Chesky Releases The Jobim Songbook In New York and The Raven In SACD Surround Sound [HFR]

Chesky Records newest Surround Sound SACDs are a new recording of The Jobim Songbook In New York by The David Hazeltine Trio and a Surround Sound SACD reissue of Rebecca Pidgeon’s audiophile classic The Raven. The Jobim Songbook In New York is another in the label’s New York Sessions series of original jazz recordings recorded last year at St. Peter’s Episcopal Church in New York City that are being released in Surround Sound Super Audio CD. Chesky also announced plans for two more Surround Sound SACDs in the New York Sessions series of Jazz releases.

Both of the new SACDs are Single Inventory Surround Sound Hybrid Layer Super Audio CD releases. They feature Surround Sound SACD, Stereo SACD and Stereo CD Audio versions of the music on the album. The SACD serves as both the SACD and CD edition of the album.

The Jobim Songbook In New York
The David Hazeltine Trio
Super Audio CD Surround Sound/Super Audio CD Stereo/CD Audio

(Chesky SACD 328)

The Jobim Songbook In New York is the second release in Chesky’s New York Sessions SACD Series featuring pianist David Hazeltine following the release of Manhattan by the David Hazeltine-George Mraz Trio on Chesky (Chesky Records SACD 310). On this recording, Hazeltine is teamed with bass player Nat Reeeves and drummer Joe Farnsworth who released his own Surround Sound Super Audio CD on the Eighty-Eights Jazz label entited It’s Prime Time (Eighty-Eight’s VRCL-18813). The trio performs eleven compositions by the famed bossa nova writer and performer Antonio Carlos Jobim.

The album comes in a Jewel Box that is packaged inside a colorful yellow paperboard sleeve that notes on the cover that the disc is a “SACD Multichannel Hybrid Disc.” It also includes a two page description of how Chesky Records approaches their new recordings that was written by label co-owners David and Norman Chesky. The write-up includes a diagram of the placement of the musicians and the Soundfield microphone used on the session.

Hazeltine describes his approach to the songs of Jobim by saying that “You can do a lot to these songs. I want to conceptualize them in my context. Addressing so many different musical demands and situations is a way to find new avenues into the tradition.”

The exploration was successful according to Elusive Disc’s Bob Bantz who says “David Hazeltine makes his second contribution to Chesky’s acclaimed New York Sessions series with this stunning set of compositions by revered Brazilian composer Antonio Carlos Jobim. The combination of the sophisticated elegance of a jazz piano trio, delicate arrangements and Chesky’s renowned recording techniques presents Hazeltine (and Jobim) like you’ve never heard before.”

The Jobim Songbook In New York was recorded with a modified Soundfield Mark 5 Microphone, George Kay designed and built vacuum tube preamps, custom made Crystal Cables microphone cables, a George Kay custom vacuum tube mixer, custom Mytek Digital Analog to Digital Converters and Genex and Tascam recorders.

The album was produced by David Chesky and recorded, edited and mastered by Nicholas Prout with production assistance by Lisa Hershfield and Nicholas Oddy. The Hybrid Surround Sound SACD was made by Sony DADC at their Hybrid SACD replication line in Austria.

Album Tracks
1. Dreamer
2. Once I Lived
3. Meditation
4. Quiet Nights
5. Dindi
6. Wave
7. One Note Samba
8. Desafinado
9. Caminhos Cruzados
10. O Grande Amor
11. The Girl from Ipanema

The Raven
Rebecca Pidgeon
Super Audio CD Surround Sound/Super Audio CD Stereo/CD Audio

(Chesky SACD 329)

The Raven by Rebecca Pidgeon is a very well known recording in audiophile circles that features the singer’s version of Spanish Harlem which has been featured in many audiophile equipment demos over the years. The album has been previously released in both CD Audio (Chesky JD 115) and Stereo Super Audio CD formats (Chesky SACD 205). In this reissue, the album makes its first appearance as a Surround Sound Super Audio CD using the original studio master tapes as the source.

The Raven was produced by Joel Diamond and David Chesky and recorded by Bob Katz. The Hybrid Surround Sound SACD was made by Sony DADC at their Hybrid SACD replication line in Austria.

Album Tracks
1. Kalerka
2. The Witch
3. The Raven
4. You Need Me There
5. Grandmother
6. You Got Me
7. Heart and Mind
8. Her Man Leaves Town
9. Seven Hours
10. Wendy’s Style Shop
11. The Height of Land
12. Spanish Harlem
13. Remember Me

Two More Chesky Jazz SACDs Coming Up
Chesky Records has two more discs in their series of Jazz Surround Sound Super Audio CDs in the pipeline. Next up is Cobb’s Corner by the Jimmy Cobb Quartet. The album will feature the quartet performing 10 Jazz classics with the aid of Chesky’s minimalist recording techniques.

Following that on July 24th will be a Best of Collection that highights some of the label’s favorite tracks from the first round of releases in the New York Sessions SACD Jazz series.

Chesky Records – Surround Sound SACD Release

  • Jimmy Cobb Quartet – Cobb’s Corner (Chesky SACD 327)

    Chesky Records – Surround Sound SACD Release – July 24, 2007

  • Various Artists – Best of New York Sessions, Volume 1 (Chesky SACD 325)

    Availability
    The new Surround Sound Super Audio CDs of The Jobim Songbook In New York and The Raven are now available for purchase from the Chesky Records web site for $15.98. They are also available from music stores and several web sites that carry audiophile and Super Audio CD titles. This includes the Acoustic Sounds, Elusive Disc, Music Direct, CD Universe, Amazon.Com, Buy.Com, CD Connection, eBay, J&R Music and Tower Records.Com web sites.