concerning the CMS Archive Project
Dear Friends,
You might have heard already about the CMS Archive Project As we proceed with the transfers of the recordings to digital formats throughout the coming two years, we would like to share with you, as much as possible, the recordings that you led or participated in. So we would like to start early on to renew our communication with you and have your new mailing addresses on file.
CMS has always been about supporting the creative process and artistic freedom. Most of these recordings, while often not recorded under optimal conditions, convey that spirit of experimentation and ground-breaking concepts that could not be found in the commercial recordings of the time. We feel that they are well worth preserving, as they represent artistic dimensions that were unique at the time and, to some degree, still are. We continue to receive communications about the impact that these sessions had on the musical lives of their participants.
We assume that all participants agree, that the rights to these recordings should be entirely with the artists that created them. Unless we hear from any of the participants otherwise in these coming two years, we assume that we all agree on this. We feel that, wherever possible, the Guiding Artists of the CMS sessions, should be entitled to use these recordings in any way they might want to. CMS does not claim any rights or ownership to these recordings.
After the process of archiving the recordings and documents is completed, CMS plans to place the entire collection with a prominent educational institution for scholarly and educational use only. To partially finance the CMS Archive Project CMS will ask the Artists to contribute one piece ( of 5 to 10 minutes f.e. ) of their recordings to a CD Compilation that will be made available to collectors, institutions and libraries. Again, this will be entirely subject to the discretion of the Artists.
The technical process of transfering the various formats of tapes to the digital domain and re-mastering them will be led by master engineer Ted Orr at Sertso Studio in Woodstock, N.Y., who has a remarkable track record of creative productions over that past 20 years and has himself been a long-time participant in CMS projects. Karl Berger will oversee the artistic production (see www.myspace.com/sertsostudio )
We would like to invite your support through participation in concerts/festivals that benefit the CMS Archive Project. You might have ideas for concert/festivals in your area. So far, plans are underway for events in the Woodstock area, New York and Boston.
We also invite you to be a supporting member of the Creative Music Foundation, Inc. and/or co-producer of the CMF Archive Project ( see: CreativeMusicStudio.org about specifics ).
In return, we would like to offer to all active and supporting participants in the CMS Archive Project the use of Sertso Studio in Woodstock at a rock-bottom rate. With Ted Or engineering the cost will be $ 40 per hour. We also, upon request, work out a lump-sum rate for an entire projct. Sertso Studio is a full professional recording studio for tracking, editing, mixing, and mastering. We are getting a great sound and there is no-one better and faster than Ted (see specs and testimonials, and listen to a variety of tracks at www.myspace.com/sertsostudio.
Thanks. In the hope of hearing from you soon,
Karl Berger and the CMS team.