Virgil Thomson, The River/The Plow That Broke the Plains, Vanguard Classics. Stokowski conducting music for two Depression-era film documentaries. Very Americana. An early '60's analog recording...clean, quiet, dynamic.
Duke Ellington, Blues in Orbit, Mobile Fidelity (a 2500-disc production run). Duke's crew was "alive" for this session.
A hearty second on the Opus 3 Music Sacra by the Erik Westberg Vocal Ensemble. Choral, soprano sax, and organ music from the 16th century to the present. Recorded in analog in 1995 and 1996 with apparent loving care. Gorgeous acoustic.
Al DiMeola, John Mc Laughlin, Paco deLuca, "Friday Night in San Francisco," Sony. A live '70's concert by three guitar virtuosi. Electric.
Red Rose Music sampler. Recorded in DSD by Mark Levinson in his store. Typically one or two "guest" performers per number, all music except for two vocal recitations. Great example of what DSD does for piano, bass, guitar, voice, and sax (you have to hear Chico Freeman).
Aaron Copland, "Appalachian Spring"/Morton Gould, "Spirituals for String Orchestra," Vanguard Classics/Everest. Another early '60's analog recording beautifully done. IMO, Walter Susskind's reading here of "Spring" is better than Copland's own.
