Pound for Pound

Pound for Pound

Track Listings

1. Blood on the Ice

2. Corporate Preacher

3. Toe Jam

4. Safe Sex

5. Where Does All the Money Go?

6. Brain Burn

7. Senile King

8. Machine Gun

9. Fire in the Night

Tracks:

Allegro Giusto
Largo
Allegro
Packington's Pound
Greensleeves
Fantasia 'A Fancy'
Canarios
Sonata In D
Leyenda (Asturias)
The Three Cornered Hat: The Millar's Dance
Recuerdos De La Alhambra
Choros No.1
Andantino Espressivo
Poco Animato
En Los Trigales
Allegro Con Spirito
Adagio
Allegro Con Brio

Tracks:

Mallorca, Op. 202 - Albeniz
Cataluna
Granada
Sevilla
Cadiz
Cordoba
Dedicatoria
La Maja De Goya
Danza Espanola No. 4
Valses Poeticos - Granados
Danza Espanola No. 5 - Granados
Fandango
Passacaglia
Zapateado

Customer Reviews:

Like a rainy day in a good bookstore.......2007-07-10

"Always pleasant, never a false cord." That's what I think each time I listen to this collection. I guess I should be listening more closely, but I find the music and the virtuosity with which it is played to be a springboard to other thoughts and activities. I can read with it in the background, write with it or simply drift into thought. And that is really quite enough for me.

Not "Ultimate", but Wonderful!.......2007-03-29

As good a guitarist as Julian Bream is, one must begin by acknowledging that the title of this 2-CD set containing 32 admittedly seminal pieces written for hand-played strings ( primarily, the lute) is a tad hyperbolistic. An "Ultimate" collection of anything would have to be more complete, by definition, than any two CDs can be and, again, it almost goes without saying that no two people are apt to be in total agreement about what should or should not have been included in any such collection. All caveats considered and aside, this is, indeed, a thoughtfully selected and masterfully performed collection of what is, unarguably, some of the very best classical pieces ever written for the lute. Bream plays some of them on the guitar and others on a renaissance lute - the latter giving a somewhat truer indication of the stylings and musical nuances intended by the various composers. But, even the pieces he plays on the guitar - an instrument that, in it's current form, did not exist when many of the pieces were originally composed - are sensitive and lyrical interpretations that sound as if they MIGHT have been composed for the guitar.

Without spending space here reiterating the specific pieces, their titles and lengths, I will simply list the composers whose works Bream presents so nicely in this collection. They span a range of about five centuries beginning in the time of England's Elizabeth I and spanning the years through to the 20th Century's premier Spanish and Brazilian classical guitar composers. The list reads like a `Whose Who" of classical plucked-string instrument music and of composers whose keyboard compositions work particularly well on the strings of a lute or guitar, and includes;
- John Dowland
- Francis Cutting
- Antonio Vivaldi
- Gaspar Sanz (*)
- Mateo Albeniz (*)
- Manuel de Falla
- Enrique Granados (*)
- Hector Villa-Lobos, and
- Joaquin Rodrigo
(*) = Pieces originally written for keyboard play.

Every classical guitarist has his own recognizable style and approach to the instrument and the material. An experience listener would not confuse Bream's work with that of Andres Segovia, for example: but it is not that one is better than the other. Each, in his own distinctive way, is simply superb. Though the Spanish influence is clearly audible with both musicians, Bream's stylings have a more contemporary lilt and inflection than do those of Segovia; he makes each piece his own. One suspects that each time he plays a piece it comes out differently according to the moment, his mood, the instrument and God knows what else. Segovia, on the other hand, was well known for his constancy once he had found a version of each piece that fully suited his own ear and temperament.
While I am admittedly a Segovia fan, I find Bream's renditions to be noticeably fresher and each infused with an aura of presence in the here-and-now which I find especially enjoyable.

The collection is neither complete not `ultimate', but it is VERY good and well worth having in any collection of classical guitar music. In fact, for audiophiles not familiar with this genre, it is a fair place to begin to develop an ear for and a listener's knowledge of and experience with the classical guitar.

I recommend it highly.

Everyone would love this album!.......2007-01-16

This album is fantastic. Easy to listen to and wonderful background music for working or dinner parties

Incredible.......2005-10-24

This is the leading guitar player of his generation at his best.

He is especially amazing in the second CD, with some of the solo guitar transcriptions of Albeniz. His rendition of Rodrigo's three pieces is also sublime.

I can't imagine anybody buying this cd then regretting it.

One well worth the price of two.......2004-09-25

This two cd set is an odd juxtaposition. The first cd consists of a sampler of Bream's career output - but without (and I believe the omission is disgraceful) any acknowledgement of Bream's significant contribution toward the creation of a truly 20th century concert repertoire for guitar. The second cd is a re-release of his superb early 1980's recording of Albeniz and Granados transcriptions with the added bonus of a sublime interpretation of the "Three Spanish Pieces" by J Rodrigo.

Speaking as a musician I find the selections and the production of the first cd problematic. We get a few of the more lightweight examples of renaissance lute and baroque guitar (but no JS Bach and no (solo) baroque lute work); we get no vihuela repertoire and nothing truly representative of classical period composition. We do have all six movements from two contrasting concertos but the remainder of the cd consists mostly of neo-romantic repertoire from the twentieth century. Worse still, the recording quality is highly variable; for example one of the Villa Lobos pieces sounds as though it was recorded in an indoor swimming complex. Given the cd's title more care should have been taken to better represent Bream's career and musical diversity. In the opinion of one familiar with Bream's output this is a disappointing selection. Well played but not representative of the artist nor the art form.

However the opposite is the case with the second cd. These recordings were made at a time when Bream set out to commit to (then) vinyl, via the guitar, the musical heritage of Spain. Bream here was at the height of his interpretive power - and a fine film documentary also resulted from this endeavour.

The inclusion of the Rodrigo set makes this cd a better buy than the original Albeniz and Granados recording, although those who find this compilation rewarding might perhaps profit from researching Bream's catalogue, and adding the complete recording from which the Rodrigo is sourced (circa 1980-90) to their collection.

As for the Albeniz and Granados Bream offers his own transcriptions. These tread a fine line between fidelity to the piano scores and Bream's concept of what works on the guitar. As a general observation Bream seeks to include significantly more of the original score's textures than do many of his peers (e.g. J Williams, P Romero). At the same time he is not averse to significantly modifying the original (e.g. amongst others 'Granada' and 'Cordoba'). Such a process is part of any transcription but here the results are not only excellent but also personal to Bream, as a result we have further confirmation of the craft of a great performing artist.

Every listener will discover their own favourites and I have more than space allows me to relate. I believe that Bream brings more expression to his performances of the Valses Poeticos by Granados than any other guitarist I have heard, and the Passacaglia by Rodrigo is played with such a sense of a brooding menace that my spine tingles every time I listen to it.

The second cd alone is worth twice the compilation's asking price.

Average customer rating:

Dedicated to experts?
Zappa Attempts Stockhausen
The Yello Shark, performed by the Modern Music Ensemble
ZAP!
A Frank Zappa Treasure. Better than many of his CDs

The Yellow Shark

Manufacturer: Zappa Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Jazz From Hell
Make a Jazz Noise Here
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Uncle Meat
Burnt Weeny Sandwich

ASIN: B0000009VU
Release Date: 1995-05-30

Tracks:

Intro
Dog Breath Variations
Uncle Meat
Outrage At Valdez
Times Beach II
III Revised
The Girl In The Magnesium Dress
Be-Bop Tango
Ruth Is Sleeping
None Of The Above
Pentagon Afternoon
Questi Cazzi Di Piccione
Times Beach III
Food Gathering In Post-Industrial America, 1992
Welcome To The United States
Pound For A Brown
Exercise #4
Get Whitey
G-Spot Tornado

Amazon.com

Released shortly after his death in 1993, The Yellow Shark represents one of the only accurate performances of Frank Zappa's "serious" orchestral music--at least as far as the composer was concerned. Assembled from a series of sold-out performances in Germany by the Ensemble Moderne, the set includes re-workings of old favorites like "The Dog Breath Variations" and "Uncle Meat," live arrangements of some of his hairiest computer music like "The Girl in the Magnesium Dress" and "G-Spot Tornado" and new works by Zappa composed specifically for the event. The performances are astonishing and the music? Pure Zappa. --Andrew Boscardin

Album Description

The 26-member Ensemble Modern performs FZ's 'most-humanly-impossible-to-play' compositions. Piano duets, string quintets & small ballets. Simply exquisite, with a 60-page booklet to explain it all. Originally released in 1993, it stayed on the classical chart for most of `94. Includes the tracks 'Outrage At Valdez,' 'None Of The Above,' & 'Welcome To The United States', plus arrangements of some of the most fiendishly difficult pieces from FZ's back catalogue & even a 'greatest hit' or two (some would pick this as the definitive version of 'Dog Breath Variations'). Sadly, this was the last album released by FZ during his lifetime. The didipak and the booklet are housed in a slipcase. Rykodisc.

Customer Reviews:

Dedicated to experts?.......2007-06-25

Frank Zappa was very proud of this great and difficult work done at the end of his (too short) life.
It requires also great concentation and a capability that probably I don't have to well understand this kind of experimental classic music.
It goes beyond the experimental rock that is typical of many of his works, leading him to the level of great contemporary experimental classic composers.
Given such a level of difficulty I don't know how much I can suggest to buy it. You just should try to hear at this music and decide if it does fit with your soul (how could I believe just a few years ago that today I would like so much 'Your funeral my trial' of Nick Cave?)

Zappa Attempts Stockhausen.......2007-02-13

FZ goes to Germany to upstage Karlheinz and tries an avant garde stage performance which is an elegant and popular form of expression in Germany. The Germans have perfected this type of marriage between romanticism and neoclassicism. In this case it's an overly technical performance, a display. The orchestra all sound good yet Zappa has given the music to another conductor, Peter Rundel. There is no rhythm section and without a background the result is too intellectual.

The Yello Shark, performed by the Modern Music Ensemble.......2007-01-19

This CD addresses the more serious, compositional aspect of Frank Zappa's career, and it could not be addressed in a more suitable manner. It includes some of FZ's more difficult works, such as "Bee Bop Tango", "Uncle Meat", and "G-Spot Tornado". The conductor is Peter Rundel, and as Zappa says himself, he is a fine conductor. This is highly recommended for anyone who has already developed a taste for Zappa's complex and imaginative arrangements.

ZAP!.......2006-01-20

Trying to define this album to my good friend was hard. "Well it's Zappa's songs done with an orechestra, but's not really classical sounding . . . it's just Zappa." And my friend just simply nodded and said "Sounds awesome." and i realized that if any reviewer would've just said 'It's Zappa!' it wouldn't take much more to sway me. so - It's Zappa! And it's damn near perfect it's so good! Riveting!!!

Be warned! You may like nobody (musically or real life) or anything (musically or real life) ever again after listening to this album, but it's not that big of a deal!

A Frank Zappa Treasure. Better than many of his CDs.......2005-07-29

`The Yellow Shark', with words and music by Frank Zappa is a collection of `chamber music' pieces recorded in 1993 in Germany, performed by a German orchestra, `Ensemble Modern', which, I believe, commissioned Herr Zappa to assemble these pieces for their concerts. In the accompanying booklet, Frank is pictured with a baton in hand, but the credits only have him conducting three pieces, those with a very significant spoken word aspect (all spoken in English). He also makes a brief appearance at the beginning of the CD where he introduces the Ensemble Modern conductor, Peter Rundel.

This recording is probably one of the very last to be done by Zappa himself, before his unexpected death due to illness. Of all the musical figures of the 1960s lost to us over the years, I miss Zappa almost as much as I miss John Lennon, and I am very happy that if we had to lose them, it was not to drugs or any other kind of self abuse.

There are fourteen musical pieces and three `spoken word' pieces on the recording. I confess that the spoken word pieces may actually be a bit dated, especially the `Welcome to the United States' track on a questionnaire for immigrants which makes a reference to terrorism which may seem entirely too glib in our current environment.

Two of the earliest tracks `Dog Breath Variations' and `Uncle Meat' are instantly recognizable from their music and titles as `quotes' from earlier albums, with very little `classical' varnish over their strongly jazzy sound. Most of the other musical pieces have more subtle quotes from earlier Zappa works, and demonstrate influences from George Gershwin, Kurt Weill, the movie music from `Spartacus', and his old mentor, Edgar Varese.

I noticed that the applause on these tracks was louder than the music and I was wondering whether the audience was appreciating the music itself or the presence of that formidable 1960's icon, Frank Zappa. I'm sure it was a little bit of both, but Zappa and audience couldn't resist quoting from one of his best albums, `The Mothers Fillmore East - June 1971'.

I think this quote was entirely appropriate, in that we owe so much musical innovation to the popular musical performers who were nutured by 1960's, producing such wonders as Zappa and the great bands such as The Rolling Stones and The Who, who are still scoring our artistic perceptions on both commercials and dramatic themes on TV.

This may not be Zappa's greatest album, but it is one of his cleanest. Like `Hot Rats', there is very little `throw away' material. And, it is one of the very few pop or classical recordings by a major musical figure where you will hear the performance of a didgeridoo (Australian aborigonal flute).

Highly recommended for Zappa fans and fans of 1960s music in general.

The King's Noyse, dir. David Douglass: Royal Delight: 17th Century Ballads & Dances

Average customer rating:

The King's Noyse, dir. David Douglass: Royal Delight: 17th Century Ballads & Dances

Manufacturer: Harmonia Mundi Fr.
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Italian Renaissance Dances
Italian Renaissance Dances, Vol. 2

ASIN: B00099FVD8
Release Date: 2005-09-13

Tracks:

The King's Delight
All In A Garden Green
Gathering Peascods
Blew-Cap For Me
Fortune My Foe
Browning
Jog On
Courante - Packington's Pound
Daphne
Huntsuppe
The Lovely Northerne Lasse
Tantz
O Nachbar Roland
Dulcina
As Att Noone Dulcina Rested
Grimstock
Robin Is To The Greenwood Gone
Ricercar - Bonny Sweet Robin
A Light Hearts A Jewell
Child Grove
Easter Thursday
The Beggar Boy
Mr. Isacc's Maggot
The Little Barley-Corne

Tracks:

The Happy Meeting
Boatman
Trip And Go
Barbara Allen's Cruelty
Preludium
Browning My Dear
Hollis Berrie
New Castle
Newmarket
Now, O Now, I Need Must Part
Coockow As I Me Walked
Sing Care Away
Souches Marche
Emperor Of The Moon
Tickle My Toe
I Smell A Rat
Wilson's Wilde
Walsingham
Begone, Sweit Night
Strawberries And Cream
The Queen's Delight
Half Hanniken
Nottingham Ale

Average customer rating:

Don't Be Scared...
Not his best
Do Not Shake A Baby !!!
Really "cool"
Amazing

Return of the Candyman
Charlie Hunter & Pound For Pound
Manufacturer: Blue Note Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Duo
Natty Dread
Ready...Set...Shango!
Bing, Bing, Bing!
Right Now Move

ASIN: B000006DFP
Release Date: 1998-03-10

Tracks:

Bongo Confront
Enter The Dragon
Fly Like An Eagle
Dope-A-Licious
Mystic Relaxation
Return Of The Candyman
Pound For Pound
Grinch Comfort
People
Shake, Shake It Baby
Turn Me Loose
Huggy Bear
Of Things To Come

Amazon.com

On his fifth release, eight-string guitar virtuoso Charlie Hunter drops the horn section. Joined by long-standing drummer Scott Amendola, and new additions Stefon Harris on vibes and John Santos on percussion, Hunter unleashes a series of 13 groove-heavy numbers, including a cover of Steve Miller's "Fly Like an Eagle." The rhythm section is strong and Hunter's playing is masterful as always. Nevertheless, the individual tracks have a tendency to blur into one another due to the somewhat homogeneous sound of the vibraphone. It's a good effort, though not his best. --Percy Keegan

Customer Reviews:

Don't Be Scared..........2005-07-27

on this quartet release, it's hunter on 8-string guitar, his much hyped labelmate stefon harris on vibes, john santos playing percussion, and scott amendola on drums. charlie hunter went to a new level on return of the candyman. it's a strange combination of instruments for today's ears, and it is usually quite refreshing. plus, hunter's solos are much stronger than in the past, his playing is deeper, and his style is less restricted. it's every bit as funky as his previous albums, but the jazz licks he plays on this one are way better. the addition of a vibes makes the music sound much more spatial, even graceful at times, and, more importantly, gives hunter more of a chance to be a guitar player. check out that horrible album cover too. creepy!

Not his best.......2004-01-17

This is a decent cd, but I was much more impressed by the albums Charlie Hunter and Duo.

As previous reviewers have noted, yes, there are a lot of vibes. If you don't like vibes, you might not dig this album. There is nothing wrong with the way they were recorded.

Some of the things I didn't like were the cover of Fly like an Eagle, which I find semi-tolerable as a pop song and annoying as a jazz tune. Also there are some really cool jams that meld together, one of which I think was based on a tribe called quest song, but they are too short! Charlie should have spent more time grooving on this album, and less time covering Steve Miller songs.

Do Not Shake A Baby !!!.......2001-08-29

Excellent music. Too much vibraphone though.
When I ordered this CD, I was hesitant because
of the mistaken title of track 10,
"shake, shake a baby"
track 10 is "shake, shake it baby"
good CD,less vibraphone and it would of got 5 stars !

Really "cool".......2000-04-26

This is one of those albums that defines the feeling of "cool", "where it's at, daddy". Pop on this CD and turn your living room into a jazz nightclub for 13 groovy songs.

Amazing.......1999-10-17

Wow, this album is really cool. Charlie Hunter is an amazin player. I don't know why everybody's talking about the vibes; I think they're great!

Average customer rating:

You don't need a Wayback machine
A Very Good Compilation of Elizabethan Music
Light classics with historical charm

Elizabeth's Music

Manufacturer: Dorian Recordings
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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The Mad Buckgoat - Ancient Music of Ireland
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Codex Faenza: Instrumental Music of the Early 15th Century

ASIN: B00000IGPC
Release Date: 1999-03-23

Tracks:

Jane Pickering Lute Book: The Queen's Treble
Consort Lessons: O Mistris Mine (Twelfth Night)
Consort Lessons: My Lord Oxenfords Maske
Robin Is To The Greenwood Gone
Why Ask You
Paduana - Lachrymae
The Fifth Galliard (My Lady Nevell's Book)
Shall I Come Sweet Love To Thee?
In Darkness Let Me Dwell
Packington's Pound
Never Weather-Beaten Sail
It Was A Lover And His Lass
Howells Delight
Green Garters
There Were Three Ravens
(Ballet Lute Book c.1590): Greensleeves
(Thysius Lute Book c.1600): Greensleeves
Greensleeves
See, See The Shepherd's Queen
Willy Prithee Go To Bed
Now Is The Month Of Maying
Weep You No More, Sad Fountains
Beauty, Since You So Much Desire
Fine Knacks For Ladies
Captain Digorie Piper's Galliard
My Lord Willoughby's Welcome Home
Melancholy Galliard
My Lady Hunsdon's Puffe
Fortune My Foe
Queen Elizabeth's Galliard
Mrs. Winter's Jump

Customer Reviews:

You don't need a Wayback machine.......2001-12-05

Just get a CD like this one to get a broad brush review of the popular hits of the late 1500s. While I would have liked a few more recorder pieces, almost every cut was interesting in its own way. If you want just one early music CD with English songs, this is probably the one to get.

A Very Good Compilation of Elizabethan Music.......2001-09-27

"Elizabeth's Music" is a great cd to listen to if you are an enthusiast of ballads, the lute or old fashioned jigs. This cd really puts you in the alehouses, courts and courtyards of the Elizebethan age. The music is preformed well and the voices are very authentic and beautiful. The CD loses one star because most of the songs are on other Dorian-released CDs! I got the cd and found out most of the songs were the exact same ones on my "Shakespeare's Music" CD and other Dorian CDs. Ah well. All Elizabethan enthusiasts will enjoy this eclectic collection.

Light classics with historical charm.......2000-01-07

Really enjoyed this CD. Light and pleasant, without being too pretentious. Great background music for home or office.

Michael Praetorius: Dances from Terpsichore (1612)

Average customer rating:

Fabulous performances, but this is NOT just violin music!!
Praetorius without his crumhorn

Michael Praetorius: Dances from Terpsichore (1612)

Manufacturer: Hyperion UK
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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English Renaissance Music

ASIN: B00005LDAW
Release Date: 2001-07-10

Customer Reviews:

Fabulous performances, but this is NOT just violin music!!.......2005-06-02

Praetorius's famous collection of dances entitled 'Terpsichore' (1612) surely needs no introduction - indeed recordings of it are available in abundance. What undoubtedly sets this one apart from previous readings is that this is the first to use predominantly stringed instruments - violin band, violin consort, lutes (only track 23 departs from this norm, where bagpipes and pipe & tabor are added to the violin band to bring out the rustic element of the title - 'Bransle de villages'). This excellent recording can be recommended without hesitation. The playing is generally superb, and includes some of the best available performances of some of the more famous dances (e.g. tracks 13 and 31). The lute intabulation arrangements also work well (most obviously in track 32) creating a distinctly French sound-world rarely exploited on previous 'Terpsichore' renditions. Praetorius's dances are complemented with some attractive contemporary lute works by Nicolas Vallet and Jean-Baptiste Besard, amongst which listeners will probably recognize the 'Bransles de villages' (track 22) from Respighi's 'Ancient Airs and Dances' suite.

However, is it fair to argue (as Holman does, liner notes p.7) that 'the collection was primarily intended for violins'...? Evidence to support this hypothesis comes primarily from Praetorius's preface, which indicates that the dances were composed by French dancers known chiefly as good violinists or lutenists (in particular Pierre Francisque Caroubel, who contributed many of the dances and had recently spent some time at the Wolfenbuttel court, where Terpsichore was published). Yet Praetorius's preface also refers to 'bowed and wind instruments' when describing 'loud and soft' repetitions within a dance, and also explicitly notes the suitability of adapting the dances for domestic ensemble ('...oder fur furstliche Tafeln / oder nur "in convivius" enzig zum Vergnugen...'). Given that Praetorius was in fact German (NOT French!) and that Terpsichore was published in Germany rather than for a French market in France, it is impossible to isolate his comments on this topic from similar collections published in Germany which testify to the continued popularity of the viol consort there. William Brade's collections of near identical music (of Paduanas, Galliards, Ballets,...etc) from Hamburg, 1614 and 1617, for example, indicate that they can be 'pleasingly executed on all kinds of instruments' and 'particularly on viols' ('...auf allen musicalischen Instrumenten und insonderheit auff Fiolen lieblich zu gebrauchen...').

In addition, it is equally illogical to suggest that the 'Passameze pour les cornetz' [CCLXXXVIII a 6, F.C.] - the only dance in Terpsichore with a specified instrumentation - represents the exception rather than the rule, i.e. only one dance out of 312 not intended for violin band/consort. Both contemporary accounts and other French music collections of the period confirm that the repertory of the French violinists was not as separate as Holman implies (liner notes p.7). The 'Recueil de plusieurs airs par Andre Danican Philidor' [B.N. de France, Res. F. 494] - again of music near identical to Terpsichore in style/form - includes numerous contemporaneous pieces which are given the addendum 'joue par les Grands hautbois' or 'fait pour les Cornetz [1601]' alongside (for example) a suite of music for a 'Concert donne a Louis 13 en 1627 par les vin[g]t quatres viollons et les 12 Grand Hautbois.' Let us not forget that the 'Passameze pour les cornetz' in Terpsichore was in fact written by one of the French violinists (Caroubel)!!!!!!!!

In short, this CD presents one very plausible way in which these dances from Terpsichore were played, and the performances can definitely be recommended - just so long as the justification behind excluding any other instruments (viols or wind instruments) is accepted with a degree of caution!

Praetorius without his crumhorn.......2003-06-14

If you've been put off Praetorius in the past by the liberal use of flatulent period wind instruments and harsh percussion, you might try this fine recording. Strings, bowed and plucked, take the spotlight here and the result is very pleasing. Hyperion can always be relied upon to provide nice sonics and the performers are in excellent form. Some might prefer more demonstrative playing, but the slightly laid-back approach here is highly enjoyable and sounds totally valid.

Popular Tunes in 17th Century England /Broadside Band * Barlow

Average customer rating:

Very enjoyable!

Popular Tunes in 17th Century England /Broadside Band * Barlow

Manufacturer: Harmonia Mundi Fr.
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Italian Renaissance Dances, Vol. 2

ASIN: B000027O8J
Release Date: 1993-11-11

Tracks:

London Tunes: Hyde Park
London Tunes: Maiden Lane
London Tunes: St. Paul's Wharf
London Tunes: Tower Hill
London Tunes: Gray's Inn
Country Dances: Cuckolds All In A Row
Country Dances: Merry Milkmaids We
Country Dances: Woodicok
Country Dances: Newcastle
Four Ballads Mentioned By Shakespeare: Callino Casturame
Four Ballads Mentioned By Shakespeare: Come Live With Me And Be My Love
Four Ballads Mentioned By Shakespeare: Light O'Love
Four Ballads Mentioned By Shakespeare: Jog On
The 17th Century Top Three: 3 Greensleeves
The 17th Century Top Three: 2 Fortune My Foe
The 17th Century Top Three: 1 Packington's Pound
Across The Channel (Imported And Exported Tunes): Chi Passa
Across The Channel (Imported And Exported Tunes): All In A Garden Green
Across The Channel (Imported And Exported Tunes): La Folia
Across The Channel (Imported And Exported Tunes): Quatre Branles
Across The Border: The Clean Contrary Way
Across The Border: Gilderoy
Across The Border: Gilliecrankie
Across The Border: The Miller Of The Dee
John Playford's English Dancing Master: The New Exchange: Go From My Window
John Playford's English Dancing Master: The New Exchange: The New Exchange
John Playford's English Dancing Master: Kettle Drum: Kettle Drum
John Playford's English Dancing Master: Kettle Drum: Kettle Drum
John Playford's English Dancing Master: Kettle Drum: Tpt Tune
John Playford's English Dancing Master: Kettle Drum: The Indian Queen Or The New Bourree
John Playford's English Dancing Master: A Health To Betty: A Health To Betty
John Playford's English Dancing Master: A Health To Betty: My Mother's Ay Glow'ring O'Er Me
John Playford's English Dancing Master: The Fine Companion: The Fine Companion
John Playford's English Dancing Master: The Fine Companion: The Merry Companion
John Playford's English Dancing Master: The Fine Companion: The Boon Companion
John Playford's English Dancing Master: The Healths: The Healths
John Playford's English Dancing Master: The Healths: The Healths
John Playford's English Dancing Master: The Healths: La Bourree
John Playford's English Dancing Master: The Healths: The Glory Of The West
John Playford's English Dancing Master: The Healths: St. Paul's Steeple
John Playford's English Dancing Master: The Healths: Jack Pudding
John Playford's English Dancing Master: The Healths: Parson's Farewell

Customer Reviews:

Very enjoyable!.......2002-11-05

The tunes in John Playford's The English Dancing Master have been recorded frequently and are a staple in English country dance circles. Jeremy Barlow and the Broadside Band present here some of the best renditions of these tunes that are currently available on CD. I strongly recommmed this CD for anyone interested in Renaissance music, country dance music, or just plain ole' fun music.

The King's Delight: 17th Century Ballads for Voice & Violin Band - Paul O'Dette / The King's Noyse / David Douglass

Average customer rating:

A "folksy", crossover approach to 17th century English music
Gentle sounds such as these will always enjoy command over t
I don't get it. . .the singing is excellent!
lovely instrumentals, shrill vocals
Awesome Renaissance Music

The King's Delight: 17th Century Ballads for Voice & Violin Band - Paul O'Dette / The King's Noyse / David Douglass

Manufacturer: Harmonia Mundi
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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The King's Noyse, dir. David Douglass: Royal Delight: 17th Century Ballads & Dances

ASIN: B0000007DZ
Release Date: 1994-03-01

Tracks:

The King's Delight
All In A Garden Green
Gathering Peascods
Blew-Cap For Me
Fortune My Foe
Browning
Jog On
Courante: Packington's Pound
Daphne
Huntsuppe
The Lovely Northerne Lasse
Tantz
O Nachbar Roland
Dulcina
As Att Noone Dulcina Rested
Grimstock
Robin Is To The Greenwood Gone
Ricercar: Bonny Sweet Robin
A Light Hearts A Jewell
Child Grove
Easter Thursday
The Beggar Boy
Mr. Issac's Maggot
The Little Barley-Corne

Customer Reviews:

A "folksy", crossover approach to 17th century English music.......2006-04-29

"The King's Delight": 17th Century Ballads for Voice and Violin Band by William Byrd, Michael Praetorius, John Whitfield, Johann Schultz, Samuel Scheidt, William Brade, Thomas Simpson and various anonymi, including traditional pieces arranged by David Douglass. Performed by The King's Noyse (Ellen Hargis, soprano; David Douglass and Robert Mealy, renaissance violins; Jane Starkman and Scott Metcalf, renaissance violas; Emily Walhout, bass violin) and Paul O'Dette, lute and cittern.
Recorded in November, 1992, at the Campion Center, Boston, Massachussetts. Harmonia Mundi HMU 907101. Total time: 72'43".

Although the music here is highly entertaining in itself, this CD should really only be heard after studying Jack Ashworth's informative booklet notes, and preferably also with some knowledge of 16th and 17th century English music. This period in English musical history is generally associated with the "viol consort" in which a group of differently-sized "viols" or "violas da gamba" played together with the musicians sitting around a set of notes, sometimes accompanied by a recorder or voice. This kind of music is quite ethereal but probably does not reflect the reality of life in early 17th century England (the epoque of Shakespeare, Webster and Jonson). In recent years it has been established that not only the nasal-sounding "viol", but also the violin was played "in consort", and various musicians have gone about re-creating this sound. Among the first were The Parley of Instruments in England and The King's Noyse in the USA, who here present their first-ever disk containing so-called "broadside ballads", interspersed with dance tunes, some of which have been delivered down to us in manuscript, others of which are of more traditional nature and have been arranged by David Douglass for this particular variety of consort. There are also three solos by that miracle of lute-playing, Paul O'Dette, using a different instrument each time. The effect of the whole is quite "folksy", approaching in some ways a "crossover" approach. The gentle strings of the instrumental pieces are captivating, while Ellen Hargis does a great job of making her ballads sound as they might have done in a 17th century tavern, including using a regional English accent. Her singing is, of course, not always "beautiful", with some quite harsh leaps and the recording venue producing some pretty sharp echoing at louder points - not something everyone will appreciate, but definitely contributing to the "authenticity" of the recording, insofar as there can be such a thing with music from such a distant period. I purchased this CD because it was awarded "Disk of the Month" status in a German-language Early Music magazine.

Gentle sounds such as these will always enjoy command over t.......2004-07-08

The selections on this disc are quite nice, on par with "The Queen's Delight" disc also from the same artists.

The tone of some selections is a bit more serious perhaps, but I wish to offer that Ellen Hargis' fine soprano voice lends great magic and power to the vocal selections. And though I am sensitive to harsh or annoying sound, that is not, I found, the case with her work here. The ear of the beholder is all-important, of course, and we all have our preferences.

The graceful and elegant work of The King's Noyse will warm your heart, gladden your spirits, and engender your gratitude and curiosity for that unique period of time which gave rise to these ballads. Gentle sounds such as these will always enjoy command over time.

I don't get it. . .the singing is excellent!.......2004-06-29

Other reviewers love the instrumental selections and berate the singing. Personally I find the purity of tone of the singer absolutely captivating. I do not hear any shrillness at all. The recorded sound seems ideal for this music, and all performers, singer and instrumentalists, are top notch, as is the selection of compositions on this CD. Highly recommended.

lovely instrumentals, shrill vocals.......2001-12-19

This is one CD that doesn't get much play at my home. The instrumental work is very nicely done and very enjoyable to listen to (I'd give that part 5 stars). If I knew how to rip the files into MP3 format and make a selected play list, I'd listen to some selections all the time. The big negative for this CD is the vocal work. The soprano does not have a very pretty voice in the first place, and she seems to delight in singing everything a bit too slowly- thus there is no flow of musical phrasing and zero momentum to the songs. I can't stand her emphasis on interval leaps here- it's hard to describe, but the result is rather like fingernails on a chalk board. The vocal leaps are certainly in tune, but her style is shrill and brash. She only allows her voice to flower when in really high register. On top of the emphasis on shrill interval jumps, they apparantly decided to record these in an echo chamber. The overall result is so shrill and brash and uncomfortable that I rarely take out this recording to enjoy the gorgeous violin band work.

There are few clips available that demonstrate this unpleasentness on the amazon site, but you could listen carefully to the "att noone dulcina rested" snippet for an example. For much nicer vocal presentations of some of the very same ballads, you may prefer Custer La Rue's incredible voice on "art of the bawdy song" recorded by Baltimore consort (which is flawed by the recordings included by the "merry companions"), or the very old "pills to purge melancholy" recording by the City waites.

Awesome Renaissance Music.......2000-09-29

Don't miss this CD is you love renaissance music played on period instruments. Lively and delightful to listen to. It will sweep your heart away!

Average customer rating:

Hi ho... White Stripes fans read...
uh, okay but lacking presence....
(definitely more like 4.5 stars) Rock is not that dead....
Just doesn't stick.....
Houses of the Holy

Pound for Pound
Royal Trux
Manufacturer: Drag City
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Thank You

ASIN: B00004THKQ
Release Date: 2000-06-06

Tracks:

Call Out The Lions
Fire Hill
Platinum Tips
Accelerator (The Original)
Deep Country Sorcerer
Sunshine And Grease
Blind Navigator
Teenage Murder Mystery
Small Thief
Dr. Gone

Amazon.com

You never know which Royal Trux you're going to get--and often you get different versions of the band on the same record. Subject to the whims of its two mercurial creators, Neil Hagerty and Jennifer Herrema, RT can either deliver boogie-laden hard-rock guitar workouts or spacy half-finished jams that force the listener to fill in the blanks. Currently a five-piece, they create hard rock much as you might expect a band raised on Neil Young's Crazy Horse and Big Black. The rhythms sway with a hypnotic and lazy gait, the guitars alternate between sweet, bluesy licks and psychotic shocks of distorted overload. No one can sing, but they can all rasp with the reckless abandon of an old blues shouter or anonymous garage-rock screamer. "Deep Country Sorcerer" accesses a free-jazz vibe by its conclusion. "Sunshine and Grease" sounds like an old-time R&B tune being massacred by a punk rock band. There is little middle ground for Royal Trux. You either love their irreverence or wonder what bizarre planet you've accidentally stumbled upon. --Rob O'Connor

Customer Reviews:

Hi ho... White Stripes fans read..........2002-10-19

This is the band The White Stripes are trying to be.. The thing is that Royal Trux are veterans. Just look at all their releases and how the sytles change so much yet remain so clever as Neil Hagerty always comes up with great songs with co-Trux Jennifer Herrema (again a rocky relationship as with the Stripes).. They're, a 2 piece with some stand in friends at times and live. From the ashes of the Pussy Galore camp..with bands like Boss Hog, John Spencer Blues Explosion destroy what other new-comers are trying to pull off now. Sure Pussy Galore was full of extenstive drug use, and so that continued into all spin-offs of that infamous band but it doesn't hinder them. RT being infamous for their taste of opiates have cleaned up some (probably on methadone now). They rock, Neil plays a Mean guitar with a great voice (cathy guitar/vocal mix), Jennifer has a voice that will make you toss your "new found band" The White Stripes out the door as she is a great singer/co-songwriter. How can you not dig lyrics from her like "When I was 12 and my and my *** was up for grabs, those kids at school had bedroom religions such as me, something was wrong with them, how do you get any of whats going on..they just genuflect and choke it back...". Royal Trux CAN play and do it well.

Reason I have to bring up The White Stripes (not that I really dislike them) is the fact they are attempting EXACTLY what Royal Trux have been doing since the '80s without the intensity/musicianship/song writing/passion of team Neil/Jennifer.

This new "garage punk revival" is a joke. Sure the newer bands are okay (Hives rock 'tho for the main mentioned bands lately) at best but sorry they cannot compare to veterans of lo-fi/noise of the Trux, Sonic Youth, JSBE, Sebadoh & Folk Implosion, Pavement, Sammy etc etc...

People mention Velvets, MC5, Stooges, Stones, Kinks etc (Neil was the mastermind behind PG's Exile On Main Street full album cover) and other prodigies yet it's been done and still is by masters, why bother with subpar?

Royal Trux can do it all, lo-fi, garagey rock, punk, trash-thrash, 60's punk-70's hard rock-punk-power pop, experiMental, psychedelic, blues, singalong pop, jazz and pull it off blending them all. So many albums/eps/45's to choose from I can't pick a favorite. Depends on what mood I'm in as to what Trux I'll listen too, it's all good and mindblowing...

Junkie Nurse on the Ray O Vac!

uh, okay but lacking presence...........2002-09-06

I've tried and tried to tune into this album, but it doesn't click for me. I love the opening track, 'Call out the Lions', 'Fire Hill' (except for that aggravating Woody Woodpecker guitar solor - YUCK) and 'Deep Country Sorcerer', but that's about it. I can't even make it past Deep Country Sorcerer - i lose interest real fast. not great. You want ROYAL TRUX great? get THANK YOU, VETERANS OF DISORDER and ACCELERATOR. Thanks for reading.

(definitely more like 4.5 stars) Rock is not that dead...........2001-03-23

...as long as there are bands such as RT around! Basically Royal Trux are the musical equivalent of a party that has run amok. They can't absolutely sing (in fact their voices are so off-key that you'll wonder if they're being out of tune on purpose) but that just adds to their charm. This record is filled with blues-rock and boogie-rock inspired tracks (only that they don't sound like the average boogie-rock number, they're more like a noisy and mad version of the Rolling Stones). I love this album!!

Just doesn't stick............2000-11-02

I have great expectations for Royal Trux records. VETERANS OF DISORDER, THANK YOU, and CATS AND DOGS are favorites because they evoke a mood in the listener unlike this new one. Sure we got riffs and anthems and a "big" production, but where's the dirt and meat? I either want some failed experiments (as on SWEET SIXTEEN) or some blatant statement rock and roll (like the Dylanesque ACCELERATOR). The rhythm section is skilled but has no chemistry, the riffs are bluesy and distorted but are not infectious. With the exception of the soft-rock hit jokes "Sunshine and Grease" and "Small Thief" there is not a thing to write home about. The drums sound weak with two much studio reverb. The album ends before the band ever really gets in the pocket, as if they all met in the same town one night and threw together the songs they all knew. If any other band's name was on this 3rd-rate Grand Funk-clone excrement they'd be laughed straight out of amazon.com. This band scored way too much dough from Virgin Records to be able to get away with putting out an album this half-baked. At times Royal Trux can almost seem like the perfect rock band. Maybe next album they'll get back around to it.

Houses of the Holy.......2000-07-14

I have enjoyed--well, maybe not exactly enjoyed--have listened to Royal Trux--for years, and eagerly await each new CD. This is especially true since they returned to Drag City, stayed clean, and started churning out more and more glorious skronk. Well, as soon as I got home and put on Pound for Pound, I realized that someone at the CD store had accidently slipped in a missing slab of Led Zepplin. This disc must have been recorded on a day that their whiny-screamy-banshee singer, whatever-his-name-is, ate razor blades washed down with Drano to create the gutteral rasps that only accentuate the power of the music. Let's face it, as RTx discs go, this is only rock and roll.

Tracks:

My Lord Of Oxenfords Maske
Robin Is To The Green Wood Gone
Bonny Sweet Boy
Greensleeves
Take, O Take Those Lips Away
Where The Bee Sucks
Full Fathom Five
O Death, Rock Me Asleep
Fortune My Foe
Robin Is To The Greenwood Gone
Light O' Love
O Mistress Mine
The Dark Is My Delight
Packington's Pound
There Were Three Ravens
Pavane D'Espagne
Green Garters
Kemp's Jig
Come My Celia
Have You Seen But A White Lily Grow
Care, Charming Sleep
Satyrn Dance
Come Away, Hecate
The First Witches Dance
The Second Witches Dance
Tarleton's Resurrection
Now The Lusty Spring Is Seen
The Jewes Dawnce
It Was A Lover And His Lass
Lavolto
La Coronto
Fortune My Foe
The Willow Song

Customer Reviews:

Excellent Shakespeare Compilation.......2001-09-27

This CD has it all: Shakespeare period music for mood and background music, Songs actually written into Shakespeare's plays and talent infused into every track. Every song is done well by talented musicians and vocalists and the selection is great. If you are looking for the songs you see featured in your favorite Shakespeare play and would like to hear them, or would like background music to play while you peruse "The Merry Wives of Windsor" or any other plays from that time period, I recommend this CD.

Evocative Shakespeare.......2000-08-31

To your joy you can find beautiful old english songs of he shakespeare era. Nice selection but incompleet. Recomended for those intrested in Shakesperean plays as well.

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