^^^ There have been those who expressed grave concern as to where we spend our money though. Same people who want to dictate what is discussed in this thread. ... NO music appreciation posts allowed I guess. Totalitarians are totalitarians ... no matter where they land. Charles ... I have a four-CD collection of Charlie Ventura's band. I went through the collection this morning. Included is the entire Pasadena Civic concert with Vido Musso, Conti Condoli and Jackie & Roy. Primitive sound, but historic and fun. I have the LP jacket but not the vinyl. Check out the cool jacket: http://www.ebay.com/itm/CHARLIE-VENTURA-A-Charlie-Ventura-Concert-LP-Mono-rubber-stamp-obc-Jazz-/301...Frank |
jond ...
Exactly.
I've discovered over the many years in this hobby that not everyone is into it for the music. I've seen mega-buck systems where the owner has a limited amount of music ... and most of that is considered to be "audiophile" type recordings. Lots of Patricia Barber floating about these systems. I'm not sure what these folks are thinking or what they're really into other than the equipment.
Most of my audiophile friends have thousands of records and CD's and are always searching for more. Same here. It just seems that the longer one is in the hobby the wider one's musical taste becomes. So ... we are always on the lookout for additional music by new-found artists. It was like that when I had a Dyna Stereo 70 and Dyna Pas pre-amp based system and its the same today. The better equipment (including upgraded fuses) just gets us closer to the music and the actual event.
And speaking of recordings, somewhere along the pathway one discovers that the recording itself is the important element. After all, its the "source," right? So, with that in mind, my friends and I are always on the lookout for superior recordings, some of which, were recorded a long time ago ... and can blow away most of the so-called Audiophile recordings of today.
A good example was a CD that my friend Robert brought over the other night. Its a compilation of jazz vocalists and was given away by Brooks Brother's clothiers as a spiff to their customers. Buy a shirt and tie and you get the CD. lol* Its so well recorded I swear that its a direct transfer from the master tapes. A nice thrift store find by Robert for a dollar.
Frank |
GeorgieLoFi ...
Ha! I should have known better than to use humorous parody to chide a naysayer. Hard to get a laugh from those devoid of a sense of humor. Measure 50 times and cut once GeorgieLoFi.
Carry on ...
Frank
PS: I have another review of an outstanding jazz recording I'd like to share with the group. Do I have your permission to proceed GeorgieLoFi? |
teo ...
Just wanted to say that I for one appreciate your creative writing.
"The projected dogma inherent in the complex ape based vehicle of the human, makes such things difficult."
"The good part is that we are individuals. If we were not individuals and we were all exactly the same, the world would be a very dead thing."
Nice. :-)
Frank
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^^^ "The gullible." "Paid through their noses." "Predatory sales marketing skills."
Blah, Blah .... and more Blah.
Has anyone listened to any really good music lately? Just curious.
For me this morning it was Lester Young and some really great home roasted Brazilian coffee.
Frank |
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On the amp for wolf-garcia ....
If it were me, I'd have A'goner Grover Huffman build a Dyna Stereo 70 EXACTLY like the one A'goner Steve Fleschler has driving his Legacy Signature III's. The Legacy's are 94db, easy to drive, and Grover's amp is simply amazing.
Frank
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Charles ...
I'd love to hear a comparison between the two amps. Not saying that one is "better" than the other as I haven't heard the Coincident.
Frank |
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Charles ...
Thanks ... I'm listening to Tardo Hammer as I'm writing this. Another musician I've never heard of. Love his break out on the first cut ("Focus") of the Look, Stop and Listen album.
As I continue to listen I hear a real tight group. Excellent drumming too.
Listen to cut #6. It reminds me of Bud Powell.
Frank |
Charles ...
I really need to explore the new guys more. I’m so stuck in the 50’s jazz scene its pathetic.
Perhaps I have a problem with the modern recording techniques or something. Artificial digital reverb and other added electronic artifacts kind of drive me nutz. Some of the "music" they demo at the audio shows is really gross. Patricia Barber? Uhhh ... no thanks. I’ll take a good, natural recording of Margaret Whiting or Jo Stafford any day of the week. In fact, we usually take good recordings to the shows in order to determine what the offered equipment is really doing.
I checked out Jay Hoggard on Spotify tonight. His "Soular Power" album sounds nice. I especially like the accompaniment of the Hammond B-3. Do you have this album, Charles? If so, I was wondering how it sounds on a good system. I’ll buy it upon your recommendation.
Of the three recommended musicians, none of which I’ve heard of before reading your above post, Jay Hoggard would be my first choice ... based upon what I heard on Spotify playing through my trusty AudioEngine A2+ speakers that are hooked up to my PC.
All of the Stefon Harris albums offered by Spotify have the artificial electronic artifacts added that to my ear sound very unnatural. :-)
Spotify only offered one album by
Steve Nelson, so not much to go on there. What I did hear sounded very good ... and naturally recorded.
Its kind of hard to judge this stuff listening through a modest desk-top system though.
Frank |
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Charles ...
I was fortunate to have seen what I believe to be Ella's last concert. It was at the Hollywood Bowl and the co-star was Mel Torme.
Ella, the poor thing, had glaucoma to such a degree that she had to be led onto the stage by Torme and a stage hand. As she began to sing, her voice warbled in the way of old folks ... the way in which we will all sound if we are fortunate to live long enough. With each song, you could hear the greatness of the "young" Ella trying to force her way through the aged vocal chords, but never making it. The audience, the conductor, the orchestra members all treated Ella with the utmost respect out of the memory of what was once stellar. I needed several tissues.
And Torme? Great as always. A little known factoid about Torme: He made most of his money throughout his career as an arranger for major orchestras. He was a musician extraordinaire and a genuine song stylist.
Wolf-Garcia ...
I'm listening to Brad Mehldau on Spotify as I'm writing this. The guy is really good. Thanks for the recommendation. Man, do I have a problem being hung up on 40's and 50's jazz. I've never heard of Brad Mehldau before. I hear the influences of Monk and Bud Powell in his playing ... even a little Bill Evans. I like it. I need to get out more. :-)
Frank |
^^^ And don't forget, there's a break-in time of @100 hours. They really do improve quite a bit over time. |
Patricia Barber may be a great singer, but how can anyone tell? Her recordings are so drenched in artificial digital reverb it sounds like she's singing from the depths of an enormous cave. This isn't intended to put Patricia Barber down ... its intended to put down the ham-handed recording engineer who can't keep his mitts off of the reverb dial on his mixing board.
Frank |
schubert ... "I know its heresy but I always thought Sarah was better than Ella."
Not heresy at all. Its the down to earth truth. There's just more soul being released from Sarah, and its transferred to the heart of the listener. In reading your's and Charles' last couple of posts its apparent how close our taste in jazz is. It seems we've come to the same conclusions ... Monk over Peterson, Sarah over Ella. And this is with what? ... probably close to 100 years of cumulative listening combined?
"It puzzles me why people think that Patrica Barber IS a singer."
Thank you. :-)
Frank
Rep
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Another female singer I like a lot is Nancy Wilson ... but again, like Carmen McCrea, only her early work.
On Patricia Barber (and other recording artists like her), my intent wasn't to insult anyone, especially anyone contributing to this thread.
I love natural recordings, especially those that are right from the master tapes. They are far closer to what was happening in the studio or on site. For those who have heard master tapes played back through their stereo system .... they know what I mean. There is a "you are there" presence not available on ordinary recordings.
So many times, the artificial reverb is added to cloak a faltering voice due to age or a lack of talent to begin with.
On Tony Bennett ... I hope he lives to 190. :-)
Frank
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As much as I would like to discuss "religion," and why "what is hidden from the most learned is revealed to mere children," I won't. Its not appropriate for this forum, nor for this thread. :-)
Boy, is my system sounding incredible these days. Truly a magic music machine.
Frank |
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^^^ geoffkait ...
I have a polarity switch on my pre-amp. I'll check it out and get back to you, although what this disc was doing last night was uncanny. Huge sound stage, instruments all separated and tonally correct. The brass was incredible and the kettle and bass drums were spectacular. And no matter how loud I played it, short of my neighbors running after me with torches, it all held together.
As a side note, two days before this listening session, I switched the amp (ARC REF-75se) from the 8 ohm taps to the 4 ohm taps. I'm getting a lot more slam and bass response now. Slightly better overall clarity too.
Frank |
^^^ Thanks, fleschler. I'll bet it sounds terrific on your system. I listened to it all the way through during last night's listening session. The band was in the room. How can you go wrong on this CD with this caliber of musicians ready to jump out at you? Here's another one that I dug out of the vault last night. If you have it, play cut #14 and crank up the volume. Its a good test of a system's dynamics and the ability to "hold together" while blowing the walls down ... not to mention that its great music a well. :-) http://www.ebay.com/itm/Antal-Dor-ti-Stravinsky-The-Firebird-etc-Antal-Dorati-CD-5LVG-/302233218987?...Frank |
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I was just thinking ... we as music lovers seem to collect quite a few different renditions of the same music. As an example, the topic of "what's your favorite Scheherazade" came up the other day here on A'gon. We actually had a Scheherazade shoot out at my house a few years ago where everyone brought a couple of their favorites. We all agreed by the end of the evening that the one that was recorded on Vanguard was the over all best performance, even beating out the highly acclaimed "Shaded Dog" RCA with
Fritz Reiner conducting the CSO. I forget the exact release but here's the LP's: http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p2050601.m570.l1313.TR0.TRC0.H0.TRS0&_nkw=S...I'm afraid to count how many recordings I have of Rodrigo's Concierto de Aranjuez.
I must have at least 20 different renditions of this music.
Everything from Miles Davis, to John Wililams (the guitarist) to the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra. Kind of like chocolate ice cream. Is there ever really enough? :-) Frank |
jond ... Let me know what you think. Conti Condoli, the trumpet player, and Stan Levy, the drummer, used to play with Howard Rumsey's Lighthouse Allstars in at the jazz club known as "The Lighthouse" in Hermosa Beach, CA. My high school buddy and I used to go hear them a couple of nights a week ... and then try to stay awake in class the next day. I was so taken by Stan Levy's drumming that we would sit right next to him looking up at his foot working all of the pedals. Levy is one of the few drummers that actually plays music on the drums. Shelly Manne is another that comes to mind. As you listen to Little Band Big Jazz, listen to how Stan Levy drives the band and keeps his ego out of the way as he does it. The sax player, Buddy Collette, also did some really great work with the Chico Hamilton quintet too. Now THAT is some great work. Check this out. Its a must have: http://www.ebay.com/itm/PACIFIC-JAZZ-1225-CHICO-HAMILTON-QUINTET-Mono-LP-DG-/122423073830?hash=item1...Look for the stereo version ... and not the mono. Fabulous recording and some really cutting edge jazz (for the 1950's). It was considered to be really "far out" back in the day. Collette plays soprano sax on this album like there's no tomorrow. One of my favs ... and everyone I play it for loves it too. Frank |
Glad you enjoyed it, jond. After the Lighthouse gig, Conte Candoli became a very busy studio musician. He ended his career as a permanent resident on the Johnny Carson Show band. Here's a good clip of Conte playing with his brother Pete. Conte is the one in the middle with the fuller head of hair. Pete would sit in at the Lighthouse from time to time as well. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LUbkM7lZaxMOne summer day, Conte played with a band that our our city hired to play in one of our outdoor summer music festivals around 25 years ago. I walked up to the trailer and introduced myself to him. I told Conte that I was a fan from the Lighthouse days back in the 50's. We shook hands and he told me the Lighthouse gig was the best gig he ever had. He signed an LP for me that I took to the festival for that purpose. Great times guys ... L.A. had tons of super fine jazz clubs back in the day. As jazz became less popular ( Elvis and those damned Beatles!) :-) it became unprofitable and fell out of favor. Too bad as it was truly wonderful. Here's a pics of the LIghthouse as it was back in the day ... 1 Pier Avenue, Hermosa Beach, California: https://search.aol.com/aol/image?q=picture+lighthouse+jazz+club+hermosa+beach&v_t=webmail-search...Frank |
^^^ Thanks, Charles. I was taken up in the debate betweem West Coast vs East Coast jazz. I heard the difference as being "West Coast, melodic --- East Coast, discordant." But what did I know ... I was only 16-18 years old during those days and in love with Rhythm and Blues and Doo-Wop. Earl Bostic was The Man! I was in the Louis Armstrong camp on the issue. He said it best when he first heard Parker and Miles playing bebop together ... he said: "It sounds like Chinese music!" ... and he walked out. Nothing against Chinese music of course, but it can get really "out there." The good stuff sounds like pots and pans clanging together along with a very badly out of tune weird trumpet. *lol* I couldn't stand Monk's music for sure. Couldn't stand listening to the stuff. Nope, at the time, just give me Bruebeck & Desmond or Getz & Cal Tjader. Then, my cousin, who was into all kinds of jazz told me to just keep listening to bebop and the genius would be revealed to me. Well, I did ... and it did ... and there's been no looking back. On the Lighthouse Allstars ... Lucky for us that they did a lot of recordings, and on the Contemporary label no less. I have most of what they recorded in the LP collection. Really good stuff. Here's some of my favs: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Howard-Rumseys-Lighthouse-All-Stars-Vol-3-New-CD-/291496880862?hash=item43de...http://www.ebay.com/itm/HOWARD-RUMSEY-ALL-STARS-Lighthouse-At-Laguna-CD-Barney-Kessel-etc-1955-No-IF...http://www.ebay.com/itm/Howard-Rumseys-Lighthouse-All-Stars-In-the-Solo-Spotlight-CD-1990-/142328123...http://www.ebay.com/itm/HOWARD-RUMSEYS-LIGHTHOUSE-ALL-STARS-Double-Or-Nothin-JAPAN-CD-Charlie-Persip...This next one is one of their few albums in stereo ... and its really good: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Howard-Rumsey-All-Stars-Music-For-Lighthousekeeping-CD-Bob-Cooper-1956-Cando...All of the above are total winners. Excellent sound and excellent performances. Frank |
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^^^ The opening bass line on the first cut of disc # 4 is worth the cost of the entire set. I swear there is a bass player in the room. |
^^^ And to think that these recordings were made back in time and turned out with such realism. It proves it can be done ... so why don’t the major labels do it anymore??
Sure, there’s tape hiss on a lot of the old analog recordings, but I look at it as a blessing actually. Why? Because if the recording engineer removes the tape hiss, he’s removing some of the highs as well. Note to recording engineers .... hands off, please.
Jond ... I very rarely buy any music before checking it out on Spotify first. Its saved me a lot of money. I get both Stereophile and TAS. I check out all of the recommended music on Spotify. I wonder more often than not how the reviewers can come up with accurate reviews on the sound of equipment if this is what they’re listening to. Lots of electronically enhanced digital artifacts to be sure... but its not music.
Frank |
jond ... If you like jazz guitar, here's one of the best: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Barney-Kessel-To-Swing-or-Not-to-Swing-New-CD-/361633608792?hash=item54330af...This is a wonderful recording. It was never issued in stereo. I don't like to say who's the best this, or who's the best that ... but Barney Kessel would be in my top three jazz guitar players for sure. geoffkait ... "Ah, the good old days, before solid state and before compression. Before solid state microphones, before crappy orchestras. Sigh" What gets to me are some of the remastering of old recordings where I have the originals and can make a comparison. One of the most disappointing to me are the Mosaic reissues. This is a typical example of trying to eliminate tape hiss by rolling off the highs. I've tried a couple of their expensive box sets only to be frustrated. As an example, I bought their Chico Hamilton box set .... and compared the recordings to my originals, they sound dull and boring. The originals have life. The Mosaic reissues sound dead. I never play them. A waste of money. I guess I should put them on Ebay and see what happens. Frank
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^^^ geoffkait ...
There were a couple of posters who've tried the Bees Wax fuses. They seem to prefer them slightly over the SR Black fuses.
No one to my knowledge has tried the "cryo" ... at least they haven't mentioned it.
Graphene contact enhancer? Stay tuned. :-)
Frank |
^^^ As we all know, this thread has expanded way beyond just "fuses." I'm glad it has ... and I hope it continues. As a result, I've made some new friends and improved my sound system immeasurably.
Comparing my system from where it was when this thread started to where it is today is night and day. I would have never believed that such realism could be attained without changing or upgrading even one piece of electronics. Some of you are partially responsible for this with all of your hints/comments about past experiences and developments both old and new that YOU have discovered that helped you achieve better sound in your own systems. I'm totally grateful.
I'm looking at this thread now as a watering hole where like-minded people can meet up to compare and discuss tweaks, music and just about anything else ... except politics and religion.
One of the best experiences so far has been in exposing others to great jazz and opening the discussion up to what has been lost or hidden to most people in our society. In the commercial music world sales of jazz music is very low on the totem pole. Classical sales are even in worse shape. In some small way, I feel that exposing someone to the music of the past will start to turn things around. Its just too good to die off.
We've had good discussions regarding recording quality too. I know there's plenty of old timers posting here who are acutely aware of the degradation the recording process has taken over the years, but there are plenty of newbies "lurking" around this thread as well who never post. They just read. (This is especially true since Ted Denny put this thread on the SR Facebook page. We're international ... !!) I'm hoping they become deeper, more critical listeners, and start demanding better recordings from the commercial recording companies. Red Book CD's can sound really great, giving even the best analog rig a run for its money (something I wouldn't have believed two years ago) if the recording process is done right. If we demand it, they will bring it forth. As for me, I've stopped buying poorly recorded music. I hope you will too.
Frank |
David ...
Welcome back. You were sorely missed. A gentleman's gentleman if there ever was one.
Frank |
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^^^ As I understand it, in addition to eliminating micro arcing, Graphene lowers resistance to the point of almost nothing. |
^^^ Okay wolfie ... if you keep knocking something you haven't heard, the Graphene fairy will come to your house and spew reality all over your sound system, in which case you will not be able to tear yourself loose from your listening chair. You will be doomed. No food. No beer ... just you sitting alone stuck to the chair in musical bliss forever saying: "I don't hear any difference!" :-)
Got any more good music references??
Frank |
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Wofie sez:
"Contact enhancer assumes that the contact needs enhancing, which is very likely not the case if the contacts are clean."
Most of us know that metal connections oxidize over time. Most of us also have experienced the improvement in sound quality after using Caig "RED" contact cleaner, followed by a coating of Caig "GOLD." We achieve better contact after these cleanings.
Any serious audiophile would attend to these cleanings every month or two. But it does nothing to very little to eliminate micro arcing. From my understanding, Graphene does eliminate micro arcing with the end result of less smear and other distortions in the system.
Even though I addressed this in a previous post, and encouraged him to do the research, even providing him with a website to start his research, Wolfie ignored the subject of micro arcing. Why?
Wofie ... be prepared to don the hat of the court jester and play the fool. Graphene is going to break what is attainable in this hobby wide open. Its already started.
Frank
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Hi, guys.
Thanks for the kind thoughts. This has been a real ass kicker. I'm still in rehab and hope to be home again on Friday. Two repaired heart valves and a brand new aortic valve from a pig. Oink, oink! Oxygen is flowing nicely through the body and internal organs now. I can breathe ... I can breathe!
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Jason ...
Thank you for the kind words.
You have a sweet spirit about you Jason ... a real rarity in today's world.
It was a fun listening session for sure and a pleasure having you over to my place.
Don't forget ... I still owe you those two Rachmaninoff live concert CD's ... the 2nd and 3rd piano concertos with the L.A. Phil.
Charles ...
I have that Evans/Bennett album on vinyl. Outstanding recommendation. They are "in the room." Its truly demo quality.
To all of my friends ...
As of this coming Tuesday morning, I will not be posting here for awhile. I'm having heart surgery to replace three defective valves. Its amazing how our hobby, when the proper music is being played, can ease the angst. Please think good thoughts on Tuesday and/or keep me in your prayers.
Thanks, guys ...
Frank
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Thanks, guys ...
The Doc told me that he uses special Graphene contact enhancers on the new valves along with Herbie's valve dampeners. I asked him if the new valves were "directional," and he looked at me askew and said ... "the only thing that's directional is my scalpel." At any rate, he assures me that when its all said and done, I will have a much lower noise floor, more articulation and will be walking in a heightened three dimensional space.
Damn! I haven't felt like that since the 1960's. :-)
Frank |
al ... Thanks. I watched some extensive YouTube videos on the heart valve replacements. The technological advancements have been nothing short of amazing. There are total geniuses working in the background to extend human life. They get no credit, no "academy awards" so to speak, and are the forgotten men/women of socialized medicine. I have met most of the team that will be doing my surgery ... I have never met a more positive group of super intelligent people. They exude confidence. Amazing, really. I have a grand son who is finishing up his third year of medical school. He’s 27 years old now and next year will mark his 20th year in school. Then he starts his internship. He is already being worked to death in the hospitals, and the same will apply during his internship after he graduates from med school. His main focus is to attain his goal of becoming a pediatric heart surgeon and saving the lives of newborns and small children with heart defects. He NEVER talks about money. The only reward he looks forward to is improving the lives of the kids. Can you imagine rebuilding an amp and replacing the caps using nothing but a thin wire going up the power cord and using a monitor to guide you? Here’s an interesting video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=am2fMyOE2vEHere’s another good video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DzoLce84cag&list=PLJr3j0KwhSsDNK6B5RYuS_GT2w5JJz-u5Jond ... I’m stoked that you are enjoying the Lighthouse All stars. They were on the leading edge of the West Coast jazz movement. We (my brother, a friend and I) spent many a night while in high school at the Lighthouse in the 50’s listening to these guys play their hearts out. Listen closely to the drummer Stan Levey. He’s one of the few jazz drummers who actually played music on the drums. I used to enjoy sitting about ten feet from his drum set just to watch his fabulous technique and talents. He made it look effortless. Frank Rosolino , the trombonist, was in my opinion, the best of the best. Also, listen carefully to the pianist Claude Williamson. A totally underrated and under appreciated jazz pianist. He did a few albums on his own and they are worth owning. As you continue to explore these guys you’ll discover how innovating they really were. I’d suggest that you try their flute/oboe album with Bud Shank on flute and Bob Cooper on oboe. Its more laid back but really some beautiful jazz. Check this site out: https://search.aol.com/aol/image?q=lighthouse+all+stars+flute+and+oboe&v_t=webmail-searchboxTo all ... Thanks for the encouragement. I have to admit, at this point nervousa maximas is setting in. The butterflies in the stomach are starting to feel like a flock of freaking eagles. Three days and counting. Frank |
Thanks for all of the well wishes guys. Its very helpful. I have to be at the hospital at 5:30 tomorrow morning with the surgery scheduled to begin at 7:30 am. On a completely different note: My friend Robert came over two nights ago for a listening session and brought a CD I thought some of you would enjoy. Its a modern take on the old cartoon film music of the 1920’s and 1930’s. Its a tribute to Raymond Scott, the leader of a quintet back in the day that used to do the sound tracks for these films. The modern group playing on the disc is the Beau Hunks sextet. Here is some really nostalgic jazz for us oldsters ... and hopefully a new find for the younger guys. Its really fun music and a good introduction to early American jazz. Sound quality is really good on this well recorded stereo disc. It’ll have your toes tapping. Highly recommended. Here’s a link: http://www.ebay.com/itm/THE-BEAU-HUNKS-SEXTETTE-CELEBRATION-ON-THE-PLANET-MARS-CD-/332183885875?hash...Hang in there ... Frank |
Mapman ...
Actually I believe that the hearing has improved. Before the surgery, I could hear a pulse in the left ear ... swish, swish, swish. That's all gone now. Even with the swishing I could hear the direction of the fuses *lol*
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Thanks, guys. This time away has given me a lot of time to rethink this audio hobby of ours. I'll be sharing those thoughts after I'm home for a few days. It has to do with no rights and no wrongs. Just different approaches not necessarily trying to reach the same goal.
Frank |
In the meantime, I'm back home from ten days in rehab. Breathing normally with the new heart valves ... and the audio system is sounding suburb. Yes, better than ever!
Robert came over last night and played the part of the DJ so I didn't have to expend any effort to change discs and records. So nice to be back in the world of the living. Modern medicine is a God send. When in dire straits, we discover that there are those in the background who have dedicated their lives to helping others. The surgeon's skills are amazing of course, but what of the nurses, occupational therapists and physical therapists who take such great care to make one as comfortable as possible to ease the way back to good health? Where are their Oscar awards ceremonies?
I am overwhelmed with gratitude just to be able to make this post. Its great to be back guys.
Frank
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