Records and Recordings

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Re: Mingus Ah Um - Demonstration Copy

Postby jadis » Thu Oct 02, 2014 3:19 pm

dench wrote:
jadis wrote:Mingus Ah Um (Demonstration Copy)


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Our vinyl sleuth in the far end of the Atlantic caught another 'Demonstration Copy - Not For Sale' original, this one an HP lister for the longest time - Charles Mingus - Mingus Ah Um. My batting average for these demo copies have been quite high in terms of excellent sound quality, and a CBS 6 eye Stereo is indeed a 'rare fish'. :)

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Truly a legendary jazz record :) Great find Philip!!


Thanks Dench. :)
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Doobie Brothers (Nautilus)

Postby jadis » Tue Oct 07, 2014 11:18 am

DOOBIE DOOBIE DOO... :lol:

DOOBIE BROTHERS - MINUTE BY MINUTE (NAUTILUS HALF SPEED EDITION)

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Based on the cover picture alone, I can't say that these are my kind of guys in the recording industry. :D But they have a few hits that were burning the airwaves back in my college days so I thought I'd give them another listen. 'What A Fool Believes', it's ringing in my ears, and it could be very well be about me back then. Or now. :D
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Radka

Postby jadis » Wed Oct 08, 2014 9:50 am

RADKA (AGAIN...AND AGAIN...AND AGAIN...)

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Radka, a name synonymous with timeless, legendary, and unfatiguing vocals. I have my only copy since the early 90s and I thought it's time to have the back-up. Previously, the back-ups had been taken quite quickly by politburo members. :lol: So finally, this one is safe in our own hands. :sweat: :lol:

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This is the first time that I've seen a copy wherein there is a paper sticker seal in between the lips of the album jacket. Running a translation, it means, if the seal is broken then something is erroneous with this purchase - proving its authenticity.

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Curiosity does not always kill the cat. It just creates a little intrigue. :)

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Photo above shows the matrix stamper scribblings of my original 1990s copy, and below, the stamper on the dead wax of the copy with the sticker seal.

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I would think they are different pressings from different times, perhaps not too long from each other. What is notable with these 2 pressings upon listening is not the sonic quality (as I've resigned giving conclusions to this as my old copy has been 'played to death' so to speak, and the other one is virtually new) but the realization that clearly, my old copy has the piano of Steve Dobrogosz located on the left side of center, while the one with the sticker seal has the piano at the center and teetering to the right side of the stage. Well, I think the 'mixer' must have gotten mixed up. :lol: A curious aberration but by and large the tonal quality still remains the same. This, I should say, adds more enigma to the already legendary status of this record. "See her as she flies, golden sails across the skies..." :inlove:
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Mysterious Traveler - Weather Report

Postby jadis » Wed Oct 08, 2014 8:37 pm

WEATHER WEATHER...SIDE 2 OF WEATHER REPORT'S MYSTERIOUS TRAVELER


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Without anything to do with tonight's 'Bloody Moon' Lunar Eclipse, my subconscious suddenly remembered to play side 2 of this 'mysterious' album by Weather Report. I lived through side 1, :lol: and I can live through side 2 as of press time as well. :lol: There are 'cosmic' tracks, and there are serene tracks, with sax, synthesizer, bass, howling wind ala interstellar soundtracks, :lol: etc. I'm beginning to appreciate Wayne Shorter's performance. No wonder the young girl in a record store was looking for his albums. If ever I see her again, I have something to say to her, about Wayne, that is. :lol: A couple more sessions, and I might be a 'fusion fan' myself. It takes a lunar eclipse for me to feel like this. :D And, ladies and gentlemen, the weather is fine, though a bit heavy, with scattered winds. :lol:
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Johnny Frigo Debut of a Legend

Postby jadis » Tue Oct 14, 2014 5:27 pm

FREE TO GO... :lol:

JOHNNY FRIGO - DEBUT OF A LEGEND

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This is the first time for me to see this on LP, a 1994 Chesky recording of jazz violinist Johnny Frigo, with Gene Bertoncini on guitar, Michael Moore on double-bass, Bill Goodwin on drums, Bob Kindred on clarinet, tenor saxophone, and Joe Vito on piano. It's a rare one that it came only with a white cover, possibly an early release in those days. Beautiful 'swing-y' music with the patented Chesky good recording. Sounds good and feels good. :)

The cuts:

"Get Happy" (Harold Arlen, Ted Koehler)
"I'm Old Fashioned" (Jerome Kern, Johnny Mercer)
"Osaka Saki" (Johnny Frigo)
"Too Late Now/Street of Dreams" (Burton Lane, Alan Jay Lerner)
"Bow Jest" (Frigo)
"Nuages" (Django Reinhardt)
"Jitterbug Waltz" (Richard Maltby, Jr., Fats Waller)
"Heather on the Hill/How Are Things in Glocca Morra?" (Lerner, Frederick Loewe)
"I Love Paris" (Cole Porter)
"Here's That Rainy Day" (Johnny Burke, James VanHeusen)
"Lush Life" (Billy Strayhorn)
"Jeannine" (Duke Pearson)

It was supposed to be dropped into the 'o.w.n.' bin, but under the circumstances of the 'glasnost' policy, it was deemed 'free to go' to the 'first among equals'. :lol:
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Kronos - In Formation

Postby jadis » Sun Oct 19, 2014 8:25 pm

KRONOS - IN FORMATION

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I first heard of this group from a cut from Professor Johnson's Astounding Sound Show, RR-7 way back in the 80s. They play a unique kind of music, like a fusion of country, jazz, rock and folk. And the music is lively. Takes some time to 'acclimatize', but after a while, the music sinks in and one gets to appreciate their art form. One thing about Reference Recordings' LPs, after playing my kind of music, on various pressings, and then I put on an RR, in this case, the Kronos Quartet, I can't help but marvel at the exceptional recording genius of Keith Johnson. While in other recordings, I listen to the music, so to speak, in RR LPs, I can listen to the instruments, so well defined and floating in space, and Prof. Johnson's work is still a cut above the rest when in comes to stupefying recordings. :o

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Re: Records and Recordings

Postby dimfer » Mon Oct 20, 2014 10:24 am

akala ko binili mo na yung bagong discovery ni Fremer sa Australia

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Kyron Kronos
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Re: Records and Recordings

Postby jadis » Mon Oct 20, 2014 10:49 am

dimfer wrote:akala ko binili mo na yung bagong discovery ni Fremer sa Australia

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Kyron Kronos


Interesting and nice looking speakers, Ding. But my heart still belongs to Maggie. :)
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Kronos

Postby jadis » Mon Oct 20, 2014 6:16 pm

Upon further review of the Kronos (the speaker, not the record), :lol: I found a more astounding brother of the Kronos, the Gaia. :o Parang CP3O na itim. :lol:

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This corner has been managing a 17 year itch to change loudspeakers. It has been uncharacteristic as in the first 5 years of my age of audio innocence I probably juggled with 10 speakers. The urge for cones seems to be rising. 8) I ask myself, will I own a cone? :devil:
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Jazzical Class - Test Pressing

Postby jadis » Wed Nov 19, 2014 3:39 pm

TESTING THE TEST PRESSING:

JAZZICAL CLASS

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I only have a handful of test pressing LPs. Firstly, they are not easy to come by, and second, it does not automatically mean that they're better off the bat so it's actually a risk buying them without actually comparing them to the regular or commercial pressing. Below is the JVC Test Pressing of Wayne Bedrosian Trio's Jazzical Class, and album that has so enamored me a few years ago to keep finding 'back-up' copies of it in case the grooves start to wear out.

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And a few months ago, I was able to land a commercial pressing of the same album, and its label looks like this:

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Upon doing an A/B comparison, I was quite surprised that the commercial pressing sounded better overall, with more extended frequencies above and below, superior dynamics, better definition in the piano, and had a bigger soundstage. I had been playing the test pressing all these years without any basis of comparison and I thought the sound was quite good already. So I guess test pressings are just that, for the engineers to see if the SQ is good or not; if not, make some adjustments till the best comes up for the actual commercial run.

I value this album for its nice selections.

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And that the former engineer of M&K Realtime Records, Ken Kreisel, included an autograph. :) Perpetua Records was founded by him.

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Beatles - Love Songs

Postby jadis » Sun Nov 23, 2014 8:57 pm

THE BEATLES - LOVE SONGS

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I must admit that despite my 'middle age', The Beatles were still ahead of my time. When they visited Manila in 1966 I was still under 10, that's why. :lol: They've sold a zillion albums and have gazillion fans throughout the decades, and somehow, I am just drawn to their ballads and love songs. This album I had in my college days on cassette tape, played it to death in my bedroom and somehow never got to get the LP all these years till now. Medyo tinamad lang maghanap. :lol: But now that I have it, playing it was a joy. Never heard their 'kombo' sound so distinct and well defined. On the radio it was always just a blur but not in this recording. Quite good, in fact. My all-time favorite 'Here There Everywhere' is heavenly. The rest I've heard them to boredom courtesy of The Brothers Four. :D
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Re: Records and Recordings

Postby 328gts » Mon Nov 24, 2014 9:45 am

Hi Jadis,


I was surprised how good the Toshiba /Odeon pressing of the Beatles love song is compared to the standard pressing. Heard it best w/ my Magnepan MG3A biamped w/ a pair of ARC D79B using ARC EC 21 electronic tube crossover. Especially the cuts in side 2 , "And I love her " & "If I fell " . Heard it at Eric Lim's room in last year's hifi show and made me sought out a copy for myself in EBay . A little pricey but worth it.

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Re: Records and Recordings

Postby jadis » Mon Nov 24, 2014 11:11 am

328gts wrote:Hi Jadis,


I was surprised how good the Toshiba /Odeon pressing of the Beatles love song is compared to the standard pressing. Heard it best w/ my Magnepan MG3A biamped w/ a pair of ARC D79B using ARC EC 21 electronic tube crossover. Especially the cuts in side 2 , "And I love her " & "If I fell " . Heard it at Eric Lim's room in last year's hifi show and made me sought out a copy for myself in EBay . A little pricey but worth it.

328gts


Thanks for sharing, 328gts. :)

The Toshiba/EMI pressings are mighty good sounding. And great to meet another Magnepan user. :)
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Tracy Chapman

Postby jadis » Thu Dec 04, 2014 10:55 am

TRACY CHAPMAN


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This one is a sonic knockout of an album and critically acclaimed as well. Killer track is 'Fast Car'. Nothing to do with the Maserati scandal. :D
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Dusty Springfield Sings Love

Postby jadis » Mon Jan 26, 2015 11:01 am

Dusty Springfield Sings Love

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Dusty Springfield has a patented 60s voice that always brings me down to memory lane. With songs like Yesterday When I Was Young, one is taken through the musical capsule machine and transported into those times when we were carefree and mostly didn't have 'stress'. :D Recording is nothing to write home about, but the music will bring you home, if you wanted to. :D
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Karoline Kruger

Postby jadis » Tue Jan 27, 2015 5:51 pm

Karoline Krüger - En Gang I Alles Liv

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Title of the album is a Norwegian version of Janis Ian's At Seventeen and also the first cut of Side 1. This LP I had 'surrendered' to Morita in exchange for some yen many many moons ago. :D I spent several years searching for it and finally, it has landed. Singer is not a household name but I love obscure, and I love obscure singers who turn my head and make me pause from my daily routine. Beautiful voice, beautiful music - Karoline Krüger. :inlove:

From Wiki:

"Krüger's first TV appearance was at the age of 11, in a youth show called Halvsju. She got her breakthrough in 1988, first by winning the Norwegian Melodi Grand Prix with the song "For vår jord" ("For Our Earth"), still a student at Bergen Katedralskole (1986–89). This qualified her for the Eurovision Song Contest 1988 final, held that year in the Irish capital Dublin, where she finished fifth."

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Carol Kidd - I'm Glad We Met

Postby jadis » Wed Jan 28, 2015 9:58 am

CAROL KIDD - I'M GLAD WE MET

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YES. That's all I can say. :D :inlove:
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Fresh Aire

Postby jadis » Mon Apr 20, 2015 11:07 am

FRESH AIRE AND THE LACK OF IT... :D

When these 4 sealed Fresh Aire albums were presented to me, I couldn't resist the temptation to grab them after I had sold them many years ago due to the proverbial 'nasawa na' syndrome. :lol: The 3rd and the 6th in the series were missing but nevertheless I took the four albums for a possible future spotting of the missing albums. They remind me of an era when I needed to buy vinyl at least once a week otherwise I felt restless and irritable. :D

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Re: Records and Recordings

Postby Jon Agner » Mon Apr 20, 2015 11:25 pm

Phil,

I haven't visited this thread for quite sometime :) One of the things that I miss nowadays :(
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Re: Records and Recordings

Postby jadis » Tue Apr 21, 2015 7:23 am

Jon Agner wrote:Phil,

I haven't visited this thread for quite sometime :) One of the things that I miss nowadays :(


Hi Jon,

Always nice to hear from you. I've been spending some time tidying up my listening room, and revisiting my LP rack and boxes. I get to forget some records in there that I forgot all about. :lol: And I found out that I had been collecting original sleeves of recording companies too. :) Nostalgia is a good feeling, I've always thought. :)
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