KooperKast

Normally we only get to hear the perfect outcome of studio sessions, but in this series of clips we hear some studio banter and some incredibly fine background singers at work, plus a few moments from live shows. These clips will put you behind the curtain, inside the biz, for a few moments. The group doing the rock-n-roll Silent Night is The Tubes; the guy who is annoyed that his microphone was not on was Ronnie Van Zant of Lynyrd Skynyrd.  

In this episode Al introduces the very concept of the Kapusta album, then we hear Al calling his folks, back in the 90s. It is a whole different kind of KooperKast.

We ramble from remembering Bobby Neuwirth to hanging with Dylan at Woodstock, to the great cow encounter on the road with the Blues Project. At the end, Nilly the Dog adds a brief canine summation.

We go on for a while… starting from a listener’s question about  writing music for and fitting into a band. At the end, Nilly the Dog adds a brief canine retort.

We answer questions about the infamous Kapusta Christmas albums, who did the laughing on the overture to Child is Father to the Man, how to buy Kooper music from Japan, and Al’s teaching days at Berklee. After each answer Nilly the Dog adds a brief canine rejoinder.

We talk at length about David Bromberg and Al’s participation in Dylan’s Self Portrait Album. At the end, Nilly the Dog adds a brief canine observation.

We answer a listener question about Gateley’s Cafe and the friendship between Michael Gateley, Robert John, Lou Christie, and Al. And about a 24 hour recording session by that group of singers on Al’s 2nd album, doing Nillson’s Morning Glory Story. Of course, on this episode, Nilly the Dog’s comments after Al’s answers are dubbed into cat by the neighborhood cats.

We answer a listener question about the phases of Al’s career and him playing at the 64 World’s Fair with Harvey Brooks. And on this episode the neighborhood cats sat in as commentators for Nilly the Dog who was recording a solo album.

We answer listener questions about Fred Lipsius vs John Simon on keyboards doing Child is Father to the Man, and about Skynyrd before Kooper, at Muscle Shoals, and a bit about Al’s high school days. On this episode the neighborhood cats sat in for Nilly the Dog who was away on tour.

We answer listener questions about whether Al still plays live, his favorite person ever to work with: Mike Bloomfield, and what Al feels  was his greatest musical achievement. (can you guess?) Nilly the Dog was not available because Nilly was off working on a new sitcom for and by dogs, so the comments after each of Al’s answers were done by the neighbor cats.