AmpliTube Jimi Hendrix™ Now Available
Plug into The Experience DMN Newswire--2007-5-2--May 2007, Modena, Italy – IK Multimedia is pleased to announce that the highly awaited AmpliTube Jimi Hendrix™ is now available. Based on IK’s award-winning AmpliTube 2 and made in cooperation with Authentic Hendrix, LLC., AmpliTube Jimi Hendrix™ is the first authentic software recreation of the complete guitar amp and effects rig of Jimi Hendrix available in a single product, offering a vintage collection of stomp, amp, cabinet, and effect models that made a legendary sound.
Though it shares the same easy-to-use functionality as AmpliTube 2, AmpliTube Jimi Hendrix™ offers over 20 new models never included before, such as models based on the Vox® Wah V846™, Maestro® FuzzTone™, Univox™ Uni-Vibe™, several Roger Mayer™ fuzz stomp pedals, the Marshall® 1959 JTM100™ Super Lead, the Fender® Twin Reverb® and Dual Showman® amplifiers and other rare vintage gear*. This makes AmpliTube Jimi Hendrix™ perfect for all guitarists, including AmpliTube users, to recreate all the authentic tones of popular Hendrix tunes or as a fantastic tool with models of highly collectible guitar gear that can be used for many modern styles of rock music from hard rock to punk, alternative, progressive and pop.
AmpliTube Jimi Hendrix™ features 9 vintage stomp effects, 4 vintage amp models, 7 cabinets, and 5 mics, putting a complete collection of extremely expensive and hard-to-find gear right at your fingertips, from rare and highly sought-after stomps such as the Wah used by Hendrix, which became his signature sound in masterpiece tunes like “Voodoo Child,” and a model based on the Maestro® FuzzTone, who’s sound is best recognized from the popular Rolling Stones hit “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction,” to Amp-head models that cover the entire range of amps that Hendrix used with The Experience, both in the studio and live. All the matching cabinets of the included Amp-heads are featured in the selection of 7 available cabinets. The cabinets were accurately modeled and recorded with 5 vintage microphones, including condenser, dynamic and ribbon microphones. Also included are 4 rack effects (Rotary Speaker, Stereo Reverb, Parametric EQ, and Tube Compressor), increasing the tonal flexibility of the product and allowing you to sculpt the sound even further.
IK Multimedia has gone the extra mile in accurately modeling all the most important components of the Hendrix rig, not only using proprietary AmpliTube 2 DSM™ (Dynamic Saturation Modeling) technology at its best, but by collecting all the original vintage stomps, amplifiers and cabinets of the same period and fine tuning the software emulations by ear with accurate craftsmanship to achieve incredibly realistic and authentic modeling results.
Whether you want to get that classic Jimi Hendrix tone or treat yourself to the most desirable collection of vintage effects and amp gear ever offered in software, AmpliTube Jimi Hendrix™ is the right choice for any guitarist. AmpliTube Jimi Hendrix™ Features:
· 5 separate modules: tuner, stomp effects, amp heads, cabinets + mics and rack effects
· 4 Amp-head models with separate pre, EQ and power amp models
· 7 Cabinet models
· 5 Microphone models
· 9 Stomp Effect models
· 4 Rack Effect models
· High-precision Tuner
· 2 selectable series/parallel Guitar rig chains for building even the most complex multiple amp Hendrix setups
· Presets of the Hendrix discography are included for immediate recall of the entire rigs used
· Available as a VST, RTAS, AU plug-in and a standalone application, for MacOS X and Windows
· SpeedTrainer™ integrated audio player with pitch and speed control (Standalone version)
Plus the boxed version also includes:
· RiffWorks™ Demo Version with the possibility of recording/mixing 4 riff-based tracks plus additional backing tracks using InstantDrummer™, Rex Player, 7 effects, and more courtesy of Sonoma Wire Works
· Over 250MB of Sonic Reality’s R.A.W. Rock SE drum loops and grooves in Rex and Wav format
Minimum System Requirements:
Power PC based Macintosh®: 866 MHz G4 processor, 512 MB of RAM, Mac OS X 10.4 or later. Intel based Macintosh®: 1.5 GHz Intel Core Solo processor, 512 MB of RAM, Mac OS X 10.4.4 or later. Windows®: Pentium 1GHz / Athlon XP 1.33 GHz, 512 MB of RAM, Windows XP.
Price & Availability AmpliTube Jimi Hendrix™ has an MSRP of $249/€199 (tax excluded) and is available from IK Multimedia and its dealer and distributor network worldwide.
For a limited three-month period (until July 31st, 2007), all IK registered users can purchase an AmpliTube Jimi Hendrix™ Crossgrade at the special reduced price of MSRP $199/€169 (tax excluded).
For more information on this exciting product, please visit: http://www.amplitube.com/hend...
Walter Trout Incredible Talent
In the world of the blues, Walter Trout largely flies under the radar. Yet this guy is just about the most talented, and powerful guitar players on the scene today. I first saw Walter's name on some obscure blues list about a year ago. I've since purchased many CD's and a couple of DVD live concerts of his. Unfortunately, or fortunately, like many blues guitarists, Walter is far more appreciated in Europe and Japan than he is in North America.
More than a great guitar player, Walter is a great human being, a regular guy. He has been using the same Strat for over 30 years. No high tech gadgetry here, just raw power. He runs through a Mesa Boogie, and has a Leslie speaker tossing out the muse.
If you're looking for a new talent to listen to, I'd highly recommend you check out Walter, you will be glad you did.
ERIC CLAPTON ANNOUNCES CROSSROADS GUITAR FESTIVAL 28 July 2007 CHICAGO
ERIC CLAPTON ANNOUNCES CROSSROADS GUITAR FESTIVAL 28 July 2007 CHICAGO
OVER 20 OF THE WORLD'S GREATEST GUITARISTS PLAY SIDEMEN TO EACH OTHER ON ONE STAGE, FOR ONE DAY, TO SUPPORT ONE CAUSE
ERIC CLAPTON ANNOUNCES
CROSSROADS GUITAR FESTIVAL
JULY 28, 2007 CHICAGO
Day-Long Festival To Feature Legendary Music And Collaborations Including:
Eric Clapton, Steve Winwood, BB King, Willie Nelson, Jeff Beck, Vince Gill, Sheryl Crow, Buddy Guy and John Mayer
Credited throughout his career with creating super sounds in super groups, the ultimate Clapton collaboration will take place July 28, 2007 when he gathers the past, present and future of guitar music onto one stage for an incredible full day musical event. Announced today, the second Crossroads Guitar Festival, scheduled for July 28, 2007 at Toyota Park in Chicago, will be a cornerstone of this year's summer music festival season. Profits from the Festival will benefit The Crossroads Centre in Antigua, a treatment and education facility founded by Clapton for chemically dependent persons.
Since its inception, Clapton's vision for the Crossroads Guitar Festival has been to create an event where his friends and contemporaries can have fun and jam together for the benefit of a good cause. This year's Festival will feature a full day of musical performances with once-in-a-lifetime guitar collaborations. Known as pioneers in their field, the roster of artists spans old and new, from BB King to John Mayer (anticipated guest list below). The audience can expect unrivaled entertainment, brilliant guitar work, surprise guests and impromptu jams that are the hallmarks of these performers.
The first Crossroads Guitar Festival, in June 2004 at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas, was an unprecedented collection of guitar icons from blues, rock and contemporary music. The sold-out show was chronicled in a 2-disc DVD that has since gone on to become one of the world's top-selling music DVD's, recently achieving the 8x platinum mark in the United States alone.
"The Crossroads Festival is the realization of a dream for me, to gather a group of amazingly talented musicians to perform on one stage," said Clapton. "The Crossroads performers are all musicians I admire and respect."
Additional Festival artists and elements to be announced shortly.
Tickets Sale Information
Tickets for the Crossroads Guitar Festival will go on sale to the public on Saturday, March 31 at 10am Central Time (11am EST) via www.ticketmaster.com or Ticketmaster phone charge at 312-559-1212 or Ticketmaster retail outlets. Both reserved and general admission tickets will be available for this event. All tickets will be priced at $90 plus applicable ticketing/service charges. The ticket price includes parking for the day and the concert begins at NOON.
About Toyota Park
Conveniently located just 15 minutes southwest of Downtown Chicago (at 71st and Harlem in Bridgeview), Toyota Park (www.toyotapark.com) is Chicagoland's newest and most exciting outdoor concert facility.
CURRENT ARTIST LISTING CONFIRMED
Jeff Beck
Doyle Bramhall II
Eric Clapton
Robert Cray
Sheryl Crow
Vince Gill
Buddy Guy
BB King
Alison Krauss and Union Station
Sonny Landreth
Albert Lee
Los Lobos
John Mayer
John McLaughlin
Willie Nelson
Robert Randolph
Hubert Sumlin
Derek Trucks
Jimmie Vaughan
Steve Winwood
Blues king Gallagher's legend lives on through guitar
LONDON (AFP) - The memory of legendary Irish bluesman Rory Gallagher is being kept alive through his battle-scarred guitar, on display as a testament to an exceptional musician whose life is etched in every scratch. A man who shunned the showbiz circus, Gallagher was often overlooked by the media -- but hardcore fans and fellow musicians never wavered in their fascination for his playing. The Rolling Stones auditioned Gallagher in 1975 but he left to honor tour dates in Japan rather than wait around for the verdict. Music magazine polls regularly put him in the pantheon of guitar gods, alongside the likes of Eric Clapton and Jimi Hendrix. And the life and times of the blues hero are indelibly infused in his 1961 Fender Stratocaster, its sunburst finish largely eroded by three decades of sweat and energy as Gallagher rocked around the world. The battered instrument, insured for a million pounds (two million dollars, 1.5 million euros), is the highlight of Europe's biggest guitar exhibition, on show at the London emporium Harrods until March 3. Donal Gallagher, Rory's brother and manager who now handles his legacy, told AFP that despite its value, the instrument would never be sold. He said it was like a sibling and synonymous with the bluesman, who died in 1995 aged 47 from MRSA -- or methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus -- complications following a liver transplant. "It's got DNA in it," he explained. "The paint started to bubble and flake and it was the high acid in his sweat. If you do gigs 365 days of the year and you sweat as much as Rory did, it was like paint stripper." Fender's custom shop make an exact copy of Gallagher's guitar in tribute, with the fragments of finish hand-painted on. It is one of their most expensive and successful models, while the original is recognised as one of the 10 Stratocasters "to die for." Believed to be the first Stratocaster in Ireland, the instrument was shipped over from the United States for a showband -- which had ordered a red one. It was played for three months while a red version was shipped in and the sunburst one ended up on sale second hand in Cork, southern Ireland, where the Gallaghers lived. "By 1963 Rory would have been 15 and he just had to have it," Donal Gallagher said. "It was 100 pounds; you might as well have said 100,000 pounds. That was mega-money in 1960s Ireland." The schoolboy bought it on hire purchase and paid off the debt weekly with the cash from his night-time showband gigs. But the cherished guitar was stolen from the tour van in 1966 while Gallagher was trying to break through in Dublin. "Rory was devastated. It was like a death in the family," his brother said. It sparked nationwide interest on the police show on Ireland's only television channel, and was eventually discovered in a rain-soaked ditch. "Somebody threw it over a garden wall because it was just too hot," Donal said. The incident only added to the guitar's preciousness to Gallagher, its worn condition -- and its burgeoning legendary status. The instrument is due to visit Berlin, New York and Dubai, though it normally locked in a vault. Donal's son Daniel, a guitarist in the band Cazals, belted out one of his uncle's hits on it at the Harrods exhibition launch -- the first time the instrument had been played in public since Gallagher's death. "It could do with some new strings," Daniel Gallagher, 25, told AFP. "He liked other guitars -- he had 120 or so -- but getting something that special at 15 and paying for it himself must have meant the world to him." Brian May of Queen, Slash of Guns N' Roses and Velvet Revolver, The Edge of U2, Johnny Marr of The Smiths all cite Gallagher as major infuences on their playing, while Clapton credits him for getting him back into the blues. Donal Gallagher hopes to get the guitar out again for his famous fans to make a tribute album, using his brother's original instruments, equipment and sound. Gallagher's prolific touring means there is plenty of material in the archives. His fan base has not diminished since his death, and a documentary and a DVD of his BBC performances are due for release this year. "Rory wasn't a flash media person, doing anything just for attention," his brother said. "Where the parents took him for granted because he toured all the time, the younger generation get it more than anything. "They seem fed up with being spoon-fed the commercial MTV stuff. It's a great pleasure that they've discovered Rory via download and they feel it's authentic."
Source
Music Biz Greed
Van Halen, Jimmy Page and others allege copyright violations by Vail business owner Steve Lynn Vail, CO Colorado February 22, 2007 VAIL - Several famous musicians are suing a local business owner for copyright infringement for allowing cover bands to play their songs without permission. Van Halen Music Company, Jimmy Page, Robert Plant, John Paul Jones and Patricia Bonham are all named as plaintiffs in a lawsuit alleging that Vail business owner Steven Kovacik allowed public performances of their songs at 8150, the lawsuit says. Kovacik, owner of 8150, said he would not comment on the lawsuit. The lawsuit, which was filed in U.S. District Court in Colorado, names Kovacik and a company named Big Snow Ball LLC as defendants. The plaintiffs alleged 10 counts of copyright infringement because the defendants allowed bands to play 10 copyrighted songs on Jan. 15 and 16 at 8150, the lawsuit says. The plaintiffs are suing for as little as $750 per song and as much as $30,000 per song, plus attorneys' fees, according to court documents. Anthony Juarez, an event coordinator who represents the local band initfortim-who opened for female cover band Lez Zeppelin at 8150 on Jan. 15-said he was surprised by the lawsuit. "Bands cover famous songs all the time," Juarez said. "We cover songs sometimes." The lawsuit contends that the defendants allowed public performances of songs such as "Heartbreaker," "Whole Lotta Love," "Rock and Roll" and "Black Dog," written by Jimmy Page, Robert Plant and other members of Led Zeppelin; "Hot for Teacher," written by Eddie Van Halen and David Lee Roth of Van Halen; and "You Shook Me all Night" written by Angus Young, Malcolm Young members of AC/DC. The defendants failed to obtain a license agreement from the plaintiffs or the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers, according to the lawsuit. Conor Farley, a Denver attorney for the plaintiffs, did not return phone calls seeking comment Thursday night.
Search for the New King of The Blues
You can download 22 backing tracks to start, then get your groove on.
Here is the link:
Click Here For Tracks
Starcity Productions Signs Tyrone Vaughan
This looks promising. Stevie's nephew, Jimmie's kid. Could it be the next blues messiah?
2 things I really like. 1 he didn't record anything because he didn't feel it was right, or he was ready, and 2, he wants to make an analogue album.
Check out the guitar rig description.
AUSTIN, TX. (Top40 Charts/ Starcity Productions) - During the 2006 South by Southwest Festival in Austin, TX, StarCity Production partners Jeff Glixman and Jim Gentile attended a staggering number of live performances in search of music that would capture their attention. Late one evening, the two wandered into a club and were moved by the superb sounds of Tyrone Vaughan and his four-piece band. Shortly after returning home from the festival, Glixman and Gentile reached agreement with Tyrone Vaughan on a production deal. The band is currently completing a 12-song CD at StarCity Recording Company's world-class studio.
'While walking the streets of Austin, I commented to Jim about the lack of ripping guitarists,' stated Glixman. 'I wasn't hearing anything that moved me. We then entered a club, and we saw one guy tearing it up on a Les Paul and another on a Strat. I was immediately taken with the vibe of the performance and the artists. Hearing only the last song of the set, I was duly impressed to the point of speaking with Tyrone to make arrangements for Jim and me to hear the band again the next day. The next step was to bring Tyrone to our studio, StarCity Recording, and see how he and I interacted in the recording environment. I find this the only real way to see if we mesh, and is much better than just talking about it.'
The son of the Fabulous Thunderbirds' Jimmy Vaughan and nephew of guitar legend Stevie Ray Vaughan, Tyrone previously played in the band ¡Breedlove' before forming his own band. Tyrone Vaughan consists of Vaughan and Bruce Castleberry on guitar, John Olrech on bass and Rob Schilz on drums. The music, deeply rooted in blues, is probably best described as modern soul/rock.
'I have gotten real close to the end of some projects but never released anything; thank goodness, because it just wasn't quite right,' said Tyrone Vaughan. 'I still needed to grow as an artist and I needed to meet someone as talented as Jeff Glixman. He is such a positive guy; he is going to get the best out of you and that's what I love. It's his perspective - the way he looks at things, the way he talks to people - he is brilliant in that respect. I knew it was time for me to release something. I have big shoes to fill, but I'm born to do it and I'm having a blast doing it with Jeff and his crew at StarCity.'
The 12-track CD will be recorded and mixed in analog with Glixman and StarCity's Zak Rizvi working as co-engineers on the project. At StarCity, Tyrone's guitar rig will include: a custom-built Matchless Avenger, a 1975 50 Watt Marshall Mark II, a 1964 heavily modified Fender Bassman, a 1968 50 Watt Sound City, a heavily modified 1978 800 Series Marshall Head, an Orange AD 30, and a 1964 Ampeg Gemini I. The recordings will be captured on the studio's Studer A827 Gold 2' analog 24 track recorder. For the mix, Glixman will use StarCity's ATR-102.
'There was no hesitation about how we want to record this CD,' Glixman continued. 'The obvious and only choice is analog. This recording is about killer guitar and natural vocals, with no heavily processed sounds. The type of production we are after demands capturing the sounds of the instruments, not creating them through processing. Both the performances and the sounds will stand on their own'.
'On a musical level, Jeff and I are kindred spirits; I met my match,' continued Vaughan. 'We are both into old, traditional, warm, rich guitar tones. When he told me he wanted to cut to analog, it was music to my ears and it lit up my whole band. The process of analog is more work opposed to digital; you really have to play it right. There really aren't a lot of over-dubs and there really isn't a bunch of double tracking. In the end, we prefer the sound produced by recording to analog.' Glixman adds, 'Recording in this fashion requires a commitment from the artist. There will be no cut and paste; everything will be performed in real time. What you hear is what this group is capable of doing on any given night in live performance.'
A world-class facility located in Bethlehem, PA, StarCity Recording Company offers clientele more than 50 years of combined professional recording experience and the state of the art in 5.1 surround sound.
Buddy Guy To Close Club, Look For New Space
Guy's Legends, at 754 S. Wabash Ave., will close sometime around
June, to make way for a new student center for Columbia College.
Guy, who has been at the South Loop location since 1989, has been
working with the city to find a new spot for his club.
Guy said he wants to stay in the South Loop. "I even looked at the
old E2 club [at 2347 S. Michigan Ave.] two weeks ago," he said. "I'm
having a contractor go in there to see if they can turn it into a
blues club. There's two or three buildings near there the city
recommended I look at."
He had been checking out the historic George Diamond Steakhouse
building, 630 S. Wabash Ave., until it was gutted by fire in October
and had to be demolished.
"Next week I'm looking in the [original] Maxwell street, which is
where the blues started," said Guy, who turned 70 last year.
Columbia College has been planning to build a student center at the
site of Legends ever since the land was donated to the school in
1999. Columbia College spokeswoman Micki Leventhal said the school's
two-year extension on Guy's lease expires May 31.
"We're not ready to start construction on June 1," she said. "We're
willing to be flexible, but eventually we need this space for
expansion."
In a statement, Columbia College pointed out that they have owned
the building where Legends has located since 1989.
"Buddy has been renting space from us at his current "Legends"
location since we acquired that building in 1999," the statement
said. "It was understood from the beginning that this was a
temporary arrangement, and we have extended his lease several times.
"Although his current 2-year lease is up at the end of May, Columbia
is definitely willing to be flexible while Buddy locates a new site
for his enterprise," the statement added.
The statement said the college supports Guy "as a blues artist and
cultural icon," and had presented him with an honorary doctorate
last May.
Guy loved his 754 S. Wabash Ave. location because of its proximity
to downtown and hotels.
"If I can't find another spot in the South or West Loop, I don't
know what's going to happen," Guy said.
Steven Seagal and Thunderbox
I've heard some of this stuff. It is pretty much plain shit in a cardboard wrapper. I like watching him kick the shit out of 4 guys who really need it, but he should put the guitar down, he stinks.
Here is an amusing article:
Action film star Steven Seagal has swapped screen violence for a guitar and a microphone. As he brings his band Thunderbox to Croydon and Gravesend, he talks to PAUL FLECKNEY.
IT IS hard to tell whether Steven Seagal is bored, genuinely talks like a trachemotomy recipient or has just found out his cat has died. Either way, the least he could do is speak up.
Never mind. Let's just revel in the fact that one of Hollywood's biggest names is coming to town as as part of a world tour (OK, Canada, the UK and Denmark) to promote his new album, Mojo Priest.
"I've been playing music since the 50s," growls the thrice-married star. "It's my biggest love, so I'm just showing people who I really am.
"I don't know what people said about Keanu Reeves, Kevin Bacon or that Die Hard guy (he means vest botherer Bruce Willis) and their music. But people can say whatever they want about me."
I ask if it's galling for such a successful chap to be playing smaller venues scattered around the country - rather than, say, Wembley Arena.
He disagrees: "If you understand how powerful the blues is and really love it, that's what blues is about.
Advertisement continued...
"I'm used to the crap juke joints in Mississippi and Texas, it's how I grew up and that's where I'm coming from now so I don't mind doing this."
Steven is most perky speaking about his blues heroes.
"I met Howlin' Wolf. I spotted him one day and I had to meet him as I was a big fan," he says. "I walked up to him and said howl for me man,' and he did his little thing, Aaaooooooooo'!
"There isn't really anyone I want to meet or play with now, they're all dead."
Steven found fame in his 40s after playing a vigilante chef on a navy battleship in 1992's Under Siege.
Up to this point, his life was devoted to buddhism and the martial art of aikido.
He was the first foreigner to open an aikido school in Japan, plus he apparently broke Sean Connery's wrist while working as a martial arts instructor on Never Say Never Again.
His films have grossed $600m worldwide, but getting him to talk movies is an uphill struggle.
"I'd rather not talk about my films," he mutters. "But, you know, if I have to."
Steven, I'm with you on this. I too have seen On Deady Ground.
Small talk is sparse. He can't remember when he was last in London as he is "kinda autistic with time and numbers, I can't answer questions like that".
He is actually friendly, just hard work.
Steven meditates every day, and he does lapse into pensive excursions.
"We live in very politically charged times," he says.
"I didn't agree with the war in Iraq and, the way the West is, we've made it into a religious war.
"But I think all religions are great. They are a vehicle for people to lead their life in a better way."
I let him get back to his rehearsals, where he promises to "make the band hit a bit harder".
Good idea Steven, so long as you get heard above it.
http://www.thisislocallondon.co.uk/leisure/onstage/displa y.var.1125578.0.gig_steven_seagal_and_thu nderbox.php" title="http://www.thisislocallondon.co.uk/leisure/onstage/displa y.var.1125578.0.gig_steven_seagal_and_thu nderbox.php" target="_blank"http://www.thisislocallondon....
Fender Introduces The VG Stratocaster
PRESS RELEASE:
The Stratocaster® of the future is here. After a 10-year research and design partnership with music technology pioneer Roland Corporation, Fender is proud to unveil the first modeling instrument worthy of being called a Strat®. The revolutionary new Fender VG Stratocaster offers guitarists instant alternate tunings, a selection of dead-on electric guitar models, acoustic and 12-string guitar sounds, and more—all with the turn of a knob. No special outboard gear, cables, or accessories required.
This breakthrough instrument means that guitarists no longer have to drag multiple guitars to a gig to get the right sound for each song, or make audiences suffer through mid-set delays while they re-tune instruments or adjust amp settings. In the studio, the VG Stratocaster is equally advantageous, letting guitarists whip through a collection of breathtaking guitar tones without breaking a sweat.
But just as importantly, the Fender VG Stratocaster is at its heart a rock-solid U.S.-made American Series Strat, with all the innate signature tone and feel for which the instrument is so revered. So guitarists can simply pick it up, plug it in, and play.
The Idea Behind the Innovation
Wouldn't it be nice to flip a switch on a Stratocaster and, all of a sudden, be in an alternate tuning? Wouldn't it be nice to turn a knob on its pickguard and suddenly have a clear acoustic guitar sound, the roar of a humbucking pickup, the signature snap of a Telecaster® guitar and the lush fullness of a 12-string?
That was the idea behind the VG Strat: a single, incredibly versatile instrument that delivers 37 serious Fender Stratocaster, Telecaster, humbucking, 12-string and acoustic sounds, plus five alternate tunings, all at the simple flip of a switch or the twist of a knob—and all in the gracefully familiar form of the Stratocaster.
"We felt strongly that keeping the instrument simple was the way to go," said Justin Norvell, Senior Marketing Manager for Fender. "Usually, the more functionality you add, the more complicated an instrument becomes. So we kept the VG Stratocaster pared down to the essentials, making it easy to pick up and play. After all, playing a Fender Strat shouldn't require the study of a phone-book-sized owner's manual"
The VG Stratocaster features that classic sleek, contoured body shape, three American Series single-coil pickups with five-position switching, a maple neck with a maple or rosewood fingerboard, a synchronized tremolo bridge, a three-ply parchment pickguard and chrome hardware. In other words it's a Strat in every sense of the word, with all the magic intact.
But two additional knobs on the VG Strat's pickguard—plus a small LED and an inconspicuous Roland® GK bridge pickup—bring with them some new magic. These two knobs, a Mode Control knob and a Tuning Function knob, serve up incredible and seemingly limitless new sonic possibilities.
The Mode Control knob governs five distinct modeling modes: Normal, Modeled Stratocaster, Telecaster, Humbucking Pickups and Acoustic. In the "Normal" mode, the guitar's three single-coil pickups bypass the VG circuit, for a straight Stratocaster guitar sound.
The Tuning Function knob lets guitarists choose among five alternate tunings (Normal, Drop D, Open G, D Modal, Baritone) and a 12-string sound. And since guitarists don't have to turn a single tuning key, a major benefit of all these instant tuning changes is that the string tension remains the same and the guitar itself feels the same.
Even better, the VG Stratocaster delivers level, balanced tone and volume across all these remarkable functions, so that guitarists needn't continually readjust amp settings with each change in guitar sound.
For more information, visit their web site at www.fender.com.
Blues guitarist Jeff Healey recovering from lung cancer
Hard to believe, only 40 years old. Get well Jeff.
The Toronto-based blues-rock musician Jeff Healey is recovering from surgery to remove cancerous tissue from both lungs.
Healey's publicist said the celebrated blind guitarist underwent a major operation Thursday and is recuperating in a Toronto hospital with family at his side.
Richard Flohil said Healey was diagnosed with lung cancer in December but chose to keep the news private until now.
He said doctors report a successful operation, and noted they caught the disease early due to regular testing.
Flohil said Healey is in good spirits and eager to return to the stage soon.
Healey, an occasional smoker, lost his eye sight to retinoblastoma, a rare form of cancer that left him blind in both eyes by age one. In the past 18 months, he's also undergone two operations to remove two sarcomas in his left leg.
"He varies like anybody in this situation between grumpy and depressed about it to being very positive," Flohil said of Healey's mood. "Most of the time he's pretty positive."
"As Jeff says, 'I've had 40 good years, you get a bump every now and then.'"
The operation comes just days after Healey celebrated the opening of a new blues club in the heart of Toronto's Entertainment District. He performed at a gala opening of Jeff Healey's Roadhouse on Jan. 9, an opening that was originally scheduled for Jan. 10 but moved up to allow time to prepare for surgery on Jan. 11.
Flohil said Healey was eager to play guitar again with his blues-rock outfit The Jeff Healey Band and his classic jazz group, Jeff Healey and the Jazz Wizards, with whom he plays trumpet and guitar.
It wasn't clear how the most recent operation would affect Healey's ability to play trumpet.
James Harman Ripped Off
1946 Gibson ES-350-sunburst, w/3 P-90 pick-ups, in orig. brown case 1946 Gibson L-48-sunburst, gold hardware, deArmond pick-up-brown case
1958 Fender Telecaster-butterscotch/b londe neck w/white pick guard
1959 National Town & Country-Les Paul shape w/2 pick-ups-tweed case 1961 Fender Precision Bass, shell pink, white pickguard 1963 Fender Stratocaster, white, white pickguard-Fender brown case
1964 Supro red fiberglass Resophonic, no cutaway, chrome pie-plate cover
His huge single, EP and LP record collection was also stolen , from the same property. This collection contains all the oldest, coolest, rare blues, Jazz, Soul, R&B, country, hillbilly and old rock & roll 45's, 7"EP's, 10" & 12" Lp's. They were boxed up and neatly stored. This collection represents a lifetime of record collecting.
Some of these items are very rare, hard to find and quite valuable
recordings. Some of the 45's & LP's have hand writing on the
labels or covers from James' high school years. Some have:"Jimmy
Harman" or "JH + DJ" or "Jimmy + Dorothy"
written on the label, the sleeve, or the jacket, with a magic marker.
The 45's were in manila gold or faded red custom sleeves. There
is a goodly number of original 7" single or EP "picture
sleeves" releases.
Many of the 45 sleeves have James' hand printing, listing the label,
title, artist, issue & session number, recording & release
date. Some also list the sidemen on the session, when information
was known.
Record labels include all the good ones plus many very odd & rare ones. Atlantic, Atco, Stax, Chess, Checker, Argo, Trumpet, RCA, Minit, Duke, Peacock, Backbeat, Sureshot, Songbird, Excello, Nashburo, Vee-Jay, Sun, Phillips, Imperial, Savoy, States, Profile, Herald, Blue Note, Prestige, Impulse, and most of the later reissue labels like Document, Yazoo, Red Lightnin' and others. The collection is primarily Blues, Rhythm & Blues, Soul, jazz, old Rock 'n' Roll, hillbilly and country.
These LP's, EP's and 45's are highly collectible and will most likely turn up on actions and/or eBay type sales. The thieves may try to sell them all together, this should be an attention getter. If you notice a large number of serious, old blues, R&B, soul, and Jazz records suddenly show up at too-good-to-be-true prices, please be suspicious! Any legitimate seller will easily be able to document where & how they obtained the records.
Three handguns were also stolen: one antique nickel plated , pearl-handle .45 cal. over/under derringer and two 1962 near-new condition Colt Cobra .38 specials with 1" barrels.
James worked very hard to bring us great music since 1962. It is a shame that some idiot could wipe out a life's worth of collecting in one criminal act. If enough of us are on the look out we may help catch the thieves and recover James' hard-earned guitars & records
Help Willie Kent Fight Cancer
Willie Kent has cancer.
The diagnosis came after a rough winter, the last three months of which he was too ill to work.
This is serious, but not yet a tragedy. He started chemotherapy on March 30, 2005, and so far, the chemo has gone well. On April 15th, just hours after the second chemo treatment, Willie was onstage at Blue Chicago working his first full night since January (and gave an excellent show!). Since then he’s been working his way back to a normal schedule, with a positive eye toward the future.
But he needs help to get there.
As any musician can tell you, if you don’t work, you don’t earn money. As any cancer patient on Medicare can tell you, the medical costs that must come from your own pocket are enormous. Willie Kent started cancer treatment at the end of almost three months without work. That means his medical costs already add up to more money than he has - and the treatments are far from finished.
This is an appeal to friends, fans, and blues lovers: Willie Kent needs financial help to meet his medical costs. Your donation is not tax-deductible; but it will make a very real difference to a great musician who has generously enriched the world of blues.
To make a direct donation online using your credit or debit card, just click on the button below. A new, secure window will open on PayPal’s server to accept your donation. (You don’t have to be a member of PayPal to do this.)
To stay in touch with news about Willie’s performances and well-being, bookmark this website and check back often. Updates will be posted on the News page of this website.
A final note: Every penny of donations made through this website goes directly to Willie Kent. Nothing will be deducted from your gift.
Link
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Buddy Guy - Bring 'Em In Review
There is no doubt that Buddy is winding down a great career in the blues. He has lost a few steps, but he still has great chops, and fabulous tone.
This CD, in many ways, represents an honest look into the painful divorce that Buddy is reputed to have gone through recently.
The CD starts off with the soulful, "Now You're Gone". This anthem gives you a glimpse into the suffering of the man, true blues, straight up. The vocal wraps around you as Buddy crys out. The honesty in Price You Gotta Pay will shake you up, and the hurt in Somebodys Been Sleeping In My Bed will make you think.
Buddy teams up with Carlos Santana and John Mayer. Tracy Chapman, Keith Richards, and Robert Randolph on several tracks, lending to some great guitar licks and vocal harmonies.
The vocals on this CD are outstanding, if not downright haunting. Buddy has never sounded so good. It is a great mix of blues and soul, and true Buddy Guy fans will want to hear it over and over again.
Buddy has aged well, and we can only hope he'll keep making great music like this for many years to come.
Track List:
1. Now You're Gone
2. Ninety Nine and One Half
3. What Kind of Woman Is This
4. Somebody's Sleeping in My Bed
5. I Put a Spell on You
6. On a Saturday Night
7. Ain't No Sunshine
8. I've Got Dreams to Remember
9. Lay Lady Lay
10. Cheaper to Keep Her/Blues in the Night
11. Cut You Loose
12. Price You Gotta Pay
13. Do Your Thing
Michael Locke Keeps The Blues Alive
Whether you play, or listen, if you love high energy, electric blues, then fear not, for Michael Locke and the Repeat Offenders have got it covered.
I stumbled upon Michael Locke while reading an internet blues list. I went to his website, and had a listen. I decided to get both of his CDs.
The first CD is You Done Did It. It is a studio effort. With 12 king size tracks, and a mix of original and cover tunes, this disc has you rockin' before you know what hit you. There are some horns mixed in for good measure, which will have you thinking of Albert Collins. Some really great lyrics that will have you thinking of Little Charlie and the Nightcats. It is obvious that Stevie Ray Vaughan is a major influence, but original chops are evident throughout as well. Overall, a really good collection of tunes. This CD is a must have for fans of electric blues.
The second CD, and the latest effort, is a live disc, Michael Locke and The Repeat Offenders Live - Get Offended.
Anyone who knows the blues also knows the best blues are live blues. This CD will blow you away. This is more or less one big extended jam. These guys go to work, and give you what you need, a major fix of the blues. The energy is intense, and the band is really tight. 10 tracks in all, with a couple of original tunes. Lots of Freddie King and Stevie.
Michael Locke is one talented guitar player. The tone and soul ooze from each track. If you love the blues, this is what you have been looking for.
Our blues heroes are getting old, or have moved on. We're fortunate to have players like Michael Locke keeping it alive for us. Show your support, and give him a listen.
You can purchase the music by Clicking Here.
Both Discs -
Rating out of 5: * * * * *
Gary Moore and the 2 Alberts
The first time I even heard the jam with Albert King and Gary Moore, I was completely blown away.
However, over the last few years, whenever I've looked at it, I've become less and less of a Gary Moore fan. Gary Moore appears to be the classic guy, technically sound, with amazing speed, loud, and absolutely no soul.
When watching this jam, I was disappointed by the lack of respect for Albert King. He was clearly interested only in blowing the great bluesman off the stage. At the start of the jam, Albert holds his jacket open, to more or less cover Moore's guitar neck, and he really isn't smiling. Some might argue that Albert is "hamming it up". I don't see it that way at all. Throughout the tune, Albert is asking the band to turn it down, and sings covering his ear, because they are too damn loud.
Anyway, in the end, I thought that Moore was only interested in over powering the soulful and fabulous Albert King.
Next up, Albert Collins, and as you would expect, the same thing happens. The good news is that Albert is up to the challenge, and meets Gary at center stage twice, in a gunslinger showdown. Those are truly great moments, both in Caledonia, and Too Tired.
All in all, I think it is a good thing Gary went back to the Rock music scene. He isn't cut out for the blues. While he has the chops, he has precious little else. He has an absolutely ridiculous habit of ending every blues song like it is a rock anthem, running back up to the mic during the finale to repeat the chorus line.
I'm sure his intentions were good at the time, but as for Gary Moore, thanks, but I'll pass.
The Iceman at Mount Fuji - Albert Collins Review
To say that Albert Collins had a unique style would likely be the understatement of the blues century.
I just got this disc in, and I've listened to it about 10 times. It is far and away the best live blues cd I've ever heard.
If you've never listened to Albert Collins, trust me, this is the disc to break the ice with. The horns alone would make this disc worth the listen, but add in the blistering guitar solos by Albert Collins, and Pete Thoennes, and you've got a real blues breaker.
There are 2 versions of Same Old Thing on the disc, also 2 versions of Iceman. The extended jams, and sax and trumpet solos are hot. The Frosty wrap up is the icing on the cake. The only thing that could top this set would be having it on video.
Albert Collins was steeped in soul. His rhythms and intensity made his act one of the most gratifying to hear, and with Albert, you are always left wanting more.
The Master of the Telecaster may well be passed on, but sets such as this one will keep his beat alive for all time.
This disc is available from Fuel Records.
Rating out of 5: * * * * *
coming soon
