Which Patricia Barber album floats yer boat?

I like many of her songs/albums. I categorize her type of music as "dark jazz". It is enjoyable in the right mood. The recording quality is an added bonus.

Her boat sank .

Patricia Barber?  Recordings drenched in artificial reverb?  Same thing, right??

Frank

Thanks for your query @marktomaras.  I'm still spinning silver discs (only).  But, I've decided to get the RBCD copy of Companion as I couldn't justify almost $100 for the SACD.

Out of the six albums I own:

The Cole Porter Mix
Monday Night Live at the Green Mill


I’m afraid that Cafe Blue in my mind just did not age well in. It’s extremely clean and lacks any noise at all, but for musical enjoyment the latter albums easily surpass it.

I think if Cafe Blue was introduced today, no one would recognize it as a noteworthy album for audiophile quality alone.

Best,

E

I just bought the DSD download of companion for $25 at acoustic sounds, a fair price.  Are you using hard drive based music yet or only discs?

I only have two of Ms. Barber's CD's, Cafe Blue and Modern Cool (on BR and SACD).  I like Modern Cool the best for its moody flavor.

Please forgive the slightly off-topic question.  I want to purchase Companion.  Anyone out there compare the SACD to RBCD versions?  Is it worth it to spend at least 5x the amount of the cost of RBCD and get the SACD?

Umm, I find the comments on this thread very interesting although I admit I haven't read them all. Perhaps I'll just be the quiet voice from the back of the room that has to say something, because I feel that Patricia Barber is one of the most talented musicians/artists alive today. From Cafe Blue to A Fortnight in France to Mythologies, this woman is amazing. Have you heard Autumn Leaves from the Ladies Jazz Festival in Gdynia? Have a listen starting at 20:45....
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KVSV0xu0P8U
Her arrangements are incredible. Check out Norwegian Wood from A Fortnight in France. How anyone can criticize Patricia Barber completely escapes me.

Music is of course quite subjective, hence the people saying nasty things about Barber in this thread.  The first album I had was Cafe Blue, and I think it is outstanding.  I love almost every track.  

I had seen her live at The Green Mill in Chicago before purchasing that, and it was a great show.  Then I went back to The Mill, and I interviewed her for a video I was making on the The Green Mill.  Her performance that night was absolutely killer.  She recommended Modern Cool as my next listen.  I have it, and I think it is quite good, but I prefer Cafe Blue.  I just bought Companion.  We shall see how it goes.

She is a very interesting person, and a great artist.

Sbank,

Yes that particular piece is sure to get your adrenaline flowing in copious amounts.;)

Companion, Cafe Blue and Fortnight in France are my favs, in order. Verse is horrible IMO. Just can't get into it.

The percussion duo at the end of Black Magic Woman is the one part of her repertoire that seems to make everybody smile when they hear it. Cheers,
Spencer

for those who like percussions on the album Companion should also check out the track Nardis on Cafe Blue. The drums/percussions on this track are nothing short of extraordinary. I use it for testing equipment for dynamic range.

"Nun".

I have Mythologies. It's pretty good, but not my favorite.

My favorite is VERSE, followed by MODERN COOL. I have three others.

BTW: anyone have the new album MYTHOLOGIES ?

I would say VERSE is my favorite of the five that I own.

BTW, anyone heard the new Mythologies album ? Reviews ?

Agreed with Bobgates and Audphile. Companion is an outstanding record. It is very well recorded and works well as a demo record. It is also one of the most accessable PB records. It doesn't suffer from the "weird" arrangements that plague some of the other PB records.

I'm not a big fan of Patricia Barber. However, Companion is excellent and has a permenent place in my rotation.

Enjoy,

TIC

10-16-06: Bobgates
...but the percussion solo on the last cut "Black Magic Women" is especially outstanding.

I used this track many times when auditioning components/systems to test the ability to display the outstanding dynamics in this percussion solo. Besides this being one of my favorite PB tracks to listen to, it's also a great demo piece.

I mentioned "Live a Fortnight in France" earlier in this thread but in comparing Barber's two live performance CDs I feel "Companion" is definatetly the better recording; the entire CD is really wonderful but the percussion solo on the last cut "Black Magic Women" is especially outstanding.

Agree with Henryhk. Mythologies is step/s away from norm and end up superior to all the norm work that PB has done. And yes the rap tune included. IMHO. Prior to this Cafe Blue was my favourite. With Mythologies, her work is like NOW.

Cafe Blue!

Henryhk, very good. I'm glad you like it. And I am also glad that our opinions differ. Otherwise it would be too boring if everyone agreed. :)

I am not saying it is a terrible recording.
It is possibly better than most 2006 records you can buy. I just think that for her, musically, this is a step down. Not a big deal, but still. Happens to everyone sooner or later. I am sure she will reward us with some new and possibly even better music in the next few years.

Quadophile....and I guess Auphile I beg to differ

Perhaps yes it can be considered as more "commercial" in that as opposed to the more open structure of her previous music which I think emphasized "space", space btwn notes, space btwn the players...this time there is a more resolute song structure with tighter playing...the temp shifts at times are dramatic, and though at first it may sound "commercial" in that some of the "beats" used are more of popular music at times, the complexity of interplay remains or even goes further. Guitarist neal alger, previously contributing more in terms of texture & color, here while continuing to do so provides some outstanding solos....he really lets go...I didn't know he could wail like that. On motive trying to appeal to a wider audience, I really don't think so...just consider the lyrics: no....but what she has done is further experiment with some elements of popular music: the key is she really makes it her own. In this sense, this album I actually think is more adventerous than some others of hers...after her initial success, it seemed to me she was getting into a comfort zone and risking becoming repetitive.

I think Mythologies is her weakest album. But that's just my opinion. I don't think the band is at full potential on this recording and the music is a bit more commercial than her other records. Lyrics are first rate though....typical PB.
I have all her CDs and like them all, but the Mythologies is my least favorite of hers. I think with this disc she wanted to appeal to a wider crowd and not just her fans.

Henryhk,

Would you be kind enough to describe the contents of her new album? In what way it is better, Does it releate to any of her previous albums? What you liked personally in this new album.

I am sure there are many fans of Ms Barber on this thread and they may like to have an insight into it if they have not yet come across it.

Thanks

Cafe Blue does it for me. Mythologies has been spinning a lot recently and I really like this piece. Patricia Barber is just an amazing artist.

Companion did it for me but her new album Mythologies may her best one yet....experimenting with new structures and interplay....the band itself I think has grown and is best they have done so far.

Barber is one of those artists that have a unique style that doesn't fit in with everyone's taste. I hate Bob Dylan - who cares?

I couldn't stand "Live a Fortnight.." I wonder why you can by it anywhere (used) for next to nothing? A song here and there...she's no big deal, IMHO..Modern Cool: cool indeed

I just received "Live A Fortnight in France" and love her version of Norwegian Wood. "Modern Cool" is another favorite.

I have all of her CDs. I went to see her live at Carnegie Hall back in March of this year, and the concert was awesome. The only thing that pisses me off is that some of the songs she does on the concert are never recorded. She did an unbeleivable interpretation of Ellington's Caravan. It was just amazing. I wish there was a recording of it.

But hearing her recordings for the first time was very refreshing. It's like watching a good indepependent film after a steady diet of Holywood.

I am sure glad that we all have different tastes and opinions. Life would be a bit boring if we all prefered white shirts, white slacks, white tennis shoes, and listening to Lawrence Welk twenty-four hours a day. I owned all of Patricia Barber's cds before I went to her concerts in Davis, Ca. I thought all of her discs sounded great, which is the reason I went to the concerts. Only after going to the concerts, did I realize how good she was in a live setting. I am now hooked for life.

It is the quality of her recordings that rock my audiophoolish boat. Not her singing or piano playing. And I can listen to only 'bout half her cds, and about half of the tracks on those cds.

I have rarely came across a more over-rated artist than Barber, do people like the music or the audiophile status because it only seems to fly around audionuts.

That's a first, Rcupka. I think you mean to be talking to Kevine, don't ya?

Warrenh: I have seen PB in concert several times (Regattabar in Boston and Carnegie Hall). Both live performance made me want to go back and listen to her on my rig with CD's.

Bottom line......live performances get a D/C-, studio recordings A

Isn't it the thing between small and large? lol..

One person's favorite CD is another's frisbee. That and 25 cents won't get you a cup of coffee.

I'm sure the clout that audiophiles command doesn't amount to a fly spec on the wall of the music industry...so much for "the medium". Can anyone actually define "the medium"?

I don't doubt that she is better in concert, but she has just as many losers as winners in her recordings. That will get you into the hall of fame if you're a baseball player, but not in this medium.

I have all of Patricia Barber’s albums, not because of my stereo system, but because I like the way she plays and sings. I recently went to see her and her band in Davis, California and she is two-fold better live. My wife and I were lucky enough to get cancellation seats in the front row for the second performance that we saw, which was right beside her piano. It was quite different watching her put her ear right next to the piano keys to play and hear her moan and grunt. She was definitely in control of the band, but she gave every one in her band the opportunity to improvise on almost every song. She played a third of the same songs for each show that I saw, but the songs did not sound the same because of the improvising that she allowed her band to do. I wish I had gone to all five of her shows.

none at all. I have heard three recordings and have liked 5 or 6 songs total

Every month or so I go through the music threads looking for something I may want to add to my collection...sometimes I hit the jackpot.

One thing you do notice very quickly, our musical tastes are all over the map...a good thing I'd say, something for everyone.

Joni Mitchell, nothing she has recorded flips my switch as an album buy?...Not even "Blue", she may have made a few songs that I liked over the years...I think?

Dave

Sit, I do agree with you, and I am the last one to suggest that Barber and Krall are not true artists, they are. It is just that their particular art form leaves me with no emotion whatsoever, and frankly, if I was to use an example, I would say that Krall is somewhere along ''commercial'' art, where Barber in probably half way. As for Joni Mitchell, now SHE is a true definition of a true artist, and miles above Barber AND Krall. She is in a completely different league, and I doubt she would ever do a car commercial (Chrysler), like Krall did. This has no effect on her music of course and on her talent as a pianist and vocalist, but still, she bores me. While I'm on the subject of Diana Krall, I find it useless that they always try to picture her as a sexy, feminine fox, when in fact she is far removed from this herself. In this last respect, Barber imagery is much smarter, leaving us with blurry images so that we can concentrate on the music and make up our own mind about it. Still, Barber is of course very talented, if -again- boring to me. As always, a matter of taste, so I would never knocked them for trying hard at getting my attention. They already got my money, as I own cd's of both Barber and Krall - can't say I haven't tried, but they just don't do it for me musically speaking.

Her rendition of "Summertime" on her Distortion of Love album is haunting for a late night listen. My wife is not a fan of hers........It doesn't matter, I only have one chair in my listening room.

paulburke
You are certainly entitled to your opinion. Music appreciation is obviously a very personal phenomenon.

Personally I do not find Barber or Krall boring. I find them true artists. Jones, however, is starting to seem like a one-act performer to me although I still enjoy her work somewhat. And yes, thank goodness, there are many other wonderful female performers to tantalize our senses.

Given all of the attention each of subject artists are receiving it will be interesting to follow them and see if they fall prey to the "commercial big-buck music business art killers" (dumb phrase, I know). Or, will they remain artists. Or, will they survive the commercial music-biz pressures and stay true to their art but still burn out talent wise. I really hope they all succeed and continue making real art available for our listening pleasure.

It's a hard, hard business.

We can all name some of the true artists who have survived the BIG music business. Both Van Morrison and Joni Mitchell come to mind for me as I write this. I find performers like Morrison and Mitchell not only artists but heros.

My wife and particularly I listen to a lot of music every day. I have been in the music business (admittedly some time ago)and I worked 16 years in Manhattan advertising businesses, spending mucho time in recording studios with artists. I have approx 5000 lps/cd/tapes in my collection including many wonderful female artists. (Yea for me ... the point is I am speaking my opinion from what may be a decent reference point.)

Still, it all comes down to personal taste.

I find Barber boring actually. I feel Barber records are for ''audiophiles and gear lovers'' mainly as the sonics are usually pretty good, and show a wide range of what audiophile tricks can be performed with most audio gear.

I for one, find her quite boring on a musical, vocal, and emotional level. Come tho think of it, Diana Krall and SNorah Jones have the same dulling effect on me. And it's not that I do not like female vocals, I do, and I enjoy a wide variety. It's like classical music, everyone starts with the Pachelbel Canon as their first taste, and the accompanying sense that ''hey, I'm an expert now! '' but when you REALLY start scratching beyond the surface, there is a World of talent out there, and you are reminded that the most famous are not necessarily the best. It's all a matter of taste of course....I wanted to respond as I for one am getting a bit tired of all the Barber discussions that come up everywhere, on the Web and in printed mags, everytime audiophilia is discussed.

I took all the songs I like (a lot) off of the four cd's I own and put them on my hard drive...that way I skip the strange stuff that I can't seem to get into.

I did the same thing with the Doors, now they had some strange songs...I love um though!

Dave

It's a coin toss between Modern Cool and Companion. Her recordings are wonderful. I find that I can't listen to her for as long as say: Ella, Eva, Billy, Anita and the like. Her voice begins to rub me, plus she gets a tad over dramatic or overkill in the vocal. She plays a not too bad piano, certainly better than Krall. But who doesn't play better than Krall? I have all her cds, but quite a few dogs.

Modern Cool live? Man it has been awhile, I thought Companion was her live album.

My favorite category of music is female jazz vocalists and
I enjoy Patricia Barber. Her voice is unique and she has
a terrific band. I only have 2 of her albums, Modern Cool
and my favorite because it's live, A Fortnight in France.
I'll be buying more, paricularly Split based on the posts.

Rick