Lighter, brighter and in Spatial Audio: Bazel’s follow up album packs a few new surprises for fans.
Contemporary pianist Ed Bazel has more to share from Abbey Road Studios through his latest release, The London Sessions: New Perspectives from Studio 2, available now in digital, immersive and CD formats. The album features nine original compositions, plus covers of John Lennon’s “Imagine,” and a heart-wrenching rendition of “The Long and Winding Road” by The Beatles.
Bazel releases this collection as an expansion on his musical perspectives shared in its predecessor, The London Sessions: Reflections from Studio 2, released in 2022 to critical success. The album was awarded with various accolades from organizations like the Hollywood Independent Music Awards, InterContinental Music Awards and World Entertainment Awards for its instrumentalization and composition. New Age Music Reviews described the collection as, “a musical masterpiece that is both timeless and memorable.”
Bazel has followed up on that success with an album reflecting the joys and successes of the past year. The London Sessions: New Perspectives from Studio 2 (LS2) presents relaxing and romantic melodies that are popular choices for listeners who want to unwind and enjoy life. The sound is rich yet deceptively simple, paired with instrumental touches that evoke a wide range of emotions. Music writer Robin James commented, “Each of these compositions breathe and develop their full scope of beauty, nothing is missing.”
Bazel felt gratitude for the opportunity to record the album at London’s Abbey Road Studios, teaming up again with co-producer Alex Carter, and recording engineer Gordon Davidson. Abbey Road Studio 2 was specifically set up to record Ed’s piano in such a way as to maximize the immersive audio experience. Carter recorded additional strings and mixed the stereo version of the album at Nashville-based Blackbird Studios.
An all-star GRAMMY®️-winning team in California joined forces for the immersive audio album. Herbert Waltl’s media HYPERIUM Studios produced the immersive version, mixed by award-winning audio mixer Eric Schilling, and mastered by Michael Romanowski of Coast Mastering. Waltl comments, “Immersive audio productions allow us producers and engineers to delve freely into the intricate and delicate layers of music. And that is exactly what Ed’s interpretation of the songs is all about: striving for a closer connection to the listeners, taking them on a new emotional journey with these melodies. Immersive/Spatial audio presents the most natural listening experience of any recorded material. Sounds can be not just from the front, like in stereo, but from all around like in any real live situation. It puts the listener in the center of an audio environment.”
This new immersive offering is possibly the first of its kind in the Contemporary Piano world, as it was intentionally recorded, mixed and mastered for the growing immersive music audience. One virtually sits on the piano bench with Bazel, hearing the piano, violin and cello in a completely new and vibrant way. It can be selected for free on Apple Music, and other platforms that provide immersive audio experiences including Amazon and Tidal.
“Ed clearly lives for the beauty and powerful emotion that can be finessed out of a concert grand piano,” Robin James writes in his new review.
The London Sessions: New Perspectives from Studio 2 is available as a physical CD on Amazon and Bandcamp, digital download or streaming everywhere, and in immersive format available as Apple Spatial Audio.