Mr. Bonzai Hosts Bernie Grundman, Gavin Lurssen, Stephen Marsh & Doug Sax

Pictured clockwise from top left are mastering engineers Bernie Grundman, Doug Sax, Stephen Marsh, and Gavin Lurssen.

The National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) has announced that the H.O.T. Zone will present “Mastering Engineers on Optimizing for Multiple Release Formats.”  Hosted by Mr. Bonzai, the panelists are Bernie Grundman, Gavin Lurssen, Stephen Marsh & Doug Sax.  The event takes place at 12:30pm on January 20 in Room 203 of the Anaheim Convention Center.

Mastering is described by panelist Bernie Grundman as “basically post-production for the recording industry — the final creative step before delivery to the public as physical vinyl, CD, or any of the various digital formats.”

The name Bernie Grundman is synonymous with Mastering.  His world renowned facilities, responsible for a consistently large percentage of chart recordings, were launched in 1984, following Grundman’s 15-year tenure with A&M Studios.  In 1997, Grundman opened his Tokyo mastering studios and in 1998 relocated to expanded facilities in Hollywood.

Gavin Lurssen established himself in 1991 as a prominent mastering engineer in the industry, and has earned three Grammy Awards and a Latin Grammy Award. Lurssen’s work has been recognized with two TEC awards in 2008 for Mastering and for Outstanding Facility as well as with a Berklee College of Music Distinguished Alumni Award.

A native New Yorker, Stephen Marsh came west at 19 to take a job at Sony’s West Coast Mastering operation, working under David Mitson.  Having now spent half his life behind the mastering console, he has been fortunate enough to count Grammy(r) nominees and winners, multiple Gold and Platinum albums and numerous chart successes among the releases to his credit.

Doug Sax opened the doors to The Mastering Lab Hollywood in 1967, founding one of the first independent facilities in the world, as well as the most recognizable name in mastering. Now located in Ojai, California, The Mastering Lab remains a revolutionary, state-of-the-art company, utilizing unique signal flow concepts and unequaled electronics pioneered by Doug’s brother, Sherwood Sax.

“Providing relevant and high-value education programs to the thousands of pro-audio and live sound members of NAMM is one of our key objectives,” said Joe Lamond, president and CEO, NAMM. “The role of technology continues to expand and we believe that this unique educational opportunity at the 2012 NAMM Show makes attendance a must for anyone working in this important segment.”

The H.O.T. Zone is a feature of the 2012 NAMM Show, which will be held at the Anaheim Convention Center, Jan. 19-22, 2012. For more information, please visit http://www.namm.org/thenammshow/2012

“Fairy Tales Can Come True” Little Tokyo, Los Angeles, ©1987;  Exhibition Excellence Award; All City Art Open, 1989; Municipal Art Gallery, Barnsdall Art Park;  Judges: Merry Norris and Henry Hopkins.

Children’s Day, a national holiday in Japan, is also celebrated in Little Tokyo, downtown Los Angeles. I was asked by Hirokazu Kosaka, of the Japanese American Center, to make these large scale mural drawings, based on the paintings of Henri Rousseau. In the shadow of the stone sculptures of Isamu Noguchi, I took this photo of a young artist as she went to work on my giant coloring book.

Click here.

“Santa Claus would have to travel at 40,000 miles a second to reach all of the children on Christmas Eve.”  — Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California

Santa’s Secret Sled ©1979

Oscar-winning animator Bruce Lyon and award-winning photographer/author David Goggin have written the next chapter in the myth of Santa Claus, the North Pole, and Christmas itself. Santa’s Secret Sled is the story of how Santa and his extended family deliver on the promise of Christmas, an extraordinary feat of teamwork and technology. It’s a race against time and ultimately Santa has to choose: save his family or save Christmas. Which would you choose?

Click for larger view.

For three decades, this novella has circulated among our families and friends, as a good folk tale should.  We have decided this year to share our story, and we welcome your comments and those of your families and, most importantly, your kids.

Wishing you a kowabunga holiday season!

–  Uncle David and Brother Bruce

For a free download of the manuscript, click HERE.  Link expires 12.31.11.

Approximate storyteller’s time: 60 minutes.  Commercial free.

What is the Secret of Mark Mothersbaugh’s youthful good looks, in spite of being a popular and enduring musical figure since the birth of New Wave? In this exclusive short, Mark reveals the Secret and then improvises a romantic little dittie with his harpsicord.

New album, “I’m With You,” coming August 30.  Check out the final video episode on the right.

BONZAI: What is the best part about being a Chili Pepper?

SMITH: I think it is being in a group that gets to do whatever we want. We are really free to express ourselves as people, and as musicians and a band. There is no restraint and there is no pressure to be like anyone else.

Read more at my Pro Sound News blog here.

Order “FACES of MUSIC” here. Order “MUSIC SMARTS” here. Order both and get free shipping from Amazon.

New album, “I’m With You,” coming August 30.  Check out the new video on the right.
Order “FACES of MUSIC” here.      Order “MUSIC SMARTS” here.   Order both and get free shipping from Amazon.

BONZAI: What did you learn from your years of working with Flea?

SMITH: Flea has his own universe and he is the first bass player that I played with who never relied on me for time. He had his own time. He listens to me, and I listen to him, but he is never waiting for that backbeat or timing. We count it off, and then just go.

Certainly back in the early days we had a lot of energy all the time, it was just a top energy, athletic style of music. It was all about burning as hard as you could all the time.

Later on, I also learned from him about being more musical, and playing with better dynamics. As a rhythm section we have been playing for 20 years together. But we rarely speak about how we are going to play. When we are writing songs, we will talk about parts and try things out, but in general, there is very little conversation about what we do on our instruments. It’s musical telepathy that only comes together from playing together for a long time. I don’t think you can manufacture that. We just do it, and we just know by looking at each other. I think that is very special, and I feel very lucky to have that kind of musical relationship with someone.

Read more at my Pro Sound News blog here.