HiRez Poll Various Artists - CELEBRATING THE MUSIC OF WEATHER REPORT [DVD-A/SACD]

[JonUrban]

Please post your thoughts and comments on the DVD-Audio/SACD disc from TELARC.

 

[Lucanu]

WOW, I never saw this title before and its package is full of options, including mp3! and its from 2001 (right?)

 

[neil wilkes]

First thoughts on this are that the musicianship is superb, and the mix is very discrete & aggressive.
Weather Report it ain't though, so don't be fooled by the title (although as it does say "Celebrating The Music Of Weather Report" you could easily be forgiven for thinking it is a compilation album.
It's all newly recorded versions featuring the list of musicians on the sleeve.
And very well recorded it is too - for anyone wanting a good fidelity demo, this is it.
With one rather major reservation.
Watch the Bass levels in that LFE - it is way too hot. The disc claims to be "THX Mastered", which means (I suspect) the Audio was mastered at the dubbing stage to THX, then encoded to MLP - by which time the .1 is +10dB too hot.
This system is using Direct Out on a Denon 3910, straight into RME patchbay & from there into my Adam A7 setup.
The system is properly calibrated to 85dB SPL
(as per studio calibration guide here http://www.abluesky.com/asp/catalogue/catalogue.asp?linkid=172)
It is definitely pumping at +10dB relative to what it should be. This spoils an otherwise perfectly balanced disc, sonically speaking
So strike one mark for that.
Strike number 2 comes from what appear to be digital glitches on my copy, although I will have to take time to check on a few different players (both Denon 2910 & 3910 on different amplifier/speaker set-ups have given me the glitch in track 1) but it sounds like digital distortion to me, usually caused by a corrupted master. It's in random channels - but I will definitely make a list.
It will be interesting to see what others think.


Very well worth a spin though, if you can track it down & forgive the issues.

 

[Ge Someone]

The system is properly calibrated to 85dB SPL
(as per studio calibration guide here http://www.abluesky.com/asp/catalogue/catalogue.asp?linkid=172)

Seems not to matter

note that the LFE channel gain in 5.1 formats varies from 0 to +10 dB depending on the encoding format used. Since the LFE channel is not calibrated as a separate entity, the LFE gain will not affect system calibration.

 

[elmer]

I resisted this title for years now and finally broke down yesterday as it was "on sale" at J&R Music World for $14.99. Always been a Weather Report fan and am typically weary of the "tribute" album. As Neil says, superb musicianship and agressive, discrete mix - with an overactive LFE. If you are looking for a decent, contemporary Jazz title in surround you can't go wrong here - if you're looking to augment your one true Weather Report surround title (Mysterious Traveler), then you most likely will be disappointed - this is all slick musicianship with the edges rounded - not quite "smooth jazz" but the striking, unique sound that belongs soley to Weather Report is missing - a 7 but still worthwhile IMO

 

[dbmay75]

I give this an 8. Fantastic mix, but I take away 2 points both for the hot LFE that neil mentions above (I almost thought it was another Bay Area quake!) and the fact that while it's Weather Report's songs, it's not Zawinul, Jaco and Wayne at the helm. While I enjoy smooth jazz, I don't expect to hear it when I think of Weather Report.

I also heard a glitch on one track as neil mentioned. My disc is flawless so it must have been a mastering boo-boo after all.

 

[beached]

Gave this one a 9. The bass might be slightly bloated but not enough for the need to change the level of my sub. What a stellar cast with a very full and discrete mix.

 

[LizardKing]

The glitches in this one are annoying, but otherwise a nice recording.

BTW - Are there any other Telarc DVD-As? This is the only one I've seen......

 

[leevitalone1]

Interseting take on this. I've had it as one of my 1st, bought from Telarc, when looking for dvd audio long time ago. My copy is perfect. I never did notice anything other than it is bass heavy. a quick lowering of the bass level helps, (not the sub)
and I like the set up features with the little kids id'ing channels.
No it's not WR, but it is a tribute to them. Done by very well respected artists who each in thier own right has
what it takes to bring the respect WR deserves to the music. I like it and always have. Well worth a 9. And well worth adding to any HR collection.

 

[rusinurbe]

I have the DVDA of this and have no real complaints about any bass, also have not noticed any issues with drop outs.

The music is well played and the mix discrete, i just find the performances a bit to sterile and lacking in something (feeling). well captured well mixed but teh perfomances or arrangements just dont do the music justice.

 

[Quad Linda]

I gave it an 8, though much of it is difficult to dance to. I resisted it for a while, expecting something hokey and disappointing. One day in Tower (RIP), the Jazz manager strongly recommended it. Weather Report it ain't, but these guys are damn good. Excelllent fidelity, other than slight glitches. I have it on SACD. There are two actual Weather Reports in surround: Mysterious Traveller,one of their best, on SACD 5.1/SQ/Q8, and Tale Spinnin' SQ/Q8. Heavy Weather and Black Market are available on SACD 2ch, both superb albums.

 

[LizardKing]

9 votes on this one now.....

Its a nice recording, but it doesn't beat the real Weather Report.....

 

[4-earredwonder]

OT: TELARC released a wonderful tribute to Weather Report some years ago which IS currently available (rather inexpensively) on BOTH SACD and MLP DVD~A 5.1 entitled "Celebrating the Music of Weather Report." It's ultra discrete and a state of the art recording http://www.allmusic.com/album/celebrating-the-music-of-weather-report-mw0000053355

Both are available @ AmazonUS. Disregard the negative reviews. I just ordered a back~up DVD~A. The Whos Who of musicians assembled by Jason Miles play their hearts out.

https://www.amazon.com/Celebrating-...sr=1-1-fkmr0&keywords=Celebrating+the+music+o

Hint: The DVD~A 5.1 NEW is way cheaper than the SACD and really does sound SPECTACULAR! Trivia: TELARC only released 2 DVD~As before switching to SACD and this is one of them.

 

[fredblue]

OT: TELARC released a wonderful tribute to Weather Report some years ago which IS currently available (rather inexpensively) on BOTH SACD and MLP DVD~A 5.1 entitled "Celebrating the Music of Weather Report." It's ultra discrete and a state of the art recording http://www.allmusic.com/album/celebrating-the-music-of-weather-report-mw0000053355

Both are available @ AmazonUS. Disregard the negative reviews. I just ordered a back~up DVD~A. The Whos Who of musicians assembled by Jason Miles play their hearts out.

https://www.amazon.com/Celebrating-...sr=1-1-fkmr0&keywords=Celebrating+the+music+o

Hint: The DVD~A 5.1 NEW is way cheaper than the SACD and really does sound SPECTACULAR! Trivia: TELARC only released 2 DVD~As before switching to SACD and this is one of them.

Well I picked up that Weather Report tribute DVD-A not too long ago.. and have to say it didn't do much for me (weird as it's just my cuppa tea and I loved their Jaco Big Band Surround discs and so many Telarc and Heads Up Surround SACDs are fabulous.) but that Celebrating Weather Report was kinda sterile sounding and just didn't grab me at the time.. I'll give it another shot soon, may have just been a 'moody blue' the day I played it..

 

[4-earredwonder]

Well I picked up that Weather Report tribute DVD-A not too long ago.. and have to say it didn't do much for me (weird as it's just my cuppa tea and I loved their Jaco Big Band Surround discs and so many Telarc and Heads Up Surround SACDs are fabulous.) but that Celebrating Weather Report was kinda sterile sounding and just didn't grab me at the time.. I'll give it another shot soon, may have just been a 'moody blue' the day I played it..

While I wholeheartedly agree, Adam, that there was/is ONLY UNO RTF, as a 'tribute' album with some stellar session players the Telarc tribute holds its own. Of course, the two Telarc/Heads up Jaco Big Band Surround albums are, decidely, in a league of their own.

 

[fredblue]

I tell you what is mind-blowing since these posts got moved to this Poll thread, is to see among all the comments rusinurbe/Fletch called this disc "sterile sounding".. a VERY SPOOKY coincidence as that's exactly what I said many years later ..!!!!! :yikes

 

[fizzywiggs41]

RTF-MUSICMAGIC 5.1


Sounds interesting