5 comments about Now It is Christmas Again.

1. Oh, I am sooo happy to have found this! I bought my cassette version the first Christmas after our baby died (our 4th child)-1995, and the song "There Are Angels Gathering 'Round" helped me so much that first Christmas.
   I am so happy to have found a replacement, and on CD too.
   God bless you, Amazon. You don't know what this has meant to me!



2. This album makes it officially Christmas at my house. We listened to it on casette for years and now I have my own CD copy. The music and stories cover every base from hilarious to touching, in Keillor's signature combination of dry humor and poignant observation. I recommend this to anybody who's tired of boring old Christmas carol albums!



3. Having lived in Alaska for many years, christmas would not have been the same without listening to public radio broadcasting Keillor and his band of merrymakers. It made the long winter nights a little more bearable. Now living in the lower 48, it just makes it feel a little more like home with the companion gang during the holidays. Bless the little joys of life, public radio, a warm fire and cup of hot tea. Thats living...



4. Funny at times, reflective at times, this is my favorite Christmas album! The stories are great and the music is of excellent quality. While many songs are in their native language, I love how the "old world" meets "sensible midwestern world."



5. I have loved all the other albums and review said this was great. It just was not for me.

2 comments about Season's Greetings from the Grand Canyon.

1. I bought this CD because I have been a longtime Nicholas Gunn fan. I own just about all of his music and always enjoy the uplifting sound of his flute and compositions. However, this contemporay instrumental holiday song package is not as good as other artists' collections; specifically, Ottmar Liebert (Poets and Angels and Christmas Santa Fe), Tingstad and Rumbel (Star of Wonder), Narada Christmas Collections, and Manheim Steamroller (4 different collections). While Gunn's flute sounds as good as ever, the arrangements and background instruments do not offer the same level of imagination as the others. Also, this CD is only 38 minutes -- should contain least 50-60 minutes of material. In summary, I can only recommend this release to Gunn's die hard fans because there are better compilations available.



2. Just when you thought there was no other way to redo a traditional Christmas carol anlong comes Nicholas Gunn. I never even liked the song Auld Lang Sine but I do now. The arrangements are uplifting, soothing, and plesant. They are different without taking away the beauty of the original carol. If you like Christmas carols and Nicholas Gunn you will surely enjoy this alblum.

2 comments about Christmas with Rosemary Clooney.

1. I was able to listen and compare the three Rosemary Clooney Christmas albums today. This inexpensive gem won. It's a cd of essential songs by an essential voice for the season. Beautiful and simple arrangements make it appealing to listeners who may not know a lot about her outside of "White Christmas". It's perfect for anyone who's looking for a truly classic sound to add his or her Christmas music collection. It's a bargain for $6.98.



2. This is a fabulous album of super holiday songs. One that can be appreciated and enjoyed by all age groups. No child should ever miss out on, "Suzy Snowflake".

3 comments about Christmas Dancing.

1. I loved this LP that I bought in Canada in the 70's...I wore the it out!! I was so delighted to find it here on Amazon in CD form..the same delightful, joyful, James Last Dance record that I will now play constantly through the Holiday Season...I love James Last's music..The German Gentleman!!



2. This CD is a re-issue of the vinyl 33-1/3rpm album, which I came across a few years ago. While I lifted some of the tracks for inclusion in a Christmas compilation of favorites, inspite of audio editing software, there were minor flaws. So finding this album on a CD... was an absolute delight! It includes two extra tracks not on the vinyl sibling. ALL the "medleys" are superb, but Medleys (tracks) 1, 6, 8 & 10 are the best... James Last knows his music and his Christmas arrangements are enhanced with his "chior." You can do no wrong in obtaining this CD. James Last, the James Last sound and the music of James Last- ARE some of the best-kept secrets in the U.S. I have been enjoying his music (except for the "Non-stop Last" compilations) since 1962. One last note... his last name IS pronounced as "LOST."



3. I'm a James Last fan anyway, but this is a CD I will play a lot during the Christmas season. I have many Christmas CDs but this will be one of my favorites.
   
   I have listened to German Christmas songs for many years and this well-done CD brings back many good memories. The sound reproduction is very clear. There isn't a track on this CD I don't like!! Its very well done.

1 comments about Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas.

1. This is the same as Jerry Vale's Christmas CD released in 1995, "A Personal Christmas", with one extra song, "Snowbird", and with a higher quality digital sound. To compare, I played "Santa Mouse" and "He" on the "A Personal Christmas" CD, and then played the same songs from the "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas" CD, and immediatley noticed a richer sound with better seperation. Instruments that were way off in the background and hardly noticable on "A Personal Christmas", were suddenly audible, and pleasantly crisp on this new release. And of course, Jerry's vocals are clear and crisp. If you want the best possible sounding Jerry Vale Christmas collection, this is the one to buy.

   THE "A PERSONAL CHRISTMAS" REVIEW: "If you could pick one album to represent an old fashion American Christmas, this would be the one. Reminiscent of a Perry Como Christmas album, Jerry's vocals are flawless as he effortlessly croons out some smooth and beautifully arranged high notes, complimented by the fantastic orchestration, and the better-than-average backup singers and choir. Vale's "I'll Be Home For Christmas", is the best version I've ever heard, the choir and Vale bonding together in a fantastic display of harmonies and soaring notes. All the songs are excellently done, but my favorite on this CD is "He". Recorded in 1972, and formally released on the vinyl LP "Alone Again Naturally", "He" is a full-bodied, full-choired, fully-orchestrated and lengthy musical extravaganza that only Jerry Vale could pull off with such panache. It's a rare spiritually treat from the master of "croon" that you'll find yourself playing over and over again. Another treat is the rare and cute "Santa Mouse" which was previously only available on a 45 single. I give this CD AAAAAAA+++++++ and recommend it to newcomers, collectors, and everyone looking for the perfect Christmas music collection."

5 comments about Christmas with the Jets.

1. Seeing the Jets perform was my first concert experience ever. Ever since I was a child, I have loved their Christmas album. And while the music is dated, very 80's, it's not Christmastime unless I listen to the Jet's music. It's a tape of fun, lively songs and the sweet "Christmas in My Heart" make it Christmas for me.



2. I have searched for this cd for a very long time. I found the album at a garage sale, but the sound is just not quite the same. The music on this CD takes me way back and is so mellow for those of us who spend Christmas alone year after year. It will put you in the highest spirited mood. I can't wait to receive my CD so I will have it for next year.



3. I had this CD when it first came out in the 90's. I was living on Guam then. I have to admit that this is one of the best Christmas CD's that I've ever owned. 9 out of the 10 songs are originals songs that the Jets wrote and the songs are Beautiful and Meaningful. I recommend this CD to everyone!!!!



4. This is a fantastic Christmas album. I remember purchasing this at the time of release. This was released not to long after there very successful album called "The Jets". This album includes alot of highlights in it. Such as "Christmas In My Heart", a touching song that I love to hear around the holidays. Other highlights include "This Christmas,Somewhere Out There,Christmas Time,and so many more. Make sure you pick up your copy today!



5. I hope I get my delivery before Christmas, I have been searching and searching for the album for the past 3 years and could never find it. "This Christmas" really gets me into the spirit even though I am single and hearing it makes we "well up" a bit inside. I just love this album.

3 comments about Christmas All-Time Greatest Records, Vol. 2.

1. I loved this cd...It has your staple favorites like "Rocking around the Christmas Tree" by Brenda Lee and "Jingle Bell Rock" by Bobby Helms. Don McLean's version of "White Christmas" set in L.A. is wonderful too. It's classic with Judy Garland's "Have yourself a Merry Little Christmas," but it's also cute with Andy Williams' "I saw Mommy kissing Santa Claus." Good variety!



2. I guess I should have known I would get what I paid for. This CD is filled with mostly unknown, low-quality Christmas music. The rest is just plain cheesy.



3. I love all the songs on this CD. They are high quality and wonderful songs. This CD is wonderful to have during the Christmas season. It has all my favorite Christmas songs.

2 comments about Very Best Of Kiri Te Kanawa.

1. THIS IS A GODD OVERVIEW OF KIRI TE KANAWA`S TALENT,THIS COMPILATION INCLUDES GREAT OPERA ARIAS,AMERICAN SONGBOOK CLASSICS,MAORI SONGS AND MORE,DIGITALLY REMASTERED. REALLY ENJOYABLE.



2. Me parece que el arte vocal de Kiri posee muchas fortalezas y sòlidos atributos: brillantez, claridad, riqueza de colores, excelente fraseo, perfecta colocación y afinación, expresividad. Sin embargo, también carece de una mejor respiración para poder contrarrestar el excesivo vibrato que aplica a su canto. Sobre algunas de las obras interpretadas, recomiendo: Der Rosenkavalier: Schwarzkopf; Wagner: Kirsten Flagstad.

5 comments about A Night at the Village Vanguard.

1. Curiosity has driven me to buy this double,live CD set,and after repeated listening, I'm afraid my expectations were a little too far from reality. I was, in fact convinced that Elvin Jones drums would have made a heck of a match to Rollins 'out of tune',loose sound,yet this isn't the case on these sessions. Apart from a couple of tracks('A night in Tunisia',disc1 and partly in 'What is this thing called love',disc2)Elvin hasn't fully developed,yet the rythm machine he was in the John Coltrane quartet. If I didn't hear Rollins mentioning the drummer in his presentations(or read about it in the booklet)I would have thought Max Roach,at best, was on drums or perhaps someone less recognizable,to my ear, like Louis Hayes or Art Taylor. Anyhow, the school of the time wasn't that bad,was it? I am more familiar with Sonny Rollins studio recordings of his later stage,and in this set,probably because of playing in the temple of live Jazz,or maybe because of performing with his newly formed combo, I can feel more care has been put to lessen mistakes, than to express musicality freely.
   In any case I've liked the versions of 'A night in Tunisia' with saxophone,as opposed to the ones I know by Art Blakey's ensembles,with the trumpet. And I love the unique out of tune sound of Rollins' sax anyway: standard bop, though for this one.



2. It's almost hard to fathom that it's been almost 50 years since Sonny Rollins recorded the historic "Night At The Village Vanguard" for Blue Note. Even half a century later, this jaw-dropping performance still leaves one awestruck by it's beauty and power.
   Even as far back as 1957, Sonny Rollins was experimenting with different ensemble configurations and at the Village Vanguard, unveiled a combo that was unique for its time - a tenor sax/bass/drums trio which already proved to be successful on "Way Out West" from earlier in the year. Because of the lack of any chordal instruments, the musical interplay between Rollins, bassist Wilbur Ware and a rising star drummer in the form of Elvin Jones is extremely tight and each musician is given plenty of space to stretch out without going too far off the deep end.
   Every piece included in this set is a gem. It's almost like being there in the middle of the Village Vanguard listening to the Rollins trio giving their all. Even the early take of "A Night In Tunisia" which features Donald Bailey and Pete LaRoca in the place of Ware and Jones is a sure-fire performance.
   "A Night At The Village Vanguard" is definitely a must for Sonny Rollins fans as well as anyone who appreciates Jazz. The remastering by original recording engineer Rudy Van Gelder is absolutely stunning although there is a slight amount of undistracting tape hum heard occasionally.
   Four years later, John Coltrane would record a legendary album at the Vanguard which would make the venue a household name. However, it should be noted that not only was Sonny's recorded first, it was also the first ever recording to be made at the Village Vanguard.
   Definitely Essential Sonny Rollins!!!



3. I have to agree with Minh's review here. I've bought quite a few recordings on which Rollins played, one of which I would consider to be one of highest fidelity jazz albums I own (The Bridge), some which sound very good (with Miles on Bag's Grove in 1954 and with Monk in 1953 and 1954) and some (with Bud Powell in 1949) which don't. Rollin's tone is one of the most beautiful of any tenor I've heard--as distinctive as his phrasing--and it's a shame it's not captured here. I'd rate the sound quality as inferior to the 1949 recodings with Bud Powell; in fact, I'd place the sound quality somewhere between 1937 and 1945. I would think that recordings made in 1957 and released as part of the RVG series in 1999 would sound better, even club recordings. However, they are what they are, and as original historical documents they're not likely to be improved much until we're able to virtually recreate recordings based on the 'bones' of the originals (like building a fleshed out T-Rex based on fossils, which I'm sure some will object to). But for now enjoy this great slice of history. Just be forewarned.



4. Just as there is a top shelf reserved for the greatest jazz studio-recorded albums, there is also a special place reserved for the greatest live performances captured on tape. Jazz itself is a form that is often at it's fullest expression when experienced with the spontaneity and creative fuel that only a live show offers. Just think for a moment of some of the legendary live performances that have added to the cannon of jazz recordings: Yusef Lateef's "Live at Pep's", Ahmad Jamal's "Complete Live at the Pershing Lounge 1958", Art Blakey's "At the Cafe Bohemia, Vol. 1", Bill Evans's "The Complete Village Vanguard Recordings, 1961", Duke Ellington's "Ellington At Newport 1956", Charlie Parker and company's "Jazz at Massey Hall" , Charles Mingus' "Mingus at Antibes", John Coltrane's "Live at Birdland", Miles Davis' "In Person Friday and Saturday Nights at the Blackhawk, Complete", Eric Dolphy's string of albums at the five spot, , Roland Kirk's "Bright Moments", Shelly Manne's "At the Blackhawk, Vol. 1", Art Pepper's "The Complete Village Vanguard Sessions", and the list goes on and on. Well with Sonny Rollin's "A Night at the Village Vanguard" we get an album that not only belongs on that list, but that should be right at, or near the top of it. Firstly this is due to the importance of the album, which rests with the fact that it was the first album to be recorded live at the Village Vanguard, a feat copied many times over to great effect by the best in the business. According to some musicians the Vanguard had within it's confines the means for the "perfect" sound, and this statement has been shown to be true after even a cursory survey of the mountain of albums recorded there. The other reason that this album is so important is that of all the major jazz figures none was more freed by a live setting than Sonny Rollins. Many critics of note have commented on the differences between Rollins's studio efforts and his live performance. It seems Rollin's had a way (and perhaps still does) of mesmerizing a room, of building on his musical logic, of adding to his searing solo's, of letting his humor shine through, and of reaching a creative climax that was more conducive to the live stage. Secondly the greatness of this album, historical context aside, is that the frozen moments it captures contain some jaw-droppingly great music. Rollins took the trio format he made famous on "Way Out West" and let loose with the accompaniment of the red hot Elvin Jones, and the great Wilber Ware, both of whom really get a workout here (it should be noted that on a couple tracks we get the wonderful Pete la Roca on drums and Donald Baily on bass). Just as a live performance freed Rollins, the trio format gave him a freedom that had very little structure. As a result Rollins is literally front and center and the fierce energy he expends could power a small country. Elvin Jones (who at the time in 1957 had yet to join Coltrane) and Wilber Ware have the task of not only keeping up with Rollins but of filling in some of that wide open, even dangerous, space, and it is they who keep this fragile sonic structure from falling into complete chaos. But this is all Rollins, all the time, with no where to hide and no desire to; in this regard it is also a nice contrast to his other blue note albums where as on "Sonny Rollins, Vol. 1" and"Sonny Rollins, Vol. 2" he was somewhat obscured, or at least his solo time was shortened, due to all the other talent on those dates. The strongest impression one takes from this album is, besides that heart-thumping feeling of uncut energy, admiration for the way Rollins and company handle the space they have to deal with. They are most certainly on the edge at all times, and that feeling of being on step from falling off into the darkness is exhilarating, both to the listener and to the musicians. Simply put this is one of the great live albums of all time, for it's importance, but most importantly for it's searing music.



5. I have always loved early Sonny Rollins, until I purchased this CD. Just too much soloing, and not nearly enough of the band.

No comments about Christmas.