Reviews (1)

Recommended
Lots of fun, and even though it's mostly live recordings the recording quality is quite good.A wonderful "first CD" for the fledgling cabaret enthusiast. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Bop    2. Cabaret    3. Cast Collections    4. Cool    5. Hard Bop    6. Original Cast Recordings    7. Pop    8. Pop Vocals    9. Post-Bop    10. Show Tunes    11. Standards    12. Swing    13. Traditional Pop    14. Vocal Jazz    15. Vocal Pop   

Editorial Review

Barbara Cook is the epitome of the cabaret diva. A star on Broadway from the '50s through to the '70s (she still owns the role of Marian the Librarian in Read more

Features

• Live

Reviews (9)

Great Singer & Great Collaborators
Barbara Cook is sensational and everyone seems to agree.The songs are well known which usually is a negative for me, but anything sung by Ms. Cook seems fresh (So nice to hear "They Were You" sung straight and so beautifully).But the best aspect of the recording for me is to hear Ms. Cook and Mr. Harper in their "natural habitat", they seem so relaxed and the crowd (if the Carlyle can be said to hold a "crowd") reaction is great.I've been lucky enough to see Ms. Cook and Mr. Harper many times at the Carlyle.My favorite rememberance was during a rare flub of a verse by Ms. Cook which elicited a loud, short "HA!" from Wally.The smile and look from Ms. Cook to her long-time accompianist was worth the price of admission.This CD captures for me that kind of comfort and relaxed elegance and excellence that make this duo so pleasurable.

Barbara Returns to Broadway (No, The Other Barbara!)
Another CD of Barbara Cook's that we can rave over! However, this one is different in many repects. On "The Champion Season..." we get a rare glimpse of Barbara's joy in celebrating Broadway musicals that canonly be captured on a live recording. Her other live CD's are gorgeouslysung but this one is exhuberant and full of fun and whimsy. Here Barbaralets her voice soar in music she clearly adores. She engages all ouremotions in this heartfelt and fitting tribute to a very talented man-GowerChampion. A particular favorite track of mine is (#10), I Got Lost in HisArms/Time Heals Everything). This CD is the next best thing to seeingBarbara live! A precious gem of a recording!

THE CHAMPION SEASON: LIVE AT THE CAFE CARLYLE
THIS BRILLIANT , SHINING STAR NAMED BARBARA COOK DOES IT AGAIN !HOW LUCKY US MERE MORTALS ARE TO HAVE HER RADIANCE HERE WITH US ON THIS PLANET ! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Nostalgia    2. Pop    3. Pop Vocals    4. Popular Music    5. Show Tunes    6. Vocal   

Reviews (1)

How touching. Moves you to contemplate in silence...
It is so impressive that I could find no other reviews about this album. But it is equally impressive that it is not better known. I just got a copy of it from a friend. He sent it to us in the midst of our grief for the passing of my father less than a month ago. When we popped it in the player, we could only hold our breaths and feel as if a musical prayer was being sung for him.
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Subjects:  1. Chamber Pop    2. Electronic    3. Pop    4. Rock    5. Torch Songs    6. Vocal Jazz    7. Vocal Pop   

Editorial Review

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Features

• Live

Reviews (6)

utei really like her
ute.....i really like nearly everything you do...your singling is
Sing the Song, Ute!
I was once an Ute Lemper fan - liked her early CDs and enjoyed her in "Chicago" on Broadway - until she developed that tiresome habit some singers develop of departing from the song as it was written by the composer and lyricist. I call it "star-knows-best syndrome".
Weill, Ebb, and Van Morrison, oh my! Buy it NOW!
`blood & feathers', a recording of a live Ute Lemper performance at New York City's Caf� Carlyle is easily one of Fraulein Lemper's most enjoyable albums, a fact over which I could not be more happy, as Ms. Lemper has been my favorite vocalist for the last several years, ever since Barbra Streisand went into semi-retirement and stopped doing `interesting' material on which she based her early career.
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Subjects:  1. Cabaret    2. Germany    3. Pop    4. Pop Vocals    5. Show Tunes    6. Vocal   

Editorial Review

Jazz fans who complain about not hearing enough jazz in Cassandra Wilson's eclectic sound, which has increasingly tilted toward pop and blues, will find ample rewards in this collection of her (relatively) straight-ahead efforts from the late '80s. Drawing from four albums for the JMT label, it charts her steady growth away from Brooklyn's electric, funk-based M-Base school and into an earthier, more personal approach. Going to school herself on Betty Carter's elastic time feel and unhurried rhythms, she avoids predictability on songs such as "'Round Midnight" and a wordless rendering of Billy Strayhorn's "Chelsea Bridge." There's less interest in her handling of earlier standards such as "I'm Old Fashioned" and "Blue Skies," which lack depth, but never any lack of attractiveness. Read more

Reviews (6)

Alright
For some reason I expected more from this CD.It doesn't particuarly stand out to me when I play it.

5 stars!!! (but i got a crush on her, so what do i know?!?!)
i didnt purchase this lookin for perfection and i didnt buy this so i could compare her versions to those recorded by others, i just like her style and i wanted to hear her earlier stuff... and i have no regrets... classic material handled by a great voice... this is not the disc for new fans, just true fans mostly. if you are just now tryin to find out what ms. wilson is about then, 'new moon daughter', 'belly of the sun' & 'blue light til dawn' are the ones to own!!!

Needs to be remixed!
This Verve release has the potential of being a pleasure to listen to, but the reverb on Cassandra's voice muddies her articulate style. The vocals are also hard to hear over the other instruments.The method in which Cassandra performs these standards is an enjoyable and refreshing approach.Buy it when the remix comes out! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Jazz    2. Jazz Music    3. Pop   

Features

• Limited Edition
• Import

Reviews (4)

10 Brel Treasures among 34 Songs
This is a great 2-CD set of 34 songs containing 10 of Brel's best ever.If you need translations, you might also buy Infiniment (B0002PUHGU), a 2-CD set of 40 songs containing abridged translations by Amazon.com reviewer Thelma F. Blitz for all 40, including 24 of the 34 songs on "Jacques Brel [Limited Edition]." 7 of Jacques Brel [Limited Edition]'s top 10 songs are translated in the Infiniment liner notes.
Must have it!
This is what you get, if you wish to learn about Brel! This is one of the best collections there are available, with Brel's classics such as breath-taking Amsterdam, La chanson des vieux amants - absolutely one of the most beautiful and yet realistic songs in the world -, La Fanette, Les bourgeois, Quand on n'a que l'amour... Unfortunately Ne me quitte pas is not the best known nor the best version, in my opinion. But the song is beautiful in any way he sings it. However, if you want to hear the most powerful and touching version of it, it's on the live recording made in Olympia 1961. Les Marquises
In 1975 Brel followed the earlier example of Paul Gauguin and settled at Atuona on the island of Hiva Oa in the remote Marquesas Islands group of French Polynesia in the South Pacific. Three years later Brel passed away and was buried in the town cemetery a few steps from Gauguin. Brel's 1977 song "Les Marquises" included on this album has become almost an anthem of the island: "Veux-tu que je te dise gemir n'est pas de mis, Aux Marquises". Listener take care, many have been drawn on pilgrimages to the legendary South Seas by the haunting sounds of this little masterpiece. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Belgium    2. Cabaret    3. France    4. French Pop    5. Int'l & World Music    6. Pop    7. World Music   

Features

Reviews (18)

Burning....
Julie Dexter's Peace Of Mind is an excellent EP.Seven Songs deep there is no room for filler here.Now I don't know too much of the background on her and pretty much bought the album on a whim but it was a great decision.There's something other-worldly about Miss Julie Dexter.Her songs are filled with that different kind of soul and originality.It's definitely music to play when you are chilling with your significant other...ya know nothing to aggressive but not sleep inducing either.If you want some real soul to digest than I definitely suggest this EP.No need to name the best songs...they are all great.Invest today in this hidden goldmine.

It's definitely a 5 star CD!!!
Now this is a real surprise! I was recommended her CD by Amazon and it completely blew me away! Even though it's only around 20 something minutes in length, all of the songs are quality and beautiful. There's really nothing you can say bad about the songs that are on here. "Peace of Mind" is an absolute gem. "Ketch a Vibe" and "Burning" are masterpieces as well. All of the songs are nice and Jazzy and a little bit of Reggae flavor can be heard on 2 of the tracks. If you like R&B, there is no reason this CD shouldn't be in your collection. One of the reviewers said because of it's length, they wouldn't give it 5 stars. However, when a CD full of great songs come along like this, you have to call it like you see it. ... This is a reason to always take a look at what Amazon recommends for you!

Pleasantly surprised
Sometimes the reviews in Amazon are better than the music. I was very pleased that I took a chance on this EP. I would never have bought this unless Amazon had suggested it.Well, it was great. Now we want a full album! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Cabaret    2. Futuristic British soul with hints of Jill Scott, Sade, and Erykah Badu    3. Jazz Music    4. Pop    5. R&B    6. Soul-Jazz    7. Soul/R & B   

Editorial Review

We've called them torch singers, divas, chanteuses, and the First Ladies of American Song. And as the contemporary, Grammy-bedecked ascent of Norah Jones (who appears here with Charlie Hunter) attests, these ladies who sing the blues continue to reinterpret a tradition rooted in the blues, yet steeped in songcraft that spans jazz, pop, and even rock. This double-disc, 26-track collection spans a half-century-plus and offers up not only a tantalizing introduction to legends and pioneers (including Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan, Della Reese, Etta James, Lena Horne) and an equally rich body of song standards, but also chronicles how an originally largely black heritage in effect became the pop mainstream in the '40s and '50s (and beyond) via the work of singers like Dinah Shore, Kay Starr, June Christy, Peggy Lee and Julie London. It's also a testament to how vital that legacy remains, with Jones' own Brazilian-inflected cover of Bryan Ferry's "More Than This" and Patricia Barber's spare, sultry '90s read of "The Thrill Is Gone" but two strong examples of the set's expansive scope. It's a compelling sampler and the best kind of musical appetizer: One that leaves you craving more. Read more

Reviews (6)

The Same Lady Sings the Blues
Altho the disk spans 50 years of torch singing, it amazed me how all these ladies sound the same.Only Etta James stands out with some life in her voice, everyone else is so so smooth I lose track of who is singing.

Relax with the Ladies!
This is a very nice cd.The contributions by Norah Jones and Patricia Barber alone are well worth the price.Where is Tierney Sutton?!

nice
Wow these womens voice can sound as deep as the ocean to as high as the everlasting sky. Each song & singer is fantastic! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Ballads    2. Blues    3. Blues Collections    4. Pop    5. Popular Music    6. Standards    7. Torch Songs    8. Traditional Pop    9. V/A Compilations    10. Vocal Jazz   

Features

• DualDisc

Reviews (4)

Very Unhappy
I'm totally unhappy with this CD for the simple reason that I can't play it.There was no mention that I saw that the CD might not work on my CD player.VERY displeased.

Can't get enough of this woman!!!
I must start off by telling you how I discovered Nina...I remembr back in '92 when Whitney Houston sang a medley of I Loves You Porgy/And I'm Telling You/I Have Nothing on the American Music Awards(I'm am a die hard Whitney fan, by the way)..I've always wanted to hear Nina's version...I discovered it 3 months ago...I was utterly speechless..I was expecting her voice to be similiar to how Whitney sounded when she sang it...Her voice was soo deep and rich and gorgeous, it was unbelieveable...I pressed replay soo many times it was ridicoulous...LOL
The Soul of Nina Simone
As a fan who is "growing" my Nina Simone collection, this disc was and absolute must buy for me.Not only does the audio side contain a few of my favorite songs like: FEELING GOOD, THE LOOK OF LOVE, I GET ALONG WITHOUT YOU VERY WELL, DON'T LET ME BE MISUNDERSTOOD & I THINK IT'S GOING TO RAIN TODAY.But it also includes songs that I had never heard before like SINCE I FELL FOR YOU & THE PORGY & BESS MEDLEY.
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Subjects:  1. Ballads    2. Jazz    3. Jazz Vocals    4. Pop    5. Standards    6. Torch Songs    7. United States of America    8. Vocal Jazz   

Features

• Enhanced
• Live
• Import

Subjects:  1. Cabaret    2. France    3. French    4. Int'l & World Music    5. Pop    6. Traditional Pop    7. Vocal Pop    8. World Music   

Reviews (1)

charles aznavour sus mas grandes exitos
I've listening to Charles Aznavour music since I was very young.Now, that I am older I am still listening to him and I am ejoying the songs as I did twenty years ago.I will never get tired of this singer. In every language that he has sang, all the songs are beautiful. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. French    2. Latin    3. Latin Music    4. Latin Pop   

Features

• Import

Reviews (2)

They almost nailed it
On her mid to late 1960s recordings, Marianne Faithfull's voice was at times so delicate that Michelle Phillips' voice sounded positively robust by comparison. But that's one of the reasons Ms. Faithfull's early work was (and remains) so endearing. The other reasons? One, she possessed talent right from the start. Two, she and her producers selected songs perfectly suited to her style and range. And three, the production values (notably the musicianship, the background vocals and the arrangements) were first-rate.
If you love Marianne Faithfull's folk early days, this is it
If you're looking for "Sister Morphine" "Eyes of Lucy Jordan" or any later remakes of Faithfull's early works this is not the place to find them! All of these are during the period of time when her voice was young, fresh and at times operatic.This includes her folk pieces for the "hard-core" folk listener but also lovely covers of things I never realized she even did that others took to more recognized heights.
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Subjects:  1. Adult Alternative Pop/Rock    2. British Invasion    3. Cabaret    4. England    5. Girl Group    6. Rock    7. Rock/Pop   

Editorial Review

This box set earns the "deluxe" designation not only because of its handsome packaging, insightful essays by Holiday scholars, and testimonials from the likes of Tony Bennett, Sonny Rollins, and Etta James, but also because of the vastly improved remastered sound that makes Read more

Features

• Box set
• Original recording remastered

Reviews (19)

If there is a "must", this is it
I have listened to this music my whole life long, from the early 10"LPs on, and I already had 4 different reissues on CD of Lady Day OK & Columbia recordings, but - friends - what these guys have done is an incredible sound improvement, quite different from previous CDs & LPs. And the package is almost perfect, just like an old 78s album. Do not worry too much about what other friends have written, the sleeves beeing too tight and so on: you just have to be a little careful. Had I to stay on the famous lonely island, this is the jazz album I would need to have with me!

ART!
Giving this release less than 5 stars is just irresponsible. These sides are beyond critiscm, they are part of the legacy of the human spirit. Yes, there are cheaper imports, but those are rip offs. This time Columbia did a great job and they deserve your hard earned money. Of course, it would be nice that 10 copies of this were sent to every library in the country, I cant think of a better way to improve jazz apreciation in this country.

Just the most essential music of the 20th century
I would need much much more than a thousand words to tell you about my feelings related to this sublime music.How many times I cried listening to some tunes,or was feeling incredibly high and happy listening to other ones.Read more

Subjects:  1. Ballads    2. Box Sets (Audio Only)    3. Classic Female Blues    4. Jazz    5. Jazz Music    6. Jazz Vocals    7. Pop    8. Standards    9. Swing    10. Torch Songs    11. Traditional Pop    12. United States of America    13. Vocal Jazz   

Editorial Review

With her combination of jazzy cool and kittenish charm, it's probably safeto say that JessicaMolaskey has entered the realm of "phone book singers," i.e., those whoyou'd pay to hear vocalizing anything.As anyone who remembers her "Stars and the Moon" from Jason Robert Brown's Read more

Reviews (8)

A sweet delight!!
Recently I had the pleasure of listening to this marvelous CD at work.Ms. Molaskey is a recent discovery of mine (though I have been well acquainted with the music of her equally talented spouse, Mr. Pizzarelli) and the song selection, arrangements, etc. are first-rate.A sweet treat to these ears!

Very Good!
One can tell this is an experienced theatre singer.Her pizazz shows through on every song.Very cool CD.Jessica is as smooth as silk, a performer you just have to hear!
Wonderful Surprise
I was not aware of Jessica, and only found her as result of other Amazon reviews, and what a terrific surprise.Wonderful sound and wonderful standards.I have since purchased 4 more of her CDs. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. American Popular Song    2. Nostalgia    3. Pop    4. Pop Vocals    5. Show Tunes    6. Standards    7. Torch Songs    8. Vocal   

Features

• Import

Reviews (1)

Classics!
No wonder this woman is a legend!She's got her unique way of interpreting songs and her bilingualism adds to this collection of songs. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Cabaret    2. Pop    3. Traditional Pop    4. V/a Compilations    5. World Music   

Reviews (15)

My favorite CD for jazz standards
I absolutely love this CD. I've had it for years and never get bored of it. Not only are they terrific songs, they are wonderful performances by the great vocalists of that time. I really enjoy buying jazz cds with various artists because I can sample new artists. After buying this CD I went on to buy music byJulie London, Eartha Kitt, and the list goes on. Great standards and great performance - the way these songs should be sung! Cry Me a River and Black Coffee - my favorites!
Blankets of Nostalgic Bliss
Can you hear the soothing rawness of the needle landing on the vinyl? Can you smell the rich ruby lip rouge seducing the sound stage?Can you see the swaying sirens blessed with longing lungs and forelorn hearts?Here you have Edith Piaf and Etta James, the songs Cry Me a River and Smoke Gets In Your Eyes. This collection sealed my arrival to true womanhood and music lover land.Listening to these ladies, true Torch Singers, I felt transported back to the hallways of my parents' high schools and my grandparents' parlour rooms.The biographical writings contained in the CD jacket makes for good reading as a luxe bonus. I've had this tremendous collections for years now but all that currently remains is the gorgeous CD cover, so I'm putting a freshly sealed copy in my shopping cart, as should you.Bought during a strange Eartha Kitt fixation, this CD offers a wealth of long satisfying listening pleasures. Run a bath on a rainy day or take a stroll through a fresh snowfall.Whatever ambient escape you desire, this auric interlude will warm you with blankets of nostalgic bliss.

Soft . . . Soulful . . . Sighing . . . orSad .
This review relates to the musical CD, "Sirens of Song:Read more

Subjects:  1. 40's    2. 50's    3. Ballads    4. Bop    5. Pop    6. Pop Vocals    7. Pop/Rock    8. Popular Music    9. R&B    10. Show Tunes    11. Soft Rock    12. Standards    13. Swing    14. Torch Songs    15. Traditional Pop    16. Vocal Collections    17. Vocal Jazz    18. Vocal Pop   

Reviews (3)

The man next door!
This is Charles Aznavour's own description for himself. The artist personifying the man and even praise him. Aznavour is distant to be an arrogant, insincere, immodesty human being. His agreeable character has allowed him to remain in stage for several generations.
JAZZ AND DOOMED LOVE
The two sides of CHARLES AZNAVOUR are well represented here in these two originals LPS of 1964.Jazz oriented songs alterns the love songs who have become a trademark for AZNAVOUR, who favours anguish type of love songs of which he had by then become a master.After years of struggling,first in the shadow of EDITH PIAF(he was once her chauffeur),and then the target of critics who did not accept his character,AZNAVOUR has deserved his reputation in the eyes of his fans.Many songs like HIER ENCORE and A MA FILLE among others, are forever associated with him.

Better than Sinatra
It's very hard to get Charles Aznavour CDs in the shops here, so when I heard a radio programme about him last year, I searched in vain, and then finally turned to Amazon. Read more

Subjects:  1. Cabaret    2. Classical    3. French    4. Int'l & World Music    5. Popular Music   

Features

• Import

Subjects:  1. Cabaret    2. France    3. French    4. French Pop    5. Int'l & World Music    6. Italian Folk    7. Italian Pop    8. Italy    9. Pop    10. Vocal Pop    11. World Music   

Subjects:  1. Ballads    2. Jazz    3. Pop    4. Torch Songs   

Features

• Import

Reviews (7)

Encore plus de Becaud
this is a great collection, but Pete from Leicester is right: "Encore plus de Becaud" is a bit more interesting to the true collector. Pete is mistaken however, about the cover art. although clearly from the same shoot, the positioning of Becaud's body is different: the legs are extended fully, feet toes up.

Gilbert Becaud 100 Chansons d'Or
Becaud, started as a piano player for Edith Piaf; she encouraged him to sing and he did.He was surnamed " Mr. 100Volts " as he displayed such energy both in the studio and his live shows was written : He pulverizes his audience, he did back flips in the piano once one breaking and hurting audience, but nothing serious.
French singer-songwriter left a wonderful legacy
Gilbert Becaud began his career in the early fifties and was still having big hits occasionally in the eighties in his native France. This 20-track compilation scarcely does justice to him, but it includes all the essentials and will suffice for most people. In France, there is also a 37-track double CD (Encore plus de Becaud) with identical front cover artwork, containing all the songs included here plus 17 others, for those that want to dig a little deeper. Among the extra tracks on that collection is Mustapha Dupont, a controversial song about immigrants.
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Subjects:  1. Cabaret    2. French Pop    3. Int'l & World Music    4. Italy    5. Pop    6. World Music