Carmen Gomes Inc. - Thousand Shades of Blue (Revisited)
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"Her style is bluesy and intimate with a sexy voice that's sweet as dark tupelo honey. " - Soundstagexperience.com
Carmen Gomes - vocal
Folker Tettero - guitar
Peter Bjørnild - double bass
Marcel van Engelen - drums
Total time: 47:30
The original recording (96kHz-24bit) is analog mixed and mastered to an HQ analog stereo chain to PCM768kHz-32bit.
All other formats are converted versions of the 768kHz-32bit master.
Thousand Shades of Blue - Revisited
Remixing and remastering Thousand Shades of Blue, has been nothing short of transformative. Opening up those sessions felt like traveling back in time, yet with the knowledge and refined sensibilities we've gained. Looking back, we realized just how much our approach to mixing and mastering has evolved. At Sound Liaison, we now embrace a philosophy of minimalism, using fewer tools on individual tracks, preserving the raw beauty of the original performances.
When we first recorded Thousand Shades of Blue 12½ years ago, it marked a milestone for Sound Liaison, a bold step into the world of audiophile recording. The album went on to receive sudden praise, including a memorable review by Rad Bennett from SoundStage:
“Her style is bluesy and intimate with a sexy voice that's sweet as dark tupelo honey. The musicians play to her and each other, and the ensemble is so tight that the four musicians breathe and move as one....this intimate effort is one of the best and best-sounding jazz vocal albums to come along in many a day.”
The release immediately established us as serious contributors to the audiophile community, and revisiting this beloved album more than a decade later presented an extraordinary opportunity: to reimagine the original sessions using the insights and expertise we've cultivated at the forefront of high-fidelity audio.
One of the most striking revelations came when we processed the original tracks through our meticulously crafted analog mastering chain. This system, a labor of love honed over years, gave the music a newfound sense of depth and vibrancy. The spatial arrangement of the musicians on the soundstage became more precise, enhancing the listener's sense of immersion, while the overall presence and authenticity of the sound reached new heights.
A major decision in our remix process was to eliminate all compressors from the original mix. This approach allowed for more headroom and breathing space, enabling the natural dynamics of each musician to shine in their full detail. The music now flows with an organic energy that captures the intensity and subtlety of every performance.
Perhaps the greatest beneficiary of the remastered sound is singer Carmen Gomes, whose stylistic approach, as reviewer Mark Werlin wrote; "extends past the conventions of behind-the-beat phrasing, Listen to how she teases out the syllables, as if the lyrics themselves were musical notes, not just words on a page, prolonging the vowel sounds through several shades of inflection. With her flawless pitch, the effect is entrancing."
Now, the emotional impact of her unique style truly shines.
We also upgraded the reverb, opting for a refined, state-of-the-art reverb routed through our analog summing mixer to a pristine 32-bit, 768kHz resolution. This enhancement has profoundly opened up the sound, allowing the reverb to integrate seamlessly with the music and bring an extraordinary sense of presence. The reverb now contributes to an even more vivid, three-dimensional soundstage that makes the music feel fully alive.
Furthermore, we’ve pushed the boundaries of digital fidelity by remastering the album at 768kHz-32-bit, an astonishingly high resolution, over 17 times the standard 44.1kHz used for CD audio. This high sample rate reveals unparalleled harmonic richness and authenticity. While some of these nuances may only be fully appreciated by the most discerning listeners, the enhanced clarity of the soundstage is evident to everyone.
Our work at Sound Liaison has gradually developed into a delicate balance between digital precision and the timeless warmth of analog. It’s a push and pull that defines our approach: Does our love for analog stem from nostalgia, or does it genuinely offer a superior sound? The answer lies in our extensive blind tests, conducted with our musicians, who consistently show they prefer the "magic" of tracks mastered in the analog domain at a high sample rate. There’s an undeniable authenticity and depth that purely digital mastering struggle to replicate.
Our hybrid process, combining digital tracking with analog mixing and mastering, might seem unorthodox, even excessive. But for us, it's about honoring the music. Analog gear infuses a warmth and reality that digital precision complements, creating an extraordinary listening experience. The result is a marriage of tradition and technology, preserving the emotional core of the music while embracing modern advancements.
With Thousand Shades of Blue revisited, we invite you to hear the music in a new light. The soul of the original recording remains, but now with a warmth and sense of presence at an even deeper level. The new version is a dedication to audiophile sound and a celebration of the art of mastering.
-Chief Engineer, Sound Liaison - Frans de Rond
-Producer & AR manager, Sound Liaison - Peter Bjørnild
Inspired by the tale of Ines and Pedro
'Thousand Shades of Blue' is Carmen Gomes' tribute to the land of her ancestors, the sea surrounding it, and the power of impossible love. Dom Pedro, son of King Alfonso of Portugal, and heir to the throne, fell in love with Inés de Castro, a chambermaid. They became lovers and soul mates. The scandal was too much for the king who consequently ordered the killing of Ines in front of her and Pedro's infant child. When Alfonso died, Pedro's first act as King was to have Ines' body exhumed from the grave, dressed in royal robes, and carried 50 miles along a candlelit route to Alcobacá where she was crowned as his Queen. He then forced the entire court to swear allegiance to their new queen by kissing the corpse's hand. Ines and Pedro are both buried at the Monastery of Alcobacá, where Pedro had arranged that their two tombs are placed with their feet towards each other, so that on the Day of Judgement when they rise from the grave, their very first act will be looking into each others eyes.
Inspired by the tale of Ines and Pedro, 'Thousand Shades of Blue' is Carmen Gomes' tribute to the land of her ancestors, the sea surrounding it, and the power of impossible love.
Recorded in Studio 11 (Hilversum) with a live audience on September 15, 2012.
Recording, mixing and mastering by Frans de Rond
Produced by Peter Bjørnild and Carmen Gomes.
Digital mastering by Tom Caulfield.
Used equipment:
Microphones:
Carmen: Audix SCX25
Folker: Audio Technica 4080
Peter: JZ V67
Marcel: SE Rn17 - overheads and JZ V67 - bassdrum
Main system - Schoeps MK5 (AB)
Micpre's: RME Micstacy (Analog > MADI)
Microphone cables: Grimm Audio TPR
Speakers: TAD Compact Evolution
Poweramp: Moon 760A
DA converter: Merging Horus
AD converter: RME ADI-2/4 Pro SE
Mastering headphones: Hifiman HE1000se / Sennheiser HD800S
All power cables and power conditioners by AudioQuest
Network Switch by SOtM
Catalog Number: SL-1072A