Toronto-based piano virtuoso Hilario Durán is a towering figure in Cuban music. His extensive discography includes work as a solo artist as well as in duo, small group and big band settings. He has also achieved distinction in the classical and chamber music worlds.

Recorded at Toronto's Inception Sound Studios, August 2006’s From The Heart would ultimately become one of the most celebrated works of Durán’s decades-long career. The album went on to win the 2007 Juno Award for Contemporary Jazz Album of the Year and additionally earned a Grammy nomination that same year.

From The Heart features contributions from some of Cuba's finest musicians, including the legendary Horacio "El Negro" Hernández on drums and Changuito on timbales and percussion. The addition of Roberto Occhipinti on bass and Luisito Orbegoso on congas further enriches the rhythmic foundation, creating a pulsating undercurrent that powers the performance. The album serves as both a masterclass in arrangement and a showcase for the continuing vitality of Cuban jazz in the 21st century.

Nearly two decades after the album’s original release, original engineer John ‘Beetle’ Bailey has revisited From The Heart in immersive audio. The new immersive mix–available exclusively as a hi-res digital download via IAA's online shop–is presented in two formats: 48-khz/24-bit Dolby TrueHD/Atmos and 96-khz/24-bit 11.1 Auro-3D. 

All of Bailey’s immersive mixes released thus far (Monkey House, Cinque, etc) have been remarkable and this one is no exception. Right from the opening notes of the first track, the listener is completely surrounded. The rhythm section and Durán’s piano hold down the front stage, while additional elements like the latin percussion and horn section permeate the side, rear, and height channels.

The spatial interplay between the rhythm section and horns on a 7.1.4 home theater system is nothing short of masterful. The percussion team of Hernández, Changuito, and Orbegoso creates intricate polyrhythmic patterns that dance around the room with both precision and playfulness. The horn arrangements soar above this rhythmic foundation, alternating between tight ensemble passages and passionate solo statements.

From The Heart is the ninth entry in a series of high-resolution digital immersive releases brought to you by Immersive Audio Album in partnership with Alma Records, an independent 'music first' Canadian label focused primarily on jazz and world music. Alma is committed to remixing much of their back catalog in immersive audio, with several key titles from artists such as Monkey House, Cinque, The Florian Hoefner Trio, Amabutho, and more already available both via streaming services as well as the IAA shop. 

Immersive Audio Album offers Dolby Atmos digital downloads in the lossless TrueHD format. While streaming services offer convenience and access to a vast library of music, they also severely compress the audio to save bandwidth. With TrueHD, the inner detail and sonic clarity is much better preserved for home listeners.

For anyone interested in the continuing evolution of Latin jazz, From The Heart remains essential listening. The album is just as fresh and vital now as it was upon its original release in 2006, especially with the vibrant new spatial presentation. It represents the best of what happens when traditional Cuban music meets contemporary jazz sensibilities, all filtered through the lens of some of the finest musicians in the genre.

Purchase From The Heart in the IAA Shop!

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