Art Lande, solo piano – Kiss in a Shadow [TrackList follows] – Blue Coast Records (avail. as hi-res download)

by | Jul 8, 2014 | SACD & Other Hi-Res Reviews

Art Lande, solo piano – Kiss in a Shadow [TrackList follows] – Blue Coast Records MQD disc, 57:29 (avail. as 96/24 hi-res download at Downloads Now!) ****:

This solo session from the incredible jazz pianist is a sort of sequel to his 2009 SACD for Blue Coast, While She Sleeps. This time Lande’s focus is on somewhat more intense improvisations than the earlier album. He covers jazz favorites, American folk music and classic show tunes. He has a number of albums out, including several on the ECM label. All 11 tracks were recorded in DSD using the Sonoma system, and it differs from the earlier release by not being available on SACD but only as a hi-res download in either 96/24 PCM or DSD. Blue Coast founder Cookie Marenco had a Master Quality CD-R of the album burned for me.

In the earlier review I talk about Lande’s style and the sonics, so I won’t repeat much here. Actually, the sonics are just about the same as on the stereo-only SACD, and this is a very carefully engineered recording to produce a glorious piano sound. Perhaps it is an indication of the CD standard not being so bad, but the original recording approach and the subsequent mastering/pressing process being tweaked can result in a much better sonic than most CDs.

TrackList:

1. Round Midnight [7:11]
2. We Kiss In A Shadow [7:17]
3. Surrey with the Fringe on Top [4:40]
4. Wouldn’t It Be Loverly [4:36]
5. Droplets [5:23]
6. The Man I Love [6:03]
7. Con Alma [6:50]
8. Consuela’s Moods [4:58]
9. Distance [5:18]
10. Go Tell Aunt Brodie [3:06]
11. Oh Susanna [2:12]

—John Henry

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