Some Xmas gifts for the modern guitarist in your life.
Guitar Moderne Record Picks XV
1
Tag Archives: Jam Pedals
NAMM 2018
NAMM 2018 was even bigger than last year, yet much more manageable. The brand new ACC (Anaheim Convention Center) North building housed most of the high tech and pro audio stuff, allowing guitars and related products to be centralized in one area on the main floor of the original building. NAMM further reduced the spread by offering the new boutique manufacturers—previously relegated to downstairs Hall E—smaller, more affordable booths in the main guitar product ghetto. Thus, I was able to cover the show in two relaxed, rather than three grueling, days.
The new AAC North building
Guitar Moderne Festival XIV
The weather outside is frightful but at GM it is so delightful because we have a festival of concerts by modern guitar pioneer David Torn, Jam Pedals founder Jannis Anastasakis, as well as Guitar Moderne Spotlight subjects Nicola L. Hein, Hans Tammen, and Martin Siewert. So snuggle up in your jammies and check them out.
Sun of Goldfinger in Schlachthof, Wels, Austria
David Torn (guitar, effects), Tim Berne (saxophone), Ches Smith (drums)
Guitar Moderne NAMM 2017 Report
This year’s winter NAMM was INSANE! Thursday was as crowded as a typical Saturday and it escalated from there. The noise floor was non-stop jet-engine level. I came home with ears ringing and NAMMthrax. Was it worth it? You bet. Three full days was barely enough to cover all the cool stuff. It opened with a terrific concert band doing a modern composition that incorporated either recorded or live recitations from young people (I couldn’t see from my vantage point) about the difficulties of growing up. This boded well for a forward-thinking show and, in fact, there were ample examples of manufacturers leaving the traditional behind to explore new territory.
Other than the upward trajectory of the business evidenced by the crowd, the only trend I noticed was the invasion of the pedal market by Greece and Brazil. As usual, NAMM often stands for “Not Available, Maybe May,” so stay tuned to the manufactures’ sites and guitarmoderne.com for updates, and, if you would like to hear me talk about this year’s winter NAMM, check out Matt Wakeling’s Guitar Speak podcast featuring yours truly.
Spotlight: Jannis Anastasakis
I met Jannis Anastasakis at a NAMM show in 2013, where he was displaying his colorful effects made in Greece, under the name Jam Pedals. Soon thereafter he sent me his Big Chill tremolo for review. It wasn’t until years later that I discovered he was a fine guitarist in the modern mold. It became obvious that, in addition to his sonic creations, the man himself deserved coverage in Guitar Moderne.