OCTAVE RECORDS “Live at Nocturne” full review!

Octave Records “Live at Nocturne” is examined for audio and musical quality!

Artist: Gabriel Mervine

Album: Live at Nocturne (OCT 0036)

Venue: Recorded at Nocturne Jazz & Supper Club, Denver, CO, on March 2, 2023,

There is something magical about a recording of an intimate musical evening at a neighborhood jazz club that few recordings offer. It offers an interplay among performers, spontaneity in reactions, emotionality in the music produced, and the venue itself can become part of the performance. 

Which is how I would describe Octave Records’ recording of Gabriel Marvine’s trumpet at the Nocturne Jazz & Supper Club on the night of March 2, 2023, in Denver.  Accompanied by Alicia Straka on accordion, Patrick Mc Devitt on upright bass, and Braxton Kahn on drums, the recording was captured live in pure DSD256 by PS Audio and mixed in their state-of-the-art DSD facility.  

Live Octave recordings are the best gauge of system performance, in my opinion.  The dynamics simply cannot be matched in studio recordings.  Moreover, a good recording captures the performance’s subtle nuances, helping transport the listener to the live venue.

The CD by Octave Records is a mix of Brazilian and French classics rendered with seamless interplay between a trumpet, an accordion, bass guitar, and drums.  There is abundant low-end, dynamics, and energy throughout the recording, with the trumpet and accordion front and center to present soundstage magic.  Almost holographic imagery!

• Stereo width & imaging – instruments and vocals should be clearly placed left/right and in full depth perspective, which they are.
• Bass control & extension – kick drums, bass guitar, and ambient low‑end should be totally controlled and fully extended.
• High‑frequency clarity – cymbals, harmonics, and air should be crisp without harshness.
• Dynamic range – quiet passages should remain transparent, and loud moments should not distort.

On ‘Live at Nocturne’, this means you hear the live room ambience, the micro-movements of the performers, and the realism that only becomes apparent when the system’s imaging and transparency are intact.

Listeners get a nice exposure to some bossa nova music standards with a golden, sun-drenched feel; the performance leans into smooth, melodic interplay between trumpet and accordion that you cannot help swinging to it.  Excellent gauge for system transparency and palpability.

Interim drum solos are well captured with enough snap and shimmer to put a smile on an audiophile’s face.  They accompany the contemporary compositions, providing a light, conversational groove, while showcasing the quartet’s improvisational chemistry.  Great gauge for system dynamics and visceral impact.

Finally, listeners can enjoy the band’s versions of a couple of French classics delivered by Alicia Straka in a voice full of rich instrumental textures that are a good gauge for system high-frequency extension and clarity.  On another classic French standard, there is a waltz-like elegance she shares with Mervine’s trumpet, adding a nostalgic, romantic touch to the French classic.

This CD has a springtime vibe to it because most of the compositions contain the group’s bright harmonies.  I think listeners of live recordings, including most audiophiles, would be absolutely thrilled with the CD, but undoubtedly be equally enjoyed by people who appreciate good jazz.

This album is Highly Recommended!