Winter (Vivaldi) (LP 421)

Antonio Lucio Vivaldi (The Academy of St. Martin-in-the-fields, Alan Loveday - violin) The Four Seasons (Vinyl, Argp, 1970) *****

Genre: Classical

Places I remember: Marbecks Records (Classical shop), Auckland, NZ
 
Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles/ Gear costume:  Winter 

Active compensatory factors:  I've chosen Winter for obvious reasons (if you live in the southern hemisphere as I do it's frrrrrrrrezzzzzzing), but it's also the Vivaldi season that gets the blood pumping with Alan Loveday excelling on violin.

This version of The Four Seasons was bought when I needed to expand my musical palette a little. I approached Murray Marbeck (when I was working in the pop store in the early eighties) and asked his advice. He handed me this record!

It appears that this 1969 version is considered a benchmark recording of this seminal work. Well done and thanks Murray!

Where do they all belong? It slots into the Vivaldi corner of the classical section.

Rondo (Beethoven) (LP 352)

Claudio Arrau Beethoven Piano Concerto No.2, Op.19; Piano Sonata No.1, Op. 2, No.1 (Vinyl, Philips, 1964) ****

Genre: Classical 

Places I remember: Marbecks Records, Auckland

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Piano Concerto Rondo




Gear costume:  Piano Concerto Adagio

Active compensatory factors: When I was trying to flesh out my musical palette, I bought this on the recommendation of Murray Marbeck, Roger's dad.

He knew what he was on about did Murray. We bonded over the fact that we were both old boys of Mt Albert Grammar School. Being a MAGS boy carries some gravitas.

To be fair, you can't go too far wrong with Beethoven. My preference is for the piano concertos and sonatas rather than the symphonies and I enjoy this album whenever I hear it.

But the classical deviation didn't stick, I'm afraid. Jazz and rock music is my cup of tea.


Where do they all belong? In the slim classical section along with the baroque period artists that I enjoy the most.

Soft stuff (Earl Klugh) (LP 345)

Earl Klugh Crazy For You (Vinyl, EMI, 1981) ***

Genre:  Modern Jazz 

Places I remember: Marbecks Records

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: I'm Ready For Your Love




Gear costume:  Soft Stuff (and other delights)

Active compensatory factors:  This came out when I was working at Marbecks Records (the lack of apostrophe always buggs me - surprising as Murray Marbeck was a scholar and a gentleman).

Roger Marbeck would play it often, and it just perfectly sums up the cool laid back approach that was the atmosphere in the shop. Roger has great musical ears and he was spot on with this album.

Side one is the stronger - maybe because I've heard it more: countless times in the shop and subsequently at home. Side two stretches things and starts to feel a little dated.

That opening track though (as above). Magic times!!


Where do they all belong? Try the duets albums with Bob James for more of this brand of coolness.