Commemorative CD 2016

The producer of Commemorative CD 2016, Jo passed to me a red hot copy to me for my thoughts. Knowing him, the selection of tracks has an implicit objective; to educate general public on variety of music and to broaden music listening horizon. I know he also wanted to attract new visitors with new diversity of music.

Without further ado, here's go.  

Track one, Norfolk Country Line

Acoustic guitar broke the silence, McLeod “Ever go down to Norfolk country line?”, his voice, not particularly deep nor husky but rather penetrating, McLeod has done enough to attract me. This composition has its root in country blue with a story telling like delivery. Duet with a low voice female, “Our love!” that’s the climax when both shoot at the high notes. The harmonica sings beautifully. I couldn’t ask for a better arrangement. A very nice piece, easy on ear, it couldn’t be any better to start off this commemorative CD. First track matters, it either promotes further listening or chucking the CD aside. 

Track two, Fireworks

Her shady voice and delivery resembles Susan Wong. Her voice is slightly nasal and gravelly. The double bass, hmmm, a little gluey and thick for my taste. I got poor double bass articulation. Slow tempo, it’s a treat listening to this Bossa Nova in one lazy afternoon, it relaxes the mind. Singing articulation is not necessary for Bossa Nova. Never mind what she sings, just floating on her voice. The cymbal is commendable though.

Track three, La Campanella, No. 3 in g-sharp minor from Grand Etudes de Paganini

A light and nimble playful piano is composed by Franz Liszt in his true admiration for the “super human” Mr. Paganini’s masterly violin skills and techniques, prompted Liszt to duplicate a copy of Mr. Paganini’s image onto himself; he is an equally talented piano maestro. As such, this piano composition comprises of high level of technicality to reflect his flamboyance.

The flying notes with a variation of key strike forces, the pianist is playing with a wonderful continuity. You will be amazed by his virtuosity the run at the closing. It gets your heart pumping. Bravo, bravo.

Track four, The DJ

Breathy voice, most Gaelic songs are sad. She sings so close to the mic, as such, the image is bigger than life (without accentuate the volume). This is my least preferred track in this CD.

Track five, Adja da Li Znaes pametis

The Middle East guitar style led me to suggest a world music. I see myself relaxing on a veranda with a desert view. The recording is remarkably open, with great ambiance subtleties. The unique guitar strumming induces paralytic sensation, so as when the guitar picks up the pace. Who could not have guessed the hallmark of MA Recording? I always love MA Recording’s way of treating the natural decay.

Track six, Looking For A Home

Hear the guitar vibrato, fascinating. Country boys always have their way with guitar note bending, others music genre doesn’t do that much. “I have been down so many times ”, “Wouldn’t leave me alone, never hurt nobody” I couldn’t help feeling the backup vocal is stealing the show, the song came alive. Folks, listen to the separation between the main and backup vocal. The vocal harmonization is marvelous nevertheless. This is a tale of a convict looking for a home.

Track seven, Body and Soul

Back to mainstream jazz, I could spot nice music instrument localization. She stands singing half foot to my right. Her voice is full and relatively free of grain. Then, there is a bass trombone, that’s a little unusual. I can imagine a night out drinking in a jazz pub.

Track eight, Isn’t It Little late

Another Gaelic number, the wooden percussive instrument is regulating my heart beat. Oh! The texture.

Track nine, The Dog Song

An electric guitar intro and a sparse voice, what do you get? It sounds like the mix of soul and blues. The guitar is electrifying and tenacious.

Track ten, Espelho quebrado

A song in foreign language, presumably, a Latin. It’s a Portuguese. Maria sings her heart out. Sweet and feminine, this track melts iron hearts. Accompanied by a sax, it tells a broken love and helpless.  

Track eleven, Golden Spear Steel Horse

This is an ancient Chinese home welcoming piece, featuring drums at the center stage. Pipa has a magical way of speaking to you, so zen and so rich in harmonic due to the twisted notations. The tranquility disappears with the war drums come in the action, bring about intensity and drama. The grandeur of stage, this is no easy task.

Track twelve, Come Together

Now, this sounds familiar. Listening to this acoustic steel strings guitar repertoire, the playing style reminds me of the legendary late Michael Hedges. Aggressive play and attack on the strings.

Track thirteen, Meanwhile

Begins with percussive notation, follows by the moving drum strokes. A gentle double bass on the left and a cymbal on the right join in, the sax on the far right come in onto the scene. The cymbal opens a new dimension of space like it always does. The recording captures the essence of the music. The ripple quality of the drum is so inviting. You got to loosen your mind and flow with the music, this is free will jamming.

Track fourteen, Vranjanka

The opening double bass is so imposing as if running over you, the gain of recording is notably up by a few notches. A skillful display of double bass virtuosity, the notes are weighty. This should be the favorite show piece track, no doubt about it.

Track fifteen, Lord’s Tundra

Bass guitar time, this brings me back to Brian Bromberg CD. Feel the music.

Track sixteen, Mass in B Minor

This mass chorale appeals to Bach fans. Bach is known for his vocal music, he is one of the most important figures in Baroque period. His works have great influences on the later generation of composers. In this piece, you will hear the synchronization of voices, male and female, higher octave and lower octave. Your system is put to the test on its ability on stay resolute producing this massive work. A wall of singing heads and feel the solemn and heaviness of this piece. 

This year selection comprises many tracks featuring double bass. Generally, double bass is tuned to E1 which responds to 41.2Hz. This frequency is within most speakers reach. Beside one heavy Chinese piece, the rest are equally challenging on harmonic reproduction. Be patience with the tracks, the music will slowly grow on you. It is the matter of the degree of how well your system in managing micro details, micro dynamics and ambience retrieval. Combine these aspects leads you to a new dimension of musical pleasure, spatial and spacious. The talk about music transporting listeners to a virtual TIME and SPACE is true as you continue to work your system towards that goal.

I wanted to take time to thank Jo for his time and effort on this CD. He is one of the good guys that believe in giving back to the social, continues to contribute and share his knowledge for the good of the audio community in general even though he has retired from showcasing his LS3/5a to the general public in KLIAV show. Look, he doesn't have to do if he doesn't want to, you get what I mean. Not forgetting the generous sponsors too, thank you.

My soya sauce

Despite of all that, cable receives the most polarized views in audio community. To the believers, cable is the road to sonic heaven. To the unbelievers, it is merely a transmission of voltage signal to the speakers, a straight wire. That's all it does, that's all it supposedly do, the rest are gutter chat. Which camp are you in?

Seasoning, anyone?

Beyond any doubt, cables bring about drastic audible difference. How would cables not matter? Indeed, 99% of the cables are tone control. The cable quest is both daunting and costly endeavour, your mileage may vary in a different system has never been so true. Master of the cable or slave to the cable, be reasonable in your expectations. Arabian Nights, cable epic makes great story. Like soya sauce to sashimi, cable is a seasoning you can't have without.

Quite frankly, all fingers are pointing at my PCOCC speaker cables right now. In a midsize floorstanding speaker based system like mine, their shortcomings take a toll on my system performance. What a drag! Tara Labs RSC speaker cable validates just that, the lacklustre came from midbass and downwards and hence peculiar tonal balance, the notorious big speakers small sound syndrome. Tell me about it!

Star quad cable, dressed in Techflex, a plastic net mesh curbing vibrations, my Tara Labs feels substantial in weight. A good sign, weight means substance. Comes in bi-wiring configuration, it bettered than a single run speaker cable and jumpers, the later just another cost cutting measure. More juice flow to the speakers will always sound better. Due to solid core by design, the cables are not flexible. Forget about using them in a tight room. Took me an hour to clean up the connectors, arranging them, plugging them, providing adequate support and isolation, all these were done with great care. I subscribed to "a happy cable rewards".

The roaring bass

Going strength to strength, Tara Labs adds vigour to the roaring bass. On Damien Rice's O debuted in 2002, this is a CD I normally avoid playing to save my embarrassments. Arranged with a great diversity of sound and gruelling low energies, you will sure melt in your chair. Not to mention Damien's masculine voice, "The blower's daugther" and "Valcano" packed with so much emotions. You are going to love this. Humongous, chewy and long bass grunt, my system is now sure footed. Couple with bursting dynamic, the rhythm is fascinating. The rise and retreat are fast and effortlessly. Be mindful of your volume, this recording has unbelievable gain that you don't want your neighbour to ring your bell.

The stage is set

Moving on, the projected images were floating in musical space and time. Still head like portrait on a wall is a fallacy, the artist swings and nods head along with the music. On close inspection, you will detect the subtle variation of loudness during the singing. On Jennifer Warnes's "Famous Blue Raincoat", an album that require no further introduction. I like to draw your attention to the not so popular "A Singer Must Die". Be prepared to receive the chorale at the background. Opens with melancholy, helpless and desolation, though not a difficult track to play by any audiophile standard, the system sensationally depict the singing heads. The localisation of alto, tenor, bass and soprano sections are vivid, creating big sound in lateral and front to back soundstage. I'm glad my proud Little Rascal doesn't feast on detail. Honestly, I don't care too much about soundstage, but the musical presentation, no hi fish etched detail kind of presentation. By the way, soundstage is a creation by the mixing and mastering engineers. We all listen to recorded music through the ears of these professionals.

In spite of all that, I welcome warmth. Warmth fleshes out humane quality and defuses coldness and sterility. You would want to avoid the later foe. On Nneena Freelon's Homefree album, man! This CD begs to play loud! "Skylark" starts with stunning two double bass quickies. I gathered both upright bass's micro dynamic and timbre richness, the sudden change of bass notes with each plucking of gut strings and the resonance from the f holes raise the hair on the back of my neck. I scored a decent mark on top to bottom note articulation with little truncated bass.

Big voice from a rather petite stature, Nneena could accentuate her voice sharply with no sweat. Her wide vocal range injects energy and swing to turn standard into her own songs. It didn't go unaware that this recording quality is unexpected high especially coming out from Concord Jazz, with dynamics and transient were delivered in spades. It reminded me of Sheffield Lab recording. Likewise, the romantic Radka Toneff's Butterfly album, both have incredible vocal dynamic swing for the extra umphhhhh.

No evaluation is complete without classical music, the subject of examination is tonal linearity. Mahler Symphony No. 5, New Philharmonia Orchestra by Sir John Barbiroli is regarded by many the standard, orchestral colour, balance, diversity and explosiveness.

I enjoy the acoustic richness of orchestral works. On this masterpiece, the communications between the sections, spatial soundstage, transition, suspense, drama and transient attack is well captured. Strings, woodwind, brass and percussion display good clarity in a scaled down size. I have a third row seat and glad that my system devoid of any serious mischievous, collapses or crash considering this huge piece from Mr. Gustav Mahler.

Salute for their wonderful works

When I start out to blog, I wanted to write responsibly. Perfect cable doesn't exist. A suitable cable in a system compliment the sound. Never mind about people's thoughts, your system is here to serve you, not your guests. They come, they go and they have zero stake. Do your homework, trust your ears and if you like your friend's sound, invite him over to assess and seek tips.

I hold dearly to coherency is musically correct, the rest of the goodies will come by themselves. The addition of Tara Labs further enhances my sonic foothold, with big bass as extra bonus. The sound is organic and balanced, nothing stick out. A good bass is a good balance of bass volume, articulation and extension. The day of shy bass is now a thing of the past, I'll drink for that, cheer! Most of all, none of the sterile sound of modern hi fi. Make music music, not any more with additive. Hallelujah!