{"id":20495,"date":"2022-03-29T15:07:22","date_gmt":"2022-03-29T22:07:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/?p=20495"},"modified":"2022-03-29T15:09:03","modified_gmt":"2022-03-29T22:09:03","slug":"namm-2022-believe-in-music","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/2022\/03\/namm-2022-believe-in-music\/","title":{"rendered":"NAMM 2022 “BELIEVE IN MUSIC”"},"content":{"rendered":"

NAMM 2022 \u201cBELIEVE IN MUSIC\u201d \u2014 VIRTUAL EVENT<\/strong><\/h1>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

NAMM (National Association of Music Merchants)\u00a0is both\u00a0a cultural melting pot and an extended family for music lovers all over the world. Actively engaging in corporate goodwill,\u00a0the\u00a0NAMM Foundation supports Save\u00a0the Music,\u00a0which has put music instruments into the hands of countless students in public schools. The organization\u2019s\u00a0spirit of inclusiveness and diversity was clearly present during its \u201cBelieve in Music\u201d virtual event January 20-21, 2022, which brought together a broad spectrum of artists, gear manufacturers,\u00a0audio engineers and teachers\u2014to provide music insight and tips to professionals who work in the industry,\u00a0music fans,\u00a0and those who fit into both categories. As streaming\u00a0platforms go, this is probably the only place where you can find ukulele workshops alongside drumming tutorials, predictions about the future of music from industry leaders in Europe and one-on-one interviews with well-known music personalities and remote concert performances.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

NAMM’s “Believe in Music” hosts Herb Trawick & Joe Lamond<\/p><\/div>\n

For those apprehensive about streaming platforms,\u00a0NAMM offered one that was easy to use, complete with a video tutorial and breakdown of the two-day event\u2014so you could pick and choose\u00a0 according to subject area interests, and make yourself available for those live streaming events. Categories ranging from new product lines,\u00a0and income streams for musicians, to interviews with well established artists, and special concerts were all on the bill, making this a binge-worthy event and, if you\u2019re on the east coast as I am, a great excuse for beating the cold, staying indoors and curling up with a warm beverage and your laptop.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Steve Vai<\/p><\/div>\n

One of the elements of\u00a0NAMM\u2019s \u201cBelieve in Music\u201d that\u00a0shines through with diamond-like clarity is the tribal aspect for all music lovers. While in the midst of the recent Omicron variant, a little assistance from 21st<\/sup> century technology\u00a0can bring us all together to connect and celebrate the healing power of music. Another aspect of the event is the music industry\u2019s willingness to harness technology for musician and product income streams and as a necessary implement in the artist’s creative toolbox.<\/p>\n

As soon as I scrolled through\u00a0NAMM\u2019s \u201cBelieve in Music\u201d lineup, I was impressed with the range of music genres represented by the livestream interviews. Most of the artists have experienced NAMM conventions\u00a0prior to the COVID-19 pandemic and you get the feeling after hearing them speak that most of them are still nurturing their inner-music fan.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Keb’ Mo’<\/p><\/div>\n

Thursday afternoon kicked off with music touchstone Elliot Easton, guitarist of the Cars. Speaking from an office in\u00a0casual shirt,\u00a0with art school bowl haircut and glasses,\u00a0Easton\u00a0talked about his musical influences:\u00a0George Harrison, Cornell Dupree, Steve Cropper and Buddy Guy.\u00a0Easton\u00a0went on to explain that he tries to learn something from anybody who is good, comparing the practice to soaking something up like a sponge.\u00a0With a mom that was Juilliard trained,\u00a0Easton\u00a0always knew what he wanted to do with his life. He\u2019s been\u00a0attending NAMM shows for several years and talked about it being a real brotherhood\u2014and the fun of seeing all the new equipment and guitars.\u00a0Easton brought\u00a0things full circle, in a way, reflecting on February\u00a09th, 1964 when The Beatles\u00a0appeared on\u00a0The Ed Sullivan Show,\u00a0<\/em>changing music, culture and the trajectory of many musicians\u2019 lives forever.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

The Cars’ guitarist Elliot Easton<\/p><\/div>\n

Gibson Guitar CEO JC Curleigh, who was recently voted onto the NAMM Board, joined the conference from Gibson Garage in Nashville\u2014to talk about the challenges and successes experienced by Gibson and music instrument manufacturers.\u00a0Gibson Guitar came out\u00a0of 2019 strong and then Covid-19 almost derailed the company\u2019s progress.\u00a0The upshot of this Covid crisis has been a lot of people having time to focus on music, and in the process, a spotlight has been put on Gibson.\u00a0As Curleigh spoke, the assembly line of guitars glided gloriously above him, much like earthbound angels waiting for hungry musicians to breathe life into them. Sporting salt and pepper hair and beard,\u00a0Curleigh\u2019s message was a positive one. He talked\u00a0about opportunities, being part of the new norm, innovating and leading\u2014to harness the power of this moment.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Gibson Brands CEO – JC Curleigh<\/p><\/div>\n

NAMM, in 2019, saw the rebirth of Gibson\u2014which has never been stronger and literally can\u2019t make enough guitars today to keep up with customer demand.\u00a0The CEO gave us some glimpses into where the company is headed for the future. Kramer, a throwback to the 1980s, has been relaunched, as have Maestro Pedals.\u00a0Guitar amplifier manufacturer MESA\/Boogie in Petaluma, CA and GWW guitar carrying cases are new additions to Gibson\u2019s family tree.\u00a0Curleigh promised Gibson would deliver\u00a0inspired synergy, building lifelong fans and cited TikTok, to record labels, to charts, as the trajectory for the next wave of famous musicians. In closing, Curleigh\u00a0thanked everyone in the industry, his team and\u00a0NAMM.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Jazz musician Justin Klunk<\/p><\/div>\n

Take A Daytrip, made up of Denzel Baptiste and David Biral, made an appearance to explore elements associated with the production side of the recording studio. Based in Los Angeles,\u00a0the producing duo, who\u00a0have made music for the video game franchise\u00a0Grand Theft Auto<\/em>\u00a0and Lil Nas X, referred to one of the biggest limitations to how art is being created right now as ideas being able to travel faster in real time. The gear they use is\u00a0a way to expedite the creative process, by\u00a0putting both of their minds in the same place with two different keyboards. They put a strong emphasis on music education. All the things they studied have turned into expertise\u2014and people now trust them and listen to the ideas they bring to the table. Studying the music and geeking out has built trust with artists who have very specific reference points.\u00a0Whether it\u2019s 300 tracks or 20 tracks,\u00a0knowing when something is done is important: audition 10 different ideas and pick the best one.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Take A Daytrip – Denzel Baptiste and David Biral<\/p><\/div>\n

Brandon Boyd, frontman of rock band Incubus, showed up to share information about his upcoming solo project\u00a0Echoes and Cocoons<\/em>.\u00a0Boyd talked about how the solo album came about as a result of\u00a0Covid-19 changing plans for an Incubus summer European tour. The entire album was recorded remotely from\u00a0Boyd\u2019s home. \u201cPocket Knife,\u201d the first single, is one of the more accessible tracks, according to Boyd, which speaks to a collective dream state trapped in a dark space\u2014something we can all relate to now that Covid-19 is part of our lives. The singer-songwriter talked about how the song had already been written and just needed the right vehicle and circumstances.<\/p>\n

Incubus was formed 30 years ago, back in 1991.\u00a0Boyd maybe in his 40s,\u00a0but feels he has more ideas now than when he was younger. He is grateful and humbled to have people\u2019s attention for thousands of concerts and multiple albums.\u00a0He remembers the circumstances under which Incubus\u2019 hit \u201cWish You Were Here\u201d was created. It just sort of spilled out of the band during a time of emotional upheaval. Reflecting on the positive impact music has on society,\u00a0Boyd waxed philosophically \u201cMusic appears to be one of the last great unifying technologies and there has never been a more important moment to sing music together\u2014yet the cruel irony is it\u2019s dangerous to get together in large crowds to sing together.\u201d He compared the concert experience to going to church.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Incubus’ frontman Brandon Boyd<\/p><\/div>\n

Matthias Jabs, guitarist of heavy metal band Scorpions, kicked back for a conversation from Germany. Scorpions\u2019 new album\u00a0Rock Believer<\/em>\u00a0is the 19th<\/sup> studio effort for the band. Jabs discussed the origins of the album, was released late February 2022. Initially, the band tried working via Zoom, a go-to method during lockdowns and quarantines, but that didn\u2019t quite work due to challenges presented by the band being in Germany and a producer based in Los Angeles\u2014so they wound up producing the album themselves. Scorpions found their sound with the album Blackout,<\/em> which celebrated its 40th<\/sup>\u00a0anniversary March 2022.\u00a0Jabs talked about digging out the old amps and recapturing the vintage sound associated with\u00a0Scorpions during the 1980s, which are heavy on guitar arrangements.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Scorpions’ guitarist Matthias Jabs<\/p><\/div>\n

The band had to postpone their Las Vegas residency but fans can rejoice knowing that shows are planned for middle of August going into October, in the United States. Jabs reminisced about past NAMM conventions\u2014hanging out with Slash in the Gibson booth. There\u2019s always someone who wants to take a selfie with you, it\u2019s the new autograph. Jabs has had his own guitar shop, since 2007, in Germany\u2014which features vintage guitars and serves as a meeting place. Gene Simmons of KISS, Richie Sambora and Pink have all visited the shop when they\u2019re in Munich and Jabs has acquired lots of good pictures for the walls of the shop. Jabs has been touring for several years with Scorpions and went on to elaborate about the healing power of music and its ability to unify. When Jabs is stressed out, he plays guitar. He added, \u201cmusic has something that connects people and musicians have something that connects worldwide. Audiences are very friendly when they connect with music\u2014it serves as therapy and has healing qualities.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Rising country star Brittney Spencer, originally from Baltimore, joined the event from Nashville. Spencer talked about the interesting hybrid of sound today that defies categories. Spencer listened to an alternative radio station in her hometown that played Dixie Chicks (now known simply as the Chicks), Journey, Mariah Carey and Taylor Swift. She loved the stories the Chicks were telling. When she found out you can put stories in song form, she sought out CMT and made country music the thing she wanted to do. Spencer listens to Drake, Kacey Musgraves, Doja Cat and Chris Stapleton. Spencer alluded to different music colliding and transforming into something interesting.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Brittney Spencer<\/p><\/div>\n

Taking the risk to move to Nashville,\u00a0Spencer\u00a0has carved out a path for herself. She doesn\u2019t want to chase down numbers and carbon copy things, and sees the industry wanting more innovation at this time.\u00a0USA Today\u00a0<\/em>and\u00a0Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) have given her accolades.\u00a0Spencer believes people should be given opportunity based on the merit of their talent. She found a home in country music to tell her stories. Fans can soon catch her\u00a0on tour with Reba [McEntire]. After being a quarantine artist,\u00a0Spencer\u00a0just wants to hit the road and give so much love to people.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Lola Romero, better known as KeepItOnTheLo, provided\u00a0some inspiration for those who want to pursue engineering and mixing dreams.\u00a0Romero\u2019s career path started in\u00a0engineering school, which led to being hired by Dr. Dre as a runner\u2014ultimately\u00a0becoming Dre\u2019s\u00a0chief engineer. Romero\u2019s signature\u00a0is the speed and attention to detail and how quickly that can be integrated into the mix, while still creating. A female\u00a0working in a male-dominated industry,\u00a0she\u2019s empowered a\u00a0lot of young women to go for their dreams.\u00a0Romero also knows about the challenges multiple sclerosis presents, as someone who lives with it, but she has conquered those health challenges. Romero, who\u00a0is a big fan of education,\u00a0set out to be a really good engineer first but her presence has expanded beyond music, as\u00a0a character in the video game franchise Grand Theft Auto<\/em>.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Lola Romero – KeepItOnTheLo<\/p><\/div>\n

Concerts, depending upon where you are geographically may or may not be taking place, but not to worry\u2014NAMM had things covered with a few special offerings. Canada\u2019s Daring\u00a0Greatly Band put on a blistering set with high production value. Had you just tuned into their performance, you might think you found a lost\u00a0Midnight Special<\/em>\u00a0from the 1970s.\u00a0The band has a rock vibe complete with long hair, bell bottoms and pedal steels.\u00a0The band has an original sound, which merges elements of the\u00a0Doobie Brothers with the Allman Brothers\u2014and is incredibly tight with a good work ethic. Check out tracks like \u201cBlack and White,\u201d and the dreamy number \u201cLeaving.\u201d \u201cKilling Time\u201d will get you into the groove of a Southern soul boogie jam, while \u201cLove Myself Again\u201d swings like a pendulum of a doomed romantic relationship. Keep your eyes on\u00a0Daring Greatly Band to gain some traction in the near future. Thanks to this virtual event, I can say I saw them when!<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Daring Greatly<\/p><\/div>\n

For me,\u00a0the defining\u00a0moment of NAMM\u2019s\u00a0\u201cBelieve In Music\u201d arrived\u00a0on Thursday evening when Laura B. Whitmore, founder of Women\u2019s International Music Network and host of She Rocks Spotlight Series\u00a0in Massachusetts,\u00a0was joined by singer-songwriter Jamie McDell in New Zealand and\u00a0Grammy Award-winning singer and actress\u00a0Laura Dreyfuss.\u00a0It\u2019s a testament to both music and technology that you can have someone in New Zealand, where it\u2019s currently the middle of the summer, interacting with two people experiencing winter on the northern seaboard of the United States\u2014all from the comfort of their respective homes and countries.<\/p>\n

McDell, who describes her music as Americana and country\u2014with tales about her family and upbringing, put on a very intimate set. She kicked off with \u201cBotox,\u201d a song stripped back to bare bones with only an acoustic guitar accompanying the emotionally wrought lyrics. McDell\u2019s use of metaphors belies her innocent appearance. \u201cWorst Crime\u201d invokes handcuffs, jail and feeling guilty. \u201cExtraordinary Girl,\u201d written for a friend who was in a very difficult relationship, relies on cars\u2014always good metaphors for relationships because much like relationships they rust and break down. Closing the set with the cathartic family snapshot of \u201cMother\u2019s Daughter,\u201d McDell, whose new album was released February 2022, might just be this generation\u2019s Rickie Lee Jones.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Jamie McDell & Laura Dreyfuss<\/p><\/div>\n

Laura Dreyfuss opened up her home in New York for a close and personal performance. She\u2019s acted in\u00a0Dear Evan Hansen\u00a0<\/em>on\u00a0<\/em>Broadway\u00a0and appeared on Fox\u2019s\u00a0 television series Glee<\/em>. Dreyfuss\u2019 song choices were culled from her debut EP\u00a0Peaks<\/em>, which was released this past November.\u00a0Dreyfuss\u00a0takes a more playful approach to the things she writes about, even when dealing with serious subject matter. \u201cNose To Nose\u201d is a song about the love she has for her dog. \u201cPillow\u201d chronicles her\u00a0emotional state in the past 18 months and being surrounded by love and giving love in a very difficult time. Backed only by an acoustic guitar on some songs and piano on others,\u00a0she also sang \u201cSidelines,\u201d one of the first songs she ever wrote with piano accompaniment. The song has a Broadway show feel with its melody and lyrics which admonish \u201cif you can\u2019t be happy for me, you can watch from the sidelines.\u201d Choosing between dreams and a lover is the thematic element of the defiant \u201cBe Great.\u201d \u201cPeaks and Valleys,\u201d which was recently written but not yet officially released, also made an appearance in the set.<\/p>\n

For those who dream of warmer weather and a time when we can all jam together in real life\u2014have faith and patience. NAMM\u2019s next event is scheduled for June in sunny Anaheim, California. NAMM\u2019s virtual event asked us to believe in music\u2014with a resounding, Yes! We trust\u00a0in the power of music and we are not alone\u2014thanks to the efforts of NAMM.<\/p>\n

\u2014 by Rodeo Marie Hanson<\/p>\n

www.NAMM.org<\/a>
\nwww.Instagram.com\/thenammshow<\/a><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

NAMM 2022 \u201cBELIEVE IN MUSIC\u201d \u2014 VIRTUAL EVENT NAMM (National Association of Music Merchants)\u00a0is both\u00a0a cultural melting pot and an extended family for music lovers all over the world. Actively engaging in corporate goodwill,\u00a0the\u00a0NAMM Foundation supports Save\u00a0the Music,\u00a0which has put music instruments into the hands of countless students in public schools. The organization\u2019s\u00a0spirit of inclusiveness […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":9,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[9],"tags":[13421,13422,13423,13424,13425,13426,13427,13428,13131,13429,13430,13433,13432,13431,13420,24,13434,13435,13436,13437,2076,8623,7956,13438,13439,13440,13441,13442,13443,13444,13445,2976,13446,4262,4075,9755,7858,425,13447,13448,13449,4547,13450,13451,13452,1637,12094,13384,9580,13453,4260,13454,13455,6823,13456,13457,13458,7566,13460,13459,7079,13461,3010,13462,13463,6006,13464,7978,6811,13135,13465,13466,6650,8284,13310,9654,5367,8325,13243,13244,13242,13467,13468,13469,13470,2376,13471,13472,1172,4641,3818,1968,12427,9809,13409,12115,13473,10150,13474,13475,13476],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20495"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/9"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=20495"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20495\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":20627,"href":"https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20495\/revisions\/20627"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=20495"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=20495"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mmusicmag.com\/m\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=20495"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}