[Vinnie R.]

All,

Time for a fun thread about some MUSIC: 

At RMAF 2008, one of the attendees recommended that I start a post on the RWA forum that lists some of the music that we were playing at the show.  I thought that this was a great idea and I'm now finally making the time to post this - it is long overdue! 
As you will see, I listen to all sorts of music.  Some of these albums in our room were on vinyl, and some were on my Macbook (Lossless files).  I know a lot of it is not "audiophile approved," but this is music that I like and this is what we were playing in our room when we were not playing music that show attendees brought in to listen.

I'd really enjoy your feedback on these artists/albums.  Like 'em?  Dislike 'em?  Other music recommendations?

What have you been playing in your listening room with your Red Wine Audio equipment.  I'd love to hear about it!  Thank you for participating in this thread.  I think it is going to be fun!  I will make this thread a "sticky" so it is always at the top of the RWA forum.

Ok - this is just some of the music that we were playing (and stuff I enjoy), and this is in no particular order.  I found
the cover art, and below it I name the Artist, Album, and the song that we played at RMAF 2008 during the show: 



Buena Vista Social Club Presents Omara Portuondo, Song: Donde estebas tu?



Jesse Cook - Nomad, Song: Toca Orilla



Shelby Lynne - Suite Yourself, Song: Where am I now



Fleet Foxes - Self Titled, Song: Tiger Mountain Peasant Song



Natalie Merchant - Ophelia, Song: My Skin



Cowboy Junkies - Trinity Revisited, Song: I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry



Jorane - 16mm, Song: Pour Gabrielle



Claude Chalhoub - [Import], Song: Oriental Images



Lila Downs - La Sandunga, Song: La Llorona



Tchaikovsky, Sibelius: Violin Concertos, Violin Concerto In D, Op. 35 - 3. Finale: Allegro Vivacissimo



Madeleine Peyroux - Careless Love, Song: Between the Bars (a great Elliott Smith cover)



Morphine - Cure For Pain, Song: I'm Free Now



Nellie McKay - Pretty Little Head, Song: Long and Lazy River



Roy Gaines - I Got the T-Bone Walker Blues, Song: Stormy Monday Blues (Acoustic)



Tori Amos - Boys for Pele, Song: Putting the Damage On



Why? - Alopecia, Song: By Torpedo or Crohn's



Ben Harper - Fight for your Mind, Song: Fight for your Mind



Billie Holiday - Body and Soul, Song: Gee Baby, Ain't I Good to You



Cat Power - Jukebox (Deluxe Edition), Song: Breathless (Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds cover)



Decemberists - The Crane Wife, Song: The Crane Wife 3



Duke Ellington - Jazz Party, Song: Toot Suite



Rachmaninoff : Symphonic Dances, Symphonic Dances - 1. Non Allegro



Fionna Apple - Tidal, Song: Shadowboxer



Iron and Wine - The Shepard's Dog, Song: Lovesong of the Buzzard



Katie Melua - Piece by Piece, Song: Just like Heaven (The Cure cover)



Lucinda Williams - World without Tears, Song: Ventura



Team Sleep - Self Titled, Song: Tomb of Liegia



Trentemoller - The Last Resort, Song: Evil Dub



Leila - Blood, Looms and Blooms, Song: The Exotics



Yo-Yo Ma - Vivaldi's Cello , Concerto in B-flat Major for Cello, Strings and Basso continuo, RV 423/III. Allegro



Wynton Marsalis - The Magic Hour, Song: Big Fat Hen



Amelie: Original Soundtrack Recording, Song: Les Jours Tristes (instrumental)



Modest Mouse: We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank, Song: Little Motel

I'll be adding more later - posting all the pics takes time! 

Thanks for posting here...

Best regards,

Vinnie

[6rs]

Janacek: Glagolithic Mass / Richard Chailly, Richard Novak, Marta Benackova, Thomas Trotter, Eva Urbanova, Vladimir Bogachev
/ Orchestra: Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra


I enjoyed listening to this record today. This music breathes with emotions and atmosphere. The instruments blend to a homogenous sound that changes and adopts different colors and textures, in a charming, melodramatic or sometimes also in a peaceful manner. The recoding and interpretation support the organic, breathing aspects of the music nicely.


http://www.amazon.com/Janacek-Glagolithic-Mass-Zemlinsky-Psalm/dp/B00000DBUQ/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1225043360&sr=8-3

[Vinnie R.]

Janacek: Glagolithic Mass / Richard Chailly, Richard Novak, Marta Benackova, Thomas Trotter, Eva Urbanova, Vladimir Bogachev
/ Orchestra: Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra


I enjoyed listening to this record today. This music breathes with emotions and atmosphere. The instruments blend to a homogenous sound that changes and adopts different colors and textures, in a charming, melodramatic or sometimes also in a peaceful manner. The recoding and interpretation support the organic, breathing aspects of the music nicely.


http://www.amazon.com/Janacek-Glagolithic-Mass-Zemlinsky-Psalm/dp/B00000DBUQ/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1225043360&sr=8-3

Hi 6rs,

Thanks for the recommendation - I am not familiar with the work of Janacek, so I'm looking forward to checking this one out...

Vinnie

[Mariusz]

[R Browne]

Gathering a bunch of CD's from the floor in front of the hi-fi I found these:

Marconi Union - Distance

BT - This Binary Universe

Fragile State - The Facts And The Dreams

Dead Can Dance - Toward The Within

The Future Sound Of London - Lifeforms

Underworld - Oblivion Bells

Alexi Murdoch - Time Without Consequence

Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova - The Swell Season

Kings Of Convenience - Quiet Is The New Loud

Mercury Rev - Snowflake Midnight

Mojave 3 - Out Of Tune

The Mothers - Township Sessions

Thievery Corporation - Sounds From The Thievery Hi-Fi

Rhythm & Sound - See Mi Yah

Andy Bey - Shades Of Bey

Rolf Lislevand - Nuove Musiche

Les Musiciens Du Louvre - Mark Minkowski - Rameau: Une Symphonie Imaginaire

Deutches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin/David Robertson - Silvestrov: Symphony No. 5 / Postludium

Anne Gastinel - City Of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra/Justin Brown - Elgar/Barber Cello Concertos

Angela Hewitt - Chopin Nocturnes

Hopkinson Smith - Píeces Du Luth Du Vieux Gaultier

Jordi Savall/Pedro Estevan - La Lira d’Esperia: The Medieval Fiddle

[Vinnie R.]

Hi Mariusz,

That Sia cover reminds me a little of Dar Williams' "My Better Self" 



I'll check out Sia - I'm not familiar with her (but I am of some of the others).  Thanks for posting!


Hi R. Browne,

Wow, quite a bit of music that I have not tried.  I hope to check this out (I usually go to amazon for samples) and order some new music.  I'm always looking to try new music. 

I like Dead Can Dance's "Toward the Within" and "Into the Labyrinth" - good stuff!

Thanks for sharing!

Vinnie

[Vinnie R.]

Going to see Jane Monheit tonight:

http://centerateaglehill.org/events-detail.php?record=5



Anyone like her?  I only own one of her albums - "Taking a Chance on Love"



Looking forward to seeing and hearing her live!  aa

Vinnie

[Mariusz]

I like her for many reasons

Listening to "Tell the true" Tinsley Ellis (Hot Tones in High Definition - from Gibson. Free download from HDtrack . One whole CD -96/24)
http://www.hdtracks.com/

[sweet_sound]

Lately, I have been listening to these albums over and over:

Worrisome Heart -- Melody Gardot
Lenka -- Lenka
Me and Armini -- Emiliana Torrini
Jehro -- Jehro
Tango Bitter Sweet -- Quadro Nuevo
Rockferry -- Duffy

Ken

[Profbratsch]

Time to let you all in on some of my favorites, although at the moment I cannot listen to any of them.  I am "between systems", having sold my Exemplar 5910 and waiting for my dedicated A/V computer to be finished.    I'll list the title, recording company/catalog number (if available) and a VERY brief description. 
OK, here goes (not in any particular order of preference):

Lux Aurumque (Gothic/G49252) 
This CD features the Dale Warland Singers, a choral ensemble that unfortunately disbanded four years ago.  The purity of voices is amazing and the choice of repertoire is both demanding and stunning.  O magnum mysterium (Track 7) and the following selection Lux Aurumque are the two my wife keeps asking me to repeat.  Once you listen you will know why.

Dorian:  The First Decade (Dorian/DOR-90010)
For those of you that have not heard of this company (now out of business) they were based in East Troy, NY and most of their chamber music and vocal CDs were recorded at the Troy Savings Bank Music Hall.  It is one of the most acoustically rewarding performance venues in the US (I have played orchestral music there).  This particular CD is a "sampler on steroids", with over seventy-eight minutes of music.  Hard to find but well worth acquiring!

Wagner-Orchestral Music (Deutsche Grammonphon/447 764-2)
Whenever James Levine takes the Met Orchestra out of the opera pit and onto the concert stage it is apprarent what a stellar ensemble it is.  I did not detect the brightness in the brass that many complain about in DGG recordings.

Dvorak Symphony#8/Czech Suite (Koss Classics/KC-1002)
This was one of the first two CDs produced at the beginning of Zdenek Macal's tenure as music director of the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra (circa 1987-8), and yes, I was a member of the viola section of that organization until this September.  The Czech Suite, in particular, has a transparency and relaxed sound that is striking, especially considering the time in which the recording project was undertaken.

Music for Two (Sony/SK 92106)
This is a recording of a live performance Bela Fleck and Edgar Meyer played on a tour a couple of years ago.  The facility on their respective instruments is marvelous and Sony got the sound right on this one!

Obrigado Brazil (Sony SK 90970)
Yo-Yo Ma is joined by the Assad Brothers, Paquito D'Rivera, et al in another live concert, this one in Carnegie Hall (make sure you pick up the CD of the performance, not the studio recording).  Track 9 (Tango Suite) is amazing and a great test for any system would be a portion that occurs about a third of the way through the performance, where the two guitarists strike the bodies of their instruments with their hands in rapid-fire succession.  Each one has a different timbre and resonance.  My 30.2/Isabella combo picks up those nuances quite nicely, thank you! 

The New Crystal Silence (Concord/CCD2-30632)
Yet another live concert, this one recorded in May, 2007 at the Syndey Opera House. Pianist Chick Correa teams up with vibraphonist Gary Burton in a fabulous display of musicianship and technical proficiency.  On CD1 they perform with the Sydney Symphony, but my vote is in for CD2 when they go solo.

Anuna:  Celtic Origins (Elevation/899225001004)
While a couple of selections seem a bit out of place, this CD reflects the wonderful flexibilty in the voices of this company. Rhythmic drive is outstanding.

Sissel:  Into Paradise (Decca/B0006 140-02)
For those who are not familiar with Sissel try to imagine the female equivalent of Josh Groban.  The two tracks I always go back to are Track 7 (Vitae Lux) and Track 9, an offering sung in her native Norwegian.  It is worth the purchase price if all you listen to are those two selections.

I also enjoy movie soundtracks.  The Chronicles of Narnia (particularly the score from Prince Caspian) has received more than its share of playing time!

[Vinnie R.]

Obrigado Brazil (Sony SK 90970)
Yo-Yo Ma is joined by the Assad Brothers, Paquito de Rivera, et al in another live concert, this one in Carnegie Hall (make sure you pick up the CD of the performance, not the studio recording). 

Hi Profbratsch,

Doh!  I have the studio recording     It's actually ok, but I do need to hear the Carnegie Hall version.

Speaking of Carnegie Hall, did anyone pick up the new Buena Vista Social Club at Carnegie Hall?


Thanks for your post!


Hi sweet_sound and Mariusz,

Thanks for posting.

Jehro -- Jehro

I own this one and like it!  Haven't listened to it in a while -- I will be tonight..



Vinnie

[Vinnie R.]

Just picked up this one:


Vienna Teng - Dreaming Through the Noise

Wow!  I'm really enjoying this.  Her voice and style reminds me a bit of Tori Amos and Jorane.  Lots of texture and spaciousness in the sonic landscape of her songs.  I'm impressed!   

Any fans?

-Vinnie

[Jim C]

Vinnie

I've only recently heard Teng and I have to agree with you, she has a great deal of talent. I found this new album both compelling and haunting in a way that seems Ms Teng has a firm grasp on the conveyance of human emotions. Sort of surprising from her background which I believe was originally as a computer software writer. Anyway, I would strongly second your portrayal of her music as a " must hear"

My tastes are eclectic with no one genre overwhelming others. Here are a few additional CDs that I have been listening to lately and have found very enjoyable for different reasons.

For guitar music fans, classical purists may want to listen to "The Best of Andres Segovia, the Millenium Collection" (HIP-O Recordings). It is an assembly that shows his classical style to its finest. At the other end of the guitar spectrum, some may find Kaki King, "Everybody Loves You" (Velour Recordings) to be quite an interesting change of pace. I am not sure how best to describe her work other than to say she interprets guitar music in quite a different way, with changes in pace, body banging and string sliding that is out of the norm. I find it interesting and likeable but this one you just have to hear for yourself. This is her first CD and I have heard that her newer ones are more conventional - can't confirm of deny.

For small group jazz, an interesting new CD is "Ultrasponte", by the John Jorgenson Quintet (2007 J2 Records). This is non-stop fast paced action for when you are in the mood for an energy uplift. Sort of a "Gypsy" jazz sound to many of the tracks.

Another interesting CD is an import that has been around for awhile, unfortunately from a now deceased female soloist: "Fairy Tales", by Radka Toneff with pianist Steve Dobrogosz. (ODIN Records, Norway) She has a sweet, resolute voice, but I find the real interest point for me is the piano technique of Dobrogosz. Perhaps not for all tastes, but if you can find this one, it is a good representation of the work of a singer no longer with us.

Again, if you want to try something out of the mainstream, there is a good CD from Europe entitled, "Round About a Midsummer Night's Dream" by Gianluigi Trovesi Nonet (2000 Enja Records Germany). I think of it as sort of European Jazz Fusion, if you will. Very interesting arrangements ranging from slow and relaxing to fast and Quixotic. 

Back to more conventional sounds, I like the older Stacy Kent rendition of Fred Astaire favorites. This is a 1999 CD from Candid Productions, LTD, London. It features new takes on Astaire favorites in Kent's light, signature sounding voice.

For old time tastes, one of my current favorites, that I  am spending a lot of time listening to is "Ella and Louis" (Verve Records). Ella Fitzgerald is probably my favorite female vocalist and this pairing with Louis Armstrong has a degree of elementalism and body that I find a bit lacking with many of the newer artists of female jazz. Not to say that I dislike the newer artists, simply that it is tough to beat one of the "original" greats at her own game.

Hope some of you may find these a new treat to listen to. Thanks to Vinnie for starting a thread to share music ideas to listen to on his great equipment. I am enjoying my RWA-WLM setup more each day.

[R Browne]

Here are a few more discs I've been listening to this past week:

Digitonal - Save your Light For Darker Days

Leo Abrahams - Honeypot

Hammock - kenotic

Hammock - raising your voice...trying to stop an echo

Stephen Hough - Piano music by Federico Mompou

La Capella Reial de Catalunya • Les Concert des Nations • Jordi Savall - Battalia a 10 • Requiem a 15 in Concerto • Heinrich Ignaz Franz von Biber

The King's Consort • Robert King • Jonathan Cohen - Cello Concertos • Antonio Vivaldi

[ecramer]

Heard Dars cover of comfortably numb the other day  but didn't know who sang it. took me about an hour today to track down who sang it. What a fabulous interpretation Hope the rest of the album is just as good for it's on the way here.   

Hi Mariusz,

That Sia cover reminds me a little of Dar Williams' "My Better Self" 



I'll check out Sia - I'm not familiar with her (but I am of some of the others).  Thanks for posting!


Hi R. Browne,

Wow, quite a bit of music that I have not tried.  I hope to check this out (I usually go to amazon for samples) and order some new music.  I'm always looking to try new music. 

I like Dead Can Dance's "Toward the Within" and "Into the Labyrinth" - good stuff!

Thanks for sharing!

Vinnie

[Vinnie R.]

Heard Dars cover of comfortably numb the other day  but didn't know who sang it. took me about an hour today to track down who sang it. What a fabulous interpretation Hope the rest of the album is just as good for it's on the way here.   

Hi Ed,

That Dar Williams track is a great cover!     How are you liking the rest of the album?


Here is one that Ed recommended me at the NYAR last August:



The Knife - Silent Shout

Silent Shout features The Knife's lurking, textured vocals steeped in a tangled, dark surrealist underbrush. It's is an astounding achievement, intriguing & bewildering, enigmatic and engaging, and never less than compelling. Its jaw-dropping fusion of technology and emotion, circuitry and the soul, melodrama and melody, will leave you gasping.

Good stuff, Ed!


Here is a new one that I am really enjoying:



Sevara Nazarkhan - Sen

Here is a nice little review of it on 6moons: http://www.6moons.com/worldmusic/2008/sen.html

Check this one out!

Vinnie

[Fork]

Nothing sounds better on my Red Wine setup than the 2 albums from this group, Hana (Omen is a slightly better CD than Hana, but they're both amazing).  These CDs are in limited circulation, so I doubt many out of the Seattle area have heard it, but we know our music up here.

I'd describe this as layers of lyrics and vocalizations by a classically-trained vocalist, Anisa Romero, on top of layers of ambient synthesized tones from keyboard wizard, Jeff Greinke.  If you like Enya or Pink Floyd you'll wear these CDs out.


http://www.jeffgreinke.com/hana.htm





One more, Tom Brosseau...a kid who's found a following around here in the past few years, with just a guitar and his voice, singing songs about his roots in North Dakota.  No pretense made for perfection here, just pure unvarnished character and brilliant song writing.  I highly recommend the self-titled album.



http://tombrosseau.com/



P.S. if you have an Isabella or other USB DAC, KEXP.org is the only radio station I've found on the net with a completely uncompressed stream.

[Vinnie R.]

Hi Fork,

Thanks for the recommendations!

It is getting close to the end of the year - so what are all your choices for "Best albums of 2008?"  aa

I need to go through my collection and pick some favorites...

Vinnie

[Vinnie R.]

Hi Fork,

Thanks for the recommendations!

It is getting close to the end of the year - so what are all your choices for "Best albums of 2008?"  aa

I need to go through my collection and pick some favorites...

Vinnie

Here are a few good ones from 2008:

Why? - Alopecia
Shelby Lynne - Just a Little Lovin'
TV on the Radio - Dear Science
Fleet Foxes - self titled
Priscilla Ahn - A Good Day
Lymbyc Systym - Love your Abuser Remixed
Kaki King - Dreaming of Revenge
Cat Power - Jukebox (especially that bonus album!)
Bon Iver - For Emma, Forever Ago
Alina Simone - Everyone is Crying Out to Me, Beware

Vinnie

[stevenkelby]

Nothing sounds better on my Red Wine setup than the 2 albums from this group, Hana (Omen is a slightly better CD than Hana, but they're both amazing).  These CDs are in limited circulation, so I doubt many out of the Seattle area have heard it, but we know our music up here.

I'd describe this as layers of lyrics and vocalizations by a classically-trained vocalist, Anisa Romero, on top of layers of ambient synthesized tones from keyboard wizard, Jeff Greinke.  If you like Enya or Pink Floyd you'll wear these CDs out.


http://www.jeffgreinke.com/hana.htm





P.S. if you have an Isabella or other USB DAC, KEXP.org is the only radio station I've found on the net with a completely uncompressed stream.

I bought this one (amongst many, many others) as a result of this thread, thanks guys!

I love it too, but it seems to clip in a few places. I ripped the CD with EAC, I tried again and it's still there so I just listened to the original CD and it's still there. At 4:34 into the track "Smoke" there is some bad distortion in the right channel only.

I Tried it on completely different systems and still there. Can anyone that has it try it and see if you hear it too? It's obvious, right over the top of her vocals.Thanks!

BTW, thanks to Fork I now listen to KEXP regularly, I love it!

Steve