Sam Tellig
PROKOFIEV: Romeo and Juliet
Excerpts from Suites 1, 2, & 3
Myung-Whun Chung, Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra
DG 439 870-2 (CD only). Lennart Dehn, prod.; Wolfgang Mitlehner, Tonmeister; Reinhard Lagemann, eng. DDD. TT: 63:22 Since the mid-'80s, Myung-Whun Chung has conducted mainly opera. The experience shows. This performance/recording has everything: delicacy, subtlety, a wonderful way of bringing out details in the score---and, most of all, drama. What it avoids is bombast---the entire performance is very well thought out, with a real a sense of the story…
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Allen St. John
LYLE LOVETT: I Love Everybody
Curb/MCA MCAD-10808 (CD). Lyle Lovett, Billy Williams, prods.; Nathaniel Kunkel, Gil Morales, engs. AAD. TT: 53:04 The all-acoustic arrangements may be as lovely as Julia Roberts' smile, but don't be fooled. The songs on I Love Everybody are as disturbing as Lyle Lovett's hair. Stop humming along to "Creeps Like Me" long enough to really listen to the lyrics. If your skin doesn't crawl just a little, you'll never babysit my dog. Lovett's novella set to music is populated with sleazy pick-up artists, jealous lovers, and full-blown weirdos…
LYLE LOVETT: I Love Everybody
Curb/MCA MCAD-10808 (CD). Lyle Lovett, Billy Williams, prods.; Nathaniel Kunkel, Gil Morales, engs. AAD. TT: 53:04 The all-acoustic arrangements may be as lovely as Julia Roberts' smile, but don't be fooled. The songs on I Love Everybody are as disturbing as Lyle Lovett's hair. Stop humming along to "Creeps Like Me" long enough to really listen to the lyrics. If your skin doesn't crawl just a little, you'll never babysit my dog. Lovett's novella set to music is populated with sleazy pick-up artists, jealous lovers, and full-blown weirdos…
Markus Sauer
HENRI TEXIER "AZUR" QUARTET: An Indian's Week
Henri Texier, bass, percussion; Glenn Ferris, trombone; Tony Rabeson, drums; Bojan Zulfikarpasic, piano, Fender-Rhodes; Michel Portal, bandoneon; Louis Sclavis, clarinet, soprano sax
Harmonia Mundi/Label Bleu LBLC 6558HM83 (CD). Michel Orier, prod.; Bruno Menny, eng. DDD. TT: 74:37 One of the joys of living in Europe is the number of cultures open for inspection and enjoyment. In the US, it's relatively rare to find reviews of albums from non-English-speaking countries. You don't know what you're missing.
HENRI TEXIER "AZUR" QUARTET: An Indian's Week
Henri Texier, bass, percussion; Glenn Ferris, trombone; Tony Rabeson, drums; Bojan Zulfikarpasic, piano, Fender-Rhodes; Michel Portal, bandoneon; Louis Sclavis, clarinet, soprano sax
Harmonia Mundi/Label Bleu LBLC 6558HM83 (CD). Michel Orier, prod.; Bruno Menny, eng. DDD. TT: 74:37 One of the joys of living in Europe is the number of cultures open for inspection and enjoyment. In the US, it's relatively rare to find reviews of albums from non-English-speaking countries. You don't know what you're missing.
This…
Robert J. Reina
With all these wonderful new releases, not to mention fairly recent releases and undiscovered golden oldies from my 8000+ vinyl and CD collection, where do I begin? What criteria should I use for my first BIG FIVE? Do I cover only eclectic stuff, do I go for a balanced blend, SHOULD I MAKE A STATEMENT? I shall use one very simple criterion.
Eric Kujawsky, Redwood…
With all these wonderful new releases, not to mention fairly recent releases and undiscovered golden oldies from my 8000+ vinyl and CD collection, where do I begin? What criteria should I use for my first BIG FIVE? Do I cover only eclectic stuff, do I go for a balanced blend, SHOULD I MAKE A STATEMENT? I shall use one very simple criterion.
These five recordings are those which have received the most plays on my system over the past six months. For whatever reasons, they've got me hooked.
Eric Kujawsky, Redwood…
Russ Novak
GIL EVANS: Out of the Cool
Gil Evans, arranger, conductor, piano; The Gil Evans Orchestra
Impulse A-4 (LP, nla), Impulse/MCA MCAD-5653 (CD). Creed Taylor, prod. AAA/ADD. TT: 37:04
LALO SCHIFRIN: New Fantasy
Lalo Schifrin, arranger, conductor, piano; The Lalo Schifrin Orchestra
Verve V6 8601 (LP, nla). Creed Taylor, prod.; Rudy Van Gelder, eng. AAA. TT: 33:43 The Schifrin is out of print, so I don't feel bad about cheating to list two of the greatest big-band jazz albums. These guys know how to modulate the dynamics of a big band and avoid the trap of boring…
GIL EVANS: Out of the Cool
Gil Evans, arranger, conductor, piano; The Gil Evans Orchestra
Impulse A-4 (LP, nla), Impulse/MCA MCAD-5653 (CD). Creed Taylor, prod. AAA/ADD. TT: 37:04
LALO SCHIFRIN: New Fantasy
Lalo Schifrin, arranger, conductor, piano; The Lalo Schifrin Orchestra
Verve V6 8601 (LP, nla). Creed Taylor, prod.; Rudy Van Gelder, eng. AAA. TT: 33:43 The Schifrin is out of print, so I don't feel bad about cheating to list two of the greatest big-band jazz albums. These guys know how to modulate the dynamics of a big band and avoid the trap of boring…
Lewis Lipnick
WILLIAM WALTON: Symphony 1, Cello Concerto
Robert Cohen, cello; Andrew Litton, Bournemouth Symphony
London 443 450-2 (CD only). Chris Hazell, prod.; Simon Eadon, Philip Siney, engs. DDD. TT: 73:57 Although Robert Cohen's performance of this undeservedly obscure cello concerto is superb, the real jewel here is Andrew Litton's electrifying interpretation of Walton's First Symphony. While there certainly are many other fine recordings of this masterpiece, none that I've heard has the refinement and energy created by Litton and the Bournemouth SO. This complex, thickly…
WILLIAM WALTON: Symphony 1, Cello Concerto
Robert Cohen, cello; Andrew Litton, Bournemouth Symphony
London 443 450-2 (CD only). Chris Hazell, prod.; Simon Eadon, Philip Siney, engs. DDD. TT: 73:57 Although Robert Cohen's performance of this undeservedly obscure cello concerto is superb, the real jewel here is Andrew Litton's electrifying interpretation of Walton's First Symphony. While there certainly are many other fine recordings of this masterpiece, none that I've heard has the refinement and energy created by Litton and the Bournemouth SO. This complex, thickly…
Igor Kipnis
MOZART: Le Nozze di Figaro
Alastair Miles, bass-baritone (Figaro); Nuccia Focile, soprano (Susanna); Alessandro Corbelli, baritone (Count Almaviva); Carol Vaness, soprano (Countess Almaviva); Susanne Mentzer, mezzo (Cherubino); others; Scottish Chamber Orchestra and Chorus, Sir Charles Mackerras
Telarc CD-80388 (3 CDs only). James Mallinson, prod.; Jack Renner, eng. DDD. TT: 3:28:33 When Charles Mackerras conducted a Marriage of Figaro at the Sadler's Wells in 1966 to great critical acclaim and interest because of such stylistic vocal additions as ornaments and…
MOZART: Le Nozze di Figaro
Alastair Miles, bass-baritone (Figaro); Nuccia Focile, soprano (Susanna); Alessandro Corbelli, baritone (Count Almaviva); Carol Vaness, soprano (Countess Almaviva); Susanne Mentzer, mezzo (Cherubino); others; Scottish Chamber Orchestra and Chorus, Sir Charles Mackerras
Telarc CD-80388 (3 CDs only). James Mallinson, prod.; Jack Renner, eng. DDD. TT: 3:28:33 When Charles Mackerras conducted a Marriage of Figaro at the Sadler's Wells in 1966 to great critical acclaim and interest because of such stylistic vocal additions as ornaments and…
Beth Jacques
THE KINKS: Everybody's in Showbiz
Rhino R2 70935. Ray Davies, prod.; Mike Hobak, eng. (studio tracks). ADD. TT: 71:20 Whether the impetus has been alcohol, schizophrenia, or English mysticism, the Kinks' Ray Davies has always functioned as a one-man British answer to the Sierra Club, flashing on the carefully observed time and place of the (sort of) everyday. Go for this perfectly realized bookend pair and get a studio LP, which details how a working rock act prepares for one more working day, then get caught up in the act---maybe booze-soaked, maybe perfectly performed…
THE KINKS: Everybody's in Showbiz
Rhino R2 70935. Ray Davies, prod.; Mike Hobak, eng. (studio tracks). ADD. TT: 71:20 Whether the impetus has been alcohol, schizophrenia, or English mysticism, the Kinks' Ray Davies has always functioned as a one-man British answer to the Sierra Club, flashing on the carefully observed time and place of the (sort of) everyday. Go for this perfectly realized bookend pair and get a studio LP, which details how a working rock act prepares for one more working day, then get caught up in the act---maybe booze-soaked, maybe perfectly performed…
Robert Harley
STEPS AHEAD: Steps Ahead
Michael Brecker, tenor sax; Eliane Elias, piano; Eddie Gomez, bass; Mike Mainieri, vibes, synthivibe, marimba; Peter Erskine, drums
Elektra Musician 60168-1/2 (LP/CD). Steps Ahead, prods.; James Farber, eng. AAA/AAD. TT: 47:07 Since its 1983 release, Steps Ahead's eponymous first record hasn't been far from my turntable, CD transport, or car stereo. This group of extraordinarily talented players brings a modern touch to straight-ahead acoustic jazz that carries the music forward from where they found it.
STEPS AHEAD: Steps Ahead
Michael Brecker, tenor sax; Eliane Elias, piano; Eddie Gomez, bass; Mike Mainieri, vibes, synthivibe, marimba; Peter Erskine, drums
Elektra Musician 60168-1/2 (LP/CD). Steps Ahead, prods.; James Farber, eng. AAA/AAD. TT: 47:07 Since its 1983 release, Steps Ahead's eponymous first record hasn't been far from my turntable, CD transport, or car stereo. This group of extraordinarily talented players brings a modern touch to straight-ahead acoustic jazz that carries the music forward from where they found it.
Steps Ahead played live together…
Mortimer H. Frank
MENDELSSOHN: Symphony 5 ("Reformation")
Arturo Toscanini, NBC Symphony
RCA 60284-2 (mono CD only). John Pfeiffer, remastering prod.; Arthur Fiero, remastering eng. ADD. TT: 63:59 I have never heard anything like this 1953 broadcast performance of this symphony---not in the concert hall, on record, or even in any of Toscanini's other NBC broadcasts. In this, his last performance of the work, he took what is considered a second-rate exercise in Victorian propriety and transformed it into a major masterpiece, lending the first movement an unmatched fierceness, the…
MENDELSSOHN: Symphony 5 ("Reformation")
Arturo Toscanini, NBC Symphony
RCA 60284-2 (mono CD only). John Pfeiffer, remastering prod.; Arthur Fiero, remastering eng. ADD. TT: 63:59 I have never heard anything like this 1953 broadcast performance of this symphony---not in the concert hall, on record, or even in any of Toscanini's other NBC broadcasts. In this, his last performance of the work, he took what is considered a second-rate exercise in Victorian propriety and transformed it into a major masterpiece, lending the first movement an unmatched fierceness, the…