BITCHES BREW (2LP/180G/33 1/3RPM AUDIOPHILE SUPERVINYL ULTRADISC ONE-STEP/ORIGINAL MASTERS/LIMITED) | VINYL RECORD (LP)

THE AURAL MOUNT RUSHMORE OF JAZZ FUSION: MASTERED FROM THE ORIGINAL MASTER TAPES, PRESSED AT RTI ON MOFI SUPERVINYL, AND HOUSED IN A LAVISH BOX 'Listen to This.' As the original working title for Bitches Brew, the instruction and invitation resonates to this day as the best way to approach a record that shattered conventions, altered music history, and, more than 50 years later, still sounds far ahead of it's time. The aural Mount Rushmore of jazz fusion, Bitches Brew is rightly ranked by virtually every significant press outlet among the 100 greatest albums ever made. Sewn together with vibrant colors, voodoo textures, and ethereal moods, the 1970 landmark emerges with supreme detail and nonpareil feeling on Mobile Fidelity's UltraDisc One-Step 180g 2LP vinyl box set. Mastered from the original master tapes, pressed on MoFi SuperVinyl at RTI, and strictly numbered and limited, this definitive reissue enhances every element of a double album that established new possibilities for studio recording techniques. You'll hear wider and deeper soundstages, more separation between instruments, and a drastically broadened dynamic range. If ever a jazz album can be said to have gone to outer space and back, this is it. Davis conceived Bitches Brew by having the musicians stand in a semi-circle, where he pointed at them with vague directions for tempo, solos, and cues. The collective improvisation and interplay spawned a galaxy of melodies and grooves that were later spliced together by producer Ted Macero. Here, these distinct creations take shape with utmost realism. Compositions stretch across jet-black backgrounds and paint abstract canvases on par with those of Axis: Bold As Love and Abraxas. Juxtaposed percussion, loose jams, and melodic segues explode with impressionistic verve. Bitches Brew also boasts visionary artwork. By design, the lavish packaging and gorgeous presentation of the UD1S Bitches Brew pressing befit such extremely select status. Housed in a deluxe box, it features special foil-stamped jackets and faithful-to-the-original graphics that illuminate the splendor of the recording. No expense is spared. Aurally and visually, it exists as a curatorial artifact meant to be preserved, touched, and examined. It is made for discerning listeners that prize sound quality and production, and who desire to fully immerse themselves in everything surrounding the album, from the images to the finishes. And this is one effort where every last detail matters.