Champian Fulton Trio – I’ll See You In My Dreams (2021) [SACD / Venus Records – VHGD-372]

Champian Fulton Trio - I'll See You In My Dreams (2021)

Title: Champian Fulton Trio – I’ll See You In My Dreams (2021)
Genre: Jazz
Format: SACD ISO + DSF DSD64 + Hi-Res FLAC

Called “the most gifted pure jazz singer of her generation,” Champian Fulton has become a world-class jazz pianist and vocalist with international acclaim. This young woman born in Oklahoma captivates audiences in New York’s finest jazz rooms and in concert halls around the world. For this release she performs as part of a trio with drummer Kristian Leth and bassist Hans Backenroth.

Somewhere over the Atlantic, en route to a two week tour of Scandinavia, Champian Fulton received news that Sweden was closing its borders and going into lockdown, drastically changing her plans. With some unexpected time on their hands, Champian and her Scandinavian Trio (Kristian Leth on drums and Hans Backenroth on bass) took their new tour-ready repertoire and headed into the studio. The resulting album, “I’ll See You in My Dreams” (Venus Record) showcases the trio with instrumental numbers such as the title track, Horace Silver’s “Opus De Funk” and Champian’s original composition “Happy Camper.” Standout vocals include the unearthed gem “Every Now and Then” and the swinging Ahmad Jamal-esque arrangement of “I Don’t Want to Set the World on Fire”.

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2 min read

Chor und Orchester der Staatsoper Berlin, Franz Konwitschny – Wagner: Tannhäuser (1960/2021) [SACD / Tower Records Definition Serie – TDSA-187/9]

Chor und Orchester der Staatsoper Berlin, Franz Konwitschny - Wagner: Tannhäuser (1960/2021)

Title: Chor und Orchester der Staatsoper Berlin, Franz Konwitschny – Wagner: Tannhäuser (1960/2021)
Genre: Classical
Format: SACD ISO

Among the many Tannhäuser recordings, this stands out as one of Konwitschny’s most compelling opera recordings, now available for the first time worldwide on SACD! The astonishing 1960 recording is remastered in the finest sound quality. Includes new liner notes and bilingual translations. Newly remastered from the original analog master tapes in the UK using the latest technology. Limited edition of 800 sets with serial numbers. This legendary 1960 recording, featuring a stellar cast, has been magnificently revived. Among Convitchny’s relatively few stereo opera recordings, this EMI label Tannhäuser—highly regarded alongside his contemporaneous “Flying Dutchman”—is not merely nostalgic for the good old days of German opera, but stands as an eternal masterpiece. The original master tapes have remained in excellent condition to this day, delivering astonishingly clear sound quality that feels like a contemporary recording. This is an outstanding album in both performance and recording. It utilizes a master digitally converted at 192kHz/24bit from the original analog master tapes in Germany, with separate mastering for the SACD layer and CD layer. Includes new liner notes and bilingual libretto. A permanent preservation edition. Limited to 800 sets with serial number stickers. Franz Konwitschny’s (1901-62) recordings saw numerous stereo sources from the Berlin Classics original discs reissued in 2020. This high-fidelity restoration has brought into sharp focus his previously overlooked, exceptional musicality and qualities. The revival of his meticulously detailed conducting, preserved on the master tapes, owes much to this improved sound quality. While the number of recordings is limited due to the early stereo era, each surviving disc is a true gem. Among his scarce opera recordings, this “Tannhäuser” stands alongside his “Flying Dutchman” from the same period as highly acclaimed, featuring a cast whose strength remains astonishing even today. Moreover, the freshness of the sound quality in this reissue, including the singing, is astonishing—it’s hard to believe these recordings are over 60 years old. If subjected to a blind test, some might mistake them for recent recordings. Previous CD releases suffered from a hazy resolution that failed to fully convey their true value. I urge you to pay close attention to the vivid, revitalized music in this reissue, as if the fog has lifted. This is largely due to the excellent condition of the master tapes.

This time, we performed the latest mastering using a flat master created by digitizing the original 2-channel analog master tape from our home country at 192kHz/24bit. The master exhibited a well-balanced overall sound with minimal aging effects. Therefore, we prioritized preserving the original balance and focused on mastering from a musical perspective. This approach enhances the sense of distance and depth between instruments, improving spatial imaging. The result is a stress-free listening experience where you can fully enjoy the finest performances. Additionally, the booklet features new liner notes by Daisuke Hirose. For this series, the SACD layer aims for extended highs, soft nuances, high resolution, and a rich soundstage, while the CD layer strives for a cohesive, solid sound with a tangible, present-to-the-touch tonal quality. The CD itself possesses high potential; indeed, we encourage you to enjoy it as an SACD hybrid disc that lets you savor the best of both worlds. This 35th installment of the Definition Series will release a total of two titles.

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3 min read

Sviatoslav Richter – Chopin: Ballades, Etudes, Nocturnes, Polonaise-Fantasie (2012) [SACD / Praga Digitals – PRD/DSD 350 062]

Sviatoslav Richter - Chopin: Ballades, Etudes, Nocturnes, Polonaise-Fantasie (2012)

Title: Sviatoslav Richter – Chopin: Ballades, Etudes, Nocturnes, Polonaise-Fantasie (2012)
Genre: Classical
Format: SACD ISO

‘Chopin’s workswere a trigger. I was totally moved listening to my father playing the Notturno No.5 and I choose music for life [and not painting]‘. As early as 1948 Richter recorded a Polonaise Op.25 no.1, and in 1950 the Ballade No.2 Op.38, fewStudies . . . Avowed enemy of integrals the present programme is a fabulous example of his choices, excluding tha famous Funeral Sonata ,Walzes, First Piano Concerto . . ., leaving these to Gilels‘far better than him’his point of view!

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1 min read

Samson François – Chopin: 4 Ballades, 4 Scherzos (1954-1955/2011) [SACD / EMI (Japan) – TOGE-12025]

Samson François - Chopin: 4 Ballades, 4 Scherzos (1954-1955/2011)

Title: Samson François – Chopin: 4 Ballades, 4 Scherzos (1954-1955/2011)
Genre: Classical
Format: SACD ISO

Francois unfolds a world of Chopin filled with inspiration unique to him. With his genius flashes of insight and fantasy, the beautiful yet ephemeral world of Chopin is expressed with poetic richness. This is one of Francois’ dream-filled works from his youth. EMI Music Japan

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1 min read

Celine Dion – All the Way: A Decade of Song (1999) [Reissue 2001] [SACD / Epic – BS 63760]

Celine Dion - All The Way… A Decade Of Song (1999) [Reissue 2001]

Title: Celine Dion – All The Way… A Decade Of Song (1999) [Reissue 2001]
Genre: Pop
Format: MCH SACD ISO + Hi-Res FLAC

There aren’t a lot of greatest-hits albums with seven new songs, which is exactly what All the Way: A Decade of Song is. There are just nine hits on this hits collection, and of those, only a handful — “If You Asked Me To,” “Beauty and the Beast,” “The Power of Love,” “Because You Loved Me,” “It’s All Coming Back to Me Now,” and “My Heart Will Go On” — were huge hits in the U.S. Her first American hit, “Where Does My Heart Beat Now,” isn’t here, nor is her duet with Barbra Streisand, “Tell Him.” Naturally, this means it’s not a definitive collection, but rather an unsatisfying album that feels suspiciously like a piece of product. The best of the hits, like the Meat Loaf-ian epic “It’s All Coming Back to Me Now” and “My Heart Will Go On,” are certainly among the best adult contemporary songs of the decade, and the new stuff would pale in comparison, even if it was very good — which, by and large, it is not. Two numbers, the danceable “That’s the Way it Is” and the pretty ballad “If Walls Could Talk,” work, but the cover of “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face” falls flat and “All the Way,” complete with old vocals from Sinatra, is a disaster. The remaining three aren’t bad, but they’re not particularly memorable, especially compared to the hits. And that’s the problem with All the Way — if it had been a straight hits collection, with “That’s the Way it Is” and “If Walls Could Talk” added to the end, it would have been fine, but padding it with nearly a full album worth of new material hurts it.

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2 min read

Celine Dion – Falling Into You (1996) [Reissue 2015] [SACD / Columbia – 88875164562]

Celine Dion - Falling Into You (1996) [Reissue 2015]

Title: Celine Dion – Falling Into You (1996) [Reissue 2015]
Genre: Pop
Format: SACD ISO + Hi-Res FLAC

Celine Dion’s Falling into You returned the Canadian vocalist to the top of the American charts, and for good reason. Although the album is formulaic, it’s a well-executed, stylish, and catchy formula, accentuating her natural vocal charm. Dion shines on ballads like “Because You Love Me” and mock epics like Jim Steinman’s “It’s All Coming Back to Me Now.” Between those two peaks, she tackles dance-pop and love songs with grace; that effortless elegance saves the mediocre material on the album from being tedious. Though there are a couple of weak tracks, Falling into You is a remarkably well-crafted set of adult contemporary pop and Dion’s best album.

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1 min read

Cedar Walton Trio – Song Of Delilah (2010) [Japan 2016] [SACD / Venus Records – VHCD-177]

Cedar Walton Trio - Song Of Delilah (2010) [Japan 2016]

Title: Cedar Walton Trio – Song Of Delilah (2010) [Japan 2016]
Genre: Jazz
Format: SACD ISO + Hi-Res FLAC

During his long career, Cedar Walton has been one of hard bop’s most lyrical pianists. His funky touch and cogent melodic sense graced the recordings of many of jazz’s greatest players. He was also one of the music’s more underrated composers; although he was always a first-rate interpreter of standards, Walton wrote a number of excellent tunes (“Mosaic,” “Ugetsu,” and “Bolivia,” to name a few) that found their way into Art Blakey’s book during the pianist’s early-’60s stint with the Jazz Messengers. On this album, Walton and his musician friends Buster Williams and Willie Jones II, have compiled an album of songs dedicated to the works of American composer Victor Young.

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1 min read

Creedence Clearwater Revival – Mardi Gras (1972) [SACD 2003] [SACD / Analogue Productions – CAPP 9404 SA]

Creedence Clearwater Revival - Mardi Gras (1972) [SACD 2003]

Title: Creedence Clearwater Revival – Mardi Gras (1972) [SACD 2003]
Genre: Rock
Format: SACD ISO + Hi-Res FLAC

Mardi Gras is the final album by Creedence Clearwater Revival. Recorded in the spring of 1971 and January of 1972, the album was released on April 11, 1972. The group disbanded after the album was released. By the time the album was recorded, Tom Fogerty had left the group due to disputes over his desire to play a more creative role in writing material. Mardi Gras featured songs written and performed by the remaining three members of CCR; Doug Clifford and Stu Cook each wrote and sang the lead vocals on three songs. This was a departure from CCR’s previous albums, for which John Fogerty had written and sung lead vocals on almost all songs.

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1 min read