New York, NY (Top40 Charts/ TEC Foundation) An array of top audio producer/engineers and musicians will assemble to recognize innovations in product design and the achievements of their peers at the 26th Annual Technical
Excellence and Creativity (TEC) 7Awards. The audio industry's most prestigious awards will be hosted by the 2011 NAMM Show in Anaheim, CA, on January 14.
The night's top honor, the Les Paul Award, will go to multi-instrumentalist, composer and producer Lindsey Buckingham, and will be presented by producer/engineers Al Schmitt (Ray Charles, Steely Dan, Diana Krall) and Elliot Scheiner (Paul Simon, Eric Clapton, Toto) along with producer Ken Caillat (Fleetwood Mac, The Beach Boys, Herbie Hancock). The Les Paul Award is presented annually to artists and others whose body of work exemplifies the creative application of audio technology.
Presenting awards in 25 categories of technical and creative achievement will be an all-star lineup of renowned artists, arrangers, producers and engineers, including: Chad Smith (Red Hot Chili Peppers, Chickenfoot), Alan Parsons (Alan Parsons Project, Pink Floyd, Al Stewart), Ken Scott (The Beatles, David Bowie, Kansas), Ed Cherney (Rolling Stones, Michael Jackson, Celine Dion), Dylan Dresdow (Black Eyed Peas, TLC, Anita Baker), Jeff Kollman (Cosmosquad, Chad Smith's Bombastic Meatbats), Paul Lipson (Hybrid, Halo Waypoint: The Return, Bioshock 2) and Frank Serafine (TRON, The Hunt for Red October, Field of Dreams).
To date, guest artists scheduled to perform include David Pack (Ambrosia), David Jenkins (Pablo Cruise) and Brian Hardgroove (Public Enemy). Carrying the evening will be the 2Cold ChiliBone TEC Band led by musical director Larry Batiste ( GRAMMY Awards, Whitney Houston, Stevie Wonder), and will feature Will Kennedy (Yellowjackets, Lee Ritenour) on drums; Melvin Davis (Chaka Khan, Gerald Albright) on bass; keyboardist Jeff Babko and guitarist Toshi Yanagi, from the Jimmy Kimmel Live Band; percussionist Luis Conte (over 1,000 recordings); Ron King (Jeff Lorber, Michael Bolton) on trumpet; Jacques Voyemant (Chris Walden Big Band) and Michael Paulo (Al Jarreau, Herbie Hancock). Background vocalists will include Andrea President, Hero's Last Mission and Claytoven Richardson.