WOMEN in BUSINESS - April/May 2009 - (Page 22) Do you have a manager or do you assume that role yourself? For many years, i’ve been the chief cook and bottle washer, but now, i handle only the smaller or local engagements. For the larger performances, i use a booker. Also, i’ve signed a new recording contract with a label located in Los Angeles called Resonance Records—my first ever from my own label. After my late-summer release, we’ll see how the tour and new release promotion goes. but even when i have managers, agents, or bookers making arrangements, i still have a say in the process. This involvement is important to me, and i make sure it’s in the contract. Do you have a long-range plan for your career? Or what do you expect to be doing in 10 years? i’m a woman of many interests and untested talents, and i have a need to reinvent myself from time to time so there’s no telling what i may choose to do in the future. one thing is certain: i plan to take excellent care of myself so i’m around to reap the benefits of my reinvention, whatever that may be. How far do you travel to perform typically? The destination depends on the engagement and how lucrative it is or how badly i’d like to do it or work with a particular person(s) or venue. i’ve completed two world tours as a jazz ambassador for the united states giving concerts, workshops, and clinics in over 14 countries, and the kick-off performances were held at the Kennedy Center in washington, D.C. in addition, i’ve booked my sextet to France where we opened for Ray Charles. Primarily, i travel as a guest artist under my own name with various musicians including Clark Terry, Frank Foster, Tamir Hendelman, and others. i’ve had the pleasure of playing on both coasts and regionally. What prompted your original shift from fashion modeling to singing? And why jazz? Actually, it was the other way around. As a young person, i intended to pursue a career as a musician. i played trombone, rhythm keyboards, and sang background vocals, but before i could make any money playing music, i got hired to model fashion, makeup, and products. The money was excellent and travel incredible. i succumbed. Years later, the desire to make music was overwhelming, and again, i succumbed. As for why i prefer jazz, i’d have to say i enjoy the intellect of the music. Any advice for aspiring singers? Always remember to listen. There’s as much music in silence as there is in sound. And what ever you do, don’t over sing, even though there’s a tendency to do it. However, the best singers develop discipline and show restraint. Angela Hagenbach is one of those rare jazz vocalists who finds more in a song than the composer penned. Certainly more than one finds on the lyric sheet. Like Sarah Vaughan or Shirley Horn, Angela Hagenbach inhabits a song and breathes new life into her carefully selected material. A versatile performer, she sings everything from swinging, straight-ahead jazz and blues to sensual, rhythmic Latin jazz with seemingly effortless agility. Her lush contralto spans a range of nearly three octaves, and her rich life experience contributes to the original compositions and lyrics featured on her latest recordings. —Patricia Myers, Jazz Times What are some other business concerns that occupy your day? For Amazon Records, for example, i have to decide which online vendors to team up with, which distributors to use, how to protect my original compositions, when to produce new recordings—i’ve released five of them so far—or when to move on and try a new label, and how long of a term contract to sign. it’s important to me not to place myself in a corner with a no-way-out contractual agreement or become bogged down in legalese, because entering into a limitless agreement without wiggle room is not an option i’ll allow. Yet i still have to maintain my company and keep my corporate trademark and other legal entities up to date. Having a good legal firm i can trust is an absolute must. even still, mistakes can be made. Responsibly handling mistakes and seeing them through correction is also part of the job. 22 w o m e n i n b us i n e s s A p r / M Ay 2 0 0 9
For optimal viewing of this digital publication, please enable JavaScript and then refresh the page. If you would like to try to load the digital publication without using Flash Player detection, please click here.