Tonight: Live [Live]

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
Vocal sextet Take 6 bring their tight jazz harmonies and Christian message to their first live recording, from Tokyo's Blue Note in October 1999. The distinctive a cappella style they established early in their career is preserved in the swingers "If We Ever Needed the Lord Before" and "Mary" from their groundbreaking first album and the luscious "I'm on My Way" and the lickety-split "So Much 2 Say" from their 1990 follow-up.

To spotlight individual members of the band, the Miles Davis classic "All Blues" finds Cedric Dent on piano accompanying the five voices imitating instruments, including Joey Kibble's dead-on rendition of Miles's Harmon mute. Fans of the band's more commercial sound, which debuted when they added instrumental support with 1994's Join the Band, will enjoy hearing Dent stay at the piano for Charlie Chaplin's classic "Smile" (though with a lot of jazzy filigree) and "Over the Hill Is Home," a brand-new song by Dent and Alvin Chea that offers a reassuring message of hope though less of a musical challenge. Not everyone enjoys both faces of the band, but the song list has enough variety to please almost any fan. In addition, the 12-minute final track, "I've Got Life/Spread Love," allows the group room to stretch out and get in some interplay with the audience. --David Horiuchi

From Jazziz
One of the great joys of this largely a capella sextet is that, while their spiritual message is at the center of everything they do, their presentation never comes across as heavy-handed. The group's recordings and live shows are invitations to share its joy. This exquisite live date (recorded at Tokyo's Blue Note in October 1999) features the well-planned balance of the R&B, jazz, and gospel that made Take 6 famous, combining tunes that are all vocal texture (like the buoyant "If We Ever... read more

Tonight: Live [Live]

Tracks:

Nine Tonight
Tryin' To Live My Life Without You
You'll Accomp'ny Me
Hollywood Nights
Old Time Rock And Roll
Mainstreet
Against The Wind
The Fire Down Below
Her Strut
Feel Like A Number
Fire Lake
Betty Lou's Gettin' Out Tonight
We've Got Tonight
Night Moves
Rock And Roll Never Forgets
Let It Rock (Edited for CD)

Amazon.com

Bob Seger Photos

More from Bob Seger

Smokin' O.P.'s
Beautiful Loser
Face The Promise

Greatest Hits
Stranger in Town
Night Moves

Customer Reviews:

might wanna look for another live album.......2007-07-10

Nine Tonight is a very uninteresting live album. It doesn't feel like Bob Seger went out of his way to make any of the songs exciting. It's more like a feeling of Bob and the rest of the band going through the motions, or a feeling of "It's time to release a live album, and this is what we're giving you". I don't believe the band was really feeling the excitement or the energy that made much of these songs sound so good in the studio. If you happen to own these songs on their regular studio albums, you'd be better off avoiding this album altogether and just sticking with what you have. Or better yet, look into some late 60's Bob Seger, which was the absolute high point of his career.

This is a great live album!.......2007-05-14

I bought this on LP when it first came out and it immediately became my favorite live album. So many live albums lose the balance between the music and the audience, where the music overpowers the crowd to the point where you lose the thrill of the event being "live." "Nine Tonight" carries the perfect balance here, as well as providing a nice collection of great rock songs, like "Against The Wind," "Night Moves," and "Rock And Roll Never Forgets." My only complaint about this CD is the need to shorten the final song, "Let It Rock," to fit it onto one CD. That song highlighted Seger's rapport with the audience, and the abridged version is not as good as the original. Other than that, I highly recommend this CD to all Seger, and rock and roll, fans!

Bob Seger is best heard "live"........2007-05-07

This CD captures the experience of Bob Seger live. A must have for Seger fans.

Bob Seger's second live album is just as killer as his first.......2007-01-12

Bob Seger and The Silver Bullet Band released its second live album Nine Tonight in September of 1981.
Nine Tonight was Seger's thirteenth album in total. This live album is just as good, if not better than 1976's Live Bullet.
Half of Nine Tonight, like Live Bullet, was recorded at Cobo Hall in Detroit, MI (tracks 4, 7, 8, 10, 11, 12, 13 and 14) in June of 1980 and the other eight tracks (tracks 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 9, 15 and 16) were recorded at the Boston Garden in my native Boston, MA in October, 1980.
Seger is joined by longtime Silver Bullet members bass player Chris Campbell and sax player Alto Reed (both of whom are still in the band today) and guitarist Drew Abbott (whom left during The Distance sessions). There were some changes to The Silver Bullet Band lineup since Live Bullet. First, drummer Charlie Allen Martin was paralyzed in a car accident in 1977 and was replaced by David Teegarden (whom would leave the band after Nine Tonight's release). Second, keyboard player Robyn Robbins was replaced in 1980 by ex-Grand Funk Railroad keyboard player Craig Frost (whom made his debut on Nine Tonight and is still in The Silver Bullet Band today).
The only two exclusive tracks on Nine Tonight is the opening title cut which was from the movie "Urban Cowboy" released in 1980. The track was intended for Against the Wind but the producer for the "Urban Cowboy" soundtrack album (Eagles manager Irving Azoff) had the song ready for inclusion on the album(UC). Then we segue into the album's biggest hit Tryin' To Live My Life Without You which is a great song.
Nine Tonight also features blistering live versions of tracks from Seger's three million sellers 1976's Night Moves (represented by Mainstreet, The Fire Down Below, the title cut to Night Moves and Rock and Roll Never Forgets), 1978's Stranger in Town (represented by Hollywood Nights, Old Time Rock and Roll, Feel Like a Number and We've Got Tonight) and 1980's Against the Wind (represented by You'll Accomp'ny Me, the album's title cut, Her Strut, Fire Lake and Betty Lou's Gettin' Out Tonight).
We end the album, like Live Bullet, with Let it Rock. This version is more electrifying than on the Live Bullet version clocking in at 10 plus minutes. The CD however features an edited version because otherwise, it would have been believed back in 1989, that the track would exceed the maximum playing time on a CD or it would have become a 2 CD set (CDs can fit up to 80 minutes of music). The LP label gave Let it Rock's playing time as 8 minutes and 26 seconds but it is actually 10 minutes and 35 seconds. The CD version is only a little over 6 minutes and uses the ending of The Fire Down Below to end the track instead of the big finale.
Nine Tonight was released to massive sales as the album peaked at #3 on the Billboard album charts and sold millions upon release. The album deserves to be re-released in its full glory and can fit on one CD no problem or worse comes to worse, re-release it on two.
Highly recommended!

Bob Seger's Greatest Album of the Century.......2007-01-12

This album is by far one of the best albums ever concocted by someone in my generation...Bob Seger's as classic as they come, I'd recommend this album to my children, grandchildren etc...It's good to see him back in performance live mode, and hopefully this tour won't be his last...Brando Quin, author of "The Master Painter"

Tonight Not Again/Live at Eagles Ballroom (CD & DVD)

Average customer rating:

I love this guy
simply the best
A must for fans of Mraz!
I can't turn it off
Mr. AZ

Tonight Not Again/Live at Eagles Ballroom (CD & DVD)
Jason Mraz
Manufacturer: Elektra / Wea
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Waiting for My Rocket to Come
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ASIN: B0002IQNW4
Release Date: 2004-08-24

Tracks:

Tonight, Not Again
Not So Usual
Dialogue
No Doubling Back
You and I Both
Absolutely Zero
1000 Things
Common Pleasure
Curbside Prophet
Sleeping To Dream
Unfold
No Stopping Us
The Remedy (I Won't Worry)
After An Afternoon
Too Much Food

Tracks:

Tonight, Not Again (DVD)
Not So Usual (DVD)
No Doubling Back (DVD)
You and I Both (DVD)
Absolutely Zero (DVD)
1000 Things (DVD)
Common Pleasure (DVD)
Curbside Prophet (DVD)
Sleeping To Dream (DVD)
Unfold (DVD)
The Right Kind (DVD)
No Stopping Us (DVD)
The Remedy (I Won't Worry) (DVD)
After An Afternoon (DVD)
Too Much Food (DVD)
Sleep All Day (DVD)
Dream Life Of Rand McNally (DVD)
0% Interest (DVD)

Album Description

His charm and excitement has been captured in its entirety on Tonight, Not Again: Jason Mraz Live At The Eagles Ballroom, a very special two disc set including an audio CD of his concert from Milwaukee's Eagles Ballroom, plus a video DVD of the concert plus tons of backstage and behind-the-scenes Mraz goodness.

Customer Reviews:

I love this guy.......2007-03-21

Jason MRAZ is very soulfull and fun. Very talented. I love his music!!!!!

simply the best.......2006-12-21

This is by far my favorite Mraz album. I love all of them, but after being introduced to this, I was blown away. This is a must for any fan and if you're thinking about buying this, just buy it, you won't regret it! Mraz is such a talented performer, a wonderful vocalist/guitar player and he is by far one of the most kind, humble people you will ever meet.I've been lucky enough to see him in concert multiple times and every time was just amazing.

A must for fans of Mraz!.......2006-11-09

This guy's amazing to listen to on CD, and even better live--if you can imagine that! With a unique mix of attitude and charm, meaningful lyrics and captivating vocals, he gets you higher than his falsettos. If you're a fan of Jason, then you will definitely want this CD, as it contains tracks not found anywhere else. Reason enough to get this CD are the tracks "Not So Usual" and "Unfold". You'll want to listen to this one over and over.

I can't turn it off.......2006-09-04

I was already a fan of Mraz before this, but after I bought this i don't want to listen to anything else. This live show is incredible both audio and video. Java Joe's is good too with just him and Toca but listening to him with the full band is incredible. If you have a passing interest in Mraz, start with this. If you have a serious interest and you don't have this, do not hesitate and get it immediately.

Mr. AZ.......2006-08-22

Saw Mr. AZ for the first time, as an opener for the Stones and loved him. Might I add, I am 60 years old. Never too old to learn a new musician.

Average customer rating:

Great to Hear All those great Voices from the Past
A Good One!

Greatest Hits: Broadway

Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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The Best Of Broadway (Cast Recording Anthology)
Only Broadway CD You'll Ever Need
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ASIN: B0000029PM
Release Date: 1996-10-29

Tracks:

Oklahoma!: Oh, What A Beautiful Mornin' - John Raitt/Franz Allers
On The Town: New York, New York - Michael Kermoyan/Adolph Green/John Reardon/Cris Alexander & Chorus/Leonard Bernstein
Annie Get Your Gun: I Got The Sun In The Morning - Doris Day/Franz Allers
Fiddler On The Roof: If I Were A Rich Man - Topol/Gareth Davies
West Side Story: Tonight - Larry Kert/Carol Lawrence/Max Goberman
The Sound Of Music: The Sound Of Music - Mary Martin/Frederick Dvonch
My Fair Lady: On The Street Where You Live - Jerry Lanning/Theodore Saidenberg
Annie: Tomorrow - Andrea McArdle/Peter Howard
The Music Man: Seventy-Six Trombones - The Boston Pops Orchestra/John Williams
Anything Goes: You're The Top - Eileen Rodgers/Hal Linden/Julian Stein
Bye Bye Birdie: Put On A Happy Face - Dick Van Dyke/Elliot Lawrence
Mame: Open A New Window - Angela Lansbury & Cast/Don Pippin
Strike Up The Band: Strike Up The Band - The Chestnut Brass Co.
Sweet Charity: Hey, Big Spender - Helen Gallagher/Thelma Oliver/Fan-Dango Girls/Fred Werner
Bells Are Ringing: Just In Time - Judy Holliday/Sydney Chaplin/Milton Rosenstock
Gypst: Together, Wherever We Go - Ethel Merman/Jack Klugman/Sandra Church/Milton Rosenstock
Cabaret: Cabaret - Jill Haworth/Harold Hastings
Phantom Of The Opera: The Music Of The Night - The Boston Pops Orchestra/John Williams
Show Boat: Ol' Man River - William Warfield/Franz Allers
A Chorus Line: What I Did For Love - Priscilla Lopez & Cast/Don Pippin
A Little Night Music: Send In The Clowns - Glynis Johns/Harold Hastings

Customer Reviews:

Great to Hear All those great Voices from the Past.......2007-07-05

I just wanted to confirm what the first reviewer had to say about this CD. To hear Ethyl Merman, Mary Martin, Andrea McCardle etc. singing their trademark songs brought a lot of memories from the mid-centry musical theater back again. The last song by Glynis Johns is especially poignant.
You certainly can't beat the price!

A Good One!.......2006-11-10

This is a very good CD, mostly because it's the original artists. I've had some that were re-recorded by no name artists that were ghastly. This one is a really good one--including the sound quality. If I had one wish, I would wish it were longer!

Sondheim - A Celebration at Carnegie Hall (1992 Concert Cast)

Average customer rating:

Great CD
Simply the Best
Inconsistent, but mostly excellent
"Celebration" is not strong enough a word
A maginificent evening, a magnificent album

Sondheim - A Celebration at Carnegie Hall (1992 Concert Cast)
Stephen Sondheim , Betty Buckley , Paul Gemignani , Patti LuPone , Liza Minnelli , and Bernadette Peters
Manufacturer: RCA Victor Broadway
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Side By Side By Sondheim (1976 Original London Cast)
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ASIN: B000003FDW
Release Date: 1993-02-23

Tracks:

Symphonic Sondheim: Sweeney Todd--orchestra, Jerry Hadley ("Johanna"), Eugene Perry,Herbert Perry ("Pretty Women")
Evening Introduction--Bill Irwin
Loveland/Getting Married Today--Ensemble, Jeanne Lehman, Mark Jacoby, Madeline Kahn
Waiting for the Girls Upstairs--George Lee Andrews, Michael Jeter, James Naughton/Love, I Hear--Michael Jeter/Live Alone and Like It--James Naughton
Someone Is Waiting--Richard Muenz/Symphonic Sondheim: Barcelona--orchestra
Being Alive--Patti LuPone
Good Thing Going--The Tonics
Losing My Mind/You Could Drive a Person Crazy--Dorothy Loudon
Our Time--Boys Choir of Harlem/Children Will Listen--Betty Buckley
Anyone Can Whistle--Billy Stritch
Water Under the Bridge--Liza Minnellli, Billy Stritch
Back in Business--Liza Minnellli, Billy Stritch, Ensemble

Tracks:

Symphonic Sondheim: Comedy Tonight--Bill Irwin, orchestra
Sooner or Later--Karen Ziemba
Pretty Lady--Mark Jacoby, Eugene Perry, Herbert Perry
Green Finch and Linnet Bird--Harolyn Blackwell
The Ballad of Booth--Patrick Cassidy, Victor Garber
Broadway Baby--Daisy Eagan
I Never Do Anything Twice--BETTY
With So Little to Be Sure Of--Jerry Hadley, Carolann Page
Not a Day Goes By--Bernadette Peters
Remember?--Ron Baker, Peter Blanchet, Carol Meyer, Bronwyn Thomas, Blythe Walker (Quintet)/A Weekend in the Country--Kevin Anderson, George Lee Andrews, Mark Jacoby, Beverly Lambert, Maureen Moore, Susan Terry, Quintet
Send in the Clowns--Glenn Close
Old Friends--Liza Minnelli
Sunday--Bernadette Peters, Broadway Chorus

Customer Reviews:

Great CD.......2006-08-06

This is a wonderful double CD of fabulous musical numbers performed by theatre greats and directed by a legandary musical director.

Simply the Best.......2005-06-29

First, to the person who criticizes the recording b/c of "Broadway Baby." Daisy Egan (who sings in in this recording) sounds like she's 10 becuase she IS young. She had just appeared on Braodway in Secret Garden and won a Tony for it. It's a joke...Broadway BABY...hello, it's a joke.

In a compilation of songs like this you're always going to have tracks that you prefer over others, but the majority of the renditions in this CD are great. This is simply one of the best collections of Sondheim out there. You get interpretations that span from "classical" (Green Finch), to bordering on insane (Anything Twice). This is to demonstrate how versatile this composer really is.

In my opinion, some of the best renditions are "Not a Day Goes By," "Anyone Can Whistle", "Girls Upstairs Medley," "Losing My Mind/Drive a Person Crazy," and "Weekend inthe Country." Makes me wish I had been there to witness it first hand.

If you love Sondheim and enjoy hearing Broadway performers, get this CD. A great recording.

Inconsistent, but mostly excellent.......2004-03-21

I am sure no knowledgeable person would deny how absolutely perfect all these songs are. However, the performances on this album are extremely inconsistent. It will go from an excellent rendition (Waiting for the Girls medley, Sunday, With So Little To Be Sure Of, Sooner or Later, Green Finch, Send in the Clowns, Pretty Lady) to the weird (I never Do Anything Twice), to the bad (Broadway Baby, Our Time). I still have absolutely no idea how they managed to butcher one of the best songs ever written--Good Thing Going--and turn it into smooth jazz elevator music. Why would they give Broadway Baby to someone who sounds like she's 10? That said, Liza Minelli, Glenn Close, Karen Ziemba, Dorothy Laudon and the "Waiting for the Girls" performers are all very good. And ending with Bernadette Peters and "Sunday" ends the set on a absolutley fabulous note.

"Celebration" is not strong enough a word.......2003-04-30

This review is by Crosley.

I have been a major Sondheim fan for quite some time, and I finally obtained a copy of this album. I was blown away by the excellent cast and phenomenal selection of music. It is obvious how much work went into this production, considering that this is the live recording of a one time show, and it's flawless. The songs cover all of his shows with the exception of "Passion," which was released 3 years after this show. Also, the shows for which he wrote only lyrics are ommited, like West Side Story, Gypsy, etc. Thus, you can find material from A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, Anyone can Whistle, Company, Follies, A Little Night Music, Pacific Overtures, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, Merrily we Roll Along, Sunday in the Park with George, Into the Woods, and Assassins.

There are two striking things about this CD (besides the music and performers themselves). First of all, some of the songs are completely stylistically reworked. The most obvious are "Good Thing Going" and "I Never do Anything Twice." Both are traditionally very ballady with a piano accompaniment, but here they have been redone as jazzy tunes. The result is excellent. Such reworkings demonstrate that Sondheim writes music for virtually any style, and in these cases, across several styles. It's a great example of his variety. The other interesting thing is how many songs have overlapping melodies of songs from different shows. Case in point, "Our Time" and "No one is Alone" are sung seperately by the Harlem Boys Choir and Betty Buckley (the original Grizabella in Webber's atrocious "CATS," although Buckley was excellent) respectively, and then combined. Putting these two songs together offer different meanings to each, and the music is only enhanced. Another example, the trio of "Waiting for the Girls Upstairs," "Love, I Hear," and "Live Alone and Like It" are sung in that order, and then the latter two are combined. Again, the meanings of the songs change, this time in an almost narrative style, and offering different takes on love in the same montage. Lastly (at least for this review, there are more), Dorothy Laudon's (the original Ms. Hannigan in Annie) combination of "Losing my Mind" and "You Could Drive a Person Crazy" is brilliant. Those who are familiar with these songs will wonder how exactly they fit, but trust me, they do. She swtiches back and forth between melodies to create a number that starts poignant and beautiful, and soon moves to become uproariously funny. Both the song reworkings and overlapping melodies of unrelated songs are all for the better.

I recommend this recording to anyone wanting to get better acquainted with some of Sondheim's best work, or those already familiar who want to hear a tour de force of phenomenal music. It has been said that Sondheim is a masterful lyricist (which he is), but lacks real talent for music. This CD is the final proof that such critics are wrong. His music may take a few listenings to get into, contrary to Webber or Wildhorn, but unlike those two, he doesn't cater to the audience. He challenges them to think outside of traditional musical theater in a glorious repertoise of shows that reach for a smarter, more sophisticated form.

A maginificent evening, a magnificent album.......2001-12-16

There's something to be said for the first concert you ever see at Carnegie Hall. I was fortunate enough to have this be my first. This entire evening was devoted to his genius and the performers did not disappoint.

This wonderful double CD shows off the best and brightest of the musical theatre composer and it is, as one person put it, "an embarassment of riches." With songs from his finest works done in amazing arrangements (listen to that harmony in "We Had a Good Thing Going"!) combined with fabulous performers this is a Sondheim lovers delight.

Tracks:

Crazyhorse Mongoose
Moog Marmalade
Bobski/Jeffe 2000
Villified
I Get Lifted
My Mind Is Hazy
Baker's Dozen
Blue Pepper
Lumpology
Working In The Coal Mine
Shibuya
Two Clowns
Sweet Leaf

Amazon.com

New Orleans musicians have a long-standing tradition--no doubt brought on by the need to fill up that fourth set of the evening--of playing unlikely covers that end up transcending the original hits. The Meters did it with "Wichita Lineman." Irma Thomas did it with "Wind Beneath My Wings." And Galactic set out to do it on this live collection, peppering their homecoming concert with groove-laden covers torn from the songbooks of Duke Ellington ("Blue Pepper"), Allen Toussaint ("Working in a Coal Mine"), Chocolate Milk ("My Mind Is Hazy"), and even Black Sabbath ("Sweet Leaf"). While those tracks earn points for novelty and eclecticism, the keepers here are unreleased originals like "Moog Marmalade" (think vintage Meters funk with lots of modal sax and analog synth tossed in for good measure) and fan favorites like "Two Clowns," which is arguably Galactic's most interesting song to date. The album is not without its excesses (the 90-seconds of applause baiting at the end of "Lumpology" wears thin quickly), but New Orleans's answer to Medeski Martin & Wood wouldn't have earned their place in the jam-band pantheon without an implicit understanding that anything worth doing is worth overdoing. --Bill Forman

Customer Reviews:

It was good suff, yeah!.......2007-07-14

Excellent composition backed by solid beat. Everyone does their part to put together a combination sound that moves the soul.

A great live representation of the classic lineup.......2007-04-18

Galactic today isn't exactly the same band they once were, with their vocalist Theryl De'Clouet departing a few years ago and the band moving to an essentially instrumental sound. They're now combining their signature spacey funk sound with some hip-hop sounds on a new album, but they're still laying down the priceless live sound that they used to, just without vocals. That's what this album is all about--showing what made Galactic popular in the first place; their relentless touring and fiercely enjoyable and energetic live sound. It's tough to distill such a diverse and sprawling live repertoire into one disc, but I think (having seen Galactic live 6 times) We Love 'Em Tonight does a pretty great job of playing to the band's strengths and representing their live sound--some great jams, an energetic interaction with the crowd, some favorites from their studio recordings mixed with obscure tunes, and about 1/3 to 1/2 of the show featuring the Houseman, their vocalist.

The best part about seeing Galactic live is the ridiculous heights their instrumentals and jams reach--this album shows that right away with the standard "Crazyhorse Mongoose," featuring the improvisational skills of pretty much all the band members (excepting maybe bassist Robert Mercurio)--by the time of this album's recording, Jeff Raines had really improved his chops and improv abilities, Rich Vogel shines on his many keyboards (especially the Moog synthesizer sound that typifies the band's sound on many tracks, as well as hammond, electric piano and clavinet), Ben Ellman's funky, slightly jazzy sax, and Stanton Moore's unbeatable drumming abilities.

This album is a great look into Galactic's restlessness with their classic songs--they turn album classics like "Baker's Dozen" and "Two Clowns" on their ends, adding and changing a lot of elements from the album versions in ways that sound fresh and exciting. It's great to hear the crowd's involvement as the group reaches energetic peaks in the songs--the energy is infectious, and a hallmark of a successful live album. The Houseman's contributions are, for the most part, successful. He sounds a bit rough on "Vilified," but the chestnuts "My Mind is Hazy," "I Get Lifted," and the wicked funky reworking of Black Sabbath's "Sweet Leaf" are totally essential. A few of the other instrumentals (I'm thinking "Lumpology" and Ellington's "Blue Pepper," for example), though well-played and energetic, seem a bit random and not representative of Galactic's live standards on their sole live disc, but I suppose that eclecticism is accurately reflective of Galactic's live shows. "Shibuya," at least, is a shining example of Galactic's barnstorming pre-encore closers, with Raines' slide guitar rocking hard and Ben Ellman's harmonica matching the groove note for note through a lurching finish.

If you're a fan of Galactic or have seen them live, I wholeheartedly recommend this disc--it's worth the money and didn't let me down as a recorded document of their live shows. It's probably not the best place to start for people who aren't familiar, although Galactic's studio albums often don't really represent their live sound (especially 2003's excellent but unrepresentative Ruckus album). Hope you enjoy the funk!

Hot funky jazz.......2002-08-30

My first Galactic album, and it won't be the last. If some of the other reviewers (who don't like this album as much as Galactic's prior efforts) are correct, I have to get more.

This is extremely hot.

A solid disc worth having.......2002-01-05

Having seen these guys live a couple of times, I know they spare no expense (sweat) in kicking out the groove. This recording is no exception to the fantastic live sound that results. However, I think the creative punch of the band has been tapering since Coolin' Off. Granted, they've produced some gems since that first disc, but have failed to recapture that fresh feel that originally turned me on to their sound. This album is not necessarily a natural progression in that trend, as it does include some very interesting covers, and a previously unreleased Moog Marmalade (which is sick), but I feel like they need to switch gears to retain my interest. Bottom line, you should own this album, especially if you're into galactic, but don't expect it to blow your mind.

Not Galactic? Huh? Great disc!.......2001-12-12

Whoever said this CD was lacking "groove" or "soul" obviously knows little about music. This is Galactic's best release to date, just worlds better than their studio work. It's funky, laid-back, and groovin'. Good mix of tunes, a great "Blue Pepper" and the "Bobski > Villified" is awesome. If you are a fan of this hard-to-classify jazzy funk, Nawlins gumbo, pick this up. It won't fail to put a smile on your face and make all ten toes tap.

Pavarotti & Friends - For The Children Of Liberia

Average customer rating:

A Superb Collection of Music
This is a delightful combination of music talents to enjoy!
This will tenderize your heart.
Phenomenal !! A must have for any music library.
Outstanding Music, bringing Pavarotti to new heights.

Pavarotti & Friends - For The Children Of Liberia

Manufacturer: Decca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Pavarotti & Friends For Guatemala And Kosovo
Together for the Children of Bosnia
Pavarotti & Friends: For Cambodia and Tibet
Pavarotti & Friends 2
Pavarotti & Friends

ASIN: B00000DBVG
Release Date: 1998-10-20

Tracks:

Let It Rain
Stop
How Do I Live Without You
I Hate You Then I Love You
Higher Ground
'O Surdato 'Nnammurato
Se Bastasse Una Canzone
Betcha Never
Viva Forever
Va, Pensiero
Napule e'
Une Place Pour Moi
Non Ti Scordar Di Me
Tonight
Dreams
Adeste Fideles
Peace Wanted Just To Be Free

Amazon.com

Is music for a good cause a good cause for music? Not really, if you expect artistry. But this smorgasbord of popular international musical stars brings together extreme musical genres for an excellent purpose, and is enjoyable enough for almost anyone. Pavarotti's relaxed and buoyant leadership and still gorgeous tenor add beauty to the rock/pop selections. Trisha Yearwood, Celine Dion, and Stevie Wonder impressively hold their own against Opera Spice; but the other artists pale against the master's presence. The Spice Girls will never be confused with Anonymous 4; Zucchero's growling is scary; Florent Pagny exemplifies French rock; and Pino Daniele's breathy tenor is mellow and soothing. Best for those wanting to experience Pavarotti's vocal beauty in a more popular idiom. --Barbara Eisner Bayer

Customer Reviews:

A Superb Collection of Music.......2002-11-14

As a musician, I first ran into this disk as a PBS broadcast. What caught my ear was that every song in the concert has "the groove." Other than a children's choral cut, not a single song in the entire collection has a flaw. You'd think the Spice Girls would be a silly addition to the concert, but they do a tremendous job. Each artist appears twice, usually with Pavaotti in one of their songs, sometimes twice. Vanessa Williams is Hot! and does an incredible dance number. The engineering is excellent, with solid side-to-side separation for a really "big" sound. All in all, this is one of the favorite CDs in my music library.

This is a delightful combination of music talents to enjoy!.......1999-04-01

We first saw Pavarotti and Friends on Public Television as a fundraising event. We found the CD and especially love to listen to this CD in our car which has a great sound system. Each vocalist is so special and you will be singing along with them after a couple of plays!

This will tenderize your heart........1999-03-07

Brilliant talent for needy children, that touches the soul, and sets it on fire. Your tears will soak your socks. James

Phenomenal !! A must have for any music library........1998-12-29

A most wonderful gathering of some of the world's greatest vocalists. Such a unique blend of international Modern & Classical. If one were to put to test the ability of a vocalist to adapt to a variety of melodies, this is it. Grab your lover and take a trip in their arms with this CD!!

Outstanding Music, bringing Pavarotti to new heights........1998-12-06

Easily the best in the Pavarotti & Friends series. Always an artist on the cutting edge, with this album, Pavarotti's work will have great appeal to his fans and to scores of new enthusiasts. His duets with the Spice Girls, Vanessa Williams, Zucchero, and Stevie Wonder make it obvious that his voice has adaptability and a passion that takes it into many musical genres with ease. This shouldn't be a surprise to anyone. Sting once commented that great music occurs in the "synaptic gaps" where many different styles come together - this is an album that epitomizes the concept. Neopolitan music is a folk music in Italy, with overtones of American folk/country/jazz/rock, and Pavarotti is the Neopolitan master. This is a perfect fit of artists and selected titles. Earlier combinations of artists in this series were often much too somber, much less fun. Give this one to your teens or your great grandmother ... they'll find they have more musical tastes in common than they'd have ever imagined.

Average customer rating:

Lerner & Loewe Songbook
Wouldn't it be lovely?
A Successful Sequel
Delightful Listening

Lerner & Loewe Songbook for Orchestra
Frederick Loewe , and Erich Kunzel
Manufacturer: Telarc
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Musical Theater | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Orchestral Pop | Easy Listening | Pop | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Rodgers & Hammerstein: Songbook for Orchestra (Orchestral Suites)
Rodgers & Hammerstein - The Complete Overtures ~ Opening Night / Hollywood Bowl Orchestra · Mauceri
Puttin' on the Ritz: The Great Hollywood Musicals
Classics of the Silver Screen
Beautiful Hollywood

ASIN: B000003D0E
Release Date: 1994-01-25

Tracks:

I Wonder What The King Is Doing Tonight - The March To Welcome Guenevere - Et Al.
Wouldn't It Be Loverly - With A Little Bit Of Luck - Et Al.
The Night They Invented Champagne - Waltz At Maxim's - Et Al.
They Call The Wind Mariah - I Still See Elisa - Et Al.
Sword Dance - Down On MacConnachy Square - Et Al.

Customer Reviews:

Lerner & Loewe Songbook.......2006-02-24

If you like Percy Faith's music, you'll like this one. He quit recording and died much too young. But while he lived, he recorded some great music.

Wouldn't it be lovely?.......2005-09-26

This CD represents some of the best of Broadway done in a great pops style. There are five orchestral suites, one each for the following: 'Camelot', 'My Fair Lady', 'Gigi', 'Paint Your Wagon', and 'Bridgadoon'. They are all arranged for orchestra by Robert Russell Bennett, save that for 'Paint Your Wagon', which was arranged by Cincinnati Pops Orchestra director Erich Kunzel.

The works of Lerner and Loewe were a mainstay of Broadway for decades in the 1950s, 60s, and 70s, but it was during the late 50s and early 60s that their true glory days took hold. The presidential term of John F. Kennedy gained the nickname 'Camelot' in part because of the influence of the Lerner and Loewe production going on at the start. The songs contained in these suites are instantly recognisable by many, as the Lerner and Loewe songs have become so well known that many know the songs better than the musicals or the composers from which they come. 'I Could Have Danced All Night' and 'Wouldn't It Be Lovely' come from 'My Fair Lady', 'Thank Heaven for Little Girls' from 'Gigi' - these are but the most of famous of the familiar tunes.

There are a lot of pieces here that the listener will appreciate, both in remembering old pieces or in learning new nuances to the tunes.

This particular disc by Telarc has a feature called 'Spatializer', which gives a three-dimensional quality to the sterophonic sound, enhancing regular players and working well with surround-sound systems, too. The Cincinnati Pops are expert at this kind of music, having produced dozens of CDs of popular music and modern composers of musicals, film music, and pops-oriented major compositions.

This is a fun disc to have.

A Successful Sequel.......2005-08-03

This CD is a follow-up to the Rodgers & Hammerstein Songbook for Orchestra (1991) from the same team. It is a thoroughly successful sequel: I believe anyone who enjoyed the R&H will enjoy this one as well. If I am very slightly less enthusiastic about this one than the R&H, it's not because of any shortcoming of Kunzel, the Cincinnati Pops, or Telarc, all of whom are at the top of their form. Rather it's because Frederick Loewe, for all his undoubted expertise, is not quite in the same class as a composer with Richard Rodgers. But that's asking a lot, since Rodgers was the American musical theater's leading light. Lerner & Loewe's musicals were second only to R&H's during the golden age of the American musical, and their My Fair Lady is by any standard one of the best musicals ever staged. If Loewe did not create as many unforgettable numbers as Rodgers, he nevertheless wrote many delightful songs and much enjoyable music. This CD features five orchestral suites, ranging in length from 9 to 18 minutes (total playing time 68:06), from Brigadoon (1947), Paint Your Wagon (1951), My Fair Lady (1956), Gigi (film 1958; staged 1973), and Camelot (1960). The arrangements (all but one by Robert Russell Bennett) are expert. The performances are masterly (if perhaps lacking in just a tad of the infectious brio that the same team brought to R&H). And Telarc's robust sound (recorded 1993) would be hard to improve on. Warmly recommended.

Delightful Listening.......1998-12-05

Some of the nicest and nearly forgotten music (Paint your Wagon & Brigadoon) is nicely compiled here. It will make you want to listen to the full soundtracks again, but for a quick tour of Lerner & Lowe, it is very nice.

Average customer rating:

Excellent CD
Inspiring on many levels
Only for diehard fans
Just heard it and WOW!
Over The Hill Is Home

Tonight: Live
Take 6
Manufacturer: Word Entertainment
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Jazz | Styles | Music

Vocal Jazz General | Vocal Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music

General | Christian & Gospel | Styles | Music

Gospel | Christian & Gospel | Styles | Music

Live Recordings | Christian & Gospel | Styles | Music

Contemporary R&B | R&B | Styles | Music

General | R&B | Styles | Music

General | Vocal Pop | Pop | Styles | Music

General | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music

A Cappella | Folk | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Beautiful World
So Cool
Brothers
Take 6
Feels Good

ASIN: B00004ST3A
Release Date: 2000-04-18

Tracks:

If We Ever Needed The Lord Before (We Sure Do Need Him Now)
Walk On The Wild Side
How Sweet It Is To Be Loved By You
(All Blues Intro)
All Blues
Smile
(Over The Hill Is Home Intro)
Over The Hill Is Home
So Much 2 Say
(I'm On My Way Intro)
I'm On My Way
Mary
I've Got Life/Spread Love

Amazon.com

Vocal sextet Take 6 bring their tight jazz harmonies and Christian message to their first live recording, from Tokyo's Blue Note in October 1999. The distinctive a cappella style they established early in their career is preserved in the swingers "If We Ever Needed the Lord Before" and "Mary" from their groundbreaking first album and the luscious "I'm on My Way" and the lickety-split "So Much 2 Say" from their 1990 follow-up.

Customer Reviews:

Excellent CD.......2007-03-08

This CD is another one of Take 6's display of "FLAWLESS" Acapella, rich and unique sound, phenominal Contemporary Gospel/Jazz/R&B music in it's purest form, recorded live in Tokyo.

Inspiring on many levels.......2001-01-11

The members of Take 6 manifest an encyclopedic understanding of gospel, jazz, R&B, and popular idioms that seems to expand with each album. Couple this to an extraordinary vocal virtuosity, demonstrated stunningly on the "Live" album, and the result is something unique in American music.

This is a music and a message of joy and uplift, presented with the greatest understanding and sophistication.

Only for diehard fans.......2000-08-25

I love Take 6. Their ministry is an incredible blessing, and listening to their music has brought me a lot of joy and comfort.

Having said that, I really think that although the performance on Live CD is amazing, the CD is hugely disappointing from a technical standpoint. The miking is terrible -- popping P's and nasty sibilants and gobs of prox effect on the bass. Just listen to "I'm On My Way" -- the bass is in your face and the lead line sounds like it's being sung from the back of the hall. (Yes it's live, but miking for a cd should be different than miking for sound reinforcement.)

I get the feeling that this CD was rushed to market. If Reprise/WEA really cared about the quality of their product, they should have given the project a little more thought. If this is your first exposure to Take 6, buy another of their CDs first, like So Cool or one of the two Christmas CDs.

Just heard it and WOW!.......2000-06-12

What else can you say about this group of six men? I have yet to see these guys live and FINALLY a live album! These guys have taken songs that I have listened countless times and continually switch the structures around - it's like hearing it for the first time all over again. Best tracks have got to be "Mary" and "Spread Love"; Alvin Chea is amazing; Cedric on piano - OH MY!; Mark Kibble and Claude McKnight are still cracking glass with those high notes (how do they do that?) - This is a MUST BUY for anyone who loves the art of vocal/a cappella jazz music! (Next time they're in concert - count me THERE!)

Over The Hill Is Home.......2000-05-11

Truely a blessing to be ministered by these guys once again. Together with some new material and great vocal arrangements, the message is clear throughout....'Over The Hill Is Home'. Also it is good to hear the Doc' at the ivories...Mr Dent himself. Keep them coming guys.

Barbara Cook Sings Mostly Sondheim (Live at Carnegie Hall 2001)

Average customer rating:

Wow!
Everyone Should Whistle
An amazing intro to the body of work of a true master
Beautiful, moving concert
... and I love Barbara Cook

Barbara Cook Sings Mostly Sondheim (Live at Carnegie Hall 2001)

Manufacturer: Drg
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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

Musical Theater | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Nostalgia | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music

Movie Soundtracks | Soundtracks | Styles | Music

General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music

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Traditional Vocal Pop | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music

General | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music

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General | Easy Listening | Pop | Styles | Music

General | Vocal Pop | Pop | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Barbara Cook's Broadway!
Barbara Cook at the Met with Special Guests
Tribute
It's Better with a Band
The Champion Season: Live at the Cafe Carlyle

ASIN: B000059LFF
Release Date: 2001-05-08

Tracks:

Everybody Says Don't
I Wonder What Became of Me?
The Eagle and Me
I Had Myself a True Love
Into the Woods / Giants in the Sky (Malcolm Gets)
Another Hundred People / So Many People (Malcolm Gets)
Let's Face the Music and Dance / The Song Is You (duet with Malcolm Gets)
Happiness
Loving You
You Could Drive a Person Crazy
Not A Day Goes By / Losing My Mind

Tracks:

Buds Won't Bud
I Got Lost in His Arms
West Side Story Segment: Something's Coming / Tonight (Malcolm Gets)
Move On (duet with Malcolm Gets)
Medley: Hard Hearted Hannah / Waiting for the Robert E. Lee / San Francisco
Ice Cream
Send in the Clowns
The Trolley Song
Not While I'm Around (duet with Malcolm Gets)
Anyone Can Whistle

Amazon.com's Best of 2001

Barbara Cook is one of today's most accomplished song stylists, and if you don't believe us, just listen to this live album. It's a master class in the art of singing. It documents an evening at Carnegie Hall during which Cook proved that she can dissect and extract the substance out of the simplest of lyrics. One of the best surprises is "You Could Drive a Person Crazy" (from Company), which is taken at an amiable trot and allows the singer to display its humor. Cook is not a swinging singer and uptempo is not her pace; give her a ballad, though, and she'll wring the last drop of emotion out of it. Her version of "Losing My Mind" (here paired with "Not a Day Goes By") is simply astonishing. The singer also performs songs that Sondheim has said he wished he had written, an awful lot of them by Harold Arlen. No complaints here. Guest Malcolm Gets solos on a few songs and duets with Cook on others, including "Let's Face the Music and Dance." This is classic material done masterfully by a classic singer. --Elisabeth Vincentelli

Customer Reviews:

Wow!.......2004-02-20

Having read the other reviews there is little more for me to add. I have been a Barbara Cook fan for a longtime and for me, this is one of her best concerts ever. I do, however, prefer the DVD. As with some other reviewers, I do not want to hear Malcolm Gets (as much as I like him) when I want to listen to Barbara. Her flawless interpretation of music is a hard act to follow for any singer! I managed to see this concert 4 times over a year and a half. Each time I saw her the voice was stronger and more assured (I would not have thought that possible). I can't help but think we will have the pleasure of hearing Ms Cook for many years to come. For those people who enjoyed his CD I strongly recommend purchasing the DVD. Barabara's rendition of So Many People is breathtaking (literally, I don't think I breathed once during the entire song). If you ever have opportunity to see her live - go! She has an ability to make you feel as if every song she sings and every word she speaks is directed to you alone. She can take a large venue and make it feel as intimate as your own living room. Having had the pleasure of meeting her I can say she is as youthful and pleasurable in person as she is in her performance.

Everyone Should Whistle.......2003-10-11

After being privileged to attend this concert, I had to own the CD. Once a lyric coloratura and the original Cunegonde in Bernstein's Candide, Ms. Cook has become (in her 70s) a true diva, blessed with a velvety, warm sound. Every note has meaning. Her high B-flat on "Ice Cream" is still the envy of any soprano today. Everyone should whistle after hearing the superb performances on this CD. Even better, though, is the experience of having been in the concert hall for the live performance. Brava, Ms. Cook!

An amazing intro to the body of work of a true master.......2003-06-16

When I first bought tickets for the 'Mostly Sondheim' show on tour (in San Francisco) I figured it couldn't be too bad. Besides, I had only been exposed to a few of his songs (Anyone Can Whistle, Losing My Mind...) and had only seen "A Little Night Music". On the way out of the theater I immediately picked up this recording of the program. It is truly amazing. I immediately began listening to it and have barely put it down in the last few months. Furthermore, my Sondheim CD collection increased in size from an unflattering zero to five (and it's still growing)! This is an amazing introduction to the works of Stephen Sondheim, who is now my favorite modern musical composer). Buy this now if you don't already have it!

Beautiful, moving concert.......2003-04-13

This is a wonderful CD set with a great selection of songs. I do want to express a slight reservation, however. Barbara Cook has been one of my favorite singers for a number of years and the way her voice defies time is extraordinary -- for her to be singing with such bright, beautiful tone in her mid-70s with no wobble or beat in the voice is an amazing achievment.

I do have to say that by 2001, when this concert was recorded, Cook seemed to have a lost a little bit of power and intensity in her singing. This is only natural for someone of her age. Her voice is still lovely, but you can sense her keeping it in reserve a bit. She's as expressive as ever, but compare the rendition of "I got lost in his arms" on this album to the one on her previous album recorded in 1999, "The Champion Season", and there's less urgency and vocal depth in her singing here. That said, the high B at the end of "Ice Cream" is sensational.

So, despite that caveat, this is, again, a wonderful album, a must for Cook fans, especially for the gorgeous renditions of songs I'd never thought I'd get to hear her perform: "Not a Day Goes By", "Happiness/Loving You", "San Francisco", etc. Buy it!

... and I love Barbara Cook.......2003-02-11

This recording is a disappointment for me. It is not her best work, and Malcolm Gets is uninspired. My biggest complaint however is the engineering of the recording. Throughout the speaking was to soft, the singing volumes uneven, and the applause deafening. I will be passing this CD on to friends, and will later donate it to my local library.

Average customer rating:

kiri kern
Kiri sing Kern is a great experience
Lacks Splendor
White Glove Kern
mildly disappointing

Kiri Sings Kern: Dame Kiri TeKanawa
Dame Kiri TeKanawa , Jerome Kern , Jonathan Tunick , and London Sinfonietta
Manufacturer: Angel Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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

General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music

Traditional Vocal Pop | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music

General | Vocal Pop | Pop | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Kiri Sings Gershwin
Kiri Sings Porter; Dame Kiri TeKanawa
Kiri Sings Berlin
Kiri! Her Greatest Hits Live
Kiri Te Kanawa - Greatest Hits ~ 14 Favorites of Opera, Popular & Traditional Song

ASIN: B000002SK3
Release Date: 1993-03-16

Tracks:

The Songs Of Jerome Kern: The Folks Who Live on the Hill
The Songs Of Jerome Kern: I'm Old Fashioned
The Songs Of Jerome Kern: The Way You Look Tonight
The Songs Of Jerome Kern: The Song Is You
The Songs Of Jerome Kern: Smoke Gets In Your Eyes
The Songs Of Jerome Kern: All Through The Day
The Songs Of Jerome Kern: The Last Time I Saw Paris
The Songs Of Jerome Kern: A Fine Romance
The Songs Of Jerome Kern: Yesterdays
The Songs Of Jerome Kern: All The Things You Are
The Songs Of Jerome Kern: Bill
The Songs Of Jerome Kern: Long Ago And Far Away
The Songs Of Jerome Kern: Look For The Silver Lining
The Songs Of Jerome Kern: Can't Help Lovin' Dat Man

Amazon.com

As Hammerstein writes in the opening song, "Many dames with lofty aims strive for lofty goals"--and Te Kanawa strives for successful crossover. Her beautiful singing exhibits impeccable diction and excellent phrasing; but "A Fine Romance" lacks anger and humor, "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes" lacks a storyteller, and "All the Things You Are" lacks romanticism. However, happy songs like "All Through the Day," "Look for the Silver Lining," and "The Folks Who Live on the Hill," are successfully interpreted. Jonathan Tunick's orchestrations enhance Kern's beauty through his captivating use of obbligato instruments. A pleasant, if not wholly satisfactory, listening experience. --Barbara Eisner Bayer

Customer Reviews:

kiri kern.......2007-03-29

Kiri is sensational on this CD. Jerome Kern music is stupendous and the arrangements superb. Three top esses.

Kiri sing Kern is a great experience.......2004-01-18

I love the way she sings Kern's songs. Though certainly not opera, Kern's songs benefit from an an operatic approach--not all of them, but certainly ones such Smoke gets in your Eyes, The song is you, All the things you are. I love Kern;s songs sung in many styles but Kiri's way is one of the best.

On the other hand, I did not like Kiri singing Berlin.

Lacks Splendor.......2002-09-01

Though I do enjoy Kiri's interpretation of most music, and this CD was decent, I did not find any piece particularly memorable.

The voice is undeniably beautiful, and Kiri has managed to keep her maturing voice sounding somewhat young, yet I find that I much prefer her rendition of "The Laughing Song" to that of "Smoke Gets in YOur Eyes."

If you love Kern, and couldn't care less who performs it, than purchase this CD. If you are a fan of Kiris', then perhaps it would be best to avoid this purchase...for it is not a shining star in her vast collection of CDs. All in all, it was a disappointment.

White Glove Kern.......2001-05-20

I am the first to admit that most "crossover" albums, be they of classical performers singing pop or vice versa never quite cross over. This album does splendidly. Kern's music is the most related to classical operetta , and therefore the least jazziest. Operatic soprano Kiri Te Kanawa gives luscious, heartfelt readings of these wonderful songs, backed by glamorous orchestrations. Hearing a voice of such opulence and beauty in this music is a rare treat. Just listen to "Smoke Gets In Your Eyes" ,"Long Ago and Far Away" or "The Song is You" and prepare to be swept away to another, more elegant time.

mildly disappointing.......2000-09-30

Sometimes cross-over works, sometimes not. While Kiri te Kanawa has a beautiful voice, she never gets into the idiom of these Jerome Kern masterpieces sufficiently to convey their stories or their subtleties. Smoke Gets in Your Eyes especially stands out, she sings it with none of the pathos the song demands and her version pales compared to the Platters. The orchestral arrangements are decent and in many of the songs the purity of her voice is enough to carry them, but overall I would say this is a disappointing example of a crossover record. Ms. te Kanawa should stick to what she does best.

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