Analogue Productions Vinyl, CD & Tape 120 Items

Holly Cole brings her own dimension to the tradition of cabaret, a strong voice that's still capable of nuance, an ear for quirky repertoire, and a light touch that keeps some of these performances floating just at the edge of irony.
On her second album, 1993's "Don't Smoke In Bed", Cole explores varied musical styles, adding pop, blues, country and a French ballad to her standard, low-key jazz. It's a favorite of ours, which is why for this Analogue Productions reissue we've given it the reissue treatment it deserves. Bernie Grundman did the mastering, from the original analog tapes, at his Los Angeles studio, giving this release a spectacular foundation. Plating and pressing on 200-gram heavyweight vinyl was done by Gary Salstrom and crew at Quality Record Pressings, makers of the world's finest-sounding LPs. Lastly we wrapped up the whole package in a premium gatefold tip-on jacket from Stoughton Printing. There's nothing but aces in this smokin' hot reissue and the quality shines through.
Holly's delivery of more traditional fare shines on Cole Porter's witty "Get Out Of Town" and Kurt Weill's torchy "Je Ne T'aime Pas", while she brings clarity, power, and anthemic passion to the surprising treatment of Johnny Nash's "I Can See Clearly Now". She's generally well supported in this intimate set by pianist Aaron Davis and bassist Davd Piltch, while there's sparing and effective use of strings. There are fine guest spots by tenor saxophonist Joe Henderson, on "Everyday Will Be Like a Holiday", and David Lindley, whose steel guitar contributes to the strange country music of "Don't Let The Teardrops Rust Your Shining Heart".

Singer-songwriter Amos Lee draws inspiration from soul music, contemporary jazz and 1970s folk artists such as James Taylor. The Philadelphia native honed his songwriting skills while waiting tables and bartending after graduating from the University of South Carolina with a degree in English. He eventually landed some high-profile gigs as an opening act, including an extended tour with pianist/vocalist Norah Jones, whose bassist, Lee Alexander, agreed to produce Lee's first album.
With Alexander's help, Amos Lee released his self-titled debut on Blue Note in 2005. The album won Lee a small following for his blend of acoustic funk, folk, and light jazz. Norah Jones herself plays the piano on two tracks; "Keep It Loose, Keep It Tight" and "Colors".
A notable debut like Amos Lee deserves the Analogue Productions reissue treatment. This beauty was cut by Bernie Grundman in Los Angeles from the master tape, and is now pressed at 45rpm on two glorious sides of 200-gram vinyl by Quality Record Pressings, makers of the world's finest-sounding LPs. QRP is noted for deep-black backgrounds and pristine clarity. If you're already familiar with Amos Lee, get ready — you've never experienced it with such lifelike sonics and premium richness. This is how all vinyl should sound.
The songs on the album incorporate themes of folk, soul, gospel and jazz. Amos's style is a mix of Bill Withers, Arthur Lee, and James Taylor. Amos has recently toured with Bob Dylan, Paul Simon, Elvis Costello, Van Morrison, Adele, Dave Matthews and many others.

"Country Hits...Feelin' Blue", released by Tennessee Ernie Ford in 1964, is a throwback — or as the liner notes to this country classic (perhaps Ford's best) say, »You don't hear much singing like this nowadays — just a voice with easy guitar and bass accompaniment«. But oh, what a voice. Ford's resonant-voiced baritone might be best known for his 1955 cover of Merle Travis' grim coal-mining song "Sixteen Tons“, with sales topping 4 million copies. The hit cemented Ford's place as one of America's top entertainers — a singer and TV host who enjoyed success during the 1950s, '60s and '70s in multiple musical genres — country, pop, and gospel.
He first guested on the Grand Ole Opry in 1950, and in 1953 he became the first country singer to appear at London's prestigious Palladium. Soon NBC hired him to emcee the television game show "Kollege of Musical Knowledge", and also to host his own weekday program. His subsequent prime-time network variety programs made »Bless your little pea-pickin' hearts« a household catch phrase and provided wide exposure for his musical renditions of great country and gospel favorites.
The songs chosen by Ford for "Country Hits...Feelin' Blue" are all favorites, some of the best tunes from the inspired pens of such country composers as Hank Williams, Fred Rose, Jenny Lou Carson, Willie Nelson, and Don Gibson. The album (one of Ford's favorite LPs) was recorded with backup provided by just two musicians; guitarist Billy Strange and bassist John Mosher.
Some of these songs go back to the start of Ford's career when he and Strange were working together as cast members of Los Angeles's "Hometown Jamboree" country music radio show. Mosher was a member of Ford's TV show band since its inception. Strange created the musical arrangements for "Country Hits...Feelin' Blue" — a quiet, simple get-together with the songs they had been playing and singing down through the years. That's why it's more than just another album. You can hear the affection and understanding coming through.
For this Analogue Productions reissue we turned to the experts who once again bring their stellar craftsmanship to the creation of a phenomenal-sounding release. Lacquers were cut by Kevin Gray at Cohearent Audio who mastered the LP from the original tape. Plating and 200-gram pressing was by our own Quality Record Pressings, makers of the world's finest-sounding LPs noted for their superior sonics and silent backgrounds. And nothing less than a Stoughton Printing old-style tip-on jacket would suit such a great LP.
Albums have been made with lots more people and lots more sound. But quantity never did mean quality. This is just a simple, great album. Great voice, great guitar and bass, and great songs — the best of each.

A very difficult-to-find LP, originally released on a small, independent label. Originally released on a very limited run of vinyl. The original LPs are demanding a nice price on the Asian market. A beautiful recording with absolutely fantastic sound. Includes a performance of her hit song "Diamonds and Rust" as well as the audiophile classic "Famous Blue Raincoat." This may be an under-the-radar title, but it's a can't miss for the discerning audiophile. The album chronicles a show performed by Baez in a bullring, naturally, in Bilbao, Spain, in 1988, and it demonstates what makes her such a draw overseas. Half of the collection, side two of the LP, consists of songs sung in Spanish. Now we've upped the ante even more for true audiophile bliss — the 45 RPM 2LP version reduces distortion and high frequency loss as the wider-spaced grooves let your stereo cartridge track more accurately. Natural tonalities, superb balances, pristine clarity and more are all revealed. »This record was made in a bullring in Bilbao, Spain, in 1988. It is dedicated to the Mayor and the people of Bilbao, who came out between thunderstorms to see me perform. The song in Catalan "Txoria Txori" is about a sweet little bird ... I want to thank Pasku who taught it to me, and thank the Bilbao public for singing it so beautifully.« — Joan Baez. Illustrations by Joan Baez; additional vocals Mercedes Sosa.

Mighty Sam is a rhythm and blues legend who shook up the blues world with this 1993 release. The great torch bearer of deep soul is caught in top form on this classic album. And now, this gatefold 45rpm edition presented by Analogue Productions makes the album even greater! The four sides of wider-spaced grooves make for reduced distortion and better high frequency reproduction. It's a 200-gram masterpiece from our own Quality Record Pressings, our state-of-the-art LP pressing plant. And the gatefold jacket is hard-core, old-school style - thick cardboard, tip-on, with additional photos and liner notes inside. Sweet. McClain sings soul with incredible power - he knows when to pull the punches and when to cool it down. "Give It Up to Love", the title track, acknowledges his gospel roots; he performs it as a vocal prayer to God asking for wisdom, love, and strength. Bruce Katz's contributions on B-3 Hammond organ expands McClain's sound, particularly on the "Green Onions" - influenced "What You Want Me to Do". The sparsely effective arrangement on "Here I Go Falling in Love Again" brings McClain up front as he cries of being a soul stripped to the bare bones. Kevin Barry's funky bass blows while McClain declares himself as a child of God in "Child of the Mighty Mighty".

Spend any time around Doug MacLeod and the stories from his years of road time with the likes of Big Joe Turner and Pee Wee Crayton start to flow as easily as a brook tickled by a breeze. And you know you're getting to the good part, the climax if you will, when Doug's eyes start to twinkle, his grin grows broader and out of his mouth pop the words »Come to find ...«. MacLeod was a widely acknowledged electric blues guitarist for many years, and the leader of his own band, yielding a number of U.S. and European tours and several albums to his credit. Doug disbanded the group to focus all his energies on his first love, acoustic blues. "Come To Find" is the debut fruit of that effort. And now it's made even more remarkable, with this 45 RPM 200-gram reissue by Analogue Productions. The dead-quiet double-LP, with the music spread over four sides of vinyl, reduces distortion and high frequency loss as the wider-spaced grooves let your stereo cartridge track more accurately.The pressing sounds spectacular. You're holding a hefty 200-gram masterpiece from our own Quality Record Pressings, our state-of-the-art LP pressing plant. And the gatefold jacket is hard-core, old-school style — thick cardboard, tip-on, with additional photos and liner notes inside. Sweet. "Come To Find" is the sound of a consummate bluesman touching the core of his art in a program featuring ten originals by Doug. He is beautifully supported in this intimate setting by harmonica ace Charlie Musselwhite and the Mighty Flyer rhythm section, Jimi Bott and Bill Stuve. This is the album that deserves a place of honor in the music collections of even casual blues fans. And for those who love blues already, this is one of the best-sounding, most original works you'll ever hear.

Rebecca Pidgeon, the acclaimed Scottish actress, has also displayed her gift as a singer/songwriter on her several well-received albums. Taking elements from folk, pop, jazz, and Celtic traditions, Pidgeon crafts lilting, intimate poetry. Born in Cambridge, Massachusetts, she later moved to Edinburgh, Scotland with her family at the age of 5. As a teenager in Scotland, she sang along with the radio and her parents' Beatles and Joni Mitchell records as a light escape from her demanding acting studies. Eventually, she enrolled in London's Royal Academy of Dramatic Art at 18 where she studied drama, music, and voice. Pidgeon's first Chesky release, "The Raven", featured Pidgeon's stunning version of "Spanish Harlem". "The Raven" went on to become an audiophile classic, thanks to Pidgeon's crystalline voice and Chesky's high-fidelity recording techniques. Her second album, "The New York Girls' Club", brought her unique singing and songwriting to more music lovers. She now resides in Boston and Vermont with her husband and their daughter. Between album projects, Pidgeon has starred in the Mamet plays "Oleanna", "Speed The Plow", "The Old Neighborhood", and the motion pictures "The Spanish Prisoner" and "The Winslow Boy".

Get your motor runnin' baby — Steppenwolf's "Gold: Their Great Hits" took its title literally. The towering rock album success rang in at No. 24 on the Billboard Pop Albums chart and became certified gold for record sales in excess of 500,000 units by the Record Industry Association of America (riaa) in April 1971. AllMusic praised the production and engineering of most of the tracks and called it a »nearly perfect introduction« to the band. Acoustic Sounds and Analogue Productions want to introduce you to the most sonically perfect version of this historic album you've ever heard on vinyl. Our 200-gram reissue was remastered from the original analog tapes by Kevin Gray at Cohearent Sound and plated and pressed by Gary Salstrom and his crew at Quality Record Pressings, makers of the world's finest-sounding LPs. And now — we've upped the ante even more for true audiophile bliss — the 45 RPM 2LP version reduces distortion and high frequency loss as the wider-spaced grooves let your stereo cartridge track more accurately. Natural tonalities, superb balances, pristine clarity and more are all revealed. The Canadian-American rock band, named for Hermann Hesse's mystical novel, rocketed to worldwide fame after their third single "Born To Be Wild" dropped in 1968. The song and Steppenwolf's version of Hoyt Axton's "The Pusher" figured prominently in the 1969 counterculture cult film "Easy Rider", and both show up on "Gold's" track list. Two other singles on this stunning album compilation also cracked the Top 10 on the charts: "Magic Carpet Ride" and "Rock Me". "Magic Carpet Ride" was released in 1968 on the album "The Second". It was written by band members John Kay and Rushton Moreve, peaked at No. 3 in the U.S. and stayed on the charts for 16 weeks, longer than any other Steppenwolf song. You also get the Don Covay soul cover "Sookie, Sookie", which got airplay on some soul stations nationwide, as well as rock 'n' roll radio. "Gold" also includes "Hey Lawdy Mama" the hit studio single from Steppenwolf Live. Steppenwolf enjoyed worldwide success from 1968 to 1972, when clashing personalities ultimately broke up the core group after a farewell concert in Los Angeles on Valentine's Day, 1972. Today, John Kay remains as the only original Steppenwolf member.

"Hoodoo Man Blues" is not only Junior Wells' initial LP appearance, it is damn near the first LP by a Chicago blues band. This is the album that started the collector blues label trend of the late '60s. Chess and a few other labels had reissued 45's by Muddy Waters, Sonny Boy Williamson, Howlin' Wolf, Jimmy Reed, Elmore James, etc., but virtually no one had tried to capture the Chicago blues sound, free of the juke-box/airplay promotional mediums limitations of the 45. This album features the smoking guitar of the legendary Buddy Guy along with a crack rhythm section.

200g 45rpm

Diese Einspielung von Fritz Reiner mit dem Chicago Symphony Orchestra aus dem Jahr 1954 ist legendär. Seine Interpretation des Strauss-Werks war eine der ersten Stereoaufnahmen bei RCA, auf Band gebracht von Jack Pfeiffer. Acht Jahre später lud das Label Reiner erneut ein, "Also Sprach Zarathustra" aufzunehmen - diesmal mit verbesserter Technik. Doch die musikalische wie auch die Aufnahmequalität der 1954er Produktion bleibt unübertroffen. Und auch wenn die Aussage, das Chicago Symphony Orchestra unter der Leitung von Fritz Reiner sei das 'beste Orchester der Welt', letztendlich immer problematisch ist: diese Einspielung ist hervorragend.

Der Dirigent Reiner war den Beschreibungen nach ein Despot, der seine Musiker wahrhaft schikanierte. Mit sparsamen Gesten führte er das Chicago Symphony Orchestra durch die Partitur, doch erreicht er mit ihm eine Brillanz und Transparenz, mit der heutige Dirigenten erst einmal mithalten müssen. Das Remastering für Analogue Productions übernahm Ryan Smith.

New from Wilson Audiophile Recordings, "Center Stage", featuring Lowell Graham conducting the National Symphonic Winds. These recordings were made in a historic concert hall on the campus of Hampton University in Hampton Roads, VA. The history of the hall parallels somewhat New York's Carnegie Hall. The musicians in the National Symphonic Winds come from the premier military bands of the United States as well as the Virginia Symphony Orchestra. The result was a superb mix of seasoned and assured professionals for this single, five-hour recording session. Those who have already enjoyed the 33 1/3 Analogue Productions reissue of Center Stage know why it is an exceptional-sounding audiophile record. Now, cut at 45 RPM, and with wider grooves, you'll hear sound that's upgraded from exceptional, to brilliant. There's more depth and space to the orchestra as a whole, as well as individual instruments. This disc sports more detail, more human presence, more of what we as audiophiles, listen for. Lowell Graham, a graduate of the University of Northern Colorado, was also the first to be awarded the Doctor of Musical Arts degree in orchestral conducting from the Catholic University of America. He has led orchestras and bands in performances throughout the world, and he's the current conductor and commander of the United States Air Force Tactical Air Command Band. Recorded with minimal miking (Sennheiser), directly to 2-track half-inch, 30 ips tape using arguably the finest 2-track analog recorder in the world — the Wilson Ultramaster — a highly-modified Studer tape deck with custom-designed electronics designed by John Curl. To accomplish this difficult, time pressure recording, the recording engineering skills of the renowned Bruce Leek were employed. The extreme dynamic range of the music remains intact as well as the soundstage and timbre of the ensemble remaining completely natural. There is no added enhancement to the concert hall's natural reverberation. When raising the volume, be careful as these real world dynamics can be harmful to playback equipment if care is not taken. The musical repertoire was chosen to be user friendly, vivid, colorful and impactful. Selections from Tony-winning stage classics "Barnum", "West Side Story" and "Oklahoma" are joined by compositions from John Williams, including "Olympic Fanfare" composed for the 1984 Olympic Games. Selections from the Walt Disney favorite "Mary Poppins" include "Spoonful Of Sugar", "Chim Chim Cheree" and more. These significant recordings hold a distinctive place in the audio and musical world.

Legends have a way of sticking around. If there was ever an album awaiting a high-fidelity, custom-pressed vinyl treatment of the level you now hold in your hands, it is Miles Davis' "Kind Of Blue". The top-selling jazz album of all time, it has been lauded, entered into "Best Of" lists and Halls of Fame, and universally acknowledged as a landmark recording — a five-track masterpiece of melancholy mood and melody. Now Analogue Productions, the audiophile in-house reissue label of Acoustic Sounds, Inc., together with Quality Record Pressings, is putting "Kind Of Blue" where it belongs: the Ultra High Quality Record (uhqr) pressed on Clarity Vinyl on a manual Finebilt press with attention paid to every single detail of every single record. The 200-gram records will feature the same flat profile that helped to make the original Uhqr so desirable. From the lead-in groove to the run-out groove, there is no pitch to the profile, allowing the customer's stylus to play truly perpendicular to the grooves from edge to center. Clarity Vinyl allows for the purest possible pressing and the most visually stunning presentation. Every Uhqr will be hand inspected upon pressing completion, and only the truly flawless will be allowed to go to market. Each Uhqr will be packaged in a deluxe box and will include a booklet detailing the entire process of making a Uhqr along with a hand-signed certificate of inspection. This will be a truly deluxe, collectible product. A minor audio complication with "Kind Of Blue" has been addressed with this Uhqr edition. The motor on the studio's 3-track master recorder was running slowly the day of the album's first session. This speed issue affected the album's first three tracks, "So What", "Freddie Freeloader" and "Blue In Green", making them a barely perceptible quarter-tone sharp.This issue was finally addressed with the Classic Records reissue in 1995. This Uhqr was pressed from the same parts that Bernie Grundman cut directly from the original 3-track masters for Classic in '95. Sixty years have passed; this LP bridges that time span in the best way possible, struck from the master reel of "Kind Of Blue", free of speed issues and replete with all the instrumental detail, sonic environment and minimal noise. As we set out to make our Uhqr series the world's best-sounding vinyl records, we have also used Clarity Vinyl, which is free of any carbon black pigment which might introduce surface noise. All-in-all this edition of "Kind Of Blue" meets the highest audiophile standards and offers the truest sound for the most enjoyment.