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Read the interview with Barry Diament at AudioStream

From Barry's Soundkeeper Recordings label:

Americas, the latest album from Paul Beaudry & Pathways

Soon after their Rhythm Road: American Music Abroad tour in 2010
to Trinidad & Tobago, Suriname, Nicaragua and Honduras
(co-sponsored by Jazz At Lincoln Center and the U.S. Dept. of State's
Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs),
Paul Beaudry & Pathways decided to record a whole album of music celebrating
North, Central and South America and the Caribbean. The result is "Americas".

Hear samples from Americas

See photos from the Americas recording sessions

See photos and a video from the Americas release party

SR interview: Paul Beaudry

Critical acclaim for Americas

"...Latin jazz sounds resplendent in high resolution and without studio trickery..."
"...The overall sonic image is entirely different from most jazz albums—more open and realistic..."
"...Americas is an engrossing, euphoric jazz album with topnotch audiophile credentials...."
Read the review at Audiophile Audition

In the July/August 2012 issue of Music Emotion,
reviewer Werner Ero used Americas to evaluate equipment he was reviewing.
In his review of the Thiel CS3.7 loudspeakers, Werner said:
"...Where I was already excited about Markus Schwartz & Lakou Brooklyn's Equinox
[used to evaluate components from Spectral and Avalon in the May 2012 issue],
Americas takes the quality even further..."
"...honest acoustic jazz..."
"...[Listening to "Every Time Ah Pass"] from the very first second, I imagined I was actually in the Osborn in New York.  In addition, I immediately felt the air circulation in the recording space and the physical pressure of the piano strings.  When the sax, bass and drums joined the party, it was simply impossible to sit still..."
"...All the instruments are stunningly projected in three dimensional space and have their original proportions and dimensions.  The micro position variations of the instruments and the distinction between the different timbres are almost shockingly realistic..."
Read the review (in the original Nederlands) at Music Emotion

"...joyous collection of different musical flavours that make the album extremely fun to listen to..."
"...it sounds just like live music, lively, strong and communicative as only the real thing can be.  No special effects, just an extremely realistic performance.  What I call the out of the room test is jaw-dropping with this recording: just walk outside the listening room, go upstairs (or downstairs) or simply "outside" and listen to the sound: if it seems a jazz band is playing somewhere inside your house (I was outside, in the garden, for example) then the recording - and your HiFi system! - are doing what they are meant to do.  Not even a trace of artificial or electronic sound!  Just the illusion of real instruments playing somewhere for you..."
"...The piano parts deserve a special mention, because the sound is extremely realistic, clean, natural..."
"...I don't know whether this is the perfect jazz recording, for sure it is one of the best I've ever heard.  There are several excellent jazz recordings (especially from Reference Recordings and Chesky) but nothing comes close to Americas in terms of realism and presence effect..."
Read the review at TNT-Audio

"...A very enjoyable disc with wonderful music and state-of-the-art high resolution sound...Highly recommended..."
Read the review at Positive Feedback

And on the blogs...

"...A rock solid 4tet does what many have tried and with mixed results at best, transcending what may be considered more world and Latin flavored genres into a more modern jazz setting without losing the appeal or authenticity of the music in their translation.
A superlative effort. Latin music fans will find a great deal to enjoy on this superior release."
Read the review at @Critial Jazz

"...Soundkeeper Recordings of Americas is a sonic gem...
Through engineer Barry Diament's experience, skills (and alchemy?) at Soundkeeper Recordings you'll be transported without moving, becoming an observer, a "hearer" who has been magically brought into the performance space.
It's easy to get absorbed into this album and sometimes hard to keep your feet still when listening.  The artistry of the players, the audio production, recording and mastering all make Paul Beaudry & Pathways Americas a must have for the the jazz fan, the eclectic collector, and most definitely for the audiophile."
Read the review at Epilog - Blog - Notes and Updates to Ron’s Audio-Files

"...It’s accessible and lively enough to win over the Spyro Gyra crowd, while the richly inspired playing will likely keep purist jazz fans reaching for the repeat button on several tracks.  Count this among this year’s most original and enjoyable jazz releases."
Read the review at Lucid Culture

Confluence by Jason Vitelli

Hear samples from Confluence

See photos from the Confluence recording sessions

See photos and a video from the Confluence release party

SR interview: Jason Vitelli

Critical acclaim for Confluence

"...I hear everything from Peter Gabriel-era Genesis to prog rock, with a healthy dose of singer-songwriter fare all mixed together and churned out in a completely individual manner..."
"...Confluence is real, original popular music..."
"...And speaking of the sound, this is where the album shines especially bright.  I don't think I've ever heard an original rock recording sound so pure and uncompressed.."
"...wick up the volume and you'll hear this album in all its glory.  The dynamics are outstanding and the tone is spot on..."
Read the review at The Audio Beat

In the May 2012 issue of Music Emotion,
reviewer Werner Ero used Confluence to evaluate equipment he was reviewing.
In his review of a system comprised of components from Spectral and Avalon, Werner said:
"...you'll experience the extraordinary feeling that you're listening to actual performing artists..."
"...Extraordinary natural dynamic balance..."

"...very involving all the way through with a unique and varied mixture of styles from simple acoustic ballads to hard electric rock..."
"...great original music..."
Part of a story about Soundkeeper Recordings at Positive Feedback

"...The acoustic resonance of Confluence takes on different shadings with the addition of the ensemble.  "Blank Page" exhibits a haunting theme with the cello accompaniment.  Small touches, like a celeste expand the sonic landscape, without altering the flow of the piece.  The celeste and cello create a mosaic with harmony vocals on "River Nile".  "From Egypt" evokes a classical ambiance with captivating string accents..."
"...Confluence is a modern approach to recorded popular music...."
Read the review at Audiophile Audition

"...This album is a lovely mix of sweet, caressing ballads and lively, rough and rugged rock tracks..."
"...Initially they sound so different from the usual rock recordings that one needs time to reset his ears and brain..."
"...powerful, lively, exactly like the band was playing inside your listening room..."
"...What you get is deep, thunderous bass (electric bass and drums at their best) and a distorted electric guitar that sounds so incredibly REAL!  Any rock album should sound this way!..."
"...The illusion of being there is literally breath-taking..."
"...So stunningly different from the rest that you MUST listen to it.  Period."
Read the review at TNT-Audio.

"...This is so radical you may have to “unlearn” the sound of pop
before you realize this is what music sounds like, pure and honest,
as if they were HERE - not some studio ideal of people but living breathing humans."
Lawrence de Martin

Equinox by Markus Schwartz & Lakou Brooklyn

Hear samples from Equinox

See photos from the Equinox recording sessions

See photos from the Equinox release parties

SR interview: Markus Schwartz

Critical acclaim for Equinox

In the May 2012 issue of Music Emotion,
reviewer Werner Ero used Equinox to evaluate equipment he was reviewing.
In his review of a system comprised of components from Spectral and Avalon, Werner said:
"...This CD-R gives you the feeling like no other that you're not replaying a reproduction..."
"...feels very natural and realistic..."
"...exciting and stimulating jazz album..."

"...This is very exciting and realistic..."
Part of a story about Soundkeeper Recordings at Positive Feedback

"...The music is the most infectious sound that's come into my home in a long time..."
"...it's one of the best sounding digital recordings I've heard.  Highest recommendation..."
Dennis Davis in the April/May 2011 issue of HiFi+

In the February 2011 issue of Stereophile,
Equinox was selected as Recording of the Month
In his review, Robert Baird said:
"...Intent on finding that magic equilibrium between sound and content, Diament, a former Atlantic Records engineer, has hit a new high point for Soundkeeper with his immediate-sounding and musically compelling disc of explorations by drummer Markus Schwartz and his Lakou Brooklyn project..."
"...While the technical info is impressive, and the peerless sound is gloriously unaffected and real, the compelling and exotic blend of music on Equinox is equal to the technology–a balance of art and craft that all recordings, audiophile or not, should aspire to."

In the January 2011 issue of Stereophile,
editor John Atkinson and reviewer Michael Fremer
both used Equinox to evaluate equipment they were reviewing.
In his review of the dCS Debussy DAC (digital to analog converter), Michael said:
"...The hi-rez files of this tuneful, percussive music produced an enormous, airy space in which the instruments were clearly located and layered..."
"...In short, whatever preconceptions digiphobes might have about digital sound would be quickly erased by listening to these superb-sounding high-res files..."

The Ars Nova Workshop asked several musicians for their
Best Albums of the Year list.
One of Ches Smith’s selections was Equinox.

Albanyjazz.com polled its contributors on their Top 5 Jazz Albums of 2010.
One of Rudy Lu’s choices was Equinox.

"...The musical traditions of Africa also permeate the rich, sinuous music of Haiti, and to explore this terrain we have a wonderful musical guide in percussionist extraordinaire, Markus Schwartz, and the trio "Lakou Brooklyn", on their recent release entitled Equinox [Soundkeeper Recordings].  It is always fun to keep an ear out for Soundkeeper Recordings’ Barry Diament, whose recording techniques always create a sound that is vibrant and fresh; natural in image dimensionality and rich in ambient details..."
Read the review at Stereo Times

"...For me, not only does this method of recording result in a very accurate portrayal of the music and instruments, but it gives the music a sort of intimacy that I hardly ever notice with more processed recordings..."
"...Great recording, excellent performance, and fascinating music. Highly recommended..."
"...Another excellent recording from the hands and the mics of Mr. Barry Diament!..."
Read the review at TNT-Audio.

"...The four musicians are very clearly placed on the audio soundstage, with plenty of "air" around them.  This disc should be a fine demo of your audio system’s abilities, from the deep bass frequencies of some of the drums to the extended high end of the trumpet and some other percussion..."
Read the review at Audiophile Audition.

"...a milestone in the Kreyòl jazz endeavor..."
"...Produced and recorded (live) by Barry Diament of Soundkeeper Recordings with special recording techniques to reproduce live sound performance, the listener will appreciate a sound that gives the impression of being in the presence of the musicians playing..."
"...We enjoy Markus’ dynamic clarity that shows, one more time after Ti Roro, Bonga and many others, how this instrument when played properly can raise polyrhythmic music to advanced level of artistry..."
"...Another gem for Jazz aficionados and collectors… Highly recommended!..."
Read the review at KariJazz

A recent comment from Dr. Nick Catalano in his Jazz International column
at All About Jazz says of Markus and Equinox:
"His knowledge of Haitian culture and expertise in its music make this session invaluable for international music enthusiasts."

"...The bourgeoning Haitian-Vodou Jazz movement is well served by releases like Equinox that have a distinct identity and a cosmopolitan edge.  The album is deeply rooted in Haiti’s native music and brings the genre’s standards to a new generation of listeners..."
"...No overdubbing and no multi-tracking were used for this album and a listener is made to feel a part of the entire experience.  Well done Markus!..."
Read the review from the Boston Haitian Reporter here.

"...It is one of the two best artistic works of the year in the Haitian community in New York..."
"...He [Markus] is conscious of the fundamental role of the drum in a musical piece and especially in the ancestral musical legacy that he is transmitting.  And he does not hesitate to break with the traditional linear rhythm in order to enrich its fabric..."
"...Markus Schwartz & Lakou Brooklyn's CD is an absolute must have."
Read the review from Haiti Liberte here.

Lift by Work of Art

Hear samples from Lift

See photos from the Lift recording sessions

SR interview: Work of Art's Art Halperin

Critical acclaim for Lift

"...This is a reference recording of natural acoustic instruments in a natural space with a feeling of being there..."
Part of a story about Soundkeeper Recordings at Positive Feedback

"...Fortunately, for the hopeful aficionado of both good music and sound, our prayers have been answered..."
"...You will also wonder what it would have been like if all of the early folks artists could have had the same opportunity to be recorded with such accuracy.  What a delicious thought..."
"...To summarize the merits of this CD: The material is freshly imaginative and simmered in talent; the sound is spacious and superbly mastered..."
Read the review from The Audiophile Voice here.

"...This is a recording to cherish for its uncanny ability to present a clear window into the acoustic proceedings, recorded in a natural, airy space..."
"...If your system is up for it, you will not hear any better in terms of image dimensionality or a dynamic sense of a real recording space with layers of air and space between the musicians..."
"...Halperin reminds me of the late George Harrison, delivering biting social commentary, sly humor and lilting imagery wrapped in pop hooks that grab the listener and linger in the mind long after the last mandolin chord is struck..."
Read the review at Stereo Times

In the July 2007 issue of Stereophile,
Wes Phillips used the 24/96 DVD-R version of Lift
as one of his reference recordings
for his review of the Sonics Anima loudspeaker:
"...I'd admired Soundkeeper engineer Barry Diament's wonderfully recorded disc on CD, but his higher-res DVD is an ear-opener..."
"...It's not that there's so much going on in those extended high frequencies, but it's obvious that they're not there at all on the "Red Book" CD.  It's not so much a question of night and day as one of life and death..."

"...Halperin leads his band, Work of Art, through ten songs on Lift,
his music a wonderful combination of folk, bluegrass and country.
Lift sounds about as lifelike as any recording I've ever heard..."
Read the review at SoundStage!

"...Simply, this recording picks you up and brings you into the hall where the Music has been recorded.  The "being there" sensation is perhaps the strongest I've ever felt while listening to a disc..."
Read the review at TNT-Audio.

"Mastering engineer Barry Diament decides to show the major labels how it should be done."
Read about it at Stereophile.

Read about it in a SoundStage! editorial.