Cafe Blue

(2-LP set) Longtime audiophile favorite cut from the original tapes by legendary engineer Doug Sax. Patricia Barber's outstanding 1994 release Café Blue has won more than 15 awards from major international music institutions. Deemed an ''underground classic'' by jazz Bible Downbeat magazine, the album contains sparkling, indelible improvisations derived as much from Barber's interest in classical music as from jazz. This is where the internationally renowned singer-pianist comes into her own, interpreting songs from outside the traditional jazz repertoire and debuting a handful of original compositions that reveal her innovative, thoroughly distinctive style. Audiophiles, of course, needn't any introduction to Café Blue. Beloved for its transparent, you-are-there sound since its initial release, prized analog editions currently fetch upwards of $150 on the aftermarket. Mobile Fidelity's long-out-of-print 45RPM 3LP edition and Premonition's own 180g copies feature a dynamic clarity, vocal truth, and instrumental body that very few records possess. But not even those versions can't compete with this newly minted 180gram 2-LP set that should belong on the shelf of every music lover. Fully remixed and remastered, cut from the original tapes by legendary engineer Doug Sax, and meticulously pressed at RTI, Café Blue now boasts a seemingly limitless frequency range, transient responsiveness, and tonal realism. We've heard Barber perform at her home base venue, Chicago's Green Mill, and witnessing her live doesn't even sounds as good as this extraordinary pressing. From the dead-quiet surfaces to Barber's steamy, smoky vocals and crisp finger snaps, from Michael Arnapol's acoustic upright bass to guitarist John McLean's tasteful fills, everything is in the right place.

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