2 comments about Martha Stewart Living Music: Jazz for the Holidays.

1. Those of you who are baby boomers may remember that all the tire companies -- Goodyear, Firestone, etc. -- used to carry an album of Christmas songs by various artists in their stores around the holidays back around the late '60's. Those of you who AREN'T baby boomers are probably thinking "that sounds weird" right about now. Well, maybe it does, but I have to tell you, they were and still are among my favorite holiday recordings. I'm glad to see Martha Stewart bringing back the genre. There's something just FUN about having a collection of holiday tunes from a bunch of different artists as opposed to one artist trying to do 12 Christmas cuts in a way that doesn't sound like a remake. This collection is all jazz. I happen to like them but I wouldn't mind seeing Martha mix it up a little bit on her next edition of the collection. This is a great CD for background music at a Christmas party or dinner. With Martha's orientation towards entertaining, I'd have to say it's a great fit and I hope she keeps them coming.



2. What a nice CD this is. Perfect for using as background music for Christmas dinner, parties, or just while trimming the tree. Would definately recommend.

1 comments about How Grinch Stole Christmas / Read-Along.

1. I bought this CD for our very active - short attention span- 3 year old grandson. Well, it was the hit of his Christmas! While at our house he wanted it played over and over. While at his materal grandparents he was very upset that their computer would not run the graphics. On the way back to his home ( 2 states away) he wanted the cassette tape played over and over. He finally fell asleep. Do you know how his parents loved that. Upon arrival home, he ran to his Dad's computer and asked to view the CD. Believe me, if this CD and cassette entertain our grandson it will entertain anyone's son or grandson of this age!! I give this CD the highest rating and it does not cost a fortune to buy.

No comments about Parang: Carribean Christmas with the Lara Brothers.

1 comments about Christmas Soul.

1. Oh my goodness, I have a original LP of Soul Christmas. I have been searching for the cd. unable to find it I've previously downloaded a few singles from different sites. But this CD has a sentimental meaning for me & I couldn't be more pleased with this CD.

3 comments about Sing We Noel.

1. I have had this for years and it is by far the one that is played over and over. The voices and instrumentation are clear and beautifull without ever feeling sentimental. This authentically researched collection would probably suit the eclectic listener who appreciates classical and folk traditions.



2. I bought the cassette version of this recording in the 1980's and was charmed by it immediately. The recording contains primarily obscure music from the 12th through 20th centuries. The researcher's acumen in recognizing gems among dusty manuscripts is matched by the rich, heartfelt performances presented here. Two unique touches enhance this already enchanting material. First, the recording includes readings about the Annunciation and the Baby Jesus in Middle English from Wycliffe's 14th Century translation of the New Testament. Second, there are two couplings of carols that segue into each other with such sublime grace that they sound as if they were intended by a master composer as part of a single work. Those are "Lullay, Thou Tiny Little Child" (20th Century American) with "The Coventry Carol" (16th Century English) and "While Shepherds Watched" with "Sherburne" (two 18th Century works). Since I acquired the recording in the late 1980's, no Christmas celebration for our family would be complete without it. I also strongly recommend the Waverly Consort's "Christmas Story," told through medieval music, re-released on CD this year, and their Renaissance Christmas recording.



3. Wonderful medieval music for Christmas. (Even my kids like some of the tracks!).
   
   Highly recommended.

No comments about Stokowski Encores.

5 comments about The Chaucer Songbook.

1. The singing and playing on this disk, as well as the music itself, is quite wonderful. There is also an extremely interesting, informative, and attractive booklet that comes with it filled with a great deal of information about Chaucer, the music, the sources of the music, and translations. Whether one is interested in Chaucer or not, the music is very compelling and quite beautiful, and all the facts about the Middle Ages were quite interesting, too. All three of the female vocalists are superb, as is the harp playing and the other instrumental music. I have listened to this CD many times now and find it very relaxing, especially after a day of work. So it has my highest recommedation for several reasons.



2. While I like this CD for its solid renditions of medieval tunes, I think it should have a strong appeal to those who are caught up in the Celtic music craze. Though the performances are solid, they are also sensitive, subtle, and, at times, even delicate. There's nothing heavyhanded or flashy on this disc. I live in Wood's home town (Lake Charles, LA), and here she is better known for her harp playing than her singing. That may be appropriate, since some of her compositions for solo harp are quite lyrical (check out her "Beasts of Bethlehem" CD). But the big surprise on the "Chaucer Songbook" is Wood's singing. It has a childlike quality that is utterly charming and irresitible. This CD will make you feel better than anything you've heard in a long time.



3. Carol Wood is a well-known Celtic scholar with a Ph.D. in Medieval Welsh literature and several books on Celtic poetry and early music. I once had the pleasure of hearing her perform in Paris. Her approach to early music and to the performance of the works on this beautiful disk as well as on her other CDs is a refreshing change from those pseudo-"authentic" performances on pseudo-"ancient" instruments that self-styled "scholars" insist is the only "correct" approach. Her love of this music comes through in the joy of her performance and in her truly "professional" and "scholarly" approach to it. I heartily recommend it to all lovers of early music.



4. This CD, and the Songbook that it accompanies, make Chaucer a living presence for the contemporary reader and listener. Many of Chaucer's pilgrims define themselves in part by the music they play or sing, and the characters in the stories they tell (even the rooster and chicken in "The Nun's Priest's Tale") express themselves musically. Until Carol Wood put this collection together, and arranged and performed the music for it, no one had made this rich context available. But not only is the work a triumph of musicological scholarship, the playing and singing are lovely quite on their own. Every edition of Chaucer (who wrote a number of poems, or portions of poems, for music) ought to include this CD in a pocket in the jacket!



5. There is so much more to this album than "I Have A Gentil Cock". Like most, I originally purchased the album for this harmonious hit single, but after a few months I was beginning to get burnt out on it. I eventually decided to give the rest of the CD a try and was amazed. DONT MAKE THE MISTAKE I MADE!!! Dont get me wrong, "I Have A Gentil Cock" is a brilliantly mastered song but please do yourself a favor and give the rest of this cd a try. You wont be sorry!

No comments about Weihnachten Unser Fest.

2 comments about A Very Reggae Christmas.

1. As an inveterate Christmas-CD purchaser, I had to check this one out, if for the cheese factor alone. Suprisingly, I found the arrangements refreshing and the production quite good! David Foster exec-produced it, so it has that sheen of high-quality production. But Kofi's phrasing, combined with the terrific, beat-heavy renditions, is charming and upbeat! I even listen to this in July; it's that fun! If you like any reggae at all, you'll love this.



2. Add this cd to your collection, just do it. I took a chance on it a few years ago and was delighted beyond my wildest. I have ordered two more copies thru Amazon.

5 comments about How the Grinch Stole Christmas (1966 TV Movie) / Horton Hears A Who (1970 TV Movie).

1. WOW!!! This has got to be one of the most touching Christmas stories in history! This may not be the video, but this is still a great copy. The only thing is, Horton could've been axed to allow some alternate copies of the songs on here. Horton doesn't have much of Christmas at all, but is still a classic Seuss story.

   As you know, the Grinch starts off desperate to get Christmas out of his life (and you can't do that! Ha Ha!!) with a smaalll heart. So he goes to Whoville with his dog and sleigh at night, breaking into every house, and taking everything out. Then he crests back to the top of the mountain (Mt. Crumpet, of course) to dump everything. He stops near the top to listen, and... his feelings for Christmas change all of a sudden with the aid of the Whos singing joyfully. His heart grows three sizes, his cup runneth over! He decends back to town and takes back everything he has ever done! He even carves the roast beast.

   Dear Heavenly Father, in the name of Jesus, I pray that You would touch everyone who indulges loneliness, who is lost in this world, and those who despise the Christmas season. Give them Christ, grow their hearts to to overflowing, and make them joyful! Reveal Christmas to them in Your spirit as a time to rejoice to the Lord, and to grow in their faith more and more, and to repent of their sins. Give them the power to move the mountains in their lives. Make everyone in Your whole entire world celebrate this joyful holiday with smiles on their faces. In Jesus' precious name. Amen.

   No Christmas would be complete without this: book, video, CD, who cares??? (And the 2000 version looks interesting, too.)




2. You cannot not love this tale and after witnessing the horror that was the movie you can't help but, return to this tried and true release. This is a great way to fill a stocking, if you are the kind that puts a twelve dollar stuffer in that is, or to add to your holiday music collection. So, for those who grew up with this tailing and for those of us who have a more Solstice view of the season this is a wonderful release to own.



3. I happened to come across a free "Starz" movie weekend and caught this movie. Normally I wouldn't dream of watching this movie and am not a Seuss fan.

   However, this movie was so surprisingly funny and good, I watched it twice and I'm pushing 60! I absolutely LOVE Horner's music and wasn't aware he scored this one.

   But, I was disappointed when I found there was so much narration from Carrey and Anthony Hopkins and mostly kid songs (it IS a kid's movie, though.) I found cuts 15,21,22 the best. Great Horner instrumentals, soaring and inspiring. Warning: Cut 15 is magnificent to 1:06, then come the farting sounds (it IS a kid's movie, though.) I would recommend it for these 3 cuts if you're a die-hard Horner fan. I would give these 3 cuts 5 stars, but only 4 for the entire CD because the majority of cuts are for VERY young juveniles.




4. Let me start off by saying that I love the Grinch - it's simply not Christmas without him. But this soundtrack of the classic TV special is not what I had expected it to be. All the dialogue and songs are here exactly as heard on the TV program, but really if we wanted to hear the exact TV special, we could just as well pop in the tape or the DVD. Boris Karloff's dialog and Grinch are divine - no gripes here. When you're listening to the songs as interspersed throught the dialog as originally intended that's OK too. I like the idea of reprising the songs complete with no dialoge, except during "You're A Mean One Mr. Grinch" there are some large gaps in the song where dialogue exists. The songs in tracks 11-14 could stand better editing for better continutity.
   
   What blows my mind though is that Turner (which now controls the film) has stooped so low as to package this delightful soundtrack in such moronic packaging as this. How cheap! I can honestly say that this is the poorest excuse for a CD case I have ever seen in a Turner/Warner product. The Grinch deserves better than this.
   
   The Jim Carey movie notwithstanding, there are 2 soundtrack versions of the 1966 TV special: this one from Turner and the other version with the white cover from (I think) MCA. The other version is not taken directly from the soundtrack as this one IS, but is more of a studio recording. While you can't surpass the performances as seen on TV, I do prefer the MCA version of the album. The performances by Boris Karloff (on both albums) are essentially identical, and the Grinch's lines on the MCA disc are taken directly from the soundtrack. Thurl Ravenscroft's singing of "You're A Mean One, Mr. Grinch" is only slightly different between the two albums, but on the MCA disc is done with better continuity (and more clarity) and that is the rendition of the song you usually hear on the radio at Christmas time. I especially love the addition of the word "deplorable" in "You're A Mean One" on MCA's album, as follows: "Your soul is an appalling dungheap, overflowing with the most disgraceful assortment of deplorable rubbish imaginable....."



5. SUPER FAST SHIPPING GREAT PRICE GREAT VALUE I WOULD BUY FROM THIS SELLER AGAIN.