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
SUPER FIDELITY by Audiophile Audition