Got my setup with JBL 1400 Array, I need

[tom1040]

to find some new music. Great recorded music. Anything but classical-I am not there yet. SACD most welcome. Name your favorites. I REALLY only want the better recordings out there to show off the capibilities of the system which includes:
McIntosh MC 402 amp
McIntosh C46 pre
Marantz SA-8001 cdp Might be upgrading that in a bit

Thanks in advance.

[Mr. Widget]

Kinda really depends on what you like and what you think sounds good. I certainly have played my share of "classic rock" over the years and many here will suggest Pink Floyd, and the rest of the usual suspects, but I find music that is a bit less processed sounds better from a sonic standpoint. Here are 5 albums that cover a wide spectrum. Two are live and two have no vocals. None of these may be your cup of tea musically, but I like all of them and they all have at least a few cuts that are really world class recordings.

Widget


John Lee Hooker The Healer
Hugh Masekela Hope
Larry Carlton Sapphire Blue
Janis Ian Breaking Silence
Big Phat Band The Phat Pack

[midlife]

Pink Floyd, John Klemmer, Ronnie Laws, Earth Wind & Fire, Pointer Sisters, Lee Rittenour, Stevie Wonder (Hotter than July), Little Feat, Spyro Gyra, Dire Straits, Al DiMeola.

[clmrt]

Chet Atkins!

[BMWCCA]

I think this makes a good starter pack:

Steely Dan Two Against Nature
Al di Meola Kiss My Axe
Bill Evan Quintessence
Darol Anger and Mike Marshall Woodshop
Jennifer Warnes Famous Blue Raincoat and The Hunter
Chris Whitley Soft and Dangerous Shores and Dirt Floor
David Sanborn Here and Gone
Lyle Lovett Joshua Judges Ruth


...and believe me, I understand the problem of finding good software to go with the excellent hardware!

[Robh3606]

Depending on what you like

King Crimsom ITCOTCK Just because you can

The Moody Blues Childrens Childrens Childrens or ISOTLC doesn't matter

Ambrosia Either of the first 2 albums

New Riders Purple Sage First or Panama Red

Black Sabath 1 Just for fun Wasp

The Who Tommy

None of these will get the best recorded award however there are moments of pure magic in them. Just go through your stuff and dig deep. You are going to find stuff you have not listened too for a long time and then you are going to find yourself sitting there with your mouth hanging open.

Have fun

Rob

[yggdrasil]

Here's some that you probably won't be familiar with, both local and international. All of them available through amazon.

Ane Brun - Changing of the seasons
Gotan Project - La revancha del tango, Lunatico
Roger Waters - Pros and cons of hitchiking
Bel Canto - Shimmering, warm & bright
Jan Garbarek - Visible world
Rein Alexander - Song for you

[yggdrasil]

Just go through your stuff and dig deep. You are going to find stuff you have not listened too for a long time and then you are going to find yourself sitting there with your mouth hanging open.

Definitely.

I find that every system upgrade brings something new to all the old albums.

[JeffW]

Black Sabath 1 Just for fun Wasp

Don't see Sabbath mentioned here much, but "Fluff" off of Sabbath Bloody Sabbath is a very clean little intrumental.

[Mr. Widget]

I find that every system upgrade brings something new to all the old albums.

I think most of us have discovered that...

It is fun to get a whole new record collection every few years when a major upgrade comes along.


Widget

[SMKSoundPro]

I am really glad to see Widget mention The Big Phat Band! I have been enjoying them for quite a while!!!

And lately, I am completely hooked on an older recording of Vital Information. A band starring Steve Smith, an outstanding drummer that used to be in the group Journey. He got fired when Steve Perry wanted to do drippy ballads. Well, Steve Smith is my cup of tea kind of drummer, and has geared his music towards a modern day Chick Corea's Return to Forever band. Modern day jazz fusion!!!

(I still have my Billy Cobham drum sticks from high school and college band.)

It always amazes Lisa and I when playing a new little sound rig and we start to hear things that we missed before. Enjoy the ride until your hearing fails!

Scotty.

[tom1040]

Well, my hearing(left ear) has failed for VHF. However, I am adjusting.
Thanks to all.

[JuniorJBL]

Not sure how you will respond to this but.........

Michael Jackson's Thriller and Bad albums are recorded just stellar.

PYT on Thriller is a song that I have found on my system to just keep going until you run out of power.

Dave Grusin's West Side Story ,NY LA Dream Band, Migration

Bob James Trio

and if you can find it
Return to Forever Romantic Warrior

[JoMoCo]

What kind of musical flavors do you appreciate?

Go over to Acoustic Sounds and or Music Direct or whathaveyou & see what might sound good to you. Some of the equipment rags also review music with sound ratings also. "Music to die for" lists are always interesting if nothing else seems to be working...

So often "demo" music will exercise some combo of system strengths and show up the weaknesses but in the long run is not musical enough to just sit listen & enjoy as music....

Buckshot LeFonque Columbia CK57323
Lee Ritenour This is Love
Rattled Roosters Year of the Rooster

Enjoy your music

[Mr. Widget]

Not sure how you will respond to this but.........

Michael Jackson's Thriller and Bad albums are recorded just stellar.

PYT on Thriller is a song that I have found on my system to just keep going until you run out of power.

Dave Grusin's West Side Story ,NY LA Dream Band, Migration

Bob James Trio

and if you can find it
Return to Forever Romantic Warrior

I can't say that I have ever heard the Michael Jackson stuff on a top flight system... I could imagine it might sound pretty good... but like someone said about "Planet Drum", I can pass on some music... regardless of how technically good it might be.

I have both "Migration" and "Romantic Warrior"... and enjoy both, but they are both so processed sounding that the magic is suppressed. In college I used to play "Return to Forever" on my big JBLs in heavy rotation, now I listen mostly for nostalgia. Today I prefer music that sounds a bit closer to the musicians.

But ultimately music is about touching your soul and not simply tickling the cilia in your ears. On a music thread elsewhere Heather recommended Boz Scaggs "Dig". On her recommendation I bought it. On first listen I hated it because of the cheesy sounding electronic drums. I tossed the disc aside and then one evening I popped it in the player for grins and really became enamored with a couple of the songs on the album. I am still pissed that he used the Casio drum machine, but like quite a number of other discs, if the music is compelling enough the sonics just don't matter. Thanks for that recommendation Heather!


Widget