Wonderfully eclectic music!
921454
I saw the ARQ, first time, at a small bar in North Carolina....I went with a friend who had previously seen them. He told me...'this might be the best band you've ever seen'.....He was right!

I was blown away, to say the least. If you are a fan of 'jam bands' or fusion, or a rock musician, this will be a gem in your CD collection. I would tell my friends that the cats in ARQ are 'the BEST at what they play'...and I would challenge anyone to listen to the disc and dispute this. Jimmy Herring on the guitar is like a Steve Morse clone and is freakin' killing on his solos...Oteil Burbridge is a bass GOD, Matt Munday (where'd you go?) doubles J. Herring on mandolin (yes, MANDOLIN!) and Apt. Q holds it all together with his behemoth groove on drums. I saw the Dave Matthews band open up for ARQ and was sad for DMB as they couldn't compare, (and I like DMB).
This disc stands on it's own, and serves as a good stepping off point to follow the careers of some extraordinary musicians.
4613692
Although this is a somewhat eclectic collection and the music varies greatly, one thing they all have in common is a lovely voice that is oh so easy to listen to. I bought this CD for one track in particular but as I listen to the CD, I find myself enjoying each track a little more each time I hear it and my favorite track changes over time.
2760703
I first heard this album in High School(boarding school), when one of my roommates played this CD at bedtime.  He had eclectic tastes to say the least and is responsible for me getting into Nine Inch Nails and other...more interesting bands.  So it's odd that he'd have music like this in his collection.  Anyway, I've always been one to listen to a wide variety of music myself, and we swapped many CDs during the years I was away.  To this day Goddess stands out as one of my favorite relaxation CDs.  I put this CD on when I am giving and receiving massages, studying, chilling with friends, going to sleep.  It's surprisingly versatile.  The tracks themselves are all very different, but blend well together.  I think that Goddess is best enjoyed in one listen rather than picking out individual tracks to listen to.

I recommend this to anyone with eclectic music tastes who appreciates new age, piano, meditation music.  This will likely become a regular fixture in your collection.
410054
I was given this CD as a present and I've listened to it quite a few times during my commutes to and from work and I'd have to say there is quite a diversity of music on this album. This is one of those CDs that I will be playing at my apartment while entertaining guests, relatives, and friends.
2852990
For all of us who would like to have some background music just to hang around the house... this is perfect music.
However, if you're into "chill music" for whatever reasons, this will do; just turn down the volume a bit.
As a compilation, these discs works well. Between St. Germain, Norah Jones singing Bryan Ferry, and the (now)unfortunately named "Slow Bombing The World", you'll be ready for Disc 2.
Medeski, Martin and Wood open the second disc with "The Dropper", one of their classics.
You'll almost finish the second CD (which is very good) with US3 playing one of the most requested songs *anywhere*...Cantaloop ("Flip Fantasia"). Warning! This is *without* the "biddy, biddy bop...funky, funky..."
But between the funky tunes are lo-fi hip hop, a bit of soul, a touch of jazz...this 2 CD set is an awful lot of fun and well worth the money!
2678566
Great stuff!  I like the mix in this album. Very good range of choices.
2407798
The music on the album is outstanding, very refreshing, very different, and dare I say hypnotic or meditative. I enjoyed all cuts on the CD; however, two cuts really appeal to my ear, Low and Tell You. The album is very well balanced and mixed. It is a work that Jack and BSL can be really proud of!! I will play it for my fellow musicians here in Austin, Texas and I hope it is picked up by our local Indie radio stations.
1427012
I love this group!!! If you enjoy good alternative music and good visual display, this could be an excellent DVD to add to your collection. The instrumentation is eclectic & the voice or voices in harmony are quite pleasant. Great selections, original & traditional.
1450055
This album is absolutely amazing with the diversity of music and creative arrangements.  Van Hunt's music often reminds me of old school 1970's funk R&B, though he never limits himself to that particular sound.  He rocks out like a modern day Jimi Hendrix (without the intricate guitar playing) on "Ride, Ride, Ride," but also shows softer sides on tracks like "Being a Girl."  "If I Take You Home (Upon)" and "Suspicion (She Knows Me Too Well)" make me want to dance to their smooth beats.  Actually, most every song just sounds so smooth to me, the kind of music I hear in a low-key party or would play on a long road trip.

It is extremely difficult to put Hunt's sound into words because it he combines such eclectic tunes with meaningful lyrics, creating a highly addictive sophomore album.  This one will not leave my CD player in the next few months that is certain.
3146447
I found this album fantastically diverse. Although some songs are better than others, it's still the kind of cd you can listen to from beginning to end. It is one of the most creative things i have heard in a long time.  Tracks 4, 5, and 6 are great.
4237052
Absolutely beautiful music!  It's right up there with some of Lou Harrison's pieces.  This album is quite varied too, with straight gamelan pieces that suggest the mellow Javanese tradition, pieces which include violin, upbeat percussive pieces, and a drone piece that is quite compelling if you like that sort of thing (I do).  I recommend this album highly if you enjoy the lush sounds of gentle gamelan or if you would like to try something new.  It stands out amongst similar recordings in the genre.
3329859
This is an amazing album!  The combination of talent, musicianship, and artistry on this album is startling.  It is a perfect blend of classical, rock, blues, jazz, and folk influences; there is really something for everyone here.  One cannot listen to this album without getting lost in the music.  As a fellow composer and string player, I highly recommend Uncommon Ritual.
1950421
I've heard Joshua Bell perform on several occasions and have always admired his playing, though it has all been classical music.  This album gives the listener all the sides of Joshua Bell, not just the classical, but a diverse range of pieces with some amazing artists such as Chris Botti, Anoushka Shankar and Kristin Chenoweth.  Each piece has its own personality and showcases Bell's amazing musical skills (as always, I am highly impressed with his tone and technical passages).  Though I did find one or two of the pieces a bit odd, overall this is a great album filled with great music!
1779580
What I love most of this album is the great diversity of styles created by the different composers of this album. My favorite songs are
 1) Blue Bells
 2) Csardas
 3) Liesbald (or however you spell  it)

Anyway, I'm playing Blue Bells of Scotland this year for my UIL  solo and ensemble competition next spring, and I have found it to be  immensely helpful in determining styles, etc. Of course, it is also  discouraging knowing somebody could be so much better than me :)  Christian  Lindberg is truly a fabulous artist!
1935707
Very different music!  It's like taking a trip in a foreign country.  Overall, eclectic interesting sound meshed together with a catchy rhythm.  Try it, you might like it!
3068359
This album has the diversity and greatness that is rarely found anymore.  Truly one of those albums that the more I listen too it, the more I recognize I will be sharing many more hours with it.  Over and over and over..yeah!
4384326
Volume IV brings smiles to my face with its wide, fun selection of tunes.

I LOVE seeing "I Love Lucy" in here and other TV themes.
A really eclectic mix all the way from "I Feel Good" by James Brown
to fusion tunes by Mike Stern, Chick Corea, plus plenty of big
band classics, standards, pop songs, Bill Evans tunes, obscure jazz tunes,
 "Minute by Minute" by the Doobies, etc, etc,  a great mix.

And a bunch of tunes that were missing from previous Hal Leonard
Real Book volumes (when compared to the original underground Real Book) are now
included, like "Days of Wine and Roses", "A Foggy Day", and others.

The only truly weird thing is the 2 page lead sheet for KoKo
by Charlie Parker omits the 'head'.  It has the composed
interludes, it has the chords but omits Bird's melody of KoKo.
Every bebop fan and musician knows KoKo has a wonderful, composed melody, not just
solos as shown here.  It's like a page is missing, but the pages are numbered correctly.
There are plenty of other Charlie Parker tunes that ARE included,
with correct melody, so .... a minor mystery... or error...