Monthly Archive: January 2017
Hints On Shooting a Classical Video – (From a Grammy-award-winning producer: Choose the piece but film the moment; Set the scenes & shoot it lean; Keep it real; Tell a story; Get intimate. “If the viewer wants to focus purely on the music they’re welcome to shut their eyes. But if they want to watch […]
Mike LeDonne, B-3, & The Groover Quartet – That Feelin’ – Savant
Keeping the classic organ/sax quartet format vibrant… Mike LeDonne & The Groover Quartet – That Feelin’ – Savant SCD 2159, 59:38 ****: (Mike LeDonne – Hammond organ; Eric Alexander – tenor sax; Peter Bernstein – guitar; Joe Farnsworth – drums. With special guest, Vincent Herring – alto sax on # 1, 5, & 6) Living […]
Carol Robbins, harp – Taylor Street – Jazzcats
A welcome jazz harp with ensemble release… Carol Robbins, harp – Taylor Street – Jazzcats 109, 53:49 ****: (Carol Robbins – harp; Billy Childs – piano and Fender Rhodes; Bob Sheppard – saxophones and clarinet; Larry Koonse – guitar; Curtis Taylor – trumpet; Derek Oles – bass; Gary Novak – drums; Ben Shepherd – electric […]
Brad MYERS & Michael SHARFE – Sanguinaria (Hopefulsongs) – Colloquy
Brad MYERS & Michael SHARFE – Sanguinaria (Hopefulsongs) – Colloquy 13214, 59:49 (1/30/17) ****½: (Brad Myers – guitar/ Michael Sharfe – doublebass/ Dan Dorff Jr. – drums/ Tom Buckley – drums/ Marc Wolfley – percussion/ Dan Karlsberg – melodica) Outstanding arrangements for guitar & bass duo rooted in classic jazz and midwestern Americana aesthetic. The […]
SHOSTAKOVICH: Sonatas for Violin and Viola – Duo TschoppBovino – Genuin
SHOSTAKOVICH: Sonatas for Violin and Viola – Duo TschoppBovino – Genuin 16428, 62:29 (6/6/16) [Distr. by Naxos] ****: (Mirjam Tschopp – violin & viola/ Riccardo Bovino – piano) Challenging and desolate late works of Shostakovich (just in case you need some sobering up.) If there were a Rotten Tomatos Index for 20th century chamber music, one […]
BRUCH: Violin Concerto No. 2; Konzerstueck; In Memorium; Adagio appassionato – BBC Scottish Sym./Martyn Brabbins – Hyperion
Max Bruch occupies Vol. 21 of The Romantic Violin Concerto, and with just cause. BRUCH: Violin Concerto No. 2 in d, Op. 44; Konzertstueck in f-sharp, Op. 84; In Memoriam in c-sharp, Op. 65; Adagio appassionato in f, Op. 57 – Jack Liebeck, v./ BBC Scottish Sym. Orch./ Martyn Brabbins – Hyperion CDA 68055, 68:21 […]
Jazz Haunts & Magic Vaults : The New Lost Classics Of Resonance Vol. 1
Jazz Haunts & Magic Vaults : The New Lost Classics Of Resonance Vol. 1 HCD-2026, 77:37 ****: A number of tasty offerings designed to entice the most discriminating listeners. (Jaki Byard; Dennis Coffey; Bill Evans; Tommy Flanagan; Stan Getz; João Gilberto; Gene Harris; Shirley Horn; Freddie Hubbard; Thad Jones; Scott LaFaro; Mel Lewis; Charles LLoyd; […]
RICHARD SUSSMAN: Evolution Suite – Richard Sussman – p., electronics, & others – Zoho
RICHARD SUSSMAN: Evolution Suite – Richard Sussman – p., electronics, Scott Wendholt – trumpet, Flugel horn, Rich Perry – tenor sax, Mike Richmond – acoustic & elec. bass, Anthony Poinciotti – drums/ The Sirius Quartet, With special guest: Zach Broc – elec. violin – Zoho CD ZM 201614, 71:00 (10/7/16) [Distr. by Allegro] *** 1/2: […]
John Coltrane – A Love Supreme – The Complete Masters Deluxe Edition – Verve Universal (2016) – Verve/Impulse
John Coltrane – A Love Supreme – The Complete Masters Deluxe Edition – Verve Universal (2016) B0023727-02/ Verve/Impulse (1963) stereo A-77, 3-CD box TT: 146:08 *****: The long-awaited complete box set of Coltrane’s masterpiece has been released. (John Coltrane – tenor saxophone; McCoy Tyner – piano; Jimmy Garrison – doublebass; Elvin Jones – drums; Archie […]
MOZART: Piano Concerto No. 24 in c; BEETHOVEN: Piano Concerto No. 3 in c – Yevgeny Sudbin, p./ Minnesota Orch./ Osmo Vanska – BIS
Sudbin and Vanska collaborate in music that shares common dramatic impulses. MOZART: Piano Concerto No. 24 in c, K. 491; BEETHOVEN: Piano Concerto No. 3 in c, Op. 37 – Yevgeny Sudbin, p./ Minnesota Orch./ Osmo Vanska – BIS multichannel SACD-1978 (2/25/14), 66:16 [Distr. by Naxos ] ****: Music historians consistently point out the tremendous […]
Naxos Beethoven – Berlin Philharmonic
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Audio News for January 13, 2017
Things Alexa Cannot Yet Do – The shortfall of Alexa’s IFTT integration is the lack of any actions whatsoever. You cannot complete a task for have Alexa play a tune. You must divide every command into its own statement – no trying to get Alexa to do more than one thing at a time. There […]
BARBER: Adagio for Strings – BRUCKNER: String Quintet in F Major – Konzerthaus Kammerorch., Berlin- Cugate Classics
BARBER: Adagio for Strings, Op. 11 – BRUCKNER: String Quintet in F Major – Konzerthaus Kammerorchester, Berlin- Cugate Classics CG013- two multichannel SACDs (5.0), 50:26 [Distr. by Naxos] (10/14/16) *****: A lovely paring of moving works for strings by Barber and Bruckner. Back in 2004 the BBC asked its radio listeners to vote for the […]
HOELLER: Fantasie for Violin and Organ; Triptychon for Organ solo; Improvisationen for Cello & Organ – William Preucil, v./ Roy Christensen, c./ Barbara Harbach, organ – MSR Classics
The music of Karl Hoeller proves devotional and ecstatic in a highly individual but dark style. KARL HOELLER: Music for Violin, Cello and Organ = Fantasie for Violin and Organ, Op. 49; Triptychon for Organ solo, Op. 64; Improvisationen for Cello and Organ, Op. 55 – William Preucil, v./ Roy Christensen, cello/ Barbara Harbach, organ […]
Kenny Burrell And The Los Angeles Jazz Orchestra Unlimited – Unlimited 1 – HighNote
Kenny Burrell And The Los Angeles Jazz Orchestra Unlimited – Unlimited 1 – (Live At Catalina’s) – HighNote HCD7298 ****: This is a big band that has a sense of swing and plays with a brawny professionalism. (Kenny Burrell – electric guitar, vocals; Los Angeles Jazz Orchestra Unlimited; Special guest: Barbara Morrison – vocal on […]
Andrea Claburn, vocals – Nightshade
Andrea Claburn – Nightshade – [Distr. by CD Baby], 52:07 ***: A high calibre of creativity. (Andrea Claburn – vocals; Matt Clark – piano & Fender Rhodes; Sam Bevan – acoustic & electric bass; Alan Hall – drums; John Santos – percussion; Terrence Brewer – acoustic & electric guitars; Erik Jekabson – trumpet & flugelhorn; […]
Audio News for January 10, 2017
David Bowie’s Impact on Classical Music – During the past year, a number of classical musicians and composers have done their own tributes to the legendary musician. They run from straight ahead covers to stirring original compositions. Shortly after Bowie’s death Amanda Palmer of the The Dresden Dolls and composer Jherek Bischoff released a short […]
Craig Hartley – Books on Tape Vol. II: Standard Edition
Not your everyday collection of jazz standards. Craig Hartley – Books on Tape Vol. II: Standard Edition – self-released, 57:10 [10/7/16] ****: (Craig Hartley – piano & producer; Carlo De Rosa – bass; Jeremy ‘Bean’ Clemons – drums) On Craig Hartley’s 2013 self-released trio debut, Books on Tape, Vol. I, the pianist introduced his original […]
HAYDN: Piano Sonatas Not. 3l, 33, 47 & 58 – John O’Conor, p. – Steinway
John O’Conor deftly brings out the variety and infinite charm of five Haydn sonatas. HAYDN: Piano Sonata No. 47 in b; Piano Sonata No. 38 in F Major; Piano Sonata No. 31 in A-flat Major; Piano Sonata No. 33 in c; Piano Sonata No. 58 in C Major – John O’Conor, p. – Steinway & […]
C.P.E. BACH: Flute Concertos – Emmanuel Pahud, flute/ Kammerakademie Potsdam/ Trevor Pinnock – Warner Classics
C.P.E. BACH: Flute Concertos – Emmanuel Pahud, flute/ Kammerakademie Potsdam/ Trevor Pinnock – Warner Classics 27679, 66:44 (11/4/16) ****: Three exceptionally lively concertos demonstrating flute virtuosity. In a previous release, Emmanuel Pahud and the Potsdam Academy gave us an overview of the musical activities at the Court of Frederick the Great, especially as they celebrated […]
MOZART & CHOPIN: “Dialogue” – Josep Colom, p. – Eudora
MOZART & CHOPIN: “Dialogue” – Josep Colom, p. – Eudora multichannel SACD 1404, 79:09 (2/10/16) ****½: A recital that bridges the aesthetic worlds of Mozart and Chopin. We need not succumb to mystical nonsense to believe that great works of art can communicate with one another over time. There are convergent notions at work in […]
Andrew Downing, cello & group – Otterville
Andrew Downing – Otterville – Self-Produced 2 CDs, 69:01 (Avail. as an MP3 download on Amazon) ***: A questionable premise delivers questionable results. (Andrew Downing – cello; Tara Davidson – alto saxophone; Michael Davidson – vibraphone; Christine Bougie – lap steel guitar; Paul Mathew – bass guitar; Nick Fraser – drums; Guests: Rebecca Hennessy – […]