Richard Shulberg and the Secret Museum
My Dearest friend and musical enabler, Richie Shulberg, AKA Citizen Kafka swooped this sphere on Saturday afternoon, March 14th, 2009. For those who didn’t know him, Richie was the leader and the brilliant, chaotic brain behind the Wretched Refuse String Band, whose odd mixture of influences included bluegrass, old-time string-band music, electronica, traditional jazz, bebop, and free jazz, Lord Buckley, Slim Gaillard, and Ernie Kovacs.
Shulberg’s contributions extend well beyond Wretched Refuse. Along with musician Pat Conte, Shulberg produced “The Secret Museum of Mankind”, an eclectic, brilliant, and ear-opening collection of music from around the globe; the project clearly embodies Richie’s (and Pat’s) madcap eclecticism.
Radio Station WFMU hosts an archive of Shulberg and Conte’s radio shows, showcasing such themes as diphonic singing, Country music of Puerto Rico, and post-war African guitar, all culled from their collections of 78-rpm discs. You can listen to these and many more musical mindbenders here. Rest in Peace or Give ‘em Hell, Richie!
March 17th, 2009 at 8:41 pm
Marty–
I’m sorry I missed you when you were in Boston with Alan…I just heard about Richie…and Rick Altman. Both, it seems, on the same day. None of this is fair…Listened to Wretched Refuse when I got hom tonight.
Fond memories,
Joel Stein
March 21st, 2009 at 5:02 pm
Richie Shulberg! I went to college with him at Brooklyn College and used to hang out in his wild apartment on Ave. H near Ocean Ave. Lost touch after college and have thought of him and his wild antics, far-out friends, and good times. Just turned on NPR and heard the same news that he’s passed away….
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