This Side [Hybrid SACD]

1. Smoothie Song

2. Spit on a Stranger

3. Speak

4. Hanging by a Thread/The Day After Christmas [Instrumental]

5. I Should've Known Better

6. This Side

7. Green and Gray

8. Seven Wonders

9. House Carpenter

10. Beauty and the Mess

11. Sabra Girl

12. Young

13. Brand New Sidewalk

Tracks:

Smoothie Song
Spit on a Stranger
Speak
Hanging by a Thread
Should've Known Better
This Side
Green and Gray
Seven Wonders
House Carpenter
Beauty and the Mess
Sabra Girl
Young
Brand New Sidewalk

Amazon.com

Whereas Nickel Creek's debut album established the young California trio at the progressive vanguard of traditional bluegrass, this ambitious, risky follow-up finds their acoustic artistry straying far afield. Mandolin player Chris Thile and the Watkins siblings--guitarist Sean and fiddler Sara--continue to impress with their intuitive instrumental interplay and lush vocal harmonies. Sean Watkins's title cut achieves the sprightliest blend of traditional bluegrass instrumentation and contemporary pop craft, while the ruminative melancholy of "Hanging by a Thread" and "Green and Gray" sound as though Thile has been listening to a lot of Elliott Smith (and reading the published poetry of Jewel). The album also features Pavement's "Spit on a Stranger," Carrie Newcomer's "Should've Known Better," and a traditional British ballad, "House Carpenter." However, much of the collection's original material lacks the maturity to match the trio's musical gifts, as songs incorporating influences ranging from neo-psychedelia to alt pop often suffer from self-consciousness. Kindred-spirit producer Alison Krauss plainly gave the project a long leash, and the results can be viewed as either sophomore slump or creative growth spurt--or perhaps both. --Don McLeese

Customer Reviews:

grows.......2007-04-14

At first I found this below the par of the groups' 2000 debut, but I have grown to enjoy it just as much. Somehow every time I put it in the songs sounded just a little bit better. It's like a joke that you have to "get" first.

Not so good..........2007-01-30

I bought this album because i loved their self titled debut. Unfortunately, it really is nothing like their first album. There is only a hint of bluegrass sound, Chris Thile's vocals are straying into an alt-pop sound, and frankly, many of the lyrics are painfully insipid. Too bad, their first album was (and still is) one of my favorites. If you liked Nickel Creek (the album) for it's unique sound, don't buy this one.

Suffering From Sophomore Slump, But Still Worthwhile Music From a Fine Young Bluegrass/Country/Folk Band.......2007-01-06

I tend to agree with Amazon.com's resident music critic that this album may be a classic example of sophomore slump for Nickel Creek. Nonetheless, it is an essential purchase for Nickel Creek fans and others interested in their music. Artistically, this album isn't nearly as impressive as the band's first, or the one which would follow. But I have to give this splendid group of young musicians ample credit for trying to push their musical envelope, metaphorically speaking, opting for a more pop/alt country sound on this album than in their self entitled critically acclaimed debut which was also produced by legendary country fiddler Alison Krauss. However, their songwriting abilities haven't quite risen sufficiently to compare favorably with their splendid musicianship, which reminds me more of an elite classical music ensemble such as the Ensemble Wien or Emerson String Quartet. All three were making tremendous strides in their playing; for example, whether it was Chris Thile's elegant mastery of the mandolin or Sara Watkins's virtuoso playing of the violin (On this album she clearly demonstrates that she's a violinist worthy of note, with brilliant, rhapsodic playing of the kind I've appreciated hearing from my erstwhile friend - and fellow Brunonian - Dotty Moore, a sensational New York City-based, classically-trained bluegrass/country/folk violinist, who, regrettably, is wasting both her professional career and personal life with the Brooklyn, NY fringe community of predominantly mediocre country/folk musicians, performing for example with the mediocre honky tonk band Alex Battles and the Whisky Rebellion, when there are other, far more lucrative, opportunities for her to perform with the best bluegrass/country/folk musicians in New York City and elsewhere.). Without a doubt, Nickel Creek is one of our finest bluegrass/country/folk bands, worthy of comparison to the great bands from Tucson, AZ like The Mollys, Calexico, and Giant Sand, and artistically light years ahead of any Brooklyn, NY-based country/folk band, with the possible exception of the Wingdale Community Singers.

A Good Accidental Find.......2006-12-22

I bought this CD without a cover at a Pawn Shop thinking it was a 2002 Train CD (their crown symbols are similar)- when I put it in, I realized right away that it was not - but I wasn't disappointed. This is a very well crafted set of songs that are soothing and acoustically woven. I like this better than what I thought I was buying. I see reviews below where people didn't like this because it wasn't Bluegrass - thank God, I would have died.
This is a group of true musicians and if they take a turn, I'll say what I always say - let the band be true to themselves and find or experiment with their sound.
While definitley not Bluegrass on this set, there are some GREAT tunes here. There is plenty of Bluegrass and Country out there - this is something different, more folk inspired and I like it a lot. The beauty of Amazon is that you can listen before you buy - so give it a chance! :-)

Nickel Creek.......2006-08-27

Since Chris Thile is a member of this band, I got two of their CDs. NICKEL CREEK and THIS SIDE. Music reviews can be so subjective, can't they? They're technically quite accomplished musicians, but somehow they bore me. I can't explain it. They just don't touch me in what the locals would call my deep heart. Same problem I have with Brahms. Sorry, mate.

Broadway - The American Musical (PBS Series)

Average customer rating:

Fabulous for any Broadway-lover
Top Shelf
TERRIFIC CD'S
Great Collection of Broadways greatest Songs
Great Compilation!

Broadway - The American Musical (PBS Series)

Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Ballets | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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

English | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

German | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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

Movie Soundtracks | Soundtracks | Styles | Music

General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music

General | Musicals | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music

General | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music

General | Vocal Pop | Pop | 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

Musicals | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music
Similar Items:

The Best of Broadway - The American Musical (PBS Series)
Broadway: The American Musical
Broadway: The American Musical
Broadway - The American Musical (PBS Series)
Somewhere over the Rainbow: The Golden Age of Hollywood Musicals

ASIN: B00064ADMK
Release Date: 2004-10-19

Tracks:

Give My Regards To Broadway- Joel Grey
Swanee- Al Jolson
When The Moon Shines On The Moonshine- Bert Williams
A Pretty Girl Is Like A Melody- John Steel
My Man- Fanny Brice
Fascinating Rhythm- Fred Astaire, Adele Astaire
If You Knew Susie (Like I Know Susie)- 78rpm Version Eddie Cantor
Someone To Watch Over Me- Gertrude Lawrence
Bill- 78 rpm Version Helen Morgan
Ol' Man River- Paul Robeson
Ain't Misbehavin'- Louis Armstrong & His Orchestra
Ten Cents A Dance- Ruth Etting
Body And Soul- Libby Holman
Brother, Can You Spare A Dime- Bing Crosby
Night And Day- Fred Astaire
Heat Wave- Ethel Waters
Smoke Gets in Your Eyes- Tamara
You're The Top- Ethel Merman
Summertime- Anne Brown
September Song- Walter Huston
My Heart Belongs To Daddy- Mary Martin
It Never Entered My Mind- Shirley Ross
Bewitched, Bothered, Bewildered- Vivienne Segal
Oh, How I Hate To Get Up In The Morning- Irving Berlin
Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin'- Alfred Drake

Tracks:

New York, New York- Cris Alexander,Adolph Green,John Reardon
If I Loved You- John Raitt,Jan Clayton
Come Rain Or Come Shine- Ruby Hill,Harold Nicholas
There's No Business Like Show Business- Ensemble
How Are Things In Glocca Morra? From "Finian's Rainbow"- Ella Logan
Once In Love With Amy- Ray Bolger
Wunderbar- Alfred Drake,Patricia Morison
Some Enchanted Evening- Ezio Pinza
Lost In The Stars- Todd Duncan
Diamonds Are A Girl's Best Friend- Carol Channing
Luck Be A Lady- Robert Alda,Guys
Getting To Know You- Gertrude Lawrence
Who Cares?- Jack Carson,Betty Oakes
Stranger In Paradise- from " Kismet" Doretta Morrow,Richard Kiley
Ballad Of Mack The Knife- Gerald Price
Hey There- from "The Pajama Game" John Raitt
Whatever Lola Wants- Gwen Verdon
I Could Have Danced All Night- Julie Andrews
Standing On The Corner- from "The Most Happy Fella, 1956" Shorty Long,John Henson,Alan Gilbert
The Party's Over- Judy Holliday
Glitter And Be Gay- Barbara Cook
Tonight- Larry Kert, Carol Lawrence

Tracks:

Seventy-Six Trombones- Robert Preston
I Enjoy Being A Girl- from "Flower Drum Song, 1958" Pat Suzuki
Everything's Coming Up Roses- Ethel Merman
My Favorite Things- from "The Sound Of Music" Mary Martin
Put On A Happy Face- from "Bye Bye Birdie" Dick Van Dyke
Try To Remember- Jerry Orbach
Camelot- from "Camelot" Richard Burton
Love Makes The World Go 'Round- Anna Maria Alberghetti
I Believe In You- Robert Morse And Co.
The Sweetest Sounds- Diahann Carroll,Richard Kiley
Comedy Tonight- Zero Mostel
What Kind Of Fool Am I?- Anthony Newley
As Long As He Needs Me- Georgia Brown
Hello, Dolly!- Carol Channing,Cast
People- Barbra Streisand
Anyone Can Whistle- from "Anyone Can Whistle" Lee Remick
If I Were A Rich Man- Zero Mostel
Night Song- Sammy Davis, Jr.
The Impossible Dream- Richard Kiley
If My Friends Could See Me Now- Gwen Verdon
Open a New Window- from Mame Voice

Tracks:

Willkommen- from "Cabaret" Joel Grey
Let The Sunshine In- James Rado,Lynn Kellogg,Melba Moore,Cast
I'll Never Fall In Love Again- Jill O'Hara,Jerry Orbach
The Ladies Who Lunch- from "Company" Elaine Stritch
Tea For Two- Roger Rathburn,Susan Watson
I'm Still Here- Yvonne De Carlo
I Don't Know How To Love Him- Yvonne Elliman
We Go Together- Adrienne Barbeau,Barry Bostwick,Walter Bobbie,Cast
Corner Of The Sky- John Rubinstein
Send In The Clowns- Glynis Johns
Ease On Down The Road- Stephanie Mills,Tiger Haynes,Ted Ross,Hinton
One- from "A Chorus Line" Cast
All That Jazz- Chita Rivera,Ensemble
Tomorrow- Andrea Mcardle
Don't Cry For Me Argentina- Patti Lupone
Come Follow The Band
Lullaby Of Broadway- Jerry Orbach
And I'm Telling You I'm Not Going- Jennifer Holliday
The Bells Of St. Sebastian- Raul Julia

Tracks:

Memory- Betty Buckley
I Am What I Am- George Hearn
Move On- Bernadette Peters,Mandy Patinkin
Do You Hear The People Sing?- Michael Maguire,Cast
The Music Of The Night- Michael Crawford
You're Nothing Without Me- James Naughton,Gregg Edelman
The American Dream- Jonathan Pryce,Cast
Doctor Jazz- Gregory Hines,Company
With One Look- Glenn Close
On Broadway- Adrian Bailey,Frederick B. Owens,Ken Ard,Victor Trent Cook
Le Jazz Hot- Julie Andrews,Ensemble
Seasons Of Love-
Hakuna Matata- Max Casella,Tom Alan Robbins,Scott Irby-Ranniar,Jason Raize
I Wanna Be A Producer- Matthew Broderick,Ensemble
Dancing Queen- Louise Plowright,Jenny Galloway
Good Morning Baltimore- Marissa Jaret Winokur
Movin' Out- Michael Cavanaugh,Band
I Go To Rio- Hugh Jackman,Company
Defying Gravity- Kristin Chenoweth,Idina Menzel

Customer Reviews:

Fabulous for any Broadway-lover.......2007-01-30

Packs into 5 CD's a sampling of Broadway tunes from the 20's thru (almost) today, mostly from original cast recordings. Includes not just well-known hits, but also some lesser-known gems. Sound quality is first rate, booklet is informative too. Have given this as a gift to several friends with rave reviews.

Top Shelf.......2007-01-04

This is THE definitive collection of Broadway hits. I have other collections, and none of them measure up. A great deal of care was obviously taken in compiling and presenting this box set. It covers a lot of ground, starting with some long-forgotten but still very enjoyable hits from the days of yore, and finishing with present-day favorites. To the best of my knowledge, the recordings are by those who made them famous. You won't be disappointed.

TERRIFIC CD'S.......2006-03-23

THESE BROADWAY MUSICALS CD'S ARE A BROADWAY LOVERS DREAM. WITH EACH SONG, MEMORIES COME FLOODING BACK. BOTH THE FAMILIAR AND THE FORGOTTEN SONGS ARE A TRUE LISTENING PLEASURE. IF YOU LIKE BROADWAY, YOU'LL LOVE THIS SET.

Great Collection of Broadways greatest Songs .......2005-06-14

This Collection was perfectly made it has almost all the most famous Broadway songs on this 5 cd set. The Music is great and has Broadways greatest treasures like "Memory""People""With One Look""Give my regards Too Broadway" just to name a few of this numerous cd set with over 100 songs. This is a great buy if you like musicals or The music of Broadway

Great Compilation!.......2005-01-17

If you are a fan of the Broadway Musicals, this is a collection that you should purchase. Since I got the 5 disc set I've enjoyed listening to it. The majority of the songs are done by the original singers. The collection is priceless considering that you will have over 100 songs from popular musicals since the beginning of Broadway

Average customer rating:

Ric Ocasek Solo CD
Ric's Best Solo Album
Good album, but not his best...
at the current list price of $6.98, you can't go wrong with this one
A Classic.

This Side of Paradise
Ric Ocasek
Manufacturer: Geffen Gold Line Sp.
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

General | Pop | Styles | Music

Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music

General | Rock | Styles | Music

Album-Oriented Rock (AOR) | Classic Rock | Styles | Music

4-for-3 Classic Rock | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music

4-for-3 Pop | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music

4-for-3 Rock | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music

4-for-3 All Music | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music
Similar Items:

Nexterday
The Lace
Door to Door
Heartbeat City
Troublizing

ASIN: B000000OY7
Release Date: 1997-06-01

Tracks:

Keep On Laughin'
True To You
Emotion In Motion
Look In Your Eyes
Coming For You
Mystery
True Love
P.F.J.
Hello Darkness
This Side Of Paradise

Customer Reviews:

Ric Ocasek Solo CD.......2007-05-08

Having had Ric's original release of "This Side of Paradise" on cassette tape, both my wife and I are pleased to have a CD version. "This Side of Paradise" contains some of the best songs for easy listening music: particularly "Emotion in Motion." An excellent buy.This Side of Paradise

Ric's Best Solo Album.......2007-05-02

I really like this album. Every son is catchy, and I never get tired of listening to it. There was only one charted hit from the album, "Emotion in Motion". But my favorite is the title track. A quiet, synthesized song that I find fascinating.

Good album, but not his best..........2007-03-26

To date, Ric Ocasek has released 6 albums as a solo artist: "Beatitude", "This Side of Paradise", "Fireball Zone", "Quick Change World", "Troublizing", and "Nexterday". All of them unique onto themselves. Fans must remember however, that Ric Ocasek is not The Cars. Therefore, fans should stop comparing his solo work to that of The Cars which is a group effort.

I have to admit, my all time favorite album of Mr. Ocasek's is his first, "Beatitude". From start to finish, I enjoy each and every track. No need for skipping any one song. They're all great.

My least favorite Ric Ocasek album is "Fireball Zone". There's maybe 2 tracks I like on that album.

If I had to list his albums from most favorite (and most played with the least amount of skipping a track) to least favorite, the order would go something like this:

1)"Beatitude"
2)"This Side of Paradise"
3)"Quick Change World"
4)"Troublizing"
5)"Nexterday"
6)"Fireball Zone"

at the current list price of $6.98, you can't go wrong with this one.......2006-06-05

Ric Ocasek's second solo album, "This Side of Paradise", came out in 1986, prior to The Cars final album and disbandment.

It should come as no surprise that, on the whole, "This Side Of Paradise" is just slightly removed from the sound of The Cars. Cars keyboardist Greg Hawkes is all over this album, credited for playing all of the keyboards on 9 of the 10 songs (Ric chips in on the title track), and man, there sure are a lot of keyboards here. The late Benjamin Orr chips in with background vocals on several songs, and even Elliot Easton appears on one song. Hawkes gets his usual one co-write ("Hello Darkness") with the rest of the tracks being written by Ocasek alone.

From start to finish, this is NOT a stellar effort, and could have really benefited from some careful editing. "Mystery" is a reasonably good Ocasek pop-rocker, though pretty rote and forgettable. "True Love" is a listenable-but-middling composition, lifted up by some nice acoustic lead guitarwork from Steve Stevens (of Billy Idol fame), but weighed down by bleary keyboard chords and corny synthesized trumpet. The quasi-'experimental' "P.F.J." (aka "Pink Flag Joe") is perhaps supposed to be humorous, but ends up being a cutesy, hookless bore. And the title track, which is actually quite moving, gets carried away with co-producer Chris Hughes' drum bashing, and then ends with a pointless reprise of "True Love".

However, the first three tracks all hit the nail squarely on the head.

The album-opening "Keep On Laughin'" in particular is one of my absolute personal favorite songs ever. There's a brief intro section that uses the same chord sequence as the album's 4th song, "Look In Your Eyes", and it kind of sets the scene, if you will. Once the intro passes, it gives way to an absolutely astonishingly great uptempo song that comes together in such a way that is simply beyond belief. As usual, the lyrics are a bit allusive, but it seems to be about a woman clutching to the strains of a dying relationship, and it's extremely moving, with deftly-executed and tension-building chord changes, a driving beat, vocals from Ocasek that are pure inspiration, masterfully-placed power chords on the chorus, loads of brilliant keyboard textures from Hawkes (including a "Heartbeat City"-style looping riff), plus lots of great guitar stuff going on in the background (courtesy of Ocasek and Stevens). To say it all adds up to more than the sum of its parts is virtually pointless--what a hauntingly powerful song that compels you to listen again and again. And again.

The following track, "True To You", is so upbeat that it feels downright jolting appearing so suddenly on the heels of "Keep On Laughin'", but getting past that, it's a wonderfully catchy, sunny pop-rocker in its own right.

The top 20 US hit "Emotion In Motion" is also wonderful, a really lovely ballad (it features guitar from Tears For Fears' Roland Orzabel). Ocasek uses his unique and instantly identifiable 'quivering' vocals to wring a lot of emotion from the tender lyric and melody. I can think of almost no one else who might be able to sing this song so movingly.

"Look In Your Eyes" is pretty damn great too--the vocals are a bit frustratingly buried in the mix, but it's got effectively pulsating bass, David Gilmour-style echoing guitarwork, an ominously yearning atmosphere, and an irresistible chorus featuring layered backing vocals from Ben Orr. I also love the thudding, doom-laden metallic rocker "Coming For You". And "Hello Darkness" sounds much like "Keep On Laughin'", yet without being a mere carbon copy of it--irresistible stuff.

Overall, "This Side Of Paradise" is sort of a frustrating, choppy listen. Like I said before, this album could really use some editing and fine-tuning here and there, because there are lots of quality ideas floating around. For all the complaining, the only tune that's really outright skippable is "P.F.J.". Add to this the low list price, the presence of the extraordinary "Keep On Laughin'", and the other great material, you really can't go wrong getting this album.

(P.S. Ric also wrote and sang a wonderful song called "I Still Want You" that didn't make it onto the "This Side of Paradise" album. Actually, Ric may have not even written the song quite yet--it turned up on the 1987 "Made In Heaven" soundtrack.)

A Classic........2005-09-27

This is classic Ric Ocasek music. Less Pop sounding then the Cars and great for crusing, running or just enjoying. If you lived through the eighties, this is a must have CD.

Average customer rating:

Instruments of the Orchestra - Great Reference Material!
Beginner or Expert
Very Informative and Enjoyable
Frank's view
Excellent Intro for Those Not Familiar with the Orchestra

Instruments of the Orchestra
Various Artists
Manufacturer: Naxos
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Rap & Hip-Hop | Styles | Music

General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music

General | Instructional | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music

Blowout Box Sets | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music

More Titles at Least 20% Off | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music

All Classical Music Blowout | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music

Instrumental | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music
Similar Items:

Britten: Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra Op34; Simple Symphony Op4
What to Listen for in Music
Study of Orchestration, Third Edition
The Life and Works of Ludwig van Beethoven
The Life and Works of Frédéric Chopin

ASIN: B00006O0NT
Release Date: 2002-12-03

Tracks:

Overture To 'Tannhauser'
Domna, Pos Vos Ay Chausida
We Don't Merely Use Instruments, We Play On Them. And They Play On Us.
Hungarian Dance No.7
The Violin Is One Of The Most Tender And Beautiful Instruments Ever Invented.
Violin Concerto In D Major (Adagio)
But For A Long Time It Was Seen As The Instrument Of The Devil.
The Soldier's Tale: Triumphal March Of The Devil
The Manipulative Seductiveness Of The Gypsy Violin.
Csardas Music
The Violin And The Initiation Of Nature
The Four Seasons (Spring, Mvt 1)
Birds Are Again Evoked In The Second Concerto, Especially Music's Natural Favourite.
The Four Seasons (Summer, Mvt 1)
Like The Devil, The Violin Is A Master Of Disguise.
Old Viennese Dance No.3 'Schon Rosmarin'
The Menacing Sensuality Of Ravel's Tzigane: A Very Different Side Of The Violin:
Tzigane
Do We Now Have The True Measure Of This Instrument? Not Just Yet.
Caprice No.24
The Many Effects Of The String Tremolando: Brandenburg Concerto No.4 (Last Mvt)/From Joy To Fright/Quartettsatz In C Minor/The String Tremolo Practically Spells The World Agitato.
Variations On A Theme Of Frank Bridge (No.7)
Prokofiev's Tremolo In Romeo And Juliet Should Not Be Heard Just Before Bedtime.
Romeo And Juliet: Act IV
Vivaldi Use It To Illustrate The Shivering Of Travellers Crossing The Ice.
The Four Seasons (Winter, Mvt 1)
The Violin Muted
Clair De Lune
The Gentleness Of Muted Strings Persists Even When A Whole Orchestra Plays.
Piano Concerto No.21 In C Major, K.467 (Slow Mvt)
The Pizzicato Violin
Pizzicato Polka
In Prokofiev's Second Violin Concerto, The Accompaniment Is Pizzicato.
Violin Concerto No.2 In G Minor (Slow Mvt)
Varieties Of Pizzicato: Colas Breugnon (The People's Feast)/Now A Drier, Leaner, Hungrier Pizzicato. There's Not A Lot Of Comfort Here./Capriol Suite (Tordion)/The Use Of Pizzicato As 'Percussion'/Romeo And Juliet (Act I)/Mahler Used Pizzicato...
The Planets (Mars - The Bringer Of War)
The Technique Of Double-Stopping Enables The Violin To Play Duets With Itself./Sonata No.3 In C Major For Unaccompanied Violin (Fugue)/Now A Later Example Of The Same Technique
Hungarian Dance No.4
Double-Stopping Is A Standard Feature Of A Lot Of Folk Music.
The Four Seasons (Autumn, Mvt 1)
Now The Same Technique, But The Sound Might Have Come From Another World.
Bolero
Double-Stopping Can Only Approximate The Sound Of A Real Violin Duet.
Cadenza To The Violin Concerto By Brahms
Now Compare That With A Real Violin Duet.
Forty-Four Duos (No. 1: Teasing Song)
Another Duo By Bartok, Demonstrating The Violin's Rich Lower Register
Forty-Four Duos (No.2: Maypole Dance)
And Now What May Be The Most Beautiful Accompanied Violin Duet In History
Concerto In D Minor For Two Violins (Largo)
The Soul Of The Violin Is In Song; But What About This Weird Passage?
Violin Concerto No.1 In D Major (Mvt 2)
The Use Of Harmonies In The Orchestra Can Be Both Magical And Unsettling.
Symphony No.1 'Titan' (Mvt 1, Opening)
Tchaikovsky's Use Of Harmonics In The Sleeping Beauty Is Both Strange And Darling.
The Sleeping Beauty (Act II, No.15: Entr'Acte)
Ravel's Harmonics In Mother Goose Effect A Magical Transformation.
Ma Mere L'Oye - Mother Goose (Beauty And The Beast)
Stravinsky's Harmonics In The Firebird Transport Us Almost Into Another World./The Firebird (Introduction)
The Natural Upper Notes Of The Violins Have A Unique Emotional 'Grab'.
Also Sprach Zarathustra (Of The Afterworldsmen)
Still In Their Upper Register, The Violins Unleash The Energy Of A Young Colt.
Variations On A Theme Of Frank Bridge (No. 4)
Elsewhere, Britten Uses The Same High Register To Create A Very Different Mood.
Four Sea Interludes (Dawn) From 'Peter Grimes'
To End This Outing With The Violins, A Charming Little Elfin Dance
Elfenreigen

Tracks:

Introduction To The Viola
Viola Concerto (Mvt 1)
Khatchaturian Gets A Very Different Sound From It: Fuller, Fruitier, More Exotic.
Gayane Suite No.1 (Armen's Solo)
Very Nearly The Whole Of The Violin's Upper Register Is Also Available To The Viola.
Passacaglia, Op.33b From 'Peter Grimes'
The Viola Can Bring A Special, Rich Twanginess To Pizzicato That The Violins Lack./Don Quixote/Berlioz Drew Sounds From It That Retain Their Metallic Strangeness Even Today.
Harold In Italy (Mvt 4)
The Muted Viola: Intimate, Gentle, Poignant In Dvork
Cypresses (No.9)
The Massed Violas Of The Modern Symphony Orchestra In Mahler
Symphony No.4 (Mvt 3)
The 'Period' Viola In Bach
Brandenburg Concerto No.6 (Last Mvt)
The Cello: A Voice Of Unique Nobility
Suite No.1 For Unaccompanied Cello (Prelude)
Brahms And The 'Soul' Of The Cello
Piano Concerto No.2 In B Flat Major (Mvt 3)
Most Orchestral Composers Tend To Emphasize The Cello's Lower Register.
Cantata 'Herz Und Mund Und Tat Und Leben', BWV 147 (Soprana Aria: Bereite Dir, Jesu)
In The Time Of Beethoven The Cello Remained As Fundamental As Ever.
Symphony No.3 'Eroica' (Finale)
But The Cello Is Not Condemned To Spend Its Life In The Basement.
Elfentanz, Op.39
Not Only In Recital Showpieces Like That Is The Cello Is Used In Its Highest Register.
The Protecting Veil (Opening)
A Cello With An Identity-Crisis: The Pizzicato Flamencan
Flamenco
Double-Stopping In The Lower Reaches Of The Cello's Range
Solo Suiet For Cello And Piano (Sardana)
It's In The Middle Register That The Cello Really Comes Into Its Own.
Oriental Dance, Op.2 No.2
It Was To The Cellos That Beethoven Gave Two Of His Most Famous Themes./Symphony No.5 (Mvt 2)/Still More Famous Than That Theme Is This One From The Ninth Symphony.
Symphony No.9 (Finale)
Introduction To The Double-Bass
The Carnival Of The Animals (The Elephant)
But The Double-Bass Can Be Intensely Expressive And Graceful.
Elegy No.1 In D Major
The Range Of The Double-Bass Is The Greatest Of All The String Instruments/Allegro Di Concerto, 'Alla Mendelssohn'/And It's Also Capable Of Very Considerable Virtuosity.
Capriccio Di Bravura
Double-Bass Solos In Orchestral Scores Are Rare But Often Memorable./Symphony No.1 'Titan' (Mvt 3)/In His Third Symphony Mahler Makes A Very Different Use Of The Instrument./Symphony No.3 (Mvt 1)
The Double-Bass Muted In Prokofiev/Lieutenant Kije Suite (Kije's Wedding)/In Another Work Prokofiev Uses The Double-Bass To Enhance The Winds./Romeo And Juliet (Act III)/And He Combines The Bass Clarinet With A Shivering Tremolo From The Double-Basses....
Symphony No.5 (Mvt 3)/So Much For The Strings/On Now To The Winds

Tracks:

The Antiquity And Magic Of The Flute
Prelude A L'Apres-Midi D'Un Faune
The Versatility And Agility Of The Flute
Orchestral Suite No.2 In B Minor (Badinerie)
The Flute In Fifteenth-Century Spain
Sa'Dawi
Other Flutes: The Bass And Alto
Chamber Music No.II
The Piccolo - Aptly Named
La Naissance D'Osiris (Mvt 6)
From A Piccolo Of The Eighteenth Century To One Of Its Descendants In The Twentieth
Suite No.1 For Small Orchestra (Valse)
A Variety Of Techniques
Chamber Music No.II
Flutter-Tonguing. But Tchaikovsky Got There Eighty Years Before.
The Nutcracker (Act II, No.2: Scene)
From The Transverse To The Vertical: The Baroque Recorder
Recorded Suite In A Minor (Menuet II)
An Unfamiliar, Early Vision Of The Instrument
Naelden, Naelden
The Bachian Oboe
Cantata 'Ein Feste Burg Ist Unser Gott', BWV 80 (No.7: Duetto)
Introduction To The Cor Anglais Or 'English Born'
Symphony No.9 'From The New World' (Mvt 2)
The Loneliness Of The Cor Anglais
The Swan Of Tuonela
The Cor Anglais Joins The French Horn In Haydn.
Symphony No.22 'The Philosopher' (Opening)
Introduction To The Oboe D'Amore, Beloved Of Bach - But Also Of Ravel
Bolero
The Clarinet Family: Boxing The Compass, From The Depths Of The Bass Clarinet.../The Egyptian (Violence)/...To The Raucous And Squealy.../Taras Bulba (The Death Of Ostap)/...To The Shrill And Complaining...
Petrushka (No.8: Peasant With Bear)/...To The High Sprits Of A Playful Puppy./Symphonie Fantastique (Last Mvt)/And To The Downright Jazzy/Romeo And Juliet (Act II)
As The High Clarinets Tend To Be Loud, So The Bass Tends To Be Soft:
Gayane Suite No. 1 (Mvt 5)
The Bass Clarinet Is Used By Most Composers Mainly As A Colouring Agent.../Petrushka (No.4: The Blackamoor)/...But It Does Occasionally Get A Whole Tune To Itself./Iberia (Almeria).
The Range Of The Normal Clarinet Parts Goes Quite High...
The Snow Maiden (Scene 5: Melodrama)
...And Quite Low.
Peter And The Wolf (The Cat)
The Clarinet As Concerto Soloist
Clarinet Concerto In A Major (Rondo)
But That's Not The Instrument Mozart Wrote It For; This Is:
Clarinet Concerto In A Major (Rondo)
Introduction To The Saxophone
Hary Janos Suite (Mvt 4)
The Soprano Saxophone Has Quite A Different Feel To It.
L'Arlesienne Suite No.1 (Minuet)
The Little Sopranino Sax Goes Even Higher.
Bolero
The Most Famous Use Of The Saxophone Is In An Orchestration By Ravel.
Pictures At An Exhibition (The Old Castle)
The Saxophone Can Be Quite Contagiously Good-Humoured.
Sax-O-Phun
The Puffa-Puffa Image Of The Bassoon
Peter And The Wolf (Grandfather)
The Bachian Bassoon, In Accompanimental Mode
Cantata 'Weichet Nur, Betrubte Schatten' ('Wedding Cantata'), BWV 202 (Aria No.1)
Bizet Leaves The Puffa-Puffa Image Out, Allowing The Bassoon To Sing./Carmen Suite No.1 (Les Dragons D'Alcala)
And Ravel, Also In Spanish Mode, Does Likewise.
Bolero
The Bassoon As A Voice Of High Seriousness, Indeed Desolate Loneliness
Symphony No.3 (Opening)
The Eerie Bassoon In Its Highest Register
The Rite Of Spring (Opening)
Stravinsky Now Draws On Its Lowest Register, Lonely And Melancholy.
The Firebird Suite (1919, Berceuse)
The Bassoon As Concerto Soloist, Avoiding All Exaggeration
Bassoon Concerto In G Minor (Finale)
The Deep-Voiced Contra-Bassoon, As A Fairy-Tale Beast
Ma Mere L'Oye - Mother Goose (Beauty And The Beast)
The French Horn Under Its Woodwind Hat
Wind Quintet, Op.43 (Last Mvt)
Now A More Prominent Role, In A Woodwind Quintet From An Earlier Era
Wind Quintet In A Minor, Op.100 No.5 (Mvt 2)
The Horn In Harmonious Blend With Strings In Another Quintet
Horn Quintet, K.407 (Finale)

Tracks:

The Trumpet As Virtuoso Soloist
Brandenburg Concerto No.2 (Last Mvt)
The Special Brillance Of Paired Trumpets
Concerto In C For Two Trumpets, RV537 (Mvt 1)
The Ceremonial Trumpet
Fanfare For The Common Man
Trumpets And Drums - An Incomparable Alliance
Messiah (The Trumpet Shall Sound)
The Versatility Of The Trumpet, From The Most Public To The Most Lonely
Piano Concerto In F (Slow Mvt)
The Trumpet As The Voice Of The City/An American In Paris/The Trumpet As Recruitment Officer/The Soldier's Tale (The March)/The Trumpet As Swaggerer
Carmen Suite No.2 (Habanera)
The Trumpet As The Voice Of Strength And Courage
Carmet Suite No.2 (Toreador's Song)
The Trumpet Muted/Petrushka (No.4: The Blackamoor)/Lieutenant Kije Suite (Opening)/The Trumpet As The Voice Of Weariness
Billy The Kid
The Trumpet As Character Actor
Pictures At An Exhibition (No.6)
The Trumpet As The Voice Of God
Mass In B Minor ('Et Exspecto')
The Birth Of The Trombone
Aenmerckt Nu Hier
The Birth Of The Brass As A Family
Canzon 12 In Double Echo
The Trombone In The Eighteenth Century
Trombone Concerto In B Flat Major (Finale)
The Tone Of The Tenor Trombone/Romance For Trombone And Organ/The Memorable Voice Of The Bass Trombone/Requiem (Mvt 2)/But The Bass Trombone Is More Than An Instrumental Bullfrog.
Hosannah
The Trombones Become Part Of The Orchestra.
Symphony No.5 (Finale)
The Wagnerian Trombone:/Overture To 'Tannhauser'
The Trombone As Caricaturist
Pulcinella (No.19: Vivo)
The Trombone As Raspberry/Concerto For Orchestra (Intermezzo)
The Horn And The Hunt
Horn Concerto No.4 In E Flat, K.495 (Finale)
The Challenging Horn Of The Baroque
Abaris Ou Les Boreades (Menuet)
The Scarcity Of First-Rate Players In Handel's Time
Walter Music (Minuet 1)
The Horn As Magician/The Firebird Suite (1919, Finale)
Horns And The Sound Of Nobility
Overture To 'Tannhauser' (Opening)
The Special Sound Of The Horn In Its Higher Register
Mass In B Minor ('Quoniam Tu Solus Sanctus')
The Trumpet-Like Sound Of Massed Horns
Symphony No.3 (Mvt 1, Opening)
The Tuba - Unfairly Maligned?
Symphony No.6 (Mvt 3)
The Tuba Perfectly Cast By Ravel
Pictures At An Exhibition (Bydlo)

Tracks:

Introduction. And We Begin With A Bang.
Fanfare For The Common Man/The Bass Drum On The Battlefields/Wellington's Victory, Op.91 (Opening)
At The Opposite Extreme Is The Triangle.
Piano Concerto No.1 In E Flat (Scherzo)
Categories Of Percussion: Tuned And Untuned. The Side Drum
Overture To 'La Gazza Ladra' - The Thieving Magpie (Opening)
The Side Drum In An Effective But Unexpected Role/Clarinet Concerto (Mvt 1)
The Tambourine. One Of The Oldest Instruments In The World
Den Hoboecken Dans
Even Older Is The Originally Oriental Gong.
Ma Mere L'Oye - Mother Goose (Laideronette)
No Single Instrument Can Match The Gong In Evoking The Breaking Of Waves./Passacaglia, Op.33b From 'Peter Grimes'/But Gongs Don't Have To Be Struck To Be Effective.
Gymnopedie No.2
The Cymbals Are Generally Discovered Early In Life./The Sanguine Fan/And They Do More Than Clash Together Loudly. They Can Be Clashed Together Softly./Studio Example: But They Needn't Be Clashed Together At All/Studio Example: They Can Be Lightly...
Other Untuned Percussion Instruments Include The Whip.: Piano Concerto In G Major (Opening)/And Here Are No Fewer Than Twenty, Cracked By Tchaikovsky: The Nutcracker (Act I, Scene 5)
More Versatile Than The Whip Are The Wood Blocks.../Studio Example/...Which Crop Up All Over The Place In Twentieth-Century American Music.
Rodeo (Hoe-Down)
Related To The Wood Blocks, By Sound, Are The Castanets./Jota Aragonesa/But The Castanets Were Also Used By Monteverdi Back In The Seventeenth Century.
Scherzi Musicali (Damigella Tutta Belle)
A Still Earlier Example From Fifteenth-Century Spain
Yo M'Enamori D'Un Aire
The Birth Of The Bongo
Symphonic Dances From 'West Side Story'
From The Streets Of New York To The Blacksmith's Shop/Il Trovatore ('Anvil Chorus')
Desert-Island Decibels: Grand Canyon Suite (On The Trail)/Arcana
From One Vegetable To Another: The Humble Squash, Or Marrow/Huapango
Onwards To The Tuned Percussion. First, The Timpani
Also Sprach Zarathustra (Introduction)
But The Drum Roll Can Be More Effectively Frightening Than The Big Bang.: Symphony No.2 'Resurrection' (Mvt 3)
Not One Drum Roll, But Many/Grand Canyon Suite (Sunrise)/Symphonie Fantastique (Last Mvt)
Taking Advantage Of Tunability
Music For Strings, Percussion And Celeste (Mvt 2)
The Russian Composer Rodion Shchedrin Takes A Downward Turn./Carmen Suite (Changing Of The Guard)/Tuned, Yes; But For The Truly Melodic We Must Look Elsewhere.
Introducing The Glockenspiel/Carmen Suite (Carmen's Entrance And Habanera)
Saint-Saens And The Xylophone
The Carnival Of The Animals (Fossils)
Ravel And The Xylophone
Ma Mere L'Oye - Mother Goose (Laideronette)
Introducing The Marimba/Carmen Suite (First Intermezzo)
Introducing The Vibraphone
The Treasure Of The Sierra Madre (Narange Dolce)
The Vibraphone Goes Russian.../Carmen Suite (Carmen's Entrance And Habanera)/...And Is Joined By The Marimba./Carmen Suite (Carmen's Entrance And Habanera)
Introducing The Hungarian Cimbalom
Folk Dances
The Cimbalom And The Symphony Orchestra
Hary Janos Suite (Mvt 3)
Introducing The Tubular Bells
Hary Janos Suite (Viennese Musical Clock)
A More 'Up-Front' Approach From Rodion Shchedrin
Carmen Suite (Introduction)
But The Bells Can Also Make The Sinister Even More Sinister./Symphony No.7 'Sinfonia Antartica' (Mvt 1)
Introducing The Celeste
The Nutcracker (Dance Of The Sugar Plum Fairy)
Magic, In The Use Of Collective Percussion
Miroirs (La Vallee Des Cloches)
Plucked Instruments: The 'Undercover Percussion'/Carmen Suite (Scene)
A Prime Case In Point Is The Harp, Irresistible To The Romantics./The Nutcracker (Act II, No.1: Scene)/The Non-Solo Harp As An Integral Part Of The Orchestra/Hungarian Rhapsody No.1
The Traditionally Subservient Role Of The Harpsichord In The Baroque Orchestra
Brandenburg Concerto No.2 (Slow Mvt)
The Piano: King Of The Tuned Percussion/Symphony No.3 'Organ' (Mvt 3)/And A Quarter Of A Century After That:
Petrushka (Russian Dance)
The Anti-Romantic Piano As An Integral Part Of The Orchestra
Music For Strings, Percussion And Celeste (Last Mvt)

Tracks:

Keyboard Instruments In The Orchestra - The Most Powerful Of Them All:
Symphony No.3 'Organ' (Finale)
But Things In Handel's Day Were Very Different.
Organ Concerto In B Flat, Op.4 No.3 (Last Mvt)
The Organ Is Difficult To Classify.
An Unexpected, Organ-related Guest
Concerto Pour Zampogna (Last Mvt)
Peasant-Fancying... And A Touch Of The Roaming Cowboy
Les Miserables (Drink With Me)
Outside Artefacts And The Power Of Association
Mahler's Sleighbells
Symphony No.4 (Opening)
A Roll-Call Of Some Unusual Guests/The Typewriter/Parade
Chains, And More/Integrales/An American In Paris/Sandpaper Ballet
Purpose-Built Oddities: Wind Machines/Symphony No.7 'Sinfonia Antartica' (Opening)
Don Quixote (Variation VIII)
National Calling Cards: The Guitar For Spain/Concierto De Aranjuez (Finale)
And The Guitar's Poor American Relative, The Banjo/Washington Breakdown
And Poorer Still, The Mouth Organ/The Treasure Of The Sierra Madre (Packing Up)
The Balalaika For Russia/Romeo And Juliet (Act II: No.14)
The Maracas For Mexico/The Treasure Of The Sierra Madre (El Desayuno)
The Bongos And Congas And A Whole Wealth Of Other Drums For Africa And Central America/Studio Example
The Sitar Of India/Evening Raga: Bhapoli
The Accordion For France (Especially Paris)/Paris Canaille
The Zither For Vienna/The Third Man (Theme)
The Cimbalom For Hungary/Folk Dances
The Guitar As An Integral Part Of The Orchestra/Rondena
There Are Whole Orchestras Of Balalaikas./Sveit Mesiats
The Effect Of The Wordless Human Voice, Used Purely As An Instrument/Symphony No.7 'Sinfonia Antartica' (Mvt 1)
Nocturnes
Instruments And the Imitation Of Nature. The Clarinet As Cuckoo
The Carnival Of The Animals (The Cuckoo)
The Flute As An All-purpose Aviary
The Carnival Of The Animals (The Aviary)
The Oboe As Duck
Peter And The Wolf (The Duck)
The Recording Of Reality. Does It Work As Well?
The Pines Of Rome (The Pines Of The Janiculum)
The Recording Of Reality Electronically Reborn In New Guises
Cantus Articus - Concerto For Birds And Orchesra (Mvt 2)
Beethoven Turns Avian: Cuckoo, Nightingale, And Quail
Symphony No.6 'Pastoral' (Andante Molto Mosso)
Some Improbable Casting: The Violin As Braying Donkey
The Carnival Of The Animals (Persons With Long Ears)
A Truly Orchestral Hee-haw To Be Reckoned With
Overture To 'A Midsummer Night's Dream'
A Thunderstorm In A Million
Symphony No.6 'Pastoral (Allegro-Allegretto)
the Instrumental Depiction Of A Silent World
The Carnival Of The Animals (The Aquarium)
Saint-Saens' Menagerie Takes A Curtain Call.
The Carnival Of The Animals (Finale)

Tracks:

The Grouping Of Instrumental Families. An Additive Approach. First, Two Violins
Forty-Four Duos (No.4)
A Great Contrast, Of Both Pitch And Character: Violin And Viola
Duo For Violin And Viola In B Flat Major, K.424 (Finale, Vars 1 & 2)/Studio Example
Arrival Of The Standard String Trio: Violin, Viola, And Cello
String Trio In B Flat (Menuetto)
The String Quartet: Two Violins, Viola, And Cello
String Quartet In F, Op.18 No.1 (Mvt 3)
The String Quintet - When The Extra Instrument Is A Second Viola
String Quartet No.5 In D, K.593 (Adagio)
The String Quintet - When The Extra Instrument Is A Second Cello
String Quintet In C (Mvt 3)
The String Sextet: Two Violins, Two Violas, And Two Cellos
String Sextet In B Flat (Mvt 2)
The String Octet: The Standard String Quaret Times Two
Octet In E Flat, Op.20 (Mvt 1)
Double The String Octet: A Fully Fledged String Orchestra
String Symphony No.2 (Finale)
The Massed Strings Of A Symphony Orchestra
Fantasia On A Theme Of Thomas Tallis
Contrasts Of Pitch And Instrumental 'Colour' In The Woodwind Section
Wind Quintet In A Minor, Op.100 No.5 (Theme)
In The First Variation It's The Horn That Gets The Lion's Share.
Wind Quintet In A Minor, Variation 1
In Variation Two The Torch Is Handed To The Bassoon.
Wind Quintet In A Minor, Variation 2
In Variation Three The Oboe Leads.
Wind Quintet In A Minor, Variation 3
Variation Four: Conversation Before Returning To A Solo-dominated Texture
Wind Quintet In A Minor, Variation 4
And Variation Five is Dominated By The Clarinet.
Wind Quintet In A Minor, Variation 5
The Next To Be Featured Is The Virtuoso Flute.
Wind Quintet In A Minor, Variation 6
Individual Farewells And A Closing Chorus
Wind Quintet In A Minor, Variation 7
A Mixed Group: Clarinet, Bassoon, Horn, String Quartet, And Double-Bass
Octet In F (Mvt 3)
The Early Classical Symphony Orchestra Of Haydn And Mozart
Symphony No.29 In A, K.201 (Finale)
Strings, Wind, But No Brass. What Haydn And Mozart Never Knew
Canzon 28
Beethoven's Fifth: Two Horns, Two Trumpets, And Three Trombones Join The Team.
Symphony No.5 (Finale)
From Beethoven To The Massive Orchestras Of Berlioz, Wagner, And Mahler
Beethoven Changed The Face Of The Symphony And The Orchestra Forever
Symphoy No.6 'Tragic' (Mvt 1)
The Cult Of Orchestral Elephantiasis Reaches Its Peak.
Symphony No.1 'Gothic' (VI: Te Ergo Quaesumus)
When Large Doesn't Necessarily Mean Loud: Debussy
Images (Gigues)
A Crisis Of Confidence; The Orchestra's Survival Hangs In The Balance, But It Still Develops. The Ondes Martenot:
Turangalila Symphony (Chant D'amour 1)
The Advent Of The 'Early Music' Movement Brings A New Vitality And Freshness.
Balle De Xerxes (Gavotte En Rondeau)
Computer And Synthesiser: Friends Or Foes?
Concerto In D Minor For Two Violins (Largo)
A Speculative Look Ahead/Mass In B Minor ('Dona Nobis Pacem')

Customer Reviews:

Instruments of the Orchestra - Great Reference Material!.......2007-04-04

This set lends itself to greatly enhancing one's knowledge of the orchestra, instruments in it, and their usage. I am a huge music buff, and I still picked up a great deal I previously did not know. I highly recommend this for all who wish to understand the origin of music, as well as the processes that are employed to create music!

Beginner or Expert.......2007-03-12

This CD is excellent for the beginner or expert! To be able to haear the instrumets separately and then together really provides a good education. and/or refresher. The book thaty comes with the CD is alomost worth the price by itself!

Very Informative and Enjoyable.......2006-11-20

Whether you're a music novice or pro, "The instruments of the Orchestra" is a very worthwhile purchase. The 7 CDs, with a total of 8 hours, are expertly narrated by Jeremy Siepmann. He's a great speaker, very much like the late Leonard Bernstein was. Mr. Siepmann takes you on an unforgetable musical journey covering the origins and use of the various orchestral instruments throughout musical history. The balance between his narration and a wealth of musical examples, which range from snippets to entire movements, is superb. The comprehensive enclosed booklet is excellent and faithfully follows the 7 CDs in content. Even with my 40+ years of music training I still learned new things from this wonderful collection. Considering the excellence of the content, and a cost that translates to about $5 per disc, this collection is a great value. Grab it, you won't regret that you did. Five solid stars!

Frank's view.......2006-08-19

This boxed set of CD's with booklet achieved all I had hoped that it would. There are good samples of individual instruments and well done commentary on each. The only drawback was that some of the samples were too brief and could have been longer, hoiwever I guess this fits in with time constraints of the medium. It has given me a lot of clues as to future purchases of CD's for listening to individual instruments. Altogeth a satisfactory purchase and a welcome addition to my collection.

Excellent Intro for Those Not Familiar with the Orchestra.......2003-11-08

I've listened to classical music for years and am interested in composition. I bought this CD set to learn how an orchestra and its instruments work. I thought the CDs would be a nice but boring lecture. They aren't! Not only are they FUN but they are informative as well. I learned a huge amount from each CD and couldn't wait to listen to the next one.

The narrator and writer is a great speaker and holds your attention well. He is definitely knowledgeable. He provides musical examples for each point he makes, so you get to "hear" what he just talked about. I'd say the CDs are about 65% music and 35% narration. You'll learn about the range of instruments, some history, different ways to play them, how they sound, and how they are used in the orchestra. This CD set was a great learning experience and is sold at such a low price!

I recommend this CD for those who want to learn about classical music and those who know about it but are interested in learning more about the inner workings of an orchestra. You'll learn much useful information. For instance, the Rite of Spring (with that eerie start) is written for bassoon! I never knew a bassoon could sound like that but now I do.

The one complaint I have is the last CD. This deals with the orchestra. I wanted more of a tour of how the orchestra has been used through history up to the present. Instead, it was a tour of how different groups of instruments sound. I thought it could have been better. The other 6 CDs are excellent.

Very Best Of Broadway Musicals
Average customer rating:

Very Best of Broadway Music

Very Best Of Broadway Musicals
Various Artists
Manufacturer: Metro Music
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Musicals | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music
General | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music
General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music
Broadway & Vocalists | Indie Music | Stores | Music
Similar Items:

Greatest Songs from the Musicals

The Best of Broadway - The American Musical (PBS Series)

Only Broadway CD You'll Ever Need

The Best Of Broadway (Cast Recording Anthology)

Ultimate Broadway

ASIN: B000068CC4
Release Date: 2002-06-25

Tracks:

All That Jazz
If I Can't Love Her
Maybe This Time
People Will Say We're In Love
The Impossible Dream
Seventy Six Trombones
Can You Feel The Love Tonight?
Still
Send In The Clowns
One
Younger Than Springtime
This Is The Moment
Good Morning Starshine
Your Getting To Be A Habit With Me
Wunderbar
Maria
I Could Have Danced All Night
Singin' In The Rain
Written In The Stars
One Song Glory

Customer Reviews:

Very Best of Broadway Music.......2007-05-08

I really like Broadway music so this is the BEST!!!!!!
I let someone else borrow this to listen at her house--She liked it also

Average customer rating:

Trailer Park Musical a good hear.
A Tornado of Fun!
One Of My Favorite New Musicals In Years
The show (and Recording) ROCKS
Wasn't That Funny

The Great American Trailer Park Musical

Manufacturer: Ghostlight
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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

General | Musicals | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music

General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

The Color Purple (2005 Original Broadway Cast)
The Drowsy Chaperone (2006 Original Broadway Cast)
The Wedding Singer (2006 Original Broadway Cast)
See What I Wanna See (2005 Original Off-Broadway Cast)
Grey Gardens - A New Musical (2006 Original Broadway Cast)

ASIN: B000CNE13M
Release Date: 2006-01-17

Tracks:

This Side Of The Tracks
One Step Closer
The Buck Stops Here
It Doesn't Take A Genius
Owner Of My Heart
The Great American TV Show
Flushed Down The Pipes
Storm's A-Brewin
Road Kill
But He's Mine/It's Never Easy
That's Why I Love My Man
Panic
Finale
This Side Of The Tracks (Remix)

Customer Reviews:

Trailer Park Musical a good hear........2007-05-15

This musical is a good laugh and can bring up the spirits of any musical theatre buff. The voices are excellent and they showcase a great characterization of the personages represented in the show. It is a CD that entices the listener to go ahead and get tickets to the show and go see it. Also a personal acquaintance of mine Leslie Kritzer does a phenomenal job on the CD.

A Tornado of Fun!.......2007-04-10

This seems to be my year for finding recordings of lesser known musicals that are just awesome. It started with buying Zombie Prom, and continues with The Great American Trailer Park Musical!

But this show is just all-out fun! The tunes are catchy (I got one of them running through my head, right now) and the lyrics are quite clever. The three main ladies become the Greek chorus, telling us about life in their trailer park, Armadillo Acres, located in Starke, Florida. The show then focuses on one agoraphobic housewife who hasn't left her trailer in 20 years, and her husband who has had enough and starts fooling around with a stripper who is on the run from her boyfriend. Sound crazy? It is! And a whole lotta fun!

Yes, there are some explicit lyrics, but nothing excessive. So do yourself a favor and give this album a listen. You might just want to move into your own "manufactured home" before you know it.

One Of My Favorite New Musicals In Years.......2007-01-31

When I tell people about this show, I tell them it is far better than it had to be... With a title like that, the audience draw is already built in, but with great songs and a very clever story (without ever being offensive or degrading) this musical is a fun hit. And while it is not the old-school "Okalhoma" style musical, there are a lot of musical niceties about the show - layered melody lines, tight harmonies and clever clever phrases and lyrics. I fully recommend it.

The show (and Recording) ROCKS.......2006-09-26

The whole point of theatre, even in a tongue-in-cheek satire like this one, is to have some sense of truth. The "Great American Trailer Park Musical" completely hits the target dead-on. With it's ridiculous pop culture references, use of white trash musical pastiche (honky tonk country, corporate rock, wedding disco, and the like), and general use of bad taste in a visual (and audio) aesthetic, the show is one loaded joke that never tires. And the over the top performances, all grounded in this evident truth, provide an evening of Laugh after Laugh - more so than similar pieces like "Urinetown" and "Altar Boys".
Sure the language, for those who have expressed concern in above reviews, can be strong at times. But never is the language used in a matter of fact fashion. For those who have ever even remotely hung around a trailer park (as it quite Clearly states in the TITLE) or even around those who inhabit a Sociologists Jackpot of research, You know that crude humor and strong language are staple of the norm.
"Oklahoma" and "Cats" this show is not. However, "Great American Trailer Park Musical" is a definite piece to listen and pay attention to. With the general climate of new musicals to be either repackaged musicals from movies (Wedding Singer, Hairspray, Footloose, etc) or jukebox musicals (Mamma Mia, All Shook Up, Hot Feet, etc) - there is a new genre that is emerging, the "in-joke" musical. Trailer Park, Altar Boys, Spelling Bee, and title of show are examples of this. These are shows that blur satire and exaggeration with real life all the while dealing in a specific subject matter.
"Trailer Park" is a hip, new and exciting piece of music theatre, even if not groundbreaking. For those who like to play it safe may I suggest the "20 Great Broadway ShowStoppers" CD - all songs are from 1932 to 1949. You will be sure no profane language will infect you there.

Wasn't That Funny.......2006-07-29

I gave this a good listen, but did not find it all that funny ... or memorable.

Average customer rating:

not to great
Not so bad, 100 tunes for 4$
You get what you pay for.
Now I know why there were no song samples to listen to ...

100 Favorite Patriotic Songs

Manufacturer: Bci / Eclipse Music
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Ballets | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Quartets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Sacred & Religious | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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

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

Marches | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music

4-for-3 Classical | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music

4-for-3 All Music | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music
Similar Items:

America's Favorite Patriotic Songs
United We Stand: Songs for America
American Pride: Sixteen Stirring Patriotic Themes
America's Bugle Calls
Patriotic Country

ASIN: B0000A1HT8
Release Date: 2003-08-12

Tracks:

America the Beautiful
All Quiet on the Potomac Tonight
Ballad of the Green Berets
On Top of Old Smokey
Coyote Warrior
Semper Fidelis
Breeze from Alabama
Onward Christian Soldiers
Come Where My Love Lies Dreaming
Patriot
Sweet Betsy from Pike
Marines' Hymn
America Is
When Johnny Comes Marchin' Home
Happy the Soldier
American Trilogy
Home Sweet Home
Washington Post March
Enraptured I Gaze
Jeannie With the Light Brown Hair
Yellow Rose of Texas
Over There
Simple Gifts
Liberty Bell
Star Spangled Banner

Tracks:

God Bless the USA
Yankee Doodle Dandy
Katy Cruel
I Vow to Thee My Country
King Cotton
Beautiful Dreamer
America
American Patrol
Mine Eyes Have Seen the Beauty
Mohican Dream
Red, White and Blue
Some Folks
Liberty Song
Pomp and Circumstance
Hail to the Chief
Bennington Rifles
Peace on the Battlefield
I've Been Working on the Railroad
Under the Double Eagle
Red River Valley
My Country 'Tis of Thee
Camptown Races
Wild Blue Yonder
Hands Across the Sea
Fanfare for the Common Man

Tracks:

Stars and Stripes Forever
Living in America
Home on the Range
Old Colony Times
Clementine
Invincible Eagle
Ring Ring de Banjo
Yankee Doodle
Largo from "The New World"
To a Wild Rose
Hail Columbia
Alexander's Ragtime Band
Gettysburg
Carry Me Back to Old Virginny
Capitan
Prairie Daughter
Little Brown Jug
Marching Through Georgia
Entertainer
Steamboat Around the Bend
Revolutionary Tea
Cassions Keep Rollin' Along
Johnny Has Gone for a Soldier
Amazing Grace
Grand Old Flag

Tracks:

God Bless America
National Emblem
Soldier, Soldier Won't You Marry Me
Anchors Away
Oh, Susannah
Tramp, Tramp, Tramp
Toast
Dixie
St. Louis Blues
Appalachian Spring
Bonnie Blue Flag
Old Hundreth
Swanee River
Battle Cry of Freedom
U. S Field Artillery
Sidewalks of New York
Chester
Auld Lang Syne
Kingdom Come
My Old Kentucky Home
Hail to the Spirit of Liberty
Battle Hymn of the Republic
Shenandoah
Abraham's Daughter
This Land Is Your Land

Customer Reviews:

not to great.......2007-04-04

We were disappointed with this CD, but for the price I guess we can't expect much. I didn't care for the new style presentation of the songs. I like a more traditional rendering.

Not so bad, 100 tunes for 4$.......2005-06-22

I red the comments of two other people who have bought this 4 CD BOX SET and it is not really so bad. I will even add that there are some excellent tunes. However, I must agree with the fact that few tunes seem to have been recorded 40 or 50 years ago, mainly when you hear the scratches of an old turntable but it is just 2 or 3 tunes. Furthermore, if you do not know American music, it is a good BOX SET to buy if you consider that you received 4 CD for 4$ including 100 tunes. On these 4 CD, I have heard some orchestration that I have never heard before and I consider that they are different but interesting. Any way, after hearing these 100 tunes, you will say to yourself that you like this tune, this other tune, this other tune and so on and you will be able to buy a more expensive CD with the tunes that you like. However, I have bought many CDs in the last few weeks and as you know, there are always some tunes that you like and some tunes that you do not like on every CD that you will buy. So, don't buy it at 25$ but at 4 or 5$ dollars, it is a very good choice for 100 tunes.

You get what you pay for........2004-07-04

You get what you pay for. The singers put their own spin on the singing of each song. If you didn't hear the words you would not recognize some of them. Even some of the music sounds like a bad recording of music played on a turntable. Definitely not worth the price.

Now I know why there were no song samples to listen to ..........2004-07-04

I wish this review had been here when I was thinking of purchasing it. I guess you get what you pay for. If you are thinking of buying this, you are better off recording your own CDs (or at least buying one that you can listen to a sampling of the songs). This album includes songs that were mere recordings of the songs playing on an old record player. It's almost so unbelievable that it is funny.

Average customer rating:

Amazing new talent
Greatness, not goodness
Goodness, but not greatness
Muscles
Cook's "Moon" Is Definitely on the Country Side

This Side of the Moon
Elizabeth Cook
Manufacturer: Thirty Tigers
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Contemporary Country | Country | Styles | Music

New Traditionalist | Contemporary Country | Country | Styles | Music

General | Country | Styles | Music

Contemporary | Bluegrass | Country | Styles | Music

General | Contemporary Folk | Folk | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Balls
Hey, Y'all
Hey Do You Know Me
Translated From Love
Carly Goodwin

ASIN: B00096S2LY
Release Date: 2005-05-17

Tracks:

Cupid
Funny Side Of Love
Before I Go That Far
Here's To You
This Side Of The Moon
Kiss Me Again
Ruthless
Alone Down Here
Hard-Hearted
Heather Are You With Me Tonight
All We Need Is Love
Where The Blue Begins
Somebody's Gotta Do It

Amazon.com

Though This Side of the Moon's packaging highlights Elizabeth Cook's fashion-model looks, country music just doesn't get much more down-home than this. Cook's voice combines the trill of early Dolly Parton with the twang of a young Loretta Lynn, while her songwriting shows a disarming, conversational simplicity laced with a warm humor. Such artistry renders the "alt" in "alt-country" meaningless, because the best of this timeless music seems to come from the same place and reflect the same values as the music of George Jones or Hank Williams. Whether admonishing "Cupid" for his bad aim, shuffling onto the honky-tonk dance floor with "Hard-Hearted," or finding romance on the harmony-laden title track, Cook's the real deal. --Don McLeese

Customer Reviews:

Amazing new talent.......2007-01-11

We caught Elizabeth Cook at the Ryman a few months ago and immediately picked up some of her CDs. I have to agree with some of the other reviews that she sounds like a mix of Dolly Parton and Loretta Lynn. Loretta Lynn was the first thought that cross my mind when we saw her live and as I listened to the CDs, I could also hear indications of Dolly. My 5 yr old agrees. The first time we listened to This Side of the Moon, he asked if it was Loretta Lynn.

Greatness, not goodness.......2006-12-20

The best traditional country music cd of the past ten years.
"Before I Go That Far" is the single best "country" ballad by a female artist since Reba's "Somebody Should Leave", and would be a guaranteed number one hit had it been recorded by an established artist like Leann Womack. "Here's to You" is very nearly as good, and I can't imagine anyone else singing it better than Elizabeth does. The gorgeous title track is so reminiscent of Dolly Parton, I can see why so many reviewers are making the comparison. "Kiss Me Again" is a song I'm sure Reba would like to have recorded, given she hasn't had a great single in more than a decade. The remaining tracks are all worth listening to, but the the above-mentioned 4 tracks which appear consecutively on the album are as good a power play as you are ever likely to hear in modern country music. As you can probably tell, I'm hooked.

It's so great to hear a pure country voice that hasn't been corrupted by the Nashville music mill. Hopefully, even better things are yet to come with the impending release of her Rodney Crowell-produced next album. If you're a fan of Tammy Wynette, Dolly Parton, early Reba, or even Patty Loveless, this album is essential. My only regret is that I just recently discovered this amazingly talented singer/songwriter. Only a chance viewing of one of her videos on CMT's Edge of Country exposed me to this relatively unknown artist. Isn't it ironic? The "Edge of Country". And all this time I thought this kind of music was the real thing. I guess Faith and Tim and all the rest really do rule over country music. Sad, sad, sad.

Goodness, but not greatness.......2006-01-04

When Elizabeth Cook hit the scene in 2002 she was a refreshing change both from the uber pop of the mainstream but also a light hearted change from the dark and morose mainstream. Fun and swingy songs about being in love and the bounces one takes falling out of love, Hey Y'All was a good, if uneven, album. For her second album Cook has ironed out most of the wrinkles and put together an overall better collection of songs. Obviously, inspired by Cook's recent divorce, this album conjures up memories of the awesome Diary of a Mod Housewife by Amy Farris. While neither as bleak nor as funny as that classic gem, Cook does deliver a strong and satisfying album.
The album opens with its only weak spot, the cringe-worthy "Cupid." "Funny Side of Love " is a similar but much better song about looking for a guy who can keep her laughing through the hard times. "Before I Go That Far" is a wonderful, powerful waltz, that uses echoes of Dolly Parton to deliver lines like "Before I've finally had enough imagine me winding up/In another's arms/and if that breaks your heart/Stop me/Before I go that far." This is followed by the swingier "Here's To You" an anthem toasting the man who used to be her husband. A heavy dose of steel introduces the pretty love song "This Side of the Moon" which showcases Cook's soaring vocals. A pretty piano melody highlights the vulnerability of "Kiss Me Again," about two people trying to reconnect their fractured relationship. "Ruthless" is a darker, crunchier more up tempo song about a man returning home to find his wife gone (of course her name was Ruth, an old pun, but it still works). Partnered with writer Stephony Smith, Cook eases away from her hook driven lyrics in the blues influences "Alone Down Here." "Hard Hearted" is a jingle-esque song set to a perfect two step. The stand out song of the album is the soaring and gorgeous "Heather Are You With Me Tonight" about a man searching the memories of his loved one with lines like "Right now I'm not your man/I'm a pilot in flight" and "ain't it funny how winning feels just like sinning." In the hands of a lesser singer "All We Need Is Love" would be unlistenable, but Cook sells it with the right touch of humor. She takes a nice Merle Haggard doing country blues turn for the swinging "Where The Blue Begins." "Somebody's Gotta Kiss Me" is a song with nearly unforgivable lyrics, "If you'll be my Big Daddy then you're talking to your number one squeeze" but great music and incredible vocals.
Her weakness remains the very thing that sets her apart from the rest of what is called "Alt" country--a tendency to value hooks over poetry. It is refreshing to hear a women not afraid to sing something cute, and Cook's vocals sell the sentiment and emotion quite well. However lines like "That fat naked baby with the arrow and bow has go to be the worst marksman that I know" (Cupid) and "I'm a self admitted junky/cause soon as things get funky/I want to take a powder and run" (Funny Side of Love) and are best left to women like Shania Twain and it is difficult to understand how any woman of Cook's age could sing "Hard Hearted" or "Somebody's Got To Kiss Me" with a straight face. For this reason it is difficult to compare her to a Kasey Chambers or a Neko Case who's music seems almost deliberately anti-hook at times. In film they settle this dichotomity with the theory of A films (or Oscar/Prestige films) and B films (or popcorn movies). The idea is that it would be unfair to use the same scale to rank a movie like The Rock on the same scale as a movie like Schindler's List. Using that scale, Cook's album is a very good B album. It is to the mainstream what The Rock is to Dude Where's My Car?.

Muscles.......2005-07-01

Elizabeth Cook's "This Side of the Moon" is another delightful country blast from this gorgeous Florida chanteuse. "Here's To You" is a midtempo track with Elizabeth's full-throttle vocals jamming the romance in reverse, "Heartache went from bad to worse, I called the doctor & got his nurse, So I'm here for a drink & the sound of a country band." On "Ruthless" Elizabeth gets funky with Alison Prestwood's bass & Henny Vaughan's stinging electric lead on this bluesy country rocker & Cook's powerful vocal, "She is gone now that you're found." Cook & Hardie McGehee penned the down-home classic "All We Need Is Love" drenched with Steve Fishell's steel guitar, "You think I'm hot & you're good lookin', I like your muscles, You like my cooking, Now all we need is love." The set closes with the sexy "Somebody's Gotta Do It" with Elizabeth's vocal cracking like a country Maria Muldaur. "This Side of the Moon" is an incredibly strong set with Elizabeth's excellent songwriting, high quality musicianship & her edgy powerful vocals blowing the mix through the roof. Bravo!

Cook's "Moon" Is Definitely on the Country Side .......2005-06-10

Prime Cuts: Here's to You; Cupid; Kiss Me Again

Imagine if Emmylou Harris had not dabble with the New Age ethereal foray of Americana and continues to cut albums entrenched with solidly country tunes "This Side of the Moon" could be it. Coming from the same vocal school as Harris, Cook has that mellifluous vocal with that distinct brush of southern charm, minus the country veteran's weathered worn texture. Further, her girlish coy and odylic sassiness will undoubtedly bring comparisons with Kelly Willis and Dolly Parton. Penning or co-penning 12 out of these 13 tracks and with most of them nudging under 3 minutes, this Floridian native certainly is not on the verbose side. And brevity is the soul of wit here. Cook has an acerbic outlook to love and life and she captures them just right on these paeans. Every track is a perfect capsule without an ounce of fat. Compared to her 2002 Warner Brothers debut "Hey Y'all," this set is even stronger and ironically more radio savvy.

The first 6 tracks are all stellar and they are tailored made for country radio. Given the right promotion, it's not difficult to see how the sensuous country ballad "Kiss Me Again" can make a dent in the upper echelon of the Billboard charts. Assisted by some mournful sounding steel guitars, "Kiss Me Again" is a desperate plea by Cook to her paramour to give their love another try. Fetching indeed is Cook's girlish, almost fragile vocals, which gives this weeper such an inherent believability. Another charmer is the album opener "Cupid," a honky tonk imbued toe-taper that finds an infatuated Cook blaming the god of love for the euphoria of love. Love's entangling prowess is again the theme of "Here's to You." With its sing-a-long chorus framed by some ambrosial fiddling, this could be an instant scorcher in the hands of say Martina McBride or Lee Ann Womack. Less jovial is the gorgeously penned piano ballad "Before I Go That Far," which finds a frustrated protagonist making her kiss off by engaging in ménage-a-trios with her new found flame.

Also thumbs are up when it comes to the Bakersfield-infused "All We Need is Love." Though the lyrics are edged on being juvenile ("I think you're hot/You think I'm good looking/I like your muscles/You like my cooking), this Tim Carroll (Cook's hubby) tune has such an infectious melody that all is forgivable. However, Cook is not able to get away that successfully when it comes to the more bluesy tunes like "Ruthless" or "Heather Are You with Me Tonight." There's not enough grit and soul within her to tackle such numbers with conviction and credibility.

Nevertheless, if you are looking for songs that championed for neo-traditional country (a la Alan Jackson and George Strait) "This Side of the Moon" will not disappoint. Instead of drowning out the singer, the production is spot on: often subdued yet subtle enough to enhance the emotional nuances of each paean. Further, Cook's voice is a delight, in the midst of many divas who scream their heads off, Cook sings to soothe, excite and convince. And she does it with honors.

Average customer rating:

You'll be disappointed
Pretty good musical mix

Greatest Songs from the Musicals
Various Artists
Manufacturer: Soho
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | International | Styles | Music

General | Musicals | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music

General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music

General | International | Indie Music | Stores | Music

International | Imports | Stores | Music
Similar Items:

Very Best Of Broadway Musicals
Only Broadway CD You'll Ever Need
Ultimate Broadway
Greatest Hits: Broadway
Ultimate Broadway II: The Very Best of Broadway Now

ASIN: B000077JS0
Release Date: 2002-10-21

Tracks:

Aquarius [From Hair] - Steve Brooker, NSO Ensemble, , Caroline O'Connor
If I Can't Love Her [From Beauty and the Beast] - Ethan Freeman, National Symphony Orchestra, Martin Yates
I Could Have Danced All Night [From My Fair Lady] - Katrina Murphy, National Symphony Orchestra
Can You Feel the Love Tonight? [From The Lion King] - John Barrowman, National Symphony Orchestra, Martin Yates
What I Did for Love [from a Chorus Line] - National Symphony Orchestra, Catherine Porter, Martin Yates
This Is the Moment [From Jekyll and Hyde] - Gary Mauer, National Symphony Orchestra, Martin Yates
All That Jazz [From Chicago] - Paulette Ivory, Julian Kelly, Katrina Murphy, National Symphony Orchestra, Sally Ann Triplett
Impossible Dream [From Man of La Mancha] - Ethan Freeman, National Symphony Orchestra, Martin Yates
America [From West Side Story] - National Symphony Orchestra
Written in the Stars [From Aida] - Simon Bowman, NSO Ensemble, Sally Ann Triplett, Martin Yates
Mame [From Mame] - Jerry Lanning, National Symphony Orchestra, Martin Yates
Some Enchanted Evening [From South Pacific] - Thomas Allen, John Owen Edwards, Philharmonic Orchestra
I Am What I Am [From LA Cage aux Follies] - Janet Glazener, Leslie Uggams
One Song Glory [From Rent] - Sean McDermott, Martin Yates

Tracks:

Phantom of the Opera [From The Phantom of the Opera] - Ethan Freeman, Claire Moore, National Symphony Orchestra, Martin Yates
I Dreamed a Dream [From Les Miserables] - National Symphony Orchestra, Jacqui Scott, Martin Yates
Bui Doi [From Miss Saigon] - Ethan Freeman, National Symphony Orchestra, Martin Yates
As Long as He Needs Me [From Oliver!] - National Symphony Orchestra,
Time Warp [From the Rocky Horror Picture Show] - Anita Dobson, NSO Ensemble, Martin Yates,
Memory [From Cats] - Kim Criswell, National Symphony Orchestra, Martin Yates
Why God Why [From Miss Saigon] - Graham Bickley, National Symphony Orchestra, Martin Yates
I Know Him So Well [From Chess] - Katrina Murphy, NSO Ensemble, Sally Ann Triplett, Martin Yates
One Day More [From Les Miserables] - National Symphony Orchestra, Martin Yates
Peggy Sue [From Buddy Holly Story] - Dominic Curtis
Empty Charis at Empty Tables [From Les Miserables] - Graham Bickley, National Symphony Orchestra, Martin Yates
Dancing Queen [From Mamma Mia!] - Julian Kelly, NSO Ensemble, , Caroline O'Connor
All I Ask of You [From The Phantom of the Opera] - Andrew Halliday, , National Symphony Orchestra, Martin Yates
We Will Rock You [From We Will Rock You] - Martin Yates

Tracks:

It's a Grand Night for Singing [From State Fair] - National Symphony Orchestra
If I Were a Rich Man [From Fiddler on the Roof] - Jerry Lanning, National Symphony Orchestra
I Talk to the Trees [From Paint Your Wagon] - Ethan Freeman, National Symphony Orchestra, Martin Yates
Over the Rainbow [From The Wizard of Oz] - Gillian Bevan, , John Owen Edwards, , Royal Shakespeare Company
Bless Yore Beautiful Hide [From Seven Brides for Seven Brothers] - Hal Fowler, National Symphony Orchestra, Martin Yates
Grease [From Grease] - John Barrowman, NSO Ensemble, Martin Yates
Woman in Love [From Guys and Dolls] - Gregg Edelman, , Emily Loesser, National Symphony Orchestra
Secret Love [From Calamity Jane] - Debbie Gravitte, National Symphony Orchestra
Quintet [From West Side Story] - National Symphony Orchestra
I Will Always Love You [From the Best Little Whorehouse in Texas] - Salena Jones, John Pearce
Money, Money [From "Caberet"] - Maria Friedman, National Symphony Orchestra, Jonathan Pryce
If My Friends Could See Me Now (Sweet Charity) - Jacqueline Dankworth, National Symphony Orchestra, Martin Yates
Thank Heaven for Little Girls [From Gigi] - Ron Moody, National Symphony Orchestra, Martin Yates
Singin' in the Rain [From Singin' in the Rain] - Craig Barna, National Symphony Orchestra, Paul Robinson

Customer Reviews:

You'll be disappointed.......2006-09-02

Not the original artists. Very weak versions of beloved songs by marginal to downright bad vocalists.

Pretty good musical mix.......2006-03-10

Lots of great and clear vocals. I was looking for a musical mix and this has a nice sampling of many major songs but also some more recent stuff. I haven't purchased an import before but I would do it again if the opportunity presented itself. It is somewhat annoying to have three cds when I think it could have fit onto two. Still, more than I have complaints, I have compliments about it.

Average customer rating:

Inspired musicianship!

On the Wild Side
John La Barbera Big Band
Manufacturer: Jazz Compass
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Jazz | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Fantazm
The Bill Holman Band Live
Menza Lines
Kindred Spirits
Live at MCG

ASIN: B0001BS4S8
Release Date: 2004-03-16

Tracks:

Mayreh
So What
Tiger Of San Pedro
Message From Art
Walk On The Wild Side Suite
Cachaca Gotcha
Eleanor Rigby
Cloth Of Silver - Threads Of Blue
Highland Crossing

Customer Reviews:

Inspired musicianship!.......2004-11-22

I had heard La Barbera's work before -- he was the principal arranger for the Buddy Rich Band for over 15 years and contributed to arrangements by a host of other leaders such as Count Basie, Dizzy Gillespie, Mel Tormé, Harry James, Glenn Miller, and Doc Severinsen - but this is the first CD I've found under his own name. With kudos on the back of the CD from the likes of Elmer Bernstein (composer of the title track) and Horace Silver, I knew before listening that this recording would become a solid staple of my big band library... and it has lived up to that promise. Crisp, bright, and solid arrangements swing from the first cut. The tracks move from rich symphonic fullness to dynamic smaller ensembles - embracing a full palette of colors - and the musicianship is top flight with folks like Bill Cunliffe on Keyboards, Clay Jenkins on trumpet, Pat La Barbera and Bob Shepard on tenor, and Joe La Barbera on drums. Horace Silver wrote: "Good arrangements -- good band -- good performance." I couldn't agree more!

Music Album:

Music Album