Archive: Latest music 8/03-3/04

bob82274 · « **on:** 2 Aug 2003, 09:14 pm »

Decided it was time to do some cleaning. I hadn't archived the latest music posts since March.... So much for doing it every week.

Rob Babcock · « **Reply #1 on:** 3 Aug 2003, 03:39 am »

Well, I just got two recent releases from Hyperion: I got the new recording of Holst's "The Planets" by the Halle Orchestra, Mark Elder conducting, featuring Colling Mathew's "Pluto- The Renewer" on SACD along with Marc Andre Hamelin's new "Paganini Studies & Shubert March Transcriptions."

The new Planets is a mixed bag. On the one hand, the recording is overall a superb one; more on that in a minute. The performance is very good and the sonics is very clean and spacious with very good bass. The one fly in the ointment; I ordered it from Music Direct and they don't have a lot of info. I mistakenly assumed it would be MC, and it is not.

Most folks here know I'm a rabid MC junkie, so this is a major dissappointment. Guess that show what happens when you "ass/ume."

The Hamelin disc, however, is an unmixed joy. This guy is flat out amazing. The Liszt peices he plays are simply astounding, artistically and, er, gynastically! Listening to this recording you'll wonder if he actually has more than two hands and eight fingers! The guy is truly a phenom, but it's not just flash; he seems to be a fairly insightful intrerpreter, too. Soundwise, this disc is aces, if not quite up to the standard set by the Holst SACD.

Rick Craig · « **Reply #2 on:** 4 Aug 2003, 03:12 am »

Brian Bromberg "Jaco" (A tribute to the finest electric bassist ever, Jaco Pastorius. I had the pleasure of seeing/hearing Jaco Pastorius with Weather Report. Bromberg has acoustic and electric chops.)

Bill Charlap "Stardust" (multi-channel SACD) Steely Dan chose him to play piano on their latest disc - need I say more?

L.A. Four "Two by Four" (I had this on direct-disc over 20 years ago. The master tape for the CD version is excellent).

Bill Evans / Toots Thielmans "Affinity" (recording is mediocre but the music is great - I bought the original LP about 25 years ago). I was hoping the CD would reveal a better master tape but...

Tonto Yoder · « **Reply #3 on:** 14 Aug 2003, 07:34 pm »

Patty's next-to-last CD recorded for A&M Records but unreleased. She since moved on to ATO records who released last year's
1000 Kisses." Mysteriously, A&M went so far as to press promo CD's that include two new tracks from "Silver Bell" along with a couple live tracks from earlier CD's but then they decided NOT to release the CD in its entirety.

This missing CD has been offered now and then on eBay, but it's available virtually free --
http://www.pattygriffin.net/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.cgi?board=trade
the idea is that you send a blank CD-R, some kind soul records his CD, and returns it in the pre-stamped mailer provided.

jcoat007 · « **Reply #4 on:** 15 Aug 2003, 03:11 am »

I just picked up:

Queens of the Stone Age on Vinyl

and on CD I picked up new releases from:

Janes Addiction
Grandaddy
Killing Joke
Big Bad Voodoo Daddy

Have not listened to any of them yet.

Lot's to listen to for the weekend.

JoshK · « **Reply #5 on:** 18 Aug 2003, 03:01 pm »

Based on good reviews here I picked up Wishbone Ash - Argus.

Have to say that was a great recommendation! Fantastic guitar playing, very layered and very involving. The vocals remind me a bit of Eric Clapton's when he is singing higher and softer than he typically does. The vocals to me don't stand out as being great but don't suck either, just somewhere in the middle that isn't bothersome. All in all a great CD, with no songs that I wanted to skip past.

Tyson · « **Reply #6 on:** 19 Aug 2003, 12:43 am »

Recently picked up:

Mozart
Complete Piano Concerto's (12 CD's)
Alfred Brendel - Piano
Neville Marriner - Conductor
Academy of Saint Martin in the Fields - Orchestra

Beethoven
Complete Cello Sonatas (2 CD's)
Martha Argerich - Piano
Mischa Miasky - Cello

Haydn
Complete String Quartets (22 CD's)
Aeolian String Quartet

Chopin
The Chopin Collection (11 CD's)
Artur Rubinstein - Piano

mojoman · « **Reply #7 on:** 20 Aug 2003, 05:35 pm »

some recent purchases

Susan Tedeschi - Wait for Me - A little more R&B influenced then her Just Won't Burn cd. I sure hope she doesn't wait another four years before her next album. The lady has skills.

Derek Trucks Band - Soul Serenade - Very different from his work with the Allman Brothers. This is a jazz cd and a very good one. He's also Susan Tedeschi's husband. Got tickets to see him in a couple of months, should be a good show.

hifitommy · « **Reply #8 on:** 24 Aug 2003, 08:55 pm »

'Brian Bromberg' he plays here in the san fernando valley at cafe cordiale frequently, recently saw him. tasty!

Tyson · « **Reply #9 on:** 25 Aug 2003, 01:01 am »

Anne Sophie-Mutter (violinist) 3 cd set performing:

Stravinsky Violin Concerto

Lutoslawski Partita and Chain 2

Bartok Violin Cconcerto #2

Moret En Reve

Berg Violin Concerto

Rihm Time Chant

It's cool to have a box set of pretty much the top violinist today doing more modern music. Recording quality it uniformly good.

pjchappy · « **Reply #10 on:** 27 Aug 2003, 08:21 pm »

Grandaddy--Sumday
Grandaddy--The Sophtware Slump

Best Buy didn't have the latest Jay Farrar
I was going to buy the newish Queens of the Stoneage, but forgot.

I also went a little DVD crazy. . .

Monty Python and the Holy Grail
Animal House
LOTR--Two Towers
Vacation
European Vacation
Mr. Show--Season 3

p

Tonto Yoder · « **Reply #11 on:** 28 Aug 2003, 11:54 am »

Quote from: Tyson

Anne Sophie-Mutter (violinist) 3 cd set performing:

Stravinsky Violin Concerto

Lutoslawski Partita and Chain 2

Bartok Violin Cconcerto #2

Moret En Reve

Berg Violin Concerto

Rihm Time Chant

It's cool to have a box set of pretty much the top violinist today doing more modern music. Recording quality it uniformly good.

The July 2003 issue of Stereophile has a feature on Mutter (and her husband--the very old Andre Previn who's much less handsome than me and who's very old [much older than ME]).

jqp · « **Reply #12 on:** 31 Aug 2003, 12:52 am »

The Beatles:

Rubber Soul
Revolver
With the Beatles

Jackson Browne: (whatever his first greatest hits is called)

bob82274 · « **Reply #13 on:** 31 Aug 2003, 01:39 am »

Quote from: jqp

The Beatles:

Rubber Soul
Revolver
With the Beatles

Jackson Browne: (whatever his first greatest hits is called)

Good choices there especically with the Beatles. Rubber Soul and Revolver are probably my two favorite as it shows the transition that they made from pop group to artists.

It has been several months since I have picked up any CDs for a couple of reasons not the least of which was my system moved into the living area from my room... but I did pick up a couple yesterday.

The Flaming Lips: Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots

This is an excelent concept album that was released last year that the critics loved. Didn't do as well comercially because people can't stand things that are complex at any level. Very whimsical and a lot of fun to listen to. I picked it up after listening to a track that was put onto a mix one of my roommates had made for one of his swim meets (lots of fun to drive to). I just got hooked after that.

Bruce Springsteen:Born in the USA

I have had this one on vinyl and finally got around to getting on CD now. My reasons for this are A) My TT isn't going to be hooked up for a long time and B) I am going to see the Boss in a couple of weeks.

Hopefully I'll start buying CDs and the such more often now but with DVDs being so cheap its sometimes hard to justify spending $15 on one CD or $15 on two DVDs. And the RIAA is wondering why they are losing money.

hifitommy · « **Reply #14 on:** 31 Aug 2003, 09:08 am »

bob8,
i fully agree that when a dvd is available of some jusic it seems to be more captivatiing than the cd. case in point-diana kralls live in paris dvd.

i had wanted video of her live since seeing her on sessions at w.54th. the paris disc is wonderful and i would have bought it over the sacd only for the reason that the visual subtracts from the need for the very best sound. take away the visual and then i will need the better sound.

the brain is busier with the visual and can tolerate a little less of that ultimate quality. the other reason is the price, that norah jones dvd at the house of blues for $10 was a PLEASANT surprise. video AND good sound for the same money as good or slightly better sound smacks of a bargain.

i suppose it would be heaven to combine the two.

Marbles · « **Reply #15 on:** 1 Sep 2003, 08:05 pm »

Got the Beatles White Album..it's in very good condition..mainly to fill out my LP collection.

Brownsville Station - Self titled with the Martian Boogie, My Friend Jack, Lady (put the light on me), Sleazy Louise, aint that a shame, and rockers and rollers...mint condition

Grand Funk- Caught in the act.

I'm very happy finding these in such good condition.

hifitommy · « **Reply #16 on:** 1 Sep 2003, 08:18 pm »

mines white vinyl, cant find it right now, crap!

Tyson · « **Reply #17 on:** 1 Sep 2003, 08:37 pm »

Maw - Violin Concerto
Performed by Joshua Bell on violin
London Philharmonic Orchestra
Conducted by Roger Norrington

Interesting modern violin concerto, a lot more melodic and tone based than most modern compositions. Not an instantly hummable piece, I will need to listen to it a few times to full grasp the music.

Beethoven - Violin Concerto
Mendelssohn - Violin Concerto
Performed by Viktoria Mullova
Romantic Revolutionary Orchestra
Conducted by John Elliot Gardiner

Got this mainly because I think Gardiner is well neigh a peerless Beethoven conductor. I'd never heard Mullova before. It's an interesting take on the Beethoven, a lot more intense and confrontational than many, but I think my favorite will still be Bell/Norrington in the Beethoven. The Mendelssohn is a similar style of interpretation, but for some reason it "works" better in this piece.

Mozart - The Symphonies 9 cd's
English Chamber Orchestra
Conducted by Jeffrey Tate

After having heard and/or owned pretty much every compilation out there of Mozart Symphonies, this one finally hits the sweet spot of Mozart interpretation. Tate does not make the mistake of so many people - playing Mozart like Beethoven. On the other hand, he doesn't miniaturize Mozart like so many of the "period" performances do. Outer movements are crisp and elegant, with wind playing coming through splendidly, while slow movements are not rushed, but are slow enough to give the music just the right emotion/pathos/weight. Mozart seems to be the very hardest composer to get the music "right" in, and Tate just nails it. I'm VERY happy with this particular purchase.

jqp · « **Reply #18 on:** 4 Sep 2003, 04:46 pm »

Soundtrack of The Royal Tannenbaums

Wanted to have that Nico track "These Days" written and guitar played by Jackson Brown back in 1965 I think. You may have heard this on a TV commercial - Target I think. I am doing an arrangement that combines this version of THese Days with Jackson Browns arrangement on his album. Very different guitar styles.

JoshK · « **Reply #19 on:** 4 Sep 2003, 04:51 pm »

Upon all the chatter on this board I picked up a few Rach CDs. We'll see if I dig em when they come.