Naim Label - Best Recordings & Best Sounding?

steve

My favourite is Patrick Noland's ascending. Really gentle but none the less crystal clear piano music....Just try it...superb.

If you like something a bit more lively, Thea Gilmore's Lipstick Conspiracies is heavy and pacy but the diction is excellent, very unusual in todays in young singers. Beware of the language though, best not played in the presence of the Mother in Law.

The Naim sampler No 1 gives a good range of what is available.

Regards

Mick

Antonio Forcione
Acoustic Revenge, Dedicato, Ghetto Paradise, Live!, (with Benito Madonia) Vento del Sud, (with Neil Stacey)Acoustic Mania, (with Sabina Sciubba)
Meet me in London

I had Dedicato for a while and have a big soft spot for it as it was my Introduction to Antonio (apart from Naim sampler #2) and there is some good stuff on here. Some of the subject matter it is a bit MOR / 'light' - but all excellently executed by a great musician. Vento del Sud is a bit odd sounding at first - but it grew on me. Meet me in London has a few dodgy songs on it (in my view) the worst of which is "Why can't we all live toghther" .. but saying that Sanina's voice is wonderful and Antonio's playing superb - and "Can you believe" is an absolutely fantastic track. "Live!" is probably now the album to get - wonderful live versions of "the best of" all the other stuff. As to the rest of the albums - apart from "Live!" I've think I've described the worst of them - all the other are excellent.

Chris Anderson / Sabina Sciubba
You don't know what love is

Chris Anderson is a bit less my cup of tea than Antonio - but I suggest that if you like the track listing - go for it.

Fred Simon
Dreamhouse

Foot tappingly enguaging and lots of fun. Much "Bill Cosby neck nodding" Clearly lots of people had lots of fun making this.

Janvier Jones
Soul Searching

Funky. Again, not exactly my usual earl grey - but I appreciate that this is soul/funky at a very accepatable dabbling level. A couple of the tracks are very authoritative and powerful. My last ex-girlfriend really liked this from a "respect to soul diva" point of view.

Kai Eckhardt
Honour simplicity, respect the flow

It took me awhile to get into this album - but I'm glad I took the time. Not good for late night listening - you need to push up the volume and get into the beat. Takes a good base player to lead music as good as this.

Mike Melvoin & Charlie Haden
The Capitol Sessions

Mixed bag for me - soome good tracks, some bad. Would suit a more traditional mindset.

State of the Nation
Hobgood/Torff/Wertico

For me an 'in the mood' album. Sometimes I am - sometimes I'm not.

Ted Sirota's Rebel Souls
Propaganda

A combination of "traditional" simplicity and a good rousing banging. Fun track. Often played loud whilst up and doing stuff.

Tom Gullion
Cat's Cradle

I know I have this ..... clearly I will try to listen to it a bit more!! Must have lost it in a pile somewhere.

Viergueiro & dos Santos
Espiritu

Heard the first track on the Naim sampler #3 and fell in love with it immediately - so ordered the album. Compared to that first track - the rest of the album is a bit of a disapointment - being slightly more "blury" than I'd like. Had it not been for the superb nature of that first track I'd have been more than contented with the rest. Worth it.

Patrick Noland
Ascending

This is very nice - for some reason it makes me thing of early seventies hippy stuff - but it is quite beautiful. Maybe it is good for a time when you have shoved something in your pipe and are smoking it. Not that I'd know.

Thea Gilmore
The Lipstick Conspiracies
Great. Just buy it . come on. Only 20 - what will she be writing when she has experienced a bit more of life. And funny in parts "...my generation ... hey we could write a song about that " but mostly just good in a rock/pop kinda way.

Yuval Yaron / Jeremy Denk
Devil's Trill

Only one I don't like much. Playing seesm to lack some life to me. Maybe being a bit harsh. Sorry guys - I'll try something else you did real soon.

Hope this helps.
Let's see if anyone agrees with me

are you still after the Naim Sampler no 1. I've got a copy I don't listen (don't like it much). If you want it get in touch.

Yes Please!! I have tried to e-mail you, if it doesn't get through maybe you could try sending me one? You can see what I ended up buying after listening to the second two!

My more general comment:-

Tom Gullion
Cat's Cradle

Apologies for earlier - I should have remembered at least the track on one of the samplers. Yes - It's great as well!! Thanks for asking the question Jeb, I found this and two other CD's down the back of my CD racks.

Jonathan

Jeb