Aalberg Audio Appoints KMC Music as its Exclusive United States Distributor of the Ground-Breaking, Wireless Controlled Effect Pedals

Adding further momentum to its 2016 business development program, KMC Music (www.kmcmusic.com), the industry-leading distributor of MI and ProAudio products, today announced that it has been appointed by Aalberg Audio (www.aalbergaudio.com) to serve as its exclusive United States distributor.

Roger Hart, KMC Music Vice President of Merchandising, today called the appointment another important step forward in KMC’s 2016 business development program. “While last year was very much a year of transition for KMC, this year is going to be a year of significant growth and expansion as we add more and more lines to our brand portfolio," Hart said. "The addition of Aalberg’s audio effects pedals to our available lines is only going to help drive sales for our dealers.” 

According to Hart, great care has been invested in the hardware and software that makes Aalberg audio effects pedals sound amazing while being intuitive to use — with and without their wireless controller. “The pedals have rich, high definition audio, LED indicators for parameter levels, stereo in/out for multiple signal configurations, and a patented custom designed aluminum housing that is built to last,” he emphasized. “The pedals also the have the ability to wirelessly connect with the Aalberg Update app, enabling musicians to easily upload new content to the pedals.” 

Aalberg Audio of Norway, an award-winning manufacturer of innovative and high-end audio equipment, is committed to becoming the world leader in wireless music equipment. The core products of Aalberg Audio are guitar effects pedals that can be controlled wirelessly from a control unit attached to the guitar. This gives the guitar player greater freedom on stage, and the possibility to manipulate the sound in a manner not previously possible.

The inspiration for wireless effects pedals came to Aalberg Audio co-founder and guitarist Rune Aalberg Alstad after a night out with student friends in 2010 during which they'd been arguing about which were the best effects pedals on the market at that time. Alstad realized that all the pedals shared a common flaw: they are all fixed to one position on stage. The sky opened up and the ideas for a remote controlled pedal just came pouring in. Alstad recalls grabbing the closest object he could write on and scribbling down the blueprint for a remotely controlled effects pedal.

Rune used his idea to form the basis of a Masters degree in Music Technology at the Norwegian University of Science & Technology (NTNU). Rune teamed up with the engineer Torkild Indstøy (now Aalberg's CTO) and entrepreneur Aleksander Torstensen (now Aalberg's CEO). The team has grown since then with many contributors and advisors helping to make our innovative ideas into a reality.

Paiste America Appoints KMC Music to Serve as its Sole United States Distribution Partner

Strengthening a percussion portfolio that already includes Gibraltar, Latin Percussion, Remo, Toca, Vater, and Vic Firth, KMC Music (www.kmcmusic.com) today announced that it has been appointed to serve as the sole United States distribution partner of Paiste America (www.paiste.com), one of the world’s most renowned lines of cymbals, hand cymbals, and gongs that includes the iconic Paiste 2002 Series and the highly respected Paiste Signature Series.

“The addition of Paiste to our already extensive percussion portfolio reinforces our position as the MI retailer’s only true one-stop source for all of their percussion needs,” KMC Music Vice President of Merchandising Roger Hart emphasized today.  “We are proud to be able to offer our customers the cymbals used by artists that include Stewart Copeland, Nicko McBrain, Ian Paice, and Alex Van Halen, among many, many others.” 

The success of Paiste can be directly attributed to the core philosophy that underlies all of its product development programs.  “As a family business, we have always been driven by the goal to constantly create new sounds with cymbals, gongs, and bronze percussion instruments that meet the unique needs of drummers and percussionists,” explained Paiste CEO Erik Paiste.  “And now, with the help of KMC Music’s extensive in-field sales, merchandising, and support teams, the Paiste line of cymbals and gongs is going to be more immediately available to the largest network of MI retailers in the world’s largest MI retail marketplace.” Key house accounts will continue to be served by Paiste America and its own sales team.

“Experimentation, integration, and revolution are all a normal part of the Paiste product development effort,” Erik Paiste continued.  “The art of percussion has evolved to a point where the technical and musical components that go into creating ‘sound’ have reached unprecedented new heights.  Today’s drummers and percussionists speak many musical languages and actively perform in several genres.  Paiste is committed to keeping up with these trends and, as a result, our product line today meets more musical styles and needs than ever before.” 

KMC Music Appointed the Exclusive United States Distributor of Supro Amps

Adding a powerful new line to its growing portfolio of MI and pro audio products, KMC Music (www.kmcmusic.com) today announced that Absara Audio LLC has appointed the company to serve as the exclusive United States distributor of Supro amplifiers (www.suprousa.com), the iconic line of guitar amps that have inspired guitarists since the dawn of electrified music.  

Out of production since the late 1960s, an entirely new line of vintage inspired Supro amplifiers was introduced to the world in 2014 when Absara Audio LLC acquired the rights to the Supro brand from former Fender amp designer and longtime Pigtronix associate Bruce Zinky.  Zinky and Absara Audio founder and President David Koltai have collaborated to create the modern incarnation of the classic Supro “sound” that KMC Music will now make available to the more than 6500 dealers in its nationwide retail network.  The Supro line-up includes the Coronado, Dual-Tone, Royal Reverb, Saturn Reverb, Thunderbolt, and Thunderbolt Plus models as well as the upcoming Tremo-verb model which will be released in July, through KMC distribution. 

“The appointment of KMC Music to serve as our exclusive United States distributor marks the next giant step forward in the return of this legendary American brand,” Koltai said today. “The explosive success of Supro’s rebirth, combined with our 5-year history of working with KMC Music to build Pigtronix into a powerhouse in the pedal category, has paved the way for Supro to now become a nationally distributed marquee brand for KMC. We are proud to partner with KMC’s visionary new leadership and dedicated sales force to provide dealers with in-the-field brand representation, merchandising support, enhanced logistics and world class customer service.”

According to KMC Music President Mark Terry, “We are proud and excited to be able to offer our retailers the entire Supro product line.  The addition of Supro to our rapidly growing portfolio further strengthens our position as the number one resource for dealers to meet all of their product needs.”

Supro's origins can be traced back to the early '30s when the National Resophonic and Dobro guitar companies merged to form a manufacturing entity called Valco. As electrified music started to emerge, Valco began producing guitars and amplifiers under the Supro name. Supro amps delivered the tone of choice for the early '60s south-side Chicago blues players who in turn influenced the British invasion. By the late '60s, Jimi Hendrix was playing a Supro Thunderbolt amp on tour with Little Richard and the Isley Brothers; meanwhile, in England, Jimmy Page cut seminal Led Zeppelin tracks using a 1x12 Supro combo amp. Now, some 50 years later, sales of Supro reissue tube amps are increasing worldwide with consistently glowing reviews and numerous awards piling up. Guitar icons such as Joe Perry (Aerosmith), Joe Walsh (The Eagles), Brian Setzer (Stray Cats), Robby Krieger (The Doors), Steve Stevens (Billy Idol), David Hidalgo (Los Lobos), Adrian Belew (King Crimson), Eric Krasno (Soulive) and many others are using Supro amps in studios and on stages everywhere.

KMC Music Strengthens Its Product Portfolio With the Addition of Five New Product Lines

Reinforcing its position as the MI industry’s one-stop source for the broadest array of retail MI and pro audio products, KMC Music (www.kmcmusic.com) today announced that it has been appointed to serve as the United States distributor of Keeley Pedals, Mono Bags, Mooer Pedals, Pigtronix Pedals, RCF professional audio products, and Suzuki Harmonicas.  According to KMC Music Vice President of Merchandising Roger Hart, the new appointments effectively mean that dealers will now be able to offer even more options to their customers.

“No one is more focused on meeting the needs of MI dealers than KMC Music,” Hart said today.  “The addition of these five great new lines to our product portfolio underscores the fact that our manufacturer partners understand that our ability to serve dealers as a complete solutions resource is unmatched by any other company.  They understand that we can meet the needs of our dealers better than anyone else.  Even more importantly, our valued retail partners can now order even more solutions from a single source — KMC Music!”

The addition of five new brands to the KMC Music portfolio comes at a time when the industry-leading distributor of MI and pro audio solutions has begun the next chapter in its history as a division of JAM Industries.  Recently, KMC Music announced the opening of a new corporate headquarters and training center in Bloomfield, Connecticut, a new 300,000 state-of-the-art warehouse and operations center in Southaven, Mississippi, and plans to add to its team of in-field sales professionals. 

2015 KMC Music Golf Tournament Set to Tee Off on June 8th

Manufacturers, dealers, and related MI industry guests who have long looked forward to teeing off at the KMC Music Golf Tournament can book their tee times now for June 8, 2015, with the announcement today that the 28th annual event will be held at the Blue Fox Run Golf Course (www.bluefoxent.com) in Avon, Connecticut.

“This annual event has been part of the DNA of KMC for 28 years,” KMC Music President Mark Terry said today.  “And, now that KMC Music is part of the JAM US MI Group, this tradition is going to continue for, hopefully, 28 more years!  It’s simply one of the most important events on the KMC calendar and we know it is a tradition that the entire MI industry looks forward to every year.”

Indeed, the 2015 event should generate enough money to reach the $150,000 mark in total donations generated to date for the Paul Newman-created Hole in the Wall Gang Camp, according to tournament organizer Roger Hart, KMC Music Vice President of Merchandising.  “For many years, the event raised money for several charities, but, since 2006, the Hole in the Wall Gang Camp has been the sole beneficiary of the outing.  The annual event first took place in 1987 in memory of Matt Porter, the son of Everett Porter of Ovation Guitar.  That’s why the event has always been referred to as the Everett Porter Unintentional.” 

The 2015 event promises to be every bit as challenging and fun-filled as the 27 events that preceded it.  The day will begin with a shotgun round of golf, lunch, and a post-event evening of dinner and entertainment.  Platinum and Gold level sponsorship programs are available.  The Platinum Level costs $1,250 and includes a hole sponsorship, corporate signage, branding in all print materials, four rounds of golf (inclusive of cart, lunch, cocktail reception, and dinner), and four beverage tickets.  

The Gold Level costs $625 and includes corporate signage, branding in print materials, two rounds of golf (inclusive of cart, lunch, cocktail reception, and dinner), and two beverage tickets.  Sponsorship of one beverage cart is available at a cost of $1,500 and includes corporate signage, branding in print materials, four rounds of golf (inclusive of cart, lunch, cocktail reception, and dinner), and four beverage tickets.  Sponsorship of three drink stations is available at a cost of $625 each and includes corporate signage, branding in print materials, two rounds of golf (inclusive of cart, lunch, cocktail reception, and dinner), and two beverage tickets.  The individual golfer fee is $225 and includes the round of golf, lunch, cocktail reception, and dinner.

“The 2015 event will offer an entire day of golf and entertaining activities that include a Hole in One Contest, raffles, auctions, and a variety of contests that are now being developed,” Hart explained.  “For those attendees wishing to stay over night, rooms have been blocked at the Avon Old Farms Hotel (www.avonoldfarmshotel.com), located at 279 Avon Mountain Road in Avon, Connecticut.” 

To learn more about how individuals and corporations can participate in the 2015 KMC Music Golf Tournament, please email Roger Hart at roger.hart@kmcmusic.com or call him at (860) 380-3717.