Jason Blume New Zealand Songwriting Workshops

Jason Blume New Zealand Songwriting Workshops

International hit songwriter Jason Blume will be visiting New Zealand for the first time in May/June 2008. While here he will teach two weekend workshops – one in Christchurch and one in Auckland.

With songs on albums that have sold more than 50 million copies, Jason Blume is one of the world’s most successful songwriters and respected songwriting teachers. One of only a few writers to ever have singles on Billboard’s Pop, R&B, and Country charts – all at the same time, his songs are on Grammy-nominated albums by Britney Spears and the Backstreet Boys, and have been recorded by diverse artists such as the Gipsy Kings, Jesse McCartney, the Nashville Chamber Orchestra, and country stars including the Oak Ridge Boys, Collin Raye, John Berry (top 5 "Change My Mind"), and Steve Azar – as well as on TV and in films such as “Scrubs,” “Friday Night Lights,” Disney’s “Kim Possible,” “The Miss America Pageant,” “First Kid,” “Dangerous Minds,” “The Guiding Light” “Barbie of Swan Lake,” and many more.

Jason Blume is the author of the critically acclaimed and #1 best-selling 6-Steps to Songwriting Success: The Comprehensive Guide to Writing and Marketing Hit Songs, Inside Songwriting: Getting to the Heart of Creativity, and This Business of Songwriting, all published by Billboard Books. He has also produced the "Writing Hit Melodies" and “Writing Hit Lyrics” instructional audio CDs and "The Way I Heard It," his own version of his songs recorded by major artists. These are available along with free songwriting tips, studio referrals, and additional information at www.jasonblume.com.

Blume, owner of the Moondream Music Publishing Group, states, “Songwriting success is not just based on luck or magic. My goal is to teach writers to communicate what’s in their hearts in a way that’s appropriate for the radio. There are melodic and lyric techniques that can be mastered with practice that allow you to write from your heart - - but in such a way that you can touch millions of other hearts.”

“There are reasons why some songs connect with listeners – and others don’t. Part of what I do is an analysis of successful songs in various genres and I seek out the common denominators; the tools the writers and artists used in order to evoke emotion in their listeners.

You also have to take care of business; you can write the greatest song – but if the right people don’t hear it, it won’t be a hit. So I teach about pitching songs, publishing, and getting songs recorded internationally. But even if you never have a hit on the radio, writing songs is a great hobby and a wonderful way to express yourself.”

“An important aspect of my workshops is inspiring writers and artists – and in fact anyone, to follow their dreams and honor the gift of creativity in their hearts. I know how difficult the road to success can be; and it’s typically paved with rejection and frustration.

My road to success wasn’t easy or fast. I moved to Los Angeles thinking I’d have a Mercedes parked in my driveway within a year … but eleven years went by before I began to earn a meager living as a professional songwriter. There was a period when I was so poor I lived in one room – no kitchen or bathroom. I shared the bathroom down the hall with the junkies and prostitutes who lived in the building and I ate cat food to survive. (Kitty tuna – twelve cents a can.)”

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The workshops will be appropriate for songwriters at all levels
and for those writing (or hoping to write) any style of commercial music. No prior musical knowledge is required to benefit. Topics will include:

- Writing lyrics that express what’s in your heart-

- Composing memorable melodies (even if you don’t play an instrument) -

- Producing successful demos –

- Getting your songs published and recorded –

- Self-Publishing –

- Learning how to juggle making time for your creativity –

Selected participants will receive a detailed, constructive analysis of one of their songs or lyrics. No previous musical or songwriting experience is necessary to benefit from this event.

TO REGISTER:

Contact Gini Parslow, 021-590-788 email: gini[at]ihug.co.nz

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- A Brief Biography -

Jason Blume is one of those rare individuals to ever achieve the distinction of having songs on the Country, Pop and R&B charts – all at the same time. Blume’s songs are on albums and videos that have sold more than 50 million copies and have been recorded by artists including Britney Spears, the Gipsy Kings, Jesse McCartney, and the Backstreet Boys. This multi-talented writer’s country music hits include John Berry's Top 5 single, "Change My Mind," (which received a BMI “Millionaire Award” for garnering more than one million airplays), five cuts with Collin Raye, Steve Azar's hit single, "I Never Stopped Lovin' You,” and a chart single by the Oak Ridge Boys.

Blume’s composition, "I'll Never Stop Loving You," was a #1 R&B video in the U.S. and an international hit for fifteen year old J'Son, garnering an NSAI Award for being among the "Favorite Pop Songs of the Year." Additional recent recordings include multiple cuts with Grammy nominee Karen Taylor-Good, two cuts with indie rockers Escape From Earth, Leslie Mills’ Atlantic Records debut, Jimmy Hall (featured on the Grammy-nominated “Kid Pan Alley”), “Hi-5” (#1 and certified platinum in Greece--winners of “Greek Popstars” – the Greek version of “American Idol”), “LMNT” (Atlantic Records), “3 of Hearts (RCA/BMG),” “Boyz ‘N Girlz United (Edel),” two Canadian singles by Bobbi Smith, a cut on Brad Johner’s debut album which was nominated for “Canadian Country Album of the Year,” a cut with Canadian country artist Megan Morrison, and two cuts with Canadian Idol finalist Karen Lee Batten. He also has two songs on Anne Morrone’s upcoming Attack/Universal debut for release in Canada, Italy, and Germany.

On television, Blume’s songs have been heard on shows including “Scrubs,” “Friday Night Lights,” the “Miss America Pageant,” “The Guiding Light,” "Dangerous Minds," "Fame," “Entertainment Tonight," Emmy-Award winning "Whatever Happened to Childhood," and Emmy-nominated, "Down For the Count." His song, “Wings” is the end credit song of the animated film, “Barbie of Swan Lake” and his work is featured on the soundtrack of Disney's hit film, "First Kid," and Jamie Kennedy’s “Kickin It Old Skool.” In addition, his song, “Why Don’t You Kiss Her” is included in Jesse McCartney Live and was featured in Disney’s “Kim Possible.”

One of the world's most respected songwriting teachers, when he is not writing hits, Blume teaches others how to do so. Jason is the author of the critically acclaimed 6 STEPS TO SONGWRITING SUCCESS: The Comprehensive Guide to Writing and Marketing Hit Songs, INSIDE SONGWRITING: Getting to the Heart of Creativity, and THIS BUSINESS OF SONGWRITING, all published by Billboard Books. Blume presents seminars internationally and developed and teaches BMI's Nashville Songwriters Workshops and the BMI Artists’ Workshop series. He has taught his songwriting techniques as a guest lecturer at U.C.L.A., Vanderbilt University, and Birmingham Southern College, and as a member of the faculty of Los Angeles' Pierce College, and at Nashville's Watkins Institute. He’s taught acclaimed seminars in Norway, Bermuda, Ireland, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, Canada, and on cruise ships, as well as in more than forty U.S. cities, and his lessons are used by Nashville Songwriters Association International's members throughout the U.S. and internationally.

Formerly Assistant to the Director of A & R for RCA Records, Blume worked with artists including Dolly Parton, the Judds, Barry Manilow, Vince Gill, Alabama, Eurythmics, Diana Ross, Starship, and Kenny Rogers. He also served as Production Coordinator for artists including Aaron Tippin, Randy Travis, and Engelbert Humperdinck.

Jason’s poetry is featured on greeting cards, calendars, and in anthologies published by Blue Mountain Arts. Blume owns and is president of Moondream Music publishing. He produced “Writing Hit Melodies with Jason Blume,” and “Writing Hit Lyrics with Jason Blume,” a series of instructional CDs, as well as “The Way I Heard It,” a CD featuring Jason’s versions of his own songs that have been recorded by artists including the Backstreet Boys, John Berry, Collin Raye, Karen Taylor-Good, the Oak Ridge Boys and more.

Additional information can be found at www.jasonblume.com

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Sample list of songs:

"I'll Never Stop Loving You" (J'Son) -- international hit single; #1 in New Zealand (1996); #1 video U.S.

"Change My Mind" (top 5 country single; #1 Billboard sales) recorded by John Berry

"Dear Diary" -- on Britney Spears' "Oops, I Did it Again" album -- 17,000,000 sales internationally (received extensive international airplay); Britney Spears' first collaboration

"Back to Your Heart" -- on the Backstreet Boys' 23,000,000 selling "Millennium" album (extensive international airplay)

"On Angels' Wings" Karen Taylor-Good; #1 country/Christian single in the U.K. (2007)

"I'll Never Stop Loving You" -- Britney Spears

"Why Don't You Kiss Her" -- recorded by Jesse McCartney on his multi-platinum "Beautiful Soul" LP

"Unbreakable Hearts" -- Gipsy Kings duet with Anne Morrone; upcoming single

Additional cuts include the Oak Ridge Boys (Gold) ; Boyz-n-Girlz United; Hi-5 (multi-platinum); Steve Azar; and five cuts with country star Collin Raye.

Jason's songs have been heard on TV and in films including:

Scrubs
Friday Night Lights
the Guiding Light
Kim Possible (Disney)
Kickin' it Old Skool
First Kid (Disney)
Dangerous Minds
and many more ...

ENDS

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