Audiogon "RECORDINGS TO DIE FOR" list

Not in order - All vinyl:
Firebird/Afternoon of a Faun - Erich Leindsorf/Los Angeles Symphony - Sheffield

Soundtrack to Local Hero - Mark Knopfler - Warner bros.

American Beauty - Grateful Dead - MFSL

Dark Side of the Moon - Pink Floyd - MFSL

Clap Hands, Here Comes Charlie - Ella Fitzgerald - Verve

Waltz For Debbie - Bill Evans Trio - Riverside/Acoustic Sounds

Live at Fillmore East - Allman Brothers Band

Live/Dead - Grateful Dead - Warner Bros. (Green Label)

Shostakovich - Symphony #5 - Conducted by Semyon Bychkov -
on Philips

Love Over Gold - Dire Straits

Many of the Mercury Living Presence discs, but especially:
Ancient Airs and Dances - Respeghi

Famous Blue Raincoat - Jennifer Warnes

Absolute Torch and Twang - k.d. lang

Lush Life - Linda Ronstadt

Some of this will sound crazy. okay, all of it, but here's an odd list.

1) Hoyt Axton 'Fearless' The vocals and single guitar on the song 'Gypsy Moth' are recorded very close and sound amazing.

2) The Carpenters I can't think of the name of the LP but it's the one with 'Make believe it's your first time.' Again this is very well recorded. Better than the rest of the LP. No I don't normally listen to this kind of stuff, but this is my exception.

3) Jethro Tull 'Crest of the Knave' I am a big fan of this band, and this grammy winner is one of the best. Well recorded and fun to hear. Those two don't always go together.

4) John Coltrane 'A love Supreme' An incredible artist gets in touch with what is really important in this life.

5) Elvis Presley 'Elvis Presley' The clash knocked off the cover but few have matched the sound and energy. I love the Simply Vinyl reissue of this.

It's hard to stop at five but everyone else deserves a chance too.

Over 1000 CDs My Favorite is 'Tenderness' by Kip Hanrahan. Find the Vinyl or the German Issued CD. These issues are transcendent musically and sonically. Unfortunately the domestic CD is sonically disappointing, but it is better to have heard this in any format than to have never heard it at all.

Lots of great music listed here already. Maybe some of these sre repeats but here goes.
1)Satchmo Plays King Oliver- Classic Records reissue LP
2)Oh Brother Where Art Thou Soundtrack- cd
3)James Taylor 'Hourglass'- cd
4)Norah Jones 'Come Away With Me'- Classic Records LP
5)Alison Krauss 'New Favorite'- LP
Oh yeah, it is tough to stick with just 5. By the way this is a really fun thread.

Patricia Barber -> *MoDeRn CoOl* What an eye opener. WOW! Dynamic contrasts, with very transparent, and very well placed mikes, etc.