Lush Life

Lush Life

ASIN: B00007E7FR

Track Listings

1. The Dreaded Lergy

2. Lush Life

3. Waterbed

4. Sunnyside Beach

5. Uncle Horsley Writhes Gain

6. Here's That Rainy Day

Tracks:

When I Fall In Love
Skylark
It Never Entered My Mind
Mean To Me
When Your Lover Has Gone
I'm A Fool To Want You
You Took Advantage Of Me
Sophisticated Lady
Can't We Be Friends
My Old Flame
Falling In Love Again
Lush Life

Customer Reviews:

Another Beauty From Ronstadt & Riddle .......2006-10-29

For someone who is so strongly moved by the beauty of music, its melodies and lyrics as well as its arrangements and performances, I find this CD one of the most beautiful recordings of all-time. Once again and as always, the great Nelson Riddle showed off his trademark of excellence in orchestrating and conducting a dozen of ageless standards from the Great American Songbook. This CD will take us to a musical journey as we relish the timeless beauty of this sentimental music.

With the superb instrumental skills of pianist Don Grolnick, drummer John Guerin, bassist Bob Magnusson, guitarist Bob Mann (who also played fabulously on Rod Stewart and Steve Tyrell's recordings) and the creative flair of concertmaster David Frisina, this CD offers some of the glowing moments of Ms. Ronstadt's musical career. "Lush Life," "What's New?" and "For Sentimental Reasons" are three of the greatest and most beautiful albums of standards ever recorded.

Nobody sounded more expressive than Ms. Ronstadt singing "When I Fall In Love," a song lamenting that love has ended even before it has begun. You can hear that beguiling guitar accompaniment by a fine guitarist, Bob Mann, complementing Ms. Ronstadt's exquisite voice. Likewise, nobody sounded so excruciatingly poignant with her moving rendition of "When Your Lover Has Gone."

"What lonely hours
The evening shadows bring
What lonely hours
With memories lingering
Like faded flowers
Life can't mean anything . . ."

In "Skylark," the singer made a mark on this song with her heartfelt rendition as she brings new life to this Johnny Mercer/Hoagy Carmichael classic. She also left a lasting impression to one of Sinatra's signature songs "I'm A Fool To Want You," just like Ol' Blue Eyes did with his meaningful interpretation. They both did the best versions for male and female vocals, respectively.

She swings lightly on Rodgers & Hart's gem "You Took Advantage Of Me," then she takes it slower in Mills/Parish/Ellington's "Sophisticated Lady." And picks up the light swing tempo again on "Can't We Be Friends?"

"Sophisticated lady I know
You miss the love you had long ago
And when nobody is nigh
You cry. . . you cry."

If you're a lover of standards like me and an admirer of beauty in all its forms, you should have this CD in your collection and take pleasure in listening to its endless beauty.

Here's to the magic of beautiful music!

Lush Listening!.......2006-06-30

You can't beat listening to this album - the songs are great, and Linda Ronstadt's voice is superb, rich, and will steal your heart away. It's a blast from the past - buy this album. Do youself a favor - you won't be sorry.

I Have The Cassette Tape!.......2005-12-22

I like Linda Ronstadt and I have this Lush Life album but I have the cassette tape and not the CD. Someone I know was getting rid of her old cassette tapes and she gave several to me and this was one of them and I think it's good!

Magnificent.......2004-02-19

LUSH LIFE is one of my favorite Linda Ronstadt albums. The biggest reason is Nelson Riddle whose work I have long admired. I also like the songs. My favorite is probably "My Old Flame."

The album was made in the 1980's when Linda's voice was reaching a new level of maturity and she was able to successfully experiment with new singing styles.

I wish I could give it 6 stars.......2003-01-31

All three of the Linda Ronstadt/Nelson Riddle collaborations are wonderful, but this is my favorite. IMO, these versions of Hoagy Carmichael's "Skylark" and Billy Strayhorn's "Lush Life" - two extraordinarily difficult songs to sing - are the equal of ANYONE else's attempts at these songs. (I have yet to listen to the harmonica on Skylark without getting chills.)

To me, it doesn't matter that Linda's voice is not ideally suited to this material. Or that the success of these efforts is probably more the result of Nelson Riddle's arrangements and taste in material. The more important matter is that Ronstadt GETS IT. Whether she intuitively understood what makes these songs "tick," or whether she merely followed Nelson Riddle's road map, she deserves the highest praise for richly capturing the mini-drama contained in each song.

The recent failed attempt by Rod Stewart and Phil Ramone to capture the same magic, proves my point. I am an admirer of both men's other work, but it is obvious to me that Stewart has none of Linda Ronstadt's understanding of what he is singing.

If you have any heart at all for this kind of music, buy this CD. Or better yet, pass this one by and buy the three-CD collection "Round Midnight" which includes this CD.

Billy Strayhorn: Lush Life
Average customer rating:

Strayhorn CD a winner

Correction Re: "previously unrecorded" status of tune

Sophisticated Strayhorn

Billy Strayhorn: Lush Life
Billy Strayhorn
Manufacturer: Blue Note Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000LSAJ52
Release Date: 2007-01-23

Tracks:

Fantastic Rhythm
Rain Check
Lush Life
Satin Doll
Something to Live For
Johnny Come Lately
Day Dream
Tonk
Chelsea Bridge
My Little Brown Book
Valse
Blood Count (My Flame Burns Blue)
The Flowers Die of Love
Lotus Blossom
So This Is Love

Amazon.com

From 1938, until his death in 1967, composer/arranger/pianist Billy Strayhorn was so entwined with Duke Ellington that musicologists are still trying to figure out where the former ends and the latter begins. On this companion soundtrack to the PBS documentary, pianists Bill Charlap and Hank Jones display their solo chops on the stridish "Fantastic Rhythm" and the soulful "Satin Doll" and reprise the great Ellington-Strayhorn four-hand piano workout, "Tonk." Vocalist Dianne Reeves and guitarist Russell Malone brilliantly navigate the harmonic challenges of the title track, while she and her rhythm section dance "Something to Live For" with an Ahmad Jamal bounce. Tenor saxophonist Ben Webster would approve of Joe Lovano's quartet rendition of "Chelsea Bridge," featuring Jones, bassist George Mraz, and drummer Paul Motian. Lovano and Charlap anchor Elvis Costello's languid lyrics on "My Flame Burns Blue (Blood Count)," adding another interpretive layer to the eternal artistry of this compelling and confounding musician. --Eugene Holley, Jr.

Album Description

Companion soundtrack to Billy Strayhorn: Lush Life, a 90-minute documentary film about the pioneering African-American composer, arranger and pianist. The film presents Strayhorn's fascinating life as it has never been told before, showcasing his talent and passions, as well as taking a hard look at his complex relationship with Duke Ellington and illuminating the issues that prevented Strayhorn from receiving the full recognition he deserved.

Billy Strayhorn: Lush Life, the soundtrack, features 15 Strayhorn compositions performed by several of today's jazz stars, including Blue Note artists Bill Charlap, Joe Lovano, and Dianne Reeves, as well as piano legend Hank Jones and special guest Elvis Costello.

Customer Reviews:

Strayhorn CD a winner.......2007-03-31

The CD resulting from the PBS Lush Life documentary is a prize. I only wish there had been a way to include a couple of performances by Ellington-Strayhorn era people such as Johnny Hodges' Passion Flower. Most of us collectors have that, however, so it is not a great oversight.
But to hear great pianists of different generations doing Strayhorn justice (Bill Charlap and the ageless Hank Jones) is fantastic. And Diane Reeves has become the newest pretender to Ella's throne. What a great choice for the vocals. The only thing better must be having the dvd of the marvelous documentary on the life of an important and somewhat overlooked composer, Billy Strayhorn.

Correction Re: "previously unrecorded" status of tune.......2007-02-08

A previously reviewer wrote this was worth buying for "works that have not been recorded before, such as: 'Fantastic Rhythm', 'Valse', 'The Flowers Die Of Love' and 'So This Is Love'"....

Actually, all of those compositions have been recorded previously thanks to the efforts of the Dutch Jazz Orchestra/Jerry Van Rooijen and musicologist Walter van de Leur (who was interviewed on-camera for the Strayhorn PBS documentary). The albums "So This Is Love" "Portrait of a Silk Thread" and "Something to Live For" are full of previously unrecorded Strayhorn (previous to the late 1990s), most with original big band orchestration. Some feature vocals by Marjorie Barnes (I believe that's her name). All are available as part of a 4-CD box that also includes a CD of Strayhorn arrangents of standards (i.e. "Great American Songbook" popular music).

Also worth exploring are the two studio sessions that could properly be called Strayhorn solo albums: "The Peaceful Side of Billy Strayhorn" (originally on United Artists, now on CD from one of the EMI imprints) and the post-humously released "Lush Life" CD on Red Baron records, which is a studio recording of Strayhorn's 1965 New School concert (mentioned in the documentary).This last CD features some of the rare vocal tunes by Strayhorn heard in the documentary and on the tie-in CD reviewed on this page.

It's wonderful that all of this music, new and old, is out on CD and showing off the gifts of Strayhorn. I would recommend buying the Dutch Jazz Orchestra and Strayhorn solo discs before buying the CDs that are tie-ins to David Hadju's excellent Lush Life biography and this new PBS documentary.

Sophisticated Strayhorn.......2007-01-28

The twenty-nine year partnership between Billy Strayhorn and Duke Ellington produced an unrivaled body of work. Running the gamut from popular songs and jazz compositions to orchestral suites and theatrical scores the fruits of their collaboration have a truly timeless quality and continue to inspire and intrigue musicians and audiences alike.
"Billy Strayhorn: Lush Life" is a 90-minute documentary which will debut nationally as part of PBS's Independent Lens series on Feb. 6. As one would expect, the complex relationship between these two pioneering African-American musicians and the resultant mystique will be a central theme in this first in-depth exploration of the brilliant composer/pianist/arrangers life.
The companion soundtrack of the same name has recently released by Blue Note and it is an elegant star-studded affair. Covering some of Strayhorn's most enduring compositions, the disc also spotlights equally satisfying lesser known titles too.
It is no coincidence since Strayhorn was a pianist that the instrument is prominent throughout courtesy of Bill Charlap, Hank Jones, and Peter Martin. Charlap takes solo strolls on both the disc opening "Fantastic Rhythm" and the classical piece "Valse." Jones goes it alone on the Ellington/Strayhorn gem "Satin Doll" while he and Charlap offer up an inspired four-handed rendition of "Tonk," which was originally performed in a similar fashion by Strayhorn and Ellington.
Dianne Reeves delivers vocals on six of the fifteen tunes. Strayhorn's signature piece "Lush Life" is a stark duet with guitarist Russell Malone. "Something to Live For," "Day Dream," "My Little Brown Book" and the more obscure "The Flowers Die of Love" and "So This Is Love" all feature her accompanied by a trio.
Playing tenor exclusively, saxophonist Joe Lovano's dream quartet of Jones on piano, George Mraz on bass, and Paul Motian on drums put a masterful touch on "Rain Check," "Johnny Come Lately," "Chelsea Bridge" and "Lotus Blossom." He also teams up with Charlap to back Elvis Costello as he delivers the lyrics he penned to "Blood Count," the last composition Strayhorn composed. Re-titled here as "My Flame Burns Blue," the trio delivers a haunting, evocative performance.
Many of the performances on the disc, particularly those by Reeves are also presented visually in the film.

Average customer rating:

Remarkable!!!
Gambarini does it all on this moody CD for quiet nights.
Enormous Talent

Lush Life

ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Customer Reviews:

Remarkable!!!.......2007-06-28

Roberta Gambarini is one of the finest jazz singers of her generation. She recalls an age before the pop-tinged approach that marks so many contemporary jazz vocals. She phrases like Carmen, scats like Ella, and can improvise through the changes like a horn player. Her ballads will bring a tear. This album is as pure as music gets: just voice and piano. If there is any sense in the universe, she will go down as one of the greats.

Gambarini does it all on this moody CD for quiet nights........2007-06-23

Following up on the huge success of "Easy to Love," Roberta Gambarini unleashes a new collection of fourteen songs, including three sung live at the Umbria Jazz Festival in Perugia, Italy. Limiting the accompaniment to just the piano of Hank Jones for the first eleven tracks (until the live recordings from Perugia), she is very much a cabaret singer here, singing mostly slow, sad ballads with her gorgeous alto, and varying the phrasing to give new emphasis to the lyrics. There are no vocal pyrotechnics here, as she concentrates on the song itself, rather than taking it into new realms with improvisation and variation. The result is a wonderfully moody CD which has moments of excitement but only a few hints of her huge talent with scat and high energy jazz variations.

Almost sixty-seven minutes long, the CD features ten ballads, interspersed with three songs of swing, blues, uptempo jazz, and one that is almost completely scat. Among the more interesting songs, "When Lights Are Low" introduces the first hints of jazz, as Gambarini sings a semi-uptempo version with a slight suggestion of scat, keeping the mood quiet. "Suppertime" is bluesy and slow, a dramatic song in which she mourns the fact that her man "ain't comin' home no more." In the uptempo "Squeeze Me," she keeps to the standard interpretation until the middle, in which she introduces quiet variations without ever wailing, while Jones plays old-fashioned rhythms, until she turns to brief scat.

"Something to Live For" is one of her most outstanding ballads, with lovely interpretations of the lyrics and interesting chromatic jumps. The extensive beginning to "Body and Soul" is sung a capella. "Lush Life" appears twice, each version a long, aching lament for a kind of life that has vanished for her, with the live version almost seven minutes long, a mini-drama set to music. For me the show-stopper of the CD is "Cool Breeze," a jazz song she does at the live concert. Quick-paced, with a jazzy beat, the song is all scat, with Gambarini complimenting a terrific piano solo and showing her jazz talents to the full.

Gambarini is more an actress with interpretation than she appeared to be in "Easy to Love," more the kind of cabaret singer one can picture next to the piano in a smoke-filled room late at night, surrounded by lonely people, and less the jazz singer. Her enormous talent for interpretive jazz and her ability to wail with hints of Sarah Vaughan in her voice are kept in check here, in favor of creating a moody recording for quiet nights at home. n Mary Whipple

Enormous Talent.......2007-05-13

I've said it before: Ms. Krall can move over; Ms. Jones can sit down; Ms. Monheit can get outa town. Roberta Gambarini is the real deal to which wannabe jazz vocalists should aspire. She attacks a lyric with such skill and style that she creates a new and different take on American songbook standards; indeed, she was born to sing those standards. I'll bet that Ella, Sarah, and Peggy are all smiles for Roberta. Nat's got to be proud of her rendering of Lush Life. This lady has a once in a lifetime voice with a sense of timing and expression to match her vocal abilities. Years from now jazz singers will be attempting to do "takes" on Roberta.

Average customer rating:

Nancy at her peak
Rediscoverd this Lush Voice
very, very good
Falling In Love/Fell Out of Love - this one has it all
This is a Capitol Original from a Master Voice

Lush Life
Nancy Wilson
Manufacturer: Blue Note Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000005H05
Release Date: 1995-08-01

Tracks:

Free Again
You've Changed
Only The Young
Lush Life
Do You Know Why
Midnight Sun
When The World Was Young (Ah, The Apple Tree)
River Shallow
(I Stayed) Too Long At The Fair
Sunny
The Right To Love (Reflections)
Over The Weekend

Customer Reviews:

Nancy at her peak.......2007-06-15

I don't have a lot of Nancy's albums, but I have heard her sing as an older, mature singer. Like Lady Day and Sarah V., I think she sang best when she was young, and I am not talking about voice quality. These singers had vocal quirks which they used only sporadically when they were young. When they got older, they used them more often in addition to deviating from the melody drastically. IMO, this led to a depreciation in the quality of their vocals.

That being said, this album was recorded when Nancy was young, and is super. My favorites are "River Shallow", a relatively unknown tune by Andre Previn, which swings madly thanks to a great arrangement by Oliver Nelson (?). "Midnight Sun" has a divine lyric by the best lyricist in the business, Johnny Mercer. Nancy caresses the words she sings as if she were making love to them. And "When the World Was Young", with another lyric by Johnny Mercer (this time a translation from the French--this guy could do anything) is so beautiful it sends shivers up my spine every time I hear it.

Many of the other tunes on the CD are relatively unknown, and Nancy does a fine job of interpreting them. Her feel for the lyric was never better, with unerring rhythm and a full, expressive voice. Don't miss this one.

Rediscoverd this Lush Voice.......2007-01-07

This is the only record my wife and I had in Germany in 1967. Loved it then and love it now. What a great use of tone and half/bent notes.
Wonderful sound and words and accompanyment. Listen and relax.

very, very good.......2006-03-24

One of her better albums of the period. This version of 'Midnight Sun', done by so many, is, in my opinion, the definitive version hands down. Buy it for that alone....

Falling In Love/Fell Out of Love - this one has it all.......2003-10-10

Two words - Buy It. This album is a classic. Sassy, Broadway, seductive, melodic music makes for years of enjoyment . . .

This is a Capitol Original from a Master Voice.......2000-07-10

Some people should not lose historical perspective and should not mix up old and past of a master in singing. "Lush Life" is a superb program with 12 cool arrangements which honor GAS.

Average customer rating:

Early Coltrane - It's definately 'Trane, but no "sheets of sound"
Overlooked Gem - A Sleeper

Lush Life
John Coltrane
Manufacturer: Prestige
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000EGDAHA
Release Date: 2006-03-21

Tracks:

Like Someone In Love
I Love You
Trane's Slo Blues
Lush Life
I Hear A Rhapsody

Customer Reviews:

Early Coltrane - It's definately 'Trane, but no "sheets of sound".......2007-05-21

This is an early offering by Coltrane. He plays with a variety of sidemen (no piano on "Someone in Love" for example), and doesn't yet play "sheets of sound", but this album is definately 'Trane.

He's a little more lyrical here, not in as much a hurry. He also plays some standards, such as "I Love You", rather than all originals.

The highlight of the album is the title track. In fact, this may be the defining recording of Lush Life. Unlike the other tracks, 'Trane has a foil in Donald Byrd on trumpet, and the two play beautifully together. It's also an opportunity for some extended improvisation, as the track is over 10 minutes long.

This is a great Coltrane album to start with if you are new to the music.

Overlooked Gem - A Sleeper.......2007-01-10

I noticed this Coltrane Album was not reviewed. Coltrane infuses the title track, Lush Life with sweet tender beauty. Both raw and refined, it is a masterful outpouring of love that meshes soul and sound into a moment of artsitic genesis. The rest of the album is great as well. I think it's one of Coltrane's best, though of course, there are many beautiful Coltrane albums. but this one is unusually gripping for it's sweet intensity. In film they call such an overlooked gem, a Sleeper.

Average customer rating:

Lush Life
Lou Donaldson
Manufacturer: Blue Note Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Release Date: 2007-02-06

Tracks:

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The Good Life
Star Dust
What Will I Tell My Heart
It Might As Well Be Spring
Sweet And Lovely

Album Description

On this gorgeous album, one of Donaldson's favorites, his alto soars over an all-star octet arranged by Duke Pearson on seven standards. Wayne Shorter, Freddie Hubbard, and McCoy Tyner also contribute solos. This album was readied for release in 1967 when it was recorded, but subsequently shelved when Donaldson's Alligator Bogaloo album became a big hit. It was first issued in 1980.

Average customer rating:

LUSH LIFE: good
Great album, but get the 20bit version
A good look at a speeding Trane...
Coltrane at the top of his game
Simply Amazing

Lush Life
John Coltrane
Manufacturer: Ojc
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000000Y7L
Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

Like Someone In Love
I Love You
Trane's Slo Blues
Lush Life
I Hear A Rhapsody

Customer Reviews:

LUSH LIFE: good.......2005-09-21

a nice album full of blues based jazz and lovely balladry. the playing is flawless and delightful. not an album i would recommend rushing out and buying, but a good taste of Coltrane's early sound.

Great album, but get the 20bit version.......2005-05-04

This is an excellent album, however the transfer of this version of Lush Life is somewhat lacking. The highs in a cymbal crash and most of the percussion hits sound as if they've been compressed (dynamics) too much. It's most noticeable on "I Love You" as Arthur Taylor's hi-hats gradually swish from crisp to muddy throughout the song. I'm not sure when this version was originally transferred, and perhaps this is because of the source material, but the 20bit version sounds significantly better. Has anyone else heard this?

A good look at a speeding Trane..........2003-09-28

Considered one of Coltrane's 'searching' periods, this CD has a lot to offer in the way of understanding Trane's restless nature. Never one to stand on laurels, Coltrane does indeed continue to set the bar 'higher' every time out. This one is mostly ballad and blues based, with the exeption of 2 tracks in particular which stand out - on both ends of the Trane spectrum. Track #2, "I Love You" finds him playing furious, cerebral runs on the instrument, and , frankly, not as 'listenable' as one may like; whereas the track with Donald Byrd is as 'in the pocket' as you'll ever hear. All in all, a very realistic look at a genius in motion.

Coltrane at the top of his game.......2003-09-18

Most of these Prestige titles are blowing sessions, albeit pretty damn good blowing sessions as the jazz artists are talented live performers and these albums are nothing but little snippets of live performances. Generally, these cds by Miles Davis, Red Garland or John Coltrane give you that after-hours, dark, smoky nightclub feel. They're great to just toss on, and chill out because you not only feel like you're there, but also there really are some stellar performances as well.

Lush Life was one of those albums John Coltrane recorded sometime between his stint with Thelonious Monk and Miles Davis in the late 1950's. This is Coltrane at the top of his game during his fabled "sheets of sound" era, but also perhaps some of his most restrained. The first three tunes are piano-less ("the piano player didn't show up") reworkings of old classics ("Like Someone in Love," "I Love You") and an original ("Trane's Slo Blues"). The absence of the piano though, allows Coltrane to really dig deep, especially the Latino reworking of "I Love You." The last two tracks come from a later session in which the piano player did show up, and they are joined by a young Donald Byrd on trumpet. While the first three tracks previously mentioned are worth the price of admission, the band's rendition of Billy Strayhorn's classic Lush Life is literally awesome. Coltrane would later record this with vocalist, Johnny Hartman, but here his playing is strong and hard, and Byrd's solo, almost an afterthought adds to the excitement.

If you're new to jazz, or new to John Coltrane, this is an excellent album to start off with. I believe however, that Lush Life is the cornerstone to any jazz collection. First, Coltrane rarely recorded without a piano player and it's fascinating to hear him in this context. Second and most important, this is simply one of his best performances on record during the 50's. Essential.

Simply Amazing.......2003-08-28

Lush life is one of the best record i've ever heard, naturally with My favorite things and the Miles Davis Quintet period (relaxin', steamin', workin', cookin' with...) Coltrane is at the top of is Art.... an angel!!

Average customer rating:

My Kind of Jazz
An Eloquent Tribubute to Billy Strayhorn
Beautiful Tenor Sax Playing from Joe Henderson. A Classic Album.
A not-so-good album. Why? Read this...
Best of his tributes

Lush Life: The Music of Billy Strayhorn
Joe Henderson
Manufacturer: Polygram Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Release Date: 1992-02-18

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Isfahan
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Lush Life

Amazon.com

Joe Henderson's complex and subtle talents as a tenor saxophonist, bandleader, accompanist, and composer were already finely drawn after lengthy associations with the Blue Note and Milestone labels, when he signed to Verve as an elder statesman in the 1990s. For his debut with the label, Henderson chose an all-Billy Strayhorn session--he had recorded such Strayhorn gems as "Chelsea Bridge" before with great success. His solo rendition of the title track is spectacular. He goes on to play duets with pianist Stephen Scott, bassist Christian McBride, and drummer Gregory Hutchinson. Trumpeter Wynton Marsalis joins the lineup for three guest performances. --John Swenson

Customer Reviews:

My Kind of Jazz.......2007-06-01

Having heard Strayhorn's music performed by Ellington, Hodges, Gillespie, Coltrane, Hartman, Torme (and others), I was quite curious what would Henderson do, joined by Wynton Marsalis and some other young lions in the rhythm section, notably Stephen Scott on piano, Christian McBride on bass and Gregory Hutchinson on drums, a more than suitable line-up to join Henderson and Marsalis.

This is BEAUTIFUL.

Since so many people wrote fine descriptions of this music, I'll just add that I agree with most of them. The music is imaginative, tradition-consciouss and swinging, like some sort of lyrical version of Charlie Mingus. Henderson's solo rendition of "Lush Life" is obvious favorite of the album but the number of great performances on this album is indeed great (listen, for example to lovely "Lotus Blossom", played in duet with Stephen Scott...)

They say this album sold well (partly due to marketing); I don't like financial pressures on art, but when great artists earn some money it kinda pleases me...

I feal this is far more subtle jazz "hit" than some other popular jazz records I don't care to mention at this point out of sheer respect for the work of this fine group (or these fine groups, since the musicians play in various combinations; from Henderson's solo to full quintet, with Henderson being the only one playing on all songs).

An Eloquent Tribubute to Billy Strayhorn.......2007-01-27

The Joe Henderson Quintet

Joe Henderson:Tenor Sax
Wynton Marsalis:Trumpet
Stephen Scott:Piano
Chritine McBride:Bass
Gregory Hutcherson:Drums

Billy Strayhorn
(born Nov.29,1915,Dayton,Ohio,-died May 31,1967,New York,N.Y.)

Strayhorn got his first recognition after he approached Duke Ellington with a composition in 1938,soon after,he was regularly contributing arrangments and original compositions.In 1941 Strayhorn's 'Take the 'A'
Train' became the the Duke Ellington Orchestra's theme song.As has been well documented "his work so complimented Ellingtons that it was often impossible to distinquish their respective contributions".Strayhorn was a master of the ballad,and this is well documented by several tunes in this set.His compositions exhibit a structural and harmonic sophisticatiion which he made as his trade mark and signature voice throughout his tenure,before his sudden and tragic death in 1967.
This is one of those albums were everything comes together:from the engineering,production to the peformance.
Joe's playing is stellar,very heartfelt,and crisp.The whole band sounds like they have been playing for years.The format is a unique one.We have a Tenor,bass duet-Tenor,piano,bass trio,a Quartet setting and Quintet settings and finaly capping the set off with a solo rendition of 'Lush Life'.The rhythm section,a young one,plays exceptionally throughout,and also contribute excellent solos..Highlights for me were 'Blood Count',Joes pathos here is over the top.On the Quintet sides 'Johnny One Note',Wynton smokes this one,also,'A Flower Is a Lonesome Thing',and "U.M.M.G.",you should carefully note the rhythm sections fluid and constantly inventive approach,spurring on Henderson and Marsalis throughout.A gem.We also may consider this a tribute to the great tenor giant JOE HENDERSON.God speed to both of them.A real gem.Enjoy

Beautiful Tenor Sax Playing from Joe Henderson. A Classic Album........2006-10-20

This is a very special album. It is one of the best of Joe Henderson's many wonderful recordings. His playing on this album is just sublime; so expressive and yet restrained. This is a cd I shall listen to many times and highly recommend it to Amazon customers who seek a wonderful introduction to Jazz, or for those who, having liked Jazz for many years, want to hear Jazz musicianship in its highest form.

A not-so-good album. Why? Read this... .......2006-09-14

Despite all reviews posted here in this page are given 5-stars to this release, I need to be honest and explain why I am giving just one poor star. No, I am not crazy. Let me explain my point-of-view, and after that you can decide if this JH album really deserves more stars. Just to start, this album does not have a spinal-column that could guide the band(?) or the musicians thru a solid path. There are tracks played by a duo, trio, 4tt, and sometimes a very loose quintet, and each of these tracks have a different mood, without any presence of a jazz soul, or even a real smell of jazz. Maybe the intention of recording these tunes was to make a homage/tribute to Mr Strayhorn, or maybe a recognition for Mr Henderson value in the 20th century Jazz History as one of the most important hard-boppers ever. But the result was very poor. If you really love Joe Henderson (as I appreciate), try any of his albums from the 60's (as a band-leader or as a sideman), mainly those from the Blue Note era. In time: I gave one star, in memory of his brilliant carreer. This particular album deserve zero-star.

Best of his tributes.......2005-12-07

This was the first of Joe Henderson's string of tribute or songbook albums, which finally brought him the recognition he deserved in the twilight of his career. It's also the best of the tributes, maybe due to the strength of the Billy Strayhorn compositions. There was more brilliance to come in Henderson's career, but not at this level of consistency.

Average customer rating:

Have you met Mr. Mooney?
Joe Mooney plays great moodey music.
The Atlantic Album Resurfaces.

Lush Life
Joe Mooney
Manufacturer: Koch Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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The Happiness of Joe Mooney/The Greatness of Joe Mooney
Do You Long for Oolong?
Joe Breaks the Ice

ASIN: B00000K540
Release Date: 1999-09-21

Tracks:

Polka Dots And Moonbeams
Nina Never Knew
Crazy She Calls Me
Lush Life
Love Is Here To Stay
That's All
The Kid's A Dreamer
Nowhere
My One And Only Love
Have You Met Miss Jones

Customer Reviews:

Have you met Mr. Mooney?.......2003-05-10

I was playing Lush Life over dinner last night and my dinning companion said that he was expecting to see a Zamboni drive across the carpet. I guess Joe Mooney's Hammond organ driven arrangements are not for everyone, but I just love it. My first introduction to Joe Mooney was on the terrific Atlantic Records 1980's Jazz Singers series. Mooney is an American original and I am thoroughly enjoying this wonderful, sly-swinging collection of standards. I have one question, is the racey cover nude photo really the original artwork?

Joe Mooney plays great moodey music........2000-11-28

Recorded in 1957, this CD presents a wonderful selection of tunes, most of which are standards. I enjoyed Joe's use of the organ/accordion. Although his voice lacks range, he has a feel for the music on a level with the Sinatras and Bennetts. Jack Hatop on guitar shows that he can swing. As with all of Joe's CD's currently available, this one is highly recommended.

The Atlantic Album Resurfaces........1999-09-30

Remember Sauter-Finnegan? Remember the first time you heard the band when they played "Nina Never Knew" and you heard a singer and said "wow"! Well, that was Joe Mooney and here he is with the quartet's version of "Nina Never Knew" and many other wonderful tracks. This Atlantic release is sought after on record and now you can have it on CD with the sound just great except for a little excess bass on one or two tracks.

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A treasure of Strayhorn featuring him as composer, musician,

Lush Life
Billy Strayhorn
Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Similar Items:

A Proper Introduction to Billy Strayhorn: Passion Flower
Piano Passion
Great Times! Piano Duets with Billy Strayhorn
Lush Life: A Biography of Billy Strayhorn
Billy Strayhorn: Lush Life

ASIN: B0000028PC
Release Date: 1992-09-15

Tracks:

Lush Life
Passion Flower
Ummg
Smada
Passion Flower
Take The A Train
Day Dream
Just A-Settin' And A-Rockin'
Raincheck
Chelsea Bridge
Multicolored Blue
Pick Side
Oink
Your Love Has Faded
Love Came
A Flower Is A Lovesome Thing
Passed Me By
Something To Live For
Love Came
Baby Clementine

Customer Reviews:

A treasure of Strayhorn featuring him as composer, musician,.......1999-08-28

Anyone who loves the music of Billy Strayhorn and Duke Ellington must have this album. It features the music of Strayhorn as played by the Ellington orchestra (a rare and excellent recording of Passion Flower featuring Johnny Hodges), Strayhorn the singer!(Lush Life), small group recordings featuring Strayhorn on piano in familiar songs rearranged for the small group. The real value of this album, however, is the insight it gives to the listener of the true genius of Strayhorn. Hearing him on piano in the small group sessions is incredible. His playing of Day Dream is beyond description. Also, hearing a compilation of his songs featuring the vocals of Ozzie Bailey with Strayhorn on piano (Your Love has Faded, Something to Live For, and my favorite Multicolored Blue) gives insight into the pain that Strayhorn must have experienced during his life. Truly, I listen to this album daily, always finding somthing new and wishing I could have seen Strayhorn perform in person.

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