The Sophisticated Audiophile

January 19, 2012 • 11:20 am 4

Charles Mingus – The Black Saint and The Sinner Lady

Charles Mingus was one of the greatest composers of the twentieth century. His contributions to music are usually discussed within the annals of jazz. However, propagating him as just a luminary for jazz shortchanges him. While he certainly belongs in the jazz realm, his music goes far beyond that. He shouldn’t be considered as just a jazz great; he is great in an all-encompassing manner. He was a visionary who wasn’t afraid to go beyond the stylistic cues of whatever was in favor at the time. He often infused sociopolitical issues into his compositions, something that didn’t help his standing with the status quo. He did things his way, and the results were typically spectacular. Read the rest of this entry »

Filed under: 45 RPM, Audiophile, Jazz, Vinyl, Charles Mingus

December 1, 2011 • 11:18 am 9

Can Audiophiles Be Minimalists?

Can an audiophile be a minimalist? A core tenet of minimalism is simply living with less. Ideally, you should focus on needs instead of wants. From that standpoint, this leaves audiophilia in a precarious position. One could say they need music in their life, but no one needs to hear music played on a $50,000 stereo. There is nothing needed with a turntable that has a 30lb platter, or monoblock amplifiers that weigh more than a supermodel. This is not a condemnation of the dedicated audiophile contingent, since I am also one of those guys. However, there’s an inner struggle I have with myself, because I am also a minimalist. I’m a pretty bare bones guy. I went several years without even owning a toaster. I probably wouldn’t own a toaster today if my ex-girlfriend didn’t buy me one. I still don’t own a coffee table. Before I bought my furniture, all I had in my living room for close to 2 months was a Nelson bench and a Barcelona chair. Oh, and a stereo of course. And records. A lot of records. I stopped counting when it passed 4000. Read the rest of this entry »

Filed under: Analog, Audiophile, Vinyl, Minimalism, Minimalist

November 19, 2011 • 10:59 am 0

El Rego – Benin’s Godfather of Funk

El Rego is a legendary musician from Benin that is getting some much needed attention outside of Benin and Nigeria. Daptone recently released a compilation of his work from the 60s and 70s. It really is a nice entry point for all things El Rego. His music has been on other West African compilations, but this is the first one solely dedicated to him. Get it.