Best sounding LP nobody else has ever heard of...


I've been off the 'Gon for quite some time due to fatherhood, and was just perusing old threads. I came across "dissapointing audiophile recording" which got me thinking - by far some of the best LP's in my collection (sonically and performance-wise) are NOT the so-called audiophile issues, but just the opposite, they're ones that are never mentioned anywhere. It's often a complete surprise, and sometimes I know within 10 or 20 seconds of dropping the needle that I've got a really special one. So we're not looking for Jennifer Warnes, Pink Floyd, or even Strunz and Farah here... I'm travelling in Asia for 3 weeks, so I can't list mine very accurately by memory, but I will when I return if this thread picks up any steam.
opalchip
Here's another vote for The Blue Nile. I've got their first two albums on Linn Records, and they both sound fantastic. ("A Walk Across the Rooftops" is the debut, and "Hats," which I think is a nearly perfect record from start to finish, is their second.) They've got two more discs, but those are the ones I'll stress in this particular thread. (Another night, I'll write about the time in 1996 when I got to see them in a rare performance in these United States.)
Eastern Sounds- Yusef Lateef on Moodsville MVST-22 1961
(or Prestige or Prestige/OJC or TransAtlantic)

Jazz Party -Duke Ellington on MONO Columbia CL 1323 1959
six eye (not the Classic stereo remaster which pales by comparison)

Steve Miller -Born to Be Blue on Capitol/EMI C1 48303 1988

and the list goes on and on.

Happy (little known, mass market release) Listening!
Just got a .50 copy of Seals and Crofts Summer Breeze. I've heard most of the tunes on the radio and CD over the years and never realized what a beautiful and intricate recording it was till now. I don't know what pressing it was.
A few classical music recommendations:

Enescu, Son 3 for Violin & Piano in Romanian Folkstyle, op25, Sherban Lupu -vn, Claude Cymerman -pf, Altarus AIR 2 9012 -- captures the character and flavor of this music superbly in an excellent recording.

Italian Violin Music 1600-1750, Banchini -vn, Darmstadt -vc, Klimo Open Window OW 002 -- one of several baroque chamber music recordings sponsored by the German tube equipment manufacturer, Klimo, all of which are marvelous.

Magnum Opus Vol 1 & Vol 2 -- organ music played on the beautiful Flentrop tracker organ at the Duke University Chapel captured in excellent recordings by Dave Wilson, Wilson Audio, W 8111 & W 8314. Any of the Wilson Audio organ recordings are worth acquiring if you have any interest in the organ. (Don't get me started on the wonderful organ recordings on Callipe and Proprius!)

Charpentier, Les Arts Florissants - Harmonia Mundi HM 1083 - marvelous
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