Some great recommendations above. Let me throw out some more.
First, at the annoyingly priced $7.50, Reverberations: Tape & Electronic Music 1961-1970. by Pauline Oliveros. 35 tracks, 11.5 hours, Oliveros does avante-garde music which sound electronically strange, but always interesting, and not too dissonant. If you're getting bonus credits this month, then this price doesn't seem that annoying. Fun fact: just today, the compilation album "“New Sounds in Electronic Music” (album), Steve Reich, Richard Maxfield, Pauline Oliveros (1967)" was named into the Library of Congress registry for their cultural, historic and aesthetic importance today . Her contribution to the album does not appear in this 11 hour compilation, but it sounds similar to the other parts of the album.
Last month, I picked up a few 99 albums from BBE. About half of them are DJs or music buffs picking their fave finds. Given the price and number of tracks, all of them were winners!
Live ‘n Well by Bert Myrick. 4 tracks, 99 cents. Great and very rare jazz (his only album?)
Dragon Soul by HKE, 12 tracks, 99 cents, 58 minutes, I really enjoyed this ambient/New age. At times the music had a lot of turbulence, but also a lot of tranquility and beautiful vocals. First class.
Influences Vol 2 by collected by DJ Marky, 99 cents, 21 tracks, 120 minutes, lots of tropical dance/EDM. I kept this on for days and never got tired of it.
About previous posts. The Canadian composers album sounds very tempting! (It's so random though -- that may be the appeal of it. Like a compilation of composers born in the month of December). I'm actually disappointed that the Ahmad Jamal is unavailable to US audiences.
Two more things. First, you might already know that I've been listing my emusic purchases on a single web page. A lot of my purchases are already mentioned on this thread. For pre-2014, very few of the albums are still unavailable, and the ones between 2014-2017, sometimes the album is still available, but the link may be bad.
Finally, saddened to hear that the vocalist for Cambodian Space Project died in a car accident at the age of 38 earlier this week. They're mentioned in the same breath as Dengue Fever in that both groups rediscovered the magic of crazy 60s Cambodian rock and roll. CSP is slightly more avante-garde and kitschy, but I remember loving their Not Rock and Roll album (still available on emusic for 4.49). Here's a cover they did of Sonny & Cher's Bang Bang song and a one hour performance they did at the Kennedy Center.
Doofy, sorry I took so long to post those BBE sales. I see a trend where new releases are initially cheap and then return to a normal price. Thanks very much for the Ahmad Jamal Trio Argo sessions. My credits refresh in a week,
Ten discs, various composers/artists, 180+ tracks. Includes a disc from Cafe Zimmermann - everything I have by them is superb. Almost 11 hours, $6.99. ($90 on MP3 at Amazon).
ETA: comes with an extensive digital booklet. If you are a tag purist like me there's a fair bit of retagging to do, and watch out for all the composer and work info that is in the file names but not the tags!
ETA2: Disc 4 is essentially a partial re-release of this album and is sounding pretty great so far. So with that one worth the price I guess the other 9 are freebies :-).
As much as it delights me to see the Versailles album (and the Krautrock compilation -- sounds great!), my credits are down to 6.79. It always is a fun challenge to see what I can get for my allowance. I've been extremely fortunate at my choices, thanks to this thread. Will certainly be grabbing them in future months though.
I was thrilled to get Ovation 3 (mentioned on this thread about a month ago). Various Canadian Composers (Beecroft, Pentland, Kenins, Beckwith, Tremblay). 54 tracks, 344 minutes for $6.99. I never heard of any of these guys, but all of it is good modern-sounding classical music. It's too bad Ovation 1 and Ovation 2 are priced at 27 dollars each (ouch!). Note that the composer tag is not filled in. You can get this information from allmusic.
On another positive note, I see that the site allows you to rate albums from 1 to 5 stars (and even allows you to post brief review comments). This is most useful because it helps you to skip over single track albums and might make it easier to identify bargain-priced albums (not to mention quality). If prices are updated, then this might not matter though. I've also posted about a dozen fast reviews of my favorite bargains.
Because I had $6.75 to burn, I went with another of those Ukrainian pop Moon Vinyl compilations Песни любви (50 Best) 2018 edition , 50 tracks, 174 minutes, 4.99. (I'll be the first to admit that my obsession with Ukrainian pop is a little unnatural -- I lived and taught there in the 90s). I attended some crazy concerts there (although I wish I had gone to more).
Cluster 71 by Cluster. 3 tracks, 99 cents (recommended one page ago). This critically acclaimed album by two German electronic musicians flows smoothly and slowly, with the third movement being particularly intense and serene. (allmusic review and bandcamp page)
Cluster 71 by
Cluster. 3 tracks, 99 cents (recommended one page ago). This
critically acclaimed album by two German electronic musicians flows
smoothly and slowly, with the third movement being particularly intense
and serene. (allmusic review and bandcamp page) "Intense and serene" eh @idiotprogrammer there's a neat trick if you can manage it. B ) wonderful album mind you.
Is this a bargain? I looked up the new Renee Rosnes album on Smoke Sessions today - just released, but not on the new today list - and found it for just 3.99. Mis-priced? Probably, so I grabbed it immediately. It's here, listed at 3.99.
HARVEY MANDEL "SNAKE BOX" One of the top guitarists from the 60s onwards. Played with Bob Dylan, the Stones and John Mayall. This contains his first five albums plus a sixth album of a 1968 live concert in which he plays with Steve Miller, Jerry Garcia and Mickey Hart (both of the Grateful Dead) and Elvin Bishop (Paul Butterfield Blues Band).
Hi, similar to the Mandel Snake box, there's a Robin Trower deal for $6.49. A Tale Untold: The Chrysalis Years (1973-1976) collects the first 5 Robin Trower albums. There are a couple of extra tracks, but not many (All MUsic bemonas this fact). Still, if you're thinking of getting Robin Trower, why not take this plunge? I think Bridge of Sighs (just 3.49) is pretty essential, but you can get all 5 for a little more.
Biorecordings has 18 albums listed as techno but generally in the ambient/dub techno vein. Most are four tracks, about half an hour per album, and $0.99 for the album. (Watch out for Biology 002 - it's there twice and one is $0.99 and one is $3.99. Biology 003 is also there at two prices.) I got there by perusing some albums by Martin Nonstatic, whose sound I have been enjoying. (These are all 4 Euros on bandcamp)
Examples are: Ravi Shankar "India's Master Musician" (rated 5 stars by All Music) Antonio Carlos Jobim "Upgraded Masters" Jacques Brel "Upgraded Masters" Alexis Korner "Rain is such a lonesome sound" (I think this is actually "R&B from the Marquee" rated 5 stars by All Music) Sergio Mendes first album "Dance Moderno" Benny Goodman "The Complete 1938 Carnegie Hall Concert"
Among the recent releases there are also several bulk-volume Scarlatti releases that I think may have been mentioned before (c. 5 hours for $8 each) - volume 4 is a 2018 release.
Quoting the accurate Amazon description, "The cream of the legendary French label BYG Actuel's catalogue. Collecting recordings from 1969-1971 and comprising the best of its improvised jazz, avant garde and psychedelic output. The set features Don Cherry, Sun Ra, Archie Shepp, Gong, Sunny Murray, Art Ensemble of Chicago and more."
AllMusic: "Mariss Jansons and the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra have recorded a substantial body of work for radio broadcast, and this sturdy box set from RCO comprises their live performances that aired between 1990 and 2014. Presented on 13 CDs and one DVD, the selections represent the greatest composers of the Romantic, post-Romantic, and modern periods, and their works are often programmed in thought-provoking combinations to reflect salient features (the matchup of Berlioz's Symphonie fantastique and Ravel's La Valse is a case in point). Because Jansons is a prolific recording artist, this set merely scratches the surface of his vast output, though collectors who worry about duplication of works will find that little here can be found elsewhere. These broadcasts are quite representative of Jansons' varied interests and tastes, and the sound quality of the recordings is comparable to his recordings on RCO Live, with a clarity that sometimes matches his audiophile discs."
AllMusic: "Mariss Jansons and the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra have recorded a substantial body of work for radio broadcast, and this sturdy box set from RCO comprises their live performances that aired between 1990 and 2014. Presented on 13 CDs and one DVD, the selections represent the greatest composers of the Romantic, post-Romantic, and modern periods, and their works are often programmed in thought-provoking combinations to reflect salient features (the matchup of Berlioz's Symphonie fantastique and Ravel's La Valse is a case in point). Because Jansons is a prolific recording artist, this set merely scratches the surface of his vast output, though collectors who worry about duplication of works will find that little here can be found elsewhere. These broadcasts are quite representative of Jansons' varied interests and tastes, and the sound quality of the recordings is comparable to his recordings on RCO Live, with a clarity that sometimes matches his audiophile discs."
It's almost still good value in the UK at £40.74 for 13 discs; especially so as the physical set is OOP and someone is asking 198.98 on Amazon UK for it.
It's almost still good value in the UK at £40.74 for 13 discs; especially so as the physical set is OOP and someone is asking 198.98 on Amazon UK for it.
Well, this can't compete with 13 discs of Jansons for $6.99, but here's a rousing new Bud Powell tribute album for $0.99: (Today's All About Jazz review here)
Say, you don't suppose this whole My Music cloud thing is a trick to get us to buy 16 hour collections that we would never buy if we had to download them right away, do you? Just sayin'.
I always do, I would rather have it on my hard drive then floating in a cloud system that can be turned off by the owner. I had this recently when Microsoft tried to delete all my hotmail messages, got hem back but it was a close thing.
Comments
First, at the annoyingly priced $7.50, Reverberations: Tape & Electronic Music 1961-1970. by Pauline Oliveros. 35 tracks, 11.5 hours, Oliveros does avante-garde music which sound electronically strange, but always interesting, and not too dissonant. If you're getting bonus credits this month, then this price doesn't seem that annoying. Fun fact: just today, the compilation album "“New Sounds in Electronic Music” (album), Steve Reich, Richard Maxfield, Pauline Oliveros (1967)" was named into the Library of Congress registry for their cultural, historic and aesthetic importance today . Her contribution to the album does not appear in this 11 hour compilation, but it sounds similar to the other parts of the album.
For those of you too shy to get the 11 hour compilation, there's a 99 cent 4 track compilation . (All of these tracks appear in the longer compilation though). Here's a review of that 4 track compilation.
Last month, I picked up a few 99 albums from BBE. About half of them are DJs or music buffs picking their fave finds. Given the price and number of tracks, all of them were winners!
- Live ‘n Well by Bert Myrick. 4 tracks, 99 cents. Great and very rare jazz (his only album?)
- TAITU Soul-filled Stompers from 1960s and 1970s Ethipia. by Various artists, compiled by Ernesto Chahoud, 25 tracks, 99 cents (suggested above, god I loved this!)
- John Armstrong presents Afrobeat Brasil. Various Artists. 14 tracks, 73 minutes, 99 cents. Recent African tracks.
- Keb Darge & Cut Chemist present The Dark Side: 28 Sixties Garage Punk and Psyche Monsters, 28 tracks, 99 cents. I thought I already had enough 60s, garage/rockabilly stuff, but this stuff is rare and phenomenally good.
- Dragon Soul by HKE, 12 tracks, 99 cents, 58 minutes, I really enjoyed this ambient/New age. At times the music had a lot of turbulence, but also a lot of tranquility and beautiful vocals. First class.
- Influences Vol 2 by collected by DJ Marky, 99 cents, 21 tracks, 120 minutes, lots of tropical dance/EDM. I kept this on for days and never got tired of it.
About previous posts. The Canadian composers album sounds very tempting! (It's so random though -- that may be the appeal of it. Like a compilation of composers born in the month of December). I'm actually disappointed that the Ahmad Jamal is unavailable to US audiences.Two more things. First, you might already know that I've been listing my emusic purchases on a single web page. A lot of my purchases are already mentioned on this thread. For pre-2014, very few of the albums are still unavailable, and the ones between 2014-2017, sometimes the album is still available, but the link may be bad.
Finally, saddened to hear that the vocalist for Cambodian Space Project died in a car accident at the age of 38 earlier this week. They're mentioned in the same breath as Dengue Fever in that both groups rediscovered the magic of crazy 60s Cambodian rock and roll. CSP is slightly more avante-garde and kitschy, but I remember loving their Not Rock and Roll album (still available on emusic for 4.49). Here's a cover they did of Sonny & Cher's Bang Bang song and a one hour performance they did at the Kennedy Center.
Eta, looks like those BBE misprices, eg the Ethiopia set, have been fixed
John Cage: One, One 2, One 5, $2.99 for more than hour of music
Both are Sabine Liebner, piano.
5 of their best albums for $6.99!
https://www.emusic.com/album/141363855/The-Groundhogs/Original-Album-Series
More than 8 hours of the best of Krautrock for $6.99.
https://www.emusic.com/album/3135767/Various-Artists/Krautrock---Cosmic-SoundsSplendeurs de Versailles
Ten discs, various composers/artists, 180+ tracks. Includes a disc from Cafe Zimmermann - everything I have by them is superb. Almost 11 hours, $6.99. ($90 on MP3 at Amazon).
ETA: comes with an extensive digital booklet. If you are a tag purist like me there's a fair bit of retagging to do, and watch out for all the composer and work info that is in the file names but not the tags!
ETA2: Disc 4 is essentially a partial re-release of this album and is sounding pretty great so far. So with that one worth the price I guess the other 9 are freebies :-).
I was thrilled to get Ovation 3 (mentioned on this thread about a month ago). Various Canadian Composers (Beecroft, Pentland, Kenins, Beckwith, Tremblay). 54 tracks, 344 minutes for $6.99. I never heard of any of these guys, but all of it is good modern-sounding classical music. It's too bad Ovation 1 and Ovation 2 are priced at 27 dollars each (ouch!). Note that the composer tag is not filled in. You can get this information from allmusic.
On another positive note, I see that the site allows you to rate albums from 1 to 5 stars (and even allows you to post brief review comments). This is most useful because it helps you to skip over single track albums and might make it easier to identify bargain-priced albums (not to mention quality). If prices are updated, then this might not matter though. I've also posted about a dozen fast reviews of my favorite bargains.
I was glad to finally buy the Classic 1958-1962 Recording (with Israel Crosby & Vernel Fournier)[Bonus Track Version]. By Ahmad Jamal Trio. 94 tracks, 387 minutes, $6.99
Because I had $6.75 to burn, I went with another of those Ukrainian pop Moon Vinyl compilations Песни любви (50 Best) 2018 edition , 50 tracks, 174 minutes, 4.99. (I'll be the first to admit that my obsession with Ukrainian pop is a little unnatural -- I lived and taught there in the 90s). I attended some crazy concerts there (although I wish I had gone to more).
Cluster 71 by Cluster. 3 tracks, 99 cents (recommended one page ago). This critically acclaimed album by two German electronic musicians flows smoothly and slowly, with the third movement being particularly intense and serene. (allmusic review and bandcamp page)
"Intense and serene" eh @idiotprogrammer there's a neat trick if you can manage it. B ) wonderful album mind you.
HARVEY MANDEL "SNAKE BOX"
One of the top guitarists from the 60s onwards. Played with Bob Dylan, the Stones and John Mayall. This contains his first five albums plus a sixth album of a 1968 live concert in which he plays with Steve Miller, Jerry Garcia and Mickey Hart (both of the Grateful Dead) and Elvin Bishop (Paul Butterfield Blues Band).
All six CDs for $6.99!!
https://www.emusic.com/album/3228718/Harvey-Mandel/Snake-Box
https://www.allmusic.com/artist/harvey-mandel-mn0000668511/biography
https://www.allmusic.com/album/snake-box-mw0002790273
https://www.emusic.com/label/241641/J-Joes-J-Edizioni-Musicali
Worth having a look at the above label. An eclectic mix amongst which is some really good music at $0.99 an album.
Examples are:
Ravi Shankar "India's Master Musician" (rated 5 stars by All Music)
Antonio Carlos Jobim "Upgraded Masters"
Jacques Brel "Upgraded Masters"
Alexis Korner "Rain is such a lonesome sound" (I think this is actually "R&B from the Marquee" rated 5 stars by All Music)
Sergio Mendes first album "Dance Moderno"
Benny Goodman "The Complete 1938 Carnegie Hall Concert"
Fifteen and a half hours (!) of Russian piano concertos for $8.99
(From last year there is also fifteen and a half hours of Alkan for the same price.)
Among the recent releases there are also several bulk-volume Scarlatti releases that I think may have been mentioned before (c. 5 hours for $8 each) - volume 4 is a 2018 release.
https://www.emusic.com/album/1568011/Various-Artists/Jazzactuel
Quoting the accurate Amazon description, "The cream of the legendary French label BYG Actuel's catalogue. Collecting recordings from 1969-1971 and comprising the best of its improvised jazz, avant garde and psychedelic output. The set features Don Cherry, Sun Ra, Archie Shepp, Gong, Sunny Murray, Art Ensemble of Chicago and more."
3 hours 43 minutes of excellent music for $6.99
It's almost still good value in the UK at £40.74 for 13 discs; especially so as the physical set is OOP and someone is asking 198.98 on Amazon UK for it.