I've been on a bit of an audio hiatus these past few months, but that hasn't meant I wasn't paying attention to the many excellent albums Bob Witrak has been releasing over that time. Those of you who have read some of my other writing know with what great respect I hold Bob's work at High Definition Tape Transfers. His sonic results over the past decade almost always exceed what has been released by the labels themselves. And his catalog is a cornucopia of some of the best recordings from the glorious stereo era of the 1950s and 1960s. Here are some releases from recent months to which I think you should be paying attention.
Jazz Impressions of Black Orpheus, Vince Guaraldi Trio. HDTT 1962 2025 (Pure DSD256) HERE
Jazz Impressions of Black Orpheus is a remarkable album by the Vince Guaraldi Trio, released in 1962. It's one of Vince Guaraldi's most celebrated works, blending the rhythmic vitality of Brazilian bossa nova with the sophistication of West Coast jazz. The album was inspired by the 1959 film Black Orpheus (a Brazilian-French production that brought global attention to bossa nova music).
As Jeff Day notes in a CD review, this album "is on pretty much every audiophile's list for having both great sound quality and great music." HERE And I agree. Back in the day, I truly enjoyed my copy of the 2-LP set of Analogue Productions 45rpm release of Jazz Impressions of Black Orpheus, mastered by Steve Hoffman and cut by Kevin Gray.
I can't directly compare that 45rpm AP vinyl release to this new HDTT Pure DSD256 digital release. And I can't tell you whether this new Pure DSD256 version sounds better than the "remastered from the original 1961 two-track tapes for CD by Steve Hoffman" CD that Jeff compares to his copy of the 45rpm vinyl. But I can tell you that the sound quality of this Pure DSD256 transfer from an unidentified 2-track 15ips tape is simply delicious, fully satisfying, every morsel delectable.
Just get it! You will not be disappointed.
Miles Davis Quiet Nights, arranged and conducted by Gil Evans. HDTT 1963 2025 (Pure DSD256) HERE
Released in 1963, Quiet Nights was a continuation of the legendary partnership between Miles Davis and Gil Evans, following classics like Miles Ahead (1957), Porgy and Bess (1959), and Sketches of Spain (1960). By the time of Quiet Nights, their collaborative dynamic had begun to shift. The bossa nova wave, led by artists like João Gilberto and Antônio Carlos Jobim, had captured worldwide attention. In many respects, this album can be understood as a rushed, unfinished effort to capitalize on this wave.
And flawed as the album may be, it is Miles Davis and Gil Evans. There is musical intelligence and innovation here. As the liner notes comment, the album can be interpreted as a subtle, atmospheric work that hints at Davis's future explorations into modal jazz and his experiments with non-American musical styles.
But, as in the original LP, there are only 27 minutes of music. And six minutes are taken up by a quintet performance of "Summer Night." The six remaining tracks are enjoyable enough, but rather brief, further suggesting the album was rushed to market without giving Evans time to write more material. The liner notes tell us "the recording sessions for Quiet Nights were fraught with tension. Columbia Records wanted an album to capitalize on the bossa nova craze, but Davis and Evans were not entirely aligned with the rushed schedule or the commercial expectations. The result was a shorter-than-usual album (less than 30 minutes), and Davis reportedly criticized Columbia for releasing what he considered an incomplete work."
If you are a Miles Davis fan, you'll likely want this album; and this release brings great sonics with it in this Pure DSD256 transfer from a 15ips 2-track tape. But overall, I don't find it a compelling Davis/Evans collaboration. You may have a different reaction to it.
Ahmad Jamal, Happy Moods. HDTT 1960 2024 (DXD, DSD256). HERE
I consistently find Ahmad Jamal to be an interesting and engaging artist, relishing each of his recordings that I hear. Happy Moods continues that experience and I heartily recommend it to you. A celebrated jazz album released in 1960, it highlights Jamal's signature trio style of subtle elegance with a light, lyrical, and slightly humorous touch. Combining with sophisticated arrangements, this was another brilliant release from Ahmad Jamal. The album features Israel Crosby on bass and Vernell Fournier on drums.
This is yet another release in HDTT's Vinyl Records Restoration series (about which you can read more HERE) and the sound quality is excellent. As with other releases in this series, HDTT has been able to make a transfer that is virtually indistinguishable from their tape transfers. If the webpage had not told me this was a transfer from an LP, I wouldn't have known it.
Time Changes, The Dave Brubeck Quartet. 1964 2025 HDTT (DXD, DSD256) HERE
How many ways can you say, "Simply Outstanding!" Music, performance, sound quality—all excellent. If you have any fondness for Dave Brubeck (as I do), this further exploration of his fascination with unconventional key signatures is a great listen.
As noted in the enclosed booklet, "Brubeck's compositions often juxtapose contrasting rhythms, creating a sense of tension and release. This approach can be heard throughout the album. …Time Changes didn't achieve the same commercial success as Time Out, but it remains a critical favorite among jazz aficionados for its boldness and artistry. It illustrates Brubeck's mission to challenge preconceived notions of what jazz could be, combining cerebral composition with emotional expression."
Transferred from a 15ips 2-track tape with the usual care and superb results which we've come to expect from Bob Witrak. By the way, I am finding in this release that the DSD256 sounds better on my system than does the edit master DXD version, particularly on the final "Elements" track. This an exception to what I normally hear with Bob's PCM post-processed releases when listening through my Playback Designs MPD-8, go figure. Highly recommended.
The Oscar Peterson Trio, We Get Requests. HDTT 1964 2025 (Pure DSD256) HERE
What an excellent transfer! Clear, clean, transparent. This release is just marvelous in the clarity of the instruments, harmonic overtones, leading edge definition, and snap. Yet is retains the virtues of outstanding analog sound. If you have one of the Japanese SHM-SACD releases, you may not need this release. But I still find the HDTT to be more neutral and analog sounding than that excellent SHM-SACD release. On the other hand, if all you have is CD, then this is definitely a release you need to have on your "purchase next" list.
This has always been one of the best recorded Oscar Peterson albums, and this release allows us to hear all the detail in perfect balance. Listening once again, my thoughts are: Never hyped up, utterly neutral, beautifully transparent.
And what nicely performed music this is, too. Peterson's trio with Brown and Thigpen was one of the best small ensembles at the time and this recording captures them at their height.
Sibelius Violin Concerto & Music, David Oistrakh, Eugene Ormandy. HDTT 1959 2024 (DXD, DSD256) HERE
David Oistrakh, one of the most celebrated violinists of the 20th century, had a remarkable connection to Jean Sibelius' Violin Concerto in D minor, Op. 47. The Sibelius Violin Concerto is a technically demanding and deeply emotional work, making it a perfect showcase for Oistrakh's unparalleled virtuosity and expressive depth. His interpretations were noted for their warmth, lyricism, and precision, which elevated the concerto to new heights. (Side note: don't confuse David for his sone Igor Oistrakh. There is a dramatic difference in interpretative quality and technical skill.)
This recording has been in the catalog since it's release in 1959 and has consistently rated as one of the top interpretations of the Violin Concerto, deservedly
Eugene Ormandy's touch with Sibelius' other orchestral works are legendary. Included here are The Swan of Tuonela, Finlandia, and Valse Triste—all among Sibelius' greatest works for orchestra. And the performances are at the top level of any performances you might consider of these works.
While I've always admired Ormandy's performances, the sound of the Columbia LPs consistently left me wanted better sonics. That is not the case with these transfers from analog tape that HDTT has been releasing! For some reason, I am finding these transfers from tape to be far superior to any of the LPs I've had in my collection over the years. This album is illustrative of the excellence Bob Witrak is achieving. The sound is open, transparent, rich, thoroughly analog in all the best sense of why I've so much enjoyed high quality analog recordings over the years.
Highly recommended.
Dvorak Symphony No.7, István Kertész, London Symphony Orchestra. HDTT 1964 2024 (DXD, DSD256). HERE
I have loved the István Kertész performances of Dvorak's orchestral works since I first heard them in the late 1960s on London Records. Recorded by the legendary Decca recording engineer Kenneth Wilkinson, often in the superb Kingsway Hall, the sonics of these recordings were simply beyond compare. They still hold up supremely well in comparison to the best modern orchestral recordings today. Let's simply say that, for me, Kenneth Wilkinson's work is the standard by which I compare any other orchestral recording efforts. For some further background on Decca recordings in general, and the work of Kenneth Wilkinson in particular. Here are links to some past articles about Wilkinson recordings and Decca in general:
Decca Legend Kenneth Wilkinson at High Definition Tape Transfers (HDTT)
More Classic Kenneth Wilkinson Recordings from HDTT
From the Golden Age of Decca Stereo: The Recordings Engineered by Roy Wallace at HDTT
And what about the performance by István Kertész you ask? It is idiomatic—you'll not hear a ho-hum run through from Kertész. As HDTT notes, "Kertész highlights the symphony's dark and brooding character, particularly in the opening movement. He captures the emotional tension and stormy dynamics that define the work." This is what I expect from him—he takes the music for the emotional ride that should be conveyed. Is there some occasional raggedness of ensemble? Perhaps. But with the emotional quotient running so high, who cares? Not me. Famous for his dislike of rehearsals, he allows the London Symphony to make a much rougher sound than his some others tolerate, but the results have a spontaneous, idiomatic charm that I love. His performances, as here, sound fresh, alive, invigorated.
Another review comments that Kertész had never conducted the Dvorak symphonies before, and the LSO didn't know these pieces, either. But the entire cycle is played as heard here in the Seventh: with with rousing commitment and vivacity. I enjoy all of them each time I hear them.
Toscanini conducts Orchestral Favorites. HDTT 1953 2024 (DSD256, DXD) HERE
Legendary performances in perhaps the best sound quality ever. That about says it all. The transfer of these monophonic recordings has been made from a 2-track production tape, so the source is about as good as is likely to be found. The resulting sound quality is far better than I've heard on any of the various LP and CD reissues over the years. The limitations of early 1950s recording technology notwithstanding, these performances are remarkable. Hearing them in this level of improved sonics helps one realize why Toscanini was/is revered. The clarity with which he presents these works is most remarkable. If you've not heard Toscanini's performances before, you should immediately take this opportunity to become acquainted—they are a musical learning experience, and this is an excellent source for hearing them.
Mozart Piano Concertos 17 & 21 - Géza Anda soloist & conductor, Camerata Academica Des Salzburger Mozarteums. HDTT 1962 2024 (DSD256, DXD) HERE
Yes, indeed, these are the performances of these works on which I imprinted. And they continue to provide great joy upon listening after so many years. The second movement (Andante) of Piano Concerto No. 21 in C Major (K467) from this recording was featured in the 1967 Swedish film Elvira Madigan and, as a result, the work became widely known as the "Elvira Madigan Concerto." Ann rolls her eyes whenever this piece gets played, but phooey on her for being a curmudgeon. In my universe, Géza Anda's version is one of the great recordings of this magnificent work—gorgeous, elegant, graceful.
Géza Anda was well regarded as a thoughtful and scholarly Mozartian, and his series of the complete concertos established standards for "modern" Mozart concerto interpretation followed by Perahia and others. To today's ears, now well acclimated to historically informed performance practice, his performances can sound a bit stodgy. But they continue to present an elegance, clarity, and subtlety of color that is warmly well-received.
This release is another of the Vinyl Record Restoration releases from HDTT (more information HERE), sourced from a a DGG original pressing. The sound quality is excellent, in elegant early DGG fashion.
Symphonic Choral Masterworks of Anton Bruckner, HDTT 2025 (192k) HERE
This is another superb live recording from the phenomenal John Proffit. The recording of Bruckner's Mass No. 1 at the Brucknertage Music Festival 2018 is stunning. As always, John's ability to capture the sound of orchestra and chorus is nigh on perfect.
And the Texas Music Festival Orchestra and Chorus conducted by Franz Anton Krager, with chorusmaster Paulo Gomes, is as musically engaging as always in Bruckner's Psalm 146 in A Major. Recorded in 2024, this is another excellent example of the skill that John Proffitt brings to capturing a balanced soundscape from orchestra, chorus and soloists. Demonstration quality!
