Black Coffee

Product Description
While at Berklee, Al Kooper assembled a new band comprised entirely of fellow instructors. Appropriately dubbing them The Funky Faculty, Al began to perform regularly with his scholarly pals, both in the U.S. and abroad. The Funky Faculty appears on several of the studio recordings on Black Coffee, Al cutting the band live without overdubs to preserve the spontaneity of their intuitive interactions. For Black Coffee, Al selected nine originals and five cover songs to include on the album, reworking those covers in his own inimitable style. Together, the 14 tracks flawlessly represent the state of his musicality in 2005. The harsh realities of life are all dealt with lyrically here, hence the album title. "My Hands Are Tied" "Keep It To Yourself." "Going, Going Gone," "Imaginary Lover," "Another Man's Prize" and "(I Want You To) Tell Me The Truth" all deal with neo-dark situations that many can relate to. Al's choice of cover songs also opens a window into the world of sounds that have touched him throughout his long, storied career, from Motown legends the Temptations ("Get Ready") to the classy blues revivalist Keb' Mo' ("Am I Wrong") to the genius himself, Ray Charles ("Just For A Thrill"). Al, in fact, considers Black Coffee to be his finest overall collection of material since that legendary first Blood, Sweat and Tears album so many decades ago. He gets no argument there. Black Coffee is not just a remarkable re-entry, it's a zenith. Everything that Al Kooper has accomplished, everything he has learned as a jack-of-all-trades, he brings to a boil on this phenomenal new CD. But singling out highlights from Black Coffee remains a near impossibility. As Al puts it, "I made the record I wanted to make and I'm very pleased with it. To me that's what success means."

Black Coffee,Al Kooper,Favored Nations,American Trad Rock,Memphis Soul,Pop,R&B,Retro-Soul,Rock,Rock & Roll,Rock/Pop,Roots Rock,Southern Soul

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Black Coffee

Average customer rating: An all-time classic The Intimate Miss Lee Peggy's best album and one of the "ten greatest vocal jazz albums of all time." Jazz Lady Great Music..

Black Coffee Peggy Lee Manufacturer: Verve ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Jazz | Styles | Music Traditional Jazz General | Traditional Jazz & Ragtime | Jazz | Styles | Music Vocal Jazz General | Vocal Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music General | Easy Listening | Pop | Styles | Music General | Vocal Pop | Pop | Styles | Music Traditional Pop | Oldies | Pop | Styles | Music Cabaret | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music Traditional Vocal Pop | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music Verve | Verve Music Group | Specialty Stores | Music $9.99 and Under | Blowout Music | Stores | Music Pop | Styles | Blowout Music | Stores | Music Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Blowout Music | Stores | Music Jazz | Styles | Blowout Music | Stores | Music All Blowout Music | Blowout Music | Stores | Music $9.99 and Under | Prices | Blowout Music | Stores | Music More Titles at Least 25% Off | Blowout Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: The Best of Miss Peggy Lee The Best of Peggy Lee - The Capitol Years The Complete Recordings 1941-1947 Fever: The Life and Music of Miss Peggy Lee Mink Jazz ASIN: B0002XNMCS Release Date: 2004-10-26

Tracks:

1. Black Coffee
2. I've Got You Under My Skin
3. Easy Living
4. My Heart Belongs To Daddy
5. It Ain't Necessarily So
6. Gee, Baby Ain't I Good To You
7. Woman Alone With The Blues
8. I Don't Know What Time It Was
9. When The World Was Young
10. Love Me Or Lkeave Me
11. You're My Thrill
12. There's A Small Hotel

Album Description

During the early '50s, Peggy Lee rode high on the strength of her own taste into stardom - she was a glamorous beacon whose sultry voice gave her performances a shimmering eroticism. Black Coffee may be the greatest album of her genuine "concept albums." Originally recorded in 1953, Lee turned Black Coffee into a jazz project - something no other mainstream pop singer had done up to that point. It was so successful that three years later, Decca asked her to expand it into the newer 12" format. Many years later, she named this album as her own favorite. The songs in this collection reveal Peggy Lee at her most captivating. Here she displays a versatility which matches her wonderful vitality, emphasizing the quality of her voice as well as the music.

Customer Reviews:

An all-time classic.......2007-01-14

I first bought this album in the late fifties. I thought it was great then, and I have not changed that opinion one bit. It is one of my all-time favorites, it never palls, for musicianship, excitement, intimacy, great swing.......It has been called one of the greatest vocal jazz albums and I would absolutely agree with that. The only problem - Miss Lee's other albums don't sound so great alongside this one. A must for any vocal jazz lover, indeed any lover of popular music.

The Intimate Miss Lee.......2006-12-18

I will admit: These are not the best charts of standards I've ever heard. Nor are these the finest back-up musicians I've ever heard. But none of that matters. This is a must-have for any serious vocal jazz collection, because nobody but nobody ever sang more intimately than Peggy Lee.

By that, I don't mean sexually intimately. (Though, I will admit, the way she sings "black coffee" on the title track makes me want to grab her and console her, then see what further liberties are available!) I mean, the way she sings a phrase such as to let you in on her little secret, in a manner that makes you proud to be part of her club.

Consider how she sings "She says" when describing how Moses got fished out of the water in "It Ain't Necessarily So"; or "I got my mink" or "used to be...me" in "When the World Was Young"; or the word "thrill" in "You're My Thrill"; or the way she plays with the word "daddy" in "My Heart Belongs to Daddy." Peggy Lee and Lena Horne were both like this in the good old days; and for all the great contemporary female jazz singers, none seem to be able to emulate that intimate quality of these two. No wonder Sinatra was so ga-ga over her!

There is a two-c.d. release of Peggy Lee's with this album name. Don't be confused; this is the c.d. you want. RC

Peggy's best album and one of the "ten greatest vocal jazz albums of all time.".......2006-08-11

Included on many lists as one of the ten greatest vocal jazz albums ever, "Black Coffee", recorded in 1953 and 1956, has always been Peggy Lee's own favorite album. Few listeners will be able to resist her ability to turn a standard into a magic moment in jazz history here, as Lee, a great actress with a song, sets up narrative intros of such drama that she seems to be telling personal stories. She varies the melodies, shifts from major to minor, experiments with phrasing, and totally commits herself to pure jazz.

When she sings "Black Coffee," for example, her changes from major to minor, with a single trumpet (Pete Candoli) echoing or wailing in the background, emphasize her anguish, and every listener will believe her agony, as she sings about being "low to the ground," with "not much heart to fight." "Easy Living," a song-poem celebrating being in love, is so intense it will make everyone wish to have a love like hers. "It Ain't Necessarily So," sung slower than usual, is sexy and suggestive, with a bass that resembles a heartbeat.

Two favorites (though it's hard to choose among all these winners) are "My Heart Belongs to Daddy," the song of a flirt who celebrates her love and wails, even while thinking of straying, and "When the World Was Young," a narrative song of Paris, which echoes the "Marseillaise" in its opening bars, as a woman reminisces about life in Paris, summer in Bordeaux, and the passage of time: "Where is the schoolgirl that used to be me?" Intensely emotional and very personal, Lee's interpretations reflect her confidence and her mature appreciation of lyrics, as, with perfect pitch, she plays with the melodies and soars.

Eight tracks from 1953 are recorded with Pete Candoli (trumpet), Jimmy Rowles (piano), Max Wayne (bass), and Ed Shaughnessy (drums). Four other songs, recorded in 1956, feature a whole different accompaniment--Stella Castellucci (harp), Lou Levy (piano), Bill Pitman (guitar), Buddy Clark (bass), and Larry Bunker on vibes, drums, and percussion. Though some listeners may prefer the trumpet-oriented jazz with Candoli to the harp, guitar, and vibes of the 1956 songs, Lee adapts equally well to both approaches, creating an album which has turned my respect for her talent and perfectionism into enthusiastic love for her spirit, imagination, and creativity. n Mary Whipple

Jazz Lady.......2006-05-06

This is in some respects an unlikely assemblage of talents. When's the last time you heard a major popular singer accompanied not by an orchestra or big band, not by a rhythm section (piano, bass, drums), not even by a rhythm section plus tenor saxophone but by a rhythm section plus trumpet? The trumpet player, Pete Candoli (referred to as "Cootie Chesterfield" on the original LP), moreover provides just enough brightness and fire to offset the "cool," low-key approach of Peggy as well as to push this normally controlled, perfectionist performer into some uncharacteristically spontaneous, even surprising, readings of familiar material. Compared to her straight-laced, flawless but stiff and sterile "live" session with George Shearing's trio, this is great jazz singing, as worthy of the description as any recording by a Billie Holiday or Carmen McRae.

As for individual tracks, Peggy makes practically each of these songs the standard by which all other readings of the same tune can be compared (give "I've Got You Under My Skin" to Sinatra-Riddle, but the others I can scarcely "hear" any more when performed by anyone other than Lee). Besides the sultry, bluesy "Black Coffee," listen to her set fire to "Make Room for Daddy," register vulnerability and a hint of pain on the sublime "Easy Living," celebrate life as a "Grand" affair with her swinging anapests on "I Didn't Know What Time It Was," and make you succumb to her alternate gospel on "It Ain't Necessarily So." But for me the highlights are the meditative reading of "When the World Was Young," the whispery, ethereal "You're My Thrill," and the positively sinful "There a Small Hotel" (if a more seductive invitation has ever been offered in music, I have yet to hear it).

Unlike other "torch singers," there are few traces of angst, masochism, and "hard-knocks" in Peggy's storytelling, yet she makes each song stick indelibly. There's something utterly transparent about her approach to her material, a quality that makes you forget she's singing for you rather than conversing with you. She draws you into her intimate circle, making you her privileged confidant.

Great Music.........2005-11-23

Hi everyone I'm a 15 year old Native American, and I love the music of Peggy Lee. I won't go as far as one reviewer and say
Peggy Lee had the 1st Jazz oriented LP with so many African Americans doing thier thang. (why does it seem to bother some
people to give credit where it is really do?) but I will say that Peggy Lee has a unique style, and this CD is just a small
bit of her talent.

Average customer rating: Return to form? Nah, he'd never lost it Just plain awful A Must For Al Kooper Fans Al's still got it This Black Coffee will wake you up and not let you down

Black Coffee Al Kooper Manufacturer: Favored Nations ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music General | R&B | Styles | Music General | Soul | R&B | Styles | Music Southern Soul | Soul | R&B | Styles | Music Memphis Soul | Soul | R&B | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music Roots Rock | Rock | Styles | Music Southern Rock | Classic Rock | Styles | Music General | Classic Rock | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music Similar Items: Buried Alive in the Blues (+ Bonus DVD) Rare + Well Done: The Greatest & Most Obscure Recordings Child Is Father to the Man Soul of a Man Fillmore East: The Lost Concert Tapes 12/13/68 ASIN: B0009U5G0K Release Date: 2005-07-12

Tracks:

1. My Hands Are Tied
2. Am I Wrong
3. How My Ever Gonna Get Over You
4. Going, Going, Gone
5. Keep It To Yourself
6. Get Ready
7. Imaginary Lover
8. Green Onions(Live)
9. Another Man's Prize
10. Childish Love
11. Got My Ion Hue
12. Just For A Thrill
13. Comin' BackIn A Cadillac (Live)
14. (I Want You To) Tell Me The Truth

Album Description

While at Berklee, Al Kooper assembled a new band comprised entirely of fellow instructors. Appropriately dubbing them The Funky Faculty, Al began to perform regularly with his scholarly pals, both in the U.S. and abroad. The Funky Faculty appears on several of the studio recordings on Black Coffee, Al cutting the band live without overdubs to preserve the spontaneity of their intuitive interactions. For Black Coffee, Al selected nine originals and five cover songs to include on the album, reworking those covers in his own inimitable style. Together, the 14 tracks flawlessly represent the state of his musicality in 2005. The harsh realities of life are all dealt with lyrically here, hence the album title. "My Hands Are Tied" "Keep It To Yourself." "Going, Going Gone," "Imaginary Lover," "Another Man's Prize" and "(I Want You To) Tell Me The Truth" all deal with neo-dark situations that many can relate to. Al's choice of cover songs also opens a window into the world of sounds that have touched him throughout his long, storied career, from Motown legends the Temptations ("Get Ready") to the classy blues revivalist Keb' Mo' ("Am I Wrong") to the genius himself, Ray Charles ("Just For A Thrill"). Al, in fact, considers Black Coffee to be his finest overall collection of material since that legendary first Blood, Sweat and Tears album so many decades ago. He gets no argument there. Black Coffee is not just a remarkable re-entry, it's a zenith. Everything that Al Kooper has accomplished, everything he has learned as a jack-of-all-trades, he brings to a boil on this phenomenal new CD. But singling out highlights from Black Coffee remains a near impossibility. As Al puts it, "I made the record I wanted to make and I'm very pleased with it. To me that's what success means."

Customer Reviews:

Return to form? Nah, he'd never lost it.......2007-05-01

Just 'cause Al hasn't released much during the last...what, 25 years, doesn't mean he's been retired. He has been writing songs and making demos; it's just that no record company was interested. I don't know the deals that resulted in the release of Rekooperation and Soul of a Man, but they must have been 'one-off' deals. Finally, a musician-owned company showed interest, and we have this wonderful album. If you like great soul/jazz/rock music, done with excellent musicianship and flair, you will love this album. I'm almost 52 years old, I've heard a lot of music over the years, and I know great music when I hear it. This is great music, well-played and really well-recorded. I'm pretty realistic as far as what I expect from a new CD these days, in fact it's rare that I buy recent releases. But this meets all expectations and then some. I got much more than my money's worth. Al Kooper has always been the consumate musician and artist. Personally, I've always liked his voice; for some it might be an acquired taste. I kind of think of it as the ideal White Jewish Man singing soul. Plus, his singing has acquired an authority that only years of experience could give it. I think he's doing the best singing of his long career.

This is a great album, among many great Al Kooper albums.

Just plain awful.......2007-04-19

Back in college I really enjoyed Blood, Sweat and Tear's Child is Father to the Man. It was my favorite album. I decided a few months ago to see what is going on with Al Kooper. I read the reviews on Black Coffee and bought it. My first Al Kooper album in 38 years. It was terrible. Probably the worst album I've every bought. I don't know what happened to ole Al but age hasn't been good to him.

A Must For Al Kooper Fans.......2007-01-11

Al Kooper's latest release is a collection of many of his unreleased works. If you like his style and lyrics, this album fills the gap of some of his early releases.

Al's still got it.......2006-06-11

Classic Al Kooper. Somewhat overproduced but show me an Al Kooper album that isn't.

This Black Coffee will wake you up and not let you down.......2006-02-09

He has never been the best vocalist, keyboard player, guitarist or writer, but Al Kooper is a tasty musician and an excellent producer with an uncanny ability to make great music. One needs only to listen to the classic organ riffs of "Like a Rolling Stone" done by the then non-keyboard playing Al or the groundbreaking "Child is Father to the Man" album by Al's brainchild B,S & T to realize he's the real deal.
I had long ago given up hope that I'd ever hear another solo studio album by Al Kooper but this release was worth the wait.
His voice has weathered over the years but as usual Al uses it to
a musical advantage on his songs of lost loves and life's changes as we grow older. The music has hints of B,S and T, Ray Charles, the blues, reggae and includes a smokin' live version of "Green Onions" and a rockin' "Get Ready". The highlights are Al's own songs like "Going,Going Gone" and "My Hands Are Tied" but this Black Coffee is guaranteed to wake you up and not let you down.

Average customer rating: didn't work for rehearsals Big for folks doing the Musical It's Awesome, It's Amazing, It's BIG!!!! a lost gem Ungodly awful

Big: The Musical (1996 Original Broadway Cast) Richard Maltby Jr. Manufacturer: Decca U.S. ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Musicals | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music Contemporary Musicals | Musicals | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music General | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music The Decca Records Store | Specialty Stores | Music Similar Items: Big: The Musical Baby (1983 Original Broadway Cast) Little Women The Musical (2005 Original Broadway Cast) Curtains (2007 Original Broadway Cast) The Drowsy Chaperone (2006 Original Broadway Cast) ASIN: B000005AY0 Release Date: 2001-09-25

Tracks:

1. Overture/Can't Wait
2. Talk To Her/Carnival/Zoltar Speaks
3. This Isn't Me
4. I Want To Go Home
5. The Time Of Your Life/Fun
6. Josh's Welcome/Here We Go Again
7. Do You Want To Play Games?/Stars, Stars, Stars
8. Cross The Line
9. It's Time
10. Stop, Time
11. The Nightmare
12. Dancing All The Time/I Want To Know
13. Coffee, Black
14. The Real Thing
15. One Special Man
16. When You're Big/Skateboard Ballet
17. I Want To Go Home/Stars, Stars, Stars (Reprise)/Finale

Customer Reviews:

didn't work for rehearsals.......2007-03-22

I used this CD to help me rehearse for the BIG production I was in, but it didn't match the libretto at all. I think there was one song on there that I could use.

Big for folks doing the Musical.......2006-03-20

If you're getting this CD to help prepare for your school or community group doing the musical, there are a lot of changes from the CD to the book. Aside from finding the book in a new key and some chunks added/deleted, Here We Go Again and When You're Big aren't included anymore.

Overall, the music's a little trite, but there are some nice moments -- mostly the stuff sung by the female leads.

It's Awesome, It's Amazing, It's BIG!!!!.......2006-01-22

My high school did "Big" my sophomore year, and oh my god, it was such a fun musical to do. I kind of forgot about it until my senior year, when I suddenly craved some of that music again. So I purchased this CD and I've been loving it since. They got rid of a couple of the songs and replaced them with others as the show progressed on Broadway, so I was suprised to hear new material (to me anyways), and for the most part, I actually enjoyed these original songs over their replacements that my production contained. This cast is phenomenal and the guy who plays Josh Baskin sounds so much like Tom Hanks at points, its crazy. It's a simple, yet a bit fantastic musical about growing up, and it's funny and romantic, and a lot of fun. I love all the songs, and it's a shame it didn't do too well on B-way. At least this recording will keep the music alive.

"This Isn't Me" is one of my favorite tracks, as it's a lot of fun and has a great beat, but suprisingly it was replaced with "Good Morning to Mom", which was only so-so. "I Want To Go Home" is a great ballad that Josh sings, and its simple, a bit funny, and the ending is the best, as its cute and sad. Another song they got rid of, "Here We Go Again", is a song Susan sings, and again, I like it alot. It has a quirky melody that I like. "Stars, Stars, Stars" is another great song, and is quite cute. One of the more popular songs. "Cross The Line" is the finale to Act I and is also very excellent and up beat, and makes you want to dance. "Stop, Time" is my favorite song on the album by far. Sung by Josh's mom, it is one of the more poignant moments of the show. Heartfelt, sad, and truly beautiful, it defiantely makes you appreciate your mom. Barbara Walsh sounds superb on this: she has a great voice. I love this one. "Dancing all the Time" is another good Susan song, and it leads into "I Want To Know" by Young Josh, which is another good ballad. "Coffee, Black" is another showstopper, fun ensemble song, and again, very comedic. "One Special Man" is Susan's ballad to Josh, and it is very beatiful. My only regret is that its only 2:21 so its a short one, and I just want her to start belting at the end, but no, its a quiet ending. Still, I love this one too. The finale is great too, and features an amazing duet between Josh and Susan. I love the harmonies they do.

All in all, this is a great album. Sample the songs and give it a try. This is a must have!!

a lost gem.......2004-10-14

i saw this musical at the local high school in 2001 and was plesently suprised i of course saw the movie and the only thing i knew about this musical was it didnt stay long on broadway, so when i saw it was i shocked this is a delight cross the line still resenates in my head 5 years later.

Ungodly awful.......2004-06-19

BEWARE. This musical is perhaps one of the five worst pieces of music I have ever experienced. I began to wonder if the composer was attempting to make the world's worst musical. Listen for yourself and enjoy the disjunct vocal lines, the desperate attempt at "fun music", and - worst of all - how the highlight of the entire show both dramatically and musically is the insipidly awful "Heart and Soul". Stick to the movie because this baby is horrendous.

Average customer rating: The Decca years

Black Coffee: Best of the Decca Years Peggy Lee Manufacturer: Umvd Import ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Jazz | Styles | Music Traditional Jazz General | Traditional Jazz & Ragtime | Jazz | Styles | Music Vocal Jazz General | Vocal Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music General | Easy Listening | Pop | Styles | Music General | Vocal Pop | Pop | Styles | Music Traditional Pop | Oldies | Pop | Styles | Music Traditional Vocal Pop | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music Broadway & Vocalists | Imports | Stores | Music Pop | Imports | Stores | Music Similar Items: The Best of Peggy Lee - The Capitol Years The Complete Recordings 1941-1947 The Best of Miss Peggy Lee The Best of the Singles Collection Black Coffee ASIN: B000024VSS Release Date: 1997-10-31

Tracks:

1. Black Coffee
2. Lover
3. Mr Wonderful
4. Johnny Guitar
5. You Go to My Head
6. I've Got You Under My Skin
7. Baubles, Bangles and Beads
8. Swing Low, Sweet Chariot
9. I Don't Want to Play in Your Yard
10. Love Letters
11. Apples, Peaches and Cherries
12. Sisters
13. Bye Bye Blackbird
14. He Needs Me
15. Sing a Rainbow
16. How Bitter My Sweet
17. They Can't Take That Away from Me
18. My Heart Belongs to Daddy
19. Love, You Didn't Do Right by Me
20. Sabs Souci - Peggy Lee
21. I Never Knew
22. I've Grown Accustomed to His Face [From My Fair Lady]
23. What's New?

Album Description

Full title - Black Coffee - Best Of The Decca Years. Budget price collection from Spectrum of undoubtably one of the great female vocalist's most creative periods between 1952 and 1958. 23 tracks. 1997.

Album Details

Budget Collection of Hits from her Decca Years.

Customer Reviews:

The Decca years.......2005-03-29

For most of her career, Peggy recorded for Capitol but there was a five-year spell during which Peggy recorded for Decca because Peggy had a major disagreement with Capitol (over the song Lover, which Capitol didn't want her to record) and switched labels in 1952 although she switched back in 1957. Thus, this compilation focuses on Peggy's recordings between 1952 and 1956.

Peggy's career on Decca began with Lover, originally written as a waltz but re-arranged as a dramatic up-tempo song. Upon hearing it, composer Richard Rodgers expressed his displeasure at the arrangement. Nevertheless, it got Peggy's Decca career off to a great start, making the top three in the American charts.

Despite this start, Peggy's years on Decca were not very successful on the singles charts. Nevertheless, Peggy recorded a lot of great music during those years including the albums Black coffee, Pete Kelly's blues, Sea shells and Dream Street. The title track of her first Decca album (Black coffee, a melancholy ballad about loneliness) is now regarded as one of Peggy's most memorable recordings (hence its use as the title of this compilation) although it was never released as a single. It is yet another reminder that singles charts, however useful or interesting, do not tell the whole story.

You will surely recognize Love letters, which Peggy recorded several years before Ketty Lester made the song much more popular in the sixties. Peggy's version of this 1940's song is more intimately romantic than most other versions I've heard. Of course, it is just one of many classic covers that Peggy recorded for Decca and they are always among the best versions of those songs.

Apart from the songs already mentioned, this compilation contains many outstanding examples of Peggy's artistry. Many of the songs are ballads at which Peggy excels though there are several brilliant mid-tempo and up-tempo songs to prove Peggy's versatility.

While not the strongest compilation of Peggy's music for Decca, this budget compilation contains all the essential tracks from the period cover and will be enough for most people.

Average customer rating:

Black Coffee: The Best of Peggy Lee Peggy Lee Manufacturer: Music Club Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Jazz | Styles | Music Swing General | Swing Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music Traditional Jazz General | Traditional Jazz & Ragtime | Jazz | Styles | Music Vocal Jazz General | Vocal Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music General | Pop | Styles | Music General | Easy Listening | Pop | Styles | Music General | Vocal Pop | Pop | Styles | Music Classic | Vocal Pop | Pop | Styles | Music Traditional Pop | Oldies | Pop | Styles | Music General | Musicals | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music Traditional Vocal Pop | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music Broadway & Vocalists | Imports | Stores | Music Pop | Imports | Stores | Music ASIN: B000N39HJY Release Date: 2007-02-19

Album Description

Two CD set compiled from Peggy Lee's heyday in the '50s and features some of her most distinctive performances. Peggy Lee remains one of popular music's most enduring stars: her recordings still a mainstay of radio programming, and many of her songs (which she co-wrote) are covered today. 50 songs including 'Black Coffee', 'My Heart Belongs To Daddy' and 'Mr. Wonderful' plus `He's A Tramp' and 'The Siamese Cat Song' (from Disney's Lady And The Tramp). Music Club. 2007.

Album Details

50 Tracks Compiled from her 50's Heyday and Including 'he's a Tramp', 'black Coffee', 'my Heart Belongs to Daddy', 'don't Smoke in Bed', 'mr Wonderful', 'summertime', Lover' etc.

Average customer rating: It's Perfect Upbeat Musical Magic

Pete 'n' Keely (Original Cast Recording) James Hindman , Sally Mayes , and George Dvorsky Manufacturer: Varese Sarabande ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music General | Musicals | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music Traditional Vocal Pop | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music General | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music General | Vocal Pop | Pop | Styles | Music ASIN: B00005RZTW Release Date: 2001-12-04

Tracks:

1. It's Us Again
2. Lover
3. Kid Stuff/Daddy
4. Besame Mucho
5. This Could Be The Start Of Something Big
6. Battle Hymn Of The Republic
7. Have You Got A Lot To Learn
8. But Beautiful
9. The Cross Country Tour
10. Tony 'N' Cleo
11. Fever
12. Black Coffee
13. Too Fat To Fit
14. Love
15. Wasn't It Fine?
16. It's Us Again (Reprise)
17. That's All

Amazon.com

There's a lot of schlock on Broadway these days, so it's especially frustrating when a small, off-Broadway show doesn't get the recognition it deserves. Carried by the indomitable George Dvorsky and Sally Mayes in the title roles, Pete 'n' Keely should have been a lot more successful than it was, so we're lucky to have this recording to immortalize the little show that should have been. Inspired by the likes of Steve (Lawrence) and Eydie (Gorme), Pete and Keely are two high-voltage entertainers; the show purports to document their hectic 1968 TV special. Dvorsky and Mayes are fantastic as they frenetically go from clever originals by Patrick S. Brady and Mark Waldrop to over-the-top Rat Packy takes on classic tunes such as "Fever" and "Besame Mucho." As for the finger-snapping rendition of "Battle Hymn of the Republic," you've got to hear it to believe it. Our only qualm: the recording doesn't do justice to Bob Mackie's delirious costumes. Oh well, can't have it all. --Elisabeth Vincentelli

Customer Reviews:

It's Perfect.......2001-12-31

I lent my copy of Pete 'n' Keely to a friend. When she returned my CD, she said that it was perfect. I agree. Many of the songs are an enjoyable trip down memory lane that brings back many fond memories. The new songs by Patrick Brady and Mark Waldropfit right in. Sally Mayes does the best rendition of "Black Coffee" that I have ever heard.Goerge Dvorsky's Fever" is also fantastic. It is not unusual for me to be sitting at my desk at work and have one of the songs run through my memory. That isd without any music in the background. My friends who have heard me play the CD have purchased a copy for themselves, they liked the CD so much.

Upbeat Musical Magic.......2001-12-11

This album is a MUST for any fan of Broadway - full of upbeat musical magic performed flawlessly by George Dvorsky and Sally Mayes.

The cd captures wonderfully the manic energy of Pete and Keely - a television couple that reigned supreme in the 1960s. Throughout the album we hear them at their best as they recall their joint musical career and their award winning signature tunes.

Dvorsky is a smooth as silk baritone with shades of Robert Goulet. His rendition of "Fever" on this album is alone worth the cost of the cd. Although done with a slight comic edge, the song comes alive with a wonderful nuance that Dvorsky delivers effortlessly. You'll find yourself replaying that track again and again.

The same could be said for Maye's sparkling "Black Coffee". Her voice is pure velvet, with a touch of "seen it all and done it all" flowing throughout this sensational track.

This original cast recording has been produced perfectly. The sound quality is superb, and the inner liner has some great photos of Pete n Keely in their glamorous Bob Mackie costumes that were such a huge part of the New York City premier.

If you like Broadway - then this cd is a must have...

If you like to smile when you listen to a cd - then this recording is a must have...

And....if you like your music upbeat and infectious - then this original cast recording is a MUST HAVE for your collection...

Average customer rating: Historically significant choral works, wonderfully performed

Witness: Dance Like the Wind - Music of Today's Black Composers Manufacturer: Clarion ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Quintets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music General | Sacred & Religious | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music Gospel | Christian & Gospel | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Psalms | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Classical | Indie Music | Stores | Music ASIN: B0001FVEQS Release Date: 2004-02-10

Tracks:

1. Mother To Son
2. We Shall Walk Through The Valley
3. Lamentations: Black Folk Song Suite
4. Lamentations: Black Folk Song Suite
5. An Old Black Woman, Homeless And Insdistinct
6. Dance Like Wind
7. Dance Like Wind
8. Dance Like Wind
9. Tambourines To Glory
10. My Soul Hath Found Refuge In Thee (Psalm 91)
11. Nocturne
12. Piece For String Orchestra
13. Piece For String Orchestra
14. Images, Shadows And Dreams: Five Vignettes
15. Images, Shadows And Dreams: Five Vignettes
16. Images, Shadows And Dreams: Five Vignettes
17. Images, Shadows And Dreams: Five Vignettes
18. Images, Shadows And Dreams: Five Vignettes

Album Description

Thought-provoking and moving music by eight modern composers spans the range of expression from solo cello to chorus, from jazz ensemble to woodwind quintet.

Customer Reviews:

Historically significant choral works, wonderfully performed.......2004-05-31

For over 10 years, The VocalEssence Ensemble Singers and Chorus (conducted by Philip Brunelle) has presented an enduring series of concerts showcasing the talents of trailblazing African American composers. Now this wealth of music is available outside the concert hall through a series of recordings called WITNESS.

DANCE LIKE THE WIND presents works by eight African American composers from various generations, though they all emerged after the neo-classical period of non-discrimination. You'll hear loyalty to classic idioms like the spirituals and blues, but also elements of more recent genres like R&B, gospel and rap. Enclosed are excellent liner notes and biographical information.

The other three CDs are available as single titles, or in the boxed set entitled THE WITNESS COLLECTION which includes:

WHAT A MIGHTY GOD: Spirituals and Gospels for Chorus
GOT THE SAINT LOUIS BLUES: Classical Music in the Jazz Age
SKYWARD MY PEOPLE ROSE: Music of William Grant Still
DANCE LIKE THE WIND

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

Average customer rating: The Decca years Sleepy Beauty Worth 10 Stars

Black Coffee and Other Delights: The Decca Anthology Peggy Lee Manufacturer: Mca ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Jazz | Styles | Music Traditional Jazz General | Traditional Jazz & Ragtime | Jazz | Styles | Music Vocal Jazz General | Vocal Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music Traditional Vocal Pop | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music General | Vocal Pop | Pop | Styles | Music Traditional Pop | Oldies | Pop | Styles | Music Similar Items: Man I Love/If You Go Singles Collection Natural Woman/Is That All There Is? The Complete Recordings 1941-1947 ASIN: B000002OU0 Release Date: 1994-10-11

Tracks:

1. Lover
2. Be Anything (But Be Mine)
3. You Go To My Head
4. Just One Of Those Things
5. Forgive Me
6. I'm Glad There Is You (In This World Of Ordinary People)
7. Watermelon Weather
8. Moon Flowers
9. River River
10. Sans Souci
11. That's Him Over There
12. Who's Gonna Pay The Check
13. Where Can I Go Without YOou
14. My Heart Belongs To Daddy
15. Easy Living
16. Black Coffee
17. Apples, Peaches, And Cherries
18. (Ah, The Apple Trees) When The World Was Young
19. Baubles, Bangles And Beads
20. Johnny Guitar
21. Sisters
22. Bouquet Of Blues
23. Love Letters
24. Love, You Didn't Do Right By Me

Tracks:

1. Let Me Go, Lover!
2. I Dont Want To Play In Your Yard
3. Sugar (That Sugar Baby Of Mine)
4. Somebody Loves Me
5. What Can I Say After I Say I 'm Sorry
6. Sing A Rainbow
7. Mr. Wonderful
8. He Needs Me
9. They Can't Take That Away From Me
10. You've Got To See Mamma Every kNight (Or you Can't See Mamma At All)
11. Joey , Joey, Joey
12. I Don't Know Enough About You
13. Guess I'll Go Back Home (This Summer)
14. You're Blase
15. It's All Right With Me
16. It Never Entered My Mind
17. Too Late Now
18. My Old Flame
19. I Still Get A Thrill (Thinking Of You)
20. Dancing On The Ceiling
21. Where Flamingos Fly
22. Street Of Dreams

Customer Reviews:

The Decca years.......2005-01-11

For most of her career, Peggy recorded for Capitol but there was a five-year spell during which Peggy recorded for Decca because Peggy had a major disagreement with Capitol (over the song Lover, which Capitol didn't want her to record) and switched labels in 1952 although she switched back in 1957. Thus, this compilation focuses on Peggy's recordings between 1952 and 1956.

Peggy's career on Decca began with Lover, originally written as a waltz but re-arranged a dramatic up-tempo song. Upon hearing it, composer Richard Rodgers expressed his displeasure at the arrangement. Nevertheless, it got Peggy's Decca career off to a great start, making the top three in the American charts.

Despite this start, Peggy's years on Decca were not very successful on the singles charts. Nevertheless, Peggy recorded a lot of great music during those years including the albums Black coffee, Pete Kelly's blues, Sea shells and Dream Street. The title track of her first Decca album (Black coffee, a melancholy ballad about loneliness) is now regarded as one of Peggy's most memorable recordings (hence its use as the title of this compilation) although it was never released as a single. It is yet another reminder that singles charts, however useful or interesting, do not tell the whole story.

You will surely recognize Love letters, which Peggy recorded several years before Ketty Lester made the song much popular in the sixties. Peggy's version of this 1940's song is more intimately romantic than most other versions I've heard Of course, it is just one of many classic covers that Peggy recorded for Decca and they are always among the best versions of those songs.

Peggy rarely recorded duets but you can find one here as Bing Crosby joins Peggy on Watermelon weather. Hearing this, one wonders why Peggy didn't record a lot more duets - this one is brilliant.

Apart from the songs already mentioned, this compilation contains many outstanding examples of Peggy's artistry. Many of the songs are ballads at which Peggy excels though there are several brilliant mid-tempo and up-tempo songs to prove Peggy's versatility.

At the time I bought this, it was easily the strongest collection of Peggy's material then available. It is now apparently out of print but new Peggy Lee compilations are released at regular intervals so most of these tracks (and some Decca tracks omitted from this collection, many of which are equally brilliant) are available elsewhere. Nevertheless, if you find a copy of this collection, it is well worth picking up. Apart from the great music, the booklet is also excellent.

Sleepy Beauty.......2001-04-17

Althought it would be sacrilege to loudly admit this (and no wonder some would find this opinion offensive),but Peggy Lee was more a product of her time than real overwhelming vocal talent.Her glamouros look and whisper of a voice was pleasant for eyes/ears enough to make her mega-succesful with mass audience who find her uninvolving purr easier to take than say,Billie Holiday who was clearly her inspiration but black woman and drug addict.For people who dont see further than her beauty and style,Peggy Lee is a godess,but if you are looking for something deeper,you won't find it here.I have several of her original albums and althought I had listen this compilation of her works for "Decca" for past 2 years,it always failed to excite me or even move me - so many novelty songs streched over 2 CD's that her jazz phrasing is simply burried under them.I see Peggy Lee clearly as a package of this CD: beautiful photos,excelent liner notes and then under all these wrapping there is just a small whispery voice that sounds too often as a lullaby.There were other female singers in the 1950's (June Christy,Anita O'Day,Kay Starr) whose voices clearly presented personality and whose records stand the test of time much better.Very popular then,Peggy does not move me - she make me sleepy and drowsy and a double CD compilation is somehow too much of pleasant humming.(Advice:check Kay Starr's "Capitol Collectors" compilation and hear how she lustfuly belts her version of "You Got To See Your Mama Every Night" - her black voice and dark beauty were completely opposite of Lee and her white-washed imitation of Billie Holiday)

Worth 10 Stars.......2000-04-25

Calling all Peggy Lee fans-your collection is incomplete without this 2-cd set! Peggy always had a knack for choosing(as well as occasionally writing)great material for her albums and this Decca collection is among her best works. The liner notes alone are worth the price, detailing Peggy's background as well as her musical career up to that point. Her golden good looks & sultry voice were among the best of the many female singers of the day and seeing her perform Live was always a treat. This anthology is a definite must-have and highly recommended.

Average customer rating:

Coffee & Second Hand Smoke Manufacturer: Carey Sims & Black Market Radio ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music ASIN: B000CAJQ44 Release Date: 2005-02-08

Average customer rating: Contrasting Pearls: One String Black, One Strand White Two very different albums from Peggy A jazz vocal masterpiece!!!

Black Coffee/Sea Shells Peggy Lee Manufacturer: Mca Import ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Jazz | Styles | Music Traditional Jazz General | Traditional Jazz & Ragtime | Jazz | Styles | Music Vocal Jazz General | Vocal Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music General | Easy Listening | Pop | Styles | Music General | Vocal Pop | Pop | Styles | Music Traditional Pop | Oldies | Pop | Styles | Music Traditional Vocal Pop | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music General | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music Broadway & Vocalists | Imports | Stores | Music Pop | Imports | Stores | Music Similar Items: Pass Me By/Big $pender I'm a Woman/Norma Deloris Egstrom from Jamestown, North Dakota Natural Woman/Is That All There Is? Man I Love/If You Go Mink Jazz ASIN: B000024XRR Release Date: 1997-05-17

Tracks:

1. Black Coffee
2. I've Got You Under My Ski
3. Easy Living
4. My Heart Belongs To Daddy
5. Woman Alone With The Blue
6. I Didn't Know What Time I
7. When The World Was Young
8. Love Me Or Leave Me
9. It Ain't Necessarily So
10. Gee Baby (Ain't I Good To
11. You're My Thrill
12. There's A Small Hotel
13. Sea Fever
14. Nine Thorny Thickets
15. Little Old Car
16. Greensleeves
17. Chinese Love Poems(Fisher
18. Happy Monks
19. White Birch & The Sycamor
20. Of Such Is The Kingdom Of
21. Brown Bird Singing
22. I Don't Want To Play In Y
23. Maid Wuth The Flaxen Hair
24. Wearing Of The Green
25. Chaconde
26. Chinese Love Poems (Going
27. Riddle Song
28. Golden Wedding Ring

Album Details

Two Classic Peggy Albums on One.

Customer Reviews:

Contrasting Pearls: One String Black, One Strand White.......2006-07-05

The first album here, BLACK COFFEE, is representative of the Peggy Lee most listeners are familiar with, and it is available as a CD by itself, at a more affordable price. One of her very best albums, it is also one of her most purely jazz oriented efforts. Featuring Peggy's understated vocals in a small combo setting, I consider these performances to be "Essential Peggy Lee." There isn't a throwaway in the pack, including the four songs that were later added to the original BLACK COFFEE album.

SEA SHELLS is a little-known album of folk music. Strange to hear "the female Sinatra," as she's been called, do folk songs, and this is not an easy record to love, even for folk fans like me. It does, with patience (because there are no uptempo tracks here), reward repeated listening. Some of these musty old songs benefit from Lee's hushed reading. "White Birch And The Sycamore" and "Nine Thorny Thickets" are especially lovely. The arrangements are sparse; a couple of the "songs" are spoken (there are a couple of Chinese poems), and some are brief instrumentals. This record created a mood that stuck with me for a long time after I first listened to the entire album; my SEA SHELLS record was originally bought used, and is fairly beat up, so the pristine sound quality of this CD is most welcome. Of all Lee's records, this one sounds the most like Peggy singing to me in my living room, with her soft, intimate tones complimented by harp strums and delicate flourishes of harpsichord. Most unusual.

Because the first album is a 5-star essential, I can't give this collection anything less than that. Honestly, though, because of its limited appeal and its glacial pace, SEA SHELLS by itself would only get two, or three stars at most. If you are a major Peggy Lee fan who has somehow managed to get through life without hearing BLACK COFFEE, and you are curious about SEA SHELLS, by all means buy this collection!

Two very different albums from Peggy.......2003-08-17

The first album making up this twofer, Black coffee, is typical of Peggy's music - a jazz-pop collection featuring both famous and obscure songs from the Great American Songbook. The first eight tracks were originally released on an LP in 1953 and featured Peggy backed by trumpet, piano, bass and drums. Later, the LP was re-issued with four additional tracks - these are tracks 9 to 12 on this CD. Those four tracks were recorded at a later date and featured similar backing but with vibes and celeste instead of trumpet.

Among the songs on Black coffee, the title track remains one of Peggy's most famous songs despite never having been released as a single, while There's a small hotel i. Perhaps, the best of the other tracks on what can only be described as an outstanding collection - one of Peggy's finest albums. There are several classic songs here, usually associated with other singers, including I've got you under my skin, My heart belongs to Daddy, Love me or leave me, It ain't necessarily so and You're my thrill.

As a total contrast, the other album, Sea shells, is far removed from Peggy's normal style. A harp and a harpsichord provide the musical backing and most of the songs are folk songs. Furthermore, all the songs are slow - no upbeat songs to break the tempo. Some of the tracks are instrumental while the two tracks featuring Chinese love poems are narrated, not sung. The liner notes describe Sea shells as an intensely personal album.

I enjoy many different kinds of music including folk, but even I find that Sea shells is a difficult album to get into. Nevertheless, it is a fascinating album and if you can give it the dedicated attention that it demands, you may find it to be a very rewarding experience.

I notice that the Black coffee album has been made available on a CD by itself. You may find that to be a more suitable purchase, especially if you don't like folk music. For those who can appreciate both albums, this twofer shows just how versatile Peggy Lee was.

A jazz vocal masterpiece!!!.......1999-10-01

Simply one of the best jazz vocal albums ever recorded. Highly recommended!

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6. Busted Stuff [Enhanced]
7. Cat Stevens - Greatest Hits [Original recording remastered]
8. Closing Time
9. Covering the Bases
10. Dark Light [Limited Edition]

Rap Music

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