What Are You Listening To?

[Dennie]

My last one for the evening....

Christmas Songs -- CD

Diana Krall

2005 Verve Records

Amazon.com

As the song goes, "Merry Christmas" has already "been said many times, many ways." Diana Krall's Christmas Songs is a worthy--though not particularly unique--addition to the holiday catalog. On it, she excels with an approach mastered long ago: elegant delivery that gives extra polish to a very familiar lineup. Some might find her style frosty at times, but that will come as a relief to those who want their carolers to cut through some of the holiday treacle and create a festive, yet grown-up vibe. And Krall does show off her playful side with little, personal touches. In "Winter Wonderland" she promises to "frolic and play the Canadian way," which should draw smiles from her native land. (That'll mean toasting the holiday with Molson, eh?) Elsewhere, she ends "Jingle Bells" with the girlishly giddy statement, "I'm just crazy about horses." Well…can't argue with that. --Leah Weathersby

"Jingle Bells" (James Pierpont) – 3:26
"Let It Snow" (Jule Styne, Sammy Cahn) – 4:02
"The Christmas Song" (Mel Tormé, Robert Wells) – 4:24
"Winter Wonderland" (Felix Bernard, Richard B. Smith) – 3:15
"I'll Be Home for Christmas" (Kim Cannon, Walter Kent, Buck Ram) – 3:08
"Christmas Time Is Here" (Vince Guaraldi, Lee Mendelson) – 3:35
"Santa Claus Is Coming to Town" (J. Fred Coots, Haven Gillespie) – 2:54
"Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" (Ralph Blane, Hugh Martin) – 4:19
"White Christmas" (Irving Berlin) – 4:32
"What Are You Doing New Year’s Eve?" (Frank Loesser) – 4:10
"Sleigh Ride" (Leroy Anderson, Mitchell Parish) – 3:26
"Count Your Blessings Instead of Sheep" (Irving Berlin) – 3:41

 

[Dennie]

This was a "gift" from my used music dealer..... :handgestures-thumbup:

Travelogue -- 2 CD Box Set

Joni Mitchell

2002 Nonesuch Records

A Major Work!, May 4, 2007
By D. W. Moore "Enthusiastic Amazon Fan" (Portland, OR USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)
Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: Travelogue (Audio CD)

I didn't think I liked Joni Mitchel. The odd-ball octave shifts annoyed me as yodeling does. I was looking for some song of hers at the library and found Travelogue instead. It sounded more like Diana Krall. Very pleasing deeper voice without the old stunts. I happend to like the orchestra and the jazz styling.

There is more than 2 hours of mostly-wonderful music. There are only a few tracks that I skip. The sound is fresh and original. The lyrics are thought-provoking. It comes in a nice package containing a lyrics book and a book showing some of her original paintings.

The only problem is that I listen to it over and over and over. Addicted?

Disc 1

"Otis and Marlena" – 3:54
"Amelia" – 6:48
"You Dream Flat Tires" – 3:48
"Love" – 5:40
"Woodstock" – 5:56
"Slouching Toward Bethlehem" – 7:11 (Based on a poem by W. B. Yeats)
"Judgement of the Moon and Stars (Ludwig's Tune)" – 5:22
"The Sire of Sorrow (Job's Sad Song)" – 7:09
"For the Roses" – 7:28
"Trouble Child" – 5:02
"God Must Be a Boogie Man" – 3:56

Disc 2

"Be Cool" – 5:09
"Just Like This Train" – 5:04
"Sex Kills" – 3:57
"Refuge of the Roads" – 7:56
"Hejira" – 6:47
"Chinese Café / Unchained Melody" – 5:41 (Alex North, Hy Zaret)
"Cherokee Louise" – 6:00
"The Dawntreader" – 5:38
"The Last Time I Saw Richard" – 4:58
"Borderline" – 6:23
"The Circle Game" – 6:50

Joni Mitchell - vocals
Larry Klein - bass, musical direction
Herbie Hancock - piano
Billy Preston - Hammond B3 organ
Chuck Berghofer - double bass
Paulinho Da Costa - percussion
Brian Blade - drums
Wayne Shorter - soprano saxophone
Plas Johnson - tenor saxophone
Kenny Wheeler - flugelhorn
Gavyn Wright - orchestra leader
Vince Mendoza - conductor, arrangement

 

[Dennie]

Deguello -- CD

ZZ Top

1979 Warner Bros. Records

Amazon.com

First released in 1979, Deguello was three years in the making. Billy Gibbons, Dusty Hill, and Frank Beard had disappeared into the sagebrush to recharge their batteries following their grueling World Texas Tour. They returned with a new antic sense of themselves that first appeared in songs like "Cheap Sunglasses," "She Loves My Automobile," and "Esther Be the One" and came to fruition almost four years later with Eliminator. Deguello forges the last link to the band's early blues-rock years, before they became the sleeker, less threatening entity that graced MTV during the '80s. Tunes like their rendering of David Porter and Isaac Hayes's steamy "I Thank You," the salacious "Hi Fi Mama," and the boastful "I'm Bad, I'm Nationwide" careen on the edges of good taste, but these guys didn't give a *** who they offended as long as they entertained. And, of course, they did entertain legions of fans with their ribald lyrics, off-kilter timing, and Gibbons's daredevil guitar wizardry. But ZZ Top isn't all hard edges and pinup fantasies; the heartbreakingly beautiful intro to their eccentric love song, "Fool for Her Stockings" rivals the lyricism of Jimi Hendrix's "The Wind Cries Mary." --Jaan Uhelszki

All songs by Billy Gibbons, Dusty Hill and Frank Beard, except where noted.

Side A

"I Thank You" (Isaac Hayes, David Porter) – 3:23
"She Loves My Automobile" – 2:24
"I'm Bad, I'm Nationwide" – 4:46
"A Fool for Your Stockings" – 4:15
"Manic Mechanic" – 2:37

Side B

"Dust My Broom" (Robert Johnson) – 3:06
"Lowdown in the Street" – 2:49
"Hi Fi Mama" – 2:23
"Cheap Sunglasses" – 4:48
"Esther Be the One" – 3:31

 

[heeman]

Deguello -- CD

ZZ Top

1979 Warner Bros. Records

Amazon.com

First released in 1979, Deguello was three years in the making. Billy Gibbons, Dusty Hill, and Frank Beard had disappeared into the sagebrush to recharge their batteries following their grueling World Texas Tour. They returned with a new antic sense of themselves that first appeared in songs like "Cheap Sunglasses," "She Loves My Automobile," and "Esther Be the One" and came to fruition almost four years later with Eliminator. Deguello forges the last link to the band's early blues-rock years, before they became the sleeker, less threatening entity that graced MTV during the '80s. Tunes like their rendering of David Porter and Isaac Hayes's steamy "I Thank You," the salacious "Hi Fi Mama," and the boastful "I'm Bad, I'm Nationwide" careen on the edges of good taste, but these guys didn't give a *** who they offended as long as they entertained. And, of course, they did entertain legions of fans with their ribald lyrics, off-kilter timing, and Gibbons's daredevil guitar wizardry. But ZZ Top isn't all hard edges and pinup fantasies; the heartbreakingly beautiful intro to their eccentric love song, "Fool for Her Stockings" rivals the lyricism of Jimi Hendrix's "The Wind Cries Mary." --Jaan Uhelszki

All songs by Billy Gibbons, Dusty Hill and Frank Beard, except where noted.

Side A

"I Thank You" (Isaac Hayes, David Porter) – 3:23
"She Loves My Automobile" – 2:24
"I'm Bad, I'm Nationwide" – 4:46
"A Fool for Your Stockings" – 4:15
"Manic Mechanic" – 2:37

Side B

"Dust My Broom" (Robert Johnson) – 3:06
"Lowdown in the Street" – 2:49
"Hi Fi Mama" – 2:23
"Cheap Sunglasses" – 4:48
"Esther Be the One" – 3:31

Hey Dennie,

You have been playing this one a lot lately..................great album, one of my favorite ZZ TOP Albums!

:music-rockout:

Keith

 

[Dennie]

Deguello -- CD

ZZ Top

1979 Warner Bros. Records

Amazon.com

First released in 1979, Deguello was three years in the making. Billy Gibbons, Dusty Hill, and Frank Beard had disappeared into the sagebrush to recharge their batteries following their grueling World Texas Tour. They returned with a new antic sense of themselves that first appeared in songs like "Cheap Sunglasses," "She Loves My Automobile," and "Esther Be the One" and came to fruition almost four years later with Eliminator. Deguello forges the last link to the band's early blues-rock years, before they became the sleeker, less threatening entity that graced MTV during the '80s. Tunes like their rendering of David Porter and Isaac Hayes's steamy "I Thank You," the salacious "Hi Fi Mama," and the boastful "I'm Bad, I'm Nationwide" careen on the edges of good taste, but these guys didn't give a *** who they offended as long as they entertained. And, of course, they did entertain legions of fans with their ribald lyrics, off-kilter timing, and Gibbons's daredevil guitar wizardry. But ZZ Top isn't all hard edges and pinup fantasies; the heartbreakingly beautiful intro to their eccentric love song, "Fool for Her Stockings" rivals the lyricism of Jimi Hendrix's "The Wind Cries Mary." --Jaan Uhelszki

All songs by Billy Gibbons, Dusty Hill and Frank Beard, except where noted.

Side A

"I Thank You" (Isaac Hayes, David Porter) – 3:23
"She Loves My Automobile" – 2:24
"I'm Bad, I'm Nationwide" – 4:46
"A Fool for Your Stockings" – 4:15
"Manic Mechanic" – 2:37

Side B

"Dust My Broom" (Robert Johnson) – 3:06
"Lowdown in the Street" – 2:49
"Hi Fi Mama" – 2:23
"Cheap Sunglasses" – 4:48
"Esther Be the One" – 3:31

Hey Dennie,

You have been playing this one a lot lately..................great album, one of my favorite ZZ TOP Albums!

:music-rockout:

Keith

That's because "I'm A Fool for your Stockings, I do believe"! :music-rockout:


It is a great album! :bow-blue:



Dennie

 

[Dennie]

Creedence Gold -- CD

Creedence Clearwater Revival

1991 Fantasy Records

Creedence Gold is a collection of Creedence Clearwater Revival's hit singles. Unfortunately, the album is a little too small to meet anybody's needs. A mere eight tracks are featured on Creedence Gold. Admittedly, these are eight tracks of amazing quality, but those looking for a more thorough collection will be pleased with the much more in-depth Chronicle, Vol. 1. Creedence Gold shows off the musical talent involved in the band. The 11-plus-minute "I Heard It Through the Grapevine" is a fine showcase for Creedence's lead guitar styling, while "Born on the Bayou" is a fine sampler of how the band worked as a unit. By no means is Creedence Gold a bad album. Indeed, the eight tracks featured are eight of the best moments in their respective genres.

Side 1

"Proud Mary"
"Down on the Corner"
"Bad Moon Rising"
"I Heard it Through the Grapevine" (Norman Whitfield, Barrett Strong)

Side 2

"The Midnight Special" (Traditional)
"Have You Ever Seen the Rain"
"Born on the Bayou"
"Susie Q" (Eleanor Broadwater, Dale Hawkins, Stanley Lewis)

 

[Dennie]

Unconditional -- CD

Ana Popovic

2011 Eclecto Groove Records

Great Blues from a sultry singer and amazing guitarist!,, August 17, 2011
By Polar Bear - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)
This review is from: Unconditional (Audio CD)

It's been over two years since guitarist/singer Ana Popovic released her last album, but her latest, "Unconditional," has made it well worth the wait. Recorded in New Orleans, it successfully fuses classic and contemporary blues into music with high energy and lots of passion. Her guitar playing is amazing and her vocals are as smooth as honey. Soulful and virtuoso are words that come to mind when listening to her play. The album also features the amazing slide guitar of Sonny Landreth and the talents of Jon Cleary and David Torkanowski on hammond B3 and piano, Calvin Turner on bass and Doug Belote on drums. The title track, "Unconditional," has some unbelievable guitar work but also incorporates a beautiful piano which adds depth to the song. Jason Ricci makes a guest appearance and plays the harp, adding a unique and beautiful texture to the sound. I love the backbeat drumming on "Slideshow" that has a huge, pounding bass line and delivers with nothing short of a sonic boom. "One Room Country Shack" showcases Popovic's talent as a musician. She simply SHREDS the guitar on this song and it will leave you breathless. "Summer Rain" is another beautiful song that really shows the depth of Popovic's talents as a vocalist. She is sultry and powerful at the same time and the guitar solo somehow sounds like falling rain. If you like your blues straight ahead with touches of soulful jazz and beautifully raw vocals, you can't go wrong here. Highly recommended!

TRACK LISTINGS

1 Fearless Blues 3:16
2 Count Me In 4:54
3 Unconditional 3:52
4 Reset Rewind 3:38
5 Slideshow 5:22
6 Business As Usual 3:22
7 Your Love Ain't Real 4:15
8 Work Song 4:01
9 Summer Rain 4:36
10 Voodoo Woman 4:11
11 One Room Country Shack 6:33
12 Soulful Dress 2:53

Bonus Picture......

 

[Dennie]

The Electric B.B. King - His Best -- CD

B. B. King

1998 MCA Records

Although this collection has "Don't Answer the Door," "Paying the Cost to Be the Boss" and a nice live re-cut of "Sweet Sixteen" to highly recommend it, this 1968 issue is hardly King's best, and the "electric" part of the title makes it sound like there's an acoustic B.B. King album lurking around somewhere that you and I somehow missed in the last 40 years. To be sure, these are rock solid performances all recorded between 1965 to 1968, just as King's music was getting slicker and more urban. But this was one of the albums that helped introduce B.B. to a more modern audience (it's gone on to sell over a million copies in 30 years' time), heading straight to the timeline of "The Thrill Is Gone" putting him on the map worldwide. This 1998 CD reissue also includes three bonus tracks, studio versions of "Waitin' On You" and "Night Life," plus "Messy But Good" from the motion picture soundtrack For the Love of Ivy. Not his best, certainly electric, and ultimately, a good one to add to the collection after you've gotten about five or six others first. ~ Cub Koda, All Music Guide --This text refers to an alternate Audio CD edition.

Track listing

1. Tired of Your Jive [Single Version]
2. Don't Answer the Door
3. B. B. Jones, The
4. All Over Again [Single Version]
5. Paying the Cost To Be the Boss
6. Think It Over [Single Version]
7. I Done Got Wise
8. Meet My Happiness [Single Version]
9. Sweet Sixteen [Live Version (1966 Edit)]
10. You Put It On Me
11. I Don't Want You Cuttin' Off Your Hair [Single Version]
12. Waitin' On You [Single Version]
13. Messy But Good
14. Night Life [Single Version]

 

[Dennie]

Live Alive -- CD

Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble

1986 Epic Records

Amazon.com

Most live blues recordings have a feeling of intimacy, as if the concerts took place in some out-of-the-way venue for an audience who not only know all the lyrics, but know the performers personally as well. Live Alive, in contrast, feels like a large-scale rock concert, an epic production full of grand gestures. But really, nothing suited Stevie Ray Vaughan's style better; everything, from the overall sound to the solos, feels big. The roar of the audience, especially for favorites like "Pride and Joy," "Cold Shot," and "Texas Flood," is huge but distant, an arena sound. Overall, Live Alive leaves the impression of a series of stellar moments caught on tape, with an intensity rarely captured in the recording studio. --Genevieve Williams

All songs were written by Stevie Ray Vaughan, except where noted.

"Say What!" – 4:51
"Ain't Gone 'n' Give Up on Love" – 6:24
"Pride and Joy" – 5:04
"Mary Had a Little Lamb" (Buddy Guy) – 4:15
"Superstition" (Stevie Wonder) – 4:43
"I'm Leaving You (Commit a Crime)" (Chester Burnett) – 5:35
"Cold Shot" (W. C. Clark, Michael Kindred)" – 5:40
"Willie the Wimp" (Bill Carter, Ruth Ellsworth) – 4:38
"Look at Little Sister" (Hank Ballard) – 4:13
"Texas Flood" (Joseph Wade Scott, Larry C. Davis) – 6:30
"Voodoo Child (Slight Return)" (Jimi Hendrix) – 9:37
"Love Struck Baby" – 3:46
"Change It" (Doyle Bramhall) – 5:04
"Life Without You" - 9.30 (appeared only on vinyl and cassette copies)

 

[Dennie]

Del Sol -- CD

Dave Samuels

1993 GRP Records

Fun in Del Sol, August 13, 2010
By AA Madonsela "Jazzanaire" (South Africa)
This review is from: Del Sol (Audio CD)

Only Dave Samuels knows how to tap great melodies out of those Vibraphone/Marimba sticks. The music moves from slow to fast-paced; frisky to haunting; obtrusive to subtle; creating a truly tropical holiday feel as hinted by the title "Del Sol". The opening track "Conquistador" is great start but I specifically like "Sand Castles" and Samuels' duet with Andy Narell on "Dance Class" a real gem on this album. The tile track is in a class of its own. This is an ecletic album for all seasons and will easily complement most any desired mood for the listener.

Arthur A. Madonsela >> South Africa

Track listing

1. Conquistador
2. Jamboree
3. Sand Castles
4. Sea Breeze
5. Dance Class
6. Del Sol
7. One Step Ahead
8. El Peregrino/The Pilgrim :: The Pilgrim
9. Long Way Home, The
10. Coastal Comfort

 

[Dennie]

Bing, Bing, Bing! -- CD

Charlie Hunter Trio

1995 Blue Note Records

Charlie Hunter's 1995 Blue Note debut landed the guitar virtuoso square on the music map as one of the most exciting new voices in jazz. His custom-built eight-string guitar (allowing him to play bass and guitar simultaneously) and taste for the funk was a revelation to younger listeners hungry for music rooted in jazz tradition but also encompassing more recent groove-driven movements such as hip-hop. When scribes tried to pigeonhole Hunter as a leader of San Francisco's acid jazz movement, the Bay Area native quickly dismissed the tag, referring to his music as "antacid jazz."The trio (with tenor saxophonist Dave Ellis and drummer Jay Lane) cuts deep, organic grooves through tunes such as "Greasy Granny" and "Fistful of Haggis," while the blue jazz ballad "Bing, Bing, Bing, Bing" plays like a meditative summer stroll along a North California beach. Elsewhere the trio brilliantly reshapes Nirvana's "Come as You Are" into a soulful samba. It's both a fitting tribute to Kurt Cobain, and a testament to Charlie Hunter's ability to drop-kick jazz into the 21st Century.

Track Listing
1. Greasy Granny
2. Wornell's Yorkies
3. Fistful of Haggis
4. Come as You Are
5. Scrabbling For Purchase
6. Bullethead
7. Bing, Bing, Bing, Bing
8. Squiddlesticks
9. Lazy Susan (With a Client Now)
10. Elbo Room

 

[Dennie]

From Manhattan to Staten - The Album -- CD

Down To The Bone

2007 Narada Records

What was I thinking, July 13, 2011
By MrPhinn (Oklahoma City, OK) - See all my reviews
This review is from: From Manhattan to Staten (Reis) (Audio CD)

I bought this CD back in 1997 for one song only: Staten Island Groove. It's sat on my CD rack for 14yrs. Recently a friend of mine was playing some really funky stuff. He said it was Down to the Bone. I checked it out on iTunes and realized what I've been missing all these years. I downloaded every CD they have. Absolutely incredible stuff. And it makes me mad that I had this CD with all of this funky stuff on it just sitting there all these years.

But I'm all caught up. I'm a Down to the Bone junkie and I can't get enough. There is no such thing as sitting still when they guys are playing. To anyone who hasn't listened to this, please give it a chance. If you like old-funk but even funkier, then this is the group for you.

Track Listing
1. Staten Island Groove
2. Brooklyn Heights
3. Savour the Flavour
4. Muesli Brown
5. Yo Mama's So Phat
6. Touch of Voodoo
7. 17 Mile Drive
8. Carlito's Way
9. 3 Days in Manhattan
10. On the Corner of Darcy Street

 

[Dennie]

Ultimate Dolly Parton -- Remastered CD

Dolly Parton

2009 RCA Legacy - Eco Wallet Packaging

It's All Here In 64 Minutes, November 11, 2007
By Jim Z "music aficionado" - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)
This review is from: Ultimate Dolly Parton (Audio CD)

Dolly Parton is one of those artist's where the persona almost eclipses her true talent. We've seen her taking jabs from Johnny Carson. We've seen her try her hand at acting. And we've seen her play second fiddle to some guy named Porter. Here you get 20 slices of American apple pie. Dolly for what Dolly truly is----a fine singer of songs. From her self-penned classics "Jolene" and "I Will Always Love You" , to her duets with Kenny Rogers and Emmylou Harris (the "To Know Him Is to Love Him" cover is nothing short of brilliant) , and everything else in between. Great overview of a great career.

1. "Joshua" Dolly Parton 3:04
2. "Coat of Many Colors" Parton 3:04
3. "Jolene" Parton 2:41
4. "I Will Always Love You" Parton 2:55
5. "Please Don't Stop Loving Me" (with Porter Wagoner) Parton, Porter Wagoner 2:47
6. "Love Is Like a Butterfly" Parton 2:21
7. "The Bargain Store" Parton 2:42
8. "Here You Come Again" Barry Mann, Cynthia Weil 2:54
9. "It's All Wrong, But It's All Right" Parton 3:18
10. "Heartbreaker" Carole Bayer Sager, David Wolfert 3:30
11. "I Really Got the Feeling" Billy Vera 3:08
12. "You're the Only One" Bruce Roberts, Sager, Don Williams 3:20
13. "Starting Over Again" Bruce Sudano, Donna Summer 3:58
14. "Old Flames Can't Hold a Candle to You" Hugh Moffatt, Pebe Sebert, Rosemary Sebert 3:25
15. "9 to 5" Parton 3:00
16. "But You Know I Love You" Mike Settle 3:19
17. "Tennessee Homesick Blues" Parton 3:23
18. "Islands in the Stream" (with Kenny Rogers) Barry Gibb, Maurice Gibb, Robin Gibb 4:10
19. "To Know Him Is to Love Him" (with Linda Ronstadt and Emmylou Harris) Phil Spector 3:51
20. "Why'd You Come in Here Lookin' Like That" Bob Carlisle, Randy Thomas 2:32

 

[Dennie]

My last one for the evening....

Sweet Thing -- CD

Boney James

1997 Warner Bros. Records

Let Boney set the Mood!, August 28, 2003
By AbeStreet (Mayfield Heights, OH United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Sweet Thing + It's All Good (Audio CD)
This album begins to set the mood with it's cd cover and booklet with it's simple pictures of sliced fruit that are so real in appearance that you can taste their sweet juices. Followed up by a 10 truely great jazz songs that are just as sweet. These songs are able to convey energy and motion while somehow still able to sooth the listener.

Having seen Mr. James in concert and having heard him describe the origins and objectives behind some of this albums songs I think it would be fair to say that given the response of the other reviewers that he succeeded. While jazz can have many goals such as relaxing the listener or providing music to dance to this albums goal was to create an atmosphere for romance and romance alone. There are no drastic changes in tempo or arrangement that will break the mood.

So if you want to create that special mood or reflect on previous romantic moments this album will help you get going.

1. "East Bay" 5:19
2. "Nothin' But Love" 5:01
3. "Words (Unspoken)" 4:38
4. "Sweet Thing" 3:56
5. "It's All Good" 5:14
6. "After the Rain" 4:40
7. "Innocence" 4:30
8. "I Still Dream" 4:14
9. "Ivory Coast" 4:27

 

[Botch]

I have this CD, but have never quite noticed the cover photo quite the way I just now did....

 

[Dennie]

Playin' Hooky -- CD

Bob James

1997 Warner Bros. Records

The master of lite-jazz keyboard stylings unleashes his playful side on PLAYIN' HOOKY. Bob James has long been a favorite among today's young urban professionals who find pop music a little too rambunctious and jazz just a bit too harsh. This album gives James' fans plenty to enjoy. With such distinguished guests as Steve Gadd, Nathan East, Dave Samuels, and Chuck Loeb this disc contains some solid, yet subtle, performances. Once again, Bob seems to say "sit back and relax" while adding just a dash of youthful mischief.

The grooves are easy and consistent on such gems as "Mind Games," "Hook, Line & Sinker," and "Love Is Where." Some playful curiosities show up in "Playing With Fire," which is based on Chopin's "Etude In E Major, Opus 10 No. 3," and a very contemporary version of George Gershwin's "Do It Again". Once again James' reflective side is on display on "Are You Ready" and the lush "Glass Hearts." Overall, who could ask for more? The composer of the "Taxi" theme is going strong with no signs of putting on the brakes.

Track Listing
1. Playing with Fire
2. Mind Games
3. River Returns, The
4. Organza
5. Hook, Line & Sinker
6. Glass Hearts
7. Night Sky
8. Do It Again
9. Love Is Where
10. Are You Ready

 

[Dennie]

I have this CD, but have never quite noticed the cover photo quite the way I just now did....

Yeah Botch, it is much more than a "Sweet Thing"! Some people just see a piece of fruit! :confusion-scratchheadyellow:

........ :laughing-rolling:



Dennie

 

[Dennie]

Gershwin's World -- SACD

Herbie Hancock

2004 Verve Records

Majestic, a musical experience for body and soul, December 7, 1998
By kim_61@hotmail.com (Thailand) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Gershwin's World (Audio CD)

I saw Herbie Hancock live for the first time in London in the early 80's, accompanying Winton Marsalis. He blew me away, for the range of his technique and conceptual genius.On this album, he soars on gilded wings, portraying his vision of Gershwin, aided by the stellar cast he has surrounded himself with.The sound of Wayne Shorter's Tenor horn brings back memories of that all -time great band of Miles in the 60's.The amazing vision that Herbie has, which he gathered under Miles, is shown at its fullest here, in the mental and aural concepts he explores.He takes Gershwin's compositions to their limits, expanding them with a subtle intensity which breaks into white flame on tracks like " Summertime", a piece now so common that one would think it impossible to reignite it with new life. But reignite it he does, with Joni's smoky,etheral/erotic vocals and that piano. The incorporation of African percussionists is a master stroke, and underpins the themes with a breathy freshness. It is marvellous to hear Stevie Wonder exploring those cadences which show here where Rap and Hip hop came from. There are no duds here-this is a coming together of all that is finest in American and world music, united in the vision of genius-Gershiwn and Herbie Hancock. If your are not a jazz fan, if you listen to one "jazz" album a year, but if you listen to musci of any sort, listen to this. Majestic,marvellous, this is a master work for all.

Track listing

"Fascinating Rhythm Overture"
"It Ain't Necessarily So"
"The Man I Love"
"Here Come De Honey Man"
"St. Louis Blues"
"Lullaby"
"Blueberry Rhyme"
"It Ain't Necessarily So Interlude"
"Cotton Tail"
"Summertime"
"My Man's Gone Now"
"Prelude In C# Minor"
"Concerto For Piano And Orchestra In G, 2nd Movement"
"Embraceable You"

 

[Dennie]

Legend - The Best Of -- CD

Bob Marley and the Wailers

2002 Def Jam Records

Amazon.com essential recording

Even as greatest hits packages go, this is an utter gem. Every song is inspired, in a class of its own, whether the real version of "I Shot the Sheriff," the hymnlike "No Woman, No Cry," or the sheer joy of "Jamming." Even allowing that Marley never wrote any bad material, then Legend is still the crème de la crème, the heart and soul of the Jamaican people packed into one five-inch compact disc. He was unique, and the message of this record, more than any other, is that he died far too soon. --Chris Nickson

Product Description
1. Is This Love
2. No Woman No Cry
3. Could You Be Loved
4. Three Little Birds
5. Buffalo Soldier
6. Get Up Stand Up
7. Stir It Up
8. One Love/People Get Ready
9. I Shot the Sheriff
10. Waiting in Vain
12. Satisfy My Soul
13. Exodus
14. Jamming

 

[Dennie]

Sixty Six To Timbuktu -- 2 CD Set

Robert Plant

2003 Atlantic Records

Despite Robert Plant's fame as Led Zeppelin's frontman, this Englishman has enjoyed a prolific solo career that's kept him moving forward, rather than clutching at the straws of nostalgia. SIXTY SIX TO TIMBUKTU, Plant's first solo anthology, spans nearly 40 years of his non-Zep music. Disc One features an overview of eight Plant albums (minus his debut, PICTURES AT ELEVEN). The material presented here reflects the West Midlands native's restless musical nature, which found him straying far from the heavy rock of his former band. Instead, the solo path found him delving into synth-drenched 1980s dance music (the previously unreleased "Upside Down"), atmospheric modern rock ("Big Log"), and flirtations with cut-and-paste sampling "Tall Cool One."

TIMBUKTU is also up-front about Plant's influences, ranging from Tim Hardin ("If I Were a Carpenter") and Tim Buckley ("Song to the Siren") to Phil Phillips and the Twilights ("Sea of Love"). Disc Two is even more intriguing, as it focuses on both Plant's pre-Zep work with long-forgotten outfits like Listen and Band of Joy, along with songs that appeared on tribute albums to Rainer Ptacek, Elvis Presley, and Skip Spence.
Disc one

"Tie Dye on the Highway" (Chris Blackwell, Robert Plant) – 5:09
"Upside Down" (David Barratt, Phil Johnstone) – 4:10
"Promised Land" (Johnstone, Plant) – 4:59
"Tall Cool One" (Johnstone, Plant) – 4:37
"Dirt in a Hole" (Justin Adams, John Baggot, Clive Dreamer, Charlie Jones, Robert Plant, Porl Thompson) – 4:44
"Calling to You" (Blackwell, Plant) – 5:49
"29 Palms" (Blackwell, Doug Boyle, Johnstone, Jones, Plant) – 4:51
"If I Were a Carpenter" (Tim Hardin) – 3:47
"Sea of Love" (Phillip Baptiste, George Khoury) – 3:04
"Darkness, Darkness" (Jesse Colin Young) – 5:03
"Big Log" (Robbie Blunt, Plant, Jezz Woodroffe) – 5:03
"Ship of Fools" (Johnstone, Plant) – 4:58
"I Believe" (Johnstone, Plant) – 4:54
"Little by Little" (Plant, Woodroffe) – 4:41
"Heaven Knows" (David Barratt, Phil Johnstone) – 4:04
"Song to the Siren" (Larry Beckett, Tim Buckley) – 4:06

Disc two

"You'd Better Run" (Eddie Brigati, Felix Cavaliere) – 2:29
"Our Song" (Umberto Bindi/Califano/Clarke) – 2:31
"Hey Joe (Demo Version)" (William Roberts) – 4:58
"For What It's Worth (Demo Version)" (Stephen Stills) – 3:30
"Operator" (Alexis Korner, Steve Miller, Plant) – 4:36
"Road to the Sun" (Barriemore Barlow, Robbie Blunt, Phil Collins, Paul Martinez, Plant, Woodroffe) – 5:35
"Philadelphia Baby" (Charlie Rich) – 2:13
"Red For Danger" (Robin George) – 3:38
"Let's Have a Party" (Jessie Mae Robinson) – 3:40
"Hey Jayne" (Jones, Plant) – 5:23
"Louie, Louie" (Richard Berry) – 2:52
"Naked if I Want To" (Jerry Miller) – 0:46
"21 Years" (Plant, Rainer Ptacek) – 3:30
"If It's Really Got to Be This Way" (Arthur Alexander, Donnie Fritts, Gary Nicholson) – 3:59
"Rude World" (Ptacek) – 3:45
"Little Hands" (Skip Spence) – 4:19
"Life Begin Again" (Simon Emmerson, Iarla Ó Lionáird, Mass, James McNally, Martin Russell) – 6:19
"Let the Boogie Woogie Roll" (Ahmet Ertegün, Jerry Wexler) – 2:36
"Win My Train Fare Home (Live)" (Justin Adams, John Baggot, Deamer, Jones, Plant, Thompson) – 6:15