The post The Folly of Desire appeared first on NativeDSD Music.

The album includes a number of standards including Shiny Stockings, So Nice, The Wee Small Hours of the Morning, The Nearness of You, Somewhere Over The Rainbow and It Had To Be You. 

Singer Eszter Lukacs tells us: “For years, István Gyárfás “Gyafi” and I have been playing jazz standards to our hearts’ content in a duo formation, taking advantage of the cozy atmosphere and freedom of the most intimate musical line-up. The sound of the band, which has since been joined by Arpad Dennert on saxophone and Márton Soós on double bass, tries to preserve the atmosphere of the original line-up. Béla Szalóky joins the band on flugelhorn for two songs, his playing making the already magical songs even more emotional.

‘So Nice”, although originally a working title, proved to be the perfect album title because of its positive connotations and multiple meanings. I like lyrics about love with an optimistic mood, so most of the songs on the record are on that theme.

The musicians on the album are all well-loved and well-respected representatives of the Hungarian jazz scene. I am truly grateful to have such wonderful musicians as Gyafi, Árpi, Marci and Béla as my partners in the making of this album.

I would like to thank sound engineer Gábor Halász, with whom it is always a great pleasure to work together, and Róbert Zoltán Hunka, the head of Hunnia Records, whose idea made this project possible.”

So Nice is available in Stereo DSD 512, DSD 256, DSD 128, DSD 64 and DXD exclusively at NativeDSD.  It is a DSD Exclusive, Not Available on SACD release.

Eszter Lukács – Vocals
Arpad Dennert – Saxophone
Istvan Gyarfas – Guitar
Marton Soos – Double Bass

Special Guest
Bela Szaloky – Flugelhorn (Tracks 3 & 5)

The post So Nice [Pure DSD] appeared first on NativeDSD Music.

For some time, Angelo Verploegen wanted to reflect musically on the travels made as a musician. Ironically enough reality caught up with this idea since at this very moment all the traveling came to a literal standstill because of the worldwide coronavirus outbreak. Maybe a reason for the better for some reflection on the act of traveling?

He writes “My many travels all represent a mixed feeling of melancholy, to have to leave my beloved family again, and of excitement about plunging into the unknown. And then of course there is all the inconvenience coming with the traveling itself, which I try to ease as much as I can by carrying as little as possible with him: practicing the Art of Traveling Light.”

He translates traveling lightly literally into a line-up without bass, thus underlining the concept of lightness and transparency in sound. Furthermore, he wanted the sound of the band to be lush and warm, underlining the feeling of comfort and joy in the music we were to record. Wim Bronnenberg with his 1956 Gibson L4 Jazz guitar and the always utmost sensitive drummer Jasper van Hulten were the perfect companions for this project.

Angelo also appears on The Sweetest Sound JL009 and The Duke Book JL019 from Just Listen. In addition, Angelo performs on the album Forbidden Fruit by Tois (Turtle TR0002).  All four of these albums are available from NativeDSD Music.

Angelo Verploegen, Flugelhorn
Wim Bronnenberg, Guitar
Jasper van Hulten, Drums

The post The Art of Traveling Light [Pure DSD] appeared first on NativeDSD Music.

Turtle Records

The post Sophisticated Lady appeared first on NativeDSD Music.

DAT-dubs of previous records and newer demos duly arrived from Karen, and we struck up a “phone and fax” relationship, based around her willingness to come all the way from “Down Under” to record with us in Chino, California.

We owed her everything of the best; especially, we had to offer her a musical-director and arranger of the highest echelon: for me there could only be one choice: my longtime British partner Sam Sklair, currently residing in Johannesburg.

Ever enthusiastic about my ideas, Sam immediately agreed to hop on a plane, and arrived a week or so before Karen herself.

Sam and I were totally taken with Karen; her gutsy, talented singing and calm-under-fire confidence during the sessions. The resulting combination of Australian, British, and Californian endeavors comes through on this album. Me? Pleased? More than that, I’m simply over the…whatsit? moon? Yes.

David Manley, California, 1992

Karen Knowles – Vocals
Frank Crawford – Piano, Keyboards
Bruce Bishop – Acoustic Guitar, Dobro
John Leftwich – Bass
Darek Oles – Bass
Josh Sklair – Electric & Acoustic Guitars
Efrain Toro – Drums & Percussion
Bob Summers – Trumpet & Flugelhorn
Larry Klimas – Saxophones (alto, tenor), Alto Flute
EveAnna Manley – Baritone Saxophone
Sam Sklair – Arranger, Music Director, Clarinet
Vickie Leigh, Bruce Bishop – Backing Vocals

The post Moonglow appeared first on NativeDSD Music.

Few times in life one has the feeling to be in the right place at the right time. It happened to me in the cellar of Hotel Il Castello in Certaldo on the occasion of the recording of this album. To record with Scott Hamilton, one of my all time favourite musicians, in an extraordinary place with invaluable microphones skillfully maneuvered by Giulio Cesare Ricci, a real “guru” of hifi recording, enjoying the hospitality Alfred Kramer (and his snare drum and brushes in a couple of takes) and the amazing food at Il Castello – what do you think, isn’t that enough?

Andrea Pozza

The post I Could Write A Book appeared first on NativeDSD Music.