Concord has announced that Glen Barros will leave his post as Concord’s COO at the end of this year.
Barros is launching a new business venture, Exceleration Music, which plans to invest in music rights while providing strategic services to independent music companies.
His first investment will be the acquisition of the London-based jazz label Candid Records. Barros and Concord are exploring further ways in which they may collaborate on future business initiatives.
Barros’ history with Concord began 25 years ago, when he closed a deal to purchase the Concord Jazz label from its founder, Carl Jefferson. Barros assumed the role of president & CEO for Concord Jazz when Jefferson passed away a few months later.
The company grew from a respected but small jazz label into Concord Music Group, one of the largest independent music companies in the world. In 2015, Concord Music Group merged with independent music publisher Bicycle Music.
Barros became COO of the new company in 2017 after its acquisition of Imagem Music Group, at which point the divisions were consolidated under the Concord name.
Exceleration Music will commence operations when it closes its transaction to buy Candid Records from its current owners, Alan and Nieves Bates, on January 1, 2020. The Candid catalogue includes jazz and blues greats such as Charles Mingus, Abbey Lincoln, Otis Spann, Max Roach and Memphis Slim, as well as more contemporary recordings from artists such as Stacey Kent, Jamie Cullum, Kenny Barron and Kyle Eastwood.
Scott Pascucci, Concord’s CEO, said: “It’s been my privilege to work with Glen for almost seven years. The care and passion with which he led and grew Concord Music Group for decades has carried on into the current Concord and will surely continue after his departure. We are thankful for his dedication to the company and look forward to collaborating with him in the future.”
Barros said: “I am eternally grateful for all that I’ve experienced over the past twenty-five years at Concord and for the company’s help in allowing me to launch Exceleration Music. It’s been an amazing ride and Concord will forever be in my heart. While leaving is incredibly difficult, I know that Concord is in great hands and will undoubtedly continue to flourish long into the future. When I look forward to my new venture, I’m tremendously excited by the prospect of using my past experiences to help others achieve their strategic goals in the future. And I find it very fitting that I begin this second act of my career the same way that I started the first one… with a great jazz label.”
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