Octave Records has released Audiophile Masters, Volume XI: Covers Collection 2, featuring more cover versions of popular favorites and standards by some of Octave’s favorite artists. This companion to the first Octave Records covers collection includes songs written and made famous by Bob Dylan, Duke Ellington, the Beatles, Ella Fitzgerald, Chet Baker, Joni Mitchell and others, recorded in stunning Pure DSD 256 audio quality.
“When Octave and PS Audio CEO Paul McGowan and I created the first Audiophile Masters X Covers Collection, we had no idea it would be so well-received,” said Jessica Carson, producer, recording, and mixing engineer. “I'm excited about the music on Audiophile Masters XI, and equally excited about the recording quality. This album is one of the most natural-sounding recordings to come out of Octave Studios.
On Audiophile Masters, Volume XI: Covers Collection 2, the musical flavors range from jazz and swing to Sixties and Seventies songwriting. Like the first volume in the series, the sound quality is warm, intimate, and spacious, thanks to Octave Records’ Pure DSD 256 recording process and the Gefell M90 and Neumann U67 microphones used in the studio, and the use of mostly acoustic instruments. Audiophile Masters, Volume XI: Covers Collection 2 was recorded using Octave’s Pyramix-based Pure DSD 256 system. It was recorded, mixed and produced by Paul McGowan and Jessica Carson, with Terri McGowan assisting. The album was mastered by Gus Skinas.
The album gets off to a rip-roaring start with Duke Ellington’s “It Don’t Mean a Thing,” and this track certainly has that swing, with Alicia Straka on vocals, accompanied by Tom Amend on piano, Braxton Kahn playing drums, and Seth Lewis on upright bass. The band absolutely blazes here, and then eases into a relaxed groove on an impassioned rendition of “Cheek to Cheek.”
Alicia Straka.
Next up is alto saxophonist and vocalist Jeremy Mohney, with Reid Poole (trumpet), Matt Cantor (guitar), Conner Hollingsworth (bass) and Chris Carland on drums. The quintet plays a set of standards made popular by Ella Fitzgerald, Louis Armstrong, Chet Baker, and Django Reinhardt, among others. Jeremy and the band sound like they’ve taken a trip back in time, from their four-to-the-bar rhythm guitar-driven swing of “All of Me” and “Sweet Georgia Brown” to the bouncy “Never Be Another You” and “I’ll See You in My Dreams.” Jeremy’s vocals sound like they come out of a 1930s Hollywood movie, and the band is right there with him, with tight ensemble playing and evocative soloing.
The musical mood and era shift with an Americana-sounding take on Joni Mitchell’s “Woodstock,” featuring Rebecca Folsom on vocals and acoustic guitar, with Tom Wasinger on vocals and acoustic guitar and Sandra Wong on vocals and violin. The soaring three-part vocal harmonies are simply gorgeous, and beautifully recorded.
Rebecca Folsom.
The third section of Audiophile Masters, Volume XI: Covers 2 features three songs with Katie Mintle on vocals, Chad Irish on percussion and Brian Chodoroff playing guitar, joined by Jessica Carson on one of the Beatles’ most beloved songs, “Blackbird.” Bob Dylan’s “Don’t Think Twice” is given a quiet, introspective treatment, with Katie’s vocals accompanied by sparse acoustic guitars. The album closes with another Joni Mitchell song, “Case of You,” the perfect ending to this collection of inviting songs, recorded with extraordinary sound quality and musical realism.
Audiophile Masters, Volume XI: Covers 2 features Octave’s premium gold disc formulation, and the disc is playable on any SACD, CD, DVD, or Blu-ray player. It also has a high-resolution DSD layer that is accessible by using any SACD player or a PS Audio SACD transport. In addition, the master DSD and PCM files are available for purchase and download, including DSD 256, DSD 128, DSD 64, and DSDDirect Mastered 352.8 kHz/24-bit, 176.2 kHz/24-bit, 88.2 kHz/24-bit, and 44.1 kHz/24-bit PCM. (SRP: $19 – $39, depending on format.)
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