Wow! Huge selection is a huge dilemma

marciero

Yes, this all sounds very interesting. I'm still waiting for a cd I ordered over a month ago from France or Denmark; can't remember which. I think they just want me to forget. This happened to me before. Anyway, one thing about Michael is that he ships immediately. I'm always surprised at how fast the stuff gets here on the east coast.

Michael, Caleb, and Stu's recommendations sound very good to me. Speaking of taste and expression, I will probably get more Boulou and Elios also. I have been playing the Nuages record daily since I got it two weeks ago. It's my first exposure. Sometimes I just listen to The Man I Love; all 15 minutes of it. While there are lots of very rapid single-note passages, I am not really struck by the speed at all. I think the main reason is the total absence of licks. They also apppear to be playing with absolute abandon. Especially Boulou (I think). It was very liberating for me to hear this. They definitely take advantage of the live format. What are their studio records like? They can't be quite like this, though I'm sure they are very good.

Mike

MichaelHorowitz

marciero wrote:

Anyway, one thing about Michael is that he ships immediately. I'm always surprised at how fast the stuff gets here on the east coast.

Thanks...I try my best to get stuff to people ASAP. Sometimes there are supply problems with some of the imported CDs so that occasionally slows me down. I used to hate ordering something from Amazon and then having to wait 2 months and then get an email that they can't get it! Oi!

marciero wrote:

What are their studio records like? They can't be quite like this, though I'm sure they are very good.

I've never thought of it, but the Ferre brother have some of the most "live" sounding studio recordings of anybody. That's what I love about those guys. I just grooved on their "vibe" long before I had an appreciation of the advanced harmonic and rhythmic things they're doing.

'm

CalebFSU

I definately have to give it to Michael on the shipping speed. I ordered the Ninine cd in wee am hours on a Wednesday and recieved it on Saturday. From Washington to Florida. Thats damn fine customer service. I care how big or small the operation.

stubla

marciero wrote:

Michael, Caleb, and Stu's recommendations sound very good to me. Speaking of taste and expression, I will probably get more Boulou and Elios also. I have been playing the Nuages record daily since I got it two weeks ago. It's my first exposure. Sometimes I just listen to The Man I Love; all 15 minutes of it. While there are lots of very rapid single-note passages, I am not really struck by the speed at all. I think the main reason is the total absence of licks. They also apppear to be playing with absolute abandon. Especially Boulou (I think). It was very liberating for me to hear this. They definitely take advantage of the live format. What are their studio records like? They can't be quite like this, though I'm sure they are very good.

Mike

Mike
Though i worship the Ferres i have to say that i much prefer their studio recordings--they impose a discipline on the arrangements which i like.
Their first 3 recordings are all classics and had(and have) a massive influence on my playing for sure
Stu

marciero

Stu- Then I suppose a studio record is in order. Discipline could be a good thing. They do get "out there" in the live situation. I'll pick one of these three. As soon as I get through ordering pickups and amps...
Michael says something about the total absence of Django influence on the Bluesette recording of Boulou as a child in the audio archives. They definitely have a refreshing style. I get a healthy dose of "in the style" from other players like the Tchavalos, etc.
Great playing on your mp3 clips by the way.

Mike

JAMF

I did find a partial solution to the huge selection dilemma. The Hot Club Records Web site has sound samples for a lot of their recordings. I recently sampled a lot of the CDs I saw here and then returned here to buy. (Othwerwise, I'd be paying between $12 to $14 more a CD).

SoulShade

This is great information. Is this thread still pretty accurate?

kidtulsa

Hey,

My few centimes...I'm a big fan of the Alma Sinti recordings -- varied repetoire, lots of different rhythmic feels, very tasteful playing.
Anything by Koen de Cauter (WASO with Fapy Lafertin, le Petit Belges, the Brassens record he did with Patrick Saussois). Koen is one of the most soulful players I've ever heard, and his records are beautiful.
Speaking of Fapy, it's hard to name a Cd I didn't enjoy. I have a sweet tooth for the records he did with le Jazz -- lo-fi, in a way (they recorded around an old ribbon mic), but very charming and they swing like mad.

Others? Baro Ferret's bop waltzes are really cool. It's nice to have some musette in there somewhere (Tony Mureno or Gus Viseur) -- I think there's a pretty good compilation of this stuff available on the Fremeaux label, the same label that puts out the Integrale Django Reinhardt series (which all roads lead to anyways). Hope these suggestions help.

Pete

SoulShade

Thanks. I've got JSP volume one and three, and just ordered two (and very much looking forward to it). The Fremeaux Integrale stuff sounds like it would be great to have, but for me it'll be a while. From what I've found JSP has better audio, but I could be wrong.
The first Gypsy music I bought was the Verve Django release from their Jass Masters series(a pink album)...I still think it's the single best album I've heard for an introduction to our addiction! The last track kills me every time I hear it.

Phil

I've recently been blown away by a CD I picked up at DFNW this year;

"Am Ketenes - Swing" I've not heard such amazing guitar playing in ages, especially the very first track, he plays like a greyhoud bursting out of the start gate!

also recently got into the playing of Olivier Klikteff with "Les Doigts de L'homme" - great inventive new approach to this genre, with wonderful clean guitar playing.

Highly recommend the wonderful recording by UK artist:
Colin Cosimini "Janine" ~ has a great raw gypsy 'round-the camp-fire' feel to it.

"Note Manouche" has a great CD with many original recordings by their accordian player Marcel Loeffler and guitarist Mandino Reinhardt. Good to hear such great original compositions.