Live vs. recorded

Earlier, I posted that I prefer live recordings, but this thread got me thinking about a specific situation.

For the last couple of years I've had the same two CDs in the #3 and #4 slots of my car's CD changer:

#3 holds Lindsey Buckingham's "Out of The Cradle"
#4 holds Buckingham "Live at The Coach House", a bootleg recording of the tour he did in support of "Cradle".
The song lists aren't identical, but there's a lot of overlap.

First off, Cradle is just about my all-time favorite record and, typical of Buckingham (a Brian Wilson disciple), it's a monster studio production - immaculate in every detail - although I'm sure it's overproduced for some tastes.

The live record features mediocre sound quality. Some of the brilliant song craft on "Cradle" is jettisoned in favor of pure R'n'R energy. I've heard these variations a million times over the last 2 years and the energy is still compelling.

If I had to pick one, I'd have a hard time, but I'd pick "Cradle" - so I guess there really is no easy answer. At their best, both types of record have their charms.

Marty

Marty...

"For the last couple of years I've had the same two CDs in the #3 and #4 slots of my car's CD changer:......"

For two years? Do you only own four CDs or something? :)

Some on this thread have said that many jazz recordings are done in group sessions and live audience performance. This is true and I believe it is because much of jazz is by nature improvised. Superb improvisers like Parker, Gillespe, and Monk have to lead groups of musicians that are equally adept at making the music work 'in real time'. It would be almost impossible to improvise in the vacuum of an overdub (Charles Mingus did overdub his bass line on "Bud Powell Live at Massy Hall" with disastrous results).

As for recorded live performances losing their novelty I do disagree. You can't recreate performances and groups of performers from recordings like Newport Jazz Fest 19xx and others. On those cuts it might have been the only time or one of a few times those cats ever played together. They are historically novel. Even if I have memorized the performance it is still thrilling in the context of the whole and I listen as often as the perfomance occurs to me.

As far as listening in a live venue. I guess if someone really liked Beethoven's 9th and experienced it dozens of times by dozens of symphony orchestras it would make each experience novel but I would rather spread my available music dollars around to include other performances. I do not say this with a strident voice JMHO.

Niacin,

Last count was app. 5,500 CDs and +/- 1,200 LPs.
The other four slots in the car get rotated every week or so, but I tend to be a tad obsessive about Buckingham.

Marty

Marty - you don't say !!!!!