What's Playing Now

[SpeakerLabFan]

Stealers Wheel - Ferguslie Park
(1973, A&M) Promo/NFS; Mastering: Bob Ludwig at Sterling Sound

[BMWCCA]

I'm sitting here with 20+ inches of snow on the ground enjoying some serious listening alone in the house, waiting for the power to go off.

So I thought I'd contribute to this thread with the list I'd been posting in the Weather thread in the off-topic forum.

Currently I'm spinning the full-digital recording on CD of Joe Jackson's "Body and Soul". Every time I dig out this old classic (1984) I'm extremely impressed, and reading the liner notes on how they set it up impresses me even more (the location was an "ancient" wood-and-stone Masonic lodge with two Neumann M-50 mics suspended fifteen-feet above the artists, for starters). A dynamic recording without being "loud" and with no noticeable compression so the dynamic range is from near-silence flute solos to punchy horns and explosive drums. Anyone with a good system deserves to listen to this at least once. Even if you're not familiar with Jackson's work you'll recognize "The Verdict" and "You Can't Get What You Want". Mine is the original version, hopefully the re-release (2006) is faithful to the original. I can't see how it could be any better.

Horns on horns!



I'd previously spun two full-digital direct-to-two-track recordings, one from Jackson, "Big World" which, though not as consistently superb as "Body and Soul" certainly has its moments.



And I began this set with another "direct-to-two-track" full digital 1983 release from Tom Scott, "Target" which shows just how fine a simple red-book CD can sound and reminds me of why I gave up the tedious preening process of playing LPs and let my B&O 4002 atrophy so many decades ago:

[SpeakerLabFan]

David Crosby - If Only I Could Remember My Name...
(1971, Atlantic) Artisan logo in the deadwax

[BMWCCA]

David Crosby - If Only I Could Remember My Name...

One of my favorites of all time. I have it on CD and LP and I've considered getting the re-mastered CD/DVD just for the heck of it!

[SpeakerLabFan]

Girlschool - Demolition
(1980, Bronze Records) W. German pressing





David Crosby - If Only I Could Remember My Name....

One of my favorites of all time. I have it on CD and LP and I've considered getting the re-mastered CD/DVD just for the heck of it!

Yeah, great record with so many amazing talents coming together, stars aligning. Grateful Dead, Jefferson Airplane, Joni Mitchell, Graham Nash, Neil Young, and on and on. Basically the same cast of characters working w/ Grace Slick & Paul Kantner on Blows Against The Empire and Sunfighter.

I really enjoyed the interview Crosby did with the NPR weekend guy, Bob Simon, a couple years ago -- they spent alot of time talking about selections from this record and stories behind them, etc, because it's one of Bob Simon's all time favorite records as well. It's worth tracking down if you haven't heard it, there's probably an archive on npr.org...

[SpeakerLabFan]

Dr. John - Gumbo
(1972, Atco)
another New Awlins inspired spin

[hjames]

Blame Phil - he's got me on a Joe Jackson jag ...
I'll play the later 2 track recordings later when I sit in the living room,
with the L200plus and walnut smith horns ...

This is good wakeup energy with a cuppa guatamalan coban coffee
(who wants to shovel snow? - the street's not even plowed yet!)

Joe Jackson - I'm the Man (1979)

[SEAWOLF97]

David Crosby - If Only I Could Remember My Name...
(1971, Atlantic) Artisan logo in the deadwax

since you are listening a lot ...how 'bout including your impressions of performance and quality ?

I listen a lot too ...but many of them go straight to long term storage after one session.

[SEAWOLF97]

Went out on vinyl safari in the gas powered vehicle (yeah I know, how primitive) .....got this hard boxed 4 LP set of the complete soundtrack to "Romeo & Juliet" ...includes 40 page book with dialog.

Also Eagles & Steve Miller double ....not a bad trip...

[SpeakerLabFan]

Pete Fountain - The New Orleans Jazz Club Presents Pete Fountain Day
(1960, Coral)
They are celebrating in the Crescent city tonight. I figured that this 60s Coral record would be nice, but I'm still surprised by how well done this live stereo recording is. All the instruments, piano, drums, bass, and clarinet are separately and distinctly placed, and no one is over-miked. And this isn't the expected Benny Goodman swing or dixie land big band schmaltz - it's a quintet, great chops and nice solos here. I will have to listen to more Pete Fountain, hopefully it'll be more of the same and not the exception.

[SEAWOLF97]

Pete Fountain - The New Orleans Jazz Club Presents Pete Fountain Day
(1960, Coral)
They are celebrating in the Crescent city tonight. I figured that this 60s Coral record would be nice, but I'm still surprised by how well done this live stereo recording is.

THANX...thats what I was looking for

I'd been so enjoying ASIT, that I had a big session with everything TYA ....Cricklewood and Pure Blues stand out pretty well.

[Krunchy]

A CD by Steve Winwood from 2003.

Get this one.
Clark

Agreed, great recording, forgot how good Steve Winwood can be. The guitar playing is phenomenal, have not heard that level of playing in a long time, its actually hard to believe its from 2003.
Thank you Clark


SpeakerLabFan,
You have got one hell of a record collection my friend very intersting material.

[SpeakerLabFan]

Azimuth - Depart
(1979, ECM) w/ Ralph Towner; W. German pressing
I've never encountered a bad ECM pressing, and it's extra nice to have this as a German pressing since the ECM label started in Munich in 1969. Recorded at Talent studio in Oslo where I think Pat Metheny cut alot of ECM titles around this time. Nice airy jazz with female vocals, piano, flugelhorn, trumpet and R. Towner on 12 string and classical guitar. I picked up this copy from a dollar box at Ranch Records in Salem, OR last fall. A nice store if you're in the area - I was in Salem visiting Willamette University, doing some college shopping w/ my daughter. will definitely return to Ranch records often, if she decides on that school.



Thanks Krunchy

[SpeakerLabFan]

Jon Anderson - Song Of Seven
(1980, Atlantic) NFS/Promo; STRAWBERRY in the deadwax, both sides



Jon Anderson's 2nd solo LP. I listened to his 1st, Olias Of Sunhillow, a few days ago - that one was inspired by Yes - Fragile and it sounds like it. This one sounds a bit more conventional with the electronic pop synth crap of the era. One reviewer says this sounds at times like a spiritually informed Supertramp, I wouldn't go that far and it still has it's moments - Everybody Loves You leads off side 2 is very nice.

[SpeakerLabFan]

Loretta Lynn - Loretta Lynn's Greatest Hits
(1968, Decca)



I'm glad I ran across this one for 50 cents a few weeks ago. Country is not my cup of tea but this is the real good old country from Butcher Hollow, KY. My paternal grandmother was from Kentucky, maybe that's it. A nice heavy LP on the Decca label from the 60s. Nice lead guitar and pedal steel from nashville studio players, nicely miked drums and bass, sounds fantastic. Don't Come Home A Drinkin' With Lovin' On Your Mind. classic.