Monthly Archive: November 2007
Joe Williams & Count Basie – Everyday I Have the Blues – Roulette/Blue Note
Prime Basie with Joe Williams
MOZART: Don Giovanni – Johannes Weisser (Don Giovanni)/ Lorenzo Regazzo (Leporello)/ Alexandrina Pendatchanska (Donna Elvira)/ Olga Pasichnyk (Donna Anna)/ Kenneth Tarver (Don Ottavio) – RIAS Ch. Choir/Freiburg Baroque Orch./Rene Jacobs – Harmonia mundi
An illuminating reading of great consistency, with much to commend it
Audio News for November 20, 2007
Pioneer Launches SyncTV; Dealing With Media in the Home; Theta Digital Sold to ATI
“Portraits” – NORDGREN: Portraits of Country Fiddlers; BRUCH: Serenade; BARTOK: Romanian Folk Dances; SALLINEN: Funeral March; RAUTAVAARA: Ostrobothnian Polska; GRIEG: Two Melodies; JALKANEN: The Serf of Viro – Ostrobothnia Ch. Orch./Joha Kangas – Alba
Ostrobothnia is a region of western Finland with a thriving folk music culture.
VERNON DUKE: Piano Concerto; Cello Concerto; Homage to Boston – Scott Dunn, piano/ Sam Magill, cello / Russian Philharmonic Orch./ Dmitry Yablonsky – Naxos American Classics
These three works show another side of Vernon Duke’s undeniable composing skills and support the need for a revival of more of his music.
Jimmy Smith – Midnight Special – Blue Note Jimmy Smith – Back at the Chicken Shack – Blue Note
April 25, 1960 is a special date for soul jazz lovers
Frank Rosolino & Carl Fontana – Trombone Heaven – Uptown Records Flashback Series
Two masters of the trombone
McCoy Tyner – Horizon – Milestone Keepnews Collection
Tyner with a twist
BRAHMS: Liebeslieder-Walzer op. 52, Drei Lieder op. 64 and Neue Liebeslieder op. 65 – Marlis Petersen (soprano), Stella Doufexis (alto), Werner Güra (tenor), Konrad Jarnot (baryton-basse), Christoph Berner and Camillo Radicke (piano) – Harmonia mundi
I thoroughly recommend this CD to romantics at heart; others might feel the same way after listening to these exquisite miniatures.
OSVALDO GOLIJOV: Oceana; Tenebrae; Three Songs – Dawn Upshaw, soprano/ Luciana Souza, vocals/ Scott Tenant, John Dearman, guitars/ Jamey Haddad, percussion/ Jay Anderson, bass/ Kronos Quartet/ Atlanta Sym. Chorus & Orch./Robert Spano – DGG
Some exquisite music here, but this might be better for the already-initiated
Leslie Pintchik – Quartets – Ambient Records
An apt name for a jazz artist’s own label which bothers to record and release in hybrid surround SACD!
Jim Snidero – Tippin’ – Savant
Snidero with a Hammond trio and Rudy at the helm: a winning combo
SAINT-SAENS: Piano Concerto no. 5 in F Major, Op. 103 “Egyptian”; Piano Concerto No. 2 in G Minor, Op. 22; FRANCK: Symphonic Variations – Jean-Yves Thibaudet, piano/L’Orchestre de la Suisse Romande/Charles Dutoit – Decca
Captures the finesse and savoir that always mark this composer’s keyboard concertos.
Peder af Ugglas – Beyond – Opus 3
A dozen more of his mostly nostalgic-sounding roots-music-influenced small group forays
Andy Milne, piano + Grégoire Maret, harmonica – Scenarios – ObliqSound
Eventually one forgets that these rich sounds are coming from this unassuming little almost-toy instrument.
Audio News for November 16, 2007
Latest on the DTV Countdown; D&M Holding Reports Gains; Macrovision Acquires All Media Guide
MOZART: Mass in C, “Coronation”; Motet, “Exultate, Jubilate”; Vesperae solemnes de confessore – Dorothee Mields, soprano/ Melanie Forgeron, mezzo-soprano/ Christoph Wittman, tenor/ Matin Berner, bass/ Sinfonieorchester Aachen/ Marcus Bosch – Coviello
The sound shoots this otherwise fine release in the foot
“Polish Spirit” – EMIL MLYNARSKI: Violin Concerto No. 2 in D; MIECZYSLAW KARLOWICZ: Violin Concerto in A, CHOPIN-Arr. by KRZESIMIR DEBSKI: Nocturne No. 1: Larghetto, Nocturne No. 2: Andante – Nigel Kennedy, violin/Polish Ch. Orch./Jacek Kaspszyk – EMI
Both concertos are full of Romantic period devices and most convincingly delivered by Kennedy and the Polish players.
SCHUBERT: Lieder – Christian Gerhaher, baritone/ Gerold Huber, piano – RCA Red Seal
More than a Fischer-Dieskau wannabe, Gerhaher offers some real sentiment, finely executed
BRAHMS: Symphonies Nos. 1 and 4 – Aachen Symphony Orchestra/ Marcus Bosch – Coviello Classics
Smaller is not a bad thing, and these performances hold their own in spacious sound
BACH: Trio Sonatas, BWV 525-530 – Trio Lézard – Coviello Classics
Finely recorded transcriptions, but is three a crowd?
Stacey Kent – Breakfast on the Morning Tram – Blue Note
A highly individual female vocal album that stands out from the crowd.
Stereotypes Audio
Cembal d’amour
Pure Pleasure / Speakers Corner
Cedille
