My Standards

My Standards

My Standards

ASIN: B000053ZER

Editorial Reviews
Product Description
This eclectic selection takes from the related fields of both jazz and cabaret singing. Karen Oberlin casts a wide net and picks tunes from the '30s to the '90s, from Irving Berlin to Elvis Costello (and Karen Oberlin from the 00's). There's never any attempt to lose herself in any of those idioms - no matter what the source is, she's always K.O.

In many numbers, Karen uses a jazz rhythm section for accompaniment: the multifaceted pianist Arturo O'Farrill, the incomparable bass of Jay Leonhart, the sassy rhythms of drummer Victor Jones, the flights of fancy of guitarist Dan Carillo. Peter Brainin's saxophone, now playful, now haunting, and Roland Guerero's steamy tropical percussion round out the band.

Most of the texts are highly evocative descriptions of a specific locale. If the medium is the message, then the setting is the story: "Since You Stayed Here" describes a room, "A Nightingale Sang" depicts a city and an era, "And The Angels Sing" reads like a vivid recollection of a dream. Some of these descriptions are solidly literal, e.g. "Barangrill," which paints a picture of exactly that (although with spaces between the words) while "Where Do You Start?" takes as its starting point the idea of a couple breaking up (been there, done that) and dividing up their tchochkes (ask KO's half-Jewish step kids to tell you what that means) and from there spins an elaborate reflection on the nature of love and relationships.

By contrast, Dory Previn's text to "Theme from...." is such a jumbled collage of ideas, which so well succeeds, as the authors intended, in conveying confusion, that it doesn't even stand still long enough to rest on a phrase that might give it a title. Both this and "Shipbuilding," another surreal, detached set of metaphors that somehow becomes crystal clear when KO sings it.

KO seems equally comfortable going from one extreme to the other: "Count Your Blessings," which she delivers in a haunting, a capella treatment is nothing if not direct and concrete. "How Deep Is The Ocean," by the same Irving Berlin, uses the biggest of all concepts, the depth of the ocean, the height of the sky, to express the most intimate of ideas, which KO makes even more personal in the setting of a one-to-one duo with sensitive pianist Fred Hersch.

These songs each tell a specific story through evocative description. . Ultimately, it may be the sweet sound of KO's voice that matters most of all, and leaves her music ringing in our hearts. (Selected from the liner notes of Will Friedwald)

My Standards,Karen Oberlin,Original Cast/Miranda Music,An eclectic set of jazz and cabaret tunes from the '30s to the 90's, from Irving Berlin to Elvis Costello. Accompaniments range from piano solos by music director Arturo O'Farrill and the ever-tasteful Fred Hersch to sultry bossa with guitar and sax.,Vocal
Oh, My Nola
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • Makes me remember why I love Harry!
  • Would give it more than 5 stars if I could!
  • A classy salute to the city of New Orleans!
  • gigi...Phila., pa
  • Fast reliable service
 Oh, My Nola
Harry Connick Jr.
Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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  1. Chanson du Vieux Carre
  2. Not Too Late
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ASIN: B000I2KNU2
Release Date: 2007-01-30

Tracks:

  1. Working In A Coal Mine
  2. Won't You Come Home, Bill Bailey ?
  3. Something You Got
  4. Let Them Talk
  5. Jambalaya (On the Bayou)
  6. Careless Love
  7. All These People (Original Recording)
  8. Yes We Can
  9. Someday
  10. Oh , My Nola - (Original Recording)
  11. Elijah Rock
  12. Sheik of Araby
  13. Lazy Bones
  14. We Make A Lot Of Love - (Original Recording)
  15. Hello Dolly
  16. Do Dat Thing - (Original Recording)

Amazon.com

Fresh off his Broadway stint in The Pajama Game, Harry Connick went back to his New Orleans roots and recorded a pair of albums in tribute to his hometown. Released the same day as the similarly themed but mostly instrumental Chanson du Vieux Carré, Oh, My Nola is a loose, effortlessly swinging album that ranks among Connick's best. He traces New Orleans' prodigious musical legacy with well-chosen covers peppered with some originals. Though he wrote only four tracks, at least one of them, "All These People," is a stand-out--a mid-tempo elegy about the immediate aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, with a strong contribution from gospel great Kim Burrell. When it comes to the covers, Connick chose tracks that either originated in New Orleans or found particular resonance there. The funky, exuberant take on Allen Toussaint's classic "Working in a Coal Mine" that opens the CD reflects the flavor of things to come, but even more fun are the seemingly left-field picks--you'll never think of "Hello Dolly" the same way after listening to the version found here. --Elisabeth Vincentelli

Amazon.com

Having grown up in New Orleans, Harry Connick, Jr. is an iconic product of a city famous for its rich musical history. His new release, Oh, my Nola, is the endearing ode to the rebirth of his hometown and the bright spirit of her people. The album is an impressive collection of classic songs associated with the city and her culture, and also features four original compositions. Sony BMG Music Entertainment and Harry Connick, Jr. proudly sponsor the New Orleans Habitat Musicians Village. For more information, visit http://www.habitat-nola.org/projects/musicians_village.php.

More from Harry Connick, Jr.

When Harry Met Sally: Music From The Motion Picture
Come by Me
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Only You
Harry On Broadway: Act 1
Chanson du Vieux Carre

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Makes me remember why I love Harry!.......2007-07-10

I haven't bought a new Harry Connick Jr. cd in a while. I saw this one looking up at me in a store and I just had to have it. I popped it in to play as soon as I reached the car. I was blown away by this cd. The rhythm and soulful singing really spoke to me. Absolutely wonderful music!

5 out of 5 stars Would give it more than 5 stars if I could!.......2007-06-28

I am great big HCJ fan, have been since "We Are In Love". But this is by far my favourite. I hope they come for a tour in Malaysia again, saw them in 2005, it was a wonderful experience.

5 out of 5 stars A classy salute to the city of New Orleans!.......2007-06-03

I have always been fascinated with the rich musical history of New Orleans. Native son, Harry Connick Jr. pays tribute to this rich musical legacy with this outstanding representation of the city's heritage. He features old classics like "Bill Bailey" (done in a classy style that reminds me of Count Basie's big band sound), the Lee Dorsey classic "Workin In a coal mine" really kicks butt, "Yes we can can"...
makes me want to join the Mardi Gras parade, the bluesy "Someday" is fascinating etc. etc. There really isn't a bad cut on this album. Mr. Connick is a master musician/arranger and singer and he's made himself a classic album. Buy it and you won't regret it.

5 out of 5 stars gigi...Phila., pa.......2007-05-18

husband loves it...this is only place i could find it at a great price...

5 out of 5 stars Fast reliable service.......2007-05-15

I ordered and received my CD quickly. It arrived in perfect condition. Would use them again for sure.
My Favorite Things
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • My Favorite Things..
  • This Is One Of My Favorite Things
  • John Coltrane: simply beautiful Sax
  • A Timeless Masterpiece!!!
  • His best lyrical work
 My Favorite Things
John Coltrane
Manufacturer: Atlantic / Wea
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Avant Garde & Free JazzAvant Garde & Free Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music
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  1. A Love Supreme
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ASIN: B000002I53
Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

  1. My Favorite Things
  2. Everytime We Say Goodbye
  3. Summertime
  4. But Not For Me

Amazon.com essential recording

This 1960 recording was a landmark album in John Coltrane's career, the first to introduce his quartet with pianist McCoy Tyner and drummer Elvin Jones and the first release on which he played soprano saxophone. It also provided him with a signature hit, as his new group conception came together wonderfully on the title track. It's an extended modal reworking in 6/4 time that brought the hypnotic pulsating quality of Indian music into jazz for the first time, with Coltrane's soprano wailing over the oscillating piano chords and pulsing drums. The unusual up-tempo version of Gershwin's "Summertime" is a heated example of Coltrane's "sheets of sound" approach to conventional changes, while "But Not for Me" receives a radical harmonic makeover. This is an excellent introduction to Coltrane's work. --Stuart Broomer

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars My Favorite Things.........2007-06-02

It's John Coltrane - what more do I have to say? Five stars!

5 out of 5 stars This Is One Of My Favorite Things.......2007-03-22

The Liner Notes written by Bill Coss indicate that John Coltrane, one of the giants in the jazz scene, draw his inspiration from other jazz icons such as Lester Young, who was his first real influence and whom he learned "simplicity," John Hodges, who filled his musical experience and became his first main influence on alto, Thelonious Monk, who answered dozens of his musical questions and the first one to show him how to make two or three notes at one time on tenor, Earl Bostic, who showed him a lot of things on his horn, Jimmy Heath, who shared his musical appetite, their friendship and practice together added a great deal to his musical development. Miles Davis, Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie were also his greatest influences.

John Coltrane is surrounded by a gifted crew that includes McCoy Tyner (piano), Steve Davis (bass), Elvin Jones (drums). Together they present four notable jazz tunes starting off with my favorite song from the "Sound of Music," Rodgers & Hammerstein's "My Favorite Things," Cole Porter's "Everytime We Say Goodbye," George & Ira Gershwin's "Summertime" and "But Not For Me."

Let your ears feast on the some of the most recognizable sounds of jazz music from one of the greatest jazz artists of all-time, John Coltrane. This is one of the best albums ever made and it's one of "My Favorite Things."

A classic of an album worthy to any jazz lover's collection.

5 out of 5 stars John Coltrane: simply beautiful Sax.......2007-03-11

This album has always been a favorite since I first heard it in 1966. I mourned the loss of the album, but was glad to finally find it here.

Imagine, a jazz great, with a band of stellar performers, playing Rogers & Hammerstiens music, that Julie Andrews sang in "The Sound of Music"!

I think it very simply shows that a great muscian can do justice to any form of music. [Another example is Taj Mahal and the many styles he has played.]
If you can still get it, "My Favorite Things" is worth owning.
Will

5 out of 5 stars A Timeless Masterpiece!!!.......2007-02-18

This is genuine music that soothes the soul. The album consists of 4 songs (all of which are beautiful). My favorite tracks are "Summertime" and "My Favorite Things," but the entire album sends a feeling of achieving a sort of soul- filled nirvana. Great album.

5 out of 5 stars His best lyrical work.......2007-01-05

Sometimes Coltraine can get too carried away with his virtuosity at the expense of asthetics, his notes muddling together into cacophany and chaos. "My Favorite Things" represents the best of Coltraine showcasing his innovation, his masterful control of tone, and a lyrical ear that transforms this Broadway song into a monument of jazz.
The Very Best Of Nina Simone, 1967-1972 : Sugar In My Bowl
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • She Touches Your Soul...
  • Favorite CDs of my collection
  • A great Artist
  • WOW!!
  • the most melodic voice ever
 The Very Best Of Nina Simone, 1967-1972 : Sugar In My Bowl
Nina Simone
Manufacturer: RCA
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000009HRC
Release Date: 1998-07-28

Tracks:

  1. My Man's Gone Now
  2. Since I Fell For You
  3. I Want A Little Sugar In My Bowl
  4. Do I Move You (Version II)
  5. Blues For Mama
  6. Backlash Blues
  7. In The Dark
  8. Consummation
  9. Go To Hell
  10. I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel To Be Free
  11. Turning Point
  12. Turn Me On
  13. The Look Of Love
  14. To Love Somebody
  15. I Can't See Nobody
  16. In The Morning
  17. Do What You Gotta Do
  18. Ain't Got No - I Got Life
  19. Please Read Me
  20. Martin Luther King Suite: Sunday In Savannah
  21. Martin Luther King Suite: Why (The King Of Love Is Dead)
  22. Martin Luther King Suite: Mississippi Goddam

Tracks:

  1. I Think It's Going To Rain Today
  2. I Get Along Without You Very Well (Except Sometimes)
  3. Nobody's Fault But Mine
  4. Another Spring
  5. Compassion
  6. Seems I'm Never Tired Lovin' You
  7. I Shall Be Released
  8. To Be Young, Gifted And Black
  9. Just Like Tom Thumb's Blues
  10. Suzanne (Previously Unreleased)
  11. My Father/Dialog (Previously Unreleased)
  12. Jelly Roll (Previously Unreleased)
  13. Tell It Like It Is (Previously Unreleased)
  14. Mr. Bojangles
  15. Here Comes The Sun
  16. Ooh Child
  17. Poppies
  18. 22nd Century (Previously Unreleased)

Amazon.com essential recording

With characteristic willfulness, Nina Simone plunged into a range of songbooks and styles between 1966 and 1973, when she recorded nine LPs for RCA. This two-disc overview demonstrates just how unpredictable and headstrong the seething songstress was during a period that was tumultuous for Simone personally and for society in general. Top 40 covers ("Mr. Bojangles," "To Love Somebody") mix with rock (Dylan's "Just Like Tom Thumb's Blues," George Harrison's "Here Comes the Sun") and pop standards ("Since I Fell for You," "My Man's Gone Now"). An increasingly politicized perspective informed Simone's late-'60s work. Her friends included Black Power firebrands H. Rap Brown and Stokely Carmichael, and she made no attempt to disguise her militancy. "The King of Peace is dead. I ain't about to be nonviolent, honey!" she announces on this collection's "Martin Luther King Suite," which was recorded live one day after the civil rights leader's assassination. While a number of selections included here can also be found on RCA's two volumes of Essentials, this lovingly assembled survey (which includes five previously unreleased recordings) captures the High Priestess of Soul in all her unshackled glory. --Steven Stolder

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars She Touches Your Soul..........2006-06-20

I first heard Nina Simone in the movie "Point of No Return".. In it was Sugar In My Bowl and Here Comes the Sun. I was just blown away by how much emotion was put into each word, each note.. It's like she puts HERSELF into her singing- it's AMAZING. I am only 25, so I don't know all of the older music.. but Nina Simone really caught my attention. I can't think of any group or singer today that really captures the raw emotions in the songs like she does. I know this CD is a little costly, more than I would usually pay for a cd, but I LOVE it and I think it was well worth the price and more.

5 out of 5 stars Favorite CDs of my collection.......2003-09-19

This is the set of CDs you want in the car for long rides or on the radio while puttering around the house. Her voice is like warm brandy, something to soothe you after a long day.

5 out of 5 stars A great Artist.......2003-05-11

Nina Simone's 'I want some sugar in my bowl'is one of the greatest examples of how a song can transcend the musical element and become a political messanger, where the message becomes more thn the sum of its parts. There were better pianists that Nina Simone, and certainly prettier voices, but the selection in this CD show that there is no one with such an artistry. She basically invented what could be called the expressive bleat (with any other singer a major flaw). her cry is so direct, her sound so manly yet tender, this cd is a must.

5 out of 5 stars WOW!!.......2003-01-03

She's like an "April breeze". I first heard of her in a movie, "Point of No Return" which was a remake of some Brit film. Anywho, as soon as the movie was over, I ran to the computer to find out if "Nina Simone" was a real singer and not just a "prop" in a movie. Low and behold,,,found her!! Ordered her! Now, I listen to her very often and sit back and enjoy!

5 out of 5 stars the most melodic voice ever.......2002-06-08

I was not the biggest fan of blues but then I heard this
beautiful voice and I was converted and if you like blues
you will love this woman.Nina's voice is filled with felling
I almost cry when I hear strange fruit.Other songs like I
put a spell on you and black is the color of my true loves
hair make me feel like I'm part of a story and I love every second of it
My Favorite Things: Coltrane at Newport
Average customer rating: Not rated
    		My Favorite Things: Coltrane at Newport
    John Coltrane
    Manufacturer: Impulse Records
    ProductGroup: Music
    Binding: Audio CD

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    ASIN: B000QFAG2Q
    Release Date: 2007-07-03

    Tracks:

    1. I Want to Talk About You
    2. My Favorite Things
    3. Impressions [#]
    4. Introduction by Father Norman O'Connor
    5. One Down, One Up
    6. My Favorite Things
    Porgy & Bess
    Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    • Absolutely peerless
    • once-in-a-lifetime greatness
    • We love this album
    • Simply great
    • Porgy and Bess
    		 Porgy & Bess
    Ella Fitzgerald , and Louis Armstrong
    Manufacturer: Polygram Records
    ProductGroup: Music
    Binding: Audio CD

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    5. Ella & Louis Again (Dig)

    ASIN: B0000046Z5
    Release Date: 1990-10-25

    Tracks:

    1. Overture
    2. Summertime
    3. I Wants To Stay Here
    4. My Man's Gone Now
    5. I Got Plenty O'Nuttin'
    6. Buzzard Song
    7. Bess, You Is My Woman Now
    8. It Ain't Necessarily So
    9. What You Want Wild Bess?
    10. A Woman Is A Sometime Thing
    11. Oh, Doctor Jesus
    12. Medley: Here Come De Honey Man/Crab Man/Oh, Deh's So Fresh And Fine (Strawberry Woman)
    13. There's A Boat Dat's Leavin' Soon For New York
    14. Bess, Oh Where's My Bess
    15. Oh Lawd, I'm On My Way

    Amazon.com

    Getting the two most personable voices in jazz to sing an hour's worth of George Gershwin's opera Porgy & Bess (Ella doing all the female parts, Satchmo all the male) was a good idea, but not quite as great as it sounded. Armstrong savors the down-and-dirty Charlestonisms that inspired the cadences of the music and lyrics, and they fit his happy rasp like an old shoe; Fitzgerald, conversely, sounds almost prissy every time she has to sing the word "ain't," though her melodic genius gets Gershwin's bold, supple tunes over. The arrangements are full-throttle Broadway, with a few leaps into Dixieland (including some fine Armstrong trumpet solos), but the disc works best when the vocalists break character and let their jazz side out. --Douglas Wolk

    Customer Reviews:

    5 out of 5 stars Absolutely peerless.......2006-11-17

    "Porgy and Bess" has just opened (with some controversy) in London's West End, though as a musical and not as an opera as it was originally conceived. Reviews have been promising and I aim to go down and see it soon. I decided to listen to this CD to put myself in the mood. I hadn't listened to it for years and I'd completely forgotten how good it actually is. Ella's voice blends with Louis' perfectly and Russell Garcia's orchestration gives them a dreamy landscape to perform against. I have one or two other CDs by Louis and Ella but this one is by far my favourite. The CD opens with "Overture" and its orchestral performance of classics like "Summertime", "I Wants To Stay Here", "I Got Plenty O' Nuttin'" and "It Ain't Neccessarily So" set the tone nicely, leaving one ever so keen for the vocal versions. Louis Armstong has a very rough tone to his voice but the emotion he packs with it is moving, most especially on the mournful "Bess, Oh Where's My Bess?" And we get all this and Louis' wonderful trumpet playing too?

    Gershwin and Gershwin must be among the top composers of the last century and this opera showcases their talents more than anything I've heard. Ella and Louis are peerless as a vocal duo and though I doubt the West End performance will capture the magic in the same way they did, I still remain very keen to go see it. Is it opera or is it a jazz performance? I don't really know. I just know that I love it. And strongly recommend it.

    5 out of 5 stars once-in-a-lifetime greatness.......2006-10-06

    Two thousand five hundred musicians have recorded "Summertime" --- it's a classic. (I bet most Americans can name Janis Joplin and no other singer.) As for "Porgy and Bess," the folk opera from which "Summertime" springs, it's such a classic that it's hard to believe anyone ever had a harsh word to say about it.

    But after its premiere in 1935, no less than Duke Ellington said, "It has grand music and a swell play, but the two didn't go together. It does not use the Negro musical idiom --- the times are here to debunk Gershwin's lampblack Negroisms."

    A quarter of a century later, the producers of the film version had trouble assembling a cast. Harry Belafonte rejected their offer to play Porgy. Sidney Poitier took the part --- and wished he hadn't. Poitier later wrote that the movie insulted black people; when he chose clips of his best performances for his tribute at the American Film Institute, he picked nothing from "Porgy and Bess."

    And in 1985, when Grace Bumbry was a sensation as Bess in a Metropolitan Opera production, she slammed the opera: "I thought it beneath me, I felt I had worked far too hard, that we had come far too far to have to retrogress to 1935."

    All that may be. All I know is that I have, in a long life, rarely been confronted with more genius than in the Fitzgerald/Armstrong recording of "Porgy & Bess." Set aside the achievement of George and Ira Gershwin in transforming DuBose Heyward's novel into a folk opera. Let's just focus on Armstrong and Fitzgerald, who were at the peak of their popularity when this record was made in 1957.

    "Summertime" --- the first song --- sets the tone. A baleful horn figure, then violins. And then Armstrong's trumpet: slow, steady, dignified. But wait --- here comes a slurred note. And a cool little improvisation. Just enough of each. Very tasty.

    Fitzgerald sings a verse. She is cool and formal. A lady. Not to be taken lightly. Now it's Armstrong's turn. Tender, but let's not kid ourselves --- this is not singing as others define it. This is melodic speech: rough, gutteral. And thus he is ideally cast: His Porgy may have his charms, but he'll have to stretch to keep Bess.

    And so it goes throughout the CD. Trumpet mastery --- Armstrong has dazzling control. His tone is bright, but never shrill; there's a warmth in his playing no one else could produce. And Fitzgerald is just a study in inevitability; to hear her is to wonder how anyone could sing these songs any other way.

    "I Got Plenty O' Nuttin'." "Bess, You Is My Woman Now." "A Woman Is a Sometime Thing." "There's a Boat Dat's Leavin' Soon for New York." "Bess, Oh Where's My Bess?" "Oh Lawd, I'm on My Way."

    All brilliantly conceived, orchestrated and recorded.

    The greatest trumpet player in this history of jazz.

    The father of scat singing.

    The queen of the jazz vocal.

    There are no-brainers, and then there is this Ella Fitzgerald-Louis Armstrong collaboration --- music that imprints on your soul.

    5 out of 5 stars We love this album.......2006-08-22

    We hope they will someday bring this beautiful story back to the stage

    5 out of 5 stars Simply great.......2006-03-04

    The fusion between the great two voices and the orchestra is just brilliant. Very good brass and violins that accompany Fitzeralds and Armstrongs magic voices leaves you with your mouth open.

    A must have for everyone!

    5 out of 5 stars Porgy and Bess.......2005-10-14

    Could not find this anyway locally. It is a great recording
    Gershwin Plays Gershwin: The Piano Rolls
    Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    • 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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    1. The Gershwin Plays Gershwin: The Piano Rolls, Vol. 2
    2. Essential George Gershwin
    3. Gershwin: Rhapsody in Blue - Piano Concerto in F - An American in Paris
    4. Levant Plays Gershwin
    5. George Gershwin: Greatest Hits

    ASIN: B000005J1I
    Release Date: 1993-11-09

    Tracks:

    1. Sweet And Lowdown
    2. Novelette In Fourths
    3. That Certain Feeling
    4. So Am I
    5. Rhapsody In Blue
    6. Swanee
    7. When You Want 'Em, You Can't Get 'Em...
    8. Kickin' The Clouds Away
    9. Idol Dreams
    10. On My Mind The Whole Night Long
    11. Scandal Walk
    12. An American In Paris

    Customer Reviews:

    5 out of 5 stars 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.

    4 out of 5 stars 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

    4 out of 5 stars 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.

    2 out of 5 stars 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.

    5 out of 5 stars 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
    Lanza: Greatest Hits
    Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
    • Introducing the Greatest Voice of All Time
    • The Greatest Tenor of the 20th Century.
    • Easy listening
    • Lanza of the joyous voice!
    • Not bad as an introduction to Lanza
    		 Lanza: Greatest Hits

    Manufacturer: RCA
    ProductGroup: Music
    Binding: Audio CD

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    1. Christmas with Mario Lanza
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    5. You'll Never Walk Alone

    ASIN: B000003FVZ
    Release Date: 1995-04-11

    Tracks:

    1. The Toast Of New Orleans: Be My Love
    2. Because
    3. Very Warm For May: All The Things You Are
    4. The Student Prince: Serenade
    5. Rigoletto - La Donna e Mobile
    6. Pagliacci: Vesti La Guibba
    7. O Sole Mio
    8. The Student Prince: Beloved
    9. South Pacific: Younger Than Springtime
    10. The Great Caruso: The Loveliest Night Of The Year
    11. Carousel: If I Loved You
    12. Carmen: Flower Song
    13. The Student Prince: Golden Days
    14. Spring Is Here: With A Song In My Heart
    15. The Land Of Smiles: Yours Is My Heart Alone
    16. Because You're Mine
    17. Cavalleria Rusticana: Adido Alla Madre
    18. Aida: Celeste Aida
    19. The Lord's Prayer
    20. Granada

    Customer Reviews:

    5 out of 5 stars Introducing the Greatest Voice of All Time.......2007-03-13

    A new generation of music lovers deserves to know, understand and appreciate the greatness of Mario Lanza. Five decades after his passing, millions of lovers of "grand voices" still are held in awe by the power, passion and beauty of his voice.

    This selection of recordings has a number of fine selections that give a small "flavor" of his fantastic talent and skills. It is a good beginning for someone who wants to know "The American Caruso."

    5 out of 5 stars The Greatest Tenor of the 20th Century........2007-01-21

    In a professional career that lasted just a bit over ten years Mario Lanza created more memorable recordings, broadcasts, concert perfomances and feature films than any other major vocalist in the classical and pop-jazz music genre. He was a man blessed with arguably the finest tenor voice in recorded music. Fans of Caruso, Pavarotti, Jan Peerce, Placido Domingo or Careras may argue that their tenor interpreted a particular aria better than anyone else but few if any can argue against the sheer beauty, power and emotion of Mario Lanza. He achieved worldwide success too fast and his penchant for the good life: wine, women and good food got the best of him in the end. It is so sad, when one contemplates Lanza's short but brilliant career and what might have been, that he was gone at age 38, an age when some tenors are just beginning to hit their stride. This album is a fine overview of some of his most memorable heavy classics as well as lighter operetta standards and showcases his voice so well. Nearly fifty years have transpired since his untimely death in 1959 and there is yet to appear on the scene a tenor with the power, charisma or sheer beauty of Lanza's voice. I highly recommend this album to the Lanza novice or those just starting their Opera CD collections.

    5 out of 5 stars Easy listening.......2006-02-27

    I have always liked Mario Lanza and the album is wonderful and relaxing.

    4 out of 5 stars Lanza of the joyous voice!.......2005-07-14

    This album has some really splendid songs, and yes, it's a good introduction to the King of the high last notes. I grew up with one of Lanza's albums and more or less learned to sing by singing along with his wonderful warm voice. What good energy he had... and too bad he died so young (sigh). It certainly lifts my spirits to listen to his music again and I hope anyone reading this will take a chance and get to know him too.

    4 out of 5 stars Not bad as an introduction to Lanza.......2001-11-13

    I recommend this collection as a good starting point for those interested in this extraordinary tenor. It's not a complete representation of the man by any stretch of the imagination, but it includes a handful of unforgettable recordings that will make newcomers to Lanza sit up in astonishment.

    Highlights include the immortal Serenade & Golden Days from The Student Prince, Beloved (from the film version of the Student Prince, and arguably Lanza's best English-language love song), Because You're Mine, If I Loved You, and the stirring Addio Alla Madre from Cavalleria Rusticana. If love songs seem a little over-represented at the expense of arias and (notably) Italian & Neapolitan Songs, then blame BMG for their habitual neglect of Lanza's more serious side. In any event, this is essentially a one-CD version of the three-CD set, The Mario Lanza Collection. All of the renditions are the same as on the earlier CD, as are the sound sources. With the exception of The Student Prince Serenade, most of the selections here have never sounded better.

    Be aware, however, that several of the arias are in fact retakes of more familiar versions. Vesti La Giubba, for instance, is an alternate take from Lanza's May 1950 session, and although the tenor is in great voice, the orchestra lets him down on the climactic phrase by moving on before he has finished his High A on the word "infranto". The Flower Song is even more unrestrained than the familiar take - great fun, but not the kind of recording you'd want newcomers to Lanza to hear! (Lanza never quite "nailed" this aria, but his heart was in the right place.) La Donna E Mobile is the familiar 1950 version in the first half, but is replaced by an inferior retake in the second half, followed by an edited-in High B ending (on "pensier") from the original recording!

    The only truly bad recording is the inexplicably popular With A Song In My Heart. Lanza is unfocused, and strains his way throughout the piece. Yours Is My Heart Alone is somewhat better, but is easily surpassed by the tenor's 1956 recording with the conductor Henri Rene (and currently unavailable on CD).

    The "Greatest Hits" are here: the million-selling Be My Love, Loveliest Night of The Year and the aforementioned Because You're Mine. I have to confess to an aversion to the first two - Lanza was often a far better singer than these recordings suggest - but most fans, I'm sure, will continue to cherish them. Besides, what tenor since Lanza has ever sung Be My Love without straining his way through the wretched thing and then fudging the High C at the end? Lanza made it his own, and to be fair to the song, it is actually a very difficult piece to pull off, as Messrs Domingo, Carreras and Leech will no doubt attest. But that was also one of Lanza's most under-appreciated strengths - he made everything sound so easy. Listeners accustomed to the laborious efforts of most present-day tenors will be astounded by the freshness, ease, and sheer bravado of these performances.
    Modern Jazz Performances Of Songs From My Fair Lady
    Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
    • Classic Review
    • THIS SWINGS!
    • West Coast Sounds At Their Best
    • amazon I love you!
    • An old favourite
    		 Modern Jazz Performances Of Songs From My Fair Lady
    Shelly Manne , Andre Previn , and Leroy Vinnegar
    Manufacturer: Ojc
    ProductGroup: Music
    Binding: Audio CD

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    ASIN: B000000YIN
    Release Date: 1991-07-01

    Tracks:

    1. Get Me To The Church On Time
    2. On The Street Where You Live
    3. I've Grown Accustomed To Her Face
    4. Wouldn't It Be Loverly
    5. Ascot Gavotte
    6. Show Me
    7. With A Little Bit Of Luck
    8. I Could Have Danced All Night

    Customer Reviews:

    4 out of 5 stars Classic Review.......2007-02-17

    I owned this LP in my twenties, when I listened to mostly jazz and classical music genres. I had always liked show tunes and the the music from My Fair Lady, especially. Andre Previn's ingenious renditions and improvisations to these songs are typical 60's jazz. This CD reproduction is truly a classic and one that should make up any collection of late 50's and 60's piano-based jazz trios.

    5 out of 5 stars THIS SWINGS!.......2007-02-06

    Like others, I originally bought the LP back in the Fifties.It was always a favourite but of course vinyl dosen't retain its quality forever. What a great surprise then to find the CD was available thru Amazon.Since receiving this updated version,I have found that the quality of this recording has not dated one bit. Unlike some CDs, every track is a winner! Andre Previn has retained the essence of these memorable compositions but at the same time has added some pretty enjoyable, but tight improvisations on piano. Meanwhile the rhythm section , compliments of Manne & Vinegar set up the perfect platform for Previn as they drive each number along like a steam engine! A GREAT recording!

    4 out of 5 stars West Coast Sounds At Their Best.......2007-01-13

    This was one of the earliest LP's that I bought low those many years ago when I firts began to collect jazz. When I saw it in CD formatt, I jumped to buy it. Previn, as usual is suburb. Leroy Vinneger enhances the group's sound with a solid base line: he is unabtrusively always back there. The bottom line, however, is Shelly. What a supurb drummer! Listen to how he drives the group through the songs of this great Broadway show. As an old drummer I swear that I can hear him "play" some of the melody on his instrument. Add this one to your collection.

    5 out of 5 stars amazon I love you!.......2000-05-29

    Have searched high & low for this album, so Amazon thank you. Andre Previn is so cool on this album along with all of the other musicians. My favorite since college days. From "On the Street Where You Live" to the end, the musical interpretation from the Broadway play is magnificant and has haunted me all these years. Can't wait to hear it again!

    5 out of 5 stars An old favourite.......2000-05-14

    This album was my first entre to modern jazz in 1958. I still have my original LP and it is still my most cherished. For anyone wavering about modern jazz, do not hesitate with this one. It never goes cold and never stops swinging. A must for anyones collection!
    You Taught My Heart to Sing
    Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
    • 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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    ASIN: B000GEU6O0
    Release Date: 2006-08-01

    Tracks:

    1. You Taught My Heart To Sing
    2. Namely You
    3. Where Are You
    4. Sweet Lorraine
    5. If I Ruled The World
    6. S'Wonderful
    7. Where Is The Love
    8. I Was Telling Her About You
    9. Don't Forget The Blues
    10. 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:

    5 out of 5 stars 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.

    3 out of 5 stars 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.

    4 out of 5 stars 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.

    5 out of 5 stars 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.

    5 out of 5 stars 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.
    For My Father
    Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    • Truly beautiful, truly audiophile
    • swept away
    • For My Father Review
    • For My Father
    • A Masterwork by a Jazz Legend
    		 For My Father
    Hank Jones
    Manufacturer: Justin Time Records
    ProductGroup: Music
    Binding: Audio CD

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    Traditional Vocal PopTraditional Vocal Pop | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music
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    ASIN: B0009941P2
    Release Date: 2005-05-24

    Tracks:

    1. Pauletta
    2. Bemsha Swing
    3. Queen of Hearts
    4. Sophisticated Lady
    5. Johnny Come Lately
    6. Prelude to a Kiss
    7. Lotus Blossom
    8. SKJ
    9. Easy to Love
    10. Because I Love You
    11. Grace of God (There But for the Grace of God)
    12. Softly as in a Morning Sunrise

    Customer Reviews:

    5 out of 5 stars Truly beautiful, truly audiophile.......2006-10-27

    Mr Hank Jones is a magician. His fingers are magic. His spirit is gold. This record is the most beautiful thing in these days. In adition, the sound of this one in a hi-end audio equipment is splendid.
    Thanks Hank & your team (incluiding crew's studio recording).

    5 out of 5 stars swept away.......2005-08-22

    For my Father by Hank Jones is my first cd by this artist. It won't be my last. There's an etherial quality to the performance on this cd; it kind of creeps up and gently sweeps you away to a very pleasant space indeed. The highest quality of performance coupled with an excellent choice of material, and first rate engineering all make it happen. Highly recommended.

    5 out of 5 stars For My Father Review.......2005-08-04

    This is a great CD. The selection of tunes is outstanding and the audio quality is great. The music is easy to listen to and Hank Jones is a master at playing the piano.

    5 out of 5 stars For My Father.......2005-07-28

    Very tasty. About as good as gets. Quite listenable.
    Craig

    5 out of 5 stars A Masterwork by a Jazz Legend.......2005-07-20

    This album will remind everyone why Hank Jones is considered a legend. This straightforward interpretation of some obscure entries from the book of jazz standards is outstanding. This is a distinct presentation of elegance. Jones is almost playful in anchoring the rhythm and weaving the background of sound with a hip, relaxed swing. This album defines Jones' jazz style, nothing is wasted.

    Jazz Music:

    1. New Chautauqua
    2. Old Fashioned Swing
    3. Only One
    4. Out of the Long Dark/Old Heartland
    5. Outside In
    6. Payne's Window
    7. People Get Ready: Protest Songs From the Atlantic & Warner Jazz Vaults [Import]
    8. Plays Duke Ellington
    9. Revenge [Live]
    10. Sienna

    Jazz Music

    Jazz Music