June 2010!
The UHA-HQ Phase5 Reel to Reel tape deck,
and
The Tape Project Master Tapes
win a “Golden Ear Award” for 2010
from The Absolute Sound Magazine!
UHA is an authorized “The Tape Project”
(TTP) Master tapes dealer.
There are 4 ways to acquire TTP tapes.
1.) Full subscription:
All ten albums for SERIES #1 or SERIES #2 = $3000.00
per series of 10 tapes in each series.
2.) Selective subscription: SERIES #1
Includes your choice of any
6 tapes chosen from the 10 tapes in SERIES #1. = $1800.00
As a subscriber you can buy additional tapes from
series #1 at only $300.
3.) Selective subscription: SERIES #2
Includes your choice of any
6 tapes chosen from the 10 tapes in SERIES #2. = $1800.00
As a subscriber you can buy additional tapes from
series #2 at only $300.
4.) Individual tapes:
Offered at $500.00 per tape.
All tapes are custom boxed and consist of two 2500 ft 10 1/2″ tapes,
featured on beautifully designed custom metal reels.
Come and listen to these tapes in the store,
we have a great selection for demo.
Yes, we agree these tapes are not cheap, however when you listen
to these tapes on a UHA-HQ tape deck you will easily be able to justify the cost.
For example the UHA-HQ decks completly set up to play
these tapes costs $3998. That price is including new tape heads,
new all black piano paint and five redesigned and upgraded curcuits!
If you bought 6 tapes at $1800 the total investment would be $5798.
You could easily spend that much on a CD player or a turntable
and a phono preamp, right?
However you would have much better sound with R2R tape!
The Tape Project has been organized for one purpose:
to make available to the discerning audiophile an analog listening experience that comes as close as possible to the experience of hearing the original master tape. A small group of music lovers has started securing the rights to release a variety of extraordinary recordings on high quality reel to reel tape. We have also assembled the highest quality duplicating system that has ever been attempted. The result, for those with ears to hear, is the most involving and satisfying experience that has ever come from reproduced music. Our plan is to release ten titles per year. These tapes are recorded as 15 inches per second two-track, one of the formats most common for analog master tapes. Each album normally comprises two reels.
When we started designing our release schedule, we had only two requirements in mind:
1) that the master exist on analog, and,
2) that the music be great. That it be music that moves us. That it be music that can stand the test of time, and continue to bring satisfaction for years.
Of course that narrows it down to only a couple hundred thousand possible titles. And in practical terms, it isn’t always up to us whether we can get access to the titles we’d like. The holders of the rights may or may not make them available. (All our music is fully licensed)
With those considerations in mind, here’s what to expect as we announce the upcoming releases. You can already see that we have broad tastes ourselves. Just in the initial series you see Classical, Jazz, Blues and Roots music. You will see more of those. Definitely a solo piano title in the future. I wouldn’t be surprised to see a choral recording before long. We haven’t yet announced anything from one of the major pop stars, but don’t be surprised when we do. Considering how much all of us in the company love Blues, Roots and Americana you can count on seeing more of those.
We are not limiting ourselves to audiophile spectaculars. If the music is compelling, we’ll consider it. We are even offering a mono recording.
Current offerings in the first series of 10 tapes.
The 1956 jazz masterpiece, listed on nearly every Top 100 jazz albums list. Rollins, with Max Roach, Tommy Flanagan and Doug Watkins, produced by Rudy Van Gelder. Includes the first recorded performance of Rollins’ signature St Thomas, and Blue 7, considered by many to be the premier demonstration of Rollins’ prowess as one of the greatest thematic jazz improvisationalists of all time. TP-010
As Jazz Times says, “In the never ending Next Big Thing Sweepstakes bet on Jacqui Naylor to be a frontrunner”. She shows why on her latest release, “The Color Five”. She has earned wide praise for the strength of her original tunes, her sultry smooth voice and her innovative ‘Acoustic Smashing’, the art of her band playing one tune while she sings another. We are proud to offer this very special edition of “The Color Five” – recorded to 16 track 2 inch tape and mixed to 2 track 1 inch tape by Michael Romanowski, and mastered by Paul Stubblebine exclusively for The Tape Project. This version includes both straight takes from the original tracking session and some really delicious “stacked” mixes featuring the multi instrumental players in Jacqui’s trio creating the 70’s groove sound of a much bigger band. TP-001
Malcolm Arnold had been the Principal trumpet in the London Philharmonic Orchestra before he retired from playing to concentrate on composing and conducting. Thus when the sessions were scheduled for this recording of Arnold conducting his old band in his own compositions, excitement in the orchestra ran high. People who hadn’t been around in years started showing up. The orchestra came to play, and play they did. Luckily for us, Keith Johnson was there with his custom recording equipment, along with producer J. Tamblyn Henderson to oversee the sessions. The gorgeous music, the inspired playing, and the legendary acoustics of Watford Town Hall were all captured on Keith’s focused-gap analog tape recorder. Those same tapes, played on that same tape machine, were the source for our version. TP-003
Conductor de Burgos took seven selections from Albeniz’ Suite Espanola plus one from his Songs of Spain and arranged them for symphony orchestra. His complete success at transferring the music from the keyboard to the orchestra is not an easy task. The music is imbued with the strongest and most colorful flavor of Iberian music but never sounds the least bit kitschy. This recording has long been pegged as an audiophile achievement and the New Philharmonia Orchestra outdoes itself in spirited, exciting playing. The dynamic range is extremely wide and the depth and width of the soundstage is also extended, engaging the rich acoustics of Kingsway Hall where the recording was made. TP-005
The two works on this tape are splendid examples of 19th and 20th century virtuoso concertos; but for their great difficulty they would surely be played more often. No adjectives can add to David Oistrakh’s fame, but it is worth mentioning the special interest in hearing one of the country’s finest violinists in one of its finest concertos with, in one piece, the composer as the conductor. This is Oistrakh’s first western recording of the Hindemith Concerto, and his very first of the Bruch Fantasia, which is recorded complete. Oistrakh here plays his “Fontana” violin made by Stradivarius in 1702. TP-006
The world-renowned Minnesota Orchestra in a recording with its dynamic music director, Eiji Oue (A.G. OH-way), a former protege of Leonard Bernstein and Seiji Ozawa. Favorites and rarities, including Saint-Saëns: Bacchanale, Strauss: Dance of the Seven Veils, and Rabaud: Dances from Marouf. Recorded by the renowned Professor Johnson.”…the Dance of the Seven Veils is played with such convincing affects of lasciviousness and moral dissolution that one wants to get to know these players better.” – Paul Festa, Salon.com TP-007
Recorded live at the Village Vanguard on June 25, 1961, this is the most entrancing of Evan’s two break out albums recorded in that venue. The level of intimacy between the players in this trio is going to be difficult to find a parallel to in the vast and deep ocean of classic jazz recordings.
“Bill had this quiet fire that I loved on piano. The way he approached it, the sound he got was like crystal notes or sparkling water cascading down from some clear waterfall.” – Miles Davis TP-008
This is our reissue of the original 1959 release, with Addison Farmer, Nick Stabulas and Ronnie Free, engineered by Rudy Van Gelder. Swingin’, bluesy and irreverent all at once, Mose’s combo of uptown jazz and hush puppy blues piano styling seasoned with cutting lyrics has been honored in covers by the likes of Van Morrison, John Mayall, The Who, The Clash, Eric Clapton, the Yardbirds, Elvis Costello and Bonnie Raitt. A favorite album of a favorite musician of ours, this title was right at the top of our wish list. TP-009
Dave Alvin first came to prominence in the high energy Punkabilly band “The Blasters,” which he co-fronted with his brother Phil. The Blasters personified the Roots-Rock movement starting in the early ’80s. After parting ways with the Blasters he followed many roads that let him express the varied facets of his musical personality: blues, country, rock and folk, eventually winning a Grammy® for his album “Public Domain, Songs From The Wild Land.” By the time of “Blackjack David,” these musical strains are no longer recognizable as influences, they have totally meld ed into a personal music of great emotional power. These songs all started with Dave sitting in the middle of the room singing and playing guitar. Gradually the arrangements grew around them, but Dave’s singing and guitar playing remain at the core. Stereophile Record Of The Month and at least this once they got it right. TP-002
Robert Cray is in a large part responsible for the resurgence of blues that began in the 80’s. Avoiding the cliches of old blind school folk blues or jazz that is blues in name only, Cray’s impeccable guitar style and dark lyric create a particularly sophisticated style of blues with strong soul overtones that was just the right style for the mood of the time. This album, Cray’s second, shows the band getting into the polished groove it became famous for on a very well produced recording. The album is full of Cray’s classic Stax/Volt style vocals and Cray’s guitar playing is at the same time meticulous and flaming hot. TP-004
51 weeks on the charts! #1 Billboard album in Feb 1975, certified gold, platinum, and double platinum, #1 Billboard Hot 100 songs (You’re No Good), #1 Billboard Hot Country Songs (When Will I be Loved), Billboard’s top female pop artist of the year for 1975, a Grammy for Best Country Vocal Performance Female for “I Can’t Help It (If I’m Still In Love With You).”, Grammy nominated for album of the year.
Phew! Originally on Capitol, 1974
B3 godfather Jimmy Smith at his best, and hang on to this personnel list-
Art Blakey, drums; Kenny Burrell, guitar; Lee Morgan, trumpet; Lou Donaldson, alto saxophone; Tina Brooks, tenor saxophone
Originally on Blue Note, 1958, recorded by Rudy Van Gelder
We have also licensed an extended version of this title
A great album from these musician’s musicians and Rock and Roll Hall of Famers. Here the former Bob Dylan backup band that influenced such giants as Eric Clapton and George Harrison is recorded and produced by Todd Rundgren on a stage in Woodstock, NY. Originally on Capitol, 1970. Not a bad way for Tape Project to break their rock and roll cherry!
We licensed a couple of bonus tracks on this one
This is a compilation of Brownie’s first two sessions as a leader. With Lou Donaldson on alto sax, Elmo Hope on piano, Percy Heath on bass, and Philly Joe Jones on drums in one session, and Gigi Gryce on alto, Charlie Rouse on tenor, John Lewis on piano, Percy Heath on bass, and Art Blakey on drums in the other session. These are the sessions that started the short lived Brown’s rise to the stature of a bop legend. Originally on Blue Note, 1953
We have licensed an extended version of this title
Mavis Staple’s gospel power, Pops Staple’s mellow voice, the Muscle Shoals Rhythm section laying down the funk groove (with the help of the Memphis Horns and a Moog synthesizer) and Al Bell producing – what more could one ask for? A Stax classic from the peak of the soul era, this 1972 release delivered three top 10 R&B hits, with I’ll Take You There shooting to the top of the charts and Respect Yourself holding position number two. Recorded in part at the ex-casket factory at Muscle Shoals studio on an MCI 16 track with overdubs done on a 16 track 3M M56, this album defines the soul of the 70’s.
The response to the jazz titles released in Series One has been overwhelming. And so we continue to present monumental jazz recordings in this second series for The Tape Project. A conspiracy of jazz giants, Burrell and Coltrane appear together in Coltrane’s only duo album with a guitarist. The rest of the personnel are equal to the task – pianist Tommy Flanagan (the same Mr. Flanagan you hear on Saxophone Colossus), bassist Paul Chambers and drummer Jimmy Cobb (both borrowed for this session from Miles Davis’ Sextet). Hard-bop, bebop and a blowing session are all delivered in this tasty Prestige release, recorded by Rudy Van Gelder in March of 1958.
Minoru Nojima is Japan’s most celebrated concert pianist and a Cliburn Competition Silver Medal winner. Recorded in 1986 at the Civic Auditorium in Oxnard California by the incomparable Prof. Johnson with his magnificent custom tape recorder with focused gap heads. Named Best Recording of the Month by Stereo Review, which described it as “a stunning demonstration of technique put at the service of profoundly musical ends”
“This is an outstanding performance of the Liszt sonata, one of the most musically acute, tonally complex and structurally perceptive recordings I have heard in many years.” – Jonathan Woolf, MusicWeb International
Little Hatch, born Provine Hatch, Jr. in 1922 in Sledge, Mississippi, began blowing the harp obsessively at 8 years old and came under the direct spell of Sonny Boy Williamson II and Howlin’ Wolf when his family moved to Helena, Arkansas in 1935. Sonny Boy became Hatch’s hero, and from there, another sure-fire bluesman was born. Rock With Me Baby oozes with blues purity and recalls the gritty roots of a time before blues needed polish to shine. If Hatch’s harp is technically imperfect, his soulful voice is unmatched. Fans of the real thing will drool, and rockers may at least understand blues heritage through this release. Recorded impeccably at Chad Kassem’s Blue Heaven Studio – converted from a 76 year old Gothic church.
A giant of jazz recordings, this 1956 Prestige issue (in beautiful mono, baby!) is one of the Tape Project crew’s favorites.
“Brilliant Corners is a triumph of both performance and conception: the two small-group sessions, anchored by Monk, drummer Max Roach, and the bass work of either Oscar Pettiford or Paul Chambers, feature superb front-line performances by saxophonists Sonny Rollins and the tragically under-recorded Ernie Henry, as well as trumpeter Clark Terry. The title track, which centers the collection, is one of Monk’s most unconventional pieces, skirting whole-tone, chromatic and Lydian scales; a version of “Pannonica” finds Monk doubling on celeste, while the band stretches out on “Bemsha Swing” and the blues “Ba-lue Bolivar Ba-lues-are.” -Fred Goodman
This grandiose work, scored for full symphony orchestra, pipe organ and tam-tam, has at last been given its due in this celebrated recording. Features violinist Ruggiero Ricci in Poema Autumnale. Recorded by Prof. Johnson on that marvelous focused gap head tape machine of his. Can you say “dynamics” ?
“The best symphonic recording I have heard, bar none…a stupendous recording of a probably-definitive performance.” –J. Gordon Holt, Stereophile
More to come!
