What are you listening to right now?

[jsaliga]

You spend hours upon hours sorting through records that look like the family cat used them for a scratching post and then something like this pops up and makes it all worth while.   

In this case it was spending about 30 minutes sorting through a lot of Jim Nabors, Ray Coniff, and Robert Goulet records to find a few classical titles of interest.   

Not bad though, I walked out of there with 10 very nice classical LPs (a mix of London, Columbia, Angel, and Turnabout pressings) for a whopping five bucks.

--Jerome

[jsaliga]

Classic Records 200g vinyl.

--Jerome

[jsaliga]

Vintage Columbia Masterworks Pressing.  This LP has an ever so slight warp to it but it doesn't affect play at all.  The sound is superb.  Not a bad deal for 50 cents.

--Jerome

[etcarroll]

Smithereens, The‎– Especially For You
Label: Enigma Records (3) ‎– ST-73208
Format: Vinyl
Country: US
Released: 1986

[jsaliga]

The last of the 50 cent goodies. 

This mono 1950s Angel deep groove red label pressing is a great example of the value of a mono cartridge.  This is less than a perfect record.  There are lots of little fine scratches all over the vinyl.  Surprisingly the sound quality is great and the dynamics are fantastic.  Played on a stereo cartridge this LP would not be an easy listen.  There would be too many distracting loud pops.  On a true mono cartridge however, the scratches are mostly reduced to very faint, barely audible ticks and some light background crackle.  There were only two brief spots on this LP where I felt that scratches were distracting.  But the quality of the recording and the caliber of the performance made those easy to forgive.  A fantastic record.

--Jerome

[etcarroll]

Thelonious Monk‎– The Composer
Label: Columbia ‎– CJ 44297
Series: Columbia Jazz Masterpieces –
Format: Vinyl, Remastered
Country: US
Released: 1988

Promo copy

[jsaliga]

This one was a long overdue listen.  It's a Speaker's Corner 180g Decca reissue on two LPs that I bought almost two years ago, and never took it out of the shrink wrap.  I usually won't do that with expensive audiophile pressings because if there is a problem...well you are stuck with it.  

Thankfully both LPs play perfectly.  The sonics and performance are perhaps the best I have ever heard of this work, and IMO only the Klemperer/Philharmonia Orchestra and Chorus reading featuring Elisabeth Schwarzkopf and the Bruno Walter/Columbia Orchestra recording on Columbia Masterworks are in the same league.



My favorite recording of The Planets.  This is on a vintage minty London FFSS deep groove pressing.  Sounds fantastic.

--Jerome

[jsaliga]

Minty RCA mono Shaded Dog pressing.

--Jerome

[jsaliga]

Minty vintage Epic deep groove mono pressing. Fantastic!  If you like Haydn this LP is well worth seeking out.

--Jerome

[etcarroll]

Two of a Mind
Gerry Mulligan, Paul Desmond | Format: flac

[etcarroll]

City of Glass: Stan Kenton Plays Bob Graettinger
flac

Once again in the basement bored out of my skull.

[etcarroll]

Never Let Me Go 
Stanley Turrentine | Format: flac

Nice album of soul jazz, with the future Mrs Turrentine, Shirley Scott, displaying a deft touch on the Hammond B3 organ.

Samples;
http://www.amazon.com/gp/recsradio/radio/B0001CLZOW/ref=pd_krex_dp_a

[eleazar]

[lonewolfny42]

Francois Couturier - "Tarkovsky Quartet"

[jsaliga]

Minty vintage deep groove Decca FFSS Wideband stereo LP.

--Jerome