A MUST HAVE SUPERSONIC AUDIOPHILE REFERENCE QUALITY ALBUM TO HEAR YOUR AUDIO SYSTEM’S ULTIMATE SOUND QUALITY!
This 22 ballad songs album is the ultimate collection of Lyn Stanley's best work. This compilation album with 2 discs consists of 21 Lyn Stanley ballad songs remastered by the guru himself, Bernie Grundman, and a new release of "The Man I Love" with full string section and band has been described as on of the best renditions ever. This Hybrid SACD has CD layer (1644 redbook), single DSD layer and 24bit/192 file for each song. The 8 page booklet includes Liner Notes, Song Descriptions and Musician Credits. The SACD digipak also has an external protective slip cover. Read the review of Black Dress Ballads by Dato' Danon Han at Analogue Fellowship here.
One of the best jazz productions ever, review by Jan Willem Voogd
It was a great honor for me to receive Lyn Stanley's new double album Black Dress at an early stage for review. For example, I received the vinyl test pressings of all tracks from RTI Record Technology, with 52 years of experience in LP production. Afterwards I also received the SACD/CD version from Lyn herself. All material was assessed via the Mark Levinson 5206/5302 pre- and power amplifier, the 5105 turntable with Ortofon Quintet Black S MC cartridge, the new Esoteric K-05XD SACD player with G-05 Master Clock Generator, Bowers & Wilkins 805 D4 speakers, Siltech Classic Legend 680i cables and the combination of Stax SR-X9000 electrostatic headphones with the SRM-T-8000 amplifier.
Exceptional quality
I know Lyn Stanley's entire oeuvre very well and a year ago I rated her fantastic big band album Novel Noel as the best album of the year. I still don't think everyone in America realizes what a great talent this is. This is evident from Black Dress Ballads, with a total of 21 previous recordings and one new. The tracks provide a good overview of Lyn's development in recent years. An exceptionally good performance, always with great accompaniment by her regular and inspiring jazz musicians: Lyn completely captivates you with her warm voice. Lyn is not only a good jazz singer, but also a passionate producer of her own work. She has been working for years with one of the best mastering engineers in the world: Bernie Grundman. But a first conclusion: all the original tracks already had fantastic sound quality, but for this occasion they have been remastered by Grundman. The result is astonishingly good: the very best audiophile quality achievable today. Unbelievable.
One of the best vinyl productions ever made
Listening to the test pressings of RTI Records I became more and more impressed. The vinyl edition of Black Dress Ballads (a unique One Stops Production) is, in my opinion, one of the finest and best ever made and belongs in every collection of the serious vinyl jazz enthusiast. A beautiful reproduction of all frequencies, a clean pressing, 45 rpm and in the final production version packaged so luxuriously that it will become a collector's item.
Lyn shines as a great vocal diva
In my opinion, this SACD double album is one of the best productions of all time. The audiophile quality is so high that I have decided to use these tracks on SACD in all reviews that I will write in the future about the best high-end equipment. Although all tracks match each other in a great vocal performance, I am particularly touched by track 3: The Man I Love. This track was a big project in itself. A studio recording by Bill Schnee in Nashville TN at Oceanway Studio and, of course, mastered by Bernie Grundman. But also, a very good rhythm arrangement by the pianist on the track, Pat Coil. A great performance by the string group from The Budapest Scoring Orchestra and the arrangement was created by their Hungarian arranger, Balint Sapszon. Lyn had already sent me the file before production took place and I was very impressed. This version is one of the most beautiful arrangements of The Man I Love ever. Lyn Stanley shines as a great vocal diva. This SACD/CD version is sure to become a bestseller.
Conclusion
Both the vinyl version and SACD/CD editions are among the very best audiophile editions available today, with an inspiringly beautiful musical performance. The album has also been released in reel to reel and USB formats. Yes, Lyn Stanley is an exceptional jazz diva. Strongly recommended. And... jazz lovers in the world: I know Lyn is working on a completely new and spectacular album, which will be groundbreaking in vocal performance and audiophile quality. So, keep a close eye on that!
Jan Willem Voogd is a well-known violin soloist, concert pianist and author/reviewer of high-end hi-fi in the Netherlands
Read more about Black Dress?
“... this splendid reprising of the ballad material..”
C.Michael Bailey review of Black Dress Ballads SACD at Wild Mercury Rhythm. Lyn Stanley has been building a repertoire and discography dedicated to performing the Great American Songbook as the composers imagined. These songs were popular tunes and show songs before assimilation into the modern jazz bandbook of 1945 to 1955. The use of the Songbook by jazz demonstrated both the durability and longevity of the material... read more
here.
Tracklist:
DISC 1 songs 1 to 10.
DISC 2 songs 11 to 22
- Don't Explain
- You've Changed
- The Man I Love (Band & Strings Version)
- Blue Moon
- That Old Feeling
- Teach Me Tonight
- Embraceable You
- In a Sentimental Mood
- It's Impossible
- I'll Be Seeing You
- It's Magic
- Smile
- I Concentrate On You
- You Go To My Head
- My Foolish Heart
- The Nearness of You
- Body and Soul
- The Island
- Something
- Since I Fell For You
- Fever
- Misty
Recording information:
Title: Black Dress - Ballads
Artist: Lyn Stanley
Genre: Jazz
Media: 2x Hybrid SACD Stereo. Playable on SACD player or standard CD player
Label: A.T.Music LLC
Cat#: ATM3111
Released: 2024 in US
EAN: 731716957189
SACD recordings carry 2 year warranty if treated properly. No returns of used product.
