Endorser Update
BadBadNotGood
Canadian band BADBADNOTGOOD have released five critically-acclaimed albums , including a collaboration with Wu-Tang Clan ’ s Ghostface Killah . Their combination of jazz-based musicianship with hip-hop sensibilities has made them an in-demand backing band for many rap and R & B stars , including Tyler , The Creator ; Daniel Caesar ; Mick Jenkins ; and Kendrick Lamar . For their latest project , a new self-produced album expected in early-2021 , the group used an array of gear and plug-ins from Universal Audio .
The UA Apollo interface “ is a pivotal piece of equipment for our process , we use it for all sessions ,” the band says , adding : “ We use UAD plug-ins for multiple instruments that we don ’ t play to flesh out our sound and make it feel more full .” Among the other go-to UA plug-ins used on the new album , the band lists the Helios 69 , Teletronix LA-2 and LA-2A , Precision Delay Modulation , ADA Flanger , Empirical Labs Distressor , Pultec EQP-1A , Ampex ATR- 102 , Oxford Limiter , and Neve 1073 .
Legendary bassist Leland “ Lee ” Sklar has played as a session musician on tens of thousands of songs with some of the best-selling artists of the past 50 years and toured as a sideman with some of the biggest names in
Lee Sklar the business . In all those years , Sklar never recorded a bass part at home . But when producer Gussie Miller asked Sklar to contribute a bass part to a song while stuck at home during the coronavirus pandemic , he hooked up a Solid State Logic 2 + USB audio interface and got back to work .
“ Gussie said , ‘ Is there any way you could put bass on it ?’ I said , I would love to do it , but I have no way of recording ,” recalls Sklar . “ Like everybody else , I ’ m finding new paths . And I ended up with a tool that seems to be exactly what I need to do the things I was thinking about doing … The SSL 2 + interface is the perfect tool for imperfect times !”
PHOTO : TIM SHAHADY
Will Calhoun
Gretsch Drums has added Grammy Award-winning drummer Will Calhoun to its roster of official endorsers . Best known as the drummer of the alternative rock band Living Colour , Calhoun is also a prolific songwriter , producer , has scored several films , and has performed and recorded with a diverse array of notable artists such as B . B . King , Mick Jagger , Paul Simon , Lou Reed , Carly Simon , Herb Alpert , Public Enemy , and more . Calhoun recently took delivery of his Gretsch USA Custom Kit in a custom grain yellow gloss .
“ It ’ s an honour and a pleasure to join the Gretsch drum family and its legacy of great drummers , including Art Blakey , Roy Haynes , Max Roach , Elvin Jones , Tony Williams , Charlie Watts , Mitch Mitchell , Vinny Colaiuta , and Bronx legend and architect of hiphop Erroll ‘ Pumpkin ’ Bedward ,” says Calhoun . “ I ’ m looking forward to exploring and expanding many musical frontiers in my partnership with Gretsch , starting with my Gretsch USA custom drum set !”
Victoria Theodore
Victoria Theodore — pianist for Beyoncé and Stevie Wonder , as well as acclaimed composer , singer , songwriter , and music director — is endorsing the Dexibell Vivo S7 Pro M stage piano .
“ I have a lot of fun with the sounds on the Dexibell . It has such a great range of sounds , and they sound really , really good ,” says Theodore . “ If I ’ m playing jazz or R & B music that has a more traditional sound , then I ’ ll usually just use what sounds are there . Now , if I ’ m crafting my own sounds , or I ’ m trying to create a sonic palette for when I tour with a major artist like Beyoncé or Stevie Wonder , then I ’ ll do my best to program so that it sounds like their record . So , I need a keyboard that has the flexibility to allow me to program , but also have in-house sounds that are easy to use on a pop-up gig .”
46 CANADIAN MUSIC TRADE