Hi-Res Downloads

Pat Metheny
Bright Size Life (96kHz/24-bit, WAV)
www.ecmrecords.com; ECM 1073

Nearly 50 years old, guitarist Metheny’s solo debut of 1976 is a gorgeous, intimate start for a career that has so far produced more than 50 albums. Performing here on 6-and 12-string electric guitar, Metheny was backed by his then-touring band consisting of the late, legendary Jaco Pastorius on bass and Free Spirits co-founder Bob Moses on drums. This is one for the sort of listener who adores the likes of Barney Kessel, Chet Atkins and even the more
fiery Al Di Meola, and who likes to zoom in on the performer within the soundstage. The trio is spread wide across the listening area, the openness adding to an overall effect of being in a small club. Alternatively, if you prefer to savour this in analogue form, there’s a deluxe vinyl edition in ECM’s ‘Luminessence’ Series, with tip-on gatefold sleeve including new photos from the archive – something you don’t get with streams. KK

Sound Quality: 90%

Lab Report

Recorded in Dec ’75 at Tonstudio Bauer and subsequently digitised for CD and download, there’s nothing useful above 30kHz (guitars to ~15kHz) but peaks are ‘natural’ at –0.8dB and –4.0dB and dynamic range is sl. above average. PM

Avishai Cohen, Yonathan Avishai, Barak Mori, Ziv Ravitz
Ashes To Gold (88.2kHz/24-bit, WAV)
www.ecmrecords.com; ECM 2822

Not to be confused with the jazz bassist of the same name, this Israeli trumpeter has declared that Miles Davis inspired him, so Ashes To Gold calls to mind countless ‘Miles-stones’. With a newly-composed five-part suite, it’s performed by Cohen on trumpet, flugelhorn, and flute, Yonathan Avishai on piano, Barak Mori with double bass and Ziv Ravitz on drums, all in the south of France shortly after the events of 7 Oct ’23. Described by ECM as Cohen’s response ‘to the turbulent spirit of a troubled time’, the music is variously mournful and angry, but, I suppose, ultimately uplifting. Following the suite is an intriguing performance of ‘Adagio Assai (from Ravel’s Piano Concerto in G major)’ and a piece composed
by Cohen’s teenage daughter Amalia. Sonically, this has the feel of an early 1960s jazz session – and that’s a good thing. KK

Sound Quality: 90%

Lab Report

This is a ‘quiet’ 88.2kHz file with good dynamic range and natural peaks (–0.6dB to –3.3dB). Percussion exceeds 20kHz but there is (monitor?) noise at 19kHz and ultrasonic spuriae on brass/piano feeds. Double bass is clean [black trace]! PM

MaskXSoul
Onegin (48kHz/24-bit, WAV)
www.denovali.com; Denovali DEN375

This debut album by international group MaskxSoul goes deep into crossover jazz/classical territory, featuring the voice of Tatiana Selivanova (Vanilla Quartz), with Jason Kohnen of The Kilimanjaro Darkjazz Ensemble, The Lovecraft Sextet and Mansur, and Dimitry El-Demerdashi (also of Mansur). Based on Pushkin’s Eugene Onegin, it’s an intriguing mix of Eastern influences, dark-jazz and what the ensemble describes as ‘tsar-punk’, but firmly rooted in Russian classical traditions. It’s strangely affecting – or perhaps just strange! – Selivanova’s voice beautifully rendered against a shifting landscape of instruments both familiar and less so. There’s some deep concept going on here, but even a surface sample reveals it to be undeniably romantic, and also beautifully recorded. This is a captivating set, even though it probably takes a few listens before it’s fully appreciated. AE

Sound Quality: 80%

Lab Report

All tracks (except 1 & 7) are normalised to –0.2dB, so intersample clipping may occur on some DACs. Otherwise this 48kHz file – pity this is not 96kHz – offers slightly below average dynamic range but is free of sampling/filter spuriae. PM

Daniel Pardo
Ese Momento (48kHz/24-bit, WAV)
www.danielpardo.com; self-released n/a cat no

Well, this is something of a find: flautist Pardo comes together with long-time associate, arranger Sergio Pamies, to produce a smouldering set crossing the jazz/classical boundaries in a sequence of boleros and more. The Czech National Philharmonic Orchestra joins in on four of the tracks, but for the most part this album is all about Pardo’s flute, recorded in lush, shimmering style, backed by Pamies’ piano and a latin rhythm section, the tracks just about glowing out of the speakers. The ability of the performers is beyond question – even the cover of the much-recorded ‘Bésame Mucho’ is treated to a dense, rhythm-driven arrangement a long way from the familiar versions, multitracked flute meeting Shangó Dely’s percussion in a sound at once strange and entirely entertaining. But then that’s a pretty good description of the whole of this album. AE

Sound Quality: 80%

Lab Report

Musical calibre notwithstanding, all trks on this 48kHz recording are pushed right up to –0.1dB, inviting distortion on DACs with insufficient (dynamic) headroom. Analogue noise is just a little higher than expected from a digital recording. PM

Vince Guaraldi
Be My Valentine, Charlie Brown (192kHz/24-bit, WAV)*
www.mendelsonproductions.com; Lee Mendelson Film Productions LM25BMV01

While I adore Vince Guaraldi’s jazz scores for the Peanuts cartoon canon, of which he composed and performed 18, this one from 1975 is among the less satisfying. The majority here are short musical passages suited to individual scenes rather than longer numbers such as found on the gold standard of all his Peanuts scores, A Charlie Brown Christmas [HFN May ’23]. That said, sound quality isn’t the reason to buy it, but if this is approached like a chef’s sampling menu, then you won’t mind delicious taste after delicious taste. Released in 1976, the year before Guaraldi’s untimely death, it delivers smile after smile because you just can’t help picturing Snoopy, Charlie Brown and friends – alongside Mickey Mouse and The Simpsons, surely the most famous characters in cartoon history. This offering adds five bonus tracks to the original. KK

Sound Quality: 75%

Lab Report

Sadly, this is not the first of these legacy Peanuts re-releases we’ve tested that looks like a 192kHz upsample of a 96kHz upsample of... a sub-CD res. file (MP3?) sourced from the analogue tape [HFN Dec ’23]. Bonus tracks are the same. PM