Best Recording of Music

A friend recently lent me this CD and it just blows me away played on any system I have (I have listened to it about 15 times in the last week!)

Mark O'Connor, Jon Burr & Frank Vignola: HOT SWING!

Released in 2001 on OMAC records, this live performance recorded in February 2000 in Morristown NJ is fantastic, both in terms of music and production. O'Connor's performance in particular is off the hook, especially if you are partial to Stephane Grappelli and acoustic swing jazz. The tone of O'Connor's violin captured on this recording is the sweetest and most natural sounding I have heard on red book CD to date. It makes the Sony classical recordings of strings sound like they are being played on a steel body instruments in comparison. If this type of music is your bag, I highly recommend you check out this CD.

Bongo, that is a great track! My wife use to hate when it came on the radio (it was really overplayed here in Austin). I however think it is a really well performed track, especially their harmonizing...a great matchup. Sadly I don't own this since it was played a lot, now I need to go buy the CD this weekend.

JLc76

Love it so much for the reasons you state: the simplicity of the storyline, how the instruments create a special vibe that speaks to the feeling of longing and regret at the core of it, the rootsy soundscape, and the call and response between the singers that pull the song along to its finish. It has a magic that seems to raise the bar.

Other songs for me that have that special magic include "Careless" by Paul Kelly from Australia, "Safe European Home" by the Clash, "Trapped" by Bruce Springsteen, and "Mercy Mercy Me" by Marvin Gaye.

Best Jean Sibelius symphonies analog recordings ? Lorin Maazel´s on DECCA in the 60´s are the best I have heard.
 http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SXL-6084-Sibelius-Symphony-No-1-Vienna-Philharmonic-Orchestra-Lorin-Maazel...

My best recorded vinyl LP is Stanley Clarks "if this bass could only talk", this recording is incredibly dynamic and it has my favorite version of "goodbye porkpie hat"