Welcome to Dr. Moscode

Gregadd

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Apr 20, 2010
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I would like to thank Dr. Moscode (George Kaye of Moscode) for joining our forum. If you are paying any attention you know that I am quite enamored of the Moscode 402AU. Dr. Moscode is the designer and I believe CEO of the company. He is also a musician and plays the bass violin. I have never heard George play. If he knows how, maybe he can post a sample of his music on this site for us to enjoy. I am quite the fan of the bass violin. Ron Carter and Stanley Clarke are two our favorites. I asked Dr. Moscoe to joint the forum in order to facilitate my interviewing him.

If you take a look at the Jazz- Miles Davis thread you can examine his opinion on The Miles Davis Kind of Blue album. I think you'll find it very insightful.

Dr. Moscode why don't we began this thread by you telling us a little bit about your musical background. Specifically:

What type of music do you play?
Are You in a musical group?
Do you have a custom bass violin?
Are you a professional or is it a hobby? etc.

At least for a while would you leave the interview questions exclusively to me. Later on we will open it up to the Forum. That would allow us to maintain some order to the questioning. Of course if the question is burnung a hole in your brain you can subit them to me directly.

(yes. Greg is the moderator.)
 

Dr Moscode

New Member
Jun 19, 2010
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Dr. Moscode why don't we began this thread by you telling us a little bit about your musical background. Specifically:

What type of music do you play?
Are You in a musical group?
Do you have a custom bass violin?
Are you a professional or is it a hobby? etc.

Dear Greg,

Thank you for the invitation and setting up a Moscode Forum. This is definitely cool!

In answer to your questions above:

I primarily play jazz, the swinging kind. My musical roots are in Paul Chambers and Ron Carter and the rest of the bass family but mostly those 2 guys. Who else do you need, anyway?

I freelance as is the custom with jazz players. I did play with Houston Person and Etta Jones band for 5 years from '96 to '01.

I have a several bass violins. An old Ferdinand Seitz made in 1827 which is oversized. Reggie Workman and Ratzo Harris also have Seitz basses. I have 2 plywood type, and another carved top that I really love but dropped last week and now needs repair. I also have a small student size bass that sounds very good which is nice for soloing. I have some electric basses, too.

I am a professional bassist with a Bachelors Degree from Manhattan School of Music. However I only gig 2-4 times a week, mostly because of the demands of Moscode and the lack of work these days.

Thanks,
George
 

Gregadd

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It's curious that you have two endeavors jazz and high-end audio both of which have had their epitaph written many times. What do you feel is the future of jazz? I can say that in the metro DC area there seems to be a certain renaissance. We have a jazz radio station. It also plays hip -hop rap. The young people come for that but stay for the jazz. If you tell them its jazz they turn up their nose. Often when they hear it they Like it. Additionally we have an area where you can walk into clubs and hear live jazz. That is populated by 20 - 30 yr ods.
 

Dr Moscode

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Jun 19, 2010
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It's curious that you have two endeavors jazz and high-end audio both of which have had their epitaph written many times. What do you feel is the future of jazz?

To be somewhat facetious and dead on truthful, Jazz has a great future behind it! I got a longer view of music and jazz in particular when I was in a music history class. The instructor was talking about the transition from the Baroque to the Romantic periods. He said, "People were tired of all the complicated lines in fugues and 3 and 4 part inventions. They wanted something simple." or something to that effect. Then in blinding flash of the obvious I asked "Where have I heard that before?". Jazz to Rock and Roll. And in that moment I saw jazz as a mature art form or idiom. It's creators had invented it and were also the virtuosos that developed it. It has been developed over the better part of a century and I think it reached its apex in the late '60's. Just follow Miles Davis's career. (He covered a lot of ground and changed the pop or "social" music as Miles called it 7 times in his lifetime.) Now I call it a mature art form. If you stray too far from it is it still jazz? To me, jazz has to have blues and swing as essential elements.

Compare it with painting. Let's say cubism is the painting analogue of jazz. It can't be reinvented as if no one has ever seen it before. That can only happen once in the history of man. Likewise with jazz. There will never be another Picasso or Miles Davis or Charlie Parker or Kandinsky. Too bad - get over it. That can only happen once. And I thank the universe that I was a part of the scene when there was a scene.

But because it is also a very rich, deep and personal expressive form of music, musicians will continue to be drawn to it as primary vehicle of expression. And there will be some very gifted and unique performers like Bill Charlap or Christian McBride who will carry on tradition. And that is what it is - tradition. The music requires a level of virtuosity and talent that is rare in order to excel and rise to the top. And a boat load of luck and perseverance. I love the challenge it presents. There are also other factors in continuing the tradition. It is essentially an oral tradition and the opportunities to learn next to a master on stage at a jazz club are all but extinct.

There is nothing wrong with jazz that 6 nights a week won't fix!!!!!

As for me, I realized during my tenure with Etta Jones and Houston Person that I am an entertainer in the style. When someone came to see the band I gave them the experience of a live jazz bassist. We didn't knock down any walls or create new pathways or genres. People knew what they were getting was a straight ahead swinging jazz show and we delivered.

Jazz also requires an educated audience, learned in the traditions and elements of western music. Unfortunately the tradition of teaching music in class as core curriculum is gone so kids rarely get the exposure to the vast richness of art. They are robbed of this essential element of humanity. Among developed industrialized nations this is uniquely American. I view this as part of an overall political strategy to strip the middle class out of existence by the conservative, corporatist element in this country which got it's foot hold with Reagan and has been doing it's dirty work ever since. But don't get me started on politics. . . The Have-Mores vs The No-Pot-to-****-Ins will forever be the struggle of politics and this nation.

We have to renew our audience. The music of a generation is the music that got the girl hot in the back seat of the car. That audience which grew up as jazz grew up is dying off and can only be renewed through education and sharing the passion we have. So I have a mission to educate anyone who will listen how to appreciate and understand the inner workings of this music. There's a chess game on the bandstand and you only need to know the rules to dig it. I am now on faculty at the Vermont Jazz Center and teach intergenerational jazz ensembles and how to listen to jazz.

There is so much more. I could write a book. - You see, Reg, this is why it takes me way too much time to do this. Because I write too much - from the movie "Nothing's Ever Simple".
 

RBFC

WBF Founding Member
Apr 20, 2010
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We would certainly love to hear more about the inner workings of jazz, from someone whose passion for the music is paramount. Please feel free to post your thoughts as time allows!

Lee
 

JackD201

WBF Founding Member
Apr 20, 2010
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+1 there for sure

A warm welcome to you George
 

Gregadd

WBF Founding Member
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From Your Audio

Nuts at Moscode.com


Holiday Greetings fellow Music lovers. Audio lovers, Gizmo lovers and Love lovers. Gage and I wanted to send out a greeting card this year to our customers and fans, and anyone who inadvertently signed up for this newsletter thinking you would be getting recipes, discount Rolex's , stock tips, or male/female enhancement.



So here are our Holiday Wishes for you . . .



May your soundstage reverberate throughout the land.

May you find your groove in vinyl and may your stylus be nude.

May you maintain a vertical tracking angle should you find yourself anti-skating.

May your arms be well toned and your styli compliant (but not too compliant).

May the glow of your tubes light your way to thermionic ecstacy.

May your voltage be high and your power factor be at one with the grid.

May your inputs and outputs be organically balanced.

Let your signal to noise ratio be high and your noise floor be waxed and polished.

Let your dither not wither.

Let your dynamic range be enormous.

May your family of curves treat you well and any peaks and dips be equalized.

May your relatives crossover to their promised land with minimal transient intermodulation distortion. (God Bless Tiny T.I.M.)

May your ground loops give you a silent night just once. (Is this too much to ask?)

As you interconnect this holiday season may your output meet low impedance with lots of headroom so nothing hertz.

And may your highs be extended, your midrange be liquid and your bottom be tight.



In short,

We wish you an ultra low distortion holiday with no negative feedback from anyone.

Cheers,

George and Gage



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George direct: 802 257 5085

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rgregadd@aol.com
 

Gregadd

WBF Founding Member
Apr 20, 2010
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It's probably a good thing that jazz was not hemmed in by an educational establishment. Like Blues you could just pick up an instrument and do just about anything you wanted. Like Hendrix when black people could not make money doing rock and roll. Hendrix would just show up at a club and have a jam session. There was no professor to tell him that was wrong.
I do find people like jazz when they hear it.

I recall going to see Etta James and Houston Pearson. I was working a sixty hour week and finally got a date with this girl. I fell asleep while sitting in the front row. I was snoring and got up and left. Houston Pearson asked me why I was leaving. Very embarrassing.
 

Dr Moscode

New Member
Jun 19, 2010
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It's probably a good thing that jazz was not hemmed in by an educational establishment.

You're excused. The drummer in that band wrote a poem called "Jones, That Is". Etta Jones. You must have been really tired.

Right now the educational institutions are just about all we have to teach and foster jazz. The days of the gig followed by the jam session with all the great cats are GONE, GONE, GONE. Right now I'm fortunate to have a steady Tuesday nite gig in the anchor band for a jam session at the Green St Cafe in Northampton MA. We start again on Feb 1st. It is our social life and the meeting place for the area and since we are a good rhythm section we attract good players. Gary Symolian, Giacomo Gates have both been featured artists.

However, there are other factors. The uneducated audience will accept "bad jazz" - jazz played poorly so there is no demand for a high degree of quality. Lesser quality players will play cheap to get their s**t together which has to be done. Double edge sword. Tony William commented on that once or maybe more than once. And he was at the top of the heap. One of the most innovative drummers if not the most to live - ever.

OK, Dr. Next question, please. OR - I have one for the members here. How much of the hi end audio crowd are "amplifier of the month club" members. Ie. Have fun selling and trading rather than owning and digging the music. Nothing wrong with that, just want to get a feel.

Audios,
George
 

es347

VIP/Donor & WBF Founding Member
Apr 20, 2010
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No no George, it's all about the music....really :)
 

DonH50

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I have read lots of articles and threads (here and on a trumpet site I help moderate) about jazz and its demise (or not). Still going strong, it would seem, and much of what the good Dr. has posted rings true (and personally so) to me. Even big bands are still around (and are a blast to play in).

Re. amp of the month club -- I am not. Used to be, slightly, but grew out of it (my post about an audiophile's life cycle is somewhere on site). As I get older and have returned to making and not just listening I find myself getting more involved in the music (or the movie, these days) and less in the equipment. Once I got to a level of components I was happy with, natch. ;) - Don
 

Dr Moscode

New Member
Jun 19, 2010
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I'd really like to be the wonderful cheerful voice of jazz. I'd really like to be.

Jazz performance is way down. Jazz education is the main income stream. The number of players that can make a decent living is miniscule. Their financial ability to live like regular people has always been less than. To be able to afford health care, a new car, or a house purely from income generated from performance is exceptionally rare. Many players are married to people who have civilian jobs, the rest eek out a living and god help them if they get sick. Yet, we love to play.

My friend, bassist Dennis Irwin's death several years ago hours before a fundraiser in his honor from cancer is a prime example. The biggest names in Jazz participated - Ron Carter was one. And the whole deal got coverage in the NY Times but nothing has changed. The music doesn't pay enough to have health care much less a pension. Yet, we love to play.

The "free music download mindset" undermines an artists right to get paid. How about if we download free legal services, cars or money? That will be fought against with guns and handcuffs and prison. But free music? Hey, well - that's "playing". We "play" music. No need to pay for it. Yet, we love to play.

With very few exceptions Big Bands are hobby bands. 1 gig a year with 5 rehearsals for $50? Yet, we love to play.

The business of America is business and always has been. There is no aristocracy that supports the arts as in Europe and the Republicans would do away with NPR and the Nat. Endowments for the Arts if they were to get their way. Yet, we love to play.

And it is always in competition for the entertainment buck. Before TV was widespread, entertainment was local. Now you have by orders of magnitude many more distractions without leaving the house. Now that is a byproduct of technological progress. Nonetheless the result is the same. Yet, we love to play.

No, the phrase "still going strong" is just not true. Still going, perhaps, but strong, no. Yet and yes, we love to play.

We do it because we love it and we must. I have that conversation a lot with many of my jazz comrades. We can't quit music.

Ok now, will someone help me down off this soap box and buy a Moscode 402Au to cheer me up, please?
 

Gregadd

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Apr 20, 2010
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With respect to the 402au, I think I've done my share. We are struggling to hold on to the only real jazz station in DC. It's a non-profit as you might expect. There is a healthy jazz scene here but I don't know if they make any money.
Have you head any luck with international sales?
 

DonH50

Member Sponsor & WBF Technical Expert
Jun 22, 2010
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Well, there are pockets where it's not so bad, though I admit by and large most musicians probably fit the downtrodden viewpoint. I certainly hear from more of the latter than the former, but there are places jazz and big bands thrive. And yeah, most all the pro musicians I know (I was one, once, but my career took another path) have second jobs, teach, or do what ever to make ends meet. A few are married and their spouse brings home a steady paycheck (and a healthcare plan). 2010 was rough, in a lot of ways (I donated some to Musicares and to a friend's bassist who lost his home in the Nashville flood), and I can't but agree with the MP3 revolution and the "it's all free for the dowloading" mentality. Still, I hear from those who are doing well, or at least OK, and prove there's still a place for the music. Here's hoping the new year offers a pick up in gigs for all.

Keep the music flowing - Don (gotta' pack for a rehearsal tomorrow -- not paid, alas)
 

Gregadd

WBF Founding Member
Apr 20, 2010
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In designing amplifiers many would argue that all amps operating within the range should and do sound exactly the same. That in fact these parameters are fairly well known by any competent designer. Audiophiles then often do mix and match amps with speakers that they should not. I see that amps are getting better. Sadly not at any price I could afford.

George what do you credit these improvements to:
Better science
Improved designer ability
Better design tools
Better adherence by designers to known science
higher prices that allow designers use better design tools and premium parts.
Less demanding speakers.
 

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