2 comments about Blue Note Plays Burt Bacharach.

1. The multi-faceted and prolific composer, Grammy Awardee and a hitmaker, Burt Bacharach, was one of the special guests at Chris Botti's concert I've watched last year at the Wilshire Theatre. It was an incredible musical experience watching him perform live as he showed-off his piano artistry on Chris Botti and Paula Cole's performance of one of his very famous compositions and my all-time favorite, "The Look of Love." I loved all the hit songs he collaborated with lyricist Hal David - "Walk On By," "Alfie," "You'll Never Get To Heaven," "I Say A Little Prayer," "A House Is Not A Home," "Anyone Who Had A Heart," "They Long To Be Close To You," "The April Fools," "That's What Friends Are For," "This Guy's In Love With You" and "There's Always Something There To Remind Me."
   
   This is a compilation of twelve of his most remarkable compositions including the title track of a Broadway production, "Promises, Promises" as interpreted by some of the finest recording artists from Blue Note Records. Some are with vocals by Nancy Wilson ("Alfie" and "Wives and Lovers") and Lou Rawls ("Any Day Now") and the rest are purely instrumentals. This CD promises a great listening enjoyment from the opening track, "Promises, Promises" by the Jazz Cruzaders to the last track, Ernie Watts' "Knowing When To Leave." Grant Green does a great take on "I'll Never Fall In Love Again." Each track is a charming delight.
   
   My highlights are "What The World Needs Now" and "Walk On By," performed by a great saxophonist, Stanley Turrentine. "The Look of Love" by The Three Sounds is also a great listen. Another beguiling track is "Do You Know The Way To San Jose?" featuring Richard Holmes on organ. Earl Klugh, a fine guitarist, shines in his solo guitar with the gorgeous interpretation of "The April Fools." Nancy Wilson's take on "Alfie" is so beautiful and the orchestra was conducted and arranged by one of the best Sinatra arrangers, Billy May.
   
   This is a wonderful tribute to the timeless music of Burt Bacharach and the meaningful lyrics of Hal David.
   
   With my heartfelt recommendation.



2. The homage to Burt Bacharach in the "Blue Note Plays" series is an excellent collection that spans recordings made from 1964-1990. Bacharach is one of the most distinctive of our modern pop composers. One can easily identify his distinctive melodies. The opener by Jazz Crusaders is a sterling peppy rendition of "Promises Promises" with Wayne Henderson's trombone & Wilton Felder's tenor sax sharing stage. Stanley Turrentine's "Walk On By" has his sexy sax swagger on this classic melody. The newest recording is Lou Rawls' take on "Any Day Now" with Chris Parker's pumping rhythm section & Richard Tee's piano as Rawls croons, "My wild beautiful bird, you'll have flown & I'll be all alone." The most vintage track is 1964's Nancy Wilson reading of "Wives & Lovers," "Day after day there are girls at the office & men will always be men, don't send him off with your hair still in curlers, you may not see him again." The Three Sounds' take on "The Look of Love" is a bouncy instrumental with Gene Harris' wild piano punctuated by a fleet of trumpets, trombones & saxes. Ernie Watts' tenor sax is front & center on the closer "Knowing When to Leave." This is an excellent collection by Blue Note that maintains the label's usual high technical standards with some great jazz. Enjoy!

3 comments about The End Of Violence: Score From The Motion Picture Soundtrack.

1. whether he's bringing the Buena Vista Social Club to Carnrgie Hall, or playing guitar for the Stones, this man always is innovative. Personally, he hits notes that have stirred in my Soul forever.



2. This is one of the best pieces of music I have had the pleasure to listen to over and over over these past few years. It is multi-layered and mind altering. There is great playing, of course, and the mix is just exceptional.
   The first few times I listened, it all seemed so incongruous and disconnected--kind of like how an outsider (me) feels when driving around or through L.A.--but after a few listens I became familiar with the soundscape, and have been wandering through its many avenues and neighborhoods often. It is truely fantastic--and a little dangerous, especially with headphones!
   A good companion CD is Jon Hassell's _Fascinoma_ which Cooder plays on.
   A sidenote: both of these CDs remind me a lot of Gil Evans--_Out of the Cool_ and _The Individualism of_. Something about textures and mood....



3. i only found out the other day that ry cooder is also obssessed with cuba and cuban music. i also learned he wrote the soundtrack to the "end of violence". this is cutting edge stuff. i play it again and again. i have not seen the movie but why bother when you have this outstanding soundtrack?

No comments about Motion.

4 comments about Rhythm: A Real Music Sampler.

1. Certainly the best overall new age compilation very deserving of its title. The tracks are diverse and uplifting and never dull. It is also a tremendous bargain. Buy this CD before it disappears.



2. My husband and I love this CD. It is relaxing and never gets boring.



3. If you can find this cd on the cheap go ahead and scoop it up.Otherwise don't bother."Tears of joy"by Govi is a heartfelt number and his "Beach fire dancers" features hypnotic flutes and a tropical rhythm that is irresistable."Summer Rain" from Shastro is very laid back with a hint of melancholy and longing.The other stuff on the collection is the usual assortment of bad synth and vapid new age drivel that isn't worth the listening.



4. I wasn't familiar with these artists until I heard the demo CD at a bookstore. Since then, I have bought the CD for a couple different friends (each one having different music tastes) and they have all loved the music and referred it onto other friends. It's inspirational music!

No comments about Highway South: Southern Rock.

2 comments about Blues on the Run.

1. Many blues guitar CD's have the guitar smoothered under vocals, drums and other instruments....but Taylor's work is an exception. His clean, smooth and very cool blues guitar takes front row in all the songs here. This CD is a blues guitar lovers dream. Although the lyrics are not memorable, who cares?....this CD is all about blues guitar and Taylor is one of the best in the business.



2. Melvin Taylor is one of the most entertaining and veratile blues guitarists to ever play and this cd provides some great examples of his brilliance. This is the earliest recording of his that I know of. It has a more traditional chicago electric bluesy sound. I highly recommend you buy this one!

5 comments about Power of Love.

1. The Rush, I want the night to stay, and I who have nothing with Martha Wash are the best songs on this CD to me. This one is very good.



2. Power of Love finds Luther Vandross at his peak, crafting immaculate urban R&B hits that are seductive and soulful. The singles "Power of Love/Love Power," "Don't Want to Be a Fool," "The Rush," and "Sometimes It's Only Love" are the high points, but the album is filled with songs that are nearly as powerful, including a wonderful cover of Ben E. King's "I (Who Have Nothing)."



3. Not only did Luther continue his incredible streak of Platinum records with the Top Ten, Grammy Award-winning THE POWER OF LOVE, but he also followed through on the crossover success of "Here And Now" by scoring two more major pop hits. He had been a mainstay of the Billboard's Hot 200 albums chart for 10 years, and now Luther was finally a force to be reckoned with on the Hot 100 singles chart as well.
   
   Luther also adapted to the changing times by incorporating the then-popular sound of house/techno music into his compositions. Unfortunately, this type of dance music hasn't aged particularly well, so approximately half of THE POWER OF LOVE actually sounds more dated than anything he had released prior. However, this is still a pretty good album, with more than enough reasons to recommend it. Luther has much more personality as a writer and performer than most artists of this genre, and he knows how to craft a killer track. The best dance song is easily the majestic medley "Power Of Love/Love Power" (#4 Pop, #1 R&B, #3 Adult Contemporary), which was a monster hit upon release and still holds up as a classic.
   
   However, there are a few more techno cuts on this disc that also stand the test of time. Even if the emphasis is more on style than substance, tracks like "She Doesn't Mind" and "I Can Tell You That" prove to be irresistible due to their strong hooks and inventive arrangements. Unfortunately, the by-the-numbers "Emotional Fire" is an exception to this rule, and today sounds like relic of the era. And although the urban radio hit "The Rush" (#73 Pop, #6 R&B) packs a undeniably strong sensual punch, the condensed single edit is actually superior to the overlong album version.
   
   With the exception of "I'm Gonna Start Today" (which has clever lyrics, but is done in by a rambling melody), all of the ballads on THE POWER OF LOVE are top-notch. As the earnest "I Want To Stay The Night" and the lovely radio hit "Sometimes It's Only Love" (#9 R&B, #9 Adult Contemporary) can attest, Luther has that special gift for writing and performing songs that not only do justice to his amazing vocal abilities, but also manage to be universal without being typical. Nowhere is this more evident than on the heartfelt smash hit "Don't Want To Be A Fool" (#9 Pop, #4 R&B, #14 Adult Contemporary), which stands as one of his heartbreaking best.
   
   Even if some moments of THE POWER OF LOVE don't hold up as well as others, there are so many highlights, most listeners won't care. Also, though the album doesn't gel into the unified listening experience of his previous recordings, it is so well-made and professional-sounding that it always sounds good while it's on. And it also has an absolutely terrific finale in the epic reworking of "I Who Have Nothing," on which Martha Wash lends a sizzling duet vocal.



4. In the 80s Luther was the big man in soul. Everybody loved this guys amazing voice, and he had 6 hit albums under his belt when he capped off the 80s with his double album 'Best of Luther Vandross: Best Of Love'. So basically coming into 1991 LV was riding high, but for me 'Power Of Love' didn't totally deliver.

   Its a nice set at first, but a bit hit & miss. 'She Doesn't Mind' is a dramatic opener, and the title track and 'The Rush' are two great jams, but not all the material here is as cool. Some oF this sounds like Luther going through the motions. Its a nice enough album, but not essential like the early 80s stuff. His 'rennaisance period' really started off with 1994s awesome 'Songs' album. Overall 'Power Of Love' is nice, but maybe more for the serious fans.




5. This 1991 release was one of Luther's most commercially sucessful projects. Though not released as singles , the two best songs were "I Want The Night To Stay" and "I'm Gonna Start Today". Vocally, Luther's at his best on the two above-mentioned songs and "The Rush", "Sometimes It's Only Love" and "She Does'nt Mind". Avoid the new-jack-swing flavored dance tracks "Emotional Love" and "I Can Tell You That", however.

5 comments about Maxwell's Urban Hang Suite.

1. What else can be said about Maxwell's music other than, timely, romantic, relaxing, and sensuous?



2. I can recall how women used to swoon over Maxwell in the 1990s. When he would come to town, they would make sure they were in attendance, and when he released new music, his loyal female fans were the first in line. I kept hearing songs from this album on AOL radio and it provoked me to listen to this album once more. Wow! I was captivated by the middle of the first song. Music lovers, this is real music! This album contains singing, instrumentation, and lyrics! I do not see why any living thing wouldn't find something they thoroughly enjoyed on "Maxwell's Urban Hang Suite."
   
   This album contains a lot of instrumental breakdowns within the songs and I loved that! Of course, there is enough of Maxwell crooning, but all of the instruments really make this album a distinguished and memorable work. Each song is worth listening to; he gives his listener more falsetto than we are used to, and he sounds fresh, young and sexy on from track one to track eleven! The weakest moments are "Welcome" and "Suitelady", but even they exceed mediocrity. The songs that were released, "Sumthin' Sumthin", "Ascension (Don't Ever Wonder)" and "Whenever Wherever Whatever" are easily three of the best songs of the 1990s. "Ascension (Don't Ever Wonder)" and "Sumthin' Sumthin'" are dance numbers thumping with wonderful baselines, while "Whenever Wherever Whatever" is a flawless, emotional ballad that you will never forget once you have heard it. Maxwell's voice is crystal clear in this ballad and the way the guitar cries will make the listener shed tears, also.
   
   Pick this album up right now! You are surely in for a treat. Sometimes we purchase albums and listen to them once and throw them away afterward because we did not enjoy it. I am willing to bet that this album has never been thrown away. This is his best work and he can't make an album better than this.
   
   Mikeisha's Top 5
   
   1. "Whenever Wherever Whatever"
   2. "Sumthin' Sumthin'"
   3. "Ascension (Don't Ever Wonder)"
   4. "Dancewitme"
   5. "Reunion"



3. I purchased this cd in 96 when it first came out.....I fell in love with the man, with the sound, with the vibe and the aura. How dare this reviewer try and pigeonhole this artist? Maxwell (to TRUE R & B fans) is a breath of fresh air. He can seduce a 70 year old as well as a 25 year old with his passionate stylings.......I happened to hear him on the BET awards show in June in honor of Al Green doing "Simply Beautiful"....I nearly died and went to heaven! The man is still awesome (sans his Neo fro)and I just wanted more, more, more.........
   
   I think that the critic should stick to reviewing Rock music.....cuz this genre right 'chere....YOU know nuttin about!!!!



4. great album by maxwell. one of my favorites to listen to when i just want to mellow out.



5. a great, slow, sexy set of love songs but hardly in the traditional sense. no up tempo to change the pace of things. but where is maxwell now? to be enjoyed over and over again.

3 comments about Steel on Steel.

1. I first bought Dave Hole "THE LIVE ONE". LOVED IT! So I
   couldn't wait to hear some more. Well this was my 2nd choice.
   All I can say is, it's a good thing he can play such good slide
   cause he sure can't sing, and it sounds to country, and I HATE
   COUNTRY MUSIC! SO, if you've not heard any of his music, don't
   waste anymore time, and get "THE LIVE ONE". IT ROCKS!!



2. I had never heard of this guy. Dave who? I just happened to read a review of his music much like you are reading this one. I AM SO GLAD I DID!!! This guy plays SERIOUS BLUES ROCK much like George Thorogood and Bonnie Raitt with the steel slide technique and an authentic blues voice. One of the best songs on this album is not a rocker but a ballad called 'I found love.'
   It is just a terrific song. Some real cookers include 'quicksand', 'killing bite', and the very blue 'take me to Chicago.' The whole album just jams and is great fun to listen to. You may not have heard of Dave Hole but do yourself and your friends and favor and BUY THIS ALBUM!! You won't regret it if you like quality blues with a rockin' beat and excellent musicianship.



3. As usual, Dave Hole puts out another incredibly jammin'CD. Not much more to say. Buy it and you won't regret it!

5 comments about Moonburn.

1. I've never been moved to write a review before, but this.... this is the thing. Not a duff track, not a duff note. The piano playing alone will make you choke it's so beautiful. And the band, and Cleary's voice, and the production, oh just buy it for heaven's sake



2. I've never been moved to write a review before, but this.... this is the thing. Not a duff track, not a duff note. The piano playing alone will make you choke it's so beautiful. And the band, and Cleary's voice, and the production, oh just buy it for heaven's sake



3. Heard Jon at a Bonnie Raitt concert and thought he was terrific. This CD, however, was nothing like what I heard in concert.



4. you have never heard so much funk generated by 4 guys! brilliant and, at the same time, probably at risk of getting caught in the grey spaces between blues and R&B and gospel and funk and rock. which is ok with me -- as long as i can keep walking easily into their gigs. my worry is that they will not be sufficiently discovered, and they will not be able to produce enough cd's to fill my craving! cleary and his band are in high demand as studio musicians with folks like raitt and taj mahal... buy their cd ASAP so we can keep them together long enough to pump out some more of this awesome and unique music! i got really luck and stumbled into the maple leaf in new orleans after a long day at jazz fest and jammed with cleary and the monsters 'til early the next morning. bought their cd immediately and i'm now at risk of needing to buy another copy since mine is wearing out. yesterday, saw them again with bonnie raitt sitting in on a few songs. this is KILLER music, people. there is something for everyone on this album. i'm ready for the next one!



5. I don't know if I went more than a week without listening to this disk for the 6 months I spent in Kenya. I captures my home and my favorite city completely. From blues to R&B to gospel to funk, it's all on this CD. It may be cliche, but this disk is quintessential. I don't know if it's because Cleary doesn't take things for granted (not being a native), or it's a matter of his finding his true home, but whatever it is IT WORKS!