MUSIC Harnessing A Star Local team puts Detroit artist Brilliance on track for success. By Alison Schwartz ike so many great collaborations, the meeting between Brilliance, a talented songwriter, hip-hop artist and producer, and his eventual man- agement and produc- tion team happened by chance. Brad Kallen, 41, of Commerce, had been Kevin Goldman, Jeff Bass and Brad Kallen working as a DJ in De- troit for more than 20 cially and legally secure:' years and, like his mother, legendary Rounding out the Brilliance team boxing promoter and Detroit native was Grammy and Oscar-winning mu- Jackie Kallen, he wanted to get into sic producer Jeff Bass (also from West talent management. Bloomfield), who helped skyrocket When he listened to a demo from another Detroit artist, Eminem, to Brilliance — fortuitously passed his fame. He first heard about the singer way by Kevin Goldman, a friend and from his secretary who had been sent CPA who had been asked to help a link of a Brilliance video and showed manage Brilliance's finances — it was it to her boss. like a bolt of lightning."This kid has "I was impressed enough that I was really got it," he remembers thinking. willing to work with him and help him "It's star potential!' find out musically what is really go- But harnessing that star potential ing to work for him — not to be like and creating a marketable artist is everyone else out there, but making another story. Within weeks, Kallen his own mark," said Bass, 51, who is had joined forces with Goldman to married to Julie and has five children, form a company, Park City Manage- ages 9 to 23. ment, with the express aim of getting Bass and another legendary pro- Brilliance heard loud and clear. ducer from Detroit, Jared Lee Gosselin "We were a perfect match," ex- (who has also produced for Macy plained Goldman, 42, of West Bloom- Gray, Flo Rida and Bobby Brown), are field."Brad knows so much about responsible for Brilliance's new single the music scene here, and I had the "Where Did I Go?" which became business background necessary to available on iTunes last month, and ensure that Brilliance could establish combines elements of hip hop, tech- his credit and make sure he was finan- no and dubstep, resulting in a high- L energy dance track that has been setting local airwaves and club dance floors on fire this summer. Think of the movie The Hangover made into song. Bass, a member ofTemple Shir Shalom, has worked with some of the biggest names in music."We had no idea when Eminem first started where it would go," he said. "The same is true for Brilliance. Anything is possible!' Kallen's role at Park City Manage- ment is the hard grind of music management — booking shows, organizing events, ensuring the details of concerts go to plan. And there has been real success. Brilliance has opened up for such well- known artists as LL Cool J and Mike Posner, and, on Aug. 24, one of his songs was featured in the major new family movie Thunderstruck, about bas- Brilliance ketball star Kevin Durant switching his talent with a clumsy 16 year old. Kallen, who, like Goldman, is a member of Temple Israel, explained that the music industry has changed so dramatically in the last 10 years that the old model of trying to secure a record deal for an artist no longer exists."Instead, it's about staying independent, controlling the artist's destiny, promoting the artist on social media and building their brand," he said. "Who knows what the future holds," said Kallen, who also works in the building industry. "But as my wife, Molly, is pregnant with twins and we've got another daughter Jenna, who's 3, a couple of big hits would be perfect. And that's exactly what I believe we're going to get with Bril- liance, and that's just the start!" For Goldman, who is married to Amy and has two sons, Max, 16, and Zack, 13, Brilliance is his first foray into the music business. During the day he works as a mortgage broker at Kaye Financial in Bloomfield Hills."It's fun and more exciting than mortgages," he jokes, while admitting that being at concerts late can be tough. "Zack thinks it's wonder- ful and likes nothing more than being at shows at night; he definitely thinks my new job is cool!" As for Brilliance, 26, aka Michael Sundberg of Novi — whose name sounds Jewish although he is not — having such a strong team is "an incredible feeling!' "In the music industry, as in any other business, I believe it's crucial to have a good foundation and support system at home that believes in you," he explained."I couldn't ask for more between Jeff Bass Music and Park City Management.They are pushing my career to the next level and have all been so supportive since day one. I'm truly blessed." RT 3. KIMBRA — VOWS New Zealand sweetheart Kimbra has released a soulful and artsy debut album with Vows. Don't recognize the name Kimbra? You may have heard her popular radio hit collaboration with Goyte called "SomebodyThat I Used to Know!' If you're a fan of Florence and the Machine, Kimbra is definitely an artist you'll want to check out. music floats in the vein of Tori Amos or Sarah McLachlan but remains distinctly her own. What We Saw from the Cheap Seats will charm you with its melodic and hypnotic expression of music. JUKEBOX 5 Hot Albums for Summer By Natalie Sugarman ri s the dog days of summer begin to wane and the cooler days of autumn approach, enjoy the last of the warm weather this Labor Day with a cool, fruity beverage, a back- yard barbecue with friends and some hot music. Here are some ideas to get you started. 1. BEACH HOUSE — BLOOM The Baltimore-based duo Alex Scally and Victoria Legrand formed Beach House in 2005 and have been creat- ing dark and dreamy music since then. They have an indie/dream pop sound that has been gaining ground and garnering their music positive 30 September 2012 I RED MUD reviews and attention. Their newest release, Bloom, debuted at No. 7 on the Billboard 200. This is an album to kick back and relax to and enjoy the musical waves that take you out to sea. 2. BEST COAST — THE ONLY PLACE Best Coast's album The Only Place is reminiscent of '60s surf rock. It is fizzy, poppy and full of sun and surf, with Beth Cosentino on lead vocals. The band hails from Los Angeles, and, as the name Best Coast implies, the West Coast is the best coast. 4. REGINA SPEKTOR --- WHAT WE SAW FROM THE CHEAP SEATS Songstress and pianist Regina Spektor has released yet another heartfelt, lofty and honey-sweet album. Her S. ED SHEERAN + Born in Halifax, West Yorkshire, England, Ed Sheeran has released an acoustic gem of an album with new release +. He currently has a popular radio hit with the song "The A Team." On the new album, he blends his acoustic sound with catchy beats that fuse with folk and a little bit of rap and beatbox style. R-L7 www.redthreadmagazine.com