Bob White on Cards: A Practical Approach

[JordanB]

The inviolable rule of the professional is uniformity of action. Any departure from the customary manner of holding, shuffling, cutting or dealing the cards may be noticed and is consequently avoidedWhether the procedure is true or blind, the same apparent action is maintained throughout. S.W. Erdnase

I am credited as lighting director on the DVD, but really all I did was press a few buttons and donate my camera.

This past weekend at the Dallas Super Session, I received my finished copy of the new DVD. Kudos to Jared Kopf and Mike Squires on the directing and editing jobs.

I met Bob White about eight or nine years ago. At the time, I was just beginning to learn serious sleight of hand magic. I attended Bobs Its a Matter of Style seminar and learned, what I believed to be, one of the best systems of magic management in existence. Bob has taken Erdnases thoughts on Uniformity of Action and Vernons principles of naturalness and created a system for handling the cards and as Bob puts it connecting the dodges of the things that we do in order to lull our audiences into what Erdnase called an state of absolute serenity.

I have been fortunate to be able to spend a significant amount of time with Mr. White, learning some of the particular finesse and subtlety that is taught on this DVD. He teaches a system for making your false counts (including Gemini and Elmsley), double and triple lifts, and other sleights have a more uniform and natural appearance. Many of the ideas can be applied to other sleights that are not explained on the DVD (for example, the top change).

In addition to the theory and sleights there is a selection of tricks. None of these tricks are knuckle busters. They are good, commercial tricks and Bob uses many of these whenever he is working close up. They are designed to give a practical application of the theory that is explained in the first part of the DVD. Double Pinochle and Penetration of Thought are both good tricks and feature previously unpublished handlings that were taught to Bob by Dai Vernon. Another great trick is the E.G Brown Spelling Trick. In my opinion, the Fingerprint Trick is worth the price of the DVD.

Below is a list of the contents of the DVD. Im sure that reviews will be appearing in Genii, Magic, and MUM within the next few months.

Moves/Theory:

Double/Triple Lift
False Counts (including Gemini and Elmsley)
One Hand Tilt get ready

Tricks:

Whites Fingerprint Trick
Lie Detector Test
Thought of Card Across
EG Brown Spelling Trick
Japanese Aces
Ambitious Classic Revisited
Slow Motion Jazz Aces
Ladies and Gentlemen
A Chemical Reaction
Penetration of Thought
Double Pinochle

The DVD is available from Bob for $50 (plus postage). You can email him at rhwhite1@swbell.net if you would like to order a copy from him. Let him know if you would like it signed.

The DVD should be available from Murphys dealers in a few weeks.

[Richard Kaufman]

I think there'll be some fightin' over who gets to review that!

[Pete McCabe]

To prevent a fight, I'll be happy to provide a guest review for this product. Let me know.

[Dustin Stinett]

I think there'll be some fightin' over who gets to review that!

I'm thinking that some serious ass kissing might actually be more appropriate. :blush:

Seriously, if I get to review this DVD and therefore get it "free" (please remember that reviewing is actual work and the discs are part of Joe's and my compensation) or I have to buy it, I will get this DVD.

Anyone sitting on the fence can look forward to the review that appears in Genii--but I'm not going to wait because of two simple words: "Bob" and "White."

Dustin

[Don Knox]

Dueling Reviews?

[James Cotton]

Well this is all very charming but the person best qualified to review the White material is Eric Mead.

I vote Mead reviews the new DVDs.

[Richard Kaufman]

Okay, just to be clear. We have two video reviewers: Dustin and Joe Turner.

Eric Mead reviews books.

We do not do "guest reviews."

[Edward]

Well, we already know Dustins view on this DVD. So I guess that leaves Joe Turner.

[Richard Kaufman]

I think we already know what every reviewer's "view" of this DVD will be--it will likely receive the same laudatory comments as all of Bob White's previous DVDS.

Considering how good Bob is, and the care with which he made all of his previous DVDs, unless he stepped in a bucket of goat [censored] and got hit in the head by a brick, it's likely to assume this DVD will be just as good as the others!

[erdnasephile]

...therefore, no review necessary! :)

If you're a card person, buy it now!

[Edward]

well there you go.

[Dustin Stinett]

That I intend to get this DVD because it is from Bob Whitea magician who I admire and respectdoesnt necessarily mean that my view (opinion) of it will be positive. I expect it to be positive because its Bob White. But I have been disappointed in the past by projects that did not meet my expectations. My view(s) will be known after I have the opportunity to actually see it.

Dustin

[JordanB]

I am openly biased. But if you are on the fence wait for a review. If you are not and are interested in the contents of the DVD, then by all means purchase it.

I am too close to the material and source, but I like to think that this is a great DVD. In my opinion it is Bob's best DVD, in part, because it is the one Bob has wanted to make for the longest time.

I talked to Bob on Tuesday and he had mailed out several copies including the review copies that morning, so we shall see what people think soon enough.

[Dustin Stinett]

Every reviewer of every medium has biases; they must to be able to form an opinion. The notionas has been brought up here beforethat reviewers should be objective and not subjective is nonsense. An objective review of a book is not a review at all; its a book report.

Reading reviews is not a passive exercise. Its important for the reader to learn the likes and dislikes (biases) of the reviewers they readeven if he/she does not agree with those biases. The reader then judges the work based on his/her knowledge of the reviewer along with his/her own likes and dislikes.

I have my preconceived beliefs and I have always tried to make those known in my all of my reviews.

Dustin

[erdnasephile]

. . .Reading reviews is not a passive exercise. Its important for the reader to learn the likes and dislikes (biases) of the reviewers they readeven if he/she does not agree with those biases. The reader then judges the work based on his/her knowledge of the reviewer along with his/her own likes and dislikes. . .

Dustin is exactly right!

Although I understand the good reasons why the major publications have shifted to a stable of reviewers, I sometimes miss the days of the uni-reviewer (e.g. Close, Swiss, etc.) because after reading their reviews for years, I have a pretty good feel for their sensibilities and how it relates to mine.

I also think it's very helpful if the reviewers consciously try to inform the readers of their backgrounds, specific expertise, and their perception of value early and often so the readers can get to know them. This can help speed up the process of making the reviews truly useful (which can often take a long time, especially when a particular reviewer writes infrequently and tersely.)

Finally, I wonder if the point/counterpoint method of reviewing that Close and King tried in the early days of MAGIC would work again. The "Siskel & Ebert" approach would take a focused, coordinated time committment (extremely difficult with two working pros), but I think this format has several advantages in terms of generating useful (and entertaining) reviews.

[Richard Kaufman]

The Siskel and Ebert approach at MAGIC was my idea. It didn't work well in print, which is why you never saw it ported over to Genii.

I think there's a big difference between the way the reviews are handled at MAGIC and Genii. I keep each column reserved solely to one writer: you never get Swiss, Mead, and Britland doing book reviews in the same month. The voices get all mixed up and you don't know who's writing what. MAGIC does this and it seems to be a mess to me.

[JordanB]

After much resistance, I finally got Bob set up to take Paypal through his email address above.

Richard, you are right about the reviews in Genii and MAGIC. I prefer the layout of Genii's, but I have been reading MAGIC so long that I know all the different reviewer's "voices" at this stage (same with MUM).

[Dustin Stinett]

I dont think that the Siskel and Ebert approach works anymore on TV. It worked because of those two men and the very real chemistryoften conflictingthat they had on screen. Subsequent incarnations and copies fell flat.

While Im biased, I prefer the Genii format over that of MAGIC and MUM (I dont get The Linking Ring, so I cannot comment on that). But, the fact of the matter is that my preference is the single reviewer format and Geniis is the closest thing to that. But the single reviewer is just not feasible these days. Have you seen Mike Close lately and the toll doing all those reviews has taken on him? Its a well-kept secret, but hes actually only 40 years old. :)

Dustin

[Brad Henderson]

I'm 19.

[erdnasephile]

Got my DVD from Bob yesterday and I've been having an absolute blast studying it.

It's exactly what I expected--the real work from a real pro. It's common sense, enormously well thought out and above all, practical magic. Novelty seekers need not apply.

The sleights and routines presented are ones you will actually use (I can attest to this: one of my favorite openers is on this DVD). These routines are timeless in nature, and avoid the idiosyncratic nature of so many current releases--they can be easily adapted to your own personality and style. They'll also fool any audience alive and probably you as well--it most likely won't be because of the actual methods, but because this material is a shining testament to the power of the disarming naturalness with which Bob performs.

The other thing I love is that Bob teaches with his own unique point of view--he gives no quarter when it comes to analyzing magic and expressing his opinion of same. Indeed, some of the most instructive material occurs when he brutally analyzes common errors in the performance of certain sleights. After you stop wincing, you'll learn and improve your skills accordingly by internalizing the wisdom he is presenting, especially with moves you think you're doing "right". Even if you decide not to adopt his handlings, he'll give you whole a lot to think about.

About the only thing that I didn't care for is that the way the camera is aimed, Bob doesn't appear to be looking directly at the camera lens when he's talking. It certainly doesn't hamper learning, but it's a little strange looking, especially given Bob's conversational style of teaching.

I would suggest that the buyer also consider picking up a copy of Bob's excellent book, "It's a Matter of Style", which will help reinforce some of the material presented.

Bob is a treasure and is one of the sadly dwindling number of direct links to the likes of Vernon and Miller. I'm glad he's graciously sharing his amazing knowledge and feel lucky to be able to study his stuff.

As Bob might say: you don't need to be "the smartest man in the world" to know you need to acquire this DVD! :)

[Richard Kaufman]

Hey Bob, if you're reading this, put your damn rope routine on a DVD!

[James Cotton]

Yeah Bob! And request that Eric Mead reviews it!

[Joe Mckay]

Just wanted to pass along my thoughts about this DVD. I can't remember the last time I have enjoyed a magic DVD this much. The work here is a real tonic compared to most of the DVDs hitting the market these days. It may have been the bourbon I was drinking - but these DVDs are incredibly refreshing. A real tonic for the soul. In fact - I kept trying to remember the last time I was this impressed with a magic DVD. I am still working on that one...

Bob White is a 'worker' (thankyou Mr Close) and thinks alot about the material he works on. Indeed - some of the effects he teaches have being in his repertoire for over 40 years. And along the way he has applied some great touches. Bob was definitely taking notes when Al Baker warned magicians not to stop thinking too soon. It is rare to see a dedicated card guy who can draw on decades of performing experience for the tricks he teaches. In this DVD there is often a thrown away remark which is of real value. A little piece of advice here and there. This is advice based on decades of expertise...

I found with each of these effects that the explanations contained some lovely touches/subtleties which either fooled me or could be of great benefit for other tricks. So - be sure to pay attention here...

Anyway - let's look at some of the stand out moments. I should mention as well that a couple of unpublished Vernon tricks are tipped along the way as well...

The beginning of the DVD details Bob's system for making double liftts and false counts look uniform. This is great stuff following in the footsteps of Erdnase. The idea here is UNIFORMITY OF ACTION and it is something that I rarely see (if ever) discussed on DVDs or in books. This is the emphasis of this DVD and the tricks that follow are largely there to show how this system of thought can be applied to different effects. Bob teaches a great double lift - and it is one I am considering learning. What is really appealing here is that he then teaches methods which make the ELMSLEY and GEMINI count conform with the appearance of his double lift. To me that is a very strong reason for using this version of this sleight. I have never seen a GEMINI count look as good as Bob's and it is worth adopting Bob's double lift just so I can add this variation to my repertoire. For those who like THE TWINS by Bro John Hamman - it is definitely worth checking out this handling for the GEMINI count. The trick just looks so much better with this version of the count.

WHITE'S FINGERPRINT TRICK - I have been a little lazy over the years. And part of that means I have yet to settle on a card control which I use regularly or am completely happy with. Well - Bob uses one in this trick which I am going to consider using. It couldn't be any simpler or any easier - yet strangely it is one that I haven't thought of using before... This trick also uses a lovely two card display which really helps to sell the ending of this effect.

LIE DETECTOR TEST - There is some lovely routining here which provides a wonderfully elegant method for controlling a selected card fourteenth from the top.

THOUGHT-OF-CARD ACROSS - This is the best version of this E.G. Brown effect that I have come across. I look forward to comparing this with some other versions I am familar with - but the use of a simple gaff here really makes for an incredibly clean handling. I will be surprised to find a cleaner looking version.

SLOW MOTION JAZZ ACES - This is a great version of JAZZ ACES by Peter Kane. It is the best I have come across. It applies some of the thinking from Vernon's SLOW MOTION ACES to the switching out of cards at the start of this effect. There is also a lovely displacement taught which takes the place of a biddle count displacement.
Very simple and as Bob points out - a lovely example of 'using your head'.

PENETRATION OF THOUGHT - This is the best version of this effect I have seen. What is nice here is that no ELMSLEY COUNTS are used in this effect (as is the case in the other versions I have seen). By the way - another great version I like is TRAVELLING MAN by Roy Walton from the second volume of THE COMPLETE WALTON.

JAPANESE ACES - This is a version of DR DALEY'S LAST TRICK. The last phase (done with 2 FACE UP aces and 2 FACE DOWN aces) was a real fooler for me. There is a great clean up as well which fooled me as well.

E.G. BROWN'S SPELLING TRICK - There is some nice routining here which replaces the TOP CHANGE, used in the original effect, with a simple and open displacement which is done on the off-beat.

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN - This is an adaptation of an old logic puzzle which I really like. It is one of the best puzzles around. Paul Curry had a version of this using gaffs called THE CASE OF THE MISSING HAT. David Britland (in SPELLBINDER magazine) provided an even better gaffed version as well. This version doesn't use gaffs and is similar to Peter Kane's ROOMS AND TRAVELLERS from his book 'KANE' (1982). This is pretty obscure stuff and should be a treat for those coming to it for the first time. It is one of those effects that will fool you even when you know how it is done...

The above covers most of the effects that are taught. Bob has a soft touch with cards which is a joy to watch. Throughout the DVD he also gives some useful pointers for catching a break in a packet of cards, and for the ADD-ON and BUCKLE move. I am definitely a book guy - but in this case I think a DVD is the best way to learn the material. Bob puts alot of thought into UNIFORMITY OF ACTION and it really helps to have a DVD to actually see these ideas at work.

I bought this DVD direct from Bob White. It cost $50 and he chucked in free postage to the UK (where I live - indeed thanks to the airplane ban I may be the only person in the country with a copy!). I would recommend buying this direct from Bob. He accepts PayPal and he was even kind enough to pass along a couple of extra tips as well. He comes across as a really nice guy (both in the DVD and via email) and at the end of the DVD he offers to answer any questions via email or telephone for those who are working on these effects. I have never seen that before and it is a cool thing to see. He seems like a really genuine guy...

This DVD gives you a chance to spend quality time in the company of someone who thinks and cares deeply about card magic. It is lovely to experience things the way they used to be. A time when people could speak directly from personal experience when passing along the ideas of legends such as Dai Vernon. And all this for far less than the train fare it would cost to travel and see him. Highly recommended.

Email Bob at rhwhite1@swbell.net

All the best,

Joe

PS I am happy to report that no bricks or buckets of goat [censored] were involved in the making of this DVD! :-)

[Joe Naud]

Does anyone know where Bob's books or other printed material might be purchased? I did a google search and was not able to find a source. The DVD sounds great, but I would like to start with a book first.
Peace, Joe

[JordanB]

Bob's lecture notes are only available through Bob. You can get them at the email address above. I think he still has a few left. He usually only has them printed for his seminars.

[Bill McFadden]

Great review, Mr. McKay. But one should never, ever combine bourbon and tonic.

We are so blessed that Bob White continues to tip his fine routines. I enjoy having a permanent record to go with the memories of the June, '04 super session in CT.

And by all means, do whatever is necessary to obtain the notes.

[Roberto]

Hey Bill! How's my fellow Card Clinician doing? I too remember that super session in CT., great event! I still have the the notes from that seminar and won't ever part with them.

Bob's latest DVD is excellent like everyone here has mentioned. Amazing, I've been doing the Emsley count for so long and I picked up a valuable tip from Bob's DVD. Card guys really should get this!

Roberto

[erdnasephile]

Here is a current (5-28-2010) ebay auction for Bob's lecture notes referenced above: http://cgi.ebay.com/Its-Matter-Style-Bo ... 255ad6c6bc

in case anyone wasn't able to get a copy directly from Bob.