(02 December 2006) The latest in concert recordings released by Annie Haslam--and presently exclusively by Voiceprint in the UK--is entitled LIVE Studio Concert (Voiceprint (UK) VP379CD, VPDVD20, 2006). The recording was done in a Philadelphia, PA studio for the Prism TV Network in 1997. A nine track DVD available in both PAL and NTSC, and a ten track CD are individually sold. The CD includes the bonus track "Goodbye Trees."

The recordings feature contributions by Annie Haslam's band at that time including: Rave Tesar (keyboards), Dave Biglin (keyboards, guitar, vocals) and Joe Goldberger (drums, percussion, backing vocals). The material is drawn from Annie's solo and Renaissance repertoire. Although the video recording has been available in the videotape community for some time, this is the first official release of the concert, mastered from original tapes. It is a must have for new and long time Annie Haslam and Renaissance fans.

Both viewers and listeners will be delighted with the quality of these releases. Video is crisp and perfectly synced with the audio. A small studio audience consistently expresses delight after each stunning performance. Annie's vocals are in impeccable and delightful form, consistently soaring across her stunning five octave range. Her solo material is exquisitely delivered. The band are tremendous at the Renaissance covers, obvioiusly influenced by Annie's blessed vocal work.

In addition to the inclusion of artist chat so often removed from live recordings, enthusiasts will be delighted with some of the more exclusive tracks Annie has chosen for these releases. Pay particular attention to the live performances of "Captive Heart" from Novella, "Sleepless Mother" and "Goodbye Trees." These recordings were performed in the run up to Annie's 1987 Brazilian tour and serve as stunning samples of what was to be delivered that spring.

Although the fan community has been flooded with a vast array of Renaissance remasters and various versions of both the band's and individual artists' live recordings--official and unofficial--these two exclusive Annie Haslam (and her band) recordings are certainly amongst the very best and are absolutely the most memorable live versions of the artist's work available today in these formats. The material harkens back to performances ten years ago. It produces high quality renditions of artists on stage earlier in their career than present day and in a configuration that was then only visible to a small subset of the world's population. These releases extend their reach substantially and will draw significant attention this year and in the years to come. Bravo!