Library

Genere:

Durata:

Dischi:

Produttore:

Trama: John Abercrombie's revised quartet features Marc Copland on piano, Drew Gress (bass) and Joey Baron on drums. It's Copland's first appearance on ECM, yet the guitarist and pianist are old allies, with an association stretching back forty years. In the early 1970s both were members of Chico Hamilton's Quartet, and at the dawn of fusion both played with pioneering jazz-rock band Dreams. For much of the last decade, Abercrombie and Copland have each had bassist Drew Gress as a regular member of their respective bands, so '39 Steps' draws on a network of trusted relationships.Jazz ballads and lyricism predominate on this disc, with six tunes from Abercrombie's pen, two Copland tunes, one collective improvisation, and a creative deconstruction of the old standard "Melancholy Baby". Cinematic references crop up amongst the titles, with four tracks alluding to Hitchcock: 'Vertigo', 'Spellbound', 'Shadow of a Doubt' and '39 Steps' itself.The album was produced by Manfred Eicher at New York's Avatar Studio in April 2013.

Genere: Jazz

Durata: 1:00:17

Dischi: 1

Produttore:

Trama:

Genere: Jazz

Durata: 1:01:11

Dischi: 1

Produttore:

Trama: Dans cet enregistrement en quartette, John Abercrombie se penche sur son passé de guitariste, revient sur l’époque où son intérêt pour le jazz détermina sa vocation artistique. Né en 1944, il joue d’abord du rock and roll, le jazz entrant un peu plus tard dans sa vie avec Barney Kessel et Tal Farlow. Élève de la Berklee School of Music dans les années 60, il découvre Jim Hall qui deviendra sa principale influence. Celui-ci joue alors avec Sonny Rollins. Après une retraite de près de deux ans, le saxophoniste a fait paraître “The Bridge”, album de la sérénité retrouvée, Hall répondant par de petites phrases élégantes et raffinées à la force tranquille du ténor. Une révélation pour Abercrombie qui reprend ici les deux premiers titres de ce disque mythique : Where are you, une ballade somptueuse que Joe Lovano illumine, et Without a Song, un thème lui inspirant Within a Song qui donne son titre à l’album. L’ombre tutélaire de Jim Hall plane constamment sur ce disque. Il contient Sometime Ago qu’il jouait souvent avec Art Farmer lorsqu’il était le guitariste de son quartette, un thème inclu dans “Interaction”, un album Atlantic du trompettiste. Abercrombie et Lovano en donnent une version délicate, ce dernier prenant le temps de faire chanter à son saxophone ténor des phrases chaleureuses et mélodiques. Autre pièce associée à Jim Hall, Interplay, un blues en mineur, donne son titre à un célèbre disque de Bill Evans dans lequel Hall tient la guitare. Les années 60 pour John Abercrombie, c’est aussi la découverte tardive de “Kind of Blue”, occasion de relire de manière très originale Flamenco Sketches, de lui apporter une progression harmonique différente. Ornette Coleman et John Coltrane comptèrent également beaucoup dans son évolution. Du premier, il reprend Blues Connotation, un extrait de “This is Our Music” qui permet une grande liberté avec les barres de mesures, Abercrombie choisissant d’installer un tempo flottant avec sa section rythmique – Drew Gress à la contrebasse et Joey Baron à la batterie, tous deux excellents. Du second, Wise One a sa préférence. On le trouve dans “Crescent”, disque moins connu que “Ballads” ou “A Love Supreme”, mais qui reste l’un des fleurons de la période Impulse ! de Coltrane. John l’étudia à Boston. Il lui donne des couleurs modales, le ténor y développant un chorus magnifique. Easy Rider, une valse, un hommage au film que Dennis Hopper réalisa en 1969 complète cet album new-yorkais du guitariste, l’un de ses plus attachants.

Genere: Jazz

Durata:

Dischi: 1

Produttore:

Trama:

Genere: Country

Durata:

Dischi: 1

Produttore:

Trama: He may have failed in his attempts at professional baseball and the governorship of Tennessee, but the "King of Country Music" did manage to become the biggest star of his era. This 20-song collection opens with 1936's "Great Speckle Bird," the gospel number that first brought him fame, and includes his biggest 1940s hits. Acuff combined elements of old-time, string-band, and hillbilly music (adding Dobro and then harmonica), forging an emotional, pure, polished sound; his lonesome voice was capable of great sensitivity as well as a jocularity carried over from his medicine-show days. The gloomy "Wreck on the Highway" marks a highlight, as do remakes of his early hits, "Freight Train Blues" and the Carters' "Wabash Cannon Ball." -Marc Greilsamer

Genere: Jazz

Durata:

Dischi: 1

Produttore:

Trama: Some artists painstakingly study their craft and work for success; others take their gift and find their fate. Chilean-born singer Claudia Acuna is definitely of the latter order, a powerful vocalist and stylist who already cuts a daring figure on the New York jazz scene. Not in possession of a stereotypically pretty voice, Acuna's strengths lie in her sonorous delivery, rich harmonies, and theatrical arrangements. As on her debut, <I>Wind of the South</I>, Acuna matches native folk songs with Latinized jazz standards, striking the perfect balance of familiarity and adventure. Emotional, exacting, and soulful, Acuna breathes great life and drama into each song, from a buoyant "My Romance" to a sparkling "A Child Is Born" (with vocal shades of Flora Purim) to her beautiful "Nowhere to Go," which shows Acuna's considerable promise as a songwriter. With a supporting cast that includes Dave Holland, Jason Lindner, and Jeff Watts, Claudia Acuna charts her course with majesty, prowess, and passion. --Ken Micallef

Genere: Blues

Durata:

Dischi: 1

Produttore:

Trama: "You loved me and you left me / Now you're laughing 'cause I'm still in love with you." That simplicity and directness runs through all of Doc Pomus's songs; the soulful and anguished voice of Johnny Adams does the rest. Recorded soon after Pomus's death in 1991, The Real Me brilliantly illustrates how elemental songwriting can shine brightly in the hands of an emotionally vibrant singer. Pomus's compositions become malleable lumps of clay as Adams shapes them into jazz, blues, soul, R&B, and gospel creations. Adams slips into these timeless, deeply-personal-yet-universal songs as if they were tailor-made for him. Sensitive accompaniment from Crescent City regulars, including Dr. John, Duke Robillard, and Alvin "Red" Tyler, provides the framework. --Marc Greilsamer

Genere: Blues

Durata:

Dischi: 1

Produttore:

Trama: Judging by this, his last recording, Johnny Adams had a lot of music left in him when he died at age 67. As with all of his remarkably consistent Rounder efforts, Man of My Word is marked by conscientious song selection, expert backing, and, foremost, Adams's absolutely commanding vocals. With producer Scott Billington back at the helm, and backed by a crack session crew led by fellow New Orleans stalwart Walter "Wolfman" Washington, Adams tackles this selection of soul tunes with characteristic verve and savvy; the man simply didn't have it in him to sing a note carelessly. Highlights here include Dan Penn and Spooner Oldham's Memphis-styled "It Tears Me Up," Bobby Charles's easy-grooving "I Don't Want to Know," and the gospel closer, "Never Alone." But it's all good. It really is. --Steven Stolder

Genere: R&B/Soul

Durata:

Dischi: 1

Produttore:

Trama: Oleta Adams is like few other vocalists. It never fails but exterme talent and musical integrity are never fully appreciated. I first met Oleta in 1989 at a club in Dallas. She was performing at a friends birthday party. At this time she was relatively unknown outside of Kansas City. I knew upon listening to her that she was special. Time passed and suddenly she has a mojor hit with "Get Here". From that moment I have folled her every musical step. Movin' On shows that great artist can be slowed but not stopped. This CD has her skill shine above industry producers with vocals, keyboard playing and composing. "New Star" and "This is Real" are classic songs both lyrically and vocally. I have yet to hear an R&B artist articulate the soul and wholesomeness that comes from Adams' work. This CD does have a bit of useless producer polish that doesn't add to the vibe. Nevertheless, she overcomes it all; As she has in performance and on other recordings. Popular or not, I hope her music continues to flow to us true fans. Peace.

Genere: Rock

Durata:

Dischi: 1

Produttore:

Trama: Former Whiskeytown frontman Ryan Adams claims to have written and recorded enough songs over the past several years to fill a four-CD collection--and that's in addition to his acclaimed 2001 breakthrough Gold. Wisely, Adams decided to skip the box set--hey, he's only 27--and issue a sort of "best of" compilation comprising 13 unreleased demos. Recorded at four different studio sessions in Nashville, Los Angeles, and Stockholm, with a cast of musicians that includes his road band the Pinkhearts, Gillian Welch, David Rawlings, Ethan Johns, Chris Stills, Bucky Baxter, and Greg Leisz, Demolition proves that Adams is still a work in progress: brilliant one moment, sloppy the next. When he's good, he's very good: the rousing country-rocker "Hallelujah," the brooding acoustic ballads "Dear Chicago" and "Tomorrow," and the jangly power-pop number "Gimme a Sign" are as fine as anything on Gold. But Adams sometimes lapses into mimicry, as he does on "Nuclear" and "Starting to Hurt," both of which could be outtakes from a U2 album. "Tennessee Sucks," a chronicle of a boredom-filled summer day in Nashville, sounds half-baked, while the closing track, "Jesus (Don't Touch My Baby)," which finds Adams (on synthesizer, guitars, bass, and drum machine) droning on like Leonard Cohen, falls in the "failed experiment" category. Despite its bright spots, Demolition ultimately comes off as a mixed bag. --David Hill

Genere: Rock

Durata:

Dischi: 1

Produttore:

Trama:

Genere: Rock

Durata:

Dischi: 1

Produttore:

Trama: When listening to Ryan Adams' "Love is Hell, Part 1" there are the inevitable moments when one is reminded of Radiohead's Thom Yorke, in particular from the band's "Bends"-to-"O.K. Computer" period. But then, out from a corner, arises a completely different Ryan Adams, one that sounds a bit more like David Sylvian. So, in the end, I am left scratching my head and wondering how on earth could I have taken SO LONG to discover this guy.
Only coincidence would bring his music to my hands, but now I am on a discovery mission to dig back into his catalog with the hope to find more musical jewels like this one. Only "Avalanche" seems to not fit in with the rest of the album, but otherwise, it's an album I have not taken out of my CD player since I first picked it up.

Genere: Rock

Durata:

Dischi: 1

Produttore:

Trama: Ryan Adams records have traditionally kept his sound in the alt-country box that the prolific artist has mastered producing nine records by the age of 32. Rock N Roll is a noteable exception being a complete 180 from other Adams records resulting in a piece of alt rock heaven that emanates a sense of creative freedom.
Apparently after completing the Love Is Hell album, Lost Highway asked Adams to give them something more marketable. Instead of going all George Micheal and whining (or suing the record company), Adams jumped into the record studio and happily churned out Rock N Roll.
Whereas other genre pieces by Adams (Jacksonville City Nights raw country sound comes to mind) seemed to suffer from a rushed effort, Rock N Roll is greatly aided by it. Rock isn't the most complicated music as loud guitars, smashing drums and energetic vocals have produced many great tunes. For someone like Adams it is then the perfect world to romp through as meaty electric guitar riffs churn out song after song with great success. Whether it's the sly romp Note to Self Don't Die or the chunky riff that erupts into Shallow each tune on Rock N Roll carries an infectious spirit. As if the artist found the angered energy at the heart of many great rock songs a welcome distraction from his previous countrified tunes of broken hearts.
On Rock N Roll, Adams keeps it simple allowing him to conger up sounds that seem to pay homage to rock idols such as Oasis, AC/DC and Seattle grunge bands. Due to the genre's straightforward style, Adams doesn't churn out perfected choruses or tender moments, he doesn't have to. Instead Adams simply rips through tune after electrified tune allowing the free spirit at the center of this prolific artist to burst into a frenzied rock n roll love fest.
It's like Adams saw the opportunity to record Rock N Roll as probably his only chance to tear out a raw piece of electrified energy. Therefore the album is aided by a gleeful love Adams seems to have on display. Now maybe he didn't enjoy making Rock N Roll, but listening to Adams say "everybody do Miss America" in a wry, sarcastic tune, makes it hard to believe that he was not loving every minute of his opportunity to jump into heaven.

Genere: Rock

Durata:

Dischi: 2

Produttore:

Trama: Sent reeling by the one-two punch Conor Oberst's Bright Eyes delivered with I'm Wide Awake, It's Morning and Digital Ash In A Digital Urn, Ryan Adams vowed to strike back in 2005 with three of his own releases. The first--a double album, no less--sees the attention-seeking former Whiskeytown singer casting off both the raucous guitars of 2003's Rock N Roll and the rainy-day ballads of the same year's Love Is Hell in favor of the more introspective moments and rustic textures of 2000's Heartbreaker. He's snuck in at least one epic with "Meadowlake Street" and one potential radio hit with the twangy "Let It Ride," while the rest of the set is mostly packed with bleary-eyed laments that feel all too mannered after spending the last few years revealing his naked pop ambition in full. No doubt Adams will make up for it with the next one. --Aidin Vaziri

Genere: Jazz

Durata:

Dischi: 1

Produttore:

Trama:

Genere: Jazz

Durata: 51:48

Dischi:

Produttore:

Trama:

Genere: Jazz

Durata:

Dischi: 1

Produttore:

Trama: When alto saxophonist Cannonball Adderley culled together this quartet, he grabbed three champions from seemingly disparate schools to complement his flinty solos: Miles Davis, the king of cool; Art Blakey, the thundering force of hard bop; Hank Jones, a veteran of swing; and Sam Jones, a versatile bassist adaptable to nearly any setting. The results are one of Blue Note's most beloved albums. The open-ended beauty of "Autumn Leaves," which features Davis beautifully stating the melody on muted trumpet, sounds like it could easily be an outtake from Kind of Blue(which it isn't). The midtempo title track provides the centerpiece of this classic as Adderley echoes Miles's swaggering melody before both unravel wonderful solos. A must-have Blue Note album. --John Murph

Genere: Jazz

Durata: 43:54

Dischi:

Produttore:

Trama:

Genere: Jazz

Durata: 52:32

Dischi: 1

Produttore:

Trama:

Genere: Jazz

Durata: 57:13

Dischi:

Produttore:

Trama:

Genere: Jazz

Durata:

Dischi: 1

Produttore:

Trama: Co-produced by Akinmusire and his label mate and mentor Jason Moran, the album's 12 songs (10 of which were composed by Akinmusire) feature the 28-year-old trumpeter's young quintet (tenor saxophonist Walter Smith III, pianist Gerald Clayton, bassist Harish Raghavan, and drummer Justin Brown), a close-knit group of longtime friends and frequent collaborators that breathes a remarkable collective identity. The New York Times wrote that the quintet "seems destined for much wider recognition," and described their unique sound as "limber, straight-ahead jazz with mystery and pop instincts that gets around most of the old, pervasive mainstream influences, both of trumpet playing and bandleading."

Genere: Jazz

Durata:

Dischi: 1

Produttore:

Trama:

Genere:

Durata: 6:43

Dischi:

Produttore:

Trama:

Genere:

Durata:

Dischi:

Produttore:

Trama:

Genere: Jazz

Durata: 13:27

Dischi:

Produttore:

Trama:

Genere: Jazz

Durata:

Dischi: 1

Produttore:

Trama:

Genere: Jazz

Durata:

Dischi: 1

Produttore:

Trama: This is a wonderful musical tribute to Frank Sinatra. Monty's brilliant style seems to embody the "orchestration", swing and drama of Peterson and Jamal and adds Nat Cole's elegance - then he adds many of his own devices, sprinkles in some wit and Entertains! The bass and drums of Patitucci and Davis add wonderful support especially in the changes of pace. Nicely recorded. I have bought about 12 of his albums over the years and I would have to say that he is consistently inventive, tasteful and brilliant, always with a sense of theatre and talent for chosing good material.
<br />If youre looking for more M.A. then note that he recorded a few CDs under Ray Brown's leadership. All excellent. Thanks Monty.

Genere: Jazz

Durata:

Dischi: 1

Produttore:

Trama: consisting of four bop standards, a couple of bossa nova treatments, and three others of a different category. "Because You're Mine" dates back to the fifties where it was popularized enough by Mario Lanza that a lot of couples chose it as one of the selections to be played at their exchange of marriage vows. Monty gives a gorgeous treatment of this old tune. The Rolling Stones standard, "I Can't Get No Satisfaction", is a hard swinging arrangement showing Monty's Oscar Peterson influence. "Happy Talk", from "South Pacific", is a familiar tune that hasn't been recorded that often but gets a good workout here by all of the trio.<p>If you can obtain it, this is a fine cd with appeal to Monty Alexander fans or aficionados of straight ahead jazz piano trio.

Genere: Jazz

Durata:

Dischi: 1

Produttore:

Trama:

Genere: Country

Durata:

Dischi: 1

Produttore:

Trama:

Genere: Country

Durata:

Dischi: 1

Produttore:

Trama: I stumbled upon Pat Alger while trying to find out who had recorded a song I heard on the radio - "Unanswered Prayers." Found out that not only had Garth Brooks had a hit with it, but the songwriter himself, Mr. Alger, had recorded it on this remarkably good CD, "Seeds". Then I realized that many of the songs on this album were later recorded by both Brooks and Kathy Mattea, and Lo and behold, Brooks, Mattea and Trisha Yearwood are on the album doing backup vocals. The collection is quite good. "Seeds," "A Few Good Things Remain," "Unanswered Prayers" and "The Thunder Rolls" are the highlights. The instrumentation is as tasteful as the vocals, and Alger's folk/country phrasings are a delight to listen to. I don't know why he stopped recording, but this is a "find" in a sea of country quicksand!<p>Michael Butts

Genere: Country

Durata:

Dischi: 1

Produttore:

Trama:

Genere: Classical

Durata:

Dischi: 1

Produttore:

Trama: Schubert, Haydn, Ravel

Genere: Classical

Durata:

Dischi: 1

Produttore:

Trama: Bruch, Brahms

Genere: Country

Durata:

Dischi: 1

Produttore:

Trama: Allen isn't as well known as his old pals from Lubbock, Texas--Joe Ely, Jimmie Dale Gilmore, and Butch Hancock--but he shares their slightly twisted, strangely inspired approach to country-folk-rock songwriting. On previous recordings, Allen's smart, sardonic lyrics have often been undermined by his dry, cramped voice and flat arrangements, but on this new album he gets help from such longtime friends and admirers as Ely, David Byrne, Lucinda Williams, Will Sexton, and Charlie Sexton. They put the musical flesh on Allen's verbal skeleton and make this idiosyncratic but gifted songwriter a lot more approachable. Allen serves up Jerry Jeff Walker-like barroom anthems about Texas, Talking Heads-like contemplations of modern society and Ely-like story songs about the border. <I>--Geoffrey Himes</I>

Genere: Blues

Durata:

Dischi: 2

Produttore:

Trama: The blues world lost a treasure when Luther Allison died in 1997, just as he was finally garnering the recognition he so richly deserved. If there's any question of that, this live album, recorded at the 1995 Chicago Blues Festival and at Buddy Guy's Legends, will dispel any such notion. A performer and songwriter of the first order, Allison had the sort of mastery of his instrument that comes from long experience; whether rolling off licks on the "Gambler's Blues/Sweet Little Angel" medley, or playing extended solos on "All the King's Horses," Allison's on the ball and in control at all times. This album contains mostly newer material previously recorded for Alligator Records, like "Soul Fixin' Man," "Bad Love," "All the King's Horses," and "What Have I Done Wrong?" Overall, this is an excellent memorial to a musician who should be remembered. <I>--Genevieve Williams</I>

Genere: Rock

Durata:

Dischi: 1

Produttore:

Trama: Their first full studio album without guitarist Duane, 1973's <I>Brothers and Sisters</I> doesn't match what came before it but would probably be considered a masterpiece if it came from most other bands. The Allman(s) move away from their rougher blues rock toward a groovier Southern rock, a shift that reflects the increased influence of Dickey Betts and new pianist Chuck Leavell. Betts contributes chestnuts such as "Ramblin' Man," "Southbound," and the classic instrumental "Jessica," plus the acoustic finale "Pony Boy," which showcases his work on Dobro. Gregg's impact is not nearly what it once was, although his "Come and Go Blues" and "Jelly Jelly" hit the mark. Original bassist Berry Oakley passed away during these sessions and is heard on just two cuts. <I>--Marc Greilsamer</I>

Genere: Rock

Durata:

Dischi: 2

Produttore:

Trama: Let me try to address some stuff not emphasized in other reviews:1) Yeah, it lives up to the hype. Unless you don't like jam songs or blues at all, you should love it. 90% of blues rock bores me silly and I still love this. It's exceptional music and is rightfully placed in Amazon's "Essential" camp.2) Do you need the Fillmore Concerts over the shorter/cheaper Fillmore East? Maybe. It's chief advantage is it's longer. Also, the mix is more balanced, which bothers some because the guitars are less prominent. I prefer it. The rhythm section, especially Berry Oakley, is too often overlooked in reviews of this album and they are just as important as the guitar players to the music. More casual fans may prefer the shorter/cheaper "Fillmore East" album, which contains the choicest cuts.3) Two tracks, "In Memory of Elizabeth Reed" and "You Don't Love Me" are pieced together digitally from multiple takes. The result is very pleasing music indeed, but some may be bothered by this digital manipulation of a so called "live" song. It's still "live," in a certain sense, but manipulated to include the producer's best picks from both takes. I should point out MOST (literally) live albums contain some studio manipulation. The original Fillmore East contained whole tracks; not digitally pieced together. I'll let you decide if this bothers you or not. I cannot hear any splicing. They did a good job blending the takes but I would have preferred whole takes.4) If you don't have any Allman Brother's Band (ABB) albums, start with this or Fillmore East (the shorter/cheaper version). If you don't like this, you won't like ABB at all. But, don't worry . . . you will like it.

Genere: Rock

Durata:

Dischi: 1

Produttore:

Trama: In talking with my amazon friends Finulanu and Ol' nuff n' den sum we are amazed that this album, The Allman Brothers Band's follow up to Seven Turns, is out of print. It's just as good as Seven Turns, and in many ways better, as the playing on it is much more intense. Here, Gregg Allman really shines, not only vocally, but as a songwriter (co-writing the great End of the Line and sole writer on Get On With Your Life). His keyboard work is very good, too. Johnny Neel played keyboards on Seven Turns, while Gregg stayed on organ. Here, he does all the keyboard work for the first time since Duane was in the band. The song Nobody Knows is one of the Allman's greatest songs, a killer epic track (running nearly 11 minutes) with great vocals by Gregg, amazing guitar work by Dickey Betts and Warren Hayes, and some amazing percussion by Jaimoe and Butch Trucks. Despite the lengthy running time on many of these songs, they are remarkably tight, and show that the Allmans know how to jam and jam intensely. They never wander around like the Dead (at least in concert) and Phish would do.
<br />
<br />This album needs to be back in print, now! If Seven Turns and Where It All Begins are in print, why not this?

Genere:

Durata: 50:48

Dischi:

Produttore:

Trama:

Genere: Jazz

Durata:

Dischi: 1

Produttore:

Trama: More than most tribute albums, singer Karrin Allyson's remembrance of John Coltrane makes a genuine attempt to relate to its subject--not only in retracing his 1961 offering, <I>Ballads</I>, song by song and luxuriating in the deep, swelling tenor sounds of Bob Berg and James Carter, but also in giving the tunes plenty of room to breathe. Resisting the temptation to dress them up with overt displays of style, she approaches them in a straightforward, emotionally understated fashion, capturing their essence with taste and intelligence. In the end, Allyson doesn't have quite enough color or depth to sustain such a long set of slow stuff (the album, also featuring Steve Wilson on soprano sax, concludes with three other ballads associated with Trane, notably his classic "Naima"). This is a singer who needs to breathe as much as sigh. But taken individually or in short doses, songs such as "Say It (Over and Over Again)" and "What's New" impart an exquisite sense of control. Allyson's radiant high notes never fail to move you. <I>--Lloyd Sachs</I>

Genere: Jazz

Durata:

Dischi: 1

Produttore:

Trama: On this CD, vocalist Karrin Allyson generously shares the spotlight with a trio of guests, one of whom comes in from an unexpected angle. Indeed, Chris Caswell doesn’t sing or play an instrument here: What he's done is set lyrics to some classic jazz instrumentals by the likes of John Coltrane, Nat "Cannonball" Adderley and Wayne Shorter. (A few of these tracks have been renamed--"a detail that has to do with royalties," as the liner notes explain.) The other two guests are Jon Hendricks (whose little whistled solo on "Strollin'" is rather cute) and the Pacific Northwest–based scat expert Nancy King. King shows up on 6 of the 13 tracks and the manner in which her and Allyson's voices-—both equally burnished and agile--dialogue, particularly on "Life Is a Groove (Jordu)" is unusually lovely. Add to the mix a tight core group comprised of Bruce Barth (piano), Peter Washington (bass), and Todd Strait (drums), and you've got yourself an excellent jazz album. <i>--Elisabeth Vincentelli</i>

Genere: Jazz

Durata:

Dischi: 1

Produttore:

Trama: There's nothing like the sound of a singer coming into her own. Following up her first-rate, song-by-song traversal of John Coltrane's <I>Ballads</I>, on which she closely followed the original arrangements, Karrin Allyson here cuts consistently fresh paths through a choice set of blues and blues-inspired tunes. There is never a moment when she takes a tune for granted--or allows us to. Breathing a sultry intimacy into Bobby Timmons' jazz classic, "Moanin,'" she maximizes Jon Hendricks's lyrics with her rolling-and-tumbling phrasing. Toughening her voice, she could almost be mistaken for Bonnie Raitt on "Love Me Like a Man," one of the blues-rock queen's signature songs. Backed by her fine regular guitarist Danny Embrey and the superb rhythm section of Mulgrew Miller, Peter Washington, and Lewis Nash, she also brings distinction to offbeat selections such as Oscar Brown Jr.'s "Hum Drum Blues," Blossom Dearie's "Bye Bye Country Boy," and Joni Mitchell's "Blue Motel Room." That she knows "The Meaning of the Blues" (she covers that Bobby Troup standard, too) is no surprise. She is, after all, from Kansas City. But the variety of shades she exposes here is worth shouting about. <I>--Lloyd Sachs</I>

Genere: Jazz

Durata:

Dischi: 1

Produttore:

Trama:

Genere: Country

Durata:

Dischi: 1

Produttore:

Trama: I can't understand why this album hasn't had more recognition because it is truly classic , a masterpiece of American music. Here , Alvin fuses folk , blues and country music into his own unique brand of ,yes , Cosmic American Music.The songs are all magnificent and get even better the more you listen and i've been doing that regularly for years.I'm a massive Springsteen fan but , seriuosly , this is better than anything he's put out since Nebraska.If you like what The Boss does on Devils and Dust then you WILL adore this album as much as i do.Please take a chance on it because Alvin deserves it and you'll be the winner.

Genere: Rock

Durata:

Dischi: 1

Produttore:

Trama:

Genere: Rock

Durata:

Dischi: 1

Produttore:

Trama:

Genere: Rock

Durata: 14:02

Dischi: 1

Produttore:

Trama:

Genere: Rock

Durata:

Dischi: 1

Produttore:

Trama: From the confusion and chaos that marked one of the most harrowing episodes in American history comes Tori Amos's masterwork. <I>Scarlet's Walk</I>, the follow-up to her critically acclaimed covers LP, <I>Strange Little Girls</I>, was written on a cross-country road trip shortly after the terrorist attacks on New York City and Washington, D.C. Over the course of 3,000 miles and 18 tracks, the crimson-haired singer encounters rogue lovers ("A Sorta Fairytale"), reformed porn stars ("Amber Waves"), and an entire cast of characters who embody the spirit of a country suddenly searching for an identity. The album serves as both an ambitious travelogue and as a graceful rejoinder to the bitterness and frustration that inspired it, with Amos wading through swells of sadness ("I Can't See New York"), anger ("Don't Make Me Come to Vegas"), and insecurity ("Your Cloud") with velvety grace. <I>--Aidin Vaziri</I>

Genere: Rock

Durata:

Dischi: 2

Produttore:

Trama:

Genere: R&B

Durata:

Dischi: 1

Produttore:

Trama:

Genere: Jazz

Durata:

Dischi: 1

Produttore:

Trama:

Genere: Jazz

Durata:

Dischi: 2

Produttore:

Trama: It's hard to know what to say when you buy a CD on the chance that you will like it. Ernestine Anderson meant nothing to me; but, the CD looked interesting and the songs, listed, made it seem to be something worth listening to. Well, I was wrong (for me that is) I didn't care for her as a singer and the arrangements of the songs seemed ordinary. I can only speak for myself; someone else may like it, but for me, it's sitting on the shelf, probably never to be played again.

Genere: Country

Durata:

Dischi: 1

Produttore:

Trama:

Genere: Country

Durata:

Dischi: 1

Produttore:

Trama:

Genere: Country

Durata:

Dischi: 1

Produttore:

Trama:

Genere: Country

Durata:

Dischi: 1

Produttore:

Trama: Pete Anderson's initial solo album from Little Dog Records includes 11 songs, a mixture of originals and cover tunes. The title track, Working Class, would fit well in today's political climate, with jobs being shipped overseas at an alarming rate; the intrumental of Our Day Will Come, showcases the guitar talents of Mr. Anderson, quite nicely. Some of my other favorites are the musician's lament, What About Me and Blue Hour, which also prove Anderson has a great bluesy voice to go along with that awesome guitar work. Additional musicians on the album include Taras Prodaniuk, Skip Edwards and Jim E. Christie.

Genere: Jazz

Durata: 94:45

Dischi: 2

Produttore:

Trama:

Genere: Jazz

Durata: 57:57

Dischi: 1

Produttore:

Trama:

Genere: Jazz

Durata: 0:00

Dischi: 1

Produttore:

Trama: 1 marilu'<br>2 permettete signorina<br>3 maramao, perche' sei morto<br>4 carina<br>5 blue moon<br>6 oh baby, kiss me<br>7 donna<br>8 amorevole<br>9 il pinguino innamorato<br>10 merci beaucoup<br>11 in cerca di te<br>12 nebbia<br>13 buonasera signorina<br>14 i sing ammore<br>15 all of me<br>16 arrivederci<p>(bonus track: arcangelo bottiglia)<p>feat.:<br>giampaolo ascolese<br>gianni basso<br>franco cerri<br>bruno de filippi<br>dario la penna<br>massimo moriconi<br>enrico rava<br>renato sellani<br>elio tatti

Genere: Rock

Durata:

Dischi: 1

Produttore:

Trama: Born on the Caribbean island of St Kitts, Joan moved with her family to Birmingham, England when she was around seven or eight years old and it was in Birmingham that her enthusiasm for music developed. Joan's career developed slowly but steadily. Her third album, simply titled Joan Armatrading, released in 1976, contained her first hit and the song for which she is still remembered most for, Love and affection. That album, together with Show some emotion (1977) and Me myself I (1980) are the source of all the tracks for this UK budget compilation. This does not make it a truly balanced retrospective, since other fine albums such as To the limit (1978), Walk under ladders (1981) and The key (1982) all sold well and are un-represented. Given that, it is curious that the title track of Me myself I (which just missed the UK top twenty as a single) is not included although five other tracks from the album are here. Nevertheless, this is a budget collection and provides a fine introduction to Joan's music at a great price.
<br />
<br />Joan has a mellow voice but her music is not easy to classify - it blends folk, gospel, soul, funk and reggae. This description might suggest a very eclectic collection but it's not so as Joan found a style that worked for her. In the eighties, rock was added into the mix but it wasn't a significant part of Joan's early albums from which this collection was compiled. Among the tracks here, Love and affection is easily the strongest but there are other fine tracks including Water in the wine, Twall in the saddle, All the way from America, Tall in the saddle, Show some emotion, Warm love and Willow.
<br />
<br />While this is by no means the definitive collection of Joan's music, it provides a wonderful introduction to her music at a budget price. This will suffice for those who only remember Joan for Love and affection, but who want to hear a bit more of her music. Committed fans can find stronger compilations that include My myself I and Drop the pilot, her two biggest UK hits apart from Love and affection.

Genere: Rock

Durata:

Dischi: 1

Produttore:

Trama: Because of the insatiable appetite of the Australian public for women who can rock and roll, Joan Armatrading at her peak was able to sell large numbers of records in Australia (in contrast to the US), including three platinum and one double-platinum albums.<br>However, like Chrissie Hynde, her rival back in the early 1980s, Armatrading brought an unusual level of intelligence and literacy to the world of women rockers, and this collection provides ample evidence with an extremely consistent set of songs. Armatrading was not truly an "arty" singer/songwriter, as shown by her #6 Australian hit "Drop The Pilot" and the #16 "I Love It whe You Call Me Names", which show, however, that her songwriting and arranging talents set her far apart from most women rockers. This is because Steve Lilywhite and Val Garay were able to allow her supporting players room to move and express their talents, so that the songs were not drenched in overproduced synthesisers. Armatrading's voice was warm yet powerful throughout and adds great depth to all the songs on the record.<br>The later ballads "More Than One Kind Of Love" and "The Shouting Stage" are quite beautiful and difficult to appreciate, but the standout here is the utterly perfect "Show Some Emotion" from the late 1970s, on which Armatrading shows herself able to convey perfectly everyday romantic feelings. This ability is also seen on the other early gems "Bottom To The Top" and "Down To Zero." Later, she turns to the solid rock that gained her Australian chart success, but her gentler material is still wonderful. Armatrading is at her best yet again on "All The Way From America", with its chiming 12-string acoutic guitar, and the sensuous ballad "The Weakness In Me".<br>On the whole, an important purchase from a now largely forgotten talent.

Genere: Jazz

Durata:

Dischi: 1

Produttore:

Trama:

Genere: Jazz

Durata:

Dischi: 1

Produttore:

Trama:

Genere: Jazz

Durata: 57:45

Dischi: 1

Produttore:

Trama:

Genere: Jazz

Durata:

Dischi: 1

Produttore:

Trama:

Genere: Jazz

Durata:

Dischi: 1

Produttore:

Trama: For starters, <I>The Great Summit</I> produced not only itself, both with this <I>Master Takes</I> set and the two-CD <I>Complete Sessions</I>, but also a later summit, Count Basie and Ellington's tandem showdown, <I>First Time</I>. On its own, though, <I>The Great Summit</I> needs no later chapters to justify its celebrated standing in jazz annals. This was and is terrifically important music: Ellington is in grand form between recording the <I>Paris Blues</I> soundtrack and cutting ace sessions like <I>Duke Ellington Meets Coleman Hawkins</I> and <I>Duke Ellington and John Coltrane</I> in late 1962. For his part, Armstrong was on leave as well, resting up between ceaseless tours as a bona fide jazz superstar and veteran. So Ellington and Armstrong join hands, backed by the latter's band (Trummy Young on trombone, Barney Bigard on clarinet, Mort Herbert on bass, and Danny Barcelona on drums), tackling 17 of Duke's tunes. Armstrong's sweet, rolling vocal growl gives the tunes endless hugs, just as his band both cuts plump solos and then backs way off so Ellington can throw down alternately swinging and unapologetically modernist solos himself. <I>--Andrew Bartlett</I>

Genere: Jazz

Durata:

Dischi: 1

Produttore:

Trama: For some reason, Lynne Arriale and her trio were completely off my rather well-honed jazz radar screen. That has been rectified after purchasing this combination sacd that ranks as one of my best purchases on Amazon. I was compelled to buy this after hearing her deliberate, stacatto treatment of the old New Orleans favorite, "Iko Iko", on public jazz radio in Philadelphia. It is a rendition that you will not forget. "Alone together" is an uptempo jazz standard that settles into a funky groove that is highlighted by Steve Davis' striking hand solo on the drums. A word about two of Lynne original compositions. "Home" is a beautifully crafted melody. On this and "Arise", an intensely moving ballad she wrote after the World Trade Center attacks, Arriale displays an emotional depth that is unrivalled. Don't think I am trying to pigeon-hole her into ballad corner, she does uptempo and brazilian music just as well. This is one of the finest jazz trios working today.

Genere: Jazz

Durata: 34:24

Dischi:

Produttore:

Trama:

Genere: Jazz

Durata: 49:54

Dischi: 2

Produttore: Hugh Banton

Trama: Van der Graaf Generator went through a number of lineups in its eventful life, most of which went by undocumented as live units, at least officially (and even on the bootleg front, VDGG fans have few quality recordings to fall back on). There has been one official live album, Vital, but, as necessary as it was in chronicling the group's transformation into a ferocious stage beast, it features a short-lived incarnation of the band. All in all, what is largely considered the "classic quartet" lineup was never decently recorded on-stage, and would never be. At least, that was the story up until May 6, 2005, when Hugh Banton, David Jackson, Guy Evans and Peter Hammill walked on-stage together for the first time in almost 30 years. Recently re-formed, VDGG had released a new studio album (the more-than-decent Present) and a European tour had been booked. The quartet would get better, meaner and wilder with every show (as bootlegs testify), but the one show that mattered, the one that had to be recorded for posterity (righting the aforementioned wrong in the process) was that historical first reunion at London's Royal Festival Hall, in front of a sold-out and very international house. Nostalgia was in the air, of course, and it soon became clear that this first reunion tour would be about giving old neglected fans what they wanted and letting younger unsuspecting fans catch up with VDGG as a live force. The set list almost picks up where this particular lineup had left off in early 1977, with the exception of two tracks off Present, here given the typical VDGG live treatment: louder, heavier, grittier. The concert opens with the first two pieces off the group's magnum opus Godbluff, performed with lots of gusto. If "Refugees" suffers from Hammill's less-than-delicate vocals, several other songs are rightfully treated, including "Darkness," "Childlike Faith in Childhood's End," "Lemmings" (with improvised introduction), and probably the definitive live version of "(In The) Black Room," a song written for and first performed by VDGG, even though it ended up on one of Hammill's solo records. After the encore, "Killer," has burned the house down, the guys come back for a second encore, a lovely rendition of "Wondering," which not only seems to question the reality of the whole experience ("Wondering if it's all been true"), but brings the concert full circle as Jackson concludes with a single repeated flute note, just like the beginning of "The Undercover Man" played a little over two hours earlier. Yes, this is nostalgia, but unlike most reunion shows, this one features four men still in full possession of their talent and eager to push onward. Real Time (so titled because nothing has been edited out or added) is a must for the fan and, with such a stellar cross-section of material, an excellent starting place for the newcomer.

Genere:

Durata: 52:42

Dischi:

Produttore:

Trama:

Genere: Classica

Durata: 1:01:01

Dischi:

Produttore:

Trama:

Genere: Country

Durata:

Dischi: 1

Produttore:

Trama: This CD comes with a warning on the cover -- "Dance Versions: This may get you out of the line and into the swing." And it's a fair warning. You'll want to roll back the rug and cut loose. This CD tribute to Bob Wills and the Texas Playboys has all the good-time, rambunctious spirit of 1940's radio barndances, as band leader Ray Benson brings out one guest artist after another to perform with the band. And it's an all-star line-up, with Chet Atkins, Garth Brooks, Dolly Parton, Vince Gill, Willie Nelson, George Strait, Brooks & Dunn to mention only about half of them.<p>It kicks off with a rousing instrumental rendition of "Red Wing" and sails through gems like George Strait's "Big Ball's in Cowtown," and classic stompers "Bring it on Down to My House" and "Ida Red." Maybe the most fun is listening to Brooks and Dunn tear into the Blind Lemon Jefferson song, "Corine, Corina." Then there are the love and love-lost songs, including the sweetest version of "Lily Dale," modified to "Billy Dale," as sung by Dolly Parton. Also Vince Gill's "Yearning," Garth Brook's plaintive "Deep Water," Marty Stuart's even more plantive "Misery," and a fine version of "I Wonder if You Feel the Way I Do" by Merle Haggard.<p>There's much more on this CD packed with 18 great songs. And they swing with the trademark bluesy western blend that Bob Wills perfected. The CD comes with a booklet of Ray Benson's own thoughts on his discovery of Wills and a commitment to preserving his music. There's also a full description of each song, its place in the Wills canon, and an account of its recording for this album. Plus there's a great publicity shot of the man himself circa 1941 in gray Stetson, colorful silk tie, and big smile. (Ahh-h-h-h!!)

Genere: Country

Durata:

Dischi: 2

Produttore:

Trama:

Genere: Country

Durata:

Dischi: 1

Produttore:

Trama:

Genere: Country

Durata:

Dischi: 1

Produttore:

Trama: Two generations of guitarists merge on this cleverly-titled album, with former Dire Straits virtuoso Mark Knopfler taking time off from scoring movies to join Chet Atkins, one of the fathers of electric guitar pickin'. And there's some mighty fine country pickin' on display here, with the duo joined by some of Nashville's all-time finest players, including the late, great Floyd Cramer, Mark O'Connor, Larry Londin, Vince Gill, and Steve Wariner. The material ranges from choice country covers (Doc Watson's "Poor Boy Blues," Patsy Cline's "Sweet Dreams") to rock 'n' roll ("Yakety Ax," a take on Boots Randolph's "Yakety Sax"), jazz (Django Reinhardt's "Tears"), a Knopfler original, and even the old standard "I'll See You in My Dreams." It sounds like they had fun, too! <i>--Bill Holdship</i>

Genere: Country

Durata: 21:56

Dischi: 1

Produttore:

Trama: