What are you listening to?

Seems to remain a classical Sunday.
It lasted quite long for me to love all this new (ok, the hype is on for nearly 20 years already 😉) countertenor voices. But once I dived deeper, especially this miracle guy from Poland scored. The album might be a challenge for some, but I recommend the record AND the booklet.

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Achim1811 said:
Todays headline for young lady and me is "Haydn". The image of the wise, pleasant and cheerful "Opa" could not be more false. He was the only one of the three most famous Vienna classic composers who made a fortune. Not only outstanding as a musician but also as a smart businessman. Good example for the orchestral music and my personal choice for the Paris symphonies is Lenny.

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I found Bernstein irresistible in these readings. The way he starts the 82 is exhilarating
 
To calm down from yesterdays European election results. I can't eat as much as I want to throw up.
Another fantastic album, from both artist and label. Outstanding sound!
Allan Taylor, born in 1945, said goodbye to the street but above all from touring stress. But the British continues to visit the studio of German label Stockfisch, which has been closely associated with him for 30 years. On "The Road Well Travelled", the songwriter looks back with the sonorous voice on his times as a folkie in English clubs or in New York City. In "The Joker's Hand" he sings a touching duet with his Danish co-guitarist (and here co-songwriter) Jacob Dinesen. The accompanying band, including the strong background singer Lea Morris and the E bassist (and mastering engineer) Hans-Jörg Maucksch, famous for his nuanced fretless sound, plays congenially. A hint of sweet melancholy hovers over the album. Everything in hyper-present and transparent Stockfisch sound.

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If only one company remains what produces SACDs: I will buy it! 😉 So with this what arrived last week.
Not necessary writing much about this iconic album. Everything is said, but not yet from every one (free after Karl Valentin).
The heads of Steely Dan, Donald Fagen (voc, key) and Walter Becker (b, g), were merciless perfectionists. With the crème de la crème of studio musicians, they created grandiose pop music with jazz, blues and funk influences in the 1970s. And that continuously. All their albums offer the highest musical and production technical level. But "Aja" (1977) protrudes from the Himalaya again as Mount Everest. The seven, all highly entertaining, super songs are among the best that this style has ever produced. Analogue Productions has already released the masterpiece as a super luxurious 2x45 LP set, now the hybrid SACD followed.The for today's conditions supposedly low recording level is because the fact that masterer Bernie Grundman has fully reached the dynamics with only a few peaks.
Must have. At least in one format. (My recommendation for the first purchase: Try to find a vinyl in near perfect condition. The not so exotic releases are not expensive. And if you have a place on any wall for it, put the cover in a cheap IKEA frame. 😉)

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Banjo? Really??
With this album a chapter finally closes: The collaboration of the banjo player Bela Fleck with the pianist Chick Corea, who died in 2021. Corea wrote the title song "Remembrance". He is one of the last pieces that the American has recorded and unites many ideas. Although the Latin American rhythms are not neglected, it sometimes sounds like a funeral march from New Orleans. "Enut Nital" also has an eruptive Latin groove.
The Impromptus sounds like polished up stain. "Small Potatoes" is based on Corea's avant-garde work with all his stubbornness. Definitely multi-facetted for a well used hour.

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This belongs to my collections of mono-thematic covers. Guess why? Problem is it is till today the only cover I'm aware of. Nothing is more boring than a collection finished with one piece. Even Queen with their dedicated album does not show a racehorse on the cover. Annoying! Should I blame WiiM, Apple or Roon? 😉
But its of course still a great album.

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Just purchased an ex/ex copy by auction. Out of the early Pink Floyd cosmos. Paul Roland was much more successful as a writer and interviewer than as musician. Typical Grantchester Meadows music 😉

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From a review of the album…..
“Last Night From Glasgow and China Crisis announce the release of China Greatness, a collection of greatest hits, favourite tracks and remixes, now freshly arranged in a cinematic style.“

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Again something not so common.
The saxophone has become an integral part of jazz and pop, this instrument is hardly associated with classical music. Asya Fateyeva has been working for a long time to establish the saxophone in this genre - with success. This year, the native Ukrainian, who lives in northern Germany, is the portrait artist of the Schleswig-Holstein Musik Festival. With the approach to this new level, she also releases an album.
It is an accolade for the saxophone.
Whether Asya Fateyeva plays Debussy, Tomaso or the mediaeval troubadours her virtuosity is simply irresistible with these French works.

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Had to revisit this - it does play despite the warning. Just click on the Watch on YouTube link.

City - Am Fenster - short 7 min. version! Original is 17 mins.

 
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And now again something completely different 😉
Starting the day with some make-your-feet-wipp-and-bring-a-smile-to-your-face pop music.
Old age is always 15 years older than I am!

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Headphone time. Waiting for new speakers. Told my wife it will be the last 😇
The old ones are already packed and hold for pick up.
While doing some research for the new stuff I read something about it by Steve Huff, one of these omnipresent reviewers. One as good as bad as the others. Benefit was he wrote about an artist I obviously totally missed. Mistake corrected!

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