VA - Venus Audio Grade Selection, Vol.2 by Yoshiyuki Ishida (2025) [Official Digital Download 24/96]

Audio critic Masamitsu Fukuda has carefully selected 10 tracks from the Venus Records catalogue and compiled them into a single album.

"The key to this selection was both good music and a good recording. Just as there's a sense of spiritual cleansing satisfaction after a delicious meal or admiring a masterpiece in an art museum, listening to good sound also gives you a unique sense of pleasure. The pursuit of this kind of sound is the kind of audio I strive for, and I refer to this experience as "audio appreciation."

Adding jazz to that good sound doubles or even triples the enjoyment. This time, I once again selected such "sources of comfort." Even when listening to music, you're actually savoring the sound itself as well as the music itself. Jazz listening at a sufficient volume in front of the speakers isn't jazz you're doing while doing something else; you're listening head-on. This is true "jazz appreciation" and "audio appreciation."

Selecting just 10 songs from the vast VENUS album collection was no easy task. I did something similar for our 30th anniversary commemorative album, but I avoided songs that overlapped with that. I first selected the performing groups, and then selected songs from those albums that offered the most sonic enjoyment. The recording has a fresh sound, a sense of definition that comes from the distance of the instruments and microphones, and a good balance of resonance, all of which make the tone of the performance even more wonderful."

Tracklist:
1. Jerry Weldon – Those Were The Days (07:35)
2. Barbara Carroll Trio – But Beautiful (06:12)
3. Sir Roland Hanna Trio – Django (06:14)
4. Richie Beirach Trio – Scenes From Childhood op15 #1 (05:48)
5. Barney Wilen Quintet – Besame Mucho (07:23)
6. Ken Peplowski Gypsy Jazz Band – Nuages (05:33)
7. Gianni Basso – Miss Bo (04:28)
8. Simone – Ghost In This House (04:08)
9. Vladimir Shafranov Trio – Scandia Skies (06:16)
10. Cesare Mecca – Tin Tin Deo (08:03)


Thanks to the Original customer!