A Slipknot show in Arizona was temporarily halted on Tuesday night (Nov. 2) when fans started a bonfire in the middle of the mosh pit. According to AZ Central, the band’s show at Ak-Chin Pavilion in Phoenix as paused for 30 minutes after attendees lit up a stack of lawn chairs in a giant bonfire that brought to mind the images of the crowd-set infernos that engulfed the Woodstock ’99 festival more than 20 years ago.

Videos and photos showed fans dancing around and feeding the towering flames, which the paper said climbed 20 feet into the air on the lawn near the back of the outdoor amphitheater. A Phoenix Fire Department spokesperson said an engine company “responded to the pavilion and found a large contents fire… possibly started by bystanders at the event.” The engine company brought hoses  out into the crowd for an “aggressive fire attack,” with the spokesperson reporting that, “the fire was thoroughly extinguished without any extension to the major structure and no injuries were reported at the incident. The exact cause of the fire is currently under investigation and no persons were displaced at this incident.”

Spokespeople for Slipknot and concert promoter Live Nation had not returned requests for comment at press time. According to reports, the fire was started during the song “All Out Life” near the end of the group’s set, which resulted in the songs “Duality” and “Spit It Out” getting cut from the set before the band returned to finish the final stop on this year’s Knotfest Roadshow.

Check out some fan footage of the fires below.

Warner Chappell Music has entered into a worldwide administration agreement with Grammy award-winning singer/songwriter Daniel Caesar.

The deal consists of Caesar’s entire back catalog and future works, including his breakthrough collaborations “Best Part” ft. H.E.R. and “Get You” ft. Kali Uchis.

Warner Chappell Music co-chair and CEO, Guy Moot, said: “Daniel has an intimate approach to songwriting that is incredibly alluring. His ability to articulate complex emotions and feelings into beautiful lyrics and melodies is truly unmatched. I’ve worked with Daniel in the past and am incredibly grateful to again be in business with such a poignant storyteller as he moves into this next chapter in his career.”

Warner Chappell Music president of A&R, U.S., Ryan Press, adds: “Daniel has set a new standard for soulful songwriters around the world with his deeply passionate writing style. He pours his heart and soul into every verse and that really comes through when you see him perform. I’m excited for what the future has in store and all of us at Warner Chappell look forward to supporting him on this journey.”

Universal Music Publishing (UMP) China, a division of Universal Music Publishing Group (UMPG), have opened their new office in Shanghai. The move expands UMPG’s operations in China, which it first entered two years ago.

An opening event was held at UMP China’s new offices at 800 Show Creative Park of Shanghai’s Jing’an District and was attended by distinguished guests like Gao Yunfei (高韵斐), deputy director of the publicity department of Shanghai Municipal CPC Committee and director of the Shanghai Film Bureau; Mo LiangJin (莫亮金), Jing’an CPC Committee member and publicity department director; and many more.

At the event, UMPG launched the Chinese version of UMPG Window – its international royalty portal for songwriters – marking UMPG’s first local-language version in Asia. It also featured live performances by Shanghai-based UMPG China songwriters, including Chinese classical instrumental group Zide Club (上海自得琴社); R&B singer-songwriter Yingge Yang (杨英格); jazz pianist Daniel Niu (牛天宇); and China’s most popular chamber singing group, Shanghai Rainbow Chamber Singers (上海彩虹室内合唱团).

Purplebeat Music, administered by Music Asset Management, announced the signing of country and pop singer/songwriter Shane Stevens to a worldwide co-publishing deal.

The signing will include Stevens’ hit song “Fancy Like,” a song he co-wrote for Walker Hayes, and all of his songs moving forward.

Commenting on the announcement, Stevens adds: “I could not be more excited or feel more blessed about being back in Nashville and with my team at Purplebeat. It’s like a homecoming for me and nothing could possibly feel more right than being with Eric, Mike, Andy, Graham and Bob. Winning with them is a dream come true. This is a solid foundation to build on.”

Purplebeat said: “All of us at Purplebeat are so excited to be working with Shane. He is an absolute pro and brings tremendous talent and experience to our roster. I think the success of ‘Fancy Like’ is just a glimmer of things to come.”

Khari “Needlz” Cain, a songwriter and producer whose collaborators include Bruno Mars, Drake, Cardi B and 50 Cent, has signed with Hallwood Media for management. He will be represented by founder and CEO Neil Jacobson and senior vp of A&R/management Cristina Chavez.

Jacobson shared: “It’s an honor to have Needlz join the Hallwood family. Beyond his incredible production and that unique sound, he‘s building a diverse new business from the ground up and identifying superstar artists early. He is what you need to be in this new iteration of the music business, and we can’t wait to help him take it all the way.”

“I am excited to join the Hallwood Team,” added Needlz. “Not only does this partnership give me an opportunity to grow my brand as a producer, but also support as I establish an exciting new music company. Further, the partnership will enable me to draw from Hallwood Media’s vast resources and expertise to identify, nurture and introduce new talent to the industry.”

Universal Music Publishing Group (UMPG) and Tommy Brown’s Champagne Therapy have jointly signed a worldwide co-publishing deal with songwriter/artist Melanie Fontana.

Since partnering, Fontana and Brown have collaborated on many occasions, including for “Bet You Wanna” by Blackpink feat. Cardi B and “Take It Home” by Mabel.

“Tommy Brown and I met over a decade ago during a vulnerable, equally demanding point in my music career,” said Fontana in a statement. “Looking back at our early shared experiences in the industry, it’s humbling to know that chance + circumstance would bring us together as friends first, then our musical chemistry would draw us both to working together in perfect synergy. It’s an honor to be taken under Tommy’s wing and to have an unobstructed front-row seat, seeing how he uses his innate talent to construct songs, equalize energies, build teams and guide projects to their fullest potential. To be a piece of the Champagne Therapy puzzle is a dream come true.”

Brown added, “When Melanie and I started working, it was a no brainer. She is brilliant with her wordplay and melody choices and brings something refreshing to the culture. Excited for our future works and to show the world what we’ve been building.”

Sony Music Publishing Nashville and KP Entertainment have joined to sign rising songwriter and producer Lee Starr to a worldwide publishing agreement.

Based in Nashville, Starr is a songwriter and producer specializing in country and pop music, known for penning songs for artists such as Elvie Shane, Ashland Craft, Conner Smith and Drew Green.

In a statement, Starr said that “the staff at Sony Music Publishing are incredible, and everyone involved in this deal is an absolute hustler. When you find good people, you stick with them. I think the sky is the limit for us.”

KP Entertainment founder Kerri Edwards said, “When our Creative Director Aubrey Schwartz played some demos of Lee earlier this year, I knew he was someone we had to represent. His approach to songwriting and producing is inspiring, along with his drive to work toward those next level goals. Lee is such a great addition to our roster, and I look forward to building this with him.”

Sony Music Publishing Nashville CEO Rusty Gaston added, “I couldn’t be more excited for Lee and the team at KP Entertainment.  Lee’s songs are full of heart, and his work ethic is second to none.  His potential is endless and I’m looking forward to all that is to come.”

Sony Music Publishing announced a partnership with White Hill Music Pvt Ltd. to provide global publishing services for White Hill Music, including administration, synchronization, and catalog promotion. 

“We couldn’t be more delighted to partner with Sony Music Publishing. Teaming up with Sony Music Publishing will undoubtedly facilitate a more transparent and efficient means of licensing and royalty collection. Over the years, White Hill Music has garnered immense love and adulation from around the world for its tasteful and diverse content, and I am positive that this partnership will benefit both companies in the time to come.” said Gunbir Singh Sidhu, managing director at White Hill Studios. 

“With an unwavering determination to cater to a global audience, White Hill Music has always strived for perfection in all its endeavours. Joining hands with Sony Music Publishing will hopefully pave a new way for Punjabi music onto the world stage,” added Manmord Sidhu, managing director at White Hill Studios. 

“Punjabi music is thriving and the demand for it has been growing across India and even beyond borders,” said Dinraj Shetty, director at Sony Music Publishing India. “We are very excited about this partnership with White Hill Music and to offer an effective and robust platform for their musical works at a global scale.” 

Reservoir Media has signed singer-songwriter Madison McFerrin to a worldwide publishing deal that includes her entire catalog and future works.

“I’m excited to take my career as a singer, songwriter and producer to the next level through joining the dynamic roster at Reservoir,” said McFerrin. “In addition to the stellar group of artists, I’m equally grateful to join forces with such a talented and diverse, women-led team of music industry pros.”

David Hoffman, Reservoir’s vp of A&R and marketing, added, “After years of being a fan of and getting to know Madison, I’m so happy that she is joining the Reservoir roster. She’s a world class talent and we can’t wait to help support her music and grow her audience even more.”

Warner Chappell Music’s U.S. Latin division has signed a worldwide administration deal with Latin urban pop singer Carmen DeLeon. Having been signed to Capitol Music Group/Universal Music Latin Entertainment since 2019, DeLeon is currently readying her debut EP after having had success with her 2020 debut single “Volveras,” which was produced by Tainy.

Lazaro Hernandez, WCM vp A&R, U.S. Latin & Latin America, said, “Carmen is not only an incredible vocalist, but also a gifted songwriter who knows how to connect with people through the power of music. She’s a true star in the making and we feel lucky to be working alongside her.”

DeLeon adds: “I’m so happy to be with this amazing team and I’m super excited for what’s to come. Thank you Warner Chappell.”

MANILA, Philippines—He had to wait for two years but NLEX head coach Yeng Guiao finally got his man. Guiao was already impressed with KJ McDaniels as early as the 2019 Governors’ Cup so he immediately swooped in when he had the opportunity to sign the 6-foot-6 forward for the coming 2021 Reinforced Conference. “He was […]

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Ed Sheeran and Lil Nas X are among the artists announced for night two of Capital’s Jingle Bell Ball 2021.

Billed as “the UK’s biggest Christmas party”, the annual event will return to The O2 Arena in London on December 11 and 12. Yesterday (November 3), it was confirmed that Justin Bieber, Coldplay and more will appear at the first edition.

READ MORE: Ed Sheeran’s ‘Bad Habits’ is an on-trend bop from one of the savviest men in pop 

Today (November 4) organisers have revealed that Ed Sheeran will headline the second event, with Lil Nas X set to give a UK exclusive performance.

Anne-Marie, Mabel, KSI, Griff, Joel Corry and JLS are also on the bill alongside The Capital Weekender Live With MistaJam And Friends, Shane Codd, Nathan Dawe and Jonasu.

Ashley Tabor-King OBE, Founder & Executive President of Global, said: “Today we revealed that a star-studded line-up of the world’s biggest hit music artists will play night two of Capital’s Jingle Bell Ball with Barclaycard and what a show we have lined up for Capital listeners! The countdown to Christmas is officially on!”

KSI. CREDIT: NME/ Dean Chalkley

Tickets go on sale here at 9am GMT tomorrow (November 5). A pre-sale for Capital VIPs and Barclaycard customers began at 9am today.

Jingle Bell Ball headliner Ed Sheeran, meanwhile, released his fourth album ‘=’ last week (October 29).

During a recent interview, the musician explained that he is planning to make “10 symbol records” in total, “but the next five won’t be maths.”

In a three-star review of Ed Sheeran’s new record, NME said: “So, ‘=’ adds up to another album on which Sheeran comes off like a millennial Lionel Richie – namely, a very gifted singer-songwriter who’s sometimes sunk by his saccharine streak.”

The post Ed Sheeran and Lil Nas X join line-up for Capital’s Jingle Bell Ball with Barclaycard appeared first on NME.

ABBA have shared an official trailer for their forthcoming ‘Voyage’ concerts – you can watch it below.

READ MORE: James Righton on putting together ABBA’s new live band: “They had to be as good as the originals”

The Swedish pop icons will tomorrow (November 5) release their first album in 40 years, which they’re set to showcase at a series of “revolutionary” shows at London’s Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in 2022.

Now, the group have offered a sneak peek at their digital ABBA-tars in action. Soundtracked by ‘Summer Night City’, the Tron-esque visuals find ABBA performing against a dazzling backdrop of graphics.

“A concert 40 years in the making,” text in the video reads. “Join us.”

An additional batch of tickets for ‘ABBA Voyage’ has also gone on sale, with bookings now available up to December 4, 2022. You can buy yours here.

ABBA recently said that they will retire after releasing their new album ‘Voyage’ and completing its accompanying run of live events. “This is it,” explained Benny Andersson. “It’s got to be, y’know.”

Check out NME‘s interview with the ‘ABBA Voyage’ producers on what to expect from the “magical space circus”.

ABBA have so far shared three singles from their imminent ‘Voyage’ album: ‘I Still Have Faith In You’, ‘Don’t Shut Me Down’ and last month’s ‘Just A Notion’.

The latter track was recorded in 1978 but failed to make the final cut of the band’s sixth studio album, ‘Voulez-Vous’ (1979). Björn Ulvaeus described the song as “ridiculously happy”, adding: “Hopefully it will cheer you up in these dark times!”

The post Watch ABBA’s dazzling new trailer for upcoming ‘Voyage’ concerts appeared first on NME.

Lola Young has covered Philip Oakey and Giorgio Moroder‘s 1984 hit ‘Together In Electric Dreams’ for this year’s John Lewis Christmas advert.

READ MORE: Watch Lola Young perform ‘Ruin My Make Up’, ‘Bad Tattoo’ and ‘Same Bed’ for NME Home Sessions

The up-and-coming singer has performed a downbeat cover of the electro classic for the annual festive video, which you can view below.

The clip shows a young boy meeting an alien in the woods who he brings home to meet his family for Christmas.

“I feel super honoured to be a part of this, growing up I always watched the John Lewis Christmas adverts, they’re iconic and so it kinda feels surreal getting asked to be in one,” said Young.

“It also means a lot as an up and coming artist to be a part of something this special. Together In Electric Dreams is a very beautiful song. I love that era of music and I think Philip Oakey & Giorgio Moroder are incredible.

“The lyric and soul within the song is something inspirational, fitting to the story within the ad. I feel so excited to be covering it and working with John Lewis.”

The original song was recorded as part of a soundtrack to the film Electric Dreams in 1984. It reached Number Three in the UK singles chart at the time.

Lola Young Credit: Press

The John Lewis Christmas advert has become a staple of the festive period in recent years. Back in 2018, Elton John revealed he was paid £5million to star in the advert, while viewers in 2017, unimpressed with Elbow’s cover of The Beatles’ ‘Golden Slumbers’, complained that they weren’t brought to tears by the advert, as had become customary with past editions.

Last year’s advert was soundtracked by Celeste‘s single ‘A Little Love’, which featured on her 2021 debut album ‘Not Your Muse‘.

A version of the child’s jumper in this year’s advert will be available in John Lewis shops, with 10 per cent of the profits for each jumper sold equally to the Give A Little Love charities FareShare and Home-Start UK.

Meanwhile, Young recently performed a special three-song acoustic set, for NME‘s Home Sessions during the summer.

The post ‘Together In Electric Dreams’ cover by Lola Young soundtracks new John Lewis Christmas advert appeared first on NME.

Green Day have announced they are a dropping a new single tomorrow (November 5).

READ MORE: The Big Read – Green Day: “We live our lives as if we have nothing”

The trio took to Twitter to confirm the new track ‘Holy Toledo!’, which will feature in rom-com movie Mark, Mary & Some Other People.

“We now interrupt your weekly BBC Live Sessions broadcasts to announce that we’ll be releasing a NEW song this week. ‘Holy Toledo!’ from @MarkMaryMovie is out everywhere this Friday,” they wrote.

The track follows the release of their previous 2021 singles ‘Pollyanna‘ and ‘Here Comes The Shock‘.

We now interrupt your weekly BBC Live Sessions broadcasts to announce that we’ll be releasing a NEW song this week. “Holy Toledo!” from @MarkMaryMovie is out everywhere this Friday. pic.twitter.com/lraBK1BzdY

— Green Day (@GreenDay) November 3, 2021

Meanwhile, the band recently shared a 1994 performance of ‘Basket Case’ from one of the sessions that make up their ‘BBC Sessions’ live album.

The record, which is released on December 10, compiles all of the band’s Maida Vale sessions from across their career: 1994, 1996, 1998 and 2001.

Their first session was recorded on June 8, 1994, a few months after the band released their celebrated third album ‘Dookie’.

The 16-track collection will be available in multiple physical formats, including CD and limited edition 2LP vinyl versions, a Sea Blue/Hot Pink edition exclusive to the band’s online webstore, and a Milky Clear version to be sold at indie record shops.

Green Day also recently released the second part of a limited edition 7″ vinyl, which is available exclusively to subscribers to their coffee company, Oakland Coffee Works.

Part one (which is pressed on platinum white vinyl) features live versions of the songs ‘2000 Light Years Away’ and ‘She’ from their 1994 BBC Radio 1 session, while the second part (pressed on ‘deep purple’ vinyl) features ‘Basket Case’ and ‘When I Come Around’.

In other news, the band recently finished up the North American leg of their ‘Hella Mega Tour’ with Fall Out Boy and Weezer.

Rescheduled UK dates will take place next summer after multiple COVID-related delays, however, these shows are yet to be confirmed.

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IDLES made their debut appearance on US TV last night to perform ‘The Beachland Ballroom’ – you can watch the video below.

READ MORE: IDLES: Don’t Go Gentle review: a touching portrait of fandom done right

The Bristol band appeared as the musical guests on yesterday’s episode of Jimmy Kimmel Live (November 3). Joe Talbot and co. played the first ‘Crawler’ single, which they previously described as an “honest-to-goodness soul song”.

IDLES performed live in the studio, with the slow-burning track growing in intensity towards its finale.

“Chills. Then a couple tears. He meant those words,” wrote one viewer in the comments section. Another said: “The best thing about this is absolutely everything.”

Tune in here:

Talbot previously said that ‘The Beachland Ballroom’ – named after the iconic Ohio venue – was the “most important song” on the group’s upcoming fourth record, which arrives on November 12.

“There’s so many bands that go through the small rooms and dream of making it into the big rooms,” he continued. “Being able to write a soul tune like this made me go, fuck – we’re at a place where we’re actually allowed to go to these big rooms and be creative and not just go through the motions and really appreciate what we’ve got.”

Meanwhile, IDLES recently shared another new track called ‘Car Crash’. It was inspired by Joe Talbot’s own near-death experience in a car accident.

IDLES will showcase ‘Crawler’ during a sold-out UK and Ireland tour in 2022. The run of gigs includes a four-night billing at the O2 Academy Brixton in London (January 16-19).

It was announced last month that the band will open for The Strokes at their New Year’s Eve concert in New York.

The post IDLES make US TV debut with soulful performance of ‘The Beachland Ballroom’ appeared first on NME.

ABBA dropped the first look at the slick digital avatars who will take the stage for their 2022 “Voyage” concert series on Thursday (Nov. 4) and released more tickets for the events. The high-energy 20-second trailer finds the Swedish pop uberstars — Agnetha Faltskog, Bjorn Ulvaeus, and Benny Andersson and Anni-Frid (Frida) Lyngstad — rocking the stage in glowing, Tron-like suits on a giant stage filled with digital neon pyramids as they dance along to their 1978 Europop ditty “Summer Night City.”

After a four-decade break, ABBA will release a new studio album, Voyage, on Friday (Nov. 5) via the Universal Music Group. The quartet announced their return in September, which includes a London concert series that will have them performing as digital avatars at their own purpose-built “ABBA Arena” at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park with a 10-piece live band; the ABBA Voyage will open on May 27, 2022.

Also on Thursday, more tickets were released for the concerts, which are now taking bookings through Dec. 4 here. The concerts promise a run through the group’s legendary catalog of frothy pop hits, performed by their digital avatars, as well as new tracks from the Voyage album, including “I Still Have Faith in You,” “Don’t Shut Me Down” and a third recent single, “Just a Notion.”

“We took a break in the spring of 1982 and now we’ve decided it’s time to end it,” ABBA said in a statement released Sept. 2 about their long-awaited return to the stage as avatars (aka, “ABBAtars”), circa 1979.

Check out the trailer below.

South Korean entertainment agency HYBE — home to K-pop superstars BTS — is teaming with the Universal Music Group for the first-ever HYBE x Geffen Global Girl Group Audition challenge. The alliance, announced on Thursday (Nov. 4) will find the two powerhouses launching a “global, diverse, and multi-talented girl pop group made up of artists around the world who are deeply passionate about music and aspire to be the next global superstar.”

According to the release, the collaboration marks the first time a U.S. record label and a K-pop entertainment company have teamed up to flex their A&R and music production power to “assemble, develop, and introduce a group from ground zero.” The audition process is seeking female artists between 15-19 years-old (16-19 for EU residents) who can sing, rap, dance and/or produce; interested performers are asked to send a one-minute video or music file showcasing a performance.

The companies promise that the process will emphasize artist development by focusing on music and performance training as well as life skills training, including mental wellness and music business and financial literacy as part of the first U.S.-based effort to model the legendarily rigorous K-pop training and development system. The group will be prepped in Los Angeles, where the act will make its debut. Audition videos are being accepted online starting today through 11:59 p.m. PT on Nov. 28 here.

Once the group is assembled, their music will be released on the newly formed Geffen joint-venture JV label from HYBE, with Geffen offering its extensive industry network to oversee music production, marketing and global distribution and HYBE focusing on its expertise in discovering, training and developing the group and engaging fans around the world, according to the release.

Check out the promotional video for the challenge below.

 

BRISBANE, Australia — Warner Music Group is taking another step towards realizing its ambitions for Asia, with the appointment of Chris Gobalakrishna and Jonathan Serbin to jointly oversee operations across the region.

Announced today (Nov. 4), Gobalakrishna and Serbin are named co-presidents Warner Music Asia, reporting to Simon Robson, president, International, Recorded Music, Warner Music Group.

Both executives are based in Hong Kong, and they’ll be expected to expand the major music company’s presence across Asia, a goal high on WMG’s agenda for several years.

Speaking with Billboard in 2019, Robson pointed out the significance of the region and, in particular, China, which had the potential as the largest recorded music market “in a few years.”

Getting “China right is crucial to the future of our company,” he told this reporter. Part of that process was “investing in great artists and rebooting our senior leadership team structure.”

The promotions for Gobalakrishna and Serbin, both “hugely talented and experienced execs who’ve already been very impactful at Warner Music Asia,” says Robson of their new roles, is part of that ongoing plan.

Gobalakrishna joined Warner Music Asia in May 2020 as senior VP, finance and operations, while Serbin came into the fold November 2020, becoming CEO of Greater China and head of strategic investment.

Their skills “complement each other perfectly and make for a formidable partnership,” adds Robson, “which will be hugely beneficial to growing the success of Warner Music’s domestic and international artists in Asia and beyond.”

Warner Music has been steadily building its business in Asia over the past decade, during which time the company has acquired the catalogs of Gold Typhoon (2014) and ISS (2016); launched an affiliate in Vietnam (2020); and several new labels, including Japan’s +809 (2019) and Whet Records (2021); and welcomed to the region its independent artist and label services arm ADA (2020).

Gobalakrishna and Serbin will “accelerate this strategy over the coming years,” in the coming years, reads a WMG statement unveiling their new roles.

Asia’s potential is no secret. In a marketplace that’s now dominated by digital products, recorded music revenue in 2020 grew by 9.5%, according to the IFPI’s Global Music Report. Excluding Japan, the trade body reports, Asia would have been the fastest-growing region, with “exceptional growth” of nearly 30% year-on-year.

WMG’s own business has gone through change in the past year. Last November, Robson, the president of Warner Music Asia since 2015, was tapped to become the president of International, Recorded Music, effectively assuming Stu Bergen’s responsibilities for international recorded music.

And earlier this year, long-standing ARIA and PPCA chief executive Dan Rosen was recruited to lead WMG’s presence Down Under, as president, Australasia.

Irvin Mayfield, the jazz trumpet player who became a symbol of New Orleans resilience after Hurricane Katrina, was sentenced to 18 months in prison Wednesday (Nov. 3) for steering charity money meant for public libraries to his personal use. Mayfield’s musical and business partner, pianist Ronald Markham, also was sentenced to 18 months Wednesday in federal court.

Both pleaded guilty last November to a single charge of conspiracy to commit fraud. Both are to report to prison on Jan. 5, although appeals of the sentence are possible. Both are to provide 500 hours of community service — music lessons for underprivileged children — when free. Prosecutors said Mayfield and Markham, both 43, steered more than $1.3 million from the New Orleans Public Library Foundation to themselves, largely by funneling it through the New Orleans Jazz Orchestra, which Mayfield founded.

“I have really grappled over this because of the potential you have, the wonderful things you have done for the community,” U.S. District Judge Jay Zainey told Mayfield as he announced the sentence. Zainey said he had to balance the need to punish a serious crime that unfolded over six years with the need for the musicians to get back to work, make restitution and return to community service for which both were held in high esteem. Mayfield, addressing the court before he was sentenced, apologized to the library foundation, its donors and the New Orleans community.

He acknowledged the library as a place where he first was able to listen to jazz records as a child. That brought one of several interruptions from Zainey. “The very library that got you your start … you ripped off,” Zainey said. At one point, Zainey told Mayfield to turn and address the courtroom, where Mayfield’s supporters and supporters of the library system sat. “I hope you accept my apology. I accept 100% responsibility,” Mayfield told the audience. Attorneys for the foundation, while not speaking on what kind of sentence Mayfield and Markham should get, said the damage done went beyond the $1.3 million.

The scandal, they said, also seriously damaged the foundation’s reputation and fund-raising ability. Supporters of Mayfield included former New Orleans police chief Eddie Compass. Compass urged that Mayfield be spared prison time so he can continue to care for his disabled mother and an autistic older brother. “He still fixes his brother’s food like he did when he was a little kid,” Compass said. Defense attorney Claude Kelly said nothing would be gained by sending Mayfield to prison for a non-violent crime.

He pointed to Mayfield’s mentoring of young musicians and other community development efforts led by the musician and said Mayfield has “and incredible capacity to really make it right.” Arguing for the maximum five years, Assistant U.S. Attorney Dall Kammer said failing to sentence the two to prison would be “a classic example of white collar criminals getting a slap on the wrist.” Book One, an album by Mayfield and the Jazz Orchestra, won a Grammy in 2010. But the library foundation scandal led to his resignation as artistic director of the orchestra in 2016 while scrutiny of his role with the library grew following investigative reports by WWL-TV.

Mayfield was among musicians who took a high-profile role in promoting New Orleans after levee failures and catastrophic flooding during Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Mayfield’s father died in the floodwaters. Mayfield was also a founding member of the Afro-Caribbean jazz ensemble Los Hombres Calientes.

Prosecutors said that in addition to orchestra operating expenses and salaries for Mayfield and Markham, library foundation money went into Mayfield’s personal bank accounts and toward the purchase of a gold-plated trumpet. Prior to his indictment and guilty plea, Mayfield had outlined grand plans for the city’s libraries in an AP interview in 2008. “A library is democracy inside four walls, the freedom to information,” he said then. “Jazz is democracy we hear.”