Who are You Going to See?

[firedog]

Ringo Starr and his All Star Band. June 23. Tel Aviv.

That will make it 3 of 4 Beatles I've seen perform. Don't think I'm going to get a chance to see John Lennon....

[firedog]

London Symphony Orchestra - London, June 3.

Beethoven, Piano Concerto No. 3

Mussorgsky-Ravel, Pictures at an Exhibition

 

[firedog]

On 1/26/2018 at 3:00 AM, watercourse said:

Funny story, @Musicophile made a comment about the two Avishai Cohens being a point of confusion that should be fixed, and he and I traded some posts about musicians with same/similar names being confusing/funny. Meanwhile, I had forgotten that I had reserved an Avishai Cohen CD from my local library, and it arrived today. Guess what? I thought it was the trumpet guy when I reserved it, and it turned out to be the senior Avishai Cohen of the six-string and voice. You win, @Musicophile, it is definitely confusing!

However, equally interesting is that I really like the subterranean-Cohen's new album, 1970. On paper, it doesn't sound appealing to me, but I'm listening to it now and I'm really enjoying it. Positive vibes for trying times here in la la land.

So the moral of the story is that confusion may ultimately lead to enlightenment. I've seen the brass-Cohen live, and now that I know of his existence, I will not avoid the subterranean-Cohen if he ever swings to the PNW...

Roon still can't tell the trumpeter and the bassist apart.

[firedog]

2 hours ago, Superdad said:

 

Wow, that’s great.  I would really enjoy seeing him.  Too bad his tour does not bring him out west (or perhaps it did and I already missed him).

 

For anyone that knows Graham Nash mainly from his collaborations with Crosby—and of course with Stills and Young—I highly encourage you to check out his very first solo album, “Songs for Beginners” from 1971.  It has some incredibly strong songwriting and holds up surprisingly well.  Terrific ensemble playing, including Jerry Garcia, David Lindley, Rita Coolidge, Bobby Keys, Dave Mason, and Phil Lesh!

Doug Sax even did the mastering.

 

[Songs for Beginners was actually the second album I ever bought—at 11 years old in 1973.  The first LP I bought that same year was The Mothers of Invention “We’re Only in it for the Money,” and The Beatles “Abby Road.”  From then on I always had a part time job to support my record and hi-fi habits.  In fact, aside from bicycle stores and the beach, most all my other teen time was spent hanging out either at record stores or making a pest of myself at hi-fi shops—until one finally hired me.

Sorry for the OT.  Just remembering first records took me down memory lane...]

For anyone interested in "Songs for Beginners". Yes, really good album and a real time capsule of the end of the hippie era.

But, as far as SQ: I've got the original LP of Songs for Beginners and a later digital version. I listen to a needle drop of the LP and have a 2005 CD. There's also a 2008 remaster and there may be other versions. They can sound very different.

The original LP doesn't have great SQ - it has that sound of an LP that was sort of done quickly - not a lot of dynamics or a quiet background.  A little bit muddy. The digital versions sound very different. They sound like complete do overs, whether they are called a remaster or a remix. 
The 2005 CD is significantly louder. Not headache inducing, but very noticeably different. I don't know if they actually went back to the tracks and remixed it, or if they just used a lot of EQ and compression, but: it's louder, the sound is more out front, the bass and drums are much more prominent. It's not "makes my head hurt" loud, but it is very noticeably louder, you can hear some of the instruments more clearly,  and it sounds much more like the sound of a mix for a "rock" album than the original, that had a sort of "folkie" feel to it. Just sounds really different.

Don't get me wrong, I like it fine, but is just a really different sound.

The 2008 version is just much more of the above - I wouldn't recommend it. It sounds like a very exaggerated attempt to give the album a "modern" sound. Stay away form that one. 

[firedog]

On vacation in Berlin.  There's a music festival. Last night I saw the LSO and Simon Rattle. Nice program of 20th and 21st Century music. Bartok, Sibelius, Ravel, Kidane. Oh, and a short Berlioz piece. 

Very nice. Nothing like hearing a live symphony orchestra. Philharmonic Hall in Berlin has some great acoustics.

[firedog]

5 hours ago, Superdad said:

I donated all my old business suits years ago (at least the ones the wool moths had not eaten), and I'm having a hard time picking a sport coat/suit jacket that would work for these weddings. Now I am sort of toying with the idea of going full floppy--though I am sure my wife would veto it...

 

Swore never to wear a tie again about 30 years ago, and haven't. Last wedding I went to I wore a blue blazer (open), grey slacks, and a nice black pullover shirt. Black walking shoes.

Looked fine, was comfortable, and I don't think anyone cared. The world has changed - for the better, IMHO, and more casual is acceptable today.