This morning I received an email from Simon Brown designer and manufacturer of the innovative The Wand tonearm and new The Wand turntable telling me that Jelco tonearm's parent company Ichikawa Jewel Co. Ltd had announced it would be shutting down the business.
Few analogPlanet readers know the name but no doubt some do and I feel compelled to say a few words about my friend Victor Goldstein, shown here with Stereophile writer Jonathan Scull probably back in the late '80s when Victor was working with speaker manufacturer B&W (photo used without permission but I'm sure J10 will not mind). Goldstein passed away last night, a victim of the Covid-19 Pandemic.
The Electric Recording Company announced today that it would release a limited edition version of Sonny Rollins' Way Out West cut as always using the original master tape.
Mack Avenue Music Group launches an all-sales-go-directly to-the artist event starting Thursday, April 30th, which is also International Jazz Day, running through May 3rd. Mack Avenue Senior Director of A&R Will Wakefield says, "Almost everyone I know—musicians, managers, venue owners and booking agents—are facing unemployment or worse for an unknown amount of time. We are keenly aware of what that means and wants to be there to help in whatever way we can and I think this is good start."
Hi-res streaming service qobuz just announced a now through May 15th offer of 21 CD resolution and hi-res titles you can download free. The music includes classical, jazz and "world".
Amoeba Music with record stores in Hollywood, Berkeley and San Francisco says that due to the Covid-19 virus it faces an "uncertain future" as all three stores since mid-March have been shut down. Savings are running out and while the company is paying staff salaries it cannot continue much longer without help from customers and friends.
“By the late 1940s, the emergence of vinyl records created new opportunities for graphic artists to express their talent. The new 12'' square format seemed particularly suitable for experimentation and many labels became reputed for their innovative designs. Amazingly gifted artists such as David Stone Martin, Jim Flora, Pierre Merlin, Burt Goldblatt or Reid Miles, to name just a few, made a name for themselves illustrating or designing jazz record covers.
Subscription series based Newvelle Records has opened the vaults for a limited time to help ease the missing Record Store Day pain. Now through the Sunday April 26th, selected Newvelle titles are available as single LPs priced at $60 each.
WAM Engineering's new universal WallyTractor is now available from the newly formed company, a partnership between the late Wally Malewicz's son Andrzej, himself a mechanical engineer and Wally's former production assistant J.R. Boisclair. They've just launched the Wallyanalog website where you will find complete details of the new $395 universal WallyTractor and the available services the Santa Rosa, CA based company provides.
Alto saxophonist, improv great Lee Konitz who was associated with every style from bebop to avant-garde and especially cool jazz died today at age 92 a victim of the coronavirus.
The economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic is severe and hits the vinyl industry hard with a decreasing demand, closed stores, limited production, and transport bans. However, a quick survey amongst Vinyl Alliance members shows the commitment and resilience of the industry.
Grado Labs just announced a new "Timbre" series of cartridges that consolidates under one "roof" the previously separate mid-range "Reference" and "Statement" wooden bodied phono cartridges. Grado also introduced a new $275 OPUS3 cartridge. All, including the budget Prestige series, now incorporate techniques developed and incorporated into the top of the line Lineage series.