Audiogon "RECORDINGS TO DIE FOR" list

Wow -- it's impossible to pick the 5 best, since I'm listening to totally different stuff every couple of months. I'll leave the jazz alone (and Steely Dan), since they are so well covered already.

Here's 5 real good ones off the top of my head:

1. Grateful Dead - "Reckoning" - Excellent live acoustic set

2. Lyle Lovett - "Joshua Judges Ruth" - fantastic recording

3. Phish - "Picture of Nectar" - their most fun album and nice recording (not as quite as well recorded as Farmhouse, but tastier)

4. Bjork - "Homogenic" - astonishing blend of strings, electronica and Bjork's vocals (for jazz lovers who like Bjork's vocals, also check out "Gling-Glo" - a hard to find import with an Icelandic Jazz combo - sung in Icelandic!)

5. The Roots - "Things Fall Apart" -- I had to add this because this list has no hip hop on it (for good reason). But the Roots (I used to see them in Philly when they were known as the Square Roots) play their own instruments (even an acoustic upright bass!), and the album is one of the few well-recorded rap albums. One of the tracks features nice vocals from Erykah Badou (on their live album, the part is sung by Jill Scott).

Happy Listening!

#1 Led Zepelin first album
#2 Pink Floyd "wish you were here"
#3 Dire Straits"Communique"
#4 Eagles"hotel California"
#5 Pink Floyd"Animals"

Duke Ellington's Jazz Violin recordings. He recorded Stephan Grapelli (sp?), Ray Nance, and a third violinist playing his songs with his orchestra. He recorded it in France in 1963, but it wasn't released until 1976. It came out on an Atlantic LP. It's an amazing recording of some great music, and well worth checking out.

I've noticed several people have notated some classical titles that are pretty good. Here's some of my favorites (I do play for a living!)

1. Bruckner 6, Serge Celebudache, Munich, EMI
This great conductor is without equal for Bruckner, and the Munich (Munchen) orchestra is up to it. By far the best classical recording quality I have owned. A phenomenal live performance. The interpritation is so enthralling that when I have friends over to listen to new toys this cd is last; we can't switch it out until at least the end of the first movement! Any of the EMI Bruckner recordings of Celibudache will be at this level, but they are expensive so I havn't bought them.

2.Shostakovich 1+7 (really just 7) Bernstein, Chicago live at carnegie hall NY.
This recording is breathtaking in its power. The chicago sound is distinguishable: great brass, aggresive and gritty strings. Bernstein takes it up a notch. Listen to the power in the bass trombone in the last movement of the 7th symphony. It's no wonder the cellists sued the orchestra for hearing damage!!! Charlie Vernon absolutly plays his *%^% off! Also of note is the double brass section with the 2nd brass ensemble seated on the violin side of the stage. Listen to the power in the trumpet on that side. That's George Vosburgh, now principal in Pittsburgh.

3. Mozart "Overtures" Sir Colin Davis, Staatskapelle Dresden
Although I ussually dislike compilation albums I find these overtures to be well recorded and extremely well played. I used to dislike Mozart, but the performance imparts the much needed vigor into this often humdrum music. This is really a great way to meet Mr. Mozart.

4. Corigliano, Piano Concerto, Slatkin, St Louis, Barry Douglas Piano.
Not a big piano fan, or St Louis fan, But I find this composer to be tremendous. If you are not aquainted with contemporary classical composers, or if you hate them, then you should really take a listen to this. A "neo-romantic" who also wrote the somewhat old fashioned music to "The Red Violin" creates a sense of excitement, direction, and beautiful melody. The pianist is also very good. His first symphony might be a little heavy, but the piano concerto is really a great piece to enjoy and explore for people who might not even like classical, or if you think classical is boring.

5, Bartok, Concerto for Orchestra, Reiner, Chicago
This vintage recording is a classic. Its a truelly wonderful performance and interpretation of a modern classic, (If you consider the everything this century modern......)

Lastly, a word about orchestras. Buying good classical is a very challenging task. I would recommend sticking to the best orchestras if you want the best music. I'll often only buy music by NY, Chicago, Berlin, Vienna (Weiner), Concertgabow (amsterdam), Munich, or sometimes a lesser orchestra if the conductor or piece is great like Pittsburgh, Boston (I bet I just made some enemies), Baltimore, Clevelend (the old Czell recordings are great, anything from london (I can't even remember which is which) LA etc.... Sometimes a small orchestra will come out with a great product, but more often than not if you want true greatness the source will be great orchestra. NY is my favorite....

If you don't own a copy of SWING, SWING, SWING by John Williams and the Boston Pops on Philips (412 626-2) I suggest you go out and buy one. If you're not yet a fan of big band music, you soon will be after playing this CD. Just the opening cut alone should be enough to do it. I was fortunate enough to find a copy of this CD in the used bin at a local CD store, and I can tell you that someone made a BIG mistake by trading it in! It has become one of my reference CDs; I pull it out every time I make a change in my system. The sense of stage it presents is absolutely startling, and there is no finer test for "air" that I have ever come across. Credit the legendary acoustics of Boston Symphony Hall for that. At first listen, you might think it lacks bass, but that's because bass viols played pizzicato in a hall as live as this one don't exactly set your pants legs flapping. Other than that, this recording is absolutely stunning. Does anyone else out there own a copy?