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

Now, wishing I was sat in a Tokyo jazz kissaten...

...up close to some little JBLs.

Funny how I've become more used to hearing the title track as the blistering warp-speed opener to Miles In Berlin - makes 'Trane seem almost laidback here.

I agree regarding second pressing but the trouble is with the recent vinyl boom, even the original reissues in mint are getting dear especially for Blue Note.

Music Matters won't release certain titles due to poor tape condition. ( I wish they would redo Bud Powell's earlier output but I have been told 'no' due to poorer tape condition than later recording 'The Scene Changes'. Plus Powell is not in a high demand than others. ) So what they offer is cream of the crop it seems.

Tape will degrade overtime but it seems depending on how they are stored. I have read in the liner notes of recent JVC XRCD's Toscanini Original Master Tape Edition, the engineers found that the condition of the tape was remarkably good in details, dynamics range, SN ratio and density in that they didn't have to do any constructive repair/EQ nor having to use inferior reissue masters. Apparently Toscanini masters are well kept and that they claim that so long as the master tapes are stored correctly, they hold up much longer period than we think.

As Music Matters they also were selective on the release titles where they only picked Carnegie Hall recording ( no NBC radio broadcasting tape ) after Dec. 1949.

The results are very good having to be worked off from a good source. Much more dynamic and details than my Plum label original vinyl. 

Wish they would have reissued in vinyl but alas only on a redbook CD. ( probably Japan no longer has  good enough pressing plants )

Did you see this one?

Miles selling Honda.

Finally latched onto a CD copy of this - still have the vinyl but no TT.

Kuma,

If you are into Vivaldi you should explore Mr. Giuliano Carmignola:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=amKvW78snI8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FKjqXOHw7fg

Haim,

*into* is a too strong of a word. More like a *testing the waters*.

The link you posted sound good. I have a stack of 4 Seasons yet to go through. 

Masur/Bach-Orchester des Gewandhausorchester, Leipzig : Bach Cantatas BWV 52,199,202 1971 release

BWV 199 is new to me but powerful even with Masur/Gewandhaus. Like Vivaldi's music, I can only take Cantatas small chunks at a time.

Mark Knopfler and Emmylou Harris. All The Roadrunning. On CD from 2006. I don't know much of Knopfler beyond Dire Straits or of Harris beyond a beautiful country singer with a golden voice that's been around for as long as I can remember. Seems an unlikely combination to me, but it's really rather magical. Harris' vocals seem to bring Knopfler's voice to a higher level and his guitar plays a wonderful, soothing interaction between the two. Not often I'm gobsmacked with an album on first listen, but this is certainly one.

Streaming | Deezer Elite

(1982)

One of their very good live concerts remastered to good effect in '95.

It is a lovely album Joe I'm sure that you will get a lot of pleasure from it. Apparently it took seven years to put together with them "stealing" spare studio time here and there, while they kept the whole project secret. If you want to try out some of MKs excellent solo work you could do worse than giving a listen to any of "Get Lucky"(2009), "Golden Heart"(1996) and "Sailing to Philadelphia"(2000). "Privateering" (2012) is excellent too, a double album.

Gentle start, with the exciting prospect of Saints v Leicester this afternoon.

Chris

From the new remasters...

Half-Speed Remastered 45 RPM. Very disappointed with the SQ of this album, harsh , bright , loud, digital ...

Still have to check if I like this version or the mono version of this...

Streaming | Deezer Elite

(1981)

Mmm... Sorry to hear that. Do you know if this is common across all the current PG remasters?

His Mozart is at times a bit freaky...

Clive... Can't help you with the rest of the remasters. "Car" is one of my favourite PG album so was really  looking forward to this release, unfortunately will have to make do with my original vinyl copy. I keep promising myself that I won't get fooled again with all the hype around remasters/ reissues.. Oh well 

Originally Posted by Florestan:

Originally Posted by apye!:

Linn records 45rpm Supercut.

I would be interested to hear from anyone else who has this as I have had two copies and both have quite bad surface noise.  Shame because the SQ is fantastic!

Mine is "on the way" and currently bouncing around or getting crushed in some courier plane or delivery truck.  Hopefully I'll have mine in a few days and will report back.

Thanks Florestan, look forward to your findings.

Andy.

Andy,  mine arrived yesterday and playing it currently.  Uncleaned, other than some minor static on the second track, mine is perfect.  No surface noise that I can detect.  In fact, this is an exceptional example of vinyl in my opinion.

What is not exceptional is that I cannot seem to get vinyl delivered to me with some sort of damage.  The last three of five albums in the last two weeks, including this one, arrived with a corner bent over along the circumference of the record.  I am so tired of returning things like this and am worn down enough just to leave it.  These cases were not shipping damage but almost certainly just poor handling by pin head persons that love their jobs and show it by rough handling and dropping them etc.

I will certainly keep this one, bent corner and all, as I don't want to take a chance and receive a less perfect piece of vinyl.

I hope you can end your unlucky streak as well.  The third time's the charm, maybe?

Doug

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1zhSwwiFA8k

Sparkling french piano music to go with the first frost of the year.