Monthly Archive: July 2016
Jeri Southern, vocals – Blue Note Chicago, March 1956 – Uptown
Jeri Southern – Blue Note Chicago, March 1956 – Uptown mono UPCD 27.84 67:06 ****: A torch singer who resided in the style without the regret. (Jeri Southern – vocals, piano; Al Bruno – bass; Dominic “Mickey” Simonetta – drums) There was a period in the 1950s, when most of the female singers of any […]
PROKOFIEV: Sinfonia Concertante in E Minor; Cello Son. in C – Zuill Bailey, c./ North Carolina Sym. Orch. / Grant Llewelly/ Natasha Paremski, p. – Steinway & Sons
PROKOFIEV: Sinfonia Concertante in E Minor, Op. 125; Cello Sonata in C Major, Op. 119 – Zuill Bailey, c./ North Carolina Sym. Orch./ Grant Llewelly/ Natasha Paremski, p. – Steinway & Sons 30057, 61:56 (5/13/16) ****: Tough-minded Prokofiev in the tradition of Rostropovich—and with the same sensitivity to the gentler side of this great Russian […]
Audio News for July 22, 2016
Munich Philharmonic Launches Its Own Record Label – The Munich Philharmonic and its music director – Valery Gergiev – will release its first two albums on its own new label on Sep. 30th. They will be Mahler’s Symphony No. 2 and Bruckner’s Symphony No. 4. Global Consumer Electronics Market Growth – A report by RNOS […]
Beecham, ABC Blue Network Concerts, Vol. 3 = MOZART: Symphony No. 31; HANDEL: Piano Concerto in A Major; CHABRIER: Espana – Betty Humby, p./ Blue Network Sym. Orch./ Sir Thomas Beecham – Pristine Audio
The third of the Blue Network concerts by Beecham restores the sense of musical festivity and stylistic brilliance. Beecham – The ABC Blue Network Concerts, Vol. 3 = MOZART: Symphony No. 31 in D Major, K. 297; HANDEL: Piano Concerto in A Major; CHABRIER: Espana – Betty Humby, p./ Blue Network Sym. Orch./ Sir Thomas […]
ALFRED SCHNITTKE: Works for Violin and Piano – Roman Mints, v. /Katya Apekisheva, p./ Andrey Doynikov & Dmitri Vlassik, per./Olga Martynova, harpsichord – Quartz (2 CDs)
The many styles of Alfred Schnittke explored in authentic performances. ALFRED SCHNITTKE: Works for Violin and Piano = Sonata No. 1—Sonata No. 2 ‘Quasi una Sonata’; Sonata No. 3; Suite in the Old Style; Congratulatory Rondo; Stille Nacht; Polka – Roman Mints, violin/Katya Apekisheva, p./ Andrey Doynikov & Dmitri Vlassik, percussion/Olga Martynova, harpsichord – Quartz […]
J D Allen – Americana – Musings On Jazz And Blues – Savant
J D Allen – Americana – Musings On Jazz And Blues – Savant SCD 2155, 44:54 ****: The album is an adventure into America’s musical past. (J D Allen – tenor saxophone; Gregg August – bass; Rudy Royston – drums) The combination of musicians that J D Allen brought together for his look at musical […]
Twin Talk – Twin Talk – ears&eyes
With Twin Talk, communication is key. Twin Talk – Twin Talk [TrackList follows] – ears&eyes ee: 16-043, 53:45 [4/29/16] ****: (Andrew Green – drums; Katie Ernst – bass, voice; Dustin Laurenzi – tenor saxophone) A little medical jargon is necessary to appreciate the moniker of this Chicago trio. Cryptophasia (or twin talk) is a language […]
Jose Iturbi – The Victor and HMV Solo Recordings – APR (3 discs)
BJose Iturbi – The Victor and HMV Solo Recordings [TrackLists follow] = APR 7307 (3 CDs), 73:15, 72:35, 65:56 (7/1/16) [Distr. by Naxos] ****: A master pianist from the past, whose recordings may interest many today. The name of Jose Iturbi (1896-1980) invokes mixed reactions from classical music enthusiasts: Iturbi earns credit as a fine […]
Works of ELENA LANGER – Harmonia mundi
A composer worth watching, as of yet difficult to categorize. ELENA LANGER: Landscape with Three People; Snow; The Storm Cloud (Tucha); Two Cat Songs; Ariadne; Stay O Sweet – Anna Dennis (sop.), William Towers (countertenor), Nicholas Daniel (oboe), Roman Mints (violin), Meghan Cassidy (viola), Kristine Blaumane (cello), Robert Howarth (harpsichord), Katya Apekisheva (p.) – Harmonia […]
My Golden Days (2016)
A wonderful French romantic drama with stunning performances by the leads. My Golden Days (2016) Cast: Mathieu Amalric, Quintin Dolmaire, Lou Roy-Lecollinet Director: Arnaud Desplechin Studio: Canal+ etc./ Magnolia Home Ent. 10951 [7/12/16] Video: 2.40:1 for 16:9 screens, color Audio: French, DTS-HD MA 5.2, Dolby 2.0 Subtitles: English, English SDH, Spanish Extras: Conversation with Director, […]
Audio News for July 15, 2016
A New Inexpensive Platform for Home & Business Automation – Matrix, subject of KickStarter campaign where it can be pre-ordered for $299, looks to challenge single vendor approaches from Apple, Samsung and others by building a framework within which third-part open-source apps can co-exist. You can control it by speech, gesture or its mobile app. […]
BACH Preludes & Fugues – Barbara Harbach, pipe organ – MSR Classics
Harbach’s Bach breathes the breath of openness and refined imagery. BACH: Prelude and St. Anne Fugue in E-flat major, BWV 552; Toccata and Fugue in F major, BWV 540; An Wasserflussen Babylon, BWV 653; Prelude and Fugue in C minor, BWV 546; Choral Prelude: O Mensch Bewein Dein Sunde Gross, BWV 622; Fantasy and Fugue […]
MAHLER: Symphony No. 10 (D. Cooke version) Seattle Sym./ Thomas Dausgaard – Seattle Sym. Media
MAHLER: Symphony No. 10 (D. Cooke version) Seattle Sym./ Thomas Dausgaard – Seattle Sym. Media CD SSM1011 (6/10/16) 71:54 ****: A superb performance of the Cooke version of the Mahler 10th. This is a very fine performance of the Mahler Symphony No. 10. It was Gustav Mahler’s final work. At the time of the composer’s […]
MONTEVERDI: Il ritorno d’Ulisse in patria (comp. opera) – Soloists/ Boston Baroque/ Martin Pearlman – Linn
A much needed seminal recording of a work that has to have a broader audience. MONTEVERDI: Il ritorno d’Ulisse in patria (comp. opera) – Fernando Guimarães (Ulisse)/ Jennifer Rivera (Penelope)/ Aaron Sheehan (Telemaco)/ Leah Wool (Minerva)/ Owen McIntosh (Giove)/ Abigail Nims (Melanto)/ Daniel Auchincloss (Eumaeus)/ Sonja DuToit Tengblad (Juno)/ Ulysses Thomas (Antinous)/ Marc Molomot (Irus)/ […]
SHOSTAKOVICH: The Execution of Stepan Razin; The Sun Shines Over Our Motherland; The Song of the Forests – Soloists/ Narva Boys Choir/ Estonian Concert Choir/ Estonian Nat. Sym. Orch./ Paavo Jarvi – Warner Classics
Excellent performances of questionable music…with one exception. SHOSTAKOVICH: The Execution of Stepan Razin; The Sun Shines Over Our Motherland; The Song of the Forests – Alexi Tanovitski, bass/ Konstantin Andreyev, tenor/ Narva Boys Choir/ Estonian Concert Choir/ Estonian Nat. Sym. Orch./ Paavo Jarvi – Warner Classics 0825646166664, 79:52 [Distr. by Naxos] ***1/2: The Execution of […]
Tyler Greenfield, feat. Xiomara Laugart – Sunday Bolero – Bim Bom Studios
Tyler Greenfield, featuring Xiomara Laugart – Sunday Bolero – Bim Bom Studios BB02, 47:14 ****1/2: Traditional Cuban music gets a musical and studio upgrade! (Tyler Greenfield – piano, guitar; Gabriel “Chinchilita” Machado – coros, percussion; Jorge Bringas – bass; Xiomara Laugart – vocals; Karl Rodriguez-Pena – trumpet; Edgar Pantoja-Aleman – coros) There was always an […]
Woody Shaw – Louis Hayes The Tour, Vol. One – HighNote
Woody Shaw – Louis Hayes The Tour, Vol. One – HighNote HCD7291, 62:56 ****: This is a standout band doing creative and modern playing. (Woody Shaw – trumpet; Junior Cook – tenor saxophone; Ronnie Mathews – piano; Stafford James – bass; Louis Hayes – drums) Michael J. West, writing a blog for NPR Jazz said […]
Ayreheart – Barley Moon – Sono Luminus Blu-ray & CD
Ayreheart – Barley Moon – Sono Luminous DSL-92201 (Blu-ray audio + CD) [Distr. by Naxos], 59:55 ****1/2: Traditional folk music with a hi-res boost! (Brian Kay – lute, komuz, vocals; Ronn McFarlane – lute; Willard Morris – colascione; Mattias Rucht – percussion) The origins of folk music are vast and wildly diverse. There are connections […]
Ron Carter – All Blues – CTI 6037 (1974)/ Pure Pleasure (2016) – vinyl
Ron Carter – All Blues – CTI 6037 (1974)/Pure Pleasure (2016) stereo vinyl, 36:01, ****1/2: An audiophile vinyl re-mastering of a jazz legend sounds great! Ron Carter – doublebass, piccolo bass; Joe Henderson – tenor saxophone; Roland Hanna – piano; Richard Tee – electric piano on “117 Special”; Billy Cobham – drums, percussion) There aren’t […]
REGER: Organ Works performed by Christoph Schoener – MD&G
REGER: Organ Works performed by Christoph Schoener (TrackList follows) MD&G 949 1919-6 multichannel SACD with 2+2+2 option (see below) TT: 63:43 (10/30/15) [Distr. by E1] ****: Recording and performance should please audiophiles as well as organ fans. Christoph Schoener is the organist in this fine collection of organ works by Max Reger. Reger, who died […]
SCHUMANN: Piano Concerto in a, Op. 54; MENDELSSOHN: The Fair Melusina Overture, Op. 32; Piano Concerto No. 1 in g, Op. 25 – Ingrid Fliter, p. / Scottish Ch. Orch. / Antonio Mendez – Linn
SCHUMANN: Piano Concerto in a, Op. 54; MENDELSSOHN: The Fair Melusina Overture, Op. 32; Piano Concerto No. 1 in g, Op. 25 – Ingrid Fliter, p. / Scottish Ch. Orch. / Antonio Mendez – Linn multichannel SACD, 61:00 (5/13/16) *****: Chopin specialist Ingrid Fliter is equally at home in two of the Polish composer’s distinguished […]
Visions Eternal” = THOMAS JUNEAU: Four works – soloists/Summit Chorale/Scarlet Knight Brass & Perc. – Ravello
The first disc from a new voice well worth exploring. “Visions Eternal” = THOMAS JUNEAU: Te Deum; Five Latin Motets; Magnum Mysterium; Gaudete – Tami Petty (sop.)/ Sharon Byrne (mezzo)/ Mark Boyle (tenor)/ Jonathan Mortensen (bari.)/, Eun-Hee Park (organ) Elaine Christy (harp)/ Summit Chorale/ Scarlet Knight Brass and Percussion Ensemble – Ravello RR7913, 49:31 [Distr. […]