Author Archive for Reference Recordings
Teach Me Thy Statutes Is MusicWeb International’s 2018 Recording of the Year
The PaTRAM Institute’s Teach Me Thy Statutes recording has been named the 2018 MusicWeb International Recording of the Year! “In this twelve month period, we published more than 2400 reviews. There is no easy or entirely satisfactory way of choosing one above all others as our Recording of the Year, but this year the choice was a little easier than usual. … none stood as deserving of this accolade as much as the choral works of…
Fiona Boyes: New Orleans
Fiona Boyes is putting together the stories behind the songs from her new Voodoo in the Shadows recording. Here she gives the back-story to “New Orleans”: Previous Videos
A QSF Journey in The Whole Note
The Whole Note features Quartet San Francisco’s A QSF Journey recording in their November 2018 issue: “The boundaries between music genres are fluid and constantly moving these days, with many musicians experimenting and combining elements of different styles in both new compositions and interpretations of the traditional ones. Classical music seems to be an especially productive foundation for such crossovers, breeding many exciting projects. One of them is the latest release by Grammy-nominated Quartet San…
Cascade Blues Association Reviews Voodoo in the Shadows
The Cascade Blues Association highlights Fiona Boyes and her latest recording, Voodoo in the Shadows: “The new release, “Voodoo In The Shadows,” continues on pace with her penchant for the music of the American South, with a special focus on the sounds of Louisiana and Mississippi that have influenced her playing greatly over the course of her career. … There is a dark and boding atmosphere with the start-off number “Call Their Name,” as she…
Hi-Fi+ Reviews Doug MacLeod’s Break The Chain
Jason Kennedy of Hi-Fi+ has a new review for Doug MacLeod’s Break the Chain: “Reference Recordings has a long history of making fabulous recordings, and engineer Keith O. Johnson apparently has a knack for capturing both the sound of the room and the musicians and producing releases that combine naturalness with dynamics in a highly convincing manner. … one of the label’s greatest assets is contemporary blues singer Doug MacLeod. … On this album he’s…
Audiophile Audition Gives Four Stars to A QSF Journey
Audiophile Audition gives four stars to Quartet San Francisco’s new recording, A QSF Journey: “…is this stuff on this recording any good? The answer is a resounding “yes”. This is not Beethoven or Bartok, so don’t expect that. It is entertainment, though at a very high level, and the music itself is ingratiating and relaxing, the latter in the sense of pleasurable, not sleep-inducing. We get a wide variety of compositions and arrangements, from Gershwin…
Fiona Boyes: “What You Put On Me”
Fiona Boyes is putting together the stories behind the songs from her new Voodoo in the Shadows recording. Here she discusses “What You Put On Me”: a romping slide cigarbox boogie with Johnny Sansone on harmonica. Previous Videos: Voodoo in the Shadows Fiona Boyes is Australia’s most successful and celebrated international Blues artist. Her previous Reference Recordings release, Professin’ The Blues, received the 2017 Acoustic Album of the Year award from Blues Blast Magazine. The…
American Record Guide Reviews Teach Me Thy Statutes
American Record Guide reviewed the PaTRAM Institute’s Teach Me Thy Statutes recording in their November/December 2018 issue: “the PaTRAM ensemble has lived up to every element of its creed. And they’ve done so in service to the music of Pavel Chesnokov, one of the most revered of all Mother Russia’s choral composers. … It’s a lovely sound that fits these sacred works perfectly. Chesnokov is one of those composers who can have his singers plumbing…
Five Star Audiophile Audition Review for Pittsburgh Symphony’s Beethoven and Strauss Recording
Audiophile Audition‘s Steven Ritter gives ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ to Manfred Honeck and the Pittsburgh Symphony’s Beethoven: Symphony No. 3; Strauss: Horn Concerto No. 1 recording: “Soundmirror’s five omnidirectional DPA 4006 microphones have once again been perfectly placed in Pittsburgh’s Heinz Hall, with an orchestra that seems on the top of its game and a conductor who is proving one of the most thoughtful, energetic, and unique talents currently on the American scene. … Honeck, while not at…
Culture Spot LA Reviews A QSF Journey
Culture Spot LA‘s Henry Schlinger has a new review for Quartet San Francisco’s new recording, A QSF Journey: “The new CD on Reference Recordings by the Quartet San Francisco (QSF), A QSF Journey, is a wonderful addition to the string quartet catalogue. The CD contains 12 tracks, many of which were either composed or arranged by the quartet’s founder and first violinist Jeremy Cohen and played to perfection by the quartet whose other members include…
Making A Scene Reviews Voodoo in the Shadows
Jim Hynes reviews Fiona Boyes’ new Voodoo in the Shadows recording for Making A Scene: “This is among Fiona Boyes’ best albums due to the changing instrumentation and styles. She’s convincing in her deep understanding of the idioms, singing emotively, and playing mostly in the pocket rather than trying to dazzle with her guitar soloing. The words “voodoo” and “shadows” usually connote darkness, but this album shines brightly throughout.” Jim Hynes, Making A Scene Read…
Pittsburgh Symphony’s New Beethoven and Strauss is a “Triumph”
MusicWeb International‘s Nick Barnard has a new rave review for Manfred Honeck and the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra’s Beethoven: Symphony No. 3; Strauss: Horn Concerto No. 1 recording: “Regardless of the repertoire he records, I look forward to new discs from Manfred Honeck as being deeply considered, as insightful as they are intelligent and above all stimulating. And in his regular collaborators, the audibly inspired Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra and the superb engineering and production team of…
Voodoo In The Shadows Nominated for Music Victoria Award
Fiona Boyes follows up her 2017 Music Victoria Award for Professin’ The Blues with a “Best Blues Album” nomination for her new Voodoo in the Shadows recording! Australia’s largest publicly voted music awards The Age Music Victoria Awards is back for its 13th year in 2018. Boasting a massive night of live music and accolades, the 2018 Awards will take place on Wednesday 21 November during Melbourne Music Week. The “Best Blues Album” is an…
Voodoo In The Shadows In Elmore Magazine
Iain Patience reviews Fiona Boyes’ newest release, Voodoo In The Shadows for Elmore Magazine: “With this latest release, Voodoo in the Shadows,’ [Fiona Boyes] has simply jumped up more than a few notches. This is easily her finest offering to date, and that’s saying something about this mighty fine blueslady. … All eleven tracks here roar with pure class and distinction. This album must surely push her further to the fore and propel her to…
Fiona Boyes: “Call Their Name”
Fiona Boyes is putting together the stories behind the songs from her new Voodoo in the Shadows recording! First up is “Call Their Name”. Get the background, and then watch a live performance: Voodoo in the Shadows Release Date: October 19, 2018 Fiona Boyes is Australia’s most successful and celebrated international Blues artist. Her previous Reference Recordings release, Professin’ The Blues, received the 2017 Acoustic Album of the Year award from Blues Blast Magazine. The…