The CONSUMATE bandleader IN HIS ELEMENT as a SINGER...!!!
341467
My personal friend, a professional studio violinist/violist in California, now retired, pointed out that, of all the conductors and bandleaders he worked under during his several decades as a professional, SINATRA was as astute as any other band leader he encountered!!!
His talents for singing, acting, and personal affairs just further amplified this.
Gaining Warner Brothers' designation of Reprise Records as his personal record label was a personal dream, and Sinatra made good use of it in so many ways, from his own work to becoming the outlet for the new wave of artists like Hendrix and Neil Young.
The earliest track in this collection identified by me is the re-recording of "Luck be a Lady" from his appearance in the 1955 Hollywood musical "Guys and Dolls".  While he originally rejected his 1984 recording, arranged by Quincy Jones, of the Billie Holiday & Coleman Hawkins standard "Body & Soul", it was remastered for this recording in 2008.
Please research this and discuss it amongst yourselves!
The text by Charles Pignone and behind-the-scenes photos included in the Starbucks Records release's booklet clearly illustrate his mastery in the studio and the valuable relationships he maintained with musicians, arrangers, engineers, and producers.
The product links from the dozens of albums included in this releases Amazon.com page will give you lots of background information on "Old Blue Eyes", especially if you make specific search engine queries like
discography history  "frank sinatra" "Moonlight Serenade", or
discography history  "frank sinatra" "The Girl From Ipanema".
Otherwise the Sinatra discography is poorly documented to my knowledge.  Perhaps some the many books devoted to his career fill this wide gap.
4360673
Ever since I heard Proud Mary close to fifty years ago I loved Fogerty because he knew his musical roots cold. He was a fan of Steve Cropper of Booker T and the MGs. Most of all he realized the value of the sounds of chords. Although I love Hendrix with his note crazed brilliance there was something of a journeyman quality to John' playing. straight up very economical with some of the best "hooks" I have ever heard. Combined with that wonderful gravel filled voice and you get a guy who wrote 30 number 1 hits....he was really the reason his rotten record company survived(Fantasy Records) who actually got an injunction tell him he couldn't perform his own songs!!! Thank heavens he survived and was finally given some compensation. As for this record there is no slothful guitar PERFORMANCES. On Hot Rod Heart Brad Paisley trade fours the flamboyant Paisley and the thundering power of  Fogerty make this worth the price of the cd alone...There are no phony duets on this CD a very five star performance all the way around .
3619826
Ted Lewis is a bit like Moxie the early "healthful" soft drink - it's an acquired taste. He was a practitioner of what the German expressionists would call sprechstimme - a sort of vocalized talk - singing, and he was quite good at it. In fact he was so good that he was a best selling artist for Columbia Records for so many years that like Whiteman, he, too, would be rewarded with his own customized Columbia label. The downside was his abominable clarinet and sax playing where he approximated correct pitch - sometimes sharp, sometimes flat and always with a reedy wobble that even he conceded was not jazzworthy. The result, of course was the employment of Jimmy Dorsey, Frank Teschemacher, and later Benny Goodman to play the real stuff. In this, they were aided by a great band led by the estimable Muggsy Spanier. Lewis was no fool - he recorded a wide range of material which gave the band some time to stretch out and for himself to vocalize in his unique way which was honed on the vaudeville circuit. The band was tight, rhythmically solid and the songs he recorded were either jazz standards, ballads, or depression era songs of optimism like "Headin for Better Times" and "Dip Your Brush in the Sunshine". The band's personnel was, of course in flux as the years went by, but Lewis had the following and funds to acquire the services of such talented players as Mannie Klein, Jack Teagarden, George Brunies, and the great Harry Barth on Tuba. The coming "Swing Era" caused Lewis' star to fade as a bandleader, but as an entertainer, he sustained a career into the 1950's frequently appearing on TV along with other early stars of the tent shows and vaudeville like Sophie Tucker.
This CD has been lovingly remastered by the legendary John R.T. Davies, and it is really superbly done. John RT couldn't do much for Lewis' sour clarinet intonation, but the band shines bright and rescues every track. Even Fats Waller checks in for three 1931 tracks. If nothing else sways you, buy this one for Muggsy and Harry Barth - they are the engine that drove this ensemble. There is some great early Benny as well, already showing growth in his technique and improvisational skill from his early days with Ben Pollack. Highly recommended for both content and sonic restoration.
20197
One of the best male vocalists ever !!!!!!! I have the LP and was very happy to find it on CD..I play it a lot. What a magnificient voice...they don't come any better...fabulous songs.....fabulous singer.
Violets at Dawn...Over the Rainbow...Marieka...Dark as a Dungeon....and She was too good to me......sung BRILLIANTLY !!!!!!!!!!!
2300580
Keith Moon, THE WHO s' drummer, recorded one complete solo cd and half a second one. In this cd, he reunites with his best musical mates: Joe Walsh, John Lennon, Ringo Starr, Klaus Voorman and Harry Nilson among others. Keith Moon was a BEACH BOYS fan, son here he includes his favorite song DONT WORRY BABY. John Lennon plays guitar and backin vocals in his "Move Over Mrs L." (perhaps dedicated to Yoko?. Keith also covers a beautiful Beatles song: "In my life".. The Who is covered by him also "The Kids are alright" sounds outstanding!!!

"Crazy like a Fox" is total fun!! Other songs are also an expresion of his love for his friends (Together) and idols (Teenage Idol). This is a solid cd because register the love of Keith Moon for life, his friends, his idols and his band...

For fans: He also sings/plays on the John Entwistle 1975 produced cd: Flash Fearless. He plays on one track with KENNEY JONES and with John Entwistle singin/Playing: "To the Shop"

For absolute fans: there is a song with Keith Moon singing on the "All This and WWII" soundtrack. He sings "When I am 64" by the Beatles.....  an age he never reach. It is a killer version....
2517956
you know, i was listening to this album and I forgot just how talented the Doobies really were.  Each song is a different style of music that they tried to reach all audiences with.  The classsics, It Keeps you Running, Black Water are timeless pieces of music that you can hit the repeat button again and again.  I think that Michael McDonald's voice is one of the most recogizable voices in music.  I think he reaches his pinnacle in "Minute by Minute",  the range he uses as well as some of the backing vocals he lays down really show that he is a master of melody.
It's OK in this day and age to put this CD in your car with the windows down and crank up the volume and sing along with McDonald, who wouldn't want to "be like Mike"-(Jeff Baxter.  Anyway, if you purchase this CD, I believe that you will appreciate a truly under appreciated band!!!!!
2363293
He is one of my favorite blues singers/guitarist.  I can see way the new guys coming up look up to him as the master.
1485932
The above title refers to "Papa, Can you hear me"-
frankly better than a concert I betcha!!! Sounds like he's singing right to you in the same room-!!
The way he sings- he can make you relate to your own life-
or perhaps inspire you to change your own life!!
What about Michael singing WITHOUT musical accompaniment??
Everybody else has written all my thoughts on him already!!
This guy has to do relaxation tapes, indeed!!!
Very theraputic voice(wow!)-
I first learned of Mike in 6th grade English- the class and
I had to listen to "Music Of The Night"- Highlights of Phantom
Soundtrack-
If the class was not there- I could have wept with emotion--
"Since You Stayed Here"- has anybody else related that song
to their own lives as Mike sings??
Strikes a nerve with me- play him at Dentists Offices
or Doctors Offices to relax the patient.
2519099
The connection between Louis Armstrong and that great pianist and composer (and not so great singer) Fats Waller is brilliantly documented on this CD:
in addition to the original tracks of the "Satch Plays Fats" album, and the several alternate takes, the producer, mr. Avakian, heavens bless him, chose several earlier recordings from the late 20s and the 30s, where younger Satchmo, mostly as the star of the big band, proves how inspiring Waller's songs can be for him.

On the original "Satch plays Fats" program, bursting with energy and quite comparable to&nbsp;<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/Louis-Armstrong-Plays-W-C-Handy/dp/B000002ADP/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">Louis Armstrong Plays W.C. Handy</a>&nbsp;(which is not a minor compliment), Armstrong (tp, vo) is accompanied by the merry, extrovert and swinging bunch of musicians - Trummy Young (tb), Barney Bigard (cl), Billy Kyle (p), Arvell Shaw (b), Barrett Deems (dm) and Velma Middleton (vo). If someone still believes that Satchmo's All-Stars were just a dixielandish circus, he should check songs like "Blue, turning Grey over you", but the prevailing mood is of jubilant swinging, and that's OK with me...

BTW, on one track Satch plays trumpet obligatto to his own vocal, on another track he scats behind his own verse-delivery... Check it out!

The alternative versions are more interesting than they sometimes get to be on CD reissues, while the older Waller-penned tracks are pure gold.

The first of those (earlier version of "Squeeze Me") is with 1929 "Hot Five" line-up that includes Earl Hines (dm) and Zutty Singleton (dm), the other tracks (earlier versions of "What Did I Do", "Ain't Misbehavin'", "Blue Turning Grey Over You" and "Keepin' out of Mischief Now, PLUS "Sweet Savannah Sue" and "That Rhythm Man")  are with Armstrong's orchestra.
That means that the band is based on Luis Russell's or Carroll Dickerson's big band leadership, also featuring some excellent musicians (Paul Barbarin, Pops Foster, J. C. Higginbotham, Zutty Singleton...), but basically serving as the background to the first veritable solo-artist in the history of jazz...

Finally, if you like the All-Stars dixieland sound of, for instance,&nbsp;<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/Live-at-the-1958-Monterey-Jazz-Festival/dp/B000RIWATY/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">Live at the 1958 Monterey Jazz Festival</a>,<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/Satchmo-the-Great/dp/B00000292L/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">Satchmo the Great</a>&nbsp;,<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/Satchmo-the-Great/dp/B00004U1GY/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">Satchmo the Great</a>,<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/1944-58-Satchmo-Meets-Big-T/dp/B0000060QW/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">1944-58 Satchmo Meets Big T</a>, etc., you'll LOVE this collection.
1203215
This man can sing!!! This CD by far, is one of my favorites... I have it loaded in my car so that I can play it over and over again while I'm out! I love all of the songs, but I'm loving "Yours" the most. Gee whiz, so glad I stumbled on one of his songs by chance on YouTube!
695552
As a life long fan of Gary Moore, Let me say Live at Montreux 2010 is one of Gary's finest performances. His Playing, his voice, and the tightness of the band is spot on.
The proof is in the pudding, watch and listen to the  audience you can see it in their faces and hear it in their voices.

I have read some of the other reviews and I was appalled that some would fault Mr. Moore for getting old!
Talking about the weight gain and voice not as good.
Let me say getting old is part of life and some of our bodies handle it differently.
Some loose all their hair, some put on wait in our middles, some our voices change. Shall I go on?
On that note I have been a fan from the beginning Skid Row and followed Gary through the years. I have all his music, and I love it.
Seeing him in one of his last performances, I consider it a very special moment in his life.
on a scale of 1 to 10 I give this concert a 20!!
After watching I did not run and get a older concert to watch I put it back in and watched a second time. This is on my list of all time favorites.
Mickey Cooksey
1590874
I have already reviewed the album, "AS LONG AS SHE NEEDS ME", about 2 years ago.  But when I purchased the Cd, "A Second Chance" did not transfer into my Cloud Player, So I purchased the song, separately - but no matter -  the song is as fabulous as the rest of this album.  Released in 1962-1963, SAMMY DAVIS, JR. was truly a phenomenon!!! I would say, a SUPERSTAR on the level of Sinatra, who He always loved as a friend and fellow performer.  If you ever see, "TWO FOR THE SEESAW" with Mitchum and McClaine, the song was recorded as an instrumental, but Sam turned it into pure gold.  His deep sexy baritone takes you way up and down as an a emotional roller coaster of intense love and desire!!!!  This song blew me away to the point of wishing I had seen Davis in concert back in Las Vegas during the 'swingin' 1960's!!! Either way, enjoy this "ride" of SAM, the WHAM, who worked with Nelson Riddle, as well,on this album!
2476990
Chris Smither is a real musician, he writes songs from life experiences that have humour and heart ...he sings in a conversational style accented by a lisp and  world weariness.  Mr Smithers is a stunningly original guitarist and this combination of singer/songwriter/musician ...sadly today in our world adds up to obscurity and  playing to dozens of  people at a time  in guitar venues and  house concerts...and folk clubs....while untalented freaks sell  millions and get police escorts to rehab.  THAT SAID...
if you can't get to a show  this is  a beautiful piece of work...and on top of that the bonus footage is also a kick.  Okay...Its obvious I'm  a fan  but that only means I'd have been  critical if this wasn't as good as Chris is live and he's great...I saw him open for John  Renbourn at the legendary McCabes in LA years back and he blew him off the  stage....it was ridiculous how much better he was than the headliner.
This is the kind of  music that doesn't get traded in next month , next year, but given to your kids when they get tired of FAKE music...
good job Chris and THANKS!
3149536
This is a great CD compilation of MJ's early solo work!
You are reminded of what a genius and child prodigy he was!
The way he delivers a lyric with such passion and knowingness,
though he was only a preteen on alot of this material..is amazing!
This was some of the music in which I cut my musical teeth on
as a singer!--I won my 3rd Grade talent show (1972) singing
"Got To Be There" to a standing ovation! (-:
I can remember when Michael and his brothers, The Jackson 5,
debuted on The Ed Sullivan Show in 1969 when I was 5 yrs old.
He made such an impression on millions, irregardless of race
or socio-economic class, that they were catapulted to
superstardom overnight, and the rest, as they say, is history!
There are the great early solo hits of his:
"Ben", "I Wanna Be Where You Are", "Maria ( You Were The Only One)",
"Got To Be There", etc., as well as great album cuts like
"Ain't No Sunshine", "People Make The World Go Round",
"Dear Michael" and others that really take me back to those
magical childhood days when I spent hours between the speakers
learning every syllable and inflection of Michael's voice to a tee!
Of course, a few years later, my voice changed and I couldn't hit
those notes in a full-throated natural anymore..I had to switch
to falsetto! (-: But Michael's beautiful, rich, other-worldly
tone and range was one of my first vocal teachers.
Now that he's passed away, his music means so much more to me.
I saw him come from nowhere, a young prodigy of immeasurable
and unprecedented talent who became a superstar at age 11,
then on to a teenaged star with his family on a weekly TV
variety show, to selling millions of records with the albums
"The Jacksons, "Destiny" and "Triumph", to his role as
the Scarecrow in "The Wiz"...then there was his transcendent
jump to mega-stardom with "Off The Wall" (1979),
"Thriller"(1982), "Bad" (1987), "Dangerous" (1991), etc.

No matter what anyone may have to say negatively about
him today, Michael Jackson was an innovator,
a true talent, groundbreaker, and a worldwide icon!--Bar None!!
Many entertainers, like myself, cut their musical teeth on
his work and went on to have very lucrative careers because of it!
REST IN PEACE MICHAEL!!--Thank you for all that you were!
His musical legacy will live on forever!
94943
This dvd is awesome!  Anyone who loves Marvin Gaye knows how great he was!  His music is like no others!  Take a listen and you'll be surprised!  The price is off the hook too!!! Don't ya'll just love Amazon!!!!!!! I've bought two of his other older cds since this one.  The man just GETS YOU IN THE MOOD!!!!  Imagine the music he must be composing in Heaven!!  Can't wait to get there to hear his next album!  Sorry, my humor is a little OFF!!!!!  A lot of us were more than likely conceived to some of his incredible songs!  Thanks Marvin, WE love you!!!
4100450
This is a GREAT cd!  The two tracks mentioned are worth the price of admission, but there are 11 more EXCELLENT cuts!!!  NOT A WEAK ONE ON EITHER THE SOLO OR BAND NUMBERS!!!  This is a MUST HAVE for fans!!!  Now, you probably think the old man is senile as I don't do a bad Johnny Shines review, but I tell you this man is the REAL DEAL!!!  Just check out any cd and you'll SEE!!!  ( P.S.: The only one I've given 4 stars is "Live" In Europe 1975 because of the rather poor recording quality, so be forewarned on that one! )  'Nuf said!
3588287
Madeleine Peyroux is a national French treasure who should be treated like the greatest jazz singer in history that she is. Since her famous immigration into the U.S. some several years ago, this frog leg-eating songstress has time and time again proven that she is the real deal in terms of jazz music. In fact, she single-handedly invented the whole genre of jazz, and any singers who came before her are just posers, baby. The Blue Room will educate all of us as to why!

Its clear that this middle-aged songstress deserves all of our respects because shes greater than Billie Holiday, greater than Ellen Fitzgerald and most certainly greater than Louis Armstrong, Cab Calloway and Bing Crosby put together! We should all be so lucky to hear this demi-goddess of jazz awesomeness serenading us with her warble-like voice, for just $5.99 on Amazon! Whoppee!

Maddy has long been credited with innovating the jazz genre with her inventive voice that uses a lot of unique-sounding treble, bass and falsetto ranges. For instance, check out what this princess does on Buh Bye Love: She actually warbles like shes underwater, which creates an insanely cool-sounding vocal delivery. Amazing! I bet Billie Holiday is turning over in her grave right now, jealous at her failure to come up with that vocal style! Or how about Maddys awesome vocal stylings on Born To Lose: She actually begins to ululate like they do in various Arab countries, which creates a really fanatical-sounding song experience. I like it!!

Sure, Maddys nowhere near as great as Britney Spears, Taylor Swift, Hillary Duff or Ashley Simpson (the best of all), but shes still full of trying her hardest, which I really appreciate as someone who looks to the inside of people. Please, I urge you with urgency to go out and buy this CD from Amazon right now, even if you have to pawn some of your Obama food stamps to do this in this recession economy of Democrat mismanagement.