Finest [Enhanced] [Import]

Finest [Enhanced] [Import]

Track Listings

1. I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles)

2. Better Days

3. Sunshine on Leith

4. Leaving Home

5. Then I Met You

6. Train Went Past the Window

7. Twenty Flight Rock

8. Make My Heart Fly

9. (I'm Gonna) Burn Your Playhouse Down

10. Misty Blue

11. Long Black Veil

12. Not Ever

13. These Arms of Mine

14. Shout Shout

Tracks:

Goodbye Sadness (Tristeza)
The Girl From Ipanema
Meditation
The Face I Love
Corcovado (Quiet Nights Of Quiet Star)
So Nice (Samba De Verao)
A Felicidade
Photograph
It Might As Well Be Spring
Wish Me A Rainbow
Fly Me To The Moon
Crickets Sing For Anamaria
Who Needs Forever?
Insensatez
Berimbau
Come Softly To Me/Hushabye
Trains And Boats And Planes
Canto De Ossanha (Let Go)
I'm Nothin' Without You
In The Wee Small Hours

Customer Reviews:

Astrud Gilberto Fan.......2007-05-14

If you are loking for a disc representative of the best of Astrud Gilberto and what makes her unique sound so attractive then this is a good one to begin with.

What a great way to combat winter!.......2007-04-10

Although I was a bit "put off" by some of the pop tunes, her summery voice & the warm arrangements held the snow at bay!

another time, another place.......2007-01-19

I love this cd. Smooth, jazzy, '60's coolness wrapped up the warmth and simple sounds of Astrud. this so completely sets a mood; late afternoon after a warm day at the beach, nice wine and good company ... what more could you want?

Harmonious Music.......2006-12-14

I bought this CD exclusively for the song, "Girl From Ipanema." I didn't expect to fall in-love with the other wonderful, relaxing, and smooth songs in this CD. I have taken this CD with me to Hawaii, Europe, and even Antarctica. I never get tired of listening to it. Astrud makes me reminisce about the warm calm beaches with her innnocent laid back voice. And on other times, she makes me think that I'm in a Martini bar, sipping Martini and just lounging around. I don't travel anywhere without this CD.

My favorite Astrud Gilberto disc, oozing with carefree ambiance .......2006-11-12

I must confess, only this year have I reacquainted myself with Astrud Gilberto's vocal work of the 1960's. After buying several Verve collections featuring the Brazilian singer, I have settled on this one as my personal favorite. While it's lacking some memorable tunes like The Shadow of Your Smile and Non-stop to Brazil, it more than makes up for this by including obscure recordings not generally found in your typical compilation of greatest hits. The last six numbers are in this category, showcasing Astud's versatility.

When I want to dissolve away the day's stresses I pop in this disc. Set it spinning while you're preparing dinner and marvel how effortless the task becomes. Soon you realize a remarkable carefee ambiance of smouldering sensuality has stealthily posessed you. Time stops as an otherwise ho-hum evening transforms into a delightful escape...

Astrud's voice exudes rapture. Other discs of hers I listen to often are The Silver Collection and Jazz 'Round Midnight. But Finest Hour is my out and out choice for the ultimate Astrud Gilberto single disc collection currently available.

Average customer rating:

How can you go wrong?
WOW
TOP NOTCH!!

Count Basie's Finest Hour
Count Basie
Manufacturer: Umvd Labels
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Blues | Styles | Music

General | Jazz | Styles | Music

Swing General | Swing Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music

Classic Big Band | Swing Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music

Contemporary Big Band | Swing Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

The Very Best of Duke Ellington
The Basie Big Band (20 Bit Mastering)
Chairman of the Board
Straight Ahead
Live at the Sands

ASIN: B000065VBV
Release Date: 2002-05-07

Tracks:

One O'Clock Jump
Topsy
Every Tub
Swingin' The Blues
Blues Backstage
Eventide
April In Paris
Corner Pocket
Shiny Stockings
All Of Me
The Second Time Around
Li'l Ol' Groovemaker...Basie
Count Me In
Doodle-Oodle
Li'l Darlin'
Broadway

Customer Reviews:

How can you go wrong?.......2007-03-25

Great collection from one of the masters of swing (obviously!). An excellent introduction if you just want a single cd from Basie in your collection. Great material.

WOW.......2007-01-11

I purchased this cd for my parents as a gift. They love it!

TOP NOTCH!!.......2002-06-25

This is INDEED Basie's finest hour! It pulls together AWESOME recordings from 1937 to 1969 and contrasts the OLD and NEW Testament bands - both bands are superb. Also, the sound is excellent on ALL recordings even on the ones which are now over 60 yrs. old! The version of Lil Darlin is the best recorded one I've ever heard - it beats the original from the ATOMIC Basie(only by a hair though cause the version on this CD is in STEREO and has SWEETS EDISON on it.)

Tracks:

She Drives Me Crazy
Flame (Radio Edit)
Johnny Come Home
Good Thing
Suspicious Minds
Blue
Ever Fallin in Love
Don't Look Back
Tell Me What
I'm Not the Man I Used to Be
Couldn't Care More
Funny How Love Is
Take What I Can Get
Since You've Been Gone

Album Description

Comprising former English Beat principals Dave Cox (guitar) and David Steele (bass)-plus charismatic lead singer Roland Gift-FYC recorded only two albums, but made a major mark on the pop culture soundtrack of their era.

Customer Reviews:

Fine Finer Finest.......2007-03-30

When the English Beat dissolved in 1983, guitarist Dave Cox and bassist David Steele were left out in the cold. They had to restart a band from scratch, and they went searching for a new vocalist. They found him in Roland Gift, an attractive man with a Sam Cooke voice. Gift was such a striking presence that he was given a Rolling Stone cover minus his bandmates and got named as one of People Magazine's "Most Beautiful People." They found a home on the quirky IRS label in America, so when General Public was getting a head start on chart success, Fine Young Cannibals had a minor success in England with "Johnny Come Home."

That led to the funky yet jazz-smooth debut in 1985, which also saw the band make waves with their soulful cover of Elvis Presley's "Suspicious Minds." It also delivered the politically slanted "Blue." The influences were a bit smoother than the Beat's ska inflection...touched of Motown, Sam Cooke and Otis Redding and jazz all make their forms felt.

While the debut didn't hit the huge acceptance target in 1985, "The Raw & the Cooked" scored a bulls-eye. After taking a four year break, the new album came with a hurricane force of soul, funk and danceable grooves. "She Drives Me Crazy" is blessed with an instantly recognizable guitar blast over a drum machine beat, and deservedly went to number one. So did the follow-up, "Good Thing," which was featured in the movie "Tin Men." (The delightful cover of Buzzcocks' "Ever Fallen In Love" was recorded a few years earlier for Jonathan Demme's "Something Wild" soundtrack.)

"The Raw and The Cooked" remains both FYC's finest achievement and swansong. Gift was notoriously prickly on tour (I saw then in concert, they played 30 minutes, ended and no encores), and then just walked away. He embarked on a movie career that never took off, while Cox and Steele still occasionally release music.

Other than a forgettable remix album, this 1996 best of boasted the first new FYC song in a decade. "The Flame" follows the same easy jazz-pop of the Cannibals' best. What this CD seriously lacks is any liner notes or additional material. No essays, no chart info, nada. It would have been a much more interesting proposition to have this CD with a little something extra. Since this is effectively a compilation of a mere two CD's, I can enthusiastically recommend "The Raw And The Cooked" as a stand alone CD. But if you're just looking to get "She Drives Me Crazy" for your MP3 player, then "The Finest" will do.

One of my favorite CD's.......2005-08-24

This has quickly turned into one of my all-time favorite CD's. I've added almost every song to my iPod, and I am notoriously stingy about adding only my very favorites to the iPod. Love this band, and love this CD!

Good enough to eat........2005-06-06

So they only had two albums, big deal. This "Finest Hits" album easily includes everything it needs to. What's here is a good chunk of their debut, six tracks from the excellent "The Raw And The Cooked" album, and a few extras. I personally like the songs from their second album way more than the first, as they are all extremely good and catchy. They do a great cover of "Suspicious Minds" however. I'd say if you already have the second album this isn't neccessary, but otherwise this is the one to get. I'm sure I'm one of many that's still waiting for more music from Roland Gift. That really would be a "Good Thing".

Average customer rating:

Bossa Nova
A Good Primer For Beginners ; One Mislabeled Track
My third time buying it
Push Time Back II
Music to shag Austin Powers to

Antonio Carlos Jobim's Finest Hour
Antonio Carlos Jobim
Manufacturer: Polygram Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Cuba | Caribbean & Cuba | International | Styles | Music

Brazil | South & Central America | International | Styles | Music

General | International | Styles | Music

General | Latin Music | Styles | Music

Latin Pop | Latin Music | Styles | Music

Bossa Nova | Latin Music | Styles | Music

Folk | Latin Music | Styles | Music

Brazilian Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music

General | Jazz | Styles | Music

Jazz Fusion | Jazz | Styles | Music

Latin Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Wave
Francis Albert Sinatra & Antonio Carlos Jobim
Astrud Gilberto's Finest Hour
Getz/Gilberto
The Girl from Ipanema: The Antonio Carlos Jobim Songbook

ASIN: B00004TWRR
Release Date: 2000-06-27

Tracks:

The Girl From Ipanema
Desafinado
Corcovado
Agua De Beber
O Morro Nao Tem Vez
Insensatez
Samba De Uma Nota So
Meditation
Chega De Saudade
Wave
The Girl From Ipanema
Remember
Un Rancho Nas Nuvens
Aguas De Marco
Inutil Paisagem
Passarim
Looks Like December

Amazon.com essential recording

While Antonio Carlos Jobim is an essential figure in the music of Brazil, he also created a significant place for himself in American music as a great songwriter and a key figure in the tremendous popularity of bossa nova. Apart from his unique melodic gift, what makes Jobim's work memorable is the complexity of mood he could evoke--the touch of sadness that colors the brightest bossa nova, the irony in the midst of joy, and the mixture of delicacy and resilience in his voice and piano. He was an artist who worked primarily in pastels, but it was his sense of shadows that gave his work its most enduring qualities. Including his most famous tunes and collaborators--like "The Girl from Ipanema" with Stan Getz and Astrud Gilberto--Jobim's Finest Hour catches it all, from the standard-bearers to such gems as the playful "Aguas de Marco." --Stuart Broomer

Customer Reviews:

Bossa Nova.......2007-03-29

I love Bossa Nova music. Playful, fun, peaceful. It took a flower sellers insight to tell Antonio Carlos Jobim that he was destined for greater things. It took a flower seller to see the genius of the man and the music. We have loved it ever since.

A Good Primer For Beginners ; One Mislabeled Track.......2007-01-26

For those beginning to explore the music of Antonio Carlos Jobim and Bossa Nova in general, 'Antonio Carlos Jobim's Finest Hour' is a nice first album. The classic versions of "Girl From Ipanema", "Corcovado" and "Desafinado" with Stan Getz and Astrud Gilberto are included with this compilation, but the best material on this CD are the tracks from Jobim's 1963 'The Composer of Desafinado, Plays' album, which are beautiful instrumental versions of his best-known compositions, complete with Claus Ogerman's lush orchestra. Some might think that these particular tracks sound like "Elevator Music", but listen carefully and you'll find a depth of emotion and beauty in Jobim's spare, haunting piano playing and sideman Jimmy Cleveland's trombone solos that will change your preconceptions about lush orchestral music.

One Warning: 'Antonio Carlos Jobim's Finest Hour' has a mislabeled track, "O Morro Nao Tem Vez (AKA Favela)" is actually "Amor Em Paz ("Once I Loved"). Both tracks are from the "The Composer of Desafinado, Plays" album. The latter is the more popular song, but "O Morro Nao Tem Vez" is one of the most underrated songs Jobim ever wrote and a masterpiece in its own right. The remainder of the songs on 'Finest Hour' come from Jobim's other albums dating from the late 1960s, 1970s and 1980s. These tracks do not have the same wondrous beauty as those earlier, 1960s-era cuts, (hence the four star rating) but are still worth your undidvided attention.

My third time buying it.......2006-07-28

I first heard this CD at a friend's house about eight years ago, then heard it again about a year or two after that and absolutely fell in love. Since then, I've moved and re-moved, lost/broke this CD few times, bought new ones, and now it's in my ipod as a favorite! The music is relaxing, uplifting, and Jobim's voice is truly soothing: a true soundtrack for a warm and misty evening stroll through the streets of downtown NYC.

Push Time Back II.......2006-03-20

I completely concur with Miguel Hernandez!

This music reminds me of my childhood times when my father played the Beautiful Music station FM 100 in Chicago - especially "Wave."

Jobim is a master of melody and rhythm.

Highly recommended for your collection.

Music to shag Austin Powers to.......2005-10-07

Just the thing to put on if you're having Jill St. John (or Robert Morse, ladies) over for cocktails.

Listen to the above samples for the feel, but the CD's stereo mix and lush sound far exceed the streaming quality heard here.
Wonderful period stuff.

Average customer rating:

after hours
Nina Simone finally returns home to North Carolina..................
Nina Simone is very real and very Original !!!
She puts a spell on you
1st recording i've heard from Nina

Nina Simone's Finest Hour
Nina Simone
Manufacturer: Polygram Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Jazz | Styles | Music

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

General | R&B | Styles | Music

Traditional Vocal Pop | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music

General | Vocal Pop | Pop | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

After Hours
The Blues
Nina: The Essential Nina Simone
Nina Simone at the Village Gate
The Soul of Nina Simone

ASIN: B00004ST4U
Release Date: 2000-06-13

Tracks:

Love Me Or Leave Me
Wild Is The Wind
I Put A Spell On You
Work Song
Don't Explain
Untitled
Mississippi Goddam
Four Women
Pirate Jenny
I Loves You, Porgy
This Year's Kisses
Little Girl Blue
Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood
Ne Me Quitte Pas
Don't Smoke In Bed

Amazon.com

Nina Simone communicates with a unique force on this Finest Hour collection, a welling, riveting power that's beyond the range of other singers. It's there whether the song is romantic or political, whimsical or sentimental, and these recordings from the 1960s demonstrate the range of material that she could make her own, from Gershwin to Jacques Brel, from Screamin' Jay Hawkins to Nat Adderley. With her own civil rights era anthems like "Mississippi Goddam" and the Brecht-Weill "Pirate Jenny," Simone commands our attention with a profoundly brooding, searing rage, while there's potent sensuality in her "Wild Is the Wind" and Willard Robison's "Don't Smoke in Bed." Whether she's accompanying herself with her spare piano or defying studio orchestras with the intensity of her performance, Simone is a special singer, her art consisting in stripping away the decorative artifice of a song to reveal a molten core beneath. --Stuart Broomer

Customer Reviews:

after hours.......2006-12-16

nina simone's don't explain is a song that's hauntingly familiar, but yet pensive. combined with the elements of her own style of piano playing,
mournful wind instuments along with the lite touch of high hat cymbals,
the song is dark but yet compelling. as her dark voice sings as if she were lamenting, you can't help but venture further and further into
this tapestry of litany. don't explain is one of many songs on her after
hours album.

though her music may not be light and airy, nina simone evokes a lyric and worldly sense of being

Nina Simone finally returns home to North Carolina.........................2006-05-23

......and takes residence in my music collection.
I cannot remember ever being so pleased with a
purchase. This CD not only lives up to
its title, but it also adds further splendor and
dignity to the musical legacy of Nina Simone. Prior
to this CD, I was only remotely familiar with
Simone; mainly by virtue of commercial allusions
or literary accounts of her contributions. Also,
I had been listening to this very recording at work
through computer speakers. HOWEVER, once I heard it at
home, out loud and in surround sound, it left me with
no doubt that Nina Simone added irrefutable substance
to the trite expression: "musical genius."

One could write volumes about the voice alone. In my
opinion it was not a beautiful voice, but rather
an essential tool used toward the construction of
a solid, multi-layered musical palace. Simone's
voice is comparable to that of Maria Callas in
the opera realm: not necessarily the most beautiful,
but by far, the most capable of conveying the
emotional stance of the character/composer.
Both singers were highly aware of their
vocal instrument; proficiently utilizing
it to display the dynamics
of love/hate/joy/despair (et al.) with a frank,
virtuoso flair that not only fell pleasantly on
the ears, but also resounded brilliantly with emotional authenticity.
In the jazz realm, Nina Simone, with her majestically
agile contralto, was unsurpassable in terms of
providing color and life to a song.

In perfect conjunction with the voice is
Simone's amazing musicianship. Her classical
piano training envelopes each composition
and sells it, Donald Trump-style. The arrangements
are intelligent, never overpowering, and replete
with a unique jazz/classical hybrid. From the
opening bars of any given composition, the
listener knows that a masterwork is in the making.
I found myself alternately listening to just
the music or the voice alone. Either way,
the result is the same. Simone's style
adds that subtle element of "cool" that makes
jazz so unspeakably enjoyable.

I could also comment on her life as an activist
or as a staunch supporter of artistic freedom,
but I'll concentrate on the music for now.

Nina Simone's "Finest Hour" is a perfect addition
for longtime fans as well as a bright point of
departure for newfound admirers. A five star
rating doesn't measure even a tenth of the
greatness of this CD. Thank you, Amazon.com for
the availability of this recording
and thank you, God, for Nina Simone.

Nina Simone is very real and very Original !!!.......2005-12-22

This is one of my fav albums of all time and she is an excellent singer with a witty flair and even deeper sense for poetry.

She puts a spell on you.......2005-10-18

This CD is worth owning and cherishing if only for one single song--Simone's cover version of Screaming Jay Hawkins's "I Put a Spell on You." Her jazzy vocals are mind-blowing, and the stuttering smokiness of the trumpet solo midway through the song is worth however much money you have to spend. "Nina Simone's Finest Hour" is a perfect and pristine selection of Simone's greatest recordings, and a must have for anyone who has ears to hear with.

1st recording i've heard from Nina.......2005-07-31

It is very rare to find a voice as unique as Nina Simone's. After hearing a few songs by her i knew that i had to go out and buy one of her records. Unfortunately, the local music store only had various greatest hits record. I decided on this one because i had heard Duke Ellington's Finest Hour, and thought that this one may be worth checking out. Though I enjoyed almost every song on this album, I do not know if the tracks were chosen wisely, having never heard many of Nina's work before. As far as greatest hits albums go, I like this one. I hope to find more material from Nina, and maybe find a release of one of her original records.

Average customer rating:

One of the best albums I own.
WAAAAAAAAAAAAY Under rated!!!!!!
big slab-o-funk rock
Waaay Ahead Of Their Time & Painfully Underrated!!
One of the most underrated albums of the 1970s

Another Mother Further
Mother's Finest
Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | R&B | Styles | Music

General | Soul | R&B | Styles | Music

General | Funk | R&B | Styles | Music

General | Rock | Styles | Music

General | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music

Hard Rock | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music

Psychedelic Rock | Classic Rock | Styles | Music

Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music

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

4-for-3 Hard Rock & Metal | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music

4-for-3 Pop | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music

4-for-3 R&B | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music

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

4-for-3 All Music | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music

The Very Best of Mother's Finest: Not Yer Mother's Funk
Live
Nantucket
Iron Age
Rags to Rufus

ASIN: B00000259T
Release Date: 1989-05-25

Tracks:

Mickey's Monkey
Baby Love
Thank You For The Love
Piece Of The Rock
Truth'll Set You Free
Burning Love
Dis Go Dis Way, Dis Go Dat Way
Hard Rock Lover

Customer Reviews:

One of the best albums I own........2007-01-31

I loved this album when I was in high school, and I love it today. All of the players are great, but Barry Borden (drummer) stands out. The lick in the intro of "Hard Rock Lover" is amazing. "Baby Love" is one of my favorite R&B tracks of all time. The bass and drum stuff is exceptional, and Joyce Kennedy's vocal can stand up to anything. "Mickey's Monkey" is the coolest remake ever. It's an unlikely amalgam of The Miracles' lyric sung over Led Zeppelin's "Custard Pie", and - believe it or not - it works really, really well. This is a great sounding (even from the 70s), well produced rock/funk album. I'd give it 10 stars if I could.

WAAAAAAAAAAAAY Under rated!!!!!!.......2006-07-12

This funked up rock band was before it's time. This is truly tasteful funk at it's best. Joyce has the voice of a true Diva, more soul than today's modern day Divas. Anyone would agree that Joyce can shine just as bright sitting beside all the Arethas, the Gladyses and Tinas. MF is one brilliant mixture of attitude and talent. HOW they ever slid under the radar and missed all the billboard/award blah blah will forever be a mystery to me. Frankly they were short changed and robbed of one heck of a career ride.

big slab-o-funk rock.......2006-06-17

Mother's Finest's "Another Mother Further" made the rounds at my high school when I was just a wee lad in junior high, and it kicked everyone's butt who heard it. From the opening of "Mickey's Monkey" to "Hard Rock Lover" this album was in everyone's heavy rotation. The band, from an Atlanta suburb (my locality), applied a beautiful bone-shattering combination of bass-heavy funk grooves along with serious rock and roll guitars and gospel-tinged vocals mixed together in a bottom-end heavy production that still thumps hard today. "Baby Love" still makes first-time listeners pause or stop to listen a while, it's that good. Even today it's still sounds fresh because this type of high-quality funk/rock never goes completly out of style. Production values are clean and sound better the louder it goes. Earth Wind and Fire have nothing on these guys. They bring the funk and the rock and shove it in your face and down your narrow little throat.

Waaay Ahead Of Their Time & Painfully Underrated!!.......2006-01-31

Man, southern rock / funk interracial hybrid
Mother's Finest was one of the
rockinist-funkiest-slamminest bands ever!

Coming out of Atlanta, GA (Doraville) with a sound all
their own, they were contemporaries with Funk / Rock
pioneers like early Funkadelic, Rufus featuring
Chaka Khan & The Isley Brothers as well as southern
rock icons like Lynyrd Skynyrd, The Allman Brothers,
The Doobie Brothers, etc., but they never-ever got
the love and repsect (sadly!) that they so
richly deserved!
This 1977 album was my first introduction
to them by a then teenaged cousin of mine
and over the next three albums:
This one, 1978's more R&B-influenced but still hot
"Mother Factor", which begat the classic hit
"Love Changes" (probably their most remembered!)
and the blistering "Mother's Finest LIVE" from 1979,
I became a definite fan!
The soulful and powerful vocals of lead singer
Joyce "Babyjean" Kennedy are right up there with
Chaka Khan's, Ann Wilson's and Pat Benetar's for
their penetrative powers!--Talk about underrated!
The band itself was funky and hard rockin' as hell
all at the same time, and their live show was high
energy at it's best!--I saw them in 1979 at age 15!

It's a shame that they aren't mentioned up there with
other 70's rock greats, but I'll be damned if they
don't deserve to be!
There are alot of closet MF fans around the world and
quite a few of their guitar and vocal licks have
found their way into many a rock and R&B
album over the years!
The gems of this album are "Baby Love",
"Truth'll Set You Free", "Thank You For The Love",
"Mickey's Monkey" (a rocked out version of the old Motown classic!)
and their funk / rocky answer to a then
pervading disco sound "Dis Go Dis Way"...
All-n-All a good gem for anyone who digs funky
southern 70's hard rock!---Buy It!

One of the most underrated albums of the 1970s.......2006-01-07

My older sister had this on LP back when it was released. Mother's Finest is one of the most underrated bands of their era. While they had some success, they weren't nearly as successful as they should have been. This is a truly classic album. It is the perfect party album. It is a great blend of hard rock n' roll, funk, & R&B. Bands today just don't make music like this. They all pale in comparison to what was created on this album. It's hard to pick a favorite. They're all classics. Go buy this album. It is very much relevant today. All generations can get off on this stuff.

The Very Best of Mother's Finest: Not Yer Mother's Funk

Average customer rating:

Mother's Finest at their Best!!
Nice CD
Would Be A Platinum Band Today
Come On Everyone calm down!!!!!
My first exposure to funk

The Very Best of Mother's Finest: Not Yer Mother's Funk
Mother's Finest
Manufacturer: Razor & Tie
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | R&B | Styles | Music

General | Soul | R&B | Styles | Music

General | Funk | R&B | Styles | Music

General | Rock | Styles | Music

General | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music

Hard Rock | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music

Psychedelic Rock | Classic Rock | Styles | Music

Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Another Mother Further
Live
Iron Age
Nantucket
First Taste of Sin

ASIN: B000002ZBC
Release Date: 1997-04-22

Tracks:

Mickey's Monkey
Fire
Give You All The Love (Inside Of Me)
Baby Love
Thank You For The Love
My Baby
Truth'll Set You Free
Rain
Dis Go Dis Way, Dis Go Dat Way (12in Version)
Can't Fight The Feeling
Love Changes
Don't Wanna Come Back
Tell Me
I Can't Believe
Somebody To Love (Live)

Customer Reviews:

Mother's Finest at their Best!!.......2007-04-02

This CD is great! All of their best songs on one album - what more could you ask for??

Nice CD.......2004-08-10

Mother's Finest recently Rocked the small town of Culloden, GA and I was there. Seen them 3 times in my youth but for me, this time, they were better than ever. I bought this CD at the concert and stayed a bit after they were done Jamm'in. I got to talk to Moses Mo for about 15 minutes, talked to Doc, John, Wyzard, and got all of their autographs...they signed the CD!!!
Even got Baby Jean's autograph, but didn't get to talk to her as she had many people around her.
I think the CD is a good combination of their work through the years, it allows the "newby" to know their sound and what they are about. I admit that there are some songs that should be on this CD if it truely is a "very best" CD, but only a long time fan would know this. But think about it...if you were in their shoes, would YOU put ALL of your best on one cd? Of course not...you want to continue to sell the others as well.
Most of the songs from "Another Mother Further" are on this cd and it was one of the best albums they put out.
So, I can't complain, I think it's a great CD, but mine is the best cause it has all of the autographs on it!!!
All of the band members are extremely cool and so easy to talk to, they are one of a kind. Very nice people and devoted to their fans.

Would Be A Platinum Band Today.......2003-11-26

Okay, I admit I bought this CD just to re-live my college days here in Tampa listening to Mother's Finest at the Performing Arts Center (as local show bar) in the mid 70s. I expected to play it once and put it down. Boy was I wrong. Twelve of the 15 songs are great, the mastering/sound is fantastic and this group rocks! I just don't get why they didn't "take off ". This is a Pop, Rock, Soul and Fusion CD at its finest (ha ha). Check out the drumming.

Come On Everyone calm down!!!!!.......2003-08-26

Yes Im a huge fan, yes this album is ok. But just ask yourselves. How can a Best Of CD not include ONE track from their 2 best albums by far; Iron Age and "Black Radio.."

Nah, this is ok, but they didnt hit their stride, and WHAT a stride it was, till 1980. Save your money and buy those two great albums Ive already mentioned!

Incidentally Im very very disappointed at their new one, after waiting for over a decade. That is sad!

My first exposure to funk.......2003-05-22

The first & only time I saw Mother's Finest was at Six Flags Over Georgia amusment park in the summer of 1981. A friend said he had two tickets to the show, & that park admission was included in the price. Being a rollercoaster freak, I went with him. I didn't even know who this band was or what they sounded like, but my friend seemed really psyched to be going. Holy *Bleep*! this band was like nothing I had ever seen! The singer was hotter than hell! That lady could sing like nobody else in the world, and she was the finest looking woman! Then I see this white guy playing a guitar laying down a rock riff, while the bassist backs it with a syncopated funk bottom that made everyone move their body. The drummer was playing a beat so sweet & complete that the whole damn house melted down! It truly was the best concert I have ever been to Period. That was 22 years ago, over 100 concerts ago, & the flavor of that total knockout-blow of baptism into funk music still lingers to this day. This is the band by which all funk should be measured. Mother's Finest is the one & only Funk / Rock band you'll ever need. All others pale by comparison.

Average customer rating:

A Wonderful Overview of Shirley Bassey's Music
Warning - Copy Control Software on this CD
Great 2 CD set!

Finest Collection
Shirley Bassey
Manufacturer: EMI Gold Imports
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Shirley Bassey - The Greatest Hits
Four Decades of Song
Complete EMI Columbia Singles Collection
Something
Live at Carnegie Hall

ASIN: B0001M65H4
Release Date: 2004-04-12

Tracks:

Fly Me to the Moon
Something
I've Got You Under My Skin
Somewhere
Moon River
People
Lady Is a Tramp
Goldfinger
Diamonds Are Forever
Let There Be Love
For All We Know
Fool on the Hill
Spinning Wheel
Cry Me a River
Send in the Clowns
Anyone Who Had a Heart
And I Love You So
Feelings

Tracks:

Starlight Express
Don't Cry for Me Argentina
You Made Me Love You
As Time Goes By
Look of Love
Softly as I Leave You
(Where Do I Begin) Love Story
Alone Again (Naturally)
Can't Take My Eyes off You
First Time Ever I Saw Your Face
Killing Me Softly With His Song
Fools Rush In
Tonight
Macavity
Memory
Shadow of Your Smile
What Now My Love
No Regrets

Customer Reviews:

A Wonderful Overview of Shirley Bassey's Music.......2007-05-17

For those who know Shirley Bassey only from "Goldfinger" & "Diamonds Are Forever", she can do so much more. This CD is a perfect example of her incredible versatility and performing excellence, to say nothing of just the sound of that voice. Depending on the song, she can sing sweetly and powerfully as she does on "Cry Me A River" (1959), or with gratitude and poignance on "Love Story" (1971), with the wisdom and acceptance of being foolishly human on "Send In the Clowns" (1975), with the joy and showmanship of a Judy Garland on "You Made Me Love You", with the 'Sassy Bassey'playfulness and power of "Macavity"(1993)from "CATS", and with the sublime longing and and heartache of "The Shadow of Your Smile" (1966).
This 2-CD set gives a wonderful overview of her career from the '50's thru the 90's....and yes, those magnificent Bond songs are included.

Hope

Warning - Copy Control Software on this CD.......2007-02-03

I am a big Shirley Bassey fan and I would rate this CD 5 stars for the song selections, her performance, and sound quality. However, I rate the CD only 1 star because it is encumbered with CD Copy Control software (see Wikipedia for more information on CD Copy Control).

When this CD is inserted into a CD player on a Windows computer, a prompt will pop up saying, "To listen to the CD a number of files need to be updated on your PC. Select OK to install, Cancel to quit the installation process". If you select OK, a number of dll and exe files will be installed from the CD onto your computer. After installation the files will run automatically.

The purpose of these files is to limit what you can do with the CD music you purchased. Copy Control also has a history of causing playback problems on stand-alone CD players. Indeed, the fine print on the back of the CD case regarding Copy Control states, "On some equipment, for example car CD players, playback problems may be encountered."

The good news is that EMI, Sony, and the few other labels that have flirted with Copy Control since 2000 have finally abandoned it. The bad news is that some CDs previously pressed with Copy Control, such as this one, are still being sold.

I would not have purchased this CD if I had known in advance that it was encumbered with Copy Control software. I should add, however, that despite my declining to install the software, I was able to play the CD just fine on my PC using Windows Media Player and several other players. Your mileage may vary. Caveat emptor.

Great 2 CD set!.......2005-08-19

Update! I play this CD on computer and have never been prompted to download software. It plays perfectly on PC, HiFi and car stereo. Now the review....
This is a great value 2 cd set with 36 songs by the great Dame Shirley Bassey. Sadly for the fans and collectors there are no tracks that have not already appeared on cd. Considering that at the time of writing there are six Shirley Bassey UA/EMI albums from the 1970's still not re-released on cd this is unforgivable. However, for the price this collection is well packaged with a 10-page booklet with colour pics. (but all used in other cds and complete with the "usual" biography). The booklet also contains inaccurate detail. It states that the version of "Don't Cry For Me Argentina" is the 1978 version when it is in fact the poor 1993 version from the Sings Andrew Lloyd Webber album. Alone Again (Naturally) is dated 1967 instead of 1976 and The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face states 1982 instead of 1972. Small detail....but why can't they get it right...they are the professionals!! Overall this is a good collection for those who want more than a Greatest Hits cd. Shirley's versions of Killing Me Softly With His Song, The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face, Send In The Clowns, Anyone Who Had A Heart and Feelings are worth the price alone. This is a good collection covering the years 1959 to 1978 plus a few tracks from 1993 that are better skipped. If you are new to the Bassey sound this is a very good introduction.

Average customer rating:

Great album, great band!
Best yet
Another great album from Hanna's Reef!
Incredible!

Deja View
Hanna's Reef
Manufacturer: Sail Away Entertainment
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Key West, Florida ...Island of Dreams

ASIN: B000297PIY
Release Date: 2004-05-21

Tracks:

Rum in Pensacola
Tropical Girl
Beer Drinkers and Sail Raisers
King of the Island
Island Time
Bitter Winds
Livin Well
Jamaica Me Smile
Have You Seen Your Rita?
Local Knowledge
Sail Away
Makin Waves
Fun in the Sun
Everythings Gonna Be Alright

Album Description

"Deja View" is the second album from the Texas-based group Hanna's Reef. The album is a follow-up to their 2002 live recording, "Reef Madness", which is also available on amazon.com . This album was recorded in-studio, and features 14 tracks of original music, all written by Hanna's Reef guitarist Jerry Diaz. Nine of these tracks were previously released by the band Key West, of which Diaz was a member. The album was recorded, mixed, and mastered by Danny Broussard, at The Control Room, in Nederland, Texas.

The inside liner notes of the Cd contain the following message from Jerry Diaz:

"This album is called "Deja View", because it contains some of our favorite songs from our past, and also some of the new music that we're making now. We hope that by putting these songs side by side on the same album, our fans can see that we intend to continue where we left off a couple of years ago. The same style, but updated as we go along. You can expect that trend to continue on future Hanna's Reef albums.

So if you've been looking for something to fill that void that only a folk, country, reggae, rockin' calypso band can fill, you've found a home here on the Reef. We'll have the crawfish and raw oysters waiting for you. Later, we're gonna break out the rum and the cold beer, and have us a party. Welcome aboard mate!"

Customer Reviews:

Great album, great band!.......2004-08-17

What a pleasant surprise this purchase turned out to be! I heard about Hanna's Reef from a friend of mine in Texas. She had seen them perform at a festival there this summer. I had not heard them, but bought the Deja View CD on her recommendation.

"Rum in Pensacola" is just awesome! I think that if this song ever gets on the radio, it will be a national hit. But it's not the only good song here. They are just one right after another. "Tropical Girl" is great, and so is "Beer Drinkers and Sail Raisers". These guys just have a great sound, and their music really makes people feel good.

I definitley recommend this CD to anyone who likes fun, uplifting, "tropical" music!

Best yet.......2004-05-25

What makes Hanna's Reef stand apart is that in their live shows they blend original music with Buffett-esque covers. They are not just another cover band. This album combines nine of Jerry's original songs that were recorded in his previous lifetime, with five new original tunes. The opening track, Rum In Pensacola, is worth the price of the CD by itself. If this song doesn't get some radio play, somebody missed the boat. The rest of the new songs are great, and the older songs have been updated and sound great also.

Another great album from Hanna's Reef!.......2004-05-25

The second CD, first studio CD from Hanna's Reef has 14 tracks, 5 new songs along with 9 re-recorded songs from back when most of Hanna's Reef played under the name Key West-The Band. Unlike many "re-recorded" songs, these nine songs have been re arranged and reworked in one way or the other, and have a new feel and "soul" to them. They're like new songs and well worth listening to again and again.
The name "Deja View" (which I'm kinda partial to) was chosen because, in Jerry Diaz' words "It contains some of our favorite songs from our past and some of the new music that we're making now."

And Hanna's Reef is making some great music! This CD has been the only one in my player for over a week now and it's not coming out anytime soon.

The CD starts with "Rum in Pensacola", a "kick yourself in the butt because you didn't realize what you had" song. I've been listening to Jerry's songs for eight years now and this song is my favorite.

The next song, "Tropical Girl" is a tropical love story with a Latin flair.

"Beer Drinkers and Sail Raisers" gets it's start from the back of a Hanna's Reef T-Shirt. This song is destined to be the "Sing Along" song on the CD, with lyrics like:
"We're Beer Drinkers and Sail Raisers
Smiles away from the old rat racers
Three sheets to the wind and goin' strong.
We're all for one, one for all
Bound for another port o' call
Doing everything I said I would
Life is good!

"King of the Island" is a story about Galveston Island in the 30's when "Victor was king of the island" and the Mob wanted to move in.

"Island Time" Sometimes the world moves way too fast and there's too much technology. You just want to slow things down.

"Bitter Winds" We've all looked back and said "what if". This song reminds you to keep moving forward, reaching for your "pot of gold".

"Livin Well" This is a song about the "rock star life" but could also apply to a mid-life crisis. Hey, either one, along with this song sounds great and is nothing but fun. Jerry Diaz gets on the mike for this one.

"Jamaica Me Smile" Sometimes you meet someone that makes you feel better than a week in the Keys or in this case, Jamaica.

"Have You Seen Your Rita" We all know or have known someone like this.

"Local Knowledge" "Local Knowledge" is information and stories that you're not going to hear in the tourist traps. You have to go where the locals are. Those memories can sometimes be the best treasures from any trip. This song is one of the treasures of the CD.

"Sail Away" Had Enough? It's time for an escape, a get away. This song is the next best thing to just walking away and heading to the nearest boat.

"Makin' Waves" Another great song about 5 people getting away and Makin' Waves.

"Fun in the Sun" Classic 60's beach song. Very Beach Boy-esque. This song is screaming for a remake with Beach Boy Mike Love sitting in. If your not tapping your feet during this song, call the doctor - You're comatose.

"Everything's Gonna Be Alright" A catchy, feel good song to wrap up the CD.... Well, almost. Here's a hidden "track"

You'll be able to see Hanna's Reef not only at Meeting of the Minds in Key West this November, but also at Riddles in the Sand in Galveston, Texas the last weekend in July.

This review, along with $.75 will get you coffee in some places other than Starbucks. It's just my opinion and you know what they say about those.

Happy listening!

Incredible!.......2004-05-25

I've been following these guys for several years, even before they went by the name "Hanna's Reef". This album is BY FAR head and shoulders above anything they've released up till now. First, the production quality is top-notch. The person credited as "the producer" (Danny Broussard) has finally captured the "feel" that this band has been needing. There are several re-makes of songs that this band recorded previously, when most of them were with "Key West-the band". But with the improved production, and an obvious re-thinking of the instrumentation, these remakes really are like new songs. Especially notable are "Tropical Girl", and "Makin' Waves". They did a fantastic job of updating those two.

Now for the best part of the album though. The five new songs recorded here are superb. The album opens with "Rum in Pensacola", which has has got "radio airplay" written all over it. It's a classic love song, with the Pensacola Beach as a backdrop. Mike Barnett's vocals, and Jerry Diaz's guitar solo at the end highlight this should-be hit. Another great new song is "Beer Drinkers and Sail Raisers". It's a catchy little song that you'll be humming all day after you hear it. As a sailor myself, I can tell you that this is sure to be an anthem for the sailing crowd, once it gets circulated.

The other new tunes include "Living Well", which is a great showcase for Diaz's lyrics. Funny stuff! Also included is another great sailing song "Local Knowledge". It is actually my favorite song on the album. It sounds like something that could have been on Buffett's "Son of a Son of a Sailor" album. And lastly, a mindless little summertime tune called "Fun in the Sun" shows that these guys must have listened to a few Beach Boys albums somewhere along the way.

The overall feel of this album is exactly what I have in mind when I see these guys perform live. It has that heavy bottom end to it, but it's complemented with a breezy acoustic guitar throughout the album, and steel drums to spice things up a bit. I'm not exaggerating when I say that this is one of the best albums I've heard in years. I'd give it a rating much higher than a 5, if they'd allow it!

Ramsey Lewis's Finest Hour
Average customer rating:

Put this in your player and let it go

Amazing CD

Ramsey Lewis - live

love this disc

Classic excellence from a great piano man

Ramsey Lewis's Finest Hour
Ramsey Lewis
Manufacturer: Polygram Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Jazz | Styles | Music
Smooth Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music
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ASIN: B00004WIP4
Release Date: 2000-09-12

Tracks:

The 'In' Crowd
Limelight
Delilah
Black Eye Peas
Carmen
Sometimes I Feel Like A Motherless Child
Consider The Source
Little Liza Jane
Here 'Tis
Something You Got
Hang On Sloopy
A Hard Day's Night
Hi-Heel Sneakers
Wade In the Water
Up Tight
Day Tripper
One, Two, Three
Soul Man

Amazon.com

In the mid-1960s, pianist Ramsey Lewis enjoyed phenomenal pop success with his crossover jazz recordings of "The In Crowd," "Hang On, Sloopy," and other songs, which were usually recorded before audiences. This CD charts Lewis's career from 1956, the year his trio with bassist Eldee Young and drummer Redd Holt first recorded. While Gerry Mulligan's "Limelight" is straightforward modern jazz, the CD also finds the group emphasizing church roots and Holt's backbeat and stretching outside the jazz world for instantly familiar tunes, whether from Bizet's Carmen, traditional gospel, or folk songs, like "Little Liza Jane." Pop success came when the group released their live version of the R&B tune "Something You Got," with the song reduced to its funkiest fundamentals and an enthusiastic crowd clapping, talking, and singing along. The final five tracks come from the pianist's 1967 studio session with a horn section added, shifting the formula slightly but getting the same infectious results.

Customer Reviews:

Put this in your player and let it go.......2007-05-22

Often, when I get a compilation CD like this of an artist I like but don't have many CDs of, I'm tempted to take note of each song. That didn't happen with this CD, as I just enjoyed it all the way from start to finish and it just felt like one great song after another. It's a great case of the whole being greater than the sum of its parts, even though there are plenty of classics on this CD.

Amazing CD.......2005-11-30

If you are into this type of jazz (ala, Gene Harris, Oscar Peterson ) , you gotta love this CD. It is high energy, fun, yet masterfully played. It has an eclectic mix of jazz, blues, and a little funk. There are a couple of live tracks that captures the energy of the audience...and you can imagine how amazing it must have been to see him live. This is going to go down as one of my favorite CDs next to Gene Harris's Concord Years, and Oscar Peterson's Night Train.

Ramsey Lewis - live.......2005-06-13

Unfortunatly - here is another example of a CD that does not indicate whether or not these are the original recordings heard on the radio. "The "In" Crowd", "Hang On Sloopy" and "A Hard Day's Night" were recorded live at different clubs. The recordings of these selections (ones that I wanted) leave a bit to be desired because of the live recording. Overall, a lot of music, but just an average CD. If someone knows for sure whether or not these three are the original recordings heard on the radio, please note that information.

love this disc.......2005-05-01

one of my favorites... soul jazz, funky pop, whatever you call it, it's PARTY MUSIC!

Classic excellence from a great piano man.......2002-05-03

One of the best....Ramsey Lewis's famous "Wade in the Water" which has been heard in countless film and TV spots truly is one a jazz fan will want in it's entirety.

Music Review:

Music Review

music review

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