I listened to Candy today and can confirm that the XRCD is a mono mix. It sounded good, and I can see why you like the album--it's a very happy collection of tunes and the playing is upbeat and joyful. I may have to hunt down a stereo version. WP: Lee Morgan - Candy [Audio Wave XRCD24] [AWMXR-0014] Mono mix With Lee Morgan: trumpet; Sonny Clark: piano; Doug Watkins: bass; Art Taylor: drums. Tina Brooks - True Blue [Audio Wave XRCD24] [AWMXR-0004] With Tina Brooks: tenor sax; Freddie Hubbard: trumpet; Duke Jordan: piano; Sam Jones: bass; Art Taylor: drums. Bingo Miki and the Inner Galaxy Orchestra - Montreux Cyclone [Three Blind Mice XRCD TBM XR 5029] This one was a right on the edge of easy-listening, like a Japanese Burt Bacharach or something. Not sure if it will get a lot more listenings, but it'll get at least one more so I can see if it grows on me. Horace Parlan - Speakin' My Piece [Audio Wave XRCD24] [AWMXR-0002] With Horace Parlan: piano; Stanley Turrentine: tenor sax; Tommy Turrentine: trumpet; George Tucker: bass; Al Harewood: drums. I think this was my favorite of the XRCDs I listened to today from my recent order. Hiroko Kokubu - Bridge With Hiroko Kokubu: acoustic piano, synth strings, Pianica; Alex Acuna: drums, percussion, cymbols; Abe Laboriel: electric bass, acoustic fretless bass; Ramon Stagnaro, electric guitar, 12-string guitar; Gary Herbig: alto sax, flute, alto flute, soprano sax, hand clapping, voices, clarinet; Tom Coster, Fender Rhodes, Hammond B-3; Tommy Coster, Jr.: synthesizers, loop, percusion, synth bass, log drum, synth tambourine; Greg Adams: flugelhorn; Andy Narell, steel pans. This one was maybe a bit too smooth for me. I eased into jazz long ago with stuff like this, then grew to dislike the smooth-jazz approach, but as I get older I find some of it to my liking again. I reserve judgment on this one until I listen again. ...to be continued...
Louis Prima/Wingy Manone The Complete Brunswick & Vocalion Recordings (1924-1937), Disc 5 Getting re-antiquated with this delightful set over the past several days. Very joyous, easy, uplifting and stress-free 30s jazz. It has reminded me of something I've been feeling the past few years -- that maybe I have too much music, when something like sits dormant for far too long. That's when my wife nods and my friends slap me sober!
After the too-smooth Bridge, I needed to hear something with a bit more substance, so turned to an old favorite: Andrew Hill - Dusk [Palmetto Records PM2057] With Andrew Hill: piano; Greg Tardy: tenor sax, clarinet, flute; Marty Erlich: alto sax; Ron Horton: trumpet; Scott Colley: bass; Billy Drummond: drums. One of my favorite Andrew Hill albums. If pressed to pick a single favorite from his amazing catalog, this might be it. Really, really love this album. Steve Reich - Music for 18 Musicians [Nonesuch 7559-79962-2] Disc 1 Part of the 5-CD boxed set. Then finally, on the ride home: Jacques Loussier - Plays Bach [Telarc CD83411] With Jacques Loussier: piano; Vincent Charbonnier: bass; André Arpino: drums. Another old favorite. I first heard this playing in the background in a bookstore in Silicon Valley and had to ask what it was. Bought it immediately and have liked it ever since. I didn't make it through the whole CD on my commute home, so I have the second half of the album to look forward to on my ride to work tomorrow morning. Cheers!
Well, I quit smoking de 'erb mainly 'cos I didn't want to be a bad influence on my kids- not that they'd see me smoking at three in the morning The wife and I gave up regular ciggies last year. Successfully But I reckon I can handle the occasional toke once it's legal and that much easier to acquire...cheaper and goes a lot further than booze too Anyway, I threw on On The Corner for my commuting music tonight. Yeah...the "Black Satin"/"One And One"/"Helen Butte"/"Mr Freedom X" sequence does get kinda long, doesn't it? About 34 minutes altogether. On The Corner is a great album- revolutionary, and waaaaaaay ahead of its time- but IMO it might have been better if they cut down the "On The Corner" and "Black Satin etc" bits and added, say, "Ife" and "Rated X" or something, a little variety to break up the monotony...
This sealed 2-LP set turned out to be rather disappointing. Recorded 6/82 at the Hollywood Bowl by Doug Nelson. Producer: Christine Martin. I was impressed by the very young Pieces Of A Dream & enjoyed Grover Washington more than I expected. Weather Report did nothing for me except for Shorter's tenor playing. Nancy Wilson & Freddie Hubbard annoyed me with their grandstanding. Oh well, it only cost me 99 cents.
I was in a tiny NYC bar in the winter of 1974 on a very cold night. It had a "bar piano" where people actually sat at the other side of the piano and rested on it. Maybe twenty people could fit in the place. Someone suddenly said "Budd is here!". I looked up and Budd Johnson was coming in with his full length fur coat. He had his horn. He took off that great fur coat, unpacked his tenor and played so close to me that his horn almost knocked my beer over. I've seen and met many jazz legends, but that was my ultimate jazz experience
Louis Armstrong, "Sparks, Nevada 1964" on Dot Time Records (I have the deluxe "subscription" version). Definitely the best sounding of the releases and spirited playing.
It's too late to subscribe I believe, that opportunity ended a year and a half ago or so is my guess, but there's still a link I'll affix below. It was supposed to be 4 releases over 2 years and has this is the third released, this week. They actually have come out in the standard editions available many places first, before the deluxe sometimes by months. To be honest it's not that great a difference between the standard releases and the subscription, just an extra bit here and there, and an odd (DVD case size but paper) packaging difference. https://www.dottimerecords.com/louis-armstrong/ Wouldn't make sense to subscribe now, you could query them I guess to see if they'll send you the three already out and put you in the queue for the last one if you subscribe.
DKV Trio - Past Present Hamid Drake, drums Kent Kessler, bass Ken Vandermark, reeds Listening to CD 1: Chicago, July 15, 2009
I'm on to disc 14 of the Collector's Edition of "1965-1966: The Cutting Edge" box set of Bob Dylan masterpieces in the rough. Wonderfully interesting takes of "Sad-Eyed Lady of the Low Lands" and "Stuck Inside of Mobile with the Memphis Blues Again."
Just wanted to add after listening to this disc: there are two small things I dislike about this release. One: sometimes Big Chief Moore and Joe Darensbourg are not fully mic'd, especially during their solos. Two: there should be a law that when you have a recording with Jewell Brown you must include a photo, and there is none. She was a beautiful woman at this time.
You guys can't have all the fun, I'm also listening to "Candy" in mono, albeit not on XRCD24. Lee Morgan "Candy" Blue Note Platinum SHM-CD from Japan (mono)
Oh did I score today!! Two more Impulse! Coltrane originals checked off the list. Both are high VG+ Van Gelders. Ascension is Edition II which is the one I want because it was Coltrane’s preferred version. At this point my mini-collection of Coltrane Impulse originals is coming along nicely!
The TOP request returns with the mother of all jazz labels... It's time for: ************************************ ************************************ Jazz & Conversation TOP list request ! ************************************ ************************************ So I'm asking your top Blue Note albums. Top 10 or 20... whatever you think is relevant. You can come back and redo your top anytime. Or you can keep adding new albums. Extra points if your list has albums from 3 or more different decades. For starters I'll play this one, BAM !! On my top ?! You bet it is!
Wow, that's ambitious and hard to choose just ten. I have to say that the Monk "Genius of Modern Music" volumes would have to be included. Those are sides that keep on giving me joy and an education.
The two Blue Note albums I find myself listening to most are: Thelonious Monk: 'Round Midnight: The Complete Blue Note Singles Eric Dolphy: Out to Lunch After that pick 'em: Complete Blue Note Recordings of Herbie Nichols The Amazing Bud Powell Cecil Taylor - Conquistador Sam Rivers - Fuscha Swing Song Andrew Hill - Black Fire Don Cherry - Complete Communion Joe Lovano - Rush Hour Joe Lovano - I'm All For You But the list could go on. And, not really a jazz album but Norah Jones - Come Away with Me
I've never really warmed to the music of Ambrose Akinmusire, but my first listen to this album, Origami Harvest, knocked me out. In an era full of intriguing political jazz-rap hybrids (Dana Murray's Negro Manifesto is another good one this year), and year that saw the release of another great politically tinged classical-popular hybrid -- Magos Herrera's record with the string quartet Brooklyn Rider, Dreamers -- this one stands out above 'em all -- strings from the Mivos Quartet, keys, drums, trumpet and words from Kool A.D. from Das Racist -- at least on first listen. It won't be my last. Spellbinding.
