Spirit Of New Orleans Productions

What Spirit Of New Orleans Productions does

Spirit Of New Orleans Productions (SONOP) is a privately held, independently owned management, booking and creative services agency based in the Tremé neighborhood of New Orleans, Louisiana. Founded as an incorporated entity in 2005 (with the represented band operations dating to 2001), the firm operates with 1-10 employees and is led by founder and web designer Katja Toivola. Its core business is representing traditional New Orleans jazz artists, including the Leroy Jones Quintet, the Spirit Of New Orleans band, the New Orleans Helsinki Connection and the Original Hurricane Brass Band, for live performances and recording activity.

The company's service platform spans artist management, event booking, album production and release, and ancillary graphic design work. Its principal asset is the exclusive representation of Leroy Jones, a New Orleans Jazz Hall of Fame inductee whose credits include performances on The Tonight Show and work with Harry Connick Jr., together with heritage acts such as the Original Hurricane Brass Band. Catalog output includes multiple volumes of "New Orleans Brass Band Music" and the 2022 children's album "March of the Toddlers."

Revenue is generated across three streams: band bookings and live performance fees, recorded music sales and licensing through digital partners (CD Baby, iTunes, Amazon) alongside broadcast exposure on WWOZ radio, and graphic design services. The customer base spans New Orleans heritage festivals (French Quarter Festival, Jazz Fest, Satchmo SummerFest) and international jazz events including Pori Jazz, with selective cross-continental touring reaching the UK, Brazil, Fiji and New Zealand. Operating capital has been partially supplemented by Threadhead Cultural Foundation and Threadhead Records Foundation grants.

Name

Spirit Of New Orleans Productions

Legal name

Spirit Of New Orleans Productions

Website

https://spiritofneworleans.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2005

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Spirit Of New Orleans Productions is a boutique New Orleans-based management, booking and creative services agency representing traditional jazz artists including Leroy Jones and the Original Hurricane Brass Band, serving festivals, venues and recorded-music buyers worldwide.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Live Music Booking and Artist Management

NAICS

Musical Groups and Artists (71113), Record Production and Distribution (512250)

SIC

Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYHSACAHAG

Cultural & Heritage Entertainment Booking (Traditional/Folk Acts)

Home & Personal Services/Event & Personal Concierge Services/Entertainment Booking & Talent Management

SECONDARYHSACACAI

Party DJ, Music & Audio Services

Home & Personal Services/Event & Personal Concierge Services/Party & Social Event Services

Keywords

• Live jazz booking
• Jazz artist management
• Music production services
• Traditional jazz performances
• Event entertainment booking

Headquarters

HQ city

New Orleans

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Band Bookings and Live Performances: Revenue from booking bands for private events, festivals, weddings, parties, and corporate functions. Services include hiring world-class jazz bands for events.
2. CD and Digital Music Sales: Sale of physical CDs and digital downloads through CD Baby, iTunes, Louisiana Music Factory, Digelius Music, and their own store page. Releases include albums by Leroy Jones, Spirit Of New Orleans, and New Orleans Helsinki Connection.
3. Graphic Design and Art Direction: Katja Toivola provides graphic design and art direction services, primarily for CD covers and music production materials.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Spirit Of New Orleans Productions is a music management and booking agency that represents traditional New Orleans jazz ensembles (Leroy Jones Quintet, Spirit Of New Orleans, New Orleans Helsinki Connection, and Original Hurricane Brass Band) for live performances at festivals, weddings, parties, corporate events, and jazz clubs. The company also provides creative services including graphic design, art direction, photography, musical arrangements, and music production, and sells recorded music through physical CDs and digital download platforms.

Product overview

Spirit Of New Orleans Productions is a music management and booking agency representing multiple jazz ensembles: Leroy Jones Quintet, Spirit Of New Orleans (Helsinki-based), New Orleans Helsinki Connection, and Original Hurricane Brass Band. The company offers band booking services for events and festivals, along with graphic design, art direction, and musical production services. The portfolio centers on traditional New Orleans jazz performed with contemporary sensibilities, with artists including Grammy-nominated trumpeter Leroy Jones.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Leroy Jones Quintet: Traditional New Orleans jazz quintet led by trumpeter Leroy Jones, featuring both traditional and modern elements
• Spirit Of New Orleans
• New Orleans Helsinki Connection
• Original Hurricane Brass Band

Products and services

• Leroy Jones Quintet
• Spirit Of New Orleans
• New Orleans Helsinki Connection
• Original Hurricane Brass Band
• Band Booking Services
• Graphic Design and Art Direction
• Musical Arrangements and Production
• New Orleans Brass Band Music Vol. 2
• March Of The Toddlers
• I'm Talkin' Bout New Orleans
• Paradise On Earth
• Mahogany Hall Stomp
• At Last

Named customers18 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• WWOZ 90.7 FMminorGTM or Marketing PartnerWWOZ, the New Orleans public radio station, broadcasts Spirit Of New Orleans performances live (including Satchmo SummerFest 2008) and plays SONOP recordings frequently, providing significant promotional reach in the New Orleans market and beyond.
• Digelius MusicminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDigelius Music (Laivurinrinne 2, 00120 Helsinki) is the Finnish distributor for Spirit Of New Orleans Productions CDs, including 'At Last', 'Some Of These Days', and 'Mahogany Hall Stomp'.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• ArtistShare: Direct-to-fan music platform that pioneered crowdfunding for recordings. Comparable artist-services and direct-to-consumer sales channel for niche jazz/traditional acts.
• Music Maker Relief Foundation: Nonprofit supporting traditional American roots musicians with recordings, bookings, and artist services. Comparable artist-services-plus-recordings model for heritage performers.
• Putumayo World Music: Independent world/traditional music label with curated international releases. Comparable niche in cultural music curation and global distribution, though more retail-oriented.
• World Music Network (Riverboat Records): UK-based label specializing in world and traditional music releases with European distribution. Comparable international traditional-music positioning and distribution footprint.

Direct peers

• Preservation Hall: Iconic New Orleans traditional jazz institution operating a historic venue and managing in-house bands. Most direct comparison: same NOLA base, same traditional jazz positioning, similar hybrid performance/recording model.
• Basin Street Records: New Orleans-based independent jazz label and management platform that books and records contemporary and traditional NOLA jazz acts. Directly comparable artist-roster and booking-driven model.

Regional players

• Threadhead Records Foundation: New Orleans nonprofit that funds and releases traditional NOLA music recordings. Already a partner/funder of Spirit Of New Orleans; comparable NOLA heritage music mission.

Broad incumbents

• Concord Music Group: Major independent music company with significant jazz and heritage catalog (including Rounder, Fantasy, Prestige). Represents the scaled end of the traditional/jazz catalog and licensing business.
• Smithsonian Folkways Recordings: Non-profit record label of the Smithsonian dedicated to preserving and distributing traditional, folk, and heritage music. Comparable cultural heritage mission and catalog stewardship.
• Rounder Records: Established roots, folk, and traditional music label with deep catalog and global distribution. Comparable as a heritage/traditional music stewardship platform, though at much larger scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/SpiritOfNOLA
• Facebookfacebook.com/SpiritOfNOLAproductions
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/spirit-of-new-orleans-productions

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Spirit Of New Orleans Productions