Audiophile Vinyl

Art Pepper Quintet
Smack Up
Craft/Contemporary CR00706 (180g vinyl)

By 1960, recording in stereo had evolved past the early days of 2-channel sound and had grown less gimmicky. This magnificent reissue is an archetypal session from that year, comprising a quintet of sax, trumpet, piano, bass and drums, but it’s as if the producer (Lester Koenig) and engineer (Roy DuNann) were over the novelty of spreading stereo too wide. Instead, it’s more coherent and thus a more convincing sound, rather than a show-off piece for early hi-fi systems. Saxophonist and leader Pepper plus Jack Sheldon, Pete Jolly, Jimmy Bond and Frank Butler shine through six numbers penned by other saxophonists. It’s not for everyone, but if sax is your thing, grab a copy. KK

Sound Quality: 90%

George Benson
Dreams Do Come True
Rhino/Warner R1726198 (180g vinyl)

Who saw this coming? A session long thought lost, this is circa-1989 Benson covering pop, soul and standards such as ‘At Last’, ‘Yesterday’, ‘Love Is Blue’ and ‘Autumn Leaves’. Subtitled ‘When George Benson Meets Robert Farnon’, Dreams Do Come True finds the guitarist/singer backed by Farnon’s orchestra, delivering a soothing 11 tracks from missing tapes discovered in Benson’s personal vaults. Fully remastered at Bernie Grundman’s, part-engineered by the late Al Schmitt, it’s a perfect filling sandwiched between Tenderly from the same year and 1990’s Big Boss Band with the Count Basie Orchestra. Pure class, for both the vocals and the guitar playing. KK

Sound Quality: 85%

The Impressions
Lost Legends Of Surf Guitar Featuring The Impressions
Sundazed LP5622

No, not those Impressions, and ignore the erroneous ‘mono’ shown on sleeve and LP, for this is top-quality period surf music in glorious stereo. These Impressions – from San Francisco and later ‘The New Impressions’ upon realising Curtis Mayfield claimed the name – are one of those surf outfits that slipped through the cracks, unlike fellow 1960s contemporaries The Surfaris or The Trashmen. This contains 14 twangy Fender-driven instrumentals, including both originals and must-perform standards (eg, ‘Wipe Out’ and ‘Miserlou’). Sourced from both home recordings and a live tape, these cuts will surprise you. KK

Sound Quality: 85%

Run-D.M.C.
Run-D.M.C.
Mobile Fidelity MFSV 1-533 (SuperVinyl)

In time for its 40th anniversary, this milestone LP from 1984 ranks as one of the most important of all hip-hop releases for its pioneering role, as defining of rap music as any. Few would argue its status, especially as it pre-dates N.W.A., Public Enemy, et al. Tougher than the Sugarhill Gang’s eponymous debut of 1980 – arguably the first hip hop album – Run-D.M.C. amplified the hard, street element, adding protest and social commentary. While it yielded five singles, this album was also crucial to rap and hip-hop for establishing the aptness of cohesive albums, not just singles and airplay. Sonically, it’s about the voices, but the bottom end is monumental. KK

Sound Quality: 85%