Cutting Edge C.E. (formerly known the Cutting Edge Music Business Conference) began in 1993 as a conference dedicated to educating musicians and music professionals about the latest trends in the music industry. The event returns to New Orleans from Thursday, July 7, through Saturday, July 9.
Since its inception, Cutting Edge has evolved into entertainment workshops covering legal issues, filmmaking, interactive applications, and media business education. Cutting Edge C.E. brings together established and aspiring entertainment professionals; it is as much about bringing people into the entertainment business together as it is about the business of entertainment.
An awards ceremony will honor R&B legend Irma Thomas with a the 2022 Lifetime Achievement Award and OffBeat Publisher/Editor-in-Chief Jan Ramsey with a Music Influencer Award at the Carver Theater on Friday, July 8. Doors open at 5 p.m.and a show will begin at 6 p.m. Admission is free, but an RSVP is requested. The Carver Theater is located at 2101 Orleans Avenue.
Additional events will include the following on Saturday, July 9, at the Carver Theater.
10–11 a.m. Coffee at the Carver
10:15–11 a.m. Lonely Souls podcast – Health of a Music Community hosted by Power504Radio.com
11 a.m.–5 p.m. Fashion Activation Photo Shoot: It is an essential fact held by photographers, publicists, web designers, publications, and the marketing community that good images are critical for models and artists. Sadly, many still think smartphones are a means of producing professional photographs. Cutting Edge has gathered a team of award-winning professional photographers donating their time to take free photos of artists, models, and dancers. Participating photographers include:
• Curtis Knapp, renowned fashion/portrait (Andy Warhol, Lillian Boutte, Carl LeBlanc, Madonna)
• Ron Fontenot, music industry photographer (Elvin Bishop, Gloria Gaynor, Buddy Guy, Tito Jackson)
• Mark Mascar, fashion/portrait, intuitive street life, and nature photographer
12–1:15 p.m. Workshop: Part I: Fashion from the perspective of those who capture the images, followed by a Workshop: Part II: How to get ready to take your best photo ever – Photo shoots follow the discussion.
Speakers will include Knapp, Fontenot and Mascar.
12–1: p.m. Workshop: Tech Talk/Demonstrations with Diego Pinzon, CEO of Dawn Audio, and live versus studio-recording production with Paul Diaz, owner of TreeSound Studios, and Henry Meyer, owner of Tech Pro Solutions
1:15–1:30 p.m. Community Service Award Ceremony
1:30–2:15 p.m. Workshop: How to Organize Events: A Step By Step Guide hosted by Eric Cager with guests. The session will include advice about
• Checklists/setting a timeline and finding a venue with Henry Turner, Jr., producer/promoter of the Baton Rouge Soul Food Festival and Baton Rouge Mardi Gras festival
• Booking talent with Vincent Sylvain
• Promoting your event with Don P
• Permits with Eric Cager
• Funding with Klervae Stinson, M.A., Grant Manager, New Orleans Tourism and Culture Fund
2:55–3:45 p.m. Workshop: How to get your music in Movies & TV | How Synch Licensing Work: A Taste of a Moment of Truth, sponsored by MusicSupervisor.com and Sync Musica
• Barry Coffing, MusicSupervisor.com, We Get Music
• Jessica Alvarez (a.k.a. Jessi Campo)
• Michele Vice-Maslin, Emmy-winning songwriter (co-writer with Jonathan Butler)
For more information and to register for the Cutting Edge conference, visit here.
