Mike Scott – Collecting Things – CD Review

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Plastic – CD

Surface noise: N/A

Dynamic Range: 5-

Stereo Imaging: 4+

Image depth/perspective: 4

Overall frequency response: 5-

Please see here for my comments on reviewing albums.

Track List:

1. Sol Minor Prelude
2. Sol Minor
3. Now and Later
4. Jack’s Dilemma
5. Boom Diddle It
6. On A Clear Day
7. Dark Bossa
8. Rondo
9. Coda
10. 49

Instrumental Line Up:

• Mike Scott – Guitar
• Joe Bagg – Piano & Organ
• Derek Oles – Bass
• Jake Reed – Drums

This album was originally recorded and mixed by Tally Sherwood and mastered by Rich Breen. It was recorded on July 25th, 2020 and released on January 22nd, 2021.

Mike Scott is a jazz guitarist with classical training and is currently a full-time faculty member at Fullerton College, Fullerton, CA. Mike has recorded for various film tracks and TV shows and has preformed both around the United States and abroad in various jazz clubs and concert halls to include; Walt Disney Concert Hall and New York Pops Orchestra at Carnegie Hall.

This is the third album with Mike Scott as leader following on from; Fallen Peach and Good Place To Be.

This recording sounds very good, with all the instruments being open and natural with a great kit sound and overall good dynamics and presence. Musicianship was very good providing a tight, enjoyable and really entertaining performance having no obvious bum or fluffed notes. The image depth isn’t great with the kit generally sat well back filling the entire space between my speakers. Mikes’ guitar is set right up front, generally just left of center or center for a couple of solos, the bass is front center just in front of the kit with the piano stretching from left of center to right of center the same as the organ, both being in the same horizontal plane and height as the bass. Each instrument maintaining a solid and stable stereo image with good separation from each other.

Generally there is no significant background white noise or hum during the quiet sections or as tracks fade up and down, except on T7 during the closing few bars were signifiant white noise was heard as the track fades out. The recordings overall dynamics being very good showing no obvious signs of compression.

Clearly this album is all about Mike Scotts guitar work which is excellent, as is the natural and open sound of his acoustic guitar that never really changes its tone from track to track, being full, bright and mellow with detailed string, finger and neck noise that adds to its notable presence which is sufficient to “appear” in my room. His performance is wrapped with a significant level of reverb that nicely enhances his playing providing a degree of warmth without overpowering the guitars sound or Mikes’ performance. There are many very good solos/breaks on all tracks, like T1, so I will not try to single any one out.

The kit provides a solid image with a detailed and dynamic sound. The kick drum, that occasionally pushes its way to the front of the mix, is well damped, creating a solid deep thud, with just a little beater noise providing more impact and slap. Cymbals and hi-hat are nicely detailed and clean but lacked just a little in level and upper end brightness, with the snare creating a well damped hollow ring and supporting some great rim shots; T3 & T6, and brush work on T5. It is also noted that the snare is pushed well forward on T8, like the toms that also had a well damped short ring, being notably prominent on a number of tracks to include: T3, T5, T8 and T10. Short reverb is clearly audible on the snare on several tracks like T4 and T10. There are a couple of excellent solos/breaks on T5 and T10 were you can really get to feel the kits presence.

The acoustic bass provided a strong, deep and clean natural tone with no coloration, often helping drive the tracks along, never getting lost in the mix, and being pushed to the front of the mix on several tracks. On occasion it dug deep enough to “roll through you”. Finger and neck work could clearly be heard that provided an enhanced feeling of prescenece allowing it to “appear” in my room during its excellent solos on T3 and T5.

The acoustic piano showed good attack and a clean, bright and mellow tone. No significant key or damper action was apparent. It provided a somewhat wider image than the organ that reminded me of the old hammond we had when I worked at Livingston Studios in London. Solos of note for the piano would include T2, T5-7 andT8, and for the organ T4 and T9.

What this recording lacked was, very little, but a little more depth perspective and top end brightness for the cymbals and hi-hat would have gone a long way to an overall 5 rating.

I enjoyed this mix and performance so much that I listened to it a second time, turning my level up, a lot, before finalizing my review. Even at this considerably higher level the mix didn’t become strident or harsh but really provided an excellent feeling of the musicians being there in my room with me.

If you like acoustic guitar and some very enjoyable piano, organ, bass and kit solos/breaks then this album is for you. From swing to classical to blues and rock I am sure that many, and all of Mike Scotts’ fans, will thoroughly enjoy this album. Recommended.

Playback note: Reviewed using my Denon DBP A100 over Denon Link 3. Speakers; a stereo pair of Genelec 1038’s and four SVS subs.

Disclosure: This CD was provided by Mouthpiece Music for my review. No financial compensation was provided.

Purchase this CD album, directly from Mike Scott with MP3 downloads from Amazon Music and Apple Music.

See my other Mouthpiece Music reviews.

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