Take Five

We asked Melissa Aldana your top five questions, here are her answers...

Q1: What's the best music gear or app purchase you've made recently?

Balance Action Saxophone, One of the best horns I have ever tried.

Also I really love my Matt Marantz Custom Mouthpiece / Da'ddario reeds and Si...

We asked James your top five questions, backstage after his recent Jacksonville show with Pat Metheny and Nate Smith. Check the video to hear his anwers!

Q1: What's the best music gear or app purchase you've made recently? 

I recently purchased a Minimoog Model D reissue. Holy smokes does that thing sound good! It’s like playing an acoustic instrument, or a Hammond B-3. I love creating the classic sounds on it that it’s known for, but it’s also fun ...

Q1: What's the best music gear or app purchase you've made recently? 

The best gear I’ve gotten lately has been my new Yamaha 82z Bronze Artist model alto saxophone. It’s truly made my life better in all regards. I loved playing my Mark VI and was fortunate to grow a lot on a great vintage horn, bu...

Q1: What's the best music gear or app purchase you've made recently? 

I recently got this pedal from TC Helicon called the PerformVE and it has completely elevated my solo looping game. Now I can basically do everything I hear from reverb/delay to playing drum grooves and involving more complex har...

Q1: What's the best music gear or app purchase you've made recently? 

My favorite toy is the BOSS RC 505, or "Rupert the Looper" as I like to call it.

Q2: What's your funniest or worst gig story? 
I guess just watch the video when I'll have one!

Q3: What's one concert you've attended that h...

Q1: What's the best music gear or app purchase you've made recently? 

The best music gear that I’ve purchased as of late is my pedal board. My former student, Aaron Janik of Horn-fx.com has become the teacher in that he’s exposing me to a wide range of sounds that, frankly I’ve avoided for some tim...

Q1: What's the best music gear or app purchase you've made recently?

Best purchase I made recently, was a bass drum hoop protector by Drum N Bass.

Q2: What's your funniest or worst gig story? 

I was in middle school and I was asked to participate in a school talent show.  There was a house dru...

Q1: What's the best music gear or app purchase you've made recently? My Benedetto Bambino Deluxe guitar.

Q2: What's your funniest or worst gig story? While still  living in Israel, I once played a  cool gig with a very physically big drummer who shall remain nameless. Gig was going great, but ...

Q1: What's the next project you're excited about?

Well the newest adventure for me has been recording and adding content to my patreon site. It’s a great idea where I can get people from anywhere in the world support what I do. I record video lessons, usually about 4-9 minutes in length, which foll...

We asked Ben your top five questions.  Here are his answers...

Q1: What's the best music gear or app purchase you've made recently?

Metronomics - great, super advanced metronome app made by John Nastos. 

Q2: What's your funniest or worst gig story? 

Watch Ben's #MyWorstGig video to hear all a...

Q1: What's the best music gear or app purchase you've made recently?

I don’t really buy gear or apps like that, man I am honestly just trying to still learn how to play the gear I have. I will say that I just formed a relationship with RTOM, and they make “moon gels” which are helpful in tuning in th...