Zomer 2020: er zijn onderhand ruim 900 exemplaren van het boek verkocht; ze hebben hun weg gevonden naar vele studio’s, musea, DJ’s, zendamateurs, set designers en andere geïnteresseerden, wereldwijd.
Zowel op de facebookpagina van Witnesses of Words, als op Youtube, verschijnen regelmatig nieuwe videoclips van opnamen gemaakt met mijn vintage microfoons.
Net zoals de afgelopen jaren zal ik ook dit jaar weer een aantal van de historische microfoons, uit het boek, inzetten voor historische audio projecten. Onder andere eind maart bij het 40 jarig jubileum van ‘de Weergever’ (de vereniging van verzamelaars van 78-toerenplaten, oude en antieke weergave- en opname-apparatuur), en in november bij de feestelijke herdenking van het feit dat Ir. Idzerda in 1919 begon met uitzendingen van de allereerste radio omroep.
Inmiddels is de cd ‘Preaching the Blues’ genomineerd door de Dutch Blues Foundation genomineerd als beste blues CD van 2018, stemmen kan hier: https://www.dutchbluesfoundation.nl/dutch-blues-awards/cd-stemformulier?fbclid=IwAR1BHDfDd5xvs7u9768w0sKzqjdJV__gHUZwecph2ht1WPxqeppH8MaLEhU
In February 2018, the first CD was presented, which was recorded in the Uncle Larson studio; Dutch blues artist Big Bo recorded all material for his cd ‘Preaching the Blues’ with authentic Missisippi Delta Blues, in a very vintage style with just one microphone. A clip from the recording session can be seen here:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CeT5ZA53Mus
In January 2018 I gave a successful lecture about vintage microphones in Ahoy Rotterdam, during CUE 2018, the biennial fair for the Theater and Entertainment industry.
In 2017, the recording studio Uncle Larson was also started in The Hague. All sound recordings are strictly made with vintage microphones from my collection, often video recordings are made at the same time. Both artists and the studio can use the captured images for promotional purposes.
Some clips can be found here:
City Lights : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z7hjP3seWtw
Matou : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ADmHkRwQdUw
A videoclip of that 78RPM recording session was made by Oasis, a video workgroup from Oss, Holland, it can be viewed here : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=emrJjqFYzp0
On March 18, I did a direct to disc 78RPM recording, with 1935 equipment : a ‘portable’ disc cutter and two ancient ribbon microphones; a Melodium 42B (for the ensemble) and an RCA 74B Jr (for the female singer). Some recordings can be listened to here:
At het end of the year, I will be doing lectures at the Dutch institute for Image and Sound (Beeld en Geluid). It is meant as a side program during the ‘Top 2000 of 2016’, which will be broadcasted between December 27th and 30. I am really looking forward to the event.
I was invited to hold a masterclass at the Paris SAE, on the 16th of November. It turned out to be an event which was both exciting and successful .
I hope to be able to do more lectures in the near future.
In early November author and book will be part of the ‘Crossing Border’ International literature festival, in The Hague.
The book is selling all over the World and receives a lot of praise from its readers.
In May I gave the first successful lecture about the book; the audience was captivated.
Starting May 10, 2016, the book can be ordered from Amazon.co.uk and soon thru other European Amazon branches.
On April 16 and 17, the book will be presented at Europe’s biggest Vintage Collectors Fare, in the Jaarbeurs, Utrecht, which is held together with the Mega Records and CD fare.
The author will be there to sign Witnesses of Words books, and lots of microphones will be present in a dedicated stand at the fair. The cabinets and interactive sound-solums will be there, as well as lots of other microphones and some old tape-recorders and sound equipment.
The book is now also available in Germany, where it is sold at the Pro qm bookstore, in the Almstadstrasse 48, Berlin. It can be ordered from there as well.
The book is now on sale at Rock Palace, musical instruments shop, in The Hague. Together with an exposition of twelve vintage microphones, in two cabinets accompanied by two inter active sound columns; through these historic sound bites can be heard, that were once spoken into these microphones.
The installation was welcomed with enthusiasm by Rock Palace’s crew.
Key Music will be selling the book at their other branches too, as well as on line.