ここ日本でもジャズ・ヴォーカル・ファンに高い人気を誇るカナダ人女性シンガー、ダイアナ・パントンの2018年作がハイレゾで登場。今作は『トゥー・ブラジル・ウィズ・ラブ』と題して、ブラジルの珠玉の名曲の数々をカヴァー。ピエール・バルーの人気曲“Samba Saravah”をはじめ、So Nice (Summer Samba)、Felicidadeといったブラジリアン・スタンダード、、ビートルズ“And I Love Him”などを収録。


Hearing Diana’s voice is like catching the sound of a thrush in the middle of a long Canadian winter, warm, sweet and pure. Her subtle near-whisper voice is a perfect fit for bossa-nova as she draws you elegantly and naturally into this sensual world. Each delightful track in this JUNO nominated tribute to the samba and bossa nova traditions of Brazil incites the carefree aura of youth and freedom and is an exquisitely manicured music artifact, set firmly in the Brazilian idiom.
Nominated also for the Canadian and an American Independent Music Award, the simple and pure quality of her music, blended together with a sweet and wistful voice is a very enticing combination. This is a perfect jewel of an album

Here are two great reviews from Japanese critics:

By Nobunari Takai, Jazz JAPAN:

Diana Panton’s subtle near-whisper voice is a perfect fit for bossa-nova Her music draws you naturally into the bossa-nova world. The simple and pure quality of her music, blended together with a sweet and wistful voice is a very enticing combination. Many pure and honest Brazilian bossa-nova singers come to mind, such as Nara Leao. Diana’s voice has purity in common with them. Her bossa-nova incites the carefree aura of youth and freedom.

by Kazutomi Aoki, Japan’s CD JOURNAL:
Music lovers with a special comer in their music library for (their) favorite albums will definitely count Diana Panton’s To Brazil With Love among them. Her music, sung in both English and French, has an elegant jazz touch that is noteworthy. Also, her sweet voice has that particular charm essential for bossa-nova jazz.



TECHNICAL INFORMATION

The 2xHD proprietary mastering provides a unique listening experience as the process digs deep in original recordings to bring out all hidden information, without altering the music in any way, uncovering and bringing out nuances, warmth, depth of field and even the air around the musicians.

The 2xHD logo on an album cover indicates that the recording was carefully selected for the quality of its recording and interpretation and that the high resolution mastering was done using the 2xHD system. Created by producer/studio owner Andre Perry and prize-winning audiophile sound engineer Rene Laflamme, in collaboration with several high-end audio equipment manufacturers, the 2xHD music remastering system combines the best of vintage analog quality with state-of-the-art DSD and DXD digital technology - a ‘Back to the Future’ approach. Each musical project is treated with individual attention to the choice of equipment.
Some of the top flight gear used in the process includes a selection of cutting-edge A/D and D/A converters to obtain the most natural DSD or PCM sound, such as a NAGRA-T tape recorder - modified with all tubes playback electronics (With its four direct drive motors and the tape sensor head, The NAGRA T is one of the best transports ever made), a modified vacuum tube NAGRA HD dac (DSD) to make it possible to obtain a real analog sound from a digital master and in some cases even battery power is used so as to benefit from the cleanest power source possible. The 2XHD FUSION mastering system is powered by super capacitor power supplies with new technology that lowers the digital noise which is found in the lowest levels, something that was not possible before. The resulting signal is then transformed into high resolution formats by recording it in DSD11.2kHz using Merging Technologies’ Horus A to D converter, which is also powered by a super capacitor power supply. All analog and digital cables are the most state of the art available today. Also used in the process are Pyramix Masscore (records all high resolution formats, allowing for great flexibility), an Atomic Clock for re-clocking, and Siltech & Shunyata cables (all digital and analog cables are reduced to a minimum optimal length in the digital conversion and mastering system).
The particular open sound and feeling of having no ceiling to the music are obtained through the 2xHD high resolution transfer. In the case of an original analog master tapes, transfer to DSD 256. In the case of an original 96/24 or DXD/DSD master, transfer is made to analogue using cutting edge D/A converters.

2xHD is an accurate and musical mastering system, earning recognition from peers and from the specialized trade publications around the world.