Telarc and Heads Up Multi-Channel SACDs!

[Steve Bruzonsky]

Looking over my ripped and downloaded multi-channel SACDs and albums, I find I have 89 from Telarc (using my ROON music software). I have always found Telarc to do excellent multi-channel mixes. These Telarc SACDs were issued mostly in the early to mid 2000 - 2010.

If you search Telarc and Heads Up International (affiliated with Telarc) at discogs you can find lists of multi-channel discs on their various labels:

What are some of your favorite Telarc multi-channel SACDs and mixes?

https://www.discogs.com/label/98570-Heads-Up-International?page=1

https://www.discogs.com/label/66995-Telarc-Jazz?page=1

https://www.discogs.com/label/28165-Telarc?page=1

https://www.discogs.com/label/309725-Telarc-International-Corporation?page=1

https://www.discogs.com/label/262947-Telarc-Digital?page=1

https://www.discogs.com/label/473575-Telarc-International?page=1

 

[Steve Bruzonsky]

An outstanding Telarc/Heads Up multi-channel SACD sampler album which demonstrates Telarc's prowess at multi-channel 5.1 mixing is "Jazzin' Surround".

https://www.discogs.com/release/3217114-Various-Jazzin-Surround

 

[Steve Bruzonsky]

Tierney Sutton is a wonderful female volalist with several Telarc multi-channel SACDs that I highly recommend:

https://www.discogs.com/master/732856-Tierney-Sutton-Something-Cool/image/SW1hZ2U6MjI0MDk3NDM=

https://www.discogs.com/release/7806126-Tierney-Sutton-Dancing-in-the-Dark

https://www.discogs.com/release/9367121-The-Tierney-Sutton-Band-On-The-Other-Side

 

[Steve Bruzonsky]

Hiromi (Uehura) has several nice multi-channel Telarc SACDs:

https://www.discogs.com/release/3215216-Hiromi-Uehara-Another-Mind

https://www.discogs.com/master/549525-Hiromi-Brain

https://www.discogs.com/master/650179-Hiromi-Spiral/image/SW1hZ2U6MzM3NTQ4ODY=

 

[Steve Bruzonsky]

The Yellowjackets have some outstanding multi-channel SACDs:

https://www.discogs.com/release/10398739-Yellowjackets-Time-Squared

https://www.discogs.com/release/1900253-Yellowjackets-Altered-State

https://www.discogs.com/release/1900351-Yellowjackets-Featuring-Mike-Stern-Lifecycle

 

[Steve Bruzonsky]

Spyro Gyra has some great sounding multi-channel SACDs, too:

https://www.discogs.com/release/3163708-Spyro-Gyra-In-Modern-Times

https://www.discogs.com/release/996099-Spyro-Gyra-Original-Cinema

https://www.discogs.com/master/390765-Spyro-Gyra-The-Deep-End

https://www.discogs.com/release/5045151-Spyro-Gyra-Wrapped-In-A-Dream

https://www.discogs.com/release/3790182-Spyro-Gyra-Good-To-Go-Go

 

[4-earredwonder]

Steve, since I've fired up my new system, I have systematically been playing my Telarc/Heads Up Multi~CH discs and they really do sound UNBELIEVABLE!

Now that Concord Music Group [UMG] controls their catalogue hopefully they'll start either reissuing them or create new Dolby Atmos BD~A remixes/remasters!

Always admired how the label could create such a diverse catalogue and always manage to inspire such stellar performances whether Classical, Rock, Pop, Fusion, JAZZ, Folk, R&B and movie themed releases...and all in such thrilling multichannel sonics!

IMO, a VERY underestimated body of work!

 

[humprof]

Here's a roundup of favorite Telarc releases that the wonderfully eccentric music writer Teresa Goodwin compiled for Positive Feedback in 2010:

https://positive-feedback.com/Issue51/telarc.htm

As she mentions in the article: for many years Goodwin kept a blog dedicated to Telarc, "The Telarc High Resolution Fan Club" (she was without a doubt the label's #1 Superfan), but I think illness eventually forced her to stop writing, and I'm not sure she's even still living. Unfortunately the contents of her blog have vanished, too, and apparently no one thought to archive them--a real loss. (Blogspot seems to have foiled even the Internet Archive's "Wayback Machine," as all 15 of its "snapshots" link to blank pages.)

QQ's search engine (try "Telarc" and/or "Michael Bishop") will lead you to many miscellaneous posts strewn about the general classical thread (and others). From the CD age forward, Bishop experimented with just about every form and format of surround that you could name!

 

[ubertrout]

Here's a roundup of favorite Telarc releases that the wonderfully eccentric music writer Teresa Goodwin compiled for Positive Feedback in 2010:

https://positive-feedback.com/Issue51/telarc.htm

As she mentions in the article: for many years Goodwin kept a blog dedicated to Telarc, "The Telarc High Resolution Fan Club" (she was without doubt the label's #1 Superfan), but I think illness eventually forced her to stop writing, and I'm not sure if she's even still living. Unfortunately the contents of her blog have vanished, too, and apparently no one thought to archive them--a real loss. (Blogspot seems to foiled even the Internet Archive's "Wayback Machine," as each of its 15 "snapshots" links to a blank page.)

QQ's search engine (try "Telarc" and/or "Michael Bishop") will lead you to many miscellaneous posts strewn about the general classical thread (and others). From the CD age forward, Bishop experimented with just about every form and format of surround mixing you could name!

Apparently the recordings Michael Bishop was making after the demise of Telarc were still in DSD surround, but never released that way: https://www.fivefourproductions.com/discography.php. Sadly, he passed in 2021.

 

[humprof]

Apparently the recordings Michael Bishop was making after the demise of Telarc were still in DSD surround, but never released that way: https://www.fivefourproductions.com/discography.php. Sadly, he passed in 2021.

Dang. Is 5/4 still a going concern--and are the other partners still with us?

 

[gvl_guy]

Spyro Gyra has some great sounding multi-channel SACDs, too:

https://www.discogs.com/release/3163708-Spyro-Gyra-In-Modern-Times

https://www.discogs.com/release/996099-Spyro-Gyra-Original-Cinema

https://www.discogs.com/master/390765-Spyro-Gyra-The-Deep-End

https://www.discogs.com/release/5045151-Spyro-Gyra-Wrapped-In-A-Dream

https://www.discogs.com/release/3790182-Spyro-Gyra-Good-To-Go-Go

You can still buy most of these for $20 from Spyro Gyra's website

 

[J. PUPSTER]

Here’s one I’ve enjoyed-

https://www.discogs.com/release/8557366-Eric-Bibb-Rory-Block-Maria-Muldaur-Sisters-Brothers

 

[jhw59]

All the LAGQ releases are well done and worth a search.

 

[ubertrout]

Dang. Is 5/4 still a going concern--and are the other partners still with us?

Yup, they seem to still be active but not clear if they're working under a 5/4 banner or if they're producing albums the same way. I don't see their more recent work on the 5/4 website.

 

[fredblue]

i have a vague recollection one of the LAGQ SACDs is less Surround-y than the others? i wanna say "Spin" maybe?

 

[fredblue]

just a kinda fyi (and a fwiw! ) these are the Telarc/Heads Up discs i decided to keep out on the shelves ("Spin" notable by its absence! ) so i guess they must have been among my preferred listening experiences on the label..!?

(n.b. in the bottom pic., only the 3 x Ladysmith Black Mambazo discs and Philip Bailey's "Soul On Jazz" are on the Telarc/Heads Up label, the others are Jerry Goldsmith/OST's on Varsese Sarabande & Decca/UMG & the 3 x Sugar Hill Records M/C releases, 2 x Nickel Creek's & a Dolly Parton)

(oh and another n.b., the pix are rotated to facilitate reading of titles on jewel case spines and to save me typing it all out on my phone! )

 

[J. PUPSTER]

just a kinda fyi (and a fwiw! ) these are the Telarc/Heads Up discs i decided to keep out on the shelves ("Spin" notable by its absence! ) so i guess they must have been among my preferred listening experiences on the label..!?

View attachment 104662

View attachment 104663

View attachment 104664

(n.b. in the bottom pic., only the 3 x Ladysmith Black Mambazo discs and Philip Bailey's "Soul On Jazz" are on the Telarc/Heads Up label, the others are Jerry Goldsmith/OST's on Varsese Sarabande & Decca/UMG & the 3 x Sugar Hill Records M/C releases, 2 x Nickel Creek's & a Dolly Parton)

(oh and another n.b., the pix are rotated to facilitate reading of titles on jewel case spines and to save me typing it all out on my phone! )

Great collection there Freddie baby!

I see a Rory Block that I don't have, and might be interesting

I can just use these pics to research what I don't yet have, and get some (more)

 

[fredblue]

Great collection there Freddie baby!

I see a Rory Block that I don't have, and might be interesting

I can just use these pics to research what I don't yet have, and get some (more)

never mind the Block's, Mister P.!
you've got the Yellowjackets, Spyro Gyra, Ladysmith Black Mambazo, Hiromi, Pieces Of A Dream & Philip Bailey SACDs already, right?

 

[Steve Bruzonsky]

Steve, since I've fired up my new system, I have systematically been playing my Telarc/Heads Up Multi~CH discs and they really do sound UNBELIEVABLE!

Now that Concord Music Group [UMG] controls their catalogue hopefully they'll start either reissuing them or create new Dolby Atmos BD~A remixes/remasters!

Always admired how the label could create such a diverse catalogue and always manage to inspire such stellar performances whether Classical, Rock, Pop, Fusion, JAZZ, Folk, R&B and movie themed releases...and all in such thrilling multichannel sonics!

IMO, a VERY underestimated body of work!

But has Concord come out with any Dolby Atmos discs? Aren't they so far straight stereo?

 

[4-earredwonder]

But has Concord come out with any Dolby Atmos discs? Aren't they so far straight stereo?

Under the Concord Banner and their subsidiary Craft Recordings, they have released THE SOUND OF MUSIC deluxe, A Charlie Brown Christmas DELUXE and Kenny Wayne Shepherd Band's The Traveler in DOLBY ATMOS on BD~A.