Ken Choi - 蔡楓華 ~ 倩影

Sorry to digress a little on politics. This is the reality. You are punished when you do not toe the line! Isn’t familiar here?

Ken Choi suffered when he spoke something that is not politically right in 1985 TVB Jade Gold presentation.

Click here to see that moment in 1985 :-

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-QVCurvLD8U



As long as the music interest me, I care little, whether politically right or wrong and I only associate Ken Choi to 倩影. Kent wrote this fantastic song himself in 1981 and becomes the classic of the canto-pop today.

LP No. CBS CBA 113

Jazz Samba ~ Nice Sounding Jazz Albums (4)

Bossa nova is believed first introduced into America jazz scene thru this album in 1962. The gem of Jazz Samba is Desafinado, a splendid track written by Antonio Carlos Jobim. The entire album is very relaxing and best enjoy during the evenings, perhaps help you create a tranquil environment.

Jazz Samba subsequently inspired the release of Gets/Gilberto - featuring the Girls from Ipanema (also written by Antonio Carlos Jobim) in 1963 and further help to reinforce bossa nova as part of America musical life

Personnel
Stan Getz, Charlie Byrd (guitar)
Keter Betts (bass)
Gene Byrd, (bass & guitar)
Buddy Deppenschmidt and Bill Reichenbach (drum)

Tracks:
Desafinado
Samba Dees Days
Pato
Samba Triste
Samba De Uma Nota So
E Luxo So
Baia


Verve LP V6-8432

Boiling Point - Nice Sounding Jazz Albums (3)

Quite an obscure jazz album I believe, it was introduced to me by one vinyl fanatic few years ago. Recorded in 1977, during the hike of Japanese jazz frenzy, it includes 2 vocal tracks by Mari Nakamoto, who records for the famous Japanese TBM record label (I will highlight some of the nice TBM records later). This album was also recorded using the superior direct-to-disk method which explain the clear and natural sounding.


Tracks:
Battle Hymn of the Republic
My funny valentine (Mari Nakamoto)
The Night Comers
Your Watch Is Ten Minutes Slow
On The Sunny Side of the Street
Misty (vocal by Mari Nakamoto)
Drum Boogie

Personnel
Shoji Yokouchi (Guitar)
Moto Nomura (drums)
Kunimitsu Inaba (bass)
Kounosuke Saijoh(T. Sax)
Mari Nakamoto (vocal)

Tosiba EMI, Japan LF-95009

Going Home ~ The L. A. Four - Nice Sounding Jazz Albums (2)

Going Home is one of my favourite jazz albums; smooth and very relaxing music. It’ sonic purity and
lifelike sounding add more spice to listening and enjoyment

A jazz quartet, The L.A. Four is made up of the classic members of Ray Brown (bass), Shelly Manne (drums), Laurindo Almeida(guitar) and Bud Shank (alto saxophone, flute, alto flute)
recorded this stunning album in 1977.

This album employed the direct to disk recording method as briefly described below.

Direct to disk method is based on simple idea of skipping the tape entirely and recording directly into master disc and by eliminating the tape, a direct cut disc eliminates the possibilities of hiss, modulation noise and many limitation of tape. Thus it can provide recordings with total dynamic range which is audibly superior

It is not a new idea; it was used hundred years ago by Thomas Edison. Due to commercial constraints it is hardly used now(except by some die-hard audiophile label). It is costly because the program must be live and the record cutting lathe cannot be stop without ruining the entire recording.

Smooth jazz for great enjoyment.

Track:-

1. Going Home
2. Softly, As in a Morning Sunrise
3. Greensleeves
4. Things Ain't What They Used to Be
5. Recipe of Love
6. Romance de Amor
7. Django



Nippon Phonogram Co Ltd, Tokyo
East Wind EW-10004

Time Out – Dave Brubeck Quartet ~ Nice Sounding Jazz Albums (1)

This is the album that introduced to me what jazz is about; it is one of the biggest selling jazz albums of all time. The diversity of the composition, starting with the effortless Blue Rondo a la Turk, the dynamic and powerful solo drum in Take Five to rhythmic and melodic short waltzes, rendered the music so amazingly good that I never get tired of listening to it and still sound so fresh although was recorded almost 50 years ago. It is damn shiok!

This is the masterpiece from the perfect partnership and synergy derived from Dave Brubeck (piano), Joe Morello (drum), Paul Desmond (alto sax), Gene Wright (bass).

This record has been “vandalised” by the audiophile community. The assorted attributes of this album are often used to evaluate array of parameters for assessment of hi-fi stereo sets and has been released in countless reissues.


Blue Rondo a la Turk
Strange Meadowlark
Take Five
Three to Get Ready
Kathy's Waltz
Everybody's Jumpin'
Pick up Sticks


Classic Records CS 8192

Anita Mui ~ 心債

This is Anita Mui ‘s first album (not truly her solo album as it included 2 other new TVB artist as a package – perhaps , commercial reasons).

The title track 心債 (‘heart debt”), a brilliant song specially written by HK legendary Joseph Koo and lyrics by the late James Wong for Anita. Anita recorded this song so naturally and effortlessly yet with her classic profound voice. [I wonder why do current HK singers have to resort to unnatural way of singing, bragging and faking their breath and tone, can hardly make out what they are singing, artistic maybe?]

James Wong revealed that this song was recorded with just ONE take!! This a testimony of Anita, an accomplished singer with high level of professionalism and dedication.

Anita Mui Yin Fong (1963-2003), queen of Canto-pop and dubbed as the “Madonna of Asia” had a distinguished career well-known of her extreme and sometimes outrages costumes , modernised dancing and also dynamic performances.

But her early years of hardship captivate me. She lost her father at the age of 5 and had to abandon schooling to provide support to the family. Together with elder sister, she has to perform Chinese operas and pop songs in theatres, night clubs and in the streets that offer them to make a living, typical “street singers” 天涯歌女. Her breakthrough was in 1982, when she won the TVB’s first New Talent Singing Award with the winning song 風的季節 "The Windy Season", (a popular hit of Paula Tsui 徐小鳳)


Capital Artists Ltd 1982
LP No. CAL-02-1003

When I Dream ~ Carol Kidd

Carol Kidd from Glasgow, Scotland is one of Britain’s top jazz singer whose admirers include Frank Sinatra and she enjoys an illustrative career with excellent reputation in the field.

All My Tomorrows was released in 1985, is one my favourite female jazz vocal album. The gem of this album is When I Dream, an extremely lovely and inspiring song, can really move you when you are in soul-searching mode. This explained why I have numerous versions of it (LPs, CDs & SACD), not for the sake of collection but more so due to curiosity to delicately listen to this track in best available form. Records company really know how to make their money from music freak.

Audiophiles use this track to evaluate various characteristic of their sophisticated hi-fi systems from transparency, resolution, clarity imaging, airiness, etc to just pure music enjoyment.

When I Dream enjoys tremendous accolades in Asia especially in Korea where it hits the top of the chart in Korea for 13 weeks in 2002. It was used as the background music for the movie Shiri (Swiri).

Click here to watch the short video of this song on Shiri movie.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=3995805924410440155 or this

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=4574731269367270778&q=&hl=en


Shiri was the most successful film in Korean box office history, an action packed political thriller released in 1999. It was the first Hollywood-style big-budget action film to be produced and marked the beginning of the "new" Korean film industry.


Carol Kidd writes:

"In 2001 I travelled back to Korea. There was lots of publicity surrounding my song When I Dream because it had been used on the soundtrack for the film Shiri. I had to be protected by bodyguards. I went to a music store and signed CDs for three whole hours. the place was mobbed and everyone started to call me 'Shiri'. During the same trip I also travelled to Taiwan, Japan and North and South Vietman. I sang at the Royal Opera House in South Vietman - there were bullet holes in the walls. I also recorded the first ever standing ovation there.


Truly reflects the spirit of The West Meets The East and that music indeed has no boundary.


LP Nos:
Aloi Records AKH OO5
Linn Records AKH 005
Linn Records 2005 - AKH257

Funkytown - Lipps Inc.

This all-time disco classic was produced and written by Steven Greenberg in 1979 when he became bored with Minneapolis and wanted to move to New York, which he called Funkytown.

Funkytown was the dance floors divine throughout the 80s.

The song arranged in a smooth, clean & lean yet energetic tempo; became the masterpiece of disco arena not counting numerous top of the charts worldwide for weeks.

The saxophone riff midway into the song blends perfectly for a lively tune and comforting as well.

The single that I have is an 12" extended version record of almost 8 minutes long; is my all time favourite vinyl that I spin frequently even until now on my turntable.

Almost 30 years on, Funkytown still relevant!

Casablanca Record & Filmworks NBD20207DJ

鄧麗君 ~ 誓不兩立

This is Teresa Teng's first of her only two Cantonese albums, released in 1980.


One can easily immersed with her sweet and refreshing voice especially from this track 一水隔天涯 (far apart). Her natural way of singing and expression make this cover version outstanding and excellent love ballad.

忘記他 written by 黃霑 (James Wong) became one of the most popular classic standard Canto-pop till now. (It would be nice to hear a cover by Sally Yip's sultry voice).

This album shows Teresa close asccociation with Malaysia (Her love life was once connnected to a son of a local tycoon here).

It has a track on Malaya 檳城艷 , potraying its beautiful beaches, coconut trees and scenery dedicated to her large followers in this region.


相思淚 saw the involvement of our local Cantonese favourite of the 70s, 郭炳堅 writing its lyrics.

She also did Samuel Hui's all time classic song 浪子心聲, in her own signature vocal, very nice.

The other Teresa's Cantonese album is 漫步人生路, which I will cover later.


LP No. Polydor 2427 342

Elvis Presley ~ 24 Karat Hits

~ the King of rock ‘n’ roll, the icon, extremely passionate, immensely influential, sexy, unique and irreplaceable.


Elvis has released more than 200 singles and close to a hundred of studio, live and compilation albums during his career and probably thousands more of compilation albums after his passing.



Of the entire available compilation albums, I understand from the audiophile fraternity, that this reissue edition by BMG Special Products/DCC in 1997 is of the best sounding.


This album was compiled and remastered by Steve Hoffman using “all vacuum tube cutting system” (unlike the digital remastering usually done nowadays)

When I was persuaded by my audiophile kaki several years ago to “invest US$50” in this double LP album, I was hesitant initially, but soon proven every Sen worth.

Not only that you get 24 tracks of some of the best from the King, the sound is awesome and so real that you feel touched (literally speaking) by Elvis in your listening room especially the track “Love Me Tender. It definitely makes one of LP that I will bring along to a desert island.

Note that the nine mono tracks are from the original form recorded at that time.

This is an outstanding album and the kind of quality reissue of LPs I wish album producers can benchmark on before they consider pushing out to us.


Track Listings

1. Heartbreak Hotel (mono)
2. Love Me (mono)
3. Don't Be Cruel (mono)
4. Hound Dog (mono)
5. Love Me tender
6. All Shook Up (mono)
7. (Let Me Be Your) Teddy Bear (mono)
8. Jailhouse Rock (mono)
9. Wear My Ring Around Your Neck (mono)
10. A Big Hunk (mono)
11. Stuck On You
12. It's Now or Never
13. Are You Lonesome Tonight
14. Surrender
15. (Marie's The Name) His Latest Flame
16. Little Sister
17. Can't Help Falling In Love
18. Good Luck Charm
19. She's Not You
20. Return To Sender
21. (You're The) Devil In Disguise
22. Crying In The Chapel
23. In The Ghetto
24. Suspicious Minds

BMG Special Products/DCC
LP No. Living Stereo LPZ(2)-2040

Stardust

Stardust was composed by Hoagy Carmichael with the lyrics by Mitchell Parish in 1927 (almost hundred year’s old:)

Stardust has been recorded by famous singers including Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday, Louis Armstrong, Nat King Cole, Frank Sinatra, , Harry Connick Jr, , Barry Manilow, John Coltrane, Rod Stewart, Willie Nelson and many many more.



This song is melodious and silky. It makes you feel very relax and calm and especially “shiok” to listen to before you going to sleep at night.

I do not have many versions but I particularly like the versions by Nat King Cole, the coarse voice of Rod Stewart, Jacintha and Willie Nelson from their album shown here.

The lyrics of Stardust

And now the purple dusk of twilight time
Steals across the meadows of my heart
High up in the sky the little stars climb
Always reminding me that we're apart

You wander down the lane and far away
Leaving me a song that will not die
Love is now the stardust of yesterday
The music of the years gone by

Sometimes I wonder why I spend
The lonely night dreaming of a song
The melody haunts my reverie
And I am once again with you

When our love was new
And each kiss an inspiration
But that was long ago
Now my consolation
Is in the stardust of a song

Beside a garden wall
When stars are bright
You are in my arms
The nightingale tells his fairy tale

A paradise where roses bloom
Though I dream in vain
In my heart it will remain
My stardust melody
The memory of love's refrain

orak arek – Zainal Abidin

This a live recording of Zainal Abidin’s Japan Tour covering places in Tokyo, Owase, Osaka Fukuyama, Yokohama, Sendai , Fukuoka in September 1992.

What so shiok about this album?

The hollow and 3-dimensional sound effect simply played from a decent 2-speakers stereo system (not those home theatre systems with 5 or 6 speakers and multiple gigantic sub-woofers) amazed me. It imaginarily transports you into live venue with Zainal Abidin and musicians as if they are right in front of you with crowd atmosphere.

If you are feeling lethargic, this CD could be a marvellous antidote for you. It is full of rhythm, very energetic tempo with mixture of little reggae-type music. The crystal clear recording and the skin effects from the drums and percussion is enough to give you the Oomph for the day or week.

No wonder my friend in HK told me that the music aficionado there have high respect for this particular CD from Malaysia. Wah! Really Boleh.

I have included "Hijau" from this CD in the playlist on the left for sampling.

WEA Roslan Aziz Productions Sdn Bhd CD 4509-93749-2

Sally Yeh 葉蒨文 - 13 Greatest Hits

A compilation of Sally Yeh top hits released in 1989.


Sally's sultry voice in the first track 祝福, damn shiok!!

George Lam (now Sally's husband) penned 零時十分 "Happy Birthday" track for her in 1984 and she shot to stardom in the HK singing arena.


晚風 (Serenade); music and lyrics by the late James Wong is a great classic, very soothing and pleasant song. There are 2 versions of this song, the Mandarin is included in this CD although I prefer the Cantonese version.

Cover version of Madonna's Material Girl is punchy.

IMHO, the recently released XRCD version is the best CD version for this album, as usual YMMV :)

2007 Warner Music HK Ltd, XRCD2 No. 5051011-6403-2-2

Tracy Chapman - Debut Album

• All the tracks in Tracy's maiden album are very nice - great acoustic guitar rendition.
• The most prominent ones are Fast Car and Taking About Revolution.
• You can hear this album throughout from Petaling Streets, McDonalds till Hi-Fi shops and A&V shows.
• The subtle reverberating effect from the drums of track #6, Mountains O' Things is Damn Shiok!
• I paid RM36 for an US pressing CD version and I guess I have been spinning it for more than 500 times over the years. Great return on investment :).
• The vinyl version of this album is great and fast becoming collectors' item.

1988 Elektra/Asylum Records, CD 60774-2, DDD