After doing this show for almost 2 decades, i'm pretty jaded on the gear aspect.
However for those interested, you can get the scoop here:
http://www.namm.org/thenammshow/2010


For me it's more about reconnecting with acquaintenances made over the years.
A few of the folks that were kind enough to drop by and hang...

Marcus Miller
Herbie Hancock
Phil Upchurch
Paul Jackson Jr. (guitar w/everybody)
Bootsy Collins
Dug Pinnick
Jon Reshard
Morris Hayes
Joey DeFrancesco
Jason Miles (Miles Davis, Marcus Miller, Michael Brecker, Luther Vandross, MJ, etc)
Leon "Ndugu" Chancellor (drums w/MJ, George Duke, Frank Sinatra, Eddie Harris, Santana, etc)
Bernard "Pretty" Purdie
Blackbyrd McKnight (George Clinton, Herbie Hancock, Alphonso Johnson, etc)
Vernon Reid (Defunkt, Jamaaladeen Tacuma, Living Colour, Masque, Yohimbe Brothers, etc)
Clarence McDonald (Aretha, Bill Withers, Carole King, James Taylor, Hall & Oates, Ray Charles, etc)
Nikki Glaspie (drums w/Beyonce)
Ira Schickman (Chaka Khan)
Alex Nolan (guitarist & NYC homie)
Amanda Ruzza (bassist & NYC homie)
Doug West (Mesa Boogie - design guru & guitarist)


And some new ones made..

Al Kooper (Bob Dylan, Blues Project, Blood Sweat & Tears)
John "Sugarfoot" Moffett (drums w/MJ, Madonna, Elton John, Cameo, etc)
Jim Messina (Poco, Loggins & Messina, solo)
Marcie Chapa (percussion w/Beyonce)
Richie Kotzen (Greg Howe, Stanley Clarke, Lenny White, Poison, solo, etc)


I will bring up a couple of interesting gear finds for guitarists.
Looking for a decent sounding tube amp but you're on a budget?
Check out the Jet City amp line designed by boutique amp designer Michael Soldano.



...For under $500 these are hard to beat. (http://www.jetcityamplification.com/)


If your pockets are a little deeper (approx. $899 MSRP)...



...the TransAtlantic (Mesa Boogie) "lunch box" amp is a killer product. (http://www.mesaboogie.com/)



Music for adventurous listeners

tA

Tribal Records

.....
Sad I could not be there.

Any new keyboards on the horizon?

Graycap23 said:

Keyboards...



...Roland (VR-700)




...KORG (SV-1, demo by Frank McComb)




...Yamaha (CP5)




...Fender Rhodes (Greg Phillinganes playing a Mark IV I believe)




...Nord (Piano 88)





...Kurzweil (PC3K)



tA

Tribal Records

...

Great lineup!!!

I'd love to see what's coming down the line for Basses this year (kinda got my eye on a Schecter....)






...

How could I forget 2 of my tightest buds...




...LP demoing the Roland TD 20SX V Pro Series kit!


And Dave Isaac...



...doing a seminar for Universal Audio.





Music for adventurous listeners

tA

Tribal Records

theAudience said:

My boy Frank doing his thang.....
Thanks.

paligap said:

How about...



...an 11-string model?


A couple of clips featuring...





...Hadrien Feraud



Brian Bromberg (on piccolo bass)...



...Isn't It Beautiful


Yamaha...



...Super BB Series


Music Man...



...StingRay


Fender...



...50th Anniversary Jazz Bass





Music for adventurous listeners


tA

Tribal Records

Hey TA,

Thanks for the updates.

2 gear questions>


1> What is the best envelope follower/filter for classic funk bass?

2. What pedal is closest to the Who's that lady guitar phaser/fuzz?

theAudience said:

Aw, Yeah.....Thanx, tA!!!


That 11 string is off the chain!!!







...
[Edited 1/25/10 11:51am]

Thanks one of my associates went played with Nate Watts on stage. Nathan Watts is one of the best Bass Players for sure. Adding this:

Graycap23 said:

Honestly yeah Frank is the man...as a Keyboard player myself he's one of the best.

Good sounding stuff I play on a Motif XS at the moment.

aalloca said:

You might start your search with these 3.

1) Mu-Tron III:




2) Seamoon Funk Machine (Larry Graham):




3) Electro-Harmonix Q-Tron:



(Created by the original designer of the Mu-Tron III.)



A few of the devices Ernie Isley used on That Lady recording...





...were the Maestro Phase Shifter & the Roger Mayer (designed for Hendrix originally) Octavia.


This is partially confirmed by Cecil Margouleff in a 2003 MIX magazine interview:

Cecil says, “What happened was, Ernie Isley was nine years old when Jimi Hendrix was playing with his brothers, and he was very, very motivated by Jimi. Jimi came to him one day and gave him his first guitar, showed him a few things and said to him, ‘You know what, when you grow up, you'll be playing with your brothers.’ He was right, of course, and this totally changed Ernie's life!

“When he came to us, he brought his Stratocaster and I took him over to meet Roger Mayer, who was another Englishman I'd known since my childhood in England in the late '40s, when we'd go over to surplus stores on Edgeware Road in London to pick up old bits and pieces to build equipment, because that's what we liked to do. There were all sorts of surplus equipment around after the war. Roger went on to become Jimi Hendrix's guitar tech and then Jimi brought him back to the States. I bumped into him in New York and he helped me build some of TONTO, as well as working on audio treatments and [building] limiters.

“Anyway, he took Ernie's guitar and completely re-modified it exactly the way Hendrix had his, and he also built him an Octavia box, which is part of what allowed Hendrix to get that screaming sound. And Roger taught Ernie how to use it. So, we essentially Jimi Hendrix-ized Ernie when he was 18. He was so blown away and enamored with it; he took to it like a duck to water. He'd be in there just playing and playing; he wouldn't give it up.

http://mixonline.com/reco...hers_lady/
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=



tA

Tribal Records

NMuzakNSoul said:

I heard this was really hip.
Unfortunately, I had a business dinner that night and couldn't make it.

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

Sponsored by Samson, Hartke and Zoom, the International Bassist Award (IBA) was given to legendary bassist Nathan Watts. This special award was presented by Samson Vice President, Operations, Jack Knight and bassist Victor Wooten on Friday night during the 2010 NAMM Convention in Anaheim CA. The event included an evening of extraordinary musicians and featured hit songs that Nathan has produced, recorded and played on during his 32 year career as Stevie Wonders sideman and musical director.

CEO and President of Samson, Scott Goodman gave Nate a wonderful introduction. Stevie Wonder then opened the evening ranting Nate’s name, got the party started and segued into the opening song “I Wish”. During the show Nathan was accompanied on stage by Stevie’s full band, featuring the talent of bassists Marcus Miller and Stu Hamm, lifelong friends guitarist Ray Parker Jr. and drummer Ollie Brown . Guest appearances followed by Byron Miller, Ndugu Chancler, “Ready” Freddie Washington, J.D. DeServio, Vincent Bonham and sax man Mike Phillips.

http://natewatts.com/2010...ist-award/

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

A nice video from a Samson (one of the sponsors of the Nathan Watts tribute) intern...

Location: http://www.youtube.com/us...y_8AG0XsQs

...on his first trip to the NAMM Show.

It’s been a while but I finally finished compiling a short highlights video from my trip to Winter NAMM 2010 in Anaheim, California. The trip was an incredible experience. I havebeen dying to attend NAMM for quite a few years now and finally got the opportunity through an internship with Samson Technologies. I helped with merchandising the booth during pre-show, signings/performances during the show, general assistance and setup for the Friday night Samson Party, which honored Nathan Watts, bassist for the Stevie Wonder Band. To top it off, Stevie Wonder made a surprise appearance at the show.

I bumped shoulders with some of the biggest names in the industry over the course of four amazing days. I’m incredibly thankful of Samson Technologies for affording me the opportunity to be a part of NAMM 2010. It was a pleasure to work with them. Also, I’m grateful for having the internship setup through the Crane Institute for Music Business.

I’ll be posting a collection of photos from the week in the near future.

~ Ben O'Brien Smith - http://benobriensmith.com/

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

Music for adventurous listeners

tA

Tribal Records
[Edited 1/25/10 13:45pm]

Thanks TA,

You are a wealth of knowledge.

aalloca said:

Thank you.
Just trying to help when I can.


Music for adventurous listeners


tA

Tribal Records

Graycap23 said:

Another interesting keyboard, Virus TI...



...All the sounds heard are single patches, no additional effects.



Music for adventurous listeners


tA

Tribal Records