Sensible Sound articles from January 2002

Sensible Sound archives from January 2002

Ramblings.
January 1, 2002... Welcome to Issue #89, our annual Staff Picks Recordings issue. This year, we asked the staff to pick their 10 favorite recordings of the year and offer comments about them. You will find quite a range of musical tastes represented in the lists....

Surveying the soundscape.(B and W CM Series speakers, other news)(Evaluation)
January 1, 2002... Sights and Sounds: When it comes to speakers, truly "blind" testing falls very far short of usefulness for most of us. Unless music is pouring forth from them every hour of the day and night, we're bound to see more of them than we hear of...

Audio malarkey. (Skeptimania).(trials of dealing with some audio businesspeople)
January 1, 2002... I vacillate between being entertained and being annoyed when it comes to dealing with audio businessmen who build/market products that are either utter overkill or obvious scams/gimmicks. The former category includes amplifiers that are built...

Atlantic Technology System 170. (Equipment).(Evaluation)
January 1, 2002... Manufacturer: Atlantic Technology, 343 Vanderbilt Ave., Norwood, MA 03602, (781) 762-6300; www.atlantictechnology.com Price: 5.1 system, $1,496; 7.1 system auditioned, $1,825; 171 LR (from channel), $329/pair; 172 PBM (subwoofer), $599; 173...

AudioSource amp three stereo power amplifier. (Equipment).(Evaluation)
January 1, 2002... Manufacturer: AudioSource, 1327 North Carolan Avenue, Burlingame, CA 94010; 800/950-1449 Price: $550 Source: Manufacturer loan Reviewer: Howard Ferstler Anybody who has read a few of my product reviews and commentary opinions...

Onkyo TX-DS989 Receiver. (Equipment).(Evaluation)
January 1, 2002... Manufacturer: Onkyo U.S.A. Corporation, 18 Park Way, Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458; 215/785-2600 Price: $3,199.95 Software Upgrades: $49.95 plus shipping, handling, and tax Source: Manufacturer loan Reviewer: Kevin East ...

PSB image 2B loudspeaker. (Equipment).(Evaluation)
January 1, 2002... Manufacturer: PSB Speakers, a member of the Lenbrook Group, 633 Granite Ct., Pickering, Ontario, Canada L1W 3K1; 888/772-0000 Price: $399.95 Source: Manufacturer loan Reviewer: Kevin East PSB's legendary Alpha and its...

RBH 12-SE subwoofer. (Equipment).(Evaluation)
January 1, 2002... Manufacturer: RBH Sound, Inc., 976 Marshall Way, Bldg. 2, Layton, UT 8404; 801/543-2205 Price: $999 Source: Manufacturer loan Reviewer: Howard Ferstler RBH is a speaker company that I have been unfamiliar with up until now,...

Our favorite things: recordings. (Staff Picks).(Buyers Guide)
January 1, 2002... Once again, we have asked our staff to pick their favorites from among the recordings they have encountered during the past year. We think you will agree that this is quite an eclectic list, and we hope that you find it useful. Enjoy! ...

Life on a String. (More Jazz Than Not).
January 1, 2002... Laurie Anderson: Life on a String (Nonesuch 79539-2) I had intended to review this release in our previous issue, but fate intervened: the disc was swallowed by the CD player in our van. I was playing the disc in the van one day, and when I...

Looking Back Tomorrow: Beausoleil LIVE! (More Jazz Than Not).
January 1, 2002... Beausoleil: Looking Back Tomorrow: Beausoleil LIVE! (Rhino R2 76697) The promotional sticker that was pasted to the front of this CD asserted that this is Beausoleil's first live recording, but that is simply not true: Live from the Left...

Down Home on Dog Hill. (More Jazz Than Not).
January 1, 2002... Boozoo Chavis: Down Home on Dog Hill (Rounder 11661-2166-2) The late Boozoo Chavis was one of a kind. He was full of vim and vigor and plain orneriness, but his music was pure joy. This CD comes from his final studio sessions. A month after...

Valses nobles et sentimentals; Alborada del gracioso. (More Jazz Than Not).
January 1, 2002... Debussy: Iberia; Ravel: Valses nobles et sentimentals; Alborada del gracioso Chicago Symphony Orchestra/Fritz Reiner (JVC JVCXR-0216-2). JVC has recently released a number of classic RCA recordings as XRCD remasters. The good news is that...

The Tiki Bar is Open. (More Jazz Than Not).
January 1, 2002... John Hiatt: The Tiki Bar is Open (Vanguard 7953-2) John Hiatt has reunited with one of his old backup bands, the Goners (featuring Sonny Landreth on guitar) to produce what is probably his best work since that wonderful trilogy of Bring the...

Kingdom Come; Hymnodic Delays; Fog Tropes II. (More Jazz Than Not).
January 1, 2002... Ingram Marshall: Kingdom Come; Hymnodic Delays; Fog Tropes II The American Composers Orchestra/Paul Lustig Dunkel, cond.; The Theater of Voices/Paul Hillier, director; Kronos Quartet (Nonesuch 79613-2) It is still hard for me to realize...

Progression. (More Jazz Than Not).
January 1, 2002... Brad Mehldau Trio: Progression (Warner Bros. 9 48006-2) This 2-CD set by the Brad Mehldau Trio (Mehldau on piano, Larry Grenadier on bass, Jorge Rossy on drums) was recorded live at the Village Vanguard. The sound is generally quite good,...

Morimur. (More Jazz Than Not).
January 1, 2002... Christoph Poppen/The Hilliard Ensemble: Morimur (ECM New Series 1765 289 461 895-2) This one is going to take a bit of explaining. I'm not even sure where to start. But I'll take a deep breath and get going... J.S. Bach wrote a series of...

Music of Turina and Debussy. (More Jazz Than Not).
January 1, 2002... Music of Turina and Debussy Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra/Jesus Lopez-Cobos (Telarc CD-80574) This CD is apparently going to be the last release from the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra under Lopez-Cobos. What a shame that there will no...

Double double. (The Music).(comparison of two recordings of 'Sheherezade')
January 1, 2002... Have you ever seen a warhorse in an audiophile dogfight? Pardon the mashed metaphor, but that's what we've got going here this month. When Telarc recently released a CD of Rimsky-Korsakov's Sheherezade in audiophile-grade DSD sound (Telarc...

Carousel corner. (The Music).
January 1, 2002... As we have chronicled on occasion, aisle-hopping through the local new and used CD emporia is one of those secretly gratifying pastimes of which we, the aficionados musikas, are happily guilty. Lately, I've intended to bring a list along and...

Nuggets II: Original Artyfacts from the British Empire and Beyond, 1964-1969. (Carousel Corner).
January 1, 2002... Nuggets II: Original Artyfacts from the British Empire and Beyond, 1964-1969 (Rhino) When we reviewed the original Nuggets box set (No. 75), we suggested that Rhino's next target was the British invasion. We wouldn't dare suggest that...

Anthology: The Elektra Years. (Carousel Corner).
January 1, 2002... Paul Butterfield Blues Band, Anthology: The Elektra Years (Elektra) The very first concert my brother and I attended at the original Fillmore Auditorium featured a long-forgotten local band, Raahsan Roland Kirk, and the Paul Butterfield...

Greatest Hits. (Carousel Corner).
January 1, 2002... Spanky and Our Gang, Greatest Hits (Mercury) Elaine McFarlane, dubbed "Spanky" because of an alleged resemblance to Our Gang's "Spanky" McFarland -- and hence the band's eventual monicker, assembled a group of vocalists, Nigel Pickering...

Alive and Lickin'. (Carousel Corner).
January 1, 2002... Dan Hicks and His Hot Licks, Alive and Lickin' (Surfdog Records) Even though beset with dizzying personnel changes, the flavor of Dan Hicks' all-acoustic lineup has seldom wavered over the years: lead guitar, rhythm guitar, string bass,...

California Dreamin'. (Carousel Corner).
January 1, 2002... The Mamas and The Papas, California Dreamin' (MCA) So, this is what's it like to be seduced and abandoned... Whether or not you're a child of the '60s or California born or bred, the ineluctable allure of The Mamas and The Papas is...

All You Need Is Live. (Carousel Corner).
January 1, 2002... 1964... the Tribute, All You Need Is Live (RD Music). Tribute bands are a bore. They usually labor through "their" group's greatest hits with thudding, numbing accuracy--they seldom imbue the proceedings with the fire and passion that...

The list: concert DVDs. (Carousel Corner).(Review)
January 1, 2002... I used to avoid concert videos like the plague. VHS tapes, like those for movies, were ergonomic pains in the butt and, despite some valiant attempts at noise reduction, were, er, plagued by tape hiss. I skipped the LaserDisc phenomenon more...

Live from the Vault and Live from the Vault II. (Carousel Corner).
January 1, 2002... Grateful Dead, Live from the Vault and Live from the Vault II (Monterey Video). There was no concert experience quite like a Dead show, as the well chronicled summer excursions of Dead Heads everywhere attested. Vault records their show at...

The Best of ... So Far. (Carousel Corner).
January 1, 2002... Ringo Starr and His All Start Band, The Best of... So Far (Image Entertainment). What began as a novelty in 1989 has grown into one of the more anticipated summer events with each succeeding year. The original All Starr Band featured Jim...

Reissue roundup: to SACD or not.(Sony Super Audio CD)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... My apologies to you for my regular column's absence these past few issues, but I do have an excuse which, in the course of this installment, and in my staff picks for this year, will become all the more valid to you. I have been very busy in...

The Hits. (Reissue roundup: to SACD or not).(Brief Article)(Critical Essay)(Bibliography)
January 1, 2002... The Hits: Many of these SACD releases are so good that they might have been selected for this year's Staff Picks had space permitted (I'll place an asterisk after the album title for those I thought about putting in the staff picks article)....

The Misses. (Reissue roundup: to SACD or not).(Brief Article)(Critical Essay)
January 1, 2002... The Misses: Some readers who are familiar with these recordings might find me a bit hard on them. In fact, I pondered whether or not I should even list the first two, as they are among my favorite rock artists of the Sixties. Suffice it to say...

Scoping software: more never-ending loose ends.(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... As has been the case several times in the past, I now have additional tons of compact discs to review. The main reason for this is that I also had (and still have, actually) a number of DVD video and DVD-A releases to audition, and I wanted to...

Ya Gotta Try. (Scoping software: more never-ending loose ends).(Boston Brass)
January 1, 2002... Boston Brass: Ya Gotta Try, with music by Clifford Brown, Duke Ellington, Hoagy Carmichael, Dizzy Gillespie, Chick Corea, and others. Recorded in 2000, at the Van Gelder Studios, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey. Engineer: Rudy Van Gelder. 53+...

Anything Goes. (Scoping software: more never-ending loose ends).(Capitol Quartet)
January 1, 2002... Capitol Quartet: Anything Goes. (With orchestral ensemble backup on some selections.) Recorded in 2000, at a variety of locations, and a variety of dates, with the various parts done separately. Engineer: Clarke Rigsby. 71+ minutes. Summit 280....

Requiem. (Scoping software: more never-ending loose ends).(Cherubini, Luigi)
January 1, 2002... Cherubini, Luigi: Requiem. Orchestra e Coro della Radio Svizzera Italiana. Recorded in 1996, in the Cathedral of San Lorenzo Lugano. Engineer: Jochen Gottschall. 55+ minutes. Naxos 8.5554749. Naxos is a wonder. They turn out some great material...

Piano Works. (Scoping software: more never-ending loose ends).(Dohnanyi, Ernst)
January 1, 2002... Dohnanyi, Ernst: Piano Works. David Korevaar, piano. Recorded in 1997, at the First Presbyterian Church, Rye, New York. Engineer: Ed Thompson. 68+ minutes. Ivory 71008. This is an HDCD recording, and one of the few I have reviewed that is not a...

Three Serenades for Flute, Clarinet, and Guitar. (Scoping software: more never-ending loose ends).(Diabelli, Anton)
January 1, 2002... Diabelli, Anton: Three Serenades for Flute, Clarinet, and Guitar. Arilicansemble. Recorded in 1999, at S. Stefano Ticino, Italy. Engineer: Luigi Magistrelli. 60+ minutes. ASV 6248. This recording of pleasant, relaxing music exhibited very good...

String Quartet; Piano Quintet. (Scoping software: more never-ending loose ends).
January 1, 2002... Elgar, Edward: String Quartet; Piano Quintet. Sorrell Quartet, with Ian Brown, piano. Recorded in 2000, at Snape Maltings Concert Hall, England. Engineer: Ralph Couzens. 64+ minutes. Chandos 9894. Chandos has steadily produced recordings of...

Piano Concerto in F Major; Theme and Variations in F Major; Piano Concerto in A Major. (Scoping software: more never-ending loose ends).(Hummel, Johann)
January 1, 2002... Hummel, Johann: Piano Concerto in F Major; Theme and Variations in F Major; Piano Concerto in A Major. London Mozart Players, Howard Shelly, piano and conducting. Recorded in 2000, at St. Silas the Martyr, London. Engineer: Jonathan Cooper. 67+...

Solo Symphony; Marimba Concerto; Deep Summer Music. (Scoping software: more never-ending loose ends).
January 1, 2002... Larsen, Libby: Solo Symphony; Marimba Concerto; Deep Summer Music. Colorado Symphony Orchestra. Recorded in 1999, at the Denver Center for Performing Arts. Engineer: Tom Lazarus. 58+ minutes. Koch 7520. In stereo, this often very entertaining,...

Piano Concertos Number 1 and 2. (Scoping software: more never-ending loose ends).
January 1, 2002... MacDowell, Edward: Piano Concertos Number 1 and 2. National Symphony of Ireland, conducted by Arthur Fage, Stephen Prutsman, piano. Recorded in 1999, at the National Concert Hall, Dublin. Engineer: Martin Atkinson. 56+ minutes. Naxos 8.559049....

Mendelssohn, Felix: Hear My Prayer; Theodore Dubois: The Seven Last Words of Christ. (Scoping software: more never-ending loose ends).
January 1, 2002... Mendelssohn, Felix: Hear My Prayer; Theodore Dubois: The Seven Last Words of Christ. Choir of First United Methodist Church, Lubbock, Texas. Recorded ca. 2000, at the church. Engineer: Robert Berglund. 58+ minutes. Gothic 49124. The frontal...

Milestones. (Scoping software: more never-ending loose ends).
January 1, 2002... Milestones. University of Georgia Wind Symphony, playing well-written symphonic music by David Gillingham, Aldo Forte, Roger Cichy, and others. Recorded in 2000, at Hugh Hodgson Concert Hall, University of Georgia. Engineer: Bruce Leek. 61+...

New Orleans Jazz Brunch. (Scoping software: more never-ending loose ends).
January 1, 2002... New Orleans Jazz Brunch. Kevin Clark, cornet; Tom McDermott, piano. Recorded in 2000. Locations and engineer not listed. 42+ minutes. Summit 302. The sound of the horn and piano are extremely well reproduced, with proper soundstaging and sizing...

Symphony Number 2. (Scoping software: more never-ending loose ends).
January 1, 2002... Rachmaninov, Sergey: Symphony Number 2. National Symphony Orchestra of Ireland. Recorded in 1997, in The National Concert Hall, Dublin. Engineer: Tim Handley. 58+ minutes. Naxos 8.554230. The overall sound here is notable for its depth, spread,...

Respighi, Ottorino: Orchestral Works, including Metamorphoseon and Rossiniana. (Scoping software: more never-ending loose ends).
January 1, 2002... Respighi, Ottorino: Orchestral Works, including Metamorphoseon and Rossiniana. Recorded in 2000, at Stadhalle, Wuppertal. Engineer: Werner Dabringhaus. 69+ minutes. MD&G 335 1030. The sound here is demo-grade clean, with the string tones -- the...

Symphonies Number 4 and 12. (Scoping software: more never-ending loose ends).
January 1, 2002... Villa-Lobos, Heitor: Symphonies Number 4 and 12. Radio-Sinfonieorchester Stuttgart, conducted by Carl St. Clair. Recorded in 1997, at Stadthalle Sindelfingen. Engineer: Wilfried Wenzl. 53+ minutes. CPO 999 525. The imaging on this release is...

Villa-Lobos, Heitor: Symphony Number 10 and Amerindia. (Scoping software: more never-ending loose ends).
January 1, 2002... Villa-Lobos, Heitor: Symphony Number 10 and Amerindia. Santa Barbara Symphony Orchestra and Choral Society. Recorded in January, 2000. Engineer: Tom Boot. 57+ minutes. Koch 3-7488. This release (the Amerindia oratorio for chorus and soloists is...

Piano Concerto No. 5 "Emperor"; Piano Sonata No. 23 "Appassionata.".
January 1, 2002... Beethoven: Piano Concerto No. 5 "Emperor"; Piano Sonata No. 23 "Appassionata." Alfred Brendel, piano; Simon Rattle, Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra. Philips 289 468 666-2. Is it as heroic in scope as Ashkenazy's? No, not really. Is it as...

Baroque Favorites.
January 1, 2002... Baroque Favorites: Jacques Loussier Trio. Telarc Jazz CD-80516. This album marks the ninth Jacques Loussier Trio disc in Telarc's series of jazz recordings based on classical favorites. I wasn't too keen on the group's interpretations of...

Classical Dreams: Music to Inspire.
January 1, 2002... Classical Dreams: Music to Inspire. Various artists. Virgin 7243 5 67734 2 4 (2-disc set). Think of the most dreamy, the most tranquil, the most serene musical works you can imagine, put them all together in a two-and-half-hour package,...

Perpetual Motion.
January 1, 2002... Bela Fleck: Perpetual Motion. Sony SK 89610. In spite of its title, this so-called "crossover" album is really a classical album. But it actually fits in the category I'd call a specialty group because of its gimmick. You see, all of the...

French Music for Harp and Strings.
January 1, 2002... French Music for Harp and Strings. Ellen Sejersted Bodtker, harp; Vertavo String Quartet. Naxos 8.555328. Never mind that most of the pieces on this disc were not written specifically for harp; these transcriptions are lovely in any case....

The Canticle of the Sun; Music for Flute, Strings, and Percussion.
January 1, 2002... Gubaidulina: The Canticle of the Sun; Music for Flute, Strings, and Percussion. Mstislav Rostropovich, cello; Emmanuel Pahud, flute; Ryusuke Numajiri, London Symphony Orchestra. EMI 7423 5 57153 2 6. I want to commend this new EMI recording...

String Quartets.
January 1, 2002... Haydn: String Quartets. Emerson String Quartet. DG 289 471 327-2 (3-disc set). Was there any composer more cosmopolitan yet so light and bucolic as Joseph Haydn; any musician who so thoroughly encapsulated the 18th-century "Age of Reason"...

Passione di Napoli.
January 1, 2002... Dmitri Hvorostovsky: Passione di Napoli. Constantine Orbelian, Philharmonia of Russia. Delos DE 3290. Hvorostovsky has a voice like a great golden ball: smooth, round, mellow, mellifluous, and honey-drenched, besides. What's more, he sings...

Symphony No. 41; Clarinet Concerto; Bassoon Concerto.
January 1, 2002... Mozart: Symphony No. 41; Clarinet Concerto; Bassoon Concerto. Jack Brymer, clarinet; Gwydion Brooke, bassoon; Sir Thomas Beecham, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. EMI 7243-5-67601-2. I know I'm becoming redundant repeating this so often, but I...

The Sound of Glory.
January 1, 2002... The Sound of Glory. Mormon Tabernacle Choir, with the Orchestra at Temple Square. Telarc CD-80579. As expected, most of the hymns on this album sound like they were written expressly for the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, still one of THE most...