Copper

Welcome to Copper #72!

It's a cliche' that travel expands the mind, but there is truth in it. Having just been in  South America where Daylight Savings Time was just beginning and summer was approaching, and then returning to a fallen-back Colorado with snow on the ground--well, it lets one know that it's a big ol' world, and one tiny little corner of it doesn't reflect all that other territory. Thank God for that, says I.

Back to the issue at hand---issue #72, unbelievably enough---we've  wrapped up our coverage of the recent Rocky Mountain Audio Fest, and now our resident recording engineer John Seetoo takes us around the giant AES convention at Javits Center in NYC. I'll get there one of these years.

Getting to our unusual usuals, Larry Schenbeck writes about roots in our rootless world; Dan Schwartz is still on hiatus, so we'll revisit his take on words in music; Richard Murison finds beauty, on sale at Amazon; Jay Jay French writes about blues, both faux and fo' real; Roy Hall remembers corporal punishment, and not fondly; Anne E. Johnson brings us uncharacteristic work from James Taylor, and doubles up with Something Old/Something New on new recordings of Mozart string quartets; Christian James Hand deconstructs the MTV chestnut, "Take On Me"; Woody Woodward brings us the first part of a series on Bessie Smith; and I continue the (never-ending!) series on phono technology, and think about music in the air.

Industry News looks at two bankruptcies: one, a beginning of sorts; the other, the final shovel of dirt tossed ignominiously on a grave. In My Room returns with the first of several parts on Ken Fritz's massive speaker/listening room project. You're not going to believe this one. Seriously.

Copper #72 concludes with sympathy from Charles Rodrigues, and a striking Parting Shot from Utah.

As always: thanks for reading!

Cheers, Leebs.

Welcome to Copper #71!

The leaves have mostly passed peak color here in the Front Range of the Rockies, meaning the dogs are running through the carpet of fallen leaves and are generally making a crackly mess of things. Halloween has passed, and the election is coming right up---and no, I'm not equating the two. ;->

I'm pleased that Woody Woodward, our Poet Laureate of the Roadhouse, returns in this issue with a piece even more bizarre than usual. Well--he's had that stuff bottled up for a while.... Good to have you back, Woody!

Wrapping up our coverage of the recent Rocky Mountain Audio Fest, part 2 of my walk around the show appears here, in this issue. Our resident oenologist audiophile, Tom Methans, also provides his take on the show as a bass-free zone.

With Woody back, the gang is all here:  Larry Schenbeck writes about music that speaks softly, but carries a big impact;  Dan Schwartz is still recovering, so we’ll revisit his piece on his friend and colleague, Harry Pearson; Richard Murison remembers a classic bit of English humor (or humour); Jay Jay French writes about a recent Elton John concert;  Roy Hall recalls a brief encounter in Milan; Anne E. Johnson brings us some lesser-known cuts from The Clash; and  I continue the (never-ending!) series on phono technology, and obsess over liminal messages.

Industry News looks at the bizarre world of buy-backs.  Our friend Christian James Hand is on the road with live sessions, and will return next issue.

Copper #71 concludes with Charles Rodrigues getting warmer, and a Parting Shot from ---well, my backyard.

As always: thanks for reading!

Cheers, Leebs.

Welcome to Copper #70!

The Rocky Mountain Audio Fest took place October 5-7, and as is often the case, we had our first snow shortly thereafter. Just a few days later, temps are back up in the 60s F (say 15-ish,C). Aside from a dusting upon higher points around us, the snow's gone. Fourteener Longs Peak (>14,000 feet elevation) in the distance looks like an ice cream sundae, and will likely stay that way until next June. Maybe later.

Oh: Part 1 of my walk around the show appears here, in this issue.

The gang is almost all here---more on that in a bit:  Larry Schenbeck brings us Bach, with some atypical instrumentation;  Dan Schwartz is still recovering, so we’ll revisit his piece on minimalist Nik Bärtsch ; Richard Murison remembers a celebrity encounter; Jay Jay French explains how artists get short shrift, yet again ;  Roy Hall recounts close encounters with suicide; Anne E. Johnson brings us obscure cuts from Tracy Chapman, and presents a fascinating Something Old/Something New on medieval Spanish chant (really---listen to this stuff); Christian James Hand  deconstructs Beastie Boys' "Sabotage", and it's pretty amazing; and  I continue the series on phono technology, and write about glossolalia. ;->.

Industry News looks at, yes, still more drama from Sears; and we reluctantly wrap up our friend Rich Maez's feature on Monterey Auto Week.

Copper #70 concludes with Charles Rodrigues contemplating a philosophical question, and a Parting Shot from Middle Of Nowhere, Colorado.

I'm happy to announce that---God willin' and the creek don't rise---Woody Woodward will return in Copper #71, and our friend Tom Methans will be bringing us another take on RMAF. We'll also have a few more surprises---but if I told you what to expect, they wouldn't be surprises, now, would they?

Thanks for reading!

Cheers, Leebs.