Mainstream

Mainstream

ASIN: B000003RT8

Track Listings

1. Sol Caliente

2. Trumpets With Motherhood

3. Bargain Classics

4. R.F.D.

5. Mummy Was an Asteroid, Daddy Was a Small Non-Stick Kitchen Utensil

6. Trot

7. Rongwrong

Editorial Reviews
Product Description
Working with Brian Eno, Manzanera returns to the prog-rock of Roxy Music's early 70s albums on "Quiet Sun Mainstream". Expression. 2004.

Tracks:

A Tisket a Tasket - Natalie Cole
Lullaby Of Birdland - Chaka Khan
The Lady Is a Tramp - Queen Latifah
Dream a Little Dream Of Me - Diana Krall
(You'll Have To Swing It) Mr. Paganini - Natalie Cole
Oh Lady Be Good! - Dianne Reeves
Reaching For the Moon - Lizz Wright
Blues In the Night - Ledisi
Miss Otis Regrets - Linda Ronstadt
Someone To Watch Over Me - Gladys Knight
Do Nothin' Till You Hear From Me - Etta James
Angel Eyes - K.D. Lang
Too Close For Comfort - Michael Buble
You Are the Sunshine Of My Life - Stevie Wonder
Airmail Special - Nikki Yanofsky

Amazon.com

Covering songs made famous by Ella Fitzgerald is a daunting endeavor, since only Billie Holiday and Sarah Vaughan challenge her place as the premier female jazz vocalist in history. But the late Fitzgerald inspired and influenced a wide array of talented acolytes--from Natalie Cole to k.d. lang to Dianne Reeves--many of whom gather on this spirited, Phil Ramone-produced tribute to partially benefit the Ella Fitzgerald Charitable Foundation. Cole, backed by an eager gaggle of call-and-response male worshippers, breathes fun new life into the swingy "A-Tisket, A-Tasket," while Chaka Khan, showcasing the breadth of her range, delivers a transporting rendition of the enchanting jazz blues "Lullaby of Birdland." (The two also team up for a delicious scat-fest on "Mr. Paganini.") If lang is equally transfixing on the ballad "Angel Eyes," it's newcomer Ledisi who steals the show with "Blues in the Night," her expansive soprano often mimicking a muted or full-tilt trumpet, one of Fitzgerald's hallmarks. Performances from Etta James and Nikki Yanofsky also rivet, even if Diana Krall and Hank Jones's "Dream a Little Dream of Me" comes across as a little too sleepy, and Gladys Knight is probably not the best singer for "Someone to Watch Over Me." The album surprises with a live duet ("You Are the Sunshine of My Life") between Fitzgerald and Stevie Wonder, recorded at the 1977 New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival. Although it seems tacked on, it doesn't grate nearly as much as Michael Bublé's "Too Close for Comfort," so slick it would put an eel to shame. Skip over that transgression, and turn to the antidote of Lizz Wright's sultry take on the melancholy "Reaching for the Moon," which plumbs emotional depths not even the ever-joyous Great Lady managed to attain. --Alanna Nash

Album Description

A star-studded album from legendary producer Phil Ramone pays tribute to one of the most celebrated female vocalists of all time, Ella Fitzgerald.

This CD includes performers such as Stevie Wonder, Diana Krall, Michael Buble, Natalie Cole, Chaka Khan, Ledisi, Lizz Wright, Queen Latifah, Etta James, Gladys Knight, Linda Ronstadt, Dianne Reeves and more.

Customer Reviews:

This is good, but I love Ella more than the folks trying to sing her.......2007-07-03

My favorite part of this collection was Ella and Stevie Wonder singing "Sunshine of my Life." The blend of their voices was amazing. If it possibly could have been done, I'd love to have seen the video of this performance.

Of the tributes, Ledisi's "Blues in the Night" blew me away. Her vocalese imitation of a trumpet was one of the best impressions I have ever heard.

I also liked hearing Natalie Cole and Chaka Khan in duet on "If you can't sing it, you'll have to swing it." Etta James' alto was definitely refreshing on "Wait til you hear from me." She's the only woman on the CD with a voice in the lower registers and definitely different from the other vocalists.

Great CD, especially for someone new to trad jazz.......2007-06-27

This is the second CD I've purchased of music from Ella Fitzgerald's era. I have one CD of Dave Grusin pays Homage to Duke Ellington and I didn't like it at all. But this CD is great! It has a variety of vocalists who are tops in their field, mostly jazz but some rock (Linda Ronstadt and K.D. Laing). The orchestration and vocal stylings are all excellent with great variety. The selection of artists is about as good as good gets. Practically no one great was left out that I know of who sings in this genre. Buy it as a great introduction to this era.

Should Be A Grammy Winner In 2008!.......2007-06-11

'We All Love Ella' is a first rate tribute to the First Lady Of Song, Ella Fitzgerald. While I agree with the previous reviewer on many points, I'll try to focus on the project as a whole. Verve must be commended for asembling such a formidible list of singers & musicians on this CD, and you can't help but feel good while listening to the various interpretations, which are all top rate. The one track which caught my attention from the start was the LONG OVERDUE DUET between Natalie Cole & Chaka Khan! The two divas' voices blend SO WELL on '(If You Can't Sing It) You'll Have To Swing It (A.K.A. Mr.Paganini)', and I also love the arrangement of the song, which is long enough for Chaka & Natalie to sing & scat up a storm.

There are so many other highlights on 'We All Love Ella', BUT the failure to include songs by TWO prominent Ella disciples (Patti Austin & Dee Dee Bridgewater), was questionable (IMO). Both of these legendary singers recorded Ella tribute projects in the past ('Dear Ella' & 'For Ella' respectively!), and they could've shined on this new CD singing 'Our Love Is Here To Stay' & 'How High The Moon ?'. Both of these songs are Ella classics without question, but are absent on 'We All Love Ella'. Oh well, maybe Verve will cook up Volume 2 ?

All in all 'We Love Ella - Celebrating The First Lady Of Song' is a first rate tribute to an American Icon, and I applaud everyone involved for the great music...which is one of the finest 'tribute' projects in recent memory. I'd also like to thank Phil Ramone for NOT releasing a shabby collection of songs (most of those countless 'remake' CDs on Shanachie Records comes to mind!!). Obviously a lot of thought & time was invested in producing 'We All Love Ella', so I'd recommend it to jazz lovers everywhere.
Peace, SD
(of 'Chakasworld')

A fitting tribute to a true Lady of Song........2007-06-05

Wikipendia: "Ella Fitzgerald (April 25, 1917 - June 15, 1996), also known as Lady Ella and the First Lady of Song, is considered one of the most influential jazz vocalists of the 20th Century.

With a vocal range spanning three octaves, she was noted for her purity of tone, near faultless phrasing and intonation, and a "horn-like" improvisational ability, particularly in her scat singing. She is widely considered to have been one of the supreme interpreters of the Great American Songbook...."
This is a heartfelt, loving tribute to the great singer for which Verve Records has gathered a top-notch group of genre-spanning artists and a legendary producer to create an album that genuinely pays tribute to its original subject.
"We All Love Ella" is produced by hit maker Phil Ramone and filled with passionate performances of classics made famous by Ella and sung by world-renowned singers and break-out stars Michael Bublé, Natalie Cole, Chaka Khan, Gladys Knight, Diana Krall, k.d. lang, Queen Latifah, Ledisi, Dianne Reeves, Linda Ronstadt and Lizz Wright.
Most of them are part of the so-called SERIAL COLLABORATORS, a new generation of musicians, who have all but abandoned their own musical endeavours in favour of hitching a ride in this kind of music projects, call them DUET or TRIBUTE albums.
Whether it's Diana Krall's tender "Dream A Little Dream", Natalie Cole's swingin' "A-Tisket, A-Tasket", k.d. lang's sultry "Angel Eyes" or the extraordinarily sassy and powerful "Blues in the Night" by newcomer Ledesi, the performances on "We All Love Ella" keenly display Fitzgerald's expansive musical range and show how her style influenced generations of musicians from all backgrounds
The woman herself, Ella, appears on the album.
In 1977, Stevie Wonder sat in with Ella during her performance at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival. This impromptu collaboration yielded a charming duet on Stevie's classic "You are the Sunshine of my Life". This recording is released for the first time over on this tribute album!
Many are the guest musicians :Gerald Clayton (Piano), Billy Childs Trio (piano, arranger), Regina Carter (violin), Alan Broadbent(Piano), Christian McBride (bass), Dean Parks (Guitar), Tom Scott (Saxophone), Anthony Wilson (Guitar), just to name a few.
Genius Loves Company
A Tribute To Joni Mitchell
Duets: An American Classic
So Amazing...An All-Star Tribute to Luther Vandross
DuetsDuets II
All in one world, a great homage to the Great Lady of Song.
Enjoy

Average customer rating:

Diana Krall Excells!
"From This Moment On" ~ Diana Krall
From This Moment On
What went on with Ms. Krall?
There's no one like her

From This Moment On
Diana Krall
Manufacturer: Verve
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000GG4KTU
Release Date: 2006-09-19

Tracks:

It Could Happen to You
Isnt This A Lovely Day
How Insensitive
Exactly Like You
From This Moment On
I was Doing All Right
Little Girl Blue
Day In Day Out
Willow Weep For Me
Come Dance With Me
You Can Depend On Me

Amazon.com

This album appears in the footsteps of 2004's The Girl in the Other Room but doesn't sound like a follow-up. Whereas The Girl saw the pianist-singer abandon the Great American Songbook for more personal pastures, From This Moment On sees her working out on standards done in traditional arrangements. Although the tracks here are by the likes of Cole Porter, Jimmy Van Heusen and Sammy Cahn, and the Gershwins, Krall sounds more at ease than ever before; perhaps digging deep inside on The Girl loosened her up. Backed by the Clayton/Hamilton Jazz Orchestra on seven tracks, Krall sings off the big band with ease. On the title track, she keeps up with a galloping bass and explosive brass arrangements and even ventures into scatting toward the end of the song. Her voice has also acquired a wonderfully worn texture in the past few years, and it works wonders on the ballads (just listen to "Isn't This a Lovely Day" and "Little Girl Blue" for instance). When standards are done like this, there's just nothing like 'em. --Elisabeth Vincentelli

Album Description

From This Moment On is an 11-song collection that captures the Canadian-born sensation in full swing, in great company, and at the top of her game. It could also be called her strongest, most cohesive release to date. Krall--for the few still unknowing--is the 41-year old sensation whose cool, heavy-lidded vocals and strikingly sensitive piano-playing has helped her transcend barriers of genre to become a popular artist of the first order who has carved herself a permanent position at the top of the jazz charts. In songs, mood, and delivery, From This Moment On reveals Krall's personal ardor for that golden era of song-making, when Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, and (especially) Nat "King" Cole were in their prime. It's musical territory that Krall has often explored, but this album was certainly not a case of simply repeating past formulas: Krall's A-team of support--producer Tommy LiPuma, engineer Al Schmitt, and arranger/bandleader John Clayton--were on hand to ensure that inspiration was kept on an edge, unhindered by the studio environment.

More Diana Krall

All for You: A Dedication to the Nat King Cole Trio
Live in Paris
Love Scenes

The Girl in the Other Room
Christmas Songs
Stepping Out

Customer Reviews:

Diana Krall Excells!.......2007-06-27

Diana has one of the greatest voices in the jazz biz. She plays a great piano, sings as a song bird, and is truly a marvelous performer.
(Cute too.)

Buy this one. If you like jazz, it is a Must in your portfolio/collection.

"From This Moment On" ~ Diana Krall.......2007-06-26

Listening to my CD of Diana Krall, "From This Moment On," is so relaxing.
Diana executes her songs with her strong, yet mellow voice.
The "back-up" band is a great asset to this CD, so between Diana singing and the band playing, you feel like you're "In Concert!"

Everyone HAS to hear it to believe it!

Mike

From This Moment On.......2007-06-10

From This Moment On~ Diana Krall is easy listening jazz at its best. Ms Kralls vocal skills are remarkable and she sings these traditional jazz tunes with conviction and fortitude of a grandmaster of jazz. The book-let is beautifull if a bit sparse. The photographs are simply put it amazing and she looks stunning. The production value is right on the money and I like it since it so easy to listen to even for jazz beginners such as myself. Highly recommended indeed and I easily give this album 5 out of 5 stars.

What went on with Ms. Krall?.......2007-05-24

Repertoire consists of rather expected standards. All broadly covered brilliantly by so many vocalists in the past. Ms. Krall and her arrangers adds nothing at all.

Singing offers no surprise than a mainstream singer would do.

Orchestra is currently the darling big band of the time being. Good players, rare good ideas, nothing impelling.

There is an original and beautiful arrangement here: for the track 'How Insensitive'.

And that's all. Let's wait for the next Krall album.

There's no one like her.......2007-05-12

What is there to say? Diana Krall is simply the best. This album is another fine example of consistently high quality musicianship.

Average customer rating:

It just doesn't get any better......
Every Collector's Must Have!
Beautiful
View fom Sugarloaf Mountain
Riding at Full Throttle on Top of Bossa Nova!

Getz/Gilberto
Stan Getz , Joao Gilberto , and Astrud Gilberto
Manufacturer: Polygram Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Brazil | South & Central America | International | Styles | Music

Latin Pop | Latin Music | Styles | Music

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Astrud Gilberto's Finest Hour

ASIN: B0000047CX
Release Date: 1997-05-20

Tracks:

The Girl From Ipanema
Doralice
Para Machuchar Meu Coracao
Desafinado (Off Key)
Corcovado (Quiet Nights Of Quiet Stars)
So Danco Samba
O Grande Amor
Vivo Sonhando (Dreamer)
The Girl From Ipanema - 45 RPM Issue
Corcovado (Quiet Nights Of Quiet Stars) - 45 RPM Issue

Amazon.com essential recording

Originally released in March 1964, this collaboration between saxophonist Stan Getz and guitarist João Gilberto came at seemingly the end of the bossa nova craze Getz himself had sparked in 1962 with Jazz Samba, his release with American guitarist Charlie Byrd. Jazz Samba remains the only jazz album to reach number one in the pop charts. In fact, the story goes that Getz had to push for the release of Getz/Gilberto since the company did not want to compete with its own hit; it was a good thing he did. Getz/Gilberto, which featured composer Antonio Carlos Jobim on piano, not only yielded the hit "Girl from Ipanema" (sung by Astrud Gilberto, the guitarist's wife, who had no professional experience) but also "Corcovado" ("Quiet Night")--an instant standard, and the definitive version of "Desafinado." Getz/Gilberto spent 96 weeks in the charts and won four Grammys. It remains one of those rare cases in popular music where commercial success matches artistic merit. Bossa nova's "cool" aesthetic--with its understated rhythms, rich harmonies, and slightly detached delivery--had been influenced, in part, by cool jazz. Gilberto in particular was a Stan Getz fan. Getz, with his lyricism, the bittersweet longing in his sound, and his restrained but strong swing, was the perfect fit. His lines, at once decisive and evanescent, focus the rest of the group's performance without overpowering. A classic. --Fernando Gonzalez

Customer Reviews:

It just doesn't get any better.............2007-06-30

....than this. Some very good albums may define a singer; some great ones, like "Tapestry" and "No Secrets", can define a whole generation. Here, we have an album so great we could use it to define "music".

There are conflicting stories as to how this recording, or, at least, Astrud Gilberto's part in it, came to be. At this distance in time, who cares? The late Stan Getz was said to be an unpleasant man. Who cares? He was, you see, a genius, who played the sax like nobody before, or since. Astrud Gilberto supports some political causes that I can't stand. Who cares? She's the prototype of a whole genre...another may be a little prettier, or have a little better voice, but Astrud is still "the original"; all others are copies. Music and politics shouldn't mix, anyway.

Here we have a collection of talent in one place not equaled till "The Blues Brothers". Besides Getz and Astrud, we have Antonio Carlos Jobim and Astrud's then husband, Joao. Great music, well played, and recorded to perfection. EVERYBODY needs at least one copy of this.

Every Collector's Must Have!.......2007-06-08

This is a classic if you don't have this you are missing out! Very relaxing.

Beautiful.......2007-05-22

This is a classic and worth its great reputation. No wonder it has remained popular for so many, many years. It is one of the few albums I enjoyed as a teenager and still enjoy 40 years later!

View fom Sugarloaf Mountain.......2007-03-14

Much has been said about this disc over the past nearly 45 years since it's recording and here at Amazon; mostly all positive here as the 136 reviews averaging five stars can testify to. I listened to this LP many years, off and on since it's original release and recently purchased the CD version so I may take it anywhere on my I-Pod. It goes without saying it is essential music. The understated vibe whispers classic. The pairing of Getz and Gilberto seems as natural and beautiful as sunsets on the beach on Rio de Janeiro. The soft sensual vocals of Joao and Astrud Gilberto pair well with the robust yet minimilist sax work Stan Getz to create an exquisite recording. The contribution by Antonio Carlos Jobim on piano cannot be overlooked as he helped create the total ambience. Soft romantic melodies results from the joining of these two forces in their respective fields to create the definitive bossa nova sound. The model for which bossa nova has been defined by is the quintessential "The Girl From Ipanema" features the famous duet by husband and wife Astrud and Joao Gilberto that is complimented by the cool tenor sax work by Getz twice on this disc;included is the 45rpm issue that was popular on the airwaves during the time period.It is ironic that Gilberto and Antonio Carlos Jobim did not want her to sing on what has become arguably one of the most recognized bossa nova songs ever recorded. The total recording is a reflection of a turbulent time in the world when peaceful music waft down from Sugarloaf mountain for the world to take notice and they have never stopped noticing. Maybe in our contemporay world of war and chaos we need more of the peaceful vibe of the bossa nova again. If you have never experienced this classic recording, check it out,it does still sound good after all these years. Recommended for jazz and Brazilian music enthusiasts.

Riding at Full Throttle on Top of Bossa Nova!.......2007-02-17

Bossa Nova started in Brazil in the late `50s. The "First Generation" included Antonio Carlos Jobim, Joao Gilberto and Vinicius de Moraes as their main artists. Their themes were composed focusing on "Love, Smiles & Flowers" and greatly influenced Latin America's music and even USA's jazz composers.

The present CD was recorded in 1963 when Bossa Nova was the "new thing" mixing with Jazz and conquering USA.
Three geniuses, Joao Gilberto (guitar and vocals), Stan Getz (tenor saxophone) and "Tom" Jobim (piano and composer of eight of the ten musical pieces in the CD) join and mix their efforts to give the audience an outstanding performance.
On top of all that Astrud Gilberto sang "Girl from Ipanema" (she had never before performed professionally) and became instantly a star.
Sebastiao Neto bass and Milton Banana drums complete the musical team.

"Girl from Ipanema" make you feel being at the wonderful Ipanema Beach surrounded by the loveliest girls in the world (believe me, I've been there). Astrud's voice is just unbelievable.
I recommend hearing, enjoying and comparing this song's version with the one recorded in 1967 by Sinatra and Jobim.
"Corcovado" aka "Quiet Nights of Quiet Stars" evokes those wonderful starred nights from Rio de Janeiro, with all their sensual appeal, hearing soft guitar music. Getz's saxophone phrasing is just from another world!
"Para Machucar Meu Coracao" ("To Hurt my Heart" authored by Ary Barroso) is the story of a love affaire gone sour. Joao Gilberto's voice is able to express heartrending pain.

This CD is one of the Top Popular Music in my personal selection, tied up with before mentioned Jobim-Sinatra. I recommend it warmly!
Reviewed by Max Yofre.

Average customer rating:

Soothing and relaxing
beautifully romanic
Great music for that special relaxing mood !
Botti's Best
Music to live and love by.

When I Fall In Love
Chris Botti
Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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To Love Again
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To Love Again
December

ASIN: B0002VL0K6
Release Date: 2004-09-28

Tracks:

When I Fall In Love
What'll I Do?
No Ordinary Love
My Romance
Let's Fall In Love
Cinema Paradiso
Someone To Watch Over Me
La Belle Dame Sans Regrets
Nearness Of You
How Love Should Be
Make Someone Happy
One For My Baby And One More For The Road
Time To Say Goodbye (Con te Partiro)

Amazon.com

This is not the typical example of an artist from another genre jumping on the crowded standards-and-ballads bandwagon. When I Fall in Love instead represents an instrumental stylist busting out of a box to find a much more suitable platform for his craft. These tracks are the fruits of an obvious labor of love for everyone from the featured musicians to the arrangers to the engineers. The arrangers, particularly Billy Childs and Gil Goldstein, give Botti's trumpet a broad-brushed orchestral backdrop that allows him to emerge from the swirling strings and bouncy horns with bold strokes of creative improvising. Some tracks are obvious nods to Gil Evans and the lush arrangements of 1970s CTI recordings. Even the guest vocalists, Sting and Paula Cole, let his trumpet sing first before their respective cues on "La Belle Dame Sans Regrets" and "What'll I Do." The only blemish here is the obvious attempt at smooth jazz airplay with Sade's "No Ordinary Love." --Mark Ruffin

Customer Reviews:

Soothing and relaxing.......2007-06-16

Beautiful music to soothe the soul...highly recommended!

beautifully romanic.......2007-06-13

Chris Botti is spectacular. What a great talent. This CD is so far my favorite, but then I still have not heard all of his. It is so romantic, peaceful, and happy. I love it.

Great music for that special relaxing mood !.......2007-06-13

I bought this CD for my husband (he is a big Smooth Jazz lover). After I heard it I thought the CD was so romantic and it just set the mood for a fine relaxing evening for the two of us. Guess I'm now a Smooth Jazz lover.

Botti's Best.......2007-03-09

A must have album for all Botti fans anyone that loves good music. In fact, I'm listening to the CD now for the 20th time. Buy it !

Music to live and love by........2007-02-13

Chris has a wonderfully romantic sound. I am writing this review the day before Valentines Day, You guessed it; I'll be playing the CD for the next couple of days.

Average customer rating:

Chris Botti "To Love Again" C/D
excellent
LOVE IT !!!!!
Inspiration and Affirmation
A CD I cannot use

To Love Again
Chris Botti
Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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December

ASIN: B000B9EYF2
Release Date: 2005-10-18

Tracks:

Embraceable You
What Are You Doing The Rest Of Your Life? - Featuring Sting
My One And Only Love - Featuring Paula Cole
Let There Be Love - Featuring Michael Bubl
What's New?
Good Morning Heartache - Featuring Jill Scott
To Love Again
Are You Lonesome Tonight? - Featuring Paul Buchanan
Lover Man - Featuring Gladys Knight
I'll Be Seeing You - Featuring Billy Childs
Pennies From Heaven - Featuring Renee Olstead
Here's That Rainy Day - Featuring Rosa Passos
Smile - Featuring Steven Tyler

Amazon.com

Somewhere, Kenny G is hiding behind his cascading ringlets in shame. Chris Botti, a jazz world super-talent whose trumpeting earns frequent comparisons to Miles Davis and Chet Baker, has found the formula for classing up the pop charts, and within it there's not a single soaring sax or tired attempt at career revivalism to be found. What we're treated to instead is an all-star lineup (Sting, Gladys Knight, Michael Buble and others) vocally saluting a musician whose resume reads like a page torn out of the Rock Snob's Dictionary: in addition to touring with Sting, Botti has played sideman to Paul Simon, Natalie Merchant, Joni Mitchell, and dozens more. Here that experience pays off handsomely. Gone are the matinee-idol smooth artist's earlier experiments with jazz synthesizers and pop-fusion compositions (see 2002's Night Sessions for those), and present in their place are his classical instincts. Gil Evans might have been his guide as the unmistakable opener "Embraceable You," one of a handful of instrumental tracks, swirls into the enchanting, ultra-sophisticated "What Are You Doing the Rest of Your Life," for instance, and listeners need not feel like fogies for loving it. If Steven Tyler can sign on to sing along with a traditional arrangement of Charlie Chaplin's "Smile" while the London Session Orchestra lays down its trademark jazz lushness behind him, after all, you can let down your guard long enough to admit this disc leaves you feeling vaguely dreamy. --Tammy La Gorce

Customer Reviews:

Chris Botti "To Love Again" C/D.......2007-05-13

This is the most incredible music!! Luscious sounds!! I was blown away when I first heard it. The duet with Sting is amazing! This song alone is worth the price.

excellent.......2007-04-01

I recently discovered Chris Botti and just love his style of playing. I play the trumpet as well (sporadically) and Chris gives me a sound to aspire to emulate. Excellent

LOVE IT !!!!!.......2007-03-28

Yes another smooth and playful CD by one of my favorites. This compilation of music and artists is playful and relaxing. I love all the songs except one of them (which I wont mention just in case you may like it). I especially love the song with Sting SUPERB!!

Inspiration and Affirmation.......2007-03-08

This is a beautiful album and is highly recommended for anyone recovering from the end of a relationship
and seeking to move ahead. It is quite possible 'To Love Again'...this album is very sustaining during a
time of transition, especially if there is already someone on the horizon. We all deserve love.

A CD I cannot use.......2007-03-08

I listen to my music on my computer through iTunes. I bought this CD assuming I would be able to import it to iTunes like the others I have purchased in the past. That is impossible with this "ENHANCED" CD. In fact it includes a warning that you must uninstall it immediately to protect the security of your computer. The music may be good, I wouldn't know. The only thing I have been able to listen to is the samples on Amazon. I guess I will be buying my music through iTunes in the future. Amazon should be more persistent in posting warnings about SONY CD's.

Average customer rating:

Night Train - Oscar Peterson
Amazing performance, less than perfect recording
Must Buy, Especially For Jazz Pianists
Essential Peterson
A mature Oscar Peterson

Night Train
Oscar Peterson Trio
Manufacturer: Polygram Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Bebop General | Bebop | Jazz | Styles | Music

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Jazz Samba

ASIN: B0000047D4
Release Date: 1997-05-20

Tracks:

Happy-Go-Lucky Local (AKA 'Night Train')
C-Jam Blues
Georgia On My Mind
Bags' Groove
Moten Swing
Easy Does It
The Honeydripper
Things Ain't What They Used To Be
I Got It Bad (And That Ain't Good)
Band Call
Hymn To Freedom
Happy-Go-Lucky Local (AKA 'Night Train') (Alternate Take)
Volare
My Heart Belongs To Daddy
Moten Swing (Rehearsal Take)
Now's The Time
This Could Be The Start Of Something

Amazon.com essential recording

This 1962 recording represents Oscar Peterson at his most commercially accommodating, yet his trio with Ray Brown and Ed Thigpen never fails to swing. The program includes such familiar melodies as the title track (which began life as Duke Ellington's "Happy Go Lucky Local"), "Georgia on My Mind," and "The Honeydripper." With the notable exception of the gospel-like original "Hymn to Freedom," most of the tracks clock in at around three minutes. This reissue contains several alternate takes that were wisely left off the original LP, including such unlikely jazz vehicles as "Volare" and "My Heart Belongs to Daddy." --Rick Mitchell

Customer Reviews:

Night Train - Oscar Peterson.......2007-06-26

Nice, easy listening jazz.

One tune is repeated and some studio tracks end rather abruptly, but the rest is great.

Amazing performance, less than perfect recording.......2007-06-20

Each song is full of passion, creating a heart-warming atmosphere. One drawback of this CD is that the sound quality is not very good. I wish there was an SACD version of this recording.

Must Buy, Especially For Jazz Pianists.......2007-04-24

Wow, this is a great CD. I love listening to it and many great pianists have been influenced by Oscar Peterson. He is an amazing genius.

Essential Peterson.......2007-03-23

This is the Oscar Peterson album that everybody should have. Committed followers know its one of the very best, and newcomers won't find anything too dificult on it. This is the first CD I ever bought 21 years ago and I've been playing it ever since.

The basic feel of the album is blues. C Jam Blues, Night Train, Thing Ain't What They Used To Be, Moten Swing and Honey Dripper are all blues or blues related. However there's great variety amongst these tracks, contrast the mellow version of "Things Ain't What..." with the swinging version of "Honey Dripper".

On this album Peterson makes everything sound effortless, whether its his uptempo playing or superb ballad playing (such as on I Ain't Got It Bad..). My favourite track is Ellingtons Band Call. At the end of the track Oscar plays 3 increasingly syncopated resolutions leading on the 4th occasion to the end of the tune.

Perhaps the only thing you don't get on this album is the virtuoso Peterson (try the "The Trio" or "Tracks" for this). Sure some of this stuff requires excellent technique, but even at this level Oscar still has another gear.

As previous reviewers have said, special mention should be made of "Hymn To Freedom". This is a marvellous Peterson original with a great performance. A fitting way to end a superb album.

A mature Oscar Peterson.......2007-01-14

Oscar was 36 when he and his favorite bass player, Ray Brown, teamed up with Ed Thigpen on drums to record this confident, mature cool jazz collection in 1962. In a very good sense this is a commercially enjoyable studio-recorded collection of safe tunes and some originals. Generally upbeat defined by Oscar's fingers dashing from one end of the keyboard to the other.

If you're unfamiliar with Oscar's work, this is the place to start...then go backward in time and forward. This son of Canada is still living, and may he do so for a long time.

Average customer rating:

Very good recording from a frustrating singer
great album - the best voice
Jazz singer
Very intimate feel for smoky standards.
One of the best

Good Night, And Good Luck
Dianne Reeves , and Original Soundtrack
Manufacturer: Concord Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000ASDGE4
Release Date: 2005-09-27

Tracks:

Straighten Up And Fly Right
Ive Got My Eyes On You
Gotta Be This Or That
Too Close For Comfort
How High The Moon
Whos Minding The Store?
Youre Driving Me Crazy
Pretend
Solitude
TV Is The Thing This Year
Pick Yourself Up
When I Fall In Love (Instrumental)
Into Each Life, Some Rain Must Fall
Therell Be Another Spring
One For My Baby

Amazon.com

Dianne Reeves's cool contralto, fronted by a quicksilver combo featuring saxophonist Matt Catingub and pianist Peter Martin, provides the flowing jazz soundtrack to George Clooney's 1950s, film detailing the epic struggle between the legendary TV newsman Edward R. Murrow and the Communist-baiting Senator Joseph McCarthy. Reeves' delivery is flawless and swinging on these mostly mid-tempo/ballad takes on several timeless classics (including Nat King Cole's "Straighten Up and Fly Right," Duke Ellington's "Solitude," and the bouncy Dinah Washington hit "TV is the Thing This Year"). Two other selections, "Pick Yourself Up" and "Too Close for Comfort," dance with a Latin lilt; the lone instrumental, "When I Fall in Love," is as romantic as they come. Mr. Murrow, who profiled both Ellington and Louis Armstrong on his pioneering See it Now show, loved jazz, so it's fitting that the music's grounding in freedom of expression and improvisation counterweighs the horrors of McCarthy's liberty-killing abuses. --Eugene Holley, Jr.

Album Description

"Good Night, And Good Luck" follows the legendary Edward R. Murrow (David Straithairn) during the broadcaster's on-air confrontations with Senator Joseph McCarthy. Murrow, the then host of the CBS series, "See It Now," exposed the infamous politician's deceit, bullying, and manipulation in one of history's most courageous moments of journalism, an act that helped bring an end to the tyranny of the blacklist and the House Un-American Activities Committee anti-Communist hearings. "Good Night, And Good Luck" is directed by George Clooney, who co-wrote the script with the film's producer Grant Heslov. Clooney also stars as CBS News producer Fred Friendly.
"Good Night, And Good Luck" is shot entirely in black and white, with much of the mood and atmosphere created by the smoky jazz soundtrack and the gorgeous vocal talents of three-time GRAMMY(r) Award-winner Dianne Reeves. Clooney handpicked each of the songs featured in the movie, which Reeves, one of the preeminent jazz vocalists in the world today, also performs on screen.
The soundtrack for "Good Night, And Good Luck" much of which was recorded live on film, features an original song, "Who's Minding the Store," along with such classics as "Too Close for Comfort," "Straighten Up and Fly Right," "One for My Baby," and "How High the Moon."

Customer Reviews:

Very good recording from a frustrating singer.......2007-06-13

I heard good things about Dianne Reeves, but saw her in concert and was very unimpressed. She obviously had a great voice but her performance didn't deliver. This record shows what she can do. Perhaps she's one of those artists who needs someone else providing the direction so she can shine?

great album - the best voice .......2007-05-15

extremely good album, showing how good Dianne is even when acompanied by just a few instruments. she has the best instrument of all anyway.

Jazz singer.......2007-05-13

Wish I had discovered Dianne Reeves years ago. Never get tired of her smooth sound and the great choice of songs on this album.

Very intimate feel for smoky standards........2007-03-10

Multiple Grammy Award-winning singer delivers a 70mm soundtrack set.
George Clooney's critically lauded "Good Night, And Good Luck" masterfully recreates the 1950s aesthetic of America's McCarthy era and Diana Reeves' sublime soundtrack is a large part of its authentic feel.

Backed by a superb band, jazz diva Reeves prowls through a selection of standards and other songs from the decade where communism terrified the United States.
"Straighten Up And Fly Right", "Solitude" and a wee hours rendition of "One For My Baby" are real gems.
As always, Ms. Reeves' phrasing is a delight and she is downright sassy when covering Dinah Washington's 1951 hit "TV Is The Thing This Year".
"Pick Yourself Up" - memorable for Nat King Cole's version - is also transformed into a thriving mambo.

Although Reeves is the undoubted star here, special mention must go to the tenor saxophone of Matt Catingub who, on the instrumental version of "When I Fall In Love", sounds like rump steak.

One of the best.......2007-02-22

I am a Brazilian,former musician, jazz fanatic, and I realy recomend this CD. Dianne Reeves is an excelent singer but, the selection of songs in some of her formers albuns isn't so good. Geoge Clooney and Grant Heslov done a fantastic job in the production. Choosing excelent songs,excelent arranges with few instruments (piano, bass, drums and sax), some of them just with voice and bass. Simple and Rich !! (sorry about foreign English)

Average customer rating:

Plantation to the penitentiary
Masterful
Pretentious
Different.
one of his best works so far

From The Plantation To The Penitentiary
Wynton Marsalis
Manufacturer: Blue Note Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000MNOXWQ
Release Date: 2007-03-06

Tracks:

From The Plantation To The Penitentiary
Find Me
Doin' (Y)Our Thing
Love And Broken Hearts
Supercapitalism
These Are Those Soulful Days
Where Y'All At?

Amazon.com

"We running all over the world with a blunderbuss/And the Constitution all but forgot in the fuss," Wynton Marsalis declaims on "Where Y'All At?"--the raucous theatrical finale to From the Plantation to the Penitentiary. As unusual as it may be for the celebrated trumpeter to present himself as a kind of soap box rapper, underwhelmingly taking aim at "supercapitalists," liberals, and rappers alike, the most notable departure here is his prominent feature of a vocalist, young Jennifer Sanon. A winner of the Essentially Ellington high school competition, she has real appeal and is smart, silky-toned, and calmly assured beyond her 21 years. The influence of the mighty Abbey Lincoln is felt in both the directness of her delivery and the soulful expansiveness of the music, performed by a quintet. Though Marsalis gets his time in the spotlight, playing with brittle strength as well as his customary warmth, he is generous in shining a spotlight on his bandmates, including a pair of talented up-and-comers in pianist Dan Nimmer and bassist Carlos Henriquez, drummer Ali Jackson, Jr. and saxophonist Walter Blanding, who, 15 years after being introduced on the "Tough Young Tenors" album and in spite of his stellar contributions to Marsalis' Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra, doesn't get the attention he should. --Lloyd Sachs

Customer Reviews:

Plantation to the penitentiary.......2007-07-06

i love the harmonies, the way the music dances and the conversaitons of voice and instruments,good drum work.The music talks.
i love it.

milton clarke

Masterful.......2007-06-16

If you want masterful jazz that uses the spoken word to give voice to tough social commentary, then this album is for you. Marsalis is a border-crosser. He is comfortable on the frontiers of jazz, the many flavors of pop, classical, etc. etc. And now he is speaking from a conscience that can be as smooth or incisive, direct or elliptical, passionate or cool, funky or cerebral as his music.

Pretentious.......2007-06-06

Dear Mr. Marsalis,

You badly need a lesson in learning to make sincere and warm music. You are a product of the establishment. You are so obsessed with grandstanding projects that you continue to overlook the fundamentals. It has probably made you finaicially wealthy but musically depraved.

Please please please take lessons from Terence Blanchard, Roy Hargrove, Marcus Printup or even Christian Scott to name a few. Talk less and listen and practise more.

I have not forgotten your scurillous remarks in the 1980s of the late Miles Davis's foray into modern electronic pop jazz. It was naive and ignorant. If it was not for Mr. Miles, you would not have found your opportunity to blow your horn(for want of a better expression). Your recent recording shows that you have not changed.

Different........2007-05-13

The bright New Orleans optimism of Wynton Marsalis has darkened significantly since the Bush administration allowed his flooded hometown to stew in its soggy ruins.
Blending his eloquent trumpet with the alto voice of Jennifer Sanon, Walter Blandings's tenor sax and the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra's rhythm section, Marsalis takes a harder look at the black man's progress in the Land of the Free.
Paced with swing, Charleston, shuffle, Latin and Motown beats, his new suite paints sardonic pictures of the "tattered ragmen" of America, bypassed by super-capitalism and marginalised into a world of drugs, prostitution and street crime.
Moulded with controlled anger and subtle dissonances, the songs have a bitter beauty.
"Plantation/Penitentiary" is an object lesson in how to expand the range of small-group jazz.
Wynton's knowledge of the jazz tradition is absolute, but the interest here lies in his integration of other Afro-American forms like Motown, and, gulp, rap.
The basic concept is the Afro-American's place in history, and its achievement is to turn rage into majesty.
Generous spirited and open, with impeccable ensemble blowing and superb singing by Jennifer Sanon, the high point is the rap, "Where Y'all At?"
Wynton stands revealed, suprisingly, as an angry radical, measuring the limits of his confinement.

one of his best works so far.......2007-05-12

I've been listening to wynton since i was in 6th grade, and this is by far one of my favorites. Some people have said that he should'nt be making political statements in his music. Why should he not be able to, but mingus and a great number of other jazz musicians be able to? His statements are clear and make sense, and are real issues, whether we want to admit it or not. The music on this album is wonderful, it blends many styles and grooves. the solos are wonderful, and wynton sounds better than ever. i really have no complaints about this one.

Stan Getz & The Oscar Peterson Trio: The Silver Collection

Average customer rating:

Great - The Best of the Best
"I'm Glad There Is You . . ."
Great rythym section
Herb Ellis & Ray Brown: Rhythm Machine
Essential

Stan Getz & The Oscar Peterson Trio: The Silver Collection
Stan Getz & The Oscar Peterson Trio
Manufacturer: Polygram Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B0000046ZJ
Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

I Want To Be Happy
Pennies From Heaven
Ballad Medley: Bewitched, Bothered, And Bewildered/I Don't Know Why I Just Do/How Long Has This...
I'm Glad There Is You
Tour's End
I Was Doing All Right
Bronx Blues
Three Little Words
Detour Ahead
Sunday
Blues For Herky

Amazon.com

Stan Getz and Oscar Peterson were both consummate performers, comfortable at any tempo, when they met for this 1957 recording, and they're clearly enjoying one another's skills on ballads and uptempo tunes alike. The group is one of the finest editions of Peterson's trios, with bassist Ray Brown and guitarist Herb Ellis. It's virtually a machine for quiet swing, and the absence of a drummer lets Getz's silky sound come to the fore with all its details intact. For all his fame as a virtuosic pianist, Peterson is an underrated accompanist. He complements a soloist with deft fills and unobtrusive propulsion, and the backgrounds he supplies here are as subtle as his solos are extroverted. The program is a good mix of standards and Getz originals, including the joyous "Tour's End," while the extended ballad medley could define jazz lyricism. There's also a brief but infectious version of Ellis's "Detour Ahead," the guitarist's early and highly successful foray into songwriting. --Stuart Broomer

Customer Reviews:

Great - The Best of the Best.......2007-01-27

There are so many superlatives about this album. The first thing one new to the Peterson trio may notice is the lack of drums. And yet, the trio swings so hard that it's very easy to forget. Getz's soft, gentle tone on sax makes a stark but highly effective foil to Peterson's high-energy keyboard acrobatics and staggering virtuosity. The bass and guitar hold everything together transparently, working together in perfect syncronization during the solos, to keep the energy at a proper pitch at all times, then peeling off to do their own magic when it's their turn to solo. The speedy opening cut, "I Want to Be Happy", constantly pops with surprises and new textures. Often, I'll play it twice in a row because it's so much fun to listen to. This album is top jazz musicians at the top of their game.

"I'm Glad There Is You . . .".......2007-01-27

"This is one of the enjoyable recordings I've ever made. How refreshing is it to play with these pros." ~ Stan Getz ~

"This memorable session was Stan Getz and Oscar Peterson's first and only meeting in the recording studio as co-leaders. Stan Getz and Oscar Peterson Trio remains a most satisfying collaboration and is presented here - in its entirety - for the first time." ~ Nat Hentoff ~

Stan Getz with Oscar Peterson, Herb Ellis and Ray Brown? Yes, indeed, on this CD! The group will utterly delight you with their outstanding performances. While I tremendously enjoyed this CD in its entirety, the part I love most is the ballad medley, which the group perfectly performed. I believe this medley is the crowning glory of this album. It's so beautiful that I can just put track #3 on a repeat mode and forget the rest of the tracks! What a brilliant idea to do a medley of all these songs so meaningful to me. This medley alone is worth the price of the CD. The songs and its respective soloists are as follow.

"Bewitched, Bothered And Bewildered" - Stan Getz, tenor sax
"I Don't Know Why, I Just Do" - Herb Ellis, guitar
"How Long Has This Been Going On" - Oscar Peterson, piano
"I Can't Get Started" - Ray Brown, bass
"Polka Dots And Moonbeams" - Stan Getz, tenor sax

Also one of my favorites tunes here is "I'm Glad There Is You." Stan Getz's genius shows in every note of this superb and melodic track, and Herb Ellis plays his guitar in a very creative fashion. This is one of the most sublime and notable instrumental versions of all-time. It starts off artistically with Ellis' guitar then Getz joins in slightly overpowering Ellis' guitar to make the most enchanting mix of sax and guitar simultaneously, then comes that gorgeous "solo showdown" between Getz and Ellis. It's so beautiful! I listened to it with a few repeats.

Stan Getz can swing, too! Just listen closely to "I Want To Be Happy," "Pennies From Heaven," "Three Little Words" and his very own "Blues For Herky" and "Tour's End." He plays his favorite instrument effortlessly with ease, precision and virtuosic flair.

When jazz greats get together for a gig, the result is one fantastic album such as this.

An enjoyable musical journey.

Great rythym section.......2006-11-04

As a jazz guitar player, i personally love stan getz, and to hear him with ray brown, one of my favorite and greatest bass players ever. This was also the first i have listened to Herb Ellis play, his parts are a bit quiet but hey all guitarist were quiet until Charlie Christian. All in Four Really great musicians playing together, if you like this , check out russell malone, ray brown and monty alexander's Cd.

Herb Ellis & Ray Brown: Rhythm Machine.......2006-10-04

I love this recording, and all the other reviews have discussed the many reasons why it is so great. I just want to mention something that Herb Ellis said about playing with Ray Brown. Herb said that Ray's bass playing made him feel like he was being physically lifted up and carried along by some super-strong giant. Mr. Brown is the model of powerful swing - massive,deep tone, atomic sense of time. On this (and other) OPT recordings you can hear him lift-'n-carry the whole band.

Essential.......2006-08-09

This is hands-down, the best jazz album I've ever owned. Whether sitting in front of the speakers with eyes closed, absorbing every note, or using it as unobtrusive (but swingin') background music while I work, this album shines.

If you're an audio snob who expects every last KHz of treble to be there, you will be dissappoined. The audio quality is only on par with a good cassette tape, but the music more than makes up for it.

Average customer rating:

Gladys What Happened?
Thank you Gladys!!!
KNIGHT SHINES
Gladys Takes On THE STANDARDS
Buy this!

Before Me
Gladys Knight
Manufacturer: Verve
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Duets: An American Classic
Leavin'
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Timeless Love

ASIN: B000F0UZTQ
Release Date: 2006-10-03

Tracks:

Do Nothing Till You Hear From Me
The Man I Love
Good Morning Heartache
Since I Fell For You
God Bless The Child
This Bitter Earth
I Got It Bad (And That Ain't Good)
Someone To Watch Over Me
But Not For Me
I'll Be Seeing You
Stormy Weather
Come Sunday

Amazon.com

By now, the list of late-career standards-coverers stretches a mile long--in addition to Rod Stewart, Barry Manilow, Smokey Robinson, and a host of less-successful others, add Gladys Knight to the tally. Don't just lump her in, though, because Before Me differs from its forebears in ways that won't let you forget it. Here is a flawlessly selected and executed exercise in nostalgia for all the right reasons: Knight, in a voice entirely undiminished, extracts the elegance from each of these legendary numbers and smears it all over the surface, something most listeners would expect only from a master stylist on the order of Tony Bennett. Yet the former Pip leader presides with a light touch. Replacing the powerful pop-soul that launched her legend with the swankiest, most black-tie jazz imaginable, she whispers her way through George and Ira Gershwin's "The Man I Love" and the candy-sweet lament "I'll Be Seeing You." Elsewhere, she smokes up the Lady Day classics "Good Morning Heartache," "The Man I Love," and "God Bless the Child," unintentionally turning the latter into a master course of vocal restraint. If "I Got It Bad (And That Ain't Good)" is the disc's wild card--Knight plays it light--the Duke Ellington stunner "Come Sunday," made popular by gospel legend Mahalia Jackson, is its five-star clincher: Knight punches her way through tirelessly, with a true believer's fervor. --Tammy La Gorce

Customer Reviews:

Gladys What Happened?.......2007-05-17

What a snoozer! So much could have been done on this CD to refresh these standards AND display miss Knight's capabilities, so disappointing. Don't get me wrong, Before Me isn't bad, so much as "been done before". I adore miss Knight's past work, but perhaps her voice is not up to it now. This is definitely for her fans, so I'll just hang on to "memories".

Thank you Gladys!!!.......2007-05-16

Thank you Gladys, for doing justice to the great singers who came before you on this magnificent CD - a job well done!!

It took a very long time for this gifted artist (who has always been one of my favorites from the Motown era and beyond) to record these great songs from the likes of Ella, Dinah, Billie, Lena, and so on. The title "Before Me" is a very fitting one indeed, and the music is simply magnificent!

KNIGHT SHINES.......2007-05-09

A very good cd by one of the vocal divas in the industry.Gladys will be compared to the original renditions but she shines through this fine effort.

Gladys Takes On THE STANDARDS.......2007-04-28

First of all, let me admonish those who too quickly dismiss either the singer or the producers on this recording. You must give props to some of the greatest music industry talents of our time here: Gladys Knight, Tommy Lipuma, and Phil Ramone. For no other reason, if you are a fan of any or all of these artists, this CD belongs in your collection (of course, this assumes you have some respect and understanding of "The Standards", the orchestral arrangements they require, and the singer's BOLDFACED willingness to take on the songs).

Having said this, I must admit this CD takes a few listens to warm up to. Like all STANDARDS recordings by CONTEMPORARY artists (whether Joni Mitchell, Linda Ronstadt, George Michael, Natalie Cole, Frank Sinatra, Diana Krall, Chaka Khan, Rod Stewart, Shirley Horn, Diana Ross, Herb Alpert or....WHOMEVER), the listener is required to LET GO of previous audio experiences with the singer at hand; YOU must surrender! These recordings don't often, or readily, "fit" with our sensibilities and expectations of the singer...

After one spin of this CD I too was ready to stop listening and sell it back on Amazon (along with the 100's of others who are doing so, starting at $3.99 !?*&$%). However, after a couple more spins I'm ready to embrace this recording for what it is...to LET IT SELL ME.

Simply put, Gladys is just too great a diva, and Tommy and Phil are just too good at producing. This is a very high quality recording, whether you're ready for it or not. Thank you VERVE!!!

Summary: I eagerly excuse Gladys for maybe confusing SOUL music for STANDARDS at certain points; I excuse her for OVER SINGING and UNDER SINGING in spots throughout; I excuse the singer and the producers for meshing Big Band with Jazz with Blues with Symphony Orchestra with Soul when you're not really ready for it at times. But, in the end, I'm just VERY ready to accept this CD for WHAT IT IS!

Buy this!.......2007-03-04

Gladys, thank you for making this album! I love re-inventions of standards and my goodness, how Gladys has brought these songs back to life. So mellow, so controlled yet also sounding carefree - this is a wonderful CD and I sincerely hope we'll see "Before Me, Vol. 2" one day!

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