Progress [Import]

Progress [Import]

Track Listings

1. Pounds For Dollars (Ft. Iriscience)

2. Do What You Wanna Do

3. Express Delivery (Ft. Masta Ace)

4. Progress

5. Momentum

6. You Don't Understand (Ft J-Zone)

7. Awakenings

8. Broken Love (Ft. Sylvia Powell)

9. Sanctuary Part Ii

10. In The City

Tracks:

Jealous Again
Twice As Hard
Hard To Handle
She Talks To Angels
Remedy
Sting Me
Thorn In My Pride
Bad Luck Blue Eyes Goodbye
A Conspiracy
Wiser Time
Good Friday
Blackberry
Kickin' My Heart Around
Go Faster
Only A Fool
By Your Side

Amazon.com

Like the Black Crowes themselves, the greatest-hits collection A Tribute to a Work in Progress hearkens back to the good old days of best-of collections: you get a bunch of songs you've probably heard on the radio a million times and that's it. These are arguably the group's best songs, but there are no unreleased outtakes or remixes to force rabid collectors to purchase the disc for the sake of two songs. This straightforward document of a straightforward band is also the best entryway to the group's fabulous, swaggering, ballsy, bluesy rock & roll--that is, next to their 1992 breakthrough, Southern Harmony & Musical Companion. While arranged chronologically, what one hears here is the Atlanta-based group playing great, unpretentious Stones-, Faces-, and Zep-influenced rock. This music was made for pure, visceral enjoyment, so play it really loud and dance around. --Mike McGonigal

Customer Reviews:

Great Music.......2007-06-27

I love this CD. The music is not too heavy or too bubblegumish, it's just plain rock music. A great buy.

Insane that "Sometimes Salvation" isn't on here. .......2007-06-23

That's easily one of their best songs (from their best album "Southern Harmony and Musical Companion"). Wasn't that a single? even if it wasn't, it's a perennial favorite among fans.

Great CD.......2007-05-16

I love this album...its an excellent addition to your collection. Its got the soul of souther rock with an edge.

top notch.......2007-03-18

I am a huge black crowes fan....and this is the definitive collection for black crowes junkies AND newbies...you won't regret picking this one up...just stay away from their live albums

Love the Black Crows.......2007-03-08

I purchased this CD on Feb 5, was supposed to receive by Feb 8. Unfortunately, the delivery system is definitly not as good as the cd. I finally received it March 1st. It was well worth the wait and aggravation of calling a few times to find out where it was. I can say I like every single song on the cd. Usually, I skip ahead to this song or that one. No need to here. Great songs, great cd....have to admit great price, just really lousy shipping. Better luck with that part next time.

Average customer rating:

Linda Eder - Great Voice
Not a voice.......an instrument
the best female singer of the great american standards.
The powerful and beautiful voice of Linda Elder
Linda Eder shines with her Broadway album

Broadway, My Way
Linda Eder
Manufacturer: Atlantic / Wea
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

General | Pop | Styles | Music

Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music

Contemporary | Vocal Pop | Pop | Styles | Music

General | Vocal Pop | Pop | Styles | Music

General | Adult Contemporary | Pop | Styles | Music

General | Rock | Styles | Music

General | Musicals | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music

General | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music

Pop | Styles | Blowout Music | Stores | Music

Rock | Styles | Blowout Music | Stores | Music

Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Blowout Music | Stores | Music

Classical | Styles | Blowout Music | Stores | Music

All Blowout Music | Blowout Music | Stores | Music

More Titles at Least 25% Off | Blowout Music | Stores | Music

Purists | Warner Brothers Records | Stores | Music
Similar Items:

By Myself: The Songs of Judy Garland
It's Time
Christmas Stays the Same
It's No Secret Anymore
Storybook

ASIN: B000088E4T
Release Date: 2003-02-18

Tracks:

I Am What I Am (from "La Cage aux Folles")
Anthem (from "Chess")
On The Street Where You Live (from "My Fair Lady")
What Kind of Fool (from "Stop The World I Want to Get Off")
Some People (from "Gypsy")
I'll Be Seeing You (from "Right This Way")
Gold (from "Camille Claudel")
Don't Rain On My Parade (from "Funny Girl")
The Impossible Dream (from "Man of La Mancha")
A New Life (from "Jekyll & Hyde")
Edelweiss (from "The Sound of Music")
Unusual Way (from "Nine")
Man of La Mancha (from "Man of La Mancha")

Amazon.com

The people who felt betrayed when Linda Eder covered several pop songs on 2002's Gold will be relieved that her follow-up, Broadway My Way, is a return to the Great White Way. As if to prove that she isn't limited to either the songs of Frank Wildhorn or ballads, Eder tackles some well-known show tunes. The ballads tend to be overwrought, so it's best to look for the uptempo numbers. The singer's take on "Some People" is technically fine but so va-va-voom showbiz that it lacks the deranged edge that makes the song so compellingly dramatic. Things work a lot better on "I Am What I Am": while Eder doesn't take it to the top (or rather over the top), this is as close as she gets to Mermanizing a number. Elsewhere, "Don't Rain on My Parade" (immortalized by Streisand) and "Man of La Mancha" are appropriately brassy and triumphant, with Eder roaring her way through both songs. Fans of both Eder and Wildhorn should note that the singer reprises her Svengali's "Gold," the title track from her previous album, and an excerpt from his long-in-the-works Camille Claudel. --Elisabeth Vincentelli

Album Description

On the eagerly awaited Broadway My Way, Atlantic recording artist and acclaimed Broadway sensation Linda Eder performs classics including 'On the Street Where You Live' (from My Fair Lady), 'Edelweiss' (from The Sound of Music), 'Don't Rain On My Parade' (from Funny Girl) and 10 other great broadway songs performed in a whole new voice. 2003.

Customer Reviews:

Linda Eder - Great Voice.......2007-07-06

This lady has one great voice. She can certainly sell a song. My only reservation about her is that she's a bit cocky. I think she could use some humility.

Not a voice.......an instrument.......2007-02-17

Unbelievable breath control, phrasing, and style. My 10 yr. old Granddaughter who heretofore has listened and loved the usual rap
and hip-hop, heard me playing this disc and begged me to buy her
one........and I did, and she plays it all the time, and to her
friends. Linda Eder exceeds the Streisand mystique by far.

the best female singer of the great american standards........2006-07-24

i am turning 60 years old this year. i went to my 1st.broadway
musical in 1960. over the years i have had the honor to see
almost all of the giants of american song, garland, streisand,
patti lupone, lena horne, betty buckley, barbaracook etc. in
"broadway, my way" linda eder cements her place as the best of the best. from an anthem like "i am what i am" to the lovely
"on the street where you live" captures you body and soul.
i loved this album, and don't ever miss a chance to see her live. JOHN POWER

The powerful and beautiful voice of Linda Elder.......2006-02-23

A great selection of songs. Tremendous amount of energy in Linda's voice. I just love it.

Linda Eder shines with her Broadway album.......2006-02-18

Wow! Linda Eder has an outstanding voice. She sells Broadway in the styles of Judy Garland and Barbra Streisand. After hearing this you will want more.

Average customer rating:

Great Alternative Album
Good stuff, i must say...
Excellent
One of the best nu metal albums ever!
Great debut album

The Fake Sound of Progress
Lostprophets
Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

Post Grunge | American Alternative | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

General | Rock | Styles | Music

Alternative Metal | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music

Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music

Welsh Folk | Traditional British & Celtic Folk | Folk | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Start Something
Liberation Transmission
Page Avenue
Saturate
Phobia

ASIN: B00005QG8W
Release Date: 2001-12-04

Tracks:

Shinobi vs. Dragon Ninja
The Fake Sound Of Progress
Five Is A Four Letter Word
...And She Told Me To Leave
Kobrakai
The Handsome Life Of Swing
A Thousand Apologies
Still Laughing
For Sure
Awkward
Ode To Summer

Amazon.com

The Lostprophets CD booklet proclaims: "6 bored kids = melody-aggression-emotion-energy-intelligence." What it doesn't say, but should: "If you like Incubus, you'll like Lostprophets." The British outfit mines much of the same territory as their more thoughtful nu metal, new millennium brethren, mixing an earnest Incubus hippie vibe with Creed-like sincerity and dash a of Faith No More oddity and syncopation for a commercial, if not groundbreaking, sound. Vocalist Ian Watkins has personality and passion and the band's playing is crisp and dynamic. Turntables, loops, and keyboards lend depth and hip-hop flavor to the melodic, tightly wound rock. The 11 songs here are all uniformly strong and intense, if not always deep and unique. --Katherine Turman

Customer Reviews:

Great Alternative Album.......2006-12-19

Obviously not touching on the greatness of Start Something but still a Great debut from the welsh rockers. You can really hear the evolution from this into Start Something.
If you like We Are Godzilla, You Are japan and Ride on Start Something, then this album is definately for you.
Standout Tracks:
Shinobi vs Dragon Ninja
The Fake Sound Of Progress
Five Is A Four Letter Word
And She Told Me To Leave
Ode To Summer

Good stuff, i must say..........2006-11-02

This is just an amazing Cd through and through. The vocals are fresh and nice and lyrics are good. THe guitars are pounding and heavy oen moment and soft the next, same thing goes for the drums. Track 1,6, and 11 are in my view the best songs on this CD, escpecially track 1. This Cd is their best, though start something is pretty good too. Liberation TRansmission on the other hand isn't that great...but I wont get into that since I'm writing a review for Fake Sound of Progress.

Out of Fake Sound of Progress and Start Something, Start Something is definatly more catchy at first and you like it right away. Fake Sound of Progress, on the other hand, not so. Start something was the first of their albums I heard and I loved it. So then I checked out this CD. The first song was instantly a favorite. The openng riff was awsome and the whole song was just great for rockin out. But then after that, all the other songs just didn't catch my attention and I wasn't into to them to much. But after some more listens, this Cd grew on me. So while before I wasn't into this CD that much, now im obsessed with it. So don't judge this one on first listen because if your like me, it may need to grow on you.

Excellent.......2006-07-31

Recieved the CD, no scratched no damage to the case, excellent condition and prompt delivery

One of the best nu metal albums ever!.......2006-07-04

I first heard 'last train home' by lostprophets and instantly loved it. I then borrowed fake sound of progress and was surprised at the unexpected heaviness. I love most of the songs on the album as they are a great blend of hard nu metal, emo, and balladery. I also thought the guitaring sounded very original aswell as the combination of a clean guitar and a distorted guitar provided a real brilliant contrast.This was the best lostprophets album whereas the others are more commercial and not as aggressive( though they are still ver good) so I would recommend this as the lostprophets album to buy.Also, at concerts the fake sound of progress really gets the pits going!

Great debut album.......2006-02-25

I was introduced to this band a couple years ago by a friend and I really liked thier heavy sound with Shinobi vs. Dragon Ninja. So I bought this CD and was very impressed. The singer has a very distinct voice that switches from melodic to powerful screaming that keeps me interested. Plus they have real heavy guitar riffs that punch you in the face. I also own Start Something and this is much better I think.
Fav songs: Shinobi, Five is a four letter word, Kobrakai.

Average customer rating:

Metal/Death/Power/Thrash etc= WOW!
Finally a melodeath band with great growling and clean vocals
Neither 5 stars nor the word best can describe this album
it will not dissapoint
um

Pitch Black Progress
Scar Symmetry
Manufacturer: Nuclear Blast Americ
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

General | Rock | Styles | Music

Death Metal | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music

General | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music

Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Symmetric in Design
Under Reprisal
Above the Weeping World
Fiction
Scattering of Ashes

ASIN: B000F1HGVU
Release Date: 2006-05-02

Tracks:

The Illustionist
Slaves To The Subliminal
Mind Machine
Pitch Black Progress
Calculate The Apocalypse
Dreaming 24/7
Abstracted
The Kaleidoscopic God
Retaliator
Oscillation Point
The Path Of Least Resistance
Carved In Stone
Deviate From The Form

Customer Reviews:

Metal/Death/Power/Thrash etc= WOW!.......2007-03-31

This CD Rocks! from beginning to end. I just found out about this band per chance reading reviews of CD's. I have been into Mercenary, Nevermore, Opeth, Dream Theater for awhile, this band is right there with them. Who says that Metal is dead? Some of my favorite tracks are the following: The Illusionist, Mind Machine, Dreaming 24/7, Carved Stone..just to name a few. I used to hate growling vox, but since Opeth has opened my mind to it as long as the music kix butt...then I always give it a chance...well this CD is definetly worth giving a chance if you love METAL!!

Finally a melodeath band with great growling and clean vocals.......2007-03-30

Scar symmetry's latest masterpiece entitled Pitch Black Progress is a fusion of soaring guitars flesh searing drums, wonderful death growls and clean vocals awesome guitar solos and truly outstanding keyboards if you don't like this something must be wrong with you this album has anything a true fan of melodic death metal and metal would want to end it buy this album you wont be
disappointed one last thought to resist is to not exist .

Neither 5 stars nor the word best can describe this album.......2007-03-13

Where are these guys from? This music is unbelievably GREAT. The musicianship shown on this record is top-notch.
I previously saw the promotion banner on myspace that says this music is for fans of In Flames and Soilwork. And that's not totally correct. I think Scar Symmetry is WAY better than the present In Flames and Soilwork.
Strongest vocal and growl and flying solos make this album undefeatable.
Highly Highly Recommended.

it will not dissapoint.......2007-02-12

this is easily one of the best metal CD's ever released. i swear, i get goosebumps from it on every song. i was a huge fan of their debut album symmetric in design, i found their lyrics to be thought provoking and their drum and guitar work to be a template for how metal should be made. since hearing their two albums i measure other bands up against them. easily one of the best metal bands to emerge out of swissmissland. the kaleidoscopic god will leave you slack jawed in awe and with the hair on the back of your neck standing up. the vocals are incredible, transitioning from a gutteral growl to one of the most melodic voices ive ever heard. the guitar and drum work is stunning and fresh. yes, i hear a lot of influence from other bands such as soilwork and dreamtheater, but only in the way of this is what soilwork and dreamtheater wish they sounded like. an amazing album from start to finish. GET IT!!!!

um.......2007-02-02

looking at some reviewers on here makes me quiver in fear this cd ain't that good.

Average customer rating:

Another Masterpeice
flawed but quite good
this beauty in progress
AN UNDERCOVER 'THRILLER'(michael jackson)
All the Funk Without the Filth

Ancestry in Progress
Zap Mama
Manufacturer: Luaka Bop
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Africa | International | Styles | Music

General | International | Styles | Music

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

General | R&B | Styles | Music

General | Soul | R&B | Styles | Music

World Dance | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

One Step Forward
Les Nubians Presents Echos, Chapter One
Princesses Nubiennes
Zap Mama
7

ASIN: B0002SPQ40
Release Date: 2004-09-14

Tracks:

Intro
Sweet Melody
Vivre
Bandy Bandy featuring Erykah Badu
Yelling Away featuring Talib Kweli, Common and "?uestlove"
Show Me the Way featuring Bahamadia, Lady Alma and "?uestlove"
Follow Me
Miss QN
Yaku
Ca Varie Varie
Alright
Cache Cache
Len n 5
Wadidyusay? featuring Scratch
Zap Bs

Amazon.com

Longtime Zap Mama fans may take issue with the direction Marie Daulne has taken the band. After starting out as a women's a capella group, Daulne started integrating instruments, rappers and programming on Seven, taking it even further on A Ma Zone. Now on Ancestry In Progress, the first ZM album in five years, it's Daulne with help from the Roots, Common, Erykah Badu, Taleb Kweli and others from the hip-hop and R&B community. Nonetheless, the band was always Daulne's, and she's in complete command here again. You still get to wonder at her ability to create weird vocal sounds. Her high raspy cat-like voice is as playful and rhythmic as ever, and her sense of harmony stills draws upon her African roots even if she chooses to put samples over the top. No doubt "Sweet Melody" is one of Daulne's catchiest songs, but other standouts include "Vivre" and "Bandy Bandy." Instead of the African jungle we get the urban jungle, but it's still beautiful music. --Tad Hendrickson

Album Description

The initial run of "Ancestry in Progress" will feature a bonus disc with four exclusive tracks!

Customer Reviews:

Another Masterpeice.......2007-07-02

I became a fan of Zap Mama after I heard the A Ma Zone album several years ago. I went back and bought all of their CD's and I like the fact that they all have their own vibe. Each one has it own musical style, that is not similar to the previous. So then I found Ancestry and Progress and once again Zap Mama has made another masterpiece again.

My favorite songs are Sweet Melody, Bandy Bandy, Miss Q-N, and Yaku. Yet, I like the entire album. I feel that this album really hits a different mark so that it can't really be called World and at the same time it is not R&B, it is somewhere in between. I really use the use of vocals, but also good instrumentation in the songs. After hearing A Ma Zone then hearing this album I would have never expected an album like Ancestry in Progress and I really appreciate that. I can't wait until the next album comes out.

flawed but quite good.......2006-02-02

Skillful yet seemingly effortless tapestries of sounds and voices. Male rapping that actually works as an effective counterpoint to the abundance of "sister energy". Songs that are ephemeral yet anchored in subtle ways, this is a daring yet confident step forward for a project that is, essentially, "The Marie Show" now. Not that that's a bad thing. The male vocals off-set the more cloying aspects which until now popped up far too often. While I admire the manner in which discordant sounds are thrown into the mix, I do wish Marie would be a BIT less self-indulgent with the spoken word parts (as in SHOW ME THE WAY) and (seemingly) affected pigeon English. Oh, well, at least she's shown more decisiveness on when to actually end a song. Overall; breathtaking and unclassifiable. This may sound like over-thinking things, but, I truly enjoy the songs, just hope to see Marie continue to grow up and out of herself. She is SO talented.

this beauty in progress.......2005-09-09

You know how you feel when you sitting on the beach in front of the sea, with the fresh clean breeze gently blowing through your hair. You know how it feels to have that piece of milk chocolate melt gently in your mouth as it mesmerizes all the taste buds on your tongue.
That is what this lady does to you ear drum. Her music is sweeter that honey. And who better to colab with than with Miss Badu herself.
This lady has got magic in her vocal cords and tranquility in her lyrics. My poor soul was starved of good and original sound and she fed my soul. That is the way it should be after all music is intended to be food for the soul

AN UNDERCOVER 'THRILLER'(michael jackson).......2005-04-28

I havent loved this many songs on one cd since Michael Jackson's Thriller. No joke or exaggeration. The only difference iS that this isn't sugercoated pop music for the masses...that's why it's an "undercover Thriller".. It's different, but absolutely BEAUTIFUL! Buy it, love it, live it..Read all of the other perfect reviews. They are true... Peace.

All the Funk Without the Filth.......2005-04-02

It's been a long dry spell since Amazone and this is worth the wait. The album is clearly a follow-up to Amazone, yet the style is refined a little more, so it is not simply Amazone II, the Sequel.

Each composition here is like a little window opening on a slice of life. The blending of the languages brings home, yet again, the universality of music. There are differences between peoples, but this difference is something to share and enjoy, not to separate us into disparate spaces. Whatever your background, you can feel a part of the scenes presented.

The spoken words take me back to the beginning of what is now called rap, to true street corner poetry. Unlike most of today's rap, there are no words you don't want young kids to hear. Instead of degrading women and reducing them to objects to be abused, we are instead reminded that "She is someone's daughter" and to be revered as she is made of "Earth, Wind, Fire, and Water". No malice, no hatred, only love of the highest order. Pure poetry, not gutter rap.

The vocals are perfectly blended and the harmonies are tight. These women blend together a vocal synergy that must be heard to be experienced. The rhythms, capable of standing alone, reinforce the musical magic woven into the tapestry of their sound.

If you truly believe we are one people spread across a small planet, this album will speak to your soul. If you've never been exposed to music like this, you'll be amazed. If you're already a fan of Zap Mama, you won't be disappointed.

Average customer rating:

A Fabulous Introduction to Igor Stravinsky!!

The Essential Igor Stravinsky

Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Ballets | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Dances | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Polkas | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Duets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

Octets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

Septets | 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 | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

English | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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

Classical Music | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music

Classical Instrumental Music | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music

Opera & Vocal | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music
Similar Items:

Stravinsky: Works for Piano
Stravinsky Conducts Stravinsky: Symphony of Psalms/Symphony in 3 Movements
Stravinsky: Three Greek Ballets (Apollo, Agon, Orpheus)
Stravinsky: Rite Of Spring, Fireworks, Petrouchka / Ozawa, Tilson Thomas, Chicago Symphony
Stravinsky: Symphonies of Wind Instruments, etc.

ASIN: B00008NGAW
Release Date: 2003-03-25

Tracks:

Fireworks, Op.4 - Columbia Symphony Orchestra
Danse Infernale De Tous Les Sujets De Kastchei - Columbia Symphony Orchestra
Berceuse (L'Oiseau De Feu) - Columbia Symphony Orchestra
Reveil De Kastchei - Columbia Symphony Orchestra
Mort De Kastchei - Profonds Tenebres - Columbia Symphony Orchestra
Disparition Du Palais Et Des Sortileges De Kastchei, Animation Des Chevaliers Petrifies Allegresse Generale - Columbia Symphony Orchestra
Opening - Philharmonia Orchestra
The Shrove-tide Fair - Philharmonia Orchestra
The Charlatan's Booth - Philharmonia Orchestra
Russian Dance - Philharmonia Orchestra
Petrushka's Room - Philharmonia Orchestra
Introduction - Columbia Symphony Orchestra
Les Augures Printanieres (Danse Des Adolescentes) - Columbia Symphony Orchestra
Jeu Du Rapt - Columbia Symphony Orchestra
Rondes Printanieres - Columbia Symphony Orchestra
Jeux Des Cites Rivales - Columbia Symphony Orchestra
Cortege Du Sage - Columbia Symphony Orchestra
Adoration De La Terre (Le Sage) - Columbia Symphony Orchestra
Danse De La Terre - Columbia Symphony Orchestra
I. Andante - Members Of The CBC Symphony Orchestra
II. Napolitana - Members Of The CBC Symphony Orchestra
III. Espanola - Members Of The CBC Symphony Orchestra
IV. Balalaika - Members Of The CBC Symphony Orchestra
Ragtime For 11 Instruments - Toni Koves
Marche Royale - Columbia Chamber Ensemble
Petit Concert - Columbia Chamber Ensemble
Piano Rag Music - Igor Stravinsky
Sinfonia (Ouverture) - Columbia Symphony Orchestra
Gavotta Con Due Variazioni - Columbia Symphony Orchestra
I. Sinfonia - London Sinfonietta
III. Allegro - Philippe Entremont

Tracks:

Part I. Exaudi Orationem Meam - London Symphony Chorus
IV. Capriccio - Cho-Liang Lin
Chant Sants Paroles - Israel Baker
Premiere Donne - Cleveland Orchestra
I. Tempo Giusto - Columbia Symphony Orchestra
III. Allegretto - London Symphony Orchestra
The Star-Spangled Banner - The Festival Singers Of Toronto
I. Intrada - Columbia Symphony Orchestra
Circus Polka (For A Young Elephant) - CBC Symphony Orchestra
Scherzo A La Russe - Philharmonia Orchestra
III. Con Moto - London Symphony Orchestra
I. Allegro Moderato - Benny Goodman
Good People, Just A Moment - Colin Tilney
Tango - Columbia Jazz Combo
Greeting Prelude (For The Eightieth Birthday Of Pierre Monteux) - Columbia Symphony Orchestra
II. Ma Tu, Cagion Di Quella - Columbia Symphony Orchestra
Elegy For J.F.K. - Charles Russo
Fanfare For A New Theatre - Robert Nagel
II. Exaudi - Donald Gramm
III. Dies Irae - Donald Gramm
IV. Tuba Mirum - Donald Gramm
The Owl And The Pussycat - Robert Craft
Stravinsky In His Own Words - John McClure

Customer Reviews:

A Fabulous Introduction to Igor Stravinsky!!.......2004-05-19

Sony Music's "The Essential Igor Stravinsky" truly lives up to its title. This double-CD set includes nearly every important piece of work (either in part or in whole) by the great Russian composer. The set also presents the pieces in chronological order beginning in 1908 with "Fireworks" and ending in 1966 with his final piece, the short but simple "Owl and The Pussycat". In between, there are excerpts from Stravinsky's most famous works including the first part of "The Rite Of Spring" and highlights from the "Firebird" and "Petrushka" ballets. There are also lesser-known works included as well as his harmonically rearranged version of "The Star-Spangled Banner" (a rendition which caused a stir in the early 1940's). The entire collection concludes with a rare recorded interview with Igor Stravinsky himself in which he remembers the infamous premere of "The Rite Of Spring".
The CD booklet includes detailed liner notes as well as a written tribute by Trey Anastasio of the band Phish. The sound quality of the recordings is amazing (even on the historic 1934 recording of "Piano Rag Music"). All in all, this an excellent collection of works by the great Igor Stravinsky. In a sense, this compilation gives the composer the 'rock musician' treatment. It's a 'greatest hits' album and a career-spanning retrospective that serves as an ideal introduction to Igor's music. Even if your not a fan of Classical music, it isn't difficult to listen to the works of Stravinsky and not be stirred.
Definitely The Essential Igor Stravinsky!!!

Average customer rating:

great album
Surprisingly good
the average talent pool is getting way to full
Different.
Amazing Energy

In the Name of Progress
Fingertight
Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

Hardcore | Hardcore & Punk | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

Emo | Hardcore & Punk | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

Punk-Pop | Hardcore & Punk | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

Post Hardcore | Hardcore & Punk | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

General | Rock | Styles | Music

Alternative Metal | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music

Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Bitter Shovel
Above the Noise
Cul-De-Sac
Beginnings
Dead Generation

ASIN: B00008QSA1
Release Date: 2003-09-02

Tracks:

Fear In Me
Bellevue
Guilt (Hold Down)
At War
Speak In Tongues
515 Mellus
Nathaniel
Things Have Changed
Emo This
Shut Up
Surface
Resurface
The Orient
Bla Bla Radio
Magical

Customer Reviews:

great album.......2005-03-18

I think that this band is great and very original. I don't hear too many bands like them and they have a unique style. Here is a list of my rankings of the songs.

1. Fear In Me (10/10) F'n amazing song and a great album opener.
2. Bellevue (9/10) Another really good song...it has a different pace and is one of their more melodic songs.
3. Guilt (9/10) The single off the album and is a very good song.
4. At War (8/10) Excellent singing and pretty fast-paced.
5. Speak In Tongues - (9/10) Awesome song with a great chorus.
6. 515 Mellus - not much to rate (35 seconds long)
7. Nathaniel (10/10) Best song on the album along with Fear In Me.....not a hard song but its an ill song.
8. Things Have Changed (8/10) pretty good, regular fingertight song.
9. Emo This (7/10) Decent song but not one of their best.
10. Shut Up (9/10) Good song with some nice parts to it.
11. Surface (7/10) Another fast-paced song but its pretty good.
12. Resurface (7/10) Pretty good song
13. The Orient (8/10) No lyrics but its a pretty cool little interlude.
14. Bla Bla Radio (6/10) ehh
15. Magical (9/10) Awesome slow-paced album ender with great singing.

Surprisingly good.......2005-02-11

The number one complaint that I have heard so far is that the band doesn't sound original. But really, with the exception of the next great band, who is original? The songs on here are quality. They are great for spacing out during a car trip or something. There is nothing on here that will deeply effect your life, but there are some good songs on here none the less. "Shut up" and "emo this" come to mind. If nothing else look at it this way, they aren't overly popular so if you know about this band then you must be into the alt/rock scene. So for a good album by a band that can play and sing, why now just pay the quarter for it used. You won't regret it.

the average talent pool is getting way to full.......2004-08-22

Here we are with yet another band that lacks any originality. Ofcourse the lyrics are different from other bands but then again, that's why we have copyrights. Two stars for their efforts as it is hard to have originality in this day and age however that doesn't excuse them for making very average music. Not bad but not good either. This band will be just another band needing exposure to masses before other bands of the same caliber do in order to survive. To sum up...AVERAGE.

Different........2004-06-28

I've seen some reviews of people who think this is a metal album because Fingertight have toured with metal bands. If you think that, you will be disappointed. This is an alt/rock album. All the songs on this CD sound very differnt from one another (that's a good thing). If you like any form of rock and are open minded to different genres of music, I think you will like this CD. Get it used if you want and see for yourself.

Amazing Energy.......2004-04-05

Without a shadow of a doubt, Fingertight is in possession of one of the most entertaining frontmen of all time. The lead singers did swantons from the PA Kit into the stage. They never stood still for a quarter of a second, even for slow songs. Definately buy this album, it is great.

Average customer rating:

The Best intro to Taj I've found
A must for Taj Fans
Taj's Roots
A Musical Master
One of the Seven Wonders...

In Progress & In Motion: 1965-1998
Taj Mahal
Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Contemporary Blues | Blues | Styles | Music

General | Blues | Styles | Music

Traditional Blues | Blues | Styles | Music

Electric Blues Guitar | Blues | Styles | Music

Acoustic Blues | Blues | Styles | Music

Modern Blues | Blues | Styles | Music

General | Contemporary Folk | Folk | Styles | Music

General | Folk | Styles | Music

Traditional Folk | Folk | Styles | Music

General | Traditional Country | Country | Styles | Music

Contemporary | Bluegrass | Country | Styles | Music

General | Blues | Box Sets | Stores | Music
Similar Items:

The Essential Taj Mahal
Giant Step/De Ole Folks at Home
Mo' Roots
Phantom Blues
Taj Mahal

ASIN: B00000D9TE
Release Date: 1998-10-13

Tracks:

You're Gonna Need Somebody On Your Bond
Corrina
Checkin' Up On My Baby
Leaving Trunk
Buck Dancer's Choice
Going Up To The Country, Paint My Mailbox Blue
She Caught The Katy & Left Me A Mule To Ride
Aint Gwine Whistle Dixie (Any Mo')
Stagger Lee
Built For Comfort
Natural Man
Railroad Bill
Texas Woman Blues
Early In The Morning
Dust My Broom
Blind Boy Rag

Tracks:

Oh, Susanna
Cakewalk Into Town
Fishin' Blues
Nobody's Business But My Own
Sweet Mama Janisse
Little Red Hen Blues
Mary Don't You Weep
Sweet Home Chicago
Frankie & Albert
M'Banjo
Statesboro Blue
Bye & Bye
Six Days On The Road
We Gonna Rock
Aint It Funky Now
Tom & Sally Drake
Fishin' Blues
Blues With A Feeling
Freight Train

Tracks:

When I Feel The Sea Beneath My Soul
West Indian Revelation
Eighteen Hammers
Johnny Too Bad
Slave Driver
Clara (St. Kitts Woman)
Do I Love Her
Everybody Is Somebody
But I Rode Some
Crossing
Sentidos Dulce (Sweet Feelings)
The Most Recent Evolution Of Muthafusticus Modernusticus
Curry
Follow The Drinking Gourd
Day-O (The Banana Boat Song)
Little Brown Dog
Senor Blues
Aint That A Lot Of Love
Take A Giant Step

Amazon.com essential recording

Taj Mahal has become a blues ambassador, carrying the music to new audiences and melding it with other influences. It's altogether appropriate, then, that three of the early tracks on this three-CD set are unreleased from the Rolling Stones 1968 musical experiment, Rock and Roll Circus. This box emphasizes (but is not limited to) Taj's early career--the late-'60s through the mid-'70s--and whether he's playing solo acoustic instrumentals ("Buck Dancer's Choice"), revving up a rock band ("Statesboro Blues"), or weaving his National Steel guitar around tubas ("Sweet Mama Janisse"), the blues element is never far from center. He even brings out the Pointer Sisters, who funkify the blues standard, "Sweet Home Chicago." The latter part of the box ventures into the 1980s and '90s, and features some songs for kids. Taj Mahal makes a world gumbo of the blues, spiced with a nice hot sauce. --Robert Gordon

Customer Reviews:

The Best intro to Taj I've found.......2006-12-29

I bought my first Taj Mahal LP sometime around 1968 and have kept tabs on the dude ever since...because my vinyl collection shows signs of wear (to be expected after 40 years of repeated play) I went looking for replacements for my many Taj recordings, something like 20 total records, and was hard-pressed to find a collection that represented what I felt was his best material. This three-disc offering comes nowhere near covering it all, but is a fine place to start.

Over the years many people have tried to "turn me on" to Taj as someone they just discovered, largely through the many so-called Greatest Hits releases under his name...many folks have the impression that he's a Mississippi blues man, a roots-cliche sharecropper's son whose showcase tunes are things like "Fishin Song," "She Caught the Katy and Left me a Mule to Ride," etc.

This is good for a chuckle to anyone who knows the man and his work...Facts be told, Taj Mahal hails from Springfield, Massachusetts and never picked cotton...the son of middle-class professionals, his father was a musician's musician who though not a well-known name was highly respected by those in the know, who nicknamed him "The Genius" not just for his musical accomplishments, as the man also spoke seven languages. Taj's mother was also steeped in music and held a master's degree in early childhood education. Taj graduated from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, studying science, animal husbandry and veterinary medicine...not a typical background for a blues artist, some would say, and critics have stated that his music isn't truly blues and lacks "purity," whatever that means...a ridiculous claim since the blues historically has been a fluid style, marked by improvisation and interpretation, and Taj Mahal has experimented with styles all his career...he's an artist who defies labels and pigeon-holes.

One of his signature tunes (and one of my favorites no matter how many times I hear it) is "Take a Giant Step." This Brill Building/Carole King song was originally a bubble-gum ditty recorded by The Monkees, believe it or not. Keeping the same tune and lyrics Taj renders this irritating and forgettable Top Ten '60's a.m. radio number into something very special and poetic. That's the kind of magic the man has.

Many of his musical ventures can't be labelled as anything but pure Taj Mahal. His recordings range from delta-style acoustic guitar and harp to sophisticated urban electric blues. Some of his best is pure Reggae. Some is island music, calypso. Some is Rhythm and Blues, and some is buttkickin' Rock and Roll. He's ventured into Motown-style Doo-Wop. Some of his stuff is pure jazz. Sometimes his only accompaniment is his own acoustic guitar, and sometimes he plays backed by orchestras, or by full brass sections. He plays two-piece numbers with his guitar backed by tuba ("Cakewalk Into Town" is one song that always makes me grin). Almost without exception his music works...he never short-changes his audience and although his album releases number in the dozens I'm hard-pressed to find a single mediocre cut.

Whatever he does, whatever gutsy new approach he takes, his music never sounds experimental or contrived--it's instantly recognizable as pure Taj Mahal, and even in his darkest blues numbers his music is somehow joyous--articulate, witty and a master musician, the cat never fails to bring a smile to my face.

In any case, if your only exposure to Taj has been one of the single-disc "Greatest Hits" or "Best Of" collections, you've never heard even a basic sampling of the man's vast body of work. In this three-disc set you still get only the barest of introductions, but it's the best starter collection I've come across and will steer you towards more of what he has to offer. For those unfamiliar with Taj Mahal I'm a little envious--you've got a lot of joy lying ahead.

A must for Taj Fans.......2005-09-16

A great collection of live and studio music. Disc 1 gets it going right away; Disc 2 takes a strange spin with help from the Pointer Sisters; Disc 3 simply blew me away. Very clean recording with slick engineering (less is more).

Taj takes advantage of the full spectrum of sounds. Highly recommend sitting on your back deck one night and listening to In Progress & In Motion from start to finish.

Taj's Roots.......2003-11-06

I've been a fan of Taj ever since I first saw him in concert over 30 years ago. This 3 CD set is a fantastic collection of his music that explains how he's managed to span those thirty years and continually be fresh and new. Taj can- and does- find and develop the Blues roots in just about any type of music. Nowhere is that culture-spanning ability shown as crisply and clearly as it is on this retrospective set. An absolute must for any Taj fan.

A Musical Master.......2003-01-23

Blues with the guitar and harmonica, sure. Blues with a flute? Tuba???? Taj Mahal can do it all. Love some of the old chestnuts all in one place. The new "Fishin' Blues" took a little getting used to, but it definitely grows on you. The live stuff with the Pointer Sisters is great. I love listening to this guy! The only negative thing I can talk about here is the nebulous liner notes. All in all, a great buy.

One of the Seven Wonders..........2002-02-20

Old timers may remember that in the early 70's Flo and Eddie (of The Turtles)wrote a column in Creem magazine reviewing records. They hated everything. When they reviewed Taj Mahal's Mo' Roots album they lampooned his assimilation of Carribean music and accused him of being a bandwagon jumper."...we can't wait until Taj discovers Swiss yodeling and starts wearing a Tyrolean hat",they wrote. Actually it was pretty funny, but what they didn't realize is that Taj's paternal family were West Indians, so this music was his birthright,just as much as the spirituals,slave hollers,and blues he heard from his mother's rural southern upbringing were. It's his music and it comes to him as natural as breathing. This comprehensive 3 CD set is an excellent place for novices and old pros alike to welcome the music of Taj into their homes. From The Rising Sons,Taj's seminal 60's band that included Ry Cooder, romping through "Statesboro Blues", down through the great Jesse Ed Davis led Tulsa Roadhouse band,the tuba years (yes!),and finally the steel drum laden Carribean kiss, this set is not to be missed.Yeah the liner notes are scanty, but it's the steak, not the sizzle, that matters here.Any guy that can jam the blues with Boz Scaggs and Elvin Bishop live at the Fillmore and hold his own ,on pennywhistle yet, is okay by me. So Taj, if you want to try Swiss yodeling that'll be cool too. You wear that Tyrolean hat with pride and I'll throw in a pair of lederhosen. Bring the tubas with ya.

Renée Fleming - I Want Magic! ~ American Opera Arias

Average customer rating:

All-American Fun
A great listening pleasure. Better than some other selections
I wish I could give more than 5 stars
This music needs a lot less diva
Bringing American opera to the forefront

Renée Fleming - I Want Magic! ~ American Opera Arias
George Gershwin , Carlisle Floyd , Leonard Bernstein , Douglas S. Moore , Bernard Herrmann , Gian Carlo Menotti , Igor Stravinsky , Samuel Barber , André Previn , Metropolitan Opera Orchestra , James Levine , and Renée Fleming
Manufacturer: Decca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Arias | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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

English | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

The Decca Records Store | Specialty Stores | Music
Similar Items:

Renée Fleming
Renee Fleming - The Beautiful Voice ~ Gounod, Lehaair, Orff, Puccini, Rachmaninov, Strauss
Reneé Fleming & Jean-Yves Thibaudet - Night Songs (Fauré, Debussy, Marx, Strauss, Rachmaninov)
Renée Fleming: Bel Canto
Renée Fleming - Signatures ~ Great Opera Scenes / Sir Georg Solti

ASIN: B00000AFR4
Release Date: 1998-09-15

Tracks:

Wuthering Heights: I Have Dreamt
The Ballad Of Baby Doe: The Letter Song
The Medium: Monica's Waltz
Porgy And Bess: Summertime
Porgy And Bess: My Man's Gone Now
Candide: Glitter And Be Gay
Susannah: Ain't It A Pretty Night
Susannah: The Trees on the Mountains
The Rake's Progress: No Word From Tom ... I Go, I Go To Him
VANESSA: He Has Come, He Has Come
A Streetcar Named Desire: I Want Magic!

Amazon.com

Like Dawn Upshaw's The World So Wide on Nonesuch, this program is such an inviting cross section of American opera of the last 50 years, you wonder why more of it hasn't been recorded. Composers include Carlisle Floyd, Douglas Moore, Samuel Barber, and Gian Carlo Menotti, whose childlike "Monica's Waltz" from the otherwise lurid opera The Medium is a highlight. Old favorites are here, such as Gershwin's "Summertime." And new favorites, too: Andre Previn's forthcoming "A Streetcar Named Desire" graciously offers Straussian lushness and bitonal wind-instrument details suggesting Blanche DuBois's mind departing from reality, all sounding remarkably true to Previn's pre-World War II upbringing in Berlin. This dramatically alert arioso isn't so melodically memorable but makes all necessary dramatic points eloquently. Though she performs vividly throughout, Fleming often lets her vocal tone overwhelm articulation of the words--a middling drawback. And comedy is not her thing: Bernstein's "Glitter and Be Gay" is way too hammy. --David Patrick Stearns

Customer Reviews:

All-American Fun.......2007-01-01

I love this CD. It's so incredibly American. It features American lyric soprano Renee Fleming singing American opera arias. Ms. Fleming is capably accompanied by the Met orchestra, America's best opera orchestra, conducted by another distinguished American, Maestro James Levine. The only way this CD could be more American is if it were released on July 4th, with two baseball tickets included. I'm grateful that Decca made this release.

This CD starts out very strong with a gorgeous aria "I have dreamt" from "Wuthering Heights". I've never seen this opera nor heard of this opera. If the opera is half as good as the aria, I would love to see it. Renee cruises through "The Letter Song" from "The Ballad of Baby Doe" with heartfelt interpretation. "Monica's Waltz" is not one of my favorite arias in the world, but Ms. Fleming sings it beautifully.

Here's where we depart, and the reason I gave this CD only 4 stars. First, Renee sings two arias from "Porgy and Bess": "Summertime" and "My Man's Gone Now". Renee's voice is way too rich and lush for these arias. Listen to Renee sing it, then listen to the gold standard, Leontyne Price. You'll see what I mean. Renee's rendition of "My Man's Gone Now" was just way too pretty. The score calls for some extended glissandos, which are supposed to be wails of grief. Renee sang the glissandos beautifully, but no grief was in sight. Her next choice "Glitter and Be Gay" from "Candide" is just not a good choice for her. I think even Renee would tell you that a voice like hers is just not right for Cunegonde. This aria (and role) calls for a smaller voice. [...].

Then Renee reminds me of why I love her in the first place, by returning to two arias from "Susannah", a signature role for her. Her performances of "Ain't it a pretty night!" and "The trees on the mountains" are too good for words. She completely understands this role, and communicates the mood in these arias right through your speakers. Just imagine how good it must be live!

Renee closes with "No word from Tom" (The Rake's Progress), "He has come, he has come!" (Vanessa), and "I want magic! (A Streetcar Named Desire). I wish more opera companies would produce "The Rake's Progress". This is a wonderful opera by an "adopted" American composer, Igor Stravinsky. The aria from "Streetcar" is kind of an odd choice to close this CD, but Renee did premiere the role of Blanche in this Previn piece with the SF Opera. So maybe it's not so strange after all.

Highly recommended for fans of Renee Fleming, and those who need to add some good old American opera to round out their Puccini collections. This is a nice performance record by a woman surely destined to be one of the greatest lyric sopranos in history.

A great listening pleasure. Better than some other selections.......2006-04-05

'I Want Magic' sung by superstar mezzo Renee Fleming, backed by James Levine and his Metropolitan Opera Orchestra follows the same pattern of severa of Fleming's other releases, in that there is one widely known and very familiar piece (Gershwin's 'Summertime' from 'Porgy and Bess') plus many less familiar pieces.

The theme of all the pieces is that they are arias from American operas, all in English. And, I get a lot more from this selection than I do from, for example, her recording of Shubert Lieder. One thing I learn is how totally typical is Leonard Bernstein's piece from 'Candide', which sounds like it stepped right out of a production of 'The Fantasticks'. Gershwin's two great songs, on the other hand, are icons of American music and even Herrmann's movie song from Wuthering Heights makes Bernstein's song sound ordinary.

But, the album is really all about Fleming's realization of these songs, which is simply nothing less than spectacular. While I tend to prefer hearing works 'in situ', Fleming's talent is so great that hearing her do eleven pieces out of context is worth it. The album is also more interesting than the average collection of Lieder in that it has the backing of a major American dramatic orchestra.

Better than average Fleming choice.

I wish I could give more than 5 stars.......2005-09-30

This recording is truly wonderful! I really feel that American composers have written some incredible things. I think that American opera is much better than British opera, with the exception of Benjamin Britten. My favorites on this track are actually all of them, but if I had to choose, I would pick: "No word from Tom" (The Rakes Progress, Stravinsky), "Ain't it a pretty night" (Sussanah, Floyd), "Glitter and be Gay" (Candide, Bernstein), and my absolute favorite "Monica's Waltz" (The Medium, Menotti). This is such a great album. Some of Renee's diction isn't completely clear, but that's opera. In order to acheive a beautiful sound, especially in English, certain vowels need to be altered. ESPECIALLY for the soprano voice. When singing so high, certain vowels and consonants need to be altered a bit. Anyway, it's an incredible album!!

This music needs a lot less diva.......2005-09-18

Renee Fleming has a glorious voice, and there's not a note here that isn't ravishing. Decca's engineers have caught the voice very well, and Levine's conducting is all it could be. The problem? Well, having her sing Summertime and My Man's Gone NOw was a bad idea, not only because both are cliches. Felming has a hard time sounding emotionally natural. She tends to apply her incredible voice with diva-like self-consciousness and play-acted emotion far too often.

Which means that her CD recitals are hit-and-miss. Glitter and Be Gay is a disaster here because she tries to be funny and winds up being self-conscious and embarrassing. But the big aria form Susannah, a role Fleming sings at the Met, is perfect. I expected a lot more adventurousness from this American collection, since Felming is, after all, an American singer. But it's mostly overplayed, like Puccini in English, sobs and all. I enjoyed the voice, but after a while the mannerisms became tiresome.

Bringing American opera to the forefront.......2005-01-20

American opera is not as well-known to many people because it can be complex, both musically and dramatically, and requires amazing vocal technique to sing things that sound simple. Fleming's recording highlights some familiar arias (the Susannah arias, for example) as well as some that are almost unknown. If you are an opera fan, and especially if you want to learn more about American opera, this CD is a great place to start. My favorite: Glitter and Be Gay, from Bernstein's Candide. Wow.

Average customer rating:

Excellent Material for Ms. Upshaw.
Keeps Getting Better
The Barber alone is worth five stars
Buy this disc...twice!
Dawn Upshaw, vocal actress extraordinaire

Knoxville Summer of 1915

Manufacturer: Nonesuch
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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

English | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Upshaw, Dawn | Divas | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

General | Musicals | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music

General | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music

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

Forgotten Songs: Dawn Upshaw Sings Debussy
Long Time Ago - Copland / Dawn Upshaw & Thomas Hampson
Voices of Light
Angels Hide Their Faces: Dawn Upshaw Sings Bach and Purcell
Barber: Knoxville Summer of 1915/Dover Beach/Hermit Songs/Adromache's Farewell

ASIN: B000005IZ3
Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

Knoxville: Summer Of 1915
The Old Maid And the Thief: Act I, Scene 6: What A Curse For A Woman Is A Timid Man
Mirabai Songs: I. It's True, I Went To The Market
Mirabai Songs: II. All I Was Doing Was Breathing
Mirabai Songs: III. Why Mira Can't Go Back To Her Old House
Mirabai Songs: IV. Where Did You Go?
Mirabai Songs: V. The Clouds
Mirabai Songs: VI. Don't Go, Don't Go
The Rake's Progress: Act I, Scene 3: No Word From Tom

Amazon.com essential recording

Barber's Knoxville, Summer of 1915 is a setting of a lovely chunk of prose text by James Agee describing an evening from his childhood. An accomplished singer himself, Barber's vocal writing is expert, and this work must rank as one of the finest examples of the art of word-setting in any language. Barber perfectly captures the conversational quality of the text, while at the same time clothing the words in an atmosphere of gentle nostalgia. It's a masterpiece that Dawn Upshaw sings with keen insight and lovely tone. The remainder of the program is creatively chosen as well, making this one of the finest vocal recitals available by an American singer. --David Hurwitz

Customer Reviews:

Excellent Material for Ms. Upshaw........2006-04-26

'Knoxville: Summer of 1915' is a performance of a selection of operatic pieces by Americans such as Samuel Barber or Europeans transplanted to the United States, such as Igor Stravinsky. Ms. Upshaw shines with material, which is good for her, since she is just slightly out of her league with the material covered by the likes of Renee Flemming on the operatic front and Ute Lemper and Lotte Lenya on the Euro/American popular musical stage.

Like any good sampler, this recording's strongest draw is the fact that it makes one interested in tracking down the complete works by Barber, Menotti, Harbison, and Stravinsky. And, while the package includes all lyrics, everything is in perfectly clear English. A perfect addition to other American classics such as 'Porgy and Bess'.

Keeps Getting Better.......2005-03-02

I have had this disc for years, and I'm more impressed with it as the years roll by. I bought it for Barber's "Knoxville, Summer of 1915" which is a glorious piece of music caught here in a luminous performance. I didn't initially warm up to the Harbison songs, but they have grown on me over the years to the point that I listen to them far more often than the Barber now. I think it just took me a while to absorb Harbison's style and understand how deftly and ingeniously he uses it to take the listener into Mirabai's world. Not to be missed!

The Barber alone is worth five stars.......2004-01-16

People are always saying that they find a particular piece of music is "haunting." For me Barber's "Knoxville: Summer of 1915" is such a work. Dawn Upshaw's reading of this great American masterwork is the best I have yet heard. She won her first Grammy Award for this recording - and deservedly so. If you're a fan of either Upshaw or Barber you'll want to add this beautiful CD to your collection.

Buy this disc...twice!.......2002-07-20

Extraordinary!! This has got to be the definitive Knoxville--rich, touching, elegant and as close to perfect as it can probably ever be. Upshaw has the perfect voice for this work, and she gives it all the loving attention that it requires. This is a performance of Knoxville that will make you weak in the knees. For the Knoxville alone, buy this disc....twice! There is, however, just a little bit of downside here. The other works on this disc just aren't very captivating.

Dawn Upshaw, vocal actress extraordinaire.......2002-01-01

This is the CD that made me fall in love with Dawn Upshaw's singing. I had heard her before and admired her work, but this disc made me a real fan. As it's one of her early recordings, her voice is somewhat "fuller" than on later work; she later started moving the voice "forward," simplifying the sound. Either way, her immense talent for communicating the essence of the text is the outstanding aspect of all her work. It's amazing how she can sound angry, desperate, hopeful, melancholic, all while producing a beautiful sound and tackling all the vocal challenges of the music she's singing. She inhabits the characters, the narrators, of each of the pieces on this disc, and makes it more than just a collection of songs or arias.

I want to make special mention of the Harbison _Mirabai Songs_, as it seems to have been maligned somewhat in other reviews here. This was the work that most kept me coming back to this disc when I first bought it. I think it is a masterpiece, and one of Harbison's best and most important works. (Apparently I'm not alone in my admiration of the piece, because I've heard it on a number of live concerts in recent years, so it seems to be having a successful performance life.) Harbison's song cycle is by turns exciting, sensual, driving, longing, beautiful. The orchestration for the small ensemble is masterful (as Harbison's efforts at scoring always are), and Upshaw expresses all of Mirabai's complex emotions enchantingly.

The _Rake's Progress_ aria also deserves individual comment. In this engrossing example of Stravinsky's neoclassical style, Upshaw assumes Anne's air of fierce determination, and brings the disc to an absolutely thrilling climax on a concluding high C.

All of the music on this terrific CD is very accessible, and the performances are stellar. The recorded sound is very clear and immediate, as one would expect from Nonesuch. It's one of my favorite discs in my entire collection, and would probably be so for the Harbison and Stravinsky alone.

Music:

Music

music

Recommended Music:

For a Glamorous Weekend in Milano [Import]

Music from Six Continents (1995 Series): Snyder, Winges, Patterson, Kennedy, Rabushka

My Lord What a Mornin' [Import]

Relaxin' With Miles (20 Bit Mastering) [Original recording remastered]

Mrs. Winterbourne (1996 Film) [Soundtrack]

Sing-a-Long-Vol. 1 [Karaoke]

Pandora's Toys [Import] [Limited Edition] [Original recording remastered]

Reach for the Gutter [Explicit Lyrics]

La Mia Storia, Vol. 4

On Radio From Radio City Hall

Magnum Cum Louder [Import]

Maximum Justin Timberlake [Import]

Lord Have Mercy on My Soul

The Woman in White

Getz Meets Mulligan in Hi-Fi