Kai

Track Listings

1. Something Inside Me

2. Heart to Heart

3. I Got It

4. Say You'll Stay [Original Version]

5. One

6. Will You Still Love Me?

7. Without You

8. Suddenly

9. Goodbye in Your Eyes

10. Say You'll Stay [Jazzy's Bass Mix]

11. True

12. Count on My Love

Kai,Kai,Geffen Records,Pop,Popular Music,R&B,Urban

Kai

Kai

Average customer rating:

TREMENDOUS TROMBONE SOUND FROM THE 50'S

The Great Kai & J. J.

They are the greatest

Trombone treats

Oh My God.........they don't make music like these guys anymore.

The Great Kai & J. J.
J.J. Johnson with Kai Winding
Manufacturer: Grp Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000003N9S
Release Date: 1997-03-11

Tracks:

This Could Be The Start Of Start Of Something Big - J.J. Johnson/Kai Winding/Bill Evans/Paul Chambers/Roy Haynes
Georgia On My Mind
Blue Monk - J.J. Johnson/Kai Winding/Bill Evans/Paul Chambers/Roy Haynes
Judy
Alone Together
Side By Side - J.J. Johnson/Kai Winding/Bill Evans/Paul Chambers
I Concentrate On You - J.J. Johnson/Kai Winding/Bill Evans/Paul Chambers
Theme From Picnic
Trixie
Going, Going, Gone!
Just For A Thrill

Customer Reviews:

TREMENDOUS TROMBONE SOUND FROM THE 50'S.......2007-03-23

J J JOHNSON AND KAI WINDING TAKE POP SONGS AND PLAY THEM FIRST AS WRITTEN THEN DO A JAZZED UP VERSION. THIS ALBUM(NOW A CD) WAS ONLY PRODUCED IN 54-55. IT WAS IMMENSELY POPULAR THEN. AS FAR AS I KNOW, THEY THEN WENT THEIR SEPARATE WAYS, NEVER TO WORK TOGETHER AGAIN. TOO BAD.

The Great Kai & J. J........2006-11-11

The Great Kai & J. J. work is one of the best works ever for jazz enthusiasts, specifically for trombone sound lovers. The clear and melodic playing of both musicians during their solo makes it some of the best study material for any trombone player.
For this session, standards such as "Georgia on my Mind" have been arranged magnificently without the songs losing their original bluesy feeling.

They are the greatest.......2006-07-14

I was so happy to discover this re-mastered CD. I had the original on a vinyl disk, and literally wore it out. J.J. & Kai work so well together that one just has to sit back and either tap one's foot or sway with the sounds. The selection of music on this album just amplifies their talents, and those of the back-up musicians. Well worth the purchase.

Trombone treats.......2006-03-16

The CD 'The great Kai and JJ is definitely worth including in the collection of those who are into jazz trombone. The variety of tracks enhances the listening enjoyment and the reproduction quality is excellent.

Oh My God.........they don't make music like these guys anymore........2005-11-21

I have a couple other CDs of the two of them but this is just fabulous!!! Can't believe I haven't heard it before. They also do a couple of numbers with "Dave Brubeck at Newport"........this is toooo much!!!

Baker Street, A Musical Adventure of Sherlock Holmes (1965 Original Broadway Cast)

Average customer rating:

intriguing Broadway flop...
Necessary! Necessary! Necessary!
An Enjoyable Surprise
HOORAH FOR BAKER STREET - AT LAST!!
A FASCINATING, HIGHLY ANTICIPATED MUSICAL . . . .

Baker Street, A Musical Adventure of Sherlock Holmes (1965 Original Broadway Cast)
Marian Grudeff , Kai Winding , Richard Hayman , The Baker Street Irregulars , Richard Hayman Symphony Orchestra , The Baker Street Orchestra , The Kai Winding Orchestra , Daniel Keyes , Fritz Weaver , Inga Swenson , Martin Gabel , Martin Wolfson , Patrick Horgan , Peter Sallis , Richard Burton , Theodore Green , Virginia Vestoff , and Raymond Jessel
Manufacturer: Decca Broadway
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000CQQGVE
Release Date: 2006-01-31

Tracks:

Overture - Marian Grudeff,
It's So Simple - Patrick Horgan, , , Fritz Weaver
I'm in London Again - Inga Swenson
Leave It to Us, Guv - Teddy Green
Letters - Inga Swenson
Cold Clear World - Fritz Weaver
Finding Words for Spring - Inga Swenson
What a Night This Is Going to Be - Inga Swenson, , Fritz Weaver
I Shall Miss You
Roof Space - Teddy Green
Married Man
I'd Do It Again - Inga Swenson
Pursuit - Fritz Weaver
Jewelry - Martin Wolfson
Married Man [*] - Richard Hayman & His Orchestra
Baker Street Mystery [*]

Customer Reviews:

intriguing Broadway flop..........2006-09-23

A singing Sherlock Holmes? It happened in 1965 with BAKER STREET, the ill-fated, ill-conceived Broadway musical written by Marian Grudeff and Raymond Jessel, with book by Jerome Coopersmith. Taking as it's starting point the original "Sherlock Holmes: A Scandal in Bohemia" by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, the final product bore a closer similarity to a second-rate variation on "My Fair Lady", with Holmes and Watson accompanied by lovely singer Irene Adler, traipsing all over London, closely pursued by arch-enemy Professor Moriarty.

The one thing that BAKER STREET has in it's favour is a fabulous cast, including Shakespearean veteran Fritz Weaver as Sherlock Holmes, Martin Gabel as Moriarty, Peter Sallis as Watson and Inga Swenson as Irene.

Fresh from the national tour of "110 in the Shade", Inga Swenson shines with the lion's share of musical numbers, including "I'm in London Again" (cut shortly after the opening), "Letters" and "Finding Words for Spring". "I'd Do It Again" is the perfect 11 o'clock number. "Cold Clear World" is an ideal summation of the Holmes character, and Weaver delivers handsomely as well.

For all BAKER STREET's similarities to "My Fair Lady", Weaver and Swenson had the last laugh, when they were quite ironically reunited for the 1968 City Center revival. BAKER STREET also faced some competition from other musicals of the 1965 season ("Half a Sixpence", "Fade Out-Fade In" and "Golden Boy"), but gamely hobbled along for 313 performances at the Broadway Theatre, moving to the Martin Beck shortly before it closed.

Decca Broadway's CD premiere of the original cast album is crisply remastered. Bonus tracks comprise of Richard Burton's take on "A Married Man"; and Kai Winding's orchestra performing "Baker Street Mystery" (adapted from the "London Underground" sequence).

Necessary! Necessary! Necessary!.......2006-07-10

1. There were two Broadway shows that somehow unfairly did not get the "press & praise", or whatever, to get the attention of the theatre-going public to catch on and become smash hits.

2. Luckily for us, there were recordings of these two Broadway shows on lp.

3. Sadly, for those of us who enjoyed those old lp albums and wished and waited for years and years for them to be remastered to cds, it seemed we would never be able to enjoy these "lost" scores ever again.

4. Now, through some lucky stroke of unlikely chance, we have recently been twice blessed with the remastering and release of BOTH of them on compact disk! All I can say is "There IS a God!" and also "Thank You", "Thank You", "Thank You" to those responsible for the "saving" and "preservation" of these two works by digitizing and releasing them for us again.

One of these two works is "Cyrano" with the great portrayl by Christopher Plummer of certainly one of the greatest characters in all literature. This show sadly closed after only a very few performances. The songs, while not really "great" are certainly quite listenable--but ONE, is spectacular and makes it worth the cost of the whole album, and that is "You Have Made Me Love"--what a winner it is!

The second of these works is "Baker Street" with Fritz Weaver and Inga Swenson. Luckily, I was fortunate enough to see this one before it closed, also, shortly after it opened. I could never understand why it did not catch on. Weaver and Swenson were simply marvelous, it was exciting, funny, and had great tunes and catchy lyrics. I dispaired for years over the non-release of this show on compact disc. I even wrote Universal, who has the rights to Decca's catalogue, and they blew me off. Then, out of the blue this spring there it was listed as a pre-release on amazon here! I immediately went to my local music shop and ordered a copy. And guess what.......there is a bonus track of the Great Richard Burton singing the best song from the show "A Married Man"!

If you love Broadway Cast albums, you need these two disks. If you remember the shows, you need these two disks. And lastly, if you are totally unfamiliar with these two works, you need these two disks. In short--You Need These Disks! Period!

Take my word, both of these albums are wonderful "keepers" that you will listen to over and over, both because they are unusual and not so well known, and also because they are truly great works. I wish you much happy listening to them. ~operabruin

An Enjoyable Surprise.......2006-06-29

I have had the record album of Baker Street for years, but have not been able to play it for a loooong time. My parent's owned a copy, and around the time of my early teens when I got into Sherlock Holmes, I listened to it and was quite delighted with it.

I purchased the cd with some trepidation, not knowing if it would have the same affect on me now that I am in my early 40's. Although a song that I loved back in the day, does not resonate with me now...others do. All in all a delightful musical.

If you are into musicals one can hear elements of "My Fair Lady" and "Oliver!" as well as early hints of "Sweeney Todd" types of musical stylings.

What makes this an even better cd is the booklet that describes the show, its changes, and its problems.

If you are into classic musicals and/or a true Sherlock Holmes fan you will probably enjoy this.

HOORAH FOR BAKER STREET - AT LAST!!.......2006-03-09

I was lucky enough to see this lush musical twice - once on opening night and the second time when they changed Inge Swenson's opening number (I thought that "I'm in London Aagin" a much better and more appropriate opening number for Irene). I sorry though that the second number was not put on as an extra on this CD for posterity - it may never have been recorded. I have been waiting for years for this to appear on CD - well worth the wait. Inge Swenson is absolutely glorious and well balanced against the cold, clear portrait of Fritz Weaver's Holmes. Then there is the exhuberance of Teddy Green, who also brought his great presence to Darling of the Day. The musical may have been a 'flop' but I am sure that those who saw and loved it will always have fond memories of a 'hit'. An intriguing score with the soaring voice of Swenson so very memorable. It will more than likely never be revived to the level it was originally produced but thank you Decca for bringing this marvelous musical to life again on CD! Now how about "A Time For Singing".

A FASCINATING, HIGHLY ANTICIPATED MUSICAL . . . . .......2006-02-22

Fascination with "Baker Street, a Musical Adventure of Sherlock Holmes" during the years since the final curtain came down at the Martin Beck Theatre on the night of November 14, 1965 has grown to the point that Decca Broadway has finally released - for the first time on CD - the long out-of-print original cast recording. All of us who share an interest in the history of the American musical should raise a glass of stout and say, "Well done, mates."

I've probably listened to my LP no more than once or twice, but "Baker Street" always has maintained a special place in my memory. It is, after all, one of the two recorded shows that features my all-time favorite actress/singer - and fellow Nebraskan - Inga Swenson. First appearing in "The New Faces of 1956," she went on to win the 1957 Theatre World Award for "The First Gentleman" and understudied Julie Andrews ("Camelot") before receiving her first Tony nomination for "110 in the Shade." ( In spite of its wonderful Tom Jones/Harvey Schmidt score and Ms. Swenson's outstanding performance, RCA has had the chutzpah to drop the OC recording from its catalogue. Go figure.)

I must admit that I was disappointed the first time I listened to the CD. For the most part, the score sounded derivative and uninspired. What disappointed me most was the fact that, as wonderful as Ms. Swenson is, the songs she is given to sing can't hold a candle to those in "110 in the Shade." Furthermore, one gets the impression, just from listening, that the creators of this show never really decided what the focus should be. Instead of ending Act I with a dramatic musical spot, it ends with a "Perils of Pauline" ticking time bomb. Additionally, the final number, sung by a band of thieves, falls quite some time before the end of the show, which ends with Holmes disappearing into the fog, presumably on his way to America in romantic pursuit of Irene Adler (Ms. Swenson).

Only after reading the published script (Doubleday & Company) and listening for a second time, did I come to appreciate the way the musical numbers fit into the play. Not only was I able to better appreciate the songs, but now, for the life of me, I can't get "What a Night This Is Going To Be" out of my head!!!

With Oliver Smith's Tony-winning sets, Motley's period costumes and the Bill Baird Marionettes enacting the Diamond Jubilee parade, it must have been a fun show to see. But 1965 was the year of "Man of LaMancha" & "Sweet Charity;" "Hello, Dolly" & "Fiddler on the Roof" were still going strong. "Baker Street" closed after 311 performances, with a loss to its investors.

Recommended, especially because of Inga Swenson. ALSO recommended is "Holmes and Watson Sing," Ken Mandelbaum's expert critique of the "Baker Street" CD and fascinating background of the show. If you buy this recording - and I hope you will - then you must read this article. You can find it at www.Broadway.com.

Average customer rating:

Affecting but oversold
Great vocalist in three languages. Very best Weill interpreter
Ute dramatically renders the best of Weill and Brecht!
Voice non par excellence
Ute! She knows how to trill me!

Ute Lemper Sings Kurt Weill

Manufacturer: Decca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Tracks:

The Winter's Tale: Fennimores Lied
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Customer Reviews:

Affecting but oversold.......2006-11-28

Prompted by both friends and reviewers, I've tried to learn to like Ute Lemper's Weill, but after valiant efforts, I must say I don't. She has great facility, it's true, in several languages, and she knows the timbre of a song and works hard to put it across. For me, however, she works too hard, whether it's the distracting breathiness of "je ne t'aime pas" or the "street kid" Berlin Rrrs in "Mackie Messer" or the aggressive Noo Yorking in "I'm a Stranger Here Myself", I end up feeling that I'm having the song pushed at me rather than allowed to flower for itself. In a cabaret setting they might (maybe) work better, but on disk, I don't find her vocally strong enough to carry the music alone. Too much wobble in the voice and not always either the breath or the pitch to make the longer phrases work. The comparison with Theresa Stratas in "Je ne t'aime pas" (or even better, the terrifying German version "Wie Lange Noch") is instructive. Lemper is small, touching, you can feel why someone would have left her, she oozes powdery pathos over a nightclub table. Stratas, Piaf-like, is riven by love and music alike and takes the song's lines where they naturally lead. For me, it's no contest.

Great vocalist in three languages. Very best Weill interpreter.......2005-10-01

`Ute Lemper Sings Kurt Weill, Volumes 1 and 2' released in 1988 and 1993, plus the third album of Weill's two most important song cycles in German, `The Seven Deadly Sins' (`Die sieben Todsunden') and `Mahagonny Songspiel' released in 1990 unequivocally established Ms. Lemper as the leading Kurt Weill interpreter since Lotte Lenya, Weill's wife and the singer for whom many of his vocal pieces were written. These three disks, sample pieces from most major Weill works written in German, including his most famous musical play, `The Threepenny Opera' (`Die Dreigroschenoper').

The first disc has fourteen tracks with three from `Der Silbersee' with lyrics by Kaiser, three from `Die Dreigroschenoper' with lyrics by Bertolt Brecht, two from `Berliner Requiem' with lyrics by Brecht, two from `Mahagonny' with lyrics by Mahagonny, `Je ne t'aime pas with French lyrics by Magre, and three from `One Touch of Venus' with English lyrics by S.J. Perelman and Ogden Nash.

The middle disc includes both works performed in their original German. After having listened to `The Seven Deadly Sins' done by several different artists, and having just reviewed a CD on which Anne Sofie von Otter does this work, I discover for the first time that the piece was written in two versions, one for a low voice and one for a high voice. Von Otter does the version for high voice and Lemper does the version for low voice that, I suspect, is the way it was originally performed by Fraulein Lenya. One service done by comparing Lemper and von Otter's performance is to see how much closer Lemper is to the original spirit of the work than is von Otter. Weill's venue was not the opera stages of Berlin or Vienna, it was the popular stage, actually much closer to what we see in the movie `Cabaret' than what we see in `Amadeus'. I enjoy von Otter's rendition, but Lemper stirs my heart where von Otter does not. Lemper also seems to have the benefit of a much better cast of supporting voices on the two works on Volume 1.

All albums are done with the backing of the RIAS Berlin Sinfonietta, conducted by John Mauceri who seems to get just the right tone of sleaze out of his ensemble to match the tone of the composition and lyrics by Weill and his various librettists, especially Berthold Brecht.

Volume 2 showcases Lemper's ability to sing with equal facility and understanding in German (Songs from `Happy End'), French (Songs from `Marie Galante'), and English (Songs from `Lady in the Dark'). While my understanding of French is far weaker than my understanding of the German and the English, when I compare Ms. Lemper's French interpretations with the French of Ms. Von Otter, I definitely prefer Lemper's treatment. She may not quite match Edith Piaf, but I feel she has a cachet all her own.

Lemper is a vocalist in that great European femme fatale tradition of Lenya, Piaf, and Dietrich and certainly to my lights the leading interpreter today of Weill's songs plus works by other European composers for the musical and cabaret (See her album `City of Strangers'). Compared to even some of the greatest contemporary American female vocalists on the stage such as Streisand and Minelli, both Yanks have their strength, but they can't or don't try to achieve the same depth of feeling behind the European `Weltschmertz' you hear from Lemper and her forerunners. The closest may be Minelli's performance as Sally Bowles in `Cabaret', but even there, she can't seem to hide her American innocence.

Of the three albums, the first of the three, `Ute Lemper Sings Kurt Weill' may be the best introduction, as it includes two of Weill's best English songs, `I'm a Stranger Here Myself' and `Speak Low'. The third, `Ute Lemper Sings Kurt Weill Vol. 2' has two of Weill's most famous German songs outside of `Die Dreigroschenoper', `Bilbao-Song' and `Surabaya-Johnny'.

If you encounter this review and have never heard Ute Lemper, I strongly urge you to try one of these albums. If the German and French turns you off, try Lemper's recent album, `Punishing Kiss'.

Very highly recommended.

Ute dramatically renders the best of Weill and Brecht!.......2004-09-25

This album is full of many highlights, Zu Potsdam, Die Sexuelle Hoerigkeit, Wenn Die Man Sich Bettet, etc. From beginning to end it is a triumph and masterpiece by the international singing sensation Ute Lemper.

Voice non par excellence.......2004-03-18

It seems that everywhere you turn there is someone "with a unique voice." Usually we nod and upon hearing the voice in question shake our heads and head on to the next great talent. But the trite saying is, for this case, proven beyond a shadow of a doubt.

These interpretations are just incredible, ultra-clear, and just the way one would imagine these songs presented. Several of the selections are more suited to a smoky speakeasy rather than the stage which is just fine by me. Lemper runs the gamut from the catty growl to the ultra-lush to the quiet melancholy to the joyous Bronx of "I'm Just a Stranger Here Myself." The three languages presented absolutely no problems: The German was sufficiently guttural, the French erotic and the English - well, as only English can sound.

A near perfect recording by a near perfect artist.

Ute! She knows how to trill me!.......2003-11-17

I'd never heard of Ute Lemper until I received a brochure announcing her March concert at the Cleveland Museum of Art. I fell for her picture. I saw a women who oozed style, class, and sensuality; she had to be a great singer, right? So I purchased the "Ute Lemper Sings Kurt Weill" CD, and fired it up as soon as UPS delivered. I didn't know what to think. The music was strange, the singing was stranger. Foreign. Had I wasted my money? Did I fall for slick marketing and a pretty face? I listened again...and again...and again... Ute's way of singing these haunting, powerful melodies-her key changes, her haughtiness, her sarcasm, her way of emphasizing key words and phrases, her trills (Oh, those trills)-grabbed me by the throat and shook me in a way that I thoroughly enjoyed. I can't get the songs out of my head. I find myself singing the last two lines of "Caesar's Tod" and "Zu Potsdam unter den Eichen" and the chorus of "Nanna's Lied" at work, auf Deutsche. These songs don't let go! I can't wait 'til March.

Average customer rating:

a trombone must!

The Complete Ohio Sessions
Kai Winding & Carl Fontana's Cleveland Express
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ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B00029R8KO
Release Date: 2004-05-31

Tracks:

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Surrey with the Fringe on Top
Jive at Five
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Album Description

First time on CD for this septet, consisting of four trombones & a rhythm section, complete June 1957 live performance, featuring 13 tracks. Lonehill Jazz. 2004.

Album Details

The Complete Concert for the First Time Ever on CD.

Customer Reviews:

a trombone must!.......2007-03-13

this is a must have for any trombonist or anyone who loves the sound of the jazz trombone! you will not be disappointed. the sounds here are quite colorful and i always say there can never be too many trombones!

Average customer rating:

Soulfull music
This is a film I saw again and again.
Excellent cinematography, photography and lyrical music...!
My Favorite Angelopoulos Film!
Worst movie I have seen in 10 years.

Eternity And A Day (1998 Film)

Manufacturer: Ecm Records
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Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B00001IVNC
Release Date: 1999-10-05

Tracks:

Eternity And A Day: Hearing The Time
Eternity And A Day: By The Sea
Eternity And A Day: Eternity Theme
Eternity And A Day: Parting A
Eternity And A Day: Depart And Eternity Theme
Eternity And A Day: Borders
Eternity And A Day: Wedding Dance
Eternity And A Day: Parting B
Eternity And A Day: To A Dead Friend
Eternity And A Day: Eternity Theme Variation I
Eternity And A Day: Depart And Eternity Theme Variation I
Eternity And A Day: Bus - Part I
Eternity And A Day: Depart And Eternity Theme Variation II
Eternity And A Day: Bus - Part II
Eternity And A Day: Trio And Eternity Theme
Eternity And A Day: The Poet
Eternity And A Day: Depart And Eternity Theme Variation III
Eternity And A Day: Depart

Customer Reviews:

Soulfull music.......2007-06-20

This music will draw your soul out and make you fall into a trance. And I love the appropriate illustration on the cover. Just wonderful.

LOVE, LOVE, LOVE it!

This is a film I saw again and again........2004-01-24

This film is about Alexandre, a renowned author, who spent his last years trying to finish a 19th-century poet's work. He unwittingly neglected his loved ones for his writing, to where he feels like an exile whether promoting his books or in his own room writing. Now he is dying. We first hear 8-year-old Alexandre and his friends, asking profound questions for their age: What's time? He sneaks out to join the boys at the beach, swimming out to sea, and his mother calls him back. This harkens him back to the present, aging, lying back in a chair in the same house, in pain, with the taste of salt in his mouth. He tells his housekeeper not to pack too much for where he's going. She begs him to let her go to hospital with him, he pats her hand and explains why not. He takes his beautiful but sad old dog to his daughter, who obviously married a wealthy man, the house is high-end, but cold and ultra-modern, with the bad taste of having a large working clock over the mantle to remind us time is running out. He says he's going away and can't take his dog; she reminds him Nikos doesn't like animals in the house. She reads an old letter from his wife. We now see Anna, vital, lovely yet needy, just after Katerina's birth and celebrating with the family by the sea. When the letter's finished he's brought rudely back to the present: Nikos, robed, appearing, announcing offhand he's sold the seaside house and the wreckers will arrive tomorrow. Shocked, Alexandre reacts: "you sold the house!" Nikos asks, jerking his head pointedly: "Is that your dog? I'm getting dressed," and vanishes. Dad talks of some irrelevant matter: a tennis match she'd lost and how devastated she was. She lamely explains the house was too big, unsafe etc. Alexandre touches her face and leads the dog out. Tomorrow he--and the beloved house as well--will be gone. Katerina doesn't know he's actually dying: but she's really like Nikos, which is redolent of the Buchanans in The Great Gatsby: the careless rich, tearing down things, letting others (here, the "wreckers") clean it up.

Between flashbacks and aiding an 8-year-old (same age as he is when he and his friends carved a date on a rock by his seaside home) Albanian refugee with a gift for expression, he visits his formerly vital mother, now senile, at her hospital window wailing, "Alexandre! Dinner..." When he leaves her, he asks: "Why, Mother, why must we rot?...Why didn't we know how to love?"

The doctor's ominous intonations, the boy's poetic street-bonfire tribute to a murdered friend, and finally, the joyful duo on a round-trip around the quay: all are journeys within journeys, poems within poems, finished in a most unusual way.

Earlier on, he'd interrupted the wedding party of Urania's son, the couple dancing down the streets, bride in stark white in contrast to everyone else in black. Here as throughout the film, Angelopoulos' gift of metaphoric expression is so mesmerizing. I've read that the movie is too long, but I wanted more. The groom and bride dancing in the wind down the stark gray street, she gliding like a flower ("korfoula"): only her hands moving sinuously and her full snowy gown bobbing gracefully to rapid concertina music. Again Urania asks to go with him to hospital tomorrow. He smiles and merely compliments the bride's beauty. As he turns away, she lovingly pats the head of her new canine charge, and watches Alexandre go. All of this is key to (perhaps only) me. She and his doctor know he's dying, no one else.

Both are exiles: the kid with no one accepts him, listens to his tale of the poet who bought words, and Alexander sharing his last day, making him rethink (I think). One's journey is just beginning and the other's is just ending. Alexandre now understands how long time is: an eternity and a day.

Excellent cinematography, photography and lyrical music...!.......2002-07-29

The STORY of an aging writer, his encounter with a young boy, and memories of the past which this encounter evokes, An Eternity And A Day stars Bruno Ganz as the writer, with supporting roles filled by Isabelle Renaud (France), Fabrizio Bentivoglio (Italy), and from Greece Despina Bebedeli, Achileas Skevis, Alexandra Ladikou, Alekos Oudinotis , and Nikos Kouros. Making a special guest appearance in the film is Greek actress Tania Paleologou, who as a young girl played the leading role in Angelopoulos' Landscape In The Mist.

Veteran Italian screenwriter Tonino Guerra, together with Greek writer Petros Markaris collaborated with Angelopoulos on the script. The production reunites Angelopoulos' Ulysses' Gaze team -- coproducers are Eric Heumann's Paradis Film (France), Giorgio Silvani's Intermedia Films (France), and Amedeo Pagani's Classic Films (Italy); producer is Phoebe Economopoulos.

Theo Angelopoulos creates a stunningly haunting, seamless fusion of reality, nostalgia, and dreams in Eternity and a Day. Using long takes and reverse tracking, Angelopoulos creates a visual metaphor for the isolation of the soul: the hallway shot of Alexandre after Urania's departure; a team of window washers descending on cars at a stop light; the framed shot of Anna by the gate of the summer house. Moreover, recurrent images of abandoned buildings, repeated flights of Albanian refugees across the border, and the unfinished poem, reflect Alexandre's regret over his own unresolved actions. Figuratively, Alexandre, too, is a stranger - longing to recapture an irretrievable past -unable to return home. The unique point of that film is the poetic dialogues, the excellent soundtrack and the photography that really captures another color of Greece and the Greek world. So good, masterpiece.

..."Alexandre..." After this movie this name with always reminds you poetry... L'éternité et un jour

My Favorite Angelopoulos Film!.......2002-06-27

Of all of the 4 films American audiences are allowed to see by Theo Angelopoulos, this is one my favorite. Angelopoulos' films offer the same elements in everyone. He's a bold director when compared to American directors, then again, all foreign directors are bold compared to American ones, even our best like Martin Scorsese, Coppola, or Woody Allen. Angelopoulos' films have long takes. With long single camera shots. And to some, his films are flooded with portentous dialogue. And, I must admit I am usually in awe at the beginning moments of any Angelopoulos film. But, after a while, after I've taken in the subtle charm of the cinematography, the beautiful visuals, and his way of story telling, I can't help but sometimes grow impatient. And, while yes, that happened to me while watching this movie, it's a film that now, after a year or moreso, I think back of fondly. I remember the beautiful scenes by the sea. How beautifully Angelopoulos set up these scenes. He really is a master of imagery.
"Eternity and a Day" tells a rather simple but yet deep and poetic story of a man's dying days, and one day he spends with a small lost boy (Achileas Skevis). The man is Alexandre (Bruno Ganz). Alexandre does not want to die. As the song goes, he has a lot of livin' to do. He now reflects upon his past. Memories of his wife, his mother. He even visit's his daughter whom he has not seen in some time. He wants to rectify all the wrong that has happened in the past. And he gets a chance to when he meets this boy. Here I suppose Angelopoulos is playing with the elements of time. Past, present and future. The more time Alexandre spends with the boy, trying to get him back home, the more he is reminded of his past. Not to mention the fact that he is dying.
"Eternity and a Day" is a film that I'm sure not all will be pleased with. It's too subtle of a film. It takes it's time telling a story. It's moves slow, but it means to. I'm not saying these are faults, but, I know today's society has no time to watch these types of movies. American audiences like fast movies. Filmmakers like Angelopoulos may never find their audiences. But, despite everything, one could not hide the beauty the film has. The script written by Angelopoulos, Tonino Guerra, Petro Markaris, & Giorgio Silvagni has moments that are as tender as I've ever seen in any movie. The cinematograhy by Yorgos Arvanitis & Andreas Sinanos is wonderful as well.
"Eternity and a Day" won the Cannes Film Festival's Golden Palm, an award Angelopoulos is no stranger to. His "Suspended Step of the Stork" was nominated before as was "The Hunters". And "Ulysses' Gaze", if I remember right, won second place at the Cannes behind "Underground". "Day" is a movie all foreign film fans should see. You'll be impressed by the simple things the film has to offer. Also, will someone please release "The Suspended Step of the Stork" on video already! And the rest of Angelopoulos' films!
Bottom-line:"Eternity and a Day" is admittedly a slow moving film and does take some patience to watch, but the film has startling imagery. It's subtle charms carry you under it's spell.

Worst movie I have seen in 10 years........2002-05-28

I kept waiting for something to happen that I could care about. But after 60 minutes of drivel, I had to bail.

Northern Lights: Music of Contemplation for a New Age

Average customer rating:

je ne sais quoi
Great CD
Northern Lights
"It makes me think of tubular bells by Mike Oldfield"

Northern Lights: Music of Contemplation for a New Age

Manufacturer: Finlandia
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | New Age | Styles | Music

Meditation | New Age | Styles | Music

Relaxation | New Age | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Masses | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

General | Bluegrass | Country | Styles | Music
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Night Tracks
Cyril Scott: Symphony No. 3 "The Muses"; Piano Concerto No. 2; Neptune
The Iraq Study Group Report: The Way Forward - A New Approach
A New Earth: Awakening to Your Life's Purpose

ASIN: B000005IFQ
Release Date: 1995-11-14

Tracks:

Northbound - Jukka Linkola
Maja - Urma Sisask
Trivium (Excerpt) - Rene Eespere
Oremus - Urma Sisask
The Forest - Jukka Linkola
Song Of The Watch - Uuno Klami
Song Without Words - Lauri Saikkola
Piece From The Year 1981 - Lepo Sumera
Dominus Vobiscum - Urmas Sisask
Insula Deserta (Excerpt) - Erkki-Sven Tuur
The Ancient Kannel (Excerpt) - Ester Magi
Adagio Religioso (Excerpt From Music For String Orchestra) - Joonas Kokkonen
Gerda And Kai - Jukka Linkola
Fantasy For Piano And Orchestra (Excerpt) - Olli Mustonen
Cantabile (Excerpt) - Peteris Vasks
Pater Noster - Urmas Sisask
Trivium (Excerpt) - Rene Eepere

Customer Reviews:

je ne sais quoi.......2005-07-02

The music on this CD is hauntingly beautiful and much of it fills me with strange and wistful longings--a sort of "happy sadness," perhaps correspondent to the German concept of Sehnsucht.

Great CD.......2002-01-10

There was only one song on this CD that I did not enjoy. All the rest were great.

Northern Lights.......2000-06-28

Better than most "New Age" offerings, thanks to the overall choices and imagery the music conjures up. Northbound is first cut and gives actual feel of travelling very fast over snow and ice. Sounds like a well-crafted soundtrack. Well worth buying when you need a beautiful, lilting symphonic head-journey-or when you just need/want to hear musicians other than U.S./British-born artists.

Some of the cuts are quite moving, some sturm und drang, and others reminiscent of the best of classical artists. One friend told me he could almost hear the ice crackling underfoot in one track, and another said he thought of the time he saw flights of geese southbound for the winter.

"It makes me think of tubular bells by Mike Oldfield".......1999-02-13

"Music composed by Sisask is classical but added with a touch of symphonical rock. It was the feast of recognising when I listend to compositions like the forest. I only hope that Sisask does not go to far into the forest of early rock and roll"

Average customer rating:

Fine Examples of Modern Music
From meditative to chilling--a study in pattern and sound
compelling
Composer-journalist's observations become chilling prophecy
Credit where credit is due...

Proverb/Nagoya Marimbas/City Life

Manufacturer: Nonesuch
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

Avant Garde & Free Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music
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ASIN: B000005J4E
Release Date: 1996-10-15

Tracks:

Proverb
Nagoya Marimbas
City Life: 'Check It Out'
City Life: 'Pile Drive - Alarms'
City Life: 'It's Been A Honeymoon - Can't Take No Mo'
City Life: Heartbeats - Boats And Buoys
City Life: 'Heavy Smoke'

Customer Reviews:

Fine Examples of Modern Music.......2007-05-16

When I listened to Reich's 'City Life' tracks, I had to do a quick check on the dates on which the piece was written, to see whether composer Reich had anticipated the styles of Rap and Hip-Hop, or had appropriated them. Turns out, I believe, to be a bit of both, in the fine tradition of virtually every other major composer who borrowed from the popular (or liturgical) music of the day.

This is the most interesting piece on the CD, but 'Proverb', especially with the assistance of choral great Paul Hillier conducting, is a fine beginning in a very traditional sound, but moving on to more and more modern tempos and vocalizations. The short 'Nagoya Marimbas' is like icing on the cake. Excellent, and not totally 'autre' modern works.

From meditative to chilling--a study in pattern and sound.......2003-12-18

This CD was my first venture into the works of Steve Reich, and is probably my most frequently listened to. I have to say, these are some incredibly striking and graceful pieces to listen to. Rather than relying on traditional chordal progressions and arrangements to progress the piece, this is instead a study in pattern and melody, and (during City Life) the use of everyday sound. Being a rock fan as well as classical, I find it interesting to see the latter entering into classical music as well as where I've experienced it before (in Pink Floyd, Rick Wright, and other rock artists' works).

"Proverb" is a very interesting, mellow piece with a single lyric: "How small a thought it takes to fill a whole life." This piece recalls the medieval forms such as the organum--but with rhythms and dissonances that the ancients would have never dared explore. The lyric itself seems to be a statement of the principles of minimalism...something upon which the listener is compelled to meditate during the course of this piece. "Nagoya Marimbas", while not the most striking statement is a very interesting study of patterns--the changes are subtle and occur just in time to prevent the piece from becoming monotonous. I imagine that to play this piece would require great concentration on the part of each player, to stay with their individual contribution to it.

By far, "City Life" is the most compelling piece, and the one I initially bought this CD for. The use of sampled sounds, combined with the textures of the music itself, truly evokes the image of New York City, from the frenzied rush of cars in the first movement to the brooding ambience of the harbor, and finally, the potential for disaster reflected in the last movement. I bought this CD in the fall of 2001, and it was quite chilling to realize that the recordings Mr. Reich used in the last movement were from the *first* World Trade Center bombing...but it could just as easily fit the more recent tragedy.

compelling.......2002-05-19

The first piece on the cd, Proverb, is 14 minutes that don't seem like more than 2. A step beyond Reich's earlier Tehillim, it seems to make use of the influence of medieval composer Perotin & modernise it by adding a minimalistic keyboard which serves mostly to give form to a driving rhythm (fast pace, not cars). This piece will turn the space its flowing sound envelopes into a sort of digital cathedral. Then, Nagoya Marimbas might bring you back to reality. It's a classic Reich fabric of repetition with deliberate & slow changes. Then the title piece, which spans 5 tracks from 3 to 7 on the cd for a total of 23:07, features, on top of sparse instrumentation, some great vocal loops & tapes that are almost reminiscent of his early Come Out but more compelling, to be sure. Great cd, diverse Reich, offers a sense of protean experimentation more than compositional evolution.

Composer-journalist's observations become chilling prophecy.......2001-09-17

For the past twelve years Reich has labored in the shadow of his unassailable masterpiece, "Different Trains." Both its concision and its monumentality made that sampling exposition of Holocaust testimony the standard for the work Reich has accurately if immodestly claimed he was "born to do."

His more recent recorded compositions such as "The Cave" and the three works on this disc-- less visceral and emotional, perhaps, but no less powerful of insight-- have been less uniformly well received. In particular, "City Life" has been marginalized by some as a found-sound exercise in banality, utilizing performance techniques that sounded dated when the piece premiered in 1995.

The reason critics need to give it another listen has little to do with the awful coincidence in Reich's climactic choice of the earlier World Trade Center bombing aftermath as a sample source. It has a lot more to do with the sobering atmosphere progressively achieved throughout the first four movements-- a precarious balance of despair and indifference, equipoise and terror. Had this music reflected the events of 2001 rather than 1993, its composer needn't have changed a note.

With almost surgical understatement, Reich distills his stylistic hallmarks-- crystalline architecture, slow-burn intensity, razor-sharp asentimentality, and inexhaustable rhythmic drive-- into a musical observation of urban rage, unsparingly linking individual discontent to mass destruction.

No sides are taken here. Often skeptical of a composer's entitlement to expression for its own sake, Reich has always despised and successfully avoided musical agitprop. And just as he has from "Come Out" to "Different Trains," in "City Life" he provides something better, something more necessary: an indelible reflection of the ghost face of violence at the turn of the twenty-first century.

Perhaps if one tenth of the people rushing to purchase Lee Greenwood's "American Patriot" listened carefully to Reich's "City Life," there might be a measurably clearer consciousness of what has changed life in the United States, and the resentments and complacencies that have fueled those changes.

Credit where credit is due..........2001-07-03

While I have listened to most of this cd and have thoroughly enjoyed everything I heard on it, this is mainly a response to the Good Doctor's comment about the piece Nagoya Marimbas. I would say he is correct in his description that upon hearing the piece, it isn't overly dynamic and it doesnt sound like there is much going on of abundant interest. However, a percussionist myself I started learning Nagoya to perform with a colleague later this year, and I must say the doctor may have been a bit narrowminded in his assessment. Nagoya Marimbas demands pinpoint accuracy in timing (the two contrasting parts are very easily confused, mainly because they are virtually the same at the core) and synchronization (or syncopation) with your fellow performer. When you actually put the music on the instrument, it also takes amazing accuracy, leaping from one register to the next with very little time and, of course, no room for error. So I urge the good Doctor, and anyone else, to think again before you brush aside this piece as being uninteresting. I think if you really look at what the piece entails and how it can be portrayed visually, not just musically, you could find a greater appreciation for this Reich opus. We may have a difference in opinion as to what qualifies as "virtuostic" (I am, after all, merely a college student persuing a life in music) but with the selectivity of attention one needs to be able to lock in with his or her colleague and perform Nagoya Marimbas well, it certainly is more difficult than one might initially believe. Kudos Mr. Reich!

Average customer rating:

Na Kai Ewalu

Manufacturer: The Mountain Apple Company
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | International | Styles | Music

Hawaii | Pacific Islands | International | Styles | Music
ASIN: B000A28Q5O
Release Date: 1995-03-01

Average customer rating:

Music for soul
On the Road Again
Kitaro CD
Great for yoga class
IMHO, better than "Volume 1"

Sacred Journey of Ku-Kai, Vol. 2
Kitaro
Manufacturer: Domo Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Japan | Far East & Asia | International | Styles | Music

General | New Age | Styles | Music

Meditation | New Age | Styles | Music

Electronic | Progressive | Rock | Styles | Music
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Sacred Journey of Ku-Kai
Spiritual Garden
Mandala
Gaia
Ancient

ASIN: B0007CEX2W
Release Date: 2005-02-22

Tracks:

Shining Spirit Of Water
As The Wind Blows
Koki
Kan-Non
Whispering Earth
Inner Lights
Dancing Flower
Floating Lotus
Peaceful Valley
Crystal Field
Ritual Waves

Amazon.com

Shortly after 9/11, Kitaro began a pilgrimage to the island of Shikoku, which has 88 temples, each with its own distinct temple bells. The Japanese keyboardist has been recording those bells and working them into the fabric of The Sacred Journey of Ku-Kai, of which this is the second volume in a projected series. The first volume unlocked a new energy in Kitaro's music, with more open spaces and instruments like the erhu and pipa (Chinese violin and lute) lending his landscapes an organic immediacy. But Kitaro is a composer who doesn't know when to stop. He takes the freshest elements of his music, like the koto-erhu duet at the core of "Shining Spirit of Water," and buries them in the same choir pads, electronic squiggles, dripping strings, and whooping synthesizers that have been his sonic signature since 1978's Astral Voyage. Even the relatively austere meditation of "Peaceful Valley," featuring Native American flute, and the darker textures of "Ka-Non," get swamped as Kitaro gilds the lily and then dips it in a treacly bath sweeter than a glazed doughnut. The thought that Kitaro's Shikoku pilgrimage has already turned into a tedious trudge doesn't bode well. --John Diliberto

Customer Reviews:

Music for soul.......2007-02-08

For me it is favorite music for meditation and searching peace of my mind. This music is recommended to estimulate Alfa Waves generation into our brain. Very recommended music for all.

On the Road Again.......2006-06-02

The ever prolific New Age maestro Kitaro's musical pilgrimage continues with this CD, with eleven compositions inspired by Temples 13 through 23 on the Shikoku 88 Temple Pilgrimage Route. All in all he does a fine job of maintaining the tone and flavor of "Sacred Journey of Kukai, Volume 1" while not getting stuck in a rut. He manages to integrate the temple bells into the music somewhat more smoothly than before, while continuing overall to alchemically blend traditional Asian musical forms with contemporary sensibilities as well as he did on the last album (and throughout his career, for that matter). The Chinese pipa lute is particularly effective on track six, and the Arabic inflections in track seven are subtle and yet thrilling.

That said, at first I thought I was going to dislike this album. Some of the earlier tracks are a bit on the weak side, and track five has way too much of Kitaro's sentimental whoops and swirls and seems overdone (and parts of it sound to me like a theme for a second-rate Japanese TV drama). Just when I was starting to roll my eyes, though, track six kicked in and saved the day, and the rest of the album gets the balance about right.

I do kind of feel that, according to my tastes at least, Volume 1 was a stronger effort on Kitaro's part, but this is still great spiritual music with a heart, focused on inner peace and world peace and inspired by a time-honored Japanese religious practice. One can only look forwards to the next stage in the pilgrimage and wonder what it will bring.

Kitaro CD.......2005-08-04

I have had other Kitaro recordings which I have really liked and then came across this one recently. Kitaro still has the same magic with this recording.

Great for yoga class.......2005-06-10

It's actually a 4.5 stars. I am a yoga instructor. This is the first CD I bought for my class, and it works beautifully! As picky as I'm toward the music I use for my class, I like music that's relaxing yet not boring to put you to sleep. I do have to mention though, the last song "Ritual Waves", I found is very disturbing...

IMHO, better than "Volume 1".......2005-03-06

Made in USA in 2005, Serial# 73035-2, Playing Time 58:26

Some of the sounds found on this CD will be very familiar to any fan who's been following his career for more than a decade: all instrumental, except for a few wolf-like "howls" on the last track (forgive my ignorance if this is intended as some prayer/summons.) It is that track that brings down my review from what would have otherwise been a 4-star rating.

I personally found this album much more charming (and perhaps with less "traditional" influences) than Volume 1. There are even some passages vaguely reminiscent of some of Yanni's best symphonic moments.

Some melodies (like "As The Wind Blows" or "Whispering Earth") will undoubtebly find their way on an ulterior "best of": this is Kitaro in FULL bliss.

Other melodies are much more rhythmic (like "Kan-Non" and "Dancing Flower"), which aren't my favorite Kitaro moods; I'll take his charm/musical poetry over the more enthusiastic tracks.

Still, regardless of the energy deployed, all tracks (except for "Floating Lotus") are rich and textured.

For the novice, "Volume 2" is probably a better introduction to the world of Kitaro than "Volume 1". Obviously not the type of music to listen to while vacuuming... Sit back (or better yet, lay back) and crank it up!

Average customer rating:

Superb, moving, melodic!

Tauno Pylkkänen: Mare and her Son

Manufacturer: Ondine
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Operettas | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music
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Armas Launis: Aslak Hetta

ASIN: B0009A414C
Release Date: 2005-06-21

Tracks:

Overture
To Your Health
The Sun Is High Already
But You Still Have Your Son Imant!
Imant Is Coming
A Hundred Sleighs Are Setting Off
This Is A Question Of Life And Death
Do You Want People To Ask In Public
Mother! Why Did You Bear Me
Bibit Hera, Bibit Herus
Your Safety Is Assured
Song Of The Minstrel
Sword Dance
Fantastic Dance
Male Chorus
That Is Mine And God's Affair!
Finis Festo!
First I Want My Son, Lord!
Knights Of The Sword!
Lord...

Tracks:

Orchestral Introduction
Seisa Veri, Seisa Veri
I Kept The Castellan's Word, Woman
Mother Took The Crib To The Meadow
Cease Your Nursery Rhymes, Mother!
They Have Been Slain!
Do Not Ramble, Mother!
Hear Me, Imant My Son
Be Gone From Me, Mother
Interlude
Female Chorus: Bear To The Grave
Imant, Son Of Valdeko Is Dead
Now You May Take To His Grave Imant My Son
Give Word Now, Sakala's Eldest
Now He Is Dead
That Song Again!
Chorus: Strike Her To The Ground!
On Summer Nights The Swans Cried From The Bay
Up There On High, On The Edge Of The Clouds

Customer Reviews:

Superb, moving, melodic!.......2005-07-31

This little-heard Finnish opera about the agony of a mother (Mare) who has to choose between betraying her son (Imant) to save his life, and honoring his life by passively sitting by and watching him die a martyr, is powerful stuff. Based on the 1343 St. George's Night uprising in which peasants hid in grain sacks to gain entrance to the German castle Viljandi, the opera which premiered in 1953 was given only 12 performances, and wasn't heard from again until it was revived in Tallinn in 2004. Ondine deserves a big tip-of-the-hat for bringing this 2004 recording to life in a splendid 2-CD set that is hypnotic from beginning to end and a treasure to the auditory senses. If you like your operas serious, dark and somber, and the orchestration -- provided here by the Estonia National Opera and Chorus -- deep, rich and full, with plenty of emphasis on bass, cellos and moody laments, this is for you. With Kirsi Tiihonen, soprano, brilliantly singing the role of the fated mother, Mare, and Raimo Sirkia, tenor, singing the role of her equally fated son, accompanied by a full chorus and outstanding ensemble cast, this opera, completed during the war years of 1942-43 by 24-yearv old composer Tauno Pylkkänen (1918-1980), demonstrates the very best in compositional skill and understanding of the important interplay between vocal and instrument in opera, and the happy result you get when a composer writes for the pleasure of the audience. The comparisons to Puccini and Menotti's "old fashioned" sense of musicality are offered and are apt in the production notes. This is powerful stuff, taxing on the singers, to be sure, but inspiring, melodic and so fully developed that the libretto by Aino Kallas, and score are a seamless fit that just soars from one title to the next, culminating in a heart-wrenching climax that is emotionally draining and beautiful. The depth of Mare's lament, captured in Kirsi Tiihonen's glorious voice, before she joins her son in his watery grave [On summer nights the swans cried from the bay, on gloomy autumn eves the birds from your misty shores. Now, on a night in early winter, I step into your icy, cold embrace. Receive black waves the heart of a mother who sinned, but on whom God himself sought revenge and who fell beneath her burden. . . "] is potent writing. This 2-CD set is magnificent and beautiful and will give many hours of pleasure to those who own it!

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