Music album reviews/Taylor Swift is angry

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Re: Music album reviews exclusive to WS

Postby kabubi » Sat Jul 10, 2010 1:50 pm

this you gotta hear (and review :) ) napakaganda.
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Re: Music album reviews exclusive to WS

Postby egay » Sat Jul 10, 2010 1:55 pm

kabubi wrote:
egay wrote:JOHNNY ALEGRE and his session men/groupmates are fine musicians as well - colby dela calzada (my favorite bassist; originally heard in "light as a feather", pinoy-rock-&-rhythm times), tots tolentino, koko bermejo, & elmer saison)


together they are called AFFINITY.
would you believe that Johnny has a day job? he works for Ayala Land.


he does?
wow - gotta catch the guy and have him sign my 3 albums :rock:

kabuboy, do you have a contact email of JA?

regarding Mon David - i thik i have 2 albums of his but can't find them :^)

.e.
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Re: Music album reviews exclusive to WS

Postby kabubi » Sat Jul 10, 2010 2:14 pm

.e.

Of all Mon David's albums, My One and Only Love stands out for me. malinis, disente ang pagka-record but that is secondary to the material. to cite some: Abe Mu Cu is a composition Kapampangan. Translated, the title means "You are my friend". Mon's phrasing is just superb and with Edru Abraham doing a narrative, panalo! I Had a Dream by Gary Granada will make your skin crawl, if not touch your soul. It is a beautiful pipe dream of a song plaintively sung by the artist, a song of people getting together and living as brothers. the Waltz for Debbie rendition by Mon is only matched by Tony Bennet's version, imo. and with the way he delivered that piece, he would have made Bill Evans very proud.

i'll try to get Johnny Alegre's email addy through former colleagues in Ayala Corp.
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Re: Music album reviews exclusive to WS

Postby audiostar » Sat Jul 10, 2010 9:43 pm

egay wrote:Val, this is the 1st time i visited this thread - really nice, especially your notes for the Noel Cabangon album, Biyahe. I heard it first in M1 & then in AA's shop... it has become one of my favorites :rock:

But there is another 'pinoy' musician who i think has not been reviewed by you, yet, the name is JOHNNY ALEGRE and his session men/groupmates are fine musicians as well - cloby dela cazada (my favorite bassist; originally heard in "light as a feather", pinoy-rock-&-rhythm times), tots tolentino, koko bermejo, & elmer saison)

JA has now 3 albums available and guitar-music lovers like me will really love these jazz albums

Would you be so kind to review this musician as well?

thanks!

egay


Hi Egay, thanks :) I'll try to get in touch with Johnny or any of his people and let's see what we'd come up with :)
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Re: Music album reviews exclusive to WS

Postby audiostar » Sat Jul 10, 2010 9:44 pm

kabubi wrote:this you gotta hear (and review :) ) napakaganda.
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We'll line him up as well brader :)
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val's top 25 albums of all time

Postby sumnerbrowne » Sun Jul 11, 2010 9:42 am

Hi Val,

Any chance you can share your list of top 25 best albums of all time in the following genres:

-POP

-ROCK

-CLASSICAL MUSIC

-JAZZ

Thanks.

Von
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Re: val's top 25 albums of all time

Postby audiostar » Mon Jul 12, 2010 7:01 pm

sumnerbrowne wrote:Hi Val,

Any chance you can share your list of top 25 best albums of all time in the following genres:

-POP

-ROCK

-CLASSICAL MUSIC

-JAZZ

Thanks.

Von


We'll try to come up with a list, although my interest is limited to classical, jazz and pop :)
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The blue vinyl

Postby audiostar » Mon Jul 12, 2010 7:11 pm

Remembering John Coltrane
AUDIOFILE By Val A. Villanueva
Sunday, July 11, 2010

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I am a Karrin Allyson fan. As a matter of fact, she is on the my own top-10 list of female vocalists (which includes, to name some, Ella Fitzgerald, Rosemary Clooney, Tierney Sutton and our very own Jheena Lodwick).

For the longest time, I have derived tremendous enjoyment from her CD album ‘Ballads: Remembering John Coltrane’ which her recording studio, Concord, released in 2001. But my yearning for this album’s hard-to-find LP version just wouldn’t go away, no matter how hard I tried to convince myself that the CD version would do. I was about to give up when all too suddenly an email from my reliable vinyl ‘pusher’ popped up to say a copy had been reserved for me.

The LP cover itself won’t disappoint: the gatefold art is handsomely crafted with photographs of Karrin’s in various sultry and relaxed poses. The album art plus the two LPs’ blue color may be enough come-ons to buy the album, but wait until you hear the two vinyls play. I never expected that the LP version would have so much more to offer in terms of details and purity.

The CD version in my system seems to highlight the common belief that, in most vocal renditions of jazz classics, voice strain is the norm. In the LP version, Karrin demonstrates the smoothness and ease with which she gives life and justice to John Coltrane’s 1962 mainstream brilliance.

Here, Karrin leaps out of Coltrane’s shadow by giving the Ballads her own signature. With splendid sound recreation, Karrin’s rendition of each Coltrane classic becomes something distinctive and not a mere cautious similitude. That her calming voice may be rightly suited to these songs partly explains her mastery of the Coltrane Ballads. To the very ingenuousness of songs such as I Wish I Knew and Too Young To Go Steady, Karrin supplies the emotion to Coltrane’s improvisation. The faithful sound reproduction of Coltrane’s Ballads could also be attributed to Karrin’s excellent musical support from what may well be considered an all-star band featuring bassist John Patitucci; saxophonists Bob Berg, Steve Wilson, and James Carter; pianist/educator James Williams; and drummer Lewis Nash. These geniuses and Karrin fuse their diverse musical personas into one stirring performance to produce an opus worthy of musical acclaim.

Karrin started her career moonlighting in gigs around jazz bars in Omaha, Nebraska, while studying classical piano at the University of Nebraska. In addition to her classical studies at university, Allyson was lead singer for her own rock band Tomboy. Since releasing her first album ‘I Didn’t Know about You’ in 1992, she slowly and tenderly draped herself around a collection of jazz standards, blues and a bit of Brazil, with her melodious voice in the forefront. Coltrane’s Ballads actually so endeared Karrin to a jazz community which had earlier showed a bias for instrumentalists.

Coltrane’s Ballads which features songs, such as Say It (Over and Over Again, You Don't Know What Love Is, Too Young to Go Steady, All or Nothing at All, I Wish I Knew, What's New?, It's Easy to Remember, Nancy (With the Laughing Face), Naima, Why Was I Born?, and Ev’ry Time We Say Goodbye, have never sounded so alive and vibrant than they do as interpreted by Karrin and played back on vinyl.

Karrin may not be as good as Ella Fitzgerald in scatting, but her truthful and soulful rendition of every note she sings more than makes up for it. To be able to listen to a musical artist who dares to take on Coltrane as a vocal endeavor, who cares about scatting? This blue vinyl is definitely an audiophile must-have.

For comments or questions, please e-mail me at audioglow@yahoo.com or at vphl@hotmail.com. You can also visit http://www.wiredstate.com or you can tweet audiofiler at http://www.twitter.com for quick answers to your audio concerns.
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Re: Music album reviews exclusive to WS

Postby jadis » Tue Jul 13, 2010 6:26 am

Excellent and very detailed album review, Val. :clap: Fitting for this lovely singer with an equally lovely voice. To me, she is America's version of Carol Kidd. :) As you mentioned, there is a certain 'smoothness' in her voice. Absolutely agreed on this. SMOOOOOTH. :lol: Our late good friend Pic had this to say about her albums:

Re: Records and Recordings - Ballads: Remembering John Coltrane

Post by pican » Tue Dec 08, 2009 10:38 am

"WOW for Karrin Allyson! [on Ballads: Remembering John Coltane] I like her style and voice. She has another LP, namely, Footprints. I haven't heard it, though. Mahal and it's hard to find."
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Re: Music album reviews exclusive to WS

Postby sumnerbrowne » Tue Jul 13, 2010 7:06 pm

Thanks a lot, Val. Will await your list.

Von
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Re: Music album reviews exclusive to WS

Postby sumnerbrowne » Wed Jul 14, 2010 7:18 am

Hi again, Val,

I wonder if you have any plans to compile your essays and album reviews in book form. You really write well and the info you share have their own niche which Rolling Stone, Spin and All Music Guide cannot rival. Your compilation will go a long way in helping many audiophiles enjoy their journey. Suggested titles might be:

-RANDOM THOUGHTS IN WIRED STATE

-THE BEST OF AUDIOFILE

-AUDIOFILES FOR AUDIOPHILES

-NOTES FROM THE WIRED STATE

-THE WIRED STATE

On another note, will you be giving a talk at the forthcoming Hi-Fi show in Mandarin?

Cheers!

Von
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Re: Music album reviews exclusive to WS

Postby audiostar » Wed Jul 14, 2010 8:34 pm

sumnerbrowne wrote:Hi again, Val,

I wonder if you have any plans to compile your essays and album reviews in book form. You really write well and the info you share have their own niche which Rolling Stone, Spin and All Music Guide cannot rival. Your compilation will go a long way in helping many audiophiles enjoy their journey. Suggested titles might be:

-RANDOM THOUGHTS IN WIRED STATE

-THE BEST OF AUDIOFILE

-AUDIOFILES FOR AUDIOPHILES

-NOTES FROM THE WIRED STATE

-THE WIRED STATE

On another note, will you be giving a talk at the forthcoming Hi-Fi show in Mandarin?

Cheers!

Von


Hey Von, thanks for your compliments. My daughter has also been egging me to compile into a book all the things that I've written about audio. I've been thinking about it, but the first step is to secure proper arrangements with PhilStar. They own the rights to all my columns. Let's see how things turn out. As for the coming hi-fi show, we don't know yet this year's format. We'll see :)
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Re: Sakay na!!!

Postby Jon Agner » Fri Aug 06, 2010 6:00 pm

audiostar wrote:Sunday Life
The Philippine Star

Take this journey
AUDIOFILE By Val A. Villanueva
Sunday, May 23, 2010

Image

The CD’s art cover features a man — with a suitcase for the guitar beside him — in a pensive mood looking at the vast ocean. He could be either on the deck of a ship or at a port. The album inlay presents six more of his pictures obviously taken in various candid poses and places in Denmark. One could be led into thinking that Byahe, the album’s title, is about this particular travel; but as you glance quickly at the names of the 15 musical tracks you’ll have an inkling that it just rightly describes singer-songwriter Noel Cabangon’s own journey as a musician.

To most Filipino artists, byahe means practicing their craft in greener pastures abroad. It could take them months or even years of backbreaking gigs to earn what they couldn’t in their native land. By his own admission in the album’s prologue, Noel says that the years of straying away from home had made him realize just how the word byahe has evolved for him: it sums up all his painful experiences, learning to fall in love, his deep love and longing for his country, and being homesick most of the time.

The songs on the album, he continues, are the tunes he grew up with (except for Kanlungan which he collaborated with Imago’s Aia de Leon) and which have moulded him as a musician from the time he picked up his first a guitar to where he is now: Kahit Maputi Na Ang Buhok Ko, Tuloy Pa Rin, Binibini, Ang Aking Awitin, Di Na Natuto, Ang Buhay Nga Naman, Kanlungan, Dito Sa Kanto, Kung Kailangan Mo Ako, Ipagpatawad Mo, Pag-ibig, Pinay, Tao, Pagbabalik and Kay Ganda Ng Ating Musika. In short, “Byahe” is his life’s musical journey, one that Noel wants us to take with him.

The album has been making the rounds of music rooms in the country for some time now, and has in fact gotten good reviews, but I only got hold of it recently through a friend’s prodding: “Check it out and tell me what you think.” I’m glad I did. It is, in my humble opinion, one of the best recorded OPMs that I’ve ever heard. Unpretentious and engaging, Noel’s voice is soothing to the nerves and easy on the ears. As his voice floats melodiously on the soundstage, his guitar provides musicality and enhances the gentle vocals, adding body and glow to the whole exercise.

I’m not surprised. Noel is a pedigreed and respected musician who has been sharing his creative work with the world since the mid-‘80s. While in college he was associated with Buklod or Bukluran ng Mapagpalayang Musiko where he gained a loyal following. His music advocates artistic, social and political causes, reflecting what the Akbayan, Amnesty International and Greenpeace stand for.

I was introduced to Noel’s music in 2004 when Kanlungan or Pana-panahon hit the airwaves and became an instant hit. It soon became the national hymn for the new OPM acoustic movement and was included in every acoustic anthology albums released that year.

Noel’s “Byahe” is an audiophile must-have. Not only can you relish his soothing music, it can also prove useful in evaluating your sound system’s mid-range integrity. It should sound palpably real with Noel’s voice just a breath away. In a high-resolution system, you should be able to discern not only the sound of his guitar, but also his fingers touching the strings as he plucks them to produce harmonious tones. Take his journey and be prepared to reminisce, in vivid sonic form, over the years that have gone quickly by. You’ll be surprised to realize that at the end of the musical spin, Noel’s journey is very much yours, too.

* * *

For comments or questions, please e-mail me at audioglow@yahoo.com or at vphl@hotmail.com. You can also visit http://www.wiredstate.com or you can tweet audiofiler at http://www.twitter.com for quick answers to your audio concerns.



Finally, I was able to get hold of a copy :) Well, not really that it's out of stock, but I guess I didn't really have time to visit a music store when I was still in hiatus.

Anyway, I did not yet listen to this in full but listening to a few snippets, it's not the audiophile in me that responded but it was as if I was looking into my own journey.... a journey into my past, I guess :) Most of the songs covered by Noel are songs that I would often listen to over the radio during my younger years, songs that one can easily sing along.

Noel did a very good cover of the songs, almost making it his own :)

It's almost a year that I haven't had a chance to sit down, relax and listen to the music I used to listen to, I guess it's time for my own journey to begin again. This perhaps, is a nice way to restart, a singer I liked to listen to, singing songs that I grew up with.

Cheers and let the music continue to play.
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Re: Music album reviews exclusive to WS

Postby TheAnalogSource » Fri Aug 06, 2010 6:21 pm

good thing you bought the cd just this late...because it has additional tracks like i think the ones he sang during the inagurations.
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Some Enchanted Evening (Audiofile, Phil. Star, 08/29/10)

Postby Superman » Sun Aug 29, 2010 7:43 am

Sunday Life
The Philippine Star

Some enchanted evening
AUDIOFILE By Val A. Villanueva
Sunday, August 29, 2010

Image
Jo Stafford: How could anyone resist her seductive voice?

How could you resist her seductive voice? Jo Stafford -- ‘Miss G.I. Jo’ to American servicemen during World War II and the Korean War -- has a voice so warm, caressing, pure and sweet that it has transcended the test of time. It is actually vibrato-less with a perfect lilt that can enchant your whole evening and make you calm enough to face the next day’s grueling grind.

It was Jo’s voice which reminded G.I soldiers of their wives faithfully nursing the home fires while they fought for honor and country. That her voice conveyed to these weary and lonely soldiers unwavering devotion and re-assurance was an understatement.

Father Time finally quieted Jo’s enchanting voice in 2008, but did not relegate to oblivion the millions of records she cut which to date have been making the rounds of various music rooms around the world; thanks to the analog renaissance and to the durability of the vinyl as a recording medium.

I came to know of Jo’s music during long late-night trips from our offices in Makati to our home in Santa Rosa, Laguna, when the Skyway 1 was still under construction. My wife and I (sometimes with our daughter fast asleep in the back seat with her “yaya”) would ‘kill’ the time listening to DZRJ-FM with Jo San Diego on board as she played beautiful music collections of Stafford, Ella Fitzgerald, Doris Day, among other great female singers.

I got re-acquainted with Jo Stafford’s music when I started building up on my own vinyl collection with the guidance of a respected vinyl collector and audiophile friend, Gerry Joson. The analog renaissance is heaven-sent for millions of music lovers. Many of the classics have not been re-mastered into compact disc, and the presence of analog gadgets in this digital age afforded us to re-discover and appreciate their musical gems. E-Bay, music websites and thrift shops offering ‘old’ vinyls, and recording outfits re-issuing them have become instrumental in keeping the analog fire burning. It has become profitable for them to feed audiophiles hungry for excellent music reproduction.

Jo could sing everything from folk songs to new music to hymns. However, it was the balladeer in her – singing standards like I’ll Be Seeing You, No Other Love You Belong To Me and Some Enchanted Evening that she refined as a pure vocal spirit of amorous longing, a popular genre in the 1940s and ’50s.
Jo is known by the analog generation of today as a wholesome beauty who sold millions and millions of records. Yes, some were daft novelties, others insipid era ballads, but boy, when she gave life to a good song, nobody could ever sing it better!

Jo had no inkling that she would be a pop star of her era. All she ever wanted was to be an operatic singer; studying classical vocal in her youth .The Great Depression had other plans for her, however. She joined her two older sisters, Pauline and Christine, as part of an admired music trio, the Stafford Sisters. They regularly performed on Los Angeles radio station KHJ until her sisters’ marriages broke up their act. Jo eventually joined the Pied Pipers, and the octet’s harmonious renditions of Hollywood soundtracks catapulted them to popularity.

She left the group in 1944 to pursue a solo career. Her recordings during the war endeared her to American servicemen. She moved from Capitol to CBS, where she continued her successful recording career until she returned to Capitol in 1961 for a six-album deal. Jo also starred in her own television programs aired in both the U.S. and Britain. With her husband, she cut several albums under the names of Jonathan and Darlene Edwards. The Edwards were a parody of a bad lounge act and won a Grammy for Best Comedy Album.

Today, Jo continues to regale audiophiles who have re-discovered her brilliance. Some enchanted evening awaits them, with Jo’s record spinning after a nerve-wracking day at work.

For comments or questions, please e-mail me at audioglow@yahoo.com or at vphl@hotmail.com. You can also visit http://www.wiredstate.com or you can tweet audiofiler at http://www.twitter.com for quick answers to your audio concerns.

Nice article, Val! MC, you've also earned a STAR! :clap:
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Re: Some Enchanted Evening (Audiofile, Phil. Star, 08/29/10)

Postby merlin » Sun Aug 29, 2010 8:49 am



Here's Jo's version of Some Enchanted Evening. Twenty two years ago, I sang the same song at Rizal Theater where I (was one) played the lead role for our school play, South Pacific directed by Zenaida Amador of Repertory Phils. Jeanette Arnaiz played the role of Nellie Forbush. She later on joined That's Entertainment. Unfortunately, wala pang Masculados nun so I had to forego my singing career :rofl:
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Re: Some Enchanted Evening (Audiofile, Phil. Star, 08/29/10)

Postby O.D. Yeo » Sun Aug 29, 2010 9:52 am

Congratulations also to "respected vinyl collector and audiophile friend" Michael Corleone, for the long-overdue credit and recognition from another well-respected peer!
Last edited by O.D. Yeo on Sun Aug 29, 2010 12:19 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Some Enchanted Evening (Audiofile, Phil. Star, 08/29/10)

Postby audiostar » Sun Aug 29, 2010 11:53 am

merlin wrote:

Here's Jo's version of Some Enchanted Evening. Twenty two years ago, I sang the same song at Rizal Theater where I (was one) played the lead role for our school play, South Pacific directed by Zenaida Amador of Repertory Phils. Jeanette Arnaiz played the role of Nellie Forbush. She later on joined That's Entertainment. Unfortunately, wala pang Masculados nun so I had to forego my singing career :rofl:


@Jen: Thanks for posting :)

Dong, kailangan marinig namin yan boses mo. May itinatago ka palaImage
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Re: Some Enchanted Evening (Audiofile, Phil. Star, 08/29/10)

Postby audiostar » Sun Aug 29, 2010 11:56 am

O.D. Yeo wrote:Cograrulations also to "respected vinyl collector and audiophile friend" Michael Corleone, for the long-overdue credit and recognition from another well-respected peer!


Mayron din naman matutunan dito kay MC kahit konti :lol: :lol: :lol: Seriously, his impeccable taste in any music genre has guided me in my own search for beautiful music. All money well spent :)
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Re: Some Enchanted Evening (Audiofile, Phil. Star, 08/29/10)

Postby O.D. Yeo » Sun Aug 29, 2010 12:28 pm

audiostar wrote:
Dong, kailangan marinig namin yan boses mo. May itinatago ka palaImage


Rossano Brazzi ng Las Pinas!
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