ARU Recording has formalized its various additional music services into a new breakout division, Tonic Music, headed by ARU’s music supervisor Jessie LaBelle and offering original music composed by staffer Josiah (Joe) Murphy.
“Tonic Music offers our clients original composition, independent and major label artist placement and expert library services, which we’ve been doing for some time,” says LaBelle.
At Tonic Music’s core is ARU’s enormous music library of more than 100,000 tracks amassed over 15 years. The tracks range in length from 15-seconds to full songs as long as six minutes.
LaBelle is always on the lookout to expand the library with original music from independent artists, “to give us non-library sounds. Quirky, folksy types of pop music is current very popular with the agencies. They want the next big artist for their work,” she says.
LaBelle recently replaced one of these indie artists, the band Latin Soul Syndicate of San Francisco, with Tom Dick and Harry agency for a national Bally Total Fitness campaign. “I was looking for Latin music and they came up on the search. They had great songs that fit with the Bally vibes,” she says.
Constantly on the search for new sounds, LaBelle follows the buzz and makes the rounds of rock clubs, like the Bottom Lounge Reggie’s or Martyrs. “I go anywhere there’s a good show.”
Her take on the local music scene: “Music is improving and people like what they’re hearing.
