Enoch Light: Provacative Percussion Vol. 1 (1959) Original Command Records Stereo Vinyl Transfer

Perhaps Enoch Light's most famous releases, the Provocative Percussion series weren't so much albums as they were an experiment in exploring the possibilities of stereo sound, as I alluded to on my previous post. Enoch Light was a notorious audiophile and went to the greatest lengths possible to achieve top sound quality. The liner notes on the LP sleeve, where typically some record label promo guy would wax poetic about the content of the record, is instead filled with details on which microphones were used to the record the instruments, which kind of tape head and amplifiers were used to cut the master reel, and directions on how to properly weigh and calibrate your turntable as to not damage the record.

The music itself is deceptively simple, the record is mostly comprised of jazz standards and instrumental versions of show tunes. The selections are immaculately arranged and performed but they sometimes feel as though they are merely an excuse to show off Light's high tech studio wizardry. There's an almost sparse feeling to the songs as Enoch Light typically shows off one instrument at a time, almost like a demonstration for the listener to hear how incredible the clarity of each individual sound is. The clarity is indeed stunning, the brass play very loud and yet there's zero evidence of clipping or distortion, quite a feat for a recording studio in 1959. And as the album title suggests, crystal clear bongo drum rolls, shakers and scratchers zip back and forth between the left and right channels seemingly at random as a further demonstration of Light's prowess with the newly discovered stereo format. Tony Mottola's guitar is as smooth and silky as ever, as he picks the perfect spots to put his precise, jazzy touches on.

Highlights are the Cole Porter cover "You're the Top", "Somebody Loves Me" and "Perhaps, Perhaps, Perhaps."

The LP was transferred to .mp3 @ 320vbr using EAC's .WAV editor and compressed with dbpoweramp using LAME 3.97. Enjoy: http://www.mediafire.com/?lvv8bo1w7x2606j

-Casey