Telarc Serves Up Jamaican Funk And Soul With ìMonty Meets Sly And Robbieî On SACD

Super Audio Compact Disc Features Monty Alexander With Reggae Masters Sly Dunbar And Robbie Shakespeare

26-Feb-02

Telarc International, an industry leader in digital recording technology for 25 years, announces the release of ìMonty Meets Sly and Robbieî - the distinctly Jamaican-flavored collaboration of Monty Alexander, Sly Dunbar and Robbie Shakespeare - on Super Audio Compact Disc.The new SACD format, created by Sony and Philips, provides unprecedented sound quality in stereo and discrete multi-channel surround. To achieve its sonic performance, SACD employs a radically new digital encoding technology called Direct Stream Digital. DSD samples the musical signal at a phenomenal 2.8 million times a second - 64 times greater than traditional CD recordings. The result is an extremely smooth digital waveform with unparalleled frequency response and dynamic range. Telarc is now recording all of its projects using the DSD process.The potential benefits of SACD do not stop with its performance. The SACD format supports several disc configurations, including a Hybrid SACD designed to be completely compatible with the millions of CD players in the market today. Hybrid SACDs actually contain two complete layers of music information. One is the conventional CD layer, which can play on any standard CD player. The other, high-density layer contains both the original DSD two-channel recording as well as a DSD six-channel recording that can be played in the new generation of stereo and surround SACD players. Each of the six channels can be recorded separately with full 100 kHz frequency response and 120dB dynamic range; the two-channel section achieves even greater frequency response and dynamic range across the audio band. Both the six-channel and the two-channel sound images have unparalleled resolution and transparency.This cutting-edge technology brings a whole new listening experience to ìMonty Meets Sly and Robbie,î originally released on Telarc in the standard CD format in April 2000. Jamaica native Monty Alexander teams up with Sly Dunbar and Robbie Shakespeare - reggaeís most respected and experienced rhythm section - to create a killer combination of classic soul tunes, funky jazz and modern grooves with a hardcore, dub flavor.Sophisticated and down-to-earth, ìMonty Meets Sly and Robbieî crafts its own blend of jazzy soul infused with fresh beats and a stripped-to-the-bone sound. Rousing takes on Joe Zawinulís ìMercy, Mercy, Mercy,î the Stylistics ìPeople Make The World Go Round,î Ramsey Lewisí ìThe In Crowd,î Herbie Hancockís ìChameleon,î and other numbers from the late ë50s and ë60s, connect Alexander not only to jazz, but to an equally worthy legacy of soul.Monty Alexander grew up in Kingston, Jamaica where he began piano lessons at the age of six. While still a youngster, he enjoyed the performances of Louis Armstrong and Nat ìKingî Cole, and his style of playing was deeply affected by their joyful gospel of jazz. In 1963, Alexander was performing in Las Vegas, Nevada with Art Mooneyís Orchestra and was observed by Jilly Rizzo and ìthe chairman of the boardî Frank Sinatra. Jilly hired him to work at his club in New York City, and it was there that he met and was hired by Milt Jackson. Soon after, he began an association with bassist Ray Brown that lasted for years. He also went on to perform with such jazz legends as Dizzy Gillespie.Telarc currently has twenty titles in various genres - classical, jazz, contemporary jazz and blues - available in multi-channel (Hybrid) SACD. Approximately 36 titles will be available in the six ñchannel SACD format by June 2002. Visit the Telarc website, www.telarc.com, for the most updated information on our new SACD recordings.

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