Happy Tunes Records was on 8th St right across from Electric Ladyland Studios.
The loft scene was just beginning to take off; Ornate Coleman’s Artist House on Prince St, Sam Rivers Studio Rivbea on Bond St, John Fischer’s Environ, The Ladies Fort, Ali’s Alley, The Brook to name a few.
I was in my early 20s.
I worked at the store all day then hung out all night in the lofts.
All the artists would come in to drop off their flyers and posters and new records which I took on consignment.
Great times and a lot of great music.
After Happy Tunes folded I was label manager for JCOA/NMDS Michael Mantler and Carla Bley.
I set up my own mail order company Daybreak Express Records.
I was Rounder Records first sales rep in NYC.
I’ve done so many things in the record business over the past 40 years I can’t remember them all.
At least I kept copies of many of the flyers and posters from this era.
Columbia University came up here this past summer to look at my collection for possible donation to the school.
Check this out from the opening night of Ornette’s Artist House
Jazz Promo Services President and Founder Jim Eigo’s passion for music has been his lifelong driving force for as far back as he can remember. At an age when some kids had paper routes or mowed lawns to earn a few bucks, Jim worked for a jukebox distributor in his native Brooklyn. His salary? Used records. “I thought I’d stumbled into a pot of gold,” he recalls with a laugh. Since then, Jim has held jobs in retail, record production, marketing, distribution, and publicity, as well as event production.
He’s been a rock record buyer, a jazz department manager, and general manager of record stores great and small. Jim has served as the house publicist for venues including the renowned Iridium jazz club. He also founded an all-jazz mail order record business, served as a sales rep for several labels and distributors, as well as handled sales and marketing for international labels. Plus, he’s an experienced record producer, awards show producer, and concert and events producer.
With his “right place at the right time” knack, Jim worked at the Strand bookstore the same time as Patti Smith and Tommy Verlaine, and held the jazz manager job at the well-known Happy Tunes record store — right across the street from Electric Ladyland Studios — which was frequented by musicians of all genres.
From the get-go, Jim was plugged into what was happening in clubs and concerts, and was on hand for the birth of the loft jazz scene of the 1970s, which fueled his zest for all things jazz-related. His eyes light up as he describes in detail concerts he attended over the years, from band configurations to repertoire to the order of solos. Jazz Promo Services offers that same level of attention to clients, making sure that your information is directed to the right people in the right way.
In an ever-changing music business, Jim is too smart and realistic to waste time trying to reinvent the wheel, but creative and resourceful enough to constantly look for new ways to roll. As such he was among the first jazz entrepreneurs to develop an email data base and mailing list, which led to Jim being crowned “The King of Jazz Email.”
As president of Jazz Promo Services, Jim Eigo puts his data base to good use in promoting new releases, live gigs, special events and more, for a clientele that includes artists, promoters, venues, producers, festivals, labels, educators and others.
Jazz Promo Services is not just a business for Jim Eigo, it’s also a calling. With patience, dedication, sense of humor and a good ear for music and stories, he spreads the word on jazz, one email blast at a time.!!