Seeking to offer definitive audiophile grade versions of some of the most historic and best jazz records ever recorded, Verve Label Group and Universal Music Enterprises' new audiophile Acoustic Sounds vinyl reissue series utilizes the skills of top mastering engineers and the unsurpassed production craft of Quality Record Pressings. All titles are mastered from the original analog tapes, pressed on 180-gram vinyl and packaged by Stoughton Printing Co. in high-quality gatefold sleeves with tip-on jackets. The releases are supervised by Chad Kassem, CEO of Acoustic Sounds, the world's largest source for audiophile recordings.

Included in the December title releases for the the series is the iconic Peggy Lee's first 12-inch album, Black Coffee (1956). Black Coffee was Peggy Lee's album smash for Decca (she left Capitol in 1952 over creative, artistic differences) and it offered her an intimate stage with a small jazz combo, exchanging her usual jazz-pop style with a big band or orchestra. This smaller combination worked to perfection.

"Encouraged by longtime Decca A&R Milt Gabler, she hired a small group including trumpeter Pete Candoli and pianist Jimmy Rowles (two of her favorite sidemen) to record an after-hours jazz project similar in intent and execution to Lee Wiley's "Manhattan project" of 1950, Night in Manhattan. While the title-track opener of Black Coffee soon separated itself from the LP — to be taught forever after during the first period of any Torch Song 101 class — the album doesn't keep to its concept very long; Lee is soon enough in a bouncy mood for 'I've Got You Under My Skin' and very affectionate on 'Easy Living.' (If there's a concept at work here, it's the vagaries of love.) Listeners should look instead to 'It Ain't Necessarily So' or 'Gee, Baby, Ain't I Good to You?' for more examples of Lee's quintessentially slow-burn sultriness. Aside from occasionally straying off-concept, however, Black Coffee is an excellent record, spotlighting Lee's ability to shine with every type of group and in any context." — AllMusic

"Each step in our production process — from title selection to mastering, pressing and packaging — is designed to meet the highest standards, and we want everyone who hears these albums to feel the love and hard work we put into everything we do," says Chad Kassem CEO of Acoustic Sounds.

	Side A
	1. Black Coffee
	2. I've Got You Under My Skin
	3. Easy Living
	4. My Heart Belongs To Daddy
	5. It Ain't Necessarily So
	6. Gee Baby, Ain't I Good To You
	Side B
	1. A Woman Alone With The Blues
	2. I Didn't KNow What Time It Was
	3. (Ah, the Apple Trees) When The World Was Young
	4. Love Me Or Leave Me
	5. You're My Thrill
	6. There's A Small Hotel

The sound of both of these records is the best that's been produced from these tapes and both records are well worth owning." — Music = 9/11; Sound = 9/11 — Michael Fremer, AnalogPlanet.com. Read the whole review here.

Seeking to offer definitive audiophile grade versions of some of the most historic and best jazz records ever recorded, Verve Label Group and Universal Music Enterprises' new audiophile Acoustic Sounds vinyl reissue series utilizes the skills of top mastering engineers and the unsurpassed production craft of Quality Record Pressings. All titles are mastered from the original analog tapes, pressed on 180-gram vinyl and packaged by Stoughton Printing Co. in high-quality gatefold sleeves with tip-on jackets. The releases are supervised by Chad Kassem, CEO of Acoustic Sounds, the world's largest source for audiophile recordings.

I Put a Spell on You is the 1965 album by Nina Simone, and features some of her best known songs. "I Put a Spell on You" is a song originally by Screamin' Jay Hawkins. The original version gave the song an ironic theme, but Simone transformed it into a thrilling love song, complete with horns and strings. It had become one of her most well-known songs. She used the title for her autobiography I Put A Spell On You (1992).

	1. I Put A Spell On You
	2. Tomorrow Is My Turn
	3. Ne Me Quitte Pas
	4. Marriage Is For Old Folks
	5. July Tree
	6. Gimme Some
	7. Feeling Good
	8. One September Day
	9. Blues On Purpose
	10. Beautiful Land
	11. You've Got To Learn
	12. Take Care Of Business

"Ryan K. Smith was the remastering engineer for the new all-analog vinyl pressing of Study in Brown, which was produced by Chad Kassem of Acoustic Sounds. … Ray Noble's 'Cherokee' kicks things off, and while it sounds very good on my CD, I immediately heard a more balanced sound on the new LP that allowed the instruments to breathe, so I further compared the two. … when the ensemble joins together to play the theme, the vinyl gave more space to the instruments and it was easier to pick each of them out. Land's brief statement during the intro had a warmer, more natural tone and I could more easily hear his breath control on the instrument. … The individual notes in Powell's solos throughout the album had more room to ring out and decay naturally, and his chording sounded more solid. Brown's and Land's horns also had a more liquid tone during their solos and more delicacy at points. Smith's mastering allowed notes to glide into each other with less effort. … The Quality Records pressing is utterly quiet and flat, and is housed in a heavy cardboard gatefold cover. The sepia-toned cover photo is nicely reproduced, as are the blue monochrome liner notes and rear photo. The photos on the inside of the gatefold are by eminent photographer Herman Leonard and are unique to this edition." — Music = 4.5/5; Sound = 4/5; Overall Enjoyment = 4.5/5 — Recording of the Month April 2021, Joseph Taylor, soundstagenetwork.com. Read Taylor's entire review here.

Seeking to offer definitive audiophile grade versions of some of the most historic and best jazz records ever recorded, Verve Label Group and Universal Music Enterprises' new audiophile Acoustic Sounds vinyl reissue series utilizes the skills of top mastering engineers and the unsurpassed production craft of Quality Record Pressings. All titles are mastered from the original analog tapes, pressed on 180-gram vinyl and packaged by Stoughton Printing Co. in high-quality gatefold sleeves with tip-on jackets. The releases are supervised by Chad Kassem, CEO of Acoustic Sounds, the world's largest source for audiophile recordings.

One of the most lauded (not to mention brilliant) trumpet players in the history of jazz, Clifford Brown adds to his luster on this varied program of nine engaging tunes. Featuring the 1955 version of the Clifford Brown/Max Roach Quintet, a group also including tenor saxophonist Harold Land, pianist Richie Powell, and bassist George Morrow. One of the premiere early hard bop units.

	Side A
	1. Cherokee
	2. Jacqui
	3. Swingin'
	4. Lands End
	Side B
	1. George's Dilemma
	2. Sandu
	3. Gerkin For Perkin
	4. If I Love Again
	5. Take The A Train

"Sarah Vaughan sits among that triumvirate of jazz's greatest singers, along with Ella Fitzgerald and Billie Holiday. Yet Vaughan's gifts are quite distinct from those of the other two. It is hard to imagine even the most casual jazz lover mistaking Ella or Billie for anyone else. Ella's tone and diction are unmistakable, but her sense of swing was unique. Billie's tempo and tone, not to mention her dark, turbulent emotional content were worlds away and yet what joined them was their gift for improvisational genius. Sarah's greatest gift, on the other hand was her amazing instrument. Her deep vibrato, her operatic ability to turn on a dime or slide through a phrase was more like a horn in some ways than the more limited human voice. She could not come close to Billie's ability to emote nor did she share Ella's engagement with swing but neither of them (or virtually anyone else) could touch her three-octave range and exquisite control. She was a virtuoso like no other jazz singer with breath control to spare, and an exceptional ability to intimately collaborate with the musicians playing at her side.

"These gifts were never on better display than in this 1954 album. Like many artists, she objected to being pigeonholed as a 'jazz' singer, and during many phases of her career recorded mostly commercial pop tunes as well as light classical fare with symphony orchestras. But this early recording catches her at a peak and with the best group of her career. It was her only session with trumpet legend Clifford Brown. Paul Quinichette played tenor saxophone, with Roy Haynes on drums, Joe Benjamin on bass, Jimmy Mones on piano and Herbie Mann on flute. The band plays a set of nine standards, among them 'April In Paris', 'Lullaby Of Birdland' and It's Crazy.' Vaughan leaves plenty of room for instrumental solos, and those of Brown and Quinichette are particularly breathtaking. The album is filled with highlights, but if you want to really hear what is magical about Vaughan's voice, nothing matches her rendition of 'Embraceable You', where the winds sit out and it is just Sarah and the rhythm section. Sarah's soaring voice and gentle vibrato never sounded sexier. EmArcy Records was formed as a subsidiary of Mercury Records to compete with Verve (home base for Ella and Billie) and to achieve parity signed up Dinah Washington, Cannonball Adderley, Max Roach, Clifford Brown and Vaughan. This 1954 mono studio date, (EmArcy's fifth release) was recorded by an anonymous engineer and captures Vaughan's voice beautifully. The band is captured well by 1954 standards, better than most contemporary Billie Holiday sessions, but not quite up to some of the best by Ella. That said, the sound is excellent, missing by little the sound of the greatest mono recordings, where the instruments are perfectly defined in space. Still, the sound of the instruments is captured remarkably well and spread out over a broad mono stage.

"The Verve CD, by comparison, stacks the musicians front to back, boosts the bass artificially and sounds. The (Ryan K. Smith) mastering and the pressing from Quality Record Pressings, however, is perfect. The packaging is better by far than an original, with the deluxe Stoughton foldout cover offering bonus Hermann Leonard photographs. This is everything a vinyl reissue should be." Recording = 9/10; Music = 10/10 — Dennis D. Davis, Hi-Fi +, Issue 194

"Sarah Vaughan was the supreme jazz singer. Smoky lows, silky highs, precise articulation across five octaves, a keen connection with a lyric, boundless harmonic inventiveness, and a sense of swing, which swayed and simmered, front and center, always. Later, Vaughan barely hid her boredom when stuck with material that didn't suit her, but at her peaks, with small ensembles, she was, and remains, matchless. This eponymous album, recorded in December 1954 when Vaughan was just 30, ranks among her classics — and thus among the classics of jazz vocal albums. Midtempo standards ("Lullaby of Birdland," "April in Paris," "Embraceable You") a top-notch sextet (with Clifford Brown, whose death in a car crash a year-and-a-half later, at 25, would cut short the career of a trumpeter rivaled only by Miles Davis); and Vaughan's evocative, mesmerizing, naturally gorgeous voice — what more could you want? Good sound? The sound here, better than you might expect from 66-year-old mono tapes, is more than good enough. Vaughan is particularly present — up close, full-blooded, and detailed — as are the horns when they solo. The other instruments are a bit distant but not hooded. There is a slight electronic haze over the proceedings, as on several Mercury recordings of the era, but it's barely noticeable, except compared with say, Ella Fitzgerald's sonic jaw-droppers for Verve a few years later. The reissue — another collaboration between Universal Music and Acoustic Sounds — sounds markedly better than the original pressing. A must-have." — Performance = 5/5; Sonics = 4.5/5 — Fred Kaplan, Stereophile.com, May 2021

Seeking to offer definitive audiophile grade versions of some of the most historic and best jazz records ever recorded, Verve Label Group and Universal Music Enterprises' new audiophile Acoustic Sounds vinyl reissue series utilizes the skills of top mastering engineers and the unsurpassed production craft of Quality Record Pressings. All titles are mastered from the original analog tapes, pressed on 180-gram vinyl and packaged by Stoughton Printing Co. in high-quality gatefold sleeves with tip-on jackets. The releases are supervised by Chad Kassem, CEO of Acoustic Sounds, the world's largest source for audiophile recordings.

This 1954 studio date, a self-titled album recorded for Emarcy, was later reissued as Sarah Vaughan with Clifford Brown to denote the involvement of one of the top trumpeters of the day. Vaughan sings nine intimate standards with a band including Brown on trumpet, Herbie Mann on flute, and Paul Quinichette on tenor, each of which have plenty of space for solos (most of the songs are close to the five-minute mark).

AllMusic says Vaughan is arguably in the best voice of her career here, pausing and lingering over notes on the standards "April in Paris," "Jim," and "Lullaby of Birdland." As touching as Vaughan is, however, Brown almost equals her with his solos on "Lullaby of Birdland," "Jim," and "September Song," displaying his incredible bop virtuosity in a restrained setting without sacrificing either the simple feeling of his notes or the extraordinary flair of his choices.

	1. Lullaby of Birdland
	2. April in Paris
	3. He's My Guy
	4. Jim
	5. You're Not The Kind
	6. Embraceable You
	7. I'm Glad There Is You
	8. September Song
	9. It's Crazy
	10. Lullaby Of Birdland

A groundbreaking jazz recording by the longtime Miles Davis collaborator Gil Evans highlights the latter's supreme and influential skills as a jazz orchestrator.

This album is a brilliant example of Evans' ability to make a large orchestra sound like a smaller jazz combo using orchestrations that infuse the larger unit with the immediacy and spontaneity of the smaller. Out Of The Cool features some of Evan's finest compositions, including the famous "La Nevada" as well as a magnificent performance of George Russell's "Sratosphunk." Soloists include Budd Johnson (tenor), Johnny Coles (trumpet), Ray Crawford (guitar), Elvin Jones (drums), Ron Carter (bass) and Jimmy Knepper (trombone). The ensemble is superbly recorded by the legendary Rudy Van Gelder. A must-have for all lovers of jazz.

	Side A
	1. La Nevada
	2. Where Flamingos Fly
	Side B
	1. Bilbao Song
	2. Stratusphunk
	3. Sunken Treasure

Ray Charles was best known for his work in the idioms of R&B, rock 'n' roll and even successful forays into country. But he also recorded influential jazz albums, including the groundbreaking Genius + Soul = Jazz originally released in 1961. Recorded at the Van Gelder Studios in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, in late 1960, Genius + Soul = Jazz was produced by Creed Taylor and includes arrangements by Quincy Jones and Ralph Burns. Ray Charles played the organ with three vocals ("I've Got News For You," "I'm Gonna Move To The Outskirts Of Town" and "One Mint Julep") and band members included members of the Count Basie Orchestra: Thad Jones, Joe Newman, Billy Mitchell, Frank Wess, Freddie Green and Sonny Payne among others.

The record ascended to the No. 4 spot on Billboard's pop album chart and spawned the very first singles on Impulse. "I've Got News For You" rose to No. 8 R&B and No. 66 on the Hot 100. In addition, Charles' version of "One Mint Julep" charted No. 1 R&B and No. 8 pop and his rendition of the blues standard "I'm Gonna Move To The Outskirts Of Town" reached No. 25 R&B and No. 84 pop.

Although Basie himself does not appear on the album, the Count was a major model as Charles assembled a full-scale, working orchestra. Basie also influenced his use of organ in a jazz context, and Charles was happy to record at the Van Gelder studio, where Jimmy Smith had recorded his classic Blue Note albums. Truly, as Dick Katz wrote in his original January 1961 liner notes, "The combination here of rare talent plus uncommon craftsmanship has produced a record that showcases the timeless quality an innate taste that is uniquely that of Ray Charles."

	Side A
	1. From The Heart
	2. I've Got News For You
	3. Moanin'
	4. Let's Go
	5. One Mint Julep
	Side B
	1. I'm Gonna Move To The Outskirts Of Town
	2. Stompin' Room Only
	3. Mister C
	4. Strike Up The Band
	5. Birth Of The Blues

On January 20, 1963, bassist and composer Charles Mingus recorded in just one session — astonishingly — a very personal and socially conscious work he titled The Black Saint & The Sinner Lady. With liner notes written by Mingus's psychotherapist, the album uses ornate ensemble orchestration to produce a sound somewhere between jazz and folk.

Released on Impulse! Records in 1963, the album consists of a single continuous composition — partially written as a ballet — divided into four tracks and six movements. Of his adventurous and hauntingly eloquent work, among his other creations, Mingus said: "My music is evidence of my soul's will to live."  The evidence of that life-force amounts to some of the most dramatic and powerful jazz composed in the 20th century.

Mingus was born in Arizona on April 22, 1922 and raised in Los Angeles. He was taught double-bass by Red Callendar, and by the New York Philharmonic Orchestra's Herman Rheinshagen (classical music played as big a part in his compositional thinking as gospel songs and the blues). Mingus toured with New Orleans players Louis Armstrong and Kid Ory in the 40s, and later worked briefly with Lionel Hampton and Duke Ellington.

If he had been an improvising instrumentalist alone, Mingus would have been a jazz legend simply for his bass playing. Yet bass-playing also gave Mingus an insight into the low sonorities and inner hamonies of jazz composition, and his melodic approach was profoundly influenced by the blues and gospel music of his childhood.

	Side A
	1. Solo Dancer (Stop! And Listen, Sinner Jim Whitney!)
	2. Duet Solo Dancers (Heart's Beat And Shades In Physical Embraces)
	3. Group Dancers ([Soul Fusion] Freewoman And Oh This Freedom's Slave Cries)
	Side B
	1. Trio And Group Dancers (Stop! Look! And Sing Songs Of Revolutions!)
	2. Single Solos And Group Dance (Saint And Sinner Join In Merriment On Battle Front)
	3. Group And Solo Dance (Of Love, Pain, And Passioned Revolt, Then Farewell, My Beloved, ’til It's Freedom Day)

It also doesn't hurt, points out thejazzrecord.com, that he appeared on (and had great influence over the direction of) Kind Of Blue and that the two LPs from his trio's landmark stint at the Village Vanguard in 1961 (Waltz For Debby and Sunday At The Village Vanguard) are both stone-cold classics.

Evans is joined here by none other than bassist Chuck Israels and drummer Larry Bunker for this 1965 recording. The album includes the heart-wrenching "Who Can I Turn To?" alongside "If You Could See Me Now" and Johnny Carisi's "Israel."

"Although all eight of the selections heard on this Verve release have been recorded on other occasions by pianist Bill Evans, these renditions hold their own," writes AllMusic.

Musicians:
Bill Evans, piano
Chuck Israels, bass
Larry Bunker, drums

	Side A
	1. Israel
	2. Elsa
	3. Round Midnight
	4. Our Love Is Here To Stay
	Side B
	1. How My Heart Sings
	2. Who Can I Turn To?
	3. Come Rain Or Come Shine
	4. If You Could See Me Now

The Blues and the Abstract Truth is one of my favorite jazz recordings. What a group of heavy-weight performers! Besides Oliver Nelson on tenor sax, you've got the incomparable Bill Evans on piano, Freddie Hubbard on trumpet, Paul Chambers on bass, Roy Haynes on drums, and Eric Dolphy on flute and alto sax. This is the jazz equivalent of a super-group." — Jim Hannon, AVguide.com

Here we go with another round from the Acoustic Sounds Series. Seeking to offer definitive audiophile grade versions of some of the most historic and best jazz records ever recorded, Verve Label Group and Universal Music Enterprises' audiophile Acoustic Sounds vinyl reissue series utilizes the skills of top mastering engineers and the unsurpassed production craft of Quality Record Pressings. All titles are mastered from the original analog tapes, pressed on 180-gram vinyl and packaged by Stoughton Printing Co. in high-quality gatefold sleeves with tip-on jackets. The releases are supervised by Chad Kassem, CEO of Acoustic Sounds, the world's largest source for audiophile recordings.

As Oliver Nelson is known primarily as a big band leader and arranger, he is lesser known as a saxophonist and organizer of small ensembles. Blues And The Abstract Truth is his triumph as a musician for the aspects of not only defining the sound of an era with his all-time classic "Stolen Moments," but on this recording, assembling one of the most potent modern jazz sextets ever. Lead trumpeter Freddie Hubbard is at his peak of performance, while alto saxophonists Nelson and Eric Dolphy (Nelson doubling on tenor) team to for an unlikely union that was simmered to perfection. Bill Evans (piano), Paul Chambers (bass) and Roy Haynes (drums) can do no wrong as a rhythm section.

Originally released in 1961.

Musicians:
Oliver Nelson, alto saxophone, tenor saxophone
George Barrow, baritone saxophone
Paul Chambers, bass
Eric Dolphy, flute, alto saxophone
Bill Evans, piano
Roy Haynes, drums
Freddie Hubbard, trumpet

	Side A
	1. Stolen Moments
	2. Hoe-Down
	3. Cascades
	Side B
	1. Yearnin'
	2. Butch And Butch
	3. Teenie's Blues

Acoustic Sounds Series reissues from Verve/Universal Music Enterprises!
Monthly releases highlighting the world's most historic and best jazz records!
Mastered by Ryan K. Smith at Sterling Sound from the original analog tapes
180-gram LPs pressed at Quality Record Pressings!
Stoughton Printing gatefold old-style tip-on jackets
Series supervised by Chad Kassem CEO of Acoustic Sounds

"The 1959 session Louis Armstrong Meets Oscar Peterson is a result of Verve founder Norman Granz’s desire to bring together musicians from different backgrounds. (He produced the Jazz at the Philharmonic jam sessions.) Oscar Peterson, he believed, could fit in anywhere. Although this LP isn’t my favorite Armstrong from the period, Granz (whose name in the original notes is misspelled 'Grans') makes his point. The twelve ballads recorded here include numbers Armstrong had never previously recorded. The emphasis is on Armstrong’s vocals. When he takes a trumpet solo, he sounds almost polite, as if unwilling to burst the bubble of the recording studio. Peterson is garrulous as usual, but doesn’t offer the kind of  robust counterweight Armstrong is used to with his All Stars. There are no blues, but the songs are top notch. The record begins with 'That Old Feeling.' When Armstrong starts to sing, all is forgiven. He is just there, startlingly present. He’s my favorite male jazz singer: I even like the way he clears his throat on 'Let’s Fall in Love.'" — Michael Ullman, The Arts Fuse, Sept. 24, 2020. Read the entire review here.

"Louis, then in his mid ‘50s, and the all-star backing band cover a dozen familiar tunes including 'That Old Feeling,' 'Let's Fall In Love' (in which Louis takes a solo an octave up from what's expected), 'Just One of Those Things,' and 'What's New.' … (this is a) thoroughly enjoyable and otherwise well-recorded Armstrong set. Louis Armstrong Meets Oscar Peterson provides a guaranteed emotional pick-up in genuinely dreary times. The sealed review copy was perfectly pressed at QRP and 100% silent, with the super-black backgrounds that QRP manages when all goes well in their presses." — Michael Fremer, AnalogPlanet.com. Read the entire review here.

"In the second reissue of the Acoustic Sound Series, Universal Music Group has done a stellar job in re-mastering Louis Armstrong Meets Oscar Peterson to 180-gram vinyl. The new mix (Ryan Smith/Sterling Sound) is especially appealing. Armstrong's edgy vocal tonality is more smooth and fluent, centered directly. Instrumentation never overshadows the singing. A hi-gloss gatefold packaging and upgraded protective sleeve underscore the superior quality of this series. (Chad Kassem/Acoustic Sounds)." — 4.5/5 stars / Robbie Gerson, Audiophile Audition, Aug. 12, 2020. Read the entire review here.

Seeking to offer definitive audiophile grade versions of some of the most historic and best jazz records ever recorded, Verve Label Group and Universal Music Enterprises' new audiophile Acoustic Sounds vinyl reissue series will launch July 31, 2020 with inaugural releases — the sensational collaborations, Stan Getz and João Gilberto's landmark Getz/Gilberto (1964) and the remarkable Louis Armstrong Meets Oscar Peterson (1959).

Utilizing the skills of the top mastering engineers and the unsurpassed production craft of Quality Record Pressings, all titles will be mastered from the original analog tapes, pressed on 180-gram vinyl and packaged by Stoughton Printing Co. in high-quality gatefold sleeves with tip-on jackets. The releases will be supervised by Chad Kassem, CEO of Acoustic Sounds, the world's largest source for audiophile recordings.

The Acoustic Sounds series will feature two releases a month highlighting a different storied label spanning Verve/UMe's extraordinarily rich archive. To begin with, the series will largely focus on some of the most popular albums from the ‘50s and ‘60s in their unmatched catalog. The July releases will celebrate two of Verve's most beloved albums, the aforementioned Getz/Gilberto and Louis Armstrong Meets Oscar Peterson, and will be followed in August by John Coltrane's immortal Impulse! records, A Love Supreme (1964) and Ballads (1963). Two of Nina Simone's legendary Phillips albums I Put A Spell On You (1965) and Pastel Blues (1965) will come in September which will be succeeded in October by two from the EmArcy Records vault: Sarah Vaughan's self-titled 1954 album, the vocal great's sole collaboration with influential trumpeter Clifford Brown, who is also represented alongside pioneering drummer Max Roach on the hard bop classic, Study In Brown (1955). November will spotlight Decca Records with the iconic Peggy Lee's first album, Black Coffee (1956), and composer George Russell's important New York, N.Y. (1959) performed by an all-star orchestra that includes Bill Evans, John Coltrane, Art Farmer and Milt Hinton, among others. All titles and exact release dates are listed below. Additional titles will be announced as the series progresses.

"We are excited to launch our Acoustic Sounds series," said Bruce Resnikoff, President & CEO of UMe. "Verve and UMe have one of the richest jazz catalogs ever recorded and our goal is to give vinyl and music lovers the best possible versions of classic albums. The Acoustic Sounds series is designed to appeal to today's most discriminating fans, and those discovering this treasured legacy for the first time, looking for the very finest in both artistic content and audio quality."

"We're very honored to have Verve and UME partnering with us to create what we believe will be the highest quality reissues of some of the world's greatest jazz albums. Each step in our production process — from title selection to mastering, pressing and packaging — is designed to meet the highest standards, and we want everyone who hears these albums to feel the love and hard work we put into everything we do," Kassem said. "We've long had a great relationship with UME, pressing classic titles at our Quality Record Pressings from many of their highest-profile artists. We look forward to strengthening that partnership even further with these reissues from Verve, home of the world's largest jazz catalog."

Louis Armstrong Meets Oscar Peterson is a brilliant undertaking in which Verve's legendary "house pianist" encountered one of jazz's most revered giants. A significant part of Peterson's genius was his ability to be an exceptional pianist and leader, while also being a perfect accompanist when the circumstance demands… and in a situation like this, to be both. Armstrong is not only recognized as one of the most innovative, singular, fascinating and beloved artists of the 20th century, but also one of the most generous in the way he embraced and stimulated his collaborators. Backed by the Oscar Peterson Trio — bassist Ray Brown and guitarist Herb Ellis, and augmented by frequent fourth member Louis Bellson on drums — these peerless heavyweights created an album that is utterly compelling, radiantly jubilant and consummate in artistry.

The musicians provided the setting for the jewel that is Pops, with Peterson perfectly embellishing every phrase Armstrong sings or plays. The focus here is primarily upon his totally personal and thoroughly captivating vocal style, with his occasional trumpet solos limited in all but one case to a single chorus. Essentially culled from the Great American Song Book — Cole Porter, the Gershwins and Harold Arlen among the songwriters — the pieces range from poignant ballads and blues to effusive easy-grooved swing. Each song is an exquisitely crafted gem that will warm the heart and enrich the soul.

 

	Side 1
	1. That Old Feeling
	2. Let's Fall in Love
	3. I'll Never Be the Same
	4. Blues in the Night (My Mama Done Tol' Me)
	5. How Long Has This Been Going On?
	6. I Was Doing All Right
	Side 2
	7. What's New?
	8. Moon Song
	9. Just One of Those Things
	10. There's No You
	11. You Go To My Head
	12. Sweet Lorraine

Acoustic Sounds Series reissues from Verve/Universal Music Enterprises!
Two monthly releases highlighting Verve's historic and best jazz records!
Mastered by George Marino at Sterling Sound from the original analog tapes
180-gram LPs pressed at Quality Record Pressings!
Stoughton Printing gatefold old-style tip-on jackets
Series supervised by Chad Kassem CEO of Acoustic Sounds

"The Acoustic Sounds LP under review isn't the first audiophile LP reissue. I have a 200-gram LP version of Getz/Gilberto from Mobile Fidelity. To me, there are subtle differences. Listening to 'The Girl from Ipanema,' I hear a slightly more focused, precise sound on the new Acoustic Sounds LP. The stereo separation is a bit extreme, as it was on the original: I would have changed that. Familiar though it is, and successful though it was, the music remains marvelous. It's wonderful to relive the heft and forthright mastery we hear on Getz's solos throughout." — Michael Ullman, The Arts Fuse, Sept. 24, 2020. Read the entire review here.

"Acoustic Sounds/Universal Music Group has released a vibrant 180-gram stereo vinyl of Getz/Gilberto. Engineered by George Marino (Sterling Sound) under the supervision of Acoustic Sounds founder Chad Kassem, this is a vibrant analog update of a jazz essential. … The overall mix of this remastered 180-gram vinyl is excellent. The stereo separation is precise, with double bass/percussion on one channel and guitar/piano on the other. Getz' distinctive tenor is centered, as are the vocals. … The pressing is superior with no hisses or pops." — 5 stars / Robbie Gerson, Audiophile Audition, Aug. 12, 2020. Read the entire review here.

Seeking to offer definitive audiophile grade versions of some of the most historic and best jazz records ever recorded, Verve Label Group and Universal Music Enterprises' new audiophile Acoustic Sounds vinyl reissue series will launch July 31, 2020 with inaugural releases — the sensational collaborations, Stan Getz and João Gilberto's landmark Getz/Gilberto (1964) and the remarkable Louis Armstrong Meets Oscar Peterson (1959).

Utilizing the skills of the top mastering engineers and the unsurpassed production craft of Quality Record Pressings, all titles will be mastered from the original analog tapes, pressed on 180-gram vinyl and packaged by Stoughton Printing Co. in high-quality gatefold sleeves with tip-on jackets. The releases will be supervised by Chad Kassem, CEO of Acoustic Sounds, the world's largest source for audiophile recordings.

The Acoustic Sounds series will feature two releases a month highlighting a different storied label spanning Verve/UMe's extraordinarily rich archive. To begin with, the series will largely focus on some of the most popular albums from the ‘50s and ‘60s in their unmatched catalog. The July releases will celebrate two of Verve's most beloved albums, the aforementioned Getz/Gilberto and Louis Armstrong Meets Oscar Peterson, and will be followed in August by John Coltrane's immortal Impulse! records, A Love Supreme (1964) and Ballads (1963). Two of Nina Simone's legendary Phillips albums I Put A Spell On You (1965) and Pastel Blues (1965) will come in September which will be succeeded in October by two from the EmArcy Records vault: Sarah Vaughan's self-titled 1954 album, the vocal great's sole collaboration with influential trumpeter Clifford Brown, who is also represented alongside pioneering drummer Max Roach on the hard bop classic, Study In Brown (1955). November will spotlight Decca Records with the iconic Peggy Lee's first album, Black Coffee (1956), and composer George Russell's important New York, N.Y. (1959) performed by an all-star orchestra that includes Bill Evans, John Coltrane, Art Farmer and Milt Hinton, among others. All titles and exact release dates are listed below. Additional titles will be announced as the series progresses.

"We are excited to launch our Acoustic Sounds series," said Bruce Resnikoff, President & CEO of UMe. "Verve and UMe have one of the richest jazz catalogs ever recorded and our goal is to give vinyl and music lovers the best possible versions of classic albums. The Acoustic Sounds series is designed to appeal to today's most discriminating fans, and those discovering this treasured legacy for the first time, looking for the very finest in both artistic content and audio quality."

"We're very honored to have Verve and UME partnering with us to create what we believe will be the highest quality reissues of some of the world's greatest jazz albums. Each step in our production process — from title selection to mastering, pressing and packaging — is designed to meet the highest standards, and we want everyone who hears these albums to feel the love and hard work we put into everything we do," Kassem said. "We've long had a great relationship with UME, pressing classic titles at our Quality Record Pressings from many of their highest-profile artists. We look forward to strengthening that partnership even further with these reissues from Verve, home of the world's largest jazz catalog."

Getz/Gilberto is not only a marvelous album, but one which had a profound influence upon the face of jazz and American popular music. This stunning 1964 collaboration between Stan Getz, one of the most popular and respected tenor saxophonists of the era, and the remarkable Brazilian guitarist João Gilberto, launched the bossa nova craze and the career of João's wife Astrud Gilberto with the hugely popular and iconic hit song, "The Girl from Ipanema (Garota de Ipanema)." Even more impactful, it introduced the famed Brazilian composer Antonio Carlos Jobim to the English-speaking musical world. In addition to playing piano on the album, Jobim also composed six of the eight compositions, including two of his most popular masterpieces, "Desafinado" and "Corcovado," along with the aforementioned "Garota de Ipanema."

While Getz had embraced the music of Brazil prior to this with two outstanding Verve albums — Jazz Samba and Big Band Bossa Nova — Getz/Gilberto, with multiple Grammy Awards and a permanent place on various Best Albums of All-time lists is the album that launched a revolution. Regardless of that, the collaborative blending of Getz's fluid, muscular virtuosity and João's impeccable acoustic guitar stylings and captivating vocals, Astrud's enchanting almost-whispered singing on two tracks, all backed by Jobim's minimalist subtlety on piano and the flawless support of Sebãstio Neto and Milton Banana on bass and drums, make this an utterly momentous musical experience regardless of its lofty place in musical history.

Now these albums and many more will be heard better than ever in the exciting new audiophile Acoustic Sounds series.

	Side 1
	1. The Girl From Ipanema
	2. Doralice
	3. Para Machuchar Meu
	4. Desafinado
	Side 2
	1. Corcavado
	2. So Danco Samba
	3. O Grande Amor
	4. Vivo Sohando

Acoustic Sounds Series reissues from Verve/Universal Music Enterprises!

Monthly releases highlighting the world's most historic and best jazz records!

Mastered by Ryan K. Smith at Sterling Sound from the original analog tapes

180-gram LPs pressed at Quality Record Pressings!

Stoughton Printing gatefold old-style tip-on jackets

Series supervised by Chad Kassem CEO of Acoustic Sounds

Seeking to offer definitive audiophile grade versions of some of the most historic and best jazz records ever recorded, Verve Label Group and Universal Music Enterprises' new audiophile Acoustic Sounds vinyl reissue series utilizes the skills of top mastering engineers and the unsurpassed production craft of Quality Record Pressings. All titles are mastered from the original analog tapes, pressed on 180-gram vinyl and packaged by Stoughton Printing Co. in high-quality gatefold sleeves with tip-on jackets. The releases are supervised by Chad Kassem, CEO of Acoustic Sounds, the world's largest source for audiophile recordings.

John Coltrane's immortal Impulse! records, A Love Supreme (1964) and Ballads (1963) both have drawn rave reviews since their original release. A.B. Spellman, former administrator for the National Endowment for the Arts, once described Ballads as "some of the most sensitive, heartfelt music that any lover ever sang on a horn." Put simply, most guys don't play the saxophone like John Coltrane.

The intense passionate Coltrane interpretation of standards such as "All Or Nothing At All," "What's New," "It's Easy To Remember" and the Sinatra classic "Nancy (With The Laughing Face)" are the essence of Ballads. When asked why attempt such an undertaking, Coltrane replied "Variety."

While it may have been a short detour by Trane before he exploded off into the nether regions of jazz music a few years later, it is still a fantastic document of one of the premier jazz groups of the 1960s.

Recorded December 21, 1961 and September 18 & November 13, 1962 at Rudy Van Gelder Studios.

"It's impossible to sleepwalk through tracks like "You Don't Know What Love Is" and "I Wish I Knew" and impart them with even a fraction of the emotional heft that the Quartet achieves. This is the type of jazz album in which the music just washes over the listener with it's restrained grace and beauty, and while it may not have the adventurousness that some listeners think Trane should have had each and every time he recorded, I'd say it shows off a side of him that only makes us appreciate his more bold and daring albums even more." — The Jazz Record

	1. Say It (Over and over Again)
	2. You Don't Know What Love Is
	3. Too Young to Go Steady
	4. All or Nothing at All
	5. I Wish I Knew
	6. What's New?
	7. It's Easy to Remember
	8. Nancy (With the Laughing Face)

Acoustic Sounds Series reissues from Verve/Universal Music Enterprises!
Monthly releases highlighting the world's most historic and best jazz records!
Mastered by Ryan K. Smith at Sterling Sound from the original analog tapes
180-gram LPs pressed at Quality Record Pressings!
Stoughton Printing gatefold old-style tip-on jackets
Series supervised by Chad Kassem CEO of Acoustic Sounds

Seeking to offer definitive audiophile grade versions of some of the most historic and best jazz records ever recorded, Verve Label Group and Universal Music Enterprises' new audiophile Acoustic Sounds vinyl reissue series utilizes the skills of top mastering engineers and the unsurpassed production craft of Quality Record Pressings. All titles are mastered from the original analog tapes, pressed on 180-gram vinyl and packaged by Stoughton Printing Co. in high-quality gatefold sleeves with tip-on jackets. The releases are supervised by Chad Kassem, CEO of Acoustic Sounds, the world's largest source for audiophile recordings.

John Coltrane's immortal Impulse! records, A Love Supreme (1964) and Ballads (1963) both have drawn rave reviews since their original release. In fact, jazz critics have lauded A Love Supreme as Coltrane's most important recording. The rave reviews which appeared in the magazines Downbeat, Jazz Hot, Jazz Podium and Swingjournal reflected this: critics all over the world, in America, Europe and Japan recognized that Coltrane's deep religious belief had influenced both his approach to life and his music-making.

A Love Supreme was his pinnacle studio outing that at once compiled all of his innovations from his past, spoke of his current deep spirituality, and also gave a glimpse into the next two and a half years (sadly, those would be his last). Recorded at the end of 1964, Trane's classic quartet of Elvin Jones, McCoy Tyner, and Jimmy Garrison stepped in and created one of the most thought-provoking albums of their relationship.

The album not only enabled Coltrane to express himself with great intensity but also lent him the necessary inner peace to conceive a work of almost 40 minutes in length and to lead his quartet along the same path as himself.

	1. Part I – Acknowledgement
	2. Part II – Resolution
	3. Part III – Pursuance / Part IV – Psalm