Great list, JoeE. My fiirst thought was that I didn't agree with you 100% -- but after thinking about the quality of the list as a whole, I think maybe I'll go back and listen once more to the discs we aren't completely in sync on. My taste may have changed (or even broadened) since I last heard them. I think that's one of the great things about the Forums -- we don't have to agree 100% to share our love of muusic and hi-fi. It's also possible that we can help one another understand a different point of view or hear music we might otherwise have never appreciated.

BTW, are you sure KOB is the best-selling jazz albim ever? I think I made that same claim once in Stereophile and a reader corrected me with the sales figures for Brubeck's Take Five. Of course, by now, KOB might have overtaken Take Five.

Canton's Paul Madsen and I were grabbing a burger at the White Horse Tavern the other night, before checking out Bill Frisell's new quintet at the Village Vanguard, and out of two hours of bar music playing on the house system, the only jazz was "Freddy Freeloader" from KOB. Everything else was rock or blues, so KOB truly is mainstream these days

Hi JoeE:

While we're adding to it, I'd just say that while Headhunters might be Herbie Hancock's best fusion, the gentle colors and powerful playing on Empyrean Isles remains my favorite Hancock. When I first heard it, I wasn't sure I liked it, since I was coming from rock and there isn't any virtuosic (rockgod) soloing on it. Thirty years later, I've not only come to terms with it, I can't imagine not having always loved it.

I suspect that you'd like it, since you love KOB, which also swings hard softly.

No Hendrix ? I'm shocked !

Either R-U-Ex or Elec. L.L

Then again who doesn't have both in their collection

No Stevie Ray Vaughan? albert King, Ya' gots to get Sessions SACD/hybrid...incredible, done in like 1987 or so, DSD did it proud. The guitar magic is stunning. Buffalo Springfield? Where's ELVIS, your list lacks.

Get the Marvin Gaye on SACD, great stuff.

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No Stevie Ray Vaughan? albert King, Ya' gots to get Sessions SACD/hybrid...incredible, done in like 1987 or so, DSD did it proud. The guitar magic is stunning. Buffalo Springfield? Where's ELVIS, your list lacks.

Sigh. DUP, you came so close to offering an intelligent, useful comment here -- and yet you missed by so much. First, JoeE didn't say they were the ony 20 discs you should own, just that he thought these 20 were worth owning and that you might not have them yet.

You think he should have added Sessions? Fine, great disc, with unusually restrained SRV. All you needed to do was suggest he (we) give it a listen. No need for smirks or gratuitous insults. (BTW, it was recorded in '83.)

Perhaps you could suggest a particularly notable Buffalo Springfield or Elvis disc, rather than simply slamming us for not having included them. I'm partial to the Sun Sessions myself, and even like some of the themed collections (such as the compilation of his Leiber and Stoller songs), but I find most of his "official" albums to have only a few gems scattered amongst the filler.

Anybody who reads this thread could probably put together a lit of must-haves. JoeE obviously put a lot of thought into his and it got the conversation going. Rather than stopping it with comments like "Your list lacks," why not put a little effort into naming a few more must-haves and telling us why we should listen to them? Remember, we're not trying to shut each other up, we're trying to keep the conversation going.

Tell you what, I'll start with one you probably haven't heard, but I suspect you'd like: Stone Crazy by Buddy Guy, a live album recorded at a time when Guy was pretty much being ignored by the record lables. As a result, he rips into every song with an intensity that has seldom been matched. Not necessarily an audiophile approved recording, but a solid representation of being in a Southside blues bar -- and a compltely smokin' session by a guitarist at the peak of his powers.

I loves Buddy guy got everything he ever did!!! Even his latest...cool dude, seen him LIVE just some months ago at StartLand Ballroom in Parlin N.J. My friend Matt Oree www.mattoree.com OPENED for Buddy!!! I missed the last show in Parlin, I got sick, my other frind went in my place. buddy Guy is INCREDIBLE, 70 years old looks 40 wails on stage, goes through teh crowd with his wireless Fender and mic, great showman, incredible guitar man, played with his TEETH!!! Explainging how he showed SRV, Hendrix and many others, how it's done!!! Most 70 year olds are LOOKING for their teeth, Buddy played guitar with his!!! Great show, I never did get to see SRV unfortunetly, he is one of my favorites along with Roy Buchanan, who alos sadly is gone. Matt Oree is on the way to the same plane www.mattoree.com

Sigh. What part of We showed you ours, now show us yours didn't you understand? This thread is about sharing favorite recordings that other readers may not have heard, but would probably like. Maybe you'll get around to doing that.

We could start another thread about great live performances and that would be cool, too. I'm positive you're not the only Forum participant who has seen Buddy Guy -- I'm willing to bet cash money that Monty and Buddha both have BG stories to tell. I've seen Buddy about 10 times over the years, but my favorite shows were in the early '70s when he was still touring with Junior Wells. But we digress.

About those discs that you think we should add to our collections, care to name a few? Otherwise, you're just adding noise to the already alarming SNR on the Internet.

1) SRV/Albert King Sessions in SACD

2) Jimmy D. Lane w/double Trouble SACD..It's Time

Otis rush Lost blues

Matt Oree Shelf Life

Robin Trower Bridge of Sighs

Roy Buchanan Sweet Dreams The Anthology

Guitar Shorty Watch Your Back

Walter Trout Walter Trout

Lee Michaels Lee Michaels

Jimmy D. Lane Long Gone

Lonnie Brooks Lone Star shoot Out

Joe Bonamassa a new day yesterday

Son Seals Live and Burning

Junior Wells Pleading the Blues w/ Buddy Guy

Tinsley Ellis Highway Man

Tommy Castro Soul Shaker

ELVIS Peace in the Valley the Complete Gospel Recordings

Kenny Wayne Shepperd Live On

Gary Moore Scars

Gary Moore Power of the Blues

Rolling Stones through the Past darkly SACD

Etta James Matriarch of the Blues

Creedence Clearwater Revival Absolute Originals Box set SACD

Just a few of some of my favorites

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Does anyone have anything productive to add to this thread? If you think I am incorrect lets see your list. If not 20 or 21 how about 10. The list should have a variety of different types of music.

You can find a lot of recordings recommended by Wes and by the other Stereophile writers at www.stereophile.com/records2die4, JoeE.

Share your love for Stanley Clarke's playing, but also on electric bass as well as double bass. And Stanley has been served a lot better on record wrt sound quality than Ron Carter, whose recorded tone is too often too midrangey for my taste.

John Atkinson
Editor, Stereophile

Don't think I've ever met a guitar player who didn't like Hendrix...strange...he was an original in his time. But borrowed from the early pioneers, like Buddy Guy, Muddy Waters, Howlin' wolf,etc. Les Paul made it all happen with Leo Fender actually, they invented the tools to do it with. Scuze me, while I kiss this guy.....

Last time I went along with "I'll show you mine, if you show me your's" I got 5 years PROBATION.......

I have a Fender StratoCaster 50th Aniv , w/GOLD fittings, ooooohhh, aaahhhhh, and I don't even PLAY!!! It looks cool, I gotta learn how to play. I keep fretting over it, I gotta get some lessons. I may be a prodigy and not know it, I tried eye surgery once.....hmmm lookie here, it's seems you have some ocular degeneration of the optical membranes connected to some sorta' nerves here, let me snip this here nerve ..ooops. I hopes you have medical types insurance that covers malpractices.

Aloha!

OK, a list. Not of my top twenty, but of twenty that people may not already have but I think they'd fall for, right?

1) Garland Jeffreys - Ghost Writer. New York reggae from the 70's with alot of soul. Has the original version of Wild In The Streets and New York Skyline.

2) Little Feat - Waiting For Columbus. Maybe the best live record, ever. The highlight for me is that version of Dixie Chicken.

"I've seen the bright lights of memphis, and the Commodore Hotel..."

3) Duke Ellington's band's direct to disc, "For Duke." The best Satin Doll sound in existence. The trumpet on that cut is ALIVE!

4) Moby Grape - Live Grape. Recorded in a restaurant past their peak, but tight and velvety. "Lost Horizon" starts out this killer set.

5) The Who - Quadrophenia. Tommy gets all the credit, but this set is better. One of those albums that you can easily sit through without wanting to do some stupid hi-fi thing.

6) Flogging Molly - Swagger. What Shane MacGowan would be doing if he hadn't tossed it all off. Great, intense, Irish, James Joyce would hang with these guys.

7) Rick Wakeman

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Just a few of some of my favorites

See, you're almost participating in a civil conversation. Care to share your insights into why these recordings mean so much to you? Buddha and JoeE have argued their cases -- you've given us a good list, but help us understand why we should have these records.

When it comes to gospel, my personal preference is the black gospel quartet tradition of the Swan Silvertones and the Dixie Hummingbirds, but I realize that Elvis was intensely proud of his gospel material and that those discs are among the few times he went against Tom Parker's wishes, so I should probably give 'em another listen.

What is it about Peace in the Valley that juices your lizard?

I'm not sure I wanna know what gets DUP's lizard juiced, seeing as how it got him 5 years probation.

I'm going to ponder this list and post later tonight... it'll be fun to pick some stuff that flies under the radar.

Here's a few thrift store LPs from the 100+ I've picked up in the last couple of months. These have been in 'heavy rotation.' I realize they wont be everyone's cup of tea...

Eddy Arnold : The Best of Eddy Arnold RCA LSP-3565

Ray Charles : Together Again ABCS 520

Mario Lanza : The Student Prince RCA LSC-2339

Miss Peggy Lee : is that all there is? Capitol ST-386

Frank Sinatra : Sept. of My Years Reprise FS1014

Marty Robbins : El Paso City Columbia KC34303

Andy Williams : Days of Wine and Roses Columbia CS8815

Nat King Cole : Ramblin' Rose Capitol ST1793

That's it for now Anyone see a theme?

If dont have have those give them a try!

Elvis doing Gospel on "Preace in the Valley" is coming from somehwere down there so deep, it's his soul coming out. This CD multi disc will take you away, into a world that people mostly never knew ELVIS was in. His roots are in Gospel, where he grew up listening to as a kid. He musta' absorbed it all, and let's it all hang out ...he has a vocal range like no one else. And why after being gone for 27 years, he is the richest deceased entertainer. $32 MILLION last year.....INCREDIBLE. The SRV/Albert King SACD is phenomenal.....the sound baby, that you can here the finger squeaks, it's like being at the "session" with two masters of the strings. Lee Michaels, is a keyboard guru who never got his due. This named album has some of his grts, Stromy Monday, and Heighty High....He also had his blues roots, his top 10 hit....Do you Know what I mean? Was a song he did in minutes, it kinda proved to him the shallow world of pop music, and teh business in general, his great stuff was not noticed liek it should have been. I beleive he gave up teh music business, in frustration, last I read he opened a restaurant in Calif. Great keyboard and vocals...way under played and under rated musican....he really needed better management, to get his abiltys sold. MarVin Gaye on SACD, man oh man, what emotion, soul...that dude can sing with heart....SACD brings it all alive!!!

AND for another one to have..SLADE ALIVE!!!! WOW!!! It's aripper in good ole fashion Rock and Roll!!! The ENERGY, the vibrancy, SLADE brings the audience into a frenzy, Noddy Holder, what a great Rock and Roll voice, got that natural raspy gritty presentation, SLADE Alive the big red one!!! Mama, were' all craaaaaaaazzzzie now......

Hi Joe and gang,

I like this idea of a brief list of people's suggestions for CD's that may have been overlooked. Here's my list of ten items which fall into loosely under the "rock" heading (I may post a jazz list in the jazz section) and I may also post another ten bootleg items you may have missed. I figure that with the advent of the internet and the increased availability of downloadable music, especially bootlegs, there is just no excuse not to include them in a discussion such as this.

My comments on Joe's initial list follow after my list.

Anyway, this list features officially released material and is in no particular order.

Freedy Johnston - Can You Fly The second release by this Midwest born singer songwriter may well be his best. At times mellow and introspective and at others hard rocking and angry ("The man at hotel's been breakin' my balls") Freedy runs the table and hits the jackpot on this one. By the way, his third disc, "This Perfect World" is almost as good.

James Booker Just about anything by this overlooked New Orleans R&B keyboard giant will qualify. The man was a monster. If you ain't yet hip to Booker, you can't say I didn't tell about him.

Dr. John - Gumbo While we're down in the bayou we can't pass up the good Doctor's first, and still best, tribute to his down home roots. This one has that raw feel, funky edge and loose playing style which make it stone classic.

Adios Amigo - A Tribute to Arthur Alexander Arthur Alexander was a great R&B and pop songwriter who never got the fame that he so richly deserved. This is a wonderful CD of great covers by some outstanding artists. Check the track listing here AMG Adios Amigo Link

Till The Night Is Gone - A Tribute To Doc Pomus Unlike Mr. Alexander, Doc Pomus was quite well known but that didn't seem to effect the quality of this fine CD. Again, check on the track listing here AMG Till The Night Link

Elvis Costello - All This Useless Beauty Brutal Youth may have gotten all the hype about the return of the Attractions but for my money ATUB has always been the stronger recording. Plus I managed to find it on LP when it was first released.

Dan Hicks and His Hot Licks - Where's The Money? What do you call this music? Jug band? Warped Hawaiian? B-52s without the all the noise? I don't know but it sure is fun.

NRBQ At Yankee Stadium The boys best studio record. Back in my college radio days these guys were one of the biggest bands on the college airwaves and one listen to this treasure and you'll know why.

Barenaked Ladies - Gordon Their first release and still their best plus it's very well recorded to boot. How come a bunch of twenty year olds understood the John Lennon - Yoko Ono thing better than most of the generation who had lived through it?

Bjork - Medulla SACD 5.1 channel mix played back through a high quality 5.1 channel music playback system. The 5.1 channel mix on this SACD is completely different than the stereo mix and uses each of the five available channels as an equal. The vocals may come for the front center, the left rear or both. Or they may be layered front to back and side to side. No other multi-channel disc sounds quite like this one. Brilliant

Joe's first 20:

Sonny Rollins Saxophone Colossus: great choice and much stronger musically than "way Out West".

Miles Davis Kind Of Blue: If it's the "Best selling jazz album in history" does it really need to be a list like this?

Beatles Abbey Road: Like Miles' KOB, does anything by the Beatles belong on a list like this?

John Coltrane My Favorite Things: Another nice choice.

Freddie Hubbard Red Clay: Bull

JoeE,

How about I add one, and comment on another?

Thomas Dolby - Aliens Ate My Buick

Not a bad track on there, and killer sonics, as it was recorded before the scurge of compression and maximization killed many pop/rock recordings.

As for a comment, I am not sure about Bitches Brew. I am new to serious jazz and am really having a hard time with that one. I started out with Miles with KOB, as do 99% of the newbie jazz fans, but I also got "In a Silent Way". I found In a Silent Way to be a very listenable album, such that I took the next step to Bitches. Well, as I said, I am still working on that one. You could probably make a case that IaSW laid the ground work for BB, and what came later, while remaining somewhat accessible.

Brian

I'll start with a disclaimer as well... this isn't necessarily my Top 20 All Time Greatest list (I was never good at deciding on worthy contenders for a Top 10 list, forget about 20), but, there's something rewarding on each of these albums (EP in one case) that makes their purchase worthy. In no particular order, but, numbered for clarity:

1) Gillian Welch - Revival - Almo AMSD-80006 (CD) or Acony ACNY-0101 (CD) - buy the Acony reissue so that the money will go directly to Gill and Dave

Gillian Welch and David Rawlings have been releasing some incredible albums that get filed in a variety of sections in stores. You'll find them under Bluegrass, Country, Rock... they don't mind, as long as it's in the biggest section of the store. Their harmonies are sublime and David's playing on his vintage Epiphone is awe inspiring, especially live. I recommend all of their albums, but, the first, Revival, has a cut called "Paper Wings" that's worthy of demoing a system.

2) Bette Bright and the Illuminations - Rhythm Breaks the Ice - Korova Kode 4 (LP)

This UK LP is out of print, but, shouldn't be terribly hard to find. Bette Bright used to be a singer in the group Deaf School (with Clive Langer, who later produced Elvis Costello's Punch the Clock and Goodbye Cruel World albums.) This is her first and only solo album after a series of singles she released on Radar Records. This album is full of soulfully sung tunes with a Reggae flair, and the showstopper for me is the original version of "Some Girls Have All the Luck", which is light years ahead of the inferior, butchered, gender-switched version later recorded by Rod Stewart. Bette Bright's version will actually make you feel something. Curious as to what became of her, I asked EC after a show years ago, and he informed me that she married Suggs of Madness and has a family. I'm happy for her, but, miss getting new music from her in a big way.

3) Brian Eno & David Byrne - My Life in the Bush of Ghosts - Sire SRK 6093 (LP), SRK 6093-2 (CD), Nonesuch 79894-2 (CD) remaster (2006)

The original Sire release on LP and CD contain the track "Qu'ran" which leads off side 2 on the LP, but, it was removed from subsequent releases after Eno and Byrne learned using the Qu'ran in this fashion was a no-no. There's a limited edition Japanese issue of the LP that I actually prefer to the original US edition (I don't have the UK one), but, it'll be tough to find. The new remaster on Nonesuch sounds great! It's big and spacious and completely worth owning. This album, with its found vocals (sourced from radio broadcasts and World Music LPs before World Music had a name) still sounds as revolutionary today as it did in 1981; the textures and music almost defy description.

4) Bang On a Can - Music for Airports - Point Music 314 536 847-2 (CD)

This is Brian Eno's Music for Airports recorded note for note with a live ensemble, and astonishing. It's got it all... musicianship and sonics.

5) Nick Harper - Seed - Sangraal SK095CD (CD)

Son of UK folkie, Roy Harper, Nick has followed in his Dad's footsteps. He's got a terrific voice and plays guitar like a virtuoso. Buy any of his CDs if you can find them (which could be tough since many were done for tiny labels), but, do see him live if you have the chance. He does a Public Enemy cover that is unbelievable.

6) The Go! Team - Thunder, Lightning, Strike - MI040CD (CD) original UK issue, Columbia CK 96503 (CD) US issue with 2 bonus cuts

The US version is on sale at Tower and Virgin for $9.99, so go with that one. I opted for the original track order on the 1st pressing (the album won an award in the UK.) This album is sonic dogmeat, but, has a feelgood intensity and jubilant vibe that is evocative of 1970s funk.

7) Dengue Fever - Escape from Dragon House - BRG 137 (CD)

Jon Iverson turned Wes Phillips onto this, and Wes to me. The fact that the lyrics are in another language for most of the CD matters not one bit. This blend of 70s exploitation/disco/pop/lounge music will have you hopping about the house with a smile. Their 1st album is similar, but, doesn't quite feel as coherent.

8) Tomasz Stanko Quartet - Matka Joanna - ECM 1544 523 986-2 (CD)

I hope this jazz release recommendation isn't too mainstream to prompt dismissal by jazzfan... I dig the mood and atmosphere of this album.

9) Martha Wainwright - Zo

Hi Jeff,

What a killer list. You completely blew me away. I don't know at least half the stuff on the list and what I do know is more than worthy of being on anyone's list. Gillian Welch and The New Pornographers to name but two. As for the item below:

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8) Tomasz Stanko Quartet - Matka Joanna - ECM 1544 523 986-2

I hope this jazz release recommendation isn't too mainstream to prompt dismissal by jazzfan... I dig the mood and atmosphere of this album.

Stanko has been one of favorites for quite a number of years, along with the just recently "discovered" Italian trumpet player Enrico Rava. Anyway, "Matka Joanna" features the great British drummer Tony Oxley so how could it not get the Jazzfan seal of approval? Plus throw in Bobo Stenson on piano and it's a no-brainer.

I only have one small problem with your list. Now in addition to the mental image of DUP's juiced lizard, I have to add the one about you dancing around the apartment in your underwear and with your head pulsating like that. Ouch!! Please, sir, this is a public forum!

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A Fender Precision is an electric Bass. I am/was a Bass player. I never said anything about playing the guitar nor have I ever had any desire to do so.

:-) You can get rid of the frets, of course -- JA Goes Fretless -- but yes, that doesn't turn an electric bass into a bass viol.

John Atkinson
Editor, Stereophile

This is also not a fave list, but the things that came to my feeble mind while writing. The hard part is not falling back on good ones that EVERYBODY already owns.

1) Satchmo plays King Oliver. The new reissue 180g vinyl is unreal. I really like recordings where a person can hear the expression on the musicians face. It has the best cover of St James Infirmary I have heard.

2) Jethro Tull "Crest of a Knave" They won a Grammy for this LP as the Heavy Metal recording of the year, which is a joke. This LP is anything but heavy metal, but it did deserve a Grammy! Sure there is the prerequisite electric guitar playing of Martin Barre, but that is not the defining characteristic of this LP. From the beautiful flute of "Budapest" to the themes of "Farm on the Freeway" this is not your dads heavy metal. The musicianship of this band is often overlooked, but very few other groups could play this music.

Bob Dylan "Oh Mercy" Everyone in the world has a copy of Highway 61 Revisted, which is a good LP, and has aged well, but most don't have one of his best, "Oh Mercy." After considering retirement, the muse got together with Daniel Lanois in New Orleans, and literally 'gave birth' to a wonderful recording. It doesn't have the angst of "Blood on the Tracks" or the vocal quality of "Nashville Skyline" but the music is good, some of the tracks verge on masterful, and the recording is better than anything else he ever did. "Man in the Long Black Coat" is a mystery everyone should hear!

4) Emmylou Harris "Pieces of the Sky" An emotionally raw LP that doesn't wear its emotions on its sleeve. "Boulder to Birmingham" makes me want to buy some hiking shoes. This LP is a glimpse into a lifestyle I never knew, and the picture is memorable.

5) Julia Fordam "The Julia Fordam Collection." This is an easy introduction to an engaging and quirky singer. One can hear the delicate porcelain in her voice.

6) Lynda Randle "God on the Mountain." A powerful gospel voice with beautiful, uplifting songs. Everyone should have one good gospel recording! She does a noteworthy cover of Kris Kristofferson and Marijohn Wilkins "One Day at a Time." I have heard this song sound tedious in the past, but it's not when sung by Lynda Randle.

7) Elenor McEvoy "Early Hours." A relatively unknown Irish singer who generally does not wear her Irish on her sleeve. She far surpasses the crop of singers being marketed as Irish. There are a couple of tradtional tracks on this LP (yes, it's out on 180g vinyl), but most of them are her own. This LP shows a more worldly wise singer/musician who appears to have been hurt or struggled since her earlier recording. It's not sad and sappy, just more mature than many artists. But Ms McEvoy, like myself is not a kid anymore.

8) Gordon Lightfoot "Sit Down Young Stranger." Yes this is the LP that was changed to "If You Could Read my Mind" which was an okay 'pop' song, but the beauty and strength of this LP was the original title track. One of the best protest songs of that generation SDYS was accused of inviting Vietnam draft dodgers to Canada, I have never really heard that, but it is an insiteful look into the
mind of the era.

9) Midge Ure "Pure" The new Romantics of the 80's grow up. This is Ultravox without all the minor chords. Some parts of it might even be thought of as 'up beat.' Maybe it's pop music for adults...

10) Mary Black "Babes in the Woods" I must be getting old, because I seem to be gravitating toward more 'mature' and thoughtful artists. I haven't grown up, but they have!

Like nrchy's, this is just a list of stuff I couldn't live without that you guys might not know of.

In no particular order:

Satch Plays Fats I'd argue that the most essential Louis Armstrong is the Hot Fives and Sevens preferably on JSP, which is sonically superior to the Columbia Legacy CDs, but if you're going for stereo-era Louis, it's hard to beat nrchy's King Oliver disc or this one. For me, Louis' reading of "Black and Blue (What Did I Do to Be So)" is what expressive singing is all about. (BTW, DUP, as a blues lover who doesn't "get" jazz, the Hot Fives and Sevens should be right up your alley. Armstrong's solos in that era are as cocky as anything SRV or Duane Allman ever recorded.)

Walt Michaels: The Good Old Way An out-of-print folk LP, featuring Michaels on hammer dulcimer. Gentle music, superb sonics, really good acoustic playing, and wonderful singing. This one is great for cold winter nights when you need to be warmed from the inside. One track is based on Tchaikovsky's Sixth Symphony.

Amos Garret: Go Cat Go He's a fabulous guitarist and a croaky vocalist who gets the job done without padding. I'm a big fan of concise soloing and Garrett never adds a single unnecessary note. "Stella Ain't Got No Brains" is a modern comedic classic.

The Jim Kweskin Jug Band: Jug Band Music proto-folk and a fabulous sounding LP (good CD, too). Kweskin, Geoff Muldaur, and the soon-to-be Maria Muldaur, too. Possibly the greatest version of "Ukelele Lady" ever. Also the classic rendition of "I'm a Woman"

I'm really enjoying the angle here where you folks are saying "Hey you know this artist's major work but here's something you might have overlooked" as Wes has done with Dylan's "Oh Mercy."

Here's a few of mine:

Jethro Tull-"Benefit"
Lot's of fans jumped in with "Aqualung" but the first three Tull albums are still my favorites. This, their third, is first rate (and Ian Anderson still had a semblance of a voice).

Richard Thompson-"Henry the Human Fly"
Post-Fairport, pre-Linda, but with all the trademarks: great guitar, great songs, and the-voice-you-need-to-get-used-to. This is supposedly the worst-selling record in Warner Bros. history but it's hard to believe it sold less than "St. Giles Cripplegate."

John Cale-"Paris 1919"-You know his work with the Velvets and the later solo stuff ("Fear" "Slow Dazzle") but this one has the usual odd lyrics matched to some very lush string arrangements. Compelling.

Tim Buckley-"Tim Buckley"-His first. People who are aware of him at all tend to know his second. This one's better I think. Helps alot if you've ever had a girlfriend named Janie.

Small Faces-Ogden's Nutgone Flake (Side One)-Sure "Happiness Stan" is great but did you ever listen to side one? "Wouldn't it be nice to get on with me neighbors?" Indeed!

John Mayall's Bluesbreakers-"A Hard Road"-Post-Clapton and pre-Mick Taylor it's got (pre-breakdown) Peter Green. A fine English blues album in its own right and it's played with enough delicacy not fall into the "blooz" trap.

Big Brother and the Holding Co.-The first, unofficial, album on Mainstream. Poorly recorded with crappy packaging but redeemed by the young Janis' voice and some tasty songs ("Down on Me" "Women is Losers" Moondog's "All is Loneliness"). But 40-years later this is the one I play rather than the overblown "Cheap Thrills." There was a reason why John Simon removed his producer's credit from the latter.

Bill EvansTrio-Portrait in Jazz"-The same super trio with LaFaro and Motian as on the live at the Vanguard albums and almost as good.

Joseph Holbrooke '65-Derek Bailey, Tony Oxley, and Gavan Bryars invent free improv and you are there!

jazzfan & Joe - It pleases me that you found the list interesting. I'm enjoying reading about the stuff all of you have posted.

The think the only one on Wes' list I know is the Don Byron disc, and I can't recommended it highly enough - it's fun music and demo worthy. I dug it out this afternoon and spun it and if you don't have it, you should. On a related note, there is a Beau Hunks CD that pays tribute to Raymond Scott, and they do a version of "Powerhouse" as well.

Hi JoeE:

As far as I recall, RJSS was a Spider John Koerner album (Spider Robinson is also a huge Koerner, Ray, and Glover fan). KR&G were staples of the Cambridge fol scene at about the same time as Kweskin and Tom Rush. If you're a Mick Callhan fan, then you like bad puns as much as I do.

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KR&G were staples of the Cambridge fol scene . . .

That's folk scene, of course. The "k" is silent.

Correct, Wes. R,J,SS is a Koerner album with someone named Willie Murphy on piano. It's not his best nor is Dave Ray's post-K,R, & G. group Bambu (Bamboo?). For my money no K, R, & G album is as good as Koerner's solo disk, "Spider Blues" which includes the wonderful, 9:00+ "Rent Party Rag."

Joe, I am a huge Tull fan (weighing in at about 240lbs) and have nearly everything they've done. I think Aqualung is one of, if not the most over rated LP in Rock and Roll history. I would easily recommend a dozen of their LPs before considering Aqualung, but I still think the band are great musicians and have done some masterful work. JMO.

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14) Corinne Bailey Rae - EMI 009463 54117 2 0 (CD)

I first became aware of her when I was in London in February. The album isn't out here in the US yet, and I'm not sure if it's scheduled. There have been comparisons to Billie Holiday, which I don't necessarily agree with (and attribute more to hype), but, there's an appealing girlish quality to her voice that has a breezy delivery that will ultimately win you over. I had my doubts at first, but, I'm beginning to think she may be the real deal. Her songwriting shows a sensitivity and vulnerability that gives her a bit more depth than the next pretty face/voice.

Jeff,

I checked out this Corinne Bailey Rae CD and quite frankly, I don't hear what all the fuss is about other than hype. It's released on a major label (EMI) which would account for the excessive hype but which should also make inexcuseable the use of programmed drums on some of the tracks!!! Now I can see using some drum programming on an "on the cheap" demo tape but a major label to not re-record the songs using a live drummer is unforgivable. Plus for you to put a recording featuring those cheesy sounding sampled handclaps is just so shameful, come on, this is an audiophile forum, is it not. What would Tony Oxley think? In addition, she sounds way more like Jill Scott, India.Aire or Alicia Keys than she does Billie Holiday.

As Bill Mather would say: New Rule - no recordings with only programmed drums, please!

Or as The Godfather JB would say: Give the drummer some!

jazzfan - I'm sorry you feel like you got a bum steer on my account. I don't think she sounds like Billie Holiday either, and I said as much. I find the record growing on me, but, it appears it's not your cup of tea. I rather like the little details that she inserts in her songs that makes them seem like they're coming from a genuine place (little girls doing double-dutch on the concrete, eating chicken that's hot and sweet, or waking up from the heat - pardon the string of rhymes.)

I feel bad you plunked down 20 bucks (assuming you got it on sale at Tower) - I'm sure I could find someone who would appreciate the disc. Drop me a line and we'll work something out.

I don't think a live drummer is a prerequisite for any recording, audiophile or not... and not for nuthin', 3 out of the 11 tracks do feature drums, as opposed to programming.