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Zenph Discs

	Art Tatum, piano Piano Starts Here: Live at The Shrine (Zenph Re-performance) Hear Art Tatum's playing as he himself heard it. Muze, Inc. writes about this album: Few jazz pianists could ever hope to rival the technical mastery of Art Tatum. From the 1930s on through the `50s, Tatum's dazzling facility made it seem as if two pianists were playing at once. Though he often performed solo, his virtuosity allowed him to make the transition from swing to bebop effortlessly. Tatum's eclectic style also reflected influences from blues and classical music, and from early jazz and pop music of the time. Long considered a classic album, PIANO STARTS HERE was assembled from studio and live sources from 1933 and 1949, respectively. Thanks to 21st-century technology however, PIANO has received a new lease on life, containing previously edited selections presented in their entirety, previously unissued tunes, and vastly improved sound quality. For lovers of the history of the jazz piano, PIANO STARTS HERE is essential. (copyright Muze Inc. 2008) Reviews and audio samples Recorded at The Shrine Auditorium, Los Angeles, California by Sony BMG Masterworks
	Glenn Gould, piano 1955 Goldberg Variations (Zenph Re-performance) Hear Glenn Gould's playing with a stunning level of realism not heard in previous recordings. Reviews and audio samples Recorded at Glenn Gould Studio in Toronto, Ontario, by Sony BMG Masterworks
	Dr. Thomas Otten, piano Liszt Operatic Paraphrases Here is amazing piano playing of Liszt's transcriptions and opera paraphrases, played by a respected expert of Liszt' works. There is a superb review of this wonderful album in Audiophile Audition online: "Otten plays the Yamaha DCFIIIAPRO whose mid- and upper range have a sensuous, rich tone." Recorded at Zenph Studios in Raleigh, North Carolina, by MSR Classics
	Richard Howard, piano Prairie Visions "The seven pieces that make up the Prairie Visions piano suite, along with this recording, are the result of 30 years of composition, refinement, and performance. The music is my homage to the Texas Great Plains, which I have called home all my life." - Richard Howard Records International writes: "A seven-movement suite of unashamedly programmatic content and full-blooded Romanticism, this is a very personal statement by a composer-pianist obviously well versed in the traditions of grand pianism. Emotionally charged and full of bravura pianism, stopping just short of sentimentality (most of the time, à la Percy Grainger), the most obvious inspiration and comparison for Howard’s style is Rachmaninov. The piece may strike those looking for innovation grounded in tradition (like Grainger, or Ronald Stevenson) as being derived from a ‘popular’ view of Rachmaninov - a distillation of ‘big tunes’ from the piano concertos - but there are worse models by far, and the piece has an innocent and heartfelt quality which, along with the excitement generated by its thunderous virtuosic passages, render it entirely convincing on its own terms." Read more about the creation of this remarkable disc in an extensive article in the Amarillo Globe-News. Created using high-resolution MIDI, and recorded on a Yamaha Disklavier Pro concert grand piano. Recorded at Zenph Studios in Raleigh, North Carolina, by MSR Classics

Books

	Piano Starts Here, by Robert Andrew Parker A new biography of the young Art Tatum, targeted toward 4 to 8 year old readers. The gorgeous artwork was created by the book's author. Our new album of Art Tatum re-performances has the same title, Piano Starts Here.
	Grand Obsession, by Perri Knize The author found her perfect grand piano on 58th Street in New York City. But when she got it back home to Montana, it didn't sound the same as it did in the store. This book is about her quest. Here's the Web site for the book: Grand Obsession: A Piano Odyssey. The hero of the book is Marc Wienert, who does the voicing and technical work for Zenph Studios' grand pianos.
	Wondrous Strange, by Kevin Bazzana A definitive biography of Glenn Gould. Kevin Bazzana authored the liner notes for Zenph Studios' re-performance of Glenn Gould's 1955 Goldberg Variations on Sony BMG Masterworks.
	Variable Star, by Robert A. Heinlein and Spider Robinson An exciting science fiction novel, written by Spider from a sketch by sci-fi legend Robert A. Heinlein. He has numerous pages where he describes performances by virtual musicians. Spider Robinson authored the liner notes for Zenph Studios' re-performance of Art Tatum's Piano Starts Here.

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