WOW - A musician in this new world order works really hard and has NO MONEY!! Those of you trying to survive as players know this oh too well! I still wouldn't trade it for the world! I love music! I love the Sax and winds! AND, I'm having the time of my life!!
SO - I have been running like crazy for the past week some - but also nursing a soar body back form a little rear end accident 2 weeks ago. Then I got a lame cold that slowed me down a bunch but I am coming back from both and working like a dog. I just updated schedules on GOOGLE Calendar and Reverb Nation - the 2 schedules I am keeping current.
I know y'all are from all over the place, but locals can see Greg Vail at -
I have been updating pictures on FLICKr and have all the NAMM Galleries posted now along with some new 2010 stuff. Check out the pics here - FLICKr.com/gvSAXBOY
I will be in session all day today and have been buried trying to finish a new site for a friend. Some cool gigs this month - most amazing for a February!!
So much web chatter in January of every year and so many people that don't know what the music people are talking about!! NAMM 2010 - a look at NAMM from a sax player...
This NAMM Video Clip is all of 8 minutes long and goes way too fast. I shot video as I walked around the NAMM Show Sunday - the last day I was working too much before but did take the chance to check it all out again this year.
Sax player - Woodwind peeps - not much new - seemed like decline was the norm in either quality or presence. The Big 4 are gone. The big one is Yamaha with the big memory being Selmer - resting on its name and past but in decline too.
Watch the clip already.......................
Not very good quality video and it goes real quick. I talked over it and it was not scripted at all - just meant to be a taste of the sights and sounds of NAMM in Sax Land!!! I just took all the clips I had and chained them together.... Hope you enjoy it.
The next video clip TO BE POSTED will be photos from NAMM 2010 with text comments over - these are much better quality and will not seem, or be so rushed. Check back here or favorite the YouTube page to return when ever you might like too! Only other side note - the Channel used for - what I am calling B Clips - is not my main channel. gvSAXBOY is the main youtube channel - this clip and the 2009 NAMM clip are on the "B" Channel - BarnYardSax.
NAMM Pictures - 2010 Winter Show
A COUPLE FAVORITE PICTURES FROM NAMM - LOTS MORE PICs at FLICKr - gvSAXBOY account!!
I have a few sets and galleries up, NAMM Collection and updates are ongoing!!
The Contra Bass Flute ROCKED!!!!!
Hanging with the amazing Vince Gill and Michael McDonald
Hey Blogland - Greg Vail here, living the old story of - lots of posts - not very busy - no posts - buried!
NAMM 2010 was possibly the best week of my life thus far, as a musician! So many amazing things happened and I have been working hard to get some of it posted. The big issue is always time, and the amount of data has made it impossible to keep up with. Tweeting has been a quick fix and I do have a Twitter box on the right side of the BLOG to check if you see no update posts and have come looking....
I have been posting pictures to FLICKr and this link goes to my SETS - you can look thru new picture galleries of NAMM and some left over Christmas event shots I have been posting there.
I have a video started and will post 2 soon on YouTube. For now - 2009 NAMM video was posted just before if you haven't been to the You Tube channel to check it out yet. Gotta get back to work here. A few life issues have really pushed the schedule - very minor car crash - I was hit from behind and am fine but sore - storm damage messed up a fence and required some major tree trimming.
Short update for now. Links to articles, pictures, blogs and sites coming....
Quick post - I have an unexpected morning off during the busiest week of the year so far - not too upset about it this time! Session canceled today - vocal session with a friend that is still sick and not sounding too good!
NAMM SHOW 2010
The fun has officially started! You bloggers that like the news on these things should consider adding me on your twitter - http://www.twitter.com/gvSAXBOY - I will be posting thru the show with regular updates - No one knows how crazy things might get but past shows are a good indicator - NAMM Shows are always a trip!!
Check out footage just posted from 2009 NAMM video clips never released. The vibe, people, music, noise, saxophones, weirdos, and NAMM moments I captured in '09!
What is NAMM?? Only the biggest music trade show in the USA! NAMM stands for National Association of Music Merchants and represents the active Music Manufacturers and Distributors from all over the world, fighting for retail space, both virtual and traditional.
My NAMM duties started a while back - booking events, getting a new Yamaha Sax for demonstration at NAMM, getting music together, reading dozens of emails and sorting out the conflicts, and now starting the official activities I have committed too.
Last night we had rehearsal for the Sunday morning Worship set hosted by Roland at NAMM. Had the rehearsal at Saddleback Church with many of the Saddleback regulars filling the band chairs. Melvin Davis bass, Drew Hestor drums, Gannin Arnold guitar, singers Mike Saxon & Emily G, me (Greg Vail) on sax with Frankie C on trumpet. Rick Muchow is leading some with my dear friend Peggy DuQuesnel and a cool organ guy from Roland - add David Pack from Ambrosia fame and you get the idea.
Don't know why this was not posted when it was done, but posting now..........
It is 2010 and the world is still spinning! I am loving this new year and all the amazing energy I am feeling from all over the place. I know many are struggling and it will be a while before a sense of hope can be felt. But, my world seems to be stirring with anticipation and I love it.
NAMM 2010
My first big event of the year is NAMM. NAMM stands for the National Association of Music Merchants and is a huge music trade show held in Anaheim California mid January every year.
This year NAMM runs from Thursday, January 14-17, Sunday. Held at the Convention Center and running over into area hotels with the worlds music makers and the worlds manufacturers attempting to entice the worlds music sellers for a chance at surviving the worlds economic downturn.
The music industry has been in disarray ever since the digital era unseated the cigar smoking old school derelicts that ran and squandered the music wealth of yesterday. Then the growing world economy with uneducated, severely underpaid, third world labor began using the web to cut into the markets and the bottom feel out with the world economy going bust in the middle of it all.
That was last years NAMM show in a large nut shell. China and others taking a big cut of sales, money was tight and the industry continues to grown from changes that no one can handle very well but the new upstarts from distant lands since it is all up for them.
Last year was a strange show. Many bailed with open spaces on the show floor for the first time since I have gone. Manufacturers shacked together sharing spaces and the theme seemed to be survival. The larger music events were downsized or canceled. The security measures kept all the 'bad' people out and it felt like no one was there at times.
This year - 2010 - there is a sense of hope and some caution. The digital destruction is adjusting as new forms of media begin to be effected. I guess it was easy for most when it was just music, but now books, writers, movies, television, libraries, and even Walmart might feel the hit from these trends. I have always felt that nothing changes until the people in charge feel the pain. How many billion dollar industries must fold before big industry, government and individual consumer costs skyrocket?? Awe - the pain is going global - right where it needs to be to find any solution at all.
I guess that's a wrap on the first decade of 2000. Things went from hard to harder and my industry has been at the heart of much of the pain.
2010 - Where is it going??
If I stopped right here it would be unkind. I believe things are adjusting and a sense of logic and fairness will filter back in as the dust settles. We have every reason for optimism at this point since we have all survived thus far.
NAMM 2010?
Well, we have some big shows going on this year!! I know because I got hired for some of the fun! Of course I am excited to be working with some huge names in the music world, but I am actually more excited to see a direction change from the large music industry companies to get back in the game this year after a lame 2009! I am encouraged by the activity and chance taking. As an independent little sax player, music producer, record label - it marks a change in my business also. Sitting safe in the stables needs to be replaced with the call the CHARGE!! I am ready! SpongeBob says that all the time and that's how I hear it in my head!!
"I'm READY!!!!"
NAMM for Greg this year?
Very cool stuff. I was asked to play the Yamaha Dealer Show Friday night. This is a major production with full orchestra, a great horn section I get to be apart of, and huge industry names performing in a totally state of the art venue in California Adventure - Disneyland - California!! The Hyperion Theater is beautiful!! I love this room! First Class all the way!!
The names I found online performing this year include Natalie Cole, Michael McDonald, Jason Mraz, Vince Gill, Jon McLaughlin and John Ondrasik. Sounds like fun hungh??
The Dealer Show is Yamaha Dealer, NAMM and or people connected to either of the two. They don't sell tickets and it is really a NAMM Show hook up thru Yamaha. I will be at rehearsals all day Thursday and Friday so don't expect to find me on the NAMM Show floor hanging much till Saturday!
Other NAMM events for the SAXBOY include a day of Yamaha Sax Demonstration / Concert fun. I will be hanging at the Yamaha room in the Marriott doing short shows with Tom Zink on Keyboards on Saturday. The Schedule is 11 am, 1 and 3 pm on Saturday and I will be playing the 50th Anniversary White Yamaha Alto 875EX! This is a beautiful new finish and limited 50 piece saxophone that I have had in my hands for a month now - WHAT A TREAT! If you are going to NAMM - STOP IN on Saturday to Yamaha at the Marriott and say HEY!!
Other events - Running out after I finish the Yamaha 3 pm show to play with an amazing ROCK band in Hermosa Beach 530-8pm. Balls of Steal is a Rockin' EWI/Tenor Sax gig with screaming energy at the Lighthouse in Hermosa!!
Cancellation - had to bail on the Dean Grech show on Thursday at 3PM due to rehearsal schedule conflict with the Yamaha show. I hate bailing on people! If you see it listed on the Calendar - NO SHOW for Greg on Thursday. I will be in lock down at Disney......
NAMM 2010 - I will take a thousand pictures - I will talk to everyone I can find - I will play a thousand saxophones - I will shot video - I will have a blast - I will spend the rest of the month writing / sorting / posting / and mindlessly babbling about the show. I think I always do......
One more chance to say - Blessings in this new year!!
This has been an amazingly weird year - hasn't it?!?!
Good things going on, yet a cloud of gloom and concern - even fear at times.
I don't know why, but I have a foolish optimism as we enter 2010 thatseems to defy the recent history that has been so difficult this pastyear. I am excited about 2010 and have lots of cool things I am workingon with high hopes that I will survive financially and excel in mymusic business.
Can't write this off as youthful optimism because I am not a youth andnot naturally very optimistic. I just feel good about life, music,ministry and the doors that are opening!
Tonight I am excited to announce a milestone or 2!!
I follow web stats because often that is the only way to see impact and we all are wanting to have a positive impact!
YOUTUBE - the counter always reads a day or 2 behind, but - tonight,when the 12-28 numbers are added - I will have over half a millionvideo views to celebrate!! I think that is HUGE!!! NO stupid clips! NOdrugged children or animals harmed! NO drunk girls dancing or kidsbreaking a leg! JUST MUSIC! Saxophone videos, Flute clips, Christmasvids - you know - normal, individual musician, self posted andpromoted, quality clips as good as I could get them and with my music!
I think that is amazing!!
So - more boring numbers for all but the web heads out there-
Jan 1, 2010
FLICKr - over 20,000 pictures viewed - 3500 pictures uploaded in 1 year biggest single day pics viewed in Dec 09 - 781
You Tube - 39 videos - 500,000 Video Views in 20 months - 16,000 page visits - 280 subscribers biggest video day in Dec 09 - 1700 vids watched
My Space since May 07 - - 136,000 visits - 132,000 tracks played
Twitter since mid 09 - 200 followers - 600 Tweets
Face Book since 09 3500 friends 8 pages and 2850 fans total
Greg Vail dotcom since 2000 600,000 visits and over 1.2 million pages viewed Biggest Month ever this December - 25,000 pages
DECEMBER 2009 Over 120,000 Page Views - nearly 50 gigs of transfer over 20 websites - NOT including all the socials, forums, news groups and other public sites I have no way to track!!
Biggest numbers are all recent for everything - all across the web! Theweb is not dead for music if the numbers have all hit new records thispast month or two.
I might be accused of bragging here. I don't have a problem with that.If hard work and crazy persistence generate desired end products - andbeing excited about that is bragging - then I guess I am....
The point is - I am excited to see what 2010 will bring when 2009 endedup looking a lot better than it felt much of the time!!!!
Lets look up and expect good things this new year! I would suggest your expectations will be met either way....
After Christmas - things slow down bit and it is time to clean up the mess and pack up the goods.
Might I suggest getting out to some live music in your city! If your city is anywhere near my city, come down and see some great live music!!
When it slows down, it's a great time to get out! When you are cleaning up, it's a great time to take a break and mess up someone else's house. Get out and enjoy a little real live music!!
RADIO ----- Jazz Poetry Show on KPFK - 12/23 at 2PM
KPFK Jazz Poetry Christmas Show tomorrow - Wed 2PM - 30 minute show KPFK 90.7 FM Los Angeles - 98.7 FM Santa Barbara Listen Live on the internet here - http://kpfk.org/listen-live/audiofaq.html Streaming FAQ to hear the show live from your computer!
I will post the Archive once they have it posted. You have 60 days to go back and here the funky/artsy Jazz and Poetry thing online!
We are on at 2:20, 49:56, 1:31:40 and close at 1:48:50 in a 2 hour show - BUT - You can skip around!
CHRISTMAS SERVICES --- Saddleback Church
Wednesday Dec 23 - 3, 5, and 7 PM Thursday Dec 24 - 1, 3, 5, and 7 PM
Free MP3 Downloads - FREE to you and anyone you would like to give them to - FREE gifts are good!! Smooth Jazz Christmas - Downloads Page 6 tracks of fun Christmas Music for you to give to friends for free.... No email, sign up, sign in, pay pop ups, evil or trickery involved!! FREE TRACKS to say MERRY CHRISTMAS!!
CHRISTMAS TOUR PICTURES NOW ONLINE
I just finished uploading 350 images to FLICKr with descriptions and details to all the silly fun on the road last week! The link to the pictures are here - Christmas 09 Watch the pictures in a cool slide show here - Christmas 09 Slide Show
Busy season of great people, fun, travel and blessings!!
An amazing week has come to a close. I have been in the South playing at some awesome Baptist Churches! Charles Billingsley was an awesome leader as always! The band - John, Adam, Will, Matt and Charles and I had an amazing time eating, playing, laughing and eating some more!
The link to see some of the tunes live on TBN Christmas with Charles Billingsley is - http://www.tbn.org/watch/files/index.php?file=2009_12_15_100k.wmv&show=85 Should be a direct link to the show or you can hit TBN - ARCHIVE - http://www.tbn.org/watch-us/archives - Click the date link listed - Tuesday Dec 15, 2009 Charles Billingsley hosts Greg Vail, Stan Whitmire, Higher Ground, Steve Darmody and Mike & Kelly Bowling in Atlanta, GA
We are on at 2:20, 49:56, 1:31:40 and close at 1:48:50 in a 2 hour show - BUT - You can skip around! I have a solo and interview in the show and it turned out pretty good even though I was a little freaked to be talking on TV.
SmoothJazzChristmas.com has the free music - MP3s to Download.
I pray you have a blessed Christmas!
Pictures coming once I get home and get them all sorted.
My first big event of the year is NAMM. NAMM stands for the National Association of Music Merchants and is a huge music trade show held in Anaheim California mid January every year.
