LATEST ADDITIONS

One of the best-sounding recordings I've heard in the last few years is Handel's <I>Messiah</I> performed by Jeffrey Thomas and the American Bach Soloists (Delos DE-3360 CD). The sound is spectacularly natural, with realistic dynamics and a wonderful sense of space. If you haven't heard it, I recommend it highly&mdash;but <A HREF="http://www.mil-media.com/homepage.shtml">Millennia Music & Media Systems</A> is now offering you a chance to experience the recording on a completely different level.

On Friday, November 3, <I>The Register</I> published an <A HREF="http://www.theregister.co.uk/2006/11/03/peter_jenner/">interview</A&gt; with Peter Jenner, formerly manager of Pink Floyd and Syd Barrett, T. Rex, The Clash, Ian Drury, and Disposable Heroes, as well as Billy Bragg's current manager. The interview was a challenging (and profane) music insider's rant on a variety of subjects ranging from how the dollar download model killed the record store to proposals for a blanket, DRM-free digital music license that would permit consumers to use the music they purchase however they wish.

As we <A HREF="http://stereophile.com/news/101606advanced/">reported previously</A>, on Saturday, November 11, retailer Advanced Audio will celebrate its 20<SUP>th</SUP> anniversary with "an open format seminar" at the Sheraton Tacoma Hotel (1320 Broadway Plaza, Tacoma, WA 98402. Tel: (253) 572-3200). Seminar participants will include Richard Vandersteen of Vandersteen Audio; Steve Silberman, Ayre Acoustics's national sales manager; Joe Harley, renowned recording producer and AudioQuest vice-president; Shane Buettner, technical editor of <I>Ultimate AV</I>; and Wes Phillips, a senior editor at <I>Stereophile</I>.

<B>Foreword by Sam Tellig: </B>I wanted to like the Sci Fi Teslas. I originally heard these speakers at Dave Wolf's store in New Canaan, Connecticut&mdash;no longer in business, alas.

During the time of the Native-American Comanches, a young brave had to undergo many trials by fire before he earned the respect of the tribe's adults. He was violently beaten by the men, humiliated by the women, and forced to endure physical torture such as the slow flaying of the foreskin with smoldering pine saplings drawn from the fire. Alienated from the tribe, exiled until he proved his manhood, he had to survive on wriggling cream-colored larvae and infrequent rainwater. Legend speaks of these Indian youths, dehydrated and disoriented, crawling around on their hands and knees and baying like wolves at the moon.

Thanks for the kind birthday messages, everybody. I had a great day. Joan & I went to the <A HREF="http://www.frick.org/">Frick Collection</A> to gaze at our favorite Vermeers, Franz Hals, and J.M.W. Turners, not to mention checking out a comprehensive display of the New Testament drawings of <A HREF="http://www.frick.org/exhibitions/tiepolo/">Domenico Tiepolo</a>, which were completely new to me.

In my e-mail inbox, I saw a new item: "FedEx Shipment Notification."<br>
Spam? I wondered.