I love SACD and DVD-Audio, but wow, I've been buying a lot of CDs lately! (1 Viewer)

[Rachael B]

Evan I have JAZZ AT THE PAWNSHOP. I like it. I've only listened to it all the way through twice. It's a 2 disc set. I dubbed a few cuts off to one of my MD compilations too and the CD layer sounded good. I liked the 5.1 mix too. I don't know squat about these European jazz musicans but they made a nice album. Lots of covers of famous tunes like Desmond's TAKE FIVE and Gershwin's LADY BE GOOD. I think it was recorded back in the 70's...? Best wishes!

 

[KeithH]

Evan,

I've been wanting to get the Terence Blanchard SACD for awhile, but I just haven't gotten around to it. I don't even have the CD. I've read good things about this album both here and on Audio Asylum. One of the reported highlights on this album is a cameo by Diana Krall.

Rachael,

I noticed that Telarc, Chesky, and a few other small labels dropped the price of SACDs to $19.99, and that is very good news. There are some discs from these labels that I want to get. I have a coupon from Telarc sitting here that gives me four SACDs for the price of three. There are a number of titles that interest me, but I will probably Celebrating the Music of Weather Report and Spyro Gyra in modern times. Others I am considering include the new Philip Bailey disc and the 1812 Overture disc. Thanks for making some suggestions.

 

[Mike Broadman]

Justin, you must not like jazz and blues.

Don't forget all the great classical releases. I plan on building a completely high-res classical library. Lots of great stuff, including re-released older performances and newer recordings in DSD.

 

[Jeff Keene]

Mike -

I'm with you on the desire to build a hi-res classical library. So far my collection totals one, but it's a good one I can recommend. It is Mahler - Symphony No. 6 in A Minor (San Francisco Symphony, Michael Tilson Thomas, conductor). It is a 2-SACD set, which is kind of too bad, since it is a single symphony (movements 1-3 on disc 1, movement 4 on disc 2), but it is 87:30 long (what is the length capacity of an SACD, anyway?).

The music is great, and it sounds very good as well (I've listened only to the multi-channel mix so far. Not sure if it has a stereo version or not)

NP: Duke Ellington - The Essential Collection 1927-1962 disc 3 (first playing)

 

[Mike Broadman]

I have a SACD that is over 83 minutes long- Verdi's Requiem, George Szell conducting. However, it's only 2-channel.
I ordered that Mahler disk, along with two other things, from elusivedisc. One of them got backordered and canceled, but I don't remember which, so hopefully I'll get to hear this soon.
Wow, and 87 minute symphony. The guy is nuts! My first Mahler experience is hearing is first, "Titan," recently on SACD performed by Leanard Bernstein. Man, he doesn't mess around. Very dramatic, a lot to swallow. I also have George Szell conducting the incomplete 10th symphony on a disc with other stuff on it.
Hopefully I'll be able to handle 87 minutes of Mahler!
And Jeff, I expect to see something about that Ellington disc on the HTF Jazz Club, young man.
NP: King Crimson, Nashville Sessions, CD

 

[Jeff Keene]

Heh. Review will be forthcoming. I need to listen a little more.
BTW, I just received King Crimson's Beat from Amazon, which should make you happy, Mike (It's on CD, BTW )
NP: Sting - Nothing Like the Sun dts

 

[Justin Doring]

Rachel, I primarily listen to classical and film scores, neither of which is well-represented on SACD. It may seem like there are a lot of classical SACDs, but when you take away the duplicate recordings of the warhorses, there are really not that many quality releases. With the possible exception of Mahler, none of my favorite composers are well-represented. If Naxos, Chandos, and Varese Sarabande got board with SACD I'd be a happy man.

 

[KeithH]

Justin said:

It may seem like there are a lot of classical SACDs

Especially if you like George Szell...a lot.

 

[Evan S]

Rachael,

On Jazz at the Pawnshop, it is an active 5.1 mix? My main interest in this title is due to the fact it's a live recording I think it would feel like I was right in the club with the artists soaking in the ambiance. Is this the case? Or is the surround mix stale and laid back? I'm really intrigued by this title.

 

[Mike Broadman]

BTW, I just received King Crimson's Beat from Amazon, which should make you happy, Mike (It's on CD, BTW )

I hope you got the 30th anniversary remaster (limited edition gatefold or jewel case with the article clippings in the liner notes). Warning: this is considered one the "lesser" Crimson albums.

Justin, which classical pieces do you feel are lacking in the SACD library? I personally miss Bartok, Prokofiev, and Pagannini. DVD-A has some things that SACD doesn't, like the Brandenburg Concertos and all of Beethoven's symphonies, though, and I think Holst.

NP: Cannonball Adderley, Somethin' Else, DAD

 

[Rachael B]

Justin, I know how you feel. Last summer when I got my Sony 9000ES I didn't buy too many SACD's. There were only a few I wanted. If this format lasts I think you'll get your wish eventually.

Evan, the side channels of JAZZ AT THE PAWNSHOP have reverb of the front channels. That's the way, uuh hum, I like it... I hate it when they do those fakey sounding pans and stuff. I hate it when a guitarist or horn player sounds like he's walking around in the audience or is seperated from the rest of the band.

Keith, I highly recommend Spyro Gyra! Philip Bailey's album has good sound quality but really didn't move me much. I've listened to it three times and I'm just not getting the fever. I really liked him in E, W & F. That's why I bought the disc. His falsetto is stille good but... For example, his take on COMPARED TO WHAT seems pretty toothless compared to the definative version by Les McCann & Eddie Harris. I think there are better albums out there. Best wishes guyz!

 

[KeithH]

Rachael, thanks for the input on the Telarc discs. Much appreciated.

 

[Evan S]

Rachael, you misinterpreted what I was trying to get at. I'm not as much interested in the localizations of the instruments (although I agree with you, I don't like any "gimmicky" sound like I get on my Billy Joel's 52nd Street multichannel disk)...but I was more referring to ambient noise...like mainly the crowd. Because this is a live recording in a club setting, I was wondering if they mix in a decent amount of people talking in the background, waitresses going by, applause...that sort of stuff.

Mainly, do you feel like you are in an empty room listening to a studio session or do you feel like you are sitting in a booth, drinking a martini, listening to some killer jazz?

Now THATS what I'm getting at.

 

[Rachael B]

Evan, there is some crowd noise and clapping. It's certainly not an empty room. It's like you're in the Pawnshop. You know you want it, just order it! Order a drink too and you're there. Best wishes!

 

[Justin Doring]

"Justin, which classical pieces do you feel are lacking in the SACD library?"
How about people from the twentieth century?
I'm not a huge Beethoven, and I'm certainly not big on Szell!