Slaughter on 10th Avenue [Extra tracks]

Editorial Reviews
Album Description
1997 reissue on Snapper for Bowie's 'Ziggy Stardust' guitarist's 1974 solo album with the original front cover artwork & digitally remastered with two bonus tracks, 'Love Me Tender' (live) and 'Slaughter On 10th Avenue' (live).

Tracks:

Love Me Tender
Growing Up and I'm Fine
Only After Dark
Music Is Lethal
I'm the One
Pleasure Man/Hey Ma Get Papa
Slaughter on 10th Avenue
Solo on 10th Avenue [#][*]
Leave My Heart Alone [Live]
Love Me Tender [Live][*]
Slaughter on 10th Avenue [Live][*]

Album Description

Remastered reissue of 1974 album repackaged in a gatefold digipak sleeve recreating the look & feel of the original vinyl album. Includes 2 bonus tracks 'Love Me Tender' (live) & 'Slaughter On 10th Avenue' (live). Snapper. 2003.

Album Details

A Classic Album Remastered and Repackaged in a Stunning Digipak.

Customer Reviews:

Ronson's classic solo debut.......2006-02-09

Slaughter On Tenth Avenue (1974.) The first Mick Ronson solo studio album.

INTRODUCTION:
In the early seventies, the glam rock movement swept across Europe. Among the British artists who made it big in this classic rock age was David Bowie. David Bowie's success was due in great part to the classic 1972 Ziggy Stardust album. That album featured some of the most amazing classic rock guitar playing of all time - thanks to an up-and-coming guitar genius named Mick Ronson. When David Bowie disbanded the Spiders From Mars (his touring band from the Ziggy Stardust era), Ronson went solo. Unfortunately, his career as a solo artist never saw success anywhere near that of the man he once served as a backing musician for. Ronson's first solo album, Slaughter On Tenth Avenue, was recorded in late 1973 and released the following year. Read on, and see how the first solo effort from the ex-Spider measures up!

OVERVIEW:
Mick Ronson released his first solo album, Slaughter On Tenth Avenue, on RCA Records on March 1, 1974. Trevor Bolder, Aynsley Dunbar (later of Journey) and Mike Garson were among the backing musicians used on the album. Ronson himself produced the record. The album tracklist consists of Love Me Tender, Growing Up And I'm Fine, Only After Dark, Music Is Lethal, I'm The One, Pleasure Man/Hey Ma Get Pa, and Slaughter On Tenth Avenue.

REVIEW:
It really is disappointing just how underrated a guy Mick Ronson is. He recorded many excellent albums, both solo albums and albums with other artists, and was unfortunate enough to die at the age of forty-six. But in his fairly short lifetime, Ronson created some of the finest rock and roll the world had ever known. The few people who discover his work (mostly fans of the old Bowie stuff who want to see what he sounded like after) will not deny that it is excellent, and I'm no different. Ronson's first solo outing definitely sounds like Ziggy-era Bowie. Ronson even mimics Bowie's singing style in many places on the record. Now, let's take a look at the tracks that comprise Ronson's solo debut.

-SIDE A-

-Love Me Tender: Starting off the album is a cover of the old tune made famous by Elvis Presley. Ronson's take on the song keeps it true to the original, but he adds his own glam rock spin onto it - he obviously wanted to show off his guitar skills, and does just that. This was an excellent way to start the album.

-Growing Up And I'm Fine: Here we have a melodic, fast-paced piano piece. David Bowie wrote this song, and with Ronson mimicking Bowie's singing style, this could easily be mistaken for a David Bowie performance. The song definitely helps to show of Ronson's musical diversity. Another excellent song.

-Only After Dark: This was Ronson's biggest hit as a solo artist, and appropriately so, since it rules. The song is a hard, mid-paced glam rocker with a catchy beat and memorable lyrics. From start to finish, this one will grab your attention and keep a hold of it all the way through. A Ronson masterpiece more than worthy of its lofty status.

-Music Is Lethal: For this song, the pace and the intensity are slowed down dramatically. This an extremely slow and melodic tune, with some orchestral-style backing instrumentation. As the song progresses, though, Mick begins implementing more and more of his own musical elements into the mix. The end result is another solid addition to the album.

-SIDE B-

-I'm The One: For the most part, this is another one of those slower tunes. But it's got that certain glam rock vibe to it only Ronson could pull off. With its unique stylings from start to finish, this is one song on the album that is truly and uniquely Ronson's own.

-Pleasure Man/Hey Ma Get Pa: As the title of this song may have implied, it is actually a medley of two songs. Pleasure Man is one of those slow-mid paced glam rockers with heavy piano usage. Not surprisingly, Ronson throws his guitar playing into the mix, as well. Hey Ma Get Pa, the latter half of the medley, is the only song ever written by both Bowie and Ronson. This short-lived half of the song is irregular but excellent, featuring heavy electronic instrumentation, and a unique vocal style that sticks with you long after you're done listening to the song. This is a solid medley.

-Slaughter On Tenth Avenue: The title track finishing off the album is a cover of the old Gershwin instrumental favorite. And Mick Ronson takes the classical favorite and makes it sound better than ever. Ronson's classic glam rock sound is awesome here, sounding as good as it ever would. If there's one piece that shows just how talented and how diverse of a guitarist Ronson is, this is the one your looking for. And that, my friends, is how to end an album on a high note.

OVERALL:
Overall, Mick Ronson's first solo album was a glam rock masterpiece! I simply can't believe how underrated this is. I once read that this was "one of the lost albums of the seventies," and after giving it a listen, it's not at all hard to see where that train of thought came from. If you're a fan of David Bowie and you're eager to see where the guitar genius went after that classic period, or maybe you're just looking for some of the finest glam rock money can buy, this album is for you. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

EDITION NOTES:
Although this album has been out of print for many years, it was recently, at long last, reissued. The reissued version features expanded liner notes, excellently remastered sound, as well as four hard-to-find bonus tracks! This new issue of the album is the definitive version on compact disc. It's tough to come by, but if you want to hear it, get it by any means necessary.

4 and a half stars.......2005-07-06

I have listened to this album as much as any Bowie album. It is compulsively listenable. "Only After Dark" and "Growing up and I'm Fine" are the best and most Bowie-like tracks. An instrumental section from the title track sounds eerily similar to an early track by the French band Air, making me believe they must know this album well. His version of "Love me tender" grew on me too. If you like early-70s Bowie you really do need this. I haven't heard the bonus tracks.

An important footnote to Aladdin Sane.......2004-08-23

Mick Ronson was Bowie's lead guitarist during his first (and some would say, best) phase. I was never clear about what the relationship was between the two -- from Bowie putting his arm around Ronson on 'Starman' for Top of the Pops to the oral string-plucking of his guitar in concert. But after 'Aladdin Sane', Ronson had left the Bowie line-up. And Bowie's next -- 'Diamond Dogs' -- is generally viewed as much weaker than its predecessors.

'Slaughter on 10th Avenue' was Ronson's first solo album, arriving at some point after 'Aladdin Sane'. A study mate at the time bought the album, and even then, the LP wasn't on his turntable too often. The album is a collection of reasonably attractive songs, and you can immediately hear in Ronson's tone why he was provided such suitable backing vocals for Bowie. And like Bowie's 'Pin Ups' of about the same period, there are some covers: 'Love Me Tender' and 'Slaughter on 10th Avenue'. Unfortunately this re-issue by Snapper contains no songwriting credits (very naughty -- let's hope the lawyers don't find out about that), or indeed any information about who plays what.

The cover art is pretty much as I remember the LP, and there is a 500-word retrospective on Ronson, who died of cancer in 1993. If you're a Bowie completist, you have to have this album, because Bowie is certainly in the mix on some tunes, singing if not also writing.

More George Wright At The Mighty Wurlitzer Organ Volume 3

Average customer rating:

Outstanding Organ Music

More George Wright At The Mighty Wurlitzer Organ Volume 3

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Customer Reviews:

Outstanding Organ Music.......2004-01-11

If you enjoy the sounds that the mighty Wurlitzer Pipe Organ can produce - you'll enjoy this album. George Wright is probably the best ever at mastering the multiple banks of keys and pedals of this complex instrument, and the music is very relaxing and entertaining. The sounds he coaxes out of the Wurlitzer on "Quiet Village" are remarkable. Easily one of his best - excellent on either a small office stereo, or played on a home theater system.

Average customer rating:

A piece of history
A BIG disappointment!

New York New York
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Customer Reviews:

A piece of history.......2006-06-03

Many of the songs on this recording are not available in sheet music, and although the sound quality isn't "leading edge" it makes me feel as though I am listening to actual performers back in the 30's & 40's, with young and gifted singers like Frank Sinatra, Jo Stafford, and Mel Torme, as well as others who are nameless or unknown to me on this album, and a delight to listen to. Manhattan Tower is why I bought this CD, and I got so much more from it than I bargained for. The illusion I have when I play it is that I am a young jazz artist in New York, feeling the pulse of the city and filling up with everything about being a part of New York.

A BIG disappointment!.......2004-08-19

I bought this CD for the Slaughter on Tenth Avenue soundtrack ballet by Richard Rodgers and Lennie Hayton. But none of the tracks on this CD can be appreciated. It is a mono recording, and that immediately leaves you with a very incomplete sound. No amount of treble and bass adjustment can eliminate the awful tinny sound throughout the disc.

Average customer rating:

excellent collection
A Classic Performance of Schuman!
American Masterpieces - For pleasure or music ed. resource

American Masterpieces

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Tracks:

Candide: Overture
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New England Triptych: Be Glad Then, America
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excellent collection.......2002-06-11

i'm just going to write about my favorite piece on here, which has been heard by all who saw Platoon. that is Barber's Adagio. hearing this piece conducted here by Bernstein sends chills down my spine, especially in the well done section using silence after the climactic rise in notes!

A Classic Performance of Schuman!.......2000-09-17

I must agree with the previous reviewer, that "American Masterpieces" comprises a very thoughtful collection yet suffers slightly from poor interpretation of certain pieces. But the presence alone of the classic performance of William Schuman's "New England Triptych" by Andre Kostelanetz and the New York Philharmonic makes this compilation all worth it. I have looked forward for this particular version of Schuman's work to be released on compact disc for several years, in the meantime not being entirely satisfied with other versions that have circulated, i.e. Howard Hanson/the Eastman-Rochester Orchestra on the Mercury Living Presence label, -very poorly executed with an off-key, off-timed horn in the first movement, or the version on the RCA label by Leonard Slatkin and the St.Louis Symph.Orch. which is very well done, yet to my ear still does not compare to the depth and lively energy with which Kostelanetz and the New York Philharmonic presents this work.

I was disappointed with the manner with which the first two pieces by Berstein and Ives were conducted. The "Candide Orchestra" lacked the sensitivity of the performance by Lukas Foss /Milwaukee SO on the Pro Arte label, while Slatkin does a much better job with the Ives piece for RCA.

But the remainder of colorful material following Schuman on this CD - even with the overdone "Adagio for Strings" by Barber - makes for a very rewarding listening experience, with the only disappointing exception of the third piece ( "A Narrative") curiously missing from Virgil Thomson's "Acadian Songs and Dances", yet present on an old scratchy, mono LP that I have on the Decca label (Thomas Scherman /the Little Orchestra Society). Did Thomson later revise this suite? Or did this CD run out of space? If the latter is true, one can only wish that Barber's overplayed "Adagio" would have been bumped to make room for the entirety of Thomson's superb "Acadian Songs".

American Masterpieces - For pleasure or music ed. resource.......2000-07-28

The American Masterpieces CD is an excellent compilation of music that is uniquely American. Much of the material is based on folk sources, and all of it is thoughtfully selected. The only negative is that some of the music is not the best version available, but I'm sure that's due to the limitations of the Sony label. The "Adagio for Strings," for example, is taken at a slightly fast tempo, lessening the dramatic impact of the build-up. The selections are a music educator's delight. Bernstein's "Candide Overture" is perfection. Ives' "Variations on America" is a wonderful study in the use of a familiar theme in an unusual manner. "When Jesus Wept" can be sung by a chorus and then compared with Schuman's treatment. Gould's "American Salute" is an exciting study in theme and variations on the familiar tune, "When Johnny Comes Marching Home." And, of course, Gershwin's "Promenade" is delightful, and an excellent follow-up for the Fantasia 2000 film. The reason I bought the recording was for the Gottschalk "Grand Walkaround" and "Jamaican Rumba" by Benjamin. Both are based on American folk materials (Sweet Potatoes - Louisiana, and Mango Walk, respectively). The original songs can be sung, compared, performed in an Orff arrangement, and then presented in the orchestral interpretations. The folk songs are both found in the McGraw Hill music series, Share the Music, Grade 5. If you like this CD, try the American Salute CD from Musical Heritage Society.

My Favorite Things: A Richard Rodgers Celebration

Average customer rating:

Actually a great recording -
The glass is half full on this project
Rodgers - 5, Pops - 3
A Mixed Bag
Boston Pops: A Richard Rodgers Celebration

My Favorite Things: A Richard Rodgers Celebration
Jason Danieley , and Boston Pops Orchestra
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Tracks:

Main Title (Oklahoma!)
"My Favorite Things" (The Sound of Music)
"The Surrey with the Fringe on Top" (Oklahoma!)
Overture to Babes in Arms
"Slaughter on 10th Avenue" (On Your Toes)
"March of the Clowns" (Nursery Ballet)
"I Have Dreamed" (The King and I)
"Grant Avenue" (Flower Drum Song)
"D-Day" (Victory at Sea)
"The Sound of Music" (The Sound of Music)
"Mountain Greenery" (The Garrick Gaieties of 1926)
"The Carousel Waltz" (Carousel)
"Shall We Dance?" (The King and I)

Customer Reviews:

Actually a great recording -.......2003-10-12

The more I listened to this CD, the more I was blown away by some of the arrangements and orchestrations. Some of it I'd heard before i.e. the Oklahoma! overture based on the Robert Russell Bennet film arrangement; some of it I hadn't heard quite this way like the "Babes in Arms" overture or "Surrey with a Fringe on Top" in swing time. I especially liked the "My Favorite Things" arrangement which diverges from the original. I highly recommend it because most of the arrangements/orchestrations are very powerful in their own right and you may not have heard it all before. A few of the arrangements feature newer vocalists as the other reviews indicate. I reserve comment on this one because it is always difficult to compare an unfamiliar vocalist with Julie Andrews for example.
Also, I have taped two 1 hour Rodgers specials off PBS which feature some of these performances. I'd love for PBS to put these episodes on a DVD instead of the usual pledge drive DVD fare.

The glass is half full on this project.......2002-10-16

To do a celebration of Richard Rodgers music is simply grand. Without question he was the backbone of what we have come to know as "Broadway Magic".

For this occasion the Boston Pops did a good job of paying tribute to this master tunesmith. I think Richard would be more than proud to see his masterpieces performed in such a manner.
BRAVO to the B.P.O.!

If there were any shortcomings to this project it would have to be two things. First, I felt like they should have used better vocalists. Second, I felt like the repertoire was not as good as it could have been. Some of the tunes performed here I really disliked. I can think of a lot of songs I would have rather been listening to.

I think it would safe to recommend this cd to all the die hard Richard Rodgers fans.

Rodgers - 5, Pops - 3.......2002-09-15

Keith Lockart is certainly a solid heir to the Boston Pops of Arthur Fiedler. His performances are crisp, and lively. The Pops likes working with him, and it shows. And, I own every Keith Lockart/Boston Pops disc so far. But....although there were some interesting additions to this repertoire, especially the scenario of "Victory at Sea", I was really turned off by the so-so vocal renditions. They really detracted from the overall fun of the disc. Certainly the music of Richard Rodgers is timeless (not EVERTHING he wrote was delicious), but Lockhart missed the boat with this one. It's a neat album if you have a player that can pick and choose what you listen to, but after the first few tunes, I got a bit restless.

A Mixed Bag.......2002-07-18

The two most interesting items in this collection are "Slaughter on Tenth Avenue" in an effective arrangement Broadway orchestrator/arranger Hans Spialek made for Paul Whiteman and "The March of the Clowns" from "Nursery Ballet," a number from a Whiteman commission recently discovered in the bandleader's archives. Patrick Hollenbeck arranged the march for the Pops and has the style right, so it's too bad the other two movements of the original suite weren't included in this release.

Otherwise, the most satisfying selections on the disc are the Main Title from the film version of "Oklahoma!" (the work of Robert Russell Bennett), the overture to "Babes in Arms" (Don Walker's orchestration captures the spirit of the Broadway original in full orchestra terms), "D-Day" (Lockhart paces it more as a jaunty march than an epic one), and the "Carousel Waltz."

I confess that I like big-orchestra arrangements of show music even though I know I'm not supposed to, but the remaining instrumental numbers are played in arrangements (by Sammy Nestico, Don Sebesky, and Alexander Courage) that I don't like. They are mostly fussy, heavy, lacking in fun, and tinged with elements from the Big Band era that sound out of place in these surroundings. It's too bad Hollenbeck didn't do these arrangements, too. Failing that, the Pops music library must still have arrangements Bennett, Leroy Anderson, and Richard Hayman did of Rodgers scores, and I don't understand why they weren't used here. They never wear out their welcome.

The singers are uniformly disasters. Martina McBride ("My Favorite Things"), Jason Danieley ("I Have Dreamed"), and Collin Raye ("The Sound of Music") are described on the label as "vocalists." The term tells you all you need to know about their lack of any sense of the appropriate style for their numbers. They are club, not theater, singers. Their vocalizings can't hurt Rodgers, but they are jarring to the listener in the context of the rest of this disc. Their voices, as voices, are mediocre, and the arrangements (each by a different person) of the pieces don't help. (Some comparably dubious items have been included in most recent Pops recordings. Each has some interesting, unusual things along with others that don't really belong. I wonder if they are the price Lockhart has to pay in order to record the interesting stuff.)

The Boston Symphony and Pops were the orchestras I grew up with, so it hurts to have to say that this disc is such a mixed bag.

(By the way, Nelson Riddle recorded an LP of his own splendid arrangements of the principal numbers from "Oklahoma!", and I wish Capitol would resurrect it from the vaults as a salute to Rodgers's memory in his centennial year.)

Boston Pops: A Richard Rodgers Celebration.......2002-05-08

What a wonderful celebration this recording is! The scope and beauty of Richard Rodgers' music has seldom been given a better airing than on this CD by the Boston Pops. An absolutely stunning recording in both performance and choice of selections. We are treated not only to fresh and memorable instrumental renditions of beloved standards such as "The Surrey With The Fringe On Top", "Where Or When" and "Shall We Dance", but also to a few of Richard Rodgers' less frequently heard compositions such as the jazzy "Grant Avenue", the stirring "D-Day Theme" from Victory At SEA, and a premier recording of a very delightful "March Of The Clowns", a piece originally commissioned by Paul Whiteman in the 1930s. The artists chosen to sing the three vocals on this CD are exceptional. In fact, this particular recording would be worth owning if for no other reason than to enjoy Jason Danieley's spine-tingling rendition of "I Have Dreamed". And after hearing Mr. Collin Raye's beautiful masculine rendition of "The Sound Of Music", one will never again think of that classic as being primarily suited only for a female vocalist. In short, this Boston Pops CD is a richly satisfying treat -- lush and nostalgic, as well as being upbeat and as contemporary as year 2002 -- a worthy tribute to the timelessness of Mr. Rodgers' musical genius.

Average customer rating:

Most evocative Grand Canyon
Vintage all American Fiedler...
Nice Sunday Concert

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Grand Canyon Suite: Sunrise
Grand Canyon Suite: Painted Desert
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Slaughter On Tenth Avenue

Customer Reviews:

Most evocative Grand Canyon.......2006-04-06

This CD is worth buying just for the historic recording of the Grand Canyon Suite by the Boston Pops under Arthur Fiedler. There have been many recordings of Grof?s Grand Canyon Suite, but I think this is the most evocative of the desert and its moods. For example, the CD with Kunzel and the Cincinatti Pops is worth having for the live thunderstorm - definitely a "demo" disc - but Kunzel's perpetual forward thrust emphasizes the jazz at the expense of the (dare I say) impressionist side of the music. Fiedler on the older recording somehow manages to put you right into the desert.

The opening chirps in seconds from the woodwinds, for example, in the Fiedler recording sound like some exotic bird rather than orchestral instruments, and the "Painted Desert" movement sounds so parched I can see the heat shimmers. "Sunset" is rich and expansive; Fiedler's tempi are generally more relaxed than Kunzel's. This is the definitive Grand Canyon recording for me. BTW, technically it stands up very well against later recordings -- the sound is brilliant and has a broad stereophonic landscape.

The other selections for me are simply a bonus; the Gershwin Cuban Overture is particularly good to have as it is not as often recorded as it deserves.

Vintage all American Fiedler..........2005-04-10

The 4 star rating is primarily due to the attractive compositions
grouped on this one disc, by six great American composers. The remastered recording quality is variable with the "Grand Canyon
Suite" and "Cuban Overture" sounding best. The recording dates range from 1958-1964. On Gould's "American Salute" Fiedler conducts at
break neck speed; I think missing some detail. The "Fancy Free" dances are too brief and are probably included as filler. All in all this recording is dated and their are better versions available of all these pieces. Anyway, at a bargain price this is a nice way to spend seventy minutes relaxing. Subtract 1 star
if recorded sound is all important to you!

Nice Sunday Concert.......2002-12-02

This is a nice Sunday afternoon concert played by a wonderful orchestra with a late, lamented leasder, maestro Fiedler.

Please understand that this is not patriotic music per se, but rather a collection of tunes about America or by prominent American composers--which means the title is a bit misleading, even though Gould's American Salute is the title track.

Tracks:

Love Me Tender
Growing Up And I'm Fine
Only After Dark
Music Is Lethal
I'm The One
Pleasure Man/Hey Ma Get Papa
Slaughter On 10th Avenue
Solo On 10th Avenue (Live: Previously Unreleased)
Leave My Heart Alone (Live: Original 'B' Side)
Love Me Tender (Live: Bonus Track)
Slaughter On 10th Avenue (Live: Bonus Track)

Album Description

1997 reissue on Snapper for Bowie's 'Ziggy Stardust' guitarist's 1974 solo album with the original front cover artwork & digitally remastered with four bonus tracks, consisting of live versions of 'Solo On 10th Avenue', 'LeaveMy Heart Alone', 'Love Me Tender' and 'Slaughter On 10th Avenue'. 11 tracks total. The full title is 'Slaughter On 10th Avenue'.

Customer Reviews:

Remember the timing of this.......2005-11-17

Mick is my guitar hero. Plain and simple. At the time, Bowie had disbanded the Spiders (see Ziggy the Movie) and things were in flux. Mainman and Tony DeFries wanted to milk the cash cow of Bowie to the ummphh degree, hence the first solo record for Mick.
Sure things were rushed to get this out but some of the songs are KILLER.
The standout track is obviously Slaughter on 10th Ave. An instrumental of a song from a bad 50's movie. Remember that the backing musicians were the Spiders except for Woody Woodmansey, who was replaced by Aynsley Dunbar!!
To hear Mike Garson do his jazz/rock tingling on the ivories in this song is to die for.
Bowie provided Mick with the song 'Growing Up and I'm Fine' as a final farwell.
This song is as out of place on this record as 'All The Young Dudes" is on Mott The Hoople's record of the same name---all production----granted it's soooooooo Bowie and worth the price of admission, but it's not what the album is.
Mick was in charge of everything--production, arranging and conducting. He was IT. Everything was on his shoulders and he basically pulled it off. Not the greatest of albums like Ziggy, but you have to take everything into consideration. 'Pleasure../Hey Ma..' is vintage Mick making that Gibson guitar talk in the solo slot.
Love Me Tender is better live--a little forced on the studio version
All in all, a GREAT LP/CD/CS

FYI- Mick is uncredited on a John Mellencamp LP and single that was was a HUGE hit---guess what it is!!

The Music is Lethal.......2002-09-22

An amazing, odd, over-produced masterpiece. The music is hard to describe. The sound is very Aladin Sane era Bowie, but at the same time, it's not like Bowie at all. Mick Ronson had a raw erotic power that was missing from Bowie's work. The production has a very grandious sound and god-knows what all the fuss really is about when you actually listen to the lyrics. But it works and it is a thrilling and unique work, unlike anything else I've ever heard.

Hey Papa get Mama.......2002-03-19

I give this album a qualified 5 stars simply because of the weakness of side one. However side 2 is another story. This absolutely blows the doors off anything else by this flamboyant 'glam' guitarist. From I'm the One,,,Pleasure Man/Hey Ma get Papa to Slaughter on 10th Ave. this one cooks. With help from Brit stalwarts this side slides from one tune into the next seemlessly and after 20 minutes (+/-) you are left breathless and wanting more. Not just guitar either - great piano, sax and drums-almost free-form jazz-rock fusion. Just play this side over and over. I have this since it's release and still play it regularily. A couple of good Bowie-esque tunes on side one but I find Love me Tender to be embarassing.

Beautiful!.......2001-04-09

Beautiful! I mean it. Especially if you love T-Rex and Roxy Music. It's beautiful.

it doesn't get any better.......1999-05-29

this is the very best of the very best.. inspiring to say the least, depressing because he's not around to make more. Mick produced L.A. roc en espanol band Los Illegals (A&M Records) in the early '80's, pretty visionary.. an absolute masterpiece: should be played over and over.

Electronic Realizations for Rock Orchestra

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Pre-Digital Electronic Music
A very sophisticated recording of electronic music

Electronic Realizations for Rock Orchestra

Manufacturer: Voiceprint UK
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Sequencer
Cords
Games
Audion
The Jupiter Menace

ASIN: B000167XVW
Release Date: 2004-02-16

Tracks:

Legacy
Slaughter on Tenth Avenue
Classical Gas [1975 Version]
Synergy
Relay Breakdown
Warriors

Album Details

This Re-issue Has Been Remastered and is the First in a Series that Will Make their Entire Back Cataloge Available. Includes Different Bonus Tracks to the Us Version.

Customer Reviews:

Pre-Digital Electronic Music.......2006-08-24

I have the original lp of this album(it came in clear vinyl) which was recorded in SQ quadrophonic sound! The early U.S. release on CD doesn't even come close. I only wish it could be remastered using SACD or Dolby Surround like some of todays CD's or even DVD Audio. But, even on CD this is one of the best early electronic music masterpeices!

A very sophisticated recording of electronic music.......2006-06-20

This 1975 album is, in my estimation, nearly singular in the world of electronic music due to its sheer complexity. In fact, this album by American electronic composer Larry Fast is much closer to progressive rock than Berlin School electronica for example - there is just a lot going on in each of these compositions.

The six tracks on the album range in length from 2'58" to 12'50" and feature a range of tones and dynamic contrasts. Another interesting aspect of the music, and I never expected to discuss this in a review of an electronic composition, is the abundant use of melodies, harmonies, and most importantly both rhythmic and melodic counterpoint. In fact, it is amazing what Larry achieved with just the use of a mini-moog, an Oberheim Polyphonic, and a Mellotron 400. In fact, it makes me wonder what it would have sounded like if he had scored these complicated synthesizer pieces for rock instruments, including a full drum kit.

Interestingly, Larry's link with prog rock is not as tenuous as one might think with his being an electronic composer and he struck up a good working relationship with the prog band Nektar around this time. His excellent work can be heard on Nektar's Recycled album (1975).

This remastered album features restored cover art and excellent sound quality, along with some skimpy liner notes.

This album is very highly recommended to those electronica fans who want something a little more varied than the typical fare. Also recommended are two albums by Isao Tomita including Snowflakes are Dancing (1974) and The Tomita Planets (1976).

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Grimethorpe is Never Grim!

The Melody Shop

Manufacturer: Chandos
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000007MY1
Release Date: 1998-06-16

Tracks:

The Melody Shop - Major Peter Parkes
MacArthur Park - Grimethorpe Colliery Band
Doretta's Aria - Mark Walters
Lezghinka - Grimethorpe Colliery Band
The Debutante - Richard Marshall
Prelude To Act III - Major Peter Parkes
Every Time We Say Goodbye - Jonathan Beatty
Rhapsody Espana - Major Peter Parkes
Trumpet Blues And Cantabile - Grimethorpe Colliery Band
Adagio - Mark Walters
Gallop - Major Peter Parkes
Slaughter On 10th Avenue - Grimethorpe Colliery Band
Paganini 18th Variation - Nigel Fielding
Punchinello - Major Peter Parkes
Ave Maria - Richard Marshall
Light Walk - Mark Walters
One Day In Your Life - Melvyn Bathgate
Toccata - Major Peter Parkes

Customer Reviews:

Grimethorpe is Never Grim!.......2001-01-19

West Yorkshire in England consistantly produces eight to ten of the best brass bands in all the world. The Grimethorpe Collery Band's "Melody Shop" demonstrates why this band is always counted among the finest. This particular CD offers the listener a wide variety of musical tidbits. For the lovers of classical music, Grimethorpe's rendition of the Galop from Rossini's "William Tell" will certainly put you in that Lone Ranger mood!(This piece was heard in the movie "Brassed Off" with Grimethorpe providing the soundtrack for the fictional Grimley Band featured in the movie.)For 70s fans, the band does a hard-charging version of Jimmy Webb's "MacArthur Park."

There is even a hymn on the CD. Barrie Gott's "Lightwalk" (from the old hymn tune "Walk in the Light) actually comes out of the Salvation Army Brass Band literature. I doubt that most listeners ever heard a hymn swing like this one!

My personal favorite is the cut of "Lohengrin: Act 3 Prelude" by Wagner. It is hard to believe that this is a brass band- and I mean ALL BRASS- playing with such fire and technical accuracy. What a group! What a piece! What a wonderful combination!

Tracks:

On Your Toes: Slaughter On Tenth Avenue
Interplay: Gavotte
Interplay: Blues
Fancy Free: Galop
Fancy Free: Waltz
Fancy Free: Danzon
The Three Cornered Hat: The Neighbor's Dance
The Three Cornered Hat: The Miller's Dance
The Three Cornered Hat: Final Dance
The Age Of Gold: Polka
Rodeo: Hoedown
Estancia: Malambo
Gayane: Sabre Dance

Customer Reviews:

SLAUGHTER ON TENTH AVE- Arthur Fiedler and the Boston Pops.......2007-03-14

On this album, recorded in 1958, Fiedler is at its best. "Slaughter on Tenth Ave" is a great musical score and a famous black and white, gangster film was made of it back in 1951 and released in 1952, starring Richard Egan.
This album is another reason why the Boston Pops is my favorite classical orchestra and the late maestro Arthur Fiedler was a true master of his profession. His work will never be forgotten. Having lived in Boston for nearly 17 years, made the Boston Pops my favorite of the genre.
I highly recommend this album.

Great Ballet Music CD - Buy It!.......2005-09-25

This CD is a great collection of modern-style moving ballet music by famous composers. Really swings!
Nice range of music styles, excellent orchestration & performances.

Serious music lovers shoud buy it!

John Norville

It's a starry, moonlit night in 50's Manhattan...........2003-02-16

...And this album is the perfect soundtrack to it. In this compilation are the creme de la creme of modern nocturnal classical pieces, with the exception of Khatchaturian's Sabre Dance. Here is the anthem of Manhattan itself, "Slaughter On Tenth Avenue" by Richard Rodgers, "Gavotte and Blues" by Morton Gould, "Fancy Free: Gallop, Danzon and Waltz" by Bernstein, "The Three Cornered Hat" By De Falla and the "Age of Gold Polka" by Shostakovich, a piece to help bring up images of an old string-marionette puppet show. However, for some odd reason, "Petrouschka" by Igor Stravinsky and one of the most beautiful melodies you'll ever hear, Gian-Carlo Menotti's "Barcarolle from 'Sebastian'" have been left off of this version of the album, to be replaced by the woefully out-of-place, (and totally mediocre,) "Estancia: Malambo" by somebody named Ginastera. This is a bloody shame, for the left out pieces really enhanced the feel of the whole album! Still, though, what is left will mentally put you in a cherry paneled den with subdued ligting, in a big red leather easy chair, puffing on the most aromatic pipe you own, (if you smoke,) reading your favorite Raymond Chandler novel. I can't recommend it highly enough! (The album, not smoking!)

By all means, beware of later incarnations of this album which were altered beyond all recongition, with only "Rodeo" and "Fancy Free" left on it, along with the title tune. It is NOT the same album! Somebody at BMG had the good sense to find THIS incarnation in RCA's catalog, which isn't TOO mangled, to represent Fiedler and the Pops at their finest, and market it in lieu of the latter mistake! The original, "Orthophonic" version, which included "Sebastian" and "Petrouschka", is, apparently, either still buried in RCA's vaults, or, regrettably, no more....

I often picture Fred Astaire and Cyd Charisse traipsing down 1st Ave. to the best music on this album. The "Fancy Free" pieces would have made GREAT title themes for Tim Burton's "Batman " movies. (Okay, Warner's...remember me when you use that idea!)

If you lived through the fifties either as an adult or a child, or if you want to know what nighttime felt like in a good urban neighborhood between 1930 and 1960, GET THIS ALBUM!!

THIS IS BAD.......2002-03-18

I THOUGHT THIS CD WAS VERY BAD. I REALLY DIDN'T LIKE IT AND I DON'T THINK ANYONE WILL. IT IS OLD FASHIONED AND NOT A GOOD CD FOR PEOPLE TO LISTEN TO NOWADAYS.

Unique collection of Dances.......2000-03-27

I first purchased this music in vinyl record form in 1960. At the time, I was looking for a hi-fi version of Slaughter On Tenth Avenue and this recording was the only one available in town.

The title music was all I wanted it to be and it was pure serendipity to also receive the rest of the selections on the record. Some I was familiar with, but the rest have since become some of my favorite music. The fact that I am back getting a CD of the music helps attest to its timeless value. After almost exactly 40 years I am still not tired of it and am looking forward to being able to hear it again in about the clearest form possible. Now I will be able to listen to it in my car as well as at home.

Maybe it will help to know that I think Slaughter On Tenth Avenue is the best piece of American music ever composed.

My tastes run toward music with strong melody lines (such as Greig's music) and all of the selections in this disc meet that criterium.

Music Review: