I've been listening to some of my favorite recordings this weekend and was wondering what others on Audiogon felt were there favorites. We have all seen the Stereophile "Records to Die For", The Absolute Sounds recommended list, Music Directs' list, The Golden Ear, etc. now I'm hoping to assemble the Audiogon "Recordings To Die For". Please list your five favorite recordings, the ones you listen to over and over or play for friends. I would assume the sonic quality is excellent in that this is an audiophile site. The performance and enjoy ability should also be excellent. Please leave your top five, even if they are already chosen so we can discover the very top for the Audiogon listeners. ALSO PLEASE REFRAIN FROM CRITICIZING OTHERS OPINIONS AND JUST LEAVE YOUR FAVORITES!
August 2002: I have compiled a summary and a full printer-friendly list of all of the recommendations below. click here to view summary
"Blood on the Tracks", Bob Dylan "Joshua Judges Ruth", Lyle Lovett "Old Paint", Freakwater "Nothing above my shoulders but the evening", Ray Lynch "The Final Cut" Pink Floyd
1 Dire Straits "Love Over Gold" there masterpiece 2 Dire Straits "Brothers In Arms" 3 Dire Straits "On Every Street" 4 Lynryd Skynryd "Endangered Species" this is unplugged in a studio and is a must hear domestic or imported. 5 Steve Earle "Copperhead Road"
1.Holly Cole "It Happened One Night" - Got this because Home Theater Mag uses the "Train Song" to test bass. Turns out to be a fabulous CD in both contents and sonics. 2.Steely Dan "Two Against Nature" - Won 4 Grammys including Best Album & Best Engineered - Some the best sonics I've heard. 3.Natalie Cole "Unforgettable With Love" - 22 songs, Silkly voice and strings. 4.Yes "The Ladder" - Steve Howe! 5.Eagles "Hell Freezes Over" DVD in DTS - Wanna melt away? What can I say about DTS's sonics over 6 speakers!!!
Great stuff; further, try Janis Ian,"Breaking Silence", Anna Caram, "Aamzonia", and Cowboy Junkies "Trinity Sessions". AND Bruce Cockburn, "Charity of Night". Just to name a few.
ESTHER OFARIM-ESTHER(XRCD) JOAN BAEZ-RING THEM BELLS PATRICIA BARBER-CAFE BLUE(FIM GOLD DISCS) HARRY BELAFONTE-BELAFONTE RETURN TO CARNEGIE HALL(CLASSICS COMPACT DISCS) BURMESTER CD3 SOME OF THE BEST RECORDING IMO,THOUGH THERE MORE BUT LIMIT IT TO FIVE.
Refer Recordings to die for: Odelay- Beck ?I like Beck's mutations, and the song' looser', but this sampling crap and him being genious an all, it is too much. Sorry, Nielro, I could not resist.All the other 4 of your choices are surely worthy.
Greg Brown- In The Dark With You(CD) Chris Isaak- Baja Sessions(CD) Mark Knopfler- Golden Heart(CD) Ted Hawkins- Songs From Venice Beach (CD) Tracy Chapman- Telling Stories (CD)
1) The Who - Who's Next MFSL 2) Moby - Animal Rights 3) Dire Straits - Sultans of Swing - The Very Best Of - HDCD 4) The Doors - Morrison Hotel tied with Waiting For The Sun 5) Neil Young and Crazy Horse - Rust Never Sleeps
There are about 20 others I could squeeze into this top 5
5 is tuff after a few minutes of thinking here i go 1. Kate Schrock..dames rocket bob ludwig recording..excellent. 2. Patricia Barber..companion xrcd..beautiful 3. THE STEELY DAN STORY 1972-1980..SHOWBIZ KIDS 4.Christy Baron..steppin..24/96 5 DIRE STRAITS..SULTANS OF SWING ..HDCD THIS was a tuff list there is so much great music( rap is not music)
1. Steely Dan - Two Against Nature !DVD! - not only the new songs but some great old ones too. 2. Michael Hedges - Aerial Boundaries - Awesome guitarwork and a pristine Windham Hill Recording 3. Genesis - Trick of the Tail - I used to have the MFSL vinyl, but even the regular old CD is great (I use it to test bass extension of speakers). 4. KFOG - Live from the Archives II - Damn good live recordings for a compilation album sold for charity (Neville Brothers "Yellow Moon" - WOW). 5. Squirrel Nut Zippers - The Inevitable Squirrel Nut Zippers - Okay, so not the greatest quality recording, but the music is fun as hell.
A latecomer, forgive me. Difficult to discipline myself to 5. Here goes: Miles Davis, "Bitches Brew" (LP) Bach, St Matthews Passion / Klemperer (LP / CD emi art) J Campbell, "One Beleiver" (LP) J L Hooker, "Kabuki Wuki" (LP) Mahler 1st. Symphony / B Walter / Columbia S. O. (not NYO on sony CD)
Thank you, Jadem for the thread, all others for the suggestions.
I have quite a few, but my recent favorite is "Duke of Earl" performed by Last Forever. The group is Apalation/Blue Grass/Scotts-Irish (whatever you want to call it) influenced and the rest of the CD is very nice as well. This version of The Duke however gives me goose bumps.
Just some favorites form the last 5 years (no reissues, which is another list) 1.Joshua Redman, Beyond (do not miss him live, his earlier period is well summed up on Joshua Redman, At the Village Vanguard) 2.Keb Moe, Slow Down 3.Habana, Roy Hargrove (begins with a neglected jazz classic that your non jazz friends will respond to) 4. Nouveau Swing, Donald Harrison (not as profound as Joshua's Redman, but not just recycled 60s jazz either, lots of good ideas) 5. Johnny Lang, the young Minnisota blues player has made to great albums, I cannot really pick a favorite. Don't miss him live. 5.
I can sit and listen all night to anything by Diana Krall. Also, I like the way the Verve recordings sound and their artists too. I enjoy their Dave Brubeck, the Antonio Carlos Jobim Bosanova recordings. I'm also a big fan of guitarist Robby Longley. He's from New Orleans and has a wonderful sound influenced by the Big Easy's rich local tradition mixed with his passion for flamenco. Best thing is, I can go to the local Border's bookstores here in Los Angeles and see him perform for two hours for free. His performances are loud but never as harsh as my music system at home once WAS. I also like Sunny Sumter's recording for Mappleshade. She sounds so soulful.
Wow -- it's impossible to pick the 5 best, since I'm listening to totally different stuff every couple of months. I'll leave the jazz alone (and Steely Dan), since they are so well covered already.
Here's 5 real good ones off the top of my head:
1. Grateful Dead - "Reckoning" - Excellent live acoustic set
3. Phish - "Picture of Nectar" - their most fun album and nice recording (not as quite as well recorded as Farmhouse, but tastier)
4. Bjork - "Homogenic" - astonishing blend of strings, electronica and Bjork's vocals (for jazz lovers who like Bjork's vocals, also check out "Gling-Glo" - a hard to find import with an Icelandic Jazz combo - sung in Icelandic!)
5. The Roots - "Things Fall Apart" -- I had to add this because this list has no hip hop on it (for good reason). But the Roots (I used to see them in Philly when they were known as the Square Roots) play their own instruments (even an acoustic upright bass!), and the album is one of the few well-recorded rap albums. One of the tracks features nice vocals from Erykah Badou (on their live album, the part is sung by Jill Scott).
Duke Ellington's Jazz Violin recordings. He recorded Stephan Grapelli (sp?), Ray Nance, and a third violinist playing his songs with his orchestra. He recorded it in France in 1963, but it wasn't released until 1976. It came out on an Atlantic LP. It's an amazing recording of some great music, and well worth checking out.
I've noticed several people have notated some classical titles that are pretty good. Here's some of my favorites (I do play for a living!)
1. Bruckner 6, Serge Celebudache, Munich, EMI This great conductor is without equal for Bruckner, and the Munich (Munchen) orchestra is up to it. By far the best classical recording quality I have owned. A phenomenal live performance. The interpritation is so enthralling that when I have friends over to listen to new toys this cd is last; we can't switch it out until at least the end of the first movement! Any of the EMI Bruckner recordings of Celibudache will be at this level, but they are expensive so I havn't bought them.
2.Shostakovich 1+7 (really just 7) Bernstein, Chicago live at carnegie hall NY. This recording is breathtaking in its power. The chicago sound is distinguishable: great brass, aggresive and gritty strings. Bernstein takes it up a notch. Listen to the power in the bass trombone in the last movement of the 7th symphony. It's no wonder the cellists sued the orchestra for hearing damage!!! Charlie Vernon absolutly plays his *%^% off! Also of note is the double brass section with the 2nd brass ensemble seated on the violin side of the stage. Listen to the power in the trumpet on that side. That's George Vosburgh, now principal in Pittsburgh.
3. Mozart "Overtures" Sir Colin Davis, Staatskapelle Dresden Although I ussually dislike compilation albums I find these overtures to be well recorded and extremely well played. I used to dislike Mozart, but the performance imparts the much needed vigor into this often humdrum music. This is really a great way to meet Mr. Mozart.
4. Corigliano, Piano Concerto, Slatkin, St Louis, Barry Douglas Piano. Not a big piano fan, or St Louis fan, But I find this composer to be tremendous. If you are not aquainted with contemporary classical composers, or if you hate them, then you should really take a listen to this. A "neo-romantic" who also wrote the somewhat old fashioned music to "The Red Violin" creates a sense of excitement, direction, and beautiful melody. The pianist is also very good. His first symphony might be a little heavy, but the piano concerto is really a great piece to enjoy and explore for people who might not even like classical, or if you think classical is boring.
5, Bartok, Concerto for Orchestra, Reiner, Chicago This vintage recording is a classic. Its a truelly wonderful performance and interpretation of a modern classic, (If you consider the everything this century modern......)
Lastly, a word about orchestras. Buying good classical is a very challenging task. I would recommend sticking to the best orchestras if you want the best music. I'll often only buy music by NY, Chicago, Berlin, Vienna (Weiner), Concertgabow (amsterdam), Munich, or sometimes a lesser orchestra if the conductor or piece is great like Pittsburgh, Boston (I bet I just made some enemies), Baltimore, Clevelend (the old Czell recordings are great, anything from london (I can't even remember which is which) LA etc.... Sometimes a small orchestra will come out with a great product, but more often than not if you want true greatness the source will be great orchestra. NY is my favorite....
If you don't own a copy of SWING, SWING, SWING by John Williams and the Boston Pops on Philips (412 626-2) I suggest you go out and buy one. If you're not yet a fan of big band music, you soon will be after playing this CD. Just the opening cut alone should be enough to do it. I was fortunate enough to find a copy of this CD in the used bin at a local CD store, and I can tell you that someone made a BIG mistake by trading it in! It has become one of my reference CDs; I pull it out every time I make a change in my system. The sense of stage it presents is absolutely startling, and there is no finer test for "air" that I have ever come across. Credit the legendary acoustics of Boston Symphony Hall for that. At first listen, you might think it lacks bass, but that's because bass viols played pizzicato in a hall as live as this one don't exactly set your pants legs flapping. Other than that, this recording is absolutely stunning. Does anyone else out there own a copy?
On CD: Amused to Death by Roger Waters, Love over Gold by Dire Straits, and Tales of Mystery and Imagination by the Alan Parsons Project. On Vinyl: Dark Side of the Moon by Pink Floyd (Harvest Records), and Bach - The Goldberg Variations by Glenn Gould (CBS MasterWorks).
i'm stunned there's only one person who mentioned coltrane so far and no one has mentioned tom waits. either you guys are all in for a BIG treat some day or ...
Tom Waits "Blue Valentine" - beautiful sound with huge and amazing soundstage but just an all-around amazing piece of musical genius from a master.
Coltane "Africa/Brass" 20 bit remaster
Chet Baker "Chet baker sings" - never heard vocals sound so lush.
Pink Floyd "Wish you were here" (i haven't heard the remaster but am assuming it's better than the original which is amazing).
Got to agree with Kublakhan. Nick Drake ruled. Anyone listen to new stuff? Tortoise, Sea and Cake, Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, Stereolab to name some well knowns.
Her are some i listen to over and over: 1.Pete Droge-Necktie second 2.Indigo girls-Greatest hits. 3.Cowboy Junkies-Studio sessions 4.Monte Montgomery-Mirror
Since the thread is revived these are some of my faves
SHOSTAKOVICH No 5 Jannsen or Haitnik MAHLER No 2 Bernstein Kendra Shank Afterglow (Mapleshade) Brian Jonestown Massacre Strung out in Heaven and last but not least Dr DRE The Chronic
Eva Cassidy - Live At Blues Alley Burton Gaar - Mighty Long Road Taj Mahal - The Real Thing (reissue) Keb Mo - Just Like You Jonny Lang - Wander This World
Each of these has a bluesy sound. Eva Cassidy and Burton Gaar are 2 of the best you never heard. Taj really makes his band rock! Keb is just too fine and Jonny cooks.
1. Miles Davis, Kind of Blue (correct speed remaster) 2. Patricia Barber, Cafe Blue 3. Aaron Copland, 100 (Reference Recordings) 4. Holly Cole, It Happened One Night 5. Beethoven, 9th Symphony (Gardiner)
1. argerich live recordings Tchaikovsky 1st and rachmaninoff 3rd. what a concerto really means, no wimps here. 2. the kinks- one for the road- new remastered version. soaring guitar work. 3. return of the hellecasters- unbelievable guitar work no vocals. If you can sit still or drive under the speed limit while listening to this version of orange blossom special, you are legally dead. collect on your insurance. 4.Panama Francis and the savoy sultans vol.II - Classic Jazz CJ-150 LP dance music from the harlem glory days that moves. 5. Beethoven cycle von Karajan 1962 simply the best.
Tony Bennett with Bill Evans on JVC XRCD is really enthralling. Evans' lyricism is bettered only by the utterly astounding fluidity and sonic coherence of Bennett's oh-so-nakedly-miked crooning. Phew!
What? No Southern Rock? Allman Brothers, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Marshall Tucker. You don't have live South of the Mason-Dixon line to appreciate this stuff. Especially early Allmans. E-mail me for any suggestions.
1)Charles Mingus - Ah Um (Title is supposedly some kind of joke in latin, does anyone get it?) 2)Duke Ellington - Afroeurasian Eclipse: got this one referral from W. Marsalis and the LCJO. 3)T. Monk - Might as well start with his earliest compilation of classics, but you wont stop there... 4) For God sakes lets get Van Morrison on the list; Moondance is surely deserving but I listen to A night in San Francico more. 5) Springsteen - The Wild the Innocent... Did I really leave off Dylan, Beatles, Steely, Floyd, Sting...
Sonny Rollins, Way Out West (XRCD is best, but any version sounds great); Rodney Crowell, Houston Kid; Guy Clark, Cold Dog Soup; Van Morrison, Astral Weeks; Bach, Solo Cello Suites, performed by anybody!
sc53-I have the Way Out West XRCD too. I was wondering if your xrcd played certain instrument on the left side and others on the right side? I have had good experiences with other XRCD and maybe I just got unlucky and purchase a bad copy. Then again, maybe it's my cd player that's not picking up the codes.
Great selection of discs folks.I'll skip mentioning Kind of Blue and Patricia Barber again. Here are a few others that I love that haven't been mentioned.
1. Lenord Cohn- Live 2. Carmen Lundy-Old Devil Moon XRCD fabulous! 3. Neal and Leandra-Hears and Hammers 4. Rusted Root-Cruel Sun (also:When I Woke) 5. Ain't Misbehavin' Broadway Cast Recording RCA
Here's a few more that I couldn't resist throwing in:
1. Don Byron- Bug Music 2. Oregon- Northwest Passage 3. Songs from the musical Ragtime 4. Rod Stewart- Unplugged 5. Chick Corea- My Spanish Heart 6. Bruce Cockburn: Breakfast in New Orleans,Dinner in Timbuktu 7.Jan Garbarek- I Took Up The Runes 8.Guy Clark-Dublin Blues
Question?? Help, I love the haunting sound of the cello and I need a recommendation on a piece that is both a great recording and a great performance. I do not mind if other insturments are on the piece, but I do want the artist playing the Cello being the focal point.
Well, for belonging to the most explosive music generation that there ever was, beginning in the 60's (perhaps 50's) 'til present,... I specifically frame the 60's, 70's and maybe early 80's in a class by itself in general talent regarding compositional superiority (melody, lyrics and harmony). Most notably in modern rock or pop.
Considering modern superior engineering. Not subject to genre and independent of craftmanship and w/out discriminating commercial or obscure groups.
On the latter, today there is a lack of musicians/groups with unparalled talent in the likes of early Genesis (w/ Peter Gabriel (theatrics pioneer) or King Krimson, Hawkwind, early Yes, early Tangerine dream, Patrick O'Hearn, early Supertramp, Nektar, Three Dog Night, John Coltrane, Klaus Schulze, Tomita, America, Ray Coniff, Prokofiev, America, Burt Baccarah, Steely Dan, Frank Zappa, Emerson Lake & Palmer, Pat Metheny, Steve Hackett, where have they gone...
What we have now is music devoid of in depth compostion, I exlude jazz and ambient/space, classic precedes my hypothesis and still endures. Music today is of mass production to the nth degree with only one objective: commercial productivity; It is truly a pre-packaged product, though with great sonic mastering, but shallow and superficial in message and mental stimulus (i.e. hip-hop, et. al.), it seems to be morphing into an ethnic/racial marketing venue (Tejano, Hip-Hop, Salsa, Teen Bop, Grunge, that pop, junk...)
I have managed to adapt and enjoy 5 decades of modern music, without regards to class and type (genre), but apparently resist into being absorved to the new era, to me a Dark Age.
Then again, in my limited vision and parallel universe, is only my humble opinion.
Since the music is the main reason we are all audiophiles (hopefully), my list does not take into account the sonics. My choices are listed with their format.
1) Live at Montreaux - Sun Ra Arkestra - LP 2) The Shape of Jazz to Come - Ornette Coleman - LP 3) Spiritual Unity - Albert Ayler - LP and CD 4) The Motion of Emotion - Elliot Levin - CD 5) Unit Structures - Cecil Taylor Unit - LP and CD
With the exception of #4 which cracked the list two years ago, this list has been standard for me since the late 70's when I first discovered creative improvised music. While perhaps not the best place to start with the music, these five are timeless masterpieces of the art and genius of the artists. I don't, however, think they'll make any Recordings to Die For list - except of course, my own!
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