Mixed and mastered to hi-res digital from the original master tapes by Joe Gastwirt Mastering
Lacquer cut by Kevin Gray at Cohearant Audio
Plated and pressed on 200-gram vinyl at Quality Record Pressings!
Stoughton Printing gatefold tip-on heavyweight cardboard jacket
Hi-Fi News’ Album Choice for August 2018!
"Far be it for me to renege on my doubts about ’audiophile’ LPs, which are usually played to the point of nuisance at shows, but the middle volume of Wasserman’s trilogy deserved acclaim. This 30th anniversary edition follows his death in 2016, adding to the poignancy: since its original release, we’ve also lost collaborators Stephane Grapelli, Lou Reed and Dan Hicks. Wasserman was a hugely popular composer and bassist, and a much-admired sideman, associated especially with The Grateful Dead’s Bob Weir. Along with the above three are Jennifer Warnes, Aaron Neville (’Stardust’!), Bobby McFerrin, Cheryl Bentyne and Rickie Lee Jones. But Reed doing ’One For My Baby’? You gotta hear it." — Sound Quality: 95% — Ken Kessler, Hi Fi News, August 2018
It took a bass player to return vocals to their proper place on Duets — a record that’s a model of simplicity. On the tracks on this LP you’ll find Rob Wasserman’s bass, and another voice. The result is a charming collection of duets featuring bassist Wasserman joined by special guests Aaron Neville, Rickie Lee Jones, Bobby McFerrin, Lou Reed, Jennifer Warnes, Dan Hicks, Cheryl Bentyne and Stephane Grappelli. The experimental release pairs the human voice with the bass guitar, resulting in a collection of unique and soulful material.
Unlike much of current music, where vocals are squelched and compression molded into something of an afterthought, Wasserman sought to create on Duets a music record — without technology interfering. "It’s kinda like being in a club. It lets you get closer to the song," Wasserman says.
Not surprisingly, Duets ranks among the most breathtaking collections of popular songs issued in the 1980s.
這是一張溫故知新的黑膠唱片,最早是在1988年發行,到今年已經30年,真巧,跟音響論壇一樣。這30年來,大概每一位音響迷都擁有一張,不論是黑膠、CD、SACD或其他版本。現在,Analogue Productions推出黑膠復刻與SACD,如果您是晚生的音響迷,還沒買過這張唱片,那就別猶豫了。這張唱片能夠問世,老實說是低音提琴手Rob Wasserman的突發奇想。他生於1952 年,死於2016年,從小學音樂,在舊金山音樂院畢業,主修低音提琴與作曲,是真的科班出身的。他自己的第一張專輯「Solo」是在1983年發行的,當年這張Solo評價很高,不過他錄過的第一張唱片是1980年與David Grisman合作的,1981年又再度與他合作,還加入Stephane Grappelli爵樂小提琴,1981年還發行另外一張,所以是二張。1982年他又跟Van Morrison合作推出唱片。所以,在他推出自己的Solo之前,他就不是無名小卒了。
有意思的是,從1983年起,直到1988年這張Duets推出,他有長達五年的唱片空窗期。推出 Duets之後,在1994年又推出Trios,這張唱片就少人提及了。為何會推出這張Duets呢?這是他長期在心裡醞釀的發想,想要找幾位唱功了得的歌手,以最簡單的方式彰顯人聲之美,主角就是他的低音提琴與人聲,所以名為Duets。他總共說動了八位著名的藝人,其中只有Stephane Grappelli是小提琴與低音提琴,Bobby McFerrin是人聲、身體拍打與低音提琴,其他都是優美的嗓音,包括Aaron Neville、Rickie Lee Jones、Lou Reed、Jennifer Warnes、Dan Hicks與 Cheryl Bentyne。這些歌手大家都知道,其中有些會彈吉他者也在錄音中露了一手,如Rickie Lee Jones與Lou Reed。黑膠版有9首,SACD版則在最後加了一首Rickie Lee Jones的「Autumn Leaves」。為何這張唱片人人說好呢?因為沒有人聽了會覺得刺耳難聽的,想想看,低音提琴會刺耳嗎?溫暖的人聲會刺耳嗎?即使是小提琴,在這張唱片中也不會刺耳。因為不會刺耳,人聲又好聽,歌也好聽,所以大家買了聽了,都覺得很好,馬上就成了發燒片。錄音效果好不好?很好,不過我也要說其實錄出這樣的效果並不難,因為只有人聲與低音提琴,頂多加上吉他與簡單的打擊樂器,這麼簡單的編制其實太好錄了。不僅好錄,音響器材也很好表現,所以又是大家都覺得好錄音,其實是表現難度不高啦(很多發燒片都是這種,您可以想想看)!您有沒有注意到,這九首曲子其中有五首是在 Russian Hill錄音室錄製的,其餘四首分別是不同的錄音室錄製,不同的錄音室會有不同的「聲紋」,不知道您有沒有注意到?
持平的說,這張唱片大概只有低音提琴所彈出來的聲音會造成小小的考驗,不過一般人可能也無感,所以也不知道自己的家中把低音提琴扭曲了。這小小的考驗就是因為200Hz以下的中低頻、低頻峰值會讓低音提琴的音粒忽大忽小,有的人家裡可能反而會覺得自己的低頻表現真棒,其實每個音粒都要一樣大啦,這樣才對。倒是內中有些用拉奏的片段音響效果很好,不過也要在低頻、中低頻峰值小的聆聽空間中才會享受到正確的表現。如果家裡的低頻、中低頻峰值嚴重,恐怕還會對強烈震動的「牛筋」沾沾自喜。還是那句老話:請想想低音提琴拉出來的聲音,會是驚天動地嗎?如果您有在Pub現場聽過爵士樂,大概就會明白我說的是什麼?
總之,如果您還沒有買過這張唱片,千萬不要再錯過了,尤其是黑膠版。
曲目
Side 1
Stardust (Aaron Neville) 4:30
The Moon Is Made Of Gold (Rickie Lee Jones) 3:38
Brothers (Bobby McFerrin) 4:44
Duet–Featuring Rob Wasserman (Rob Wasserman) 3:22
One For My Baby (And One More For The Road) (Lou Reed) 4:01
Side 2
Ballad Of The Runaway Horse (Jennifer Warnes) 6:45
Gone With The Wind (Dan Hicks) 4:58
Angel Eyes (Cheryl Bentyne) 4:15
Over The Rainbow (Stephane Grappelli) 5:59