Sound Liaison

27/05/2026

Great review in Audiophile Style of our latest Pure DSD release:

The Ghost, the King and I, featuring Scott Hamilton (SL-1084A)

The following paragraph nailed how I feel about this album, and explains partially why I like it.

‘This recording documents Scott Hamilton at a moment where introspection and scale converge. His playing is marked by a rare emotional candor, less a display of virtuosity than an ongoing process of self-examination. Each improvisation unfolds as a deliberate risk, shaped by a willingness to engage uncertainty and to articulate his inner states without mediation.’

There’s a time and place for everything, including displays of virtuosity. The Ghost, the King and I, featuring Scott Hamilton has an amazing trio of Frans van Geest (the Ghost), Vincent Koning (the King), and Rob van Bavel (the I), yet they show beautiful restraint in service of vibes and music.

There’s a reason Van Halen’s track Eruption is well known, but not found on a ton of playlists. It’s guitar virtuosity and creativity at its best, but Eruption doesn’t pull at the heartstrings, give anyone the warm fuzzy feeling, or tell a story that takes one’s mind away from reality for 1:42. Scott Hamilton and this trio take listeners on a journey with a rainbow of sonic delights, in a way showing even more virtuosity by showing restraint, in order to make music, not mathematical formulas in sonic clothing.

Track two, Eu Sei Que Vou Te Amar is my favorite, although I always start with track one and listen from start to finish. I like albums as a whole piece of music.

From Sound Liaison:

Engineer Frans de Rond created the setup by placing the Josephson C700S microphone at the center, with Scott positioned just behind it. The other instruments were supported by spot microphones, carefully added to keep the soundstage created by the C700S fully intact. The session took place in Studio 1, world famous for its acoustics, sampled by Altiverb and used as a reverb sample on countless recordings. But here, present in Studio 1 itself, we had the real deal: the real hall surrounding each instrument, not a digital sample managed by an auxiliary pot.

Another great album from Frans de Rond and Sound Liaison. It should be purchased as DSD256 is one wants the original master. I’m listening to the DXD 24/352.8 and it’s glorious. Audiophyle Style

Scott Hamilton joins The Ghost, the King and I with strings in a deeply expressive live jazz recording—intimate, melodic, and captured in pure DSD256.

25/05/2026

“Thanks a million, the sound is great!
I really like the way this album came out.”
Scott Hamilton
SACD and hi-res downloads available at Sound Liaison.
A Pure DSD Recording

/soundliaison.com/collections/home-page-collection/products/the-ghost-the-king-and-i-featuring-scott-hamilton-and-strings

Scott Hamilton joins The Ghost, the King and I with strings in a deeply expressive live jazz recording—intimate, melodic, and captured in pure DSD256.

20/05/2026

Here are few customer reviews from our latest SACD and audiophile download release:
"I know of no other album that has brought me quite this much joy. L couold sense the reverance everyone in the room all had foreach other. Magic. Thank-you!" Matthew.
"Top cd. Supermuzikanten en het laat perfect horen hoe jazz, klassiek en aanverwante muzieksoorten door versmelting kunnen leiden tot een prachtige verrassende sound."(Max )
"Absolute Magic
Love Scott Hamilton and the combination with the strings and Rob van Bavels arrangements and the musicianship is outstanding. Great work." (Duncan)

"The playing is outstanding throughout, and the recording quality is simply exceptional." (P.A.)
So it is only Jeroen Jansen ( so fantastic to have a critic who truly listens) who posted a very positive review in Jazzenzo Jazzmagazine, noting that “The entire album is a beautiful display of craftsmanship, superbly recorded live in a single take.”)

Scott Hamilton joins The Ghost, the King and I with strings in a deeply expressive live jazz recording—intimate, melodic, and captured in pure DSD256.

15/05/2026

Our first SACD release is being wonderfully received — not only by the audiophile press, but perhaps even more importantly, by the audiophile community itself. Here are a few comments from listeners and reviewers:

“Absolute Magic
Love Scott Hamilton and the combination with the strings and Rob van Bavel’s arrangements work well and the musicianship is outstanding. Great work.”
— Duncan

“A Fantastic Album
One might be tempted to speak to the excellence of the technical aspects of the recording, or the brilliance of the musicians. But as I mentioned to a close friend who teaches music, I know of no other album that has brought me quite this much joy. I could sense the reverence everyone in the room had for each other. Magic. Thank you!”
— Matthew

“The playing is outstanding throughout, and the recording quality is simply exceptional.
The SACD arrived and I immediately explored three of the available formats — 24/96 FLAC, SACD playback and finally the Pure DSD256 files via Audirvana.”

“Across all versions, the music and recording quality are outstanding, but the Pure DSD256 playback stands out as the most immersive and natural experience. Truly exceptional sound with deeply engaging performances.”
— P.A.

Jazz magazine Jazzenzo wrote:

“This is music that breathes, music that lives in the moment, and music performed by musicians who know exactly what they want to say — and express it with warmth, clarity, and elegance.”

“The entire album is a beautiful display of craftsmanship, superbly recorded live in a single take at MuziekCentrum van de Omroep Studio 1. That decision can be heard in the natural flow, concentration, and vitality of the performance.”
— Jeroen Jansen, Jazzenzo

We are deeply grateful for all the kind words and support.

Scott Hamilton joins The Ghost, the King and I with strings in a deeply expressive live jazz recording—intimate, melodic, and captured in pure DSD256.

09/05/2026

“This is music that breathes, music that lives in the moment, and music performed by musicians who know exactly what they want to say — and express it with warmth, clarity, and elegance.”
“The entire album is a beautiful display of craftsmanship, superbly recorded live in a single take at MuziekCentrum van de Omroep Studio 1. That decision can be heard in the natural flow, concentration, and vitality of the performance. ”
— Jeroen Jansen, Jazzenzo

We’re very happy to share that our latest release by The Ghost, The King and I featuring Scott Hamilton and strings received a wonderful review in Jazzenzo.

A few more highlights from the review:
“Everything flows in warmly and luminously, with a clarity and calm that are only possible when all the musicians involved know each other’s breath and intentions.”

He describes the recording as:

“A celebration of refinement, balance, and expressive simplicity.”
“The trio, Hamilton and the string trio interact with effortless naturalness.”

We’re deeply grateful to Jeroen Jansen for the thoughtful listening and generous words.
Read the full review at Jazzenzo.nl⁠
Warm regards,
The Sound Liaison Team

The Ghost, the King and I featuring Scott Hamilton & Strings – Sound Liaison https://share.google/wNmAeW6uDnADyd3hB

Scott Hamilton joins The Ghost, the King and I with strings in a deeply expressive live jazz recording—intimate, melodic, and captured in pure DSD256.

01/05/2026

"This recording documents Scott Hamilton at a moment where introspection and scale converge."
Now the Super Audio CD is also available in the USA!
(as well as our 'one to one copy of the masterfile' in DSD,DXD and Flac.)

The Ghost, the King and I featuring Scott Hamilton & Strings
"There's one moment from the short dress rehearsal before the concert I'll never forget.

Rob van Bavel was exploring Autumn in New York, his right hand pearls on a string, Koning and van Geest in perfect sync with Salon de Musique's lush background.

Right in the center of this breathing landscape of sound, Scott Hamilton was sitting, saxophone resting on his lap, head tilted slightly toward the piano, listening intently, eyes closed, a quiet smile unfolding.

Scott picked up his saxophone, played the final theme, then looked up and said, "Rob, that was so beautiful, man, what a hall, what a sound; I could live here."

This recording documents Scott Hamilton at a moment where introspection and scale converge. His playing is marked by a rare emotional candor, less a display of virtuosity than an ongoing process of self-examination. Each improvisation unfolds as a deliberate risk, shaped by a willingness to engage uncertainty and to articulate his inner states without mediation.

To my ears, Hamilton approaches improvisation as a form of spontaneous creation, closely aligned with artistic disciplines in which revision is impossible and every intention must pass directly into action. Daring to play so on the fragile edge of true emotion is only possible when the surroundings are optimal, and here the award-winning trio of Frans van Geest (the Ghost), Vincent Koning (the King), and Rob van Bavel (the I) are on top of their game. Van Geest keeps the whole thing together with his big, warm double bass sound, while Koning's guitar adds warmth and dynamic color. These musicians are not trying to impress one another; they are simply playing because the act of playing itself brings them closer to something essential. Nothing is pushed, nothing declared. A phrase appears, lingers, and is gently followed to its natural conclusion.
Rob van Bavel often lays out a harmonic space that feels almost like an invitation, allowing Scott to wander freely within it; Vincent Koning and Frans van Geest, in turn, respond with lines that subtly shift the ground beneath them. In these moments, roles dissolve. What remains is a shared listening, where melody and harmony unfold as a single, intertwined pristine thought. And the delightful presence of the magnificent string trio Salon de Musique does not soften this vulnerability; instead, it frames and amplifies it. In my opinion, for this setting a string trio works better than using a full chamber orchestra; the trio does not cover up but blends in, leaving space for the improvised lines of the jazz musicians."

Scott Hamilton joins The Ghost, the King and I with strings in a deeply expressive live jazz recording—intimate, melodic, and captured in pure DSD256.

19/04/2026

"Just when you thought you’d heard every possible take on the songbook of Robert Johnson, from true acoustic versions to Clapton’s electric tracks, up jumps singer Carmen Gomes with her own rendition.... Gomes gives her selected tracks an atmospheric, mystical spin, with minimal backing, a simple mic set-up, in Sound Liaison style, and a ‘straight to DXD’ as-live recording approach. Her sultry voice has immediacy and intimacy, the instruments captured with real vitality, and the whole recording drips with presence and a sense of performance. I can imagine this one proving popular on the demo circuit. ' Hifi-News&Record

https://soundliaison.com/products/carmen-gomes-inc-up-jumped-the-devil?_pos=2&_psq=up&_ss=e&_v=1.0

Buy Carmen Gomes Inc. - Up Jumped The Devil and other great high-res downloads from Sound Liaison. All audio formats just starting from €17.95.

18/04/2026

Atzko Kohashi – Soul Eyes: There’s something about this album that makes me forget I’m hearing a piano… just sounds that wash over me and transport me. Captured with a Decca Tree in DXD 352.8 kHz, then analog mixed to a 768 kHz master, absolutely beautiful. (Audiophile Style review)

09/04/2026

Here is a Qobus playlist: https://open.qobuz.com/playlist/62056584

“Frans de Rond and Peter Bjørnild have assembled some terrific artists who play great jazz and given them high-definition sound”. Radsreviews

“Sound Liaison differs from many audiophile labels as they produce music that you will want to listen to over and over again.” Audiostream
“Sound Liaison delivers on every aspect we’ve come to expect from them: great music, great musicians, great recordings, and wonderful sound quality.” Audiophile Style
"The most realistic sounding recordings I’ve heard. Musically perceptive listeners will appreciate the efforts making these fine recording." AudioXpress
"The whole recording drips with presence and a sense of performance." HifiNews&Record

https://open.qobuz.com/playlist/62056584

05/04/2026

Dear all,
Our latest release, Atzko Kohashi – Soul Eyes, received a glowing review in Audiophile Style.
Here are a few highlights from the review:
“There’s something about this album that causes me forget I’m listening to a piano or even music. I just listen to sounds that wash over me and transport me to another place. It’s likely a combination of the artist, playing technique, compositions, recording technique, and care taken by all involved, at every step of the process, to give listeners a wonderful experience.”
When I read the following paragraph from the liner notes, I finally had words for what I heard on the album:
“I thought I’d try to play the piano as if I were composing a poem or tanka, taking the opposite approach of Terayama. To coalesce my feelings and imagination with my own piano sound. Just as language has its own identity, I want to imprint my identity in my music. The Japanese language has many wonderful expressions that cannot be found in western languages. I think that we Japanese people have a very unique sensitivity, and we are lucky to have such a picturesque language. It would be wonderful if I could express these sensitivities with the piano.” — Atzko Kohashi
Soul Eyes was captured by a Decca Tree Sonodore RCM402 and ORTF Neumann M149 to ultra high resolution DXD 352.8 kHz in Studio 1, Heuvellaan Hilversum. Frans de Rond recorded, mixed, and mastered the album in his usual way that presents the performance as a pure, dynamic, and emotional event.
Captured in DXD 352.8 kHz, then mixed and mastered in the analog domain before being saved as a 32 bit / 768 kHz master. All available versions of the album come from this 768 kHz master.
Compared to other Sound Liaison albums, Soul Eyes features a touch more of the recording environment surrounding Kohashi’s piano.
It sounds absolutely beautiful.
The best things in life aren’t always free, or available through a streaming service that devalues music. How quaint, paying for music that we can listen to hundreds of times, in perpetuity, and supporting those who create it. I write that sentence half-joking, as the audiophiles in the crowd are well aware of the benefits of purchasing music made with the utmost care. The two albums below are from familiar sources and deliver on every aspect we’ve come to expect from them, great music, great musicians, great recordings, and wonderful sound quality.” Read the full review at audiophilestyle.com