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

Hi Mike,

Check out the film Dream of a Life (it's on iTunes), which inspired Hand Cannot Erase. It may help you get where SW's coming from.

Personally, I absolutely love it. I think Routine is one of the best things he's done.

Keith

Continuing the journey...

Thanks, Keith. I look that up.

Mike 

There's a glaring omission in your selection!! 

Way to Blue - An Introduction to Nick Drake.

A most chilled way to accompany the passing of Sunday evening.

Peter

next one and for me the last one of the evening...

Simon and Garfunkel, Greatest Hits 24 bit.  Can't believe I prevaricated for so long before getting this album because its fantastic.  24 bit flac via audirvana/Hugo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JjOSdrS7-7U

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=erKsIJyfB_Q

A long-time favourite of mine. Very well reproduced.  If I were really picky I'd complain that I find it a bit hard to read the red-coloured text on the blue background of the rear cover   

I have a recording of this on audiocassette somewhere which I really must find and play. It's a great fun album indeed. Isn't it Dread Elvis or something like that on vocal?

+1

Actually, the only album of theirs I have is this...

A white American 'Reggae' band who do Led Zep covers with an Elvis impersonator as a lead singer sounds ridiculous, but they somehow manage to pull it off. I'm sure there are some Led Zep fans who don't approve, but I don't think these guys expect anyone to take them too seriously. 

 Sergei Rachmaninov:  Marylin Frascone (piano)

Marylin Frascone, a pianist I did not know of several months ago.  As usual, I simply took a chance and it paid off.  First came her Franz Liszt disc which I like very much and now the Rachmaninov.  She is very exciting to listen to.  Almost wild (but not really since I am exaggerating), with animal like instincts similar to Martha Argerich.  It simply pulls you in as it always seems to keep your interest.  You don't follow a score with these types of players.  What is most affective is just to listen to the music as what they create seems so natural in end.  You can rarely copy artists like this as what sounds easy on the surface is very difficult to emulate.  This is the beauty of artists who are very creative (musical) vs. those who tend to the literal (boring) approach.  These ones faithfully just play the notes and do not add anything but in the end you feel unfulfilled.

The Franz Liszt disc and this one sound very nice, however, her disc of the Liszt Sonata and Ravel's Gaspard de la Nuit unfortunately suffers from a poorer sound quality.

Études:  Garrick Ohlsson (piano)

Claude Debussy:  Études L143 (1915)

Sergei Prokofiev:  Études Op. 2 (1909)

Béla Bartók:  Études Op. 18 (Sz72, BB81) (1918)

Don't do it Adam.  She will ruin it for all of us.

This is an album that had to be made.  I know there are a few 'famous' recordings of the Debussy but a couple is not nearly enough.  As well when is the last time you heard a new recording of the Prokofiev or the Bartók Études?  Such wonderful music and this recording makes me very happy.

What should strike one first off is just how very different each composer is yet all these Études were written within a decade of each other.  

Second, I would comment that Ohlsson is a remarkable pianist with technique to spare.  He has the gift of playing these very difficult works while making you think he is playing chopsticks or twinkle twinkle.  I think the unintended consequence of this is that he tends to temper them a little to much (with perfectionism) that they can almost sound academic at times.  Not a complaint but only an observation.  Where is the danger or the risk taking?  I don't like extremism and I don't care for players who only play everything fast.  That is not what I mean although occasionally it is tempting to play with fire.  Oops, that was an unintended twist to this story....

I'll give one example.  I have a recording somewhere of Evgeny Kissin playing the C minor (Op. 2, No. 3) Étude of Prokofiev.  I can't seem to find it right now in my library but maybe 20 years ago I heard this and its effect is seared in my mind forever and so all rationality is lost.  I would characterize is as wild (Kissin) vs. intellectual (Ohlsson) and the difference is how you interpret the following terms:

• rubato
• accelerando assai al presto
• presto
• prestissimo
• pesante

Bottom line is that these are the two extreme positions in this example.  Kissin very handily crafts an accelerando leading in to a true presto and then a prestissimo which means you have to feel like you are at the edge of your seat trying to hold on for dear life.   Ohlsson, on the other hand starts so slow and does accelerate but not nearly enough.  He leaves you asking for more and for me leaves me unfulfilled.

That is just one comment in an otherwise very satisfying and splendid album.

Stuff: Self titled debut album 1976 release

Funk fusion band mainly I remember them because Steve Gadd was a drummer in it.

Mastered by George Marion, this is a pre digital the vinyl has that meaty natural funky sound. 

Stuff: More Stuff  1977 release

Even more funkier their 2nd album is produced by Van McCoy & Charles Kipps.

Listen to this funky groove! "Sometimes Bubba Gets Down" by Chris Parker.

During workout. Great progressive rock album. Catchy but not poppy.

Stephen Stills. Eponymous album (1970) on HDCD from 1995. Brilliant album with a blockbuster cast of supporting musicians; Hendrix, Clapton, Crosby, Nash, Ringo, Booker T. Jones, John Sebastian, Rita Coolidge, Cass Elliot ... wow. The funky "Go Back Home" my favorite track - the guitar interaction between Stills and EC hits a rarified groove.

No vinyl?

I wasn't into heavily guitar influenced folk/rock genre much but at least I knew the groovy intro tune.( "Love the One You're With" ) It must have had a lot of radio play. 

Yes, have the vinyl too. Just been relegated to listening to CDs in my shop as of last few weeks.

BTW - still haven't forgotten about your 'Back To Black' vinyl query. Will tend to it once I get back to spinning vinyl .

Bruce Springsteen. 18 Tracks. On HDCD from 1999. The "Reader's Digest" single disc highlights of the 4CD box set "Tracks".

As I enjoyed this morning the other one so much I switched to this live album. And also very good..