Whats on your turntable tonight?

R_f_sayles, any comments to offer on the Count Basie or Monk?? The Bill Evans I admire greatly, but haven't heard these two...

Yesterday's listening was dominated by a dominating performance of Mahler's Sixth Symphony performed by the Philadelphia Orchestra with Eschenbach conducting. I really like what Eschenbach is doing with this great orchestra. He has his detracters, but for me, his plasticity of tempo and ability to shape phrases is a marvelous gift to his audience. Several concerts back, we listened to a guest conductor who was well liked by a local music critic for all the reasons we just didn't enjoy his performances: that metronomic approach is not for us.

Later in the evening it was:
Lightnin' Hopkins, Goin' Away, Bluesville 1073 (Analogue Productions reissue, 45 rpm)

Lazy Lester, Analogue Productions, APO 003 direct-to-disc

Kathleen Battle Sings Mozart, with Previn/RPO, Angel R144625 (early digital and the sound quality is poor, but Battle's singing is divine)

Regards,

Rush, I too find the Bill Evans very enjoyable, beautiful, in a word. As for the Unique Thelonious Monk set he chose to play cover tunes on this 1956 album. It is a very strong showing with Art Blakey on drums and Oscar Pettiford on bass they rollick through the standards with fun and dexterity. The interplay between Monk and Blakey on "Liza" is delightful at very least. I like Monk and this is a solid effort for his second Riverside recording. As for the Count Basie Farmers Market Barbecue, it is a great swing album. It shows that right up until Mr. Basie's end he could electrify a well chosen group of band members to wing way out in that relaxed, seemingly effortless way. About half the recording is a larger arrangement and in the other half the Count pairs it down to just a choice few horns. I find great enjoyment from the swing genre, it reminds me of my dad who liked to play it around the house on a regular basis, clarinet being the weapon of choice. As kids we'd dance all around the place to this stuff, very fond memories. Steve Hoffman again did this recording NO harm. I find myself to be a very poor critic of this Fantasy jazz series of Chad's Analogue Productions in that I gush with praise over every issue, bare none. Happy listening!

R_f, Thanks for the commentary on the Basie and Monk; I gues I now have two more additions to my wish list! I agree with you about the Fantasy jazz series from Analogue Productions: every one I've heard has been phenominal.

This afternoon with some friends over:

Count Basie "88 Street" (Analogue Productions 45rpm reissue)

John Coltrane and Johnny Hartman (Speakers Corner reissue)

Ella Live in Berlin (fun with "Mack the Knife")

Ella and Louis (Verve, Speakers Corner reissue)

Linda Ronstadt "Lush Life"

Stravinsky "Firebird Suite" Leinsdorf/LAPO, Sheffield Labs (then contrasted with the last 5 minutes of the Dorati's full ballet performance on Classic Record's 45rpm Mercury reissue for a stark example of contrasting miking techniques)

Cohn on the Saxophone (Sundazed reissue - they do it again: great sound!)

Sarah McLachlin - Fumbling Towards Ecstacy & Freedom Sessions (Classic Records reissue)

Kodaly's Hary Janos Suite, Kertesz/LSO (Speakers Corner reissue of a great Wilkinson/Kinsway Hall Decca recording)

Respighi's Pines of Rome, Reiner/CSO (Chesky reissue of the RCA)
.

Beatles -Abbey Road on Mofi from the box
Spoon -Gimme Fiction on Merge records
Electric Light Orchestra -Eldorado on Jet records
Van Morrison -Hymns to the Silence on Polydor UK
Van Morrison -His Band and the Street Choir
on Warner Bros. CA
Van morrison -Veedon Fleece on Warner Bros.
Van Morrison _ Astral Weeks on Warner Bros. W7

- Espana/Argenta/The London Symphony Orchestra/Decca
- Spanish Orchestral Music/Turina/Albeniz/Falla/Angel
- Debussy/Iberia/Reiner/Chicago Sym./RCA Victor
- Manuel De Falla/Nights in the Gardens of Spain/Gonazlo Soriano/Paris Consevatoire Orchestra/His Master Voice