• 1) EVERYTHING HAPPENS TO ME (Matt Dennis/Tom Adair) 5’57
• 2) ALL OR NOTHING AT ALL (Arthur Altman/Jack Lawrence) 7’00
• 3) THE GYPSY (Billy Reid) 5’30
• 4) MOON RIVER(Henry Mancini/Johnny Mercer) 6’52
• 5) THIS IS ALL I ASK (Gordon Jenkins) 7’08
• 6) HEY THERE (Jerry Ross/Richard Adler) 5’35
• 7) THE SHADOW OF YOUR SMILE (Johnny Mandel/Paul Francis Webster) 5’36
• 8) BABY ALL THE TIME (Bobby Troup) 6’10
• 9) SE TODOS FOSSEM IGUAIS A VOÇÊ (Antonio Carlos Jobim/Vinicius De Moraes) 4’15
• 10) GOODBYE (Gordon Jenkins) 5’14

Recorded at Hotel Il Castello - Palazzo di Scoto di Semifonte
Certaldo Alto (Fi) November 2016
Recording assistant: Paola Liberato
Valve microphones: Neumann U47, U48, M49
Mike pre-amplifiers, cables (line, microphone, supply): Signoricci
Recorded in stereo DSD on the Pyramix Recorder using dCS A/D and D/A converters
Photos by: Michela Del Forno
A&R and Il Castello property manager: Alfred Kramer

The protagonists of this album are Scott Hamilton - sax, Paolo Birro - piano, Aldo Zunino - bass, Alfred Kramer - drums
Ballads for Audiophiles is part of the musical projects realized in Certaldo Alto (FI) in the ancient cellar of Palazzo di Scoto di Semifonte.
To enhance the fascinating acoustics of this place, Giulio Cesare Ricci used the Signoricci's analog and valve system.
Legendary original Neumann tube microphones U47, U48, M49 were used for recording
Recorded in Stereo DSD on Pyramix using dCS A/D and D/A converters
The tracks have been performed from start to finish without sound manipulation, neither equalization, nor reverb, nor compression and expansion...but natural sound with true timbre, no editing (no musical montages).
The "Signoricci", this is his nickname in the audiophile world, does not work with support microphones that magnify individual instruments as if under a magnifying glass, but with his beloved Neumann tube microphones which he positions himself to create a sound field natural. In this recording all this has succeeded so well that one has the sensation of participating in a live concert. The musicians position themselves on an imaginary stage keeping a certain distance from the listener. The speakers seem to fade. It takes a moment to get used to this relatively low-impact performance compared to ordinary recordings. But we don't have to wait long before discovering his fascination, a fascination that creates a living sound cosmos and that gives importance to the whole instead of clearly separating the instruments from each other.
Even the sound of the saxophone, despite being decisive, is always velvety and never tends to be too loud. Spontaneously the volume rises, but it does not annoy and is not intrusive.
This album will make many listeners happy, both musically and tonally.
As announced, a quiet pace was foreseen for the ballad. Fast beats or high-pitched sounds weren't on the agenda.
Hamilton's sounds are neat, soft and his accompanists follow him discreetly, with the exception of a few small solos. So standards like "Moon River", "All Or Nothing" or "The Shadow Of Your Smile" spread a relaxed club atmosphere.