Hello from Rob DeLand
By Rob DeLand
Hello, everyone.
I'm Rob DeLand and I finally have some time to write my introduction to all of you. My primary interests in AMI are music roll collecting: ragtime & blues on ANY roll format (I literally mean ANY); and all types of expression and reproducing piano rolls. In general I'm interested in all music rolls of all types, from Rollmonica to Welte organ rolls. I don't collect all these formats, but I do collect literature for all of them, and I'm interested in them all from a historical perspective. I would like to have a representative roll of every format ever used. That's not a driving concern for me, but an indication of my interest. I started recutting ragtime & blues 88-note rolls in 1987 under the "BluesTone" label. Last year I expanded into recutting QRS Automatic expression rolls; and Ampico/Duo-Art/Welte rolls. To date I've issued 260 rolls in addition to the expression / reproducing rolls.
I've been interested in AMI since a friend of my dad's restored a footpumper in the early 1960's. Every time we went over to Gerry's house, I'd make a beeline to the footpumper and stay there until we had to go! I started buying rolls in jr. college, at which time I discovered & joined AMICA & MBSI. I discovered reproducing pianos and found a strong love for classical piano by close listening to reproducing rolls, primarily in the collections of Chicago area collectors like Jerry Biasella and (then "Chicago Bob", now "Columbia Bob") Bob Taylor. Up to that point popular (particularly ragtime & blues) rolls were my primary interest.
I compiled a complete list of QRS Autograph rolls in the late 1980's (QRS Autograph rolls were introduced in 1912 and were the first hand-played rolls issued by that firm). Through this project I made the acquiantance of my music roll mentors: Mike Schwimmer, Richard Riley, Ed Sprankle, Mike Montgomery, Trebor Tichenor, and Dick Howe. This is one of the finest group of friends I could ever hope to meet. This hobby wouldn't be nearly as interesting if it weren't for such good friends as these and many others who share this interest.
I met Ed Sprankle during a business trip to San Francisco while working on the QRS Autograph Rollography. Ed had recut rolls for a few years previously on his Echoes label, and he played some of his favorites for me - this was the first time I had heard most of them. I asked if any were available for sale, and he said no, not any more. I asked why he didn't make more recuts, and in his typical clear, straightforward manner, he said "why don't YOU?!!" And believe it or not, that's when it dawned on me that, hey, what the hell, there's no reason why I couldn't make my own recuts! My first BluesTone list came out in the spring of 1987.
I've always been interested in reproducing rolls, particularly historical performances such as early Welte composer-played stuff. Charles Davis Smith's beautiful Welte roll book has certainly sparked my interest in that area! I'll save further discussion on this for future email-ings. This pretty much brings me up to the present. If anyone is still reading at this point, thank you for putting up with my rambling. I also want to thank Terry Smythe and Jody Kravitz for their efforts in getting this list started. Nice job, fellas! We really appreciate it! I look forward to many interesting discussions here, and the ability to share interests in such an immediate, real-time format. I have already seen topics discussed that I want to know more about! This should be great...
Best wishes,
Rob DeLand |
(Message sent Wed 26 Apr 1995, 03:21:58 GMT, from time zone GMT-0800.) |
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