Ruby & Other Bluegrass Specials

Product Description:
Perennial trailblazers whose electrifying Bakersfield sound topped the country charts for most of the ’60s, Buck Owens and the Buckaroos plowed even newer ground with the 1971 album Ruby & Other Bluegrass Specials. Ruby is a deep bow in the direction of bluegrass legend Bill Monroe, the man whose back-beat lit a fire under Elvis Presley and Carl Perkins. Ruby saw heavy chart action, justifying Buck Owens’ desire to roll with the times while also detailing his conversion from chart-topping country artist to Country Music Hall Of Fame shoo-in. This title was personally selected for re-release on Sundazed by Buck himself!

Ruby & Other Bluegrass Specials,Buck Owens,Sundazed Music Inc.,Bakersfield Sound,Bluegrass,Country,Pop

Average customer rating: Sow into Róisín Genius. Less tomfoolery than Moloko, but still experimental pop cd So you think you can sing?

Ruby Blue Roisin Murphy Manufacturer: Echo UK Through Msi ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Indie Rock | Indie & Lo-Fi | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Electronic Pop | Indie & Lo-Fi | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music General | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music General | Vocal Pop | Pop | Styles | Music Adult Alternative | Pop | Styles | Music General | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music Electronica | Dance & DJ | Indie Music | Stores | Music Alternative Rock | Imports | Stores | Music Broadway & Vocalists | Imports | Stores | Music Rock | Imports | Stores | Music Pop | Imports | Stores | Music Similar Items: Do You Like My Tight Sweater? If We're in Love Statues Things to Make and Do I Am Not a Doctor ASIN: B0009I477U Release Date: 2005-06-20

Tracks:

1. Leaving the City
2. Sinking Feeling
3. Night of the Dancing Flame
4. Through Time
5. Sow into You
6. Dear Diary
7. If We're in Love
8. Ramalama (Bang Bang)
9. Ruby Blue
10. Off on It
11. Prelude to Love in the Making
12. Closing of the Doors

Album Details

Moloko Vocalist Roisin Murphy's Debut Solo Album Has Been Pre-released as a Series of Three Strictly Limited Edition EPs that were Brought Out at the Beginning of 2005, Ahead of Its More Formal Emergence on CD and LP. Each of These Lavishly Packaged, Heavy-weight Vinyl, 12-inch-only Releases have Taken Four of the Tunes from the Record Leading Up to Roisin's Debut Album "Ruby Blue". All the Tracks on the Album Are the Results of Roisin's Collaboration with Producer Matthew Herbert a Musician and Producer Famed for Working Predominantly in the Field of Electronic Music.

Customer Reviews:

Sow into Róisín .......2007-07-09

This album was very difficult to find in the U.S., but after hearing and seeing the video for the brilliant "Sow Into You," I had to get it.

Since then, I can't stop playing it. I love the funky eclectic mix and very organic jazzy-house feel that genius producer Matthew Herbert blends with Róisín Murphy's amazingly fierce soulful, sexy, and sweet vocals. She perfectly straddles the fine line between delectable pop and funky experimentation.

Genius........2007-07-06

Roisin Murphy is the most talented artist of the 21st century. Much more than Bjork, Tori Amos, bla bla.. Roisin is IT. Too bad she hasn't made it as big as she should have. But she has a new album and single due out soon, SO CHECK IT OUT! Overpowered, released July 9.

Less tomfoolery than Moloko, but still experimental.......2007-03-10

I've been listening to this album from time to time since its release and I still enjoy it. Roisin Murphy, along with Alison Goldfrapp, would have to be one of the most creative and original female artists in the U.K. at the moment.

This album uses instruments in a most beguiling and colourful way. Roisin Murphy seems to think that there is nothing bass and electric guitars can do that a woodwind and brass ensemble can't do! Why use a bass guitar when a baritone saxophone can do the job just as well? Of course, for added colour and unusual sounds, one just can't beat keyboard synthesizers, sequencers and drum computers and these modern instruments play their part on Ms Murphy's album, too.

The styles of music on this album could be described in various terms; "Trip-Hop", "Lounge", "Experimental Pop", etc. However, I think it would be fair to say that Roisin Murphy has largely "done her own thing" here and approached each song in an individualistic way.

I think that Roisin Murphy is capable of great things and I think that she can and should easily better this album, soon. However, "Ruby Blue" is a fascinating album jam-packed with songs which suggest all sorts of future musical directions.

pop cd.......2007-01-14

sounds good with a good stereo.

There are some nice bass tones in there.

So you think you can sing?.......2006-09-11

I was watching "So You Think You Can Dance" with my wife and we caught a cool song called "Ramalama (Bang Bang)". My ears are going so we had captioning on, which tells you the artist and song. I quickly jotted down the name and went looking online for the song and album.

Wow, what a great find this turned out to be. I've done two straight-through listens in addition to a few shuffle-plays with other songs, and I've finally figured out all the tastes I'm hearing.

It's Bjork and Aphex Twin with classic AM radio female vocals a la Carly Simon, with some inevitable Kate Bush/ Tori Amos splashed in. Ultimately, you have and have not heard anything like this album. The ingredients, yes, but the dish? All its own, and it works very well. Enjoyable and quirky, and I think because I'm going through a jazz phase now, it resonates deeper within me than if I were to bne traveling through, say, my death metal or Hendrix phases.

Worth picking up, for sure, but maybe a note of caution for more conservative listeners, it's something to give a dedicated ear to appreciate.

-Fred

Average customer rating: More than a niche singer.... Nancy tugs the heartstrings! Lush and delicious thud "This song don't tell no lies..." and neither does she!

Ruby's Torch Nanci Griffith Manufacturer: Rounder / Umgd ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Country | Styles | Music Outlaw & Progressive Country | Country | Styles | Music General | Traditional Country | Country | Styles | Music General | Folk | Styles | Music Traditional Folk | Folk | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Singer-Songwriters | Pop | Styles | Music General | Easy Listening | Pop | Styles | Music General | Vocal Pop | Pop | Styles | Music Classic | Vocal Pop | Pop | Styles | Music Rounder Records | Specialty Stores | Music Similar Items: The Calling I've Always Needed You West A Hundred Miles or More: A Collection Hearts in Mind ASIN: B000IOM0QU Release Date: 2006-11-14

Tracks:

1. When I Dream
2. If These Walls Could Speak
3. Ruby's Arms
4. Never Be The Sun
5. Bluer Than Blue
6. Brave Companion Of The Road
7. Grapefruit Moon
8. Please Call Me, Baby
9. Late Night Grande Hotel
10. In The Wee Small Hours Of The Morning
11. Drops From The Faucet

Amazon.com

Folk/country singer-songwriter Nanci Griffith shifts into chanteuse mode on this lovely outing. The sumptuous string-drenched arrangements are a change from Griffith's typically stark recordings featuring acoustic guitar and skeletal backing, but it's a natural progression in her nearly three-decade career. She has previously worked with an orchestra, on 1999's The Dust Bowl Symphony, but those results were mixed, due to the instruments' nearly overwhelming presence. On Ruby's Torch, the accompaniment is more organically integrated, and the sound supports Griffith instead of vice versa. No stranger to covers, Griffith taps Tom Waits for three of his older ballads, Jimmy Webb for one, and a few less famous tunesmiths: Donagh Long, Frank Christian, and Charles Goodrum, whose "Bluer than Blue" is a highlight. The durable "Late Night Grande Hotel," one of Griffith's most enduring originals, also makes an appearance in what could be its defining version. This is beautiful music for somber, but not depressing, moods, and closing-time last calls. The chestnut "In the Wee Small Hours of the Morning," best known in its classic rendition by Frank Sinatra, fits perfectly in this company, and the opening "When I Dream," written by Sandy Mason, sets the tone of regret and longing, both in life and love, that dominates the album. This lush, reflective work is a wonderful vehicle for Griffth's yearning, supple voice. It shows her to be as commanding a torch-song interpreter as a guitar-strumming roots veteran, and points the way for future projects in this vein. --Hal Horowitz

Album Description

Rounder Records is pleased to announce the release of Ruby's Torch, a new album by Grammy-winning singer-songwriter and "folkabilly" artist Nanci Griffith. Ruby's Torch is a collection of intimate torch songs, some penned by Griffith, others by some of her musical heroes. "Recording an entire record of torch songs has been a dream come true for me," says Griffith, "and something my listeners have been asking me to do for many years."

Rather than relying on tried-and-true torch standards, she pays homage to an eclectic array of influences. "When I Dream" has been performed by Crystal Gayle and Willie Nelson, and represents country balladry at its most powerful. Griffith also tips her hat to Jimmy Webb, whose masterful songwriting is at its peak in the touching "If These Walls Could Speak." Griffith offers lush interpretations of three Tom Waits numbers: "Grapefruit Moon," "Ruby's Arms," and "Please Call Me, Baby."

Also included is "Bluer Than Blue," the bittersweet ballad penned by Charles Goodrum and popularized in the late '70s by one of the masters of mellow country-pop, Michael Johnson. Griffith also offers her take on the bluesy, winsome "Drops From the Faucet," written by former Blue Moon Orchestra Guitarist Frank Christian, as well as the delicate yearning of "Never Be the Sun" by Irish baladeer Donal MacDonagh Long.

The one track with a genuine torch pedigree, "In the Wee Small Hours of the Morning" (popularized by the inimitable Frank Sinatra), fits in seamlessly, thanks to Griffith's ability to mesh her many inspirations and deliver them with her own charismatic style.

"The challenge in performing these songs is that you have to somehow remain true to the spirit of the song but infuse it with your own story," Griffith explains. "If you don't fill the song with your own emotions, then you really are just going through the motions."

Backing Griffith on this collection is the Blue Moon Orchestra, which has been with her since 1986. Over the past two decades these musicians have evolved with Griffith every step of the way. Which is what makes the reinvented versions of "Brave Companion of the Road" (from Griffith's 1989 album, Storm) and the title track to her 1991 album, Late Night Grand Hotel, so fascinating.

"Sometimes you find whole new personalities in songs when you perform them in a new setting," Griffith observes. "It's like looking at a landscape from different angles. You can really appreciate all the textures and features of the terrain if you approach it from different directions."

Griffith has been described as a singer-songwriter's singer-songwriter, but the accolade really rings true if you consider some of her biggest fans: Bob Dylan (who requested that Griffith sing "Boots of Spanish Leather" at his Madison Square Garden anniversary concert) as well as Emmylou Harris and Willie Nelson, who have performed Griffith's songs. And then there are the awards: five Grammy nominations (including a win for 1993's Other Voices, Other Rooms) and two more for her dazzling performances on albums by the Chieftains.

Customer Reviews:

More than a niche singer...........2007-04-30

It amazes me how narrow minded some of the reviewers are about her work.....my God...the risk is the reward...is it about comfort food ????? This is not at all uncharacteristic in relation to the total body of her work, either. She may sing about Loretta, but she ain't her!!! Keep on Torchin', Nanci!!!!!!

Nancy tugs the heartstrings!.......2007-04-11

I wouldn't normally go for this kind of schmalz, but Nancy carries this off with passion, and restraint. Beautifully orchestrated, understated arrangements, and Oh That Voice! Fantastic in the car, but please remember...don't cry and drive!

Lush and delicious.......2007-04-01

I admit it. I am totally prejudiced when it comes to Nanci Griffith. I first discovered her music in the mid-1980s when she was a relative newcomer and I was kinda depressed, in need of a special friend. Well, I've been hooked ever since. Nanci's songs are, indeed, like a good friend. They have seen me through both good times and bad times. I love all her albums, some admittedly more than others. Her latest, "Ruby's Torch", is no exception.

Nanci Griffith's new album evokes memories of an earlier one, "Dustbowl Symphony", which was a major departure in style for her at the time. The main differences, of course, are that most of the songs on "Ruby's Torch" are covers and the orchestra is not as overwhelming. It is still lush and delicious, however. But get out your handkerchiefs. By the third song, Tom Waits's "Ruby's Arms", you may just go over the edge. My personal favorite on this album is Donal Long's "You'll Never Be the Sun." And Nanci's own "Late Night Grande Hotel" is always a good one for turning on the waterworks. It really hits close to home for me.

Whether you are a longtime Nanci Griffith fan or are just discovering her, you will not be disappointed in "Ruby's Torch." You may need a teensy hit of Prozac afterward, though. LOL. I can't wait to see Nanci in person in a few weeks as she swings by on her latest tour. It will be interesting to see if she has a string orchestra or just the usual band of Blue Moon suspects led by the fearless James Hooker.

thud.......2007-03-26

Nanci is not a torch singer--this was an unfortunate decision to make this album. It is not what the genre tag suggests--alternative country, texas music--it is another feeble attempt at pop. This listener longs for Nanci's early days.

"This song don't tell no lies..." and neither does she!.......2007-03-11

I have to confess, this isn't quite what I was expecting when I heard Nanci Griffith was making an album of torch songs. That did seem like a pretty good fit for her, and I'm not sure exactly what I did expect, but not this. Which is perhaps why it took me a few listens before I found myself enjoying it. But first impressions can be wrong, and it's definitely grown on me.

For a heavily orchestrated set, there are still moments of more characteristic spareness. This is especially noticeable in the beautiful opening track, "When I Dream." It features waves of soaring strings, but also moments of just Nanci and her guitar between them, and the mix works remarkably well. To varying degrees, that happens again and again throughout the album. There are a number of other standout songs along the way, particularly the three from Tom Waits: "Ruby's Arms," "Grapefruit Moon," and "Please Call Me, Baby." (Waits might seem like an unlikely source for torch songs, but here as always, his songs are far more versatile than his own recordings would have you think.)

As is often the case, we are also treated to a couple of reworkings of her own songs, and "Brave Companion of the Road" has never sounded better. I'm less impressed with the updating of "Late Night Grande Hotel," if only because the original was already so brilliant - and torch-y enough in its own right. Still, it's a natural fit for this set. So is "In the Wee Small Hours of the Morning," which fits much better here than it did on the Clock Without Hands album. (I haven't listened to that one in so long that I can't tell if this is the same recording or not. I'm guessing it's probably not, since she has changed labels since then. To be fair, I seem to recall reading that she only included it on that set because it was her mother's favorite song and she was ill at the time.) Finally, "Drops from the Faucet" might be the best closing track on any of her albums, and it's not quite like anything else she's ever done.

It's not perfect. "Bluer than Blue" is a bit too pop for my tastes, and its contemporary style doesn't quite fit with the overall sound of the album in my opinion. But overall, it's a great set, traditional and original all at once, from a songstress who can usually be counted on for that.

Average customer rating: dang that gal can sing! glad i picked better together because they are Very nice.. Muffled Love it!

Paper Wings & Halo Lori Mckenna Manufacturer: Signature Sounds ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Folk | Styles | Music Traditional Folk | Folk | Styles | Music General | Folk | Indie Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: Pieces of Me Bittertown Bittertown Unglamorous Story Of Ruby Bridges, The (bkshelf) (Scholastic Bookshelf) ASIN: B000066RLJ Release Date: 2002-06-25

Tracks:

1. As I am
2. What's One More Time
3. Paper Wings and Halo
4. Ruby's Shoes
5. Would You Love Me Then
6. Hardly Speaking A Word
7. It's Easy When You Smile
8. Paying The Price
9. Swallows Me Whole
10. Don't Tell Her
11. Holy Water
12. Never Be Back
13. Not In This Life (Live and Previously Unreleased)
14. Josephine (Live and Previously Unreleased)
15. Paper Wings & Halo (Live and Previously Unreleased)

Customer Reviews:

dang that gal can sing!.......2006-03-10

i was already a fan of lori mckenna when i saw her on oprah with faith hill. personally, i think lori's version (the original) of the song 'fireflies' is waaaay better than faith's rendition. i also like lori's voice better - sorry to any faith fans! mckenna's voice has a folksy, fluttering sound that draws you in - her voice catches and your heart feels that ole pull. her songs are so breathtakingly real and down-to-earth, yet they are lyrical and poetic at the same time.

beautiful work!

glad i picked better together because they are .......2006-01-30

was not going to get this cd and then i saw the better together and it was a good price so i got then i am very glad i did this a
great album Ruby's shoes and paper wings and halo are great songs i realy glad i got tis album

Very nice.........2006-01-11

This is a very nice work of music. I recommend it!!!

Muffled.......2005-10-05

I just learned of Lori McKenna from the Oprah show with Faith Hill. I typed in her name in "keyword" and was amazed that she was so popular and had made several albums!
From reading about her, she is an amazing person and I really wanted to own all of her albums, but I can barely understand what she is saying, however, I still plan to buy at least one just because I can relate to her depth, her sincerity, her
honesty, her perception of life.
I regret saying this, but I hope someone down the line continues to make her songs (like Faith Hill did) so that we can fully understand and appreciate them. Lori is a wonderful person, so
this, in no way, is meant to be offensive.
I just can't make out much of what she is saying.

Love it!.......2004-05-01

I love the music on this CD. I find myself playing it over and over. If I have my MP3 player on random, I always stop to listen (and sing) whenever one of these songs comes on. I first heard her on NPR, and I have loved every song from her I've heard. Her voice takes some getting used to, but the songs grow on you the more you hear them. Paper Wings and Halo and Would you Love Me Then are two of my favorites.

Average customer rating: Like falling through Alice's looking glass... Best Of Soul Coughing, And That's Saying Alot Amazing. Their best--no question. Groovy beat (the poets) oriented "slacker jazz"

Ruby Vroom Soul Coughing Manufacturer: Warner Bros / Wea ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Indie Rock | Indie & Lo-Fi | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music General | Indie & Lo-Fi | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Post Grunge | American Alternative | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music Similar Items: Irresistible Bliss El Oso Skittish/Rockity Roll Haughty Melodic Lust in Phaze: The Best of Soul Coughing ASIN: B000002MUG Release Date: 1994-09-27

Tracks:

1. Is Chicago, Is Not Chicago
2. Sugar Free Jazz
3. Casiotone Nation
4. Blueeyed Devil
5. Bus To Beelzebub
6. True Dreams Of Wichita
7. Screenwriter's Blues
8. Moon Sammy
9. Supra Genius
10. City Of Motors
11. Uh, Zoom, Zip
12. Down To This
13. Mr. Bitterness
14. Janine

Amazon.com

Where the '60s had a fair amount of great blue-eyed soul, the 1990s had been remiss in offering up first-rate, blue-eyed hip-hop--until Soul Coughing came along. Frontman M. Doughty shied away from the label, dubbing the quartet's music "deep slacker jazz," which actually kinda fits tracks like the film noir homage, "Screenwriter's Blues." Doughty's acerbic, often hilarious (see "Casiotone Nation") rhymes--which never sound like he's trying to be too streetwise--float like butterflies over the sting-like-a-bee rhythm section of Sebastian Steinberg and Yuval Gabay. Add the unorthodox sampler technique of Mark de Gli Antoni, and you have a total package that you'll never tire of unwrapping. --David Sprague

Customer Reviews:

Like falling through Alice's looking glass..........2005-08-25

I had just met in person the man I had been e-mailing for months. We had been swapping musical recommendations, along with the trivia and minutia that we both seemed to have an endless appetite for; he handed me a glass of wine, and went to his media center with a CD in his hand and said "This is my litmus test for anyone who claims to be someone of really broad musical tastes", and proceeded to put "Ruby Vroom" into the player. As "Is Chicago, Is Not Chicago" began, I could feel my eyes opening wider and wider, and I was smiling so big, it actually hurt my cheeks. I was taking an auditory ride equal to Alice's adventures in Wonderland, where everything had its very own perverse logic, thinking was circular, not linear, and the Mad Hatter had a new name--Mike Doughty. By the time I was boarding the "Bus to Beelzebub", I was completely hooked. I married the man with the CD, and we've shared many more glasses of wine, and many more CD's, and we've listened to Soul Coughing so often that my 17 year old son, whose personal tastes run more to Diatribe and Limp Bizkit, has memorized the words to "Bus to Beelzebub" and "Uh,Zoom Zip". We have the rest of Soul Coughing's discography, but this one, their first, is the definitive sound and psyche of these erudite innovators at their most scathingly observant.

Best Of Soul Coughing, And That's Saying Alot.......2005-05-06

Doing a quick glance over the various reviews of this album, i have noticed only one reviewer who even attempted to throughly criticize the hell out of this album. And a good job he did...for himself. But clearly, whoever recomended that he listen to Soul Coughing was glossly mistaken. Being the creepy stalker that i am, i read his other reviews to find that his primary musical interests center around 70s pop music, and while he may enjoy Cake, this is diffrent.

Diffrent to say the least. Soul Coughing is one of few bands that cannot be accurately compared to anything else at all. Sure, you can pick out the influences, but the complete sound is unique. It's a little like morphine, with free-form poetry and some drum and bass. Or like some of Garbages older stuff, but less electro and a male vocalist. Truely, though, Soul Coughing is not a band you ought to recommend to anyone based one their appreciation of another band.

"Ruby Vroom" is in my opinion, one of the greatest albums to be made in the 90s. I'm sure that comment won't go over well with the Nirvana crowd, but it's true. From the flawless, almost techno-quality drums of Yuval Gabay, to the haunting and precise upright bass of Sebastian, to, best of all, the vocals of Mike Doughty. Doughty does not sing songs about specific stuff, like falling in love or how politics are in the toilet. He sings about things that, granted, do not make complete sense, but rather, convey a mood.

And "Ruby Vroom" is all kinds of moody. The combination of unusual vocals and the use of an upright bass gives the entire album a brooding and dark tone. The wall to wall "hits" include "Casiotone Nation" (a song who's lyrics change every time it is performed) "Bus To Beelzebub" (which opens with a sample from a 'Looney Toons' song) "True Dreams Of Wichita" "Mr. Bitterness", and best of all "Screenwriters Blues", a track i personally think could continue the length on an entire LP and not get stale.

My humble opinion, but by the looks of it, I'm in good company.

Amazing........2005-04-29

Like lots of folks, I first heard Soul Coughing on Songs in the Key of X, which had "Unmarked Helicopters" on it. I sort of forgot about them until they came up on a favorite website of mine and I decided to check them out. Simply put, this album is brilliant. Laid back, funky as all get out, quirky and original, Ruby Vroom is one heck of an introduction to Soul Coughing. The lyrics range from nifty to brilliant, mostly brilliant, and manage to be edgy and playful and (on a few tracks) just nonsensical enough to be interpreted several ways. My favorite songs are "Is Chicago, Is Not Chicago", "Screenwriter's Blues", "Casiotone Nation", "Uh, Zoom Zip", "Down To This", and the quirky but brilliantly played "Mr. Bitterness" (it's sort of like drum n' bass, but played with real instruments), which is a huge changeup and continues to grab my attention. I have been listening to this album nonstop for a week, and it has definitely folded itself into my music collection nicely. Highly recommended.

Their best--no question........2004-12-05

This is certainly my favorite release by this band. Soul Coughing has become one of my favorite bands--long after it has ceased to be. This CD is immediately enjoyable, and, if not, it will grow on anyone with an open mind for interesting, intelligent music. Their songs may not sound particularly subtle at first, but with repeated listenings, the depth and humor embedded in the lyrics and musicianship will be revealed. Nevertheless, I have to say that I take this potent stuff in measured doses. If you are new to these guys, you must hear this CD (or maybe "Lust in Phaze: The Best of Soul Coughing"). You may or may not regret it, but you will most certainly hear a bit of music to be found nowhere else.

Groovy beat (the poets) oriented "slacker jazz".......2004-11-16

Great term that, "slacker jazz" and it pretty much sums up this grooving smart alecky, acoustic bass driven outfit. Ruby Vroom is funny and strangely disturbing. Especially the first song "Chicago" which has the prophetic lyric "a man drives a plane into the Chrysler building", got the building wrong, but its spooky none the less. Lots of samples and texture on this record, combined with jazzy funk beats and sometimes sung, sometimes rapped lyrics/poetry. Nothing is too too serious, this ain't "Art" baby. What these guys do is drag pop culture through a sharp eyed postmodern woodchipper and remold the mush into some funky, spare (they leave space) trippy and clever hip hop pop. Fun stuff with a brain.

Average customer rating: Amazing! You're my ruby blue

Ruby Blue ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Rock | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music Rock | Imports | Stores | Music Similar Items: If We're in Love Ruby Blue Out of the Woods PCD The Reminder ASIN: B000A1OERO Release Date: 2005-06-21

Album Description

Debut solo album from Irish songstress Roisin Murphy, frontwoman of Moloko. All the tracks on the album are the results of Roisin's collaboration with producer Matthew Herbert a musician and producer famed for working predominantly in the field of electronic music. Songs on Ruby Blue are all over the map - each song fuses elements of jazz, late 70's/early 80's soul, rock, and electronica, with varying emphasis on each between tracks. Echo. 2005.

Customer Reviews:

Amazing!.......2006-12-23

This debut album by Murphy, former lead chanteuse for the indie/electronic band Moloko, is amazing.

Murphy's sound, while similar to Moloko, departs somewhat from electronica and moves closer to dance/R&B. The amazing title track (featured on "Grey's Anatomy") is a funky rave-up that puts Prince to shame. Murphy's cool-as-ice vocals here just make the song crackle.

There are several other great tracks, including "If We're In Love" and "Leaving The City". It would be an almost perfect work, but the last few songs, while interesting and experimental, are sort of at odds with the rest of the CD. However, don't let that scare you away. I'd really strongly recommend taking a listen.

You're my ruby blue.......2005-08-16

You know her best as the eccentric pop voice in Moloko, that wacky dancepop group that turned out some of the U.K.'s best electronica. Alas, after 2003's "Statues," Moloko is no more. But lead vocalist Roisin Murphy is just beginning... her solo career, that is.

Don't expect Moloko's experimental pop, however. In "Ruby Blue," Murphy tries out some entirely new sounds such as jazz, low-key trip-hop and funky piano-pop, with a slightly psychedelic quirky edge. Sometimes it suits her unique vocals, and sometimes not -- more often than not, the wild little songs work out just fine.

"Ruby Blue" slinks into our ears with "Leaving the City," a jumbled pop melody full of tinny percussion and subtle horns. Murphy sings in a dreamy manner over the quirky arrangements. This gives a feel for what the album's sound is going to be like: It's not like her past work, but not like anything else either, really.

After that comes a string of unusual dancepop -- rather than your usual electronica, there's a funky, jazzy, slightly insane edge to Murphy's music. Yes, there's some keyboard on there, yet songs like the wild "Night of the Dancing Flame" or the fiery, bouncy "Ramalama (Bang Bang)" rely more on the organic drums and beats.

Not all songs on "Ruby Blue" are that much fun, however. "Through Time," for example, is pretty but rather dull. It's midtempo but very steady and quiet, and so after a while it gets boring to listen to. And the finale is a pretty song, yet somehow doesn't fit in with the rest of the album. What's more, Murphy doesn't sound entirely comfortable over a simple piano ballad.

In fact, Murphy's quirky, breathless vocals work best when she's singing over earthy beats and trippy tunes. When the songs are quirky and wild, she sounds amazing. In the quieter songs, she sounds distinctly out of place, not unlike a country singer trying to rap.

Some of the songs lag a bit, or don't fit around Roisin Murphy's style. But "Ruby Blue" is an entertaining (if uneven) solo debut. Lots of fun.

Average customer rating: Big Boy Having A Party!!!! a GREAT ALBUM from A FANTASTIC BUT NEARLY FORGOTTEN GROUP great listening I LOVE THIS ALBUM, YOU WILL TOO!!!!

Our Day Will Come: Very Best of Ruby & The Romantics Manufacturer: Rpm Records UK ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music General | Blues | Styles | Music General | R&B | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music General | R&B | Indie Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: Hello Stranger: The Best of Barbara Lewis The Best of 1961-1966 The Best of the Tymes 1963-1964 The Ultimate Collection The Ultimate Collection ASIN: B00006JXZP Release Date: 2002-12-23

Tracks:

1. When Youre Young And In Love
2. Moonlight And Music
3. Till Then
4. Our Day Will Come
5. Everydays A Holiday
6. Think
7. Lonely People Do Foolish Things
8. My Summer Love
9. Much Better Off Than Ive Ever Been
10. I Cry Alone
11. Sweet Love And Sweet Forgiveness
12. Remember Me
13. Does He Really Care For Me
14. No More
15. Dream
16. Your Baby Doesnt Love You Anymore
17. Our Everlasting Love
18. Hey There Lonely Boy
19. By The Way
20. Two Different Worlds
21. Nobody But My Baby
22. Baby Come Home
23. Day Dreaming
24. Not A Moment Too Soon
25. Young Wings Can Fly (Higher Than You Know)
26. Moonglow
27. We Can Make It
28. Stranger On The Shore
29. The End Of The World
30. Till There Was You
31. What A Difference A Day Makes
32. Well Love Again
33. Imagination
34. Well Meet Again
35. My Prayer
36. Heartaches
37. Im Sorry
38. (Im Afraid) The Masquerade Is Over
39. PS I Love You
40. Chances Are
41. Time After Time
42. How Deep Is The Ocean

Album Description

2002 compilation for one of the one of the great male/female soul vocal groups. 42 tracks including their 1963 classic, 'Our Day Will Come' (which topped both the pop & R&B charts) & the original versions of 'Hey There Lonely Boy' (a hit for Eddie Holman in 1974), & 'When You're Young & In Love' (a 1974 hit for The Marvelettes & The Flying Picketts in 1984). RPM.

Customer Reviews:

Big Boy Having A Party!!!!.......2006-11-10

You will see mama, daddy, uncle and aunts, reappear in your home. You and your brothers and sisters laughter will fill the room. Big Mama and Big Poppa, will be beaming with love for the family!!!!! Lovely trip down memories lane!!!!!

a GREAT ALBUM from A FANTASTIC BUT NEARLY FORGOTTEN GROUP.......2006-09-16

RUBY and THE ROMANTICS are one of the great FORGOTTEN groups of POP/R&B HISTORY .FORGOTTEN , BUT NOT DESERVEDLY SO. THESE GUYS (AND GIRL } COULD S I N G !! Fantastic harmonies... great stage presence...LUSH instrumental backgrounds ...beautiful lead vocals by RUBY NASH....THIS GROUP HAD IT ALL ! Most people today only remember THE ROMANTICS as the group that recorded the number 1 smash " OUR DAY WILL COME " ...But,they were much,much more.They were , quite simply, one of the most INFLUENTIAL GROUPS EVER !! Many of their songs were actually re- recorded years later by OTHER artists...who sadly , had MUCH BIGGER HITS with them...which was a tribute to the TALENTED , FINE group they actually were. Examples : Their hit "WHEN YOU'RE YOUNG AND IN LOVE " became a much bigger hit for Motown's MARVELETTES. Their song " HURTING EACH OTHER " became a big one years later for THE CARPENTERS. Their hit " HEY THERE LONELY BOY" became a smash for EDDIE HOLMAN AS " HEY THERE LONELY GIRL " , their BIGGEST HIT..." OUR DAY WILL COME " became a disco smash for THE 4 Seasons' FRANKIE VALLI .Even their name "THE ROMANTICS" was eventually STOLEN by a rock group,the members of which probably weren't EVEN BORN when they had their first hits. Why did all these other artists have much bigger hits with the ROMANTICS' songs than they did ? It certainly wasn't due to lack of talent since , in many cases, their originals sounded much better than the REMAKES. Part of the reason, in my opinion,had to do with the fact their record label, KAPP RECORDS ,part of what is today known as the (MCA} UNIVERSAL MUSIC GROUP, had almost zero experience with the marketing and promotion of R&B artists. This was , after all, the label responsible for such MOR ARTISTS as ROGER WILLIAMS,BURT BACHARACH,AND LOUIS ARMSTRONG. Also, during the groups' heyday ('62-'67 } , the national music charts were dominated by stiff competition from MOTOWN, with their similar group GLADYS KNIGHT AND THE PIPS, the BRITISH INVASION GROUPS, powerful R&B artists such as JAMES BROWN AND THE FAMOUS FLAMES , JACKIE WILSON,and LITTLE ANTHONY AND THE IMPERIALS ,Chicago's IMPRESSIONS, GENE CHANDLER ,AND THE DELLS, CALIFORNIA BEACH GROUPS,(THE BEACH BOYS, JAN & DEAN, AND OTHERS), and FOLK ARTISTS ,such as PETER ,PAUL, AND MARY , making it very hard to compete.But the artists and insiders in the industry knew who RUBY AND THE ROMANTICS were,(such as the afore mentioned CARPENTERS,who also covered their hit " YOUR BABY DOESN'T LOVE YOU ANYMORE" }, and so did a select group of loyal fans. As a teen growing up in the sixties, I was one of that latter group. I remember their songs "YOUNG WINGS CAN FLY " , "MY EVERLASTING LOVE" , "DOES HE REALLY CARE FOR ME and especially the incredible "MOONLIGHT AND MUSIC " (WRITTEN by THE ROMANTICS' LEROY FANN), were among the greatest DOO WOP classics ever recorded .(They were "quiet storm " long before the term became popular). I never thought that all these classic songs would ever see the light of day on one CD , and it took a foreign label to release it . If you want an example of the best in mellow , romantic (pun intended ) '60's pop / r&b, look no further then " OUR DAY WILL COME : THE BEST OF RUBY AND THE ROMANTICS - LEROY FANN, ED ROBERTS,GEORGE LEE,AND RONALD MOSLEY-You'll see why they deserve a place among the greatest soul/r&b groups of all time !!

great listening.......2006-02-24

I thought the only way Ruby and the Romantics would ever be heard again would be on the pop stations of radio. But thanks for comming out with a cd of their best hits. They are always a pleasure to listen to.

I LOVE THIS ALBUM, YOU WILL TOO!!!!.......2003-09-23

If you love good music, order this album. Ruby and the Romantics are known mainly for the hit "Our Day Will Come" but believe me they were no ONE HIT WONDERS. Rubys sweet melodic voice and the impeccable harmonies of the Romantics will set the mood for a wonderful candle light dinner, background for a low-key cocktail party or an intimate evening in front of a crackling fire.
There are songs on here you have not heard in probably 30 years.
This REALLY is a great album and would make a wonderful gift during the holidays or any time.

Average customer rating: Truly Amazing . . . Truly Mindblowing! Phenominal doesn't even begin to describe these artists Spellbinding I had an aesthetic moment. Great CD

Rodrigo y Gabriela Rodrigo y Gabriela Manufacturer: Ruby Works ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music General | International | Styles | Music Mexico | International | Styles | Music Gypsy | Eastern Europe | Europe | International | Styles | Music Flamenco | Latin Music | Styles | Music General | Latin Music | Styles | Music Latin Pop | Latin Music | Styles | Music Tango | Latin Music | Styles | Music Son | Latin Music | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music General | Rock Guitarists | Rock | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music International | Imports | Stores | Music Similar Items: Live: Manchester and Dublin Re-Foc Rodrigo y Gabriela (with Bonus DVD) Zu & Co (Italian Version) Rhythms del Mundo: Cuba ASIN: B000E6ETKM Release Date: 2006-06-20

Tracks:

1. Tamacun
2. Diablo Rojo
3. Vikingman
4. Satori
5. Ixtapa
6. Stairway to Heaven
7. Orion
8. Juan Loco
9. P.P.A. - Rodrigo y Gabriela

Album Description

Rodrigo and Gabriela are two fast-fingered, Dublin-based, Mexicans with a unique sound created on acoustic guitars. Their music is difficult to define, straddling both world and rock, and often imbued with the timeless Hispano classical influences. The fire in it comes from their life-long passion for metal music. Rodrigo is a deft finger-picker who can move from raging speed to sensual soul in the space of a fret, while Gabriela employs fast, rhythmic techniques. Her percussionist's thrashing of strings and drumming of the instrument's body inevitably raises comparisons with flamenco which they acknowledge as an influence but swerve as a pigeonhole, The duo's repertoire flies beyond familiar Latin folk guitarists' styles because of the metal connection: their reworkings of Led Zep's Stairway To Heaven and Metallica's Orion are musts, and the presence. On Ixtapa , of the fiery Hungarian gypsy violinist, Roby Lakatos, is inspirational.

Customer Reviews:

Truly Amazing . . . Truly Mindblowing!.......2007-04-20

The first time I heard Diablo Rojo, I thought there were probably 8 musicians in the band. What? There are only TWO? Really hard to believe but that's it. Two.

I've seen their show and Gabriela's hands move so fast they're truly a blur!

If you can stay still during their songs . . . . well I don't know what to say. Buy this CD . . . . you will not be disappointed!

Phenominal doesn't even begin to describe these artists.......2007-01-16

One listen and you will be blown away by these two artists. The amount of sound they create with simply two acoustic guitars is mind-boggling. It will take a leap of faith to believe that all the sound is just two guitars and not a full band with percussion behind them. My kids love this music, my friends love this music, and even my 80-something mother likes this music.

Spellbinding.......2007-01-08

Simply incredible, perfect, lush, rich music that does everything music's supposed to do: transports you, makes you happy to be alive, fills you with emotion and just plain ole makes this world a nicer place to be. And I'm not one to be gushy over guitars. Piano, strings, yes. But guitars, usually not. This is truly something special.

I had an aesthetic moment........2007-01-03

This CD has everything, rhythm, beauty, harmony, emotions...

As the title says, I had an aesthetic moment, not just simply, "oh, this is good, but truly...an experience. Not just catchy, but beauty simple yet complex...the way music/art should be, it should exist in complex simplicity and flow emotions and feeling for you."

This CD will do it, atleast it did it for me.

Great CD.......2006-11-04

I not only enjoyed every song, I not only felt compelled to dance to a couple, I listened to the CD again immediately after the first play. I'm not sure how many times I've now listened to the CD. Wonderful.

Average customer rating: Archeophone's "Real Ragtime" Second Edition

Real Ragtime: Disc Recordings from Its Heyday Manufacturer: Archeophone Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Marches | Theatrical, Incidental & Program Music | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music General | Theatrical, Incidental & Program Music | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music General Modern | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Keyboard | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music General | Strings | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music General | Folk | Styles | Music General | Jazz | Styles | Music Vocal Jazz General | Vocal Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music Classic Big Band | Swing Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music Ragtime | Traditional Jazz & Ragtime | Jazz | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Musical Theater | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music General | Pop | Styles | Music Traditional Vocalists | Compilations | Pop | Styles | Music General | Vocal Pop | Pop | Styles | Music Marches | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music General | Folk | Indie Music | Stores | Music General | Jazz | Indie Music | Stores | Music General | Pop | Indie Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: Stomp and Swerve: American Music Gets Hot The 1890s, Volume 1: Wipe Him Off the Land Lost Sounds: Blacks and the Birth of the Recording Industry 1891-1922 The Greatest Ragtime of the Century The 1890s, Volume 2: Wear Yer Bran' New Gown ASIN: B000BKP5K4 Release Date: 2005-09-27

Tracks:

1. Florida Rag (Vess L. Ossman)
2. When Uncle Joe Plays a Rag on His Old Banjo (Arthur Collins)
3. Booster Fox Trot (Victor Military Band)
4. Berkeley March (Cullen and Collins)
5. Hu-la Hu-la Cake Walk (Sousas Band)
6. Dill Pickles Rag (Chris Chapman)
7. Cakewalk (John J. Kimmel)
8. Everybody Rag with Me (American Quartet)
9. Creole Belles (Columbia Orchestra)
10. By the Sycamore Tree Medley (Ossman and Hunter)
11. The International Rag (Collins and Harlan)
12. Silver Heels (Fred Van Eps)
13. Canhanibalmo Rag (Arthur Pryors Band)
14. A Coon Band Contest (Vess L. Ossman)
15. Youre Talking Rag-Time (Arthur Collins)
16. Sugar Plum (Samuel Siegel and Roy Butin)
17. Whipped Cream (Fred Van Eps)
18. Deiro Rag (Guido Deiro)
19. Old Folks Rag (Van Eps Trio)
20. Ragged William (Metropolitan Orchestra)
21. Ragtime Temple Bells (Billy Murray)
22. Russian Rag (Earl Fullers Rector Novelty Orchestra)
23. Hungarian Rag (Pietro Deiro)
24. Wild Cherry Rag (Eddie Morton)
25. The King of Rags (Arthur Pryors Band)
26. The Darkies Awakening (Vess L. Ossman)
27. Cohans Rag Babe (Arthur Collins)
28. Some Baby (Van Eps Banjo Orchestra)
29. Ruff Johnsons Harmony Band (Gene Greene)

Product Description

From the introduction: This CD is the second edition of Archeophone’s very first release, which established our mission of providing detailed, scholarly, and unabashed reissues of the early recording industry’s product in attractive and generous packages. With this newly remastered, freshly annotated edition, we are bringing our first and favorite release to the standards that you expect from the leader in acoustic-era reissues. To some music fans, the title of Real Ragtime sounded like a battle cry of authenticity, but the aim of the collection was and remains a simple one, grounded in the history of record buying a century ago: to show that the ragtime consumers were likely to find on records for more than 20 years was not the kind of ragtime we think of today. They were more likely to find banjos and brass bands playing ragtime than pianos, and their collections of disc recordings almost certainly had numerous examples of watered-down ragtime—the Tin Pan Alley knock-offs that really had no ragtime but called themselves “rags” just for the added marketability such a designation would bring. Ragtime was as much about a musical mood, a general feeling in the air, as it was about what scholars would identify as real ragtime. It was a trope that defined the early recording industry and pervaded the entire culture for a generation. These are the recordings people listened to, whether they were really ragtime or not—and they were thought of, no doubt, as the genuine item.

Customer Reviews:

Archeophone's "Real Ragtime" Second Edition.......2005-10-09

This is the second edition of this CD to be released by Archeophone Records. It contains one additional tune and one substitution. The selections have been remastered, and the sound which was good the first time, has even been improved this time. Some of these recordings are over one hundred years old, and have no right to sound this good! This disc offers a good cross section of the music that was popular between 1898 and 1918. The booklet is done with a real attention to detail, and a lot of information is included along with photographs and first class graphics. This disc, along with the others from this company (I have them all), can stand tall alongside any other reissues by anyone!

Titles I especially enjoy are "Booster Fox Trot" by the Victor Military Band; "Dill Pickles Rag" by Chris Chapman; "The International Rag" by Collins and Harlan; "Cohen's Rag Babe" by Arthur Collins; and "Ragtime Temple Bells" by Billy Murray.

By the way, the substitution mentioned is a different version of "Dill Pickles Rag". The original version by Chris Chapman (1908), is included here, while the version by William H. Reitz (1922), was featured in the first edition of this CD. The additional tune is "Sugar Plum" by Samuel Siegel and Roy Butin.

For those who enjoy original recordings of the first quarter of the twentieth century, this disc is a good place to begin. Archeophone Records is the premier company reissuing this material, and I can recommend their CDs highly. They have released discs featuring Bert Williams, Billy Murray, Art Hickman, and The Benson Orchestra of Chicago; along with over twenty more titles, all of the highest quality sound that modern remastering will allow.

Average customer rating: Jacqui just gets better and better Maddening Eclecticism Singsongsaying the iambic riddles A Great Singer With A Captivating Voice That Speaks Of Elegance And Confidence The Color Five is Jacqui's best work to date

The Color Five Jacqui Naylor Manufacturer: Ruby Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Jazz | Styles | Music Vocal Jazz General | Vocal Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music General | New Age | Styles | Music Traditional Vocal Pop | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music General | Vocal Pop | Pop | Styles | Music Classic | Vocal Pop | Pop | Styles | Music Adult Alternative | Pop | Styles | Music Similar Items: Live East/West: Birdland/Yoshi's 2CD Set Shelter From This Moment On Half the Perfect World Jacqui Naylor ASIN: B000H0M538 Release Date: 2006-08-29

Tracks:

1. Blue Moon
2. Hot Legs
3. Easy Ride From Here
4. Summertime
5. Love Gets In The Way
6. Sit And Rest A While
7. I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For
8. History Of Love
9. You Don't Know What Love Is
10. Love For Sale
11. Angel Of Mine
12. Lola
13. Losing My Religion
14. Drive On
15. Here's To Life

Amazon.com

At first listen, the low-throated Jaqui Naylor is reminiscent of Madeleine Peyoux; but unlike Peyroux, Naylor sometimes sounds as if she's trying too hard. Not vocally, mind you (the singer remains smoothly assured throughout) but in her choice of arrangements: Some of the selections are sung to other songs' melodies in what Naylor calls "acoustic smashes" (which are described as "orchestrated blends of two different songs, usually a classic rock tune with a jazz standard.") The Color Five is split three ways between traditional covers, the "acoustic smash" covers, and Naylor originals (which have a kind of Lucinda Williams vibe). The standards are all obvious, perhaps too much ("Blue Moon," "Summertime," "Love for Sale") but they're done nicely. It's on the pop-rock selections that the acoustic smashing sometimes goes awry. The Kinks' "Lola," done to Lee Morgan's "Sidewinder," is oddly winning as an organ-driven, conga-accented number, and Rod Stewart's "Hot Legs" is sung to Herbie Hancock's funky "Cantaloupe Island." But U2's "I Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" ("acoustically smashed" to the tune of Miles Davis' "All Blues") unfortunately brings to mind Bill Murray's old lounge-singer act on Saturday Night Live. It's nice to see Naylor take chances, but sometimes you have to find the gold within a song, not import it from somewhere else. --Elisabeth Vincentelli

Album Description

San Francisco-based vocalist and songwriter Jacqui Naylor launches her fifth CD, The Color Five, with shimmering hints of jazz, pop, and rock while adding touches of gospel, folk, blues, and even a little humor into the mix. With The Color Five, Naylor has created an eclectic yet seamless recording of five original tunes, five impeccably-chosen covers, and five of her trademark "acoustic smashes." Acoustic smashing - a phrase coined by Naylor to describe this unique style - is the singing of a rock tune over a jazz standard or vice versa. For example, Naylor sings the Gershwins' classic "Summertime" over the groove of The Allman Brothers' "Whipping Post" or U2's "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" over Miles Davis' "All Blues."

Customer Reviews:

Jacqui just gets better and better.......2007-05-21

I love this album. My girlfriend and I saw Jacqui at Yoshi's in Oakland late in 2006, just after this album was out. The wonderful thing about the album is that it gets better and better with each hearing. "Easy Ride from Here" is my favorite; some say its optimistic, although I think there is a bit of tongue in cheek cynicism in the song, but still very light hearted. "Hot Legs" and "Lola" are interesting covers, but Jacqui makes them work. There is not a bad cut on the album, and it is, in my opinion, the most approachable album overall that she has ever done. I look forward to her next album with great enthusiasm, and to seeing her perform live as often as I can.

Maddening Eclecticism.......2007-02-27

Whoo, Boy. I come on to this c.d., listen to it once, and am hit with a solid, unshakeable 4-star opinion. On second listen, it's an even more solid 4-stars. I then go to review this, and see that it has received 10 5-star ratings in a row.

Should I keep the score perfect, and suck up for more helpfuls that way? Or should I tell it how I feel, and risk the ire of the Ammyland neggie monsters?

Ah, to hell with it. Just tell it like I feel.

I reviewed Jacqui Naylor's "East West" and gave it a soft 5, basically because that was a 2-disc recording and I could pick out about half of it and turn it into a 5-star album for me. This c.d. strikes me the same way--but it's a one-disc release.

The issue is Ms. Naylor and her band's eclectisism. Does Jacqui Naylor want to be a rock singer, a jazz singer, or a soul singer? She can't seem to decide, and that's an issue. There are very few singers who can pull off such a combination. The one who readily comes to mind is Cassandra Wilson; but Ms. Wilson is truly one-of-a-kind. Most can't do it.

Ms. Naylor has a deep voice--not as deep as Ms. Wilson, Ann Hampton Callaway, Jackie Ryan or Janis Siegel, but deep and alluring enough. I really like some of these covers (e.g., the Kinks' "Lola"; the reflective read of "Blue Moon"; the funkified "Love for Sale", with Bill Withers' "Use Me" riffed over Cole Porter's tome to prostitution; and a sexy "Hot Legs"). I'm not as crazy about some of the others ("Summertime", "Losing My Religion", "You Don't Know What Love Is", or "Here's to Life.").

Actually, what I like best are her originals--and that was true on "East West" as well. "History of Love" is my favorite on this c.d., and merits becoming a standard of its own someday.

I'd like to hear Ms. Naylor and Art Khu, her long-time piano and guitar accompanist, record a c.d. of just originals, with varying versions. They are talented; and if they are going to insist upon being eclectic, that might be the most impressive way to display their talent. RC

Singsongsaying the iambic riddles.......2006-11-10

Hence the this and that of the others was this and that of another so that many sound-as-images freaks your ear while blending and flooding and laughing and crunching and being a beautiful delusion.

A Great Singer With A Captivating Voice That Speaks Of Elegance And Confidence.......2006-10-13

"The Color Five represents a bringing together of the richness of my life and the celebration of my spiritual, musical and emotional communities. While I refer to the number five in many ways on this recording, perhaps the most significant to me are the five who made it happen. Art Khu and Michael Romanowski worked tirelessly to make sure the music tells the whole story with all its color. Jon Evans lent his impeccable taste and wisdom and Josh Jones always laid down the tightest groove. Add the sublime strings of my Buddhist sister Yoon Ki Chai and the five are complete." ~ Jacqui Naylor ~

"Naylor's voice is precise, languorous and very sexy. She has all the elements together...talent, looks and presence...I just don't think anyone can learn to sing like this; it must be a natural, organic thing that comes from the heart, from the soul." ~ Los Angeles Jazz Scene ~

Since I haven't heard any of Ms. Naylor's recordings, I thought I might not be able to give this CD a five-star treatment but after listening to it in its entirety with a few repeats on the tracks that impressed me most such as "You Don't Know What Love Is," "Summertime," "Blue Moon" and her original song "Easy Ride From Here," I came to a conclusion that this is a five-star material. She may not be a big star yet but she's very promising and has the qualities of becoming a great singer with her powerful yet charming and captivating voice, songwriting talent and a terrific style of singing that speaks of elegance and confidence.

After four remarkable CDs to her credit, Jacqui Naylor came up with a new-released "The Color Five," which offers a variety of classic rock, some standards from the Great American Songbook and five of her original songs which she co-wrote with her guitarist/pianist Art Khu. To me, the most notable and impressive from among her original songs are "Easy Ride From Here," "Drive On" and "Sit And Rest A While." This CD is a fusion of jazz, soft rock and pop music with outstanding arrangements. On all the tracks, she is ably backed up by her fabulous band: arranger Art Khu (piano/organ/guitar), Jon Evans (bass), Josh Jones (drums/percussion) and Yoon Ki Chai (violin), Zoe Ellis and Caitlin Cornwell (background vocals).

Ms. Naylor is such a versatile singer and she can render it like an ace whether she's singing Rod Stewart's "Hot Legs" or jazzing it up with Gershwins' gem "Summertime," which is superbly arranged by Jon Evans and Rodgers & Hart's treasure "Blue Moon" or simply mellowing it up smoothly on her take on Raye & DePaul's "You Don't Know What Love Is," a song made popular by Billie Holiday and covered by other artists, one of them is the talented George Benson. I think this is my absolute favorite here. She sings it so mellow and the arrangement by Art Khu is so splendid and typical of the technique invented by the singer called "Acoustic Smashing," where she sings a timeless standard with a rock-sounding arrangement and vice-versa.

"You don't know what love is
Until you've learned the meaning of the blues
Until you've loved a love you've had to lose
You don't know what love is. . .

You don't know how hearts burn
For love that cannot live yet never dies
Until you've faced each dawn with sleepless eyes
You don't know what love is."

Well, what else can I say but I'm a new fan! ;)

I wholeheartedly recommend this CD for your listening pleasure, you will never be disappointed and since a portion of the proceeds from this recording support organizations that promote healing and empowerment for women and children, it's such a worthy cause.

The Color Five is Jacqui's best work to date.......2006-10-08

I love this new CD from Jacqui Naylor. The Color Five is a delightful mix of original tracks and covers of classic songs. The title of the CD is a reference to all of the musicians who assisted Jacqui in making this album. Every track is superb on this disc. The piano playing is beautiful on the track Blue Moon. Jacqui's voice is filled with hope on this song. Jacqui sounds feisty and confident on the track Hot Legs. Art Khu's guitar playing is very energetic on this song. Easy Ride From Here is an optimistic song about a person taking charge of their own life. Summer time is an upbeat engaging rendition of a classic song. This track really gets me moving. Love For Sale and I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For are two upbeat engaging songs Jon Evans provides a groovy bass on both tracks. I love the subtle romantic violin playing by Yoon Ki Chai on the track Angel Of Mine. This song is about saying good bye to a loved one. Sit And Rest A While is a simple song about slowing down and enjoying life. I like the violin playing on this track too. I love the beat of the track Drive On. The guitar playing by Khu is slick and cool on this song. Here's To Life is a celebration of life. Jacqui sounds so sensual on this track. The piano playing accompanies her vocals so well on this song. History of Our Love and You Don't Know What Love Is are two soothing sounding tracks. Jacqui Naylor is a talented jazz singer and song writer. The Color Five is her best effort to date.

Average customer rating: A real Braff bargain!

Complete Recordings Featuring Jim Hall Ruby Braff , and Hank Jones Manufacturer: Gambit Spain ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Jazz | Styles | Music Jazz | Imports | Stores | Music Similar Items: Complete Original Quartet/Quintet Sessions Complete Jazz Guitar Complete Recordings, Vol. 1 Complete Sextet Studio Sessions Kids: Duets Live at Dizzy's Club Coca-Cola ASIN: B000JVSWLO Release Date: 2006-11-27

Tracks:

1. Embraceable You
2. Treat Me Rough
3. But Not for Me
4. Boy! What Love Has Done for Me
5. I Got Rhythm
6. Bidin' My Time
7. Could You Use Me?
8. Barbary Coast
9. Bidin' My Time/But Not for Me/Embraceable You
10. When Your Lover Has Gone
11. You're Getting to Be a Habit with Me
12. Let's Do Ti
13. Taking a Chance on Love
14. Give My Regards to Broadway
15. Willow Weep for Me
16. This Is My Lucky Day
17. Someday You'll Be Sorry
18. Yesterdays

Album Description

Excellent 2006 release that features the complete Ruby Braff Goes Girl Crazy on CD for the first time ever! The combination of Ruby Braff, an extraordinary trumpet player whose improvisational ability is matched only by his respect for a good melody, and George Gershwin, the acknowledged master of American popular song, is as natural as four and three on a pair of dice, and twice as nice if you also happen to like music. Ruby, who is almost single-handedly the reason why British Jazz publications invented the term 'mainstream' to describe traditionally-based modern playing, is a bug on the subject of melody and improvisation which refrains from distorting the composer's line. His enthusiasm for the score of George Gershwin's Girl Crazy pervades this entire album and is obviously shared by his cohorts: Al Cohn (tenor sax and clarinet), Hank Jones (piano), Jim Hall (guitar), Buzzy Drootin (drums) and bassists George Duvivier (who plays on But Not For Me, I Got Rhythm and Bidin' My Time) and Bob Haggart (who plays on the rest). Gambit.

Album Details

The Combination of Ruby Braff, an Extraordinary Trumpet Player Whose Improvisational Ability is Matched Only by his Respect for a Good Melody, and George Gershwin, the Acknowledged Master of American Popular Song, is as Natural as Four and Three on a Pair of Dice, and Twice as Nice If You also Happen to Like Music.

Customer Reviews:

A real Braff bargain!.......2007-03-30

This CD of cornetist Ruby Braff and pianist Hank Jones recordings from 1958 and 1961 is a real gem, as is Gambit Records' other Braff CD featuring pianist Dave McKenna. Throw in sidemen Al Cohn, Jim Hall, Roy Eldridge, Mundell Lowe, Milt Hinton and Bob Haggart, and it's a jazz collector's dream. For the first time you'll have Braff's combined tunes from his "Girl Crazy," "You're Getting to Be a Habit With Me" and "Easy Now" LPs on one 75-minute CD you'll play over and over again.

Music Album:

1. Shiflett, Karl / Big Country S
2. Singer/Songwriter
3. Singing With Emmylou 1
4. Somewhere in the Stars/Rhythm & Romance
5. That's the Way Love Goes
6. The Best of Kenny Rogers
7. The Bluegrass Sessions]
8. The Country Music Hall of Fame-Ernest Tubb
9. The Days In Between
10. The Definitive Hoosier Hotshots Collection

Music Album