Pink Floyd - Breathe in the Air / On The Run
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Expensive Turntables II
Yesterday we looked at 6-10 of the top ten most expensive turntables according to www.bornrich.com, today let's look at 1-5:
5. Continuum Caliburn
Price: $90,000 to $112,000
Vinyl isn’t dead, and the Continuum Caliburn turntable is the thing to prove that. The pricing for the turntable starts at $90,000 and goes up to $112,000, depending on finishes and includes some remarkable technology. The tonearm alone sells for $12,000. The turntable employs a magnetically levitated magnesium platter, which is suspended in a vacuum to guarantee there are no vibrations.
4. Clearaudio Statement
Price: US $125,000
The pertinently named Statement is a $125,000 assembly of wood, aluminum, and other sundry bits that has only one endeavor, to play records, and play them outstandingly well. Weighing 770 pounds, the Statement derives its rotational motivation from the same type of electric motor used to propel the Mars Rover. It touts a patented magnetic driven sub platter, dynamic balanced platters, Kardan turntable chassis suspension, real time speed control and active blue LCD display.
3. Transrotor Artus
Price: US $150,000
The Artus turntable comes straight from the house of German company Transrotor. It weighs 220 kg and the record is being held by the 350 kg Clearaudio STATEMENT. The Artus has a contact-less magnetic field drive, a balanced arm and new electronics. The reason for the high price is being a 4-in-1 product as it includes a LP player, phonograph, gramophone, and a turntable.
2. Basis Audio’s ‘Work of Art’ turntable
Price: US $150,000
Basis Audio is one of the leading turntable manufacturers of the world, which guarantees high quality systems to the music-lovers. Audiophiles fancy the quality of vinyl as a musical source, and the very best turntables are built on a philosophy of weight and stability. Basis Audio’s ‘Work of Art‘ turntable turntable makes use of a self-contained Resonance Annihilator, which plays the role of isolating it from vibration. The vibrational energy is neutralized by being transformed into heat energy, which is then efficiently dissipated. At $150,000, the Work of Art is definitely one of the most expensive consumer audio devices out there. It boasts features such as Resonance Annihilation, which attempts to remove all vibrations from the record, thereby creating a more pure sound.
1. Goldmund’s Reference II
Price: US $300,000
This turntable is without doubt every music enthusiasts’ dream gadget but only the uber-rich will be able to buy it as the price tag reads a cool $300,000. There are only 25 on the planet. The Reference II turntable features a degree of refinement and a number of never-seen-before features. The turntable features a 20kg platter machined to a hundreth of a millimeter, a motor vibration-shielded by 15kg of brass, and teflon-insulated signal-carring electronics. Other specs include cog-free motor with lowest electrical and mechanical noise, liquid-nitrogen-rectified belt, touch controls integrated in the tabletop specially designed new Goldmund T8 straight-line tone arm with total weight of 7 kg. Limited editions of 25 units are sold on subscription with a maximum production of 5 units per year.
5. Continuum Caliburn
Price: $90,000 to $112,000
Vinyl isn’t dead, and the Continuum Caliburn turntable is the thing to prove that. The pricing for the turntable starts at $90,000 and goes up to $112,000, depending on finishes and includes some remarkable technology. The tonearm alone sells for $12,000. The turntable employs a magnetically levitated magnesium platter, which is suspended in a vacuum to guarantee there are no vibrations.
4. Clearaudio Statement
Price: US $125,000
The pertinently named Statement is a $125,000 assembly of wood, aluminum, and other sundry bits that has only one endeavor, to play records, and play them outstandingly well. Weighing 770 pounds, the Statement derives its rotational motivation from the same type of electric motor used to propel the Mars Rover. It touts a patented magnetic driven sub platter, dynamic balanced platters, Kardan turntable chassis suspension, real time speed control and active blue LCD display.
3. Transrotor Artus
Price: US $150,000
The Artus turntable comes straight from the house of German company Transrotor. It weighs 220 kg and the record is being held by the 350 kg Clearaudio STATEMENT. The Artus has a contact-less magnetic field drive, a balanced arm and new electronics. The reason for the high price is being a 4-in-1 product as it includes a LP player, phonograph, gramophone, and a turntable.
2. Basis Audio’s ‘Work of Art’ turntable
Price: US $150,000
Basis Audio is one of the leading turntable manufacturers of the world, which guarantees high quality systems to the music-lovers. Audiophiles fancy the quality of vinyl as a musical source, and the very best turntables are built on a philosophy of weight and stability. Basis Audio’s ‘Work of Art‘ turntable turntable makes use of a self-contained Resonance Annihilator, which plays the role of isolating it from vibration. The vibrational energy is neutralized by being transformed into heat energy, which is then efficiently dissipated. At $150,000, the Work of Art is definitely one of the most expensive consumer audio devices out there. It boasts features such as Resonance Annihilation, which attempts to remove all vibrations from the record, thereby creating a more pure sound.
1. Goldmund’s Reference II
Price: US $300,000
This turntable is without doubt every music enthusiasts’ dream gadget but only the uber-rich will be able to buy it as the price tag reads a cool $300,000. There are only 25 on the planet. The Reference II turntable features a degree of refinement and a number of never-seen-before features. The turntable features a 20kg platter machined to a hundreth of a millimeter, a motor vibration-shielded by 15kg of brass, and teflon-insulated signal-carring electronics. Other specs include cog-free motor with lowest electrical and mechanical noise, liquid-nitrogen-rectified belt, touch controls integrated in the tabletop specially designed new Goldmund T8 straight-line tone arm with total weight of 7 kg. Limited editions of 25 units are sold on subscription with a maximum production of 5 units per year.
Classic New Releases
Joan Jett Vinyl Release
Joan Jett and Blackheart Records are releasing her classic record, "I Love Rock N' Roll," on vinyl, in May. If you can't wait for the release, you can find a great copy here:
------------------------------
New George Harrison Release
Let It Roll: Songs by George Harrison is the upcoming third compilation of George Harrison's music, and the first to span his entire career. The collection was announced on April 14, 2009, the same day Harrison received a star on the Hollywood walk of fame, and will be released June 16, 2009 on both compact disc and in digital format.
The album will feature songs originally released on EMI and Harrison's Dark Horse Records label. All included tracks are presented in digitally remastered from and the collection will include an extensive booklet featuring previously unseen and rare photos. Track lists have been released, but there is debate as to which sonsg are on the release. At any rate, pick up a copy here:
Joan Jett and Blackheart Records are releasing her classic record, "I Love Rock N' Roll," on vinyl, in May. If you can't wait for the release, you can find a great copy here:
------------------------------
New George Harrison Release
Let It Roll: Songs by George Harrison is the upcoming third compilation of George Harrison's music, and the first to span his entire career. The collection was announced on April 14, 2009, the same day Harrison received a star on the Hollywood walk of fame, and will be released June 16, 2009 on both compact disc and in digital format.
The album will feature songs originally released on EMI and Harrison's Dark Horse Records label. All included tracks are presented in digitally remastered from and the collection will include an extensive booklet featuring previously unseen and rare photos. Track lists have been released, but there is debate as to which sonsg are on the release. At any rate, pick up a copy here:
Under the "You've Got To Be Kidding" heading:
Vinyl record iPod touch app gives you the spins
Vinyl has been on the verge of a big-time comeback for ages now (and for some of us, it never ceased to be the format of choice anyway), so we're pretty happy to see that even the land of zany iPhone / iPod touch apps is no longer immune to its charms. The spinning vinyl app by Theodore Watson makes use of the iPod's accelerometer to control the speed that the "record" is played at. The video (which is after the break) might make you a little sick when you watch it, but it sounds great. Analog rules, doesn't it?
Spinning vinyl ipod app from Theodore Watson on Vimeo.
Vinyl has been on the verge of a big-time comeback for ages now (and for some of us, it never ceased to be the format of choice anyway), so we're pretty happy to see that even the land of zany iPhone / iPod touch apps is no longer immune to its charms. The spinning vinyl app by Theodore Watson makes use of the iPod's accelerometer to control the speed that the "record" is played at. The video (which is after the break) might make you a little sick when you watch it, but it sounds great. Analog rules, doesn't it?
Spinning vinyl ipod app from Theodore Watson on Vimeo.
Turntables are back in favour
This news from down under:
The turntable has returned to favour with a resurgence of vinyl music, writes Rod Easdown.
THERE are all sorts of theories explaining the return of the turntable: baby boomers with big record collections; young people getting into dance music on vinyl; DJs; DrHouse using one in the television series. And there are the legions of folk who say records sound better than CDs.
Greg Borrowman, the editor of Australian Hi-Fi magazine, has another one. He thinks we're yearning for what was lost when analog music yielded to digital.
"CDs have no personality; they're set and forget," he says. "With vinyl, it's ritual. You slide the LP out of its sleeve, then deftly remove it from the inner dust jacket, making sure not to touch the playing surface. You place it on the platter with both hands, like an offering. You clean the record's surface and perhaps the stylus. Only then do you lower the tonearm to be rewarded with the music."
This covers the full gamut of anticipation, the careful, practised flourish of implementation and the ultimate reward, no different from pulling the cork out of a 10-year-old Hill of Grace.
Whatever the reason, turntables are back in favour.
Michael Thornton-Smith at importer International Dynamics says for every CD player he wholesales, five turntables go out the door. They are "the most consistent, most reliable product we have - month in, month out".
"And it's not like we don't sell CD players. Given the resurgence in two-channel stereo music, CD players sell steadily.
"We've noticed this resurgence over the past couple of years and not just with turntables. Two-channel amplifiers also sell strongly. People with home cinemas and iPods aren't happy with how they handle music and want to get back to hearing it reproduced faithfully."
Craig McNeil, general manager at retailer Tivoli Hi-Fi, politely scoffs at talk of a two-channel resurgence. "Really, stereo never went away. It's the best way to get the most out of your music," he says.
Mr Borrowman believes turntables have become objetsd'art. "Gone are the old, square, teak boxes with perspex covers," he says. "Turntables are now beautiful and they're beautiful to watch. They've become a feature in living rooms."
An Austrian turntable maker called Pro-Ject has been extraordinarily successful in Australia, and the biggest seller in its range is the cheapest model, the Debut, starting at $549. Unlike many more expensive ones, it's ready to go straight out of the box, supplied with both tone arm and cartridge. Premium turntables frequently have neither, leaving buyers free to customise with offerings from manufacturers specialising in them.
"Pro-Ject turntables up to $850 come with cartridges and tone arms. After that, buyers want to make their own choices," MrThornton-Smith says.
Mr McNeil says most turntable sales at Tivoli are between $600 and $2000. "But the sky is the limit ... there's a Goldman from America supplied in a 100-kilogram isolation rack that needs part of its componentry placed in another room. It's around $215,000 and we've never sold one, but we sell turntables up to $15,000."
An important factor is the availability of spare parts, like cartridges and styli, and MrThornton-Smith says ancillaries are big sellers. "Phono preamps are big movers, both with and without USB outputs, and we also sell speed regulators, wall-mount brackets, cleaning equipment, anti-static mats and strobe discs."
Phono preamps? All amplifiers used to have an input marked "phono" where the turntable plugged in. Unlike other inputs, it was specially amplified because signals from turntables are weak. But with the rise of CD, and especially home theatre, many amplifier makers have dropped them. Plugging the turntable into an amplifier's auxiliary input doesn't work unless you have either a phono preamplifier or a turntable with one built in. These boost the signal into something the amplifier can use, and they start at about $200, going up to $5000. If your amplifier has a phono input, you won't need one.
What about USB outputs? These allow you to plug the turntable directly into your computer so music can be transferred onto the hard drive, a CD, DVD or iPod.
MrBorrowman believes the popularity of iPods and whole-of-home music servers is yet another driver of turntable sales, with people wanting to access their vinyl music through them.
Transferring records to digital media involves software, some of which can be bewilderingly complex. He suggests Xitel's INport Deluxe, selling for about $150 through xitel.com.
If you're hankering for vinyl music you haven't heard for years, some notes of caution. Today's music production is far more sophisticated than it was 25 years ago and nothing brings this home faster than listening to old records. Many sound flat, boring and almost crude. Also,there's surface noise, the clicks and pops always present with records that disappear withCDs.
But, as Mr Thornton-Smith observes, the warmth and dynamic range of a vinyl recording is still compelling.
Deconstructing a turntable
The disc on which the record is placed. It is usually driven by a belt, sometimes directly by an electric motor. At its middle is the spindle, the spike that centres the record.
Mat
It sits on the platter and cushions the record. Some are treated to reduce static electricity; others, called slip mats, are low friction, allowing the record to be stopped or reversed while the platter keeps spinning. Don't try this with a normal turntable; you'll need a DJ model.
Tone-arm
The arm housing the cartridge and stylus that moves across the record as the stylus follows the groove.
Cartridge
It contains the delicate electronics that convert the stylus' movement into electrical impulses.
Stylus
Sometimes called the needle. It's the tiny assembly for the diamond point that tracks minute undulations in the walls of the record's groove and translates them into music.
Counterweight
An adjustable weight at the back of the tone-arm regulating downward pressure of the stylus on the record's surface.
Anti-skating device
Often a counterweight on a string, sometimes a spring-loaded device near the tone-arm's pivot point, this counteracts the propensity of the stylus to move towards the outer side of the groove wall due to centrifugal force.
Strobe
Usually a series of radial lines on the edge of the mat or platter spaced so that when the platter is spinning at the correct speed they appear to be stationary. If they seem to be moving, the speed can be fine-tuned with a pitch control, if fitted.
Cue
The lever assembly that lowers the tone-arm and stylus onto the record's surface. These are often hydraulically damped.
Damping device
Found only on expensive tone-arms, it usually consists of a paddle sitting in a trough of oil and prevents the tone-arm skating across the record when knocked. It helps with warped records or when the stylus encounters dust build-up or an imperfection in the record's groove.
Head shell
On some tone-arms the cartridge fits into a removable head shell rather than directly to the arm. Particularly handy when using multiple cartridges.
Speed selector
Very old records play at 78 revolutions per minute (use a special 78rpm stylus for them) and some very rare records were recorded at 16rpm, but the two main speeds are
33rpm for LPs and 45rpm for singles and EPs. Most turntables handle 33 and 45, sometimes with a switch, sometimes by moving the drive belt on the spindle (use cotton gloves). Some new USB turntables claim to play 78rpm but don't - they provide computer software that fakes the correct speed after you've recorded the track at 33rpm.
SOURCE: http://www.theage.com.au/
The turntable has returned to favour with a resurgence of vinyl music, writes Rod Easdown.
THERE are all sorts of theories explaining the return of the turntable: baby boomers with big record collections; young people getting into dance music on vinyl; DJs; DrHouse using one in the television series. And there are the legions of folk who say records sound better than CDs.
Greg Borrowman, the editor of Australian Hi-Fi magazine, has another one. He thinks we're yearning for what was lost when analog music yielded to digital.
"CDs have no personality; they're set and forget," he says. "With vinyl, it's ritual. You slide the LP out of its sleeve, then deftly remove it from the inner dust jacket, making sure not to touch the playing surface. You place it on the platter with both hands, like an offering. You clean the record's surface and perhaps the stylus. Only then do you lower the tonearm to be rewarded with the music."
This covers the full gamut of anticipation, the careful, practised flourish of implementation and the ultimate reward, no different from pulling the cork out of a 10-year-old Hill of Grace.
Whatever the reason, turntables are back in favour.
Michael Thornton-Smith at importer International Dynamics says for every CD player he wholesales, five turntables go out the door. They are "the most consistent, most reliable product we have - month in, month out".
"And it's not like we don't sell CD players. Given the resurgence in two-channel stereo music, CD players sell steadily.
"We've noticed this resurgence over the past couple of years and not just with turntables. Two-channel amplifiers also sell strongly. People with home cinemas and iPods aren't happy with how they handle music and want to get back to hearing it reproduced faithfully."
Craig McNeil, general manager at retailer Tivoli Hi-Fi, politely scoffs at talk of a two-channel resurgence. "Really, stereo never went away. It's the best way to get the most out of your music," he says.
Mr Borrowman believes turntables have become objetsd'art. "Gone are the old, square, teak boxes with perspex covers," he says. "Turntables are now beautiful and they're beautiful to watch. They've become a feature in living rooms."
An Austrian turntable maker called Pro-Ject has been extraordinarily successful in Australia, and the biggest seller in its range is the cheapest model, the Debut, starting at $549. Unlike many more expensive ones, it's ready to go straight out of the box, supplied with both tone arm and cartridge. Premium turntables frequently have neither, leaving buyers free to customise with offerings from manufacturers specialising in them.
"Pro-Ject turntables up to $850 come with cartridges and tone arms. After that, buyers want to make their own choices," MrThornton-Smith says.
Mr McNeil says most turntable sales at Tivoli are between $600 and $2000. "But the sky is the limit ... there's a Goldman from America supplied in a 100-kilogram isolation rack that needs part of its componentry placed in another room. It's around $215,000 and we've never sold one, but we sell turntables up to $15,000."
An important factor is the availability of spare parts, like cartridges and styli, and MrThornton-Smith says ancillaries are big sellers. "Phono preamps are big movers, both with and without USB outputs, and we also sell speed regulators, wall-mount brackets, cleaning equipment, anti-static mats and strobe discs."
Phono preamps? All amplifiers used to have an input marked "phono" where the turntable plugged in. Unlike other inputs, it was specially amplified because signals from turntables are weak. But with the rise of CD, and especially home theatre, many amplifier makers have dropped them. Plugging the turntable into an amplifier's auxiliary input doesn't work unless you have either a phono preamplifier or a turntable with one built in. These boost the signal into something the amplifier can use, and they start at about $200, going up to $5000. If your amplifier has a phono input, you won't need one.
What about USB outputs? These allow you to plug the turntable directly into your computer so music can be transferred onto the hard drive, a CD, DVD or iPod.
MrBorrowman believes the popularity of iPods and whole-of-home music servers is yet another driver of turntable sales, with people wanting to access their vinyl music through them.
Transferring records to digital media involves software, some of which can be bewilderingly complex. He suggests Xitel's INport Deluxe, selling for about $150 through xitel.com.
If you're hankering for vinyl music you haven't heard for years, some notes of caution. Today's music production is far more sophisticated than it was 25 years ago and nothing brings this home faster than listening to old records. Many sound flat, boring and almost crude. Also,there's surface noise, the clicks and pops always present with records that disappear withCDs.
But, as Mr Thornton-Smith observes, the warmth and dynamic range of a vinyl recording is still compelling.
Deconstructing a turntable
The disc on which the record is placed. It is usually driven by a belt, sometimes directly by an electric motor. At its middle is the spindle, the spike that centres the record.
Mat
It sits on the platter and cushions the record. Some are treated to reduce static electricity; others, called slip mats, are low friction, allowing the record to be stopped or reversed while the platter keeps spinning. Don't try this with a normal turntable; you'll need a DJ model.
Tone-arm
The arm housing the cartridge and stylus that moves across the record as the stylus follows the groove.
Cartridge
It contains the delicate electronics that convert the stylus' movement into electrical impulses.
Stylus
Sometimes called the needle. It's the tiny assembly for the diamond point that tracks minute undulations in the walls of the record's groove and translates them into music.
Counterweight
An adjustable weight at the back of the tone-arm regulating downward pressure of the stylus on the record's surface.
Anti-skating device
Often a counterweight on a string, sometimes a spring-loaded device near the tone-arm's pivot point, this counteracts the propensity of the stylus to move towards the outer side of the groove wall due to centrifugal force.
Strobe
Usually a series of radial lines on the edge of the mat or platter spaced so that when the platter is spinning at the correct speed they appear to be stationary. If they seem to be moving, the speed can be fine-tuned with a pitch control, if fitted.
Cue
The lever assembly that lowers the tone-arm and stylus onto the record's surface. These are often hydraulically damped.
Damping device
Found only on expensive tone-arms, it usually consists of a paddle sitting in a trough of oil and prevents the tone-arm skating across the record when knocked. It helps with warped records or when the stylus encounters dust build-up or an imperfection in the record's groove.
Head shell
On some tone-arms the cartridge fits into a removable head shell rather than directly to the arm. Particularly handy when using multiple cartridges.
Speed selector
Very old records play at 78 revolutions per minute (use a special 78rpm stylus for them) and some very rare records were recorded at 16rpm, but the two main speeds are
33rpm for LPs and 45rpm for singles and EPs. Most turntables handle 33 and 45, sometimes with a switch, sometimes by moving the drive belt on the spindle (use cotton gloves). Some new USB turntables claim to play 78rpm but don't - they provide computer software that fakes the correct speed after you've recorded the track at 33rpm.
SOURCE: http://www.theage.com.au/
I'd Help If I Were Closer!
Roger Butler walks down the stairs of his home Wednesday, April 29, 2009. He is being evicted from his South Hill home and is wondering how he will store his massive record collection estimated at more than 100,000 albums.
No spin here: Massive record collection needs a home
Doug Clark
The Spokesman-Review
Roger Butler has lost his modest home on Spokane’s South Hill. He is days away from having to get out.
But I won’t go into all the bad luck and bad decisions that brought the 69-year-old musician to this point. That ship, as they say, has sailed. And sunk.
What I do want to tell you about is Butler’s most pressing problem.
He needs to find a good-hearted soul who will give him a place where he can temporarily store his collection of vintage vinyl records.
That may not sound like such a big deal. Not until you see what a guy can amass in 60 years of record collecting.
Butler often tells people that he has 100,000 records. “But that was the point where I stopped counting,” he explained while leading me on a tour through his cluttered abode.
Holy Victrola!
Butler has records galore in practically every format: 45s, 10- and 12-inch LPs and even those old 78s my parents once danced to.
Many of Butler’s records have already been boxed up. One basement room has boxes stacked floor to ceiling, five rows deep. The main floor is a tangle of record stacks and more boxes. A similar landscape awaits anyone who ventures upstairs.
“I do like most everything,” Butler said. “I’m so eclectic.”
No kidding. Butler’s albums run from The Monkees to Thelonious Monk. He’s got Frank Sinatra and Frank Zappa.
What a scene. Marlon Brando’s brooding face stares out from the cover of “Jazz themes from The Wild One.”
There’s Coleman Hawkins and Carl Perkins. There’s an album of Miles Davis playing Porgy and Bess.
There’s simply too much to absorb in one visit.
Ray Charles. Jerry Lee Lewis. Dave Brubeck. Elvis Presley. Roy Orbison. Benny Goodman. Peter Frampton. Bing Crosby. Chet Baker. T-Bone Walker…
Butler laughed.
“If something is good,” he said, “it can only be better by having more.”
Butler is a soft-spoken man. He has deliberately held onto his sense of humor, he said, so as not to succumb to his bleak situation.
Butler’s hair is a bit long and mostly gray. He wore a loose plaid shirt, black pants and sandals. His big toe poked out of a hole in his white sock, the left one.
Butler is a walking encyclopedia of music, especially when it comes to his favorite idioms: rock and roll and jazz.
Near the front door, he stopped and picked up an album by an artist named Richard “Popcorn” Wylie. “This is a rare one,” he said, offering a brief history. Wylie “was a football player. He didn’t care about royalties…”
Butler’s music liner notes would start at age 9. That’s when the Spokane kid fell in love with music and began his lifelong hobby of collecting records. The group that first won his heart was The Four Aces, a vocal quartet with a signature shuffle beat.
The year was 1951. Popular music was still civilized and sedate. In a few years, however, an explosion would take place in a Memphis recording studio and the world would never quite be the same.
Butler was a student at Lewis and Clark High School when that Elvis bomb went off.
He decided to take up the piano. To his delight, he found that all the hours he had spent listening to records had given him a fine musical ear.
He joined a band that, after a name change, became The Frogs.
“We were actually the first animal group,” he said with a laugh. “We were going to have lily pads and wear green tuxedos.”
Butler said he would love to see his collection become a reference library for musicians.
Better yet, Butler could sell it all. That could take away some of the sting out of losing a house. It would give a single man something to live on in his old age.
Butler has no idea what kind of nest egg his collection would provide. But he does know what it represents.
“That’s the history of rock and roll,” said Butler, waving a hand at a random stack of boxes. “And the history of jazz, too.”
Doug Clark is a columnist with The Spokesman-Review. He can be reached at (509) 459-5432 or by e-mail at dougc@spokesman.com.
SOURCE: www.spokesman.com
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
The Witch Doctor
April of 2009 is the 51st anniversary of a popular song by the Chipmunks, a fictitious singing group who were created for music listeners to laugh while they enjoyed the music. Let’s learn more about this novelty song, "The Witch Doctor," that hit #1 on the charts in April of 1958.
Inspiration comes from a variety of sources; some people are inspired by passionate pleas, political speeches or historic events. But how can a chipmunk help a person develop a worldwide music dynasty?
Just ask David Seville (Ross Bagdasarian), the brainchild behind the singing novelty group of chipmunks- Alvin, Simon and Theodore. While driving through Yosemite, California, Seville slowed down to allow a chipmunk that was in the road, to carry on his merry little way. But as the chipmunk took his time, ideas flooded Seville’s head, and the fictitious singing group the Chipmunks was born.
In early 1957, Seville cut a novelty ditty called “Witch Doctor,” a song about being unlucky at love. The witch doctor would explain to him specifically what to do to gain the attention of a girl. The silly refrain of “Oo-Ee, Oo-Ah-Ah, Ting-Tang, Walla-Walla, Bing Bang” was launched into the unsuspecting music world and a pop culture phenomenon was born (The "Walla Walla" part of the song was just thrown in as a reference to Ross Bagdasarian's uncle who lived in Walla Walla, Washington). This entire song was performed by Seville in his normal voice and then sped up for the infectious effect.
This fictional group consisted of three singing chipmunks, Alvin, a mischievous, troublemaker and the star of the group (named after Liberty Records president Alvin Bennett), Simon, a tall-intellectual fellow (who was named after Simon Waronker -founder and owner of Liberty Records) and Theodore, the chubby sweetheart of the trio (who was named after chief engineer Theodore Keep).
Recording techniques used to create their unique voices was not a new event. In fact, some of the high and low pitched characters in the legendary movie, “The Wizard of Oz,” were achieved the same way- by speeding up the vocal recordings. Seville actually recorded the vocals and music at different speeds, combining the two perfectly to obtain his trademark sound.
The process was simple- the Chipmunk ‘voices’ were recorded onto an audiotape by voice talent or Seville talking or singing at half the normal speed. This purposely done slowing down could then be played back at double speed making them sound a full octave higher in pitch at normal tempo. A new term also found its way into the American vernacular- the term ‘chipmunked-voiced,’ which means any artificially high-pitched voice. And, as silly as this sounds, the Chipmunks (Seville) actually earned two Grammy Awards for engineering.
These fictional stars soon scored another #1 hit with 1958’s “The Chipmunk Song” and went on to release a long line of children’s albums and singles. Even after Seville’s passing in 1972, his son, Ross Bagdasarian Jr. has kept the empire alive, entertaining new generations of children all over the world. Not a bad result considering that the music was actually inspired by one of our fury friends!
Fun Chipmunk Facts:
The "singing rodent" concept has been successfully imitated elsewhere, notably by the Finnish "singing squirrel" Pikku Orava.
The Chipmunks make a guest appearance on the Canned Heat song "The Chipmunk Song" (which is not the same song as the 1958 hit) that appeared on their Christmas single.
Prince has used the technique on several of his songs, as well as Frank Zappa on “We're Only In It For The Money” and on the instrumental album Hot Rats, among others.
In the early 90's rave scene, many breakbeat hardcore productions would utilize the same studio tricks, often taking a cappellas from old soul and house records and speeding them up to fit the faster tempo. Vocals in songs that used this method would typically be referred to as "chipmunk vocals".
Some people may think that Chip 'n Dale Rescue Rangers are a "cheap imitation" of the Chipmunks. But, this is incorrect, as Chip and Dale first appeared in the Disney cartoon "Private Pluto" in 1943, more than a decade before the creation of the Chipmunks—however, the cartoon series Chip 'n Dale Rescue Rangers, the first appearance of them with different personalities and first appearance of them wearing clothes was created in 1989, well after the debut of Alvin and the Chipmunks in the fifties. Other than anthropomorphic chipmunks as main characters, the two franchises have little in common, other than the fact that Chip and Dale have squeaky voices created by the speeding up of records to 45.
In the 1980s there was a "group" called The Happy Hamsters, which was an obvious attempt to cash in on the Chipmunks' popularity; it has since lapsed into obscurity.
Still going strong, the Chipmunks' newest album, Undeniable, was released in November 2008.
The Chipmunk's legacy was not without serious issues, in fact, the group's name changed from "The Chipmunks" to "Alvin & The Chipmunks" just like "Diana Ross & The Supremes". Alvin, just like Diana Ross, was the lead singer. The Chipmunks name change sparked rumors of a possible solo career for Alvin. And by 1961, Alvin had his own show called appropriately called "The Alvin Show" and released his first solo album which was also the soundtrack album to the show called "The Alvin Show (album)".
Interestingly, the Chipmunks spoofed John Lennon's 1966 infamous comment that the Beatles had become "more popular than Jesus", by recalling how the Chipmunks had fallen in popularity after Alvin boasted they were "bigger than Mickey Mouse!"
There is also a price difference regarding whether the Chipmunks on the cover of an album are drawn as animals or as the fictional characters.
Mr. Music
I am continuing our new feature: Ask "Mr. Music." Now in its 23rd year of syndication (1986-2008), Jerry Osborne's weekly Q&A feature will be a regular post every Wednesday from now on. Be sure to stop by Jerry's site (www.jerryosborne.com) for more Mr. Music archives, record price guides, anything Elvis, buy & sell collectibles, record appraisals and much more. I thank Jerry for allowing the reprints.
FOR THE WEEK OF APRIL 20, 2009
DEAR JERRY: I am trying to confirm something I heard decades ago, either on American Top 40 or a similar syndicated music show.
I remember this piece of trivia referring to the Beatles as the only group having each of their principal albums reach No. 1, during their years together.
I know this doesn't apply to miscellaneous (not Capitol-Apple) releases from companies who merely jumped on the Beatle mania bandwagon.
Is this claim true? If not, which LPs are the exceptions?
—Richard McGraw, Owensboro, Ky.
DEAR RICHARD: Album sales are one area where it's hard to overstate the Beatles' supremacy, though this statement, if as you recall, is a wee bit exaggerated.
Of the 17 Capitol-Apple albums, from early 1964 through early '70, only three failed to reach No. 1: “Something New” (1964); “Yellow Submarine” (1969); and “Hey Jude” (1970).
Then again, each of these peaked at No. 2, as close to the crest as possible.
Though I don't agree, someone may have disqualified “Yellow Submarine” for being a soundtrack, and “Hey Jude,” a compilation of 1960s singles. Still the claim is untrue because of “Something New.”
Regardless, among all artists with at least 10 hit albums, no one matches the Beatles' mind-boggling portion of LPs that reached No. 1: from 83% to 94%, depending on how you score it.
Most significant among non-Capitol product is Vee-Jay's “Introducing the Beatles,” their first U.S. LP.
Issued January 10, 1964, about 10 days ahead of “Meet the Beatles,” the Vee-Jay collection zoomed up to No. 2. That would be its peak thanks to the stranglehold on No. 1 by “Meet the Beatles.”
“Introducing the Beatles” is far and away the most successful non-Capitol or Apple LP.
With 19 No. 1 albums overall (1964-2000), the Beatles have about twice as many as the rest of the Top 10 in that department. The only other artist with double-digit No. 1s is Elvis, with 10.
DEAR JERRY: One of my 45s is “Fortuneteller” by Bobby Curtola, a fellow I didn't even know until I got a computer.
Now wired and connected to the world, I see Curtola is one of the most popular singers in Canadian history.
He sounds really great so I am surprised he didn't become bigger in the U.S. If he did I just missed it. Mostly, I would like to know the name of the very familiar sounding female group singing with him on “Fortunteller.”
I can't think of their name but I do recognize their distinctive sound.
—Myra in Detroit
DEAR MYRA: You should, especially if you are familiar with Roy Orbison's “Blue Bayou,” or the angelic voices behind Bobby Helms on “My Special Angel.”
These gals and guys are the Nashville-based Anita Kerr Singers, who appear on more hit records than anyone not named the Jordanaires.
Besides Bobby Curtola — who I think is teriffic, by the way — Roy Orbison, and Bobby Helms, here are just a FEW more folks whose recordings benefit from backing by the Anita Kerr Singers: Bill Anderson; Ann-Margret; Bobby Bare; Pat Boone; Patsy Cline; Perry Como; Red Foley; Al Hirt; Homer & Jethro; Burl Ives; Brenda Lee; Willie Nelson; Elvis Presley; Jim Reeves; Charlie Rich; Hank Snow; Wynn Stewart; Mitchell Torok; Jimmy Velvet; Bobby Vinton; Faron Young; and dozens more.
IZ ZAT SO? With vocal harmonies as beautiful as the Anita Kerr Singers, one would expect them to have a few hit records of their own. Well, they do.
In 1960, billed as the Little Dippers, Anita, along with Floyd Cramer and a few Nashville friends, hit the Top 10 with “Forever” (University 210).
Two years later, now as Anita and Th' So-and-So's, they scored again with “Joey Baby” (RCA Victor 7974) and a nice follow-up, “To Each His Own” (RCA Victor 8050).
Probably Kerr's sweetest single is the late '63 coupling of “Guitar Country” and “Waitin' for the Evening Train” (RCA Victor 8246). On both sides the Anita Kerr Quartet sings as Chet Atkins plays guitar.
FOR THE WEEK OF APRIL 20, 2009
DEAR JERRY: I am trying to confirm something I heard decades ago, either on American Top 40 or a similar syndicated music show.
I remember this piece of trivia referring to the Beatles as the only group having each of their principal albums reach No. 1, during their years together.
I know this doesn't apply to miscellaneous (not Capitol-Apple) releases from companies who merely jumped on the Beatle mania bandwagon.
Is this claim true? If not, which LPs are the exceptions?
—Richard McGraw, Owensboro, Ky.
DEAR RICHARD: Album sales are one area where it's hard to overstate the Beatles' supremacy, though this statement, if as you recall, is a wee bit exaggerated.
Of the 17 Capitol-Apple albums, from early 1964 through early '70, only three failed to reach No. 1: “Something New” (1964); “Yellow Submarine” (1969); and “Hey Jude” (1970).
Then again, each of these peaked at No. 2, as close to the crest as possible.
Though I don't agree, someone may have disqualified “Yellow Submarine” for being a soundtrack, and “Hey Jude,” a compilation of 1960s singles. Still the claim is untrue because of “Something New.”
Regardless, among all artists with at least 10 hit albums, no one matches the Beatles' mind-boggling portion of LPs that reached No. 1: from 83% to 94%, depending on how you score it.
Most significant among non-Capitol product is Vee-Jay's “Introducing the Beatles,” their first U.S. LP.
Issued January 10, 1964, about 10 days ahead of “Meet the Beatles,” the Vee-Jay collection zoomed up to No. 2. That would be its peak thanks to the stranglehold on No. 1 by “Meet the Beatles.”
“Introducing the Beatles” is far and away the most successful non-Capitol or Apple LP.
With 19 No. 1 albums overall (1964-2000), the Beatles have about twice as many as the rest of the Top 10 in that department. The only other artist with double-digit No. 1s is Elvis, with 10.
DEAR JERRY: One of my 45s is “Fortuneteller” by Bobby Curtola, a fellow I didn't even know until I got a computer.
Now wired and connected to the world, I see Curtola is one of the most popular singers in Canadian history.
He sounds really great so I am surprised he didn't become bigger in the U.S. If he did I just missed it. Mostly, I would like to know the name of the very familiar sounding female group singing with him on “Fortunteller.”
I can't think of their name but I do recognize their distinctive sound.
—Myra in Detroit
DEAR MYRA: You should, especially if you are familiar with Roy Orbison's “Blue Bayou,” or the angelic voices behind Bobby Helms on “My Special Angel.”
These gals and guys are the Nashville-based Anita Kerr Singers, who appear on more hit records than anyone not named the Jordanaires.
Besides Bobby Curtola — who I think is teriffic, by the way — Roy Orbison, and Bobby Helms, here are just a FEW more folks whose recordings benefit from backing by the Anita Kerr Singers: Bill Anderson; Ann-Margret; Bobby Bare; Pat Boone; Patsy Cline; Perry Como; Red Foley; Al Hirt; Homer & Jethro; Burl Ives; Brenda Lee; Willie Nelson; Elvis Presley; Jim Reeves; Charlie Rich; Hank Snow; Wynn Stewart; Mitchell Torok; Jimmy Velvet; Bobby Vinton; Faron Young; and dozens more.
IZ ZAT SO? With vocal harmonies as beautiful as the Anita Kerr Singers, one would expect them to have a few hit records of their own. Well, they do.
In 1960, billed as the Little Dippers, Anita, along with Floyd Cramer and a few Nashville friends, hit the Top 10 with “Forever” (University 210).
Two years later, now as Anita and Th' So-and-So's, they scored again with “Joey Baby” (RCA Victor 7974) and a nice follow-up, “To Each His Own” (RCA Victor 8050).
Probably Kerr's sweetest single is the late '63 coupling of “Guitar Country” and “Waitin' for the Evening Train” (RCA Victor 8246). On both sides the Anita Kerr Quartet sings as Chet Atkins plays guitar.
Super Furry Animals Album Cover Art
As you all know, I am a sucker for great album cover art. Japanese pop icon Keiichi Tanaami and UK artist Pete Fowler have teamed up to create the latest artwork for the cover art of Super Furry Animals’ latest album Dark Days/Light Years.
The album was officially released on April 21st. Dark Days/Light Years marks the first time both artists have worked on an album cover for the pyschedelic Welsh rockers although Tanaami has done work for the band’s past two albums while Pete Fowler has contributed artwork for six of their past LP’s.
Top 10 most expensive turntables
In the vinyl world, there’s an elite group of individuals who think the best way to listen to music is on a high-quality old-fashioned analog turntable. But, when you are going to pay an exorbitant amount of money for a piece of antiquated technology like a turntable, you unquestionably want it to be one and only. Here is a list of the top 10 most expensive turntable, we will start with number 10 today and do the bottom five- look for the top 5 tomorrow.
10. TEAC’s VPI HR-X1 turntable
Price: $19,000
If you have a taste for high-end audio and don’t mind spending richly for a hi-end craftsmanship than the run-of-the-mill speakers and audio systems, then this $19,000 TEAC’s VPI HR-X1 turntable is meant to satiate your affluent tastes. The VPI HR-X from TEAC features a belt driven, 50-mm thick acrylic plate which floats on an air suspension system at 33.3 or 45rpm. The turntable features 24 extremely, 300rpm AC synchronous motors and it weighs approximately 52.5kg.
9. ClearAudio Master Reference
Price: US $19,000
The ClearAudio Master Reference turntable is the just right pick if you are serious about aesthetics and audio. The turntable is hand-made in Germany and boasts a range of innovative features including APG (Accurate Power Generator) motor control system, master reference chassis, a master TQ-I tonearm and unique ‘Side-Force-Free’ triple motor and belt drive system. The master reference turntable is also available in various other models and is considered by many leading audio magazines, including ‘The Absolute Sound’, ‘Stereoplay’ and ‘Hifi +’ as the best turntable on the marker. Superb mechanical design and precise production provide the foundation for a cohesive, dynamic sound throughout the complete musical spectrum.
8. Proscenium Black Diamond Turntable
Price: US $40,000
The Proscenium Black Diamond Turntable is the result of over 30 years of research to build the best sounding turntable. Every component is selected precisely for its sonic performance. Even the finish on the platter has been selected for its sonic merit. Although the complete system is quite complex, it is extremely reliable and very easy to set up and play. The system comes complete with arm, requiring only your favorite cartridge. Salient features include a huge Air-bearing Platter that is 10 inches in diameter with 3 air jets, Platter and Record Clamp, remote Drive motor, and an Ultimate Motor Controller that comes mounted on an eight-piece Valid Points resonance control kit.
7. SME 30 Turntable
Price: US $40,000
The SME 30 Turntable is compact and incredibly dense, weighing in at 90 lbs. It employs a nifty suspension system using a combination of elastomers and silicone to achieve an almost zero Q suspension. The SME platter mat boasts a unique combination of high shear stiffness and effective vertical damping to purge the energy feedback from the platter back into the record. The amalgamation of compact high mass, non-resonant materials, and speed stability delivers a playback system that will flabbergast you with excellent dynamics, clarity, and noise free background.
6. DaVinciAudio Labs AAS Gabriel
Price: US $41,250
The unique design of the DaVinciAudio Labs AAS Gabriel turntable is inspired from the same process that is used to cut grooves into masters for vinyl discs. The turntable looks deadly cool when we take a look at its form factor and compare the make to the Transrotor Artus, Sondek LP12 SE turntable, TEAC’s VPI HR-X1 turntable, Goldmund’s The Reference II, and the Basis Audio turntable. All of these carry a hefty price tag but when we talk about looks, the AAS Gabriel turntable certainly sits at the top. Frankly speaking, it looks to be something that should be placed in an art museum. It comes equipped with highly stable drive chassis, acoustically sound turntable, silent bearings, and stable power supply. It has been designed in a way to produce absolutely zero noise or vibration. The inimitable design is inspired from the same process that is employed to cut grooves into masters for vinyl discs. Meant for the fat wallets, the 24-karat gold and white Luxury Edition sells for $41,250 while the silver and black version will set you back only $35,400.
SOURCE: http://www.bornrich.org
10. TEAC’s VPI HR-X1 turntable
Price: $19,000
If you have a taste for high-end audio and don’t mind spending richly for a hi-end craftsmanship than the run-of-the-mill speakers and audio systems, then this $19,000 TEAC’s VPI HR-X1 turntable is meant to satiate your affluent tastes. The VPI HR-X from TEAC features a belt driven, 50-mm thick acrylic plate which floats on an air suspension system at 33.3 or 45rpm. The turntable features 24 extremely, 300rpm AC synchronous motors and it weighs approximately 52.5kg.
9. ClearAudio Master Reference
Price: US $19,000
The ClearAudio Master Reference turntable is the just right pick if you are serious about aesthetics and audio. The turntable is hand-made in Germany and boasts a range of innovative features including APG (Accurate Power Generator) motor control system, master reference chassis, a master TQ-I tonearm and unique ‘Side-Force-Free’ triple motor and belt drive system. The master reference turntable is also available in various other models and is considered by many leading audio magazines, including ‘The Absolute Sound’, ‘Stereoplay’ and ‘Hifi +’ as the best turntable on the marker. Superb mechanical design and precise production provide the foundation for a cohesive, dynamic sound throughout the complete musical spectrum.
8. Proscenium Black Diamond Turntable
Price: US $40,000
The Proscenium Black Diamond Turntable is the result of over 30 years of research to build the best sounding turntable. Every component is selected precisely for its sonic performance. Even the finish on the platter has been selected for its sonic merit. Although the complete system is quite complex, it is extremely reliable and very easy to set up and play. The system comes complete with arm, requiring only your favorite cartridge. Salient features include a huge Air-bearing Platter that is 10 inches in diameter with 3 air jets, Platter and Record Clamp, remote Drive motor, and an Ultimate Motor Controller that comes mounted on an eight-piece Valid Points resonance control kit.
7. SME 30 Turntable
Price: US $40,000
The SME 30 Turntable is compact and incredibly dense, weighing in at 90 lbs. It employs a nifty suspension system using a combination of elastomers and silicone to achieve an almost zero Q suspension. The SME platter mat boasts a unique combination of high shear stiffness and effective vertical damping to purge the energy feedback from the platter back into the record. The amalgamation of compact high mass, non-resonant materials, and speed stability delivers a playback system that will flabbergast you with excellent dynamics, clarity, and noise free background.
6. DaVinciAudio Labs AAS Gabriel
Price: US $41,250
The unique design of the DaVinciAudio Labs AAS Gabriel turntable is inspired from the same process that is used to cut grooves into masters for vinyl discs. The turntable looks deadly cool when we take a look at its form factor and compare the make to the Transrotor Artus, Sondek LP12 SE turntable, TEAC’s VPI HR-X1 turntable, Goldmund’s The Reference II, and the Basis Audio turntable. All of these carry a hefty price tag but when we talk about looks, the AAS Gabriel turntable certainly sits at the top. Frankly speaking, it looks to be something that should be placed in an art museum. It comes equipped with highly stable drive chassis, acoustically sound turntable, silent bearings, and stable power supply. It has been designed in a way to produce absolutely zero noise or vibration. The inimitable design is inspired from the same process that is employed to cut grooves into masters for vinyl discs. Meant for the fat wallets, the 24-karat gold and white Luxury Edition sells for $41,250 while the silver and black version will set you back only $35,400.
SOURCE: http://www.bornrich.org
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Audiophile Audition Review
I want to thank John over at http://www.audaud.com/index.php for the exclusive rights to reprint this great review!
AUDIOPHILE AUDITION focuses on recordings of interest to audiophiles and collectors, with an accent on surround sound for music, and on all hi-res disc formats. Over 100SACD, DVD Video/Audio and standard CD reviews are published during each month, and our archives go back to January 2001.
Lonnie Johnson – Portraits in Blues, Vol. 6 – Swingville / Pure Pleasure Records PPAN SLP162 – Audiophile 180 gram LP – (1963 Copenhagen, Denmark) ****1/2:
(Lonnie Johnson, guitar, vocals; Otis Spann, piano)
Lonnie Johnson has been described as the grand old man of the blues. Born in 1894, in New Orleans, Johnson had a long and varied career; both playing and being rediscovered many times when he took time off from playing to do menial labor work to cover the lean times.
Johnson’s playing and singing is unique as it crosses boundaries between jazz and the blues. His blues had a more jazz orientation as his guitar picking leaned toward acoustic jazz and his voice had a sweetness unlike the more country blues gruffness found from Southern blues men. There is a sophistication he brought to blues like Clementine Blues, See See Rider, and Jelly Jelly.
Johnson also mastered the violin, which may be a reason that he made a name for himself in jazz circles, playing with Louis Armstrong’s Hot Seven as well as a brief stay with early Duke Ellington. Lonnie cut an extended series of recordings for Okeh Records in the mid 20s to early 30s. His recordings with jazz guitarist, Eddie Lang, are legendary.
On Portraits of Blues, we find Lonnie near the end of his career (he passed away seven years after this recording) on tour with the great Otis Spann accompanying him on piano. Johnson’s voice was still strong at age 64 and his guitar playing was still robust.
England’s Pure Pleasure Records has done their usual superb remastering job with the original Storyville tapes. It would actually be news if Pure Pleasure had done anything less. Having the opportunity to hear Lonnie Johnson in superb sonics is a real treat as Johnson is a unique musician who could cross jazz and blues genres easily. This LP shows that the two musical idioms could be blended into a sweet mix when you have the talent of the inimitable Lonnie Johnson. Highly recommended!
TrackList:
Side 1:
Tomorrow Night
Clementine Blues
See See Rider
Raining on the Cold Cold Ground
Jelly, Jelly
Side 2:
Too Late to Cry
Call Me Darling
Why Did You Go
Swingin’ with Lonnie
Please Help Me
Earl Hines and Harry “Sweets” Edison – Earl Meets Harry- Pure Pleasure Records/ Definitive Black and Blue Sessions PPAN 007 – 180 gram vinyl LP- 1978 *****:
(Earl “Fatha” Hines, piano; Harry “Sweets” Edison, trumpet)
As translated from the French album liner notes, it was surprising to note that jazz giants Earl Hines and Harry Edison, hardly knew each other in 1978 when they entered the Studio Sinus in Berne, Switzerland, on April 26, 1978. Well it certainly did not take them long to mesh as their styles are so complementary.
Hines was a master stride pianist and had among the quickest left hands in the business, as he would augment his stride lines with glistening arpeggios without losing a beat. With that lightning left hand he could approach Art Tatum in technique but not speed, as in that department Tatum had no peer, as Art played the piano as if having four hands and two pianos.
Sweets Edison was a master at understatement like his former boss, Count Basie. He could say more with fewer notes than most of his contemporaries. His taste was exquisite and he could swing effortlessly.
The Hines Edison duo just shines here playing strictly standards such as I Cover the Waterfront, Just Squeeze Me, Just You Just Me, and Mean to Me. For swing fans it’s a match made in heaven as Hines embellishes while Sweets plays all the right notes. As these songs are so well known, you kind of know what to expect, but it’s a treat to hear Hines cutting loose and Edison’s sweet, warm tone carrying the day.
Oh, did I forget to mention the impeccable true to life intimate acoustics that Pure Pleasure brings to all their projects is worth every penny of the asking price? If you dig Fatha and Sweets, you’ve got to have this LP.
TrackList: Side A: I Cover the Waterfront, Just Squeeze Me, But Not for Me, Just You Just Me
Side B: Mean to Me, I Surrender Dear, The One I Love Belongs to Somebody Else
Laura Nyro – New York Tendaberry – Columbia/ Pure Pleasure Records- PPAN KCS9737 – (1969) *****:
Laura Nyro could break your heart with her gut-wrenching beauty. She poured out her emotions in songs full of gospel, soul, folk and jazz. She was a one of a kind and wore her heart on her sleeve. She had a once in a generation voice as Billie Holiday brought to jazz, and Joan Baez to folk.
The audiophile label, Pure Pleasure Records, out of England, has done a public service in releasing New York Tendaberry in glorious 180-gram vinyl with sumptuous remastering by Ray Staff. Laura’s vocals are crystalline and the occasional orchestral backings by Jimmy Haskell jump out from your speakers and will blow your mind on a quality pair of headphones.
Save the Country and Time And Love have been covered by many pop artists, but its Laura’s versions that stand the test of time. When you hear her emote, it’s as if Laura wrote the lyrics just to inspire you.
Laura Nyro had a brief period in the limelight before retiring at age 24. She came back on the scene several times in the ensuing decades but never regained her moment in the sun before dying of ovarian cancer in 1997. Her most noted compositions-Eli’s Coming, Stone Soul Picnic, and Sweet Blindness-were made into much bigger hits by others. Her genius was recognized by none other than David Geffen, who quit his early job as a music agent to become her manager.
New York Tendaberry had few hits, with the exception of Save the Country. What it did have was heartfelt lyrics sung in glorious emotions of happiness and deep pain by the genius that was Laura Nyro. What passes as pop music today pales in comparison. It was a “pure pleasure” to review this audiophile LP wonder…
TrackList: (Side A): You Don’t Love Me When I Cry, Captain for Dark Mornings, Tom Cat Goodbye, Mercy on Broadway, Save the Country
(Side B): Gibsom Street, Time and Love, The Man Who Sends Me Home, Sweet Lovin’ Baby, Captain Saint Lucifer, New York Tendaberry
AUDIOPHILE AUDITION focuses on recordings of interest to audiophiles and collectors, with an accent on surround sound for music, and on all hi-res disc formats. Over 100SACD, DVD Video/Audio and standard CD reviews are published during each month, and our archives go back to January 2001.
Lonnie Johnson – Portraits in Blues, Vol. 6 – Swingville / Pure Pleasure Records PPAN SLP162 – Audiophile 180 gram LP – (1963 Copenhagen, Denmark) ****1/2:(Lonnie Johnson, guitar, vocals; Otis Spann, piano)
Lonnie Johnson has been described as the grand old man of the blues. Born in 1894, in New Orleans, Johnson had a long and varied career; both playing and being rediscovered many times when he took time off from playing to do menial labor work to cover the lean times.
Johnson’s playing and singing is unique as it crosses boundaries between jazz and the blues. His blues had a more jazz orientation as his guitar picking leaned toward acoustic jazz and his voice had a sweetness unlike the more country blues gruffness found from Southern blues men. There is a sophistication he brought to blues like Clementine Blues, See See Rider, and Jelly Jelly.
Johnson also mastered the violin, which may be a reason that he made a name for himself in jazz circles, playing with Louis Armstrong’s Hot Seven as well as a brief stay with early Duke Ellington. Lonnie cut an extended series of recordings for Okeh Records in the mid 20s to early 30s. His recordings with jazz guitarist, Eddie Lang, are legendary.
On Portraits of Blues, we find Lonnie near the end of his career (he passed away seven years after this recording) on tour with the great Otis Spann accompanying him on piano. Johnson’s voice was still strong at age 64 and his guitar playing was still robust.
England’s Pure Pleasure Records has done their usual superb remastering job with the original Storyville tapes. It would actually be news if Pure Pleasure had done anything less. Having the opportunity to hear Lonnie Johnson in superb sonics is a real treat as Johnson is a unique musician who could cross jazz and blues genres easily. This LP shows that the two musical idioms could be blended into a sweet mix when you have the talent of the inimitable Lonnie Johnson. Highly recommended!
TrackList:
Side 1:
Tomorrow Night
Clementine Blues
See See Rider
Raining on the Cold Cold Ground
Jelly, Jelly
Side 2:
Too Late to Cry
Call Me Darling
Why Did You Go
Swingin’ with Lonnie
Please Help Me
Earl Hines and Harry “Sweets” Edison – Earl Meets Harry- Pure Pleasure Records/ Definitive Black and Blue Sessions PPAN 007 – 180 gram vinyl LP- 1978 *****:
(Earl “Fatha” Hines, piano; Harry “Sweets” Edison, trumpet)
As translated from the French album liner notes, it was surprising to note that jazz giants Earl Hines and Harry Edison, hardly knew each other in 1978 when they entered the Studio Sinus in Berne, Switzerland, on April 26, 1978. Well it certainly did not take them long to mesh as their styles are so complementary.
Hines was a master stride pianist and had among the quickest left hands in the business, as he would augment his stride lines with glistening arpeggios without losing a beat. With that lightning left hand he could approach Art Tatum in technique but not speed, as in that department Tatum had no peer, as Art played the piano as if having four hands and two pianos.
Sweets Edison was a master at understatement like his former boss, Count Basie. He could say more with fewer notes than most of his contemporaries. His taste was exquisite and he could swing effortlessly.
The Hines Edison duo just shines here playing strictly standards such as I Cover the Waterfront, Just Squeeze Me, Just You Just Me, and Mean to Me. For swing fans it’s a match made in heaven as Hines embellishes while Sweets plays all the right notes. As these songs are so well known, you kind of know what to expect, but it’s a treat to hear Hines cutting loose and Edison’s sweet, warm tone carrying the day.
Oh, did I forget to mention the impeccable true to life intimate acoustics that Pure Pleasure brings to all their projects is worth every penny of the asking price? If you dig Fatha and Sweets, you’ve got to have this LP.
TrackList: Side A: I Cover the Waterfront, Just Squeeze Me, But Not for Me, Just You Just Me
Side B: Mean to Me, I Surrender Dear, The One I Love Belongs to Somebody Else
Laura Nyro – New York Tendaberry – Columbia/ Pure Pleasure Records- PPAN KCS9737 – (1969) *****:
Laura Nyro could break your heart with her gut-wrenching beauty. She poured out her emotions in songs full of gospel, soul, folk and jazz. She was a one of a kind and wore her heart on her sleeve. She had a once in a generation voice as Billie Holiday brought to jazz, and Joan Baez to folk.
The audiophile label, Pure Pleasure Records, out of England, has done a public service in releasing New York Tendaberry in glorious 180-gram vinyl with sumptuous remastering by Ray Staff. Laura’s vocals are crystalline and the occasional orchestral backings by Jimmy Haskell jump out from your speakers and will blow your mind on a quality pair of headphones.
Save the Country and Time And Love have been covered by many pop artists, but its Laura’s versions that stand the test of time. When you hear her emote, it’s as if Laura wrote the lyrics just to inspire you.
Laura Nyro had a brief period in the limelight before retiring at age 24. She came back on the scene several times in the ensuing decades but never regained her moment in the sun before dying of ovarian cancer in 1997. Her most noted compositions-Eli’s Coming, Stone Soul Picnic, and Sweet Blindness-were made into much bigger hits by others. Her genius was recognized by none other than David Geffen, who quit his early job as a music agent to become her manager.
New York Tendaberry had few hits, with the exception of Save the Country. What it did have was heartfelt lyrics sung in glorious emotions of happiness and deep pain by the genius that was Laura Nyro. What passes as pop music today pales in comparison. It was a “pure pleasure” to review this audiophile LP wonder…
TrackList: (Side A): You Don’t Love Me When I Cry, Captain for Dark Mornings, Tom Cat Goodbye, Mercy on Broadway, Save the Country
(Side B): Gibsom Street, Time and Love, The Man Who Sends Me Home, Sweet Lovin’ Baby, Captain Saint Lucifer, New York Tendaberry
Vinyl Collective News
I am happy to hear my friend Virgil over at www.vinylcollective.com is feeling better. Here is the latest news, stop by and pick up some great vinyl at the site:
With the shipment of the new NOFX album (Fristbee/Coaster), we received some restocks, too. Lawrence Arms, Loved Ones, Descendents, Strung Out, Sick of It All, D4, and more.
NOFX “Frisbee” LP
NOFX “Coaster” CD
AGAINST ME! “Don’t Lose Touch” LP
DESCENDENTS “Cool To Be You” LP
DILLINGER FOUR “Situationist Comedy” LP
J CHURCH “One Missippi” dbl LP
J Church “The Drama Of Alienation” LP
LAWRENCE ARMS “Oh! Calcutta!”LP
NO USE FOR A NAME “The Feel Good Record of the Year” LP
NOFX “Regaining Unconsciousness” 7″
NOFX “Surfer” 7″
NOFX “The Decline” LP
NOFX “The Longest Line” LP
NONE MORE BLACK “File Under Black” LP
PROPAGANDHI “How To Clean Everything” LP
SICK OF IT ALL “Call to Arms” LP
STRIKE ANYWHERE “Dead FM” LP
STRUNG OUT “American Paradox” LP
STRUNG OUT ìSuburban Teenage Wasteland Bluesî LP
THE LAWRENCE ARMS “Apathy & Exhaustion” LP
THE LOVED ONES “Build & Burn” LP
THE LOVED ONES “Distractions” LP
With the shipment of the new NOFX album (Fristbee/Coaster), we received some restocks, too. Lawrence Arms, Loved Ones, Descendents, Strung Out, Sick of It All, D4, and more.
NOFX “Frisbee” LP
NOFX “Coaster” CD
AGAINST ME! “Don’t Lose Touch” LP
DESCENDENTS “Cool To Be You” LP
DILLINGER FOUR “Situationist Comedy” LP
J CHURCH “One Missippi” dbl LP
J Church “The Drama Of Alienation” LP
LAWRENCE ARMS “Oh! Calcutta!”LP
NO USE FOR A NAME “The Feel Good Record of the Year” LP
NOFX “Regaining Unconsciousness” 7″
NOFX “Surfer” 7″
NOFX “The Decline” LP
NOFX “The Longest Line” LP
NONE MORE BLACK “File Under Black” LP
PROPAGANDHI “How To Clean Everything” LP
SICK OF IT ALL “Call to Arms” LP
STRIKE ANYWHERE “Dead FM” LP
STRUNG OUT “American Paradox” LP
STRUNG OUT ìSuburban Teenage Wasteland Bluesî LP
THE LAWRENCE ARMS “Apathy & Exhaustion” LP
THE LOVED ONES “Build & Burn” LP
THE LOVED ONES “Distractions” LP
Best Buy Vinyl !
According to the New York Post, Best Buy is thinking about selling vinyl records again in their stores.
The reason, as we all know, is that vinyl sales are growing. (As much as 15 percent up in 2007 and 89% in 2008). The 2009 forecast gets even better. The numbers are so good that mega giant Best Buy started a vinyl record pilot program in 100 stores. The results are so encouraging that the third largest music seller after iTunes and Wal-Mart is thinking about using as much as eight square feet in each of its 1,020 stores to sell vinyl records.
Apparently, vinyl records are becoming a cult object, with an audience seeking the appeal of the physical format and the special sound of analog (which in the case of the classics, could be more attractive than the digital productions). The interest, although minimal considering the rest of the industry, is big enough that big labels are re-releasing old records in the vinyl format. Many established record companies (i.e. Capitol Records) are jumping on the 'vinyl bandwagon' and I would think that many more will be doing the same thing in the upcoming months. Why? It's all about the music (and profit) and there is money to be made. Hail Vinyl !
The reason, as we all know, is that vinyl sales are growing. (As much as 15 percent up in 2007 and 89% in 2008). The 2009 forecast gets even better. The numbers are so good that mega giant Best Buy started a vinyl record pilot program in 100 stores. The results are so encouraging that the third largest music seller after iTunes and Wal-Mart is thinking about using as much as eight square feet in each of its 1,020 stores to sell vinyl records.
Apparently, vinyl records are becoming a cult object, with an audience seeking the appeal of the physical format and the special sound of analog (which in the case of the classics, could be more attractive than the digital productions). The interest, although minimal considering the rest of the industry, is big enough that big labels are re-releasing old records in the vinyl format. Many established record companies (i.e. Capitol Records) are jumping on the 'vinyl bandwagon' and I would think that many more will be doing the same thing in the upcoming months. Why? It's all about the music (and profit) and there is money to be made. Hail Vinyl !
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
