Audiogon "RECORDINGS TO DIE FOR" list


I've been listening to some of my favorite recordings this weekend and was wondering what others on Audiogon felt were there favorites. We have all seen the Stereophile "Records to Die For", The Absolute Sounds recommended list, Music Directs' list, The Golden Ear, etc. now I'm hoping to assemble the Audiogon "Recordings To Die For". Please list your five favorite recordings, the ones you listen to over and over or play for friends. I would assume the sonic quality is excellent in that this is an audiophile site. The performance and enjoy ability should also be excellent. Please leave your top five, even if they are already chosen so we can discover the very top for the Audiogon listeners. ALSO PLEASE REFRAIN FROM CRITICIZING OTHERS OPINIONS AND JUST LEAVE YOUR FAVORITES!

August 2002: I have compiled a summary and a full printer-friendly list of all of the recommendations below.
click here to view summary
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"Must-haves" for Jazz fans/audiophiles:
1.) Patricia Barber - "Nightclub"
2.) Bill Evans Trio - "Waltz for Debby"(gold cd)
3.) Sonny Rollins - "Way Out West"
4.) Big Joe Maher & Jeff Sarli - "Mojo" (Mapleshade rules!)

...and one classical recording:
1.) Mahler, Symphony No. 1 w/ "Blumine" - Florida Philharmonic (Harmonia Mundi - Fra)
1)Stan Getz & Joao/Estrud Gilberto self titled.
2)Miles Davis "Sketches of Spain"
3)Juan Carlos Formell "Songs from a Little Blue House"
4)"Ellington's Indigos"
5)Sting "Nothing like the Sun"
Some new ones and some repeats:
1. Tom Russell - The Man From God Knows Where
2. Eva Cassidy - Live at Blues Alley
3. Soundtrack - O Brother, Where Art Thou
4. Cat Stevens - Tea For The Tillerman (remastered)
5. Soundtrack - Gladiator
I highly recommend my first 2 picks.
1. Emerson String Quartet, Schubert, The late string quartets/string quintet.(DG)
2. Emerson String Quartet,Webern, The string quartets(DG)
3.Albert Brendl, Schubert, Piano impromtus(Vanguard)
4.CSO/Levine,Schubert, 9th Symphony(DQ)
5.Henry Mancini, Peter Gunn (RCA/Living Stereo)
The last one is great for testing systems with its tremendous dynamics, great recording(except the hiss),
imaging and soundstage are very impressive plus great
easy listening (the beginnings of smooth jazz?)
Plus you get to hear some really fine studio jazz musicians.
The pianist is John Williams (yes that John Williams of Star Wars fame) who does an outstanding job. Those Living Stereo
recordings are all great. As a kid my dad had all those
recordings so they kind of stuck with me. Does any
remember Buddy Morrow or Prez Prado ,easy listening at its
finest??!!
Frank Sinatra "Sinatra At The Sands"
Frank Sinatra "In the Wee Small Hours.." (MoFi LP)
H Belafonte "At Carnegie Hall" (original LP or Classic LP)
Linda Rondstadt "Canciones De Mi Padre" (original LP)
Tchaikovsky "1812 Overture" - Dorati (Mercury LP or CD)
Neri Per Caso - Untitled X-mas Music CD
Getz/Gilberto "Getz/Gilberto" (Mo Fi LP)
Mahler "symphony # 8" - Solti on Decca or Shaw on Telarc
The Eagles "Hell Freezes Over" - Simply Vinyl LP or DVD
Muddy Waters "Folk Singer" - MoFi LP or Classic DAD

OK, so its a bit more than five. Who said I could count?