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SACD

Francesco Fournier Facio – Sound Of Light And Shadow (2013) [SACD / Fonè – 134 SACD]

adminDecember 19, 2025 63 Views

Title: Francesco Fournier Facio – Sound Of Light And Shadow (2013)
Genre: Classical
Format: SACD ISO + Hi-Res FLAC

Francesco Fournier Facio was born in Rome. He have studies composition with Riccardo Panfli and has attended masterclasses led by composers Fabio Vacchi and Luca Lombardi. In June 2013 the Accademia Filarmonica Romana commissioned him a new piece for soprano and ensemble to be performed at its Music Festival Il Bosco di Eros, where it was world-premiered by the Imago Sonora Ensemble. In the same year he attended Luis Bacalov’s composition for film course at the Accademia Chigiana di Siena; as well as a composition masterclass at the Université de Montréal taught by Fabio Vacchi and Jean-Jacques Nattiez. Fournier also plays keyboards in two rock bands. Between 2011 and 2013 he wrote 7 nocturnes and 7 preludes, a selection of which is presented in this album.

I could write extensively about this album, describe the moments and circumstances that led me to compose these eleven pieces. I could explain the influences and motivations that drove me forward. But what is really significant is the fact that, for the past two years, each of these pieces has been like a page in a diary: written in one go and in a very personal way. Somewhere to pour my joys and disappointments, loves and friendships. I do hope that between the light and shadow of the notes, the listener might be able to live, at least partially, what I experienced while writing. – Francesco Fournier Facio

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SACD

Francesco Cafiso Quartet ‎- Seven Steps To Heaven (2006) [Japan 2017] [SACD / Venus Records – VHCD-223]

adminDecember 19, 2025 73 Views

Title: Francesco Cafiso Quartet ‎- Seven Steps To Heaven (2006) [Japan 2017]
Genre: Jazz
Format: SACD ISO + DSF DSD64 + Hi-Res FLAC

Francesco Cafiso surprised the jazz world with his blazing chops in his early teens during a stunning duo concert with veteran pianist Franco D’Andrea. Several years afterward, he is working on developing a distinctive style of his own, which is a challenge for any young musician. These 2006 sessions mix well-known jazz compositions of the 1940s and 1950s with timeless standards, with the alto saxophonist backed by a solid rhythm section consisting of pianist Andrea Pozza, bassist Aldo Zunino, and drummer Nicola Angelucci. He shows off a bit in a wild treatment of Thelonious Monk’s “Green Chimneys” that starts in a funky manner, shifts to an aggressive hard bop mood, and also has an unaccompanied solo section. Cafiso’s spry take of “Yesterdays” proves convincing, while the exotic rhythm setting of “My Funny Valentine” takes this chestnut into somewhat new territory. There are times where Cafiso reveals his youth by forcing in odd quotes that prove to be more of a distraction than help to his improvisations. But this album indicates that Francesco Cafiso is serious about a career in jazz and not merely a young flash in the pan who will flame out after a brief foray into the limelight.

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SACD

Francesco Cafiso Sicilian Quartet – Portrait In Black And White (2008) [Japan 2018] [SACD / Venus Records – VHGD-270]

adminDecember 19, 2025 80 Views

Title: Francesco Cafiso Sicilian Quartet – Portrait In Black And White (2008) [Japan 2018]
Genre: Jazz
Format: SACD ISO + Hi-Res FLAC

As the head of a splendid quartet of Sicilian musicians, Francesco Cafiso presents a work that winds around eight beautiful standards. Cafiso embodies a strong link with the tradition and glorious past of his instrument. In his phrasing there are numerous references to the sacred monsters of jazz history from Charlie Parker to John Coltrane, from Eric Dolphy to Jackie McLean and, at the same time, has the tendency to go beyond the historical-stylistic limits showing great personality and extraordinary ideas. The musicians who accompany him are all extraordinary and interact with great efficiency and precision without ever hindering or excelling, managing to create a perfect balance between dynamism and groove, between delicacy and aggression. To realize this mixture to the limits of perfection, it is enough to pause to listen to ‘Woodin’ You’, ‘Night Mist’ or the sweet ‘Portrait In Black And White’, a song in which the lyricism and the inspiration of the collective reach very high levels. All the pieces of this work are always full of intensity, melodic and with frequent original solutions that make it, although very usable, never predictable.

When he was barely nine years old Francesco took his first steps, working with internationally famous musicians. Meeting Wynton Marsalis in Pescara at the jazz Festival held on July 2002 was a decisive moment for Francesco’s career. Amazed by Francesco’s qualities, Marsalis took him along with his septet on his European tour 2003, where Francesco performed in prestigious theatres in the largest cities in Europe. From that moment on, Francesco went through a series of important experiences both in Italy and abroad. He won various important prizes: the Massimo Urbani National Award in Urbisaglia, the EuroJazz Award in Lecco, the International Jazz Festivals Organization Award in New York, the World Saxophone Competition in London, the Django d’Or in Rome and many others. In order to experience new musical styles and genres, Francesco went to New Orleans where he played with Ellis Marsalis and many other important local musicians. In 2004, he participated as a special guest in the Sanremo Music Festival. In 2005 the Swing Journal, the authoritative Japanese jazz music magazine, confers him the New Stars Award, a prize reserved to the emergent foreign talents. Immediately after, the affirmation in the Top Jazz, referendum of the Italian Music Jazz magazine, that recognizes him as the best new talent of the year. Francesco has performed with world famous musicians: Hank Jones, Dave Brubeck, Cedar Walton, Mulgrew Miller, Jimmy Cobb, Ben Riley, Ray Drummond, Lewis Nash, James Williams, Joe Lovano, Christian McBride, George Mraz, Kenny Wheeler, Gonzalo Rubalcaba, Enrico Rava, Stefano Bollani and many other musicians.

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3 min read

SACD

Francesco Cafiso New York Quartet – New York Lullaby (2006) [Japan 2016] [SACD / Venus Records – VHGD-131]

adminDecember 19, 2025 69 Views

Title: Francesco Cafiso New York Quartet – New York Lullaby (2006) [Japan 2016]
Genre: Jazz
Format: SACD ISO + DSF DSD64 + Hi-Res FLAC

This 2005 session features the 15-year-old native Sicilian saxophonist making his American recording debut accompanied by a crack New York rhythm section. Although it’s common to hear rueful expressions about what a Charlie Parker or Clifford Brown might have accomplished had they lived longer, a player as precocious as Francesco Cafiso reminds us of the challenges facing an artist who appears to “be there” already yet has a lifetime with practically an obligation to top himself. In June 2007, when he was 17, the gifted altoist made history of sorts when he entered Birdland, the domain named after the music’s most acclaimed improviser, to play the “Bird role” in a re-creation of the predecessor-father figure’s most popular recording, “Charlie Parker with Strings”. From the evidence on “New York Lullaby” the young player is perhaps one of the few musicians up to such a formidable, even unenviable assignment.
The opening track, Shearing’s “Lullaby of Birdland”, introduces the listener to the featured performer’s qualifications. His sound is full and lustrous in all registers, maintained throughout by strong breath support; his articulations are varied, ranging from crisp attacks to expressive legato tonguing; his lines during the pyrotechnical passages are not merely slick but capture the intricacy, complexity and sophistication of Parker’s language. At times the youngster is undeniably overly deliberative, extending his high tones to the point that they begin to wear out their welcome. Moreover, in the upper register his sound has a purity and somewhat rapid vibrato that, while winning the approval of “legit” players, would not earn him points from Birdwatchers. But it’s the ballads that hold the biggest surprises, as the Italian teenager, rather than employ them as virtuoso showcases, exercises the utmost respect for the material itself. Whether he’s been listening to singers like Sinatra or absorbed the message from a player like Dexter Gordon, his phrasing, dynamics, and even articulations (with occasional airy cushions of sound) reveal a mature and sensitive interpreter thoroughly familiar with the lyrics of these standards.

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SACD

Francois-Xavier Poizat – PianOrchestra 2 (2018) [SACD / Ars Produktion ARS 38 249]

adminDecember 19, 2025 83 Views

Title: Francois-Xavier Poizat – PianOrchestra 2 (2018)
Genre: Classical
Format: MCH SACD ISO

Smetana: Die Moldau (arr. Heinrich von Kàan-Albést)
Stravinsky: Petrushka (arr. Theodor Szántó)
Khachaturian: Adagio from Spartacus (arr. Matthew Cameron)
Prokofiev: 3 Pieces, Op. 96
Ravel: La Valse (arr. Alexander Ghindin)
Shostakovich: Waltz No. 2 (arr. Florian Noack)

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1 min read

SACD

Francois-Xavier Poizat – PianOrchestra (2013) [SACD / Ars Produktion – ARS 38 139]

adminDecember 19, 2025 66 Views

Title: Francois-Xavier Poizat – PianOrchestra (2013)
Genre: Classical
Format: MCH SACD ISO + DSF DSD64 + Hi-Res FLAC

Born in 1989 with Swiss, French and Chinese origins, pianist François-Xavier Poizat graduated from the Geneva and Hamburg Conservatory and from the Juilliard School in New York. His journey is sprinkled with collaborations with big orchestras such as the Suisse Romande and Svizzera Italiana Orchestra, the National du Capitole de Toulouse, the Lithuanian and Armenian National Chamber Orchestras, the Zürich Chamber Orchestra and the Poznan Philharmonic, among others. His large solo and chamber music repertoire includes 500 years of music and about thirty concertos, as well as all works with piano by Maurice Ravel, his favorite composer. Beside his principal activity as a performer, he is currently the director of the International Puplinge Classique Festival in Geneva, a position he has held for the past 10 years, and has recorded 4 solo albums with the Naxos, Ars Produktion and Piano Classics labels.

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1 min read

SACD

Franco Battiato – Last Summer Dance (2003) [2x SACD Set] [SACD / Columbia – COL 513706 6]

adminDecember 19, 2025 56 Views

Title: Franco Battiato – Last Summer Dance (2003) [2x SACD Set]
Genre: Pop, Rock
Format: MCH SACD ISO + Hi-Res FLAC

Francesco “Franco” Battiato is an Italian singer-songwriter, composer, filmmaker and, under the pseudonym Süphan Barzani, also a painter. He is and has been for decades one of the most popular pop singer-songwriters in Italy. His unique sound, song-crafting and especially his lyrics, often containing philosophical, religious, and culturally exotic references, as well as tackling or painting universal themes about the human condition – unusual subjects for pop songs – earned him a unique spot on Italy’s music scene, and the nickname of “Il Maestro” (“The Master” or “The Teacher”).

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SACD

Fourplay – Energy (1998) [SACD / Heads Up International – HUSA 9146]

adminDecember 19, 2025 67 Views

Title: Fourplay – Energy (1998)
Genre: Jazz
Format: MCH SACD ISO + Hi-Res FLAC

2008 album from this Jazz supergroup: Nathan East (vocals, bass guitar); Larry Carlton (guitars); Bob James (keyboards); Harvey Mason (drums). As a unit, contemporary jazz supergroup Fourplay has been together since 1991 with only one personnel change. That’s saying a lot considering that as individuals, these four men — pianist Bob James, drummer Harvey Mason, bassist Nathan East, and guitarist Larry Carlton — are all extremely busy as studio musicians and Fourplay is a side project for all of them. They’ve managed to record on an average of once every two years and even do some touring, without every sacrificing their chosen m.o. for working together or the quality of the music they produce. In all, they’ve been remarkably consistent. 2008’s Energy is the ninth chapter in the Fourplay legacy, and it’s almost exactly what you’d expect if you’re a fan: high quality, great sounding, expertly performed smooth, groovy jazz played by masters of the genre. Seven instrumentals and three vocal cuts add a spoonful of pop to these proceedings. The obvious single here is “Prelude for Lovers” with guest vocalist Esperanza Spalding, which melds neo-soul melody and Caribbean rhythms; it’s quietly sultry and its refrain contains a serious hook. East appears on two others, which are not so memorable but certainly work in the context of the easy grooves being laid down; in fact, his voice is almost an additional instrument. Other highlights on the set include the opener “Fortune Teller,” written by James, Carlton’s funky “Ultralight,” and “Comfort Zone,” with its backbone-slipping groove.

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SACD

Foreigner – Head Games (1979) [MFSL 2013] [SACD / Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab – UDSACD 2052]

adminDecember 19, 2025 62 Views

Title: Foreigner – Head Games (1979) [MFSL 2013]
Genre: Rock
Format: SACD ISO + Hi-Res FLAC

Foreigner continued its platinum winning streak on Head Games, the band’s third album. By the time Head Games was released, FM radio had fully embraced bands like Foreigner, Journey, and Boston, whose slick hard rock was tough enough to appeal to suburban teens, but smooth enough to be non-threatening to their parents. Tailor-made for the airwaves, “Dirty White Boy” and “Head Games” kept Foreigner at the top of the arena rock heap as the decade came to a close; and the supergroup’s successes would continue well into the ’80s.

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SACD

Foreigner – Foreigner (1977) [MFSL SACD 2010] [SACD / Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab – UDSACD 2050]

adminDecember 19, 2025 62 Views

Title: Foreigner – Foreigner (1977) [MFSL SACD 2010]
Genre: Rock
Format: SACD ISO + Hi-Res FLAC

Although punk rock’s furious revolution threatened to overthrow rock’s old guard in 1977, bands like Foreigner came along and proved that there was plenty of room in the marketplace for both the violent, upstart minimalism of punk and the airbrushed slickness of what would be called “arena rock.” Along with Boston, Journey, Heart, and others, Foreigner celebrated professionalism over raw emotion. And, looking back, it’s easy to see why they sold millions; not everyone in the world was pissed off, dissatisfied with the economy, or even necessarily looking for a change. In fact, for most suburban American teens, Foreigner’s immaculate rock sound was the perfect soundtrack for cruising through well-manicured neighborhoods in their Chevy Novas. The album spawned some of the biggest FM hits of 1977, including the anthemic “Feels Like the First Time” and “Cold as Ice,” both of which were anchored — like most of Foreigner’s songs — by the muscular but traditional riffing of guitarist Mick Jones, the soaring vocals of Lou Gramm, and the state-of-the-art rock production values of the day, which allowed the band to sound hard but polished. As pure rock craftsmanship goes, Foreigner was as good as it got in the late ’70s.

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