Tom Schnabel
Encyclopedia
Thomas Daniel Schnabel is program director of world music at the Hollywood Bowl
and Walt Disney Concert Hall
and a music consultant and DJ working out of Los Angeles. He was former music director of music station KCRW
.
, The Sorbonne, and UCLA. He later taught high school and college level English and literature courses in Los Angeles, and later ESL in Paris. Schnabel began producing radio for station KCRW
in 1977. During his tenure as music director of KCRW (1979-90), KCRW grew from an obscure college station to become one of the most influential public stations in the United States. He developed the eclectic music format and introduced World Music
to public radio. During this time KCRW twice won CMJ's "Best Noncommercial Station" award (1986, 89). Schnabel left KCRW as Music Director in 1990 to broaden his career as a record producer, music consultant, and teacher.
Schnabel has also consulted for various films including "Groundhog Day
," "O Quatrilho
", "Dinosaur
" and was music supervisor of John Sayles
' Spanish-language feature film Men with Guns
.
, Jazz Magazine (France), Cashbox, Down Beat, Esquire Magazine, Buzz Magazine, and LA Style. He also authored two works of music history and culture: Stolen Moments: Conversations with Contemporary Musicians (Acrobat Books 1988), and Rhythm Planet - The Great World Music Makers (Universe/Rizzoli. 1998).
, Willie Nelson
, Gotan Project
, Zero 7
, Gilberto Gil
, A.R. Rahman, Carlinhos Brown
, Youssou N’Dour, The Buena Vista Social Club
, Cesária Évora
, Femi Kuti
and Baaba Maal
. His Walt Disney Concert Hall series has featured Ravi Shankar
, Miriam Makeba
, Alison Krauss
, Osvaldo Golijov and Gustavo Santaolalla
. Many new and undiscovered world musicians and composers have found international recognition through Schnabel's efforts, through his recordings, airplay, and productions of live concerts in the vibrant Los Angeles music community.
Hollywood Bowl
The Hollywood Bowl is a modern amphitheater in the Hollywood area of Los Angeles, California, United States that is used primarily for music performances...
and Walt Disney Concert Hall
Walt Disney Concert Hall
The Walt Disney Concert Hall at 111 South Grand Avenue in Downtown Los Angeles, California is the fourth hall of the Los Angeles Music Center. Bounded by Hope Street, Grand Avenue, 1st and 2nd Streets, it seats 2,265 people and serves as the home of the Los Angeles Philharmonic orchestra and the...
and a music consultant and DJ working out of Los Angeles. He was former music director of music station KCRW
KCRW
KCRW is a public radio station broadcasting from the campus of Santa Monica College in Santa Monica, California, carrying a mix of National Public Radio news, talk radio and freeform music format. The general manager of KCRW is Jennifer Ferro...
.
Early career
Tom Schnabel attended USCUniversity of Southern California
The University of Southern California is a private, not-for-profit, nonsectarian, research university located in Los Angeles, California, United States. USC was founded in 1880, making it California's oldest private research university...
, The Sorbonne, and UCLA. He later taught high school and college level English and literature courses in Los Angeles, and later ESL in Paris. Schnabel began producing radio for station KCRW
KCRW
KCRW is a public radio station broadcasting from the campus of Santa Monica College in Santa Monica, California, carrying a mix of National Public Radio news, talk radio and freeform music format. The general manager of KCRW is Jennifer Ferro...
in 1977. During his tenure as music director of KCRW (1979-90), KCRW grew from an obscure college station to become one of the most influential public stations in the United States. He developed the eclectic music format and introduced World Music
World music
World music is a term with widely varying definitions, often encompassing music which is primarily identified as another genre. This is evidenced by world music definitions such as "all of the music in the world" or "somebody else's local music"...
to public radio. During this time KCRW twice won CMJ's "Best Noncommercial Station" award (1986, 89). Schnabel left KCRW as Music Director in 1990 to broaden his career as a record producer, music consultant, and teacher.
Music producer, consultant, teacher
According to the biography of Schnabel posted on the KCRW website http://www.kcrw.com/people/music/programs/cl/schnabel_tom?role=music_host- Schnabel has taught World Music and other courses at UCLA Extension and the Southern California Institute of ArchitectureSouthern California Institute of ArchitectureThe Southern California Institute of Architecture in Los Angeles , California, is an independent, nonprofit school offering undergraduate and graduate degrees in architecture. It offers community design and outreach programs, and free public access to frequent exhibitions and lectures by leading...
. He consults on World Music with the National Academy of Recording Arts and SciencesNational Academy of Recording Arts and SciencesThe National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences, Inc., known variously as The Recording Academy or NARAS, is a U.S. organization of musicians, producers, recording engineers and other recording professionals dedicated to improving the quality of life and cultural condition for music and its...
as well as producing World Music CDs: Trance Planet, 5 volumes (Triloka Records) and Quango World: Voices (Quango/Island). He has consulted for the Palm PicturesPalm PicturesPalm Pictures is a US-based entertainment company owned and run by Chris Blackwell. Palm Pictures produces, acquires and distributes innovative music and film projects with a particular focus on the DVD format...
/National Geographic series, Palm World Voices.
Schnabel has also consulted for various films including "Groundhog Day
Groundhog Day
Groundhog Day is a holiday celebrated on February 2 in the United States and Canada. According to folklore, if it is cloudy when a groundhog emerges from its burrow on this day, it will leave the burrow, signifying that winter-like weather will soon end...
," "O Quatrilho
O Quatrilho
O Quatrilho is a 1995 Brazilian drama film directed by Fábio Barreto. It was adapted from a José Clemente Pozenato novel by telenovela writer Antônio Calmon and screenwriter Leopoldo Serran. It stars famous telenovela actresses Patrícia Pillar and Glória Pires and Bruno Campos, which later became...
", "Dinosaur
Dinosaur
Dinosaurs are a diverse group of animals of the clade and superorder Dinosauria. They were the dominant terrestrial vertebrates for over 160 million years, from the late Triassic period until the end of the Cretaceous , when the Cretaceous–Paleogene extinction event led to the extinction of...
" and was music supervisor of John Sayles
John Sayles
John Thomas Sayles is an American independent film director, screenwriter and author.-Early life:Sayles was born in Schenectady, New York, the son of Mary , a teacher, and Donald John Sayles, a school administrator. He was raised Catholic and took to labeling himself "a Catholic atheist"...
' Spanish-language feature film Men with Guns
Men with Guns
Men with Guns is a 1997 American drama film written and directed by John Sayles. The executive producers were Lou Gonda and Jody Patton, and the cast included Federico Luppi, Damián Delgado and Mandy Patinkin....
.
Journalist and author
Schnabel has written extensively about music for various publications, including The Los Angeles TimesLos Angeles Times
The Los Angeles Times is a daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California, since 1881. It was the second-largest metropolitan newspaper in circulation in the United States in 2008 and the fourth most widely distributed newspaper in the country....
, Jazz Magazine (France), Cashbox, Down Beat, Esquire Magazine, Buzz Magazine, and LA Style. He also authored two works of music history and culture: Stolen Moments: Conversations with Contemporary Musicians (Acrobat Books 1988), and Rhythm Planet - The Great World Music Makers (Universe/Rizzoli. 1998).
Disc jockey
Schnabel continues to deejay musical events around Los Angeles. He also hosts a weekend program on KCRW's Cafe L.A., which plays a mix of international, new and exotic sounds.Music program director
Schnabel is currently program director of World Music at the Hollywood Bowl and Walt Disney Concert Hall. He continues to help direct KCRW’s World Festival series, whose featured artists have included Thievery CorporationThievery Corporation
Thievery Corporation is a Washington, D.C. based recording artist and DJ duo consisting of Rob Garza, Eric Hilton, and their supporting artists, including current drummer Jeff Franca...
, Willie Nelson
Willie Nelson
Willie Hugh Nelson is an American country music singer-songwriter, as well as an author, poet, actor, and activist. The critical success of the album Shotgun Willie , combined with the critical and commercial success of Red Headed Stranger and Stardust , made Nelson one of the most recognized...
, Gotan Project
Gotan Project
Gotan Project is a musical group based in Paris, consisting of musicians Philippe Cohen Solal , Eduardo Makaroff , and Christoph H. Müller .-History:...
, Zero 7
Zero 7
Zero 7 is a British musical duo consisting of Henry Binns and Sam Hardaker. The group members began their musical careers as studio engineers and in 1997 formed the group Zero 7. Their debut album, Simple Things was released in 2001 and received critical acclaim...
, Gilberto Gil
Gilberto Gil
Gilberto Passos Gil Moreira , better known as Gilberto Gil or , is a Brazilian singer, guitarist, and songwriter, known for both his musical innovation and political commitment...
, A.R. Rahman, Carlinhos Brown
Carlinhos Brown
Carlinhos Brown is a Brazilian musician from Salvador, Bahia. He was born in Candeal Pequeno, a small neighbourhood in the Brotas area of Salvador de Bahia...
, Youssou N’Dour, The Buena Vista Social Club
Buena Vista Social Club
The Buena Vista Social Club was a members club in Havana, Cuba that held dances and musical activities, becoming a popular location for musicians to meet and play during the 1940s...
, Cesária Évora
Cesária Évora
Cesária Évora is a Cape Verdean popular singer. Nicknamed the "barefoot diva" for performing without shoes, Évora is perhaps the best internationally known practitioner of "morna."-Early life:...
, Femi Kuti
Femi Kuti
Olufela Olufemi Anikulapo Kuti popularly known as Femi Kuti, is a Nigerian musician and the eldest son of afrobeat pioneer Fela Kuti....
and Baaba Maal
Baaba Maal
Baaba Maal is a Senegalese singer and guitarist born in Podor, on the Senegal River. In addition to acoustic guitar, he also plays percussion. He has released several albums, both for independent and major labels. In July 2003, he was made a UNDP Youth Emissary.-Biography:Born 12 November 1953...
. His Walt Disney Concert Hall series has featured Ravi Shankar
Ravi Shankar
Ravi Shankar , often referred to by the title Pandit, is an Indian musician and composer who plays the plucked string instrument sitar. He has been described as the best known contemporary Indian musician by Hans Neuhoff in Musik in Geschichte und Gegenwart.Shankar was born in Varanasi and spent...
, Miriam Makeba
Miriam Makeba
Miriam Makeba , nicknamed Mama Africa, was a Grammy Award winning South African singer and civil rights activist....
, Alison Krauss
Alison Krauss
Alison Maria Krauss is an American bluegrass-country singer, songwriter and fiddler. She entered the music industry at an early age, winning local contests by the age of ten and recording for the first time at fourteen. She signed with Rounder Records in 1985 and released her first solo album in...
, Osvaldo Golijov and Gustavo Santaolalla
Gustavo Santaolalla
Gustavo Alfredo Santaolalla is an Argentine musician, film composer and producer. He has won two Academy Awards for Best Original Score in two consecutive years, for Brokeback Mountain in 2005 and Babel in 2006.-Life and career:...
. Many new and undiscovered world musicians and composers have found international recognition through Schnabel's efforts, through his recordings, airplay, and productions of live concerts in the vibrant Los Angeles music community.
Awards
In July 1998, Schnabel was honored by the French Ministry of Culture with the prestigious French Medal of Arts Chevalier de l'Ordre des Arts et Des Lettres, for his work in "furthering knowledge of World Music in America." He has also been awarded several citations from the City and County of Los Angeles.Published works
- Stolen Moments: Conversations with Contemporary Musicians, Acrobat Books (1988), ISBN 0918226139
- Rhythm Planet - The Great World Music Makers, Universe/Rizzoli (1998), ISBN 0789302381
External links
- http://www.kcrw.com/people/music/programs/cl/schnabel_tom?role=music_host
- http://www.kcrw.com/music/programs/cl