Press release | Jazz/funk fusion with a nonstop melodic drive is what fuels Octave Records’ latest release, Protostar from the Black Hole Boogie Band. The album, named for the process of stars being born, combines old-school Chicago jazz/funk/fusion vibes with the energy of newborn creation, recorded with powerful presence in high-resolution you-are-there Pure DSD audio.
The Black Hole Boogie Band includes Nate McMahon on tenor saxophone and electronic wind instruments, Braden Barrentine on trombone and keyboards, plus electric bassist Jordan Lovinger, electric guitarist Wagner Sanchez, and Dillon Defelice on drums. The selections on Protostar range from the relaxed yet deep groove of the opener, Downturn to the propulsive drive of Soul Surprise, encompassing everything from intricate tightly-performed melodies and ensemble playing to daring flights of improvisation. “When we get together, we’ve got a pretty open musical environment, so nobody’s afraid to say, ‘hey, I don’t like that,’ or ‘hey, could you try this?,” noted Nate McMahon. “I just want to be open-minded.”
Protostar was recorded primarily live in the studio, to capture the spontaneous interplay and organic feel between the musicians that only happens in the moment. The album was recorded using Octave Records’ custom-built Pyramix-based 32-channel DSD 256 setup, with a combination of mics and direct feeds to capture the individual instruments, and room mics to add the ambience and superb acoustics of Octave’s new recording studio space.
Protostar was recorded and mixed by Paul McGowan, with Jessica Carson as producer and recording and mixing assistant, and Terri McGowan assisting. The album was mastered by Gus Skinas. The clarity of the instruments are conveyed with outstanding realism and each player has a distinct presence in the soundstage. The tonality and texture of the instruments are faithfully rendered, enveloping listeners in the music.
Protostar features Octave’s premium gold disc formulation, and the disc is playable on any SACD, CD, DVD, or Blu-ray player. It also has a high-resolution DSD layer that is accessible by using any SACD player or a PS Audio SACD transport. In addition, the master DSD and PCM files are available for purchase and download, including DSD 512, DSD 256, DSD 128, DSD 64, and DSDDirect Mastered 352.8 kHz/24-bit, 176.2 kHz/24-bit, 88.2 kHz/24-bit, and 44.1 kHz/24-bit PCM. SRP 29.00 USD.
About Octave Records
Octave Records was founded in 2019 to offer the finest-quality high-resolution recordings and compensate musicians fairly for their work using a business model where all production costs are paid for up front, allowing the musicians to directly share in sales revenues and retain ownership of their music. Chief engineer Gus Skinas has hundreds of recording credits and helped develop the state-of-the-art Sonoma pure-DSD recording system used exclusively by Octave Records.
About PS Audio
Founded in 1973, PS Audio has earned a worldwide reputation for excellence in manufacturing innovative, high-value, leading-edge audio products. Located in Boulder, Colorado at the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, PS Audio’s staff of talented designers, engineers, production and support people build each product to deliver extraordinary performance and musical satisfaction. The company’s wide range of award-winning products include the all-in-one Sprout100 integrated amplifier, audio components, power regenerators and power conditioners.
For further info:
to the Octave Records website
to the PS Audio website
