Audiogon "RECORDINGS TO DIE FOR" list

Here are a few specialized recommendations:

Best Blindfold recordings (without vision you'd SWEAR they were playing in the room with you) -
1. Sacred Feast - Gaudeamus (SACD 6.0 but would still be tops at 5 channel)
2. Swing Live - Bucky Pizzarelli (DVD-A)
3. Dreamland - Madeleine Peyroux (HDCD)
4. The Raven - Rebecca Pigeon (SACD)
5. Because of You - Kenny Rankin (CD)

Best Impression recordings (play for your friends and watch them trade in their systems)
1. Sacred Feast - Gaudeamus (SACD 6.0 but would still be tops at 5 channel)
2. Nice 'n' Easy - Cincinnati Pops (SACD)
3. Swing Live - Bucky Pizzarelli (DVD-A)
4. Bug Music - Don Byron (CD)
5. Dreamland - Madeleine Peyroux (HDCD)

Best Performance recording (reasonable audio but blow-your-head-off music)
1. Swingin' for the Fences - Gordon Goodwin (CD)
2. Rock 'n Roll Gumbo - Professor Longhair (CD)
3. Mi Tierra - Gloria Estafen (CD)
4. Dream a Dream - Charlotte Church (SACD)
5. Beethoven Piano Concertos 3 & 4 - Emil Gilels w/Szell (Vinyl; available on CD)

Best You-Probably-Never-Heard recording
1. My Baby Just Cares For Me - Nina Simone (CD CHARLY 6)
2. In Need Again - Repercussion Unit (Vinyl; available on CD)
3. Spirit of the Forest - Baka Beyond (CD)
4. Dakar Heart - Jimi Mbaye (CD)
5. Bass,Bass,Bass,Bass,Bass, and Bass - L'Orchestre De Contrebasses (CD)

Miles Davis, Ascenseur pour l'echafaud (what no mention? addendum to Some Kind of Blue); Thelonious Monk, Complete Columbia Recordings (offhand); Arnold Schoenberg, Kammersymphonie no. 2; Olivier Messian, Vingt regards sur l'enfant-Jésus; Mary J. Blige, Share My World (for the young 'uns); would have to return to state exact renditions of Schostakovitsch, the 3 B's (on symphonic Beethoven certainly Klempner in lieu of Karajan), Getz/Gilberto...

[Edit: ohlala, of course that's KlempERER re Ludwig vans symphonies who may have been a Klempner too but only dubitably was he ever a dirigent of any water works]

Lyle Lovett,and his large band
KEB'MO
David Sanborn ,straight to the heart
Diana Krall,live in paris
Miles Davis,blue

I recently came across Jennifer Warnes, "The Well." It's a "10" all around. I have her other discs, but this one is her best. Sound Quality 10, Performance 10.