Copper

Welcome to Copper #86!

A week or so ago, here in Boulder we said, "it's May, so winter's over---right?" Then we had snow.

I won't second-guess any more, but I am hopeful. Temps in the 80s would tend to indicate that we're done. REALLY done.

We'll see. ;->

In our regular columns, Dan Schwartz fills us in on bassists he loves (other than Jack Casady!); Richard Murison asks a fundamental, troubling question: "Does Science Have to Make Sense?"; Jay Jay French continues his walk-around at Munich; Roy Hall runs into yet another beautiful young woman with problems; Anne E. Johnson’s Off the Charts brings us back-catalog works of Howard Jones; Woody Woodward writes about one of the most influential guitarists ever---Django Reinhardt; Anne’s Something Old/Something New reviews recent recordings of works by Corelli; and I overthink things in The Audio Cynic, and continue with part 2 of the history of Empire in Vintage Whine.

I'm happy to present an unusual article about unusual variants of the guitar, written by our friend Don Kaplan. I think you'll learn a lot from it---I certainly did.

We continue with excerpts from Michael Stuart Baskin's memoir, 363 Days in Vietnam: A Memoir of Howitzers, Hook-Ups, & Screw-Ups From My Tour of Duty 1968 to 1969; I continue with part 2 of my look at this year's Munich show. Industry News continues (and perhaps concludes) the sad story of Thiel Audio. 

Copper #86 wraps up with Charles Rodrigues in a discount mood, and a Parting Shot from down under by PSer Travis Townes.

I'm happy that our friend Christian James Hand is doing well and is busy doing live sessions all over the country---but sad that he's no longer going to be able to contribute to Copper. Best of luck to you, MC Skullcap!

Cheers, Leebs.

Welcome to Copper #85!

It seems like only yesterday when I got back from Axpona---and now I've gone to and returned from the Munich show. Any glitches in this issue should be attributed to jet lag....

In our regular columns, Dan Schwartz tells us about a special microphone; Richard Murison goes off on a tangent---or three; Jay Jay French begins his analysis of the Munich High End; Roy Hall gets into the thick of things yet again---this time, in Paris; Anne E. Johnson’s Off the Charts brings us lesser-known cuts from Rush, and Anne’s Trading Eights looks at alto sax great Johnny Hodges; and I look at the trend towards consolidation in The Audio Cynic.

We conclude the Make It Yourself article from Danish reader Sebastian Schlager on his experiments with horns.

Industry News looks at the continued growth of Sound United.

The Copper Interview brings us Part 2 of John Seetoo's chat with versatile producer/engineer Jack Joseph Puig.

We continue with excerpts from Michael Stuart Baskin's memoir, 363 Days in Vietnam: A Memoir of Howitzers, Hook-Ups, & Screw-Ups From My Tour of Duty 1968 to 1969; our friend Tom Methans tells us about this year's Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, and I start a multi-part look at this year's  Munich show.

Copper #85 wraps up with Charles Rodrigues doing penance, and a Parting Shot from Italy by Paul McGowan.

I'll continue the Vintage Whine series on the tangled history of Empire next ish; Woody Woodward is deeply involved in researching his next series, and Christian James Hand is still tied up in live sessions. Both will return soon---next issue, I hope, God willin' and WordPress don't bust.

See you then!

Cheers, Leebs.

Welcome to Copper #84!

Being the picayune sort, it annoys me when people celebrate the birthday of one long dead, and say, "this is Mozart's 263rd birthday." That may even be proper usage of the term, but unless you can actually sing "Happy Birthday" to someone---meaning that they're alive---it seems to me that "commemorating the anniversary of a birth" is more like it, rather than "---th birthday".

Again: it may well just be me, and that may be perfectly acceptable in common usage.

Along the same lines, I hesitate to say, "May 6th is my parents' anniversary," when they're both dead. Yes, it is the anniversary of their wedding, 78 years ago---but they were only married for 46 years, until my dad died in 1987.

"Only"? That's a damned long time. Anyway: I'm obsessing again....

We have a very full issue this time around, with some pieces that are a little different from our usual contributions.

Prof. Larry Schenbeck will be taking a sabbatical for a spell. I'm grateful for Larry's good humor and incredible knowledge of music---we expect he'll be back around the fall. Meanwhile, in this issue Larry brings us a group of performances of Prokofiev piano concertos---and thanks for that, Larry.

Dan Schwartz tells us about the landmark album Noir et Blanc; Richard Murison  looks into HD Vinyl---and it's not at all what I thought; Jay Jay French tells us about one that got away ; Roy Hall observes cultural differences while traveling the world; Anne E. Johnson’s Off the Charts brings us some unusual cuts from Tori Amos; Woody Woodward hilariously reviews those "best 100" lists; Anne’s Something Old/Something New introduces us to some beautiful organum from Notre Dame; and I wonder if there's a right size to audio shows, in The Audio Cynic; and try to untangle the history of Empire in Vintage Whine.

I'm really pleased to have an interesting, detailed Make It Yourself  article from Danish reader Sebastian Schlager on his experiments with horns. Part 2 will be in Copper #85.

The Copper Interview brings us Part 1 of John Seetoo chatting with versatile producer/engineer Jack Joseph Puig.

Rudy Radelic's feature on Axpona concludes in this issue---and thanks to Rudy for his hard work.

Longtime audio industry veteran Michael Stuart Baskin is, like many of us, of a certain age---and has written his memoir, 363 Days in Vietnam: A Memoir of Howitzers, Hook-Ups, & Screw-Ups From My Tour of Duty 1968 to 1969---phew! I'm pleased to be running excerpts over the next few issues. Don't worry---it's more like a gentler MASH than Apocalypse Now. I hope you enjoy it.

Copper #84 wraps up with the mysteries of botany from Charles Rodrigues, and a Parting Shot from---my morning commute?!?

Christian James Hand is tied up in live sessions---we wish him all the best, and hope he'll return soon.

Meanwhile: I'm off to Munich!

Cheers, Leebs.