Album of the Year 2023

Synchronicity: An Interpretation of the album by The Police

Hazelrigg Brothers

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Original Recording Format: DSD 128
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2023 NativeDSD Album of the Year – Jazz Trio

Celebrating the 40th Anniversary of the classic album Synchronicity by The Police, the Hazelrigg Brothers have brought an inspired arrangement of a classic work to NativeDSD.

This recording is an audiophile experience full of the fire, power and dynamics that have become the Hazelrigg Brothers trademark. Perfectly expressing the political and social temper of the early 1980s, the original landmark album was the near-constant soundtrack to George and Geoff’s upbringing and a huge influence on their artistic future.

The Hazelrigg Brothers Band consists of George Hazelrigg on piano, Geoff Hazelrigg on bass and John O’Reilly Jr. on drums. They are an instrumental trio that melds elements of Jazz, Rock and Classical to create an audiophile experience that is engaging, entertaining and eminently listenable. Critically acclaimed for both their performance and their unique recording techniques, Hazelrigg Brothers is a genre defying group that is not to be underestimated.

The album was recorded in one room using two Stereo microphones, captured in Stereo DSD 128. It is available at NativeDSD in both the recorded format and bit rate of Stereo DSD 128 and in Stereo WAV 96k for your convenience.

As a bonus, the track “Murder By Numbers” will be available only as Stereo DSD and Stereo WAV downloads and on Stereo CD. This track will not be available on the Vinyl LP edition of the album.

This is our first release from Outer Marker Records and we are very excited to be working with this exciting label! View the Outer Marker Records label page to find out more about them.

The album is a DSD Exclusive, Not Available on SACD release. 

Hazelrigg Brothers
George Hazelrigg – Piano
Geoff Hazelrigg – Bass
John O’Reilly, Jr. – Drums

Tracklist

Please note that the below previews are loaded as 44.1 kHz / 16 bit.
1.
Synchronicity I
02:59
2.
Walking in Your Footsteps
04:09
3.
O My God
03:27
4.
Mother
02:34
5.
Miss Gradenko
02:02
6.
Synchroncity II
04:13
7.
Every Breath You Take
03:22
8.
King of Pain
05:34
9.
Wrapped Around Your Finger
05:12
10.
Tea in the Sahara
03:21
11.
Murder By Numbers (Bonus Track)
05:24

Total time: 00:42:17

Additional information

Label

SKU

OM01100H

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Original Recording Format

Release DateMay 30, 2023

Press reviews

Jazz In Europe

Recently the Hazelrigg Brothers’ released their latest endeavor, a soulful rendition of The Police’s iconic album, Synchronicity. Pianist George Hazelrigg once again joins forces with his brother and bassist Geoff Hazelrigg along with drummer John O’Reilly Jr, to pay tribute to the album’s 40th anniversary. Rooted in the cultural and political milieu of the early 1980s, Synchronicity profoundly influenced the Hazelrigg Brothers’ musical journey, a resonance that shaped their artistic trajectory until today.

This meticulously crafted album, also titled Synchronicity, is an interpretation of the album by The Police and offers an audiophile experience marked by the trio’s signature intensity and dynamism. This auditory gem was meticulously captured using two stereo microphones in a single room, employing Direct Stream Digital (DSD) technology. The album was released on June 2, 2023 and is available on CD, and digital formats through Native DSD, accessible at Outer Marker Records. A 180-gram vinyl (mastered from DSD) will be available in the near future. Notably, the track “Murder By Numbers” is exclusively offered only on the digital versions.

The roots of this remarkable project extend back four decades to Princeton, NJ, where the Hazelrigg Brothers’ fervent enthusiasm for music was ignited by MTV. The striking visuals and opening notes of The Police’s “Every Breath You Take” left an indelible mark on their young minds. A deep-seated connection to songs like “Synchronicity II” and “Wrapped Around Your Finger” ensued.

Now, let’s delve deeper into this musical voyage orchestrated by the Hazelrigg Brothers: “Synchronicity I” opens the album with a hypnotic allure, expertly balanced by the trio’s prowess in dynamic playing. There’s little doubt that it’s this use of dynamic range that is emblematic of the band’s signature style and adds a captivating dimension to the performance. I enjoyed “Mother”, the only blues on the album. This track seamlessly intertwines lyrical depth with instrumental finesse. This piece was a notable challenge, owing to its punk-inspired essence, yet the Hazelrigg Brothers masterfully captured its essence. “Synchronicity II” serves as a remarkable synthesis of preceding tracks, culminating in a sonic tapestry marked by controlled chaos. This composition showcases the trio’s sound design ingenuity.

In my opinion, one of the highlights of the album is “King of Pain” that offers a unique twist on the original. There’s a lot to unpack on this track and this makes it somewhat difficult describe with the written word. Suffice to say that the trio’s deft manipulation of sound texture culminates in a captivating auditory experience. In the press release George noted “That is the tune where we wind up sounding most like a jazz trio. By the time the outro hits, we’ve distressed the song completely.” I’d agree with this.

Also of note is “Tea in the Sahara” that stands as a testament to the Hazelrigg Brothers’ instrumental finesse, highlighting the delicate nuances of each instrument and their harmonious synergy. Speaking about this track George wrote in the press release “What “Tea in the Sahara” captures is how beautiful all the instruments in that room sound. It captures what is so phenomenal about that 1887 Steinway and just the massive size and tone of Geoff’s bass and the delicacy of that birch Gretsch kit, and how John approaches playing cymbals. It’s all just the delicate – impossibly quiet at times – detail, of just how fine those instruments are.”

In summary, the Hazelrigg Brothers’ interpretation of Synchronicity serves as a heartfelt homage to The Police’s seminal work. Their masterful musicianship, combined with an astute understanding of each track’s emotional depth, offers a fresh perspective while honoring the album’s legacy.

Highly recommended.

Modern Drummer

What took so long? Musicians have consistently named The Police’s Synchronicity as a very influential recording, and musicians have been covering pop songs creatively since the beginning of music. So why has it taken so long for a trio to take the challenge?

The Hazelrigg Brothers have answered the questions and were up to the challenge. This is no lounge trio covering popular songs. The Hazelrigg Brothers are creating interesting arrangements and “derangements” of these tunes and really making them their own.

So how does a drummer interpret the manic and influential drumming of Stewart Copeland into Jazz versions of Synchronicity? Ask John O’ Reilly Jr. Or better yet, just listen to this album. It’s really good.

1 review for Synchronicity: An Interpretation of the album by The Police

    These brothers and band members are very good. And so is their music selection.

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