Whats on your turntable tonight?

Stravinsky chamber music works played by the Boston Chamber Players on DGG 2530 551. DGG's chamber music recordings almost always sonically sonically outclass their orchestral recordings -- this one is excellent!
- Concertina for 12 Instruments
- Octet for Wind Instruments
- Pastorale for Vn and Qt of Wind Instruments
- Ragtime for Eleven Instruments
- Septet (1953)

Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers: "A Night in Tunisia" -- Blue Note 84049-45 -- Another gem from the Music Matters 45 rpm reissue series.
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A favorite listening partner, a glass of port and great music playing. Tonight in honor of the work of the great recording engineer, Marc Aubort:

Ravel, "Valses nobles et sentimentales" - Skrowaczewski/MinnO - Vox recording by Marc Aubort reissued by Reference Recordings, RM 1004

Ravel, "Pavane pour une Infante Defunte" and "Le tombeau de Couperin" - Skrowaczewski/MinnO - Vox recording by Marc Aubort reissued by Reference Recordings, RM 1001

Gershwin, "Catfish Row Suite" [arranged by Gershwin from the music of "Porgy and Bess"] - Slatkin/StLouisSO - Vox recording by Marc Aubort reissued by Reference Recordings, RM 1005

Gershwin, "An American in Paris" - Slatkin/StLouisSO - Vox recording by Marc Aubort reissued by Reference Recordings, RM 1005

Great stuff!! With each side, my listening partner goes: "Oh, this sounds really good..." and for good reason. These are outstanding recordings, made even better by the outstanding remastering for Reference Recordings by Doug Sax.

Read Michael Fremer's recently published interview with Marc Aubort, plus some good recording history:
Elite Recordings: A Conversation With Freelance Recording Engineer Veteran Marc Aubort
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Rochmaninoff, "Concerto No 3: Symphony of the Air"
Van Cliburn, Piano; 5/19/1958 Carnegie Hall

A treasure given to me by my grandfather this weekend...and I quote, "Try this one on for size."

The Radiators--Law of the Fish
The Producers--The Producers
Pete Fountain--Pete's Place
The Black Keys--Thickfreakness
Godspeed You Black Emperor--"Lift Your Skinny Fists Like
Antennas To Heaven"

The last on the list was something introduced to me a couple of months ago by a college student working at the local music/head shop a few hundred feet off the campus of Tulane University. I figured what the hell--I'll try it. It reminds me a little of Pink Floyd's "Wish You Were Here"--it is very mellow and flowing. What a great recommendation! I have listened to it about 10 times already and it gets better with each play. It is a double LP on Constellation Records out of Canada (cst012). It seems to be from the year 2000.

Pepe

The Miyajima Mono cartridge has breathed new life into my jazz mono recordings. This evenings fare:

Cookin' The Miles Davis Quintet. My second issue blue label prestige outplays the Analog Productions reissue. 50's jazz at its best.

June Christy, Something Cool. Life like vocals. Listen to her sing the title track Something Cool and I Should Care. A nice Ella counterpart. Capitol records reissue by Cisco.

Louis Armstrong plays W.C. Handy. Both joyful and uplifting even after listening to the worlds woes from the Jim Lehrer news hour. Louis sings and plays his heart out. Highly recommended.

Sarah Vaughan, Emarcy records, Speakers Corner reissue. Up front stunning recording. All star lineup with Clifford Brown, Herbie Mann, Roy Haynes and others. Listening to Sarah sing Lullaby in Birdland and April in Paris will steal your heart.

This renaissance in jazz and classical vinyl is an uncommon pleasure of life.