Open Letter

1. Sweet Williams

2. Children's Game

3. Blue

4. Shadow Play

5. Mo Mhuirnin Ban

6. Sticklebacks

7. Accepting Suites from Strangers

8. Last Word

9. Open Letter to Dudu Pukwana

Open Letter,Loose Tubes,EG,Avant-Garde

Jazz

Music

jazz

music

Mame
Average customer rating:

Judy Garland Please!

Bad Casting/Poor recording

Lucy you did a wonderful job !!!!!

Disappointing,but worth a listen

Three stars for third-rate

Mame

Manufacturer: Collector's Choice
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Movie Soundtracks | Soundtracks | Styles | Music
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Similar Items:

Mame

Mame (1966 Original Broadway Cast)

Bea Arthur on Broadway - Just Between Friends

Gypsy (1962 Film Soundtrack)

Miss Bette Davis

ASIN: B0002LO7FQ
Release Date: 2005-02-15

Tracks:

Main Title Including "ST. Bridget"
It's Today
Open a New Window - Lucille Ball, Kirby Furlong
Man in the Moon
My Best Girl - Lucille Ball, Kirby Furlong
We Need a Little Christmas - Lucille Ball, Jane Connell, Kirby Furlong, Sab Shimono
Mame
Loving You
Letter - Kirby Furlong,
Bosom Buddies - Bea Arthur, Lucille Ball
Gooch's Song - Jane Connell
If He Walked into My Life - Lucille Ball
Finale (Open a New Window/Mame)

Customer Reviews:

Judy Garland Please!.......2007-01-21

It was said that if Judy Garland had lived the role would have been hers - if you could gotten her on the set every day. But there was no doubt that she would have been the perfect age for the part and that her voice even while she was struggling in the late 60's would have been anything but better than Lucy's. If only....

Bad Casting/Poor recording.......2006-11-03

The soundtrack to jerry Herman's Mame with Lucille Ball, Bea Arthur and Robert Preston is a recording for hard core Mame Fans only, and even they have to bite down hard to make it pallatable. Primarily due to the exceedingly poor soundtrack quality, this soundtrack is one of the poorest recordings I have ever heard! Lucille Ball is totally miscast as Mame, although she try's very hard. Beatrice Arthur is wonderful as on the B'way cast album w/ Angela Landsburry. Robert Preston is the one presence I actually had to have the disc for. I may copy them to another disc, so I don't have to put up with the rest of this dreadful recording, so full of noise you're looking for the noise reduction button!!!Not for the timid!

Lucy you did a wonderful job !!!!!.......2006-01-22

Lucille Ball, gave it her best shot and I think she Sang, and Danced wonderful. Id rather hear Lucy !!! than that LOUD british singer Angela Lansbury, she seemend to screaming most of her songs in her OBC !! Lucy was more beliveble in her singing, So move out of the way Angela Lucille Ball is Mame !!!

Disappointing,but worth a listen.......2006-01-11

The main reason for buying this CD is to hear Jerry Herman's lovely score.It's always worth listening to,but this version is
like the movie itself-a major disappointment.There are a few
good things on the disc-the title track,Robert Preston,Beatrice
Arthur,and Jane Connell.But the rest of the cast simply can't
sing,and Fred Werner's musical direction is mediocre at best.
And the worst thing of all is Lucille Ball.Sure,she tries hard,but
let's face it-as "I Love Lucy" proved,she simply was not a musical comedy performer(and I'm a Lucy fan!)There is no doubt
that Angela Lansbury should have played Mame,but just as they
did with "My Fair Lady" and Julie Andrews,Warner Brothers didn't
consider her a big enough name for the box office.Overall,this is an acceptable soundtrack,but if you want the best "Mame"
album,get the Broadway cast recording instead.

Three stars for third-rate.......2005-12-25

This 1974 disaster all but ended Auntie Mame's career -- and Lucille Ball's. Though to get a full scope of the bad you must see the movie if you dare this soundtrack gives broad hints. If Lucy was photographed through gauze some of her vocals (like the notorious solo duet leading off "If He Walked Into My Life") sound as though she was recorded through it. Compounding the travesty the arranger Ralph Burns turned the grande dame of Beekman Place into a singing tart, with keeyute shticks that suggest less a musical triumph than a musical sitcom. Not everyone suffers and dies; Robert Preston is the apex of mellow crooning the film's one new tune, "Loving You", which starts off hauntingly then swoons to Lucy's gauze; and there is no stopping the trouper in Bea Arthur. But casting Lucy was a mistake, a mistake compounded by a tone-deaf production. My Mame is still Angela Lansbury's, and Goddard Lieberson's.

P. S. The Warner Music folks must have laughed when they turned this album into a limited-edition price gouge. There is no difference between the current CD and the LP; the timings on Rhino Handmade's site are identical to the dust jacket's. Whoever said "A fool and his money are easily parted" was thinking record collectors.

Average customer rating:

Open the Case!!!
A Very Good Album
Case Is Always A Number One In My Book...
Case Is Always A Number One In My Book...
Undoubtedly this CD is among his best so far...

Open Letter
Case
Manufacturer: Def Soul Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Contemporary Blues | Blues | Styles | Music

Contemporary R&B | R&B | Styles | Music

General | R&B | Styles | Music

General | Soul | R&B | Styles | Music

General | Rap & Hip-Hop | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Personal Conversation
Where I Wanna Be
Emotional
One Man
Life Goes On

ASIN: B00005B6CB
Release Date: 2001-04-24

Tracks:

Missing You
Shine
A Song For Skye
Not Your Friend
Driving
Sex Games
Conversate
Love Of My Life
Wishful Thinking
Crooked Letter
Already Have
No Regrets
Even Though

Amazon.com

Over the course of two successful CDs, Case has progressed from being an anonymous love man who sounds very much like K-Ci Hailey to a surprisingly sensitive singer with his own take on the often clichéd R&B realm. That sensitivity is in abundance on this solid third effort, which like its singer is tough but tender. Nimbly mixing the thug Romeo's musings on freaky ladies and broken hearts, Open Letter brims with heartfelt introspection, as displayed on the moody, intricately crafted single "Missing You." Yet even when the sweetness flows, there's grit underneath Case's hushed come-ons. Featuring production and songs from Tim & Bob and the always trustworthy Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, Open Letter conjures up the romantic wistfulness of those old (and Jam-and-Lewis-produced) Force MD's singles. And that is a very fine thing indeed. --Amy Linden

Customer Reviews:

Open the Case!!! .......2005-08-12

WOW! WHAT CAN I SAY!?

I know music, been writing music for years now. Music is my life. When it comes to buying R&B music, I love to go out in a limb and buy someones CD I've never even heard of, in this case it was Case.

Im a give this CD a 5 star rating because to date I've yet to see MORE THAN EXCEPTIONAL songs put together. What makes an exceptional song?

First off, the beat must go with the songs flow. The lyrics must match the beat. The vocals (background, etc) must compliment, but not raze the song. I can say one of the very best R&B songs ever but together would contain:

Usher - YEAH
Sam Saler - Your Face
Carl Thomas - Emotional
Donell Jones - Life Goes On
Jagged Edge - Promise Remix
Mario Winans - You Knew
Profyle - Every Little Thing
K-Ci & JoJo - All My life
Case - Missing You
Etc Etc Etc

The list could go on for awhile, but when you think about ALL the music that is made, there are few artist with good cds even more rare, artists with exceptional songs.

Also, I HATE IT when artists make damn songs about their kids, really who cares, right? Exactly! Well Case made a song for his daughter Skye, which I must say is one of my favorite songs because its WELL PUT TOGETHER!

JUST BUY THE DAMN CD!

--------------------
My Rating System is based on Amazon's:
* = Hate It
** = I Don't Like It
*** = It's Ok
**** = I Like It
***** = I LOVE IT!
--------------------

A Very Good Album.......2004-08-02

This album is probably the only Case album worth picking up. I absolutely love this one because it has some r&b gems on it. Check out "love of my life," "even though," and "conversate" (even though conversate is not an actual word - the correct term would be converse). This music is not for the immature or people just wanting to hear some music. In order to appreciate this album, you have to have been through some things in relationships. You have to have to be able to understand where he is coming from in order to apprecaite the seemingly simple lyrics of most of the songs. Case is not your plain old R&B singer...he sings love songs. If you don't like love songs, then this album may not be for you. Otherwise, you can put this album up there with Brian McKnight and Javier.

Case Is Always A Number One In My Book..........2003-07-10

Case has always had me hooked on his vibe. Ever since he came out with the banging single "Touch Me, Tease Me" with Foxy Brown (which I own) and "Happily Ever After" (which I also own), he has easily made me a very big fan! His album Open Letter is definitely one that jumped out at me and really attracted me. It's great and I love it! That's a wrap! holla!!!

Case Is Always A Number One In My Book..........2003-07-10

I've always loved Case since I first heard him with tha bangin single "Touch Me, Tease Me" with Foxy Brown. (which I own) Then he came out with another bangin single "Happily Ever After" (which I also own) But Open Letter really jumped out at me and I love EVERY SINGLE SONG on this record!! Much love to Case, and I'm a HUGE fan of his always!...that's a wrap, holla!!!!!!!

Undoubtedly this CD is among his best so far..........2003-02-06

I remember when the "Nutty Professor" was about to hit the theatres back in the summer of '96. There was the infamous video "Touch Me, Tease Me" with Foxy Brown and a little known singer called Case. I didn't even know he came out with a debut album at the time; it wasn't until "Happily Ever After" played on the airwaves, along with other hit singles, that his career launched. His lastest album, "OPEN LETTER", is an excellent showcase of his talents and arrangements. I'm very touchy when it comes to certain music nowadays; it tends to fall into the classic case of a quick dollar scenario for commercial gain. But honestly, I haven't enjoyed a CD like this since SWV's "A New Beginning", Brian Mcknight's "Anytime" or Keith Martin's "It's Long Overdue". Here's my run-down of each song:

Missing You - The perfect song about missing that special someone. Nice lyrics, a smooth groove...no complaints here.

Shine - It definitely has that Stevie Wondersque quality. If you didn't know Case was singing, you'd think it was Stevie himself. Another great song, very honest lyrics...

Song for Skye - I can't think of too many artists who would take time to dedicate a track for their daughters. But Case did, and it's great. Very inspirational. When Skye gets older, she'll be very proud that he did this for her...

Not Your Friend - Good song, but one of my least favorites...

Driving - Usually loving takes place in the bedroom, but Case decided to take it to the open road. Perfect for riding or driving too...

Sex Games - Perfect slow song for well, the obvious.

Conversate - I seem to find something new everytime I listen to this track. Although the beat is simple, it's very hypnotic. Rarely do you find a R+B track talking about the basis of relationships which is communication. Another decent and honest song...

Love of My Life - Another track almost duplicating Stevie Wonder. At first, I didn't like the beat but I've grown to appreciate his approach of orchestration in this song. I can personally relate to this song. Good story-telling...

Wishful Thinking - Another track almost duplicating Stevie Wonder. I could see this on Original Musiquarium. Another excellent song...

Crooked Letter - Most artists, especially R+B artists, seem like they gotta have at least one fast, hip-hop influenced track to break the momentum. But I'm not very fond of this track either. The album could have done without this throwaway...

Already Have - Another flawless song. They say honesty is the best policy, and it works on slow jams. Why not tell the one you love just how much you love them? No drama, just purity...

No Regrets - This almost has the same vibe as "Conversate", not saying that's bad. Just plain good. Strong lyrics, good all around...

Even Though - The lyrics are so simple yet complex. A nice way to end an album, being able to move on from a breakup knowing that someone just may be still thinking about you. Perfect for a compilation of songs for the summertime. I'm sure anybody can relate to this song...

Tracks:

Blame It On The Drugs
Florida Sunshine
Special
Gretchen My Captain
This Time
Wasted Youth
Open Letter To The Damned
Skin The Kat
If I Only Knew
This Is Real
Something Fierce

Customer Reviews:

Every song is a winner.......2007-02-15

The Good
"Blame it on the Drugs" kicks off with thunderous riffs that roll into a chugga-chugga progression. The chorus is full of melody and hooks. "Florida Sunshine" will captivate you with its infectious groove and harmonic vocals. "Gretchen My Captain" focuses on the vocal work of Spencer Albee, as he laments about the object of his affection. What I enjoy most about his vocals is that, not only can he carry a tune, but he has just enough edge to complement the hard rock sound.

Echoed vocals meet effects heavy instrumentation to create a Led Zeppelin influence on "Wasted Youth." Albee is a sucker in love and he's not going to take it anymore on the acoustic and synth heavy "Open Letter to the Damned." "Skin the Kat" has a hard rock blues feel to it, with powerful and moving vocals. "If I Only Knew" comes off like a long lost Paul McCartney song with the distortion cracked up a bit more. Great song, great melody.

The Bad
Nothing

The Verdict
Every song is a winner! As Fast As draw on a vast range of influence to create one memorable hard rock album. I see a bright future for this band as long as someone in the industry gives them a chance.

A great band that hardly anyone seems to know about.......2007-01-06

I found out about As Fast As after hearing their hit "Florida Sunshine" on my local alternative station, and I kind of liked the tune (especially for its rockin' chorus, which has a bit of a Southern Rock feel to it as well as some catchy lyrics). I eventually found the CD for only three bucks and decided to give it a chance since I liked "Florida Sunshine" so much, and this gamble turned out to be a worthy risk since most of the songs on Open Letter to the Damned were just as good if not better. My favorite track ended up being "Gretchen My Captain"; no idea what that's supposed to mean, but nonetheless I've been playing that song more than any other on the album. "Gretchen My Captain" is very commendable for the cool backwards beat that it starts off with, having a bit of piano in it too and then building up to a highly catchy chorus that isn't as loud as most of the album but still makes for a perfectly fine melody which definitely earns my approval. I also liked tracks #1 and #3 a lot ("Blame It On the Drugs" and "Special"), and since "Florida Sunshine" and "Gretchen My Captain" are tracks #2 and #4 this album is able to draw you in right from the start with its awesome opening four songs and hopefully keep you interested until the conclusion of track #11. Overall, Open Letter to the Damned is a good debut CD for these guys and ought to get them a solid fan-base for any future albums they release. I would give this album either four stars or four and a half stars; if I gave it four then it would be a strong four stars but if I gave it four and a half then it would probably be a weak four and a half. At any rate, it's a good album and apparently a fairly unique one too because I can't really think of any other bands that sound like As Fast As. If I recall correctly, the booklet has a section that will tell you what bands As Fast As believes their music is influenced by; it calls that section "the recipe for As Fast As" or something like that. Anyway, this band has a lot of promise and it would help to support them by buying this CD (plenty of good songs on it, I assure you).

Not bad..........2006-11-23

This album is pretty good, and is loaded with catchy, radio-friendly tunes, like Florida Sunshine. However, it is missing something - personality. For better or for worse, this album makes it seem as though As Fast As (formerly Rocktopus) has shifted from being a very original indie band with a unique sound to something more palatable to a wider audience.

Basically, what it comes down to is this - if you're looking for a decent, pop rock album, this one fits the bill. If you're looking for something original and new, look elsewhere.

Great new band! .......2006-11-16

I JUST saw this band open for another act this past weekend, and I am in LOVE! They put on a great show, the lead singer is very talented, as are the other members of the band, clever and witty. The music is very catchy and I can't stop listening to it...I have been listening to the same cd in my car for the past 4 days and also listening to it online at work! If you get a chance to see them live, do it!

fantastic album.......2006-11-08

this has been played countless times since i got it.. it has catchy lyrics and melodies, a good beat, and great arrangements. i'd definitely highly recommend it. it was on repeat all day yesterday at work and might end up doing the same today.

Average customer rating:

Love it!
Beautiful Music

He Got Game

Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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He Got Game
He Got Game (1998 Film)
25th Hour (Score)

ASIN: B0000062E0
Release Date: 1998-04-21

Tracks:

John Henry
Appalachian Spring: Very Slowly
Appalachian Spring: Calm And Flowing (Shaker Melody: Simple Gifts)
Appalachian Spring: Moderato. Coda
Rodeo (Four Dance Episodes): 'Hoe-Down'
Lincoln Portrait (without narration)
Music For The Theatre: Interlude
Fanfare for the Common Man
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Letter From Home
Music For Movies: Grover's Corner From 'Our Town'
Billy the Kid (Orchestral Suite): The Open Prairie
Billy the Kid (Orchestral Suite): The Opera Prairie Again

Amazon.com

Director Spike Lee states, "When I listen to Aaron Copland's music, I hear America, and basketball is America." That may be far-fetched for those who saw Lee's film, especially when the only other music in the film was that of Public Enemy. On its own, though, this album is a welcome "greatest hits" collection of Copland's Americana. The CD and the movie start off with John Henry, a slow-building, beguiling melody that works effortlessly with Lee's montage of basketball images. More spirited numbers such as "Hoe-Down" from Rodeo and Fanfare for the Common Man are also featured on the soundtrack. Unlike many Copland compilation CDs, this collection features abridged selections, allowing for more variety of source material: symphonies, soundtracks from movies (Of Mice and Men, Our Town), and ballets. Maybe not the CD for the purist, but a welcome first album for those who were introduced to Copland's music by the film. At over 60 minutes, it's a worthwhile investment. --Doug Thomas

Customer Reviews:

Love it!.......2007-03-03

Copland is awesome and Spike Lee has an amazing ability to find the perfect music for everything he does. Get this cd! Legitimate 5 stars!

Beautiful Music.......1999-09-25

The Music of Aaron Copleand is timeless and purely Amerian. Thus, it is the best choice to be in a movie about basketball, one of America's favorite sports. This collection of Aaron Copland's music introduced me to this great composer and is a perfect start for new classical listeners. SUperb.

Average customer rating:

English is an asset and a drawback
You Will Love Opera After Hearing Carmen In English
A wholly credible "Carmen" -- finally!
I love Carmen!

Carmen (Sung in English)
Bizet , Bardon , Gavin , Plazas , Magee , and Parry
Manufacturer: Chandos
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Operettas | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music
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Mozart: The Magic Flute
The Barber of Seville / B. Ford, D. Jones, A. Opie; G. Bellini [in English]
Verdi: La Traviata
Mozart: The Marriage of Figaro
Mozart - Don Giovanni / Garry Magee · Cullagh · Banks · Plazas · Shore · Tierny · PO · David Parry

ASIN: B00007JGRN
Release Date: 2003-03-11

Tracks:

Prelude
In The Plaza
Just Look At That Delicious Morsel
Here Come Our New Soldier Boys
Jose! There Was A Girl Here Looking For You Just Now
Off With You Old Soldier Boys
Corporal! Sir!
We Have Heard The Bell Summon Us To Meet Here
Ah, Just Look!
But Why Hasn't She Come, Our Carmencita?
Love's A Bird Wild As Any Rebel
Carmen! We Will Follow You High And Low!
The Cheek Of It!
Give Me News Of My Mother!
Your Dear Mother And I Were Leaving Church This Morning
I See My Mother's Face!
Wait A Moment - I'm Going To Read The Letter
Come And Help
So, Corporal: Tell Me What Happened
Well, Carmencita: What Do You Have To Say For Yourself?
Where Are You Taking Me?
There's An Old Bar In The City
Careful - It's Lieutenant!
Entr'acte
From Far Away Mysterious Sounds
Bravo, Bravo! More! Keep Dancing!
Hurrah! Hurrah! The Torero!
Who's That? It's Escamillo, The Bullfighter From Granada
Hurrah! Hurrah! The Torero!
You're Most Kind
We'll Come With You, Senor Torero
Toreador, Be Ready!
At Last! We Got Rid Of Them As Quickly As We Could
There's A Little Job That We're Starting!
Being In Love Is Not A Reason

Tracks:

To Bid You Welcome To Our Bar
La La La La La La La La...
Back To Camp!... Go At Once!
That Flow'r You Threw To Me I Treasured
No, It's Not Love At All!
Hello! Carmen!
Lieutenant Fair, It's True
The Sky Above The Open Road
Entr'acte
Keep Going, Dear Old Friend, Kep Going!
Right! Let's Stop For A While
Shuffle! Cut Them!
In Vain You Would Avoid The Bitter Things They're Saying
You're Back!
As For That Man, It Should Be Easy!
Is This The Place?
I Say That There's Nothing To Fear
It's Him! I'm Sure It's Him Over There!
Escamillo Is My Name, And I Come From Granada
She Had A Lover Here
Hola! Hola! Jose!
You Should Take Care, Carmen
Alas! Jose, Your Mother Is Ill
Entr'acte
A Few Cuartos! A Few Cuartos!
Here They Come! Here They Come!
If You Love Me, Carmen
It's You! It's Me!
Viva! Viva! What A Corrida!

Customer Reviews:

English is an asset and a drawback.......2004-07-20

The best thing about this recording of Carmen is the libretto. Conductor David Parry penned this facile and dramatic English translation. He avoids the pitfalls of literal translation to achieve an idiomatic flow that matches the rhythm of the original lyrics. I use this as a reference libretto for any of the French Carmens.

Unfortunately, the performance suffers from being sung in English. The singers declaim their parts with such proper British diction that Carmen comes across as a school marm. The spoken dialog is delivered beat for deliberate beat and is dripping with reverb. It makes the plaza, tavern and mountain pass all sound like a sewer pipe.

This is a good first Carmen for someone trying to understand the work. The libretto itself is a good investment for further listening. For an enjoyable performance with an emphasis on character and action, I recommend Regina Resnik on the London Double Decker set.

You Will Love Opera After Hearing Carmen In English.......2004-02-09

What a perfect introduction to opera. This newly released recording will surely get you hooked into opera. Carmen, a French opera by Georges Bizet, is the most recognizable and most popular in the opera world. It's famous melodies- the overture, the Habanera, The Toreador Song have all been featured in everything from cellular phone ring tones to Superbowl Commercial (last year's Superbowl with The "Opera In English" label has been making Italian operas into English for a number of years now. Also on the market are Verdi's La Traviata in English (with soprano Valerie Masterson as Violetta) Handel's Julius Caesar with Janet Baker and even Wagner's epic Ring Of The Nibeling sung in English. This is a terrific recording and I highly recommend it if you want to get into opera. Listen to this version first and then try the real, original French version Bizet had written. Patricia Bardon is sensational, sexy and dramatic as Carmen.

The real strength of this version is the dynamic drama. With the advantage of being sung in English, we get better insight on characters' emotions and motives, and we understand the drama a lot better. Carmen is all about great drama. Bizet drew the plot from the French writer Prosper Merimee's dark short story. Carmen is the ultimate femme fatale- a devil-may-care, sexy Gypsy living in Spain, seduces the conservatively raised soldier Don Jose, stealing him away from his fiancee, the passive Micaela, living a life of underground smuggling and rowdy taverns. "Habanera" and "The Gypsy Song and Dance" are very expressive of Carmen's extraordinarily liberal lifestyle. Don Jose, however, has fallen deeply in love- as he shows us in his song/aria "The Flower Song". But Carmen soon becomes tired of his constancy. Don Jose wants a committed, monogamous relationship with Carmen. But Carmen will not submit to love, since she is first and foremost a carnal creature. Eventually, she falls for the handsome Toreador Escamillo. Don Jose, consumed by jealousy, stabs Carmen at a bullfight after Carmen declares her love for Escamillo and rejects Don Jose's love. Don Jose's crazed, obscessive personality shines through in the English version as well. This tragedy has been done in English before so don't think this is the first time. Back in the 50's, there was a film, starring black actors "Carmen Jones" which was treated the same way as this opera- more like an English Broadway musical and with the dubbed singing voice of Marilyn Horne as Carmen. All in all, this recording is excellent.

A wholly credible "Carmen" -- finally!.......2003-09-17

This recording really sells "Carmen" as a drama. Although I have two other recordings of this opera and have seen it performed several times, it never quite worked for me dramatically. But thanks to the fine performances, conducting, and translation here, I've become a "Carmen" convert. Producing a good English-language performance of a foreign opera, especially a warhorse like "Carmen," is much more difficult than it might appear. You need performers who not only can sing the parts (of course) but also can sing *English* and make it halfway intelligible and make it sound like English and make it dramatically convincing to English-speakers. The singers on this recording do an excellent job all around. Don't be put off if you don't recognize their names -- they are up to the task musically and (especially) in their acting. Admittedly, as with *all* English-language recordings, some passages are very hard to understand without reading along, but most of the time the words are clear and effective. I would recommend this recording to any opera beginner or opera lover, even those who normally turn up their noses at performances in translation.

I love Carmen!.......2003-08-15

I do. I can think of no other opera with more melodic inventiveness, and few others with so sure a dramatic pulse. Carmen is popular and it thrills me to say that it is also a very good opera - not always true of popular things.

And what of this recording? Carmen sits well in English, so it is good to hear in translation, although some of the detais in the text jar. Escamillo refers to Jose as "my dear", which sounds rather peculiar, and the guide's line to Micaela: "it's not exactly inviting, is it?" sounds distinctly Middle England rather than Rural Spain. Some of the performers, not least Carmen herself, make the words work, although there are long tracts, especially with the chorus, where the language is distinctly indistinct.

The soloists are, by and large, strong. Patricia Bardon's deep, Handel-friendly voice adapts well to Carmen and she colours the music with phenomenal detail, sounding sexy and provocative from the start with an edge of pride and anger that emerges as the show goes on. She is out of her depth above the stave, though, and some extra top notes in the second act don't show her off to her best advantage. I have previously said that Julian Gavin is poorly served by recordings, though here he sounds much more even and gives a thrilling and musical performance (but his wooden spoken lines let him down). Mary Plazas is a lovely Micaela, rich-voiced and sincere (and word-perfect), but Garry Magee sounds miscast as Escamillo, lacking the ballast at the bottom of the voice to do justice to this tricky role.

The supporting cast is good (Mary Hegarty seems to do nothing but Frasquita these days!) but the really treasurable thing is the conducting. Stepping out of Italian Ottocento, David Parry turns his hand to this French Comedie with an appropriate lightness of touch. His pacing and handling of the set pieces is exemplary and the enrtractes go with a real swing.

A pleasure, then, for the Carmen naive or a novelty for the Carmen-acquainted. I nearly wrote Carmen-weary - but I don't think it's possible.

Open Letter
Average customer rating:

Can there really be too many chefs?

Open Letter
Loose Tubes
Manufacturer: Editions Eg Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Avant Garde & Free Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music
General | Jazz | Styles | Music
General | Rock | Styles | Music
ASIN: B000003S3C
Release Date: 1990-08-31

Tracks:

Sweet Williams
Children's Game
Blue
Shadow Play
Mo Mhuirnin Ban
Sticklebacks
Accepting Suites from Strangers
Last Word
Open Letter to Dudu Pukwana

Customer Reviews:

Can there really be too many chefs?.......2002-03-26

I thought I'd died & gone to heaven when I encountered the Loose Tubes in London in the late 80's. All that loosely connected energy and talent on one stage! I suspect it was impossible to keep that many good musicians together. But dang! What a surge of sound.

Average customer rating:

Rare, hard-to-find recordings

Teen Idols for a Moment
George Hamilton IV , Tommy Facenda , Tab Hunter , Edd Byrnes & Connie Stevens , Donnie Brooks , Eddie Hodges , Richard Chamberlain , Joey Powers , Dale Ward , and Mark Dinning
Manufacturer: Collector's Choice Music
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD
ASIN: B000RC885A

Product Description

One of the first releases from Collector's Choice Music, this rare CD contains 24 "Teen Idol" songs from the 50's and 60's. Track list: 1. George Hamilton IV "A Rose and a Baby Ruth", 2. Tab Hunter "Young Love", 3. Tommy Sands "Teen-age Crush", 4. Sal Mineo "Start Movin' (In My Direction), 5. Edd Byrnes & Connie Stevens "Kookie, Kookie (Lend Me Your Comb)", 6. Carl Dobkins Jr. "My Heart is an Open Book", 7. Tommy Facenda "High School U.S.A.", 8. Mark Dinning "Teen Angel", 9. Johnny Ferguson "Angela Jones", 10. Donnie Brooks "Mission Bells", 11. Donnie Brooks "Doll House", 12. Buzz Clifford "Baby Sittin' Boogie", 13. Eddie Hodges "I'm Gonna Knock on Your Door", 14. Tony Orlando "Bless You", 15. Bobby Curtola "Fortuneteller", 16. Johnny Crawford "Cindy's Birthday", 17. Richard Chamberlain "Theme From Dr. Kildare (Three Stars Will Shine Tonight)", 18. Eddie Hodges "(Girls, Girls, Girls Were) Made to Love", 19. Dickey Lee "Patches", 20. Mike Clifford "Close to Cathy", 21. Trade Martin "That Stranger Used to Be My Girl", 22. Richard Chamberlain "All I Have to Do is Dream", 23. Joey Powers "Midnight Mary (Single Version)", and 24. Dale Ward "A Letter from Sherry".

Customer Reviews:

Rare, hard-to-find recordings.......2007-07-04

If you are into the 60's style, this is a great CD for you. It has so many unusual offerings that you never see on other CD's. There were some that I remembered vaguely, such as Trade Martin's "That Stranger Used to Be My Girl, but also many are new favorites for me. The price is rather high at this time, but it is a good addition for any 60's music collector.

Average customer rating:

This may not work on all cd players
Excellent single

An Open Letter to NYC
Beastie Boys
Manufacturer: EMI Int'l
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

East Coast | Rap & Hip-Hop | Styles | Music

General | Rap & Hip-Hop | Styles | Music

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Similar Items:

An Open Letter to NYC Pt.2
Triple Trouble
Triple Trouble 2
Ch-Check It Out

ASIN: B0006ICFF4
Release Date: 2005-02-08

Tracks:

Open Letter to NYC
MTL Reppin for the 514
Open Letter to NYC
Open Letter to NYC [Acappella]

Album Description

Taken from the 2004 album To The 5 Boroughs, the title track is backed with 3 non-album tracks 'Rizzle Rizzle Nizzle Nizzle', 'Sagotage' (live) & video for the title track. EMI.

Customer Reviews:

This may not work on all cd players.......2005-02-10

This is an import disc and was released with copy protection. The label states that it may not work on all cd players. It may also be difficult to rip this to use in an Ipod.

Excellent single.......2004-12-16

For their 4th single off To The 5 Boroughs, the B-Boys get serious with "An Open Letter to NYC". On this track, Adrock, MCA and Mike D pay homage to their city over the nicest beat off their new album. Much different from their past 3 singles off the album, this one's gold.

Average customer rating:

Bang! An Open Letter
The Hafler Trio
Manufacturer: Grey Area
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

Experimental Music | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music
ASIN: B000024DCH

Tracks:

Suppressed Noise
Inherent Aggression
All Largely Propaganda
Sound and Color Analogy
Acoustic Lens Facsimile
"BANG!"
Morality of Sound
Location of Detached Sounds
Psychophon Installation Test Tape
Location Screening Exercise
Limitations of Silence
Echoes in the Body
"Robolised" Atomium Dawn Chorus
Demonstration of the Non-Medical Use of Microphones
Owl Ionisation Recording [1968]
Extract from 'Hotondo Kirk Torenai' #1
"Controller of the Instrument" #1
Grey Voices
Extracts from 'Hotondo Kirk Torenai' #2
Hafler Trio Demonstration Cassette
"Reasoning Noise"
"Controller of the Instrument" #2
Inner Church
Lexington '59

Average customer rating:

A masterpiece I love so much
Amazing musicianship and compositions.
Profound beauty and introspection ...again!
Another Vista of Subjectivity Opens...

Open Letter
Ralph Towner
Manufacturer: Ecm Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Bebop General | Bebop | Jazz | Styles | Music

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Anthem
Ana
Solo Concert
Time Line
Batik

ASIN: B0000263S8
Release Date: 2000-01-25

Tracks:

The Sigh
Wistful Thinking
Adrift
Infection
Alar
Short 'N Stout
Waltz For Debby
I Fall In Love Too Easily
Magic Pouch
Magnolia Island
Nightfall

Customer Reviews:

A masterpiece I love so much.......2007-03-30

It is becoming boring. Ralph Towner records only masterpieces. And it is becoming annoying to write reviews to say how big is Towner's achievement in music. Obviously I'm joking and I'm really happy to write this review for another very important album from Ralph that I know very well. It is not his last but it is one of his best for sure. I'm particularly fond to this album not only because the music is sensational, absolutly great, but also because I bought Open Letter when I started to have a deep interest in the true hi fi music reproduction. Hi end it is called. "Alar", the fifth tune here has been and still it is, a benchmark for me in terms of recording quality. This whole album of course is splendid in that sense, but Alar has a particular quality that I fell in love with. I remember I was there on my red sofà trying to "tune up" the system listening again and again to Alar and never getting tired of it. At a certain point I started to think "Wow, but this tune is unbelievable, let me just concentrate only on the music and not on the system's performance" ... No, seriously, this album is wonderful. It is a sort of an experiment for Ralph because he did not play alone here, there's Peter Erskine to help him with the rhythmn parts and percussions stuff. And Ralph experimented with "loops" and electronics too in some tunes. Some other tunes are played by Ralph alone instead. A very various program. Every tune is a gem and I consider this one among the very best albums in the very long Ralph Towner's history. Uh, did I tell you that it is a benchmark for its recording quality? =))

Amazing musicianship and compositions........2003-10-03

I have a ton of CDs with Peter Erskine, and while he plays at a consistently amazing level, this CD contains the best I've heard from him to date. Incredible interaction between him and Ralph Towner, who exhibits his own compositional and guitar-playing prowess. If you're a fan of either of these guys, it's a must-buy.

Profound beauty and introspection ...again!.......2002-09-25

I have alot of his recordings but this is my favorite Towner, stunning chord voicings and melodic phrases that translate into a deeply emotional statement. His effective use of space and time stirs one's imagination.

Alot of people don't know he has a degree in composition, his effective combonation of improv and structure keep things interesting. This is the best of the best of the modern jazz/classical synthesists.

BRAVO again Mr. Towner.

Another Vista of Subjectivity Opens..........1999-07-01

Strictly speaking, this is a four-and-a-half-star record -- a few of the selections feel a little ragged or arbitrary. But on the strength of The Sigh and Nightfall alone, this record is a must-own for Towner fans. Like Blue Sun, Towner uses guitars and keyboards to paint a deep, brooding melancholy that has a characteristic grace and elegance. Alar, with its muffled detonations of very natural-sounding synth, is like an extension of Ogden Road from Diary, a long narrative in sound. Nightfall is almost shockingly sad: the perfect music to ruminate over the apocalypse of a long relationship. Peter Erskine's contributions on percussion are bright and a little busy, not quite necessary but inoffensive. If you're just getting into Towner, Solo Concert or Diary might be better ports of entry (after his records with Oregon, of course), but if you love Blue Sun, pick this one up too.

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