Monthly Archive: February 2004
Index to All Discs Reviewed for Jan/Feb 2004
Index to All Discs Reviewed for Jan/Feb. 2004: SACD & DVD-A, Pt. 1 (Jazz) – Dave Brubeck at Oberlin, Thelonious Monk with John Coltrane, Karrin Allyson, Nnenna Freelon, Sarah Vaughan, Dinah Washington, Susannah McCorkle, Vince Guaraldi – Charlie Brown, Marc Valle Trio, James Carter Tribute to Lady Day, Art Blakey at Keystone, Peter Whitman’s X-Tet, sax/pipe organ/B3 Trio, Romero – guitar & voice, Gary Burton – Like Minds, Dave Grusin – Two for the Road SACD & DVD-A, Pt. 2 (Classical) – Hi-Res of the Month: BEETHOVEN: 9 Symphonies – Karajan, BACH: Christmas Cantatas – Herreweghe, STRAVINSKY: Firebird & Petrouchka – Paavo Jarvi, BEETHOVEN: Christ on the Mt. of Olives, BRUCKNER: Sym. No. 9 – Harnoncourt, Classical BRUBECK – Choral works, BACH Concertos – Hilary Hahn, Anna Netrebko – Opera Arias, BEETHOVEN Cello Sonatas, CHARPENTIER: Te Deum & Mass, YSAYE Works for Violin, HAYDN: London Symphonies, Vol. 1 – Florilegium, PROKOFIEV: Romeo & Juliet – Paavo Jarvi, ROSSINI Piano Music – Giacometti, CHOPIN: Polonaises – Pollini, STAMITZ & RICHTER: Sinfonias – NDA, Festival of Sound & Image 2003 SACD & DVD-A, Pt. 3 (Rock & Jazz) – James Taylor – Flag/Dad Loves His Work, Footloose – soundtrack, Foreigner 4, Yellow […]
Home Page-January/February 2004
January/February 2004 Contents Best of the Year Discs for 2003 – New! Component Reviews: VPI TNT Jr. Turntable, Outlaw ICBM Hi-Res Disc Reviews (58 total!): Pt. 1, Pt. 2, Pt. 3, Pt. 4 DVD-As = Dave Grusin, Complete Beethoven Cello Sonatas SACDs = Monk, Coltrane, Brubeck, Karajan 2+2+2 DVD-As = Mozart concertos, Vivaldi, Brahms Sextet, Cartellieri concertos 5 New Classical xrcds = Benjamin Britten conducts, 3 Arthur Rubinstein RCAs Special Feature = Soundtrack CDs (10) – Angels in America, O Brother, Last Samurai, Robin Hood Survey of the Print Audio Press Weekly Audio News (See Index for previous weeks): JAN. 7; JAN.14; JAN. 21; JAN. 28; FEB. 4; FEB. 11; FEB. 18, FEB. 25 = Cryogenics for Instruments Now?; Met Opera Loses Chevron/Texaco Sponsorship; Warner Music Sold; Latest in the “Broadcast Flag” Controversy Welcome to our New Look! Your feedback is encouraged! Click on Editorial button. Video DVDs (25) – Stephane Grappelli documentary, Spartacus ballet, Pat Metheny, Rush in Rio, One Night With Blue Note Classical (25) – Pierne Concertos, Janacek Violin Sonata, Paul Creston Sym. No. 5, The Dowland Project, Bantock works, Greek Rapture Jazz (12) – Michael Brecker, Regina Carter, Lee Morgan, David Grisman, Dr. John Reissues […]
Jazz CD Reviews
An Anthology of Sexy Jazz – Various artists – Chesky JD 261: The Chesky Records label has had its own history of trailblazing in good, clean recording engineering. Their latest are no exceptions. They get great performances here on Sexy Jazz from albums by artists in their stable. The tunes, followed by the artists, are: “Baby Talk,” by Dave’s True Story; “The Man I Love,” by Eddie Daniels; “The Touch Of Your Lips,” by John Pizzarelli; “Naima,” by Jon Faddis; “Insensatez,” by Rosa Passos & Ron Carter; “Green and Golden,” by Oregon; “Body And Soul,” by Christy Baron; “I Fall In Love Too Easily,” The Fred Hersch Trio; “ ‘Round Midnight,” by Kenny Rankin; “La vie En Rose,” by Chuck Mangione; “Remind Me,” by Peggy Lee, and “My Funny Valentine,” by The John Basile Quartet. I particularly liked “Insensatez,” by Rosa Passos and the late Ron Carter, on which you hear why each of them became a fixture in jazz, she with her relaxed Bossa Nova singing style, and he with his just right accompaniment, all the time, with every note. I fell in love too easily with Christy Baron and Fred Hersch: if you are intrigued enough to want […]
Classical CD Reviews, Part 2 of 2
Jan/Feb 2004 Pt. 2 of 2 [Pt. 1] Cecilia Zilliacus = STRAVINSKY: Divertimento. SIBELIUS: Humoresques 1, 2 & 6, and Romance Op. 78 No. 2. Sven-David Sandström (born 1942) Diabas for solo violin. RAVEL:Tzigane – Cecilia Zilliacus, violin. Anders Kilström, piano – Caprice CAP 21564 (53 mins.): Swedish violinist Cecilia Zilliacus follows her sensational debut recording for Caprice with a stunning, highly unusual recital of music that showcases her laser-like intonation, jewel-like beauty of tone and death-defying interpretive attitude. Whether it’s in Igor Stravinsky’s sophisticated primitivism or Ravel’s sophisticated gypsy strains, she infuses her hypnotizing world of color and line with occasional blood-chilling spikes. She also finds Anders Kilström a perfect partner; some of his pastel shadings in the Ravel defy description. For good measure, Zilliacus throws in a tour de force for violin alone by Swedish composer Sven-David Sandström. Called Diabas, the six and a half minute movement, which leads from swaying minimalism to the simplicity of remote, plucked notes, was written for an amplified violin made out a kind of black granite called diabase which the artist Lars Wiedenfalk used for making an instrument—gilded on the inside, besides! The piece has enjoyed great success, and was played […]
Classical CD Reviews, Part 1 of 2
Part 1 of 2 [Part 2] JOSÉ LUIS GRECO: Triptych: Perfume/Ardor/Forbidden Tonic; Pastel; I’m Superman! – Mariana Todorova, violin/Philharmonic Orchestra of Gran Canaria/Adrian Leaper – ASV DCA 1153: What is it with the Canary Islands? Suddenly we get two terrific albums simultaneously from different orchestras there; didn’t even know they had any orchestras. Jose Luis is the son of the famous flamenco dancer Jose Greco. He danced with the New York City Ballet as well as with his father’s troupe, and one of his later teachers of composition was John Lewis of the Modern Jazz Quartet. His music is tonal, with concern for the past, and often mixes vital Spanish rhythms with exotic Eastern melodies. The last two works on this fascinating disc were written for the dance and for younger audiences. Pastel has an almost New Age serenity about it, but I’m Superman! is a wild expressionist musical foray that reminds me of Michael Daugherty’s Superman-centered works. The l994 work’s search for Spanish roots is uprooted by the interruption of TV superheros and cartoon music. The strictly orchestral Triptych is more introspective. The first section has a fairytale-like feeling, the second is an elegant violin concerto, and the […]
DVD-Video Reviews, Part 3 of 3
Part 3 – Jan/Feb 2004 [Part 1] [Part 2] Northfork (2003) Starring: James Woods, Nick Nolte, Peter Coyote, Daryl Hannah Directed by: Michael and Mark Polish Studio: Paramount Video: Widescreen letterboxed Audio: Dolby Digital 5.1, Dolby Surround Subtitles: English Extras; Commentary by the Polish Brothers, The Construction of Northfork, 24-Frame news segment on Northfork, Theatrical trailer, Photo gallery The basic plot line of this film seems at first to be the subject for a gritty 50s b&w 16mm documentary: The town of Northfork Montana is about to be flooded due to a big new hydroelectric dam and most of the former residents have left. But an odd group of stragglers remains, and they must be cleared out by the black-clad Evacuation Teams – men who have been promised waterfront land on the new lake in exchange for their efforts. There is a minister taking care of a dying boy convinced he’s an angel, a Mormon with two wives who has built a ready-to-sail ark, and a house thought to be already abandoned but is actually home to four even odder people who may or may not be angels themselves. The lives of all these characters begin to interact and […]
DVD-Video Reviews, Part 2 of 3
Pt. 2 of 3 – Jan/Feb 2004 [Part 1] [Part 3] One Night With Blue Note (2/22/85 & 2003) With Art Blakey, Kenny Burrell, Ron Carter, Jack DeJohnette, Lou Donaldson, Curtis Fuller, Herbie Hancock, Joe Henderson, freddie Hubbard, Bobby Hutcherson, Stanley Jordan, Charles Lloyd, James Newton, Michel Petrucciani, Jimmy Smith, Cecil Taylor, Stanley Turrentine, McCoy Tyner, Grover Washington Jr., Tony Williams & others Studio: Macrovision/Blue Note Records Video: 4:3 Audio: Dolby Digital 5.1 Subtitles: Japanese, French, Spanish Extras: Francis Wolff photo gallery, Blue Note album-cover art gallery Rating: ***** I find this the best jazz concert video since CBS-TV’s The Sound of Jazz back in the days of black & white TV. The special occasion for this historic all-star reunion concert at New York’s Town Hall was to celebrate the re-launch of the Blue Note label after years of inactivity. It had been purchased by EMI in the 70s but not much done with it. Bruce Lundvall was the new CEO and wanted to produce a concert bringing back the past giants of jazz who had been central to the label, plus new artists just signed up – such as Stanley Jordan. This was it, and it proved a […]
DVD-Video Reviews, Part 1 of 3
DVD-Video Reviews – Jan/Feb 2004, Pt. 1 of 3 ALL MUSIC VIDEOS [Part 2] [Part 3] BEETHOVEN: Fidelio (complete opera) The Metropolitan Opera and Chorus conducted by James Levine. Starring Karita Mattila, Ben Heppner, Falk Struckmann, Rene Pape Studio: DGG Video: 4:3 Audio: Dolby Digital 5.1 Extras: Picture gallery, Trailer. Length: 123 minutes Rating: **** When I first saw this performance on PBS two years ago, I wasn’t impressed with the sound quality. It seemed lack-lustre, unimpressive. With this new DVD, all that has changed. What a difference from the broadcast version! The ensemble singing in Act 1 is superb, reverberating throughout the stage. And while the Met still allows such traditional intrusions as applause at the ends of arias, it seems less intrusive. I also heard very little noise beyond the stage, such as coughs and program rustling. This production has creative directing effects: when Fidelio’s “fiance’s” father snaps a picture of the two of them together, Fidelio seizes the opportunity to destroy the film when father is not watching. Karita Mattila in drag is a believable and formidable Fidelio who sings her dramatic aria ” Abscheulicher! Wo eilst du hin?” with tenderness and longing. In the first part […]
Soundtrack CDs
Special Feature SOUNDTRACK CDs Jan/Feb 2004 Reviews by John Sunier S O U N D T R A C K C D s Angels in America – Music from the HBO Film composed and conducted by Thomas Newman – Nonesuch 79837-2: The successful Broadway play on the AIDS crisis by Tony Kushner was made into a well-received six-hour-long movie version for HBO with Al Pacino, Meryl Streep and Emma Thompson, directed by Mike Nichols. It indicts AIDS politics during the Reagan era and tells of a group of people trying to make sense of a world that values human life and decency less and less. Film composer (the son of Alfred Newman and cousin of Randy) Newman has been nominated for five Academy Awards and recently did both Finding Nemo and Six Feet Under. The music stands on its own quite well – a lovely mostly symphonic score by Newman with vocal soloists and a number of unusual sounds, including manipulated violin, prepared guitar, prepared piano, contra-alto clarinet, high-string guitar, kantele, EWI, and some other probably electronic gadgets which I’ve never heard of. There are 31 cues here. The unusual instrumentation helps Newman’s score to reflect the sometimes dream-like or […]
Hi-Res Disc Reviews, Part 4 of 4
58 SACD & DVD-A & xrcd Reviews Total! Jan/Feb 2004 – Part 4 of 4 – Special Formats [Part 1] [Part 2] [Part 3] Click on any cover to go directly to that review By purchasing your hi-res discs at Elusive Disc thru this page you will be aiding AUDIOPHILE AUDITION’s unique review service to audiophiles and making it possible for us to continue it. A Musical Alternative to 5.1 Surround Sound = D&G’s “2+2+2” DVD-As A number of audio writers and recording engineers have weighed in on the disadvantages of the THX/Dolby-originated 5.1 channel/speaker setup for music reproduction as opposed to movie soundtracks. AUDIOPHILE AUDITION had a feature on Music Alternatives to 5.1 in our October 2003 issue. While I personally feel Ambisonics is the best music solution for multichannel sound, several engineers and labels have been trying to stay with the obsolete idea of basically one-speaker-per- channel and have been experimenting with keeping the basic L and R frontal speakers and L and R surround speakers where they normally are, but assigning the other two channels differently. Chesky, Telarc and DMP have used either the center channel feed or the LFE subwoofer feed, or both, to feed […]
Hi-Res Disc Reviews, Part 3 of 4
58 SACD & DVD-A Reviews! Jan/Feb 2004 – Part 3 of 4 – Rock & Jazz [Part 1] [Part 2] [Part 4] Click on any cover to go directly to that review By purchasing your hi-res discs at Elusive Disc thru this page you will be aiding AUDIOPHILE AUDITION ‘s unique review service to audiophiles and making it possible for us to continue it. The Art of Recording and the SACD of Tommy Tommy – The Who – Deluxe Edition hybrid multichannel SACD (with some stereo-only tracks) Geffen B0001386-36 (2 discs): [Purchase at Elusive Disc] The Who’s Tommy has been one of the most eagerly anticipated releases on SACD. This 75-minute rock opera about a deaf, dumb, and blind kid, recorded in 1969, is one of the best rock albums ever made. The music is strong throughout, including such songs as “Pinball Wizard,” “I’m Free,” “See Me Feel Me,” and “We’re Not Going To Take It,” as well as two interesting instrumental pieces called “Overture” and “Underture” – the last one of my favorite pieces on the album. Before I go on, I should explain what I feel is necessary for a good sounding recording. Above all else, […]
Hi-Res Disc Reviews, Part 2 of 4
58 SACD & DVD-A Reviews Jan/Feb 2004 – Part 2 of 4 – Classical [Part 1] [Part 3] [Part 4] Click on any cover to go directly to that review By purchasing your hi-res discs at Elusive Disc thru this page you will be aiding AUDIOPHILE AUDITION ‘s unique review service to audiophiles and making it possible for us to continue it. *** HI-RES DISC OF THE MONTH *** BEETHOVEN: The Nine Symphonies – Berlin Philharmonic/Herbert Von Karajan – Gulda Janowitz, soprano; Hilde Rossel-Majdan, contralto; Waldemar Kmentt, tenor; Walter Berry, bass – Weiner Singverein – Deutsche Grammophon 474 600-2 – Stereo Hybrid SACD: [Purchase at Elusive Disc] This recent release from DGG collects what many (myself included) consider one of the finest Beethoven cycles ever recorded – Karajan’s 1963 release with the BPO – and gives it to us in sterling SACD sound. Karajan had his detractors, and there are those who would consider my remarks almost heresy. But at this point in his career, when he concentrated mostly on the music, rather than compulsively fiddling with the knobs in the control room – he gives us near-definitive performances of each of the nine symphonies, captured on tape […]
Hi-Res Disc Reviews, Part 1 of 4
58 SACD and DVD-A Reviews Total! January/February 2004, Pt. 1 of 4 – Jazz [Part 2] [Part 3] [Part 4]Click on any cover to go directly to that review Although the attraction of their surround sound capability is probably responsible for the very small inroads both new hi-res audio formats have made with the general population, many fans of SACD are strictly two-channel people, and in fact audiophiles continue to shell out considerable sums for periodic refurbishings of mono recordings by jazz greats such as Miles and Coltrane. So since we seem to have received a large batch of both mono and stereo SACDs at AUDIOPHILE AUDITION , let’s get this issue’s four-part! Hi-Res Section underway with some of them. And by the way, you’ll notice that most of these discs can be purchased at online outlet Elusive Disc. If you’ve experienced the blank look you get at most CD stores when requesting SACDs or DVD-As, you’ll appreciate the advantage of ordering directly at the Elusive Disc site. At the same time you will be helping to support AUDIOPHILE AUDITION and our unique review service to audiophiles. John Coltrane – Lush Life (with Earl May, bass; Donald […]
Component Reviews, Part 2 of 2
No. 2 [No. 1] • Jan/Feb 2004 Outlaw Audio ICBM (Integrated Controlled Bass Manager) SRP: $249 SPECS: Inputs: All unbalanced, -10dBV; left, center, right, left surround, right surround, center surround, LFE Outputs: as above plus left sub and right sub Controls: Crossover frequency selectors for left/right front, center, left/right surround, center surround; pots for LFE mix and sub level; switches for L/R recombine, sub mono/stereo, low pass special/normal Crossover frequencies: 40, 60, 80, 100, 120 Hz and bypass Filter slopes: 2nd order Butterworth high-pass in normal and special modes 2nd order Butterworth low-pass in normal mode; 6th order Butterworth low-pass in special mode Frequency response: From -3 dB at crossover point to -0.3 dB at 96 kHz LFE mix range: unity gain to -10dB Sub level range: Full attention to +9 dB Signal-to-Noise: 105 dB THD plus Noise: less than .015% Relative phase shift channel-to-channel: less than 1 degree Maximum output voltage: 9.5Vms Power supply: 15VAC -300mA (wall-wart) Dimensions: 1.76 H x 17.6 W x 7 D inches Intro Bass management, or rather the lack thereof, as been one of the major bugaboos about multichannel audio for some years now. This handy unit from online marketers Outlaw has been […]
Component Reviews, Part 1 of 2
January/February 2004, Review 1 [2] What Goes Around Comes First: VPI TNT Jr. Features: Uses TNT motor assembly, spindle and bearing Solid machined Delrin corner posts Sorbothane suspension Two-layer bonded acrylic chassis May be upgraded to full TNT Specs: Noise level: below audibility Available in 115 and 230 volts & 50 or 60 Hz Dimensions: 25″ W x 19″ H x 7″ D Shipping weight: 2 boxes, 65 & 21 lbs. VPI Industries, Inc. 77 Cliffwood Ave. #3B Cliffwood, New Jersey 07721-1087 732.946.8606 ph. 732.946.8578 fax info@vpiindustries.com Purchase Hereinfo@vpiindustries.com I. A Hoary Anecdote to Gain Perspective Twenty-five years ago, a group of audio enthusiasts met one night in Houston to compare the best of turntable technology with the best of the new-fangled compact disc players. At the time I was young and broke, and attended these gatherings to hear equipment I couldn’t afford. We expected the CD player to pound the daylights out of the turntable: Gordon Holt had promised it would be thus. The CD player was a Kyocera – remember them? The underdog in this competition was a Pierre Lurne table in gleaming black with a sleek SME arm, and a Talisman cartridge. You know what happened. The […]
Stereotypes Audio
Cembal d’amour
Pure Pleasure / Speakers Corner
Cedille
