Am I the only one who.....

In an effort to liven up discussion slightly here, and reflecting on the fact that some threads here get very few responses, I had an idea (probably not a very good one, but hey ). It sometimes seem as though there are one or two discs in my collection that I must be one of the only people to own, and they are often ones I would consider real gems. So, am I the only one who owns, and loves:

Leonard Bernstein's Mass

Electric Bath by Don Ellis

All Thomas Dolby's Albums


Now, the point of this thread is twofold. First and foremost, I'm interested in what you considered to be the hidden gems of your cd collection (that are maybe a little different and not nearly so widely owned/known as they deserve to be), I'm always curious to find new artists/composers/performers who have a degree of novelty (i.e. something new or different to say). Second, I'm a little curious if anyone actually owns these discs!

However, please: NO LISTS. Now I realise I have flatly contradicted that earlier in this post, but I will rectify that in just a moment by going into some more detail on each of the items listed above. We I'm seeking to avoid are the kinds of posts that are basically copies of people's cd catalogue since I'm not sure how useful that is. I have to say that to some extent I'm a little guilty and have posted one or two lists. But I think no more than two or three items in a post would be a good thing to aim for with some background (if necessary) and what you think makes it so special (i.e. why we should all be rushing out to buy the disc, or indeed, tune into the radio station, in question).


So, some detail about my above choices:

I'm a big fan of Bernstein (both as a composer, but primarily as a conductor). I picked up Mass because it was on offer in HMV and had an intriguing entry in the penguin guide. It was not at all what I expected, but has continued to grow on me. Composed in memory of JFK for the opening of the Kennedy centre, it's really more a musical than a mass. A true piece of it's time with themes of civil rights and Vietnam very prominent. While the libretto is less than perfect and the conclusion unsatisfactory it has some wonderful music and a few profound moments none the less. However, it probably isn't for all tastes and if you don't like Bernstein you may not care for this.

Electric Bath by Don Ellis is probably one of the oddest albums I've ever heard. I suppose you'd class it as jazz, but it's a blend of so many different things that frankly I rather defies categorisation. It's not simply the mixing in of India styles and instruments, of the use of electric instruments and effects, nor the unusual time signatures (e.g. 5/4, 13/4, 19/4 15/16), nor even the fact he played a 4 valve trumpet allowing him to play quarter-tones, but the combination of all these things together that make for a wonderfully unique listening experience. A good demo cd to boot.

Most people who are familiar with Dolby will be so through 'She blinded me with Science', but, to be honest, that's just about the only thing of his I really can't stand. I happen to think 'The Flat Earth' is one of the best albums of all time, the tracks just all belong together so comfortably. He writes interesting lyrics and gets some wonderfully creative sounds. It's a real shame he hasn't recorded anything for 10 years and has concentrated instead on tech businesses.


Anyway, that's far more than enough of me prattling on. Do you own any of these too. Do you love or hate them. What unknown gems are in your collection that deserve a chance in ours and WHY?



regards,

Tam

p.s. It is strictly NOT necessary to write posts anything like as long as this one! One or two sentences per disc will be great.