What are you listening to and WHY might anyone be interested? (Vol. XIII)
Posted by: Richard Dane on 01 January 2017
2017 has arrived today, so time to start this thread afresh.
Last year's thread can be found here;
HH is always worth listening to.
Disc 1 superb.
28 years ago...
Dwight Yokam This Time
- Daniel Hope - Violin
- Paul Neubauer - Viola
- David Finckel - Cello
- Wu Han - Piano
From allmusic.com:
This Deutsche Grammophon release captures an exceptional group of live performances from New York's Alice Tully Hall in early 2015. It was recorded well, mastered, and, remarkably, on sale by the end of April of that year. That's what the old major labels need more of: the agility to spot something good that's happening and follow through on it. The listener's eye may be drawn first to the name of Mahleron an album of piano quartets. Indeed, the 16-year-old Mahler, as a first-year student at the Vienna Conservatory, composed at least one movement of a Piano Quartet in A minor; rarely recorded, it opens the program here. Only its large dimensions (with final violin cadenza) and perhaps a bit of angst hint at the Mahler to come; otherwise it's in a purely Brahmsian vein, but it's entirely competent, and it makes a reasonable curtain raiser. The bigger attraction is the pair of performances of the standard SchumannPiano Quartet in E flat major, Op. 47, and Brahms Piano Quartet in G minor, Op. 25. They're gutsy and passionate, with the motivic thread of the Brahms never getting lost in the flood of emotion. The piano work of Wu Han, ranging from quietly grazing the keys to sharp, agitated accents, anchors the performances in a way that will keep listeners coming back. The four players here are neither an established group nor musical strangers to each other; they are friends and close associates, a combination that can sometimes produce extraordinary chamber performances like the one here.
Can't remember the last time I played this.
An album which demands to be played at high volume!
Very nice...
A + 3 | WAV
(1983)
Yello, music that always brings a smile, so its accompanying a glass or two of something white this evening.
Another album which works best with the volume control up around the ten o'clock position! Not as close to perfection as the first album though.
On CD:-
Camel - The Snow Goose
A + 3 | WAV
(2008)
Dutch women in the audience certainly seem to enjoy this album being played live accompanied by a full orchestra and choir, so who am I to disagree with their choice. It's excellent!
One of my most often-played Dire Straits albums.
New arrival for me and an absolute belter. A real wow. No filler here at all, the singing and musicianship is awesome and the songs are inventive and many are a hoot as well. Hugely recommended.
Last one for me this evening and I doubt I will get onto side two, but some fine hard bop to be heard on this album, which may be his best.
.....arrived home and a CD in the mailbox
Leonard Cohen - You Want it Darker
.....I am enjoying this!
Two Thousand and Seventeen.
New single by Four Tet on Bandcamp.
Country meets jazz meets blues. A lovely cd.
Probably the ECM I play the most, after The Köln Concert.
Marc Ribot on guitar, always a good indicator of quality.