Chesky SACD News - Many new SACD releases were announced and sold at CES last week. Among them were two from Chesky Records - Jazz Kamerata, and a recording premiere of David Chesky’s own Violin and Flute Concertos. The label has installed a new A/D converter for their latest recording sessions, and has rebuilt and redesigned their main one-point microphone. It was the sole mic used for a new jazz session with his group The Body Acoustic.
Robbery of CES Exhibitor - Over $40K of high end electronics and cables were stolen from a ballroom at the alternate-to-CES T.H.E. Show in Las Vegas. A pallet of goods had to be left overnight because it was too late to make a pickup, and the hotel management said to put it in the ballroom. But nearly an hour passed before someone with the right key locked the room and entry was made during that time.
Open Reel Tape Sorely Missed - Something else is missing and causing great consternation: open reel blank tape! With the closing of the last manufacturers of professional recording tape in the world (reported in last week’s News) there is a frantic scramble in the music industry as producers, bands and studios are trying to round up as much blank tape as possible; some are even paying way above the normal prices for pro tape. Others are reduced to splicing together, erasing and re-using tape from out takes and backup reels in order to continue mastering in the analog domain - which purists feel confers a warmth and richness to recordings that digital cannot. Even Hollywood is affected, as some studios back up dialogue to analog tape or still use analog Nagras in the field. (The digital Nagras also employ tape, so they must be impacted as well.)
Dorian Records Files Chapter 11 - Independent classical audiophile label Dorian Records has filed for bankruptcy protection, citing debts of over $1 million. The Albany, New York label had a large catalog of primarily small group and solo instrumental albums and had announced that some of their titles would soon be issued as SACDs. The label had also attempted to purchase independent classical audiophile label Reference Recordings of San Francisco, but did not consummate the purchase agreement.
For complete illustrated coverage of CES with a focus on the specialty audio exhibits, see EnjoyTheMusic.
Jan. 19, 2005 
