At the 2024 Positive Feedback Writers Choice Awards, three of Horch House’s master tapes were awarded. The albums recognized to be among the best of the year are YELLO’s legendary Stella album, Suzanne Vega’s An Evening Of New York Songs And Stories and Saturday Night in San Francisco by Al Di Meola, John McLaughlin, Paco De Lucia.

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Stella marked the global breakthrough of YELLO in 1985. With the mega-hit "Oh Yeah", YELLO left their mark on international pop culture for the first time: after the song, which was not originally planned as a single, entered the international charts, the hype took on a life of its own when "Oh Yeah" was featured on the soundtrack of the cinema blockbusters "Ferris Bueller’s Day Off" (1986) and "The Secret of My Succe$s" (1987), inspiring a worldwide audience of millions. To this day, the song can be heard at regular intervals in cinema and TV productions such as "The Simpsons" and countless commercials.

Myles Astor writes, “Stella is the first of five, all analog, Horch House Yello recordings (the next two releases now available are One Second and Resonance) on tape. This tape is also a second generation copy of the original master tape that's in no small way responsible for the tape's amazing sonics! Stella was the group's fourth studio album and first breakthrough album headlined by the monster hit "Oh Yeah." Sonically Stella is a massive, enveloping kaleidoscope of kick ass dynamic sounds emanating from every part of the soundstage. I've played this tape for several visiting audiophiles/Yello fans and not one walked away disappointed.”

An Evening Of New York Songs And Stories is a live album by the American singer-songwriter Suzanne Vega. It was recorded in March 2019 at Café Carlyle in the Upper East Side, Manhattan, New York City.

“Does Songs and Stories of New York belong in the new or reissued music category? I decided that given its recent roots and never having been released in analog to place it in the new release category. Songs and Stories of New York is—as are all Horch House releases—executed to the tee beginning with the packaging, reels, information, inserts, pictures and last but not least the sound.

Californian born and New York bred singer Suzanne Vega gives tribute to her New York roots with this live recording and collection of her favorite songs recorded at the Café Carlyle in New York in 2019. Vega covers fan favorites such as "Marlene on a Wall, Ludlow Street, Luka, Pornographers Dream and Tom's Diner" on this two reel set. As an aside. I ate a few times during my Columbia University days at Tom's Diner–both Vega and I were both there at roughly the same time—and the Tom's wasn't what was described in her songs. It was a pretty run down, upper west side dive diner. The sound on Songs and Stories of New York is far better than expected with Vega's voice being extremely cleanly recorded and her backup band spread out across the soundstage. The recording is fairly dynamic too! “

Saturday Night in San Francisco is an iconic album treasured for capturing three legendary and diverse guitar virtuosos – Al Di Meola, John McLaughlin, Paco De Lucia – at the height of their unparalleled mastery highlighted by a superbly nuanced and stunningly realistic recording. Combing through hours of the original 16-track live session tapes, Al Di Meola and his team have curated a breathtaking, long-awaited follow-up to Friday Night in San Francisco.

“Horch House's Saturday Night In San Francisco is the reel deal, all analog version of the original recording. Free of all those ones zeros and ones and sadly leaves the Impex digital LP release in the dust.

Friday Night in San Francisco is a long time reference recording and never sounded better than played back through MBL 101As. These omnidirectional speakers really captured the machine gun rapidity of McLaughlin, De Lucia and Di Meola's playing as well as the expansive yet enveloping atmosphere. The electricity in the audience makes your hair stand up!

Enter the follow up night Saturday Night in San Francisco with the same trio of guitarists. Reel A begins with all three playing together, then McLaughlin, Di Meola and De Lucia performing solo and playing their own compositions on the next three tracks. Reel B begins again with the trio performing De Lucia's composition "El Parfuelo, followed by McLaughlin's "Meeting of the Spirits" and wrapping up with Luiz Bonfa's "Orpheo Negro." The sound of Saturday Night in San Francisco is defined by its live and lively sound, audience participation, huge and immersive soundstage, mouth watering midrange tone, incredible low level resolution and explosive dynamics.”

Check out the original article here: https://positive-feedback.com/audio-discourse/2024-positive-feedback-writers-choice-awards/

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