Top Quality Recordings

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bluegrassphile

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Southeast Iowa
Since putting together an incredible, highly discerning, system I find myself wanting to listen mostly to top quality recordings. Especially jazz and bluegrass. But early jazz and bluegrass recordings are often of poor quality. It takes a lot of the enjoyment out of listening to great music. Don't get me wrong, I like listening to the music...just not some of the recordings.

I want to be able to listen to yesterday's music with today's sound quality. I want to hear my system perform. I know you're not going to hear outstanding SQ on a recording made in the '40s or '50s. But there are some remastered recordings that sound pretty good.

My favorite music is swing and bop from the late '40s and later, and bluegrass from the late '70s and later. But I especially like what I call "neo-traditional" bluegrass, groups that bring something new to traditional bluegrass without crossing the musical boundaries...keeping it bluegrass. My number one favorite kind of music.

However, a good bit of the reason I like later styles of bluegrass is the SQ. I want to find more albums with superior SQ. I mean, what good does it do to have an outstanding high end home audio system playing '50s quality recordings.

So, having bloviated about all that, ;) I would like recommendations on high quality recordings. Especially, jazz of the '50s and later, and bluegrass from the '70s and later. I want to be able to hear top notch SQ coming through my system. Recommendations?
 
bluegrassphile said:
Since putting together an incredible, highly discerning, system I find myself wanting to listen mostly to top quality recordings. Especially jazz and bluegrass. But early jazz and bluegrass recordings are often of poor quality. It takes a lot of the enjoyment out of listening to great music. Don't get me wrong, I like listening to the music...just not some of the recordings.

I want to be able to listen to yesterday's music with today's sound quality. I want to hear my system perform. I know you're not going to hear outstanding SQ on a recording made in the '40s or '50s. But there are some remastered recordings that sound pretty good.

My favorite music is swing and bop from the late '40s and later, and bluegrass from the late '70s and later. But I especially like what I call "neo-traditional" bluegrass, groups that bring something new to traditional bluegrass without crossing the musical boundaries...keeping it bluegrass. My number one favorite kind of music.

However, a good bit of the reason I like later styles of bluegrass is the SQ. I want to find more albums with superior SQ. I mean, what good does it do to have an outstanding high end home audio system playing '50s quality recordings.

So, having bloviated about all that, ;) I would like recommendations on high quality recordings. Especially, jazz of the '50s and later, and bluegrass from the '70s and later. I want to be able to hear top notch SQ coming through my system. Recommendations?
Click to expand...

Welcome to the rabbit hole! You don't need a turntable, you are now realizing your audiophile traits. Welcome & forever be unsatisfied...
 
I find quite a bit of the older Jazz recorded very well and typically sounding more as live, not so much getting messed up in the engineering. I don't go into the 40's or much mono though.

Fine & Mellow by Ella Fitzgerald is an example of what I'm talking about.
Rambling Boy by Charlie Haden Friends & Family, excellent Bluegrass
Most Oscar Peterson or Ray Brown I've found to be good, as well as Count Basie.
Basie Live at the Sands, and I love him with Big Joe Turner
Scott Hamilton, yet to find a bad recording
try Burning Beat by Buddy Rich
The Spirit of 67 by Pee Wee Russell
See if you like Perfect Imperfections by Marla Canon Goodman
All In The Family by Joey De Francesco
Getting To It by Christian McBride
Stan Getz has some modern Big Band Jazz that is great sound quality.

I suspect olde Bluegrass wasn't recorded on the best of gear or studios. Good Jazz shouldn't be that hard to find.

If you pick a good song and let Roon take over you usually get some gems. That's if you have a streaming music service for Roon to explore. Another way with music services is to search by label or artist in the "playlist" category.

Hope this provided some help.
 
I would recommend tape if you are interested. Several great jazz albums from the 50's and '60s from Tape Project, Acoustic Sounds, and Horch House. 15ips 2 track tape is the closest to the original sound of the recording.

Here are several selections:

The Sidewinder Lee Morgan
Work Song Nat Adderley
Kenny Burrell and John Coltrane
Saxophone Colossus Sonny Rollins
Action Peterson, Oscar
Girl Talk Peterson, Oscar
Mellow Mood Peterson, Oscar
My Favorite Instrument Peterson, Oscar
Night Train Peterson, Oscar
The Way I Really Play Peterson, Oscar
Travellin' On Peterson, Oscar
We Get Requests Peterson, Oscar
The Sermon Smith, Jimmy
Afro American Sketches Nelson, Oliver
Blues and the Abstract Truth Nelson, Oliver
Waltz for Debby Evans, Bill Trio

I have all of these tapes.

Larry
 
bluegrassphile said:
Since putting together an incredible, highly discerning, system I find myself wanting to listen mostly to top quality recordings. Especially jazz and bluegrass. But early jazz and bluegrass recordings are often of poor quality. It takes a lot of the enjoyment out of listening to great music. Don't get me wrong, I like listening to the music...just not some of the recordings.

I want to be able to listen to yesterday's music with today's sound quality. I want to hear my system perform. I know you're not going to hear outstanding SQ on a recording made in the '40s or '50s. But there are some remastered recordings that sound pretty good.

My favorite music is swing and bop from the late '40s and later, and bluegrass from the late '70s and later. But I especially like what I call "neo-traditional" bluegrass, groups that bring something new to traditional bluegrass without crossing the musical boundaries...keeping it bluegrass. My number one favorite kind of music.

However, a good bit of the reason I like later styles of bluegrass is the SQ. I want to find more albums with superior SQ. I mean, what good does it do to have an outstanding high end home audio system playing '50s quality recordings.

So, having bloviated about all that, ;) I would like recommendations on high quality recordings. Especially, jazz of the '50s and later, and bluegrass from the '70s and later. I want to be able to hear top notch SQ coming through my system. Recommendations?
Click to expand...

Country Bluegrass Audiophile Essentials | HIGHRESAUDIO

The Jerry Douglas Band is pretty good.


Not on that site, but Allison Krauss- Paper Airplane is pretty good.
 
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