The following list of well recorded music on DVD and CD is from mainly lesser known artists. These diverse recordings contain top quality music and lyrics, often stylistically eclectic while still being very accessible.
You can be part or this growing list also by email to Stones Sound Studio.
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CD
Artist | Title | CD # | Comments | |
George Martin | In My Life | UND 80420 | Classical Beatles tunes performed by celebrities under the baton of George Martin. I liked it very much. Jim Carrey's "I'm the Walrus" performance is to be heard. | |
Joni Mitchell | Taming The Tiger | Reprise 9362-46451-2 | If you like Joni Mitchell you should add this one to your collection. If you're a first time buyer, start from her earlier albums. Recording quality is very good. | |
Jethro Tull | Stand Up | 321042-2 | This album is from 1969. I had the LP and now I bought the CD, just for one track: "Bourree". It's definitely worth it!!! | |
Patricia Barber | Modern Cool | PREM 741-2 | Another winner after her successful "Cafe Blue". Excellent music and recording. | |
Grant Green | Idle Moments | Blue Note CDP784154-2 | This CD is a Jazz classic. Every collection should have it. It's strange that my discovery was so late. 1963 recording is very acceptable and natural. | |
Cannonball Adderley | Somethin' Else | Blue Note CDP746338-2 | This is really something else! You MUST hear "Autumn Leaves" performed by Adderley, Miles, Hank Jones, Sam Jones and Art Blakey. Another classic from 1958. The recording is detailed and natural. I prefer the standard CD to the Japanese one. | |
Rachelle Ferrell | First Instrument | Blue Note CDP 7243 8 27820-2 | Very dynamic, beautiful performance. It's very rhythmic and vertical as opposed to horizontal. Listen and you'll understand what I mean. Very well recorded too. | |
Charlie Haden Kenny Barron | Night and the City | Verve 539 961-2 | Excellent live performance. You may listen while dining, reading or simply transfixed. Very good live recording a la Jazz at the Pawnshop. | |
Jonny Lang | Lie To Me | A&M Records 540 640-2 | Blues Breakers of today. Young Jonny Lang's music and guitar playing is first class. Don't hesitate if you like white blues. Very well recorded. | |
Kip Hanrahan | Days and Nights of Blue Luck Inverted | American Clave JTAC 1012 | First recorded in 1988, this is a Kip Hanrahan classic. One of the best! | |
Herbie Hancock | Gershwin's World | Verve 557 797-2 | Hancock rediscovers Gershwin with his VERY special guests: Kathleen Battle, Chick Corea, Joni Mitchell, Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, Wayne Shorter, Stevie Wonder, .... A must for your collection! | |
Afro Cuban All Stars | "A Toda Cuba le Gusta" | World Circuit WCD 047 | If you liked "Buona Vista Social Club" you'll like this one too. First rate recording. | |
Bireli Lagrene | Blue Eyes | FDM 36591-2 | Great guitar player and great jazz performance. Excellent recording. Buy this CD without hesitation. I guarantee that you will not be disillusioned. | |
Arild Andersen | Hyperborean | ECM 1631 537 342-2 | Reminds you from time to time Sibelius like tone poems with infinite landscapes played in smooth jazzy fashion. Beautiful compositions by Norwegian bassist Arild Andersen complemented with the legendary ECM sound! | |
Dino Saluzzi, Anthony Cox, David Friedman | Rios | INT 2156-2 | A beautiful combination of bandoneon, bass and vibraphone! This CD is like a very good French wine: it's smooth and leaves an excellent taste in your mouth (or ear). Exquisite recording! | |
Gov't Mule | Dose | Capricorn 314 536 504-2 | It's not a horse, it's not a donkey: it's Gov't Mule. A new (at least to me) rock group (2 guitars + 1 drum) and their brand new CD. It's reassuring to dicover that there are still good rock musicians. You will not be disillusioned. | |
Eliane Elias | Sings Jobim | Blue Note CDP 7243 4 95050-2 | Wonderful, sensual but fresh interpretations of Jobim's classics. Excellent recording is a bonus. | |
October | Siren | OM6 129 966 45 6 | Rich in melodies, each track tells a different story about relationships. The marriage of lyrics and music is exceptionally good, they are made for each other. A great attention to detail is apparent. I loved this CD. Siren is the debut album of October, a group based in Minnesota. | |
Dino Saluzzi | Cite de la Musique | ECM 1616 533 316-2 | If you like Dino Saluzzi, don't hesitate, this CD is a MUST! Great music and excellent ECM recording. | |
Lori Lieberman | A Thousand Dreams | Pope Music PM 1001-2 | Each and every track is beatifull. Unfortunately you can't find this CD everywhere. Recording is very good too. | |
Cassandra Wilson | Traveling Miles | Blue Note 7243 8 54123 2 | Same good standard of "New Moon Daughter". It also includes few Miles compositions. Very good recording with the same heavy bass line. | |
Onder Focan | Vocalists | Blue Note 100318-2 | Famous Turkish Jazz guitarist Onder Focan's compositions sung by "Vocalists", among them Ajlan Buyukburc who passed away very recently in a car accident. Great music! Excellent recording made in Blue Note's New York studio. Well done Onder! | |
Kinks | Lola Versus Powerman and the Moneygoround - Part One | Reprise 6423-2 | If you listen to oldies from time to time, I'm sure you will like this title from Kinks. Very natural and warm recording from 1970. | |
Astor Piazzolla | Tango: Zero Hour | Nonesuch 79469-2 | "This is absolutly the greatest record I've made in my entire life. We gave our souls to this record." said Piazzolla. I can't agree more. The recording is excellent and the CD is produced by Kip Hanrahan. Very very special!!! | |
Kip Hanrahan | Vertical's Currency | american clave JTAC 1010-2 | Another great CD from Kip Hanrahan with Jack Bruce's smoky voice. Excellent recording. | |
Aydin Esen | Timescape | dm 0006 | This CD is an absolute "must have"! Our music genius did it again: beautiful compositions and great performance. Delicious in every aspect. He is accompanied by Baron Browne (bass), Steve Smith (drums) and Randy Esen (vocals only on two tracks). Very good recording is a bonus. Go to Aydin Esen's web site and listen to track samples. | |
The Pointer Sisters | (first album) | MCAD-31377 | This is the first and best album of The Pointer Sisters. It comes from 1973. It is more jazz than pop and the recording is very good. Highly recommended if you like these ladies' style. | |
Ahmad Jamal | The Essence Part 1 | Bird Logy 314 529 327-2 | Very dynamic piano playing of Ahmad Jamal is accompanied by an excellent rhythm section. The recording is demo quality. A classic in its style! | |
Dr. John | Afterglow | Blue Thumb BTD-7000 | Dr. John sings with zest jazz and blues standards from early 50's. He is accompanied by a big band. The recording is excellent! | |
Dr John | Duke Elegant | Blue Note Records 2000 | Dr John ex Dr John and the night tripper plays hot piano in tribute to Duke Ellington's music with a special Dr "J " cajun southern mix its excellent 7/10 | |
Jennifer Warnes | Famous Blue Raincoat | 258 418 | This CD is from 1987 but I had it very recently. Jennifer Warnes sings Leonard Cohen's songs. I can easily state that Ms. Warnes versions are better than the originals. BEAUTIFUL!!! The recording is also very good. | |
Joni Mitchell | Both Sides Now | 9362-47620-2 | In this brand new CD (released in 2000) Joni Mitchell sings smoky jazz standards or oldies including two of her own. The choice of songs is made in a thematic manner: they outline different phases of a romantic relationship starting from flirtation and ending with disillusionment. Mitchell is accompanied by a big string / brass orchestra. I liked her new style and the classy retouching made to the oldies. The recording is excellent! | |
Ian Anderson | The Secret Language of Birds | BTFLY CD 0002 | Another brand new 2000 release. If you like Jethro Tull I'm sure you'll like this CD. Ian Anderson's singing, flute playing and guitar sound is very much like the old times, but he is now a bit softer, lusher and more romantic. The recording is very good. | |
Steely Dan | Two Against Nature | GIANT 74321-62190-2 | Although I'm not a big fan of jazz-pop music, I very much liked this new CD (released in 2000) of Steely Dan. I think it is one of the best examples of its kind: well thought, sophisticated and meticulously executed. The recording is excellent. | |
Flange Tupai | Flat Earth Concept | Aussie Steely Dan influenced /jazz/pop duo. An eclectic diverse collection of songs These are Oz music writers and producers of great music with bent themes .Godley and Cream look out the boys from the bush are here . check out the flat earth concept | ||
Joshua Redman | Beyond | Warner Bros. 9362-47465-2 | A superb jazz record from a very mature Joshua Redman. The sweetness of his tone is a delight. The recording is also excellent, it brings Redman right into your room. | |
Antonio Forcione & Sabina Sciubba | Meet Me in London | Naim CD 021 | What a recording!!! Very difficult to surpass indeed, BRAVO Naim! The music is also first class "easy listening" category. There is basically one female vocal and acoustic guitar. Both musicians are Italians. They perform the compositions of people like Stevie Wonder, Al Jarreau alongside their own. A must have! | |
Dee Dee Bridgewater | Live at Yoshi's | Verve 314 543-2 | Another great live recording! Dee Dee is accompanied by a trio. Excellent music which has all the virtues of live jazz club performance. The recording is truly demo quality. | |
Victor Lewis | Eeeyyess! | ENJ-9311-2 | The drummer Victor Lewis is the composer of most of the pieces of this album. This is first class jazz music where Victor Lewis does not impose itself on the foreground. Other musicians are: Seamus Blake (saxophones), Terell Stafford (trumpet), Stephen Scott (piano), Ed Howard (bass), Don Alias (percussion). The recording is excellent. | |
Rickie Lee Jones | It's Like This | Artemis Records 751 054-2 | This CD could be called "Pop Pop 2". Delightful interpretations of rock and jazz standards. The recording is top class as in most RLJ albums. | |
Elvis Costello & Burt BAcharach | Painted from Memory | mercury | Pop /rock 70,s singer song writer | |
Luka Broome | The Acoustic motorbike | Reprise | female singer excellent voice 8* | |
Charlie Rich | Pictures and paintings | Sire | Great diverse last album different to all others 8* Country, Jassey,Bluesy Sound quality and Lyrics along with charlies excellent piano playing and tight backing band make this a must | |
Holly Cole | don't smoke in bed | Blue Note Records 1993 | Dynamic singer Song writer with original backing trio drums double bass and piano | |
Holly Cole | Temptation | Blue Note Records 1995 | Mixed tracks with excellent recording | |
Holly Cole | Dark dear heart | Blue Note Records 1997 | Excellent Singer Song writer with backing trio | |
Loreena Mckennitt | TheVist | Warner | Excellent Celtic female voice with harp 7* | |
Loreena Mckennitt | The Book of secrets | Warner Bros | Celticfemale voice with harp haunting traditional muisc 7* | |
Joe Henry | Short Mans room | Polygram | Singer songwriter think bob ,bruce etc while being very original excellent recording 7*7* | |
Cassandra Wilson | From blue light till dawn | Blue Note | Chocolate voice with great dynamics 8+* | |
Cassandra Wilson | New Moon daughter | Blue Note | Deep rich sensuous voice with jazzy /blues feeling good covers 8 * | |
Trudy Lynn | Birds&Blues | Great Blues singer with Lucky Peterson on Guitar tight combo tight bass and drums robert Johnson *7 | ||
Jackie Leven | The mystery of love is greater than the mystery of death | (cooking vynl) Festival | Uk based Guitar songwriter | |
Patrica Barber | Cafe Blue | AIM records Byron Bay Australia | Eclectic Jazz singer /pianoist with trio one of the best recordings 9* | |
Johnny Rivers | Anthology 1964-1977 re Masted | Rhino | Excellent Re master of Johnny 7*
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Joe Henry | Shuffle town | Mammoth | Singer songwriter think bob ,bruce etc while being very original excellent recording 7* |