5 comments about Ballads, Blues & Big Bands: The Best of Nancy Wilson.

1. Nancy Wilson indeed is, as many reviews for this album attest, a supremely moving and vocally exciting artist captured at the threshold of her greatest years. She sings the standards repertoire with a swinging bouyancy that allowed her voice to express the joy of the song's melody and text. The musical arrangements and accompaniments vary from a duet to a trio to a big band. All of these formats and musical settings present Nancy's limber and silky voice. Listen how her voice sounds like a horn in "Midnight Sun" accompanied by a vibraphone and a discreet big band orchestra. Marvel at the way she dramatically but never cloyingly belt the lovely melodic line of "When The Sun Comes Out". Her pitch, vocal control and confident phrasing are all in full display here. Her later outputs, while still beautiful and very moving, veer a shade away from jazz and slightly became mannered but they are still top-notch and her vocal control remained as exciting as ever.
   
   This album is more than just an excellent jazz vocal album. This is an essential vocal album that transcends style and genre.



2. Superlative, magnificent, without parallel, etc, etc, etc,!

   1




3. NANCY'S MUSIC TRANSCENDS GENERATIONS; I AM FROM THAT HORRIBLE, VAPID LOT CALLED GENERATION X, BUT NANCY IS MY FAVORITE SINGER. HER MUSIC SENDS CHILLS DOWN MY SPINE; HER INTERPRETATIONS ARE UNIQUE AND POLISHED -- YET EMOTIONAL. NANCY, YOU ARE A CLASS ACT -- NO ONE QUITE REACHES YOUR LEVEL. THIS IS AN EXCELLENT COMPILATION OF HER WORK. I OWN EVERYTHING SHE HAS IN PRINT, BUT I BOUGHT THIS ONE IN ORDER TO GET A FEW MORE SONGS THAT I DIDN'T OWN BEFORE. IT WOULD BE SO GREAT IF CAPITAL RELEASED SOME OF HER OTHER 60 ALBUMS. ALSO, WITH NEWS OF NANCY RETIRING, WOULDN'T IT BE GREAT IF SHE DID ONE MORE CLASSICS ALBUM -- SORT OF LIKE "LOVE NANCY," BUT WITH A MORE JAZZY EDGE? IN ANY EVENT, BUY THIS ALBUM AND LEARN FROM THE GREATEST SONG STYLIST EVER!!!!!!!



4. I began lstening to Nancy Wilson as a little boy of 7 in 1962. Of all the great song stylist, Dinah Billie, Ella Carman, Sarah, Morgana, Cleo andothers, Nancy stands alone for delivering great songs, nomatter the style the way the writer intended. As avocalist myself, I do no hesitate to tell anyone and everyone about theinfluence this supremeartist has had and still contnues to have on me to this day. I learned nearly all of the standards from her as well as a lot of not well known material from listening to the 'Lady with a song' Ms. Wilson. I have a career in music as a song stylist because I have been taught by the very best. Thank you Nancy for all that you have been to the world and especially for what you have meant to me. Jymi.



5. I began lstening to Nancy Wilson as a little boy of 7 in 1962. Of all the great song stylist, Dinah Billie, Ella Carman, Sarah, Morgana, Cleo andothers, Nancy stands alone for delivering great songs, nomatter the style the way the writer intended. As avocalist myself, I do no hesitate to tell anyone and everyone about theinfluence this supremeartist has had and still contnues to have on me to this day. I learned nearly all of the standards from her as well as a lot of not well known material from listening to the 'Lady with a song' Ms. Wilson. I have a career in music as a song stylist because I have been taught by the very best. Thank you Nancy for all that you have been to the world and especially for what you have meant to me. Jymi.

3 comments about Rat Pack Collection : Gold (Frank Sinatra)/The Best Of (Dean Martin)/That Old Black Magic (Sammy Davis Jr.).

1. Once you get over the blatantly pedestrian packaging and the spelling errors in the liner notes (this is quite possibly the most obvious bootleg ever), this is quit simply the best Rat Pack collection you could hope to have. Recorded in 1962 at the famous Cal Neva Lodge in Chicago, this is Frank, Dino & Sammy at their finest - uncensored, singin' and swingin'.
   
   Dean starts the show off with a few numbers, including classics like "I Left My Heart In San Francisco" and "Volare", before Frank comes out swingin' with "Goody Goody". One thing that amazed me was how good Frank soundsa at this gig. His voice is perfect - clear, precise on the money. Listen to the first lines of "Please Be Kind". Magnificent. Sammy's set is fun and entertaining, and he doesn't seem to mind the heckling by his buddies.
   
   After Sammy's set comes a medley (duel would be more appropriate a term) with Frank and Dean, trading barbs between songs and having a blast. Sam and Dean have a hilarious time on "Sam's Song". You will laugh through this entirely un-PC rendition of this classic.
   
   The cd includes 5 bonus recordings from Frank from a different date (made clear by the overall atmosphere of the crowd). These are some of the best Frank recordings you could ever hope to hear. The versions of "All The Way" and "Bewitched" are especially lovely.
   
   The sound quality is good and overall I seriously suggest picking up this recording. It's worth it.



2. The review given by greggt@stones.com was for another Rat Pack CD. Amazon had confused that CD with this "Collection". This set of three has nothing to do at all with the live performance at the Villa Venice.



3. only recording better than this is the boy's (frank, dino, and sammy) playing sam giancana's place in chicago - the villa venice !

   enjoy !

5 comments about The Ultimate History of Rock 'N' Roll Collection.

1. For the $15 or so I paid for this, it was a nice deal. True, many of the tracks are inferior remakes, but many sound just fine. For example, the version of Bobby Day's "Rockin' Robin," which 12-year-old-me and my friends went nuts over in 1959, works well. On the other hand, whoever represented themselves as the Clovers and churned out "Love Potion #9" should be ashamed. Some of the tracks do sound like the originals, though.
   
   What I did was to take the ten discs and pull the best tracks off them. I wound up with four CDs. The first two contain the songs I like best, from Good Golly Miss Molly to Sheila to Maybe to Lightnin' Strikes (AFAIK, Lou Christie is -still- performing!), and so on. The third disc is called "Best Of The Rest," and the fourth contains instrumentals - Sandy Nelson's "Teen Beat" holds up particularly well.
   
   I enjoy making comps and have many. To get four enjoyable discs from the original ten was, for me, a reasonable percentage, and didn't take all that long. I'm listening to my #1 and #2 discs right now!
   
   If you're a stickler for the originals...and I have plenty of them from the late 50s and early to mid 60s...then look elsewhere. But I find that my compilation of these discs nicely complements my existing, and ever-growing, collection.



2. All 3 previous reviewers have claimed that all, or most of these tunes are re-recordings that are NOT by the original Artists. Well, allow me to mention that I have not heard the CD's, however, I have listened to nearly all of the Samples that Amazon has listed above. After a close listen and comparison to discs in my own collection, I am convinced that at least 90% of the songs ARE indeed original, the rest may have been recorded especially for this CD by Artists that have a very similar sound. I've also been around long enough to recall nearly all of these hits, and have heard them over and over via many different venues. I've heard them live, on the radio, as well as on the Toob over the years. A great collection of originals as well as a few by the NOT original singers.



3. As the previous reviews pointed out, most of these are not the original recordings and definitely not worth the money. I would give it 0 stars if I could.



4. This recording would probably be OK if you had never heard the original recordings. The fine print on the jacket reads "New stereo recordings". I guess someone has decided to tamper with the success of the original recording, because the "remixs" are not all that good. And some cuts sound like they may have been re-recorded recently by the remaining members of the group.



5. Look for these songs elsewhere if you want all original versions. What a gyp.

No comments about Great Jazz Ballads.

1 comments about The Wayfaring Stranger.

1. "The Golden Years of The Wayfaring Stanger", transfers and production by Geoff Milne (4CD box, 2005 Jasmine Records).
   
   All of these original Decca recordings (made from 1945 to 1953) have been transferred from vinyl yet sound quite clean (despite the odd blip or thud)and have a consistent sonic quality, regardless of whether they were live (on CD4 - the 1953 Coronation Concert in London), on radio (on CD2 - guesting on the Bing Crosby show) or from various studio sessions (on all 4 CDs). Part of the reason for the sonic consistency may be in that there has clearly been a decision made in the noise reduction process to also filter out any frequency above about 7kHz on all the tracks - however the remaining audio is very comfortable to listen to.
   
   I've recently done a couple of my own Burl Ives transfers to CD, including carefully removing each audible pop or click from an excellent condition vinyl LP of "The Wild Side Of Life" - all those tracks also appear on this CD set. I can hear a big difference between my CD and Geoff Milne's. I know that the studio recordings were bona fide HiFi mono, with truly amazing subtleties in musicianship and vocal harmony. The only way to appreciate all that intricate detail is to accept also hearing some surface noise. However I'd still have to say that these productions by Geoff Milne are appealing, even though they have less dynamic range.
   
   I like that all the tracks are arranged in chronological order of performance (rather than of release) and that we are given the actual dates and some other details. Geoff Milne's accompanying booklet includes an informed biography and is a good read.
   
   Anyone who grew up with the albums "The Wild Side Of Life" and "Women - Folk Songs About The Fair Sex" will be happy to know that all those original tracks are here in very good quality.
   
   There are also five versions of "The Blue Tail Fly", but not a dud song in sight. Highly recommended for any Burl Ives fan.

No comments about Complete Recordings (1946-63).

2 comments about Swing Out to Victory: Songs of WWII.

1. If you're buying just one audio collection of World War II music, this might be a good choice. Four CDs, bargain-priced, introduce 40 songs from the period, with many of the old stand-bys ("Three Little Sisters," "No Love, No Nothin'," others), along with lot of surprises ("There'll Be a Jubilee," "I'm a Cranky Old Yank in a Clanky Old Tank," others). For the price, a great introduction.



2. Four discs and about 2 hours of fine listening. Just try to keep your feet still. I run exercise classes for elders, people who were 'around', in every sense of the word, during WW II. Hearing their music brings smiles to their faces. They enjoy the trip down memory lane. A terrific variety of artists and songs not generally found on other compilations from the 40's era.

5 comments about Roots N' Blues: Retrospective 1925-1950.

1. But oink oink what a money grubber to ask 299.00 for this set.
   Whoever is asking almost 300.00 for this set,I really think that is abit overboard.
   I hope you don't sell it frankly.
   
   I realize you can ask what you want,but this is really over the top.



2. In getting ready to play this set for the umpteenth time since I first acquired it (and with almost 3,000 CD's in my collection, there's a lot of CD's I've never even played twice) I stopped by Amazon to see what others here thought of it. I am devastated to see that it is "no longer available".
   
   This is possibly THE greatest collection of early Roots and Blues music ever assembled. The diversity of talent, the quality of the recordings and the sheer "listenablilty" of it make this a must-own collection for the true roots aficionado.
   
   More importantly, it proves a point I've been trying to make for years. I know a lot of people who consider themselves "music enthusiasts" who believe that Jazz is the greatest form of Native American music, while others disagree and think that Country is the greatest form of Native American music. Still other people I know hold Blues in high regard, or R & B, or Gospel, or even Rock and Roll, all the while looking down their noses at other forms of Native American music.
   
   Guess what? They're ALL wrong! And this collection proves it once and for all. "Roots N' Blues - The Retrospective 1925-1950" does not give a hoot about labels. Simply put, there is no such thing as "good genres" of music or "bad genres" of music - there are simply some musicians who are more skilled than others. For many years, I have been equally fond of Blues, Jazz, Country, Gospel and R & B, and I am SO glad that somebody thought of combining their early common attributes under one umbrella - "Roots". Not too many other compilations would think of offering the diverse talents of Ernest V. Stoneman, the Light Crust Doughboys, the Deep South Boys, Blind Willie McTell and a host of other blues / gospel / country legends all in one collection, but it just goes to show you how interchangeable it all really is. Who cares about labels? Good music is good music, and there is not a single bad performance in this entire set.
   
   If you stumble upon a copy of this collection for sale at any price, and love good music, get your hands on it. Unfortunately, certain wildly popular so-called "artists" of the 21st century will be with us forever, but real music is getting harder and harder to come by. The longer I stay around, the more I see "music" morphing into an "industry" emphasizing fashion statements, hair styles, sexy singers, amplified voices and popularity contests, while offering less and less genuine talent.
   
   Snap it up.



3. How lucky you are if you have this or if you are purchasing it now. I was one of the lucky ones who bought it back in '92, not as a music "scholar" but as someone who loves the history of popular music. When first released "Roots and Blues" was touted as delineating the path to what became rock 'n roll. That it does, but it is so much more-- great, wonderful, charming, moving, delightful, entertaining MUSIC of so many genres, a melting pot of melody-- so... American. What hasn't been mentioned before is the accompanying booklet, a treasure trove of information about every cut and performer. Listen, read, enjoy. Repeat.



4. I would have to agree with all of the reviews posted above, except that I am leaning greatly in the direction of "American Folk Anthology". I find the Roots N Blues Retro. a little lacking when it came to the more honest and sublime works offered in American Folk Anthology. If I had to buy only one knowing the same thing I do now, I would without any doubt or consideration go with American Folk Anthology. Since I have both though I won't even bother entertaining the thought.
   
   I enjoy music from all over the charts and have quite a selection going.
   American Folk Anthology is my favourite piece/s of music I have ever heard or bought, while Roots N Blues Retro may just be second. I can't say much other than if your pocket book will allow it, and in my case even if it doesn't, get both.
   Have a great day!



5. As I write this in mid-2006, the above retrospective box set is now long out of print and is fetching between $70 to $120 from Amazon's 2nd tier vendors. It is quite doubtful that it will be reissued in the near future.There is a myriad of selections, eclipsing The Anthology of American Folk Music in running time, years covered as well as musical styles- so this is still not a overpriced purchase at the above prices.
   The reviewers above and below have done excellent jobs describing the variety and overall enjoyability of the tracks. My only point here is that this is strictly a release from Columbia's (and its associated labels) vaults. While they were certainly the biggest at the time, they weren't the only player documenting early blues and folk styles.
   Therefore this is an excellent companion for a beginning enthusiast along with Harry Smith's AAFM. Both are voluminous and extremely important.
   I personally enjoy both tremendously but for different reasons: AAFM is more urgent and haunting, while this collection is certainly more "listener friendly", a more accurate account of what the public enjoyed between 1925-1950.
   The AAFM to its credit has been far more influential to the contemporary blues, folk and rock idioms; and after a few listens, I can begin to understand why.
   So therein lies my suggestion: get both! And with regards to this brilliant collection, do it soon before it fetches $150 and up. Enjoy...

5 comments about Wonderful Town: First Complete Recording (1998 Studio Cast).

1. "Wonderful Town" is my favorite Leonard Bernstein work, so I guess you could say that I am bias. I've seen the current New York revival four times, and own every cast recording ever made. Despite many good qualities, this is one of my least favorite.
   
   To begin, I did not like the way that Karen Mason performed the role of Ruth. She was good, but that's the problem: to be Ruth, you have to be spectacular. I didn't get that feeling listening to her. For me, Donna Murphy is the best Ruth, and Ms. Mason doesn't even come close!
   
   On the other hand, my heart absolutely melted over Rebecca Luker's interpretation of Eileen. Ms. Luker, one of the best voices currently in the theatre, brings her full-bodied soprano to Eileen, and it is transfixing. Her version of "A Little Bit in Love" is my favorite version of all time.
   
   All in all, you should buy this recording, along with the versions starring Donna Murphy and Brooke Shields, and spend an enchanted evening in that old fashioned New York of days past.



2. This recording of Wonderful Town is fabluous. Extraordinary playing and singing all the way around. I have just completed a run of this show (as music director/conductor). While I understand those who prefer the orignal w/Rosalind Russell (I have that one, too), this recording in its completeness is unbeatable. Every measure of the score is present on this recording. This is especially helpful, since the available piano vocal score is nearly unplayable at the keyboard due to both scoring and manuscript difficulties. Even with talented rehearsal accompanists, we ended up teaching every bit of the choreography straight from this recording, with virtually no changes in the orchestra once they came in to production. I highly recommend this item, especially if you are thinking of doing this show!



3. I've read the reviews of this record and while it's fine, it doesn't match the electricity and fire of the original. Precisely, Rosalind Russell is an actress and she imbues her singing with a passion that Mason can't equal with her superior singing voice. I remember the excitment that accompanied the move of Russell to Broadway and the attendant snobbery that a "film" star would have the chutzpah to try the sacred stage. Well, babes, she not only did herself proud, she knocked the socks off the critics. You hear the transcendent Russell persona in the songs, so don't get seduced by this better singer stuff. One reviewer mentioned that he/she got bored by the songs after a few hearings, well, it won't happen if you get the original. Get that babes, and you'll wear the darn thing out! Besides, what a bargain! It's ten times cheaper!



4. Wonderful Town easily ranks among West Side Story, The Music Man, and all the other greatest musicals of the fifties and sixties; why it has been utterly forgotten by most is beyond me. Leonard Bernstein delivers one of the theater's best scores (when has he not?); the overture has more personality than many more successful shows have in their entire scores. This recording is the perfect representation of an amazing show. True, there is nothing particularly wrong with the original; however, this one is even better. Rosalind Russel gave a brilliant performace- or so Im told - but she is fundamentally an actress, and although her voice is passable, she couldnt really do justice to the fantastic songs, chosing to use her personality more than her singing ability in many instances. Nothing wrong with that. But here we have Karen Mason, who, while not as forceful a personality as Russel, has just enough no-nonsense attitude to pull off the part, and boy, can she sing. Rebecca Luker is the perfect Eileen- she combines a lovely voice with ditzy charm, just what her songs require. Ron Raines and Gregg Edelman both sing perfectly. Add to all this the presence of the National Symphony Orchestra, which allows Don Walker's sparkling orchestrations to shine far more than could any pit band, and you have a fantastic recording of Leonard Bernstein's fantastic score.



5. At long last, a complete recording of "Wonderful Town" has been done. With the best of the new Broadway singers. Rebecca Luker as Eileen is all around passionate and sweet, with a lovely voice and Ron Raines, is brilliant, in a class of the male Broadway stars of the 60's. And with Karen Mason in the Rosalind Russell role of Ruth, gives it a new meaning, Russell was not a singer but Mason is. She puts the comedy where it belongs, in the song and the emotions when needed. She does not merely sing the song, she performs it. There's much more in here than any CD has and with the little more, the story line is there. This is a classic recording, and why not reasemble these performers for a revival. mlop

2 comments about Return to Me.

1. Disregard that other guy that gave this box set a low review. He has no clue what he's talking about.
   
   The music on the box set contains every song recorded by Dino for Capitol Records from 1956-1962. Dino, like most other Capitol artists, began recording in stereo in mid-1958. Rest assured that EVERY song Dino recorded in stereo for Capitol IS included on this box set, AND is presented in full stereo. Perhaps the other poster is unaware that stereo recordings only became the norm for big record labels in the late '50s (early-mid '60s for smaller labels).
   
   Also, the remastering is great, and each song (including the earlier mono recordings) sound full and rich, just as they were recorded.
   
   Finally, the book. I don't know what this other reviewer wants from the book. The book contains detailed session info, including recording date, release date, arranger, every musician from each session, and even the recording location. In addition to that, the book contains detailed stories about the recording and release of each of Dino's albums, many stories about the singles, and a bio of Dean's life during the time this box set covers. There are also many dozens of album covers and photos to check out.
   
   I don't know what more this guy wants. Perhaps he needs Dino to rise from the grave and sing in his bedroom, while the book does a tap dance in his lap.
   
   To anyone else interested in this set, buy with confidence. It really is a wonderful set, and the ONLY way you can get all his recordings from this period in great sound.



2. I have been a Dean Martin fan for many, many years, having most of his CD's you can find. I wanted these CD's for the fact there are so many songs you can't usually find. For that fact I am glad I purchased. However, these CD's are not stereo, and the book is not well written. I think anyone who is a true Dean Martin fan will be offended by the book. I think it would be a better deal with just the CD's, and at a much lower price.