What Are You Listening To?

[Dennie]

You're pretty good, but......you're no Mark Knopfler! Chet says to Mark on Song # 3, There'll Be Some Changes Made.

A Great and Fun album! :text-bravo:

Neck and Neck CD

Chet Atkins & Mark Knopfler

1990 Columbia Records

Who Needs Picks?, October 13, 2004
By Robert I. Hedges - See all my reviews
(TOP 100 REVIEWER) (REAL NAME)
This review is from: Neck & Neck (Audio CD)

This album from these two masters of guitar fingerpicking will leave anyone who loves the guitar, country, blues, or melodic rock delighted. I have been a Mark Knopfler fan since early Dire Straits, and learned about Chet Atkins from Mark. Anybody Mark thinks is great is definitely worth a listen. I became a Chet Atkins fan a bit late in life, and this album was a big part of that.

This CD shines precisely because it is not flashy or showy; rather it is imbued with craftsmanship and quality musicianship in every bar. The whole album is strong, but I am especially fond of "There'll Be Some Changes Made" in which Chet and Mark trade good humored jabs about their musical heritage, "I'll See You in My Dreams", a mastercrafted classic, and the laid back "Tahitian Skies." Throughout the CD the vocals are relaxed and effortless, and although Knopfler has an appealing if somewhat gravelly voice, Atkins is a little more atonal and wavering in his singing style. Of course the focus here is not vocal performances, but guitar virtuosity, and that is abundant.

This is a CD that will be appreciated by all guitarists who grasp how truly difficult it is to produce a recording this melodious and synchronized, regardless of how easy these two masters make it look. "Neck & Neck" is highly recommended.

 

[Dennie]

The Best of Stanley Jordan - The Blue Note Years -- CD :handgestures-thumbup:

Stanley Jordan

1995 Capitol Records

The Best of Jordan, February 18, 2002
By Russell Diederich (Littleton, CO United States)
(VINE VOICE)

Stanley Jordan is one of the most unique guitarist out there. His two-handed tap technique is the secret behind his playing. This allows him to play rhythm and melody at the same time, something that requires two guitarists in most bands. He plays this difficult technique with a soothing ease.

Eleven jazz flavored tracks fill this album, a sampling of his other albums, and you won't skip over a single one of them. Only four of the songs are penned by Jordan himself, but that does not mean they're not his. He turns each song into something of his own when he plays them. His covers of "Stairway to Heaven" and "Eleanor Rigby" are full of new life as he gives them a new flare full of jazz riffs and his elegant sound. He also tackles John Coltrane's "Impressions" adding his own improvisational feeling to a classic. With the wonderful rendition of "The Lady In My Life", a hectic version of Rodgers and Hammerstein's "My Favorite Things" and "Georgia On My Mind" you can't go wrong with this album. Even Jordan's "Flying Home" and "Still Got the Blues" are masterpieces in their own right.

If you don't own any of Jordan's albums, this is a great place to start. It provides a sampling from "Magic Touch", "Cornucopia", "Standards", "Flying Home" as well as two others. This is a great introduction to Jordan. My only complaint is the lack of previously unreleased tracks that are becoming standard on greatest hits albums. If you love guitar and jazz, then this is a definite buy for you. You won't be disappointed.

Track listing

1. Jumpin' Jack - (live)
2. Eleanor Rigby
3. Lady in My Life, The
4. All the Children
5. Impressions
6. My Favorite Things
7. Georgia on My Mind
8. Stairway to Heaven
9. Flying Home
10. Still Got the Blues
11. Over the Rainbow - (live)

 

[Dennie]

Here's a link to Stanley Jordan doing "Eleanor Rigby". You really have to see him, to believe him!

http://www.nutsie.com/album/The%20Best% ... an/4350621

I'm not sayin' he's for everyone, but you do have to admit, it sounds like more than one guitar playing and there is not.

Dennie :twocents-mytwocents:

 

[Dennie]

The Journey -- CD

Earl Klugh

1997 Warner Bros. Records


A Guitar Jazz Recommendation, July 13, 1999
By A Customer
This review is from: Journey, The (Audio CD)

Any body who like guitar jazz should listen to Earl Klugh's "The Journey." Like something slow and mello, listen to the title track; like something smooth but not fast or slow, play "Last Song"; or like something sweet and fast, listen to "Fingerdance." This is my recommendation that I don't want anybody to miss out on.

1. "All Through the Night" - 5:13
2. "Last Song" - 4:28
3. "4 Minute Samba" - 3:58
4. "Sneakin' Out of Here" - 5:05
5. "The Journey" - 6:10
6. "Good as It Gets" - 4:18
7. "Fingerdance" - 5:53
8. "Evil Eye" - 6:19
9. "Walk in the Sun" - 3:58
10. "Autumn Song" - 6:07

 

[Dennie]

Playin' Hooky CD

Bob James

1997 Warner Bros. Records

Take a breather! Try PLAYIN' HOOKY for a change!, October 13, 2002
By James R. Prater (Cleveland Tn.)

Bob James treats us to a "musical vacation" on this CD, his solo follow-up to RESTLESS. "Playing With Fire" is a new twist on a familliar melody by Chopin. "Mind Games" is radio-ready, featuring Bob at the Rhodes with Boney James (no relation--his real name is James Oppenheim). "The River Returns" features vocalisation by Bob's daughter Hilary. It bleeds into "Organza", which reminds me an awful lot of "Lotus Leaves". Bob reels us in with the funky "Hook, Line, And Sinker", featuring Oppenheim and a great horn section out front. "Glass Hearts" is a poignant tune, embodying the musical spirit of Jobim and Chopin. "Night Sky" is worthy of musing. New talent Rasheeda puts an orgasmic spin on the Gershwins' "Do It Again". "Love Is Where" features the East brothers Marcel and Nathan, and Rick Braun. "Are You Ready" is a sexually charged tune with some ingenious modulations and chords. True Bob James in every sense of the word!

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]

Rit's House -- CD

Lee Ritenour

2002 GRP Records

Amazon.com

The old Rit is back! His smiling, swaggering guitar-playing alter ego has resurfaced, and he's invited all his friends over for a tumultuous jam, including George Duke, Marcus Miller, and Peter Erskine. Red-hot organist Joey DeFrancesco brings the Wes Montgomery out of Ritenour on the corner of "78th & 3rd," and a killer overhaul of Dave Grusin's movie theme "Three Days of the Condor," re-titled "Condor," is a reminder that Rit was kicking the smooth jazz before they had a name for it. Some beboppers already know that Ritenour is quite capable in that genre, too. In case they've forgotten, he's got Lee Morgan's "Party Time" and Gary McFarland's nice Brazilian piece, "13." Michael McDonald sings a Sting song, and the guitarist's buddy, Ernie Watts is back on sax on "A Little Dolphin Dreamin'," a tune that harkens back to their old fusion days. There's no themes or long-form tributes; everyone is just having a great time and it sounds like it. Rit's House is the guitarist 30th album, but it's the first "real" Lee Ritenour record in a long time. --Mark Ruffin

Track listing

1. Module 105
2. "13"
3. Mizrab
4. 78th and 3rd
5. Rit's House
6. Little Dolphin Dreamin', A
7. Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic
8. Condor
9. Olinda
10. Night Owl
11. Party Time
12. Just Listen

 

[Zing]

:text-link:

 

[Dennie]

American Landscape -- CD

David Benoit

1997 GRP Records

From Jazziz

Long before his GRP days, when pianist David Benoit began adding electronics to his albums, he scored TV shows and recorded albums of acoustic piano and strings. Back then, he was known not so much for his playing but for his composing and arranging. On his first release for GRP, 1987's Freedom at Midnight, Benoit composed and arranged "Morning Sojourn," showcasing an articulate contemporary horn-and-string arrangement reminiscent of the symphony-meets-the-Wild-West style of his mentor, Dave Grusin. And though he has yet to do an entire album of piano and strings, Benoit consistently reminds us of his expertise in this area on a track or two of his recent albums. "A Personal Story" from 1997's American Landscape offers a good example.

Track listing:

01. American Landscape
02. Max’s Boogie
03. Lost In Tokyo
04. If I Can Believe
05. A Personal Story
06. Rue De La Soleil
07. Saying Goodbye
08. Mr. Rodriguez’s Opus
09. Speed Racer

 

[Dennie]

Songs From The Night Before -- CD

David Sanborn

1996 Elekta Records

Songs From The Night Before, February 2, 2003
By "laneranch" (Juniper Hills Ca.)

THIS ONE'S A KEEPER especially if you like good old funky blues, (and I do), this album will get you movin'. It's rare to buy a CD and like all the selections but on this one I do.
Track 3 "RIKKI" is soulfully beautiful for just blissful
listening.
Track 4 This was a big hit for the late, great Eddy Harris
and if you have the guts to follow Harris's sax on
"LISTEN HERE" you just better be David Sanborn.
And then of course there's Track 5 "SPOOKY" and it just doesn't get any better than that. It's classic R&B Sanborn.
Track 6 "MISSING YOU" Once again we slow the tempo for an incredible blues. He pours his soul into this rendition and again demonstrates his amazing command of the alto sax. I can get lost in this one.

I do think my favorite is the final track "SOUTHERN EXPOSURE". It has that "get down" funky feel that Sanborn does so well and nobody else can match---guaranteed to get you up and goin'!

Four final words of wisdom BUY IT AND ENJOY!

Tracklist:

1. Relativity 04:56
2. D.S.P. 05:00
3. Rikke 04:03
4. Listen Here 03:29
5. Spooky 03:58
6. Missing You 04:53
7. Rumpelstiltskin 04:16
8. Infant Eyes 03:30
9. Southern Exposure 04:36

 

[Dennie]

Mind Over Matter -- CD

Najee

2009 Heads Up Records

Product Description

Sometimes making music is all about the mechanics - balancing the melody with the harmony and the rhythm, making sure the tempo is right from the beginning of the song to the end, matching the right vocalist to the story within the lyrics, knowing when to come in with the solos and when to hang back...the litany of technical details to consider in crafting a piece of good music can be endless. But sometimes the process is much more intuitive and effortless. Sometimes the planets line up and the right groove emerges on its own, and all anyone needs to do - musicians and listeners alike - is get on board and ride into a realm of limitless possibilities.

That intuitive approach is at the heart of Mind Over Matter. In addition to Najee's fine balance of songcraft and musicianship, the album also includes songwriting and guest appearances by keyboardist Jeff Lorber and vocalists Eric Benét and Gary Taylor. The album title, says Najee, is inspired by Miles Davis' approach to songwriting, especially in the latter part of his career. "In his later years, he took a very loose and improvisational approach," he says. "He would start with nothing more than a groove that Marcus Miller or some other member of his band would lay down. And from there he would just develop these melodies that were very simple but at the same time very compelling and very memorable. It was a creative process that bypassed the nuts and bolts of the song and just got right to the essence of it."

Whatever the groove - be it R&B, neo-soul, contemporary jazz or an intriguing blend of all these styles and more - Mind Over Matter adds another layer of sophistication and polish to Najee's substantial and diverse body of work. "Whenever I go into the studio, I try to make a record that's a little different from the last one," he says. "I want people to get the same Najee that they're familiar and comfortable with, but at the same time, I want them to hear something fresh, something interesting, something unpredictable - with a couple extra voices in the mix that they haven't heard on my records in the past."

Track listing

1. Love You a Lifetime
2. Sweet Summer Nights
3. Mind Over Matter
4. Love Forever and a Day After
5. We Gone Ride
6. Journey, The
7. Stolen Glances
8. Needless to Say
9. One More Thing
10. Moon Over Carolina

 

[Rope]

Rope

 

[Botch]

Looks like Dennie's been on a "smoove jazz" kick lately... :music-listening:

I just got three DVD-A 5.1 discs from Amazon. First up:

(also got a Marvin Gaye GHs, and Knopfler's "Sailing to Philadelphia") :handgestures-thumbup:

 

[Rope]

Looks like Dennie's been on a "smoove jazz" kick lately... :music-listening:

I just got three DVD-A 5.1 discs from Amazon. First up:

(also got a Marvin Gaye GHs, and Knopfler's "Sailing to Philadelphia") :handgestures-thumbup:

You'll enjoy Nopfs Sailing to Philidelphia, excellent album.

Rope

 

[Rope]

Rope

 

[Dennie]

Looks like Dennie's been on a "smoove jazz" kick lately... :music-listening:

I just got three DVD-A 5.1 discs from Amazon. First up:

(also got a Marvin Gaye GHs, and Knopfler's "Sailing to Philadelphia") :handgestures-thumbup:

You'll enjoy Nopfs Sailing to Philidelphia, excellent album.

Rope

Absolutely! I haven't found a bad Mark Knopfler album yet! Marvin's greatest hits and Alan Parson's, I Robot are great albums also. A nice haul!

I've got the Mother of all Head Colds and the Smooth Jazz was just what the doctor ordered this morning! :shock:


Dennie

 

[Botch]

You'll enjoy Nopfs Sailing to Philidelphia, excellent album.

Rope

I know it well, have owned it since it came out; this is another "double-dip" to hear it in Surround... :shifty:

 

[Rope]

:text-threadjacked:

I hope they make another production run on the Alan Parsons - I Robot, DVD-A, just so those price goudging pricks gets what's coming to them. bscene-birdiedoublered:

Rope

 

[Dennie]

Souvenirs CD

Vince Gill

1995 MCA Records

High lonesome . . ., June 23, 2006
By Ronald Scheer "rockysquirrel" (Los Angeles)
(TOP 500 REVIEWER) (REAL NAME)

A lot of water has passed under the bridge since this fine anthology of Vince Gill's earliest songs was first released, but it's a classic and sounds as good - even better - today as it did in 1995. Many excellent comments about this album have been made here already, and I'm seconding them with a nod to my favorites on the album:

Vince had a hand in writing most of the songs here, but the one that's the best recording for my money is the smooth-jazz crossover sound of the Eagles' "I Can't Tell You Why." Next is the wonderful rendering (and redemption after Whitney Houston murdered it) of Dolly Parton's heart-rending "I Will Always Love You." Her voice in a duet with Vince on this song is a perfect match of pure vocalizing.

Vince's high, clear voice seems best suited to songs of loss and yearning, and they comprise the majority of these songs, ranging from the starkly sad "When I Call Your Name" and the aching-sweet "I Still Believe in You." The up-tempo, rollicking "One More Last Chance" seems almost out of place in the company of such heart-felt musical ruminations.

The emotional quality of these songs is reflected in the awesome range of instrumentation, arrangements, and musicianship. There is a bit of honky-tonk, some country rock, and lots of pure country with soul-piercing roots touches. This is just a fine, essential album by a country great.

1. "Never Alone" (Rosanne Cash, Vince Gill) - 3:36
2. "Never Knew Lonely" (Gill) - 3:46
3. "When I Call Your Name" (Tim DuBois, Gill) - 4:15
4. "Liza Jane" (Gill, Reed Nielsen) - 2:55
5. "Look at Us" (Max D. Barnes, Gill) - 3:59
6. "Take Your Memory with You" (Gill) - 2:33
7. "Pocket Full of Gold" (Brian Allsmiller, Gill) - 4:05
8. "The Heart Won't Lie" (Kim Carnes, Donna Weiss) - 3:21
* duet with Reba McEntire
9. "Don't Let Our Love Start Slippin' Away" (Gill, Pete Wasner) - 3:44
10. "I Still Believe in You" (Gill, John Jarvis} - 3:58
11. "No Future in the Past" (Gill, Carl Jackson) - 4:09
12. "Tryin' to Get Over You" (Gill) - 3:45
13. "One More Last Chance" (Gill, Gary Nicholson) - 3:11
14. "I Can't Tell You Why" (Glenn Frey, Don Henley, Timothy B. Schmit) - 4:03
15. "I Will Always Love You" (Dolly Parton) - 3:19
* duet with Dolly Parton

 

[Botch]

:text-threadjacked:

I hope they make another production run on the Alan Parsons - I Robot, DVD-A, just so those price goudging pricks gets what's coming to them. bscene-birdiedoublered:

Rope

Mine was just over $20, not too bad. I'd LOVE to see the next run include "Pyramid", which I really wanted the most.

 

[Rope]

:text-threadjacked:

I hope they make another production run on the Alan Parsons - I Robot, DVD-A, just so those price goudging pricks gets what's coming to them. bscene-birdiedoublered:

Rope

Mine was just over $20, not too bad. I'd LOVE to see the next run include "Pyramid", which I really wanted the most.

You're lucky, they're now selling (DVD-A) for $60.00 and up.

Rope