The price of music promo

Debora Galan’s new full-length All About Love was originally planned for release as an EP in 2013. However, “I had to make changes in the production team after investing considerable funds and re-do some of the tracks,” she says. “It was a big setback for me both financially and in time, but I have learned a lot of valuable lessons.”

Asked the story behind the restart, she says, “The story is me, from having started with one producer who took advantage of my ignorance when I started and having to start over. Lots of lessons learned for the DIY artist. Not to mention having to fight the industry’s mindset about women in smooth jazz, especially vocalists. It’s tough out there, but one must believe in their calling and pursue it, no matter what anyone tells you.

Galan enlisted Emmy-winning Latin/world music producer Allan Phillips for All About Love, which features locals Kamau Kenyatta, Derek Cannon, Duncan Moore, and Tiki Pasillas. Among the tracks is a Latin-jazz arrangement of “What Are You Doing the Rest of Your Life,” famously covered by Barbra Streisand, Frank Sinatra, and others.

“The financial investment on this one isn’t over yet, I’m just getting started with radio promo. Doing it all myself...the amount of money required just to do one [ad] was pretty high and it’s not over yet. Radio promo is not cheap...I’ve also spoken with several promoters, and they’ve given me quotes to assist me in getting my music to both college, mainstream, and other online radio, as well as some physical retailers, and they’re all running in the minimum $3000 to $5000 price tag, with additional fees for other services. After the sizeable investment I made on the project, trying to raise the capital for the promo has been a challenge.”

In addition, “The distribution for the CD has been done via CD Baby Pro worldwide and includes some streaming, which I’m not crazy about but didn’t have the option to hand-pick which partners they work with.” So far, the CD has been featured on Cloud Jazz (Madrid, Spain), Radio La Santaneca (Maryland), Punta Cana Radio (Dominican Republic), Christian Jazz 7 Coffee, and “I’ve just been invited to be a guest on Gurlz Talk Rawk.”

All About Love debuts locally on September 18 at the Seventh Day Adventist Church in Escondido.