Chesky Releases SACD by Rosa Passos and Ron Carter and Announces March SACDs

Chesky Records continues its Super Audio CD releases, which now are approaching 50 titles in total, with a new Surround Sound SACD edition of Entre Amigos by Rosa Passos and Ron Carter earlier this week. In addition to the new Entre Amigos SACD arriving on web sites and in music stores this week, Chesky also brought Carlos Franzetti’s Jazz Kamerata: Plays The Music of Miles Davis, Pat Metheny, Keith Jarrett, Clare Fischer, Eugenio Toussain, Claus Ogerman, Steve Kuhn, Bill Evans and Wayne Shorter SACD (Chesky SACD 287) to music stores this week.

High Fidelity Review readers will recall that the label gave CES attendees and audiophile web site buyers access to the Jazz Kamerata SACD in early January during the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. Finally, Chesky revealed its release plans for March which includes in store availability of 3 Chesky Surround Sound Super Audio CD titles.

Entre Amigos (Among Friends)
Rosa Passos & Ron Carter
SACD Surround Sound/SACD Stereo/CD Audio

(Chesky SACD 291)

Entre Amigos (Among Friends) is the latest in a series of SACD releases from Chesky Records artists such as Ana Caram and Marta Gomez that highlights Brazilian, Bossa Nova and South American music. In this release, Brazilian singer and guitarist Rosa Passos teams with famed jazz bass player Ron Carter and Brazilian Guitarist Luis Guilherme Farias Galvao (who carries the nickname “Lula”) for their interpretation of 11 Brazilian compositions. Included in the song list are 7 compositions by Antonio Carlos Jobim.

The album’s liner notes by Chip Stern describes the album by noting that “With its sense of intimacy, quiet fire and roots authenticity is part of what makes the music on Entre Amigos so special. One experiences this music as something overheard rather than listened to. With her fragile, breathy instrument, and walking on eggshells delivery, Rosa Passos is an utterly captivating vocalist. In her work, we gain a rare insight into the soul of a woman – and her people.”

Album Musicians
Rosa Passos – Vocals and Guitar
Ron Carter – Bass
Luis Guilherme Farias Galvao (Lula) – Guitar (All Solos)
Paulo Braga – Percussion
Billy Drewes – Tenor Sax & Clarinet

Album Selections
1. Bahia Com H
2. Insensatez
3. Desafinado
4. Sorriu Para Mim
5. A Primeira Vez
6. Garota de Ipanema
7. Por Causa de Voce
8. Caminhos Cruzados
9. Feitio de Oracao
10. Eu Sei Que Vou Te Amar
11. O Grande Amor

SACD Production and Sonics
The Entre Amigos SACD was produced by Cliff Korman and David Chesky and engineered by Barry Wolifson. SACD Editing and Mastering was done by Nicholas Prout with Lisa Marks serving as SACD Project Manager and Sven Philipp, Lisa Hershfield and Matt Epstein working as SACD Production Assistants. The Entre Amigos Surround Sound SACD was made by Sony DADC’s SACD production line in Terre Haute, Indiana.

During the Consumer Electronics Show, Sony’s Qualia Group used the excellent sonics on Chesky’s last SACD in this series – Cantos De Agua Dulce by Marta Gomez (Chesky SACD-285) – to show off their newly upgraded Qualia 007 Stereo SACD Playback System. Entre Amigos is very much in the same vein as the Marta Gomez SACD. It features a very nicely detailed recording of the musicians and vocalist in the front channels with tasteful ambience in the Surround channels. I wouldn’t be surprised to see the Entre Amigos SACD added to the Qualia demo SACD set in their next round of demos.

3 More Chesky SACDs in March
On March 22nd, Chesky Records plans to bring 3 more Surround Sound Super Audio CDs to music stores. Included in this group will be the Area 31 Classical Music SACD of music composed by David Chesky that was made available in a sneak preview release during the Consumer Electronics Show in January. (See linked article from CES below). Also coming in March to music stores and audiophile web sites will be new Surround Sound SACDs by Candido & Graciela and Paquito D’ Rivera.

  • Anthony Aibel Conducts Area 31 – Chesky: Concerto for Violin and Orchestra (Chesky SACD-288)
  • Candido & Graciela – Inolvidable (Chesky SACD-297)
  • Paquito D’Rivera – Portraits of Cuba (Chesky SACD-298)Availability
    The new Entre Amigos SACD and the earlier Jazz Kamerata SACD on Chesky Records is now available for purchase at music stores including Tower Records. These SACDs are also available from several web sites including Acoustic Sounds, Elusive Disc, Music Direct, Amazon.Com and CD Universe.