Tap In Time

32. Sticking With It - Michael Kollwitz

The man who may just be the most prolific Chapman Stick recording artist on the planet joins us in this episode- Michael Kollwitz is in the studio! Mike has insights and stories galore to share, borne of playing for so many years, being one of Emmett’s students early on, and living and recording in a number of different locales. Plus, Michael and Claire spend some time diving into advice regarding the configuration and maintenance of studio computer resources, and we hear about Michael’s upcoming book release- “Stick With It- Adventures of a Chapman Stick Player”…judging by some of the stories he shares with us, this book is a “must buy”!

31. Catching Up

After a bit of a sabbatical, Claire, Gene, and Victor get together for a free-form conversation. We catch up a bit, talk about plans for the future (isn't that phrase a little redundant?), hear from a furry contributor, share a few laughs, and just enjoy one another's company while we geek out a bit over Sticks and music. 

30. A View From The Studio- Dale Ladouceur and Bill Hobson

Chapman Stick artist Dale Ladouceur and her husband, drummer/recording engineer Bill Hobson, join us from Crowtown Productions, their Edmonton based studio. Along with a rich musical history, Dale and Bill possess a wealth of knowledge and experience recording the Chapman Stick (among other instruments), which we take advantage of as we dive into it with them. Along the way: cheap knock-offs, fighting for your first gig, mastering for the treadmill crowd, lobbying NASA, and more…check it out!

29. Coming Back For More - Jim Meyer

Folks who have listened to us know that we’re really big on getting together with other Chapman Stick players. So when Jim Meyer wrapped up the 20th Vancouver Stick event, it was a safe bet that we’d want to have him back on to talk about it (he was our first ever interview guest, way back in Episode #6, and anyone who's listened to that episode knows that he's a really fun guy to spend some time with). Plus, we also get some eye-witness thoughts on the 2022 event from the Tap In Time Foreign Correspondent. Along the way: geeking out over tuners, seminar audio chaos, ideas that didn’t work out so well, and more!

28. The Gigging Life - David Tipton

A small town with a bustling tourism industry is a great place to live if you’re a skilled musician, and a Chapman Stick fits like glove in such a place. In this episode, we head to Colorado to hear all about it from one of our Stick heroes, Mr. David Tipton. David shares some of his secrets to success, including thoughts on reading the room, repertoire, knowing what to play, gear choices, and the importance of posture while playing (!!!). There’s also talk of strangers jumping in uninvited to play along, questionable wedding song choices, adventures with curious and unrestrained children, and more. Come along and join us for a great chat!

27. The Jim Lampi Experience

For this episode, we cross the pond (virtually) to England to visit with Stick artist/educator/performer/busker Jim Lampi. Jim is one of the early adopters of the Chapman Stick, and his story is one worth hearing. It spans multiple instruments, locales, and musical landscapes, starting in the United States, moving across a large chunk of mainland Europe, and settling down in England. Join us as we hear about learning the instrument without benefit of the modern internet, covering an all-time classic in front of its composer, getting kicked off a continent by a musical genre, and more!

26. Tony Levin and the Art of the Flexible Method

Progressive music titan Tony Levin joins Tap In Time for a rundown of his most recent tours with the Stick Men, King Crimson, and his latest gig, the Levin Brothers with his brother Peter Levin and their special guest Ali Ryerson. In this episode, Tony takes us through a day in the life of a Chapman Stick player working with 3 drummers, being a traveling musician in the time of Covid, and getting the opportunity to make music with his mentor and brother, Peter Levin. We also talk compressors, how to choose the right instrument for the right song, and, along the way, we take a few metaphors a bit too far. 

25. Wind ’Em Up

…in which strings take center stage in the discussion. Well, for the most part, at least- it is a Tap In Time episode, after all. As with any stringed instrument, strings are at the heart of a Chapman Stick’s purpose, and we dive into a discussion on the strings themselves, as well as the related unique instrument features only found on a Stick. Also: whammy bars, “rigidy” (is that a word?), geeking out over patents, a podcast idea of Gene’s gets a hard pass from Claire, and more!

24. Getting To Know Abby

There may be two "O"s in Goose, but there's only one "L" in Manila (I hadn't known that...). Why mention it? Because that's the home of this episode's prog rockin' interview guest- Fuseboxx vocalist/Stickist/pianist Abby Clutario! There's Fuseboxx talk for sure, but we also learn about her other projects and endeavors, her musical and Chapman Stick history, some of her thoughts on the tech/gear side of things, and much more. As usual with our guests, several of her recordings (both with Fuseboxx and solo) are sprinkled throughout, with a beautiful Stick/piano/vocal cover to close the show.

23. Talking Stickology With Steve Adelson

Chapman Stick Master Steve Adelson joins us from his home in Arizona, and entertains us with anecdotes and learnings starting with his early days playing guitar, to finding The Stick, and moving through running the Long Beach Jazz Festival for the better part of two decades. From experiences and playing with the likes of Les Paul, Tony Levin, and other big names, to hurricanes and how to get a restaurant crowd to “recognize” the originals you mix in, Steve takes us through a great conversation.