Vedric--- I understand your frustration with TBGTs. As I indicated, their "Chinatown" was the first CD I bought, and it includes a libretto. I found this most useful in deciphering what was being sung, and particularly after I bought their other CD, "Blue Horse", which doesn't have a libretto. Perhaps I'm being naive about this, but I haven't once thought of their vocals as being affected. I simply chalked it up to maybe that's the way people talk in "their neck of the woods". (As a Tennesseean, I'll be the last to criticize one's dialect!!) I hope your frustration is not sufficient to preclude your actual purchase and extended audition of one of their recordings. But if it is... that's what makes the world go 'round, after all.
Your comment regarding your preference for a soloist or small group being backed by an orchestra strikes a similar chord with me, to wit: As much as I enjoy a string quartet, I many times feel something's missing, like little if any percussion, too much midrange, and insufficient bass, to put it in purely audio terms. I think this is the main reason I prefer piano trios, since a piano can sound like "an orchestra in a box", given the proper score and pianist. It can flesh out the presentation in the form of both percussion and bass.
The beauty part of the Ahn Trio (pun intended, since they are knockdown gorgeous ladies, in fact) is that, although classically-trained (Juilliard graduates), they delve into primarily modern music, most of which has been commissioned for them, in addition to older standard repertoire such as Haydn, Ravel, Dvorak, etc. They are a delight, IMVHO.
Jim
