Contemporary Records Acoustic Sounds Series, from Craft Recordings and Acoustic Sounds, begins with six album releases from the Contemporary Records catalog, celebrating 70 years of the legendary jazz label. The releases are supervised by Chad Kassem with each title, originally engineered by Roy DuNann and/or Howard Holzer, mastered all-analog by Bernie Grundman and pressed at QRP!

• Contemporary Records' 70th Anniversary
• Contemporary Records Acoustic Sounds Series
• 180 Gram Audiophile Vinyl
• All-Analog Mastering from the Original Tapes
• Cut by Bernie Grundman
• Pressed at Quality Record Pressings QRP, USA
• Stoughton Old-Style Tip-On Cover

Craft Recordings and Acoustic Sounds are proud to announce the Contemporary Records Acoustic Sounds series, which begins with six album releases from the Contemporary Records catalog, celebrating 70 years of the legendary jazz label. The releases are supervised by Chad Kassem, CEO of Acoustic Sounds, the world's largest source for audiophile recordings.

Each title, originally engineered by Roy DuNann and/or Howard Holzer, features all-analog mastering from the original tapes by legendary engineer Bernie Grundman (himself a former employee of the label), as well as unsurpassed audiophile pressing on 180-gram vinyl at Quality Record Pressings, presented in a Stoughton Printing old-style tip-on jacket.

The series highlights gems from Contemporary's extraordinary catalog and features artists who both defined and expanded the sound of West Coast jazz.

This re-visiting of Hampton Hawes' 1961 record, For Real!, comes four days after what would've been his 95th birthday. One of the most influential pianists of his time, the self-taught prodigy, was named "New Star of the Year" by DownBeat magazine.

Hawes shines bright in familiar territory: whether it's his exquisite harmonic locked-hands style on the boppin' "Crazeology," recorded well after his friend Charlie Parker brought it to fame, or his lively, flittering rendition of the much-covered Cole Porter ballad "I Love You." Here, he's backed by Clifford Brown/Max Roach saxophonist Harold Land and Scott LaFaro, the gone-too-soon double bassist famous for his work with the Bill Evans Trio.

This new edition, released as part of the Contemporary Records Acoustic Sounds Series, features (AAA) lacquers cut from the original master tapes by Bernie Grundman and is pressed on 180-gram vinyl at QRP, and presented in a Stoughton Printing tip-on jacket.

Musicians:

Hampton Hawes - piano
Harold Land - tenor sax
Scott LaFaro - bass
Frank Butler - drums

Track Listing:

01. Hip
02. Wrap Your Troubles In Dreams
03. Crazeology
04. Numbers Game
05. For Real
06. I Love You

Click here to listen to samples on YouTube.com ♫