What are you listening to and WHY might anyone be interested? (Vol. XI)

From Bandcamp, enjoyable....

Gosh, Steve. You must have great-self control when behind the wheel of the car.  I think if I dared played this album in the car I think I'd risk picking up penalty points for speeding. This album is like cocaine for ears!

From Bandcamp, 1st run..

Bert, somehow I have missed your question.

I am not a hardcore collector as Bert of Florestan, but yeah I do have a slight obsessive compulsive side ( I think most audiophile or *collector* types one way or another do ). Limitation posed on the accumulation of media is only govern by the space I have. Simply I've no place to store vinyl media ( 3000 or so is my limit without becoming an episode from the Hoarders Family Secrets ). Recently I needed to cull it. Luckily I found a young classical music student with a turntable exploring new music so if I am not keeping the record I give them to her. So my rejection LPs get a good use. Others, they go to a local Good Will store.

I don't go vast and wide. I have a tendency to go narrow and deep. I realise I won't be able to listen to all the music but rather knowing and understand a handful of music is more rewarding and satisfying to me.

I enjoy the journey rather than the destination. So it's ok if I have to get off the train at some point.

Scorpions - Crazy World. (Vinyl)

In remembrance of another jazz musician who died this year...

RIP

The Rolling Stones, Between The Buttons, some old fashioned rock and roll.  DSD via Audirvana/Hugo

Traffic, John Barleycorn Must Die, nothing like a bit of flute on a Sunday evening! 24 bit flac via Audirvana/hugo

Saint Jude, Diary of a soul fiend, a recent discovery of an excellent rock band with a superb souly, bluesy female vocalist who can really get your feet tapping - well recommended.  Via Spotify.

 Ludwig van Beethoven:  Duo Concertante (Nancy Dahn (violin), Timothy Steeves (piano))

I wasn't sure what to expect from this new complete set.  I took a chance and am very pleased with having done so.  The players are actually a couple (with two kids).  I'm pretty sure they know what each is thinking before it happens.  This is a good thing to have for any chamber musician.  A solid team.

My only niggle is that these are the Sonaten für Pianoforte und Violine von L. van Beethoven.  Small point but according to Beethoven himself these are the Sonatas for Piano & Violin and not the other way around.

 Piano Encores:  Tristan Pfaff (Klavier)

A little interlude of smaller works before I get in to my next projects.

Agreed. Thank you Florestan for a very thoughtful, heart-felt post.  I read it this morning, and have been thinkng about it all day. Not just about collecting, but also about how music can have such an emotional impact on our daily lives. Kind of like mood-altering drugs, but without the harmful physical consequences!

Collections are cool so long as we own them, and they don't own us. Like Kuma, I can only dedicate so much physical space for vinyl and CDs. As such, I am definitely more careful about what I add and keep these days, and am starting to rely more on streaming services for "one-off" listens.

ATB.

Hook

John Surman soprano and baritone saxophones, alto and bass clarinets
John Taylor piano
Chris Laurence double-bass
John Marshall drums

Recorded 22 years ago.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cba-uTV6VAo

Dorati/London Symphony Water Music 1956 recording

As always with the Mercury performance it’s a good looking set but somewhat academic and no new insights.

Sugar Loaf Express Featuring Lee Ritenour 1977 recording

Then fashionable another direct to disc JVC original pressing from Japan.

All Star line up:

• Bass – Abraham Laboriel
• Drums – Harvey Mason
• Electric Piano – Patrice Rushen
• Guitar – Eric Gale, Lee Ritenour
• Percussion – Steve Forman
• Piano – Patrice Rushen

In spite a lot of hype, this one doesn't quite deliver and the recording is just too over mic'd sound unnatural.

Boulez/NYP Water Music 1974 recording

Surprisingly low noise and beautifully recorded and engineered Boulez' Water Music ( complete ) is modern and clean. Silky texture and breathing opening chords in a relaxed atmosphere open the Overture. Subtle in expression preserving an intimate feel of chamber orchestration. These micro details are probabably lost if played outdoor as originally these tunes were intended but this is an excellent *indoor* version filled with colourful dynamic contrast and subtle temporal shifts. 

It is so much more natural and unforced compared to stiff Dorati set and not as *rude* as Harnoncourt's HIP rendition. 

Very nicely done without sounding generic.

Which recording from him you would recommend?

For easy listening you can take this one. For an artistic better album: Motion Picture, for a more free style of that's your cake take Snowguard.

My vote goes to Motion Picture...

My new Shure 'phones are nicely running in so it's time for a bit of Robert Lucas to get the day off to a great start...

So very nice in the background while working...

Keith Jarrett and Charlie Haden - Jasmine.

A very gentle start to a day off.

Chris

Never imagined seeing Pierre Boulez written in such a typeface

   Following Bert's post on the loss of John Taylor, had a rumage and dug out this one.