Amazing Roy DuNann interview in Stereophile

[indy mike]

Hey cats and kittens - if you dig Contemporary Records and the mighty fine sounds from favorite LP's like "Way Out West" and "Art Pepper meets the Rhythm Section", you need to check out the April 2002 issue of Stereophile - nice interview with engineer Roy DuNann (one of Steve's favorite sound men).

Find out why you might not like the XRCD versions of some of those classic albums (naughty digitally added reverb used - oh no!!!) :eek:

[Mike V]

Originally posted by indy mike
Find out why you might not like the XRCD versions of some of those classic albums (naughty digitally added reverb used - oh no!!!) :eek:

That's too bad. I'll have to look into this article - sounds like it will be informative. Thanks for the heads up!

[Steve Hoffman]

Yes indeed, Mike, thanks for letting us know.

Everyone, read this article on Roy. Tells all about how he recorded his famous albums on Contemporary.


Roy DuNann. Ah, the irony!!!!!

Here is a old guy, long retired, and he has NO IDEA that his stuff is being reissued all over the World to high praise, and that his name is a legend to all audiophiles.

He forgot all about his Contemporary Records work years ago. Not only that, but it turns out that he engineered some of the best sounding Capitol 1948-56 stuff I've ever heard. For example: Frank Sinatra "Songs For Young Lovers". Awesome sound on that one....

Roy DuNann. Found after all these years.

Love it!!!

[indy mike]

Yer most welcome! I love this sort of article - even though I'm not a jazz type of guy, the information about how things were recorded fascinates me, regardless of genre...

[Mike V]

Originally posted by Steve Hoffman

Here is a old guy, long retired, and he has NO IDEA that his stuff is being reissued all over the World to high praise, and that his name is a legend to all audiophiles.


Isn't that something? You'd think someone would have told him before now! My introduction to his work came via Sonny Rollins' Way Out West. They sure don't make 'em like they used to!

[Ronflugelguy]

I just got "INTENSITY" Art Pepper, and "MUSIC FROM MY FAIR LADY" Shelly Manne and Friends, on DCC. Man those Contemporarys are fabulous!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Mmm Good!!!!!!!!!Makes the OJCs sound like a cardboard box!

[ArneW]

I think I have bought just about every original Contemporary LP I found in used record stores. Even some hard to swallow classical releases like Andrew Imbrie's string quartets. "Pal Joey" /w Previn and Barney Kessel's "Feeling Free" are the ones I actually recorded to Minidisc because I play them so often I fear them to wear out...

Arne

[Steve Hoffman]

By the way, the DCC Gold CD version of "Sonny Rollins And The Contemporary Leaders" has a bit of echo on it, added during my mastering.

NOT digital echo, but from a EMT plate, same as Our Boy Roy used way back when.

Just wanted you to know that I didn't use DIGITAL echo...;)

[Angel]

Steve,

How did you know to use an EMT plate back when you mastered this for DCC?

Roy DuNann didn't tell you about it, that's for sure!

:confused:

[Steve Hoffman]

Well Angel, this is what makes me different from normal people.

I sat down with the master tape, an original mono Contemporary LP, and original stereo Contemporary LP, plus five other pressing variants, and went to work---Listening for the "quality and sonic signature of the echo". (Of course the master tape in itself is dry.) Not the most fun in the world, but I came to the conclusion that it had to have been a portable EMT.

So, I did the same, using a bit less echo than was on the LP.

Now, after reading his interview yesterday in Stereophile, he does indeed confirm that he used the same echo plate when he cut the Contemporary LP's back in the late 1950's.

Phew. I was right! :cool:

[John Oteri]

Thanks for going the extra mile, Steve.

That is a totally cool story.:cool:

[Humorem]

Maybe all you CD guys here may not like it, but here goes:

The tapes Dunann recorded were never supposed to be transferred flat, as the current CDs mostly are.

He knew he was going to add echo and EQ them to his taste in the mastering.

Only the guys doing it now don't know that. He left no instructions.

So the new CDs sound nothing like the black label original LPs he and Holzer cut.

CD only? Forget the Contemporary catalog, with a few exceptions by MFSL, the DCC Gold CD's and a happy accident or two.

Like Contemporary records as a label? Get a turntable.

TP

[Steve Hoffman]

Not quite true. He DID leave instructions--On every tape box.

Most remastering engineers chose to ignore them. Pity.

[Paul C.]

Well I 've heard quite a slew of the Japanese K2 remasters of Contemporary albums - eg. Poll Winners, Barney Kessel, Art Pepper, etc. And a few XRCDs - I have no complaints about any of them. They sound just great.

[Humorem]

Compared to what? Compared to the records?
TP

[Metralla]

On K2, I have "Art Pepper Meets the Rhythm Section", one of the great jazz records. A classic. I also have Sonny Rollins "Way out West", which is another legendary album. Both of these are realistic and very enjoyable. I have only one XRCD, and this is "Art Pepper+Eleven" - another superb album. This is a beautiful recording that leaves me breathless.

If it weren't for SACD, I would buy a lot more of the K2 and the XRCD discs (though the latter are far too expensive). But it is my opinion that neither the K2 or the XRCD can cut it compared to SACD. In a few days I'll probably buy "Way out West" on SACD, because I just love this record, and I'll be able to make a direct comparison.

I've not heard any of these albums on vinyl, though I've read about them over the years in TAS and Stereophile reviews. The records have a big reputation.

Regards,
Metralla

[Paul C.]

Tom, it's compared to nothing - I don't have any of the albums I mentioned on vinyl. So I'm just saying that these particular CD transfers (Japanese K2s) sound very good indeed. I haven't compared them to older CD versions either. Given the obvious quality of the recordings, I would expect that a good vinyl copy would sound sensational. But I don't come across such vinyl copies here in Australia.

I do have a couple of Contemporary albums on vinyl, which I got from my father. One is Gigi (Andre Previn) - as I recall, this one is an 80s pressing which I think might have been digitally mastered, probably in the early days of CD. It sounds very good. The other one is the Mofi vinyl of Previn's "West Side Story" - a pretty good pressing, it seems to me - but then I've not done the comparisons with other versions. I'd love to compare it with teh XRCD version.

[Humorem]

MOFI Previn (095) is quite good, one of their better efforts. Don't think you will have too many CDs that sound like that.
TP

[Paul C.]

Yes, Tom that one is very nice. I guess what it boils down to is the old argument about which sounds better - CD or vinyl. You obvious prefer the Contemporary vinyl, and I suspect any good vinyl pressings over CD counterparts.

I am fortunate to own a nice VPI turntable with SME MkVI arm and Koetsu cartridge. I hope this beast will outlast me and be used by my kids, should they be so inclined. I love listening to music on it, but I tend to play CDs a lot more. It's the convenience and the time factor - when my kids are older and life is hopefully a bit more relaxed, I'll play the turntable a lot more.

So how rare are some of the early Comtemporary vinyls? I don't see them around much. I did recently see a prssing of the MasterSounds' The King and I, and I'm kicking myself for not grabbing it.

[Humorem]

I shouldn't be telling you this, but they are on ebay from time to time. You will be betting against my friends, but that's their problem. One good black label original and that will be the end of your xrcd buying days.

Two of my favorite titles I just discovered (well, I bought one from a jazz dealer friend; forget where I got the other one) I can't even tell you about until my friends get clean copies off ebay. Then I will tell all. They are awesome!

Even the yellow and green label titles, as long as they aren't OJC, can really sound good.

And some OJC titles sound good too!

TP:eek:

[Paul C.]

Thanks. Re CD versions, I have been very impressed by K2 remasters of Barney Kessel's "Some Like It Hot", as well as the Poll Winners records. And the 2CD set of Hampton Hawes' "All Night Session" is terrific. I would certainly like to hear some of these on good vinyl.

[David Powell]

I have some import CD versions of several titles from the Comtemporary label released by Japanese Victor in 1986 (pre- K2 and XRCD). These incude Sonny Rollins' "Way Out West", along with albums from Hampton Hawes, Benny Carter and Barney Kessell & the Poll Winners. All of these older JVC CDs sound good to my ears, with detailed yet smooth, analog-like sonics, and none of the high-end harshness I've heard in some of the more recent K2 issues.

[Angel]

YES YES YES. I have some older JVC Contemporary CDs as well (from my ex-boyfriend who is a jazz freak).

They sound WONDERFUL!!!!

None of that added "air". Just natural sound.


I'm glad someone else said it first. No one would have believed me.:(

[Humorem]

Originally posted by David Powell
I have some import CD versions of several titles from the Comtemporary label released by Japanese Victor in 1986 (pre- K2 and XRCD). These incude Sonny Rollins' "Way Out West", along with albums from Hampton Hawes, Benny Carter and Barney Kessell & the Poll Winners. All of these older JVC CDs sound good to my ears, with detailed yet smooth, analog-like sonics, and none of the high-end harshness I've heard in some of the more recent K2 issues.

I have to agree here completely. I used to sell the original versions of the Pollwinners JPN CDs, and they sounded amazing. The early MOFI jazz stuff is super natural sounding; SH is a big fan, like me.

TP

[David Powell]

Originally posted by Angel
YES YES YES. I have some older JVC Contemporary CDs as well (from my ex-boyfriend who is a jazz freak).

They sound WONDERFUL!!!!

None of that added "air". Just natural sound.


I'm glad someone else said it first. No one would have believed me.:(

I picked up my JVC 1986 vintage CDs at a used record store. I got five different albums for the price of one new XRCD!