Andrew Lloyd-Webber: The Classical Tribute To celebrate the 60th birthday of Andrew Lloyd Webber, this spectacular album brings together recordings made by the most sought-after classical artists, including Jos Carreras, Placido Domingo, Ren e Fleming, Kiri Te Kanawa, and his own brother Julian Lloyd Webber. They perform highlights from Andrew Lloyd Webber’s most beloved works, such as Evita, Cats, The Phantom of the Opera, Jesus Christ Superstar, Aspects of Love, and Sunset Boulevard.
Customer Review: Beware!!!
I am a huge ALW fan and I was really excited for this cd. I guess I didn’t read the description close enough because only half (if that)of the songs on the cd are sung. I was hoping that there would be more songs sung by opera stars. Most of the tracks feature Julian Webber. Don’t get me wrong, he is very good, but not what I was expecting. The cd is great, but would have been better with more singing!!
Archive for September, 2009
Andrew Lloyd-Webber: The Classical Tribute
Wednesday, September 30th, 2009The Modern Jazz Quartet & Jimmy Giuffre: Complete Recordings
Wednesday, September 30th, 2009
The Modern Jazz Quartet & Jimmy Giuffre: Complete Recordings This important edition contains all of the recordings by the Modern Jazz Quartet featuring Jimmy Giuffre as the guest artist, recorded on August 1956 and 1957 at the Music Inn. As bonus tracks this CD concludes -due to a lack of space with three MJQ only interpretations. Disconforme. 2005.
Customer Review: Fresh and fun 50+ years later
It’s hard to believe these recordings from the Modern Jazz Quartet and Jimmy Giuffre are more than 52 years old! The Beatles weren’t even the Quarrymen yet. Listen to most other music from the same period and tell me how dated it sounds. Now listen to this–fresh and inventive and still daring and original.
Gershwin Plays Gershwin: The Piano Rolls
Wednesday, September 30th, 2009
Gershwin Plays Gershwin: The Piano Rolls Customer Review: Wonderful Gershwin music!
This CD has a great collection of most of my favorites of Gershwin’s pieces! The quality of sound is great and the performances are powerful. I recommend this CD to everyone!
Customer Review: Album for a Friend
I sent a copy of this cd to my best friend Art who is learning to play the piano. Here is what I wrote.
Dear Art,
The 1890’s and early 1900’s had their Ragtime music. In the 1920’s the popular sound was know as Tin Pan Alley. As a young composer George Gershwin was a major contributor to the Tin Pan Alley music genre.
R&B from the Marquee
Wednesday, September 30th, 2009
R&B from the Marquee Limited Edition Japanese pressing of this album comes housed in a miniature LP sleeve. 2007.
Hushabye Baby, Vol. 4: Lullaby Renditions of Country Music Favorites
Wednesday, September 30th, 2009
Hushabye Baby, Vol. 4: Lullaby Renditions of Country Music Favorites When it’s sleepy time but your little Punkin’ or Peanut won’t hit the hay, try counting sheep with Hushabye Baby. We’ve re-imagined country’s legendary hits as blanket-soft instrumental lullabies. The familiar melodies of Hank, Patsy, and Merle are plucked on a well-worn guitar, while gentle percussion and warm pedal steel lull baby to sweet slumber. Mom and Dad will also love these dreamy versions of their favorite songs including “Sweet Dreams,” “Coal Miner’s Daughter,” and “Mamas, Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys,” not to mention the blissfully quiet moments they inspire.
Beats & Rhymes: Hip-Hop Of The ’90s - Part 2
Wednesday, September 30th, 2009
Beats & Rhymes: Hip-Hop Of The ’90s - Part 2 Anthologist Quincy Newell’s superb series continues with a snapshot of the tracks that underground hip-hop radio was banging in 1991. Rap was starting to splinter into factions: there was Will Smith (as the Fresh Prince) and the poppy side of Heavy D. in one corner, and in the other was the gunslinging school that was starting to develop into a gangsta culture on the West Coast (and that Run-DMC, surprisingly, allied themselves with). But there was also a third way–the politics-and-dancing route of Brand Nubian and Leaders of the New School–and a fourth, the wildly creative, nearly absurdist flow of cult favorites like Organized Konfusion and the Ultramagnetic MCs. And Chubb Rock, who ruled the underground’s dance floors and broadcasts that year, shows up with three stone classics. –Douglas Wolk
Customer Review: WOO WOO, Tribe Rockin the House as USUAL!!!!
Tribe is the bomb-diggity, no doub
Rock in Rio
Wednesday, September 30th, 2009
Rock in Rio Recorded during Iron Maiden’s headlining 2001 performance at the Rio Rock Festival, this double CD finds the legendary metal outfit in fearsome form. Revitalized thanks to the return of original singer Bruce Dickinson for 2000’s Brave New World, the one-time East London bar band clearly relishes tearing through old and choice new songs in front of 250,000 people–the biggest crowd they’d ever seen. This is traditional metal at its squealing, pummeling best. Established classics like “Wrathchild” and “Two Minutes to Midnight” reemphasize all that is unashamedly great about proper heavy metal, including the rock-solid riffing, the brick-outhouse rhythms, and the outrageous solos. The early 1980s hits “Number of the Beast” and “Run to the Hills” prove that Iron Maiden can deliver a sing-along chorus that will rattle around the inside of your skull for hours, if not days. What really makes Rock in Rio, though, is the near studio-quality production and the rabid reaction of the South American throng, who do their best to drown out the band. Here is proof, if any is needed, that Dickinson and company are up there with the rock greats. –Ian Watson
Customer Review: All Time Greats
Wow. How old are these guys? This is a great album from a great band. It’s hard to believe how little airplay these guys get. There is so much that is amazing here. The new songs from “Brave New World” are excellent. At least as good as anything they’ve done. The new songs have a Celtic folk flavor that adds a great deal of depth and heart to Iron Maiden’s otherwise outstanding songwriting. Dickenson is in fine voice. Ever the theatrical performer. The instrumentalists are also very, very good. Dave Murray is unbelievable. Smith is his perfect foil. I don’t know if Gers is quite as good. But he does have terrific chops and helps write some of their best (newer) songs. Steve Harris is a great bass player. It’s all here. Any serious Maiden fan has to have this album. Any serious hard rock fan should be sure to listen to it. Monsters of Metal. One of the best bands of all time (I’m serious).
Customer Review: I THOUGHT TO MYSELF “BIG DEAL ANOTHER LIVE MAIDEN CD” WRONG!!!! “ROCK IN RIO” BELONGS WITH “LIVE AFTER DEATH” PERFORMANCE WISE.
I have to admit this live Maiden album surprised me at how good it really is. The thing that amazes me is how a crowd of 250,000 people sang along with Bruce and sounds so damn good. Usually when a crowd sings along with a live band performance it totally blows, but with Rio I was totally amazed at how well Bruce and the Maiden pulled this off. Bruce Dickinsons vocals are ripe and blistering. There is alot of “Brave New World” material on this cd, because “Brave New World” was released several months before this January 2001 “Rio” show. “Brave New World” was new and fresh so alot of material from this BNW was played on this Rio cd. The early 1980s songs were performed beautifully. There were also three guitar players on this Rio cd. Believe me Maiden needed three guitar players to pull of some these excellent live song performances. Bruce performs “The Clansman” and “Sign Of The Cross”, believe me Bruce sang this Blaze material really well, and actually sounds better than Blaze himself. Whatever Blaze lacked in the vocal range in these two songs Bruce more than adequetly filled in, and it shows when you hear these two songs performed on this “Rio” cd. The only thing that annoyed me, there was no “Wasted Years”. After all these years Maiden still got that great live performance magic. I did’nt think Rio would be so good, I have to admitt this Rio cd rocks. Any metal hard or rock fan should own “Rock in Rio” along with “Live After Death”
Child’s Celebration of Classical Music
Tuesday, September 29th, 2009
Child’s Celebration of Classical Music A Child’s Celebration of Classical Music, like its esteemed peers in the Music for Little People series, is not only of superior quality, it caters to the interest of kids without dumbing down the music. Beginning with the lively Boston Pops Orchestra rendition of “In the Hall of the Mountain King,” this collection draws the listener into worlds created by orchestral majesty, powerful buildups, and exquisite narrative. Meryl Streep’s buttery tones preface Ravel’s magically ruminative “Sleeping Beauty” and Carol Channing is simply marvelous in her telling of the giggle-inducing yarn of “Gerald McBoing Boing,” as set to strings and drums, cymbal clashes, and horn accents. David Bowie provides a distinguished narration to Prokofiev’s nearly-30-minute-long “Peter and the Wolf” suite, a classic which still thrills and delights audiences half a century after the composer’s death. Throughout, children will delight in distinguishing the wide array of instruments and the sounds they represent. –Paige La Grone
Customer Review: Surprisingly enjoyable
This is definitely not what I expected in a classical music tape, but still a surprisingly enjoyable to listen to. I bought it for my 4 year old who loves to listen to what he calls “kid’s songs” and hoped that it wouldn’t totally annoy my older children. This one is a winner, though, ALL the kids (ages 2 to 11) really like it. Bobby McFerrin’s Music Box is really quite amazing and you appreciate his talent the more you listen to it (although I would never have guessed this was classical music.) The water music rendition is equally fun. My only complaint is that Gerald McBoing is waaaay too long, but still it fascinated the kids so I guess it’s worth it! The variety of music contained on the tape keeps it fresh.
Customer Review: Wonderful!!!
Kids will eat this up! The selection of readers and singers are brilliant. Not only will the stories entertain children but they will learn from a young age that classical dosn’t mean boring! Danny Kaye is one of my favorite people. His voice has always captured me somehow. I have seen my siblings listen in amazement to Boby McFerrin’s amazing “voice”. His portrayel of a music box is highly impressive. The way this CD combines the old with the new, the humorous with the soothing, and the music with the story telling, leaves me feeling up-lifted and calm. A complete must-have for children and adults alike!
West Coast Jazz
Tuesday, September 29th, 2009
West Coast Jazz Customer Review: West Coast Jazz
West Coast Jazz
Heard this on KJAZZ and just had to have it. Very cool. It’s my first Stan Getz CD.
Customer Review: Stan Getz, music for any coast
Buy it and you’ll smile every time you listen.
Bobby “Blue” Bland Greatest Hits Vol. 2: The ABC-Dunhill/MCA Recordings
Tuesday, September 29th, 2009
Bobby “Blue” Bland Greatest Hits Vol. 2: The ABC-Dunhill/MCA Recordings Bobby Bland’s uptown, brass-and-strings-drenched blues kept him on the charts long after gut-bucket kings such as Howlin’ Wolf and Muddy Waters had dropped from black-radio airwaves. The artistic successes chronicled on this second volume of his greatest hits shouldn’t come as a surprise, then, despite the frequent input of ultracommercial producer Steve Barri, who’d crafted AM hits for acts as diverse as the Grass Roots and the post-Motown Four Tops. Even with some accommodations to trends (the disco beat of “The Soul of a Man,” chicken-scratching guitars here, there, and everywhere), Bland kept on being Bland, cutting country songs (”Today I Started Loving You Again”) and blues standards (”Goin’ Down Slow”) and investing Dan Penn’s “I Hate You” with a unique pungency. This disc performs a valuable service in lifting the veil from an often-overlooked period in the career of one of American music’s most important interpretive singers. –Rickey Wright
Customer Review: “You’re A Link In My Chain…Someone Will Chase The Clouds Away…”
Subtitled “The ABC-Dunhill/MCA Recordings” this 1998 USA-only compilation is a deceptive little bugger that packs a whole lot more punch than it’s naff title and sleeve would suggest. It covers the period 1973 to 1982 and therefore gives us some great-sounding remasters from a criminally under-represented part of Bland’s extraordinary career.