Rob Wasserman - Duets - Analogue Productions 45 RPM LP [ Record ]

True audiophile bliss — now cut at 45 RPM 2LP for better tracking, formative detail!

Mixed and mastered to hi-res digital from the original master tapes by Joe Gastwirt Mastering

Lacquer cut by Kevin Gray at Cohearant Audio

Plated and pressed on 180-gram vinyl at Quality Record Pressings!

Stoughton Printing gatefold tip-on heavyweight cardboard jacket

Praise for the 33 1/3 version of Duets! / Hi-Fi News' Album Choice for August 2018!

"Far be it for me to renege on my doubts about 'audiophile' LPs, which are usually played to the point of nuisance at shows, but the middle volume of Wasserman's trilogy deserved acclaim. This 30th anniversary edition follows his death in 2016, adding to the poignancy: since its original release, we've also lost collaborators Stephane Grapelli, Lou Reed and Dan Hicks. Wasserman was a hugely popular composer and bassist, and a much-admired sideman, associated especially with The Grateful Dead's Bob Weir. Along with the above three are Jennifer Warnes, Aaron Neville ('Stardust'!), Bobby McFerrin, Cheryl Bentyne and Rickie Lee Jones. But Reed doing 'One For My Baby'? You gotta hear it." — Sound Quality: 95% — Ken Kessler, Hi Fi News, August 2018

It took a bass player to return vocals to their proper place on Duets — a record that's a model of simplicity. On the tracks on this LP you'll find Rob Wasserman's bass, and another voice. The result is a charming collection of duets featuring bassist Wasserman joined by special guests Aaron Neville, Rickie Lee Jones, Bobby McFerrin, Lou Reed, Jennifer Warnes, Dan Hicks, Cheryl Bentyne and Stephane Grappelli. The experimental release pairs the human voice with the bass guitar, resulting in a collection of unique and soulful material.

And now — we've upped the ante even more for true audiophile bliss — the 45 RPM 2LP version reduces distortion and high frequency loss as the wider-spaced grooves let your stereo cartridge track more accurately. Natural tonalities, superb balances, pristine clarity and more are all revealed.

Unlike much of current music, where vocals are squelched and compression molded into something of an afterthought, Wasserman sought to create on Duets a music record — without technology interfering. "It's kinda like being in a club. It lets you get closer to the song," Wasserman says.

Not surprisingly, Duets ranks among the most breathtaking collections of popular songs issued in the 1980s.