Sax & Candlelight

Sax & Candlelight

ASIN: B00005AR43

Track Listings

1. As Time Goes By

2. Stardust

3. Cry Me a River

4. Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered

5. I Got It Bad and That Ain't Good

6. Here's Taht Rainy Day

7. Tenderly

8. Lush Life

9. I Don't Stand a Ghost of A Chance

10. I'll Be Seeing You

Editorial Reviews
About the Artist
Master of saxophones, flute, and clarinet, Denis Solee's career includes playing on hundreds of recordings, commercials, TV shows, and film scores. His long list of recording credits includes projects by major artists including Chet Atkins, Garth Brooks, Bela Fleck, Amy Grant, Michael McDonald, Roy Orbison, and many more. Denis has appeared in concert with Natalie Cole, Sammy Davis Jr., Marvin Hamlisch, Bob Hope, Liza Minnelli, Mel Torme, and a vast group of others. Many musical theater and Broadway shows have been graced by his talent, including Hello Dolly, Westside Story, The Sound of Music, Fiddler on the Roof, Grease, and Phantom of the Opera.

Product Description
The long awaited follow up to Solee's Sax and Romance arrives in spectacular style. Sax and Candlelight reteams Solee with producer Jack Jezzro and the very popular Beegie Adair Trio on half of the songs. Added to the mix is arranger Jeffrey Steinburg who bring a refreshingly vintage flavor to the string accompaniment. Other stellar jazz musicians are featured including bassist Jim Ferguson, pianist Pat Coil, and drummer Bob Mater.

Tracks:

Yakety Sax
Walk Right In
If You've Got the Money (I've Got the Time)
Cotton Fields
Charlie Brown
Cracklin' Sax
Smoke Gets In Your Eyes
I Can't Stop Loving You
Lonely Street
It Keep Right On A-Hurtin
I Fall to Pieces
I Really Don't Want to Know

Customer Reviews:

Requested CD.......2007-01-10

This CD was on a Christmas list for a family member, he said he truly enjoyed it. And it was so easy to find on Amazon.

What you see is what you get.......2006-11-15

Nice cd with some of the best of Boots. If you're a cw fan, you'll probably like it even more since several cuts are definitely cw.

Pretty good.......2006-07-17

It has the music the vynyl had although my memory has more depth of sound in the vynyl. I'd rather have it than not.

Lounge Sax!.......2004-11-23

Boy this CD brings back memories as it was one of my Mom's faves when growing up. Now that I'm an adult, I can appreciate it as great Lounge Music. It's kinda corny, nostalgic and fun. If this was repackaged as Lounge Music by Sony I think Boots would find a whole new and younger generation of listeners.

For Sax Lovers.......2004-01-25

If you're a sax lover, you probably want this album. I wanted a couple of songs from it, and ended up enjoying just that. An entire album of sax is a bit trying--at least for me. I really appreciate the up-tempo wailing songs, but the slower songs just reminded me that I was listening to a saxophone, which at times sounded too alone.

Average customer rating:

Down home jazz
What a great sounding CD
84117
Awesome!
Jimmy You were the Greatest!!! RIP

Back at the Chicken Shack
Jimmy Smith
Manufacturer: Blue Note Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Similar Items:

Midnight Special
The Sermon!
Root Down
Midnight Blue
Jimmy & Wes: The Dynamic Duo

ASIN: B000005H4M
Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

Back At The Chicken Shack
When I Grow Too Old To Dream
Minor Chant
Messy Bessie
On The Sunny Side Of The Street

Amazon.com

This is the kind of nasty, back-alley music that makes you wince in ecstasy. With Stanley Turrentine's tenor and Kenny Burrell's guitar sharing solo space, the Hammond master digs in with a blues-drenched shovel. While certainly fluent in the bop idiom, Smith's organ work maintains a direct emotional peg that reflects the swing and jump blues of a previous generation. Turrentine, a relative newcomer at this point (1960), proves a perfect foil for Smith's funky ideas, forgoing flashy bop runs in favor of soulful, expressive passages. Even on chestnuts such as "When I Grow Too Old to Dream" and "On the Sunny Side of the Street," the foursome boils the melodies down to their barest bluesy core. Back at the Chicken Shack is the prototypical soul-jazz recording. --Marc Greilsamer

Customer Reviews:

Down home jazz.......2007-02-07

Jimmy Smith (1925-2005) recorded this classic for Blue Note on April 25, 1960, popularizing the Hammond B-3 electric organ in the process. This is soul-jazz funk music, with its strong relationship to the blues and gospel music. The sidemen on this recording are: Stanley Turrentine (tenor sax), Kenny Burrell (guitar) and Donald Bailey (drums).

"Back at the Chicken Shack" was recorded during the same session that the famous "Midnight Special" came out of. The title track on this release is immersed heavily in the blues, made clear by the accent on Jimmy's organ. Track two, "When I Grow Too Old to Dream", showcases Stanley Turrentine reworking a classic Romberg and Hammerstein II title.

Track three, "Minor Chant", is an original composition by Turrentine that swings really hard. The track first appeared on Turrentine's album "Look Out" recorded earlier for Blue Note. Smith gets plenty of solo time to share with Stanley's heated solos. Track four, "Messy Bessie", is another heavily blues influenced excursion, this one showcasing Turrentine, Smith and Burrell with respective solos. And track five, the standard "On the Sunny Side of the Street", Smith & Co. execute this one with precision and finesse.

This is a well produced, well executed, incredibly enjoyable album from Smith's extensive career. Not owning this album leaves a giant whole in your jazz collections. Digitally transferred by Ron McMaster, this session is crisp and alive. Jimmy Smith's ""Back at the Chicken Shack" easily earns itself five stars in my opinion.

What a great sounding CD.......2005-09-26

If you like jazz organ you will love Jimmy Smith's playing. I highly recommend this CD - ruggedthug.com

84117.......2005-05-22

i bought this for a friend a long time ago, and then bought myself a copy some time after that. it has an awsum cover and is just really enjoyable to listen to, especially in the summer months. a long time ago i thought it was a sequel or something, but it's not.

Awesome!.......2005-02-21

I agree 100% with Guy from New Haven. And even though I don't possess all of Jimmy's albums, this has to be his best... Maybe the the best jazz album ever!!! Never heard anything so groovy; it's B3 organ, Tenor Sax and good rhythm galore!!!

I don't know which track is best because they're all stunning but to name a few, maybe "Minor Chant" by Stanley Turrentine (who brilliantly plays the sax throughout the album), stands out a little... not by much though. "When I grow too old to dream": what a sweet melody!... Messy Bessie (by Jimmy) is so good, I would have appreciated a finale instead of the fade-out we got (but that's okay). And technically, the 1960's Blue Note pure, clear, and no-fuss analog recording sounds flawless.

If you're jaded with the traditional organ-drums-guitar formation, check this out because tenor saxophone truly adds a uniquely elegant and amazingly powerful dimension to Jimmy's already great sound! This will put a smile on your face and make your head bounce!

Jimmy You were the Greatest!!! RIP.......2005-02-11

It's a sad day for me today because I just heard that the great Jimmy Smith passed away 2 days ago at his home near Phoenix. He was far and away THE GREATEST HAMMOND B3 PLAYER WHO EVER LIVED!!!
I can't think of anyone else who had such an impact and defined the classic jazz blues sounds of the 50's and 60's like he did!
As for this album, Back at the Chicken Shack, I agree with previous reviewers who consider this and Midnight Special as his two best! I like them both equally!
And one final note, I was lucky to see Jimmy three times, most recently three years ago at the Del Mar Fairgrounds in Southern California, and he graciously signed my vinyl album cover of "Chicken Shack" which also has the autographs of the late great saxaphonist Stanley Turrentine and guitarist Kenny Burrell! I am very proud to own this album and hope to be able to perhaps donate it to a Jazz museum for future generations to see. Jimmy, thanks for all the incredible music! Rest in Peace.

Average customer rating:

WONDERFULL
More than backdrop music
smooooth jaaaaaazz (and a little bit of R&B, and funk, and soul...)
Boney Is The Bomb
His Masterpiece

Body Language
Boney James
Manufacturer: Warner Bros / Wea
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Seduction
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Pure
Shake It Up
Backbone

ASIN: B00000I3ZR
Release Date: 1999-02-23

Tracks:

Are You Ready?
Into The Blue
Body Language
I'll Always Love You
Boneyizm
Lovefest
Bedtime Story
I Get Lonely
All Night Long

Amazon.com

As learned from the broad-based popularity of his previous albums, people turn to saxophonist Boney James to do one thing: create sultry audio backdrops well suited for mingling, small talk, and romantic notions. James, rotating between tenor, soprano, and alto saxophones, faithfully delivers more of those goods on this, his sixth album. The mood sustained throughout all nine tracks (42-plus minutes runtime) is urbane, low-key, and cue-ball smooth. Chelle Davis provides breathy background vocals on the slow-grooving opening track, "Are You Ready?" and R&B crooners Shai take a more foreground role on the sweetly disarming "I'll Always Love You." Perhaps the album's most attractive cut is the slow urban crawl of "Boneyizm," with subdued interplay between James's tenor sax and Rick Braun's flügelhorn. Nothing shrill, outrageous, new, or significant awaits here, simply an engaging and pleasant listen. --Terry Wood

Customer Reviews:

WONDERFULL.......2007-05-20

No disrespect but boney aint never doing better than this . This is just Magnificent from start to finish.
BUY IT.

More than backdrop music.......2007-01-20

The Amazon reviewer stated that this CD was "sultry audio backdrops well suited for mingling, small talk, and romantic notions." While this is true to a point, "Body Language" is so much more. Try relaxing at home with it--no one else around--no distractions. Close your eyes and listen without any interference between your ears and Boney. The experience will be like draping a rich, deep blue velvet blanket all over you. Sultry? YES! Mingling and small talk? OK, but you're missing so much if that's the only time you listen to Body Language.

smooooth jaaaaaazz (and a little bit of R&B, and funk, and soul...).......2006-11-11

I am still finding my way around the smooth jazz genre, and Boney James is definitely on a fast track to becoming one of my all time favorites. And every time I listen to another one of his albums I think, "now THIS has got to be my favorite one by him". But Body Language *is* my favorite one, hands down. He grooves, he cajoles, he flirts, he seduces, he pleads, he dances... all with his sax, and with crystal clear arrangements and songs that seem to get even better every time you listen to them. I luuuurve the man! Ten stars out of five!

Boney Is The Bomb.......2006-08-21

This is one of his older CDs, but one of my favorites. The music is smooth and wonderful to listen to. Great CD after a long day or to play on a special night.

His Masterpiece.......2006-08-19

This CD is a PURE delight from start to finish. Flawless sound mix and songwriting. His tone is wonderfully understated yet very passionate. Boney is the master of the "come on over baby" riff, he's smooth as silk with the sax. His best CD.

Average customer rating:

Beautiful and Inspirational
what is that creaking sound? The floor?
Relaxing at Home
This is really Charlap's album
Trust Charlap to pick a winner

You Taught My Heart to Sing
Houston Person , and Bill Charlap
Manufacturer: Highnote
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Bill Charlap Plays George Gershwin

ASIN: B000GEU6O0
Release Date: 2006-08-01

Tracks:

You Taught My Heart To Sing
Namely You
Where Are You
Sweet Lorraine
If I Ruled The World
S'Wonderful
Where Is The Love
I Was Telling Her About You
Don't Forget The Blues
I Wonder Where Our Love Has Gone

Amazon.com

A veteran tenor saxophonist whose reputation has never caught up to his exceptional talents, Houston Person rises to undeniable heights on this duo collaboration with Bill Charlap, a pianist whose reputation as an interpreter of the Great American Songbook has taken off through a series of topnotch albums but whose acute skills as an accompanist may be underapprecated. Even taking into account the familiarity they have attained through various encounters in New York, the chemistry Person and Charlap demonstrate here is pretty stunning. Person's classic deep tenor finds elegance and strength in a selection of songs that spans standards (Gershwin's "S'Wonderful"), Broadway (Leslie Bricusse's "If I Ruled the World"), pop ("Where is the Love," a hit for Donnie Hathaway) and jazz (McCoy Tyner's melodious title cut). And Charlap, making acute and witty digressions even as he smartly shadows the saxophonist, adds depth to the songs. An album in the same class as Stan Getz's series of duets with Kenny Barron, which is saying a lot. --Lloyd Sachs

Customer Reviews:

Beautiful and Inspirational.......2007-05-12

When the world lost the truly Great tenormen i.e., Lester Young, Chu Berry, Coleman Hawkins, Ben Webster many players and listeners were highly dismayed. It wasn't until a few years ago that I had the good fortune of discovering Houston Person that I could truly rejoice. Many people have oogled with augh over Coltrane and a mirade of others but none had the soul or love of the truly Great Ones I so much missed. There are many 'technicians' who can blow anything but few who can emit feeling and love. Houston Person is one who can and ranks high upon my list of those now gone and has done much to restore the tenderness and passions of the past for me. His work with Bill Charlap is not only beautiful but inspirational as well. For me this recording is the absolute finest example of love and tenderness I have experienced in many years of listening and playing. Not only the lead song You Taught My Heart To Sing, but Namely You, Where Are You and Sweet Lorraine all are further examples of what can happen when you get two perceptive and capable musicians together -- what a complimentary pair these two really are! They have brought a world that seems dreary and short on beauty a whole recorded session of sheer beauty and enjoyment that all seems well as the music plays on. You not only hear the results of two men who are really in tune with themselves and each other but their work unites you with the best there is within you and the world. This recording is, for me, priceless and would be the "ONE" most favored to take with me to that desert island -- provided there was the capability of somehow reproducing it there. All would be well with me and life in general. The manner in which these two great musicians listen and support one another is indeed remarkable and most enjoyable. I have purchased at least three or four copies of this disc and shared them with others. This one is a real treasure for those who enjoy music from the heart.

what is that creaking sound? The floor?.......2007-02-28

Whatever its merits, this recording, "engineered, mixed, and mastered" by the legendary Rudy Van Gelder, includes a bizarre level of ambient studio sounds that DO DETRACT from the music - such as a floor creaking, or someone moving around or I can't tell what. There is very little precedent for this kind of nonsense in a professional studio recording. Maybe they accidentally released a soundcheck instead of the master. Maybe it's a cutting edge 'warts and all' approach from a recording engineer with 50 years of work under his belt. Maybe nobody else heard these weird sounds except me.

Relaxing at Home .......2007-02-18

This is a nice soothing CD to help one relax after a day of work.

Many jazz recordings are dedicated to exploring new sounds. This one is much more traditional jazz, dedicated to preserving the legacy of jazz instead of creating new jazz alternatives. It is well recorded, and one can visualize being in a club listening to a jazz duo.

In my Opinion: Where is Love, I was Telling Her About You, are the highlights of the recording.

This is really Charlap's album.......2007-02-02

I have a few other things by Houston Person, who usually has a sound that reminds me of Gene Ammons - a big, bassy tenor sax sound. He is completely different here - breathy, a higher timbre, softer. He plays beautifully. However, this album is really all about Bill Charlap.

First of all, his piano is recorded beautifully. Second, he PLAYS beautifully. At first, I thought I detected some of Bill Evans in his sound, but then almost everyone has some of Evans. No, Charlap has his own sound and style. He plays more in the upper range of the instrument than Evans, a more open style of harmony.

The very first number, "You Taught My Heart To Sing" almost leaves you breathless. The playing is gorgeous. It has everything that it needs and nothing that it doesn't, to paraphrase a commercial.

Clearly, Charlap is a man to be listened to, and I for one will certainly be looking to purchase more of his recordings. For my money, he may be one of the two or three best of the current crop of jazz pianists.

Trust Charlap to pick a winner.......2007-01-09

Bill Charlap's collaborations with tenor sax players are some of the best examples of the continuing heritage of straight-ahead jazz. He has recorded with Scott Hamilton and Frank Wess with great success. And now he has given us a great session with traditionalist Houston Person. Newcomers to the world of jazz should listen to this release to learn why older fans flock to Charlap's performances and to experience the sounds that made jazz America's pop music 50 years ago.

Average customer rating:

Boney's Best
Success!!
good old boney
Smooth As Silk
Wonderful Wanda

Seduction
Boney James
Manufacturer: Warner Bros / Wea
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Jazz | Styles | Music

Smooth Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music

General | Pop | Styles | Music

Orchestral Pop | Easy Listening | Pop | Styles | Music
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Body Language
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Trust

ASIN: B000002MYE
Release Date: 1995-10-10

Tracks:

Camouflage
Got It Goin' On
Lights Down Low
Seduction
Washington Bridge
Without A Doubt
Sara Smile
Second Nature
Ain't No Sunshine

Customer Reviews:

Boney's Best.......2007-07-07

This is the quintessential Boney James CD. His version of Ain't No Sunshine is a classic that fans salivate for at his concerts(I being one of them)! Sara Smile is also a masterpiece. If you love Boney, this is a must have!

Success!!.......2007-06-07

This is definetely his best CD including the latest "Shine". If you're a true fan, you must get this one. When I got it, I too couldn't stop listening to it! Great Job Boney!!

good old boney.......2007-05-20

Better tahn his latest issue.True boney fans will already have this in there box but for those just discovering 'seek out'.

Smooth As Silk.......2004-11-03

Boney is extremely smooth and talented. From the named title "Seduction" to "Ain't No Sunshine" the man grooves. Easy on the heart as well as the soul. Boney took a number of old ballads and does wonderful things with them, for example I can listen to "Ain't No Sunshine" over and over again. He makes magic with "Sara Smile". His style of horn is a very unobtrusive and as I said before, smooth as silk. You do not have to be in the "right" mood to enjoy this classic, just put it on and it fits like an expensive well maintained luxury sedan. Give it a test drive and you will like it. Your collection will not be complete without this one, you will not be dissappointed! If love the stylings of the late great Grover Washington Jr and the ever present David Sanborn, you will love this one and many of his others.

Wonderful Wanda.......2003-03-21

I like this cd because it's everything that I am. Sexy, Sensual, romantic and always in the mood. I enjoy Boney James music anyway, because he knows what to play to put you in mood and keep you that way. Makes the ladies as well as the men keep coming back for more. He's the Luther Vandross in jazz. Keep it coming Boney.

Average customer rating:

Great work Boney!
The CD case.
5 Stars and then some!
Smooth Jazz
The BEST Boney cd ever! Take this on the desert island!

Sweet Thing/It's All Good
Boney James
Manufacturer: Warner Bros / Wea
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Jazz | Styles | Music

Smooth Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music

General | Pop | Styles | Music

Orchestral Pop | Easy Listening | Pop | Styles | Music
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Ride
Pure

ASIN: B0000062W3
Release Date: 1998-03-10

Tracks:

East Bay
Nothin' But Love
Words (Unspoken)
Sweet Thing
It's All Good
After The Rain
Innocence
I Still Dream
Ivory Coast
It's All Good (Bonus Remix)

Amazon.com

Boney James is a master at combining cool R&B grooves and good melodies, then surmounting them with warmly memorable saxophone sounds. On Sweet Thing, the lighter, piping tone of his soprano sax floats smoothly through tunes like "East Bay" and "Ivory Coast," but he gets a distinctly funkier touch from his deeper horns. There's a cool intensity to his alto sax on "Nothin' but Love," while his soulful tenor is his main voice, whether biting gently into the beat on ballads or generating more heat over Latin tempos. James gets some terrific support here from David Torkanowsky on keyboards and Lenny Castro on percussion. Alex Al provides all the backing tracks for "Words (Unspoken)," a lightly pulsing carpet of keyboards and programming, while there are several good vocalists, including Tony Maiden on "Sweet Thing," Al Jarreau on "I Still Dream," and Eric Benet on the funky remix of "It's All Good." --Adam Rains

Customer Reviews:

Great work Boney!.......2007-04-05

Although Seduction will always be my all-time favorite of Boney's, Sweet Thing/It's All Good is great work. East Bay is a wonderful groove and sets the tone for the rest of the tracks. But Sweet Thing is my cut from this cd. I got the opportunity to hear him play that song live and oh, my word!!

Buy it for yourself. Listen to it. You'll find yourself coming back to it.

The CD case........2007-03-13

The CD case was a bit cracked,but over all it as ok...

5 Stars and then some!.......2007-03-12

This artist is truly gifted and we adore his JAZZ....we recently went to his concert in Atlanta, he was unbelieveable and determined this was one of the best entertainers we have ever seen. The music quality and arrangements are unique and a real night of jazz. We already pruchased his "Shine " CD....BUY THIS PRODUCT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Smooth Jazz.......2005-07-29

A friend of mine let me listen to this CD. After I heard it once I had to go out and get it. I hope his others are just as good. I will buy them too. I love to put on a CD and it can play from beginning to end without interruption. ITS THAT GOOD!!!

The BEST Boney cd ever! Take this on the desert island!.......2004-09-18

My favorite Boney cd and one of my favorite cd's overall in my collection. Every song is great, but my two favorites are East Bay and After the Rain. He brings a soulful, R&B funk to the saxophone. What a talent!

Average customer rating:

Pure is puuurrre genious
A fine, fine album!
Urban Jazz comes of age...
The Best Boney I Have Heard
Good Melodies but lacks the Depth

Pure
Boney James , and Boney James
Manufacturer: Warner Bros / Wea
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Jazz | Styles | Music

Smooth Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music

General | Pop | Styles | Music

Orchestral Pop | Easy Listening | Pop | Styles | Music

Contemporary R&B | R&B | Styles | Music

General | R&B | Styles | Music
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ASIN: B0002HJF34
Release Date: 2004-08-03

Tracks:

Pure
Better With Time - featuring Bilal
2:01 AM
Stone Groove - featuring Joe Sample
Appreciate - featuring Debi Nova
Here She Comes
Break Of Dawn - featuring Dwele
It's On
Thinkin' 'Bout Me
You Dont Have To Go Home

Amazon.com

The man who made R&B safe for smooth-jazz saxophonists has another possible Soul Train award winner featuring slick vocal excursions by Debi Nova and Dwele. There's also a real groove-a-thon with Bilal titled "Better with Time" that, like the lyrics state, is like an old soul record. Keyboards also stand out among these 10 tracks. Joe Sample delivers one of his patented short piano solos on the aptly titled "Stone Groove," and while Billy Preston's organ and Bobby Lyle's piano are not out front on "You Don't Have to Go Home," the aural picture they frame for the artist is masterful. James, who produced this album, has developed into a very solid contemporary jazz composer, adding spicy horn arrangements throughout that really showcase his growth in that area--particularly on "Here She Comes," which has an Incognito horn-section vibe to it. It all adds up to James's most rewarding album since 1998's Sweet Thing. --Mark Ruffin

Album Description

Smooth Jazz sax superstar Boney James challenges conventions with his ninth album, Pure. The premiere urban instrumentalist's first album since 2001's near-gold and Grammy nominated Ride, and the first he has wholly produced, Pure is the most soulful and freewheeling of an extraordinary career. With three straight #1 Contemporary Jazz/Top 40 R&B albums, and three career gold albums, Boney James is pure gold with Pure.

Customer Reviews:

Pure is puuurrre genious.......2007-01-12

I had to have this cd when i heard Better with time and after wearing a hole in that track i broke out and immersed myself in the whole cd. Love it!! Great music for a romantic rainy cozy day with your mate or without.

A fine, fine album!.......2006-09-25

I give out 5 stars very sparingly, and only for the truly best of the best. But this album deserves it. Where to begin to describe its merits? Boney's classy sax, the sexy grooves that effortlessly go back and forth between smooth jazz and R&B, the exquisite musical arrangements, the outstanding vocals.... this album is a must in any music lover's collection.

Urban Jazz comes of age..........2006-07-12

Pure is pure good stuff!

His first totally self-produced album with co-writing credits on all tracks. Boney grows with every new album.

And Debi Nova is simply amazing on her track.

Definitely earns it's 5-star rating from me.

The Best Boney I Have Heard.......2006-03-09

I have four other albums by Boney James. This one is my favorite. The more real drumming he uses, the more I like it.

Good Melodies but lacks the Depth.......2005-08-18

Boney is the BEST wind instrumentalist I have ever heard play and a lot of people will agree with me. Any Symphony Orchestra won't hesitate to have him in its esemble. The problem here is that his fans had been accustomed with his style from earlier recordings which I believe should not have changed. People should take note of the UK group SADE in this regard. Change your style and its back to square one.
Pity !!, but I will stay loyal. Brilliant musician nonetheless

Average customer rating:

I wish I could give it a 10!
Good jazz music with different influences
Come along for the ride!
A wonderfully crafted cd and more than worth the money
Smooth Ride!

Ride
Boney James
Manufacturer: Warner Bros / Wea
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Jazz | Styles | Music

Smooth Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music

General | Pop | Styles | Music

Orchestral Pop | Easy Listening | Pop | Styles | Music

Romantics | Warner Brothers Records | Stores | Music
Similar Items:

Body Language
Sweet Thing/It's All Good
Seduction
Pure
Backbone

ASIN: B00005O6JQ
Release Date: 2001-10-23

Tracks:

Heaven (featuring Trina Broussard)
Grand Central
RPM
Something Inside (featuring Dave Hollister)
So Beautiful
See What I'm Sayin'?
All About You
Ride (featuring Jaheim)
As You Are
This Is The Life

Amazon.com

It's no wonder Boney James is a winner of a Soul Train music award, and that his music is heard on urban radio almost as much as he's heard on smooth-jazz radio. From his first album, and on up to Ride, his eighth, James always has had a degree of funky soul and light pop mixed in his sax playing, which is a smooth-jazz staple. But here the lines are drawn more clearly and distinctly. There's no doubt that he's staking a claim in the retro-soul R&B movement with several potential hits, including "Something Inside," with its gospel-drenched Dave Hollister vocal, and "See What I'm Saying," featuring bassist Marcus Miller. With popular singer-rapper Jaheim, James manages to make at least three musical references to the '70s on the title track, including a musical nod to Con Funk Shun. The average smooth-jazz saxophonist wouldn't know Con Funk Shun from Brass Construction, which is one reason why James is not your average smooth-jazz saxophonist. He has chipped away at two different audiences and now has one big one that not only allows him headline status, but gold records. Ride will be his fourth in a row. --Mark Ruffin

Customer Reviews:

I wish I could give it a 10!.......2007-01-05

Boney James is awesome. I like the artists he chose to collaborate with on this album. I bought this years ago but still find it soothing and refreshing now as I commute to and from work.
#5 So Beautiful has been my all time ultimate ballad...the crescendos, the soothing, the rhythms....BEAUTIFUL as the title indicates.

Good jazz music with different influences.......2005-07-11

This is a great jazz album for those to enjoy who can appreciate modern jazz with a variety of influences, including hip hop and R&B. James pulls it off here with Ride. Standout tracks include Heaven, Grand Central (my personal favorite) and RPM. He has managed to unite devoted jazz listeners and urban audiences across North America, proving that music like his transcends all boundaries. All of his albums are full of his self-penned classics and anyone who craves jazz with an urban feel to it will enjoy this album from start to finish.

Come along for the ride!.......2004-12-18

This is a fantastic album if you are not a "jazz purist" and are open to smooth jazz with an R&B/Hip Hop flavor. That said, I bought this CD 2 years ago and have not tired of it yet. Each song brings something to this release. The songs with the vocal tracks (especially "Something Inside" and "Ride") are really enjoyable. You can feel the emotion expressed in the cut "So Beautiful", and "This Is The Life" transports the listener to the Carribean. This is definitely a CD for your collection - if you are not limited in your musical tastes.

A wonderfully crafted cd and more than worth the money.......2004-01-15

I highly recommend this album to just about anyone that likes jazz, no matter what kind. This is his best album to date and a perfect one to start on if you're just getting into him. He may look like Kenny G with the hair and all, but there is no question that Boney James is the premiere modern jazz saxophonist right now. Perfect for a background with people over, grooving to by yourself or with that other special person. If you were thinking at all about buying this, I would definitely go ahead and do so.

Heaven - Similar to the style of his album Sweet Thing, the opening track reinforces the almost R&B-esque sound that Boney James has been weaving more and more into his songs. This song annoyed me at first, but it grew on me--the same way the entire album did :: 6/10

Grand Central - This song is a solid groove track, setting the standard for the upbeat songs on the album. Unlike Sweet Thing, Ride displays a much funkier and fun side to Boney James, straying a bit from the make-out theme in his previous recordings :: 8/10

Rpm - Boney James branches out here with a fast-paced dance beat to back him, and it succeeds wonderfully. It is an aptly named track that will have you just grooving to the cd :: 9/10
Something Inside - James slows us back down here to settle back into his traditional laid-back sound. There is nothing old about it though, as he continues to refine and develop his sound, avoiding the boredom and redundancy a lot of artists slip into :: 7/10

So Beautiful - Continuing with the R&B groove and weaving in a funkier background, this has elements of Shake It Up with Rick Braun, and involves some great saxophone work :: 8/10

See What I'm Sayin' - One of the highlights tracks. This is one of my all time favorites and never gets old. Need to lift the mood or just feel like grooving? Turn up the sound system and love it :: 10/10

All About You - It's hard to follow up the pervious track and Boney tries to bring us back down, but by now the vocals have become a little tiring and he does begin to risk repetitiveness here. The lyrics certainly were not inspired and there is a certain lack of melodic development, but there is absolutely nothing wrong with it as a nice background song. But don't turn the volume down just yet... :: 5/10

Ride - Vocals are dominant again with Jaheim, but this recording is the best vocal song on the disc, snapping out of the boredom that was threatening to set in. A retro sound with beautiful harmonies and fun lyrics, you can't but help but feelin' the groove and wishing she (or he) was there to dance with you :: 8/10

As You Are - Though not the last track, this song brings closure with a beautiful lullaby song as only Boney James can do them, reminiscent of The Stars Above from Shake It Up :: 8/10

This Is The Life - And the final track...and the best Boney James song to date. This is my favorite song, period, at the moment. Like in Sweet Thing's closing track Ivory Coast, James reaches out for a carribbean sound, and comes up with this jewel that'll have you wanting to dance every time it comes on. The steel pans are simply awesome, and a grooving melody and inspired solos...well, I can't describe how awesome this song is. Make sure to have your volume up in the beginning to catch the little laugh and steel pan opening :: 11/10

Bonus Track - A much appreciated and funky offering, especially after the last song...

Smooth Ride!.......2003-10-27

I know I'm late evaluating this CD and it's been out for over a year now, but it's still worth a review in my book! I've been a huge fan of Boney James now for over 10 years and I've collected all of his albums. I've even had the pleasure of watching him in concert here in Syracuse back in 1998. So it's a no brainier to purchase his latest album, "Ride".

Tracks:

Overture To 'Tannhauser'
Domna, Pos Vos Ay Chausida
We Don't Merely Use Instruments, We Play On Them. And They Play On Us.
Hungarian Dance No.7
The Violin Is One Of The Most Tender And Beautiful Instruments Ever Invented.
Violin Concerto In D Major (Adagio)
But For A Long Time It Was Seen As The Instrument Of The Devil.
The Soldier's Tale: Triumphal March Of The Devil
The Manipulative Seductiveness Of The Gypsy Violin.
Csardas Music
The Violin And The Initiation Of Nature
The Four Seasons (Spring, Mvt 1)
Birds Are Again Evoked In The Second Concerto, Especially Music's Natural Favourite.
The Four Seasons (Summer, Mvt 1)
Like The Devil, The Violin Is A Master Of Disguise.
Old Viennese Dance No.3 'Schon Rosmarin'
The Menacing Sensuality Of Ravel's Tzigane: A Very Different Side Of The Violin:
Tzigane
Do We Now Have The True Measure Of This Instrument? Not Just Yet.
Caprice No.24
The Many Effects Of The String Tremolando: Brandenburg Concerto No.4 (Last Mvt)/From Joy To Fright/Quartettsatz In C Minor/The String Tremolo Practically Spells The World Agitato.
Variations On A Theme Of Frank Bridge (No.7)
Prokofiev's Tremolo In Romeo And Juliet Should Not Be Heard Just Before Bedtime.
Romeo And Juliet: Act IV
Vivaldi Use It To Illustrate The Shivering Of Travellers Crossing The Ice.
The Four Seasons (Winter, Mvt 1)
The Violin Muted
Clair De Lune
The Gentleness Of Muted Strings Persists Even When A Whole Orchestra Plays.
Piano Concerto No.21 In C Major, K.467 (Slow Mvt)
The Pizzicato Violin
Pizzicato Polka
In Prokofiev's Second Violin Concerto, The Accompaniment Is Pizzicato.
Violin Concerto No.2 In G Minor (Slow Mvt)
Varieties Of Pizzicato: Colas Breugnon (The People's Feast)/Now A Drier, Leaner, Hungrier Pizzicato. There's Not A Lot Of Comfort Here./Capriol Suite (Tordion)/The Use Of Pizzicato As 'Percussion'/Romeo And Juliet (Act I)/Mahler Used Pizzicato...
The Planets (Mars - The Bringer Of War)
The Technique Of Double-Stopping Enables The Violin To Play Duets With Itself./Sonata No.3 In C Major For Unaccompanied Violin (Fugue)/Now A Later Example Of The Same Technique
Hungarian Dance No.4
Double-Stopping Is A Standard Feature Of A Lot Of Folk Music.
The Four Seasons (Autumn, Mvt 1)
Now The Same Technique, But The Sound Might Have Come From Another World.
Bolero
Double-Stopping Can Only Approximate The Sound Of A Real Violin Duet.
Cadenza To The Violin Concerto By Brahms
Now Compare That With A Real Violin Duet.
Forty-Four Duos (No. 1: Teasing Song)
Another Duo By Bartok, Demonstrating The Violin's Rich Lower Register
Forty-Four Duos (No.2: Maypole Dance)
And Now What May Be The Most Beautiful Accompanied Violin Duet In History
Concerto In D Minor For Two Violins (Largo)
The Soul Of The Violin Is In Song; But What About This Weird Passage?
Violin Concerto No.1 In D Major (Mvt 2)
The Use Of Harmonies In The Orchestra Can Be Both Magical And Unsettling.
Symphony No.1 'Titan' (Mvt 1, Opening)
Tchaikovsky's Use Of Harmonics In The Sleeping Beauty Is Both Strange And Darling.
The Sleeping Beauty (Act II, No.15: Entr'Acte)
Ravel's Harmonics In Mother Goose Effect A Magical Transformation.
Ma Mere L'Oye - Mother Goose (Beauty And The Beast)
Stravinsky's Harmonics In The Firebird Transport Us Almost Into Another World./The Firebird (Introduction)
The Natural Upper Notes Of The Violins Have A Unique Emotional 'Grab'.
Also Sprach Zarathustra (Of The Afterworldsmen)
Still In Their Upper Register, The Violins Unleash The Energy Of A Young Colt.
Variations On A Theme Of Frank Bridge (No. 4)
Elsewhere, Britten Uses The Same High Register To Create A Very Different Mood.
Four Sea Interludes (Dawn) From 'Peter Grimes'
To End This Outing With The Violins, A Charming Little Elfin Dance
Elfenreigen

Tracks:

Introduction To The Viola
Viola Concerto (Mvt 1)
Khatchaturian Gets A Very Different Sound From It: Fuller, Fruitier, More Exotic.
Gayane Suite No.1 (Armen's Solo)
Very Nearly The Whole Of The Violin's Upper Register Is Also Available To The Viola.
Passacaglia, Op.33b From 'Peter Grimes'
The Viola Can Bring A Special, Rich Twanginess To Pizzicato That The Violins Lack./Don Quixote/Berlioz Drew Sounds From It That Retain Their Metallic Strangeness Even Today.
Harold In Italy (Mvt 4)
The Muted Viola: Intimate, Gentle, Poignant In Dvork
Cypresses (No.9)
The Massed Violas Of The Modern Symphony Orchestra In Mahler
Symphony No.4 (Mvt 3)
The 'Period' Viola In Bach
Brandenburg Concerto No.6 (Last Mvt)
The Cello: A Voice Of Unique Nobility
Suite No.1 For Unaccompanied Cello (Prelude)
Brahms And The 'Soul' Of The Cello
Piano Concerto No.2 In B Flat Major (Mvt 3)
Most Orchestral Composers Tend To Emphasize The Cello's Lower Register.
Cantata 'Herz Und Mund Und Tat Und Leben', BWV 147 (Soprana Aria: Bereite Dir, Jesu)
In The Time Of Beethoven The Cello Remained As Fundamental As Ever.
Symphony No.3 'Eroica' (Finale)
But The Cello Is Not Condemned To Spend Its Life In The Basement.
Elfentanz, Op.39
Not Only In Recital Showpieces Like That Is The Cello Is Used In Its Highest Register.
The Protecting Veil (Opening)
A Cello With An Identity-Crisis: The Pizzicato Flamencan
Flamenco
Double-Stopping In The Lower Reaches Of The Cello's Range
Solo Suiet For Cello And Piano (Sardana)
It's In The Middle Register That The Cello Really Comes Into Its Own.
Oriental Dance, Op.2 No.2
It Was To The Cellos That Beethoven Gave Two Of His Most Famous Themes./Symphony No.5 (Mvt 2)/Still More Famous Than That Theme Is This One From The Ninth Symphony.
Symphony No.9 (Finale)
Introduction To The Double-Bass
The Carnival Of The Animals (The Elephant)
But The Double-Bass Can Be Intensely Expressive And Graceful.
Elegy No.1 In D Major
The Range Of The Double-Bass Is The Greatest Of All The String Instruments/Allegro Di Concerto, 'Alla Mendelssohn'/And It's Also Capable Of Very Considerable Virtuosity.
Capriccio Di Bravura
Double-Bass Solos In Orchestral Scores Are Rare But Often Memorable./Symphony No.1 'Titan' (Mvt 3)/In His Third Symphony Mahler Makes A Very Different Use Of The Instrument./Symphony No.3 (Mvt 1)
The Double-Bass Muted In Prokofiev/Lieutenant Kije Suite (Kije's Wedding)/In Another Work Prokofiev Uses The Double-Bass To Enhance The Winds./Romeo And Juliet (Act III)/And He Combines The Bass Clarinet With A Shivering Tremolo From The Double-Basses....
Symphony No.5 (Mvt 3)/So Much For The Strings/On Now To The Winds

Tracks:

The Antiquity And Magic Of The Flute
Prelude A L'Apres-Midi D'Un Faune
The Versatility And Agility Of The Flute
Orchestral Suite No.2 In B Minor (Badinerie)
The Flute In Fifteenth-Century Spain
Sa'Dawi
Other Flutes: The Bass And Alto
Chamber Music No.II
The Piccolo - Aptly Named
La Naissance D'Osiris (Mvt 6)
From A Piccolo Of The Eighteenth Century To One Of Its Descendants In The Twentieth
Suite No.1 For Small Orchestra (Valse)
A Variety Of Techniques
Chamber Music No.II
Flutter-Tonguing. But Tchaikovsky Got There Eighty Years Before.
The Nutcracker (Act II, No.2: Scene)
From The Transverse To The Vertical: The Baroque Recorder
Recorded Suite In A Minor (Menuet II)
An Unfamiliar, Early Vision Of The Instrument
Naelden, Naelden
The Bachian Oboe
Cantata 'Ein Feste Burg Ist Unser Gott', BWV 80 (No.7: Duetto)
Introduction To The Cor Anglais Or 'English Born'
Symphony No.9 'From The New World' (Mvt 2)
The Loneliness Of The Cor Anglais
The Swan Of Tuonela
The Cor Anglais Joins The French Horn In Haydn.
Symphony No.22 'The Philosopher' (Opening)
Introduction To The Oboe D'Amore, Beloved Of Bach - But Also Of Ravel
Bolero
The Clarinet Family: Boxing The Compass, From The Depths Of The Bass Clarinet.../The Egyptian (Violence)/...To The Raucous And Squealy.../Taras Bulba (The Death Of Ostap)/...To The Shrill And Complaining...
Petrushka (No.8: Peasant With Bear)/...To The High Sprits Of A Playful Puppy./Symphonie Fantastique (Last Mvt)/And To The Downright Jazzy/Romeo And Juliet (Act II)
As The High Clarinets Tend To Be Loud, So The Bass Tends To Be Soft:
Gayane Suite No. 1 (Mvt 5)
The Bass Clarinet Is Used By Most Composers Mainly As A Colouring Agent.../Petrushka (No.4: The Blackamoor)/...But It Does Occasionally Get A Whole Tune To Itself./Iberia (Almeria).
The Range Of The Normal Clarinet Parts Goes Quite High...
The Snow Maiden (Scene 5: Melodrama)
...And Quite Low.
Peter And The Wolf (The Cat)
The Clarinet As Concerto Soloist
Clarinet Concerto In A Major (Rondo)
But That's Not The Instrument Mozart Wrote It For; This Is:
Clarinet Concerto In A Major (Rondo)
Introduction To The Saxophone
Hary Janos Suite (Mvt 4)
The Soprano Saxophone Has Quite A Different Feel To It.
L'Arlesienne Suite No.1 (Minuet)
The Little Sopranino Sax Goes Even Higher.
Bolero
The Most Famous Use Of The Saxophone Is In An Orchestration By Ravel.
Pictures At An Exhibition (The Old Castle)
The Saxophone Can Be Quite Contagiously Good-Humoured.
Sax-O-Phun
The Puffa-Puffa Image Of The Bassoon
Peter And The Wolf (Grandfather)
The Bachian Bassoon, In Accompanimental Mode
Cantata 'Weichet Nur, Betrubte Schatten' ('Wedding Cantata'), BWV 202 (Aria No.1)
Bizet Leaves The Puffa-Puffa Image Out, Allowing The Bassoon To Sing./Carmen Suite No.1 (Les Dragons D'Alcala)
And Ravel, Also In Spanish Mode, Does Likewise.
Bolero
The Bassoon As A Voice Of High Seriousness, Indeed Desolate Loneliness
Symphony No.3 (Opening)
The Eerie Bassoon In Its Highest Register
The Rite Of Spring (Opening)
Stravinsky Now Draws On Its Lowest Register, Lonely And Melancholy.
The Firebird Suite (1919, Berceuse)
The Bassoon As Concerto Soloist, Avoiding All Exaggeration
Bassoon Concerto In G Minor (Finale)
The Deep-Voiced Contra-Bassoon, As A Fairy-Tale Beast
Ma Mere L'Oye - Mother Goose (Beauty And The Beast)
The French Horn Under Its Woodwind Hat
Wind Quintet, Op.43 (Last Mvt)
Now A More Prominent Role, In A Woodwind Quintet From An Earlier Era
Wind Quintet In A Minor, Op.100 No.5 (Mvt 2)
The Horn In Harmonious Blend With Strings In Another Quintet
Horn Quintet, K.407 (Finale)

Tracks:

The Trumpet As Virtuoso Soloist
Brandenburg Concerto No.2 (Last Mvt)
The Special Brillance Of Paired Trumpets
Concerto In C For Two Trumpets, RV537 (Mvt 1)
The Ceremonial Trumpet
Fanfare For The Common Man
Trumpets And Drums - An Incomparable Alliance
Messiah (The Trumpet Shall Sound)
The Versatility Of The Trumpet, From The Most Public To The Most Lonely
Piano Concerto In F (Slow Mvt)
The Trumpet As The Voice Of The City/An American In Paris/The Trumpet As Recruitment Officer/The Soldier's Tale (The March)/The Trumpet As Swaggerer
Carmen Suite No.2 (Habanera)
The Trumpet As The Voice Of Strength And Courage
Carmet Suite No.2 (Toreador's Song)
The Trumpet Muted/Petrushka (No.4: The Blackamoor)/Lieutenant Kije Suite (Opening)/The Trumpet As The Voice Of Weariness
Billy The Kid
The Trumpet As Character Actor
Pictures At An Exhibition (No.6)
The Trumpet As The Voice Of God
Mass In B Minor ('Et Exspecto')
The Birth Of The Trombone
Aenmerckt Nu Hier
The Birth Of The Brass As A Family
Canzon 12 In Double Echo
The Trombone In The Eighteenth Century
Trombone Concerto In B Flat Major (Finale)
The Tone Of The Tenor Trombone/Romance For Trombone And Organ/The Memorable Voice Of The Bass Trombone/Requiem (Mvt 2)/But The Bass Trombone Is More Than An Instrumental Bullfrog.
Hosannah
The Trombones Become Part Of The Orchestra.
Symphony No.5 (Finale)
The Wagnerian Trombone:/Overture To 'Tannhauser'
The Trombone As Caricaturist
Pulcinella (No.19: Vivo)
The Trombone As Raspberry/Concerto For Orchestra (Intermezzo)
The Horn And The Hunt
Horn Concerto No.4 In E Flat, K.495 (Finale)
The Challenging Horn Of The Baroque
Abaris Ou Les Boreades (Menuet)
The Scarcity Of First-Rate Players In Handel's Time
Walter Music (Minuet 1)
The Horn As Magician/The Firebird Suite (1919, Finale)
Horns And The Sound Of Nobility
Overture To 'Tannhauser' (Opening)
The Special Sound Of The Horn In Its Higher Register
Mass In B Minor ('Quoniam Tu Solus Sanctus')
The Trumpet-Like Sound Of Massed Horns
Symphony No.3 (Mvt 1, Opening)
The Tuba - Unfairly Maligned?
Symphony No.6 (Mvt 3)
The Tuba Perfectly Cast By Ravel
Pictures At An Exhibition (Bydlo)

Tracks:

Introduction. And We Begin With A Bang.
Fanfare For The Common Man/The Bass Drum On The Battlefields/Wellington's Victory, Op.91 (Opening)
At The Opposite Extreme Is The Triangle.
Piano Concerto No.1 In E Flat (Scherzo)
Categories Of Percussion: Tuned And Untuned. The Side Drum
Overture To 'La Gazza Ladra' - The Thieving Magpie (Opening)
The Side Drum In An Effective But Unexpected Role/Clarinet Concerto (Mvt 1)
The Tambourine. One Of The Oldest Instruments In The World
Den Hoboecken Dans
Even Older Is The Originally Oriental Gong.
Ma Mere L'Oye - Mother Goose (Laideronette)
No Single Instrument Can Match The Gong In Evoking The Breaking Of Waves./Passacaglia, Op.33b From 'Peter Grimes'/But Gongs Don't Have To Be Struck To Be Effective.
Gymnopedie No.2
The Cymbals Are Generally Discovered Early In Life./The Sanguine Fan/And They Do More Than Clash Together Loudly. They Can Be Clashed Together Softly./Studio Example: But They Needn't Be Clashed Together At All/Studio Example: They Can Be Lightly...
Other Untuned Percussion Instruments Include The Whip.: Piano Concerto In G Major (Opening)/And Here Are No Fewer Than Twenty, Cracked By Tchaikovsky: The Nutcracker (Act I, Scene 5)
More Versatile Than The Whip Are The Wood Blocks.../Studio Example/...Which Crop Up All Over The Place In Twentieth-Century American Music.
Rodeo (Hoe-Down)
Related To The Wood Blocks, By Sound, Are The Castanets./Jota Aragonesa/But The Castanets Were Also Used By Monteverdi Back In The Seventeenth Century.
Scherzi Musicali (Damigella Tutta Belle)
A Still Earlier Example From Fifteenth-Century Spain
Yo M'Enamori D'Un Aire
The Birth Of The Bongo
Symphonic Dances From 'West Side Story'
From The Streets Of New York To The Blacksmith's Shop/Il Trovatore ('Anvil Chorus')
Desert-Island Decibels: Grand Canyon Suite (On The Trail)/Arcana
From One Vegetable To Another: The Humble Squash, Or Marrow/Huapango
Onwards To The Tuned Percussion. First, The Timpani
Also Sprach Zarathustra (Introduction)
But The Drum Roll Can Be More Effectively Frightening Than The Big Bang.: Symphony No.2 'Resurrection' (Mvt 3)
Not One Drum Roll, But Many/Grand Canyon Suite (Sunrise)/Symphonie Fantastique (Last Mvt)
Taking Advantage Of Tunability
Music For Strings, Percussion And Celeste (Mvt 2)
The Russian Composer Rodion Shchedrin Takes A Downward Turn./Carmen Suite (Changing Of The Guard)/Tuned, Yes; But For The Truly Melodic We Must Look Elsewhere.
Introducing The Glockenspiel/Carmen Suite (Carmen's Entrance And Habanera)
Saint-Saens And The Xylophone
The Carnival Of The Animals (Fossils)
Ravel And The Xylophone
Ma Mere L'Oye - Mother Goose (Laideronette)
Introducing The Marimba/Carmen Suite (First Intermezzo)
Introducing The Vibraphone
The Treasure Of The Sierra Madre (Narange Dolce)
The Vibraphone Goes Russian.../Carmen Suite (Carmen's Entrance And Habanera)/...And Is Joined By The Marimba./Carmen Suite (Carmen's Entrance And Habanera)
Introducing The Hungarian Cimbalom
Folk Dances
The Cimbalom And The Symphony Orchestra
Hary Janos Suite (Mvt 3)
Introducing The Tubular Bells
Hary Janos Suite (Viennese Musical Clock)
A More 'Up-Front' Approach From Rodion Shchedrin
Carmen Suite (Introduction)
But The Bells Can Also Make The Sinister Even More Sinister./Symphony No.7 'Sinfonia Antartica' (Mvt 1)
Introducing The Celeste
The Nutcracker (Dance Of The Sugar Plum Fairy)
Magic, In The Use Of Collective Percussion
Miroirs (La Vallee Des Cloches)
Plucked Instruments: The 'Undercover Percussion'/Carmen Suite (Scene)
A Prime Case In Point Is The Harp, Irresistible To The Romantics./The Nutcracker (Act II, No.1: Scene)/The Non-Solo Harp As An Integral Part Of The Orchestra/Hungarian Rhapsody No.1
The Traditionally Subservient Role Of The Harpsichord In The Baroque Orchestra
Brandenburg Concerto No.2 (Slow Mvt)
The Piano: King Of The Tuned Percussion/Symphony No.3 'Organ' (Mvt 3)/And A Quarter Of A Century After That:
Petrushka (Russian Dance)
The Anti-Romantic Piano As An Integral Part Of The Orchestra
Music For Strings, Percussion And Celeste (Last Mvt)

Tracks:

Keyboard Instruments In The Orchestra - The Most Powerful Of Them All:
Symphony No.3 'Organ' (Finale)
But Things In Handel's Day Were Very Different.
Organ Concerto In B Flat, Op.4 No.3 (Last Mvt)
The Organ Is Difficult To Classify.
An Unexpected, Organ-related Guest
Concerto Pour Zampogna (Last Mvt)
Peasant-Fancying... And A Touch Of The Roaming Cowboy
Les Miserables (Drink With Me)
Outside Artefacts And The Power Of Association
Mahler's Sleighbells
Symphony No.4 (Opening)
A Roll-Call Of Some Unusual Guests/The Typewriter/Parade
Chains, And More/Integrales/An American In Paris/Sandpaper Ballet
Purpose-Built Oddities: Wind Machines/Symphony No.7 'Sinfonia Antartica' (Opening)
Don Quixote (Variation VIII)
National Calling Cards: The Guitar For Spain/Concierto De Aranjuez (Finale)
And The Guitar's Poor American Relative, The Banjo/Washington Breakdown
And Poorer Still, The Mouth Organ/The Treasure Of The Sierra Madre (Packing Up)
The Balalaika For Russia/Romeo And Juliet (Act II: No.14)
The Maracas For Mexico/The Treasure Of The Sierra Madre (El Desayuno)
The Bongos And Congas And A Whole Wealth Of Other Drums For Africa And Central America/Studio Example
The Sitar Of India/Evening Raga: Bhapoli
The Accordion For France (Especially Paris)/Paris Canaille
The Zither For Vienna/The Third Man (Theme)
The Cimbalom For Hungary/Folk Dances
The Guitar As An Integral Part Of The Orchestra/Rondena
There Are Whole Orchestras Of Balalaikas./Sveit Mesiats
The Effect Of The Wordless Human Voice, Used Purely As An Instrument/Symphony No.7 'Sinfonia Antartica' (Mvt 1)
Nocturnes
Instruments And the Imitation Of Nature. The Clarinet As Cuckoo
The Carnival Of The Animals (The Cuckoo)
The Flute As An All-purpose Aviary
The Carnival Of The Animals (The Aviary)
The Oboe As Duck
Peter And The Wolf (The Duck)
The Recording Of Reality. Does It Work As Well?
The Pines Of Rome (The Pines Of The Janiculum)
The Recording Of Reality Electronically Reborn In New Guises
Cantus Articus - Concerto For Birds And Orchesra (Mvt 2)
Beethoven Turns Avian: Cuckoo, Nightingale, And Quail
Symphony No.6 'Pastoral' (Andante Molto Mosso)
Some Improbable Casting: The Violin As Braying Donkey
The Carnival Of The Animals (Persons With Long Ears)
A Truly Orchestral Hee-haw To Be Reckoned With
Overture To 'A Midsummer Night's Dream'
A Thunderstorm In A Million
Symphony No.6 'Pastoral (Allegro-Allegretto)
the Instrumental Depiction Of A Silent World
The Carnival Of The Animals (The Aquarium)
Saint-Saens' Menagerie Takes A Curtain Call.
The Carnival Of The Animals (Finale)

Tracks:

The Grouping Of Instrumental Families. An Additive Approach. First, Two Violins
Forty-Four Duos (No.4)
A Great Contrast, Of Both Pitch And Character: Violin And Viola
Duo For Violin And Viola In B Flat Major, K.424 (Finale, Vars 1 & 2)/Studio Example
Arrival Of The Standard String Trio: Violin, Viola, And Cello
String Trio In B Flat (Menuetto)
The String Quartet: Two Violins, Viola, And Cello
String Quartet In F, Op.18 No.1 (Mvt 3)
The String Quintet - When The Extra Instrument Is A Second Viola
String Quartet No.5 In D, K.593 (Adagio)
The String Quintet - When The Extra Instrument Is A Second Cello
String Quintet In C (Mvt 3)
The String Sextet: Two Violins, Two Violas, And Two Cellos
String Sextet In B Flat (Mvt 2)
The String Octet: The Standard String Quaret Times Two
Octet In E Flat, Op.20 (Mvt 1)
Double The String Octet: A Fully Fledged String Orchestra
String Symphony No.2 (Finale)
The Massed Strings Of A Symphony Orchestra
Fantasia On A Theme Of Thomas Tallis
Contrasts Of Pitch And Instrumental 'Colour' In The Woodwind Section
Wind Quintet In A Minor, Op.100 No.5 (Theme)
In The First Variation It's The Horn That Gets The Lion's Share.
Wind Quintet In A Minor, Variation 1
In Variation Two The Torch Is Handed To The Bassoon.
Wind Quintet In A Minor, Variation 2
In Variation Three The Oboe Leads.
Wind Quintet In A Minor, Variation 3
Variation Four: Conversation Before Returning To A Solo-dominated Texture
Wind Quintet In A Minor, Variation 4
And Variation Five is Dominated By The Clarinet.
Wind Quintet In A Minor, Variation 5
The Next To Be Featured Is The Virtuoso Flute.
Wind Quintet In A Minor, Variation 6
Individual Farewells And A Closing Chorus
Wind Quintet In A Minor, Variation 7
A Mixed Group: Clarinet, Bassoon, Horn, String Quartet, And Double-Bass
Octet In F (Mvt 3)
The Early Classical Symphony Orchestra Of Haydn And Mozart
Symphony No.29 In A, K.201 (Finale)
Strings, Wind, But No Brass. What Haydn And Mozart Never Knew
Canzon 28
Beethoven's Fifth: Two Horns, Two Trumpets, And Three Trombones Join The Team.
Symphony No.5 (Finale)
From Beethoven To The Massive Orchestras Of Berlioz, Wagner, And Mahler
Beethoven Changed The Face Of The Symphony And The Orchestra Forever
Symphoy No.6 'Tragic' (Mvt 1)
The Cult Of Orchestral Elephantiasis Reaches Its Peak.
Symphony No.1 'Gothic' (VI: Te Ergo Quaesumus)
When Large Doesn't Necessarily Mean Loud: Debussy
Images (Gigues)
A Crisis Of Confidence; The Orchestra's Survival Hangs In The Balance, But It Still Develops. The Ondes Martenot:
Turangalila Symphony (Chant D'amour 1)
The Advent Of The 'Early Music' Movement Brings A New Vitality And Freshness.
Balle De Xerxes (Gavotte En Rondeau)
Computer And Synthesiser: Friends Or Foes?
Concerto In D Minor For Two Violins (Largo)
A Speculative Look Ahead/Mass In B Minor ('Dona Nobis Pacem')

Customer Reviews:

Instruments of the Orchestra - Great Reference Material!.......2007-04-04

This set lends itself to greatly enhancing one's knowledge of the orchestra, instruments in it, and their usage. I am a huge music buff, and I still picked up a great deal I previously did not know. I highly recommend this for all who wish to understand the origin of music, as well as the processes that are employed to create music!

Beginner or Expert.......2007-03-12

This CD is excellent for the beginner or expert! To be able to haear the instrumets separately and then together really provides a good education. and/or refresher. The book thaty comes with the CD is alomost worth the price by itself!

Very Informative and Enjoyable.......2006-11-20

Whether you're a music novice or pro, "The instruments of the Orchestra" is a very worthwhile purchase. The 7 CDs, with a total of 8 hours, are expertly narrated by Jeremy Siepmann. He's a great speaker, very much like the late Leonard Bernstein was. Mr. Siepmann takes you on an unforgetable musical journey covering the origins and use of the various orchestral instruments throughout musical history. The balance between his narration and a wealth of musical examples, which range from snippets to entire movements, is superb. The comprehensive enclosed booklet is excellent and faithfully follows the 7 CDs in content. Even with my 40+ years of music training I still learned new things from this wonderful collection. Considering the excellence of the content, and a cost that translates to about $5 per disc, this collection is a great value. Grab it, you won't regret that you did. Five solid stars!

Frank's view.......2006-08-19

This boxed set of CD's with booklet achieved all I had hoped that it would. There are good samples of individual instruments and well done commentary on each. The only drawback was that some of the samples were too brief and could have been longer, hoiwever I guess this fits in with time constraints of the medium. It has given me a lot of clues as to future purchases of CD's for listening to individual instruments. Altogeth a satisfactory purchase and a welcome addition to my collection.

Excellent Intro for Those Not Familiar with the Orchestra.......2003-11-08

I've listened to classical music for years and am interested in composition. I bought this CD set to learn how an orchestra and its instruments work. I thought the CDs would be a nice but boring lecture. They aren't! Not only are they FUN but they are informative as well. I learned a huge amount from each CD and couldn't wait to listen to the next one.

The narrator and writer is a great speaker and holds your attention well. He is definitely knowledgeable. He provides musical examples for each point he makes, so you get to "hear" what he just talked about. I'd say the CDs are about 65% music and 35% narration. You'll learn about the range of instruments, some history, different ways to play them, how they sound, and how they are used in the orchestra. This CD set was a great learning experience and is sold at such a low price!

I recommend this CD for those who want to learn about classical music and those who know about it but are interested in learning more about the inner workings of an orchestra. You'll learn much useful information. For instance, the Rite of Spring (with that eerie start) is written for bassoon! I never knew a bassoon could sound like that but now I do.

Tracks:

When The Saints Go Marching In
Just A Closer Walk With Thee
Peace In The Valley
Theme From Lillies Of The Field (Amen)
The Lord's Prayer
Will The Circle Be Unbroken
I Believe
You'll Never Walk Alone
May The Good Lord Bless And Keep You
Ave Maria

Customer Reviews:

SUNDAY SAX.........PLAY-LouD!!!.......2005-02-10

This is fantastic gospel(instrumental only)...Has to be the best Saxaphone Gospel ever. My Dad Otis would play this record very loud about 8 am sunday mornings ...when us boys had been out drinking sat PM.
I swear to GOD it is a great hangover CURE....

Jazz Music:

Jazz Music

Jazz Music