NEW YORK (CelebrityAccess) — The Blue Note Entertainment Group announced a new talent-buying team at Manhattan’s iconic Sony Hall, including Senior Talent Buyer Jack McFadden, Talent Buyer Alli Vega, and Junior Talent Buyer Niko Murray.
New Senior Talent Buyer Jack McFadden started his career in Chicago in A&R in the 1990s but later relocated to Brooklyn where he transitioned to the live side of the business and established Union Hall and The Bell House as key venues in the market. In 2011, he relocated again to Austin, where as part of the Austin City Limits team, he oversaw bookings for artists such as Sturgill Simpson, Jason Isbell, and Charley Crockett.
Alli Vega began her career as a talent buyer at venues in Washington D.C., including Songbyrd and DC9, before her recent relocation to New York for a role at Bowery Presents.
Junior Talent Buyer Niko Murray is a graduate of NYU’s Music Business Program and his resume includes roles at Cara Lewis Group and Sony Music Entertainment.
Upcoming shows at the 1,000-capacity Sony Hall include the upcoming 13th annual Blue Note Jazz Festival, including evenings with Yo La Tengo and the Sun Ra Arkestra, Antibalas and Hailu Mergia, Lisa Fischer, Victor Wooten, Mulatu Astatke and many more. The festival kicks off June 1 and runs through early July and will take place at venues at multiple New York venues, including SummerStage in Central Park, Town Hall, Brooklyn Bowl, and the Blue Note Jazz Club.
Following the establishment of the new team at Sony Hall, the venue’s former talent buyer Peter Abraham will oversee bookings for Blue Note Hawaii, the premiere 350-capacity live music venue in the heart of Waikiki.
“I’m both personally and professionally grateful to welcome Jack McFadden, Alli Vega and Niko Murray as our three new core talent buyers for Sony Hall,” notes Blue Note Entertainment Group President Steven Bensusan. “This is an exciting moment for Sony Hall and Blue Note Entertainment Group as we strengthen and bolster our booking program, further introducing this iconic New York City venue to the live music industry. Jack, Alli, and Niko each have different and diverse backgrounds within the industry to complement and enrich our talent-buying team.”
