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SACD

Harry Nilsson – Nilsson Schmilsson (1971) [MFSL 2020] [SACD / Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab – UDSACD 2219]

adminFebruary 13, 2026 71 Views

Title: Harry Nilsson – Nilsson Schmilsson (1971) [MFSL 2020]
Genre: Soft Rock, Pop Rock
Format: SACD ISO + DSF DSD64 + Hi-Res FLAC

Harry Nilsson was many things in life – revered songwriter, razor-sharp wit, gifted singer, studio pioneer, daring poet, cult icon, creative maverick, fearless interpreter, larger-than-life inspiration, man of mystery and intrigue. All these hallmark facets come together in a resplendent symphony on Nilsson Schmilsson, a go-to standout in the beloved artist’s vaunted canon and most commercially successful release. For the first time in decades, it features audiophile sonics that bring the record’s brilliant melodicism, sophisticated soulfulness, subtle shading, and sure-handed production into full view.
Harry Nilsson had a hit, a Grammy, and critical success, yet he still didn’t have a genuine blockbuster to his name when it came time to finally deliver a full-fledged follow-up to Nilsson Sings Newman, so he decided it was time to make that unabashed, mainstream pop/rock album. Hiring Barbra Streisand producer Richard Perry as a collaborator, Nilsson made a streamlined, slightly domesticated, unashamed set of mature pop/rock, with a slight twist. This is an album, after all, that begins by pining for the reckless days of youth, then segues into a snapshot of suburban disconnectedness before winding through a salute to and covers of old R&B tunes (“Early in the Morning” and “Let the Good Times Roll,” respectively), druggie humor (“Coconut”), and surging hard rock (“Jump Into the Fire”). There are certainly hints of the Nilsson of old, particularly in his fondness for Tin Pan Alley and McCartney melodicism – as well as his impish wit – yet he hadn’t made a record as cohesive as this since his first time out, nor had he ever made something as shiny and appealing as this. It may be more accessible than before, yet it’s anchored by his mischievous humor and wonderful idiosyncrasies. Chances are that those lured in by the grandly melodramatic “Without You” will not be prepared for either the subtle charms of “The Moonbeam Song” or the off-kilter sensibility that makes even his breeziest pop slightly strange. In short, it’s a near-perfect summary of everything Nilsson could do; he could be craftier and stranger, but never did he achieve the perfect balance as he did here.

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2 min read

SACD

Harry James – Supreme Jazz (2006) [SACD / Supreme Jazz – 223268-207]

adminFebruary 13, 2026 81 Views

Title: Harry James – Supreme Jazz (2006)
Genre: Jazz
Format: MCH SACD ISO + DSF DSD64

Harry Haag James was an American musician who is best known as a trumpet playing band leader who led a big band from 1939 to 1946. He broke up his band for a short period in 1947 but shortly after he re-organized and was active again with his band from then until his death in 1983. He was especially known among musicians for his astonishing technical proficiency as well as his superior tone, and was extremely influential on up-and-coming trumpet players from the late 1930s into the 1940s. He was also an actor in a number of films that usually featured his band.

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1 min read

SACD

Harry BIG DADDY Hypolite – Louisiana Country Boy (2001) [SACD / APO Records – APO 2016 SA]

adminFebruary 13, 2026 68 Views

Title: Harry BIG DADDY Hypolite – Louisiana Country Boy (2001)
Genre: Blues
Format: SACD ISO

A longtime sideman of Zydeco King Clifton Chenier & later C.J. Chenier, Harry Big Daddy Hypolite steps into the spotlight for the 1st time with Louisiana Country Boy, his solo debut. If you share the tastes of APO Records’ CEO Chad Kassem, you’ll wonder, after hearing this recording, how this soulful voice & natural charisma have gone relatively unnoticed for so long. Deep down in rural Louisiana, Hypolite, a self-confessed poor boy, has been honing his blues since he could talk – 1st in Creole French & then in English (both languages are represented on this release). The results are heartfelt confessions of real-life hard times. “Nobody gave me a chance before,” Hypolite said. “But I said, ‘I’m going to show ’em what I can do.’ For me, this comes from deep in my soul. I want to play the blues, & I want to tell people about my Creole French heritage.” These are deep, unpolished, gravely blues. In short, this is the real stuff – the blues of undiluted emotion. Louisiana Country Boy is also full of zydeco – a genre Hypolite said is not always played the way masters like Clifton Chenier intended it to be. “Zydeco is simple music,” he said. “Guys who try to play jazz & put big chords in zydeco make it hard on themselves. You just need to know how to phrase it right, & it has to have a feeling & a meaning to it.” Feeling & meaning – those are attributes Big Daddy is never short on. Even in the simplest of conversations, Hypolite wears his heart on his sleeve. If he doesn’t win you over with his smile, he’ll floor you with his laugh. Hypolite has bottled pure emotion by writing & singing autobiographical songs that reach all the way back to his childhood. He’s been waiting for this moment for so long, played it over in his head so many times, that almost every song on this recording was done in 1 take, with no lyric sheets. In accordance with an APO Records tradition, the small mistakes were overlooked if the feeling captured could not be reproduced. At a time when many authentic blues artists are in the twilight of their careers, it’s the dawn of Harry Hypolite’s time in the sun. “This is like a dream for me,” he said. “I’m proud of this record.”

“…just a dozen songs performed with warmth & sincerity by a man who knows what he wants to say & how to say it.” ~Jim DeKoster, Living Blues “The disc debut of South Louisiana blues guitarist Harry Hypolite is undoubtedly 1 of the best surprises of the year…Aficionados of Louisiana & southern blues in general will likely be enthralled by this offering as this Creole bluesman is diamond in the rough. His deep gravely, sandpaper rough voice drips with Spanish moss & insufferable humidity, which often leads to unexpected howls & bursts of pent-up anguish that’s expressed as if it were the 1st time…As a guitarist, Hypolite hangs with the best of ’em, emitting warm, fluid tones from his candy apple red Gibson…Just like that fabled day when Chenier offered Hypolite his golden opportunity, another 1 of life’s thrilling rides is just beginning for the ‘Big Daddy’.” ~Dan Willging, ZydE-Zine, March 2002

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3 min read

SACD

Harry Connick, Jr. – We Are In Love (1990) [Reissue 2000] [SACD / Columbia – CS 46146]

adminFebruary 13, 2026 70 Views

Title: Harry Connick, Jr. – We Are In Love (1990) [Reissue 2000]
Genre: Jazz
Format: SACD ISO + Hi-Res FLAC

Harry Connick Jr. has a rare gift for summoning the style of classic 1940s saloon singing, hinting at Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett, and especially Dick Haymes, without engaging in actual impersonation. What’s more uncanny still is his songwriting, an idiomatic command of the standards that often summons some of the rhythmic ease of Gershwin, the tunefulness of Jerome Kern, and the wit of Cole Porter. Both his singing and songwriting talents are evident on this CD, recorded in 1990 when Connick was just 22. Its emphasis is squarely on the subject of love, both on the ballads and some harder swinging tunes, and Connick’s voice shines on original songs and the standards “A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square” and Porter’s “It’s All Right with Me.” Connick’s voice and piano are ably supported by bassist Ben Wolfe, drummer Shannon Powell, and a string section, while there are some good jazz solos by regular associate Russell Malone on guitar and guest Branford Marsalis on tenor and soprano saxophones.

At one point in 1990, two Harry Connick, Jr. albums were released almost simultaneously, an instrumental outing with his trio (Lofty’s Roach Souffle) and this vocal-oriented album. Oddly enough We Are in Love is the more successful of the two. Connick’s vocals, while limited, are personable, guitarist Russell Malone gets in some short solos and Branford Marsalis makes two strong guest appearances (one apiece on tenor and soprano). Most selections utilize an orchestra and, although Connick is heard on piano, the emphasis is on his voice. He contributed most of the tunes but the high points are the two standards “A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square” and “It’s Alright with Me”.

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2 min read

SACD

Harry Belafonte – Calypso (1956) [Audio Fidelity 2013] [SACD / Audio Fidelity – AFZ 138]

adminFebruary 13, 2026 66 Views

Title: Harry Belafonte – Calypso (1956) [Audio Fidelity 2013]
Genre: Calypso, Vocal
Format: SACD ISO + Hi-Res FLAC

This is the album that made Harry Belafonte’s career. Up to this point, calypso had only been a part of Belafonte’s focus in his recordings of folk music styles. But with this landmark album, calypso not only became tattooed to Belafonte permanently; it had a revolutionary effect on folk music in the 1950s and ’60s. The album consists of songs from Trinidad, mostly written by West Indian songwriter Irving Burgie (aka Lord Burgess). Burgie’s two most successful songs are included — “Day O” and “Jamaica Farewell” (which were both hit singles for Belafonte) — as are the evocative ballads “I Do Adore Her” and “Come Back Liza” and what could be the first feminist folk song, “Man Smart (Woman Smarter).” Calypso became the first million-selling album by a single artist, spending an incredible 31 weeks at the top of the Billboard album charts, remaining on the charts for 99 weeks. It triggered a veritable tidal wave of imitators, parodists, and artists wishing to capitalize on its success. Years later, it remains a record of inestimable influence, inspiring many folksingers and groups to perform, most notably the Kingston Trio, which was named for the Jamaican capital. For a decade, just about every folksinger and folk group featured in their repertoire at least one song that was of West Indian origin or one that had a calypso beat. They all can be attributed to this one remarkable album. Despite the success of Calypso, Belafonte refused to be typecast. Resisting the impulse to record an immediate follow-up album, Belafonte instead spaced his calypso albums apart, releasing them at five-year intervals in 1961, 1966, and 1971.

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2 min read

SACD

Harry Belafonte – Belafonte At Carnegie Hall (1959) [Reissue 2001] [SACD / RCA – 74321894852]

adminFebruary 13, 2026 64 Views

Title: Harry Belafonte – Belafonte At Carnegie Hall (1959) [Reissue 2001]
Genre: Ballad, Pop
Format: SACD ISO + Hi-Res FLAC

The granddaddy of all live albums, this double-LP set captured the excitement of a Harry Belafonte concert at the height of his popularity. Sampled from two consecutive performances of identical material, Belafonte at Carnegie Hall was an anomaly at a time when only comedy albums were recorded outside of the studio environment. It wasn’t the first live album ever made, but it was certainly the first to be a major financial and artistic success. It stayed on the best-selling album charts for over three years and remained in print until RCA discontinued pressing LPs. From the opening trumpet fanfare and brief orchestral overture to the epic 12-minute version of “Matilda” (which set a standard for audience participation), the album never lets up. It is exciting, poignant, thrilling, intimate, and at times, spontaneously hilarious. Belafonte’s mastery in front of an audience was never better displayed than here, a mastery that resulted in him becoming one of the most popular concert draws in history. Producer Bob Bollard and orchestra leader Bob Corman deftly integrated the 47-piece orchestra into the performance but knew when to lie back to let Belafonte sing, accompanied by a small combo of two guitars, bass, and percussion. The concert is divided in three sections: “Moods of the American Negro,” “In the Caribbean,” and “Around the World.” All the hits are here: “Day O,” “Jamaica Farewell,” “Mama Look a Boo Boo,” and others, plus calypso, folk songs, chain gang songs, spirituals, and songs from other lands, representing a veritable best-of package of his first decade with RCA Victor. For sheer scope and genius of performance, this is the quintessential Belafonte package.

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2 min read

SACD

Harry Belafonte – Belafonte At Carnegie Hall: The Complete Concert (1959) [Japan 2016] [SACD / Stereo Sound – SSVS-001~002]

adminFebruary 13, 2026 60 Views

Title: Harry Belafonte – Belafonte At Carnegie Hall: The Complete Concert (1959) [Japan 2016]
Genre: Ballad, Pop
Format: SACD ISO + Hi-Res FLAC

The granddaddy of all live albums, this double-LP set captured the excitement of a Harry Belafonte concert at the height of his popularity. Sampled from two consecutive performances of identical material, Belafonte at Carnegie Hall was an anomaly at a time when only comedy albums were recorded outside of the studio environment. It wasn’t the first live album ever made, but it was certainly the first to be a major financial and artistic success. It stayed on the best-selling album charts for over three years and remained in print until RCA discontinued pressing LPs. From the opening trumpet fanfare and brief orchestral overture to the epic 12-minute version of “Matilda” (which set a standard for audience participation), the album never lets up. It is exciting, poignant, thrilling, intimate, and at times, spontaneously hilarious. Belafonte’s mastery in front of an audience was never better displayed than here, a mastery that resulted in him becoming one of the most popular concert draws in history. Producer Bob Bollard and orchestra leader Bob Corman deftly integrated the 47-piece orchestra into the performance but knew when to lie back to let Belafonte sing, accompanied by a small combo of two guitars, bass, and percussion. The concert is divided in three sections: “Moods of the American Negro,” “In the Caribbean,” and “Around the World.” All the hits are here: “Day O,” “Jamaica Farewell,” “Mama Look a Boo Boo,” and others, plus calypso, folk songs, chain gang songs, spirituals, and songs from other lands, representing a veritable best-of package of his first decade with RCA Victor. For sheer scope and genius of performance, this is the quintessential Belafonte package.

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(more…)

2 min read

SACD

Harry Allen, Ken Peplowski, Scott Hamilton – Three Tenors: Like The Brightest Star (2019) [Japan] [SACD / Venus Records – VHGD-351]

adminFebruary 13, 2026 55 Views

Title: Harry Allen, Ken Peplowski, Scott Hamilton – Three Tenors: Like The Brightest Star (2019) [Japan]
Genre: Jazz
Format: SACD ISO + DSF DSD64 + Hi-Res FLAC

Three tenor saxophonists, Harry Allen, Ken Peplowski and Scott Hamilton, join forces for this album of six magical jazz tunes including “That Old Black Magic” and “You And The Night And The Music”. The trio are backed by pianist Tom Ranier, bassist David Stone and drummer Kevin Kanner.

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1 min read

SACD

Harald Vogel – J.P. Sweelinck: Organ Works Vol.1 (2011) [SACD / MDG Gold – MDG 914 1690-6]

adminFebruary 9, 2026 69 Views

Title: Harald Vogel – J.P. Sweelinck: Organ Works Vol.1 (2011)
Genre: Classical
Format: MCH SACD ISO

The Schwalbennestorgel is a remarkable survival of a type of organ called “swallow’s nest”, because of its appearing to have been glued onto the wall of the church – a look at the photograph on the disc cover shows this very well. The distinctive organ case was built between 1586 and 1595 by Dutch organ builders, and the loft and pedal cases were added by a Hamburg company in 1612. Many of their front pipes remain, with even their voicing preserved. A sensitive reconstruction by Altenahr in 2010 has produced an organ which is not only capable of playing music from the Renaissance, but also the high Baroque. Note that the organ’s mean-tone temperament with perfect thirds may at times and in some keys seem out of tune to ears used to modern pitches.
Vogel has evidently put a great deal of thought and scholarly preparation into this project, as his detailed notes indicate. His programme for the first in the series consists of a showcase of the types of organ pieces which distinguish Sweelinck’s music. Don’t expect flashy virtuosity and full organ with 32′ pipes; this is music from a generation earlier than J.S. Bach’s. The disc lasts for a generous 78’42”, and is well produced with copious notes and full specifications for the organ. Not having MDG’s 2+2+2 speaker configuration, I found the disc worked quite well with a 5.1 system, although it seems that the absence of that layer of the church ambience captured in the height microphones was missing in 5.1, giving the impression of a closer microphone placing. I understand from Werner Dabringhaus that the microphones were placed at least 12-15m from the console, and that the height speakers (if I had them) would image the organ about 10m above the church floor and also reveal the different locations of Hauptwerck and Oberwerck ranks. This is the first time that I have been aware of a substantial difference when playing a 2+2+2 optimised MC recording in the compromised 5.1 format. Quite possibly I would have awarded a full 5 sonic stars if it were at all possible for my large speaker system could be adapted to the 2+2+2 format. An excellent introduction to the organ music of Sweelinck and to the Swallow’s Nest organ of St Marien, stylishly played by Harald Vogel, who is an exemplary messenger for the composer. Recommended.

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3 min read

SACD

Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes – Black & Blue & Wake Up Everybody (1973 & 1975) [Reissue 2020] [SACD / Vocalion – CDSML 8571]

adminFebruary 9, 2026 77 Views

Title: Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes – Black & Blue & Wake Up Everybody (1973 & 1975) [Reissue 2020]
Genre: Soul, Funk, R&B
Format: MCH SACD ISO + Hi-Res FLAC

In a strong start to 2020, Vocallion has reissued another batch of quad hybrid SACDs. Fans are getting a lot of rhythm and blues among other classic 70’s quad reissues. The soulful and danceable Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes will surround listeners with a quad mix from their “Black & Blue” album along with the album “Wake Up Everybody”. Michael Dutton has gone back to the original analog masters and transferred them into the DSD domain in both quad and stereo on a single hybrid SACD.

Black & Blue Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes’ second album found the group continuing to ride its early peak, featuring the hit “The Love I Lost” (in a six-minute version longer than the one that made the pop Top Ten) and an additional Top Ten R&B hit in “Satisfaction Guaranteed (Or Take Your Love Back).” The album and its “The Love I Lost” single also became milestones for Gamble & Huff productions and Philadelphia soul in general for introducing the dance groove that became so integral to disco. But while the two hits and “Is There a Place for Me” were forceful uptempo tracks, they were balanced by a good number of effective ballads, the only misstep (and a most curious one) being the decision to lead off the album with a cover of “Cabaret”. Wake Up Everybody Philly soul staples Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes were in full swing on 1975’s Wake Up Everybody. Sporting their trademark lush, string-laden production from Gamble and Huff (who also wrote about half the album’s material), the smooth soul outfit delivers a mix of deep soul balladry and uptempo dance tracks. The title track, with its socially relevant messages, is a standout. There is no shortage of fine vocal performances all around, notably from Melvin and from future solo star Teddy Pendergrass.

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2 min read