Author Topic: my topic/my neurosis  (Read 11135 times)

shep

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my topic/my neurosis
« on: January 24, 2007, 10:23:49 AM »
What's the point of having a high rez. system if you sit there cringing at a wall of bad sound? (hoping no one will come in and ask what's wrong with the system) Ever since I started this nervosa, back in the late 70's, I found the same thing. Ten great records out of 50 I ended up listening to. I had to really stretch my musical tastes to find acceptable to good to great sounding recordings. I think it has gotten worse since. Either good sound engineers are getting scarce or they have gotten lazy.
Maybe there are two many buttons on the console? I'm not just talking believable recording venues/spaces as in live or concert hall, there are some amazing studio recordings. My present system, while forgiving, is very revealing and has had me trotting out every disc again to seperate the wheat from the chaff. My greatest are sadly on Vinyl. I have no TT and no intention of getting back into it. Still, I have unearthed some gems on cd that I will share with you. Please don't berate me. Some of these are very hard to find. I've already made H. Salvidor mad for telling him about stuff that he can't find. I'll not make endless lists  Just a few that really make my speakers sit up and take notice. These are la creme de la creme (until I get to hear better)
Might as well start here; I discovered this artist a few years ago. I think this was her first album. Anyway it's the only one of hers I have;
Meshell Ndegocello. "Peace beyond Passion, on Mavrick '96  It is the most astonishing studio recording I have ever heard (I presume it is because I hear no public) Enormous dynamics, shattering deep bass, perfect recording ballance and a totally fabulous performance/arrangement. A++ If it sounds "hot" there's something amiss with your system :wink:
Ok piano: notorious to record. This cd by Joe Sample is a winner. Splendid sounding, believeable piano (all the rest too) Musically it is not very inspiring but that's another issue. ""Old places, old faces" WarnerB. 96'. Right, another A++. (I found this is still available but for a crazy price!) The artist is Curandero, title is ARAS. Crazy good sound, splendid music: neo flamenco/jazz/indian influence. A MUST! Change of pace: Herbie Hancock "Gershwin's World" on Verve. Uneven sound and content but when it's good it's very good. I'm a big fan of Rickie Lee Jones. Her first album on Warner "Rickie Lee Jones" 79' is a classic, her best and is a great recording period. That should hold you for now!

opnly bafld

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my topic/my neurosis
« Reply #1 on: January 24, 2007, 10:32:26 AM »
I find that even with BAD recordings I hear more, things I did not know were there, with a hi rez system and I just enjoy the music too much not to listen.
With your really bad recordings you could always get a Bose Wave Radio and listen to it from another room.  :lol:

ps    I have a demo disc with a recording of Grandma's Hands by Livingston Taylor (Chesky) that has a REEEAAALLY  low frequency noise (maybe his foot tapping and vibrating the mike stand?) that I first noticed when judging a car audio competition. I don't hear it on a lot of home systems, only ones with subs that go low enough or are turned up toooooo much. I am sure Chesky does not know it is there......or maybe they do.

Lin :D

canyoneagle

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my topic/my neurosis
« Reply #2 on: January 24, 2007, 11:40:19 AM »
GREAT THREAD!
Perhaps it will become a sticky.
"Critical condition" comes to mind.......
Here are a few recordings that are perpetual favorites of mine:

Rite of Strings



Ottmar Liebert y Luna Negra, Viva!



Antonio Forcione - Acoustic revenge (a Naim recording)

Rusted Root - Evil Ways live, especially "Cruel Sun".  Stunning live recording.


Offline Carlman

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my topic/my neurosis
« Reply #3 on: January 24, 2007, 11:56:42 AM »
I hope Hantra chimes in here.... He always has the hook-up on great sounding recordings of live shows... which may need its own topic...

Every once in a while I find a very well-recorded album but I can never remember which ones when these topics come up...

The only 2 I can remember at the moment are "Alice in Chains - Unplugged" the MTV cd from the 90's... and "James - Laid" which has a GREAT first song.. and a couple of others but, it's worth the full price of that cd for just the 3 good ones...

-C
I really enjoy listening to music.

canyoneagle

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my topic/my neurosis
« Reply #4 on: January 24, 2007, 12:15:35 PM »
Know watchya mean about forgetting...

Lately I've been keeping a pad of paper and a pen handy to jot down any songs worthy of being added to my "Demo" list.

Since I'm now using a Red Wine iMod as my primary source, I have added a 'demo' playlist which makes it very easy to get to my reference music without much fuss.

I'm taking note of other's recommendations here, and will create my own 'short list' of CD's to buy/rip.   :)

shep

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yum!
« Reply #5 on: January 24, 2007, 12:47:14 PM »
That's a score...the J.L. Ponty one. I'll hunt for that. I was going to recomment one of his albums "No absolute time", Atlantic Jass 93'. Forgot.
I guess I'm just overly critical. I can't get past the bad sound to the good musical content. I suppoe I miss a lot because of that. Early records from Andy Narell are also brilliant recordings.

Offline Inscrutable

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my topic/my neurosis
« Reply #6 on: January 24, 2007, 08:26:01 PM »
Quote
He always has the hook-up on great sounding recordings of live shows...
Well, I'm not B, and these may technically not be golden ears recordings, but maybe something new to y'all ...

My favorite 'live' recording is 'O Blues Where Art Thou'.  Remastered by Steve Hoffman and cut on 180g vinyl, these are recordings made by legendary producer Bobby Shad in the late 40's and early 50's ... essentially 'field recordings' ... on a portable Magnecord tape recorder.  The lineup includes soon-to-be-legends Ray Charles, Lightnin Hopkins, Brownie McGhee, and Sonny Terry.  Not golden ears, but the intimacy is striking.  You can hear them shift in their seats and turning the pages.  You wanna talk about the 'you are there' effect ...

Another fav is a German import (CD ... I prefer my LP, but it is a little worn now) of Renaissance, Live at Carnegie Hall.  I saw Annie Haslam live (among other times) once with laryngitis, and she was still perhaps the best female voice I'd heard.  Great 'art rock' from the seventies.

I'll go one more and quit.  Robben Ford and the Blue Line band, The Authorized Bootleg (live at Yoshi's in Oakland).  Real nice acoustic set ... another you are there kind of thing.  The best white blues band since Paul Butterfield.

lcrim

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my topic/my neurosis
« Reply #7 on: January 29, 2007, 05:17:15 PM »
Recently in high rotation:
Duke Ellington-Three Suites-The Duke and ensemble translate  Tchaikovsky's "The Nutcracker", parts of Grieg's "Peer Gynt" and Duke's collaboration w/ Billy Strayhorn entitled "Suite Thursday."  Utterly accessible and a totally realized concept.  Great music.

Antonio Carlos Jobim-Stone Flower-I hate the term masterpiece but this is on the level of "Kind of Blue"

Sweet Rain - I'm a big Stan Getz fan, and this is Stan's move into bebop after years of playing samba-my favorite Getz LP (you can find it on CD too) Chick Corea, Grady Tate and the ubiquitous Ron Carter.  You can get lost in this one.

shep

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Really nice present
« Reply #8 on: February 05, 2007, 08:05:51 AM »
From Lonewolfny42 over at AC. I've been mouning about not finding a cd of Eric Gale. If found it and a lot of other old gems on one of these. Really pleased! Just goes to show what interaction is all about on these F's.
http://www.looneytunescds.com/rel/v2_viewupc.php?storenr=45&upc=454736601082&pt=1&affnr=-1

http://www.buymusichere.net/rel/v2_viewupc.php?storenr=21&upc=454736601082&pt=1&affnr=-1

http://www.africachannelmusic.com/rel/v2_viewupc.php?storenr=232&upc=454736601082&pt=1&affnr=-1

http://www.towerrecords.com/product.aspx?pfid=2880284
The second on the list is the treasure island!

lonewolfny42

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my topic/my neurosis
« Reply #9 on: February 05, 2007, 11:28:12 PM »
shep....Great !!
Let us know how it turns out..... 8)

shep

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my topic/my neurosis
« Reply #10 on: February 06, 2007, 01:13:17 AM »
There you are! I get kind of lost, switching back and forth. I ordered 7 cds. I get totally freaked out giving my credit card details and imagining my bank acct. suddenly empty :roll: They have an amazing stock. Things I never expected to see or had heard of. The Eric Gale cd was supposedly out of stock and unobtainable everywhere else. They have it. Logging in and ordering was blessedly simple. Now comes the waiting game. I'll share impressions of these discs when they arrive; Eric gale, leon russell, The Blue Nile, Nina Hagen, Neil Larsen, David Grisman quintet (fab. music/sound). Now I can sell some of my lps in peace!

lonewolfny42

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my topic/my neurosis
« Reply #11 on: February 06, 2007, 11:15:26 PM »
shep....Hold on to those Lp's....never know....you might add a TT in the future.

Offline Carlman

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my topic/my neurosis
« Reply #12 on: February 08, 2007, 01:17:49 PM »
FYI, I split a new thread about converting LP's to digital here:
http://www.audionervosa.com/phpbb2/viewtopic.php?t=122
Thanks,
Carl
I really enjoy listening to music.

shep

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Joni Mitchel
« Reply #13 on: March 04, 2007, 01:21:42 AM »
I was a serious fan of hers, right up an including her album "Hijara". Then she seemed to go downhill, both in term of material and voice. In 98' she collaborated on a Herbie Hancock album "Gershwin's World", which is itself a spledid album. She sings two classics, "The Man I Love" and "Summertime". This could have been a dog's diner, instead she does what is virtually a torch song; incredible singing. I think she always had it in her to be a great Jazz singer (as does Ricky Lee Jones) but got sidetracked. I haven't heard anything of her since but what a swansong!

shep

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my topic/my neurosis
« Reply #14 on: May 03, 2007, 12:03:26 AM »
It's been too long since I shared about the music...obsessing over the gear is a bad sign. So today I put on an old cd ('86 is already old!). This one is hard to find; Amanda Mcbroom "Dreaming" on Gecko, a label sponsored by Monster Cable of all things. I have no idea how many they did, but sonically this is top-notch. There's one track where they pitch is off (flat), as if the tape (I presume) machine got wrong or maybe it was on the mixing board. Anyway this is a wonderful album and if anyone else has others of hers and they are as good, I would like to know about it. There's one song that always gives me goosebumps, "For Nothing". I find it astonishingly powerful. It's a message, and a good one. Although this recording is certainly not "natural", i.e. there's over-dubbing and some effects, it's very tastefully done.
  I mentioned the French jazz accordianist Richard Galliano on a recent solo album and neglected another favorite from him. This is a duo with Ron Carter on bass (obviously!). This is a delightful album, well recorded live. Its on a French label, Capitale Jazz, FNAC MUSIC, '91.
   To round off today's contribution, one of my favorites, by Jean Luc Ponty on Atlantic Jazz '93 "No Absolute Time". I never know what to call this kind of music, cross-over jazz? Great sound! I use this as one of my reference discs when I need to re-assure myself that I have good ears and good gear :roll: