Eminent jazz vibraphonist, Gary Burton, was the first established artist to become a client of the new company. Soon thereafter, other major performers like Keith Jarrett, Chick Corea, Miles Davis and Sonny Rollins, also joined the growing family of artists with TKA.
As the agency grew, services to provide music publishing, management and production were added. By the '80s, the agency was representing clients in everything from movie soundtracks and video production to publishing.
The agency is focused into 3 major divisions. Vice-President Laurel J. Wicks directing the domestic booking, David Sholemson overseeing the management and special projects division (including management of the Pat Metheny Group), and President Ted Kurland overseeing all operations. Since entering the international marketing field in the early '80s, TKA, Inc. has become established in every major and minor market in the world, arranging tours throughout Asia, South America and Europe for TKA artists.
Although the agency has remained most well-known for representation of major jazz artists, performers from other fields such as blues, world and pop music are also represented by the agency.
As the staff of Ted Kurland Associates celebrates over 30 years of service, they look back on over three decades of growth and success in one of the most exciting fields in the entertainment business.
