Monthly Archive: September 2016
ADRIAN JONES: Nybyggnan – Concerto for Saxophone & String Quartet – Daniel Reid/ Jeanette Eriksson/ Sérgio Crisóstomo/ Adrian Jones/ Anna Wallgren – BIS
ADRIAN JONES: Nybyggnan – Concerto for Saxophone & String Quartet – Daniel Reid (soprano, tenor and baritone saxes); Jeanette Eriksson/ Sérgio Crisóstomo (violins)/ Adrian Jones (viola)/ Anna Wallgren (cello) – BIS multichannel SACD BIS-2119, 53:49 (10/9/15) [Distr. by Naxos] ****: Swedish folk-based music well played and nicely recorded. A viola player himself, Adrian Jones constructed his six-part concerto Nybyggnan, a folk music saxophone concerto in chamber music format, using a set of newly-written tunes in a folk idiom imbued with elements from jazz, heavy rock and classical music. Written for chamber instruments, it also creates a bridge between the folk and chamber music world. Nybyggnan was composed for Daniel Reid, a saxophonist and a pioneer in Swedish folk music. He is one of the performers on this disc. Also heard are Mr. Reid’s own Rings on Water as well as Adrian Jones arrangement of the traditional Tingsmarschen (‘The District Court March’). The 5.0 surround SACD is not a sonic spectacular, but the small ensemble sounds very realistic. Instruments are placed in a well-defined soundstage, while the rear channels are used for ambiance, although the recording venue is not identified. Jones is an interesting composer. He’s deeply studied Swedish folk music, […]
Audio News for September 16, 2016
The Loss of the Well-Rounded Musician – Mozart and his sister experienced many different styles of playing and composing around Europe, and Beethoven was known more as an improviser at the piano during his first years in Vienna. Today most musicians have become more specialized and strive for being note-perfect with perfect technical finish. It is now rare for professional classical musicians also to be composers. Improvising is generally out of fashion. Some critics feel that the separation of composers and instrumentalists as professions is slowly killing the spirit of classical music. Two New Smart Audio Technologies – Frontier Silicon, leaders in smart audio technologies, offered two new items at CECIA 2016: Minuet – a Googlecast-enabled speaker toolkit for Wi-Fi speakers, soundbars and hi-fi systems, and Venice 6.5 – a cost-optimized solution for multi-room speakers that includes Napster, Spotify Connect, and Deezer. The Minuet includes the entire design set needed to build an audio product and comes pre-certified for CE, FCC, the Wi-Fi Alliance and Bluetooth. It also handles the latest v. 4.2 of Bluetooth, the latest Wi-Fi, diversity antennas, a dual-core ARM A7 processor and multiple audio inputs and outputs. Venice 6.5 integrates with premium streaming music services, has […]
San Francisco Symphony At 100, Blu-ray (2012)
San Francisco Symphony At 100, Blu-ray (2012) Performers: San Francisco Symphony/ Michael Tilson Thomas Studio: SFS Media (6/12/12) Video: Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Aspect ratio: 1.78:1 Audio: English: Dolby TrueHD 5.1/ English: Dolby TrueHD 2.0, Both 96kHz, 16-bit audio Subtitles: English, Spanish, Mandarin (Simplified), Mandarin (Traditional)Length: 2:26:30 Rating: *** 1/2 A rousing concert disc marred by too much talking. This disc documents a September, 2011 Centennial concert with Michael Tilson Thomas and the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra. The same concert was presented on PBS some years ago in a more complete form. More about that later. As a concert recorded in high definition video and high resolution sound I have no complaints. It is well directed, well produced, and the musicians are in top form. Sadly, I have some complaints about the formatting of the disc and the program. Each presented work is opened with comments by author Amy Tan. They are fine for one viewing, but she is hard to eliminate from subsequent viewings as her comments preceding each work are located at the chapter stops. It would be better to have had each musical presentation start at the chapter break, so as a result you either listen to her comments, […]
HINDEMITH: Viola Sonatas – Paul Eurler (viola) Christian Rivinius (piano) / Viola Sonatas Op. 11 & 25; Solo Viola Sonatas – MD&G
HINDEMITH: Viola Sonatas – Paul Eurler (viola)/ Christian Rivinius (piano) / Viola Sonatas Op. 11 No. 4 & Op. 25 No. 4; Solo Viola Sonatas Op. 11 No. 5 & Op. 25 No. 1 – MD&G multichannel SACD (2+2+2) 9031952 (5/13/16) TT: 69:00 [Distr. by E1] ***1/2: Hindemith viola sonatas – a first for SACD. Violist Christian Euler’s new SACD recording of two solo sonatas and two duo sonatas with the pianist Paul Rivinius presents Hindemith’s viola works for the first time in high resolution on disc. We don’t usually think of Hindemith’s ‘smaller’ works, but rather his large scale compositions like the Symphonic Metamorphosis and his Mathis der Mahler. In fact, Hindemith had a strong relationship to the stringed instruments. He was taught the violin as a child. He entered the Hochsche Konservatorium in Frankfurt am Main where he studied conducting, composition and violin under Arnold Mendelssohn and Bernhard Sekles, supporting himself by playing in dance bands and musical-comedy outfits. He acted as concertmaster of the Frankfurter Museumsorchester from 1915 to 1923 and played in the Rebner string quartet from 1914 in which he played second violin, and later the viola. In 1921 he founded the Amar Quartet, playing […]
Captain America – Civil War, Blu-ray 3D (2016)
A noisy cgi-filled adventure with Marvel comic book characters. Captain America – Civil War, Blu-ray 3D (2016) Cast: Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, Sebastian Stan, Anthony Mackie, Don Cheadle Directors: Anthony & Joe Russo Studio: Walt Disney Studios/Marvel 135201 (9/13/16) 3D (2 discs) Video: 1.29:1 for 16:9 screens HD color 3D Audio: English DTS-HD MA 5.1, French DD 5.1, Spanish DD 5.1 Subtitles: English, Spanish, French Extras: Audio commentary by directors and screenwriters, “United We Stand, Divided We Fall – The Making of Captain America: Civil War”- Part 1 & 2, “Captain America: The Road to Civil War,” “Iron Man: The Road to Civil War”, Sneak Peak at Marvel’s Doctor Strange, Gag reel, Deleted & extended scenes Length: 147 min. Rating: *** All the reviews at Amazon are very positive, but not being a Marvel comics fan or even having seen previous Avenger movies (only the Iron Man pair) I found it confusing, overly violent, too explosive and full of various super-heros about which I knew nothing. I had no idea that many of them could become suddenly very tiny or Godzilla-like giants, which only added to the confusion. Don’t expect anything to do with the American Civil […]
BEETHOVEN: Piano Sonata No. 27 in e minor; Piano Sonata No. 28 in A Major; Piano Sonata No. 29 in B-flat Major, “Hammerklavier” – Steven Osborne, p. – Hyperion
Steven Osborne brings passion and intimacy to the trinity of Beethoven sonatas, 1814-1819. BEETHOVEN: Piano Sonata No. 27 in e minor, Op. 90; Piano Sonata No. 28 in A Major, Op. 101; Piano Sonata No. 29 in B-flat Major, Op. 106 “Hammerklavier” – Steven Osborne, p. – Hyperion CDA68073, 74:25 (9/3016) [Distr. by Harmonia mundi/PIAS] ****: Steven Osborne performs (31 March – 2 April 2015) the three Beethoven sonatas of the 1810 period, conceived as a trilogy – a group that forms its own arch of increasing length and difficulty – moving from a relatively compressed work in the e minor Sonata to one of the most epically taxing of sonatas in the keyboard repertory. Osborne plays the three sonatas in reverse order, beginning with the daunting 1819 Hammerklavier Sonata, given a remarkably fresh and energetic gloss in this rendition. If the “official” metronome marking for the opening movement stands at half note = 138, then even Osborne’s fluid dexterity cannot maintain the speed beyond the introductory bars; and he need not for the grand, virtuosic effect of the movement’s remainder. Osborne’s fleet approach seems to make the often audacious modulations that much more pronounced, as in the exposition’s second […]
Audio News for September 13, 2016
Designer Reimagines Classics as Data Visualizations – Nicolas Rougeux creates a sort of Rorschach test of notes from famous classical music scores, in Off the Staff. Standard sheet music is turned into works of expressive art, He says he wants to represent an entire score in a single image which fans of the music would want to have on their wall because they’re familiar with the music. He uses a circle as frame to break away from the staff representation of notes and show all the notes on a same scale. He warps an entire score around a circle starting at the top, removing all musical marks except the notes, spacing them evenly around the circle and having the circles of different sizes based on a note’s duration. He uses colors to differentiate between multiple instruments. Those notes closer to the center of the circle are the lower notes, and those farther away are higher. Here’s an example of the first movement of Mozart’s Eine Kleine Nachmusik: Google Chromecast 2 Update Features UHD – The $35 gadget basically makes most TV smart, even older ones (but will only display HD content on a “4K”TV). It lets you wirelessly cast content […]
The Cookers – The Call of the Wild and Peaceful Heart – Smoke Sessions
Not resting on their laurels… The Cookers – The Call of the Wild and Peaceful Heart – Smoke Sessions SSR 1607, 74:08 ****: (Eddie Henderson – trumpet; David Weiss – trumpet; Donald Harrison – alto sax; Billy Harper – tenor sax; George Cables – piano; Cecil McBee – bass; Billy Hart – drums) For their fifth CD release the super-star jazz ensemble, The Cookers, have moved to the Smoke Sessions Records label. This is a smart move both artistically, and hopefully on the marketing side. Smoke Sessions have been releasing some of the best hard bop and progressive jazz issues over the last several years, ranging from jazz icons such as George Coleman, Harold Mabern, Louis Hayes, and Jimmy Cobb, as well as from more contemporary artists as Orrin Evans and Peter Bernstein. (The label also released a CD from the Cookers’ trumpeter, Eddie Henderson – Collective Portrait). What is so exciting about The Cookers is that they continue to release vibrant, creative music at this stage in their careers. Founding member trumpeter, David Weiss, and newest member, altoist Donald Harrison, are both in their ‘50s, while the balance of the musicians are in their ‘70s (bassist Cecil McBee is 81..). […]
The Claudia Quintet – Super Petite – Cuneiform
The Claudia Quartet shares musical sketches from life incorporating travel, song, news, movies and more. The Claudia Quintet – Super Petite [TrackList follows] – Cuneiform, Rune 427, 47:21 [6/24/16] ****: (John Hollenbeck – drums, percussion; Red Wierenga – accordion; Matt Moran – vibraphone; Drew Gress – acoustic bass; Chris Speed – clarinet/tenor saxophone) Some writers prefer the conciseness and tight structure of short stories to the length of novels. There’s a nebulousness to characters and pensive situations where the reader has to fill in some details. One of Raymond Carver’s short story collections was called Short Cuts, and that’s an apt analogy to drummer/composer John Hollenbeck’s 47-minute Super Petite, the eighth release with his long-standing Claudia Quintet. Whereas some jazz artists gravitate to making albums or musical projects prolonged and larger, Hollenbeck took the opposite approach and focused on penning shorter compositions (although one piece on Super Petite is over eight minutes). Hollenbeck states in his liner notes, “Many of these compositions came from studies or ideas that I wanted to practice or explore—and through further exploration, they organically evolved into musical portraits or musical shorts.” Hollenbeck’s work has been and continues to be modernistic, and spans contemporary jazz and […]
“ORGANISM” – TRYGVE MADSEN, KJELL MØRK KARLSEN, and KJELL FLEM – Terje Winge, organ – 2L
“Organism” – TRYGVE MADSEN, KJELL MØRK KARLSEN, and KJELL FLEM – Terje Winge, organ – 2L Pure Audio Blu-ray 2L-123-SABD + multichannel SACD, DTS-HD MA 192kHz/24 bit 5.1, DTS-HD MA 96kHz/24 bit 7.1, PCM 192kHz/24 bit stereo, Dolby Atmos, 9.1 Auro 3D, mShuttle: stereo MQA 96kHz + MP3 (8/25/16) (1:09:17) [Dist. by Naxos] ****: Excellent contemporary organ music in a variety of listening formats, both hi and low-res. The organ music on this album is written by three composers with different musical backgrounds, who give us excellent contemporary music for organ. Trygve Madsen studied with organist-composer Egil Hovland, one of the 20th century’s most significant pioneers in the field of church music. Kjell Mørk Karlsen grew up in a rich church music milieu, inspired by his father, Rolf Karlsen, who was Oslo cathedral organist for over fifteen years. Kjell Flem studied piano and organ, gaining a close knowledge of the organ’s technical and musical possibilities. Included on the disc are: 1 Kjell Mark Karlsen: Sonata “De profundis”, Op. 142 (21:13) 2 Trygve Madsen: Le Tombeau de Dupré, Op. 62 (22:30) 3 Kjell Flem: Ecclesia in mundo (25:35) As is always the case with 2L, this is a beautiful recording. It arrives […]
“Journey – Five Centuries of Song for the Saxophone” = Works by SCARLATTI, CARISSIMI, VIVALDI, MAHLER, MESSIAEN, and others – Eric Lau, sax/Kristin Ditlow, p. – Blue Griffin
Very unusual program but very nice playing. “Journey – Five Centuries of Song for the Saxophone” = Works by SCARLATTI, CARISSIMI, VIVALDI, MAHLER, MESSIAEN, and others – Eric Lau, sax/ Kristin Ditlow, p. – Blue Griffin BGR399, 66:54, (Distr. by Albany) (5/16/16) ***: Eric Lau is a professor of saxophone at the University of New Mexico, a frequent soloist with virtually every New Mexico orchestra as well as the Santa Fe Opera and is the baritone sax player in the esteemed Iridium Quartet. He is a very fine player with a clear and vibrant tone and formidable technique. Eric is truly “the man” among saxophone players in New Mexico and among the best players in the country as I have had the pleasure of hearing his work with the Iridium Quartet. So it is not surprising that – for saxophone playing itself – this is a rewarding album. The show here really is Eric’s very nice tone quality. The payoff is that this album makes for very ‘soft-spoken’, almost ambient, listening. Lau’s technique is not on display here; nor for his pianist, the very fine Kristin Ditlow. I admit, though, I have issues with the program. As the album title […]
The Night Manager (6 Episodes), Blu-ray (2016)
A really thrilling six-episode miniseries based on a John le Carré spy novel. The Night Manager (6 Episodes), Blu-ray (2016) Cast: Hugh Laurie, Tom Hiddleston, Olivia Colman Director: Susanne Bier Studio: Sony Pictures Home Ent. 47778 (8/30/16) [2 Blu-rays] Video: 1.78:1 for 16:9 screens, HD color Audio: English DTS-HD MA 5.1 Subtitles: English, English SDH, French English Soundtrack for the Hearing Impaired Length: TT: 361 min. Rating: ***** This six-part miniseries was originally telecast on the BBC and is a thrilling spy story with great acting, cinematography and production. This Blu-ray duo is labeled “Uncensored Edition,” so there are evidently some portions that the BBC considered unsuitable for airing. For some time only the first two of the six episodes were available to those outside of the UK. It begins with a rather reserved English night manager at a fancy hotel in Cairo, Jonathan Pine. The mistress of a noted Arab person in the hotel has him make copies for her of some papers which incriminate a supposed charitable leader who is actually using his charitable organization for refugees as a cover for his actual business of being an international arms dealer and according to at least one person “the worst […]
Sommernachts Konzert 2016 (Summer Night Concert) = Music of BIZET, BERLIOZ, POULENC, SAINT-SAENS & others – Vienna Phil./ Bychkov – Sony
Semyon Bychkov leads the Vienna Philharmonic in a French program of colorful energy. B01DFY8L1M Sommernachts Konzert 2016 (Summer Night Concert) = BIZET: Farandole from L’Arlessienne Suite No. 2; BERLIOZ: Marche Hongroise from Le Damnation de Faust, Op. 24; POULENC: Concerto for 2 Pianos and Orchestra; SAINT-SAENS: Finale from Le Carnaval des animaux; RAVEL: Daphnis et Chloe – Suite No. 2; Bolero; OFFENBACH: Can-Can from Orphee aux enfers; J. STRAUSS II: Wiener Blut Waltz, Op. 354 – Katia & Marielle Labeque, pianos/ Vienna Phiharmonic Orch./ Semyon Bychkov – Sony 88985313542, 81:40 (6/10/16) ****: Whether 26 May 2016 qualifies as “midsummer” may be negotiable, but the charm and high spirits of the occasion of this Vienna Philharmonic concert remain unequivocal. Conductor Semyon Bychkov decided that music by French composers would comprise the program, excepting the encore by Johann Strauss. The 1932 Concerto for Two Pianos in d by Poulenc appears as a rare novelty, added to the Vienna Philharmonic repertory at this very concert. The engaging concerto sparkles with light tunes in the tricky meters of the music hall, contrapuntal but clear textures, modal harmony, ostinato patterns, and Gallic penchant for cyclic form. The two sisters keep the keyboard parts in constant […]
CHOPIN, MOZART, LISZT & Verdi – Yulianna Avdeeva, p. – Mirare
A sterling recital by Romantic pianist Yulianna Avdeeena makes strong points. Yulianna Avdeeva = CHOPIN: Fantasie in f minor, Op. 49; MOZART: Piano Sonata No. 6 in D Major, K. 284; LISZT: Apres une lecture du Dante – Fantasia quasi sonata; Aida de Giuseppe Verdi: Danza sacra e duettino finale – Yulianna Avdeeva, p. – Mirare MIR 301, 67:00 (2/19/16) [Distr. by Harmonia mundi/PIAS] ****: This recital by Russian pianist Yulianna Avdeeva (b. 1985) captures the 2010 First Prize Winner of the 16th International Frederyk Chopin Piano Competition in a studio recording from 28-30 September 2015. Her natural sympathy for Chopin exerts itself in her agile rendition of the Fantasie (1841), a work Theodor Adorno once characterized as “a tragically decorative song of triumph.” Chopin took as his impetus a nationalist song Litwinka, a kind of collective hymn of Polish exiles. Avdeeva manages its sectionalized structure with a lyric sense of Chopin’s alternation of poignant, militaristic drama and its innate sense of bel canto. The two dominant affects, zal and tesknota – variants of sadness, nostalgia, and hopeful yearning – form a passionate mix striking to the mind and ear, even by Chopin’s high standards. The constant flow of arpeggios […]
MICHAEL TORKE: Three Manhattan Bridges; Winter’s Tale for cello and orchestra – Joyce Yang, p./Julie Albers, cello/Albany Sym. Orch./David Alan Miller – Albany
A wonderful look at this composer’s more recent style. MICHAEL TORKE: Three Manhattan Bridges; Winter’s Tale for cello and orchestra – Joyce Yang, p./Julie Albers, cello/Albany Sym. Orch./David Alan Miller – Albany TROY 1643, 57:24 (9/01/16) ****: I have appreciated Michael Torke’s music for many years now, going all the way to back to his idiomatic ‘color’ pieces (like Ecstatic Orange, et al) which were created in a sort of bouncy and ‘optimistic’ minimalism with shades of jazz. However, if that it is the only iteration of Michael’s music that one is familiar with then we are missing the growth of his very unique and captivating style. These two pieces are about as far from that much earlier ‘para-minimalist’ brand as one could get. Both Three Manhattan Bridges as well as Winter’s Tale are essentially concertos for piano and orchestra and cello and orchestra, respectively. Three Manhattan Bridges is structured in three movements that create almost a musical painting of the feel of three neighborhoods and moods landmarked by three of the most famous – and most often traversed – bridges that lead in and out of Manhattan; the George Washington Bridge, the Queensboro Bridge and the Brooklyn Bridge. This […]
Plantronics BackBeat GO 3 Headphones
Plantronics BackBeat GO 3 Bluetooth Headphones $100 [$90 at Amazon] If you want to plunge into the tech-savvy world of Bluetooth headphones, the BackBeat GO 3 is a good place to start. Specs: Listening time: Up to 6.5 hours. This is about average, but can be improved (see below). Standby time: Up to 14 days. Audio: HQ custom SBC codec, 6 mm custom dynamic drivers, frequency response: 20-20,000 Hz, 20 db passive noise reduction, total harmonic distortion: <3%, sensitivity 102 dBspl/mW @ 1 kHz. Noise reduction for calls: MEMS microphone with digital signal processing (DSP) and full duplex echo noise reduction. Charge connector: micro USB. Charge time (maximum): 2.5 hours (power requirements 5V DC – 180 mA). Battery type: Rechargeable, non-replaceable lithium-ion polymer. Bluetooth v3.0: A2DP 1.2, AVRCP v1.5, wideband audio HFP v1.7, HSP v1.1. (Odd they still use v3.0, when v4.2 is available with its improved range and other benefits.) Headset battery meter onscreen for iOS devices. Weight: 19 g/0.67 oz. Operating + storage temp: 14°F to 122°F/-10°C to +50°C. Operating distance (range): Up to 33 ft/10 m from phone or tablet. Bluetooth’s been around for almost twenty years, but didn’t make much of a splash in the headphones […]
Audio News for September 9, 2016
Everything by Mozart Gets 200-CD Set – Decca Classics has now released a massive 200-disc box set for Mozart completlists. DGG also participated in the Universal Music Group release titled Mozart 225: The New Complete Edition, which arrives late next month. It contains all his symphonies, concertos and all 22 operas plus a newly-discovered composition. (It was a friendly competition with Antonio Salieri and involved a song.) There are also two hardcover books, with a new biography and several frame-worthy prints. The collection was created in partnership with the Salzburg Mozarteum Foundation and Mozart expert Cliff Eisen. Amazon will sell it for $479.36, while Presto Classical appears to have it for only $350. Other Mozart products being prepared are a 33-DVD package all of his operas, a 3-CD collection of “singles,” digital download bundles, streaming albums and themed playlists. The box set consists of 4000 tracks, with 15,000 minutes of music, 600 performers and ensembles, 60 orchestras, 20 different record labels, 5 hours of newly-recorded performances, two hours recorded on Mozart’s own instruments, and it would take ten days to listen to all the music. 70% of the recordings are different from the last major Mozart box set. Video Games […]
Comparison of two Beethoven Ninths, both on SACD
BEETHOVEN: Symphony No. 9 – Polish Chamber Philharmonic Orch. -/Wojciech Rajski – Tacet multichannel SACD in “Real Surround Sound” – TACET S 219 5.1 61:00 (8/12/16) [Distr. by Naxos] ****: BEETHOVEN: Symphony No. 9 – Beethoven Orch. of Bonn/ Stefan Blunier – DGG Gold multichannel SACD 5.1 MDQ 937 1899-6 67:44 [Distr. by Ent. One] *** 1/2: A tale of two Beethoven recordings – one very unique. The Beethoven Symphony No. 9 is one of the most often played symphonies. Many would say the 9th is the composers crowning achievement, and I would not disagree. As a result of its acclaim, I think most of our readers have a copy in their own libraries. So it’s my task to review two new recordings of the 9th, one quite competent and well recorded, the other a radical departure from the usual recording style, but one that is of interest and merit. Let’s start with the more unique approach. It has been recorded by Tacet in Germany, and as is their custom of late, it’s recorded in what they call Real Surround Sound. This is not the usual method of instruments up front with ambiance to the rear. In this 9th, performed […]
GERSHWIN: An American in Paris; Con. in F, Ov. to “Of Thee I Sing;” Three Preludes – Lincoln Mayorga p./ Harmonie Ens., NY/ Steven Richman – Harmonia mundi
Probably the best Gershwin Concerto in F on disc. GERSHWIN: An American in Paris; Concerto in F, Ov. to “Of Thee I Sing;” Three Preludes – Lincoln Mayorga p./ Harmonie Ensemble, New York/ Steven Richman – Harmonia mundi 907658, 56:19 (8/26/16) *****: Steven Richman and the Harmonie Ensemble worked with historically-informed performances of Gershwin, which the conductor has been doing for nearly three decades. The Grammy-nominated conductor wanted to recapture the lean unsentimental style which Gershwin intended for his works. Many of Gershwin’s orchestrations were edited and re-scored by misdirected publishers and arrangers over the years. The 1928 American in Paris portrays an American visitor to the City of Light and was the inspiration for the 1951 Gene Kelley film as well as current Broadway musical/ballet hit. Roy Bargy’s orchestration of Gershwin’s Three Preludes for piano solo is heard here, and he was the original performer for Gershwin’s famous Rhapsody in Blue. The Preludes are full of Brazilian and Spanish flair and bluesy riffs, and have been transcribed for many other instruments. While there are many competing recordings of Gershwin’s first symphonic orchestration, the Concerto in F (including an excellent one conducted by, of all people, Mitch Miller). I would […]
Classical Banjo: The Perfect Southern Art – John Bullard, banjo
The virtuoso of classical works on the banjo. Classical Banjo: The Perfect Southern Art [TrackList follows] – John Bullard, banjo – self TrackList: SCHUMANN: Three Romances for Oboe MARCELLO: Concerto in d TELEMANN: Partita No. 5 in e HANDEL: Trio Sonata in g, Op. 2 No. 8 BACH: Fugue, Sonata No. 1 BACH: Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring; Movement Ten from Cantata BWV 147 GRIEG: Lyric pieces As you can see by the track listing, this banjo player has even eclipsed Bela Fleck in handling a variety of classical music on the lowly banjo. Bullard was originally kicked out of Virginia’s Commonwealth Music Program because of his instrument. On this CD (and some earlier ones) he reimagines the banjo altogether, as some other performers have amazingly done lately with the lowly ukelele. Bullard went to the Old-Time Fiddlers’ Convention in Virginia and eventually met and recorded Fred Boyce, who played Bach on the banjo. He studied with Boyce, recorded two albums of classical banjo and eventually graduated from VCU’s Dept. of Music. He has also published two books on the classical banjo and his music is featured in two motion pictures. Bullard himself did the transcriptions of some of the […]
The Modern Jazz Quartet, Germany 1957-1958 “Lost Tapes” – SWR>>Music, Jazz Haus
These 19556-58 German recordings show the outstanding performances of the early MJQ. The Modern Jazz Quartet, Germany 1957-1958 “Lost Tapes” [TrackList follows] – SWR>>Music, Jazz Haus mono 101 731 *****: Pianist-composer John Lewis, in these early recordings, turns the four musicians of the quartet into a sensitive instrument which vibrates in the same universe of sound, achieving a communion unique in the jazz world. His idea was to present a unique style that incorporated both jazz and classical elements with great polish and artistry. And this they did. This is really cool jazz by players who really know the music. There are some nice variations in the German recordings from the U.S. releases, which make the disc worth getting. There is an interlude by John Lewis on “Ralph’s New Blues,” which presents this MJQ classic in a whole new light. On “Midsommer,” the MJQ is heard together with the Harald Banter Ensemble in a third stream style. Then there is their early interpretation of my favorite jazz tune, John Lewis’ “Django.” TrackList: Ralph’s New Blues, God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen, Willow Weep for Me, I’ll Remember April, Misömmer, Bluesology, Django, Sun Dance, Cortege. You Go to my Head, I Can’t […]
A two-film retrospective on Zydeco, Blu-rays
A two-film retrospective shows the joys of Zydeco! Kingdom Of Zydeco – Blu-ray (1994/2016) Cast: Boozoo Chavis; Beau Jocque, John Delafose; Nathan Williams, Sid Williams Studio: MVD Entertainment Group Visual MVD7500BR Director: Robert Mugge Audio: PCM 2.0 Video: 1.33:1 for 1080p HD color TrackList/ Chapters: Do It All Night; Damballah; Gilton; My Pauvre Mamam; Zydeco Boogie Woogie; Joe Delafose; Motor Dude Special; Dog Hill; Gone A La Maison Give Him Cornbread Forty One Days Extras: Iguanas In The House; Introduction To TheKingdom; A Royal Title Length: 71 minutes Rating: Audio: **** Video: **** Overall: **** Zydeco Crossroads – A Tale Of Two Cities – Blu-ray (2016) Cast: C.J. Chewier; Rosie Ledet; Sean Ardoin; Andre Thierry; Louis Michot; Corey Ledet; Buckwheat Zydeco; Nathan Williams; Chubby Carrier; Rockin’ Dopsie, Jr. and many others Studio: MVD Ent. Group Visual MVD7923BR Director: Robert Mugge TrackList: Zydeco Boogaloo; I’m Going Home; You’re No Good To Me; Mmmm, Mmmm, Mmmm; Les Barres De La Prison; Got A Party Goin’ On At El Sol’s; Lookin’ For What You’re Looking For; That L’Argent; Jackpot; Tu Le Ton Son Ton; Creole Men; Backbone; Josephine; Zydeco Crossroads; Baby What You Want Me To […]
Stereotypes Audio
Cembal d’amour
Pure Pleasure / Speakers Corner
Cedille
