Jorge A. Luhrs can eat at the same dinner table with J. Williams and Hans Zimmer!
348554
Along with "El Vuelo del guila" from Daniel Catn (Mexican) and "<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/Maktub-Trilha-E-Temas-De-O-Clone/dp/B000065AMV/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">Maktub: Trilha E Temas De O Clone</a>" from Marcus Viana (Brazilian), this soundtrack proves that there's strong talent in the Hispanic America.
La Antorcha Encendida is a perfect soundtrack with profound choruses ("Pedro de Soto"); emotive and heroic military hymns that perfectly describes the beginning of our Independence War ("La Campana de Dolores"); ethnic sounds from all of the races that forms the New Spain - Mexico ("Huapango Mestizo") and of course, the love, passion and hate themes that describes the feelings between fiction and non fictional characters of this beautifully done Mexican Telenovela.
A great soundtrack worthy to be collected!
954033
If you were an average, middle-class kid growing up in the 50's through the 70's or so, chances are you probably had yourself a Swanson TV dinner more than a few times.  Funny thing was that we never really considered them to be a cheap eat.  We used to think these full dinners in the aluminum trays were the coolest things as we'd whip out the TV trays and plop in our favorite chairs to eat our Turkey, meat loaf, fried chicken, or Salisbury Steak TV dinners, while watching our favorite shows.

"Just Heat it `n' Eat it" by Adeena Sussman traces the history of convenience foods as they began to be produced for the pantry, refrigerator, or freezer, initially after World War II, but particularly into the 50's with families on the go.  The first chapter deals with boxed and single ingredient foods, many of which are still around today and relatively unchanged.  Nescafe Instant Coffee, Aunt Jemima Pancake Mix, Frozen concentrated juices, Starkist Tuna, Minute Rice, and Lipton boxed soups are just a few of the foods represented, all with period ads or packaging.  I still wonder what Underwood Deviled Ham tastes like!

Chapter two gets into the heat and eat foods with a history of the Swanson TV dinner, first invented as a means to use up surplus turkey.  The turkey dinner was always my favorite with the slices of turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, and cranberries (a later addition).  Frozen dinners are still around and with greater quality and variety than ever, but sadly the aluminum tray is long gone.  Other foods features are canned goods like Franco American spaghetti, Dinty Moore Beef Stew, Campbell's Soups, and Hormel Chili.  Again, it's amazing how many of these foods are still around in basically the same style as they were 40 years ago or more, although one that I have never seen is Armour BBQ ribs in a can.  I'm assuming that one didn't go over real well.

The third chapter is about everyday products from the pantry that could be used by the housewife to whip up creative and tasty meals such as recipes using Campbell's soups, and Jello molds.  One rather bizarre Aunt Jemima ad shows pancakes being used as hot dog and hamburger buns!

The book wraps up with well known gimmick foods, and condiments, described by Sussman as one-hit-wonders.  Here you'll find A-1 steak sauce, French's Mustard, and Kraft Cheez Whiz.

Many of these classic ads feature celebrities such as John Wayne hawking Starkist Tuna and Groucho Marx pushing Skippy peanut butter.  The book ends up being a wonderful little time capsule of clever ads and promotions of days gone by when times were simpler and we weren't confused by so much variety!  A fantastic book!

Reviewed by Tim Janson
4101678
Luis Perdomo's "Universal Mind" is simply a stunning achievement.  The trio of Luis Perdomo (piano), Drew Gress (bass) and Jack DeJohnette (drums) bring Perdomo's original compositions to life with their profound sensitivity, focused interplay and skillful improvisation. Playing with the passion and intensity of young starving artists, there can be little doubt that these veteran musicians have wrapped one of the best straight-up jazz recordings of the year.

Perdomo brings a highly refined technique, maturity and energy to his piano playing and original compositions.  DeJohnette supports Perdomo's leads with an age-defying level of creativity and intensity, turning in what should be regarded as one of his best performance in years.  Gress, who played with Perdomo in Ravi Coltrane's band, is the glue that holds it together with his versatile work on acoustic bass.

"Tetragon" is a strong opening statement featuring outstanding solos from piano, bass and drums. "Langnau" showcases Perdomo's melodic piano stylings and Gress' soulful, note-bending bass work. "Rebellious Contemplation" is propelled by DeJohnette's scintillating, near-athletic performance on the drums which provides plenty of fuel to fire up amazing bass runs and piano leads from Gress and Perdomo.  "Just Before" features nice interplay as the musicians stretch out over a more relaxed musical space.

"Unified Path I" and "Unified Path II" tend more towards the avant garde; especially in the latter song where Perdomo's shimmering piano and Dejohnette's rythmic drum patterns lead us on a bold, dramatic and rewarding musical adventure.

"Tin Can Alley" recalls a classic bebop that has been revisited with modern attitude including great bass solo, inventive stick work and extended, tricky piano runs and flourishes.

"Above the Storm" slows the pace down a bit for only a moment as Perdomo shows a softer but no less inventive side with superb support from DeJohnette. "Gene's Crown" is a textbook trio performance defined by Perdomo's spare, left-hand piano line with improvisation inspired by his deft right-hand leads.  "Dance of the Elephants" is a reflective tune that presents Gress with ample opportunity to show what he can do on bass while Perdomo strikes a series of beautiful tones and playful notes. "Doppio" closes the set with yet another fast-paced, smoking performance including colorful bursts from Perdomo's piano and an amazing, extended drum solo from DeJohnette.

I highly recommend this outstanding recording to eveyone who appreciates great music.
1732241
Exquisite playing by the immense virtuoso and kind of the sound Pinchas Zuckerman in his 20s full of vitality and joy of life.
Los Angeles Phil members plays very capable to be honorable partners of a enlightened Zuckerman.
Orchestra is superb and recording in 4phase amazing ...expansive but with color and presence.
A not to miss for any music lover or Zuckerman collector.
2899261
Quite the topic of conversation, very funny! A useful dining toy that goes perfect with a primerib dinner or anything else that can get stuck in your teeth!
1309754
2nd recording from the crazyloucos Sardinhas Club, formed by Rodrigo Lessa (bandolim, bandarra, guitarra, violo/violo de ao, e voz)and his grupo of craques expert musicians as
~Eduardo Neves,sax/flauta
~ Xande , drums,
~ Roberto Marques,trombone
~Edson , bass
~ and new , Bernardo Bossio guitarra e violo (taking over from guitar great Lula Galvo, who makes a guest visit here ).

 A few more guest visits, but none so grand as the special visit from legend Zeca Pagodinho! (Foi descoberto em 1981 por Beth Carvalho em uma roda de samba do Cacique de Ramos, na zona norte do Rio de Janeiro..)

As mentioned in my title, Sardinha's names after the famous bohemian club located in central Rio, fondly remembered also for the delicious sardines charcoal grilled!

This delicious musical offering is in the spirit of these young musicians loving gift of measuring the diverse musical languages of the great mestres of the past, as Pixiguinha and Nelson Cavaquinho, the samba..chorinho and bossa, with more contemporary funk, jazz and post-MPB styles.

As I stated earlier, the replacement of Lula (a hard core jazz-style improvisor) with Bena on guitarra, (who brings at times the electric "rock guitar" amplification but still withy sofisticated frasing) gives even more contemporary flavour to the musical stew!

This "grand confusion" is , for me, a more perfect vision musically of what the wonderful Paulo Moura had first stated in late 1970's with his own lunacy release, "Urbana, Suburbana, e Rural".

Arrangements are 1st rate, the musicians having nothing but FUN and good humor, mixing with beautiful solos and improvisation.

To give track by track analisis would ruin any surprise, but I will mention, this recording features a vocal version of "Pagode Jazz Sardinha's Club" ( done instrumental from the 1st cd release ), and the contemporary tradition collides with the past in perfect order, never one divorced from the other, just a natural progression!

Dia maravilhoso, vai mais um som gostoso!
2190329
"A John Williams Celebration" is a 2015 video release of a live concert recorded in the beautiful Walt Disney Concert Hall in 2014. Conducting is the famed and popular Gustavo Dudamel, who leads the excellent Los Angeles Philharmonic.

One thing I particularly enjoyed about "Celebration" was its variety of Williams' music. Many John Williams concerts contain the usual brassy favorites, such as Star Wars, Indiana Jones, or Superman. While "Celebration" does contain some music of that ilk (i.e. Star Wars and The Olympic Fanfare) it also shows some different sides of Williams, from the tender Schindler's List, to the subtly jazzy Catch Me If You Can, to the experimental "Soundings." I also appreciated the obvious care that the conductor and orchestra put into performing the music. Having the participation of Itzhak Perlman is also a bonus to the performance.

The audio and video quality of "A John Williams Celebration" are excellent. Also included on the disc are a couple of interesting--though short-- interviews with Williams, Dudamel, and Perlman. Program notes are included with the disc, and also contain credits and several photographs. About my only complaint with "Celebration" is the excessive amounts of applause, walking on and off stage, etc. I wouldn't have minded if the video had some of this edited out, but it's a small complaint.

If you enjoy John Williams or film music in general, "A John Williams Celebration" is well worth your time. It's such a pleasure to see quality, live video recordings of this music.

If you enjoyed this product, I would also recommend the following videos: "Hollywood in Vienna: The World of James Horner," "Hans Zimmer: Live in Prague," and "Score: A Film Music Documentary."
1671496
Dave Hoekstra takes us to a world of fish frys, salad bars, prime rib and, yes, relish trays! A lively, informative and romantic nostalgic look at the unique Midwest joints and the colorful people who run them that will make you want to jump in your car immediately and head to the closest one near you!!! Bon Apptit!!!!
4405411
Maestro John Williams has done it agaian with his latest soundtrack War of the Worlds. I've been a big fan and own almost all his soundtracks and collections, so I was eagerly awaiting the score to Steven Spielberg's SF blockbuster. And is it good? Well, in a word, YES! Eskewing traditional techniques but still retaining all the fun and furvour of his earlier offerings, Williams' work is nothing short of amazing. From early tracks like 'ESCAPE FROM THE CITY' and track 3 'REACHING THE COUNTRY' to the suitably strident 'THE INTERSECTION SCENE' the master of movie music impresses at every turn. Some critics believe that the score for a film should not overshadow the film, and sometimes Williams seems to be creating tension in scenes that are fairly tame. However that's the genius mark that he leaves on all his scores, and this is suitably darker than his other Science Fiction scores in the past. Jaws leaves a subtle mark in the music in certain quaters, and some innovative brass sections and centered intones amplify the finely crafted tuning.  The astonishing and frenetic 'THE ATTACK ON THE CAR' and the finely tuned majesty of 'SEPERATION OF THE FAMILY' are the highlights. And while the movie it accompanies may not be perfect, Wiiliam's finely tuned score fits like a glove. The track 'REFUGEE STATUS' is very reminiscant of Close Encounters  and sometimes A.I influences can be heard. Still retaining its own unique flavour while reminding musical affecianados how great all his previous work has been, War of the Worlds is fantastic, essentail stuff for Williams fans.
3988041
The year after this album was released, Larry Adler came to Australia, and I was privileged to hear him perform these songs with Issy Van Randwyck and a great Aussie jazz band to about 300 people in a small hall in Penrith. It was a wonderful afternoon of music-making, complemented by Larry's atrocious jokes! He began the program playing Summertime with left hand on the piano and right hand holding his harmonica. Fantastic!
Soon after the album was released, I discovered that veteran jazz lovers may not enjoy it as much as I do. I am not sure if it is the shock of hearing rock singers performing in a different genre, or if the performances really are unstylistic and unfaithful to the original ideas of Gershwin. But to this ignorant Aussie, the album is very enjoyable.
Some of the best performances on the album are:
Peter Gabriel's Summertime
Elton John's Someone to Watch Over Me/Our Love Is Here to Stay
Elvis Costello singing But Not For Me
Issy Van Randwyck's delicious version of I'll Build A Stairway to Paradise
I like Larry's performance of Rhapsody in Blue, but at times the harmonica sounds a little thin. But it is pretty good for an 80 year old!
If the names of the performers are more familiar to you than the names of the tunes, this could be a great introduction to some wonderful songs.
One of my favourite CDs.
4048467
Varese Records brings another Brian Tyler film score to the forefront "Constantine", featuring 24 short cues with aggressive arrangements loaded with action sequences laced with percussion galore...A brilliant mix of musicians with Brian Tyler and Klaus Badelt our composers and Tyler as conductor with vocal contractor Sally Stevens ~ The Hollywood Studio Symphony and The Hollywood Film Chorale let the fur fly with forceful biting fast moving themes, perfect score for this film ~ opening "MEET JOHN CONSTANTINE", with pulse sating percussion mixed with echoing strings and brass, shifting to the next track "ETHER SURFING", very large array of orchestration and Martin Tillman electric cello is simply eerie, sets the mood and the rest fall into place ~ give a listen to "CIRCLE OF HELL", low key strings vibrant and organ hangs softly in the background...

All the "film-score-buffs" are familiar with Tyler and Badelt past scores ~ instantly recognizable and lending to immediate credibility to any film they works on...Brian Tyler along with Klaus Badelt have served up a delightful dark and moody score, just the way we like 'em!

Total Time: 51:00 on 24 Tracks ~ Varese Records 66636 ~ (2/15/2005)
3555962
This is another great job by Hans Zimmer. I love the music and the various instruments that he uses to create this funny and breathtaking score. It draws me in and makes me want to go look for mysteries and adventure. Thanks again Zimmer.
3023904
I didn't understand the previous review. This crisp sounding and vibrant CD has marvellous interplay between band members, especially trombone and trumpet, which flow together very well. Track 6 has excellent guitar. Its modern and classy. My wife is getting better at guessing the jazz and ventured that it might be Tomasz Stanko. Like his new band on Dark Eyes, this too features the veteran Rava with a younger band, and is on same label. Am enjoying both CDs.
1968992
I am a cookbook collector as well as a gourmet cook wannabe. I have three  teens, a hungry husbandwho spent twelve years dining in Europe, teach  troubled teenagers and garden avidly. To think that I have the time to cook  creatively was a stretch......and quite frustrating to say the least.  Desperation Dinners has made me the Academy Award Winning cook in my  house....raves at the dinner table have done wonders for all of us....and  my self-esteem......WOW!  This cookbook is full of wonderfully delicious  recipes presented in a sequence which, if followed, will have you cooking  phenomenal meals in 20 minutes flat. You, too, will be the  "star"!
3270259
Hans Zimmer is almost as well known as John Williams now for his majestic wonders of a mix of industrial synthesizers and traditional orchestral mystiques. Ever since his intense and triumphant score for Tony Scott's "Crimson Tide" in '96, his career has been at an ever climbing rate. It is a style of music I have longed for in film's and Zimmer catches to it without difficulty or flaw in some.

The Last Samurai is a curiously different tone for him and a well deserved one as well after doing so many barouqe and outloud chords. It is beautifully well toned and is more of a contemporary score, rythmed with absolutely amazing combination of violin and eastern pipes along with a synthesized woodwind flow. In other tracks, he combines this light tone with his barouqe brass underlining the use of traditional Japanese cultural instruments, namely the strong willed percussion. It weaves through in a calm and collective state, inspiring strong feeling. It is almost flawless, except for the Braveheart similar stand-off to the battle and some chords and changes that don't fit in with the flow of the music or tone.

All of this carries on a film that is very sensitive to its itself with beautiful cinematography, some very decent performances (one by a different Tom Cruise), with a calmly paced style of storytelling, despite that some scenes and incidents are questionable and bordeline Hollywood characteristics. It is a truly notable and memorable reprisal for Edward Zwick, a filmmaker struggling to redeem his career.

This is definently one of Hans Zimmer's greatest compositions and is well worth ditching money and time for. I very often use this soundtrack for my meditation rituals and it is great for relaxing your mind and getting in touch with your senses. Four out of five stars.
2512559
All the way through my reading of this novel I kept thinking how much fun it would be to have a small dinner party, restricted to eight people, with each assigned the role of one of the characters in this family as they often sit around dinner tables, usually Thanksgiving, and talk. But to appreciate what I am saying you have to know this: these are wonderful Jews. One set of grandparents, now living in L.A., are apolitical. The grandmother, Helen, was once a nightclub singer, while her husband, Herb, directed Western movies. The other set of grandparents, Russian immigrants, live in a small rent-control apartment in the Village. The grandfather, Sigmund, has been a long-time union activist whereas the grandmother, Tatiana, relishes the days of the arts she experienced in Russia. And then there are their children, Sharon, the west coast daughter, married to Dennis, the son of the Russian Jews. Dennis works in some capacity in the Department of Agriculture, specially in--ah, yes--the Soviet Union. Oh, yes, and this is at the end of the Carter administration when we were in that historical stand-off with Iran. Sharon, with a friend, owns a small catering business in Washington, D.C. Add to this mix their two children, jock Benjamin (Ben and by the middle of the novel, Benji) who is off to Brandeis--where else?--while his sister, Vanessa, two years younger, has an eating disorder. Oh, yes, we experience the marriage of their parents falling apart.
I could write so much more about this wonderful novel with its ping-pong style, tossing the reader back and forth in time and space--but all with the amazing skills of this novelist.
789945
Stanley Tucci in his new book, The Tucci Table published by Gallery Books teams with Felicity Blunt to give us recipes for Cooking With Family and Friends.

From the back cover:  Featuring family-friendly recipes and stunning photography, an all-new cookbook from New York Times bestselling author, beloved actor, and respected foodie Stanley Tucci.

Stanley Tuccis association with wonderful foods began for fans with the movie Big Night and resonated in his role as Julia Childs husband in Julie & Julia. But well before these films, he was enjoying innovative homemade Italian meals throughout his childhood, when family and food were nearly inseparable and cooking was always a familial venture.

Now, in a completely new, family-focused cookbook, Tucci captivates food lovers imaginations with recipes from his traditional Italian roots as well as those of his British wife, Felicity Blunt, tied together with a modern American ribbon. The time-tested recipes include pasta alla bottarga, mushroom-stuffed trout, pork chops with onions and mustard sauce, barbeque chicken wings, and much, much more! Nothing will make you happier to spend time with family than the aroma of a hearty Italian dish sizzling on the stovetop.

Featuring 100 luscious new full-color photographs, The Tucci Table captures the true joys of family cooking. Buon apetito!

Stanley Tucci has received and Emmy and a Golden Globe, was nominated for an Academy Award as well as a Tony and a Grammy. However he should also receive an award for his cooking. Mr. Tucci and his wife, Felicity Blunt, have opened their Dining Room and Kitchen for us to come and cook with them and, by extension, eat with them. Mr. Tucci feels that the recipes we grew up we know by cooking with them and they are more than likely not written down. Therefore they can be lost forever. Mr. Tucci has taken this opportunity to write them down for us to use in our kitchens. You are going to want to create every single recipe in the book and your family and friends will love you even more for making them.  Mr. Tucci has provided recipes that you will not get anywhere else.  Want to cook Italian as well as some British?  Then The Tucci Table is the cookbook for you.  You will be constantly using this book.  It is just that good!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Gallery Books.  I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commissions 16 CFR, Part 255: Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.