What's Playing Now

[Fred Sanford]

Then I popped in Steely Dan's 4-Grammy-winning Two Against Nature, specifically "What a Shame About Me". Walter Becker's bass lines literally shook the house on the baby L5s. I couldn't believe what I was feeling! I switched to the 4412As, just to compare, and the rise in the little 4-ways as they go up the spectrum made a flat comparison against the monitors almost impossible quickly, and nearly unfair. But the L5s also produced a bottom that felt not only more intense, but also more defined——and deeper! Truly hard to believe and this was with the PS-400 and the DX4100 at about one-o'clock, so we're talking LOUD! I almost hesitated to share my thoughts because I'm going to buy all of the L5s I can find and really don't need competition . I still need to re-surround the L150As and put them up against the Baby-Ls, but for simple listening pleasure, I'm just amazed at the L5s.

So, what on earth does "What a Shame About Me" sound like on an L300? Or on Heather's hopped-up L200 boxes? Or spwal's 4341s? Somebody must have this fine example of a near-perfectly-recorded CD to play on those iconic (no pun) JBLs. Fess up; how do you stay in the same room without making your stomach do flips? And do you live alone? I work with pro-sound for live reinforcement occasionally so I do know what you get out of an 18" sub, but these L5s are only EIGHT-INCH!!

Disclosure: I'm never selling these L5s so I'm not just trying to manufacture LH quotes for an Ebay auction. I also know some of you wouldn't listen to Steely Dan on a bet, or even consider it music. But that's your loss!

Hop over the mountains & hear it on some not-quite-dialed-in 4333As. Have the live DVD in DTS, too, track 14 is "What A Shame...". Plus, the making of "Aja" on DVD is here, with some live performances.

Lots of talk about Steely Dan lately, so I ran through all of their studio work recently, plus the Fagen & Becker albums (and the single on the Heavy Metal Sountrack). Something like 111 songs. This was on five L46s with a Velodyne sub, though- 5-way stereo while working around the studio.

Loved the kick drum on the song "Everything Must Go" especially.

Took a look for your Epiphone screws, not as promising as I'd thought. Check with Stewart MacDonald:

http://www.stewmac.com/

je

[Krunchy]

I even like "Cousin Dupree". The L5s may not be Nirvana, but they'll do for a while.

Hi BMWCCA, That is actually a really funny song. The album takes a bit getting used to but I actually think its great, it sounds amazing, so well recorded like all their stuff. I burned it and left out 1 or two songs and added some stuff frop Morph the Cat and now its a great compilation. I am also a big Liz Wright fan, thats real talent there. I have a pair of L5s and they are amazing, the bass is incredible. I A-Bd them against the L150's (not L150A"s) and it was a real close call. The L5's had better more defined/impressive bass but the 150's had better highs IMO.

Hello Seawolf, That is a fantastic coincidence alright, quite curious. Got the everything must go cd and it is most enjoyable as well. Oh yeah, stay away from any of those black speakers, you guys dont mesh well.

Hop over the mountains & hear it on some not-quite-dialed-in 4333As. je

Thats good je! I like that.

Joe Jackson. Just popped in his new cd Rain and its really quite good (if you like his style) very well recorded and thats a plus.
Been listening to a lot of his previous recordings latetly, I dont like all his stuff (very few artist fit that bill)
but he has a lot of good material.

[richluvsound]

Laura Marling 19 yrold. Cute too !


http://www.lauramarling.com/

New romantics !

Rich

[BMWCCA]

Joe Jackson. Just popped in his new cd Rain and its really quite good (if you like his style) very well recorded and thats a plus. Been listening to a lot of his previous recordings latetly, I dont like all his stuff (very few artist fit that bill) but he has a lot of good material.

IIRC, I have an old one of his that makes a big deal out of searching for just the right abandoned warehouse so the drums would sound correct. Very well done, I'll have to dig it out.

Shhshh on the tall black speakers. I'm keeping it a secret from now on!

Took a look for your Epiphone screws, not as promising as I'd thought. Check with Stewart MacDonald:

I've been there and I'm still not convinced they understand the difference, either. Gibson sent me what they say are the correct part numbers for the screws and the plates, but they won't let you order them directly. I've checked with Music & Arts Center here in town (Charlottesville, VA) and they said they'd be happy to order them for me. I believe they were bought recently by Guitar Center. Hopefully they can't screw up a tiny parts order! Thanks for the offer of listening. I have both Steely Dan DVDs and enjoy them immensely. We'll do this when the weather's consistently warm enough for bikes. I'm riding in the Catskill's next week. Got to remember the heated stuff!

[Fred Sanford]

I've been there and I'm still not convinced they understand the difference, either. Gibson sent me what they say are the correct part numbers for the screws and the plates, but they won't let you order them directly. I've checked with Music & Arts Center here in town (Charlottesville, VA) and they said they'd be happy to order them for me. I believe they were bought recently by Guitar Center. Hopefully they can't screw up a tiny parts order! Thanks for the offer of listening. I have both Steely Dan DVDs and enjoy them immensely. We'll do this when the weather's consistently warm enough for bikes. I'm riding in the Catskill's next week. Got to remember the heated stuff!

I went upstairs and fired up the songs & discsqwe mentioned- the 4333As still need a good bit of attention, but are pretty impressive as is. My Ashly crossover should be all fixed within a week or two, and then I'll be bi-amping with either one or two Adcom 2535s. The speakers won't be quite right 'til I re-cone the 2231s (as 2235s) and re-charge the magnets...the current '31s have tired spiders at the least. One was re-coned years ago, and to my ears there's a difference between the two. Not bad for free, though, I ain't complaining.

My wife is going away for a weekend in April, might be having a listening party that weekend...couple guys from C'Ville, including the Beemer Bike/Bagel Boy you met already (he's a Dahlquist dude).

Lots of great roads in the Valley, you probably know that. We'll be having a rally in Natural Bridge in June, maybe you could stop by that weekend. A good friend of mine (who will be at that rally) also leads the AMA ride to Nova Scotia (and occasionally others). Great guy.

je

[BMWCCA]

Lots of great roads in the Valley, you probably know that. We'll be having a rally in Natural Bridge in June, maybe you could stop by that weekend.

I think I've been ticketed on most of those roads on bikes! We have an annual BMW /5 rally in Seneca Rocks, WV, June 13-15. That's Father's Day. Great riding in the area. We've been doing it for something like 12-years now. All are invited, though it's focused on BMWs from 1970-1973.

April's looking pretty good though! For Heather's sake, "Fred" and I met for lunch at the same bagel joint where you, me, and Emma went after the L20T hand-off. Small world!

[Fred Sanford]

I think I've been ticketed on most of those roads on bikes! We have an annual BMW /5 rally in Seneca Rocks, WV, June 13-15. That's Father's Day. Great riding in the area. We've been doing it for something like 12-years now. All are invited, though it's focused on BMWs from 1970-1973.

April's looking pretty good though! For Heather's sake, "Fred" and I met for lunch at the same bagel joint where you, me, and Emma went after the L20T hand-off. Small world!

That's the weekend we'll be in Natural Bridge, wasn't aware it's Father's Day this year. Not sure we'll get up as far as Seneca Rocks, but we have found some nice routes heading South from there towards Staunton. Pics here:

http://jck22903.smugmug.com/gallery/3380606

...and some Natural Bridge pics here, the yellow BMW is the Nova Scotia guy:

http://jck22903.smugmug.com/gallery/2951311

We'll hook up...

je

[Ducatista47]

A search of the forums turned up only one sideways mention of Michael Brecker. That is strange, as I find him to be for me one of the five best tenor men who ever played, the latest great one for sure. I have been getting very high on these two tonight:

Infinity, McCoy Tyner Trio & Michael Brecker, 1995.

Tales From The Hudson, 1996. This one is full of supertalents, including pianist Joey Calderazzo, who I had not heard of before. Dave Holland, Jack DeJohnette, Pat Metheny and McCoy Tyner are along for the ride so there is something for everyone.

Both albums might be called heavy jazz, so non believers beware. But they are fabulous offerings. Cut four of Infinity is an exceptional example of the power of jazz to instill pure joy and exhilaration in the listener.

By the way, Brecker was the mesmerizing horn man on Joni Mitchel's Shadow And Light, worth a listen in any case, with Jaco and other greats in attendance.

I recently decided to check out what all the fuss about Brecker was for. I was so ignorant I thought he was a German musician. It ends up he was From New York state (Hastings On Hudson), was one of the best ever, and tragically died a year ago January at 57 years of age from leukemia. Here I thought I knew a thing or two about jazz, but look at what I was missing. And now he is gone. I'll never hear him live. We don't have him anymore.

Clark

[hjames]

Great series of links from wikipedia - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Brecker

An amazing talent that played on some of the best music over the years ... just a few refs as a sideman -
he was in the '80s SNL Orchestra ...
Bill Cobham - Crosswinds and 4 others
David Sanborn - a number of albums
Dire Straits - Brothers in Arms
Paul Simon Albums - Still Crazy, Rhythm of the Saints, and others
Springsteen - Born to Run album
Steely Dan - Gaucho
Don Fagen - the Nightfly
Lou Reed - Berlin, and New Sensations
James Taylor - Buncha albums
Zappa - Leatherette, Lather and 2 others
lots of projects by John Abercrombie, Chick Corea, Larry Coryell, Herbie Hancock, Michael Franks, Chaka Khan, Steve Kahn 0 just an amazing list of music!
and thats just a couple things from a 14 page discography ... see:

http://www.michaelbreckerliverecordi...an%20disco.pdf

Thanks for the heads up! I wouldn't have looked further without your inspiration.

A search of the forums turned up only one sideways mention of Michael Brecker. That is strange, as I find him to be for me one of the five best tenor men who ever played, the latest great one for sure. I have been getting very high on these two tonight:


By the way, Brecker was the mesmerizing horn man on Joni Mitchel's Shadow And Light, worth a listen in any case, with Jaco and other greats in attendance.
Here I thought I knew a thing or two about jazz, but look what I was missing. And now he is gone. I'll never hear him live. We don't have him anymore.

Clark

[SEAWOLF97]

Bill Wyman & his Rhythm Kings

tobacco road - (extended )

much better than I anticipated

[JBLOG]

Is there something magical in the Calrec Ambisonic Microphone? ...or is the producer Peter Moore a genius.

The Trinity Sessions captures something that is truly special.


Has anyone heard the newer released Trinity Revisited?

[SEAWOLF97]

I was reorging the few records that my dooter didnt nab (trying to find jackets for the loose & vv ) and came up with an orphan...slipped it out and OMG !! it was my 1969 copy of the "Zodiac ..cosmic sounds" (Electra)

Had to put it on , altho the instructions were "must be played in the dark "

sample lyrics:
"Four thousand dreams may decay into indigo dust that covers Aquarius, and still, the voice will say...love."
- from Aquarius, The Lover of Life

started looking around ..here is a good page on it
http://www.aural-innovations.com/iss.../zodiac01.html

another guy has an interesting note
http://www.soulgeneration.co.uk/excavations4.htm
"The Zodiac Cosmic Sounds" Electra
"When I bought this record around 1990 the shopkeeper told me i'd never play it more than a handful of times and that i'd never sell it either - that it would just sit in my collection only to be pulled out and admired every few years. Thinking that the guy was pretty presumtious at the time - i've gotta say 14 years on that he was right, something about this record makes it impossible to part with? I recently found a second copy and to try to break the records spell I stuck it on ebay to sell, but would you believe it went unsold at a start bid of $3!"

Looks like that shopkeeper was right ...dubbed it to MD so as to convert to MP3 and can cleanup all the pops and crackles on the PC.

[whizzer]

I have that album. I bought it when it was new. And you're so right--it's on only once every 14-20 years or so. I guess you might call it a period piece--ah, those were the days. Do you recall one called "Psychedelic Psoul"? It's presently available combined on CD with "Devil's Anvil: Hard Rock from the Middle East" for unknown and probably unknowable reasons and features tunes with names like "Rose of Smiling Faces."

[GTekie]

2 cds purchased recently, You Had it Coming & Jeff, really gave my Horizons a workout. In fact I thought I " blew " them. Not so though.
Anyone else heard these and have a like impression ?

[SEAWOLF97]

Vivaldi's "Le quattro stagioni"

by Anne-Sophie Mutter

( by far the best version that I've heard)

and

Nina Simone's

"I put a Spell on You"

( very nice, tho the definitive version is by "Screamin' Jay Hawkins")

and

Little Milton"s

"STORMY MONDAY"