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Jan 12, 2015 11:31 AM UTC

Recommended music - other than classical and pop

I am not sure there is a thread on what Sonos is truly about - the music, so this might be an interesting thread. I have left out classical because that deserves a thread of its own and modern pop because it all sounds the same to me.
I have Phil Keaggy strumming Solitude from his Acoustic Sketches album right now in the bedroom on a play 1 pair and sounding very good indeed.
Recently heard and equally good music and mastering:
1. Michel Petrucciani and NHOP
2. Beyond the Missouri Sky - Metheny and Haden
3. Chiaroscuro - Fresu and Towner
4. Jan Johannsen - Jazz pa Svenska
5. The Astounding Eyes of Rita - Anouar Brahem
6. Last Dance/Jasmine - Jarrett and Haden
7. Saturday Morning - Ahmad Jamal
8. Melos - Paolo Fresu
All but the last are ITunes 256kbps purchases, the last a lossless CD rip.
Very little lost in translation for the lossy thing and Sonos convenience.
Any recommendations on similar music that uses the silence between the notes effectively?
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333 replies

BarryM
Aug 6, 2015 6:51 AM UTC
I find that my preferences in jazz seem to cycle through piano trios through small jazz combos with horns and then to guitar led trios/quartets. Currently I have piano trios in heavy circulation and recent excellent discoveries:
The box set (6 cds) from the Brad Mehldau Trio, which is modestly titled The Art Of The Trio :8, contains some great music.
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KumarAuthor
Aug 6, 2015 6:54 AM UTC
I have a couple of albums from that - Brad leads an excellent trio too.
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BarryM
Aug 6, 2015 7:24 AM UTC

Portuguese, but Katia probably speaks Spanish, too! She speaks perfect French, there's an hour long video of her performing in the more traditional Fado style for French TV. And she's an MD, who apparently still practices! Dunno how she finds the time.

Nice clip. I like fado.
I have seen Mariza live. Portuguese by way of Mozambique. A very powerful concert. Great grace and passion.

I have seen Kurt Elling in concert too. Was good, but the Mariza one is one of the most moving I have been to.

An hour long clip of a great concert of hers here.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n6LdDqvrIHE

But this a shorter taste.
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chicks
Aug 7, 2015 6:38 AM UTC
Yep, Mariza's star certainly shone brightly for several years. I think she's the only fadista besides Amalia Rodrigues to have sold more than a million records. The current critics favorite is a young girl from up north, with tattoos, tennis shoes, and a powerful, emotionally charged voice, who grew up listening to Amalia and loving the poetry of Fado: Gisela João. Enjoying her one and only (so far) self-titled release. Much more to come from this talent.

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KumarAuthor
Aug 15, 2015 12:38 PM UTC
A couple of recent Charlie Haden albums found, duos with piano. The very recently released Tokyo Adagio, recorded live in Japan in 2005 with Gonzalo Rubalcaba and an older one, Nightfall - John Taylor on piano. Excellent late night music with the lights down low. Master musicians at work, and highly recommended for jazz piano fans.
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KumarAuthor
Aug 16, 2015 12:27 AM UTC
And another Haden/Rubalcaba album, The Land of the Sun, with a Latin flavour and a larger ensemble. Also very listenable.
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KumarAuthor
Aug 27, 2015 5:48 AM UTC
I just got around to listening to the only Miles Davis from the 1950s that I had not heard till now, and it is brilliant, moody and evocative music. Soundtrack from the Louis Malle movie Ascenseur Pour L'Echafaud, improvised by Miles and company while watching relevant parts of the movie in the recording studio, with little advance prep. No one but Miles could have pulled this off, capturing the dark themes, and it makes for great late night listening to a master of the trumpet. Recording quality is as good as from today's best studios.
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KumarAuthor
Sep 3, 2015 1:12 AM UTC
Time to rediscover Monk with two excellent live albums and Monk seems to do best in a live format:
1. Live at the It club
2. In Tokyo
Both very well recorded too.
And some new finds with the horn players as lead artistes:
1. Stan Getz - Anniversary, Serenity and People Time. All recorded live in Copenhagen towards the end of Stan's life. As good as he ever was, even when suffering from terminal cancer.
2. Scott Hamilton - many excellent ones. I liked Nocturnes and Serenades as well as his album with Harry Allen, Stompin the Blues. Jazz Signatures is also good.
3. Jane Ira Bloom on the soprano sax on Sixteen Sunsets.
4. Excellent trombone jazz from John Allred, In the Beginning.
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chicks
Sep 3, 2015 4:30 AM UTC
Lucy Ann Polk isn't well known these days, but she was a pretty good jazz singer with a sexy voice. Her Lucky Lucy Ann album on the Mode label is her best work, IMO.

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chicks
Sep 3, 2015 4:46 AM UTC
Also Beverly Kenney, for all you playboys. 😉. Good singer, sad story.

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