The annual AES Convention is always the place where you can find all the new audio gear, learn about the latest advancements in audio technology and network your way into a new phase of your career. But it’s also a place to do some stargazing as well. In the past, the likes of synth maven Thomas Dolby and actor Richard Gere have visited the show (the latter who inspired the greatest AES Daily headline ever—”Gere Here To Hear Gear”). This year was no exception.
The AES Convention has had more than its share of industry notables in attendance—but few more monumental exhibit floor meetings than what occurred Wednesday afternoon. That’s when the trailblazing, groundbreaking, hitmaking, multi-generational defining musician-singer-songwriter-producer- arranger-activist Stevie Wonder made another of his regular AES appearances and was met at one point by none other than Geoff Emerick, whose resume just happens to include engineering four towering Beatles albums: Revolver, Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club, The Beatles (aka The White Album) and Abbey Road. Basically, music begins and ends with these two. Okay, we exaggerate. But not by much.
AES and the Recording Academy Producers & Engineers Wing welcomed Congressman Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) to AES New York 2017’s opening day and to a fruitful discussion on legislation benefiting music creators for the Academy’s fourth annual District Advocacy Day. The meeting of minds included, from left: Bob Moses, AES Executive Director; Geoff Emerick, engineer; Maureen Droney, P&E Wing Managing Director; Ann Mincieli, engineer and owner Jungle City Studios; Jeffries; Al Schmitt, engineer; Jeff Greenberg owner the Village Studios; and engineer/producer Ed Cherney.
