LATEST ADDITIONS

Michael Fremer  |  Jul 31, 2006  |  First Published: Dec 31, 1969  |  0 comments

Editor's note (please read!). This story was written in the late 1980's. I don't remember the exact date. At the time, Greg Calbi and Ted Jensen were working for Sterling Sound. Between then and today (2005), Calbi left Sterling and went to work for competitor Masterdisk for a few years. He later returned to the new Sterling Sound (www.sterling-sound.com), a sprawling complex on Manhattan's west side near the "meat packing district," where Ted Jensen and George Marino also work as part of one of the most distinguished teams of mastering engineers anywhere in the world.-MF

Michael Fremer  |  Jul 30, 2006  |  First Published: Dec 31, 1969  |  0 comments
As it did for so many other designers and manufacturers of specialty audio gear, the current occupation of Basis owner/designer A.J. Conti began as a hobby and personal quest. A longtime audiophile and home-based dealer of brands like Krell and Quicksilver, Conti decided to build his own "killer" turntable using a fluid-damped suspension.
Michael Fremer  |  Jul 03, 2006  |  0 comments

True to the label’s intentions and name, Zane Musa is a muscular-toned, “straight ahead” alto sax bopper, accompanied on this superb sounding disc by like-minded Southern California jazz musicians on a set of well worn but always comfortable jazz standards.

Michael Fremer  |  Jul 01, 2006  |  0 comments

Whether covering Robert Johnson, Joni Mitchell, Hank Williams or The Monkees (Boyce and Hart), Cassandra Wilson’s sultry, commanding voice has always worked effectively set against spare, moody backdrops.

Michael Fremer  |  Jul 01, 2006  |  0 comments

Spirit’s 1971 release The 12 Dreams of Doctor Sardonicus (Epic E30267) may be the best Spirit album, and one of the finest albums of the psychedelic and post-psychedelic era, but this, the band’s debut, recorded in 1967, falls not far behind and holds up remarkably well for many reasons.

Michael Fremer  |  Jul 01, 2006  |  0 comments

Never mind that the tape has some occasional serious dropout, never mind that the legendary performance of the title track “One Down, One Up” commences mid way through the tune during a Jimmy Garrison bass solo, never mind that these performances are station dubs from live radio broadcasts, never mind Alan Grant’s radio announcements sprinkled throughout, and never mind that this treasure trove is probably not in the same league historically as the Thelonious Monk/John Coltrane Carnegie Hall concert unearthed at the National Archives and issued by Mosaic on vinyl recently (MQ1-231).

Michael Fremer  |  Jul 01, 2006  |  0 comments

At first, the lingering melodies and stick-to-the-synapses catch phrases don’t seem to reach out and grab you like they do on older Steely Dan albums, but the grooves are deeper and more elastic here than ever and Fagen’s arranging abilities remain crisp, inventive and instantly recognizable even if you don’t take time out to analyze what’s going on to make them seem so familiar.

Michael Fremer  |  Jul 01, 2006  |  0 comments

This most popular of Green Day albums, a swell kiss off to Bush and his rogue administration is now so old it’s grown whiskers, but it hasn’t lost any of its punch. In fact, cut to wax it intensifies into a category five musical and political hurricane.

Michael Fremer  |  Jul 01, 2006  |  0 comments

The Irish folk/pop singer Mary Black, a genuine superstar at home, has built a worldwide following on the strength of her mesmerizing, crystal clear voice and an uncanny ability to wring every drop of meaning from the lyrics she interprets.

Michael Fremer  |  Jun 12, 2006  |  First Published: Dec 31, 1969  |  0 comments

Musicangle editor drops trou!

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