this is a wonderful nostalgic album with tango style and retro goodness
356847
this is a wonderful nostalgic album with tango style and retro goodness. I purchased this after hearing "Mavi Kelebek" because his voice sounded like my grandfather's.
249320
Back in the 1960s one day, I'm relaxing in the college library and find this 10-year-old LP in the stacks. Like many of my generation, I loved folk music and thought I'd give it a try.

I didn't speak Spanish (still don't, but intend to learn in my retirement, now that I live in San Antonio). That was no hurdle at all, with the printed lyrics and their translation letting me follow along.

Some songs almost made me weep.

All the songs are by a blind cafe singer, Alfonso Cruz Jiminez, accompanied only by his (excellent) guitar and occasionally his wife.

The memory of that album stayed with me for almost fifty years.

Then one day a few months ago, the album came to mind again. A few minutes online let me find it. (At the Smithsonian website, but buying it here at Amazon should be just as good.)

Playing the CD, I was taken back in time to that 18-year-old kid who could get so excited so easily so often.

But I'm confident saying this album will enchant those of any age who love good music.

I feel honored to be the first (maybe ultimately the only) to review and recommend this album. Who will know to look for it?

But it's my feeble way of returning the love, the thrill I got those many years ago.
3830176
Spandau Ballet's album `Gold' is really all that! Gold has all the great tracks from the 80's & 90's. When I first opened the album I was thrilled to see a six page cover insert with photos of the Spandau gang from their early teen years and an intriguing band biography. The tracks `Gold' and `True' are my favorite tracks because they have a smooth glowing glam-pop sound bursting with Kemp's retro-whining vocal style (which is indicative of the early 80's). The sound and mood of 'Gold' is similar to that of some of the tracks on (My Friends Left Me for Dead).  If you are a Spandau Ballet fan, this album is a must-have and a fine collection piece.
4402374
This album will be of great sentimental value to people like myself who grew up with the Oral Roberts Ministries. My grandma was an ardent follower and she took advantage of everything on offer from ORM books, magazines, music you name we got it. Listening to this album takes me back to days of my childhood, when life was slow and everything seemed so perfect, you won't jump for joy listening to this music, but if you can identify with Oral Roberts Ministries it is worth having for sentimental reasons !
1084076
I stumbled across this album while looking for something else. I was familiar with Ken Peplowski's work and of course I remembered Tommy Newsom from the Carson Tonight Show (more on that later). After listening to the samples, I knew I had to have it. The arrangements here remind me so much of the classic recordings by Al Cohn and Zoot Sims, which I could listen to for hours on end. That's why I call this album a throwback -- they just don't make many records like this anymore. The combination of Tin Pan Alley standards and a swinging style give this album a truly classic feel. I especially enjoyed Tommy's and Ken's take on Horace Silver's "Opus de Funk," Tommy's own "Titter Pipes," and the dreamy Buddy Kaye/Billy Reid ballad "I'll Close My Eyes."
A personal note about Tommy Newsom: Not only is he a top-notch musician and arranger, but he's also a very nice man. Way too many years ago, when the Carson show was taped in New York, my girlfriend and I (on our high school senior trip) were in the lobby of 30 Rock after the show was over. Being musicians, we wanted to meet some of the band members, particularly Doc Severinsen, Ed Shaugnessy, and Tommy. We got our wish, but Tommy actually took a few minutes to chat with a couple of starry-eyed teenagers when I'm sure all he wanted to do was go home and eat dinner. Tommy, if you read this, we appreciated your kindness and remember it to this day.
There's no new ground broken on this album, but who cares? The joy is in listening to Tommy Newsom and Ken Peplowski play off of each other and their bandmates. Enjoy!
2759881
I am a bit embarrassed that I am discovering this brilliant album so late.  This is really an incredibly arty little 50's project.  This is real Jazz.  There is almost no commercial kitsch here, and the commercial considerations which are here are so charming and rhythmically interesting that they go down like delicious bits of confectionary.  Lots of wonderful fun 50's Latin percussion here but without any of the banality that one sometimes runs into in other singers Latin treatments from this era.  At times Tony's syncopated vocal delivery sounds almost like a very early ancestor leading toward the development of Rap Music.  Nothing too loud here though.  Just lots of fun Latin rhythmic sophistication along with Tony's great vocals with much intimate subtlety and precision.  Although he had many, this is truly one of Mr. Bennett's Classic albums from the Fifties.  I wouldn't be surprised if it wasn't a popular success as there is real uncompromising musicianship being presented here, in place of something easier and more accessible.  Luckily... in this amazing new world we live in we can simply order this brilliant recording from Amazon, which I would highly recommend everyone who loves Tony Bennett, the Jazz singer, to do right away.
3273139
I just received this album in the mail today, and boy am I happy!  The songs are delightfully funky and energetic.  This is the type of jazz that I miss.  I only wish that my parents would have bought this album back in 1992.  It's very emotional and spunky music that only a talented jazz musician can bring you.  I'm not too sure if this music is "Jazz Fusion"; there really is no such thing as a jazz-rock singer.  Yet this album does combine different styles of music with jazz.  If you like jazz that has a heavy influence of R&B/Funk/Pop, then you will like this one.  I would also recommend that you buy this album off of Pauline Wilson's website.  I bought it from her website and it only costed me a little over $18 for a brand new one! Hopefully Pauline continues to make funky jazz music.  May God bless her beautiful soul!
2446224
This is a marvelous album, not only are the songs fantastic but you see all the elements that made early calypso what it is as it emerged as an international art form. Take the 1st track "when a man is poor" and track 9 "if you're brown" both are scathing attacks on poverty and subtle classism respectivley, that was rampant at the time and fortunately is less prevalent (although still existent today), what is also typical of these songs and the genre of that early era was the use of established jazz idioms and popular music the two songs' melodies could easily be waltzes! "cricket champions" shows the improvisory roots where claypsonians would often have impromptu battles at cricket matches, creating lyrics and melodies on the fly with only a banjo and drums as back up! The rest of the songs are equally enjoyable "trouble in arima", "old lady walk a mile and half" like most of Kitch's songs lend themselves easily to steel band arrangments and orchestral manipulation. A cheeky, classic showing his beautiful, classy and tasteful use of double entendre (something lacking in many of today calypsonians)is found in "Doctor Kitch" The other songs e.g "Nora" have equal value and are also great for just dancing.

All in all this is fantastic album on all fronts, as a window into to the past showing Kitch's genius, the evolution of the art form and the early influences that forged calypso into what it is today and as a great way to wine the waist and dance.

Enjoy!!
2609445
Best mood music, wonderful loving tunes stroll down memory lane.
2178343
E Got a Light, Mac has quite a few vintage songs about smoking that have great beats and there's even music for dancing on this album! Many of the songs are pretty positive about smoking; and of course that's a reflection of days gone by. The sound quality is excellent and the artwork and casework is excellent.

"Smoking Woman On The Street" by Rev. Gates starts this album off with a pretty old recording; Rev. Gates performs this well using his excellent diction and his excellent sense of timing. The woman in the song is also doing a great job. Tex Williams contributes an excellent number with his vintage tune named "Smoke, Smoke, Smoke That Cigarette!" The chorus background singers do a great job of harmonizing and Tex Williams delivers this without a single superfluous note! I really like "Smoke, Smoke, Smoke That Cigarette!" and I think that you will, too. It's a campy, fun song from back in the day when smoking was considered unequivocally "cool."

"Dim Lights, Thick Smoke" suffers from some surface noise; this song by Maddox Brothers & Rose celebrates the joys of a life--with cigarettes and plenty more to smoke, of course. The guitar work is very well done and they harmonize to perfection--and beyond! Maddox Brothers & Rose do this tune really well; and it's a major highlight of this album. In addition, there's also "A Cigarette & A Silhouette" by the great Mildred Bailey. Mildred sings of how the cigarette "helps (her) dream" of good times with her man and other people, too. Mildred Bailey was quite a character; but she could sing with the best of them and it's a crying shame that Mildred Bailey isn't better remembered these days the way she deserves to be remembered.

Peggy Lee also weighs in with a famous number entitled "Don't Smoke In Bed." "Don't Smoke In Bed" features Peggy Lee squarely front and center--right where she belongs! Peggy sings an opening verse to this song; and when she goes into the main lyrics of this tune it absolutely takes flight! Peggy Lee could make anything sound good. The Mills Brothers also do an excellent job as they deliver "Smoke Rings" with their characteristic panache and they harmonize well just as they always did.

Billy Briggs does "Chew Tobacco Rag Pt. 1" and "Chew Tobacco Rag Pt. 2;" these two numbers have a great beat that will leave you tapping your toes on the floor; it's a fun two numbers and that's excellent. Hank Penny & His Radio Cowboys also shine on "Tobacco Swing State;" this has great fiddle work and the music even hints at a fine swing beat that is irresistible. The CD ends well, too, with The Sons Of The Pioneers performing "Cigareets & Whuskey & Wild, Wild Women."

Overall, this is a great album of vintage songs about smoking. The melodies are very catchy for the most part and although you shouldn't smoke you can still have fun listening to these tunes over and over again!
1765081
Back in the day, this was my absolute favorite disco song (That's the Meaning!), Souvenirs was another fav . I had the album and it rarely left my turntable :-)

So glad they remastered it and of course i scooped it up right away at this price.

If you remember, hanging out at Decameron's on LI or Uncle Sams, you will love this CD, really brought back memories of my ahem....younger days; ones that I am glad I was alive for!  What a time that was and what great music.
3794938
Bric-A-Bric is a very fun, colorful, and inventive record, and I love the whole retro feel it has to it.
3604000
When this album first came out in the 80s I purchased it and loved the entire album of music. I do not know what happened to me original LP, but was sad when it disappeared. Now that I have this album once more, I am happy to listen and become quite nostalgic for those good times again.
3206636
Some of the reviews here are very nostalgic for old Rush, really old Rush. I got into them during the Roll the Bones era, and not being very aware in their early days (seeing as I either wasn't alive or was very wee) I look back at the older stuff and think "some of it rocks, some is quite silly". This is a very good album and not at all silly or pretentious. The lyrics are intelligent and thoughtful, in a way that Roll the Bones was. And the music rocks. I just saw this album played live in concert and it was awesome. I am looking forward to more stuff like this!
1077627
Yes, a lot of the fashion and music is dated But the dancing is always amazing to see over and over again!
1790935
You cannot help but enjoy Fred Astaire, Ginger Rogers and the nostalgia of such a great musical song and dance production.
889131
The old man, the witty Italian songwriter, is at it again with a new album whose title, Snob, is itself funny. This album is less introspective than those of a few years ago, returning to the form most of us encountered in that Nonesuch anthology of 1996. Paolo Conte strings associative, sometimes poetic phrases together in his tunes, allowing us to fill in the gaps. This time, thankfully, the lyrics are included in package notes in Italian and in English. Conte plays piano, hums his own horns, and has an orchestra for interludes and accents. The music is continental, nostalgic of more elegant, more optimistic times of yore, like the 1950s, as mentioned in the song Tropical. His voice is strained loud whispering and full of wisdom and experience, imagined or otherwise. The second track, Woman with The Aroma of Coffee, speaks more about rich and dark Italian coffee than the love of a woman. "Argentina" conjures our romantic notions about Buenos Aires and sexy tangos. Fandango, which is associated with Spain, does not have a flamenco sound, but it does have flamenco sentiments and the lines are indeed poetic: "if you forget me/sleep and the stars will tell you what you want/what you want to feel. The foxtrot Encounter is next, with touches of romantic longing. His Maracas is his impressions of Cuba -- "half baroque, a sort of collage, part Alhambra mostly garage" -- with an appropriate Cuban beat. And then there is Miss Soap who is "Miss supple philosophy/platonic, but also physic-al!/yes, physic-al, allergoric-al!/as she waltzes and/overacts and struts" And so forth. This album is simply wonderful.