Saturday, September 8, 2012

CD Reissue of the Month - "Allan Holdsworth: Hard Hat Area"

CD Reissue of the Month
Allan Holdsworth: "Hard Hat Area" (MoonJune) 1993/2012

Featuring: Allan Holdsworth (guitars, synthaxe), Steve Hunt (keyboards), Skuli Sverrisson (electric bass) & Gary Husnad (drums)

Recorded by Biff Vincent
Recorded & Mixed by Allan Holdsworth.
Originally mastered in 1993 by Bernie Grundman.
Remastered in 2011 by Chris Bellman, at Bernie Grundman Mastering. Reissue Project Supervisor and Executive Producer: Leonardo Pavkovic 

Originally offered in very limited print and distribution, this great effort has been remastered and repackaged in digipak format (with intriguing new liner notes provided by Barry Cleveland, also) -- finally receiving the marketing and distribution it undeniably deserves.

While the music on "Hard Hat Area" may seem a logical extension of the sophisticated, highly idiosyncratic style of jazz-fusion that Allan developed on his previous seven albums, it possesses a major difference: it was recorded by the guitarist's touring band, which had refined the material by performing it live before entering the studio.

The album was recorded on a 32-track Mitsubishi digital recorder at Front Page Recorders in Costa Mesa, California, not far from where Holdsworth resides. Overdubs and mixing were done personally by Allan at his home. The natural sum of the preparation, performance and recording processes is a more seasoned, organic feel. A truly superb album, from one of progressive music's all-time greatest treasures -- available, once again.