"In January 2007 the Bassface Swing Trio landed in Stockfisch Studios. These amazingly talented musicians with nerves of steel are Thilo Wagner, piano; Jean-Philippe Wadle, upright bass & Florian Hermann, drums. They played Gershwin, celebrating & improvising this music breathtakingly – & swinging!
This is an entirely analog direct-to-disc recording, from the mix & the signal path to the cutting head of the VMS-80 lathe. What makes this particular production interesting is the splitting of the analog stereo sum into 3 destinations. In addition to the direct analog signal for DMM cutting, Stockfisch converted the mix into highest-grade DSD (Direct Stream Digital, 2,8224 MHz) – using a 1-bit converter – & into conventional digital audio format, 16bit/44.1 kHz PCM, as well. This direct-to-disc vinyl record comes with a bonus Stereo Hybrid SACD. This seems to be the 1st opportunity ever to compare 3 formats (CD, SACD, D2D LP) originating from the same analog source & transferred unaltered into 2 digital formats.
Stockfisch has made a very special recording of the trio playing six more or less known Gershwin tunes. It is a direct-to-disc cut SACD. I don`t care very much about what this means from the technical point of view, I just can say, that the result is real great sound. Stunning dynamics, incredible palpability, excellent soundstage, full, open, colourful, a sound for listening enraptured.
But that wouldn`t do if the music wouldn`t be a pleasure, too. The three guys are playing skilfully, with deep emotion or pure fun. They did get rhythm! Straight ahead jazz at it`s best, that every jazz fan will like."
Thanking Reinhard for the interesting hinting...
The sound might be good (depends on the taste, some like "strange sounds for audiophiles"), but the performance is, to say the very least, disputable.
ReplyDeleteThis is a common feature of Stockfisch records: rather good sound, rather bland music or performance: a true audiophile label...
Partially agree, Alex... Allan Taylor's disc on Stockfisch was amazing, for example...
ReplyDelete