Twyla Tharp has long been a master of translating American pop music into modern dance movement. Starting in 1965, Twyla pioneered modern dance choreography set to music heard most often on transistor radios, giving pop a fresh expression. To show you just how hip and maverick Twyla was early on, two years out of college in 1965 she formed Twyla Tharp Dance, her own dance company, and performed her first original work—Tank Dive, a piece lasting around 7 minutes set to Petula Clark's Downtown. Mind you, the Beatles' Rubber Soul hadn't even been released yet. [Photo above of Twyla Tharp in the dance studio of her Manhattan penthouse by Chris Sorensen for The Wall Street Journal]
Twyla and I became fast friends after my interview with her for The Wall Street Journal in 2019 (go here). In addition to being a JazzWax reader, she is a wonderful tea host. We get together twice a year at her place to sip and chat. She's straightforward, curious, passionate about music and art, lives for dance and choreography, and has more energy than a logging camp. Her work ethic is powerful and her analytic thought process is fascinating. [Photo above of Twyla Tharp]
Twyla has choreographed more than 150 works, many of which combine classical, jazz and pop music. She has won a Tony and an Emmy and has danced with Mikhail Baryshnikov (who, incidentally, performed One More Frank in 1976, Twyla's first Sinatra adaptation). She has been awarded the National Medal of Arts (2004), was honored by the Kennedy Center (2008) and there are about three dozen other prestigious awards too numerous to mention here. [Photo above of Twyla Tharp and Mikhail Baryshnikov by Judie Burstein]
Now you're in luck. If you're in New York next month, two of her works will be performed at the New York City Center—Nine Sinatra Songs and In the Upper Room. The performances will run from October 19 to 23. Best of all, Twyla will be there at each performance. But hurry and buy your tickets. They're going fast. For more information and to buy tickets online, go here.
Recently, I caught up with the tireless Twyla by email:
JazzWax: Excited about the upcoming performances of your choreographed ballads, In the Upper Room and Nine Sinatra Songs? Twyla Tharp: I am. Nine Sinatra Songs was first performed in Vancouver in 1982. Since then, it has been performed hundreds of times by many groups, globally. I have never changed the songs, but for the New York City Center performance, I’m considering altering the very last exit of the final couple in My Way.
JW: Why? TT: As a contemporary nod to female rights and power. The ballet was created immediately following principal photography in the Czech Republic of the movie,Amadeus—for which I staged the opera scenes—and is a study of the conditions of couples in love. It's modeled on my parents’ relationship.
JW: Was Philip Glass thrilled to hear about the upcoming performance of your 1986 collaboration with him on In the Upper Room? TT: I don’t know Philip as well as I know his music, which I’ve been listening to and working with in the studio since he has been writing it.
JW: You two go back, yes? TT: We do. We lived in the same Tribeca loft area in downtown Manhattan in the 1960’s. Composer La Monte Young and his wife, multimedia artist Marian Zazeela, lived diagonally across Church Street from my dance studio. Back then, minimalist composer Terry Riley was the man down there. Philip’s music gave a huge push to movement. Dancers’ bodies just wanted to go.
JW: What made you choose these particular nine Sinatra songs? TT: The songs—Softly As I Leave You, Strangers in the Night, One for My Baby (and One More for the Road), My Way, Somethin' Stupid, All the Way, Forget Domani, That's Life and My Way again—were selected to create a theatrical progression of an intimate relationship, from infatuation to stability. They needed to complement one another, both musically and linguistically. My passion for pop comes from my mother, a classical musician with a love for Tin Pan Alley. Frank Sinatra was her favorite pop vocalist. In listening to these songs thousands of times, I’ve found that the appeal for me isn't only Sinatra’s musical sophistication but also his chops as an actor. That's what retains my interest.
JW: Tough to choose pop songs for a ballet? TT: Selecting and arranging a suite of pop songs—whether for a dance or a show—is the equivalent of an acrostic puzzle. The songs must simultaneously satisfy requirements in several different directions—melodically, rhythmically and dramatically.
JW: How do you want audiences to take in these performances—as music to be heard or as a visual interpretation? TT: Both, together. Music and dance join in making a single impact—this is their theatrical power. In the Upper Room is a statement of endurance. Nine Sinatra Songs bespeaks our capacity for relationships.
JazzWax clips:Here's the trailer for a PBS "American Masters" documentary on Twyla called Twyla Moves...
Here's a quick Nine Sinatra Songs teaser from New York City Center...
Struggling to record The End of a Love Affair on February 20, 1958, Billie Holiday abruptly ended a take for her album Lady in Satin with resigned frustration. She said into the studio microphone, "No good. I don't know it. Mal, please try to play...as loud as you can. I don't know the tune." Mal was Mal Waldron, her accompanying pianist. Holiday was in the studio booth with headphones on and couldn't hear her pianist clearly enough to create a melody guide over the live strings arranged and conducted by Ray Ellis. Holiday would try again that day, but ultimately, producer Irving Townsend decided the session would be more expedient to simply record the orchestra alone and then have Holiday overdub her vocal the next day to the instrumental track.
Waldron was Holiday's favorite pianist. They had been performing and recording together since 1957 and appeared together on the CBS special The Sound of Jazz at the end of that year. Waldron was a favorite of many jazz musicians who enjoyed his firm, soulful elegance and inventive bebop lines. Waldron can be heard on a wide range of superb jazz albums in the 1950s by artists such as Jackie McLean, Charles Mingus, Teddy Charles, Gene Ammons, Kenny Burrell, Phil Woods, Ray Draper, Paul Quinichette, John Coltrane, Herbie Mann, Steve Lacy and Bill Russo. In the early 1960s, there were major albums with Max Roach, Eric Dolphy, Dizzy Gillespie, Teddy Charles and Johhny Griffin as well as many leadership trio sessions. [Photo above of Billie Holiday and Mal Waldron]
Between 1966 and 1978, Waldron also frequently recorded solo in the studio and on stage on albums that included All Alone, Tokyo Reverie, The Opening, Signals, Blues for Lady Day, Jazz A Confronto 19, Mal Waldron on Steinway and Meditations. Now we have Searching in Grenoble: The 1978 Solo Piano Concert. Co-produced for release by Zev Feldman and Josh Rosenthal on Tompkins Square Records, the previously unreleased recording was captured during the Grenoble Jazz Festival in Grenoble, France, on March 23, at the city's Maison de la Culture. The performance was recorded by Radio France, and the tape resided in the vaults of L'Institut National de L'Audiovisuel (INA) until recently, when they were discovered and released with the cooperation of Mala Waldron, the pianist's daughter, and the Waldron estate.
Most of the nine originals performed were moody and tormented, with a Slavic feel as Waldron played heavily and somberly. Among the brief respites from the percussive keyboard attack was his best-known original, Soul Eyes, where the piano finally started to lighten up and swing a bit. Even the standards You Don't Know What Love Is and It Could Happen to You were given the funerary treatment, with the latter becoming more lyrical and interesting in places. Not until I Thought About You did Waldron's technique shake off the pounding effect and grow more spirited.
None of this is a knock. Waldron was a tremendously inventive and powerful player whose work on ensemble albums is spectacular. It's important to note here that as exceptional as he was, he had his troubles and deep frustrations, which clearly were reflected in his approach during the concert. Drug use in the late 1950s and early '60s among jazz musicians to ease stage anxiety and touring stress, and free up creative juices often led to police harassment, legal threats to provide names of other users and dealers, police violence and prison. This harsh treatment was true for black and white artists alike, but certainly was harsher and less forgiving with black musicians. In 1963, Waldron experienced a breakdown following a heroin overdose that led to shock treatment, a spinal tap and a recovery period.
His battle back from those depths was a difficult one, by his own admission, writing out solos and playing what he had written down until his former skills and gifts returned. Once he had recuperated, Waldron spent a great deal of time in European cities before settling there in 1967, where he felt truly free.
To be honest, many of his solos on this 1978 recording sound halting, as if pounding out phrases over and over again were a way to buy time to figure out what to do next. Unfortunately, many of the songs never went beyond circular and repetitive concepts and rarely lifted or resolved with an easily digestible narrative. And there isn't much of a break in this sequence, as most of the songs were treated to the same process. Waldron's mood seemed dark and his playing appeared more like grim statements or a thrashing battle with an invisible force.
Again, all of Waldron's recordings are worthy of examination, because he was such an extraordinary player who had recorded remarkably and extensively with top artists on important albums. Admittedly, the late 1970s, both in the U.S. but particularly in Europe, was a period or jazz experimentation, when bending and twisting the music into new personal statements to push boundaries and explore new territory. But, as is the case with all music, the quality of the result depends on how the listener feels and whether they're emotionally engaged. In the end, jazz appreciation, like all things creative, is subjective. I'm just not sure that on this particular date in 1978 that Mal Waldron knew completely what he wanted to say or do with the music. It happens.
Mal Waldron died in 2002.
JazzWax tracks: You'll find the CD release of Searching in Grenoble: The 1978 Solo Piano Concert (Tompkins Square) here. The downloadable and streaming version as well as the vinyl are due shortly.
Dick Fontaine remains one of the world's finest music documentarians. The British filmmaker also has had a knack for identifying major trends early and capturing them in their nascent form. Among his subjects have been the Beatles (filmed four days after Ringo joined the band at Liverpool's Cavern club in 1962), Ornette Coleman (1966), Sonny Rollins (1968) and hip-hop (1984). In all, he has made more than 40 films and his subjects have included James Baldwin, Norman Mailer, Jean Shrimpton, Betty Carter, Kathleen Battle, John Cage and Johnny Rotten.
In 1987, Fontaine released Art Blakey: The Jazz Messenger. The film gives us an extraordinary sense of what made the jazz drummer special and how he sounded and felt about the music and his career. Yesterday, Matt LeGroulx alerted me that the documentary had recently been uploaded at YouTube. It features Benny Golson, Curtis Fuller, Roy Haynes, Wayne Shorter, Dizzy Gillespie, Walter Davis Jr. and many other leading jazz musicians. [Photo above of Dick Fontaine]
Here's Dick Fontaine's Art Blakey: The Jazz Messenger...
Bonus: Here's Dick Fontaine's midday footage on August 22, 1962 of the Beatles at The Cavern club in Liverpool for Britain's Granada Television...
Sonny Stitt loved organ intros. The bigger and more dramatic the better, with plenty of keyboard articulation and suspense. When the organ opener was played just right, it came off like a groovy fanfare that set up his entry on tenor or alto saxophone. To celebrate this sound, I pulled 10 of my favorite organ openers from Stitt's many albums:
Here's Don Patterson opening Long Ago and Far Away on Boss Tenors in Orbit in 1962, with Gene Ammons playing first on tenor and then Stitt on alto saxophone...
Here's Eddie Buster on organ followed by Stitt on alto playing I'm in the Mood for Love from Sonny Stitt at the D.J. Lounge, in 1961, with Johnny Board on tenor...
Here's Brother Jack McDuff on organ opening When Sonny Gets Blue from Sonny Meets Brother Jack, in 1962...
Here's McDuff from the same album opening Thirty-Three, Ninety Six, in 1962...
Here's McDuff opening Sunday from Soul Shack in 1963...
Here's Don Patterson's intro to Who Can I Turn To from Night Crawler in 1965...
Here's Patterson on the same song but live, but with Stitt on varitone, from Just the Way It Was: Live at the Left Bank, in 1971...
Here's Charles Kynard on organ opening Don't Go to Strangers from My Mother's Eyes, in 1963...
Here's Patterson opening Over the Rainbow with Stitt on varitone from Soul Electricity in 1968...
And here's Patterson's lead in to Shangri-La from the album of the same name, in 1964...
Bonus:Here'sWhen You Wish Upon a Star, with McDuff opening and featuring Gene Ammons (first to play) and Sonny Stitt from Soul Summit, in 1962...
Pharoah Sanders, a tenor saxophonist who initially was associated with free-jazz players in the 1960s, including Ornette Coleman, Sun Ra, Don Cherry and John Coltrane, but who went on to record several critical pan-African spiritual albums under his own name before developing a softer, more romantic sound in the 1980s and beyond, died on September 23. He was 81. [Photo above of Pharoah Sanders, courtesy of Wikipedia]
Born in Little Rock, Ark., Farrell Sanders changed his first name to Pharoah in the early 1960s at the urging of Sun Ra, who either misheard Sanders' name when introduced or thought the mistaken name was more befitting. Why it was spelled with the "o" and "a" reversed was either an error that stuck or was purposefully misspelled for an emphasis on the "oh" sound to stand out.
During his free jazz period, when he mirrored Coltrane's overblowing and "sheets of sound" techniques, Sanders came in contact with Impulse Records and was signed by the label a year before Coltrane's death in 1967. But rather than function as an extension of Coltrane's fire-hose approach, Sanders developed an hypnotic, spiritual and organic style, emerging with his own sound.
While Sanders continued to record jazz deeply influenced by African culture, he also recorded jazz and songbook standards. In many respects, his approach on standards seemed to be more influenced by Sonny Rollins than Coltrane. My last post on Sanders is here.
Here are 10 tracks to give you a feel for the range and warm sound of the late Pharoah Sanders:
Here's Pharoah Sanders with John Coltrane on Selflessness from Kulu Se Mama in October 1965...
Here's Sanders with alto saxophonist Gary Bartz playing the title track from Another Earth in June 1968...
Here'sThe Creator Has a Master Plan, which runs 32 minutes from Karma and is perhaps Sanders' best known and most important original work...
Here's Sanders with vocalist Leon Thomas on Sun Song from Sanders' Shukuru (1981)...
Here's Sanders with Benny Golson playing Times Past (This Is for You, John), from This Is for You, John in December 1983...
Here's Sanders playing Coltrane's Naima, from his album Africa, in March 1987, with John Hicks (p), Curtis Lundy (b) and Idris Muhammad (d)...
Here'sThe Night Has a Thousand Eyes, from one of my favorite Sanders albums, Moon Child in 1989, with Bill Henderson (p), Stafford James (b), Eddie Moore (d) and Cheikh Tidiane Fall (perc)...
Here's Sanders' full album of Welcome to Love, from July 1990, opening with You Don't Know What Love Is...
Here'sAfter the Morning live with John Hicks on piano in the 2000s...
And finally, here's a Pharoah Sanders interview and performance in 1985...
Bonus:Here's Sanders at the 1968 Antibes Jazz Festival in France with Lonnie Liston Smith on piano, Norris "Sirone" Jones on bass, Majeed Shabazz on drums and an unknown bongo player....
And here'sBody and Soul live in 2004, with Sanders backed by Anthony Wonsey (p), Nat Reeves (b) and Joe Farnsworth (d), courtesy of David Chilver...
In The Wall Street Journal last week, I interviewed movie director Michael Mann for my "House Call" column in the Mansion section (go here). Michael talked about growing up in Chicago, the film class in college that inspired him to become a director and the family photo that haunts him to this day. Among Michael's films are “Thief,” “Heat,” “Last of the Mohicans,” “Insider,” “Ali” and “Collateral,” and he was a producer on “The Aviator,” “Hancock” and “Ford v Ferrari.”[Photo above of Michael Mann, courtesy of Wikipedia]
Here's Michael with Robert De Niro and Al Pacino talking about the famed coffee shop scene in Heat (1995)...
Pre-order now. My new book is a perfect holiday gift for those who loved listening to the radio from 1964 to 1995. The stories behind 55 huge hits you know and love—plus I've provided a way for you to listen to all of them for free, in order, at my website. Listen while you read!!! Pre-order here.
Rock Concert, my oral history of how live rock went from sweaty wrestling arenas to a multi billion-dollar industry over the course of 35 years came out last fall, can be found in two formats here.
Last week, bassist Brian Torff, who for 3 1/2 years in the late 1970s and early 1980s performed as a duo with pianist George Shearing, last week sent along a photo of Rock Concert high atop a display at RJ Julia in Madison, one of Connecticut's best independent bookstores. Brian's 2021 album, Running with Scissors, can be found here. Order all of my Grove books from RJ Julia here.
Meet the press. Part 3 of Bret Primack's seven-part, on-camera interview series with me conducted a few weeks ago can be found here...
Shave-o-Rama. What a week it was last week for shaving. Thank you for your many emails and for those who had less interest but patiently put up with it. Five days of posts that tell you everything you need to know about double-edge shaving based on my last two years' of exploration and research, plus interviews with three major players. John Scott sent along an email that just about sums it up...
Marc, if anyone gives you s*** for this week, tell them there’s a musician in Berkeley, Calif., who really needed this information!!!
Speaking of shaving, Brett Gold sent along the following...
Marc, I'm not a razor fanatic (I have not been clean-shaven in more than 45 years), but I have been reading your shaving posts with interest. Have you seen Buster Keaton's classic "Sherlock Jr.?" In the film, Keaton has an assistant named Gillette. I could never figure out why he named his assistant after a razor. But I recently rewatched the film with my son (a special request for Father's Day this year) and realized that the assistant's name was part of a pun that worked-in several brands of razors and blades from the 1920's. See the image above. Gem still makes one-sided razor blades, but Ever Ready is out of business. I did notice that the Razor Emporium offers a 1920's model for sale.
Well, since Brett mentioned it, let's watch Buster Keaton's Sherlock Jr. Go here...
The Diving Fool. Speaking of comedy, Larry Griswold, co-inventor of the trampoline who was known professionally as "The Diving Fool," made a splash on the Frank Sinatra Show in 1951. A special thanks to director Raymond De Felitta, whose blog is here. Go here to watch Larry Griswold...
Ahmad Jamal. Last week I heard from Bill Kirchner...
Marc, if I had to pick my favorite Ahmad Jamal album, it would be "The Awakening." To me, it’s one of the finest recorded piano trio albums I’ve ever heard. The selections and playing are terrific. The trio: Ahmad Jamal (p), Jamil Nasser (b) and Frank Gant (d). The album was recorded in 1970. Here’s a transcription of Jamal’s playing on Oliver Nelson’s “Stolen Moments” from the album. The transcriber is Rowan Hudson...
More David Allyn. Paul Cammarata just put up additonal clips of singer David Allyn and his big band at New York's Red Blazer, Too in 1992...
Gary Smulyan, the great baritone saxophonist, sent along an email last week about a new site he helped launch. If you dig the baritone saxophone, dig in...
Hi Marc! Hope all is OK with you! I wanted to let you know of our new grass-roots organization dedicated to all things baritone saxophone, Low Blow Music. We have a website here where you can see our mission and what we are doing. We have a kickoff event on October 8, Pepper Adams's birthday, at Ornithology in Brooklyn, N.Y. It will feature 10 baritone-led bands from noon to midnight. The entire event will be live at the club for those who want to come see us and streamed online.
PS: Gary's latest album is Tough Baritones (SteepleChase), with baritone saxophonist Ronnie Cuber. Go here.
RIP Allan M. Siegal.The New York Times is partly the great paper it is today thanks to Allan M. Siegal, who died on September 21 at age 82. For decades, toiling behind the scenes, he was in charge of style, bringing writers and editors to task for errors or lazy prose, sloppy editing and weak headline writing, and pushing everyone on staff to adhere to high standards. Or else. When I worked at the paper from 1976 to 1985, editors and writers lived in dread of receiving a note from him in a ginger-colored inner-office envelope with holes in it. Known as "a greenie from Siegal," his missives were always written with a green Flair pen. In fact, you could see his green handwriting through the holes before you even opened the envelope. As a young journalist, I was in awe of his news judgment. Then again, I had the privilege of working there at a time when there was an abundance of newspaper legends and superb journalistic judgment. A life-changing experience for me, both as an NYT intern while studying in college and after. Even if you have no idea who Allan M. Siegal was, you'll enjoy Todd S. Purdum's obit here.
And finally,here's my favorite fall song—Sarah Vaughan singing Moonlight in Vermont backed by the Count Basie band, minus Basie, with Ronnell Bright on piano. I'm guessing the arrangement was by Johnny Mandel...
Today is the final post of my five-part series on wet shaving. I hope those who nudged me to post about what I learned over the past two years are satisfied and that readers picked up a tip or two to make their shaves or the shaves of loved ones much more enjoyable. In today's post, I want to introduce you to another one of my favorite vendors—Matt Pisarcik. He runs Razor Emporium, which sells the company's own Rex Razors, vintage razors by Gillette and other makers, straight razors, and loads of other products, including shaving soaps and more. [Photo above of Matt Pisarcik, courtesy of Matt Pisarcik]
The vintage Gillette razors sold by Razor Emporium often are restored and replated with nickel, gold or rhodium, so they are as good as new. The company's service is top notch and his products are uniformly excellent. Razor Emporium also will fix and restore a razor you own that isn't in the best of shape and you can have it replated. Best of all, my experience with Matt is that he wants you to be happy. He knows his stuff when it comes to razors and shaving, and his many videos can be viewed at YouTube. Almost any shaving subject and razor has been covered by Matt on these engaging videos, so they're a great resource if you want information on a specific razor. For this interview, Matt happily made time for me and provided answers to questions I emailed along to him.
Again, as with my other interviews and posts on this topic, I have received nothing from Razor Emporium for free nor do I want anything for free. The purpose of this series and this interview is simply to give JazzWax readers sources they can trust as well as my own experience shopping and ferreting out the very best of everything, along with tips I've developed along the way. Sort of the same as with music, except this is for your face, not your ears.
Here's my interview with Matt Pisarcik of Razor Emporium:
JW: Matt, where did you grow up? Matt Pisarcik: I grew up in Phoenix, Arizona. I'm a native rather than a transplant. I've always been fascinated with shaving. Funny enough, even as a kid, I used to admire men’s different facial hair—sideburns, goatees and beards. I thought, "Man, one day I really want to be able to grow facial hair and have cool styles." But I got into shaving because of shaving problems—an inability to get a good clean result without irritation. That issue led me down the path. My dad wasn’t a wet shaver. He used to walk around the house at night, locking up the house and turning off the lights with his electric razor in hand. So I guess that's what I saw growing up.
JW: Do you remember your first shave? MP: Yes, it was before a homecoming dance or some high school event. I had started to grow some peach fuzz and shaved with a Gillette Mach 3 and a can of shave gel. It was my older brother's stuff in the bathroom. I needed to look good that night.
JW: What did you study in college? MP: I was a business major with a focus in marketing and consumer behavior. At college, I started to get into wet shaving because my beard came in heavy and I kept having irritation issues with standard cartridge razors. So I tried double-edge shaving in 2003 or 2004.
JW: When did you launch Razor Emporium? MP: I incorporated the company on September 9, 2009. But I was buying and selling razors before that.
JW: What was the impetus for starting the company? MP: Buying and selling razors and me trying to find a better way to shave rather than constantly buying new models or something pedestrian and being disappointed. Remember, it was hard to find double-edge razors back then. There was no Amazon and there weren’t 30 different places online to buy wet-shave products. You literally had to buy from one place called ClassicShaving.com.
JW: Expensive? MP: Back then, I looked at the price of a Merkur 34 (above) and double-edge blades and the price tag was $60 or $70. Buying was pricey and a big gamble untested. Then I read an article that said I could find vintage razors for less at antique stores. So that's what I did.
JW: What happened next? MP: I got into the collecting side and fixed up the razors I bought. I started having duplicates and I needed somewhere to sell my duplicates. I’d sell them on chat rooms, in forums and on eBay. But I quickly grew tired of sites’ rules about how many I could sell as well as paying eBay fees and chat rooms wanting vendor dues. I thought, "You know what, I'm just going to build my own website." That was in 2009.
JW: Do you remember your first sale? MP: It was in 2010. An email came in with order No. 000001. I was really excited. Business grew fairly fast, and we’ve never had a down year. We've grown 30% annually for years and years now. The business just keeps growing.
JW: When did the business pay your bills? MP: I became self-employed in 2013, so I guess between 2010 and 2013. I was doing it at home and shipping out stuff. I had a day job. I used to work as a marketing director for a hospital and I was building the business at night. I remember going to the post office on my lunch breaks to ship off packages. Then the hospital was purchased and it merged with another. They didn't need me anymore and let me go.
JW: What did you think? MP: I was at a crossroads. I asked myself if I wanted to update my resume, go out on interviews and work for another company. Or did I want to try to make my new business work. Obviously I chose the latter and I’m glad I did.
JW: When did double-edge shaving start? MP: In 1903, Gillette put out its first patented double-edge razor with two rings on the handle (above). Double-edge razors date back earlier than 1903 but Gillette's big invention was the disposable blade that fit its razor. These double-ring razors are still bought and sold today but they’re harder to come by. The double ring does deliver a good shave, though it’s more aggressive than Gillette's later double-edge razors. Other companies back then quickly entered the market with different types of models.
JW: If someone now wanted to buy a vintage double-edge razor from that period, what would you recommend? MP: Get a Gillette. You don't have to get the first model with the double rings. Those are really expensive. You can get the single rings or the ones with a ball on the end of the handle or an Old Type khaki kit. They all have pretty much all the same shaving head. But get an old Gillette.
JW: Did wet shaving become more popular during the recent pandemic? MP: Yeah. A lot of people who were locked down got into hobbies. And because they weren’t traveling, buying clothes or commuting and buying a sandwich for lunch, they had more disposable income. We saw a big increase in interest for both double-edge and straight-razor shaving.
JW: What vintage double-edge razor is now in most demand on your site? MP: The Gillette Fatboy, by far.
JW: How often do you shop for vintage razors? MP: I don't shop for them at all now. If I go out to an antique store, it's probably with my family or just for fun. If I find something, that's great. But I'm not on the hunt. Razors find me now. When I started out, I was out on road trips hunting all over the state in small towns and antique stores. But now I get so many people who walk in to our store lobby or contact us asking me to buy their collection. Sometimes it's three or five or 10 razors, and sometimes it's 200 razors. But the razors find me.
JW: Where would you go now if you were looking? MP: Small towns that are forgotten and aren’t on some well-traveled route or highway. They usually have the best razor antiquing. If you drive and see signs for little antique stores, the odds are good you'll find a few double-edge razors in there. Then it gets down to the price they're asking and the condition of the razor.
JW: Still don't have the bug? MP: I have the bug, but I don't do a lot of hunting. As for my collecting, I had a goal of collecting every American Gillette razor made and I've pretty much done that. Maybe there are three or four or five really, really rare birds that if I came across them I'd be happy. But I'm very content with my collection. It's something that I did passionately for many years. Now that I’m a husband and father, I'm more interested in spending time with my family and growing my business. I’m also a guitar player. I just got a new Fender Jazzmaster and really like playing and messing around with amps. That's more interesting to me at this point.
JW: What's your best-selling Rex razor? MP: We have three Rex razors. We have the adjustable Ambassador (above), the Envoy and the Konsul. They're all selling very well and sell in equal volume. Maybe a hair ahead is the original one—the Ambassador
JW: What is a good starter double-edge razor? MP: I advise people to start with a razor that's got a lot of pedigree, like the Merkur 34, Edwin Jagger DE90 or Gillette Super Speed. Something that isn't too aggressive or too mild, something that everyone has a lot of experience with. Then, if you use it, you can find others who have had similar experiences using it. This will give you a community of people online who can weigh in if you have an issue. Don't get some super-aggressive razor or a super-mild one. Get the Goldilocks—the one in the middle.
JW: What are your general rules for nick-free shaves for those starting out? MP: Use cold water. No really. I know it sounds counterintuitive. A lot of people always hear hot water. They think they want hot water in their face, but cold water is way better for nick-free or irritation-free shaving. Hair has an opportunity to stand up. The skin gets more taught and firm, you get a closer shave with less passes. You just need to move slowly with the shave. And in general, stop trying to do two or three passes. If you're starting off, just do one pass with the grain and finish up by applying a balm or some kind of lotion that adds back moisture to your skin. Don't try to chase a baby-butt smooth shave right off the bat. Just go for par at first. The goal is to get a nice irritation-free shave.
JW: What about blades? MP: Try out different blades to find brands and types that suit your skin. They're not all the same, as much as that might seem to be the case. They all have subtle personality differences.
MW: Do women buy double-edge razors for themselves? MP: Not many, in my experience. Women just want to get it done, and they don't have the coarse hair that men have. They also don't have serious shaving issues. If they're getting irritations, it’s because they're going too fast or not using top-quality products. But for those women who want to try out a double edge razor, they can use whatever you’re using. Or they can find models with a longer, thinner handle. Vintage Lady Gillette razors have a super long handle. The same is true with some new Parker razors or the Leaf brand. The Leaf makes a good razor for women. I guess it's more like a cartridge. The razor is flexible.
JW: What did you shave with this morning? MP: I was traveling. I brought along the Rex Ambassador, a little Opal travel badger brush from the 1950s and a Razor Emporium soap.
JW: What's the best way to clean a razor and to sterilize a new one? MP: If you want to clean your razor, get some dish detergent from your sink. Not hand soap or dishwasher soap, but liquid soap like Palmolive or Dawn. The detergent soap will break down the soap scum that's on your metal razor and make it look shiny and sparkly. It will also sterilize the razor to a nominal level, meaning the detergent soap will kill off most of the things on the surface of the metal. But remember, bacteria can't live on a surface for more than a few hours. So if you find a razor from the 1960s, there's nothing on it that's alive. The only thing you need to be worried about is rust.
JW: How so? MP: If there's rust, it can infect you if you already have an open cut or wind up one. So make sure there's no rust on your metal razor. To limit that from happening, remove your blade from a double edge razor after using, wash it off and let it dry. Also, loosen your razor handle, open the butterfly doors or take apart the razor pieces, if that's how it's constructed. You want all parts to be clean and dry.
JW: How often should you clean a razor? MP: One or two times a month to keep it looking nice and clean. I went over to my brother's house recently and he had a Gillette Fatboy that looked like it hadn't ever been cleaned. So I took it to the kitchen sink and used some dish detergent and cleaned it up with a toothbrush. It was great. That's all you need.
JW: What do you tell people who want to try straight-razor shaving? MP: I tell them to try a double-edge razor first. If they like double-edge shaving and they like the idea of the angle being fixed and the pressure being reduced, then they can handle a straight razor. But if you currently use a cartridge razor, don’t jump to a straight razor. You're going to have a miserable experience. If you have the experience of using a double-edge razor, you'll probably be fine. You'll probably nick yourself once or twice. But it's a lot easier if you come to straight razor shaving from the double-edge razor experience. We have videos up on YouTube about your first straight-razor shave. But start easy.
JW: How can you do that? MP: Don't start out trying to do your entire face with the straight razor. Go with easy, flat parts, like your cheeks, to gain competency and confidence. Lay the blade flat against your cheek and just slowly work the angle down until you feel it start cutting the hair.
JW: Most people don’t realize you have to send a straight razor in to have it professionally sharpened fairly routinely, yes? MP: That's correct, you have to have it honed. Straight razors are like a manual transmission vehicle. They require a lot more work and maintenance. A shaving strap only keeps the fine blade aligned because the edge gets knocked back and forth when you shave. That's what the strap does. It aligns it, but it doesn't actually sharpen the blade. Once a razor starts blunting and gets dull, it doesn't sharpen unless you put a compound on it. You can put a sharpening compound on your strap and it will actually remove metal and sharpen it.
JW: So does that replace sending it in? MP: It will delay the frequency. But ultimately, people wind up sending out their straight razors for the sharpest honing. If you want to get adventurous and spend a couple hundred dollars and a lot of time and effort, you can get your own stones and learn how to do it. It will take a lot of practice. It's not anything like sharpening a knife. You cannot use oil stones. You need four or five or six different stones to really do it correctly. So you're going to spend a couple hundred dollars and a couple weeks learning how to do it correctly. Then you don't have to send it out.
JW: What razor services does Razor Emporium provide? MP: We do double-edge razor tune-ups, which means revitalizing the razor while keeping it completely original; we do double-edge razor revamps, which means resurfacing, plating and tuning; and we clean, polish, hone and custom handcraft handles for straight razors. All of these can be found under "services" at our site.
JazzWax clips:Here's Matt on the Gillette Fatboy...
And here's Matt on the 1903 Gillette Old Type double ring...
JazzWax tips: More posts this week meant more readers and more questions. Here are my double-edge razor tips...
What model, what year? You've found a Gillette razor at an antique shop or at a relative's house but you don't know what the model is or when it was made. Not a problem. You just need to know the numbers under the razor's head or on the inner sleeve. Gillette was fairly meticulous about using letters and numbers to tell you what year and quarter they came out. Razor Emporium has a terrific chart. It's a great resource, as are the links provided (go here).
How to sterilize a razor? Matt's advice above is spot on. But some people buy razors on eBay or at funky stores and really want to be sure what they purchased is sterilized prior to using. Personally, I soak new razors in Barbicide. That's the blue liquid in the tall glass containers at barber shops where you see combs floating around. You can buy a bottle of Barbicide, fill a coffee cup until it covers the razor head and let the razor soak in there for about 15 minutes. Then turn and let the handle soak. Lots of Barbicide size choices here.
Keeping a razor clean? I shave in the shower. Afterward, I open the razor and rinse all parts and the blade—holding it safely by the "snout" on either end, never the side. Then I towel touch dry all elements, rest the razor disassembled or on its side on a towel and rest the blade against the handle, so everything air dries over the course of the day.
Soap scum? You can use detergent or spray Scrubbing Bubbles Disinfectant on the underside or inside the razor and use a tooth brush dedicated for razor cleaning to gently scrub the razor clean. Then rinse thoroughly with luke-warm water and let all razor parts dry.
JazzWax shave album:Here's today's album to shave by...
Maggard Razors is the closest you'll come to a shaving-supply candy store. You can spend hours on the Michigan store's website exploring the hundreds of top shaving brushes from here and abroad, shave soaps that range from artisanal small-batch varieties to lush imports, virtually every new razor made, plenty of straight razors if that's your bag, and countless other shaving-related and shower-related items. Like the universe, the options at the site seem limitless. Leave yourself time. Who is the guy behind this site and store? Brad Maggard, and he's an encyclopedia of shaving information. [Photo above of Brad Maggard, owner of Maggard Razors, courtesy of Brad Maggard]
Brad is hyper-passionate and always on the prowl for new items that shavers will find enticing. Maggard Razors ships super fast, the staff is knowledgeable and returns emails quickly, and the company is generous about returns. Just be sure to read the return policy before you buy so there are no surprises. A great company if you love wet shaving or are new to the process. Be sure to check out Maggard's vast stock of superb brushes, including England's Simpson line and Germany's Thater line. Once again, I have received nothing for free from any vendors in this series and I'm not angling for anything for free. I pay for everything I use. I'm just passionate about shaving and after two years, I'm sharing what I know and the good people and vendors I met along the way in case any of this is of interest to you or loved ones. As with the music I post about, my role is to turn you on to the good stuff so your money is well spent. [Photo above of Maggard Razors, courtesy of Brad Maggard; click photo to enlarge]
Recently, I reached out to Brad at the store's location in Adrian, Mich., for an online interview:
JazzWax: Where did you grow up, Brad, and did you watch your dad shave? Brad Maggard: I grew up in Adrian, Michigan (above). I have no real memories of my father shaving. I'm a millennial, born in 1981. By the mid-1980s, cartridges had already taken over the shaving market. At that point, there were no morning-shaving rituals, no brushes clunking around a mug and no scent of Old Spice in the air. Shaving was just an inconvenient chore for my father to get done as quickly as possible to get on with his day. He also worked different hours at different points, so scheduling affected how much time I spent with him.
JW: Did you get your hair cut at barber shops as a kid and were you fascinated by the smells and all the adult things there, like straight razors? BM: Probably not the answer you were hoping for, but I almost never went to the barber shop. I grew up relatively poor, and my mom cut my hair because every dollar counted. Nostalgia certainly wasn't the reason I ended up falling into traditional wet shaving.
JW: What was your major in college? BM: I was heavily into computers and computer repair in high school in the 1990s. I spent my latter high-school years in work-study programs in the IT departments of several local companies. I attended Baker College in Owosso, Mich., from 1999 to 2001. Then I completed an Associate degree in computer networking, along with Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer and A+ certifications. After college, I got a job at Adrian College and spent 15 years there in the IT department. During the last 3½ years I worked there, I started Maggard Razors on the side before finally calling it quits at Adrian College and working at my new company full time.
JW: When did you personally start with wet shaving? BM: I started shaving around age 14, occasionally stealing my dad's razor while he was at work. Of course, it was a Sensor Excel two-blade Gillette cartridge. I didn't really know what I was doing and basically taught myself to shave. I think my experience was common for people born after 1975. There was almost zero instruction because our parents were all using cartridges that had no real learning curve. Kids were just kind of on their own. I've talked to so many people in my age group who said the same thing.
JW: What happened next? BM: I struggled and figured out how to shave. My mom eventually got me my own razor when I was 16. When I was 18, Gillette sent out a free MACH 3 razor to our house. That's what I used from that point forward, shaving once every three or four days through college and as I started my post-college career.
JW: Sounds like you were often scruffy. BM: I was. In 2005, Adrian College named a new president who preferred that all administrative and support staff be clean shaven at work. My skin was incredibly sensitive—thanks, Mom!—and my beard was incredibly tough—thanks, Dad! For four years, I had all kinds of problems with irritation and ingrown hairs, the cost of a daily shave. My neck would be on fire until lunch every day.
JW: What did you do? BM: Finally, in 2008, I Googled "How to get a better shave." I found some blog articles about straight razors and double-edge safety razors. I also must have mentioned something to my wife about it. She bought me a replaceable-blade straight razor—commonly called a "shavette"—a shave brush and Col. Conk shaving soap for Christmas of 2008.
JW: How'd you do? BM: There was a bit of blood the first few shaves, but I was determined to give it a serious go. As I built skill, my shaves became better, my skin became less irritated and shaving daily turned into something my skin could tolerate. I was hooked, and I started to branch out into other wet shaving products. I cleaned out all the antique shops in a 100-mile radius of my house, buying every double-edge razor I could find. I started using those in addition to my shavette and found them to be easier and more convenient with similar results. But eventually, I picked up my first few real straight razors. That's when things really got serious.
JW: How did you decide that straight edges were a viable business? BM: Before we go any further, I have to correct you on something. A straight edge is not a razor. It’s a tool used for drawing straight lines. The things we shave with are called just "straight razors." That’s it. Other acceptable terms would be "open razor" or, in parts of Europe, "cut-throat razors."
JW: Got it. Happy now? BM: Yes! Throughout 2009 and 2010, I acquired many straight razors and learned how to hone and restore them. I started doing for-hire work—both restoration and sharpening. I used my profits to expand my workshop, until eventually I had a slew of specialized tools that allowed me to work very efficiently at cleaning up and sharpening blades. I sold a lot of stuff on eBay and, as things progressed, I became one of the world's premier custom scale makers. Scales are what we call the pieces of plastic, wood, bone or horn that the razor nestles in between uses.
JW: How busy were you? BM: At one point, in 2012, I had over 50 razors waiting for custom work, and I was running backlogs of over three months. As winter 2012 was nearing, I dreaded having to spend another five months in a cold garage working on them. So I decided to see if I could find a heated workshop I could rent for cheap. I found a small 900-square-foot heated space in downtown Adrian for $350 a month and rented it. I figured, if I was there working anyway, why not stock a few products and leave my door open to the public?
JW: Makes sense. BM: Next came listing what I had online at a site that I built, which wasn’t too difficult given my heavy IT background. In December 2012, I officially opened my brick-and-mortar store and website store. I had invested $13,000 on inventory, shelving, a register and a sign. We stocked fewer than 120 products initially. Looking back, my razor and product business model must have seemed silly to everyone around me. But I knew that my restoration and custom scale business would support all the bills. Worst-case scenario, I could dump the inventory I bought on eBay for cheap if nothing sold. It was a low-risk venture for me. The wet shaving market was exploding on all fronts.
JW: At what point did you start adding many shaving products? BM: Throughout 2013, retail sales exploded. Within two months of opening, the retail sales eclipsed the revenue I was generating in straight-razor service. By August 2013, retail was 10 times my service revenue. So, by the end of 2013, service took a back seat and I started to focus on growing the retail business. We introduced new lines of Maggard double-edge razors, Maggard artisan shaving soap and hundreds of other products. But I always remained close to my roots, focusing on straight razors as much as possible—even if we were selling more double-edge razors than straights.
JW: What was going on in the marketplace back then to juice demand? BM: The wet shaving market actually peaked around 2014 in terms of sheer number of new people coming to the hobby. This was for numerous reasons. Part of it was that Dollar Shave Club created a huge disruption in the status quo. Users started thinking about other products from manufacturers other than Gillette. Another part was Skyfall, the James Bond movie in 2012, where an attractive woman gives Bond a straight razor shave. That movie drove hundreds of thousands of consumers to search "straight razor" on Google. In addition, the older Gen Xers and Millennials were fed up with the lousy performance and insane prices of Gillette cartridge razors. Combine all of this with the fact that everything was "new." New products were coming out just as tons of content was being created about how to start shaving with traditional straight razors and double-edge safety razors. A whole new world and subculture of shaving was developing, and the community was learning together. Forums and online niche communities exploded with new fans. The irony is that traditional shaving is superior in every way to the "new" modern cartridge.
JW: Why did the market cool? BM: The vast majority of people who found traditional shaving have stuck with it to this day. That said, some of the novelty has worn off as the market developed, and people who were avid collectors of shaving hardware and software between 2012 and 2015 haven't been generating a lot of content, which draws people in. Combine that with the complexity that has come with a more developed market and it can be intimidating for a beginner to break into traditional wet shaving.
JW: What exactly did you shave with today? BM: I still sharpen many, many straight razors annually so most of my shaves are test-shaving edges I've sharpened. Today, I had a shave with eight different vintage straight razors that I recently restored and honed. Prep is very important with a straight razor. That's true of double-edge shaving as well. My favorite prep is just a hot shower and washing my face with a glycerine based soap. Ach Brito makes a round soap called Glyce Lime that is my go-to. (Go here and scroll down.)
JW: What if you’re shaving in the evening and a shower is out? BM: Then I prefer a glycerine based gel, like the Chiseled Face Pre-Shave Gel (go here). Glycerine and water are important for softening the beard. I'm not super big on pre-shave oils, though some people really enjoy them. Personally, I prefer super-slick shaving soaps or creams as opposed to oils. I use several soaps known for their slickness—Declaration Grooming "milksteak" base (go here and scroll down) and Zingari Man "Sego" base (go here and scroll down), to name a couple. I also do a lot of product testing, since I personally vet everything that comes into our store, Sometimes I'll use soaps I've never heard of just to test them out. Not every brand passes the test.
JW: What’s your favorite vintage double-edge razor and why? BM: My favorite vintage double-edge razor is the Gillette Slim Adjustable, produced between 1961 and 1969. I'm of the opinion that the super durable nickel plating, efficient design, incredible build quality and adjustability represent the pinnacle of razor design. They can still be had for between $35 and $100, depending on condition, and they will last a lifetime. My favorite blades are probably Kai—the Japanese brother of the much sharper Feather blade. Kais are smooth and sharp, albeit a little expensive.
JW: And your favorite brush? BM: My favorite brush size is a 21mm or 22mm knot and relatively short—a 48 to 50mm loft. I prefer badger brushes that are heavily packed with hair and have soft tips with bulb shapes, such as our SHD 2-Band Badger knots we stock on our site [editor's note: these will need a handle]. But I must admit that one of my go-to brushes is a trusty Simpson X2 Best Badger brush (go here) that I've had since 2012.
JW: What is ideal gear for shavers just starting out? BM: I always recommend one of our Maggard razors with a V3 Standard head ($25/go here). Alternatively, you could pick up an Edwin Jagger DE 89 ($36/go here and scroll down) (above), or Merkur 34C for $49 (go here) or Merkur 42C (go here) for $32. If you want better materials that would potentially last a lifetime, the aluminum Henson razor would be a good choice ($70/go here and scroll down) or a Maggard SS70 Stainless head and handle ($57/go here and scroll down). For beginners, we always recommend brushes with synthetic bristles, because they are nearly indestructible, they are easy to lather up and they are super soft. We have a nice array of Maggard branded synthetics from $10 to $16 (go here and scroll).
JW: Any other synthetic brushes? BM: You could look at the Simpson Trafalgar line (go here) of synthetics or their Sovereign Fibre line which is coming to the U.S. soon and boasts of handles that are hand-made in England. The most popular option is to pick up one of our beginner kits (go here and scroll), which are priced at less than $40. The kit includes a Maggard Synthetic brush, Maggard Razor, 3 brands of blades (15 total, about 50 shaves), and 2oz. of soap (about 40 shaves worth). It's everything you need to get started, and the brush and razor will likely last at least 15 years. [Photo above of a Maggard Starter Kit]
JW: Finally, what’s new coming from Maggard that you’re excited about? BM: We're working with Barrister and Mann to re-release Fougere Angelique Eau de Toilette this fall. It's an incredible scent that Barrister and Mann crafted in 2019 with our input along the way and several iterations of testing. The scent is bright and citrusy but dries down to an incredibly complex array of base notes. Only 100 bottles will be produced. The shaving soap (above) and aftershave are already available on our site now (go here).
JW: Oh, one more: Without being able to sniff soaps online or aftershaves, what can shavers do? BM: The best solution is to request samples (go here and scroll down). We stock more than 500 samples of various companies’ shaving soaps, creams and aftershaves. For a few bucks, you get to try samples that deliver four or five shaves and decide if a particular scent is right for you. Although we do accept returns of shaving soaps that have not been used, we can't afford to cover shipping, so that's the responsibility of the customer. Many times, buying a sample is significantly cheaper than the shipping cost and burden of returns. In truth, using a scent on your own skin is critical. Fragrances tend to work in concert with an individual's body chemistry. This is more important for aftershaves, eau de toilettes and colognes that will hang around for a while. Trying something before buying if you're going to be wearing it throughout the day is definitely worth a few dollars. [Photo above, Noble Otter samples available at Maggard Razor]
JazzWax shaving tips: After starting this series on Monday, readers have been asking me for my tips to fine-tune the shaving process. Here are a bunch:
Pre- and post-shave routines. My pre-shave routine was outlined in Part 1 of this series. As far as post-shave, I pour a shirt button-sized amount of Thayers lemon witch hazel (go here) into my palm and add the same amount of Proraso After Shave with Menthol and Eucalyptus Oil (go here) . The result is a perfect aftershave—skin soothing with a nice refreshing sting. After I deal with my hair (the subject of a whole other post down the road if there's demand), I finish with Proraso Eucalyptus Oil and Menthol Aftershave Balm (go here), working one side of the face and neck before turning to the center of the neck and the other side. The result is cooling and soothing. Most important, it softens the skin and lets the hairs easily begin their climb over the next 24 hours, reducing the odds of ingrown hairs. I switch to a different Italian brand in the winter—Santa Maria Novella Classica after-shave balm.
Goofs.Readers have also been asking about how I treat razor scrapes, nicks and cuts. Scrapes (no blood drawn) can be soothed with an alum block (go here). Run it under ice-cold water and run the smooth surface over the affected area. Just be sure leave the block out to dry before putting it away. Nicks and cuts can be stanched by any styptic pencil. I favor the Clubman line (go here).
Blade handling. I have one rule of thumb (if you want to keep your thumb): only handle a razor blade by the nose. By this, I mean only grab the blade on one end's snout or the other. Never (and I mean never) touch the blade's sides. You'll most certainly wind up with a deep nasty cut. Remember, always pick up and handle the razor by its nose. Otherwise you'll touch the third rail of shaving.
Blade disposing. Place old blade carefully in new blade's wrapper before disposing.
JazzWax shaving album:Here's today's shaving soundtrack, two hours of Grant Green...
A high-quality shaving brush is a very personal item and typically survives the user. Over the past few days, many readers have written me about their father's or grandfather's shaving brushes, either by sending me a photo or relating a story about how they admired a brush growing up and now use it or have it on a shelf. I, too, feel brushes have a soul—how they look, how they lather up, how they treat your face and how they stand at attention hoping to be chosen for your next shave. They develop a personality over time with characteristics and charm. [Photo above of Walter Riva of Riva Brushes, courtesy of Riva Brushes]
To extend the life of a top sharing brush, care is required. When you shave, you shouldn't expose the brush to scalding hot water. You also shouldn't abuse the bristles by hard swirling it in a soap container or in a bowl. Instead, the brush should be moved back and forth, like a paint brush, to load up soap. This technique limits bristle breakage and bristle loss.
When you're finished shaving, rinse the brush thoroughly in luke-warm water. As I rinse the bristles of my brushes, I continually squeeze the base gently to be sure that the water emerging is free of suds. Once I see only water emerging, I hold the brush lightly at the base of its bristles and flick the brush gently a few times to rid the bristles of excess water. Don't do this with the bottom of the handle, since sharp flicking will likely cause brush whiplash and damage the knot.
Next, I take the brush and gently run the head back and forth over a dry towel for about 40 to 50 light strokes, so any stray moisture is wicked off. Then I let it stand to fully dry. Some people like to place it upside down in a stand. Either way works, provided you clear the brush of all soap and loose water.
Speaking of brushes, today I want to introduce you to Walter Riva, one of the world's finest brush makers. He lives and works in Italy, which has a long and noble shaving tradition. After all, you don't see too many Roman statues of guys with beards. And Michelangelo's model for David surely was an advanced shaver. I own several Riva brushes and love them dearly.
For one, they are beautiful to look at and hold. For another, I love Italy, from the food and music to the architecture and fashion. But most important, many of Walter's brushes are one-of-a-kind models. They are stunning, and yours will likely have no duplicate. As you'll see, Walter has a powerful artistic eye and terrific taste, not to mention a warm heart. To shop RIva Brushes, go here and then access the store page at Etsy by scrolling down to the orange button, which will take you here. Etsy is like eBay, except there is no bidding, just buying. I've purchased many shaving items on Etsy and have always had a terrific experience.
Recently, I reached out to Walter by email to learn more about him and his passion:
JazzWax: Walter, where did you grow up? Walter Riva: I grew up in a small town in northern Italy on the shores of Lake Maggiore, not far from the Swiss border. My love for the area in which I grew up led me to live and locate my workshop just a few kilometers from my childhood town.
JW: What sort of town is it? WR: It’s a small town where the Ticino River and its woods frame the area and the trees mark the passing of the seasons with their colors.
JW: Were your parents artisans? WR: My parents were not artisans by profession. My grandfather and his two brothers immediately after World War II were artisans and painted buildings. They also made frescoes on walls. When I was born in 1966, they had already given up their craft. But while growing up, I came across buildings in the area with their works still intact on walls. I remember their landscapes painted outside houses on walls. One of my uncles painted pictures on canvas, too. I inherited one, a landscape. He died young.
JW: Did you study in the arts? WR: No. My studies were directed towards technical and mechanical subjects. I've always been interested in understanding how things work.
JW: How did you develop an eye for design? WR: I believe my eye for design comes from my careful observation and passion for nature. Nature has an order and an ability to create perfect and harmonious shapes. It’s quite remarkable, don’t you think?
JW: How did you learn to work with wood? WR: My passion for woodworking has always been inside of me, in a latent way. My father delighted in making artifacts and small wooden furniture. Seeing him at work when I was growing up inspired me, especially in recent years, to create something that could combine my two passions—my love of nature and my love for traditional shaving.
JW: How many different types of wood do you work with for your brush handles and which woods are they? WR: Not many types. All are rather uncommon. These include Italian heather briar—the same used for the production of smoking pipes—fossil oak that is 3,000 to 5,000 years old, Sicilian olive wood, briars and some spalted woods.
JW: How do you find your wood—is there a vendor? WR: Some wood I collect from the forest on our family’s property. Others come from small agricultural entrepreneurs in southern Italy. The fossil woods come from Ukraine and are sent to me with their radiocarbon dating.
JW: How do you cure the wood and sculpt it? WR: The first long and important phase is the seasoning. Once they are ready, I work the pieces with typical woodworking tools and my lathe.
JW: Were you ever an apprentice to artisans or an engineer? WR: No, I have never been an apprentice artisan. My inspiration came from nature and designs that look and feel good to me.
JW: How many brushes do you make a year? WR: The quantity is limited, since my brushes are not a series production—meaning the same models being turned out to meet production numbers. However, the total has grown from 120 pieces last year to a projected 300 pieces this year.
JW: Do you sketch out designs first? WR: I don't do sketches or drafts. I start with an initial idea, but every single piece of wood I use is different from the others. While I work the wood, it tells me the shape that is best based on its veins, bird's eyes, knots, colors and so on.
JW: Which ones sell best now? WR: My best sellers are those in Italian heather briar.
JW: Is a horse knot made from horse hair (pictured above)? WR: Yes. And the horse knots I use are made exclusively with the horse's tail.
JW: Is the bristle stiffer than boar? WR: No, it’s actually softer than boar, more like boar softened from extensive use.
JW: What would you say sets your brushes apart? WR: Appearance, attention to detail, uncommon materials and precision, even though they are made from uncommon materials and often joined with pewter or resin.
JW: In addition to the wood and the design, you also take great care to load up the brush so that it’s a plush experience, yes? WR: Certainly. The sensations users experience during use are very important. Ergonomic shapes and high-level knots are paramount for me. I want users to feel a sizable handle and the wood's texture, and to admire how the brushes look.
JW: Do you shave with one of your own brushes—or do you have a beard and there’s no need? WR: I shave every day with my brushes, taking the opportunity to try prototypes and come up with ideas for future designs.
JW: What’s the difference between a bulb brush and a fan? WR: They are very similar. The fan opens more on the face than the bulb, which results in a different feel on the face. A bulb is tighter in shape, with more backbone when soap is applied to the face, creating a scrubbing sensation.
JW: And the difference between Manchurian and silver-tip badger? WR: Manchurian and silver tip come from different parts of the badger's fur. Silver tip is softer while Manchurian—also known as a “two-band”— offers the stiffest backbone, which is ideal for exfoliation of the skin when using on the face.
JW: What are the pros and cons of synthetic brushes? WR: The recent synthetic knots perform very well. In my opinion, they are excellent. They are immediately ready for use, whereas natural brushes require a break-in period. However, the luxurious feel of a high-quality badger knot on your face cannot be replicated with synthetic fibers.
JW: What else do you sell in addition to brushes? And are you planning to expand? Or are you happy with the way things are now? WR: Every now and then I make a few luxury pens, but rarely. I remain focused on shaving brushes, where there is much to explore in design and creation.
JW: What’s your favorite shaving soap and razor now? WR: One of my favorite shaving soaps now is Taylor of Old Bond Street's Tobacco Leaf (here). It's very earthy. Like you, I have a collection of vintage razors. My two favorites are the stainless steel straight razor J.A. Henckels Friodur Mod.250, produced in 1982. My favorite double-edge razor is the Gillette adjustable Fatboy from 1958.
JW: What is your desire when making brushes, that the buyer has what kind of experience? WR: My first desire is to earn my customers’ admiration by offering a high-quality product and providing the very best service. My second desire is to help transform shaving from a boring routine to a special, personal moment to repeat with pleasure.
JazzWax shaving album: Today's shaving album is Count Basie's One More Time, with arrangements by Quincy Jones.
Yesterday, in Part 1 of my series on shaving with a double-edge razor, I laid out for you why I decided to dedicate a week of posts to my daily grooming ritual. Yes, I was badgered into it. Today, I'm going to tell you about my experience in search of the best double-edge razor, blades, brushes and shaving soaps and which ones are the absolute best in each category. All of this comes after two years of in-depth research to minimize the extent of trial and error, which can become costly if you don't figure things out in advance. Again, the following isn't directed at men exclusively. Everyone I know who sells products in the "wet shave" space has talked about the rising interest by women, and there have long been double-edge razors for the female market. [Photo above of a 1959 Gillette Fatboy nickel revamp at Razor Emporium here]
So here we go:
Double-edge razors. I have 16 mint-condition double-edge razors that date back to the early 1920s. Each has a different personality in terms of how it shaves and how it must be handled to do its job efficiently without causing havoc. Twelve of them were made by Gillette. These include two "New Improved" models from 1921 and '22, a Sheraton open-comb razor with early twist-to-open butterfly doors from the mid-1930s, a gold Big Boy from the late 1930s, a "New Improved" bar handle razor from the late 1930s whose previous owner shared with me an amazing story about it, a 1956 Super Speed red tip, two Fatboy razors from 1958 and 1961, and a black-handle Super Adjustable 109 from 1969, the first production year. I enjoy them all. Most were purchased on eBay by waiting for the appearance of a desired model in perfect condition. Two of the Gillette razors were purchased at Razor Emporium. I also have a Japanese Feather razor and two new Maggard models that were bought at Maggard Razors.
My favorite: That would have to be the red tip Super Speed. In my opinion, the mid-1950s Super Speeds marked the pinnacle of Gillette's double-edge razor technology. The red tip delivers a perfect shave, time after time. My second favorite razor is the Gillette adjustable Fatboy. The design is visually perfect and the razor feels terrific in the hand. It also delivers a fantastic shave, giving you the ability to shift gears with a twist of a dial mid-shave. [Photo above of a Gillette red tip Super Speed]
The Super Speed line pre-dated the adjustable technology and came in three different color tips indicating the razor's level of aggressiveness in terms of blade exposure. In general, the red tip was the heaviest and most aggressive, the silver flare tip was moderate and the blue tip handle (pictured above) was lighter and least aggressive. It was marketed to first-time shavers and to women who wanted a gentler shaving experience on legs and underarms. Here's Matt Pisarcik of Razor Emporium to explain...
The best for new shavers: I'd recommend a new Maggard model. The handles of the two I own are solid stainless steel and deliver amazing shaves. I love open comb models because by "riding the head," meaning rolling the razor back onto the head slightly as you shave, you minimize the risk of nicks and cuts. I have the chrome MR5 handle paired with the V2 open-comb head. I also have chrome MR8 handle—one of the heaviest handles on the market—also with the V2 open-comb head. Either one is superb and forgiving, depending on how heavy you favor the hold. Both are relatively inexpensive, in the $30-$35 range complete. The beauty of Maggard is they let you choose the handle and then a head. The two screw together. [Pictured above is the family of Maggard-made razors; click to enlarge]
Women may want to explore the MRP or MRG handles, which are thinner and lighter. There's also the vintage Lady Gillette (a 1961 model pictured above), which dates back to the early 1960s.
Blades. Not all disposable double-edge razor blades are alike. Some are thinner and sharper than others, others are less aggressive. There is no best blade. Your choice is purely subjective, depending on your growth and your razor's level of aggressiveness. I've tried at least 30 different kinds. Probably the sharpest blades I've encountered are by Feather and Kai, both Japanese makers. The mildest are probably the Astra blades.
My favorites: I adore the Rapira Swedish Supersteel, followed by the Rapira Platinum Lux and Gillette Platinum. The best-kept secret of double-edge razor shaving is the absurd low price of the disposable blades. You can buy 100 Rapira Swedish Supersteel blades for $9.50 at Amazon in packs of five. Personally, I use a blade a week. Others use a new blade every other day. So if you're like me, you'll get two years of shaves for $9.50. Or just buy five packs and spread your low investment among different brands until your face falls in love.
Brushes. This is where the bristle meets the skin. All you really need to know about brushes are the type of bristles, the knot size and knot shape. That's it. There's no one best kind. Again, this is about personal preference and budget. [Pictured above, a Riva stabilized spalted beech tree and resin shaving brush; 26mm Manchurian knot; go here]
There are synthetic brushes, brushes made of boar hair, horse hair and badger. I'm a badger guy. The badger category divides neatly into several different levels of quality, starting with the least expensive with the basic "pure badger." Moving up the quality ladder, there's "best badger," "super badger," "silvertip badger," "Manchurian badger" and "high-mountain badger." Manchurian is a stiffer badger bristle so it's better at exfoliating the skin as you lather up. My 10 brushes fall into the last three categories.
Knot size will give you a sense of the diameter of the brush. If you like a large, full brush, you'll want a knot size between 30mm to 35mm. If you want a less robust brush but still large, 28mm is ideal. Then comes the 26mm, which is good. In my experience, brushes that are smaller may tend to require more work to lather up and will cover less area of your face. The only drawback to the larger brushes other than the expense is the large amount of soap it loads up and extended period required to wash the excess soap from the bristles once you've finished.
Shape divides into two categories—bulb and fan. In general, the bulb shape flares round and then comes in on top, like a tulip. The fan has a V shape and tends to be a bit floppier when lathered up. Both are terrific for different reasons.
Favorites: I own brushes made of super badger, silvertip, Manchurian and high-mountain of varying sizes, but most are 28mm. I did extensive research before purchasing each one, so all of my brushes are wonderful. They are made by Italy's Riva, England's Simpson, Germany's Thater and Shavemac, and France's Plisson, which still operates the world's oldest shave-brush factory.
Visually, Riva makes the most beautiful brushes. The handles are gorgeous works of art, and the brushes are dense and strong. But I also love my other brushes for different reasons. I'll post an interview with Walter Riva of Riva Brushes later this week. He makes each one by hand, so you're buying from a true artisan.
Soaps. I'm a soap-a-holic, always in search of the very best lather experience. How "holic?" Let's put it this way: I have different soaps for different seasons of the year. Spring tends to be fern, floral and wet stone scents; summer is beachy and citrus; fall is pine, musk and cedar; and winter is bay rum, spearmint, juniper and cologne. I'm a big believer that shaving soap should transport you to places far away. This turns shaving into a 15-minute mini vacation. For me, shaving soap is all about a sophisticated and intriguing scent and the quality of the soap and its protective quality when applied. Always remember, with a double-edge razor, you're dragging steel. Soap is first and foremost about laying down a slick surface.
My favorites: Since I rotate soaps seasonally, I'll give you my list of favorites that I'm using now. All deliver a slam-bang lather. My current favorites include:
Dr. Jon's Rose of Phyrgia vegan soap—a complex dark rose scent with sweet spices. The way a rose bush would smell in a heavy rain toward dusk.
Dr. Jon's 8th Dimension—also a complex scent that smells like a new-car glove compartment, stereo packaging from the 1980s and the first day of public school after the halls have been freshly painted.
The Sudsy Soapery's Pine & Cedar—delivers a true pine (not Pinesol) scent with musky cedar notes. Topping it off is menthol that leaves your face frosty cool.
Scapicchio's Shaving Cream—from Italy's family of straight razor shavers, Scapicchio's is a singular, fresh barber-shop scent that tells you immediately you are in Bovino, Italy, without a care in the world and about to have a hot towel applied to your face.
Le Pere Lucien's Cedre-Patchouli—a sophisticated leathery, suede scent from France that smells like fresh wood chippings and high-end incense.
Noble Otter's Lonestar—a warm scent reminiscent of hay bales, week-old cut grass and horse saddles warmed by the early autumn sun.
Other tips: Getting your beard (or for women, your legs and underarms) prepped for a double-edge shave, you need to be sure your hair is soft and pliable. Otherwise, you'll wind up with ingrown hair, razor burns, scraping or nicks. Ugly stuff.
My prep: I apply Palmolive Renfrescante shaving cream that comes in a tube from Italy for starters, aggressively working that into my beard. After applying hot water and working the green paste to moisten the whiskers, I apply Italian Proraso menthol pre-shave and work it in. Finally, I add a light coat of Germany's Speick tube shave cream as a base before working up a lather with my brush and applying. After thoroughly soaking the brush, I give it a couple of gentle snaps to flick off the excess water and work the brush on the product to load up the soap. Then I work the soapy brush in a heavy coarse-textured marble bowl to produce a thick lather. I love the feel of heavy stone and so do my brushes.
Tomorrow, an interview with Walter Riva of Riva Brushes, followed by Brad Maggard of Maggard Razors on Thursday and Matt Pisarcik of Razor Emporium on Friday.
JazzWax clips: A good way to pick up tips on shaving techniques and shaving supplies is via YouTube videos. There are hundreds of different shavers hard at work worldwide. Many, however, tend to be a bit much for one reason or another. In addition to loving Matt Pisarcik's highly educational, easy-going clips, I rather enjoy Kevy Shaves. I love his soothing Scottish accent and his banter, and he seems like an all-around good guy. In other words, a gentleman shaver. Here's his latest...
And if you ever find yourself in Bovino, Italy, with a face of stubble, here's the Scapicchio's family in action...
JazzWax shaving album:Here's Tuesday's album to accompany your shave—Robert Menescal's A Bossa Nova, from 1963...
Marc Myers writes regularly for The Wall Street Journal and is author of "Anatomy of 55 More Songs," "Anatomy of a Song," "Rock Concert: An Oral History" and "Why Jazz Happened." Founded in 2007, JazzWax has won three Jazz Journalists Association awards.
