What are you listening to and WHY might anyone be interested? (Vol. XIV)
Posted by: Richard Dane on 31 December 2017
On the eve of a new year, it's time for a new thread.
Last year's thread can be found here:
Not my favourite Bill Evans - I'll never understand why he thought 'The Washington Twist' would be a good tune for jazz - but, as ever, some great piano.
Gianluigi Mazzorana posted:On a fantastic fresh sunny morning
I must get gardening, but captivated by
Beethoven Piano Concerto No 1 - Stephen Bishop Kovaceivic - CD
Halfway through tidying after a tenant left. Music and gardening keep me in touch with the beauty of this world. Both take time, patience and a bit of planning, but the rewards are great. Some I will be looking forward to seeing the flowers come into bloom through a long beautiful English summer.
Phil
A very strong greatest hits package. A recurring favourite.
A Piero Umiliani trip!
Filipe posted:Gianluigi Mazzorana posted:On a fantastic fresh sunny morning
I must get gardening, but captivated by
Beethoven Piano Concerto No 1 - Stephen Bishop Kovaceivic - CD
Halfway through tidying after a tenant left. Music and gardening keep me in touch with the beauty of this world. Both take time, patience and a bit of planning, but the rewards are great. Some I will be looking forward to seeing the flowers come into bloom through a long beautiful English summer.
Phil
I'm tryin' to find myself a good reason to stand up and get that grass trimmer....... 
I think someone here suggested this one ? - Thanks
Drikus posted:Kinda forgot how good this is, what a pleasure to listen to!
Best CD version of DSOTM I've heard.
Was in the wrong post before, just finished Kirill Gerstein’s album and noe
Radka Toneff / Steve Dobrogosz - Fairytales.
If you like Eva Cassidy, than I can recommend this one.
- Radka Toneff - Vocal
- Steve Dobrogosz - Piano
'Fairytales', Radka Toneff and Steve Dobrogosz's 1982 masterpiece, is Norway's best-selling jazz album, and was also voted Norway's best album of all time in a poll of Norwegian musicians in 2011.`
UK first press vinyl, a random pick from the shelves. My word it's a crackly one, this! Even the RCM couldn't rescue it!
1977 double vinyl LP onn Decca. Mellow sounds for a sunny Sunday while I do a bit of work...
A good compilation of early Texan Fiddler's - Playing on Vinyl on Document Records
Sonny Criss - The complete imperial sessions
- Alto Saxophone – Sonny Criss
- Bass – Bill Woodson (tracks: 1-1 to 1-12), Buddy Clark (tracks: 2-7 to 2-16), Leroy Vinnegar (tracks: 1-13 to 2-6)
- Drums – Chuck Thompson (tracks: 1-1 to 1-12), Lawrence Marable (tracks: 1-13 to 2-16)
- Guitar – Barney Kessel (tracks: 1-1 to 1-12)
- Piano – Kenny Drew (tracks: 1-1 to 1-12), Sonny Clark (tracks: 1-13 to 2-16)
- Vibraphone [Vibes] – Larry Bunker (tracks: 2-7 to 2-16)
Jaqueline du Pré - Elgar Cello Concerto, 1980s UK reissue vinyl
Phil was playing this last night, and I realised I hadn’t played it yet this year. One of my favourite albums ever, the Elgar Cello Concerto is a work of great tenderness, nostalgia, pathos, yet with an irrepressible energy in the faster movements. Du Pré plays with a deeply romantic style, bringing out the energy of the finale, while the sheer beauty of the Adagio has me holding my breath. Barbirolli leads the LSO to provide backing of the utmost sensitivity to the ravishing lead instrument.
If my nephew runs much later for his weekend visit (he was originally due here to watch the Tour de Yorkshire go by 2 hours ago) I’ll get to hear Janet Baker’s Sea Pictures as well, the LSO again perfect foils, the singing somehow calmly balanced while being deeply suffused with emotion.
Karajan/BPO - Beethoven Symphony No. 7, 1980s Galleria vinyl
Having seen Huge’s comments on the 7th, I dragged out this much loved performance as it was a way of hearing it that I don’t feel,and wanted to hear it after that interpretation. I still don’t hear this as Beethoven’s meditation on his deafness, even after Huge’s insightful comments. Yes, the funeral march-like second movement is suffused with melancholy, but I don't hear It as personal. Overall the work is one of joy to me, the driving pulse ‘of the music in the first movement lifting me into a lovely place, the second movement leading me to feel deep emotions, then the driving pace of the final 2movements brings me to a sense of musical joy and completeness. Samuel Beckett described the 7th as “the dearest of the nine”, that is exactly how I feel about it.
Benjamin Britten Mtsislav Rostropovich - Britten Cello Sonata, Schumann Fünf Stücke, Debussy Cello Sonata, Alto 180gm vinyl lim ed.
Britten is a fantastic pianist and Slava a great cellist, the Briten Sonata was written at the start of their friendship, and is a lovely piece. The dancing interplay between the instruments sums up joy in friendship. The Schumann brings lovely Romantic depth, Slava’s playing with exquisite support from Britten brings out the richness of the music. The Debussy brings lovely impressionistic lightness, and the two again nail the music with a deep understanding of it and each other. It’s hard for me to imagine better performances of these lovely works (equally good and different I can believe exist).
I don’t have many 180gm LPs as I have found most disappointng in SQ, especially for the extra cost, this one is an exception, fantastic pressing, although as it was an edition limited to 2,500 (for some reason) that probably isn’t helpful if you want a copy.
Lee Perry and the Upsetters - Super Ape.
Relaxing, on a scorchio North Yorks. afternoon, with the dub master ............ and a cold one. 
Now Playing........
Jan Garbarek - Officium
Jan Garbarek (soprano saxophone, tenor saxophone), The Hilliard Ensemble: David James (countertenor), Rogers Covey-Crump (tenor), John Potter (tenor), and Gordon Jones (baritone).
Streaming on NAS......... Something for the Sunday morning wake-up call, soothing & simply beautiful!
The Skatalites - Best of.
Disc one of this 2 X CD set, as we fire up the barbecue on this hot, sunny afternoon .............. chilled. 
(1973 | 1995)
Just the job on this lovely warm and sunny May day.
Christy Moore - On The Road, vinyl
The great Irish musician playing his most loved songs, live recordings selected from gigs over 3 years. A fantastic set, all excellent performances, some with a band, some Christy and the great guitarist Declan Sinnott. Christy’s songs range from traditional Irish numbers, through his own numbers and versions of other writers’s songs, from crowd-pleasing singalongs, through intense politically committed numbers, to tender love songs. A perfect introduction to his work for the uninitiated, and a joy for the fan, so far my record of 2018.
(My nephew’s hangover recovery breakfast slipped to a post-hangover lunch, which went on until he ended up watching the football. Latest eta 6.30.)