TEAM
KENT ANDERSON
KENT ANDERSON
Founder, C Sharp Consulting · Music Executive · Educator · Bassist
FULL BIOGRAPHY
Some careers follow a straight line. Kent Anderson’s has followed the music — and that has made all the difference. From the moment he sat down at the piano in elementary school, then picked up a trumpet, then found his true voice on the bass, Anderson has been a musician first. Every executive role, every label, every boardroom decision that followed was shaped by that foundation: an ear trained before a business degree, instincts built in rehearsal rooms before they were refined in corner offices.
That journey took him from managing record stores for Trans World Music — the nation’s largest music retailer — to the offices of GRP Records, where he became Midwest Regional Sales Manager before moving to New York to oversee national sales and marketing. Working alongside the legendary producer Tommy LiPuma, Anderson helped build GRP into the world’s number-one jazz label for five consecutive years, a run that generated more than 30 Grammy nominations and over $25 million in annual domestic sales. It was a golden era for jazz, and Anderson was at the center of it.
What came next would prove to be one of the most consequential chapters in the history of recorded music — and Anderson had a front-row seat. As Vice President at N2K, Inc., working under the mentorship of Phil Ramone, he was part of the team that produced the first-ever digital music download, a collaboration with David Bowie that most people in the industry at the time did not yet believe was possible. N2K also launched one of the earliest e-commerce platforms for music, developed an early online music player, and released one of the first 5.1 surround sound DVDs. Anderson did not simply witness the birth of digital music. He helped deliver it.
At Virgin Records, he led all sales and marketing for Virgin Associated Labels — including Narada, Real World, Luaka Bop, and Higher Octave — and collaborated on four consecutive number-one Billboard Jazz & Blues chart compilation albums. As President and Executive Producer of A440 Music Group, he guided the label to a Grammy nomination and win for Best 5.1 Surround Sound Mix, earning critical acclaim from the Chicago Tribune and Los Angeles Times along the way. Throughout, he has managed and produced recordings for a roster of artists, including Dario Cohen, Josh Spinner, Rob Mathes, Jackie Allen, Alice Peacock, Henry Johnson, and Steve Cole.
Today, Anderson channels that lifetime of experience into two complementary roles. As founder of C Sharp Consulting LLC, he works with artists and labels at the intersection of music, marketing, and strategy — the same territory he has navigated for three decades, now with the perspective that only comes from having lived through every seismic shift in the industry firsthand. And as an Adjunct Professor of Instruction at Columbia College Chicago, he instructs what the industry cannot always teach itself: how to think clearly about music, business, and the decisions that define a career. His courses in the Business of Music, Entertainment Marketing, Digital Media Strategies, and Decision-Making: Music Business are informed not just by theory, but by the rooms he has actually been in and the deals he has actually made. He is the author of It’s All About the Music Marketing Stupid (Second Edition), a practitioner’s guide to music marketing that reflects the same no-nonsense clarity he brings to the classroom. A member of The Recording Academy, an Eagle Scout, and a professional bassist who has performed on both upright and electric bass with jazz ensembles, big bands, pit orchestras, and rock and R&B groups — Anderson remains, at his core, a musician. That has never changed. It is, in the end, what makes everything else he does worth listening to.
GEREY JOHNSON
Partner, C Sharp Consulting · MD · Guitarist · Production Manager
From the South Side to center stage
A guitarist, and music director with more than two decades of success across contemporary jazz, R&B, and artist development — shaped by an unconventional path that spans finance, touring, production, and record label management.
Raised surrounded by jazz and R&B records, Gerey began on drums and keyboards before discovering his true voice on the guitar. Influences in R&B and jazz fusion shaped a style that blends technical precision with emotional depth.
After earning his degree at Northwestern University, Gerey rose to Assistant Vice President in investment banking — managing IRAs and retirement plans for corporate clients on Chicago’s North Shore, later becoming a licensed money manager.
A pivotal personal moment reshaped everything. Stepping away from banking, Gerey pursued music full-time — leading his fusion band Cool World, booking national acts for Chicago venues, and becoming a minority partner in one of the clubs he helped build.
Roles as studio manager and A&R representative sharpened his skills in artist development and music direction. A national tour with a leading contemporary jazz artist brought him into the company of some of the most respected names in jazz, funk, and R&B.
Performing at jazz festivals, concerts, and cruise engagements while serving as Music Director for long-running smooth jazz series across multiple U.S. cities. His work is guided by a commitment to artistic excellence and helping artists build sustainable careers.
What sets Gerey Johnson apart isn’t just the breadth of his résumé — it’s the way each chapter informs the next. The discipline of finance lives in how he approaches artist development. The instincts of a South Side musician live in every note he plays. The vision of an entrepreneur lives in every stage he steps onto as a Music Director.
His production and songwriting work spans R&B artists and advertising agencies alike. His performances have appeared on major record labels. And his presence at the helm of smooth jazz concert series across the country has made him one of the most trusted and versatile figures in contemporary jazz.
ANDRES CORREA
Andres Correa joins C Sharp Consulting, LLC with a deep-rooted passion for the music industry and a strong foundation in recording and music publishing. A graduate of Columbia College Chicago, Andres has developed his expertise through a series of high-impact internships with respected music and media organizations.
Bridging talent and opportunity — on stage and online.
From Nashville to Fort Worth to Los Angeles, Andres brings a global perspective and a detail-oriented approach to artist services, digital outreach, and the ever-evolving mechanics of today’s music business.
Andres Correa doesn’t just understand the music industry — he’s worked inside its machinery at every level. From indie artist services at Thirty Tigers to representing a brand on the SXSW floor for Musicbed, to a remote residency with TwoOHsix Music in Los Angeles, he’s accumulated hands-on experience that few at his stage of career can match.
At C Sharp, Andres serves as Booking Agent and Digital Outreach Coordinator — a dual role that puts him at the intersection of live performance and online presence. He supports artists through playlist pitching, blogger outreach, and influencer submissions, ensuring new releases connect with the right platforms, tastemakers, and audiences at the right moment.
