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Herein the latest from dear audio friend and brother John Marks, he who writes and edits The Tannhauser Gate blogging site. Sacred choral music from Tchaikovsky...a true delight for spirit and soul! Enjoy! Dr. David W. Robinson, Ye Olde Editor This YouTube music video has been viewed more than 5 million times (and there have... Read More »

Legrand Jazz, Michel Legrand. IMPEX Records. I'm very much falling in love with 45 RPM LPs. I'm also very much falling in love with IMPEX Records and their recent series of vinyl releases. Merge this format and this label together and you have a real winner: Legrand Jazz. This is a pressing that could possibly... Read More »

This is an ongoing project by Claude Lemaire of Soundevaluations 111. Count Basie, Live at the Sands (Before Frank). MoFi ‎– MFSL 2-401 (2013), (2x33 1/3 rpm). Genre: big band swing, jazz. What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas, and apparently that is exactly what happened to this original 1966 recording before Reprise finally release it in... Read More »

If you frequent Positive-Feedback, you may have noticed my lengthy interview with Ketil Vestrum Einarsen, who was recently described by Jacob Holm-Lupo as "prog's mad scientist." Well, he is back with a new project called +Ingelrii+, which includes long-time collaborator Gaute Storsve on guitar, bass, and percussion. Trond Gjellum plays drums. In addition to his... Read More »

Our good friend John Marks of The Tannhauser Gate continues his collection of re-published essays here at Positive Feedback. In this one, he makes us aware of a wonderful musical resource in the online archive of recordings from none other than Steinway. What a fine and generous opportunity this is! Many thanks to John for bringing... Read More »

John Marks of The Tannhauser Gate shares his reflections on the 50th Anniversary of the release of The Beatles masterpiece album, Abbey Road, by reminding us of George Benson's follow-up LP, The Other Side of Abbey Road. In the midst of the celebrations that Philip O'Hanlon has organized at a high-end audio dealer level, very many... Read More »

Monteverdi, L'incoronazione di Poppea. Les Ars Florissants, Willam Christie. Harmonia Mundi 8902622.24 3 CD's, 1 DVD. This new release of Monteverdi's last opera, considered by students of the composer's work to be his best, is an extraordinary musical enterprise, especially if you take into consideration Jan Lauwers' somewhat off the wall stage production provided on... Read More »

...in which my good audio friend John Marks, Head Honcho of The Tannhauser Gate, continues his series of essays on a creative thread within rock music, wrapped about the music of Boston. This time, he introduces us to the commentary of Rick Beato, a connection for which we can all be thankful. I'm with John: ... Read More »

This is an ongoing project by Claude Lemaire of Soundevaluations 106. Bill Berry and His Ellington All-Stars, For Duke. M&K RealTime Records – RT-101 (1978), 33 1/3 rpm. Genre: big band swing, jazz. ­Direct-to-disc lacquer cutting. German pressing. We have often heard the expression "making a great first impression is the key to success" and that's exactly... Read More »

RAFF: Ode au printemps, Op. 76*; Piano Concerto in C minor, Op. 185; Caprice on Themes from König Alfred, Op. 65, No. 2. Tra Nguyen, piano; *Prague Radio Symphony Orchestra/Kerry Stratton. Grand Piano GP 771. TT: 67.06 Downloads: amazon.co.uk (mp3); classicalarchives.com (mp3); prestomusic.com (mp3, FLAC); qobuz.com (mp3, "Hi-Res") If you like Romantic music, it's worth exploring the... Read More »

I seem to have gotten onto this bandwagon a bit late, but on the bandwagon I am. K2 HD remastering is a new technique (c. 2014) that the Japanese have pioneered to try and improve the quality of that stalwart of music delivery, the RedBook CD, now seemingly in it's twilight in favor of hard... Read More »

Yon goode fellow John Marks continues his reflections on our recent musical past that he began in his just-published essay, "Walk Away Renée," to be found at his excellent Web site The Tannhauser Gate, as well as its re-publication here at Positive Feedback. Frankly, I was gratified by how quickly John continued the thread that... Read More »

He's back! Good friend and brother John Marks...the Big Kahuna of The Tannhauser Gate...strikes a note in my heart by plucking at a favorite song of mine from 1966, and fleshing out the flesh and souls behind it. Having just recently purchased the reissue of this album on LP, I am content to stir this... Read More »

Ketil Vestrum Einarsen - Photo by Dag Thrane (Used with permission) Ketil Vestrum Einarsen was born on the north-western edge of Norway. Known primarily for playing flute with a long list of bands, including White Willow, The Opium Cartel, Jaga Jazzist, Wobbler, Pixie Ninja, and more recent collaborations in Kaukasus and Galasphere 347, he stepped... Read More »

Masayuki Takayanagi and Abe Kaoru, Kaitai Teki Kokan.  Premiere: 1970 | Sound Creators Inc. SCi - 10101. Reissue: 2018 | Craftman Records CMRS-0013. Format: UHQCD, mini-LP.  craftmanrecords.com As it seems, every music genre and each trend within it and, on the other hand, every national discography have their "rarities"—rare and special, often simply "cult" albums. "A cult....... Read More »

This is an ongoing project by Claude Lemaire of Soundevaluations 101. Curtis Mayfield, Superfly (The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack). Curtom – CRS-8014-ST (1972), MoFi, Rhino Records ‎– MFSL 2-481 (2019), (2x45 rpm). Genre: funk, soul, blaxploitation soundtrack style, cinematic soul, ghetto soul. "I'm your mama, I'm your daddy; I'm that...in the alley; I'm your doctor, when in need;... Read More »

The Software The 60th anniversary of jazz king John Coltrane's banner year with Prestige Records, with all cuts produced by legendary Rudy Van Gelder and released on vinyl 4/26/19, has arrived. The eight LPs are from 24/192 tracks produced from the master tapes. The 37 cuts, presented in chronological order, were pressed at RTI in... Read More »

Abey Fonn and the entire team at IMPEX Records continue to impress and delight. Though we have only just passed the halfway point for the year 2019, these new vinyl releases entitled Another Time, Another Place from Jennifer Warnes and Lo Que Nice Mi Cantar from Trio Palabras are already strong contenders for my favorite albums... Read More »

A tape, a test pressing, an LP "The most expensive music format (in the world)" as exemplified by records produced by the AC Records label. A lot has already been said about analog tapes—by us as well. However, it was the first time we had had the opportunity to compare an analogue "master" tape with... Read More »