A database of anechoic modern-jazz recordings for auralization

Anechoic music databases serve as essential tools for the auralization of acoustic environments through the use of measured or simulated impulse responses. Utilizing free-field recordings ensures the absence of early and late reflections, thereby preventing any undesired artifacts that might compromise the authenticity and integrity of the simulated auditory experience. Early public anechoic databases focused on European Classical music initially recorded as stereo and later evolved as individual instrument tracks and multi-channel instrument tracks recorded with spherical microphone arrays. While a dataset exists for early Jazz music, analogous databases for modern and contemporary Jazz remain scarce. To bridge this gap, a set of jazz sample tunes was recorded for various instrument configurations from solos to quintets at the hemi-anechoic chamber at the RWTH Aachen University, Institute of Technical Acoustics. The repertoire encompassed Jazz standards, including 12-bar blues form, 32-bar form, and rhythm changes, as well as free improvisation. The recorded ensembles included combinations of voice, soprano saxophone, guitar, bass, and drum set, in trio, quartet, and quintet formations. Unlike conventional anechoic recordings, which typically involve isolated performances accompanied by a virtual conductor or backtrack, these recordings capture simultaneous performances, allowing for real-time communication and improvisation among the musicians.