Music rights

Using jazz music BG within a "For profit "site

[henry0]

Usually I do not deal with music, but a client for which we are creating a trendy fashion site needs a Jazz music BG.
My question is what’s legal? Is there such a thing as free of rights music? How old a song needs to be to become free?
Anyway how should I deal with this music rights problem?
Thanks

[celgins]

So when navigating to the site, you plan on starting a jazz tune that will play in the background?

I don't see any legal issues with this.

My two adjustments would be:

- Play only a portion of the song, and not the entire song.
- Do not try to sell any portion of the jazz recording.

Play A Portion
This happens all the time... (of course that, in and of itself, doesn't make anything legal)... but examples would be any paid music site (where they allow you to listen to 30-second samples); or any community/social networking site where they allow users to use popular music as background tunes.

Don't Sell It
This is pretty straightforward. If it's just a jazz background for a trendy fashion site, things should be fine. But trying to profit from the jazz song itself, would definitely be a no-no.

[henry0]

celgins, thanks; indeed there are no tune sales involved and this will only go for the index page
Also I have no problem with playing only a song "sample"