The Genii Forum

Jon Racherbaumer

Marlo spurred lots of cardmen to believe that there are an unlimited range of possibilities. Like Vernon, he cared about details, thoroughness, finesses, and subtleties. Unlike Vernon, however, he primarily focused on methods and the Work. Vernon included other aspects of the entertainment package.T...

Jon Racherbaumer

Yikes! Here we go again...doomed to repeat, recycle, re-activate, re-aggravate, review, and in the process cause bystanders who are uninterested to "bolt" or "revolt"... At the risk of annoying my esteemed colleague, Harry Lorayne, who I truly admire and like, here are a few &quo...

Jon Racherbaumer

The OPEC Count was simply a way of being able to SEQUENTIALLY count a four-card packet (ala Elmsley Count) without having to shift a card prior to performing an Elmsley Count. It was not designed to be the BASIS of a trick. Many packet tricks, because of the resultant disposition of cards, require g...

Jon Racherbaumer

My, oh, my...
We met 36 years ago and I remember saying (after looking at a few of your illustrations): "You should write and illustrate a book...or..hmmmmm...maybe put out a magazine."
Happy birthday to the Head Genie...
Many happy returns...

Onward...

JR

Jon Racherbaumer

There are a couple of CONTEXTS worth noting regarding Slydini. First, Tony's body language and physical choreography were finely attuned to his personality and the ways he moved in everyday life. He simply (and not so simply) amplified and precisely regulated these aspects when he performed. Second,...

Jon Racherbaumer

Yes, I thought it was a focused, positive piece. Steve works hard and knows how to market his magic while doing as much as possible not to trivialize our performance art. The only weird mistake was that they talked about Steve's uncle and then flashed a photo of Steve and Slydini. The "look&quo...

Jon Racherbaumer

There is a thing called TACIT KNOWLEDGE. The analogy here would be learning to ride a bicycle. If you were to write a manual on everything that physically happens when you ride a bicycle (two-wheeler) and how you must then apply this information, the book would be as thick as some of those ponderous...

Jon Racherbaumer

Thanks for all the greetings. Sorry my response is late. Believe it or not, I could not log on to the Forum (and I'm supposedly a Moderator)...There was no conspiracy, though...A miscommunication glitch. One thing I realized was that RK is now older than I was when we met in Tannens...and his first ...

Jon Racherbaumer

The historic meeting at the Castle is part of the double-DVD set that Dave Solomon just put out (IT'S IN THE CARDS). It is also on Wakeman's MARLO CONFIDENTIAL video.

Hope this helps...

Onward...

Jon Racherbaumer

Check out the forthcoming ANTIMONY for an exploration of Marlo's trick and Vernon's THE TRICK THAT CANNOT BE EXPLAINED.

Onward...

JR

Jon Racherbaumer

This move reminded me of Marlo's Bluff Kelly, which he actually got away with doing...With the deck in your left hand, riffle down about halfway, and then apparently lift the top portion to show the face card to the spek. In reality, lift only the top card. Show the face. The bold and tricky part is...

Jon Racherbaumer

Answer re Italian book: This is a version of a lecture I delivered in San Martino a few years ago. I don't think there was anything new from old English books...

The magicians from Florence are phenomenal--well-read, serious, practiced, and fun-loving...

Onward,

Jon Racherbaumer

Having just been to Rome I can assure any magician-visitor to definitely seek out Flavio's shop (where the hard-to-get is often easy to find) and Flavio carries on the terrific tradition of his father by focussing on literature. His shop is also a nexus to what's happening in Roma Magic. I love Ital...

Jon Racherbaumer

Photos will be added soon.

Onward...

JR

Jon Racherbaumer

Thanks for the positive feedback and kudos. The basic rationale behind this site is for me and others (on an intimate, peer-to-peer basis) find those who share our enthusiasms for certain kinds of material. Then I hope to provide such stuff at a reasonable if not bargain price to participating Premi...

Jon Racherbaumer

J. G. Thompson Jr. used a hat instead of a book and his method is different. It was published in M-U-M...

Onward...

Jon Racherbaumer

Since I've been out of the loop lately, missing whatever topical issue is buzzing "out there," I'm late to this particular party. However, the best thing I've read regarding the possible consequences of this kind of activity is Jamy Ian Swiss's chilling essay-parable in the latest ANTIMONY...

Jon Racherbaumer

More sad news... I'm stunned... When one of the mainstays and legends of magic physically pass from the scene, I immediately find consolation in the fact that their legacy will continue to nourish other creative souls...and in that sense, Alex will spectacularly live on. I had the privilege of spend...

Jon Racherbaumer

More sad news... Although Dennis was one of the most enthused and dedicated participants in magicdom, he tended to stay on the periphery. However, he had inner-circle friends. Don't forget that he also produced "Wonderama" and he had stuff published in many magazines. Nice variations--each...

Jon Racherbaumer

Dustin, like many serious-minded students, has closely read many, many books and has seen just as many performances. The same can be said of a careful, closely scrutinizing reviewer such as Jamy Swiss. Their reviews are worth reading several times because whatever focus they choose (when reviewing a...

Jon Racherbaumer

I've been knocked out four times. (True statement)The second time I had 48-hour amnesia. Yes, you are "out" and seldom remember much and the headaches are real. Perhaps this explains some of my odd behavior from time to time? Whever I read Don England's T.K.O. book, my hands tremble a bit....

Jon Racherbaumer

Consider these:

Eddie Fields
Duke Stern
Frank Thompson
Bob Hummer
Senator Crandall
Harry Lorayne
Stewart James
Max Maven
Jimmy Grippo

and...

...Bob Read...

among others...

Jon Racherbaumer

As the heartfelt comments posted so far on this Forum attest, Bob not only touched thousands of magicians and lay people around the world, his merry soul penetrated our hearts and minds in a deeper, more memorable way. He was indeed sui generis...which I said to him in passing one day... He gave me ...

Jon Racherbaumer

For Fred and others who tolerate long posts: BORROWED PLUMES AND OTHER ILLOGICAL STUFF The talk regarding the Illogical Double Lift and other related moves reminded me of this: Printing apologies, corrections, and errata, unfortunately, does not eliminate confusion. The original books and articles c...

Jon Racherbaumer

Yes, a hard-bound (spiral) will be available in December or as a downloadable e-book. One does NOt have to be a member for these...

Thanks for the inquiry.

Onward...

Jon Racherbaumer

Almost forgot (I think):

Let's add the name of GEORGE STEINER (author of Grammars of Creation and After Babel) to the names of ECO and BORGES.

Stumbling onward...

Jon Racherbaumer

My, goodness... How pleased Hofzinser would be if he could read these postings, which are wonderfully high-minded and a far cry from the shallow mutters and nattering seen in other fourums and chat va-rooms. Go, Neppie, go... Descartes, on the other hand, would have never said, "I remember, the...

Jon Racherbaumer

KM ILLOGICAL DOUBLE LIFT? The Illogical Double Lift has an interesting background. Lorayne claimed that he came up with a way to switch a card, then published The Illogical Double Lift in Quantum Leaps (1979).This happens to be a technical variation of the K. M. Move previously published in Marlo's ...

Jon Racherbaumer

NAMING AND NECESSITY: A Brief Note about Initialing Mechanics Here we go again. Just when I thought this topic (controversy?) had been laid to rest (a black wreath happily placed onto its bier), Im dragged back into the matrix of misunderstandings and fuzzy definitions. The question still vexingly u...

Jon Racherbaumer

All this palaver suggests to me that there is a growing hunger for anything scarce and secret. Perhaps this signals a return to the days when SOME magicians kept secrets, there was no Info-Glut, cardmen held their cards close to their vests, and the Good Stuff was either selectively "tipped&quo...

Jon Racherbaumer

Peter, what is Gene's e-mail address?
Send to Joncards@aol.com

Thanks.

Indeed, Gene is a terific gentle man and quite a card guy.

Onwards...

Jon Racherbaumer

Here is the Contents of BIG-EASY CARD-CUNNING: Contents Simplex Physical & Mental Telephenomenal 21 And Then Some Guesstimation City Marked Calculation What Is the Question? Easy Prefiguration Klutzy Forces Hobson Chooses Again Punch-Line Division Simple Sync Is Your Pants On Fire? Made In the S...

Jon Racherbaumer

Illustrations to Vol. 2 will be up this month, along with FINALE. I plan to combine all three in a limited edition for hard-bound book fans. It will be available through my Website. On the drawing board is a giant volume on RIFFLE SHUFFLE WORK...900 pages, plus. The trouble is that this subject inte...

Jon Racherbaumer

Some say that food in the Big Easy is better than sex. Natives say, "On the off chance that it isn't, we often combine the two...especially during Mardi Gras."

Yes, Pete, we have MORE than red beans and rice and Lucky Dogs. C/mon down....

(burp)

Jon Racherbaumer

SEA-CHANGE CITY: Eric Rose: "However, look outside the bounds of the craft to the lay public, the market (and general interest) is waning. Many long-standing, and some new, magic venues have died. Wizardz, Illusions, Magic Moments, Magic & Mischief, etc. I was talking about restaurant magic...

Jon Racherbaumer

Rick Johnsson, if he could see and hear us now (and he may be), he'd be giggling. When he sent the initial essay to me, he said that it was meant to create discussion, perhaps debate, and the inevitable airing of opinions. The focus should be on the noun "theory." Hey, guys, it is a THEORY...

Jon Racherbaumer

Tsk, tsk, Pete...That curt comment lacks explanatory force. Why do YOU hate it, sir. A reason or ten would be nice...please...

Thanks...

Then explain why you like the linking rings. <g>

Onward...

Jon Racherbaumer

Harrys club is not only an intimate, warm venue with a neat patio and side-bar, it will be a unique place that will offer diverse entertainmentincluding plays, radio-show reenactments, and other types of entertainment besides magic-comedy. Jay Johnson, the vent man par excellence, is due to come in ...

Jon Racherbaumer

Marlo had many such self-canceling sleights--all done to secretly have fun doing sleights for the sheer joy of doing them with no sense of APPLICATION. Marlo, for example, showed me the POLISH TILT: Have a card selected. As the spectator looks at it, get the deck into Tilt condition by lowering the ...

Jon Racherbaumer

Henry Christ
Jacob Daley
Frank Thompson
Oscar Weigle
Ben Braude
Fred Braue
Ed Marlo - Machinist
James Elliott
Jim Steranko
Karl Fulves

and so on...

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