“When you’re not afraid to do it wrong the first time, you’ll eventually get it right.” I hadn’t seen an inspirational fortune cookie in a while, until I came across that one.
We mourn the passing of Robbie Robertson, who went across the great divide at age 80. A Canadian who created much of the foundation for Americana as a member of the Band and a solo artist, and who earlier played with Little Caesar and the Consuls, Ronnie Hawkins and the Hawks, Bob Dylan, and others. His contribution to rock music can be appreciated just by noting some of the songs he wrote: “The Weight,” “The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down,” ‘The Shape I’m In,” “Stage Fright, “Acadian Driftwood”…songs that are woven into the fabric of our lives.
In this issue: I cover two new releases from Octave Records, the remastered Say Somethin’ by jazz trumpeter Gabriel Mervine, complete with bonus tracks, and Off the Cuff – Live at Meadowlark by the radiant jazz/funk/fusion guitarist Enmanuel Alexander and his remarkable band. I interviewed Mervine and Alexander, who have some interesting things to say about music, and life. Australian author Tony Wellington has musical memories. Our Mindful Melophile Don Kaplan gets into cool jazz. Andrew Daly talks with Josh Caterer of indie titans Smoking Popes.
Anne E. Johnson revisits singer/songwriter Alice Phoebe Lou, and lute music of the 16th and 17th centuries. J.I. Agnew has a look at an extremely refined home audio system. B. Jan Montana ponders simple acoustics and complicated spouses. We re-run one of our favorite articles from professor Larry Schenbeck, on the role of the violin in the orchestra. Jay Jay French looks back at one of his major guitar influences: Mike Bloomfield. John Seetoo interviews mastering engineer extraordinaire Steve Hoffman. The issue wraps up with a singing stranger, a sound pension plan, goin’ to the bank, and shadow photography.
Staff Writers:
J.I. Agnew, Ray Chelstowski, Andrew Daly, Harris Fogel, Jay Jay French, Tom Gibbs, Roy Hall, Rich Isaacs, Anne E. Johnson, Don Kaplan, Ken Kessler, Don Lindich, Stuart Marvin, Tom Methans, B. Jan Montana, Rudy Radelic, Tim Riley, Wayne Robins, Alón Sagee, Ken Sander, John Seetoo, Russ Welton, Adrian Wu
Contributing Editors:
Ivan Berger, Steven Bryan Bieler, Steve Kindig, Ted Shafran, Bob Wood
Cover:
“Cartoon Bob” D’Amico
Cartoons:
James Whitworth, Peter Xeni
Parting Shots:
James Schrimpf, B. Jan Montana, Rich Isaacs (and others)
Audio Anthropology Photos:
Howard Kneller, Steve Rowell
Editor:
Frank Doris
Publisher:
Paul McGowan
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– FD
