The Guitar Center Music Foundation, a nonprofit organization focused on granting instruments to music education and music therapy organizations, announces the expansion of its Board of Directors with two new appointments: Alison Ball, the current president of TuneGO Music Technology and CEO of Alicat Media, and Jae Deal, award-winning composer and producer and USC faculty member, have joined the organization’s leadership body. The announcement was made by David Helfant, Chairman of the Board of Directors at The Guitar Center Music Foundation, and signifies the ongoing growth of the organization’s leadership team.
Jae Deal is an award-winning composer, music producer and orchestrator known for his pop, gospel and hip-hop arrangements. Deal is also a session keyboardist, programmer and bassist who has worked with several prominent artists including Lady Gaga, Snoop Dogg, Diddy, Ne-Yo, Ty Dolla $ign and Wynton Marsalis. In 2019, he was the curator, music director and a producer of a Jammcard event that honored George Clinton and featured Ice Cube, CeeLo Green, Anderson .Paak and Flea. From 2008 to 2020, he was an orchestrator for Janet Jackson’s world tours. Deal has also contributed to projects for Elton John, Jill Scott and songwriter Diane Warren, performed with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra and served as musical director for Kirk Franklin’s Youth Ministry at Faithful Central Bible Church. He was also a winner of the 2016 International John Lennon Songwriting Contest in the Hip-Hop category with co-composer Tia P., and the two were the first international winners of Australia’s Vanda & Young Songwriting Competition. He currently serves on the faculty at University of Southern California in the Music Technology program. Prior to joining USC, Deal developed and wrote the Songwriting I curriculum for the Los Angeles College of Music and taught Music Business classes at the Musicians’ Institute in Hollywood, CA.
