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CITES Lifts Rosewood Permitting Requirements  
THE MUSICAL INSTRUMENT industry cheered when the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) voted at its 18th Congress of Parties held August 18 in Geneva, Switzerland to dramatically reduce the permit requirements for cross-border shipments of instruments containing rosewood. The move effectively reversed a 2016 ruling that required securing an export permit for every instrument exported by manufacturers, as well as instruments carried across national borders for personal use.
Successfully lobbying CITES in Geneva (l-r) David Eynck, Paul Reed Smith Guitars; Cindy Squires, International Wood Products Association; Scott Paul, Taylor Guitars; Heather Noonan, League of American Orchestras; Frank Untermyer, C.F. Martin & Co., Inc.; Betty Heywood, NAMM; Jacques Carbonneaux and Fanny Reyre, French Musical Instrument Organization; Michael Jousserand, Confederation of European Music Industries; Rob Garner, Forest Based Solutions; John Bennett, International Association of Violin and Bow Makers; and Mike Bayer, Fender Musical Instruments Corporation.
 
 
   Under the newly approved revisions to "Annotation 15," which covers trade in rosewood, instrument manufacturers will still be required to secure CITES permits for all unfinished imported rosewood logs, boards, and veneers. However, completed instruments, instrument parts, and accessories can now be shipped globally without the need for any CITES paperwork. Individuals will also be able to transport their instruments across borders without the need for permits.
   In one of the rare instances when the organization actually reduced permitting, the CITES vote was prompted when instrument makers and associations including NAMM, the League of American Orchestras, CAFIM, the European music industry umbrella group, the International Association of Violin and Bow Makers, and the French Musical Instrument Association lobbied CITES to revise Annotation 15 for the past three years. Global customs organizations, overburdened by the permitting requirements, also advocated for streamlining the rosewood rules. In the U.S. alone, the 2016 regulations swamped the Fish and Wildlife Service, as CITES permit requests more than tripled to 60,000 annually.
   The CITES rosewood regulations were abruptly put into place in January 2017, taking the music industry by surprise and significantly slowing global trade in guitars, woodwinds, and various stringed instruments as manufacturers scrambled to develop compliance protocols. Larger producers including Fender, Gibson, Martin, and Taylor had the scale to manage the new permitting requirements, but still struggled. Frank Untermyer, supply chain director at Martin Guitars, said the administrative burden on his company "could not be overstated." Scott Paul, director of natural resource sustainability at Taylor Guitars, added that the rosewood regulation was hastily drafted and caused bureaucracies around the world to issue "an obscene amount of permits." Many smaller manufacturers and individual luthiers simply abandoned export markets.
   The rosewood regulations were prompted by concerns of over-harvesting tropical hardwood forests, spurred by the surging demand for rosewood furniture in China. However, the CITES committee was unaware of the fact that their permitting regime placed serious burdens on instrument makers and performers. Paul indicated that CITES was receptive to the instrument makers' plea for relief "because we have a solid record of responsibly sourcing wood, and because we willingly supported permitting on unfinished wood." The fact that the music industry accounts for approximately one tenth of one percent of rosewood consumption also had some bearing.
   The CITES vote in Geneva is an unalloyed victory for the music industry. All those who trade in guitars, stringed instruments, woodwinds, and even pianos (rosewood is often used in piano hammers) have been freed from a cumbersome administrative burden. However, Paul says the industry shouldn't get complacent. "It's likely that CITES may consider other important wood species," he says. "We need to remain engaged and vigilant." 
   
Amazon Under Fire  
THREE U.S. SENATORS have called on Amazon.com to step up efforts to remove unsafe and improperly labeled items offered for sale on its website. Their action comes after a recent Wall Street Journal investigative report uncovered 4,152 items for sale on Amazon that either failed to include mandated safety warnings, had been declared "unsafe" by the Consumer Protection Agency, or lacked Underwriters Laboratory (UL) approval. In one instance, a faulty motorcycle helmet that had been fraudulently labeled "Department of Transportation Approved" was linked to a traffic fatality.
   To read the full article, CLICK HERE.
  
 


Andy Powers Named Taylor Guitars' Third Partner
MASTER GUITAR DESIGNER Andy Powers has joined Taylor Guitars co-founders Bob Taylor and Kurt Listug as the company's third partner. The Taylor team believes this promotion for Powers, a driving force behind Taylor guitar development and innovation since his arrival in 2011, solidifies a bright future for the acoustic guitar manufacturer.
Andy Powers (center), Taylor's newest partner, with founding partners Bob Taylor and Kurt Listug.
 
   "I'm thrilled to build guitars and continue this fascinating work I've been pursuing since I was a young boy," said Powers. "It's a genuine pleasure to be able to design the best instruments I can and, within the context of Taylor Guitars, have an opportunity to serve musicians around the world."
  Dedicated to growing the business around a passion for guitar innovation, Taylor and Listug said that as they look to the future, they want to ensure that Taylor's drive to make better guitars is preserved. Powers' talent for guitar design made him their ideal choice to lead Taylor's product development for decades to come.
   "Kurt and I have been the sole owners of Taylor Guitars for decades," said Taylor. "Andy is the best guitar builder I have ever met. If anyone ever deserved to be called 'partner' with me and Kurt, it is Andy. He's vital to our future."
   Since joining Taylor, Powers has delivered a steady stream of musically inspiring innovations to the Taylor line. His designs include: V-Class bracing, a groundbreaking new internal architecture for the acoustic guitar; Builder's Edition models, which boast unique contouring and other exclusive player-friendly features; and the new Grand Pacific body shape, an entirely new flavor of Taylor tone that has broadened the sonic appeal of the company's guitars.
  Listug said Powers would help carry on the same kind of partnership dynamic he found with Taylor. "What's unique about Bob and me, and our partnership, is that one of us is a guitar maker and engineer, and the other is a businessman and sales and marketing person," said Listug. "That combination, and our shared ethics and values, are what has set us apart. Since Bob identified Andy Powers as the person to lead the company's guitar design into the future, we've all witnessed Andy's talents and seen the improvements he's made to our guitars, as well as his advancements to acoustic guitar design. We're proud to have Andy join Bob and me as a partner and shareholder in Taylor Guitars."

Assailant Bludgeons Bull With Banjo   
BANJO PLAYERS' LONG QUEST FOR RESPECT absorbed a setback in early September when a Texas man used a makeshift metal banjo to bludgeon the iconic Charging Bull sculpture outside the New York Stock Exchange.  
   The bull was a gift to the U.S. from Italian artist Arturo Di Modica in 1989, and it has served as a monument to financial optimism in the U.S. financial markets ever since. No specific intent for the actions of the man, identified as Tevon Varlick, have been revealed, though he was said to have been playing gospel music on a portable speaker during the attack, and had cursed President Trump with each swing of his banjo. He was also wearing a shirt emblazoned with "Let Us Not Forget The Ten Commandments."
   Damage was relatively minor, primarily to the bull's right horn, but restoration costs have been estimated to run as high as $150,000. The costs of rehabilitating the banjo's image remain unquantified.
 
 
 Martin Guitars Spotlighted In Yesterday  
HE'S GIVEN UP on his music career and he's just been struck by a bus, but things start to turn around for the hero of the movie Yesterday when he opens up a get-well present from his best friend. It's a gleaming new Martin guitar, and you're about to see a lot of it. Released in theaters this summer, Yesterday follows struggling musician Jack Malik (Himesh Patel) through a strange cosmic twist that's caused the entire world to forget the Beatles ever existed--except for him. Set mainly in the U.K., the film includes more than a dozen Beatles songs performed by Patel.
Yesterday star Himesh Patel signs a Martin CEO-7 for display in the Martin Guitar Museum.


   For the acoustic guitar he plays on set--actually, there were three of them--filmmakers went to Westside Distribution, C.F. Martin & Company's U.K. distributor, to find the right model. "[They] were adamant that Martin was the right choice for the film due to the heritage of the brand and the connection to the Beatles," said Westside's Andy Haldane. The Westside showroom in London's Denmark Street closed to the public while Patel and Director Danny Boyle made their selections, and they had a few requests. Because they wanted to record most of the music in the film as live performances, they needed three of the same guitar to allow for quick set changes. An accomplished musician in real life, Patel had his own requirements, trying out guitars from across the Martin range to find a comfortable body shape and neck profile. Although he and the team originally looked for a matte-finish model to reduce reflections on camera, he ended up falling in love with the gloss-finished CEO-7, a 00 slope-shoulder-body guitar with a modified V neck, and that's the one that made the cut. Patel later autographed one of them for display at the Martin Guitar Museum in Nazareth, Pennsylvania.
   "Himesh is a lovely guy, and very talented indeed," Haldane said. "Danny was really charming--he had a real depth of understanding of both the Beatles and Martin Guitar--and we were absolutely confident that not only would the film be superb, but that Martin Guitar would be represented in the best possible light."
  When he later attended the Yesterday premiere in London's Leicester Square, Haldane said, he was touched by the guitar's significance in the bond between Jack and Ellie (Lily James)--his friend turned manager turned soulmate. From the scene where he first plays it, with a heartfelt rendition of "Yesterday," to a later scene with a group of school kids and a merry chorus of "Obla-Di-Obla-Da," Jack's CEO-7 ends up at the center of some of the film's most uplifting moments. "The Martin featured in all of the positive scenes of the film and was never used in any moments of conflict or upset," Haldane noted. "As such, it was almost a physical embodiment of that emotion, and that made it such a powerful element of the film."

       


 Korg Acquires High-End Drum Brand Sakae 
KORG HAS ACQUIRED the brand of the venerable Japanese drum manufacturer Sakae. Operations will take place in Osaka, where new models will be developed using designs by key members of Sakae's product and design team. Sakae intends to build on its legacy and plans new product releases for this fall through 2020 and beyond.
Sakae Osaka Heritage President Norio Iwasaki.
 
   "Sakae Osaka Heritage is proud to open a new chapter in its storied history," said Sakae Osaka Heritage President Norio Iwasaki. "We are determined to deliver the highest quality and best sounding drums to players all over the world."
   Sakae has crafted beautiful drumsets for more than 90 years, including many years during which it produced high-end drums for one of the biggest companies in the music products industry. Sakae drums such as the Trilogy, Almighty, and Celestial series have become staples for professional drummers worldwide due to their impeccable craftsmanship and intelligent design. Besides kits, Sakae has also designed and produced a wide range of world-famous snares, hardware, and more.
   "Every Sakae finished product is a work of art," says Jeff Shreiner, brand manager for Sakae Osaka Heritage at Korg USA, Inc. "Sakae always has been, and will continue to be, wholeheartedly committed to making the highest-quality drums possible. We look forward to this new chapter and continuing the Sakae legacy."
 
Rock & Roll Exhibit Sets Attendance Records 
ATTENDANCE AT THE METROPOLITAN Museum of Art's acclaimed exhibition Play It Loud: Instruments of Rock & Roll in New York topped 500,000 visitors in the 18 weeks since the display of 130 musical instruments opened in April.  
Eddie Van Halen's Frankenstein guitar was one of the many instruments on display at New York's Met Museum.

   Surveys conducted by The Met's market research team showed that, of the 500,000 total visitors to the exhibition to date, 12% (or 60,000) were first-time visitors to the museum who came specifically to see the exhibition. After closing on October 1, the exhibit will be transferred to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland.
   Showcasing iconic instruments of rock 'n' roll, this major loan exhibition explored how individual artists used their instruments to create unique sounds and visual identity. Featuring more than 130 instruments dating from 1939 to 2017, the exhibition included the instruments of such artists as Chuck Berry, Eric Clapton, Sheryl Crow, Bob Dylan, Lady Gaga, Jimi Hendrix, Joan Jett, John Lennon, Paul McCartney, Steve Miller, Joni Mitchell, Jimmy Page, Elvis Presley, Prince, Keith Richards, Bruce Springsteen, Ringo Starr, Eddie Van Halen, St. Vincent, and others as well as vintage posters, stage costumes, and epoch-making videos. 
 
 
 Jordan Kitt's Re-enters Southern Virginia Market 
KEYBOARD RETAILER JORDAN KITT'S MUSIC has re-entered two southern Virginia markets that it had previously served for decades with the acquisition of Rhapsody Piano and Guitar in Richmond, and Piano & Organ Warehouse in Virginia Beach. The two transactions also mark the return of several former Jordan Kitt's employees. "We feel like we're getting the band back together," says CEO Chris Syllaba. He adds, "The timing was right. The economy has been strong, there were owners interested in selling, there were markets we understood, and our main supplier, Yamaha, was very supportive."
Piano & Organ Warehouse owners Peggy and Buddy Parker (left) with Jordan Kitt's CEO Chris Syllaba. 
   Jordan Kitt's, which operates stores in the D.C. and Atlanta markets, had a long and successful run in the Richmond area, starting in 1980. After exiting the market following the financial crisis, former employees Paul King and Wesley Pollard secured the Yamaha keyboard line and opened Rhapsody Piano & Guitar. After eight successful years, the pair opted to team up with Jordan Kitt's. "Paul and I had kept up and talked regularly," said Syllaba. "We saw an opportunity of bringing Jordan Kitt's promotional expertise to bear on the Richmond market and decided a tie-up would work." Both King and Pollard will remain following the acquisition, with King serving as vice president and regional manager of the Southern Virginia market and Pollard as vice president of education for the entire Jordan Kitt's operation. Also re-joining the Jordan Kitt's management team as the Richmond store manager is Dave McNeal who began his career at Jordan Kitt's Wilmington, Delaware location.
   Syllaba credits a strong economy, low interest rates, and a strengthened sales organization for the 13% year-to-date revenue gain at Jordan Kitt's locations in the Washington D.C. area and Atlanta. "The performance definitely gave us the confidence to expand," he said. "With the people we've brought on with the new stores, we're confident that the growth will continue."
 


 Beer And Guitars Mix In New Store 
IN A NEW RETAIL CONCEPT set to open in Loveland, Colorado in November, Black and Blues Music and Brews will bring together a boutique guitar store, taproom, and live music venue in one location. "It's definitely something different," said co-owner Stephanie DeBlase. "We don't think anything goes better than music and beer and having a good time."
   DeBlase says inventory will include new high-end electric guitars and amps, as well as used acoustic guitars. On the alcohol side, Black and Blues will have eight taps, two of which will pour cider and the rest beer, she said. It will also offer a limited selection of cocktails made with local spirits. 
 
 
Control Voltage Hosts Korg Clinic 
PORTLAND OREGON'S premier synth shop, Control Voltage, recently hosted a Korg clinic where Product Specialist James Watson presented the new minilogue xd, volca modular, volca drum, and volca nubass.  
Korg's James Watson demonstrating new products at a recent clinic at Control Voltage in Portland, OR.  
   With a large audience on hand at both clinics, Watson demoed the products extensively, intertwining stories of his own experience as a working musician and how Korg's line of synthesizers has helped take his music to the next level.
   "What a great time!" said Control Voltage owner Jason Kramer. "The clinic went incredibly smooth, and we received amazing feedback as well. One very happy monologue winner went home smiling and praised us for hosting such an informative event. 
 


 Drum Shop Up For Grabs In Online Contest 
THE OWNER OF TOKO IMPORTS in Ithaca, New York has decided to step down and turn over the store to the winner of a contest now in progress on the "Win Toko Imports" website.  
Current Toko Imports owner Polly Wood, pictured in her store's showroom, is holding a contest to name her successor.

   A drums and world percussion shop established in 1980, Toko is currently owned by Polly Wood, a musician and Ithaca native who purchased the business from founder Tom Kozlowski in 2014. Now she's moving on herself--but not, she hopes, without finding a new owner who's as passionate about drums as she is. In what's been described as a "modern-day Willy Wonka story," Wood is inviting contestants to submit their best answers to a handful of questions on percussion, local retail, and their vision for Toko Imports and the Ithaca business community. For one lucky winner, the grand prize will be the Toko Imports store.
   Stocking drums and percussion from Meinl, Latin Percussion, Tycoon, Remo, and a number of smaller manufacturers, Toko Imports is located within Ithaca's historic DeWitt Mall. Once a Toko customer herself, Wood went on to years of travel as a performing songwriter. She purchased the shop after returning to Ithaca to raise her young daughter, putting her own stamp on the business with a range of multicultural gifts and a community studio space. With her daughter growing up, however, she says, "I'm preparing for creative and career adventures as well," said Wood, "and I want Toko to thrive without me. There's so much history and culture here, and Toko still has a story to tell. It's just time for someone else to continue its legacy."
   The contest to win Toko Imports will run through October 21. There's a $108 entry fee, a portion of which will go toward Alternatives Impact, an Ithaca-based 501(c)3. Besides being at least 18 and able to pass a credit check, entrants must be living or willing to relocate to the Ithaca area and prepared to sign a three-year lease with the DeWitt Mall.
   "It's going to be an amazing journey and next step for the shop," said Wood. "We are looking forward to seeing where the new ownership takes it, and who will put their own unique spin and vision on Toko!"
https://wintokoimports.awardsplatform.com 
 
 Best Buy Forecasts Pain From Tariffs 
HOW WILL THE 25% PROPOSED TARIFFS on music and audio products impact industry sales? Pessimists argue that higher prices will have a detrimental effect, trimming revenues.
   Optimists contend that the impact will be insignificant, given the historically low prices of the industry's current product offering. Retailer Best Buy is siding with the pessimists. It recently reduced its sales and earnings forecast for the coming year, citing the impact of higher tariffs on Chinese-made goods. Shares of the electronics retailer fell 8% on the news.
   Chinese-made goods currently account for 60% of Best Buy revenue. Televisions, smartwatches, and headphones were subject to 25% tariffs that took effect on September 1, and computing products, mobile phones, and gaming consoles will be hit by a similar 25% levy planned for December 15. Chief Executive Corie Barry said an uncertain macroeconomic environment makes it difficult to predict how consumers would react to higher prices resulting from tariffs. Under the revised forecast, Best Buy is anticipating same store sales growth of 0.5% to 1.7%, down from the previous estimate of 0.5% to 2.5%.



 PMC Contest Winner Is 'Roadie For A Day' 
CAPPING OFF THIS YEAR'S "Roadie For A Day" contest, held annually by the Percussion Marketing Council (PMC) as part of International Drum Month, winner Anthony Lowe took in a backstage tour and visit with acclaimed drummer Cindy Blackman Santana August 4.  
Roadie For A Day winner Anthony Lowe with drummer/host Cindy Blackman Santana and PMC representative Brad Smith.

   This backstage experience at the Santana concert in Tinley Park, Illinois began with a one-on-one with Cindy's drum tech, who gave Lowe a detailed tour of her kit as it sat on stage. Cindy herself was a gracious host, bringing Lowe and his wife into her private dressing room and explaining how she prepares for each show. Lowe also received a special gift package from PMC members, including a crash cymbal, drumsticks, and a wide assortment of branded merchandise.
   International Drum Month remains the PMC's longest-running flagship promotional campaign. First held in 1995, it engages all facets of the percussion industry, connecting drummers of all ages and abilities through the PMC's website, PlayDrums.com, and at participating local music stores and drum shops. Participating retailers received a free in-store life-size Cindy Blackman Santana stand-up display, attracting entries for the Roadie For A Day contest.
   Lowe, a 26-year-old from the Chicago suburbs, was selected as this year's winner from nearly 1,000 entries. After meeting with Cindy and her drum tech, he said, "Having these professionals give me such valuable information on her drumset and how she plays, tunes, and travels helped me realize that I can do this too. Thank you, PMC, for helping the drum community."
   Manufacturers, distributors, retailers, publishers, and anyone interested in participating in International Drum Month (May 2020) can contact the PMC through PlayDrums.com for membership information or for more information on any of these initiatives.

Music & Arts Acquires Two More Retailers  
MUSIC & ARTS has acquired Miles Ahead Music in Louisville, Kentucky and Kerr's Music World with locations in Charleston and Huntington, West Virginia. Music & Arts now operates more than 200 locations and has more than 500 rental affiliate locations. Miles Ahead team members including store manager Carrie Ravencraft Stem and previous owner Miles Davis will continue to manage that store. The addition of Kerr's Music World represents Music & Arts' first foray into West Virginia. Many of the Kerr staff members will remain after the acquisition.