20 best sounding albums
well since this forum is about sound I will start of with my best SOUNDING music, that means no Robert Johnson,Charlie Parker,Pablo Casals,Art Tatum,Heifetz etc. since the recording quality of these albums is not outstanding but luckily I own a number of almost equally good but well RECORDED music in various formats.
1. Carmen Gomes Inc;Thousand Shades of Blue,
Music Store
2. Paul Berner Band;Road to Memphis,
3. Carmen Gomes Inc.;Torn
Sound Liaison:
Music Store
After careful consideration I decided to be bold and put my 3 Sound Liaison Studio Master Downloads at the top of my list.These 24/96 hi-rez Wav files has a depth and a warm and incredible Sound Stage which none of my other recordings can touch.Not bad for a small independent Label.
4.Doug Macleod;There's a Time
5.Minnesota Orchestra;Symphonic Dances
6.Albert Fuller: Bach&Rameau
Reference Recordings Complete Audiophile Classical Music Orchestra and Jazz HDCD Catalog
Almost equally good are the Keith Johnson recordings from Reference Recordings.These were my top audiophile musics until Sound Liaison came along.
The Doug Macleod recording has a similar sound as the Sound Liaison Wav files,it is deep,warm and very natural.If it wasn't for the fact that Doug's voice is moving a little bit from left to right while singing, that album would have been at no.1 together with Carmen Gomes.
The Minnesota Orchestra's recording of the Symphonic Dances is simply the best recording of a Symphony Orchestra that I own, the same goes for Albert Fuller's lovely harpsichord interpretations of Bach and Rameau.If you think you do not like the sound of a harpsichord check this one out,you'll be surprised.
7.Keith Jarrett ;at the Blue Note
8.Bobo Stenson Trio; Serenity
9.Peter Erskine Trio;As It is
for piano trio recordings these 3 ECM albums are sublime,I know that a lot of people adore the old Rudy van Gelder but the sound of the piano he never got right. ECM does.
ECM Records - Home
10.Joni Mitchell;Travelogue.Joni's own retrospective with gorgeous Vince Mendoza arrangements.Joni's voice is deeper more ''lived'' and her phrasing reveals her love of Billie Holiday. The recording is sublime,with a big big sound stage.
Now I will go back in time ,analogue time, and these LP's will probably be known to most you.
11.Miles Davis;Kind of Blue. needs no introduction, it stands the test of time. The new remaster sounds even better. Manfred Eicher of Ecm says that the Sound of this album is what he is TRYING to achieve.
12.Sonny Rollins;The Bridge. ''God bless the Child'' Sonny and Jim Hall,heart breaking well played and sounding.
13.Frank Sinatra;Only the Lonely. This must be the recording that inspired the engineers on the Joni Mitchell Travelogue recording and is,in my opinion,the best Frank Sinatra album.
14.George Shearing with Nancy Wilson;the Swinging is Mutual!. Listen to track 2 ''All Night Long'' side one,That track almost make me believe that old LP's sounds better than modern Hi-rez Studio Master Downloads.
15.Monica Zetterlund & Bill Evans;Waltz for Debby. This sweet sounding recording shows what a fantastic
accompanist Bill Evans was and the sound stage is so clearly defined.That is what Reference Recordings and Sound Liaison is reintroducing,placement of the instruments.
16.Milt Jackson & Wes Montgomery;Bags Meets Wes. Again placement,and every instrument very clearly heard. The tape machine was not running completely steady so the sound is trembling ever so slightly.
17. John Coltrane;Crescent. So I guess that,to keep the peace, I better put in one Rudy van Gelder album.
He did know how to record a Saxophone and the drums sounds good too.Rudy's true strength though was balance.
18. Bobby Timmons;Bobby Timmons Trio in person.I love Ron Carter,the bass player,and he is magnificently prominent here,talking about a DEEP bass.
19.Arthur Grumiaux;J.S.Bach Sonatas & Partitas.some how this L.P. tells it like it is,putting the music first.
20.Holy Cole;Temptation. old favorite of mine,sound of the double bass has not stood the test of time,but the production is incredible.
21.Me'shell Ndegéocello
eace Beyond Passion,again great production,and... placement!
22.Dave Brubeck;Time out. Almost forgot this one,that would have been unforgivable. Time Out is an audiophile classic.
oops I see that I went past the limit and I did not even get To Mingus;''Ah Um'' ,Steely Dan;Two Against Nature.Ray Charles.....................