Our favorite things: recordings.

Once again, we have asked our staff to pick their 10 favorites from among the many recordings they have encountered, employed, and enjoyed during the past year. We think you will agree that this is quite an eclectic list, and we hope that you find it entertaining and useful. Enjoy!

Steve Baird

This past year has been an especially good one for those who enjoy music from the record company vaults. Since I've already written a few lines about the terrific various artist boxed set, Cameo Parkway 1957-1967, from ABKCO (92232), I'd like to revisit this one momentarily. The 4-CD set packs 115 selections from the label's heyday, with 68 of them charting as Billboard hits. The collection includes great artists such as Chubby Checker, The Dovells, The Orlons, Question Mark and the Mysterians, Bobby Rydell and many others. Prior to the release of this set, these recordings were not available from a legitimate source, but the rumors over such a collection had been circulating for more than 15 years. One little caveat for those who own certain CD players: since the disks are pressed on black media, some players--such as the Marantz SA-14 that I own--will not read the disks. Sound quality for material of this age and origin is especially good.

Although my next selection was actually published in 2003, I did not learn of its existence until recently. Prior to this release, Buck Clayton's Complete Legendary Jam Session Master Takes, a European import on the Lone Hill label (LHJ-10115), had been available as part of a limited edition boxed set from Blue Note's Mosaic division, which, in turn, had been licensed from Columbia. That set has been out of print for years. One reviewer has noted online that this is not exactly a complete collection. Along with three other minor differences, he notes, "There were two takes of "Robbins' Nest" issued on Mosaic's limited edition box set. The two versions have different solo sequences, and technically neither one of them is the master, since the original LP featured an edited version, mostly take 1 with some solos spliced in from take 2. The Lone Hill edition appears to have take 2. (Since I have the original LP, I'm glad to have this version, but most people will miss out on the "director's cut.")" Regardless of these slight differences, the opportunity to have nearly all of the recordings made for the five jam sessions releases at such a reasonable price was music to my ears.

Clayton had his own band as early as 1934, but the better part of his early career was as a trumpet player for Count Basie. Here he developed his writing and arranging skills, and was relied upon heavily as the band's soloist. He spent a good part of the 30's and early 40's with Basie, but then struck out on his own after a tour in the Army. After the war, Clayton wrote arrangements for Harry James, Benny Goodman and Basie, while also playing in recording sessions for Billie Holiday, Lester Young and others. Most critics consider the five jam sessions his best work. These bring together many of the best musicians of the day, with Jimmy Rushing, Ruby Braff and Woody Herman among them.

There isn't a bad track on any one of the three CDs in the set. Since I had only two of the original five LPs in my collection, much of what I got to hear was new to me, and I'm loving it all. All of the selections are mono, of course, since they date from the 1950's, but the sound quality is excellent, if not audiophile quality, given the recording dates. My only complaint about such an extensive collection is that the notes in the three-page booklet are sparse.

It's beginning to look as if 2005 is the year of the indispensable box set, so here's a three-disk collection that goes to the top of my stack of most often played titles. Billie Holiday: The Ultimate Collection (Hip-O 000391800) really does come close to being the best smaller set one could hope for, so the title is appropriate. This collection comprises music spanning the singer's entire career, and comes from a variety of music labels. There's even a DVD providing nearly all of Ms. Holiday's filmed performances and a complete discography on this disk. The two CDs give us 42 of Billie's most highly regarded works. Most of them come from the last half of her career while she was recording for Verve; there are a few from her days at Commodore and Decca as well, and one track from Columbia's Lady in Satin. In all, this collection is appropriate to both the casual listener who isn't that familiar with this jazz legend, as well as the dedicated collector who wants the best of Billie at his fingertips. The sound quality is the best you'll hear in most cases too.

And now we come to my vote for album of the year.

In an article that Nat Hentoff wrote for The Wall Street Journal (Saturday, October 1, 2005, Page 14), we get a glimpse into how important the discovery of this album is. Much of what he recounts here is information that appears in the booklet that comes with the CD. Hentoff tells of the search for this tape that Lewis Porter, Monk biographer and professor of jazz at Rutgers-Newark conducted to find this masterpiece, and how Larry Applebaum, the jazz specialist for the Library of Congress discovered it--it is a Voice of America recording, one of about 50,000 now stored at the Library. The importance of this release is that it is one of the few remaining documents of the pairing of two of the greatest jazz musicians of the era. It has been released on a Blue Note CD (35173-2-5). Mosaic, Blue Note's historic music division, will soon be releasing this as a 200-gram vinyl LP. I have read at the Mosaic site that Classic Records will have a hand in this.

The album is a live performance of Thelonious Monk and John Coltrane at Carnegie Hall on November 29, 1957. The recording offers both performances, one at 8:30 PM, the other at midnight. Of course, given its age, this is monaural, not stereo. I'm taken by the sound quality immediately, which has all the hoped-for aliveness for which the hall has long been known.

The extensive notes and essays included in the booklet's 23 pages would make further explanation on the circumstances concerning this Carnegie Hall concert redundant. What I will mention is that these performances demonstrate Monk's influence on Coltrane's development even more so than the album, Thelonious Monk With John Coltrane (Fantasy JZSA-946.6), had shown us for the 44 years that it had been available. This is certainly one recording that belongs in any jazz enthusiast's collection, and one that will be played here at my home for many years to come. Don't miss it.

Joe Cierniak

I've confined my choices to three CDs on the Mapleshade and Wildchild labels, both labels being produced/recorded by Pierre Sprey. I'm not sure of why two different labels for a relatively small company. But don't be fooled by the description "small company." Without any hesitation or reservations I'll say this is the best sound I've ever heard emanating from any media, be it tape, LPs, CDs, or DVDs!

Most of the Mapleshade/Wildchild catalog is confined to the jazz repertoire with a sprinkling of other genres such as rock, big band, and opera. This "primarily jazz recordings" library, sadly, limits the consistently marvelous sound to a relatively small audience of jazz aficionados. I originally was awed by the sound on these labels and relegated the jazz to a secondary tier, enjoyable but not my first choice of repertoire. I was not a member of the jazz listening audience but I am now.

Fortunately for me I practiced what I preached when my children were growing up. I used to tell my children: Before you tell me you don't like a certain food at least try it, and then we can discuss your objection based on experience and not on arbitrary and nonsensical reasons. Amazingly, this simple keeping an open mind mentality resulted in my becoming aware of and enjoying jazz, truly America's contribution to the world of music.

What is especially interesting about Mapleshade/Wildchild operation is that one half of the catalog (online at www.mapleshaderecords.com) is devoted to sales of tweak paraphernalia, including lessons and advice in tweaking rituals. Unbelievable. But keeping an open mind I have to say that I shrug my shoulders, ignore the second half of the catalog, and enjoy the performances and the sound. The winners are:

Spirit and Samba/Paul Meyers-guitar, Santi Debriano bass/Mapleshade 09382. This recording is a far cry from my usual love of a full symphony orchestra with a minimum of 100 players; here we have just two acoustic instruments. But talk about getting one's attention by moving performances that are enhanced, not compromised, by minimalist instrumentation.

Selection number one ("Amazing Grace") comes into its own, as I've never experienced, with just a bass and guitar, both of the acoustic variety. A bit unusual for jazz is that the bass player, Santi Debriano, not only plucks the bass but also uses the bow. When's the last time you heard a bass not only plucked, quite the norm for jazz repertoire, but also bowed? If you want proof that Piere Sprey's minimalist recording techniques are as good as it gets just give this selection a listen.

Garden of Weeds/yucca flats acoustic rock band/ Larry Ansone-lead vocals, rhythm guitar, harmonica/Rich Wilkins-acoustic & electric bass/Scott Thorton-bass & trumpet/Erick Helmuth-drums/ WILDCHILD 10552. An acoustic rock band? That's an oxymoron right up there with square circle. But don't be fooled. These guys are good, both with their command of the music and the instruments. I love the old rock & roll music and lyrics, make no mistake. But things have changed since the good old days of R & R. The songs on this CD reflect the changes. Various selections, e.g., Working Class Poor, have lyrics with biting social commentary. I may or may not agree but these lyrics aren't the old, stagnant repeats from the 50s and 60s. And for once the lyrics can be understood; there's not the usual din of amplified instruments causing the lyrics to be unintelligible. There's also the additional bonus of the music and lyrics taking precedence over the usual commercial "show biz" antics of, e.g., sixty year old rock has-beens jumping around on stage gasping for breath.

The lead vocalist, Larry Ansone, has the type of voice that's a combination of Roy Orbison and Kenny Rogers; melodic and smooth but full of raspiness when it's appropriate. The recording captures his voice as you would experience at a small, smoke filled club.

Baby Won't You Please Come Home/The Redwine Trio/Ben Redwine-clarinet/Tom Mitchell-guitar/ John Prevetti-bass/Mapleshade 10632. This recording is a good old fashioned trio playing old favorites; it's fun listening from start to finish. The players have a mastery of the instruments and the right mood for the music; swinging renditions of "Baby Won't You Please Come Home," "Marie," "Hey, Good Lookin' ," etc. just have me tapping my foot! And that fabulous Mapleshade sound makes it a "you are there" listening experience.

I find it interesting that the trio's leader, Ben Redwine, comments that he was classically trained and as a result has a really good foundation of music. He comments, regarding his classical training, "I still approach jazz from that foundation, trying to get a pure, clear clarinet tone and using music theory to guide my improvisation." The result as heard on this CD is a jazz trio that makes one wanting more.

Kevin East

What a strange year for rock'n'roll. Warhorses such as the Stones and Costello disappointed with mediocre productions. Warhorses such as Springsteen and John Hiatt--see this month's Carousel Corner--proved that age doesn't count. Yet, the best of the best resides mostly in the exurbs, and with the exception of Beck, are opening acts, old and young, who haven't yet succumbed to the artistic ruin that success surely portends. Not that they haven't tried ...

The year's best. Carousel Corner review issue in parentheses.

Sonny Landreth, Grant Street (No. 104). Awesome live tour de force.

Nellie McKay, Get Away from Me (No. 104). Precocious, biting, brilliant. One wonders what she has left for an encore.

Sonic Youth, Sonic Nurse (No. 104). Essential.

The Iguanas, Plastic Silver 9 Volt Heart (No. 104). The day after Katrina, they were all homeless. Yet they didn't miss one date on their tour.

James McMurtry, St. Mary of the Woods (No. 104). You get it for "Chocktaw Bingo." You keep for the depth of his musical acuity and dead-on humor.

Beck, Guero (No. 105). One honky who out-honks the homeys.

Trashcan Sinatras, Weightlifting (No. 105). Simply lovely.

Ry Cooder, Chavez Ravine (No. 106). Los Angeles is the paragon of Henry Miller's The Air Conditioned Nightmare--a geographic mistake that tramples art and eats its young. Yet, there are still recognizable life forms: Beck, Cooder, and Roy Nakano.

Sarah Harmer, All of Our Names (No. 106). Along with Beth Orton, Rachel Yamagata, and Nellie McKay, Harmer leads a brace of aube du siecle chanteuses who have resurrected the song as sung.

Gorillaz, Demon Days (No. 106). Okay, it's a goof by a bunch of old farts. Killer stuff.

Fiona Apple, Extraordinary Machine (See review this ish.)

Caesars, 39 Minutes of Bliss (See review this ish.)

John Hiatt, Master of Disaster (See review this ish.)

James T. Frane

Blake Morgan: Burning Daylight. Blake Morgan: singer, record producer and songwriter, as well as guitar, piano, keys and percussion player, has focused his many and diverse talents on a second album, Burning Daylight. This rock album was recorded at Morgan's Engine Company Records in New York City. The significance of his wide-ranging talents is highlighted in the album credits: it was produced, recorded and mixed by Morgan and Grammy winner Phil Nicolo. Morgan not only wrote the songs and sang them, but also played piano, guitar, solo, keyboard, and percussion. Other performers were John Turner on bass and backing vocals, Jonathon Ellinghaus on drums, Mike Errico played ebow, lap steel, and solos, and Rob Bailey solo.

Burning Daylight is a lively rock album performed by talented people and well recorded. The 11 songs provide 41 minutes of modern rock with a variety of themes and tempos. It is obvious a lot of care and work have gone into writing, performing and producing this album. Morgan's voice is more than up to the task of performing the tunes, from the hard-driving "Only Anesthesia" to the Beatle-like "Danger to Wake You," to the slow-paced "Better Angels." There's a style for any rock fan on this impressive album.

The Viscaynes: Yellow Moon. College dances of the '60s provided a change of pace from the hallowed halls of academia, as well as a chance to meet new people--I met my wife at one such dance. She arrived with five other high school seniors at the invitation of one of my classmates who had grown up with them. We began dating, and in early 1962, attended a formal dance at her school. Performing that night was a quartet of past and present students calling themselves the Viscaynes. One of the songs in their repertoire, "Yellow Moon", was a standout for me. After the performance, I was able to meet the singers. Well, having forgotten their names, but remembering Yellow Moon, I had searched periodically from the '70s to the present without success for a recording of that song to add to my extensive collection rock and roll from the '50s and '60s.

This past year, one of my wife's classmates put together an email circle for the class of 1962. When he receives an email from one member, he forwards it to the others--good way to keep the class in touch. One of the classmates sent an email that reminisced about hearing Sly Stone Stewart, harmonizing with Carl Staedler, Charley Gebhardt and Frank Arellano and how the four of them formed a group called The Viscaynes. Armed with the name of the group, I started internet searches and finally found Yellow Moon by the Viscaynes on a CD "West Coast Vocal Group Treasures, Volume 3" (WC #103) from Badabing CDS & Records (Ray Nalley, 110 Laurel Court, Pittsburgh, PA 15202, email: [e-mail]. Yellow Moon is on this CD twice, once credited to the Viscaynes and once to the Biscaynes. Upon listening it is clear that both are by the same people, the version credited to the Viscaynes is a bit more polished and 6 seconds shorter.

Altogether there are 29 cuts on this CD, some of which had a familiar sound, but none other than "Yellow Moon" was really in the category of "I remember that". However, the compilation is an interesting representation of pre-British Invasion rock 'n' roll styles, with the addition of three gospel pieces at the end. I don't see the connection of the latter, except perhaps to fill out the CD, but they are very listenable. Many of the tunes on this CD could have fit right in with those that became hits; others were recorded with relatively primitive equipment in less than ideal venues.

"Yellow Moon" was a song and performance that I liked at the time and I still enjoy it. It was interesting to connect the Viscaynes with Sly Stone Stewart, who became a local San Francisco Bay Area DJ and later formed the group Sly and The Family Stone. The experience with this decades-long (albeit sporadic) search has shown that the knowledge is out there somewhere and that the Internet can be an effective problem-solving tool (even if by happenstance).

Avec Amitie by Silvia LeLievre. While vacationing this past summer in Nova Scotia, my wife and I enjoyed a number of live music performances. One standout evening was at a small club, Petite Chady, in Cheticamp on Cape Breton Island. Our B&B hostess had recommended that night's music by Silvia LeLievre. How lucky we were to have followed her advice. The performance was one of the best by a female vocalist that we have heard in person. Ms. LeLievre asked each person or couple where they were from, and if they spoke French and/or English. I think we were the only members of the audience that were not bilingual. Throughout the performance, she explained the story and meaning of each song in both French and English. She then sang and played guitar with instrumental backup by a young man.

During the break, I introduced myself to Ms. LeLievre, who graciously spent a little time with me talking about her career, and I obtained a copy of her CD Avec Amitie. I was surprised that her background did not include any formal music training, nor does she read music--just a natural-born multitalented person. Silvia started her career in 1962 with traditional French folk songs, gradually adding American folk music and rock 'n' roll. By 1965, inspired by the Beatles, she formed a rock'n' roll band, The Phantoms, with her brother and two friends. The group existed in the area for nearly 30 years. 1980 brought her and her brothers together with a cousin to perform French traditional and original compositions. In 1982, she formed the Rosewood Band, combining country and rock. 1989 found Silvia writing some of her own music. One of her compositions won first prize in the 1993 La Gala de la Chanson de la Nouvelle Ecosse, and Societe Radio Canada produced a CD of two of her songs.

Avec Amitie is 46+ minutes long, comprising eight songs of her own composition and four French traditional songs. This CD won the prize Gonzaque from the Le Conseil Culturel de la Nouvelle Ecosse as a quality Acadien work. As you might assume, the songs are in French. I am not bilingual; however. that does not diminish my enjoyment of this beautiful work.

I love listening to music--it's soothing, relaxing, inspiring. The best way for me to enjoy it is live, in person. I like some tunes by almost everyone, but it's rare for me to be swept off my feet by nearly everything an artist does. It happened with Julie London, Harry James, Louis Armstrong, Bix Beiderbecke, and a few others. It has happened again with Silvia LeLievre. I'm pleased to have had the good fortune to be in the right place at the right time to hear her in person. This CD is almost as good as a live performance. It is well recorded and superbly performed. Ms. LeLievre can be reached at PO Box 820, Cheticamp, NS, Canada BOE 1HO.

Brian Mason's Some of My Cape Breton Favourites. My wife and I checked into our Baddeck, Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia B&B and inquired about a good place to find a large salad. We were directed to the Yellow Cello restaurant, where we found seating on an outdoor patio overlooking the gigantic Bras D'or Lake. It rapidly became clear that this was a summer resort town with a large vacationing population of people and boats, from individual watercraft to a two-masted schooner. Our luck was doubly good because the resident performing artist that evening was Brian Mason. I had not had the pleasure of hearing this country artist before. His excellent voice and traditional treatment of old standards was very much a treat--think Hank Williams with a touch of Johnny Cash.

When he took a break, I introduced myself and talked to him about his music. I was pleased to learn of his CD Some of My Cape Breton Favourites, as such talent should be shared and not limited to the lucky audiences at one restaurant.

Brian is the lead singer on this album and is backed by Todd Nolan on lead guitar, bass guitar, rhythm guitar, drums and background vocals. Mel Aucoin provided bass guitar, rhythm guitar, keyboard and string accordion and background vocals. Bob Lucier played steel guitar, while Tyler Beckett provided fiddle and mandolin.

Brian's renditions are refreshingly nostalgic. His voice is perfectly suited to the music and his style, while reminiscent of the original artists, adds his own sound and interpretations. He is so good in his delivery and his voice so pleasant, I immediately was compelled to learn more about him. Brian's getting a later start with his first CD than most good artists, but it is a CD worth having in a collection. His CD is sold at the Yellow Cello: 525 Chebucto St., Baddeck, NS, B0E 1B0.

Chesky Records' The Classical Collection. Chesky Records' CD The Classical Collection is an hour+ compilation of works by Vivaldi, J.S. Bach, and other familiar composers. As with all the Chesky productions I have heard, these performances were miked and recorded in a manner to provide a realistic reproduction of each performance and the space in which it was recorded.

The two Vivaldi pieces are "Spring" allegro and "Summer" presto, both by The Connecticut Early Music Festival Ensemble. The J.S. Bach "Sonata in E Major for Flute and Harpsichord" andante and allegro is performed by Gary Schocker. American harpsicordist and fortepianist Igor Kipnis plays the harpsichord in Scarlatti's "Sonata in E Major". Mozart "Ave Verum Corpus" and Lukas Foss's "Behold I Build a House!" are by The Westminster Choir. The Ahn Trio, famed sisters (two of whom are twins) of Korean origin, performs Ravel "Piano Trio in A minor IV. Final" and H. Villa-Lobos "Piano Trio No. 1 in C minor (Allegro non troppo). The E. Granados "Los majos enamorados" is by Benita Meshulam playing piano. Gershwin's Piano Concerto in F allegro agitato is played by Earl Wild on piano with the Des Moines Symphony Orchestra. The I. Stravinsky "Histoire du soldat Royal March" is performed by Solisti New York.

The wide variety that this collection presents will likely ensure broad appeal of the CD, as I suspect it contains something for nearly everyone. It comprises skillfully performed and recorded works written by famous and talented composers.

William Heck

Our esteemed editor has sent out the calls for "10 favorite recordings of the year," and I am called to duty. Luckily for me, the rules say that the recordings don't really have to have been released this year, only that I purchased them or played them a lot this year. And even more fortunately, said editor is not all that picky about having exactly 10 recordings: depending on how you look at it, I have either a lot more or a lot fewer.

Frankly, when I look at my CD collection (not to mention a few shelves full of LPs that I haven't ditched yet), I have a hard time getting motivated to buy still more disks. After all, listening at a rate of one CD per day, it would take years to get through what I have already. And with mostly classical music, how many performances of each work do I really want? The upshot is that I'm not the best friend of the major studios who count on me to support their current release schedules. Still, there are some gaps in the collection, so some of the recordings below are new ... for me, anyway.

Beethoven: String Quartets; The Lindsays. ASV DCA 1111-1119. Incredibly enough, until recently I did not have a single recording of a Beethoven String Quartet. (I can only plead that I came late to chamber music.) I'm still learning this music, so take what I say with a grain of salt, but as I listen to these recordings I sometimes think that the playing should be a little more involving, more passionate. Then again, the performances have been well-reviewed elsewhere, and they certainly are first rate in many ways--definitely keepers. And I found them on sale--doubly satisfying.

J. S. Bach: Orchestral Works and Concertos; Consort of London and various soloists. Brilliant 99360/ 1-9. I threw these in not because they are the most wonderful performances of these works ever captured, but because they are very serviceable performance, even lovely in some cases, at an incredibly low price. The artists are mostly European and a few are well-known; all play at least proficiently. The serious Bach collector would, I suppose, be far more critical, but it's hard to resist a nine-CD set that came in at a total cost of about $20. Yes, Brilliant's pricing is low to start with, and this set popped up on a close-out Web site. Even at full price, such as it is, this set offers a lot of music for a little money.

Dmitry Shostakovich: Symphonies 1-15; Barshai/ WDR Sinfonieorchester. Brilliant 6275/1-11.

Another low-priced release from Brilliant, but this one is a well-respected set of reissues. As with any cycle from a single source, some performances are better than others, but to my ear there's not a clinker in the bunch and several are superb. And then there's the cost factor: low, low, low. It's another set that I found on sale, but the box can be had through a variety of online retailers for around $60--for 11 disks.

Edward Elgar: Symphony 1; Boult/London Philharmonic. EMI 7 47204 2. I have a soft spot for this work, though it hardly can be called popular if judged by the number of performances available ... or the number of times it is heard in concert halls these days. Nevertheless, Elgar's First has what has to be one of the grandest opening themes ever written, and the rest of the work abounds with lovely and interesting touches. Of the few performances I've heard, I am partial to this one--after all, Boult cut his musical teeth, so to speak, on just this sort of music.

The Sofia Recital 1958 (Modest Mussorgsky: Pictures at an Exhibition); Sviatoslav Richter. Polygram 464734. Of course, when someone mentions Pictures at an Exhibition, we all think of Ravel's orchestrated version. But Mussorgsky's original piano score actually works very well, at least when played like this. Those high pecking notes in the "Chicks" section, for instance, really do sound rather like chicks.

Richter's is one of the most famous performances of the work, with good reason. When I first listened (after many years) a few weeks ago, I thought that surely it was too fast, and then there was an obviously wrong note early in the piece, and at certain points those handfuls of notes seemed just too much ... and by the end of the work I realized that I was literally holding my breath, completely caught up in the excitement. This recording of the Pictures has appeared in various couplings and formats over the years. The Sofia Recital disk appears to be the easiest to find at the moment.

Arthur Honegger: Symphony 2; Paavo Jarvi/Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, September 24, 2005.

I know, it's not fair to include a live performance among the recordings. And we all know about Honegger--Pacific 231, some film music--big deal, right? But on that Saturday evening, I was surprised to hear a lovely, imaginative work that was completely new to me both in style and substance. It just goes to show that you need to get to a concert once in awhile, if only to learn something new. And then there's the sound. Usually, I think that my stereo system sounds pretty good--that is, until I listen just after a live concert, at which time the system sounds pretty mediocre indeed. In other words, you need to go to concerts once in awhile to tune up your ears also. Sp just find a promising concert and go, OK?

Retailer: Berkshire Record Outlet. After running on about sales and closeouts, I just have to mention Berkshire Record Outlet as a source. They handle only overstocks and closeouts and only classical music (well, every once in awhile a bit of jazz sneaks in), but I always seem to run across something worthwhile in their massive catalog, which is updated every few days at their Web site. Check it out at www.berkshirerecordoutlet.com.

Greg Koster

I like to look back on my year's selections and find a trend, but no overarching theme leaps out this year. I start off with a long-lost treasure, a longstanding genius, and a recently departed giant which leads to continuing life for an old friend. Or maybe Ray-Fathead, Sonny after 9/11, and the newly discovered Monk/Coltrane tapes show that life and genius are indomitable. There's also the cycle of life in my latter selections. Or maybe I'm grasping at straws. So I'll let the selections speak for themselves:

Thelonious Monk Quartet with John Coltrane at Carnegie Hall (Blue Note 35173). Monk's 1957 quartet with Coltrane is the stuff of legends, because none of the extant recordings really lives up to the eyewitness memories. Monk and Trane played the Five Spot for six months from July to December, with Trane growing from stiff and clumsy on Monk's unusual rhythms to a secure mastery. But the only available recordings have been from April & June, at the very beginning of Trane's schooling. There was a legendary concert at Carnegie Hall in November that had the fully gelled sound, but no recordings--until earlier this year when a Voice of America tape of the concert was unearthed in the Library of Congress. In beautiful, clear mono sound, this CD delivers all the promise of these two great jazz geniuses at the top of their form. Essential.

Sonny Rollins--Without a Song (Milestone 9342). Sonny Rolllins is our greatest living saxophonist, and since he's still going strong at age 73 he may soon be not only the greatest but also the last man standing. This album is a tribute to that indomitable spirit: on Sept. 11, 2001 Rollins was trapped in his apartment six blocks from the World Trade Center. When he was dramatically rescued the next day he brought his essential--his saxophone--and at his wife's urging made this gig in Boston on Sept. 15. Under the circumstances it's amazing that he didn't just "phone it in," but instead we have a warm and reflective masterpiece that provided comfort and assurance to the people of Boston that night and to all of us now thanks to this 2005 release. One of Rollins' best.

Ray--original motion picture soundtrack (Atlantic 76540). I grew up on the later, "crossover" Ray Charles and only came to know of his earlier R&B roots later. Even then it was only Ray himself that I was aware of, until the movie Ray filled me in on the full history and put faces on the other musicians who supported Ray Charles' sound (especially Fathead Newman, who supported him in other ways too). To encompass a recording career that goes back at least to 1953, with sometimes indifferent sound on the original releases, I recommend this carefully remastered selection from the 2004 movie. There's a second CD (More Music from 'Ray') that fills in even more of the early grittier stuff, but this one has almost all of Ray's hits and they sound better than ever.

David 'Fathead' Newman--I Remember Brother Ray (HighNote 7135); Song of the New Man (HighNote 7120). Speaking of Fathead, after watching the movie you might expect him to have washed his hands of Ray Charles, but he remained loyal to his friend through thick and thin and continued to include Ray Charles songs in his repertoire at our local jazz society. After Ray's death it was only natural for Fathead to do a tribute album--and I Remember Brother Ray is natural because he's been playing these songs with and without Ray Charles for half a century. Authentic, soulful, and highly recommended.

But Fathead isn't just a Ray Charles sideman, so I'm also including Song of the New Man, another recent release that mixes bebop and ballads to show off the pure jazz side of this great Texas Tenor, aged to a prime in his 70s.

Eric Alexander--The Second Milestone (Milestone 7131); Dead Center (HighNote 7131). I love Texas Tenors but I also love the Chicago Tenor sound, and with the White Sox series win Chi-town deserves its due. Eric Alexander was a young lion in that mainstream jazz tradition, showing macho bebop chops in his early recordings. Now in his thirties, his playing has matured so these two CDs are a little more laid back, but the playing is still straightahead at the highest level.

Earl May--Live at Shanghai Jazz (Shanghai Jazz). Earl May was Billy Taylor's bassist for a decade, and his performance at our local jazz society showed a leader who stays back and mostly lets his band take the limelight. That's also true on this CD, about half of which are vocal tracks introducing Catherine Russell. Earl's a fine accompanist but I enjoy a good bass solo, and thankfully he does get a chance to shine on some of the other tracks including 'A Night in Tunisia.' [This CD may be hard to find. Shanghai Jazz can be reached at [phone] or www.shanghaijazz.com]

Jann Parker--Masterpieces (Jann Parker). This CD starts an interlocking cycle that I only noticed when I lined up my ten picks for this article. Jann Parker is a NY jazz singer who is starting to get better known. This CD records a concert at the Schomberg Library's Langston Hughes Auditorium, which gives it solid Harlem cultural roots, and the song selection--tunes identified with the likes of Coltrane, Ron Carter, and Duke Ellington--gives it solid jazz roots. Everything is top notch: you don't dare a Nina Simone medley if you don't have swinging chops, and "Spring Can Really Hang You Up the Most' takes a real jazz singer to pull off like this. [This CD may be hard to find, but it's listed at tower.com] The cycle I referred to above? The guitarist on this CD is Roni Ben-Hur, who's the leader on the next selection:

Roni Ben-Hur--Signature (Reservoir 181). Another young player in the hard bop tradition, the Israeli guitarist Roni Ben-Hur speeds through the opening number like a chariot race. [Sorry, I couldn't resist.] This album mixes bop, bossa and ballads, and Ben-Hur shows off both virtuosity and swing. The cycle continues, as the drummer here is Leroy Williams. Next!

Leroy Williams--Time is ... (JazzChild 007). The cycle gets really interesting here because now Leroy Williams is the leader and Roni Ben-Hur is a sideman again, so now we get to compare each in the spotlight and in support. Drummers rarely get solos on any but their own CDs, so this is a great chance to hear Williams as a colorist and improviser. The tune selection also shows Williams' bop roots, including a version of Monk's 'Nutty' on which pianist Richard Wyands was asked to play "like Coltrane"--and does he ever! But that loops us back all the way to my first selection, with Trane playing "like Coltrane" on the same tune at the Monk concert. [This CD may be hard to find. JazzChild Records can be reached at [phone] or [e-mail]]

WBGO 25th Anniversary Compilation (Verve/ Blue Note). I've saved the best for last. If you only get one jazz album this year, this should be it. This 3-CD collection covers the entire range of straightahead jazz from Albert Ammons in 1939 to Dianne Reeves in 2002. Fifty-two cuts obviously can't include everyone or everything you can think of, but the choices are so well thought out by WBGO's Gary Walker that it serves as a pocket history of jazz. [Not sold in stores, but available with WBGO membership. I used to hesitate to plug a local station like this, but it's now streaming live at www.wbgo.org so if you're reading this you can get your value out of membership. Call [phone] for the Anniversary Compilation offer.]

Tom Krehbiel

The email from KWN announcing that it's time to draw up another favorite recordings list wasn't really retribution for my being missing in action over the past couple of months, but my guilty soul added an extra pang to the discomfort that wells up when faced with this annual exercise.

I know I could ease some of the pain by keeping listening notes throughout the year. But that would enforce a year's worth of cognitive deliberation that would interfere with my musical pleasure.

When I'm immersed in a particularly wonderful recorded performance, I don't care to pause to scribble notes about it. I don't even want to do that immediately afterward. What I've just heard as likely as not suggested some further listening to do.

That's enough whining. Here are a few recent, current, and ongoing favorites. As in the past, they are in no special order.

When There Are Gray Skies, Red Garland Trio, Prestige OJCCD-704. This session has pianist Garland joined by Wendell Marshall and Charlie Persip on bass and drums. The three delve into jazz history and prehistory with great respect, affection, wit, and wisdom. Note in particular the contribution of Persip, tightly recorded in the right channel--his tight fills on "My Honey's Loving Arms" and crisp brushwork on "St. James Infirmary" in particular. Other deep classics on this disc include "I Ain't Got Nobody," "Nobody Knows the Trouble I've Seen," and "Baby, Won't You Please Come Home," and "Sonny Boy" which opens the disc and provides the title from the opening words of its chorus. There's some choice irony there, by the way. The great entertainer Al Jolson had a hand in the song's composition and it was one of his featured blackface numbers.

Gennett Records Greatest Hits, Volume 1. This is one of three CDs chock full (20 tracks on this volume, 22 on each of the other two) of performances culled from the archives of Gennett Records. Gennett Records was the recording subsidiary of the Starr Piano Company of Richmond, Indiana. It recorded many of the greats of various genres of American popular music for about 15 years starting in 1916. This CD offers performances by Jelly Roll Morton, Bix Beiderbecke, King Oliver's Creole Jazz Band with young Louis Armstrong, Hoagy Carmichael (doing the first recorded version of "Stardust"), Georgia Tom, Fletcher Henderson, Smilin' Sam, Art Hicks, and more. The transfers to CD are the very best I've ever heard of early Gennett recordings and the performances have tremendous vitality and verve. There's no recording company credited with the release of this CD and no catalog number. I bought my copy at the Wayne County Historical Museum in Richmond when I visited the site of the Gennett company. You can find all three volumes online at Mosaic's True Blue Music site (www.truebluemusic.com) and at Louisiana Music Factory (www.louisianamusicfactory.com).

Check out the self-titled SF Jazz Collective CD (Nonesuch 79866-2). The highlights of this live recording by the eight member group are performances of three Ornette Coleman classics. Gil Goldstein did the arrangements of "Peace," "When Will the Blues Leave," and "Una Muy Bonita." The collective has a near magical lineup of Nicholas Payton (trumpet), Bobby Hutcherson (vibes), Brian Blade (drums), Renee Rosnes (piano), Josh Roseman (trombone), Joshua Redman (tenor and soprano saxes and artistic director), Miguel Zenon (alto sax and flute), and Robert Hurst (bass). Redman, Rosnes, and Zenon contribute originals to the band's book.

Finally, I rediscovered (at a thrift store) The Power and the Glory (M&K RealTime RT-114 Direct-to-Disc LP). If you want to hear and feel real bass, this is the recording to get. The feeling part was the most astounding experience I've had in years of listening. It's not the proverbial "gut-thumping" bass. That's easy to find and it isn't even that low. It corresponds pretty closely to the average resonant frequency of the human thorax--about 150 Hz. The feeling in this case was more like breath-taking. I felt chest pressure, not chest thumps. The music seemed to affect my diaphragm and my breathing. Amazing.

Tom Lyle

As I did two years ago, I'm going to do something different. New releases come and go, even though they are certainly fun to read and write about (not to mention fun to listen to). But what follows are albums that serve a special purpose, albums that I have turned to time and time again when I really want to hear how some new equipment is performing, and even more often when I want to rejoice in the sound of my system. I've turned to these releases over the years for a number of reasons--of course the recording quality is outstanding, but at the same time the music contained on them is so good that I can listen to them over and over and over again without ever getting sick of them.

As usual, I had a very tough time narrowing it down to only 10 recordings. And as usual I cheated a bit: if an artist has multiple albums on the list they're still counted as one. That happens a few times, and I also choose a few more titles at the end, but there are still basically just 10 picks. Sort of. Some of the selections might seem like pretty commonplace, one's that you've seen on oodles of lists, but others are probably not. They are in no particular order.

Kraftwerk: The Mix, Elektra. Everyone knows that this album isn't meant for checking out real instruments recorded in a real space. But this electronic masterpiece can be used for just about everything else. I especially love the dual bass lines in "The Robots", and the way the reverb decays into nothingness in "Radioactivity". But there are really too many highlights to list, and there isn't a bad tune on the album. I have this on both CD and LP, on the LP the vocals are sung in German. It hardly matters that I don't speak the language. It is a cool sounding collection with great music on it.

Bartok: Concerto for Orchestra and Music for Strings, Percussion and Celesta, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Fritz Riener, RCA SACD/Classic Records. These essential selections are two more that I listen to both on CD and LP. I'm not saying that the Bartok is miles better than any of the other Living Stereo releases. But I only have 10 picks, and since these are pretty darn good and been played consistently on my hi-fi for many, many years, I'd be negligent if I didn't list them. For the longest time I listened to this CD, and of course I'm aware that there was a JVC XRCD released, but I never have had the pleasure of hearing it. When the LPs were re-released by Classic I rarely spun the CD anymore, but now that the SACD is out, I split my time between them.

Mahler: Symphony No. 3, Philharmonia Orchestra, Benjamin Zander, Telarc SACD. Symphony No.5, Berlin Philharmonic, Claudio Abaddo, DG. One wouldn't expect a music picks list from me without some Mahler on it, would they? And of all the Mahler why did I pick these two? If I were asked tomorrow, my choices might be different. I was only going to put the Abaddo CD on here because I've been listening to it for so long, but the Zander is so outstanding, and I've been turning to it so often ever since it was released a few years ago that I had to include it. These are both impressive releases that blow me away every time I listen to them. The Abaddo is certainly better played, but the recording on the Zander is such a blockbuster that I suppose that's why it spends so much time in my player.

Shostakovich/Dereviano: Symphony No. 15, Kremer Musica, DG. This chamber orchestra arrangement of Shostakovich's 15th is one of the best sounding CDs in my collection, plus it is one of my favorite pieces of music. Every instrument on the disc, especially the violin and the percussion, jump out of the speakers like the real thing when the system is properly tuned.

Bang on a Can Live. Various artists, CRI. The composers and musicians on this CD of contemporary classical works were all new to me when I got this CD, and I've still acquired very little material from any of them since. It also took a little getting used to their very modern musical vocabularies. But when listening to this CD I feel like I'm eavesdropping on the actual event. I suppose this might be due to the recording process made directly to two-track (most likely DAT)--simpler is often better. Volume Two was also released, and I play it almost as often.

Led Zeppelin: The Way the West Was Won, Atlantic. It is hardly an audiophile recording by any means. Or maybe it is. But it is one of the greatest hard rock concert albums that I have in my collection, and one that combines a smoking performance with a huge, loud sound. It sounds as if these tapes have been doctored in the studio after the fact; it's just a bit too perfect. But it hardly matters how they got this monster sound from this monster band's recording.

Stravinsky: Firebird, London Symphony Orchestra, Antal Dorati, Mercury Living Presence/Classic Records. I used to play the CD constantly, but when Classic re-issued the vinyl it became the reference to end all references. I'm sure I'm not alone when I say that this is one of the best recordings of all time, and that it was recorded so long ago is amazing.

David Bowie: The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars, MFSL. Hunky Dory, RCA (Japan). If I had to pick two rock LPs from my collection that I couldn't live without, these would be on the list, no doubt about it. Recording-wise, the Hunky Dory might be the better of the two. When I'm listening to it I can hear the difference in the recorded ambience on each separate track of the multi-track recording. It's scary. On second thought, the Ziggy Stardust album as a whole is practically without peer. Or maybe not practically.

John Coltrane: My Favorite Things, Atlantic. What amazes me about this record is how it manages to combine all the elements of the band--none of are recorded that well on their own--into a convincing sonic picture of a group playing together in the studio. Mr. Coltrane's sax is the exception (in a positive sense), and even though its recorded sound is hardy perfect can sound strikingly real even when the system isn't perfectly dialed in. And don't forget, this is an extraordinary performance by all those involved.

Vasks: Message, Riga Philharmonic Orchestra, Kriss Rusmanis, Conifer. This CD might be out of print, yet it's been in the clearance section for such a long time it could probably still be found fairly easily. The five relatively short orchestral works on the album are all good; but my favorites are the Cor Anglais Concerto and the title piece. I was surprised; I originally acquired this CD for the purpose of checking out the works of this much-discussed Latvian composer. I liked what I heard, but what quickly happened was I was as equally bowled over by the discs amazing sound quality. The percussion in particular is very, very well recorded.

Honorable Mentions:

King Crimson: The Great Deceiver, Discipline Records (4 CDs)

The Who: Live at Leeds, MCA (2 CD Deluxe Edition)

Stravinsky: Petrouchka, Le Orchestra del la Swiss Romande, Ansermet, Athena (LP re-issue of Decca)

Pink Floyd: Wish You Were Here, Columbia_Speed Master LP

Prokofiev: Romeo and Juliet, Cleveland Orchestra, Maazel, Decca 2 LP

Bjork: All is Full of Love, Elektra/ One Little Indian CD Single.

Thom moon

Following the instructions of our esteemed editor from two years ago ("Write about the discs that have spent the most time in your player"), here's my Top 5 of '05 (plus a "pick to click," as they used to say in Top 40 radio). As in many years, it's mostly Jazz and but for once, only one female artist. Here are the Top Five:

Shemekia Copeland, The Soul Truth, Alligator ALCD 4905. Recently, my wife and I have "discovered" WBGO (FM) "Jazz 88.3" from Newark, NJ. Although we're 500 miles from Newark, we listen daily via the 'Net, especially to the afternoon jock, Michael Bourne, who features a Blues Hour every day. It was on that show we first heard Shemekia Copeland--and what an experience! This young woman, the daughter of the late Texas-based blues guitar legend Johnny Clyde Copeland, has what Vibe magazine called "volcanic delivery." Amen, Vibe! This woman can belt it out like few others since Ruth Brown! It doesn't hurt that the album is produced by Steve Cropper (yes--that Steve Cropper: ex-Blues Brothers Band, ex-Stax/Volt backup group), whose chops in blues and soul are rock solid. Top cut on the disc for me: "Who Stole My Radio," a plaint decrying the state of commercial radio these days. KE: she's singin' to you, bro!

Steve Tyrell, A New Standard, Atlantic 83209-2. The first time I heard Steve Tyrell, I thought, "like Rod Stewart, he must gargle with razor blades!" The ex-head of Artists & Repertoire (A&R) and Promotion at New York's Scepter Records (Dionne Warwick's long-time label), who loved Jazz Standards so much, his wife talked him into recording an album of them. The more ! heard Tyrell, the more I warmed to him and his style. This was his first album, done back in 1999, but it's a great introduction to the man. The music is just the best: "Give Me the Simple Life," "I Can't Get Started with You," "Cheek to Cheek." and more. The sidemen aren't chopped liver either, including performances by Harry "Sweets" Edison, Clark Terry, "Toots" Thielemans, Joe Sample, and Bill Watrous. If you're familiar with the Steve Martin re-makes of Father of the Bride, that was Tyrell singing on the soundtrack. Highly recommended!

John Pizzarelli, Bossa Nova, Telarc Jazz CD83591. Another male who's no match for Sinatra in voice quality, but who is a great song stylist and a terrific musician! This has rapidly become one of my favorite Pizzarelli productions. A particular favorite: a Bossa Nova version of Gershwin's "Fascinatin' Rhythm," which is on a par with his earlier recording that had him singing "Our Love is Here to Stay" while the band played Neil Hefti's "Little Darlin'." Besides "Fascinatin' Rhythm," other wonderful cuts are another Bossa Nova newbie, James Taylor's "Your Smiling Face" and Jobim's "Aguas de Marco (Waters of March)." Another great performance by my favorite guitarist/singer. Check it out!

John Pizzarelli, Knowing You, Telarc Jazz CD83615. Pizzarelli goes from strength to strength. The guy is just a fabulous guitarist and enthusiastic singer. This album, his most recent, has some outstanding cuts, including "Pick Yourself Up," "I Just Found Out About Love," and a duo with his wife, Jessica Molasky, on Dave Frishberg's "Quality Time" ("You work on your new screenplay. I'll update my resume.") As always, he's accompanied by his crack trio: Ray Kennedy on piano, brother Martin on bass and Tony Tedesco on drums, with guest appearances by several notables, including the pater familia, Bucky. Another disc well worth your time.

Count Basie's Finest Hour, Verve 314 589 637-2. One of Verve's multitudinous compilations of old material, but a darned good one. This samples Basie's bands from 1937 ("One O'Clock Jump" and "Topsy") through a live Las Vegas date in 1969 "Li'l Darlin'" and "Broadway"). Of course, it includes the famous Basie version of "April in Paris" ("One mo' time....") and "Corner Pocket." Even the recordings from '37 sound pretty good and the later ones sound great. Plus we found it at Barnes & Noble for a reasonable price! If you're just getting into Basie's groove, this is a good all-around introduction.

The Blue Wisp Big Band, A Night at the Wisp, Sea Breeze SB-2124. I always like to spotlight talent local to wherever I'm living and this is my local fave of 2005. The Blue Wisp is a Cincinnati tradition: a smoky, out-of-the-way Jazz joint that harkens back to the days when there were Jazz joints all over the place: the "Penthouse" (ironically named, as it was in the basement of a local, somewhat seedy hotel), and the clubs across the river in Newport, KY ("The City that put the 'Sin' in Cincinnati). The Wisp has been around since the late '70's, and the band has been playing there every Wednesday night since 1980. This is the band's first live recording and second for Sea Breeze, a small label out of Pismo Beach, CA. And this is a pretty big band: 16 players--five saxes, four trumpets, four trombones, piano, bass and drums. All the guys are local and despite that, they can swing big time. Their program is varied, ranging from Franz Lehar's (!) "Yours is My Heart Alone" to Dave Brubeck's "Theme from Mr. Broadway" and "Sweet Lorraine." There's also a version of Billy Strayhorn's "Lush Life" that lives up to the name, and a great number by band member Alan Foust, "Cold Tater Stomp." If you happen across it in your local esoteric music emporium, try it out! I think you'll be impressed with the way the band swings!

Roy Nakano

Sometimes the best new sounds emanating out of the audio system come from recordings that have been around the block once or twice. My top desert island discs represent personal treasures discovered or rediscovered this past year. Most were released prior to 2005. Nonetheless, I played these enough this past year to wear out the loading mechanism in my CD player.

Gerald Albright--The Very Best of Gerald Albright (HDCD 83460-2 Atlantic). His influence comes from earlier generation saxophonists like Junior Walker and Joe Sample. He's one of the more technically proficient of today's popular jazz saxophonists, but his talent exceeds his popularity. The recording sounds best with HDCD decoders. Without it, however, it still sounds plenty good.

Allman Brothers Band--Stand Back: The Anthology (314 586 762-2 UTV Records). There are lots of "best-of" versions of the Allman Brothers Band--some of them very good compilations, but lacking in either sound quality or choice cuts. This 2004 compilation strikes a good balance of both, without breaking the bank. Stand Back benefits from the mastering skills of Suha Gur.

Curtis Blues--Forget With Me (www.curtisblues.com). He's a street musician who plays Mississippi Delta blues without the aid of any electronic amplification. It's like listening to the reincarnation of Robert Johnson. His guitar work is good; his harmonica playing is even better. If you happen to see him on the river front in Alexandria, Virginia, be sure to pay him a visit.

Jackson Browne--Solo Acoustic Vol. 1 (INR52052 Inside Recordings). This one was actually released in late 2005, but it's a compilation of some of Jackson Browne's better solo acoustic guitar performances. Solo Acoustic Vol. 1 offers pristine audio quality, courtesy of Doug Sax, Robert Hadley, and the Mastering Lab.

Aaron Copland--Appalachian Spring and Short Symphony and Charles Ives--Symphony No. 3 "The Camp Meeting," Dennis Russell Davies and the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra (PD 140 Pro Arte). This 1980 "Best Chamber Music" Grammy winner recording almost never happened. Originally intended as a direct-to-disc recording, the masters were ultimately ruined. Luckily, the producers at Sound 80 did a digital back-up recording. This is the back-up recording, and the Appalachian Spring performance is my all-time favorite. The piano work is particularly haunting. If you can find this rare CD, I suggest you grab it quickly.

Dynaudio Sound Music CD--Feeling Music (27000 60050 Zounds Music). This 2005 compilation is actually a demonstration disc used to show off the optional Dynaudio system in the all-new Passat. The sound on the disc is so good that it's got some journalists convinced that the new Passat has the best factory sound system they've ever heard. What a difference source material can make. Of particular note on this disc: Allan Taylor's "The Beat Hotel" and some extraordinary bass playing by Abraham Laboriel.

Emerson, Lake & Palmer--The Very Best of Emerson, Lake & Palmer (R2 79777 Rhino Records). What started out in 1973 as a record store specializing in hard-to-find used records has turned into one of our era's most important sources for preserving the world's best rock and roll music. As with most Rhino Records discs, the liner notes are first-rate. The sound of this disc won't disappoint audiophiles who long relied on EL&P material as audio reference material.

Bill Evans Trio--Waltz for Debby (CAPJ 009 Analogue Productions). This Doug Sax remastering of one the greatest jazz recordings of all time beats out some other excellent efforts, including the Joe Tarantino remastering done at Fantasy Studios. This is the second of two Riverside albums made up of selections recorded by the classic Bill Evans, Scott LaFaro and Paul Motian trio at their live recording session of June 25, 1961 at the Village Vanguard (LaFaro died in a car accident 10 days after the recording).

Branford Marsalis--Renaissance (originally CK 40711 Columbia; now 40711 Sony). This one was literally dug out of a musical vault and rediscovered in late 2005. It has a sound that can transform your listening room, given the right audio equipment. Of particular note: "Lament," which Marsalis dedicates to his grandmother, and "The Peacocks," which he dedicates to his mother.

Karl Nehring

Pat Metheny Group: The Way Up (Nonesuch 79876-2). Rather than present a collection of tunes, Metheny and his band present a kind of jazz symphony. There are themes that run in and out, and once you have listened to the whole thing several times, you will find yourself able to hum (or play the air guitar) along with many of the sections as the music begins to penetrate your mind and work its way into your memory. What does it sound like? Imagine some of your favorite PMG moments, with soaring guitar, rippling keyboards, complex rhythms, then just keep expanding that sound.

Tord Gustavsen Trio: The Ground (ECM 1892 B0004123-02). The tempi are slow, the melodies are languid, and things do get a bit, uh, precious at times. Still, there is great beauty here, and real musical skill. If you are a fan of gentle but intensely romantic playing, i.e., "emotion reflected in tranquility," The Ground is pure paydirt. It is a lovely, lovely recording.

Charles Lloyd: Jumping the Creek (ECM 1911 B0004121-02). On this recording, Lloyd varies his ensemble, sometimes playing in duets or trios rather than having the whole quartet for every cut. The net result is an interesting combination of approaches, with an intensity of joy. Lloyd and his bandmates really seem to enjoy playing with each other, and their enthusiasm for their art and craft comes through.

Mathias Lupri Group: Transition Sonic (Summit Records DCD 398). Mathias Lupri, who plays vibes, composed all of the music on Transition Sonic, and assembled quite a supporting cast: Mark Turner on tenor and soprano saxophone, Cuong Vu on trumpet, Nate Radley on guitar, Thomas Kneeland on bass, and Jordan Person on drums. Transition Sonic bears comparison with The Way Up, on which Cuong Vu also plays. The texture of the music is quite different, but the feeling of cohesiveness is similar, even though The Way Up is presented as one large composition while Transition Sonic is presented as 12 distinct cuts. Still, if you just sit down and listen to the recording straight through, you will come to be impressed by its cohesiveness. This is one of those recordings that can be enjoyed by those who have not listened to much jazz, but can also be enjoyed by old jazz hands.

Christopher O'Riley: Hold Me to This (World Village 468034). This recording of classical pianist O'Riley playing his transcriptions of music by the rock group Radiohead is a most welcome release that if anything, is even more rewarding than O'Riley's first Radiohead venture, True Love Waits. On this new release, O'Riley seems to inject more of his own emotion into the music, his playing being more expressive and intense than it was on the first release. It is as though he has found out that fans of the band appreciated what he was doing, and now he can relax and reveal not just enthusiasm but also real passion for this music. I had thought about adding Radiohead's Hail to the Thief to this list, because I played and enjoyed it so much this past year, but that would put me at 11 entries, which would be cheating.

Prokofieff: Lieutenant Kije, Symphonic Suite Stravinsky: Song of the Nightingale Chicago Symphony Orchestra/Fritz Reiner (JVC JM-XR24026). The reason that I am nuts about this recording is the Lieutenant Kije Suite, which is one of my all-time favorite classical recordings. There just aren't too many better ways to spend 20 minutes than listening to this fantastic music on a good stereo. The variety of sounds, the variety of moods, the variety of expression, and the variety of dynamics somehow cohere in a unified musical portrait that you will want to return to over and over again. Reiner and the Chicago and the engineers outdid themselves in the service of Maestro Prokofieff; indeed, I have never heard a finer recording of this magical work.

Bill Frisell: east/west (Nonesuch 79863-2). This is an amazing recording of two live sets, just incredible, and if you are any kind of Frisell fan, you've got to hear this. Frisell is a wonderful musician--if you have not yet heard what he can do, this new release would make a great way to make his acquaintance.

Mahler: Symphony No. 2 "Resurrection" Jennie Litster, soprano/Francesca Forsyth, contralto/BYU Philharmonic Orchestra and Combined Choirs/ Kory Katseanes (Tantara Records JD004 [DVD Video]). I have several fine versions of the Mahler Second in my CD collection, which is one of the reasons I decided to purchase the DVD rather than the CD. This is a piece of music I love more than almost any other, and I welcomed the opportunity to watch a live performance in the comfort of my home. To see the enthusiasm of these young musicians as they perform this music is truly an inspiration. For those who love the music of Mahler, I recommend this DVD without reservation. (Tantara Records can be found at tantararecords.com; their phone number is 800/879-1555.)

Part: Da Pacem Domine; Lamentate The Hilliard Ensemble/Alexei Lubimov, piano/SWB Stuttgart Radio Symphony Orchestra/Andrey Boreyko, conductor (ECM New Series 1930 B0005056-02). As familiar as I thought I was with Part's music, I simply was not prepared for this recording, which is stunningly impressive. Things start off relatively peacefully, with the Hilliard Ensemble intoning Da Pacem Domine, which sounds like you might expect for a vocal piece by Aarvo Part. Very nice stuff. Then, barn! Lamentate blasts forth from your speakers, and you find yourself amazed by the sheer power of Part's musical vision. With pounding percussion and blazing brass, this is no exercise in quiet minimalism. Pianist Alexei Lubimov plays expressively, even tenderaly in places, and there are moments of quiet introspection; still, Lamentate is a powerful piece, the most powerful piece that Part has ever penned.

Choose Something Like a Star: The Choral Music of Randall Thompson The Mormon Tabernacle Choir/ The Orchestra at Temple Square/Craig Jessop (Mormon Tabernacle Choir MTC0005). David Rich offers some details on Amercian composer Randall Thompson below; suffice it to say that this recording of choral music is quite enthralling. A special highlight is a medley titled "Frostiana," with lyrics by poet Robert Frost.

John Puccio

As usual, many of my selections come from the ranks of classic remasters, so bear with it. New or old, they're all fine discs, well played, well performed, and well recorded.

Barber: Adagio for Strings; Violin Concerto; Orchestral and Chamber Works. Elmar Oliveira, violin; Leonard Slatkin, St. Louis Symphony Orchestra. EMI 7243 5 86561 2 (2-disc set).

Chabrier: Espana; Suite Pastorale; Fete Polonaise; Gwendoline Overture; Danse Slave; Joyeuse Marche; Bourree Fantasque; Roussel: Suite in F. Paul Paray, Detroit Symphony Orchestra. Mercury SACD 475 6183.

Dvorak: Tone Poems. Sir Simon Rattle, Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra. EMI 7243 5 58019-2 (2-disc set).

Franck: Symphony in D minor; Lalo: Symphony in G minor; Faure: Pavane. Sir Thomas Beecham, Orchestre National de la Radiodiffusion Francaise. EMI 7243-5-62949-2.

Grieg: Peer Gynt. Peter Mattei, Camilla Tilling, Charlotte Hellekant, soloists; Paavo Jarvi, Estonian National Symphony Orchestra. Virgin Classics 7243 5 45722-2.

Enesco: Roumanian Rhapsody No. 1; Liszt: Hungarian Rhapsodies for Orchestra Nos. 1-6. Antal Dorati, London Symphony Orchestra. Mercury SACD 475 6185.

Mendelssohn: Italian and Reformation Symphonies. Charles Munch, Boston Symphony Orchestra. JVC JMXR-24028.

Offenbach: Gaite Parisienne; Waldteufel: Waltzes. Manuel Rosenthal; Willi Boskovsky; Monte Carlo Philharmonic Orchestra. EMI 7243 5 85066 2.

Prokofiev: Romeo and Juliet. Andre Previn, London Symphony Orchestra. EMI 7243-5-86254-2 (2-disc set).

Rossini: Overtures. Pierino Gamba, London Symphony Orchestra. JVC JVCXR-0229-2.

Schubert: Piano Quintet in A major "The Trout"; Variations on "Trockne Blumen"; Litanei auf das Fest aller Seelen. Braley, Capucon, Causse, Capucon, and Posch. Virgin Classics 7243-5-45563-2.

Shall I Compare Thee? Choral Songs on Shakespeare Texts. Chicago a capella. Cedille CDR 900000 085.

Wagner: Tristan und Isolde. Domingo, Stemme, Fujimura, Bar, Pape, Bostridge, Holt, Rose, Villazon; Antonio Pappano, Chorus and Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. EMI 7243 5 58006-2 (3 CD-1 DVD set).

David Rich

Great American Composers: Symphony no 2, Op. 30 "Romantic" by Howard Hanson; Pleasure-Dome of Kubla Khan, Op. 8 by Charles T. Griffes; Roman Sketches (4), Op. 7: no 1, White Peacock by Charles T. Griffes; Billy the Kid: Excerpt(s) by Aaron Copland; Rodeo: Four Dance Episodes-no 4, Hoedown by Aaron Copland; Conductor: Charles Gerhardt, National Symphony Orchestra (Hanson/Griffes), Royal Philharmonic Orchestra (Copland) Release date: 05/06/ 1994. Chesky Catalog #: 112

Howard Hanson: Concerto for Piano, Op. 36; Song of Democracy for Orchestra and Chorus; Symphony no 1 in E minor, Op. 21 "Nordic:; Symphony no 2, Op. 30 "Romantic"; Symphony no 3, Op. 33; Elegy, Op. 44 "In Memory of Serge Koussevitsky"; For the First Time; Lament for Beowulf, Op. 25 for Orchestra and Chorus; Merry Mount, Op. 31: Suite; Mosaics. Alfred Mouledous (Piano), Conductor: Howard Hanson, Eastman-Rochester Symphony Orchestra, Eastman Philharmonia, Eastman School of Music Chorus. This compilation released on: 09/13/2005. Mercury Living Presence Catalog #: 000519102 Number of Discs: 4. The 4th CD is a lecture by Dr. Hanson with the orchestra on the Merry Mount: Suite, Mosaics, and For the First Time

Howard Hanson: Song of Democracy; Symphony no 1 in E minor, Op. 21 "Nordic"; Symphony no 2, Op. 30 "Romantic." Eastman-Rochester Symphony Orchestra, Eastman School of Music Chorus. Release Date: 11/09/2004. Mercury Living Presence Catalog #: 000339436.3-Channel SACD (duplicates the material on the first disc of the above set,)

Howard Hanson: Concerto for Piano, Op. 36; Fantasy Variations on a Theme of Youth, Op. 40; Lament for Beowulf, Op. 25 for Orchestra and Chorus; Merry Mount, Op. 31: Suite; Mosaics; Pastorale for Oboe, Harp and Strings, Op. 38; Serenade for Flute, Harp and Strings, Op. 35; Song of Democracy for Orchestra and Chorus; Symphony no 1 in E minor, Op. 21 "Nordic"; Symphony no 2, Op. 30 "Romantic" Symphony no 3, Op. 33; Symphony no 4, Op. 34 "Requiem'; Symphony no 5, Op. 43 "Sinfonia sacra" Symphony no 6. Carol Rosenberger (Piano Concerto), Judith Mendenhall (Flute), Susan Jolles (harp), Randall Ellis (Oboe), Conductor: Gerard Schwarz, Seattle Symphony Orchestra, Seattle Symphony Chorus, New York Chamber Symphony (Serenade and Pastorale). Release Date: 10/25/1994. Delos Catalog #: 3150. Number of Discs: 4

Howard Hanson : Dies natalis I (A significant number of other works are on the disk but are not listed here). Conductor: Gerard Schwarz, Seattle Symphony Orchestra. Delos Catalog #: 3160

Howard Hanson: Nymphs and Satyr Ballet (A significant number of other works are on the disk but are not listed here.) Conductor: David Fetler, Rochester Chamber Orchestra. Albany Records Catalog #: 129

Howard Hanson; Bold Island Suite, Op. 46; Fanfare for the Signal Corps; Merry Mount, Op. 31: Suite] Symphony no 2, Op. 30 "Romantic" Conductor: Erich Kunzel, Cincinnati Pops. Release Date: 09/27/2005, Telarc Catalog #: 80649 (CD) Catalog #: 60649 (Multichannel SACD) 2006 marks the 25th anniversary of Howard Hanson's passing. Since the music industry favors such milestones, new recordings and several re-issues have just been released. Many consider Hanson a reactionary whose neo-romanticism cut against the uptown academic grain. Consider the recent "Copland and his World" music festival that spanned two weeks this summer at Bard, and later commanded an additional week at Lincoln Center. All of Copland's major contemporaries were presented, with the exception of Hanson. The conference was organized by Leon Botstein, the music director of the American and Jerusalem Symphonies, and one of the leading champions of neglected twentieth-century works. In an unrelated radio lecture on 20thicentury music, Botstein commented: "There was a huge splintering in the twentieth century of schools.... there were composers like Howard Hanson and there were composers like Anton Webern."

Born in Wahoo, Nebraska in 1896, Hanson's education fell outside the leading-edge cachet of the Ivy League and the Boulanger studio in Paris, where much of 20th century tonality (or, atonality, as it may be) was simmering. Instead, Hanson did postgraduate work in Rome as winner of the Prix de Rome.

Hanson's Scandinavian heritage was a strong influence, and Sibelian idioms flow through his early efforts. Hanson's work as a composer paralleled his rise to fame as a conductor. At 27, he was handpicked by film-giant George Eastman to direct his new music conservatory in Rochester, New York. Over his forty-year tenure, the school became renowned as one of the best institutions of its kind. Despite this, Hanson does not feature prominently on the school's internet site. A Ph.D. thesis awaits to be written to explain why a man who contributed so much to American music is so despised by today's musicians and scholars.

Nothing he wrote anticipates the success of the Second Symphony (1928-30) in which he found his early musical voice. After its premiere by the Boston Symphony Orchestra under Serge Koussevisky, hundreds of performances followed including one by the New York Philharmonic under Toscanini. Unfortunately, the symphony's "Romantic" title has given rise to numerous vapid renditions that have contributed to the derogatory opinions of the work and the composer. Charles Gerhardt's 1967 performance has an edge that shines a brighter light on the work. The recording was overseen by the legendary engineer, Kenneth Wilkinson, and it has been lovingly re-mastered by Chesky. The other highlight of the CD is the audiophile's delight, Griffes' Pleasure Dome of Kubla Khan. The original pressing may be in short supply, so purchase should not be delayed.

Serge Koussevisky admired Hanson's work and premiered his Third Symphony (1937-38) with the Boston Symphony Orchestra in 1940. Although the work was not a critical success, Koussevisky routinely scheduled it. A recording of the BSO under Koussevisky was released by RCA. Although nothing an audiophile would touch, the recording gives us the finest recording of a work by Hanson. No doubt, his reputation would be stronger had more of his works received this quality of execution.

Gerard Schwarz and the Seattle Symphony Orchestra recorded the symphonic cycle, and these have been available in a variety of pairings, some at bargain prices. The first release of Symphonies 1 and 2 was so popular that Delos recorded the other five. In hindsight, the first CD is not well played and the conducting unnecessarily softens many of the music's sharper corners. Luckily, the remaining CDs improved as the orchestra got to know its conductor better. The entire set is an audiophile's delight, with the legendary recording engineer John Eargle at the console.

Hanson hit his peak in the 1940's and 50's with more angular, harmonically complex, and expressive works that reflect his genius. Regularly premiered by the big five American orchestras under the batons of Stokowski, Ormandy, Szell, and Munch, the works were favorably received. The Pulitzer-Price winning Fourth Symphony (1940-43), titled "Requiem," is an homage to his father. Each movement takes a title from the Requiem, such as the Dies Irae movement, which is especially driven and astringent. The six-minute duration of the Requiescat (largo) hints at Hanson's progression to a more compact style, yet Hanson's melodic gifts are not lost. The pastoral-like Lux Aeterna concludes the symphony. Its undercurrents are a study in contrasts ranging from a deeply felt theme in the exposition, a stormy development, and a coda that ends with a soft major triad.

The lighter Serenade (1945) and Pastoral (1948-49), written for flue and oboe solo, followed. They are for smaller forces and have a happier outlook. The jazzy piano concerto of the same period is not a highly virtuosic vehicle, but the pianist must have a strong musical personality to bring the work off well.

The compact Fifth Symphony (Sinfonia Sacra), inspired by the resurrection of Jesus Christ, was written in 1954 and lasts fifteen minutes. The modal character of the music differs from the more traditional tonalities of the Second Symphony. The Elegy in Memory of Serge Koussevitzky (1955) is a 14-minute work that some Hanson scholars consider among his finest. The 12-minute theme-and-variations Mosaics (1958) was inspired the mosaics at the Palermo Cathedral, which Hanson frequented while studying in Rome. Religious modalities abound, and the work is a fine conclusion to this 20-year period of the composer's development where Hanson's laconic style is probably a truer reflection of his personality.

In 1968, Hanson wrote his Sixth Symphony on commission from the New York Philharmonic. Bernstein declined to conduct the premiere, even though the work was dedicated to him, and Hanson substituted. An important work, in six short movements, it reveals the evolutionary potential of tonal music. Enamored with serial compositional techniques, the musical guard was not looking for such a piece in 1968. Hanson never again attempted anything on the scale of the Sixth Symphony. This is a shame because the next generation of tonal composers has not produced anything as forward-looking, yet fully communicative to music lovers who take time to digest the work. The symphony's last movement was featured on an Ondine recording called Earthquake (complete with a set of ear plugs for your neighbors). Gerard Schwarz once again places a romantic stamp on the music that rounds its jagged edges.

Following the Sixth Symphony, Hanson focused on band and choral works, many written for pre-professional ensembles. Of his remaining orchestral works, none would be premiered by the Big Five. Dies Natalis (1967) is a bookend to the 6th Symphony in a similar manner to which Vaughn Williams Fifth Symphony complements his Fourth. The ballet, Nymphs and Satyrs, is Hanson's final work. Using a simplified style, it contains many memorable themes. Dies Natalis and Nymphs and Satyrs are featured in a pair of CDs that contain an eclectic mix of Hanson's early and late works.

Hanson recorded most of his compositions with the Eastman--Rochester Symphony, an amalgam of the principals in the Rochester Philharmonic and advanced conservatory students.. His enthusiasm must have been infectious, because the quality of the performances is uniformly solid. Few composers are the best conductors of their own music and that is true for Hanson. From his performances of other composers, we know his general approach leans towards the soft and romantic side of things--just what his works did not need. Had Hanson encouraged those that premiered his works to record them instead of doing it himself, his legacy would probably be more enduring.

Half of Hanson's Eastman recordings were in stereo and these are collected in a mid-priced Mercury re-issue. There is substantial overlap with the Schwarz collection. The latter is more complete in that Mercury opted not to re-issue Hanson's earlier mono recordings. The three-mike Mercury recording technique is prevalent throughout. The intimate clarity of the recording makes the small orchestra's string section, with only four basses, a bit too apparent. The disc that benefits most from this approach is the fourth one of the set, which has Hanson explaining the compositional process of the three works on the set's third disc. During his analysis of the popular suite from his Merry Mount opera (1936), Hanson traverses through the various sections of the orchestra--Harry Pearson of TAS lionized the sound, driving up the price of these recordings when they were out-of-print.

I see the Hanson box set as an adjunct to the more compete Schwarz. Late '50s/early '60s Mercury analog sound may be good, but John Eargle's skill with the latest digital equipment is better. The fourth disc of the Mercury set, with its lecture series, is an imperative addition for those who have already developed an interest in the composer.

Mercury has recently re-released the first disc of the four as a three-channel SACD. Unlike the RCA releases of the 1950s recordings of the Chicago and Boston Symphonies in three channels, the third channel on the Mercury does not improve upon the sound of the CD. This is no fault of the engineering, but instead an indication that the third channel was spotlighting. In the RCA recordings, the center is farther back and blends well with the left and right channels to elevate the sound quality of the RCA's to a new level. A new multi-channel release by Telarc of Hanson's music may be the best-sounding recording they have produced. Telarc uses the center channel much more than in earlier releases and it shows. The disk is heard best with the flattest speakers (I used the Phase Technology 3.1 IIs) since Telarc now uses professional studio monitors by ATC instead of audiophile-voiced home speakers they used in the past.

This is not an audiophile demo disc but instead a demonstration of how far the art of recording has been able to recreate the symphony orchestra in the home. The direct digital stream technology of an SACD has nothing to do with this. It is the placement of the microphones by the Telarc engineering team and the mix.

It is unfortunate that Telarc felt Hanson's music to be more appropriate for the Cincinnati Pops than the same orchestra under its more prestigious Cincinnati Symphony title. In any case, Erich Kunzel proves to be a sympathetic interpreter, although he does not rise to the level of Gerhardt's achievements in the Second Symphony. What makes the disc indispensable to music lovers is the first commercial release of the Bold Island Suite (1961), a reminiscence of summers in an island off the coast of Maine. Hanson groupies have had access to a murky air check of the work taken at the premier under Szell. Kunzel and his Pops nearly match the performance. Kunzel draws a sweeter string tone from his orchestra than does Paavo Jarvi and his performances are less fussy. The longest of Hanson's mature works, Bold Island, is also the sunniest. Complete with the sound of ducks waddling on the beach, the work is highly enjoyable. Despite the merriment, the work also depicts the majesty of the island ("God in Nature" is the title of the third movement) and it concludes with a splendid choral. For those skeptical of the Hanson aesthetic, this work might change your mind. I hope Kunzel has an opportunity to explore the darker realms of Symphonies 4--6 at some point, although he will not be able to use an orchestra with Pops in the title.

Randall Thompson: Symphony no 1; Symphony no 2 in E minor; Symphony no 3 in A minor. Conductor: James Sedares (1) Andrew Schenck (2 and 3), New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, Release Date: 06/17/1997. Koch International Classics Catalog #: 7413 Randall Thompson: Quartet for Strings no 1 in D minor; Quartet for Strings no 2 in G major. Howard Hanson: Quartet for Strings, Op. 23. Lyric Art String Quartet (Hanson), New Jefferson Chamber Players (Thompson). Citadel Records Catalog #: 88119 The two discs listed above belong in everyone's collection. There is some urgency in bringing them to your attention, becasue they may be cut out of the catalog soon. A contemporary of Hanson, Randall Thompson was born in New York three years later and educated at Harvard. Thompson was awarded the Prix de Rome the year after Hanson, though for Hanson, it proved a springboard to earlier successes. Hanson conducted Thompson's early orchestral works in Rome and at Eastman. Based on the exceptional reaction to the score, Hanson arranged for the First Symphony to be published at Eastman's expense. Subsequently, Thompson became enraged at Hanson when he discovered that the score had been sent to the Eastman Library's permanent collection with the Eastman seal placed on the front page. According to Thompson's biographer, "the dislike was largely one-sided and paranoid on Thompson's part." It is a shame the two never collaborated again as they both had prestigious academic careers that shaped paradigms for music education. The First Symphony (1929) is only available within a two-CD set of the symphonic cycle. In this and other earlier works, Thompson's biographers, Benser and Urrows, point to strong influence of Malipiero (an iconic Italian composer whose complete symphonies are available on Naxos), with whom Thompson studied. Since Malipiero is not well known, Thompson can sound entirely original here. Thompson has a lyricism that can be clearly be heard in this work, as can his use of syncopated rhythms.

The Second Symphony (1931) was a triumph under Bruno Walter's New York premier, and at least 500 performances followed. Thompson's uncluttered textures, alongside the hints of jazz and popular themes of the era, resonated with listeners. Following further studies and travels in Europe, including Paris under a Guggenheim Fellowship, Thompson returned to the U.S. in 1939 to take the helm of the Curtis Institute of Music, where Leonard Bernstein was a student. Of note, Bernstein conducted Thompson's Second Symphony at his first professional concert in Tanglewood. Bernstein's 1960s recording, available from Sony, has always been considered close to a definitive interpretation. In the set under review here, the late Andrew Schenck presents a warmer view of the work that is also well worth hearing, and Neeme Jarvi did it justice on a Chandos release as well.

Symphony No. 3 (1944-1949) is an even stronger work. Irving Kolodin, an important music critic at the time, predicted it would enjoy a similar success to the Second Symphony, but this was not to be. Academics scoffed at its lack of serialism, and the music fell into oblivion, only available to music lovers on a BBC air check. I thought the Third would have resurgence when Koch released this symphonic cycle. This is not a typical Second World War symphony, although the first movement is dark, and an angry scherzo follows. The scherzo appears to be in a simple ABA format, but takes a surprise turn to a softer mood at the end. The lento tranquillo is meltingly beautiful and signifies the work's yearning for a more optimistic mood. In the composer's own words, the final movement is "exuberant" without any "heroic pretension." Despite all the light, there are some flashes of darkness in the 4th movement. The orchestral playing on the CD is world class and incisive under Andrew Schenck's direction. Purchase this set now before it is too late.

In a Hanson redux, the academic mafia became increasingly hostile to Thompson's orchestral music. Only one orchestral work was to follow the Third Symphony, a symphonic fantasy titled "A Trip to Nahant"(1954). Thank goodness for broadcast air checks! The Boston Symphony Orchestra's world premier under Munch can be heard in a copy of a copy of a copy if you know whom to ask. It is wonderful, with lighter subject matter, than the symphonies and, in that way, shares common ground with Hanson's Bold Island Suite. The piece is screaming for a commercial recording. Erich Kunzel would be perfect. Telarc, are you listening?

Thompson's oeuvre closes with a flurry of vocal and chamber works. The vocal pieces are among the most important of the 20th century. Thompson's string quartets, which are of this period, and Howard Hanson's early string quartet are presented by Citadel Records, which specializes in re-releases of American compositions. Thompson called his First String Quartet (1941) "neo-Rasoumoffsky" to acknowledge its references to the middle Beethoven quartets. Searching for Beethoven references misses the point, in my opinion; instead, marvel at the directness of the musical language and the beauty of the phrases. The Second String Quartet, dated 1967, comes from Thompson's post-Harvard period. It is light years away from what would have been academically correct for the time. Simple, lighthearted, and oozing with melody, it is work that anyone will enjoy at first hearing.

The Citadel CD is a re-release of the defunct Bay Cities label. Since Citadel often fails to get shelf-space on the popular web sites, a bit of digging may be needed to unearth this gem.

George Whitefield Chadwick: Symphony No. 2 in B flat major, Op. 21; Symphonic Sketches for orchestra. Neeme Jarvi, Detroit Symphony Orchestra. Chandos Catalog: #9334 (released March 21, 1995)

The complete recording of Chadwick's music with Jarvi/DSO which include these two works (one on each disc unfortunately) are available as CHA 10032 and CHA 9685.

Chadwick: String Quartets Nos. 4 and 5, Portland String Quartet. Northeastern NR234-CD available exclusively through the Portland String Quartet [e-mail]

Chadwick precedes Hanson, Thompson and Copland by a couple of generations. He was among a group of composers who established landmark composition programs at the Ivy League schools. A recent Naxos recording presents a duplicate program to the Jarvi disc that I recommend here. Chandos has better sound and a better orchestra. More importantly, Jarvi is interpreting a composer he clearly considers important. Chadwick's Second Symphony is a personal favorite and Jarvi has commented that the symphony's slow movement is one of the greatest of the genre. That movement is in a complex five-part form with a super-sized faster section that introduces new thematic elements. The second movement, which is marked Scherzando, is surprisingly in Sonata form. The thematic material of the entire piece is highly memorable. The expanse of the work flows in a unified fashion with no wasted notes.

Chadwick's Symphonic Sketches are better known than the Second Symphony, or at least that could be said of the Sketches' first movement, Jubilee, which is often separated for 4th of July concerts. The slow movement (Noel) is especially melodic and the Scherzo is aptly titled, Hobgoblin. Chadwick's biographer, Victor Yellin, likens the final movement to vaudeville. Yellin also notes that Stephen Foster like melodic lines and Afro--Caribbean dance figures are evident throughout the piece. Those who dismiss Chadwick's music as a Brahms-Mendelssohn pastiche need to take a closer listen.

The Fourth and Fifth String Quartets are delightful and it is clear that Chadwick was not intimidated by the long shadows cast by the great composers in this musical form. The fourth quartet was inspired by Dvorak's "American" Quartet (opus 96), while modal and pentatonic characteristics give the fifth quartet a distinctive flair. The Portland Quartet has full measure of the works. The recorded sound is excellent, perhaps too excellent, as it reveals a hardening of the strong tone when the first violinist shifts into higher positions. These quartets get occasional air play and, in the case of the Fifth Quartet, the studios' switchboards alight when listeners ask what was just played. Those listeners will be disappointed because the CD is no longer in distribution, but you can purchase them from the Portland Quartet. I do not know how many copies remain for sale, but would urge you to order one today.