Since my wife bought me the original iRig a few years ago I have been a huge fan of stuff from IK Multimedia, currently absolutely loving the iRig Keys Pro. Now they are heading in a different direction as IK Multimedia announces iRing at CES 2014. iRing is the first motion-tracking controller for iOS music apps and offers unprecedented control.
I’ve recently attended Dell World, the newly private company‘s expo where attendees “gain insights into key industry trends, engage with industry visionaries, exchange ideas and learn how Dell is evolving to deliver the solutions of tomorrow.” Key words used during the conference were “Transform, Connect, Inform, & Protect”; amazingly enough, Dell managed to make the event interesting and fun.
While some folks express concerns about royalty payouts and business models, the reality is that people love Spotify because it allows them to listen to the music they want to when, where and how they want. And today they are announcing ways that even more people can enjoy the service, and an expansion of the free service for tablet users.
My favorite Sonny Rollins album is ‘The Quartets Featuring Jim Hall’, bought on LP in the early 1980s without hearing it – based on recommendations of friends and reputation of guitarist Jim Hall. It remains one of my favorite albums and is one I am listening to today as we mourn the loss of the jazz guitarist at age 83.
While Steely Dan is called rock or classic rock, their music is heavily layered with jazz and fusion elements and played largely by studio jazz players so it is often classified as fusion. As a result there is something for everyone – great pop hooks, rock groove, jazz harmonies, etc. Perfect fodder for an intense Lick Library instructional DVD! Here is the description: Tom Quayle is a leading force in the new breed of fusion guitarists and a respected educator. He goes through each track, in bite-sized pieces, breaking them down to show both the rhythm and solo parts. Tracks…
When I looked at the catalog of recordings from The Who, I mentioned that they were about to launch a ‘super deluxe’ version of their classic rock opera Tommy. Now that it has arrived, and I’ve had a few weeks to listen to it thoroughly, I wanted to check back. My thoughts? It is at once essential, solid, and throw-away.
There’s a saying that impact and influence are not measured by sales. While true for jazz, it also holds in the rock music world. Soft Machine was a creative psychedelic rock group founded by Robert Wyatt and toured with Jimi Hendrix. Wyatt went on to record some tracks while staying with The Experience that document his creative and influential style.
Back in 2010, as The Beatles catalog was about to land on iTunes, I looked through all of their major releases and some solo works. This week we celebrate the release of ‘Tommy: Deluxe Edition’ from The Who, so I thought it would be fun to step through their catalog and look at all of the major releases.
I have already posted the launch announcement and my first impressions, so it is time to close things out. And I really thought that the best way to do it was to highlight the five things I like best, that have kept iLoud at my side since it arrived. I have included a new hands-on video as well.
Over the last few years the Bluetooth speaker market has gone from non-existent to absolutely amazing. At GearFest we listened to a number of speakers that were loud, paired easily, and sounded great. Today IK Multimedia released iLoud, another of the cool products revealed at CES. iLoud brings the musician’s sensibilities and needs to the world of Bluetooth speakers. Here are some of the features: Loud and Clear The iLoud speaker is indeed very loud. In fact, it’s 2 to 3 times louder than comparable size speakers — a blasting 40W RMS of power. But iLoud is extremely clear at…
Every year we get newly discovered classics or hidden gems from artists, and while very often these are out-takes, cutting room floor scraps, and other ‘cash grab’ items … every now and then there is a real gem. ‘Looking For The Next One’ from the saxophone trio of John Surman, Mike Osborne, Alan Skidmore is one such gem.
Over the last week we’ve lost two visionary artists in very different musical genres; two men whose names might not have been household names and who might never have burned up the pop charts, but their impact was broad and far-reaching, and who will be sorely missed. Those men were jazz drummer Ronald Shannon Jackson and rock musician Lou Reed.
When you bring together masters like King Crimson bassist/stick-master Tony Levin, Dream Theater keyboardist Jordan Rudess and maniac drummer Marco Minneman, you know the results will be a shred-fest. But will it be any good? Rest assured, not only is this CD a humbling listen for musicians, it is a high-quality and rewarding journey through modern-day instrumental rock.
Tribute albums always make me cringe, because I have heard way too many that either feel indulgent or like a cash-in. But more and more I am hearing tributes that are smart and thoughtful and pay real tribute to great artists. ‘Jazz and All That’ is such a tribute, going far beyond just being a Dave Brubeck tribute album. Musical Genre: Jazz Where to buy: iTunes or Amazon. Artist: The Sachal Studios Orchestra Description: From the artist: Sachal Jazz Ensemble, master musicians from Pakistan who incorporate ancient instruments, such as sitar, sarod, tabla, and dholak into the sounds and rhythms…
I thought I had done a review of the original WiFi2HiFi, but I’d actually just complained about the ordeal getting the copy I’d won in a website giveaway. But the app itself was good enough that when the new version was announced I was interested in trying it. My experience was not very good, with unexplained lost connections and dropouts. Type of app: Wireless audio app Platform/where to buy: iPhone/iPad; available in the iTunes App Store Developer: Clever & Son AG Description: Using the WiFi2HiFi application any iOS device in reach can tune in to the music you’re listening to on…
Along with a rather anemic product announcement keynote, Tim Cook reiterated the upcoming release of iOS 7, and with it iTunes Radio. While some have called Apple ‘late to market’ with iTunes Radio, I would say they are launching at the perfect time. Some of the reasons include the established user base of iTunes, and profit struggles of streaming services. Here are ten reasons to get excited for iTunes Radio: iTunes Integration: If I am listening to something in iTunes and want to go to Slacker, I have to stop, exit, flip pages and launch. With iTunes Radio you just…
Just to be honest, my initial exposure to WiFi2HiFi was anything but positive. I had won a copy in a website contest, but actually getting the company deliver took more than a month. But the app itself was pretty cool and provided useful functionality, and now they have released a new upgraded version, cleverly called WiFi2HiFi 2. So what IS WiFi2HiFi? Well, the concept is simple. You load an app on your iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch. You install the ‘master’ app on your Mac. You pair the two, and then your iOS device shows up as a ‘device’ for…
Although jazz is my favored genre, I love great musicians who show a love for their instrument and craft. Dream Theater is a prog-metal band with some of the best musicians in all of rock. Mike Petrucci and Jordan Rudess have won countless awards on their instruments over the years, and the new album sounds extremely promising! I had a friend who was into the early ‘speed metal’ scene in the early 80s, which required stamina as much as skill. Bands like Dream Theater took that to the next level by incorporating epic soundscapes and structures that derived from the…
When you name an artist as one of your favorite emerging guitarists and composers, and remarking each release has improved upon the last, it sets a high standard for any new release. And while ‘Illusionary Sea’ doesn’t topple ‘Bending Bridges’ as my favorite, it’s a solid album with excellent compositions and great musicianship, and a great addition to her catalog. Musical Genre: Jazz Where to buy: Firehouse 12 Records Artist: Mary Halvorson Septet Description: From the artist: At the end of 2011, Mary Halvorson had finished writing two albums’ worth of quintet music and decided she was ready for a…
The word ‘synergy’ is often thrown at any attempt to work together. True collaboration is much rarer, and results in a whole greater than the sum of parts. And that describes my feelings about ‘It’s Not That Far’ from the Matthew Finck-Jonathon Ball Project. Two great musicians with a solid band and great guest makes some magical music. Musical Genre: Jazz Where to buy: iTunes Artist: Matthew Finck-Jonathon Ball Project Description: From the artist: Matthew Finck, guitar, and Jonathan Ball, tenor saxophone, with their new album “It’s Not That Far,” continue the vast and varied range of collaborations between their…
Covering technology means never being surprised, except when you are. Today we get the surprising announcement of iRig Pro, an all-in-one interface that my son described as ‘every iRig interface you’re reviewed stuffed into one small box’. That is about right, and at $149.99 I think they have a real winner with iRig Pro shipping later this month! IK Multimedia is marketing iRig Pro based on three major strengths: Universal Inputs, Universal Compatibility, and Universal Apps. Universal Inputs: For me this is HUGE. In our house we have guitars, basses, multiple microphone types and a myriad of MIDI gear. Currently…