Following the recent purchase of Fania Records and the 2016 purchase of Musart Music Group, Concord Music’s Craft Recordings is pleased to announce the creation of Craft Recordings Latino to oversee the growing Latin business within the company.
As part of the announcement, Craft Recordings has hired former Fania General Manager Bruce McIntosh as VP, Latin Catalog to run the division and has opened an office in Miami to better serve the Latin media.
Additionally the label announced two new hires in their Beverly Hills headquarters – Craig Hammond as VP, Commercial Development and Laura Saez as VP, Content Development & Strategy. Hammond, previously Sr. Director, Sales & Commercial Development at parent Concord Music, will be responsible for identifying and driving catalog initiatives and new business opportunities in concert with Concord Music’s sales and streaming departments.
Additionally the label announced two new hires in their Beverly Hills headquarters – Craig Hammond as VP, Commercial Development and Laura Saez as VP, Content Development & Strategy. Hammond, previously Sr. Director, Sales & Commercial Development at parent Concord Music, will be responsible for identifying and driving catalog initiatives and new business opportunities in concert with Concord Music’s sales and streaming departments.
Saez, formerly SVP, Digital Partnerships at EMI, will proactively cultivate a strategic framework for content distribution and partnerships in media and technology with a focus on brand expansion, increased profitability and revenue growth.
All will report to label President Sig Sigworth, who said, “The launching of Craft Latino in Miami under Bruce’s leadership was an obvious next step in our continued growth in the Latin music business, while Craig and Laura will bring their unique skill sets to the entire Craft catalog to help ensure greater success for our artists, both commercially and creatively.”Highly influential both musically and culturally, Fania Records spread the sound of salsa music from the clubs of New York City to the rest of the world and became a revered global brand in the process.
Fania’s approximately 19,000 master recording catalog is the definitive home for genres such as Latin big band, Afro-Cuban jazz, boogaloo, salsa and Latin R&B and includes artistic giants such as Celia Cruz, Willie Colón, Héctor Lavoe and Rubén Blades.
With the creation of the international supergroup known as the Fania All-Stars, the label’s signature musical style became known as the “Fania Sound.”
Fania’s rich master catalog also includes the Pete Rodriguez’s boogaloo classic “I Like It Like That,” currently sampled by Cardi B in her #1, Grammy-nominated hit “I Like It.”
As one of the most prominent independently owned music businesses in Mexican history, Musart has arguably been the most meaningful indie player in the Regional Mexican genre.
As one of the most prominent independently owned music businesses in Mexican history, Musart has arguably been the most meaningful indie player in the Regional Mexican genre.
Its catalogs are filled with classic timeless songs from the past 70 years of Mexican, Colombian, Bolivian, Venezuelan and Cuban music history and cover genres such as Norteno, Ranchera, Grupera, Banda, Tropical, Pop, Mariachi and Cuban.
The Musart catalog contain the works of Joan Sebastian, winner of seven Latin GRAMMY Awards, one of the most honored Mexican performers ever. Other prominent recording artists in the catalog include Antonio Aguilar, Oscar D’Leon, Laberinto and Pepe Aguilar.
About Craft Recordings
Craft is home to one of the largest and most storied collections of master recordings and compositions in the world.
Craft Recordings’ repertoire includes iconic artists such as Joan Baez, Ray Charles, John Coltrane, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Miles Davis, Bill Evans, Vince Guaraldi, John Lee Hooker, Little Richard, Nine Inch Nails, Thelonious Monk, Otis Redding, R.E.M. and Traveling Wilburys, to name just a few. Being caretakers for the heritage of countless landmark recordings is a responsibility that the label doesn’t take lightly.
Craft reissues legendary music with a meticulous devotion to quality and a commitment to preservation—ensuring that these remarkable recordings endure for new generations to discover.
Renowned imprints with catalogs issued under the Craft banner include Concord Records, Fania, Fantasy, Milestone, Musart, Nitro, Panart, Prestige, Riverside, Rounder, Specialty, Stax, Sugar Hill, Vanguard and Vee-Jay Records, among many others.
About Craft Recordings
Craft is home to one of the largest and most storied collections of master recordings and compositions in the world.
Craft Recordings’ repertoire includes iconic artists such as Joan Baez, Ray Charles, John Coltrane, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Miles Davis, Bill Evans, Vince Guaraldi, John Lee Hooker, Little Richard, Nine Inch Nails, Thelonious Monk, Otis Redding, R.E.M. and Traveling Wilburys, to name just a few. Being caretakers for the heritage of countless landmark recordings is a responsibility that the label doesn’t take lightly.
Craft reissues legendary music with a meticulous devotion to quality and a commitment to preservation—ensuring that these remarkable recordings endure for new generations to discover.
Renowned imprints with catalogs issued under the Craft banner include Concord Records, Fania, Fantasy, Milestone, Musart, Nitro, Panart, Prestige, Riverside, Rounder, Specialty, Stax, Sugar Hill, Vanguard and Vee-Jay Records, among many others.
