Ted Nash's Portrait in Seven Shades
Many composers, jazz and otherwise, have tried to write pieces inspired by famous artworks, but Ted Nash is one of the few who pulls it off.
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Put Me In the Equation, It's Alright
Happy birthday, Lee Ranaldo. The Sonic Youth guitarist turns eternal today. Again.
Music in the Round #40
It seems only yesterday, but it's been 10 years since I began using the original <A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com/subwoofers/955">Paradigm Reference Servo-15</A> subwoofer in my system. It was good then, and it still is, although a lot around it has changed. At first, I hooked it up via Paradigm's X-35 crossover, then via a Technics SH-AC500D surround processor, and finally to the subwoofer/LFE outputs of the various preamplifier-processors and A/V receivers I've used. Y'see, the Servo-15 is just a powered sub. It has an amp and a level control, but no crossover, no channel mixing, and no phase control. Just plug in the signal and it plays it. Along came in-room response correction from Audyssey, Anthem, Velodyne, etc., and the Servo-15 became an even better sub. For music, it entirely satisfies my needs.
Allen Perkins: From Bicycles to Belt Drives
Theodore Roosevelt might have described Allen Perkins as someone who speaks softly and carries a big stick—or two. Before founding Immedia Distribution in 1990, and long before cofounding turntable manufacturer Spiral Groove in 2005, this soft-spoken designer of two award-winning turntables had begun a career as a jazz drummer.
Musical Fidelity V-LPS Phono Stage
Not being fond of self-flagellation, I don't usually <I>do</I> analog. I am not a fuddy-dudley, nor am I especially fremerous.
Listening #85
<I>We murder to dissect.</I>—William Wordsworth
The Grammy Issue
The Grammy Awards are that one Sunday night every January, when for a few brief hours, I try to imagine what people on other continents (in not other planets) think of America when they watch this silly, frivolous, super glam display of Las Vegasness come to the Staples Center. How incredibly ridiculous we must look to the rest of the world. During the telecast, I’m liable to claim I’m from Canada. By the end, I want to take a shower and scrub off the sleaze. The whole thing is so bad, so not about music, that I have to change channels throughout the telecast if only to cleanse my palette. Last night at one point, I flipped over to the hi def Palladia network and there was a Britney video of her tune, “Womanizer,” which was nominated for a Grammy but lost to Lady Gaga. Owing to the fact that much of the video takes place in a sauna, with Brit writhing around nude (creatively covering her nasty bits), the contrast between Spears skin and the absolute nonsense that was goin’ on in L.A. made Little Miss Crazy look like the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields.
She & Him: Volume Two
Might as well add this one to the list.
The Magnetic Fields: 69 Love Songs
Just this morning, I was thinking about the Magnetic Fields, and specifically about how I haven’t really enjoyed their work since 1999’s inspired <i>69 Love Songs</i>. While <i>i</i> had plenty of fine moments, I can’t stand to listen to it anymore. It strikes me as mawkish and false. <i>Distortion</i> bothered me from the very beginning. There was nothing to hold on to. And though I’m mildly interested in the new one, <i>Realism</i>, I'm not excited enough to add it to “the list.”
Album Art: Joanna Newsom's Have One On Me
Wild. Peacocks and stuff.