Peter Appleyard got together with a number of well respected musicians to produce this album.
Artists performing on or actively involved in the creation of this recording:
Peter Appleyard - Vibes, Bass Marimba, Tympani, Bongos, Conga Drum, Percussion
Rick Wilkins - ARP Synthesiser (also responsible for arrangements and the conductor)
Dorothy White - Harp
Jerry Toth - Musical & Audio Consultant
Guido Basso - Solo Flugle Horn, Trumpet
Arnie Chycoski - Lead Trumpet
Rob McConnell - Trombone
Moe Koffman - Alto Sax, Soprano Sax, Baritone Sax, Piccolo, Flute
Eugene Amaro - Tenor Sax, Soprano Sax, Flute
Bernie Senensky - Electric & Acoustic Piano & Organ
Jerry Fuller - Drums
Ed Bickert - Solo Guitar
Andy Krehm - Guitar
Pete Magadini - Timbales, Percussion
Gary Gross - Electric Piano
Dave Young - Electric & Acoustic Bass
But the performances and music are only part of the story ...
This recording evolved from the 1970's movement to create the BEST POSSIBLE SOUND ON VINYL, from a technical viewpoint.
Recording equipment used in the production of this album are from some of the best names in the industry, equipment such as:
Beyer Ribbon Microphones
Neumann U 87's, U 88's, U 84's
AKG - 452's, 414's, D 160
Shure - SM 57's
And many others ....
Recording equipment includes:
Recording: Neve 24 channel
Mastering: Neve custom 24 channel
Mastering Lathe - Georg Neumann VM S-70
Cutting Head - Georg Neumann SX 70
This is a Direct To Disc recording, meaning that the original "take" is recorded directly onto the master lacquer (no intermediary tape in this process) and then from this master, the number of mothers and stampers is kept very low.
The intention is to create albums with a better frequency response, dynamic range and S/N ratio.
But there's more (believe it or not) - the vinyl used for the consumer is virgin (clean & pure like all virgins should be) AND White. Why White? because the traditional black vinyl has had carbon added, to achieve greater physical strength but this also can increase the surface noise.
Note the use of the term "virgin white quadradisc vinyl" on the cover, I believe this refers to the vinyl stock not the encoding process of the recording. Nowhere does the cover or record label indicate it is a Quadradisc (CD-4) encoded recording, the front cover just references STEREO
White virgin vinyl is used (they are not specific about which element is added to make the vinyl white) to keep the product S/N ratio as low as possible. The use of a white vinyl is not just a marketing ploy, unlike coloured contemporary vinyl which is used to "pull in" the consumer.
So the result of all this is that you end up with one very special recording, superb funky jazz, superb musicians, superb sound and superb attention to all technical aspects of the recording process.
Peter Appleyard - Presents ...
Salisbury Laboratories
Cat# SALS D2D-001 Limited Edition WHITE
1977
Canadian release
Gatefold cover is in very good condition. Heavy card stock is used, no tears, no writing and only very light edge wear. Inside the gatefold there are mono photographs of the musicians on the left-hand side and technical staff mono photographs on the right-hand side. There is some very light - light mildew (brown) spots but these are not visually distracting and I have treated the cover to ensure there are no "vintage cardboard" smells.
New plastic inner sleeve is supplied but I am also including the original stiff white cardboard support (also has some mildew on it) supplied with the album. This sheet of cardboard is purely for "vinyl support" and is not printed on either side.
Vinyl is in very good - excellent condition, inspected under a white halogen light source and I cannot see any marks or scratches. It is extremely difficult to visually inspect white vinyl so the only REAL test is PLAY THE ALBUM! So I then played the ENTIRE album, not just a track or two ...
Judging from the quieter tracks, the ambient background surface noise is low although I still could hear some background surface noise in the quieter passages. I do not know how many times this album has been played but I think it would be unrealistic for the "virgin vinyl" to remain a virgin and this has probably contributed to some low level surface noise. I also suspect further cleaning is needed. I have VPI (vacuum machine) cleaned this vinyl twice and each time the surface noise improves, I strongly suspect that there is still some "gunk" in the grooves so a good, careful clean wouldn't go astray. Don't get me wrong here, the surface noise is not objectionable (to me), but I can hear this surface noise none-the-less.
Clicks/pops from scratches are non-existent - no issues here at all
The audio quality is indeed quite startling and the dynamics are amazing! Great test of your amp and speakers too .... their ability to handle rapid transitions from quiet passages to music that jumps out at you will be well tested by this music. The dynamics hit you ... a number of times I was listening to a nice piece of funky jazz number and then the next track POW! the trumpets, drums etc punch you in the face! Made me jump more than once I can tell you.
I also particularly noticed the "spatial qualities" of the music, it really sounds like the percussion is "over there" and the guitars sound distinctly separated - as a "true to life" recording should sound, not all squashed up like so many modern recordings - as though the musicians are playing within a little box standing shoulder to shoulder (or maybe they were)
So a great recording, if even to just hear the difference between this type of recording and "others" but especially so if you are into your funky jazz (and this album is VERY funky)
Supplied in new outer protective plastic sleeve
Tracks: Open The Gates Of Love, A Face Like Yours, You Put The Shine On Me, ** Pavanne Pour Une Infante Defunte, Mambo #V, Swinging Shepherd Blues, Who Needs It, Night Journey
** (most unfortunate music title if translated to English because when translated it means Pavane for a Dead Princess. A Pavane was a stately dance back in the 1800's - Maurice Ravel wrote this music in 1899. This English translation should not be taken literally, Ravel did not write this music for such a purpose as a stately dance to the death of a child!)
