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;
Richter/Karajan/VPO: Tchaikovsky PC1 - '62 rec.
A bit safe for Richter. It seems Karajan is restraining him. Karajan's direction, as usual, brings sophistication and opulent but lacking meaningful urgency and energy. Richter also seems to indulge in flowery flourish. In spite the dramatic finale it sounds laboured over.
I downloaded this from Qobuz but it's no longer stocked there:
The Vaughan Brothers. Family Style. On CD from 1990. First listen and it's brilliant stuff. Tight and fast Texas infused rock. Plus, It's a superbly mastered CD with high DR by Bob Ludwig. Might be the best $4 I ever spent on a blind CD buy.
Glenn Gould - Bach: Art of the Fugue
Listening to volume 1 where Glenn Gould plays the first 9 fugues on an organ.
This is a wonderful album, which I can’t recommend highly enough. One of my favourite acquisitions this year.
Glenn Gould - Schuman
Dizzy Gillespie - At newport
From allmusic.com:
This CD features Dizzy Gillespie's second great big band at the peak of its powers. On the rapid "Dizzy's Blues" and a truly blazing "Cool Breeze," the orchestra really roars; the latter performance features extraordinary solos by Gillespie, trombonist Al Grey, and tenor saxophonist Billy Mitchell. In addition to fine renditions of "Manteca" and Benny Golson's then-recent composition "I Remember Clifford," the humorous "Doodlin'" is given a definitive treatment, there is a fresh version of "A Night in Tunisia," and pianist Mary Lou Williams sits in for a lengthy medley of selections from her "Zodiac Suite." This brilliant CD captures one of the high points of Dizzy Gillespie's remarkable career and is highly recommended.
Eric Dolphy - Last date
From allmusic.com:
Allegedly Eric Dolphy's final recorded performance -- a fact historians roundly dispute -- this session in Hilversum, Holland, teams the masterful bass clarinetist, flutist, and alto saxophonist with a Dutch trio of performers who understand the ways in which their hero and leader modified music in such a unique, passionate, and purposeful way far from convention. In pianist Misha Mengelberg, bassist Jacques Schols, and drummer Han Bennink, Dolphy was firmly entwined with a group who understood his off-kilter, pretzel logic concept in shaping melodies and harmonies that were prime extensions of Thelonious Monk, Ornette Coleman, and Cecil Taylor. These three Dolphy originals, one from Monk, one from Mengelberg, and a standard are played so convincingly and with the utmost courage that they created a final stand in the development of how the woodwindist conceived of jazz like no one else before, during, or after his life. Utterly masterful on his flute during "You Don't Know What Love Is," Dolphy's high-drama vibrato tones are simply out of this or any other world, perfectly emoting the bittersweet intent of this song. The ribald humor demonstrated during "Miss Ann" is a signature sound of Dolphy's alto sax, angular like Monk, jovial and more out of the box while he digs in. Where "Epistrophy" might seem standard fare to some, with Dolphy on bass clarinet it is based on voicings even more obtuse than the composer's concept, bouncing along the wings of Mengelberg's piano lines. The post-bop blues of "South Street Exit" is tuneful while also breaking off into tangents, with Bennink's crazy drumming acting like shooting, exploding stars. As the definitive track on this album, "The Madrig Speaks, the Panther Walks" demonstrates the inside-out concept, with mixed tempos changed at will and a 6/8 time insert with Dolphy's choppy alto merging into playful segments as the title suggests -- a most delightful track. The ridiculously titled "Hypochristmutreefuzz" might be the most understated fare in its more simple angularity, as Schols plays his bass in the upper register while the band dances around him. Last Date is one of those legendary albums whose reputation grows with every passing year, and deservedly so. While it reveals more about the genius rhythm section than Dolphy himself, it also marks the passing of one era and the beginning of what has become a most potent and enduring legacy of European creative improvised tradition, started by Mengelberg and Bennink at this mid-'60s juncture.
1969 - Vinyl - US first pressing...
Benjamin Herman - The London Session
From theguardian:
British pianist Stan Tracey is rarely a sideman these days, but here his taut trio performs with the excellent Dutch alto saxophonist Benjamin Herman and trombonist Bart Van Lier. It is a 2005 studio set, with repertoire covering four boppish or Latin-grooving Herman originals and three jazz standards. Herman combines up-tempo agility with an attractively bitter tone on long notes and a fondness for vocalised warbles that suggest Art Pepper. Van Lier is a smooth trombonist with a bright sound (though a distracting tendency to early-jazz pastiche). Tracey's zigzagging figures and double-taking silences signify an elder statesman still at his peak. Straightahead, but with kinks.
from the re-packaged box set on Warner/EMI...
Eva Cassidy - Simply Eva.
Just Eva and her acoustic guitar, this plopped through the letterbox earlier today, for a few pennies from The River.
I've recently been introduced to Eva's music via this forum, and this, the fourth, is the best of her albums purchased so far, IMHO.
Goldfrapp - Felt Mountain - Oxfam £2.99
They also had two others: Supernature and Black Cherry. Should I snap them up? Which is your favourite from all her CDs?
Having seen lots of posts for Goldfrapp when I saw this one in my favourite record shop I snapped it up. My son who we were visiting was working from home and he said he really enjoyed seeing her at Glastonbury some years ago when he was on the staff. Mostly he remembered Black Cherry.
Must say this one is really good. I like her voice, the song arrangements, the sound effect and the backings.
Phil
Now Playing......
Fred Simon - Since Forever
Fred Simon (piano), Paul McCandless (soprano saxophone, oboe, English horn, bass clarinet, duduk), Steve Rodby (acoustic bass), and Mark Walker (drums, percussion)
Streaming on Tidal......
Continuation of playing Fred Simon, Remember The River was the last album I played last night, I quite enjoy his music.
joerand posted:
The Vaughan Brothers. Family Style. On CD from 1990. First listen and it's brilliant stuff. Tight and fast Texas infused rock. Plus, It's a superbly mastered CD with high DR by Bob Ludwig. Might be the best $4 I ever spent on a blind CD buy.
This album is a favorite of mine, love the songs on this album, fantastic and fun to listen to......
Horace Andy - The Prime of Horace Andy.
Some sunshiny smooth reggae from Horace, the master of laid back, and sometime voice of Massive Attack ............ cool. 
CD arrived today, just playing it now - sounds good
Chet Baker (t) (voc), Wolfgang Lakerschmid (vib), Larry Coryell (g), Buster Williams (b), Tony Williams (d)
Been listening to this one today
HiRes £2.99 Qobuz - Bargain !
1968 - Vinyl - US first (mono) pressing...
Kempff plays Brahms Vol. 1 CD1 -rip. Gray skies above!
Sampled this one...
Ok not getting very excited by it...
