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Mixing Random Access Memories
Mick Guzauski On Daft Punk's New Album & Moving Back To Los Angeles
Mick with Guzauski-Swist GS-3a Studio Monitor System
When Daft Punk started looking for an engineer/mixer to team up with on their fourth studio album - and first in eight years - the recommendation of mutual friend Chris Caswell, the album's keyboardist and arranger, led them to Mick Guzauski (Michael Jackson, Earth Wind and Fire, Natalie Cole, Kenny G, and Christina Aguilera). Guzauski was actually only vaguely familiar with Daft Punk's work when the band came calling in 2011, but the experience he says has made him a better engineer. Unlike most dance albums, the sound here is organic and not overly processed. Guzauski credits the French duo of Thomas Bangalter and Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo for their musical sensibility. The basic tracks and select overdubs were cut and mixed at Conway Studio C in Los Angeles. Conway's live room was the perfect tracking space for Daft Punk and the Neve 88R-equipped Studio C proved an ideal mix HQ for Guzauski who is excited to move back to Los Angeles this Fall.
Watch Paul Williams talk about the Daft Punk offering their fans "a new intensity of emotion" here
Meet Guzauski at RSPE Audio Universal City Showroom on Thursday, September 5th, 7pm-10pm
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Get Your FREE AES Exhibit Plus Badge
Courtesy of Trans Audio Group
The upcoming 135th AES Convention in New York City, October 17-20, will feature a special workshop track, "Sound for Picture," chaired by acclaimed film sound department professional Brian McCarty (On Golden Pond, The Big Lebowski, Dick Tracy, others). This series has been put together by AES's Sound for Digital Cinema and TV Committee; the sessions will each feature different Oscar®- and/or Emmy®-nominated/winning figures discussing their craft and the latest technology and techniques used for sound capture, mixing, editing, loudness and more.
TransAudio Group has arranged for you to receive a free Exhibits Plus Badge to AES New York 2013 at Jacob Javitz Convention Center
Join Brad Lunde, aka "Q" at
Booth 3132 in the main exhibit hall.
Check out what is new from our entire lineup and meet the engineers and designers behind the gear.
This badge is good for the Exhibition PLUS all Special Events, the Knowledge Center, the Systems Sound Symposium, and the Project Studio Expo
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Wise Up Ghost: New Album From Elvis Costello and The Roots
Their highly anticipated new album features The Brent Fischer Orchestra
and is slated for a September 17 release on Blue Note.
The Roots' Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson who calls 'Wise Up Ghost' "a passion project," put his favorite string sound on the new album. "It was my dream to work with Clare and Brent Fischer orchestra, the one that was on all the classic Prince records I grew up on," said Ahmir in a Fuse interview.
Longtime Roots collaborator Steven Mandel (seen on the laptop screen) co-produced 'Wise Up Ghost' with Questlove and Rock and Roll Hall of Famer, Elvis Costello. 11-time Grammy-winner Rafa Sardina (Stevie Wonder, Lady Gaga, Rodrigo y Gabriela ) engineered the orchestra sessions. Blue Note VP of A&R, Eli Wolf attended the session in LA and connected the band from New York via skype. "It's always great to have that immediate feedback," says Fischer who shares a similar lineage with Thompson. They both played in their fathers' groups starting at an early age and are carrying on their fathers' music legacies through a modern approach that honors and builds on all the great music of the past. 
"They are some of the most innovative people on the scene today" says Fischer, who brought his 20-piece orchestra and arrangements to Conway studio C in Hollywood, CA. "I knew from the start that things would flow well because I got a beautiful note from Ahmir with his wish list," says arranger, Brent Fischer (Usher, Al Jarreau, Eric Benet, Toni Braxton and Michael Jackson).
What's In Your Lunchbox?
Daking 500RS at AES 2013
Seriously convenient and ready to plug in, the Daking 500RS "comes right out of the shipping carton, cards installed, ready to use, no wiring, jumper cutting or moving, just attach the included d-sub connecting cable on the rear panel, plug it in and start enjoying an incredible 2 channel mic-pre, compressor, equalizer recording solution," says Brad Lunde of Trans Audio Group who will be at booth 3132 along with Mr Daking himself!
By now most of the old consoles have been parted out and their mic-pre's and eq's sold off in pairs. These "vintage" devices often have switches and capacitors that are worn out and require extensive repair and restoration. The costs and lost time frequently take the charm away from dabbling in these antique audio devices. Mic Pre 500 uses Class A, fully-discrete transistor circuitry. The Mic Pre 500 uses a tri-color LED metering setup and accepts both line and hi-Z inputs via the 1/4" jack, in addition to the XLR microphone equipped with +48V phantom power. With a -20dB pad for added versatility, the Mic Pre 500 microphone preamplifier is ready for anything.
"Daking uses modern production techniques along with time proven designs and components to create products that give you the performance of the classics without the headaches," says Lunde.
Plus all Daking products are built in the U.S.A., and are lead free!
Watch Geoff Daking go over the 500 series -- Two Mic Pre 500, two Compressor 500 (MSRP $795) and two EQ 500 pre - all can be installed in an API 500-6B lunchbox.
 TransAudio Group, founded by industry veteran Brad Lunde, has quickly become the premier US importer/distributor and/or US sales and marketing representative for high-end audio. contact Brad Lunde or Phone (702) 307-2700 or visit www.transaudiogroup.com
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Blood, Sweat & Kickstarter?
Soundtrack by Raphael Saadiq
 Grammy Award-winning artist and producer Raphael Saadiq has signed on to assist Spike Lee with a forthcoming thriller Old Boy, a semi-genre about ADDICTION. In this case addiction of people (not Vampires) to BLOOD.
According to the director, it's going to be Sexy, humorous and bloody! This project successfully raised its funding Kickstarter goal of $1,250,000 last week. Congrats Mr Lee and Saadiq!
May we offer those thirsty movie goers an energy drink that comes in an I.V. bag from where else but Amazon!
 Saadiq has been working on new material for his next album in his Los Angeles studio following his 2011 critically acclaimed Stone Rollin'. "I'm going to switch it up," Saadiq says about the new sound encompassing a wider range of his influences, going back to the moment Saadiq was first recruited by Prince as a teen to play bass in Sheila E.'s band, followed by his years as a hit maker mingling classic and contemporary soul in Tony! Toni! Tone! Saadiq recently produced songs for Trombone Shorty and veteran funk singer Chaka Khan. "It sounds really good, like old-school Rufus," says Saadiq who lists Bob Marley among his influences. Those of you in Los Angeles may get lucky to catch a fiery performance like the one outside the Annenberg Space for Photography this month. "Y'know Saadiq is gonna bring it," says Director Lee.
New Album from Reverend Tall Tree
 l-r: Producer Marvin Etzioni with Chris Pierce aka Reverend Tall Tree at Bernie Grundman Mastering
Reverend Tall Tree aka Chris Pierce was at Bernie Grundman's with critically acclaimed Producer Marvin Etzioni aka "Big Mono" for a forthcoming self titled debut album by Reverend Tall Tree & The Blackstrap Brothers. You have heard P ierce's songs on TV shows like Grey's Anatomy and What About Brian. Furthermore, he has a growing buzz on the internet and on adult album alternative radio stations like southern California's KCRW. Born and raised in Los Angeles, Pierce was a struggling local singer-songwriter until he met Seal at a living room gig in 2004 and was invited to be the opening act on the British singer's world tour. His debut album, 2005's Static Trampoline, was followed by a 2006 live album, Music in the Moment (released in Japan). Pierce's second studio album, Walking on the Earth, was released in the spring of 2008 and I Can Hear You followed. Yes, producer Etzioni uses a Scotch 111 -1/4 inch tape Mono for the mixes and this is what legendary mastering engineer, Bernie Grundman is saying about the new album: "...Real and pure unadulterated blues with no gimmickry!" We can't wait to share the recordings with everyone! Meantime, check RTT's facebook page for select shows in Los Angeles.
NARAS sponsored P&E Wing event featured its co-director,
multi-platinum producer, engineer/mixer Brian Malouf (Queen, Madonna, Pearl Jam and Dave Matthews Band) on August 15th.
The Topic: ProTool's latest version11 which he says could be a real turning point for the industry. The program can now run natively in a 64-bit computing environment. Basically, this means you can eclipse the 4 gigabyte ceiling that a 32-bit architecture gives you. A major step forward.
Sweet Deals & Service From Trans Audio Group The Daking Mic Pre 500.
Now on sale for a very limited time at $585
 
 
l-r: Richard, Todd, Janis and Brad at Trans Audio Group
Sales related questions- pricing, availability and dealer locations please contact:
Richard: sales@transaudiogroup.com
For the latest info on Product Development
Brad: president@transaudiogroup.com
TransAudio Group, founded by industry veteran Brad Lunde, has quickly become the premier US importer/distributor and/or US sales and marketing representative for high-end audio. Success hinges on TransAudio providing dealers and end users with a higher standard of product expertise and support far beyond the norm. TAG product line includes A-Designs (USA), ATC Loudspeakers (UK), Bock Audio (USA), Chameleon Labs , Crane Song, Daking Audio (USA) Dave Hill, Drawmer, Pete's Place Audio, Tube-Techand Sonodyne Nearfield Monitors
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Win A Leslie Pedal!
Hear Hammond Artists Perform in Pasadena on September 7
Hammond organ lovers are invited to spend a saturday morning with Hammond artists who will demonstrate what's new from this trusted brand. A Hammond/Leslie launch event is scheduled for Saturday, September 7, 2013 at the Pasadena Keyboard showroom. Participating Hammond artists includ Scott May (The Ides of March), Brady Leffler (Hot Chelle Rae, Gold Star, The Reflections), Ryo Okumoto (Spock's Beard) and Gary Swan (Pointer Sisters). Gregg Gronowski, national sales manager for Hammond, will also be on hand. Hammond organs on display at the launch event include the SK1-73, SK1-88, SK2, and XK3 with the Leslie 3300.
Sat Sept 7, 11am - 1pm
Church Keybaord Center
2295 E Foothill Blvd Pasadena CA 911107
RSVP 800.717.KEYS
The Clare Fischer Big Band
Directed by Brent Fischer
The Clare Fischer Latin Jazz Group, Directed by Brent Fischer
 Featuring Luis Conte, Alex Budman and friends
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King of Sidemen: Waddy Wachtel
The Unsung Heroe of Rock and Roll on Kickstarter
Waddy Wachtel's resumé reads like a who's who of rock and roll. He has played guitar on hundreds of hit records and has performed, recorded and collaborated with Keith Richards, Stevie Nicks, Mick Fleetwood, Jackson Browne, George Thorogood, Dave Stewart, Joe Walsh and more
Some thrive- and maintain long-standing relationships with hugely popular musicians. Now with 295 backers on Kickstarter, the pledges for making of a documentary on the Kings have exceeded their initial goal of $32,500.
This will help the producer and director, Gary Simson to finish the documentary. PBS material. Can't wait to see it!Some barely scrape out a living. And others have faded away. But ONE has survived the pitfalls of the brutal music industry and remains as relevant today as when he his career began in the late 1960s. Most of you are familiar with his packed gigs (Aug 24) at the Join in Los Angeles. On any given night, legendary rockers like Robert Plant, Roger Daltry, Ron Wood, and Neil Young stop by to kick out the jams. Congrats Waddy!
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Runner Runner
Music by Christoph Beck
Princeton grad student Richie (Timberlake) plays a broke college student with a knack for online poker, and Ben Affleck is the owner of a shady offshore gambling website that brings him on as an employee. Justin's character gets to enjoy the riches of yachts, tropical islands, tons of money and - as you can see in a brief shot - a Deadmau5 show. Then the FBI gets involved and things get complicated. In theaters October 4th on 20th Century Fox Watch the official Trailer here
Christoph Beck has taken on the scoring duties on the film directed by Brad Furman (The Lincoln Lawyer).
While studying music at Yale, Beck wrote two musicals with his brother Jason (a.k.a.
Gonzales, the Paris-based pianist-producer-TV Host-prankster), as well as an opera based on "The Tell-Tale Heart" by Edgar Allen Poe. Beck received the Emmy Award for Outstanding Music Composition for his score to the "Buffy" episode, "Becoming, Part 1." Upon graduation, Beck moved to Los Angeles to attend USC's prestigious film scoring program, where he studied with Jerry Goldsmith
In 2000, the cheerleading comedy "Bring It On" launched Beck's film career, which has included such credits as "Under the Tuscan Sun," "Saved," "The Pink Panther," "We Are Marshall," "Year of the Dog," "What Happens in Vegas," and more recently, "The Hangover," now the highest-grossing R-rated comedy of all time.
This year MTV's iconic silver spaceman got a makeover by KAWS, the visionary street artist that forever changed the way you see Spongebob Squarepants! The 2013 MTV Video Music Awards at the brand new Barclays Center last Sunday looked more like the Timberlake and Macklemore & Ryan Lewis show! The lead nominee Seattle duo Macklemore & Ryan Lewis were up for six awards. Timberlake (with this year's best-selling album, "The 20/20 Experience"), also was honored with the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award. The usual line up included: Taylor Swift, Selena Gomez, A$AP Rocky, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Jared Leto... MTV chose to go without a host this year. Former NBA player Jason Collins, who recently acknowledged he is gay, introduced Macklemore and Lewis' marriage equality anthem "Same Love."
And the winners are...
Video of the Year
Justin Timberlake, "Mirrors" (winner)
Best Male Video
Bruno Mars, "Locked out of Heaven" (winner)
Best Female Video
Taylor Swift, "I Knew You Were Trouble" (winner)
Best Pop Video
Selena Gomez, "Come and Get It" (winner)
Artist to Watch, Presented by Taco Bell
Austin Mahone, "What About Love" (winner)
Best Collaboration
Pink feat. Nate Ruess, "Just Give Me a Reason" (winner)
Best Video With a Social Message
Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, "Same Love" (winner)
Best Rock Video
30 Seconds to Mars, "Up in the Air" (winner)
Best Hip-Hop Video
Macklemore & Ryan Lewis feat. Ray Dalton, "Can't Hold Us" (winner)
Best Art Direction
Janelle Monae feat. Erykah Badu, "Q.U.E.E.N" (winner)
Best Choreography
Bruno Mars, "Treasure" (winner)
Best Cinematography
Macklemore & Ryan Lewis feat. Ray Dalton, "Can't Hold Us" (winner)
Best Direction
Justin Timberlake feat. Jay-Z, "Suit & Tie" (winner)
Best Editing
Justin Timberlake, "Mirrors" (winner)
Best Visual Effects
Capital Cities, "Safe and Sound" (winner)
Best Song of the Summer
One Direction, "Best Song Ever" (winner)
Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award
Justin Timberlake
The 29th Annual TEC Awards will be held on January 24, 2014-Winter NAMM Show-Anaheim, CA The Technical Excellence & Creativity Awards Nominating Panel has received entries in three categories:
For more information contact Jane Byer at (510) 528-2014 or jane@tecawards.org
 Arturo Sandoval To Receive Presidential Medal of Freedom
President Barack Obama will award legendary Latin Jazz artist Arturo Sandoval with the esteemed Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian award in the United States. The ceremony will take place at the White House later this year. Among 16 honorees are President Bill Clinton, talk show icon Oprah Winfrey, writer and activist Gloria Steinem and Sally Ride, the first American to fly in space. In announcing the medal winners, Obama said, "The Presidential Medal of Freedom goes to men and women who have dedicated their own lives to enriching ours."
Arturo Sandoval is a celebrated jazz trumpeter, pianist, and composer.
Born outside Havana (Artemisia), he became a protégé of jazz legend Dizzy Gillespie and gained international acclaim as a dynamic performer. He defected to the United States in 1990 and later became an American citizen. He has been awarded nine Grammy Awards. Sandoval's latest album, Dear Diz: Every Day I Think of You, won the GRAMMY® for Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album in February and is available now on Concord Jazz.
RIP
George Duke
January 12,1946 - Auguest 5, 2013
Title of a Hoffington Post article by journalist Lionel Rolfe says it best:
At a memorial held in Hollywood earlier this month, Duke's colleagues and friends echoed this sentiment and offered touching tributes to the jazz icon. Among the presenters: Stevie Wonder, Dianne Reeves, Jeffrey Osborne, Chaka Khan (I can still hear her "My Funny Valentine"), Sheila E, Greg Phillinganes, Stanley Clark. A letter from the White House and President Obama set the stage for what became a fitting celebration (all streamed Live On CentricTV.com). Speakers included his sons John and Rashid, his longtime engineer Erik Zobler.
George Duke's death, from cardiac complications resulting from treatments for chronic leukemia, was unexpected. Last month we spoke to Zobler about making of what became his final album, Dreamweaver.
The GRAMMY® Award-winning keyboardist, composer, arranger and producer was one of the world's most prolific jazz legends. During his life Duke produced some of the 90s beloved Pop albums with Jeffrey Osborne, Stanley Clarke, Joe Sample, to name a few. Along with his wife Corine, they hosted artists in their home studio, Le Gonk.
George was incredibly versatile, generous and humble. Few years back, he sent me his Muir Woods Suite. Duke's tasteful approach in the orchestrations validated him as a true Genius. Born in 1946 in San Rafael, Calif., the natural-born talent grew up listening to gospel music and first stepped behind a piano as a young boy after his mother took him to see Duke Ellington. In the '60s, Duke backed jazz musicians such as Sonny Rollins and Dexter Gordon which eventually led to partnerships with Jean-Luc Ponty and Frank Zappa.
Duke's career, which spanned more than five decades, constantly pushed the limits to what was expected in any specific genre and has been noted as working with greats such as Miles Davis, Michael Jackson, George Clinton, Gladys Knight and others.
"Musicians are weavers of dreams," Duke said in the EPK promoting his album released on July 16th."
George is now with his beloved wife, Corine and playing up a storm with Zappa, Davis, Bach & friends!
Contributions in his honor can be made to the following organizations
RIP
Marian McPartland
March 20, 1918 - August 20, 2013
"You have to love what you do," McPartland said. She died of natural causes at her home in Long Island, N.Y. She was 95. Marian McPartland's first recording for Concord Jazz, From This Moment On, was released April 30, 1979. Concord also released a series of CDs selected from her "Piano Jazz" radio shows featuring legendary musicians joining McPartland for a fantastic combination of conversation and music-making. Her final Concord recording, Twilight World, which she recorded at age 89, was released March 11, 2008. "We were very lucky to have her in our lives and to be involved in such a great musical legacy," says John Burk, Chief Creative Office, Concord Music Group
"The real meaning of success is being in the position to work with an individual you consider a friend."
--Jay-Z referring to his friend Jon Platt of Warner/Chappell
The rapper negotiated the return of the master recordings to all the music he made while at Def Jam as part of an agreement to become president of the label in 2004. By the end of 2014, he'll be in full control of both his master recordings and publishing rights-meaning that every time someone buys one of his albums, streams one of his hits online or licenses his song for a movie, he'll get a considerably larger piece of the pie. Not bad for someone who already made $38 million last year.
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It's hard to imagine a more glorious theatre than the Odeon of Herodes Atticus, the amphitheatre that sits on the southern slopes of the Acropolis. It has been the focus of this interdisciplinary Greek festival for more than 50 years and subject of one of my dreams this month! Good to see it's surviving the Greek economic crisis. So get yourselves out there - the world is still a big place for performers like Patti Smith who had a show on june 22nd promoting her new album, Banga.
"I Have a Dream," the public speech by American clergyman and activist Martin Luther King, Jr. was delivered on August 28, 1963 - 50 years ago today - in which Dr King called for an end to racism in the United States. Delivered to over 250,000 civil rights supporters from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial during the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, the speech was a defining moment of the American Civil Rights Movement.
Until next month, Celebrate your dreams.
Music Lives & Moves!
Claris Sayadian-Dodge, Founder I Editor studioexpresso
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Daft Punk
Random Access Memories
Columbia Records
After all, what are we but random accessed memories? Call them aliens or creative musicians...this French duo behind their mysterious masks are creators of the soundtrack to the film, Tron Legacy, and make up Daft Punk - Guy Manuel de Homem-Christo + Thomas Bangalter. On their new album, Random Access Memories, they bring together sounds of modern disco, house, funk, electro and techno. The Surprise: Most of the instrumentation is real with Nile Rodgers scratchy funky guitars, and other guests like Pharrell, Julian Casablancas, Paul Williams, Todd Edwards, Panda Bear, and the legendary Giorgio Moroder. The duo who wears shiny droid costumes at every live show (we're told they only allowed themselves to be photographed in said costumes) is influenced by rock bands like AC/DC as they were by classic disco acts.
This album is a tribute to those who grew up in the 70s and late-80 and those who are about to rediscover the music and make it their party sound. It takes you back to soulful keyboard playing of Michael McDonald and the Crusaders renewed for EDM fans of rich visuals and sound.
 Daft Merch: Daft Punk have teamed with Durex to make a "Get Lucky" brand of condoms. The breakout single from Random Access Memories is now immortalized as safe-sex protection, packaged with the recognizable image of Daft Punk, Pharrell and Nile Rodgers playing in front of the smoldering sun. Anything in the name of good health, extra income and branding!
Durex apparently sent samples out to high profile DJs. Diplo who posted a picture of the (empty) box on his Instagram, writing, "Thank god I had those daft punk condoms last night!"Mick Guzauski mixed the album at Conway Studio C.
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courtesy of Record Production & Babblefish
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New Address
Roland l Rodgers I Hammond
keyboard Showroom
studioexpresso
2295 E Foothill Blvd Pasadena, CA 91107
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Elvis Costello and The Roots
'Wise Up Ghost'
Blue Note/Decca
September 16th
Expect lyrically honest and poetic transparency coming from two iconic artists who made a record because they have something to say.
Elvis Costello's unmistakable voice backed by The Roots' juicy rhythm section tells stories of lost souls in Paradise. It's about a society grappling with race, faith, gender and economic issues not expected from the 21st century.
Songs remind us that love, loss, and believing in what's right and wrong still matter most and happen to every day people.
Costello and Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson (the heartbeat of Philadelphia's most influential hip-hop band, The Roots), "Walk Us Uptown" where you hear the fast lane. "Sugar Won't Work" enters and lingers in your mind with a mean beat juxtaposed against lush strings -- representing beauty even in the dark corners of life. Again, you hear it in "If I Could BELIEVE," finding light when you least expect it. The orchestration follows the emotional chords directed by "Refuse To Be Saved," and "CINCO Minutos Con Vos (5 Minutes with You)", which features vocal sensation La Marisoul.
The highly-anticipated collaborative album with Costello and The Roots promises to deliver both in emotional and intellectual content.
Questlove who finds time to teach at NYU calls the songs "stark and dark; a moody, brooding affair..."
Nevertheless, professor Q
may be on a mission to bring an analog love of music to a digital generation. His 2013 course Topic is Recorded Music: Classic Albums. Teaching comes naturally for the man who is more like a music historian, a walking encyclopedia of musical facts. On a given day you can find his Tweets and YouTube- postings offer fans uncensored sentiments on music, turn of events and life, just like this album does.
Arranger Brent Fischer was personally asked by Questlove to add his creative expression on five songs.
"Wise Up Ghost is a fantastic blending of many creative inputs skillfully crafted into a singular vision," says Brent Fischer, best known for using unusual orchestral colors and unconventional harmonic ideas to complement his illustrious clients' works.
The album will be released in both a regular and deluxe versions on Sept 16.
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