Venus – The Amazing Super Audio CD Sampler Vol. 22: Mingus, Marvin Gaye and Timeless Jazz in Audiophile SACD Sound

The album begins with a melody that seems to have been painted rather than played. “Self Portrait in Three Colors,” Charles Mingus’ quiet and deeply lyrical composition, emerges through the Marion Brown Quintet with unusual tenderness. There is no dramatic opening statement, no attempt to overwhelm the listener with volume or speed. Instead, the musicians create a slowly changing field of sound, one in which every horn phrase, bass movement and moment of silence seems to carry its own shade.

It is an appropriate entrance to Venus – The Amazing Super Audio CD Sampler Vol. 22, a compilation that moves through many colours of jazz without losing its emotional direction. Released in Japan on February 21, 2018, by Venus Records, the album appeared as a 15-track SACD under catalogue number VHGD-277. Its total running time is approximately 92 minutes and 40 seconds, making it one of the more generous editions in the label’s long-running audiophile sampler series.

Venus Records presented Volume 22 as a collection of representative performances drawn from 15 consecutive SACD albums, covering catalogue numbers VHGD-262 through VHGD-276. The result is not simply a technical showcase for high-resolution audio. It is a broad survey of jazz tradition, bringing together Charles Mingus, Marvin Gaye, Horace Silver, Dizzy Gillespie, Richard Rodgers and Jerome Kern, interpreted by musicians including Marion Brown, Russell Malone, Tete Montoliu, Anna Kolchina, Francesco Cafiso, David Hazeltine, Dick Hyman, Champian Fulton and Phil Woods.

From its opening moments, The Amazing Super Audio CD Sampler Vol. 22 feels less like a collection of isolated album extracts and more like an evening in which one musical room opens naturally into another. Free-jazz history meets soul music. Guitar swing gives way to Spanish folk melody. Romantic vocal jazz stands beside bebop, hard bop and Broadway standards. The connecting force is the Venus Records aesthetic: close instrumental presence, rich tonal colour and a belief that audiophile sound should strengthen the emotional impact of the performance.

The Marion Brown Quintet’s “Self Portrait in Three Colors” establishes that philosophy with restraint. Mingus wrote the composition as a compact study in mood, and the performance respects its simplicity. The melody moves with the dignity of a slow procession, but beneath its calm surface lies a sense of uncertainty. The musicians do not decorate the theme excessively. They allow it to appear, breathe and disappear.

For listeners using the album to evaluate a high-end stereo system, the track reveals much through subtlety. The horn tone must remain natural, the bass must be present without sounding oversized, and the room around the instruments should be audible without becoming artificial. Yet this is not music created merely to display detail. Its greatest effect comes when the equipment disappears and the composition’s quiet sadness takes over.

The second track makes one of the album’s boldest transitions. One for All performs “What’s Going On?”, the Marvin Gaye classic written with Al Cleveland and Renaldo Benson. The song’s original social urgency remains embedded in the melody, but the jazz ensemble removes the lyrics and allows the emotional message to pass through horns, rhythm and improvisation.

The arrangement does not reduce the composition to smooth background music. The melody retains its questioning quality, while the group’s hard-bop foundation adds strength and motion. Brass and saxophone voices interact above the rhythm section, creating a performance that respects the soul identity of the original while placing it firmly within modern acoustic jazz.

This transformation says something important about the Venus Records catalogue. The label’s musicians often approached popular songs not as commercial shortcuts, but as serious compositions capable of supporting improvisation. “What’s Going On?” succeeds because the tune’s emotional architecture is strong enough to survive without words.

Russell Malone Quartet’s “Wholly Cats” then turns toward the classic guitar tradition. The tune, associated with the swing era and Charlie Christian, gives Malone room to combine technical fluency with a warm, rounded sound. His guitar lines move quickly, but they never lose shape.

Malone’s playing contains elegance and physical rhythm. Chords snap into place, single-note lines glide above the ensemble, and the quartet maintains a buoyant pulse. The performance feels connected to jazz history without sounding trapped inside it.

For an audiophile recording, guitar can be difficult to reproduce convincingly. Too much brightness can make the instrument hard and thin, while excessive warmth can remove its attack. On “Wholly Cats,” the Venus SACD presentation balances those qualities. The listener hears the pick against the string, the resonance of the instrument and the supporting rhythm section as a unified performance.

The fourth track moves across the Atlantic. Tete Montoliu Trio performs the traditional Catalan melody “The Lady from Aragon,” also identified as “La Dama d’Aragó.” Montoliu’s interpretation carries the unmistakable authority of a pianist who could combine bebop intensity with European cultural memory.

The melody has a folk-like simplicity, but Montoliu does not leave it untouched. His piano introduces harmonic depth, rhythmic tension and improvisational movement. The tune becomes both local and international: rooted in the Iberian tradition, yet spoken through the universal language of jazz.

There is also something deeply personal in the performance. Montoliu does not present the melody as an exotic curiosity for foreign listeners. It sounds lived-in, as though the song belongs to a landscape he understands instinctively. The bass and drums support that connection, allowing the piece to move between reflection and swing.

Konrad Paszkudzki Trio follows with “It Might as Well Be Spring,” the Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein song from State Fair. The composition has long been a favourite among jazz musicians because its melody captures restlessness without abandoning elegance.

Paszkudzki’s approach is direct and swinging. The piano states the theme clearly, then begins to move around it with rhythmic confidence. The trio’s playing recalls the tradition of classic American jazz clubs, where standards were not treated as sacred texts but as familiar stories open to retelling.

The performance brings lightness into the album after the darker colours of Mingus and the reflective folk character of Montoliu. Yet the song’s underlying emotional tension remains. The title suggests the feeling of spring rather than spring itself, and the trio preserves that mixture of anticipation and dissatisfaction.

Anna Kolchina’s “Wild Is the Wind” introduces the first vocal performance and changes the atmosphere immediately. Written by Dimitri Tiomkin and Ned Washington, the song has been associated with singers including Johnny Mathis, Nina Simone and David Bowie. Its long melodic lines demand control, but its emotional power depends on vulnerability.

Kolchina does not imitate any of those famous interpretations. Her voice is cool, focused and close to the listener. She allows the melody to unfold slowly, using timing rather than volume to create tension.

The Venus recording places her clearly at the centre of the soundstage, but the accompaniment remains an active part of the performance. Piano, bass and drums respond to her phrasing, surrounding the vocal with warmth rather than pushing it forward artificially.

“Wild Is the Wind” becomes one of the album’s most intimate moments. Its sound is polished, but the emotional effect comes from uncertainty. The singer seems to be holding the song together even as its melody threatens to drift away.

John Di Martino’s Romantic Jazz Trio follows with “La Comparsa,” the famous composition by Cuban composer Ernesto Lecuona. The title refers to a carnival procession, and the piece carries both rhythmic movement and a sense of distant drama.

Di Martino approaches it with the lyrical refinement associated with the Romantic Jazz Trio. The piano gives the melody a rich, singing quality, while the rhythm section introduces a subtle Latin pulse.

The performance does not turn the composition into a loud percussion showcase. Instead, the trio emphasizes its combination of motion and melancholy. “La Comparsa” feels festive from a distance, but closer listening reveals shadows beneath the rhythm.

This dual character suits the broader narrative of The Amazing Super Audio CD Sampler Vol. 22. Many of its songs contain emotional contradictions. Spring is anticipated but not yet present. Love is close but uncertain. Celebration carries sadness. Familiar melodies conceal deeper questions.

Claude Williamson Trio’s “Song for My Father” brings the programme into the world of Horace Silver. The composition is one of the most recognizable themes in hard bop, built around a bass figure that seems both simple and irresistible.

Williamson respects the tune’s rhythmic identity while bringing his own piano personality to the performance. The familiar opening pattern establishes the groove, after which the trio moves through the composition with clarity and swing.

The piano lines remain crisp, the bass provides a firm foundation and the drums maintain the forward pulse without becoming heavy. For listeners interested in audiophile piano-trio recordings, the track reveals timing and low-frequency control. The bass must remain precise, because any looseness would weaken the entire performance.

Yet the track’s real appeal lies in its humanity. Horace Silver’s composition was inspired by family memory, and even without lyrics its theme carries affection, dignity and pride. Williamson’s trio preserves that emotional directness.

Francesco Cafiso’s “Woodyn’ You,” composed by Dizzy Gillespie, raises the energy. Cafiso’s saxophone enters with youthful confidence, navigating the bebop structure with speed and sharp articulation.

“Woodyn’ You” demands technical precision. Its harmonic movement leaves little room for hesitation, but Cafiso does more than survive the changes. He shapes long lines, plays with rhythmic placement and gives the performance a sense of forward motion.

The supporting musicians respond with equal alertness. The drums push without rushing, the bass anchors the harmony and the ensemble creates the controlled excitement that defines successful bebop.

On a revealing sound system, the track tests whether speed can remain clear. Saxophone phrases, cymbal patterns and bass notes must retain separation without sounding disconnected. The Venus SACD recording presents the performance with immediacy, making the listener feel close to the physical energy of the session.

Andrea Pozza Trio then slows the emotional pace with “Yesterdays,” the Jerome Kern and Otto Harbach standard. The tune has a dark, descending quality that has attracted generations of improvisers.

Pozza approaches it with seriousness but not heaviness. The piano states the melody with restraint, then begins to explore its harmonic tension. The trio’s performance has a European lyricism, but it remains grounded in the jazz-piano tradition.

“Yesterdays” is a song about memory, and the instrumental interpretation gives that theme new depth. Without lyrics, the listener is left to imagine what is being remembered. The music becomes less specific and more universal.

The piano sound is full and resonant, while the bass and drums remain carefully balanced. The performance rewards low-volume listening, where the smallest changes in touch and dynamics become especially meaningful.

Harry Allen Quartet’s “Chateau en Suède” introduces one of the album’s most graceful tenor-saxophone performances. The composition carries a continental elegance, and Allen’s warm tone fits it naturally.

Allen belongs to a tradition in which the saxophone sings rather than shouts. His phrasing is smooth, but never anonymous. Small changes in breath, vibrato and timing give the melody personality.

The quartet supports him with understated swing. The rhythm section does not force the performance forward, allowing the horn to shape the pace. The result feels like a late-night conversation conducted in complete sentences.

For audiophile listeners, tenor saxophone can expose weaknesses in a system immediately. If the upper midrange is aggressive, the instrument becomes harsh. If the presentation is too soft, its physical presence disappears. “Chateau en Suède” offers a useful balance of warmth, body and air.

David Hazeltine Trio’s “Close Enough for Love” returns the album to intimate piano jazz. Written by Johnny Mandel and Paul Williams, the composition explores the emotional territory between certainty and compromise.

Hazeltine is a pianist known for combining modern harmonic intelligence with a strong connection to swing and blues. His performance gives the song structure and depth without losing its romantic character.

The melody is presented clearly, but the trio gradually opens it into a broader conversation. Bass and drums respond to the piano rather than merely accompanying it, creating a performance that feels spontaneous even when the arrangement is carefully controlled.

“Close Enough for Love” captures the mature emotional tone that appears throughout the Venus Records catalogue. It is romantic without being idealistic. The title itself acknowledges imperfection, and the trio finds beauty within that uncertainty.

Dick Hyman Trio’s “My Favorite Things” brings one of the album’s most familiar melodies into a different light. The Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein song became a jazz landmark through John Coltrane, whose modal interpretation transformed its reputation.

Hyman does not attempt to reproduce Coltrane’s version. Instead, he returns the song to the piano-trio format and approaches it with rhythmic intelligence and harmonic curiosity.

The melody remains instantly recognizable, but Hyman’s arrangement reveals its flexibility. It can sound playful, sophisticated, nostalgic and modern within the same performance.

The trio moves with ease, and the SACD presentation captures the piano with considerable weight. Yet the performance remains light on its feet. Hyman’s control prevents the familiar tune from becoming predictable.

Champian Fulton Trio’s “When Your Lover Has Gone” follows with a darker emotional story. Fulton, known as both a pianist and vocalist, approaches the standard with directness and classic-jazz sensibility.

The song carries loss in its title, but the performance does not collapse into sadness. There is movement in the rhythm, and the trio finds resilience beneath the melody.

Fulton’s interpretation belongs to the great tradition of jazz musicians who can make emotional pain swing. The sadness remains real, but it is transformed through timing, harmony and shared musical energy.

The album closes with Phil Woods performing “Everything Happens to Me,” the Matt Dennis and Tom Adair standard that combines misfortune with dry humour. It is an inspired final selection.

Woods’ alto saxophone carries decades of bebop history, but his playing here is not about speed or virtuosity. He treats the melody as a story, shaping each phrase with warmth and a slightly weary grace.

The song’s emotional character is complex. It is sad, but also self-aware. Its narrator expects disappointment almost as a matter of routine. Woods captures that balance perfectly. His saxophone seems to smile through regret.

As the final track, “Everything Happens to Me” brings the album’s many emotional threads together. The journey began with Mingus’ introspective self-portrait and travelled through social concern, romance, folk memory, Latin rhythm, bebop and loss. It ends not with triumph, but with acceptance.

The official programme of Venus – The Amazing Super Audio CD Sampler Vol. 22 comprises “Self Portrait in Three Colors,” “What’s Going On?,” “Wholly Cats,” “The Lady from Aragon,” “It Might as Well Be Spring,” “Wild Is the Wind,” “La Comparsa,” “Song for My Father,” “Woodyn’ You,” “Yesterdays,” “Chateau en Suède,” “Close Enough for Love,” “My Favorite Things,” “When Your Lover Has Gone” and “Everything Happens to Me.”

As an audiophile jazz SACD, Volume 22 offers an unusually wide range of material for evaluating a stereo system. The horn-led tracks reveal tonal balance and instrumental texture. Russell Malone’s guitar exposes attack and warmth. The piano trios test weight, timing and harmonic decay. Anna Kolchina’s vocal performance examines centre imaging and midrange realism, while the faster bebop selections show whether complex passages remain controlled.

But the compilation is most successful when those technical considerations fade from attention. The recording quality is vivid, yet it exists to serve the musicians. The listener may begin by noticing the saxophone’s presence or the depth of the bass, but soon the focus shifts toward melody, mood and interaction.

That is what separates a lasting audiophile album from a simple demonstration disc. A demonstration disc can sound impressive for a few minutes. A lasting album creates a reason to return.

Venus – The Amazing Super Audio CD Sampler Vol. 22 offers that reason through its remarkable variety. Mingus and Marvin Gaye sit beside Richard Rodgers, Horace Silver, Dizzy Gillespie and Jerome Kern. American hard bop meets Catalan folk music, Cuban composition and European piano jazz. Yet the album never feels like a random collection.

Its unity lies in storytelling. Every performance approaches a melody as something with a past, but also with the possibility of renewal. Familiar songs are not preserved exactly as they were. They are examined, reshaped and given new emotional lives.

For collectors of Japanese SACD releases, Volume 22 represents another substantial chapter in the Venus Records series. Its 15 tracks and more than 92 minutes of music offer a broad introduction to the label’s artists and recording philosophy. For newcomers to Venus Records, it provides an accessible route through romantic jazz, bebop, hard bop, vocal jazz and modern interpretations of classic songs.

The album begins with a self-portrait and ends with a confession of bad luck. Between those two points lies an entire world: fathers remembered, lovers lost, spring imagined, winds left untamed and favourite things rediscovered.

When Phil Woods’ final phrase fades, the silence feels earned. The stereo system may have revealed every instrumental detail, but the lasting impression is not technological. It is human.

That is the enduring achievement of Venus – The Amazing Super Audio CD Sampler Vol. 22. It is an audiophile jazz compilation with exceptional SACD sound, but it is also a story about memory, identity and the ability of jazz to give old melodies a new emotional future.