Copper

Happy New Year everyone, from all of us!

Copper contributor Howard Kneller, founder of The Listening Chair, has launched a new Facebook group. As he notes, “This group is a civil place for audiophiles to discuss gear, learn about audio, and make friends. Our group is comprised of an eclectic mix of audiophiles, industry members, and music lovers.” You can check it out here: https://www.facebook.com/share/zJd2cfMLCbFQQQ8R/?mibextid=5OmYkq

In this issue: PS Audio’s own Paul McGowan looks at streaming services and sound quality. Rudy Radelic offers his favorite albums of 2023. Ken Kessler covers the Paris Audio Video Show, while Harris Fogel and I report on Capital Audiofest. I listen to the Analogue Productions 45 RPM vinyl edition of the landmark Genesis album, Selling England by the Pound, as well as some excellent vinyl reissues from Rhino High Fidelity. John Seetoo talks with musician/lawyer Alan Chapell, who has a singular perspective on the music business. Ray Chelstowski talks with Ari Teitel and Trenton O’Neal of New Orleans funk band The Rumble.

I report on the debut of the Stenheim Alumine Two.Five loudspeaker at New York’s fabled Power Station recording studio. Wayne Robins reviews Jeff Tweedy’s books, a concert, a Wilco album, and more. We have guest articles from AAA, FIDELITY and PMA magazines on Walter Stutz and a remarkable ReVox and Studer museum, the Audio Video Show Warsaw, and some classic vinyl recordings. Anne E. Johnson looks back at the music of Dan Fogelberg, and Alón Sagee revisits a sublime musical moment. PS Audio gets some positive reviews and best of 2023 nods. We close the issue with culture shock, late night entertainment, and the road not taken.

Contributors to this issue:
Ray Chelstowski, Frank Doris, Harris Fogel, Anne E. Johnson, Ken Kessler, Claude Lemaire, Paul McGowan, B. Jan Montana, Sebastian Polcyn, Rudy Radelic, Wayne Robins, Alón Sagee, John Seetoo, Markus Thomann, Peter Xeni 

Logo Design:
Susan Schwartz-Christian, from a concept by Bob D’Amico

Editor:
Frank Doris

Publisher:
Paul McGowan

Advertising Sales:
No one. We are free from advertising and subscribing to Copper is free.

Copper’s Comments Policy:

Copper’s comments sections are moderated. While we encourage thoughtful and spirited discussion, please be civil.

The editor and Copper’s editorial staff reserve the right to delete comments according to our discretion. This includes: political commentary; posts that are abusive, insulting, demeaning or defamatory; posts that are in violation of someone’s privacy; comments that violate the use of copyrighted information; posts that contain personal information; and comments that contain links to suspect websites (phishing sites or those that contain viruses and so on). Spam will be blocked or deleted.

Copper is a place to be enthusiastic about music, audio and other topics. It is most especially not a forum for political discussion, trolling, or rude behavior. Thanks for your consideration.

– FD

All of us at Copper wish everyone a happy and healthy holiday season and new year, and peace on Earth in these difficult times.

Beginning with this issue you’ll see some changes to Copper, including more coverage of industry news, and new music releases. Things will continue to evolve over the next few months.

A Copper reader asked if I could create a Qobuz playlist for the “200 of Your Editor's All-Time Favorite Songs” article in Issue 200. I misplaced his e-mail – if you're reading this, please contact me and I’ll give a shout out in the next issue. Click here for a link to the playlist. Seven songs aren’t on Qobuz, so I added replacements at the end of the playlist.

In this issue: Well-known audio luminary Michael Fremer has produced his first album, Rufus Reid Presents Caelan Cardello, and I interview him about the debut from the legendary bassist and up-and-coming jazz piano sensation. We talk with Charlie Calv and Bruce Pucciarello of Deko Entertainment about the future of the music business. AES New York 2023 show reports are here from yours truly, John Seetoo, and Harris Fogel. Octave Records has not one but two holiday albums, the jazz-tinged Charlie Brown Goes to the Nutcracker by the Ron LeGault quintet, and virtuoso guitarist Alfredo Muro’s The Spirit of Christmas.

The Kinks have released The Journey – Part 2 career retrospective collection, and it’s sure to delight Kinks fanatics as well as newcomers to the band. Anne E. Johnson looks back at the career of German composer and opera singer Johann Adolph Hasse. B. Jan Montana ponders an audio comedy of errors. We host a look at Tokyo jazz joints from FIDELITY magazine. I pay a visit to Long Island retailer the Audio Den and check out an impressive loudspeaker. PS Audio has received some recent accolades. The issue concludes with rockin’ the holidays, a high-end audio guide, and a winter wonderland.

Contributors to this issue: John Seetoo, Harris Fogel, B. Jan Montana, James Schrimpf, Anne E. Johnson, Peter Xeni, Hans von Draminski

Editor:
Frank Doris

Publisher:
Paul McGowan

Logo Design:
Susan Schwartz-Christian, from a concept by Bob D’Amico

Advertising Sales:
No one. We are free from advertising and subscribing to Copper is free.

Copper’s Comments Policy:

Copper’s comments sections are moderated. While we encourage thoughtful and spirited discussion, please be civil.

The editor and Copper’s editorial staff reserve the right to delete comments according to our discretion. This includes: political commentary; posts that are abusive, insulting, demeaning or defamatory; posts that are in violation of someone’s privacy; comments that violate the use of copyrighted information; posts that contain personal information; and comments that contain links to suspect websites (phishing sites or those that contain viruses and so on). Spam will be blocked or deleted.

Copper is a place to be enthusiastic about music, audio and other topics. It is most especially not a forum for political discussion, trolling, or rude behavior. Thanks for your consideration.

 – FD

It’s Copper’s 200^th issue! We’ve had a fantastic run of more than seven years of publishing every two weeks. It’s happened thanks to the incredible talents and efforts of our writers, contributors, artists, and past editorial people. I cannot begin to thank everyone enough.

But after 200 issues, it’s time for a change. Beginning with Issue 201, Copper will become a monthly publication. It will also go in a somewhat different direction, becoming more involved in industry news, interviews with audio industry people, and articles of that nature. 

Because of a variety of personal and professional factors, I need to back off the frenetic pace of the last four years. (Have I really been editor for four years? And that doesn’t count all the other stuff I’ve been doing.) The new Copper format will be less demanding on my time, while enabling me to still oversee the magazine, and remain an all-around goodwill ambassador for the audio industry.

I thank every reader of this publication with the deepest and most heartfelt feeling. Your participation with Copper means a great deal to me, and to all of us.

In this issue: Russ Welton interviews composer/musician Steve Thompson of 1201_Alarm, a band whose album is about to be the first-ever sent to the Moon. I list 200 of my favorite songs, and cover Octave Records’ latest, The Art of Hi-Fi Volume 03: Percussion. Wayne Robins reviews the recently published Steely Dan book, Quantum Criminals. Tom Lane asks: can one year in music change your life? Ray Chelstowski talks with music and entertainment pioneers Deko Entertainment. Jay Jay French finds an audio bargain in the Vanatoo Transparent Encore One+ desktop speaker system.

Rich Isaacs covers the 2023 California Audio Show, and Harris Fogel has a photo essay on T.H.E. Show 2023. Howard Kneller has a look From The Listening Chair at the Synergistic Research Network Router UEF. We present the first installment in PMA Magazine’s series, Treasures from the Vinyl Vault, by Claude Lemaire. J.I. Agnew wraps up his series on how records are made. Ken Kessler revisits his reel-to-reel roots. Anne E. Johnson digs the music of Miles Davis. John Seetoo concludes his interview with June Millington of pioneering female rock group Fanny. We wrap up the issue by getting into the groove, listening to future sounds, ending the tape, and viewing a Halloween head shot.

Contributors to this issue: J.I. Agnew, Ray Chelstowski, Frank Doris, Harris Fogel, Jay Jay French, Rich Isaacs, Anne E. Johnson, Ken Kessler, Howard Kneller, Tom Lane, Claude Lemaire, Wayne Robins, James Schrimpf, John Seetoo, Russ Welton, Peter Xeni, James Whitworth

Editor:
Frank Doris

Publisher:
Paul McGowan

Advertising Sales:
No one. We are free from advertising and subscribing to Copper is free.

Copper’s Comments Policy:

Copper’s comments sections are moderated. While we encourage thoughtful and spirited discussion, please be civil.

The editor and Copper’s editorial staff reserve the right to delete comments according to our discretion. This includes: political commentary; posts that are abusive, insulting, demeaning or defamatory; posts that are in violation of someone’s privacy; comments that violate the use of copyrighted information; posts that contain personal information; and comments that contain links to suspect websites (phishing sites or those that contain viruses and so on). Spam will be blocked or deleted.

Copper is a place to be enthusiastic about music, audio and other topics. It is most especially not a forum for political discussion, trolling, or rude behavior. Thanks for your consideration.

 – FD