Breeze [Enhanced]

Breeze [Enhanced]

ASIN: B00000JD93

Track Listings

1. Breeze

2. I Just Can't

3. My Song

4. Air

5. Teana's Heartbeat

6. I Like Your Style

7. Ka-Roo-Zen

8. Club Midnight

9. Jazz Hip-Hop

10. Breeze's Groove

Tracks:

The Crush Collision March
Combination March
Harmony Club Waltz
Original Rags
Maple Leaf Rag
Swipesy Cakewalk
Reacherine Rag
Sunflower Slow Drag
The Augustan Club Waltz
The Easy Winners
Cleopha
A Breeze From Alabama
Elite Syncopations

Tracks:

The Entertainer
The Strenouous Life
March Majestic
Something Doing
Weaping Willow
Patr Leaf Rag
The Favorite
The Sycamore
The Cascades
The Chysanthemum
Bethena
Bink's Waltz
The Rosebud March

Tracks:

Leola
Eugenia
Antoinette
The Ragtime Dance
Searchlight Rag
Gladiolus Rag
Lily Queen
Rose Leaf Rag
Heliotrope Bouquet
The Nonpareil
Fig Leaf Rag
Sugarcane
Pineapple Rag

Tracks:

Wall Street Rag (1909)
Solace (1909)
Pleasant Moments (1909)
Country Club (1909)
Euphonic Moments (1909)
Paragon Rag (1909)
Stop-Time Rag (1910)
Felicity Rag (1911)
Scott Joplin's New Rag (1912)
Kismet Rag (1913)
Magnetic Rag (1914)
Reflection Rag (1917)
Silver Swan Rag (1917)

Customer Reviews:

The Complete Piano Music of Scott Joplin.......2007-06-08

John Arpin does a great job with these pieces. The songs carry a consistent sound and are played very close to as-written, which comes and goes with old ragtime pieces. The stamping on Stop-Time Rag doesn't have a consistent sound to it, can be a little distracting. Everything else is great, overall I think that it's a great buy, I'm very happy with it.

Another Performer Rewrites Joplin's Masterpieces.......2007-05-31

Once again, another performer feels the need to rewrite the music of the King of Ragtime. Scott Joplin spins in his grave each and every time this recording is played.

Again, to those who believe that concert music is meant to be rewritten by each and every performer I ask, is the same treatment also acceptable for Chopin's and Rachmaninoff's music? Would "Moonlight Sonata" sound better if played at twice the tempo and with a reprise of the first Adagio movement thrown in at the end? Obviously, the answer to these questions is a resounding NO!, so why does one of America's greatest composers get such disrespect?

Interpretation is an integral part of every performance. Adding one's own notes, phrases and chords where none should be is not. Randomly changing the structure of the piece is not. Playing a piece at twice the indicated tempo is not.

One the plus side, the depth of this collection is outstanding. Joplin's lesser known pieces like "Harmony Club Waltz" really shine. The recording is decent in quality, although a bit bassy in places.

While its been stated before, I feel its worth repeating: Buy Joshua Rifkin's performances of Joplin in order to hear how the Master intended his pieces to sound.

complete piano music of Scott Joplin on 4 CD's.......2007-02-14

Although all of the music is terrific it is rather a lot of a similar sound. I think I would have preferred 2 CD's of selected piano works of Scott Joplin. But I did get the music at a good price.

Ragtime Marvel.......2005-10-09

This collection of Scott Joplin's piano music is outstanding. As a lover of ragtime which was a prelude to jazz, I am thoroughly enjoying this collection. If you are not a lover of jazz, you may be a lover of ragtime. Jazz can sometimes be grating on the nerves, whereas ragtime lifts the spirit.

Complete, but poor quality.......2005-09-25

I have been learning some ragtime and wanted to hear more to find other selections to learn. Listened to Maple Leaf Rag, my favorite, first and was disappointed. Listened to others and was more disappointed. Maple flies - much faster than anyone would play it, you can't make out some of the phrases. And talk about ad libs - Tempo, dynamics, embelishments, nuances - I really think he plays some wrong notes too because he's going so fast. It's really a poor recording - and that's just on Maple Leaf. Others with "intros" start quick and then there's a grand pause, not a rest, but nearly a five second break. It's hard to argue how Joplin would have played it, but this is hardly anything I want to try to imitate. The only qualitating factor is the number of songs for the price. A lot of variety of a poor interpretation is only worth 3 stars. if that. Look for Rifkin or a copy that is as written to listen to first, then go for the ad libs and "artistic interpretations"

Average customer rating:

I Love This Song!
just awesome must buy cd
Great memories!
There's a NEW Seals & Crofts CD Available!
Soothing, Uplifting, Beautiful

Summer Breeze
Seals & Crofts
Manufacturer: Warner Bros / Wea
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Pop | Styles | Music

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4-for-3 Rock | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music

4-for-3 All Music | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music
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America - The Complete Greatest Hits

ASIN: B000002KE7
Release Date: 1995-05-09

Tracks:

Hummingbird
Funny Little Man
Say
Summer Breeze
East Of Ginger Trees
Fiddle In The Sky
The Boy Down The Road
The Euphrates
Advance Guards
Yellow Dirt

Customer Reviews:

I Love This Song!.......2006-08-03

This song reminds me so much of when I was a teen, growing up when things weren't so messed up. I remember summer nights with all the kids in the neighborhood having water balloon fights, playing hide and seek, the giant spider webs that you run into at night! And the smell of jasmine in the summer air. Those are the days I go back to everytime I hear this song. Too bad kids today can't grow up the way we did back then! They have no idea what they're missing. Great, great song!!!

just awesome must buy cd.......2006-05-27

seals & crofts one of our best recording artist of all time just awesome every recording they did. George bretzlaff

Great memories!.......2006-03-16

I love this disc...it brings me back to my living room when I was a teenager and listening to Summer Breeze over and over!! So glad I found this.

There's a NEW Seals & Crofts CD Available!.......2004-12-01

Seals & Crofts have recorded their first album together after a wait of 20 years. It's called 'Traces' and was released in 2004. You can find it at iTunes (download) or CDBaby.com. Unfortunately it is not available at Amazon.com

Here are the details from their homepage (sealsandcrofts.com): "It features new versions of several hits from the 1970's, plus some newer tunes! S & C are in fine voice. Included are a total rearrangement of Hummingbird, Summer Breeze, We May Never Pass This Way Again, and Get Closer (with Dash's daughter Lua and Jimmy's daughter Juliet). Some updated album cuts are added, such as Not Be Found and Euphrates. The album's highlight, however, is the previously unreleased "Change the Copper Into Gold" (inspired by the spiritual odyssey of Dorothy Baker), a mesmerizing song that ranks among Jimmy's best."

I was wondering why most of their albums were never released on CD and again here is an answer from their homepage: "There are still no plans to release any more albums from the 1970's on cd. Only the 'Greatest Hits' and 'Summer Breeze' albums are readily available. Rhino Records, the prolific licensee of the Warners Brothers catalog, had planned a release - but initial plans to issue a multi-disc anthology were scaled back to a single disc, extended hits package that mirrors the old K-Tel 'Seals and Crofts Collection' lp, and add 'Unborn Child', 'Wisdom' and 'First Love'. However, there has been no release date issued for that disc. And so, the wait continues."

Regarding their new album, I like the rearrangements of 'Hummingbird' and 'Diamond Girl' best. And 'Change The Copper Into Gold' is a new gem, but all the tracks are wonderful... like a visit from an old friend. I highly recommend a listen.

Regarding 'Summer Breeze'... I like all the tracks but 'East of Ginger Trees' is my all time favorite. This and the 'Greatest Hits' albums were the only ones released on CD. Unfortunately many fans will never hear most of their other music (which is just as good) until the record companies decide to release it on CD. (I have 6 LPs that still sound great on my turntable. I'd love to hear them on CD!)

Soothing, Uplifting, Beautiful.......2003-12-07

It's quite a mystery to me why only two albums from Seals & Crofts are available on CD (at the current time of this writing): 1972's SUMMER BREEZE, and a greatest hits disc. They have made some wonderful music, and it's quite criminal that their other albums, are either out of print, or on different, hard-to-find formats, like vinyl or 8-track.

Seals & Crofts were a duo who specialized in a mix of soft rock and wistful folk. Comprised of guitarist/vocalist Jim Seals, who is the brother of Dan Seals of England Dan & John Ford Coley (remember them, with their lovely hit "I'd Really Love To See You Tonight"), and mandolinist/backing vocalist Dash Crofts, the duo, along with contemporaries such as James Taylor, America, Cat Stevens and others, created wonderful, soothing folk-rock to heal, soothe, and uplift during times of hardship.

SUMMER BREEZE (1972) is a beautiful collection of folk-rock tunes, with reflective, emotional and poignant lyrics - some of which feature spiritual overtones. In fact, a few of the tracks on here adopt small lyrical passages from the Baha'i scriptures. Not only that, the musicianship, arrangements -- it's all of high caliber, which seem to go unnoticed. Jim Seals also possessed one of the most beautiful voices I've ever heard. In fact, I always thought he had a voice of an Englishman -- he sounds very British.

"Hummingbird" features a gentle, wispy opening with Jim Seals' lovely voice, which reminds one of a mix between Cat Stevens and Phil Collins, backed by some lovely arpeggiated acoustic passages to create a floating aura, as if one were being 'lifted up' as the Baha'i lyric suggests. The rest of the song is a straightforward, mellow, nicely orchestrated track. Lovely vocal harmonies as well. "Funny Little Man" will remind some of Cat Stevens. Features impressive mandolin playing from Crofts. The title track is a mainstay for good reason. Highly enjoyable - even after more than thirty years after it's release.

"East of Ginger Trees" is a lovely, wispy, and breathtaking number, which nicely blends folk with Indian flavors. Features the tabla, tamboura and other instruments, which appear on the 7/4-ish chorus. The vocal harmonies are particularly touching and nostalgic. "Fiddle In The Sky," like the title implies, is a country-folk/rock song with lovely use of the fiddle. Unbelievably beautiful, and too good for words.

The rest of the album is splendid as well, but not necessarily easy to put into words, just like the aforementioned tracks weren't easy to describe as well.

Tracks:

America the Beautiful
All Quiet on the Potomac Tonight
Ballad of the Green Berets
On Top of Old Smokey
Coyote Warrior
Semper Fidelis
Breeze from Alabama
Onward Christian Soldiers
Come Where My Love Lies Dreaming
Patriot
Sweet Betsy from Pike
Marines' Hymn
America Is
When Johnny Comes Marchin' Home
Happy the Soldier
American Trilogy
Home Sweet Home
Washington Post March
Enraptured I Gaze
Jeannie With the Light Brown Hair
Yellow Rose of Texas
Over There
Simple Gifts
Liberty Bell
Star Spangled Banner

Tracks:

God Bless the USA
Yankee Doodle Dandy
Katy Cruel
I Vow to Thee My Country
King Cotton
Beautiful Dreamer
America
American Patrol
Mine Eyes Have Seen the Beauty
Mohican Dream
Red, White and Blue
Some Folks
Liberty Song
Pomp and Circumstance
Hail to the Chief
Bennington Rifles
Peace on the Battlefield
I've Been Working on the Railroad
Under the Double Eagle
Red River Valley
My Country 'Tis of Thee
Camptown Races
Wild Blue Yonder
Hands Across the Sea
Fanfare for the Common Man

Tracks:

Stars and Stripes Forever
Living in America
Home on the Range
Old Colony Times
Clementine
Invincible Eagle
Ring Ring de Banjo
Yankee Doodle
Largo from "The New World"
To a Wild Rose
Hail Columbia
Alexander's Ragtime Band
Gettysburg
Carry Me Back to Old Virginny
Capitan
Prairie Daughter
Little Brown Jug
Marching Through Georgia
Entertainer
Steamboat Around the Bend
Revolutionary Tea
Cassions Keep Rollin' Along
Johnny Has Gone for a Soldier
Amazing Grace
Grand Old Flag

Tracks:

God Bless America
National Emblem
Soldier, Soldier Won't You Marry Me
Anchors Away
Oh, Susannah
Tramp, Tramp, Tramp
Toast
Dixie
St. Louis Blues
Appalachian Spring
Bonnie Blue Flag
Old Hundreth
Swanee River
Battle Cry of Freedom
U. S Field Artillery
Sidewalks of New York
Chester
Auld Lang Syne
Kingdom Come
My Old Kentucky Home
Hail to the Spirit of Liberty
Battle Hymn of the Republic
Shenandoah
Abraham's Daughter
This Land Is Your Land

Customer Reviews:

not to great.......2007-04-04

We were disappointed with this CD, but for the price I guess we can't expect much. I didn't care for the new style presentation of the songs. I like a more traditional rendering.

Not so bad, 100 tunes for 4$.......2005-06-22

I red the comments of two other people who have bought this 4 CD BOX SET and it is not really so bad. I will even add that there are some excellent tunes. However, I must agree with the fact that few tunes seem to have been recorded 40 or 50 years ago, mainly when you hear the scratches of an old turntable but it is just 2 or 3 tunes. Furthermore, if you do not know American music, it is a good BOX SET to buy if you consider that you received 4 CD for 4$ including 100 tunes. On these 4 CD, I have heard some orchestration that I have never heard before and I consider that they are different but interesting. Any way, after hearing these 100 tunes, you will say to yourself that you like this tune, this other tune, this other tune and so on and you will be able to buy a more expensive CD with the tunes that you like. However, I have bought many CDs in the last few weeks and as you know, there are always some tunes that you like and some tunes that you do not like on every CD that you will buy. So, don't buy it at 25$ but at 4 or 5$ dollars, it is a very good choice for 100 tunes.

You get what you pay for........2004-07-04

You get what you pay for. The singers put their own spin on the singing of each song. If you didn't hear the words you would not recognize some of them. Even some of the music sounds like a bad recording of music played on a turntable. Definitely not worth the price.

Now I know why there were no song samples to listen to ..........2004-07-04

I wish this review had been here when I was thinking of purchasing it. I guess you get what you pay for. If you are thinking of buying this, you are better off recording your own CDs (or at least buying one that you can listen to a sampling of the songs). This album includes songs that were mere recordings of the songs playing on an old record player. It's almost so unbelievable that it is funny.

Entertainer: Classic Ragtime from Rare Piano Rolls

Average customer rating:

Best interpretation...is NO interpretation

Entertainer: Classic Ragtime from Rare Piano Rolls

Manufacturer: Shout Factory
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Waltzes | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

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ASIN: B00009PJSH
Release Date: 2003-06-10

Tracks:

Maple Leaf Rag
Something Doing
Weeping Willow Rag
The Entertainer
The Easy Winners
Pine Apple Rag
Solace
Gladiolus Rag
The Ragtime Dance
Sugar Cane
The Crush Collision March
Bethena - A Concert Waltz
Combination March
A Breeze From Alabama

Customer Reviews:

Best interpretation...is NO interpretation.......2007-02-24

This is as PLAIN a Ragtime CD as I've ever heard. No frills, no added notes, no interpretation going on here. Not everyone would like this style-without-a-style, but for me it's the best. I like to listen to these recordings with the sheet music in front of me, to see whether I can catch every note. (OK, so I do the same thing with Palestrina...I'm too left-brained to appreciate music the way musical people do.)
If you enjoy the solace of great ragtime, get a Joshua Rifkin or Dick Hyman CD. But if you crave the essence of Joplin's genius in the straightest, blandest form possible, this is the CD for you.
Also, don't dismiss the possibility of listening to a track on this CD, then on the Rifkin CD to develop a keener appreciation of Rifkin's unparalleled Joplin style. "Bethena" is a good one for this, as Rifkin brings so much PASSION to his interpretation. Well, a mechanical piano roll is not going to do that....

Average customer rating:

merougar41
Big 80s Keyboard Rock
What a great blast from the past
Nice, unknown new wave-rock.
An album lost in the 80's...3 1/2 stars

Steel Breeze
Steel Breeze
Manufacturer: Renaissance
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Pop | Styles | Music

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Spider/Between the Lines
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The Very Best of Saga

ASIN: B000005NOI
Release Date: 1997-11-18

Tracks:

You Don't Want Me Anymore
Lost In The 80's
I Think About You
All I Ever Wanted To Do
Dreamin' Is Easy
Every Night
I Can't Wait
Who's Gonna Love You Tonight
Can't Stop This Feeling
Street Talkin'

Customer Reviews:

merougar41.......2007-01-04

I am trying to replace my 80's cassettes with dvd's. This s a very inexpensive way of doing this. You guys got a ton more titles that=n the local music store chains. Keep up the good work.

Big 80s Keyboard Rock.......2006-12-01

The album Steel Breeze, by the band Steel Breeze is all up tempo. There are no ballads here. This is what I call a "convertible album." It is perfect for top down driving, stereo blasting and taking on a twisty road. The band's sound is almost the feel of the early 80's arena rock, but the sound is not too big or overblown. Steel Breeze's most known song, `You Don't Want Me Anymore' starts the album off with a classic `80s keyboard fanfare. This sets the tone for the whole album. While you won't find anymore commercial hits here, there still some very solid songs. The last track, Street Talknin' is an interesting diversion. It has a slight calypso feel to it.

What a great blast from the past.......2006-04-18

I enjoyed seeing this album again on cdnow. I went to school with the lead singer " Ric Jacobs ", at the time his name was Dick. He was my best friend in those days and we used to sing folk songs in his basement in Downers Grove, Ill. Buy this and you will not be disappointed. BTW, i saw the band 4 times. They were the intro band for Hall and Oates, the did 50 shows for them and what a party it was. Thanks Ric, and thanks to the band for the memories !

Nice, unknown new wave-rock........2005-05-28

I found this album in one of my many "scavenger hunts" at used CD shops - on tape for a quarter! Still, I'm glad I picked it up.

While in all it's not the best album of its genre, when I heard "You Don't Want me Anymore", I couldn't believe how good it was - can't stop playing it now! Guitar power pop that strongly sounds like "Jesse's Girl", though the singer sounds alot closer to Ric Ocasek of the Cars.

The next track -- more of a straight-up new wave rocker (in a Knack or Cars style) -- was called "Lost in the 80's"! Heck, that's cool enough for me right there!

I believe the ballad "Dreamin' is Easy" was the other hit. Other than this, and the first two songs, it all seems to kind of sound the same to me, but maybe I just need to give it more listens. The second side blends together alot, but the song titles even sound like 80's songs (eg - "Can't Stop the Feeling").

I'd basically call it a combo of power pop, new wave and 80's AOR rock (with just a little 70's influence left - this WAS 1981), with alot of keyboards and technology of the time.

An album lost in the 80's...3 1/2 stars.......2005-05-18

Remember the video to "You Don't Love Me Anymore"? One of the guitarists featured a mohawk haircut. Boy, are those days history. Dreamin' is Easy was a cool song too. I just recently purchased this cd for nostalgia reasons, but in listening to it I had forgotten just how good some of the songs were and how great some of the guitar playing was.

Oyasumi: Japanese Lullabies and Restful Melodies

Average customer rating:

Destined to be a classic!
A big disappointment
It' s the Japanese Sandman
Exquisite!
Beautiful collaboration!

Oyasumi: Japanese Lullabies and Restful Melodies

Manufacturer: Koto World
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | New Age | Styles | Music

General | Pop | Styles | Music

General | Children's Music | Styles | Music

Lullabies | Children's Music | Styles | Music

General | Far East & Asia | International | Styles | Music

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ASIN: B00005QB3U
Release Date: 2001-09-05

Tracks:

Oborozuki yo (Dreamy Moonlit Night)
Furusato (My Heart's Home)
Sakura, Sakura (Cherry Blossoms)
Momiji (Scarlet Leaves)
Takeda no Komoriuta (Takeda Lullaby)
Aiko's Lullaby
Aka Tonbo (Red Dragonfly)
Aogeba Tosohi (Song of Gratitude)
Umi (Vast Ocean)
Mimura nu Angwa (Girls from Three Villages)
Hatsu Yuki (First Snow)
Kirakira Boshi (Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star)
Hama Chidori (Plovers on the Shore)
Hagoromo no Komoriuta (Okinawan Lullaby)
Komoriuta (Japanese Lullaby)
Oyasumi (Goodnight)

Album Description

Winner of both a 2002 NAPPA Gold Award and 2001 Parents' Choice Gold Award. Aiko Shimada (voice) and Elizabeth Falconer (koto) play old songs from Japan; lullabies and age-old favorites that have been used to soothe children and adults alike for centuries. Compellingly understated arrangements bring out the warmth of Shimada's voice and the ephemeral beauty of the 13-string koto. Works sung largely in Japanese, with some English lyrics artfully woven in, but no knowledge of Japanese is necessary to enjoy the beauty of these intimate, nurturing songs.

Customer Reviews:

Destined to be a classic!.......2005-11-07

This CD helped to put my first baby to sleep. Now, it is putting both of my kids to sleep....and sometimes me, too! The singing seems straight from the heart, the arrangements are touching, and I love the lyrics in both Japanese and English. This CD has something to offer everyone, of all ages, of all cultures. It is destined to be a classic.

A big disappointment.......2005-08-27

[...]
I dislike Aiko Shimada's singing style intensely. She slurs the notes in a very annoying way.
This CD is more like new age music than authentic Japanese songs.
Even the koto playing is uninteresting.

It' s the Japanese Sandman.......2003-01-01

Or perhaps it's the Sandwoman--Aiko Shimada (voice) and Elizabeth Falconer (koto) play traditional Japanese lullabies and songs. Ms. Shimada, however, does not employ the traditional Japanese singing technique--a kind of throaty sound mixed with that shrill sound so popular in Asia. Instead, she has an almost Celtic lilt to her voice. These songs seem to evoke night, a ruined castle, ghostly cherry trees in bloom or a pond reflecting a moon behind a cloud. This is a nice CD to play if you love Japanese songs but are not fond of traditional Asian music (I do happen to like the screechy sound of traditional singing, but this is a nice variation.)

This would be a fun CD to use as a bedtime CD for kids, encouraging them to relax and imagine they are drifting off on a barge on a night-dark river. Or good for atmosphere during your next sushi dinner at home. Very pretty stuff.

Exquisite!.......2002-10-12

"Oyasumi" is a very deceptive album: deceptive in its simplicity, that is. Like most folkloric music, the songs on this CD are deeply rooted in experiences common to all people, and their emotional impact is complex, subtle and very powerful.

I first heard sound clips from this recording in the wake of the horrific events of 9/11. I listened to the clips again and again, deeply moved by the beauty of Aiko Shimada's voice and Elizabeth Falconer's work on koto. The creativity and undertone of joy broke through the pain and brought new hope. (This in the midst of constant military surveillance flights in the airspace surrounding the Pentagon, and a pall of silence in an otherwise lively neighborhood...)

My initial impressions haven't changed, though my appreciation for what Falconer and Shimada have achieved grows deeper each time I listen to the CD. Both women are master musicians, but the chemistry here is something unusual - and lasting. All of the tracks reach the very high standard set by their creators, making it very difficult to choose the so-called "best." However, my top picks include "Mimura nu Angwa," "Hagoromo no Komoriuta" (traditional Okinawan songs), an extremely elegant reworking of "Sakura, Sakura," and two original compositions by Falconer and Shimada respectively: "Hatsu Yuki" and "Aiko's Lullaby." I'm sure you'll find your own favorites soon enough...

Beautiful collaboration!.......2001-10-19

A mesmerizing, vey relaxing compilation of songs sung in Japanese and English. Some interpret classic folk tunes, some are modern original ballads (a la Jewel or Tracy Chapman). All feature Ms. Shimada's spectacularly clear, pure, delicate voice, accompanied by the sonorous rainwater sounds of Ms. Falconer's koto. The harmonies are delightful and enchanting.
Even without knowing the lyrics (which can be accessed on their website), you'll be able to hum along with many of them, and the language exposure is wonderful for young minds! The CD is long enough that even an energetic little one will slow down by the end. My 18-month old was completely transfixed for the first 3 or 4 songs at least, and on subsequent days would hand me the case as a hint to play it, even at bathtime.
With songs about dragonflies, cherry blossoms, stars and the ocean, one's spirit feels charmed, lightened and youthful; and yet there is also a deep wisdom and connectedness to nature and culture in these traditional sounds that have probably soothed generations.

Average customer rating:

People & Places
Ryan Haines Big Band
Manufacturer: Sea Breeze Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Jazz | Styles | Music
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Plays Well With Others

ASIN: B000OZ6Z8C
Release Date: 2007-05-08

Tracks:

Tierrasanta
Sabrina's Theme
Underground
Wednesday's Friend
Riding the Bavarian Sidecar
Yvonne
Blaine Street
Thicker Than Water
People And Places

Album Description

Pulse-quickening big band jazz from a world-class ensemble on its third album for Sea Breeze.

Average customer rating:

Available at retailers for about $18
A classic compilation
A dis-service to Joplin
Unique
Great set

Scott Joplin: His Complete Works

Manufacturer: Bescol
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Waltzes | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Jazz | Styles | Music

Vocal Jazz General | Vocal Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music

Ragtime | Traditional Jazz & Ragtime | Jazz | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Modern & 20th Century | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

English | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Classical | Box Sets | Stores | Music

Complete Piano Music of Scott Joplin
King of the Ragtime Writers
Entertainer: Classic Ragtime from Rare Piano Rolls
Joplin: Treemonisha
Joplin: Piano Rags

ASIN: B000001RR2
Release Date: 1994-07-19

Tracks:

Please Say You Will - Richard Zimmerman
A Picture Of Her Face - Richard Zimmerman
The Great Crush Collision March - Richard Zimmerman
Harmony Club Waltz - Richard Zimmerman
Combination March - Richard Zimmerman
Original Rags - Richard Zimmerman
Maple Leaf Rag - Richard Zimmerman
Swipesy - Cake Walk - Richard Zimmerman
Sunflower Slow Drag - Richard Zimmerman
Peacherine Rag - Richard Zimmerman
Augustan Club Waltz - Richard Zimmerman
The Easy Winners - Richard Zimmerman
Cleopha - Richard Zimmerman
The Strenuous Life - Richard Zimmerman
I Am Thinking Of My Pickanniny Days - Richard Zimmerman
The Ragtime Dance - Richard Zimmerman
A Breeze From Alabama - Richard Zimmerman
Elite Syncopations - Richard Zimmerman

Tracks:

March Majestic - S. Joplin
The Entertainer - S. Joplin
Something Doing - S. Joplin
Weeping Willow - S. Joplin
Little Black Baby - S. Joplin
Palm Leaf Rag - S. Joplin
The Favorite - S. Joplin
The Sycamore - S. Joplin
The Cascades - S. Joplin
The Chrysanthemum - S. Joplin
Rosebud March - S. Joplin
Bethena - S. Joplin
Leola - S. Joplin
Sarah Dear - S. Joplin
Binks Waltz - S. Joplin
Eugenia - S. Joplin
Antoinette - S. Joplin
Snoring Sampson - S. Joplin

Tracks:

Gladiolus Rag - S. Joplin
Searchlight Rag - S. Joplin
The Nonpareil (None to Equal) - S. Joplin
When Your Hair Is Like The Snow - S. Joplin
Rose Leaf Rag - S. Joplin
Heliotrope Bouquet - S. Joplin
School Of Ragtime - S. Joplin
Fig Leaf Rag - S. Joplin
Sugar Cane - S. Joplin
Pine Apple Rag - S. Joplin
Wall Street Rag - S. Joplin
Solace - S. Joplin
Pleasant Moments - S. Joplin
Country Club - S. Joplin
Paragon Rag - S. Joplin
Euphonic Sounds - S. Joplin
Stoptime Rag - S. Joplin
Felicity Rag - S. Joplin

Tracks:

Highlights From Treemonisha - Richard Zimmerman
A Real Slow Drag - Richard Zimmerman
Prelude To Act 3 - Richard Zimmerman
Frolic Of The Bears - Richard Zimmerman
Lovin' Babe - Richard Zimmerman
Scott Joplin's New Rag - Richard Zimmerman
Kismet Rag - Richard Zimmerman
Magnetic Rag - Richard Zimmerman
Reflection Rag - Richard Zimmerman
Silver Swan Rag - Richard Zimmerman
Lily Queen - Richard Zimmerman
Sensation - Richard Zimmerman

Customer Reviews:

Available at retailers for about $18.......2006-12-21

Excellent collection - but there are re-sellers listed here that are selling this for as much $50 or $60. Yikes, most major retailers are selling this complete set for $18 - so beware.

A classic compilation.......2006-10-07

This collection is one of my most treasured possessions. (My father gave me the original 5-album set in the 70's when it was originally released on vinyl.)

This is the definitive collection of Scott Joplin's work. Richard Zimmerman provides wonderful performances that accurately reflect Joplin's intentions. (As evidence beyond my personal opinion, I submit the recent releases of digital recordings made from Joplin's piano rolls.)

A few points to consider regarding negative comments you may encounter in other reviews:
* This is a digital recording from an analog master. Lack of quality in the recording does not imply a lackluster performance.
* This is a complete collection. Some similarity is due to Joplin re-exploring melodic themes. But some is due to the fact that these are "rags". One might as well complain that all 50's doo-wop (or all 70's disco) sounds the same.
* Many pieces of the period exhibit formal musical structures, such as the marches of John Phillips Sousa. (Both Sousa and Joplin performed at the 1904 World's Fair in St. Louis.) Actually, Joplin is responsible for extending the formal boundaries of ragtime to concert waltzes (Bethena) and opera (A Guest of Honor, Treemonisha)
* This is probably one of the few collections which will include selections from "Treemonisha". It is my understanding that after the initial release, one of Joplin's descendants made a copyright claim that was upheld in court. (I presume the issue was that Joplin had to finance "Treemonisha" himself, and therefore the customary performance clearances did not cover those selections.)

For ragtime students and enthusiasts, this is a "must-have" collection at a very affordable price.

A dis-service to Joplin.......2006-02-01

Sadly, the only virtue this set possesses is completeness.

The pianist does not play Joplin's pieces "as written", the piano is of poor quality, and not properly in tune.

This is emphatically NOT the set to buy. A far better set, beautifully annotated and well played on a good concert grand piano, is the complete works played by Guido Nielsen on the Basta Label.

This set is a dis-service to Joplin and his music. He deserves better, and gets it elsewhere.

Unique .......2004-10-19

I have several cd sets of Joplin's music: Rifkin, Arpo, Nielsen, and Zimmerman. All have their excellent qualities. What sets Zimmerman's set apart is the inclusion of excerpts from Joplin's opera, Treemonisha---especially "A Real Slow Drag." Why the other sets do not include excerpts from Treemonisha, I don't know---because they are some of his most beautiful and joyful pieces of music. Of course, you can hear the orchestrated version of Treemonisha in the Houston Grand Opera recording, and it is spectacular. But Zimmerman's piano version, especially of "A Real Slow Drag," is not to be missed.

Great set.......2001-10-16

I guess this will be a rather one sided review. I have been a fan of Scott Joplin since I first learned to play a piano.

I was shocked to see that one reviewer thought it all sounded the same. How silly. All of Frank Sinatra's music sounds like Frank Sinatra. All of Led Zeppelin sounds like Led Zeppelin. So, if the songs were drastically different, I would question if the same author composed them. As it is, though, each song on this set is fantastic!!

I don't know that I have heard of Richard Zimmerman, and I was a little leary as to what I would be getting, I certainly was impressed. Without a doubt the best renditions of "Weeping Willow" and "Bethena" I have heard, and at least a dozen songs I didn't know Joplin wrote.

Tracks:

Nothing But A Breeze
My Songbird
Seems Like Only Yesterday
You Remember Me
Twigs And Seeds
Gilding The Lily
Bowling Green
Pourquoi M'aimes-Tu Pas?
It Takes A Young Girl
Rhumba Man

Album Description

Jesse Winchester is a sort of folk/rock singer/songwriter who issued numerous albums for the Bearsville label throughout the 70s & early 80s. We will be issuing his entire Bearsville output on CD. This entire catalog will be digitally remastered. Nothing But A Breeze originally hit the Billboard charts in 1977.

Customer Reviews:

Nothing But A Breeze.......2006-07-17

I've been a Jesse Winchester fan ever since I saw his face on a billboard on Sunset Boulevard andvertising his first album in 1971. I bought that one and bought all the subsequent records. This one is one of the best. Two songs in particular are wonderful: "You Remember Me" with the sweet voice of Anne Murray in the background and "Seems Like It Was Only Yesterday" with its rollicking beat and great humor. Winchester is a grand song writer and I'm glad to see Nothing But A Breeze out on CD.

Jesse Winchester.......2006-07-04

This artist is terrific. I have bought his albums since the 70's. Recently got this album on audio CD. If you want to get into this artist, *Nothing But a Breeze* is the way to start. My wife is bonkers over it. I have had to rip and burn this CD so she can have it on her pc site, in the car, and anywhere else she decides to crank it up. Emotional tears flow from her every time she listens to it. Backed by Ricky Skaggs, James Burton, Emmylou Harris, Anne Murray, and the late Nicolette Larson....WOW.
"Life is too short for some folks, for others it just drags on...but me I want to live with my feet in Dixie and my head in the cool cool north...it ain't nothing but a breeze."

Fresh Air Rolling In.......2006-06-13

I am biased when it comes to Jesse Winchester. I bought his first album years ago and I probably own a majority of his recordings. The guy has a great capacity for feeling and is adept at writing songs. He's admitted that he wasn't doing much original in his music (not his lyrics, mind you)--but he was being too self-effacing when he made this comment. If you want someone who can get your feet to tapping, give you insight and inspiration--Jesse's your man. "Life is too short for some folks, for others it just drags on...but me I want to live with my feet in Dixie and my head in the cool cool north...it ain't nothing but a breeze." Take a chance on this songwriter. He's a breath of fresh air!

Average customer rating:

Sorry He's Gone
"Well, it's not like it used to be."
Long Live Rick Danko
This is how I'll remember Rick Danko.
"IF IT'S GOOD IT WILL NEVER DIE"

Live On Breeze Hill
Rick Danko Band
Manufacturer: Breeze Hill
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B00002SSV6
Release Date: 1999-09-14

Tracks:

Sip The Wine
Twighlight
Crazy Mama
Stage Fright
Ophelia
Blaze Of Glory
Next Time You See Me
Caldonia Mission
Shape I'm In
Chest Fever
It Makes No Difference

Amazon.com

Released just two months before Rick Danko's death at age 56, Live on Breeze Hill captures a performer who, while in decline, still possessed the basic geniality that marked his music for decades. The longtime Band bassist revisits his glory days repeatedly throughout the 11-selection CD, which opens with a new studio version of an old track ("Sip the Wine"). From there, Danko re-explores songs that became identified with him through his lengthy stint with one of America's most influential groups (and Band keyboardist Garth Hudson makes a mighty instrumental contribution here). The likes of "Stage Fright," "Caledonia Mission," and the heartbreaking closer, "It Makes No Difference," are surpassed by earlier studio and live versions, but Danko's drawling vocals maintained their aw-shucks appeal to the end. And lines such as "You don't know the shape I'm in" and "All good things must end" take on a ghostly weight when sung by a man whose time on earth was coming to an end. --Steven Stolder

Album Description

Rick Danko's New Solo Album "Live On Breeze Hill" Is An 11-Song Collection Of Inspired Performances From The "Band's Legendary Bassist And Lead Singer. The Rock N Roll Hall Of Famer Is Backed By The Finest Musicians(Including Band-Mate Garth Hudson And Long Time Collaborator And Band Producer Aaron" Professor Louie Hurwitz). Live On Breeze Hill Captures The Intimacy, Immediacy And Excitement Of Danko Live, And Electric Performances. The Cd Also Includes A Bonus Studio Track, A New-Arrangement Of Danko's "Sip The Wine" Which Ardent Fans Will First Recognize From Its First Appearance In The Last Waltz. Danko's Nine Piece Band Also Consists Of Tom "Bones" Malone From The David Letterman Show-Former Tower Of Power Saxophonist And Current Leader Of The "Saturday Night Live Band" Lenny Pickett And Renowned Studio Player Jim Hynes(Trumpet) As Well As Players Fom "The Band". A Portion Of The Proceeds Will Benefit Greenpeace.

Customer Reviews:

Sorry He's Gone.......2001-12-12

Rick was a great talent - his importance to the success of The Band and their place in history was clearly understated/unrecognized during their salad days and beyond. Unfortunately, neither that nor his passing make this CD any better. Not the legacy he would have liked, methinks.

"Well, it's not like it used to be.".......2000-05-07

When I turned 16 last week, I asked for one gift-Live on Breeze Hill. I have been a Band fan all my life, and I felt that I should have Rick's last album. When I put it into my CD player, I was not sure what the first track was because of the difference of Sip the Wine from the original recording. I found this to be the case for the great majority of songs. While original Band members Danko and Hudson make significant contributions to this collaboration, I felt that it lacked one certain individual-Levon Helm. While Randy Ciarlante's drums are plausable and his singing on Chest Fever is decent (although a far cry from the late Richard Manuel's), Levon would have brought the glue to hold the music together, especially in the beginning of the numbers. Rick's vocals, although wobbly compared to his great tenor sound in the '70's, are still the best one can find anywhere. Despite the shakiness of the beginnings of the songs, once the group gets on track, the final product is exceptional. However, if you're looking for a great live Band album, check out The Last Waltz, Rock of Ages, or Before the Flood (With Bob Dylan). Rest in Peace, Rick-We'll miss you.

Long Live Rick Danko.......1999-12-13

Rick Danko died yesterday, Thursday, December 9, 1999 at at age 56. Live on Breeze Hill is a living testament to this powerful musician and composer. His tortured voice is a divine and profane gift, and his arrangements of songs earlier recorded by The Band are wonderful.

This is how I'll remember Rick Danko........1999-12-13

When I heard yesterday that Rick Danko had passed on, this is the CD I played. It's a good mixture of Band and non-Band tracks that truly captures the feeling of Danko live. On Breeze Hill, long after the heyday of The Band, Danko still has the greatest and most unique voice in rock and roll. He will tear your heart out on Sip the Wine and It Makes No Difference, and leave you feeling triumphant on Blaze of Glory and Chest Fever. But the prevailing feeling I get from this CD is that here is a man doing what he loves. A long time ago, Danko sang the words "I'd rather die happy than not die at all." After listening to Live on Breeze Hill, I think you'll agree that that is exactly what he did.

"IF IT'S GOOD IT WILL NEVER DIE".......1999-11-13

"Live On Breeze Hill" marks for me the continuation of the Band in it's present form. I believed after "The Last Waltz", the Band could never capture their "magic" again. True, many classic artists strive to keep their legacy going, but they never completely continue in the form their foundations made them famous. Rick Danko has kept that magic, however, as much as years have taken their toll, Rick can perform and execute this material like he did 30 years ago. Like fine wine, sometimes it ages beautifully or it sours, yet Danko has mellowed into a fine beverage that should be sipped and enjoyed. The CD "Live On Breeze Hill" is an excellent effort, rumours were abound that it was a "bootleg" tape from a party in Connecticut that turned into a magical document of that day. It is not a bootleg, but a finely crafted and produced effort made possible by Quentin Ryan and Aaron Hurwitz. The versions of "Band" standards are here as well as a recrafted take of "Sip The Wine" from his first solo album in 1977. The Band may truely be one for the ages, and down it's final road. But, Rick Danko keeps that beacon of light that Band fans have followed over the years. The rhythm section and keyboard work is exquisite, thanks to fellow BAND member Garth Hudson, who's work is true genius. Aaron "Louie" Hurwitz is the backbone of this project and he's even featured on the blues standard "Next Time You See Me". This cd also sponsors Greenpeace and Rick has made conscious efforts to uphold it's beliefs. The packaging is "earth friendly" using soy inks and recycled papers. All fans should run and get this cd.

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Jazz Music

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