SUNDANCE 2003

In a popular, recurring role that continues to be the buzz each year at the Sundance Film Festival, ASCAP's 2003 Music Café carried on the grand tradition of bringing music to the moviemakers at one of the film industry's most anticipated and closely watched events.

This year ASCAP's Music Café moved to a new location, the Plan B nightclub in Park City, Utah and extended its showcase series for a total of eight days. Singer/songwriters from all genres of music joined together in giving Festival-goers the rare chance to see some incredibly talented up-and-coming artists share the stage with genuine musical legends.

The first night of the festival kicked off with an outdoor concert that featured ASCAP member and film composer Mark Isham and ASCAP member Jonny Lang. The first weekend of the café kicked off with mesmerizing performances by Lang, Buddy Miller, Daniel Lanois and Emmylou Harris. Miller and Lanois, who have both worked with Harris in the past, performed numbers with her.

As the week progressed, audiences were treated to performances by artists from across America and around the world: Moscow, Idaho's Josh Ritter, Sweden's Nicolai Dunger, Ireland's Damien Rice, indie-rock icon and Built to Spill frontman Doug Martsch; Scottish/Greek singer/songwriter Alexi Murdoch, the Grammy-nominated Alejandro Lerner from Argentina, America's very own and very successful songwriter/performer Beth Nielsen Chapman (from Nashville) and New Zealand pop sensation Bic Runga.

Wrapping up the eight day series were Ireland's Paul Brady, Brooklyn's HEM, an 8-piece Americana orchestra, neo-soul singer/songwriter Vivian Green, jazz/pop singer/songwriter Judith Owen, roots rock troubador Patrick Park and innovative trip hop duo Frou Frou.

Actor/Directors Forrest Whitaker and Steve Buscemi as well as Sundance hit Thirteen director Catherine Hardwick were among the filmmakers who stopped by to see some performances. Actors Aiden Quinn and Sarah Clarke and film subject Timothy "Speed" Levitch were also seen enjoying the music. Judith Owen's husband, ASCAP member and writer/actor/director Harry Shearer (Spinal Tap, A Mighty Wind, "The Simpsons") was on hand to see her perform.

Beth Nielsen Chapman

Josh Ritter

Alexi Murdoch

ASCAP's Loretta Muñoz, Emmylou Harris, "24" actress Sarah Clarke and ASCAP's Tom DeSavia

ASCAP's Alexandra Lioutikoff, Alejandro Lerner and ASCAP's Gabriela Benitez

Frou Frou's Imogen Heap and Guy Sigsworth with ASCAP's Jackey Simms

Harry Shearer, Judith Owen, Vivian Green, Paul Brady and Muñoz

ASCAP's Jeanie Weems, Vivian Green and ASCAP's Keith Johnson

DeSavia, Harris, Lanois, Lisa Hannigan, Damien Rice and Muñoz

Patrick Park

Bic Runga (in purple) with band

Nicolai Dunger

Buddy Miller

Daniel Lanois and Jonny Lang

Harris and Lanois performing together

The 8-member HEM with ASCAP's Sue Devine (front) and Randy Grimmett (center rear)

Film Music Roundtable Explores the Music Behind Sundance's Prey for Rock & Roll

On Tuesday, January 21, during the Sundance Film Festival, ASCAP presented a Film Music Roundtable/ Case Study on the Sundance film Prey for Rock & Roll. The film, based on the real-life rock and roll experiences of L.A.-based screenwriter/songwriter Cheri Lovedog, is about a woman nearing the age of 40 as she struggles to keep the faith to play the music she loves.

The all-star panel, all of whom had a hand in bringing the movie and its music to the screen, included director and music supervisor Alex Steyermark, actress Gina Gershon, producer Donovan Mannato, music producer Stephen Trask (Hedwig and the Angry Inch), music supervisor Linda Cohen and moderator, Bug Music's Jonathan Palmer. Pictured above (l-r) are ASCAP's Mike Todd and Sue Devine, Trask, Lovedog, Palmer, Gershon, Steyermark, Mannato and ASCAP's Pamela Allen.

ASCAP Members Rock Into the Night

A special late-night concert at Cisero's on Main Street in Park City, Utah featured a reunited (but Axl Rose-less) Guns n' Roses with lead vocals performed by ASCAP member Shooter Jennings and actress Gina Gershon, who was a featured speaker on the ASCAP Film Music Panel earlier in the day. ASCAP's Mike Todd also joined the band to play saxophone on a searing version of the Rolling Stones' classic "Sympathy for the Devil." Pictured (above left) are Slash and Gershon and, pictured beside it, Mike Todd playing sax with the band while Gershon looks on.

ASCAP's Snowbound Soiree

A warm fire, lively conversation, networking and live music set the scene for ASCAP's invite-only condo party at Sundance. Filmmakers, music industry reps, café performers and their guests snuggled up for a night that included intimate acoustic performances by (right, l-r) X's John Doe, Paul Brady, Alexi Murdoch, Bic Runga and Doug Martsch (front).