(Below is the press release from UMe regarding the "Aja" release and subsequent Steely Dan reissues. While the second paragraph is forthcoming about the source—"analog non-EQ'd tape copy" (the master tape is MIA)— you have to get to paragraph four to read that the Geffen edition is from Grundman mastered high resolution digital files. While paragraph five lauds the UHQR edition it doesn't reference its "cut from tape" source).... Read More

If you want to talk about musicians who embodied the very best in quality, originality, versatility, craft, and sheer showbiz pizzazz, then you have to talk about Carl Davis, the great British composer and conductor, who just passed away at the age of 86.  Born and raised in America, Carl spent most of his life living and working in Britain, and there he was something of a national treasure on the music scene. Several of the TV shows he wrote music for were amongst the most popular of their time and are now acknowledged classics.  Equally at home conducting James Bond or unusual classical Pops repertoire, his greatest contribution was in the revival of interest in silent films.  Here I offer a personal appreciation and remembrance of a musician who resides in the pantheon of film composer greats, along with his American contemporaries John Williams, Jerry Goldsmith, and Elmer Bernstein.

Often, when a label has a tape out of the vault for a 33 1/3 rpm reissue, it uses the opportunity to also cut it at 45rpm, plate it, and hold onto it until a later 45rpm release. That's clearly the case here. Verve/Acoustic Sounds reissued A Love Supreme at 33 1/3 a few years ago cut by Ryan Smith from the master tape copy Rudy Van Gelder had sent to the U.K. shortly after the album was recorded. When the original tape was found to be plagued with drop outs, Van... Read More

Recently, Mark Ward and I joined "Original Source" producer Rainer Maillard, mastering engineer Sidney Meyer, DGG Heritage Director Johannes Gleim and Thomas Mowrey, former DGG producer and U.S. Marketing Director and "godfather" of the original quadrophonic recordings sourced for this series for a lively and very informative discussion about this exciting new project. Read More

Blue Note Records announces the next run of titles in the Classic Vinyl Reissue Series, presenting 180g all-analog vinyl reissues of some of the most iconic masterpieces of the Blue Note catalog by jazz legends including Art Blakey, Donald Byrd, Miles Davis, Wayne Shorter, Herbie Hancock, Sonny Rollins, and others. Don Was and Cem Kurosman curate, Kevin Gray masters directly from the original analog master tapes Optimal presses and the price is right! Newly announced... Read More

In our occasional series of unusual but noteworthy records, this 1975 collection of works specially written for the brilliant vocal sextet of the King's Singers - still going strong after over 50 years - remains one of their most adventurous outings. Captured in vintage EMI analogue sound, the works recorded cover a multitude of both traditional and more experimental vocal techniques by top composers of the era, all performed at the highest level. If you think "a cappella" singing begins with the Barden Bellas, prepare to be surprised by this time capsule of vocal virtuosity.

The less than enthusiastic review I gave to the UHQR reissue of Steely Dan's "Pretzel Logic" produced some nasty and totally unfair comments aimed not at me, but at Analogue Productions and Acoustic Sounds that I think need addressing now, not later. All of the UHQRs shown in the photo got great reviews on this site from me or from Fred Kaplan. Why? Because they elevated the sound of those recordings to above what either of us heard on any other... Read More

LOS ANGELES – To celebrate Rhino’s 45th Anniversary, the label iaunches Rhino Reds, a new series of limited-edition reissues pressed on custom “Rhino Red” vinyl. Over the next few months, Rhino will release classic albums and rarities from its vast music archive, showcasing records by key artists from the 60s, 70s, and 80s. Each complete reissue will feature a bonus 7-inch, both pressed on translucent “Rhino Red” vinyl, based on the PMS color used in Rhino’s logo.To... Read More

Here are notes on a selection from my favorite books on the history of recording technology, the history of the record business, and the interactions between recording technology, the record business, and the art of music. One example of what I mean by all that is, in the late 1920s, piezoelectric “crystal” microphones supplanted carbon microphones for radio broadcasting. Crystal microphones had a better signal-to-noise ratio than carbon microphones. Therefore, the... Read More

Montreal – July 26, 2023 – Focal Naim North America is excited to announce the addition of the highly reputable brand AVIDHIFI to its North America distribution network. With the incorporation of AVIDHIFI, Focal Naim North America adds a lineup of high-end turntables made in England to its current audio partners. “Focal Naim North America is proud to distribute AVIDHIFI with its exceptional build quality and outstanding sonic performance,” said Roman Vet, VP Marketing... Read More

When we listen, what are we really hearing? Are we transfixed on the mastering, the quality of the vinyl, the hardware we’re using? Or, perhaps we are merely listening to the sound and skill that the musicians are creating as a group? The truth is we’re listening to all of those things, but there is one element that we often tend to forget about and it reminds me of the old adage, if a tree falls in the woods - and there’s no one there to witness the event - does it... Read More

During the past decade, consumer demand for vinyl outpaced pressing capacity, resulting in delays of as much as 10 months. But that changed in the past year when existing players on both sides of the Atlantic dramatically expanded volume capabilities by adding machinery, and new plants became operational. Moderator Eric Astor, whose Furnace Record Pressing recently sold a majority ownership stake to Metallica, discusses the topic with pressing newcomer Connie Comeau, COO of The ADS Group/Copycats Media, and two indie label execs jazz specialist Zev Feldman, and Andrew Rossiter, of reissue label Org Music.

Michael had such a good time interviewing Peter at the Seattle Audio Fest, he got himself invited to the Koolance warehouse where he saw all of Peter's vintage and replica vintage audio gear along with a few new KLAUDiO products. Also interesting was seeing Peter's "real" business, which involves industrial water management and cooling systems. Mr. Cheon has 200+ products he's designed in his line, many of which are patented. This is a short,... Read More

July 21, 2023 (New York, NY) – Today marks the Verve Records/UMG release of You’ve Got To Learn, a previously-unreleased recording of Nina Simone’s performance at the 1966 Newport Jazz Festival. The album arrives as part of the “Happy Birthday Miss Simone” campaign, a year-long celebration of Simone’s 90th birthday. Listen to the album HERE. You’ve Got To Learn is a major find for Simone’s fans. The album includes Simone’s first-ever recording of “Music For Lovers”... Read More

Blue Note Records has announced The Francis Wolff Collection, a new series of limited-edition fine art photography collector’s pieces that celebrates the legacy of Blue Note co-founder and photographer Francis Wolff as well as the musicians he loved. The series launches today with a collection of one-of-a-kind pieces featuring Wolff’s iconic photographs of the legendary saxophonistJohn Coltrane at the 1957 recording session for his masterpiece Blue Train (BLP 1577).... Read More

[Updated November 2023] Kyoto is not only a microcosm of everything that those on the outside looking in love about Japan—vermilion torii gates x infinity, the pale pink petals of sakura trees, and occasional whiter-than-white geisha faces—it’s also home to a thriving underground live music scene, a friendly cottage recording industry of local labels and cassette-sharing, and a central mile or two filled with excellent record shops. Here are ten [now eleven] of my favorites, followed by the best of the rest.