But the biggest surprise among last year’s releases was Impex Record’s deluxe 1 Step reissue of Getz/Gilberto (Impex IMP6041-1). The whole MoFi “is it really analog?” saga did 1 Step no favours at all – but don’t confuse the process with the producer! Carefully execute 1 Step pressings can result in remarkable results and this is one of them. It’s also one of a handful of titles that represent genuine jazz masterpieces featuring top audiophile sound. As a result, the album has been reissued over 350 times. Most of the well-known audiophile brands have had their way with Getz/Gilberto on vinyl, polycarbonate or pure digits. Analogue Productions arguably set the standard, providing an exceptional example on two 45 RPM discs. But this new Impex 1 Step pressing, mastered by Bernie Grundman, is better still. While it improves the sound across the board, the greatest improvement is with Astrud and João Gilberto’s vocals and Stan Getz’s tenor saxophone. The vocals are three-dimensional and detailed in a way few recordings achieve. Stan Getz’s sax has never sounded sexier, matching a quality I had thought was the exclusive preserve of Ben Webster. How much these attributes stem from the dead-quiet background created by the 1 Step process, the Neotech vinyl, or the 45rpm speed, and how much is down to Bernie Grundman and the Impex team’s magic, I cannot say. I do not care if this has been reissued a zillion times—the improvement is remarkable and I never tire of this album!
On balance, 2024 was a good if not outstanding year for reissues. On an Olympic scoring card, I would give it an 8 out of 10. In other words, I would have loved a few more Nadia Comǎneci and Michael Phelps moments, but 2025 is still young!
