The Tiptons - Surrounded By Horns (2004) [SACD]

For some time I have been urging small labels I knew to record a sax quartet or quintet in multichannel. Now we have it, from a German label and featuring an all-female band from Seattle. This is something of a departure for Stockfish, who specialize in guitar and acoustic recordings and are just beginning to release SACDs. The band, consisting of two alto saxes, a tenor and a baritone sax plus a drum set, was originally founded in l987 with the name Phlegm Fatale. Later they chose the name The Billy Tipton Memorial Saxophone Quartet, in honor of the big band musician who died in l989 and only then was discovered to have been not a he but a she! Today the five ladies have shortened their name to just The Tiptons. (They probably got sick of explaining, but will that change since none of them is named Tipton?)
The music is not your typical mix of jazz standards and light classical fare of most sax ensembles. These are mostly originals by members of the ensemble, though things are kicked off with a piece from the unique Raymond Scott. Meandering among big band swing, klezmer, gypsy music, pop and various European folk elements, the quintet provides a refreshing take on the usual sax quartet. The sonic side also provides something new: The DSD format was retained throughout the entire recording/editing/mixing/mastering. An eight-track SADIE system was used, with six channels comprising the SACD surround setup and the remaining two for a mixed-on-the-spot stereo mix. The CD layer was made from the stereo DSD mix, so this is said to be the first chance for audiophiles to accurately compare a real DSD recording with a conventional 44.1 CD made at the same time. Of course the CD benefits from the higher-res original and the included bit-mapping during the data reduction. No EQ or reverb was added to any of the mixes, so the surround option sounds terrifically alive and with great presence. This is a winner both musically and sonically – especially surroundingly.