The CD sounds terrific, but on the LP I hear more air around the instruments, and more bottom-end punch. Graham Maby’s bass in the New York session has more attack, and each note is fuller, with longer sustain. Brian Blade’s brushes on snare drum in the title track are more focused and audible, and Jackson’s piano sounds larger and more impressive. His voice is more centered and out front, and it’s easier to hear the texture in it.
On vinyl, Blade’s drums are set off more in “If It Wasn’t for You,” and his cymbal splashes hang in the air longer. Bill Frisell’s guitar solo in “See No Evil” has more bite, and the background vocals at the close of the track are more layered. “A Little Smile” (Amsterdam) sounds just a little more lively, and Jackson’s piano is more driving. The strings in “Far Away” sound richer, and Stefan Kruger’s drums snap with more body and authority.
On vinyl, the music has more room to expand and deepen. Jackson’s voice in “So You Say” (Amsterdam) is more nuanced and warm, and his piano solo is more natural and sounds clearer. Earl Harvin’s drums in “Junky Diva” (Berlin) ring more sharply, and the reverb echoes more strongly. Overall, this track comes across more subtly on vinyl.
Fast Forward isn’t massively better on LP than on CD -- on either format, it’s a very enjoyable record. But in the small ways that bring me back repeatedly to a recording, the vinyl is the more enjoyable format. Markus Ehrlich’s tenor sax in “If I Could See Your Face” (Berlin) has more timbral detail, with less edginess. Stanton Moore’s drums in the New Orleans session sound impressively large on both formats, but more expansive on vinyl. The instruments in “Satellite” are more balanced on LP; on CD, they sound a bit too close together.
Soundstage
This album, for the sound alone, is definitely 4 star! Generally the music is enjoyable although there is a weird track 'If I Could See Your Face' which refers to a band of brothers tracking down their sister and killing her - not quite the subject of a rock song you may think? Other than that I think the album is good and well worth the purchase. Stand out track for me is definitely 'Fast Forward'!
