Chasing the Dragon have become known as one of the leading producers of audiophile recordings. A Day In The Life was rehearsed, recorded and cut live to vinyl, all in one day!
Features:
- Audiophile Demonstration Album
- Direct to Disc (D2D) live recording
- Mastered at Air Studios in London
- Produced/Engineered by Mike Valentine & Francoise Valentine
"Chasing The Dragon has become known as one of the world's leading audiophile record labels. We specialize in producing 'Direct Cut' recordings. This is where we pass the stereo signal from the Neve desk at Air Studios, up 2 floors to the record lathe in the mastering suite above. Once we begin to cut the lacquer there is no going back! We can not stop and edit if there are any mistakes. This means we have to choose our musicians who can not only get through each side non-stop but also who can give a fantastic performance.
For some years, we have wanted to record a jazz group. I cannot believe that the superb jazz trumpeter Quentin Collins only lived a short distance away from the studios. My mastering engineer John Webber said "you have to meet him!" Well, this is the amazing result. Quentin, Gary, Jason, Joe and Miles you are the best! What an album!"
- Mike Valentine, Chasing The Dragon
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Inside Track: Recording On Location"Apart from getting the performance right, the main challenge when making live recordings is to capture and reproduce all the ambience of the environment without letting it detract from the performance. Failing to do this would result in something that might just as well have been done in a studio. Capturing this along with the instruments requires not only considerable skill but also the best in audiophile equipment for the recording chain – including microphones, cables, amplifiers, power supplies, and the recorder itself. This combination of skill and quality equipment should result in a listening experience that's much closer to a live performance and can be enjoyed in the comfort of your own home." |
"There can be no question that Mike Valentine really knows what he’s doing as he pursues an “everything matters” philosophy that has consistently produced recordings that will impress the most demanding audiophiles. It’s also apparent that the Valentines’ management style in the studio is extraordinarily effective, destined to get the best from both the artists and recording professionals they work with. Listening to “Paxos/Antipaxos” once again as I write this, I ask myself the question Mike and Françoise asked countless times at the July 2019 AIR sessions. “Happy?” You bet I am."
- The Absolute Sound
"Chasing the Dragon's first jazz release aimed high: As the album cover states, the album features an all-star quintet... Knowing their mistakes will be etched into wax can hold musicians back on direct-cut recordings, but these veterans play with finesse and panache. Collins has a warm tone that's perfectly suited for the poignant "Left Unsaid" and the dreamy "Oliliqui Valley". I can understand why Andrew Quint, who attended this and another Chasing the Dragon recording session and described that experience in Issue 300, saved his highest praise for "Paxos/Antipaxos," with its catchy melody, infectious groove, and inspired soloing. Well-recorded small-group jazz has a rich tradition, and A Day In the Life, which boasts realistic and detailed sound with plenty of air, adds another gem to that lineage."
- The Absolute Sound
Musicians
Quentin Collins - Trumpet, flugelhorn
Gary Husband - Drums
Jason Rebello - Piano
Joe Sanders - Double Bass
Miles Bould - Percussion
Chasing The Dragon have become known as one of the leading producers of audiophile recordings. The UK label owned by Mike Valentine offers Direct Cut LPs. Audiophile LPs, CDs, and Master Tapes which will demonstrate the potential of your Hi-Fi system.
Chasing The Dragon's releases are so detailed, if you take the time to familiarise yourself with the subtleties of these reference-level recordings, the next time you make any changes, big or small, to your Hi-Fi system, the differences will be notable.
| Model Number | VALCD014 |
|---|---|
| RRP | 59.00 |
