Good King Bad [Import]

1. Theme from Good King Bad

2. One Rock Don't Make No Boulder

3. Em

4. Cast Your Fate to the Wind

5. Siberian Workout

6. Shell of a Man

7. Hold on I'm Coming

Good King Bad,George Benson,Japanese Import,Crossover Jazz,Jazz,Jazz-Funk,Jazz-Pop,Pop

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Good King Bad
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Benson's Last Purely Funky Jazz Release

The Good King is Bad...

Not typical CTI-era Benson...

Good King Bad
George Benson
Manufacturer: Mosaic Contemporary
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Jazz | Styles | Music
Smooth Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music
Jazz Funk | Funk | R&B | Styles | Music
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ASIN: B000N3ST0C
Release Date: 2007-06-05

Tracks:

Theme from Good King Bad
One Rock Don't Make No Boulder
Em
Cast Your Fate to the Wind
Siberian Workout
Shell of a Man
Hold on I'm Coming

Customer Reviews:

Benson's Last Purely Funky Jazz Release.......2007-07-03

I admit to being a Johnny-come-lately when it comes to the music of George Benson. I hadn't even heard of him until Breezin' burst on the scene. Though I did not care much for his vocals at the time, his guitar wizardry mesmerized me. So when I soon found out he'd been around for awhile, I started exploring his back catalogue and was stunned upon discovering Good King Bad.
GKB is so good, it is an album I still own on vinyl, cassette, and now on CD. I even once owned it on 8-track. There are very few recordings I own in so many formats so that should testify to how vital I think this is.
Since I rarely listen to my albums anymore, I have been watching this site for years for Good King Bad to be reissued on CD. As soon as I discovered it had been, I ordered it immediately and received it within days. Imagine my joy as I put it on and cranked it up!
The best songs here are definitely the Dave Matthews compositions. Theme From Good King Bad is great, One Rock Don't Make No Boulder is better, but Benson really scores a knockout with Siberian Workout. Not only is George Benson spectacular on this tune, its relentless driving rhythm has even a non-dancer like myself wanting to get up and get down. In addition to the Matthews cuts, I also highly enjoy Em.
Where Good King Bad differs from some of Benson's earlier instrumental albums is in the way he plays. While his virtuosity shines thoughout, Benson's play is far more controlled and deliberate than in the pre-GKB past.
Those reading this review may wonder why I give the CD only four stars after praising it so highly. Well, its because of the addition of the vocal Hold On I'm Coming which was not on the original album and which is very much out of place here. Mosaic Records would have done listeners a much bigger favor adding some CTI out-takes or alternate versions of the other songs rather than sticking us with a vocal which is evocative of Benson's rather lame mid-80s and 90s soul crooner output. Clocking in at just under 40 minutes, the original recording is admittedly short but the last song would have been better off omitted. This song is probably the source of the first reviewer's somewhat negative evaluation of the quality of the album.
Good King Bad is George Benson's last purely funky jazz release before he started to slouch toward the pop/smooth jazz mix that made him famous in the wider world. If you are one of those who love George Benson best when he uses his guitar to sing, then forget about the last song and get this CD anyway. You won't regret it.

The Good King is Bad..........2007-06-26

We all have our tastes, but if you have trouble with Benson's effort on this set, then ours obviously run counter. George is in fine form and plays with the confidence that comes from not having to show off to impress anyone. The respect he shows to Charlie Christian, Wes Montgomery, 'Brother' Jack McDuff and Tal Farlow are obvious to me, but hey I'm from the Miles Davis school of less (well-placed) is more. His time, ability to swing and touch are all quite tasty...anyone that can't get into 'Good King Bad' has truly missed the boat.

I've been looking for this one since 1977 and almost fell over when I saw that it was being released on cd. Finally...while he doesn't dominate the set with his flawless technique, there's no doubt who the Alpha is, the Good King is indeed Bad...

Not typical CTI-era Benson..........2007-06-19

While the vast majority of George Benson's CTI-era releases are at least worthy - if not outright burnin' - "Good King Bad" isn't one of his better efforts for the label.

While I don't have so much of a problem with attempts at pop crossover, I was disappointed in Benson's playing, which sounds bored, stilted and surprisingly conservative considering his playing on other CTI barnburners, including "Bad Benson," "Beyond the Blue Horizon" and even "Body Talk," which also is obviously aimed at more of a pop audience but is a much better record.

Benson's pop crossover was most successful on "Breezin,'" where he managed to show his considerable jazz guitar chops, get his "pop" vocals on the record and sell a gazillion copies for the effort. It was a record that left both pop and jazz audiences satisfied.

While I've been approving of Mosaic Contemporary's choices so far for its releases of the more "modern" stuff, particularly its reissuing of Benson's "Beyond the Blue Horizon" and Freddie Hubbard's outstanding "Super Blue," I can't quite figure out why Mosaic - a label with unusually pristine judgement - chose to reissue "Good King Bad." It's a pretty mediocre effort for a Mosaic release, and a failure at Benson trying to please two audiences at once. It's neither a good jazz or pop effort.

While I didn't believe the record deserves a two-star review, it doesn't quite reach a three star, either. I would call it a two and one-half.

If you are a fan of Benson's finger-busting guitar chops you will be disappointed with "Good King Bad." I would definitely go for "Beyond the Blue Horizon" or even "George Benson In Concert at Carnegie Hall," also recently reissued by Mosaic and a pleasing effort for fans of Benson's astonishing guitar prowess.

jazzbojesus has spoken.

Average customer rating:

Wonderfully fine performance
Not ideal, but all there is

Arthur Sullivan: Ivanhoe

Manufacturer: Pearl
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

English | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Operettas | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
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Arthur Sullivan: The Contrabandista, The Foresters
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ASIN: B000000WWK
Release Date: 1993-01-21

Tracks:

Ivanhoe: Act One, First Scene: The Hall Of Rotherwood - Introduction; Each Day This Realm Of England Faints
Ivanhoe: Act One, First Scene: The Hall Of Rotherwood - Good Thane, Most Noble Thane
Ivanhoe: Act One, First Scene: The Hall Of Rotherwood - I See But One Thing Wanting To Our Fare
Ivanhoe: Act One, First Scene: The Hall Of Rotherwood - Drink, Drink Ye All... Then Fill The Cup, Fill High
Ivanhoe: Act One, First Scene: The Hall Of Rotherwood - The Palmer! The Holy Palmer!
Ivanhoe: Act One, Second Scene: An Ante-Chamber In Rotherwood - O Moon, Art Thou Clad
Ivanhoe: Act One, Second Scene: An Ante-Chamber In Rotherwood - Good Palmer, Thou Dids't Speak Of One
Ivanhoe: Act One, Second Scene: An Ante-Chamber In Rotherwood - Like Mountain Lark
Ivanhoe: Act One, Third Scene: The Lists At Ashby-de-la-Zouch - Will There Be No More Fighting?
Ivanhoe: Act One, Third Scene: The Lists At Ashby-de-la-Zouch - Plantagenesta!
Ivanhoe: Act One, Third Scene: The Lists At Ashby-de-la-Zouch - Isaac, My Jew, My Purse Of Gold
Ivanhoe: Act One, Third Scene: The Lists At Ashby-de-la-Zouch - What Means His Motto?

Tracks:

Ivanhoe: Act Two, First Scene: Friar Tuck's Hut At Copmanhurst - Strange Lodging This For England's King
Ivanhoe: Act Two, First Scene: Friar Tuck's Hut At Copmanhurst - There Is A Custom...I Ask Not Wealth
Ivanhoe: Act Two, First Scene: Friar Tuck's Hut At Copmanhurst - Not Bad, Say I...The Wind Blows Cold ('Ho, Jolly Jenkin!')
Ivanhoe: Act Two, First Scene: Friar Tuck's Hut At Copmanhurst - And Now For Combat!
Ivanhoe: Act Two, Second Scene: Castle Torquilstone - Will Not Our Captor Dare To Show His Face?
Ivanhoe: Act Two, Second Scene: Castle Torquilstone - Welcome, Sir Templar!...Woo Thou Thy Snowflake
Ivanhoe: Act Two, Third Scene: A Turret Chamber In Torquilstone - Whet The Keen Axes
Ivanhoe: Act Two, Third Scene: A Turret Chamber In Torquilstone - O Awful Depth...Lord Of Our Chosen Race
Ivanhoe: Act Two, Third Scene: A Turret Chamber In Torquilstone - Take Thou These Jewels
Ivanhoe: Act Two, Third Scene: A Turret Chamber In Torquilstone - What Sound Is That?

Tracks:

Ivanhoe: Act Three, First Scene: Room In Torquilstone; Assault; Burning Of The Castle - Happy With Winged Feet
Ivanhoe: Act Three, First Scene: Room In Torquilstone; Assault; Burning Of The Castle - Tend Thou The Knight Thou Lovest
Ivanhoe: Act Three, First Scene: Room In Torquilstone; Assault; Burning Of The Castle - How Cans't Thou Know?
Ivanhoe: Act Three, Second Scene: The Forest - Light Foot Upon The Dancing Green
Ivanhoe: Act Three, Second Scene: The Forest - Look, Where Thy Moody Father Walks Apart...Forgive Thy Son
Ivanhoe: Act Three, Second Scene: The Forest - How Oft Beneath The Far-Off Syrian Skies
Ivanhoe: Act Three, Third Scene: The Preceptory Of The Templars, Templestowe - Fremuere Principles
Ivanhoe: Act Three, Third Scene: The Preceptory Of The Templars, Templestowe - Thou Jewish Girl, Who Art Condemned
Ivanhoe: Act Three, Third Scene: The Preceptory Of The Templars, Templestowe - A Champion! A Champion!
Ivanhoe: Act Three, Third Scene: The Preceptory Of The Templars, Templestowe - Dead! He Is Dead!
Ivanhoe: Act Three, Third Scene: The Preceptory Of The Templars, Templestowe - See Where The Banner Of England

Customer Reviews:

Wonderfully fine performance.......2004-10-10

This is one opera I have been searching for for a very long time. I read about it in a book about Sullivan. Of course, when they wrote of the opera, they showed the scene, in drawing, where Rebecca informs Ivanhoe of the battle with the Black Knight. The drawing (based on the actual performance when it premiered) grabbed my attention completely. I just wondered what this composer could do with real opera (I loved his operettas completely, and they showed quite often Sullivan was quite capable of deep emotional pathose, even if in the end he was spoofing it more than reflecting it).

Well, all the years of searching and waiting to know were not a waste. Firstly, I have never been able to locate a score of this work (as I have done with many ancient operas or forgotten ones), so I was just as in the dark as anyone else as to what to expect. I was incredibly surprised, not to mention, thrilled with the results. No, Sullivan is no Wagner, nor is he even Verdi, but he is wonderfully beautiful in his own right. Why this work has not entered into the opera houses, I have no clue, excepting maybe because it is English opera, which never does well. Speaking of "ENGLISH OPERA", here we have a recording where for the most part we CAN understand the words (a thing I never seem to find in professional recordings of English opera, or American opera; they may as well sing in gibberish, for that is exactly what it sounds like -- perhaps the composers have no clue what works in their own language?). The performers, as we know, are not professionals, but rather semi-professionals. There are some uneven performances, and sometimes the characters are not quite as developed as one would like, there are even times the orchestra sounds like it lost the beat (but this is EXTREMELY RARE), the sound quality of the recording is OK, but nothing stellar, however, it is not bad either. Yet, in spite of these drawbacks, we CAN and DO understand the words, and for once a rather strange sounding English libretto sounds natural and unforced with stupid poetry that really leaves you laughing. These wonderfully dedicated performers, no matter their individual difficulties, give us a wonderfully vivid performance where we can finally understand the opera (like all our Italian friends do when Italian opera is sung for them). That was such a treat for me, to finally actually understand the words of opera sung in my own language.

What makes this opera such a thrill, at least for me, is the natural fall of the words and the music, especially in the recitatives. Unlike most English opera where the musical line sounds completely foreign to the natural lilt of the words, Sullivan has an uncanny way of writing lines, melodies, and recitatives that flow naturally from the language itself. That was a really exciting experience to endure. For once, I didn't wish that someone would teach the composers to listen to the flow of English to gain an insight into melody. Maybe it was all those operettas that he wrote prior to this "serios opera" that taught him what he knew, or maybe, he just had a good ear for his own language and enough sense to know that trying to graft Italian or German musical idioms onto things just wasn't the correct choice.

Is it a great work? Well, no, it will never get into the record books as a perfect opera, nor will it shove Mozart or Wagner off the stage, but it is really quite good just the same. Even with all the flaws this recording has, I am so glad it is out there so I could at last hear what music fleshed out that old drawing I saw in a book all those years ago. Though Sullivan's music is not anywhere near as dramatic as one may imagine it should be, it fits well with the scene and the over all concept of the work.

I really recommend this recording, for it, at least for now, is the only one we have (and if they make a professional one, I really hope they screen the singers well, no big names if they can't sing English so we can understand it; Sullivan, as with Wagner, you MUST understand the words or the meaning is completely lost). The entire recording is really quite enjoyable, and it doesn't disappoint.

Not ideal, but all there is.......2000-08-05

If you are interested in Arthur Sullivan's Music without Gilbert, this is one of the works you should have in your collection. Unfortunately the quality of the performance is inconsistent. The orchestra is at times good, at others sloppy. The soloists are also of varying quality. This is, after all, a recording by a semi-professional group. That said, if you are willing to accept the flaws, this is currently the only version on disc. Perhaps someday the BBC will record a version, as they did with Sullivan's "Rose of Persia". In the current recording, the most pleasing selections are: The Act 3 Scene 2 ensemble "Look where thy moody father walks apart", Friar Tuck's rollicking "Ho, Jolly Jenkin", The Templar's passionate scene "Woo thou thy snowflake", and Rebecca's evocative aria "Lord of our chosen race". Not all it could be, but it's all we've got.

Average customer rating:

Fine reissue of a classic set

Purcell: Theatre Music

Manufacturer: Decca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B0001Y4JHA
Release Date: 2004-10-12

Customer Reviews:

Fine reissue of a classic set.......2006-05-24

Think about the stupidest, most formulaic Hollywood movies you can think of: cheesy action pictures, fluffy, unfunny comedies, big but stiff epics. Now imagine that one of the greatest living composers was working in Hollywood, turning out astonishing, hauntingly beautiful and stirring musical scores for these throwaway movies. That's what you get with this set: music Henry Purcell composed for some two dozen often utterly forgettable plays (trust me--I've read a number of them!) Occasionally, when he teams up with a playwright worthy of his stature, such as John Dryden, Aphra Behn, or William Congreve, the results are even better, but for the most part you can enjoy the music here without knowing anything about the original plays.

This set originally appeared as separate LPs in the 70s and 80s, and has been long out of print. That's a pity, since Purcell spent a good deal of his short professional life in the theatre, either writing the incidental music contained on these CDs, or the music for his larger works, the semi-operas (King Arthur, The Fairy Queen, and the like). Almost all of these works are enjoyable gems; certainly, they represent a pinnacle of English 17th century music. Purcell had a genius for spinning musical gold out of the most leaden lyrics (check out his Odes and Welcome Songs on Hyperion if you don't believe me), and he does the same with the song texts in these plays.

Hogwood and the AAM offer clean, listenable performances, and the sound on these old analog discs has been cleaned up and brightened--although they were pretty good, even in the late 70s. As with most Hogwood, emotional extremes are kept to a minimum, so the "otherworldly" nature of late 17th century music, so often emphasised in more recent Baroque performances, doesn't come across here. It would be interesting to see what a group like The King's Consort would do with this music, but this set fills the major gap in the Purcell canon quite nicely.

My only beef with the reissue, as with many reissues, is that the liner notes are rather thin for a 6-cd set--the lyrics to the songs, for example, are especially missed. Still, it's a worthwhile set, and a must for fans of Purcell, English Baroque music, or anyone who just wants to experience a taste of the last days of the Restoration stage.

Average customer rating:

Good King Bad
George Benson
Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Jazz | Styles | Music

Smooth Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music

General | Pop | Styles | Music

Jazz Funk | Funk | R&B | Styles | Music
ASIN: B000008AC9
Release Date: 1989-08-07

Tracks:

Theme from Good King Bad
One Rock Don't Make No Boulder
Em
Cast Your Fate to the Wind
Siberian Workout
Shell of a Man
Hold on I'm Coming

Average customer rating:

On CD at last, Good King Bad

Good King Bad
George Benson
Manufacturer: Japanese Import
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Jazz | Styles | Music

Smooth Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music

General | Pop | Styles | Music

Jazz Funk | Funk | R&B | Styles | Music

Jazz | Imports | Stores | Music

Pop | Imports | Stores | Music
ASIN: B0000657WK
Release Date: 2002-10-01

Tracks:

Theme from Good King Bad
One Rock Don't Make No Boulder
Em
Cast Your Fate to the Wind
Siberian Workout
Shell of a Man
Hold on I'm Coming

Customer Reviews:

On CD at last, Good King Bad.......2002-05-08

Why does it take forever to get one of Bensons best albums out on CD??
I have worn my vinyl out years ago.
If you love Benson with his smooth magic guitar, this is by far his best. Pre the brash Benson following "Breezin".
If its' not in your collection, it should be.

Who's Da Killer? "the real untouchables" featuring: Master P / Silk / C-Murder / King George / Big Ed / Challi - G / Milk Man

Average customer rating:

Who's Da Killer? "the real untouchables" featuring: Master P / Silk / C-Murder / King George / Big Ed / Challi - G / Milk Man
Tru
Manufacturer: MM Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Rap & Hip-Hop | Styles | Music
ASIN: B000KMXS0W

Product Description

1. Who's Da Killa 2. Life Of A Gangsta 3. Neighborhood Dopeman 4. Talk About It 5. Check Your Bitch 6. Commercial 7. Why You Wanna _uck With Me 8. Sweated Bu Da Po Po's 9. Ghetto Is A Trap 10. Shouts Out

Average customer rating:

Good king bad cd
lost classic

Good King Bad
George Benson
Manufacturer: Mosaic Contemporary
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Jazz | Styles | Music

Smooth Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music

General | Pop | Styles | Music

Jazz Funk | Funk | R&B | Styles | Music

Jazz | Imports | Stores | Music

Pop | Imports | Stores | Music
ASIN: B0000561T8
Release Date: 2007-06-05

Tracks:

Theme from Good King Bad
One Rock Don't Make No Boulder
Em
Cast Your Fate to the Wind
Siberian Workout
Shell of a Man
Hold on I'm Coming

Customer Reviews:

Good king bad cd.......2005-11-22

The first thing you will notice about this cd is it doesn't have any jazz on it. The songs are all soft rock tunes produced in a very 70's way (funky with a lot of wah wah and phase shifter effects). George plays most of the melodies in octaves (like Wes Montgomery did on his Verve recordings); he doesn't solo as much as you would expect; and horns and violins are added to each song in in the style typical of CTI. Anyway, here is the song list: Theme from Good King Gone Bad, One rock don't make no boulder, Em, Cast your fate to the wind, Siberian workout, Shell of a man, and Hold on I'm comin'. All the songs are instrumental (mostly Dave Mathews tunes), except George sings on the last one. If you want funky 70's dance music, I guess you might like this. If you want to hear what a great jazz guitar player George Benson is, I'd try something else (like one of his earlier albums).

lost classic.......2002-12-23

I first ran across this album while working as a DJ for my college radio station some 20-odd years ago (when VINYL was the product of the day). Upon hearing the first chords of "Cast your fate to the wind", I decided on the spot that Benson's was the finest version of the song I had ever heard. This selection alone makes the album worthy of any collector's library, but his rendition of Sam & Dave's classic "Hold on, I'm comin'", and the smooth, cool title track add immensely to one's listening pleasure.

This album, unfortunately, seems to be out of print and very difficult to find, so if you're lucky enough to stumble upon a copy, keep it close! A great recording by a true guitar legend.

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