Doing product demos while isolated in a plexiglass room (theAquarium) the whole show didn't allow any time to really roam the show and check out any cool products.

I did have some interesting visitors and attended a couple of nice after-show concerts.

One of my 1st visitors was...




...Alan Evans and Eric Krasno of Soulive.


They were one of the artists that performed for the Sennheiser party...



...at the Galaxy Theatre Thursday night.
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

Got a visit from *former Prince keyboard man...



...Morris Hayes

*According to Morris he's now in L.A. by princely request.
Looks like he'll be playing keyboards during the SNL appearance on 2/4.
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

Another visitor to "theAquarium" was premier drummer...



...Ricky Lawson (Yellowjackets, Steely Dan, Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston, Paul McCartney, Eric Clapton, etc.)

He called Robert Lowe (Jimmy Smith, Johnny Hammond Smith, Joey Defrancisco, Richard Groove Holmes, Nancy Wilson, OC Smith, Ricky Lawson, etc.)...



...and had him come to theAquarium to blow some vicious licks on his vintage Gibson Super 400.


Ran into master keyboardist...



...Herbie Hancock

One of the things we discussed was that technology had finally caught up with his ideas of high quality multi-channel audio recordings (i.e. surround-sound). That was his original concept for Dis is da Drum all the way back in 1992. The Future2future tour was conceived as a LIVE multi-channel presentation.

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Friday night I was so tired, after dinner I just went straight to bed.
But Saturday night we were off to Beyer Dynamics Guitar-A-Thon featuring...




...Johnny Hiland (the big man can burn)


Chris Cain...



...Looks like Jerry Lewis, sings like B.B. King and plays his ass off.


And finally...



...Ronnie Montrose.

I was hoping he'd do Town Without Pity but we left half way through the set due to the volume and the fact that there was one more day of demos to do.
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Ran into friends...



...songwriter/producer Ira Schick ( Stevie Wonder, Ace Frehley, Rahsaan Patterson, Chaka Kahn, Soulive, N'SYNC, Kylie Minogue, Calvin Richardson), Jon (a friend with amazing ears for guitars and amps) & the lovely Sarah.

Cruising the show floor with Ira (the guy knows everybody) we met...



...Marcus Miller


Another Bass Master...



...Stanley Clarke


New Jack Swinger...



...Teddy Riley


Keyboardist...



...Greg Phillinganes (Stevie Wonder, Michael Jackson, George Benson, Eric Clapton, etc.)


Former EW&F guitarist...



...Sheldon Reynolds


And Producer/Engineer/Musician...



...Mark Hudson (Ringo Starr, Aerosmith, Hanson, etc.)
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Went over to visit with someone I got to play with a few times...



...bassist/guitarist Carol Kaye.

The 1st shot shows her getting an amazing Jazz sound out of the solid body guitar.
The 2nd shot is her demonstrating the bassline (intro/verse/chorus) she played on California Girls for The Beach Boys recording.

Regardless of the Kaye/Jamerson controversy over who played what, the woman's got an historic "track" record.

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Got to hang for a bit with...



...main man Bootsy Collins

It's incredible the amount of attention he commands around the show.
Always followed by a crowd of admirers. Maybe it's partially because he's just a good guy.


In need of a sugar rush...



...George Clinton stopped by to drop his hand into the candy jar.

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Some interesting products that I at least read about via my MIX newsletter...

APOGEE ENSEMBLE



Ensemble features 36 channels of simultaneous audio, including eight channels of Apogee's A/D and D/A conversion; four transparent, digitally controlled 75dB mic preamps; eight channels of ADAT I/O; two channels of S/PDIF co-ax and optical I/O; and FireWire connectivity to and from the computer. Ensemble also includes such Apogee features as SoftLimit, UV22HR and Intelliclock.


MPATHX SMARTRACK



SmartRack uses mPATHX patent-pending technology to reduce heat, weight and noise, delivers power and data at peak efficiency and eliminates the need for AC/DC wall warts. Its USB and graphical user interface let users control, program, monitor and deliver the different voltages required by various M.I. and pro-audio devices in and outside the rack. MSRP range: $250 to $300, which includes the SmartRack, DC wall-wart replacement cables with DC barrel adapter tips and applications software.


ROGER NICHOLS DIGITAL BITCHIN-IZER



Bitchin-Izer is a mixdown/mastering plug-in for all platforms, developed by Grammy Award--winning, sound engineering legend Roger Nichols.


ROLAND



Folllowing their forward-into-the-past trend, Roland is showing the Juno-G, a new synth with a remarkable resemblance to the original Juno (circa 1983). The SH-201 is a lot more synth than the SH-101 was in 1982. The VP-550 specializes in vocal-based synth sounds. And the R-09 is a small field recorder that looks even more like a shaver than M-Audio's MicroTrack 24/96!
-- Geary Yelton, Associate Editor, Electronic Musician


And my favorite read (for obvious reasons)...

You...And the Audience

Sensaphonics is introducing the 3D Active Ambient IEM System. It's a custom in-ear system that incorporates tiny custom mics inside custom earpieces so artists can finally hear the audience and their bandmates without taking out their earpieces.
-- Jack Kontney, Sensaphonics
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
I make it a point to escape from theAquarium and check out the reissue...



...of Jimi Hendrix's classic Marshall stack.

As you can see it's quite a bit larger than the standard stack.
It only goes to show that The Plaster Casters were right. Hendrix had a big one (insert rimshot here).
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

Till this time next year.


tA

Tribal Disorder

http://www.soundclick.com...dID=182431
[Edited 1/24/06 20:22pm]

Almost forgot. For all you Yellowjackets fans.

Ricky Lawson told me that my favorite set of "Jackets" will be doing some reunion shows...



Russell Ferante - keys
Robben Ford - guitar
Jimmy Haslip - bass
Ricky Lawson - drums

...and may be coming to a city near you.


tA

Tribal Disorder

http://www.soundclick.com...dID=182431

Fascinating tA .
You really get to mix in good company.
Must've had a ball .
Thanks for sharing your experience , always captivating presentations .
Blew me out once again

One of my employees just sent me this shot of myself...



...with one of my idols. Herbie Hancock.





tA

Tribal Disorder

http://www.soundclick.com...dID=182431

FLUX said:

Thanks FLUX.

I always have to check myself and try and remain professional in these situations.
The potential to geek out is way high. Internally i'm in full blown freak mode.


tA

Tribal Disorder

http://www.soundclick.com...dID=182431

Damn, you get to meet a lot of interesting people. Herbie fucking Hancock for God's sake! I grew up on the Yellow Jackets, my dad is a huge fan. I have seen them live a few times too at the North Sea Jazz Festival. I am glad you had such a blast!

funkaholic1972 said:

Been quite fortunate in that regard.

Generally, the older more established musicians are the most friendly.
The young Rock Guitarists Du Jour are usually the worst.

The Yellowjackets have been one of my favorite groups and i've had contact with Ricky Lawson since before the Steely Dan 2 Against Nature Tour.

Herbie Hancock is at almost every show i've attended but this is the 1st year I had an extended conversation with him.

Just think, once your album hits and you start getting all those keyboard endorsements, maybe you'll let me take a picture of you during a NAMM show appearance.


tA

Tribal Disorder

http://www.soundclick.com...dID=182431

some producer here in seattle bragged to me that he couldn't answer my emails because he was at namm, I'm not impressed, so tired of the business.

theAudience said:

That's AWESOME! You guys look a lot alike.