Moody Blues "The Days Of Future Passed" - good music and interesting recording (DERAM tried some "room" acoustics)
Good luck!
Good luck!
What are the "Must have" LP's?
I have recently re-discovered the LP. I listen to Jazz, blues, classical, and some rock. I was curious as to what my fellow audiophiles here on audiogon believe to be the albums that you simply MUST HAVE. As a sub-question, What LP's do you use to show off your system? Since I am just getting started, I have no real opinions yet, but as I become more and more familiar I will post my findings. Thanks.
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hi Lima, the easiest (but not the cheapest) way to go is buying some 'Golden Age' (late 50's--early 60's) reissue jazz from some of the mail-order companies. these recordings have typically the best performance and recording quality and most of them are superbly remastered. i would start with the following 'icon' recordings; Kind Of Blue, Miles Davis Time Out, Dave Brubeck Know What I Mean, Cannonball Adderley Mingus Ah Um, Charles Mingus Armstrong/Ellington, Recording Together for the First Time these are all on Classic Records and you simply can't go wrong with these. if you like these you can then explore other recordings by these artists from this period and in this way expand your horizons one step at a time. there are other reissue labels that are very consistent with quality recordings such as Analog Productions, 4 Men with Beards, and Alto Analog that you are pretty safe with. as far as pop/rock music it is really a taste thing but what you are looking for is pop/rock that was originally well recorded......here there are literally millions of fairly good used records to choose from.....i might start with any of the Joni Mitchell, Steely Dan, Eagles, CSN, and Neil Young.....which are all typically fairly well recorded and mastered relative to much other stuff that is out there. of course, Pink Floyd is pretty much a no-brainer if you are a fan. on pop/rock the original recording and mastering is most times the best availible but you need to do a little research to know for sure. you can probably go to a used record store and find 'acceptable' used copies of many of these recordings. there are some more recent recordings that to me are very good such as; Famous Blue Raincoat, Jennifer Warnes Come Away With Me, Norah Jones Breaking Silence, Janice Ian these are all personal favorites of mine. i don't have the knowledge to recommend classical records......but if you want to go down that road a little you can't go wrong with the Classic Records reissues.....maybe buy a few to see what you think. a couple enjoyable no-brainers are; Sheharazade, Reiner, CSO Pictures At An Exhibition, Reiner, CSO this is not mean't to be any comprehensive plan but more a 'get started' plan to get your feet wet. 6 years ago i was exactly where you are with exactly the same questions.....good luck and enjoy the ride. |
Rickie Lee Jones first album Bassie Jam Jessie Colin Young "Soul Of A City Boy" Leon Russell "Will O' The Wisp" Any Dire Straights Joni Mitchell "Miles Of Isles" Paul Simon "Still Crazy After All These Years" Nitty Gritty Dirt Band "Will The Circle Be Unbroken" Nancy Wilson "The Best Of Nancy Wilson" Beatles "Revolver" Willie Nelson "Stardust" Heart "Dreamboat Annie" Any Steely Dan Neil Young "Sleeps With Angels" Most Duke Ellington U2 "The Unforgettable Fire" The above are great generic recordings and are available used for not much money. Of course, most of the expensive audiophile pressings are great performances and music. You generally can't go wrong with these but the cost.... I second the Janis Ian's "Breaking Silence" as one of the best ever recorded albums. Also, it's been my experience that jazz (in general) is the best recorded of any genre. German and Japanese pressings are usually really good. Don't overlook the old Frank Sinatra recordings. Some of these are real gems and there are so many to choose from. Have fun, Patrick |
Breaking Silence, Janice Ian (Analog Productions) Autumn Leaves, Jancita (Groove Note) Belafonte sings the Blues, Harry Belafonte (Classic Records) At the Renaissance, Ben Webster (Test Pressing--Analog Productions I believe) Play River Music, the Rhythm Devils (Mickey Hart--Wilson Recording) Neon Angel, Nancy Bryan (analog productions) For Classical Sheharazade (Classic Records 45 RPM reissue) |
Rives, i would have also recommended the 45rpm Sheharazade but it is over $150.....if you can find a copy. in fact, by far my favorite records and the most sonically spectacular, are the 45rpm Classic Records reissues. i have 3 test pressings of the new 45rpm series by Analog Productions and they are equally as good; Ben Webster, Live at the Rennesiance Bill Evans, Waltz For Debbie Count Basie, 88 Basie Street Lima, if you can afford any of the 45's by all means do it! |
In addition to the wonderful suggestions above: Hank Mobley "Soul Station" Lee Morgan "Candy" Louis Smith "Smithville" Sonny Rollins Blue Note 1542 Mobley Blue Note 1560 Fred Jackson "Hootin' and Tootin'" Clifford Brown Memorial Blue Note 1526 Kenny Burrell Blue Note 1543 Any Ben Webster Any Don Lanphere on Hep Records Just a few, time is short, Happy Holidays! |
If I may, I'll add a few of my favorites: 180g Reissue from Acoustic Sounds: Sonny Rollins - Saxophone Colossus Bill Evans Trio - Sunday at the Village Vangard Creedence Clearwater Revival - Any of the reissues Reference Recordings (45 rpm) Out of print, but available used Mickey Hart, Airto, Flora Purim, et al - Dafos Respegi/Pacific Symphony - Church Windows Mobile Fidelity Grateful Dead - American Beauty Sheffield Labs Stravinsky/LSO - Firebird Classic Records (RCA reissue) Mussorgsky/Reiner/CSO - Pictures at an Exhibition United Artists Nitty Gritty Dirt Band - Dirt Silver and Gold (3 LP set, out of print, but I just picked up a very nice used one here on the 'Gon) Well worth tracking this down. Dire Straits - Love Over Gold Mark Knofler(sp?) - Soundtrack from Local Hero Pete Townshend/Ronnie Lane - Rough Mix Tangerine Dream - Rubycon |
All of CAN and its members, all of VAN DER GRAAF GENERATOR and PETE HAMMILL solos, all of PAT METHENY, all of KING CRIMSON and its members, all of FOCUS and YAN AKKERMAN, all of PIERRE MOERLEN, all of PEKKA POHJOLA, all of DAVID SYLVIAN, FZ JAZZ FROM HELL, FZ UNCLE MEAT, FZ JOE'S GARAGE, FZ ZOOT ALLURES, FZ HOT RATS, all of LAURIE ANDERSON, all of MIREILLE MATHIEU, all of PATRICIA KAAS, all of GUESCH PATTI, all of GINGER BAKER... |
* = show off system Jazz - *Duke Ellington/Louie Armstromg: Recording Together for The First Time *Coleman Hawkins encounters Ben Webster Coleman Hawkins: Night Hawk *Miles Davis: Kind of Blue Benny Goodman Live at Carnegie Hall: 40th Anniversary Concert Keith Jarrett: The Koln Concert Charles Lloyd: The Water is Wide *Louie Armstrong and Ella Fitzgerald: Porky and Bess *Duke Ellington and Johnny Hodges: Back To Back, Plays The Blues Eva Cassidy: Live at Blues Alley Ella Fitzgerald: Songbooks (any of them) Blues - Muddy Waters: Folk Singer The Allman Bros: Live at The Filmore East (MFSL) Keb Mo: Just Like You John Hammond: Wicked Grin Classical - *Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields, Neville Marriner: Rodrigo- Concierto Aranjuez, Pepe Remero & Concierto Andaluz, Los Romeros *Isaaac Stern 60th Anniversary Celebration with Pinchas Zukerman, Itzhak Perlman and Zubin Mahta Quartetto Italiano: Mozart Six String Quartets Dedicated To Haydn *Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields, Neville Marriner: Vivaldi Le quattro stagioni *Academy of Ancient Music-Christopher Hogwood: Beethoven The Symphonies Rock- Janis Ian: Breaking Silence Pink Floyd: Dark Side of the Moon James:James *Eric Clapton: Unplugged *Neal Young: Harvest Moon *Jennifer Warnes: Famous Blue Raincoat *Bryan Ferry: Boys and Girls *Leon Russel: The Best of *Harry Nilsson: Nilsson Schmilsson (MFSL) Dave Mason: Alone Together *The Beatles: Love Songs Happy holiday season, everyone! Peace on Earth! Ross |
If you love jazz, there are going to be no fewer than a hundred "must have" jazz LPs. Ditto for classical. The "sub-question" of what LPs do you play to show off your system raises the question: Do music lovers value sonics over great music and great performances? Unquestionably, great sonics enhance the experience. You cannot even hear Charlie Parker's gorgeous sound until he was recorded in 1952 in hi-fi by Norman Granz (listen to his interpretation Dearly Beloved on this "must-own" Norman Granz Jam Session/The Charlie Parker Sides). But there are many pre-hifidelity recordings that are far more aesthetically and emotionally involving than their modern counterparts. For instance, For Duke recorded direct to disc by Bill Berry and his Ellington All-Stars will show off your system, but I would rather listen to The Early Duke Ellington(or any Ellington recording) transcribed by Everest Records from 78s recorded in 1927. You've got the master conducting and at the piano. It's not a "must own", but it's the real deal. I have found that at a gathering of audiophiles, there is a certain pressure to play sonically impressive recordings. But if you are playing records for musicians, it is all about the music. We know about ear fatigue when our systems are not set up properly. We have to become acquainted with another kind of fatigue when the music isn't deeply engaging. That involves listening to music that may at first not be easy to appreciate, but which, once assimilated, you cannot live without. |
The LP recommendations on Arthur Salvatore's website are a very worthwhile starting point. Arthur includes detailed discussions of each of the LPs he has recommended. http://www.high-endaudio.com/index_ac.html |
Not only do I like a particular artist, I collect by label. In Jazz, Prestige, Savoy, Good Time Jazz, in Blues, Excello, Flyright,Wolf,Acoustic Sounds, Blue Horizon, In Rock I generally like British pressings of Cream, The Who, The Doors, The new Mofis with Allison Krauss & Union Station ios an absolute jem alokg with Eva Cassidy's Songbird. |
Pink Floyd:Dark Side Of The Moon Steely Dan Aja Rolling Stones: Let It Bleed Patrcia Barber: Some Kind Of Blue Smashing Pumpkins: Mellon Collie And The Infinate Sadness Pink Floyd:The Wall Beatles: Sargent Peppers Lonley Hearts Club Band The Doors (1st record) and LA Woman Jimi Hendrex: Are You Expereienced Bob Dylan: Blood On The Tracks, The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan, Bringing It all Back Home And I'm just getting started, folks |
MCA Heavy Vinyl / Dave Mason : Alone Together MCA Heavy Vinyl / The Who : Who's Next MFSL The Eagles / Hotel California Blue Note 180 gram Pressing / Cannonball Adderley : Something Else Sundazed 180 gram pressing / Love: Revisted Yasef Latef : Lost in Sound Oringinal Pressing / John Cougar Mellencamp : American Fool All these sound so good on my Turntable. |
MCA Heavy Vinyl / Dave Mason : Alone Together MCA Heavy Vinyl / The Who : Who's Next MFSL The Eagles / Hotel California Blue Note 180 gram Pressing / Cannonball Adderley : Something Else Sundazed 180 gram pressing / Love: Revisted(buy on line at Sundazed Records. Cheaper. Yasef Latef : Lost in Sound Oringinal Pressing / John Cougar Mellencamp : American Fool All these sound so good on my Turntable. |
I've heard and or own many of the above recommendations and they are fine. By far and away, the most astounding lp sonics I've heard is John Abercrombies "Current Events" ECM1311. I've got a mint promo copy from a radio dj's collection, don't know if that's a factor. Excellent music & superb sound in every parameter you can name. I've got lp's from Sheffield Labs, various labels Direct to Discs, Mobile Fidelity, 45 rpm's, this one is better than all of them. I generally find ECM lp's to have reliably excellent sound |