The Finest

Product Description
Comprising former English Beat principals Dave Cox (guitar) and David Steele (bass)-plus charismatic lead singer Roland Gift-FYC recorded only two albums, but made a major mark on the pop culture soundtrack of their era.

The Finest,Fine Young Cannibals,Sire / London/Rhino,Blue-Eyed Soul,College Rock,Pop,Pop/Rock,Rock,Rock/Pop

---

The Finest

Average customer rating: Astrud Gilberto Fan What a great way to combat winter! another time, another place Harmonious Music My favorite Astrud Gilberto disc, oozing with carefree ambiance

Astrud Gilberto's Finest Hour Astrud Gilberto Manufacturer: Umvd Labels ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Brazil | South & Central America | International | Styles | Music General | Latin Music | Styles | Music Bossa Nova | Latin Music | Styles | Music Brazilian Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music General | Jazz | Styles | Music Latin Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music Vocal Jazz General | Vocal Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music General | Easy Listening | Pop | Styles | Music General | Vocal Pop | Pop | Styles | Music Classic | Vocal Pop | Pop | Styles | Music Similar Items: Getz/Gilberto The Silver Collection: The Astrud Gilberto Album Wave Jazz Samba The Girl from Ipanema: The Antonio Carlos Jobim Songbook ASIN: B00005A7WY Release Date: 2001-05-15

Tracks:

1. Goodbye Sadness (Tristeza)
2. The Girl From Ipanema
3. Meditation
4. The Face I Love
5. Corcovado (Quiet Nights Of Quiet Star)
6. So Nice (Samba De Verao)
7. A Felicidade
8. Photograph
9. It Might As Well Be Spring
10. Wish Me A Rainbow
11. Fly Me To The Moon
12. Crickets Sing For Anamaria
13. Who Needs Forever?
14. Insensatez
15. Berimbau
16. Come Softly To Me/Hushabye
17. Trains And Boats And Planes
18. Canto De Ossanha (Let Go)
19. I'm Nothin' Without You
20. In The Wee Small Hours

Customer Reviews:

Astrud Gilberto Fan.......2007-05-14

If you are loking for a disc representative of the best of Astrud Gilberto and what makes her unique sound so attractive then this is a good one to begin with.

What a great way to combat winter!.......2007-04-10

Although I was a bit "put off" by some of the pop tunes, her summery voice & the warm arrangements held the snow at bay!

another time, another place.......2007-01-19

I love this cd. Smooth, jazzy, '60's coolness wrapped up the warmth and simple sounds of Astrud. this so completely sets a mood; late afternoon after a warm day at the beach, nice wine and good company ... what more could you want?

Harmonious Music.......2006-12-14

I bought this CD exclusively for the song, "Girl From Ipanema." I didn't expect to fall in-love with the other wonderful, relaxing, and smooth songs in this CD. I have taken this CD with me to Hawaii, Europe, and even Antarctica. I never get tired of listening to it. Astrud makes me reminisce about the warm calm beaches with her innnocent laid back voice. And on other times, she makes me think that I'm in a Martini bar, sipping Martini and just lounging around. I don't travel anywhere without this CD.

My favorite Astrud Gilberto disc, oozing with carefree ambiance .......2006-11-12

I must confess, only this year have I reacquainted myself with Astrud Gilberto's vocal work of the 1960's. After buying several Verve collections featuring the Brazilian singer, I have settled on this one as my personal favorite. While it's lacking some memorable tunes like The Shadow of Your Smile and Non-stop to Brazil, it more than makes up for this by including obscure recordings not generally found in your typical compilation of greatest hits. The last six numbers are in this category, showcasing Astud's versatility.

When I want to dissolve away the day's stresses I pop in this disc. Set it spinning while you're preparing dinner and marvel how effortless the task becomes. Soon you realize a remarkable carefee ambiance of smouldering sensuality has stealthily posessed you. Time stops as an otherwise ho-hum evening transforms into a delightful escape...

Astrud's voice exudes rapture. Other discs of hers I listen to often are The Silver Collection and Jazz 'Round Midnight. But Finest Hour is my out and out choice for the ultimate Astrud Gilberto single disc collection currently available.

Average customer rating: Bossa Nova A Good Primer For Beginners ; One Mislabeled Track My third time buying it Push Time Back II Music to shag Austin Powers to

Antonio Carlos Jobim's Finest Hour Antonio Carlos Jobim Manufacturer: Polygram Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Cuba | Caribbean & Cuba | International | Styles | Music Brazil | South & Central America | International | Styles | Music General | International | Styles | Music General | Latin Music | Styles | Music Latin Pop | Latin Music | Styles | Music Bossa Nova | Latin Music | Styles | Music Folk | Latin Music | Styles | Music Brazilian Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music General | Jazz | Styles | Music Jazz Fusion | Jazz | Styles | Music Latin Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music Similar Items: Wave Francis Albert Sinatra & Antonio Carlos Jobim Astrud Gilberto's Finest Hour Getz/Gilberto The Girl from Ipanema: The Antonio Carlos Jobim Songbook ASIN: B00004TWRR Release Date: 2000-06-27

Tracks:

1. The Girl From Ipanema
2. Desafinado
3. Corcovado
4. Agua De Beber
5. O Morro Nao Tem Vez
6. Insensatez
7. Samba De Uma Nota So
8. Meditation
9. Chega De Saudade
10. Wave
11. The Girl From Ipanema
12. Remember
13. Un Rancho Nas Nuvens
14. Aguas De Marco
15. Inutil Paisagem
16. Passarim
17. Looks Like December

Amazon.com essential recording

While Antonio Carlos Jobim is an essential figure in the music of Brazil, he also created a significant place for himself in American music as a great songwriter and a key figure in the tremendous popularity of bossa nova. Apart from his unique melodic gift, what makes Jobim's work memorable is the complexity of mood he could evoke--the touch of sadness that colors the brightest bossa nova, the irony in the midst of joy, and the mixture of delicacy and resilience in his voice and piano. He was an artist who worked primarily in pastels, but it was his sense of shadows that gave his work its most enduring qualities. Including his most famous tunes and collaborators--like "The Girl from Ipanema" with Stan Getz and Astrud Gilberto--Jobim's Finest Hour catches it all, from the standard-bearers to such gems as the playful "Aguas de Marco." --Stuart Broomer

Customer Reviews:

Bossa Nova.......2007-03-29

I love Bossa Nova music. Playful, fun, peaceful. It took a flower sellers insight to tell Antonio Carlos Jobim that he was destined for greater things. It took a flower seller to see the genius of the man and the music. We have loved it ever since.

A Good Primer For Beginners ; One Mislabeled Track.......2007-01-26

For those beginning to explore the music of Antonio Carlos Jobim and Bossa Nova in general, 'Antonio Carlos Jobim's Finest Hour' is a nice first album. The classic versions of "Girl From Ipanema", "Corcovado" and "Desafinado" with Stan Getz and Astrud Gilberto are included with this compilation, but the best material on this CD are the tracks from Jobim's 1963 'The Composer of Desafinado, Plays' album, which are beautiful instrumental versions of his best-known compositions, complete with Claus Ogerman's lush orchestra. Some might think that these particular tracks sound like "Elevator Music", but listen carefully and you'll find a depth of emotion and beauty in Jobim's spare, haunting piano playing and sideman Jimmy Cleveland's trombone solos that will change your preconceptions about lush orchestral music.

One Warning: 'Antonio Carlos Jobim's Finest Hour' has a mislabeled track, "O Morro Nao Tem Vez (AKA Favela)" is actually "Amor Em Paz ("Once I Loved"). Both tracks are from the "The Composer of Desafinado, Plays" album. The latter is the more popular song, but "O Morro Nao Tem Vez" is one of the most underrated songs Jobim ever wrote and a masterpiece in its own right. The remainder of the songs on 'Finest Hour' come from Jobim's other albums dating from the late 1960s, 1970s and 1980s. These tracks do not have the same wondrous beauty as those earlier, 1960s-era cuts, (hence the four star rating) but are still worth your undidvided attention.

My third time buying it.......2006-07-28

I first heard this CD at a friend's house about eight years ago, then heard it again about a year or two after that and absolutely fell in love. Since then, I've moved and re-moved, lost/broke this CD few times, bought new ones, and now it's in my ipod as a favorite! The music is relaxing, uplifting, and Jobim's voice is truly soothing: a true soundtrack for a warm and misty evening stroll through the streets of downtown NYC.

Push Time Back II.......2006-03-20

I completely concur with Miguel Hernandez!

This music reminds me of my childhood times when my father played the Beautiful Music station FM 100 in Chicago - especially "Wave."

Jobim is a master of melody and rhythm.

Highly recommended for your collection.

Music to shag Austin Powers to.......2005-10-07

Just the thing to put on if you're having Jill St. John (or Robert Morse, ladies) over for cocktails.

Listen to the above samples for the feel, but the CD's stereo mix and lush sound far exceed the streaming quality heard here.
Wonderful period stuff.

Average customer rating: One of the best albums I own. WAAAAAAAAAAAAY Under rated!!!!!! big slab-o-funk rock Waaay Ahead Of Their Time & Painfully Underrated!! One of the most underrated albums of the 1970s

Another Mother Further Mother's Finest Manufacturer: Sony ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | R&B | Styles | Music General | Soul | R&B | Styles | Music General | Funk | R&B | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music General | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music Hard Rock | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music Psychedelic Rock | Classic Rock | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music CDs $7 - $10 | R&B General | R&B | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music All Bargain Titles | R&B General | R&B | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music CDs $7 - $10 | Funk | R&B | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music All Bargain Titles | Funk | R&B | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music CDs $7 - $10 | Soul General | Soul | R&B | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music All Bargain Titles | Soul General | Soul | R&B | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music CDs $7 - $10 | Hard Rock | Hard Rock & Metal | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music All Bargain Titles | Hard Rock | Hard Rock & Metal | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music 4-for-3 Classic Rock | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music 4-for-3 Hard Rock & Metal | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music 4-for-3 Pop | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music 4-for-3 R&B | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music 4-for-3 Rock | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music 4-for-3 All Music | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: The Very Best of Mother's Finest: Not Yer Mother's Funk Live Nantucket Iron Age Rags to Rufus ASIN: B00000259T Release Date: 1989-05-25

Tracks:

1. Mickey's Monkey
2. Baby Love
3. Thank You For The Love
4. Piece Of The Rock
5. Truth'll Set You Free
6. Burning Love
7. Dis Go Dis Way, Dis Go Dat Way
8. Hard Rock Lover

Customer Reviews:

One of the best albums I own........2007-01-31

I loved this album when I was in high school, and I love it today. All of the players are great, but Barry Borden (drummer) stands out. The lick in the intro of "Hard Rock Lover" is amazing. "Baby Love" is one of my favorite R&B tracks of all time. The bass and drum stuff is exceptional, and Joyce Kennedy's vocal can stand up to anything. "Mickey's Monkey" is the coolest remake ever. It's an unlikely amalgam of The Miracles' lyric sung over Led Zeppelin's "Custard Pie", and - believe it or not - it works really, really well. This is a great sounding (even from the 70s), well produced rock/funk album. I'd give it 10 stars if I could.

WAAAAAAAAAAAAY Under rated!!!!!!.......2006-07-12

This funked up rock band was before it's time. This is truly tasteful funk at it's best. Joyce has the voice of a true Diva, more soul than today's modern day Divas. Anyone would agree that Joyce can shine just as bright sitting beside all the Arethas, the Gladyses and Tinas. MF is one brilliant mixture of attitude and talent. HOW they ever slid under the radar and missed all the billboard/award blah blah will forever be a mystery to me. Frankly they were short changed and robbed of one heck of a career ride.

big slab-o-funk rock.......2006-06-17

Mother's Finest's "Another Mother Further" made the rounds at my high school when I was just a wee lad in junior high, and it kicked everyone's butt who heard it. From the opening of "Mickey's Monkey" to "Hard Rock Lover" this album was in everyone's heavy rotation. The band, from an Atlanta suburb (my locality), applied a beautiful bone-shattering combination of bass-heavy funk grooves along with serious rock and roll guitars and gospel-tinged vocals mixed together in a bottom-end heavy production that still thumps hard today. "Baby Love" still makes first-time listeners pause or stop to listen a while, it's that good. Even today it's still sounds fresh because this type of high-quality funk/rock never goes completly out of style. Production values are clean and sound better the louder it goes. Earth Wind and Fire have nothing on these guys. They bring the funk and the rock and shove it in your face and down your narrow little throat.

Waaay Ahead Of Their Time & Painfully Underrated!!.......2006-01-31

Man, southern rock / funk interracial hybrid
Mother's Finest was one of the
rockinist-funkiest-slamminest bands ever!

Coming out of Atlanta, GA (Doraville) with a sound all
their own, they were contemporaries with Funk / Rock
pioneers like early Funkadelic, Rufus featuring
Chaka Khan & The Isley Brothers as well as southern
rock icons like Lynyrd Skynyrd, The Allman Brothers,
The Doobie Brothers, etc., but they never-ever got
the love and repsect (sadly!) that they so
richly deserved!
This 1977 album was my first introduction
to them by a then teenaged cousin of mine
and over the next three albums:
This one, 1978's more R&B-influenced but still hot
"Mother Factor", which begat the classic hit
"Love Changes" (probably their most remembered!)
and the blistering "Mother's Finest LIVE" from 1979,
I became a definite fan!
The soulful and powerful vocals of lead singer
Joyce "Babyjean" Kennedy are right up there with
Chaka Khan's, Ann Wilson's and Pat Benetar's for
their penetrative powers!--Talk about underrated!
The band itself was funky and hard rockin' as hell
all at the same time, and their live show was high
energy at it's best!--I saw them in 1979 at age 15!

It's a shame that they aren't mentioned up there with
other 70's rock greats, but I'll be damned if they
don't deserve to be!
There are alot of closet MF fans around the world and
quite a few of their guitar and vocal licks have
found their way into many a rock and R&B
album over the years!
The gems of this album are "Baby Love",
"Truth'll Set You Free", "Thank You For The Love",
"Mickey's Monkey" (a rocked out version of the old Motown classic!)
and their funk / rocky answer to a then
pervading disco sound "Dis Go Dis Way"...
All-n-All a good gem for anyone who digs funky
southern 70's hard rock!---Buy It!

One of the most underrated albums of the 1970s.......2006-01-07

My older sister had this on LP back when it was released. Mother's Finest is one of the most underrated bands of their era. While they had some success, they weren't nearly as successful as they should have been. This is a truly classic album. It is the perfect party album. It is a great blend of hard rock n' roll, funk, & R&B. Bands today just don't make music like this. They all pale in comparison to what was created on this album. It's hard to pick a favorite. They're all classics. Go buy this album. It is very much relevant today. All generations can get off on this stuff.

Average customer rating: How can you go wrong? WOW TOP NOTCH!!

Count Basie's Finest Hour Count Basie Manufacturer: Umvd Labels ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Blues | Styles | Music General | Jazz | Styles | Music Swing General | Swing Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music Classic Big Band | Swing Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music Contemporary Big Band | Swing Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music Similar Items: The Very Best of Duke Ellington The Basie Big Band (20 Bit Mastering) Chairman of the Board Straight Ahead Live at the Sands ASIN: B000065VBV Release Date: 2002-05-07

Tracks:

1. One O'Clock Jump
2. Topsy
3. Every Tub
4. Swingin' The Blues
5. Blues Backstage
6. Eventide
7. April In Paris
8. Corner Pocket
9. Shiny Stockings
10. All Of Me
11. The Second Time Around
12. Li'l Ol' Groovemaker...Basie
13. Count Me In
14. Doodle-Oodle
15. Li'l Darlin'
16. Broadway

Customer Reviews:

How can you go wrong?.......2007-03-25

Great collection from one of the masters of swing (obviously!). An excellent introduction if you just want a single cd from Basie in your collection. Great material.

WOW.......2007-01-11

I purchased this cd for my parents as a gift. They love it!

TOP NOTCH!!.......2002-06-25

This is INDEED Basie's finest hour! It pulls together AWESOME recordings from 1937 to 1969 and contrasts the OLD and NEW Testament bands - both bands are superb. Also, the sound is excellent on ALL recordings even on the ones which are now over 60 yrs. old! The version of Lil Darlin is the best recorded one I've ever heard - it beats the original from the ATOMIC Basie(only by a hair though cause the version on this CD is in STEREO and has SWEETS EDISON on it.)

Whether you're a longtime fan or just being introduced to Basie, GET THIS CD and try to catch the BASIE band live!! They're as good now as when Basie was alive!

Average customer rating: Fine Finer Finest One of my favorite CD's Good enough to eat.

The Finest Fine Young Cannibals Manufacturer: Rhino / Wea ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music General | Pop | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music Blue-Eyed Soul | Soul | R&B | Styles | Music General | Soul | R&B | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music Rhino Records | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music Similar Items: Fine Young Cannibals The Raw & the Cooked All the Rage Beat This: The Best of the English Beat The Very Best of the Human League ASIN: B0007XT86C Release Date: 2005-04-19

Tracks:

1. She Drives Me Crazy
2. Flame (Radio Edit)
3. Johnny Come Home
4. Good Thing
5. Suspicious Minds
6. Blue
7. Ever Fallin in Love
8. Don't Look Back
9. Tell Me What
10. I'm Not the Man I Used to Be
11. Couldn't Care More
12. Funny How Love Is
13. Take What I Can Get
14. Since You've Been Gone

Album Description

Comprising former English Beat principals Dave Cox (guitar) and David Steele (bass)-plus charismatic lead singer Roland Gift-FYC recorded only two albums, but made a major mark on the pop culture soundtrack of their era.

Customer Reviews:

Fine Finer Finest.......2007-03-30

When the English Beat dissolved in 1983, guitarist Dave Cox and bassist David Steele were left out in the cold. They had to restart a band from scratch, and they went searching for a new vocalist. They found him in Roland Gift, an attractive man with a Sam Cooke voice. Gift was such a striking presence that he was given a Rolling Stone cover minus his bandmates and got named as one of People Magazine's "Most Beautiful People." They found a home on the quirky IRS label in America, so when General Public was getting a head start on chart success, Fine Young Cannibals had a minor success in England with "Johnny Come Home."

That led to the funky yet jazz-smooth debut in 1985, which also saw the band make waves with their soulful cover of Elvis Presley's "Suspicious Minds." It also delivered the politically slanted "Blue." The influences were a bit smoother than the Beat's ska inflection...touched of Motown, Sam Cooke and Otis Redding and jazz all make their forms felt.

While the debut didn't hit the huge acceptance target in 1985, "The Raw & the Cooked" scored a bulls-eye. After taking a four year break, the new album came with a hurricane force of soul, funk and danceable grooves. "She Drives Me Crazy" is blessed with an instantly recognizable guitar blast over a drum machine beat, and deservedly went to number one. So did the follow-up, "Good Thing," which was featured in the movie "Tin Men." (The delightful cover of Buzzcocks' "Ever Fallen In Love" was recorded a few years earlier for Jonathan Demme's "Something Wild" soundtrack.)

"The Raw and The Cooked" remains both FYC's finest achievement and swansong. Gift was notoriously prickly on tour (I saw then in concert, they played 30 minutes, ended and no encores), and then just walked away. He embarked on a movie career that never took off, while Cox and Steele still occasionally release music.

Other than a forgettable remix album, this 1996 best of boasted the first new FYC song in a decade. "The Flame" follows the same easy jazz-pop of the Cannibals' best. What this CD seriously lacks is any liner notes or additional material. No essays, no chart info, nada. It would have been a much more interesting proposition to have this CD with a little something extra. Since this is effectively a compilation of a mere two CD's, I can enthusiastically recommend "The Raw And The Cooked" as a stand alone CD. But if you're just looking to get "She Drives Me Crazy" for your MP3 player, then "The Finest" will do.

One of my favorite CD's.......2005-08-24

This has quickly turned into one of my all-time favorite CD's. I've added almost every song to my iPod, and I am notoriously stingy about adding only my very favorites to the iPod. Love this band, and love this CD!

Good enough to eat........2005-06-06

So they only had two albums, big deal. This "Finest Hits" album easily includes everything it needs to. What's here is a good chunk of their debut, six tracks from the excellent "The Raw And The Cooked" album, and a few extras. I personally like the songs from their second album way more than the first, as they are all extremely good and catchy. They do a great cover of "Suspicious Minds" however. I'd say if you already have the second album this isn't neccessary, but otherwise this is the one to get. I'm sure I'm one of many that's still waiting for more music from Roland Gift. That really would be a "Good Thing".

Average customer rating: Put this in your player and let it go Amazing CD Ramsey Lewis - live love this disc Classic excellence from a great piano man

Ramsey Lewis's Finest Hour Ramsey Lewis Manufacturer: Polygram Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Jazz | Styles | Music Smooth Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music Soul-Jazz & Boogaloo | Jazz | Styles | Music Similar Items: The In Crowd With One Voice 20th Century Masters - The Millennium Collection: The Best of Ramsey Lewis The Very Best of Ramsey Lewis Sound Of Christmas ASIN: B00004WIP4 Release Date: 2000-09-12

Tracks:

1. The 'In' Crowd
2. Limelight
3. Delilah
4. Black Eye Peas
5. Carmen
6. Sometimes I Feel Like A Motherless Child
7. Consider The Source
8. Little Liza Jane
9. Here 'Tis
10. Something You Got
11. Hang On Sloopy
12. A Hard Day's Night
13. Hi-Heel Sneakers
14. Wade In the Water
15. Up Tight
16. Day Tripper
17. One, Two, Three
18. Soul Man

Amazon.com

In the mid-1960s, pianist Ramsey Lewis enjoyed phenomenal pop success with his crossover jazz recordings of "The In Crowd," "Hang On, Sloopy," and other songs, which were usually recorded before audiences. This CD charts Lewis's career from 1956, the year his trio with bassist Eldee Young and drummer Redd Holt first recorded. While Gerry Mulligan's "Limelight" is straightforward modern jazz, the CD also finds the group emphasizing church roots and Holt's backbeat and stretching outside the jazz world for instantly familiar tunes, whether from Bizet's Carmen, traditional gospel, or folk songs, like "Little Liza Jane." Pop success came when the group released their live version of the R&B tune "Something You Got," with the song reduced to its funkiest fundamentals and an enthusiastic crowd clapping, talking, and singing along. The final five tracks come from the pianist's 1967 studio session with a horn section added, shifting the formula slightly but getting the same infectious results.

Customer Reviews:

Put this in your player and let it go.......2007-05-22

Often, when I get a compilation CD like this of an artist I like but don't have many CDs of, I'm tempted to take note of each song. That didn't happen with this CD, as I just enjoyed it all the way from start to finish and it just felt like one great song after another. It's a great case of the whole being greater than the sum of its parts, even though there are plenty of classics on this CD.

Amazing CD.......2005-11-30

If you are into this type of jazz (ala, Gene Harris, Oscar Peterson ) , you gotta love this CD. It is high energy, fun, yet masterfully played. It has an eclectic mix of jazz, blues, and a little funk. There are a couple of live tracks that captures the energy of the audience...and you can imagine how amazing it must have been to see him live. This is going to go down as one of my favorite CDs next to Gene Harris's Concord Years, and Oscar Peterson's Night Train.

Ramsey Lewis - live.......2005-06-13

Unfortunatly - here is another example of a CD that does not indicate whether or not these are the original recordings heard on the radio. "The "In" Crowd", "Hang On Sloopy" and "A Hard Day's Night" were recorded live at different clubs. The recordings of these selections (ones that I wanted) leave a bit to be desired because of the live recording. Overall, a lot of music, but just an average CD. If someone knows for sure whether or not these three are the original recordings heard on the radio, please note that information.

love this disc.......2005-05-01

one of my favorites... soul jazz, funky pop, whatever you call it, it's PARTY MUSIC!

Classic excellence from a great piano man.......2002-05-03

One of the best....Ramsey Lewis's famous "Wade in the Water" which has been heard in countless film and TV spots truly is one a jazz fan will want in it's entirety.

Average customer rating: Mother's Finest at their Best!! Nice CD Would Be A Platinum Band Today Come On Everyone calm down!!!!! My first exposure to funk

The Very Best of Mother's Finest: Not Yer Mother's Funk Mother's Finest Manufacturer: Razor & Tie ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | R&B | Styles | Music General | Soul | R&B | Styles | Music General | Funk | R&B | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music General | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music Hard Rock | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music Psychedelic Rock | Classic Rock | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music Similar Items: Another Mother Further Live Iron Age Nantucket First Taste of Sin ASIN: B000002ZBC Release Date: 1997-04-22

Tracks:

1. Mickey's Monkey
2. Fire
3. Give You All The Love (Inside Of Me)
4. Baby Love
5. Thank You For The Love
6. My Baby
7. Truth'll Set You Free
8. Rain
9. Dis Go Dis Way, Dis Go Dat Way (12in Version)
10. Can't Fight The Feeling
11. Love Changes
12. Don't Wanna Come Back
13. Tell Me
14. I Can't Believe
15. Somebody To Love (Live)

Customer Reviews:

Mother's Finest at their Best!!.......2007-04-02

This CD is great! All of their best songs on one album - what more could you ask for??

Nice CD.......2004-08-10

Mother's Finest recently Rocked the small town of Culloden, GA and I was there. Seen them 3 times in my youth but for me, this time, they were better than ever. I bought this CD at the concert and stayed a bit after they were done Jamm'in. I got to talk to Moses Mo for about 15 minutes, talked to Doc, John, Wyzard, and got all of their autographs...they signed the CD!!!
Even got Baby Jean's autograph, but didn't get to talk to her as she had many people around her.
I think the CD is a good combination of their work through the years, it allows the "newby" to know their sound and what they are about. I admit that there are some songs that should be on this CD if it truely is a "very best" CD, but only a long time fan would know this. But think about it...if you were in their shoes, would YOU put ALL of your best on one cd? Of course not...you want to continue to sell the others as well.
Most of the songs from "Another Mother Further" are on this cd and it was one of the best albums they put out.
So, I can't complain, I think it's a great CD, but mine is the best cause it has all of the autographs on it!!!
All of the band members are extremely cool and so easy to talk to, they are one of a kind. Very nice people and devoted to their fans.

Would Be A Platinum Band Today.......2003-11-26

Okay, I admit I bought this CD just to re-live my college days here in Tampa listening to Mother's Finest at the Performing Arts Center (as local show bar) in the mid 70s. I expected to play it once and put it down. Boy was I wrong. Twelve of the 15 songs are great, the mastering/sound is fantastic and this group rocks! I just don't get why they didn't "take off ". This is a Pop, Rock, Soul and Fusion CD at its finest (ha ha). Check out the drumming.

Come On Everyone calm down!!!!!.......2003-08-26

Yes Im a huge fan, yes this album is ok. But just ask yourselves. How can a Best Of CD not include ONE track from their 2 best albums by far; Iron Age and "Black Radio.."

Nah, this is ok, but they didnt hit their stride, and WHAT a stride it was, till 1980. Save your money and buy those two great albums Ive already mentioned!

Incidentally Im very very disappointed at their new one, after waiting for over a decade. That is sad!

My first exposure to funk.......2003-05-22

The first & only time I saw Mother's Finest was at Six Flags Over Georgia amusment park in the summer of 1981. A friend said he had two tickets to the show, & that park admission was included in the price. Being a rollercoaster freak, I went with him. I didn't even know who this band was or what they sounded like, but my friend seemed really psyched to be going. Holy *Bleep*! this band was like nothing I had ever seen! The singer was hotter than hell! That lady could sing like nobody else in the world, and she was the finest looking woman! Then I see this white guy playing a guitar laying down a rock riff, while the bassist backs it with a syncopated funk bottom that made everyone move their body. The drummer was playing a beat so sweet & complete that the whole damn house melted down! It truly was the best concert I have ever been to Period. That was 22 years ago, over 100 concerts ago, & the flavor of that total knockout-blow of baptism into funk music still lingers to this day. This is the band by which all funk should be measured. Mother's Finest is the one & only Funk / Rock band you'll ever need. All others pale by comparison.

Average customer rating: after hours Nina Simone finally returns home to North Carolina.................. Nina Simone is very real and very Original !!! She puts a spell on you 1st recording i've heard from Nina

Nina Simone's Finest Hour Nina Simone Manufacturer: Polygram Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Jazz | Styles | Music Vocal Jazz General | Vocal Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music General | R&B | Styles | Music Traditional Vocal Pop | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music General | Vocal Pop | Pop | Styles | Music Similar Items: After Hours The Blues Nina: The Essential Nina Simone Nina Simone at the Village Gate The Soul of Nina Simone ASIN: B00004ST4U Release Date: 2000-06-13

Tracks:

1. Love Me Or Leave Me
2. Wild Is The Wind
3. I Put A Spell On You
4. Work Song
5. Don't Explain
6. Untitled
7. Mississippi Goddam
8. Four Women
9. Pirate Jenny
10. I Loves You, Porgy
11. This Year's Kisses
12. Little Girl Blue
13. Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood
14. Ne Me Quitte Pas
15. Don't Smoke In Bed

Amazon.com

Nina Simone communicates with a unique force on this Finest Hour collection, a welling, riveting power that's beyond the range of other singers. It's there whether the song is romantic or political, whimsical or sentimental, and these recordings from the 1960s demonstrate the range of material that she could make her own, from Gershwin to Jacques Brel, from Screamin' Jay Hawkins to Nat Adderley. With her own civil rights era anthems like "Mississippi Goddam" and the Brecht-Weill "Pirate Jenny," Simone commands our attention with a profoundly brooding, searing rage, while there's potent sensuality in her "Wild Is the Wind" and Willard Robison's "Don't Smoke in Bed." Whether she's accompanying herself with her spare piano or defying studio orchestras with the intensity of her performance, Simone is a special singer, her art consisting in stripping away the decorative artifice of a song to reveal a molten core beneath. --Stuart Broomer

Customer Reviews:

after hours.......2006-12-16

nina simone's don't explain is a song that's hauntingly familiar, but yet pensive. combined with the elements of her own style of piano playing,
mournful wind instuments along with the lite touch of high hat cymbals,
the song is dark but yet compelling. as her dark voice sings as if she were lamenting, you can't help but venture further and further into
this tapestry of litany. don't explain is one of many songs on her after
hours album.

though her music may not be light and airy, nina simone evokes a lyric and worldly sense of being

Nina Simone finally returns home to North Carolina.........................2006-05-23

......and takes residence in my music collection.
I cannot remember ever being so pleased with a
purchase. This CD not only lives up to
its title, but it also adds further splendor and
dignity to the musical legacy of Nina Simone. Prior
to this CD, I was only remotely familiar with
Simone; mainly by virtue of commercial allusions
or literary accounts of her contributions. Also,
I had been listening to this very recording at work
through computer speakers. HOWEVER, once I heard it at
home, out loud and in surround sound, it left me with
no doubt that Nina Simone added irrefutable substance
to the trite expression: "musical genius."

One could write volumes about the voice alone. In my
opinion it was not a beautiful voice, but rather
an essential tool used toward the construction of
a solid, multi-layered musical palace. Simone's
voice is comparable to that of Maria Callas in
the opera realm: not necessarily the most beautiful,
but by far, the most capable of conveying the
emotional stance of the character/composer.
Both singers were highly aware of their
vocal instrument; proficiently utilizing
it to display the dynamics
of love/hate/joy/despair (et al.) with a frank,
virtuoso flair that not only fell pleasantly on
the ears, but also resounded brilliantly with emotional authenticity.
In the jazz realm, Nina Simone, with her majestically
agile contralto, was unsurpassable in terms of
providing color and life to a song.

In perfect conjunction with the voice is
Simone's amazing musicianship. Her classical
piano training envelopes each composition
and sells it, Donald Trump-style. The arrangements
are intelligent, never overpowering, and replete
with a unique jazz/classical hybrid. From the
opening bars of any given composition, the
listener knows that a masterwork is in the making.
I found myself alternately listening to just
the music or the voice alone. Either way,
the result is the same. Simone's style
adds that subtle element of "cool" that makes
jazz so unspeakably enjoyable.

I could also comment on her life as an activist
or as a staunch supporter of artistic freedom,
but I'll concentrate on the music for now.

Nina Simone's "Finest Hour" is a perfect addition
for longtime fans as well as a bright point of
departure for newfound admirers. A five star
rating doesn't measure even a tenth of the
greatness of this CD. Thank you, Amazon.com for
the availability of this recording
and thank you, God, for Nina Simone.

Nina Simone is very real and very Original !!!.......2005-12-22

This is one of my fav albums of all time and she is an excellent singer with a witty flair and even deeper sense for poetry.

She puts a spell on you.......2005-10-18

This CD is worth owning and cherishing if only for one single song--Simone's cover version of Screaming Jay Hawkins's "I Put a Spell on You." Her jazzy vocals are mind-blowing, and the stuttering smokiness of the trumpet solo midway through the song is worth however much money you have to spend. "Nina Simone's Finest Hour" is a perfect and pristine selection of Simone's greatest recordings, and a must have for anyone who has ears to hear with.

1st recording i've heard from Nina.......2005-07-31

It is very rare to find a voice as unique as Nina Simone's. After hearing a few songs by her i knew that i had to go out and buy one of her records. Unfortunately, the local music store only had various greatest hits record. I decided on this one because i had heard Duke Ellington's Finest Hour, and thought that this one may be worth checking out. Though I enjoyed almost every song on this album, I do not know if the tracks were chosen wisely, having never heard many of Nina's work before. As far as greatest hits albums go, I like this one. I hope to find more material from Nina, and maybe find a release of one of her original records.

Average customer rating: Fat Update of the Chicago Blues Sound modern Chicago blues Worth every penny and more 75 minutes of open-mouthed listening

Sadie Mae Nick Moss & the Flip Tops Manufacturer: Blue Bella ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Chicago Blues | Blues | Styles | Music General | Blues | Styles | Music Electric Blues Guitar | Blues | Styles | Music Modern Blues | Blues | Styles | Music Similar Items: Live at Chan's Shades of Blue Nickels & Dimes Got A New Plan Count Your Blessings ASIN: B0009QTRRW Release Date: 2005-06-14

Tracks:

1. Sadie Mae
2. I Never Forget
3. Check My Pulse
4. Just Like That
5. Ridin' At The Ranch
6. One-Eyed Jack
7. Grease Monkey
8. The Money I Make
9. Feel So Ashamed
10. The Coldcut Stomp
11. The Bishop
12. You Got To Lose
13. If I Could Get My Hands On You
14. Crazy Woman Blues
15. Everybody Got To Go
16. Gone Hoggin'

Album Description

Born and raised near Chicago, guitarist/vocalist Moss has effectively captured the classic sound of 1950s-style Chicago blues as exemplified by Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf, Otis Rush and Buddy Guy. Before going out on his own, Nick went to "blues school" by going out on the road and recording with such artists as Jimmy Dawkins, the Legendary Blues Band, Willie "Big Eyes" Smith, Big Bill Morganfield and--most notably--legendary guitarist Jimmy Rogers, who was Nick's primary influence and mentor for the almost three years Nick was in his band as second guitarist.

The album's title refers to Nick's first child, born last May and named after Hound Dog Taylor and John Lee Hooker songs. "Sadie Mae" features 13 original songs, as well as his own smokin' interpretations of songs by Earl Hooker ("You Got to Lose"), Lefty Dizz ("If I Could Get My Hands on You") and Jimmy Rogers ("Crazy Woman Blues").

Nick's previous three albums all received critical acclaim from blues audiences around the globe, and his last two albums, Count Your Blessings (2003) and Got a New Plan (2001) both earned him W.C. Handy Award nominations. His band, the Flip Tops, includes some of the best young blues players around, including keyboardist Bob Welsh (Charlie Musselwhite, Rusty Zinn), harmonica player/guitarist Gerry Hundt, bassist Dave Wood and drummer Victor Spann. Out front and center is the incendiary guitar and vocals of Nick Moss, himself, who transports the listener back in time to a Southside juke joint with a few guitar licks or moanin' vocals.

Customer Reviews:

Fat Update of the Chicago Blues Sound.......2006-02-14

This is a great, great blues album. Nick and his band have a fat blues sounds that is heavily influenced by the Chicago Blues masters, but is has a very modern and fresh sound to it. Nick paid his dues playing for Jimmy Rogers and in the Lendary Blues band. This album see Nick come of age and into his own. Album was nominated for Blues Album of the year by the Blues Foundation and when you hear it you will understand why. It should have won IMHO!. I have not been this excited about a new blues artist since Stevie Ray and Texas Flood. This is a great blues album with excellent guitar playing and very good supporting band. Album is solid throughout and title track sounds best played loud. Also check out Nick's 'Got a New Plan' for another get new blues album. Nick is the real deal - You will not be disappointed.

modern Chicago blues.......2006-02-06

If you like Chicago-style blues, you gotta get this CD. This one covers all the styles with modern, fresh, clever lyrics; a tight band with killer keyboards; killer harp; and killer guitar playing. And lots of music for the buck (there's 16 tracks!). This is the best CD yet from Nick Moss and the Flip Tops. Go get it!

Worth every penny and more.......2005-12-16

I listen to a lot of blues, and have been playing blues guitar for 10 years. My main influences are Warren Haynes, Muddy Waters, T-bone Walker, John Lee Hooker, Buddy Guy, Duke Robillard, Ronnie Earl, Kenny "Blue" Ray, and Jimmy D. Lane among others. And now I can add Nick Moss to that list. In fact, he blows them all away if you ask me.

I had the pleasure (and luck) to see Nick Moss play live at the Waterfront Blues Festival in Portland Oregon a few years back, and he was the best performer there that day. Junior Watson, Phil Guy, and Kenny "Blue" Ray were there that same day but Nick Moss was the show stopper. This album is a real testament to how he sounds live.

His other albums are good but this one is great. If you enjoy blues at all, you are sure to love Nick Moss & the Flip Tops. You shouldn't call yourself a fan of blues music until you've heard this CD, because you're missing the best part of it all.

75 minutes of open-mouthed listening.......2005-06-16

Sadie Mae - the new album of Nick Moss & the Flip Tops - is certainly one of the greatest Blues events of this summer. 75 minutes of open-mouthed listening. With more evidence than ever Nick Moss demonstrates how contemporary may sound the tradition-based Chicago Blues. More than that - though, in the liner note, he affirms not to be "trying to take blues to the next level", - he does take the real, authentic Blues up to the level of classical music, where the words "old" and "new", "now" and "then" loose their sense in the face of an everlasting beauty. A not to miss album for all Blues lovers. Even more for those who aren't - these 75 minutes will make them change their mind!

Average customer rating: A Time Capsule of Superb Music! One of the greatest Christian singers of my time Vocalist of vocalists! Finest Moment is to Listen to Sandi Patty Her voice is that of an angel....

The Finest Moments Sandi Patti Manufacturer: Sony ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Christian & Gospel | Styles | Music Gospel | Christian & Gospel | Styles | Music Christian Contemporary Music | Christian & Gospel | Styles | Music General | Adult Contemporary | Pop | Styles | Music Similar Items: Hymns of Faith: Songs of Inspiration A Morning Like This Duets Make His Praise Glorious Yuletide Joy ASIN: B0000027PU Release Date: 1991-09-10

Tracks:

1. How Magestic Is Your Name
2. Exalt The Name
3. In The Name Of The Lord
4. The Day He Wore My Crown
5. Pour On The Power
6. They Could Not
7. More Than Wonderful
8. The Home Of The Lord
9. How Great Thou Art
10. Upon This Rock
11. O Magnify The Lord
12. Via Dolorosa
13. We Shall Behold Him
14. The Stage Is Bare

Customer Reviews:

A Time Capsule of Superb Music!.......2006-04-16

The Sandi Patti "I" years, have a "Greatest Hits" album. Finest Moments brings together Sandi's best work from her most prolific decade in Christian Music. From start to finish, this album brings the best music from her finest albums from 1979 to 1989. By today's standards, this album is dated; hence Sandi changed her last name back to "Patty" in 1995. However, Sandi never fails to bring her fans the utmost best and this album does NOT disappoint. If you want a high powered album full of richly orchestrated songs, powerful lyrics that praise the power god, this is for you.

One of the greatest Christian singers of my time.......2004-12-29

This is just a showcase of some the greatest Christian songs, sung by one the greatest Christian singers. That voice... magnificent!!!

Vocalist of vocalists!.......2004-05-20

Some have called her the Barbra Streisand of Christian music but Sandi Patty has pipes that blow any singer off any American Idol stage. Int his collection, she shows her amazing control over her voice. From slow ballads to upbeat hymns to grand hymns, she can belt when she needs to and knows when to pull back.

She adds an extra dimension to the songs through the conviction in her voice. Truly, she had been blessed with a voice from God.

Finest Moment is to Listen to Sandi Patty.......2003-09-12

When I first heard Christian artist, Sandi Patty "Lift Up the Lord' album in the late 80s, I was so mesmerized by the beauty and simplicity of her voice. It was the sound of angels singing from heaven. I was hooked from then on. She's that phenomenal. Sorry, Amy Grant fans, but Sandi Patty beats her by a landslide. It broke my heart about her plight in her personal life that rocked her singing career. It was at the height of this Grammy and Dove award winner's climb to success. But, thank the wonderful grace of a Loving God, Sandi Patty still sends chills down your spine. The album includes her #1 song, "How Majestic is Your Name" and "They Could Not" (both from the 'Lift Up the Lord' album). Too bad that "He'll Hold Your Heart" didn't make it on this album. "Upon This Rock," "O Magnify the Lord" and "More Than Wonderful" (duet with Larnelle Harris) will give you goosebumps. Get the adrenaline flowing with "Pour on the Power." "We Shall Behold Him" a great song of hope and a great message that one day we will all behold the Lord Jesus in the air. "Via Dolorosa" is a beautiful tale of Jesus' journey of the Cross from the street of sorrows to the hills of Calvary to be crucified. WOW! what an album and a God-gifted singer all wrapped up in one package. I guarantee that you'll fall in love with the Lord after hearing this! GUARANTEED!

Her voice is that of an angel...........2003-01-01

I bought this for the first time back in the early 90's...I have worn it out twice and now buying it again. This CD is timeless and I don't care where you stand with the Lord.....If you listen he will come!!!! :) Thank you Sandi Patti and thank you Jesus for giving us Sandi Patti.

Rap Music:

1. The Ghost of Fashion
2. The Golden Morning Breaks [Enhanced]
3. The Muse Awakens
4. The Other Side
5. The Return of the Clerkenwell Kid
6. The String Quartet Tribute to 311
7. They Make Beer Commercials Like This
8. This Perfect World
9. Too Much Guitar
10. Too Old to Rock: Too Young Die [Original recording remastered]

Rap Music

rap music

Recommended Music:

The Northwest Battle of the Bands, Vol. 2: Knock You Flat!

Bentzon: Chamber Music

Blowin Away [Import]

Music: Will the Circle Be Unbroken 2

Best Impression [CD-single] [Import]

Bomb the Bass

Fearless [Enhanced]

Circus Girl

Batucada [Import] [Limited Edition] [Original recording remastered]

Baker Plays Chausson, Berlioz & Schoenberg

Best of Jazz Greats

As Times Goes by: The Best of Sentimental Favorites

Bodrum Hits [Import]

Giuseppe Becce: The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (Music for the Silent Movie)

Anthology