Steep Canyon Rangers- Out in the Open There is something very satisfying about the new album Out In The Open by the Steep Canyon Rangers. Whether it is ease with which they harmonize or their mastery of traditional bluegrass instruments including the mandolin and fiddle, these gentlemen cast a spell of homespun warmth that is both authentic and fresh. The band was an unknown quantity to me, though they’ve won a Grammy and have collaborated with Steve Martin over the years. When I saw an announcement from Ramseur Records about Out In The Open, I was intrigued and asked for a copy. I’m... Read More
Strata-East Reissues from Pure Pleasure
Strata-East Pure Pleasure Reissues It’s no coincidence that my renewed interest in jazz came with my recent discovery of “spiritual jazz,” a form of avant-garde music that blossomed in the late ‘60s and early ‘70s. This was a period when, like other creators of music, jazz players and composers sought to push beyond the conventions of established genres. This shift also coincided with the emergence of Afro-centric music, the “Black Power movement” and a deeper exploration of the roots of the black experience in America. One of the most diverse and (at the time)... Read More
Tima’s DIY RCM
Tima’s DIY RCM As a dedicated vinylista, I’ve been cleaning records for over thirty years. Sound familiar? Cleaning techniques and technologies evolved across that time and my approach changed with the times. I’ve been using a Loricraft RC3 point nozzle machine and more recently an Audio Desk System. After reading multiple threads on various audio forums about home made record cleaning kits built around larger volume ultrasonic cleaners, I decided to give that a try. Thanks to all who have gone before me, and especially to Bill at The Vinyl Press and Rob at Audionirvana.org, for... Read More
A Tribute to Quad
A Tribute to Quad Much has been written over the years about Peter Walker’s electrostatic loudspeaker, including the wonderful book assembled by Ken Kessler, Quad: The Closest Approach. I bought my first pair of Quad ESLs in 1973 and learned much about listening in the process of living with them as my main system during the ‘70s and early-mid ‘80s. I never sold my original pair, but after all sorts of experiments with subwoofers and add-on tweeters, I put the original ESL to the side for what turned out to be decades. I switched to a pair of Crosby-modified Quad 63’s,... Read More
Gone to Texas
Gone to Texas I’m long overdue in publishing new material at The Vinyl Press. My mini-travelogue of our journey from New York through the Deep South was part of our transit, a road trip of relocation to Austin, Texas. We landed in Austin on February 1, and with a pretty good sense of the real estate market here (great for sellers, ugly for buyers), we set out with our broker to find a place that appealed. My original intention was to buy something in an international modern vein, but that didn’t happen for a number of reasons. Our “new” house in Austin is circa the 1880’s and... Read More
Songs in the Key of Life-Stevie Wonder National Recording Registry
“Songs in the Key of Life”—Stevie Wonder (1976) Added to the National Recording Registry: 2005 Essay by Bill Hart (guest post)* How does one judge the importance of a work of recorded music? Stevie Wonder’s “Songs in the Key of Life” enjoyed enormous popularity and sales; had a profound influence on other musicians and garnered critical accolades from reviewers. Yet the musical significance of this album is still not fully explained by these conventional measures. The significance of “Songs” as a groundbreaking album seems only to have grown over the years. Its influence is... Read More
Rob Stoner: A Life of Music
Rob Stoner: A Life of Music Few musicians can claim to have opened for the original Jeff Beck Group in ‘68 (with Rod Stewart, Nicky Hopkins and Ronnie Wood), backed Don McLean on his perennial hit and album, American Pie and then helped Bob Dylan reinvent himself (again) in a series of albums and roadshows in the mid-‘70s—in what is now recognized as a peak of creativity for that mercurial troubadour. Rob Stoner did all that by the time he was 27 years old. Stoner didn’t stop there: he played with guitarists as legendary as Chuck Berry and Link Wray, as great as Mick Ronson and as... Read More
The Congos- Heart of the Congos
The Congos- Heart of the Congos Dig into “reggae” or “roots reggae” and one album seems to stand out: The Congos: Heart of the Congos. This record enjoyed a following but was made far more accessible by subsequent reissues, the most notable being a re-master done in the ‘90s by the Blood & Fire label in the UK. Even if you don’t think you like reggae or Jamaican music, this one is worth owning. It combines beautiful vocal harmonies with a driving rhythm section and a production so in touch with the soul of the music that the recording is part of the performance itself.... Read More
Caravan “In the Land of Grey and Pink”- The Canterbury Scene
Caravan “In the Land of Grey and Pink” -The “Canterbury Scene” Caravan’s “In the Land of Grey and Pink,” released in 1971, is generally considered one of the best representations of the so-called “Canterbury Scene.” What, you may ask, is the “Canterbury Scene”? To me, it is a very imprecise label for an offshoot of progressive rock that had no specific style, and was not necessarily even linked to the cathedral city from which it drew its name. Commentators often point to the pastoral aspects of the music, or the peculiarly English sense of whimsy associated with... Read More
Never Say No To a Rock Star In the Studio With Dylan, Sinatra, Jagger and More by Glenn Berger
Inside A&R Studios in its Heyday-Glenn Berger Recounts the Golden Era Working with Phil Ramone This is the rare “insider” book on the rock music business in its heyday: rare because unlike the name-dropping, image-burnishing autobiographies of many fabled artists and engineers, often told from the vantage point of age and (sometimes faded) celebrity, we are in the studio—Phil Ramone’s to be exact—witnessing the performances and engineering craft of the best in the business through the eyes (and ears) of a young intern/apprentice/assistant engineer. The author, Glenn... Read More