Morty Wiggins launched his career in the music business over 30 years ago promoting concerts in Sonoma County, California. In 1983 Morty went to work for the world -renowned concert promoter and artist manager Bill Graham. During his 15 successful years at Bill Graham Presents Morty rose to the rank of Vice President / Partner and signed for management representation the "multi- platinum" recording artists Sheryl Crow; Gin Blossoms; Aaron Neville; and "gold" recording artists Monster Magnet and the Neville Brothers, among others.
In 1996, Morty was recruited by A&M Records to become their General Manager. He oversaw the marketing, sales, promotion, publicity, and creative services departments, created and executed quarterly budgets of $7M and scheduled the release of 40 to 50 new album releases and over 100 promotional singles.
In November 2000, Morty conceived, developed and executive-produced the music television series, "Live at the Fillmore", which he syndicated monthly in select cable markets. Episodes featured such up-and-coming acts that went on to break including Coldplay, Pete Yorn, Linkin Park, and others.
In January 2001 Morty launched and was named President of 33rd Street Records, the independent record company of Tower Records, where he developed a novel approach to licensing finished masters from established touring artists. Morty then took on Tower Record's independent distribution business, Bayside Entertainment Distribution, and ran Bayside profitably ($25M annual sales) until the sale of the company.
In October 2005 Morty accepted the position of President at the digital media company Outhink. He successfully negotiated some of the first exclusive production contracts for videobloggers and advertising revenue share agreements with publishing sites including Yahoo and Blip.TV. Morty also launched the Outhink podcasting site Towerpod.com which was one of the first websites featuring DRM-free, full length songs in the MP3 format.
2007 Morty accepted the position of executive director for the Bill Graham Memorial Foundation. Morty has also been a two term board member of NARAS. He is happily married with three children.
In 1996, Morty was recruited by A&M Records to become their General Manager. He oversaw the marketing, sales, promotion, publicity, and creative services departments, created and executed quarterly budgets of $7M and scheduled the release of 40 to 50 new album releases and over 100 promotional singles.
In November 2000, Morty conceived, developed and executive-produced the music television series, "Live at the Fillmore", which he syndicated monthly in select cable markets. Episodes featured such up-and-coming acts that went on to break including Coldplay, Pete Yorn, Linkin Park, and others.
In January 2001 Morty launched and was named President of 33rd Street Records, the independent record company of Tower Records, where he developed a novel approach to licensing finished masters from established touring artists. Morty then took on Tower Record's independent distribution business, Bayside Entertainment Distribution, and ran Bayside profitably ($25M annual sales) until the sale of the company.
In October 2005 Morty accepted the position of President at the digital media company Outhink. He successfully negotiated some of the first exclusive production contracts for videobloggers and advertising revenue share agreements with publishing sites including Yahoo and Blip.TV. Morty also launched the Outhink podcasting site Towerpod.com which was one of the first websites featuring DRM-free, full length songs in the MP3 format.
2007 Morty accepted the position of executive director for the Bill Graham Memorial Foundation. Morty has also been a two term board member of NARAS. He is happily married with three children.
Charlie Ellicott started out in the music business in 1966 playing guitar and acting as manager/booker in a college band in Philadelphia. Originally from Long Island, he left college in 1967 and moved to New York City where he joined a blues band named BFD (not hard to figure out) who's biggest moment was opening for Linda Ronstadt & The Stone Ponys at the Bitter End on Bleeker Street. In 1968 while managing a head shop on St. Mark's Place, Charlie heard that Bill Graham was hiring a new crew around the corner on Second Avenue at the soon to be opened Fillmore East. He started as an usher and moved on to stage hand/production assistant. In July of 1968 Charlie moved to San Francisco and took up residence with The Flamin' Groovies at the " Eleventh Avenue Circus" (thank you Barry Melton!). He went back to work for Bill Graham as stage manager at Fillmore West and Winterland until 1970.
In 1971 he took a break from the music business and moved to Mendocino County, California. After spending eight years living in Mendocino County raising his daughters he returned to the Bay Area in the summer of 1979. That fall Charlie went on the road with Maria Muldaur as roadie/monitor mixer and after one tour was promoted to Tour Manager. In 1982 he retired from the road and established his first booking agency, Marin Artists. Clients included Maria Muldaur, David Crosby, Doug Sahm, Dan Hicks and Merle Saunders.
In 1988 he dissolved Marin Artists and went to work for DeLeon Artists in Oakland, CA. There he booked Etta James, Tony Bennett, Art Farmer, Shirley Horn, Mongo Santamaria, Dave Valentin, Eddie Gomez, Joyce, Dori Caymmi and many others. In October 1989 Charlie relocated to NYC and was an agent at Bennett Morgan & Associates where he represented Terence Blanchard, George Shearing, Nancy Wilson, Stan Getz, Ramsey Lewis, Dizzy Gillespie, Paquito D'Rivera, Jerry Gonzalez, The Bronx Horns and others.
In January of 1991 Charlie left BM & Assoc.and established Ellicott Talent Group. A partial list of artists represented by ETG through 2009 includes Elvin Jones, Jimmy Smith, Ramsey Lewis, Shirley Horn, Nancy Wilson, Branford Marsalis, Ellis Marsalis, Charlie Byrd, Oscar Castro-Neves, Lydia Pense & Cold Blood, Randy Brecker, Benny Golson, Kevin Mahogany, Jimmy McGriff, Hank Crawford, Maria Muldaur and others. Charlie is now head agent at Second Octave Talent.
In 1971 he took a break from the music business and moved to Mendocino County, California. After spending eight years living in Mendocino County raising his daughters he returned to the Bay Area in the summer of 1979. That fall Charlie went on the road with Maria Muldaur as roadie/monitor mixer and after one tour was promoted to Tour Manager. In 1982 he retired from the road and established his first booking agency, Marin Artists. Clients included Maria Muldaur, David Crosby, Doug Sahm, Dan Hicks and Merle Saunders.
In 1988 he dissolved Marin Artists and went to work for DeLeon Artists in Oakland, CA. There he booked Etta James, Tony Bennett, Art Farmer, Shirley Horn, Mongo Santamaria, Dave Valentin, Eddie Gomez, Joyce, Dori Caymmi and many others. In October 1989 Charlie relocated to NYC and was an agent at Bennett Morgan & Associates where he represented Terence Blanchard, George Shearing, Nancy Wilson, Stan Getz, Ramsey Lewis, Dizzy Gillespie, Paquito D'Rivera, Jerry Gonzalez, The Bronx Horns and others.
In January of 1991 Charlie left BM & Assoc.and established Ellicott Talent Group. A partial list of artists represented by ETG through 2009 includes Elvin Jones, Jimmy Smith, Ramsey Lewis, Shirley Horn, Nancy Wilson, Branford Marsalis, Ellis Marsalis, Charlie Byrd, Oscar Castro-Neves, Lydia Pense & Cold Blood, Randy Brecker, Benny Golson, Kevin Mahogany, Jimmy McGriff, Hank Crawford, Maria Muldaur and others. Charlie is now head agent at Second Octave Talent.
Jeff Trager started in the record business in 1967, representing such labels as London Records, ABC, Impulse, Liberty UA, A&M, and Blue Thumb. In 1968, Jeff broke Ike& Tina Turner's first hit "I've Been Loving You Too Long", and in 1969, the Moody Blues classic single "Nights in White Satin", both singles that were departures for AM Radio programming at that time. In 1969, Jeff joined famed producers Bob Krasnow and Tommy LiPuma at Blue Thumb Records as National Promotions Director, helping break records for such artists as Dave Mason, Leon Russell, The Pointer Sisters, and The Crusaders
In 1971, Jeff left Los Angeles to return home to San Francisco to become the regional director of promotion for Elektra Records, where he broke Mickey Newbury's "American Trilogy" and in 1974, Joni Mitchell's "Help Me', which transformed a "folk singer" into a successful pop artist. Her CD "Court and Spark" went on to sell more than 6 million units. At Elektra and the merging Ayslum Records, Jeff worked with such artists as Linda Rondstadt, The Eagles, Jackson Browne, and Tom Waits, Carly Simon. Jeff also broke the Doors "Riders on the Storm", the last recording of Jim Morrison
In 1975, Jeff joined Polydor Records as head of West Coast promotions and broke the "Koln Concert" by Keith Jarrett, a classical record which wound up selling over 2 million 2 record sets and in 1981, broke the single from the "Chariots of Fire" soundtrack, which sold over 10 millions units. While at Polydor for 10 years, Jeff also broke several Gap Band singles, Peaches and Herb "Reunited" and hand picked many of the singles from the one of the biggest albums of all time, "Saturday Night Fever"
In 1990, Jeff formed a marketing company, Break Thru Productions that was responsible for creating many genre specific retail programs for Tower Records, such as retails first Latin Rock section for their stores, as well as programs for World, Jazz, Dance, and Americana music. Break Thru designed the most successful DVD viewing station in the country for Tower that also was adopted by Indie retails chains across the country.
After the closing of Tower Records, Jeff consulted Unity Music and joined Dig Music in 2007 as Director of A&R, signing new acts and also laison to Dig Music's distributor ADA/WB
In 1971, Jeff left Los Angeles to return home to San Francisco to become the regional director of promotion for Elektra Records, where he broke Mickey Newbury's "American Trilogy" and in 1974, Joni Mitchell's "Help Me', which transformed a "folk singer" into a successful pop artist. Her CD "Court and Spark" went on to sell more than 6 million units. At Elektra and the merging Ayslum Records, Jeff worked with such artists as Linda Rondstadt, The Eagles, Jackson Browne, and Tom Waits, Carly Simon. Jeff also broke the Doors "Riders on the Storm", the last recording of Jim Morrison
In 1975, Jeff joined Polydor Records as head of West Coast promotions and broke the "Koln Concert" by Keith Jarrett, a classical record which wound up selling over 2 million 2 record sets and in 1981, broke the single from the "Chariots of Fire" soundtrack, which sold over 10 millions units. While at Polydor for 10 years, Jeff also broke several Gap Band singles, Peaches and Herb "Reunited" and hand picked many of the singles from the one of the biggest albums of all time, "Saturday Night Fever"
In 1990, Jeff formed a marketing company, Break Thru Productions that was responsible for creating many genre specific retail programs for Tower Records, such as retails first Latin Rock section for their stores, as well as programs for World, Jazz, Dance, and Americana music. Break Thru designed the most successful DVD viewing station in the country for Tower that also was adopted by Indie retails chains across the country.
After the closing of Tower Records, Jeff consulted Unity Music and joined Dig Music in 2007 as Director of A&R, signing new acts and also laison to Dig Music's distributor ADA/WB
Morty Wiggins - CEO
Jeff Trager - VP
Charlie Ellicott - Head Booking Agent
Second Octave Talent Agency, LLC 720 South Point Blvd. Suite A200 Petaluma, CA 94954 t. 707-773-3170 f. 707-773-2944
Copyright 2010-2011 All Rights Reserved
Copyright 2010-2011 All Rights Reserved
David Rubinstein - Administration
David Rubinstein started his life in the music business in high school playing guitar with his band The Blitz in Bay Area clubs (while he should have been doing his homework). After a brief post-high school stint studying Photography at the Academy of Art College he spent the rest of the 80's recording, performing and touring with Bay Area post-punk pop bands B-Team and The Naked Into. During this time he also worked as a composer and sound-designer for theater working with Tony Kushner, Oskar Eustis, Susan Marsden and others at S.F.'s Eureka Theater, and other local theaters.
In 1991 he completed his Composition and Conducting studies at Carnegie Mellon University and moved to Los Angeles to seek fame and fortune (but mostly found traffic and alienation). During his time in L.A. he worked as a session arranger writing string and orchestral arrangements for a variety of artists and producers large and small, including Peter Asher, Kevin Killen, Matt Wallace, Kenny Loggins and Sophie B. Hawkins.
In 1993 David stepped onto the other side of the music business at Bug Music publishing administration where he worked his way up to Director of Royalties, spending his days collecting and distributing royalties for an eclectic roster of clients that included Willie Dixon, T. Bone Burnett, Iggy Pop, MC5, Leo Kottke, Los Lobos, Vic Chestnutt and many others. He also spent time working in the royalty department at Killer Tracks production music company, part of Universal Music Publishing Group.
Unable to resist the lure of the internet he spent the next decade working as a web database programmer, website designers and technical writer.
In 2003 David and his soon-to-be wife decided to return to the Bay area where he was offered an opportunity to run Hillel of Sonoma County, a Jewish student organization. David has continued to write, record and produce music and he is currently completing recording and production of "Growing and Dying", a CD by Sonoma County singer-songwriter Robert Ethington, due out spring 2011.
In 1991 he completed his Composition and Conducting studies at Carnegie Mellon University and moved to Los Angeles to seek fame and fortune (but mostly found traffic and alienation). During his time in L.A. he worked as a session arranger writing string and orchestral arrangements for a variety of artists and producers large and small, including Peter Asher, Kevin Killen, Matt Wallace, Kenny Loggins and Sophie B. Hawkins.
In 1993 David stepped onto the other side of the music business at Bug Music publishing administration where he worked his way up to Director of Royalties, spending his days collecting and distributing royalties for an eclectic roster of clients that included Willie Dixon, T. Bone Burnett, Iggy Pop, MC5, Leo Kottke, Los Lobos, Vic Chestnutt and many others. He also spent time working in the royalty department at Killer Tracks production music company, part of Universal Music Publishing Group.
Unable to resist the lure of the internet he spent the next decade working as a web database programmer, website designers and technical writer.
In 2003 David and his soon-to-be wife decided to return to the Bay area where he was offered an opportunity to run Hillel of Sonoma County, a Jewish student organization. David has continued to write, record and produce music and he is currently completing recording and production of "Growing and Dying", a CD by Sonoma County singer-songwriter Robert Ethington, due out spring 2011.
Kurt Huget - Booking Agent
Kurt has been a mainstay of the Bay Area music scene for many years, as a performer, teacher, event producer, and booking agent. He was drawn to the Bay Area in 1975 by the music of the legendary San Francisco bands, such as The Grateful Dead, Quicksilver Messenger Service, Big Brother & The Holding Company, as well as to attend school at the College of Marin and U.C. Berkeley.
He has been actively involved with Bread & Roses (a non-profit performing arts organization founded by folksinger Mimi Farina) for over 20 years, as a volunteer performer, and was on staff for 5 years as a show producer. During his tenure there, he produced over 300 shows and events, working with local artists as well as high-profile performers such as Bonnie Raitt, Michael Franti, Boz Scaggs, Pete Seeger, Keb 'Mo, Joan Baez, Sharon Isbin, Roy Rogers, Norton Buffalo, The Doobie Brothers, Bob Dorough, Peter Rowan & The Rowan Brothers, Larry Coryell, Pete & Sheila Escovedo, Ricki Lee Jones, and Elvin Bishop.
As a performer, he enjoys playing a wide spectrum of music (jazz, rock, blues, country, folk, bluegrass, etc.), and is involved with several working bands. His newest musical venture is "The Funny Farmers," featuring appearances by guest singer, Ramblin' Jack Elliott. With his alt-country/Americana band "Moonlight Rodeo" over the past 15 years, he has had the pleasure of performing, recording, and song-writing with members of several of the legendary San Francisco rock bands. A career highlight was co-writing and recording a batch of songs with Robert Hunter, lyricist for The Grateful Dead.
His teaching schedule includes private guitar students, as well as teaching on the staff at the String Letter Music School in Marin County, CA, along with fellow staff members and noted guitarists Alex de Grassi and Peppino D'Agostino. He is also on the teaching staff at Enriching Lives Through Music, a non-profit organization that provides music instruction to under-privileged Latino youth in Marin. And, for over 3 years, he has taught a weekly music class to inmates at San Quentin Prison.
He has been actively involved with Bread & Roses (a non-profit performing arts organization founded by folksinger Mimi Farina) for over 20 years, as a volunteer performer, and was on staff for 5 years as a show producer. During his tenure there, he produced over 300 shows and events, working with local artists as well as high-profile performers such as Bonnie Raitt, Michael Franti, Boz Scaggs, Pete Seeger, Keb 'Mo, Joan Baez, Sharon Isbin, Roy Rogers, Norton Buffalo, The Doobie Brothers, Bob Dorough, Peter Rowan & The Rowan Brothers, Larry Coryell, Pete & Sheila Escovedo, Ricki Lee Jones, and Elvin Bishop.
As a performer, he enjoys playing a wide spectrum of music (jazz, rock, blues, country, folk, bluegrass, etc.), and is involved with several working bands. His newest musical venture is "The Funny Farmers," featuring appearances by guest singer, Ramblin' Jack Elliott. With his alt-country/Americana band "Moonlight Rodeo" over the past 15 years, he has had the pleasure of performing, recording, and song-writing with members of several of the legendary San Francisco rock bands. A career highlight was co-writing and recording a batch of songs with Robert Hunter, lyricist for The Grateful Dead.
His teaching schedule includes private guitar students, as well as teaching on the staff at the String Letter Music School in Marin County, CA, along with fellow staff members and noted guitarists Alex de Grassi and Peppino D'Agostino. He is also on the teaching staff at Enriching Lives Through Music, a non-profit organization that provides music instruction to under-privileged Latino youth in Marin. And, for over 3 years, he has taught a weekly music class to inmates at San Quentin Prison.