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Review by JW July 23, 2005 (5 of 7 found this review helpful)
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Performance:  Sonics: |
Funnily enough I had never heard of this disc. Apparently it's one of these socalled audiophile classics that 'everybody knows' and 'everybody critizes', the latter mostly along the lines of sound over music. Musically this is straight ahead jazz, pleasurable, uncomplicated and it swings. The musicians are obviously first class and the atmosphere in the club is great. I wish I were there. No qualms in this department. However, I do not really like the sound of alto sax (exception: Art Pepper) and clarinet. Arne Domnerus plays both here. I find the sound a bit strident - but that could be my system. The vibes I do like and they sound great, swinging like crazy on 'Lady be Good' particularly. The bass and the piano do a fine job as well.
The recording has a good live feel to it and it's spacious. This particular SACD is a compilation with 9 tracks - the FIM SA-CD and the XRCD version have two discs covering the entire session of 12 tracks + intro. Somehow, for me, this compilation effect distracts from the proceedings. The session does not hang together like it obviously did at the Stampen club all those years ago and consequently it sounds disjointed to these ears. If I wanted to acquire this disc, which I do not but more about that later, I would prefer to buy the entire set (a friend of mine lend me this SACD for a couple of weeks, he also has the XRCD version). Postscript: I now heard the Proprius and FIM SACD and the XRCD on a super high-end system. The Proprius sounds better than the somewhat darker sounding and rolled-off FIM SACD. The stridency I reported on the Proprius is indeed caused by the limitations on my system. The XRCD sounds more dynamic and 'live' than any of the others.
If you don't want to buy this SA-CD you better be prepared to break the piggy bank, because the price of the other discs is too high for what in my opinion is not an essential recording, musically speaking. It's a fine set, no doubt about it. But so is the Ray Brown 'Summerwind' disc, or the many other CD's and LP's I have with similar music. Does one really need another, or does one look for something more authentic and different? That, the compilation effect and the alto/clarinet ultimately give this one a thumbs down. It's all a matter of personal choice.
JW
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