What are you listening to and WHY might anyone be interested? (Vol. XII)
Posted by: Richard Dane on 01 January 2016
2016 has arrived today, so time to start this thread afresh.
Last year's thread (and links to previous years) can be found here;
Premium Bond-age: The All About 007 Superpak, a 1977 double album on United Artists released only in Japan:
On a three sided double album. I thoroughly recommend this to anyone with a love for folk music or simply anyone who loves good music. It's a truly delightful album.
Kandace Springs - Soul Eyes.
Originally recommended by Tony following a chance purchase at his Naim dealer, I am simply stunned by this young lady. If you like classic soul and R&B with a jazzy edge you will love this. Such a talent. Where has this artist been hiding?
The find of the year in my book.
nigelb posted:
Kandace Springs - Soul Eyes.
Originally recommended by Tony following a chance purchase at his Naim dealer, I am simply stunned by this young lady. If you like classic soul and R&B with a jazzy edge you will love this. Such a talent. Where has this artist been hiding?
The find of the year in my book.
Glad you're enjoying the album, Nigel.
Tony2011 posted:nigelb posted:
Kandace Springs - Soul Eyes.
Originally recommended by Tony following a chance purchase at his Naim dealer, I am simply stunned by this young lady. If you like classic soul and R&B with a jazzy edge you will love this. Such a talent. Where has this artist been hiding?
The find of the year in my book.
Glad you're enjoying the album, Nigel.
Tony, I certainly am enjoying this one.
I noticed in your original post that the album was released this year and checking on Tidal this appears to be her fist album. This could be why I have not heard of her before which was confusing given her wonderful talent. She has a knack of taking rather classic and classy soul/jazz material and bringing it right up to date while keeping faith with the roots of this kind of music. It is also to her credit that she wrote some of the tracks herself.
One thing I am sure of is, assuming Ms Springs continues to produce such quality, she has a very bright future in front of her. Geez, I am starting to sound like Simon Cowell!
Thank you for bringing this lady to our attention. Great find.
Chopin: Sonate No. 3 | Polonaise-Fantaisie | Nocturnes - Charles Richard-Hamelin (piano)
Silver medalist at the 17th International Fryderyk Chopin Piano Competition and The Krystian Zimerman Prize for the best performance of a Sonate.
Great prog-rock/fusion album...
On vinyl.
Betty Carter - The Audience with Betty Carter. 2 CDs of live jazz entertainment, as good as it gets?
Dinosaur Jr. - Give a Glimpse of What Yer Not
Daniel Barenboim: On My New Piano - Scarlatti | Beethoven | Chopin | Wagner | Liszt
The playing aside, I suppose this album raises ones expectations about the sound of this "new, straight-strung piano." It certainly peaked my interest somewhat. The piano is probably fine but what I suspect is that this recording (DG typical house standard sound) is what makes this recording not so flattering. Maybe I am just too critical of these things as I have in my head the sound, my benchmark sound, that I find pleasing and just right.
As for the playing, Barenboim is certainly more than skilled and competent but tends to play literally and avoids any emotion or over the top mannerisms.
Doug, I will join you with the only Barenboim in the house:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eoBB_a61jyk
Beethoven: Appassionata - Edna Stern (piano)
Sonate Op. 57 "Appassionata" | 32 Variations in c minor WoO 80 | Sonate Op. 49 No. 1 | Sonate Op. 2 No. 1 | Klavierstück WoO 59 (Für Elise)
Well, you can have "normal" or you can have "supernatural." It just so happens that I could say that Barenboim is "normal" and Edna Stern is the "supernatural." If you tend to the normal realm you may naturally view Stern as somewhat "un-normal." I happen to like "un-normal."
Stern tends to paint pictures and tell stories with her playing. It is evident in how she phrases everything quite beautifully and resembles how a singer may breath between a long arch. You may also hear abrupt stops at times - Sterns way of forcing the point or perhaps asking a question. Clarity between voices is again quite good and this leads me to my final point about - the piano.
Stern is playing on her own 1946 Hamburg Steinway model C. It has new hammers but the sound this piano produces is amazing. What is especially moving for me is the bass register that just clearly sticks out with its own unique, rich voice. In the Appassionata, there are moments where it seems the mikes are too close and things get muddied but in general this is an amazing recording - with Stern in command (she is so intelligent) + this piano + this recorded sound this will no doubt be one of my favourite recordings all around.
So this raises the question about how a little old recording like this one can blow the big name Deutsche Grammophon out of the water? At least for me and my preferences I would take this recording any day of week not to mention I'd love to own a piano like this as well !!! I should also mention that Stern makes a point about dismissing today's trend to doctor recordings and to the ever slippery slope of perfectionism in recordings. This recording was based on a live recording and she limited the number of edit points to only 5.
Another winner from Edna Stern. Now I have to suffer waiting for the second Beethoven disc (Tempet) but it has somehow gotten lost in the mail and the vendor is being ignorant about it.
Haunting album...
Steven Wilson, Hand, Cannot Erase, WAV CD Rip.
When I ripped this I up-scaled it to 96kHz/4608kb/s just to see what it was like (no different BTW). I have never been able to play this rip without drop outs as i have to use Wi-Fi for streaming. Today after a Full Network re-start it is playing flawlessly. Good stuff.
