Customer Reviews

Waltz for Debby

5 star:		(5)
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This SACD version offers considerably improved sound quality over any CD remastered versions (K-2, etc). The hiss you hear from CD and LP is virtually gone. This gives listeners greater clarity and depth in sound. Unfortunately, this makes the background noise of the audience with their chats, laughs and silverware more noticeable. This could be disturbing to seriously devoted Bill Evans fans, although Paul Motian, the only living member of the trio, has recently mentioned in the Swing Journal's interview that the chatty audience never bothered the trio in those days. DSD technology, which SACD is based, has ehabled us to get closer to the real thing beyond any level achived by CD technology. Considering the fact that the information captured in the original master tape 41 years ago is well within the CD specifications, it is a wonder that DSD technology can bring even greater sound quality. Paul Motian testifies that the trio's earlier performances during their two-week engagement was better than what was played on that last Sunday. If I had a time machine, I would go back with the latest DSD recording equipment and record the superior perforamnce of the previous Sunday. Can you imagine that Bill Evans Trio was only the warm up band for a chorus group that Sunday afternoon?

I thought the latest re-master of this album and the companion set, Sunday at the Village Vanguard, was good. This one really tops them both, and I hope they re-release Sunday soon. This is my 4th copy of this album, including the lp version. One note I'd like to make, though, is that the group the Bill Evans Trio opened up for that day was not a "choral group" or whatever the reviewer said below, but indeed the Trio opened for Lambert, Hendricks & Ross, one of the most unique and talented vocal groups in all of music. In 1961, they were a hot ticket in the jazz world, and it was very good for the Trio to place on the bill opposite L,H, & R because it was a great way to expose a wider audience to their music. Whatever may have been the case, this is an essential buy for Evanophiles and anyone who likes to revel in beautiful sounds.

These Analogue Productions hybrid SACD's have incredible CD layers,and they are the best sounding CD's in my large collection. I wish Doug Sax remastered everything that I've ever purchased - jazz, blues, or rock. If you happen to like CCR, listen to what Analogue Productions did with their catalog. They were remastered by Steve Hoffman and Kevin Gray, who also happen to be ace mastering guru's.

Analogue Productions' SACD surpasses all previous digital versions of this classic recording. Only Analogue's LP offers a comparable listening experience. By comparision, the 20bit K2 limited edition CD release suffers from tape hiss and peak distortion on the piano track, suggesting that it was transferred from a second-generation copy.

Play this SACD on a quiet Sunday afternoon, and picture yourself in the Village Vanguard in 1961 listening to three young men create one of the most singularly beautiful sets of modern jazz.

This is a fantastic sounding album. I like the SACD for the sound, but even if you purchase a straight CD, the music will not disappoint. I debated purchasing the hi-res download from HD Tracks, which is actually less expensive than the SACD, but I kinda like having the physical disc and my squeezeboxes (except the touch) don't support 96kHz/24bit.