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Organissimo – B3tles: A Soulful Tribute to the Fab Four – Big O

by Audiophile Audition | Mar 31, 2017 | Jazz CD Reviews

B-3 trio plus classic Beatles compositions – a winning combination … Organissimo – B3tles: A Soulful Tribute to the Fab Four – Big O 2424, 67:51 ****1/2: (Jim Alfredson – Hammond organ, Wurlitzer, electric piano/synthesizers; Lawrence Barris – guitar; Randy Marsh – drums, harmonica (#9); Bill Vits – percussion (#1, 3, 5, 9, 12); Mike List – tabla (#12) ) For lovers of the Hammond organ, and soul jazz, it is a very short journey to get excited about a project bringing the Hammond to re-interpret classic Beatles compositions with organ and guitar improvisation. Changing “All You Need is Love” to 5/4 time or “Taxman” to 7/4 sounds about right when the vibe is soulful. (Adding a tenor sax to the mix would have been perfection, but who’s complaining when the trio is expanded to a quintet including tabla on George Harrison’s “Within You Without You.”) Choosing twelve tracks from the Beatles songbook might have been the hardest choice for band leader organist, Jim Alfredson, who also recorded, mixed, and mastered the project. “Taxman” kicks off the tribute with the familiar melody immediately upfront in the mix before Alfredson adds a little grease, and we’re only missing dancers on risers […]

WAGNER: Das Rheingold (opera) – Soloists/ Hong Kong Philharmonic Orch./ Jaap van Zweden – Naxos

by Audiophile Audition | Oct 26, 2016 | SACD & Other Hi-Res Reviews

A fine effort from an esoteric source, perhaps a presage of things to come. WAGNER: Das Rheingold (complete opera) – Matthias Goerne (Wotan)/ Kim Begley (Loge)/ Michelle DeYoung (Fricka)/ Deborah Humble (Erda)/ Peter Sidhom (Alberich)/ Anna Samuil (Freia)/ Kwangchul Youn (Fasolt)/ Stephen Milling (Fafner)/ David Cangelosi (Mime)/ Charles Reid (Froh)/ Oleksandr Pushniak (Donner)/ Eri Nakamura (Woglinde)/ Hong Kong Philharmonic Orch./ Jaap van Zweden – Naxos Hi-Ref Blu-ray NBD0049 (PCM 2.0 + DTS-HD 5.1), TT: 2:33:22 [Distr. by Naxos] ****: Though Das Rheingold was the first opera to be written in Wagner’s Ring cycle, it was the last to be completed libretto-wise. Wagner realized the need for a prequel to the Ring, and so it comes as no surprise that the work often serves as a standalone performance in many instances, seeing as how it is the shortest of the cycle and in many ways the simplest in terms of musical references and overall presentation. However, Wagner was not one to waste time on superfluous activity, so the personality development and initial debut of characters is paramount for what was to follow, even if the opera can stand alone. For this reason I can recommend this new surround sound release (especially […]