Patricia Barber - Cafe Blue is an effects album


Drives me a little nuts how many still praise this album as the end all Jazz album for audiophiles. 

Mind you, I really like Miss Barber's music, and some tracks on Cafe Blue, but Cafe Blue, the darling of many an audiophile, isn't even close to her best album.  At best its Audiophile bait. At worst it's preternaturally sterile and lab grown. 

Live at the Green Mill for instance is just such a better album to listen to.

 

 

erik_squires

I have never gotten Ms. Barber"s appeal.  I haven't listened to all her stuff, but what I've heard hasn't motivated me to make the effort.  Sounds like bland audiophile music to me.

I've grown to like her. Maybe she was wrongly produced, or sounded too hard, in the beginning. I have the Mobile fidelity LP box version of Cafe blue and the sound is great although the performance is somewhat icy. Mythologies is an interesting album. And the sound and music is more warm and relaxed on  Live A fortnight in France, and The Cole Porter mix.

Try this one

Bo Kaspers Orkester - 10 latar live

excellent music and real dynamics…if you got a system for it :-)

@curiousjim  - Nina Simone is in the category of socially relevant, and poignant composers, not necessarily the most beautiful voice.

Love her voice, verve, composition, and to me she is a true talent

Some of the very best digital recording ever done in my opinion.

Prefer Companion and then Cafe Blue.  The SACD's are killer.

But if you don't dig her, I guess you can sell your Barber acquisitions.