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A pioneer on many fronts, Ellington was one of the first artists in any genre to release a blizzard of live albums right up until the end of his life. They provide a fascinating portrait of how the sound and arrangements of the orchestra changed over the years as players departed and sometimes (Johnny Hodges) returned.

This justly famous recording, winner of the 1980…

First comes the anticipation, that initial jet of warm water, that miraculous searching, finding the sweet spot, then heaven on earth as it cleans and caresses. As if by magic, warm, soothing wafts of air gently and sensuously dry my tush. I had forgotten just how wonderful Japanese toilets can be.

It was 5am in Tokyo. I was on my way to Hong Kong, but my ticket demanded a change of planes. Haneda Airport was empty, save for a woman driving a golf cart. She offered me a ride to the other side of the airport where some restaurants were. As we drove off, the cart…

The tendency to dismiss the Triple Concerto for Violin, Cello & Piano in C, Op.56, as second-rate Beethoven may stem from the seriousness with which so many artists approach the work. Many perform it—especially the famous second movement, Largo—with a profundity…

"Turn and face the strange," Bowie sung on "Changes," which is applicable to this box set, capturing as it does his transition from the folky hippy of Hunky Dory to glam icon Ziggy. As is typically the case with this type of release, this deluxe package is a cross between an archaeological dig and an evolutionary tree. In time, some of the songs would change substantially, such as "So Long 60s," re-emerging as "Moonage Daydream." Bowie was experimenting,…

Tomasz Stanko made a record for ECM in 1975, then was gone from the label for 20 years. When he returned, he began recording ECM albums that gradually identified him as one of the greatest jazz musicians not only in Poland but anywhere. His ECM discography reached 11 titles before his death at 76 in 2018. ECM has not posthumously…

To me, that made no sense. Far from imposing "unnecessarily prescriptive requirements" on amplifier manufacturers, the Amplifier Rule had long forced manufacturers to clean up their acts.

As I wrote in an article published on the Stereophile website in 2021, in the hi-fi boom that began in the…

"Ric had said he would listen to Bad Brains on…

In a press release that reached the United States at 8:27 AM EDT on September 11, the High End Society shared the news. “The first-class event venue in the heart of Austria’s capital has undergone extensive remodeling in recent years…

In the August issue's As We See It, Tom Fine and I encouraged readers to hold on to their physical media—those black and silver discs—even if they're stashed away in a closet or attic, replaced by hi-rez streaming. An important reason we gave is that with physical media (in contrast to streaming), you know exactly what you're listening to—or at least you can know, with a little work.

Also if you want to, you can do a lot of work, since there is much to know and to learn, especially about vinyl records (and shellacs), and learning about them—about the labels…

Register to win an AudioQuest Silver Anti-Static Record Brush (retail value $19.95 US).

From the company:
Keep vinyl LPs free from annoying static, microscopic dust, and harmful debris with AudioQuest’s Silver Anti-Static Record Brush. Simple, attractive, and remarkably effective, AudioQuest’s Silver Anti-Static Record Brush features 1,086,000 conductive carbon fibers and an uncoated metal finger grip to create a reliable electrical path between fibers and handle. Unlike most brushes that have a protective coating over their handles, AudioQuest’s Silver Anti-Static Record…