Patricia Barber’s Companion was a record of firsts for Barber and Premonition. First recording of Barber’s legendary live show. First release under the Blue Note/Premonition joint imprint, the only such business arrangement in Blue Note’s storied history. And first Stereophile Recording Of The Month! Companion features several re-invented Modern Cool tracks and some of the best Barber pop covers.

Stereophile Recording Of The Month 

• Limited Edition
• Double LP 180 Gram Audiophile Vinyl
• Production supervised by Jim Anderson and Michael Friedman
• Mastered from the Original Master Tapes
• Mastered by Bob Ludwig at Gateway Mastering
• Vinyl Cut by Doug Sax at The Mastering Lab
• Pressed at Quality Record Pressings, QRP USA
• Deluxe Gatefold Cover

• 3 Sides @ 33 1/3 rpm Speed, 1 Side @ 45rpm Speed

• Includes Bonus Track "So What" (never before released on LP)

• Includes Bonus Track "You Are My Sunshine"

Patricia Barber’s Companion was a record of firsts for Barber and Premonition. First recording of Barber’s legendary live show. First release under the Blue Note/Premonition joint imprint, the only such business arrangement in Blue Note’s storied history. And first Stereophile RECORDING OF THE MONTH. Designed as a “companion” to Barber’s previous studio recording Modern Cool, the album features several re-invented Modern Cool tracks, some of the best Barber pop covers on record and one ingenius new Barber original.

This issue of Companion was re-mastered for vinyl by the great Doug Sax from the Original Analog Master Mixes and features three sides at 33 1/3 and one side at 45 RPM so that listeners get the full original release plus two bonus tracks and enjoy the opportunity to compare Sax’s mastering to that of MoFi’s 2002 LP version. Without doubt, listeners will be impressed. A stunning recording -- an audiophile favorite since it’s 1999 release -- given new life by one of the great mastering engineers of our time.

"In an aviary full of mynah birds, Patricia Barber flies alone. For a sensitive lug like moi, she's the ultimate anti-diva, the failed romantic's last hope amid the antediluvian cant of the new classicism." - Stereophile Recording Of The Month!

“Barber creates an artful blend of lyrics and music, framed in a literary perspective, for delivery as jazz performance. Remarkable.” Los Angeles Times

“A singer who takes romance seriously.” - New York Times

“Barber rivals Bobby McFerrin as post-millennial jazz’s most inventively individualistic singer-songwriter.” - Jazz Times

Recording engineer Jim Anderson used 32 microphones for the session, including four omni-directional mics for audience and "room" sound, which he routed through John Hardy M-1, Class A discrete microphone preamps to four linked 8-track Studer 24-bit ADAT recorders powered by noise-canceling balanced line conditioners. Anderson mixed to a Studer 2-track, half-inch analog deck with Dolby SR noise reduction.

Musicians:

Patricia Barber, piano, vocals, Hammond B-3
Michael Arnopol, bass
John McLean, guitar
Eric Montzka, drums
Ruben P. Alvarez, percussion
Jason Narducy, guest vocalist on "Touch of Trash"

Track Listing:

LP1 - Side One (33 1/3 rpm)
1. The Beat Goes On
2. Use Me
3. You Are My Sunshine (Bonus Track)

LP1 - Side Two (33 1/3 rpm)
1. Like JT
2. Let It Rain
3. Touch Of Trash

LP2 - Side Three (33 1/3 rpm)
1. If This Isn't Jazz
2. So What (Bonus Track)

LP2 - Side Four (45 rpm)
1. Black Magic Woman

Click here to listen to samples on YouTube.com ♫