I'm looking for some low key impressive surround music to play at the beginning of my home theater meet in September. I have seventy five guests signed up and most are thirty five and up.

I'm totally new but having been in love with Goodbye Yellow Brick Road when it was released in the seventies and since,I did a blind buy of this on DVD-A. It sounds OK but it seems that the remix really has emphasized certain instruments and deemphasized others to the point of it sounding totally different and not for the better compared to the original IMO. The exception is the acoustic Candle in The Wind bonus acoustic version !!!! Wow, I've listened to that perhaps fifteen times. It just feels like the guitar strums pass through my head ,just incredible !Unless I find something that will surpass this in cleanliness at least I have that three minute piece.

I'd appreciate some suggestions for something like this for say three minutes or so. I plan to play with the lights off one track prior to the video demos.

Thanks in advance.

Art

Art,

Have you listened to The Beatles' recent 'Love' album on DVD-A?

Sanjay

This ranking might be of help, and really is pretty accurate in separating the best of the best.

Quadrophonic Quad Poll Results (http://www.quadraphonicquad.com/QQHiRezPoll2004.htm)

A couple of mellow surround gems that popped into my head first are Herbie Hancock 'Gershwin's World' SACD, and Ladysmith Black Mambazo 'Long Walk to Freedom' SACD. But there are a ton of options for you.

Art,

Have you listened to The Beatles' recent 'Love' album on DVD-A?

Sanjay


Sanjay,
I did ,actually. I put on one of my favorites ,Being for the Benefit of Mr Kite. When the calliope part started ( just awesome in the two channel version) it was so out of proportion I just turned it off. What I think that I need is acoustic guitar,piano etc some nice smooth voices and not remixes from the past but recent vintage. Not that I don't love the older stuff, if it sounded as clean and three dimensional as the acoustic Candle in the Wind I'd be in heaven but it does not.

Art

Art,

If you're looking for less distracting surround mixes, try Seal's greatest hits DVD-A (his entire back catalogue was remixed to 5.1 last year). Don't know if you like any of his songs.

If you have SACD capability, try James Taylor's 'JT' (vocals in the centre channel, instruments across the front soundstage, ambience wrapped around the audience). Same with the SACD of Rebecca Pidgeon's greatest hits from Chesky. Both albums are mostly acoustic, with smooth (very smooth) vocals.

Sanjay

Art,

I would suggest Ray Charles' Genius Love Company....several tracks that show off the potential of surround sound. In particular, the first track duet with Nora Jones.

You might also visit AIXrecords.com. Some of the best 5.1 recordings I've heard.

Art,

Just a couple of suggestions:

anything off Beck's "Sea Change" disc, "Golden Age" in particular

"The Hand Song" from Nickle Creeks self titled sacd (there are other great tracks as well)

I guess I should have mentioned that this needs to be DVD-A.

Art

Art-

I would recommend any of the Steely Dan DVD-A disks:

Gaucho
Two Against Nature
Everything Must Go

or Donald Fagen (lead singer for Steely Dan) DVD-A disks:

The Nightfly
Kamakiriad
Morph the Cat

These are by far the best examples of surround sound music that I have heard (I may be a little biased though as Steely Dan is one of my favorite groups!).

how bout the Alan Parson quad mix of dsotm in dvd-a?http://www.cduniverse.com/productinfo.asp?pid=6140433

Lawrence Juber - Guitar Noir from AIX Records.

Art-

I would recommend any of the Steely Dan DVD-A disks:

Gaucho
Two Against Nature
Everything Must Go

or Donald Fagen (lead singer for Steely Dan) DVD-A disks:

The Nightfly
Kamakiriad
Morph the Cat

These are by far the best examples of surround sound music that I have heard (I may be a little biased though as Steely Dan is one of my favorite groups!).

Morph the Cat is excellent in 2-channel on cd so I can imagine how good it must sound on DVD-a.

Eagles - Farewell 1 concert has excellent quality and was very well recorded

Deep Purple in concert has some excellent audio also.

Lots of great choices in DVD-A's. Unfortunately, many of the best DVD-A's are seriously MIA at this point. Felix's recommendation of Guitar Noir from Laurence Juber is a slam-dunk. Otherwise, a few excellent DVD-A's are:

America Homecoming
Eagles Hotel California
ELP Brain Salad Surgery
Grateful Dead American Beauty and Workingman's Dead
The Fagen titles previously mentioned
Any Steely Dan (Two Against Nature is very good)
Natalie Merchant Tigerlily
Big Phat Band XXL and Swingin for the Fences
Doobies Captain and Me

Art,

If you're looking for less distracting surround mixes, try Seal's greatest hits DVD-A (his entire back catalogue was remixed to 5.1 last year). Don't know if you like any of his songs.

I'll second that, simply stunning...

Mark

My suggestions:
Dire Straits "Brothers in Arms"
Steely Dan "Gaucho"
Eagles "Hotel California"
Fleetwood Mac "Rumors"
Grover Washington Jr. " Winelight"
B.B King & Eric Clapton "Riding with the King"
Michael Mcdonald "Motown"

I have to second Flexx's suggestion of Lawrence Jubre "Guitar Noir" both the DVD-A side and the DTS and Dolby Digital side with video footage of the performance sound stunning.
Another great one from AIX would be Nitty Gritty Surround, I really love the tracks with Jennifer Warnes. I use both these discs to demo my system to my friends. All of the AIX stuff has been recorded in the last few years on state of the are equipment. You may not like all the artists recording for them but the sound quality is exceptional.

Pat Metheny - Imaginary Day

Wow, I just picked up Gorillaz - Demon Days Live and it is excellent!

Ok, here's my picks for mellow, acoustic, etc on dvd-audio:

1. Laurence Juber - Guitar Noir....any track, I like "Strawberry Fields"
2. Beck - Sea Change - "Already Dead" has a great guitar mix or "The Golden Age"
3. Fleetwood Mac - "Gold Dust Woman" off of Rumours
4. Grateful Dead - "Uncle John's Band" sounds excellent
5. Seal - take a listen to the acoustic versions included, I like "Crazy (acoustic)"
6. America - "Ventura Highway" sounds great, lyrics on screen
7. David Crosby - IF I COULD ONLY REMEMBER MY NAME this album is mellow and sound great. A blind buy for me and I highly recommend it
8. Elton John - "Candle in the wind (acoustic)" you already know this one.

I have to second Flexx's suggestion of Lawrence Jubre "Guitar Noir" both the DVD-A side and the DTS and Dolby Digital side with video footage of the performance sound stunning.
Another great one from AIX would be Nitty Gritty Surround, I really love the tracks with Jennifer Warnes. I use both these discs to demo my system to my friends. All of the AIX stuff has been recorded in the last few years on state of the are equipment. You may not like all the artists recording for them but the sound quality is exceptional.


I really love the the Nitty Gritty Surround, but I wind-up demoing the AIX Sampler (free with purchase) most of the time!! My guests have all made comments about different cuts but all have agreed that it is one of the best sounding DVD's that they have heard. Its all recorded with great care. I also like David Scotts and Doubleroll's lists, but some are getting hard to find.

Wow, I just picked up Gorillaz - Demon Days Live and it is excellent!I really like the Gorillaz and I'm interested in this DVD, but why did you drop that into THIS thread? Art's looking for some low-key hirez, I think.

I really love the the Nitty Gritty Surround, but I wind-up demoing the AIX Sampler (free with purchase) most of the time!! My guests have all made comments about different cuts but all have agreed that it is one of the best sounding DVD's that they have heard. Its all recorded with great care. I also like David Scotts and Doubleroll's lists, but some are getting hard to find.


I have a couple of AIX DVD-A's myself and always keep going back to the free sampler for demo or system evaluation. Good stuff on there. :D

I have a couple of AIX DVD-A's myself and always keep going back to the free sampler for demo or system evaluation. Good stuff on there. :D

I'd appreciate if I could get the source for this and for some of the other titles recommended here. :)

Art

aixrecords.com for the sampler.

You won't find anything better than AIX. The Lawrence Juber suggestion is great, also "Moonlight Acoustica" is awesome. You get the sampler for free if you buy $50 (two) worth of DVDs.

http://www.aixrecords.com/catalog/moonlight.html

-- Martin

Art:
Joni Mitchell's "Both Sides Now" is an interesting and mellow DVD-A. She always wanted to do a jazz album and this was it. The AIX suggestions are also top notch, especially Juber.

I'd appreciate if I could get the source for this and for some of the other titles recommended here. :)

Art
Art, all the titles in my post can be had at either circuitcity.com, amazon.com or aixrecords.com. The only exception being the Fleetwood Mac and America titles which I recently ordered out of the UK for $25-30 shipped. There's a thread here about where to buy these discs, and it's a good start for searching for decent prices. If you can find it at circuitcity.com it's usually a good price (although they seem to be permanently selling out of a lot of titles). I see Beck's "Sea Change" for $14.99 at Amazon.

Beck's Sea change would be a great choice. Seal's greatest hits has awesome sound quality. Diana Kralls Disc are great as well.

Miles Davis - Tutu

Laurence Juber - Guitar Noir or AIX demo

Consider Music for Films-Eno. Sampler:http://www.amazon.com/Music-Films-Brian-Eno/dp/B0007GFFVQ******pd_sim_m_1/103-7328238-9847851
Most can take up to 3 minutes.
Better? http://www.amazon.com/Music-Films-Brian-Eno/dp/B0007GFFVQ******sr_1_1/103-7328238-9847851?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1187218942&sr=8-1
Won't,sorry.

Consider Music for Films-Eno. Sampler:http://www.amazon.com/Music-Films-Brian-Eno/dp/B0007GFFVQ******pd_sim_m_1/103-7328238-9847851
Most can take up to 3 minutes.
Better? http://www.amazon.com/Music-Films-Brian-Eno/dp/B0007GFFVQ******sr_1_1/103-7328238-9847851?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1187218942&sr=8-1
Won't,sorry.
Davin, Amazon links, unfortunately, don't work here. Are you saying there is an Eno DVD-A? If so, can you please tell me how to find it with a "search" on Amazon? I can't find an Eno DVD-A.