Plays & Plays and Plays [Import]

Plays & Plays and Plays [Import]

ASIN: B0009S8EUG

Track Listings

1. Ya Gotta Try

2. Tales Of Rhoda Rat

3. 'round About Midnight

4. Time Out

5. No Jive

6. Lush Life

7. Party Time

8. Kong

9. Mickey Mouse

Tracks:

Overture - Orchestra
Sit Down, John
Piddle, Twiddle And Resolve/Till Then
The Lees Of Old Virginia
But, Mr. Adams
Yours, Yours, Yours
He Plays The Violin
Cool, Cool, Considerate Men
Momma Look Sharp
The Egg
Molasses To Rum
Is Anybody There
Finale

Amazon.com

Evidence that one can make a musical about anything, Exhibit A: 1776. As one might expect, the whole concept of making a musical about the creation and signing of the Declaration of Independence was greeted in the late 1960s with, well, ridicule. The show debuted on Broadway in 1969, and three years later, when its run finally ended, it was its producers who had the last laugh. In addition, it toured for an additional two years and beat out Hair (in 1969 yet!) for a Tony Award. This recording, with the original Broadway cast, includes many of the same actors who went on to star in the film, the version with which most audiences today are probably familiar. One notable exception is Rex Everhart, who replaced Howard da Silva at some performances and on this recording. But there's still William Daniels as John Adams, though in some cases his performance is more subdued than it was on film. Musically, 1776 is an odd creation, considering when it came into being. As one might expect, there's a lot of fife and drum going on, especially in the opening number and during "The Lees of Old Virginia." For those less than familiar with the plot, it hinges on the idealism of Adams, who's trying his best to back up the American Revolution with some legislative action, and spends much of his time arguing with either the Continental Congress or God, as in "Piddle, Twiddle, and Resolve": "A second flood, a simple famine / Plagues of locusts everywhere / Or a cataclysmic earthquake / I'd accept with some despair / But no, you sent us Congress / Good God, sir, was that fair?" (One could argue that he gets further with God.) While not entirely historically accurate, and containing some rather peculiar numbers (Franklin, Jefferson, and Adams sitting around debating what their new country's national bird is going to be ranks among the oddest), there's no questioning 1776's staying power. --Genevieve Williams

Customer Reviews:

Before Sondheim's COMPANY and after MAN OF LA MANCHA..........2007-04-30

For me, 1776 is a great companion to MAN OF LA MANCHA as one of the most entertaining AND intellectually worthy amalgams of music, lyrics, book, theme, plot, characterizations and dialogue to ever come out of pre-1970's Broadway musical theatre. Each song is like a little gem, and displays the broad range of emotions and ideas with which 1776 brims. Satiric, romantic, hilarious, heartbreaking, disturbing, dark, inspiring, thoughtful, humane, and even a little bawdy, the songs glide and tromp all over the map, as does the show itself. As with LA MANCHA, 1776 broke open the Broadway musical, making it a pitch-perfect example of what can truly make a musical more than a toe-tapping time killer... while never becoming tedious, pompous, windy, or dull. If anything, it crackles with suspense.

And as to the reviewer who was shocked that it would win out over HAIR? Listen to "Mamma Look Sharp" or "Molasses to Rum to Slaves" to hear exactly the play's political and often-unflattering ideological landscape. This was definitely a Vietnam-era play whose content was as disturbingly pertinent, then, as it is, now. And, despite all of this, the score and play never become leaden or preachy. On the contrary, each performance is a gem, and each character is witty and unique. Who knew that history could be a passionate and fun adventure?

Overrated Tony Award Winner.......2006-06-16

How could this musical win the Tony award having as a competitor a play like HAIR which - for many people - stands as an emblematic theatre piece of the 60's? Who remembers a tune out of this musical? On the contrary, "Aquarius", "I Got Life" or "Walking in Space" are still popular and they play all over the world. Even ZORBA and PROMISES PROMISES - both candidates for the award in the same year - have songs that are still remembered. 1776 may wake up patriotic feelings to American listeners which is quite understandable but the music and songs are old-fashioned, overrated and awfully boring.

Brilliant, Definitive and Remarkably Accurate!.......2005-12-18

1776 has become an institution, thanks to the motion picture which was made of this original Broadway show, and which starred most of the cast from the theatrical production. It gets rerun every July 4th week on some movie channel or local station!

William Daniels IS John Adams to many people, and even though the story of the birth of the United States probably wasn't this lyrical and lively, Composer Sherman Edwards was historically accurate in the facts of the tale.

In addition to learning about the signing of the Declaration of Independence, this is also love story... in fact two love stories, with John Adams and his wife Abigail, separated by circumstance and interacting only in his mind, and Thomas Jefferson and his wife, Martha, here, played by the big throated (and now legendary) Betty Buckley.

There is also a sense of fraternity, with the members of the Continental Congress grappling with the concept of breaking away from a tyranical ruler. And even though you know the outcome, the story is still filled with tension and excitement in the mechanics of it. Just how DID this country get formed?

The disc's liner notes explain the show's libretto and give you some rare behind-the-scenes info about the creation of the musical, the challenges it faced before becoming the standard that it now is, and a bit about the amazing Mr. Edwards, which is a story worthy of being told as well.

It's an Independence Day must!

Saw this on Broadway .......2005-11-12

Saw this show, with original cast, on Broadway in '69 and it has stayed with me ever since then. Every time I listen to these songs, I laugh. The historical figures (done with some tongue-in-cheek) are highly entertaining and even better if you see the movie. I would recommend the dvd for a great, lighthearted evening, and good family entertainment. You can't miss with this one! A winner on all fronts.

Quite a premise.......2005-07-20

Though it seems an odd choice to write a musical about, it works well. The whole thing seems a bit dated now, it still has great songs. Most dimpressive song, definately "Molasses to Rum". I gave it 4 stars for THAT song.

Average customer rating:

Is it bad to say I like this better than the original soundtrack?
Absolutely Exquisite
Yo Yo Ma and the Maestro Marvelous!!!
Better Every Time
Fabulous CD

Yo-Yo Ma Plays Ennio Morricone

Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

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The Mission: Original Soundtrack From The Motion Picture
The Essential Yo-Yo Ma
Obrigado Brazil
Appassionato
Vivaldi's Cello

ASIN: B0002YCVXI
Release Date: 2004-09-28

Tracks:

The Mission: Gabriel's Oboe
The Mission: The Falls
Giuseppe Tornatore Suite: Playing Love from The Legend of 1900
Giuseppe Tornatore Suite: Nostalgia from Cinema Paradiso
Giuseppe Tornatore Suite: Looking for You (Love Theme) from Cinema Paradiso
Giuseppe Tornatore Suite: Malena (Main theme)
Giuseppe Tornatore Suite: Remembering (Ricordare)*
Sergio Leone Suite: Deborah's Theme from Once Upon A Time In America
Sergio Leone Suite: Cockeye's Song from Once Upon a Time in America
Sergio Leone Suite: Main Theme from Once Upon a Time in America
Sergio Leone Suite: Main Theme from Once Upon a Time in the West
Sergio Leone Suite: Ecstasy of Gold from The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
Brian DePalma Suite: Main Theme from Casualities of War
Brian DePalma Suite: Death Theme from The Untouchables
Moses and Marco Polo Suite: Journey from Moses
Moses and Marco Polo Suite: Theme from Moses
Moses and Marco Polo Suite: Main Theme from Marco Polo
The Lady Caliph: Dinner
The Lady Caliph: Nocturne

Amazon.com

Ennio Morricone is well-known to moviegoers. His soundtracks for The Mission, The Good, the Bad and the Ugly, Once Upon a Time in America, Cinema Paradiso, and others are invariably warmly melodic and superbly suited to the films they grace. They not only add atmosphere; they help tell the story. For this CD Morricone has created new orchestrations for many of his scores, adding a solo cello part for the indefatigable Yo-Yo Ma, whose musical curiosity seems to be endless. Outside the films, these pieces tend to be lovely melodies, mostly pretty sentimental stuff, and, in the best way, gorgeous aural wallpaper. The most moving are the two selections from The Mission, but fans of Morricone's music will find plenty to enjoy here. Ma's playing, as always, is exquisite---warm, deeply felt (given the circumstances), and entirely idiomatic within the context. Perhaps not quite for the classical music lover, but an affectionate reworking of music by an important film composer. --Robert Levine

Customer Reviews:

Is it bad to say I like this better than the original soundtrack?.......2007-06-02

I never thought Yo-Yo Ma would do Gabriel's Oboe (Track 1) from THE MISSION justice, but I was wrong. There's a pureness to this version that makes it easier casual listening than the version(s) on the soundtrack CD itself. So no matter how much I love the theatrical "largeness" of the Original Soundtrack (not to mention the full choir), this is the version I grab for the CD player/iPod/whatever.

My two other recommendations are Main Theme from ONCE UPON A TIME IN THE WEST (Track 11) and Ecstasy of Gold from THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE UGLY (Track 12). I suggest playing these consecutively as a single medley. Track 11 *WILL* bring tears to the manliest among us --particularly if you remember in the movie where Sergio Leone pulls the camera up to reveal the town rising.

I get the feeling "hardcore" classical fans would dismiss movie scores as commercial work. I truly believe Ennio Morricone transcends that. Even moreso than, say, John Williams, and on a different plane than a Danny Elfman. And I can't say more about the emotion Yo-Yo Ma brings to the table than what's already been discussed.

Absolutely Exquisite.......2007-05-15

The combination of Morricone and Ma is pure perfection. This CD fills my heart with so much joy that I could just cry. I listen to it almost daily and have given it away as a gift to my loved ones. I am captivated by their incredible talents, and I know you will be too.

Yo Yo Ma and the Maestro Marvelous!!!.......2007-05-13

Having recently succumbed to Yo Yo Ma after a longtime love of Ennio Marricone I was excited to get this CD from Amazon. It is superb! All of the songs had to be recrafted by Morricone to suit Yo Yo Ma but it is a great listen as you sonically travel down memory lane through some of Maestro Moricone's musical marvels. "Gabriel's Oboe" from "The Mission" now becomes "Gabriel's Cello." I laugh as Yo Yo Ma bows his brains out on the "Ecstacy of Gold' from "The Good,The Bad, and The Ugly." I recommend this to all Yo Yo Ma and Morricone fans...a great listen. Soothing after a hard day!

Better Every Time.......2007-05-09

This CD gets better with every listening. It was a great purchase.

Fabulous CD.......2007-05-07

I love Morricone and this CD has some of the best versions of my favorite pieces. I have ordered several as gifts for friends.

Average customer rating:

Volodos the Artist
Arcady Volodos, plays Franz Liszt + SACD = Liszt reincarnate?
Fabulous Liszt
Beyond Stunning
More thrilling Liszt would be hard to imagine

Volodos Plays Liszt

Manufacturer: Sony Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Preludes | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

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ASIN: B000MGB0JW
Release Date: 2007-04-17

Tracks:

Années de pèlerinage I - Suisse, S 160; No. 6 La vallée d'Obermann
Années de pèlerinage II - Italie, S. 161; No. 2 Il penseroso
St François d'Assise, S. 175; No. 1 La prédication aux oiseaux
Bagatelle sans tonalité, S. 216a
Hungarian Rhapsody No. 13, S. 244/13
Années de pèlerinage II - Italie, S. 161; No. 1 Sposalizio
Prelude in F minor after Bach "Weinen, Klagen, Sorgen, Zagen", S. 179
Harmonies poétiques et religieuses, S. 173; No. 7 Les Funérailles
La lugubre gondola (Trauergondel) No. 2, S. 200/2
En rêve (Nocturne), S. 207

Customer Reviews:

Volodos the Artist.......2007-05-31

When Liszt was made Director of the new Musical Academy of Budapest, he insisted that all piano students study composition and improvisation. Very few pianists these days have ventured to mix composition and piano playing; the last known few were Busoni, Rachmaninoff, and even Horowitz. All legends of the pianoforte. When Volodos released his first CD, Piano Transcriptions, he set himself apart from the new age of piano virtuosos. He was a singer and conductor before venturing into piano playing. His Turkish March and Cello Paraphrases are musical gems that are rarely seen in this day and age. He has no fear of including his own cadenzas to the pieces that the composer suggests.
After 3 years of complete silence, Volodos returns with an all Liszt CD. And not the commonly known pieces: Valle d'Oberman, Sposalizio, and the atonal Bagatelle. All played perfectly and evocating the deepest memories of Liszt's emotions. Volodos does not need to struggle with such things as technique, he works directly with the sound and the images they convey. He would have been a perfect pupil of Liszt.
After having purchased all of his discs, I'd recommend the Transcriptions and Rach 3 concerto CDs for further Volodos listening. Let us hope more CDs from the blessed hands of Volodos.

Arcady Volodos, plays Franz Liszt + SACD = Liszt reincarnate?.......2007-05-27

Listening to this SACD in multiple channels, I felt faint.

For starters, a listener simply has to hear this recital quite a few times before it even begins to sink in, as music. Like some deity with multiple arms, Volodos exhibits a sheer and athletic physical command of the Steinway keyboard so high and effortless that few players, indeed, could even move into a nearby technical neighborhood. His playing somehow seems to evoke combined associations with Alpine glacier skiing, luge, Houdini-like death-defying escapes, myth about King Midas golden touch, the finest possible human or animal gymnastics, ballet, modern dance, and maybe even the ancient Greek myth of Icarus.

Whew.

After a few spins, I stopped sitting in my listening room, jaw dropped and mind completely numbed by the sheer, vertiginous physical presto-chango of it all. Letting my ears and mind and heart seep past those outer flash barriers, then I could begin to get an inkling of this Liszt recital as music.

Whew, what music.

We continue to have an vaguely fond and enduring image of Franz Liszt - part genius, part virtuoso, part charlatan. Like one of those extremely well-read figures that used to pop up in novels or theater, an itinerant alcoholic (more often than not) who knew Shakespeare exhaustively without erring from memory, but who couldn't resist hamming it all up, every single time. We have grown a tad wary and cautious these days when Liszt gets programmed into a recital or concert. We rather regularly anticipate that one part genius to two parts glitz and blitz will be par for the musical course.

Not here and not with Arkady Volodos.

Vallee d'Obermann erupts at times from the Steinway keyboard as if we were reliving Vesuvius and the ancient panoramas of Pompeii. But Volodos' high-minded focus on the immense scale of the musical narrative never falters. He always finds the lyrical through lines of even the most complex or animated passages. Hearing him do this so consistently is a bit like being able to ride lightning, thanks to an Oppo touch of a button. Suddenly the arch-Romantic Era notion of the soul as an angel of embodied fire seems entirely less far-fetched and fanciful than before I put this SACD on for the first of many spins.

Whew, what a composer.

Could any number of later, great musical figures have dug so deep into musical color, musical electricity or magnetism or atonal dark matter - without Franz Liszt cracking open all these doors, just so? Note to Sony BMG marketing: Volodos must do the Scriabin piano sonatas as soon as he can manage recording them. Unless he says, No and has other fish to fry.

Pensoroso moves into other realms. The fires in this piece are completely banked, transforming all the extrovert mad feeling of the preceding work into something so sad and inward that it is difficult to grasp intellectually, and probably the only way to hear it is to let it take hold of you as you listen, and make you feel ethereal atmospheres which cannot quite be apprehended. Is this thought really a thought? A sensation? A perception? A mood? A feeling? Before one can figure it all out, the work is finished, and we are on to the next track.

Saint Francis preaching to the birds opens yet another, distinctive and fantastic musical vision. Volodos has his incredible way with the birds speaking, and perhaps under this magic spell a listener may be forgiven for believing that, like Siegfried after he has tasted Fafner's spilled blood, we really do hear and understand something Nature is saying to us, utterly beyond practical words rooted in socialization and culture. The religious overtones are clear - but never render the saint's sermonizing in any religiously amateurish or overly sentimentalized manner. Imagine Franz Liszt glimpsing realms within which modern French composer Olivier Messiaen would later take mystical and musical wing.

The Bagatelle without Tonality simply shows us how easy it already was in music by the composer's era to start floating free of the received legacy tonal hierarchies. The ability of the piece's harmonic aura to shift gears, turning deftly on a single note reminds one of Beethoven's abilities in this regard; but Liszt is reaching far beyond Beethoven's enharmonic or other key changes. A sprite breathes upon us in this seemingly improvised encounter. Can we trust our eyes or ears? Do we partly realize how wispy and homespun the brain's perceptions really are, of a constantly-changing and transforming world that is not at all solid?

Hungarian Rhapsody 13 returns us to the culturally rooted Franz Liszt, proud of his Hungarian ethnic heritage. Volodos has made his own arrangements of the original, suited ever so artfully to his own special high abilities. Now it takes a certain respect and technical reputation to get away with this sort of thing, at minimum, and Volodos obviously in this regard is the closest living performer who could stand without the slightest glare or embarrassment in the lineage of, say, Vladimir Horowitz.

Unlike even Horowitz, however, Volodos yields not a moment's sense of strain or effort. He manages the rhapsody so well that when he lets his fingers rise to break free of Planetary Gravities, we feel that freedom is the inevitable fulfillment of the earthbound restraint and pull that makes things cohere. What keeps this rhapsody from being nothing but a tasty bon-bon is the immense fun and joy that Volodos has in his way with it. Like running outside on a very fine Spring day, with the breezes let loose and the saps of Nature running, full flow. One feels very green, very young, juiced.

Oops. Space is running out for comments. Get this disc now unless you are terribly allergic to the piano or to Liszt.

The rest of the SACD is every bit as wonderful as the first has been.

Fabulous Liszt.......2007-05-08

This is without question the best recording of Liszt's piano music I have ever heard. Many of the selections are late works that tend to be rarely played, and certainly not played with this amount of skill. I now find myself appreciating these pieces much more than I had before. Volodos makes this music sound beautiful and visionary. While I hope in the future to hear Volodos' take on the Sonata and the Petrarch sonatas, and other of the more popular Liszt works, I think this CD is a magnificant achievement, a landmark recording.

Beyond Stunning .......2007-05-02

Arcadi Volodos is the pianist to watch. He seems to believe the 88 keys of the piano are not enough. This recording is gorgeous - beyond stunning. I have been a fan of the wide range of Liszt's keyboard and orchestral music for decades: this recording is the finest I have ever heard - beyond Bolet, Arrau, Horowitz, Brendel, Richter, Nyiregyhazi, Wild. Only Cziffra is close, in interpretation. Volodos mingles passion, introspection, technical brilliance and a sense of Liszt's importance to the musical traditions from which he emerged and which drew from him. Liszt is rare in that his life (from 1811 - 1886) enabled him to reflect and influence generations of composition. You can hear the stirrings of Debussy, Gershwin and Rachmaninoff in his music.

Volodos plays pieces from various parts of Liszt's career. These selections are most judiciously chosen. For those who like their Liszt at white heat, with fireworks and brio, the disc is a delight: Volodos is amazing. He has superlative command of the keyboard. But Liszt, a true Romantic and an abbe in the Catholic Church, was also capable of rare sensitivity, calm, introspection, and humility. His religious music, though sometimes simple and sweet, is profoundly moving. Volodos again reaches depths many pianists have not plumbed, with an effect that gives this music a power far beyond words. It is overwhelming how much emotion, experience and insight are found in this single recording. It will take several sessions to sit and listen to these pieces and let them sink in. Playing it all at once is simply too much to absorb. I had to put it aside for a day to let it sink in but I am eagerly awaiting the chance to be transported again by any of these mesmerizing works. Volodos is the greatest thing to happen to the piano since Horowitz and Richter, rolled into one. He is in his 30's. There should be much more from him. Already his recordings sound like more. I have simply been amazed at his recordings of Rachmaninoff, Schumann, Schubert and Scriabin, among others. And the sound - ! This is a hybrid super audio CD. It is exquisite even if you do not have a super-audio CD player and the added speaker(s). I agree entirely with the other reviewer. You will not regret buying this.

More thrilling Liszt would be hard to imagine.......2007-04-18

Volodos made a huge impact with his first CD ten years ago, an unknown ?Russian of 24 who had acquired a technique equal to Horowitz. All the more remarkable was the fact that he had started seriously studying the piano at age 16, his previous background being in singing and conducting. There's such a plethora of Russians with lightning fingers that something more is nee4ded, and Volodos offered sensitive musicanship, a natural ability to phrase, and gorgeous tone. He has remained at the top of the profession form the day he first appeared.

Here Volodos leans into strength with Liszt, whose Second Hungarian Rhapsody was one of the knockouts on his first CD. The program includes a cluster of Lidzt's gnomic, terse late works, three great pieces taken from the Annees de pelerinage series, and a scatterig of showpieces and rarities. It's a very agreeable mix, and Volodos plays with enormous sonority, captured extremely well by the vivid close-up recording that takes us into the heart of the instrument. Pianists could only dream of such sonic realism even a few years ago--the thundering octaves of Vallee d'Obermann send chills down the spine.

Vallee d'Obermann opens the recital, and Volodos makes a triumph out of its long, long melodic lines and spare fingering. This is one of the most convincing versions I've heard in years. As much as I hate to disparage Kissin, Volodos in many ways has gone where Kissin should have gone--inward. Both have technique to burn, but Volodos makes you think and feel in a way that only the younger Kissin did. Perhaps Volodos is a touch too serious; he wants to convince us that Liszt's music isn't flash and fireworks, which qite often it is, even in the best pieces. But I doubt anyone will have complaints. It would be hard to imagine a more thriling recital.

Martha Argerich Plays Chopin: The Legendary 1965 Recording

Average customer rating:

Lost is Found, finally
Martha Argerich CD
Fabulous recording
Excellent
A restored jewel in the Argerich catalog

Martha Argerich Plays Chopin: The Legendary 1965 Recording
Martha Argerich
Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Debut Recital / Martha Argerich
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ASIN: B00000IWVS
Release Date: 1999-05-18

Tracks:

Piano Sonata No.3 In B Minor, Op.58: I. Allegro maetoso
Piano Sonata No.3 In B Minor, Op.58: II. Scherzo: Molto vivace
Piano Sonata No.3 In B Minor, Op.58: III. Largo
Piano Sonata No.3 In B Minor, Op.58: IV. Finale: Presto, non tanto
Mazurka No.36 In A Minor, Op.59 No.1
Mazurka No.37 In A-flat, Op.59 No.2
Mazurka No.38 In F-sharp Minor, Op.59 No.3
Nocturne No.4 In F, Op.15 No.1
Scherzo No.3 In C-sharp Minor, Op.39
Polonaise No.6 In A-flat, Op.53

Amazon.com's Best of 1999

Record-label politics prevented this awesome recording of Argentinean pianist Martha Argerich from being released for 34 years. The spitfire musician delivers a powerful set of Chopin's best-loved works that still sounds riveting today. Intense and gorgeous. --Jason Verlinde

Amazon.com essential recording

How can it be that a recording by one of today's indisputably unequaled pianists performing some of her prime repertory--made fresh within months of her triumph in the 1965 Warsaw International Chopin Competition--could languish for decades in the vaults before its official release? Chalk it up to the exclusivity clauses of rival recording companies and legal constraints from which not even Wotan with the help of Loge could extricate himself. Thankfully this belated EMI release--recorded in a few sessions at the Abbey Road studios--is finally available.

It's a significant complement to Argerich's other accounts of Chopin on disc. From the white-hot intensity of Argerich's way with the composer, you can easily extrapolate a sense of what had recently wowed the jury in Warsaw. The Argentinean pianist undertakes the Third Sonata as a vast, big-voiced, far-reaching statement that encompasses both molten power and moments of almost unbearably intimate lyricism (listen closely to her gestures of illumination in the Largo). With a characteristically unforced spontaneity, Argerich sounds the shattering chords that launch the finale (recorded in one take); her sense of flow in the Nocturne No. 4 is a perfect mesh for the illusion of improvising that is so central to Chopin. She commands the logic--both emotional and musical--of the composer's skittish turns in the Scherzo No. 3 and crafts three of the mazurkas into perfectly chiseled character pieces. The sheer force of Argerich's personality might seem overwhelming to those accustomed to a tamer Chopin--listen to how she dives into the A-flat Polonaise--but it's always at work dusting off tired clichés and uncovering the music's expressive wealth. For those who know about Argerich's artistry, this disc is indispensable; anyone who has yet to make that enviable discovery will find it (together with the Argerich anthology in Philips' Great Pianists series) a great place to begin. --Thomas May

Customer Reviews:

Lost is Found, finally.......2007-07-08

This Argerich Chopin performance, recorded by EMI in 1965 while she was actually under contract to DG is formidable for an artist so early in her career. Both the artistry and sound are superb and it's a shame we fans had to wait so long for this recording to appear. These Chopin performances completely justify the competition judges decision to award her the grand prize at the 1965 Warsaw International Chopin Competition. It's a collection must have!

Martha Argerich CD.......2007-06-12

Excellent service -- speedy, just as described, well-packaged. I'd definitely buy from this seller again.

Fabulous recording.......2007-04-12

A most interesting history in the liner notes and a fabulous recording. One of the best for a piano CD collection.

Excellent.......2007-04-12

Only one word: Excellent.
Though someone might have different feeling, I'm crazy on this 1965 recording.

A restored jewel in the Argerich catalog.......2006-09-03

If I had to pick a single CD to win awed admiration for Martha Argerich, this Chopin recital would be it. Only 24 when she made these long-suppressed recordings, Argerich's musicality and dazzling technqiue defy belief. Every ounce of praise for her Third Sonata is deserved--it's spontaneous, flexible, intense, by turns tender and declamatory. The most blessed quality is that she doesn't bang or harangue us--not always the case in later years. Her sense of urgency doesn't become eckless; the bursts of excitment aren't oerly explosive.

My only caveat would be for audiophiles. Although an Abbey Road studio recording, you get the feeling somewhat that Argerich is performing in a boomy hall. Also, in the loudest fortes there's mircophone shatter. For many listeners these drawbacks won't matter a whit, not in the face of an undisputed keyboard genius.

Average customer rating:

Wayne...Wow!
Absolutely splendid!
Simply the best of everything
wayne Bergeron's new CD
He Really DOES Play Well with Others :-) ...

Plays Well With Others
Wayne Bergeron
Manufacturer: Concord Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Jazz | Styles | Music

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Up and Running

ASIN: B000G73UDG
Release Date: 2007-01-09

Tracks:

Endless Torture (Tortura Sin Fin)
Maynard & Waynard
Scheherazade
You Go To My Head
Georgia
Samba Brassiliero
High Clouds And A Good Chance Of Wayne
Requiems
You Hid What In The Sousaphone?
The Hipster

Amazon.com

A trumpeter with chops from here to San Diego, a no-nonsense approach to soloing, and an 18-piece band that hits and swings hard, Wayne Bergeron is a classic product of the West Coast studio system. The patron saint of Plays Well With Others is the late Maynard Ferguson, whose appearance here on the comparatively toned down "Maynard and Waynard" was one of his final recorded efforts. Bergeron, who has been heard behind countless pop artists, is not the stratospheric threat Ferguson was, but he embodies the same brash aesthetic in leading his well-drilled ensemble through a program that ranges from driving originals by the likes of Big Phat Band leader Gordon Goodwin to a rhythmic awakening of "Georgia" to go-for-the-throat ballads like "Requiems" to a frisky reading of Rimsky Korsakov's "Scheherazade." Those who like a bit more subtlety or wit in their mainstream big bands might want to look elsewhere. But for those who like these sounds straight up and fancy free, this is a good place to be. --Lloyd Sachs

Customer Reviews:

Wayne...Wow!.......2007-05-12

This CD is very special because of the track with Wayne Bergeron and Maynard Ferguson together..."Waynard and Maynard." While neither musician goes into the trumpet stratosphere, their very entertaining performance together is worth the cost of the CD. The other tracks definitely show off Bergeron's awesome talent, especially "Endless Torture"(love that latin beat). Also check out Bergeron's other CD, "You call this a Living?" That one made me a Wayne Bergeron fan.

Absolutely splendid!.......2007-04-11

Wayne has put together another magnificent project. The playing is great, the arrangements are great, and the production is great. This is a big band cd you need to hear.

Simply the best of everything.......2007-04-05

This is a must have for listeners of Jazz, Big Band and the likes. Everything is played in such accuracy it is almost unreal!!! Well engineered, orchestrated and performed. Congratulation to Wayne and his Big Band. Truly a magnificent album in every sense of this word.

Yours sincerely,
Peter Tuason

wayne Bergeron's new CD.......2007-03-18

"Plays Well With Others" is a spectacular collection of great players, wonderful arrangements. Wayne's playing is absolutely amazing. His command of the trumpet and his musicality are a joy to listen to.

Bill Peterson

He Really DOES Play Well with Others :-) ..........2007-03-15

Plays well by himself too! Wayne Bergeron is to trumpet playing what LeBron James is to basketball. (OK, I'm from NE Ohio. And although Wayne's obviously not a "spring chicken" anymore, he's still a monster!) As a trumpet player who knows playing the Wayne plays doesn't just happen, I admire his hard work coupled with his natural talent to make some pretty beautiful music.

The variety of styles represented on this CD is great. He does some serious screaming, some great ensemble stuff, some wonderful improvisation and just flat out plays well with others :-) ...

I can pretty much assure you won't be disappointed. If you are, write to Wayne. He's promised a triple refund of the purchase price for those not completely satisfied with this CD. Well, maybe not, but I'm pretty sure he'd be able to and never have to send a cent.

Get it. Listen to it. Be inspired (he really is good). Be nauseated (he's so good it'll make you sick). Enjoy (music made with such passion, polish and power is an absolute pleasure to hear).

Average customer rating:

Monsoon Wedding Soundtrack is Terrific
Loved it!
Just as fabulous as the movie!
Love It, Love It, Love It
Culture-Happy-Dance-Reflect-Appreciate-Savor-Relax-Laugh

Monsoon Wedding (Score)

Manufacturer: Milan Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Monsoon Wedding
Bend It Like Beckham
The Best of Bollywood
Bride & Prejudice
Bhangra Beatz

ASIN: B00005UKLV
Release Date: 2002-03-05

Tracks:

Feels Like Rain
Aaj Mera Jee Kardaa (Today My Heart Desires)
Baraat
Aaj Mausam Bada Beimann Hai (Today The Weather Plays Tricks On Me)
Your Good Name
delhi.com
Fuse Box
Mehndi/Madhorama Pencha
Banished
Good Indian Girls
Fabric/Aaja Savariya (Come To Me, My Beloved)
Allah Hoo
Hold Me, I'm Falling
Love And Marigolds
Chunari Chunari
Aaja Nachle (Come On Dance!)
Aaj Mera Jee Kardaa (Zimpala Remix)
Fuse Box (Alexkid's Dub Remix)
Fuse Box (Julio Black Remix)

Amazon.com

Monsoon Wedding is Mychael Danna's second collaboration with film director Mira Nair, (Kama Sutra was the first), and he has again compiled a winning soundtrack. Danna explores a wide range of emotions, from solemn to celebratory, through different generations of Indian culture. The contemplative "Good Indian Girls" and "Hold Me, I'm Falling" feature Danna's trademark piano ambience over traditional Indian instrumentation, and the vivacious "Baraat" sounds like a Punjabi variation on Dixieland, while "Delhi.com" ventures into dreamy ethno-techno territory. Sukhwinder Singh's "Today My Heart Desires" serves up lively bhangra rock, and Laxmikant Pyarelal's "Today the Weather Plays Tricks on Me" (performed by Mohammed Rafi) swoons with strings and male vocals. In all, the soundtrack's pleasing variety of Eastern music mirrors the film's old and new worlds living within a singular culture. --Bryan Reesman

Customer Reviews:

Monsoon Wedding Soundtrack is Terrific.......2007-05-18

I really enjoyed the movie and was pleased to find the soundtrack. Great cd if you're a fan of Bollywood!

Loved it!.......2007-03-24

I just saw the movie MONSOON WEDDING and I absolutely loved it! Of course, I just HAD to have the soundtrack, so I bought the Cd recently and loved it too! WOW!

The Cd will leave you in a happy mood... Wonderful up-beat songs, many are so danceable and hipnotic. I've been playing this Cd all week ...I just wish it were longer because I would love to have more Cds like this in my Cd collection.

Just as fabulous as the movie!.......2007-01-31

This is an excellent soundtrack from an excellent movie. The music is fantastic - makes you want get up and move your feet! It's got such a happy, wistful, exotic flavor throughout the CD. I think this will probably be one that I wear out from listening to it so much!

Love It, Love It, Love It.......2007-01-21

I just love this CD. I'm preferential to the work of Mychael Danna and this is another awesome work of his. There is everything from old Indian love ballads to the popular Bollywood music of today, with some very beautiful instrumentals in between.

I'd recommend seeing the movie too. As well, I'd check out Danna's music for another Mira Nair movie, "Kama Sutra: A Tale of Love."

Culture-Happy-Dance-Reflect-Appreciate-Savor-Relax-Laugh.......2006-11-06

Above I listed some words that first came to mind when I thought about this cd.
It is very Culture rich and soaked in Indian flavor. It's colorful and makes you happy with a laugh or two; as it seeks to portray the traditional music typical of a Punjabi wedding in Delhi, India.
You want to dance with most songs and sit quietly to reflect with others. I listed appreciate because we often don't sit back to appreciate the richness that other cultures provide. My 2 year old appreciates this music in her broken wanna be Hindi mimic.
She dances as does my 6 year old to this music. It's really a great CD but I would recommend seeing the movie first.

1776: The New Broadway Cast Recording (1997)

Average customer rating:

From someone who despises American musical theater
A Mans Show
Who knew Mr. Data had it in him?
I Love It!
SURPRISINGLY TERRIFIC

1776: The New Broadway Cast Recording (1997)

Manufacturer: Tvt
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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1776 (Restored Director's Cut)
1776 (1969 Original Broadway Cast)
1776: A Musical Play (Penguin Plays)
1776: P/V/G Vocal Selections
Shenandoah (1975 Original Broadway Cast)

ASIN: B000000GU0
Release Date: 1997-12-16

Tracks:

ACT I: Sit Down, John - Brent Spiner/Michael X. Martin/Richard Poe/Tom Aldredge/John Herrera/Tom Riis Farrell...
ACT I: Piddle, Twidle and Resolve - Brent Spiner/Orch/Mark Mitchell
ACT I: Till Then - Brent Spiner & Linda Emond/Orch/Mark Mitchell
ACT I: The Lees of Old Virginia - Merwin Foard/Pat Hingle & Brent Spiner/Orch/Mark Mitchell
ACT I: But Mr. Adams - Brent Spiner/Pat Hingle/Paul Micheal Valley/John Herrara & Daniel Marcus/Orch/Mark Mitchell
ACT I: Yours, Yours, Yours - Brent Spiner & Linda Emond/Orch/Mark Mitchell
ACT I: He Plays The Violin - Lauren Ward/Pat Hingle & Brent Spiner/Orch/Mark Mitchell
ACT I: Cool, Cool, Considerate Man - Michael Cumptsy/Orch/Mark Mitchell
ACT I: Momma Look Sharp - Erik J. McCormack/Macintyre Dixon & Joseph Cassidy/Orch/Mark Mitchell
ACT II: The Egg - Pat Hingle/Brent Spiner & Paul Michael Valley/Orch/Mark Mitchell
ACT II: Molasses to Rum - Gregg Edelman/Orch/Mark Mitchell
ACT II: Compliments - Linda Emond/Orch/Mark Mitchell
ACT II: Is Anybody There? - Brent Spiner/Orch/Mark Mitchell

Customer Reviews:

From someone who despises American musical theater.......2007-06-04

Okay... wow.

In the Brent Spiner Fangirl Legal Contract, it specifies that said fangirl must purchase any and all vocal recordings containing said Brent Spiner (and that she will not, in any way or at any time, mention how much he sounds like Judy Garland on steroids). Which is why I purchased this CD.

He... ripped... into... this... part. That's the only way I can put it. I was floored from start to finish.

The work, as a whole, is something of a consuming thing. Be prepared to sit in silence for a few minutes after you're done with this one, because after hearing the whole thing, silence will be the only followup that does it justice.

A Mans Show.......2006-07-24

For anyone looking for male songs, or a male show to put on, this is the soundtrack for you. It has great ballads as well as big chorus numbers for the male sex. However the subject matter just didnt grab me by the throat and make me love it. History isnt my thing. That being said, the music and lyrics are great, and worth the money. This is a good one to get if your interested in broadway, but not the Rodgers and Hamerstein style. My favorite songs are "Molasses to Rum" and "Momma Look Sharp."

Who knew Mr. Data had it in him?.......2006-07-05

I saw this musical in NYC and have never been so moved by a Broadway show before. Brent Spiner has a lovely yet commanding voice that makes the hair stand up on the back of your neck in parts - you so believe in the rightness of his convictions as Adams. All the performances are first rate, but Spiner really shines.

The argument can be made that this musical was "of its time" meaning the 1960's, but I think the songs still hold up as they entertain as well as educate us. Much of the lyrics and dialogue are authentic.

Highly recommended.

I Love It!.......2006-02-27

The soundtrack will make you laugh, cry and sing along. You'll have goosebumps as you hear the songs of the men and women involved in the creation of our country.

SURPRISINGLY TERRIFIC.......2006-02-23

As a PURIST fan of ORIGINAL musicals, and not one who enjoys all the revivals (which indicates a lack of current writers...no surprise), I was AMAZED at how GOOD this revival is on recording. I am sorry I missed the show in New York.

Average customer rating:

Just great guitar
Vignola Plays Like a Fine Lover
Wonderful Songs Played By A Great Jazz Guitarist
S'Wonderful

Vignola Plays Gershwin
Frank Vignola
Manufacturer: Mel Bay Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Generations

ASIN: B000N69OQM
Release Date: 2007-04-17

Tracks:

I Got Rhythm
Summertime
S'Wonderful
Our Love Is Here To Stay
They Can't Take That Away From Me
The Man I Love
Somebody Loves Me
Strike Up The Band
Nice Work If You Can Get It
Fascinating Rhythm
Embraceable You
Lady Be Good
How Long Has This Been Going On
But Not For Me

Album Description

Jazz is not only the "sound of surprise," as critic Whitney Balliett famously declared, but it can also be the sound of camaraderie. On this exuberant session, you can hear the pleasure the band takes in the music and each other, as they "play" Gershwin in the fullest sense of the word.

This is Frank Vignola's twelfth CD as a leader. A born and bred "Noo Yawkuh" (from Lawn Gyland), he arrived on the scene about 20 years ago, and his star has kept on rising ever since. Vignola is an exceptionally elegant, versatile player who has another distinctive characteristic; he uses his prodigious technique to serve the music, rather than his ego. He might also be the most expressive note-bender in the business. A fan of Charlie Christian, Basie and Bucky, as well as Eric Clapton, Vignola glides across genre boundaries without a net, playing full-frontal straight-ahead jazz with a dash of blues, a whiff of classical, and a splash of rock n' roll. But while his palette of influences is a rich and varied one, his personal style is distinct and unmistakable.

Dr. Judith Schlesinger / From the Liner Notes

Customer Reviews:

Just great guitar.......2007-05-29

Have a great respect for Frank Vignola's artistry. Reminds me of things
from my youth. Several guitar students would get together and jam.
Each of us would get to improvise while the others played rhythm.
Mr. Vignola never disapoints. The only way he could please me more would
be to make more recordings. (I'm 74 yrs old) Get busy Frank!

Vignola Plays Like a Fine Lover.......2007-05-25

I had never heard of Frank Vignola before I heard his rendition of Summertime on my local jazz public radio station. After that I was obsessed with getting this CD and to make matters worse I had to wait for its release! When I listen to the way he plays this song it brings me to my knees. The care, the passion, the touch, the creativity, the expression that he brings to his instrument ... whoa. To me, listening to him play is like being invited to share in an incredibly intimate experience between two deeply connected souls (Frank and his guitar) where you are not sure whom is playing/leading who.

Wonderful Songs Played By A Great Jazz Guitarist.......2007-05-18

This CD is filled with wonderful songs played by a great guitarist. If you like jazz guitar, this CD will find a permanent spot in your multi-CD player or IPOD.

S'Wonderful.......2007-04-17

Crystal-clear recording, a tight top-notch jazz quartet, interesting arrangements, outstanding solos - who could ask for anything more?
This is jazz guitar at its best. Highly recommended.

Gershwin Plays Gershwin: The Piano Rolls

Average customer rating:

Wonderfully American
A Gersh-winner
Interesting... but I think I'd prefer a good Gershwin interpreter
Gershwin's playing overated
The jazzy Gershwin. What a CD!!!!!!!

Gershwin Plays Gershwin: The Piano Rolls

Manufacturer: Nonesuch
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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The Gershwin Plays Gershwin: The Piano Rolls, Vol. 2
Essential George Gershwin
Gershwin: Rhapsody in Blue - Piano Concerto in F - An American in Paris
Levant Plays Gershwin
George Gershwin: Greatest Hits

ASIN: B000005J1I
Release Date: 1993-11-09

Tracks:

Sweet And Lowdown
Novelette In Fourths
That Certain Feeling
So Am I
Rhapsody In Blue
Swanee
When You Want 'Em, You Can't Get 'Em...
Kickin' The Clouds Away
Idol Dreams
On My Mind The Whole Night Long
Scandal Walk
An American In Paris

Customer Reviews:

Wonderfully American.......2007-05-14

I've had a copy of this CD for years and love it. The power and optimism of the music is really quite remarkable... regardless of who or what is actually playing here. The arrangement of Swanee is light but rich with major chord trains like you just want to go marching around the room. And American In Paris leads you on a swaying, dischordy journey the deeper you go, as the narrative begins to trade delicacy for passion. (and I love renditions where you can hear the MUSIC and the instruments don't get in the way, like four-voice midi versions of Bach which reveal the eloquence).

When I listen to this CD now, and which is most surpring to me, I hear a profound pride in America - back "before." I play it when I have people over and we put burgers on the grill. This CD is the song of sitting in my back yard with the clouds blowing by and for the moment things feel OK.

"Before" - OK, there is no old perfect Amercia; but I'm thinking of the time before we learned to distill petroleum into toxic pollution, before pride meant vanity and thuggery, before hate-filled invective became public amusement, and before presidents went to war because it was good for business.

A Gersh-winner.......2007-01-07

George Gershwin had a long association with the mechanical device known as the player piano. At the age of ten, Gershwin used a neighbor's pianola to teach himself how to play, by very slowly pumping the foot pedal that advanced the hole-punched rolls, and placing his fingers on the depressed keys. His parents were so impressed by his abilities they enrolled the boy in formal piano studies when he turned 13. Thus, an American genius was born.

The existing films of Gershwin (who died of a brain tumor at age 38 in 1937) show him to be a virtuoso at his instrument. His 1924 acoustic recording of Rhapsody In Blue (with the Paul Whiteman orchestra) is further evidence of this. But no film or recording has what is contained within the album GERSHWIN PLAYS GERSHWIN: THE PIANO ROLLS, and that is-- full fidelity range.

The CD comes in a standard jewel case packaged in a heavy paper slipcover. Biographical liner notes are included along with details on the rolls. The earliest performance in this set is from 1916, made when Gershwin was an 18-year-old song plugger. My favorites here are "Swanee," from 1920, and "An American In Paris," from 1933, which is undoubtedly one of the last significant piano rolls ever made.

Gershwin's dynamic performances are not in the least obscured by the few extra notes added to the piano rolls (such practice was standard in those days). Listening to these recordings is like sitting next to this brilliant man, observing his fingers fly over the keys as he plays some of his best work.

TOTAL RUNNING TIME -- 60:36

Interesting... but I think I'd prefer a good Gershwin interpreter.......2006-05-14

Composers are not necessarily the best performers of their own work. A songwriter's songwriter like Jules Shear or Jimmy Webb comes to mind -- surely the best representations of their songs are on other artist's albums.

This album is charming in its own way -- a taste of the music and performance style of a bygone era. Someone complained that these rolls were edited. So what? I'm going to review the final product, now how it was made. Do you eat sausage? Ask not what's in it!

I like to listen to this CD in short bits -- a few songs at a time. For some reason I find it to be fatiguing if I listen for more than 20 minutes or so. I'm not absolutely sure why this is so. Possibly the meter is just a little too metronomic on many of the songs. This lends a "mechanical" quality to the performances.

Additionally, I felt that the dynamic range was restricted. The music does get louder and softer, because of the piano rolls themselves and because of the computer programming used to read the piano rolls -- the dynamics were deliberately adjusted by the record producers in some spots, if I read the liner notes correctly. And yet. And yet. Still these songs do not dynamically "breathe" fully in and out the way they ought to. I find this disappointing, but I think it has something to do with inherent limitations in piano roll recording technique. I'm guessing.

Taken for what it is, it is an interesting concept, and the sound quality is very pleasant. The performances are very good for piano rolls, but fall short of what a good interpreter could do. Take, for example, the Rhapsody in Blue from Woody Allen's Manhattan soundtrack. Listen specifically to the piano part -- the dynamics and variations in rhythm. This is not by any means the best performance of Rhapsody, but it is better than the Gershwin rolls.

Gershwin's playing overated.......2006-04-09

After I heard this cd I bought Gershwin plays Gershwin on the naxos label which arn't piano rolls. Any pianist can tell that many of these rolls are heavily edited and can't be played by a pianists with two hands. On the naxos album that has some of these same songs Gershwin's actual playing doesn't sound very good. Many of Gershwins contempories such as James P. Johnson, Eubie Blake, Luckey Roberts and even Zez Confrey were much better pianists than he was, however they didn't have his melodic gifts as a composer. I would recommend Artis Whodhouse's
transcriptions of Jelly Roll Morton's piano rolls (on the same label) instead because most of those are exactly how he played them and in my opinion Morton was a better musician in every way than Gershwin.

The jazzy Gershwin. What a CD!!!!!!!.......2006-02-23

I got this CD as a gift. I am all for the austrogerman post- romantic music and as imagined Gershwin is not my favourite composer. I know him from his best known works such as the 'Rhapsody", the 'American' and his great songs. This CD is a treasure as mentioned from other reviewers of this site. Gershwin full of passion, his music being jazzy to the very end and that great feeling you get after a great live performance is present all over the length of this 'treasure'. No question about the presence of the music. Not to be missed

Oscar Peterson Plays The George Gershwin Songbook

Average customer rating:

Oscar 's Trio at Its Best - Ten Stars - A Jazz Album of Beauty & Grace
My first Peterson album
Fascinating And Lively Rhythms
An essential album for every collection.
A really (too ? ) accessible Jazz CD

Oscar Peterson Plays The George Gershwin Songbook
Oscar Peterson
Manufacturer: Polygram Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Oscar Peterson Plays the Duke Ellington Song Book

ASIN: B000004716
Release Date: 1996-02-27

Tracks:

It Ain't Necessarily So
The Man I Love
Love Walked In
I Was Doing All Right
A Foggy Day
Oh, Lady, Be Good!
Love Is Here To Stay
They All Laughed
Let's Call The Whole Thing Off
Summertime
Nice Work If You Can Get It
Shall We Dance?
The Man I Love
Fascinating Rhythm
It Ain't Necessarily So
Somebody Loves Me
Strike Up The Band
I've Got A Crush On You
I Was Doing All Right
'S Wonderful
Oh, Lady, Be Good!
I Got Rhythm
A Foggy Day
Love Walked In

Amazon.com

Oscar Peterson made two trips through the Gershwin repertoire, one in 1952 and another in 1959 after the advent of stereo. As with Oscar Peterson Plays the Duke Ellington Songbook, this disc compiles both sessions, the earlier one with a trio of guitarist Barney Kessel and bassist Ray Brown, the later one with Brown and drummer Ed Thigpen. The later session is programmed first. The earlier group drew its conception from the Nat "King" Cole trio, a lightly swinging blend that benefits from a third highly adept soloist in Kessel. The later group is more conventional, but it sometimes draws meatier, more forceful playing from an older Peterson. The contrast is apparent in the two versions of "It Ain't Necessarily So." On both sessions, the emphasis is on the tunes, and Peterson sparkles on uptempos and ballads alike. --Stuart Broomer

Customer Reviews:

Oscar 's Trio at Its Best - Ten Stars - A Jazz Album of Beauty & Grace.......2006-04-10

The 1st 12 songs were the ones actually released on the original album. A Foggy Day when Oscar hits the bridge (Middle Part) where he plays the melody so graciously almost angelic to a point with Ray Brown walking his distinct bass lines the song mezmorizes you. You'll keep playing it over and over. Many of the 1st 12 songs are like that. I believe the trio's interpretation of melody was at its zenith when it recorded this album. Can Jazz be a thing of beauty and grace? This album says so.

My first Peterson album.......2005-10-10

This is great listening. From a non-Peterson fan, I think I'm hooked!

Fascinating And Lively Rhythms.......2004-11-09

Anyone who loves jazz will not miss Oscar Peterson in his/her jazz vocabulary. An extraordinary pianist known for his improvisation and distinctive style, Mr. Peterson is one of the greatest jazz icons who has recorded and performed myriads of the best melodies of all-time, most notably the compositions of musical genius, George Gershwin.

This CD consists of twenty-four tracks. The last half were recorded in 1952 with back-up musicians Ray Brown and Barney Kessel, and the first twelve were recorded in 1959 with Ray Brown and Ed Thigpen. There are two versions of "Love Walked In" (tracks #3 & 24), "It Ain't Necessarily So" (tracks 1 & 15), "I Was Doing All Right" (tracks 4 & 19), "A Foggy Day" (tracks 5 & 23), "Lady Be Good" (tracks 6 & 21) and "The Man I Love" (tracks 2 & 13).

My favorites? These are all lively performances, but I chose "A Foggy Day," "Love Walked In," "I've Got A Crush On You," "Love Is Here To Stay," "Nice Work If You Can Get It," "The Man I Love" and " 'S Wonderful."

This is one great CD to own. I listen to it when I'm in a bubbly mood. I'm pretty sure that you will enjoy listening to it as much as I do. It's more than an hour of listening pleasure not only for Gershwin and Peterson aficionados, but also for anyone who appreciates lively and vibrant piano music.

An essential album for every collection........2002-10-18

Oscar Peterson + George Gershwin. What a combination! Peterson and his veteran trio sound brilliant on this gorgeous disc. My wife, a recent jazz fan, loves this disc. It has a bouyant, ebulient, feel to it while simultaneously being an essential after hours recording. I have to give props to bassist Ray Brown who just kicks a$$ here. Peterson often sounds restrained here, which is a bit different, yet he is no less inspired or fiery. As for the songs, well, its Gershwin. What more do you need to know?

Essential.

A really (too ? ) accessible Jazz CD.......2001-08-09

These are great interpretations of Gershwin's standard. They were originally destined to a wider audience and may lack some subtleties of Peterson true style. Jazz newcomers should really try it.

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