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.

American jazz piano virtuoso Phineas Newborn Jr. recorded A World of Piano! in 1961 for the Contemporary label, which released it in June 1962. Newborn performs five jazz standards and three lesser-known rarities by jazz composers on this superb album.

The album consists of tracks from two 1961 sessions paring the pianist with two all-star rhythm sections: Paul Chambers and Philly Joe Jones (October 16) and Sam Jones and Louis Hayes (November 21).

"Another exemplary release in Craft Recordings Acoustic Sounds series is by under-appreciated jazz pianist Phineas Newborn called A World Of Piano! ... The 180-gram vinyl quality is excellent — certainly higher than the standard weight ‘80s edition — and was pressed at QRP (Quality Record Pressing). The cover art is made to the exacting standards of the vintage LPs from the 1960s. ... Also, because Craft is paying attention to important details for collectors, A World Of Piano! is issued on the black stereo Contemporary Records label design of that period." — Mark Smotroff, Audiophile Review

"Phineas Newborn Jr. was one of the greatest jazz pianists, possessing an astonishing technical ability, a deep bluesy swing, and a complete mastery of jazz harmony. ... Critic Leonard Feather wrote that A World Of Piano! was "the most stunning piano set since Tatum's salad days in the 1930s" and "Newborn is the greatest living jazz pianist."... A World of Piano!, the first Contemporary album, was recorded at two all star trio sessions in the fall of 1961 at Contemporary's office in the shipping room that doubled as a studio. A World of Piano! was recorded by Roy DuNann and Howard Holzer, who separately or together recorded dozens of sonic masterpieces for Contemporary and Lester Koenig's other labels. It is an extraordinary recording in the minimalistic, natural style that DuNann devised... My copy was flat, pressed on center, unmarked and unscuffed. It played superbly and quietly. ... The Craft A World of Piano is a superb reissue of an album that is both a musical and sonic classic and is highly recommended." — Music = 11/11; Sound = 10/11 — Joseph W. Washek, TrackingAngle

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:

(Tracks 1-4)
Phineas Newborn Jr., piano
Paul Chambers, bass
Philly Joe Jones, drums
Recorded in Los Angeles, October 16, 1961

(Tracks 5-8)
Phineas Newborn Jr., piano
Sam Jones, bass
Louis Hayes, drums
Recorded in Los Angeles, November 21, 1961

Track Listing:

01. Cheryl
02. Manteca
03. Lush Life
04. Dahoud
05. Oleo
06. Juicy Lucy
07. For Carl
08. Cabu

Click here to listen to samples on YouTube.com ♫