Olympia [Import]

1. Welcome On Board

2. Les Poches Sous Les Yeux

3. Porte

4. Le Doigt Casse

5. Le Bout Du Bout

6. Les Deux Bouts Du Clavier

7. L'aureole

8. L'ombre De Soi-Meme

9. Gloire Post-Mortem

10. Je Zappe

11. Tu Jongles Avec Ma Vie

12. Chute Ascensionnelle

13. Jeu De Tomates

14. Le Penseur

15. Jeanne D'are

16. Le Pied De Vigne

17. Le Thon

18. Apparition- Disparition

Tracks:

Milord (Live)
Heureuse (Live)
Avec Ce Soleil (Live)
C'Est A Hambourg (Live)
Legende (Live)
Enfin Le Printemps (Live)
Padam Padam (Live)
Hymne A L'Amour (Live)
L'Accordeoniste (Live)
Mon Manege A Moi (Live)
Bravo Pour Le Clown (Live)
Les Mots D'Amour (Live)
Les Flons Flons Du Bal (Live)
T'Es L'Homme Qu'Il Me Faut (Live)
Mon Dieu (Live)
Mon Vieux Lucien (Live)
Non Je Ne Regrette Rien (Live)
La Ville Inconnue (Live)
La Belle Histoire D'Amour (Live)
Les Blouses Blanches (Live)

Album Description

20 track collection of performances recorded at the Olympia Theatre in Paris, Edith Piaf's venue of choice. EMI Gold. 2003.

Album Details

This CD Contains Extractions from Five Concerts which Edith Gave at the Olympia Music Hall in Paris Between 1955 and 1962. 20 Tracks featuring Milord, Hymne a L'Amour, Mon Dieu and Many More.

Customer Reviews:

The Finest of Her Late Live Recordings .......2007-04-08

To the French, Edith Piaf is a source of great national pride, and continues to be an enduring icon nearly 50 years after her death. To Americans, she has unfairly been labeled by some as, "The French Judy Garland" more for the circumstances of their tragic life stories, their drug addiction, and the fact that both died at age 47, than because of any vocal similarity. Still, both were powerhouse singers of enormous strength and dramatic ability, especially for their uncanny ability to transform a song into heartfelt expressions of amazing intensity.

When it comes to Piaf, there are many different camps of opinion on the subject of her best recordings. I find that many fans who are fluent in French prefer her 1940's studio recordings to the more dramatic vocal beseeching of her live 1950's and early 1960's recordings, made shortly before her death. Conversely, her English speaking fans, many of whom understand little or no French, frequently prefer the later period, and the live recordings from that period in particular. I am among those who champion her late period, although lately I have found a new fascination for her earlier works.

As such, I believe there are few better introductions to Piaf than this collection, which contains my favorite versions of some of her biggest hits, in particular the songs Milord, C'est a Hambourg, Enfin L'Printemps, Padam...Padam, L'accordeoniste, Mon Manege a Moi, Bravo pour Le Clown, Hymne A L'Amour and Non Je Ne Regrette Rien. Piaf's voice was never stronger, and the appreciation of her audience (as heard in the abundant applause) never more heartfelt, than on these live tracks, all recorded at the Paris Olympia - her artistic home, and scene of some of her greatest triumphs during the last decade or so of her life.

There are also a few songs on this CD that I was previously unfamiliar with that I have also become quite fond of. Avec Ce Soleil and Mon Vieux Lucien (which has a rather bizarre false start that elicits quite a bit of laughter and applause) have added themselves to my list of Piaf favorites. And while I have one or two favorite live performances from the Olympia on vinyl that EMI has chosen to exclude from this recording, the list of my favorites is complete enough that I cannot hesitate to recommend this wonderful CD. I own about a dozen CD's of Piaf from various periods of her life; for me, this collection contains some of the most thrilling performances by this wonderful artist, a singer who had few equals in the 20th century.

Inconsistent sound, but one of the very best Piaf discs.......2004-01-15

Edith Piaf sang at the Olympia Theatre in Paris many times, making the venue so synonymous with her own name that eventually Jeff Buckely dreamed of playing there. EMI's AT THE PARIS OLYMPIA DISC contains material from five Piaf concerts from 1955, her first show there, until 1962, one of her last concerts, for a total of twenty tracks. These include truly stunning songs, such as the moving "Heureuse" and energetic "L'Accordeoniste", and fortunately there is only a few spots where Piaf sings in English, a style which alienates many fans.

In contrast to the myriad budget Piaf compilations, it is clear that care has been taken with AT THE PARIS OLYMPIA. The sound quality is better than one would expect from 1950's live recordings. There are detailed liner notes written by one Ralph Harvey which discuss each concert and the sungs performed there, speaking frankly about Piaf's ill health and drug dependency in her final days.

Unfortunately, this compilation from four separate sources means that the audio quality is inconsistent. The opening "Milord", dating from 1962, is clear and distinct, but 1961's "Non, Je Ne Regrette Rien", for example, sounds flat and uninspiring (though from the applause, the audience present certainly enjoyed it).

All in all, this is one of the best Piaf discs, and I would wholeheartedly recommend it. I feel it would also make a better introduction to her work than her studio albums or any of the low-quality compiliations which mix studio and live material.

She Carries Me
Average customer rating:

Life-Changing

She Carries Me
Jennifer Berezan , and Olympia Dukakis
Manufacturer: Edge of Wonder
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Folk | Styles | Music
Meditation | New Age | Styles | Music
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Customer Reviews:

Life-Changing.......2004-04-08

This CD changed my life. It is incredible, I can't put words to it's beauty. It's blending of disparate elements works... I've been making and listening to collage music for a very long time, and Ms. Berezan has created here something that will last the length of time. The concept is gorgeous... I'm not going to ruin it for you and tell you what happens. Like a good movie, this one is best experienced for oneself.

Tracks:

Lover, You Should Have Come Over
Dream Brother
Eternal Life
Kick Out the Jams
Lilac Wine
Grace
That's All I Ask
Kashmir
Je N'En Connais Pas la Fin
Hallelujah
What Will You Say - Jeff Buckley, Alim Qasimov

Album Description

Exclusive live album released through Sony in select International markets. This live album was initiated by Sony France, who believe they have an amazing recording of a particular French concert from 1995. Containing many of the hits from Grace, live favorites, and covers (some here on CD for the first time, some old), Live At La Olympia is a stunning 3 fold, soft-cover recording to add to the collection of Jeff's fans. 24 page booklet with, biography, handwritten track notes and lyrics by the artist and a rare live & studio photograph collection. Features 11 tracks all recorded Live at the La Olympia Theater in France. Includes covers of Led Zeppelin, MC-5 & Leonard Cohen. Tracks, 'Lover, You Should Have Come Over', 'Dream Brother', 'Eternal Life', 'Kick Out The Jams', 'Lilac Wine', 'Grace', 'That's All I Ask', 'Kasmir', 'Je N'en Cnnais Pas La Fin', 'Hallelujah' & 'What Will You Say (Duet With Alim Qasimov)'. 2001 release.

Album Details

The Fourth Anniversary of Buckley's Untimely Death Sees the Release of this Special Live Album, a Beautiful Recording of One Particular French Concert from 1995. Includes Many of the Hits from 'grace', Live Favorites and Covers of Led Zeppelin, Mc5, Leonard Cohen and More. A Stunning Recording for Fans to Add to their Collection.

Customer Reviews:

Viva La France!.......2007-01-10

Thoroughly enjoyable--it is evident by listening to this EP of the live concert in Paris that JB had the time of his life performing for his beloved french audience. Very original performance of some of his best material.

Beautifully packaged album masks Buckley's disdain for some of songs.......2006-10-12

I was not particularly aware of Buckley until I heard "Hallellujah" on a TV show. I bought this album since it had the longest version of the song on it, of any of his albums. What a disappointment. He seems to play it as a duty, showing little respect for a truly wonderful song.

He also sounded tired of some of the other songs, substituting loud sound for music.

On the other hand he covered "Grace" and "What will you say" beautifully. The album itself is a masterpiece of presentation, and I am keeping it for that reason, but will look to find a better version of him singing "Hallellujah."

Fine live album, BUT..........2006-09-01

I grew up in NYC, and the east village was my place of choice to hang out. It was there that I frequently caught Jeff Buckley playing live, including Sin-e, well before his recordings were made; he was a charismatic performer, to say the least. I was and remain a fan of his first full LP "Grace", a pretty, if slight album that grew with each listen. His unfortunate death at such a young age is, of course, a tragic happenstance. But facts are facts; Jeff Buckley was a work in progress when he died. He had a long way to go, before he could live up to the "musical prodigy" hype that has been bestowed upon him by cultish, obsessesive teen/twentysomething girls and boys who have his posters adorning their walls. Like Jim Morrison, Kurt Cobain and Tupac before him, Jeff Buckley has now joined the ranks of rock matyrdom, and is being eagerly milked by greedy record companies and sold to horny, lonely, sensitive, misunderstood girls and boys who prefer relationships with dead icons over flesh and blood. Lets face it, if Jeff Buckley looked like "Skreech" from "Saved by The Bell", would anyone other that the extremely dedicated still be talking about "Grace" today? I am not knocking the artist, mind you, only those who milk the bones (record companies and fans, alike) of an artists who simply did not live long enough to fulfill his potential. Let the man RIP, already! Incidentally, this is the best Jeff Buckley live album to get...

R.I.P. Jeff Buckley.......2006-02-04

It has been 9 years since his death and record companies are still releasing some new stuff about him.This album is his third live album and for me it's the best.Although it was recorded from a casette found after his death,the sound is absolutely perfect and you can easily feel the atmosphere.This album was recorded on 6th and 7th of July 1995 at the Olympia Theatre in Paris in 2 soldout concerts and has 11 great songs featuring covers of the MC5's 'Kick out the jams' and Led Zeppelin's 'Kashmir'.This is precious for any Jeff Buckley fan,but if you have no idea about him this is a good place to start.

Good, but shy of great.......2004-10-15

This was my first Buckley live CD. I'm waiting for Mysterious White Boy and when it arrives I'll definitely be comparing the two. But as for Live Buckley, this is a good representation of him. Let me review the songs:

Lover, You Should Have Come Over - Excellent. Hearing this song live is a powerful and moving experience. Great rendition. Nothing wrong here. Some great Buckley...

Dream Brother - Great version...first song he wrote, or so he says during the show.....

Eternal Life - Loud and powerful....the concert so far is going great...chugging along and each song is movingly played...

Kick Out the Jams...nothing but straight rock here...guess it's pretty much the same with any other version....So far, all these songs are heavy and hard only the way Buckley can deliver...concert is rolling smoothly.......

Lilac Wine...beautiful live version...I like it....it's not studio but hey, this is a live show...so get the studio version out of your head!

Grace -- Great live version...I like it! You will too!

That's All I Ask -- never heard this song before...like it alot, nothing complicated but pretty and vocals are angelic as only Buckley can deliver......

Kashmir - This is where the concert takes it's first nosedive..Buckley doesn't try to perform the song just have fun with it at 45rpm style...nothing memorable here and a waste of time......

Je n'en connais pas la fin - beautiful, although Buckley does stop in the middle of the tune to chat with the audience..it's a little annoying but then Buckley would do that so you gotta roll with it...it's good nonetheless, though it falls shy of great b/c I was annoyed with the chit chat during the middle of the song....

Hallelujah - The only lemon during the entire show! This rendition stinks! That's because Buckley starts paying more attention to the audience and not to play the song! He barely gets through it, laughing along the way and really giving a weak rendition of this moving piece...I don't expect the studio version per say, but to laugh through this song and get distracted by the audience, well, it's too bad.......

What Will You Say -- very cool, this track isn't from the Olympia show but is an extra track from a show he did in the French countryside somewhere...it has Middle Eastern influences and is great...

Overall, I'm surprised by how short this Olympia concert is. It's less than an hour! And he flew to Paris to perform at the Olympia for just an hour show??? Bizarre!! Makes me wonder how long he performed at other shows through his tours in other countries and in the U.S......

Anyways, I still recommend you purchase this disk but do so for $15 or less, it's not worth more than that...

Average customer rating:

Warning: Pop Epiphany Enclosed
Strident grrl rock that makes no apologies for being catchy.
"Watch me make up my mind, instead of my face"
SK's best album .... Yet.
I dunno...are we all listening to the same cd?

All Hands on the Bad One
Sleater-Kinney
Manufacturer: Kill Rock Stars
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B00004RD8V
Release Date: 2000-05-02

Tracks:

The Ballad Of A Ladyman
Ironclad
All Hands On The Bad One
Youth Decay
You're No Rock N' Roll Fun
#1 Must Have
The Professional
Was It A Lie?
Male Model
Leave You Behind
Milkshake N' Honey
Pompeii
The Swimmer

Amazon.com's Best of 2000

It has all the blistering guitar work, punk-rock harmonies, and thunderous drumming of their previous efforts. But with All Hands on the Bad One, the Northwest trio of Sleater-Kinney doesn't forget to have fun, too. Their sound has evolved, but the spirit that forged the seminal riot-grrrl threesome animates every anthem here. --Jason Verlinde

Amazon.com

"The Ballad of a Ladyman," the opening track on Sleater-Kinney's fifth release, boasts "I could be demure like girls who are soft for boys who are fearful of getting an earful / But I gotta rock!" And rock they do; All Hands on the Bad One's lineup of twitchy but forceful rock songs bests the band's previous releases. The delicious tri-vocal charges of Carrie Brownstein, Corin Tucker, and Janet Weiss spider-webs all over their corner of rock, careening in all directions but unifying to make a beautiful design. Most obvious on this release is the band's yearning to slip free of the surly bonds of punk. The seesaw guitar riff in "Ladyman" is arena-ready, and the group's harmonizing reaches new heights of "Hey, cool!" on "The Professional" and "Milkshake and Honey." Or, to put it in stricter terms, All Hands on the Bad One is a whole lotta fun. --Jason Josephes

Album Description

'All Hands On The Bad One' returns to jubilant, playful rock that reveals just how much fun this band has just being together and making music. Produced by John Goodmanson, and engineered by Larry Crane at the low-key Jackpot Studios in Portland from Kill Rock Stars Records.

Customer Reviews:

Warning: Pop Epiphany Enclosed.......2007-02-06

(Sorta) bass, guitar, drums and vocals - classic postpunk pop. It's as primitive as the old (acoustic) singer-songwriter paradigm: if ya ain't got captivating poetics and invigorating melodies, then it's just wheels spinning nowhere. Live or die by it, it's a merciless medium.

Corin, Carrie and Janet go to the mat with these 13 tunes and it's a KO for at least 10. (The others are just too close to call.) Audible is their love for their battered instruments, outrageous riot words, sweet sweaty audiences and their very audacious success.

WHAP!

Under the distressed distortion of impassioned basement jams lies an intuitive, undisciplined sense of (look out!) the hook. Killer coupled with 3rd and New Wave lyrics, like: "Watch me make up my mind instead of my face" and "You can't get to heaven with a 3-chord song."

The sound is herky quirky Slits, Stonesy sludge, coquettish Go-Gos' harmonies, a spattering of Jad Fair lunacy and lotsa Patti Smith yowl. Toughlove, and fierce. I consider this one their best (self-conscious and wired), but whatever, Sleater-Kinney is world-stoppin' harsh fun.

Strident grrl rock that makes no apologies for being catchy........2006-07-27

Let's skip the formalities; this album is amazing. If you like female rockers, vocal harmony, or catchy lyrics that also happen to make a statement, All Hands on the Bad One is for you.

The formality we'll skip is the tired history of this band, and we're skipping it because it's a barrier you don't need between you and the music. Just learn the basics: Sleater-Kinney is a three-piece who, at this point in their career, played tight sub-four-minute pop-rock. Guitarist/vocalists Corin Tucker and Carrie Brownstein weave a sometime impenetrable tangle of electric guitars - rarely is a song carried on just one instrument. They're backed by ferocious and inventive drumming from Janet Weiss - her rhythms help maintain a sound that's much larger than you'd expect a two-guitar trio to generate.

Opener "Ballad of a Ladyman" is an amusing jab at gender, maybe making light of the politics woven into being an all-woman three piece that rocks so hard ("I could be demure like girls who are soft for boys who are fearful of getting an earful, but i gotta rock! I'd rather be a ladyman"). It's a wonderfully self-aware intro to the disc - catchy, and too tongue-in-cheek to be threatening. It leads into the excellent punkish riffing about Civil War battles on "Ironclad," a standout track.

By this point you will surely have noticed one critical sticking point of S-K: their slightly off-putting vocal trademarks. Corin's voice goes from a mid-range purr to a signature yodeled vibrato as she rides the break at the top of her chest voice. Carrie contributes great supporting vocals, but alone her odd open-mouthed delivery seems to melt away at the edges, never as solid as it could be. Both ladies are acquired tastes, and this intense baker's dozen of tunes is the perfect way to acquire them.

The title track is a spicy thesis of tightly coiled riffs and rolling tom drums, throwing in everything the disc has to offer in under three minutes. "Youth Decay" is a scorching commentary on a home fraught with eating disorders and tacit misogyny, rocking hard enough that you might not ever notice its lyrics. "#1 Must Have" is a scathing address of the media's appropriation of the riot grrl image for its own commercial purposes. In a song full of powerful lyrics, each one is a perfect pair of statement and kiss-off, even the simple ones stands out "Watch me make up my mind instead of my face."

If the latter two tunes portray S-K as all self-aware statement making, the song they sandwich says otherwise: they bookend the explosive pop masterpiece "You're No Rock and Roll Fun." A summery rock anthem that sounds lifted from some decade prior, it is absolute minimal perfection - coming off bigger, louder, dancier, and plain old better than any modern pop hit - on top of a mostly two-chord riff and some simple electric guitar work. Supported by a classically simple backing vocal from Janet while she pounds the skins, the song is undeniable.

Admittedly, some of the rock gets a little redundant or repetitive. "The Professional" comes off as fluff after the killer opening sextet, and "Was It A Lie" rides an aggressive riff that's not as catchy as its predecessors. Both are still great, though, as are the steady dischordant guitars on "Male Model." However, your ears might be a little weary by the end of this third triptych.

The failure to mix in some downtempo songs is perhaps this album's only shortcoming - all three are stuffed into the final four tracks, smothering the explosive "Pompeii." One of those three is "Milkshake and Honey," a queer monologue from a foreign musician to their fled French sweety. It can be a hard one to like, with its alternately deadpanned and whined lyrics and non-sequitur title, but it just goes to show the range of S-K - even if it's not evident throughout the album.

Closer "The Swimmer" is slow, and wistful - a format shared by "Leave You Behind" a few tracks earlier, though Brownstein vocally undersells that one. Both are struck from a more reflective mold that the band now leaves to their former albums to represent. A shame; they're pretty, and a nice breather (beautiful, actually, on the reverb-drenched "Swimmer").

All Hands on the Bad One makes no apologies - not for it's intense opening nine-song sprint, not for the gender-politics it puts proudly on display next to its killer riffs, and not for its vocal idiosyncrasies.

All of these elements might be used to keep a casual listener away from this disc by devotees and detractors alike - both screaming, "this is for fanatics only!" You shouldn't believe them; if anything, this near-flawless disc is more surprisingly sublime when you have no idea who Sleater-Kinney are.

"Watch me make up my mind, instead of my face".......2005-08-08

Out of all Sleater-Kinney's seven releases, All Hands On the Bad One probably stands out as being the most poppy. Yet while Sleater-Kinney can get poppy, they show they also can be political at the same time. The first song 'The Ballad of a Ladyman' explores the state the band is currently in, and their refusal to compromise their morals in order to fit into the mainstream. Feminist themes are present in this album, but Sleater-Kinney do not smack you in the face with them screaming their head off, unlike Kathleen Hanna. Rather, they present their ideas in a more clear and clever manner, allowing you to think. '#1 Must Have' bemoans the state of women's presence (both on and off the stage) in rock music, while 'Male Model' talks about society's idea that female musicians will never be equal to their male counterparts. 'The Professional' deals with the 'good ol boy' network that women (and also minorities) face in the workplace. 'Was It A Lie?' talks about how society's pleasure from women's pain, in one such example as a train accident (another example that comes to mind are rape porn movies). But don't think all of the album is serious and political. 'You're No Rock and Roll Fun' is a great fun pop song as is 'Milkshake n' Honey'. The only song I could do without is 'Leave You Behind' which strays too far from Sleater-Kinney's sound, and ends up sounding like a Veruca Salt song circa 'Eight Arms To Hold You'. 'The Swimmer' is an excellent close to the album, fragile, distant, and yearning. I must say, I was a little disappointed when I bought Sleater-Kinney's album 'Dig Me Out' but now that I got this one I was much more impressed. With bands like Hole, Bikini Kill, Babes In Toyland, and L7 gone, it is great to see an empowering female rock band left.

SK's best album .... Yet........2005-04-05

This album rocks, I recommend it. Complex guitar and vocal work. Very meaningful lyrics. Best Track: #1 Must Have.

I dunno...are we all listening to the same cd?.......2004-12-10

I'm amazed at the other comments here. Others say that the songwriting here is less assured than on their earlier albums--on the contrary, there are far more hooks and sparse arranging touches to differentiate the songs from each other than usual. Others say the vocals are vague--I disagree. Sleater-Kinney do more singing and less shrieking on this release, while still retaining enough of a punk attitude to be fun. I'm encouraged by Sleater-Kinney's new direction, as exemplified by You're No Rock and Roll Fun and Milkshake and Honey--way more poppy and radio-friendly, but by no means a sellout. I'll be curious to hear what their next release sounds like.

Average customer rating:

FAULTLESS
Jacques Brel in concert -- extraordinaire!
Jacques Brel Olympia 61 & 64
Ne nous quittez encore, Jacques!
Must have! - and I have it already : )

The Olympia '61 & '64
Jacques Brel
Manufacturer: Drg
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Cabaret | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music

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ASIN: B000BJ7D96
Release Date: 2005-11-08

Tracks:

Les Prenoms De Paris (Names For Paris)
Les Bourgeois m(The Middle Class)
Les Paumes De Petit Matin (The Lost Souls Of Early Morning)
Les Flamandes (Flemish Women)
La Statue (The Statue)
Zangra
Marieke
Les Biches [argot: prostitutes] (The Does)
Madeleine
Les Singes (The Ape)
L'Ivrogne (The Drunk)
La Valse A Mille Temps (The Waltz A Thousand Times As Fast)
Ne Me Quitte Pas (Don't Leave Me)
Le Moribond (The Dying Man)
Quand On N'a Que L'Amour (When We Have Only Love)

Tracks:

Amsterdam
Les Timides (The Timid People)
Le Dernier Repas (The Last Supper)
Les Jardins De Casino (The Casino Gardens)
Les Vieux (The Old People)
Les Toros (The Bulls)
Le Tango Funebre (The Funeral Tango)
Le Plat Pays (The Flat Lands)
Les Bonbons (Candies)
Mathilde
Les Bigotes (The Bigoted Church Ladies)
Les Bourgeois (Middle Class People)
Jef
Au Suirvant (Next)
Madeleine

Customer Reviews:

FAULTLESS.......2007-02-13

This is a superb double disc set of the genius that is Jacques Brel in his prime. His style of music is best suited to the live arena, and there are many Brel classics here. His singing and phrasing is faultless throughout. The highlight is `Quand On N'a Que L'Amour' from the Olympia '61 disc which is even more dramatic than the original studio recording.

If you have an interest in vintage French music, than you really should own this album.

Jacques Brel in concert -- extraordinaire!.......2006-11-21

Now, I love the way Ms. Kelly Norman describes Brel and his work in her review. To tell you the truth, I can relate to everything she says. I was also drawn to learning French by listening to Jacques Brel's exciting, enigmatic vocal style, when I was about ten years old, growing up in the northwest of Spain. His singing is so powerful, his lyrics so revealing, and his melodies so inimitable that they get stuck in your head and there's no way to shake them off. I always come back to Brel, again and again, and over the years I have come to realize that he is one of the most outstanding poets in the French language. Just like Bob Dylan, it doesn't matter if his poems are put to music, they are high-quality poetry, always moving, always succeeding in giving you a different perspective about the world around you.

And yes, Ms. Norman is absolutely right: many of Brel's songs are about that guy who somehow never manages to live up to his own expectations, who brings candy to a girl who is not interested in him ("Les bonbons"), who is waiting for a date who will never show up ("Madeleine"), who doesn't stand a chance and will never amount to anything ("Au suivant"). There is an undeniable beauty in this kind of losers, in the hopelessness of characters who have to create an inner world of their own in order to come to terms with an outside world that they dislike because they somehow don't seem to fit in that world. For some reason, I have always been able to identify with Brel and his world of song. His songs are also peopled by the strangest and yet most common, most interesting characters: his pen never falters as he describes a world filled with drunkards, sailors, prostitutes, colonels who are too old to become heroes. Brel finds poetry in everyday life, in places that would seem very unlikely to the rest of us. And his voice makes all those characters come to life in such a way that it looks as though you had known them forever.

Just one more thing: Brel in the studio was an outstanding singer; Brel in concert is a master, not only a singer, but an actor, a man who knew how to interpret his songs, making gestures and faces, slowing down the tempo or changing his voice and diction as required by the lyrics. On these Olympia concerts from 1961 and 1964, Brel is at his very best as a performer, and although we can't see him on this record, it doesn't take too much to imagine the impact that he made on his audiences. If you enjoy this album, the next, necessary step is to purchase one of the DVDs featuring one of his live performances -- that will definitely be a truly electrifying experience...

Jacques Brel Olympia 61 & 64.......2006-08-23

Great CD set. I am a big fan of Jacques Brel and this has almost all my favorite songs on it.

Ne nous quittez encore, Jacques!.......2006-07-16

How to describe Jacques Brel, and the kind of excitement generated by this live recording, which truly brings him up close and personal? Jacques Brel was not French, he was Flemmish, from Belgium. But he sung primarily in French and he gave us a lot of songs you would recognize if you heard the tunes. Some are on this CD: "Ne me quitte pas" is known in the anglophone world as "If you go away"; "La valse a mille temps" as "We're On a Carousel"; "Le Moribund" as "Seasons in the Sun". If you saw a musical in the seventies called "Jacques Brel is Alive & Well & Living in Paris" you know even more of these songs-- "Au Suivant" ("Next!"), "Les Vieux" ("The Old People"); "Les Toros" ("The Bulls").

For me, Jacques Brel was that Eureka! moment, that light-bulb-over-the-head moment in tenth grade when French began to make sense and I felt like Helen Keller with her hand underneath the water pump. "J'avais apportait des bonbons..." He brought her candy...but she doesn't like him, she likes *Lyon!*

And it turns out that a lot, perhaps most, of Brel's songs were about that guy...the one bringing bonbons for the girl who liked someone else better and was just using him. Or the fellow bringing lilacs night after night for Madeleine who never arrived. He was never quite good enough, she was never quite available enough. Often his songs would get downright mean and resentful, as when, on another lp, he bemoaned how much better dogs were than women. But could you blame him, after running into the kind of women he did?

But he also wrote about the old people no one cared about who died alone, and the men who who pretended to be unafraid of death but who were afraid, and about the beauty of his country, and how crazy the world was, etc.

Until purchasing this disc, I had not heard Brel live. I am so pleased with the quality of this disc. Normally, even discs of non-live performances remastered from long ago sound poor. This one sounds clear and the orchestration is great.

And of course, the performance is first-rate. Brel's voice is in top form, the band backing him is fine, and one can sense a great energy between performance and audience,always a plus fora live performance.

Must have! - and I have it already : ) .......2005-11-18

Something about the project or releasing this album: originally - or so I understand - it was supposed to be just one cd with only 8 tracks from the 1964 concert, but Thelma fought to have this version released - and that is how it should be! How could you get the full picture of Brel's astounding energy and multi-faceted talent if you didn't hear the full lenght of the concert? Because he surely was a miracle, just listen to the first and only published recording of "Amsterdam" which is still to me, after hearing it thousands of times, the song that leaves me completely breathless. The energy and passion just rolls over you as it rolled over those unsuspecting people (many of them huge celebrities themselves, such as Catherine Deneuve) at Olympia 1964, hearing the song they'd never heard before and rewarding it with 8 minutes of standing ovation - as Thelma writes in her marvellous introduction. Brel performs all in all 8 songs here for the first time in public, recorded only after the concerts because he was the kind of performer who didn't prefer the safe, clean studio environment but a living public.

There are a couple of songs twice in this double album, because Brel performed them in both concerts, but it still is good to hear them again, in the latter concert Brel gets very playful with the songs and it's another kind of experience. As much as I love the 1964 concert because of "Amsterdam" and "Les toros", my favourite of all Brel records still is the 1961 concert. From "Madeleine" to the end it's pure ecstacy, with the best ever recording of "Ne me quitte pas" with Brel getting more into the song than ever before or after that, the marvellous "L'ivrogne", hypnotic "La valse a mille temps" with the slip of the tongue "la vache a mille temps" which Brel used the second he made it and waltzed on stage with the imaginary cow (Thelma tells this too in her notes), the proud "Le moribonde" - never did a man face his death with more panache - and then after fanfares (based on the theme of "Quand on n'a que l'amour" Brel with his guitar ends the concert with "Quand on n'a que l'amour" - pure bliss!

I did have the both concerts already but was glad to get this record from Thelma, too, because of her informative notes and translations. My French isn't as good as hers, so this was very helpful, thank you again Thelma.

Live - October 26, 1992: The Olympia Theater, Paris France

Average customer rating:

Great Live CD!
long time fan
Songs from the hit parades of yesteryear are timeless crowd-pleasers

Live - October 26, 1992: The Olympia Theater, Paris France
Leon Redbone
Manufacturer: Rounder / Umgd
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Live & Kickin'
Double Time
No Regrets
Any Time
Branch to Branch

ASIN: B000A6T2MG
Release Date: 2005-08-23

Tracks:

Sweet Mama, Papas Gettin Mad
Aint Misbehavin
Shes My Gal
Goodbye Charlie Blues
Up a Lazy River
Csardas
Polly Wolly Doodle
Please Dont Talk About Me When Im Gone
Waitin On You
Think of Me Thinking of You
Mabel, Sugar
Big Time Woman
Love Letters in the Sand
Piano Interlude
Im Going Home
Diddy Wa Diddie
Play Gypsy Play
The Whistling Colonel
Gotta Shake That Thing
So Relax

Album Description

One of the most enigmatic and distinct interpreters of classic American song, Leon Redbone shines brightest in concert, where his wit and spontaneity breathes new life into his eclectic repertoire. Previously unrelased, Live at the Olympia features 21 songs, including such favorites as "Ain't Misbehavin'" and "Up a Lazy River." Recorded in concert in Paris in October of 1992 with a tight-knit supporting band.

Customer Reviews:

Great Live CD!.......2007-02-24

Leon Redbone Live-Oct. 26,1992: The Olympia Theater, Paris...This is a great live CD for both longtime fans & those new to Mr.Redbone's music. A great introduction for anyone buying their first Leon Redbone work.
I've been a casual fan of Leon Rebone since seeing him perform as a musical guest a number of times on SNL during the 70's & 80's. I bought this CD for myself & then liked it so much, that I bought another copy as a gift to another fan in my family.

long time fan.......2007-02-08

I been a fan of Leon Redbone for quite some time. I have replaced many of my vinyls with CD's. My daughter gave me an autographed vinyl for Christmas one year. The major problem the "Live - October 26, 1992" is the poor audio mix. The equipment is substandard or the audio engineer is. You only have to listen to the second track to know Leon was not at his best that night. I surprised Leon allowed it to be released.

Songs from the hit parades of yesteryear are timeless crowd-pleasers.......2005-10-26

Playing Time - 70:59 -- Recorded live at the Olympia Theater in Paris, France on 10/26/92, Leon Redbone "Live" is a splendid treat for fans of the eccentric performer who presents music from the traditions of early jazz, blues, ragtime and folk. Appearing on the music scene in Toronto about 1970, Redbone built himself a strong cult following, and his stage persona is one of odd appearance but swinging music presented without much expression. Antics like the Woody Woodpecker theme make their way into "Ain't Misbehavin." While some of the words are a little hard to make out in a piece like "She's My Gal," Redbone shows he's got a knack for scat. He's also a phenomenal whistler ("The Whistling Colonel"), and that gets the appreciative crowd clapping along.

The album is well-packed with 71 minutes of music featuring twenty-one songs. He dishes up some memorable interpretations of "Polly Wolly Doodle," "Diddy Wah Diddy," "Sugar," "Up the Lazy River," and "Relax." Sadly missing are some of his best and campiess oldies like "Lulu's Back in Town," "Lazybones," as well as some favorites like "Champagne Charlie" that was featured on his 2-CD 1985 live album on the Greene-Stone label. Redbone has also been known to cover country (like "Lovesick Blues" or "Your Cheatin' Heart") and even Dylan ("Living the Blues"). Dylan, along with well-known musicians like Bonnie Raitt and Maria Muldaur, have been huge supporters of Redbone over the years. Of special note on this live project are the Hungarian "Csardas" and Irving Berlin's "Marie." In the former, though, liner notes are unclear as to who the guest female vocalist is.

Guitarist and vocalist Leon Redbone deserves to be remembered as much more than a novelty act. Although his distinctive visual image has been described as "part Groucho Marx, part Vaudeville entertainer," Redbone is an excellent musician from the true vine. This particular concert also includes Scott Black (cornet), David Boeddinghaus (piano), and Frank Vignola (guitar). The stellar quartet is tight, and their arrangements don't show any subtle missteps. A fun-filled "Shake That Thing" gets the band (and crowd) shouting out the response. The audience takes to old standards like "Please Don't Talk About Me When I'm Gone," as well as quick paced romps through novelty numbers like "Waitin' on You" and "Big Time Woman." Leon already sings with a deep, gruff voice so my only complaint with this album is its fidelity and our inability to understand all the lyrics. There's no doubt that Redbone is an American treasure, and a generous live album is second best to seeing him live. He's no joke, and his repertoire of songs from the hit parades of yesteryear are timeless crowd-pleasers. (Joe Ross, Roseburg, OR.)

Average customer rating:

Superb Silly Sing Along CD
Even the adults start singing....
A Must Own!!
A Family Favorite
music you won't get sick of

Underwater Land
Pat Dailey & Shel Silverstein
Manufacturer: Olympia Records Inc.
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B00007BH72
Release Date: 2002-11-19

Tracks:

Underwater Land
Land Shark
Fish Breath
Cuttlefish
Bubba Barracuda
Ickity-Ackity
Found FLounder
Fred The Trout
Dale And Shale's Big Fish Tail Sale
Captain Octopus
Sea Shell
The Minnows
Poor Anna
Speedy The Snail
The Clam
Fish Guts
Empty Dolphin Tank

Album Description

One of the most anticipated children's releases of the year, "Underwater Land" was the last children's recording completed by the incomparable Shel Silverstein. Seventeen delightful underwater songs, written and produced by Shel, and sung by his longtime friend Pat Dailey with a warmth and wit that will tickle the funnybones of small fry everywhere. Featuring a beautiful 32-page booklet of Silverstein's hilarious lyrics and illustrations, "Underwater Land" overflows with the zany humor which has made Shel one of the world's most popular and best-loved children's authors of all time. Winner of the prestigious 2003 Parent's Choice Foundation Gold Award, "Underwater Land" is getting rave reviews from kids and parents alike. As the Parent's Choice foundation enthused, "When it comes to smart and funny family albums, this is the catch of the day!"

Customer Reviews:

Superb Silly Sing Along CD.......2006-11-15

We've had this CD for some time now and still listen to it a lot. I have it on my ipod for listening to it while in the car. If you like Shel's books of poetry, you will definately like this audio collection! Silly, wacky, creative lyrics--everything you'd expect from Shel--all set to music. I wish there were a book of sketches to go along with the songs!

Even the adults start singing...........2006-10-28

.... I agree with a previous reviewer- even adults can't help but sing. I love putting this on for the nieces & nephews because eventually everyone (whether they want to or not) starts singing. We especially like "Cuttlefish", "The Minnows" and "Poor Anna" (great puns! My sister-in-law Robyn will be jealous that Shel as "out-punned" her!) I'm sorta glad the kids don't understand all the undertones to these songs!

A Must Own!!.......2005-03-22

I don't think I've ever laughed so hard...you will find yourself singing these songs...I listen to it even when the kids aren't around...my new favorite for families with a new baby! This is great...I promise you, you won't be disappointed!!!

A Family Favorite.......2005-03-18

I love this CD almost as much as my children do - the songs are hilarious and the tunes are catchy. I would highly recommend Underwater Land.

music you won't get sick of.......2004-10-18

My son is 20 months, and he and I have been listening to this CD for many of those months. He loves the music, and he smiles when his favorites come on, and he doesn't even understand the lyrics yet. I enjoy it because the lyrics are cute and clever and fun. Many children's albums have songs that are annoying or the voices singing them are annoying and I can't stand to play them, but not this one. I grew up reading Shel Silverstein's books and I still have them for my son to enjoy and this CD is just as fun. This is music that your kids will enjoy for many years, first just enjoying the music and then they will enjoy singing along to the silly songs.

Average customer rating:

Olympia 1962
Edith Piaf
Manufacturer: EMI Int'l
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Olympia 1961
At the Paris Olympia
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ASIN: B0000AKNE6
Release Date: 2003-10-06

Tracks:

Roulez Tambours
Diable de La Bastille
Musique out Va
Petit Brouillard
Droit d'Aimer
Billard ectrique
Toi, Tu l'Entends Pas
Quoi Sert l'Amour?
Non, Je Ne Regrette Rien
Foule
Milord

Album Details

Recorded Live at Famous Olympia 1962. Digitally Remastered.

Average customer rating:

Celine Dion's Best Live Album!
Excellent.......
Wonderful CD
Awesome livesinger
Wonderful

A l'Olympia
Celine Dion
Manufacturer: Sony/Columbia
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Au Coeur Du Stade
Dion Chante Plamondon
The French Album
S'il Suffisait D'Aimer

ASIN: B00002582D
Release Date: 1994-11-28

Tracks:

Des Mots Qui Sonnent
Where Does My Heart Beat Now
Amour Existe Encore
Je Danse Dans Ma T
Calling You
Elle
Medley de Starmania
Blues du Businessman
Fils de Superman
Love Can Move Mountains
Ziggy (Un GarPas Comme Les Autres)
Power of Love
Quand on N'A Que l'Amour

Album Details

The Canadian Singing Superstar Captured Live in Concert at Paris' Famed Olympia Theatre, Performing her French Repetoire with a Few English Nuggets Thrown in for Good Measure.

Customer Reviews:

Celine Dion's Best Live Album! .......2007-03-03

Celine's voice is so powerful and wonderful on this album, and I love it!

Excellent..............2006-12-17

I was afraid of this cd because I don't speak French but it is excellent! Celine sounds better in French and live! My favorite songs are "Calling You," "Elle," "The Power of Love," "Where Does My Heat Beat Now," and surprisingly "Love Can Move Mountains" (I never like this song before but it's better live). So even if you are not a big Celine fan and think she is sappy, etc, give this CD a try and you won't regret it! This woman can put on a show!

Wonderful CD.......2005-06-05

I got this cd about 3 years ago for my birthday and from the moment I put it in the cd player I loved it. This is probably one of my favorite celine dion cds and I own them all. I love the song Calling You and I also really love the song Elle. This is a beautiful cd and well worth the money. This cd is worth the money alone just for the song Calling You. This is a beautiful cd and a must buy for any celine dion fan or someone who just wants to listen to a great cd.

Awesome livesinger.......2002-09-28

Most of the songs are in french and on the "Dion chante Plamondon" Album.
Les mots qui sonnent: This dance-tune is one of the best Celine Dion-songs ever
Where does my heart beat now: This was her first english hit-single. It's a typical Celine Dion-ballad.
L'amour existe encore: What a wonderful ballad. Check out the spanish version on her new album "A new day has come"
Je danse dans ma tete: A trashy pop-song. Not my favourite
Calling you: I don't know who has sung this song at first but I don't like it when Celine sings it. Sandra Pires' version is A LOT better
Elle: This wonderful ballad with meanigful lyrics is only avaiable on this CD
Medley Starmania: with "Quand on arrive en ville" (Great for dancing), "Le monde est stone" (nice ballad), "Les uns contre les autres" (It's so-so) and "Nazilansd ce soir on danse" (great dancesong).
Le blues du businessman: Dreamy ballad
Le fils se superman: Again a ballad
Love can move mountains: An up-tempo-song with choir. very athmospheric
Ziggy: This song is too slow. It's getting boring
The power of love: This wonderful ballad is characteristic for her. Another one of her best songs ever.
Quand on n'a que l'amour: Another romantic ballad

Wonderful.......2002-01-22

This is one of Celine's best live performances. "Quand on n'a que l'Amour" will BLOW you AWAY!

Average customer rating:

The Voice of Cabo Verde
A staggering, incendiary talent...

A L'Olympia
Césaria Évora
Manufacturer: Melodie (Cit570)
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000005FVB
Release Date: 2003-03-18

Tracks:

Guanabarinu
Papa Joachin Paris
Cinturao Tem Mele
Miss Perfumado
Mar Azul
Bia D'Lulucha
Lua Nha Testemunha
Reanima
Angola
Vida Tem Um So Vida
Cize
Cumpade Ciznone
Bia
Estanhadinha
Angola
Sodade

Amazon.com

The Cape Verde diva is captured here in a lush live performance that stays true to the smooth cocktail atmosphere of her studio recordings while throwing in a spice of spontaneity with Evora's outbursts of laughter and slight improvisation. Lovers of Evora's romantic, sultry style will not be disappointed by this elegant album. Such reposed hits as "Miss Perfumado" and "Papa Joachin Paris" ring out in the same plaintive, tropical air of their recorded versions, not to mention Evora's voice, which sounds healthy, full, and gorgeous. In short, this is a fine collection recorded at Paris's renowned Olympia auditorium featuring Evora in a fresh, animated light. The only element the recording cannot capture is the now-famous visual of Evora taking a smoke break at a small table with a lamp and drink onstage while her band plays a lively instrumental number. Fans go wild for this odd but unique ritual, and it's one of several reasons to see this charismatic singer for yourself. In the meantime, L'Olympia is the next best thing. --Karen K. Hugg

Customer Reviews:

The Voice of Cabo Verde.......2004-03-10

My head still rings from seeing her in Vilnius last night. It was an incredible treat having her come and sing to an audience she held in the palm of her hand. Cesaria has had a long and storied career, with her success coming too late for her to really enjoy. She had to be helped onto the stage, but the Barefoot Diva stood through out the performance, taking a short smoke break, as her young band treated the audience to a lively Salsa piece. She seemed visibly moved by the strong reaction of the audience, which showered her with flowers after a wonderful encore.

At 63, she keeps putting out the albums but this live performance remains the most magical of her albums in my collection. It moves between melancholy mornas and lively samba rhythms, without missing a step. So many favorites on this remarkable CD, but I particularly enjoy Papa Joachin Paris and Sodade. She gives the latter a heartfelt quality that speaks of the long road she has taken to become one of the leading voices in World Music. It is a lovely ballad, apparently derived from her Cabo Verde roots, but made famous in the 70's by Angolan superstar Bonga. Anyway, you will enjoy this CD from beginning to end. Seventy-two minutes of wonderful music that makes you really feel as though you were there at the Olympia.

A staggering, incendiary talent..........1999-01-09

One can only voice regret at Ms. Evora's relatively late entry into the recording world, as all of her discs have a smoldering intensity and beauty that reveals a seemingly endless cache of ideas. Hence, this creates an insatiability in her fans for ever more recordings. Of all to date, A L'Olympia rewards the most--being the longest. An exemplary performance, and the songs! The shimmering "Reanima," a haunting "Papa Joachim Paris," two great versions of "Angola," and the finale "Sodade," are in need of no further explanation. Like most of her records, this is with traditional orchestration, unlike the odd "modern" production touches Ramiro Mendes added to much of her earlier "Destinho De Belita," presumably to introduce Evora to the French pop market.

We can only hope many more records flow forth from Cape Verde--the thought of a prolific sampling on the order of, say, Coltrane, is dizzying.

World Music: