Cuarteto Latinoamericano – Chapí: String Quartets Nos. 3 & 4 (2022)
DSD64 (.dsf) 1 bit/5,6 MHz | Time – 01:13:04 minutes | 2,88 GB
FLAC (tracks) 24-bit/192 kHz | Time – 01:13:04 minutes | 2,45 GB
Studio Master, Official Digital Download | Artwork: Digital booklet
Saúl Bitran writes of the present release: “Ruperto Chapí’s String Quartet No. 3 could well be subtitled Tragic Quartet. Here’s a work of a stormy nature, containing atmospheres of drama, anguish and loneliness. Out of the four quartets written by the composer, this is perhaps the one which has the least Spanish features… String Quartet No. 4, in B minor, was premiered by the Cuarteto Francés on February 22nd, 1907, and was dedicated by the composer to “my very dear friend and disciple Manuel Manrique de Lara”. On that evening’s printed program it was mentioned that “Chapí continues with the aesthetic tendency shown on his previous quartets. Without resorting to specific popular forms, the composer manages to give his work a genuinely national character, picturesque and free, dressing his own thoughts with rhythms and procedures of natural and traditional harmonies. The form matches, in general terms, that of a traditional string quartet but, within it, the composer is able to transit with absolute independence, and to present the thematic elements according to his own phantasy and to the whims of his personal temperament.”
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Marc van Roon Trio – Quantum Stories (2013)
DSF Stereo DSD128/5.64 MHz | Time – 01:01:21 minutes | 4,8 GB | Genre: Classical
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download – Source: spiritofturtle.com | Front Cover | © Challenge Records
This album is inspired by the stories that create meaning in our lives. The stories we passionately co-construct that enable us to find our pathways through the excitingly swampy and complex wetlands of our reality, the stories that transform and represent our life experiences.
This trio explores the rich world and art of improvisation in many forms. The kind of transformative improvisation that allows us to shape stories together. Each improvisation, in itself, acts as an U-shaped hero’s journey, responding to the creative call to action, embarking on the adventure, crossing the threshold from the known to the unknown, passing the point of no return, dealing with artistic challenges, climbing the road back up, returning with the elixir, transformed and enriched.
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The Not-So-Classical Chamber Ensemble – Classical Expressions (2013)
DSD128 (.dff) 1 bit/5,64 MHz | Time – 33:25 minutes | 2,76 GB | Genre: Classical
Official Digital Download – Source: HighDefTapeTransfers.com | Digital booklet
The pieces on this recording are performed on a wide variety of instruments. There is a piece for solo harp (Whirlwind), pieces for cello and harp; cello and accordian; two guitars; cello, harp, accordian and piano; through those including the entire ensemble of cello, harp, accordian, two guitars, piano, marimba, string bass, and percussion. Except as noted, the compositions were arranged or transcribed by Richard Amoroso to take advantage of the many instrumental colors available within the group.
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Christie Winn – C’est Magnifique (2011)
DSD64 (.dff) 1 bit/2,82 MHz | Time – 39:30 minutes | 1,55 GB
FLAC (tracks) 24-bit/88,2 kHz | Time – 39:30 minutes | 791 MB
Genre: Jazz | Studio Masters, Official Digital Download | Front Cover | © OTR Studios
Minimalist arrangements and smoky vocals convey the raw and deep emotion of jazz standards from around the world. Christie Winn’s voice wraps itself around you like bear hug and carries you along for the ride on “C’est Magnifique”. A pure professional as a vocalist, Winn is on every moment of the album, selling each song as if she’s lived it, and knocking out each note with a level of technical proficiency and artistic grace that is a cut above the pack. Winn’s interpretations are generally right on the mark, elevating song craft at times to the sublime. “C’est Magnifique” truly is.
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Christian Grøvlen – Eventyr (2021)
DSD128 (.dsf) 1 bit/5,64 MHz | Time – 01:25:08 minutes | 6,72 GB
FLAC (tracks) 24-bit/176,4 kHz | Time – 01:25:08 minutes | 2,06 GB
Studio Master, Official Digital Download | Artwork: Digital booklet | © 2L
This album is entitled “Eventyr” — a Norwegian word that conjures up fairy tales, stories of adventure and stories of fantasy. The tales and stories on this album are wild, beautiful, full of sorrow and of joy, and full of magic and love. Adventure stories inspire us and allow us to escape into the world of fantasy — and they bring us together.
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Christian Grøvlen – BACH – Inside Polyphony (2016)
DSD256 (.dsf) 1 bit/11,2 MHz MHz | Time – 01:17:45 minutes | 12,2 GB
or FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/96 kHz | Time – 01:17:45 minutes | 826 MB
Studio Master, Official Digital Download | Digital Bookelt, Front Cover | Genre: Classical | © 2L
Recorded in Sofienberg Church, Norway, November 2016 by Lindberg Lyd AS
In this project “Bach – Inside Polyphony” Christian Grøvlen approach the composers rich and moving world from the inside, not only spiritually, but also in pure sound. He set out to color each voice intimately and through the recording process to come as close to the polyphony as possible. With this work he has opened new doors towards the communicative power of the music itself, the understanding of his own piano playing and aspects of his artistry and personality. All in order to present this magnificent music as clearly and honestly as possible for the listener to take part in.
“This project has taught me many things – most importantly, to listen. The smallest detail becomes amplified through the microphones. Recording Bach has brought me a new understanding of my playing, of the music and of the pianistic realm. It was not so much a feeling of reaching a goal, as of being given a brand-new starting point, and a greater horizon. Bach is generous, perhaps more so than most composers. Everything is there, each note carries a specific meaning within a complete whole – all we have to do is play, and listen. To do that, to play and to listen, is the very essence of our art and the most difficult thing to achieve. For me, working on this felt like a return and a departure at the same time – a complete circle, as if I were finally saying what I had always thought. I am very grateful for the experience, and I hope the result can bring joy to others as well.”
– Christian Grøvlen, piano
Claudio Chiara and Emanuele Cisi – People Time (2020) [Japan 2021]
SACD Rip | SACD ISO | DSD64 2.0 > 1-bit/2.8224 MHz | 53:40 minutes | Front/Rear Covers | 2,16 GB
or DSD64 Stereo (from SACD-ISO to Tracks.dsf) > 1-bit/2.8224 MHz | Front/Rear Covers | 2,12 GB
or FLAC (carefully converted & encoded to tracks) 24bit/88,2 kHz | Front/Rear Covers | 1,08 GB
A beautiful and thrilling Italian jazz ballad session by alto saxophone player Claudio Chiara and tenor saxophone player Emanuele Sisi. A quartet and quintet performance with the two frontmen Claudio Chiara and Emanuele Sissi, plus the piano trio of Massimo Faraò/Nicola Barbon/Bobo Facchinetti. Recorded in February 2020 in Turin, Italy.
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Claire Martin & Richard Rodney Bennett – Witchcraft (2011)
PS3 Rip | SACD ISO | DST64 2.0 & 5.1 > 1-bit/2.8224 MHz | 42:55 minutes | Front/Rear Covers | 2,41 GB
or DSD64 2.0 Stereo (from SACD-ISO to Tracks.dsf) > 1-bit/2.8224 MHz | Front/Rear Covers | 1,69 GB
or FLAC Stereo (carefully converted & encoded to tracks) 24bit/96 kHz | Front/Rear Covers | 884 MB
Features Stereo and Multichannel Surround Sound | Linn Records # AKD 359
Since their first meeting in Glasgow in the early 1990s, singer Claire Martin and composer/pianist Richard Rodney Bennett have been what Martin calls ‘firm friends’, their relationship cemented by a common interest in the subtleties of songwriting and jazz singing. Witchcraft is the result of their dynamic collaboration. On this album, they perform as a (delightfully informal but consistently musicianly) duo, her intimate, deceptively unfussy vocal style perfectly complemented by his flawlessly eloquent piano. Their material is all mined from the Cy Coleman songbook.
Together, this collection weaves together the opposing talents of the sultry jazz sensation Claire Martin and the polished, savvy keyboard skills and compositional insight of Richard Rodney Bennett. Martin’s strength as one of the best interpreters of the Great American Songbook shines through in this recording. The smoky elegance of her vocal sculpts itself around the smooth flowing textures of the piano accompaniment and the occasional vocal repartee of Bennett. The result of this established partnership is mesmerising music that takes you back to a wonderful and simpler time of yesteryear.
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Chris Whitley – Perfect Day (2000) [Reissue 2001]
PS3 Rip | SACD ISO | DSD64 2.0 > 1-bit/2.8224 MHz | 38:52 minutes | Scans included | 1,57 GB
or DSD64 2.0 (from SACD-ISO to Tracks.dsf) > 1-bit/2.8224 MHz | Full Scans included | 1,54 GB
or FLAC (carefully converted & encoded to tracks) 24bit/96kHz | Full Scans included | 811 MB
Chris Whitley was a Texas-based singer/songwriter who initially began his career as a bluesy roots rocker, but as his career progressed, he moved deeper into rock & roll and alternative rock. Though Whitley’s albums usually received positive reviews, they rarely sold, and his tendency to rework his sound prevented him from developing a sizable cult following among singer/songwriter fans.
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Chris Gestrin – Stillpoint (2002)
SACD Rip | SACD ISO | DST64 2.0 & 5.0 > 1-bit/2.8224 MHz | 76:08 minutes | Front/Rear Covers | 3,97 GB
or DSD64 Stereo (from SACD-ISO to Tracks.dsf) > 1-bit/2.8224 MHz | Front/Rear Covers | 2,82 GB
or FLAC 2.0 (carefully converted & encoded to tracks) 24bit/96 kHz | Front/Rear Covers | 1,4 GB
Features Stereo and Multichannel Surround Sound | Songlines Recordings # SGL SA1540-2
Vancouver pianist and composer Chris Gestrin has drawn comparisons to Bill Evans and Keith Jarrett, if either of those masters were young today and equally at home with the acoustic and the electronic, jazz and ambient. Gestrin’s handpicked versatile quintet, featuring trumpeter Brad Turner, creates rich images in sound. From a tender solo piano improvisation to swirling group inventions, a narrative of almost cinematic sweep unfolds. Gestrin’s compositions range across jazz, experimental music, new age and world music for their ideas, but this is not “fusion” in any ordinary sense; there is too much originality and panache for that. The multi-channel remix opens on an imaginary environment that connoisseurs of surround sound, whether jazz fans or not, will surely appreciate.
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Chris Gestrin – After The City Has Gone: Quiet (2007)
SACD Rip | 2x SACD ISO | DST64 2.0 & 5.0 > 1-bit/2.8224 MHz | 120:13 min | Front/Rear Covers | 5,93 GB
or DSD64 Stereo (from SACD-ISO to Tracks.dsf) > 1-bit/2.8224 MHz | Front/Rear Covers | 4,74 GB
or FLAC 2.0 (carefully converted & encoded to tracks) 24bit/96 kHz | Front/Rear Covers | 2,4 GB
DSD Recording | Features Stereo and Multichannel Surround Sound | Songlines Recordings # SGL SA1568-2
In the summer of 2004 Vancouver keyboardist Chris Gestrin spent three intense days in the studio on a Steinway D, recording in high resolution DSD with nine different duo and trio groupings of musicians from Vancouver’s vibrant music scene. Apart from a handful of compositions including a few solo piano pieces, all the music was completely improvised, exploring the process of spontaneous composition with concentration, finesse and expressive power. In the exposed settings on this 2007 release, success depended on sustaining the inspiration of the moment.
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Chet Baker – She Was Too Good to Me (1974/2013)
DSF Stereo DSD64/2.82MHz | Time – 36:12 minutes | 1,43 GB | Genre: Jazz
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download – Source: e-Onkyo | Front Cover | © CTI Records
Chet Baker was one of the most important representatives of the West Coast Cool Jazz movement. His heroin addiction is well documented with his exploits and misadventures wrapped in legendary anecdotes, but thankfully his life story never managed to overshadow his unmistakable talent. Chet Baker has one of the most recognisable sounds of all the jazz musicians in the cannon; his trumpet playing is intimate, simple and delicate with a hint of melancholy that tears at the heartstrings.
She Was Too Good To Me was released in 1974 on Creed Taylor’s CTI label after a 4 year absence from the scene. And what a comeback: excellent vocal Cool Jazz tunes are interlude with instrumental goodness from the undisputed master of the trumpet.
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Chet Baker – Early Chet: Lost Tapes (2013/2018)
DSD128 (.dsf) 1 bit/5,6 MHz | Time – 35:34 minutes | 2,81 GB
FLAC (tracks) 24-bit/88,2 kHz | Time – 35:34 minutes | 609 MB
Studio Master, Official Digital Download | Source: HDTracks | Booklet, Front Cover | Genre: Jazz | ©2xHD
“Early Chet” compiles tracks jazz trumpeter Chet Baker recorded while on tour in the mid- and late ’50s. These tracks were made at the height of Baker’s popularity and showcase him in fine form throughout. Featured here are several (rare for Baker) big-band numbers, as well as two superb duets with Italian vocalist/guitarist Caterina Valente, “I Remember April” and “Everytime We Say Goodbye”.
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Charles West, Susan Grace – Treasures for Clarinet & Piano (2015)
DSD64 2.0 | 1-bit/2.8224 MHz | Time: 00:53:14 | 2.1 GB
or 24-bit/96 kHz | Flac(Tracks) | Time: 00:53:14 | 742 Mb
Official Digital Download | Genre: Classical | Label: Wilson Audiophile Recordings
Recorded at Lucas Film Studios, USA, 1991
The four short French works, Canzonetta, Petite Piece, Fille aux chevaux de lin, and Piece en forme de habanera have more in common than their brevity. All three composers studied at the Paris Conservatory at very young ages—Debussy and Pierne entering at ten and eight, and Ravel at the advanced age of fourteen. Debussy and Pierne were born within a year of each other in 1862 and 1863, and Pierne and Ravel died in 1937. Debussy’s Petite Piece was composed in 1910 at a time when he was involved in numerous conducting engagements: that year in Paris, Vienna, and Budapest, and the following year in Turin. This short work was used as a sightreading piece for the Conservatory’s annual concours, just as his more famous Premiere Rhapsodie has several times been the required prepared piece. Dating from the same year was Debussy’s first book of twelve preludes for piano, in which Fille aux chevaux de lin (Maid with the Flaxen Hair) is found. The transcription of this work is by Conservatory professor Gaston Hamelin, who knew Debussy and who has also contributed excellent didactic works to the clarinet’s literature.
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Charles Lloyd – Manhattan Stories (2014/2017)
DSD128 (.dsf) 1 bit/5,6 MHz | Time – 42:36 minutes | 3,36 GB
FLAC (tracks) 24-bit/88,2 kHz | Time – 42:36 minutes | 742 MB
Studio Master, Official Digital Download | Source: HDTracks | Digital booklet | Genre: Jazz | © 2xHD
Charles Lloyd’s status as one of the iconic figures of jazz has been thoroughly established for nearly five decades. His recordings from the ‘60s – especially releases such as Of Course, Of Course, Dream Weaver and Forest Flower – introduced a stunning, new jazz saxophone talent at a time when new ideas were rapidly being triggered by the likes of John Coltrane, Ornette Coleman, and Eric Dolphy. But Lloyd had a voice of his own, one that blended rich, contemplative improvising with an irresistible flow of dynamic rhythms. No wonder Down Beat selected Lloyd as Jazz Artist of the Year in 1967.
This live 1965 recording from New York’s Judson Hall features Lloyd with his previously unreleased quartet of Gábor Szabó, Ron Carter, & Pete La Roca.
This is a must have for Charles Lloyd fans, jazz collectors & audiophiles.
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