Whats on your turntable tonight?

Tonight...

Bach organ preludes played by Karl Richter on a lovely Arp Schnitger organ from North Germany, Telefunken

Bartok, Music for Strings, Percussion & Celeste, Reiner/CSO, RCA LSC 2374 (Classic Records reissue - powerful sonics)

Mozart, Divertimentos, Marriner/ASMF, Argo ZRG 705

Mozart Horn Concertos, McGegan/Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra with Lowell Greer playing natural horn (everyone knows how HARD this is to play a valveless baroque horn, right?), Harmonia Mundi HMU 7012 (another outstanding recording by Peter McGrath)
.

This afternoon, with a friend over:

Miles Davis "Kind Of Blue" (Columbia CS 8163) 45 rpm Classic Records 200g reissue
Allman Brothers Band "At Fillmore East" (Capricorn SD2 802)Classic Records 200g reissue
Sonny Rollins "Saxophone Colossus" (Prestige P7079) OJC 180g reissue
Clemencic Consort/Rene Clemencic "Danses Anciennes De Hongrie Et De Transylvanie" (Harmonia Mundi HM 1003)
Moussorgsky "Pictures At An Exhibition" Reiner/CSO (RCA LSC 2201) Classic Records reissue

And, for good measure, a couple of CDs thrown in:
Dead Can Dance "Into The Labyrinth", track 1 "Yulunga"
Mark Knopfler "Shangri-La" 2 channel SACD version

Ray, Rushton,
As Billie Holiday fans, you might want to check out a sort-of-new artist named Madeleine Peyroux. She has 2 CDs out, one from this year, the other about 7-8 years ago. She has a voice and style that answer the question, "If Billie was born in the modern age, what would she sound like?" Her new album has received many raves...Cheers,
Spencer

•Taylor's Wailers - This is a late 50's mono set that is drummer Art Taylor's first recording as a leader. High energy set that features Ray Bryant's swinging and harmonically advanced piano playing, and Art Taylor's powerful but nuanced drumming. The horn players; Charlie Rouse, Donald Byrd and Jackie McClean blend beautifully and have immediately recognizable solo voices. John Coltrane, Red Garland and Paul Chambers are on one cut. The high points of the record are the two Monk tunes that close the set; Minor Swing and Well You Needn't. Apparently, Monk wrote the arrangements and conducted these tunes during the recording session, and it shows. All the rhythmic quirkiness and signature chord changes featured in Monk's own recordings are in evidence. Great record.

•Miki Honeycutt - Soul Deep Late 80's recording from a Rounder affiliate that simply cooks. This lady has that big, brassy soul queen sound, but with a distinctively bright vocal timbre. Stylistically, less Gopspel and more Broadway, which works great here. Excellent, hyper-tight, backup band cooks throughout. No question that these folks know their way around 60s and 70s Blues and R&B.

So far:
Josef Suk "String Quartet, Op.31" Suk Quartet (Supraphon 1111 3370) Intimate, very well recorded small ensemble string music
John Coltrane "Blue Train" (Blue Note ST-46095) a Rudy Van Gelder gem.

coming up:
Haydn "Symphony No. 100, Symphony No. 101" Dorati/LSO (Mercury SR90155)