Out on My Own

Amazon.com
As the title might suggest, this was Sheila Chandra's declaration of independence after scoring a U.K. hit with the group Monsoon and their song, "Ever So Lonely." Monsoon still endures as a delightful and occasionally transcendent slice of pure pop exotica, but this reissue of Chandra's 1983 album, Out on My Own, doesn't weather as well. With music still composed by Monsoon writers Steve Coe and Martin Smith, Out on My Own was born of Indian instrumentation hung on predominantly pop song structures. But with slogans masquerading as lyrics, "Unchanged Malady" being the nadir, they sound uncomfortable with the form. Nevertheless, it's evident that even with sub-par material and a rare lapse in taste by her longtime producer Coe, Chandra's voice still rings out, both radiant and assured. You can hear the germ of her future vocal style in the simplicity of "Fly to Me" and the ambient spaces of "From a Whisper ... to a Scream," as she sings Indian bols in a hallucinogenic landscape. Sheila Chandra's solo debut strains at the leash of ambitions that would wait 'till subsequent recordings like Quiet and Weaving My Ancestors Voices to be fully realized. --John Diliberto

Out on My Own,Sheila Chandra,Narada,Ambient,Asia,Asian,Dance-Pop,India,India / Pakistan,Indian,Indian Diaspora,Indian Pop,Indo-British,Int'l & World Music,Pop,World Music,Worldbeat

Average customer rating: a wonderful surprise What!? How is this possible? Beauty and grace, charm and wit - Maury's got it all A perfect marriage of music and lyrics The Maury Yeston Songbook

The Maury Yeston Songbook Maury Yeston , Christine Andreas , Brent Barrett , Betty Buckley , Liz Callaway , Alice Ripley , Sutton Foster , Brian d'Arcy James , and Philip Chaffin Manufacturer: P.S. Classics ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Rock | Styles | Music General | Musicals | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music General | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music Similar Items: The Maury Yeston Songbook December Songs The Drowsy Chaperone (2006 Original Broadway Cast) Jule Styne in Hollywood Grey Gardens - A New Musical (2006 Original Broadway Cast) ASIN: B00008H2LJ Release Date: 2003-04-08

Tracks:

1. Please Let's Not Even Say Hello - Alice Ripley
2. Only with You - Brent Barrett
3. I Want to Go to Hollywood - Sutton Foster
4. Danglin' - Johnny Rodgers
5. I Had a Dream About You - Betty Buckley
6. My True Love - Philip Chaffin
7. A Call from the Vatican - Alice Ripley
8. Now and Then - Laura Benanti
9. You're There Too - Christopher Fitzgerald
10. Is Someone Out There? - Eden Espinosa
11. New Words - Brent Barrett
12. My Grandmother's Love Letters - Christine Ebersole
13. By the River - Christine Andreas
14. I Am Longing - Philip Chaffin
15. Home - Laura Benanti & Robert Cuccioli
16. Another Day in the Modern World - Michael Holland
17. Simple - Liz Callaway
18. Unusual Way - Brian d'Arcy James
19. Be On Your Own - Betty Buckley
20. No Moon - Howard McGillin

Amazon.com

Despite racking up Tony nominations and/or box-office success with Nine, Grand Hotel, and Titanic, Maury Yeston remains a relatively unknown Broadway auteur. And yet, what a fabulous songwriter he is. Listen to "Home," for instance: This excerpt from Phantom (the other adaptation of Phantom of the Opera) has great melodic hooks, along with natural sweep and unrestrained emotion. Like every song on this CD, it also has such dramatic drive that it easily stands on its own outside of its regular narrative frame. This collection of new recordings provides an excellent overview of Yeston's talent, juxtaposing numbers from his three best-known scores (though there's only one from Titanic) with rarities and a generous selection from his 1991 song cycle December Songs. Christine Ebersole, Liz Callaway, and Betty Buckley turn in expectedly strong performances, but watch also for Laura Benanti (the star of the 2003 revival of Nine), Christine Andreas, and Foster Sutton, who completely make the material theirs. --Elisabeth Vincentelli

Description

The Tony Award-winning composer/lyricist -- who's given us the smash hit musicals Titanic, Phantom and Grand Hotel, and whose first stage show, Nine, is currently being revived in New York with Antonio Banderas -- is celebrated in song by the best stars o

Customer Reviews:

a wonderful surprise.......2007-07-22

Like others, I bought this CD primarily for Sutton Foster's rendition of "I Want to Go to Hollywood." And while that's wonderful, the real surprises here are the songs from Yeston's song cycle "December Songs." Christine Ebersole and Christine Andreas give absolutely lovely, technically proficient, completely heartfelt renditions of "My Grandmother's Love Letters" and "By the River", respectively. I'd heard Andrea Marcovicci's recording of "December Songs" and was seriously underwhelmed. These two tracks just prove that Yeston might have over-estimated Marcovicci's range and technical ability. "By the River" is a revelation in the right hands, and Ms. Andreas's rendition is just four minutes of wonderful. I also want to mention Howard McGillin's "No Moon". This little song from "Titanic" is just so moving. Pulled out of context, it becomes a little jewel of metaphor.

The CD as a whole is beautifully recorded, with an intimacy and clarity that makes you feel like you're in the first row of a very small theatre. If you come across this and you're on the fence, take a chance. I bet that you'll be as pleasantly surprised and deeply moved as I've been.

What!? How is this possible?.......2007-01-20

How could one put together a Maury Yeston Songbook cd without a track from Andrea Marcovicci? He wrote a song cycle for her. Granted there are some great singers here but a grave oversight to not include Ms Marcovicci.

Beauty and grace, charm and wit - Maury's got it all.......2006-11-14

Maury Yeston may be musical theatre's unsung genius to the public at large, but I've heard his praises sung many times. A friend convinced me to buy the original Broadway cast of "Nine", and while there were some fantastic songs and an undeniable melodic gift throughout, it left me lukewarm. The same with "Grand Hotel". And I couldn't stand "Titanic" - too big, too self-important, too reliant on booming low brass and bombastic orchestral swells.

"Phantom" was the only one of his scores that touched something other than distanced admiration in me. It was everything Sir Lloyd Webber's popera travesty could never quite aspire to - epic yet human, beautiful and touching, with songs that showed actual details and emotions. So it was with that in mind that I purchased this, figuring that maybe Maury could prove me wrong, shorn from the restrictions of a book musical format.

And by God, did he prove me right and then some.

Maybe it's the singers. Maybe it's the perfect orchestrations. Maybe it's just the absence of a plot to follow. More than likely, it's all three, but this is one of the most gorgeous, enjoyable, heartbreaking albums I've ever purchased. Yeston has assembled an impressive cast to give voice to his music - such heavy Broadway hitters as Alice Ripley, Brent Barrett, Betty Buckley, Christine Ebersole and Howard McGillin mix with up-and-comers like Eden Espinosa, Sutton Foster, and Brian d'Arcy James. But the most impressive turns are given by people I'd never heard of before - Johnny Rodgers (who?) has a voice spun from gold, and he's absolutely perfect in "Danglin'", a simple and powerful song despite some odd lyric choices by Yeston. Likewise Philip Chaffin in "My True Love" and "I Am Longing", and Michael Holland displays a warm and untrained performance of "Another Day in the Modern World". These three men, who I'd never heard of before, absolutely stole the show. It doesn't hurt that they're given some of the best songs from the album.

Of course, the rest of the ensemble uniformly turns in worthwhile performances. The professionalism of Broadway is gloriously evident here, each singer making their song uniquely theirs. Brent Barrett made me hear "Only With You" as if for the first time. Betty Buckley is surprisingly vulnerable in "I Had A Dream About You". Alice Ripley is her usual bundle of raw emotion in "Please Let's Not Even Say Hello", and turns in a rare comic performance in "Call From The Vatican" to great effect (listen to that surprise high note near the end! Wow, Alice!). Christine Ebersole is heartbroken, elated, vulnerable, and tough all in the course of "Grandmother's Love Letters"' 4 minutes.

There are some weak spots - Eden Espinosa is mostly one-note during her song, and while it's certainly a high note, it's nothing you haven't heard her do better elsewhere. Laura Benanti's "Now and Then" goes by without much notice, which is a shame for this talented actress. And Betty Buckley goes back to her usual high-volume stridence in "Be On Your Own", which despite its chilling music deserves a more nuanced performance than Buckley gives here. But these songs would be standouts on any other album, and it's only the company they keep that prevent them from being excellent.

Oh, and "Unusual Way", possibly Yeston's best-known song, is so beautifully performed here by Brian d'Arcy James and a three-piece band that I nearly cried hearing it. And that's quite a feat for a song that I swore never to listen to again after the seventeenth girl in a day auditioned with it (badly). But the gender swap works perfectly, and d'Arcy James' golden Irish tenor swings through the music effortlessly.

As for the band - there are no missteps here. Each song is given exactly what it needs, from the Romantic-with-a-capital-R string section on "Home", to the jazzy saxophone on "Letter From the Vatican", to "Be On Your Own", which is given a Herrmann-esque string section. Some particular touches stand out - that lovely acoustic guitar on "Danglin'", the simple piano line on "Modern World", and the sublime cello/piano outro in "Unusual Way" really stuck with me after the album stopped playing. And the recording is without fault - crisp, encompassing, personable and expansive as the mood requires. The whole album sounds fantastic.

There is such a wide range of style and substance here that each song would deserve purchasing individually. As a collection? It's bliss. If you're a fan of theater music, appreciate great vocals, or just need something to keep you company on long nights, this is required purchase.

A perfect marriage of music and lyrics.......2006-09-07

I think Yeston must be the most underrated talent in music theatre. And not just music theatre ... for as far as I know, "Danglin'" is not from a show - a jewel of a song ... and a disarmingly honest rendition from Johnny Rogers (what a beautiful voice! Why hasn't he made more CD's?) Some other favourites are "New Words" (not enough parent-child love songs out there ... and I can't imagine it could be sung any better than this), "You're there too" (with a charming and unexpected twist), "Simple" (Callaway is superb), "Only With You" (loveable rogue!) ... to name but a few. Inspired music theatre writing. A must for any musical buff, composer or singer seeking repertoire that will help them stand out from the crowd.

The Maury Yeston Songbook.......2006-08-30

A good album sung by good singers. I have been an admirer of Maury Yeston for a number of years . I am a great fan of "Nine"
which I consider his best work.(If possible try to listen to the
Australian Cast Recording with John Diedrich) I enjoy listening to artists like Alice Ripley, Brent Barrett, Sutton Foster,and my very favourite singer Liz Callaway. All in all a great CD to just sit back ,relax and enjoy Les Breen

Average customer rating: Enjoyably 'Inauthentic,' Authentically 1950s Version

John Gay: The Beggar's Opera; Edward German: Tom Jones (Highlights) Manufacturer: Class. for Pleas. Us ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Baroque (c.1600-1750) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General Modern | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Vocal & Song | Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Brannigan, Owen | ( B ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music English | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Operettas | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music ASIN: B000089HAZ Release Date: 2003-08-05

Tracks:

1. Overture - John Wills
2. Thro' All The Employments Of Life - Owen Brannigan
3. 'Tis Woman That Seduces All Mankind - Alexander Young
4. If Love The Virgin's Heart Invade - Constance Shacklock
5. A Maid Is Like The Golden Ore - Constance Shacklock
6. Virgins Are Like The Fair Flower - Elsie Morison
7. Our Polly Is A Sad Slut - Constance Shacklock
8. Can Love Be Controlled By Advice? - Elsie Morison
9. O Polly, You Might Have Toy'd And Kiss'd - Elsie Morison
10. I Like A Ship In Storms Was Tossed - Elsie Morison
11. A Fox May Steal Your Hens, Sir - Owen Brannigan
12. O Ponder Well - Elsie Morison
13. Pretty Polly, Say - Elsie Morison
14. My Heart Was So Free - John Cameron
15. Were I Laid On Greenland's Coast - Elsie Morison
16. O What Pain It Is To Part - Elsie Morison
17. Fill Every Glass - Alexander Young
18. Let Us Take The Road - Alexander Young
19. If The Heart Of A Man - John Cameron
20. Youth's The Season - Dance - John Cameron
21. Before The Barn-Door Crowing - Dance - Anna Pollak
22. At The Tree I Shall Suffer - John Cameron
23. Man May Escape From Rope And Gun - John Cameron
24. App. 1. How Cruel Are The Traitors - Monica Sinclair
25. App. 3. When You Censure The Age - Owen Brannigan
26. How Happy Could I Be With Either - John Cameron
27. I'm Bubbled, I'm Bubbled - Monica Sinclair
28. Cease Your Funning - Elsie Morison
29. Melodrama: The Escape Of Macheath - John Wills

Tracks:

1. The Modes Of The Court So Common Are Grown - Alexander Young
2. In The Days Of My Youth - Owen Brannigan
3. Entrance Of Lucy - John Wills
4. I'm Like A Skiff On The Ocean Tost - Monica Sinclair
5. Come, Sweet Lass - Monica Sinclair
6. Hither, Dear Husband - Monica Sinclair
7. Which Way Shall I Turn Me? - John Cameron
8. The Charge Is Prepared - John Cameron
9. Macheath's Soliloquy - John Wills
10. Would I Might Be Hang'd - Monica Sinclair
11. Thus I Stand Like The Turk - John Cameron
12. Introduction - Don't You Find The Weather Charming? - Gilbert Vinter & His Orchestra
13. On A Januairy Morning In Zummerzetsheer - Nigel Brooks Chorus
14. West County Lad, What Is't Ye Lack? - Nigel Brooks Chorus
15. To-Day My Spinet, Closed And Idly Still - Cynthia Glover
16. Wisdom Says 'Festina Lente' - Shirley Minty
17. Madrigal: Here's A Paradox For Lovers - Shirley Minty
18. Dream O' Day Jill - Cynthia Glover
19. As All The Maids And I One Day - Shirley Minty
20. A Soldier's Scarlet Coat - Nigel Brooks Chorus
21. Love Maketh The Heart A Garden Fair - Cynthia Glover
22. Morris Dance - Gilbert Vinter & His Orchestra
23. Gavotte: Glass Of Fashion, Mould Of Form - Gilbert Vinter & His Orchestra
24. The Green Ribbon - Shirley Minty
25. If Love's Content Lie In The Spoken Word - Frederick Harvey
26. Recitative And Waltz Song: Which Is My Own True Self... - Cynthia Glover
27. Recitative And Waltz Song: For To-night Let Me Dream Out My Dream Of Delight - Cynthia Glover
28. Hark! The Merry Marriage Bells - Shirley Minty

Customer Reviews:

Enjoyably 'Inauthentic,' Authentically 1950s Version.......2005-05-14

By rights, this 1955 version of John Gay's much-adapted 1728 'ballad opera' should sound antiquated beyond redemption: the musical version used is Frederick Austin's well-worn, prettified (& verbally expurgated) 1920 arrangement, subjected to the indignity of being blown up from chamber ensemble to full orchestra; Sir Malcolm Sargeant's tempi are impossibly 'inauthentic' (ie. slow); there are numerous cuts even beyond Austin's omissions; & the 2 separate casts, of opera singers & actors, recorded in different months, are not always convincingly 'matched up.' Yet it's one of the most enjoyable recordings I know of.
A quick scan of the cast list(s) will tell you why: the singers include Elsie Morison, John Cameron, Monica Sinclair, Ian Wallace, Owen Brannigan & Alexander Young & the actors Zena Walker, John Neville, Rachel Roberts, Eric Porter & Paul Rogers. In other words, these are top pros & strong audio personalities who grab their every opportunity. The musical performance is sumptuous & sheer pleasure to listen to, the actors & dialogue 'production' brisk, funny & sharper than you might expect. And the sound for both music & dialogue is of demonstration quality, one of the best of the period.
Those who find this version too musically ponderous or dramatically reactionary can find antidotes in the Bare Baroque Basics one by Jeremy Barlow & The Broadside Band (Hyperion), word & note complete, & the radical & often inspired 1948 Benjamin Britten arrangement (complete on Argo, abridged with the original cast on Pearl). They'll be missing some good 50s fun, though.
They'll also be missing the only available excerpts (15 numbers) from Edward German's tuneful 1907 operetta 'Tom Jones.' This really IS 'cleaned up' 18th century, genteel beyond the call of duty, but for those who respond to musical theater of the period, highly recommended. The 1966 recording is lively & accomplished. As Miss Jean Brodie would say, For those who like that sort of thing, that is the sort of thing they like. And a good thing too.

Average customer rating:

Hey Mr. Producer!: The Musical World of Cameron MacKintosh Martin Koch Manufacturer: Polygram ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Irish Folk | Traditional British & Celtic Folk | Folk | Styles | Music General | Pop | Styles | Music Orchestral Pop | Easy Listening | Pop | Styles | Music General | Soul | R&B | Styles | Music Soul | Live Albums | R&B | Styles | Music General | Musicals | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music General | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music ASIN: B000023ZUQ Release Date: 1998-08-25

Tracks:

1. We Said We Wouldn't Look Back [Salad Days] - Martin Koch
2. Cats Overture [From Cats] - Martin Koch
3. Food Glorious Food [From Oliver!] - Workhouse Children
4. Wouldn't It Be Loverly [From My Fair Lady] - Gillian Lynne, Liz Robertson, Company
5. Quit Professor Higgins [From My Fair Lady] - Company
6. Rain in Spain [From My Fair Lady] - Jonathan Pryce, Liz Robertson,
7. Get Me to the Church on Time [From My Fair Lady] - Peter Bayliss, , Company
8. I've Grown Accustomed to Her Face [From My Fair Lady] - Jonathan Pryce, Liz Robertson
9. Introduction (Show Medeley) - Julie Andrews
10. One Two Three [The Fix] - John Barrowman
11. Little Shop of Horrors - Wendy Mae Brown, Dawn Hope, Femi Taylor
12. Somewhere That's Green [Little Shop of Horrors] - Ellen Greene
13. Suddenly Seymour [Little Shop of Horrors] - Ellen Greene, Teddy Kempner
14. Day by Day [Godspell] - Company
15. I Get a Kick Out of You [From Anything Goes] - Laurie Holloway, Marian Montgomery,
16. Variations [Song and Dance] - Julian Lloyd Webber, , Company
17. Unexpected Song [Song and Dance] - Bernadette Peters
18. Nicer in Nice [The Boyfriend] - Jasna Ivir, Company
19. I Love a Lassie [Lauder] - Scottish Power Pipe Band
20. Five Guys Named Moe/Is You Is or Is You Ain't My Baby? [Five Guys ...] - Trent Armand Kendall, , , ,
21. Pick a Pocket or Two - Russ Abbot, , ,
22. As Long as He Needs Me [From Oliver!] - Sonia Swaby
23. Introduction - Julie Andrews
24. I'm Martin Guerre - David Campbell
25. How Many Tears? [Martin Guerre] - Maria Friedman
26. Heat Is on in Saigon [From Miss Saigon] - David Campbell, , Lea Salonga, Company
27. Wedding [From Miss Saigon]
28. Last Night of the World [From Miss Saigon] - David Campbell, Lea Salonga
29. This Is the Hour [From Miss Saigon] - Company
30. American Dream [From Miss Saigon] - Jonathan Pryce, Company

Tracks:

1. Phantom of the Opera [From The Phantom of the Opera] - Lisa Vroman, Colm Wilkinson
2. Music of the Night [From Phantom of the Opera] - Colm Wilkinson
3. Broadway Baby [Follies] - Maria Friedman, Julia McKenzie
4. Oh, What a Beautiful Morning [From Oklahoma!] - Hugh Jackman
5. Carousel Waltz/Ballet [From Carousel] - Dana Stackpole, Company
6. Porch Scene [From Carousel] - Hal Fowler, Barbara King, Joanna Riding, Dana Stackpole
7. You'll Never Walk Alone [From Carousel] - Joanna Riding, Company
8. Introduction - Ned Sherrin
9. Side by Side [Company] - David Kernan, Millicent Martin, Julia McKenzie, Ned Sherrin, Stephen Sondheim
10. You Could Drive a Person Crazy [Company] - Maria Friedman, Ruthie Henshall, Millicent Martin, Lea Salonga
11. Send in the Clowns (A Little Night Music) - Judi Dench
12. Losing My Mind [Follies] - Michael Ball
13. Being Alive [Company] - Bernadette Peters
14. You've Gotta Have a Gimmick [From Gypsy] - Michael Ball, Judi Dench, Maria Friedman, Ruthie Henshall, David Kernan, , Dean Martin, Julia McKenzie, Bernadette Peters
15. Introduction - Stephen Sondheim
16. Duelling Pianos - Andrew Lloyd Webber, Stephen Sondheim,
17. Poisoning Pigeons in the Park [Tom Foolery] - Tom Lehrer
18. Jellicle Songs [From Cats] - Brian Blessed, , Paul Nicholas, Company
19. Memory [From Cats] - Elaine Paige
20. At the End of the Day [From Les Miserables] - Company
21. Stars [From Les Miserables] - Philip Quast
22. Do You Hear the People Sing? [From Les Miserables] - Hal Fowler, Company
23. On My Own [From Les Miserables] - Lea Salonga
24. Bring Him Home [From Les Miserables] - Colm Wilkinson
25. One Day More [From Les Miserables] - Michael Ball, Hal Fowler, Ruthie Henshall, Tammi Jacobs, Teddy Kempner, Philip Quast, Lea Salonga, Colm Wilkinson, Za
26. We Said We Wouldn't Look Back [From Les Miserables] - Cameron Mackintosh

Album Description

Subtitled the Musical Word of Cameron Mackintosh. Import only 56-track collection. A live recording at the Lyceum Theatre in London, in the presence of her majesty the Queen and HRH the Duke of Edinburgh. In aid of the Royal National Institute for the Blind and the combined theatrical charities. Universal.

Average customer rating:

A.E. Housman: A Shropshire Lad, Complete in verse and song Alan Bates , Anthony Rolfe Johnson , and Graham Johnson Manufacturer: Hyperion UK ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Baroque Dance Suites | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music | Allemandes | Courantes | Gigue | Sarabande All Works by Barber | Barber, Samuel | ( B ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Chamber Music | Forms & Genres | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Chamber Music | Forms & Genres | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Vocal & Song | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music Compilations | Classical | Styles | Music General | Songs & Lieder | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Classical | Imports | Stores | Music ASIN: B00005S85Q Release Date: 2001-12-11

Average customer rating: Amazing voice! Voice of an Angel This is a great example of Indipop !

Out on My Own Sheila Chandra Manufacturer: Narada ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Ambient | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music General | Dance Pop | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music India | India & Pakistan | International | Styles | Music General | India & Pakistan | International | Styles | Music General | International | Styles | Music General | Far East & Asia | International | Styles | Music Similar Items: Zen Kiss Nada Brahma Roots and Wings Quiet Indipop Retrospective ASIN: B00004U90U Release Date: 2000-07-18

Tracks:

1. All You Want Is More
2. Out On My Own
3. Village Girl
4. Storm Trance
5. From A Whisper...To A Scream
6. Prema, Shanti, Dharma, Satya
7. Unchanged Malady
8. Missing The Voice
9. Fly To Me
10. Songbird

Amazon.com

As the title might suggest, this was Sheila Chandra's declaration of independence after scoring a U.K. hit with the group Monsoon and their song, "Ever So Lonely." Monsoon still endures as a delightful and occasionally transcendent slice of pure pop exotica, but this reissue of Chandra's 1983 album, Out on My Own, doesn't weather as well. With music still composed by Monsoon writers Steve Coe and Martin Smith, Out on My Own was born of Indian instrumentation hung on predominantly pop song structures. But with slogans masquerading as lyrics, "Unchanged Malady" being the nadir, they sound uncomfortable with the form. Nevertheless, it's evident that even with sub-par material and a rare lapse in taste by her longtime producer Coe, Chandra's voice still rings out, both radiant and assured. You can hear the germ of her future vocal style in the simplicity of "Fly to Me" and the ambient spaces of "From a Whisper ... to a Scream," as she sings Indian bols in a hallucinogenic landscape. Sheila Chandra's solo debut strains at the leash of ambitions that would wait 'till subsequent recordings like Quiet and Weaving My Ancestors Voices to be fully realized. --John Diliberto

Customer Reviews:

Amazing voice!.......2006-09-07

Sheila Chandra's music is very poetic. She really sings from the heart A++++

Voice of an Angel.......2002-10-24

If you are bored with Pop music (or should I say Muzak), give a listen to Sheila Chandra. Her voice is wonderful, and she does wonderful things with it. Her music is rich with the tradition of India and also accessible and modern. The title track is quite liberating for an Eastern woman. If you want to explore some new music, Sheila's music is a good place to start.

This is a great example of Indipop !.......2000-10-08

As it's label suggests ... this is Indi - Pop. A fussion of east - west influence. In her first solo effort, Sheila displays her ability to not only draw you in with her clear, smooth, vocals; but gives hints of her [later to dominate]use of her voice as truely a musical instrument in itself.

While some may find it "less transcendental" then her more current efforts, it's important to remember this fact in itself lends this album to a much broader appeal. It has both a relaxing and invigorating quality ... perfect for both active listening & passive background music.

As a long time fan, Sheila rocks!

Average customer rating: Another fine addition to the series

Lost in Boston III Various Artists - Soundtracks , Cy Coleman , Stephen Flaherty , Frank Loesser , Ralph Martin Hugh / Blane , Richard Rodgers , Harvey Schmidt , Stephen Sondheim , Charles Strouse , Jule Styne , Meredith Willson , Tom Fay , Dan Shaheen , Debbie Gravitte , Dennis Kelley , Gannon McHale , Guy Haines , Harry Groener , Jason Graae , Lindsay Ridgeway , Liz Callaway , Liz Larsen , Lynne Wintersteller , Lynnette Perry , Malcolm Gets , Michele Pawk , Patricia Ben Peterson , Paul Blankenship , Rebecca Luker , Rod Raines , Sal Viviano , Sarah Chapman , Tammy Minoff , Tim Ewing , Walter Willison , and Steve Orich Manufacturer: Varese Sarabande ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music General | Musicals | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music General | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music 1990s | By Decade | Soundtracks | Styles | Music General | Vocal Pop | Pop | Styles | Music Similar Items: Lost in Boston Lost in Boston, Vol. 4 Lost in Boston II Unsung Musicals Unsung Musicals II (Studio Cast) Unsung Musicals (Studio Cast) ASIN: B0000014VK Release Date: 1995-04-25

Tracks:

1. Gypsy: Mama's Talkin' Soft - Lindsay Ridgeway/Sarah Chapman
2. Guys & Dolls: Travelin' Light - Malcolm Gets
3. Meet Me In St. Louis: A Bell Will Ring - Patricia Ben Peterson
4. Seesaw: Big Fat Heart - Debbie Shapiro Gravitte
5. Sweet Charity: Pink Taffeta Sample Size 10 - Lynne Wintersteller
6. The Music Man: You Don't Have To Kiss Me Goodnight - Lynnette Perry/Sal Viviano
7. 110 In The Shade: Inside My Head - Ton Raines
8. She Loves Me: Tell Me I Look Nice - Rebecca Luker
9. Where's Charley?: The Bee - Guy Haines
10. Bye, Bye, Birdie: Older And WIser - Michelle Pawk/Tammy Minoff
11. Flower Drum Song: My Best Love - Dennis Kelley
12. Where's Charley?: Your Own College Band - Walter Willison/Paul Blankenship/Tim Ewing/Gannon McHale/Dan Shaheen
13. Merrily We Roll Along: Honey - Liz Callaway/Jason Graae
14. Oklahoma!: When I Go Out Walkin' With My Baby - Liz Larsen/Harry Groener
15. Once On This Island: When Daniel Marries - La Chanze
16. Seesaw: Pick Up The Pieces - Michelle Nicastro

Customer Reviews:

Another fine addition to the series.......2001-02-13

After a bit of a slip with the second, this series was back on track with this third CD of songs cut from well-known musicals. As I mentioned in a previous review, just about any successful musical has had songs cut from it, not always because the song wasn't good, but because it no longer fit the show as updated, or a character or scene was cut (the booklet explains why each song was removed from its show). Once again, the songs are all good and the performances are wonderful. My favorites are "Mama's Talking Soft" (cut from Gypsy), "Big Fat Heart" (Seesaw), "Your Own College Band" (Where's Charley?), "When I Go Out Walkin' with my Baby" (Oklahoma!), and "Pick Up the Pieces" (also Seesaw). Bruce Kimmel was smart in using show singers instead of pop singers. I recommend the entire series. This CD features some fine songs that deserve renewed appreciation.

Average customer rating: great, great!!! ALL THE MUSIC YOU EVER NEED!!

Sacred Music Complete Purcell , King , and Kings Consort Manufacturer: Hyperion UK ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Chamber Music | Forms & Genres | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music General | Songs & Lieder | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Classical | Imports | Stores | Music Similar Items: The Complete Odes and Welcome Songs of Henry Purcell / King's Consort Complete Secular Songs (3cd) ASIN: B00006RHQJ Release Date: 2002-12-10

Customer Reviews:

great, great!!!.......2006-12-05

This is the way ,I think, Purcell should sound. No pomp and surcomstance but only great music.

ALL THE MUSIC YOU EVER NEED!!.......2003-05-23

This boxed set is by far one of the best purchases I have ever made. As a Purcell freak, this hits every button I have. The cast of characters include the inequitable Robert King, New College Choir, Bowman, and a host of other venerable persons. Likewise the attention to period performance of these works makes it an essential addition to the library of any serious anglophile/Musicologist etc. Now if only the Britten Realizations of all Purcell's songs could be recorded alongside the originals! You will Love this set!

Average customer rating: Amazing voice! Voice of an Angel This is a great example of Indipop !

Out on My Own Sheila Chandra Manufacturer: Caroline ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Ambient | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music General | Dance Pop | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music India | India & Pakistan | International | Styles | Music General | India & Pakistan | International | Styles | Music General | International | Styles | Music General | Far East & Asia | International | Styles | Music General | Pop | Styles | Music Similar Items: Zen Kiss Nada Brahma Roots and Wings Quiet Indipop Retrospective ASIN: B000000HYI Release Date: 1996-02-27

Tracks:

1. All You Want Is More
2. Out On My Own
3. Village Girl
4. Storm Trance
5. From A Whisper...To A Scream
6. Prema, Shanti, Dharma, Satya
7. Unchanged Malady
8. Missing The Voice
9. Fly To Me
10. Songbird

Amazon.com

As the title might suggest, this was Sheila Chandra's declaration of independence after scoring a U.K. hit with the group Monsoon and their song, "Ever So Lonely." Monsoon still endures as a delightful and occasionally transcendent slice of pure pop exotica, but this reissue of Chandra's 1983 album, Out on My Own, doesn't weather as well. With music still composed by Monsoon writers Steve Coe and Martin Smith, Out on My Own was born of Indian instrumentation hung on predominantly pop song structures. But with slogans masquerading as lyrics, "Unchanged Malady" being the nadir, they sound uncomfortable with the form. Nevertheless, it's evident that even with sub-par material and a rare lapse in taste by her longtime producer Coe, Chandra's voice still rings out, both radiant and assured. You can hear the germ of her future vocal style in the simplicity of "Fly to Me" and the ambient spaces of "From a Whisper ... to a Scream," as she sings Indian bols in a hallucinogenic landscape. Sheila Chandra's solo debut strains at the leash of ambitions that would wait 'till subsequent recordings like Quiet and Weaving My Ancestors Voices to be fully realized. --John Diliberto

Customer Reviews:

Amazing voice!.......2006-09-07

Sheila Chandra's music is very poetic. She really sings from the heart A++++

Voice of an Angel.......2002-10-24

If you are bored with Pop music (or should I say Muzak), give a listen to Sheila Chandra. Her voice is wonderful, and she does wonderful things with it. Her music is rich with the tradition of India and also accessible and modern. The title track is quite liberating for an Eastern woman. If you want to explore some new music, Sheila's music is a good place to start.

This is a great example of Indipop !.......2000-10-08

As it's label suggests ... this is Indi - Pop. A fussion of east - west influence. In her first solo effort, Sheila displays her ability to not only draw you in with her clear, smooth, vocals; but gives hints of her [later to dominate]use of her voice as truely a musical instrument in itself.

While some may find it "less transcendental" then her more current efforts, it's important to remember this fact in itself lends this album to a much broader appeal. It has both a relaxing and invigorating quality ... perfect for both active listening & passive background music.

As a long time fan, Sheila rocks!

Average customer rating: Hail and Farewell to an original Amazing Question What a pleasant suprise! The Return of a Legend

Out of My Hands Mark Spoelstra Manufacturer: Origin Jazz Library ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Contemporary Blues | Blues | Styles | Music General | Blues | Styles | Music Traditional Blues | Blues | Styles | Music General | Contemporary Folk | Folk | Styles | Music General | Folk | Styles | Music Traditional Folk | Folk | Styles | Music Revival | Folk | Styles | Music General | Folk | Indie Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: Five & Twenty Questions State of Mind 2nd Right, 3rd Row Try Me One More Time Living on the Trail ASIN: B000060OHP Release Date: 2002-01-11

Tracks:

1. I'm a Stranger Everywhere
2. Angelette In Blue
3. Just For You
4. Crazy Blue
5. School Boy Crush
6. San Joaquin County Fair
7. Hug Today
8. T-Bone T-Bone Blues
9. San Francisco Zoo
10. Dancer's Choice IV
11. Touchy Tiger
12. Teach You To Relax
13. Yosemite Valley
14. River Of Mercy
15. Fishin' Song
16. Ileanna

Customer Reviews:

Hail and Farewell to an original.......2007-03-15

This is likely to be his last album. (His website, however, indicates a forthcoming record of gospel music to be released later this year). Mark Spoelstra died Feb. 25, 2007 at the age of 66. As it was, he had put the music business behind him in the early 70s to raise a family and lead an ordinary life. "Out Of My Hands" is a return to recording after twenty-plus years and it's a good record to be remembered by. Many of the songs are favorites that he has worked on over time. The album is a mix of songs and intrumentals. His singing and guitar work are strong; the recording is intimate without a touch of reverb. The liner notes contain many of Spoelstra's own comments about his music. The cover art is a watercolor by the folk singer/artist Eric von Schmidt (who died, coincidentally, just three weeks before Spoelstra). Overall, this is one fine record to listen to and remember and celebrate a folk music orginal.

Amazing.......2007-02-25

Wow. We just bought this CD, and I'm totally in love with it.
I've never had the pleasure of meeting Mark - he is my husband's uncle.
Chip has some great memories of listening to his uncle play the guitar and sing.
I highly recommend this CD and any other of Mark's. He is a rare and gifted musician and songwriter.

Question.......2003-06-09

I haven't heard this album. I remember mark singing "He was a friend of mine" in the mid 60's. Is it available on cd or anywhere?

What a pleasant suprise!.......2002-07-29

I've often checked the web for any info on "What ever happened to Mark Spoelstra.." and now I know. He's back! Really an enjoyable album -he can still play that 12-string and the 6-string too. His blues sound so right - how come they call it the blues when it makes you smile so? I first heard his music when we were in alternative service orientation in 1963 and its just as good today. I would would enjoy him recording "Just a closer walk with thee" which he played back then but worried that it might be too bluesy for the church he was going to be performing in! Hope this isn't the last album - and I hope it gets noticed! It deserves it!

The Return of a Legend.......2002-03-04

I've been a fan of Mark Spoelstra's music since the mid-sixties and have acquired everything he has done. I can recommend " Out of my Hands" to anybody whose is into acoustic/blues/american folk. Mark has always been his own man, never mimicking black blues artists unlike many of his comtemporaries from the 60s. He always brings that elusive " something" to his recordings, that quality that make his records " special". Buy this record and obtain a piece of a true American original.

Average customer rating: nice enough A Darkened homage

The String Quartet Tribute to the Darkness Manufacturer: Vitamin Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music General | Compilations | Rock | Styles | Music General | Vocal Pop | Pop | Styles | Music Tributes | Pop | Styles | Music ASIN: B0006FFS2O Release Date: 2004-11-16

Tracks:

1. Black Shuck
2. Get Your Hands Off Of My Woman
3. Growing On Me
4. I Believe In A Thing Called Love
5. Love Is Only A Feeling
6. Givin' Up
7. Stuck In A Rut
8. Friday Night
9. Love On The Rocks With No Ice
10. Holding My Own
11. Makin' Out
12. Darker Than Dark

Product Description

1. Black Shuck
2. Get Your Hands Off Of My Woman
3. Growing On Me
4. I Believe In A Thing Called Love
5. Love Is Only A Feeling
6. Givin' Up
7. Stuck In A Rut
8. Friday Night
9. Love On The Rocks With No Ice
10. Holding My Own

Bonus Tracks:
11. Makin' Out
12. Darker Than Dark (original composition)

Format: CD

Customer Reviews:

nice enough.......2007-08-02

relaxing stuff, averagely executed. listened to it twice, then off to a dusty shelf it went.

A Darkened homage.......2004-12-31

On first listening to this album, I was apprehensive. I am a fan of the Darkness, and believe them to be a ground breaking band. Back around the late 70's, music took a tangent. It went off into a strange land where fully grown adults wore clothes too big for them, and listened endlessly to pre-fabricated music. The Darkness are taking up from where the likes of Queen and AC/DC left off.
I was worried that the combination of the emotional strings could not quite leash the power and soul of The Darkness; that classic players could not translate thier power. On hearing the album, I realised something: Much alike permission to land, this too is ground breaking. It is the soft carresing hand of classical music reaching out to the arms of today. A bridge between the expert fingers of the voilin to the guitar. In more plainer terms, I was wrong.
The take on it is absolutely fantastic. Not only does it ensoul permission to land with the sensual sounds of the strings, but also manages to keep with the fun and excitement that The Darkness have brought to modern day music. An absolute must for any Darkness fan, or anyone wanting some real fun put back into thier ears. I myself can turn on any one of these pieces and float away into another level of adoration for music. This album truly shows the abilities music has to move you, it shows how music can be enjoyed and shows a true talent I have not seen for a very, very long time.

Rock Music:

1. Par Les Fils De Mandrin [Import]
2. Philippines: Lute Music of Tboli
3. Reggae Redemption Songs
4. Remando Na Raia [Import]
5. Revoltosa//Verbena De La Paloma [Import]
6. Rhythms of the South
7. Rough Guide to World Music
8. Sam's Big Rooster
9. Se [Import]
10. Seguendo Le Tracce [Import]

Rock Music

rock music

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