Greetings Hififarm - is that you, Steve?
Congrats on becoming a Piega dealer!
I'm also involved in the audio club here in New Orleans, and in my experience people get tired of hearing the standard audiophile fare (Diana Krall, etc) all the time. Something new is going to be more interesting, even if it doesn't give them as valid a reference point for making comparisons.
So spice it up with some obscure stuff you like! Here are a few discs I like and have used, though probably will not use again unless requested:
1. Fairfield Four, "Standing in the Safety Zone". Gospel quartet, incredible male vocals. Warner Brothers, 9 26945-2.
2. Amanda McBroom, "Growing up in Hollywood Town". A Sheffield Lab direct-to-disc analog recording, Amanda's vocals on "The Rose" will bring tears to your eyes. She wrote the song, Bette Midler slaughtered it. Sheffield CD-13.
3. Seth Kaufman, "Circling Noon". Superb solo piano recording by an innovative artist (who happens to be a friend). On Cascadilla Records (hard to find), CDLA2365.
4. Berlioz "Symphonie Fantistique", Atuauflo Argenta conducting the Paris Conservatoire Orchestre, recorded in 1957 (on tube gear, of course). Use the 5th movement. London, 452 305-2.
If you can't find the Amanda McBroom, you might try the late Eva Cassidy's "Songbird", on Blix Street Records, G2-10045. The first cut, Sting's "Fields of Gold", will rip you heart out.
Since it's a club meeting, don't be too offended if people want to talk and mill around. Also, there's an excellent chance people will bring things they want to hear, and I always give requests priority over whatever might have been on my agenda.
With speakers like the Piegas, might as well show off how good they sound at low volume too, since many married or apartment-dwelling audiophiles do their serious listening late at night at low volume levels.
Wish I could be there!
Duke
Congrats on becoming a Piega dealer!
I'm also involved in the audio club here in New Orleans, and in my experience people get tired of hearing the standard audiophile fare (Diana Krall, etc) all the time. Something new is going to be more interesting, even if it doesn't give them as valid a reference point for making comparisons.
So spice it up with some obscure stuff you like! Here are a few discs I like and have used, though probably will not use again unless requested:
1. Fairfield Four, "Standing in the Safety Zone". Gospel quartet, incredible male vocals. Warner Brothers, 9 26945-2.
2. Amanda McBroom, "Growing up in Hollywood Town". A Sheffield Lab direct-to-disc analog recording, Amanda's vocals on "The Rose" will bring tears to your eyes. She wrote the song, Bette Midler slaughtered it. Sheffield CD-13.
3. Seth Kaufman, "Circling Noon". Superb solo piano recording by an innovative artist (who happens to be a friend). On Cascadilla Records (hard to find), CDLA2365.
4. Berlioz "Symphonie Fantistique", Atuauflo Argenta conducting the Paris Conservatoire Orchestre, recorded in 1957 (on tube gear, of course). Use the 5th movement. London, 452 305-2.
If you can't find the Amanda McBroom, you might try the late Eva Cassidy's "Songbird", on Blix Street Records, G2-10045. The first cut, Sting's "Fields of Gold", will rip you heart out.
Since it's a club meeting, don't be too offended if people want to talk and mill around. Also, there's an excellent chance people will bring things they want to hear, and I always give requests priority over whatever might have been on my agenda.
With speakers like the Piegas, might as well show off how good they sound at low volume too, since many married or apartment-dwelling audiophiles do their serious listening late at night at low volume levels.
Wish I could be there!
Duke