What are you listening to right now?

[jsaliga]

Tonight I'm listening to a stack of 78s courtesy of...

Bix Biederbecke
The Frankie Trumbauer Orchestra
The Paul Whiteman Orchestra
Bing Crosby
Bunny Berigan and His Orchestra
The Les Brown Orchestra
Gene Krupa
Benny Goodman and His Orchestra
The Fletcher Henderson Orchestra

And some stuff from the early to mid 1920s from artists I never heard of.

I have better sounding recordings of some this stuff on CD that was sources from the original metal parts, like the Bix and Trumbauer sessions on Brunswick, Okeh, and Vocalion that was issued by Mosaic Records.  But there is something to be said for playing these old 78s.  Handling them is like touching a piece of history.  Yeah, sounds silly I know.



Here's a couple of great examples.  I never heard of Art Fowler.  A little research showed that this record was issued in 1926.  It's a couple of sides of stride piano tunes.  The sound quality is fair because the record is pretty worn.  But it is listenable, even enjoyable, at moderate to low volume.  That is where I put it for records made prior to 1930 because a lot of them are worn...but interesting and still worth a listen.



This Okeh record of Vaughn De Leath is one of the oldest 78s I own.  It was issued in 1921.  You can run your fingers over it and barely feel the grooves...but surprisingly it sounds pretty good given its age.

In some ways buying these old relics is more satisfying than running down a minty copy of some 1950s or 60s jazz record.

--Jerome

[etcarroll]

Since company dropped in when I first tried to play this, it's time for a 'do over', as company just left. Kenny B. still waiting.

Go
Dexter Gordon | Format: Vinyl

DMM version

[eleazar]

The Dimes ~ The King Can Drink the Harbour Dry

    CD

[eleazar]

Nick Drake ~ Pink Moon

    CD

[jsaliga]

Listening to disc 1 of this 4 CD set from Proper Box UK.  There's a lot of great music here for the $12 I paid.

--Jerome

[etcarroll]

I keep meaning to get some of Nick's work, but never remember to.

Nick Drake ~ Pink Moon

    CD

[richidoo]

I've heard this a few times on Pandora, but finally listened  close and it really impressed mem which is pretty rare with contemporary jazzers. Excellent SQ and very mature sophisticated soloists all around.  I'm gonna pick it up..

[tmazz]

I've heard this a few times on Pandora, but finally listened  close and it really impressed mem which is pretty rare with contemporary jazzers. Excellent SQ and very mature sophisticated soloists all around.  I'm gonna pick it up..

Drat! No help from ALIS on this one. 

[tmazz]

Noel Paul Stookey: One Night Stand

LP

While on a break from his Peter, Paul & Mary duties, Stookey recorded this live album at Carnegie Hall in 1972.

[tmazz]

Eric Bibb: Booker's Guitar

Telarc CD

[tmazz]

Lee Morgan: Tomcat

Blue Note CD

[tmazz]

Lee Morgan: Lee-Way

Blue Note LP

[tmazz]

Diana Krall:Doing All Right - In Concert

2 LP set

Well this is living proof that all that is pressed on 180g vinyl is not audio gold. This album simply sucks. The music and performance are not bad, but the album itself is the pits. I got nervious when I opened the package and the cover photo was grainy and over enlarged. The quality of the vinyl was not much better, full of clicks and pops. And finally the SQ of the recording was just lousy. A real amatuer job.

But there was a silver lining to this cloud. Upon inspecting the LPs I found a big gouge in Track 1 of Side A.  Upon contacting the dealer he told me that he didn't have any more copies of this particular album in stock so he would have to issue me a refund.

Broke my heart  ...........

If you want a live Krall album stick with "Live in Paris". Avoid this one like the plague.

[tmazz]

George Benson: Talkin' Verve

Verve CD

[tmazz]

Jazz for When You're Alone

32 Jazz CD