What Are You Listening To? October 2025

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Sergei Rachmaninoff, The Philadelphia Orchestra (Eugene Ormandy, cond.)Rachmaninoff: Concerto For Piano & Orchestra No. 3 (1940)

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Lisa Batiashvili, Symphonieorchester Des Bayerischen Rundfunks (Esa-Pekka Salonen, cond.) - Echoes of Time (2011)

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Last week, I posted pianist Helene Grimaud's mashup of Beethoven and Part. Today I'm back with another extraordinary young musician, Lisa Batiashivili, who works her violin magic on familiar pieces by Shosktakovich and Rachmaninov. She then moves on to works by Arvo Part and his even more adventurous contemporary, Giya Kancheli ("V & V", scored for "violin and taped voice with string orchestra"). Once again, Esa-Pekka Salonen is our tour guide, this time at the helm of the Bavarian Radio Symphony who are no strangers to the avant garde themselves. You won't find a better album to educate your ears to unfamiliar sounds by starting with well-known composers who share similar stylistic proclivities. As an added bonus, Helen Grimaud reappears here with Lisa on Rachmaninov's delightful duet "Vocalise".
 
The Modern Jazz Quartet ~ Dedicated to Connie [Live] (1960, 1995)

I have been thinking recently of male Jazz musicians who had female-sounding names, since Zeeba mentioned Gigi Gryce. So, there's Connie Kay, Gigi Gryce, and Tina Brooks, off the top of my head. I'm guessing that Sam or Zeebs might have a few more.

I thought of one just today: Ruby Braff.
 
Ray Budzilek & The Cleveland All-Stars - The Million Dollar Polka Sound (1974)

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Vinyl Spin of the Day.

For some reason, this album appeared on three different labels during 1974. :confused::confused::confused:

I like the version I have on Surprise Records the best with the gold foil paper and little dollar signs, not to mention the words to live by in the upper right corner.

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Bob Ravenscroft - Fire In The Soul (2005)

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This one came as bonus from one of the way cool traders at MusicBoomerang. Bob Ravenscroft is a very talented jazz pianist with an economical style in the Bill Evans tradition. This live set was recorded at a Lutheran Church in Paradise Valley, Arizona, of all places. But the intense performances here transcend both time and place.

:4.5: on the Sam-O-Meter.

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The Beatles - Beatles '65 (1964)

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Vinyl Spin of the Day.

To my ears, these songs still sound the best on Capitol's original stereo LP. Warm vocals, natural-sounding separation, mild compression, rounded bass...all of these elements work together to unlock the considerable charms of this album. The programming choices are superior to the UK albums, notably the segue from "She's A Woman" to "I Feel Fine". Bookending side 2 with two Carl Perkins rockabilly raveups was also sheer genius.

Today's fun fact: despite the album title, Beatles '65 was actually released on December 15, 1964.
 
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