SH Spotlight I was asked "What album have I mastered the most?" I had to really think about it..

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by Steve Hoffman, Apr 14, 2022.

  1. Steve Hoffman

    Steve Hoffman Your host Your Host Thread Starter

    Nat king cole 1957.jpg Mastering maven Stephen Marsh asked me a good question today. So what album have I mastered the most times?

    I had to really think about it, but it has to be Nat "King" Cole's "Love Is The Thing" originally released on Capitol Records in 1957. A number 1 album chart topper for a zillion weeks, my mom found a 29 cent used mono copy of the LP at Music City in the 1970's and got it for me. I've been hooked ever since. What a great album.

    So, let's see, I mastered it from the Three-Track for DCC Compact Classics Gold CD and 180 gram LP in the 1990's at Future Disc Systems (with CNN videotaping the entire thing), so that's two times right there.

    Then in 2010 with Kevin Gray I did it many more times for Chad's Acoustic Sounds/Analogue Productions. Count 'em!

    First: SACD/DSD three-track remix to stereo DSD. Second, stereo CD mix version (same disk), third multi-channel surround version from Capitol Three-Track (same disk) and then the mono 1957 mix to DSD. Then, the 45 RPM vinyl version for Chad, using a new three-track mix cut directly onto the lacquer. Wow.
    That's a lot of versions. Good thing we love the album. The old DCC Versions I worked on are now selling for $500.00 (Gold CD) and $900.00 (180 Gram LP). Yikes!

    Pictured: Nat recording "Love Is The Thing" at Capitol at the end of 1956, his first stereo recording (Capitol marked the tape reel "Experimental Binaural"). Originally produced by Lee Gillette in the Capitol Tower Studio A with orchestra conducted and arranged by Gordon Jenkins. Second pic, some bootleg Japanese version of the CD I did for DCC. Looks totally wrong, chuckle.

    nat king cole love is the thing.jpg nat two.jpg
     
    Last edited: Apr 15, 2022
  2. Steve Hoffman

    Steve Hoffman Your host Your Host Thread Starter

    That CD looks like a boot, right? Do they sell them like that anywhere, still?
     
  3. Wounded Land

    Wounded Land Forum Resident

    Phenomenal record.
     
  4. human riff 999

    human riff 999 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Further
    Fantastic info and data...Thanks for the share....my father was a huge fan from way back....I have some of his NKC pieces....my favorite all time is Poinciana....very old...but what vision the man had!
     
  5. Stone Turntable

    Stone Turntable Independent Head

    Location:
    New Mexico USA
    The AP is my favorite SACD. Great album in breathtaking sound quality.

    Zero copies for sale right now on Discogs or ebay. I'm glad I nabbed it when I did!
     
  6. Steve Hoffman

    Steve Hoffman Your host Your Host Thread Starter

    Back in the 90's when I was doing the Nat LP at Future Disc Systems with Kevin, CNN was trying to film us in our studio ("The Big Vinyl Comeback!") and from the next control room, engineer Tom Baker had some black rap dudes in there and full blast this came through the wall, right on to the CNN microphones: "I'm a big man, I'm a big big man, I'm a big, big, big black mother****ing man."

    Heh, some rap song. CNN had to stop filming and I had to go over there to beg these guys to turn it down for a little while. Not pretty, but, they came in our studio to listen to a little Nat King Cole so it all worked out in the end. Fun story but I was sweating buckets, in full make-up.
     
  7. OneHandLoose

    OneHandLoose Moxie Drinker

    Location:
    MA, USA
    So, yeah... the CNN video is not on Youtube. Also learned there are a lot of Steve Hoffmans out there and most have nothing to do with music.
     
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  8. Michael

    Michael I LOVE WIDE S-T-E-R-E-O!

    ...that is hilarious Steve thanks for sharing...: )
     
    longdist01, RSteven and Jarleboy like this.
  9. Fruff76

    Fruff76 L100 Classic - Fan Club President

    My DCC gold cd is beat up, broken case and probably not worth much, but it’s the one that got me into paying attention to mastering instead of just equipment.
     
  10. dasacco

    dasacco Senior Member

    Location:
    Massachussetts
    Ok wait, so you and Stephen were talking today?!?!

    New projects?!? :)
     
    Sean, BDC, olinko and 6 others like this.
  11. john lennonist

    john lennonist There ONCE was a NOTE, PURE and EASY...

    Very happy owner of the DCC Gold CD and SACD of Nat "King" Cole's "Love Is The Thing."

    Nat was my mom's favorite artist.

    My childhood memories are that there was more Nat reverberating in my house than anyone else.

    Thanks for such great masterings, Steve and Kevin.
     
    Sean, longdist01, RobCos02330 and 7 others like this.
  12. john lennonist

    john lennonist There ONCE was a NOTE, PURE and EASY...

    One Degree of Separation Nat story add to my post directly above (if this is deemed to be a threadcrap then please remove it)


    My parents were the friends of a guy who ran a small club.

    They went to see my mom's all-time favorite artist, Nat King Cole.

    They arrived early so they could chat with their friend and as they did so, he said:

    "Would you like to meet Nat?"

    You can guess the answer.

    He leads them backstage where Nat is sitting, alone. No manager, no entourage.

    The club owner left since he had some stuff to deal with to prepare the club for the event, so my parents were back there with Nat for about 15 minutes.

    Said he was a wonderful, humble guy and that they had a great conversation.


    As this was in an era when race relations were even worse than they are now (if one can believe it) I'd like to think that Nat enjoyed the fact that at least these two white people admired and respected him.
     
    Last edited: Apr 14, 2022
  13. hodgo

    hodgo Tea Making Gort (Yorkshire Branch) Staff

    Location:
    East Yorkshire
    Steve, those AP & AF SACD's of Nat's that you and Kevin worked on are my all time favourite releases in that format, they are also the most played discs in my entire collection.

    Thank you to you both for the endless joy they are giving me.
     
    Jerry, Satrus, ggjjr and 11 others like this.
  14. Steve Hoffman

    Steve Hoffman Your host Your Host Thread Starter

    Out of curiosity, which do you like better, The DCC or the Analogue Productions SACD? The DCC tone is a little mellower while the AP is a bit more like the sound of the tape.
     
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  15. Steve Hoffman

    Steve Hoffman Your host Your Host Thread Starter

    And thank YOU for being such a great moderator here. We couldn’t do it without you.
     
    Simon A, Jerry, Squad 701 and 20 others like this.
  16. Steve Hoffman

    Steve Hoffman Your host Your Host Thread Starter

    A dream story, many thanks.
     
  17. john lennonist

    john lennonist There ONCE was a NOTE, PURE and EASY...


    I prefer the DCC.

    Could just be my system, but I tend to like "warmer" pressings.

    I have probably about 30* DCC Gold discs... love :love: the way they sound.


    * I also have the DCC of "Nat King Cole's Greatest Hits" (which includes maybe my favorite track of his, "Ramblin' Rose") and possibly one other disc.

    Did you do three DCC Nat discs, @Steve Hoffman , or just these two?
     
    Last edited: Apr 14, 2022
  18. Steve Hoffman

    Steve Hoffman Your host Your Host Thread Starter

    Three, if I remember. The Very Thought Of You, Love Is The Thing and the Greatest Hits one, forget what it was called.
     
  19. hodgo

    hodgo Tea Making Gort (Yorkshire Branch) Staff

    Location:
    East Yorkshire
    Thanks Steve, it's both an honour and pleasure!
     
    Simon A, Jerry, bhazen and 9 others like this.
  20. john lennonist

    john lennonist There ONCE was a NOTE, PURE and EASY...


    Yes, "The Very Thought of You" is the third one I have!
     
  21. footprintsinthesand

    footprintsinthesand Reasons to be cheerful part 1

    Location:
    Dutch mountains
    Was expecting after reading the thread title to read about the album of which the sound and tonality were changed the most, compared to the source / original release.
     
  22. john lennonist

    john lennonist There ONCE was a NOTE, PURE and EASY...


    See Steve's post #14 above
     
  23. Lownotes

    Lownotes Senior Member

    Location:
    Denver, CO
    I think it's awesome you had to think about it.
     
    BeatlesBop likes this.
  24. fboothco

    fboothco Day Tripper

    Location:
    Annapolis, MD
    Gorgeous album, especially When Sunny Gets Blue and It's All In The Game.

    Love Is The Thing and the 12-inch version of Unforgettable (1954) (Hajji Baba!) were my Dad's favorite Nat King Cole albums. I grew up sitting by the hi-fi playing those records and Sinatra's Come Fly With Me album - and have been a rabid vinyl collector ever since.
     
    hodgo, caravan70 and john lennonist like this.
  25. Steve Hoffman

    Steve Hoffman Your host Your Host Thread Starter

    Always great to grow up with some Nat records. My grandmother had Nature Boy on an old Capitol 78. Loved that as a little kid.
     

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