So Stylistic
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Audio CD (08 July, 2003)
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Reviews (21)

Great Booty Shaking Dance Music
I just stumbled upon this on the internet, and started to listen to it because I had nothing better to do.

WOW! These guys are great.The group consists of one skilled dance producer that makes all the music, and three Brooklyn girls rapping on top of it.This album will definitely keep a party alive and bumping through the night.It will also bring a smile to your face because the music is so great and the singers refuse to take themselves seriously.

Great fun......Thats all...just fun!
If you were born in the 80's , you will 'get' this album.THe funny thing is, I am not sure if the singers themselves are old enough to get it at all.Nevertheless, it brings back fond memories of old NY rap and funk.It is a borderline comedy album as well....not intentionally I am sure!

Ridiculous. Awesome.
I rarely delve into the "dance" section of the record store, but Fannypack gave a me good reason to change my ways. With thumping bass, sparce sampling, and screetchy, sophomoric lyrics, this all girl rap trio takes me back to the late 80s when 2 Live Crew and "Push It" era Salt 'N Pepa rocked the airwaves. While songs like Cameltoe ("she had a frontal wedgie -- a cameltoe") are so absurd they seem like Saturday Night Live material, the group's jump rope rapping style is so infectious that the music bears repeated listening. Of the Amazon samples, "Hey Mami" and "Cameltoe" represent the best Fannypack has to offer. If you enjoy those songs and don't find "Do It to It" too frenetic, you'll probably want this album for your next house party. ... Read more

Asin: B00009UW1L
Sales Rank: 30226
Subjects:  1. Club/Dance    2. Dance-Pop    3. Neo-Electro    4. Party Rap    5. Pop    6. Pop-Rap    7. Rap & Hip-Hop   

Sing It!
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (13 January, 1998)
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Editorial Review

Why settle for one great female vocalist when you can get three, especially when they're stylish soul diva Irma Thomas, Tracy "Mother Earth" Nelson, and swamp rocker (and roller) Marcia Ball. The talented trio take the Sing It! title seriously, belting all hues of blues with satisfying sass and sincerity. Backed by a fine and funky band of Memphis-soul stalwarts and New Orleans session stars, the ladies shine both individually and as a team. Thomas, the longtime "Soul Queen of New Orleans," struts her stuff on the Bobby "Blue" Bland classic "Yield Not to Temptation," while Ball puts some patented bayou boogie, powered by her slinky piano lines, into her spotlight songs. Nelson repeatedly stops the show with her enormous, wraparound voice, transforming tunes like "In Tears" from simple country-flavored ballads into cathartic emotional experiences. But it's the combined voices that makes the session so special, and the title track, a soulfully scintillating second-line anthem, is the most enjoyable example of the vocal virtuosity of these women. It's a quintessential New Orleans celebration of singing, well worth the purchase price by itself, and it, like the entire album, also serves as an excellent sampler of the multiple talents of the superb song stylists involved. --Michael Point ... Read more

Reviews (12)

These gals are the stuff.
I actually heard these ladies first on Austin City Limits and decided thatI needed the CD. Friends take one listen to this CD and fall in love withit just as I did. They like it so much that I am eager to let them take ithome. I have bought FOUR copies and sent TWO as gifts. And I don't evenhave a copy for my own right now. My female friends have shared with methat this CD is highly suitable for listening while taking a candle-litebath to soak away those "man-trouble" blues and also while tryingto shake the road-rage syndrome on the ride home from work (of which Iagree). BUY IT. And share it with a friend.

Tracy and Irma great combo.
This was the first I have ever heard of any of these ladies.Tracy and Irma stand out and You don't know nothin'about love, is the most powerful piece on the cd.Tracy is heard all over this cd with power force andbeauty.I enjoy her thoroughly and will look for some of her solo stuff inthe future.She crosses between gospel and blues with authority andpassion.The highlight of this cd is the last song You don't know nothin'about love Great song

Souling Along with Southern Divas
It's a rare treat to have 3 enormously talented divas somehow combine their original powerful distinctive voices into one song but they managed to do it with gusto and joy. Tracey Nelson steals the show, however, withher solos such as "In Tears" which dazzle the listener with herdynamic, powerful voice which makes these songs her own. I have seen her inperson and I would be afraid to share the stage with her because her vocalswould blow me off the stage. ... Read more

Asin: B00000031G
Subjects:  1. Blues    2. Electric Texas Blues    3. Louisiana Blues    4. Modern Electric Blues    5. Piano Blues    6. Pop    7. R&B    8. Swamp Blues   

Other Hours: Connick on Piano, Vol. 1
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (15 July, 2003)
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Editorial Review

With a career that's cast him as New Orleans jazz revivalist, crooner, Actor, and Broadway composer it's enough to make one ask: Who's the real Harry Connick, Jr.? Indeed, this warm foray into neo-bop, small ensemble instrumental jazz may only complicate the question. If nothing else, its genesis alone is compelling tribute to Connick's restless creativity and seeming resistance to pigeon-holing. All the songs here were written for (though not all used in) Thou Shalt Not, the musician's ambitious 2001 Broadway adaptation of Emile Zola's Therese Raquin that scored him a Tony nomination, if not stellar box office success. This low-key recasting only underscores the material's utilitarian strengths and gives Connick a chance to display chops as polished as they are playfully reverent to their inspirations. "Dumb Luck," "My Little World," and "What a Waste" recall the angular adventures of Monk, while the lyricism of Ned Goold's sax on "Can't We Tell" and "How About Tonight" points toward the best of Brubeck/Desmond. Melancholy and low-key as it may be, it's an album that gently underscores the jazz piano stylist corner of his resume. And if this is the fruit of Connick's Broadway failure, we can only hope he stumbles so gracefully in the future. --Jerry McCulley ... Read more

Reviews (8)

A creative jazz set, fianlly Connick is stretching out...
This is not a Connick vocal album, this is a straight ahead jazz session, where connick finally cuts loose and shows the jazz world what he is capable of(he hasn't showed this much promise as a jazzman since 1997's To see You).Connick no longer sounds just like a Thelonious monk.Connick stretches out on these originals, it would have been mice for him to include astandard or two but this cd wil lshow there is more to Connick as a jazz improvisor than one might think.I hope he'll do another big band vocal album next m but with standards(like Come By Me).

Harry can do no wrong
I've followed Harry for years and have always enjoyed his albums because each one has a slightly different sound from the rest.This latest CD is light, has gentle compositions, and is also swingin' fun.It puts me in the mood for dancing under the stars or curling up by the fire.I think it's about time Harry did a CD like this.

It freakin' swings
First off, Ned Goold sounds like Rouse.Secondly, Harry Connick Jr., while best know for his singing, is a monster on the piano player, as evidenced on this album.This album not only showcases Connick's excellent compistion skills, it also presents a quartet with a great group concept.I think of Monks quartet everytime I hear it.It belongs on the shelf of anyone that has the ability to actually hear jazz.Branford Marsalis should be commended for releasing this album that major labels most liekly wouldn't touch because it is not accessible to the masses. ... Read more

Asin: B00009RDEM
Subjects:  1. American Popular Song    2. Ballads    3. Mainstream Jazz    4. Pop    5. Pop Vocals    6. Post-Bop   

Soul Serenade
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (05 August, 2003)
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Editorial Review

It would be wrong to pigeonhole Derek Trucks as a southern rocker despite his ongoing day gig as the Allman Brothers Band's second guitarist. On his fourth solo album (actually recorded before his third, 2002's Joyful Noise) the young slinger shows what he's made of, and it's not barbeque and bourbon. Instead Trucks caters more to the martini crowd, giving a sophisticated cast to his slide guitar, snaking it into elegant musical conversations with a rather frivolous flute, and some off time drumming that are reminiscent of the clean jazz fusion that Traffic used to conjure up. On the opening track, "SoulSerenade"/"Rasta Man Chant," Trucks inserts some of the languid licks and flirts with Miles Davis before devolving into Bob Marley. "Bock to Bock" is a more structured affair that recalls Henry Mancini. Gregg Allman sits in on "Drown in My Own Tears" and spits out the bitter words in his grizzled voice while Truck follows along in aperfect slow dance, punctuating each of the singer's phrases with his own mournful slide. Trucks ventures south of the border in "Afro Romp" and the band evokes the great jazz drummer Elvin Jones on "Elvin." --Jaan Uhelszki ... Read more

Features

• Enhanced

Reviews (21)

SMOOTH
Unlike the more raucous Joyful Noise, Soul Serenade is silky smooth.More jazz than blues, this is my favorite "kick back and relax" album.There is just no way to feel tense when DT is laying down those honey smooth slide licks.Each song on this album is distinctly different.The only thread that ties them all together is Derek's slide guitar -- and that's not a bad thread at all.

Greg Allman makes a guest appearance on "Drown in My Own Tears" and delivers one of the absolute best vocal performances of his four decade career.On "Sierra Leone," Derek puts aside his electric Gibson SG for an acoustic guitar and delivers one of the most beautiful acoustic slide pieces I've ever heard.The only thing wrong with this album is that "Sierra Leone" should last for about 30 minutes rather than less than 2.

It's hard to believe that DT was only around 20 years old when these tracks were recorded.Only time will tell where he eventually falls in the pantheon of great blues guitarists, but he's certainly off to a great start.His music has both a depth and width which belies his age and I'm looking forward to much more great music from the DTB in the future.

You have to like slide guitar
This is another very good album from Butch Trucks.This is his third or fourth album, depending on how you are counting.It is short by CD standards, at only 42 minutes.But, then it doesn't have any bad tracks or filler.Sound quality is great.

This CD is a mixture of jazz, blues and rock.Each track is a mixture of the 3, with a different amount of emphasis on one of the styles.However, this CD does not have as much variation as the previous CD, Joyful Noise. Only one track is an original composition.The rest are covers are some classic jazz and blues numbers (with a little Marley thrown in).

The music has a wonderful, rich sound to it, dominated by Trucks' slide guitar.Kofi Burbridge's flute is also featured a lot more on this CD.

Derek Trucks also plays for the Allman Brothers.I hated to see them kick out Dickey Betts.But with Trucks, the band has a new, envigorated sound.Betts and Warren Haynes were beginning to get stale after playing together for over 10 years.Check out some of the new Allman Brothers live albums, where the Trucks/Haynes combination has given new life to old songs.

First of Derek Trucks that I bought
And I am/was plesantly surprised.The vocal appearance of Greg Allman was unexpected in this otherwise instrumental effort.This is no typical offering;it belies catagorization, just like I like it.Somewhere between jazz/rock fusion and blues there is the Derek Trucks Band.Derek has a real gift in using the slide; it sounds smooth and unforced.Just glides along...A very good effort. ... Read more

Asin: B0000A4GAK
Subjects:  1. Blues-Rock    2. Contemporary Jazz    3. Pop    4. Rock    5. World Fusion   

Just Add Water
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Audio CD (23 October, 2001)
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Reviews (2)

Wooten & Bailey take you to the "Extreme"
This release took me pleasantly by surprise. Having recently purchased "Jing Chi" the release off the Tone Center Records label featuring the trio of the great Robben Ford, Vinnie Colaiuta and Jimmy Haslip and liking it I decided to give this disc a spin.
All I can say is this cd is outstanding. The bass playing of Victor Wooten, of Bela Fleck and the Flecktones and solo fame, and Steve Bailey is truly amazing. These guys are definitely masters of their instruments. Joined by Dennis Chambers on drums, these duo bass players put out an unbelievably melodic bass sound.
They're accompanied by some of the most accomplished bass players in the music industry today. Oteil Burbridge, Anthony Jackson, John Patitucci,Billy Sheehan and even drummer Chambers, all make guest appearances on this new disc. Not a bad lineup.
This disc is full of jazzy grooves, funked out tones and just great bass playing. All 13 tracks are just amazing. The duo also covers the late bass great Jaco Pastorius'"Portrait of Tracy". One of the standout tracks on this exceptional disc.
So all you fans out there of Stuart Hamm, Geddy Lee, Pastorius, Stanley Clarke and other bass greats go out and get this disc and discover a couple more great bass players; Wooten and Bailey!

A must have for all Bass Players
My wife gave me this as a Christmas present along with a new Discman.The interplay between Victor and Steve is nothing short of a marriage of style and sound from two masters.What really takes this over the edge is the inclusion of other great bassist such as Oteil Burbridge, Billy Sheehan, Anthony Jackson and Prof. John Patitucci.This album is not just another slap fest or "lets see who can rip the fastest lines" but is quite melodic even with some of the complex timing.Dennis Chambers as usual rules on drums but isn't overpowering.I highly recommend this to all musicians who have the privilege of carrying the bottom and causing the groove to flow.It amazes me to think just what Victor will sound like ten years from now as he continues to progress and experiment.The Bass will never be the same thanks to music like this. ... Read more

Asin: B00005QW06
Sales Rank: 23030
Subjects:  1. Jazz    2. Pop   

Horace Silver Trio
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (05 August, 2003)
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Features

• Original recording remastered

Reviews (2)

The beginning of a great collaboration
This historically very important album was recorded on three different dates from 1952/1953. Art Blakey is on drums on all that occasions, so that's where the great, dynamic team between Silver and Blakey, the foundation of the "Jazz Messengers" had started. Even at this early stage of Silver's career, he was a great composer: "Opus de Funk" turned out to be very successful, even Woody Herman's band played it. "Safari" and above all "Quicksilver"(based on the changes of "Lover come back to me") are my favorites here. Horace is really superb on these tunes. Although he was influenced by Powell and Monk, he really had his own, personal style....fanstastic melody lines and really tricky left-hand stuff. Both of that mentioned tunes later were recorded as quintet-versions. Another interesting thing about theses early trio-sides are the ballad interpretations ("Prelude to a kiss" and "I remember you"): Hoarce Silver plays those lyrical tunes in a very pianistic manner, really pretty. Few years later, most of his ballads were originals with a more brooding mood.
The last two tracks "Message from Kenya" and "Nothing but Soul" are early examples of Blakey's percussion-dates, the first track also featuring Sabu Martinez, who later made a BlueNote Album of his own and collaborated with Blakey on "Orgy in Rhythm".

This is an essential collection of hard bop jazz.
"Horace Silver Trio" is a taut, expertly-paced and plain fun CD for any music collection.But for jazz lovers, this set features two of the architects of "hard bop":Horace Silver and Art Blakey.My favorite tracks are the wonderful "Yeah" and exquisite "Knowledge Box."This set serves as a great introduction to Horace Silver, a true jazz legend.This is a great collection at a good price.

Also check out "Blowin' The Blues Away," "Six Pieces of Silver" and "Song For My Father." ... Read more

Asin: B0000AC8N9
Sales Rank: 165511
Subjects:  1. Hard Bop    2. Jazz    3. Pop   

The Sea Saint Sessions
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Audio CD (24 June, 2003)
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Editorial Review

Soulful singer and guitarist Tab Benoit has never made secret his devout allegiance to the Louisiana music tradition. With The Sea Saint Sessions, Benoit, ably assisted by several Crescent City stalwarts, takes his music back to the source, setting up shop at the famed hit factory to cook up a sonic gumbo that successfully recaptures the spontaneity of the classic Sea Saint sound. Benoit's guests conjure up some of the studio's old musical magic as "Big Chief" Monk Boudreaux infuses Mardi Gras Indian spirit into "Monk's Blues," Meter man George Porter Jr. funkifies "Making the Bend," and Cyrille Neville sings on his own "Plareen Man". But it is Benoit's distinctive guitar lines--somehow both supple and hard-edged--and the impeccable elasticity of his regular rhythm section that makes the music work. Most of the material is Benoit's own, although he pays tribute to Louisiana legend Guitar Slim with a take on the classic "Sufferin' Mind" and dips into the Howlin' Wolf songbook for a rendition of "Howlin' for My Darling". --Michael Point ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Bayou Country Blues
I'm a brand new "Tab" fan. What I appreciate most about him is the fact that he doesn't try to blow you away every time. His guitar playing adds color and texture to his songs instead of high caliber fire power. Don't get me wrong, Tab can shake the rafters but to me, that's preferable to burning the whole house down. He's also not a one dimensional performer. His vocals are warm and expressive and it's clear that he knows how to sing. Pick up this album and enjoy some New Orleans blues, slow cooked but sizzling.

One Of His Best!
Tab Benoit's latest Mona Lisa,The Sea Saint Sessions (Telarc) once again blends Delta blues with cajun bayou spice for a sound that belongs uniquely and souly to him. I say souly because that is exactly what you will find in abudance on this barn burner of a record due largely to Tab's commanding raspy vocals throughout, but particularly on "Solid Simple Thing," and "What I Have To Do," Benoit has a liking for cutting tracks live in the studio in one or two takes which gives The Sea Saint Sessions a radiant spontaneous feel over all eleven numbers.The sparkling and very funky "Hustlin Down In New Orleans,"which evokes memories of Little Feat, finds Neville Brothers guitarist Brian Stoltz exquisitely trading off licks with Benoit while the very bluesy "Monks Blues," showcases Big Chief Monk Boudreaux's gruffly smooth vocals and segues neatly into the driving beat of "Making The Bend," a high energy piece featuring George Porter's booming bass line. What I find truly amazing about the three numbers just mentioned is that they were co written and performed with the guest artists as these sessions were taking place with minimal rehearsal or refinement. Now that, ladies and gents, is spontaneity at it's finest. All but two tracks are originals, with the covers consisting of a smoking version of Howlin' Wolf's "Howlin For My Darlin," that contains a completely wicked guitar solo, and "Plareen Man," the volcanic closing number contributed by Cyril Neville who is on hand for lead vocals and percussion. Two other pieces that are thoroughly enjoyable and if they fail to get your hips shaking immediately might mean you are dead, are the album's opening frenetic tune "Baby Blue," which has Brian Stoltz sitting in and the following "Boat Launch Baby," that I can hear covered easily by any of the top zydeco/cajun bands. Backing Tab are his usual comrades, Carl Dufresne on bass and Darryl White on drums who are one of the most powerful rhythm sections it's ever been my pleasure to hear. I mean these two guys just blast through a tune like dynamite. As for Mr.Benoit.... he's positively maginificent on this outing firing off melodic runs up and down the fretboard while at times bending notes until they seem ready to break into a million pieces while singing his heart out in his slightly nasal but soulfully expressive voice. Tab Benoit has for years been grossly underrated as both a blues guitarist and singer and is finally beginning to receive the national recognition he has always deserved as both a musician and a fine songwriter. Last year's Wetlands was a great album but The Sea Saint Sessions just plain knocked me out of my socks and across the room. One of his best that should not be missed!

Tab who?
Ok, I never heard of him until I walked into a record shop and saw his CD on the end cap. So I went over and gave it a listen, and man oh man, I became an instant fan.This cd is full of Blues mixed in with some cajun beats.The guitar has a quality that is honest and true. You feel like you are in a juke joint right there with him.Needless to say I bought the cd and play it all the time.A great find!Go make the same find for yourself. You won't regret it. ... Read more

Asin: B00009NH8K
Subjects:  1. Blues    2. Contemporary Blues    3. Funk    4. Modern Electric Blues    5. Pop    6. R&B   

Carryin' On With Johnny Cash & June Carter
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (19 March, 2002)
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Editorial Review

Back in their commercial heyday as a duet team, June Carter Cash always managed to bring out a lighter, more playful side of her often somber and serious husband, the famed "Man in Black." Among these 13 tracks (11 of them originally released on the 1967 album plus 2 bonus tracks) are familiar titles like the naughty, cat-scratch-fever hit "Jackson" and their soulfully twangy version of Bob Dylan's "It Ain't Me, Babe." But Cash and Carter also breathe understated fire and shared sensuality into more unlikely material, like their loping, folky reading of Richard Fariña's "Pack Up Your Sorrows," a pair of Ray Charles R&B standards--"I Got a Woman" and "What'd I Say"--and memorable original compositions like the class-conscious "Shantytown" and a nostalgic love lament called "Oh, What a Good Thing We Had." --Bob Allen ... Read more

Features

• Original recording remastered

Reviews (6)

A rebuttal
I don't know if the disgruntled reviews I'm seeing here stem from the fact that Johnny and June are flying afield from country quite a bit here, but I can't say that I honestly believe the covers here are misbegotten or poorly performed. The pair are in the blush of new love here (it's still "hotter than a pepper sprout" to quote from the song "Jackson") and I hear that good-natured spark in "Long-Legged Guitar Pickin' Man" for instance. The out of genre tunes are given requisite country touches (the harmonica in "I've Got a Woman") to make them the duo's own. I never get the feeling it's a record label attempt to get them a "pop hit" but rather the pair's natural affection for the songs leading them to try and put their own stamp on them (and to prove that Ray Charles' love letters to country music could be a two-way street).

HIGHLIGHTS:
"Long Legged Guitar Pickin' Man" is a great start to the disc and one of the rare occasions where June steals the show. She turns in a sassy "ain't taking no s**t offa YOU" vocal that's thoroughly winning. The pair's take on Dylan's "It Ain't Me,Babe" utilizes a Western "campfire harmonica" and oddly enough the same mariachi trumpets they'd used on "Ring of Fire" 4 years earlier. Reading it in print makes it sound like a sloppy stylistic pastiche, but when you hear it, you realize that it works just fine. A spry "hillbillyized" version of Ray Charles' "I Got a Woman" is a keeper, too. "Jackson" was probably the "biggest" song here (They re-issued the album to be named after it since it went Top 5 country and won a Grammy to boot). While it's nice in the studio form, vocally it's a bit detached. I would call the roaring live rendition on "At Folsom Prison" definitive. The "high class girl slums with the poor boy" sentiment at the heart of "No,No,No" plays into the pair's own relationship (Carter from the gospel stalwart Carter Family, Cash with an acknowledged rebel image and coming off an addiction to pills) and is a natural fit for them. The banshee yell from Johnny on "What'd I Say" is all you need to hear to tell the couple is far from "phoning it in".

LOWS:
The bonus tracks ("The Wind Changes" and "From Sea to Shining Sea") are fairly mediocre..far from essential. Of the two, "The Wind Changes" is the better.

BOTTOM LINE:
While not a Cash essential, it's still very very good. I'd recommend it for fans of Americana music and people who have the "comeback quartet" quartet of Johnny's albums for Def American and the prison records (San Quentin and Folsom) and who wonder what to get next.

ill-advised covers...
The first cut, Long-legged Guitar Pickin' Man is a fine start, but it's downhill from there, especially with such ill-advised covers as It Ain't Me Babe and What'd I Say.

Considering who is singing, this one disappoints...
Although I became a Johnny Cash fan the first time I heard "I Walk the Line" in 1956, when I was 11, I missed this LP when it was released in 1967 because I'd been drafted. No record players were allowed in the army barracks, but even if they were, there were no funds left for buying records on a private's pay. I bought this last month because I had no June Carter vocals in my Cash/country collection. However, the only gems on here are the famous "Jackson" and "It Ain't Me, Babe" by Dylan. Overall, I found this to be not only dated, but remastered in a way that seems to subdue the vocals in favor of the accompaniment. So if you already have "Jackson" on another Cash CD, you don't need this. Two earlier reviewers, who are favorites of mine and whose views I almost always agree with, like this one a lot better than I do. I feel it is one of the most unsuccessful of Johnny's Columbia releases. He and June have fun with two R & B hits borrowed from the late Ray Charles, but what they prove is that the songs should have stayed with Ray. I still love the Man in Black, and the woman he was meant to marry, but not this particular project. ... Read more

Asin: B0000636Y6
Subjects:  1. Country    2. Country-Pop    3. Pop    4. Traditional Country   

100% Azucar!: The Best of Celia Cruz con la Sonora Matancera
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (16 September, 1997)
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Editorial Review

Queen of salsa Celia Cruz was royalty long before the music was even called that. 100% Azucar collects 19 tracks from her '50s and '60s output on the Seeco label. Smoking even at medium tempos, the disc is full of the hot mambo rhythms of the Sonora Matancera band and the full-throttle vocals of "la incomparable Celia." Included are both sides of one of her first singles, "Ritmo, Tambo y Flores"/"Elegua Quiere Tambo," along with other unstoppable body-rockers such as "Oye Mi Rumba" and "Mi Soncito." Informed, fascinating liner notes and reproductions of beautiful vintage album covers complete this prime package. --Rickey Wright ... Read more

Reviews (14)

Awsome CD, but...
... there are a lot of common tracks with the CD Celia Cruz (Cuban Legend).Otherwise, a Must Buy.

Celia Cruz was THE QUEEN
In this colection you have the opportunity to hear Celia Cruz as a young vocalist and you will instantly understand why she is considered such a legend. Due to the age of some of the recordings the sound quality is not the best but SHE is so good it doesn't matter.

A bit nostalgia!!!
This album is great.It shows Celia's voice young and crisp.I loved her energy and kindness towards others. We will miss Celia.

This album takes you back in time. It shows why Cuban music is so awesome and why it is loved worldwide. ... Read more

Asin: B000003426
Subjects:  1. Cuba    2. Latin    3. Latin Continuum    4. Latin Jazz    5. Latin Pop    6. Mambo    7. Salsa    8. Son    9. Tropical    10. Vocals   

Portrait of a Legend 1951-1964
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (17 June, 2003)
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Features

• Hybrid SACD

Reviews (31)

A True Legend
Sam Cooke is without a doubt, one of the great singers of all time, he invented soul music. This is a great place to start for those who never heard him.

Great voice!
I always wondered who was that voice I heard in the oldies stations, now I know, Sam Cooke is indeed a legend and this CD is proof, this CD is great cause it tells how each song came about and how he would write ideas and lyrics for songs on paper napkins, "You Send Me" is classic, "Cupid" has such a lovely chorus, "A Change Gonna Come" is a deep ballad, these are just a few of my favorites, many of his songs are so relevant today and stand the test of time, and if you're so enamored by his voice, as I am, there's a 30 second interview at the end where he hums his soul...check it out!

Tennessee Waltz
Fabulous!!!I may be a little partial to this particular song...Redd Stewart, co-writer of "Tennessee Waltz" was my dad!
Visit our tribute site to him at: www.reddstewart.com
Enjoy & please sign our guest book! (Billy Stewart) ... Read more

Asin: B00009N1ZV
Sales Rank: 1704
Subjects:  1. Black Gospel    2. Pop    3. Pop-Soul    4. R&B    5. Soul    6. Uptown Soul   

In the Jungle Groove [Bonus Track]
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (17 June, 2003)
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Features

• Extra tracks
• Original recording remastered

Reviews (4)

Que Pasa people Que Pasa HIT ME!
Yeah, I know that title is from the intro of "Get On the Goot Foot"
which isn't on this CD, but it certainly fits this excellent collection.

This is simply the BEST of JB from about 1969 to 1971. All killer no filler! I DEFY anyone to sit still while songs like "It's A New Day," "Hot Pants" (this tune introduced me to JB when I was 7 in 1971), "Talking Loud and Saying Nothing" (among the most danceable and profound of his sermon songs) and the bonus beat of "The Funky Drummer" which rappers beat to the ground in the 80s and 90s. Oh yeah, brace yourself for "Give It Up and Turn it Loose" (Clap your hands-stomp your feet-in the jungle brothers!).

It's easy to be overwhelmed by the funk power of what JB puts down on this. Listen and see why!

SUPERB FUNK!!!
funky..Funky..FUNKY!! I love this cd and I don't know why radio stations aren't(I don't know if they are or not;just guessing)playing these excellent tracks..Maybe they're too long? No filler.Every up and coming band and artist should learn this and study it.Every artist/group now should make this required listening....James Brown kicks ass!!

Props to Da Godfather
first of all everybody owes the Godfather His due.Arguably the Most Influential Artist over the past 50 years&everybody in Rap/Hip-Hop Owe this Brother a dime for every Grunt,stop on the Groove&4/4 Beat He&His Crew came up with.this Set contains Jams that many Hit-Makers&Groove Beats Oriented Cats have Jacked&nicked over the Years.this Set is the Re-Mastered Version&depending on your JB Collection this is Fresh to alot of ears&in some cases not enough offered that could&should be.but no matter where you sit on the topic of Material offered here it truly represents a Genius who was still adding another layer to His Legacy of Grooves&A Voice that Commanded as Much attention as any Political Figure.JB truly spoke to the People then&Now. ... Read more

Asin: B00009EJC5
Sales Rank: 26720
Subjects:  1. Drums    2. Funk    3. Pop    4. R&B    5. Soul    6. Urban   

Tupelo Honey
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (03 June, 1997)
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Editorial Review

Van Morrison's "Caledonia soul"--his unique blend of Irish mysticism and spiritual questing, literary allusion and blue-eyed R&B--can be as beautiful and deeply emotional as any music ever made. That's certainly the case on 1971's Tupelo Honey, one of the finest albums of Morrison's long career. Kicking off with the classic "Wild Night," Tupelo Honey is as completely joyous as the normally bitter Van gets, particularly on the title track and the unabashedly grateful, slow-building "You're My Woman," both among the most moving love songs he's recorded. --David Cantwell ... Read more

Features

• Original recording remastered

Reviews (35)

weak sauce
Van has many good songs and albums, and this is not one of them, even though many people really like it.The opening track "wild night" is outstanding, and I like the second song, but from there on it gets really weak and petty."tupelo honey" is pure schmaltz (no, thats Not a compliment) and gets very boring and tedious.The other songs are just annoying, because they lack the power that Van Morrison songs usually have.I would recommend that you get Moondance, which is a wonderful cd and his best overall work, and his Best Of vol 1 cd instead of this.There isn't anything particularly memorable about Tupelo Honey, and I have a hard time saying that because I really enjoy a lot of Van Morrison music.

It's a keeper
I have all of Van's early stuff.This would probably be number three on my list.Astral Weeks being first and moondance coming in a close second. The FM stations beat to death the title track so I will comment on the others.Moonshine Whiskey is one tune that really flies.It is as close to the other two albums as you can get.The rest of the album is very good, a lot of people rave about "you're my Woman but I don't feel what they feel on that one.I'll take Ballarnia any day!So, lastly, I would say get this if you already own and like the other two.

Straight to your heart like a cannonball...
Usually, when people talk about the greatness of Irishman George Ivan Morrison, they mention his two supposedly greatest moments, 1968's "Astral Weeks" and "Moondance" from 1970.
Yet, as great as those two records are, they are not as immediately accessible, or indeed as flawless, as this fabulous blend of folk, soul, country and jazz. The melodies are instantly memorable, the arrangements are wonderful...I've known (of) Van Morrison for ten years at least, but only recently gotten around to actually buy some of his albums, and of all his late 60s-early 70s releases, this is my favorite.

It's not as bluesy (or even as jazz-flavoured) as some of his later material, drawing more on the Irish (and Scottish) folk traditions. But first and foremost, this is Van Morrison, and that means you can forget all about classifying "Tupelo Honey" as a rock record, a country record, a folk album or a jazz album, or any other thing known to man. It's a little of everything, and (unlike many such hybrids) it works. Every time.

Lovely piano playing, subte use of horn arrangements, flute and sax (and never too much of either), and Morrison himself is in great voice.
There is really not a single weak moment on this wonderful album. It goes from one triumph to the next, from the opening R&B-influenced "Wild Nights" over the lovely ballads "You're My Woman" and the classic title track, to the boggie-woogie of "When That Evening Sun Goes Down" and the swinging, folkish "Moonshine Whiskey", the entire record is nothing but highlights. ... Read more

Asin: B000002GNK
Subjects:  1. Pop    2. Rock   

Hiroshima: Rising From the Abyss
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (04 February, 2003)
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Editorial Review

Toshiko Akiyoshi has kept her jazz orchestra running for an astonishing 30 years. Her career dates back to the '50s, but it is with the formation of this long-running ensemble that she's come to the fore as a composer with a powerful and unique voice. Influenced by such leaders as Gil Evans and Thad Jones, she similarly combines instruments in subtle and stirring ways. In addition, she has drawn on her own Japanese heritage, weaving into the jazz voicings some of those homeland traditions. She and her husband (tenor saxophonist and flautist Lew Tabackin) are the principal soloists in the big band. For Hiroshima two guests musicians are on-hand, George Kawaguchi on drums and Won Jang-Hyun on traditional Korean flute. This highly personal album is built around the title suite which also features short narrated interludes in Japanese (read by Ryoko Shigemori), marking the day from the small and vulnerable vantage points of Hiroshima residents. --David Greenberger ... Read more

Features

• Live

Reviews (2)

State of the Art Jazz
I have been neaning to check out Toshiko Akiyoshi for a while, but somehow, something always came up, and I missed her many live gigs in NY, so I picked up this album.

This album made me regret not seeing her all those times I could have, but it made up for it. It's fantastic, amazing jazz, that neither condescends to popularity, or gets lost in snobbery. It's a style of jazz that is soundly grounded in the roots of the form, her japanese roots, and her own ideas and expression.

I have highly recommend buying this album. It's a must have for any jazz fan who wants to see the art form's progress beyond "cool" or the latest cute vocalist.

Destined to become a Classic
Toshiko Akiyoshi at her best, when you hear those strains of Long Yellow Road begin this album you know you are listening to Toshiko Akiyoshi, and her band, having a ball, playing to a live audience.

If you are a fan you need it in the collection, if you don't know Toshiko Akiyoshi, perhaps you should try some of her other albums first, but this is an excellent CD!

The Hiroshima suite is just oustanding, in form function, and delivery.This shows how the Big Band idiom can be stretched to work on different musical styles. ... Read more

Asin: B000086B9Z
Subjects:  1. Jazz    2. Modern Big Band    3. Pop   

O
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (10 June, 2003)
list price: $18.98 -- our price: $13.49
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Editorial Review

Irish troubadour Damien Rice doesn't so much reinvent the folk genre on this lush, impossibly mature debut album as push its boundaries in several compelling musical directions at once--all the more remarkable considering the album was largely self-produced and home-recorded. His songs revolve around familiar, bittersweet concerns of life, love, and their attendant frustrations, but delivered with conspiratorial intimacy on melodic wings (like on the graceful "Cannonball") that Rice seems almost embarrassed to share. If there's anything like a template here, it's "The Blower's Daughter," the song that first attracted the interest/stewardship of film composer David Arnold (whose guest production provides "Amie" with expansive cinematic elegance) and became a massive Irish hit. His plaintive vocal, embroidered by the mournful solo cello of Vyvienne Long, is suddenly brightened by an instrumental flourish and Lisa Hannigan's vocals--before just as quickly wafting on the breeze. With touches that range from "Day in the Life"-styled string collages to the dizzy, exhilarating neo-operatic excesses of the 16-minute "Eskimo," Rice's musical palate here is as adventurous as his songs are grounded in emotional intimacy. --Jerry McCulley ... Read more

Reviews (235)

Can't get past "Blower's Daughter"
Like I'm sure countless thousands of others, I scrambled to find out who sang the beautiful, haunting song that opens Mike Nichols' adaptation of 'Closer.'I know a bunch of people must have followed the same path, because when I went to Virgin to pick up a copy, there was a large sign that said "If you want the music from the film CLOSER" (last word in about 128 point font on the signage) "then you want Damien Rice's 'O'."

My problem is that that song ("Blower's Daughter") is so good that the rest of the CD (to my ear, at least) pales in comparison.I've yet to find anything else that resonates with me.Regardless, 'O' deserves at least four stars simply based on the perfection Rice achieves on that one track.

my eskimo friend...
I have found my favorite album of the year with Damien Rice's "O".I am not afraid to shout that from the top of the tallest mountain or from the bottom of every ocean.When friends ask me, from now on, who I think is one of the best singer/songwriters out there, it will be very easy for me to reply "my friends, it is Damien Rice".Never before have I witnessed such passion, emotion, and consistency as I did with this album.It just oozes sincerity and epitomizes the true meaning of folk music.

While I am not afraid to admit that I found him when I watched the film Closer, and was pulled in by his song "the blower's daughter", I quickly discovered there was more to him than what this film allowed.While I do think "the blower's daughter" is nothing short of perfection, there are other songs that I think better represent the overall tune of Rice.My favorites on the album are such:

1) Volcano
2) Cannonball
3) Eskimo (with a brilliant orchestra finale)
4) Cold Water

In fact, I am not afraid to admit that there isn't one song on this album that I do not like.I have placed this CD into my surround sound system at home and do not intend for it ever to leave.This is the type of music that you can listen to when you need to relax, reflect, or just enjoy the bits and pieces of your life.It is the type of music that forces you to remember that you are alive and to take each moment, each day, and embrace it for everything that it is worth.

The consistent tone and raw emotion behind Rice's vocals is by far the most impressive.His poetic lyrics remind me of early Dave Matthews moments, while the welcomed intrusion of Lisa Hannigan left my jaw on the ground.Why hasn't his music become more popular here in America?Honestly, I have never been so impressed with an album purchase as I was with this one.The simplistic packaging of the disc and bold artwork only force you to sit on your couch and become engulfed with the intrinsic tunes that Rice offers us.

I cannot speak any better of this album, if Amazon would allow me to give it more than five stars I would.For those folk music fans that are looking for that quintessential album that fully represents the genre, this is the one for your collection.I am impressed, and cannot wait to see what else Damien has for us in the future.

Grade: ***** out of *****

amazing
i love every single song on this CD. i have been in love with this CD since the first time i heard it. the songs are so beautifully filled with emotion that they had me in tears (that is a very hard thing to do considering that i didn't even cry when my grandma died). my friend and i have listened to O 1,000 times and each time it is still as beautiful as it was the first time. ... Read more

Asin: B00009V7P8
Subjects:  1. Alternative Folk    2. Contemporary Folk    3. Contemporary Singer/Songwriter    4. Folk & Traditional    5. Folk-Rock    6. Ireland    7. Pop    8. Post-Grunge   

Oliver Mtukudzi Collection
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (08 July, 2003)
list price: $15.98 -- our price: $13.99
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Reviews (6)

Man, is this a great album!!
My wife got this CD as a gift from a co-worker.At the time, we had no idea who Oliver Mtukudzi was, although we later recalled (or thought we did) possibly seeing him with Bonnie Raitt on Austin City Limits, or some such concert show.Whatever, this album grabbed us immediately, and continued to grow the more we played it - which was nearly nonstop for a couple of weeks.Talk about infectious music!Eventually, we each wanted it in our car players, so we had to buy another copy, and we later wound up buying another half dozen and giving them out as gifts.It is that good.These are some of the catchiest, hook-laden melodies you will hear anywhere...the back-up vocals and instrumentation are great...and Oliver's voice is soulful and expressive.Unquestionably one of those 5 or 10 CD's you'd want if stranded on a desert island kind of albums.

Features some of his best-known works
Oliver Mtukudzi's Collection is the latest, accompanying a U.S. tour and gathering some of his best works from his previous six albums. This actually is the best introduction one could have to Mtukudzi's sound and diversity, as it features some of his best-known works. If it's authentic African music accessible to lay audience you wish for your library collection, don't leave these out: they'll be much-lended and highly appreciated.

Strong beat, powerful vocals
Oliver Mtukudzi from Zimbabwe is now in his 50s and has been performing and recording for more than 25 years.He has achieved legendary status in contemporary African music."The Tuku Years" which span this compilation were 1998-2002 when seven albums were made, some of which were only released in Southern Africa.Included are two rare live tracks.This is a highly appealing collection featuring Tuku's strong lyrical raspy voice and wonderfully rhythmic guitar playing, tightly accompanied by the guitar of Philani Dube and a host of other players, with female backing vocals echoing his strong messages about everyday life and its associated social and political issues.There is plenty of musical poetry and dance here, with captivating melodies and toe-tapping rhythms that roll effortlessly along, imbued with deep passion and emotion that easily draw the listener in."Kunze Kwadoka" at a party will have every single person on their feet guaranteed.This is the original African sound that inspired Paul Simon's Graceland.

Tuku is certainly a master songwriter - from the gentle "Wake Up" through to the powerful wail of "Hear Me Lord", the strength of this extraordinary artist consistently shines through.Sound quality is excellent. ... Read more

Asin: B00009QG5J
Sales Rank: 12940
Subjects:  1. Africa    2. Afro-Pop    3. Chimurenga    4. Int'l & World Music    5. Pop    6. Zimbabwe   

In Person Friday and Saturday Nights at the Blackhawk, Complete
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (03 June, 2003)
list price: $44.98 -- our price: $44.98
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Editorial Review

It doesn't get much better than this: a full night of Miles Davis captured live in his prime at an intimate jazz club. In 1961, Davis, pianist Wynton Kelly, bassist Paul Chambers, tenor saxophonist Hank Mobley, and drummer Jimmy Cobb recorded at San Francisco's legendary Blackhawk. Originally released as two LPs, the complete sets, with nine previously unissued tracks, have been compiled in this superb, digitally-remastered, two-CD set. Davis's pithy and poetic trumpet tones signature a number of standards and original compositions. Backed by Kelly's in-the-pocket pianisms, Cobb's articulate drumwork, Chamber's intelligent basslines, and Mobley's Dexter Gordon-ish sax tones, Davis bares his wounded and wonderful musical soul to an engaging and enthralled audience. The elongated and illuminated renditions of the quicksilver modal number "So What," the dancing "On Green Dolphin Street," and the Latin-tinged "Neo" bridge the 1959 masterpiece LP Kind of Blue and the forthcoming '60s superband with Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, Ron Carter, and Tony Williams. The scene-stealer on this date is Mobley. His ebullient tone and sterling improvisations remind us of Miles Davis's equally impressive talents and a bandleader. --Eugene Holley, Jr. ... Read more

Features

• Box set
• Live
• Original recording remastered

Reviews (18)

one of the most overlooked of Miles' bands
...in one of their finest performances. In April of 1961, Miles Davis had just recruited Tenor saxophonist Hank Mobley to replace Sonny Stitt (who had replaced John Coltrane) and this reformed and underrated of Miles Davis Quintets(Mobley-tenor sax, Wynton Kelly-piano, Paul Chambers-bass, and Jimmy Cobb-drums)performed many fine concerts which are now albums; this and the great Carnegie Hall concert from May 17, 1961 with Miles and his band backed by the Gil Evans Orchestra. This one is probably the best when it comes to quality and definately the best when it comes to quantitiy. Here is 4 discs with nothing but the Miles Davis Quintet of '61-'63 playing in an intimate jazz club-something rarely seen in this day and age, unfortunatley. They mainly play standards and they are great. I really can't understand why Miles didn't like Mobley's playing. Probably because he was not as good as Trane or Stitt and he certainly is not as good as Wayne Shorter who would join Miles from Art Blakey's Jazz Messingers in September of '64. Still, Mobley is a fine soloist. The rhythm section of Kelly,Chambers, and Cobb are great also. Paul Chambers was at the top of his game here and also a veteran, since this was his sixth year as Miles' bassist. (his tenure w/Miles-1955-1963) This box is awesome and is definately one of Miles Davis' heights.

Much better than the Carnegie Hall concert w/ Gil Evans
This box set is awesome and is now finally unedited and contains one of Miles' most underrated bands. My advice, get this if you don't have enough money to get the very illusive Plugged Nickel Set. WHERE THE HELL IS THAT PRICELESS SET!!? YOU COULD FIND JIMMY HOFFA OR A REASON WHY THE US SHOULD STAY IN THE MIDDLE EAST BEFORE YOU FIND THAT HOLY GRAIL OF JAZZ! SOMEBODY PLEASE HELP ME!

Great Jazz from a genius artist
Let's face it. There will never be another Miles Davis. He was one of the greatest artists of the 20th century and this is one of his finest recordings. This was when he was in his prime and here, he pretty much perfected his laid back "cool" jazz. This was quite a while before Bithes Brew, which is probably his best work but still this music is great, relaxing, and like another reviewer said, just fun to listen to. When I think of jazz, I think of the beautiful sounds that come out of the CD player when this gem is in. There are just perfect solos by Miles and his quintet, but mostly Miles. There are 5 artists whom I idolize and they are Jerry Garcia, Jimi Hendrix, Bob Dylan, Stanley Kubrick, and last but certainly not least, Miles Davis. Who'd you think I was going to say? Avril Laveigne! HA HA. I make big joke. Anyway, pick this up for further proof that Miles Davis(1926-1991) was truely a legend. ... Read more

Asin: B00009KU7L
Subjects:  1. Bop    2. Box Sets (Audio Only)    3. Cool    4. Hard Bop    5. Jazz    6. Pop   

Love Trap
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (24 June, 2003)
list price: $16.98 -- our price: $14.99
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Editorial Review

For this follow-up to her 2001 debut, (Salt Rain,which won a BBC Radio 3 World Music Award and was certified Gold in France), Raman continues to build on her tried-and-true formula. Born in Britain to South Indian parents, her Tamil birthright did not preclude an attraction to Western pop and she explores this duality throughout the album. The title tune is a back-room, jazzy rendering of an urban Ethiopian hit--it and a sexy cover of Joan Armatrading's "Save Me" are the only English-language tracks. The other nine offer a far-flung mélange of languages, constituting a dream journey during which the chanteuse's silky, flexible alto encounters trip-hop, Tuvan throat singing, sinuous Indian classical ornamentation, and assorted African influences. As modern electronica flickers amid age-old acoustic instruments with unexpectedly felicitous results, it becomes clear that Raman has achieved a study in contrasts that is also a primer for inclusion.--Christina Roden ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Airy and weak pop music
Raman's "Love Trap" intrigued me, for its promise of intercultural sound weavings.But when it arrived, I discovered its mediocrity.It's just cheap music, reminiscent of the worst of 1970s pop music: light, weak, and empty.Right from the first track, "Love Trap," you know you're in for a frivilous album, with trite background vocals "Love Trap, Love Trap, oooh, Love Trap, Love Trap, ooooh," and tin-plated lyrics.

Her sensual world
If world music is all about bringing people from different nations close and making them understand the beautiful side of each others music culture then it's no coincidence that Susheela Raman is one of it's stand out artists right now . The Anglo-Indian gifted lady mixes creatively various elements of the Indian , Tamil and wider western and eastern music tradition and manages to deliver an exotic , dazzling offering . First cd single " Love Trap " with it's poisonous charms can seduce a priest while " Sarasa " is as tender and sensual as a melody could ever be . What's most suprising though about Raman is that despite her young age she delivers such rich perfomances on songs like the slow and hypnotic " Amba " . Clearly she's here to stay and has all the wit and talent in order to do so .

Susheela is excellent
I found this CD a most amazing walk into the far-away-lands I never knew existed. I especially like the Title song. It blends interesting rhythms and beautiful voice inflections. I stronly recommend this CD. I enjoy it the more I listen to it. ... Read more

Asin: B00009OYRN
Subjects:  1. India / Pakistan    2. Int'l & World Music    3. Pop    4. Worldbeat   

Workout [Blue Note]
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (25 October, 1990)
list price: $11.98 -- our price: $11.98
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Editorial Review

Really nothing more than a straight blowing session, Workout nevertheless remains Hank Mobley's finest hour. His four original compositions offer basic blues-funk structures, but with the sympathetic, inspirational support of Wynton Kelly, Paul Chambers, Philly Joe Jones, and Grant Green, Mobley uses them to maximum effect. As Leonard Feather astutely points out in the notes, Mobley's sound falls halfway between the big, heavy sound of Coleman Hawkins and John Coltrane and the lighter, airier tones of Stan Getz and Zoot Sims. On this approachable 1961 effort, Mobley is at his most voluble, blending blues and bop into graceful and lucid lines. Jones is particularly perky on drums, Kelly his usual funky and quick-witted self on piano, and guitarist Green the perfect complement to Mobley. Two delightful mid-tempo standards--"The Best Things in Life Are Free" and "Three Coins in the Fountain"--add to the joyful mood. --Marc Greilsamer ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Hank Mobley, Workout
This is a classic album, but yet so rare. I was surprised to see it in my local Barnes And Noble inventory, but I picked it up just before all their copies of it dissapeared.

I'm glad I did. I bought this album specifically for the appearence of drummer Philly Joe Jones. And he didnt let me down, but all the other musicians also shine here. Hank Mobley, perfect tenor sound. Not too harsh, not too mellow, but rather a mixture of both. He also writes great compositions.

Guitarist, Grant Green, appeared on so many Blue Note albums, and was so melodic and imaginative. His improvisations are epivitol! Wynton Kelly, around the time of this recording was with Miles Davis and Wes Montgomery. But he does some wonderful stuff here! Paul Chambers and Philly Jones, who were on so many beautiful recordings together, are here to. Philly does some great grooves and solos here.
The best track on here is the opener! Workout. Uh Huh is great and so are the others. A great version of Three Coins In A Fountain is in order and a Mobley original, Greesin Easy swings! If you love great swinging melodic 1950's and early 60's modern jazz on Blue Note, you'll love this wonderful album!

my first mobley album
Great playing from this underappreciated tenor.Yes, this session is perhaps another blue note blowing session with not much in the way of memorable tunes....although the soloist are strong enough that you just don't care.I first heard this recording about 15 years ago ( my first exposure to Mobley ) and am glad this has been put out on CD.I have a good number of Mobley discs in my collection and this as well as Roll Call are my favorites.

Smoothe Soulful Classic!!!!!!!!!!
This is a classic album, but yet so rare. I was surprised to see it in my local Barnes And Noble inventory, but I picked it up just before all their copies of it dissapeared. I'm glad I did. I bought this album specifically for the appearence of drummer Philly Joe Jones. And he didnt let me down, but all the other musicians also shine here. Hank Mobley, perfect tenor sound. Not too harsh, not too mellow, but rather a mixture of both. He also writes great compisitions. Guitarist, Grant Green, appeared on so many Blue Note albums, and was so melodic and imaginative. His improvisations are epivitol! Wynton Kelly, around the time of this recording was with Miles Davis and Wes Montgomery. But he does sme wonderful stuff here! Paul Chambers and Philly Jones, who were on so many beautiful recordings together, are here to. Philly does some great grooves and solos here. The best track on here is the opener! Workout. Uh Huh is great and so are the others. A great version of Three Coins In A Fountain is in order and a Mobley original, Greesin Easy swings! If you love great swinging melodic 1950's and early 60's modern jazz on Blue Note, you'll love this wonderful album! ... Read more

Asin: B000005HC9
Subjects:  1. Hard Bop    2. Jazz    3. Pop    4. Saxophone   

Dying in Stereo
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (03 June, 2003)
list price: $7.98 -- our price: $7.98
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Features

• Enhanced

Reviews (48)

Infectious fun
I got into Northern State's All City a while back and, while I really dug what they were trying to do and initially enjoyed the album a lot, it was one of those rare albums that diminished with subsequent listens. Not that I hate, or even dislike it - it's just that something about it began to strike me, more and more, as off.

And, finally checking out their debut, I've got more of a feel for what was rubbing me the wrong way.Because Dying in Stereo?Is really, really good.It's fun.It's smart.And it's got this feel to it, that's sort of indescribable.But I'll take a shot at it anyway.

I listen to a lot of old, obscure, psych-rock fromthe 60's/70's.The sort of albums that came out in pressings of 100 and then vanished forever.And, listening to this stuff, there's this frantic energy, a sense that, even if the band isn't totally technically proficient in what they're doing, that they're doing it with this sincerity.This realness.You can hear the same thing in some early LA punk - the Germs for one.Or in early Can.

And I get that same feeling from Dying in Stereo.Yeah, the beats are basic (though not at all bad, just simple).And yeah, the rhyme patterns owe a hell of a lot to early Beastie Boys.(The lyrics, naysayers below aside, are really very good indeed.Rather different subject matter than a lot of hip-hop, and it's pretty damned refreshing.) And yeah, the three are obviously white girls from NYC.But there's this same sincerity, this realness, coming through that gives the whole thing an infectious sense of energy and fun.

And that, I think, is what was missing from All City.And I'm hoping that, now that Northern State's made it past their sophomore album, that they'll return to the infectious fun of Dying in Stereo.Which, if you hadn't realized already, is a great album that I love to death.Approach it with an open mind and you'll dig.

I don't know what the other reviewers problems are.
i suggest picking up this album or at least listening to it a time or two. Like the other guys said the lyrics aren't for your normal rap listener, the lyrics are more mature, the beat has it's own flavor but the best thing of all is there original and thats something alot of rappers can't claim. Anyway away from my rant i say pick this up if you like something with a good beat, good lyrics and something original.

Rap Poison
How can these three girls with absolutely no talent and no looks become popular? I checked them out after reading a newspaper article about them, and they sound like other four white Spice Girls trying to be black.
To that guy who said this CD isnt the atrocity that people say it is, it isn't, it's so much worse. They carry the same tired beat in every song and their lyrics are the worst I have ever heard. The worst thing about them is that when they try to sing they sound worse than when they rap!!! Buy this album if you want a good joke. ... Read more

Asin: B00009EIOG
Sales Rank: 91323
Subjects:  1. Alternative Rap    2. Hip-Hop    3. Pop    4. Rock