Blue Note Entertainment Taps New Talent Buying Team Led By Jack McFadden For NYC’s Sony Hall

A new talent buying staff led by Senior Talent Buyer Jack McFadden, talent buyer Alli Vega and junior talent buyer Niko Murray will lead a “revitalized booking process aimed at bringing the next generation of boundary-pushing, progressive artists” to 1,000-capacity Sony Hall in New York City, Blue Note Entertainment announced today (May 29).

“I’m both personally and professionally grateful to welcome Jack McFadden, Alli Vega and Niko Murray as our three new core talent buyers for Sony Hall,” says Blue Note Entertainment Group President Steven Bensusan. “This is an exciting moment for Sony Hall and Blue Note Entertainment Group as we strengthen and bolster our booking program, further introducing this iconic New York City venue to the live music industry. Jack, Alli and Niko each have different and diverse backgrounds within the industry to complement and enrich our talent buying team.”

McFadden started his career in Chicago in A&R, releasing music by Smashing Pumpkins, Luna, Lloyd Cole, The Ocean Blue, Ladytron, The Delgados and many more. From there, he moved to Brooklyn and established Union Hall and The Bell House as magnets for new artists and booked shows by The National, The Walkmen, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Cold War Kids, St. Vincent, Fleet Foxes, Sharon Van Etten, Vampire Weekend and, in their first U.S. show in 2011, Peter, Bjorn & John. McFadden then went to Austin, Texas, and booked Sturgill Simpson, Jason Isbell and Charley Crockett’s first Austin headlining gigs, as well as a week-long residency by The National and shows with Neutral Milk Hotel, Pavement, Slowdive, Echo & the Bunnymen, Robert Plant, Wilco and others.

Vega’s eight years of experience include buying for Washington, D.C., venues Songbyrd and DC9, where she has been responsible for shows including Wet Leg, Ravyn Lenae, Lauv, Teddy Swims and many more. Most recently she joined the Bowery Presents in New York, where she garnered experience on larger clubs, theatres and stadiums.

Murray hails from NYU’s acclaimed Music Business program. He boasts diverse industry experience, including stints with the Cara Lewis Group and Sony Music Entertainment.

With the new talent buying team in place, former Sony Hall Senior Talent Buyer Peter Abraham is now taking over bookings for the Blue Note Hawaii, the premiere 350-capacity live music venue in the heart of Waikiki.

Sony Hall opened in 1938 as the Diamond Horseshoe and quickly became one of the most iconic venues of the vaudeville era, eventually becoming the home for the off-Broadway hit “Queen of the Night.” In March 2018, Sony Hall officially opened its doors with much of its original history and dynamic design and décor elements still intact. By retaining its original design and incorporating the latest Sony technology, Sony Hall respects the venue’s history and legacy while making it a truly special place where both creativity and technology seamlessly come to life.

The venue is set to host a series of performances as part of the much-anticipated 13th annual Blue Note Jazz Festival, including evenings with Yo La Tengo and the Sun Ra Arkestra, Antibalas and Hailu Mergia, Lisa Fischer, Victor Wooten, Mulatu Astatke and many more. The festival kicks off June 1 and runs through early July, with dates at major venues across NYC in addition to Sony Hall including SummerStage in Central Park, Town Hall, Brooklyn Bowl and the Blue Note Jazz Club.

Blue Note Entertainment Group owns and operates New York’s Blue Note Jazz Club, Sony Hall and Arthur’s Tavern; D.C.’s The Howard Theatre; and Blue Note Jazz Clubs Worldwide, which includes venues in Milan, Italy; Honolulu, Hawaii; Beijing and Shanghai, China; Tokyo and Nagoya, Japan; Napa, California; and Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo, Brazil.