Recently got the 2006 release of the Proprius 30th anniversary CD set form the UK. Just heard it again. Impossible to believe it was recorded in such difficult circumstances!! Simply amazing!!
In 1976, recording engineer Gert Palmcrantz set up just three microphones (Neumann U47, KM56, and M49), hooked them to a portable stereo reel-to-reel tape recorder (Nagra IV) via a pair of noise reduction units (Dolby A316) at Stockholm's crowded Stampen Jazz Club (a location that used to be a pawnshop once) and was able to produce a 2-set vinyl record (or 2-CD released in 1977) that is today considered ideal reference quality recordings by most audio and jazz enthusiasts around the globe - a must have for any audio system set up. I am talking about "Jazz at the Pawnshop" Vol.1 & 2 on Proprious Music label (PROP 7778/79 or CDP 7778/79). In his own words, Palmcrantz states that during the two evenings of recording sessions, the place was so crowded and noisy that he had to move into the cramped kitchen with his Nagra recorder on his lap and monitor the recording via headphones. Minimal equipment, maximum effort, and what do we end up with - some music that is used today to evaluate high end audio systems. Then, several years later (2007/8, I think) Winston Ma of First Impression Music acquires the right to remaster the original tapes and produces an even more dynamically stunning set of CDs. I have both Proprius' LPs and FIM CDs and I listen to them quite often.