Reviews (9)

Nuclear Bosa Nova
Ms. Souza sings with a great deal of panache.
She has amazing technique and style. She can be
percussive or lyrical which ever is needed. She
has a wide color palette from which to choose and
her choices are always musical. In short, she is
a fantastic musician. The song selection is super
and the guitarists are dynamite.

Smooth bossa
This album seems to aim for a smooth jazz audience. Better, for a smooth bossa audience. But Souza is no charming Astrud Gilberto, sorry. The arrangements are so poor...One of the guitarists (Romero Lubambo) sounds nice, but Mr. Walter Santos is not in good shape, and a third one has no swing. People interested in first-class vocal/guitar duos by Brazilian artists should look for the Eliezeth Cardoso/Raphael Rabello, and Paulo Belinatti/Monica Salsamaso collaborations.

Oh My God!
this is one awesome CD! I can't get over the guitar playing, while her voice and presence are simply superb... amazing indeed!

A gorgeous acoustic album
A beautiful acoustic album which draws songs from sources as varied as Luiz Gonzaga, Edu Lobo, Dorival Caymmi and Jacob do Bandolim, a fine mix of jazz and traditional Brazilian sensibilities. The duets are between Paulista singer Luciana Souza and the guitars of Romero Lubambo, Marco Pereira and Souza's father, composer Walter Santos. Souza is a striking vocalist whose clarity of tone brings to mind other Brazilian singers such as Joyce or Clara Nunes, although with a clarity of purpose that makes this album all her own. Each guitarist in his turn proves a sympathetic foil to Ms. Souza's honied voice... A lovely, wonderfully controlled and expressive set of songs -- highly recommended!

Love or Hate at the first sight- For me, it is love.
This one of my favorite Brazilian CDs released in Year 2001. I have recommended to more than 10 music lovers, and every one of them loves it. The previous reviewer tried to compare Ms. Souza to Joyce, and the three guitarists to the great Joao Gilberto. His/her attempt is like comparing Flan to Tiramisu, not making much sense.

I own most albums from of Joao Gilberto to say that Joao uses his guitar to accompany his voice, not as a solo instrument. In this album, duo means guitar is equally important in making the sound. Ms. Souza¡¦s father Walter Santos is old. You can hear the stiffness of his hands. Even though, he has assisted her daughter with good taste. The other two guitarists Romero Lubambo and Marco Pereira have established themselves in many of their own albums in groups or in solo. The creativity, virtuosity, and energy from those two guitar masters are incredible.

Most songs in this album were carried out with exquisite details, with just simply Ms. Souza and a guitarist at a time. Unlike some big volume Jazz singers who love to use strong vibrato, Ms. Souza cleverly mixed a soft Bossa Nova like voice with an improvosative Jazz easiness. Not many singers are capable of doing this, and Ms. Souza did a wonderful job married those two cultures. This may be because she was raised in Brasil and studied/lived in New York City that she get used to both two music styles.

The recording of this album is audiophile level. I use this album to test new audio equipments for my home system upgrade. Mr. Pereira's 8 string guitar is especially well-recorded by a team in Brasil. 1/3 of this album (with Mr. Lubambo) is recorded in US, and the voice is smoother with slightly reduced dynamics. This album is not aimed to be a concert for 10000 people in a football stadium, shouting and yelling. This is for people who enjoy a small lounge with a few tables. If you have good sound system and good taste, you will appreciate this CD.

"Brazilian Duos" has a magic power to induce the deepest emotion from your heart. Love or hate is almost instantly. Whether you are a Jazz fan, pop music goer, or Bossa Nova philes, I highly recommend this album to you. You will hate it, or most likely love it at your first listening. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential recording

Ella Fitzgerald's voice was satin to Louis Armstrong's sandpaper, but when you put them together on a single song, their chemistry was unimpeachable. This disc selects highlights from the three albums they made together at Verve (including their Porgy and Bess), and adds a spiffy live track from the Hollywood Bowl. Though they don't harmonize much (Armstrong's voice wasn't built for harmony), Ella's dignified swing and flashes of teasing wit play off Satchmo's gritty, good-humored roar symbiotically. The material is mostly lightweight Tin Pan Alley stuff (lots of Gershwin, plus the likes of "I've Got My Love to Keep Me Warm"), and they fly it like a kite. --Douglas Wolk ... Read more

Reviews (41)

Absolute Perfection
Who would have thought that it could have worked? The pitch-perfect, articulate, and yes, angelic voice of Ella Fitzgerald combined with the gravelly grunts and growls of Louis Armstrong...Two very different singers with very different styles getting together to record? But it does work, and the result is absolute perfection.

The way Louis and Ella blend, harmonize, and play off each other is simply astounding to hear. And I think that's the secret of why these two superstars were such stellar musicians: They loved making music. Just listen to the fun they're having on "Let's Call the Whole Thing Off" and "Gee, Baby, Ain't I Been Good to You." It's not only delightful, it's heavenly. Listen and lose yourself in the slow, unhurried harmonies of "Stars Fell on Alabama." And from the opening, emotion-packed trumpet statement of "Summertime," you know you're in for a powerful listening experience.

It's rare that you find a musician who really, I mean REALLY loves performing. To find two such artists on the same disc? Indescribable. These two greats were put on this earth to make music and they made music with all their might. And we're fortunate enough to have it with us. This disc is heaven. Buy it. Treasure it forever.

TOTAL TIME: 68:03

Perfect album for a summer evening
Ella and Louis provide the perfect soothing music for a summer evening on this cd. Ella's singing is not quite as crisp as I've heard on some other recordings, but these two jazz vocalists compliment each other wonderfully. If you like this, check out Ella's "Best of the Songbooks" or Louis with another jazz genius on the cd "Louis Armstrong Meets Oscar Peterson."

Let's Call the Whole Thing Awesome
This is a truly fantastic collection of classics and there's pretty much nothing I can add to it...it's untouchable. May I recommend lighting some candles, clearing off the floor and swinging away the night with your lovey dovey, socks optional. I mean, this is not a pathetic waste of money or time... you deserve the best, and it doesn't get any better than Ella and Louey!!!

Who Gets Five Stars If Not These Two?
For many, the names of Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong are synonyms for jazz. The two knew each other well but it is rather surprising that they did not record more than three albums together. These are: "Ella and Louis", "Ella and Louis Again" and "Porgy and Bess". In 1997, the Verve label selected the cream of the three albums for this compilation.

Picking the best of the three must have been pretty difficult. But on the other hand, there was nothing to be screwed up, it all sounds so good... As the liner notes say, 'the voices could hardly be more different,' but how well they went together. Smokey, throaty "Pops" and pure, glittering Ella... and THEY DID MUCH OF THIS STUFF WITH JUST ABOUT NO REHEARSAL! Armstrong adds his trumpet to many of the complation's selections, too.

From the first "Ella And Louis" LP, this collection contains "They Can't Take That Away From Me", "Under A Blanket Of Blue", "Tenderly", "Stars Fell On Alabama" and the glorious take of "The Nearness Of You".

Selections from "Ella And Louis Again" are, in my opinion, slightly lacking in comparison with the first album, but, nevertheless, they're still awfully good. Here we have six of them: "Autumn In New York", "Stompin' At The Savoy", "Gee, Baby, Ain't I Good To You", "Let's Call The Whole Thing Off", the wonderful "I've Got My Love To Keep Me Warm" and "Love Is Here To Stay."

As for "Porgy and Bess", no representative selection of Ella and Louis (or even of one of them) would do without the heavenly version of "Summertime." Also, Ella sings "I Wants To Stay Here" and Satchmo has his "There's A Boat Dat's Leavin' Soon For New York" here.

The last track, "You Won't Be Satisfied" was recorded live in front of the audience and is a wonderful treat and the great closer for this impeccable CD.

There could be a lot more to say about this particular album. It should be an essential purchase for any jazz fan. Indeed, for every music fan.

Magical!
I can listen to this CD forever. The magical and silky voice of Ella together with Louis's trumpet and vocals takes you to another world.. I am a jazz fan and this is one of the best CDs that I've ever listened to.. A must-have! ... Read more

Amazon.com

Long considered a jewel in Verve Records' very impressive crown, Fitzgerald's songbook collections of various composers--a series that was started by the success of this set--are all wonderful, but her natural wit and intelligence was at its most perfect with Cole Porter's erudite, urbane songs. While not as scat-oriented as her small group outings, these Porter sets offer her most realized pop performances.Also, the gold remastering does a fine job of bringing out the nuances in the arrangements, making this a treasure for the serious collector and the casual listener alike. A true American music gem. --Skip Heller ... Read more

Reviews (23)

You MUST Get This CD! There's nothing better than this.
Oh Ella! I wish I could tell her how much I have enjoyed this CD. She is the stuff dreams are made of. That voice! How did you do it Ella? So effortless for you. Incredible. This is my all time favorite CD. I listen to all kinds of music and cannot go a day without hearing Ella sing Cole Porter. Don't hesitate to buy this- you'll listen to it the rest of your life. Cole Porter's lyrics pour out of her so perfectly. Those songs were made for her to sing! Her phrasing is impeccable. I just cannot express how amazing this Songbook is. BUY IT!

Ella Shows Why She Reigns! 1st Lady of Song!!!!
All 30-plus tunes here are just fine. Some not quite great but about a dozen all time winners, even in these over-recorded Cole Porter songs. There's nice notes too, and spirited arrangements by Buddy Bregman. Most of these could have been recorded tomorrow, much less 1956!! My favorites?! ALL THRU THE NIGHT, a slow swinger, ANYTHING GOES, including the seldom heard intro, a real swinger, as good as Frank's version the same year. TOO DARN HOT,super hot, even better than Ann Miller's version in KISS ME KATE (but as a dancer Ann can't be beat!)LETS DO IT!, I LOVE PARIS, YOU DO SOMETHING TO ME, the best version I've heard, RIDIN HIGH, another super hot blaster, YOURE THE TOP, as good as Crosby's best version (PS Do they write songs like this anymore?!)..LOVE FOR SALE, different with its haunting,brooding style, and I like the horns here which IMHO are not dated! ITS DELOVELY another super hot ball of fire. NIGHT AND DAY, the 2nd best swing version (after Frank's version), ACE IN THE WHOLE yet another super hot ace! Maybe a few are not among the best recordings of many recorded ditties, still mainly aces...I prefer Ella's Gershwin songbook, with more songs, and more less known ones, but this costs less, and is surely a fine start!!

FLOATING ON A STARLIGHT CEILING
Ella Fitzgerald could sing about a garbage dump and make it sound beautiful. This CD is a great collaboration between the voice of Ella and the songwriting genius of Cole Porter. Ella was definitely the first lady of song and will be the last. No other singer on this planet comes close to her style, diction and her amazing scats. Her incredible voice, the timeless lyrics by Cole Porter and the great production talent of Norman Grantz makes this a CD to play over and over again.

Here's a reason to stay alive, if you're looking for one.
So count your blessings. They don't make records like this any more.

The Perfect Combination
Ella is the best jazz singer ever and Cole Porter was certainly one of the best composers of his time. This is an amazing CD. Any jazz lover will adore it. ... Read more

Amazon.com

On her follow-up to Play It Cool, the 2001 album that introduced her reinvention from comedian to singer, Lea DeLaria performs jazzed-up versions of pop and rock numbers. She leads off with a version of "Dancing Barefoot" that Patti Smith fans will be hard-pressed to recognize, then goes on to put the jazz stamp on numbers such as No Doubt's "Just a Girl," Soundgarden's "Black Hole Sun," and Green Day's "Longview." In full smooth-chanteuse mood, DeLaria keeps the gratuitous pyrotechnics in check and is at her best on the tracks where she and arranger/pianist Gil Goldstein stick to the original melodies--indeed, most of the songs on this CD are distinguished by immediate melodic accessibility, and choosing to trust them is the wisest choice. And the musicians certainly deliver. Still, it's hard to shake off the impression that this is a stylistic exercise that gets caught up in its own self-aware coolness. --Elisabeth Vincentelli ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Beyond style
This second of Warner Bros. planned four disc deal with Lea DeLaria is captivating and fine.Once again, MUSICAL values are the driving force and the reason for the occasion.The provenance of the songs themselves is as far from the point as you can wander in the face of subtle and convincing instrumental work of a first rate band coupling the deleriously heart tuned singing of Lea DeLaria.The band assembled here is tight enough to succeed even without a singer!Seamus Blake's tenor sax work is consistently standout, busting loose on Morrison's 'People Are Strange'.Chris McBride's bass makes points as an emotional instrument rarely explored nowadays.Beautiful percussion effects on 'Alliance'.Gil Goldstein's arrangements (and his keyboard work) think and move and end up so right each time.DeLaria's singing comes more into its own on this second outing even if the first effort took on her home turf Broadway.Lea's ways are uncanny.There's an edge to even her tenderest moments, and you know she's right.Most important, she's a musician of rigorous standards, and that goodness rewards every track.A CD this fine smashes category, jazz or otherwise, the years will prove it.DeLaria's transformations of herself, her music and ideas about art meanwhile plunges forward.It's all good.

Amazon reviewer Vincentelli writes "it's hard to shake off the impression that this is a stylistic exercise that gets caught up in its own self-aware coolness."She's unaware of the kind of self-awareness pervading Lea DeLaria's musical art, neither stylistic exercise nor in the least caught up (a spoiler, she means) but a vital part of the whole, a modern approach sampling homage and shunning imitation - indeed a coolness.Hip even, and hip's ALWAYS 'self-conscious' wanting you to listen, to see the new being born and answering in the end only to excellence.We all want perfect art from perfect artists, but Vincentelli's suggestion that authenticity is lacking is an uninformed shot in an otherwise leaden review.The natural force of Lea DeLaria's music overthrows all of that anyway.Get this disc and be multiplied.

Another Very Impressive Performance of a Doomed Idea
In the past two weeks I've reviewed Petra Haden's "The Who Sell Out" and this one.Rarely have I heard two albums, so close in time, which constitute very impressive performances of doomed ideas.

In the case of Ms. Haden, the issue isn't doing a vocal jazz rendition of "The Who Sell Out" album; the issue is doing an all-vocal recreation by having one artist singing a bunch of tracks into the mixing board.

In this case, the issue isn't doing a vocal jazz rendition of alt rock or punk tunes from the '80's and '90's; it's doing these tunes.

In fact, initially I really liked the idea that someone was willing to take on this project.A plus mark for any vocal jazz artist who is willing to take the artform beyond another cover of "Love For Sale."And in its execution, if you didn't know these tunes, you'd say that this album sounds very good.

Here's the problem:jazz in its heyday was about taking popular music of the day, exploring it and making it edgy.Think of Coltrane's "My Favorite Things", or even Louis Armstrong's "Dinah", and you know what I mean.

But how can you possibly take Green Day's "Longview", for example, Soundgarten's "Black Hole Sun", Chrissie Hynde and the Pretenders' "Tattooed Love Boys" or Jane's Addiction's "Been Caught Stealing" and make them edgier than the originals?You can't; and in particular, Chris Cornell's anthem to teenaged angst sounds like well-done lounge music.

The tunes that work best on this project are the ones that are the least edgy, the least about teenage angst and sexual irresolutions.Neil Young's "Philadelphia", Gwen Stefani's "Just a Girl" and the Doors' "People Are Strange" all sound fine.And Robert Wyatt's "Alliance" in particular is an edgier, darker improvement on the original:put this cut and 10 others of this genre here, and you have a high-5 album.And the musicians on this project (Gil Goldstein-piano/accordion; Christian McBride-bass; Seamus Blake-tenor sax; Bill Stewart-drums; and others) are top drawer.

I hope this album inspires jazz artists to be more adventuresome.But some things, such as jazz and three-chord power punk, or jazz and grunge, generally don't mix very well.RC

A success!
This is a very successful album. The arrangements, production, and talent is right on the mark. Lea manages expertly the difficult task of translating rock songs into a traditional jazz vocabulary and the band is excellent. She succeeds where most jazz singers fail (maybe because she was smart enough to avoid Joni Mitchell's brilliant but mostly impossible songs). "Philadelphia" is so well done that it is destined to become a new jazz standard. It's stylish jazz at its best. ... Read more

Reviews (11)

A "Politically Correct" Compilation?
A 2-CD "best of" compilation for Billie Holiday without "Strange Fruit" doesn't make sense, but historically record labels have been reluctant to include this song. I wonder whether their reasoning is that the song's lyrics, about the lynching and hanging of a black from a tree, are unsuitable for mainstream audiences, which implies that they thought Holiday had crossed the line from blues or jazz (I think she's a blues singer through and through) to pop. After all, many blues recordings contain lyrics just as if not more gruesome than "Strange Fruit", but that doesn't result in their getting left off the compilation disks. If we can't hear the Holiday version of "Strange Fruit", then the soundtrack to "Lady Sings the Blues" by Diana Ross has a version of the song that is pretty convincing.

regarding the absence "Strange Fruit"
A couple reviewers remarked about the absence of "Strange Fruit" from this compilation. The reason for its absence is very simple: Billie did not record the song for Columbia. If you want "Strange Fruit," get _The Commodore Master Takes_ or the Verve compilation _Lady in Autumn_.

"Strange Fruit" is missing because Columbia was afraid to touch it in the late 30s, not because of any current "political correctness." I'm pretty sure they'd love to have the song now.

Most major jazz artists recorded for many different labels, so "best of" and "greatest hits" compilations usually aren't as comprehensive as we might wish them to be. Usually you have to buy two or three different sets to touch on all the major bases.

Descent Compilation
Apart from the fact that some of my favorite Billie Holiday songs are missing...its still a very good intro to those first timers. I first heart HOliday when I was 18 years old..and 5 years later...I still can't get enough of her ...she's such a great singer...along with Ella Fitzgerald she is the only one who can bring me to tears.

Incomplete Sampler
Far from being a jazz buff, I'd still take issue with the other recommendations of this set to be a sufficient Billie Holiday sampler for the general public. The single most important reason - it's missing "STRANGE FRUIT".

It is Jazz's "Guernica", and therefore belongs in *any* Billie Holiday collection.

The Ultimate Billie Holiday collection!!!
I have so enjoyed this album! All the favorite jazz songs sung by the beautiful crooning voice of Holiday! If you are a jazz fan, you don't want to miss this CD! ... Read more

Reviews (77)

Wonderful addition to anyone's CD library
I first fell in love with Steve Tyrell's music through the movie Father of The Bride. This put me on a mission to seek out all he had produced. My library is full of every Steve Tyrell CD there is. His music is the perfect accompaniment to a night at home alone or with friends. He sets the atmosphere in a positive, warm way like no other artist can. I love his music and anxiously await yet another fantastic CD.

With a little help from his friend...
There simply is no such thing as a bad album from Steve Tyrell who has brought back so many of the songs I loved while growing up. He has a universal appeal to all ages -- maybe sex appeal, maybe happiness showing through, which is, in and of itself, very appealing. The music is magnificent and personal, as if he is singing it to you. Alas, I hope it won't change since just about the time the CD was released, his Stephanie lost her several-year battle with cancer and died in his arms. She was truly his partner, inspiration, and helped get him from producing records to singing, both of which he has done flawlessly. I have all of his CDs and hope he continues to make them but, more than that, hope he knows that so many of us will treasure what we have, until he is ready to make more music.
I would recommend that anyone get this album -- it's beautiful, wonderful, and truly a tribute to love.

Soothing and Enchanting Voice
The first time I heard Steve Tyrell's music was on the internet radio. And since then I became one of his fans. It was October 2003, My dad bought this album for me and I was enjoying listen to this album 'till now. My favorite tune in this album is "This guy's in love", he re-arranged the living legend of easy listening composer, Burt Bacharach. In this album, steve's successfully re-arranged and sang all the songs with compassionate, soothing and enchanting voice that you will listen to it over and over again. This CD is highly recommended for those of you like some of these great vocalists such as Michael Buble, Tony Bennet, Frank Sinatra, Dianna Krall and many other great vocalists. I guarantee you wouldn't regret it !!

Love this CD!
I first saw Steve Tyrell on the "Today" show doing an interview w/Katie Couric re: the death of his wife from colon cancer. While I was quite touched by his loss I was blown away by the snippets of music they aired of this CD.
I received it yesterday and I cannot tell you how many times I have played it ... over and over and over again. I rarely read who producers or arranges music on cd's, but I had to know, I love this cd that much. Kudos to all involved. This is one sexy cd. It reached that romantic part of me that we have all experienced in that first rush of new love, no matter what age you happen to be. It makes me feel happy, glowing, girlish.

I've purcahsed Rod Stewart's "All American Songbook"and Michael Buble's first cd and while they were both OK, I hardly listen to them. I've already put in my Amazon cart another of Steve TYrell's CD's. What a rush! BUY IT.

With Style And Elegance, Steve Tyrell Leads The Way!
Steve Tyrell can really sing! With his latest release "This Guy's In Love", he demonstrates his musical prowess, as he effortlessly performs 14 complimentary selections, and leads the way back to the wonderful tunes from the Great American Songbook. His original interpretations of these classic songs breaths new-life into them, and once again validates the obvious; these beautifully written tunes are truly timeless. It is challenging to do justice to this music, but as always Steve has proven his musical worth and given us a great album to enjoy over and over again.

If you LOVE listening to GREAT CROONERS and BIG BAND SWING, I would also recommend, Monte Procopio "Swingin' With Style" CD. He is another great crooner that can really SWING and deserves a listen. Buy both these CDs, you can't go wrong! ... Read more

Amazon.com

On Dreamer, São Paulo-born, Manhattan-based pianist Eliane Elias performs bossa novas and brush-stroked ballads by North and South American composers from Johnny Mercer to Antonio Carlos Jobim. This project is a sort of musical homecoming for Elias, who once worked with bossa nova pioneer Vinicius de Moraes. Elias's pretty pianisms complement her breathy Portuguese/English contralto, especially on the '60s hit "Call Me," "Photograph (Fotografia)," and "So Nice (Samba de Verão)." Elias's two compositions, "Movin' Me On" and "Time Alone," can be considered smooth-jazz-friendly, but the Bahia bounce of "Doralice"--where Elias quotes Stan Getz's well-known tenor solo--and her instrumental rendering of Burt Bacharach's "AHouse Is Not a Home" are highlights of this masterpiece of soft syncopation. Rob Mathes's elegant, Claus Ogerman-style string arrangements enhance the mood. --Eugene Holley, Jr. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Dream On
I have always been a fan of Eliane Elias. Her new album, Dreamer, appears at first to be a departure from her earlier work as a jazz pianist and sometime singer. In my opinion, Dreamer could be classified as an
"easy listening" CD on first hearing. But on closer listening, Elias' impeccable pianistic abilities, her authentic rhythms, her emotionally provocative and sometimes compelling vocals make this CD one of the best of all times, for all people. Cheers to Elias for continually discovering ways to display her many talents.

Outstanding!
Probably her finest. I consider Elias as probably the best Lyrical/impressionistic jazz piano player out there. I have all her CDs and relish every one;but I had a little apprehension when I heard that "Dreamer" was "with strings"-Elevator music?But I remember her "Through the Fire" on an old CD which had Strings. It was great. This CD has it all. Great songs and arrangements(her Time Alone is a classic) But her solos are special,she can move you in so many ways and then gets funky and leaves you laughing. One to cherish.

A wonderful album and an encouraging trend
I love this album, not just for its great song selection, and warm performances, but for its willingness to revive music the way I remember it from my childhood. I grew up on Sinatra, Gilberto, and Kaempfert-acoustic performances of top-notch songs with no digital tricks and no concessions to musical fads. The performances on this album are timeless-they could just as easily have been recorded 40 years ago...and that is a compliment.

A GORGEOUS CD
After taking a second listen to Dreamer, I realized that I have in my hands one of the greatest bossa nova albums in history. Eliane's singing is seductive, her voice is personal, distictive, her phrasing is fantastic, like only a great musician/singer can deliver. Eliane's piano playing is superb, as always; her solos are melodic,they swing, and they effortlessly tell a story through her seamless improvisations. As a songwriter, she demonstrates her superior craftmanship where the harmony adds to the emotional content of the lyric to devastatingly heart-wrenching effect.After hearing so many jazz artists trying to present Brazilian music in their recordings,it's a breath of fresh air to finally hear it done authentically. And with the uncomparable quality of a musician of her caliber. There seems to be a glut of singer/pianists out there today, but for me the reigning queen is Eliane Elias.

Congrats, Eliane!
It was very exciting to listen to Eliane's new album and I'm really not disappointed cause I consider this one of the best she has recorded like Paulistana and Impulsive.
The improvisations in "Tangerine" and "Baubles, Bangles And Beads" were wonderful! I find Eliane a complete piano player and now she is singing much better!
If you want to hear a marvelous piano and a warm voice buy it.
I highly recommend it. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Peter Cincotti was noticed when he was still an undergrad at Columbia University because he had a certain facility at the piano and also because, let's face it, he was blessed with youth and good looks. On his second album, Cincotti follows the smooth jazz-pop groove also treaded by Norah Jones, with a smattering of horn-driven swing à la Harry Connick, Jr. The main problem is that Cincotti's milquetoast vocal interpretations don't usually bring much new to the material. His singing on "I Love Paris" isn't half as interesting as the orchestral arrangement for instance, while his take on Andrew Lippa's "Raise the Roof" is too subdued for such a rousing song. The CD makes for fine background music, but there are better versions of these songs to be found, and any Rat Pack album has smore swing and more style. On this record, Cincotti sounds like a musician who's not quite sure how to apply his natural gifts. --Elisabeth Vincentelli ... Read more

Amazon.com

The party line on most Windham Hill products seems to be that it's either the greatest stuff since wave machines, or that it all sounds alike. On a Starry Night, with its collection of world songs and reputable artists such as Flora Purim, Airto Moreira, the Turtle Island String Quartet, and others, does lean toward a seamlessly understated, homogeneous quality that is broken only occasionally by Bobby McFerrin's piece and a couple of others. That said, there can hardly be a more mellow or sonorous album of kid's music anywhere. Starry Night could calm a nursery with no nurses; why, it could even soothe the pained yelps at the dog pound--and turn a freeway full of bumper-to-bumper sour pusses into pussycats. Effective? You've heard of mind control, haven't you? --Martin Keller ... Read more

Reviews (29)

gentle music for children and adults
I believe that music is a powerful and innate force in our lives, so I bought a number of CDs geared toward children when I gave birth. Most were harmless enough, many became tiresome after a while .... this CD still gets played regularly at our house after three years.

International artists play and sing old favorites as well as songs new to us, but even the old favorites (Rock-a-bye-baby, Brahms Lullaby) are performed in engaging ways which renew their interest. Heaven knows, I am not one to seek out Kumbaya, but I even like that song here! Seventeen songs are presented from the US, Japan, Indonesia, Brazil, Ireland, Congo, Ghana, Cuba, Iceland, Israel, England, Russia and Germany. Some are sung, most are instrumental. All are very beautiful and soothing. The CD booklet contains a paragraph about each song with performance credits, original words and translation.

A remarkably soothing collection of lullabies.

Will definitely become one of your favorites!!
This CD is beautiful and so soothing. It really does give you a dreamy effect. It's good for the soul! We use it for bedtime music for our 4yr old, and not only does she love it, but we love it. I am so glad I found this CD. It raises the standard of what good lullaby compilations should sound like. First Class music, indeed. Don't hesitate if you're looking for good music for nightime or even a relaxing break in the day for your little ones-this is an excellent choice.

Soothing, dreamy music!
I just had to write a review of this cd. It was recommended to me by another mother, and I tried it and love it! We like to listen to it in the living room as nap time approaches, nursing with the lights dimmed. With the fan going and this cd on quietly, both momma and baby start drifting off to sleep. It's absolutely wonderful, and I recommend it to anyone who needs some instant R&R.

Your Baby Will Love This CD
We were given "Starry Night" as a gift when our son was born 21 months ago. It is one of the best gifts we have received as he has been sleeping to this CD from day one. The minute we turn the CD on and dim the lights he knows that it's time to sleep - whether it's for a nap in the afternoon or after a long day of running around.

We love this CD so much that both sets of in-laws bought it for our son...

Most relaxing compilation of music I've ever heard
This CD is a must-have! My 9-month-old puts her head on my shoulder to drift off to sleep as soon as she hears the first tune - no matter the time of day. She is always asleep before the end of the second track (the delicate, almost haunting Japanese Music Box) and I'm consistently teary by the end of the third (in English it's known as "Go to Sleep" - the lyrics will make any parent's heart ache with love for your child). It even gets the three- and four-year-olds to sleep in my older daughter's preschool class. What would really be great is if massage therapists would play this CD instead of that babbling brook, new age stuff - now THAT would be worth $100. ... Read more

Amazon.com

As you may already know from seeing it hawked incessantly on late-night TV by Jerry Vale, Mob Hits is a compilation CD that attempts to capture the ambience of the modern gangster pic by assembling songs heard in key scenes of such films as The Godfather, GoodFellas, Donnie Brasco, and Casino. While licensing restrictions keep the music of Frank Sinatra from being part of this collection (odd, as the address on this package is the address for his long-time label Capitol Records), the selection and sequencing of well-known Italian "hits" by Vale, Dean Martin, Louis Prima, Lou Monte, Al Martino, and Julius LaRosa gets the job done with discretion and honor. And the liner notes even offer a toll-free number for homemade pasta sauce. --Gregg Turkington ... Read more

Reviews (38)

FOGET ABOUT IT! This CD is great.
I am an Italian American. Born in Washington, DC. I went to highschool in Milano, and also lived for a time in Napoli and Bari and am a member of the Italian Cultural Society in Washington, DC. I love the country, and am proud to be an Italian. Although I work for a federal Law enforcement agency I love the mob movies! The Godfather and Goodfellas are two of the greatest movies ever made and host sound tracks to die for (a little joke). The music on these CDs is not only fantastic and not only Italian but in the mob movies as well. Sure Italians are stereotypically portrayed in film, as all being mobsters, but the truth is that they aren't all mobsters, so get over it. And thanks to people like Roberto Beninni that is changing as well. These songs are in the mob movies and are timeless! So sit back, relax, light up a cigar, and enjoy!

A five star set but not quite flawless
From "The Public Enemy" to "The Godfather" to "Casino", Mob movies have always been among my very favorites. So when I heard about this set I was just thrilled. This set has almost all you could want as far as the traditional italian music is concerened. I gave it 5 stars but there are only 2 minor problems. One, this could have fit on one CD instead of two 30-min CDs. That just seemed like more of a reason to get more money. Two, while it's understandable that the licensing for the "Godfather Waltz" from the movie prevented the original from being on the Cd, there is no excuse for the lousy remake at the end of disc one. They should have left it off.

But the Cd is filled with the rich sounds of Dean Martin, Louie Prima, Al Martino, Jerry Vale, and more. Its a great album to listen to in the car or while your having a meal or just whenever you feel like it. It represents the mob movies well and I can't wait for Mob Hits 2.

Mob Hits CD
Great music that's fun to listen to - got us all singing along in the car the other night. Can't go wrong with this CD!!

Eh Cumpari
I love this CD! It's great, I've been listening to it since I was little with my grandfather. And whoever says its racist is has some serious problems! These songs are great and no one cares if you think its racist or not!!! EH CUMPARI!!

Que Bella!
I saw this album advertised one night in the fall and at first I was highly amused by the title. Like many people here who have written reviews, I love mob movies as well. I grew up with them. I saw this in a store and saw that it had many of my favorite artists on it. It wasn't so much that I remember them from the film, but because the music alone was great. I know that some people were offended by the title of the album, but I doubt that the makers had any intention of insulting individuals of Italian descent. it's a tribute to the music, not the images protrayed in the films themselves. And any one with a brain will realize that this does NOT apply to the Italian people. If you love good music, get this CD! ... Read more

Amazon.com essential recording

Plucked from the piano bars of New Orleans, Harry Connick Jr. was an unlikely choice to pen the soundtrack for a major Hollywood release. But everyone concerned hit the jackpot. As with the best of Connick's music, When Harry Met Sally resonates with a whimsical yet sophisticated and urbane energy. That smooth, breathy tenor, combined with some inventive arrangements, brought color and setting to the film, playing a plum supporting role for Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan. Beyond the film, this collection of reworked standards stands on its own quite well. A lustrous vocal line bookends the hopping instrumental swing in the middle of "Don't Get Around Much Anymore," playing that song's central melancholy up with a Nelson Riddle-esque big-band sweep. Connick's take on "Love Is Here to Stay" puts a gentle cha-cha behind the familiar verses, slowly working in a lazily wandering tenor sax. By the time the record fades out in a hushed, tender rendition of "Where or When," Connick has managed to thoroughly charm us, whether we'd seen the movie or not. --Matthew Cooke ... Read more

Reviews (38)

I totally agree with "The Music Fan" from L.A. on 12/19/99
This is NOT the Soundtrack. If you liked the first two songs in the movie, "Our Love is Here to Stay", and "Let's Call the Whole Thing Off", then buy the CD "Ella and Louis Again", (Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong). Those are the versions which were played in the movie. If you like good, traditional jazz, then I suggest you stay away from this CD. Although Harry Connick is popular, his music is too much like Chet Baker, which is not my favorite type of jazz.

You gotta have it!
It Had to Be You, Love Is Here to Stay, But Not for Me, Don't Get Around Much Anymore, I Could Write a Book, Let's Call the Whole Thing Off and When or When are vocal numbers, others are instrumental. Soundtrack is featuring only covers. Songs are mostly performed by trio Harry Connick, Jr. (piano and vocal), Benjamin Jonah Wolfe (bass) and Jeff 'Tain' Watts (drums), sometimes with Big Band or by Harry alone (Where Or When, Autumn In New York and Winter Wonderland).
Harry Connick Jr.'s interpretation is great.

Harry Connick Jr., Always A Class Act!
I recently purchased this CD and have really enjoyed listening to it. Harry Connick Jr. always lives up to my expectations, and the music from this soundtrack is no exception. Almost single handedly he has managed to create a new fresh awareness to these musical jewels, and even now in 2004 he continues to reacquaint the world to the beautiful songs from the Great American Songbook. His classic interpretations of these timeless songs brings them back to life, and proves once more that these perfectly crafted tunes will last forever. This CD is great for dancing, listening, and especially when you want to be romantic.

If you LOVE listening to GREAT CROONERS and BIG BAND SWING, I would also recommend, Monte Procopio "Swingin' With Style" CD. He is another great crooner that can really SWING and deserves a listen. Buy both these CDs, you can't go wrong!

This one will make your heart sing
This is a heartwarming CD from Harry that is spending a lot of time in my disk spinner. Connick's youthful and delicate, yet rich timbre conveys these romantic songs of love and longing in a way that brings a smile to your face. An then there is his idiosyncratic sense of rhythm and awesome piano playing. Who cares if it is exacly the music from the movie? Get the CD and hear for yourself.

There are four wonderful instrumental tracks Stompin' At The Savoy, Winter Wonderland, Autumn In New York and It Had To Be You, which showcases Harry's amazing piano playing and his signature sense of rhythm and timing.

THIS IS THE ORIGINAL SOUNDTRACK!!!
Don't listen to the other reviewers this IS the original soundtrack for the film when Harry Met Sally. Buy it and enjoy it. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

De-Lovely Soundtrack Ugh! This One Great!
Simply listen to the current film De-Lovely soundtrack then listen
to this one. Based upon the soundtrack CD I don't even plan to see the movie now. It would be great for theater owners to play the Very Best of Cole Porter CD prior to screening De-Lovely & watch them
squirm trying to sit thru the movie sondtrack minutes later. Great songs dserve great singers which the Very Best of Cole Porter delivers!

Better than the DE-LOVELY Soundtrack!!
I really can't say it any better than the notes from inside the CD (read below). This is an incredible collection - just look at the artists on here - Ella, Tony Bennett, Billie Holiday, Louis Armstrong...not to take anything away from the soundtrack to the film, but this is some real starpower!! I listened to the other collections floating around out there, and THE VERY BEST OF COLE PORTER truly lives up to it's name.

The amazing thing about Cole Porter is that the most sophisticated of all songwriters is also the most passionate. You wouldn't normally expect those two qualities to go together hand in hand. Indeed, one of the essential components of sophistication is coolness-a blasé quality. The most heinous breach of upper-crusty behavior would be to actually show that you care about something. Yet, Cole Porter takes passion to its ultimate extreme: people in Cole Porter songs are always at the end of their rope, they are borderline obsessives who have the object of their obsessions under their skin and can't stop thinking about him or her night and day. They are mystified, hypnotized, and every time their lover leaves them, they die a little.
As one of Porter's progeny, the lyricist and showman Alan J. Lerner put it, "Cole was the only composer lyric writer in the entire musical world who ever knew how to write a passionate song. Everybody else could-when we're fortunate-write a tender song, or romantic song, or a wistful song, or a nostalgic song. But only Cole could write passion." It's in that duality-the contrast between describing the day to day activities of the uber-rich, those who keep their cool at all costs, and those of us who feel love with such a burning passion that they would, nay must, die for it.
Porter himself was, likewise, a mass of contradictions, which began with his birth. How can it be that the Prince of New York sophisticates was actually born in the Midwest- Peru, Indiana no less? He did, however, enter the world exceedingly rich (in 1891), went to Yale and probably never would have had to labor a day in his life had he not wanted to.
All the major songwriters created myths about themselves. For Richard Rodgers, it was his wholesomeness. Rodgers knew more about the dark side of life than he wanted you to know, and the evidence is there in his music. Irving Berlin created the character of a tight-fisted Jewish businessman, but you didn't have to look very far to find the artistic generosity in his music. Cole Porter wanted everyone to think he was a gadabout playboy, a rich dilettante who knocked off bauble-like songs in between cocktail parties and polo matches. The truth was that Cole Porter worked as hard as any coal miner-he wasn't pining over lost loves night and day, he was laboring at his piano. He had an amazingly deep knowledge of music theory. Along with Jerome Kern and George Gershwin, his are some of the most musically advanced songs ever written. And he approached each lyric like an especially intricate crossword puzzle, struggling with the thing for hours and hours until it came out right, finding precisely the right word to fit precisely the right note.
The durability of the songs themselves is proof that he succeeded. A Porter song could tell a whole story, and, like that other great American artform, the blues, Porter could often communicate more with what he leaves out of a song than what he puts in. What exactly is the relationship between the singer of "My Heart Belongs To Daddy" and the individual she refers to only as "Daddy?" Is she her husband, her paramour, her father? Is she somehow challenging expectations and gender roles? Porter could be comically salacious, as he is in "Let's Do It (Let's Fall In Love)," and Louis Armstrong captures every minute nuance of the mighty man's text when he asks the listener, "What's the use of balls?" At the same time, he could be amazingly sincere, almost naïve. "True Love" is a text that suspends all disbelief and approaches love with a wide-eyed innocence.
Throughout, it's the contradictions that make the songs work. The exuberant declamations of the young swain who has found true love are almost always undercut with an undercurrent of melancholy. "You'd be so easy to love," the song goes, but it ends with a note that "it does seem a shame that you can't see your future with me." "You Do Something To Me" and "I Get A Kick Out Of You" have their protagonists only begrudgingly and not very happily admitting that their own happiness is bound up with, and even controlled by, someone else-rather like Angelo in Measure For Measure. The reality is that all your money and power and social position and intellect and logic or whatever, can not protect you from heartbreak.
Although his songs can be done upbeat and swinging, "I Get A Kick Out Of You" is also potentially one of the saddest songs ever written. There are times when Porter is purely playful, as on "It's De-Lovely" and "Too Darn Hot," where the sonics of the words themselves are everything, cases when Porter the lyricist takes a backseat to Porter the composer. There's a certain kind of rhythm in "A-list" songs, and much of Porter's work is highly rhythm-driven. Other Porter songs are almost operatic in their scope and their range. "In The Still Of The Night," for example, has the sort of soaring, classical melody you might find in Jerome Kern or Giacomo Puccini. At the same time, the masterstroke of "Begin The Beguine" is that it's a virtual symphony in its structure (over 100 bars)-anything but classical in its texture and driven entirely by pan-Caribbean rhythmic modes.
Porter continually finds a note of sadness in the highs and a hint of optimism in the lows. "Love For Sale" and "Just One Of Those Things" are nothing if not arias of resignation, yet there's a haughty hint of defiance in the first and optimism in the second. In Porter's songs, as in his life, nothing is ever exactly what it seems. His melodies and lyrics have inspired great instrumentalists and vocalists and beguiled listeners for nearly a century, and they show no signs of stopping now.

Will Friedwald
New York City
December 2003 ... Read more

Reviews (2)

This Disk Captures the Energy
I was present at Feinstein's at the Regency in New York City for the show that is recorded here.This disk captures the energy that pervaded the room.Keely was in great voice and had a great rapport with the audience.This disk has it all: high energy Louis Prima arrangements tightly played by great New York sidemen (including saxman Jerry Vivino playing the Sam Butera parts and drummer Joe Cocuzzo), luscious sweetly-sung ballads, and nice-as-can-be Keely interacting with the audience. Sitting inches away from Keely and just feet from a band that blew the roof off, this was one of the great musical nights of my life.Amazingly, this disk captures the experience.The only things missing are the delicious lamb chops I ordered that night.

What a wonderful album
She is still the best. Sorry Louie couldn't be here to sing with her but I'm sure he is wherever he may be.
Keely's voice has never changed.
If you want 54 minutes of pure delight buy this album ... Read more

Amazon.com

After Tierney Sutton paid tribute to Bill Evans with Blue in Green, she salutes another of her influences with Dancing in the Dark, "inspired by the music of Frank Sinatra."The results are mellower than what Sutton fans might expect--it's less the hipster Sinatra than the one of such concept albums as In the Wee Small Hours of the Morning and Only the Lonely--and the tempos never rise above an easy swing.But it's a beautiful listen, and although there's an orchestra, it's not really a "with strings" album, which have been uneven throughout jazz history.Fewer than half the selections have strings, and those strings have been very subtly arranged (and conducted) by pianist Christian Jacobs.It's Sutton's usual trio--Jacobs, bassist Trey Henry, and drummer Ray Brinker--that is the primary accompaniment, and in Alec Wilder's "I'll Be Around" Jacobs shares a dazzlingly beautiful line with Sutton's wordless vocalise.And because "Fly Me to the Moon" has always been taken in either 3 or 4, Sutton acknowledges both by singing it in 7.Those are merely two memorable moments in an album that's full of them.--David Horiuchi ... Read more

Reviews (16)

dark, smooth Sinatra saloon song tribute
I think Tierney has a hit on her hands!

She says, growing up, she didn't like Frank Sinatra that much. His Reprise, 70's, rat-pack, ring-a-ding-ding, "Stranger's in the Night", do-be-do-be-do, Las Vegas swinger persona turned her off.

I tend to agree.

My favorite Sinatra is from the early 50's. Like "In the Wee Small Hours of the Morning" or "Only the Lonely". The first concept albums ever made. The dark, down on his luck, saloon songs were Sinatra singing from his soul after his 40's voice was damaged and his failed love affair with a famous actress (am I allowed to say who?). When Sinatra needed the movie part in "From Here to Eternity" so much, to revive his career, he went to the Godfather and the Godfather made the movie director an offer he couldn't refuse. But I digress.

Tierney sings these torch songs very deep in her singing range (and deeper in her emotional range than I'd heard on previous CD's). Many of the songs are similar tempo and orchestra arrangements to those 50's Sinatra albums. Some songs are with a piano trio only. Her phrasing is like Sinatra's, long drawn out vowels, deep voice, difficult for a woman. Some of the songs are on those early 50's Sinatra albums, some are not. I looked. But all are in the style. "Only the Lonely", "What'll I do", "I'll be Around", "All the Way". They're all good and deeply effective. Not a bad cut on the album.

Dark, warm, smooth, smoky, 'round midnight or later sad saloon songs. Love not returned. Even "Emily", which isn't from that period, is done as if it were.

Arrangment are sparklingly effective yet understated fit her like, hmmm, a silk stocking? Burnished. The bass is particularly effective. A great tribute the the best of Sinatra, and great singing achievement. Clearly the best Jazz vocal of the year, thus far. And Tierney's best work to date. Great Telarc recording.

Highly Recommended.

Dancing in the Dark.............
Writing a review on a jazz vocalist isn't the norm for me. First, let me say that I'm in love with Tierney Sutton's voice. Historically speaking, when it comes to vocal jazz, I could take it or leave it. Michael Franks is the only exception to my rule. Norah Jones and Diana Krall, don't excite me much. I can actually listen to Tierney without falling asleep. Personally, her music allows me to reflect on past and present situations in my life. Although "Dancing in the dark" is a well produced cd, tracks 1,3,4, and 11 are my absolute favorites. Overall, I'd say that she's a hidden treasure worthy of more publicity that others such as Diana Krall and Norah Jones receive. Got cash? Get the cd

Inspired Recording
The subtitle of this album is obviously chosen with great care--it's not a "tribute to Frank Sinatra" but "inspired by the music of Frank Sinatra." I can understand the initial disappointment experienced by some listeners, but with repeated playings this album gets better and better. Not only does it become clear that Sutton's is a unique sound--dynamic, alive, warm and enveloping as opposed to the detached coolness and occasional hardness of a Krall or dispassionate indifference of a Julie London--but that this is as sincere and effective a Sinatra tribute as any that's heretofore appeared. The choice of repertory is inspired (not the signature songs of the later Chairman of the Board but the soul-stirring, deeply affecting "lieder" of the earlier concept albums on Capitol), and though the arrangements, harmonies, and rhythms are fresh and reinvented (we're mercifully spared another "impersonation" album), the phrasing and feeling are intimately, faithfully reflective of a performer who has made contact with what is most genuine and essential in the artistry of Old Blue himself. This is the best vocal album I've heard in the new milennium.

Imitation interpretations
In this recording Tierney Sutton offers up a tantalizing collection of songs, a tribute to Frank Sinatra's moody, introspective side. Too bad the performance doesn't match the material. Her little-girl voice moves through stretched, clipped, and oddly distorted "interpretations" of lyrics, offering neither new insights nor convincing expression, but rather drawing attention to a conscious effort to sound different. The very pronounced piano obbligatos by Christian Jacob seem to veer between watered-down Erroll Gardner and Bobby Short, while the string choir offers not much more than very muted, simple scales that contribute irrelevant backgrounds. Is this a CD to acquire? Only if the songs you want aren't available in other versions.

Yes to the band, no to the singer
I am mystified by reviewers' ecstatic comments about 'Dancing in the Dark." As many have noted, the musicianship on this CD is sensitive and beautiful. No singer could ask for better. Unfortunately, the singer--at least based on the evidence presented here--is a performer of modest gifts who is pleasant enough to listen to but doesn't take the material anywhere it hasn't been before, many times before.

Anybody in the market for a hardly-played Tierney Sutton CD? ... Read more

Amazon.com essential recording

Culled from the Columbia Records reissue packages, variously released under the multivolume Quintessential Billie Holiday umbrella, this package goes straight for the love songs, the heart of Holiday. Ranging from such playful lyrics as "Let's Do It" and "Them There Eyes" to such essential Holiday as "You Go to My Head," "The Very Thought of You," and "Easy Living," this set is guaranteed to keep the home fires burning brightly. Lay this one on your lover next Valentine's Day. As was so frequently the case with Holiday, the ensemble support is impeccable, including many of the swingers from Columbia's Greatest Hits package. The bonus here is Count Basie on piano, leading his swinging big band on "They Can't Take That Away from Me." --Willard Jenkins ... Read more

Reviews (18)

You ain't heard these songs 'til you hear Billie singin' em
It's one of those names that e'ybody's heard, but lotsa people, 'specially my age group (the under-25 category), have yet to truly embrace. But, lemme tell y'all that Lady Day was one of a kind. There's been certain vocalists over the past century that have an alluring quality about them and who's impact has etched them into history, allowing them to constantly be re-discovered by a new generation. It's when music becomes more than music. It's when it becomes a part of our collective conscious and everyday lives. Billie Holiday is an artist that my ol' grandmother used to listen to, and she probably woulda never thought that I would be comin' home from work, sittin' back in my easy chair, and listenin' to these old songs from the 30s and 40s crackle out of my stereo speakers. As with all the great singers, I feel every word she sings. While there are many legendary jazz musicians that are providing her with her backdrop, including Duke Ellington, Ben Webster, Lester Young, and others, Holiday's delivery is the real showcase. She sang straight from her gut. Her voice is smooth and rough, rich and gritty, raw and lovely, all at the same time. These are all sweet, romantic and cherishable love songs that are absolutely timeless in appeal. The story of her life is certainly a tragic one, but hearing her sing these wistful and almost-innocent numbers you'd never know it. If you've never listened to Ms. Holiday, don't deprive yourself of such great music any longer. This is a great place to get started. Chances are, once you hear this, you'll want to hear more. As for me, I think I'm gonna go crack a few brews, sit in my easy chair, put my feet up, and put this in my stereo. Ahhh, yeah, it doesn't get much better than this.

Excellent Billie Holiday primer w/best sound possible
This compilation collects the very love songs from what is probably Billie's best records, the early Columbia (Brunswick/Vocalion) records. Those records do not equal her later records in terms of recording quality nor does it match the nuanced phrasing of her Verve records. What they have going is a young and fresh sounding Billie fronting unbeatable arrangements and performances. They also have some great upbeat material that would become increasingly absent towards the end of Billie's recording career, showing just how much she could do (as her voice faded, she became less capable of handling such material convincingly).

All the Columbia material was collected on the 9 volume "Quintessential" set, but unfortunately, while half of the stuff is pure gold, there's also a lot of dreck. Furthermore, all 9 volumes have poor, compressed sound, and some great stuff comes off limp and lifeless. "Love Songs" rectifies this, and it's just amazing how much better everything is once it's been put through Sony's 20-bit fairy dust. Now if they would only go back and re-do it all in a tightly packaged 6 CD set...

Some of the finest from Billie Holiday 1935-1941
"Love Songs" is, along with "Lady Day Swings", the best compilation of Billie Holiday's recordings. This is one of those definate essential CDs that everyone must have. These recordings date from 1935-1941.

The best songs on this disc for me are: "The Very Thought of You", which is one of the all time great Billie Holiday recordings, "All of Me", "Me, Myself And I", "Them There Eyes", "The Way You Look Tonight". The songs on this album, are absolutely the best, and it does not include a single bad one here. This is absolutely classic Billie Holiday.

Then just look at the great musicians that are here to accompany her on these recordings. Leslie Johnakins, Eddie Barefield, Hymie Schertzer (alto saxophone), Lester Young (tenor saxophone, clarinet), Ben Webster, Chu Berry, Babe Russin, Vido Musso (tenor saxophone), Roy Eldridge, Buck Clayton, Harry "Sweets" Edison, Jonah Jones, Charlie Shavers, Shad Collins, Emmet Berry (trumpet), George Hunt, Benny Morton (trombone), Buster Bailey, Jimmy Hamilton, Prince Robinson (clarinet), Count Basie, Teddy Wilson, Claude Thornhill, Eddie Heywood, Margaret Johnson (piano), Freddie Green, John Collins, Al Casey, Allan Reuss (guitar), Walter Page, Milt Hinton, John Kirby, Ted Sturgis, John Williams (bass), Jo Jones, Gene Krupa, Cozy Cole, Kenny Clarke, J.C. Heard (drums).

The recordings have been digitally remastered by Mark Wilder, and he has done such an excellent job at it. These recordings sound brilliant. There are also good liner notes by Delfeayo Marsalis. I always think a CD should come with liner notes. Billie Holiday beats all of the other jazz singers by far, and this CD is a great choice to add to the collection. This is one of my most listened to CDs. Its a must own. Very highly recommended.

Billie is Wonderful BY DARA TILLERY
BILLIE WAS AN INSPIRATIONAL AND CONTREVERSIAL SINGER.Her singing is beautiful when she sings she touches others heart. this c.d is most definetely beautiful.

My favorite single album.
When my boyfriend bought this for me I was so happy and I remember I would play this music and sing for him in the car on cool dark, starry nights and I would be mesmerized not only by the intensity of those nights, but by the music she sang and how she deeply, richly portrayed those songs. She really knew how to set the mood for any lover or lonely lover as well. I totally recommend this CD to start if you have not heard much of her music...SHe truly is addicting once you hear these songs...These songs will definetly put you in an enchanting and romantic journey. ... Read more

Reviews (13)

So, Dave Cantor's Moved to the ' Burbs?
Long awaited and very disappointing.

The appeal of DTS has been the incredible song writing of Dave Cantor. What'shername can sing, no doubt about that, but so can innumerable other stylists. What set DTS apart has been the brilliant tunes, clever word play, urban and urbane imagery of the songs. If this was my first experience with DTS I'd have yawned twice and never listened to them again.

World Wide Appeal
When I first put this record on, I was expecting the same sardonic toungue-in-cheek wit that was on Unauthorized. What I got was definitely a surprise. This album is not as funny as some of their previous works but it has much more emotional depth. There is a conviction in the songwriting and a confidence in the presentation that makes this album a much more serious work. And that's a good thing! It's just as addicting as any of their other records but I think that this album will reach many more people than just the literary or scientific amoung us. And then I found myself feeling a little bit of melancholia over this--like I've lost this band to the world. They used to feel like my own personal discovery--now I feel a bit like a mother who's dear children have grown and left home! I say this affectionately--I wish them all the best and I hope that I'm correct in thinking that this album will find it's way into a much larger arena than they have previously experienced.

My Review Was Deleted by Amazon. Why?
I had a review posted by amazon. It received a response by the producer of the album. It has been deleted. I'd like to know why.

The album will not play on my computer's CD. Nor will it play on two other machines. Why not? Because it has some kind of bizarre copy protection? I don't know.

That's a minus two stars in my book.

The other two stars are lost for content. I love Unauthorized, one of my favorite. I think Sex Without Bodies is pretty good too. But this one is commercial pap. If you like Krall et al. you'll probably love this, but it's definitely 2nd rate.

That's the other minus two.

Highly Reccommended: Another Fabulous CD by DTS
When I ask myself why the CD's residing in my car radio seem to always be by DTS, I realize it's because this group and this music are GREAT! And, "Nature" is the latest chapter of this greatness. First, there is the extraordinary writing of David Cantor. How does he come up with his poetic imagery, his lyrics: happy, lamenting, witty, risque, philosophical, and put them together with incredibly gorgeous melodies, and rhythms...and make them fit perfectly? Does the word "genius" come to mind? And, the absolutely beautiful voice of Kelly Flint caresses those words and melodies so perfectly that it's as if she's an extension of Dave's mind. Add Jeff Eyrich's lyrical big bass sound and Rich Zukor's attuned drumming, augmented by several other top players on various instruments,(including accordion[!], used so effectively and tastefully), and you have another big winner by a group that is deserving of much much greater exposure and commercial success.
Songs like "World in Which We Live", "I Lost My Nature", "Dog's Life", "The Everlasting No", and "Who Would Guess" for example, make you think, make you feel, make you think and feel AGAIN, and AGAIN, and AGAIN...and, at the same time, make you HAPPY to be listening, and humming, and singing along...AGAIN and AGAIN and AGAIN! I have to admit...I have become addicted...and I LOVE IT! Buy this CD Now! (And, if you don't already have them, the 3 others as well.) Highly, Highly Recommended!!!

Dave's True Story:Their Best Yet
More than any of their previous albums, Dave's True Story's latest, Nature, defies expectation.And that's saying something for a band that has made a career of bending musical genres to delightful and surprising effect.For me, the music hits deeper grooves, explores more pop-inflected melodies, and reveals new emotional depths without sacrificing the group's trademark subversive take on life and love.
Dave Cantor's lyrics take a more imagistic turn on this disc, the humor more existential than on previous releases.Kelly Flint's voice is superb, as always, but her readings of the songs have found a new level of tenderness and soulfulness.Plus the album is recorded beautifully.If you're new to the band, this is the place to get to know them.If you're a fan, you'll be surprised but definitely not disappointed. ... Read more