KooperKast

Al has mentioned the Nonesuch album Music of Bulgaria many times in the podcast so we thought we’d devote a whole podcast to it and play some very short bits of the music in order to give listeners a glimpse of the remarkable sound and hopefully prompt many to buy the album.

We answer questions  starting with one about Steven King, the shift from AM to FM for rock and its effect on song length,  about the mystery of mastering songs, and about the Funky Faculty at Berklee. As always, Nilly the Dog ends each segment with her dogged thoughts.

We answer questions about the influence of the artist versus the producer in recording sessions, and about the whole process of writing songs as a words - music team, starting with This Diamond Ring. Nilly the Dog concludes each segment with some brief pooch dog thoughts.

We answer a question about Paul Griffin from renowned rock writer Tony Scherman, about writing charts for other musicians, a mystery question about Al’s junior high 109, and the genesis of brass in rock with Blood Sweat and Tears and Chicago. After each segment Nilly the Dog adds some brief thoughts.

We cover questions including the old days in Queens with Simon, Garfunkel, and Harvey Brooks, to what if Like a Rolling Stone was a waltz. Of course, Nilly the Dog follows each segment with canine input of her own.

We cover an assortment of questions from the first time Al heard This Diamond Ring on the radio to quadraphonic sound. Of course, Nilly the Dog follows each segment with canine input of her own..

We cover a bunch of questions including Al’s favorite Gospel group, the Swan Silvertones, also about Felix Caviliere, and about modern music. Of course, Nilly the Dog follows each segment with canine input of her own..

This is your host, Al’s chrome plated bumper, Jon Sachs. We answer a few more Lynyrd Skynyrd questions, along with some Fender- Gibson and guitar-vs-organ talk.  Of course, Nilly the Dog follows each segment with canine input of her own.

We answers questions that raise the issue of the very loud volume of rock concerts, and what Al thinks about that.  As always, Nilly the Dog ends each segment with her dogged thoughts.

We talk about the good old not so great days at 1650 Broadway and we hear from L. Russell Brown who created a few million sellers with Al’s old songwriting pal. Nilly the Dog concludes each segment with some brief pooch dog thoughts.

We take a few questions about Nilly the Dog, including a startling revelation about the naked truth of her commentaries. We cover other topics, concluding with another exquisite example of Al’s duck talk. After each segment Nilly the Dog adds some brief thoughts, or at least she claims they are her thoughts and her woof.

We talk about creating the box set of Bloomfield for Columbia, about John Hammond, Bloomfield being afraid of Butterfield, about the legendary album East West, and Al doing this project out of love.

We bounce around various topics that relate the the box set, including more on East West, Bloomfield making way for Bishop, and Al’s visit to Mill Valley.

We conclude our talk about From His Head To His Heart To His Hands, the Mike Bloomfield Box set that Al Produced, and we also wander off into another Appaloosa story that shows again how deeply Al cared and cares about the music above everything.

We answer questions under what conditions Al would accept the gift of a Hammond B3 Organ, about the Bloomfield box set, and back to playing the organ. Of course, Nilly the Dog follows each segment with canine input of her own..

In this episode a question reveals that Al was a proud member of his college marching band , and we talk about not getting royalties from albums you played on. Of course, Nilly the Dog follows each segment with canine input of her own.

We answer a question from our first Czechoslovakian listener,  a question about maybe Mike Bloomfield’s old guitar, and a greeting from old friend Glober (global?) Gober. As always, Nilly the Dog ends each segment with her dogged thoughts.

We answer questions about how Al starts writing songs, about the Metropole  Lounge, and about Al’s crazy shirts. Nilly the Dog concludes each segment with some brief pooch dog thoughts.

We start with a rare bit of Donald Duck talk from Al and then about not visiting the Hall of Fame in Cleveland, being on the road vs staying in your home town, and the Cow Incident with the Blues Project.  After each segment Nilly the Dog adds some brief thoughts of her own.

We answer questions about the concept of a movie version of Backstage Passes, about the lost potential of the accounting firm Kuperschmidt and Zimmerman, and we get interrupted by Nilly the Dog, who usually only speaks up after each question.

We answer questions about piano chops and about Tom Wilson and his son. After each answer, Nilly the Dog adds a wise and succinct comment of her own.

We answer questions about attending the Hall of Fame induction ceremony, about writing with Gerry Goffin, and about some old grade school friends. After each answer, Nilly Dog adds a summary comment of her own.

We answer questions about Bert Sommer, whether Al was the actual Under Assistant West Coast Promo Man, choosing songs for the Steve Stills side of SuperSession, and about writing with Dan Penn. After each answer, Nilly the Dog adds a dogged comment of her own.

We talk about the piano great Johnnie Johnson, Al as A&R man, then about playing with Dylan. After each answer, Nilly Dog adds a short but pithy comment of her own.

 We answer questions including about singing falsetto, which leads to Claude Jeter, and the Swan Silvertones. After each question Nilly the Dog adds a short but pithy comment of her own.