Category: Music on R2R: news & reviews

‘Exclusive’: Hemiolia to preview / announce new titles at the Munich High-End Show this week

May 8, 2024

There’s more exciting news afoot from the folks at Hemiolia Records, whose copy-master tape releases over the past year or two have been pretty darned spectacular and show no signs of slowing down! If you’re heading over to the Munich High-End Show 2024 this week (9th to 12th May) you’ll find Hemiolia in Hall 4, … More ‘Exclusive’: Hemiolia to preview / announce new titles at the Munich High-End Show this week

‘The Harrow & The Harvest’: Gillian Welch’s seminal album on tape and an interview with David Rawlings

April 19, 2024

Last year Gillian Welch’s 2011 album, the Grammy-nominated The Harrow & The Harvest, described by the Washington Post as “Welch…at her haunting, heart-aching best,” was released for the first time ever on reel-to-reel tape via her own Acony Records (which she co-owns with long-time collaborator David Rawlings). It’s long been a favourite album of mine … More ‘The Harrow & The Harvest’: Gillian Welch’s seminal album on tape and an interview with David Rawlings

‘An Evening of New York Songs and Stories’: Suzanne Vega live on tape from Horch House

April 18, 2024

It’s fantastic that we’re starting to see a wider breadth of music available on reel-to-reel tape lately, both in terms of a broader range of genres and also an increasing number of contemporary artists alongside the ‘old greats’. Horch House have been doing some sterling work on this, with recent releases including Alice Cooper and … More ‘An Evening of New York Songs and Stories’: Suzanne Vega live on tape from Horch House

Electronic band Yello announce ‘The Mastertape Edition’ & ‘The Revox B77 MkII Yello Edition’

April 3, 2024

I have some exciting news for you here folks, especially for those of us craving a wider range of musical genres on tape. (Don’t get me wrong, I’m a huge fan of jazz and classical, but I also love a whole heap of other genres and am always hankering to hear more of them on … More Electronic band Yello announce ‘The Mastertape Edition’ & ‘The Revox B77 MkII Yello Edition’

Another iconic album release from Hemiolia Records: Miles Davis’ Sketches of Spain

March 5, 2024

Boy, are these good times for Miles Davis fans! The folks at Hemiolia Records just keep on keeping ‘em coming with their incredible copy-master tape releases, and the next title has just been announced. Miles Davis’ Sketches of Spain was recorded in late 1959 / early 1960 at Colombia Records’ 30th Street Studio (aka ‘The … More Another iconic album release from Hemiolia Records: Miles Davis’ Sketches of Spain

Lyn Stanley’s Black Dress Ballads on copy-master tape reviewed by Neville Roberts

February 22, 2024

In which hi-fi journalist Neville Roberts reports on jazz singer Lyn Stanley’s latest release, mastered by none other than the great Bernie Grundman… Another set of copy-master tapes from the LA-based, internationally-acclaimed jazz singer Lyn Stanley arrived on my doorstep in December 2023. These tapes were the pre-production set of tapes for her latest album … More Lyn Stanley’s Black Dress Ballads on copy-master tape reviewed by Neville Roberts

Getting major league goosebumps with Miles Davis’ Ascenseur pour l’échafaud on tape from Hemiolia Records

February 16, 2024

Ascenseur Pour L’échafaud (aka Lift To The Scaffold, or Elevator To The Gallows) is a French movie released in 1958 and directed by Louis Malle. It’s a fabulous piece of cinema and one’s that very typical of the period. Shot in black and white, it’s moody, dark, haunting, tense, full of suspense, intrigue and – … More Getting major league goosebumps with Miles Davis’ Ascenseur pour l’échafaud on tape from Hemiolia Records

Gearbox Records offering master tape copies of their catalogue

February 15, 2024

Wowzer, this is pretty significant move in the context of reel-to-reel becoming more ‘mainstream’. London and Tokyo-based Gearbox Records is now making a big chunk of its back catalogue available to buy on copy master tape! There’s a long list of tapes available, each one copied direct from the original master to ¼-inch tape. The … More Gearbox Records offering master tape copies of their catalogue

Another jazz classic from Hemiolia: Cannonball Adderley’s Somethin’ Else

January 29, 2024

Hemiolia Records’ licensing deal with Ermitage Distribution is, for tape fans, the gift that just keeps on giving! Last year saw the release of a raft of seminal jazz albums on copy master tape, and now 2024 is kicking off with another: Somethin’ Else by American jazz saxophonist Julian ‘Cannonball’ Adderley. The album was originally recorded in March … More Another jazz classic from Hemiolia: Cannonball Adderley’s Somethin’ Else

‘Saturday Night In San Francisco’: rediscovering a legendary guitar event via tape from Horch House

January 26, 2024

Okay, so this one’s quite a story, perfect for a rambling man to have a good ol’ ramble about! First, there’s the history of a seminal recording (which, if you’re a fan of the genre, you may well already know something about). And then there’s also a spotlight here on the whole tape versus other … More ‘Saturday Night In San Francisco’: rediscovering a legendary guitar event via tape from Horch House