DrJRapp
Well-known member
Genius & Friends
Ray Charles
Ray Charles
Sunday Morning Music
- Thread starter MiTT
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MiTT
Super User
I've been too busy for a few weeks to post anything on Sunday morning, but this weekend I finally had a lot of quality time to spend in the music room.
This morning started off with the truely wonderfull recording of the Albinoni "Adagio" I'd recommended in my coverage of this years RMAF. Horribly expensive, but worth every penny, this is a glorious analog recording of solo organ and double bass from 1981 in which soloist's Gary Karr and Harmon Lewis give virtuoso performances. In addition to the Albinoni there are pieces by Beethoven, Franck, Handel and Bach. This is music for the soul and if you aren't moved by these performances you may as well cancel your subscription to LIFE! It's for music like this that we engage in this hobby.
Speaking of subscriptions, I'm finally current with my subscription to the amazing Blue Note re-issue series that our friends at Acoustic Sounds has been releasing. Between having a group of friends over last night for a music party and a number of hours in the sweet spot this morning I've now listened to 6 of the current 9 available titles. There will eventually be 25 in the entire set, so I've got a lot more to look forward to. Last night it was the very intimate Kenny Burrell "Midnight Blue". It's like being in a small jazz club with a table right up front. We followed that up with Lee Morgan's "Lee-way" featuring some amazing work on trumpet by Mr. Morgan and some outstanding work on drums thanks to Art Blakey. We finished the evening with some upbeat bop from Dexter Gordon on his "Dexter Calling..." album. My friends couldn't believe that they were listening to recordings from more than 40 years ago!
This morning I kept the turntable spinning at 45RPM and induldged a bit more in the form of Jackie McClean from a pair of sweet disc's "Capuchin Swing" and "Jackie's Bag". Man could he play the sax, and Blue Mitchel's contributions on trumpet only serve to spotlight the tradeoff's between the two. Art Blakey returned to the turntable with "the Jazz Messengers" from 1958, a real landmark recording.
A word about these recordings from the Acoustic Sounds series. Not only are these true classics of jazz from one of the most revered labels and recording engineers of the genre (Rudy Van Gelder), but these are immaculate pressings that have been amazingly remastered. I've got a few of these discs on older pressings, but these simply blow them away in every regard. EVERYTHING is more lifelike, clear, pronounced, pick your abjective. They are very simply just about as good as I have ever heard recorded music get. If you've been on the fence about getting any of these titles or even popping for the full subscription like I did, don't hesitate, just do it, they are superb!
This morning started off with the truely wonderfull recording of the Albinoni "Adagio" I'd recommended in my coverage of this years RMAF. Horribly expensive, but worth every penny, this is a glorious analog recording of solo organ and double bass from 1981 in which soloist's Gary Karr and Harmon Lewis give virtuoso performances. In addition to the Albinoni there are pieces by Beethoven, Franck, Handel and Bach. This is music for the soul and if you aren't moved by these performances you may as well cancel your subscription to LIFE! It's for music like this that we engage in this hobby.
Speaking of subscriptions, I'm finally current with my subscription to the amazing Blue Note re-issue series that our friends at Acoustic Sounds has been releasing. Between having a group of friends over last night for a music party and a number of hours in the sweet spot this morning I've now listened to 6 of the current 9 available titles. There will eventually be 25 in the entire set, so I've got a lot more to look forward to. Last night it was the very intimate Kenny Burrell "Midnight Blue". It's like being in a small jazz club with a table right up front. We followed that up with Lee Morgan's "Lee-way" featuring some amazing work on trumpet by Mr. Morgan and some outstanding work on drums thanks to Art Blakey. We finished the evening with some upbeat bop from Dexter Gordon on his "Dexter Calling..." album. My friends couldn't believe that they were listening to recordings from more than 40 years ago!
This morning I kept the turntable spinning at 45RPM and induldged a bit more in the form of Jackie McClean from a pair of sweet disc's "Capuchin Swing" and "Jackie's Bag". Man could he play the sax, and Blue Mitchel's contributions on trumpet only serve to spotlight the tradeoff's between the two. Art Blakey returned to the turntable with "the Jazz Messengers" from 1958, a real landmark recording.
A word about these recordings from the Acoustic Sounds series. Not only are these true classics of jazz from one of the most revered labels and recording engineers of the genre (Rudy Van Gelder), but these are immaculate pressings that have been amazingly remastered. I've got a few of these discs on older pressings, but these simply blow them away in every regard. EVERYTHING is more lifelike, clear, pronounced, pick your abjective. They are very simply just about as good as I have ever heard recorded music get. If you've been on the fence about getting any of these titles or even popping for the full subscription like I did, don't hesitate, just do it, they are superb!
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Tube60
Well-known member
Listened to The Music of Cosmos. There's some pretty cool stuff on that album. This one is the remastered edition from 2000, which has a lot more music on it than the original LP, which I still have. Definitely worth listening to.
Burke
Well-known member
"Gibson Presents Hot Tones in High Definition" If you like a nice compilation of guitar tracks played on Gibsons then this is very nice and it was free.
http://www.hdtracks.com/index.php
http://www.hdtracks.com/index.php
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Satch
Well-known member
MiTT,
+1 on the Blue Note Kenny Burrell Midnight Blue. Yeah, pick yer superlative. It was cool to listen to Kenny's "Chitlins Con Carne" after hearing Stevie Ray Vaughn's version of that song. Stevie played it almost note for note, respect... I just picked up a used copy of "Kenny Burrell-Bluesin' Around" on Columbia Records. The record looked as though it had never been played. Well, it has been played now! dig it!
Satch
+1 on the Blue Note Kenny Burrell Midnight Blue. Yeah, pick yer superlative. It was cool to listen to Kenny's "Chitlins Con Carne" after hearing Stevie Ray Vaughn's version of that song. Stevie played it almost note for note, respect... I just picked up a used copy of "Kenny Burrell-Bluesin' Around" on Columbia Records. The record looked as though it had never been played. Well, it has been played now! dig it!
Satch
Agreed on all of the AP reissues, Hoffman and Gray have done a crack up job with all of those. I just got the next three in the series and they are just as good. The Kenny Burrell is stunning and the Fred Jackson "Hootin' 'N Tootin'" is a SUPERB disc both musically and sonically.
I've got to disagree about the Gary Karr, though well recorded and mastered, this is THE MOST BORING rendition of what is a lively Baroque adagio I've ever heard.
Okay, it's Sunday morning and the jammin' has begun. Started off with some fantastic James Taylor, then went for the head bangin' stuff. Gotta love the guitar riffage of Judas Priest (love the intro to "Some Heads Are Gonna Roll") -- a louder band does not exist...
~VDR
~VDR
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slowGEEZR
Well-known member
It's a beautiful sunny day here in Austin. I started off with "The Harmonica According to Charlie Musselwhite" on a limited edition HQ-180 Vinyl pressing by Blind Pig mastered from original analog tapes by SAE Mastering. Needless to say, the sound quality is superb as well as the harp playing! This session was recorded at Livingston Studios, London, in 1978. If you like Blues and Harp, you can't do better than this.
That album led me to this one, "Naturally..", J.J. Cale. Originally released by A&M Records back in '71, this is a "limited Audiophile Pressing" by Vivante Productions, Surrey, England, released by Speakers Corner Records. If you haven't checked out vinyl by this company, do so, you won't be disappointed at the quality. I've got a ton of J.J. Cale albums and CDs, but this one has some of his more famous songs on it, such as, "Call Me the Breeze", and "After Midnight".
Next up was "Fate", by Dr. Dog. This PA. group is hard for me to categorize, as they have an overall sound reminiscent of the Beatles from the Sgt Pepper days with a little classical influence for good measure. Upon first listen, I thought it was a little too "poppy" for my tastes, but it is growing on me. Worth checking out. This record is put out by Park the van Records and is a very nice sounding 180 gram record. The artwork on the cover and backside is interesting and I found myself wondering if it is a photo of a cloth piece of art or a painting intended to look like the cloth art, very cool.
Last up was "You in Reverse", by Built To Spill. I have to say that this is my favorite new record. If you like Coldplay, Radiohead, Wilco with a touch of more density to the sound, give this album a try. Musicianship is incredible and there is real beauty here. Released by Warner Bros., the sound quality is pretty good, too. As they say, my highest recommendation.
That album led me to this one, "Naturally..", J.J. Cale. Originally released by A&M Records back in '71, this is a "limited Audiophile Pressing" by Vivante Productions, Surrey, England, released by Speakers Corner Records. If you haven't checked out vinyl by this company, do so, you won't be disappointed at the quality. I've got a ton of J.J. Cale albums and CDs, but this one has some of his more famous songs on it, such as, "Call Me the Breeze", and "After Midnight".
Next up was "Fate", by Dr. Dog. This PA. group is hard for me to categorize, as they have an overall sound reminiscent of the Beatles from the Sgt Pepper days with a little classical influence for good measure. Upon first listen, I thought it was a little too "poppy" for my tastes, but it is growing on me. Worth checking out. This record is put out by Park the van Records and is a very nice sounding 180 gram record. The artwork on the cover and backside is interesting and I found myself wondering if it is a photo of a cloth piece of art or a painting intended to look like the cloth art, very cool.
Last up was "You in Reverse", by Built To Spill. I have to say that this is my favorite new record. If you like Coldplay, Radiohead, Wilco with a touch of more density to the sound, give this album a try. Musicianship is incredible and there is real beauty here. Released by Warner Bros., the sound quality is pretty good, too. As they say, my highest recommendation.
Burke
Well-known member
Sunday morning with music and friends.
This Sunday the music as all over the place, Eagles - Hotel California. Classical, bluegrass, jazz, rock. At theWB's place. comparing amps (Sanders vs CJ) and speakers Summits vs CLS. See the the thread and pics under Regional Get-togethers.
This Sunday the music as all over the place, Eagles - Hotel California. Classical, bluegrass, jazz, rock. At theWB's place. comparing amps (Sanders vs CJ) and speakers Summits vs CLS. See the the thread and pics under Regional Get-togethers.
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MiTT
Super User
Risabet, I listened to the Albinoni again this week and I understand where you're coming from. The pace and arangement with just the double bass and organ do lend a certain somber aura to the event, still though, maybe it's because I'm not familiar with many pieces featuring the double bass as a lead instrument, but the sonorous tone and utter quality of the recording are what continue to draw me in. I respect your opinion though and wonder which recordings of the Albinoni you would recommend I keep an eye out for? Thanks in advance.
Too busy to get pictures this morning because my listening session ran right up against the Bronco's game. I started with one of the Starker disc's in the Bach Suites for solo cello I'd picked up at RMAF. After that it was the Fred Jackson "Hootin' and Tootin" disk Risabet mentioned above. I'd never heard this recording before and found the inclusion of the organ as part of the combo a great suprize. Excellent, fun music! Finished off with another pick up from RMAF, Radiohead's "Hail to the Thief".
To top it all off, my Bronco's won again and everyone else in the division lost!
Kruppy
Well-known member
As someone who loves solo piano, the following two discs were a revelation.
I was first attracted to them for the technique used to capture the performances as well as the fact that they are modern recordings on multi-channel SACD’s and therefore likely to really capture the entirety of the ‘piano’ sound.
The first recording, the Glen Gould interpretation of Bach’s Goldberg Variations is a recording I have practically in my DNA, as my dad, a Julliard grad concert pianist himself, would play this album frequently since before I was born. And as I grew up, I heard it often.
My dad even tells the story of how he learned how to tune out Glenn’s humming, but then all of the sudden there’s this baby’s noises overlaying the sounds (they would park my crib right in front of the speaker, which probably explains a lot about me
), that was harder for him to tune out :devil:
Anyway, I just played this thing all the way through and man-oh-man, is this ever a great piano recording. Very, very clean. No ‘humming’ either :haha1:
It is indeed a great way to hear this great performance again, but with modern-day quality.
And the ML’s in a fully treated room are THE platform to play this back on.
Using a fully digital path from my SACD Player (Denon 2930 w/DenoLink 3) into the awesome Denon AVP-A1HD preamp, this recording just scintillates with clarity. You’d swear that Yamaha concert grand was in the room.
And once again, these high-quality recordings proved why one needs a good subwoofer for solo piano, the foundation for the low registers and room ‘signature’ are all there with a system that’s flat to 18Hz.
This disc is on the ‘Demo’ rotation now.
I was first attracted to them for the technique used to capture the performances as well as the fact that they are modern recordings on multi-channel SACD’s and therefore likely to really capture the entirety of the ‘piano’ sound.
The first recording, the Glen Gould interpretation of Bach’s Goldberg Variations is a recording I have practically in my DNA, as my dad, a Julliard grad concert pianist himself, would play this album frequently since before I was born. And as I grew up, I heard it often.
My dad even tells the story of how he learned how to tune out Glenn’s humming, but then all of the sudden there’s this baby’s noises overlaying the sounds (they would park my crib right in front of the speaker, which probably explains a lot about me
), that was harder for him to tune out :devil:Anyway, I just played this thing all the way through and man-oh-man, is this ever a great piano recording. Very, very clean. No ‘humming’ either :haha1:
It is indeed a great way to hear this great performance again, but with modern-day quality.
And the ML’s in a fully treated room are THE platform to play this back on.
Using a fully digital path from my SACD Player (Denon 2930 w/DenoLink 3) into the awesome Denon AVP-A1HD preamp, this recording just scintillates with clarity. You’d swear that Yamaha concert grand was in the room.
And once again, these high-quality recordings proved why one needs a good subwoofer for solo piano, the foundation for the low registers and room ‘signature’ are all there with a system that’s flat to 18Hz.
This disc is on the ‘Demo’ rotation now.
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The second disc is the Art Tatum – Piano Starts here re-performance
This is not my usual cup of musical tea, but boy he was a great player, and this new recording captures it perfectly and clearly.
This recording is not a studio recording, but rather an actual concert recording, so there’s a bit of audience and background sounds in it. Which gives it a unique feel.
The truly incredible part of this disc is a complete duplicate of the music, but as a binaural recording of the performance taken from the artist point of view. Using headphones, It’s is just amazing to hear the low notes on the left, highs on the right and the progression just in front of you as the arpeggios travel up and down the keyboard.
If you’ve ever played piano, this will be an awesome experience.
This is not my usual cup of musical tea, but boy he was a great player, and this new recording captures it perfectly and clearly.
This recording is not a studio recording, but rather an actual concert recording, so there’s a bit of audience and background sounds in it. Which gives it a unique feel.
The truly incredible part of this disc is a complete duplicate of the music, but as a binaural recording of the performance taken from the artist point of view. Using headphones, It’s is just amazing to hear the low notes on the left, highs on the right and the progression just in front of you as the arpeggios travel up and down the keyboard.
If you’ve ever played piano, this will be an awesome experience.
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Bernard
Well-known member
I really love solo piano too, but Bach just fails to move my soul; I find Bach mathematically correct, but that is it. Not even Murray Perahia live playing Bach does anything for me, and Perahia is truly formidable. I much prefer Beethoven and Schubert (the romantics). I have been to two truly awesome concerts of Perahia playing Schubert. Also Radu Lupu, and the Beaux Arts Trio playing Beethoven - amazing !
Well, the Zenph folks are preparing a Rachmaninoff piano disc in the near future. Stay tuned for that one. I'm sure getting it.
I'm mainly into the romantic period myself as well.
Bernard
Well-known member
On the subject of Rachmaninoff - do you have his 2nd Piano Concerto played by Sviatoslav Richter? He does it incredibly well - the Liszt too. We need to start a classical piano thread and move this over.
User211
Well-known member
I wouldn't add to this unless I thought I had something truly exceptional. Grace has made a comeback after 19 years, what's more the world's best rythmn section Sly and Robbie are back with her. Just click on the link in my signature for a video.
I bought it on CD so I could listen to it tonight, after playing it non-stop on my 2nd system earler today via Napster. But it is available on double vinyl - I just can't get hold of it for a few days... but I will.
Prime your woofers for some killer bass. Had you forgotten how great Grace sounds? You're in for a treat...
I'll be seeing this old babe in January, live in Bristol. How can humans with such talent be allowed to age? In my opinion, one of the most amazing looking black ladies I have ever seen. If not the most, in her day.
Sorry about the pic - a tripod seemed like too much effort!
I bought it on CD so I could listen to it tonight, after playing it non-stop on my 2nd system earler today via Napster. But it is available on double vinyl - I just can't get hold of it for a few days... but I will.
Prime your woofers for some killer bass. Had you forgotten how great Grace sounds? You're in for a treat...
I'll be seeing this old babe in January, live in Bristol. How can humans with such talent be allowed to age? In my opinion, one of the most amazing looking black ladies I have ever seen. If not the most, in her day.
Sorry about the pic - a tripod seemed like too much effort!
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