Master Tapes for reel to reel

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Master Tapes for reel to reel

See us at the 2008 RMAF Room 2006

We will show the HQ Reel to Reel source it's a must hear!

Judge for yourself, is it better than vinyl?

Also hear the amazing MBL 116 Speakers / Jolida 211 tube monoblocks

"The Tape Project" Master tapes are available from United Home Audio.

We sell a full subscription for all ten albums for $2000, or individual tapes

at $350 each. Each album comes in it's own special case individually

boxed and consists of two 2500 ft 10 1/2" tapes on specially designed reels.

The Tape Project has been organized for one purpose:

to make available to the discerning audiophile an analog listening experience that comes as close as possible to the experience of hearing the original master tape. A small group of music lovers has started securing the rights to release a variety of extraordinary recordings on high quality reel to reel tape. We have also assembled the highest quality duplicating system that has ever been attempted. The result, for those with ears to hear, is the most involving and satisfying experience that has ever come from reproduced music. Our plan is to release ten titles per year. These tapes are recorded as 15 inches per second two-track, one of the formats most common for analog master tapes. Each album normally comprises two reels.

The Music

When we started designing our release schedule, we had only two requirements in mind:

1) that the master exist on analog, and,

2) that the music be great. That it be music that moves us. That it be music that can stand the test of time, and continue to bring satisfaction for years.

Of course that narrows it down to only a couple hundred thousand possible titles. And in practical terms, it isn’t always up to us whether we can get access to the titles we’d like. The holders of the rights may or may not make them available. (All our music is fully licensed)

With those considerations in mind, here’s what to expect as we announce the upcoming releases. You can already see that we have broad tastes ourselves. Just in the initial series you see Classical, Jazz, Blues and Roots music. You will see more of those. Definitely a solo piano title in the future. I wouldn’t be surprised to see a choral recording before long. We haven’t yet announced anything from one of the major pop stars, but don’t be surprised when we do. Considering how much all of us in the company love Blues, Roots and Americana you can count on seeing more of those.

We are not limiting ourselves to audiophile spectaculars. If the music is compelling, we’ll consider it. We are even offering a mono recording.

Current offerings in the first series of 10 tapes.

Sonny Rollins: Saxophone Colossus

The 1956 jazz masterpiece, listed on nearly every Top 100 jazz albums list. Rollins, with Max Roach, Tommy Flanagan and Doug Watkins, produced by Rudy Van Gelder. Includes the first recorded performance of Rollins' signature St Thomas, and Blue 7, considered by many to be the premier demonstration of Rollins' prowess as one of the greatest thematic jazz improvisationalists of all time. TP-010

Jacqui Naylor: The Number White

As Jazz Times says, "In the never ending Next Big Thing Sweepstakes bet on Jacqui Naylor to be a frontrunner". She shows why on her latest release, "The Color Five". She has earned wide praise for the strength of her original tunes, her sultry smooth voice and her innovative 'Acoustic Smashing', the art of her band playing one tune while she sings another. We are proud to offer this very special edition of "The Color Five" - recorded to 16 track 2 inch tape and mixed to 2 track 1 inch tape by Michael Romanowski, and mastered by Paul Stubblebine exclusively for The Tape Project. This version includes both straight takes from the original tracking session and some really delicious "stacked" mixes featuring the multi instrumental players in Jacqui's trio creating the 70's groove sound of a much bigger band. TP-001

Arnold/London Philharmonic Orchestra: Arnold Overtures

Malcolm Arnold had been the Principal trumpet in the London Philharmonic Orchestra before he retired from playing to concentrate on composing and conducting. Thus when the sessions were scheduled for this recording of Arnold conducting his old band in his own compositions, excitement in the orchestra ran high. People who hadn’t been around in years started showing up. The orchestra came to play, and play they did. Luckily for us, Keith Johnson was there with his custom recording equipment, along with producer J. Tamblyn Henderson to oversee the sessions. The gorgeous music, the inspired playing, and the legendary acoustics of Watford Town Hall were all captured on Keith’s focused-gap analog tape recorder. Those same tapes, played on that same tape machine, were the source for our version. TP-003

de Burgos/New Philharmonia Orchestra: Albeniz - Suite Espanola

Conductor de Burgos took seven selections from Albeniz' Suite Espanola plus one from his Songs of Spain and arranged them for symphony orchestra. His complete success at transferring the music from the keyboard to the orchestra is not an easy task. The music is imbued with the strongest and most colorful flavor of Iberian music but never sounds the least bit kitschy. This recording has long been pegged as an audiophile achievement and the New Philharmonia Orchestra outdoes itself in spirited, exciting playing. The dynamic range is extremely wide and the depth and width of the soundstage is also extended, engaging the rich acoustics of Kingsway Hall where the recording was made. TP-005

David Oistrakh/London Symphony Orchestra: Horenstein-Hindemith

The two works on this tape are splendid examples of 19th and 20th century virtuoso concertos; but for their great difficulty they would surely be played more often. No adjectives can add to David Oistrakh's fame, but it is worth mentioning the special interest in hearing one of the country's finest violinists in one of its finest concertos with, in one piece, the composer as the conductor. This is Oistrakh's first western recording of the Hindemith Concerto, and his very first of the Bruch Fantasia, which is recorded complete. Oistrakh here plays his "Fontana" violin made by Stradivarius in 1702. TP-006

Eiji Oue/Minnesota Orchestra: Exotic Dances from the Opera

The world-renowned Minnesota Orchestra in a recording with its dynamic music director, Eiji Oue (A.G. OH-way), a former protege of Leonard Bernstein and Seiji Ozawa. Favorites and rarities, including Saint-Saëns: Bacchanale, Strauss: Dance of the Seven Veils, and Rabaud: Dances from Marouf. Recorded by the renowned Professor Johnson."...the Dance of the Seven Veils is played with such convincing affects of lasciviousness and moral dissolution that one wants to get to know these players better." - Paul Festa, Salon.com TP-007

Bill Evans: Waltz for Debby

Recorded live at the Village Vanguard on June 25, 1961, this is the most entrancing of Evan's two break out albums recorded in that venue. The level of intimacy between the players in this trio is going to be difficult to find a parallel to in the vast and deep ocean of classic jazz recordings.

"Bill had this quiet fire that I loved on piano. The way he approached it, the sound he got was like crystal notes or sparkling water cascading down from some clear waterfall." - Miles Davis TP-008

Mose Allison: Creek Bank

This is our reissue of the original 1959 release, with Addison Farmer, Nick Stabulas and Ronnie Free, engineered by Rudy Van Gelder. Swingin', bluesy and irreverent all at once, Mose's combo of uptown jazz and hush puppy blues piano styling seasoned with cutting lyrics has been honored in covers by the likes of Van Morrison, John Mayall, The Who, The Clash, Eric Clapton, the Yardbirds, Elvis Costello and Bonnie Raitt. A favorite album of a favorite musician of ours, this title was right at the top of our wish list. TP-009

Dave Alvin: Blackjack David

Dave Alvin first came to prominence in the high energy Punkabilly band "The Blasters," which he co-fronted with his brother Phil. The Blasters personified the Roots-Rock movement starting in the early '80s. After parting ways with the Blasters he followed many roads that let him express the varied facets of his musical personality: blues, country, rock and folk, eventually winning a Grammy® for his album "Public Domain, Songs From The Wild Land." By the time of "Blackjack David," these musical strains are no longer recognizable as influences, they have totally meld ed into a personal music of great emotional power. These songs all started with Dave sitting in the middle of the room singing and playing guitar. Gradually the arrangements grew around them, but Dave's singing and guitar playing remain at the core. Stereophile Record Of The Month and at least this once they got it right. TP-002

Robert Cray: False Accusations

Robert Cray is in a large part responsible for the resurgence of blues that began in the 80's. Avoiding the cliches of old blind school folk blues or jazz that is blues in name only, Cray's impeccable guitar style and dark lyric create a particularly sophisticated style of blues with strong soul overtones that was just the right style for the mood of the time. This album, Cray's second, shows the band getting into the polished groove it became famous for on a very well produced recording. The album is full of Cray's classic Stax/Volt style vocals and Cray's guitar playing is at the same time meticulous and flaming hot. TP-004

More to come!