NAMM 2012: Celebrating our first booth space!

Once a year music manufacturers from all over the world converge on Anaheim, California to show their newest offerings to over 90,000 people who attendthe massive NAMM show. The Bob Moog Foundation first showed up at NAMM in January 2007 with a tiny kiosk at the far end of the lobby, along with several other music related non-profit organizations. Traffic was slow and we soon found ourselves hanging out with our friends at Moog Music in their well attended booth on the NAMM floor. The next year, and for the three that followed, Moog Music welcomed us into their booth, giving us a four foot table and an enormous amount of exposure. After five years of attending NAMM, 2012 marked the year that the Bob Moog Foundation was able to step out with our very own booth.

Our very first booth at NAMM 2012, featuring Bob and the generations of children his legacy will inspire

 

Having our own booth was a signal to the industry of our growth over the past year. The interest in our projects was palpable from the very first day.  Executive Director Michelle Moog-Koussa, Archive and Education Specialist Marc Doty, and rockstar volunteer Susan Granados spoke to hundreds of people over the weekend, sharing with them videos and photos of our progress with Dr. Bob’s SoundSchool and our work with Bob’s archives.  The response was fantastic. People continue to show great interest and enthusiasm in our projects. In particular, we had many, many inquiries about when Dr. Bob’s SoundSchool would be available at a national level, and many requests to adapt the program for children with special needs. We’ll be working on both of  those possibilities over the next several months.

One of the most special things about NAMM is the reverential energy  for Bob that converges on our booth through visits from all kinds of people. This year, the love and respect for Bob and the legacy that grew from his lifelong dedication to “making tools for musicians” (his words) was evident in the variety of people that came by our booth to show their support of our efforts.

 

Michelle looks on as Lisa Harriton, former keyboardist for the Smashing Pumpkins, stopped by after her performance at Roland to explore our custom educational synthesizer, the Dewanatron Novitiate.

 

Bryan Bell (former engineer and keyboard tech for Herbie Hancock, Santana, INXS and Neil Young), Chairman of the Board of Directors for the Bob Moog Foundation, stopped by to make sure we were all working hard and behaving ourselves. A special thanks to Bryan for your tireless work on our behalf over the past year and a half.

 

Legendary sessions synthesist, Michael Boddicker and Keyboard Magazine founder Dominic Milano gather at the BMF booth.

 

Marc Doty with Morris Hayes, keyboardist for Prince. Marc and Morris know each other from the days when Marc worked at Paisley Park.

 

Super talent Morris Hayes,  keyboardist for Prince, explores the Novitiate. He spoke to us with great reverence about meeting Bob, and about the impact that Moog instruments have on his work.

 

Michelle and Russ Paul (Les Paul’s son) catch up and talk about their fathers. Les was one of Bob’s idols. In the mid-70s, they  had a chance to work together on a guitar amplifier, the Lab Amp, for Norlin, the then parent company to Moog Music and  Gibson.

 

Marc Doty confers with Mike Garson, keyboardist for David Bowie, prior to filming a testimonial about Bob’s influence on his musical career.

 

Wow! Mike Garson and Herbie Hancock converge at the Bob Moog Foundation booth.

 

The legacy is alive in these gentlemen: Herbie Hancock, Patrick Moraz and Mike Garson. Michelle basks in the glow of  it all as Marc Doty takes it all in from behind. Marc got a chance to interview each one of these gentlemen. Keep your eyes out for his upcoming videos!

 

Susan Granados with Phyllis and Patrick Moraz on the NAMM floor.

 

Crowds gathered as Stevie Wonder stepped into the Bob Moog Foundation booth. It was an extraordinary moment — grace and integrity filled the air. Such is the aura of this amazing human being.

 

After talking for a few minutes about the progress with Dr. Bob’s SoundSchool, and Michelle and Stevie’s mutual desire to adpot the program for children with special needs, Michelle gets a wonder-ful hug from Stevie.

 

Marc Doty films Alex Wurman as he talks about his father’s early recordings on the Moog modular synthesizer. Alex’s father, Hans Wurman, recorded such records as  The Moog Strikes Bach (1969) and Chopin À La Moog (197

 

Digidesign c0-founder Evan Brooks hangs out with Michelle inside the BMF booth.

 

BMF Artist endorser and monster synthesist Erik Norlander stopped by with his lovely and talented wife, symphonic rock vocalist Lana Lane (second from right), and his bandmate John Payne (far right). BMF supporter and Norlander/Lane fan Michael Gough joined in for a group photo.

 

A huge thanks to everybody who cam by the booth to express their interest and support! We we honored to be part of  the energy and legend that is NAMM. See you again next year!