Winners of the 29th Annual TEC Technical Excellence & Creativity Awards Announced

HOSTED BY FILM COMPOSER, DANCE MUSIC TECHNOLOGIST “BT”

 

TODD RUNDGREN RECEIVES THE LES PAUL AWARD

 

HAL BLAINE & JOHN MEYER INDUCTED TO THE NAMM TEC HALL OF FAME

 

Presenters include: Chad Smith of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, electro-funk icon George Clinton, EVERCLEAR’s Art Alexakis, “T-Boz” and “Chilli” of the pop group TLC, Jim Keltner (famed session drummer), Dennis Leonard (sound editor and engineer), Ed Cherney (producer and engineer), Al Schmitt (recording engineer), Jimmy Douglass (recording engineer), and musician-writer Michael Bradford

Anaheim, Calif., (Jan. 24, 2014) – Recording industry legends, musicologists and titans of the audio universe came together for an evening of musical celebrations and honors at the 29th Annual NAMM TEC AWARDS (Technical Excellence & Creativity). Winners were announced in 30 technical and creative categories at the show, which was held at the Anaheim Hilton in Anaheim, Calif., January 24, 2014. The awards event recognizes the individuals, companies and technical innovations behind the sound of recordings, live performances, films, television, video games and other media.

“The TEC Awards are a natural extension of the NAMM Show’s ‘gathering of the tribes’ to recognize the important products and people in our musical ecosystem,” said Joe Lamond, president and CEO of NAMM. "In making the TEC Awards a signature event at NAMM, we celebrate the innovation and creativity that happens when those who make wonderful music and sound products connect with the artists who then use this gear to create the music that has changed the world.”

Held as a signature event during the global, four-day NAMM Show, the TEC Awards featured video tributes and rollicking performances before a live audience of the sound industry’s most revered representatives. Trance music artist and host for the evening, BT, opened the show with his thumping hit instrumental “Flaming June.”

Creative sound wizards behind Hollywood blockbusters, hit records and interactive entertainment were honored. Winner highlights in both the Technical Achievement and Outstanding Creative Achievement categories included Record Production / Single or Track: “Skyfall,” by Adele; Television Sound Production: “Game of Thrones;” Remote Production / Recording or Broadcast: “The 55th Annual Grammy Awards;” Sound Reinforcement Loudspeakers: JBL Professional PRX 700 Series portable loudspeakers; Headphone / Earpiece Technology: AKG K712 Pro Headphones; Workstation Technology: Avid Pro Tools 11 software; the complete list of category winners can be accessed at http://tecawards.org/tec/13winners.html.

Les Paul Foundation Trustee Jeff Salmon presented music revolutionary Todd Rundgren with the Foundation’s highest honor, the Les Paul Award.  “It makes a big difference that I am being honored by my peers, especially when the namesake for the award is someone so influential and pivotal to my career,” said Rundgren, who recently launched The Spirit of Harmony Foundation to offer music education and support to school programs. He performed three signature songs: “I Saw the Light,” “Hello It’s Me” and “Open My Eyes.”

New inductees to the NAMM Foundation’s TEC Hall of Fame included Hal Blaine and John Meyer. Blaine has performed drums on more than 5,000 records. “I’m absolutely thrilled at being recognized for creating an amazing career that has managed to survive for much of the golden era of recording excellence,” Blaine said. “A thank you to the ‘techies’ for their never-ending inventiveness that keeps the world connected.” He was inducted by Chad Smith, drummer for the Red Hot Chili Peppers, and Jim Keltner, a famed session drummer.

John Meyer, an engineer and sound researcher, who was instrumental in significant developments to loudspeaker acoustics and technology was inducted by Dennis Leonard of Skywalker Sound. “To turn a concept into a useful piece of technology requires hard work and risk taking,” says Meyer. “By rewarding engineers’ contribution to the industry, the TEC Awards has inspired us to pursue ambitious new ideas and fostered an innovative spirit in our field.”

Doyle Wolfgang Von Frankenstein To Appear at Dean Markley NAMM Booth!

Legendary Misfits guitarist and punk icon Doyle Wolfgang Von Frankenstein will be hosting a meet and greet at the Dean Markley NAMM Booth # 5766 in Hall B on Saturday, January 25th at 1:00pm!

Doyle Wolfgang Von Frankenstein’s massive onslaught of thunderous riffs from his new eponymous band’s premier release Abominator, reverberate through the metal scene. The monster man himself is making appearances at NAMM Show and Kurt Hammett’s Fear FestEvil.

Doyle is a morbid metal quartet comprised of Doyle Wolfgang Von Frankenstein (former Misfits guitarist), Dr. Chud (ex-Misfits drummer), Left Hand Graham (ex-Graves bassist), and Alex Story (Cancerslug vocalist).

For more information about Doyle please visit http://officialdoyle.com .

Blackbird El Capitan - debuts at NAMM 2014 - first acoustic guitar with Ekoa construction for vintage tone and carbon fiber-like stability

San Francisco- Blackbird, acoustic instrument manufacturer launches
‘El Capitan’ made of new, high performance Ekoa and tuned for vintage tone. Along with its little sibling, Clara ukulele, these ecological, wood-free instruments are the first made with the revolutionary construction.

From a distance El Capitan looks like a 100 year old instrument, but upon closer inspection it's actually made out of a plant fiber material Blackbird developed called Ekoa. It is a truly eco-friendly construction that offers the stability of carbon fiber only with a vintage sound, look and feel. "Blackbird has spent the better part of a decade developing small, travel-friendly, carbon-fiber instruments with world class tone," said Joe Luttwak, Blackbird's chief musical officer. "With the El Capitan guitar and Clara ukulele, musicians get what was previously unobtainable -- the experience of a premium vintage old-growth wood instrument in a lightweight, durable, and sustainable package."

From its patented hollow-neck design to its high-tech Ekoa eco-fabric and resin construction, El Capitan's every detail is engineered to generate the acoustic quality and volume of an even larger instrument.

El Capitan is a game-changing instrument, delivering unmatched performance and sustainability, while transcending our reliance of ever-diminishing old growth wood stocks. El Capitan will be available April/May 2014  (Blackbird Clara ukulele is already shipping).

ABOUT BLACKBIRD
Founded in 2005, Blackbird has built a loyal global following crafting uncommonly resonant and resilient Ekoa and carbon fiber composite acoustic guitars and ukuleles. Designed for the most demanding musicians, these performance-grade, travel-ready instruments have weathered everything from packed concert halls to the brutal Antarctic winter. Building on this success, Blackbird dedicated several years of research and development to incorporating resonant eco-materials into advanced composite construction. The result of this effort is Ekoa -- a unique, plant-based tone material. Sustainable and renewable, lighter than carbon fiber, and extraordinarily strong, Ekoa combines the tone of vintage wood with superior responsiveness, stability and strength.

ABOUT EKOA
Ekoa is produced in partnership with Lingrove, a distributor of natural high performance materials. It offers high performance with exceptional strength, dampening, resilience and even lighter weight than carbon fiber. Like all composite materials, Ekoa is made up of fiber reinforcement fabric in resin matrix, but one that is worker and planet-friendly. The plant-based fabrics and biobased resins have a beautiful designer material quality, which does not always require finishing along with distinct performance advantages over other composites. The Clara ukulele, is the debut application of Ekoa which is suitable for numerous other applications from sports equipment to furniture.

Finally an acoustic instrument with a beautiful sound and Earth-friendly construction - to debut at NAMM 2014

Wood-free ukulele offers a huge, warm sound as well as lightweight durability that fits in a backpack.

San Francisco, Jan 23rd 2014 - Blackbird Clara Ukulele is officially in production. This revolutionary instrument offers the tone of vintage wood and the durability of cutting-edge, eco-friendly composite construction. Made from Ekoa - a proprietary, renewable material - the Clara is a game-changing instrument, delivering unmatched performance and sustainability, while transcending our reliance of ever-diminishing old growth wood stocks.

"Blackbird has spent the better part of a decade developing small, travel-friendly, carbon-fiber instruments with world class tone," said Joe Luttwak, Blackbird's chief musical officer. "With the Clara, musicians get what was previously unobtainable -- the experience of a vintage old-growth wood instrument in a lightweight, durable, and sustainable package."

Clara's every detail is engineered to generate the acoustic quality and volume of a much larger instrument. From its patented hollow-neck design to its high-tech Ekoa eco-fabric and resin construction, the Clara is meticulously crafted by skilled artisans at Blackbird's San Francisco workshop, aided by computer-driven precision technology.

Founded in 2005, Blackbird has built a loyal global following crafting uncommonly resonant and resilient carbon-fiber composite acoustic guitars and ukuleles. Designed for the most demanding musicians, these performance-grade, travel-ready instruments have weathered everything from packed concert halls to the brutal Antarctic winter. Building on this success, Blackbird dedicated several years of research and development to incorporating resonant eco-materials into advanced composite construction. The result of this effort is Ekoa -- a unique, plant-based tone material.

Sustainable and renewable, lighter than carbon fiber, and extraordinarily strong, Ekoa combines the tone of vintage wood with superior responsiveness, stability and strength.
With professional-quality tone and legendary toughness in an earth-friendly compact package, Blackbird Clara's Ekoa construction offers players unmatched performance ready for every situation.

The Clara concert ukulele starts at $1150. The initial limited production of fifty include a premium reinforced soft case. Visit the Clara page to learn more.

ABOUT BLACKBIRD
Blackbird guitars was founded in 2005 to create a satisfying but durable travel guitar for taking out and about. Non-traditional product design and development resulted in radically new directions and a family of travel instruments that are the standard-bearers of acoustic performance.

ABOUT EKOA
Ekoa is produced in partnership with Lingrove, a distributor of natural high performance materials. It offers high performance with exceptional strength, dampening, resilience and even lighter weight than carbon fiber. Like all composite materials, Ekoa is made up of fiber reinforcement fabric in resin matrix, but one that is worker and planet-friendly. The plant-based fabrics and biobased resins have a beautiful designer material quality, which does not always require finishing along with distinct performance advantages over other composites. The Clara ukulele, is the debut application of Ekoa which is suitable for numerous other applications from sports equipment to furniture.

ANDY MCKEE TO PERFORM FOR ERNIE BALL AT NAMM ON JANUARY 24th

** Acclaimed Acoustic Guitar Master to Perform Favorites and Songs from His Upcoming New EP Mythmaker **

 

** Both Announcing Breakthrough in Guitar String Technology **

Attendees of the 2014 NAMM Show at the Anaheim Convention Center will be delighted to know that acoustic guitar virtuoso Andy McKee will perform several live sets followed by signing sessions at the Ernie Ball booth on Thursday, January 23rd at 12:00pm and 4:00pm, and Friday, January 24th at 12:30pm and 2:30pm. On Friday he will also play selected duo pieces with fellow guitarist Antoine DuFour between 3:00pm and 4:00pm.

During this time Andy and Ernie Ball will also be announcing a major breakthrough in acoustic guitar string design.

Andy’s highly-anticipated new EP Mythmaker will be released on January 28th, and shows him moving in new directions with his electric guitar recording debut on the multi-instrumental piece “Lumine” and the solo piano piece “June”. The EP rounds out with its title track and “The Reason” which both feature Andy’s world-renowned, unique and expressive fingerstyle playing.

Andy will continue his intense worldwide touring schedule all though 2014 and is expected to release new music to fans much more frequently via EPs released though his own imprint that will launch fully later this year. A full-length concert video will also be released later in the year on DVD and Blu-ray.

Official Site – Facebook – YouTube – iTunes – Twitter

San Diego Teen Band 'Jazz Avenue' Named 'Best Teen Band in the USA' in Third Annual SchoolJam USA Competition

Awarded with $5,000 for their Music Education Program, $1,000 in New Gear and a Professional Music Video Recording Session, Southern California Teens Head to Frankfurt, Germany to Headline Original SchoolJam Competition

ANAHEIM, Calif., Jan. 23, 2012 -- A crowd of nearly 500 gathered at Downtown Disney District on Saturday, Jan. 21, for NAMM's third annual SchoolJam USA , a national teen battle of the bands that rewards aspiring musicians and their respective school music education programs with more than $50,000 in cash and prizes.

The event, produced by National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) , took place during the world-famous NAMM Show held at the nearby Anaheim Convention Center.

Competing against seven other finalist bands from across the U.S., San Diego ensemble, Jazz Avenue, took first place for the coveted title of "Best Teen Band in the USA," $5,000 for their school music education program, $1,000 toward the purchase of new band gear, a private music video recording session on the John Lennon Educational Tour Bus, and a grand-prize trip of a lifetime to perform at the 2012 SchoolJam Germany finals in Frankfurt this March.

Describing how the band felt about sweeping the competition, saxophonist John Avery responded, "It's beastly. All the bands were so good. It's just ridiculously amazing that we won."

The troupe's music teacher, Tamara Paige, of San Diego's School of Creative and Performing Arts (SDSCPA), was on hand to share in their win, commenting that the $5,000 prize will go a long way in the strengthening their music education program.

"Ranging from Jazz Fusion to Indie Rock to Hip Hop, this year produced the most diverse group of SchoolJam USA bands yet," said Joe Lamond, president and CEO of NAMM. "It's abundantly clear that regardless of genre, kids are as passionate as ever about playing music and keeping school music programs alive, and NAMM is committed to offering avenues, such as SchoolJam USA, that provide teens with an outlet to express their musical creativity."

The event was hosted by teen pop sensation Greyson Chance and former "American Idol" contestant Shaun Barrowes . The Diamond Bar Marquis Show Choir joined Barrowes to open the evening with his latest single, "Live for Music," while later in the evening Chance performed hits "Hold On 'Til the Night" and "Waiting Outside the Lines" from his 2011 debut album Hold On 'Til the Night.

Of the more than 100 hopeful musical groups that applied to compete this year, eight talented teen bands hailing from cities across the U.S. made it to the finals event. Nearly 200,000 votes were cast for the bands during the four-week, open online voting period, resulting in nearly 1.5 million page views to www.schooljamusa.com .

Jazz Avenue was awarded the winning title by a panel of judges including: Disney talent casting director Stan Freese, Irwin Kornfeld of InTune Partners and Westchester Media, Menzie Pittman of Contemporary Music Center, and Michael Smith of Peavey Electronics Company.

Second and third place runners-up included: damsel band The Hi-Tops from Jeffersonville, Ind., and Ergo We Play from Knoxville, Tenn., respectively. In addition, specific individuals and bands were recognized for their talents in the following "Best Of" categories:

• Best Bass: Bayley Whitlow, The Hi-Tops
• Best Percussion: Chris Petty, Squash
• Best Guitar: Josh Vasquez, Jazz Avenue
• Judges Prize: John Avery, Jazz Avenue
• Best Keyboard: Alec Jackson, Squash
• Best Vocals: Alex Zimmerman, Ergo We Play

Prizes for the "Best Of" awards were provided by NAMM Members JamHub, Inc., Peavey Electronics Corporation, Future Sonics, Kelly Concepts, ZT Amplifiers, Control One, Gruv, Inc., Mighty Bright, and Yamaha Corporation of America. Additionally, a "Fan Favorite" award was presented to The Hi-Tops, who received more than 385 text message votes for that category during the live finals competition.

About SchoolJam
SchoolJam is an established music initiative, originally developed by MM MusikMedia Germany to promote popular and rock music in schools throughout Germany. The program has provided thousands of music-loving young adults with the opportunity to perform and network with their peers, increasing their love for playing music and encouraging them to become active musicians.

About NAMM
The National Association of Music Merchants , commonly called NAMM in reference to the organization's popular NAMM trade shows, is the not-for-profit association that unifies, leads and strengthens the $17 billion global musical instruments and products industry. NAMM is the sponsor of the Wanna Play? campaign, a public awareness initiative designed to get more people connected with the proven benefits of playing music. For more information about Wanna Play, please visit www.wannaplaymusic.com. For more information about NAMM, please visit www.namm.org.

Guitar Industry Has a New Superstar Propelling Sales for Many Major Manufacturers

Joe Bonamassa Blues-Rock Titan to Appear At NAMM with Sponsors Gibson, Ernie Ball, Dunlop and a Very Special Announcement with Seymour Duncan

Guitar International Crowns Bonamassa as 2011's Guitarist of the Year

LOS ANGELES, Jan. 19, 2012  -- Award-winning blues-rock sensation Joe Bonamassa is driving sales for the guitar industry and keeping the guitar alive. Bonamassa, currently the hottest new Guitar Blues Rock star on the scene, is helping great companies like Guitar Center, Gibson, Epiphone, Ernie Ball , Dunlop, Clear Sonics and Klotz Cables , all of whom have signature products with the Guitar phenom; and other companies soon to be announced. Bonamassa's style of guitar has breathed new life and excitement back into the guitar as legions of new fans are becoming familiar again with the great sound of guitar-based rock music. Over the last year, Bonamassa has become the hottest ticket around the world, selling out the greatest concert halls in America and worldwide like the Chicago Theatre, NYC's Beacon Theatre and Amsterdam's Carre Theatre. Get a free download from the album Dust Bowl: http://bitly.com/JBNAMM

Bonamassa will be attending NAMM this year supporting the companies with whom he works with multiple stops at his sponsors' booths. He will attend the convention on Saturday, January 21 and will stop by the Gibson Booth at 1:30pm (Gibson Booth #303AB) and 2:30pm (Gibson Custom Booth #C4861) to sign autographs and play a few licks. At 3:00pm , Bonamassa will be at the Seymour Duncan booth (#5561 in Hall B) for a very special announcement, and that evening he will be one of many special guests helping to celebrate Ernie Ball's 50th Anniversary Concert.
In December, Bonamassa collaborated with Dunlop, a leading manufacturer of electronic effects, picks, capos, slides, strings and other musical instrument accessories, to release the Joe Bonamassa Signature Cry Baby.

Bonamassa's popularity has been steadily rising with no end in sight. He was recently crowned 2011's Guitarist of the Year by Guitar International for his work on 2011's critically acclaimed solo album Dust Bowl (J&R Adventures) and Black Country Communion's second album 2 (J&R Adventures), world tour and DVD Live Over Europe. He was recently nominated in two categories for the 2012 Blues Music Awards: Best Blues Rock Album for Dust Bowl and Best Contemporary Blues Album for his soul covers album Don't Explain (J&R Adventures) with female powerhouse Beth Hart . He was named 2010's #1 Billboard Blues Artist with Dust Bowl debuting at #1 on the Billboard Blues Chart and #37 on Billboard's Top 200 Chart, making it his highest-selling and chart-ranking U.S. debut to date. Black Country Communion - with bandmates Glenn Hughes , Jason Bonham and Derek Sherinian - was named "Best New Band of the Last 10 Years" by VH1 Classic's That Metal Show.

After the enormous success of his 2009 sold-out concert at London's Royal Albert Hall – which included a career-changing duet with Eric Clapton – and subsequent live DVD release, Bonamassa filmed his two recent sold-out shows (Nov. 4-5) at NYC's famed Beacon Theatre. Special guests at the shows included John Hiatt , Paul Rodgers and Beth Hart. The live concert DVD and PBS special capturing the magic of both nights will be released in early 2012.

For more information, full tour schedule and tickets, go to www.jbonamassa.com .
 
SOURCE Joe Bonamassa

Teen Pop Sensation Greyson Chance and Singer/Songwriter Shaun Barrowes to Co-Emcee and Perform at NAMM's Third Annual SchoolJam USA Finals Event

Young Musicians and Celebrities Gather to Inspire New Players and Support School Music Programs

CARLSBAD, Calif., Jan. 4, 2012 -- The National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) today announced that teen pop sensation, songwriter, vocalist and pianist Greyson Chance and singer/songwriter Shaun Barrowes will co-host and perform at the third annual SchoolJam USA finals event. The teen battle of the bands competition will take place on Jan. 21 in Downtown Disney as part of the world-famous NAMM Show in Anaheim, CA.

"I am honored to be a part of a program with NAMM that is encouraging students to grow their musical talents," said Chance. "Music is such an important part of my life and I am very excited to help shine the spotlight on some new talent – it's important to me to support programs like SchoolJam USA and foster ongoing music education."
Since his stirring performance of Lady Gaga's "Paparazzi" at his sixth-grade talent show was posted on YouTube and earned him national recognition as well as a record deal as the first signing to Ellen DeGeneres' record label eleveneleven, Chance has begun an extraordinary music career. In the last year, Chance has completed two North American tours, performed at the White House, the Campaign for Human Rights and Variety's Power of Youth benefit and has a recurring role on the hit FOX comedy series Raising Hope. The fourteen-year old's debut album Hold on 'Til the Night, was released earlier this year and has garnered critical acclaim.

Former season-seven "American Idol" contestant Shaun Barrowes is an award-winning singer/songwriter. Nicknamed "Hammer Hands" for his heavy-handed piano technique, Barrowes began composing music at the age of 15, and cut his first record just a year later. Following international touring and album recordings, Barrowes created a school benefit tour where a portion of proceeds from ticket sales directly benefit participating school arts programs.

"Programs like SchoolJam USA motivate kids to nurture their musical talent by giving them an opportunity they might not otherwise have," said Barrowes. "What I love most about this program is the emphasis on keeping kids' school music programs alive because music education is critical in helping students reach their full potential."
SchoolJam USA is a national program that rewards aspiring teen musicians (ages 13-19) and promotes active participation in school music programs produced by NAMM and promotional sponsors, NAfME: National Association for Music Education, School of Rock, SchoolJam Germany, Music For All, TakeLessons.com, Drum Corps International, In Tune Monthly , the John Lennon Educational Tour Bus, Vans Warped Tour and Channel One News.

On Jan. 21, the top eight finalist bands will perform live at Downtown Disney District in front of a panel of professional judges and hundreds of fans for the chance to take the title of "Best Teen Band in the USA." This year's judges panel includes:

• Stan Freese, talent casting director, Disneyland
• Irwin Kornfeld, CEO, In Tune Partners and Westchester Media
• Menzie Pittman, owner and director of education, Contemporary Music Centers
• Michael Smith, project manager, MI and instruments, Peavey Electronics Company

The winning band will perform at the original SchoolJam festival in Frankfurt, Germany in spring 2012; receive a music video recording session on the John Lennon Educational Bus along with cash prizes of $1,000 to purchase of new gear and $5,000 for their school music programs. The remaining finalists will also receive funds for gear and a donation to their school music programs. Music from the finalist bands can be heard at http://www.schooljamusa.com/.

SchoolJam is part of NAMM's ongoing educational and promotional campaign to encourage people of all ages to play music through its "Pledge to Play" initiative. Launched last year, "Pledge to Play" is a national call-to-action for the 85 percent of Americans who, according to a recent Gallup poll, do not play a musical instrument but wish that they did. NAMM's "Pledge to Play" can be found at www.facebook.com/wannaplaybynamm.

For more information on Greyson Chance, please visit his website at http://www.greyson-official.com/ or follow him on Twitter at www.twitter.com/greysonchance or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GreysonChance.

More information and music for Shaun Barrowes can be found at http://shaunbarrowes.blogspot.com/.

About SchoolJam
SchoolJam is an established music initiative, originally developed by MM MusikMedia Germany to promote popular and rock music in schools throughout Germany. The program has provided thousands of music-loving young adults with the opportunity to perform and network with their peers, increasing their love for playing music and encouraging them to become active musicians.

About NAMM
The National Association of Music Merchants, commonly called NAMM in reference to the organization's popular NAMM trade shows, is the not-for-profit association that unifies, leads and strengthens the $17 billion global musical instruments and products industry. NAMM is the sponsor of the Wanna Play? campaign, a public awareness initiative designed to get more people connected with the proven benefits of playing music. For more information about Wanna Play, please visit http://www.wannaplaymusic.com/ . For more information about NAMM, please visit http://www.namm.org/.