JACOB'S REUNION

https://f4.bcbits.com/img/a2052540575_16.jpg

This is adapted from my earlier YouTube posting.

Basic information about the Jacob's Reunion album

Jacob's Reunion
"Jacob's Reunion" (LP, Chelsea House Records CHR-2001, 1975)

Jacob's Reunion
"Jacob's Reunion" (CD, CDJR-1, n.d.)
<> Stereo imbalance issue on "E Minor Reel" and "If I Could See You Clearly"*

Jacob's Reunion
"Jacob's Reunion" (Dig, Bandcamp, n.d.)
<> Stereo imbalance issue on "E Minor Reel" and "If I Could See You Clearly"*

https://johncoster.bandcamp.com/album/jacobs-reunion
(The Bandcamp credit is wrong. The "Jacob's Reunion" album is by Jacob's Reunion, not by John Coster.)

Richard Block, John Coster, Barbara Hyde, Yosef Oxenhandler, Sandy Sayers.

Recorded in Brattleboro, Vermont, 1975, by William H. Gehman, at the Chelsea House, Carol Levin and Bill Gehman, managers.

The Chelsea House concert hall and recording studio were the same room. At the time of the Jacob’s Reunion recording sessions, Bill Gehman recorded the band in concert. As I recall, the studio recordings have been located. I wonder whether the whereabouts of the concert recording are also known.

“Jacob’s Reunion” is one of my favorite albums. If I should ever make a personal Top 10 Favorites list, I would give this record serious consideration.

Bill Gehman used my copy of the original vinyl LP and his, selected the respective tracks with the best sound and the least surface noise, and reissued the album as a compact disc. When you hear these recordings in any digital form, if they show some surface noise, chances are strong you are hearing Bill’s reissue. He gave me what I now consider to be a pre-release copy. Later, I bought a consignment copy that looks to be the more nearly official release. The disc’s label has basic identifying information, including “CDJR-1 A Reissue” On the back of the jewel box is a sticker saying,

Tru Stereo
Recorded By
Wm. H. Gehman Guilford, Vt.
("Tru Stereo" probably refers to the sharp distinction Bill made between stereo and binaural. People my age often refer to binaural recordings as "true stereo." They are nothing of the kind.)

It has been ages since all three CD versions, that I have, of this album have been in the same place at the same time. So, I have not been in a position to make comparisons. The version marked as CDJR-1 A Reissue is the one I have filed in my CD collection and it seems to me it is the one to have. The third version I have was burned from my copy of the vinyl LP; and, as far as I am aware, it has never circulated. *The stereo balance issue noted in the album credits above is puzzling. Bill was a real stereo blend hawk.

William Howard Gehman (1939-2007)

Carol Margaret Levin (1941-2020)

#bandcamp #barbarahyde #billgehman #brattleborovermont #carollevin #chelseahouserecords #connecticutbands #connecticutmusic #hartfordbands #hartfordmusic #jacobsreunion #johncoster #musicnews #nemsbk #newenglandbands #newenglandmusic #peacetrain #richardblock #sandysayers #singersongwriter #westbrattleborovermont #yosefoxenhandler

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CHELSEA HOUSE
West Brattleboro, Vermont

The big red barn in its heyday - Chelsea House was at the forefront of folk music scene

November 4, 2023 | Brattleboro Reformer (VT)
Page: B07 | Section: News
766 Words

Credited to the Brattleboro Historical Society.

The Chelsea House was a music venue, mostly folk, that operated in West Brattleboro, Vermont, from 1974 to 1981. It drew heavily from more populous areas to the south. The second petroleum crisis and new competition in Northampton, Massachusetts, did much to sink Chelsea House finances. Bill Gehman told me the recording studio was the only part of the operation that was making money.

Margaret MacArthur initially thought a Brattleboro folk coffeehouse would not work. Soon, though, she started making valuable suggestions about ways to make this project succeed. She was the featured act on opening night.

One of the "local" opening night musicians, referenced in the Reformer article but not named, was and still is John Roberts of the folk duo, John Roberts and Tony Barrand. Of John, Tony once said, "John is not a true basso profundo but he's very smart."

The Brattleboro Folk Festival started in the Chelsea House. In later years, it was moved to the West Village Meeting House and then outdoors. The outdoors festival featured the most amazing custom-made speakers one could ever hope to see, made up of countless small speakers. As unorthodox and odd looking as this concoction was, the sound was remarkably good.

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Chelsea House Founders

William Howard Gehman (1939-2007)

Carol Margaret Levin (1941-2020)

Tony Ashe was also very important to the Chelsea House.

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Brattleboro Reformer articles, behind a paywall, are available to subscribers as well as to people who purchase the newspaper. There may or may not be a set number of free articles online. I am posting this publication information here for the benefit of anyone who can and who wants to hunt up the article.

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#billgehman #brattleboro #brattleborofolkfestival #brattleborohistoricalsociety #brattleborohistory #brattleboromusic #carollevin #chelseahouse #johnrobertsandtonybarrand #margaretmacarthur #nemsbk #newenglandmusic #tonyashe #tonybarrand #vermontmusic #williamhgehman

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