20th April 2023 – Alex Masso
 Fang Lui (The Piano Fantasy) with Alex Masso (AMA) at the Australian Reception |
AMA members were well represented at the 2023 NAMM Show, held at its regular home of the Anaheim Convention Center in the off-schedule month of April. This year’s event was widely understood to be a ‘stepping stone’ back to the regular schedule and scale of a January NAMM Show, which will return on 25th-28th January 2024. It also marked a transitional moment as Joe Lamond’s last show, and last month, as CEO and President, a position he has held for two decades as only the third NAMM CEO since 1948. |
| The incoming CEO, John Mlynczak, was present throughout the NAMM Show and attended the AMA Reception, meeting Australian distributors and retailers. The AMA was also represented at the International Coalition (IC), bringing together similar associations from around the world including NAMM, AMA, MIA, EMIA, ESTA, PLASA, CAFIM, ANAFIMA, and more. Members of the IC cooperate on important international projects including advocacy on CITES and related issues, Make Music Day, and the NAMM Global Report. |
 L-R: Graham Hoskins (Concept Music) meeting incoming NAMM CEO & President John Mlynczak at the Australian Reception |
 Miles Jackson (Cole Clark Guitars) and Alex Masso (AMA) at the Cole Clark stand |
A number of Australian exhibitors had success on the floor of the show, including Wolf Guitars exhibiting for the first time, and Cole Clark Guitars launching its new True Hybrid model in the US. “Cole Clark launched Cole Clark USA and the True Hybrid,” said CEO Miles Jackson. “We opened plenty of US dealers and sold lots of guitars. We had artists and educators at the stand for the whole 3 days checking out the True Hybrid and the rest of our range. We had meetings with four vendors and met up with 5 international distributors. Lots of people, flat out the whole time”. |
| The smaller scale event was still vital for Australian wholesalers and retailers, taking the opportunity to maintain relationships with suppliers and partners and form new ones. ““NAMM 2023 had a really positive vibe,” said Michael Jago, Managing Director of Link Audio. “For Link Audio, we started with an excellent pre-NAMM event with our friends at Apogee, and we also thank the guys from Musos Corner, Sounds Easy and Turramurra Music for joining us at that event. For the 3 days on the show floor, everyone we met with was happy to be there and our suppliers were glad we attended as well. As a distributor, you just have to go to NAMM or you risk being irrelevant. |
 Michael Jago & Chris Smith (Link Audio) with the team from Adam Hall |
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Australis Music Group was presented with a Milestone Award recognising 50 years in business, accepted by Helen Marx (Chief Commercial Officer), Mark Wilson (Brand Manager), and Adam Goglis (Sales Director). The Australian Music Association was also presented with an award for its years of service to the industry, which I was proud to accept on behalf of members, the board and my predecessors who have worked hard to lead the AMA for 45 years.
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 50 Year Milestone Awards Recipients, including Helen Marx (Chief Commercial Officer), Mark Wilson (Brand Manager), Adam Goglis (Sales Director) from Australis Music, and Joe Lamond (CEO, NAMM), right) |
 NAMM CEO Joe Lamond (left) and Music Historian Dan Del Fiorentino (right) presenting the Milestone Award to the AMA (Alex Masso, centre) |
| Australian Musician covered the She Rocks Awards and new products, including the new Yamaha CK Stage Piano, drums and percussion from Yamaha, and new Hammond models XK4 & SK Pro X. | |
Exhibitor bookings for the 2024 NAMM Show, 25-28 January at the Anaheim Convention Center, are open now.
