The Best Live album

One recently released and just totally shocked me is by pianist Michel Camilo, "Live at the Blue Note". I was at the used cd store, rifling thru the bins and noticed this one because it is on Telarc. After further examination, it is also processed in DSD. I sampled it at the store with headphones and as soon as playback started, I jumped startled as I thought someone was sneaking up behind me in the store but it was actually the MC introducing the band on the disc. The "air", the width and especially depth of soundstage on this disc is uncanny and mind boggling! Even though this is not my favorite style of jazz music, I bought it because I figured that if it sounded soo amazing through the the poor quality equipment used and abused to sample discs in a pre-owned cd store, then it would provide nirvana and extascy when played back on my high resolution system...and boy was I right on...it has earned benchmark status as a demo disc of the thousand+ that I own and I don't mean one cut of the whole 2 cd set...the whole thing is killer!!! Check it out..you'll be soo glad you did...Jeff

Minor correction to Lokie: The Dead were no longer using the Wall of Sound PA in 1977. At the time of that deservedly-famous Cornell show, they were playing through the reinforcement system operated by Bill Graham's FM Productions. If your tape is off the board, as opposed to an audience recording, it doesn't really matter.

Dave Alvin and the Guilty Men- "Out in California"
Also the Dick's Picks series is outstanding from top to bottom and is a fabulous musical and historical feast for anyone who loves live music, the Grateful Dead, or both.

Natalie Merchant - Live in concert
Portishead - Live: Roseland NYC

There are several great jazz albums that were recorded at the Village Vanguard. John Coltrane's, Bill Evans', and Sonny Rollins' recordings there are especially recommended.