Otiz F. Angel Gears Up for Inaugural Summer Music Conference

International record producer Otiz F. Angel—a London-based musician and nightclub owner who describes himself as a "global gypsy"—is preparing for the launch of the Love Organization's inaugural Summer Music Conference (SMC), taking place at Polson Pier (and close to 100 other venues across this city) from July 23 to 27. The five-day event, which features a range of industry networking sessions, also includes seven festivals focusing on fashion, film, the environment, and music. Angel and his team pulled it all together in only three months. "This is just the beginning, and I believe by next year, our event will be standing shoulder-to-shoulder with the finest of its type in North America," he told us.

What is the Summer Music Conference and how did it originate?
The SMC is a gathering of the music industry, but with a real agenda to try to create a more positive voice for the music industry. We're working with the electronic dance scene...we want to empower it and give it a positive voice globally. We've had the concept and name for about 20 years but we only deployed it now because we feel it's the right time to do it...the origins of the house movement have been forgotten and we want to return to the original ethos of peace, love, and unity.

Why did you choose to host the inaugural event in Toronto?
There were a few different cities we were looking at. It's fresh here. The scene hasn't had the same cultural experience. There are lots of things that haven't been exposed yet.

Who is your target audience?
Everyone. We've got panels for everyone—for amateurs, for people trying to get into the music industry. We've got professional panels. We've got enthusiasts that just want to be a part of it and we've got seven festivals. The focus is a city-wide celebration.

Describe the planning process.
It was a lot to take on and we did it in three months, with some difficulty. But if you have faith, you can do something, and if you've got a team that you can rely on anything can happen...the Love Organization from Europe is the driver for the SMC.

How did you select the venues for the event? Were club owners keen to get involved?
To be honest we had about a 50-50 response. Some were really welcoming. Some didn't want to participate...they didn't want any kind of European invasion. But now we've got the majority of the clubs on board. It's a good contribution to the city in the sense that it's bringing together a positive vibe.

What are your plans for the future of the event?
This will be an annual event and it's not going to stop here. We're looking at doing it in Germany, in the Middle East, and in the Far East. There will be seven SMCs throughout the world within the next three years. This is just the tip of the iceberg. It's about addressing social and environmental issues while being on the cutting edge of music as a whole...we want people to remember why they're in this industry.