What's your latest "Discovery"

Bill Charlap trio "Stardust", playing the music of Hoagy Carmichael. The CD also features special guests Tony Bennett, Shirley Horn, Jim Hall, and Frank Wess. Tracks 1, 2 (Bennett), and 10 (Horn), have now made this a test CD for me. An aside... has anyone else has ever noticed how well Shirley Horn's voice, on any of her own albums too, reveals the strengths and weaknesses of a system.

I've been listening to The Cottars-"Made in Cape Breton" a lot and am getting into Ami DiFranco-"Evolve". She is an acquired taste but this cd is growing on me. Sean, thanks for the heads up on the New Jonny Cash. I'll have to check that out.

My niece's husband just bought a Jazz trio CD for me called Meanwhile by John Fremgen. It is a great performance and the recording quality is first rate also. Fremgen plays upright bass, with Peter Erskine on Drums and Mitch Watkins on guitar. This is on Viewpoint records. You will probably have to get it off viewpointrecords.com but it is well worth it. John Fremgen is a student of Brian Bromberg (also a great bassist), Mitch Watkins guitar tone is sooo pure it is erie, and you all know how great Peter Erskine's drumming is. It is recorded by Jack Rock at a small studio in Austin, TX. and he really did a great job with it. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED! I am going to check out more recordings on this label, as they seem to really be into recording quality artists,and taking the time to do it right.

Recently bought, often spinning:

Rediscovery: "Herb Alpert presents Sergio Mendes and Brazil 66"; for old time sake.

Hard to get tune leads to discovery of whole cd: Hugh Masekela, "Hope"; for the track used in a Burmester sampler CD. "Stimela"; turns out the whole album is great;

Genuine discovery for me: The Bill Holman Band, "A View From The Side", JVC XRCD, great music, great recording. Who says Redbook doesn't sound great?

Genuine discovery that Wes had a wonderful family: The Montgomery Brothers, "Groove Yard"; again a JVC XRCD, again, great music, great sonics.

Late discovery by me: Blossom Dearie, "Blossom Dearie"; in my jazz vocal blind spot until now. Makes the newer piano playing, lady (oh sexist pig!) singers sound like they should go back to the locker room.

Always a discovery: Frank Sinatra "Come Swing With Me"; not the nicest guy in the world (oh don't you speak ill of the dead now!), but that bastard could sing.

Discovery of another side of a well-known musical icon: The latest by Johnny Cash; a very dark, bleak, forlorn landscape. An older person looking at the inevitable; not to be listened to by older persons living in a dark, bleak, forlorn landscape. Seems like Tom Waits' muse has visited Mr. Cash's home.

Nice to hear that people do listen to music and talk about it instead of how many angels can pass through the Teflon dielectric material so that the emotion can be revealed.

Unam Ceylum - Biber violin sonatas by John Holloway. Absolutely outstanding virtuosity and well recorded. Hard to imagine that these pieces date to 1681.