Last Year's Schedule of Events
The 2023 Schedule Will be Posted as We Get Closer to the Event
Classes, Mentors, and more downloadable below
Schedule of EventsDownload the PDF
Schedule Overview (grid)Download The PDF
Driver's Ed Class DescriptionsDownload The PDF
Mentor SpecialtiesDownload The PDF
One-to-One Mentor SessionsDownload The PDF
Panelist/Mentor/Speaker BiosDownload The PDF
Schedule of Events
For Current TAXI Members, only
Thursday, November 3rd
Road Rally RegistrationNear the Grand Ballroom on the hotel’s first floor. You must have a photo ID to get your Road Rally badge! One-to-One Mentor Registration
Grand Ballroom Foyer – After you register for the Rally, proceed to One-to-One Mentor Registration in the Ballroom Foyer. Refer to the Mentor Bios list to make your selection. Members only, please. One Mentor per member. First-come, first-served basis. Must already be registered and have your Rally badge with you. Dinner
Eat at the hotel’s Daily Grill (the food is really good) with all the new friends you’ve made during Road Rally Registration! Jam Room and Open Mic
The Jam Room is in the Concourse Ballroom (2nd floor—backline provided) and the Open Mic is in the Mezzanine Theater (top of escalator). The Open Mic is on a first-come, first-served basis. Members and guests are welcome to jam and perform!
Friday, November 4th
RegistrationContinues at the Rally Registration desk near the hotel’s Grand Ballroom on the first floor. Opening Remarks
Grand Ballroom (Lobby Level, 1st Floor) – Legendary Record Producer Michael Lloyd. Welcome to the Road Rally
TAXI Founder and CEO Michael Laskow welcomes attendees to the 26th Road Rally. Michael will draw a ticket stub (between 9:05am and 11:00am) and one lucky person will win $500 cash to help pay for their travel expenses. Another lucky person will win a Grand Prize bundle, including a PRS acoustic guitar valued at $1,100! You must be in the ballroom and have your ticket stub with you to win! Keynote Interview – Finding Success in the Music Business
Grand Ballroom (Lobby Level, 1st Floor) – Michelle Bell is V.P. of Creative at Roc Nation, the entertainment company founded by Jay Z. As a Music Publisher and A&R person, she signed four Grammy-nominated, multi-platinum songwriter/ producers. As a Pop songwriter and producer, her melodies, lyrics and production talents have contributed to the sale of over 40 million albums with artists like Jennifer Lopez, Britney Spears, Sean Diddy Combs, Timbaland, Mary J. Blige, and Nas. Michelle has extensive experience licensing songs to the biggest film, TV, advertising, gaming, tech, and digital platforms around the world. She was also a highly-valued TAXI A&R team member for several years and has heard music from thousands of TAXI members. If you’d like to learn how to navigate today’s music industry, who better to show you the path than somebody who started out with a dream, a bus ticket, and an incredible work ethic? How Music Supervisors Choose and Use Music
Grand Ballroom (Lobby Level, 1st Floor) – Music Supervisor Mason Cooper will show you how and why he chooses which songs to place into a film! He’ll play songs and show how he tested them with the actual scenes (including songs he got from TAXI), and discuss his decision-making process. Mason will also give-real life examples, in a segment with TAXI member Jim Thacker, providing valuable insider tips on how to make better pitches, how the back-and-forth works from both sides of the table, and how to conduct business with a level of professionalism that could bring you inside a Music Supervisor’s “inner circle” for future projects. One-to-One Mentor Sessions
Located in O’Hare and Orly rooms. (Mezzanine Level / 2nd Floor).
See class grid and descriptions for more info. Eat & Greet Luncheon #1
Concourse Ballroom (2nd Floor) – You need to have purchased your Eat & Greet ticket in advance, and have your Rally badge with the Eat & Greet Luncheon credential on it to attend. Bring CDs or USB Drives of your music if you’d like to give some out! WTF is an NFT: New Income for Your Music or Oversold Hype?
Grand Ballroom (Lobby Level, 1st Floor) – In this era where streaming pays fractions of a penny, do NFTs represent the next significant revenue opportunity for songwriters and artists? If so, how (and when) do you get in on the action? Join Tony van Veen (CEO of Disc Makers) as he leads this panel explaining what Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs) are, what you can do with them, and what the revenue opportunities might be for you. He’ll be joined by Bill Starkov (Founder of NFT collection Apocalyptic Apes), Ryan Gaines (CEO, Mutiny Recordings), and Cheryl B. Engelhardt (Indie Artist and NFT early adopter). NFTs are just starting to get traction... Do you want to be early or late to the party? Watch this discussion, and decide for yourself! One-to-One Mentor Sessions
Located in O’Hare and Orly rooms. (Mezzanine Level / 2nd Floor). Driver’s Ed Classes
See class grid and descriptions for more info. Film & TV Song Pitch and Feedback Panel
Grand Ballroom (Lobby Level, 1st Floor) – Songs (from TAXI members only) will be played for Music Supervisors and Music Licensing Executives: Stephanie Reid (Director of Creative, Black Toast Music), Mason Cooper (Music Supervisor), Ryan Gaines (CEO, Mutiny Recordings), and Tanvi Patel (CEO, Crucial Music). Songs only! Music played during this panel will be chosen randomly from a playlist generated from a panel-specific TAXI Listing that ran prior to the Rally. Submissions not played during the panel will be screened on a yes/no basis after the Rally, and Forwards will be sent to all the panelists. Creating and Licensing Film Trailers and TV Promos
Grand Ballroom (Lobby Level, 1st Floor) – Composer Randon Purcell will give a true insider’s view of this specialized aspect of the music for media industry. Learn what the industry is looking for, how to create it, and hear a wide range of examples! Driver’s Ed Classes
See class grid and descriptions for more info. Jam Room and Open Mic
The Jam Room is in the Concourse Ballroom (2nd floor—backline provided) and the Open Mic is in the Mezzanine Theater (top of escalator). The Open Mic is on a first-come, first-served basis. Members and guests are welcome to jam and perform!
Saturday, November 5th
Instrumental Pitch and Feedback PanelGrand Ballroom (Lobby Level, 1st Floor) – Panelists Jeff Freundlich (COO of Wild Whirled/ Fervor), Chuck Henry (CEO, 10 West Music), and Pedro Costa (CEO, InStyle Music) will listen, give feedback, and possibly take some music home! Music played during this panel will be chosen randomly from a playlist generated from a panel-specific TAXI Listing that ran prior to the Rally. Submissions not played during this panel will be screened on a yes/no basis after the Rally, and Forwards will be sent to all the panelists. Driver’s Ed Classes
See class grid and descriptions for more info. The Hidden Techniques Hit Songs Reveal – Are You Using Them?
Grand Ballroom (Lobby Level, 1st Floor) – Whether a song is a radio or Spotify hit or a successful Film & TV song, there are tricks and techniques it will reveal that you can use in songs of your own. Robin Frederick, author of Shortcuts to Hit Songwriting and Shortcuts to Songwriting for Film & TV, will show you what those tricks are, and then give feedback on some songs randomly chosen from audience members. Bring your song on a CD with a lyric sheet attached! Songs will be randomly grabbed from audience members during Robin’s panel. One-to-One Mentor Sessions
Located in O’Hare and Orly rooms. (Mezzanine Level / 2nd Floor). Eat & Greet Luncheon #2
Concourse Ballroom (2nd Floor) – You need to have purchased your Eat & Greet ticket in advance, and have your Rally badge with the Eat & Greet Luncheon credential on it to attend. Bring CDs or USB Drives of your music if you’d like to give some out! How to Make Full-Time Income with Custom Songs, Keynote (Sponsored Session) Concerts, & VIP Private Concerts
with Tiamo De Vettori of Musicpreneur Academy – Discover how to perform on large conference stages by combining live music with speaking to deliver “Keynote Concerts” for sold-out audiences, get paid to write custom songs for influencers and other high-end clients, and get booked for private VIP concerts. You will gain very practical knowledge about how to realistically make great income (even 6-figures) with music in new ways that are wide open and full of opportunity right now. Instrumental Cue Immersive
Grand Ballroom (Lobby Level, 1st Floor) – If a picture is worth 1,000 words, imagine what you’ll learn in an hour of hearing Michael Laskow play nothing but great Instrumental Cues, back-toback, and in many of the most-used genres. This will make it all crystal clear — style, sounds, production, arrangement… and of course, the developmental arc! The music played will be from two of TAXI’s Production Music Library clients. Immerse yourself in music that got signed, and in many cases, got placed as well! One-to-One Mentor Sessions
Located in O’Hare and Orly rooms. (Mezzanine Level / 2nd Floor). Driver’s Ed Classes
See class grid and descriptions for more info. Don’t Make These Career-Killing Mistake
Grand Ballroom (Lobby Level, 1st Floor) – With Greg Carrozza (Successful TAXI Member), Michael Eames (CEO, Pen Music Publishing), Jeff Freundlich (COO, Wild Whirled Music/Fervor Records), and Craig Pilo (TAXI’s Head Screener). All of us on the industry side of the business see these critical mistakes being made every day. If you think creating great music gets you a pass, it doesn’t! There’s a long line of people right behind you who are equally as good, and they get this stuff right. Don’t miss this panel!!! Driver’s Ed Classes
See class grid and descriptions for more info. MusicPro Café Showcase
Concourse Ballroom (2nd floor). MusicPro Insurance presents the 2nd music showcase featuring a selection of TAXI Road Rally attendees who responded to their invitation (and a couple of special guests). Performers include Will Derryberry, Chloe Watson, Koi Ka-dense, Danni Stefanetti, and more. Dinner Break
You should have tons of new friends to dine with! Jam Room and Open Mic
The Jam Room is in the Concourse Ballroom (2nd floor—backline provided) and the Open Mic is in the Mezzanine Theater (top of escalator). The Open Mic is on a first-come, first-served basis. Members and guests are welcome to jam and perform!
Sunday, November 6th
Instrumental Cue ReviewGrand Ballroom (Lobby Level, 1st Floor) – Get live feedback from TAXI A&R Team members and highly-skilled, successful TAXI members, as well! This should be very interesting! Will the members and screeners agree? Let’s see! TAXI members Dean Krippaehne and Steve Barden will be joined by TAXI A&R Team members Craig Pilo and Joe Brandt. Music played during this panel will be chosen randomly from a playlist generated from a panel-specific TAXI Listing that ran prior to the Rally. We’ll call your name if your music is randomly chosen. If you’re not in the ballroom, we’ll move on to the next person’s track. Be there or be square! Success: This is How I Did It
Grand Ballroom (Lobby Level, 1st Floor) – Successful TAXI members Matthew Vander Boegh, Chuck Henry, Andrew Jordan, and John Pearson will share their tips and techniques on how to create songs and instrumental cues that get more forwards from TAXI, more deals with Music Libraries, and ultimately, more placements! Want to know what the secret to success is? Here’s your chance to find out! Driver’s Ed Classes
See class grid and descriptions for more info. Song Listening and Feedback Session
Theater (Mezzanine Level, 2nd Floor) – Note: These sessions are NOT for Film & TV music feedback.
These sessions are for Songs for Label, Publisher, and Artist feedback only!
Craig Pilo, Host, DJ, and Jazz
Chris Long, Rock and Singer/Songwriter
James Kocian, Christian, Top 40 Pop, Gospel, and Country
Mike Dupree, Hip-Hop, Top 40 Pop, and R&B
Sean Giovanni, Country, Top 40 Pop, Rock, Hip-Hop, and Gospel
VERY IMPORTANT: You will be given ONE raffle ticket as you enter the Theatre just before each session begins. You must have your raffle ticket at the beginning of each session. Latecomers will NOT be able to get a ticket out of fairness to the people who got there on time. To choose songs for the panel, we will pull a random ticket from a box and call the ticket number out for you to bring up your CD. If you’re not in the room, your song won’t get played. Members and guests may submit for these sessions. You must have a valid Road Rally 2022 badge to submit!
Audio CDs only, please, no Mp3s! Lyric sheets should be rubber-banded on outside of CD. Sharpies and rubber bands will be next to drop boxes inside the ballroom. Lunch
No Eat & Greet Luncheon today. You’re on your own. Enjoy the Daily Grill, which we anticipate will be very busy. Plan accordingly. How to Score Scoring Gigs
Grand Ballroom (Lobby Level, 1st Floor) – With composers Adonis Aletras and Erez Koskas. Many Instrumental Cue composers would like to break into scoring TV and films. Find out what it takes and how to do it from two accomplished composers who have actually done it! Delivering Your Tracks to Music Libraries Like a Pro
Grand Ballroom (Lobby Level, 1st Floor) – Greg Carrozza and Dave Kropf are your fellow TAXI members who have cracked the code. They know there’s more to being professional than just creating great music! You need to know what alt-mixes, cutdowns, stems, audio formats, LUFS, mastering (or not), meeting deadlines, and staying stylistically on-target are all about. Why? Because your competition does! Greg and Dave are tremendously wellinformed, and really good at explaining this stuff in a very entertaining way! Driver’s Ed Classes
See class grid and descriptions for more info. The Happy Ending Pitch Panel
Grand Ballroom (Lobby Level, 1st Floor) – This panel of experts from varied backgrounds will listen to randomly selected songs during this Rally-ending Pitch Panel. Film, TV, Song, and Artist pitches are all fair game during this panel with: Michael Lloyd (Multi-Platinum Producer, Music Supervisor), Rob Chiarelli (Multi-Platinum, Grammy-Winning Producer, Mixer), Ron Harris (Label A&R, Multi- Platinum Producer), and Pedro Costa (Film/TV Music Licensing Executive), and Andrea Torchia (Music Publishing, A&R Executive). Music played during this panel will be chosen randomly from a playlist generated from a panel-specific TAXI Listing that ran prior to the Rally. We’ll call your name if your music is randomly chosen. If you’re not in the ballroom, we’ll move on to the next person’s track.
"What a great convention. This was my first year, and I could not get over the fact that it's FREE! I cannot figure out why TAXI’s not charging $400-$500 for something of that caliber." -Kerry Cox, TAXI Member
"I flew 15 hours from Sao Paulo to LA just for the Rally. And I can tell you: it was one of the best experiences in my life!" -Rogerio Maudonnet, TAXI Member
"I just returned home last night from my first Road Rally. I learned more in three days about the business of music than I have from 45 years in playing bars. It was great, I loved it, and I will be back next year."-Dean Brittain, TAXI Member
"I would pose this question to anyone who could but didn't come [to the Rally]. Are you serious about music?"
-Terry Anthony, TAXI Member
"Will the Rally be a waste of my time if my music isn't 'ready?' I almost didn't go to the Road Rally this year because I didn't feel ready and professional enough. I decided to go anyway, and I'm so glad I did. Not only did I make some incredible contacts, but also I came home feeling much more professional and knowledgeable about the industry and my own direction as an artist. Thanks again for opening so many doors for me!" -Celia Rose, TAXI Member
"Many relationships began for me at the Rally, not only with fellow members, but also with music library owners and publishers who eventually signed my music. I would not have any of the success I have had so far without the TAXI Road Rally. It’s a no brainer in my opinion, if you’re serious about your career."
-Robbie Hancock, TAXI Member
"I think I’ve personally gained several years experience over just three days. I am now more focused and have a better understanding of what TAXI listings and TAXI screeners are looking for."Terry Solfleet - Penistone, United Kingdom
"The industry professionals were truly indeed approachable and very willing to share and lift others; I was blown away by the easy access to them."Heather Yates - Kansas City, MO
"For once in my life, my passions and interests have been validated. Thank you, TAXI."Rosanna Angela - Houston, TX
"I took off time without pay and flew 3,000 miles... well worth the time and financial investment! I didn’t walk away with a publishing deal, but I walked away with the tools to effectively pursue and hopefully ( crossing my fingers) obtain a publishing deal or a music library placement." Christine Matte - Charlotte, NC
"2019 was my 13th consecutive Road Rally! I hope I never miss one. It may sound over the top but the Road Rally is truly a life changing experience! Everything I’ve accomplished with my music has been because of the Rally and this incredibly loving and giving TAXI music community."Casey Hurowitz - Fort Washington, PA
"90% of my success I can trace back to trust relationships made and develop from the TAXI Road Rally over the years and in my opinion, attending the TAXI Road Rally is a must if you are serious about taking your music to the next level. Thank you to all the TAXI staff for putting together such a wonderful event that has launched my music career. It has definitely changed my life and the lives of so many other members that I now call my friends."Robbie Hancock - Victoria, BC, Canada
"The Road Rally brings together a group of musicians and songwriters from all over the world, in one spot for one long weekend, for what is basically a 'family reunion' for those who come every year. Where else can you hang out with such a group of like-minded people? We catch up with one another in person and share a wealth of information - from recording and songwriting techniques to best business practices, just to name a few things. I stay in touch, year round, with these 'family' members, and I collaborate with the ones I get along with best. So if you want to join this family, all you have to do is show up in November - you'll be welcomed with open arms."John Lewitt - Toronto, ON, Canada
"Well, as a Brit attending my first Road Rally, I do have a lot to say. My initial concern was, is it worth the expense, time and (in my case) horrendous jet lag? Without a doubt Yes it was! I had an amazing time, not only in meeting the friendliest, warm hearted, giving people that I’ve ever met, but just to be surrounded by musicians that are all striving for the same goal."Mark Parr - Hove, United Kingdom