Various Artists – Jazz At The Pawnshop (1976/2006) [30 Anniversary Edition] [SACD / Proprius – PRSACD 7879]

Various Artists - Jazz At The Pawnshop (1976/2006) [30 Anniversary Edition]

Title: Various Artists – Jazz At The Pawnshop (1976/2006) [30 Anniversary Edition]
Genre: Jazz
Format: MCH SACD ISO + Hi-Res FLAC

Jazz at the Pawnshop, a legendary 1976 live recording from Stockholm’s Pawnshop club, captures Arne Domnérus (alto saxophone and clarinet), Bengt Hallberg (piano), Lars Erstrand (vibraphone), Georg Riedel (bass), and Egil Johansen (drums) delivering vibrant swing standards reminiscent of Benny Goodman and Lionel Hampton. Recorded by Gert Palmcrantz using revolutionary techniques, this three-disc SACD, released for the album’s 30th anniversary, compiles the complete sessions with full documentation and photos, presenting the music in pristine digital audio. Domnérus, praised by Charlie Parker, leads alongside Hallberg, who impressed Stan Getz with his effortless key shifts, and Sweden’s finest rhythm section, performing beloved tracks like “In a Mellow Tone,” “Mood Indigo,” “High Life,” and “Take Five.” This definitive release of a critically acclaimed audiophile classic offers a once-in-a-lifetime musical experience.

(more…)

1 min read

Arne Domnérus & Gustav Sjökvist – Antiphone Blues (1976+1994) [SACD 2001] [SACD / First Impression Music – FIM SACD 050]

Arne Domnérus & Gustav Sjökvist - Antiphone Blues (1976+1994) [SACD 2001]

Title: Arne Domnérus & Gustav Sjökvist – Antiphone Blues (1976+1994) [SACD 2001]
Genre: Jazz
Format: MCH SACD ISO + Hi-Res FLAC

Maestro Arne Domnerus plays classical and spiritual pieces. All tracks have been mastered using HDCD technology. The first eleven songs were recorded at Spanga Chuch in 1976, the last songs were recorded in Stockholm’s Cathedral, Sweden. Recording engineer: Gert Palmcrantz. Remastered by Paul Stubblebine. Released on SACD on 2001 by First Impression Music (FIMSACD-050).

(more…)

1 min read

Armand Amar – Le Premier Cri: The First Cry (Original Soundtrack) [2007] [SACD / Naïve – K 1628]

Armand Amar - Le Premier Cri: The First Cry (Soundtrack) [2007]

Title: Armand Amar – Le Premier Cri: The First Cry (Original Soundtrack) [2007]
Genre: Soundtrack
Format: MCH SACD ISO + Hi-Res FLAC

This SACD is the sountrack of a French documentary which observes the miracle of child birth from the perspective of different cultures – including American, French, Mexican, Indian, Vietnamese, African and Russian.

(more…)

1 min read

Aretha Franklin – Aretha’s Gold (1969) [MFSL 2014] [SACD / Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab – UDSACD 2142]

Aretha Franklin - Aretha's Gold (1969) [MFSL 2014]

Title: Aretha Franklin – Aretha’s Gold (1969) [MFSL 2014]
Genre: Jazz
Format: SACD ISO + DSF DSD64 + Hi-Res FLAC

Aretha’s Gold, the first compilation of Aretha Franklin’s 1967-1968 Atlantic Records successes, features 14 tracks, including nine Top 10 hits like “I Never Loved A Man (The Way I Love You)” and “I Say A Little Prayer,” which solidified her as the Queen of Soul and defined soul music. Recorded with producer Jerry Wexler and the Muscle Shoals studio band, Franklin unleashed a bold, expressive artistry previously restrained at Columbia, creating a historic two-year run. Mastered from original tapes, Mobile Fidelity’s hybrid SACD delivers these seminal tracks with audiophile-grade sonics, revealing the full depth, clarity, and emotional power of Franklin’s voice, crowned by Rolling Stone as the greatest of all time. This collectible release enhances her timeless classics with stunning dynamics and restored balance, offering a fresh perspective on her unparalleled technique and expressiveness.

(more…)

1 min read

Pink Floyd ‎- The Later Years 1987-2019 (2019) [18-disc Box Set, 5xCD, 6xBlu-ray, 5xDVD / 265 GB]

Pink Floyd Records will release ‘Pink Floyd The Later Years’, an 18-disc set (5 x CDs, 6 x Blu-Rays, 5 x DVDs, 2 x 7″ plus exclusive photo book and memorabilia) covering the material created by David Gilmour, Nick Mason and Richard Wright from 1987 onwards. The period generated record sales of over 40 million worldwide and included three studio albums: ‘A Momentary Lapse of Reason’, ‘The Division Bell’ and ‘The Endless River’ as well as two live albums: ‘Delicate Sound of Thunder’ and ‘Pulse’. With additional production from David Gilmour and Andy Jackson, over 13 hours of unreleased audio and audiovisual material, including the sought-after 1989 Venice and 1990 Knebworth concerts, ‘Pink Floyd The Later Years’ is a must for all fans.

Blu-ray.com

(more…)

1 min read

Archie Shepp Quartet – Deja Vu (2001) [Japan 2003] [SACD / Venus Records – VHGD-13]

Archie Shepp Quartet - Deja Vu (2001) [Japan 2003]

Title: Archie Shepp Quartet – Deja Vu (2001) [Japan 2003]
Genre: Jazz
Format: SACD ISO + Hi-Res FLAC

In his 2001 album, also known as French Ballads in Japan, Archie Shepp, typically known for his fiery avant-garde jazz, delivers a remarkably restrained and emotive set of French songs and France-associated ballads, recorded with a stellar rhythm section featuring Harold Mabern on piano, George Mraz on bass, and Billy Drummond on drums. Following his successful late-1990s Venus Records releases, Shepp, a long-time France resident, performs rhapsodic pieces like Michel Legrand and Sidney Bechet compositions, “Les Feuilles Mortes” (Autumn Leaves), and “Sous Le Ciel De Paris,” culminating with his original “Deja Vu.” His sweet, romantic renditions carry deep emotion without saccharine sentimentality, creating riveting tension, while upbeat tracks like “L’Ame Des Poetes” and “April in Paris” showcase a relaxed, playful side, making this a compelling addition to his discography.

(more…)

1 min read

Arcadi Volodos – Volodos In Vienna (2009) [SACD / Sony Classical – 88697636922]

Arcadi Volodos - Volodos In Vienna (2009)

Title: Arcadi Volodos – Volodos In Vienna (2009)
Genre: Classical
Format: MCH SACD ISO + DSF DSD64 + Hi-Res FLAC

Arcadi Volodos, celebrated since his 1997 debut as a keyboard genius, delivers a mesmerizing recital at Vienna’s Musikvereinsaal, showcasing his unmatched virtuosity, poetic timing, and vivid storytelling through a program of Scriabin, Ravel, and Schumann’s Waldszenen. His commanding yet painless technique shines in Liszt’s Dante Sonata, maintaining structural clarity amid fiery intensity, while his Ravel waltzes balance warmth and neoclassical bite, rivaling Casadesus’ classic reading. Volodos’ Scriabin interpretations, from the sensuous Danse languide to the cataclysmic Seventh Sonata, outshine even Hamelin and Pletnev with their incense-laden edge. In Waldszenen, his narrative genius crafts rapt wonder in “Einsame blumen” and poignant restraint in “Abschied,” matching the artistry of Richter and Pires. Encores, including a restrained Bach/Vivaldi Sicilienne and a glorious Tchaikovsky song transcription, are sublime, with Sony’s engineering capturing every nuance of Volodos’ velvety yet steely sound in the live acoustics, making this a pinnacle of piano artistry.

(more…)

1 min read

Arcadi Volodos, Berliner Philharmoniker, Seiji Ozawa – Works by Tchaikovsky & Rachmaninoff (2003) [SACD / Sony Classical – SH 93067]

Arcadi Volodos, Berliner Philharmoniker, Seiji Ozawa - Works by Tchaikovsky & Rachmaninoff (2003)

Title: Arcadi Volodos, Berliner Philharmoniker, Seiji Ozawa – Works by Tchaikovsky & Rachmaninoff (2003)
Genre: Classical
Format: MCH SACD ISO + DSF DSD64 + Hi-Res FLAC

Arcadi Volodos delivers a strikingly revisionist 2003 recording of Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No. 1 in B flat minor, Op. 23, with the Berlin Philharmonic under Seiji Ozawa, eschewing the expected high-powered romanticism for a delicate, crystal-clear interpretation that emphasizes emotional depth in quiet moments and subtle tempo variations, aligning with the lighter pianos of Tchaikovsky’s era. Known for his virtuosic Liszt performances and complex transcriptions, Volodos avoids bombast, navigating technical challenges with effortless clarity and breathing new life into the concerto’s modulations and arcs. The album’s seven Rachmaninov encores showcase his formidable technique with a fuller, more expansive fragrance, displaying a lightness and finesse that complement the concerto’s restrained approach. Sony’s exceptional engineering in the Berlin Philharmonie captures every detail of Volodos’ passagework, making this a highly recommended recording for those seeking a fresh take on this iconic concerto.

(more…)

1 min read

Arabella Steinbacher & Robert Kulek – Cesar Franck & Richard Strauss (2014) [SACD / PentaTone – PTC 5186 470]

Arabella Steinbacher & Robert Kulek - Cesar Franck & Richard Strauss (2014)

Title: Arabella Steinbacher & Robert Kulek – Cesar Franck & Richard Strauss (2014)
Genre: Classical
Format: MCH SACD ISO + Hi-Res FLAC

Violinist Arabella Steinbacher and pianist Robert Kulek continue their great collaboration with a new PENTATONE release, the recording of Cesar Franck’s Sonata for Piano and Violin in A, which joins Richard Strauss’ Sonata for Violin and Piano in E-flat, Op. 18. While Franck’s violin sonata is epic in character, Strauss’ work is full of jovial energy, hope and anticipation. This fusion of elements brilliantly demonstrates the synergy between Steinbacher and Kulek, something we have witnessed during their recital performances over the past few years.

(more…)

1 min read

Aphrodite’s Child – 666 (1972) [Japanese SHM-SACD 2014] [SACD / Vertigo / Universal (Japan) – UIGY-9561]

Aphrodite’s Child - 666 (1972) [Japanese SHM-SACD 2014]

Title: Aphrodite’s Child – 666 (1972) [Japanese SHM-SACD 2014]
Genre: Rock
Format: SACD ISO + Hi-Res FLAC

666 (The Apocalypse of John, 13/18) is a double album by psychedelic/progressive art rock group Aphrodite’s Child. It was released in 1972, and was the primary vehicle/effort for the Vangelis project. It had a minor Album Oriented Radio hit in “The Four Horsemen”, and the song “Break” was also released. The album was ostensibly an adaptation of Biblical passages from the book of the same name, but was also very experimental in lyrics and composition.
An amazingly bombastic concept album about the Apocalypse of St. John seen as a rock spectacle. Demis Roussos wails the lyrics in a frantically operatic falsetto, while the band pound fiercely through Vangelis’ furiously complex music. It certainly has its moments, but the entire set eventually becomes too overwhelming to sit through.

(more…)

1 min read