Reeds & Badpipes: World of Islam

1. Panihari

2. Mey Solo

3. Jirbe

4. Music For Formal Classic Dance

5. Kama And Double-Naqqara

6. Dil-Tyuduk Solo

7. Wedding Procession

8. Saltarello

9. Tulum Solo

10. Music To Call The Spirits

11. Shepherds' Songs From Syria

12. Poonzuk

13. Ghoomar

14. Dance Music

15. Drum Solo

16. Orchestra Of The Sultan Of Dosso

17. Dance Music

18. Dance Music

19. Change

20. Adhari

See all 27 tracks on this disc

Tracks:

Nowhere With Love
Come By Me
Charade
Change Partners
Easy For You To Say
Time After Time
Next Door Blues
Easy To Love
There's No Business Like Show Business
A Moment With Me
Danny Boy
Cry Me A River
Love For Sale

Amazon.com

People first smitten with Harry Connick Jr. due to his easy, timeless charm and swoon-worthy croon on the 1989 soundtrack When Harry Met Sally are in for a big treat. Come by Me, a delightful sequence of treasures both old and new, is Connick's first big-band record since 1991's Blue Light, Red Light. What's not to like? With equal precision and confidence, Connick and his 16-piece band (and at times a full symphony orchestra) move seamlessly between the boisterous self-penned title cut, the Mancini standard "Charade," and the Cole Porter gem "Love for Sale." He gives a straight and moving voice and piano take on "Danny Boy," a stepped-up freshness to "There's No Business Like Show Business," and "Cry Me a River," following his unique vision, becomes an emotionally broken Bourbon Street funereal march. Strings swell, horns wail and skronk, high hats tap time, and those magic fingers dance across the keys. All told, Come by Me is a welcome invitation. --Paige La Grone

Customer Reviews:

Schizophrenic.......2007-06-05

A musical prodigy who studied with Ellis Marsalis and James Booker, Connick soared to fame in 1989 when movie director Rob Reiner tapped the singer-pianist to record a standards soundtrack for the romantic comedy When Harry Met Sally. Connick's fresh take on "It Had to Be You," "Don't Get Around Much Anymore," and "Where or When" drew comparisons to the young Sinatra during his years with Tommy Dorsey. After composing and performing a promising album of big-band melodies, We Are in Love (1990), by decade's end Connick recorded Come by Me, a much more mature and ambitious work.

However, it's also a more uneven work. Come by Me is simultaneously Connick's best and worst album. To fully enjoy it, it's best to have an Ampex reel-to-reel tape deck, a good pair of demagnetized scissors, and lots of splicing tape.

Connick begins with a great title track, a composition from his own pen that starts off jaunty with a small combo and builds to full-out big-band swing. Come by Me shows him at his most innovative: great romantic lyrics set to a rousing and robust arrangement. He follows up with an off-the-beat version of Henry Mancini and Johnny Mercer's "Charade," which captures the simultaneous thrill and despair of the original.

After that, though, the album just falls apart. He opens a high-swinging "Time After Time" with a gratuitous, heavy-handed interlude that tries hard (but fails) to sound like Thelonious Monk, is longer than the song itself, and finally propels me to the kitchen to microwave a TV dinner. His "Danny Boy" is so slow and overwrought that it makes Chopin's "Funeral Sonata" sound like the "Minute Waltz." There's a ridiculous instrumental, "Next Door Blues," that tries to blend Louis Armstrong and Duke Ellington with jazz/funk fusion. It comes off as tasty as a peanut-butter-and-mustard sandwich.

Connick's music is the standards sent to finishing school. Yet great jazz doesn't come from music theory class, but rather from the school of hard knocks. The other problem with Connick's more recent work is that he seems to have bought all the marketing hype about his being "the next Frank Sinatra." Perhaps when he discovers that he's the first Harry Connick, Jr., his music will fulfill the promise of his early efforts.

Swings........2007-01-10

One reviewer (Josh Feldman) believes that Coltrane, Miles, and Monk have some sort of universal license on "jazz". Never mind all that came before them!

This album really swings. On "Love For Sale" and "Time After Time", you will hear not just another singer, but the sort of signature expression we've come to expect from Harry Connick Jr. I highly recommend this recording to anyone who enjoys this genre of music!

Pretty average Connick release.......2005-11-13

Many of his fans cringed at the experimentalism of STAR TURTLE and SHE. Unfortunately, I think their relief at Connick's return to the big-band style of WHEN HARRY MET SALLY, WE ARE IN LOVE, and Blue Light, Red Light is making them a bit too effusive in their praise for this album.

Simply put, there are less outright stinkers than on many of his other releases post-RLBL but also fewer standouts. Too often Connick visits off-trod ground without really offering anything new to the song.

HIGHLIGHTS:
"Come by Me" deserves the title nod as the Connick composition ends up being one of the more involving ones here, owing to an arrangement that starts small (barrelhouse Nawlins piano boogie) before swelling to full-stop big band at the end. It also has the lyrical tone of the 'sly wink' that usually suits Connick best. (Think of "You Didn't Know Me When" from RED LIGHT, BLUE LIGHT). "Next Door Blues" is a sore thumb in the context of the album: out and out bluesy organ driven funk. There's no denying, though, that it's one of the more spirited (and musically interesting) cuts. "Cry me a River" doesn't surpass the (definitive) Julie London rendition but it is impassioned and makes for a nice listen.

LOWS:
"Danny Boy", as others have noted, is painfully slow. I also thought the melancholy air of "There's No Business Like Show Business" completely was at odds with the tune's central theme: all of us regular Joes and Janes are jealous of celebs and would take their place in a moment. Connick's lackadaisical tempo makes it sound like it's all drudgery.

BOTTOM LINE:
Those who like big-band Harry MAY enjoy this, but I feel it's too uneven to give a hearty recommendation. Definitely listen to the samples..or better yet borrow a friend's copy..before taking the plunge to buy.

Great Mix of Old and New.......2005-05-15

Harry Connick Jr.'s "Come By Me" is a fabulous mix of fresh arrangements on beloved standards and refreshingly beautiful new and original songs. He uses both Orchestra and a return to the Big Band style for some wonderful variety. The more I played it, the more I loved it.

The songs he has written including "Nowhere With Love" and "Come By Me", combined with his smooth and familiar vocal tones, and the wonderful sounds of the very talented musicians, seem to have a perfect fit with songs we already love. He does it his way with such greats as Cole Porter's "Love For Sale", the soft shoe sound of Irving Berlin's "There's No Business Like Show Business" and his touching rendition of the sentimental "Danny Boy".

It's an absolute treat to hear Johnny Mercer's and Henry Mancini's "Charade" and Arthur Hamilton's "Cry Me A River" revived so wonderfully for a new generation to aprreciate. If you think they just don't make em like they used to, Harry's own "A Moment With Me" should make you happy. He puts his own heart and soul into his originals, and the fine intsrumental solos complete the package.

I love the mix and the variety(see buying info for complete list of songs) on this album. Romantic, dreamy, sentimental and nostalgic. There are 13 tracks in all that run a nice hour. The CD is a very good quality. A fold out pamphlet is enclosed with some production notes and the words to all the songs.

For Romancing and dancing, for Harry fans and lovers of the old standards(or lovers in general)...it's "best of the bill"..enjoy...Laurie

Harry Connick Jr.'s Back Again!.......2004-06-28

After few not very good albums (Whisper Your Name, She and Star Turtle) here it is swingin' Harry Connick!
Harry Connick Jr. is probably the first man who brought Swing back on top. Before Royal Crown Revue, Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, Indigo Swing... He's great!
On this album, there are only five originals (Nowhere With Love, Come by Me, Easy for You to Say, Next Door Blues [instrumental] and A Moment With Me. Big Band is backing him and arrangements are great!

Average customer rating:

pure composition magic...
One of the most startling beautiful and quintessential version of Porgy and Bess
Porgy and Bess and Miles/Gil Evans
Pull a chair between the speakers and let this one wash over you
Edit your own CD

Porgy and Bess
Miles Davis , and Gil Evans
Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Sketches of Spain
Miles Ahead
Porgy & Bess
Milestones
Kind of Blue

ASIN: B000002AH6
Release Date: 1997-03-25

Tracks:

Buzzard Song
Bess, You Is My Woman Now
Gone
Gone, Gone, Gone
Summertime
Oh Bess, Oh Where's My Bess
Prayer (Oh Doctor Jesus)
Fishermen, Strawberry And Devil Crab
My Man's Gone Now
It Ain't Necessarily So
Here Come De Honey Man
I Loves You, Porgy
There's A Boat That's Leaving Soon For New York
I Loves You, Porgy (Take 1, Second Version)
Gone (Take 4)

Amazon.com

Take George Gershwin's Porgy & Bess, add Miles Davis and arranger Gil Evans, and what do you get? A classic jazz album that--despite the fact that the material has been rendered almost overly familiar due to countless interpretations--still sounds remarkably fresh four decades after its initial release. Miles' soft yet piercing trumpet style is perfectly suited to Gershwin's melancholy melodies, Evans' musical direction of his 18-piece orchestra is impeccable, and their version of "Summertime" may well be the finest ever waxed. Davis and Evans teamed up for several recordings after this one (including the landmark Sketches of Spain), but Porgy & Bess still stands as one of their most successful collaborations. --Dan Epstein

Customer Reviews:

pure composition magic..........2007-06-20

The pinnacle of Gil Evans and Miles Davis working together. This is by far the definitive recording of Porgy and Bess as far as I'm concerned. I've listened to it a thousand times and it still blows me away. I wish I had the words to do this recording justice. Just listen to GONE and how it segues into GONE, GONE, GONE and how that in turn segues into SUMMERTIME. My goodness, the trumpet practically speaks to you, you can feel the pathos, the rage and the desire of the story. SUMMERTIME is the quintessential Miles. moody, full of passion, magical. Enough said. Get it. Listen to it. Enjoy it. over and over and over again.

One of the most startling beautiful and quintessential version of Porgy and Bess.......2007-04-30

While "Porgy and Bess" nas been attempted by many an artist from popular standard artists to jazz giants, for me, this IS the quintessential version. For me, better than Ella and Louis or Ray Charles and Cleo Laine's versions.

It is emotionally direct and startling in it's beauty. Miles was at the height of his powers and he conveys the sentiment of the pieces so directly that I was moved and transfixed.

This, of all the Gil Evans/Miles Davis collaborations is the best. Some might argue in favor of others but this one features arrangement that are essential and never, not once, do they encumber, obscure or step all over the soloist. Gil provides a perfect setting for Miles and Miles makes the most of it, with that unique vibratto-less tone.

Never sappy, nor even conventional. I can only imagine what the reactions were when this recording was released. Mind you, Gil never arranged in the traditional voicings or instrumentations of the traditional big band. No four or five sax/five brass, four trombone, piano, bass and drums for this man. The instrumentation and voicings are unique. Often the horns covney the soft lushness of strings on ballads but without any syrup at all.

This simply one of the best Miles Davis recordings in his career, bar none! He effectively conveys the longing, romance, sadness and joy I presume Gershwin intended.

Upon acquiring a CD player back in the eighties, this was one of the very first recordings I purchased. Never old or dated. It's timeless, it transcends eras.

A must have for me.

Porgy and Bess and Miles/Gil Evans.......2007-01-03

Phenomenal material to begin with. The treatment was exceptional due to an amazing collaboration. I am very pleased to have it in my collection.

Pull a chair between the speakers and let this one wash over you.......2006-10-31

Let me start by saying that I'm a long-time analog music lover. I still spin a lot of vinyl, and have found digital music to be, at times, disappointing.

That being said, this remastering of "Porgy and Bess" is one of the most gorgeous things I've ever heard. The placement of the instruments across the spectrum is almost holographic, and out of this space the subtlety of Gil Evans' work can truly be appreciated. There are long, languid sections of Miles' horn noir, punctuated by bursts from Evans' "brass orchestra." The layers, the barely heard accents, it's just brilliant work, and this amazing remaster truly does it justice.

As to the music, I'll simply paraphrase another reviewer here who said that he knew of no music more beautiful than this. Amen, brother.

Edit your own CD.......2006-03-19

I think I understand why some listeners take exception to the Miles-Evans version of Porgy and Bess and wonder what all the fuss is about and why it's a "classic" if they've never heard the original vinyl release on Columbia. In the digital era, in the attempt to give listeners more content and fill up cd space, record companies sometimes include extra tracks that were never on the original and should have been left off later. For me that track is "I Loves You, Porgy," which comes near the end of the entire album and has a way of spoiling the sonic magic that came before. It's not that it's a terrible track; it's just not that good or necessary when compared to the others, and, again, was never on the original in the first place. Furthermore, the last track was never on the original either, and can be done without as well, imo. Sometimes less is better. After all, a classic album is one where the listener finds it unnecessary to skip tracks, and the later cd release inadvertently violates this principle because of the two reasons I've mentioned. For my own use, I've burned an edited version off my own commercial copy without the last two tracks, and I recommend others do the same if they wish to recapture the spirit of the original and the marvelous effects this music can create, as Miles' tone was never more luscious, dark and brooding...just gorgeous. And I think Gil Evans was right when he said that Miles Davis reinvented the sound of the trumpet and flugelhorn, especially on Sketches of Spain and Porgy and Bess.

Average customer rating:

Meditative, with a subtle rhythmic element
Pete Townshend's Turntable
Hasn't aged particularly well
Inventive Music by an Inventive Guy.
transendental and akenaten didn't even order sauusage

Rainbow in Curved Air

Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Terry Riley: In C
Terry Riley: In C
Shri Camel
Steve Reich: Music for 18 Musicians
Early Works

ASIN: B0000024QA
Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

A Rainbow In Curved Air
Poppy Nogood And The Phantom Band

Amazon.com

Riley is one of the granddaddies of Minimalism. His early music, In C and the two works on this disc, brought to light the musical possibilities of rapid-fire notation and shifting sonic textures to a new form of music. Riley has done this primarily through electronic keyboards and computer technology. The composer plays all the instruments on this extraordinary disc: electric organ, electric harpsichord, "rocksichord," dumbec, tambourine, and soprano saxophone. The music is spooky and hypnotic and is an early masterpiece in the genre. It belongs in the collections of anyone interested in late 20th century American music. --Paul Cook

Customer Reviews:

Meditative, with a subtle rhythmic element.......2006-08-26

I found my first exposure to the music of American minimalist composer Terry Riley (and minimalism as a genre), to be extremely rewarding. As a fan of 1970s progressive rock and electronica, I am a little surprised that I did not explore the genre sooner, given that there is so much overlap between audiences of progressive and minimalism...well, at least there was overlap back when both styles formed part of a "popular avant-garde". At any rate, this 1969 album is excellent and sounds (to my ears) as exciting and innovative now as I am certain it did upon its release.

Terry Riley plays quite an assortment of instruments on this album including electric organ, RMI electric harpsichord, rocksichord, dumbec (finger drum), and tambourine. The electric organ however, which is heavily treated at times, dominates the soundscape. There is also heavily electronically altered soprano saxophone in the mix too. Quite honestly, this is some of the strangest and most eerie saxophone playing I have ever heard - very long sustained tones, with only incremental changes.

The music on this album is characterized by a series of what musicologists refer to as "ostinato networks". These networks are comprised of layers of interlocking and repeated melodic patterns that gradually unfold over long periods of time (A Rainbow in Curved Air = 18'39"; Poppy Nogood and the Phantom Band = 21'38") with only very subtle changes over the course of each piece. There is however, a subtle rhythmic element, which is nicely demonstrated on the first piece. Evidently, this is a tendency borrowed from American jazz styles.

In large part however, the music on this album is deeply meditative, and at times borders on the hypnotic. The droning organ does a great job of achieving this and reflects a structural aspect borrowed from eastern music, particularly Indian classical music. One interesting fact that I read during my fact-finding session on minimalism was that the sheer length of each piece and the meditative quality of the music deliberately tried to reproduce the sense of timelessness induced during an acid trip. The second piece is a good example of this and seemed to at least partially suspend time - I got very caught up in the meditative aspects of the music and (for once) was not aware of time.

This is fantastic stuff and I am well on my way to exploring other works by Terry Riley including his masterwork "In C", in addition to other minimalist composers such as Steve Reich, LaMonte Young, and Philip Glass. Very highly recommended to my fellow proggers.

Pete Townshend's Turntable.......2006-08-24

Ok, this LP must have been on Pete Townshend's turntable day and night. Listen to the first track and you'll hear where "Baba O'Riley" and "Won't Get Fooled Again" came from. In fact, the Riley in "Baba O'Riley" IS Terry Riley.

- Vincent G. Marino

Hasn't aged particularly well.......2006-07-26

While this may have been technically impressive at the time it was written (1968), it doesnt really stand the test of time; if I had heard it without knowing it was by Terry Riley, I would have thought I was listening to a fairly average modern electronica piece. There is minimalist work that has aged better than this; for example "Tago Mago" by Can, and some pieces by Philip Glass and Arvo Part. In the realm of early electronica, Jean Michel Jarre's "Oxygene" blows Riley's work away despite being only recorded 5 years later.

The second piece (Poppy Nogood) is significantly more interesting than Rainbow imo, although both lack any real emotional depth.

Inventive Music by an Inventive Guy........2005-07-01

When you say Terry Riley most people say "who?".Terry Riley made people think about the sythizier and tape loops,without him where would Baba O' Riley be,what about Eno,Soft Machine,even Pink Floyd and Funeral For a Friend by Elton. They sure wouldn't have have the synth in there or that melodelic sound.The title track Rainbows in Curved Air opens and finishes with this looped organ,synth track going around with some trickles of lead synth pouring down with some organ chords ont the side. Second part introduces tamborine professionally played and some backwards organ. That builds to where Riley introduces looped drums and insterments like harpsichord,piano and some keyboard that has this oriental pluck to it. This goes on on tell the piece suddenly stops. We then listen to the live Poppy Nogood and Phantom Band which is played with two to three tape machines playing at a different times to get a looped effect. bass drones start the song and end the song on this one With these wierd brass like insterments building and building kind of like In C.We hear Terry Riley on sax squealing away the the track gos to this brass loop with a drone callback responce.That fades to a heavy bass drone and Terry on sax which is loop for a echo effect with is pretty hyponotizing. The sax gets more intense by the minute and ends with the drone finishing afterward.A great album with a genuis working with anolog tapes with is pretty hard to do probably because your working with tape.Anyways this is an essiential to own. Recommendations would be any Soft Machine album Third on up or Hugh Hopper for thr Riley influence.

transendental and akenaten didn't even order sauusage.......2005-01-18

sounds like bach and ravi shankar having breakfast together at the ihop the morning after a dove defecates on joyce meyer's head.booblibob boobliboo

OHM: The Early Gurus of Electronic Music

Average customer rating:

excellent but uncomplete
To call it music may be a bit limiting.
A worthwhile collection
OhMyGodHowDreadful
Kid Stockhausen

OHM: The Early Gurus of Electronic Music
Various Artists
Manufacturer: Ellipsis Arts
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Similar Items:

An Anthology of Noise & Electronic Music, Vol. 3: 1952-2004
Manhattan Research, Inc.
Audio Culture: Readings in Modern Music
Roxy Music
Profiler - Season 4

ASIN: B00004T0FZ
Release Date: 2000-04-25

Tracks:

Valse Sentimentale - Clara Rockmore
Oraison - Ens D'Ondes De Montreal
Etude Aux Chemins De Fer - Pierre Schaeffer
Williams Mix - John Cage
Klangstudie II - Herbert Eimert/Robert Beyer
Low Speed - Otto Luening
Dripsody - Hugh Le Caine
Forbidden Planet: Main Title - Louis Barron/Bebe Barron
Elektronische Tanzste: Concertando Rubato - Oskar Sala
Poem Electronique - Edgard Varese
Sine Music (A Swarm Of Butterflies Encountered Over The Ocean) - Richard Maxfield
Apocalypse-Part 2 - Tod Dockstader
Kontakte - James Tenney/William Winant
Wireless Fant - Vladimir Ussachevsky
Philomel - Milton Babbitt
Spacecraft - MEV

Tracks:

Cindy Electronium - Raymond Scott
Pendulum Music - Sonic Youth
Bye Bye Butterfly - Pauline Oliveros
Projection Esemplastic For White Noise - Joji Yuasa
Silver Apples Of The Moon, Part 1 - Morton Subotnick
Rainforest Version 1 - David Tudor
Poppy Nogood - Terry Riley
Boat-Woman-Song - Holger Czukay
Music Promenade - Luc Ferrari
Vibrations Composees: Rosace 3 - Francois Bayle
Mutations - Jean-Claude Risset
Hibiki-Hana-Ma - Iannis Xenakis
Map Of 49's Dream The Two Systems Of Eleven Sets Of Galactic Intervals: Drift Study '31/69 c.... - La Monte Young

Tracks:

He Destroyed Her Image - Charles Dodge
Six Fants On A Poem By Thomas Campion: Her Song - Paul Lansky
Appalachian Grove - Laurie Spiegel
En Phase/Hors Phase - Bernard Parmegiani
On The Other Ocean - David Behrman
Stria - John Chowning
Living Sound, Patent Pending Music For Sound-Joined Rooms Series - Maryanne Amacher
Automatic Writing - Robert Ashley
Canti Illuminati - Alvin Curran
Music On A Long Thin Wire - Alvin Lucier
Melange - Klaus Schulze
Before And After Charm (La Notte) - Jon Hassell
Unfamiliar Wind (Leeks Hills) - Brian Eno

Amazon.com

Opening with Clara Rockmore's reworking of Tchaikovsky with the theremin, and finishing with one of Brian Eno's ambient soundscapes, OHM artfully succeeds in its goal of giving a representative (as opposed to the impossible, comprehensive) overview of the first several decades of electronic music. Over 3 discs, 42 compositions, and 96 pages of notes and photos, OHM clearly illustrates the producers' and contributing writers' point that early electronic music is much of the foundation of contemporary music. Herein lies the connective tissue bridging musique concrète, 20th-century classical, electronic experimentation, and the theoretical avant-garde to psychedelia, ambient, dub, techno, electro, and synthpop and the globalization of sound. The groundbreaking uses of loops, sampling, drones, remixes, and cut-and-paste technology are put fully into context. The diversity of music included makes any sort of summation impossible, but that is also the point: electronic music is not really a genre, but an open field of endless possibility. From John Cage's famous "William's Mix" of tape snippets to Karkheinz Stockhausen's electronic orchestral compositions, from David Tudor and Holger Czukay's experiments in unrelated blendings of audio elements to David Behrman's supremely peaceful duet between computers and musicians, the aural renegades on OHM tread where none (save a few of their contemporaries) had gone before. The liner notes convey the incredible amount of hard work and experimentation it took to stitch together many of these pieces in the predigital era. Putting aside the inevitable quibbles about what's missing (much of it due to legal and/or logistical issues), a more complete collection of musical eggheads, eccentrics, and visionaries is hard to imagine. --Carl Hanni

Customer Reviews:

excellent but uncomplete.......2006-11-12

Althought most of the music here is an excellent collection of electronic music history, this 3 CDs lack of the important contribution given by the RAI phonology studios of Milan, Italy in the 50s
(which was bigger than Koln's WDR studios) with Bruno Maderna, Luciano Berio and Luigi Nono.
This is a big mistake. Milans studios were the biggest of europe and produced many important electroacoustic pieces.
If the collection aim to describe faithfully electronic music history, it should include this artists too.

To call it music may be a bit limiting. .......2006-10-24

Some of the tracks on here are "music". That is that they contain all the bits we're trained to experience as music -- melody, etc. Some are not, and the composers would be the first people to tell you that. A lot of these works are reactions to ingrained rules, so they're bound to be jarring.

A more successful way to approach such a broad and varied collection of audio experimentation is to think of it as curated sound. This isn't something to wash the dishes to, or to seduce someone to (although if you did manage to seduce someone with the recordings on this anthology, HOLD ON TO THAT PERSON, because they've got to be a keeper). These are unique sound textures that deserve a close, probably solitary listen, and I think if you're in the right frame of mind, it can be a very rewarding listen.

My main complaint is sequencing: each dicrete piece follows it's own internal logic, so there are more than a couple rough gear changes. However, since each piece is so different, and the collection is so varied, I'm not sure that you could totally escape that.

A worthwhile collection.......2006-01-11

The OHM collection contains some of those ground breaking electronic compositions that have shaped today's styles, from the early electronic instruments of Theremin and Martenot, through Pierre Schaeffer's Music Concrete tape music and the electronic music of Stockhausen and Subotnick, to the mainframe computer output of Risset and Chowning.

It is unfair to mark this collection down due to the production quality and 'musicality' of its contents, to do so would be to staggeringly miss the point of the development of electronic music through the 20th Century. What this collection shows is the ideas behind those at the cutting edge of the genre before many could even conceive of such output. That said it is hard going at points, as experimental music can be.

Highlights for me are no doubt Olivier Messiaen's 'Oraison' on CD 1, David Tudor's 'Rainforest Version 1' on CD 2 and on CD 3 David Behrman's 'On the Other Ocean' and Maryanne Amacher's 'Living sound Patent Pending'.

OhMyGodHowDreadful.......2005-08-15

Ok, this collection is supposed to be early works and, thus not expected to be very sophisticated or polished. But the OHM collection sounds like the first attempt of a spastic cat turned-loose on a Moog keyboard. When it is not boreing, this collection of random and dissonant sounds (I can't call it music) is without any redeeming qualities to make it worth while. Don't get me wrong, I am a long-time fan of Wendy (nie Walter) Carlos and some other real pioneers of electronic music. However, I find that the Ohm collection has no similar qualities and is a major disappointment.

Kid Stockhausen.......2003-01-17

This is required listening for anybody interested in the history of electronic music. Although implicitly aiming for the techno music audience, this audio history is overwhelmingly focused on the classical avant-garde of electro-acoustic composers. The closest you'll get to pop electronica is the Brian Eno track at the end of the third disc. No Kraftwerk, no Moroder, etc. Instead "OHM" manages to point to the continuities between, say, John Cage and artists currently working at the experimental edges of electronica (so-called IDM). It seems to be saying, "You think Kid 606 is visionary? Well check out this Stockhausen track from '59!"

Admittedly, some of the songs are much more interesting to think about than they are to listen to. Some of the early pieces that were made through thosuands of hours of pains-taking tape-splicing could be made today in an afternoon with a digital audio editor and a few effects plug-ins.

Tracks:

Introduction
I. Grand Entrance
II. Simply Grand Minuet
III. Romance In The Grand Manner
IV. Rondo Mucho Grando
Introduction
I. Mr. Minuit's Minuet - David McGill
II. Panther Dance - David McGill
III. Dance Of The Grand Dams - David McGill
IV. The Lowland Fling - David McGill
Introduction
I. Maestoso Animoso
II. Daintissimo
III. Allegro, But Not Too Mucho
IV. Molto Moderato
V. Vivace Cucarace
VI. Moving Right Alongo
Introduction
Lip My Reeds
Door Prize Scene
Introduction
March Of The Cute Little Wood Sprites
Introduction
Last Tango In Beyreuth
Closing

Customer Reviews:

The consummate Schicekle.......2004-01-07

This isn't the old PDQ Bach, e.g., Concerto for Horn and Hardart--which was also good. It's "evolved," insofar as PDQ Bach is capable of evolution...

When my wife gave this to me for Christmas, I turned it on and thought it was a live performance, like the first albums--and like the Schickele performances we've happily attended. It took a few seconds to realize that it was a mock performance, of the Turtle Mountain Naval Base Tactical Wind Ensemble (who are also, as announced by Professor Schickele, busy protecting North Dakota from naval attack, a clever comment making the CD all the more worth it!) at a convenient North Dakota location.

As a Wagnerian, I was attracted to "Last Tango in Beyreuth," the last musical number on the CD. If I may paraphrase Schickele's statement of a long time ago, when you listen to it, be prepared to hear things you've heard before (PDQ's real talent having been in plagiarism, after all.)

And, since Schickele was a bassoon major, it's amusing that he picks on that instrument--for perhaps the best piece ever composed for bassoon and tuba. Then there are the pieces by the Tennessee Bassoon Quartet, an ensemble for which there are surely limited venues...

I heard one of PDQ's other numbers, Concerto for Two Piano's vs. Orchestra a few years ago. Schickele gave an hysterical historical presentation on that piece. I talked with him about it afterwards and suggested that too be put onto a CD. He said in essence that the market may not have room for it these days; renouned violinists and pianists are not sellable these days. That's distressing as Schickele's comedy form is beyond genius, and unique. So, while you can, listen to what's available. This is a gem!

Hysterical and not at all Esoterical.......2001-01-06

P.D.Q. Bach brings a funny irreverance to his subject material that is charming. He is at times on NPR (National Public Radio) and if you've ever heard him, you know what I mean. He obviously is an expert in his field, but he is outrageously funny in his parodies of famous music. Who would have thought one could bring a sense of humour to Wagner? Get this cd - or anything by PDQ - and I guarantee you're in for some laughs. You may even learn something!

Not to be taken seriously..........2000-10-08

"P. D. Q. Bach. The last and least of J. S. Bach's twenty-odd children (and by far the oddest), this composer would have passed into the mists of oblivion were it not for the determined efforts of the Music Department at the University of Southern North Dakota at Hoople, directed by Professor Peter Schickele.

This disc, played by the Turtle Mountain Naval Base Tactical Wind Ensemble with some help from the astounding Tennessee Bassoon Quartet, was made during a concert at the University and is introduced by Professor Schickele. The event was clearly organised as an attempt at making the music of P. D. Q. Bach accessible to regular concert goers. It did not succeed: as the intermittent speech between items shows, the programme of P. D. Q. Bach's various works for wind orchestra and percussion managed to drive away not only most of the audience but even the orchestra. Furthermore, the music itself is shambolic: a complete waste of time that makes one wonder how Professor Schickele ever managed to get it published."

Actually, I only half-meant what I said above. This really is the ultimate in what is known as the letting down of hair amongst musicians: every so often, even the most serious of concert performers love to play something that is light-hearted and to be taken simply at face-value, without stuffy programme notes or flambuoyant virtuosity. And P. D. Q. Bach's music, faithfully "edited" by Peter Schickele, is not just light-hearted: it's downright flippant! This disc is a superb pick-me-up in cheerless moments, an entertaining fifty-odd minutes of musical mayhem pushed to interesting and comical limits, and an excellent gift for any musical members of the family who want to add a bit of zest to any classical music collection. Purists may scoff at the fact that this whole thing pokes fun at the music of Bach and other great composers, but it's good clean fun that still retains an element of musicality. Bravo! I just hope they invent a cure for split sides soon....

Great Music.......2000-06-18

This is a very intertaining album. From the Grand Serenade to Mr. Minute's Minuet to the cute little Wood Sprites. It's all very funny--even the booklet is funny. All in all it's very good.

Music at its best!.......2000-06-03

As a high school musician, I have played the piece Grand Serenade for an Awful Lot of Winds and Percussion. Playing it was so much fun and listening to it was too. I'm sure everyone else who listens to this music will enjoy it just as I have. Just imagine a large wind ensemble, serious as can be, playing Grand Serenade!

Swing and Sway with Sammy Kaye: 21 of His Greatest Hits

Average customer rating:

NO INSTRUMENTALS
BEST OF THE SWEET BANDS
Swing and Sway with Sammy Kaye
Sammy Kaye CD
An excellent career overview of Sammy Kaye's biggest hits

Swing and Sway with Sammy Kaye: 21 of His Greatest Hits
Sammy Kaye
Manufacturer: Collector's Choice
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music

General | Dance Pop | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music

General | Jazz | Styles | Music

Swing General | Swing Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music

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Contemporary Big Band | Swing Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music

Vintage Dance Bands | Swing Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music

Traditional Jazz General | Traditional Jazz & Ragtime | Jazz | Styles | Music

Traditional Vocal Pop | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music

General | Vocal Pop | Pop | Styles | Music

Traditional Pop | Oldies | Pop | Styles | Music

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Swing Jazz | Jazz | Indie Music | Stores | Music

Vocal Jazz | Jazz | Indie Music | Stores | Music
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The Sammy Kaye Collection
Music for Romancing and Dancing
22 Original Big Band Recordings (1941-1944)
The Best of Kay Kyser & His Orchestra
To Each His Own

ASIN: B00000AFS9
Release Date: 1998-09-15

Tracks:

Daddy
Penny Serenade
I Left My Heart At The Stage Door Canteen
Sooner Or Later (You're Gonna Be Coming Around)
That's My Desire
The Old Lamp-Lighter
I'm A Big Girl Now
Chickery Chick
Until Tomorow (Goodnight, My Love)
An Apple Blossom Wedding
It Might As Well Be Spring
Serenade Of The Bells
Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah
There Goes That Song Again
Careless Hands
The Four Winds And The Seven Seas
Room Full Of Roses
Roses
Baby, It's Cold Outside
It Isn't Fair
Harbor Lights

Customer Reviews:

NO INSTRUMENTALS.......2005-04-11

I always liked Sammy Kaye and when I got this CD, o was hoping there'd be instrumentals; but noooo, all the songs are vocal numbers. The best songs are "Penny Serenade" (v-Jimmy Brown), "I Left My Heart At The Stage Door Canteen" (v-Don Cornell), "That's My Desire" (v-Don Cornell and the Kaydets), "There Goes That Song Again" (v-Nancy Norman), "Careless Hands" (v-Don Cornell and the Kaydets), "Room Full Of Roses" (v-Don Cornell and the Kaydets), "It Isn't Fair" (v-Don Cornell) and "Harbor Lights" (v-Tony Alamo and the Kaydets). This CD could've been better, but the next Sammy Kaye will have instrumentals. I hope!

BEST OF THE SWEET BANDS.......2005-01-27

If more people had the feel for this music, the world might be just a little more gentle as it was after the war. This compact disc offers an excellent one-disc overview of Sammy Kaye's biggest hits. Sammy Kaye had many hits in the 1940s and early 1950s and this disc includes many of his memorable recordings, including "Daddy" and "Harbor Lights." I enjoyed the music of Sammy Kaye and have a difficult time finding his recordings. It was refreshing to stumble across this sample. I am especially interested in his "Sunday Serenade" radio programs of the 1940s and 1950s and I wonder if they (recordings) are available.

As even the liner notes to this CD admit, bandleader Sammy Kaye represented the squarer, more commercial end of the Big Band era, taking his cues from the workmanlike Glenn Miller, but restricting his dance music to an even more controlled, brisker, less lyrical style. It's fine stuff, emblematic of the times and well-packaged music. This generously programmed 21-track set features a wide swath of Kaye's work--from 1939 to 1950.

The bad thing is that all the songs featured here have vocals (Don Cornell, Jimmy Brown, Tony Alamo, Billy Williams, Nancy Norman, Laura Leslie, Betty Barclay as well as the Kaydets and the Kaye Chior) and no instrumentals--but that's okay, since I'm sure there are instrumentals on other Sammy Kaye CD's.

This is a Great CD by the best of the sweet bands. The sound quality is excellent. A second volume should be issued featuring his immediate post-war vocalists and the songs that made the top 100. It's not immortal, timelessly poetic music (like many of the big band records were), but it is a nice slice nostalgia and perfectly fine in its own right. Worth checking out!

Swing and Sway with Sammy Kaye.......2003-12-08

This is music I cut my teeth on. My Father after returning from the War (WWII) made sure that we listened to Sammy Kaye every Sunday. If people had the feel for this music, the world might be just a little more gentle as it was after the war. Get the music of Sammy Kaye and then close your eyes and listen to it and, you will have a little heaven.
Larry McFall

Sammy Kaye CD.......1998-12-12

Great CD by the best of the sweet bands. A second volume should be issued featuring his immediate post-war vocalists and the songs that made the top 100.

An excellent career overview of Sammy Kaye's biggest hits.......1998-09-15

This compact disc offers an excellent one-disc overview of Sammy Kaye's biggest hits. Sammy Kaye had many hits in the 1940s and early 1950s, and this disc includes many of his memorable recordings, including "Daddy", "Harbor Lights" and "The Old Lamp-Lighter." Some wonderfully sentimental songs of the late 1940s are also included -- "Apple Blossom Wedding", "Serenade of the Bells" and "Roses". The sound quality is excellent. This is a first-rate disc and the only disappointment is that Collector's Choice has not yet issued Volume 2!

Average customer rating:

Infinitely Better than I Expected!

The Ugly American
Mark Eitzel
Manufacturer: Thirsty Ear
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

Indie Rock | Indie & Lo-Fi | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

Singer-Songwriters | Pop | Styles | Music

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Candy Ass
Songs of Love
A Toast to You: Live in Pittsburgh, PA 11/10/04
Music for Courage and Confidence
Engine

ASIN: B00009W8OO
Release Date: 2003-07-22

Tracks:

Western Sky
Here They Roll Down
Jenny
Nightwatchman
Take Courage
Anything
What Good Is Love
Will You Find Me
Last Harbor
Love's Humming

Customer Reviews:

Infinitely Better than I Expected!.......2003-07-31

When I first heard about a Greek Mark Eitzel album, I was quick to dismiss the idea as another mediocre side-project, much like the covers album "Music for Courage and Confidence", Eitzel's last effort. While "MFCAC" was hit and miss, these Greek interpretations of Eitzel/American Music Club songs are superb. The arrangements, filled with mandolins, violins, et cetera really lend themselves to Eitzel's compositions. The only instrument that strikes me as out of place is the flute/recorder, which doesn't surface too often, thankfully. The best aspect of "The Ugly American" is Eitzel's voice. He has never sung better. His pitch is precise, his phrasing wonderful, and his overall emotion at a greater level than ever. I know it's difficult for Eitzel fans to imagine, but I actually think these versions of "Western Sky", "Last Harbor", and maybe "Will You Find Me?" are better than the originals. Eitzel has changed the lyrics to many of the songs. Sometimes these are nice simple changes, such as changing "astronaut" to "moon man" in the beautiful "Will You Find Me?". However, other songs suffer from too much change. "Here They Roll Down" suffers from such dramatic lyrical change, as well as the worst musical rearrangement on the CD. I actually find it unlistenable. The music consists of the most annoying drone immaginable and the only unchanged lyric is the repeated line "Here they roll down, til the miracle was over". "Nightwatchman" also features quite a few lyrical changes, but is still an interesting listen. Overall, this CD brings yet another dimension of longing, beautiful sadness to Mark Eitzel's songs. Old American Music Club fans will love the AMC era songs. Fans of Eitzel's solo music will love the interpretation of "Anything" and the previously unavailable (except on the limited-to-500-copies "Lover's Leap USA") "What Good is Love?". This is an exceptional track, and I can't believe it hasn't been officially released. "Love's Humming", written by the album's producer, isn't bad, but I would have much preferred an additional Eitzel/AMC track. All picky complaints aside, if you're an Eitzel fan, a fan of Greek music, or if you just love beautiful, melancholy lovesongs, "The Ugly American" is a must-have.

Average customer rating:

Music for Romancing and Dancing
Sammy Kaye
Manufacturer: Asv Living Era
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music

General | Dance Pop | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music

General | Jazz | Styles | Music

Swing General | Swing Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music

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Swing and Sway with Sammy Kaye: 21 of His Greatest Hits

ASIN: B00005OMB0
Release Date: 2001-10-23

Tracks:

Kaye's Melody
Penny Serenade
Baby Face
Dream Valley
Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square
You Stepped Out of a Dream
Daddy
I Left My Heart at the Stage Door Canteen
Always
Don't Fence Me In
Chickery Chick
It Might as Well Be Spring
I'm a Big Girl Now
Gipsy
Old Lamplighter
I Used to Work in Chicago
That's My Desire
Red Silk Stockings and Green Perfume
Serenade of the Bells
Powder Your Face with Sunshine
Careless Hands
Room Full of Roses
Four Winds and the Seven Seas
It Isn't Fair
Harbour Lights

22 Original Big Band Recordings (1941-1944)

Average customer rating:

Good Spirit

22 Original Big Band Recordings (1941-1944)
Sammy Kaye & His Orchestra
Manufacturer: Hindsight Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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

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The Voice of the Big Bands

ASIN: B00000180B
Release Date: 1994-04-08

Tracks:

Daddy
I Can't Begin To Tell You
Please Don't Play That Old Song
I'll Buy That Dream
You've Got Me Crying Again
The Hut Sut Song
On The Sunny Side Of The Street
Powder Your Face With Sunshine
Sentimental Journey
Candy
Along The Navajo Trail
I Guess I'll Have To Dream The Rest
Give Me The Simple Life
Like Someone In Love
Saturday Night Is The Loneliest Night Of The Week
Why Does It Get So Late So Early
I Promise You
I'll Be Walking With My Honey
It's Only A Paper Moon
This Is No Laughing Matter
I'm Beginning To See The Light
I'm Heading East

Customer Reviews:

Good Spirit.......2005-06-09

"Hey, Daddy, I want a diamond ring, bracelets, everything; Daddy, you want to get the best for me," is how Sammy Kaye's 1941 classic "Daddy" opens. Sammy Kaye's light pop jazz was one of the most popular of the big bands. This set taken from his radio broadcasts has good quality and brings back the 40s era. Kaye worked with some excellent vocalists. Billy Williams sings on "You've Got Me Crying Again," "What is this love all about? I'm in, I'm out. Your kisses right from the start came from your lips, not your heart." Betty Barclay sings Sammy Kaye's delightful rendition of "Sunny Side of the Street," still a gorgeous melody sure to put a smile on your face. The Three Kaydets harmonize on the delightfully dated "Powder Your Face with Sunshine." Nancy Norman is probably my favorite of the vocalists, perhaps because I crack up each time the announcer goes, "Little Nancy Norman." On "Candy" she croons, transforming a good tune into a great performance. Her swing on the sassy "I'm Beginning to See the Light" takes this Duke Ellington melody and makes me press the repeat button. Sammy Kaye was a great entertainer. His music continues to have an appeal for his lovely melodies and good spirit. "22 Original Big-Band Recordings" is an excellent collection. Enjoy!

Average customer rating:

Joyous surprises!
Simply the Best...

Simply the Best Christmas Album

Manufacturer: Erato
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

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ASIN: B00005MJ0G
Release Date: 2001-08-21

Tracks:

Adeste Fideles - Thomas Hampson
Ehre Sei Gott In Der Hohe (From Johann Sebastian Bach's Christmas Oratorio) - Tom Koopman
A Spotless Rose - Edward Higginbottom
Silent Night - Kiri Te Kanawa
O Joyful Children - Vienna Symphony
Festive Cheer: (Sleigh Ride/Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas/Jingle Bells/We Wish You A Merry Christmas) - London Brass
Glory To God (From Handel's Messiah) - Nikolaus Harnoncourt
Il Riposo - ...Per Il Natale (From Vivaldi's Christmas Concerto) - Il Giardino Armonico
O Holy Night - Sumi Jo
Noel Sur Les Jeux D'anches - Marie-Claire Alain
Panis Angelicus - Vienna Symphony
Jesus The Light Of The World - The Boston Camerata
In Dulci Lubilo - Chanticleer
Fallt Mit Danken, Fallte Mit Loben (From J.S. Bach's Christmas Oratorio) - Ton Koopman
Glory To Christmas - Moscow Liturgic Choir

Tracks:

The Nutcracker Suite (Opus 71a: Miniature Overture) - Alexander Lazarev
The Nutcracker Suite (Opus 71a: March) - Alexander Lazarev
The Nutcracker Suite (Opus 71a: Dance Of The Sugar-Plum Fairy) - Alexander Lazarev
The Nutcracker Suite (Opus 71a: Trepak, Russian Dance) - Alexander Lazarev
The Nutcracker Suite (Opus 71a: Dance Of The Reeds) - Alexander Lazarev
Away In A Manger - London Brass
Christmas Stays The Same - Linda Eder
O Tannenbaum - Thomas Hampson
Pour La Nuit De Noel (Concerto Grosso Op.8 - Third Movement) - I Solisti Veneti
A Christmas Carol - Chanticleer
Agnus Dei - Vienna Symphony
O Little Town Of Bethlehem - Jouko Harjanne
We Wish You A Merry Christmas - Kiri Te Kanawa
Entre Le Boeuf Et L'ane Gris - Maitrise Saint-Pierre Aux Liens De Bulle
Christen, Atzet Diesen Tag (From Bach's Christmas Cantata, BWV 63 First Movement: Coro) - Nikolaus Harnoncourt
Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas - Jung
The Holly And The Ivy - Vienna Symphony
The Little Road To Bethlehem - Edward Higginbottom
Schliesse, Mein Herze (From Johann Sebastian Bach's Christmas Oratorio, Third Cantata: Alto Aria) - Ton Koopman
The Four Seasons, Winter (From Vivaldi's Four Seasons - Second Movement) - Progretto Avanti
Hallelujah (From Handel's Messiah: Part II/Chorus) - Nikolaus Harnoncourt

Amazon.com

A rather presumptive holiday title, Simply the Best Christmas Album is an unqualified best--if you like classical, choral, and symphonic music. Marquee talent such as Placido Domingo, Natalie Cole, and Jose Carreras anchor the mix, abetted by the redoubtable London Brass, St. Paul Chamber Orchestra, Edward Higgenbottom & The Choir of New College, Oxford, and the Bolshoi Symphony Orchestra. This two-disc, 36-piece set presents a broad spectrum of holiday pageantry that embraces familiar traditional works like The Nutcracker and more contemporary pieces from Sumi Jo and Linda Eder. From triumphant brass and angelic choirs to stirring string pieces and rich, lovely orchestral movements, Simply the Best sets an exquisitely festive mood. --Martin Keller

Customer Reviews:

Joyous surprises!.......2006-06-01

Every once in awhile I run across an album that excells, not because of the shining brilliance of one artist, but because of the collective impact of several. Here, in this album, are some little-known gems from Christmas music literature. I was captivated by the lilting and primitive joy in "Jesus, the Light of the World," which I had never heard before. Then there is Chanticleer and its rendition of Charles Ives' "Christmas Carol," a classic too little known. There are others. If you look for unique renditions of familiar and unfamiliar Christmas music to enhance the joy of the season, this album is a must-buy.

Simply the Best..........2002-11-19

The minute I heard Thomas Hampson sing the first few notes of Adeste Fideles, I knew I had to have this album. It is a marvelous compilation of Classical Christmas favorites (excerpts from the Bach, Vivaldi and Corelli Christmas Concertos and The Nutcracker) and standard Christmas favorites, as well as some of the lesser heard Christmas gems.

The vocal power on this 2 CD set is amazing as well--Broadway star Linda Eder, Thomas Hampson, Kiri Te Kanawa, Jose Carreras, Chanticleer, and numerous others. I usually purchase one Christmas CD a year. This was it for me this year--make it part of your holiday collection.

World Music:

World Music

world music

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