Album Picks
Count Basie –– Basie Jam, by Alon Sagee
Dec 27, 2018
Count Basie –– Basie Jam
This is one of my favorite jazz albums of all time. The first track on side one of this really well-recorded LP is what converted me… before this,
Pink Floyd – “The Piper at the Gate of Dawn”, by Grant Stoner
Dec 27, 2018
My album pic for this month is Pink Floyd, The Piper at the Gate of Dawn, EMI remaster 2-cd set (mono and stereo) 2007.
Carl Orff – Carmina Burana by Kevin Olson
Dec 22, 2018
Carl Orff – Carmina Burana
A Scenic Cantata
Robert Shaw conducts the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and Chorus
I am choosing an old favorite for this month. A very dramatic cantata composed by Carl Orff in 1935-1936. My experience with cantatas prior to hearing this were all church related. This piece is based on 24 poems from the 11th -13th centuries. This is a secular work and if you read translations of the poems you will see that.
Julie London Sings the Standards, by Grant Stoner
Nov 26, 2018
My album pic for this month is “Julie London Sings the Standards” 2001 EMI Records CD. I started listening to female jazz vocalists more in the mid 90’s. My first love was Sarah Vaughn, followed by Ella and Billie. Then one day a few years ago, I was working out at the health club, listening to “Jazz Vocalists” playlist on Pandora (I know, an odd choice for lifting weights, but then I’m different). Then suddenly I heard this song “Sway” (unfortunately not on this compilation) with a woman singing I didn’t’ recognize. I thought, who on earth is this sultry seductress? The one and only Julie London. I since sought out everything I could find by her and she’s became one of my very favorites. She has a sensuality like no other. This compilation sounds quite good. All songs were recorded from the late 50’s to late 60’s. While some tracks have the vocals with some reverb sending the vocals to the back of the soundstage, some like “Diamonds are a girl’s best friend” and “Love Letters”, have the vocals so up front you would swear Julie was in your room singing to you. A really great CD performance and sound wise, highly recommended.
Contate Domino, by Alon Sagee
Nov 26, 2018
Perfect audiophile Christmas LP. Listen to the track Julsang for the most beautiful choral arrangement I’ve ever heard, highlighted by Marianne Mellnas’s unbelievable solos. On a well configured system, you should be able to see her solidly placed on a stunning 3D soundstage as her voice fills the church. You will probably get a real sense of the size of the space as the subtle queues off the walls are presented. If you’ve ever thought you wouldn’t be caught dead buying an album with a pipe organ as the only instrument… make an exception for this one. Enjoy and happy holidays!
SFjazz Collective, by David Hicks
Nov 26, 2018
My Music pick this month isn’t a single album, but an entire catalog by the SFJAZZ Collective. My knowledge of Jazz music is far from comprehensive, so I can’t recommend the SFJAZZ Collective’s catalog to you in any way other than to say I like their music. But for me, that goes a long way due to the pickiness of my preferences for Jazz. I was unfamiliar with their work until Jana Dagdagan’s visit to my home last month. Jana’s partner is the group’s bassist Matt Brewer. And, I’m not promoting the group’s albums on Jana’s behalf as Matt, being new to the group, doesn’t yet appear on any of the groups albums, though we can look forward to hearing him soon as the group releases a new CD at the end of each year’s performances, which happen not only at the SFJazz Center but include an expansive World-wide touring schedule.
Stravinsky, “The Rite of Spring & The Firebird Suite”, by Grant Stoner
Oct 26, 2018
My music pic for this month is Stravinsky “The Rite Of Spring“ and “The Firebird Suite” Leonard Bernstein conducts the London Symphony Orchestra and the New York Philharmonic,
Rickie Lee Jones, “Traffic From Paradise”, by Alon Sagee
Oct 26, 2018
I’ve loved Rickie Lee Jones’s music for many years, and have been continuously awed by how she uses her voice as an instrument that integrates with all the other musicians to create the rich tapestry of sound that is her trademark.
Tomasz Stanko Quartet, “Soul of Things”, by Grant Stoner
Sep 27, 2018
My album pic for this month is Tomasz Stanko Quartet “ Soul Of Things” ECM 2002 cd
I have a number of Tomasz albums and this is the most laid back.
Strunz and Farah, “Misterio”, by Alon Sagee
Sep 27, 2018
I am a big fan of guitar duo Strunz and Farah. One of my reference treasures is their album Misterio, an LP I’ve had for many years and can’t tire of.