mikeweil

As you please, sir! That's July, 2008, to be exact.

Just confirmed the Schuppanzigh Quartett from Cologne recorded the Streichquartette op. 18/4 & op. 59/3 on the instruments from Beethoven's legacy that are preserved at the Beethoven house in Bonn! Here's a link to their discography page with listening samples - it's in German, but simply click on the MP3 symbols to hear them. The label (Ars Musici) is somewhat hard to get, but I will inquire. p.s. It is available from amazon.de, and also via Caiman - so it should be available from caiman in the US as well. Here's a review of that CD in English language.

The critics usually are very unforgiving when listening to Beethoven or other grand masters on period instruments - this may play a part in those ensembles rarely attempting those works. One that was well received and is at the top of my Beethoven wish list: on Harmonia mundi France USA branch. (Their Mendelssohn and Schumann quartets are great - here's a link to their page on the label's website). I have one of the quartets op. 18 by the Smithsonian String Quartet but this is OOP. I will look for others.

Yeah! My Man Pony! I'm working on his discography - it's a shame he wasn't recorded more often. He was in excellent company here, and honestly I cannot understand the aversive reactions to his vocals - there were more famous jazz musicians singing with far less vocal talent, and if you listen with an open mind: these guys capture the groove of the original on Miles' record so well, and the lyrics (by Oscar Brown Jr. IIRC) capture the mood and Pony hits the mood right there ...... This track is an excellent example how placing a single track out of its context can work its magic uninhibited: I never noticed how well they get that feeling when I listened to this track between the other tracks. Pony played very nice stuff: get his Prestiges and the Epic all star sax encounter Pony's Express as long as you can find them - I just bought the Jingle Bell Jazz compilation just for one Pony track from the sessions of the latter album, it's the craziest rendition of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer you'll ever get to hear!

..... for posting so many silly sexy album covers ......

I have always liked this very much, as well as it's companions (that's what I feel they are) Kofi and Electric Byrd.

I'd say get yourself the CD reissues of her earlier Impulse LPs while they are still in print if you all dig her so much!

down beat published one in its October issue and gave it *****. I received the January '06 issue this morning, and on page 8 they apologize if anybody went shopping and was disappointed - they had a September release date. "Unfortunately, the merger between the two major records labels Sony and BMG led to manufacturing delays of the set" is their explanation. They conclude by saying it will hit the stores by December 27 .....

Maybe the site linked here will help. As you started this thread you should be able to delete it by editing your first post - the option to delete the whole thread is botton left.

Sounds reasonable .....

I find the sound of this reissue is below the standard of the LPR series. Van Gelder's 1960's piano sound never was overwhelming, but here I perceive it as harsh (and almost distorted in track 7), and mixed to the extreme left it sounds unpleasant. The bass sound is dry, almost as with a pickup (but 1965 is too early for a bass pickup). Furthermore, I hear some bass notes in the background on the Gymnopédie track, as if they had the original basstrack mixed down except for some notes on the downbeats - seems there was a much busier bass part at first. Anyone else hear this?

Here's a link to the page on the Rhino handmade website - limited to 5000 copies.

I hope this Concord music group will not get big enough to become an attractive bait for any of the few majory left .....

My old friend, the leader of the jazz department at the Frankfurt Saturn-Hansa store, told me yesterday he has a release date for early February (!) and will make a price below the € 70.00 mark.

Several of the sideman are interesting: Percussionist Fred Walker is the guy who collaborated with Ramsey Lewis and Earth, Wind & Fire as Derf Reklaw Rahim (he plays a very good solo on the title track and lays down an excellent groove); Donald Myrick played with the latter as well and was a busy studio saxist on the Chicago scene. That trumpeter, Bobby Alston, wasn't too bad - never heard of him again.

Yes, Upchurch plays Fender bass on this one - I'd rather hear him on guitar. He plays with a pick, so the attack is rather percussive, but the groove he lays down is good. That guitarist Marty Roberts gets a little too much solo space for my taste ..... Sam Jones is only on two tracks. McDuff plays bluesy piano on two others. Overall, this is a nice album - I made a cassette for my car and still play it. None of the soloists matches the leader, but it doesn't matter very much, somehow. One of my German pressed LPs is warped at the outer edge, so I'd buy a CD reissue any day - wonder why they skipped this one so far. I think all would fit on one CD.

That's what I was - but the result is not as exciting as I thought it would/could be.

Agree on the praise uttered here, but .... I was overwhelmed when I heard it back then (an still have the LP), by the power and vision. But now I prefer Tyner's more subtle approach on his last Blue Notes, especially Extensions. This powerplay grew tiresome on me - I stopped buying his albums on a regular basis after the next one. Just my two cents, of course.

Yes it is ..... still I think it would have been more interesting and a nice change if Lee had opened up to Fathead's approach a little more instead of just using him as a sideman - e.g. use the flute a little.

All I can say is that I listen to a lot of Cal Tjader this year ......

The Strayhorn I have does sound very clean, as if dubbed from a good tape copy and definitely not from LP. The Johnson and Wells Affinity LPs I have sound different, but not bad - never heards an original issue, so I can't compare. Maybe the LoneHill guys hijacked the tapes ......

Just noticed I never posted my comments on this. - It's a nice album, especially in the CD version with all the bonus material, but when I bought the LP back when it was finally issued, I felt somewhat disappointed. Instead of a usual Lee Morgan album with a hard bop Fathead I would have expected something more "fatheaded" ..... but when I consider how the latter played on his more straightahead dates, it's no surprise. I still think Fathead's Atlantic debut LP is excellent, and maybe his best and most characteristic. I would have liked an album like this with Lee on it.

Luckily, the disc this refers to - track 4 - is till in print, it seems - this will result in a purchase. Again, thanks for turning me to so much interesting much I'd never have heard of.

That may have happened more often than we think .... not to mention the many stereo versions where single tracks were re-done for technical reasons. MJQ's Fontessa on Atlantic is an example for the latter.

I like those cars - but only for looks, not for driving .....