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NAMM stands for National Association of Music Merchants. And the '2006 NAMM Show' just happened this weekend (Jan 19-22) at the Anaheim Convention Center.

I attended on Saturday, when Anaheim was literally buzzing with people. The Convention Center's parking lots were full to capacity. It took me about twenty minutes to find a parking spot about half a mile away from the Center. The City's parking officers were cashing in, writing tickets to all those who gave up on finding a proper spot and parked... well... anywhere.

It happens that the NAMM Show is quite a big event for the music industry. It is the weekend when the music manufacturers send their endorsees to Anaheim to entertain and attract thousands of potential buyers. Four floors of the Center were full of instruments, digital systems, DJ equipment, and any imaginable music related item, catered to the attendees, whose music preference you could tell just by looking at them.

NAMM meant that there were lots of very talented people in Anaheim this weekend. For the percussion exhibit, for example, the respected timbalero, and LP endorsee, Ralph Irizarry, flew in from New York. At the Pearl exhibit I saw Bobby Allende, Jesus Diaz, and Francisco Aguabella, between others. Toca Percussion had Sheila E.

It also meant that many of our local musicians showed up, perhaps to see the exhibit, perhaps to hang out with their peers from out of State.

To my luck, NAMM also allowed for some folks that have little to do with the music industry, such as myself, to learn from, and ga-ga over, a few artists. Just as I did Thursday evening over Irizarry, and well... over George Balmaseda too, the singer for the Susie Hansen Band. [http://www.susiehansen.com]

That Thursday, my friend Shelly Lee, an upcoming timbalera herself, organized a workshop to be taught by Irizarry at Charlie Becker's studio in downtown L.A. [Charlie is the director of 'Los Puros', the band I wrote about in an older story.]

Eight timbaleros attended the workshop and just as expected, Irizarry showed them his 'abanicos', and bell patterns. In fact, the music you hear on the background (and on the main page) is Irizarry playing leisurely during the workshop. No warm up, no rehearsal, he just sounds that great!

He also told fun stories about a fascination with the timbales that started when he was 16 years old, and that turned into a music career still ongoing.

It was nice, and a rare opportunity, to hear him talk about his early admiration for the timbalero Orestes Vilatos, his recollections of the Salsa scene in New York back when its musicians were seen as bigger-than-life 'stars', and even of more mundane things, such as the absolute "right way" to make an egg cream.

Occasions to sit around a table with people which we normally see only up on stage are rare here in L.A., and I am glad NAMM allowed for this one.

I am thrilled to have seen a bit of it, and rightfully thank my friend Shelly for making it happen ... [and hope she'll do the same next year! hint hint]

Now, here's some pictures...

Workshop with Ralph Irizarry, Thursday Jan 19th..

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