Hip Hop @ CES: will.i.am Joins Yoko Ono to Introduce the John Lennon Educational Tour Bus

will.i.am, Yoko Ono, Natasha Bedingfield, Pat Monahan

Yoko Ono was joined at CES by will.i.am, Natasha Bedingfield and Pat Monahan to present the new version of the John Lennon Educational Tour Bus that comes equipped with:
"two studio environments which are each powered by a high-end Apple Mac Pro loaded with Ableton Live, Logic Studio, Final Cut Studio and Sibelius music notation software, supplemented by an Apple XServe and XRAID system which facilitates high-bandwidth HD multimedia production and storage."

The bus is a nonprofit project intended to:
"provide students with free hands-on opportunities to make music, produce video projects, and shoot digital photos in the mobile recording studios. The Lennon Bus also has an illustrious history as a hit maker, with chart topping singles from The Black Eyed Peas and Fergie recorded on board."

The project was created by Executive Director Brian Rothschild and music manager David Sonenberg:
"with the focus originally on providing programs in songwriting and audio production. The program has expanded to include video production, and the new Bus goes even further with the addition of Sony HD video solutions, Mackie 5.1 surround sound monitor systems and Apogee's high-definition digital audio converters. Also new for '08 is an on-board Chromatte booth from Reflecmedia, as well as Bogen Imaging's full line of grip equipment, tripods, filters, and accessories."

You can check the official site of the John Lennon Educational Tour Bus for school touring dates.

It's no surprise that lots of sponsors wanted in on this:
"The Bus, a 501(c)(3) venture, is made possible through the generosity of sponsors including Maxell Corporation, Apple, NAMM, Roland, Godin Guitars, Edirol by Roland, Sibelius, Audio-Technica, Sonicbids, Digidesign, Aphex Systems, Sony, Musician's Friend, Neutrik, Glyph Technologies, Ampeg, Ableton, Mackie, Crate, Apogee, Disc Makers, Smart Technologies, Antares, Bogen Imaging, IK Multimedia, McDSP, SKB, Ultimate Support, PureVolume.com, Planet Waves, Spectrasonics, Music Player Network, Native Instruments, and Boss."

[Photo by Don Henderson]