Blue Coast Records Joins Forces with China Based HiFiTrack.com in 96 kHz Digital Music Downloads

San Francisco, CA

Blue Coast Records announces they have signed a distribution deal with Hong Kong based online music company, HiFiTrack.com. The two companies have been releasing 96 kHz audio files to fans around the world who prefer this new format to mp3s. The marks the first digital distribution deal the Blue Coast Records has inked having only sold the downloads from their home based site www.bluecoastrecords.com.

Founder of Blue Coast Records, Cookie Marenco states, "We are thrilled to be able to reach fans in China with this new relationship. The Asian community has been very receptive to our high performance acoustic music and seems to truly respect the work we are doing. Alan Choy and Dominque Tu from HiFiTrack.com have been a pleasure to work with."

For their debut, Blue Coast Records chose to release the Blue Coast Collection with HiFiTrack at the Hong Kong High End Audio Visual Show this weekend, August 7th, 8th and 9th. Two tracks, Looking for a Home (Keith Greeninger and Dayan Kai) and Slow Day (Jane Selkye and Chris Kee), will be featured singles to demonstrate the E.S.E. proprietary recording technique that Blue Coast Records uses. Among the vendors demonstrating the 96 kHz downloads are Bladelius, Chapter, Linn, NuForce, PS Audio and Wavelength.

The Hong Kong High End Audio Visual Show, organized by Audiotechnique magazine, is an annual event for hi-end audio, music and home theater lovers in Hong Kong and South East Asia. The 7th edition of the Hong Kong High End Audio Visual Show will be held at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre. The 2009 Show will definitely be one of the most important events in the audio and visual industry in Hong Kong.

Blue Coast Records has already met with success and the Blue Coast Collection with their highly acclaimed SACD that has been distributed by CNA Music since 2007. For audiophiles, manufacturers and people who enjoy acoustic music, the Collection has been praised as some of the most realistic sounding recordings available combined with top musicianship skills. Founded by Cookie Marenco (formerly of Windham Hill Records and Liquid Audio), and Jean Claude Reynaud (son of French speaker manufacturer, Jean Marie Reynaud) the label has achieved incredible success worldwide through word of mouth and 5 star reviews. In April 2009, Blue Coast Records began releasing 96 kHz downloads that were recorded live in the studio, uploaded within 3 hours of performance and distributed worldwide.

HiFiTrack is an offshoot of Music Powerhouse, a company started in 2007 that aims to apply the latest digital music technologies to help transform the music industry. Music Powerhouse won the Ubiquitous City - Hong Kong Government WiFi application award and continues to develop products for independent artists and music labels.

For more information or interviews, please contact:

AcousticArtsInternational / Patrick O'Connor / 650 759 1357

patrick@acousticartsinternational.com

Art Lande Disc on Blue Coast Records Included in Best Discs of 2008

Audiophile Audition announced their Best Discs of 2008, in a January news flash. This year, Blue Coast Records is happy to announce the Art Lande solo piano disc, While She Sleeps, is listed among the carefully selected releases. John Sunier, the editor of Audaud.com, gave the recording high praise in a review from Dec, 2008.

"This is truly a piano recording for piano lovers; I’m sure it’s going to get plenty of playing at CES and other audio shows. Even the standard CD layer sonics are exemplary."
Audaud.com, John Sunier, review Dec 2008

The premier webzine devoted to Music, Audio and Home Theater chooses discs from Classical, Jazz and Pop that demonstrate exceptional quality in sound and music. "It's an honor for us to be included among all the releases. It's nice to know our efforts haven't gone unnoticed and helps justify our commitment to sound combined with excellent musicianship," says founder and producer, Cookie Marenco.

While She Sleeps (BCRSA 2012), has received critical acclaim for its sonic purity which demonstrates the sound of an 1886 Steinway piano. No equalization, reverb or other enhancements were used to make the recording. Like the first project from Blue Coast Records, this new solo piano recording is being used by many speaker companies to demonstrate the ability of their products to reproduce sound. Both recordings were produced and engineered by founder Cookie Marenco and Jean Claude Reynaud, son of renown audiophile speaker manufacturer, Jean Marie Reynaud.

Art Lande, a veteran of jazz piano, has recorded with Charlie Haden, Joe Hendersen and Jan Garbarek, with several titles under his name at ECM Records. Currently living in Colorado, he is often found touring the world with many jazz luminaries.

Marenco notes, "Not only is he an incredible musician, but he was my teacher and friend, who opened my eyes, ears and senses to the world of possibilities. It was a natural choice for him to be our first solo artist on Blue Coast Records. I like to say this record took 12 years to make because it required both Art and I to have a sense of purpose, not just another release. The recording became a personal concert of requests performed in a quiet tone that showed his mastery of the instrument. Every note has intention while stretching the boundaries of improvisation. There is no one more capable than Art. This is the recording his fans have been waiting for."

The recording is an SACD/CD hybrid disc and has only been released at selected online audiophile retailers and at the Blue Coast Records website as a disc or CD Quality wav file. It is scheduled for a traditional street date in Spring 2009.

Marenco's recording techniques are also featured in the January 2009 issue of Stereophile.

For more information, please contact,
Patrick O'Connor, 650 759 1357.