What Are You Listening To?
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Dennie
Well-Known Member
Modern Jazz Quartet "1957" -- :text-bravo: :text-bravo:
Modern Jazz Quartet
!957 Atlantic Records
An MJQ Classic - Finally on CD!, February 3, 2005
By CurtJazz (Charlotte, NC) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Modern Jazz Quartet (1957) (Audio CD)
I agree with the previous reviewer. This is arguably the MJQ's best recording. It is definitely their finest studio effort (and I've heard just about all of them.). This disc served as my introduction to the MJQ as a college student in the early 80's. I was immediately hooked and I wore out a cassette copy that I made and a used LP copy that I found years later. Kudos to Wounded Bird for releasing this on CD before I was too old to hear it! As for the music, it's a great place for anyone to start, whether you are new to jazz, new to the MJQ or just want to add great music to your collection. It includes what for my money is one of the 2 best versions that the MJQ ever recorded of "Bag's Groove", a swinging "Night in Tunisia" and an opening ballad medley that could teach some radio programmers a real lesson about "Quiet Storm". John Lewis also said that this was one of the MJQ's best and who would know better than him (except maybe Milt, Percy and Connie!). If you like your Jazz easy on the ears but not numbing to your brain, pick this up before it disappears again.
1. Medley: They Say It's Wonderful/How Deep Is The Ocean/I Don't Stand A Ghost Of A Chance With You/My Old Flame/Body And Soul
2. Between The Devil And The Deep Blue Sea
3. La Ronde: Drums
4. Night In Tunisia
5. Yesterdays
6. Bags' Groove
7. Baden-Baden
It was pretty cold out today, snowing too hard to go skiing, I had four loads of laundry to do, so in between loads I dubbed about ten VHS tapes onto DVD, and also upgraded my old Mac from 10.4 to 10.5 (tomorrow night, 10.6). Dubbing the music first, and enjoyed a lot of old concerts I hadn't seen in awhile. :music-rockout:Dennie said:
Dennie
Well-Known Member
Shifting gears......
Gunfighter Ballads And Trail Songs
Marty Robbins
1959 Columbia Records
Gunfighter Ballads and Trail Songs is an album released by Marty Robbins on the Columbia Records label in September 1959, peaking at #6 on the U.S. pop albums chart. It was recorded on April 7, 1959
It is perhaps best known for Robbins’ most successful single, “El Paso”, a major hit on both the country and pop music charts. It reached #1 in both charts at the start of 1960 and won the Grammy Award for Best Country & Western Recording that same year.
In 1999 it was re-released on the Legacy Records reissue label with the tracks resequenced and included three bonus tracks, including the full length version of “El Paso.”
Side 1:
1. "Big Iron" (Marty Robbins) – 3:56
2. "Cool Water" (Bob Nolan) – 3:09
3. "Billy The Kid" (Traditional) – 5:14
4. "A Hundred And Sixty Acres" (David Kapp) – 1:40
5. "They're Hanging Me Tonight" (James N. Low - Art Wolpert) – 3:05
6. "The Strawberry Roan" (Traditional) – 3:25
Side 2:
1. "El Paso" (Marty Robbins) – 4:19
2. "In The Valley" (Marty Robbins) – 1:48
3. "The Master's Call" (Marty Robbins) – 3:05
4. "Running Gun" (Tompall Glaser - Jim Glaser) – 2:10
5. "The Little Green Valley" (Carson Robison) – 2:26
6. "Utah Carol" (Traditional) – 3:13
Gunfighter Ballads And Trail Songs
Marty Robbins
1959 Columbia Records
Gunfighter Ballads and Trail Songs is an album released by Marty Robbins on the Columbia Records label in September 1959, peaking at #6 on the U.S. pop albums chart. It was recorded on April 7, 1959
It is perhaps best known for Robbins’ most successful single, “El Paso”, a major hit on both the country and pop music charts. It reached #1 in both charts at the start of 1960 and won the Grammy Award for Best Country & Western Recording that same year.
In 1999 it was re-released on the Legacy Records reissue label with the tracks resequenced and included three bonus tracks, including the full length version of “El Paso.”
Side 1:
1. "Big Iron" (Marty Robbins) – 3:56
2. "Cool Water" (Bob Nolan) – 3:09
3. "Billy The Kid" (Traditional) – 5:14
4. "A Hundred And Sixty Acres" (David Kapp) – 1:40
5. "They're Hanging Me Tonight" (James N. Low - Art Wolpert) – 3:05
6. "The Strawberry Roan" (Traditional) – 3:25
Side 2:
1. "El Paso" (Marty Robbins) – 4:19
2. "In The Valley" (Marty Robbins) – 1:48
3. "The Master's Call" (Marty Robbins) – 3:05
4. "Running Gun" (Tompall Glaser - Jim Glaser) – 2:10
5. "The Little Green Valley" (Carson Robison) – 2:26
6. "Utah Carol" (Traditional) – 3:13
Dennie
Well-Known Member
Stuck in the same gear......
Country Style
Dean "Tex" Martin
1963 Reprise Records
A1 I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry 2:37
A2 Face in a Crowd 2:50
A3 Things 2:41
A4 Room Full of Roses 3:01
A5 I Walk the Line 2:26
A6 My Heart Cries for You 3:10
B1 Any Time 2:23
B2 Shutters and Boards 2:53
B3 Blue, Blue Day 1:49
B4 Singing the Blues 2:11
B5 Hey, Good Lookin' 1:48
B6 Ain't Gonna Try Anymore 2:17
Country Style
Dean "Tex" Martin
1963 Reprise Records
A1 I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry 2:37
A2 Face in a Crowd 2:50
A3 Things 2:41
A4 Room Full of Roses 3:01
A5 I Walk the Line 2:26
A6 My Heart Cries for You 3:10
B1 Any Time 2:23
B2 Shutters and Boards 2:53
B3 Blue, Blue Day 1:49
B4 Singing the Blues 2:11
B5 Hey, Good Lookin' 1:48
B6 Ain't Gonna Try Anymore 2:17
Dennie
Well-Known Member
A Charlie Brown Christmas -- SACD :text-bravo: :text-bravo:
Vince Guaraldi Trio
2003 Fantasy Records
One of the best Christmas albums, sounds great on SACD, September 7, 2008
By
K. C Wilson (Sacramento, CA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)
This review is from: Charlie Brown Christmas (Audio CD)
I actually own a special high definition format CD of this same album.
It's a Monster Cable special to highlight HD audio.
While the audio on the HD was good, the quality between the different formats did not seem to change at all. Very difficult to hear any variation and in truth not that much better than a regular CD version.
I bought this to compare and the result is pretty typical of most SACD format albums I have. IT sound tremendously better under a SACD format.
It's just seems smoother and more complete. Sounds don't get cutoff at the tail end of a note and seem to have that natural fade it should have.
Highly recommended for anybody with a SACD capable player.
1. O Tannenbaum
2. What Child Is This?
3. My Little Drum
4. Linus and Lucy
5. Christmas Time Is Here [Instrumental]
6. Christmas Time Is Here [Vocal Version]
7. Skating
8. Hark! The Herald Angels Sing
9. Christmas Is Coming
10. Für Elise
11. The Christmas Song
12. Greensleeves
Dennie
Well-Known Member
Elton John's Christmas Party -- CD
Various Artists
2005 Hear Music
Amazon.com
Elton sure knows how to throw a good holiday party! Or at least someone at the record label does. This diverse CD with personal liner notes by the superstar songwriter throws the ancient surf rock licks of the Ventures together with the contemporary genius of Rufus Wainwright, the eccentric rock of the Flaming Lips and El Vez, plus some Christmas classics from the pop, soul, and hip-hop worlds. With 21 titles, including two Elton John tunes that bookend the package, it's one of the best value holiday discs and most enjoyable compilations you can find. From the Beach Boys "The Man with All the Toys" and Springsteen's live version of "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town" to the Ronettes' "Frosty the Snowman" and Otis Redding's "Merry Christmas Baby," your party won't stop, even for the bluesy workout of "Please Come Home for Christmas" by the Eagles and the Band's haunting original "Christmas Must Be Tonight." Can you find these cuts on other Christmas records? Sure. But can you find them alongside the Pet Shop Boys' "It Doesn't Often Snow at Christmas," one of the record's real finds, or cuts by John Mayer, OutKast's "Player's Ball," the uniquely indescribable Kate Bush and others? No, you can't and that's the beauty of Elton's memorable choices. Proceeds benefit the Elton John AIDS Foundation. Highly recommended. --Martin Keller
1. "Step Into Christmas" – Elton John
2. "Feliz Navidad" – El Vez
3. "Frosty the Snowman" – The Ronettes
4. "Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town" – Bruce Springsteen
5. "The Man with All the Toys" – The Beach Boys
6. "A Change at Christmas (Say It Isn't So)" – The Flaming Lips
7. "It Doesn't Often Snow at Christmas" – Pet Shop Boys
8. "Spotlight on Christmas" – Rufus Wainwright
9. "Jingle Bell Rock" – The Ventures
10. "Run Rudolph Run" – Chuck Berry
11. "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" – The Crystals
12. "Playa's Ball" – OutKast
13. "Merry Christmas Baby" – Otis Redding
14. "Christmas Island" – Jimmy Buffett
15. "St. Patrick's Day" – John Mayer
16. "Please Come Home for Christmas" – Eagles
17. "Christmas Must Be Tonight" – The Band
18. "2000 Miles" – The Pretenders
19. "December Will Be Magic Again" – Kate Bush
20. "New Year's Day" – U2
21. "Calling It Christmas" – Elton John and Joss Stone
From the writeup it sounds like it's still a stereo mix, so I'll keep my CD copy. BUT, thanks for the reminder, I need to dig this one out. Love Guaradi!!Dennie said:
A Charlie Brown Christmas -- SACD :text-bravo: :text-bravo:
Vince Guaraldi Trio
Dennie
Well-Known Member
Winter Wonderland -- CD
Various Artists
2008 Hear Music
1 Pink Martini - Do You Hear What I Hear 3:57
2 Nat "King" Cole - Caroling, Caroling 2:01
3 Lena Horne - Rudolph, The Red Nose Reindeer 2:40
4 Frank Sinatra - Mistletoe And Holly 2:20
5 KT Tunstall - 2000 Miles 3:40
6 Goldfrapp - Winter Wonderland 3:10
7 Dean Martin - Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow! 1:58
8 Ella Fitzgerald - Frosty The Snow Man 2:14
9 Vince Guaraldi - Greensleeves 5:29
10 Beth Orton - What A Wonderful World 2:40
11 The Beach Boys - The Man With All The Toys 1:30
12 Peggy Lee - Little Drummer Boy 2:17
13 Diana Krall - White Christmas 4:32
14 Mindy Smith - What Are You Doing New Year's Eve 3:55
15 Mahalia Jackson - Silent Night, Holy Night 4:26
Dennie
Well-Known Member
Botch said:From the writeup it sounds like it's still a stereo mix, so I'll keep my CD copy. BUT, thanks for the reminder, I need to dig this one out. Love Guaradi!!Dennie said:
A Charlie Brown Christmas -- SACD :text-bravo: :text-bravo:
Vince Guaraldi Trio
Yeah Botch, it clearly says "Stereo" on the back cover. There is a big Hybrid/Multichannel sticker on the front. I haven't heard the redbook CD, so I can not compare them. I only listen to SACD's in Stereo!
It is beautiful recording and I highly recommend it.
Dennie
Dennie
Well-Known Member
This is my second spin of this one and I am enjoying it even more than the first time....
Sextet -- SACD :handgestures-thumbup: :handgestures-thumbup:
Cal Tjader/Stan Getz with Vince Guaraldi, Eddie Duran, Scott LaFaro, Billy Higgins
1958/2004 Fantasy Records
There is no guarantee that you can throw a collection of gifted musicians into a studio and emerge at the end of the day or night with a great recording. Plenty of dull all-star jam sessions on record prove otherwise. Sometimes, however, the quick mix-and-match approach works. There are few instances of its working better than in this encounter between Cal Tjader and Stan Getz. No one could have predicted that the result would be one of the finest albums of both men's careers. The quality of the other participants improved the odds, even though in 1958 none of them was, by any stretch of the term, an all-star.
Vince Guaraldi and Eddie Duran had achieved small national reputations, but Scott LaFaro and Billy Higgins were barely known outside of Los Angeles jazzy circles. With the uncanny ESP that sometimes operates in meetings of like-minded strangers who happen to be first-rate jazz artists, they coalesced behind Getz and Tjader and worked hand-in glove with one another. Guaraldi's "Ginza" and Tjader's "Liz-Anne" have become jazz standards. Remastered in SACD sound, this album is a jazz classic in every respect.
Musicians:
Stan Getz, tenor saxophone
Cal Tjader, vibes
Vince Guaraldi, piano
Eddie Duran, guitar
Scott LaFaro, bass
Billy Higgins, drums
Selections
1. Ginza Samba
2. I've Grown Accustomed To Her Face
3. For All We Know
4. Crow's Nest
5. Liz-Anne
6. Big Bear
7. My Buddy
Total Time: 42:48
Originally recorded 1958
Sextet -- SACD :handgestures-thumbup: :handgestures-thumbup:
Cal Tjader/Stan Getz with Vince Guaraldi, Eddie Duran, Scott LaFaro, Billy Higgins
1958/2004 Fantasy Records
There is no guarantee that you can throw a collection of gifted musicians into a studio and emerge at the end of the day or night with a great recording. Plenty of dull all-star jam sessions on record prove otherwise. Sometimes, however, the quick mix-and-match approach works. There are few instances of its working better than in this encounter between Cal Tjader and Stan Getz. No one could have predicted that the result would be one of the finest albums of both men's careers. The quality of the other participants improved the odds, even though in 1958 none of them was, by any stretch of the term, an all-star.
Vince Guaraldi and Eddie Duran had achieved small national reputations, but Scott LaFaro and Billy Higgins were barely known outside of Los Angeles jazzy circles. With the uncanny ESP that sometimes operates in meetings of like-minded strangers who happen to be first-rate jazz artists, they coalesced behind Getz and Tjader and worked hand-in glove with one another. Guaraldi's "Ginza" and Tjader's "Liz-Anne" have become jazz standards. Remastered in SACD sound, this album is a jazz classic in every respect.
Musicians:
Stan Getz, tenor saxophone
Cal Tjader, vibes
Vince Guaraldi, piano
Eddie Duran, guitar
Scott LaFaro, bass
Billy Higgins, drums
Selections
1. Ginza Samba
2. I've Grown Accustomed To Her Face
3. For All We Know
4. Crow's Nest
5. Liz-Anne
6. Big Bear
7. My Buddy
Total Time: 42:48
Originally recorded 1958
Dennie
Well-Known Member
An Old Time Christmas -- CD :handgestures-thumbup: :handgestures-thumbup:
Randy Travis
1989 Warner Bros. Records
Amazon.com
Randy Travis's throaty baritone glows like the embers of a Yule log all year long, so this selection of old and new Christmas favorites is every bit as cozy as a rug and a hot toddy by the fire. The Nashville all-stars backing him on this 1989 release make the classics (including Willie Nelson's oft-covered "Pretty Paper") sound sweet, but the real treats here are Travis's own "How Do I Wrap My Heart for Christmas" (co-written with hitmaker Paul Overstreet) and a pair of tunes that put an ironic twist on familiar titles, "Oh, What a Silent Night" and the wonderful "White Christmas Makes Me Blue." --Michael Ruby
1. "Old Time Christmas" (Stewart Harris) - 3:13
2. "Winter Wonderland" (Felix Bernard, Dick Smith) - 2:22
3. "Meet Me Under The Mistletoe" (Joe Collins, Mark Irwin, Betsy Jackson) - 2:43
4. "White Christmas Makes Me Blue" (Rich Grissom, Neil Patton Rogers) - 3:25
5. "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town" (J. Fred Coots, Haven Gillespie) - 2:05
6. "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" (Traditional) - 2:45
7. "Pretty Paper" (Willie Nelson) - 2:38
8. "Oh, What A Silent Night" (Mark Collie, Kathy Louvin) - 2:32
9. "How Do I Wrap My Heart Up For Christmas" (Paul Overstreet, Randy Travis) - 2:47
10. "The Christmas Song" (Mel Tormé, Robert Wells) - 3:16
Dennie
Well-Known Member
Come Darkness, Come Light - Twelve Songs of Christmas -- CD :handgestures-thumbup: :handgestures-thumbup:
Mary Chapin Carpenter
2008 Zoe Records
Product Description
Finally, a Christmas album worth listening to all year long. When Mary Chapin Carpenter set out to create Come Darkness, Come Light, she took a far different approach to recording a holiday album than most artists do. Rather than simply lending her voice to time-worn Christmas standards, Mary Chapin wrote her own set of heartfelt songs which explore the many meanings and emotions that Christmas evokes in each of us. These songs, mixed with a few hand-picked gems from other writers and rarely heard traditional tunes, will speak directly to the hearts of all Mary Chapin Carpenter fans. These are not merely holiday songs, they are simply great Mary Chapin Carpenter songs, both warm and intimate. And while they artfully capture the spirit of the season, this is a rare Christmas album that doesn't feel like it needs to be kept on the shelf between New Year's and Thanksgiving. With stellar support from longtime musical partners Jon Carroll (piano) and co-producer John Jennings (guitars), Mary Chapin's voice goes down as warmly as hot cider on a cold winter's night.
1. "Once in Royal David's City" Cecil Frances Alexander, Henry John Gauntlett 3:24
2. "Hot Buttered Rum" Tommy Thompson 3:29
3. "Still, Still, Still" Traditional 3:28
4. "On a Quiet Christmas Morn" Robin and Linda Williams 3:52
5. "Come Darkness, Come Light" Mary Chapin Carpenter 4:01
6. "Christmas Time in the City" Carpenter, John Jennings 3:23
7. "Candlelight Carol" John Rutter 4:00
8. "The Longest Night of the Year" Carpenter 3:34
9. "Thanksgiving Song" Carpenter 2:52
10. "Bells Are Ringing" Carpenter, Jennings 3:34
11. "Christmas Carol" Carpenter 5:11
12. "Children, Go Where I Send Thee" Traditional 8:07
