Before we turn our posting attention to covering AXPONA the rest of this week, we wanted to do a short preview/review ahead of Record Store Day, which is taking place this Saturday, April 12, 2025. Read Mark Smotroff’s review of three key RSD multi-disc LP sets from Resonance Records featuring legendary jazz musicians Charles Mingus, Kenny Dorham, and Freddie Hubbard. . .
Manhattan’s All Blues played host to Zev Feldman’s traveling Record Store Day (RSD) cavalcade this past Wednesday, April 2, 2025. Joined by jazz journalist, Jazz and Coffee’s Syd Schwartz, Feldman gave the backstories and played selections from his upcoming RSD 2025 releases. These six RSD releases followed Feldman’s typical Jazz Detective approach, mining tapes from radio stations, performance venues, and collector’s vaults, pressed to virgin vinyl. The accompanying video, shot by our resident jazz expert Ken Micallef, gives you a deeper taste of what the night looked and sounded like. . .
Worth the wait! We’re happy to report that Venus and Mars — Paul McCartney and Wings’ May 1975 arena-rocking, No. 1-charting, platinum-selling smash-hit album — has just received the official Abbey Road Studios half-speed-mastered deluxe treatment in celebration of its 50th Anniversary this year, having been officially released as a 180g single LP by MPL/Capitol/UMe on March 21, 2025. Read Mark Smotroff’s review to see why you need to get your copy of Venus and Mars ASAP. . .
The Dr. Feickert Analogue Volare 25 25th Anniversary Limited Edition turntable — a.k.a. the Volare 25 — was designed and manufactured in Germany by Dr. Christian Feickert and crew. It builds upon the company’s original Volare model with a significant tonearm upgrade, a new low-friction bearing, a second motor, and more. Read Ken Micallef’s review to see how the Volare 25 stacks up. . .
Nagra knows all about recording — and Nagra knows phono too. The venerable Swiss manufacturer, initially known for making top-shelf portable audio recorders as far back as 1951, have just announced the introduction of their latest hi-fi product, the Compact Phono preamp. Read on to see all the specs and features of the Nagra Compact Phono. . .
Progressive thinking, thy name is Alex Lifeson. The once and forever Rush guitarist recently found new creative life within his current four-person band Envy of None, and he couldn’t be happier. In an exclusive, wide-ranging interview with AP editor Mike Mettler, Lifeson discusses how he remastered his 1996 solo album Victor specifically for a 2024 2LP vinyl reissue, his album-sequencing philosophy for Envy of None’s powerful new LP Stij(ē)ən Wāvs, what the first LP and first 45 he ever bought were, and what he hopes Rush’s enduring legacy will be. . .
In September 1997, an album of inspired Cuban music, Buena Vista Social Club, was released to near universal acclaim, inspiring music fans and musicians around the world. Produced by legendary guitarist and world-music champion Ry Cooder, Buena Vista Social Club was a smash hit in the CD era, but Analogue Productions’ new, super-deluxe 180g 45rpm 4LP vinyl reissue of Buena Vista Social Club may very well be the best-sounding version of it to date. Read Mark Smotroff’s review to see why he (and we!) feel the new 4LP edition of Buena Vista Social Club is a clear winner. . .
We haven’t looked in on Vertere for a while since we saw their RG-1 and MG-1 MKII turntables firsthand at the most recent trade shows in Toronto and Munich, respectively, so we’re happy to report on what’s what with their latest offering, the DG X turntable. Read on to see all the cool specs and features of the DG X. . .
Jazz-listening bars have been popping up across New York City and many other U.S. cities seeking to replicate Japan’s jazz kissa culture, where listening is sacred and talking is verboten. Our resident jazz fanatic Ken Micallef recently commenced a semi-regular gig as a jazz DJ at Tokyo Record Bar in New York City, and here’s his firsthand report on how he got ready for it, how he tweaked their in-house system, and how the gig is going. . .