The Orchard and Epsa Announce New Latin Label Signings, Expanded Digital Retail Network

The Orchard and Epsa Announce New Latin Label Signings, Expanded Digital Retail Network

Top Regional Labels Including MCD Records, Music Brokers, Discos CNR and La Oreja Join The Orchard; Orchard Catalogue To Power Beon, The First Major Digital Download Store in Mexico

NEW YORK, June 3 /PRNewswire/ -- The Orchard, the world's leading distributor and marketer of independent music, today announced that they have secured a diverse array of top Latin labels across South America -- more than 50,000 new tracks -- as Latin labels continue to choose The Orchard as their digital distribution and marketing solution. Separately, The Orchard announced its catalogue is now available in Beon, the new digital music service of Mexican retail giant Sanborns.

The Orchard and Epsa have recently added top Argentinean, Brazilian, and Chilean labels, including MCD Records, Music Brokers, Discos CNR, Circo Beat and La Oreja, among others. The Orchard has made the content available for sale through virtually all the legal online music services in the world (including iTunes, eMusic, Napster, Yahoo!, and Real/Rhapsody); and the top ring tone services and mobile entertainment providers like Sprint (US), Dwango (US), Zingy (US), Arvato (Europe) and Hudson (Japan).

The Orchard also now supplies Mexican retail giant Sanborns, which launched Latin America's first major digital download retail store Beon [http://www.beon.com]/. Founded in 1928, Sanborns is the leading Mexican retail chain, operating nearly 50 Sears Roebuck de Mexico stores, over 100 Sanborns department stores, 34 Sanborns Cafes, 65 Discolandia, Mixup, No Problem, and Tower Records music stores, and 160 Pasteleria and El Globo stores. Beon joins iTunes Spain, iTunes Portugal and iMusica [Brazil] and over 100 other digital retailers that carry The Orchard's unparalleled music catalogue of over half a million tracks from 72 countries -- the largest catalogue of digital music available in the world.

The Orchard's newest South American labels include:

* MCD Records -- A 10 year old independent company releasing high quality music in Brazilian, World, Electronic and Children genres. Top selling artists include Fortuna, Atman, BiD, Roberto Coelho, Palavra Cantada and Clube do Balanco.

* PlayNature -- Top Real Nature Soundscapes from Amazonia, Atlantic Forest, Pantanal, Cerrado, Waterscapes, Costa Rica and jungle ambiences recorded by Beto Bertolini. The albums creates a vibrating sonic atmosphere recommended for relaxation, yoga practices, sonic-cleansing activities, mobile ringers, sonorization of hotels, hospitals, restaurants, expositions, Congress, etc.

* Music Brokers -- Top-notch electronic music, including house, chillout, lounge and new age music. Catalogue includes Bossa N' Stones, an electronic-tinged bossa nova treatment of Rolling Stones classics that reached #2 on Argentine charts; Orleya, one of her tracks was used in a European Coca-Cola advertising campaign; Buddha Sounds, chill-out compilations have received Premio Gardel award and certified gold in Spain; Gonzalo Solimano: Argentina's premier techno / house DJ.

* Discos CNR de Chile -- Founded in 1992, Discos CNR has launched their initiative in becoming one of the largest Chilean folkore labels. Their catalogue of 170 local artists includes, Alejandro de Rosas: received APES awards for "Best National Singer" and "Best Song" ("No Quiero Verte Asi"); legendary Chilean singers, Lucho Barrios, Jose Luis Arce, Santos Chavez and many more.

* And famous artists as Fito Paez (Label Circo Beat) and Alfredo Casero, both winners of awards in Argentina for their performance.

"The Orchard continues to demonstrate its commitment to make great songs from the vibrant and exciting South American music scene available everywhere digital music is legally sold," said Greg Scholl, chief executive of The Orchard and managing director of Dimensional Associates, Inc, the private equity fund that owns The Orchard, eMusic, eMusicLive and Dimensional Music Publishing. "We're delighted with the rapid and continued success of our Latin American partner Epsa, and our Epsa partnership is bearing out our strong conviction that success in the digital world requires partnership with leading local companies in every music market in the world."

Roberto Ruiz, International Manager at MCD Records, said, "Working with The Orchard has strengthened our presence in the international market. Besides being promoted through Apple's iTunes and Microsoft's download stores all over the world, The Orchard is now making our music and sounds available through mobile phones in markets from Europe to Asia. We never imagined that we'd get such great access to the global music market so quickly."

"We are proud to bring South American music into the digital age," said Laura Tesoriero, President & CEO of Epsa. "We are thrilled with The Orchard's dedication to promoting and selling South American artists and labels through its unique global distribution network."

In addition to acting as The Orchard's Latin American aggregation and licensing partner, Epsa distributes its own catalogue of South American music through The Orchard, including internationally-renowned artists like Sexteto Mayor (2003 Grammy winner), El Arranque (international tango group who have collaborated with Wynton Marsalis), and Astor Piazzolla (multi-platinum international recording artist).

About The Orchard

The Orchard (http://www.theorchard.com/) is the leading distributor and marketer of independent music in the world, representing thousands of labels spanning 72 countries and every music genre. The Orchard supplies its catalogue of more than half a million tracks to all of the leading legal digital music stores and services throughout the world. Headquartered in New York, The Orchard maintains operations in London, Paris, Moscow, Tokyo, Hong Kong, Buenos Aires, Tel Aviv and Melbourne.

About Dimensional Associates, Inc.

Dimensional Associates, Inc. is the New York-based private equity arm of JDS Capital Management, Inc. Its portfolio companies include eMusic, The Orchard and Dimensional Music Publishing (formerly DreamWorks Music Publishing).

About Epsa

Epsa (http://www.epsa.com.ar/) began manufacturing cartridges and tapes in 1968, and has followed the natural evolution of the industry to become a leading manufacturer and distributor of CDs in South America. In 1995, Epsa launched the Epsa Music record label (http://www.epsamusic.com.ar/), which has grown into the dominant tango and Argentine folk label in Argentina with a large, diverse and growing catalogue. Epsa is headquartered in Buenos Aires, with offices in Santiago, Chile

Contacts: Andy Morris & Company Andy Morris / Carol Klenfner (212) 561-7465 / (212) 561-7467 andy@amc-pr.com / carol@amc-pr.com

Source: The Orchard

CONTACT: Andy Morris, +1-212-561-7465, andy@amc-pr.com, or Carol Klenfner, +1-212-561-7467, carol@amc-pr.com, both of Andy Morris & Company

Web site: http://www.theorchard.com/ http://www.epsa.com.ar/ http://www.beon.com/

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