this past weekend. I would say, I feel fortunate to have a job I enjoy and that most of the time when it spills over into my personal time, I am doing something I would want to do anyway …
14. What are your hours? Do you get the winter off?
No, biggest myth is that there is time off, or that we are not working in winter (because the festival happens in summer). I am booking next summer now, and we do not get a month off or something like that after the festival ends in August. I work 6 days a week in summer, crazy hours – and in the fall / winter have standard business hours 9 – 5 or there about+ nights and weekends going to see bands.
15. Do you go to every show, is there any show you are particularly excited for this season? And a favorite in past seasons? I remember watching the late Kate McGarrigle, turning the pages her daughter Martha Wainwright at a ballet recital once. It was moving at the time and more moving in retrospect.
I try to go to everything that I booked, although that is not possible (we have double booked nights etc.) Seeing the performance is the big satisfaction and the end result of all my hard work, getting to see five-thousand people in a park, enjoying music … That’s the validation for a job well done.
And that answers 16 J
16. What is your personal satisfaction in your job.
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