Monthly Archive: June 2010
Frank Macchia – Folk Songs for Jazzers – Cacophony, Inc.
I recommend the CD to any kindergarten or pre-school teacher that needs something a little different to help the children get some of their wiggles out.
“Old World – New World” – DVORAK: String Quartets: No. 10 in E-flat, Op. 51; No. 11 in C, Op. 61; No. 13 in G, Op. 106; No. 14 in A-flat, Op. 105; String Quintet in E-flat, Op. 97, “American” – Paul Neubauer, viola/ Emerson String Quartet – DGG
Outstanding recordings to complete the series begun with the original “American” Quartet of many years ago.
BRAHMS: Horn Trio in E-flat Major, Op. 40; Clarinet Quintet in B Minor, Op. 115 – Gail Williams, horn /Larry Combs, clarinet /The Chicago Chamber Musicians – Summit Records
These works come from different ends of Brahms’s career, the Horn Trio being a fairly early work, the Quintet coming from his last years.
Livingston Taylor – Last Alaska Moon – Chesky/Coconut Bay
Singer/songwriter Livingston Taylor returns from a short hiatus with a subtly-varied and finely-crafted song collection.
Billy Cobham, Colin Towns and the Hessische-Rundfunk Big Band – Meeting of the Spirits: A Celebration of the Mahavishnu Orchestra – In and Out
Summarizing Meeting of the Spirits, John McLaughlin notes: “I would never have imagined these particular compositions being played by a big band, but in a way you have made a dream come true!”
Horace Silver Quintet – The Tokyo Blues – Blue Note/ Analogue Productions
Hard bop with a faux Japanese influence….
“Volupté” = CHARLES KOECHLIN: Sonata for Piano & Viola; Quatre Petites Pièces; JOSEPH JONGEN: Concertino; Introduction et Danse; Andante Espressivo; Allegro Appassionato – Roger Benedict, viola /Timothy Young, p./Ben Jacks, horn – Melba
Roger Benedict has a superbly focused, ringing tone and gets first-rate support from pianist Timothy Young and hornist Ben Jacks, who lends a hand in the colorfully scored Quatre Petites Pièces.
15 Film Soundtrack CDs
Scores from MAX STEINER, BERNARD HERRMANN, ERICH W. KORNGOLD, MAX STEINER, GABRIEL YARED, HOWARD SHORE, PHILIP GLASS, CARL DAVIS, DMITRI SHOSTAKOVICH, SIR ARTHUR BLISS & LALO SCHIFRIN
SHOSTAKOVICH: Cello Sonata in D minor, Op. 40 (1934); Two Pieces for cello and piano, from the Second Ballet Suite (1951); Sonata Op. 147 (1975), (played on cello but originally for viola) – Michal Kanka, cello /Jaromíř Klepac, piano – Praga Digit
Intense playing in Shostskovich’s last work; another gem from Praga Digitals.
Grant Green – Green Street – Blue Note /Analogue Productions
A visit to Green Street.
BERNARD ZWEERS: Symphony No. 3 “An mij Vaderland” (1886-1890) – Het Residentie Orkest, Den Haag /Hans Vonk – Sterling
A Romantic symphony well worth investigating.
Christian Scott – Yesterday You Said Tomorrow – Concord Music Group
New Orleans trumpeter breaks through with a ruminating, socio-political tribute to an era of change.
Steve Davis – Images – Posi-Tone
Must be a mighty fine town…
Grand Celebration for The Historic Grand Court Concert for Macy’s 150th Anniversary = DUPRE: Cortege and Litany; JONGEN: Symphonie concertante, Op. 81; ELGAR: Pomp and Circumstance No. 1 – Peter R. Conte, organ/Philadelphia Orch./Rossen Milanov – Gothic
A big organ-and-orchestra blowout at Philadelphia’s former Wanamaker’s.
Frank Zappa – The Freak-Out List (2009)
A most interesting documentary, but not really a documentary on versatile musician Frank Zappa.
Shinjuku Incident (2009)
Don’t expect Jackie’s patented gung fu balletics and Keatonesque physical humor; there is none of that here.
ANTON ARENSKY: Piano Concerto in F Minor, Op. 2; Fantasia on Russian Folksongs, OP. 48; To the Memory of Suvorov; Symphonic Scherzo – Konstantin Scherbakov, piano/Russian Philharmonic Orchestra/Dmitry Yablonsky – Naxos
An amalgam of works by a Russian master whose early debts to Chopin and Liszt color every page.
Keith Jarrett, piano/Charlie Haden, doublebass – Jasmine – ECM
These are deeply felt, intimate duos – not the sort of sometimes crowd-pleasing solo excursions of albums like the Köln Concerts or even the Jarrett trio recordings.
Audio News for June 4, 2010
CEA Line Shows Demo “Hot Products”; Don’t Be Misled by TV Display Specs; Logitech Replacing Harmony Remotes with Free Apps for Google TV; Second Year of Losses for Sony; Sony Goes 3D with Its PS3; Dangers of Lithium Cell Batteries
BRUCH: Symphony No. 1 in E-flat Major, Op. 28; Symphony No. 2 in F Minor, Op. 36 – Staatskapelle Weimar/Michael Halasz – Naxos
Aside from its litany of influences, Bruch’s symphonies speak to us of a sincere and ardent melodist whose conservative faith in sonata-form brings resonant rewards.
Fishtank Ensemble – Woman in Sin – Fishtank Ensemble Musique Noir – Good Hair – Musique Noir
The influence of world music seems to be a thread running thru many of the crossover albums.
LUDWIG THUILLE: Piano Quintets in E flat Major and G minor; Sextet for Piano and Wind Quintet B flat Major; Trio for Violin, Viola and Piano E flat Major – 1) The Falk Quartet with Tomer Lev, piano; 2) London Conchord Ensemble members – Champs Hill (2)
This is one of the most enjoyable chamber music collections I have heard in years.
Stereotypes Audio
Cembal d’amour
Pure Pleasure / Speakers Corner
Cedille
