There is a captivating quality to music recorded on analog tape and released on vinyl during the 1970s, in particular, that has been seared into the memories of countless music and audiophile fans. While digital technology has been able to surpass analog tape in terms of measurable signal to noise ratio and other acoustic criteria, the intangibles from timeless music of that era and medium are still heralded as the pinnacle of artistic and sonic musical artistry by many.
To celebrate its 75th anniversary, McIntosh Labs is collaborating with mastering facility Sterling Sound on a series of AAA analog tape-recorded vinyl releases. These recordings are intended to take advantage of the resurgence of interest in vinyl recordings and to demonstrate what state-of-the-art can sound like with world-class equipment and studios combined with top-caliber musicianship.
Heralded for his iconic drum work with Jaco Pastorius in Weather Report and with Joni Mitchell, Pat Metheny, Steely Dan, Stan Kenton, and countless others, as well as his landmark ECM recordings, film soundtrack, and orchestral work, Peter Erskine is a Grammy Award-winning artist with over 700 recorded credits, and a music professor at the University of Southern California (USC).
Tabbed as the first artist to showcase this McIntosh/Sterling collaboration, Peter Erskine leads a quartet with himself on drums, Alan Pasqua on piano, Bob Mintzer on saxophone, and Darek Oles on bass for McIntosh SESSIONS Volume 1: The Peter Erskine Quartet. The eight compositions were recorded at Henson (formerly A&M) Recording Studios’ Studio A in Hollywood and mastered at Sterling Sound in Nashville. Produced by Jeff Levenson, it was recorded and mixed by Rich Breen.
With the McIntosh goal of reproducing during playback the exact sound heard by the producer and engineer in the studio during the recording, a classic Studer A800 MkIII - 2-inch, 24-track recorder, similar to what Prince had at Paisley Park, was deployed along with RTM SM900 tape. The stereo 2-track mixdown went to an Ampex ATR 102 1/2-inch stereo deck.
The McIntosh gear used for playback were its famous tube-powered C8 preamps, solid-state MC830 power amps, XR50 monitors, and MT5 and MT10 turntables.
McIntosh SESSIONS, Volume 1 kicks off briskly with “Leaving L.A.,” which Erskine and Oles (who takes an early solo, followed by Pasqua, Mintzer, and then Erskine himself) announce with a drums and bass intro. The main riff only shows up a handful of times just to frame the solos, and announce the signature virtuosity of each participant.
The Peter Erskine Quartet: (back row) Alan Pasqua, Bob Mintzer, Darek Oles,(front row), Peter Erskine.
“Old Friends” is reminiscent of Henry Mancini’s The Pink Panther scores with slinky upright bass and throaty tenor sax. Also hearkening back to the 1960’s, Alan Pasqua’s piano solo is reminiscent of the work of Vince Guaraldi, and towards the end, Erskine’s drum-led call-and-response trade off demonstrates his philosophy of “composing with his drums” that he has mentioned in past interviews.
“Chillispo” is an upbeat happy tune that starts on drums, and continues in a breezy mood through various solos, with Erskine’s understated drum solo a highlight of the track.
Erskine commented that one of the challenges of recording to analog tape is the pressure to “get it right live,” since the digital recording process allows an ease of editing and note correction that can ostensibly cause musicians to lack the focus and intensity to “bring their A-game” on a take.
Mintzer’s evocative sax and Pasqua’s piano colors and textures are spotlighted in “Gumbo Time,” while Ole’s sterling upright bass introduces and sets the mood for “Into the Dark.” The track’s two-chord riff and Erskine’s drum buildup of tension and release evoke 1970s spy movies and crime dramas soundtracks. “A Few Good Notes” allows Mintzer and Ole to shine on this bouncy tune, with Erskine and Pasqua supporting and responding with musical phrases to punctuate the sax and bass lines.
“David’s Blues,” penned by Erskine, starts in a chromatic line that could be from Ornette Coleman, but quickly swings into a groove that all four participants lock into. After a somewhat more dissonant sax solo than on the other tracks from Mintzer, Pasqua channels some Chick Corea phrasings to lighten the mood. Erskine’s extended solos are the highlight, which demonstrate his mastery of the drums, from minimalist cymbal phrases to full-on polyrhythmic rolls.
The final track, “The Folks,” opens with a sax and piano introduction that brings the work of Toshiko Akiyoshi and Lew Tabackin to mind. The piano phrasings and the way the composition progresses are very much in Pasqua’s sphere, ending with Erskine’s snare drum brush rolls.
Hanging out in Henson Recording Studios.
The McIntosh Sessions - Volume 1 is sonically immaculate, even on the streamed copy I was given to listen to for review purposes. From a performance perspective, this latest Peter Erskine Quartet release ranks on par with his ECM releases with John Scofield, Bill Frisell, John Abercrombie, Gary Peacock and Mark Johnson. Not surprisingly, those records, lauded by audiophiles, were recorded on analog tape as live performances with no overdubs.
Manfred Eicher knew there was a magic to recording ace musicians playing together live that could be lost with overdubbing, and that’s what he accomplished with ECM’s top releases. The McIntosh series pays homage to that tradition and will hopefully revive it for a new generation of vinyl enthusiasts.
Frank Doris Comments:
I listened to a high-res 44.1/24 stream on my high-end desktop and main systems (the latter featuring PS Audio Aspen FR10 loudspeakers). Like John, I didn’t want to just glom a free copy of a $150 LP (which will probably sell out among McIntosh enthusiasts), so this isn’t comparing apples to apples. That said, John’s comment about this recording being “sonically immaculate” sums it up succinctly. The first two words in my listening notes are, “excellent clarity.”
John’s musical descriptions are right-on, but I can’t resist adding the fact that I got a kick out of Bob Mintzer’s “Somewhere in Paradise” sax quote in “David’s Blues.” There are many musical highlights.
The sound leans toward illuminated rather than dark, but this is not to say it’s a “bright” recording. The instruments have outstanding definition and weight, with a solidity and dynamic attack to the piano, in particular, that is often lacking in recorded jazz piano. The instruments are well-placed in the sound field, with an excellent balance. The sound is open, airy, and yes, evocative of that ECM spaciousness.
As you might expect considering drummer Peter Erskine is the leader here, the drums sound sensational. Their dynamic impact can be startling when the music calls for it (and Erskine never overplays). The tonality and tuning of the drum set is a delight to hear, from the distinctive character of each tom tom to the little after-ring on the snare drum that adds so much to its liveliness and personality. Erskine’s control of dynamic shadings and percussive textures is fantastic. At times, the drums provide subtle coloration, at others, they drive the music with authority.
Above all, the recording really lets you hear the musical nuances that tell you that you are listening to the playing of master musicians blending together as only players of this level can. Well done!
