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Kumar
January 12, 2015

Recommended music - other than classical and pop

  • January 12, 2015
  • 333 replies
  • 34357 views
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

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    KumarAuthor
    March 25, 2016
    I go both ways
    :-))

    On subject: I have found, with my limited searching for them, very few recent big band performances that benefit from the better recording tech now at hand. I have found that many of the older recordings of big bands show up the lower recording quality of the past much more than what is heard on small group performances of the time. Even from the fifties, many of the latter have excellent sound quality. Some exceptions to this of course, like the Clifford Brown with Strings that is excellent music and excellent SQ; I find that to be a much better listen than the Charlie Parker with Strings.

    Are there any really well recorded jazz big band instrumental/vocal albums of any time that are worth investigating?
    BCM
    BCM
    March 25, 2016
    I'm impartial to the 30s Dorsey stuff, followed by Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Benny Goodman... A huge part of my jazz collection centers around that style and them. Glenn Miller, Artie Shaw... all great stuff. Vocally, throw in Sinatra, Helen O'Connell, Ella, Billie Holliday, Peggy Lee, Dick Haymes. That list is endless to me.

    Oddly, I've taken a crazy turn this week... I've fallen in love with the 50s and 60s country artists (I toured the Grand Ol Opry in Nashville a couple of weeks ago). Loretta Lynn, Moe Bandy, George Jones, Connie Smith, Willie, Lefty Frizzell, Gene Watson, Gentleman Jim Reeves. I dropped a fortune at the used CD shop soaking a ton of all that up. Thankfully, a lot of it is available in 'essential' and 'best of' collections, so that pares down the wallet necessity.
    KumarAuthor
    March 31, 2016
    Another classic jazz album with strings - Winter Moon/Art Pepper - with subtle strings support.
    chicks
    chicks
    April 23, 2016
    Released today. Listening now.

    KumarAuthor
    April 23, 2016
    A new Bill Evans! How does it stack up against his best work?
    chicks
    chicks
    April 23, 2016
    I'll let one of my go-to reviewers answer.

    http://www.jazzwax.com/2016/04/bill-evans-some-other-time.html
    KumarAuthor
    April 23, 2016
    Interesting and it is also well recorded, by the same folk responsible for some of the best recorded Oscar Peterson, the Exclusively for my Friends albums.
    And available to stream from Apple Music...nice.
    Thanks for highlighting the release:-)
    KumarAuthor
    May 2, 2016
    I recently discovered a few compilations of great late night listening - superb blowing sessions from masters of the sax. The albums are culled from different records for a "Lovers" theme, but for the most part the music is very coherent across the album, being from one artiste. All jazz recordings of the 50s/60s, sounding fresh as any performed today. Very decent sound quality as well.
    1. Ballads - Ike Quebec
    2. Music for Lovers - albums by Dexter Gordon, Hank Mobley and Stanley Turrentine

    And for one with more energy and swing, Curtis Fuller and Benny Golson on Bluesette.
    KumarAuthor
    May 3, 2016
    Another excellent album from Ike Quebec is his Bossa Nova Soul Samba. Brazilian flavoured classic jazz without it being overtly so to the extent it gets predictable.
    KumarAuthor
    May 3, 2016
    A great short description of the Ike Quebec Samba album: "Think of it as vintage Quebec blue note in the tint of a relaxed Brazilian glow."
    He died of cancer in 1963 just three months after recording this one.
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