If you’re a fan of Traditional Jazz, what normally would be referred to nowadays as Dixieland Jazz, you will have a very hard time finding a record that sounds as good as this one. The energy, the size, the dynamic power of every instrument is captured with such fidelity it will put the lie to most of what passes for Modern Good Sounding Jazz.
This is the real Audiophile Label, not just some label that’s making records to appeal to audiophiles, and there is a world of difference between the two.
At first we thought side one of this copy was As Good As It Gets, a real White Hot stamper pressing. It was doing everything we expected it to, and more to be honest.
Then we started to do side two, and surprisingly enough this very copy had a side two with more extension up top, more space and even more clarity and transparency. True, only slightly more, but if you compare the two sides carefully you should have no trouble hearing it.
Both sides are so big, lively, present and real you will surely be convinced that Ewing Nunn’s homemade microphones and mono cutting system were a giant leap forward in sound for their time. Perhaps you may be inclined to think that much of the recording technology of the last fifty years has worked against the musical values that Nunn captured in the studio.
TRACK LISTING
Side One
Under The Double Eagle
Riverside Blues
Down In Jungle Town
Mama’s Gone Goodbye
Side Two
Diga Diga Dog
Blues My Naughty Sweety Gave To Me
Maryland, My Maryland
Yellow Dog Blues
Doc Evans
The very fine cornetist Paul “Doc” Evans was one of the pioneer recording artists on Ewing D. Nunn’s Audiophile label, and we are pleased to restore to the catalogue Evans’ first Audiophile session dating from May, 1953. The recordings were first released on 78 RPM microgroove pressing as AP-11 and AP-12. The material was subsequently reissued on conventional LP by Nunn as Audiophile XL-328, Dixieland Classics.
George H. Buck, Jr., Audiophile Records
Homemade Microphones
Ran into this rather interesting post online
Ewing’s microphones were Omni Condenser types with very small diaphrams, and fed by RF from 2 powering supplies, with a ‘tuned’ length of cable.
These were his ‘Stereo’ microphones. A “third mike” was used only for vocals. When I knew him, I believe it was a Nuemann KM-83 Omni. He seldom used it, and was sold after he had passed away, to a fellow in Denver recording the Denver Symphony for radio.
THE microphone for all his Mono recordings was an Omni-directional ‘Stephens’ condenser, not Neumann. When he went to stereo, Stephens was out of business, and other current product’s were not up to his liking, so he built his own.
Ewing much preferred Omni microphones for cleaner, more accurate sound. Cardiode types tend to ‘color’ the sound – and are especially bad on transients. He challenged me to record a set of ‘jingling key’s with any cardiode mike, which convinced me. – And this was a guy who hated cymbals.
I ‘m curious if this would still hold true with today’s equipment? I may re-try again with one of my DAT recorders, just for curiosity’s sake.
I have Ewing’s RF Condenser mikes. Since they are non-directioal, all ambiance was obtained by his meticulous placement, using natural acoustics. To this, I can attest.
Don Gibson, S.O.B.