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 […]

Carol Robbins, harp – Taylor Street – Jazzcats

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

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 […]

BRUCH: Violin Concerto No. 2; Konzerstueck; In Memorium; Adagio appassionato – BBC Scottish Sym./Martyn Brabbins – Hyperion

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 […]

RICHARD SUSSMAN:  Evolution Suite – Richard Sussman – p., electronics, & others – Zoho

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) – 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

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 […]

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 – 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

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 […]

Andrea Claburn, vocals – Nightshade

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

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 […]

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

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 […]

Andrew Downing, cello & group – Otterville

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 – […]