spIN Focus - Flim and the BBs presented by Don James

Name: spIN Focus - Flim and the BBs presented by Don James
Start: 2026-02-12T19:00:00-06:00
End: 2026-02-12T20:00:00-06:00
Location: 3510 W. 95th Street, Leawood, KS, United States, Kansas 66206

Schedule

Thu Feb 12 2026 at 07:00 pm to 08:00 pm

UTC-06:00

Location

3510 W. 95th Street, Leawood, KS, United States, Kansas 66206 | Prairie Village, KS

spIN Focus: The High-Fidelity Mystery of Flim and the BBs
In 1978, a jazz-fusion session at Minneapolis’s Sound 80 studios resulted in a recording that would become a "holy grail" for audiophiles and a case study in technological obsolescence. Join host Don James as we spIN Focus on the self-titled debut of Flim and the BBs, a record that exists at the intersection of analog mastery and a digital future.
A Revolutionary "Accident"
The session featured the virtuosic quartet of Jimmy "Flim" Johnson (bass), Bill Berg (drums), Billy Barber (keyboards), and Dick Oatts (woodwinds). While the group intended to record a direct-to-disc LP—a high-stakes method where the performance is carved directly into a master lacquer—history had other plans.
3M, the Minnesota-based technology giant, used the session to test an experimental 32-track digital audio recorder prototype. When the engineers compared the "backup" digital tapes to the direct-to-disc masters, the clarity and unprecedented dynamic range of the digital version were so superior that the band chose the digital master for the commercial release. This made the album the second commercially available digital recording in the United States.
The Digital Ghost
What makes this album truly rare is its status as a technological orphan. Because the recording was made on a one-of-a-kind prototype machine that was dismantled shortly after the session, the master tapes became unplayable within years.
Unlike the band's later hits on the DMP label (such as Tricycle), which were recorded on standardized digital equipment, the 1978 debut cannot be easily remastered or reissued for modern streaming platforms. It remains a "digital ghost," living primarily on the high-quality vinyl pressings that survived the era.
About the Presenter: Don James
The session is presented by Don James, a veteran music engineer and producer based in Kansas City. As the force behind Magnetic Fish Music, James brings a practitioner's eye to the technical nuances of the 1978 session.
James’s work with Magnetic Fish Music focuses on the marriage of technical precision and artistic performance—the very same elements that made the Flim and the BBs debut a landmark in audio history.
Doors open at 6:30pm, the show starts at 7. Your $10 Donation supports Center For Recorded Music 501(c)(3) and includes admission, complimentary snacks and beverages including soft drinks, flavored waters, and 1 complimentary adult beverage from a great selection of beer, wine, mixed drinks, and NA options.