COUGHING UP: The plight of recording artists struck down by illness, unsuspecting and without insurance, is an all to familiar story. Certainly Rainer Ptacek's tragic illness and subsequent struggles to pay the hospital bills have brought this problem to the forefront of attention on a local level. The astronomical cost of health care and insurance puts security and peace of mind out of reach of multitudes of gainfully employed individuals; for struggling artists it's little more than a pipe dream. As a rule even musicians signed to major label deals go uninsured, unless they have the foresight to insure themselves. Trope Records, the independent Tucson recording label that's home to Sam Taylor, the Drakes, Kings of Pleasure, Heather Hardy, the Bad Newz Blues Band, and George Howard and the Roadhouse Hounds, is blazing trails by offering comprehensive health care benefits as part of its recording contract. Trope Records was started in early 1995 by Jeff Kazanow and Frank Bohac, and with the initial signing and success of Sam Taylor has broadened in scope from regional to international markets. From the beginning, Kazanow and Bohac envisioned their corporation as more of a co-operation. The artists contribute their time, talent, and effort; the label provides a secure and supportive environment, and everyone benefits. Providing insurance for their artists is a significant part of this innovative and holistic approach. After much research and discussion of all the available options, some of which were to reclaim the cost of insurance premiums from future profits or to establish some sort of co-payment plan, Kazanow and Bohac agreed Trope Records would go the extra mile. Says Kazanow, "We played around with different notions, but in the end came to the conclusion that it was best and easiest for all concerned if the label just took care of everything." All of the other options were ruled out as too burdensome and complicated, creating worry and causing tension between label and artist. This arrangement enables Trope's musicians to devote themselves full time to developing their talent without the fear that quitting their day job will put them or their families at risk. One would think musicians are hardly considered a low-risk group, and therefore would be rather costly to insure under any plan. But Trope managed, with the help of Associated Brokerage, to find a low-cost, managed-care plan through the Cigna company. "It's just good business," explains Kazanow, and he's right. Musicians make a big commitment when they sign to a label and must choose wisely. A benefits package is a very marketable advantage, one that Trope hopes will give them the edge over other independent labels. In addition to the real value, there's the implicit value of working with an organization that's compassionate and willing to make a long-term investment in its employees. Let's hope their pioneering approach is catching, and not just in the music industry. HOT OFF THE PRESS: Yet another music magazine hits the West Coast shelves: semi-monthly Jelly features reviews of jazz, country, soul, blues and rock and roll. The staff writers seem to be a conglomeration of music diehards steeped in the traditions of classic rock. I would almost be sympathetic to their cause, despite their seeming commitment to more staid, tried-and-true performers and musical genres, but for one small problem: They completely ravaged Yo La Tengo and their most recent EP, Camp Yo La Tengo. Obviously more of a "musician's magazine" with a tender spot for the country/folk rock movement--who doesn't love Uncle Tupelo?--Jelly is practically pure text. Granted, the lack of fashion photography and high gloss is refreshing, but I've seen philosophy journals with more flavor and pizzazz. The most interesting and unconstructed feature is a section called the "Jam Session," wherein the writer's candid conversations about music are recorded interview-style. Whether this is worth the $3.95 newstand rate, or the $15 yearly subscription rate, is another issue. No Jelly for me, please. I'll stick to Vaseline. LAST NOTES: Phoenix's Suicide Kings return to the Airport Lounge, 20 E. Pennington St., on Saturday, December 14. Show time is 10 p.m., and cover is $3 at the door. Call 882-0100 for more information. And mark your calendar for a post-finals skip down to The 3rd Stone Bar and Grill, 500 N. Fourth Ave., for the return of San Diego's Mississippi Mudsharks on Friday, December 20. Call 628-8844 for more information. --Lisa Weeks

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