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About the Artist
Singer/songwriter, Lori Hawk grew up in a small community just south of Seattle. Fascinated by the dark melodies of madrigal choir and Gregorian chant, she began singing in choral groups and community theatre in her early teens. At the same time, her influences included Seattle act, Heart, and vocalists Robert Plant, Joni Mitchell, and Grace Slick. Shortly after high school, she turned her attention to songwriting, fronting a number of alternative and folk rock bands in the San Francisco bay area prior to launching her solo career. An intense interest in metaphysics, the healing arts, and intuitive work has inspired much of her writing.

Album Description
The first single from her 2003 album Alive in this Dream—Free is a limited-edition release featuring Lori Hawk’s vocals and a guest appearance by Beck guitarist, Lyle Workman. "This song was written as sort of a tribute to the mystical aspect of sex", said Lori, "that breathless space where you leave your body and the universe drinks you in." Toss Panos (drums) and Robin Sylvester (bass) add their legendary talents to the project.

A Love Supreme
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • Masterpiece
  • Coltrane does it again!
  • Rookie Coltrane Listener
  • Deeply moving...
  • Indispensable to all music listeners
 A Love Supreme
John Coltrane
Manufacturer: Impulse Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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  1. Kind of Blue
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  4. Time Out
  5. My Favorite Things

ASIN: B0000A118M
Release Date: 2003-08-19

Tracks:

  1. Acknowledgement
  2. Resolution
  3. Pursuance
  4. Psalm

Amazon.com

A Love Supreme is a suite about redemption, a work of pure spirit and song, that encapsulates all the struggles and aspirations of the 1960s. Following hard on the heels of the lyrical, swinging Crescent, A Love Supreme heralded Coltrane's search for spiritual and musical freedom, as expressed through polyrhythms, modalities, and purely vertical forms that seemed strange to some jazz purists, but which captivated more adventurous listeners (and rock fellow travelers such as the Jimi Hendrix Experience, Cream, and the Byrds), while initiating a series of volatile, unruly prayer offerings, including Kulu Su Mama, Ascension, Om, Meditations, Expression, Interstellar Space. From the urgent speech-like timbre of his tenor, to the serpentine textures and earthy groove of Elvin Jones's drumming, Coltrane's suite proceeds with escalating intensity, conveying a hard-fought wisdom and a beckoning serenity in the prayer-like drones of "Psalm," where Jones rolls and rumbles like thunder as Garrison and Tyner toll away suggestively--all the while Coltrane searches for that one climactic note worthy of the love he wants to share. --Chip Stern

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Masterpiece.......2007-06-26

There is nothing I can add to what has already been said about this recording. Simply amazing and will always withstand the test of time.

5 out of 5 stars Coltrane does it again!.......2007-06-11

This is one of the top 5 albums of all time. Coltrane is on fire, McCoy is on fire, Jimmy Garrison is on fire, and Elvin is murderous. Out of all of tunes, my fav is Pursuance. It's passionate, has a hard bopish-avantgarde feel and yet it still swings. Out of the park!

4 out of 5 stars Rookie Coltrane Listener.......2007-05-26

For years my very good friend who prides himself on being a music aficionado and "snob", much like Jack Black's character in High Fidelity, has been raving about John Coltrane and a "Love Supreme". I however, have been firmly encamped in the classic rock, blues and pop of the 50's, 60's & 70's. I always felt the jazz style that Coltrane and others of that genre played, was way above my head. Though I appreciated the musicianship to the degree I could, I didn't particularly care for it. I didn't "get it".

But now as I reach the half-way point in my fifties, I wanted to force my self to listen and try to see just what it is about Coltrane that so many folks find extrodinary. So my friend recommended A Love Supreme. I listened and listened and virtually immersed my self in the recording until passages became familiar. Now I have a glimmer, an embryonic appreciation of the man's gift. I put it on for my 17 year old daughter and she loves it! It grows on you and I think maybe for the first time I'm experiencing what that type of jazz can do for you. Live & learn!

5 out of 5 stars Deeply moving..........2007-04-20

This is a deeply spiritual album. It never ceases to move me in some way everytime I hear it. It feels so real and authentic that if you're not careful, you may shed a tear of joy or two. It's just one long suite, made by Coltrane after he kicked his heroin habit and found his soul and God again. It's not often one describes a jazz album as moving (Miles's Sketches of Spain is the only one who comes to mind), but there's really no other way to describe this wonderful, transcendent, beguiling album.

5 out of 5 stars Indispensable to all music listeners.......2007-04-08

Like "Kind of Blue" this is a recording accessible to all listeners, resisting facile classifications (fusion, jazz, modal, musician's music, general public's music, etc.). Coltrane's Promethean questing sweeps up and includes the listener, taking him or her through the hero's journey, which concludes on an affirmative note of thanksgiving and peace. Moreover, the musical motifs are in themselves memorable, satisfying the listener's need for a musical stronghold in which to ground the spiritual thrust of the extra-musical religious-spiritual meanings.

Of the recordings after "A Love Supreme," "Transition" achieves a similar visionary ascent, though much of the recorded documentation of Coltrane's last two years is likely to prove inaccessible or at least less engaging to the average listener. It's music "in" but also "of" the moment, a record of pain and anger, protest and revolution, carrying an unmistakable political subtext that frequently overwhelms the main musical text.

Arguably the most influential instrumentalist of the past 50 years, Coltrane left the listener plenty of choices, should the recordings after "A Love Supreme" prove unsatisfying. "My Favorite Things" is the perfect antidote to the cloying soprano sax sound of Kenny G. (as is the soprano sax playing of the deeply expressive and moving traditionalist, Sidney Bechet). For every serious musician, however, perhaps the one recording by Coltrane that belongs at the top is "Giant Steps." Once a musician has mastered the dominant-tonic movement of popular harmonies, the next essential step is learning how to negotiate the "Giant Steps"/"Count Down" harmonic movement that Coltrane introduced. Before learning the theory, however, a listener needs to experience the stunning freshness that is its musical result. With the motivation, the theory is likely to be realized far more efficiently and effectively.
Monkeys for Nothin' and the Chimps for Free
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • RBF going back to what they are great at
  • Please enter a title for your review
  • Good Album
  • They Just Came To Party Down
  • It's a good time
 Monkeys for Nothin' and the Chimps for Free
Reel Big Fish
Manufacturer: Rock Ridge Music
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000QGE7OI
Release Date: 2007-07-10

Tracks:

  1. Party Down
  2. Another F.U. Song
  3. Live Your Dream
  4. My Imaginary Friend
  5. Slow Down
  6. The New Version Of You
  7. Will the Revolution Come?
  8. Another Day In Paradise
  9. Everybody's Drunk
  10. Please Don't Tell Her I Have a Girlfriend
  11. Way Back
  12. Hate You
  13. Call You
  14. Why Do All Girls Think They're Fat
  15. I'm Her Man
  16. Til I Hit the Ground
  17. Cannibal

Album Details

After More Than 15 Years of Conveying Negative Vibes, Warning Listeners About the Dangers of Being in a Band and Lamenting their Time in the Music Industry (Case in Point: The Band's Radio Hit, "Sell Out"), the Members of Southern California Ska-punk Stalwarts Reel Big Fish Want to Let the World Know of a Big Change: They're Finally Happy. The Self-produced Monkeys for Nothin' and the Chimps for Free is Reel Big Fish's First Independent Studio Album Since Leaving their Former Label and it Finds the Members of Reel Big Fish Doing Things their Way. In Fact, it features Material Done their Way, from Quite a Long Ways Back.

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars RBF going back to what they are great at.......2007-07-23

First off, I have been a RBF fan since my high school days (late 90s) and still love them -- so take this review for what its worth. Also I am not a music expert, just someone who appreciates ska & RBF.

RBF comes back with a really solid SKA cd that reminds me why I love these guys. Most of the songs are good with a few that I didn't care for (Cannibal, Party Down, & Everybody's Drunk).

The good ones are the traditional fun-loving, happy-go-lucky, ska/rock that RBF is known for. I'd put "Another F.U. Song", "My Imaginary Friend", & "Why do all Girls Think they're Fat" in this category. Really good songs; very happy, lots of horns, things that RBF do well.

In my opinion, RBFs' true talent can be heard in songs like "Slow Down", "Will the Revolution Come", "Way Back", & "Another Day in Paradise". They are just really great, what I would call, "traditional" ska songs with much less rock/punk influence (if that makes any sense). I always come back to RBF after every new release because of their ability to create excellent ska music. After hearing "A Little Doubt Goes a Long Way" on their previous release, I hoped this next album would sound more like that. In my opinion there wasn't enough "traditional ska" which is why it only got a 4 out of 5 stars.

So after all that, this is a really good cd & definitely worth your money. If you are a RBF fan, buy it. If you are new to ska/RBF - get Turn the Radio Off first. After you hear that one, you'll be hooked & end up buying this cd anyway...that is in addition to all their other ones (with the possible exception of Cheer Up).

4 out of 5 stars Please enter a title for your review.......2007-07-22

I haven't followed this band very hard so I didn't really notice the gaps between albums, and I doubt this one is going to replace Cheer Up in my sporadic rotation, it doesn't party as hard, but it's refreshing to hear something new from these guys that I can actually get into. The one thing this album does have in common with We're Not Happy Til You're Not Happy is that the title is the best thing about it, although a lot of kids might not recognize the absurd Dire Straits reference.
The chord progressions are often bland, the guitar tone is too bassy and lacking in gain, the riffs never really rock and the melodies rarely pop as much as they could, but it's hooky enough most of the time with the funny lyrics and energetic vocals picking up the slack, and the band are at their best on the slower reggaeish tracks Slow Down and Will The Revolution Come and the guitar soloing outro to the album which is reminiscent of the outro jam on Why Do They Rock So Hard. The only dud tracks for me are Live Your Dream and Everybody's Drunk.
The bonus DVD, which was a purchasing incentive for me, is 20 minutes of footage of the band in the studio which I found pretty disappointing.
I'd probably rather watch a sitcom Aaron wrote than listen to his songwriting at this point but I do rank this as one of the top 20 albums of the year so far.

4 out of 5 stars Good Album.......2007-07-16

just bought the album and i like it, i dont think it is their best work, but seriously its great.

5 out of 5 stars They Just Came To Party Down.......2007-07-13

Reel Big Fish couldn't have picked a better mission statement for new album "Monkeys for Nothin' and the Chimps for Free" than lead track "Party Down." In addition to boldly stating that "[Reel Big Fish] just came to party down," the hyperactive romp offers a smorgasbord of musical styles from disco to country to glam rock. Casual RBF fans may identify this diversity only with the band's practice of playing their many versions of "S.R." live, but it's really been a hallmark of their studio work since "Why Do They Rock So Hard."

This album's best moments continue in Reel Big Fish's tradition of mixing ska energy with other musical conventions and interesting arrangements, from "My Imaginary Friend" - which sounds like the theme song from a children's show about atheism - to "Please Don't Tell Her I Have A Girlfriend," where the band sounds like They Might Be Giants and Billy Joel teaming up to sing a sweet drinking sway about infidelity (from the cheater's point of view, of course). It's also hard not to crack a smile during the hair metal guitar solo on "Drunk Tonight" (And, if not during the solo, at least during the hilarious Twisted Sister breakdown). Album closer "Cannibal" is another standout, as Reel Big Fish unleashes their inner Oingo Boingo for about three-and-a-half minutes before launching into an epic heavy metal epilogue.

RBF has a strong contingent of fans who (for whatever reason) profess only to like the band's first two albums. These traditionalists will enjoy the more straightforward ska-punk of "Another F.U. Song," "Live Your Dream," and "The New Version of You," not to mention a cover of Phil Collins's "Another Day in Paradise," danceable tracks that hearken back to the band's roots in the 1990s ska explosion.

Though the mood on this CD is lighter than other RBF efforts, lead singer Aaron Barrett still exudes some of his trademark pessimism. Not only does he ponder life in a godless universe, but he also notes in "Will the Revolution Come?" that "each generation's mess is bigger than the one before them has made."

MFNATCFF also includes re-recordings of old songs reaching as far back as "Everything Sucks," and even a pre-"Everything Sucks" demo. "Hate You," "Call You," "I'm Her Man," and "'Til I Hit The Ground" all sound ten times better on this disc, aided largely by the addition of Scott Klopfestein's excellent backing vocals, which have been one of RBF's best features since "Turn the Radio Off." It doesn't hurt that they've been re-recorded on such a clean-sounding album, which is a refreshing change from "We're Not Happy...," a disc whose vocals could have been recorded in a port-a-potty using an iBook's onboard microphone. Highly recommended!

4 out of 5 stars It's a good time.......2007-07-13

This album is nothing less of a good, fun, energetic ska album. However, it's barely more. The new songs that were written for this album are fun to sing along to and make us longtime Reel Big Fish fans happy because of the abundance of upstrokes and horns, but after a few listens, the songs start to get boring. When I first heard this album, I was putting it right up there with Why Do They Rock So Hard? and Turn the Radio Off, but then a week or two later I started to realize how generic some of these songs are.

However, in the end this album is saved by the last few tracks which include mostly re-recorded songs off of Everything Sucks, and they sound amazing, and completely original because they were written when Reel Big Fish hadn't run out of material to write about. But don't take this review and my negativity the wrong way. It's a very good album, and there are some amazing songs on here, re-recorded and new, but it's apparent how little time they spent on it which was said to be just around a few months.

Overall, I loved to see that Reel Big Fish has made a full return to their ska roots, and the only thing this album is short of is just a pinch of originality and it'd be a 5 star album no doubt. Definitely check this one out!
Free to Be You and Me
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • Okay but definately 70's sounding
  • Oldie but a Goodie
  • I still remember all the words
  • Still fresh and new
  • Still great after all these years!
Free to Be You and Me
Marlo Thomas
Manufacturer: Arista
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000F2CC0E
Release Date: 2006-05-09

Tracks:

  1. Free To Be You And Me - The New Seekers
  2. Boy Meets Girl - Mel Brooks and Marlo Thomas
  3. When We Grow Up - Diana Ross
  4. Don't Dress Your Cat In An Apron - Billy De Wolfe
  5. Parents Are People - Harry Belafonte and Marlo Thomas
  6. Housework - Carol Channing
  7. Helping - Tom Smothers
  8. Ladies First - Marlo Thomas
  9. Dudley Pippin And The Principal - Billy De Wolfe, Marko Thomas, Bobby Morse
  10. It's All Right To Cry - Rosey Grier
  11. Sisters And Brothers - Sisters and Brothers
  12. My Dog Is A Plumber - Dick Cavett
  13. William's Doll - Alan Alda and Marlo Thomas
  14. Atlanta - Alan Alda and Marlo Thomas
  15. Grandma - Diana Sands
  16. Girl Land - Jack Cassidy and Shirley Jones
  17. Dudley Pippin And His No-Friend - Bobby Morse and Marlo Thomas
  18. Glad To Have A Friend Like You - Marlo Thomas
  19. Free To Be...You And Me - The New Seekers

Amazon.com

There are thousands upon thousands of children's albums out there, but the one that quietly left its mark with more '70s children than perhaps any other album was this disc. Free to Be...You and Me was a pet project of proud feminist Marlo Thomas (a.k.a. "That Girl"), and it was born--according to the liner notes--by the desire to provide her niece with music "to celebrate who she was and who she could be." Harry Belafonte sings "Parents Are People," ex-football great Rosie Grier offers an incredible, touching melody titled "It's All Right to Cry," and Diana Ross waxes future-positive on "When We Grow Up." A great hour of brain food for young--and not-so-young--children. --Denise Sheppard

Customer Reviews:

3 out of 5 stars Okay but definately 70's sounding.......2007-07-10

I remembered this from childhood so I bought it. It's okay but you don't want to listen to it over & over, the songs and skits get irksome after the first run through. Not actually all songs, some short skits - a lot to do with gender equality wich is good but not alltogether entertaining... I prefer Billy Jonas - What Kind of Cat Are You!!!

5 out of 5 stars Oldie but a Goodie.......2007-06-27

This title was great when my children were children; now they're adults with children of their own, and it's still great. We keep it in the player in the car for when the grandkids ride with us along with Peter, Paul and Mommy and Peter, Paul, and Mommy Too. The grandkids enjoy it just as much as our kids did.

4 out of 5 stars I still remember all the words.......2007-05-24

Every time I hear these songs, it takes me back to my very first Fisher Price record player! I can still sing along with every song. My husband thinks the collection is a bit cheesey, and he is probably right. But that never stopped me from loving the best memories of my childhood. We are buying the collection for our children for sure!

5 out of 5 stars Still fresh and new.......2007-05-12

Not literally fresh and new, perhaps, but thirty years ago when I was first listening to this on vinyl, I never would have imagined that the message would still be essential in the 21st century. I've been buying copies for the kids of all my friends and relatives, because I hope that the more people listen to this growing up, the more likely that eventually we'll live in a world where this CD isn't needed.

5 out of 5 stars Still great after all these years! .......2007-03-14

An early birthday gift for my daughter (to be nine in April '07) - she can't get enough of this CD! After one listen, she was quoting bits and bites and getting up to hit "repeat" on the CD player. Cool.

My sister and I loved it as kids and though it's a teeny bit dated, the messages are sound, clear, and still 'work' today. The comedy is great for all ages(who can beat Mel Brooks and Alan Alda?)
So, my review says: get it! Listen ofen! And give it to someone you love!
Dressed Up As Life
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • Wonderful
  • a little story of the little puppies who could.
  • More Sick Puppies!
  • Not a bad buy...
  • Great music with good songwriting!
 Dressed Up As Life
Sick Puppies
Manufacturer: Virgin Records Us
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000NJL502
Release Date: 2007-04-03

Tracks:

  1. My World
  2. Pitiful
  3. Cancer
  4. What Are You Looking For
  5. Deliverance
  6. All The Same
  7. Too Many Words
  8. Howard's Tale
  9. Asshole Father
  10. Issues
  11. Anywhere But Here
  12. The Bottom

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Wonderful.......2007-06-28

I am in love with this CD... it is almost aways in my CD player

4 out of 5 stars a little story of the little puppies who could........2007-05-19

few people into the sick puppies outside australia would know that dressed up as life is actually the bands second LP. they're first LP was called 'welcome to the realworld' and released on transistor records who dropped the band after the cd wasn't a breakout hit like it should of been.

i've been into the pups since they we're discovered on Triple J with the song nothing really matters. (JJJ is OZ's largest and best youth radio station.) that first album and the follow up EP 'FLY' are both awesome and ironically no longer in print which is a shame. although since i own original copies of both means they are probly worth alot now that the puppies have been shot to stardom thanks to youtube and a little song called 'all the same'.

anyway that earlier work was brilliantly layered songwriting. it was alot more angrier and beautiful than D.U.A.L but completely ignored and unpopular. this was mainly due to the bands sound being to heavy and full of swearing - a big no-no for commercial radio (case in point google the lyrics for 'rock kids')

they were soon dropped by the label and fell into obscurity. i genuinly thought it would be the last of the pups but i heard rumours they had moved to LA to colaborate with muso's. several years later a free hugs campaign filmed by singer/guitarist shimon to the bands song 'all the same' hit you tube and was an overnight success.

this was my first taste of the sick puppies new songs and sound which was completely noticible straight away to me. i want to make it clear that i really like the bands new album (hence the 4 stars) and am excited this little aussie 3 piece could crack the hard international market. and all they had to do was keep the same great songwriting, just tone down the language and up the ballads. the lyrics in D.U.A.L are ok but some are lame and slightly emo (i'm sure gerard way could of written the lyrics for pitiful.) regardless this album has some great songs and is completely solid, personal favourites include my world, what are you looking for, all the same, too many words and cancer.

anyway congratulations sick puppies, i'm proud. and cheers 4 reading.


4 out of 5 stars More Sick Puppies!.......2007-05-18

Excellent..I enjoyed every cut. Not going to compare them to anyone tho a couple of other indie bands spring to mind. Looking forward to hearing more from down-under.

3 out of 5 stars Not a bad buy..........2007-05-16

A quality album with a few top notch songs. In a nutshell, however, most of the songs aren't as great as "All The Same" -- which is probably what brought the album to your attention in the first place. That being said, at least a couple other tracks such as "World" and "Deliverance" make it well worth the buy. I wouldn't hesitate to see them live and still recommend the album.

5 out of 5 stars Great music with good songwriting!.......2007-05-13

Saw these guys live in concert...then saw their "Free Hugs" video online (check it out) - really solid rock with genuine emotion. Highly recommend (especially the lyrics to "Cancer")!
The Köln Concert
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • this is really cheesy music...
  • One of my favorites EVER!
  • Good music!
  • Ageless Sounds
  • All surface
 The Köln Concert
Keith Jarrett
Manufacturer: Ecm Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B0000262WI
Release Date: 1999-11-16

Tracks:

  1. Part I
  2. Part II a
  3. Part II b
  4. Part II c

Amazon.com essential recording

A musical chameleon, pianist Keith Jarrett was at his finest when he recorded these sustained solo improvisations in a German concert hall in 1975, the first lasting 26 minutes, the second 40. Melodies and rhythmic figures arise fluidly from his fingers as he moves from one idea to another, while his strong left hand is often used for repeated motifs that generate a rolling hypnotic power. This couples with strongly consonant harmonies to impart the flavor of gospel music at times, dance musics and Debussy at others. Above all, it's Jarrett's ability to knit all of his moods and wanderings into an almost seamless tapestry of warm and tuneful ideas that gives this music its enduring appeal. --Stuart Broomer

Customer Reviews:

1 out of 5 stars this is really cheesy music..........2007-06-23

...and it's as pure piano playing it's absolutely awful. Nothing but ENDLESSLY repeated riffs overlaid with harmonically elementary noodling. No harmonic tension, no structure, no imagination, no technique. It might make decent background music at an all you can eat buffet, however. Pure kitsch from beginning to end.

5 out of 5 stars One of my favorites EVER!.......2007-04-23

I first heard this in the late 70s and thought it was nice, but a bit boring. Then I heard it again and liked it more. Gradually I have fallen completely in love with it. I am captivated by the way the different tracks build and grow and fall back again, but mostly it's the emotional energy you feel from Jarret himself. I also have "La Scala" and some other things he has done, but nothing quite matches this for me. I don't know how many times I have given it to people or recommended it.

4 out of 5 stars Good music!.......2007-03-19

I like the consert and its variations of sound. It is rare to hear musicans reaction to his work.

5 out of 5 stars Ageless Sounds.......2007-02-18

The Koln Concert's improvisations highlight Jarrett's skills and passion. Truly ageless music that continues to provide pleasure to the lovers of jazz piano.

2 out of 5 stars All surface.......2007-01-15

The playing on this album is pretentiousness masquerading as profundity. Jarrett can set a nice groove, but then he simply falls in love with it, and self-indulgently persists to a point where I want to scream "Get off of it!" He tosses in some pretty decorations along ther way, and a few shouts and grunts now and then to show us how moved he is by this music, but it all adds up to an immensely forgettable experience.
The Very Best of John Coltrane
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • Actually, this is pretty good
  • "Giant Steps" "Equinox" and "My Favorite Things" are enough for 10 stars alone.
  • The Very Best of John Coltrane -- Not To Be Missed!
  • All The High Points of the Atlantic Years
  • Outstanding Compilation
 The Very Best of John Coltrane
John Coltrane
Manufacturer: Atlantic / Wea
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000046PVI
Release Date: 2000-02-15

Tracks:

  1. Giant Steps
  2. Cousin Mary
  3. Naima
  4. Like Sonny
  5. My Shining Hour
  6. My Favorite Things
  7. Central Park West
  8. Summertime
  9. Mr. Syms
  10. Equinox
  11. Body And Soul

Amazon.com

With his inexhaustible technique, trademark sound, and limitless imagination, tenor and soprano saxophonist John Coltrane was one of jazz's most dominant musicians. This collection covers his important Atlantic Records sessions recorded from 1959 to 1960 (chronicled in their entirety on Heavyweight Champion). The tunes signal an important transitional phase from Trane's stints with Miles Davis and Thelonious Monk to his emergence as a leader in his own right. "Giant Steps" "Naima," and "Cousin Mary"--featuring pianist Tommy Flanagan and drummer Art Taylor--crystallized Trane's supersonic "sheets of sound" style. "Like Sonny," an Afro-Latin dedication to his friend and contemporary Sonny Rollins with Wynton Kelly on piano, reveals Trane's stylistic debts to Charlie Parker and Coleman Hawkins. His historic renditions of "My Shining Hour," "Body and Soul," "Summertime," and "My Favorite Things" highlight Coltrane's ability to remake a song into his own image, as well as introduce his influential sound on the soprano sax. These landmark recordings show the development of Coltrane's "great" quartet as well as forecast his iconoclastic excursions into the outer limits of rhythm and tonality, which grew during until his death in 1967. --Eugene Holley, Jr.

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars Actually, this is pretty good.......2007-07-17

It's tempting to laugh at a John Coltrane compilation, simply because so many of the man's albums are essential. However, even though this neglects Trane's awesome Impulse! albums, focusing instead on his Atlantic years, it's a great introduction to Trane before he revolutionized free jazz and turned himself into one of the jazz world's most controversial musicians as a result. Material from five albums is featured here: Giant Steps (a must-have album), My Favorite Things (ditto), Coltrane Plays the Blues (very solid album), Coltrane Jazz (right in the middle) and Coltrane's Sound (his weakest studio album, though it has its moments - all of them are found here). And the only questionable song on the album is Summertime, a standard I'm pretty well tired of: the Coltrane version is okay, but by far the weakest song on My Favorite Things (I'd rather either Ev'ry Time We Say Goodbye or If Not For Me). Other than that one dud, my only complaint about this album is its rather limited scope: The Ole Coltrane album is entirely ignored, which is a shame because its title track (Well, semi-title track) would definitely qualify as "very best", and the fact is you can't get an idea of what Coltrane's like just by listening to his Atlantic recordings: you need the Impulse! ones too if you want the full picture. Still, as a summary of the Atlantic recordings, it's hard to go wrong with this one: you get a few of his most widely known originals (Equinox; Giant Steps; Naima; Cousin Mary; Like Sonny; Central Park West), and a couple superb covers (My Favorite Things; My Shining Hour; Body and Soul - hard to ruin a song with such a beautiful melody!!), as well as a dark horse that's got my blessing, Mr. Syms. And this does for the most part offer the peak of the man's Atlantic recordings.

5 out of 5 stars "Giant Steps" "Equinox" and "My Favorite Things" are enough for 10 stars alone........2007-05-18

This is a good intro to Coltrane, he has too much amazing stuff to put into a single CD but this is a great place to start off. You'll get a little sample of all his sounds from this CD. And for those of us who own more than 10 Coltrane Albums, it's still nice to have all these excellent songs on one high quality CD.

4 out of 5 stars The Very Best of John Coltrane -- Not To Be Missed!.......2007-01-03

In this recording of John Coltrane, there are several songs that stand out in my mind as I write this: The incredibly complex "Giant Steps", the child-like version of "My Favorite Things", the on-again/off-again sad to happy blues song "Equinox", and the business day blues of "Mr. Syms".

Each of these standout songs is different and unique among the other songs on the recording, but it is to these I want to draw your attention as those that captured mine when I listened to the CD.

I am a guitarist who wants to learn Coltrane's interval and melodic technique, but I am always perplexed by his ever changing exploration of the note, in and around the note, wrenching it of its juice like a squeezed lemon, until there is no more; and then Coltrane changes his melodic structure and has another entire lemon to work with.

Please don't misunderstand this illustration as to make it sound like his music is sour like the lemon, although that's what you may be thinking!

Coltrane's unique use of intervals has always what has been his hallmark, some slow and bluesy, others as in the changes of "Giant Steps" blindingly fast and complex.

There are other songs I would have liked to have seen appear on this recording, but as advertised as "The Very Best of John Coltrane", this CD doesn't fall that short.

If you are new to Coltrane's work, this is an excellent place to start. I gave it 4 out of 5 stars because of the fact there should be other more recognizable songs of his on this recording, and I would have gladly paid for a 2-CD set if "The Very Best of John Coltrane" delved more into his vast repertiore of work.

All that being said, the songs on "The Very Best of John Coltrane" will not disappoint or denegrate the recording in its entirety. Again, the CD should be taken for its whole, not just the standout songs I mentioned above.

Classic Jazz enthusiasts already know Coltrane, and this is a welcome addition to my collection, almost always in rotation on my CD carousel if not uploaded to my iTunes.

5 out of 5 stars All The High Points of the Atlantic Years.......2006-12-24

This is an excellent introduction to John Coltrane. The music is very accessible for even a casual listener. If you listen to this and Coltrane's vibe gets to you then you're going to be picking up the actual releases that this best of was drawn from. Personally, I actually favor Coltrane's work on the Impulse label, but this Atlantic collection is great. I purchased it because, though I'm an avid jazz collector and listener, I am embarrassed to admit that I do not own a copy of Giant Steps or My Favorite Things, two of Trane's landmark releases. The Very Best of John Coltrane has all the high points of those Atlantic years including the incredible Giant Steps that sent Sonny Rollins back out to the Brooklyn Bridge for more late night practicing and My Favorite Things which brought Trane legions of ,albeit temporary, fans and great commercial success. Naima has always been a favorite and it's included here along with all the other wonderful stuff from those Atlantic releases. Actually there just are not any dull tracks on this CD, it's all great though more laid-back than the Impulse stuff. My actually wife lets me play this one in the house (ha ha). Nice packaging too, the booklet includes a discography of Coltrane's Atlantic releases and an essay by the famous jazz critic and writer Nat Hentoff. There's really nothing else that can be said about this CD. This release perfectly captures Coltrane in his groundbreaking, transitional years, perfecting his "sheets of sound" approach to playing.

You know, listening to Coltrane is actually very much like riding on a real train. The stuff on this CD could be compared to having left the station a few miles back but not yet up to full speed. Things start picking up around the time that "Live at the Village Vanguard" was released, and full speed is achieved right at and immediately after "A Love Supreme". Some people don't care for the train ride at full speed. I love it. It's really quite amazing to compare the music on this CD to a release such as Sun Ship (December 1966) and realize there is only about 7 years time that passed between these sessions. So this is really a great place to start if you've been hearing Coltrane's name (from your musician friends perhaps) and don't know where to start.

Buy

5 out of 5 stars Outstanding Compilation.......2006-11-08

After many years of listening to Ken Burns and Smithsonian collections, I have started buying individual artist compilations (with a view to buy more of the artists I enjoy). Some have been erratic and disappointing; this one is amazing. This "best of" CD contains nothing but jewels that show exactly where Coletrain fell on the jazz evolutionary scale. In other words, this CD gives a great sense of what came before Coletrain, how he built on it, and how others then built on his work. He had a combination of virtuosity and artistry that earned him an uncontested place at the top. If you want to get to know the giants of jazz, this is a perfect introduction to one of them.
Sacred Ground
Average customer rating: Not rated
    		Sacred Ground
    David Murray & Black Saint Quartet
    Manufacturer: Justin Time Records
    ProductGroup: Music
    Binding: Audio CD

    Avant Garde & Free JazzAvant Garde & Free Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music
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    5. My Favorite Things: Coltrane at Newport

    ASIN: B000PY50ZQ
    Release Date: 2007-06-26

    Tracks:

    1. Sacred Ground
    2. Transitions
    3. Pierce City
    4. Banished
    5. Believe In Love
    6. Family Reunion
    7. The Prophet Of Doom

    Album Description

    "Sacred Ground" is a fascinating and important new recording that grew from David Murray's involvement in the acclaimed documentary film, Banished, directed by Marco Williams. Although it's virtually unknown, more than a dozen counties in the U.S. violently expelled thousands of families between the Civil War and the Great Depression. The film - and this recording - explores not only these historical facts, but also the legacy of these events in the communities and for the descendants of the families.

    After exploring the themes of the film he'd been asked to score, Murray was inspired - indeed compelled - to dig deeper, and to compose further music. David Murray enlisted poet Ishmael Reed, one of today's pre-eminent African- American literary figures. Reed wrote two poems, performed here by the great Cassandra Wilson.

    David chose to record this using his Black Saint Quartet - sometimes called Power Quartet, on the group's first outing since the passing of the great John Hicks last year. Logically then, David enlisted pianist Lafayette Gilchrist, informally a Hicks student and admirer, and on drums the great Andrew Cyrille. Bassist Ray Drummond completes this first class group.

    Harem
    Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    • harem
    • New to Sarah Brightman
    • Stranger in Paradise - More Like Stranger in a Lost Cause
    • No voice like hers in the world
    • Brilliant Brightman, Her best CD.
    		 Harem
    Sarah Brightman , and Frank Peterson
    Manufacturer: Angel Records
    ProductGroup: Music
    Binding: Audio CD

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    ASIN: B00008W2QZ
    Release Date: 2003-06-10

    Tracks:

    1. Harem
    2. What A Wonderful World
    3. It's A Beautiful Day
    4. What You Never Know
    5. The Journey Home
    6. Free
    7. Mysterious Days
    8. The War Is Over
    9. Misere Mei
    10. Beautiful
    11. Arabian Nights
    12. Stranger In Paradise
    13. Until The End Of Time
    14. You Take My Breathe Away

    Amazon.com

    If one's notion of "world music" promises a touch of the exotic and indigenous, often overlooked is the fact that the influence of western pop music has seeped into every corner of the globe, creating a hybrid that's often more than merely the sum of its influences. Theater vet Brightman steps into that pan-cultural hall of mirrors here, wedding her fascination with the music and rhythms of the "forbidden places" (the title's Arabic meaning) of the Middle East to her own oft ethereal vocal charms and rock-solid sense of drama. And if the diva's equally sound crossover sensibilities (and that of longtime producer Frank Peterson) sometimes mire it in familiar world-beat pastiche, Brightman's charmed muse manages some transcendent moments nonetheless. Her musical borrowings (Borodin for the title track; Puccini's *Madame Butterfly* for "It's a Beautiful Day") are as compelling as her choice of collaborators: classical violin star Nigel Kennedy and Iraqi vocalist Kadim Al Sahir add compelling touches to the weary timeliness of "The War is Over." The musical influences range from Europe across the Mediterranean and as far East as the Indian roots of "Bollywood" composer A.R. Rahman's "The Journey Home" and Brightman's own "You Take My Breath Away" to evocative recastings of the emblematic standards "Stranger in Paradise" and Louis Armstrong's "What a Wonderful World," while ex-Killing Joke keyboardist Jaz Coleman provides the savory East-meets-West orchestrations that ensure Brightman's star turns the seamless foundations they deserve. --Jerry McCulley

    Amazon.com

    Sarah Brightman Photos

    More from Sarah Brightman

    Time to Say Goodbye
    Diva: The Singles Collection
    Eden

    Diva: The Video Collection
    Live from Las Vegas
    La Luna (Live in Concert)

    Customer Reviews:

    5 out of 5 stars harem .......2007-05-28

    As usual a quick and effecient service ,especially for people who live abroad.Keep up the excellent work John Williams.

    4 out of 5 stars New to Sarah Brightman.......2007-03-12

    I'm very new to Sarah brightman's music and I enjoy this CD. I think she has an amazing voice. Very talented young woman and this cd was very relaxing and joyful to listen to. I like to learn and heard more from Sarah Brightman.

    3 out of 5 stars Stranger in Paradise - More Like Stranger in a Lost Cause.......2006-12-30

    I'm not throughly pleased with this album! This CD is only good if you know how to dance in a Middle-Easters fashion. About half of each track is dominated by all orchestrations and no Sarah. Plus, Pop-Sarah isn't really for me. I much prefer the Classical-Sarah. Some of the tracks are okay, like "Harem", "The Journey Home", "Beautiful", and "Stranger in Paradise". Really, this is a good CD for your collection, but I wouldn't listen to it on a 24/7 basis.

    5 out of 5 stars No voice like hers in the world.......2006-10-01

    I own this cd. I saw her in person at the "Harem" concert. Never had I heard or seen any voice like this. What a performer, best concert I'd ever seen. Beautiful voice, I can never get enough of Sarah Brightman's music. It is so comforting at times. I have all her music and this cd makes you wonder, how can she top this? Thank you Sarah Brightman for giving us your beautiful gift of music.

    5 out of 5 stars Brilliant Brightman, Her best CD........2006-09-18

    Sarah is just the best, she can hit any note and her individuality shines on this CD. She sings "The Journey Home" from the musical Bombay Dreams and her voice just soars. "Harem", "Mysterious Ways" and "You Take My Breah Away" are songs that take me to dreamland. Amazing! A master piece!
    Free Yourself
    Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    • Total Garbage
    • c'mon now
    • Nice little debut
    • Could not get past Baby Mama
    • I didnt know the chipmunks won American Idol
    		 Free Yourself
    Fantasia Barrino
    Manufacturer: J-Records
    ProductGroup: Music
    Binding: Audio CD

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    1. Fantasia
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    ASIN: B00065BYAY
    Release Date: 2004-11-23

    Tracks:

    1. Ain't Gonna Beg
    2. Free Yourself
    3. Truth Is
    4. Selfish
    5. Summertime
    6. Baby Mama
    7. Got Me Waiting
    8. It's All Good
    9. You Were Always On My Mind
    10. Good Lovin
    11. Don't Act Right
    12. This Is Me
    13. I Believe

    Amazon.com

    Few would accuse Fantasia of a reluctance to abide by the wisdom that what you've got, you should flaunt, and the vocal gusto she slathers over her full-length debut gets partial credit for earning--and keeping--your attention. To a greater extent, though, the high-wattage help heaped over the Idol 3 champ and Patti LaBelle-sound-alike makes the disc dazzle. In addition to pitch-ins from Missy Elliott, who produced and co-wrote three tracks and busts out a two-snaps-up rhyme on "Selfish (I Want U 2 Myself)," Jazze Pha duets on the ultra-mod "Don't Act Right" and Jermaine Dupri wrote and produced the smolderer "Got Me Waiting." Surprisingly, though, it's not those tracks or even the Idol-propelled cover of the Gershwins' "Summertime" that will stick with listeners most. Instead, first single "Truth Is," a sweet, old-school R&B lament directed toward a lost love, and "Baby Mama," a spirited shout-out to hard-working single mothers, snare standout status with their from-the-gut authenticity. Keeping it real is what won Fantasia the hearts of millions on TV, and despite Free Yourself's likable slickness, it convinces that--hot commodity or no--she's not about to forget it. -Tammy La Gorce

    Customer Reviews:

    1 out of 5 stars Total Garbage.......2007-02-27

    This album and this artist should never be heard. There were sooo many more talented people on American Idol when she won. This album is a perfect example of that. All the studio effects in the world can't help this over-rated, so-called singer. You can't make chicken salad out of chicken s$%^.

    3 out of 5 stars c'mon now.......2007-02-16

    what happened to that voice we wanted to hear from American Idol? maybe it was the choice of songs but I really was disappointed.

    4 out of 5 stars Nice little debut.......2007-01-02

    When the three diva's Jennifer Hudson, Latoya London and Fantasia Barrino
    were killing the competiion on Amercian Idol in 2004 it was almost a given that an female R&B singer would take the crown that year. Well Fantasia ended up taking the crown and lived up to her promise on her first CD. Her first single Truth Is was an excllent R&B single and the song Baby Mama was catchy and fun.

    2 out of 5 stars Could not get past Baby Mama .......2006-12-29

    I am sorry but I could not get past the Baby Mama song. Unlike some of the other complaints it does not bother me if people are single moms or had a child out of wedlock. The whole "baby mama" stuff is just so played out and ignorant sounding. There must have been a more classy way for her to get her story across and empower moms. She has a great voice but this song was beneath her, it ruined it for me.

    1 out of 5 stars I didnt know the chipmunks won American Idol.......2006-12-22

    Although the music porition of the cd has potential, the singer has a horrible voice. I am surprised not more people have noted that she sounds like a chipmunk. Like past AI winners, this is a sore loser in the end. Bleh!
    Draw Breath
    Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    • Charting a course between David Torn and John Scofield
    • Nels is on fire in 2007
    		 Draw Breath
    Nels Cline Singers
    Manufacturer: Cryptogramophone
    ProductGroup: Music
    Binding: Audio CD

    Avant Garde & Free JazzAvant Garde & Free Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music
    GeneralGeneral | Jazz | Styles | Music
    GeneralGeneral | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music
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    1. Downpour
    2. Prezens
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    ASIN: B000QEILII
    Release Date: 2007-06-26

    Tracks:

    1. Caved-In Heart Blues
    2. Attempted
    3. Confection
    4. An Evening At Pops'
    5. The Angel Of Angels
    6. Recognize I
    7. Mixed Message
    8. Recognize II
    9. Squirrel Of God

    Album Description

    Recently named a "Guitar God" by Rolling Stone Magazine, Nels Cline - lead guitarist of Wilco - has worked with everyone from Julius Hemphill and Charlie Haden, to Thurston Moore and Mike Watt. Nels follows his critically acclaimed CD New Monastery with Draw Breath, a new release by his long-standing trio The Nels Cline Singers. Glenn Kotche, drummer of Wilco is a featured special guest. Nels is currently touring the US with Wilco in support of their new CD.

    Customer Reviews:

    4 out of 5 stars Charting a course between David Torn and John Scofield.......2007-07-16

    Nels cline and his team present an adventuresome and compelling disc of avant jazz. That he creates what edge there is to Wilco should surprise no one. That band is milquetoast without him. Here on his own, he pushes the sonic possibilities of the guitar without loosing either the swing or the blues that are the bedrock to jazz. This is a terrific collection of tunes that will have you hitting the repeat button all the way through. By now, you obviously know that there are no "singers" except the instruments them selves and drums and double bass conspire in ways that would remind you of Michael Jerome and Danny Thompson with Richard Thompson. High praise indeed and well earned. I would recommend this disc wholeheartedly to anyone who loves guitar music from Paco Pena to Julian Bream to Derek Bailey and back again. This is a superb player, a creative writer and this disc is a revelation for those who might know him only from Wilco. While his day job with Tweedy is of the highest calibre, at night, on his own, he is quite something other altogether, to wit this disc and his take on John Coltrane's INTERSTELLAR SPACE.

    4 out of 5 stars Nels is on fire in 2007.......2007-06-29

    Normally I wouldn't write a review a few days after an album is released. I think I have more of a handle on how I feel about a cd after I've had it for a while. This though (the 3rd album by the Nels Cline Singers) grabbed me on day 1 and will not let go. It needs a review now. You should buy this.

    I don't know what you thought of the first 2. I thought Instrumentals was okay but with some moments of greatness. I'm still disappointed with The Giant Pin. It doesn't do it for me. It's always felt flat and uninspired. Draw Breath though, WOW! This is the album I've always hoped the Singers would make. This isn't just "my favorite Singers album" when taken in comparison to the 2 previous albums I just said I'm not overly into. This is one of Nels' best albums so far. If someone wants to know why I love him, this album is the newest prime example as to why. I've listened to this 10 times in 3 days and am trying to think of a way to wrap this review so I can go crank it again.

    This is heavy duty. Sometimes peaceful (but not in a dry, polite, chamber-jazz way), but oftentimes capable of ripping heads off, Nels & Friends (but yes Nels first & foremost) are brilliant here! Cryptogramophone should be handing out sheets of LSD with this album. This is totally ripping, space-warrior material here.

    I'm only putting out 4 stars because it's only been a few days since I got it. Plus, I gave Downpour 4 stars and I don't know that I should give this more stars. Both albums are fantastic. I guess I hog-tied myself by only giving Downpour 4. It certainly has major 5-star passages, as does this album. Old fan, newer fan, just heard of Nels for the first time yesterday? This should blow us all away. Many, many times. If Duo Milano (Nels & Elliott Sharp) turns out to be as massive as Draw Breath and Downpour, 2007 may go down as Nels' best year ever, in terms of albums.

    Music:

    1. Gorillaz [Enhanced] [Explicit Lyrics]
    2. Happy Sad [CD-single]
    3. Hello Nasty [Explicit Lyrics] [Import] [Limited Edition]
    4. Hitch Your Station Wagon To A Star
    5. Hunter
    6. I've Got You Right Where You Want Me [Explicit Lyrics]
    7. In the Garden
    8. Ingenuity [Import]
    9. Kiss This [Import]
    10. Life Without Blinking

    Music

    music

    Music

    Cuts Across the Land [Import]

    Harry Lime Theme [Import]

    Guitar Classics From Latin America 2

    Album Review: 24 Original Classics

    Starlight

    Gypsy Sun Gypsy Moon

    Family Affair [Import]

    Great Singers at Gran Teatro Del Liceo

    From the Inside

    Jazz Music: Alone Together

    Icky Mettle

    Feeling Free

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    Mussorgsky: Pictures at an Exhibition; Night on the Bare Mountain

    Te Pone la Cabeza Mala