Die Telefunken Jahre 1959-1974 (Japanese Edition)

For years I have waited for one project from Warner Japan: a CD with all the 15 recordings Caterina Valente made in Japanese language during the sixties. I cannot understand why this never happened. I for example LOVE her jazzy big band-version of "Sakura", which is not included in this set. So Warner Japan - here is my request: "Caterina Valente in Japan" - and please in that beautiful quality that I found on this brilliant 4-CD-set. Did I already mention that I love Japanese sound engineers? I bet I did already, but I cannot repeat it often enough. Caterina Valente is the most unique and versatile artist that ever started it's career from Europe - during the 50's to the mid-60's she was the only European artist of world class-format. She sang in 10 languages, played several instruments, she hosted Germany's first personality show, made several movies and had TV-shows and acclaimed concert-tours all around the globe. She worked with stars like Ella Fitzgerald, Dean Martin, Bing Crosby and many more. She is the most versatile artist I know and I was lucky enough to have seen her live several times. For a long time most of her recorded legacy was hard to get. Only thanks to the German Bear Family label many treasures have been brought to daylight on CD over the past 15 years or so. Bear Family already has very high quality standards, but when I listened to this Japanese edition of the "Telefunken-Jahre" , I was stunned. Not all songs sound top-notch (the first on CD 1 for example suffers some distortions from to high recording levels), but let's say 90% of those 101 songs never sounded better. Especially the CDs 2 and 3 are mastered brilliantly. In some songs I could hear details I never heard before so clear was the sound. A few of those recordings remain unreleased in Germany until today. Especially the Latin songs sound superb - and those with the Stanley Black orchestra must have been remixed and remastered from at least 3-track-tapes. The sound quality is that good, that I wish this would be released on SACD. So I have to send a huge ARIGATO GOZAIMASHITA to Warner Japan. I am so lucky I bought this edition I nearly overlooked, because it has the same cover as a German release from 2006 - luckily I noticed that the tracklist of the Japanese 4-CD-set is vastly different. This Set is a top-job that should not be missed by any Caterina Valente-fan worldwide.