What is the difference between a collector and someone who just gathers some items? Mieczysław Stoch, the hero of the interview you can also read in this issue of High Fidelity says that collecting is gathering with sense and purpose (HF | No. 171). And what is listening to music from files and how does... Read More »
Friday Night In San Francisco - John McLaughlin, Al Di Meola, and Paco De Lucia Back Story Impex Records has now reissued Friday Night In San Francisco on 180 Gram Numbered Limited Edition vinyl. Only 3000 copies will be made available for sale. Remastered by Bernie Grundman and Bob Donnelly from the original master tapes,... Read More »
Vivaldi, Sonatas for Cello and Basso Continuo, Jean-Guihen Queyras, cello. Harmonia Mundi. It has been quite a while since we've had recordings of this seldom heard, truly engaging music. Christophe Coin did it well in 1989 for L'oiseau Lyre, Susan Sheppard did it fine that same year with L'école d'Orphee for CRD; and then there... Read More »
"Laid Back is a masterpiece! Gregg's greatest solo album and I'd be shocked by anyone disagreeing with that!" - Alan Paul, author of One Way Out: The Inside History of the Allman Brothers Band. "Laid Back is probably the finest record Capricorn released in the post-Duane Allman era." - Scott Freeman, author of Midnight Rider:... Read More »
Radio Free Chip The French have a phrase for it. The bastards have a phrase for everything and they are always right. To say goodbye is to die a little. Raymond Chandler, The Long Goodbye It’s always too damn soon to say goodbye. I have always believed...well, postulated in any event, the notion that when... Read More »
Light in the Attic Records LITA169, colored LP $22, LP $20, CD $12, available at lightintheattic.net "Lee Hazlewood wasn't a cowboy, but he sure played the part. He never took LSD but made some far-out, psychedelic records, and he sure as shit didn't surf…but he had a brief yet prolific output of surf music. The... Read More »
Arbors Records ARCD 19463, CD $10, available at https://arborsrecords.com/collections/frontpage/products/tom-hook-62 "Where were you in '62?" The number 62 always gets my attention. That's because I was born in 1962, and any mention of that year and the events that occurred instantly gets embedded in my memory, everything from Marilyn Monroe's death the day before I was... Read More »
If you're wondering why I enjoy having John Marks' erudite commentary (editor of The Tannhauser Gate) here at PF so much, puzzle no more, my friend! His latest essay is full of delights for music fans, and also for those who admire the work of Stanley Kubrick. Read and learn! Dr. David W. Robinson, Ye Olde Editor Trio... Read More »
Here's the latest from John Marks of The Tannhauser Gate blog site. His work is always a delight to re-publish here at Positive Feedback...this time is no exception. Enjoy! Dr. David W. Robinson, Ye Olde Editor The Internet radio station I listen to most often is Bavarian Radio's Classical channel. To get to it, click HERE and scroll down to... Read More »
ORG Records ORGM-2114, LP $20, special limited edition green or white $25, available at orgmusic.com We music lovers and collectors know the feeling of missing out on a particular band or performer for a big chunk of our lives, only to say, "Why haven't I discovered this until now?" I can think of dozens of... Read More »
This was a fun project. The original genesis was realized from dozens of emails from various readers over the last twelve months in response to some of my most recent hardware reviews. When trying to explain a point or what they were hearing in their own system, the references were often a track from one... Read More »
Another contribution from John Marks of the blog site The Tannhauser Gate. This one brief, and controversial in some musical quarters. Nonetheless, this is John's point of view, and this section of Positive Feedback is entitled, "Audio Discourse." Therefore, read on... Dr. David W. Robinson, Ye Olde Editor My post about Gidon Kremer & Co.'s chamber-orchestra version of... Read More »
This is an ongoing project by Claude Lemaire of Soundevaluations 66. Babe Ruth, First Base. Harvest, EMI – SHSP 4022 (UK) (1972), 33 1/3 rpm. Genre: hard rock, heavy prog artistic rock, funky-based grooves, Spanish overtones Named after America's most famous baseball player, British band Babe Ruth reaped its biggest success in Canada—particularly in Québec—with "The Mexican", melding Spanish... Read More »
Cuerdas Cubanas, Toomai String Quintet. CD and downloads available at CDbaby.com. TT: 30.55 López: A Gozar con mi Combo. Lecuona: Gitanerías; Zambra Gitana; Andalucía; En Tres por Cuatro; La Comparsa*; Danza Lucumí. Castro: No Encuentro Palabras*. Moré: Bonito y Sabroso*. Brito: Cómo fue*. Morales: Dame Bururu*. (*with Alina Roitstein, singer; all selections arranged by Andrew Roitstein)... Read More »
Andy Zimmerman, Half Light. Newvelle Records NV014LP, LP available as part of subscription at newvelle-records.com I came to a stunning realization about my musical tastes the other day. I was discussing Haydn with a friend, and he asked why I wasn't a bigger fan of his music. I hemmed and hawed for a while before coming... Read More »
I think that the assertion that the Nobel Prize in Literature is essentially silly (and therefore, we are fools for taking it seriously) has something to be said for it. (Those happen to be the positions of the British novelist and translator Tim Parks.) Not one of: James Joyce, Tolstoy, Ibsen, Henry James, Robert Graves, Graham Greene,... Read More »
Do you know Polish music? No? It is a time capsule to read something more about it. And about my dreams too. Now and then I have such a thought: if we have so much in common with Japan, especially when it comes to love of music, why aren't we releasing Compact Discs in Poland... Read More »
Muddy Waters was born on April 4, 1913 and died on April 30, 1983. The 35th anniversary of his passing has recently come and gone. For this occasion, I find no better reason to introduce to you a dissection of one of the greatest blues albums ever recorded, entitled Folk Singer. Before we begin, please... Read More »
Palmetto PM2192, CD $15.98 Amazon.com Fred Hersch, where have you been? It's been ages! Okay, I know I'm the one who's been out of touch with Fred Hersch and his amazing piano trio recordings. It's not his fault. It's a curious thing, one of those instances where you discover a new artist and buy an... Read More »