Whats on your turntable tonight?

Metallica's Black album, 200g, it is Sad But True, yikes!

Yes, the William Walton "Facade Suite" on Reference Recordings was exactly as good as I remembered: an absolutely outstanding performance, recording and pressing (from my 03/04 post above). One of Reference Recordings' best.

William Walton's Symphony No. 1 - a great piece of 20th century orchestral music - Previn/LSO, RCA (recorded by Decca).

Robert Lucas: Usin' Man Blues, Audioquest 1001 (a Kavi Alexander recording, and very special sonically because of that)

Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Cole Porter Songbook, Verve MGV 4001/2, Speakers Corner reissue (Well, it sounds more like Ella than Cole Porter, but the remastering is well done sonically, and Ella is always Ella)

Marin Marais: "Works for 2 Viols and Harpsichord", Sarah Cunningham, et al., ASV GAU 112. (I enjoy Baroque music, and Marais' writing for viol is always worth listening to, but I confess to taking it in small doses because I find a sameness from piece-to-piece that I just can't get around. This is an excellent record, and shows just how good a digital recording on LP can sound.)
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I know these pieces show up in my postings a lot, but I use them as references to help tell me what my system is doing. Right now, I am evaluating the Walker Reference High Definition Links on my speakers. I suspect after the past several listening sessions with them, they will be staying..

Holst "Choral Hymns From The Rig Veda" Imogen Holst/English Chamber Orchestra/Purcell Singers with Janet Baker, Thomas Hemsley, Robert Tear (Argo ZNF 6)

Rachmaninoff "Piano Concerto No. 3" Byron Janis/Antal Dorati/London Symphony (Mercury SR90283) Speaker's Corner reissue

Miles Davis "Kind Of Blue" (Columbia CS 8163) Both Classic Record's reissues: 33 1/3 rpm 200g and 45 rpm 200g

Since my wife Rhonda is away for the weekend I'm dipping into my 20th century composers records this evening and through the weekend. This Friday evening I begin with the Gerhard Concerto for Orchestra (Argo ZRG 553) Rich palette of diverse percussion instruments w/harp & strings. Sumptuous.

Edgar Varese, Arcana and Ionisation. Mehta. Decca SXL 6550 A sonic delight. In regard to "Ionization" the liner notes say: "...the piece seems to evoke the sounds and harsh reality of city life, in contrast to the sounds of nature." Varese uses sirens that sound off at various times during the performance. I can relate to this music since moving from the quieter Bay Area in California to the city of Boston a few years ago.

Jay McShann, Just A Lucky So And So, Sackville reords. Joyful blues, what more can I say. Needed this to settle my mind after an initial foray in Bartok's Bluebeards Castle. After Judith goes through the first door to discover Bluebeards previous widow, I could'nt handle anymore 20th century composers in one sitting. Will have to resume later. BTW the recording is with Solti conducting the LPO. Decca SET 630. My copy is a bit beaten up and I am looking for a replacement. When I am up to it I want to compare it with a Hungaroton recording with Janos Ferencsik I acquired more than 20 years ago when I was first introduced to this work. Although it is a digital LP I remember it being quite vivid in my memory.

Have a great weekend all of you,

Kind regards,

Tonight our listening has a common thread... any idea what it is???

Led Zeppelin –Led Zeppelin on JP Atlantic

Delaney & Bonnie & Friends w/ Eric Clapton -On Tour on Atco

The Steve Miller Band -Sailor on Capital

Eagles –Desperado on Asylum

John Hiatt -Stolen Moments on A&M

Rolling Stones -Beggars Banquet on JP London FFSS

The Who -Who by numbers on MCA

Pete Townsend & Ronnie Lane -Rough Mix on Atco

Traffic –Traffic on UK Island

Joan Armatrading -S/T on A&M white label

So much vinyl, so little time... Happy Listening!