Also newsworth from Telarc is an update to the label’s Super Audio CD release plans. This involves a new Surround Sound SACD from the company’s Heads Up jazz label. Here’s more on Telarc’s SACD releases and SACD news in March.

Time Control
Hiromi’s Sonicbloom
SACD Surround Sound/SACD Stereo/CD Audio
(Telarc SACD-63655)

Time Control is Hiromi Uehara’s fourth and latest album and Surround Sound SACD for Telarc. It features the Jazz Pianist performing 9 of her original compositions that revolve around the topic of time and how it controls one’s life. The band on the album is a trio named Sonicbloom that includes Tony Grey on Bass, Martin Valihora on Drums and Jazz/Rock Guitarist Dave «Fuze» Fiuczynski as the album’s guest artist.

Hiromi describes the inspiration for these songs by noting that «I was inspired to write these pieces because my life is so hectic. I regularly feel jet-lagged and always seem to be in a different time zone. I find myself at airports with more time to think about time, and I often wonder, ‘Am I controlling time or is time controlling me? Why do some days feel shorter than others?’ When I write music, I think a lot about orchestration. Since the piano and guitar are both chordal instruments, it can be hard for a pianist to play with a guitarist. So I really wanted to be careful. By adding electric guitar, the music became more rhythm-oriented and groove-based. By surrounding the piano with a lot of electric instruments, including my keyboards, the warmth of its sound stood out even more.»

Speaking about Sonicbloom, Hiromi says «Tony and Martin are amazing musicians. They understand the way I write music and the way I want the music to sound. I wanted to work with Fuze because I was looking for somebody who would be strong enough to influence the band. I didn’t want someone who could easily fit in – I wanted a crazy new voice, a very strong tasting spice. He’s very spontaneous, and you never know which direction he’ll take.»

Time Control is a new Direct Stream Digital (DSD) recording from the 32 Track Sonoma DSD System with EMM Labs Meitner DSD Converters. It was produced by Hiromi and Michael Bishop, recorded, mixed and mastered by Michael Bishop with Sonoma DSD engineering handled by Gus Skinas from the Super Audio Center in Boulder, Colorado. SACD Production Supervision was handled by Erica Brenner and the Hybrid Surround Sound SACD was made by Sony DADC at their Hybrid SACD Replication Line in Austria.

With Time Control, Hiromi ventures into some new musical directions that can probably be better characterized as jazz fusion and even perhaps funk than traditional jazz. The album features the artist on piano, keyboards and synths for some rather adventureous musical travels here. On track 3, the synth intro sounded like we had been momentarily transported back to the 1970′s and one of the Quad albums by Isao Tomita. The Surround Sound SACD mix by Michael Bishop does an excellent job of creating a colorful and adventurous atmosphere that matches the music well. Jazz fusion fans will enjoy Time Control and its musical journey.

Album Musicians
Hiromi — Piano & Keyboards
Dave «Fuze» Fiuczynski — Fretted & Fretless Guitar
Tony Grey — Bass
Martin Valihora — Drums

Album Tracks
1. Time Difference
2. Time Out
3. Time Travel
4. Deep into the Night
5. Real Clock vs. Body Clock = Jet Lag
6. Time and Space
7. Time Control, or Controlled by Time
8. Time Flies
9. Time’s Up

Art of the Guitar
David Russell
SACD Surround Sound/SACD Stereo/CD Audio
(Telarc SACD-60672)

Art of the Guitar is David Russell’s 12th recording for Telarc and his first Telarc Surround Sound Super Audio CD. Russell is a Grammy winning classical guitarist. American Record Guide says that «A phrase played by David Russell is a thing of such clarity and direction that it seems almost physically palpable. It is an object of such polish, perfect curvature, and ineluctable sweep that one feels as though one could pick it up and examine it as if it were a sculpture.»

Telarc describes the new SACD as featuring «selections from the traditional Spanish repertory as well as original works by composers from Latin America, Hungary and England, and arrangements of works by Norway’s Edvard Grieg and France’s Claude Debussy.» Russell adds that «This collection of pieces has been a part of my repertoire for many years. I am happy to finally find a home for them on this recording.»

Art of the Guitar was recorded at Peggy and Yale Gordon Center for the Perfoming Arts, Owings Mills, Marilyn on April 19-20, 2006. It is an original Direct Stream Digital (DSD) recording that was Produced by Elaine Martone with Assistant Producer Maria Jesus Rodriguez. It was engineered by Thomas Knab with Assistant Engineer Todd Brown with Paul Blakemore and Thomas Knab handling the Surround Mix Engineering and Paul Blakemore the Surround Mastering. SACD Production Supervision was handled by Erica Brenner and the Hybrid Surround Sound SACD was made by Sony DADC at their Hybrid SACD Replication Line in Austria.

Listening to the Art of the Guitar in Super Audio CD, both Stereo SACD and Surround Sound SACD tracks, one will certainly agree that Russell is quite a talented and skilled guitarist. Here he plays classics by Villa-Lobos, Debussy, Mozart and Grieg as well as lesser known compositions by several South American composers. Throughout the album, the music flows effortlessly from his guitar. The difference between the SACD Stereo and SACD Surround Sound tracks is the addition of hall ambience which adds to the performance — yet the SACD Stereo tracks are also very well done. The entire album is a joy to listen to, leading one to conclude that when David Russell is playing, the listener is indeed hearing the Art of the Guitar!

Album Tracks

Isaac Albeniz (1860-1909)
1. Malaguena, Op. 165, No 3

Julian Arcas (1832-1882)
2. Fantasia on Themes from Verdi’s La Traviata

Heitor Villa-Lobos (1887-1959)
3. Prelude No. 1 in E minor
4. Prelude No. 2 in E major

Stanley Myers (1930-1993)
5. Cavatina from The Deer Hunter

Edvard Grieg (1843-1907) — Five Lyric Pieces
6. Spring Dance, Op. 38, No 5
7. Elegie, Op. 38, No 6
8. Waltz, Op. 12, No. 2
9. Lullaby, Op. 38, No. 1
10. Norwegian Melody, Op. 12, No. 6

Claude Debussy (1862-1918)
11. La Fille aux Cheveux de Lin from Preludes, Book I

Abel Carlevaro (1918-2001)
12. Campo from Preludios Americanos

Johann Kaspar Mertz (1806-1856)
13. Fantasie Hongroise, Op. 65, No. 1

Fernando Sor (1778-1839)
14. Variations on a Theme by Mozart, Op. 9

Five Pieces from Venezuela — Harmonized by Vicente Emilio Sojo (1887-1974)
15. Cantico
16. Aguinaldo
17. Cancion
18. Aire Venezolano
19. Galeron

Jose Broca (1805-1882)
20. Pensamiento Espanol

Eduardo Sainz de la Maza (1903-1982)
21. Campanas del Alba

Upcoming Surround Sound Super Audio CD Releases from Telarc and Heads Up
Telarc brings another Surround Sound SACD to their 2007 Release List this month. The new addition is Michael Brecker’s final album entitled Pilgrimage on the Heads Up label.

Recorded last August, Pilgrimage will feature a 75 minute jazz recording starring Brecker along with some of the finest musicians in Jazz — Herbie Hancock, Pat Metheny, Brad Mehldau, John Patitucci and Jack De Johnette. This Surround Sound SACD is scheduled for release on June 26, 2007 — one month after its release on Stereo CD.

With this new addition, here is the list of upcoming Surround Sound SACDs from Telarc and Heads Up:

Telarc Surround Sound SACD Releases — April 24, 2007