Tag Archives: products

renascence
New Releases, Products

Mike Daly, Renascence

renascence

Released June 2018
Mike Daly Music

Renascence is defined as the revival of something that has been dormant. This is the third solo album from musician, songwriter, and producer Mike Daly of Local 257 (Nashville, TN). The multi-instrumentalist plays steel guitar, slide, dobro, Weissenborn, steel drum, and percussion on the release. Daly wrote six of the album’s nine tunes. He plays duets with some of the world’s best steel players, including Lloyd Green and Dan Dugmore of Local 257, Greg Leisz of Local 47 (Los Angeles, CA), Robert Randolph, and English musician B.J. Cole.

“These five special guests have been influential in the evolution of steel guitar and influential in my life,” says Daly. “I wanted to showcase them with music that is a part of the musical landscape right now. I didn’t want to make a country record, rather an instrumental record where everything happened to be played on steel.”

For example, 82-year-old Green, well known for his solo on Linda Ronstadt’s “Blue Bayou,” was playing something completely new on Daly’s “md.ldg.” “And he really enjoyed it,” says Daly.

pretty bird
New Releases, Products

Kathy Mattea, Pretty Bird

pretty bird

Released September 2018
Captain Potato

This is the first new album in six years for the Local 257 (Nashville, TN) member. Though Kathy Mattea has enjoyed two Grammy wins, four CMA Awards, four number one country singles, five gold albums, and a platinum greatest hits album, her continued career was in doubt when her voice began to change a few years ago.

“The hardest thing was facing the question of whether I would still be able to sing well enough to enjoy it. That was the acid test for me, and I had to be willing to walk through a process that bumped me up against a very real possibility that, in the end, the answer might be no,” says Mattea.

She dug in with her vocal coach, and in the end, produced the most poignant album of her career. Pretty Bird is an acoustic collection of 12 songs—a number of powerful covers that chronicle her journey back to singing and a couple contributions from her husband, songwriter Jon Vezner. The title track comes from bluegrass singer-songwriter Hazel Dickens. Other tracks include “Chocolate on My Tongue” (Wood Brothers), “Ode to Billie Joe” (Bobbie Gentry), and “I Can’t Stand Up Alone” (Martha Carson).

restless
Books-Resources, Products

Restless for Saxophone Quartet

restless

This rollicking four-minute piece for saxophone quartet is challenging, but not virtuosic, and has been performed by groups ranging from advanced high school players to professionals. It was written for the Red Stick Quartet, which describes the piece: “The outer sections are filled with a jazz-influenced rhythmic and harmonic language, while the middle section offers great lyricism. This piece features all four members equally and works wonderfully as a concert opener or closer!”

Restless for Saxophone Quartet, by Stephen Lias, Alias Press,
www.presser.com.

New Releases, Products

John Carter Cash, We Must Believe in Magic

John Carter Cash

Released September 10
Reviver Legacy

“No matter our path, the magic is inside us all. And though it may be forgotten, it can be remembered once again … It is only up to us to do one single thing, and do it purely … believe,” says Local 257 (Nashville, TN) member John Carter Cash.

We Must Believe in Magic is a collection of 17 tracks recorded over the last 10 years. Musical guests on the album include some of the top session players and artists representing rock, gospel, and country music, among them Local 257 members Sam Bush, Shawn Camp, John Cowan, Jerry Douglas, Tony Harrell, Robbie McCoury, Charlie McCoy, Bob Moore, John Prine, and Dave Roe, as well as The Fisk Jubilee Singers.

The only son of Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash, and grandson of Maybelle Carter Cash, John Carter Cash has been a producer for 25 years and has earned six Grammy Awards. He has also written three children’s books and two biographies about his parents’ legacy. His latest project, The Cash and Carter Family Cookbook: Recipes and Recollections from Johnny and June’s Table, was released this fall.

Shawn Mendes
New Releases, Products

Shawn Mendes, Shawn Mendes

Shawn Mendes

Released May 25
Island Records (UMG)

Making the transition from teen star to career musician, the Local 149 (Toronto, ON) member’s self-titled album has Mendes trying different styles and collaborating with a number of well-known artists. Contributions include friend and mentor Ed Sheeran, who co-wrote one song; John Mayer of Local 47 (Los Angeles, CA), who produced and plays guitar solo on another; plus Ryan Tedder (OneRepublic), Johnny McDaid, Khalid, and Julia Michaels. Though primarily pop, Shawn Mendes has rock, blues, and R&B influences.

The album debuted at number one in Mendes’s native Canada—his third number one album there. It also debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200. Mendes is the third youngest artist to collect three number one albums, and in March, when the album’s lead single, “In My Blood,” hit the top of the Billboard Adult Pop Songs chart he became the first artist to have four number one singles in the chart before turning 20 years old.

Mendes will embark on a world tour in 2019 to promote his new album.

zaor studio furniture
Cool Tools, Products

Zaor Studio Furniture

zaor studio furniture

Zaor Studio Furniture is functional, stylish, ergonomic, and affordable, created specifically for use in studios. The company provides a full line of desks, racks, and stands in several different designs. You can configure a custom studio to meet your own needs on the company’s website. Among the newest pieces are additions to the MIZA product line, including a new MIZA, Jr., flexible media desk (pictured), as well as new side racks and speaker stands.

www.zaorstudiofurniture.com

fender whiteguard strat
Cool Tools, Products

Fender Whiteguard Strat

fender whiteguard strat

The Fender Whiteguard Strat combines the biting twang of a Telecaster with the sleek, ergonomic contours of a Strat. Priced at under $2,000 in vintage blond, it has an ash Strat body with a lacquer finish and custom-shaped white pickguard. It features a modern C-shaped maple Tele neck, 9.5-inch fingerboard, 22 narrow-tall frets, and bone nut. A custom shop ’51 Nocaster single-coil bridge and neck pickups and limited edition neck plate are installed. A hardshell case is included.

www.fender.com

mli1 mono passive isolation box
Cool Tools, Products

MLI1 Mono Passive Isolation Box

mli1 mono passive isolation box

The MLI1 Mono Passive Isolation Box is designed to remove the hum and buzz caused by ground loops and convert unbalanced signals to balanced signals in long cable runs. This box from Samson combines premium sound circuitry with durable construction to provide high-quality signal connection solutions for live, broadcast, and studio applications. Its ground/lift switch disconnects the ground from the input and output connections, eliminating the hum caused by ground loops.

www.samsontech.com

acoustic amplifiers classic
Cool Tools, Products

Acoustic Amplifiers Classic Series

Acoustic Amplifiers Classic series bass combo amps deliver amazing performance and tone in a compact design that includes ferrite speakers and tilt-back cabinets. Featuring an eight-inch, custom-voiced speaker, the 25-watt B25C is ideal for home practice with no sacrifice to tone. The B50C boasts a 10-inch, custom-voiced ferrite speaker and 50 watts of power, making it ideal in small venues. The 100-watt B100C performance amp with 12-inch, custom-voiced ferrite speaker has a tilt-back cabinet that allows precise personal monitoring for practice and rehearsal.

www.acousticamplfication.com