When it comes to the iconic albums of the 1970s, people think of names like Pink Floyd, Stevie Wonder, Kraftwerk, and more. But in the late 70s, there was one album that was everywhere to the point that it seemed like a greatest hits collection: the legendary Rumours by Fleetwood Mac. With estimated sales of [...]
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Jon Wirtz Announces New Album ‘Tourist’ Launching in April
When Jon Wirtz released his debut album ‘Sea Level’ in 2010 I thoroughly enjoyed it, drawing comparisons to such reknowned pianists as Keith Jarrett, Vijay Iyer and Matthew Shipp. The album was a solo piano recording, which is a daring move for a solo debut. Wirtz showed a maturity in terms of expression, interpretation and [...]
Top 10 Jazz Albums of 2012 and More – a Music Diary Feature
It is finally time for my Top 10 Jazz Albums of 2012! The end of each year we get bombarded by ‘top 10′ lists for just about everything, but for me it is too soon. Personally, I like to be sure all releases are out, and take some time over the holidays to reflect and [...]
Joe Lovano Us Five ‘Cross Culture’ Music Review
I have a huge library of jazz music stretching back nearly a century, and including representation from nearly every major (and most minor) figures of the art form. But like any other genre fan, there are artists I am ‘supposed’ to like that I have never connected with. I am also a rock music fan [...]
Prophet 12 Synthesizer by Dave Smith Introduced at NAMM 2013
One of the first synths I did serious work on was the Prophet 5. That synth was introduced by Sequential Circuits in 1978 as one of the first polyphonic instruments, but the reason it is still popular is the amazing sounds. The Prophet 5 was the brain-child of Sequential Circuits founder Dave Smith. If that [...]
VOX Announces the Mini5-Rhythm Amplifier at NAMM 2013
Last year I got myself a 20 watt Roland Cube guitar amp. For years I had just played through my studio system and relied on effects to shape my sound, and had forgotten how great an amp can sound. More than that, I was amazed at the leaps in technology that allowed a small and [...]
Check Out Three Excellent Rare John Coltrane Live Performances
One of the amazing things for me about YouTube and Facebook is how folks on Facebook will recommend a YouTube video or site with an embedded video that leads you to something even greater. That happened this morning, as a Facebook friend recommended checking out a stellar John Coltrane version of ‘My Favorite Things’, which [...]
Korg Introduces 9 New Products at NAMM 2013, Including KingKORG and MS-20 Mini
At the NAMM 2013 show, Korg announced nine (!) new products that all look great – I recommend you head to Korg to get all of the details. But I wanted to highlight two that look super-cool: the MS-20 Mini and KingKORG. The MS-20 Mini is the reimagining of the classic monophonic synth that we [...]
AVID Teams with Katy Perry & Adele’s Producer for Online Talent Competition
If you are like me, you love the IDEA of a musical talent competition for a recording contract that slowly funnels from thousands to just a few … but the execution always gets muddled down as the music becomes secondary to what works on TV. But what if there was an online contest that will [...]
Mackie Updates Master Fader Control App for DL Series Live Mixers
Last year at NAMM Mackie brought iPad control to their DL1608 mixer. Now for 2013 NAMM they have introduced the DL806 mixer and major updates to their Master Fader control app. This EQ is great for getting vocals, guitars and other instruments to sit perfectly in a mix. Now, DL users can choose between clean, [...]
Sonoma Wire Works Announces Android Low Latency Audio Solution at NAMM 2013
I have relentlessly pounded on Android for being a crappy audio solution, but have also frequently posted about companies seeking to solve the key issue – latency. Most companies have been seeking their own path and we are starting to see products trickle out as a result, but now at NAMM 2013 we hear from [...]
HDtracks Offers a Master Quality Music Experience for the Masses
I was recently cleaning up some Iomega Jaz disks and came across a folder with stuff I used to keep on my Pocket PC devices. In there was a bunch of music I had ripped from CDs to store on Compact Flash drives from 32MB to 256MB as my devices progressed from the HP 430se [...]
IK Announces the BlueBoard Bluetooth MIDI pedalboard for iPhone, iPad and Mac
As we head into the Winter NAMM show, we are starting to see some amazing new stuff – and today IK Multimedia is announcing the iRig BlueBoard, which is a Bluetooth MIDI pedalboard for iOS and Mac devices that support Bluetooth. A couple of important things: – Low power means you can use rechargeable AAA [...]
IK Announces iLoud at NAMM, the First Portable Speakers Designed for Musicians
If you have ever watched my YouTube videos reviewing music apps, you might notice that I often have the audio routed through my guitar amp. Not the optimal solution, but easier than moving down into the basement studio to use those monitors. What musicians need are portable speakers that offer power and flexibility … and [...]
AmpliTube Jimi Hendrix for iPad Review
Type of app: Music app Platform/where to buy: iPad (iPhone version here); available in the App Store Developer: IK Multimedia Specifications: AmpliTube Jimi Hendrix™ features: – Real-time guitar mobile multiFX + recording app with Jimi Hendrix tone – Jimi Hendrix™ gear models: 5 Stompboxes (Noise Filter, Fuzz Age, Octa-V, Uni-V, Wah 46) – 2 Amplifiers (JH [...]
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