Earlier today, the Surround Sound SACD edition of the classic album Layla by Derek & The Dominoes was added to the Universal Music Group’s Upcoming Release List. In addition to this addition, SACD fans learned of five new Super Audio CD releases from Universal Music’s New Formats web site. This included upcoming albums by Elton John and Michael McDonald as well as three new Classical Music titles. Here’s more information on the day’s news from Universal Music.

Layla Slated for SACD Release on October 26th
Universal Music’s Polydor label announced earlier today that the Layla album by Derek & The Dominoes featuring Eric Clapton would be released on October 26th. Interestingly, the album shows on the release list as a Single Inventory, Surround Sound SACD. I say that because the two Eric Clapton SACDs and the five Elton John SACDs slated for the same date last week are shown on the same list as SACD releases with no Stereo CD counterpart. Which makes one wonder if they too will end up arriving as Single Inventory SACDs – much as the earlier SACD remasters of Elton John’s Goodbye Yellow Brick Road and The Who’s Tommy SACDs from Universal Music. We’ll watch for more information on that front.

• Derek & the Dominoes – Layla (Polydor)5 New SACDs Include Titles From Elton John and Michael McDonald
  In addition to Layla’s arrival on the Universal Music Release List, the company’s New Formats web site also lists five new Super Audio CDs today that presumably will be showing on the release list soon. This group include Elton John’s Peachtree Road album and Michael McDonald’s Motown 2 album – both in SACD Surround Sound as well as in a separate CD Audio edition. Also new on the list of Upcoming Releases are Classical Music titles by Andrea Bocelli, Ferenc Fricsay and Andreas Scholl.
• Andrea Bocelli – Arias (Philips Classics)
• Ferenc Fricsay – Rosette Collection: Mozart: Magic Flute (Deutsche Grammophon)
• Elton John – Peachtree Road (Universal/Rocket)
• Michael McDonald – Motown 2 (Motown)
• Andreas Scholl – Senesino Album (Decca Classics)Upcoming Universal Music SACD Release List
  Here’s the complete list of upcoming SACDs from Universal Music in the U.S. market that now includes Layla and the 5 Super Audio CDs now shown on the Universal Music Group’s New Formats web site:

  September 14, 2004 SACD Releases

• Pierre Boulez, Berlin Philharmonic – Ravel: Bolero (Deutsche Grammophon)
• Ray Charles with Norah Jones, James Taylor, Diana Krall, Elton John, Natalie Cole, Bonnie Raitt, Willie Nelson, Michael McDonald, B.B. King, Gladys Knight, Johnny Mathis & Van Morrison – Genius Loves Company (Concord Records)
• Anne Sofie Von Otter, Thomas Quasthoff, Claudio Abbado, Chamber Orchestra of Europe – Schubert: Lieder With Orchestra (Deutsche Grammophon)
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  September 28, 2004 SACD Releases

• Nick Drake – A Collection [Greatest Hits] (Island)
• Marvin Gaye – The Marvin Gaye Collection (Motown)
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  October 12, 2004 SACD Release

• Argerich & Pletnev – Cinderella Suite from the Ballet for 2 Pianos & La Mere (Deutsche Grammophon)
• Antal Dorati, Philharmonia Hugarica Orchestra – Respighi: Ancient Airs & Dances for Lute (Mercury Living Classics)
• Antal Dorati, London Symphony Orchestra – Stravinsky: The Firebird (Complete); Tango; Scherzo а la Russe (Mercury Living Classics)
• Byron Janis, Antal Dorati, London Sympohny Orchestra, Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra – Rachmaninov: Piano Concerti 2 & 3; 2 Preludes (Mercury Living Classics)
• Paul Paray, Detroit Symphony Orchestra – Suppй: Overtures (+Auber) (Mercury Living Classics)
• Janos Starker – Bach: Six Suites For Solo Cello (Mercury Living Classics)
• Bryn Terfel, Claudio Abbado, Chamber Orchestra Europe – Mozart: Don Giovanni (3 SACD Box Set) (Deutsche Grammophon)
• Jaap van Zweden, Residentie Orchestra – Beethoven: Complete Symphonies (5 SACD Box Set) (Philips)
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  October 26, 2004 SACD Release

• The Carpenters – Singles: 1969-1981 (A&M Records)
• Eric Clapton – 461 Ocean Boulevard (Polydor)
• Eric Clapton – Slow Hand (Polydor)
• Derek & the Dominoes – Layla (Polydor)
• Elton John – Captain Fantastic (Universal/Rocket)
• Elton John – Elton John (Universal/Rocket)
• Elton John – Honky Chateau (Universal/Rocket)
• Elton John – Madman Across The Water (Universal/Rocket)
• Elton John – Tumbleweed Connection (Universal/Rocket)
• Michael McDonald – Motown 2 (Motown)
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  November 9, 2004 SACD Releases

• Chet Baker – Baker’s Holiday: Chet Baker Plays & Sings The Billie Holiday Songbook (Verve)
• John Coltrane & Johnny Hartman – John Coltrane & Johnny Hartman (Impulse)
• Cotrubas, Domingo, Kleiber, Bayerischer, Staatsorchester – Verdi: La Traviata (2 SACD Set) (Deutsche Grammophon)
• Richard Croft, Minkowski, Les Musiciens du Louvre – Gluck: Orphee et Eurydice (Deutsche Grammophon)
• Antal Dorati, London Sympohny Orchestra – Rimsky-Korsakov: Capriccio Espagnol (Mercury Living Presence)
• Charles Dutoit – Poeme (Philips Classics)
• Frederick Fennell, Eastman Wind Ensemble – Sousa Marches (Mercury Living Classics)
• Paul Mc Creesh, Gabrieli Consort & Players – Music for San Rocco (Deutsche Grammophon)
• Hilary Hahn, Colin Davis, London Symphony Orchestra – Elgar: Violin Concerto Op. 61 & Williams: The Lark Ascending (Deutsche Grammophon)
• Herbie Hancock – Gershwin’s World (Verve)
• Howard Hanson, Eastman Rochester Orchestra – Hanson: Symphonies No. 1 (Nordic) & 2 (Romantic); Song of Democracy (Mercury Living Classics)
• Joe Henderson – Lush Life: The Music of Billy Strayhorn (Verve)
• Shirley Horn – Here’s to Live: Shirley Horn With Strings (Verve)
• Los Romeros, Victor Alessandro, San Antonio Symphony Orchestra – Rodrigo: Concierto de Aranjuez (Mercury Living Presence)
• Anna Netrebko, Claudio Abbado, Mahler Chamber Orchestra – Sempre Libera (Deutsche Grammophon)
• Seiji Ozawa, Saito Kinen Orchestra – Bruckner: Symphony No. 7 (Philips Classics)
• Paul Paray, Detroit Symphony Orchestra – Chabrier: Espana, Rhapsody & Roussel: Suite in F (Mercury Living Presence)
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  SACD Releases Coming Soon

• Count Basie & His Orchestra – April In Paris (Verve)
• Andrea Bocelli – Arias (Philips Classics)
• Dorati, Enescu, London Symphony Orch – Liszt: Hungarian Rhapsodies (Decca Classics)
• Renee Fleming – Handel (Decca Classics)
• Juan Diego Florez – Great Tenor Arias (Decca Classics)
• John Fogerty – Deja Vu All Over Again (Geffen)
• Ferenc Fricsay – Rosette Collection: Mozart: Magic Flute (Deutsche Grammophon)
• Elton John – Peachtree Road (Universal/Rocket)
• Tonu Kaljuste – Te Deum (ECM)
• Eleni Karaindrou – Soundtrack: Ulysses’ Gaze (ECM)
• Keane – Hopes and Fears (Interscope)
• Christina Milian – It’s About Time (Island)
• Motley Crьe – Greatest Hits (Hip-O Records)
• Anne Sofie Mutter, Andre Previn, London Symphony Orchestra – Tchaikovsky & Korngold: Violin Concertos (Deutsche Grammophon)
• Nine Inch Nails – Downward Spiral (Interscope)
• Zimerman, Polish Festival Orchestra – Chopin: Piano Concertos No. 1 & 2 (Deutsche Grammophon)
• Linda Ronstadt – Humming to Myself (Verve)
• Andreas Scholl – Senesino Album (Decca Classics)