News Falling In Love Again.......with music.

[Jasonovich]

I just want to share the LOVE. I'm born again music lover!

Each month, I assign a small budget for my DSD downloads from NativeDSD web portal and for much of my life, I hated Jazz, I hated Blues but all that has changed.
In the eighties and possibly in the 70s when I was discovering, Bowie, New Wave, Punk, Funk, Rock, there was no room for anything else. I tried listening to jazz and one of my siblings had to nudge me from my slumber and blues?

Boom Boom Boom, wah wah wah wah, what the....come on man, get real.

Thirty years on, it's like your ears and brain is in a state of metamorphosis, my eardrums are flapping butterfly wings. I heard Pat Appleton silky voice the first time, I want more, I want JAZZ, I heard the Dutch saxaphonist Simon Righter, that guy sends me to another level, it's like Nirvana, oh Hi Corbain, that's a nasty hole you got in your head.

Blues! I love Vivino Brothers.

All this time I have been a closet Blues and Jazz lover and now, I am FREE, oh look, butterflies are flying out of my ears.

I love if you can share your own pursuit for great music, maybe there's a lot for me to learn still.

All the best

 

[plastic penguin]

I just want to share the LOVE. I'm born again music lover!

Each month, I assign a small budget for my DSD downloads from NativeDSD web portal and for much of my life, I hated Jazz, I hated Blues but all that has changed.
In the eighties and possibly in the 70s when I was discovering, Bowie, New Wave, Punk, Funk, Rock, there was no room for anything else. I tried listening to jazz and one of my siblings had to nudge me from my slumber and blues?

Boom Boom Boom, wah wah wah wah, what the....come on man, get real.

Thirty years on, it's like your ears and brain is in a state of metamorphosis, my eardrums are flapping butterfly wings. I heard Pat Appleton silky voice the first time, I want more, I want JAZZ, I heard the Dutch saxaphonist Simon Righter, that guy sends me to another level, it's like Nirvana, oh Hi Corbain, that's a nasty hole you got in your head.

Blues! I love Vivino Brothers.

All this time I have been a closet Blues and Jazz lover and now, I am FREE, oh look, butterflies are flying out of my ears.

I love if you can share your own pursuit for great music, maybe there's a lot for me to learn still.

All the best


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What you put this sea change down to? Have you changed or upgraded anything recently?

 

[Jasonovich]

What you put this sea change down to? Have you changed or upgraded anything recently?

Good question. I think a number of factors.

Getting older(!) but I think there's a dearth of quality muscians in the main stream arena (pop, urban, contemporary music etc.), these days; marketability takes preference over creativity and it has always been with big labels and even they are struggling to exist, because people are streaming their music, especially the market they're trying to attract.
There are a lot of small labels were muscians are not profit orientated and true to their art and there's a lot of honesty in what they're trying to achieve and their passion kind of resonates with me.

Also yes, this is a Hi-Fi forum afterall!
DSD is so good, especially when you have a half decent setup. I think it's also true to say, a bad recording will make any format sound bad that is why, I appreciate the ethos behind small companies like NativeDSD, who are serious about the quality and reproduction that is faithful to the original recording (they also sell vinyl).

Yes I have upgraded the DAC, I have better quality cables. The small differences make the biggest differences. My Eversolo DAC has that extra space, it's like the music has lungs and it's breathing. The addition of Focal Sub One woofer has freed up the low end, my Adam monitors actually sound clearer and firmer with the Focal. There's more texture and timber in the music, the vocals have another dimension.

In terms of the software, the interface is much better, I don't have to boot up my PC to hear my albums. The Streamer works as a transport (output connectivity via USB) and the perfect file manager with Rose esque graphics and visuals. All this has added to the enjoyment.

 

[robdmarsh]

Good question. I think a number of factors.

Getting older(!) but I think there's a dearth of quality muscians in the main stream arena (pop, urban, contemporary music etc.), these days; marketability takes preference over creativity and it has always been with big labels and even they are struggling to exist, because people are streaming their music, especially the market they're trying to attract.
There are a lot of small labels were muscians are not profit orientated and true to their art and there's a lot of honesty in what they're trying to achieve and their passion kind of resonates with me.

Also yes, this is a Hi-Fi forum afterall!
DSD is so good, especially when you have a half decent setup. I think it's also true to say, a bad recording will make any format sound bad that is why, I appreciate the ethos behind small companies like NativeDSD, who are serious about the quality and reproduction that is faithful to the original recording (they also sell vinyl).

Yes I have upgraded the DAC, I have better quality cables. The small differences make the biggest differences. My Eversolo DAC has that extra space, it's like the music has lungs and it's breathing. The addition of Focal Sub One woofer has freed up the low end, my Adam monitors actually sound clearer and firmer with the Focal. There's more texture and timber in the music, the vocals have another dimension.

In terms of the software, the interface is much better, I don't have to boot up my PC to hear my albums. The Streamer works as a transport (output connectivity via USB) and the perfect file manager with Rose esque graphics and visuals. All this has added to the enjoyment.

 

[Jasonovich]

LOL!!!
I enjoyed the chuckle, crusties hahaha
Just to add further, I have Spotify and Deezer accounts and Roon enabled devices. This crusty is keeping up with the times 😊

Streaming is a good way to discover new artists without involving large outlay of investment.
But I'm off grid most of the time.

 

[12th Monkey]

Comment about Kurt Cobain is a little tasteless.

 

[Jasonovich]

Comment about Kurt Cobain is a little tasteless.

Apologies for the lack of sensitivity regarding Cobain. I'm a big fan of Nirvana, I'm sad he's no longer with us, there could have been many more great songs. It's a big tragic loss of young talented man.
It's just play with words, it shouldn't be construed as anything else.

 

[Witterings]

The title caught my attention as I've also recently gone music nuts again, mainly as I finally and reluctantly signed up to a streaming service.

I've been a believer all my life of buying things outright and have always been abhorrent of monthly charges as I've just seen it as a way for a company to fleece you for more money.

Someone made the comment, "when you were younger did you buy one or 2 CD's a month for £12 each" and I saw another comment when someone said, "2 vinyl's at current prices will cost you the same as a year's subscription".

I now have 70 million songs available at my fingertips, not just of the bent out of shape / seriously warped albums I have stored in my loft but also every single song / album I ever borrowed from a friend growing up so am seriously back in love with music.

BUT ... JAZZ .... SERIOUSLY ...... JAZZ .... ??????????

A bunch of technically brilliant musicians who wish to take it in turns to self-abuse themselves in front of a crowd of people in the pursuit of self-adulation with no melody what-so-ever.

I don't like to ask but has there been a major change in your life as you've clearly entered a dillusional phase and you need some serious help.

I think there are a few posts on the forum for those offering free therapy for desperate individuals in your dire situation and I'm seriously concerned you may do something really stupid like play something by Jools Holland or Jamie Cullen.
It's a friendly group so please ... please ... don't feel embarrassed to ask for help, just reach out as I'm sure most of the members on here will have empathy for your current situation and can help guide you away from the dark side.

DON'T DESPAIR .... whilst I know it's hard, try to remain positive at all costs. With the right help, I'm sure you'll be able to see a way forward, with a clearer and much more positive musical direction for the future.

 

[matthewpianist]

I'm hoping, @Witterings, that the second half of your post is as I'm taking it, in jest!

I've never fallen out of love with music, as a musician or listener, and it has consistently been at the centre of my life. What has happened too many times is that the winding and trap laden road to high fidelity satisfaction has taken time, attention and money that could have been spent on even more music. Also, some of those resources could have been spent on other equally important areas of life.

On the topic of genres... I avoid labelling music as much as possible, even though I studied in musicology and write professionally about it. It can be helpful to identify things when analysing and studying music, but when simply listening and enjoying I find it far more productive to take an open view and try anything that might remotely appeal, INCLUDING JAZZ

Recent releases I've loved include:

Versions of Us (Lanterns On The Lake)
Nielsen - Violin Concerto (James Ehnes)
Keep Your Courage (Natalie Merchant)
Momento Mori (Depeche Mode)
Corridors (Kendrick Scott)
Rachmaninov - Études-Tableaux (Jean-Jacques Bédikian)
Folkocracy (Rufus Wainwright)
But Who We Are (Foo Fighters)
Careful of Your Keepers (This Is The Kit)
Identity (Nitin Sawhney)
Haydn - Piano Trios (Guarneri Trio Prague)

 

[Witterings]

I'm hoping, @Witterings, that the second half of your post is as I'm taking it, in jest!

Certainly tongue in cheek ..... that said I've never got on with Jazz and think part of what I said in jest is actually very close to the truth ... flip side of the same coin, jazz trained musicians are incredibly talented, take the technical ability and apply it to rock and some of them will blow you away.

I don't have a closed mind, I'll certainly have a listen to some of the mentioned artists and maybe I'll be converted

 

[Jasonovich]

The title caught my attention as I've also recently gone music nuts again, mainly as I finally and reluctantly signed up to a streaming service.

I've been a believer all my life of buying things outright and have always been abhorrent of monthly charges as I've just seen it as a way for a company to fleece you for more money.

Someone made the comment, "when you were younger did you buy one or 2 CD's a month for £12 each" and I saw another comment when someone said, "2 vinyl's at current prices will cost you the same as a year's subscription".

I now have 70 million songs available at my fingertips, not just of the bent out of shape / seriously warped albums I have stored in my loft but also every single song / album I ever borrowed from a friend growing up so am seriously back in love with music.

BUT ... JAZZ .... SERIOUSLY ...... JAZZ .... ??????????

A bunch of technically brilliant musicians who wish to take it in turns to self-abuse themselves in front of a crowd of people in the pursuit of self-adulation with no melody what-so-ever.

I don't like to ask but has there been a major change in your life as you've clearly entered a dillusional phase and you need some serious help.

I think there are a few posts on the forum for those offering free therapy for desperate individuals in your dire situation and I'm seriously concerned you may do something really stupid like play something by Jools Holland or Jamie Cullen.
It's a friendly group so please ... please ... don't feel embarrassed to ask for help, just reach out as I'm sure most of the members on here will have empathy for your current situation and can help guide you away from the dark side.

DON'T DESPAIR .... whilst I know it's hard, try to remain positive at all costs. With the right help, I'm sure you'll be able to see a way forward, with a clearer and much more positive musical direction for the future.

Love your post! Jools Holland and his circle of pseudo bohemian cretins is not something I can stomach not even at Auld Lang Syne.
Listen to Pat Appleton, not pure Jazz but close enough and tell me you don't like 😊

 

[Witterings]

I'm hoping, @Witterings, that the second half of your post is as I'm taking it, in jest!

I've never fallen out of love with music, as a musician or listener, and it has consistently been at the centre of my life. What has happened too many times is that the winding and trap laden road to high fidelity satisfaction has taken time, attention and money that could have been spent on even more music. Also, some of those resources could have been spent on other equally important areas of life.

On the topic of genres... I avoid labelling music as much as possible, even though I studied in musicology and write professionally about it. It can be helpful to identify things when analysing and studying music, but when simply listening and enjoying I find it far more productive to take an open view and try anything that might remotely appeal, INCLUDING JAZZ

Recent releases I've loved include:

Versions of Us (Lanterns On The Lake)
Nielsen - Violin Concerto (James Ehnes)
Keep Your Courage (Natalie Merchant)
Momento Mori (Depeche Mode)
Corridors (Kendrick Scott)
Rachmaninov - Études-Tableaux (Jean-Jacques Bédikian)
Folkocracy (Rufus Wainwright)
But Who We Are (Foo Fighters)
Careful of Your Keepers (This Is The Kit)
Identity (Nitin Sawhney)
Haydn - Piano Trios (Guarneri Trio Prague)

I've had time to listen through that lot ... and duly noted not one of the suggestions was JAZZ .... Guess you must struggled finding some worthy of mentioning

Mickey taking aside (or many a true comment made in jest), I immediately warm to Natalie Mercant, listening to her as I type and will definitely get a greater listen

Couldn't fimd Corridors on Amazon music so I'm guessing not that well known??

Love your post! Jools Holland and his circle of pseudo bohemian cretins is not something I can stomach not even at Auld Lang Syne.
Listen to Pat Appleton, not pure Jazz but close enough and tell me you don't like 😊

Had a brief listen to Pat Appleton, certainly not what you'd call hard core jazz (from what I've heard so far) and will get more of a listen. One thing I did pick up with my briedf encounter though is as I mentioned above .... the musicians with a Jazz influence are strong!

 

[matthewpianist]

I've had time to listen through that lot ... and duly noted not one of the suggestions was JAZZ .... Guess you must struggled finding some worthy of mentioning

Mickey taking aside (or many a true comment made in jest), I immediately warm to Natalie Mercant, listening to her as I type and will definitely get a greater listen

Couldn't fimd Corridors on Amazon music so I'm guessing not that well known??

'Corridors' is jazz (contemporary jazz). If you search for Kendrick Scott on Spotify or Qobuz you'll find the album.

There's plenty of great jazz I can recommend, including pretty much anything by Art Blakey,

I've had time to listen through that lot ... and duly noted not one of the suggestions was JAZZ .... Guess you must struggled finding some worthy of mentioning

Mickey taking aside (or many a true comment made in jest), I immediately warm to Natalie Mercant, listening to her as I type and will definitely get a greater listen

Couldn't fimd Corridors on Amazon music so I'm guessing not that well known??

I'm pleased you're enjoying Natalie Merchant. She's recorded several very good solo albums, and also fronted the band 10,000 Maniacs. In addition there's an album called 'Folk Songs' by the Kronos Quartet which she appears on.

I can recommend plenty of jazz, artists including:

Brad Mehldau
Joshua Redman
Art Blakey
Miles Davis
Charles Mingus
Oscar Peterson