back from NAMM...

where I saw a host of new colors for my palette
and ran into many old friends I hadn't seen in a while
including stu hamm, the drummer for wings denny seiwell,
terry bozzio, bootsy collins, vernon reid, saul zonana,
david torn, and herbie hancock whom I haven't seen since
the 80's when I played on his record magic windows.)

NAMM is one big party. I hung out with the usual suspects:
johnny vitale and the gang from parker, tony and pat, seymour
duncan, tim godwin from line-6, bob borbonus from taylor,
madman zachary vex, bassist bryan beller, and julie.
(eric was home rehearsing with his new band dr. dog.)

of course the reason to be there is to see all
the new gear and there was plenty of that.
the list of manufacturers I met with is astounding:
parker, roland, korg, line-6, yamaha, eventide, tech 21,
taylor guitars, digitech, fender, apogee, preSonus,
ultimate support, t.c. electronics and t.c. helicon,
pigtronix, james trussart guitars, hofner guitars,
eastwood guitars, gig-fx, lakland basses, fritz brothers
guitars, dave smith instruments, gretsch guitars,
d'addario, soundblox, paiste cymbals, and my old
buddies lane ostrow at g&l, peter janus at radial,
and paul reed smith.
even more astounding is that I use products
from almost all of these companies.

NAMM sounds like a busy saturday at guitar center x 50.
it would be difficult to discern from the NAMM show
that there is an economic downturn, there are so many
things to buy and so many interested buyers.

my favorite new item I tried is called tenori-on.
it's a brand new instrument in fact; a hand-held
sequencer/looper invented by media artist
toshio iwai and made by yamaha. very exciting.
it's an excellent time to be a modern musician.