VA - Best Of MapleShade Vol. 1: The Art Of The Ballad (1999)

I love the way a great jazz player can stop your breath with an impossibly slow and tender ballad. I spent several happy days combing though our master tapes to assemble these drop-dead gorgeous ballads. They’re from a dozen different CDs featuring jazz icons like Larry Willis, David Murray, Stanley Cowell, Jack Walrath and Hamiet Bluiett. You’ll love the kaleidoscope of moods and colors they lay down. You’ll hear the difference a Mapleshade recording makes. The extra detail and small-club ambience heightens the impact of each ballad, capturing every gentle nuance. The Absolute Sound says “…excellent sound and good music…the stuff of fine wine and candlelight.” Check out our website for song titles, reviews and audio clips. --