Interview with Phil Schaap, January 18, 1999

Interview Summary

Schaap discusses his background, including his childhood in Hollis, Queens (New York, N.Y.). He talks about his parents' musical background and his early interest in music as a very young child. He talks about his musical training on the trumpet and in a choral program. He also talks about his brief involvement in the New York jazz scene. He then discusses how his friendship with jazz great Roy Eldridge led him to become interested in audio recording. Schaap then talks about a microphone technique he developed to deal with loud volumes.

The interview then moves on to Schaap talking about his involvement with Harry Fein in the Record Research Association, which he joined in 1968. He then talks about meeting Jack Towers, an audio engineer who was one of the first people to record Duke Ellington live on location in Fargo (N.D.). Schaap talks about his experience as a broadcast engineer in a radio station.

Schaap then spends some time talking about how the volume of music has increased since the 1960s. Schapp also describes his system for listening to music and deciding how to properly restore old recordings. He then talks about winning three Grammy Awards for his liner notes, and his job as a professor of jazz studies at Princeton University. The two talk about fellow audio engineer Rudy van Gelder. The interview ends with discussions on women in audio engineering and legendary guitarist Eddie Durham.

Interview Keyword

Recording Radio stations Jazz music Broadcasting Restoration Savoy Records Polygram Sony Corporation Princeton University Audio engineering Audio technician Hearing Durham, Eddie Towers, Jack Fein, Harry Record Research Association

Interview LC Subject

Sound--Recording and reproducing Sound--Recording and reproducing--History Sound recording industry Sound recording industry?History Sound recordings Music History of science and technology Schaap, Phil Jazz. Princeton University Towers, Jack Fein, Harry Record Research Association Restoration and conservation Record labels

Interview Rights

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Interview Usage

Interviews may only be reproduced with permission from Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, University of Kentucky Libraries.