Greetings from Active Ingredients Media

Audio and recording engineer (and licensed ham radio operator) Ed Russell started Valley Free Radio several years ago in collaboration with Wilton Hall. Some stories suggest that Mr. Russell was at one point in the habit of pirating, from a number of undisclosed locations, Amy Goodman's "Democracy Now" using a stash-able roll-up antenna and a battery-powered transmitter, but Mr. Russell states that all such claims are baseless. Ed continues to produce a show which runs every Monday evening at 6 pm on VFR, WXOJ-LP, 103.3 FM. "Active Ingredients" features high-quality voice recordings of politically progressive and radical writers and activists who come through the Pioneer Valley region on speaking tour.

Ed sets up his 2-channel Tascam field recorder, a Sennheiser dynamic mic at the podium, and uses a shotgun mic to capture audience Q and A. Sometimes he is able to take a line out from house sound--but house sound in many venues can be problematic, revealing noise from sources such as bad mic cables or ground loops. On at least one occasion, my flash memory audio recorder--a pocket-sized device with 4 built-in mic capsules--has actually come in handy. (Don't tell anybody.)

If I make enough of a nuisance of myself, Ed (who got me started in the art of field recording and audio production, after I relentlessly bothered him via telephone) will sometimes deign to share my company on a recording gig. Recently we traveled to Amherst Community Television, where the Amherst League of Women Voters sponsored a televised appearance of John Bonifaz, legal director of the Amherst-based national non-profit Voter Action.

Attorney Bonifaz' talk was entitled "Who Owns our Elections? The Struggle to Reclaim our Vote and our Democracy." Click on the photo to stream the words of John Bonifaz , or listen to the mp3 from here:

John Bonifaz Speaks

Master Plan Public Hearing

On November 8, 2007, a public hearing was held on the 70-page master plan entitled Sustainable Northampton. This may be the final review before the plan goes to City Council. Present were the planning board, city officials, and representatives from The Cecil Group, consultants who were hired to produce the document.

I have put together a playlist of commentators--my apologies to those who spoke later in the evening, and are not included in this list, and to the first presenter, who I missed...as well as to those whose names are misspelled. use the little vertical scrollbar on the side of the player to reveal additional names.

Many thanks to Ed Russell of Active Ingredients Media, whose help with audio capture under non-optimal circumstances made it possible to document the event.

Get your own playlist at snapdrive.net!

election night circus

the crowd was in high spirits on election night '07 in northampton, massachusetts. valley free radio of course showed up to capture some good fun audio. click here for cameo audible appearances by the cbs news team, kathy silva, bob reckman, bill dwight, david narkewicz, gene tacy, an unknown veteran policy wonk (expressing interest in the "drinking liberally" society), and of course, our mayor-elect, mary clare higgins.

election night circus mp3

We also caught an interesting moment--an impromptu press conference materialized around Gene Tacy moments after he conceded defeat. Bill Dwight (WHMP), Fred Contrada (The Republican), Mary Serreze (Valley Free Radio), and Dan Crowley (The Daily Hampshire Gazette) all wanted to know: what are your plans, Mr. Tacy? mp3

Nick the Fiddler

Nick can really play. He's got that free-wheeling old-time sound. John Coster and I recorded him, using our new little palm-held Zoom H2, outside of Thorne's Market last Saturday (It was cold out!)

nick.mp3

Daniel Lerch at Amherst College

Daniel Lerch is with the Post-Carbon Institute, and directs the Post-Carbon Cities Program. He spoke recently at Amherst College, discussing ways we can use local planning and zoning to prepare for climate and energy uncertainty.

"Local Planning for Peak Oil and Global Warming : How Community Actions Can Make Us Environmentally, Economically, and Democratically Healthier"

This audio recording was produced in collaboration with Active Ingredients Media.

daniel lerch mp3

Roy Martin, candidate for mayor

Paolo took this one solo! Paolo Mastrangelo and Roy Martin, "perennial candidate for mayor," discuss the issues, completing our mayoral candidate interview series.

roy martin mp3

Mayor Mary Clare Higgins

Clare discusses her political history in Northampton, Chapter 40B, Municipal Finance, Public Works, The Fairgrounds, her meeting with Smith, and other topics as the election season rolls to its conclusion.

download mp3 or listen using this player:

A Conversation with Jack Hornor

Jack Hornor, chair of Northampton's Community Preservation Committee, speaks on the community preservation act, the Men's Resource Center, MassEquality and marriage rights, how to volunteer at the cot shelter, and the Community Advisory Committee's decision to tear down Old Main on Hospital Hill.

download: jackhornor.mp3 or listen using this embedded player:

Get your own playlist at snapdrive.net!

mayoral debate at the feiker school

Audio capture of the candidates' debate at the Feiker School has been edited to isolate all of the question posed, and the responses of Mayor Mary Clare Higgins, running for her 5th term in office, and write-in candidate Gene Tacy. The event was sponsored by the Bay State Village Association.

click here to download:

mayoral debate

or here to listen:

Get your own playlist at snapdrive.net!

an interview with gene tacy, write-in candidate for mayor

Get your own playlist at snapdrive.net!