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SACD

Erich Kunzel, Cincinnati Pops Orchestra – Scary Music (2002) [SACD / Telarc Surround – SACD-60580]

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Erich Kunzel, Cincinnati Pops Orchestra - Scary Music (2002)

Title: Erich Kunzel, Cincinnati Pops Orchestra – Scary Music (2002)
Genre: Soundtrack
Format: MCH SACD ISO

Telarc celebrates Halloween a few weeks early with the release of Scary Music, the highly anticipated follow-up to conductor Erich Kunzel and the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra’s Chiller recording. This imaginative gathering of haunted pop favourites is sure to send a shiver down the spine. Scary Music features an eerie collection of sound effects and frighteningly memorable performances of theme music from such well-known Hollywood horror films as Ghostbusters, The Blob, Attack of the Killer Tomatoes, The Nightmare Before Christmas, Beetlejuice, The Haunting, Sleepy Hollow and The Shining. Also included are themes from television series Tales from the Crypt, Dark Shadows, The Munsters, and Addams Family. Popular songs provide yet another source for Scary Music. Two of the biggest singles of the early 1960s were one-hit wonders: the Ran-Dells’ “Martian Hop” and Bobby Pickett’s “Monster Mash”. Chilling pop music of a different sort is represented by Rod Temperton’s title song for Michael Jackson’s Thriller, the best-selling album of all time, and Michael Oldfield’s “Tubular Bells”, which was used in the movie The Exorcist.

“There is probably something fundamental in a good vicarious scare: more than simply being fun, it also allows us to experience emotions that heighten our awareness of some deep unspoken plane of our common humanity.” – Richard E. Rodda, in the liner notes

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SACD

Eric Heidsieck, André Vandernoot – Mozart: Piano Concertos Nos. 20, 21, 23, 24, 25 & 27 [3 SACDs] (2018) [SACD / Warner Classics – TDSA-77/9]

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Eric Heidsieck, André Vandernoot - Mozart: Piano Concertos Nos. 20, 21, 23, 24, 25 & 27 [3 SACDs] (1957-1960/2018)

Title: Eric Heidsieck, André Vandernoot – Mozart: Piano Concertos Nos. 20, 21, 23, 24, 25 & 27 [3 SACDs] (1957-1960/2018)
Genre: Classical
Format: SACD ISO

Hyde-Seck’s celebrated recording from his youth returns in majestic style! This world-first SACD release captures a masterful performance where freedom and musicality blend in perfect harmony. The 24th returns for the first time since its LP release! To mark the 50th anniversary of his first Japan tour, we present a 3-disc SACD hybrid set of Eric Heidsieck’s youthful ‘Mozart: Piano Concertos’. Even amongst the vast number of Mozart recordings, this collection not only retains its lustre but continues to be cherished by many. This year (2018), coinciding with his Japan tour featuring a programme including part of Concerto No. 21, we are reissuing a limited set of six concertos from his early career, originally recorded for EMI. Among these six, the four stereo recordings in particular are exceptionally rare, cherished by many devoted fans who still consider them unrivalled. Recording began in December 1957 with the 24th, alongside the 21st. Work resumed in June 1960 for the 20th and 23rd, followed by the 25th in September 1961, with the 27th concluding the series, all captured by EMI France at the time. Hyde-Seck (1936-), one of Cortot’s (1877-1962) beloved pupils, was just 21 years old at the time of the first recording. He graduated from the Paris Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique in 1954 and made his French debut the following year. His talent was recognised early in Paris, and he made his American debut in 1960. The first two recordings, being monaural, were slow to be reissued in the CD era (No. 21 was first released on CD in January 2006 on a Tower Records compilation; No. 24 remains unreleased on CD to date). However, the four stereo recordings, regarded as among the definitive performances of these works, were frequently reissued on budget labels, reaching a wide audience. While Mozart performances are not bound by a single mould, one is immediately struck by the improvisational quality and thrilling energy of Heidscheck’s piano, which moves with boundless freedom. At the same time, the flexibility of its sound and its refined expression are nothing short of genius. The performance is emotive yet meticulously detailed, a miraculous achievement that continues to garner enduring support. Equally unforgettable is the meticulously considered accompaniment from the Orchestre du Conservatoire de Paris and Vanderノート, whose contribution is so vital that without this partnership, the performance would scarcely merit the title of ‘masterful’. There is not a trace of emotional indulgence here; instead, one glimpses the unshakeable resolve to support this young pianist wholeheartedly. Recorded during sessions at Salle Wagram, these sources fully capture the orchestra’s sound of the era, with the woodwind tones being particularly exquisite. The freshness of this reissue allows one to savour Hidetsugu’s delicate touch, the contrast with the backing, and Vandernoot’s subtle expression even more fully. The SACD layer offers an even higher resolution to enjoy this century’s masterpiece. For this reissue, masters digitally transferred at 96kHz/24bit from the original domestic masters were used, with separate mastering undertaken anew for the SACD layer and the CD layer. This is a permanent preservation edition.

This time, we have also reinstated the commentary by Mr Kōhō Uno, a central devotee of Hydeschek featured in previous editions, alongside a new foreword by Mr Hiro Aiba. The commentary, which also considers Hydeschek’s current status, is particularly noteworthy. For this series, the SACD layer aims for extended high frequencies and soft nuances alongside high resolution and a rich soundstage, while the CD layer strives for a cohesive, solid sound with a tangible, present-to-the-touch timbre. The CD itself possesses considerable potential; indeed, we invite you to enjoy it as an SACD hybrid disc, allowing you to savour the best of both formats.

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SACD

Eric Dolphy – At The Five Spot, Vol.1 (1961) [APO Remaster 2018] [SACD / Analogue Productions – CPRJ 8260 SA]

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Eric Dolphy - At The Five Spot, Vol.1 (1961) [APO Remaster 2018]

Title: Eric Dolphy – At The Five Spot, Vol.1 (1961) [APO Remaster 2018]
Genre: Jazz
Format: SACD ISO + Hi-Res FLAC

After having left the ensemble of Charles Mingus and upon working with John Coltrane, Eric Dolphy formed a short-lived but potent quintet with trumpeter Booker Little, who would pass away three months after this recording. Despite all of the obstacles and subsequent tragedy, this quintet became legendary over the years – justifiably so – and developed into a role model for all progressive jazz combos to come. The combined power of Dolphy and Little – exploring overt but in retrospect not excessive dissonance and atonality – made them a target for critics but admired among the burgeoning progressive post-bop scene. With the always stunning shadings of pianist Mal Waldron, the classical-cum-daring bass playing of Richard Davis, and the colorful drumming of alchemistic Ed Blackwell, there was no stopping this group.

Live at the legendary Five Spot Café in New York City, this band set the Apple, and the entire jazz world on their collective ears. “Fire Waltz” demonstrates perfectly how the bonfire burns from inside the soul of these five brilliant provocateurs, as Dolphy’s sour alto and Little’s dour trumpet signify their new thing. Dolphy’s solo is positively furious, while Blackwell nimbly switches up sounds within the steady 3/4 beat. “Bee Vamp” does not buzz so much as it roars in hard bop trim. A heavy tandem line breaks and separates in the horn parts like booster rockets. Blackwell is even more amazing, and Dolphy’s ribald bass clarinet set standards that still influences players of the instrument. Where “The Prophet” is a puckery blues, it is also open armed with minor phrasings and stretched harmonics. This is where Waldron and Davis shine in their terra cotta facades of roughly hewn accompaniments to Dolphy and Little’s bold flavored statements. A shorter alternate take of “Bee Vamp” is newly available, shorter by two-and-a-half minutes and with a clipped introductory melody. Most hail this first volume, and a second companion album from the same sessions, as music that changed the jazz world as much as Ornette Coleman and John Coltrane’s innovative excursions of the same era. All forward thinking and challenged listeners need to own these epic club dates.

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SACD

Eric Dolphy – Out There (1960) [Reissue 2003] [SACD / New Jazz – NJSA-8252-6]

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Eric Dolphy - Out There (1960) [Reissue 2003]

Title: Eric Dolphy – Out There (1960) [Reissue 2003]
Genre: Jazz
Format: SACD ISO + Hi-Res FLAC

The follow-up album to Outward Bound, Eric Dolphy’s second effort for the Prestige/New Jazz label (and later remastered by Rudy Van Gelder) was equally praised and vilified for many reasons. At a time when the “anti-jazz” tag was being tossed around, Dolphy’s nonlinear, harshly harmonic music gave some critics grist for the grinding mill. A second or third listen to Dolphy’s music reveals an unrepentant shadowy side, but also depth and purpose that were unprecedented and remain singularly unique. The usage of bassist George Duvivier and cellist Ron Carter (an idea borrowed from Dolphy’s days with Chico Hamilton) gives the music its overcast color base, in many ways equally stunning and uninviting. Dolphy’s ideas must be fully embraced, taken to heart, and accepted before listening. The music reveals the depth of his thought processes while also expressing his bare-bones sensitive and kind nature. The bluesy “Serene,” led by Carter alongside Dolphy’s bass clarinet, and the wondrous ballad “Sketch of Melba” provide the sweetest moments, the latter tune identified by the fluttery introspective flute of the leader, clearly indicating where latter-period musicians like James Newton initially heard what would form their concept. Three pieces owe alms to Charles Mingus: his dark, moody, doleful, melodic, and reluctant composition “Eclipse”; the co-written (with Dolphy) craggy and scattered title track featuring Dolphy’s emblematic alto held together by the unflappable swing of drummer Roy Haynes; and “The Baron,” the leader’s dark and dirty, wise and willful tribute to his former boss, accented by a choppy and chatty solo from Carter. “17 West,” almost a post-bop standard, is briefly tonal with a patented flute solo and questioning cello inserts, while the unexpected closer written by Hale Smith, “Feathers,” is a haunting, soulful ballad of regret where Dolphy’s alto is more immediately heard in the foreground. A somber and unusual album by the standards of any style of music, Out There explores Dolphy’s vision in approaching the concept of tonality in a way few others – before, concurrent, or after – have ever envisioned.

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SACD

Eric Dolphy – Out There (1960) [Analogue Productions 2018] [SACD / Analogue Productions – CPRJ 8252 SA]

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Eric Dolphy - Out There (1960) [Analogue Productions 2018]

Title: Eric Dolphy – Out There (1960) [Analogue Productions 2018]
Genre: Jazz
Format: SACD ISO + DSF DSD64 + Hi-Res FLAC

Out There is a 1960 jazz album by Eric Dolphy. It was Dolphy’s second album released as band leader, following his time with Charles Mingus. The album features four original compositions by Dolphy, one of which is a collaborative effort with Mingus. The album also features three covers, “Eclipse” by Mingus, “Sketch of Melba” by Randy Weston and “Feathers” by Hale Smith. The cover features a painting by Richard Jennings, referred to as “the Prophet” in Dolphy’s album, At the Five Spot.

In 1960, the free jazz pioneered by Ornette Coleman, Cecil Taylor, Horace Tapscott and a very few others was rejected by many musicians and most listeners. For the visionary saxophonist, clarinetist and flutist Eric Dolphy, it was simply new music fed by the mainstream, a logical extension of the jazz tradition. In Far Cry without leaving form behind, he incorporated the spirit of adventure and abandon with which free jazz at its best infused freshness into jazz. Recording with a pianoless quartet that used Ron Carter’s cello as the other melody instrument, Dolphy worked from chord patterns developed within structures that depart from ordinary 32-bar jazz and popular song forms. He used 30-bar, 35-bar and 18-bar structures, but he also observed standard practice with 12-bar blues, “Serene.” Dolphy’s speech-like improvisations and Carter’s bowed or plucked cello solos soar over the impeccable and responsive accompaniments of bassist George Duvivier and drummer Roy Haynes.

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SACD

Eric Clapton – Journeyman (1989) [Audio Fidelity 2014] [SACD / Audio Fidelity – AFZ 180]

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Eric Clapton - Journeyman (1989) [Audio Fidelity 2014]

Title: Eric Clapton – Journeyman (1989) [Audio Fidelity 2014]
Genre: Rock, Blues Rock
Format: SACD ISO + Hi-Res FLAC

For most of the ’80s, Eric Clapton seemed rather lost, uncertain of whether he should return to his blues roots or pander to AOR radio. By the mid-’80s, he appeared to have made the decision to revamp himself as a glossy mainstream rocker, working with synthesizers and drum machines. Instead of expanding his audience, it only reduced it. Then came the career retrospective Crossroads, which helped revitalize his career, not only commercially, but also creatively, as Journeyman — the first album he recorded after the success of Crossroads — proved. Although Journeyman still suffers from an overly slick production, Clapton sounds more convincing than he has since the early ’70s. Not only is his guitar playing muscular and forceful, his singing is soulful and gritty. Furthermore, the songwriting is consistently strong, alternating between fine mainstream rock originals (“Pretending”) and covers (“Before You Accuse Me,” “Hound Dog”). Like any of Clapton’s best albums, there is no grandstanding to be found on Journeyman — it’s simply a laid-back and thoroughly engaging display of Clapton’s virtuosity. On the whole, it’s the best studio album he’s released since Slowhand.

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SACD

Eric Clapton – Unplugged (1992/2022) [SACD / Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab – UDSACD 2224]

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Eric Clapton - Unplugged (2022 MFSL UltraDisc UHR SACD) (1992/2022)

Title: Eric Clapton – Unplugged (2022 MFSL UltraDisc UHR SACD) (1992/2022)
Genre: Blues Rock, Acoustic
Format: SACD ISO

Eric Clapton’s Unplugged is far more than an album. It remains a majestic picture of a moment in time; an unvarnished glimpse into the soul of one of music’s most legendary artists; a visionary journey into the inspirations that helped shape Clapton’s character; a re-exploration and re-evaluation of deep-seated roots; a continuation of critical blues heritage; a building block on which a subgenre sprouted; a launching pad for both a later-career resurgence and discovery. The best-selling concert release of all time, Unplugged now takes on an irresistible luster that veritably gives you a front-row seat at Bray Film Studios.

Mastered from the original master tapes, Mobile Fidelity’s numbered hybrid SACD enhances the blockbuster work for today – and the ages to come. Peeling away remaining sonic limitations to provide a transparent, lively, ultra-nuanced presentation of a record that won six Grammy Awards – including prizes for Album of the Year, Best Male Rock Vocal Performance, and Best Rock Song, it places Clapton and company in your room. The expanse and depth of the soundstage, fullness of tones, natural snap and extension of the guitar strings, realistic rise and decay of individual notes, and roll of Clapton’s vocals all attain demonstration-grade levels. A perennial audiophile favorite, Unplugged now tosses its hat into the ring as a demonstration disc. Having sold more than 10 million copies in the U.S. and more than 26 million copies worldwide, the 1992 work resonates with listeners of all generations and speaks a universal language. Recorded for MTV before a very small audience on January 16, 1992, the 14-track set became the signpost for future acoustic-based endeavors that witnessed artists of all stripes re-examining their catalogs and, in many instances, as Clapton does here, placing familiar originals in fresh contexts and unveiling spirited versions of cover material. Needless to say, Clapton’s session turned MTV’s series into can’t-miss programming for which the likes of Rod Stewart, Tony Bennett, Nirvana, Pearl Jam, and more would soon participate. Kicking off his performance with a spirited instrumental to establish the mood, Clapton immediately wades into the style that originally caught his attention as a British teenager in the early 1960s: American blues. Backed by a superb band that includes guitarist Andy Fairweather Low, pianist Chuck Leavell, bassist Nathan East, and drummer Steve Ferrone, Slowhand delivers a rhythmic, toe-tapping rendition of Bo Diddley’s “Before You Accuse Me” that announces he’s come to reconnect with his muse. What follows over the course of nearly the next hour stirs the heart, shakes the soul, moves the mind, and invigorates the senses. Of course, there’s no talking about Unplugged without keying in on “Tears in Heaven,” the striking ballad Clapton penned about the death of his four-year-old son. More emotional, direct, spare, and healing than the studio version released a year prior, it crackles with an intimacy, maturity, poignancy, honesty, sweetness, and integrity that inform the entire concert. Indeed, how Clapton frames other favorites here – transforming “Layla” into a relaxed, comfortable stroll and ruminating on the seasoned ripples flowing throughout “Old Love,” for example – indicate both a creative rebirth and gleeful acceptance of the next phase of his career. And that very direction (two of Clapton’s next three albums would be all-blues projects) is what really makes Unplugged so indispensable. Equivalent in mastery if not in volume to the output that earned him his “God” nickname, interpretations of Jesse Fuller’s “San Francisco Bay Blues” (complete with kazoo!), Big Bill Broonzy’s “Hey Hey,” Robert Johnson’s “Walkin’ Blues” and “Malted Milk,” and Muddy Waters’ “Rollin’ & Tumblin'” showcase a learned professor in his element and all the wheels turning. In every regard, Clapton’s Unplugged session was appointment listening when it came out in August 1992. With Mobile Fidelity’s SACD, that sensation is more urgent than before.

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SACD

Eric Clapton – Time Pieces: The Best Of Eric Clapton (1982) [Audio Fidelity ‘2014] [SACD / Audio Fidelity – AFZ 190]

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Eric Clapton - Time Pieces: The Best Of Eric Clapton (1982) [Audio Fidelity ‘2014]

Title: Eric Clapton – Time Pieces: The Best Of Eric Clapton (1982) [Audio Fidelity ‘2014]
Genre: Rock, Blues Rock
Format: SACD ISO + Hi-Res FLAC

This is a reissue of the Time Pieces comp, a good single-disc collection of Eric Clapton’s solo hits — including “I Shot the Sheriff,” “After Midnight,” “Wonderful Tonight,” Derek and the Dominos’ “Layla,” and “Cocaine” — that has since been supplanted by the more thorough The Cream of Eric Clapton, which combines his solo work with selections of his Cream and Blind Faith work. Nevertheless, the compilation still provides a good introduction for neophyte Clapton fans, especially those who just want copies of his ’70s hits.

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SACD

Eric Clapton – Slowhand (1977) [SACD 2014] [SACD / Polydor – B0003639-36]

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Eric Clapton - Slowhand (1977) [SACD 2014]

Title: Eric Clapton – Slowhand (1977) [SACD 2014]
Genre: Rock, Blues Rock
Format: MCH SACD ISO

After the guest-star-drenched No Reason to Cry failed to make much of an impact commercially, Eric Clapton returned to using his own band for Slowhand. The difference is substantial — where No Reason to Cry struggled hard to find the right tone, Slowhand opens with the relaxed, bluesy shuffle of J.J. Cale’s “Cocaine” and sustains it throughout the course of the album. Alternating between straight blues (“Mean Old Frisco”), country (“Lay Down Sally”), mainstream rock (“Cocaine,” “The Core”), and pop (“Wonderful Tonight”), Slowhand doesn’t sound schizophrenic because of the band’s grasp of the material. This is laid-back virtuosity — although Clapton and his band are never flashy, their playing is masterful and assured. That assurance and the album’s eclectic material make Slowhand rank with 461 Ocean Boulevard as Eric Clapton’s best albums.

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