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Top 5 Favorite recordings to use for system tests?


MarkBK

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I wanted to BUMP this as I'm running out of quality CD's. I can't listen to 85% of my stuff anymore and need fresh blood.

Thinking about placing an Amazon order. Need some killer quality Floyd for starters (suggestions?).

DeeDee Bridgewater - J'ai Deux Amours - current release - outstanding recording and performance (She's in town this week too at the Jazz Showcase)

Remastered version: Natty Dread - Bob Marley & the Wailers - some distortion on title song, but otherwise nice remastered

Ry Cooder - Chavez Ravine - well recorded - 3 Cool Cats is a killer cut just as one example

Weather Report - SACD - Mysterious Traveller

Oscar Peterson - SACD resissues - of the "Exclusively For My Friends" - several volumes out now - The Way I Really Play - Travelin' On, etc

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Eagles*****When Hell Freezes Over, Pink Floyd*****Wish You Were Here, Sheryl Crow*****C'Mon C'Mon, Diana Krall *****Girl In The Other Room*****Live From Paris*****The Look of Love, John Mayer Trio*****TRY!, John Mayer*****Heavier Things*****Room For Squares, Cowboy Junkies*****The Trinity Session*****Early 21st Century Blues...I need to get some new stuff but this all sounds great...many of my older CDs now sound like blecccchhhh...meagain...could this possibly be the cause of your dissatisfaction with your new stuff...I know I am disappointed with much of the older CDs...YMMV...Bill

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I have to add one more to my list that I forgot to add earlier...

The Innocence Mission - Glow

This one came out back in '95 I think, but it is one heck of an excellent recording, and the music is excellent as well. It has everything from great vocals, to sparkling highs (which I can now hear thanks to BEC's CT125s), to very tight, chest thumping bass. Everything in between is perfect as well!

If you like progressive, yet laid back type music, this one is a must have.

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Metallica: S&M - Live with the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra (great-sounding live album, the full orchestra really adds a lot of depth to the recording)

Dave Matthews & Tim Reynolds: Live at Luther College (two acoustic guitars and Dave Matthews' vocals)

Playboy Jazz: Jazz After Dark, Volumes I and II (great jazz compilations)

Godsmack: The Other Side SACD (acoustic renditions of their popular songs)

Frank Sinatra: Sinatra at the Sands (live concert also available in DVD Audio)

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Pulled a couple from my rotation:

Bobby Scott: "Slowly" on Music Masters. If you can find this one BUY IT! Piano & bluesy vocals - imagine a white Lou Rawls. Bobby knew he was dying when he recorded this - his last.

The Ray Brown Trio Live at the Loa: "Summer Wind" With Gene Harris on piano and Jeff Hamilton on drums. Superb.

Robbie Robertson: "Robbie Robertson" Masterpiece from "The Band" lead vocalist/guitarist.

Kurt Elling: "Man in the Air" Tour d'force by Chicago vocalist Kurt Elling - with Laurance Hobgood on piano & Stefon Harris on vibes. Elling's version of the Pat Metheny/Lyle Mays "Minuano" is killer.

Patricia Barber: "Verse" My favorite PB recording so far...

Delbert McClinton: "Never Been Rocked Enough" If you haven't discovered Delbert McClinton you don't know what you're missing. Nuf said.

Rene Marie: "Live at the Jazz Standard" Worth the price of admission for her medley of Ravel's Bolero and Leonard Cohen's Suzanne.

James

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Ceremonial Music for Trumpet and Symphonic Organ

Rolf Smedvig and Michael Murray

Telarc CD-80341

If Alan Hovaness' "The Prayer of Saint Gregory" doesn't the hair stand

up on top of your head, you are either soulless, or you need better

speakers.

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Ollabelle

Ollabelle

DMZ CK90572

Blues, jazz, soul, gospel, world.

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Passengers

Gary Burton Quartet with Eberhard Weber

ECM 1092

Vibes and guitar and drums.

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Like Minds

Gary Burton, Chick Corea, Pat Metheny, Roy Haynes, Dave Holland

Concord 4803

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Care-charming Sleep

The Dowland Project/John Potter

ECM New 1803

Renaissance and Baroque Songs and Madrigals for voice, chitarrone,

baroque guitar, saxophone, bass clarinet, baroque violin, and

double-bass.

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Drunkard's Prayer

Over the Rhine

Back Porch/Virgin EMI 72438-66233-2-4

Alt-Pop, acoustic, female voice, some electric.

BONUS SELECTION

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After Bathing at Baxter's

Jefferson Airplane

RCA

Muddy multi-track recording. Soaring vocals, guitars, snappy drumming,

and an odd recorder thrown in to pair with one of the true virtuosos of

the electric bass guitar. It's been my "reference" recording since 1968.

I'm over the limit, I know.

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There has been some good music suggested. I would like to second a few that most of you have probably not heard. First:

"Jazz at the Pawn Shop" brought to me by Phil Clements, owner and engineer of Solus speakers. Sold off his Clements line of speakers years ago, and was a personel friend of Paul Klipsch. Great recording for Jazz.

Second:

"John Mayers Trio", the whole album is well recorded and really tests a system.

Queen - "Another Bites the Dust", and the rest of there songs. Freddy Mercury can really pound out some vocals, and the above mentioned song has some great opening bass..

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I would be doing many of you a disservice by not mentioning...

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Carlos V: Mille Regretz

Jordi Savall: Hesperion XXI and La Capella Reial de Catalunya

Alia Vox 9814

Music of the Renaissance from ballad to chacone, Mass to battle. Drinking songs and dying songs. Superbly recorded.

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The CD that I used to evaluate and purchase my Fortes so many years ago, and also the first CD I ever heard on a pair of Khorns and started my love affair with Klipsch.

Flim and the BBs Tricycle. The title track has some awsome bass notes that just hit me in the chest with the fortes and with the Khorns, I was just floored by the realism. I can still remember the experience 20 years later.

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