A Curious Inquiry - Non classical / jazz reference material

[Gordon Gray]

Hi ML Amigos,

Given that I listen to classical and jazz much more than other genres, I've often wondered, for those who don't share my musical bias, what music you listen to for evaluation of spatial, tonal, and "connecting with the music" type qualities on your individual systems.

Given that other material, in general, is more sonically manipulated by recording engineers than the above genres, how do you determine what is more "life like" / "natural" sounding, allowing you to adjust / tune your systems for "realistic" music reproduction.

Please don't interpret my personal music preferences as being "uppity or "elitist". I fully recognize we all connect with music in many different ways, which is why we all share the same basic passion of trying to connect with the music in our home audio systems.

GG

 

[Bernard]

Gordon,

To take your question one step further, I'd like to also know what musical instruments people use in their evaluations.

BTW do you listen to a mix of vocal and instrumental stuff, or is it mostly instrumental?

Bernard

p.s. I was just looking at your system thread. We really should get Rich out there with his camera to take a few pictures for you.

 

[zaphod]

folk or other acoustic plays as real to me on the CLS as it does live. well, maybe not as real .... but close some of what i call the the southern california sound from teh late 70's early 80's is also very good. Jackson Browne, early Eagles, Warren Zevon, Linda Ronstad.

mmmmmm Hasten down the wind ......

you might also try "cultural folk" aka world music. Capercalie knocks the socks off Enya even though they are both "celtic".

 

[Bernard]

you might also try "cultural folk" aka world music. Capercalie knocks the socks off Enya even though they are both "celtic".

Isn't Enya more New Age than Celtic. My wife likes her, but I don't; I find her music spooky. I describe her music as "Run and hide, they're coming to get you".

 

[amey01]

Interesting. There are many. I do hope Gordon that you are not associating non-jazz/classical with purely pop music though. There are so many music genres I wouldn't know where to begin. I most certainly wouldn't use mass-produced pop recordings for evaluation purposes - or for that matter mass produced classical or jazz recordings either.

But there's plenty of folk, a cappella, rock, funk, acid jazz, etc recordings that make the mark. Try:

The Idea of North - Here and Now
Nils Lofgren - Acoustic Live
Eva Cassidy - Live at Blues Alley
Angelique Kidjo - Fifa
Beth Hart - Leave the light on
Bluezeum - Portrait of a groove
Dig - Deeper
Jennifer Warnes - Famous Blue Raincoat

That should get you going - and any one will easily and swiftly answer your question of ".......how do you determine what is more "life like" / "natural" sounding......."

But in the end - you'll never connect with the music if you simply don't like it.

 

[amey01]

Capercalie knocks the socks off

+1. Capercaillie is great music. Add that to my list. Try "Choice Language". Track 1 will blow your boots off.

 

[beek]

Gospel - Standing in the Safety Zone, the Fairfield Four, most of the disk is amazing. The Essential Paul Robeson another amazing disk

 

[Gordon Gray]

Adam, to respond to your question, not at all. I fully respect the opinions of those that choose to post on this site and their requisite musical tastes. I have Eva Cassidy and Jennifer Warnes in my collection.

Will definitely check out your recommendations and the others that have been offered up.

Bernard, more instrumental than vocal although the human voice, for me, is the ultimate musical instrument, which is why I am listening to more Opera than I have in the past. I also have my own vocal reference material outside of the classical / jazz category.

Thanks.

Gordon

 

[zaphod]

Isn't Enya more New Age than Celtic. My wife likes her, but I don't; I find her music spooky. I describe her music as "Run and hide, they're coming to get you".

definitely more NewAge than anything else and the albums are so over produced it's hard to tell what the instruments are like. i contrast her with Capercalie as the latter is a great example of well recorded folk. Loreena McKennit is another one that is more spooky and production than it is music standing on it's own.

 

[zaphod]

+1. Capercaillie is great music. Add that to my list. Try "Choice Language". Track 1 will blow your boots off.

never heard of them - i'll have to have a search.

 

[amey01]

Will definitely check out your recommendations and the others that have been offered up.

Well, there's certainly been some good suggestions.

My 2c though - in the end, I still think it comes down to preference - especially when you're referring to connection with the music. Otherwise, it is like someone who doesn't like seafood trying to order seafood dishes at Michelin-star restaurants. If you don't like it, then just enjoy what you do like. If you find classical more appealing and emotionally involving then that's great - stick with it.

 

[amey01]

And to confirm what you say - I just realised how many of what I would call "reference" discs are Jazz or Classical.

Albeit - here area a few more to try:

Vienna Teng - Warm Strangers
Naomi Sunderland - Red Dirt Road
Tristan Prettyman - Twentythree
The Cat Empire - Self Titled
James Taylor - October Road
Stevie Ray Vaughan - Texas Flood
Rebecca Pidgeon - The Raven
Natalie Merchant - Tigerlilly [Listen to Track 3 if you want "Connecting with the music"]
John Fogerty - Centrefield

 

[Bernard]

Gordon, if the human voice is the ultimate instrument to you, you should get a copy of Marilyn Horne singing "Carmen", with Leonard Bernstein conducting. Her voice makes me think of honey, and the DG recording (on LP, anyway) is great. You should also get West Side Story, again with Lenny, with classical singers (Marilyn again, Tatiana Troyanos, etc.)