Yo-Yo Ma, Edgar Meyer, Mark O’Connor – Appalachian Journey (2000) {SACD ISO + FLAC 24bit/88,2kHz}

From their sold-out concert at New York City’s Avery Fisher Hall, legendary cellist Yo-Yo Ma, violinist Mark O’Connor and bassist Edgar Meyer, along with special guests James Taylor and Alison Krauss, perform works from the trio’s acclaimed albums that span many musical genres.

The follow-up album to the highly successful Appalachia Waltz collaboration, Appalachian Journey continues the combination of classical music with Appalachian, bluegrass, and American roots music in general. Yo-Yo Ma, alongside violinist Mark O’Connor and bass player Edgar Meyer, runs through a number of original compositions fusing the traditions, as well as a few old standards from the genre repertoire. As stated by the artists, Appalachia Waltz explored the combination of the three artists’ sounds put together, while Journey expands upon this theme, exploring the sound of the three artists as a singular group. Joining with the trio are James Taylor on a pair of works (on both guitar and vocals) and Alison Krauss on fiddle and vocals. The vocalists are added specifically on a pair of old Stephen Foster works, the songs themselves thematically bridging the gap between the classical and folk realms. The tone can change easily from cheerful jigging to outright nostalgic, depending largely on who’s doing the soloing at any given time. There’s an embracing down-home atmosphere set up by the artists, using warm tones and motives throughout the album. At the same time, the trio displays some remarkable virtuosity (as would be expected from this group), burning through some fiery sets of triplets on otherwise slow instruments (the cello and bass, specifically), but keeping up with the violin while avoiding the easily hit distortion sounds that usually come from high speed, low frequency playing. Reels fit easily with waltzes here, and also with traditional songs with virtuosic passages from original compositions. The old and the older are easily made compatible here largely on the strength of the performers involved. It’s a worthwhile album for listeners curious about the newer directions being taken in the classical realm.

Tracklist:
01. 1B
02. Misty Moonlight Waltz
03. Hard Times Come Again No More (with James Taylor, guitar & vocals)
04. Indecision
05. Limerock
06. Benjamin (with James Taylor, guitar)
07. Fisher’s Hornpipe (with Alison Krauss, violin)
08. Duet for Cello and Bass
09. Emily’s Reel
10. Cloverfoot Reel
11. Poem for Carlita
12. Caprice for Three
13. Second Time Around
14. Slumber My Darling (with Alison Krauss, vocals)
15. Vistas

SACD ISO

mqs.link_YYMaEdgarMeyerMarkCnnrAppalachianJurney2000SACDIS.part1.rar
mqs.link_YYMaEdgarMeyerMarkCnnrAppalachianJurney2000SACDIS.part2.rar
mqs.link_YYMaEdgarMeyerMarkCnnrAppalachianJurney2000SACDIS.part3.rar
mqs.link_YYMaEdgarMeyerMarkCnnrAppalachianJurney2000SACDIS.part4.rar

FLAC 24bit/88,2kHz

mqs.link_YYMaEdgarMeyerMarkCnnrAppalachianJurney2000FLAC2488.2.part1.rar
mqs.link_YYMaEdgarMeyerMarkCnnrAppalachianJurney2000FLAC2488.2.part2.rar