Below is a selection of examples to illustrate the broad range of work and areas of business covered by AOB, in daily practice:
As part of the Black History Month celebrations at the United States Embassy in London, we were invited to present the title song from I Dream, our musical-drama, woven around the life and times of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. – our first live’ performance in the UK and Europe, which was rapturously received by the audience of…
Following a workshop at the world-famous Apollo Theatre, Harlem, New York City in November 2023 and in his role as a producer of the musical-drama “I Dream” – based around the life of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. – AOB director Dej Mahoney negotiated and secured an in-concert production of the show to be staged as…
Summer ‘24 was a season for celebration for a number of reasons. Most significantly, AOB reached the major milestone of 21 years since its incorporation. Furthermore, 15th August marked the 15th anniversary of the Barclaycard World Freerun Championships, staged in London’s iconic Trafalgar Square and co-promoted and co-produced by AOB. Keely Hodgkinson’s majestic victory in…
In his role as a member of the Breaking GB Board, AOB Director Jonathan Dembo was part of the Breaking GB delegation, which attended the debut of Breaking as a sporting event at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. The competition took place in Paris’s iconic Place de la Concorde, where the standard of athleticism and dance was truly outstanding and at times, breathtaking. …
In June 2024, AOB client and co-venture partner, Young Voices , the world’s largest children’s choir concert programme staged its first concerts in the USA since the pandemic lockdown – in Albany, Upstate New York and at The Prudential Center in Newark, NJ. 5,000 elementary school children performed in Newark on 6th June 2024 in front of…
AOB client, UK music legend and founder of the seminal Soul II Soul band collective, Jazzie B was delighted to be awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award at the MOBO Awards 2024 to add to his cabinet of career accolades since bursting onto the global stage in the late 1980s with worldwide hits such as “Back to Life” and “Keep…
Through 2023, AOB director, Jonathan Dembo provided Legal & Business Affairs services to drone display specialists, Celestial, who began the year with this stellar, riverside launch of Samsung’s latest Android handset (the Galaxy S24) at London’s Canary Wharf.
AOB director, Dej Mahoney, was privileged to lead a workshop on entrepreneurship for his alma mater, Emmanuel College, focusing on Entertainment under the working title, Realising Creative Value through Rights, Experience and Relationships (the essence of AOB’s business philosophy). Below was the introductory text to the session: Dej originally trained as a barrister, became a…
In keeping with the British heritage properties of Anderson Entertainment (“Thunderbirds”, “Captain Scarlet”, “Terrahawks”, Firestorm” etc.), Jamie Anderson – son of the late great Gerry Anderson – has collaborated with John Gore (of The John Gore Organization of theatrical fame) as “Executive Producer” in the acquisition of Hammer Films and the release of the motion…
In May 2023, Eurovision was staged in Liverpool – instead of being in the traditional winning country of the prior year, Ukraine (due to the war situation). The UK had been the runner-up in 2022 and its representative star performer, Sam Ryder, was therefore invited to perform his then new single “Mountain” in Liverpool. AOB…
AOB has been appointed to provide legal and business affairs services to Celestial Labs. Celestial is a company celebrated for their pioneering and imaginative drone displays including for clients as diverse as Greenpeace, Amnesty International, Eurovision, London’s 2023 New Year, Prime Video for their ‘Rings of Power’ series and Manchester City’s 2022/23 Premier League victory…
In February 2022, AOB director Jonathan Dembo was appointed a director of Breaking GB, the organisation, which is delivering the Olympic pathway for Breakdancing in the UK. Breakdancing is one the new events to be introduced at the Paris 2024 Summer Games. As part of his role, Jonathan gave legal and business support in negotiations…
Through his role as Non-Executive Chair of West One Music Group, AOB Director, Dej Mahoney became a founding director of Creatigo Ltd in 2022. Creatigo is a video and audio subscription platform which provides representative, locally-sourced diverse and superlative video and audio assets through an affordable and easy to understand, subscription- based licensing model. It…
Having relaunched its series of concert tours after the pandemic in May 2022, AOB-affiliated venture Young Voices – the largest children’s choir concerts worldwide – staged another UK tour in January and February 2023. AOB has been part of the Young Voices family, as Legal & Music Business advisors/partners for about 15 years. Over this…
Following a late summer launch of the project at Westminster Abbey, 96 globes designed by artists (Yinka Shonibare, Nicola Green at al) to tell the story and consequences of the transatlantic slave trade were installed in Trafalgar Square, London over a November weekend – with some globes going on to be auctioned for charity. .…
AOB Director Dej Mahoney is gratified to have celebrated his 2nd anniversary as the first Non-Executive Chair on the Board of West One Music Group. Separately, AOB has been providing legal services to this leading independent supplier of music to the broadcast and media industries globally, by way of maternity cover.
As Legal & Business advisors to Anderson Entertainment, AOB was deeply involved in the staging of this landmark event as a celebration of the life, work and legacy of the late great creator of Thunderbirds, Space:1999, Captain Scarlet and many more TV properties. https://www.gerryanderson.com/concert/ Below are some images to illustrate and outline this project that…
In his role as Chairman of the School’s Governance Committee, AOB Director Dej Mahoney led the search and successful appointment of media and entertainment luminary, Josh Berger CBE, former President of Warner Brothers UK, Ireland and Spain. https://brittrust.co.uk/news/josh-berger-cbe-to-join-the-brit-school-as-chair-of-the-board-of-trustees/ https://www.musicweek.com/opinion/read/brit-trust-diaries-josh-berger-on-why-the-brit-school-is-vital-to-the-industry-ecosystem/086046 Below are some images to illustrate and outline the work that Director Dej Mahoney has successfully…
AOB Director Dej Mahoney was honoured and flattered to be cited as an early, influential supporter (from his Sony Music days), in the acceptance speech of the Strat Award-winning founder and CEO of the MOBO Awards, Kanya King OBE in MOBO’s 25th anniversary year. . . . Below are some images to illustrate. https://www.musicweek.com/brands/read/i-believe-in-the-power-of-music-to-change-lives-kanya-king-s-music-week-awards-speech-in-full/084138 Click…
The AOB-affiliated, pandemic production of the musical drama, “I Dream” (based on the life of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.) went ahead against all odds, as the Delta variant was still raging. The production was very well received despite the Covid conditions and laid the ground for further collaborations with other theatre/opera companies as…
AOB revisited another past glory, following the sad death of venerable host Nicholas Parsons after over 50 years helming the programme, when long-established player, presenter and comedy performer Sue Perkins assumed the coveted and very large chair as new host of the show. In 2012, AOB had co-produced a rare, 10-episode television series version of…
In August 2021, 19-year old Keely Hodgkinson won a silver medal in the 800 metres final, breaking the British record set by Dame Kelly Holmes in 1995. Dame Kelly was propelled to damehood by her double gold medal-winning performance at the 2004 Athens Summer Games and AOB subsequently had the privilege of co-producing a DVD…
Spring 2020 was brighter than ever for AOB’s client and co-venturer, 79 Lux, the luxury skincare range, which actually glows with real gold in its ingredients. The brand featured in an edition of Vogue Japan (79 Lux is fast becoming a beauty editor favourite…), in Condé Nast Traveller and was hailed by the Wellness Editor…
25 years on from its original release, the No. 1 football anthem Three Lions was once again all over the airwaves, in pubs and homes up and down the country throughout the European Championships. All commercial terms for release of the original track were negotiated by AOB director, Jonathan Dembo, in his then role as…
Since early 2020, AOB directors Jonathan Dembo and Dej Mahoney have been providing commercial and legal representation to celebrated YBA artist, Jake Chapman in relation to his literary creation, 2+2 = 5, inspired by George Orwell’s classic work “1984” and an homage to the great writer and polemicist. AOB’s services have included advice on the…
In April 2021, Sky Arts aired the latest in their acclaimed Classic Albums TV series: Soul II Soul’s Club Classics Volume 1, following prior episodes which have revisited albums by The Who, The Doors, Jimi Hendrix, Sam Cooke and Lou Reed. Artist and producer, Jazzie B featured alongside other collaborators and talking heads discussing the…
In March 2021, AOB client Ayanna appeared in conversation on the flagship Radio 4 programme. She discussed her background, her musical journey and her personal take on contemporary, social issues. She also spoke of her latest collaborations with the likes of multi-instrumentalist, genre-pioneering composer, Nitin Sawhney and rapper-writer-polemicist Akala and was invited to sing/play from…
Through its Board advisory role, AOB is a minority shareholder in fledgling, multinational-backed, independent label, Don’t Sleep. In early 2021, Don’t Sleep successfully formalised an alliance with renowned, independent distributor PIAS through signing distribution and label agreements, as a promising foundation for the label’s future exploits. Amongst the offerings of many innovative creators, will be…
January/February is usually the touring season in the UK for Young Voices (YV), organisers of the world’s largest children’s choir concerts. In the absence of its arena concert tour commitment due to the pandemic, YV released a February charity single – “Lovely Day” by Bill Withers, featuring legendary soul singer Billy Ocean, jazz singer and…
In February 2021 – Black History Month in the USA – I Dream, the musical drama based on the life of Dr Martin Luther King Jr, featured as part of Charlottesville Opera’s program of “Interludes”, including conversations with the show’s principal performers and the writer-composer. AOB director, Dej Mahoney, is credited as producer, being a…
Through 2020, AOB director Jonathan Dembo developed a relationship as an advisor to chef patron and traiteur, Freddy Bird, who owns and runs the Little French restaurant in Bristol, England – serving classic bistro fare with a twist – as well as being a co-venturer in a speciality pie shop. In December 2020, the BBC…
In early December 2020, AOB Director, Dej Mahoney featured in a stimulating discussion as an expert commentator on Times Radio. The central subject was Taylor Swift’s long-running dispute with Scooter Braun/Ithaca Holdings and the contested ownership of her original master recordings, following the acquisition by Ithaca Holdings of her prior label, Big Machine Records. The attached tweet was also…
AOB director, Jonathan Dembo provided legal representation for Leroy Logan MBE when rights for his debut book, ‘Closing Ranks: My Life as a Cop’ were secured for the audio book market. A film of Leroy’s life, “Red, White and Blue”, starring John Boyega of ‘Star Wars’ fame in the role of Leroy directed by Oscar-winner Steve McQueen was made and aired as part of the…
In September 2020, AOB director, Dej Mahoney was engaged by Chip Seelig as a London-based adviser and producer representative of TSG Entertainment (www.theseeliggroup.com), New York financiers, who most successfully backed the global success of “The Greatest Showman” (and previously, movies including “Avatar”, Oscar-winner Steve McQueen’s “Widows” and many others). In tandem with London producers and…
During summer 2020, AOB negotiated and managed the transition of Sarah Doole from her former role as the internationally renowned Director of Global Drama at Fremantle Media to becoming a creative consultant to Fremantle’s CEO, while establishing her own independent incubation company, Sow The Seed Ltd (STS). This development attracted the attention of Paris-based television…
In August 2020, AOB director Dej Mahoney was appointed to the new position of Non-Executive Chair of West One Music Group, one of the leading independent production music companies worldwide. Originally founded in London, the company has grown globally over the last 18 years to establish offices (and certain recording facilities) in New York, Los…
It has been another momentous year for this stellar, emerging skincare brand, 79Lux. In August, it launched the third product in its first range, being an extremely timely and luxuriously healing hand cream for the Covid era which has enjoyed critical and customer acclaim, including a feature in the Sunday Times Style magazine. In parallel with this successful,…
AOB’s dealings with Viacom’s Channel 5 continued in 2020 when it was engaged to represent one of the expert contributors, Dr. Uchenna Okoye of London Smiling, as a specialist cosmetic dentist in the popular series, “10 Ways to Look 10 Years Younger”, which returned to our screens in the Spring. AOB also worked with Viacom/Channel 5 on…
Early in 2020, AOB assumed a position as a minority shareholder in new music company – Don’t Sleep – and in its advisory role, AOB played a key part in the formal completion of a substantial capital investment from SENT Entertainment Ltd, a London-based, European media company. Singer-songwriter Berwyn Du Bois – now signed to…
At the end of March, the world mourned the death of a great Civil Rights leader, Reverend Joseph Lowery, co-founder with Dr. Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. Reverend Lowery memorably gave the benediction at the inauguration of President Obama in January 2009 and also attended the Atlanta, Georgia premiere…
AOB client and producers of spectacular events, Cirque Bijou, staged a series of shows as part of the Taiwan Lantern Festival (near Taichung City, Taiwan), attended by crowds of up to 8,000 per night over two weeks in February 2020. Cirque Bijou created a bespoke centrepiece – the Balance of the Cosmos – bringing together…
The year began as usual with AOB-affiliated Young Voices staging a 22-date tour with arena concerts in Manchester, Birmingham, Sheffield and 8 nights in London (7 at the O2 Arena and 1 at Wembley Arena), featuring primary school choirs of over 8,000 different children per night, singing their hearts out, alongside UK country sensation The…
AOB has a long-standing relationship with leading, independent production music company, West One Music Group, which has offices worldwide, including London, New York, Los Angeles, Paris, Munich, Sydney, Bangkok and beyond. Since early 2019, this personal and business connection has evolved into a strategic advisory role with this premium supplier of music to the TV…
In recent months, AOB has advised a stellar range of talent on a variety of book projects, ranging from Jake Chapman, enfant terrible of the YBA generation of artists to former editor of The Sun turned Talk Radio host Kelvin McKenzie, to Soul II Soul founder, bandleader and producer Jazzie B, to former Royal Ballet…
In negotiating and drafting the agreement for event co-host Gigi Morley (who also hosts the AOB-affiliated Young Voices Children’s Concert Series), AOB was integrally involved in the production of this event, staged by the commercial arm of the Prince’s Trust – from preparatory introductions to nominated companies, to the final delivery of the Big Night…
2019 has been an extraordinary year for a brand new product (TM)79Lux launched on a shoe-string by its sole-trading creator and which is already stocked by Liberty of London and online mega-retailer Cult Beauty. The press has varied from gushing to ecstatic (www.79Lux.com/press) with a spot feature in the November issue of Vogue magazine. AOB…
As part of the promotional activity around her new album, “Road Runner”, AOB client and extraordinary cellist, Ayanna featured on Radio 4’s flagship show, “Woman’s Hour”, in an interview with Jenni Murray and gave a spellbinding ‘live’ vocal performance with her cello, Reuben. More recently during the Lock-down period of the global pandemic, Ayanna performed…
Through its relationship with Seelig Entertainment (TSG) – producers and financiers of global-hit movies such as “The Greatest Showman”, “Avatar” and many more – in 2019, AOB was introduced to and engaged by the iconic, New York-based Ruff Ryders hip hop label – original home of artistes such as DMX and Eve – to consult…
In 2019, AOB formalised a long-building relationship with Push Entertainment through which AOB makes strategic introductions to this innovative online merchandise operation, whose clients include Sir Elton John and the Universal Music Group.
AOB’s co-venture with the annual Young Voices series of the world’s largest children’s mass choir concerts returned in January 2019. Dates were staged in Birmingham, Sheffield, Manchester and 7 nights at London’s O2 Arena where a chorus of over 8,800 children performed on the final, memorable night. In addition to the Young Voices Children’s Choir…
In 2018, AOB completed a collaboration agreement for client, Urban Strides (specialists in street dance education and entertainment) with the Royal Academy of Dance (RAD), which provides dance training, dance teacher education, and dance assessment services to students and teachers, as one of the world leaders in the field. The two bodies have created a…
AOB Director, Jonathan Dembo is a business affairs adviser to International Sports Investments Inc (ISI), who have promoted international matches for the world famous Barbarians Rugby Football Club since 1999. This ‘all-stars’ club’s heritage has lived on through a series of ISI-promoted matches, with crowds of up to 70,000 at world-famous venues, including Twickenham and Wembley Stadiums in London and Cardiff’s Millennium…
In recent months, Dej Mahoney has been engaged in the role of interim Head of Legal & Business Affairs at Warner/Chappell, the music publishing home of celebrated writing talent from Beyonce and Jay Z to George Michael and “Hamilton” creator, Lin Manuel Miranda. Paul Feig’s ‘Last Christmas’ Dated, Will Feature Unreleased George Michael Music Universal…
AOB has been engaged by Bristol-based show makers, Cirque Bijou, to assist with Business Affairs and rights management strategy as part of its expansion plans. This extraordinary company has staged a number of innovative events in 2018, including at Bestival and Wilderness Festivals in the U.K., as well as the opening of the new Temperate…
In 2017, AOB-co-owned Musical-Dramatic Arts Inc entered into a collaborative agreement with Opera Carolina, resulting in the latest ‘Rhythm & Blues Opera’ productions of I Dream in April/May 2018 at Opera Grand Rapids Michigan, Toledo Opera Ohio and closing the Wells Fargo-sponsored season in Charlotte, N.C. (where by contrast, the season had featured more traditional…
AOB has been engaged by Roborace to contract “Tron” movie composer, Joe Trapanese to create the musical soundbed that will be integral to the branding and marketing of the new, driverless, Formula E “Robocar”. Roborace, the world’s first driverless electric race series that takes place on Formula E city street circuits, unveiled “The Robocar” live…
In recent years, AOB has worked with award-winning Maroon Productions and Warner Bros on a number of programmes broadcast by Channels 4 and 5. These have included specials aired for the returning series of global music business blockbuster, “Empire” (starring Terrence Howard) and the 200th anniversary episode of “The Big Bang Theory”, featuring 1960s ‘Superman’,…
AOB continued its work in the world of contemporary art by handling legal affairs in a transaction involving two of the most influential British artists of the last two decades.. AOB director, Jonathan Dembo became a trustee of the House of Fairy Tales charitable foundation established by Deborah Curtis and artist Gavin Turk to give…
AOB co-produced musical drama, I DREAM, based on the life of. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., was further developed through its third New York presentation at Bill T. Jones’ New York Live Arts. The performance featured some extraordinary Broadway talent, who enraptured the invited audience and heralded the final push towards a full production of…
AOB’s client, Wired Strings (led by Rosie Danvers), worked on all orchestrations for Jay Z’s 10th Anniversary Concert at the Royal Albert Hall, which also featured Beyoncé, Coldplay’s Chris Martin and Gwyneth Paltrow. This anniversary celebration in London was a reprise of the “Reasonable Doubt” album launch concert at Radio City Music Hall in…
