EWI

[Bright Moments]

what is it? any definitive players? recommended cd's?

inquiring minds want to know!

:bwallace2:

[Chuck Nessa]

Marshall Allen is one.

[Bright Moments]

Marshall Allen is one.

who is that handsome dude in the background!

[rostasi]

I have one and bring it out on occasion to "color" something I'm working on.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EWI

The picture that they show is one of the more modern versions.

Strange that the Steiner model isn't mentioned,

'cause that's the model that, I believe, Marshall is using

(as is the one I own).

Edited August 17, 2007 by rostasi

[Rooster_Ties]

Surprised the wiki article didn't mention anything of the instrument's history, like when it was first introduced?? Anybody know?

I've only had very limited exposure to EWI's and/or EVI's. Mike Metheny (Pat's bro) has played EVI on a few tunes on both of the two gigs I've ever seen with him here in KC over the years. I think that might be all I've ever heard live.

Can't say I've ever heard anything particularly "interesting" with EWI or EVI on record either, but (like with most things) I'm sure there are some interesting recordings out there that I'm just not aware of. Didn't realize Marshall played one (or more likely, I used to know that, but have since forgotten).

[Noj]

Looks like some sort of sophisticated sniper weapon in that case, but while being played it looks like some kind of bong.

[rostasi]

My understanding is that it was a trumpet player

named Neil(?) Steiner (hence the name) that came up with the idea

in the 70's and later joined up with Akai in the late 80's

for mass marketing it. I have to assume that Akai took over

the production and probably used Steiner's name only for the first batch.

[7/4]

I have one and bring it out on occasion to "color" something I'm working on.

Cool photos! I saw one at a guitar show a few years ago. I couldn't believe my eyes.

Edited August 17, 2007 by 7/4

[Rooster_Ties]

Looks like some sort of sophisticated sniper weapon in that case, but while being played it looks like some kind of bong.

So true, so true!!

[Bright Moments]

recommended cd's?

inquiring minds want to know!

:bwallace2:

ahem.......

[rostasi]

Well, I can't recommend any -

or really think of any - 'cause if you check

the links at the bottom of the Wikipedia article,

it's usually used for sucky music.

I think many performers like to use it to imitate other instruments

(why does Brecker follow up Mike Stern's indulgent solo

with a solo that imitates a guitar? ),

so I'm not one to buy such CDs.

I understand that it's used for the music of popular TV shows,

but I watch only a few hours a month, so I don't know these shows.

I think it has advantages for a studio musician in that

you can get these different "instruments"

while carrying something rather small around to the sessions.

Edited August 17, 2007 by rostasi

[7/4]

I seem to remember there's a video of the Sun Ra where most of the people on winds & horns were playing them. I'll have to look around this weekend and see what I have.

[rostasi]

Thanks for the reminder - yes!

I seem to recall this as well...

[Hot Ptah]

I saw Michael Brecker play it very effectively in concert, in 2006, as a member of a Herbie Hancock group.

I saw many of Sun Ra's musicians playing them all at once during a concert in December, 1981, at Merlyn's club in Madison, Wisconsin.

Is that the instrument played by Wayne Shorter on "Three Clowns" on the "Black Market"album?

Edited August 17, 2007 by Hot Ptah

[.:.impossible]

There is a guy named Casey Benjamin that plays saxophones, ewi, flute and keys with DJ Logic. I saw him playing with DJ Logic's band one night in DC five or six years ago when DJ Logic was playing with MMW.

He's on this album:

DJ LOGIC | The Anomoly

I didn't try the links, but it looks like you can listen to full tracks there as well.

Bean-E-Man does feature ewi I think. Also Drone.

Edited August 17, 2007 by .:.impossible

[DukeCity]

I've never heard anyone with their EWI thing more together than Michael Brecker. The technique for playing EWI is just different enough from saxophone that it really is like learning a new instrument. Brecker invested a ton of time to develop phenomenal EWI technique.

Also, as with keyboard synths, a huge part of the whole thing is getting sounds together. In the mid-'80s when Brecker was first getting into the EWI, he hooked up with a programmer named Judd Miller. Judd helped him get sounds together, as well as helping Brecker get a whole rig of sequencers and effects.

Here's a later performance to check out. Maybe not your cup of tea musically, but damn impressive:

[rostasi]

Yup, that's one of the clips

referenced in the Wikipedia article.

It can't really be impressive to me

if it's not my "cup of tea" methinks.