RIP
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Hugh Masekela passed away...
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The Jackson C. Frank's Martin D 28
The 1948 Jackson C. Frank D 28 reappeared... finally in the light of day.......the 1948 C.F. Martin D-28 that was used by Jackson C. Frank to write and record his first and only album and that is pictured on his only album cover. This gorgeous D-28 has been with one owner since Dec. 1966. Before that, from early 1965 until Dec. 1966, Jackson C. Frank was in London and used this guitar to compose and record his first and only album, titled: "Jackson C. Frank". In Dec. of 1966, he decided to go back to America and sold this guitar to a guitar shop in Richmond. Seamlessly, a client of the shop who frequented it often got a call from the owner to tell him that Jackson's D-28 was in the back room and that he should come to see it. Needless to say, it went home with this person. Noone has known of it's whereabouts until now and we have had the great priviledge of buying it directly from that owner. It will be one of the more important guitars that we will have the privilege of owning and is an important cog in the wheel of Jackson's tragic life story and musical career.
It happens that Jackson owned another D-28 until early 1965, at which time he somehow put a microphone thru the top. The very next day, he went to a guitar shop in Richmond ( the very same mentioned above) and for two other guitars that he had along with some money purchased this 1948 D-28. From that point on, his writing accelerated and within the two year period of 1965 thru 1966, he wrote and recorded his one and only album, which was to influence all of the major players in the English folk world, iincluding Bert Jansch, John Renbourn, Paul Simon, Art Garfunkel, to name just a few who have commented over the years about the huge influence Jackson had at this particular time. Many said as much as Bob Dylan. Jackson's playing style was unique and fluid with a suppleness that combined well with his wordsmith abilities. His style impacted the folk world as much as Davey Graham and still his music is considered enlightened and of a very high order.
The guitar is in exceptional, all original condition and has a unique voice for a 40's D-28. You can hear Jackson in this guitar and one wonders who had the most influence in this relationship of guitar and player. Exceptional Brazilian rosewood and Adirondack spruce top provide the structure that inspired Jackson to his greatest moments. This guitar was the element that inspired it to happen. It is accompanied by the original receipt from the shop in Richmond dated Dec. 1966 and a testimony from the previous owner.
Amazing.
Relative to price: I haven't priced the guitar because I am working to be sure it gets involved in some documentary and musical endeavours that are very coincidentally happening at the moment. Not to create some extraordinary value, but to let it be known that this guitar exists. It was dormant for over 60 years since Frank sold it and it has now come to light........it would be a shame for it to go obscure again so quickly.
Anyone?
Anyone?
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Brian Eno's seldom read facts...
Brian Eno is a producer, writer, and multi-instrumental musician, legendary both in his own right as a pioneer of ambient music, and in the work he’s done across his vast career with others, like Bryan Ferry’s band Roxy Music. He is perhaps best known in mainstream circles for his incomparable synthesizer and soundscapes work on David Bowie’s “Berlin Trilogy” of albums — Low, Heroes, and Lodger — all produced by Tony Visconti with visionary help from Eno, and for producing records with pop artists like U2, Coldplay, Sinéad O’Connor, King Crimson, Bauhaus, The Ramones, Heart, and many more.
But there’s so much more to him than meets the framed platinum record… His body of work is surprisingly eclectic. Here are just a few surprises from his catalog.
1. “The Microsoft Sound”
Anyone who owned a PC in the ’90s is intimately familiar with the chimes that rang out when their Windows 95 operating system loaded. It turns out that sound was created by none other than Eno himself.
Tasked with coming up with an “inspiring, universal, sentimental, futuristic… and emotional” micro-song, Eno went to work. The only parameter was that “it had to be 3.25 seconds long.” Nevertheless, he rose to the challenge and created 84 pieces for submission to the project.
The chosen track would eventually enter the consciousness of millions of computer users the world over. Somewhat ironically, he composed the entire thing on a Mac!
2. The Dune Soundtrack
The soundtrack to David Lynch’s 1984 sci-fi epic Dune was produced by Brian Eno and largely written by Toto, although one song (“Prophecy Theme”) was penned by Eno himself, alongside ambient synthesizer-soundscapes producer Daniel Lanois and Brian’s brother, Roger.
Rumor has it that Eno wrote an entire soundtrack for the film on his own but ultimately decided to hand the writing reins over to Toto. I would love to hear that original music one day, but alas, who knows if it will ever surface!
3. Devo’s Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo!
The debut album by Ohio new wave weirdos Devo had tons of top producers clamoring to be involved. Iggy Pop and David Bowie both expressed interest, and although Eno eventually won out, Bowie is rumored to have helped “on the weekends.”
Unfortunately, it was not an easy project — Eno found the band difficult to work with and resistant to his suggestions. It’s really no wonder, either. The aesthetic identities of the two artistic parties don’t really mesh at all. Where Eno wanted a warm and atmospheric sound, Devo’s vibe was cold, mechanical, and robotic. The album was initially released to mixed reviews, but in the years that have followed, it’s become a new wave classic.
4. The Spore Soundtrack
Perhaps somewhat surprisingly, Brian Eno contributed Reich-inspired electronic soundscapes to the soundtrack of the video game Spore. The 2008 game, which centers around developing your own creatures, features unique music that evolves with how you play. For instance, the music is different if you choose to raise a herbivore or a carnivore, a large animal or a small animal, etc.
Uniquely, players never hear the same song twice. The interactive soundtrack was a perfect fit for Eno, and no doubt a lot of fun to produce. Contributions were also made by Cliff Martinez of Drive, Contagion, and Traffic soundtrack fame.
5. Talking Heads’ Remain in Light
Although Eno and the Talking Heads had worked together before, and David Byrne would later go on to record a duo album with Eno, this particular project was considered a bit of a departure for both parties musically. In fact, in order to tour in support of the music, the band had to expand their roster.
Remain in Light was more heavily influenced by world music with the stated goal being to blend Western rock energy and African rhythms. The resulting album became an instant classic and included the hit single “Once in a Lifetime,” in which Eno used a different rhythm count for some members than others.
6. Paul Simon’s Surprise
For many, the collaboration between the two on Paul Simon‘s 2006 release, Surprise, came as an actual surprise. At face value, it would seem the two artists were from two different worlds entirely — Eno’s synthesized soundscapes and Simon’s world-music-influenced acoustic folk might not seem to be an obvious marriage. But on the contrary, Simon notably stated that, “We’re both ‘sounds’ people… We’re both about soundscapes.” And, in fact, some of the songs do feature some very Eno-esque trippiness — the track “Another Galaxy,” for example.
It’s worth mentioning that the album was Paul Simon’s highest-charting success since 1990’s Rhythm of the Saints. It’s also worth mentioning that Herbie Hancock, Pino Palladino, and Bill Frisell all played on this album. Surprise!
7. “Only Once Away, My Son” (with Kevin Shields)
Kevin Shields, the vocalist and guitarist for shoegaze mainstay My Bloody Valentine teamed up with Eno to produce a new track for Adult Swim’s Singles Program. The TV network has been commissioning various artists to release around 30 songs a year.
The result, “Only Once Away, My Son,” is over nine minutes of lush, ambient landscapes complete with dark waves of synthesizer, big distorted guitar drones, and chimes. The real surprise here is that these two, cut from similar cloths, haven’t managed to team up before!
8. Songs from Cool World
Eno contributed one exclusive, new song to the soundtrack for the film Cool World, which features Brad Pitt and Kim Basinger. Other contributors to the music include the late David Bowie (with Nile Rodgers), Moby, Pure, Ministry, and the Future Sound of London.
While Eno contributing to soundtracks is nothing new for Eno, what is surprising is this particular film — a very risqué combination of live action and cartoon. The movie itself is a strange cult favorite, ostensibly about a creator that falls passionately in love with his bombshell of a creation and her struggle to become real. The movie never found its niche, but the soundtrack — a mix of jazz, pop, electronic music, and cinematic orchestral pieces — was quite well-received.
9. Willie Nelson and U2’s “Slow Dancing”
This might just be the oddest collaboration on here, but somehow, it works. Almost a decade before it actually got recorded in the ’90s, U2 wrote “Slow Dancing” for Willie Nelson. Although a simple acoustic track was released as a B-side, the band eventually decided to revisit the track and collaborate with Nelson in the studio. But this time with a strange secret weapon: background vocals provided by Brian Eno! Can you hear it?
10. Grace Jones’ Hurricane
Grace Jones is a force of nature in the entertainment world. She has pioneered as a supermodel, an actress, a producer, and of course, a recording and performing artist. Initially a disco artist, she got into all kinds of styles throughout her lengthy career, including new wave, reggae and pop.
As her career began to wane, she vowed never to record another album again — and didn’t for about 20 years. Hurricane, her widely acclaimed 2008 comeback album, featured a whole new style, a bit closer to trip hop. Eno contributed, naturally, with his signature keyboards, effects, and sonic treatments, as well as backing vocals.
11. African Artists
In the late ’90s, Eno and his longtime ambient collaborator, trumpeter, and composer Jon Hassell contributed some deep, new-agey synthesized soundscapes to Senegalese singer and guitarist Baaba Maal’s track “Lam Lam.” As a side note, remember how Talking Heads’ Remain in Light featured an attention toward “African sounds”? Well, Jon Hassell also played trumpet on that record all the way back in 1980!
In 2011, Eno also coproduced Seun Anikulapo Kuti & Egypt 80’s album, From Africa with Fury: Rise. Kuti is the son of Nigerian afrobeat pioneer Fela Kuti.
To learn about modern mixing production techniques (like EQ, Compression, Level, Pan Setting, Digital Signal Processing, FX Sends, and so much more) from some of today’s leading sound engineers, preview Soundfly’s newest and most in-depth mentorship-assisted online mixing courses, Faders Up I & II: Modern Mix Techniques and Advanced Mix Techniques, for free today!
And right now, if you sign up for either course before January 31, you can take 30% off (that’s $150) with the exclusive code MIXINGMONTH.
—
*This article has been edited, a previous version included the misleading phrase, “He is perhaps best known in mainstream circles for his incomparable production work on David Bowie’s ‘Berlin Trilogy’ of albums.”
Thanking Dan Reifsnyder for the above nice article.
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Bert Jansch at Waverly Studio
Look at the beauty of this pix: Bert with one of his several borrowed acoustic guitars, here a nice Gibson... and the two AKG C24s' stereo mikes with capsules set as mono...
This pix comes from Nathan Joseph's shooting session at Waverly Studios... the missing Bert's sessions.
How I'd wish them to be re-surrected and made available...
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The Poser Studer C 37
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First New Year Vinyl Chase
Drums & fifes... the hounds unlashed... found these nuggets hidden in dusty flea-market carton boxes lying on the tarmac...
Yeah!
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Studer C 37 butterfly heads-set
Incredible... look at these time-capsule heads for Studer C 37 reel to reel... N.O.S.!!!
They ended up to EUR 1,910.00 on Ebay, recently... posting here to preserve something rarer than a four leaf clover in Sahara desert.
The wealthy buyer sure had a good deal...
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Oneaverageear
YES!
... sure not twogoodears, today!
Unfortunately, I've been suffering of some strange flu for the last few days - i.e. had some light fever, some throat pain, then some eyes sore, now some crackling inner-ear pain...
My auditive capabilities are severely flawed...
Today I tried to listen to a record, then playing some notes on my Guild F212XL..
Everything played muddy, veiled, wrong!
I had to stop... too painful, both physically and psychologically,
When I yawn, I feel these crackling in my right inner ear and an annoying low hiss.
I hope to get better, soon... not feeling in good shape, indeed.
Stressed...
Stressed...
F..k!
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Neumann USM-69 stereo mike
Neumann USM-69 is a truly lovely stereo microphone - among the best in my stable - and the one I use the most for its practical package.
Its sound with Sound Devices 722 2-tracks 24Bit/192Khz digital recorder is true-to-life and I'm recording quite often, say two times per week... such a pleasure!
The German microphone is sooo good and natural sounding that I strongly suspect the USM stands for Ultimate Superb Musicality;-)
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DDP
What is a DDP file, and what are the advantages?
By Rob Stewart - JustMastering.com - Last updated August 7, 2017
DDP stands for “Disc Description Protocol”, a proprietary format developed by DCA, Inc. DDP files are used when sending music to a CD manufacturer (also used for DVD formats). DDP files allow you to set all of the parameters for the CD such as the exact gap between each song, the cross fades and other information. A DDP file allows the producer and mastering engineer to have complete control over all parameters for the CD, therefore it is recommended for critical applications when you have very specific artistic needs for the production.
In the early days of CD manufacturing, a CD audio “master” would be sent to the manufacturer, and they would create a glass master from that CD from which all of the copies would be made with. This approach is still used today in many situations. The advantage is that it’s simple. The disadvantage is that if your original CD master contains any data errors (which are quite common, just not easy to hear because the CD player “rebuilds” the damaged audio on playback using redundant information stored on the CD), those errors get included in the manufactured CDs as well. DDP files, on the other hand, have a significant amount of error correction built in which prevents any errors from making it to the final finished product.
Many CD manufacturers also accept regular audio files (typically WAV or AIF format), and there’s nothing wrong with using those to assemble the CD from, however, it’s important to note that unless you yourself can make time to meet with the manufacturer to set up the layout for the CD (gaps, any cross fades, pause marks etc.), the manufacturer will most likely use a default setting which may or may not meet your needs.
Important Note: To avoid misunderstandings and extra cost, I recommend checking with the disc manufacturer, or duplicator, to confirm if they can accept a DDP file, before you choose to use this file format for your project. Many disc duplicators are setup to duplicate finished media (for example, an Audio CD), versus taking a DDP file and making an Audio CD from it. If you send them a DDP file in that situation, you may end up with several hundred disc-copies of a DDP file! To be safe, always ask first.
How do you create a DDP file?
DDP files are fairly simple to create, you just need the right software. Please refer to the links page for some examples of DDP creator software available on the market, today. Making a DDP file is a lot like authoring a CD. You assemble your list of songs in the DDP creator software, and then setup any additional features that you need to include in the CD. After you have finished, you export the DDP file.
DDP files are fairly simple to create, you just need the right software. Please refer to the links page for some examples of DDP creator software available on the market, today. Making a DDP file is a lot like authoring a CD. You assemble your list of songs in the DDP creator software, and then setup any additional features that you need to include in the CD. After you have finished, you export the DDP file.
Can DDP help prevent errors in digital delivery formats such as iTunes?
While it is true that raw audio files can become corrupted when sent over the internet, DDP is designed specifically for use in CD manufacturing. If you are submitting your songs for music mastering, or to iTunes or other digital distribution services, I recommend zipping the files to an archive format (ZIP, RAR, TAR etc.) before sending it. If the zip file goes corrupt during transmission, it will not open, thus guaranteeing that you’ll know that your audio files are error free.
While it is true that raw audio files can become corrupted when sent over the internet, DDP is designed specifically for use in CD manufacturing. If you are submitting your songs for music mastering, or to iTunes or other digital distribution services, I recommend zipping the files to an archive format (ZIP, RAR, TAR etc.) before sending it. If the zip file goes corrupt during transmission, it will not open, thus guaranteeing that you’ll know that your audio files are error free.
Questions and Answers
Question: What are the differences between DDP for a CD and a DDP for a DVD?
Question: What are the differences between DDP for a CD and a DDP for a DVD?
Answer: The DDP format allows you to create the entire specification for the master disc. For example with CD, you specify the number and order of all tracks for the disc, the gaps between tracks, pause points and any CD-text. For DVD, it is largely the same idea, except that you have a lot more options depending on what type of DVD you are creating (DVD-Video, DVD-Audio, DVD or HD-DVD ROM) and the types of media you are putting on the disc. To create a DDP image for DVD, you would use an authoring package that supports DDP V2.10 or higher. After you have assembled the DVD project, you would output that project as a DDP 2.10 format file. I found this article from Larry Jordan that explains an example scenario of creating a dual-layer video DVD DDP file using DVD Studio Pro.
Question: I have finished making a movie, and I am working with a media manufacturing company to master and manufacture a DVD. They are asking me to send a DDP file. I don’t own DVD Studio. How do I make a DDP from Final Cut Pro X or Apple Compressor 4.2?
Answer: While I am not a video specialist, I have done some research and based upon what I’ve found, you have two options:
1.Best option I’ve found if you absolutely require DDP format: Burn a DVD-R from Final Cut Pro X or Apple Compressor, and then use a conversion utility such as Gear to create a DDP image file using the DVD-R copy (more information, here).
2.Possible alternative (don’t use DDP): For whatever reason, DDP does not seem to have been widely adopted for Video disc formats (no support for Blu-ray, for example). Ask the manufacturer if they will accept an alternative format, in case they are only asking for DDP to avoid file corruption. If you export your DVD files, or a DVD IMG file from Final Cut Pro or Apple Compressor and then archive the file(s) using ZIP or RAR. These utilities offer built in error correction and will alert you to any problems when you open the archive.
Answer: While I am not a video specialist, I have done some research and based upon what I’ve found, you have two options:
1.Best option I’ve found if you absolutely require DDP format: Burn a DVD-R from Final Cut Pro X or Apple Compressor, and then use a conversion utility such as Gear to create a DDP image file using the DVD-R copy (more information, here).
2.Possible alternative (don’t use DDP): For whatever reason, DDP does not seem to have been widely adopted for Video disc formats (no support for Blu-ray, for example). Ask the manufacturer if they will accept an alternative format, in case they are only asking for DDP to avoid file corruption. If you export your DVD files, or a DVD IMG file from Final Cut Pro or Apple Compressor and then archive the file(s) using ZIP or RAR. These utilities offer built in error correction and will alert you to any problems when you open the archive.
Question: What is the best way to send a DDP file to a CD manufacturer?
Answer: I recommend asking the manufacturer you choose, because some will ask you to send them the DDP file on a CD, whereas others will accept electronic delivery. Electronic delivery is absolutely fine as long as the manufacturer will accept it, because the DDP format protects against the possibility of file corruption (it either opens or it doesn’t, so if it opens you can be assured there is no corruption).
Reminder: Always double check with the manufacturer that they will create an audio CD using your DDP source file. That is, you want them to create a batch of audio CDs, not a batch of CD ROMs with DDP files on them.
Answer: I recommend asking the manufacturer you choose, because some will ask you to send them the DDP file on a CD, whereas others will accept electronic delivery. Electronic delivery is absolutely fine as long as the manufacturer will accept it, because the DDP format protects against the possibility of file corruption (it either opens or it doesn’t, so if it opens you can be assured there is no corruption).
Reminder: Always double check with the manufacturer that they will create an audio CD using your DDP source file. That is, you want them to create a batch of audio CDs, not a batch of CD ROMs with DDP files on them.
Question: My mastering engineer gave me a DDP file, instead of a mastered CD of our project. How do I listen to the DDP file? Do I need to purchase special software?
Answer: A DDP Player utility will allow you to play a DDP file on your computer, just like a virtual CD. You will be able to listen to your whole project, and view the meta data (i.e. CD Text). Before purchasing a DDP Player utility, I suggest asking the person who created your DDP file in case they can provide you with one.
Answer: A DDP Player utility will allow you to play a DDP file on your computer, just like a virtual CD. You will be able to listen to your whole project, and view the meta data (i.e. CD Text). Before purchasing a DDP Player utility, I suggest asking the person who created your DDP file in case they can provide you with one.
More Information:
• DDP Specification (DCA Inc.)
• DDP Wiki
• Introduction to DDP (The Pro Audio Files)
• Gear Software DDP information
• DDP Specification (DCA Inc.)
• DDP Wiki
• Introduction to DDP (The Pro Audio Files)
• Gear Software DDP information
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Blu-Spec disk mastering
While the audio industry is claiming (maybe wishing, too....) the death of compact-disc, I only recently appreciated the disk-mastering as a viable lower-fi storage and sharing media - for musicians I record - of the original, untamed, bulky 24Bit/192Khz recordings-files.
My pal and recording/editor partner Lo began a few days ago to master and burn the disks on a Blu-ray Burner (Pioneer BDR-XD05B) gizmo and...
The sound we get from the above, is something... and the final result is nothing short of p u r e magic: so respectful of decay, harmonics, tone and details... simply not comparable with the average commercial, hyper-compressed and over-produced, spikes-free disks!
Why only a few commercial companies switched to such a cool way of handling music?
WOW!
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Gustave Courbet's
Bigots, beware...
... this is the real thing, period.
This is the way FB would like it to be...
... censoring, covering, hiding... blaming...
Nonetheless... the "origin of life" cannot be changed or denied... same as reality.
Shame on FB's bigots and puritans.
Freedom & truth is the answer.
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Giuseppe Mazzini's guitar
In the pix, Mimmo Peruffo - strings maker extraordinaire - and the genuine, one and only Giuseppe Mazzini's guitar, stringed with Mimmo's Aquila Gut & Silk strings...
Italian proudness... just ask Hopkinson Smith, Anouar Brahem, Paul O'Dette, Dhafer Youssef and many, many others around the world... Aquila's are the brand of choice!
100% hand-made in Italy, one by one.
Lutes, theorbos, classical guitars, viole da gamba, ukuleles... Aquila Corede Armoniche IS the maker for the top musician.
Thanking Mimmo for sharing the Mazzini's romantic guitar pix;-)
P.S. - FYI, the pix has been taken today in London.
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Big game...
Today, at one of my flea-markets of choice, I found some sought-after nuggets...
This is the real thing - i.e. a Decca Ace of Diamonds GOS 558-559 two-records set... ALSO AN ENIGMA OF THE RECORD INDUSTRY, THIS WAS RECORDED IN BOTH MONO AND STEREO BY DECCA IN FEBRUARY 1957 AND RELEASED IN MONO IN THAT YEAR ON LXT 5336 - 7, BUT THE STEREO VERSION DID NOT APPEAR UNTIL 1968, eleven years after the recording... Benjamin Britten's Prince of the Pagodas... yes, the sought-after T.A.S. list prized one... a marvellous disc and pressing (Side 1: ZAL 3537 Lacquer: 1G Mother - Stamper: 1 - C Side 2: ZAL 3538 Lacquer: 1G Mother - Stamper: 1 - B Side 3: ZAL 3539 Lacquer: 1G Mother - Stamper: 1 - U Side 4: ZAL 3540 Lacquer: 1G Mother - Stamper: 1 - B).
WOW!
I "only" own the above London FFRR pressing with a less fancy cover art than the newly found Ace of Diamonds'... that's a one-of-a-kind disc... a true Super Disc, both musically and sonically... so, now I own two, but... how could I leave such a gem in a carton box, to keep dust and humidity... now it's in good hands... my own;-)
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Nimbus S.A.M. 45 rpm
Another golden pebble I stepped over...
Nimbus is a personal fave of yours truly... they know how to do it right!
I collected half a dozen of Meridian, EMI and Nimbus 45 rpm discs... they're pressings of seldom heard quality... yet, this very Nimbus' is a very, very good one: a winner!
Micro and macro dynamics are impressive, awesome, timbres true to life, smooth and natural... and the program is something which truly hits my very strings.
Big game, indeed, today...
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Sonic bliss
Last finds, from yesterday flea-market... only some of the gorgeous discs I acquired...
Seldom seen disc... original instruments and a recording 2D4.
An historic organ, masterfully recorded by A. Charlin!
Severino Gazzelloni in Japan, 1981...
Sought-after HM 1077, recorded by J.F. Pontefract... the master.
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The most elusive disc, ever...
I've been a huge, fanatic collector and scholar of Rene Clemencic and his musical so broad productions and heritage...
The following disc on my lap is - maybe - the most sought-after and elusive of his discs:
How I'd wish to share with my closest friends the musical glory and out-of-this-world beauty of this disc... just an awesome listening experience.
... but - deeply missing the above pleasure - I invite you to search the web for it...
Enjoy.
P.S. - found for you the Harmonia Mundi's reissue... grab it!
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Robbie Basho and Maurizio Angeletti
From the one and only Italian Tour with Maurizio Angeletti, my 12 strings guitar mentor and teacher in early '80s.. this very pix on the cover taken in Dolomites... near San Martino di Castrozza... Robbie wears a pale blue coat and a red wool beret.
Reportedly, he was in awe facing the mighty peaks around.
Please read Maurizio Angeletti's great, fond memories about those days.
I ordered my copy... the vinyl will be available end of the month.
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Honors to Manfred Eicher in ECM 50th anniversary
Hon FRAM Citation for Manfred Eicher, 12 February 2018, London
Under the terms of its Royal Charter of 1830, the Academy has the power to confer honours on distinguished musicians. The roll call of honorands reads like a musical directory of the last two centuries, including Mendelssohn, Liszt, Stravinsky, Casals, and – from our own era – Sir Simon Rattle, Placido Domingo, Martha Argerich and Sir Harrison Birtwistle. Honorary Fellowship of the Academy is limited to 100 distinguished individuals who have rendered signal service to the music profession.
I have great pleasure in presenting Manfred Eicher, who is to receive Honorary Fellowship of the Royal Academy of Music.
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In the history of recorded music there have been very few producers who names alone immediately conjure up a particular aesthetic and sound. Manfred Eicher is one of this select company. Just as remarkably, he has personally produced the vast majority of the more than 1500 albums released by his own label, the ‘Edition of Contemporary Music’ or ECM.
Manfred studied classical double bass at the Academy of Music in Berlin, and in the 1960s he performed and recorded as a jazz bassist. In 1969 he started on his path as a producer with the foundation of ECM and the release of its first album: Free at Last by pianist Mal Waldron.
In the 1970s his recordings quickly established the label’s reputation for outstanding audio quality, carefully considered programming and a highly original vision of the ways in which design, typography, photography and original artwork could contribute to an integrated aesthetic experience for the listener.
ECM’s output in the 1970s and 1980s included many of the most celebrated jazz recordings of the period, featuring artists such as Keith Jarrett, Pat Metheny, Chick Corea, Dave Holland, Jan Garbarek and the Art Ensemble of Chicago. It wasn’t long before recognition came from the influential Downbeat magazine, with the first of many awards for Manfred as ‘Producer of the Year’ in 1976 and the accolade ‘Label of the Year’ for ECM in 1980. With ECM’s jazz credentials firmly established, Manfred introduced the ‘New Series’ in 1984, dedicated largely to notated music, beginning with the release of Arvo Pärt’s Tabula Rasa.
Under the terms of its Royal Charter of 1830, the Academy has the power to confer honours on distinguished musicians. The roll call of honorands reads like a musical directory of the last two centuries, including Mendelssohn, Liszt, Stravinsky, Casals, and – from our own era – Sir Simon Rattle, Placido Domingo, Martha Argerich and Sir Harrison Birtwistle. Honorary Fellowship of the Academy is limited to 100 distinguished individuals who have rendered signal service to the music profession.
I have great pleasure in presenting Manfred Eicher, who is to receive Honorary Fellowship of the Royal Academy of Music.
In the history of recorded music there have been very few producers who names alone immediately conjure up a particular aesthetic and sound. Manfred Eicher is one of this select company. Just as remarkably, he has personally produced the vast majority of the more than 1500 albums released by his own label, the ‘Edition of Contemporary Music’ or ECM.
Manfred studied classical double bass at the Academy of Music in Berlin, and in the 1960s he performed and recorded as a jazz bassist. In 1969 he started on his path as a producer with the foundation of ECM and the release of its first album: Free at Last by pianist Mal Waldron.
In the 1970s his recordings quickly established the label’s reputation for outstanding audio quality, carefully considered programming and a highly original vision of the ways in which design, typography, photography and original artwork could contribute to an integrated aesthetic experience for the listener.
ECM’s output in the 1970s and 1980s included many of the most celebrated jazz recordings of the period, featuring artists such as Keith Jarrett, Pat Metheny, Chick Corea, Dave Holland, Jan Garbarek and the Art Ensemble of Chicago. It wasn’t long before recognition came from the influential Downbeat magazine, with the first of many awards for Manfred as ‘Producer of the Year’ in 1976 and the accolade ‘Label of the Year’ for ECM in 1980. With ECM’s jazz credentials firmly established, Manfred introduced the ‘New Series’ in 1984, dedicated largely to notated music, beginning with the release of Arvo Pärt’s Tabula Rasa.
Manfred has never felt constrained by notions of style and genre, or by conventional concepts of the mainstream and the peripheral. His advocacy of jazz musicians from Scandinavia as well as classical composers from former Soviet Bloc countries has revealed to us a panoply of remarkably original composers and performers whose music has enriched all our lives.
Manfred has also consistently championed the work of musicians here in the UK, including many current and former teachers, alumni, visiting professors and close friends of the Royal Academy of Music, some of whom are with us tonight. Through their ECM recordings Manfred has provided a creative outlet and wide exposure for musicians such as Norma Winstone, John Surman, John Taylor, Kenny Wheeler, Evan Parker, the Hilliard Ensemble, and more recently pianists Django Bates and Kit Downes.
In addition to his many awards for his work as a producer, he has also been recognised in a wider sphere, including the award of the German Federal Cross of Merit in 2007 and the Cultural Prize of the Bayerische Landesstiftung in 2013. In 2012 the French Minister of Culture made Manfred a Chevalier de l’Ordre des Arts et de Lettres.
With the imminent arrival of the fiftieth anniversary of ECM in 2019, it is an appropriate moment for us to acknowledge his extraordinary contributions to the cultural life of our time.
I have great pleasure in presenting Manfred Eicher to receive Honorary Fellowship of the Royal Academy of Music.
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DAB+
DAB... plus... or minus?
I gladly share the following text I got from Bent, a FB pal from Norway, about the fearful next-to-die FM radio:
"A question to you. You are above average interested in music and sound quality. What are your views on radio?
In Norway we almost don't have radio anymore. Our national broadcasters, both non commercial and commercial have closed FM transmission. Only Dab and Dab+ are available for Radio listening. I do not consider Dab as radio. It's just bad data transmission. Internet radio is of course an alternative, but that is so far, not for everyone. Only local radio stations are permitted to transmitt on FM.
I don't know how far Dab has come in Italy, but official sources tell us that Dab is close to breakthrough all over Europe. Unofficial sources not connected to the Dab-mafia, on the other hand, tell us a completely different story. As far as I have read, there is only test transmissions on Dab in Italy?
I don't know how far Dab has come in Italy, but official sources tell us that Dab is close to breakthrough all over Europe. Unofficial sources not connected to the Dab-mafia, on the other hand, tell us a completely different story. As far as I have read, there is only test transmissions on Dab in Italy?
Denmark, Germany, England (Great Britain?) and Switzerland are well covered with Dab reaching all over the countries. Only Switzerland have decided to close down FM transmission. But not until 2024 I think. Denmark might do the same. Germany and England will not do the same, and only about 5% of German radio-listening is through Dab services. The rest is internet radio and of course the big majority listen to FM.
After FM transmission have closed down in Norway, several studies have shown us that more than 60% of the Norwegian population is negative to DAB and want FM back.
There are a few major reasons for this:
Every household has several FM sets. They all need to be replaced.
Radio coverage is much worse with Dab than FM.
Sound quality with Dab is terrible.
Only a few years before 5G is here, the Norwegian population will have to pay billions of euros to get a totally unnecessary Dab network.
I could go on all night...
There are a few major reasons for this:
Every household has several FM sets. They all need to be replaced.
Radio coverage is much worse with Dab than FM.
Sound quality with Dab is terrible.
Only a few years before 5G is here, the Norwegian population will have to pay billions of euros to get a totally unnecessary Dab network.
I could go on all night...
So, how is your opinion? What do you think is the opinion of the average Italian radio listener? What do they know about Dab? What do you know about Dab?
The worldDab Forum is very active spreading fake news about how successful the Dab introduction has been in Norway. The truth is that it is nothing but a scandal!
This is what the European population needs to know! The truth straight from the Norwegian listeners, not by the Dab mafia.
The fact is now sadly, that Radio in Norway is controlled by NRK (the Norwegian equivalent to BBC), Swedish media giant MTG and German media gigant Bauer Media. MTG and Bauer Media have commercial rights for all commercial radio until the year 2032. Those three companies share 30-stations. Quantity is much more important than quality, so for example the classical station from NRK sadly transmit with only 80 kbps sound quality.
This is what the European population needs to know! The truth straight from the Norwegian listeners, not by the Dab mafia.
The fact is now sadly, that Radio in Norway is controlled by NRK (the Norwegian equivalent to BBC), Swedish media giant MTG and German media gigant Bauer Media. MTG and Bauer Media have commercial rights for all commercial radio until the year 2032. Those three companies share 30-stations. Quantity is much more important than quality, so for example the classical station from NRK sadly transmit with only 80 kbps sound quality.
Be aware. Italy can be next on their list!
Dab, the worst investment in history!
So, if you can help us spread the truth about Dab to all of your contacts all over the world. Ask them to spread the word? You would help radio listeners all over the world. Dab is just about commercial rights and money, and nothing about serving the public listeners.
The Norwegian population is furious!
Still the Dab "mafia" travels the world telling "the Norwegian success story of Dab". It could not be further from the truth!"
The Norwegian population is furious!
Still the Dab "mafia" travels the world telling "the Norwegian success story of Dab". It could not be further from the truth!"
Food for thought, indeed... in Italy we still do have some FM, BUT the digital, WEB radio is coming strong, much strong in the low-quality/high profits men-in-suits' agenda... you'd bet it? as a BIG improvement in program offering.
Fu@#k off so-called progress!
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Fu@#k off so-called progress!
DAB is, for now... hopefully for now, reportedly, only as test-airing...
Thanks to Bent for his insight... and let's beware, folks...
"They" are not after quality, but profit, period.
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