new music...

Posted by: ken c on 14 August 2001

hi folks,

just to let you know about some music i bought last night while may daughter was watching "starlight express" with her friend. (i wasnt allowed to join them, so i went off to buy cd's --- what else could i do???)

1. schubert - complete impromptus - alfred brendel -- playing this right now. devine!!

2. schubert - the last 3 piano sonatas -- recommended highly by the guy at virgin's. brendel again. havent played this yet.

3. dinu lipatti - chopin, enescu, ravel, liszt, brahms - EMI classics great recordings of the century. havent played this yet, but i'd be very surprised if this doesnt bowl me over -- i liked the waltzes..

4. the rubinstein collection -- sampled this last night -- very promising indeed. will give it a more serious listen tonite. very nicely packaged too with a background booklet.

5. the essential handel, on decca, bought it for my daughter who likes "zadok the priest". played it all this morning. good collection.

6. don cherry -- "old and new dreams" -- a tribute to blackwell. i am really looking fwd to this one. will let you know.

7. thomas tallis - "spem in alium" -- from a reco on this forum -- not sure i bought the exact one suggested -- fantastic album anyhow.

enjoy

ken

Posted on: 14 August 2001 by Martin M

Try the Josquin Dezprez 'Masses' CD sung by the Tallis Scholars. It is quite spellbinding in its beauty. Personally I prefer it to the Spem in Alum, although some may disagree.

Also may I heartily recommend Inspiration Information by Shuggie Otis. Kind of like early 70's Sly Stone but, to me, far more gentle, more soulful and beautiful. It is a neglected classic in my opinion and always a joy to listen to.

Posted on: 14 August 2001 by Cheese

quote:
schubert - the last 3 piano sonatas -- recommended highly by the guy at virgin's

The guy's damn right. If you like it, run for the "Wanderer Fantasy" by the same composer and the same pianist, on Philips.

quote:
3. dinu lipatti - chopin, enescu, ravel, liszt, brahms - EMI classics great recordings of the century. havent played this yet, but i'd be very surprised if this doesnt bowl me over -- i liked the waltzes..

The ultimate investment.

Sorry, just couldn't avoid my comments.

Cheese - may all beings be happy

Posted on: 14 August 2001 by Former member

Once or twice a year my old school chums come here from around the country for a croquet weekend, bringing with them piles of CDs they think no-one wil have heard. One of them brought the Shuggie Otis with him, but we didn't have time to listen to it (did hear some good stuff though - Extremadura (ambient dub) Mouth Music (vaguely Gaelic) and a reaaly good 90's Hawkwind I'd never heard of). He too raved about it. I'll have to catch him next time I'm in Brum...

...by the way, I love the "If you like Thomas Tallis you'll like Shuggie Otis" line!

Posted on: 14 August 2001 by ken c

Try the Josquin Dezprez 'Masses' CD sung by the Tallis Scholars.

many thanks. will definitely get this next time i raid a record shop.

i will also check out "Inspiration Information by Shuggie Otis"

enjoy

ken

Posted on: 14 August 2001 by ken c

If you like it, run for the "Wanderer Fantasy" by the same composer and the same pianist, on Philips.

will do. and many thanks.

enjoy

ken

Posted on: 14 August 2001 by John C

I bought some great records today too..

Ornette Coleman, Science Fiction and Broken Shadows

Extraordinary music and I am dumbfounded I didnt have it before. Only a few listens but all I can think is .. Funktastic ..soulful and rhythmnading!!! And as for Charlie Haden ... well he really wanted to be a NASCAR driver on this evidence. Haden and Blackwell what a rhythmn section! They seem to zoom around the rest of the band herding them into a circle keeping those soloists tight until someone really lets rip, then running off shepherding them back into the fold! Wagon Train!!! Anyone into music of any sort should own these astounding recordings!

Art Ensemble Chicago- "Les Stances de Sophie"
Has anyone seen this movie? Suffice to say the record is absolutely essential and has everything from extraordinary vocals/lyrics, tremendous free playing groove, and WIT! A very funny record.

John

Posted on: 14 August 2001 by ken c

Ornette Coleman, Science Fiction and Broken Shadows

come on john, you knew i would definitely be interested didnt you. charlie haden, oh, man...

i dont have that album and have duly added it to my "next purchases" list.

enjoy

ken

Posted on: 14 August 2001 by John C

Ken, Its avant garde Charlie but extraordinary. I played it again just now .. the joy of LPs.. and can't hear anyone else but him!. For the gentler side of Charlie I recommend This years "Nocturne" a Cuban groove that has grown on me. Charlie Haden what a man! I love his arrested by Portuguese fascist authorities story!

John

Posted on: 14 August 2001 by ken c

Ken, Its avant garde Charlie but extraordinary.

yeah, i can imagine. ah, so you have this on vinyl? if so, lucky you...

enjoy

ken

Posted on: 14 August 2001 by John C

A lot of these have been rereleased on vinyl Ornette Columbias anyway and sound fine.... At least on a good record player not sure about the Linn!

John

Posted on: 14 August 2001 by ken c

At least on a good record player not sure about the Linn!

ha ha ha. be careful, i might be offended that you are calling my lp12 the low end of record players!! dont worry, i'll upgrade, in good time. one has to start somewhere right??

what high end player do you recommend?

enjoy

ken

Posted on: 14 August 2001 by Former member

John/Ken:

I've been in an absolute music-buying frenzy over the last couple of weeks what with the local Tower on sale and a last minute business trip to San Francisco and Chicago.

I hit Ameoba in SF -- man, that is one serious record store. I was rather surprised by the amount of recent vinyl reissues particularly on the Atlantic and Columbia labels. I am not sure how they sound but they are on heavy vinyl and one Rahsaan Kirk album I got sounds quite good. Managed to pick up some Randy Weston, Abdullah Ibrahim, Paul Bley, and whole load of rare solo piano albums by Horace Tapscott amongst others. I saw a reissue of the Art Ensemble album you mentioned -- I wanted to pick it up but it was about $20.

I understand that the Ameoba branch in Berkeley is better but I didn't manage to make it there. I'd leave that for next time.

The Jazz Record Mart in Chicago is the best jazz record store that I've ever been to and I was a lot poorer after this trip. There are still tons of used records (plus new LPs and CDs) at reasonable prices -- I paid on average about $7 per record; some were as low as $2-3. I found some Hank Jones, Barbieri, Hersch, Hamiett Bluiett, Jackie McLean, Andrew Hill etc. Wow!!! The only caveat is that anything that is collectable were more expensive than I remember, which includes pretty much all the Blue Notes of any interest.

Guys, if you are ever in Chicago, this is the store to hit for all your jazz needs.

Finally, I want to recommend one absolutely stunning CD which is rather difficult to locate (on Japanese label, DIW). And that's Phase Space by Dave Holland and Steve Coleman. I've only listened to a couple of tracks and it has blown me away.

Hockman

Who' s bored with all the hi fi threads and think that 500/DBLs don't even come close to real live music!

Posted on: 15 August 2001 by John C

Hockman when I lived in the states I used to go on pilgrimages to the Jazz Mart in Chicago. It is the most amazing record shop I have ever seen. The range of Blues music they have may even be better than their Jazz. Great oyster bar just round the corner too.Delmark records is based there I think.The AEC record is hard to find and expensive because Theme de Yo Yo is a monster underground funk club classic. Its more readily available in London as they reissued a vinyl run last year probably to feed the DJ market.

Im going to a conference in SF in October so will try Amoeba. Do you know good places for live jazz there, Ive only been to Yoshis in the past?

Johna

Posted on: 21 August 2001 by John C

Hockman and anyone else interested this great record is available here. Also lots of other fine grooves.

John

http://www.souljazzrecords.co.uk/sjrdisco.html

Posted on: 21 August 2001 by samo7

I recently picked up a couple of cd's by Patricia Barber. "Companion" and "Nightclub". Anyway you cut it this singer/musician was definitely made for "naim"...

Posted on: 21 August 2001 by John C

She's certainly as sopoforic as the Naim Cd releases.

John

Posted on: 21 August 2001 by Former member

John C:

That's one sarcastic remark!

I agree completely -- I bought her CD out of curiosity and on recommendation -- she's just slightly better than Sciubba (sp??).

Of the jazz repertoire, Ted Sirota is a real find (I just missed him at the Green Mill when I was in Chicago) and Union is quite enjoyable. Naim releases are pretty lame musically -- even AudioQuest and Chesky had far better musicians (e.g. James Newton, Larry Willis, MOKAVE, Tom Harrell, Fred Hersch).

Hockman

Posted on: 30 August 2001 by ken c

bought "painting signs" last night at tower's. oh, great album. i recommend it highly if you are into bibb's style of blues.

enjoy

ken

Posted on: 30 August 2001 by ken c

rachmaninov "the liturgy of st john chrysostom". also got this last night. am i the only one who likes this sort of stuff???

or i also got:
steely dan "countdown to ecstacy"
great recordings schubert "schwanengesang - 4 lieder" fischer-dieskau

looking fwd to playing it all.

enjoy

ken

Posted on: 30 August 2001 by Martin M

My Japanese miniature CDs showed up. And rather fine looking and sounding beasts they are. They even went to the trouble of embossing the covers to match the original, making miniature Inner sleeves and LP labels. Cool. For what its worth I got XTC's Black Sea & English Settlement, and Pink Floyds Meddle (shcoked me, its got a sense of humour) and Animals (not much humour there).

The music I guess you know...If your interested get them while you can. I think there are some Zappa ones coming out soon too.

Posted on: 31 August 2001 by Former member

quote:
Originally posted by ken c:
rachmaninov "the liturgy of st john chrysostom". also got this last night. am i the only one who likes this sort of stuff???

You're not alone. I love that Russian Orthodox stuff with those bass-heavy choirs. I have this and the Vespers, and even bought a DG service, complete with priests.

I don't know whether it's still available, but there was a tremendous CD by a Georgian choir - The Rustavi Choir - called Georgian Chants. They cull their material form all over the place, mostly folk/religious sources. But anything by them is going to be crammed full of that sound.

Footnote link to Kate Bush fans: The eerie choir on "Hello Earth" (Hounds of Love) is a direct copy of a Rustavi Choir piece, note for note.