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AndrewD
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Please help find me some music …

Hi all,

I used to go out of my way to find new music and to listen to different genres that may not have been immediately appealing. It may be part of the ‘middle age syndrome’, but insidiously over the last few years I have found myself reaching for the ‘old favourites’. So I am after some suggestions from you for something ‘new’.

I would like you to each nominate up to 5 of your favourite albums. They don’t need to be recent releases, just ones that you love. All genres welcomed. It would be great if you could tell me/us why each is special to you.

I offer the following for your consideration:

Mighty Sam McClain: Give it up to love

Audioquest AQ-CD1015 or LP1015 or JVC Extended Resolution CD JVCXR-0012-2

A brilliant comeback album and almost a definitive blues recording. It’s the one I play to people who tell me they don’t like the Blues. Fantastic voice, live to two-track studio recording, great backing musicians, swirling Hammond organ to send shivers up your spine. Vinyl or CD but look out for the XRCD version for that extra bit of clarity and imaging.

Antonio Vivaldi: The Four Seasons Op. 8.

Nils-Erik Sparf with the Drottningholm Baroque Ensemble

BIS CD-275 or LP-275

I know, I know, done to death, but Sparf plays this like no other. Believe me. I saw him perform with the Australian Chamber Orchestra many years ago and the guy literally attacks his violin. I remember one reviewer saying that this is how he imagined Vivaldi himself would play. The orchestra is subtly augmented with organ. The definitive Four Seasons. It’s an early digital recording so there is some ‘glare’, but it is quite airy and detailed. The vinyl tames this brightness significantly.

Patricia Barber: Verse

Blue Note / Premonition 7243 5 39856 2 2

Now this took a lot of listening, but it slowly seeped into my being. A challenging and innovative jazz pianist/singer/composer. Subtle and thoughtful accompaniment (listen to the trumpet solo on track 5). Café Blue and Modern Cool are her better known albums and more traditional, but Verse goes to a whole new place. This is the one I am most nervous about recommending, but I am confident a small number of you will find heaven in these bits. The poets amongst you will enjoy the lyrics as well.

John Rutter: Requiem

The Cambridge Singers with The City of London Sinfonia , Collegium COLCD 103

The Turtle Creek Chorale and The Women’s Chorus of Dallas , Reference Recordings RR-57CD

A sublime modern requiem mass. The Reference Recordings version is augmented with organ and is BIG and impressive in an audiophile sort of way, but I prefer the more delicate and involving Collegium release which Rutter himself conducted.

Holly Cole Trio: Don’t Smoke in Bed

Manhattan CDP 0777 7 81198 2 1

Traditional and modern jazz standards. This one is an audiophile showstopper. Holly stands 5’6” in front of you and her voice is three dimensional and resonant and you can hear her breathe. Dusty Springfield’s Look of Love and some of Lou Rawls work on “At Last” are examples of three three-dimensional imaging off vinyl, but I am talking CD here for Holly. Want to see if your digital front end is up to the challenge? Enjoy (and start with track 4).

Looking forward to your comments and suggestions.