Eileen Farrell sounds incredible in this Reference Recordings track
925487
Reference Recordings has been a favorite of mine for almost 20 years and this was one of the first audiophile recordings I listened to on my hi end home theater 20 years ago. Purchased recently as an mp3 and sounds almost as good as the CD. If you want to really test your system's capabilities be sure to purchase these treasures from Reference Recordings. Eileen Farrell sounds incredible.
718510
Joe Farrell is a jazz legend. A great saxophonist and flutist, excellent improviser, a master of the winds. In this 1973 remastering done by Sony let us enjoy this magnificent cd of funk jazz, style where Farrell and his friends (Hancock,  Beck, Gadd, Bushler, Alias) boast of their musical skills and his deep feeling.
The theme 'Two High' has a large and  intensive solo Herbie Hancock. Listen to Farrell play the flute latin jazz is a great experience as it proves it in the theme 'Cloud Cream'.
3962729
I'm no expert.  But I know what I like, and I tracked this recording down after hearing track 5, the Largo from Xerxes, played on local radio.  The tempo is grand and the sonority just overwhelming.  The rest is worthy of mention, especially track 6 Canon, track 13 Air, and track 14 Adagio.  These are highly popular pieces of music, and to find them so well presented on a single disk makes it unique.  The Academy of St Martin in the Fields provides a glimpse into a perfect unity of purpose, as Iona Brown's conducting seems to temper the edginess of the ensemble's output a bit when compared to the conducting of Neville Marriner, an effect I like.  Highly recommend.
3050706
I agree that Mary Martin (orig. cast album) is superb, but this soundtrack recording is superior in sound and in quality. Mitzi Gaynor is WONDERFUL as Nellie Forbush, and the other performers are fine. But the best reasons to  buy this cd instead of the original cast album are: 1. The sound on the  o.c.(mono)is boxy and shallow while the sound on this cd (stereo)is full  and lush. 2. The supporting singers are better. 3. Mitzi Gaynor gets a bad  rap from the previous reviewer. She was a fabulous performer with a  beautiful voice and a sparkling personality that perfectly suits the  character of Nellie. You will love this cd.
720217
Fantastic recordings never before released. There's an entire Alternate Tusk album too, along with live recordings. Those were like finding whole new albums. (WHY did they not use the Peter Green-assisted version of Christine McVie's Brown Eyes? It's simply gorgeous.) There is also a booklet with commentary on each song from band members (mostly Lindsey Buckingham, followed by Stevie  Nicks, some from Mick Fleetwood). All in all, a really great album with lots of different versions of songs I have loved for so long. I just love this.
4544621
As an AKUS fan I already had much of the music on this disc so my purchasing it was as my first exposure to the SACD format.  The multichannel production is primarily stereo with center and rear channels providing ambient echo.  I'm still learning about SACD and its differneces over CD (PCM) are subtle.  Music (vocals in particular) are warmer and more realistic.  The "edge" present in CD recordings seems softer.  Details (subtle notes, whispers, etc) are heard more distinctly.  Alison's fine voice and the instruments of Union Station really do the SACD format justice.  Alison begans the track "Down to the River" acapella.  With only her voice to be heard I realized how good SACD can be.  Her singing on the track is simply the most realistic recording I have ever heard come through my speakers.  Beautiful group and lead singer - beautiful sounding recording
1310752
I first came across Eileen Farrell when I purchased Donizetti's Maria Stuarda featuring Beverly Sills. I was amazed to hear such a firm, full-bodied voice, of Wagnerian proportion, able to tone down in bel canto repertoire in a mezzo role. I had never heard of her and was eager to find out more. I found out that initally she was a soprano, taking on Wagner/Verdi roles, an artist who held a contract at the MET for 5 seasons, though due to 'personality clashes' with the likes of James Levine, Richard Tucker, Corelli, etc, decided to switch to jazz/blues. She didn't want to get caught up in the bitchiness of opera stardom, or so she stated in her biography. When I found out about her Puccini and Verdi albums from the late 1950s I decided to try them out. Well I certainly wasn't disappointed!!! I have to say her first few Puccini arias, O mio babbino caro, La Boheme, and Che bel sogno di Doretta, could do with a bit more tenderness, I was constantly hoping for her to slow down in passages, a bit more rubarto, notwithstanding that she could tone down her voice impeccably to fit the youthful innocence of these characters. BUT from Tosca onwards I was entranced!!! The heavier roles certainly fit better, also Madame Butterfly fit well, but it was Turandot that hit the nail, oh my....imagine the Turandot she could have created after such a noble version of In questa reggia!!!!! It doesn't stop there. The next half of the CD features Gluck/Beethoven/Weber, and she can certainly float notes. The Fidelio aria and Ah perfido! are near perfect. Listening to these excerpts I wish there were more classical recordings of this disciplined singer. She would have been a perfect Mozartian. What a shame on behalf of the operatic world!!!! A gorgeous singer able to encompass all genres. Buy this CD, and the Verdi album featuring duets with Richard Tucker. You won't be disappointed!
4445686
I do not purport to have heard every recording of Feste Romane that was ever made, but with the memory of this one which I had on LP back in the 1960s when it came out, others have left me cold.  This one has punch, verve, energy and incredible sensuality that make the rest sound indifferent.  It sounds as if everyone involved was completely throwing himself/herself into it - and this was in fact a demonstration recording, being the first made in what was then the Los Angeles Philharmonic's new digs.  I completely agree with the reviewers of the vinyl edition (with the exception that Feste Romane deserves a better epithet than "kitsch").  I was thrilled to see it finally appear in a CD reincarnation, which was decades overdue.  And what a reincarnation it is!  Yes, it is pricey, and one can argue that for that amount of money, additional music should have been added to supplement the stingy 43 minute total duration.  But the sound now blazes forth in a manner that one would not have thought possible for a recording of that vintage.  Indeed, my one complaint about the LP version - at least the pressing that I had - was that it had a somewhat opaque and grainy orchestral sound that was in vogue in those days but did not do the performance justice.  The CD reissue has completely eliminated that problem, and tape hiss is virtually nonexistent.  The Don Juan struck me as average in the LP days, but this remastering reveals what details and qualities were lurking underneath the surface and simply never came out until now.  For Kempe addicts, the Los Angeles Philharmonic of the 1960s may not have been the Dresden Staatskapelle, but no matter.  This is one of the most deserving CD reissues ever to make its appearance, and it is fully worthy of all the love and care that have been heaped on it in the remastering process.  If you can get over the price, do not hesitate for any other reason!  The one downside for most people: you'll need somebody who knows Japanese to decipher the liner notes (which I am lucky enough to have in my spouse, so my enjoyment of this product is 100%).  If you loved this recording then, wait until you hear it now.  Highly, highly recommended!
958400
This is a beautiful and technically brilliant recording. The phrasing is quite well done. The mix is very well balanced.
2013563
This is the original Broadway cast of 1947. That considered, don't expect "high fidelity stereophonic" sound. It was released originally on 5 78rpm records, but the originals were most likely recorded onto 33rpm 16" lacquer disks (this was before magnetic tape recorders, which wouldn't show up until 1948 or 1949, and before hi-fi LPs existed). I would guess that the remastered recordings here are based on the original lacquers, which have much better fidelity than the 78s. So, in short, the sound is very good considering the age. This is a historic recording--the original cast--and includes the somewhat risque song "My Mother's Weddin' Day" though the last line was changed where she sings that she should know about her parent's wedding day because she was there!
1157962
This is a fantastic disc.  It is a once-in-a-lifetime meeting of one of the biggest swing bands, and biggest jazz/pop vocalists in the history of music.  While Count Basie has performed with Bing Crosby before, they had never recorded a studio album together until this.  This meeting happened in 1972, when Bing was signed with Daybreak Records, which was bought by Polygram, who made this CD release. (Bing recorded for a multitude of different labels in his later career.)  Despite this being a late-career recording, Bing is in excellent voice, and the band swings throughout every number.  Of course, since it was recorded in 1972, the sound quality is fantastic, and recorded in very spacious, yet natural stereo.

If you like Swing music, (and especially Basie & Bing), then you will love this CD.  Highly recommended.
1181485
After hearing some DVD Audios and SACD's, I have to say that by far, this record contains the finest sound of all. This is the very first opportunity to hear how well crafted is the sound of Roxy Music in this record.
Bob Clearmountain, one of the original engineers in charge, says it better in the booklet: "While the band, Rhett Davies and I were working on the original stereo mixes in 1982, I can recall imagining the sound image as being more than just "stereo". There was so many wonderful things going on, I'd wish I'd had more places to put them than just 2 speakers. I wanted to be totally immersed in the album's soundscapes". About the new mix he adds: "it is how I'd always imagined this album should be presented -the sorround experience actually drawing you inside the music". Maybe other people have said the same about other records being remixed for 5.1. But after hearing AVALON, you'll really understand what Mr. Bob's excitement is all about.
If you are a Roxy Music fan, and SACD Multi Channel amplifier owner, this is a must have. The SACD layer contains an additional song not included in the original version of AVALON, called ALWAYS UNKNOWING (take note that this song is not included in the stereo layer). It's funny, but for me, this song (which is a very good ballad far from being a simple and uninteresting extra) gives this album a completion that I've always missed from the original record...It's as if there was something missing. But now, it's complete.
Note: This record is not made in the USA, but imported from Europe. I'd wish Amazon would give us the opportunity of having more SACD's only available in UK by now. But this is also to tell you that maybe, just maybe, there aren't many copies in store.
3341821
I've gone through 3 copies of the vinyl lp and the cd is in constant use.  Can't believe these recordings sound so up to date.  I can't think of better recordings of any of these songs and I have all kinds including Ella, Nat, Frank, Mel.
76648
My mother is from Boston, so I grew up listening to the Boston Pops. My father is Irish, so naturally this CD was a favorite in our house.  For a recording that was made in the mid 1960's, this really stands the test of time (lots of time!)  The music ranges from vivacious and mischievous to poignant, and on the later tracks you can hear the audience singing along with the orchestra.  I am sure I know every note in it.  One of the greatest live recordings of all time!
152265
I was able to download Julie's new album this morning.  Though only 7 tracks (reason for 4 out of 5 starts), there are 11 songs in total.  The tribute medley to Anthony Newley contains portions of 4 of his biggest hits.  Of all the material chosen, it is well presented and done only the way Julie can.  Her voice is still crystal clear and she lives each song.  My favorite thus far is her Peggy Lee-influenced version of The Beatle's "Love Me Do",  Peggy would be ultra proud of this version.  Very jazzy, sexy and totally hip.  I've always loved Ann Hampton Calloway's "Perfect" from her original album and Roslyn Kind's version from several years ago.  Julie makes it her own.  I always wanted her to do this song.  Of the new material, "Kindred Spirits" is a lovely ballad done to perfection.  The highlight is the Newley medley.  In one of Julie's most recent performances, this is her finale and it is performed so beautifully, the audience is crazy when she completes the journey.  It translates beautifully to album.  I wish Julie much success with this new recording that I am sure you will love.
2290543
Oh man, Lionel Ritchie is so awesome. This record has made me even smoother (if that's even possible).
4831880
Wowzers!  Rubinstein has such unbelievably good tone here, and the recording has such a warm sound.  I would agree with the other reviewer that this is a near perfect Schumann Concerto recording.  The rubato is perfect, and the stereo sound is perfectly balanced.  The Chicago Symphony is a favorite orchestra of mine, too!  This is a for sure recording to get.