[Destroysall]

Such an amazing and powerful album. Definitely has worked its way on being in my top 5 Coltrane albums.

 

[UmustBKidn]

I have enjoyed this pair since Street Life...
 

 

[dc-k]

Back to Keith Jarrett...

 

[philo50]

 

[TJ Elite]

 

Such an amazing and powerful album. Definitely has worked its way on being in my top 5 Coltrane albums.

Glad to hear you're liking Ascension. I've enjoyed it ever since I heard it for the very first time, but I must admit the energy level on this record was quite… shocking when I first heard it. It starts on the level many songs climax at and only builds on top of that. It took me a few years and a lot more experience listening to jazz to start appreciating the record on deeper than a quite superficial level however. As chaotic as it might sound at first and despite it being something I would definitely call free jazz, I think the album has a surprising amount of structure to it and feel it still has clear roots in the traditional formula of hard bop and other forms of jazz that preceded this new musical movement which was back then simply known as "the new thing". Ascension is definitely a watershed album, with the works that came after it venturing even deeper into this very unconstrained form of expression.

 

One of my cousins is very much into classical music and jazz and we both enjoy Ascension immensely. One summer we wondered how many copies this absolutely essential piece of recorded music has sold during its existence, but sadly the bit of Googling we did couldn't provide us with answers, as I had suspected would be the case. Any person who can say with sincerity to take joy in this recording has a truly fine appreciation for music in my eyes.

 

---

 

Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra & Zubin Mehta - Holst: The Planets [XRCD24]
 

I got this in the mail yesterday and just finished listening to it on my 803s. This disc has been sold out and on my wish list at Elusive Disc for way over a year and now they finally have it back in stock. I had already practically given up this item would ever be back in stock, convinced it was sold out and out of print. Fortunately I was wrong. I have never heard this particular performance before and have in fact only heard one other recording of The Planets (Simon Rattle conducting the Berliner Philharmoniker), but I've heard nothing but praise for this legendary recording and its audiophile chops. After hearing it I must say that is does sound almost frighteningly vivid and effortless. I wouldn't say it's even close being the final word in fidelity, but it is a very impressive recording nonetheless. It is rare records like this that give my speakers the opportunity to show some of their immense potential which is sadly not realized on the majority on recordings out there. I actually have the 45rpm Original Recordings Group double vinyl ordered and am interested to hear how it fares in comparison to this XRCD mastered by Alan Yoshida.

 

[Andolink]

Guillaume de Machaut: Messe de Notre Dame; Le Lai de la Fonteinne;
Ma fin est mon commencement
The Hilliard Ensemble
 

 
Thomas Simpson: Consort music 
The Parley of Instruments/Peter Holman
 

 
Benjamin Britten: The Holy Sonnets of John Donne, Op. 35
Peter Pears, tenor
Benjamin Britten, piano
 

(yes, this is the correct cover image for this music)

 

[snapple10]

 #12 H

 

[philo50]

 

 #12 H

nice.......

 

[Silent One]

 

 

 #12 H

nice.......

+2

 

[MrTechAgent]

 

[magiccabbage]

 

Is that waters album good? I have not heard any of his solo stuff but I love "the final cut". 

 

[Destroysall]

 

Glad to hear you're liking Ascension. I've enjoyed it ever since I heard it for the very first time, but I must admit the energy level on this record was quite… shocking when I first heard it. It starts on the level many songs climax at and only builds on top of that. It took me a few years and a lot more experience listening to jazz to start appreciating the record on deeper than a quite superficial level however. As chaotic as it might sound at first and despite it being something I would definitely call free jazz, I think the album has a surprising amount of structure to it and feel it still has clear roots in the traditional formula of hard bop and other forms of jazz that preceded this new musical movement which was back then simply known as "the new thing". Ascension is definitely a watershed album, with the works that came after it venturing even deeper into this very unconstrained form of expression.

 

One of my cousins is very much into classical music and jazz and we both enjoy Ascension immensely. One summer we wondered how many copies this absolutely essential piece of recorded music has sold during its existence, but sadly the bit of Googling we did couldn't provide us with answers, as I had suspected would be the case. Any person who can say with sincerity to take joy in this recording has a truly fine appreciation for music in my eyes.

A sincere thanks for the compliment. I must come out clear and say that upon my first listen, it indeed was a bit of a task to comprehend it all. It took me a while to comprehend the album, but what assisted me most was actually my recent study in the Abstract and Avante-garde world of art. It sort of reminds me of a Jackson Pollock piece in which my key reference is, as you say, how there is a surprising amount of structure to the album despite it's Free Jazz label. I completely agree with this idea and I glad I am not the only one who recognized this while toe-tapping away through Ascension. It is also through Ascension that I discovered, as a friend of mine had put it, I enjoy the "process" of art a bit more than the "final product" we all end up seeing at the end of the day. This can perhaps be relative to saying I've grown an acute adoration for Art with the most expressive and emotive qualities.
 
I really wish many could comprehend and grow the same level of adoration for the album that both you, your cousin, and I have come to developed. It is an album that really extends itself on the border of Jazz and artistic expression that despite how unconstrained it is, it indeed does deserve both attention and love.
 
Quote:

Originally Posted by TJ Elite /img/forum/go_quote.gif
 
Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra & Zubin Mehta - Holst: The Planets [XRCD24]
 
 

I got this in the mail yesterday and just finished listening to it on my 803s. This disc has been sold out and on my wish list at Elusive Disc for way over a year and now they finally have it back in stock. I had already practically given up this item would ever be back in stock, convinced it was sold out and out of print. Fortunately I was wrong. I have never heard this particular performance before and have in fact only heard one other recording of The Planets (Simon Rattle conducting the Berliner Philharmoniker), but I've heard nothing but praise for this legendary recording and its audiophile chops. After hearing it I must say that is does sound almost frighteningly vivid and effortless. I wouldn't say it's even close being the final word in fidelity, but it is a very impressive recording nonetheless. It is rare records like this that give my speakers the opportunity to show some of their immense potential which is sadly not realized on the majority on recordings out there. I actually have the 45rpm Original Recordings Group double vinyl ordered and am interested to hear how it fares in comparison to this XRCD mastered by Alan Yoshida.

I almost had purchased this release before I obtained the MoFi hybrid SACD. While I can't comment on this XRCD release, the MoFi pressing is definitely very warm and exotic in sound. The recording is a performance of The Saint-Louis Symphony Orchestra conducted by Walter Susskind. It is a magnificent performance and one I can completely recommend if it were still in print or if you can find it at a great price such as I did. One of my favorite characteristics of this recording is the fact that it was recorded in a cavernous hall and retains a very natural acoustic sound that the hall had. It may not place you inside the Symphony Orchestra, but it does provide a decent audience experience.
 
I would assume that this upcoming remaster by Bernie Grundman should prove to be interesting. I have no doubts the Los Angeles Philiharmonic Orchestra have done The Planets justice. Perhaps I should consider picking up a copy myself.

 

[Hi-Finthen]

YES
 
 Keys To Ascension
 
 

 
 

 

[Muinarc]

"Document" - REM



"My Name Is Buddy" - Ry Cooder

 

[markm1]

Happy New "Head-Fi" Year!
 
Following a recent discussion of Mutual benefit-my copy arrive today.  I've seen them described as indie folk, chamber/baroque folk.
 
Allmusic tags them: The expansive yet fragile experimental pop project of nomadic multi-instrumentalist Jordan Lee.
 
It's a beautiful album. I wouldn't call them traditional folk. They have a denser, electronic folk pop sound-some psychedelia. You'll hear wind chimes, strings, piano.
 

 
And, speaking of blending folk with other styles....I've been wanting to get Dyaln's infamous 1966 bootleg concert when he "went electric". And here it is in all it's glory-
 

 
Pretty interesting historical concert-infamous even for those wanting to research. It's hard to believe for those of us who were not listening to music in the 60's at the reaction from the folk community to Dylan plugging in.
 
The music is terrific-mix of folk and rock.