Stirring, fantastic music!
930636
I absolutely adore Stanley Black's music. I've had the vinyl album for many years & treasured it while I hounded the music industry to release it on CD. At last! A few years ago they finally did. This copy is a back-up or a gift.
The dancer's clacking heels in the flamenco segments, the clicking of castanets, the stirring music, all will transport you to Espana and a dazzling flamenco performance in a smoky cafe. You'll love it too.
4208406
I love this music. Fantastic compositions and arrangements. Mesmerizing...
4560527
The very first time I heard a recording from this CD was on NPR several years ago, and it featured excerpts from the Cyrillus Kreek piece. Needless to say, I was in awe of what I heard and consequently had to get the CD. It was one of the most worthwhile purchases I ever made!

The choir performs with ubiquitous energy and notable vigor when a selection would require it. Furthermore, there are many contrasting works featured on this disc, from the ethereal Cyrillus Kreek selection, to the folk-inspired Spring Song and other, more avant-garde repertoire.

It may be the case that one will not instantly fall in love with every single track on this disc, but I would make a case for the fact that there are a number of universally appealing choral works on this disc that, next to the somewhat affordable price, would certainly warrant the purchase!
301301
I heard Chris Berry & Panjea last night at the Rochester International Jazz Festival, and had to buy the CD (even though I was slightly over my music budget). The music pulled me in on multiple levels. First, there is the rhythm that compels you to move. The lyrics are deceptively simple, but hypnotic, and you find yourself repeating them as you move. Finally, you begin to think about the spirit that is moving you, what the sounds and words are saying; there are some direct, thought provoking ideas here about kindness, tolerance, and compassion (for ourselves and others). This is centering music that energizes and empowers you. I am going to play this CD a lot!
2693474
This CD features Le Concert Spirituel  (consisting of both orchestra and an all female choir) performing Vivaldis Gloria (RV 589), Laetatus Sum (RV 607), Magnificat (RV 610A), and Lauda Jerusalem (RV 609).

Gloria is a 12 movement work, with each movement being a short vocal rendition of a brief passage of the text, giving the work a fascinating and pleasing feel as the textual material is sung.  Particularly pleasing for me were the 6th movement (Domine Deus) and the 11th movement (Quoniam Tu Solus Sanctus), the phrasing and active energy being just a delight to experience.

Laetatus Sum (RV 607) is a short one movement work, while Magnificat (RV 610A) is 9 pleasing movements, with the 6th being my favorite due to the vocal gymnastics called for by the composer and the delightful accompaniment of the theorbo.  All 1 minute and 48 seconds of the 8th movement (Sicut Locutus) is also wonderful from the first note to the last.

Finally, Lauda Jerusalem (RV 609) brings the recording to a fitting close with an energetic rendition (by both the choir and the members of the orchestra  this is energy, energy, energy!) of this one movement work that had this listener bobbing his head and tapping his foot.  Gorgeous!

The liner notes are well written, and provide background on both Vivaldi and the performance practices of the period, explaining the all female choir and the use of altos being doubled with bass instruments.  This is a beautiful recording, and the music is energetically stunning.  I like *everything* about this CD, and for those with a penchant for the vocal works of Vivaldi, you will love this disc.  Highly recommended!
1042194
No question about it: this is my current favorite CD of Irish music, and I don't say that lightly. The selection of tunes is diverse, rich, and continually interesting, and the performances are strong all round. The singer, Brian Hart, has a gorgeous tenor voice; he sings in both Irish and English, and uses a gentle touch on the vibrato. His vocal ornaments are precise and stylistically appropriate. The group clearly spent considerable energy achieving a solid balance between the instruments, and the instrumental blend is quite effective. This CD is full of lift, life, and fine bls! I highly recommend it.
2197304
This is a beautiful CD with stunningly-performed music.  For the bassoon aficionado, you will recognize Leclair's wonderful technique and smooth, full, resonant sound. For those who just love great music, you are in for a treat with a well-rounded selection of music that is relaxing, exhilarating, and peaceful all at once.  The harp/bassoon piece, especially, was a delightful surprise! Fill out your listening collection with this great CD!
4489014
Estonian composer Erkki-Sven T&uuml;&uuml;r (b. 1959) started his musical career in a progressive rock group, but the music on this disk is quite far removed from that style. Indeed, it is difficult to categorize T&uuml;&uuml;r's music. It is clearly contemporary, but yet has elements of many musical eras as structural elements, but yet without at all sounding like a mere concatenation of styles. This is music that is boldly original, striking in sonority, and although it may seem off-putting at first hearing, it is very, very compelling, pulling the listener into a new universe of sound. The first few measures of the first cut, Architectonics VI, announce that this is music not quite like anything else you have heard before. The five selections on this CD vary in musical style and setting, ranging from orchestral to chamber to choral settings, but all are filled with vision, imagination, and wonder. How exciting and wonderful to it is to herald a major new composer!
3716044
This superb live CD (recorded at the 1974 Concord Jazz Festival) combines all any jazz lover could want- good sound, an enthusiastic crowd, minimal but entertaining patter, fabulous musicianship, and great tunes - from classical to ragtime to funky South American sound.  The strings, drums, berimbau, and especially Bud Shank's liquidly-melodic flute make this a sweet ride.  If you appreciate good music, you will seriously dig this regardless of genre preferred because it's lush, well-executed and joyous.  Real craftsmanship at work here!
3461084
Wow! What a show! What a music! I didn't know this ballet yet. Exciting music... exciting and moving performances by the dancers Carlos Acosta, Nina Kaptsova and Maria Allash. Conductor Pavel Klinichev has done justice to the score. In the end, the story brought me to tears. Wonderful, wonderful music! HAIL KHATCHATURIAN!!!
1786207
Such a fun recording!  Sean Kennedy's composition is filled with exciting moments, driving rhythms, and sweeping melodies.  The performance by the orchestra is stellar as well.  Highly recommended!
1858985
Oh, this is a superb album! I love Mr. Turner's elegant and fast playing, reminiscent of Joe Henderson. The bass of Joe Martin and the drums of Marcus Gilmore are a fantastic team (They were also on Chris Potter's latest album, "The Dreamer is the Dream" in the same Avatar recording studios for ECM a couple of years after this one.) The amazingly fluid and inventive trumpet playing of Avashai Cohen, wide range, facile and brilliant technique, adds to the crystal clear mix. Do check this out! Mr. Turner is making some terrific music!
1493398
This 2-cd set is filled to the brim with music (each disc contains ~75 minutes of audio). Many of the tracks found on here are simply live versions of their most popular tracks on their albums. If you've only heard the cd versions of their other songs, you will adore this album from start to finish, because the live versions tend to have a different sound and feel. It's neat that the album was recorded all over the world, and sometimes you can hear it in the way the audience sings.

One of the missions of this album was to call God's people to action: to start loving the world and being the hands and feet of our awesome saviour (hence the title "The I Heart Revolution"). I love how the booklet lists James 1:27 so prominently ("Religion to our father that is pure and faultless is this: to care for orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world"). I have often thought on this verse and realized that our love for the Lord, that we can experience through praise and worship, does not stop just with God; it manifests itself in love of God's people too, even those we have never met.

Most of the tracks are very well done (the intro to The Time Has Come sends chills down my back and gets you into it!)... one note of caution: I will say that I don't find this version of Hosanna to be that good. It doesn't add anything to what you've heard in AOTA or SK. Also, a couple glaring absences in this album include One Thing In Your Freedom (both from Saviour King), and Lead Me to the Cross. Otherwise, everything you'd want is here.
447366
This CD is an absolute MUST for those who love praise and worship music.  It'll move you.  It will take you beyond the veil.  Wonderfully soul stirring!
1213407
The few selections offered here don't do their music justice! I met the members of Winiaypa in 1995 and heard them play on the boardwalk at Venice Beach California, I fell in LOVE with thier music! There is a truly magically quality to thier instrumentals - although I must admit I don't much care for their singing. I bought their CD that day, it is entitled;"Sueos - Los Chacras Vol 3 - Music From The Andes". If you ever come across this little gem, GRAB IT! ....;-)  You'll be instantly transported to your "happy place" by the lovely haunting sounds of harps and pan flutes. (You get the feeling I like this music? ;-)  I'm picking up this CD today, I'll probably skip the over their singing, but you always have to dig to get to the buried treasure. ;-)
610879
The Spirituality of this music is INCREDIBLY FANTASTIC!  IT SOOTHES, IT CALMS AND IT MINISTERS TO THE LISTENER(S), MIND BODY, AND SOUL.  I PERSONALLY THINK OF IT, AS AN ABSOLUTELY GREAT CHOICE FOR A CD PURCHASE.
180599
I'm generally not a fan of solo piano (or even piano duets!) but this album is fantastic.  The passion and creativity of the playing makes one of those rare discs that one can listen to over and over and over again without it losing any of its freshness.  Particularly breathtaking is "La Fiesta" on the 2nd disc, performed by Herbie Hancock, with its allusions to the Spanish Civil War song "Venga Jaleo."  The melodic themes of that song received previous prodigious treatment by John Coltrane on "Ole," another disc I recommend as a must-have.
This disc will also appeal to your friends who say they "don't like jazz" and is a good one to play when they come over.