Another major label company has agreed to release more SACD titles in the coming months. It looks like SACD is winning the race to be the industry standard for high quality stereo and multi-channel surround sound.

Universal Music Group joins Sony, Virgin and EMI plans to release a number of their major acts on SACD. Universal plans to release a combination of best selling new releases and catalog on SACD. Many titles will incorporate multi-channel surround sound of the SACD format.

With the increasing number of Super Audio CD players available in the market and more and more major labels supporting SACD, the objective is clear, that is to make Super Audio CD a standard for the industry. In addition, SACD technology incorporates a unique set of copyright protection measures, which will provide better protection against illegal copying of the recordings.

At present, more than 400 SACD titles have been released in Europe, Japan and the USA. Sony, Philips, Pioneer, Marantz, Sharp, Luxman, Accuphase and Linn have introduced about 20 SACD player models in Europe. By making titles available on Super Audio CD this move helps to drive the growth of this high quality, secure music format, with its many benefits for consumers and recording artists.

By the way the Super Audio Compact Disc format was jointly developed by Philips and Sony.

Here are two new releases I hope to see in the SACD format as their recordings on the normal CD format is already superb. I'm sure there are more titles out in the market but these two really stand out.

Have you ever listened to live acoustic jazz performance in a music bar or club? The music is very clear, in a way loud but not intruding and you can hear every instrument in a relax atmosphere.

The recording on the Wonderful World is just like that. A very acoustic, very live type recording except the audience wasn't there. An analogue recording so to speak. On the disc, there are not many details about the recording. There is only a 24BIT-processing imprint on the top right hand corner of the CD.

It has a very good mix of jazz standard and soft popular ballads. There are three vocal tracks, Killing Me Softly, Crazy and All Of Me. The arrangement of the other tracks is not listed in the in-lays of the CD. My guess is that Budi Chen must have arranged all of the tracks on this Wonderful World CD.

The recording on this disc will make you sit up and listen. Just like when you are watching a live acoustic performance when the players start to play. A very open and live like recording. From the first track, Unforgettable, and true to the word, right to the last track, this recording will make you listen to it again and again.

It has many great tracks like You've Got A Friend, What A Wonderful World, The Nearness Of You and also a Jobim track, Desafinado. This is the first time I have listened to Budi Chen and from what I hear from this CD, we will hear more of him and his group of musicians in the near future.

Houston Person makes jazz music that satisfies your senses. The last of a dying breed of saxophonist that includes the like of Scott Hamilton, Stan Getz, Ben Webster, Lester Young and so on. The latest from Houston Person - In A Sentimental Mood is so far his best release to date.

This HighNote recording is superb and is recorded at the Van Gelder Recording Studio USA. Together with Stan Hope, George Kaye and Chip White, this quartet plays beautiful standard like Tenderly, My funny Valentine, In A Sentimental Mood, Embraceable You and many more.

The in lay share with the listener some notes from Houston Person about his music, the players and the tracks on this CD. Houston Person heartfelt performance on the jazz standard will make this CD a collector's gem along those other great saxophone artists.

The magic of these two fantastic CD titles is in the music. You just have to listen to them and you come to know their performance along with its great recording. I will definitely look forward to a SACD format for these two CDs.

Check out these two titles at your favourite music outlets and enjoy….