LATEST ADDITIONS

Capital AudioFest 2022
VAC/Von Schweikert/Kronos/Esoteric/Aurender/Hana/Ultra Q
Ken Micallef  |  Nov 11, 2022  |  12 comments
When I walked into the Potomac room, a large VAC/Von Schweikert system was playing vintage Steely Dan tunes (Gaucho era) via vinyl into the sprawling space—what's not to love? While one exhibitor poked me in the ribs for criticizing their choice of Michael Jackson's Thriller at last year's event, the Yacht Rock flowing out of the mighty Potomac room suited me perfectly. And it sounded fantastic.
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Capital AudioFest 2022
Capital Audiofest 2022, Rockville, Maryland Starts Today
Ken Micallef  |  Nov 11, 2022  |  5 comments
Presenting dozens of new exhibitors, 40 more rooms, and 30 more accessories booths than in 2021, Capital Audiofest 2022 is up and running like a fire-starter. Owner/organizer/promoter Gary Gill is sporting a new, literally letting-his-hair-down cut, and over an aromatic cigar he excitedly regaled me with news.
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Music and Recording Reviews
November 2022 Classical Record Reviews
Jason Victor Serinus, Stephen Francis Vasta  |  Nov 11, 2022  |  0 comments
Sarah Willis: Mozart y Mambo: Cuban Dances, R. Strauss: Death & Transfiguration/Metamorphosen, Schubert: Symphonies No.8 ("Unfinished") & No.9 ("Great") and Dvořák: "American" Quartet, 8 Waltzes.
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Music and Recording Reviews
November 2022 Jazz Record Reviews
Thomas Conrad, Jason Victor Serinus  |  Nov 11, 2022  |  1 comments
Keith Jarrett: Bordeaux Concert, Barre Phillips, György Kurtág Jr.: Face à Face, Al Foster: Reflections and Dado Moroni: There Is No Greater Love.
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Music and Recording Reviews
November 2022 Pop/Rock Record Reviews
Phil Brett, Kurt Gottschalk, Tony Scherman  |  Nov 11, 2022  |  0 comments
Big Joanie: Back Home, Mike Cooper: Forbidden Delta Planet Blues, Dry Cleaning: Stumpwork and Bonny Light Horseman: Rolling Golden Holy.
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Music and Recording Features
On The Road Again: Three European Jazz Festivals
Thomas Conrad  |  Nov 10, 2022  |  0 comments
The first European jazz festival I ever attended was in 2006. It was the Umbria Jazz Festival in Perugia, Italy, one of the biggest. Tens of thousands of people overran the cobblestone streets and piazzas of Perugia's old town. The music began before noon and ended long after midnight. At the end of 10 days, I was delirious from joy and sleep deprivation.
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My Back Pages
Boys' rock band, summer of '66
Tony Scherman  |  Nov 09, 2022  |  0 comments
It was another glorious Lower Cape summer, the warm breeze almost viscous against your skin. Tim Dickey played bass, or ersatz bass, tuning his Gibson SG Special down an octave. I played drums. My brother John and cousin Dave Scherman traded leads. Tony Kahn was a good guitarist, but with the surfeit of guitarists, he played organ.
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Aural Robert
The Tipitina's Record Club
Robert Baird  |  Nov 08, 2022  |  0 comments
Professor Longhair in his living room! Etta James—live—at Tipitina's!! Previously unknown James Booker recordings!!! All of it unreleased and unheard???

In the music world, spare time spurred by COVID closures led to many good ideas and side projects. Few have been better than Tipitina's Record Club (TRC).

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Solid State Power Amp Reviews
Primare A35.8 8-channel power amplifier
Kalman Rubinson  |  Nov 04, 2022  |  56 comments
Back in 1999, while reviewing the Wazoo integrated amplifier from Bow Technologies, I learned that its designer and company founder, Bo Christensen, had previously founded another audio company. That's how I discovered Primare. Over the years, various products from Primare have appeared at audio shows but never grabbed my attention. In a recent EISA press presentation, however, Primare showcased an eight-channel amplifier that did, given my interest in multichannel audio. I was glad to be able to attend.
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Revinylization
Revinylization #35: John Coltrane's Blue Train Remastered (Twice) for Tone Poet
Robert Baird  |  Nov 03, 2022  |  0 comments
With its indelible Francis Wolff cover image of a pensive John Coltrane bathed in blue, freshly fired by Miles Davis but four months free of heroin, and its confident, accessible music that hints at the genius to come, Coltrane's Blue Train is a timeless jazz masterpiece. The saxophonist's only album as a leader for Blue Note, recorded before his triumphs at Atlantic Records—My Favorite Things and Coltrane Jazz—the boppy Blue Train, which, including the original mono and stereo pressings, had been issued 272 times, remains important for many reasons.
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