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Finishing Up With Evolution and darTZeel

As John Atkinson and I entered the room at THE Show in which darTZeel electronics partnered Evolution Acoustics loudspeakers, I was immediately struck by the fullness of the midrange. It was as though the system was opening its heart and welcoming us in. That's how warm and nurturing the sound was.

What was especially wonderful was that this system was about far more than midrange. From a very open, clear and realistic top all way down, the darTZeel/Evolution Acoustics system sang true. And beautifully. Very, very beautifully.

First we listened to a favorite audiophile demo…

In the Family

For Christmas, my sister, Nerissa, received a set of Heartbeats, Lady Gaga’s flashy in-ear headphones. Nerissa was overjoyed&#151even moved to dramatic, rock star poses, sporting her latest fashion accessory&#151mostly because she loves Lady Gaga. I don’t think she expected the sound quality to have a great impact on her life.

But yesterday, Nerissa sent me an unusual e-mail. She wrote:

I was just listening to a favorite Lisa Loeb song of mine from her album Cake & Pie, a song that I've probably listened to a good trillion times since I got the CD…

Out of the Office

On a clear, bright day, when the blue of the sea rivals the blue of the sky, one sees the hawk, the eagle, the buzzard soaring above the still, hushed canyons. In summer, when the fogs roll in, one can look down upon a sea of clouds floating listlessly above the ocean; they have the appearance, at times, of huge iridescent soap bubbles, over which, now and then, may be seen a double rainbow. In January and February the hills are greenest, almost as green as the Emerald Isle. From November to February are the best months, the air fresh and invigorating, the skies clear, the sun still…

World Saxophone Quartet + M'Boom

The World Saxophone Quartet and the five-piece percussion group M’Boom play together at Birdland in midtown Manhattan through Sunday. It’s music to make your head sweat and spin.

WSQ was the most inventive, exciting jazz band of the ’80s—just four saxophone players (Julius Hemphill and Oliver Lake, alto; David Murray, tenor; Hamiet Bluiett, baritone), sans rhythm section, fusing avant-garde expressiveness and traditional forms with jaw-dropping zest, wit, and beauty.

M’Boom was created by drummer Max Roach in 1970 as a way to explore the untapped possibilities—not just rhythmic…

Bruton's Swan Song

Call it “Hollywood Alcoholism,” meaning it’s not Requiem for a Dream, that chilling and incredibly visceral film depiction of addiction, but the more common cut and dried variety&#151he came, he drank, he fucked up, he had an epiphany and of course, he cleaned up after one neat and tidy trip to the Zen rehab clinic. Having seen Townes Van Zandt and more than a few other musical substance abusers when they were riding high (which is really riding low, if you know what I mean), things just ain’t this a way. Hollywood’s way is to show addiction without any of the struggle. Oh sure, he threw…

Fly at the Jazz Standard

I caught Fly—the trio consisting of Mark Turner on tenor and soprano saxophones, Larry Grenadier on bass, and Jeff Ballard on drums—at the Jazz Standard Thursday night.

It’s an odd name for a jazz band, but it fits their music to a T: airy, breezy, turning loop-the-loops or just coasting through the clouds, defying gravity, but almost nonchalantly. There is no noticeable center in this trio—the three players form the points of a truly equilateral triangle—yet the machinery holds together, riveting yet seemingly effortless, and it’s a bit of a mystery how.

The music is cool but…

Along the Rocky Coast

I was in California last week, spending time with Jon Iverson and working on our “Recommended Components” feature for the April 2010 issue. Jon and Corrina made me feel very much at home, made me feel like a king, made me feel very spoiled and very fortunate. California made me feel very connected to the earth, surrounded me with beauty, reminded me that the most wonderful moments in life are made more beautiful when you’ve got someone to share them with.

I stayed at the Lucia Lodge, on the side of a sloping cliff, overlooking the enormous ocean, about 20 miles south of Big Sur…

Man, Earth, BMW.

There are Vista Points all along phenomenal Highway 1. We made plenty of stops.

Partington Cove

Though many of the highway’s trails were closed due to floods and mudslides, Jon and I found one that took us right down to the ocean. Partington Cove was furious, relentless, and beautiful. No subwoofer can recreate that massive sound made by the waves as they crashed into the land.

Evidence That I Actually Got Some Work Done (Exhibit A)

Over the summer, Jon built a little, cozy shed in the valley behind his home. We took the trail down there one afternoon and got some work in.