Monthly Archive: November 2006
Gil Evans – The Complete Pacific Jazz Sessions – Band includes Ernie Royal, Julius Watkins, Cannonball Adderley, Paul Chambers, Philly Joe Jones, Art Blakey, Curtis Fuller, Steve Lacy and others – Blue Note
Distinctive orchestrations of jazz standards with the smoothly contemporary Gil Evans touch
Grado GS-1000 Dynamic Headphones
The new top-of-line phones prove well worth the years of work developing them
Club d’Elf – Now I Understand – Accurate
Attention-getting mix of DJs, jazz, rock, soul and groove artists
DVORAK: String Quartet No. 13 in G Major, Op. 106; JANACEK: String Quartet No. 2 “Intimate Pages” – Artemis Quartet – Virgin Classics
Sizzling and fervent playing from the Artemis Quartet
PROKOFIEV: The Love for Three Oranges – complete opera (2005)
A major improvement over previous DVD of the opera
Audio News for November 3, 2006
Tube Pod Introduced; Luxury Hard-Disc Storage of Music; Blue-ray News; Klipsch Buys API
Ian Shaw – Drawn to all Things, The Songs of Joni Mitchell – Linn
Flawless singing of some of Mitchell’s best-regarded songs
Mary Foster Conklin – Blues for Breakfast: A Tribute to Matt Dennis – Rhombus Records
Tunes Sinatra and Fitzgrald made famous
Sting – Songs from the Labyrinth – Music of JOHN DOWLAND performed by Sting and Edin Karamazov – DGG
Dowland sung as he’s never been sung before!
Kynnyksellä – On A Threshold – The Female Choir of the Student Union of Helsinki School of Economics/ Kaija Vitasalo, dir. – Alba
Pure-toned Finnish female choir excels in vocal jazz and pop
The Great Jazz Trio – At the Village Vanguard Again & Vol. 2 – Test of Time Records
First CD reissue of these classic performances from 1977
Ulf Wakenius plays the music of Keith Jarrett – Ulf Wakenius, amplified acoustic guitars/ Lars Danielsson, double bass, cello & piano/ Morten Lund, drums – ACT Music
Absolute ear candy, from open to close
SHOSTAKOVICH: Symphonies No. 1 and 14 – Berlin Philharmonic/ Simon Rattle, Conductor/ Karita Mattila, soprano/ Thomas Quasthoff, bass – EMI Classics
This two-disc set is both an artistic and sonic triumph
Messe Noire – Piano Works by STRAVINSKY, SHOSTAKOVICH, PROKOFIEV and SCRIABIN – Alexei Lubimov, piano – ECM
One of the most remarkably satisfying solo piano recordings I’ve had the pleasure of hearing…
Beowulf & Grendel (2005)
A story of blood and beer and sweat
JOSEPH SCHMITT: Early Symphonies and Chamber Music – New Dutch Academy /Simon Murphy, director – Pentatone Classics
Superb period-instrument disc offers superb sound for either stereo or surround listening
Stockholm Concert Hall Organ – Twentieth Century Swedish Organ Music – Erik Lundkvist, organ – Proprius
This is an organ disc for the ages
WAGNER: Gotterdammerung (1999)
Possibly the most bizarrely-staged Wagner opera yet
SHOSTAKOVICH: Cello Concerto No. 1 in E-flat Major, Op. 107; Symphony No. 1 in F Minor, Op. 10 – Mstislav Rostropovich, cello/ Philadelphia Orchestra/Eugene Ormandy – Sony Great Performances
CD version transmogrifies the original LP in this tribute for the Shostakovich centennial
CERVANTES ~ LECUONA ~ SAUMELL ~ TOUZET: “Recordando” – Remembering the Maestros of Cuban Classical – Elena Casanova, pianist – MSR Classics
Music which makes you want to smile, dance, and celebrate the rich Cuban musical heritage
CORIGLIANO: Phantasmagoria; To Music; Fantasia on an Ostinato; Three Hallucinations – Tampere Philharmonic/Eri Klas – Ondine
Music of mostly elevating sentiments from an often frustrating composer
PAGANINI: Violin Concerto No. 1 in D major, op.6; LOUIS SPOHR: Violin Concerto No. 8 in A minor, op.47 – Hilary Hahn, violin /Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra,/Eiji Oue – Deutsche Grammophon
Music played with deep honor and respect for the composers
Stereotypes Audio
Cembal d’amour
Pure Pleasure / Speakers Corner
Cedille
