From Finland with groovy feeling 🤟

 

Worth a listen 💫

Happy New Year 💫🍀💫

May your reels spin freely, your transports run silent, your heads play flutter less, and your repros push the fine nectar of delightful music through your sound system.

Here's to wishing you a sticky-shed free Happy New Year, my tape loving friends!

💫🥂🍀💫🥂

TGE as per AI 💫

 

Stefano Rama’s “I Dischi dell’Età dell’Oro”

 

A true labor of love by late Stefano Rama (he sadly passed in 2021, at age 79) who was - among other merits - an avid and knowledgeable collector who I had the opportunity to meet in person, decades ago, at an audio fair in Milan.

My personal copy in mint conditions, not because I didn’t use in the last 25 years or so, but because I am careful when browsing like this reference book deserves: it’s a goldmine of informations, discographies, premium pressings and the TAS’ lists over the years, much worth instead of browsing the single magazines.

Some copies are available - in a random and discontinuous way, of course - as second-hand at quite high prices, but still worthwhile for the serious records collectors.

💫

Don Ewell’s Yellow Dog Blues 💫

 

I love this disc!

Yellow Dog & red vinyl 💫

More gems from the shelves 💫

 

I didn’t listen to these awesome records in a while… they’re pure, distilled beauty.

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Gems from the shelves 💫

 

Not the easiest to find Stefan Grossman’s disc, on the elusive KPM label… like a John Renbourn’s one, also collectible and sought after.

Dymo archival or finding a record…

 

There are several methods to handle a quite large discotheque: the nerd will use a computer, where in - say - red box # 3 you’ll find all the records in alphabetical order… unfortunately, I’m not a nerd but a middle-aged/middle-gifted (flawed) analog-oriented lazy lad and I prefer a more random approach, with a Dymo label on a shelf just suggesting about each discs box content.

The tools 😉

Some examples of random, nonsense archival 🤪 

This way, my memory, both aural and visual, is someway pushed to work and remember… and, amazingly, this nonsense method works.

The surprise factor (uh, I didn’t remember I had this record) is also a BIG plus.

BTW - There is nothing like a foggy afternoon, some good music and making order or some other humble activity.

Isn’t music made to please and soothe our lives during hard working, as well?

A kind-of Tony Rice afternoon 💫

 

These three gorgeous discs - listened to in a row - pleased both my ears and soul 💫

Tina 💫

 

Talking Heads’ bassist, Tina Weymouth, from the August 1985 issue of Vogue.

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Less is more

 

The new Studietto, a few months ago…

Maxonic

 

A much worth exploring Japanese brand… they specialize in field-coil drivers and PSU but cables are also VERY interesting.

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A Pierre Favre evening 💫

 

This gorgeous ECM disc is to be experienced, not only listened to… it’s an aural journey in the Swiss Alps, mystical and transcendental.

The inner booklet is a true beauty 💫

Audio-wise, it’s truly a demanding one with its AWESOME dynamics and extremely high and low pitched instruments.

Only the Audio Antiquary’s Phono Stage and my Garrardzilla with The Peak 13” arm and Analogtechnik’s DST IceAge cartridge are - IMO - able to resolve at this ultra-terrestrial level the multi-layered interwoven sounds with such an aplomb.

A truly one-of-a-kind listening session: the Quad ESL with the recently purchased, hand-carved solid beech-wood long legs sound - simply said - impeccably.

So good I’m not missing my beloved Goto’s and I don’t feel it a blasphemy.

💫

A Michael Hedges’ master-tape

 

HEAD

 

Thanks to Robert Crumb 💫

Steve Gilmour was never the same, again…

 

… so much he became David 😎

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Armenia 🎶 💫💫💫 🎶

 

This very disc, a test-pressing painstakingly obtained by the well preserved original master-tapes, is a marvelous document of the amazing strength, resilience and love for music of this Nation and people!

Above, the amazing architecture and embellishments on buildings of Public Radio of Armenia: Jürg told me about this unique features, but seeing as an aerial photograph is a deep emotion, indeed.

My dear friend Jürg Schopper’s job on these tapes is a lifetime achievement as - officially from Armenian government - he got the assignment to catalog, restore and publish for posterity the impressive tapes warehouse 

The several tracks on the disc are an epic compendium of a People, its joys and struggles.

I truly feel blessed in enjoying this aural world of beauty 💫

🎅 🎄