With Old Friends, The Secret Trio continues its mission of uniting people with the common language of music. As with their previous studio recordings, they use their diverse experience to blend eastern microtonal modes and complex time signatures with western harmony and form to create a refreshingly new sonic palette in breathtaking detail.
Old Friends is a seat in the studio experience tailor-made for audiophiles in search of true spatial imaging and depth.
The album is available at NativeDSD in Stereo and 5.1 Channel DSD 256, DSD 128, DSD 64 and DXD 32 Bit plus Stereo DSD 512 from the DXD 32 Bit Edit Master Source.
The Secret Trio is Ismail Lumanovski (Clarinet), Ara Dinkjian (Oud) and Tamer Pinarbasi (Kanun). Ismail Lumanovski, born in Macedonia in 1984, has become one of the most sought-after clarinetists in the world, performing as a featured classical soloist with symphonic orchestras, as well as appearing in major world music festivals. His versatility and virtuosity extend to all genres of music and improvisation.
The album was recorded Live to Stereo and 5.1 Channel Surround Sound DXD 32 Bit at the Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music in Brooklyn, New York. Engineered by Jim Anderson and Ulrike Schwarz at Anderson Audio NY.
Album Producer & Recording Engineer Jim Anderson tells us “In October 1988, David Baker asked me to engineer an album for him with a group that he was producing, Night Ark. The album was entitled “Moments”. The instruments there, were, to me, exotic, mysterious and, at the time, a bit out of the ordinary: oud, canoon, cumbus, bakdav, kaval, bendir, along with piano, bass, and percussion. These recording sessions would be my first, but not the last, meetings with many of these instruments.
Fortunately, I was spoiled from the beginning, as my original introduction to the sound of the oud and the others would be with the extraordinary musician Ara Dinkjian and Night Ark. Fortunately, some things never change and Ara is one of them. His musicianship, then, as now, is impeccable and he has always associated himself with equally extraordinary musicians.
The Secret Trio with kanun player Tamer Pinarbasi, clarinetist Ismail Lumanovsk, and Ara on oud sound, to me, as old friendly souls, or as the title of this album states: Old Friends. Together, the group has created an ageless sound and crafts timeless music that spans ages and links distant worlds. I welcome reuniting with my old friend Ara Dinkjian in the studio, once again, and hearing him in this context with Tamer and Ismail, The Secret Trio, and proudly present to you “Old Friends.”
The Secret Trio
Ismail Lumanovski, Clarinet
Ara Dinkjian, Oud
Tamer Pinarbasi, Kanun
Tracklist
Please note that the below previews are loaded as 44.1 kHz / 16 bit.Total time: 00:41:45
Additional information
| Label | |
|---|---|
| SKU | AANY218 |
| Qualities | DSD 512 fs, DSD 256 fs, DSD 128 fs, DSD 64 fs, DXD 32 Bit, DXD 24 Bit, WAV 192 kHz, FLAC 192 kHz, FLAC 96 kHz |
| Channels | 5.1ch Surround, 2ch Stereo, 6ch Surround, 2ch Stereo & 5.1ch Surround |
| Artists | |
| Composers | |
| Genres | |
| Original Recording Format | |
| Release Date | August 22, 2025 |
Press reviews
CD HotList
This is the third album from the trio of Macedonian clarinetist Ismail Lumanovski, Turkish kanun player Tamer Pınarbaşı, and Armenian oud player Art Dinkjian. I list their countries of national or ethnic origin because their ongoing project is significant not only musically, but also politically and culturally: Turkey, Macedonia, and Armenia have long and bloody histories of conflict between each other and other countries in the region, so there is symbolic importance to the musical collaboration between these three master musicians. (I don’t know if this was intentional, but there is also a sweet irony to the ensemble name: the Secret Trio was a group of ultra-nationalists within the Young Turks faction of the Turkish government during WWI; this group is generally considered to have engineered the Armenian Genocide.) The music itself, as usual, is magnificent: both the folk songs and the original compositions require breathtaking virtuosity and close listening between the players — there are many extended unison sections during which sprightly tempos and knotty rhythms pose thrilling challenges for the musicians and produce equally thrilling listening for us. The keening, modal melodies are by turns uplifting and melancholy. Highly recommended to all libraries.
Crossover Media
Imaging is pinpoint accurate, allowing each instrument to occupy its own space without losing cohesion. Overall, this mix captures the intimacy of the performance while showcasing the full potential of surround sound.
The 5.1 mix of Old Friends is nothing short of outstanding! The soundstage is wide and immersive, with a natural sense of depth that creates a truly holographic presentation — closing your eyes feels as if the performers are in the room. Dynamics are lively yet controlled, giving the music both impact and nuance. Tonal balance is smooth and well-integrated across the spectrum, with no part of the mix overshadowing another.
BobOsborne
With their new album Old Friends, The Secret Trio continues its mission of uniting people with the common language of music. As with their previous studio recordings (Soundscapes, Three of Us and Coexist), they use their diverse experience to blend eastern micro-tonal modes and complex time signatures with western harmony and form to create a refreshingly new sonic palette.
iDJ Pool
This album is fantastic! Listening to it on my studio headphones, I can really hear all the transients and the breath of the instruments. It’s a fantastic recording.
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