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Hardgroove Explores Rock Music’s Legacy and Future at H.O.T. Zone during NAMM Show 2015, with Steve Morse, Jeff ‘Skunk’ Baxter and Sennheiser

Lively Artist Discussion, Tasty Jam Sessions and Sennheiser Wireless Headphones Mark Three Days of Lunchtime H.O.T. Zone Sessions at NAMM 2015

Anaheim, CA, February 3, 2015: During NAMM Show 2015 held last month in Anaheim, CA, audio specialist Sennheiser and Brian Hardgroove (Public Enemy) hosted three lunchtime ‘Silent Jams’ in the H.O.T. (Hands On Training) Zone, located on the second floor of the Anaheim Convention Center. Each session, produced by David Schwartz of the TEC Foundation and hosted by Brian Hardgroove, featured in-depth conversations and extended jam sessions by some of rock music’s most accomplished musicians, including Steve Morse (Dixie Dregs) and Jeff ‘Skunk’ Baxter (Steely Dan, The Doobie Brothers).

Each day, approximately 140 attendees donned a pair of Sennheiser RS 120 wireless headphones and ‘tuned in’ to the interviews and performances, which covered a diverse range of topics such as Morse’s and Baxter’s early touring and session work, and their continued success as artists creating and performing within an ever-evolving music scene. After each discussion, audience members were treated to free-form performances by each guest, with expert accompaniment by Hardgroove’s band, Impulse Groove Foundation (Hardgroove on bass, Mike Boyko on drums and Robert Muller on keys).

“We are glad to have had the opportunity to help the NAMM Show take the H.O.T. Zone to the next level this year with our wireless technology,” commented David Missall, Manager, Customer Development & Application Engineering, Americas, Sennheiser. “The Silent Jams were a huge success, and was a unique way to deliver fantastic content and performances to a small — but passionate — group of attendees. We hope NAMM chooses to continue these sessions next year.”

Longtime IEM engineer Mark Frink mixed each of the performances, which were delivered to listeners via Sennheiser’s proprietary wireless technology. “Thanks to Sennheiser’s usual superior wireless products and support, we were able to deliver an outstanding inaugural NAMM Silent Jam to an SRO audience, and we are looking forward to next year!” commented Mark Frink. “I’ve used Sennheiser wireless products on all my tours, and as expected, they lived up to their reputation during our performances at NAMM.”

In addition to Sennheiser RS 120 headphones, Hardgroove’s band used Sennheiser EK 2000 IEM wireless monitors and Ultimate Ears custom molds. Interview content and post-session Q&A was captured with Sennheiser e 835 wired and SKM 2000 wireless microphones (with e 935 capsules), while all instrumentation was fed into a Yamaha QL5 digital console via Radial ProD2 Dis.

The Sennheiser Group based in Wedemark near Hanover, Germany, was founded in 1945 and has gone on to become a leading manufacturer of microphones, headphones and wireless transmission systems. Sales in 2013 totaled 590.4 million euros. Sennheiser employs more than 2,500 staff worldwide and operates plants in Germany, Ireland and the USA. The company has a worldwide network of subsidiaries in France, Great Britain, Belgium, the Netherlands, Switzerland and Liechtenstein, Germany, Denmark (Nordic), Russia, Hongkong, India, Singapore, Japan, China, Australia and New Zealand, Canada, Mexico, and the USA. It also has long-established trading partners in other countries. Georg Neumann GmbH, Berlin, a maker of studio microphones and monitor speakers, and Sennheiser Communications A/S, a joint venture making headsets for PCs, offices and call centers, are also part of the Sennheiser Group.

More up-to-date information about Sennheiser is available on the internet at www.sennheiser.com.

Captions:

1) Steve Morse (right) and Brian Hardgroove (background, left) perform at the H.O.T. Zone Silent Jam during NAMM 2015

2) Jeff ‘Skunk’ Baxter (right) is interviewed by Brian Hardgroove during a H.O.T. Zone Silent Jam at NAMM 2015.

3) During the H.O.T. Zone Silent Jam at NAMM 2015, audience members wore Sennheiser RS 120 wireless headphones.

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