Late

Weizen — look for sound samples of the first "Impressed" compilation by Gilles Peterson. It has one track from the Gonsalves album (a very nice swinger). If that track is any indication, the album should be fine indeed. The sound too (at least on that one track) is excellent.

If so, I'm actually stunned that there hasn't been more buzz about this. I thought the "lost" tapes were indeed lost. Damn, too bad those four tracks couldn't be added to School Days!

Has Cleopatra's Needle been out on compact disc already? Either way, it's a great album.

I totally missed this — Cuneiform has just released a 2-CD package of "early" and "late" performances of the Lacy-Rudd quartet. The early segment evidently comes from a 1962 studio session. What? This couldn't be the "lost" Columbia or Verve session, could it? Anyone already have this set and care to comment?

That always bugs me for some reason. As if the "producers" had this conversation: "Say, here's a recording from the 50's." "Cool! There's probably a lot of people who don't have the vinyl. We stand to make some dough on this." "I know. Should we find a period photo of the Hillcrest Club to use for artwork?" "What? Why? Just get any old picture of Arnett Cobb that you can find." "Actually, it's Ornette Coleman, not Arnett Cobb. And, actually, it was Paul Bley's gig." "Who's Paul Bley? Hey, didn't Arnett Cobb just win a Nobel prize or something?" "Um, Arnett Cobb is deceased. Ornette Coleman recently won a Pulitzer." "Arnett Cobb wrote books, too? Look, just get any photo. It doesn't matter. As long as it's Arnett Cobb."

"One of the lesser-known Lee Konitz albums, this LP (which has not been reissued yet on CD) features the altoist joined by six brass and a rhythm section for eight Jimmy Giuffre arrangements. The shouting brass contrasts well with Konitz's cool-toned solos and together they perform eight underplayed standards. Guitarist Jim Hall and pianist Bill Evans (who are on four songs apiece) are major assets behind Konitz on this pleasing set." "Shouting" brass and Lee Konitz? Not a combination I'd think of, but, who knows, maybe it works.

I found the Lupatti for a decent price and ordered ...

An interesting side note, I thought: My professor in grad school was at this gig. He was 19. He doesn't remember Bley at all — maybe because Ornette's playing demanded so much attention. Strange that this recording is nearly 50 years old ...

Those were my sentiments exactly when I saw this list. I'll probably pass on the Shepp title, but the Sanders will at last be mine! Is this the first appearance on compact disc of this Konitz title? It's available on iTunes, but I've never heard it. Worth picking up?

It'll be a while before I pick this one up, but I'll get there. How's the music compared to, say, Ornette's Contemporary albums? Does Bley's presence change things up that much? (And who's on bass and drums?) Something a little odd about the Gambit cover, too. The photograph appears to be from the 80's — which is of course when the Hillcrest gig was recorded.

Anyone had time to digest this new reissue? I haven't even picked it up yet, but would be interested in hearing comments — music, sound, running time, etc.

Hi All, Asking for some recommendations again. At this point, I'm most interested in hearing what you might consider excellent recordings of the waltzes, impromptus, and nocturnes. Performer and label recs most appreciated. Thanks!

Oh yeah — while you're there (at the Allegro site), pick up the 2-disc set of early Segovia on Classica d'Oro. $7.99!

Another Beethoven Sonatas bargain heads-up: Schnabel's Complete Beethoven Sonatas (on 8 discs) on the Classica d'Oro label can be had for $27.92 here. I don't know what the transfers are like (as I haven't heard this version), but I thought I'd let people here at least know about it. Orders of $50 or more (while only for U.S. residents) ship for free.

Maybe a silly question, but have there ever been any concertos composed for string bass?

My guess is that we will see all of Wayfaring Stranger, with "bonus" tracks being from Leg Work. Then we wouldn't have a "best-of." Sometimes it's just a matter of diction. Regardless, I hope the project comes to fruition — that's better than not having anything!

Good news — Cuscuna got back to me, and he said that he's "working on" a Connoisseur that will contain the "best" tracks from Wayfaring Stranger and Leg Work, as those dates were recorded on the same day. My guess is that the disc will get close to the 80 minute mark, and have to choose a track or two to lop off. No date set yet, and it's not set in stone of course, but I thought I'd share the positive outlook.

Listen to Bill Chase's "23 Red" from Woody's Winners. The repeated bass pedal note at the beginning of the composition even mimics a sort of heartbeat. I listen to that and Sonny Rollins' "G-Man" when working out. S'fun!

Thanks for posting that review, Hans. I actually haven't heard Heifetz's edition of the Bruch, but was thinking about picking it up after hearing Akiko Suwanai's edition and reading how hers compared favorably to Heifetz's. My ears aren't as discerning when it comes to classical music, but the AMG review raised my eyebrows. Could Heifetz's performance possibly be that failed? I generally try to decide for myself, but when I'm exploring a branch of music that's relatively new to me ... ======= Another discovery (along RCA lines) — EMI has at least three series in their classical catalog that appear to all contain the same recordings ... possibly with different remasterings? • EMI Great Recordings of the Century • EMI Historical • EMI Encore For example, you can purchase certain Maria Callas recordings of what seems to be the same material in all three series. I guess I'll figure things out eventually ...

Would you agree or disagree with AMG's review of Heifetz's recording of Bruch's Violin Concerto: "When these recordings were made in the early '60s, Jascha Heifetz was reaching the end of his long and successful career. And, unfortunately, it sounds that way. His once polished virtuoso technique was starting to fray -- fast passages are smudged, long lines are blurred, bow strokes are too vehement -- and his once famous tone was beginning to dim -- what had been focused, intense, and riveting is now narrow, thin, and even occasionally cracked. While these qualities might conceivably have worked in some repertoire -- possibly Prokofiev or Shostakovich, perhaps Stravinsky or Schoenberg -- they don't work at all in Bruch's lyrically expansive Violin Concerto No. 1 and ardently nostalgic Scottish Fantasy or in Vieuxtemps' brilliant to the point of brittleness Violin Concerto No. 5. Accompanied by the enthusiastic but insensitive Malcolm Sargent leading the professional but lackluster New Symphony Orchestra of London -- a nom de registrement for an otherwise anonymous group of London session players -- Heifetz sounds like he's merely going through the motions." Ouch!

Forgot to add that many discs in this series — even though they hail from the late 50's/early 60's — are actually in genuine multichannel sound — nothing artificially "rechanneled." I don't have a multichannel player, but I bet they sound awesome.

This may have come up at some point in the what-are-you-listening-to thread (or somewhere else), but I thought I'd start a separate thread to draw attention to this wonderful series that I've only recently discovered. I guess it's been ongoing since 2004, and there have been six batches of titles to date. This is the way a series should be done! Hybrid SACD, and with a list price of $11.99! Right now, I'm listening to Julian Bream's Spanish Guitar Classics, and it is phenomenal, both musically and sonically. Don't sleep on this series like I did for so long. It doesn't seem likely to go out-of-print any time soon, but the music demands hearing. I couldn't find a complete list anywhere (not even on the Sony/BMG site), but Tower seems to carry most of them, and for a couple bucks under list, here. Any favorites in this series?

Thanks for the recommendations guys. Strangely enough, Tower had a number of the discs you all listed, and for a little less than CDUniverse! I ordered the Bach disc with Andrew Manze, Richter's Brahms No.2, and Heifetz doing Brahms. Clem, I do have some of the Kammermusik. It is indeed good stuff. A concerto performance that recently blew me away was Akiko Suwania playing Bruch's Violin Concerto. A truly beautiful performance, and every review I've read tends to rave. It's on Phillips, but I think it's out-of-print now. (My local library happens to have a copy.) Also checked out for the first time Rostropovich on Dvorak's Cello Concerto. Stunning. Still getting my ears around this stuff, but your recommendations have helped! If a guy were to go the BMG route (on a concerto binge), what would you recommend from their offerings?

Just tongue-in-cheek with the "expert" tag. But, actually, this board knows its classical recordings. Thanks for the recommendation, Tom. That's also one of the concertos I've been meaning to own. I've really only heard (or paid attention to) Jacqueline du Pré's version. Anyone care to comment on how they compare?