@JLawry glad you enjoyed ALORS and are open to experimenting. Personally I tend to eschew labels regarding music genres. I am more driven by exploration and experimenting with different forms of music. I tend to post music that falls outside of the Audiophile tradition as I find little reason to duplicate the efforts of others. I clearly enjoy much of the early and mainstream forms of “jazz”, being particularly fond of the bop period through the New Thing. Lots of respect for those open to trying new and different “sounds”.
Out of the three I enjoyed Flora Purim the most. She’s still playing as I type. The sound staging Is pretty great in the Antonio Carlos Jobin album I’ll replay that tomorrow. I spent my day moving my speakers and sub around again looking for perfection. I did not find perfection…lol I think I am as far as possible with placement and need more room treatment to gain any further. Thank you these were a fun listen.
I didn’t care for the Michel Portal but am really liking Prefab Sprout. I don’t see the Dry Martini Jazz album on Qobuz so I’ll have to skip that one. I bet you’ve had a great week now your up and running again.
Yeah, avant-garde (or free) jazz is not too many peoples’ cup of tea. When I was in college, i studied 20th Century modern classical music and was having trouble being able to like the 12-tone row composers, like Arnold Schoenberg and Anton Webern. I was better with composers who were atonal / arhythmic like Charles Ives and Paul Hindemith. I was working on jazz radio shows and the guy I worked with - about 15 years older than me and a very seasoned New York jazz aficionado, told me how to listen: to free yourself of any previous conventions you have and just let the music come in. What are they trying to say? How do the players interact? With jazz it helped that the free stuff was a logical next step in what was going on in jazz, but when I just started to “let it happen,” I could get into it. And subsequently I began to appreciate the 12-tone people too. Not too many people get into classical FROM jazz - it’s usually the reverse. So don’t feel bad if you don’t “get it” - but it’s worth trying as it opens up a new genre for you.
Oh, and yeah, I’m so much happier with my speaker back! And coming this week are my new PS Audio components, so that will be interesting to set up.
This is good - reminds me a little of Red Hot Chili Peppers. I have their album Stadium Arcadium on vinyl and it’s got some great sonics. Probably ought to crank it up and listen to the drums…
I find myself liking more and more jazz the more I explore. Streaming has really opened up my musical horizon. So much out there I’ve never heard. The blues I’ve really fallen in love with and I’m finding lots of electronic I like.
AWESOME!!! I think you are about to have your mind blown with the PSA gear. Can’t wait to hear your thoughts after a few days. It took my Gain Cell Dac a full 24 hours before it sounded good and it was a factory refurbished. I was really doubting my choice the first day and most of the second but everything got right late in the second day.
I’ll have to check out more of their stuff. Not sure where I ran across this song but I added it to my play list.
Great advice! Best to approach it with an open mind and no pre-conceived ideas. One approach is to focus on the players interactions. IME regarding improvisational music trio groups can be more interesting and inventive. For example Michael Moore’s Clusone Trio.
EDIT:
In keeping with the thread’s intent I should add the drumming is exceptional, and sounds nice on my Wilson SabrinaX speakers. 
Mention of Clusone Trio reminded me of this: Swiss percussionist Pierre Favre punctus with saxophonist Tino Tracanna. Free improvisation that is hauntingly beautiful, as on the piece Clusone. Well recorded, and exceptional sounding on a highly resolving system.
I’ll check out the Clusone Trio and Pierre Favre soon. I hadn’t thought about it until you mentioned it, but I think you’re spot-on that trio might be the best configuration to explore the freer jazz modes, for exactly the reasons you mentioned. Hey I’m assuming that’s not the same Michael Moore who produces (in my opinion anyway) great documentaries?
Wilson SabrinaX speakers
Yeah, go ahead, make me jealous. Fine. But I bet you don’t have a vintage pressing of Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass’ “Going Places”? Damn, I just looked for it and couldn’t find it.
I bet with his being the co-founder of A&M Records (when he wasn’t flying in a plane with a sexy señorita), the drum sounds would be good.
I’m not surprised you’re growing in love with jazz and the blues - there is so much in common - and wonderfully different - between the two genres.
As for the PSA gear “blowing my mind,” of course I’d love that, but I’m learning that once you get a pretty good beginning-to-end system, changes are normally more subtle than before, and especially still being new to the audiophile game, take a while to kick in. So if I’m not “blown away” immediately, I’m not going to send it back - I just have to have faith that it will come into better focus over time.
As for Red Hot Chili Peppers, I do find them very musical and creative. I learned today that several of their albums were recorded at Rick Rubin’s California studio called “The Mansion” which was literally a mansion from the early 1900s converted to a recording facility. I’m a big fan of Rick Rubin’s work, so I’m sure the Mansion has a lot to do with RHCP’s sound. It reminds me of probably my favorite artist ever - Tom Waits - who converted an old school (also in California) into a recording facility where he literally chooses various rooms for different sounds.
I have on occasion gone to the Hungry Brain with my brother-in-law who lives near there. An intimate and good sounding place. A great venue to hear those who have been on the local jazz scene for ages.
You didn’t specify which one was at the Hungry Brain. If it was the one with the microphone, was he scat-singing?
I hope you know I’m kidding. I’ll look more into the other MM. And as for Herb Alpert, like most of my friends who got started in band in the 4th grade, I wanted to play trumpet like Herb. It was only when I got into high school that I realized he’s not a very good trumpeter, compared to jazz or classical greats. He’s got a good tone and made a successful popular sound, but beyond that, it’s good he focused on the record biz.
Exceptional for up and coming new talent as well. Curated by Pitchfork’s Mike Reed and cornetist Josh Berman. Recently saw guitarist Nels Cline perform at the HB, and Dutch saxophonist Micheal Moore on a separate occasion. Fun place, great vibe.
OK, so here’s a new wrinkle on this topic: I’ve been listening to a few vinyl LPs I bought from my brother who went all-digital (never thought I’d see the day). Pretty much everything he owned on vinyl was definitely audiophile-quality, so I’ve been buying things he hasn’t yet sold on eBay. The two I listened to this week are:
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Rob McConnell and the Boss Brass “Again” (couldn’t find on Qobuz or Apple Music
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The Crusaders Live in Japan (Qobuz / Apple Music)
I’m not so sure I would have singled these out as particularly noteworthy with regard to drums - they’re both good; the Crusaders might be a bit “hyped”, but a question came to mind.
Do you feel there’s any difference between analog vs. digital when it comes to drums or percussion?
I found myself feeling something different with these two recordings and have to admit it was a bit more energetic, maybe more “real” in its impact. And it could certainly be these particular recordings, but it was just a feeling I was getting that the “impact” was, and I hate to use this trite analog term - warmer. Full disclosure: my vinyl gear is entry-level audiophile - a Pro-Ject Debut Pro turntable with Grado Timbre Opus 3 (moving iron) cartridge, but I think it’s on par with my existing DAC level (to be upgraded soon).
Any opinions?
Fun in a cheezy way, with an ear for popular hooks. A&M records is where Herb made his mark IMO.
I couldn’t find the Clusone Trio on Qobuz or Apple Music, but I’ll widen my search. However, I think the Pierre Favre / Tino Tracanna “punctus” might be the winner so far in this thread of percussion fidelity (however, bear in mind that back when I was a wine aficionado, my ex-wife used to joke that “Jon’s favorite wine is the one he’s having right now.”).
My smart-ass ex-wife aside, I really loved so many aspects of this recording. Favre’s improvisation and interaction with Tracanna’s percussion work is musically phenomenal. But the percussion is so well-captured. And what a variety of instruments! There were sounds I’m almost certain were coming from a real orchestra-sized bass drum. Larger-than-normal cymbals. I wondered what the setup was on stage - maybe sometimes on a drum set, sometimes standing, some of both? Either way, it’s sonic heaven and great music. Thanks much for the recommendation.
