Alan Parsons Project – Eye in the Sky – MOFI SACD
Mastered From The Original Master Tapes: Sacd Presents The Music's Hallmark Smoothness, Lushness, And Detail In Reference Sound
The opening track to the Alan Parsons Project's Eye in the Sky remains the most recognized instrumental in sports – fanfare inseparably tied with introducing NBA legend Michael Jordan and his six-time world-champion Chicago Bulls mates before games, and still used by many teams as an energy-raising prelude. Indeed, the subdued grandiosity, cosmic bluster, and lights-out wonder of "Sirius" also sets the table for the band's smash 1982 album, whose hallmark smoothness, lushness, and balance reach epic heights on Mobile Fidelity's reissue.
Ben Webster – At the Renaissance – Concord Records 180g Vinyl
Billie Holiday – All Or Nothing At All – Analogue Productions – 2 x 180g 45RPM Mono Vinyl
Mastered by George Marino at Sterling Sound
“…the third (Billie Holiday album) to receive the two-disc 45 RPM treatment by Analogue Productions. … Billie sounds like she’s at the microphone in your living room. The instruments are spread out between the speakers and there is plenty of depth. A pristine original has a bit more pronounced vocal sibilance and air, and this reissue smooths that out a bit. That aside, this is a fabulous reissue of essential music. Highest recommendation.” — Recording = 9.5/10; Music = 10/10 — Dennis D. Davis, Hi-Fi +, Issue 95
Charles Mingus – The Clown (Mono) – Analogue Productions Atlantic 75 Series 45 rpm 180g Vinyl
IN STOCK NOW!
The Clown was Charles Mingus' second masterpiece in a row, featuring Jean Shepard (yes, that Jean Shepard from the holiday movie A Christmas Story) on the title tune narrating a story about a clown attempting to please the world with his performances. The Clown also introduced two of Mingus' finest compositions in the driving, determined "Haitian Fight Song" and the '40s-flavored "Reincarnation of a Lovebird," a peaceful but melancholy tribute to Charlie Parker; Mingus would return to both throughout his career.
Duke Ellington & Johnny Hodges – Back to Back – Analogue Productions 45RPM 200g 2LP
Several times in his career star alto-saxophone soloist Johnny Hodges struck out on his own, only to return each time to Duke Ellington’s band. There seemed to be a constant tension between them, though it was old hat by the time of this recording. In the enclosed notes, critic Michael Ullman examines this complex relationship, suggesting that the blues classics chosen for this program may have been neutral ground. A place where Ellington’s unique piano playing could come to the fore and Hodges’ irrepressible sensuality could have free rein. This is one of the very best small-group records Ellington ever made — a relaxed, perfectly integrated set of music that truly swings the blues.
Hard Bop ART BLAKEY’S JAZZ MESSENGERS Impex Records
Some of the greatest jazz musicians of all time have passed through Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers: Horace Silver, Hank Mobley, Kenny Dorham, Wayne Shorter, and Donald Byrd, among many others.
However brief their stay, working with the demanding and full-throttle drummer not only increased their visibility, but also their chops and interprative capacity. Blakey’s ability to drum up the best players in the game may have even eclipsed his superhuman ability to play drums.
J.Geils Band – The Morning After – 180g Mofi Vinyl
John Coltrane – Coltrane Jazz – Analogue Productions (Atlantic 75 Series) 180g Vinyl
The first album to hit the shelves after Giant Steps, Coltrane Jazz was recorded in November and December 1959, although one of the eight tracks ("Villiage Blues") was recorded in late 1960. On everything save the aforementioned "Village Blues," Coltrane used the Miles Davis rhythm section of pianist Wynton Kelly, bassist Paul Chambers, and drummer Jimmy Cobb
AllMusic describes Coltrane Jazz as the saxophone legend's preparation for his launch into his peak years of the 1960s. There are three standards aboard, but the group reaches their peak on Coltrane's original material, particularly "Harmonique" with its melodic leaps and upper-register saxophone strains and the winding, slightly Eastern-flavored principal riffs of "Like Sonny," dedicated to Sonny Rollins. The moody "Village Blues" features the lineup of McCoy Tyner on piano, Elvin Jones on drums, and Steve Davis on bass; with the substitution of Jimmy Garrison on bass, that personnel would play on Coltrane's most influential and beloved 1960s albums.
Lou Reed – Berlin -Mofi SACD
An Intense Journey Into Toxic Relationships Balanced With Gorgeous Arrangements And Dark Humor: Lou Reed’s Conceptual Berlin Features A-List Cast And Bob Ezrin Production
Sourced from the Original Master Tapes and Strictly Limited to 2,000 Numbered Copies: Mobile Fidelity’s Hybrid SACD Presents the Singer-Songwriter’s 1973 Album in Audiophile Quality
Like the records he made with his first band, Berlin finds Lou Reed decades ahead of the times.Though dismissed upon its original release in 1973, the former Velvet Underground member’s third solo effort ultimately landed on Rolling Stone’s 500 Greatest Albums of All Time and remains one of his most lauded works.
Miles Davis – Birth Of The Blue – Analogue Productions Hybrid Stereo SACD
Miles Davis’s Kind of Blue was the number-one jazz album in history. It totaled five songs. There are four more songs from that same historic group, recorded in the same time period and at the same studio. And here they are. These songs deserve to stand on their own with artwork to highlight the quality of the music and that matches the time period of the recording. This is a rare opportunity to have a smash follow-up to what many consider the greatest jazz record ever!
Miles Davis – Sorcerer – MOFI 180g 33RPM SuperVinyl LP
The Third Of Five Albums From Miles Davis’ Second Great Quintet: Mood, Inflection, Nuance, And Expressionism Take Center Stage On Sorcerer
Sourced from the Original Master Tapes and Pressed at Fidelity Record Pressing on MoFi SuperVinyl: Mobile Fidelity 180g 33RPM SuperVinyl LP Plays with Reference Dynamics, Transparency, and Presence 1/4″ / 15 IPS analog master to DSD 256 to analog console to lathe Filled with aural magic and enchanting musical spells, Sorcerer is true to its name. The third of five albums by Miles Davis’ legendary Second Great Quintet — and the second record in a still-unprecedented string of eight consecutive releases within a four-year period that forever changed the face of jazz — the 1967 effort mesmerizes with instrumental colors, subdued musings, and subtle details. These crucial characteristics blossom with vibrant realism on Mobile Fidelity’s 180g 33RPM SuperVinyl LP.
Rahsaan Roland Kirk: Blacknuss
From its opening bars, with Bill Salter’s bass and Rahsaan’s flute passionately playing Bill Withers’ “Ain’t No Sunshine”, you know this isn’t an ordinary Kirk album (were any of them?). As the string section, electric piano, percussion, and Cornel Dupree’s guitar slip in the back door, one can feel the deep soul groove Kirk is bringing to the jazz fore here.
