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  Every month we feature several recommended artists in our monthly newsletter. Come back to this page anytime to see recommendations from previous months or head over to the Music Library to find out what other audiophiles are listening to. Get special savings on these featured recordings by signing up for our newsletter. We have partnered with our friends at Music Direct to offer our newsletter subscribers discounts on these audiophile recordings. To view this month's featured recordings, click here! Previous Featured Recodings: Concord SACD Sampler [SACD] 
Now, how the heck can you go wrong for ten bucks? SACD and plays on every other player as well, this is a great recording with simply wonderful sonics. A steal at twice the price, but PS newsletter reader get it for a great price. Artists include Stan Getz, Cal Tjader, Charlie Byrd, Mel Torme Art Blakey and many more great jazz artists. Have fun with this one while the last of the warm Fall whetaher lasts. $9.99
Emmylou Harris - Stumble Into Grace [CD] 
You know, I haven't listened to an Emmylou Harris album for years. Josh at Music Direct sent this to me with a note suggesting 'she's back' and he wasn't kidding. What a great album and surprisingly enough it is also well recorded!Life's nice like that when you get a great piece of musical work on a well recorded venue and all for just fourteen bucks. I really enjoyed her work and for those of you not familiar with her this is a great CD to get started. Just a bit of country in her writing and performance, it's not what you would call a country CD but sort of a cross over. Emmylou Harris fans will be thrilled with her new work and it's with great pleasure that I am able to offer this piece to our friends. $13.99
Ravel/Bolero/Skrowaczewski [SACD] 
This historic Vox recording of Stanislaw Skrowaczewski conducting the Minnesota Orchestra is considered a stellar recording by audiophiles all over the world.If you are familiar with Bolero and don't yet have this recording as a part of your collection, then this is a no-brainer - get it! It's really good. If you are unfamiliar with Bolero I guess the best way to describe this is 'fun classical'. Great stuff yes, but I have often used this piece to get my friends interested in classical music. You know, kind of like getting someone to try sushi - you feed them a non-threatening California Roll. The full sonic spectrum of this recording masterpiece is finally unveiled as four channels of stunning detail, life like imaging, and sensuous ambient information that enables listeners to experience the producer's original sonic intention for the first time! This Ultradisc UHR SACD™ also features a special, full length bonus track of quote;Daphnis et Chloequote; featuring a female choir placed in the rear channels in accordance with the producer’s original intention available in both 4.0 and 5.0 surround sound. The packaging also includes both the original liner notes and newly commissioned technical liner notes by the recording's Grammy winning producer and recording engineer Marc Aubort. $21.50
Steve Tyrell - Standard Time [SACD] 
This suggestion comes from Rob Thomas and he suggests that the duet with Jane Monheit (track 5) is an Audiophile classic and terrific demo track for anyone.
Richard Thompson - The Old Kit Bag [CD] 
Kent Tager suggests the new Richard Thompson cd "The old kit bag". It would be a great choice for album of the month as it has great natural sound (on most cuts), and the music is terrific. Definitely worth mentioning in your next newsletter. OK Kent, it’s mentioned and so noted.
Eleanor McEvoy - Yola [CD] 
I predict you’ll hear this CD up and down the halls of CES in January. Yup, every year the audio community chooses a recording so good that you simply have to use it for demos as with any good, classic Audiophile recordings.One of the nicest benefits of this CD is not just the recording, which has been voted album of the year by HIFI+, but the music’s great as well. Simple, warm and well written, this Irish poet/song writer is extremely talented. She achieved star status in Ireland in 1992 when her song 'Only A Woman's Heart' inspired the title for and appeared on, the 'A Woman's Heart' anthology album. It has since become the best selling album in Irish history, even eclipsing records by such legendary Irish artists as Van Morrison and U2. 'A Woman's Heart' stayed in the Top 10 for over a year. This is one of those “I just gotta have it” CD’s. Captured in a superb DSD recording that again reveals the potential of the Super Audio CD format. McEvoy's emotive material, emphatic delivery and clear voice are the perfect ingredients for universal appeal. But the ground-breaking nature of this disc goes further than that. Available from day one as a hybrid Super Audio CD as well as a conventional CD it is now available as a 180g vinyl LP too, at last making some meaningful comparisons possible, while also demonstrating the potential available from DSD recordings transferred to black disc.
Coldplay - A Rush Of Blood To The Head [CD] 
So, from the exceptional recording quality of Eleanor McEvoy to the crap recording quality of Cold Play. Oy.My son Sean first introduced me to Coldplay’s music when he played his rendition of The Scientist from this same album. Sean, a budding musician in his own right (and danged good!), spoke so highly of them that it didn't take long before we were converts as well. This band has been called everything from 'the next Beatles' to just 'as good as it gets'. You might have seen them walk away with several Grammy awards for their first album, Parachute (an even worse recording quality....sigh), but not many folks I associate with have even heard of the band. We gotta fix that. Regardless of the poor recording quality which, unfortunately, my good friend Dan Schwartz assures me is the new “style” for bands – these guys have to heard. Maybe someone reading this knows them and will whisper in their ear about recording quality. What’s their music like? It’s a little like Pink Floyd might have been had they stayed together and without all the electronic effects. The writing is simply exceptional and Chris Martin’s singing is brilliant beyond words. In fact, the first 5 songs on this CD are perhaps the best single group of music I have ever heard. We were fortunate enough to see Coldplay in concert with 4th row center seats. PS Audio’s IT manager Bill Roszel invited us to Red Rocks in Denver for the show a few months ago. Bill arrived at Red Rocks about 9am the morning of the show and waited on the steps for the doors to open at 7pm. Bill’s our hero. The McGowan’s strolled up about 5pm and waited around for a mere 2 hours for the doors to open. Bill and three of our sons rushed into the concert and snagged perhaps the best seats in the entire house for us, while Paul and the Mrs. strolled in. Ahhhh, life's grand sometimes. What's cool about Red Rocks is they allow general seating in the first 25 or so rows, everything else is assigned seating. If you can snag one of the seats in the first few rows you can't be any further than 50 feet from the act. That evening turned nasty as it got cold, rainy and nearly snowed on us but I doubt anyone in the audience cared. Coldplay came out and just took over. It was by far the best single performance I have ever attended and the memory of that performance shall remain with me for as long as I live. Even singer Chris Martin’s girlfriend, Gwyneth Paltrow, stood right behind us in the freezing rain not caring a wit and loving every minute of the music.
Aimee Mann - Lost in Space [Hybrid CD/SACD] 
What a great CD! Off the wall,modern, this is one great piece of music and I can't imagine anyone not liking it.Most of you are probably familiar with Aimee Mann from her perfectly matched music from the movie, 'Magnolia'. 'Lost in Space' sounds amazing for a rock production- so layered and full of texture. Mann's voice sounds great, somehow both warm and cool at the same time. The songwriting is darkly fascinating while the band complements the tunes perfectly. Mobile Fidelity has done an incredible job of mastering on this release and these songs really came to life when I was playing the CD on the reference system! Here's a great CD to try the new MW II patterns on. Really shows what's going on when you switch between the different waveforms. On my P500 I preferred TubeWave on this CD but AutoWave was a close second.
Alison Krauss and Union Station - Live [Hybrid CD/SACD / CD / DVD] 
What a great CD and now available as a hybrid SACD and DVD-V as well. I must admit as of this writing I have only heard disc 2 of this CD but the country in this ol’ boy just comes out when I play this disc. One of the better live recordings I have ever heard and the performance is simply, well, great!My son Lon always reads these music picks first and skips the rest of the newsletter. Lon, go out and buy the 2 CD set, you’re going to fall in love as I did. If you’ve got any country in you at all, this is the CD to buy. Guaranteed.
Astor Piazzolla - Symphonic Works [Hybrid CD/SACD] 
Well, here again Tango isn't my favorite music but it's a 'must have' for the collection because there are bits and cuts in here that are simply mind boggling in their recorded perfection!Piazzolla is the acknowledged master composer of the tango, a form that he elevated from its dance origins. This collection concentrates on his writing for various-sized orchestras. This multichannel SACD brings out all the warmth and sizzle of Piazzolla's romantic and dramatic writing. Gabriel Castanga leading the Wurttemberg Philharmonic expertly interprets the material, arguably one of best orchestral recordings made of Piazzolla's work. This high resolution DSD recording will set your system on fire with the passion of the tango! Playable in any CD or SACD player.
Mahler - 5th Symphony [DVD/DVD-A] 
Simon Rattle directs the Berliner Philharmoniker orchestra in a stunning performance of the great Mahler Fifth Symphony. Not a Mahler fan? We can fix that, just get this disc, it’s spectacular.Well-known for his mastery of Mahler, the 5th Symphony was Rattle's choice for his debut DVD in his new role with the Berlin Philharmonic. This powerful performance is complemented with a rendition of Thomas Ades' 'Aslya' and a filmed conversation of Rattle with Nicholas Kenyon at Radley College. This package also includes a DVD-Audio of just the Mahler. Good stuff for anyone who enjoys a great performance and the sonics are just terrific.
Burmester - Sampler CD [CD] 
Burmester is an ultra tweeky and very expensive German High-End audio company that makes some really good sounding equipment that is beautifully built.Here’s a collection of one of their CD’s that should be a part of every High-End audio person’s demo disc collection. This unbelievable sounding CD has been the most sought after demonstration disc at HiFi shows for years. The cuts range from blues, jazz, vocal tracks, orchestral and chamber pieces, and world music to bring you the perfect compilation for auditioning components or just showing off what your system is capable of delivering. The stand-out tracks are definitely the cuts from Hugh Masekela's incredibly passionate (but somewhat depressing) 'Hope' and the earth-rumbling drumming from 'Master Chinese Percussionist' Yim Hok-Man. In fact, this last track (number 10) almost scared me out of the listening room. I was jumping for the remote – but then decided to leave it where it was. I was auditioning the piece with the HCA-2 and after listening to this drum piece with my jaw on the floor, I switched over to the C250 and tried it again. Man! It just flaps your pant leg and makes you smile. What a great CD.
John Coltrane - Soultrane [Hybrid CD/SACD] 
This Mobile Fidelity Hybrid SACD is finally the definitive version of this timeless classic. Every jazz lover must hear this amazing performance recorded by Rudy Van Gelder for Prestige. This has always been considered one of 'Trane's finest moments and now it can be heard like you’re in the studio w/the players! Not much more needs to be said about this one!
Daniel Glass Trio - Something Colorful [CD] 
Daniel Glass has literally written the book on drumming and he plays with finesse and knows no stylistic boundaries. But rather than this record being a survey of styles it's a synthesis: wonderful, inventive, melodic, and played with a gentle finesse.Let me caution you however: if you're not a fan of drums, then this may not be the CD for you. It's a terrific recording, one of the better I've heard. But - it is a small jazz combo whose lead is a drummer and the music centers around the instrument. I thoroughly enjoyed myself one afternoon buzzing around the Lab while the Daniel Glass Trio entertained me. The instrumentation has Glass on a small kit with Eldad Tamu on vibraphones and Tim Emmons on acoustic bass. The overall feel is light and airy and sound very realistic. Undoubtedly an album that will reveal more and more with subsequent spins. This is the first release from a promising new label, Very Tall Music.
Roy Harris - Symphonies Nos. 7 and 9 [CD] 
I am not an afficiando when it comes to classical music. Certainly not like my good friend Arnie Nudell who knows everything there is to know. :)So, I will admit I have never heard of Roy Harris until Josh at Music Direct sent me this recording to audition. What a cool piece of music! American classical, kind of Bernstein like in its modern approach, I really liked this piece and with every successive cut I liked it even more. Born near Chandler, Oklahoma on 12 February 1898, Roy Harris was a major creative force in the development of an indigenous American style of symphonic composition. His works, which number over 200 in a variety of genres and media, are characterized by broad, often powerfully emotional musical gestures.
Norah Jones - Live in New Orleans [DVD] 
Norah Jones has become one of the most popular artists in the US in the space of a couple of years. Her debut album Come Away With Me has been a huge success for Blue Note, earning her eight Grammy's and reaching audiences who perhaps would not categorize themselves as typical fans of the genre. This concert, filmed in New Orleans last August, features 14 songs, many of them from the album. Jones was born in New York but moved to Texas at the age of four years old with her mother. Her father is the renowned Indian musician Ravi Shankar but she saw little of him during her childhood (FYI!). This DVD-Video has an incredible stereo soundtrack and a fabulous multi-channel mix. It looks and sounds absolutely amazing! Now you can SEE what all the fuss is about!
George Faber - Faber Blues [CD] 
Finally...an audiophile blues recording where the playing is as good as the sonics! Recorded at A440 studios, Faber/Blues takes George (and his harp!) back to his Chicago roots. He put together his dream band of musicians and cut this spontaneous record the old fashioned way - live. Recorded using all tube mics with no limiting or overdubs. While much of Faber's other music shows his blues influence, this recording is blues through and through. Highly recommended!(Warning: for blues fans only!)
Ry Cooder - Mambo Sinuendo [CD] 
Josh at Music Direct sent me this disc with a name attached that I remember from years ago, Ry Cooder. I didn’t think much of it at the time and put the disc on play and went about my business. Holy Hanna! This was some good stuff in a completely different direction than the Ry Cooder I remember. This is like really well recorded salsa/hip/acoustic/electric/cool music with lots of percussion, a giant drum and a ton of fun.Ry is joined by Manuel Galbran, Juliette, Carla, Maximino, Marcos, Yosvani and Goyo. This is worth getting if you like great recordings with a touch of the Latin flair.
Lori Lieberman - Monterey [CD] 
When I first received this disc it occurred to me that here’s another name I remember, Lori Lieberman. Wasn’t she the one that every Audiophile was listening to for so long?Yup. Lori Lieberman's great string of albums on the defunct Pope Music label were among the finest-sounding recordings of a contemporary female singer-songwriter. She now has a cool new CD out that is thoughtful, well recorded, mostly acoustic and a really nice piece to put on and enjoy while sipping something nice and relaxing.
Mitsuko Uchida - Schubert Piano Sonatas [CD] 
Wow. What a great recording. This is one of those multi-formatted discs in SACD and surround and it’ll play on virtually any player.I put this CD to the test and really enjoyed it. I was photographing the new xStream Power cables in one room while Mitsuko was playing these gorgeous Schubert Sonatas in the other room and it was heaven on earth. Mitsuko’s a great talent. The music is, of course, wonderful and all in all a highly recommended disc.
Brian Bromberg - Wood [CD] 
Wow! What a disc. Brian and brother David are fine musicians that unleash a torrent of good music on this extremely well recorded CD.Brian is the featured artist who plays an 18th century Matteo Guersman wooden bass, his brother the drums and Randy Waldman on piano. I seriously doubt any of you have heard a bassist of this caliber – extraordinary musical craftsmanship on this 300 year old instrument fills the room with stunning music and an Audiophile’s dream for sound. The music is jazzy, contemporary and relevant. Part way through the cuts you realize “oh! That’s a Lennon/McCartney tune” or “a classic jazz piece”. The freshness of this performance is wonderful.
Yim Hok Man - Poems Of Thunder [CD] 
Well, a better recording you won’t find and boy, if you don’t have a subwoofer then don’t bother enjoying this disc.Moreover, this disc isn’t for everyone and not something I would put on for background musical enjoyment! Yim Hok-Man is a brilliant Asian percussionist who knows his stuff (to say the least) and each track needs to be listened to when you have nothing but your undivided attention to offer the recording. Originally known as Master Of Chinese Percussion this HDCD disc was unavailable for years in the United States. It's been re-titled but all the great sound is intact. An expansive soundstage showcases both some of the most delicate sounds and dynamic percussion you'll ever hear. You can't help but be amazed at the bottom end. We’ve made a special purchase because everyone should have a copy of this hard to get CD in their collection of sonic spectaculars!
Herbie Hancock - Gershwin’s World [CD] 
While at the CES, our friend and PS HCA-2 owner Mike Davis strolled through the door of the suite with an armful of CD’s in tow. Mike’s a professional musician (drummer) who is quite well known in jazz circles in LA and a major supporter of our HCA-2 amplifier because 'it sounds like real music'.He really wanted to hear the new system and played us a number of cuts from his favorite CD’s. Among them, he pulled out this gem and said “tell me who is the singer.” I listened intently to this deep, sultry wonderful voice and couldn’t even guess. His hint? She's a popular folk singer. Still no clue! Mike smiled and said Joni Mitchell! I about fell over – good thing I was sitting down. Featured on the CD are Chick Corea; James Carter; Joni Mitchell; Kathleen Battle; Wayne Shorter; Kenny Garrett; Stevie Wonder; Eddie Henderson. All the great Gershwin favorite’s are here and it’s just a wonderful CD in both music (of course), performance and recording quality.
Hank Dogs - Half Smile [CD] 
The first selection is Hank Dogs Half Smile. What a weird name for a group. First suggested to me by our good friend, musician and reviewer for TAS, Dan Schwartz, the Hank Dogs are a group of 4 musicians that really make great, dreamy etheral country music.Hailing from London, yet sounding like they stepped out of a covered wagon from the old west, Hank Dogs is produced by Joe Boyd (Pink Floyd/ REM) and intertwine beautiful harmonies and melodies with subtle and classic, finger-picking guitar. A touch of country, a touch of the surreal, this is really well done music and a very good recording to boot!
Antonio Forcione and Sabina Sciubba - Meet Me In London [CD/VINYL] 
This guy’s an incredible guitar player. Known as the “Jimi Hendrix” of the acoustic guitar, he’s sort of a modern “Flamingoist” if you will, and he sounds like he’s got three hands rather than two, Combine Antonio’s terrific Latin guitar stylings with Sabina Sciubba’s sultry and sensual vocal stylings and you have the makings of a great recording.This particular release is the result of Naim Audio’s efforts. It’s not a great recording, but it’s a very good recording and I can’t seem to get enough of this guys guitar playing. Highly recommended in both CD and vinyl.
Glenn Gould [CD] 
Here's a no-brainer if you're in to classical music. Pianist Glenn Gould is well known amongst music lovers the world over.Not just a repackaging but actually a brand-new remaster including the first re-mastering of the original analogue tapes of the 1981 version- not even the SACD version was taken from this master! The sound is superb but of course what's most important is being able to compare the groundbreaking 1955 version with his later completely re-thought interpretation. The third disc contains some outakes plus Gould's freewheeling conversation with Pulitzer Prize-winning music Tim Page, almost worth the price of the package alone.
Alison Krauss - Forget About It [VINYL/SACD] 
Yee Haw! Alison Krauss has a winner here. A touch of country, a touch of class, and a hell of a recording. Winner of recording of the year, this is a kicker (especially if you have a subwoofer).Alison plays the fiddle, sings and has backups to die for, including Lyle Lovett, Jim Keltner, Matt Rollings and a host of other fine musicians. Building upon her bluegrass roots, and using her unerring knack for identifying great songs, Alison Krauss has created a branch of popular music all her own. On this album, the pure emotion of her voice and her exquisite acoustic arrangements reach new heights. If you like a bit of country, this one's for you.
Norah Jones - Come Away With Me [CD/VINYL] 
My oldest son Lon (who many of you may remember speaking with in the early PS days) returned from a business trip to Hong Kong with a great deal of excitement over a CD he found. It was Norah Jones. “Dad, you’re gonna flip over this gal, everyone in Asia was talking about her”.It did my heart good to let him know it had been previously recommended by our engineer Jon Magnussen and I was using it as one of my reference pieces. Knowing something before one of my sons has never happened before! There's no doubt these kids are smarter and better informed than I, so any chance I get to be 'right' is taken immediately! This is a great CD. The description on Music Direct’s website is perfect: “Norah Jones' debut is a relaxed, folky-jazzy affair that is one of Blue Note's all-time success stories. This unknown singer's album exploded based on the allure of her ever-so pleasing voice, a superb selection of classic songs ('Cold, Cold Heart', 'The Nearness of You') and a fine crop of new originals. Veteran producer Arif Mardin was at the helm and the band includes Bill Frisell on guitar. As satisfying a summer afternoon, this album has pleased over a million fans of folk and jazz alike.” The songs just stick in your head, the performance is honest and natural and the recording is superb. This is a must-have piece of music in your collection.
Tchaikovsky - Symphony No. 4 In F Minor, Op. 36 [CD] 
Sometimes you run across very affordable wines that are just gems in the rough. Naxos is just such a gem. Affordable classical recordings that are just wonderful! The home-town Colorado Symphony orchestra under the direction of their Music Director Marion Alsop presents a very good performance of a loved piece of music from Russian composer Tchaikovsky.If you are not familiar with this piece, you'll recognize it the moment you hear the melody. 'Ahh! I know that one!' The Romeo and Juliet Fantasy was recorded a few years ago in the studio while the Symphony Number 4 was recorded live in Denver's Boettcher Hall by Marc Stedman.
Reference Recordings - Minnesota Orchestra - Eiji Oue [CD] 
I thought it would be cool to make this particular Reference Recording available to PS Newsletter readers because it happens to be the main disc that we used to voice the new PCA-2 preamplifier and the Audio xStreams.My dear friend and former partner in Genesis Technologies, Arnie Nudell, and I have been working hard on voicing and fine tuning the Audio xStream series of cables and the PCA-2 preamp. We use many pieces of music, but we always come back to this one. Recorded by the master himself, Keith Johnson, conductor Eiji Oue's interpretation of this wonderful music sends chills up your spine. Performed by the Minnesota Orchestra there’s something here for anyone that enjoys dynamic and exciting classical music. We typically start with track 4, Sibelius’s Finlandia and move on to 5, Liadov’s Baba Yaga, and then on to track 12, Ravel’s Alborada del Gracioso, finishing with the Stravinsky’s Firebird Suite. Talk about well recorded orchestral fireworks! If you don’t have this CD in your collection, it’s time to add it. You don’t need an HDCD compatible player. I play it on the Sony 9000 through a Manley DAC and Digital Lens and it’s terrific.
Diana Krall - Live In Paris [CD/DVD] 
Wow! This is a really good live recording. A little over-equalized, a little too close-miked, but overall it’s wonderful. Between Jeff Hamilton on drums, John Clayton on the bass and a spectacular Anthony Wilson on guitar the performance is just killer.I got the disc, looked at the cuts and immediately went to the song Dusty Springfield made famous, “The Look of Love”. This brought back so many wonderful memories of spending many fine hours at HP’s home in Sea Cliff listening on the (then) Infinity IRS reference system that I couldn’t turn it off. Beautifully done. After you devour this cut, try “Fly me to the moon”, and just for kicks, the closing tune “Just the way you are” is a good way to end a fine listening session. This disc has a combination of the European Symphony and the small group blended together nicely. However, for my tastes, I like the cuts with just the group better. The orchestra's a nice touch but almost too nice and syrupy if you get my drift. To make matters even better, they released a beautifully mastered DVD video and soundtrack of the performance as well. The DVD video of this is just a wonder. Watching the group and Diana play is not only fun but adds a whole other dimensions that's pretty captivating. Certainly one of the better DVD music videos I have ever seen. She's pretty cute too!
The Tony Rice Unit - Unit Of Measure [CD] 
Suggested to me as a great acoustic recording by Josh at Music Direct, this has become my new standard for well recorded acoustic guitar. I love this piece! I am a little taken aback when the fiddle comes in (reminds me of the Beverly Hillbilly’s) but the solo guitar work is glorious.Flat pickin’ on a Martin and recorded on a Nueman tube mike! Doesn’t get a lot better than that! Start with Shanendoah (track 3) then go to Danny Boy (track 9).
Stan Getz and Cal Tjader [XRCD2] 
OK. This is an older recording. In fact, 1958 to be exact. Aside from being a great recording with wonderful sound staging and correct tonal balance on each instrument, it is a musical wonder.If you like the Vibraphone, saxophone and talent, you’ll love this classic. Featuring the monumental bassist Scott LaFaro, the superb drummer Billy Higgins, renowned pianist Vince Guaraldi, and the (still) unsung guitarist Eddie Duran. Great music, wonderful recording – although there’s a lot of tape hiss so beware…. The disc itself is a JVC XRCD. As you may know, these Japanese re-mastered discs are top notch and worthy of adding to anyone’s collection.
James Taylor - October Road [CD] 
Well, obviously I am a fan of James Taylor. One of his older CD’s made it to the recommended recordings a few months ago and here we go again! This time, however, you can buy it at cost! How’s that for a deal?October Road, is his first new studio album since 1997's Hourglass, which won that year's Grammy for 'Best Pop Vocal Album.' October Road reunites Taylor with producer Russ Titelman, who first worked with the artist on Gorilla (1975) and In the Pocket (1976). Described by Taylor as 'a very guitar-centric album,' most of the arrangements on October Road are centered on his vocals, guitar, and his rhythm section of Jimmy Johnson (bass) and Steve Gadd (drums). Among the guest artists are guitar legend Ry Cooder and saxophonist Michael Brecker (on the album's title track).
Gillian Welch - Time (The Revelator) [CD] 
Time the Revelator is one of the recordings I use routinely to design stereo equipment for PS Audio. Simple and honest, this recording was made live in the studio with just a couple of Neumann mikes and the artists looking at each other.First suggested to me by my good friend Dan Schwartz (former bassist with Sheryl Crow and a reviewer for TAS), this is one of my all time favorites. Gillian describes the album “As opposed to little tiny folk songs, they’re really tiny rock songs performed in an acoustic setting. In our heads we went electric without changing instruments.” Just two people, two acoustic instruments and a heck of a lot of good music. Real down home stuff. Highly recommended.
Patricia Barber’s Modern Cool [Hybrid SACD/CD] 
Many of you probably have this CD, but we’ll bet you don’t have the new Mobile Fidelity version of it.Stunning, simply stunning, is all we can say about this piece. It’s a Hybrid stereo and will spark to life your SACD player or work as well on a standard CD player. Check out track two, Winter, our favorite. Even though we were almost sick of hearing this at every Hi Fi show we attended, this new release demonstrates all over again just why this is an absolute must-have in anyone’s library. For those of you unfamiliar with Patricia, she’s a Jazzy-popish sort of vocalist and pianist with a sultry dark, romantic sound to her music. Very captivating. A subwoofer is a must with this recording to experience everything there, and there’s a lot!
Edgar Meyer’s Bach Unaccompanied Cello Suites [CD] 
I admit that I am not a big Bach fan, but I do love the cello. Imagine my surprise when I first put this CD on and the cello was actually a double bass!I now love the double bass! New Yorker magazine calls Edgar Meyer “the most remarkable virtuoso in the history of his instrument”. What a unique recording and artist. From the first cut to the last I was enchanted beyond words. A beautifully recorded piece on the Sony Classical label. I will warn you that this is a virtuoso piece and if you do not enjoy the instrument or are not a fan of Bach, then it might not be the right one for you. However, as I mentioned, even though Bach isn’t high on my list of composers (I’m sure that’ll send some shutters of horror through some!), the way he plays this music is so captivating that I simply couldn’t turn it off. With those caveats, highly recommended.
Bill Evans and Jim Hall, Undercurrents [CD] 
Recorded in 1962 for Capitol Records and released under the Blue Note label, this is an exceptionally well recorded period piece with a synergy to the music that is “head-shakingly” great.Pianist Bill Evans and guitarist Jim Hall team up to make magic. One of the qualities I have come to appreciate of the art form known as Jazz, is the unique synergy between players; due in part to the unstructured nature of the composition. The spontaneous eruption of musical language, as if two people were speaking as one, is nothing short of amazing on this disc. As if this synergy wasn’t enough in one version, the producers of the collection played two of the cuts twice! My Funny Valentine and Romain have two very unique renditions that you can AB and get a taste of just how wonderful this uniquely American musical art form really is. Highly recommended.
James Taylor - Hourglass [Multichannel SACD] 
James Taylor is a favorite of many, and certainly of ours. Musically the guy’s spot on, and some of his recordings have even been good to very good (his double live album is an example).But the Mult-channel SACD only release of Hourglass is simply stunning. I first put on one of my favorite James Taylor tunes Gaia and was transfixed in the listening seat. Awesome dynamics on the HCA-2. When the big (and unexpected) dynamic riff comes in like a freight train, I nearly fell off of the seat. I actually went back and played it again. If you can play SACD, get this disc. It’s now a reference for us.
Harry Connick - We Are In Love [SACD] 
The first is actually available as both an SACD and a CD. If you have access to an SACD player, then buy this recording in that format.Harry Connick Jr. is about as good a jazz singer as they get. I consider this guy a master. Listen first to track 5, Forever, for now. The way his voice recreates an instrument is uncanny. Try the next track, and then the one after that. In fact, there's not a bad track on the CD. Recommended from a recording and a musical standpoint. This is perhaps the best recording I know of, bar none. An absolute MUST have in your collection, SACD or standard 44.1 kHz.
Modern Jazz Quartet's - Django 
The second CD is not a new CD either. Well, it is a new CD, but it's of an older recording. Suggested to us by PS newsletter reader Jim Geborys, it's a re-release of the 1955 Modern Jazz Quartet's Django.I remember this from my days of vinyl as a great recording, and actually purchased the off-the-shelf CD version and was unimpressed. I then went to CD Universe and purchased the JVC 20 bit Japanese pressing. Expensive, but really great! You can click this link if you want to get a copy for yourself. What's truly great about this recording (aside from being a wonderful piece of work musically) is the way they mastered this CD. Most re-releases I have heard stripped off the tape noise and all the analog tape 'artifacts'. Not here. If you want to make a comparison of CD vs. vinyl, this is a good one to do it on if you have the original LP.
John Atkinson - Mosaic 
The second is John Atkinson's new recording called Mosaic. It features the music of Brahms and Mozart.I first heard a sneak preview of this in New York City on the new HCA-2. This is one of the finest recordings of woodwinds I have ever heard. John's managed to capture the body and richness of each woodwind in a wonderful manner and this is one heck of a great recording. The music's not bad either -:)! I think you'll enjoy both the performance and the recording quality.
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