5 comments about In Good Company.

1. A duets CD can be a daunting task in and of itself. However, Lee has taken the genre to a whole new level by using some old, some new, and some knockout vocalists! He simply has a knack for a song and apparently for being able to recognize just what effect each voice will have blended with his. It is a rarity to be able to do that and Lee nails it here! I just bought this and boy am I glad I did. The packaging alone is worth it. It is unlike any former CD package you have seen. The pictures are crystal clear colorful and he is photographed by a house in LA that is simply grand. Get this CD and enjoy a true vocalist.



2. An album of anodyne wallpaper-drivel: hypermanufactured in every worst sense. Fine, there's nothing wrong with the songs; it's just that all colour has been cloyingly bleached out of them. Tempi are uniformly slow, accompaniments, saccharine-coated, and the lyrics so indulgently mauled as to render them ironically sterile. What persuaded first-class musicians like Stephen Schwartz to have anything to do with this tedious project? Even the booklet looks like a second-rate ad promotion for a hotel chain. 'In Good Company?' Frankly, I'd rather be in on my own.



3. Perfect Blend of Voice, Song, and Performance!
   I discovered this CD on a CD store feature wall and by the third clip I knew it was great. Three elements combine to make this CD outstanding. First, Lessack's baritone voice features warm, rich sound while maintaining the ability to float, never over-singing. Second, the CD possesses an exemplary collection of songs. The two recently written songs, "Sweet Mystery" and "Here's to You," match the quality of the more familiar selections. Third, Lessack's choice of duet partners in relation to the selected songs is perfect. Each partner adds to the specific song on which they join Lessack. For example, Brian Lane Green's vocals on the Journey rock ballad "Open Arms" lend the song authenticity. Nita Whitaker's vocals on "First Time Ever I Saw..." blend perfectly with Lessack's and capture the lyric's essential warmth. The addition of different duet partners for each selection make each song on the CD unique, yet the album maintains a beautiful coherence. Other stand out tracks include: "The Look of Love," "Never Saw Blue Like That," "For Good," "Let It Be Me," "The Rose," and "May I Suggest." This is the best CD I've purchased in several months. It deserves a wide audience.



4. Up until a few days ago I had never heard of Lee Lesseck. Now that I have I have discovered a great voice and one that I will enjoy listening to for a very long time. This is a smashing CD and one that I highly recommend to lovers of great songs, beautifully sung in a very unique and special way. Lee has linked up with other great singers, like Nita Whitaker, Brian Lane Green, Maureen McGovern and Michael Feinstein to name but a few from a list of 17 performers he sings with on this CD. Each singer not only compliments his voice but bring a dimension of sound and music not found on other CD's of this genre. I could name my favorite tracks but as they change with each hearing, I won't. Just buy it, enjoy it and pass the word. Lee Lesseck and "In Good Company" is a must for any lovers of great songs and great music. 5 Stars all the way.



5. On his new CD, Lee Lessack finds himself in phenomenal company. And this, from someone who was a little less than thrilled with the idea of a CD of duets -- I didn't really want Lee to have to share songs with other singers -- I wanted another CD of "pure Lee." I should have known that my reservations were unfounded. I know that when Lee Lessack does anything, it's done flawlessly, and this CD is certainly no exception.
   
   Lee's voice -- which I personally think is currently the best male voice in any genre -- sounds wonderful, and blends amazingly with all seventeen of his duet partners. The roster of names that sing with him is almost as ecclectic as the list of song choices, but all combined, with Johnny Rodgers' wonderful arrangements, the CD is truly a masterpiece.
   
   I could rave about every single song, but I'll limit myself to my very favorites, which are the a-MA-zing "Never Saw Blue Like That" with Mary Jo Mundy, "Sweet Mystery" with Jon Philip Alman, a surprisingly wonderful revisiting of "Bring Back Romance" with Ann Hampton Callaway, "Vincero Perdero" with Franc D'Ambrosio, "For Good" with Stephen Schwartz, and "Vincent" with Ken Page.
   
   This is definitely a must-have CD.

No comments about 30 Exitos Insuperables.

5 comments about Divas Exotica.

1. I love this album. So different and alternative. It is very amusing, uplifting and you can dance and sing to all the songs. Very seductive too if you are in the right mood.



2. There are some great tracks on this CD. A great CD to have in your collection.



3. My son and I ADORE this delightful album. We commute 40 miles each day, and this album always puts us in such a great mood. We sing to every song! Nina Simone's "Feelin' Good" (bonus song) is SO amazing I had to go buy one of her albums.

   The ONLY song I sometimes skip is the first one, Ann-Margret's "Let Me Entertain You". It's not bad...just...boring. As for the other songs, some have good arrangements and are sung by REAL singers. Others aren't so good, but they're silly and fun and you just have to love the effort.

   This album is not for everyone. Your best bet is to listen to the samples. Believe me, if it's for you, you'll know right away.




4. I bought this CD after reading about it in a popular "lifestyle" magazine. Gawd, was I disappointed. I won't demolish the collection song by song. Just trust me when I say this is a six- martini adventure. I listened to it well-oiled, and it was still unbearable. Listening to the cuts on this CD was like trying to survive a bad hangover. If you really want to enjoy what singers like Billy Holiday, Eartha Kitt, and Shirley Bassey have to offer, invest in works that individually showcase their talents. As for the rest of the cuts, "unendurable" is not the word. Sure, you may get a few giggles out of them. But the people who put this miserable compilation together deserve the biggest laugh of all.



5. Slip into your crested slippers, call some friends, and put on "Divas Exotica" -- this good-time CD will put some swizzle in your stick! In my opinion, it has set the new standard for luxe lounge sound. Absolute gems are Ann-Margaret's "Let Me Entertain You," Josephine Baker's "Don't Touch Me Tomatoes," and Eartha Kitt's purrrrfect "Let's Misbehave." That track is THE definitive nightclub number -- you can just see Eartha slinking around the stage. Marilyn Monroe's "Heatwave" will have you wiggling all over the house and Nina Simone's Adam-and-Eve fable is the coolest little ditty I've heard in years. "Divas Exotica" is just too much fun -- these babes give new meaning to the term "cocktail shakers!"

5 comments about Modern Cool.

1. Why do we love Patricia so much? Well, playing table knives on strings would be a start. This ain't no disco, this ain't no country club either, this is Chicago. Not much to add to most reviews already here, but...
   
   Although the recording quality in general is good, the first track on the redbook CD version doesn't sound good on my more than reasonably good player. The rest is awesome, with a great soundstape and imaging, and a distinctive bass.
   
   Ms. Barber's piano is fine, but the musicians on this album are simply outstanding. Blown away by John McLeans' guitar, Jeff Stitely's udu and Dave Douglas' trumpet performance on Constantinople. Mark Walker's drums and Michael Arnopol's bass keep the album together.
   
   I could have done without the quirky Postmodern Blues. Overall, this is one fine album.



2. Very enjoyable material. The recording label has done an outstanding job. The performer really has something to say. You will not be bored from track 1 to the end. I was introduced to her music at an audio dealer when auditioning some equipment at Hi-Q Audio in Thousand Oaks, CA. Ms. Barber sings with lot of conviction. The lyrics are first rate and excellent base work. This CD can be very helpful if you are testing or auditioning for a sub-woofer.



3. This album is incredible! Give it a spin--just try the on-line samples here at Amazon. You'll be hooked in within two bars of "Touch of Trash." The poetry's inventive, the music sensuous, ambiguous, always dancing from admiration to competition. Then spin another track--it'll be totally different, equally compelling, addictive.

   This album has been #1 on my "Desert Island List" since I bought it several years ago. Why? (1) Because it's so good, I can't get enough of it, and yet (2) because it's so intricate, I find new things every time I listen, and most of all (3) because even after practically wearing it out, there are new questions, things I'm not sure I fully understand and appreciate.

   You'll love it in two bars. You'll still be learning it in two decades!




4. It is the best of times, it is the worst of times, when Patricia Barber invites us into her "Winter" of discontent. And discontent is the main currency of "Modern Cool": lovers hide from view ("Silent Partner"), razor-blade women mask, market and manipulate ("Touch of Trash"); meanwhile, the artistic world collapses like a house of postcards from the Museum of Contemporary Art ("Postmodern Blues"). Aided by Michael Arnopol, who deftly changes the upright bass from a solid into a liquid before your very ears, and the broken glass guitar phrases of John McLean, it is a harsh world out there and perhaps an even harsher world in here. Modern cool, indeed.

   One can almost see this disc as the story of a character who roams the shadows of Orwell's "1984", but has found the methodology not to meet the same fate as Winston. The Doors' raucous "Light My Fire" survives in this world, albeit as a plaintive whisper/prayer, a feeling echoed in "Silent Partner". Peace is found in far and few corners - "Let It Rain", with another grand chorus backing Patricia's dramatic vocals, "You & the Night & The Music", and the wordless yet free "Constantinople." Biting wit breaks up the gloom and doom: "Postmodern Blues" and "Company" are wry - though occasionally self-important - and complex in their modern cool pictures.

   The allusions to Dickens and Orwell are not coincidental. Patricia Barber is an author in her own right - she simply uses a piano instead of a pen. In many cases, one does not even need the lyrics (sharp as they are) to have the picture painted.

   One suspects "Modern Cool" drained Barber somewhat, as she would follow up this tremendous album with two 'easier' releases - a short-ish live CD and a cover version disc - neither of which (intentionally?) would approach the majesty of this album. But so what? The artist presently known as Patricia delivered one of the strongest and finest recordings of the 1990s, an achievement made all the more stunning by the fact that most of the recording was done in a three-day period in 1998.




5. Listening to Patricia Barber is in many ways like reading a novel by a superb fiction writer. Once you're done with their book, you simply can't pick up any old thing to read next, because it won't hold up to the comparison. Similarly, if I listen to "Modern Cool" and then put on music by other modern female jazz artists that I do enjoy (I won't name names), they sound like little girls in comparison. "Modern Cool" is stimulating and edgy without being overwhelming or inaccessible. This is music by a woman who is obviously whip-smart and a great observer of and participant in the human experience.

1 comments about Je Voyage.

1. This CD is as great as the other Aznavour CDs. On this CD, he performs a duet with his daughter Katia Aznavour, JE VOYAGE. Katia is a very good singer herself; she must take after her dad.
   
   I have enjoyed the music on this CD and recommend it highly.

5 comments about Teach Me Tonight.

1. For this set of superior standards "jazz diva", Wesla Whitfield delivers all of her songs(which are jazz standards), with thier original verses. She always is backed by tasteful small jazz combos(in this case Mike Grinsell's), and she improvises lightly(on thsi set she improvises a little more than usuaul), and has a bell like clarity to her singing, and perfect disction. She has a style all her own, those who appriciate good caberet singer, or jazz singers will enjoy this fine set.



2. this is very best of all wesla. I like much, in fact all family enjoy this, wesla good jazz singer, you like her too.



3. I may be old fashioned but I like it when singers sing the entire song. Please allow me to explain my last coment. Most singers today leave out an important part of the song, the itroduction, the verse. Miss Wesla Whitfield sings verses to songs, the way thay would have been sung in the shows they were introduced in. Wesla is not a strict caberet singer, meaning that she takes liberties with songs, bending melodies, and reshaping songs, all very tastefully. With the help of her lovely husband Mr. Mike Grinsell, her pianist and arranger, wesla is able to express her jazz filled smooth and silky voice. her style is charming and old fasion yet modern and jazzy. Her small band is very jazz oriented as are the arrangemets. This will be a great stocking stuffer for any jazz fan!



4. Phillips' latest 5 star review of this cd mad em buy this, and it is Wesla's best cd, she really knows how to sell a song!!! Her voice is chrystal clear and liek a bell! The songs are incredible and the backup band is exellent, and she sings verses to these songs that I have never ever heard. She knows how to bring new life to old standards ina jazz based way. GREAT GREAT GREAT GREAT GREAT!!!



5. I love this cd, because it's romantic, the arrangements are perfect, and the song selection is great, Wesla has the vocie of an angel, and she sings all the verses to these songs. ... This cd is exellent just listen to the msuic samples and hear for yourself.
   God bless
   Phillip
   ps buy all of wesla's cd;s you'll love em all.

5 comments about Forever.

1. Lyrics with the word "rainbows" should be avoided. They make a song sound twee and as it's the first song on the CD, it sets a tone.. Over-lush at times- this is a bit of a Streisand-type thing, (her insistance on every song beginning with an orchestral opening before she gets to it..horrible.) Feinstein does the same.. and some of the songs he has chosen are aural-sugar..
   Not a great album from a great artist.
   
   Nice Work If You Can Get It: Songs by the Gershwins



2. OK, let's face it, Michael Feinstein isn't for everyone. Some people think he's too sappy, a weaker Frank Sinatra, and so on. That said, I think this album is for everyone. From his eloquent cover of Van Morrison's "Moondance" to his own "Half of April" each and every one of these songs is performed with heart and a gentle touch. This is very much unlike his "songbook" albums - where he takes one composer's work and does it to death - which is what generally comes to mind with Michael's work , here there is a more eclectic style that gives you a truer sense of the great range and talent he posesses.



3. All the songs on this album are fabulous, but Michael's version of MOONDANCE can't be beat by any other artist in any venue. He is sincere in his vocalizing and a "pro" who simply can't be beat by anyone alive today! His phrasing is as good as Sinatra's but Michael Feinstein is in a class all his own -- he's on a pinnacle, but not an "ivory tower." He is one of a kind -- the best in his field.



4. When i bought this cd, i had high hopes for it. After playing it several times, i realized that it was not the cd for me. It had some good songs, but not enough of them. It had a few outstanding arrangements. This cd could have been better with more selective song selection and better arranging. Maybe in the future we can have some of both. I love you Michael, but this cd doesn't work.



5. I'm not a Michael Feinstein fan. I think the work he's done with the Gershwin catalogues is incredible but I've always found Feinstein to come off as sounding arrogant. Perhaps he isn't in real life, but that's how he brushes off on me.

   However, I'm able to put my personal prejudices aside to say that I really enjoy this particular album. No matter what your mood may be at any given time, there's something here for you. There's the beautiful soaring melody in "My Romance" and the dreamy "Soon". The mischevious "Moondance" is how I always thought this song should be performed. Add in the energetic "Too Marvelous For Words" and the thought provoking "What Ever Happened to Melody" and you've got a quite enjoyable collection.

   As another reviewer mentioned, this pairs very nicely with Feinstein's "Isn't It Romantic" compilation.

   So long as Mr. Feinstein continues to produce cds like this one, I'll continue to buy them. It doesn't mean I'll like Michael Feinstein, but I do like his album!

No comments about Sub Urban.

5 comments about Flappers, Vamps And Sweet Young Things.

1. This was special music from a special time in music history. My whole family litened to it.



2. Flappers, Vamps and Sweet Young Things offers twenty marvelous tracks that give us great insight into just how much women enjoyed their new found romantic freedom during the jazz era of the 1920s. These recordings may have surface noise but they remain enjoyable to this day and this is one CD you'll listen to over and over again. Just one listen proves it all!
   
   The CD opens with the upbeat number entitled "I'm Gonna Meet My Sweetie Now;" Jane Green performs this with all her might and the musical arrangement remains timeless to this day. Jane's voice is rich, warm and vibrant--awesome! The CD then makes a complete about face for the next track entitled "Am I Blue?" performed by Libby Holman. Libby sings of a lonely woman who wants a new romance in her life now that her man has suddenly left her. Libby Holman delivers this with panache and sophistication, too.
   
   Other gems on this CD include the then extremely popular Helen Kane singing "Dangerous Nan McGrew;" this number is about a woman who makes her own rules and enjoys men strictly on her terms. "Maybe, Who Knows" features a young Kate Smith singing magnificently about her life after her man has left her; and Mildred Hunt delivers the classic "Please Don't Talk About Me When I'm Gone." "Please Don't Talk About Me When I'm Gone" lets Mildred Hunt sing of how she doesn't want to be bad mouthed now that her romance with her man is finally over. Mildred also sings the opening verse before the chorus of the song which is something you don't always hear; this enhances the beauty of the number.
   
   Sophie Tucker belts out advice with "If Your Kisses Can't Hold The Man You Love;" this number lets Sophie tell women to go out and make the best of things with a new romance if their man leaves them. She even encourages them to cheat on their men if they discover that their man is unfaithful! The bold advice represents the new freedom women experienced during the 1920s jazz age. The Brox Sisters also perform a number about a "Red Hot Mama" who enjoys her life and makes her own decisions about her romances with men.
   
   This concept album wraps up nicely with "Ya Gotta Know How To Love" performed by Esther Walker. Esther sings of a woman taking control of a romance. This was a bold, revolutionary theme for the 1920's; but women enjoyed their new found freedom and there was no looking back once women discovered the joys of power.
   
   The liner notes tell us the difference between ladies who were "Flappers," "Vamps" or "Sweet Young Things;" there is some discussion of the type of lady who was a "Red Hot Mama" too. The liner notes give you all the song credits and recording dates along with an essay about the female singers on this CD and how the lyrics to these songs celebrate the exuberance of the 1920s. The art work is excellent, too.
   
   I highly recommend this CD for fans of early jazz and female singers from the 1920s; and people who want to get acquainted with these fine songbirds would do well to use this CD as a starting point.
   
   Let's hear it for the roaring `20s!!! Great job, everyone!!!



3. Like most compilations there are some great songs, some good songs and some stinkers but over all it is a fun CD. The songs cross the spectrum from women in love in the infectious "I'm gonna meet my sweetie now" to the heart broken "Moanin' low" with a strong dose of get over it in Sophie Tucker's "If your kisses can't hold the man you love" You can almost taste the bath tub gin while listing to Red Hot Henry Brown. I gave it an extra star for having both Helen Kane & Annette Hanshaw.



4. What were once called "girl singers" are featured on FLAPPERS, VAMPS AND SWEET YOUNG THINGS. The 20 songs span the years 1924 to 1931, with only three being from the pre-electric recording era. Condition of source material is spotty, which is to be expected with antique 78s. Fine print-sized liner notes comment on all tracks.
   
   This collection gets a middling rating for a persistent usage of lesser-known songs and B sides. Many of these ladies had far more entertaining records. Recommended mainly for completists. (3½ stars)
   
   TOTAL RUNNING TIME -- 57:03



5. I am a fan of the Brox Sisters, and I was so happy to find a CD with them singing on it! They are so spooky! In their movies they always come out dressed like a three-headed monster! They have great voices and they were really popular in the 1920s. They were the first poular sister team, I think. They came before the Boswells. Hooray for Bobbe, Patricia, and Lorriane Brox! There are also some nice clear recordings of great artists like Annette Hanshaw, Ruth Etting, Sophie Tucker, Blossom Seeley, and others. Once again, HOORAY FOR THE BROX SISTERS!!!

5 comments about The Champion Season: Live at the Cafe Carlyle.

1. Wow what a wonderful cd I love it from top to the bottom,do yourself a favor and pick up this cd you'll love it,just fab



2. Barbara Cook is sensational and everyone seems to agree. The songs are well known which usually is a negative for me, but anything sung by Ms. Cook seems fresh (So nice to hear "They Were You" sung straight and so beautifully). But the best aspect of the recording for me is to hear Ms. Cook and Mr. Harper in their "natural habitat", they seem so relaxed and the crowd (if the Carlyle can be said to hold a "crowd") reaction is great. I've been lucky enough to see Ms. Cook and Mr. Harper many times at the Carlyle. My favorite rememberance was during a rare flub of a verse by Ms. Cook which elicited a loud, short "HA!" from Wally. The smile and look from Ms. Cook to her long-time accompianist was worth the price of admission. This CD captures for me that kind of comfort and relaxed elegance and excellence that make this duo so pleasurable.



3. Another CD of Barbara Cook's that we can rave over! However, this one is different in many repects. On "The Champion Season..." we get a rare glimpse of Barbara's joy in celebrating Broadway musicals that can only be captured on a live recording. Her other live CD's are gorgeously sung but this one is exhuberant and full of fun and whimsy. Here Barbara lets her voice soar in music she clearly adores. She engages all our emotions in this heartfelt and fitting tribute to a very talented man-Gower Champion. A particular favorite track of mine is (#10), I Got Lost in His Arms/Time Heals Everything). This CD is the next best thing to seeing Barbara live! A precious gem of a recording!



4. THIS BRILLIANT , SHINING STAR NAMED BARBARA COOK DOES IT AGAIN ! HOW LUCKY US MERE MORTALS ARE TO HAVE HER RADIANCE HERE WITH US ON THIS PLANET !



5. Barbara Cook is one of the marvels of our present world - her voice, feeling, rhythm, intonation, everything is perfect. On this live disc, which captures some of her between song talking, we also get to hear her delightful reminiscences of Gower Champion. Her talking voice and what she has to say are as beautiful and expressive as her singing, so that on repeated listening, one never tires of the talking. The songs are a mix of well known and not so well known, all sung beautifully with the always perfect accompaniment of Wally Harper. Theirs is truly a musical match made in heaven. While all the songs are lovely, I have to single out "They Were You", a gorgeous song which has never been sung more beautifully. Miss Cook never ceases to be a revelation. If you ever have a chance to see her and Wally Harper at the Carlyle, drop everything else you had planned and go to see them. You won't ever forget it.