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feb 2018
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studioexpresso eZine
Since 2000
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ALL ABOUT THAT BASS -- A Stellar Panel Presented in January at NAMM 2018
L-R: Brad Lunde of Trans Audio Group, Jenny Mason (The Mrs), Nik West, Claris Sayadian-Dodge,
Brent Fischer, Neal Pogue, Rhonda Smith, Leland Sklar Photo: Ruth Nichols
Tomorrow afternoon, Saturday February 24 come hang with Hammond artists (see calendar section). Oscar is in town! We sit with two magnificent composers and a highly credited mixer to hear about their collaboration on Oscar-nominated films.
Brit Award-winning artists are in the spotlight. Watch a label president unbox a music set that offers Love, Peace and you'll never guess what?! Along the way, we discover a few music Robinhoods. It's time! Let's celebrate accomplished women -- musicians, music executives and yes, producers!
Thanks for our 2
4,000 + industry readers and community of artists and studios who enjoy the promotional and networking benefits of studioexpresso. Thank you.
Renew today!
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John Rodd Mixes Oscar Nominated Score by Michael Abels
Congratulations to mixer John Rodd, writer and director Jordan Peele, composer Michael Abels and everyone who worked on GET OUT nominated for four Oscars! Rodd worked with composer Michael Abels (right) and mixed the score at his studio Clearstory Sound on his behemoth ATC 150s!
"I love ATCs because they are brutally honest and very full range (the system goes down to 13 Hz). But I use a pair of Avantone Pro MixCubes (passive version with a nice amp) quite a lot. They are a
small single 5.25" driver monitor with no separate tweeter, and no crossover.
Their single driver causes a natural roll off of highs and lows and tells me a very clear story about midrange balances," says John. His mixing tip? "Check mixes on a few systems, including a small one that really only covers the mid range. Small monitors such as the MixCubes or other small, inexpensive ones can help you identify a cluttered or ill-defined mid range. And, in my 30 years engineering music, I have found that if the mid range is "sorted out" then the mix will translate well," says John. You can listen to
Michael Abels' score from Get Out here
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TransAudio Group, U.S. distributor of super high-end professional recording equipment introduces legendary drummer and engineer Geoff Daking newest creation at NAMM 2018 on January 24-27. The new
Daking Mic Pre II combines two Mic-Pre-One units in a single rack space form for low price of $1099 MAP.
Like the Mic Pre One, the Mic Pre EQ, and the Mic Pre IV, the Daking Mic Pre II circuitry is based on a classic console design of the 80s with some upgrades: Variable High Pass Filters on each channel and Jensen input Transformer and ClassA amplification is featured. Add extreme high headroom (+24), and a single-sided 48V power supply.
Geoff Daking brings honest and high-end analog signal processing equipment to users at an unbeatable price. Users will appreciate Daking Mic Pre II for is tremendous headroom, musical sound and special high-pass filter. It has a continuously-variable cutoff between 10Hz and 200Hz, drops at 12dB per octave and seems to have a magical ability to clean up the muck while making what remains sound even better. It is extremely helpful to DAW users who inadvertently record sub sonics that muddy up tracks and mixes.
In addition to the features mentioned above, the Daking Mic Pre II has 70dB of gain, switchable polarity, a twenty segment combo VU and peak hold LED meter, a 20db pad with constant reflected impedance, switchable phantom power, direct 1/4 inch instrument inputs on the front panel, and balanced XLR and 1/4 inch outputs.
Units will begin shipping in February 2018. $1099 MAP.
Drawmer's New Baby: MPA-90
Ivor Drawmer and his handpicked team of engineers unveiled the new Drawmer MPA-90 two-channel class D power amplifier. Its small dual monoblock design, with tabletop or rack mountable footprint, houses guts capable of delivering 90W per channel (into 4 Ohms) or 180W bridged - all with no annoying fan. Like Drawmer's MC2.1 Monitor Controller, the new MPA-90 treats audio signals with integrity: its output is lusciously transparent, revealing the beauty (and the faults!) of whatever is run through it. Also, like all Drawmer's products, the MPA-90 is built in England to last a lifetime, priced fairly at $695.
"The new Drawmer MPA-90 is the perfect partner to small passive loudspeakers like the Auratone® 5Cs or other small passives" says Brad Lunde, founder and president of TransAudio Group, Drawmer's longtime US distributor.
"Many Class D amps out there are just raw Class D modules, but the MPA-90 has a Drawmer designed and built custom front end to improve its sound. The MPA-90 sounds excellent and with the bridging feature, provides a future upgrade path. The MPA-90 is really the perfect complement to the Drawmer MC1.1 or MC2.1 Preamplifiers in matching housing, but it works great with any preamp."
Switching the Drawmer MPA-90 from stereo to mono bridged is easily accomplished with the flick of a switch and use of the mono loudspeaker jack. Its inputs are either balanced XLR or unbalanced phono to cover the two universes of gear, pro versus semi-pro/consumer that may feed it. It features thermal, overload, and power-up/power-down protection and front-panel standby, fault, and clip indicator LEDs. Its rugged steel chassis and brushed aluminum cover speaks to the Drawmer MPA-90's design integrity and longevity.
The MPA-90 is now available for shipping. PRICE: $695.00 MAP
TransAudio Group, Bettermaker's U.S. distributor, introduced the path breaking Bettermaker C502V at the AES's 139th Convention earlier this year in New York City. Like the rest of Bettermaker's catalog - which in just a few short years has earned numerous TEC, Resolution, and Prosound award nominations and wins, the C502V combines a boutique analog signal path (newsworthy in its own right) with intuitive, musical controls and complete parameter recall and automation from a linked DAW-based plug-in - high-end analog sound paired with a superior digital workflow. The C502V is the first compressor from Bettermaker, although with three distinct VCA flavors in one 500-series chassis, it could just as easily be described as the first three compressors from Bettermaker! Stereo, dual mono, or M/S modes, as well as USB or analog side-chain with adjustable high-pass filtering and "look ahead" functionality expand the C502V's universe of possibilities.
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 Mighty River Is Oscar Bound
Mudbound Songwriters Mary J Blige,
Raphael Saadiq and Taura Stinson
Producer/artist
Raphael Saadiq (Tony! Toni! Toné!) who is working on the next season of
Insecure has an Academy Award nomination for best original song for
"Mighty River" from the film "Mudbound,"
where actress/singer Mary J Blige has earned a nod for best supporting actress.
Saadiq wrote the music and lyrics with
Blige and his writing partner Taura Stinson. Mudbound is about two World War II veterans who strike up a controversial friendship.
 Image of a river came to Saadiq when he and Blige began to talk the story in the film. Saadiq had sung spirituals
like "The Jordan River" in his high school in Oakland. He liked river references in songs by Neil Young and Al Green- "Take me to the river."
What's next? Saadiq and Ali Shaheed Muhammad (A Tribe Called Quest) are working together in the studio on a two-man show project called "Saadiq and Shaheed." "It's gonna feel like J Dilla, but it's gonna be me singing.
Saadiq keeps a photo of his favorite artist James Brown on the console in his studio for inspiration. "James was the hardest working person in the show business," says the producer.
Peace Love & Fishing
New Box Set from Blue Note
This month Blue Note President Don Was gives us an inside look at
"Blue Note Review: Volume One - Peace, Love & Fishing." The gorgeous box set comes in subscription series available ONLY at Blue Note
here
Peace and Love yes. But Fishing? Don sees it more metaphoric. "When you cast your line into the lake....it's the unknown, you don't really know what you're going to pull in. It's like jazz musicians every time they pick up their instruments!"
Was, now the label boss, shares his early experience of stumbling onto a jazz station at 14 driving in his mother's car in Detroit. "Groove at the face of adversity..." that's what the music communicated to young Was.
Jazz may be one of America's best exports besides Hollywood films. It's our hope that jazz can inspire communication among the new generation of listeners. Now, we all have an opportunity to introduce and pass on the art of jazz to the next generation. What's i
nside this beautifully crafted box?
*2-LPs, 180g vinyl double album of new & previously unreleased recordings by Blue Note artists: Wayne Shorter Quartet, Charles Lloyd & The Marvels, Dr. Lonnie Smith, Gregory Porter, Kandace Springs, Terence Blanchard, Derrick Hodge, and Blue Note All-Stars.
*CD version of the multi-artist LP
* Never-before-released lithographs of Wayne Shorter and Stanley Turrentine.
*Iconic photographs of Blue Note Co-Founder Francis Wolff.
*A silk blend, crinkled scarf designed exclusively by fashion designer and music aficionado John Varvatos and more...
PEACE, LOVE & FISHING is the perfect centerpiece for your coffee table at home or in your studio. The Exquisite box set with liner notes and album credits is available exclusively to members only.
Here's to Peace, Love and Fishing. Join the club and enjoy the unboxing!
Vintage Reborn
Telefunken Diamond Series
The studio standards :
C12, 251, and U47 are on the wish list of every engineer.
Now with
Telefunken Diamond series the vintage sound is reborn.
TransAudio Group and Telefunken are organizing dealer showroom shootouts
. Dealers who participate can use their choice of support gear and any comparable vintage microphone models they'd like to put up against the new Telefunken Elektroakustik C12, ELA M 251 and U47 mics.
Sweetwater recently held shootouts between the vintage AKG C12 and the new Telefunken C12 (click to listen); between the vintage Telefunken ELA M 251 and the new Telefunken ELA M 251 (click to listen); and between the vintage Neumann U47 and the new Telefunken U47 (click to listen).
Interested dealers should contact TransAudio Group directly
at 702-365-5155.
Trans Audio Group's Brad Lunde talks about ATC inventor Billy Woodman (left) during #
GearFest 2017 Listen to the interview with Sweetwater's Lynn Fuston about ATC monitoring systems
here
A Whole Lotta Mastering System
Bettermaker Mastering Limiter Shipping Now!
"You cannot look at the Bettermaker Mastering Limiter as just one tool," explains Brad Lunde, founder and president of TransAudio Group. "It is a whole mastering system that replaces more than a few plug-ins and analog devices: limiter, clipper, saturator, M/S matrix, and a very sophisticated metering device. Its bright touchscreen display is pleasant to look at and frees up the computer screen. "Bettermaker's plug-in control is great. Not only can users recall and automate settings, but they can easily A/B settings from the plug-in to make smart decisions. You can also store and save presets right from the front panel or within Pro Tools or other DAW's," says Lunde.
U.S. PRICING: $3495.00 List * $2995.00 M
ATCs At World's Best Studios
You can hear ATCs at some of the world's best studios:
East West,
the Village, and Blackbird Studios.
TransAudio Group's Subwoofer Pros Studio Subs complemented the ATC SCM25As.
TransAudio Group will combine the SCM12 Pro with ATC's all new P1 Pro 150W/channel rackmount amplifier in a bundle that breaks previous price barriers for ATC. The SCM12/P1 Pro monitor/amp package will carry a bundle MAP price of US $4350. If purchased separately, the SCM12 Pro is $1,990/pair MAP, and the P1 Pro amp is $3,490 MAP.
For more information on
ATCs
ATC SCM25As in stock today at your favorite Pro Audio Dealer. Follow the link:
Trans Audio Group at NAMM 2017, Anaheim unveiling the new Drawmer MC3.1 and the newest and smallest member of the ATC family: the SCM12 Pro, among other cool studio toys.
The TEC-nominated Auratone Super Sound Cube reference monitor is a legend in the recording, broadcasting, and motion picture industries for its unfailing ability to represent mixes as they will so often appear in the "real world" - on small-format, zero-crossover loudspeakers.
Bettermaker, the Poland-based maker of high-end analog equalizers with plug-in control and recall, earned two nominations: one for the Bettermaker
EQ502P 500 series module and one for the
Drawmer's 1978 Tone Shaping Compressor, which incorporates different analog character circuitry and variable saturation, and Tube-Tech HLT 2A, which pairs high and low shelving with an innovative "tilt" midrange filter, earned nominations as well. Finally, ATC earned a nomination for the ATC SCM45A, three-way compact near-field monitor with unparalleled midrange fidelity. The winners will be determined by online voting via Mix, Pro Sound News, Pro Audio Review, and Electronic Musician and via professional audio and sound production organizations.
"All of these nominations go to inventor-owned companies, the kind of companies where innovation is king. The sound quality of Bettermaker's equalizers would have earned TEC nominations by itself, but the fact that their fully-analog circuitry can be recalled and automated via a plug-in interface has obvious advantages in a modern workflow. The Drawmer 1978 and the Tube-Tech HLT 2A prove that traditional compressor and equalizer topologies are not the only way to inspire fantastic mixes. Taking a different tack, ATC's SCM45A gives engineers a beefier three-way ATC nearfield with fidelity that ensures mixes will translate outside of the studio. Obviously, we encourage folks to cast their votes for these innovative tools!" adds Lunde.
Trans Audio Group
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l-r: Richard, Todd, Janis and Brad at Trans Audio Group
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For the latest info contact
TransAudio Group, founded by industry veteran Brad Lunde, has quickly become the premier US importer/distributor and/or US sales and marketing representative for high-end audio. Success hinges on TransAudio providing dealers and end users with a higher standard of product expertise and support far beyond the norm. TAG product line includes
A-Designs
(USA),
ATC Loudspeakers
(UK),
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Hammond Hang feat STEVE AGUILAR (Bad Seed, John Mayer)
Saturday Feb 24, 1pm
250 W Duarte Rd Suite B Monrovia, CA 91016
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JODY GERSON
Chairman/CEO, Universal Music Publishing Group
Billboard lists
Jody Gerson its #8 Power Player. She
runs a global company with more than 800 employees.
In 2017, she signed Jack White, recruiting breakout talents SZA, Quavo and Lil Yachty and legacy giants Barry Gibb and Carly Simon. Her POST-#METOO STRATEGY: "I will not knowingly sign an artist to UMPG who has committed a violent crime against women -- or anybody else."
While at Sony/ATV, Ms Gerson signed, then unknown singer/songwriter Lady Gaga!
In 1996, Gerson signed a 14-year old Alicia Keys,
whose album Songs
in A Minor went on to sell 10 million copies and win five Grammy Awards in 2002, including Best New Artist and Song of the Year. Gerson also signed Norah Jones, who earned five Grammys in 2003 for her album Come Away with Me.
Outside of music, Gerson has also served as a producer of the successful films Drumline and ATL and as executive producer for VH1's Drumline 2
As the first woman ever to run a major global music company, the Northwestern University grad Gerson was a rarity in the industry when she took the UMPG reins in January 2015. Her three years running the near-billion-dollar music publisher have proved her to be a power player CEO.
"Being a woman - that story worked for me early on, but I am really happy we've moved on," says Gerson, who accelerated UMPG's success by landing Springsteen's entire catalog in 2017, one of many coups that earned her Billboard's 2018 Power 100 Clive Davis Visionary Award.
Nicole Wyskoarko
EVP Urban, Interscope I Geffen I A&M
Interscope Geffen A&M has hired veteran music industry attorney Nicole Wyskoarko to join the company as an Executive Vice President to oversee their urban operations.
In this newly created post, Wyskoarko will be tasked with 'streamlining communication, workflow, and coordinated efforts' across the company's roster of urban artists. She will report directly to Interscope Geffen A&M Chairman and CEO John Janick who said: "We are always looking ahead to see what will position us best in a business that's rapidly changing. Nicole joining the company in this new role does exactly that; she's here to help wherever and whenever she's needed."
LA native, Wyskoarko, matriculated at USC, but transplanted to New York City in 2001 to attend Brooklyn Law School with the goal of breaking into the music industry. She landed an internship at UMG while in school and accepted a full-time gig at the label after she graduated, rising, over the course of a decade to Senior Vice President of Business & Legal Affairs for the company's East Coast labels (Island, Def Jam, and Republic) and working with artists such as Kanye West, Alessia Cara and Justin Bieber.
In 2016, she joined the prominent entertainment law firm Carroll, Guido & Groffman, where she represented the LLP's clients including Meek Mill, DJ Mustard, Playboi Carti and H.E.R.
"I couldn't be more thrilled to be joining John and the entire team at Interscope Geffen A&M. Interscope is a storied label in hip-hop, with a rich history and a current roster of artists that is second to none. Returning to Los Angeles to join the company during such a dynamic period for the music industry is a dream come true for me."
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Photo by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for TIDAL
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Robinhood Backers
Jay Z, Snoop Dog, Nas
Roc Nation, the full-service entertainment management company created by the music impresario Shawn Carter (better known as JAY-Z), is making an investment in financial trading platform
Robinhood.
The investment, through Roc Nation's
Arrive subsidiary, is the latest instance of a celebrity rapper plowing cash into Robinhood's free-to-trade investment platform. The company also counts Snoop Dogg and Nasir Jones (also known as Nas) among its big-time backers. Robinhood is actually Arrive's third investment into a high-growth startup tech company. The firm has also backed
Devialet, a French audio technology company, and InSite Applications, a location-sharing platform that's planning to launch its services later this year. Robinhood is roughly valued at $1.3 billion. The San Francisco startup has also picked up 3 million users trading in both stocks and cryptocurrency. "ARRIVE was created to leverage our experience and resources in building brands, developing consumer facing businesses, managing artists and representing athletes. We've opened that diversified, global range of expertise to a new vertical: entrepreneurs and their early stage businesses" said
Neil Sirni, head of New Ventures at Roc Nation.
Levity Acquires The Improv, Iconic Comedy Club
Levity Entertainment Group (a joint venture between Irving Azoff MSG Entertainment and its founders) announced this month that it has acquired The Improv, the 54-year-old legendary comedy brand owned by Budd Friedman and Mark Lonow. Friedman invented the concept of a "comedy club" with the opening of The Improv in 1963, The Improv has grown to over 20 clubs nationwide, and also maintains a library of classic comedy assets, including An Evening at The Improv series originally broadcast on A&E for 14 years. "The Improv, together with our existing venues, allows us to build a global comedy network, which is such a valuable asset to our production and talent management business," says Alireza Ghaemian, Levity's CFO and chief strategist. The Improv will continue to be the premier showcase for the best comedy talent. "We are honored to have been part of launching so many incredible comedic careers over the years. We have had such fun doing it," said Friedman and Lonow.
WORDS STEP UP!
We know plenty of women producer/engineers who have stepped up:
Dian Warren, Linda Perry, Missy Elliott, Sylvia Massy, Lenise Bent, Berklee's LeAnne Ungar, Susan Rogers (from Prince to Phd
and rising stars: Ebony Oshunrinde, aka
WondaGurl
(JAY-Z, Rihanna, Kanye West) and producer Trakgirl (Luke James, Omarion).
We adore other women who have elevated the arts: Ella Fitzgerald, Etta James, Tina Turner, Diana Ross,
Grace Slick,
The Wilson Sisters (Heart), Madonna, Lady Gaga, Taylor Swift, and Adele, to name a few. All have stepped up!
Portnow, 70, (Jive Records VP, staffer at RCA, Arista and EMI) has been the president of the Recording Academy since 2002. He has officially apologized in a letter for his "Step up" comment with the following statement: "I understand the hurt that my poor choice of words following last Sunday's GRAMMY telecast has caused. I also now realize that it's about more than just my words. Because those words, while not reflective of my beliefs, echo the real experience of too many women. I'd like to help make that right."
Sounds good. Now how about grooming a female successor at the Recording Academy?!
Life, liberty and pursuit of happiness was on every Parkland high school student's mind when they walked to protest gun violence and demand change this week at the US Capitol. Perhaps the silver lining in today's climate is that
The Times They are a Changing' again! Until next month,
Music lives and moves!
Claris Sayadian-Dodge, Founder I Editor studioexpresso
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Composer Michael Abels
Four Oscar Nominations for Get Out
African-American composer Michael Abels' score from
Get Out is mixed by John Rodd. The film is sporting four Oscar nominations. Primarily a composer of large forms,
Abels has applied his skillful compositional approach to over 20 orchestral works. His much-admired piece
Global Warming -written around the time of the collapse of the Berlin Wall and the end of the Cold War- was commissioned for and premiered by the Phoenix Youth Symphony in 1991 with performances by prominent symphony orchestras to include: Chicago, Cleveland and Houston. Premiered on November 8, 2001 and led by Marin Alsop,
Tribute is a simple chorale that begins in muted despair but ends in powerful resolve; and it was the first piece the National Symphony performed dedicated to 9/11. Abels was also commissioned by the Los Angeles Opera and his 40-minute opera Homies & Popz premiered in May 2000 at high schools throughout Los Angeles County. Based on the true story of the Compton Homies & the Popz, the opera tells the story of LA activist Ted Hayes and his successful efforts to create and organize a cricket team in order to provide inner-city youth and homeless adults with an alternative to gang culture. Abels currently serves as Director of Music for New Roads School in Santa Monica.
The star-studded Panel
All About That Bass
Namm 2018
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Congrats to TEC Award Winners!
Trans Audio Group booth at Summer NAMM
A Designs HAMMER 2, an easy-to-use amplifier for both main mixing and tracking.
Bettermaker's Award-Winning 502V 500 Series boutique analog compressor
Daking's Famous Line of Compressors and Mic Pre's
Drawm
er's MC1.1
Monitor Preamp and the new 1978 Stereo FET Compressor.
And the Auratone Reference Monitors ever present at every studio!
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9OSCARS
BEST ORIGINAL SONG
 "Remember Me" from "Coco"
Songwriters Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez.
"Mighty River" from "Mudbound"
Music and lyric by
"The Mystery of Love" from "Call My By Your Name"
Sufjan Stevens, composer/singer
"Stand Up for Something" from "Marshall"
Oscar-winner Common ("Selma") and Andra Day perform nine-time Oscar-nominated songwriter Diane Warren
"This Is Me" from "The Greatest Showman"
Lyricists Benj Pasek and Justin Paul
BEST ORIGINAL SCORE
Alexandre Desplat --"The Shape of Water"
Carter Burwell --"Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri"
Jonny Greenwood --"Phantom Thread"
SPOTLIGHT
Best known as the lead guitarist of the band Radiohead,
Johnny Greenwood has penned five "classical" works: smear (two ondes martenots and ensemble); Popcorn Superhet Receiver (string orchestra), Doghouse (string trio and large orchestra), 48 Responses to Polymorphia (48 strings) and Water (chamber orchestra). Oscar winner Zimmer calls Greenwood his "favorite film composer!"
Greenwood wrote the score for Oscar winning Paul Thomas Anderson film, There Will Be Blood (2007). But, the soundtrack itself controversially declared ineligible for an Oscar as "the majority of the music was not composed specifically for the film." Greenwood went on to scoop Best Film Score award at the 2007 Evening Standard British Film Awards, and Critics' Choice Award for Best Composer by the Broadcast Film Critics Association of the USA. Subsequent film credits include Tran Anh Hung's Norwegian Wood, based on the novel by Haruki Murakami, Lynne Ramsay's We Need To Talk About Kevin, and the Paul Thomas Anderson films The Master and Inherent Vice.
Contendors:
John Williams --"Star Wars: The Last Jedi"
Hans Zimmer --"Dunkirk"
HAMMOND HANG
at
250 W Duarte Rd. Suite B Monrovia, CA 91016
Saturday February 24, 1pm
feat
STEVE AGUILAR aka SHAG
(Tomorrow's Bad Seeds, John Mayer)
Hammond artist, Steve Aguilar (SHAG) is a keyboardist, music producer, songwriter, music director, and tone aficionado.
He created
World Tribe with his high school friends, which fused reggae, funk, hip-hop, rock, and ska. After three albums and thirteen years of successful touring, Steve left the group to join a number of successful artists to include:
John Mayer, Janes Addiction, Tomorrows Bad Seeds.
He has opened for the likes of BB King and Colbie Caillat.
Aguilar has produced records for blues legend Arthur Adams, Rockstar INXS's Brandon Calhoon. Steve is currently music directing and touring with Tomorrows Bad Seeds and has formed two new original projects getting ready to launch in 2018, Brightside and Tri-Phonic.
The Sound . The S
oul . The One
"The event is a chance to get 'up close and personal' with a different featured Hammond artist every month," says Emiko, Hammond's social media
liaison and HamTV hostess.
The interviews are streamed live on Facebook where you can take part in the
Q&A following. The format includes a short performance by the guest artist, and networking with refreshments at Hammond store:
250 W Duarte Rd Suite B, Monrovia, CA 91016
RSVP 2/24 here: claris@studioexpresso.com
Hammond and Leslie products in Southern California contact
CKC
800.717.KEYS
Hammond gear, gig bags and more...
Serving Pro Artists in the studio or on stage
Call Nelson at 909-599-7899 to
schedule your visit and ask for
artist pricing available only at
Church Keyboard Center
Tavis Smiley interview with 'The Ambassador of Soul" and Hammond artist Ellis Hall for PBS Mr Hall performed two songs and spoke about the depth of his musical career
Watch it
here
BRIT Awards
Dua Lipa (above) won best British female and British breakthrough artist at 2018 Brits Award held at London's O2 Arena.
The Kosovar Albanian pop singer has slogged her way to the top of the charts, emigrating to London alone as a teenager, working as a model and on the door of nightclub while she launched her music career. Her hit single
New Rules reached a billion views on YouTube this week, and current single
IDGAF is in its fourth week in the top five.
Stormzy, AKA 24-year-old south London grime rapper Michael Omari, beat big names including Sheeran and Liam Gallagher in the best British male category
The Brit awards became the latest awards ceremony to show support and solidarity with the Time's Up movement, with artists including
Lipa, Ed Sheeran and Camila Cabello wearing white rose pins or carrying white roses to protest against sexual harassment in the entertainment industry.
Winners"
Breakthrough artist: Dua Lipa
Global Success award: Ed Sheeran
British single: Rag'n'Bone Man - Human
British album:
Stormzy - Gang Signs & Prayer
British video: Harry Styles - Sign of the Times
International male solo artist: Kendrick Lamar
International female solo artist:
Lorde
International group: Foo Fighters
British producer: Steve Mac
Producer Spotlight: Steve Mac
Steve Mac wins The Brit for Best British producer. 2017 production credits including Top 10 singles by Pink, Rita Ora and Liam Payne, as well as co-writing and producing
Ed Sheeran's Shape Of You, which became the most streamed track of all time and the highest-selling UK single of last year.
During a 27-year career, he has produced records with worldwide sales of over 200 million, including hits for One Direction, Little Mix and Clean Bandit. Upcoming projects: Years & Years, Bastille, Chvrches, Nick Jonas, and "hopefully I'm just about to start working with Katy Perry," says Mac.
Protest Songs Are New Again
Guthrie wrote "This Land is Your Land" in 1940, because he was sick of hearing "God Bless America," which he felt was unrealistic after the suffering of the Great Depression.
Nina Simone "Mississippi Goddamn" spurred by the murder of Medgar Evers and the bombing of a church in Alabama that killed four little girls
Bob Dylan "Times they're changin'" in '64 protesting the Vietnam War
70s gave us CS&N and their song "Ohio" -- released on May 21, 1970 -- seventeen days after the Kent State Massacre. Some radio stations banned the song because it dared to implicate President Richard Nixon in the National Guard killings of four students at Kent State University during an antiwar protest on the campus.
Helen Reddy expressed her stance on women's rights in "I'm woman, hear me roar"
Johnny Cash sang "Men in Black" in protest of treatment of fellow Americans beaten by the system: the poor, prisoners, the elderly, addicted and soliders in Vietnam
System of a Down released "Boom!" from 2002 Steal This Album! The song protested the disparity in funds spent on war when so little went to poverty relief. A few months later, it fit the antiwar sentiments that many felt weren't being broadcast in the lead-up to the Iraq War during the Bush era.
Dixie Chicks, "Not Ready to Make Nice" Boy, those girls sure pissed off a lot of people when lead singer Natalie Maines told a London audience she was ashamed to be from the same state as then-president George W. Bush on the eve of the 2003 invasion of Iraq.
Today when we hear Eminem in "Storm"
unloading on Trump -- everything from the tweet-happy president's disrespect of the military to his ineffectiveness in Puerto Rico to his attacks on Colin Kaepernick, he joins a long list of artists who win our respect.
M.I.A. is no stranger to political messages, and the riotous "P.O.W.A." is a middle finger to the Trump Tower.
P!nk's "What About Us" from her album Beautiful Trauma, rallying cry against "broken promises" seems to zero in on the current administration.
Zolita's "Fight Like A Girl" singing "My body my choice, my rights and my voice."
Kendrick Lamar
's Heart Part 4" from his album DAMN aimes at an unknown rapper, US president and society at large.
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