Robert Auld
In attendance were about 50 audio and music enthusiasts who were treated to a terrific presentation spanning the decades of the Jazz and Big Band recording and performances. From riverboats to Benny Goodman, from Sinatra to Maynard Ferguson and leading up to Bob Auld's work with the Beantown Swing Orchestra in 2011, who hired Bob to recreate the sounds of Sinatra's work with Nelson Riddle.
Mr. Auld took the meeting attendees on a journey of art and science, which was both entertaining and educational.
About 2/3 of the presentation was a historical survey, beginning with smaller jazz combos of the 1920's, taking us through a survey of microphone history of the 1930's, the introduction of Hi Fi in the late 1940's and stereo in the late 1950's, as well as big band recording techniques used over the various periods.
Included here were some wonderful tidbits, such as how Benny Goodman lost a gig for playing too loud and how Mr. Goodman rediscovered the recording of his 1938 Carnegie Hall concert twelve years after it was made. It was then released by Columbia records in 1950, and it became the biggest selling recording of his career!
Mr. Auld treated everyone to recorded examples, demonstrating our industry progress from the 78 rpm to HiFi and stereo, up through modern recordings using multi-microphone techniques of today. It was truly amazing to hear the differences between even 1942 and 1954 recordings of Benny Goodman's "Jersey Bounce".
