Search the Music Review Database

Weigl: String Quartets Nos. 1 and 5
Artis Quartett Wien
Nimbus NI 5646 Reviewed by SG
Karl Weigl's music has remained neglected for over fifty years, but why is a puzzle. He was a pupil of Zemlinsky, a principal member of Schoenberg's inner circle, and a rehearsal conductor for Mahler. He won prestigious music awards, and was championed by many distinguished musicians, before he was forced to flee Austria, in 1938, by the Nazis, spending his final years of compositional isolation in the United States. These two compelling compositions reveal Weigl's ability to combine the ideas and presentation of the new, with the culture and spirit of the Viennese tradition. The 1st Quartet is a wonderful work, full of passion and romantic ideals, drawing a noticeable similarity with Schoenberg's own 1st Quartet, but with noticeable homage to Brahms and Mahler. The 5th Quartet is a more conservative composition that rejects Schoenberg's tonal innovations. These committed performances are of the highest standard, with impeccable playing and the clever use of timing, resulting in totally convincing polyphonic effects. The recording is also very good, with superb tone and good separation, making it easy to follow Weigl's wonderful use of counterpoint and harmony. An excellent CD, and an excellent introduction to this sadly neglected, yet talented composer.

Haydn: Piano concertos 3, 4 and 11
Norwegian Chamber orchestra, Leif Ove Andsnes, piano/director
EMI CDC 5 56960-2 Reviewed by JMH
Received wisdom is that Haydn's keyboard concertos are pretty trifles; attractive enough, but unworthy of being mentioned in the same breath as Mozart's series of great masterpieces. Agreed, the three works featured on the present disc hardly scale the heights (or depths) of emotions. But the music is engaging and highly entertaining, with a sure but light touch that charms the senses. No 11 is the most popular of all Haydn's concertos, and deservedly so; the work brims with good humour and a zestful brilliance that few composers could match. Leif Ove Andsnes and the Norwegian chamber orchestra give polished sophisticated performances that emphasise the music's elegance and poise. The slow movements are beautifully phrased, but finales sound spirited and joyful. The sound produced by these players using modern instruments is perhaps more cultured than Haydn would've expected, but only those wanting period instrument authenticity are likely to grumble. The recording is gorgeous: tonally very sweet and clean, yet lucid and articulate with excellent clarity. Everything sounds absolutely clean and natural; detail cuts through clearly with no sense of microphone spotlighting, and there's plenty of space around piano and orchestra despite a crisp immediate balance.

Suk: Summer Tale / Fantastic Scherzo
Czech Philharmonic / Mackerras
Decca 466 443-2 Reviewed by SG
Summer Tale was the follow-up to the Asrael Symphony- a profound lament written after the deaths of both Suk's wife, and his father-in-law, Dvorak. It is a magnificent work, showing a determination not to succumb to the bleakness of Asrael, and represents the healing powers of time. Despite this it can sound mournful, with malevolent nightmares rising occasionally from the underlying empathy of hope. The earlier Fantastic Scherzo abounds with wonderful melodies that bring forth an oddly disjointed dream world, but also combine with rhythmic vitality and Suk's resplendent orchestration, resulting in a work that is somewhat akin to a cheerful Danse Macabre. Mackerras understands this repertory perfectly, directing the music, by using both Suk's framework and his own tempos, to perceive the composer's inventive musical prose and instilling an almost Mahlerian feel for nature. The Czech Philharmonic plays with radiant, tender charm, but can sound energetic and alive when the moment requires it. The sound is very good, being warm, dynamic and detailed, with good separation. Suk was a profound and talented composer of the early 20th Century, and with the help of Mackerras and the Czech Philharmonic, nowhere is this born out better than on this CD.

Sibelius: En Saga; The Bard; Tapiola; Spring Song etc.
Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra. Neeme Jarvi
DG 457 654-2 Reviewed by JMH
These recordings represent Jarvi's second thoughts on repertoire he first recorded with this orchestra back in the early '80s for BIS. Always one to favour fastish tempi, his new performances are even quicker than the earlier ones. Jarvi takes a brisk no-nonsense view of the music, and while Is creates excitement, it also results in a lack of that dark brooding melancholy that lies at the heart of so much of Sibelius' music. En Saga, for example, emerges lean and taut in Jarvi's hands, with a dramatic cogency that has considerable sweep and energy. At the same time there's an almost indecent haste about the performance which robs the music of its spacious epic grandeur. Tapiola is much the same: impressively lithe and (at times) almost feverish, yet missing the inexorable power that lies at the heart of Sibelius' remarkable evocation of the vast mysterious northern forests. No, if it's atmosphere you want, Jarvi's not your man. Go to him for bracing freshness and clarity of purpose. Perhaps for this reason the Kuolema excerpts are the most successful items of the disc; Jarvi's lack of gravitas is not an impediment here. DG's recordings sound bright lively and open, with good definition and detail.

Schubert: Piano Sonatas D850 and D784
Mitsuko Uchida
Philips 464 460-2 Reviewed by SG
This is the latest in Uchida's excellent cycle of Schubert's solo piano works, and continues the high standards set by the previous five. The playing is elegant, lively and passionate. Effortless and inspirational the performances bring life to Schubert's grand compositions which are brilliant and extrovert. Uchida is the foremost Schubertarian of the modern era, and in Sonata D850 she exhibits poignancy and subtlety mixed with imperious boldness. She reveals nostalgic playfulness, but this is never allowed to dominate. The earlier sonata is the opposite in character to the first work on this disc, sounding majestic, but more austere, bleak and serious. Despite a weariness in the music, Uchida's playing never reveals this, centring more on the piece's grief and despair. Intense and full of weight, she chooses relatively fast tempi, not allowing the work to sound laboured. The recording is very good, as are many of Philips' piano recordings, if a touch bright at times. If you are either new to Schubert's wonderful piano sonatas, or to Uchida's performances of them, start with her earlier recordings of Sonatas Nos. 15 and 18 (Philips 454 453-2), otherwise this is a first rate performance that I recommend wholeheartedly.

Bruckner: Symphony No 8
VPO / Pierre Boulez
DG 459 676-2 Reviewed by JMH
Boulez conducting Bruckner; now there's a tantalising prospect! One would expect a certain detached objectivity; a cool perhaps rather Olympian interpretation; Bruckner intellectualised. Yet the Bruckner that emerges is surpassingly red-blooded and intense. Agreed, Boulez keeps the music on a fairly tight reign. But the Vienna philharmonic are recognisably themselves, playing with passion and fiery commitment. The Haas version of the score is chosen, and that in itself says something about Boulez as a Brucknerian; how many conductors claim sympathy with this composer, yet choose the inferior truncated Nowak edition? One might've predicted fastish tempi from Boulez, but overall he takes about 76 minutes over the work. Only the scherzo feels fast - Boulez takes about thirteen and a half minutes over it compared to Karajan's sixteen and a half. Talking of Karajan, there's a spiritual depth to his performance that's lacking here; his is truly an epic account of great profundity. Boulez' performance is more cerebral, yet curiously the Frenchman's objectivity enhances the music's stature. It was recorded live in St Florian, the monastery where Bruckner played the organ and is buried. The sound is detailed and clear, without excessive reverberation, and dynamic range is impressive. If Bruckner was there in spirit during the performance, I wonder what he thought!

Telemann: String Concertos and Divertimenti
Musica Antiqua Koln / Goebel
Archiv Production 463 074-2 Reviewed by SG
Having been an advocate of Telemann for over a quarter of a century, Goebel once again turns his attentions to this groundbreaking composer. This CD takes us from some of his folk inspired works, which probably date from his earlier years, to the two Divertimenti, dating from his very last period of composition. Although Telemann was then well into his 80s, theft works sound as fresh and inventive as his earlier pieces; and are full of youthful fervour. Each work sounds alive, with colourful vivacity, and all are stylistically advanced beyond their time. Goebel reveals the real character of the music, from the buoyant rhythms to the elegant textures that make each such a delight. The Musica Antiqua Koln play with gusto and obvious enthusiasm, and all the performances are full of a vitality and vigour which move each piece along with a natural impulse. In the superb Viola Concerto, the soloist, Florian Deuter, plays with expressive verve and understanding. This is one of the best sounding recordings from this source, being warm, vivid and spacious. The tones are natural, with plenty of vibrato and life emanating from the strings. This is an engaging and outstanding recording in every way.

Songs Without Words: Music by Bach / Busoni, Mendelssohn, Schubert / Liszt
Murray Perahia, piano
Sony SK 66511 Reviewed by JMH
Perfection is a tall claim to make for any performance or recording. But listening to this exquisite CD it's hard not to entertain such thoughts. Perahia's playing is beautifully focussed and crisply articulated, yet at the same time warmtoned and naturally shaped. It's almost as though the microphones eavesdropped on him playing for his own private pleasure, there being little or no sense of the music being formally presented to an audience. Rather, the experience is one of personal intimacy, with just a single privileged listener - you - being present. I especially value the chaste spirituality of the Bach/Busoni chorale preludes, while the excerpts from Mendelssohn's Songs Without Words offer playing of mercurial brilliance - Op 67/4 (track 17) is especially impressive, demonstrating a flawless technique at the command of a wholly musical mind. Schubert's beautiful Standchen in Liszt's masterly arrangement is something to treasure (though Horowitz - also Sony - created an even more plausible impression of two people playing at once) and the disc ends powerfully with a rousing exciting rendition of the same composer's Erlkonig. The Sony recording is warm-toned and natural, yet surprisingly articulate and effortlessly dynamic. It presents a close but not overpowering piano sound that is highly believable.

Schumann: Liederkreis / Romances and Ballades
Bryn Terfel / Malcolm Martineau
DG 447 042-2 Reviewed by SG
In essence this is a CD of love songs, written by Schumann to Clara Wieck, mostly just prior to their marriage in 1840, and set to the words of various poets, such as Goethe, Byron and Burns. They reveal feelings of passion and devotion, mingled with a mysterious ecstasy and rapturous fulfilment, all flowing above an undercurrent of dark and threatening fears. Terfel sings with tenderness, but there is always a sense of his almost limitless power in reserve, waiting for those moments when real passion is required. His diction, as always, is superb, and he performs with intelligence, communicating each song with tremendous judgement. His dark and velvet tones are a thing of beauty, and, metaphorically, take centre stage to Martineau's competent accompaniment. While there are indeed no weak moments, the twelve songs of Liederkreis are surely the highlight, showing both performers at their accomplished best, with Terfel in particular revealing an extraordinary expressiveness. His voice almost seems to shimmer. The sound, recorded in Edinburgh and Swansea, is clear if not totally natural, with the performers simply panned left and right of centre. A beautiful disc of sumptuous singing, and one that comes highly recommended.

Ravel: Bolero, Rhapsodie Espagnole, La Valse, Pavane etc
BSO / Seji Ozawa
DG 469 628-2 Reviewed by JMH
Although it was some twenty-five years ago, I still remember the thrill of hearing Ozawa's DG set of Ravel's orchestral music on LP for the first time. It remains among the best things he and the Boston symphony did together. And DG's sound still impresses with its crisp attack and sharp, vivid primary colours. Especially in this new budget-priced CD transfer, which enhances the bite and detail of the original recordings especially Bolero, La Valse, and Alborado del Gracioso, which had not received good CD transfers before now. Ozawa favours fast tempi, and the Boston players respond to his demands with virtuoso playing of the utmost brilliance. Perhaps atmosphere suffers at times - the sultry shimmering opening movement of Rhapsodie Espagnole is just a shade too crisply delineated to suggest the heavy-scented half-lights and mysteries of the night - but the more extrovert passages that follow are exhilarating and very exciting. The new remastering gives the sound more presence than it had in previous CD issues, and the transfer is made at a good high level. The added immediacy suits Ozawa's lithe vigorous performances handsomely.

Pergolesi: Stabat Mater / Salve Regina
Scholl / Bonney / Les Talens Lyriques / Rousset
Decca 466 134-2 Reviewed by SG
Like Mozart's Requiem, Stabat Mater was written by a young composer who was close to death. The opening movement confirms their similarity, despite Mozart's choir being replaced by just two soloists and a small orchestra. Both soloists possess beautiful voices, with exquisite tones that match the mixture of occasional lively tempos and sombre, reverential moods which the work displays. The opening duet reveals their skills to perfection, where they exchange touching phrases. Bonney's superb range and control match her radiant tones, while Scholl, a committed Baroque performer, reveals the grave beauty of the melody with his striking musicality. While the soloists take the spotlight, Rousset and Les Talens Lyriques perform admirably. The two Salve Regina follow in a similar vein, although the second is slightly lighter in tone, being livelier and less solemn. Here Bonney's voice seems to float above the orchestra in an ethereal way, while Scholl's is pure and focused. The recording is clear and detailed, if a touch bright at times. But, there is an unnatural soundstage that leaves the performers, and especially the soloists, appearing to occupy the same space. These are beautiful performances to be enjoyed by all those interested in vocal music.

Albeniz: Iberia (orch. Breiner)
Moscow Symphony Orchestra, Golovschin
Naxos 8.553023 Reviewed by JMH
Issac Albeniz originally created his masterpiece Iberia for piano. It was published in four books, each 'book' containing three movements. Although idiomatically conceived for keyboard (albeit formidably difficult to play), the music cries out for the colour and power of a full symphony orchestra. Nine of the twelve movements were orchestrated by Albeniz' contemporary Enrique Arbos, but this new version on Naxos features a completely new orchestration of all twelve by Slovak composer Peter Breiner. Not surprisingly, it gives a fresh slant on the music, and for the most part succeeds very well. If there's a criticism, it's that the big moments (the climaxes of El Corpus en Seville for example) lack the power and brilliant fiery sweep of the sundrenched Arbos version. Elsewhere, in the quieter sections especially, Breitner shows an imaginative use of tone colour that sounds fresh and effective for example, the use of Spanish guitar to create atmosphere. The Russian (!) performance is good without being outstanding; one could imagine playing of greater fire and passion, with rhythms more crisply sprung. Nice sound though - bright, sharp, open. The audiophile wanting the ultimate sonic spectacular would be better off with the sumptuous Telarc version. But those wishing to experience a new angle on this wonderful score should try this Naxos disc. At budget price you can't lose!

Queen - A Night At The Opera
DCC LPZ-2072 Reviewed by DA
'Scaramouche, Scaramouche, will you do the Fandango' - what again? Yes, it's the Queen album with THAT TRACK, this time on 180gm vinyl from DCC. I've still got my original pressing from way back when, and despite being played at least 100 times, it still sounds pretty damned good. Comparing the two shows cosmetic differences, the original being quite bright, but little difference that really counts. Where this one will win out is if you have a somewhat naff mid 80's pressing. And the album, well this was the first one where Queen really tried to stretch their wings from the relatively standard rock fare that made up the first two albums. As such, it comes across as a bit of a hotch-potch, mixing rock and ballads with vaudeville and a dire version of the National Anthem. Despite that, the album is mostly great fun, and is certainly more than just 'Bohemian Rhapsody' with a few extra tracks thrown in. The production is typical Roy Thomas Baker, all fat and flabby drums with most other instruments EQed to sound thin. So as recordings go, it's not an audiophile's delight, but for me that's not the point, it's the music that counts and it's nice to see the vinyl re-issuers letting us have musical delights at the best possible quality, whatever the flaws in the source material.
Supplier: Vivante - www.vivante.co.uk

Kari Bremnes - Svarta Bjorn
ARS FXLP 200 Reviewed by RP
Ritual Seppuku? Well... not Quite, but jumping aboard the "hara" Kari Bremnes band wagon will, for the linguistically challenged at least, require a significant leap of faith as Svarta Bjorn is sung solely in Norwegian. I have no problem with this per se. But, had this been Lieder, or for that matter Haiku, I'd expect to be enlightened by a decent libretto or two when parting with my hard earned Krone. I can fully understand the wish to maximise this female flavour of the month's potential, but here it's been a case of less thought and more haste where those niceties are concerned. If you want to develop a deeper understanding of the folklore surrounding the turn-of-the Century character and navy cook revered in the album's title, then bone up on Scandinavia because as the Japanese say, "It's all Norwegian to me!". The stories, spun within this 1998 release, clearly, judging from the contemplative style adopted by Bremnes, do deserve serious consideration, which only increases the frustration. However, without doubt, her voice is spectacularly well-recorded and the percussion, bass and guitar that underscore those dulcet tones have a "pinch yourself' immediacy. Should, as seems likely, ARS harvest the rest of the back catalogue, then I hope that either a serviceable translation of these folk songs, or a crash correspondence course will be provided as standard.
Supplier: Vivante 0208-977-6600

Sibelius: Violin Concerto
Ricci / Fjeldstad / LSO
Speakers Corner / Decca SXL 2077 Reviewed by RG
Here's one I made earlier, or in Ricci's case, before Decca got fed up with his artistic tantrums. The Sibelius is, for my money, the most difficult of the great violin concertos to carry off convincingly. Many have tried, and most have failed. Ricci's notoriously Latin temperament and astringent tone might easily be predicted to sit awkwardly with this intensely lyrical score. Add Fjeldstads clumsy lack of dynamic discrimination and a recording that is locationaly vague and bedevilled with extraneous thumps and noise and you could be forgiven for asking why I even bothered to review it. The answer lies in a third movement that is absolute mustard. Ricci's jagged precision is spot on and full of drama, and Oivin finally gets to grips with the orchestra, fastening on a tempo which is as correct as his first two movements are wayward. The Tchaikovsky fillers are altogether more comfortable, with Ricci producing a charming Serenade Meloncolique, but hardly justify the price of this record. That rests on the main event, which is deeply flawed. If you find Heifetz cloying then here is the perfect antidote, or if, like me, the Sibelius holds a special fascination for you then you'll not want to be without that third movement. Otherwise this is one for Ricci completists only, especially with the superb Haendel/Berglund/BSO reading on EMI readily available secondhand.
Supplier: Vivante 0208-977-6600

Genesis - Nursery Cryme
Classic Records CAS 1052 Reviewed by DA
Once upon a time, in a land called Southern Eng, there toured tribes of troubadours, performing where they could. Most of these tribes were very different, but the one thing they had in common was a desire to push back the boundaries of popular music. The unwritten rules of instrumentation and song length were broken and the people were happy. Unfortunately for our heroes this antisocial behaviour disturbed the powers that be, who only had the attention span of the average butterfly. "Why" they said "should this be allowed to continue?" And so the broadsheets of the time proscribed any song longer than three minutes, or without the legal verse, chorus, verse structure. Such was their power that the people turned against the troubadours. Most of the tribes dispersed and disappeared into 'normal society', but some decided to conform. And so it was with Genesis, possibly the greatest of all the tribes. And most of the people forgot their previous transgressions, but some did not, and in a daring move the famous archaeologist C. Records has unearthed a number of these subversive recordings and made them once again available in their original black vinyl livery. Now you have the chance to upset the butterfly brains again, buy it now and play it to your children as they sleep soundly in their cots.
Supplier: Vivante 0208-977-6600

The Erik Westberg Vocal Ensemble - Musica Sacra
Opus 3 CD 19506 Reviewed by SG
This CD, as the title indicates, contains mainly sacred chorale music, dating from the medieval to the romantic periods, but here it is interspersed with jazz and folk. The performers consist of sixteen voices, organ, percussion, and improvisational saxophone that meld together in a surprisingly natural way. The singing is melodic, bringing a sense of inner peace, with Parce Mihi Domine providing a particularly spiritual experience. This is matched by the simple and poignant counterpoint produced by the other instruments. The saxophone is especially soulful, which gives To the Mothers of Brazil/Salve Regina its wonderful sense of heartfelt swing. The performances are accompanied by a totally appropriate recording. Here Opus 3 provide one of their largest, and an especially deep, soundstage - the choir sit way back behind the speakers. Closing your eyes can bring a strange sense that you are actually sitting in a room far larger than possible, with physical walls simply disappearing. A single AKG microphone realistically captures the whole performance, and each performer can be heard within their own individual space. There is plenty of atmosphere, and the organ produces some wonderfully deep tones. A beautiful album for anyone wanting to encounter a wonderfully spiritual experience.
Supplier: hififorsale.com Tel: 0870 2412469

Sergio Mendes and Brazil '66 - Look Around
Speakers Corner A&M SP 4137 Reviewed by DD
Hmm. The thing is that's it's a Sunday morning and we had a bit of a dinner party last night. The wine was great, especially the Viognier and the Errazuriz Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve, but maybe the '78 Ardbeg malt wasn't such a good idea. So here I am nursing a mild hangover, slightly befuddled, wanting some music but in no mood for anything in the least bit challenging. Gentle, soothing, undemanding. What do I reach for? This has proved a bit of a problem in the past but Sergio Mendes seems to have delivered just the remedy with this album. Totally undemanding and a very pleasant experience throughout - as long as you don't listen to the English lyrics, and there's no need to - it's the overall 'cool bath' of sound I crave. There's enough drive to keep the album from being soporific and the gentle wash of Brazilian sound is better than any Radox bath. The recording is very good and 30 minutes with this has set me up beautifully for more challenging fare. Now where's that Pixies album?
Supplier: Vivante 0208-977-6600

Patricia Barber - Nightclub
Premonition 90749 Reviewed by DD
I've thoroughly enjoyed Barber's other albums, particularly Companion but have had a niggling doubt that she's a little too obviously mannered, striving too hard for effect rather than relaxing into a song. With this album Barber's finally cracked it. As she says in the sleevenotes "Something special can happen late at night in a jazz club... as the crowd thins the musician's sense that those who have stayed have stayed for a reason. Reciprocity of need and desire inspires the musicians to dig as deeply into their talent and souls as they are able." That's exactly the sense that comes across in this recording; late night, unhurried and full of feeling. Barber delivers a cracking take on 'Alfie' and delivers quality interpretations of 11 other standards including 'Bye Bye Blackbird' and 'You Don't Know Me' to quote two other standouts. She also does a nicely sexy take of 'A Man and a Woman', in French of course. Barber is sensitively accompanied by acoustic bass, drums and on a few tracks, eight string guitar. The excellent recording is suitably open and warm-hearted realising a convincing three dimensionality to the whole performance.
Supplier: Vivante 0208-977-6600

Stacey Kent - Let Yourself Go
Grooveland GLS 706 Reviewed by RP
Well, I don't know whether her acting or dancing is up to much, but Stacey Kent's musical celebration of Fred Astaire - Let Yourself Go - proves that she can sing more than a little. It's comforting to find that those solid pillars of the Great American Songbook: Irving Berlin, the Gershwins, Jerome Kern, Arlen and Mercer, remain in safe hands with this affectionate and uncomplicated interpretation of favourites 'Isn't This A Lovely Day?', 'They Can't Take That Away From Me', 'A Fine Romance' and 'One For My Baby: The voice, clearly phrased and softly New York accented, has a lightness and delicacy of touch which sift well with those timeless, gracefully swinging, numbers. Unusually, for a modern day diva, Kent is an egalitarian. Remembering that these songs are not just about a lyricist's dream, she happily steps aside to give combo members Jim Tomlinson (sax) Colin Oxley (guitar) and David Newton (piano) a chance to explore their solo credentials. It cements that all-important relationship between musicians and vocalist which, together with the rhythm team of Simon Thorpe on bass and drummer Steve Brown, completes a great sense of ensemble. Grooveland's transfer of this Candid master enhances that feeling of a relaxed, almost effortless, breeze through these Astaire standards. Warmth, detail, clarity and separation are good.

Nancy Bryan - Neon Angel
Analogue Productions Original APO 2013 Reviewed by RP
Girls, Girls, Girls... Audiophile fascination for a Siren's song continues with four quite different temptresses who are all capable of raising our collective blood pressure. Three of these - Dinah Washington, Stacey Kent and Karl Bremnes -are remastered recordings but one, a long overdue second album from Nancy Bryan, i5 yet another of those wholesome and vividly textured live (direct to two track) pure analogue cuts out of Chad Kassem's Blue Heaven Studios. Technically, Neon Angel has just about everything going for it. A naturally sweet sounding church acoustic. More than pleasing vocals. Nine sharply penned songs which, because they've been cut at 45 rpm on four short sides, possess a remarkable resonance. Classy musicianship in the shape of a super cool Jimmy D. Lane bending a Dobro guitar alongside John Bryan (guitar), Bob DiChiro (bass, eukalele and accordian) and that weeping harp man, Bill Garrison-. Now finding her feet as a contemporary folk singer, Bryan blends that modern take on urban landscapes, loneliness, troubled relationships and violence with those classic observational qualities found in the songwriting of Joni Mitchell. It makes tracks like 'Chicago Skyline' and 'Salvation' particularly effective. It also leaves you in no doubt that Nancy's message is a personal and soulsearching reflection upon the precariousness and vulnerability felt by many in today's society.
Supplier: Vivante 0208-977-6600

Dinah Washington - The Queen!
SPEAKERS CORNER/ MERCURY SR601 11 Reviewed by RP
During a lifetime fuelled by the excesses of alcohol, drugs and an insatiable appetite for men, Dinah Washington laid the foundations for a legend. Whilst this unconventional existence, that included countless liaisons as well as seven husbands, was noteworthy in itself, it was her memorable and free-spirited performances of the R Et B, jazz, blues and popular standards of the day which live on beyond her premature death from a lethal drugs cocktail in 1963. The Queen! (1959) was one in a fine sequence of Mercury recordings going as far back as 1950. Here, her emotional personality, rhythmically and dynamically shaping theses songs, gains excellent and sympathetic backing from an uncredited swing band. The vocal dexterity, timing and subtle embellishment of, for example, an old care-worn standard, 'I Thought About You', is terrifically refreshing. So too is the staging. Unusually, for Mercury, their engineers did not force the soloist to front and centre. Instead they place Dinah a little to the left with a soft-brushed and coolsounding percussive beat played out behind her. To the right its trumpets and trombones picking up that swinging pace. And, whilst this balance won't suit the purists among you, Washington carries all before her in a sparkling and typically unorthodox display.
Supplier: Vivante 0208-977-6600

Randy Newman - Little Criminals
WARNER K56404 NIMBUS SUPERCUT

Santana - Borboletta
CBS69084 NIMBUS SUPERCUT Reviewed by RP
In the previous issue of Hi-Fi+ I happened to mention those wonderful old Supercuts mastered and pressed for Practical Hi-Fi / Hi-Fi Today magazines by Nimbus Records. Now, as coincidence would have it, there exists one of those rare opportunities to hear two of these records. Down in Cornwall the Cherished Record Company has unearthed a quantity of sealed copies of the famous Randy Newman LP, Little Criminals, together with Borboletta-that lively 1974 release from the pioneers of Afro-Latin rock, Santana. Borbolettas, whilst retaining their Nimbus liner notes, were found sleeveless. Consequently, they have been repackaged in black album covers, with a reproduction of the original artwork affixed. As ever, Carlos Santana's sensuous licks, which are here strongly supported by Tom Coster (piano, moog and organ), David Brown (bass) and Michael Shrieve (drums), really whet the appetite on songs like 'Practice What You Preach', 'Give and Take' and 'One with the Sun: Guest spots by rapid-fire bass man, Stanley Clarke, (Aspirations', 'Here and Now, 'Flor de Canela' and 'Promise of a Fisherman') showcase that slapping style of his, while Airto Moreira and Flows Purim buff up these rhythms with, respectively, colourful percussion and steamy vocals. Though not quite as creatively spectacular as his earlier efforts - Santana, Abraxas and Santana III - this distinctive departure into the realm of funky Cubano-rock is never less than entertaining throughout Borboletta's dozen tracks. If humorous, intelligent, pithy and uncompromising lyric sheets light your fire then look no farther than a God of middle American songwriting - Randy Newman. Also recently re-released as part of a now deleted Warner Bros. 180gr vinyl series, Little Criminals is jam-packed with memorable insights. Whether delving into an American psyche, or picking away at society's loose threads, his brilliant and passionate observations, twisted with irony and mocked by those croaky vocals, have produced masterpieces that include the title track, 'Baltimore' and 'Rider in the Rain: The musicians, too, are no bit-part players. Willie Weeks works bass. Waddy Wachtel and Joe Walsh gee things along - big Joe even getting a slide solo on 'Little Criminals: Drummers? Perm any one from three. Rick Marotta, Andy Newark and Jim Keltner are great skin men. Nor should contributions by Milt Jackson (percussion and congas) and Ry Cooder's mandolin work on 'Kathleen (Catholicism Made Easier)' go unrecognised. Nimbus publicity at the time concentrated upon the virtues of precision cutting from original mastertapes; enlarged groove spacings (where weighty more dynamic passages of music required it); virgin vinyl and truly flat (warp-free) pressings. Today, this is the norm for an "audiophile" release, but back then in the good old (bad old) 70s and 80s these qualities were an exception. The Nimbus regime reveals itself through improved clarity, instrumental separation and the delivery and retrieval of musical information. Here, Little Criminals has an edge over Borboletta mainly because the Warner's mastertape provides a superior template.
Supplied by Cherished Record Company: 01579 363603

© Images and text copyright Absolute Multimedia (UK) Ltd 1999-2008
another fine webwork by Global WebTrader