An odd set for the weekend: a track from the Command Records stereo classic Persuasive Percussion—everyone's favorite late '50s stereo demo record and a few tracks from Triiple Play among the weirdest jazz albums ever! On the left channel a string section plus a few other instruments playing "pop" arrangements. And on the right channel some of jazz's greatest musicians of the early '60s (and before and after) playing jazz arrangements,... Read More

Sonny Rollins, the “saxophone colossus,” died on May 25 at the age of 95, a profound loss for jazz. His passing marks, literally, the end of an era. He was the last jazz titan from the generation that revolutionized jazz just after World War II; the last musician to have played with Charlie Parker (the spearhead of that revolution); and the last of the 57 jazzmen and women who posed for Art Kane’s iconic 1958 “Great Day in Harlem” photo. More important, Sonny Rollins... Read More

DG’s Original Source Remastering of three titles from its iconic Avant-garde LP series of the 1960s/70s prompts me to follow the White Rabbit of Musical Curiosity down a very long rabbit hole into the Wonderland of 20th century modernism and the avant-garde, a Wonderland that as a teenager I found fascinating (and still do); a Wonderland I never entirely left. 

It’s a Wonderland with many surprises - some agreeable, some disorienting, some a little alarming. Which is precisely as it should be with any good movement in the Arts that aims to question everything.  

All essential to an understanding of where we are today in our ongoing voyage through the musical firmament.  Thus I invite you to join me on an exploration of what makes this music tick, and why it remains worth listening to - even if you are not quite sure you like it!  Maybe you will surprise yourself…

Reference Recordings and Decca Pure Analogue release new recordings in tandem of Mahler’s Fifth Symphony aimed squarely at the audiophile market. Separated by 54 years, one of an orchestra with a lineage dating back136 years to Mahler himself, the other of a contemporary orchestra that is essentially a pickup group, albeit an extraordinary one. The resulting comparisons yield far from predictable conclusions.

It’s been a while since I reviewed a large batch of titles from Deutsche Grammophon’s Original Source series. The success of the label which once took us all by surprise has now become a juggernaut with over 40 releases under its belt, including its first foray into DG’s massive opera catalog with the brand new release of Das Rheingold reviewed by our own Mark Ward just recently. With the launch of Decca Pure Analogue and Analogue Productions new 45rpm Living Stereo... Read More

After the huge commercial success of Decca’s recording of Wagner’s tetralogy in the late 1950s and early 60s, Deutsche Grammophon decided it was time to throw its hat in the ring (so to speak).  Turning to its star conductor and orchestra - Herbert von Karajan and the Berlin Philharmonic - what emerged was an account very different to Solti’s instant classic, both musically and sonically. Karajan's Ring may not enjoy the notoriety of Solti's account, but it more than holds its own, and for many is preferable.  Marking the 150th Anniversary of the cycle’s first performance at Bayreuth’s inaugural Festival in 1876, DG has turned over the master tapes of Das Rheingold to the technical wizards at Emil Berliner Studios for this Original Source vinyl reissue.  In Part 1 I took a deep dive into the origins, story, themes and musical processes of this groundbreaking opera. In Part 2 I examine Karajan’s distinctive approach to the score, and assess the performance and sonics of this important reissue.

After the huge commercial success of Decca’s recording of Wagner’s tetralogy in the late 1950s and early 60s, Deutsche Grammophon decided it was time to throw its hat in the ring (so to speak).  Turning to its star conductor and orchestra - Herbert von Karajan and the Berlin Philharmonic - what emerged was an account very different to Solti’s instant classic, both musically and sonically. Karajan's Ring may not enjoy the notoriety of Solti's account, but it more than holds its own, and for many is preferable.  Marking the 150th Anniversary of the cycle’s first performance at Bayreuth’s inaugural Festival in 1876, DG has turned over the master tapes of Das Rheingold to the technical wizards at Emil Berliner Studios for this Original Source vinyl reissue.  Join me for a deep dive into this groundbreaking opera, Karajan’s distinctive approach to the score, and this important reissue. (You can read Part 2 here).

Hard to believe that today, April 23, 2026 is the golden anniversary of the start of pure punk music. The release of the Ramones eponymous debut album was ground zero for punk and the world would never quite be the same again. I was there and this is how I saw it. First some background. Punk rock is a subgenre of rock and roll with roots in garage rock, but it's generally faster, louder and more aggressive than garage. Punk was a rebellion against the hippie... Read More

Decca has just released a remastered collection on CD of Antal Doráti’s complete cycle of the Haydn Symphonies - a landmark achievement in the history of the gramophone.  This new set includes the appendices and extras, together with three additional oratorios also recorded by Doráti for Decca.  In Part 2, I continue my exploration of this still remarkable set with a detailed account of the events leading up to Decca launching the project project, the recording sessions, and a review of the performances in their new revitalized sonics. (You can read Part 1 here).

Decca has just released a remastered collection on CD of Antal Doráti’s complete cycle of the Haydn Symphonies - a landmark achievement in the history of the gramophone.  This new set includes the appendices and extras, together with three additional oratorios also recorded by Doráti for Decca.  I explore every facet of this still remarkable set: its history, how it was recorded, and its significance in the larger universe of Haydn recordings.  And, of course, how it sounds in its new incarnation.  This is also the story of my own journey in the appreciation of Haydn’s music - from disinterested skeptic to passionate fan. (You can read Part 2 here).

It’s astonishing to consider that Yes was only five years shy of working together professionally when they peaked on Close to the Edge in 1972. The band saw it as a moment defining the ambitious compositional and musical scale they had set out to achieve. Drummer Bill Bruford felt that leaving the group after reaching an insurpassable milestone was the natural progression. Alan White, drummer of John Lennon’s Plastic Ono Band, joined the ranks of a band that was... Read More

Dream Theater was in an interesting position within the progressive metal landscape at the turn of the 2010s. They were deemed legends, having won artistic liberation instead of caving into commercial demands by the record label, and they still had the spark for exploring fresh musical ground. Their 25th anniversary in 2010 honed in on how far the group had come from playing in rehearsal halls at Berklee College of Music to their hometown arena, New York’s Madison... Read More

It’s been a while since I reviewed what Deutsche Grammophon and Emil Berliner were up to with their Original Source series. I’m happy to report that not only is their program still going strong, but they have also dipped into the catalog of their subsidiary Archiv Produktion, which is something I’m very excited about. This fall we saw four new releases from the acclaimed series, and before we get ready for all the titles that 2026 will bring, I thought I would recap... Read More

Nothing says Christmas like Tchaikovsky’s supremely popular music for this seasonal classic.  This is the kind of music that even the Scroogiest of listeners will have a hard time resisting.  We continue our survey of its many fine recordings, focusing on CD/SACD and streaming versions, plus recordings of the popular Nutcracker Suite. You can read up on the history of the work and our recommended vinyl versions of the complete ballet in Part 1.

Nothing says Christmas like Tchaikovsky’s supremely popular music for this seasonal classic.  This is the kind of music that even the Scroogiest of listeners will have a hard time resisting.  The work has a fine pedigree in recordings, including several acknowledged audiophile classics.  Therefore, as we ready ourselves for bottomless glasses of egg nog and Glühwein (yes please), mince pies and fruitcake, this is the perfect time to dive into the history of this irresistible work, why its music is so magical, and take a tour of the best versions to be found on vinyl and digits.

Every year since 2003, my editors at Slate—my main output, where I write a (roughly) twice-weekly column on national security—indulge my outside passions and lets me post a piece on my favorite jazz albums of the previous 12 months. Here’s the piece for this year, filed last week, replete with a bite-size essay on each album and a link to an audio track that, I think, best captures its vibe. As I have done since the revival of Tracking Angle, I submit below a... Read More

UMe's Vinylphyle series, its version of Rhino's High Fidelity reissue series strikes the same pose, hits the same high notes and so far is a complete success. Warner Records should be flattered. With these two strong, image making audiophile quality reissue programs Rhino and UMe have left Sony in the vinyl dust. If Sony's not going to let its master tapes go to others to reissue titles, the least it can do is start a similar series.There are... Read More

Get the full breakdown on what promises to be a landmark series of classical vinyl reissues from the legendary DECCA label.