What CD are you listening to right now?

[bigburner]

Milt Jackson - "Sunflower"

Dipping my toes back into jazz.

[wkhanna]

First it was 'The Crusaders'.

Now 'Milt Jackson'.

I always had faith in you, Nigel. :W

[bigburner]

First it was 'The Crusaders'.

Now 'Milt Jackson'.

I always had faith in you, Nigel. :W

It gets worse Bill. I then listened to this. It's another one from my mid-1970s love affair with jazz. An outstanding album.

Nigel.

[wkhanna]

Yep...I got that one......one of my favorite Basie's.

Well chosen, dear friend!

[Chris D]

I was just "listening" to this Count Basie Friday night.

[wkhanna]

That is funny, Chris!

The Count did in fact appear in the 1974 movie 'Blazing Saddles'.

[Johnloudb]

I'll have to check out some of my dad's Count Bassie stuff. He heard his band live once in Florida, he's a fan.

[bigburner]

I'll have to check out some of my dad's Count Bassie stuff. He heard his band live once in Florida, he's a fan.

I saw Count Basie live in 1977 at the Nice Jazz Festival (Nice is a city on the south coast of France). The festival was staged amongst the Roman ruins above the city. It was one of the most memorable settings / experiences in my life. Everything was beautiful, including the women...

Nigel.

[Johnloudb]

I saw Count Basie live in 1977 at the Nice Jazz Festival (Nice is a city on the south coast of France). The festival was staged amongst the Roman ruins above the city. It was one of the most memorable settings / experiences in my life. Everything was beautiful, including the women...

Nigel.

That's cool Nigel! It does sound really memorable. Nice jazz festival, Nice city, Nice girls, ... Nice!

[bigburner]

Bill, it's getting worse. Should I seek help now?

Nigel.

[wkhanna]

You seem to be doing OK…….

Just make sure you are staying clear of the Kenny G, John Tesh, David Sanborn, Norah Jones, et.al……..

And, if you start getting a sudden urge to wear a pocket protector, take two John Coltrane’s & an Ornetet Coleman and call me first thing in the morning.

[JonMarsh]

You seem to be doing OK…….

Just make sure you are staying clear of the Kenny G, John Tesh, David Sanborn, Norah Jones, et.al……..

And, if you start getting a sudden urge to wear a pocket protector, take two John Coltrane’s & an Ornetet Coleman and call me first thing in the morning.

Hey, they're nothing wrong with pocket protectors! though these days, you shouldn't need one, given that the stylus for your iPad will never ink your shirt....

[JonMarsh]

New music, old music, new music on my M50...

(so strictly speaking, these aren't CD's I'm listening to, though most came from CD's...)













I've really developed a bit of a thing for Joe Bonamassa's playing, to the extent that I've sprung for a Joe Bonamassa Les Paul with the Seymour Duncan custom shop 1959 re-engineered pickups



This is another relatively new album, from Eric Johnson: "Up Close", with a lot of guest players; cut 4, "Texas" is my favorite, and sounds like it could have had Joe playing on it, though it doesn't.



Recommended if eclectic guitar heroes float your boat! :T

[Chris D]

Interesting, Jon. I'll check out the Johnson album. I have one "best of" album of his, and it's nice.

What do you think about the Spyro Gyra album? Cool that it's SACD. I went through a new-age and fusion jazz phase in high school, and have a couple of their older albums.

[EDIT]I also checked out Beth Hart and Joe Bonamassa. That particular album wasn't quite doing it for me, but I'm checking out some other Joe Bonamassa stuff, and I'm liking it! Would you suggest anything particular of his to try out?

[wkhanna]

Hey, there's nothing wrong with pocket protectors!

Sorry, professor!
I certainly was never intending on ruffling the feathers of one with such well known & respected taste as yours! ;x(

[JonMarsh]

Interesting, Jon. I'll check out the Johnson album. I have one "best of" album of his, and it's nice.

What do you think about the Spyro Gyra album? Cool that it's SACD. I went through a new-age and fusion jazz phase in high school, and have a couple of their older albums.

[EDIT]I also checked out Beth Hart and Joe Bonamassa. That particular album wasn't quite doing it for me, but I'm checking out some other Joe Bonamassa stuff, and I'm liking it! Would you suggest anything particular of his to try out?

That one is my favorite Spyro Gyra album- favorite cut is "East River Blue"

Frankly, "Ah Via Musicom" is still my favorite Eric Johnson album, and I think his best, of the half dozen I have. If you only have one, that should be it. IMO. IMHO. Cough...

My stretch goal as a returning guitarist is to learn "Cliffs of Dover" sometime in the next 5-6 years. Second cut on "Ah Via Musicom". Probably Eric's best known piece. I have a plan... and a custom shop JB Stratocaster.

Another cool album, sort of a sampler, is Lee Ritenour's "Six String Theory" - has a boatload of different guest guitarists, including Joe Bonamassa. A lot of fun, and the album that introduced me to Joe- I'd heard of him before, but hadn't gotten around to trying anything by him.




The Fourplay album, "Between the sheets" is another album Lee Ritenour played on that I like quite a bit. Smoke N Mirrors is nice, too.

[wkhanna]

Excellent references!

I know Nigel is a blues guitar aficionado and has been a Bonamassa fan for years.

[Chris D]

Thanks, Jon! I already have "Cliffs of Dover" from both "Ah Via Musicom" and "Live from Austin, Texas". Two different variations of a good song. I think I prefer the Live version, which has a pretty groovy intro.

I've added "6 String Theory" to my Amazon Wish List. I love picking up a new album every once in a while. I think paying $7-14 bucks once a month or so to explore the landscape of good music is worthwhile, and try to rely on recommendations from people whose opinions I value, to make these explorations have some value.

(and I always buy physical media when I can)

[bigburner]

I'm checking out some other Joe Bonamassa stuff, and I'm liking it! Would you suggest anything particular of his to try out?

Hi Chris,

I like A New Day Yesterday, Sloe Gin, The Ballad of John Henry, and Dust Bowl. If you want a really different view of Joe then An Acoustic Evening at the Vienna Opera House is worth a try. All of his albums are good I suppose.

I can only take Joe in relatively small doses; a bit like Gary Moore. I'm currently working my way through his most recent Blu-ray release. It comprises 4 discs, each with a different concert and a different theme, and all recorded in London at 4 different venues. That's a lot of Joe in one package. Consequently I haven't given any of his CDs a spin for a while.

Nigel.

[Ovation]

Not exactly a CD (but replacing a damaged CD) is an audio-only Blu-ray of Breakfast in America. First impressions is that it's not afflicted with "loudness wars syndrome" and has decent dynamic range. Had been a while since I'd had a copy (I think I have my original vinyl from 1979 in a box somewhere, but haven't had a TT in years, so it's not within my reasonable memory in terms of SQ--this was the first LP I ever bought, to go with my first stereo when I was on the edge of adolescence.).

[JonMarsh]

This was a fine album in it's time... would be interested in a Blu Ray if I could figure out how to rip it (doing SACD's with a couple of mod'ed players, but BD over HDMI is another matter... the only way I could do it right now is HDMI into my NAD M51, then A/D by Metric Halo ULN-8- worse things could happen, I suppose? )

There is a 2002 CD remaster that's pretty fair...

[wkhanna]

Not that Dynamic Range measurements are the last word regarding sound quality.......

But they can be used to get some general ideas of which releases are likely going sound somewhat better....

Dynamic Range results for 'Breakfast in America'

[JonMarsh]

Not that Dynamic Range measurements are the last word regarding sound quality.......

But they can be used to get some general ideas of which releases are likely going sound somewhat better....

Dynamic Range results for 'Breakfast in America'

Looks like the SHM SACD and the MFSL CD are comparable or similar mixes. Curious that the ORIGINAL CD looks so good on DR- of course, that's the one I'm familiar with.

Hmmm, bidding on one MFSL on eBay now... :W

[wkhanna]

I have a 24/96 digitized rip of the Music Fidelity Sound Labs 45 RPM vinyl.
When I run it thru the Dynamic Range analyzer in Foobar I get an average of 13.7 with some peaks of 15.

[madmac]

The first CD I ever bought was "Breakfast in America" and after listening to it for years on vinyl, I was completely blown away by it. Shortly thereafter, I realized after buying more CD's that they were not all created equal and that some sounded even worse than the record!.

[JonMarsh]

The first CD I ever bought was "Breakfast in America" and after listening to it for years on vinyl, I was completely blown away by it. Shortly thereafter, I realized after buying more CD's that they were not all created equal and that some sounded even worse than the record!.

Very, VERY true, unfortunately.

[bigburner]

Damon Fowler - "Sounds of Home" (2014)

This is the best new album I've heard so far this year. It's a blend of rock, blues, country and swamp. I had to throw swamp in because the album was produced by Tab Benoit and recorded in Houma, Louisiana. I seem to have a Louisiana thing going at the moment with my review today of the TV series "True Detective". The opening track on an album is important to me and the opening track "Thought I Had It All" got me hooked immediately.

This is definitely a CD that will get multiple plays.

Nigel.

[wkhanna]

Added to the queue for my next Amazon order.

[JonMarsh]

Hmm, a Telecaster with P90's! Heresy! but interesting...

[mjb]

Forty years young, and still excellent!

[bigburner]

Forty years young, and still excellent!

That's "Wild Life" by Paul McCartney and Wings (1971) in case you folks out there are wondering and I agree mjb it's still excellent.

Nigel.

[bigburner]

Added to the queue for my next Amazon order.

Not a lot of jazz in there I'm afraid Bill.

A couple of technical observations re the mix. Damon Fowler is a guitarist as you can tell from the CD cover so you'd expect his guitar to be front of mix à la Joe Bonamassa, but it's not for a lot of the time. It floats over the rhythm section. The other thing I noticed about the mix is that not much of the signal ended up in my subwoofer, which is crossed over at 80Hz. There is plenty of low frequency content but most of it came out of my floorstanders, which got a really good workout. That makes a pleasant change from the <80Hz ambient sound that's added to a lot of modern albums.

Nigel.

[wkhanna]

Not a lot of jazz in there I'm afraid Bill.

That is OK, cuz I love Swamp, too!

Thanks for the additional info.....

I was curious as to how much compression was used in the mastering.
Many (nearly all) current releases are so compressed as to make them nearly impossible to bear after about 20 minutes, IMNSHO.
For example, I have a couple Trombone Shorty albums, which I truly adore for the music, but find I can barely tolerate listening to them for any extended period of time.

Hmm, a Telecaster with P90's! Heresy! but interesting...

BTW, I noticed the odd looking pick-up on that Telecaster.....definitely not OEM.....

[wkhanna]

[wkhanna]

A V nice compilation of some straight-ahead Jazz.
Recommended for those who are willing to test the water with Jazz.
A bit more refined & polished than the typical 'smooth' Jazz elevator genre.

[jim1961]

[Ovation]

A V nice compilation of some straight-ahead Jazz.
Recommended for those who are willing to test the water with Jazz.
A bit more refined & polished than the typical 'smooth' Jazz elevator genre.

A high powered quartet. Great stuff.

[JonMarsh]

Well, I won the auction, and it shipped very quickly- arrived today!



No time last night to fire up the system and spin it or rip it- will have to wait for the weekend, when GF is off to Sacramento with one of her activist groups for a protest, and I get to work on speakers! And rip a big pile of new CD's into the music server.

[JonMarsh]

One of my favorites... especially the new remaster

[jim1961]

One of my favorites... especially the new remaster

The Anthology Comp or something else?

[JonMarsh]

the Anthology comp of course!

[Chris D]

I've been on a classical kick lately, ratings and organizing my iTunes library. Have really been enjoying this album. I'm a trumpet player myself, and really like the style and regal sounds of Baroque. Good stuff.

[jim1961]

For classical...

[wkhanna]

Chris, that is one of the few Wynton albums I do not have.
Looks quite interesting.

Jim, that RCA LS is probably the benchmark for the plethora of recordings of that famous composition.

Link to a review of the recent vinyl re-issue from Analog Productions

[bigburner]

Lucinda Williams - "Car Wheels on a Gravel Road" (199eight)

What a wonderful album.

Nigel.