The Hazelrigg Brothers Live (Audiophile Musicians)

I'd like to recommend musicians that deserve greater exposure and should be of interest to fellow Audiophiles.

The Hazelrigg Brothers are George and Geoff Hazelrigg (piano and bass) and John O’Reilly Jr. (drums). They released their latest album SYNCHRONICITY: An interpretation of the album by THE POLICE earlier this year and it has been a mainstay on the Billboard charts since then. They have a unique take on their sound that some would classify as jazz but the brothers would demur since they have a largely classical training and background. I also would highly recommend their previous album Songs We Like which is available through their label Outer Maker Records.

They are very fastidious about recording and only use a single stereo microphone to record their albums. In addition they make use of recording interfaces that feature the legendary D.W. Fearn's designs. In fact, the Hazelrigg Brother's day job involves the production of D.W. Fearn's recording devices as well as more mobile friendly versions under the Hazelrigg Industries moniker.

All recordings are made straight to high resolution DSD and can be downloaded at these resolutions from NativeDSD. They have also recently branched out into the world of surround and posted a Dolby Atmos mix of Synchronicity to Apple Music. They have a new album in production and if you listen carefully to my video, you will get a sample of what they have in store.

I was very lucky to be able to record a video of a recent concert and I have posted it to YouTube for others to enjoy.

Please support such innovative artists by buying their albums so they can produce more music for us to enjoy on our audio systems.

Love in Exile - Vijay Iyer, Arooj Aftab, Shahzad Ismaily @ Strathmore 04/13/2023

Like a Sirocco that emanates from warm dry air, the trio led by Vijay Iyer arrived at the Strathmore Music Hall on an unusually warm Spring evening.

Vijay Iyer laid down the musical bed with piano, Fender Rhodes, and synthesizer on which Arooj Aftab layered her vocals of middle eastern origin. Shahzad Ismaily provided mysterious bass tones from his electric bass while supplementing the music with a mini-Moog synthesizer.

With subdued lighting and the superb acoustics of Strathmore, it lulled the audience into a trance meditation of ethereal sounds.

Arooj Aftab was the only one to speak between songs but said little about the context and origins of this almost otherworldly music.

The hall was partially filled perhaps because their Love in Exile album was only released a couple of weeks ago. I bought a ticket without hearing the album based on the reputation of Vijay Iyer. This music deserves a wider audience.

Happy New Year

 A new year. Hope for good things to come.