Now is the right time to become an American Federation of Musicians member. From ragtime to rap, from the early phonograph to today's digital recordings, the AFM has been there for its members. And now there are more benefits available to AFM members than ever before, including a multi-million dollar pension fund, excellent contract protection, instrument and travelers insurance, work referral programs and access to licensed booking agents to keep you working.
As an AFM member, you are part of a membership of more than 80,000 musicians. Experience has proven that collective activity on behalf of individuals with similar interests is the most effective way to achieve a goal. The AFM can negotiate agreements and administer contracts, procure valuable benefits and achieve legislative goals. A single musician has no such power.
The AFM has a proud history of managing change rather than being victimized by it. We find strength in adversity, and when the going gets tough, we get creative - all on your behalf.
Like the industry, the AFM is also changing and evolving, and its policies and programs will move in new directions dictated by its members. As a member, you will determine these directions through your interest and involvement. Your membership card will be your key to participation in governing your union, keeping it responsive to your needs and enabling it to serve you better. To become a member now, visit www.afm.org/join.
NS Micro Headstock tuner is a tiny yet full-featured tuner. It grips gently, but securely, to any headstock and can be perfectly positioned thanks to 360-degree rotation and 90-degree screen orientation options. Its bright, full-color screen is easy to read and advanced piezo reduces ambient noise feedback. A rubber pad on top provides easy on/off and calibration.
This album from Scott Robinson, known as a multi-instrumentalist and rare instrument collector, features his tenor saxophone. The Local 802 (New York City) member discovered the silver 1924 Conn instrument in a Maryland antique shop in 1975. The CD liner notes include a love letter expressing his fondness for the horn.
A celebration of Robinson’s 60th birthday in April, Tenormore includes 10 tunes, both covers and standards, from throughout his career. It also features Local 802 member Martin Wind on bass and Local 1000 (Nongeographic) member Dennis Mackrel on drums.
Three of the original tunes—“Tenor Twelve,” “Tenor Eleven,” and title tune “Tenormore” explore different extents of the blues. Among the standards are “The Good Life” and “The Nearness of You.”
Avantone Pro’s CLA-10A active monitoring system features 35mm AV10-MHF high frequency silk dome-based tweeter and custom 180mm AV10-MLF low-frequency driver—based on paper cone construction with old-school speaker design artistry. Each pair of CLA-10A makes beautiful music thanks to matching A/B power amplifiers. A rear-mounted Variable Tissue Paper Control (VTPC) knob lets users choose the tweeter brightness that best serves their needs.
The Yamaha P-121 digital piano is an ultra-compact, light-weight, and affordable instrument for gigging musicians. The 73-key, weighted-action instrument features high-quality sound and premium built-in speaker system. It has built-in USB audio and MIDI interface. It is available in both black and spotlight white finishes.
Invented by drummer Arti Dixson, the Evans Dixson Drum Lift is an effective tool for raising the bass drum off the floor to improve resonance and beater striking location. Because it reduces excessive clamping force on the drum hoop, it helps produce a more natural, better tone. It works with bass drums ranging from 16 inches to 24 inches, providing a two to three-inch lift.
AirHush Inflatable Sound Attenuation Technology (ISAT) utilizes lightweight, transparent, modular panels to create isolation booths in minutes. Using inflatable soundproofing material and sturdy aluminum framing, the system provides the ultimate flexibility and portability. The roughly four-square-foot panels are readily locked together to conform to any size enclosure, wall, or barrier.
Dan Vadim Von of Morbid Angel’s two new signature guitars—the six-string Blood Red V1.6DVV and seven-string Slime Green A1.7DVV (pictured)—feature the exact specs and same high-quality components as the guitars used by Vadim Von. V1.6DVV features mahogany V-shape body, red metallic finish, and DiMarzio Air Norton neck and Paf Pro bridge pickups. A1.7DVV features alder body, DiMarzio Blaze pickups, and green metallic finish. Both guitars have a satin maple neck, ebony fingerboard, stainless steel frets, locking tuners, and Floyd Rose 1000 tremolo.
Tired of “tap dancing” around your pedal board? In effect, Super Switcher moves all of your pedals to your pedal board’s front row and lets you control them with one button push. It simplifies the “four-cable-method” by easily routing effects that should go in front of an amp and those that are best in the effects loop. Super Switcher lets you organize presets into banks to match your show’s set list or recall presets via programmed MIDI when playing to a click track. It features tuner, tap tempo outs, eight true bypass loops, and 128 presets. A 9.6-volt DC-200mA power supply is included.
Local 47 (Los Angeles, CA) member Jesse Kinch first picked up a guitar at age six and began to learn the classic rock songs of the 1970s and 1980s. He debuted his act at a New York City rock club at age seven. He names vocal influences Bruce Springsteen of Locals 399 (Asbury Park, NJ) and 47, Eddie Vedder of Local 76-493 (Seattle, WA), and Dave Grohl of Local 47. In 2014, Kinch auditioned for ABC’s Rising Star and went on to win the show with his performance of Michael Jackson’s “Billie Jean.”
Kinch’s debut album includes 13 tracks of both originals and classic rock songs, including “Billie Jean.” Original tunes include “Preaching Like the Pope,” which details his initial experiences within the major label system, and the captivating love song, “How Do I Reach You (The Last Veil).”
Kinch is scheduled to perform songs from his album and other tunes on April 5 at Rhyme Live Music Hall in Durham, North Carolina.
Local 802 (New York City) member Lee Evans is an acclaimed educator, performer, and composer. His Jazz Piano Scales and Exercises presents an interesting way to practice patterns and etudes while learning jazz. Following the notation and fingerings for scales—major, harmonic minor, and melodic minor—in each of the 12 keys, three jazz exercises are given. These serve to reinforce the patterns and fingers and to give the player a sense of melodies, rhythms, and harmonies that are integral to jazz stylings.
Jazz Piano Scales and Exercises: An Engaging Way to Practice Scale Patterns and Etudes While Learning Jazz, by Local 802 member Lee Evans, Hal Leonard, www.halleonard.com.
