No comments about Best of Jazz.

1 comments about The Best of Christmas.

1. This album is one of the best I've ever listened to. The Judd's song "Light of the Stable" is just beautiful.

3 comments about Season's Greetings: 20th Century Masters/The Millennium Collection.

1. I had expected it to be a little bit better ... but all in all, I guess it is a decent collection to Christmas songs.



2. There are few Christmas albums by single artists that I can listen to straight though. As such I have made more than a dozen Christmas anthology albums of my own from the more than 200 Christmas albums in my collection. On each album I would mix the familiar with the new. This Hip-O collection does the same thing. You get old chestnuts like Bing Crosby's "White Christmas" and Brenda Lee's "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" alongside more contemporary performances like Dru Hill's "This Christmas" and Vince Gill's "It Won't Be the Same This Year." For some, the wide range of styles will be turn off. Me? I like the diversity of the music. My only criticism is that this collection would have easily fit on two discs. When I put a CD in the player I don't want to have to change it for at least an hour. If your going to make me pay for three CDs, fill all three CDs. RECOMMENDED



3. Have you longed for a collection with everything in one album...well, here it is...from the early '40s up through the '90s, the who's who in the entertainment field ~ Bryan Adams, Leroy Anderson, Louis Armstrong, Brook Benton, Chuck Berry, Boyz II Men, Bing Crosby, Do Re Mi Children's Chorus, Jimmy Durante, Ella Fitzgerald, Judy Garland, Marvin Gaye, Amy Grant, Vince Gill, Bobby Helms, Dru Hill, Isley Brothers (featuring Ronald Isley), Burl Ives, The Jackson 5, Eartha Kitt, Gladys Knight & The Pips, Brenda Lee, Kathy Mattea, Brian McKnight, Stephanie Mills, Aaron Neville, New Edition, The Platters, Harry Simeone Chorale, The Supremes, The Temptations, Mel Torme, Dinah Washington, The Waitresses and Angela Winbush...each artist with their own distinctive interpretation, making the Holiday Season even more special.

   Universal Music Enterprises, share treasures from the vast vault of labels ~ A&M Records, Decca, Island Def Jam Music, Motown Records and Verve Music is sure to bring back many fond memories of your childhood from yuletide's past!

   This collection reminds me of the old Reader's Digest "Christmas Through The Years" (1984), another 3-CD-Set which is high on my collection list (no longer available)...but this release from Hip-O ~ "Season's Greetings-20th Century Masters-The Millennium Collection", is a compilation of beautiful Christmas songs and best-loved carols that will brighten your Christmastide for years to come...treat yourself, pick this one up, an early Christmas presents...put it on, while your trimming the family Christmas tree!

   Total 3-CD-Set ~ Universal/Hip-O Records 314-556-728-2 ~ (2001)

No comments about Complete Christmas Collection.

No comments about Complete Christmas Collection.

No comments about Strings of Christmas.

No comments about It's Christmas Time.

2 comments about Yuletide Soiree Party Pack.

1. Face it, Christmas music can be really hokey. So rather than sit through another elevator music rendition of "The Little Drummer Boy" (by the way, it's on this album), why not swing with the Ventures, Chuck Berry, Eartha Kitt, Spike Jones, the Beach Boys and more?

   This album has all those quirky Christmas songs you hear in the background of funky radio bits and commercials. Plus recipes, invitations, pithy liner notes, lyrics and special "karaoke" sing along tracks, etc. All in the impeccable Rhino Records packaging and sparkling masters.

   Now where did I put my hot toddy?




2. If your like me & Christmas is your favorite time of the year. You also enjoy the comfort of family & friends at your holiday get togethers. There is no better christmas CD to purchase for these events than this one. It will bring the true feeling of Christmas Spirit to life. With Classics such as Bing Crosby, Doris Day, Chuck Berry & many more favorites, along with traditional christmas instrumentals. This is the perfect accesory to your holiday delight.

2 comments about Messiah.

1. This performance of Messiah, conducted by Peter Marschik and performed by the choir and soloists of the Vienna Boys Choir, was originally released on the Cappricio label, and has since been licensed by Laserlight and other budget labels at significantly reduced prices. I purchased the Laserlight edition while exploring several different Messiahs. This recording has a couple of plusses, especially in the expressive soloists: the fiery tenor Ivan Sharpe does a magnificent job with "Comfort Ye My People" and "Every Valley Shall Be Exalted" and the boy soprano Max Emmanuel Cencic is glorious on "There Were Shepherds Abiding" while Countertenor Charles Humphries is also fine, if not absolutely proficient, on his solos. This performance is definitely worth hearing for the soloists.
   
   The troubles I have with this particular Messiah are the unaccountably slow tempos set on some of the choruses: "And He Shall Purify" and "For Unto Us A Child Is Born" seem unnecessarily languid, stripping them of any sense of joy or rejoicing, and paling in comparison to other Messiahs. The other big problem with this recording is the Vienna Boys' Choir, which is surprisingly ragged and disunified on most of their choruses. There is little precision or style in their singing, which leads me to believe this recording was put together with little rehearsal. There are a couple of moments as well where the choir goes noticeably out of tune. Not a first choice for a Messiah, but worth hearing for the tender, expressive soloists.



2. Warning: NOT a complete Messiah! But do buy it, not only because it's cheap but also because of Max Emanuel Cencic, a great Croatian sopranist with an absolutely angelic voice. For a complete recording, I would suggest the Christie featuring Andreas Scholl.

2 comments about 1940's Christmas.

1. I work in a nursing home on the Alzheimer and Demenia unit. This year was odd because of various religions objecting to others. We did our best to keep the holiday spirit to what the folks remembered or could relate to yet kept music toned down to respect family wishes. This CD was played a lot! The tunes were familiar enough that folks that can't tell you their children's names, or even their own names, could sing along or hum these tunes. We have a new woman that is blind and is adjusting to location of walls compared to her house - she wanders a lot - we put this CD on and she stayed put and sang along with every tune, smiling. Don't know how this review will help unless you work with senior, or if you are of a faith that is not Christian based and need a realistic semi Christmas CD, this is your best bet. Fabulous. In fact, we had a Winter Solestic Party and used most of this CD because the tunes were familar, decent quality, done by known voices and performers. Excellent. As a foot note, I am in my late 40's and enjoy playing this CD because it reminds me of being small at Christmas time and the songs my parents played.



2. I am fully addicted to these CD's...old holiday favorites complimented by some great vintage tunes I had not heard before! It is all at once festive, uplifting, charming and nostalgic. I look forward to listening to it all year through.