Press release | Octave Records continues to expand its catalog of contemporary and classic jazz with the release of Sovereign Mind by Ryan Benthall, who plays piano and analog synthesizer. The album of all-original compositions combines forward-looking melodic invention with lush instrumental textures, blending traditional jazz instruments with the warmth of the synthesizer to create a distinctive and personal musical voice.
Sovereign Mind features Ryan Benthall along with David Bernot on tenor saxophone, Sean Applebee playing trumpet and fluegelhorn, Braxton Kahn on drums, and Bill McCrossen playing the upright bass. The nine originals on the album range span a wide variety of moods and tempos, from the up-tempo title track to the dreamlike feeling of Moon Over the Mountain. The piano is at the forefront for most of the arrangements, with the horns and synth providing a rich background of tonal colors and ensemble voicings while the rhythm section offers sympathetic accompaniment.
Ryan Benthall said, “The album’s title, Sovereign Mind, is the reflective theme of my own approach to life. To be able to think for myself, have my own perspective of life and approach to the language of music. Sovereign Mind reflects the idea of transporting ourselves to a unique place within ourselves that is beyond the typical experience.”
The album was recorded using Octave Records’ custom-built Pyramix-based 32-channel DSD 256 setup, to faithfully capture the distinctive tonal colors and character of each instrument while presenting a deep, spacious and natural ensemble sound. Sovereign Mind was recorded and mixed by Jay Elliott and mastered by Gus Skinas. It was produced by Ryan Benthall, with Jessica Carson as executive producer.
The title track begins the album with an upbeat melody with the piano and horns stating the theme, showing off the tight ensemble playing of the group and the stunning high-resolution fidelity of the recording. Each instrument has a strong sonic presence, from the attack and body of the beautiful piano sound to the warmth of the tenor sax, the harmonic richness of the acoustic bass, and the dynamic impact of the drums, all placed within a reach-out-and-touch-it sound space.
Sovereign Mind 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 DSD Direct 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
