Wandré (1958)

 

Just arrived a 1958 Wandre BB Model Semi-Hollow Body Electric Guitar!!  https://retrofret.com/products/wandre-bb-model-semi-hollow-body-electric-guitar-1959-13974  Made in Italy.

According to the Marco Ballestri’s “WANDRE-The Artist Of The Electric Guitar” The Model BB traces its origin to about 1957, conceived as a more “feminine” design then the angular extreme-cutaway “Rock Oval”. This more conventionally shaped guitar was unsurprisingly more successful and evolved versions stayed in production into the early 1960s. Based on the features this one would date to around 1959-60, with the earlier Davoli pickup installation but before the controls were moved to the body from the pickguard.

Mary Halvorson & the transparent recording 💫

 

My lysergic audio system is truly showing - by listening - a new path: every minute nuance in recording (condenser microphones intrinsic hiss, mixer sliding-pots acting, the background humming of Mary’s guitar amp, the trumpet pistons before playing a note, and so on) becomes apparent, not hidden, anymore!

Then, comes the music, which never sounded with this awesome zest.

I’m almost worried and - yes! - angry to discover such a parallel world at the eve of my upcoming 68th birthday. 

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BTW - buy this record, in the format you like most… it’s a truly special one.

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Maxonic phono-cartridge wires 💫

 

These handmade in Japan 🇯🇵 wires use silk dielectric.

Notice the polarity colors are made of knotted wire.

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Frank Zappa editing Hot Rats 💫

 

In Ampex-mode, a bit overwhelmed.

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The killer 🤭😳🤭

 

The music industry - innocently - wasn’t aware of what would happen in a near future: Spotify, Tidal, Quobuz weren’t be invented, yet.

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Electric Recording Company’s Bill Evans - Waltz for Debby 💫

 

ERC134S Bill Evans Trio - Waltz for Debby

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Disc of the month - Eberhard Weber - Orchestra (ECM 1989)

 

A double bass tour de force 💫

An awesome disc, indeed.

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The Telefunken Klangbox SB 88 💫

 

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Happy heavenly birthday to Nick Drake 💫

 

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Laurie Anderson awarded in Kyoto 💫

 

The 2026 Kyoto Prize for Arts and Philosophy has been awarded to multimedia artist Laurie Anderson as “An Artist Who Has Established a Unique Form of Multimedia Performance by Deploying Electronic Media to Fuse Experimental and Pop Sounds with Her Voice and Body.” 

  

https://www.kyotoprize.com

Congratulations to a most beloved artist and human being.

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Happy birthday, Sidsel Endresen 🥂

 

A new lathe for vinyl discs cutting 💫

 

APC -2 analog PHONOCUT build by teenage engineering 

Launch during high-end in Vienna Supersense teamed up with PHONOCUT and teenage engineering to create a modern cutting lathe. 

The blancs are made from PVC and here it gets interesting layered with  PET on top. 

This creates a recycled record that you can instantly play ( first vid) while listening to feedback - and take home after. 

I can not say something on the quality of the records beeing cut but the build looks ace ! Looking forward to investigate this Lathe further …..#phonocut

Planxty 💫

 

Trying to rank Planxty’s discography, The Beatles of Irish Trad. 

1 - Planxty 1973 - A perfect debut comprised of nearly  all standout tracks. Notable highlights: Christy Moore at his most prolific with the group: Raggle Taggle Gypsy, Sweet Thames Flow Softly, Follow Me Up To Carlow. Andy also shines, "The West Coast Of Clare", "The Jolly Beggar", "The Blacksmith." Some of the groups best tunes too: "Sí Bheag," "Sí Mhór," "Merrily Kissed The Quaker."

2 - The Well Below The Valley 1973 - A perfect sophomore album. Highlights include perhaps the most beautiful ballad of all time "As I Roved Out", "Pat Reilly", "Cúnla", Donal's vocal debut on "Bean Pháidín," "Hewlett", and the most haunting yet enchanting song you've ever heard "The Well Below The Valley" 

3 - After The Break 1979 - The time off, with so many prolific side projects in-between, really served Planxty well. The return is magic, and the addition of Matt Malloy really propels the group. If only "Bonny Light Horseman" was on the original release, this album might have made it to the number 2 spot for me. Highlights: My go to introductory track I show to new Plaxty listeners, "The Good Ship Kangaroo", "You Rambling Boys Of Pleasure", "The Pursuit Of Farmer Michael Hayes", and the Bulgarian 9/16 tune "Smeceno Horo" is such an epic closer. 

4 - The Woman I Loved So Well 1980 - For me, this record is carried by the opening and closing tracks by Christy Moore. "True Love Knows No Seasons" - Irish trad meets Western ballad and "Little Musgrave", a 12 minute epic that is one of the most beautiful pieces of music and poetry ever recorded. I could do with another 12 minutes of it. 

5 - Words and Music - 1982 - A strong epilogue to Ireland's greatest group. Highlights include Donal Lunny's production and use of synthesizers and electric pianos, "The Queen Of The Rushes", "Thousands Are Sailing", the progressive "Accidentals" into the gorgeous "Aragon Mill", and the victory lap celebration "The Irish Marche" to end it all. Just wish there were a little more Christy led songs on this one. 

6 - Cold Blow and the Rainy Night - It's a good sign for your band if this die hard's ranking puts an album like this at the bottom spot. Still a great record, but one that I find myself returning to the least. Even as I'm writing this I'm debating whether it should be in the number 5 spot. Nonetheless, highlights include Donal taking a central singing role, "Johnny Cope", the discography's closest singing / mixing of the three singers on "Cold Blow And The Rainy Night", "The Lakes Of Pontchartrain", the polkas, and "The Frost Is All Over".

Thanks to Cialan Scanlon 🍀

21st Century Schizoid Man 💫

 

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Tomwaitsing con gusto 🖖

  

Listening to the coolest music on earth: I want “Dirt on the Ground” played at my funeral!

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