Australian HiFi – July 2019

TheBesTofR.e.M.

InTime1988-2003(Craft RecordingsCR00166)

CraftRecordingshasreleaseda 180-

gramdoublevinylofTheBestofR.E.M.

whichhas 18 songsthatrepresenta

cross-sectionoftheband’scareerand

includessomeobscuregems.Side

OnehitsanimmediatehighwithMan

in theMoon. SideTwostartswiththe

twangycountrypopofAllTheWayto

Reno. Then,theultimateR.E.M.number

LosingMyReligion: asvibrantnowasit

wasin 1991.Buck’smandolin,theinfectioustempoandStipe’svocal

phrasingareexemplaryoftheintuitivechemistryofthisquartet.Side

ThreeopenswithDaysleeper, thenAnimalwhichsoundslikeR.E.M.

meetsRevolver.A surprisinginclusion:TheSidewinderSleepsTonight.

SideFourmaintainstheband’sessencewithAlltheRightFriends,

EverybodyHurts, andothers.Allfoursidesflowevenly,whichis rare

among‘GreatestHits’anthologies,plusCrafthasdonea superbjobon

there-master.RobbieGerson

PReMingeRPlaysPReMingeR

Noah Preminger(NewvelleRecords NV019)

HerewehaveNoahPreminger

honouringhisfamilynamein a new

anduniqueway.ThetracksonthisLP

aresplitequallybetweennewmusic

fromNoahandinterpretationsof

moviethemescommissionedbyhis

grandfather’scousin.Aidinghimare

JasonMoran(piano),KimCass(bass),

andMarcusGilmore(drums).ForAdvice

andConsentis theperfectfilmnoir

openerforthisLP.Noah’sbeboptakeis stronglyunderpinnedbyCass’s

bass.Aftera briefNoahcomposition(ForStalag 17 ) wehearthetheme

fromTheRiverof NoReturn, ananthemicmelodylightenedbyNoah’s

sax.NoahinterpretsPreminger’squartetversionofWayEarlySubtone

fromAnatomyof a MurderratherthanEllington’s,againwithafilm

noirefeel.Noahimbuesin allthesetunesa senseof lyricalmelancholy

throughhislingeringnotesandhisuseofspace.JeffKrow

eTTaJones

ASoulfulSunday(Reel toReel Recordings)

BeautifullyremasteredbyBernie

Grundman,this180gvinylrelease

includesanextensivebookletofrare

photos,essays,andinterviews.It’sa

limitededitionreleasesoif youwant

one,bequick.SideA openswiththe

CedarWaltonTrio’sThemefromLove

StorybutEttabeginshersetwith

Sunday, anup-temporelaxedrompshe

followswithThisGirl’sin LovewithYou,

whichsheopensin asottovocebluesytempo,andshowssheis in full

commandofthematerial.SideB startswithForAllWeKnowwhichEtta

beltsoutin herinimitablestylewithintensecommandanddeliberate

purpose.WhileallthenumbersonthissidedemonstrateJones’earthy

andassertivestyle,thetwotracksmostcloselyassociatedwithherare

YouBetterGoNowandDon’tGoToStrangers. Boththeversionsonthis

albumareamazing.Anunearthedtreasure.PierreGiroux

The Max Roach TRio

with the legendary Hasaan (Speakers Corner)

From time to time in jazz history,

individual performers appear who, like

shooting stars, burn bright then flame

out leaving little or no trace. Hasaan

Ibn Ali was such a one. Although there

are stories of Hasaan’s influence on the

Philadelphia jazz scene, his only tangible

output is on this wonderful audiophile

reissue: Some 40+ minutes of his

compositions that represent everything

he consigned to printed music. Hasaan’s pianistic style can be percussive

and is filled with dissonant chords reminiscent of Thelonious Monk.

Hasaan himself said his style was closer to that of Elmo Hope, hence his

composition Hope So Elmo. Another defining feature of Hasaan’s style

was the blindingly fast speeds he played. Throughout this album one

hears a pianist on a completely different plane as he lays down chords

that don’t fall within established norms. Hasaan’s unique harmonic sense

and opaque expressions will deliver chills. Pierre Giroux

inaTlanTicciTy

WildBillDavis &Johnny Hodges(SpeakersCorner)

JohnnyHodgesandWildBillDavis

releasedeightalbums,mostofwhich

disappearedwithouta trace.Hopefully

thisre-releaseon180gvinylofoneof

theirlivesetswillbethefirstofmany.

Aswithmuchlivejazz,thetracksare

predominatelyswingers.Side1 starts

withIt’sOnlya PaperMoon, with

Hodges’altoaseasilyidentifiableas

Davis’s‘blockchord’organstyle.Good

QueenBessis a joyoustributetoHodges’mother.Itssimpleopening

lineis playedbyHodgesandLawrenceBrownin unisonbeforeDavis

comesin withhisowncaptivatingtakeonit. Thesidecloseswith

Ellington’sIn MellowTone, a numberbasedonthechordchanges

ofRoseRoom, a tunethatwaspopularin 1919.Othertracksinclude

Rockville,It Don’tMeana ThingandHodges’ownBelleof theBelmont.

ThisLPis theepitomeofcasualswing. PierreGiroux

JaMes TayloR

One Man Band (Craft Recordings CR00181)

The renaissance of vinyl, with its

warmer acoustic, means that boomers

can revisit some of the best-recorded

James Taylor material, available for the

first time on 180g vinyl. Over three days

in July 2007, Taylor recorded 19 tracks

in the intimate confines of the Colonial

Theatre accompanied only by keyboards

(Larry Goldings) except for My Travelling

Star and Shower the People where he

was also joined by the Tanglewood Festival Chorus. Rest assured that

all your favourite songs are here, including Fire and Rain, Sweet Baby

James, Country Road, and Never Die Young. The only clunker is Slap

Leather. You’ll also get to enjoy Taylor’s light-hearted banter between

tracks. His voice has aged well. It’s like your favourite warm drink in

front of a crackling fire on a winter night. Listen to this LP and all will

be right in the world... at least for 90 minutes. Jeff Krow

68 Australian Hi-Fi http://www.aushifi.com

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