Intimate

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From the opening bars of the title track, it's obvious that Smokey Robinson's return to recording after an eight-year absence has been worth the wait. With his trademark falsetto sounding better than ever, the velvet-voiced icon has crafted an album that virtually defines "quiet storm," the term he coined in 1975 that later gave its name to a popular radio format. For vintage Smokey, you can't do better than "Easy to Love," which is the one song he wrote alone for the album and the first single. Writing collaborations with Robinson and producer Michael Stokes such as "Sleepin' In," "Feelings Flowing," and the "Cruisin'"-like "Bottom Line" are standout slow jams, while "Tu Me Besas Muy Rico" is an acoustic Latin-flavored delight. Finally, "I'm the One," an infectious cut cowritten by Motown founder Berry Gordy (who served as executive producer for the album) and '80s singer-songwriter Michael Lovesmith, sounds like a potential hit single. --David Nathan

Intimate,Smokey Robinson,Motown / Pgd,Pop,R&B,Smooth Soul,Soul,Soul/R & B,Soul/Reggae/Rhythm & Blues,Urban

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Average customer rating: She does it again Inga sings and swings

Reverie Inga Swearingen , and The Bill Peterson Trio Manufacturer: Rhythome ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Jazz | Styles | Music General | Jazz | Indie Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: Learning How To Fly Tangled in the Pines A Prairie Home Companion With Garrison Keillor (30th Anniversary Season Celebration) Dog Days A Long Story ASIN: B000CAFUKI Release Date: 2005-06-01

Tracks:

1. Tiptoes
2. Black Crow
3. Reverie
4. Where Flamingos Fly
5. Stargazer
6. Down by the Riverside
7. Happy to Be
8. Sunrise
9. Stompin' at the Savoy
10. Spring Can Really Hang You Up the Most
11. Beautiful Love
12. Just In Time
13. My One and Only Love

Product Description

Intimate, beautiful & strong - Inga Swearingen sings and scats with the Bill Peterson Trio on "Reverie" so comfortably that every note, chord, beat and breath will pull you in closer.

Customer Reviews:

She does it again.......2007-01-29

An outstanding follow-up to her debut album, Learning How To Fly. Inga's voice is smooth and accurate while at the same time retaining a sense of intimacy and warmth.

Inga sings and swings.......2006-07-09

A great album of great songs. Inga sings with feeling and is ably supported by the Bill Peterson Trio. 'Black Crow' and 'Just in Time' are exceptional tracks, but then the whole album is superb. Excellent.

Average customer rating: Instruments of the Orchestra - Great Reference Material! Beginner or Expert Very Informative and Enjoyable Frank's view Excellent Intro for Those Not Familiar with the Orchestra

Instruments of the Orchestra Various Artists Manufacturer: Naxos ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music Hungarian National Philharmonic Orchestra | ( H ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music London Philharmonic Orchestra | ( L ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra | ( M ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music National Philharmonic Orchestra London | ( N ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Rap & Hip-Hop | Styles | Music General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music General | Instructional | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music Blowout Box Sets | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music More Titles at Least 20% Off | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music All Classical Music Blowout | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Hungarian National Philharmonic Orchestra | ( H ) | Performers, A-Z | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music London Philharmonic Orchestra | ( L ) | Performers, A-Z | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra | ( M ) | Performers, A-Z | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music National Philharmonic Orchestra London | ( N ) | Performers, A-Z | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Instrumental | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Similar Items: Britten: Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra Op34; Simple Symphony Op4 The Mahler Symphonies: An Owner's Manual (includes 1 CD) The Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra (Book & CD) Study of Orchestration, Third Edition What to Listen for in Music ASIN: B00006O0NT Release Date: 2002-12-03

Tracks:

1. Overture To 'Tannhauser'
2. Domna, Pos Vos Ay Chausida
3. We Don't Merely Use Instruments, We Play On Them. And They Play On Us.
4. Hungarian Dance No.7
5. The Violin Is One Of The Most Tender And Beautiful Instruments Ever Invented.
6. Violin Concerto In D Major (Adagio)
7. But For A Long Time It Was Seen As The Instrument Of The Devil.
8. The Soldier's Tale: Triumphal March Of The Devil
9. The Manipulative Seductiveness Of The Gypsy Violin.
10. Csardas Music
11. The Violin And The Initiation Of Nature
12. The Four Seasons (Spring, Mvt 1)
13. Birds Are Again Evoked In The Second Concerto, Especially Music's Natural Favourite.
14. The Four Seasons (Summer, Mvt 1)
15. Like The Devil, The Violin Is A Master Of Disguise.
16. Old Viennese Dance No.3 'Schon Rosmarin'
17. The Menacing Sensuality Of Ravel's Tzigane: A Very Different Side Of The Violin:
18. Tzigane
19. Do We Now Have The True Measure Of This Instrument? Not Just Yet.
20. Caprice No.24
21. The Many Effects Of The String Tremolando: Brandenburg Concerto No.4 (Last Mvt)/From Joy To Fright/Quartettsatz In C Minor/The String Tremolo Practically Spells The World Agitato.
22. Variations On A Theme Of Frank Bridge (No.7)
23. Prokofiev's Tremolo In Romeo And Juliet Should Not Be Heard Just Before Bedtime.
24. Romeo And Juliet: Act IV
25. Vivaldi Use It To Illustrate The Shivering Of Travellers Crossing The Ice.
26. The Four Seasons (Winter, Mvt 1)
27. The Violin Muted
28. Clair De Lune
29. The Gentleness Of Muted Strings Persists Even When A Whole Orchestra Plays.
30. Piano Concerto No.21 In C Major, K.467 (Slow Mvt)
31. The Pizzicato Violin
32. Pizzicato Polka
33. In Prokofiev's Second Violin Concerto, The Accompaniment Is Pizzicato.
34. Violin Concerto No.2 In G Minor (Slow Mvt)
35. Varieties Of Pizzicato: Colas Breugnon (The People's Feast)/Now A Drier, Leaner, Hungrier Pizzicato. There's Not A Lot Of Comfort Here./Capriol Suite (Tordion)/The Use Of Pizzicato As 'Percussion'/Romeo And Juliet (Act I)/Mahler Used Pizzicato...
36. The Planets (Mars - The Bringer Of War)
37. The Technique Of Double-Stopping Enables The Violin To Play Duets With Itself./Sonata No.3 In C Major For Unaccompanied Violin (Fugue)/Now A Later Example Of The Same Technique
38. Hungarian Dance No.4
39. Double-Stopping Is A Standard Feature Of A Lot Of Folk Music.
40. The Four Seasons (Autumn, Mvt 1)
41. Now The Same Technique, But The Sound Might Have Come From Another World.
42. Bolero
43. Double-Stopping Can Only Approximate The Sound Of A Real Violin Duet.
44. Cadenza To The Violin Concerto By Brahms
45. Now Compare That With A Real Violin Duet.
46. Forty-Four Duos (No. 1: Teasing Song)
47. Another Duo By Bartok, Demonstrating The Violin's Rich Lower Register
48. Forty-Four Duos (No.2: Maypole Dance)
49. And Now What May Be The Most Beautiful Accompanied Violin Duet In History
50. Concerto In D Minor For Two Violins (Largo)
51. The Soul Of The Violin Is In Song; But What About This Weird Passage?
52. Violin Concerto No.1 In D Major (Mvt 2)
53. The Use Of Harmonies In The Orchestra Can Be Both Magical And Unsettling.
54. Symphony No.1 'Titan' (Mvt 1, Opening)
55. Tchaikovsky's Use Of Harmonics In The Sleeping Beauty Is Both Strange And Darling.
56. The Sleeping Beauty (Act II, No.15: Entr'Acte)
57. Ravel's Harmonics In Mother Goose Effect A Magical Transformation.
58. Ma Mere L'Oye - Mother Goose (Beauty And The Beast)
59. Stravinsky's Harmonics In The Firebird Transport Us Almost Into Another World./The Firebird (Introduction)
60. The Natural Upper Notes Of The Violins Have A Unique Emotional 'Grab'.
61. Also Sprach Zarathustra (Of The Afterworldsmen)
62. Still In Their Upper Register, The Violins Unleash The Energy Of A Young Colt.
63. Variations On A Theme Of Frank Bridge (No. 4)
64. Elsewhere, Britten Uses The Same High Register To Create A Very Different Mood.
65. Four Sea Interludes (Dawn) From 'Peter Grimes'
66. To End This Outing With The Violins, A Charming Little Elfin Dance
67. Elfenreigen

Tracks:

1. Introduction To The Viola
2. Viola Concerto (Mvt 1)
3. Khatchaturian Gets A Very Different Sound From It: Fuller, Fruitier, More Exotic.
4. Gayane Suite No.1 (Armen's Solo)
5. Very Nearly The Whole Of The Violin's Upper Register Is Also Available To The Viola.
6. Passacaglia, Op.33b From 'Peter Grimes'
7. The Viola Can Bring A Special, Rich Twanginess To Pizzicato That The Violins Lack./Don Quixote/Berlioz Drew Sounds From It That Retain Their Metallic Strangeness Even Today.
8. Harold In Italy (Mvt 4)
9. The Muted Viola: Intimate, Gentle, Poignant In Dvork
10. Cypresses (No.9)
11. The Massed Violas Of The Modern Symphony Orchestra In Mahler
12. Symphony No.4 (Mvt 3)
13. The 'Period' Viola In Bach
14. Brandenburg Concerto No.6 (Last Mvt)
15. The Cello: A Voice Of Unique Nobility
16. Suite No.1 For Unaccompanied Cello (Prelude)
17. Brahms And The 'Soul' Of The Cello
18. Piano Concerto No.2 In B Flat Major (Mvt 3)
19. Most Orchestral Composers Tend To Emphasize The Cello's Lower Register.
20. Cantata 'Herz Und Mund Und Tat Und Leben', BWV 147 (Soprana Aria: Bereite Dir, Jesu)
21. In The Time Of Beethoven The Cello Remained As Fundamental As Ever.
22. Symphony No.3 'Eroica' (Finale)
23. But The Cello Is Not Condemned To Spend Its Life In The Basement.
24. Elfentanz, Op.39
25. Not Only In Recital Showpieces Like That Is The Cello Is Used In Its Highest Register.
26. The Protecting Veil (Opening)
27. A Cello With An Identity-Crisis: The Pizzicato Flamencan
28. Flamenco
29. Double-Stopping In The Lower Reaches Of The Cello's Range
30. Solo Suiet For Cello And Piano (Sardana)
31. It's In The Middle Register That The Cello Really Comes Into Its Own.
32. Oriental Dance, Op.2 No.2
33. It Was To The Cellos That Beethoven Gave Two Of His Most Famous Themes./Symphony No.5 (Mvt 2)/Still More Famous Than That Theme Is This One From The Ninth Symphony.
34. Symphony No.9 (Finale)
35. Introduction To The Double-Bass
36. The Carnival Of The Animals (The Elephant)
37. But The Double-Bass Can Be Intensely Expressive And Graceful.
38. Elegy No.1 In D Major
39. The Range Of The Double-Bass Is The Greatest Of All The String Instruments/Allegro Di Concerto, 'Alla Mendelssohn'/And It's Also Capable Of Very Considerable Virtuosity.
40. Capriccio Di Bravura
41. Double-Bass Solos In Orchestral Scores Are Rare But Often Memorable./Symphony No.1 'Titan' (Mvt 3)/In His Third Symphony Mahler Makes A Very Different Use Of The Instrument./Symphony No.3 (Mvt 1)
42. The Double-Bass Muted In Prokofiev/Lieutenant Kije Suite (Kije's Wedding)/In Another Work Prokofiev Uses The Double-Bass To Enhance The Winds./Romeo And Juliet (Act III)/And He Combines The Bass Clarinet With A Shivering Tremolo From The Double-Basses....
43. Symphony No.5 (Mvt 3)/So Much For The Strings/On Now To The Winds

Tracks:

1. The Antiquity And Magic Of The Flute
2. Prelude A L'Apres-Midi D'Un Faune
3. The Versatility And Agility Of The Flute
4. Orchestral Suite No.2 In B Minor (Badinerie)
5. The Flute In Fifteenth-Century Spain
6. Sa'Dawi
7. Other Flutes: The Bass And Alto
8. Chamber Music No.II
9. The Piccolo - Aptly Named
10. La Naissance D'Osiris (Mvt 6)
11. From A Piccolo Of The Eighteenth Century To One Of Its Descendants In The Twentieth
12. Suite No.1 For Small Orchestra (Valse)
13. A Variety Of Techniques
14. Chamber Music No.II
15. Flutter-Tonguing. But Tchaikovsky Got There Eighty Years Before.
16. The Nutcracker (Act II, No.2: Scene)
17. From The Transverse To The Vertical: The Baroque Recorder
18. Recorded Suite In A Minor (Menuet II)
19. An Unfamiliar, Early Vision Of The Instrument
20. Naelden, Naelden
21. The Bachian Oboe
22. Cantata 'Ein Feste Burg Ist Unser Gott', BWV 80 (No.7: Duetto)
23. Introduction To The Cor Anglais Or 'English Born'
24. Symphony No.9 'From The New World' (Mvt 2)
25. The Loneliness Of The Cor Anglais
26. The Swan Of Tuonela
27. The Cor Anglais Joins The French Horn In Haydn.
28. Symphony No.22 'The Philosopher' (Opening)
29. Introduction To The Oboe D'Amore, Beloved Of Bach - But Also Of Ravel
30. Bolero
31. The Clarinet Family: Boxing The Compass, From The Depths Of The Bass Clarinet.../The Egyptian (Violence)/...To The Raucous And Squealy.../Taras Bulba (The Death Of Ostap)/...To The Shrill And Complaining...
32. Petrushka (No.8: Peasant With Bear)/...To The High Sprits Of A Playful Puppy./Symphonie Fantastique (Last Mvt)/And To The Downright Jazzy/Romeo And Juliet (Act II)
33. As The High Clarinets Tend To Be Loud, So The Bass Tends To Be Soft:
34. Gayane Suite No. 1 (Mvt 5)
35. The Bass Clarinet Is Used By Most Composers Mainly As A Colouring Agent.../Petrushka (No.4: The Blackamoor)/...But It Does Occasionally Get A Whole Tune To Itself./Iberia (Almeria).
36. The Range Of The Normal Clarinet Parts Goes Quite High...
37. The Snow Maiden (Scene 5: Melodrama)
38. ...And Quite Low.
39. Peter And The Wolf (The Cat)
40. The Clarinet As Concerto Soloist
41. Clarinet Concerto In A Major (Rondo)
42. But That's Not The Instrument Mozart Wrote It For; This Is:
43. Clarinet Concerto In A Major (Rondo)
44. Introduction To The Saxophone
45. Hary Janos Suite (Mvt 4)
46. The Soprano Saxophone Has Quite A Different Feel To It.
47. L'Arlesienne Suite No.1 (Minuet)
48. The Little Sopranino Sax Goes Even Higher.
49. Bolero
50. The Most Famous Use Of The Saxophone Is In An Orchestration By Ravel.
51. Pictures At An Exhibition (The Old Castle)
52. The Saxophone Can Be Quite Contagiously Good-Humoured.
53. Sax-O-Phun
54. The Puffa-Puffa Image Of The Bassoon
55. Peter And The Wolf (Grandfather)
56. The Bachian Bassoon, In Accompanimental Mode
57. Cantata 'Weichet Nur, Betrubte Schatten' ('Wedding Cantata'), BWV 202 (Aria No.1)
58. Bizet Leaves The Puffa-Puffa Image Out, Allowing The Bassoon To Sing./Carmen Suite No.1 (Les Dragons D'Alcala)
59. And Ravel, Also In Spanish Mode, Does Likewise.
60. Bolero
61. The Bassoon As A Voice Of High Seriousness, Indeed Desolate Loneliness
62. Symphony No.3 (Opening)
63. The Eerie Bassoon In Its Highest Register
64. The Rite Of Spring (Opening)
65. Stravinsky Now Draws On Its Lowest Register, Lonely And Melancholy.
66. The Firebird Suite (1919, Berceuse)
67. The Bassoon As Concerto Soloist, Avoiding All Exaggeration
68. Bassoon Concerto In G Minor (Finale)
69. The Deep-Voiced Contra-Bassoon, As A Fairy-Tale Beast
70. Ma Mere L'Oye - Mother Goose (Beauty And The Beast)
71. The French Horn Under Its Woodwind Hat
72. Wind Quintet, Op.43 (Last Mvt)
73. Now A More Prominent Role, In A Woodwind Quintet From An Earlier Era
74. Wind Quintet In A Minor, Op.100 No.5 (Mvt 2)
75. The Horn In Harmonious Blend With Strings In Another Quintet
76. Horn Quintet, K.407 (Finale)

Tracks:

1. The Trumpet As Virtuoso Soloist
2. Brandenburg Concerto No.2 (Last Mvt)
3. The Special Brillance Of Paired Trumpets
4. Concerto In C For Two Trumpets, RV537 (Mvt 1)
5. The Ceremonial Trumpet
6. Fanfare For The Common Man
7. Trumpets And Drums - An Incomparable Alliance
8. Messiah (The Trumpet Shall Sound)
9. The Versatility Of The Trumpet, From The Most Public To The Most Lonely
10. Piano Concerto In F (Slow Mvt)
11. The Trumpet As The Voice Of The City/An American In Paris/The Trumpet As Recruitment Officer/The Soldier's Tale (The March)/The Trumpet As Swaggerer
12. Carmen Suite No.2 (Habanera)
13. The Trumpet As The Voice Of Strength And Courage
14. Carmet Suite No.2 (Toreador's Song)
15. The Trumpet Muted/Petrushka (No.4: The Blackamoor)/Lieutenant Kije Suite (Opening)/The Trumpet As The Voice Of Weariness
16. Billy The Kid
17. The Trumpet As Character Actor
18. Pictures At An Exhibition (No.6)
19. The Trumpet As The Voice Of God
20. Mass In B Minor ('Et Exspecto')
21. The Birth Of The Trombone
22. Aenmerckt Nu Hier
23. The Birth Of The Brass As A Family
24. Canzon 12 In Double Echo
25. The Trombone In The Eighteenth Century
26. Trombone Concerto In B Flat Major (Finale)
27. The Tone Of The Tenor Trombone/Romance For Trombone And Organ/The Memorable Voice Of The Bass Trombone/Requiem (Mvt 2)/But The Bass Trombone Is More Than An Instrumental Bullfrog.
28. Hosannah
29. The Trombones Become Part Of The Orchestra.
30. Symphony No.5 (Finale)
31. The Wagnerian Trombone:/Overture To 'Tannhauser'
32. The Trombone As Caricaturist
33. Pulcinella (No.19: Vivo)
34. The Trombone As Raspberry/Concerto For Orchestra (Intermezzo)
35. The Horn And The Hunt
36. Horn Concerto No.4 In E Flat, K.495 (Finale)
37. The Challenging Horn Of The Baroque
38. Abaris Ou Les Boreades (Menuet)
39. The Scarcity Of First-Rate Players In Handel's Time
40. Walter Music (Minuet 1)
41. The Horn As Magician/The Firebird Suite (1919, Finale)
42. Horns And The Sound Of Nobility
43. Overture To 'Tannhauser' (Opening)
44. The Special Sound Of The Horn In Its Higher Register
45. Mass In B Minor ('Quoniam Tu Solus Sanctus')
46. The Trumpet-Like Sound Of Massed Horns
47. Symphony No.3 (Mvt 1, Opening)
48. The Tuba - Unfairly Maligned?
49. Symphony No.6 (Mvt 3)
50. The Tuba Perfectly Cast By Ravel
51. Pictures At An Exhibition (Bydlo)

Tracks:

1. Introduction. And We Begin With A Bang.
2. Fanfare For The Common Man/The Bass Drum On The Battlefields/Wellington's Victory, Op.91 (Opening)
3. At The Opposite Extreme Is The Triangle.
4. Piano Concerto No.1 In E Flat (Scherzo)
5. Categories Of Percussion: Tuned And Untuned. The Side Drum
6. Overture To 'La Gazza Ladra' - The Thieving Magpie (Opening)
7. The Side Drum In An Effective But Unexpected Role/Clarinet Concerto (Mvt 1)
8. The Tambourine. One Of The Oldest Instruments In The World
9. Den Hoboecken Dans
10. Even Older Is The Originally Oriental Gong.
11. Ma Mere L'Oye - Mother Goose (Laideronette)
12. No Single Instrument Can Match The Gong In Evoking The Breaking Of Waves./Passacaglia, Op.33b From 'Peter Grimes'/But Gongs Don't Have To Be Struck To Be Effective.
13. Gymnopedie No.2
14. The Cymbals Are Generally Discovered Early In Life./The Sanguine Fan/And They Do More Than Clash Together Loudly. They Can Be Clashed Together Softly./Studio Example: But They Needn't Be Clashed Together At All/Studio Example: They Can Be Lightly...
15. Other Untuned Percussion Instruments Include The Whip.: Piano Concerto In G Major (Opening)/And Here Are No Fewer Than Twenty, Cracked By Tchaikovsky: The Nutcracker (Act I, Scene 5)
16. More Versatile Than The Whip Are The Wood Blocks.../Studio Example/...Which Crop Up All Over The Place In Twentieth-Century American Music.
17. Rodeo (Hoe-Down)
18. Related To The Wood Blocks, By Sound, Are The Castanets./Jota Aragonesa/But The Castanets Were Also Used By Monteverdi Back In The Seventeenth Century.
19. Scherzi Musicali (Damigella Tutta Belle)
20. A Still Earlier Example From Fifteenth-Century Spain
21. Yo M'Enamori D'Un Aire
22. The Birth Of The Bongo
23. Symphonic Dances From 'West Side Story'
24. From The Streets Of New York To The Blacksmith's Shop/Il Trovatore ('Anvil Chorus')
25. Desert-Island Decibels: Grand Canyon Suite (On The Trail)/Arcana
26. From One Vegetable To Another: The Humble Squash, Or Marrow/Huapango
27. Onwards To The Tuned Percussion. First, The Timpani
28. Also Sprach Zarathustra (Introduction)
29. But The Drum Roll Can Be More Effectively Frightening Than The Big Bang.: Symphony No.2 'Resurrection' (Mvt 3)
30. Not One Drum Roll, But Many/Grand Canyon Suite (Sunrise)/Symphonie Fantastique (Last Mvt)
31. Taking Advantage Of Tunability
32. Music For Strings, Percussion And Celeste (Mvt 2)
33. The Russian Composer Rodion Shchedrin Takes A Downward Turn./Carmen Suite (Changing Of The Guard)/Tuned, Yes; But For The Truly Melodic We Must Look Elsewhere.
34. Introducing The Glockenspiel/Carmen Suite (Carmen's Entrance And Habanera)
35. Saint-Saens And The Xylophone
36. The Carnival Of The Animals (Fossils)
37. Ravel And The Xylophone
38. Ma Mere L'Oye - Mother Goose (Laideronette)
39. Introducing The Marimba/Carmen Suite (First Intermezzo)
40. Introducing The Vibraphone
41. The Treasure Of The Sierra Madre (Narange Dolce)
42. The Vibraphone Goes Russian.../Carmen Suite (Carmen's Entrance And Habanera)/...And Is Joined By The Marimba./Carmen Suite (Carmen's Entrance And Habanera)
43. Introducing The Hungarian Cimbalom
44. Folk Dances
45. The Cimbalom And The Symphony Orchestra
46. Hary Janos Suite (Mvt 3)
47. Introducing The Tubular Bells
48. Hary Janos Suite (Viennese Musical Clock)
49. A More 'Up-Front' Approach From Rodion Shchedrin
50. Carmen Suite (Introduction)
51. But The Bells Can Also Make The Sinister Even More Sinister./Symphony No.7 'Sinfonia Antartica' (Mvt 1)
52. Introducing The Celeste
53. The Nutcracker (Dance Of The Sugar Plum Fairy)
54. Magic, In The Use Of Collective Percussion
55. Miroirs (La Vallee Des Cloches)
56. Plucked Instruments: The 'Undercover Percussion'/Carmen Suite (Scene)
57. A Prime Case In Point Is The Harp, Irresistible To The Romantics./The Nutcracker (Act II, No.1: Scene)/The Non-Solo Harp As An Integral Part Of The Orchestra/Hungarian Rhapsody No.1
58. The Traditionally Subservient Role Of The Harpsichord In The Baroque Orchestra
59. Brandenburg Concerto No.2 (Slow Mvt)
60. The Piano: King Of The Tuned Percussion/Symphony No.3 'Organ' (Mvt 3)/And A Quarter Of A Century After That:
61. Petrushka (Russian Dance)
62. The Anti-Romantic Piano As An Integral Part Of The Orchestra
63. Music For Strings, Percussion And Celeste (Last Mvt)

Tracks:

1. Keyboard Instruments In The Orchestra - The Most Powerful Of Them All:
2. Symphony No.3 'Organ' (Finale)
3. But Things In Handel's Day Were Very Different.
4. Organ Concerto In B Flat, Op.4 No.3 (Last Mvt)
5. The Organ Is Difficult To Classify.
6. An Unexpected, Organ-related Guest
7. Concerto Pour Zampogna (Last Mvt)
8. Peasant-Fancying... And A Touch Of The Roaming Cowboy
9. Les Miserables (Drink With Me)
10. Outside Artefacts And The Power Of Association
11. Mahler's Sleighbells
12. Symphony No.4 (Opening)
13. A Roll-Call Of Some Unusual Guests/The Typewriter/Parade
14. Chains, And More/Integrales/An American In Paris/Sandpaper Ballet
15. Purpose-Built Oddities: Wind Machines/Symphony No.7 'Sinfonia Antartica' (Opening)
16. Don Quixote (Variation VIII)
17. National Calling Cards: The Guitar For Spain/Concierto De Aranjuez (Finale)
18. And The Guitar's Poor American Relative, The Banjo/Washington Breakdown
19. And Poorer Still, The Mouth Organ/The Treasure Of The Sierra Madre (Packing Up)
20. The Balalaika For Russia/Romeo And Juliet (Act II: No.14)
21. The Maracas For Mexico/The Treasure Of The Sierra Madre (El Desayuno)
22. The Bongos And Congas And A Whole Wealth Of Other Drums For Africa And Central America/Studio Example
23. The Sitar Of India/Evening Raga: Bhapoli
24. The Accordion For France (Especially Paris)/Paris Canaille
25. The Zither For Vienna/The Third Man (Theme)
26. The Cimbalom For Hungary/Folk Dances
27. The Guitar As An Integral Part Of The Orchestra/Rondena
28. There Are Whole Orchestras Of Balalaikas./Sveit Mesiats
29. The Effect Of The Wordless Human Voice, Used Purely As An Instrument/Symphony No.7 'Sinfonia Antartica' (Mvt 1)
30. Nocturnes
31. Instruments And the Imitation Of Nature. The Clarinet As Cuckoo
32. The Carnival Of The Animals (The Cuckoo)
33. The Flute As An All-purpose Aviary
34. The Carnival Of The Animals (The Aviary)
35. The Oboe As Duck
36. Peter And The Wolf (The Duck)
37. The Recording Of Reality. Does It Work As Well?
38. The Pines Of Rome (The Pines Of The Janiculum)
39. The Recording Of Reality Electronically Reborn In New Guises
40. Cantus Articus - Concerto For Birds And Orchesra (Mvt 2)
41. Beethoven Turns Avian: Cuckoo, Nightingale, And Quail
42. Symphony No.6 'Pastoral' (Andante Molto Mosso)
43. Some Improbable Casting: The Violin As Braying Donkey
44. The Carnival Of The Animals (Persons With Long Ears)
45. A Truly Orchestral Hee-haw To Be Reckoned With
46. Overture To 'A Midsummer Night's Dream'
47. A Thunderstorm In A Million
48. Symphony No.6 'Pastoral (Allegro-Allegretto)
49. the Instrumental Depiction Of A Silent World
50. The Carnival Of The Animals (The Aquarium)
51. Saint-Saens' Menagerie Takes A Curtain Call.
52. The Carnival Of The Animals (Finale)

Tracks:

1. The Grouping Of Instrumental Families. An Additive Approach. First, Two Violins
2. Forty-Four Duos (No.4)
3. A Great Contrast, Of Both Pitch And Character: Violin And Viola
4. Duo For Violin And Viola In B Flat Major, K.424 (Finale, Vars 1 & 2)/Studio Example
5. Arrival Of The Standard String Trio: Violin, Viola, And Cello
6. String Trio In B Flat (Menuetto)
7. The String Quartet: Two Violins, Viola, And Cello
8. String Quartet In F, Op.18 No.1 (Mvt 3)
9. The String Quintet - When The Extra Instrument Is A Second Viola
10. String Quartet No.5 In D, K.593 (Adagio)
11. The String Quintet - When The Extra Instrument Is A Second Cello
12. String Quintet In C (Mvt 3)
13. The String Sextet: Two Violins, Two Violas, And Two Cellos
14. String Sextet In B Flat (Mvt 2)
15. The String Octet: The Standard String Quaret Times Two
16. Octet In E Flat, Op.20 (Mvt 1)
17. Double The String Octet: A Fully Fledged String Orchestra
18. String Symphony No.2 (Finale)
19. The Massed Strings Of A Symphony Orchestra
20. Fantasia On A Theme Of Thomas Tallis
21. Contrasts Of Pitch And Instrumental 'Colour' In The Woodwind Section
22. Wind Quintet In A Minor, Op.100 No.5 (Theme)
23. In The First Variation It's The Horn That Gets The Lion's Share.
24. Wind Quintet In A Minor, Variation 1
25. In Variation Two The Torch Is Handed To The Bassoon.
26. Wind Quintet In A Minor, Variation 2
27. In Variation Three The Oboe Leads.
28. Wind Quintet In A Minor, Variation 3
29. Variation Four: Conversation Before Returning To A Solo-dominated Texture
30. Wind Quintet In A Minor, Variation 4
31. And Variation Five is Dominated By The Clarinet.
32. Wind Quintet In A Minor, Variation 5
33. The Next To Be Featured Is The Virtuoso Flute.
34. Wind Quintet In A Minor, Variation 6
35. Individual Farewells And A Closing Chorus
36. Wind Quintet In A Minor, Variation 7
37. A Mixed Group: Clarinet, Bassoon, Horn, String Quartet, And Double-Bass
38. Octet In F (Mvt 3)
39. The Early Classical Symphony Orchestra Of Haydn And Mozart
40. Symphony No.29 In A, K.201 (Finale)
41. Strings, Wind, But No Brass. What Haydn And Mozart Never Knew
42. Canzon 28
43. Beethoven's Fifth: Two Horns, Two Trumpets, And Three Trombones Join The Team.
44. Symphony No.5 (Finale)
45. From Beethoven To The Massive Orchestras Of Berlioz, Wagner, And Mahler
46. Beethoven Changed The Face Of The Symphony And The Orchestra Forever
47. Symphoy No.6 'Tragic' (Mvt 1)
48. The Cult Of Orchestral Elephantiasis Reaches Its Peak.
49. Symphony No.1 'Gothic' (VI: Te Ergo Quaesumus)
50. When Large Doesn't Necessarily Mean Loud: Debussy
51. Images (Gigues)
52. A Crisis Of Confidence; The Orchestra's Survival Hangs In The Balance, But It Still Develops. The Ondes Martenot:
53. Turangalila Symphony (Chant D'amour 1)
54. The Advent Of The 'Early Music' Movement Brings A New Vitality And Freshness.
55. Balle De Xerxes (Gavotte En Rondeau)
56. Computer And Synthesiser: Friends Or Foes?
57. Concerto In D Minor For Two Violins (Largo)
58. A Speculative Look Ahead/Mass In B Minor ('Dona Nobis Pacem')

Customer Reviews:

Instruments of the Orchestra - Great Reference Material!.......2007-04-04

This set lends itself to greatly enhancing one's knowledge of the orchestra, instruments in it, and their usage. I am a huge music buff, and I still picked up a great deal I previously did not know. I highly recommend this for all who wish to understand the origin of music, as well as the processes that are employed to create music!

Beginner or Expert.......2007-03-12

This CD is excellent for the beginner or expert! To be able to haear the instrumets separately and then together really provides a good education. and/or refresher. The book thaty comes with the CD is alomost worth the price by itself!

Very Informative and Enjoyable.......2006-11-20

Whether you're a music novice or pro, "The instruments of the Orchestra" is a very worthwhile purchase. The 7 CDs, with a total of 8 hours, are expertly narrated by Jeremy Siepmann. He's a great speaker, very much like the late Leonard Bernstein was. Mr. Siepmann takes you on an unforgetable musical journey covering the origins and use of the various orchestral instruments throughout musical history. The balance between his narration and a wealth of musical examples, which range from snippets to entire movements, is superb. The comprehensive enclosed booklet is excellent and faithfully follows the 7 CDs in content. Even with my 40+ years of music training I still learned new things from this wonderful collection. Considering the excellence of the content, and a cost that translates to about $5 per disc, this collection is a great value. Grab it, you won't regret that you did. Five solid stars!

Frank's view.......2006-08-19

This boxed set of CD's with booklet achieved all I had hoped that it would. There are good samples of individual instruments and well done commentary on each. The only drawback was that some of the samples were too brief and could have been longer, hoiwever I guess this fits in with time constraints of the medium. It has given me a lot of clues as to future purchases of CD's for listening to individual instruments. Altogeth a satisfactory purchase and a welcome addition to my collection.

Excellent Intro for Those Not Familiar with the Orchestra.......2003-11-08

I've listened to classical music for years and am interested in composition. I bought this CD set to learn how an orchestra and its instruments work. I thought the CDs would be a nice but boring lecture. They aren't! Not only are they FUN but they are informative as well. I learned a huge amount from each CD and couldn't wait to listen to the next one.

The narrator and writer is a great speaker and holds your attention well. He is definitely knowledgeable. He provides musical examples for each point he makes, so you get to "hear" what he just talked about. I'd say the CDs are about 65% music and 35% narration. You'll learn about the range of instruments, some history, different ways to play them, how they sound, and how they are used in the orchestra. This CD set was a great learning experience and is sold at such a low price!

I recommend this CD for those who want to learn about classical music and those who know about it but are interested in learning more about the inner workings of an orchestra. You'll learn much useful information. For instance, the Rite of Spring (with that eerie start) is written for bassoon! I never knew a bassoon could sound like that but now I do.

The one complaint I have is the last CD. This deals with the orchestra. I wanted more of a tour of how the orchestra has been used through history up to the present. Instead, it was a tour of how different groups of instruments sound. I thought it could have been better. The other 6 CDs are excellent.

Average customer rating: Just what the title promises. Real Relaxation The gentle side of Beethoven Relaxing and soothing a great way to appreciate beethoven's music

Beethoven for Book Lovers: An Intimate Companion for Reading Manufacturer: Philips ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Quartets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music Trios | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Beethoven | Beethoven, Ludwig van | ( B ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Violin | Strings | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music CDs $7 - $10 | Classical General | Classical | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music All Bargain Titles | Classical General | Classical | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music Similar Items: Brahms for Book Lovers: A Cozy Companion for Reading Tchaikovsky At Tea Time: A Refreshing Blend For Body And Spirit Mozart for Meditation Bach for Breakfast Mozart for Morning Coffee: Freshly Brewed to Perk Up Your Day ASIN: B0000041FA Release Date: 1996-06-11

Tracks:

1. Sonata No.5 In F (Spring): Adagio molto espessivo
2. Sonata #10 In G: Adagio espressivo
3. Sonata #2 In A: Andante piu tosto allegretto
4. String Quartet No.16 In F: Lentp assai, cantante e tranquillo
5. Sonata #7 In C Minor: Adagio cantabile
6. Sonata #8 In G: Tempo di minuetto
7. Sonata #3 In E- Flat: Adagio con molt' espressione
8. String Quartet No 6 In B-Flat: Adagio ma non troppo
9. 'Archduke' Trio In B-Flat: Andante cantabile, ma pero con moto

Customer Reviews:

Just what the title promises........2007-03-29

Just received this CD today, and it's definitely wonderful background for reading; however, don't limit it to that. If you just need some time to close your eyes and unwind, this is also the perfect companion. Love it!

Real Relaxation.......2007-02-19

If you're a fan of Philips's Set Your Life to Music series, you'll want to get this CD. It will be especially good for string and piano music lovers. I have several of the series, and it has quickly become my favorite. It's perfect for reading, studying, or just "kicking back." If you know of someone who needs to relax and would like this type of CD, get it for him/her. You'll get major points for it.

The gentle side of Beethoven.......2005-08-10

If you know anything about the composer Beethoven, what often comes to mind is music that is highly dramatic and often loud, whether it be his hard-driving piano music banging on the keyboard or a full-blown orchestra (like Beethoven's Fifth Symphony with its famous, ominous opening, "dunt-dunt-dunt-da.") The point is that typically most of Beethoven's music demands to be heard, contemplated and emotionally processed.

But this is not the case for the Beethoven music on this CD. There was another side of this fiery composer - one that revealed a tender-hearted composer capable of very calm, lovely and song-like instrumental music. And it is this side of Beethoven that is captured in the nine very serene and lyrical selections on this CD. What is great about this compliation of Beethoven music is that many of Beethoven's most sentimental and beautiful slower movements have been "cherry picked" and grouped into one CD that is MUCH more condusive for leisurely listening (no loud banging on the piano or surges from the huge symphony). The music is pure Beethoven talent, but these selections do not demand to be heard and serve well to create a wonderful backdrop for relaxing, reading or late-night entertaining. Sometimes the music is so calm in one or two movements it seems to lack forward movement but - given its purpose for background music - this should not be objectionable.

The music on this CD features mostly piano and violin duets (termed violin sonatas) along with two inspiring string quartet selections and one famous piano/violin/cello song. By the way, this kind of music with a small number of instruments is called "chamber music." The violin/piano selections are very well chosen from the legendary recordings of violinist David Oistrakh and partner Orbinin - musicians known for their more relaxed playing of Beethoven and beautiful tone - all of which is perfect for such a "book reading" CD. (Other performers of the same music tend to put more "edge" and drama into these songs which can be more distracting for leisurely pursuits). All the music is touching and beautiful - with only a few of those typical loud Beethoven "surprizes" amist the quiet bliss - although there are some brief shifts to minor-key anguished tones at times that might disrupt some readers concentration.

Perhaps the highlight of the CD is one of the very last string quartets Beethoven wrote before his death - years into his total deafness and ill health (track 4). In this slow and sublime movement can be heard the most personal and spiritual aspects of this great composer. It is played by one of the greatest string quartets in history (Quartetto Italiano) with a deeply touching sentimentality. Listening to it, you can sense a man who has suffered much but who has come into a final rest and new depth of spiritual awareness at the end of his life. It was his final "swan song" and is surely one of the greatest and most poinant compositions he wrote. All-in-all, this CD is a very high-quality set of inspiring recordings that make not only for calm background music, but also for moments of introspection and growing musical appreciation. The non-techical music notes included give a helpful and interesting background on the music and composer. The sound quality is fine and not distracting in any way. A beautiful introduction to Beethoven's chamber music (for 2-5 instruments) and one you can listen to often and most any time.

Relaxing and soothing.......2001-11-29

When you can't recognize a Bach from Beethoven composition like me, this works perfectly. Once again Phillips as assembled a wonderful group of sonatas, trios and quartets to soothe the spirit. These songs are all slow and tranquil, perfect for those quiet moments when music is not to be intrusive but inclusive. Phillips has a whole line of classical music composers brought together with various themes such as this one. I've found them to be extremely convenient. Highly recommended for those that like their music softly at times, gently caressing the grey matter between ones ears. This music can tame even the most combustible moments. It recently was playing while discussing an issue that my teenage son and I were miles apart on. It seemed to help keep cool heads. I think I'll suggest a title like Tchaikovsky for Teen and Parents Issues since Phillips is open for themes for future discs!

a great way to appreciate beethoven's music.......2001-08-13

Some of Beethoven's most relaxing and tranquil music is included in this wonderful cd. Whether you're reading your favorite novel, doing homework or simply relaxing, this cd provides soothing background music, helping to enhance your concentration. There are no loud trumpets and such blasting, since it is basically peaceful music.

Average customer rating: Ella sings with unfailing honesty and warmth Ella's Ella Fitzgerald--as cabaret singer? Not just for fans of jazz Classic Ella

The Intimate Ella Ella Fitzgerald Manufacturer: Polygram Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Jazz | Styles | Music Swing General | Swing Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music Traditional Jazz General | Traditional Jazz & Ragtime | Jazz | Styles | Music Vocal Jazz General | Vocal Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music Classic Vocalists | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music Traditional Vocal Pop | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music General | Vocal Pop | Pop | Styles | Music Traditional Pop | Oldies | Pop | Styles | Music Similar Items: Pure Ella Pure Ella: The Very Best of Ella Fitzgerald Like Someone in Love The Best of the Song Books: The Ballads Best of the Verve Song Books: Love Songs ASIN: B00000479L Release Date: 1990-06-01

Tracks:

1. Black Coffee
2. Angel Eeyes
3. I Cried For You
4. I Can't Give You Anything But Love, Baby
5. Then You've Never Been Blue
6. I Hadn't Anyone 'Till You
7. My Melancholy Baby
8. Misty
9. September Song
10. One For My Baby (And One More For The Road)
11. Who's Sorry Now
12. I'm Getting Sentimental Over You
13. Reach For Tomorrow

Customer Reviews:

Ella sings with unfailing honesty and warmth.......2007-07-09

Ella Fitzgerald could sing the phone book to you and when she was finished you'd be giving her your own very special standing ovation, begging her for more! Ella's singular talent made her more than a superstar; she was a rare gem and I doubt we'll ever see another quite like her. This CD offers us tracks that allow Ella to expand her jazzy interpretations into more traditional ballads and cabaret songs. Paul Smith does an excellent job of accompanying Ella on the piano.

The CD set starts with "Black Coffee." The piano arrangement glows and Ella sings "Black Coffee" passionately. Ella's excellent diction bolsters her performance of this rather bluesy song; in fact from the very start Ella bats this one straight out of the ballpark! Ella's vocal range and interpretation let her impart just the right feeling of sadness and misery to her audience. Wow!

"I Cried For You" also boasts a thoughtful piano arrangement which serves as the backdrop for Ella's vocals. Ella sings "I Cried For You" passionately straight from the bottom of her heart. I truly believed that Ella was confessing to me her innermost feelings about the recent ups and downs of her love life. "I Can't Give You Anything But Love" features Ella singing at the upper part of her vocal range as she sings the opening verse; and the piano frames her performance nicely. When she gets into the song Ella's voice deepens for dramatic effect. What a masterpiece! She could sing to me this way forever.

"My Melancholy Baby" lets Ella sing yet another classic pop vocal and infuse it with her own touch to make "My Melancholy Baby" her very own. Ella sings this slow and sweet; you'd swear you never heard this song before--she sings it THAT well. "One For My Baby (And One More For The Road)" has that marvelous Harold Arlen/Johnny Mercer sound to it; and when Ella sings it the effect is sublime! Ella sings this melancholy ballad to perfection.

"Who's Sorry Now" gets the royal treatment as Ella delivers this soft and slow; and the CD track set ends with "Reach For Tomorrow." Ella sings this optimistic song with passion, style and grace. Her voice is rich, warm and vibrant just as it is throughout this entire CD. The piano arrangement shows good judgment, too.

The liner notes give you the song credits; and Imme Schade van Westrum contributes an excellent essay about Ella and this album.

The Intimate Ella gives us Ella singing to us from the depths of her soul just as if she were confessing her innermost secrets to us and us alone. Paul Smith plays the piano accompaniments beautifully as Ella's voice massages the lyrics to each and every ballad on this CD.

I highly recommend this album for Ella Fitzgerald fans. People who enjoy classic pop vocals will also want to get this CD.

Ella's .......2007-03-21

Oscar Peterson (still performing in his 80s) recalls a "magic moment" on a bus with Ella Fitzgerald 57 years ago - a bus tour with "some of the greatest jazz people that could possibly ever be mustered at any one place and time." This was back when Oscar's future trio bass player Ray Brown was still married to Ella, and was part of the same bus tour for the legendary "Jazz at the Philharmonic."

"I remember Ella asking (trumpet great) Roy Eldridge if he recalled the way that Billie Holiday used to do this or that tune. Upon which, `Lady Fitz' (as I named her soon after we met) launched into a `Lady Day' version of WHAT A LITTLE MOONLIGHT WILL DO." She glanced around at Herbie Ellis, gesturing for him to get his guitar . . . and out of nowhere Roy uncased his horn, put in the mute, and commenced playing a beautiful obligato to her vocal.

"Our bus driver `Bart' had an intuitive sense (about) such musical `moments' -- and he quietly slipped the bus into overdrive, slowed down, and relaxed in his seat to enjoy the music.

"So here was this Greyhound bus rolling down the Kansas highway, on a picture perfect evening. And there sits Ella in her seat, eyes closed, totally engrossed in making each word of the lyric count to its fullest . . . . Lester Young joining Roy Eldridge in playing soft sensitive lines behind her . . . Ray Brown somehow managing to balance himself and his bass in the aisle -- lending support.

"She sang her heart out, song after song, and we all applauded, grinning in excitement and appreciation, for we all knew that we were part of a very special `musical moment.'

I believe Oscar would agree that this CD -- "The Intimate Ella" -- provides just the sort of magical, musical moment he refers to here.

-----

In 1960 when the "First Lady of Song" was at the pinnacle of her career, Ella flew to Germany to record her legendary live album "Ella in Berlin" (an LP that won TWO Grammys). Ella, like Sinatra, could in a moment, turn weaknesses into strengths: And at this famously recorded live concert, Ella forgot the words to "Mack the Knife" - but without missing a beat, she came up with one of the most beautiful, improvisational `scats' in jazz history.

Later, Ella and her brilliant musical director, pianist Paul T. Smith slipped away to a recording studio in the Netherlands where, alone together, they conjured up these thirteen magical ballads.

-----

This 1990 CD (my copy from an Amazon.com seller is labeled "Made in Germany") was produced with excellent liner notes, translated from the Dutch by one "Imme Schade van Westrum," who reminds us of the musical giants who considered Ella quite simply "the best-of-the-best."

Ira Gershwin is quoted: "I had never realized just how good our songs really were until I heard them sung by Ella." Bing Crosby concurs: "Man, woman or child, Ella is the greatest." And Duke Ellington ranked her "beyond category."

-----

Remarkably, this all-Dutch production sat in a vault for 30 years - apart from one, limited release LP comprising the soundtrack to a long-forgotten film, "Let No Man Write My Epitaph," (a tale of "corruption and drug addiction" in which Ella appeared onscreen with Shelley Winters, Jean Seberg and Burl Ives; Ella pretends to accompany herself at the piano).

------

In 1960 at this recording Ella was 42; her voice was never more supple or expressively beautiful (or better recorded). And her brilliant pianist, Paul T. Smith reminds us of the distinction between the greatest jazz pianists (like Oscar) and the truly great ACCOMPANISTS - like Andre Previn, or Bill Miller (Sinatra's career-long accompanist, who died last summer ion Montreal, while on tour with Sinatra Jr.)

Incidentally as of 2007, Paul T. Smth is alive and wel, and living in California -- where he was born in 1922: His 50 years experience as an accompanist began with the Tommy Dorsey band in the 1940s. He moved back to L.A. where, as a studio musician he worked with a "Who's Who" of jazz musicians and popular singers. In 1956 - and for the next 22 years - he was Ella's musical director and trusted pianist . (In those days, Paul T. Smith was so appreciated in Europe, the Jazz Dictionary dubbed him "the greatest pianist from America.")

It's hard to imagine better accompaniment for the woman singer generally considered to be Sinatra's equal in interpreting the Great American Songbook. This CD conveys to your ears - perhaps better than any other of Ella's recordings - the shy intimacy suggested by both the album title - and by Oscar Peterson in his recent autobiography "A Jazz Odyssey" (please see reviews for that book).

----

Oscar writes: "There were many parts to "Lady Fitz" (as I affectionately named her in 1951) "that I still don't claim to know - although I knew her for over 40 years, and worked with her on-and-off throughout. She was innately shy and insecure, a very private person who remained somewhat enigmatic to even her closest friends."

Oscar Peterson recalls his own, delightful list of "all the little signs and mannerisms that told Ella's accompanists EXACTLY what she was feeling during a performance." His acute memory recalls:

"The first side glance, accompanied by a sort of half-laugh, MEANING: `What was that change or line you just played behind me?'

"The left hand cupped to her ear. MEANING: ` Something's out of tune. Is it me, or the piano?'

"Ella's left hand slapping her hip. (Depending on) the intensity of the slap: If intense, it means Look out! She's getting ready to go for it -- and wants to make sure that you go with her!"

Oscar concludes that "any pianist fortunate enough to have worked with her learned immeasurably -- in terms of timing, and overall musical perception."

To fully appreciate what Oscar had in mind when he wrote those words -- you just listen to this album!

(...)

Ella Fitzgerald--as cabaret singer?.......2007-01-31

In this most unusual recording, Ella Fitzgerald could be mistaken for a cabaret singer, not a world-renowned jazz superstar. Here, accompanied only by Paul Smith on piano, she sings melancholy ballads, and it is easy to picture her standing by a piano in a smoky cabaret, late at night, quietly musing about the man who got away--and making you feel her sadness. Recorded in 1960, the same year that Ella recorded her famous jazz concert in Berlin, this recording remained essentially "lost" in a vault after its original release, until it was rediscovered and re-released in 1989. It may be Ella's "prettiest" album--not her typical fare, but absolutely gorgeous, nevertheless.

"Black Coffee," a song which many people believe "belongs" to Peggy Lee, is more tuneful in Ella's hands, sung with a sexy world-weariness that never descends into gloom. "I Can't Give You Anything But Love, Baby," so often sung in a quick tempo, is slowed way down here, in the thoughtful mood of someone who has nothing to give to the relationship, except love. "Then You've Never Been Blue" and "Reach for Tomorrow," both new songs to me, show the transition from the sadness of a lost love to the age-old hope for tomorrow.

"Who's Sorry Now," forever associated with Connie Francis, could not be more different when sung by Ella--much slower and sung almost in a whisper, as she muses about turnabout and fair play in a relationship, and when she sings "I'm glad that you're sorry now," it's clear that she's not glad at all. Even standards like "Misty," "September Song," and "I'm Getting Sentimental Over You," take on new meanings here. A terrific CD in which Ella Fitzgerald proves, once again, that she can do absolutely anything with a song. n Mary Whipple

Not just for fans of jazz.......2006-05-02

I am not reallly a big jazz fan. Neither am I particularly fond of Ella Fitzgerald's more upbeat recordings, although I find her vocal range and timing impressive, to say the least. However, I love this album. I bought it only recently and now it's among my absolute favourites - never mind that the rest of my collection is more likely to feature Franz Ferdinand, Erykah Badu, U2, Arctic Monkeys, Metallica and Kate Bush than jazz standards.

The overall atmosphere is sentimental and melancholic, yet strangely soothing as Ella's voice intimately caresses each note, accompanied only by a beautiful piano. There is love, pain, loss and joy of a life lived in that voice. It is a mature woman singing, with the yearning and hope of any young girl and the wisdom of an old crone seeping in. But it is not a difficult album to access, neither is it heavy. Just loaded with genuine feeling.

The most amazing thing is that the repetoire here really is jazz standards, and yet they sound poignant and new. I don't find myself comparing the songs in this version to older (or newer) ones while I'm listening, because Ella Fitzgerald manages to make them her own. So I can still enjoy the eerie Tricky/Marina triphop version of 'Black Cofee' because it is two very different songs.

It is not the album to make you go dancing all night. But it is an album that can get you through a night, whether you are feeling sorry, romantic or deeply happy in a quiet way. To me this is music for late nights and for late night thoughts and feelings.

Classic Ella.......2005-12-24

What nobody gets is that any review only expresses the opinion of the reviewer. That opinion, as a recommendation for or against an artist's work is valueless and the one I'm about to give is no exception.

Somewhat in the way Brittany Spears and Paris Hilton have become famous for being famous, Frank, Ella, Mel and others' reputations have been grandfathered into the present. There's no reason to believe God broke the mold after them but they have become the standard to which all later singers are compared and conveniently never measure up to. This appears to be the pastime of only a few jazz critics and dilettantes; the great, unwashed populace couldn't care less.

I grew up in the heyday of many of the jazz icons (now knowingly referred to by their first names only) and I had plenty of chances to appreciate them. I bought this CD to give it one last chance.

These are 13 songs all with the same (though exquisite) piano arrangement; all sung in Ella's thin, near-falsetto. Singing in this higher register, it seems to me, washes out the singer's humanness and the true nature of her voice. Surely, that's a blessing in some cases. Her voice becomes the fine musical instrument that was falsely portrayed as capable of breaking glass on the old Memorex commercials. There are a lot of musical instruments and they all become the extension of their master but the unfiltered human voice has something more. That's what's missing here, in my worthless but equally valuable opinion.

Average customer rating:

Intimate Patti Austin Patti Austin Manufacturer: Mosaic Contemporary ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Jazz | Styles | Music Contemporary R&B | R&B | Styles | Music General | R&B | Styles | Music General | Soul | R&B | Styles | Music Quiet Storm | R&B | Styles | Music General | Adult Contemporary | Pop | Styles | Music Similar Items: Avant Gershwin for Ella Street of Dreams Love Is Gonna Getcha Body Language ASIN: B000OONPJK Release Date: 2007-05-22

Tracks:

1. Stop, Look, Listen (To Your Heart)
2. Island
3. Baby, Come to Me - Patti Austin, James Ingram
4. If I Believed
5. Summer Is the Coldest Time of Year
6. Cry Me a River
7. Spring Can Really Hang You Up the Most
8. Any Other Fool - Patti Austin, Sadao Watanabe
9. In My Life
10. Through the Test of Time
11. If This Is the Last Time
12. Love's Been Kind to Me Lately

Average customer rating: Best hymn singer I know His Best Album

Hymns & Meditations Manufacturer: RPI ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Christian & Gospel | Styles | Music General | Easy Listening | Pop | Styles | Music General | Christian & Gospel | Indie Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: Hymns of Worship The Shadow of Your Wings: Hymns and Sacred Songs Storm Night of Your Return Meditations of the Heart ASIN: B000087HWV Release Date: 2002-11-24

Tracks:

1. Come Thou Fount Of Every Blessing
2. Near The Cross
3. Softly And Tenderly
4. I Need Thee Every Hour
5. Nothing But The Blood
6. Just As I Am
7. What Wondrous Love Is This
8. Come Ye Sinners Poor And Needy (Medley - part of Just As I Am)
9. Con Que Pagaremos
10. Brethern, We Have Met To Worship
11. Sacred Head Now Wounded
12. Nearer My God To Thee (Medley - part of Just As I Am)

Album Description

One of Fernando Ortega's first albums and one of his most highly acclaimed, Hymns & Meditations revisits some of the world's favorite hymns in a beautiful and authentic recording. With his outstanding piano skills and tender, intimate voice, Fernando breathes new life into the time-honored classics. Hymns & Meditations is, by far, one of Fernando Ortega's finest recordings and best selling albums to date... if you're a Fernando fan, this is a must have for your collection.

Customer Reviews:

Best hymn singer I know.......2006-10-24

I've listened to many songs before, but boy, no one can sing hymns like Ortega. His voice would not be as good for other contemporary Christian music but is just perfect when it comes to hymns. I've actually bought many of this particular CD as gifts to my friends. Other CD's of his are so so, but this one is my favorite. I'm about to buy some more.

His Best Album.......2005-04-14

This is a great album to meditate to. It's so relaxing and welcomes the Holy Spirit into the atmosphere. The way he sings you can feel the love of God in his voice. This album is truly a blessing to my soul. If you desire an album that will bring you closer to the spiritual realm. This is it!

Average customer rating: Buddha bar Specialist Unwind with this... A maverick New Age/Eastern hybrid classic! Blissful Eastern Chill The Ultimate Music for Sacred Lovers

Hotel Tara: The Intimate Side of Buddha-Lounge Various Artists Manufacturer: Sequoia Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music Electronica | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music General | Dance Pop | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music General | New Age | Styles | Music Meditation | New Age | Styles | Music Similar Items: Buddha Lounge, Vol. 4 Hotel Tara 2 : The Intimate Side of Buddha-Lounge Buddha Lounge, Vol. 3 Lovers Lounge Café de Luna, Vol. 2: Mediterranean Chill ASIN: B000784XCG Release Date: 2005-02-01

Tracks:

1. LHeure Verte( The Green Hour) - Artemisia
2. Floating - David Gordon
3. Space Dance - Althea W.
4. Apollo 13 - Joe Weineck
5. Woodland Ride - Ginkgo Garden
6. Shiva Beach Lounge - Karmacosmic
7. Vinsandaan (Tara Mix) - Hands Upon Black Earth
8. Season of Renewal (Lounge Mix) - Steve Gordon
9. Nomads Land - Zingaia
10. Govinda Hari - Jaya Lakshmi
11. Enter the Sacred, Part II -
12. Midday Shade - Ulaim Az Zama Orchestra
13. Radio Shamanistan - Opera-to-Relax

Album Description

You've arrived in the ultimate luxury resort for your soul. Come into the lounge where you can restore your body, mind and spirit. Settle in as you join our visionary house DJs, the Gordon Brothers (creators of the original Buddha-Lounge series) as they carefully hand-pick the freshest sounds around - exploring the more intimate side of mystical multi-cultural grooves with this perfectly transcendent blend of sensuously hypnotic rhythms, richly radiant vocals and an exotic array of ethnic instruments. Featuring an incredible line-up of world/lounge luminaries including Althea W., Ginkgo Garden, Joe Weinek Opera-to-Relax, Peter Mergener, Artemisia, TAU, David & Steve Gordon and many more genre-bending mixologists. De-stress and unwind, as deep ancient wisdom meets with these mesmerizing modern beats to create the definitive nu-global soundtrack for today; perfectly suited for deepening your yoga experience, as the perfect backdrop for socializing or any time you just want to chill-out.

"If you need a compilation to hold you over until the next installment in Sequoia's "Buddha-Lounge" series gets released, HOTEL TARA is the perfect place to take up residence. Like that series, the album features a luscious non-stop mix of ethnic-flavored grooves, spiritual essence and intoxicating beats compiled and mixed by the Gordon brothers. HOTEL TARA ups the "dreamy" quotient, creating an atmosphere that is at once peaceful and soulful. The beats are low-tempo and many of the songs have a touch of Indian instrumentation as well as a subtle retro-lounge flair. Artists include David and Steve Gordon, Gingko Garden, Althea W., Jaya Lakshmi, Artemisia and others. This is a great album for anyone looking for music that is mellow and cerebral - it is perfect for chilling out to."

~ Music Design In Review

Customer Reviews:

Buddha bar Specialist.......2007-04-08

First listen to opera to relax no 13 on cd
then do ur thing
this one song is worth the cd
but all the song itis a gold mine
beautiful

Unwind with this..........2007-03-26

Smooth, sensous, soothing, and sultry. A couple of cuts a little on the "loungy" side but overall this is an excellent CD that delivers exactly what you would expect from the title. The quality of this stuff is definitely a cut above a lot of the other budda-lounge wannabes.

A maverick New Age/Eastern hybrid classic!.......2005-03-25

I am absolutely taken into the beauty and harmony that is the album "Hotel Tara". I first heard this at an independent CD store recently and after finding out who it was, I instantly bought the new album and I am proud of my choice of buying it. This album reminds me very strongly of the Earthtone collection series from years ago. After the apparent and unfortunate demise of the Earthtone label, Sequoia Records seems to have taken the torch and "Hotel Tara" is a powerful CD. "Apollo 13" is a highly eclectic track that incorporates voice effects of a NASA space mission with a gorgeous jazz/New Age groove. "Govinda Hari" is an electrifying song with haunting Eastern Indian voices and a very entrancing melody. This is such a wonderful CD and I highly recommend this.

Blissful Eastern Chill.......2005-03-10

Nothing less than superb ! This new titles from Sequoia Groove is a blissful voyage into the very best of Eastern influenced downtempo chill-out music. A provacative follow up to Sequoia's Buddha Lounge series. This album really transports the listener into some very exoctic and sensuous musical landscapes. I especially love the Jaya Lakshmi track "Govinda Hari" and "Apollo 13" by Joe Werineck which incorporates actual original recordings from the space mission into a lushly textured background of slow and sultry electonica. This is a great addition to any downtempo musical collection. If you like, Buddha Bar or Hotel De Costa you will love Hotel Tara.

The Ultimate Music for Sacred Lovers.......2005-02-10

David & Steve Gordon have done it again ! Just when you thought it could'nt get any better, these musical visionaries deepen the mix even further. Hotel Tara bills itself as "The Intimate Side of Buddha Lounge" and it certainly delivers on that promise. This is an exotic and enticing blend of traditional Eastern music with the very best that Western downtempo-electronica has to offer, featuring an superlative assortment of the very best Sequoia artists and some absolutely alluring new artists. Likely the most noteable being the lead track "L'Heure Verte/The Green Hour"from Artemisia, the new Steve Gordon solo project with it's distinctive tabla beat, exquisite tamboura, sensuous guitar and luminous vocals provided by Jaya Lakshmi whose "Govinda Hari" also graces the album. David Gordon's new solo track "Floating" is also fantastic, melding chill-out and smooth jazz effortlessly into this delightfully transcendent tune. My wife and I have now found our new favorite CD for our intimate encounters and Tantra sessions. These Sequoia Groove titles just keep getting better and better and this one is perfect suited for the the Sacred Lover. Keep them coming. Absolutely delightful.

Average customer rating: Buddha bar Specialist An excellent compilation to do just about anything while listening! I love Hotel Tara 2 Check in to this "Hotel"

Hotel Tara 2 : The Intimate Side of Buddha-Lounge Sequoia Groove Manufacturer: Sequoia Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music General | Dance Pop | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music General | New Age | Styles | Music Similar Items: Hotel Tara: The Intimate Side of Buddha-Lounge Buddha Lounge, Vol. 5 Buddha Lounge, Vol. 4 Buddha Lounge, Vol. 2 Lovers Lounge ASIN: B000FVQYVI Release Date: 2006-07-11

Tracks:

1. Navajo ~ Jens Gad Presents
2. Equillibrium ~ MTC
3. Shears from Scar ~ Achillea
4. In Between ~ Hands Upon Black Earth
5. The Temple ~ Marcator
6. Hunab Ku Transmitter ~ The Gordon Brothers
7. Fly! ~ Opera-to-Relax
8. Samsara ~ Win Meyerson
9. Vermillion Passage ~ Steve Gordon
10. Electronic Lounge ~ Peter Mergener
11. Pancha Tattvit ~ Jaya Lakshmi
12. Bossoroca (Tara Edit) ~ The Moontrane Conductors

Album Description

Welcome back to the exclusive resort where your soul can unwind and you can replenish body, mind and spirit. Come on in, take up residence and chill-out to a sensuous new set of global grooves with the perfect blend of entrancing rhythms, mystical vocals and an exotic array of ethnic instruments from the world's best sonic mixologists. Create a hip atmosphere with this luscious non-stop mix of the freshest sounds around, carefully handpicked by our award-winning DJs, the Gordon Brothers (Buddha-Lounge, Café de Luna). Featured global lounge mystics include: Achillea, Marcator, Jens Gad, Peter Mergener The Moontrane Conductors, Hands Upon Black Earth, Steve Gordon, Win Meyerson, Opera-to-Relax and Jaya Lakshmi. Kick back and settle in for a magical ride where ancient cultures and modern beats combine into an enticing musical brew. Ideal for yoga and the perfect background for entertaining or just relaxing at home.

Dubbed the "Intimate Side of Buddha Lounge," Sequoia Groove's "Hotel Tara" series echoes the latter's proclivity for high quality global grooves, only with the mellowness factor increased tenfold. David & Steve Gordon, resident mixmasters on this ambient excursion, cherry-picked a simply luscious collection down-tempo gems for your lounging pleasure, chilled to the point of transcendent bliss. The opening track, "Navajo" from Jens Gad is a prime example of what you can expect across the board - sensual rhythms, a sea of fluid synthesizers and sublime melodies that bubble up here and there with the effervescence of club soda. Achillea's "Shears from Scar" evokes a sunrise over the beaches of Ibiza and Win Meyerson's "Samsara" finds a balance between corner jazz club chic and Asian mysticism. Great addition to the series! " - Music Design in Review

Customer Reviews:

Buddha bar Specialist.......2007-04-08

Opera to relax no 7 is worth the cd alone
Beautiful music for beautiful people
bliss

An excellent compilation to do just about anything while listening!.......2006-09-15

This album is now a favorite of mine. The Gordon Brothers have done it again! When they say the rhythms are entrancing, they forgot to mention infectious. You get grooving in that other world dimension of their musical tasty treats, and it leaves you wanting to go back for more and play it again. There are so many great tracks on this album that I could go into each one, but my favorites have to be the following. Shears from Scar by Achillea, which echoes a distant place and time filling the room with the cry of sea birds, a steady beat, and Horlych's beautifully bequeathing voice recalling the tale of an ancient Viking burial find and the woman for whom once was. Next, The Temple by Marcator, which brings a temporal melody with temple bells, ancient instruments and whispered prayers. The Gordon Brothers have a catchy remix in Hunab Ku Transmitter, where they have woven together a combination of space twang, electric guitar, and percussion with their inspired chanting, to bring forth a transmission of a time and place of the past to the present. I really liked Steve's track, Vermillion Passage. The xylophone, electric guitar and a solid drum beat build to a "striding on down the by-way of life" feel, then blazes a musical trail of red dust as it goes on down the road. My most favorite track is Samsara by Win Meyerson. Win's marvelous piano glides with the soaring violin and vocals of Lili Haydn, in a cool samba with Middle-eastern riffs. The blend is a soaring right-on musical gift. The somba is impossible to not at least sway through, and you want to anyway, because this track is so beautiful. I enjoyed Hotel Tara #1, but #2 soars ahead of it. An excellent compilation to do just about anything while listening!

I love Hotel Tara 2.......2006-07-25

This CD is fantastic! Great mellow down-tempo chillout. It completely transports me to a serenely relaxing place and worked like a charm when I put it on at a recent dinner party I threw. This is a really fine compilation. I love it!

Check in to this "Hotel".......2006-07-13

Sexy, seductive, soothing ethereal electronica.

Great background music for chilling, a late night drive, or, well, you know. :)

The Gordon Brothers do it again; another flawless mix of global beats that will lift you up into the clouds and out of your daily stress.

Average customer rating: Good Quiet Time Music An Easy Winner Real Music from Solo Piano Publications Tremendous Offering from Kevin Kern

The Winding Path Kevin Kern Manufacturer: Real Music ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | New Age | Styles | Music Meditation | New Age | Styles | Music Similar Items: Imagination's Light In the Enchanted Garden Embracing the Wind More Than Words: The Best of Kevin Kern Summer Daydreams ASIN: B000099T1B Release Date: 2003-06-03

Tracks:

1. The Touch Of Love
2. The Way Of The Stream
3. A Million Stars
4. High Above The Valley
5. Ancient Guardians
6. Cauldron Of Healing
7. Filled With The Light
8. Through The Veil
9. Softly Falling
10. The Winding Path

Amazon.com

Embracing the role of fellow spiritual seeker as well as composer, pianist Kevin Kern invites listeners to find a safe, comfortable place in their imaginations and tag along on what his CD packaging describes as a "self-guided healing visualization." For those favorably inclined toward such musical journeys of the soul, Kern proves to be a sincere and capable guide. His slowly unfolding piano works (periodically embellished with acoustic guitar, flute, strings and understated electronics) are soft, serene and, on occasion ("High above the Valley" and "Through the Veil" in particular), memorably attractive. The foil-stamped/die-cut/textured paper packaging for The Winding Path, Kern's sixth career release, is first-rate; the story line it contains, centered on the discovery of a "cauldron of healing," is a matter of personal taste. As for the music, Kern's compositions can intermittently seem a touch too sweet or simplistic, but the overall flavor is peaceful, relaxing and, considering the context, admirably refined. --Terry Wood

Album Description

Kevin Kern has become a universal name for beautiful, relaxing music. This intimate, piano-led path through nature creates a resonance of tranquility and peace for pure listening pleasure. "The Winding Path" is ideal for masage, meditation and relieving stress. Kern is joined on several tracks by top new age duo, 2002.

Customer Reviews:

Good Quiet Time Music.......2006-11-05

I like this CD very much, it is good relaxing music.
The only thing I don't like is the fact I can't rip it into my computer - that is very annoying because that was one of the main reasons I purchased it - so I could add it to my Calm Music MP3 compliation on my computer. Because of this I won't be purchasing more of Kevin Kern's music.

An Easy Winner.......2005-08-26

A strange thing happens every time I listen to this album - I hear the first few cuts and then there's a blur and the last cut is going by. This isn't meant as a negative, but it does point out that this is one of those albums that quickly blends into whatever I'm doing and becomes part of the environment.

Much to my surprise, Kevin Kern is a native Detroiter (there's not a lot of New Age music getting made up here). His training is classical, with a lot of mentoring by George Shearing. The combination has made him a master of improvisation, with a knack for taking the melodic path. Winding Path is his sixth album, done in 2003. It spent some 15 weeks on the charts, which is a pretty solid accomplishment.

This is a 'group' album - Pamela Copus on various woodwinds and Jeff Kinski on Guitar are the core players, (listen to the first two cuts - Touch of Love and Way of the Stream) but several others add their talents to make the album something of a surprise to those who think of Kern as a solo pianist. He also experiments a bit with sound effects and such (High Above the Valley).

I'm hesitant to say this is his best album, but once I decide to pay careful attention to it, it is certainly one of his most interesting. A lot of the work is quite subtle. I give this one an 'A' for listenability. Yet another reason to put a stereo in the woodshop.

Real Music.......2003-06-13

"Winding Path" is a rare great album, a must-have for all who loves emotional, intelligent, comforting piano-based music... Thank you very much, Kevin, for this wunderful and timeless record.

from Solo Piano Publications.......2003-06-04

As a long-time fan of Kevin Kern's music, I'm excited to say that I think "The Winding Path" is his best album to date. Due to a serendipitous equipment failure just prior to the recording sessions, this album is much more acoustic than previous albums and the "canned" strings are all but gone. Kern recorded this album on an amazing Hamburg Steinway that he refers to as "God's own piano," and his passion for this instrument sings through on each piece. Joining Kern on this album are 2002 (Pam Copus does an incredible job on all of the wind instruments, and Randy supplies bells and other sounds), Jeff Kinsky on guitar, Jeremy Cohen on violin, Terence Yallop on bells on one track, and Kevin's wife, Pam, on rainstick. And then there is that piano. The combined forces produce a "great big soundscape" (Kevin's quote) that may surprise some of his fans. The music is still very gentle, soothing, and uplifting, but the feel and quality of the album is bigger and fuller. I love it! Kern says that the difference in his approach to this album is that this music will be the "heart and soul and center" of his live appearances - concert audiences are in for a real treat!

"The Touch of Love" opens the album on a rather ethereal note. The 2002-influence is really strong on this piece, and it is a truly beautiful collaboration. Pam Copus' flute has such a feeling of yearning, combined with sweet voices, and that marvelous piano (and pianist!). "The Way of the Stream" is a gorgeous guitar/ piano duet with a few additional sounds for color. "A Million Stars" is a wonderful piece that Kern created in the studio at Terence Yallop's suggestion that he "play the sky." (Pieces like this make my fingers itch!) The clarity and sparkle of the upper registers of the piano are perfect for depicting a clear night skyscape away from the lights of the city. This is definitely one of my favorite Kern pieces (not just from this album). "High Above the Clouds" begins with the sound of a thunder storm; Pam Copus comes in on Native American flute, playing a lovely, melancholy melody. Then the piano picks up the melody and develops it. The piece becomes a flute and piano duet with some background accompaniment. "Through the Veil" is a classic Kern anthem with the addition of a rhythm track. Mostly piano and guitar (with Pam on rainstick!), the melody is compelling and heartfelt - another one of my favorites on this album. My favorite track on "The Winding Path" is the title track, which features Kern on piano, Copus on flute, and the incredible Jeremy Cohen on violin. An achingly beautiful piece, this one touched me deeply each of the ten or so times I've heard it.

Bravo to Kevin Kern and company for producing a "real" standout! A guided visualization is included in the liner notes for those who are so inclined, but the music is vivid and colorful enough that you can probably produce your own daydreams to accompany it.

Tremendous Offering from Kevin Kern.......2003-06-04

"The Winding Path" is Kevin Kern's latest CD for Real Music, and what an outstanding collection of tracks is to be found on this 44 minute disc.

With far more emphasis on blending other instruments with his exquisite piano playing, this CD is quite different from his previous efforts. Long-term Kern fans need not worry, however. The additional accompanying instruments merely enhance the beauty of his piano playing, and make this one of my all-time favourite CDs.

2002 fans will be delighted by the duo's quite prominent presence on the disc. From Pamela Copus's gorgeous flute playing on tracks 1 and 10, plus harp on track 2, to Randy Copus's percussion on tracks 2, 5 and 9, it is not difficult to see why some of the tracks have a 2002 feel to them. I agree with Kathy Parson's observation that this is very evident on the first track.

All the tracks are strong on this CD, but favourites include tracks 1, 3, 8 and 10. I note that Kevin dedicates Track 3,"A Million Stars" to "all those who reach for the stars". This is likely to be a popular track with his fans, partly because it is extremely beautiful, and also because it truly is solo piano.

This CD is exceptionally well presented, and has a wonderful feel to it. The CD insert contains an introduction to guided visualisation, where the listener is invited to go on a relaxing journey whilst listening to the music.

It may be of some interest that this CD was apparently going to be originally called "Leaf, Twig and Petal". I think that the change of name was a wise move, and is more befitting of the content.

On a par with "In the Enchanted Garden", this CD is right up there in terms of melodic beauty, and way beyond it with regards presentation. Kevin is using other instruments to compliment his piano playing, and this shows a willingness to move forward with his music. It, in no way, detracts from the beauty of the lead instrument.

I give this CD my highest recommendation. It is a joy to listen to from start to finish, and it is no wonder why there seems to be great excitement surrounding this disc. Stunning.

Average customer rating: Girls I Have Known/The Intimate Jim Reeves

Girls I Have Known/Intimate Jim Reeves Jim Reeves Manufacturer: Bmg Int'l ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Country | Styles | Music Nashville Sound | Traditional Country | Country | Styles | Music General | Traditional Country | Country | Styles | Music General | Bluegrass | Country | Styles | Music General | Easy Listening | Pop | Styles | Music Country | Imports | Stores | Music Similar Items: Talkin' to Your Heart/Touch of Velvet Moonlight and Roses/Jim Reeves Way International Jim Reeves/Good N Country Up Through the Years/Distant Drums He'll Have to Go/Tall Tales and Short Tempers ASIN: B0002BXWZW Release Date: 2004-07-05

Tracks:

1. Marie
2. Mona Lisa
3. Juanita
4. Charmaine
5. Margie
6. Anna Marie
7. Sweet Sue
8. Linda
9. Ramona
10. Maria Elena
11. My Mary
12. Good Night Irene
13. Dark Moon
14. Oh, How I Miss You Tonight
15. Take Me in Your Arms and Hold Me - Deborah Allen, Jim Reeves
16. I'm Gettin' Better
17. Almost
18. You're Free to Go
19. You're the Only Good Thing (That's Happened to Me)
20. Have I Stayed Away Too Long?
21. No One to Cry To
22. I Was Just Walking Out the Door
23. Room Full of Roses
24. We Could

Customer Reviews:

Girls I Have Known/The Intimate Jim Reeves.......2006-03-30

My spouse Patricia and I love this beautiful double album by the legendary Jim Reeves.It sparkles with the velvety sentiments of a lover's heart and the superb collection of songs particularly in the scintillating album"The Intimate Jim Reeves "is exceedingly touching.

We love the timeless renditions of Juanita, Anna Marie, Ramona and Goodnight Irene in " Girls I Have Known" We are enthralled by the poignant love songs such as Dark Moon, Oh How I Miss You Tonight, Almost, You're Free To Go, You're The Only Good Thing (That Happened To Me), Room Full Of Roses, Have I stayed Away Too Long, I was Just walking Out The Door and We Could.
This is another fabulous lover's album which I would recommend for every fan Of the inimitable Jim Reeves.His rich ,sweet baritone voice could not have been sweeter in this classic collection.

Christian Music:

1. Kiss the Sky [Enhanced]
2. Live at the Copa/With a Lot of Soul [Live] [Original recording remastered] [Import]
3. Live! One Night Only [Live]
4. Love Child/Supremes A-Go-Go [Original recording remastered] [Import]
5. Love Hangover [Explicit Lyrics]
6. Make 'Em Like It
7. Message in the Music
8. Miracles/Change of Heart [Original recording remastered]
9. More Hits/Supremes Sing Holland-Dozier-Holland [Original recording remastered] [Import]
10. Motown Anthology [Import]

Christian Music

christian music

Christian Music

Trey Anastasio [Import]

NOW

Round Every Corner

Album Review: All Tied up in Love

Platinum V.2: Dieter Sin Plomo [Import]

Relaxation Anti-Stress

Oyoun El Qalb [IMPORT] [Import]

Room to Breathe

Remember Two Things [Live]

Morrison Hotel/L.A. Woman [Import]

Satisfaction Is The Death Of Desire

Raw Blues Power [Import]

Moscovita Y Sus Guajiros, Tres Veces Eroica, Con Sabor A Veracruz, El Pescador - Noche Criolla - Lamento Jarocho

Further Definitions

The Great London Concerts