把玩比起CD大上数倍的唱片封面，是收藏黑胶唱片的乐趣之一，不过当我端详着手上这张Groove Note的新唱片时，却有点摸不着头绪，Anthony Wilson应该是担纲演出的吉他手，而Power of Nine则是搭档的爵士乐团，中间的Nonet代表「九重奏」，唱片封面上直接分成三行字，读起来不是问题，写出来就得分成三部分看了。

Anthony Wilson或许大家并不熟悉，但是提起Diana Krall，我想大概爵士乐迷没有不认识她的，Anthony就是Diana Krall的御用吉他手，「Live in Paris」的现场录音大家应该都很熟悉，当中Anthony与Diana有着精彩的乐句对话，吉他和钢琴全场竞飙，好生精彩。冲着自己的专属吉他手要出专辑，Diana Krall当然来个友情相助，于是在老东家Verve的首肯下，和Anthony一起录制了「Looking Back」，成为本片的一大卖点。对于几乎全套收集Diana Krall的爵士乐迷来说，少了Anthony在Groove Note的单曲肯定是遗珠之憾，黑胶唱片更得赶紧收集。

虽然有Diana Krall的友情赞助，但是Anthony的吉他功力，早已经自成一格。Anthony在爵士乐坛的发迹，始于1995年孟克爵士音乐大赛（Thelonious Monk International Composer’s Competition）获奖，所以他不仅能以吉他演出，更是作曲好手。2001年就在Groove Note旗下推出了「Our Gang」爵士三重奏，获得美国主流爵士杂志「Down Beat」肯定。同年和Diana Krall合作的「Live in Paris」获得葛莱美奖提名，Anthony随即成为实力爵士歌手巡回演出的宠儿，像是Al Jarreau、Aaron Neville和Madeleine Peyroux都指定Anthony同台演出。

Groove Note在本片的录音上效果极佳，LP刻制质量也很讲究，聆听时背景噪音颇低，整体音乐平衡性佳，并没有特别强调低频的夸张，这在九人爵士乐团的录音上，相当不简单，因为乐器众多，且性质互异，必须巧妙地控制各声部的均衡。「Nonet」聆听的旨趣和一般所谓「Big Band」爵士乐团并不相同，Anthony轻松地掌握乐团的气氛，大乐团虽然音乐元素众多，但听起来却不失小编制爵士乐的亲昵感，编曲时显然刻意经营，建立有条有理的乐句分布。而B面「Quadra 1~4」连续四首曲子，采用反复出现的乐句，在相关的主题上不断衍生，四首曲子其实构成一个完整的反复，作曲上具有实验性，但依然悦耳轻松。

最后，大家可别忘了Groove Note的礼物：Bonus赠送45转LP！而且是新增三首曲目，再加上「Looking Back」的45转版本。不妨以「Looking Back」比对33转与45转的差异，请特别注意「速度」，顺道检查自己的唱盘转速稳不稳。

Anthony Wilson Nonet, Live at Blue Whale, Los Angeles

Anthony Wilson (guitar), Josh Nelson (piano), Hamilton Price (bass), Mark Ferber (drums), Alan Ferber (trombone), Gilbert Castellanos (trumpet), Matt Zebley (alto saxophone), Matt Otto (tenor saxophone), Adam Schroeder (baritone saxophone)

Live at Blue Whale, Little Tokyo, September 8, 2012

Product Reviews:
"The 45 rpm sides of the vinyl give you “Melatonin Dream” on Side C, followed by the absolutely gorgeous long-form ballad titled simply “Hymn.” I’m not sure which of the saxists has the main solo here, but it’s surpassingly lovely... [a] feeling that you are in the room with the musicians rather than just listening to a recording. " - John Sunier, www.audaud.com

"No mere accompanist (despite backing Madeleine Peyroux as well as [Diana] Krall), he plays superbly on two vintage Gibsons and a John Monteleone custom Radio Flyer Guitar. His playing and that of his group is top notch. The five horn frontline gives this an orchestral feeling, and Wilson's guitar is mixed in well with the group rather than demanding front and center stage... Another successful recording from Groove Note." - Music Review, Popular Contemporary

"Engineer (Michael C.) Ross’s pickup of drummer Mark Ferber’s snare drum on “Melatonin Dream” will blow your cookies! As for the rest of the sound of this record, it is easily the best sounding record of Ross’s Groove Note records, possessing a transparency, three dimensionality and harmonic fullness his previous efforts, excellent as they were, cannot match... A super record on all counts: atmospheric, evocative, richly drawn and emotionally complete. You couldn’t ask for more... Highest recommendation!" - Michael Fremer, www.musicangle.com

"Anthony Wilson's Power of Nine has a very even and enjoyable flow and coming from Sunset Sound Studios means the sound quality is excellent. ...The playing is all top shell with the compositions and arrangements being extremely inventive and thematic in nature." - www.jazzreview.com

"The 45 rpm sides of the vinyl give you “Melatonin Dream” on Side C, followed by the absolutely gorgeous long-form ballad titled simply “Hymn.” I’m not sure which of the saxists has the main solo here, but it’s surpassingly lovely. On Side D is the title tune, followed by a repeat of the Diana Krall vocal, but this time at 45 rpm for comparison. What I hear is a step up in the audio reproduction from even the SACD, with more depth and feeling that you are in the room with the musicians rather than just listening to a recording. Even though the grooves get rather close to the label, my comparisons showed no degradation on the vinyl vs. the SACD as it approach the conclusion of each side." - John Sunier, www.audaud.com, 5 Stars!!

Features:
• Limited Edition
• 180g Audiophile 33 1/3rpm LP & 45rpm LP
• Special guest Diana Krall

Musicians:
Anthony Wilson, guitar
Diana Krall, vocal (Looking Back)
Eva Scow, mandolin (LP 1-6,7)
Adam Schroeder, baritone sax
Alan Ferber, trombone
Mark Ferber, drums
Matt Otto, tenor sax
Matt Zebley, alto and soprano sax
Gilbert Castellanos, trumpet
Donald Vega, piano
Darek "Oles" Oleszkiewicz, bass