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Rja's Responses in Music	Posts
Jazz for aficionados Check out: Secular Breathing by the Jim Knapp Orchestra	663
What's your favorite lyric from a song? IMHO: A lot of Steely Dan lyrics are pure genius	427
Who is your overall favorite guitarist? I'll say one thing for "Old Lonesome George", he sure had a nice guitar	412
Audiogon "RECORDINGS TO DIE FOR" list I'm going to with "Kind of Blue" again but the Japanese K2 HD version. I've owned just about every audiophile copy of this CD but this version is fantastic	387
Your ONE all time favorite love song? Everly Bros./Let It Be Me. Guess it was a French song first but never heard it in French	373
What music do you want to play really loud? Alvin and the Chipmunks	270
Best CD I've heard so far 2011......... I'll definitely buy the new Sarah Jarosz CD in May. Never heard of her until I saw her on Austin City Limits. Jax2-I'll check out some of your suggestions. Theo-Always liked Bryan . . .	267
Who Was Your Favorite One Hit Wonder How about "96 Tears" and "Walk Away Rene"	257
Jazz Recommendations The best place I've found to hear a wide variety of old and new jazz is Mainstream Jazz with Bob Parlocha. You can access it on jazz88fm.com. This is a public radio station in . . .	236
Are there any albums you consider perfect? I was listening to the Japanese SHM-CD Dire Straights "Brothers In Arms" the other day. This is IMO close to a perfect album	221
What's your latest "Discovery" Taylor Eigsti-Resonance 2003. Superb jazz piano trio. After listening to this CD I couldn't believe his age, 19 when he recorded this. Sounds like someone who has devoted his life . . .	216
Another sign SACD is dying As far as I know Best Buy never stocked any high-end eqiopment. They are what they are, a mass merchandiser. The demand for high-end audio isn't worth the effort for them. Each . . .	196
best rock voices I have to cast my vote for Jim Morrison. His voice was rich and powerful. It's a wonder what cigarettes and booze can do	156
Amazing Solo Piano Recordings I like many of the Jazz and Classical recommendations that have been listed but for something really different try Lyle Mays last solo piano outing. It's unique and interesting	152
Music for "Tough Times" Vivaldi-Gloria!, Van Morison-Gloria	138
The Best Live album "Stop Making Sense". Prefer the live versions on this CD to their studio counterparts. Most of the time this is not the case	136
What is your favorite 1 hit wonder from the 70's? There's some good songs on this list and some laughs	132
Best live album you've ever heard? While not a huge Eagles fan, Hell Freezes Over has got to rank up there as one of the best live albums	131
Why Doesn't Contemporary Jazz Get Any Respect? While I like jazz generally (especially 50's & 60's), to me "smooth jazz" is like wallpaper	128
music , mind , thought and emotion One thing the always amazes me is that there are a few groups that consider music and dancing "sinful". The groups that come to mind are sects of Christianity and Islam. . . .	119
I need a female jazz vocalist. No Krall, No Norah Queen Latifa - yes I know! But what I heard of her new jazz CD was pretty impressive. At first, as a rapper, I didn't care much for her. But as time has gone by, I'm totally . . .	113
Do you ever wonder? These lists are so personal and idiosyncratic that they're just about meaningless. One person loves Norah Jones while another detests her. Both are right, there's really no . . .	111
My favorite Steely Dan song has to be... I stepped upon the platform The man gave me the news He said you must be joking son Where did you get those shoes	109
What is the one CD you can't find? "Pearls Before Swine" CDs were tough to come by but finally found some reissues from Italy. Then there was a very limited 24K issue of "Nightfly" that I would . . .	109
Most unusual/mesmerizing female voice. The Norwegian singer Sissel has a voice so pure that it's mesmerizing	104
The best acoustic guitar recordings?? Here's one I've really enjoyed: Images of Metheny by Jason Vieaux. All Pat Metheny tunes played on classical guitar. Very accomplished and wonderful! Recommended	103
worse entertainer or performer of all time?? Frank Sinatra Jr., Tiny Tom could at least sing in tune	103
best vocal harmonies in rock Not all, but some Grateful Dead. These guys could go from sublime to ridiculous as far as harmony goes but when they were good they were very good	99
Top 5 Rock n Roll Vocalists I'll admit that Bruce may not have the greatest singing voice in the world but he sure has done a lot with what he's got	97
Favorite Movie Soundtrack "Falcon and the Snowman" 1985, Pat Metheny (David Bowie on one cut). "Performance" 1970, Jack Nitzsche, Ry Cooder, Randy Newmann (Mick Jagger on one cut). Both . . .	97
Favourite ECM Titles How about Marcin Wasilewski/Trio and January CDs, pianist for Tomasz Stanko? Also like most of the early ECM Metheny	93
Who is your favorite jazz pianist Listened to a Tommy Flanagan CD of all Coltrane tunes today. Really great	89
what are your favorite movie soundtracks. The Secret of Roan Inish, I Am Sam (All Beatles Covers), Performance	88
Best Neil Young Album? Some of his songs with Buffalo Springfield were excellent as well as with CSNY. After many, many years I've recently purchased The Best of Buffalo Springfield CD. I'm surprised at . . .	88
What's your favorite remake of a song Shirelles - "Will You Love Me Tomorrow" by Carole King Aretha Franklin - "Natural Woman" by Carole King Natalie Merchant - "Because the Night" by . . .	88
Your First Vinyl Album. Beach Boys-It had a blue deuce coupe on the cover	75
Do you plan to buy The Beatles CD remasters? I'm thinking of giving the mono set a shot, then maybe some stereo versions on an individual basis. According to my understanding only 10,000 mono box sets will available	75
How to listen to the Beatles re-releases? I think that Chashmal is correct, up to a point. Much of the Beatles catalog does fit into his characterization for sure. But IMO many Beatles songs go beyond this mere . . .	75
Bob Dylan finally makes sense.... "music is not worth anything anyway" I'm sure his assets would show just how much it isn't worth. I think the old duffer is talking out his ass. How pissed would he be if. . .	74
the greatest pop song ever? IMO: A lot of the songs listed so far are great. I have to second Cajunpepe on "Friday On My Mind" (was it the EasyBeats?) and add "Walk Away Renee" by the Left. . .	74
Donald Fagen-Sunken Condos I like the cover art, global warming anyone	73
12 Extremely Disappointing Facts About Popular Mus A lot of chamber music was written so groups of amateurs could play it at home	73
"NEWEST'" Favorite album I recently purchased Cyndi Lauper's new Blues CD based on Audiogon members recommendations. My first Lauper(sp?) CD and I've been enjoying it very much	72
Who was the best jazz guitarist ever? I think of some of the guys mentioned as fusion guitarists and some as jazz guys, some more pop. It really is difficult, if not impossible, to pick a best but my favorite has to . . .	72
Dead Can Dance's Into the Labyrinth Hey, what's wrong with someone discovering something they've never heard before? Even if it's 20 years old or 200 for that matter. No matter who you are, there's something out . . .	71
Pat Metheny Fans, Great Suggestions Please ?? ECM released all their PM stuff in Japan on gold and regular CDs. Both series were limited edition in mini-lp sleeves. More recently, a few PM CDs were released in the "Jazz . . .	69
Bruce at The Super Bowl.... I thought he was trying to distill his "shtick" into a very limited time span. Maybe he was trying too hard but I thought it went off pretty well considering..... I particularly . . .	68
Pink Floyd Here's what I've found so far. Looks like quite a reissue program. For me everything depends on the quality of the remasters by James Guthrie. 1. Discovery Edition 16CD Sept27 . . .	67
Joan Baez - Do I just not get it? Snofun3, Maybe you should change your handle to "no fun". How do you really feel? You no like? Then you no listen! What's a matter you	67
Music to die to Ralph Vaughan Williams-Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis Felix Mendelssohn-Fingals Cave (Hebrides Overture	66
Jethro Tull questions... My favorites are Benefit and Stand Up. Unfortunately I've never heard an excellent version of either album	66
Fleetwood Mac I've always been partial to "Pious Bird of Good Omen" alhough quite different from the titles mentioned in the OP	61
Jazz artists for late starter. Just picked up the (relatively recent) Pat Martino CD dedicated to Wes Montgomery. Have been a Wes fan for many years. What this CD lacks in Wes' funky edge it makes up for in . . .	56
Under Appreciated Jazz Piano Players Kirk Lightsley (sp	55
Best sounding cd in your collection Rubinken-Is that the German greatest hits CD? If it is, it certainly does sound good. Also, a great selection of tunes. If I could only have one JW CD that would be it. Jennifer . . .	55
Stick a fork in Dylan, he's done. For me it's "Blood on the Tracks" and "Blonde on Blonde". I bought "Modern Times" but it didn't do much for me. I don't think he needs any more of my . . .	54
Music and politics They (the musicians) have the freedom to say what they want to say and we have the freedom to listen or not. I like it this way. There are places where the musicians are told what. . .	54
Feds to audiophiles: You're all pirates now Aaargh matey! And I be drink'n rum while I be do'n it, burn'n CDs on a dead mans chest! Hang me from the yard arm	54
Pet Sounds: Most Overrated Album of All Time? I wouldn't know since I've never heard it	51
HDCD VS SACD Stanwal, If your DAC or CDP doesn't have HDCD built in, it cannot decode the HDCD portion of the disc. It would play as a standard redbook CD. There's a very good explanation of . . .	50
So, What is the Verdict on the Beatles Box Sets? Musicslug, I can't say you're wrong but it won't be happening for me. Just a nasty old Luddite I suppose	50
YouTube Favorites to share. Not music, but recently checked out Crusader Rabbit and Bucky Beaver ads (Ipana toothpaste) on YouTube. Oh yeah, Mickey Dolenz (Circus Boy & Monkees) too	49
The old timers give the young'ns tips on the 60s. The early 60s, now there was some scary stuff that you probably don't want to listen to. Before all this stuff we're talking about here. When most people say 60s music what they . . .	49
Does anyone do good protest music anymore? Some earlier Bruce Cockburn	49
the SHM CD Experience They are extremely expensive because the dollar is being beaten to death by the yen, especially in the last six months. It's an ugly situation for those wanting to purchase . . .	48
Best Live Shows 2006 ? I saw Pat Martino a few weeks ago. Not only was he great but the pianist, bassist and drummer were acomplished musicians as well. The guitar was the only amplified instrument. Sat. . .	48
Beatles covers: better than originals? I purchased the "I Am Sam" soundtrack based on the recommendation in this thread. As I never saw the movie I was totally unfamiliar with this CD. I enjoyed it very much. . . .	47
Best Diana Krall album...........is??? There is a "Greatest Hits" album. Any comments on it	46
Where stands the music of Chet Baker with you? Not high on my list of trumpet players or singers	45
Joni Mitchell Blue - Wow help me Agoners Just received the latest Japanese reissues CDs (late 2006) of Ladies of the Canyon, Court and Spark and Blue. Ladies and Court sound excellent while Blue seems to be a bit on the . . .	45
Donald Fagen's Nightfly - Love it or Hate it? I think Nightfly is a very good CD. Probably the best of Donald Fagens three. I think of them as "smooth" or "easy listening" Steely Dan :<). Kamakiriad is very good but doesn't . . .	45
Canadian Musicians Jeanne Lamon (sp?) is fabulous. Try Handels Concerto Grossi Opue 3, classical of course. Truly rewarding	44
Diana Krall Survey Her vocal range seems extremely limited. Also, her music rarely demonstrates much emotion. That being said, she has accomplished a lot	43
Great music but poor recording recommendations. I like a couple of the Midnight Oil Cds but they could have been recorded better	42
What do you listen to when no one else can hear it I ocassionaly listen to the Beach Boys and throw in some surf guitar stuff. My wife hates this stuff so I have to play it when shes not around	42
Artists 'SELLING OUT' - can we discuss? IMO: Artists have always "sold" out, nothing new	41
Have U ever bought an LP because of the cover art? I've never purchased an album for the cover art. That being said though, I do appreciate the art on a lot covers. For me it's a plus	40
What`s your fave Audiophile Chill Out recording? The dulcet tones of the Mantovani Orchestra	39
Where do I go from Eva Cassidy? Any opinions on this new release	39
To big to fail? What road are we headed down? I never understood the tape on the jewel case. It's only on the top and the jewel case can be opened without removing it. If it's an anti-theft measure it doesn't work	39
Modern Jazz Pianist recommendation Here's a couple more to try: Taylor Eigsti Brad Mehldau	38
Danny Boy - Recommendations I'm not sure this is a recommendation but there's a very idiosyncratic version of this song by Diana Krall on the Chieftains CD "Tears of Stone". Might be interesting if . . .	37
John Lennon, 29 years ago today.... I don't know which nation has the most angry, lost and inhumane people but we have the most guns, that's for sure	37
New to Classical Music - Album to try first?? Try some Albinoni oboe concertos on the Chandos Chaconne label. PS: I love the tone of those baroque oboes	37
any new Beatle fans because of the remasters? One must understand that the curmudgeon must raise its head from time to time to catch some air. Levy03, I'm afraid you've unwittingly given them another opportunity. IMO: Your . . .	37
Born to Run: Why the Poor Sound Quality? The first 2/3s of the Greatest Hits has poor sound quality while the last 1/3 sounds excellent. Kind of a chronology of music as well as recording technique	36
beautiful piano recordings: solo or small ensemble Try Taylor Eigsti, Resonance. Very nice jazz paino trio	36
How selective are you? I have to admit that I've bought CDs because I liked no more than 1 or 2 tunes on it	34
haunting/dark classical A little off the beaten path and more recent than those already mentioned; Silvestrov(sp?) from the Ukraine. Dark and brooding but not as "thick" as above mentioned . . .	34
Perfect Soundtrack for Stylish Sunday Lunch? Coltrane-Ballads	34
The Beatles albums finally all remastered Now let's just hope they've done a good job. I've heard re-masters that were definitely not an improvement as I'm sure many of us here have. Of course I hope these do not fall into. . .	33
Neil Young at Massey Hall Just received my copy from Japan. A superb CD on many levels. A real "you are there" intimacy. For a live album the sound is qreat. I even like the dialogue and guitar . . .	33
What Patty Smith album to own? My vote goes for Easter, some really great tunes. Horses and then Radio Ethiopia. Yes, some of the songs ARE challenging	32
Guitar playing audiophiles, Martin or Taylor? Each guitar is different, even same make and model. Also the strings can make a world of difference. A string that sounds great on one guitar can sound awful on another. The age of. . .	32
KIND OF BLUE I will second the K2HD CD. It's the best I've heard and I've owned just about every CD version available at one time or another. It IS pricey though	31
What Mobile Fidelity lp or cd is your fav ? Tom Petty-Full Moon Fever	31
Been listening to The Beatles ... I purchased stereo versions of everything from Revolver and Rubber Soul on up. Have only listened to Revolver and Rubber Soul so far. IMHO: They sound much better than any other . . .	31
worst 'long-lived' band How can any band beat "Chicago"? Their first album was great but Chicago XXX	31
Non classical piano based music recommendaiton The latest artist I've hear that fits your criteria is Taylor Eigsti (sp?). Quite a young man but very accomplished pianist. His sidemen, bass and drums, are also very good	30
Chamber Music - your best pick. Any Piano Trios on Hyperion by the Floristan Trio. They have recorded a nice selection, I haven't heard a bad one yet. As far as composers I'm partial to just about anything by . . .	30
Red Trumpet still in business? The net site is still up and running. You can even place an order	30
the guess who vs the rock and roll hall of fame If they admit The Guess Who into the RRHOF I guess they'll let anyone in, talent be damned. IMO: The Guess Who were a cheesy act at best. Could never stand them. American Woman . . .	28
Contemporary composers. Please help. I like Ukrainian composer Valentin Silvestrov symphonies	28
Sibilance in recordings: your experience the same? Sibilance drives me nuts, I can't stand it. For me it's one of the worst qualities in audio. Unfortunately, if it's on the CD anything in the chain can make it worse. It's one of . . .	27
Eagles Concert Guitar Player I realy enjoyed "Hell Freezes Over" and thought Don Felder did an excellent job. If I remember correctly, he played one number on classical guitar that sounded awesome. . . .	27
Jennifer Warnes 20th Ann Famous Blue Raincoat RI I have this on 2 Limited Edition gold CDs, an older Private Music release and the recent Cisco Music 20th Anniversary issue. The Private Music release is mellower and rounder . . .	25
Pink Floyd best CDs soundwise Just a note for those that might be interested. Most of these were re-released in Japan on 12/23/09 at relatively reasonable prices (price may get better depending on exchange rate. . .	25
Medieval-style music Just about anything by Jordi Savall is worth listening to, both instrumental and vocal. The recording quality is usually very good as well	25
Rock n Roll w/Strings Just listened to Elton Johns 1st album, which I consider spotty as far as music quality, with some songs excellent and others not so much. However, quite a few songs have strings, . . .	24
Grant Green suggestions I recently bought a 2CD Blue Note set that is very good; "Grant Green, The Complete Quartets with Sonny Clark". BTW: Blue Note has 15 Grant Green CDs listed	24
Herbie Hancock, River: The Joni Letters Call me a stick-in-the-mud but I'll cling to my early Blue Notes, which IMO are great jazz. He lost me at Headhunters	24
Jazz CD suggestions for evening ambience John Coltrane-Ballads	24
HDCD recommendations?? One thing I've noticed lately is that not all HDCDs are labeled. I've got several that light up the HDCD light on my DAC but aren't labeled as HDCD anywhere I can see. I like the . . .	23
Anyone heard a K2 HD CD yet? Constantine, Your article tweaked my curiosity about this mastering technique in the first place. Thanks for that. I plan to purchase one or two soon to check them out but . . .	23
musicianiship--when is it bad or good ? I think musicianship is a good thing when it serves the music. It's a bad thing when it (abilty, virtuosity) become the object and is secondary to the music	23
is it just me, new Steely Dan cd's too brite snare Is it just me, too many new CDs suffer from this problem? Seems I'm fighting it all the time	23
Leon Russell Saw Leon Russell once, years ago, with Richard Thompson opening. At the time hadn't heard of Richard Thompson	22
Mozart Piano Concertos I attended a concert where Uchida played a Mozart piano concerto (don't remember which one) with the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra. Fabulous	22
Recommendations for good jazz radio stations Not a station but a show: Jazz with Bob Parlocha. Excellent jazz program that seems to be carried by various public radio stations around the country	22
What is the best doors album in your opinion? Of course there is no "best" here, just favorites. Mine are, Soft Parade and Waiting for the Sun. Drove from Minnesota to Miami in 1968 with one 8 track tape, The Doors. . .	22
christmas music Charlie Brown Christmas - Vince Guaraldi Trio	22
Morph The Cat-Bass Notes Dtronvig, Thanks for your post. That's the information I was looking for. Might be a good CD to take to a speaker audition	22
What's your favorite Audiophile label, and why? I've never thought that Deutsche Gramophon CDs sounded very good. Some of the repertory is irreplacable though. I like the Dutton, Hyperion and Chandos labels. A high percentage of. . .	22
"Paper Airplane" Slaw, Do you think it's the material, the performance or both? I am also a fan and wanted to like the release but something felt a little flat. It's still far from a "bad" outing . . .	21
Your favorite classical composers/works? I have to admit a soft spot for Purcell and Rameau. A more recent composer I like is Valentin Sylvestrov, Ukrainian I think	21
Saw Steely Dan I see they're scheduled to play at the Minnesota State Fair, which BTW is always awesome. Might check them out	20
Blu-Spec CDs Just received and listened to my first Blu-Spec CD today, Carole King/Tapestry. Sounded excellent! I'm expecting more this week and if they arrive I'll try to post a report. One . . .	20
Everything Bach ever wrote Did Bach write operas or did I miss something	20
Question re Celtic/Irish/Chieftains music One of the early Solas Cds might do the trick	20
Where to buy CD's Will you be purchasing from the US? From my experience Amazon and CD Universe are both quite good. If you want opinions on sound quality of specific CDs join: www.SteveHoffman.tv . . .	19
Phoebe Snow has died. I still play her 1st album occasionally, always liked it since it came out. There was something classy in her delivery. Sad to hear she is no longer with us	19
Time Has Come Today-The Chambers Brothers Funny thing, a local appliance store recently replaced their TV ads "I Feel Free" Blind Faith background music with The Chambers Bros "Time Has Come Today". Now. . .	19
ArkivMusic Cds any takers? If you can easily find a used copy of an OOP CD you're searching for, great! If you can't find it or are not inclined to search for it then ArkivMusics service is great. Many new . . .	19
Who is the best classical pianist alive? Can we add Marc-André Hamelin to the list	19
Led Zeppelen and Dire Straits Japanese SHM CD's Just my 2 cents on this subject. I own a number of SHM-CDs including "Dire Straits, Brothers in Arms" which I think is outstanding. However, in my experience the sound . . .	18
MFSL cd's vs. Redbook cd's 1. Most MSFL gold CDs are redbook CDs (excluding newer SACDs of course). I believe they've all been re-mastered. MFSL produced aluminum CDs as well as gold CDs. 2. There have . . .	18
Christmas Jazz Anybody? Go to jazzwithbobparlocha.com then "guide to jazz music listed on our site" box. Click on the category "Christmas Jazz". Hope you find something there you like. . .	18
Santana Ultra Disc II 24K Gold by Mobile Fidelity I could swear that I owned a Mofi Abraxas years ago. It will be interesting to hear from someone who can compare the previous CD with the new release. Owned the first Santana gold . . .	18
your favorite michael brecker recording? Not an album but a cut from Methenys 80/81, Everyday (I thank you). In the liner notes of the ECM Rarem CD, Metheny relates how Michael Brecker felt that recording that tune . . .	18
Anyone going to see Loreena McKennitt? RW: I hear what you're saying. We didn't get each other Christmas presents this year and she really loves Loreena so I thought it was appropriate. Certainly not a lot of . . .	18
Songs that Inspire or Move you Although I consider them both a bit on the "corny" side, I always liked the theme songs from "An Officer and a Gentleman" and "Dirty Dancing". There's. . .	17
Beatles Box Sets Update As most everyone knows by now, the initial 10,000 have been sold or at least spoken for. There will be a small second run to be released in mid October. I'm not sure of the number. . .	17
Rant- Ebay seller and the cost of shipping 1 cd. I charge $5 flat shipping for CDs (any number) on Audiogon. That's for USPS priority shipping. It's relatively fast. $5 is fair to the buyer, I'm not making anything on it. The . . .	17
Best recording labels for orchestral music My favorite classical labels are: Hyperion Chandos Glossa Alia Vox But there are many, many more with fine sound and performances	17
Most Emotional Opera Melodies There's a superb aria in Gianni Scicchi (sp?). In fact it's the only memorable thing about the opera but it is wonderful. Sorry I can't remember the name of it but perhaps someone . . .	17
So You Think You Know Your Mozart? The nuns are going to come after me with a ruler. I got the Requiem wrong! And after all those years in boys chior	17
Music you didn't like at first... but now? I too purchased "Hunter", gave it a listen and was unimpressed. It sat there for about year until I gave it another listen. I don't know what I was thinking the first . . .	17
R.I.P. Levon Helm Somewhere I hope Levon is singing with Rick and Richard. What great music those guys made together. Last night I listened to some music by The Band. Bittersweet in many ways	16
"Hidden Gems"' I loved the "tink" sound when my stone hit the screen in the funnel they gave me. I checked out the stone under a magnifying glass, all jagged edges and points like a . . .	16
Dr. John I like his theme song to the Curious George cartoons on PBS	16
Qawwali ....Nasrut Fateh Ali Khan Gentlemen, I must confess a total ignorance on this subject but I am willing to give it a try. Could you suggest one CD to start me off on this? Thanks	16
Grateful Dead Remasters? Been a fan of the Dead from the beginning. Maybe time to update my CDs. Thanks everyone for your input	16
Candidates for Re-mastering? I agree that the DCC gold "Blue" sounds pretty good. "Court and Spark" may not be quite up to "Blue" but still better than standard issue. As for . . .	16
Jazz station recommendations, please. Try www.jazz88fm.com. It's a public radio station run by the Minneapolis school district. They play jazz exclusively except for the occassional school board meeting (DULL) and blue. . .	16
Best Classical to "broaden" listening arena? Check out: www.brightcecilia.com I believe St. Cecilia was the patron saint of music. This is a site dedicated to classical music. Not religious in any way, I think the title is . . .	15
I know this has probably been discussed... Aren't some new recordings done on analog tape or has everything gone digital	15
Gold CDs ...... too much? I always thought the MFSL gold CDs were hit or miss, some sounded excellent while others so-so. I'm not exactly sure what they did (in terms of processing) other than transfer to . . .	15
How are the blue note RVG CD's? Just a note: Many RVGs were recorded in his parents living room. This is not a joke	15
Best sounding Santana debut and 3rd album You might try the Japanese Blu-spec Sony releases. I have the 2nd, 3rd and 4th Santana CDs and they sound pretty good. There is also an Audio Fidelity gold version (relatively . . .	14
Grant Green's version of 'Round About Midnight What Grant Green album is his version of "Round Midnight" on	14
Super High Material I posted because I thought the idea was interesting but I have no idea whether the claims for enhanced sonics will turn out to be real. We shall see	14
Metheny show...who is excited? I've gone to 2 Metheny concerts, both were outstanding. I agree about the guitar-synth though, my least favorite part of his albums and concerts	14
Where do you buy good CD recordings? CDUniverse is also quite good	14
CD Repair? I've seen the machines advertised. The 2 companies I mentioned in my original post (and I'm sure there are others) actually repair the CDs. You send them your scratched CDs, they . . .	14
Looking for some Art Pepper recommendations All excellent suggestions. I also like some of the "live" in Tokyo CDs	14
Blu-Spec Kind Of Blue This is not a BluRay disc. It is a regular old redbook CD that sounds excellent. As I mentioned in my initial post, recommended for those with CD based systems only	14
Best sound on classic rock cds I've got a gold CD of Chicago's first "Chicago Transit Authority" that sounds pretty good. Only Chicago album I really like although they had plenty of great singles . . .	14
Springsteen's "Magic" on vinyl, opinions? Bottom line, very few of his albums sound good	14
Recommendation for marching, war classical music. Battlefield Band-Scottish	14
What are the differences between XRCDs? I listened to my K2HD Hell Freezes Over last night, very impressive sound quality for a CD. Also own the K2HD version of Kind of Blue. Of all the versions I've owned this version . . .	13
Arvo Part... Where have you been my whole life? A bit different from those already mentioned but definitely worth checking into is Valentin Silvestrov	13
Shout out for Neil Young's Sugar Mountain Live LP How does this compare to "Live at Massey Hall"	13
CD Cases Are we talking digipack or mini-lp? With mini-lps I always put new CDs in a tyvek sleeve which fits inside the mini-lp jacket and protects the CD nicely. I like mini-lps because . . .	13
Recommended CD's for classical good recording ? If you're looking for specific recommendations perhaps a time period or composers names would be helpful	13
Beatles Music I believe all the Japanese import CDs are available CD Universe	13
Pat Metheny Nonesuch Remasters I bought most of the early stuff on limited edition gold ECMs from Japan. They sound very nice. Would also be interested in any sound quality improvement in the newer releases as . . .	13
New to Opera, have some questions Try Tosca with Maria Callas. It's from the 50s and monaural but worth a listen. I'm also a fan of some of the earlier stuff such as Montiverdi	13
The new Bob Dylan I'll check it out	12
Best Place to order cd`s I like Elusive Disc, Acoustic Sounds, CDJapan, CD Universe and Presto Classical	12
"When Records Ruled The World"...BBC Documentary I haven't watched the documentary but plan to soon. This may have nothing to do with the program but it made me wonder, could it be that many musicians these days can't get enough . . .	12
Serious Classical Labels Alia-Vox is another excellent label not yet mentioned. There are several classical music magazines to check out such as Gramophone that review CDs. They also publish a yearly book. . .	12
Celtic Thunder Don't forget Lunasa and Karan Casey	12
How to fix CD? If we're talking scratches here, there are a few companies that polish the CD surface. Google "CD repair". Haven't tried this so can't make specific recommendations	12
Vikings Fight Song: Try again I'm up here on the frozen tundra but I'm thinking this Vikings song just isn't doing it for me. However, I understand why some Lone Star State folks might have some bitter . . .	12
Larry Coryell at Jazz Showcase in Chicago Blackstonejd, I saw him at the Dakotah in Minneapolis earlier this year, he put on a very enjoyable show. Also caught Pat Martino and John McLaughlin shows there. Must have been . . .	12
The Chieftains - which CDs have the best sound? Try The Chieftains and Van Morrison, a fine sounding CD. MFSLs Long Black Veil sounds just a little edgy on top to me. May be me, my system or the CD I'm not sure. Musically, . . .	12
Traffic "John Barleycorn Must Die" - Why no mfsl Yes I agree that MFSL and DCC made some very strange choices for reissue. One explanation for some titles not making it on these labels is there could have been licensing problems . . .	12
Are you an Allison Krause and Union Station fan I've pre-ordered the new CD as well	11
Do newer releases of CD's sound any better? I definitely agree that re-mastered CDs must be judged on an individual basis. Many exhibit major sonic improvement. However, I have found some re-masters disappointing and I . . .	11
Jennifer Warnes 20th Anniversary Fam Blue Raincoat I'll probably check out the new re-master because I'm a fan. However, I'd be surprised if it sounds better than my Private Music gold cd or my German Zounds "Best of" . . .	11
New XRCD's get'em QUICK I read HPs article and I believe (although not completely clear) that he was referring to XRCD classical music titles. Having never heard one of these I can neither agree or . . .	11
Your favorite versions of Aja and Katy Lied? I've owned the MFSL Aja CDs. They were alright. The MFSL Goucho is outstanding. Recently purchased a 2 CD set, Show Biz Kids, essentially a greatest hits compilation. I was . . .	11
Blue Note RVG Editions remasters, sound better? I believe the Connoisseur series was 20bit mastered and SBM. I own a large percentage of those issued. The RVGs are 24bit mastered and IMO sound excellent and as mentioned are . . .	11
Alright ? Who brought the bandeon to the jazz gig? I saw Astor Piazolla sometime in the 80s at the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis. Enjoyed the performance very much. Up to that point I had never experienced anything like it	10
Any opinions on John McLaughlins last album? I did see him last year or the year before at the Dakota Bar & Grill in Minneapolis. The thing is, although enjoyable there was no apparent Indian influence in his repertoire that . . .	10
Luciano Pavarotti dead at 71 I think he'll go down as one of the best tenors ever and justifiably so. Quite a person and what a voice and he knew how to use it! RIP Luciano	10
Joshua Tree I've owned the gold CD. It was OK but I'm listening to the latest Japanese release which is pretty nice and much, much less than the gold. Maybe $30, check CD Universe	10
Import CD Question 1. Many Japanese releases are "limited edition" and available for a limited period, many more than in the US where many titles are available for years. 2. Many Japanese . . .	10
Japanese Zep CD's-the sound remains the same Seandtaylor99, I have had about 150 CDs go bad on me. All manufactured by Philips Dupont Optical (PDO) in the UK. Fortunately all but 2 have been replaced with the same titles. The. . .	10
HDCDs from China? I have purchased some of these Chinese gold HDCDs. I felt the soung quality to be rough at best. The highs are piercing. I don't know if they are legit or not. I see gold 3 CD sets. . .	10
Pat Metheny Group Fans....Speaking of Now on DVD I've seen the Pat Metheny Group in concert twice. I'm a real fan. Has anyone checked out the Japanese 24K releases? All the ECMs were reissued. I bought 5 before they went OOP. . . .	10
The Piano - Herbie Hancock Always liked the Blue Note stuff before the funk, fusion, electric stuff. I'll check this one out	9
Haiti Telethon I was really impressed by most of the performances. IMHO: Some high quality stuff	9
Neil Young remasters I just listened to the re-mastered Self Titled CD. Although sound quality isn't as good as I would have liked, I didn't think it was bright or forward. I would characterize this . . .	9
Steve Hoffman site Beatles discussions? I know you can't make everyone happy but..... My opinion on the remasters: They sound a hell of a lot better than what we had, and it was about time! As far as the Hoffman threads. . .	9
Japanese Mini-LP Obi CD's -- Audiophile Quality? I own many (approx. 100, most purchased direct from Japan) of these CDs and there's no definitive answer to your question. Many of the CDs are excellent but not all. Most of the . . .	9
Good Bach Piano Concerto in Dminor recording J. S. Bach wrote no piano concertos. In fact I don't think there was such a thing as a piano during his lifetime. A few of his sons may have written works for the piano however. I . . .	9
sonny rollins I saw him a couple of years ago in Minneapolis. He wasn't as good as he used to be but one must consider his age (still great though). I read an interview in which he was asked why. . .	9
Eric Clapton covers Robert Johnson I like my acoustic blues on the raw side and although I respect ECs ability, guitar more than vocal, he has a tendency to be smooooth. This tendency has the effect, at least for me. . .	9
Best CONCERTS of 2012? Pat Metheny and Unity Band in a small venue	8
REMEMBER? I think they'd give you the boot if you said: Dick that song sucked! It had no beat and I couldn't dance to it. Although I don't think "sucked" was in common usage then. . . .	8
Where to find hi-quality CD's of classical music Georgester, 1. I suggest checking your local library to find titles you may be interested in. 2. You might also read a few issues of Gramophone, there are classical reviews and . . .	8
Marcin Wasilewski Trio Phaelon, Where did you order Achirana? CD Universe wants $41.69 for this title, seems high. $95 for Triangle on Amazon. What's going on here? I'm interested in checking these out	8
Disappointing Elton John CDs? These are the standard CDs available at any record store for $7-8 new. They sound muddy/muffled but with occasional strident highs, how can that happen? Had these titles on vinyl. . .	8
Distortion on Giant Steps? I think the piano distortion on Giant Steps is in the original recording and can't be eliminated. Maybe the mike was too close or the tape was being overloaded	8
John Coltrane Ballads I have the Mofi gold CD which is very good but the new Japanese SHM CD version is the best I've heard	8
Jethro Tull Remasters - Better Sound? I've got Japanese mini LP Benefit and Stand Up CDs. They may sound a little better than other versions but they're still muddy. I don't know how these albums were originally . . .	8
Paintings, Artwork, Poster's let's hear it. Been collecting Japanese scroll paintings since the 1970s. I have one hanging behind my system. I change it once a month	8
Doors 24-bit remasters..... I have this set but I prefer the 24K DCC issues. Unfortunately DCC did not release the full set but if you try these I think you'll like them	8
what are gold cd's IMO: The gold was a marketing gimmick. Most gold CDs were released by MFSL and DCC. In many cases they do sound better than their aluminum cousins but not because of the gold. They. . .	8
The best Beatles recording on CD The 24bit mastered Japanese version of "One" is worth a listen	8
XRCDs. Which ones would you recommend me? This one is going to be tough to find but the sound is spectacular: Hell Freezes Over by the Eagles. It was only available for a short time. I'm not a huge Eagles fan but the sound. . .	8
Off the beaten track music you love I always liked Pearls Before Swine. Their best IMO was Balaklava	7
Not JS but CPE Bach Here are some suggestions for further listening, all instrumental: 1. C.P.E. Bach/La Folia, The Purcell Quartet, Hyperion 2. C.P.E. Bach/4 Symphonies, The Amsterdam Baroque . . .	7
How are the Classical music XRCDs? Camaron, As far as I know XRCDs are Red Book	7
Decent sounding Pretenders album? I definitely agree that remasters frequently offer no improvement thus the original post on the 2008 release "Best of the Pretenders"	7
japanese imports I've purchased from Amazon.jp and CDJapan. IMO: Both are excellent although Amazon seems to be a bit faster. I believe they use FedEx while CDJapan uses the PO. Make sure the CD. . .	7
CD quality differences I've noticed this difference most on anthology or greatest hits CDs. The earlier stuff sounding harsh and nasty (probably early solid state recordings) while the more recent stuff . . .	7
Sound Quality of Remastered CD's I think the key here is; who does the remastering and whattis being remastered. If it's someone like Steve Hoffman or the XRCD guys using original tapes it's probably going to . . .	7
Cyndi Lauper & Tom Waits in Phantom of the Opera A good one for April Fool's Day! Although it certainly would be interesting	7
Loreena McKinnet Remasters It is the same DVD with each remaster. These are limited editions after which the remixes will replace the originals without the bonus DVD. If you want the remixes but not the DVD . . .	7
Donna Summer, rip Never cared for disco but it did create some great songs, many of Donna Summers fit that category	6
Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers "The Live Anthology" IMHumbleO: Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers=one of the best rock'n'roll bands ever	6
MFSL Gold cd's Watch ebay auctions to get an idea of the going prices for many titles. This will at least give you a ballpark idea. Some titles are quite popular while others are not which is . . .	6
US vs Japanese Beatles remasters Mapman, Not necessarily. Sometimes true, sometimes not	6
New Michael Brecker CD, What a heart felt eloquent eulogy for a great sax man. His final album is IMO one of the finest jazz releases in years. RIP Michael Brecker	6
Meldau/Metheny: Thoughts? Dgarretson, I agree that "The Way Up" is an excellent effort. Almost seems that Metheny wants to write a symphony. I do wish he would forget the synclavier (I think that'. . .	6
What exactly is meant by Remastering in and of itself does not necessarily mean improved sound quality. Recent examples are the Loreena McKinnet remasters. To me they lost some of their textural richness . . .	6
strange sounds on rvg recordings/ or i'm crazy One the most famous for this, although not jazz, was Glenn Gould humming along with Bach. I like the live jazz Cds with the humming and grunting, bystanders gabbing, glasses and . . .	6
Enlighten me please There's great sounding CDs out there but it can be a crap shoot finding them. Most of the JVC xrcd stuff sounds great, especially the few newer xrcd24 titles. Many Japanese . . .	6
XRCD, can I play it on regular CD player? Yes! And you'll be glad you did!rja	6
I just received the new Enya SHM-CD Remasters I bought these from Japan when they first came out. At the time they were priced a bit higher than other SHM-CDs. The yen has been all over the place so depending on when they were. . .	5
Avett Brothers Fans/ The Carpenter? I see there's another version of "I & Love & You" being released Nov 19. Does anyone know if it's a remaster or what the deal is? Thanks	5
" Great Jazz Clint " I agree 100% with Photon46. Politics has become so vitriolic, let's keep Audiogon a refuge from all of it. Simply put, it's plain ugly. At some point before the election I'll . . .	5
gold discs - doors Didn't Audio Fidelity release two? I have Soft Parade, sounds pretty good. Also owned all the DCC Doors releases which also sounded pretty good. BTW: DCC had Soft Parade scheduled. . .	5
What is this blu-spec CD format compatible with s Blu-spec and Blu-Ray are two different things. Blu-spec can only be played on regular old CD players. Blu-Ray discs require a Blu-Ray player. Blu-Ray discs also cost much more . . .	5
New York Times article on Beatles and bootlegs A related question; is there any talk of re-mastered reissues in the future or is this not a priority? Couldn't agree more that they could sound better, a lot better. It's a shame . . .	5
Good Place for Classical CDs CD Universe does it for me most of the time. CD Connection not bad either	5
What is "Blu-spec CD"? Thanks all! I will check out the provided links	5
Cisco Records out of business? Mostly I think. Go to ciscomusic.com then "What's new" for explanation of their demise. They just released a 24K Jennifer Warnes/FBR CD and are scheduled to release a 24K. . .	5
Japanese mini lp Pros: Japanese quality control seems to be a bit tighter. The mini-LP packaging takes up less space. They frequently contain bonus tracks. Usually limited edition releases. Cons. . .	5
Which is the best version of Famous Blue Raincoat? I don't know about the LP versions but I own a gold limited edition CD from Private Music that sounds great! They were available for a very short time. Not sure how easy they are . . .	5
Modern day Classical Orchestra recommendation... I'm gonna be a homie and suggest some of the recent releases from the Minnesota Orchestra. I don't think you'll be dissappointed	5
Anyone heard the new Led Zep jJapanese CDs? My experience with Japanese made CDs has been positive. The most noticable improvement is in the high end. For some reason the grating edgy high end has been eliminated on a lot of. . .	5
Best Christina Aguilera Album? Yes, the woman has a voice and knows how to use it, what a talent! I've just never paid much attention but the time has come	4
Neil Young Unplugged Import Shoff, SHM-CD is a different material (plastic) than standard CD. It has nothing to do with the mastering or encoding. The theory is that the material is clearer therefore the . . .	4
RIP: KATE MCGARRIGLE I agree with you guys, a terrible loss	4
Any Jonathan Kreisberg fans here? I bought "The South of Everywhere" and enjoyed it very much. Slightly reminiscent of some Metheny. Definitely worth a listen and a purchase IMO. My first ever CD on Mel . . .	4
Overlooked Follow-Ups IMO: FBR, The Hunter and The Well are superb releases. I've always thought of FBR and The Hunter separately and unrelated for some reason. Maybe because FBR has a theme and The . . .	4
Jefferson Starship "Miracles" I've been a fan of Jef Airplane, Jef Starship & Starship for longer than I care to admit. IMO: None of their CDs has top notch sound quality (unfortunately). Don't know about the . . .	3
"Have you heard this?" review Naxos 8572103	3
Purcell's 'Fantasias for Viols' by Jordi Savall IMHO: Purcell's music is as good as any of the period and is under appreciated. My personal favorite is "The Fairy Queen". I believe I owned the CD you mention. Was it . . .	3
2 "Which Release?" jazz questions Objective1, A number of Bill Evans CDs have recently been re-issued in Japan. These are DSD re-mastered in the SHM-CD series. I have purchased "Waltz for Debbie" and &. . .	3
Recommendation for Baroque music lovers Chashmal, Agreed, one of my favorites of the period is Purcell. Rello, Really enjoy Jordi Savall	3
What do you know about Musicjapan? Sorry I can't help with Music Japan as I have never ordered from them. I have, however, ordered many times from Mundo and used from Tokyo Music. I have also ordered from CD Japan. . . .	3
The New Steve Hoffman Remasters Have Arrived I have the highest respect for Steve Hoffman's abilities. Always thought the DCCs sounded better than the MFSLs. For some reason that I never understood the MFSLs seemed to garner . . .	3
Storm Thorgerson That would be nice	2
Led Zeppelin japanese cds? I own a number of the SHM CDs. IMO, the SHM can enhance the sound of an already excellent sounding CD. It will not cure any problems the CD has. So bottom line, some SHMs are . . .	2
Anyone heard new Jason Vieaux CD? Jason Vieaux has distilled the beauty of these Pat Metheny songs for solo classical guitar while maintaining their essence. As an admited Metheny fan I'm familiar with all these . . .	2
Difference between XRCD / XRCD2 / XRCD24? Scagneti, excellent explanation. Thanks	2
Female artists you'd wish would result in an album Maya Rudolph and her college room mate, Gretchen Liberum, have a group called Princess which covers only Prince songs. Heard them on PBS and they were quite good. I guess they . . .	1