CME friends
Christian Laffitte
I have been involved in the sound design of many products for different manufacturers such as M-AUDIO, Dream, Suzuki, Arturia, Native instruments, Misadigital, Sony, Madwaves, Samsung, WaveIdea, Philips and so on.
I own the company cigaleprod (www.cigaleprod.com) which specializes in sound, presets and demo design.
Today, I mainly focus on audio illustrations and musical creation for French TV channels, radios and different video game companies.
My studio is equipped with a CME keyboard UF60, I like the breath control, faders, the beautiful design and very nice touch
With CME Keyboard just feel DA GROOVE!
Christopher Currell
Some of the exceptional musicians Christopher has had the privilege of working with include Quincy Jones, Michael Jackson, Greg Philingaines, Nathan East, Ricky Lawson, Paul Simon, Meatloaf, Paul Jackson Jr, Ernie Watts, Los Lobos, Luther Vandross, Denny Seiwell, Jennifer Batten, Kitaro, Sheryl Crow, Jimmy Smith, Stevie Wonder, Kashif, Allan Holdsworth, John Novello, Isao Tomita, Doug Lunn, Paulino Da Costa, Stryper, Dokken, and Stanley Clark.
MICHAEL JACKSON - BAD
Christopher Currell performed Synclavier, digital guitar and many special effects on this award winning album. Christopher also helped arrange the smash hit "BAD" along with Michael Jackson and Quincy Jones. Christopher also played Synclavier and Digital Guitar on Michael Jackson's "BAD" world tour.
MICHAEL JACKSON - HISTORY
Christopher has also contributed to Michael Jackson’s album "HISTORY". Christopher's listed album credits include rhythm arrangements and Synclavier.
Henrik Klingenberg / Sonata Arctica
“I first heard about the Widi X8 when Labyrinth were supporting my band Sonata Arctica on our latest European Tour. Their keyboard player Alex spoke very highly of it, and while I had some doubts about if it was the thing for me, he quickly proved that all my fears were totally misplaced. Seeing it work perfectly night after night convinced me so I just had to get a pair myself. For the last 10 years I've been using Roland shoulder keyboards and it's a bit annoying trying to run around on stage with a long cable getting in the way. Finally that is over for me and I really look forward to playing the big festivals this summer where I can really take full advantage of the freedom the Widi X8 offers.” Henrik Klingenberg/Sonata Arctica Learn more of SONATA ARCTICA and HENRIK KLINGENBERG http://www.sonataarctica.info/pics/gallery/
Alessio Lucatti
Born in 1982, I started studying piano when I was 9 years old. Then, having won several national piano competitions, I was admitted to the course of piano at the conservatory of Lucca, where I graduated with honors in 2004 under the guidance of Prof. Nadia Puccinelli.
In the meanwhile I continued my concert career as solo pianist and in chamber ensembles including Pisa University’s Orchestra and Scuola Normale’s youth choir, always in Pisa.
I perfected in jazz improvisation under the guidance of maestro Piero Alice, meanwhile teaching piano. Since 2001 I am a member of Archè, tribute to Deep Purple, with whom I extensively played in Italy and that allowed me to refine my study of Hammond. In 2006 I joined Vision Divine, a band that allowed me to tour worlwide, playing almost everywhere. With them I recorded "The 25th Hour" and "9 Degrees West Of The Moon", both of which produced by Timo Tolkki (ex-Stratovarius Revolution Renaissance) and released by Scarlet Records.
I then formed my own band, Etherna (whose self-titled debut album was released by Underground Symphony in 2008) and I began a collaboration with White Skull, with which I took part in the songwriting and recording of their album “Forever Fight”.
In 2010 I produced 4th Dimension’s debut album, “The White Path to Rebirth”, later released by Crash&Burn Records. 2011 brought a 29-date european tour with Labyrinth (where I played instead of the official keyboard player) supporting finnish power metal act Sonata Arctica. I chose the CME WIDI X8 Midi wireless system.
At last I had found finally a device which gives me complete freedom on stage and get rid of cables hindrance. And there's more; It can be used to wireless control singers' n guitarists' pedalboards.... Alessio Lucatti
Steve Nathan
Nashville-based session keyboardist Steve Nathan is a 35 year veteran of the recording industry, who has played on hundreds of records spanning most genres of popular music.
A list of artists with whom he's recorded reads like a “Who’s Who” of American music. A frequent nominee and Winner of The Academy of Country Music's 2005 Musician Award, he has also been named "Keyboardist of the Year" by Music Row Magazine for a record 13 consecutive years.
PERSONAL INFO:
Born April 20th 1951 in Buffalo, New York, Steve's first studio experience was with local groups including the earliest recorded efforts of jazz group "Spyra Gyra".
In 1977 he moved to Muscle Shoals, Alabama to join the group "LeBlanc and Carr". After a brief tour, the band settled into Rick Hall's Fame Studios to begin recording Lenny LeBlanc’s first solo record. When the engineer brought Rick down stairs for a listen, Rick was impressed enough with Steve's playing to hire him for a Dobie Grey record he was producing. For the next 14 years, Steve played on every record that Hall produced.
Learning the art of making records from great producers like Rick Hall, Jerry Wexler, Barry Beckett, and Tom Dowd, while playing with musicians like Roger Hawkins, David Hood, Jimmy Johnson and Pete Carr was a dream come true and an education beyond compare.
In 1991, Steve moved to Nashville and quickly established himself as a member of the "A Team". To date, his playing can be heard on literally hundreds of Top Ten records.
Tim Fowlkes
Janet Jackson-May 2007-Bahamas (in '08, contributed synth & vox)
Aretha Franklin
BeBe Winans
Daryl Coley
Yolanda Adams
Ricky Lawson (drummer for Michael Jackson,Phil Collins,Anita Baker & solo artist)
Tony Maiden (founding member of Rufus & Chaka Kahn & guitarist)
Philip Lawrence (local singer/songwriter/producer/bk vocalist for Anthony Hamilton)
Grammy Award winning songwriter Dianne Warren Margie Balter (new release nominated for Grammy)
And a lot of artists you've never heard of that perform locally & nationally in small clubs.
I performed live with all of the artists above. With R. Lawson, T.Maiden, D. Warren, and M. Balter, I also did studio work. For all artists, I played keys and/or contributed vox.
Matt "Doctor" Fink
Doctor Fink -- Producer and Writer
Matt "Doctor" Fink helped define the history of Pop Music by playing keyboards in Prince's legendary band, The Revolution. Appearing on stage dressed in surgical scrubs and mask, he can be considered one of the most iconic keyboard players ever.
For over a decade, Doctor Fink not only worked on but also toured several ground breaking albums: Dirty Mind, Controversy, 1999, Purple Rain, Around the World in a Day, Parade, Sign O' The Times, Lovesexy and Batman.
Songs he co-wrote with Prince include ‘Dirty Mind', ‘Computer Blue', ‘17 Days', ‘America' and ‘It's Gonna Be A Beautiful Night'.
In 1985 Doctor Fink and his bandmates won a Grammy for the live performance of the album "Purple Rain", while the movie (in which Fink plays himself) was one of the biggest blockbusters in 1984. The album sold more than 13 million copies in the US, earning the rare "diamond award", the album also won an Oscar for Best Original Song Score.
In many studio sessions, Doctor Fink also helped solidify the Minneapolis Sound by appearing on releases for Lipps Inc., The Time, Vanity 6 and many more.
In 1991, after working with Prince non-stop over a period of 12 years (longer than anybody else), Doctor Fink and Prince parted ways on good terms.
Doctor Fink finally found time for a variety of projects he had in mind. He built his own studio facility StarVu in Minneapolis and started working on many different things, from video game soundtracks to his own Sony Acid Loop Library ("Dr. Fink's Funk Factory").
Only recently his focus turned back to Pop Music, as current biggest pop-albums by Justin Timberlake and Nelly Furtado are picking up a long lost reference to the sounds that he once helped defining.
In June 2007, Doctor Fink formed a longterm partnership with management and production-company Mozart & Friends. Their common goal is to write and produce cutting-edge pop-music for major markets.
Guy Allison
When it comes to keyboard action, my first choice is
always a grand piano. In the world of controller
keyboards, the UF-80 most closely emulates the feel of
the piano's weighted action. As soon as it was hooked up
in my studio and I started playing I knew I made the
right choice. It's solid, it's intuitive to program and
it's the perfect blend of function meets form. I highly
recommend it.
CME has certainly raised the bar
and I look forward to their next innovative creation.
-----Guy Allison
QUALIFICATIONS Over twenty
years of composing, contributing to and performing music
for majorartists in the recording, television and film
industry. Most importantly, over twentyyears of
listening.
EMPLOYMENT AS MUSICIAN
1996-Present
“The Doobie Brothers”
Headliner in North America,
Europe, Asia, Australia and New Zealand.
1990-1996
“Air Supply”
Headliner in North America, South
America, Asia, and Australia.
1990-1996 “Yazawa” -
Headliner in Japan.
1987-1989 “The Moody Blues”
Headliner in North America.
1985-1985 “Lodgic”
Support act for “Supertramp” - Headliner in North
America.
1979-1983 Various orchestras
Main rooms
in Las Vegas, Reno and South Shore Tahoe.
1977-1983
Very seedy nightclubs with exceedingly long hours and
low pay.
MING FREEMAN
COMPOSER/KEYBOARDIST/PRODUCER/MUSICAL DIRECTOR/ARTIST
Currently Working With YANNI and JEFFREY OSBORNE His
stage, television, film and recording credits include
Paula Abdul, Gladys Knight, Joni Mitchell, Yanni,
Jeffrey Osborne, Sheena Easton, Jean Carne, Michael
Henderson, Ronnie Laws, and the list goes on.
Ming is originally from Asia. Born in Taiwan of Chinese
and Canadian descent. His musical career began early,
performing in Night Clubs, Local Concerts and Television
at the age of eleven years old. He is a world-renowned
pianist and multi-keyboardist who is at home in
virtually any musical style. His own music is a
combination of many elements from Jazz to R&B and Rock
as well as World music and his own Resonant Healing
Music which is used in many healing and therapeutic
modalities worldwide.
Ming can be seen in many
of Yanni’s DVDs such as “Tribute”, “Yanni Live at the
Royal Albert Hall in London”, “Yanni Live! The Concert
Event” filmed in Las Vegas at the Mandalay Bay Events
Center.
"When I first played the CME UF series at
the NAMM in Anaheim California I was delighted with how
close it was to one of my favorite weighted Controllers
originally made by Peavey and long since discontinued.
“I have now been using the VX-8 in my studio as
my Controller Keyboard. The action is very nice and the
new VX brain software is going to allow for me to custom
design my velocity curves to my personal preference
according to what sound source it is triggering. It is
great to have the fader controls right there at my
fingertips for soft synth controls as well. The ability
to have it become a Mackie Control surface is really
convenient as well.
“I have the VX-7 as well and
take it out on session dates and performances. Its
portability is definitely a plus and the action serves
me well in the absence of a weighted keyboard. I am able
to play both Piano and Rhodes with a great degree of
touch response usually unavailable on unweighted
keyboards. I also find it very nice triggering my Native
Instruments B4II Organ soft synth. Also with the
integration of the VX brain I will also be able to
further tailor my velocity curves to meet my needs.
“All in all I believe there will be many great
things coming from CME and as they continue to modify
the capabilities of their line, we are in for some very
innovative and useful products. I am happy to be a part
of their family of users and look forward to integrating
many more of their products in my work both in the
studio and live."
-----MING FREEMAN
For More information, please visit Ming Freeman's website at :
www.mingfreeman.com
www.aprayerforourplanet.com
Andrea De Paoli
Andrea De Paoli was born on 13th March 1976 and
started playing keyboards when he was very young. He
played everything with black and white keys, like old
wind-up organs, pianos and small electronic keyboards,
though his proper study of keyboards began at the age of
13.
After a couple of years he decided to
temporarily drop the classical study and relied instead
on natural instinct. When times were good he took up
classical study again.
His first band "Master of
Fly" was formed in 1992 with some local friends and in
the following years he played in several rock and metal
covers bands.
In 1995, aged 19, Andrea made his
first official recording with a rock/fusion guitar
player graduate from CPM School called Matteo Salvi.
They decided to call the project "Nemesi", the goddess
of vengeance.
After this experience came the most
important period of his career. In 1996 he formed
"Shadows of Steel” with Italian masked singer Wild
Steel. The band’s debut (eponymous) metal album was
released in 1997. During the recording sessions Andrea
met some Labyrinth members who engaged him as keyboard
player and arranger.
At the end of 1997 Andrea
played keyboards on "Return to Heaven Denied", the
second Labyrinth album - an international success (more
than 100,000 copies sold) and awarded fantastic reviews
everywhere. A couple of months later Andrea played
"Twilight" with Shadows of Steel and then became an
effective member of Labyrinth, with whom he tours all
over the world.
In 1999 he began playing
keyboards with Vision Divine and Fabio Lione (singer
from Rhapsody). With the latter Andrea played two albums
and appeared on stage all over the world again in
innumerable gigs - as headliners or as support to some
of the greatest rock and metal bands of all time such as
Black Sabbath, Deep Purple, Metallica, Yngwie Malmsteen
and many more...The same things he did with Labyrinth.
Additionally he is an arranger and keyboardist for
various Italian and international authors and
collaborates with a pool of musician for the production
of TV, advert and movie soundtracks. In the meantime he
graduated in modern musical theory.
In 2004 and
2005 Labyrinth toured as headliners in China, Japan,
Hong Kong and Taiwan. In the same period Labyrinth
toured Italy with Dream Theater and Angra, and the album
"Freeman" entered the Italian and Japanese charts.
More recently he began an important collaboration
with the great drummer and percussionist Tony Liotta,
who has played with George Michael, Santana, David
Bowie, Tina Turner, Chaka Khan, Chick Corea....and many
more. Andrea works with Tony as keyboard player,
songwriter and session man. This created a path that led
Andrea into the Latin and fusion genres of music after
years of rock collaborations.
He has also
collaborated as a modern keyboards class teacher at
Berimbau School in Treviso (Ita) and Tony Liotta music
school in Dortmund (Germany).
In 2007 he
contributed instrumental work for the Italian guitarist
Simone Fiorletta on "My Secret Diary" - defined as one
of the best instrumental albums of the last 20 years and
Andrea De Paoli was recognised as one of the best rock
keyboardists.
Collaborations as keyboardist on
innumerable albums continued through 2006 and 2007 and
he is still touring Italy, Europe and Asia with
Labyrinth.
.
Kazufumi OHAMA
Japan
Chief Managing Director of Japan Synthesizer
Programmers Association (JSPA), Chairman of the MIDI
Examination Commission in the Association of Musical
Electronics Industry (AMEI).
"The arrival of the
Master Keyboard is pleased and welcomed from China. The
new and powerful gear where red shines is to take an
active part as a champion of MIDI. I'm expecting the
development of UF
in the future and the further
model's development."
- Kazufumi OHAMA
Grant Nicholas
Grant “G Nick” Nicholas-----Producer/Musician
BIO:
East Coast Westside of Baltimore, Md is where Grant
“G Nick” Nicholas began his musical career, nearly 25
years ago at the mere age of about 9 or 10. However, Los
Angeles is currently home 3,000 miles away from his
native roots on “Cherry Lane”. Grant established his
unique sound and style as a first class studio musician
in various sessions in and around the Los Angeles area.
As a Musical Director/keyboardist he began with the hit
trio “Brownstone”. Later on he worked with artist such
artist as Immature, Jon b, Mya, Samantha Jade, and the
Mary Jane Girls as well as producing Universal recording
act Jaze’. Through a mutual friend, Jeff Myles, Grant
was introduced to Chase and was asked to play keys for
various clients. After discovering, developing and
producing newcomer artist T – Bone, they won two Dove
Awards and achieved Grammy nomination recognition
through their production of Christian rapper’s “Last
Street Preacher” in 2001. Grant Nicholas decided to
combine synergy with Chase’s vision of wide-reaching
productions and soon they formed a partnership and
company called Black Keyz Entertainment Inc.
Through their combined commitment to a solid work ethic,
top quality productions and consistent diverse output,
Chase and Grant were able to attract the attention of
the most successful production duo in contemporary music
history, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis of Flyte Tyme
Productions. Immediately placing the younger producers
in “boot camp”, Jimmy and Terry flew Chase & Grant out
to Flyte Tyme’s headquarters in Minneapolis for a week
to put them to the test. “Talk about being under
pressure!” declares Chase. Working hard to prove their
dedication and worthiness on-the-spot to Jimmy and
Terry, Chase and Grant earned an opportunity to
contribute a hip hop track to Gospel artist Yolanda
Adam’s most successful release to date, the Grammy
nominated and Dove Award winning album “Believe”, which
has since surpassed Gold and is still climbing in sales
today.
Known throughout the world for their
groundbreaking writing and producing and now having
become fully intrigued by these new jacks, Jimmy Jam and
Terry Lewis offered the young lads Chase and Grant a
chance to join the Flyte Tyme team as producers, giving
birth to a production deal between the two entities,
Black Keyz and Flyte Tyme Productions Inc. Later on in
February 2004 Chase & Grant relinquished their ties with
Flyte Tyme so they could pursue their production of
Se7ven and his own self-titled project “Cherry Lane”.
Cherry Lane features Grant on Trumpet, Keys, Vocals,
Guitar, Bass Synth, and Keyboard/Synth Solos. It also
features top-notched musicians from around the globe. In
late 2007 Grant parted ways with longtime partner Chase
to pursue current projects such as 2nd keyboardist for
the V100 radio host and 3 time award winning book seller
Michael Baisden for “Basiden After Dark” on the TV One
Cable Network. He’s also playing behind
bassist/singer/songwriter/producer Rhonda Smith who was
a part of “Prince and the New Power Generation” for 10
years. Be on the lookout for new projects, new CD, joint
ventures, tours and more in 2008…
"the greatest
keyboard made - Uf8...Absolutely incredible I must say.
I could not stop playn it - seriously. Feels like a
Yamaha grand. Best action that I have ever seen..."
- Grant Nocholas
Interface
Interface proudly endorses CME MIDI Controllers!
Interface is one of New York’s longest-lived
underground electronic acts, founded in 1993 by
programmer/producer/lead vocalist Eric Eldredge.
Originally signed to Tinman Records, the band moved on
to Nilaihah Records in 2005.
Each of Interface’s
albums has been met with high critical acclaim and
regular club play in all corners of the globe: The
Artemis Complex (1999), Angels in Disguise (2002),
Beyond Humanity (2006), and Visions of Modern Life
(2009). The band has also shared stages with notable
electronic acts over the years such as Assemblage 23 and
The Human League.
Endorsed by CME since 2005,
Eric employs a UF6 as a master studio and onstage
controller. Live keyboardist Jon Billian has a UF5 and
an SAC Bitstream controller.
“What I love most
about the CME products is their extreme durability and
the feel of their keys. It’s a joy to use the UF in the
studio with my computer setup, as well as when I play
live and take it out to control my Virus TI. Many
controllers out there don’t feel to me like they’re
built to stand up for very long, so the construction of
the UF really sealed the deal for me. I also am highly
into the new expansion options that are out for them,
too!” – Eric Eldredge of Interface
"Having
already used these controllers in the studio, we feel
very safe bringing the UF's out onto the road due to
their great construction. Other controllers felt like
toys to us and we wouldn't want to take them along for
the ride. And the card options make them even quicker to
set up - just one Fire Wire cable to our laptops!
These feel better than any other controller I've
ever played - and even better than many synths I've
owned too. It made me really enjoy playing keyboards
again! Jonny and I can't wait to see what CME does
next!"- Eric Eldredge, Band founder
http://www.interfacemusic.net/
Mistheria
ARTIST WEBSITE: www.mistheria.com
ARTIST BIO:
Nationality: Italy
Profession:
Keyboardist, Pianist, Organist, Composer, Arranger,
Teacher. Yamaha Piano and Keyboards Official
demonstrator.
School: I begin music studies at
seven, thanks to my father’s passion and the tuition of
the family’s friend and composer/accordionist Maestro
Marco Aurelio Pisegna. I studied Accordion, Piano,
Keyboards, Harmony, Theory and Solfeggio. Afterwards, I
graduated, with full marks in “Organ and Organ
Composition” at Music Conservatory “Casella”
(L’Aquila/Italy) under the guidance of Prof. Annamaria
Polcaro and Maestro Paolo Cerasoli
Extra classes:
I also studied “Electronic Composition”, “Computer
Music” and “Experimental Composition” with Maestros
Alessandro Sbordoni and Michelangelo Lupone, “History of
Music” with Maestro Pietro Acquafredda, “Counterpoint
and Fugue” with Maestro Paolo Cerasoli, “Gregorian
Chant” with Maestro Giandomenico Piermarini
Instruments: Organ, Piano, Accordion, all other
keyboards
Speciality: Synthesizer programming,
Computer-Music
Experiences: almost everything
(Classical, Rock, Pop, Metal, Progressive, New-Age,
Theatre, …) but… never performed a jazz concert and,
maybe, never it will happen!
Tours & Gigs: (2007
- Italy) Neil Zaza
(2003/2004/2005/2006 - Italy) Anna
Tatangelo
(2004 – Rome, Italy) Rock Festival
(2002/2003 - Italy) Monica Cherubini
(2001/2002/2003
– Italy)
Southern Cross Stratovarius Official cover
band
(2002 – Rome, Italy) Dream Theater official
convention
(2002 – Rome, Italy) Tony MacAlpine/Virgil
Donati opening
(2001 - Italy) Andrea
(2001 - Los
Angeles, USA) Mistheria
(2001 - Italy) Neil Zaza
(2000 - Italy) Gigi Sabani
(2000 - Italy) Raffaella
Cavalli
(1998/1999 - Italy) O.R.O.
(1997 -
Budapest, Hungary) Mistheria
(from 1992 to 2003)
Sergio Meogrossi and Fabio Bussotti
Katsunori UJIIE
Japan
President of Idecs Music Consulting, Inc Vice Chief
Managing Director off Japan Synthesizer Programmers
Association (JSPA) Vice chairman of MIDI examination
commission in Association of Musical Electronics
Industry (AMEI)
"I was expecting Central Music is
developing MIDI keyboard, because I know them well since
long time. Finally they did it, more than enough quality
as a Master Keyboard for professional musicians, great
quality of key action with aftertouch control, the nice
feel of each knobs and sliders, beautiful top panel and
of course unbelievable price.
“It's really
amazing!!"
- Katsunori UJIIE
Paul Mirkovich
United States
Musical Director for Cher, Janet Jackson and Rockstar: INXS on CBS.
"The CME controller feels great to play. The
action is solid and strong. I feel like I can really dig
in when I play it. It feels like a real axe and not a
toy like many of the other controllers out there.The
sliders are great for NI B4 control, and all the knobs
are great for controlling the most useful fuctions on my
soft synths.
The CME controller is the only
keyboard I play in mystudio. I can't wait to see how it
develops and what else CME comes up with in the future."
- Pual Mirkovich
Hideki MATSUTAKE
Japan
Chairman of Japan Synthesizer Programmers Association
(JSPA) President of LOGIC SYSTEM, Inc Director of Japan
Council of Performers' Organizations
"I'm very
pleased with UF8/MIDI keyboard in my first impression,
Playability, Design and of course including all of
Master Keyboard functions. I'm expecting Central Music
develop exciting products in future and present
surprised price for us."
- Hideki MATSUTAKE
Kojo Samuel
United Kindom
Keyboardist, Keyboard player of
Sugababes
http://www.sugababes.com/
“Just before going
on tour with the Sugababes I began looking for a
controller keyboard as I was going to be controlling a
couple of modules in my rig. I tried a lot of keyboards
but I really liked the action and feel of the CME
keyboards. Additionally, I found the construction of the
keyboards to be very rugged and solid and I felt that
they'd be great for taking on the on the road. I'm
really excited about all the additional features and the
way the CME keyboards can interface with a DAW. When I
come off the road I definitely want to get one for my
home set-up as well. The overall combination of feel,
construction, and features make it a fantastic
controller for me and I look forward playing CME
keyboards on the road and in my studio for a long
while."
- Kojo Samuel
Lukas Wooller
United Kindom
Keyboardist, Keyboard player of Maximo Park
http://www.maximopark.com/
"CME keyboards came along at time when I was struggling to find a weighted keyboard with a good feel, that had a few controllers and faders (but not too many) and that didn't look like a prop from the first Doctor Who series. Prior to that keyboards that I had used either felt good and looked good, but had no controllers, or were more studio oriented instruments with loads of controllers and screens. The CME UF8 has been excellent so far, with the added bonus of matching our band colours of red and black! On top of that the CME UF7 has been very useful for taking further afield to the US, Australia and Japan. Although not fully weighted, it still feels good and is half the weight, saving the band a lot of money in luggage fines."
- Lukas Wooller
