Birthday Concert [Live]

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
In a world where Celine Dion passes for a diva, Shirley Bassey's Birthday Concert--celebrating her 60th--arrives to remind us how it's really done. Sharing in-jokes with a noisily appreciative crowd while never letting anyone forget who's boss, the Welsh-born singer torches (and occasionally flame-throws) her way through a songbook including "Big Spender," "The Lady Is a Tramp," "Diamonds Are Forever" (but, alas, no "Goldfinger"), and a series of I-will-survive anthems ("I Am What I Am"). She's still big: it's the discs that got small. --Rickey Wright

Tracks:

Grits Ain't Groceries
Jacksboro Highway
Southside Story
Kids Got The Blues
Dirty Water
Somebody's Acting Like A Child
Blues For The Lost Days
Walking On Sunset
Oh, Pretty Woman
No Big Hurry

Tracks:

Please Mr. Lofton
Hideaway
All Your Love
Have You Heard
Hoochie Coochie Man
I'm Tore Down
It Ain't Right
California
Talk To Your Daughter

Customer Reviews:

RICK SHAQ GOLDSTEIN SAYS: "HAPPY 70TH BIRTHDAY, YOU MUST HAVE BEEN SOMETHING IN YOUR 30'S!".......2007-01-27

John Mayall's salad days back in the sixties were before my blues days. As the years went on, I had heard his name, but never associated him with any specific music. When I picked this up about 2 years ago, I was impressed historically, with the information he gave me in my quest for full understanding of the blues. For an electric blues fanatic, like myself, the short comments, John would make at the beginning of some of the songs, added to my knowledge of the early days of electric blues in Europe, and the impact of some of my idols like "Albert King", who John discussed in complimentary tones. John's voice at 70 was not blessed like the rocket fueled 70 year old voice of my man "Buddy Guy", but it's still pretty impressive for a man of that age. This is a 2 CD set so you get your money's worth. The way I break down my reason for a rating of 4 is thus: The music quality itself is 3 stars, the historical info adds ½ a star, and the fact that he's 70 years old, adds another ½ star, for a total of 4 stars.

just great - any blues fan will love this.......2007-01-19

Unbelievable energy - excellent sound - terrific playing by all - Buddy Whittington outguns Clapton - just great all the way thru. It is clear that all the players and audience love the guy on his 70th. He is having fun - thank goodness for John Mayall!

Stinky Blues.......2006-07-21

I own quite a few Mayall albums over the years and I must say that this one is a stinker. The tunes are wornout and sour-pussed. Mayall is 70 going on 99. His armpits are too sweaty to play properly. Upon hearing this lame attempt at music I wondered how this old man even managed to stand up for the entire performance. My bet is that it was two or three or maybe even five nights of performances whittled down to this gunk. Sometimes I wondered if Mayall was even on the album. Just [...]

Clapton a Disappointment.......2005-06-26

Eric Clapton is either the most hard headed guitarist on the face of the planet....or he just doesn't have a clue! What a fantastic opportunity, on Mayall's 70th birthday celebration, for him to break out his Gibson Les Paul and let us hear some of the old guitar tones and songs from the old Bluesbreakers LP that changed the face of blues/rock guitar back in the late 60's! This CD is ok, but could have been a milestone in blues/rock history.. Any Mayall fan will know what I mean. This was a great opportunity missed.

Best live performance I have ever seen.......2005-04-01

Let's make a long story short--yes I definetely am a BIG John Mayall fan--this is the best Live Show I have ever seen- think of how complex Mayalls Music is, --more then just Jazz--Thanks for all, DR. John Mayall

Average customer rating:

Ella & Rome: Perfect Together
Life begins at forty !!!
Stellar
Ella in Rome:The Birthday Concert
Ella celebrates her 40th birthday, and we get the present.

Ella in Rome: The Birthday Concert
Ella Fitzgerald
Manufacturer: Polygram Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Mack the Knife: The Complete Ella in Berlin
Ella Returns to Berlin
Clap Hands, Here Comes Charlie!
Like Someone in Love
The Stockholm Concert, 1966

ASIN: B00000477L
Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

Introduction (In Italian) - Norman Granz
St. Louis Blues
These Foolish Things (Remind Me Of You)
Just Squeeze Me
Angel Eyes
That Old Black Magic
Just One Of Those Things
I Loves You Porgy
It's All Right With Me
I Can't Give You Anything But Love
Introduction (In Italian) - Norman Granz
When You're Smiling (The Whole World Smiles With You)
A Foggy Day
Midnight Sun
The Lady Is A Tramp
Sophisticated Lady
Caravan
Stompin' At The Savoy

Amazon.com essential recording

This live recording captures an exceptional performance from 1958, with a broad selection of standards that digs into the Songbooks that Ella Fitzgerald was then immersed in. Duke Ellington is prominent in the repertoire, with versions of "Sophisticated Lady" and "Caravan," as well as the lesser-known "Just Squeeze Me." There are nods as well to George and Ira Gershwin, with "A Foggy Day" and "I Loves You, Porgy," and Cole Porter, with Fitzgerald soaring on "Just One of Those Things" and "It's All Right with Me." The accompaniment is both perfectly supportive and unobtrusive, with Ella's working trio of Lou Levy on piano, Max Bennett on bass, and Gus Johnson on drums supplying just what's needed on ballads and up-tempo swing tunes alike. The birthday party ends with Oscar Peterson, Ray Brown, and Herb Ellis joining Fitzgerald and Johnson for a high-spirited "Stompin' at the Savoy." --Stuart Broomer

Customer Reviews:

Ella & Rome: Perfect Together.......2007-03-15

This is almost the same set as the Ella in Berlin concert recorded a year earlier, and you can tell the band's been playing together for awhile--they really cook, especially with the addition of Oscar Peterson. Ella's celebrating her 40th birthday, and truly has never sounded better. Ella in concert is amazing, and this one may be her best--this is definitely a must-own disk. It don't get much better than this, folks!

Life begins at forty !!!.......2007-02-20

Ella Fitzgerald performed live in Rome on what was actually her 41st birthday and this CD beautifully recreates the excitement and joy of her performance. The sound is very good and Ella's vocal range by 1958 had matured into a deeper and even more sensual sound than ever before. This live concert also allows us to hear audience responses to Ella as she sang; and it is a gift to hear Ella's strong rapport with her audience.

The CD begins with the happiest rendition of "St. Louis Blues" I've ever heard. Ella sings, scats and romps through this number which boasts an excellent musical arrangement. "These Foolish Things (Remind Me Of You)" follows the opening number; and Ella's voice imparts a special intimacy as she performs this romantic ballad. Ella does an excellent job with the melancholy "Angel Eyes" as well; the percussion arrangement with the piano played by Lou Levy enhances the haunting beauty of "Angel Eyes."

Ella delivers a rousing rendition of "That Old Black Magic" written by the incomparable Harold Arlen and Johnny Mercer. Ella sings of someone she loves so much that her head spins with the passion she feels for her beloved. "Just One Of Those Things," written by Cole Porter, offers Ella the chance to sing a rarely performed opening verse. Watch out after that verse, though--Ella dives straight into this number to give it a passionate feel that few singers ever could. "I Loves You Porgy" sports a beautiful arrangement as Ella delivers this with great sensitivity.

The first part of Ella's concert ends with a sublime jazz flavored rendition of "I Can't Give You Anything But Love" by Dorothy Fields and Jimmy McHugh. This remarkable number features Ella doing impressions of Rose Murphy's "Chi Chi" style and Ella works in a reference to Elvis, too! The best impression on this track, however, is Ella's impression of Louis Armstrong; and the audience goes wild when Ella does this so unexpectedly!

The second act of Ella's concert opens with "When You're Smiling (The Whole World Smiles With You)" written by Mark Fisher, Joe Goodwin and Larry Shay. The jazz arrangement stuns you with its potency and leaves you wanting more. You do get more, too: Ella performs "A Foggy Day" by George and Ira Gershwin; The Lady Is A Tramp" by Rodgers and Hart and "Sophisticated Lady," too.

The finale is guaranteed to blow you away. The Oscar Peterson Trio takes over to accompany Ella on a whopping, joyful rendition of "Stompin' At The Savoy." "Stompin' At The Savoy" begins rather traditionally but Ella and The Oscar Peterson Trio jam hard and strong. Listen for Oscar's piano incredible playing; and Ella scats amazingly well! This closes the CD on a strong note and the ecstatic audience reaction proves it.

The liner notes include the song credits and Phil Schaap contributes a fine essay about Ella as well. Congratulations to the Amazon reviewer who correctly notes that Ella turned 41, not 40, on the day of this concert. A simple Internet search proves it.

I could say that when they made Ella they broke the mold. The truth, however, is that there could never have been a mold good enough to make Ella. She gave us her best throughout her entire career; and her contributions to the arts will always deserve special merit and gratitude from the entire world over and over again. Ella fans will thrill to this CD and people who enjoy classic pop vocals performed with quality jazz arrangements will cheer as they listen to this album. If you like this album I recommend other Ella CDs including The Complete Ella in Berlin: Mack the Knife and The Stockholm Concert, 1966.

Stellar.......2006-03-09

A stellar Ella in Roma. Breathtaking as she displays her range to an awstruck audience whilst taking them for a visit to all the classics that make American Jazz the best in the world.

Ella in Rome:The Birthday Concert.......2006-02-24

This is one of my favorite CDs. Not only is Ella great as usual, but Lou Levy on piano and Max Bennett on bass accompany her. "Old Black Magic" and "It's All Right with me" are particularly good. Lou and Max worked with Peggy Lee for seven years until she took a year off and Ella picked them up to tour Europe with her.Oscar Peterson and his trio opened for Ella on this tour and on the last number on this CD, Oscar and bassist Ray Brown join her....an added treat.

Ella celebrates her 40th birthday, and we get the present........2005-02-14

Celebrating her Big 40 in Rome in April, 1958, Ella Fitzgerald recorded this concert with her longtime trio of Lou Levy on piano, Max Bennett on bass, and Gus Johnson on drums. As always, they remain in the background, keeping their accompaniments simple so that Ella can soar with the material which made her famous. All the songs on this CD, which are standards of her repertoire, will sound familiar to her fans, so don't expect to discover new songs. She is doing here what she has always done--singing with perfect diction, wonderful control, sensitive pacing, and remarkable interpretation in blues, scat, and swing styles.

The album starts and ends with a bang. "St. Louis Blues," six minutes long, gets the audience going as she wails, swings, and scats to an uptempo beat, with cymbals getting a workout from the percussionist. The final song, "Stompin' at the Savoy," a wonderful seven minutes long, brings in Oscar Peterson, Herb Ellis, Ray Brown, and Gus Johnson. Here she relaxes, audibly giggles, sings with a smile in her voice, and gives Peterson a solo. In between these, two songs stand out for me: "Angel Eyes," sung as a bluesy ballad, is full of pathos and emotion, while "I Loves You, Porgy" gets a slower, more contemplative treatment than usual, as she draws attention to the words and begs Porgy to allow her to stay.

A wonderful Fitzgerald album containing some of her best songs, this recording was made when Ella was at the height of her powers, her voice and control allowing her to do anything she wanted to do. Almost fifty years later, the music is still fresh and fun to listen to, and those fans looking to fill in their collection will find this a wonderful cross-section of her styles and most requested songs. Mary Whipple

Sunset and the Mockingbird: The Birthday Concert

Average customer rating:

Beauty !
happy anniversary Tommy Flanagan !
Here I Am, Bird.
A fine live performance
marginal fidelity

Sunset and the Mockingbird: The Birthday Concert
Tommy Flanagan
Manufacturer: Blue Note Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Sea Changes
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Something Borrowed Something Blue
Overseas
Lady Be Good...For Ella

ASIN: B000009RNX
Release Date: 1998-08-25

Tracks:

Birdsong
With Malice Toward None
Let's
I Waited For You
Tin Tin Deo
Sunset And The Mockingbird
The Balanced Scales/The Cupbearers
Good Night My Love

Customer Reviews:

Beauty !.......2003-08-14

I am not a Tommy Flanagan expert- but I have recently fallen in love with his music. This CD captures him certainly at an inspired time and also his drummer and bassist follow him very well, to say the least.

This CD will offer a variety of moods- humor, happiness, tenderness, and more...

Not much else needs to be said, but i might as well mention that the sound quality is good, the CD is over an hour long, and Tommy knows how to play the piano with both of his hands- which is rare.

Also, I absolutely love the songs Tin Tin Deo, Sunset and the Mockingbird, and Malice Towards None. The others are also great.

happy anniversary Tommy Flanagan !.......2001-09-16

On March 16.1997,Tommy Flanagan came to Village Vanguard to celebrate his 67th birthday.The result is this splendid record.This is Flanagan at his very best,beautifully recorded and in outstanding form.Peter Washington plays bass,and Lewis Nash,a great young musician,is the drummer.Tommy Flanagan pays tributes to the great Thad Jones,member of the Jones family with his brothers Elvin and Hank,in two tunes ("birdsong" and "let's"),to Dizzy Gillespie ("tin tin deo" and "I waited for you"),Tom McIntosh ("with malice toward none" and a masterpiece,a medley "the balanced scales/the cupbearers") and of course Duke Ellington,playing one of Duke's rarest tunes,the very emotional "Sunset and the mockingbird",the first movement of Duke's "Queen's suite".What more is there to say? Tommy Flanagan is one of jazz greatest piano players of today, with Hank Jones and Kenny Barron.His playing includes many influences: Teddy Wilson,Bud of course,Hank Jones,MaryLou Williams,Duke and Earl Hines.But he is one of jazz 's most original voices,a real master of his instrument.Every one who was lucky enough to see him on stage knows what I mean.Tommy is a superlative artist, and a beautiful man,simple,sweet,always ready and disponible to talk to you.Each track of this album is a gem, but to me,the highlight of this concert is the last track,a solo effort on the beautiful Mack Gordon tune,"goodnight my love",dedicated by Tommy to his marvelous wife,Diana.Tommy's playing is very reminiscent of Thelonious Monk during this performance.A special thank to the audience who wishes him a happy birthday at the end of the record.

Here I Am, Bird........2000-11-25

To be privileged to be a bird on a wire at a Tommy Flanagan concert is something to remember. This live recording from New York's Birdland is almost as good, recorded as it is on his 67th birthday with a most appreciative audience on hand. Tommy Flanagan is physically perched by the keyboard, gentle yet powerful, a great jazz sight. A robin is a bird and so is an eagle, gentle yet powerful - powerful yet gentle. This set opens with a tuneful melody by a fellow Motor City bird, Thad Jones, and turns and twists into a wonderful example of this Bird in flight. With Lewis Nash and Peter Washington in tuneful, telephatic tandem this becomes a complete collection of works, nodding also towards Tom MacIntosh and the Birks Bird, and the Mockingbird that is Ellington. In the great scheme of things Tommy Flanagan is occasionally overlooked his place in the pecking order of superlative jazz piano stylists, but here's the remedy - buy this album and appreciate his genius. It is a grand and challenging work, and many Happy Returns to the jazzbird that is Tommy Flanagan.

A fine live performance.......1999-12-03

This is a wonderful CD that I seem to never grow tired of. The tracks are at times slow and tender, then shift to a life-affirming, energetic pace. Mr. Flanagan's playing is both witty and playful. It's a nice addition to any collection.

marginal fidelity.......1999-09-19

This CD typifies Flanagan's customary fine artistry, but the fidelity is marginal. Where were the piano mikes?

Average customer rating:

4 1/2 stars?
It's A Great CD
Good Evening!
Great CD
The worlds greatest bass player

The Birthday Concert
Jaco Pastorius
Manufacturer: Warner Bros / Wea
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Word of Mouth
Jaco Pastorius
Invitation
Heavy Weather
8:30

ASIN: B000002MKA
Release Date: 1995-09-26

Tracks:

Soul Intro/The Chicken
Continuum
Invitation
Three Views Of A Secret
Liberty City
Punk Jazz
Happy Birthday
Reza
Domingo
Band Intros
Amerika

Customer Reviews:

4 1/2 stars?.......2007-01-19

I don't understand the reviews of this album. Jaco was an amazing jazz bassist. But he is so overshadowed by all the brass instruments on this album that the end result is painful to listen to. I counted on the CD insert four trumpets, four sax, four trombones, plus a french horn or two. I doubt he was happy with the end result, I hope it didn't add to his life ending pain. Bill M.

It's A Great CD.......2007-01-04

This is a great CD if you like bass guitar playing. I have really enjoyed it!

Good Evening!.......2006-08-22

The live set celebrating the 30th birthday of Jaco Pastorius features band members from each part of his career.

The gig is what one would expect from a band performing before an appreciative audience, and that is what it makes it so special. The solos are great and Jaco's range as a bassist is captured in the nearly 70 minutes of music.

My only criticisim is each song is separated as if recorded in a studio. A live set - especially on CD - should do its best not to edit the way the music was presented to - and the response from - the audience. But that falls on the record company.

The hot rendition of Jaco's classic, Liberty City, is worth the price of the CD. The music is as fresh today as it was back in 1981.

It truly was a good evening!

Great CD.......2005-08-28

Jaco Pastorius is one of the greatest bass players of all time and you would expect his birthday concert to be a great one. from the start you have bob mintzer "sole intro the chicken" (he goes nuts) through to the happy birthday song. This cd has it all

The worlds greatest bass player.......2004-04-09

This is one of my favorite CDs. I never tire of it. Ive loaned it to many friends who love jazz but have never heard of Jaco, without exception they are always amazed by the unique sound. This CD is worth every penny.

Average customer rating:

Evolution
Very Important recording, but sad.
A Fitting Tribute to the Genius of Duke Ellington
Review of Duke Ellington's 70th Birthday Concert
This is Duke at his best

70th Birthday Concert
Duke Ellington
Manufacturer: Blue Note Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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1969: All-Star White House Tribute
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The Intimate Duke Ellington
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Ellington Uptown

ASIN: B000005H06
Release Date: 1995-08-15

Tracks:

Rockin' In Rhythm
B.P.
Take The A Train
Tootie For Cootie
4:30 Blues
El Gato
Black Butterfly
Things Ain't What They Used To Be
Laying On Mellow

Tracks:

Satin Doll
Azure
In Triplicate
Perdido
Fifi
Medley: Prelude To A Kiss/I'm Just A Lucky So And So/I Let A Song Go Out Of My Heart/Do Nothin'....
Black Swan
Final Ellington Speech

Customer Reviews:

Evolution.......2001-01-23

The Duke establishes yet another indelible mark on the jazz world with the release of this stupendous live recording. This concert not only captures the essence of Ellington's artistry; it ultimately reveals to fans the evolution from Duke's primitive, earliest works to the sophisticated, rich arrangements captured here; and evokes an intense aura of energy that is certain to rivet listeners. I have also worn out my LP and am ordering a replacement CD. This is one of the finest jazz recordings you will ever own.

Very Important recording, but sad........2000-07-15

I do love this recording, but only for its historic significance. It is with sad regret that i listened to the concert and realized that Duke and the band at this point were showing a noticable lack of physical health and ability. Paul Gonsalves, although still a very skilled player, just did not have the ability to pull off his classic solo stylings. Many of the other solists showed a similar deterioration. All in all Duke fares the best. This aside i still recommend this recording as it does show the influence of more modern jazz stylings. (i cant say i like the organ playing though) Any serious Ellington fan must buy this CD.

A Fitting Tribute to the Genius of Duke Ellington.......2000-03-19

This Set is Incredible.The Band&Duke are Wonderful.it's a Grand Tribute to one of The Greatest Teachers The Music World Has ever Heard.The Music always sounds so Fresh&Alive.that's The Legacy Of Duke.

Review of Duke Ellington's 70th Birthday Concert.......1999-12-26

This CD not only is an excellent tribute to one of the greatest jazz musicians of all time, but it also is a great CD with some of the best jazz music I ever have heard. Cat Anderson's trumpet ability in "El Gato" is just amazing. His range and volume alone make this CD worth buying. The way be nails double and trible high notes, and how he builds off his melody make for a really exciting trumpet solo.

Billy Strayhorn's "Take the A Train" also is a great song. Besides it being one of the greatest and well known jazz piano songs ever, the version on this CD is the best I have ever heard.

I think that it is important to realize the monumental impact jazz greats like Duke Ellington and Count Basie have had on the jazz world. These men struggled against racism and discrimination and stood out in the crowd. Duke's superior ability had made him a jazz legend, and this CD is basically the best of his work.

Overall, this is a great CD with great takes of great songs. Any jazz fan would love this one - trust me. A great tribute to the father of jazz.

This is Duke at his best.......1998-05-31

This was the last great live recording Duke and his orchestra made prior to his death in 1974. Every one in the band just shines. I wore out my LP and had to buy the CD when it was finally released on that format. happy listening

Average customer rating:

a voice teacher and early music fan
Almost Rutter.....
A must have for John Rutter fans

Feel the Spirit

Manufacturer: Collegium
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Bach: 6 Favourite Cantatas (BWV 147, 80, 140, 8, 51, 78) /Bach Ensemble * Rifkin
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ASIN: B00005NUOD
Release Date: 2001-09-11

Tracks:

Joshua Fit The Battle Of Jericho - Melanie MArshall
Steal Away - Melanie MArshall
I Got A Robe - Melanie MArshall
Sometimes I Feel Like A Motherless Child - Melanie MArshall
Ev'ry Time I Feel The Spirit - Melanie MArshall
Deep River - Melanie MArshall
When The Saints Go Marching In - Melanie MArshall
Live With Me And Be My Love - The Cambridge Singers
When Daffodils Begin To Peer - The Cambridge Singers
It Was A Lover And His Lass - The Cambridge Singers
Spring - The Cambridge Singers
Who Is Silvia - The Cambridge Singers
Fie On Sinful Fantasy - The Cambridge Singers
Hey, Ho, The Wind And The Rain - The Cambridge Singers
The Heavenly Aeroplane - The Cambridge Singers
Lord Of The Dance - The Cambridge Singers
1. It Was A Lover And His Lass - Wayne Marshall
2. Draw On, Sweet Night - Wayne Marshall
3. Come Live With Me - Wayne Marshall
4. My True Love Hath My Heart - Wayne Marshall
5. When Daisies Pied - Wayne Marshall
Skylark - The Cambridge Singers

Amazon.com

John Rutter's Feel the Spirit, for mezzo-soprano, choir, and orchestra, was premiered in June 2001 in Carnegie Hall. Made up of appealing arrangements of familiar spirituals ("Deep River," "When the Saints Go Marchin' In," etc.) in a range of styles (from big-band and the blues to Caribbean and close harmony), it was conceived as a showcase for Melanie Marshall. Her warm, creamy sound is certainly captivating, while the Cambridge Singers are fresh-voiced, flexible, and alert.

Of equal interest are the smaller-scale Songs and Sonnets from Shakespeare from George Shearing and Rutter's Birthday Madrigals, written by Rutter for Shearing's 75th birthday. Both works feature Shakespearean texts, while Rutter also sets other poets of the same period. Plenty to catch the ear here--try Shearing's wistful "Who Is Silvia?" with its naughty take on Schubert, and the delightfully snappy "Fie on sinful fantasy." Rutter's madrigals are just as beguiling, and there in the middle is an example of the kind of introspective number that displays the intriguing other side to his musical personality--a setting of "Draw On Sweet Night" as searching in its own way as John Wilbye's original madrigal. Rutter's direction is exemplary throughout. --Andrew Green

Album Description

Strong, stirring spirituals and tuneful, jazz-flavored settings of Shakespeare's timeless lyrics are the mouth-watering ingredients of the Cambridge Singers' eagerly-awaited new album Feel the Spirit. John Rutter has written vivid new arrangements of seven well-loved American spirituals for choir, with soloist Melanie Marshall and the BBC Concert Orchestra joining with the Cambridge Singers for this world premiere recording. Another notable `first' is jazz legend George Shearing's captivating new cycle of Shakespeare settings, Songs and Sonnets. Those who associate George Shearing with instrumental jazz (and of course with his immortal Lullaby of Birdland) will be astonished and delighted at the youthful charm and skillful word-setting of this 81-year old master's choral writing. The final touch of sparkle is added by Proms favorite Wayne Marshall's piano, with Malcolm Creese on bass. To complete the album, John Rutter's own Birthday Madrigals - written in 1995 to celebrate George Shearing's 75th birthday - also receives their premiere recording.

“…You'd have to be a real killjoy to be able to resist this disc. FIVE STARS!”- BBC Music Magazine

“These luscious arrangements bear repeated listening: orchestrally colorful and playfully witty… a delightful disc. Strongly recommended!” - Gramophone

Customer Reviews:

a voice teacher and early music fan.......2007-02-05

John Rutter states the following: "This album, which has an Anglo-America thread running through it, is a homage to three of my favorite musical traditions-the spiritual, the madrigal, and American song-and at the same time, a homage to two remarkable Englishmen,William Shakespeare and George Shearing."
'Feel the Spirit' is a cycle of seven spirituals arranged for mezzo-soprano soloist, choir and orchestra. It premiered in June 2001 in Carnegie Hall, New York. They are quite well-known in this country, but Rutter makes them seem fresh and new.
Rutter and Shearing were both born in London, and have similar music backgrounds. They got to know each other in America during the 1990's, when Shearing was becoming interested in choral music, at which time he wrote his second Shakespeare Song cycle, 'Songs and Sonnets'. Again the tunes chosen are quite familiar to most music lovers, and I personally find them very attractive to hear.
I have actually performed 'The heavenly aeroplance, several times with choirs; it's fun to sing and gets an enthusiastic audience reaction every time. It is actually an Ozark folk song from the Missouri mountains to which Rutter wrote his own tune.
The 'Lord of the Dance' is taken from an American Shaker song 'The Gift to be Simple', and was first popularized in Aaron Copland's 'Appalachian Spring'. And later used by the English hymn-writer Sydney Carter inspired by the traditional carol'Tomorrow shall be my dancing day'.
The 'Birthday Madrigals' is Rutter's musical tribute to George Shearing on his 75th birthday, written in 1995, and can only loosely be called madrigals.
Hoagy Carmilchael's 'Skylark' completes the album as one of the lovliest American songs from the golden age of American song.
This is a very easy to listen to disc; a good one to put on when all you want to hear is something comfortably familiar, but not boring! It is well-sung and skillfully put together.

Almost Rutter............2002-03-03

John Rutter is not only a friend, but one of my favorite composers. I have sung his music and own most of the CDs. I listened carefully to "Feel the Spirit", looking forward to another amazing study in English music combined with excellent arrangements and sensitive vocal shaping.(One of my choir friends told me I must buy the disc, which I did at her enthusiastic recommendation.) However, the disc seems to be a collage of a number of styles and ideas that may work in clumps. Some upbeat, almost jazzy arrangements have their roots with George Shearing, the venerable blind English jazz master. The spiritual arrangements were almost embarassing. I felt that the selection and treatmments thereof really didn't fit the genre of "classic" spirituals.
John Rutter is such a beloved composer I hate to berate him even a pinch. But I feel this disc is really a classroom study in different styles, arrangements, and ideas, rather than another enjoyable Rutter disc to be played over and over again. Some of the Shakespeare songs were delightful. But, I feel the disc is somewhat uneven. However, I love John Rutter's work, and recommend this disc to those who do, also!..Madge Bruner Hazen

A must have for John Rutter fans.......2002-02-05

The Cambridge Singer's have an outstanding reputation for their choral music under the direction of John Rutter. This recording lives up to Collegium's standard of high quality recordings. Rutter's "Heavenly Aeroplane" is a kick! My 11 month old kid dances to it. "Who is Sylvia" is hauntingly beautiful.

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81st Birthday Concert

Manufacturer: Bridge
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Modern & 20th Century | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Classical | Indie Music | Stores | Music
ASIN: B000003GJ4
Release Date: 1993-11-01

Tracks:

Zion's Walls
At The River
Simple Gifts
Three Moods: Embittered
Three Moods: Wistful
Three Moods: Jazzy
Night Thoughts
Conversation With Aaron Copland, Donald L. Leavitt And Leo Smit
Introduction By Jan DeGaetani/Twelve Poems Of Emily Dickinson
Nature, The Gentlest Mother
There Came A Wind Like A Bugle
Why Do They Shut Me Out Of Heaven?
The World Feels Dusty
Heart, We Will Forget Him
Dear March, Come In!
Sleep Is Supposed To Be
When They Come Back
I Felt A Funeral In My Brain
I've Heard An Organ Talk Sometimes
Going To Heaven
The Chariot
The Little Horses (From Old American Songs, Second Set, 1952)

Albert W. Ketélbey: In a Persian Market; In a Monastery Garden; etc.

Average customer rating:

KETELBEY -- MASTER OF EVOCATIVE MOODS

Albert W. Ketélbey: In a Persian Market; In a Monastery Garden; etc.

Manufacturer: Pearl
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

In A Monastery Garden: The Immortal Works Of Ketelbey
The Grand Passions of Albert W. Ketèlbey
Ketelbey: In a Persian Market; In a Monastery Garden; In a Chinese Temple Garden

ASIN: B000000WY5
Release Date: 1993-01-21

Tracks:

In A Persian Market
Wedgwood Blue
Chal Romano
In A Monastery Garden
The Clock And The Dresden Figures
Bells Across The Meadows Suite: In Holiday Mood
Suite: 'In Holiday Mood': (A) On The Promenade
Suite: 'In Holiday Mood': (B) Down The Stream
Suite: 'In Holiday Mood': (C) The Illuminated Fete
A Musical Jig-Saw
A Birthday Greeting - Intermezzo
Algerian Scene
Cockney Suite: Bank Holiday: 'Appy 'Amstead
Sunbeams and Butterflies
Knights of the Kings
Cockney Suite: At the Palais de Danse
In A Camp Of The Ancient Brittons

Customer Reviews:

KETELBEY -- MASTER OF EVOCATIVE MOODS.......2002-11-21

The music of Albert W. Ketelbey appealed to me on first hearing, many years ago. His works are not 'heavy' classical compositions, but rather light, gently and sweetlt evocative of distant places and exotic cultures -- embodying a particularly British, empirical reflection of these cultures without belittling them in the least.

This cd is an assemblage of historic recordings, lovingly transferred from 78s from the 1920s and 1930s. Ketelbey himself conducts the orchestra on several tracks, and is featured on piano on two ('The clock and the Dresden figures' and 'Algerian scene') -- his presence here gives the modern listener a rare opportunity to hear the composer's interpretation of his own works. The collection was assembled from the recorded library of Stuart Upton, who also serves as producer and contributes some informative notes.

Tracks:

Listen To The Silence
Electronic Sonata for Souls Loved By Nature

Tracks:

The African Game
It's About Time
So What

Customer Reviews:

Proof that Jazz in America is it's most valuable asset.......2005-11-07

Today I got the CD and I was sitting in the car, in the garage, with bags of groceries and takeout food getting cold while I couldn't take it out of the player until I'd heard it all. I can hardly remember another album that made think I was sitting in the music. It's amazing. It's really amazing. So much freedom and so much control: abstract electronics and acoustic grit. Dynamics - like the CD notes said, and I thought was probably an exaggeration - it IS "music as a hurricane force, a rollercoaster of jubilation" all of that and more. And it makes his concerts in places like Denmark or London seem like a short distance to travel. If anyone ever needed proof that Jazz in America is it's most valuable asset - this could be it.

Average customer rating:

Centenary Collection

Manufacturer: EMI Records [All429]
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Ballets | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Quartets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

Modern & 20th Century | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Sacred & Religious | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Compilations | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

English | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Cantatas | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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Oratorios | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Classical | Imports | Stores | Music
ASIN: B0000241DS
Release Date: 2000-10-10

Tracks:

Sun Dance ('Wand Of Youth' Ste No.1, Op.1a No.4) - RPO/Lawrance Collingwood
Marigold - Richard Rodney Bennett
Saint Nicolas: 2. The Birth Of Nicolas - Robert Tear/Bruce Russell/Andrew Davis/Ian Hare
Str Qt 'In Gloucestershire' (No.3): II. Fairly Quick, But Always Rhythmical - Britten Qt
Sym No.1 in A flat, Op.55: IV. Allegro Molto (Exc) - LPO/Sir Adrian Boult
Troilus And Cressida, Act II: From Isle to Isle Chill Waters (Exc) - Dame Elisabeth Schwarzkopf/Richard Lewis
Dance Scenes: IV. Molto Allegro (Conclusion) - Philharmonia Orch/Daniel Harding
Ave Maria Op.2 No.2 - Harry Bramma/Chr of Worcester Cathedral/Christopher Robinson
The Triumph Of Neptune (Ste): 7.Hornpipe - RLPO/Barry Wordsworth
Dies Natalis: 2. Rhapsody (Opening) - Wilfred Brown
Sym No.5 In D: III. Romanza (Excerpt) - Philharmonia Orch/Sir John Barbirolli
Blest Pair Of Sirens (Opening) - London Phil Chr
Checkmate (Ballet Ste): V. Ceremony Of The Red Bishops - Sinf Of London/Sir Arthur Bliss
Peter Grimes: Act II, Scene 2: In Dreams I've Built Myself Some Kindlier Home (Opening) - Sir Peter Pears
Vn Con: II. Slower (Exc) - Yehudi Menuhin
The Planets: 4. Jupiter (Exc) - Toronto SO/Andrew Davis
Loch Lomond - Ian Partridge
Canadian Carnival (Exc) - CBSO/Sir Simon Rattle
At The Boar's Head: We Two Saw You Four... (Opening) - Philip Langridge/Michael George/John Tomlinson
Divertimento On 'Sellinger's Round:' III. Presto - ASMF/Sir Neville Marriner
Greater Love Hath No Man (Conclusion) - Chr Of King's College, Cambridge/Stephen Cleobury
English Dance No.5, Op.33 No.1 - Philharmonia Orch/Robert Irving
On Wenlock Edge: 2. From Far, From Eve And Morning - Ian Partridge
Sinfonietta: I. Allegro Con Brio (Exc) - Northern Sinf Of England/Richard Hickox
Mater Ora Fillum (Opening) - Chr Of King's College, Cambridge/Stephen Cleobury
Violin Son: II. Vars (Var.6: Scherzando) - Yehudi Menuhin/Louis Kentner
Vc Con in D: II. Andante Espressivo (Opening) - Julian Lloyd Webber
Three Screaming Popes (Conclusion) - CBSO/Sir Simon Rattle
Con, Op.104: III. Allegro (Exc) - Phyllis Sellick/Cyril Smith
The Young Person's Guide To The Orch Op.34: Fugue (Allegro Molto) - CBSO/Sir Simon Rattle
Str Qt in e, Op.83: II. Piacevole (Conclusion) - Chilingirian Str Qt
The Lady's Birthday - Jennifer Partridge/Baccholian Singers Of London
Crown Imperial (Conclusion) - LPO/Sir Adrian Boult

Music:

Music

Music