Another.........Jacintha "Autumn Leaves" the songs of Johnny Mercer, an FIM XRCD2 is the best CD I have ever heard in my system. But a couple others I would add to the list are 1. Alison Krauss "Forget About It", amd 2. Allison Moorer "Alabama Song"-- both are very well recorded and great music-- these two are not "audiophile discs though". Cheers. Craig |
Tough to narrow down to just five but I'll try to hit various genres
1. Rachmaninov Piano Concerto # 2- Earl Wild, Chesky Gold Remaster.
2. Gary Peacock/Ralph Towner- Oracle, ECM. Talk about a sonic and musical blockbuster. The speed of the upright bass on this CD is mind boggling.
3. Rimsky-Korsakov Scheherezade- Eije Oue, Reference Recordings. Wonderful music, outstanding recording.
4. Holly Cole- Don't Smoke in Bed with Cassandra Wilson's Blue Light 'til dawn a very close second, if you like this style of music.
5. Doug MacLeod- Hard to Find, JVC XRCD. Just listen and you'll understand why. |
Arvo Part "Tabula Rasa' NAXOS 8.554591
Performance: ***** Sound: ****
John Williams "The Giutarist" Sony Classical 60586
Performance: ***** Sound: ***1/2
CALAMUS "Splendor of Andalus" MA Recordings MO26A
Performance: ***** Sound: *****
Praetorius "DANCES FROM TEPSICHORE" L'oiseau-Lyre D 153566
Performance: ***** Sound: *****
Alexandar Glazunov "SYMPHONY No.4" MFCD 897
Performance: ***** Sound: ***1/2
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TRIO MEDIAEVAL WORDS OF THE ANGEL
KRALL, DIANA LOVE SCENES
TAFELMUSIK ORCH / JEAN LAMON BAROQUE FAVORITES DISK 1
WATERS, ROGER AMUSED TO DEATH
PEER, DEAN UCROSS
LINN COLLECTION 2000, THE THE LINN COLLECTION 2000 |
Roger Waters "Amused to Death"
Amazing how every time I listen to this I have to check to see if I'm only using two channels. This thing comes from all over the room. |
1. Jane Monheit, "Come Dream With Me". If you like young, sultry, female vocalists who can emotionally communicate, go no further than this CD. The recording is spectacular in an unecumbered way, but it is Monheit's voice and conviction in what she is singing that will have you playing this CD over and over, even if Tom Harrell's performance as a sideman on this CD is somewhat shaky.
2. Carmen McRae, "Carmen Sings Monk". What a great, great, singer this lady was. Beautifully recorded intimate night club setting.
3. Sergio Mendes, "Brasileiro". Still one of the greatest recordings of any music, regardless of genre, I've ever heard. If this doesn't get you moving...you're dead.
4. "Gypsy Passion: New Flamenco", a Narada Collection. The liner notes say" sensuous rhythms, scorching guitar, profound spirit...". The liner notes are right on target.
5. Leonard Slatkin conducts Russian Showpieces, RCA Red Seal. Everything to test the soundstaging capabilities of your system, and its micro and macro dynamics. Beautiful music, beautifully done. (Pictures At An Exhibition, Prokofiev's Classical Symphony in D, etc.,). |
As a big WHO fan, I love the Mobile Fidelity version of WHO's Next. Very impressive in soundstage and dynamics. |
Only 5 is tough, but here goes(off the top o' me head w/o a lot of thought):
1. Pink Floyd - Dark Side of the Moon
2. Kate Bush - The Hounds of Love
3. Radiohead - OK Computer
4. Roxy Music - Avalon
5. P.J. Harvey - Songs From the City, Songs From the Sea
Damn, I couldn't get in any Ramones, Clash, Talking Heads, Yes, Weezer, Bjork, Liz Phair, Who, Bowie, etc. etc. This list-thing is a cruel idea! ;^) |
Carmen McCrae (Sings the Great American songbook)
When evaluating new equipment, this is the one I always pull out. If you can find it in Vinyl, all the better.
Unbelievable recording of great live jazz. |
A great cd recording - Martin Deny's "The Best of Martin Deny". Originals date back to the 50's, amazingly recorded and truly dynamic, an absolute great demo cd (especially tracks 5 to 20). |
I tend sometimes to post wierd recommendations:
Jason Martz orchestra is tended to have a very nice recording of avant-grade acid jazz with bunch of participating musicians that create a very pleasant kacophonycal effects. |
My favorites lean more toward rock music which most do not regard as deserving of the "Audiophile" stamp of approval yet many people listen to it and want good recordings.
1-Dead Can Dance - Toward the within
2-Sinead O'Connor - I do not want what I haven't got
3-Creed - My own prison
4-NIN - Pretty hate machine
5-Tangerine Dream - 4 CD box set |
My favorite recordings at this time
Ben harper- Fight For Your Mind
Los Lobos - Kiko
Richard Thompason- Rumor and Sigh
Miles Davis- Walkin'
Jean Sibelius- Symphony No1 |
Kenny Barron, Charlie Haden
The Night and You, Live piano and bass. Awesome and beautiful |
I may have made a mistake with one or more of my recommendations...I went out and bought Diana Krall, Lucinda Williams, Pam Tillis, and Cowboy Junkies cds after reading the above recommendations... I now own 4 Lucinda Williams cds and I'm looking for more...I can say the same for Cowboy Junkies who were almost as impressive. I first listened to them on cdnow, which really didn't seem to do them justice in the final analysis. Anyone who hears Lucinda Williams sing "Am I too Blue for you" has got to love it or at least should. Diana Krall and Pam Tillis are certainly worth adding to anyone's collection. I didn't care for the first two songs on Lucinda Williams cd but the rest was pure gold...Cowboy Junkies cd "Trinity Series" first song is not indicative of the rest of a very good cd. A couple of Lucinda William's cds could probably knock a couple of my recommendations off the list and I will admit that at least some of you know what you are talking about. |
Just some thoughts, and please excuse me if these are not considered "audiophile" recordings, but I think the most important thing is the enjoy derived from the music itself, not necessarily the recording(or the equipment).
1. Darkness on The Edge of Town-Bruce Springsteen
2. Jazz-Ry Cooder
3. Pete Townshend Live at the Deep End
4. Sam Cooke's Greatest Hits
5. Rubber Soul-Beatles |
New Jim O'Rourke "Insignificance". Very musically interesting. Great recording with a live sound. This is what pop should be. |
Don't forget Yello's "One Second". |
Wait, wait, wait...they asked for the 5 best...so here they are
1. Carly Simon: Greatest hits live
2. Doors: Best of the Doors
3. Janice Ian "Jessie"
4. Nat King Cole: Golden Greats
5. Stylistics: Best of the stylistics
I couldn't mention Stevie Ray Vaughn, Jimmy Hendrix, or Pink Floyd...sorry. |
TRIO Dolly Parton, Linda Ronstadt, Emmy Lou Harris
produced by George Massenburg.
Mozart Wind Serenade K.361 conducted Otto Klemperer. Simply incredible. 1963 Abbey Road Recording. Out of print, even in CD, but worth the search.
DUKE ELLINGTON "Blues in Orbit"
Mozart "Marriage of Figaro" conducted by John Elliott Gardiner.
Ricki Lee Jones "Pop Pop"
Schumann Sonata in F# minor Murray Periaha
Ben Webster with Strings
Donald Fagen "Nightfly"
Art Garfunkel "Watermark" & "Breakaway"
Duke Ellington "Three Suites"
MIles DAvis "Bitches Brew" & "Porgy & Bess"
Tony Bennett and Bill Evans |
Ry Cooder - "Bop 'Til You Drop" - simply incredible! Ry produced this and did a marvelous job. Reputed to be the first all-digital pop recording, it is sonically superb and the band is tight and soulful. Ignore the cover (Ry looks like he just mainlined a hot load of smack) and get it!
Al Stewart - "Year of the Cat" - Excellent demo record, very high production values and great performances.
1812 Overture - Telarc - Be prepared to pick up pieces of your woofer when the cannons kick in! My only experience is with the original vinyl issue, I hear the re-recorded re-issue is impressive...
Dave Grusin - "Mountain Dance" - Another *excellent* demo record, try to find the original 1980 issue.
Danny Gatton - Oh man, when I heard he died, I *had* to pull off the road and cry - I'm getting teary-eyed now just thinking about it. Check out his new anthology, "Hot Rod Guitar". In my book, nobody, and I mean NOBODY, has ever played a better and more soulful axe. Take my word for it, Stevie Ray Vaughan is, right now, learning how to carry Danny's guitar case up in Heaven and Roy Buchanan is his touring roadie. Listen, my son, and you too shall know the truth. |
Big Star - #1 Record/Radio City
Thelonious Monk - Brilliant Corners
James Carter - The Real Quietstorm
Richard and Linda Thompson - Shoot Out the Lights
Joni Mitchell - Blue
I also support the Miles Davis 'Kind of Blue' recommendations, as well as the Lucinda Williams and Iris DeMent votes, believe that Billie Holiday's Verve recordings are all to die for (get the whole box set), and am surprised not to see Fleetwood Mac's "Rumours" appear on a few lists (that recording is just as startling twenty years down the road).
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1.) All Steely Dan - Donald has never cut a mediocre album.
2.) Peter Frampton - Comes Alive.
3.) Peter Frampton - Live In Detroit. If you like "Comes Alive", you'll love this one. Peter just can't seem to make a great studio album. Where's Alan Parsons when you need him.
4.) Pink Floyd - The Wall
5.) Brian Wilson - Imagination
Tuff to list just five . . . |
Gentle Giant - In a Glass House (vinyl)
Steely Dan - AJA ( vinyl or CD)
Flim + The BB's - Tricycle (DMP gold CD)
Andreas Vollenweider - Down to the Moon (CD)
Spirit - 12 Dreams of Dr. Sardoicus (MOFI Gold CD) |
I'd recommend Jazz at the Pawnshop (XRCD2) and Benny Green's "Testifyin" (CD) on the list of great recordings. Both are live recordings, very analog sounding. |
Jennifer Warnes - The Hunter - and everything by The Bodeans. |
Since my last post here I've fallen in love with and rediscovered a few more "To Die Fors". Last year JVC finally released an old favorite of mine - Chet Atkins' In Hollywood on XRCD2. This was made from the original 1957 master and it sounds just great. It's not the 1961 recording which I had hoped for but still, Chet's guitar just sounds so smooth and real. I wish more of my CDs could be this good. A real favorite of mine is also the JVC XRCD release of Autumn Leaves by Jacintha. She sounds so romantic and sad, especially on the last track Here's To Life. I'm really becoming a fan of XRCDs. And last, I'm completely melted by Ana Caram's Blue Bossa. She does such a wonderful job of reinterpreting some of Bossa Nova's classics in her intimate and loving way. I honestly believe since getting a tube preamp the emotional experience of these recordings has been enhanced. |
i'm newly into hifi, not music, and i can't say these 5 are the best ever, but i can say they have been spinning in my system consistently for weeks with no signs of 'retirement'.
1)uncle tupelo-anodyne
2)neil young/crazy horse-broken arrow
3)wilco-am
4)bob dylan-time out of mind
5)tom waits-closing time
i listen to jazz quite often, but that would be a separate list.
while the recordings may not be audiophile quality, the music is evocative and moving for the genre. as others have said before, i'll happily sacrafice a bit of recording quality for a pinch of emotion in the musicianship.
my 2 cents
happy new year
cheers and happy hifi
fujindemon |
Tiny Grimes and Coleman Hawkins Blues Groove (Prestige)
Joni Mitchell Shadows and Light (Asylum)
Rolling Stones 12 X 5 (London)
Dinah Washington Sings Bessie Smith (Emarcy)
Michelle Shock Captain Swing (Mercury)
Outstanding all. |
Merry Christmas Everyone
Now for 5 favorites that aren't on the list already.
Kind of Blue has to be about tops, but already has been listed by a great many folks.
#1. Barbara Bonney - Fairest Isle. A voice from heaven, Dido's Lament will bring tears to your eyes.
#2. Lunasa - Merry Sisters of Fate. Irish tunes that you never get tired of playing over and over from a band that is really tops
#3. Chet Baker Trio - Someday My Prince Will Come. Out of print now, but a real gem
#4. Mahler Symphony 3 - Take your pick between Bernstein (DG), Rattle (CBSO/EMI), Litton (Delos VR2 sound is really the best sound).
#5. Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto #1 - Van Cliburn (RCA)
He got a ticker tape parade in NYC after winning in Moscow. Will a classical musician ever get that again?
The list could go on forever really................ |
Hey Audiom2001
Yeah, I plum forgot about that one ( Avalon). What a great record. And along that line. I would pick Brian Ferry's "Boys and Girls". Every cut is a gem and the recording is first rate. I have the vinyl and tried to find the cd one time and no luck. Maybe I didn't try hard enough. Man, for us music lovers, picking our favorites is a tough task, but one I sure don't mind doin'. |
Number 1 with a Bullet !!The Allman Brothers Live at The Fillmore East MFSL Gold.Classic Coltrane in the middle of "Whipping Post" and The Miles Kind of Blue inspired "In Memory of Elizbeth Reed".WOW!Best Live Blues/Rock of ALL TIME !!Wish I had The Nautilus Vinyl Edition. |
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I just got thru listening to Whiskeytown's "Strangers Almanac" and would be shocked if anyone doe'snt love this album!Awesome!! |
FIVE????? hahahaha!!!!
.kraftwerk-electric cafe-their BEST!
.osamu-osamu-japanese fusion jazz? his music eventually got classified in with new age. too bad. this is groundbreaking. one of minnie rippertons best vocalizations on record.
.patricia barber-a distortion fo love-what a musician.
.bela fleck-flight of the cosmic hippo-title cut is THE bass demo, especially for checking the woof to sub transition.
.miles davis/gil evans set on mosaic. DED quiet, beautiful perfs. nice vinyl! same for the miles/coltrane set on the same label/format.
.michael franks-sleeping gypsy-michael is very underrated as a jazz entity. the song-in the eye of the storm-was just what i needed to hear when things got messy in my marriage. that and the following:
.dan hicks and his hot licks-wheres the money?-al schmitt engineered this and its sooooo natural sounding. the song-is this my happy home?-was the second song that hit the spot during my pre divorce period.
.holst/the planets suite/zubin mehta/LA phil-maybe one of the greatest performance/recordings of all time. my $3 copy in A- cond is THE way to hear this but its been rereleased on vinyl and cd (a 2cd set with some j.williams and r.strauss).
.shirley horn-you wont forget me (w/miles d on one cut)-&-the main ingredient-the benchmark for female singer, AND shes a great pianist as well. her-look of love-on the ingredient disc TOWERS over diana kralls limpid version.
.dire straits-on the night-electrifyingly ALIVE from the first few seconds all the
way thru.
.mahlers 1st/tennestedt/LA phil (not the NY)-captivating and verrrrry well recorded.
.annie ross on the 'short cuts' soundtrack. to hell with love indeed!
.finally-kurt elling-the messenger-intelligent jazz, superior scatting, and hobgood is a world class jazz pianist.
.so there you have it, my five. oh, theres more, just give me time.
.....regards......tr |
#1 - Ry Cooder's "Bop 'Til You Drop" - as I understand it, this was the world's first pop CD - simply amazing, I will *never* get tired of this one. Buy it NOW!
#2 - Danny Gatton "Cruisin' Deuces" - Danny may be gone, but he'll never be forgotten - the finest guitar player this world has ever seen or heard. This rendition of "You Won't Matter Anymore" is spectacular!
#3 - Bruce Hornsby and The Other Ones - Unbelievably good live recording - "St. Stephen" just blows you away right from the opening chords.
#4 - Camel "A Live Record" - speaking of great live records, this is the first one I've ever heard that sounded better than the studio mixes. The entire Snow Goose Suite on disc 2 is marvelous. The crowd knows how to keep their mouths shut, too, thank God.
#5 - Joni Mitchell's "Court and Spark" - there are SO many good tunes on this release that I don't know where to begin - but I'll have to vote for "Big Yellow Taxi" as the best of the lot. "Raised on Robbery" rocks the house, too. |
1.Jacintha-Here's to Ben
2.Lightnin' Hopkins-Goin' Away
3.Stan Getz Jao Gilberto-Getz Gilberto
4.Doug MacLeod-You Can't Take My Blues
5.Mighty Sam McLain-Give It Up to Love |
(1)Bill Evans:Quintessence.While not the very best recording i own,i know every squeak and groan of ray brown's bass-or at least think i do,until some change is made in equipment,and i hear something new.Gorgeous music that i never tire of;(2)Miles Davis:Kind of Blue (gold cd);(3)Ella Fitzgerald:Clap Hands,Here Comes Charlie;(4)Sonny Boy Williamson:Keep it to Ourselves (DCC gold cd-the essence of "transparent");(5)Patricia Barber:Companion. |
Bob James - H
Grover Washington - Skylarkin'
Spyro Gyra - Catching the Sun
Ramsey Lewis - Routes
Jeff Lorber Jusion - Wizard Island |
On Wildchild Records (a division of Mapleshade). UNBELIEVABLE artist and recording. |
1. Bach, Keyboard Concertos 1,2,4 - Murray Perahia with Academy of St. Martin in the Fields on Sony Classical
2. Beethoven, Symphonies 1-9 - Herbert Von Karajan with Berlin Philarmonic(1963)
3. Mahler, Symphony 5 - Sir John Barbirolli with New Philharmonia Orchestra Or Leonard Bernstein with Wiener Philarmonic
4. Dvorak, Symphony 9 - Nikolaus Harnoncourt with Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra on Teldec
5. Rachmaninov, Piano Concerto 2 - Sviatoslav Richter with Stanislaw Wislocki Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra |
1. Gillian Welch-- "The Revelator" (such a good recording, you can practically see them playing!)
2. Louis Armstrong and Duke ELlington -- "The Great Summit"
3. Louis Armstrong -- "Best of the Columbia Years" (particularly the first track, "I Got a Right to Sing the Blues")
4. Edgar Meyer, et al. -- "Uncommon Ritual"
5. Joni Mitchell -- "Don Juan's Reckless Daughter" (HDCD reissue. A bit overblown, performance-wise, but a kick-ass recording.) |
My top 5 list
Dave Brubeck-Take 5
John Coultrane- Blue Train
Cannonball Adderley- Something Else
Miles Davis-Kind of Blue
Art Balkey-Moanin |
Just saw the thread and off the top of my head I came up with:
- Laura Love: Fourteen Days. Great recording and the vocals just absolutely soar. Amazing harmonies.
- I really enjoy the new Lucinda William's Essence.
- I agree with the other poster, the latest Clapton, Reptile, is a really nice recording, well done, and it just sounds wonderful.
- Steely Dan's Two Against Nature is a reference.
- Of course, Davis' Kind of Blue. What can I say?
Way too many to mention. |
I'm at my office, not at home where the music is, therefore my list will be somewhat short on exact titles, etc., but I think I can still provide enough information to be useful. I've been beaten to the punch on a lot of titles already mentioned by others, so I'm concentrating on items that may be somewhat less obvious, but still meet the criteria of first rate performance & recording quality.
1) Cherish the Ladies (That's the group name, not a title!):
The most recent release of Irish/Celtic folk music-the real (reel?) thing, not the New Age type-performed by an all female vocal/instrumental group with guest artists, including members of The Chieftains (to whom some of the ladies are related). HDCD encoded, beautifully realized recording/performance
2) Bill Cunliffe: Jazz piano trio recording of music written by/associated with the great Bud Powell by pianist Cunliffe who is not well known, but has a real grasp of the bop great's essence without being imitative. On the Naxos label, thus dirt cheap, and extremely well recorded.
3)Beethoven Symphonies 1-9 (+ several shorter works): David Zinman, cond., Tonhalle Orch. This is cheating a bit, because there are, I believe, 5 separate CD's, not in a boxed set, but releases on the Arte Nova label are only $5 or $6 (I got mine at Border's for $4.99 per), so I feel OK about calling it one item! There may be better performances of each of the symphonies available, yet as a set, these superbly recorded ones stand up well, and not just because of the price.
4) Mingus Big Band, The Essential...: On the Dreyfus label, the recording quality varies a bit, because this is really a "Best of..." compilation recorded at different times at different locations by different engineers, but it is never less than very good. If you haven't heard this big band that was formed in the early '90's to play arrangements of the music of Charles Mingus on a weekly gig at a NYC night club, you're in for a real treat. Despite varying personnel resulting from the nature of the engagement, the band is still an immensely coherent bunch with excellent soloists that can blow the roof off.
5) Vivaldi: Concert for the Prince of Poland. Features the Academy of Ancient Music on original instruments led by Andrew Manza, who also does some great work on the violin, on a variety of pieces by the composer (No, NOT The Four Seasons!) This is not Vivaldi to doze by, but a lively, sparkling assortment of concertos that will hold your interest, especially with the typically front rank Harmonia Mundi recording. (Or you could substitute Vivaldi's Concertos for Diverse Instruments, a Reference Recordings HDCD issue that may be a marginally better recording, but not quite as well played by the Philharmonia Baroque under Nicholas McGhegan |
1. Eric Clapton "Reptile" - his latest CD is HDCD encoded (although not labelled) and is the best sounding album I have ever heard.
2. Dire Straits "Brothers in Arms"
3. ummmm... I'll keep thinking ;-) |
My favorites are open, "natural", close mic'd acoustic recordings with a strong blues root. If Anyone wants to add to this list it would be appreciated.
1) ACD-2 - Gerry Garcia & David Grisman - Dawg productions.
2) Mojo - Big Joe Maher, Jeff Sarli & Their New Band, Big Blues - WildChild / Mapleshade
3) Come To Find - Doug MacLeod & Charlie Musselwhite - Audioquest
4) Swordfishtrombones - Tom Waits - Island Records
5) Trouble No More - John Hammond - Virgin Records |
Tony Falanga "Soul of the Bass"--interesting classical/jazz mix with outstanding soundstage--definately reference material.
Kieth Jarrett "Live at the Blue Note"--Best jazz trio recording I've ever heard--literally puts the performers and performance in your room and the music is phenomenal.
Ginger Baker "Coward of the County"--Great music with crystal clear and nicely layered recording
Mighty Sam McClain "Give it up to Love" XRCD and "Soul Survivor"--Possibly the most powerful and soulful voice you'll ever hear with excellent arrangements and recordings.
Ralph Towner/Gary Peacock "A Closer View" Guitar/Bass duo, with a good system the stand-up bass is in the room with you but will challenge the bass capabilities of your system.
Dean Peer "I think...it's all Good" Powerful, dynamic stuff and an unbelievable recording.
I know that's more than 5--sue me. These are all great performances, great music, and outstanding recordings. Have fun.
Tim |
Supertramp-Crime of the Century/Mobile Fidelity Labs Original Master Recording/Vinyl The Cars/Moblile Fidelity Sound Labs Origianl Master Recording/Vinyl Pink Floyd-Dark Side of the Moon/Mobile Fidelity Sound Labs Original Master Recording/Vinyl
Stan Getz-Joao Gilberto/Mobile Fidelity Sound Labs Origianl Master Recording/Gold CD Pink Floyd-Wish You Were Here/Columbia Gold CD Queen-A Night At The Opera/Mobile Fidelity Sound Labs Original Master Recording/Gold CD There is my two cents worth Folks |
Check out the Simply Vinyl Dire Straits LPs. Early SVs weren't so good, but these are wonderful. |
