101st NAMM Focuses on
Past and Future
Show Provides Plenty of Memorable Musical Highlights

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>> Alien Ant Farm's Terry Corso signs autographs at the Marshall booth. >>

>> Anaheim, CA - January 16-19, 2003 >> Chances are, you've never been to NAMM.   You've probably never heard of it or figure it's some sort of vague war reference.   It isn't.

NAMM is, to those who have attended or attend on an annual, a musician's Mecca.  It is the Holy Land of All Things Music.  You plan your year for that fateful weekend in January when the world stops and your sole focus is the Anaheim Convention Center in Anaheim, CA.  It may be across the street from Disneyland, but for those attending winter NAMM (summer NAMM is in Nashville every year), Disneyland is an afterthought.

That's no exaggeration - NAMM, which used to be the National Association of Music Merchants but is now called the International Music Products Association, brings together the majority of the world's music products makers to show off their wares and give people a taste of what's to come.  Though not open to the public, the impact of this show on the music buying public can not be underestimated - this is where buyers from music stores across the nation meet to decide what's going to end up on store shelves for the coming year.

This is the one place where, as we did, you can run into New Found Glory's Ian Grushka at the Gallien-Kruger booth and talk shop, without worrying about a crush of fans mobbing the scene.  Or, on the opposite end of the spectrum, you can be browsing the Gibson Guitars showroom and, upon hearing the opening strains of "Sweet Home Alabama," turn to find out it's the members of Lynyrd Skynyrd casually strumming away.  If, say, you're a bassist, this is the place where you can see everything from the heavy hitters like Gibson and Fender right on down to the superb boutique makers like Zon or Ken Smith, without a salesman hanging over your shoulder.

>> The legendary Dick Dale, King of the Surf Guitar. >>

While that air of exclusivity does exist, and rightly so, NAMM functions on a much more important level than hobnobbing with stars.  This is where the most important industry announcements are made and where the music community comes together to ensure that it's legacy is one of giving back to the global community and ensuring that music remain a vital part of life.

One of the biggest announcements of the show came from the world-renowned Berklee College of Music, which announced the launch of berkleemusic.com, an amazing resource for advanced instruction, networking and job location, all in one very clean platform.  It's a brilliant combination: Berklee, the music school that all musicians wish they could attend, taking advantage of the technological advancements of the Internet.

>> Berklee Music's David Kusek addresses the media. >>

"We have more people interested in attending Berklee than we've had professors for," said David Kusek, vice president for Berklee Media, a division of Berklee College of Music.  "Now we can accommodate that demand.   Where it might had seemed impossible for someone to pick up and move to Boston, now they can get the best of what we have to offer, right from their own home."

Berkleemusic.com offers selections ranging from the basics, Music Theory 101, through to Accelerating Your Music Career, an invaluable tool for the serious musician who needs that extra knowledge.  They also offer Songwriting Workshop, Promotion 101 and a variety of other valuable classes.

[Editor's Note: As an opportunity for our readers to get an inside view of how the process works, in the coming months VOXonline.com is going to run a weekly diary as one of our senior writers, who is also a performing musician, takes a berkleemusic.com class.  We'll give you feedback, insight and more.]

With all that was going on, what turned out to be far and away the most exciting and memorable event at this year's NAMM show was the concert to honor Sir Elton John, sponsored by Yamaha.  The show, with proceeds benefiting music education, was held at the Arrowhead Pond in Anaheim CA and was hosted by the comically gifted Eric McCormack of “Will & Grace.”  It featured performances of Elton John songs by industry notables Vanessa Carlton, Ray Charles, Nikka Costa, Bruce Hornsby, Jewel, Norah Jones, Diana Krall, Michael McDonald, Brian McKnight, Randy Newman, Take 6, Rufus Wainwright, and the incomparable Brian Wilson.  During a break in the performances, Sir Elton was presented with the Yamaha Music Lifetime in Musical Excellence Award. 

>> In one area, you could try all of Ludwig's metal snares...

The evening’s highlights included Jewel’s heartfelt version of “Your Song,” Brian Wilson’s poignant cover of “Someone Saved My Life Tonight,” and the ovation-inducing “Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word” by Ray Charles.  John performed an outstanding duet with singer/songwriter John Mayer, reworking “Sacrifice” into a lush, two-part harmony, as Mayer accompanied John’s band on rhythm guitar. John capped off the stellar evening with an hour-long set of both his classics (“Funeral for a Friend/Love Lies Bleeding,” “Saturday Night’s Alright for Fighting,” “Crocodile Rock”) and contemporary hits (“Circle of Life,” “I Want Love”). 

...then turn around and try all the wood snares. >>

John’s band, featuring original drummer Nigel Olsson and original guitarist and music director Davey Johnstone, was absolutely rock steady, cranking out faithful John classics with fresh enthusiasm, and accompanying each vocalist with focused dynamic intensity.  Proceeds from the show went to the American Music Conference (AMC), the International Foundation for Music Research (IFMR) and the Museum of Making Music.

Once again, the show kicked off another exciting year for NAMM and the music industry as a whole as the show continues to grow and improve.  Though you may not know anything about it, NAMM is one of those events that effects all musicians and music fans alike.

by Fred Shook, exclusive to voxonline.com.