Thinking outside the jukebox

The latest in music marketing brings Hawaii artists to jukeboxes of the Net generation

IN A TIME of Internet-connected music services, jukeboxes have an antiquated feel to them. But these self-contained music marketing machines, invented in the late 19th century, have kept up with technological advancement. No longer devices dependent on scratchy 7-inch vinyl singles or even CDs, they now approximate iPods injected with steroids.

MUSIC NOTES ECast interactive digital jukeboxes can be found in 28 locations on Oahu and two on Maui. Honolulu: Venues include Capt. Zack's in the International Marketplace; Bobby G's, 2330 Kalakaua Ave.; Tiare's, 120 Hekili St. in Kailua; Da Smoke House, 444 Hobron Lane; TJ Sports Bar, 600 Kapiolani Blvd.; and Skybox, 1700 Kapiolani Blvd. For information: Visit the Web site ecastinc.com.

Music from a digitized jukebox is part and parcel of the social milieu of any given watering hole, offering tunes for either crying in your Bud Light or shaking the collective booty -- a full repertoire of national hits spanning genres and decades.

Still, rare is the jukebox that also provides local music selections.

Until now. Since 2001, ECast of San Francisco provides touch-screen, broadband-connected, digital-file jukeboxes to around 7,500 venues nationwide. The company distinguishes itself from the competition by seeking out what it calls "location-based content" for its service. Simply put, ECast jukeboxes in Hawaii offer Hawaiian music choices.

ECast's song selection is updated weekly, and that includes an "Island Vibes" category from its "Hot Hits" playlists.

Lisa Tiver, vice president of rights and licensing for ECast, demonstrated how the jukebox worked one recent hot afternoon at Capt. Zack's in Waikiki's International Marketplace.

People are better informed about music, spurred on by the ability to download songs from the Internet and by the now ubiquitous iPod, Tiver said. "They have a greater knowledge and sophistication these days. But with jukeboxes, you can't get away from the popularity of the back catalog of songs, as well as having new releases available. So with our particular network, we try to provide as much music as possible."

Tiver was in town for a trade show, trying to entice more local bar and club owners to buy into the ECast service, as well as to approach local recording labels about distributing their music on ECast.

When she called up the "Island Vibes" menu on the jukebox's touch screen, it showed such expected acts as Bob Marley, the Beach Boys, Jack Johnson, Dick Dale, the Ventures and Steel Pulse. But there was also music from the late Alfred Apaka, Don Ho, Keali'i Reichel and Paula Fuga.

Fuga's "Lilikoi" album became part of ECast's service after a company representative saw her perform at Jack Johnson's Kokua Festival. Spencer Toyama, Fuga's manager, said ECast contacted her through her myspace.com Web site.

"Paula let her music be part of ECast mostly for the exposure," Toyama said, "and the company does pay royalties. What I understand is that a bar owner could buy one particular CD for his jukebox, and not have to pay the artist each time a song from it is played. This is better for us, where ECast will pay the artist for each play on their jukeboxes.

"I admit I was on the fence when I first heard about ECast, but when I saw a jukebox of theirs in Skybox, and what it could do? I changed my mind."

Keali'i Reichel's music reached ECast through the same company that distributes Fuga's songs, he added.

"The licensing agreement was really straightforward," Toyama said. "Paula's been with them for less than a month now, and so far, so good."

Paul Koehler, ECast's label relations manager in San Francisco, said the company is "in talks with several other regional labels" in Hawaii.

Another local label joining ECast this week is Palm Records, home of two slack-key guitar compilations that have won Grammy Awards.

Speaking from her office in Kamuela on the Big Island, Palm Records Vice President Jody Brotman said ECast contacted her about six months ago when the company was preparing to enter the Hawaii market. She's working with ECast to market the label's 18 titles -- slack-key and the music of the group Kohala.

"The key in meeting with them is to get some kind of understanding of what the demographics in each retail outlet and location are, and what would be worth their effort.

"I also had conversations with them about using our music in other locations, like coastal towns and in and around Nashville. ... But I like the idea of using the 'Island Vibes' category as a marketing handle."