Black and Blue

Track Listings

1. Hot Stuff

2. Hand of Fate

3. Cherry Oh Baby

4. Memory Motel

5. Hey Negrita

6. Melody

7. Fool to Cry

8. Crazy Mama

Tracks:

Hot Stuff
Hand Of Fate
Cherry Oh Baby
Memory Motel
Hey Negrita
Melody
Fool To Cry
Crazy Mama

Customer Reviews:

All mashed potatoes and gravy-where's the meat?.......2007-06-14

Anybody who thinks this is a "great" recording simply hasn't heard much music in their lifetime. Only a dedicated Stones fan would gush over this. Not only is it a mediocre overall record, it's a mediocre Rolling Stones record! It lacks focus, authenticity, and simply doesn't measure up to latter-day Stones classics such as "Some Girls" and "Tattoo You". This recording is an example of what happens when Mick Jagger is left to his own devices in the studio without a sober Keith Richards to mitigate his tendency toward vague noodling. Like many other classic rock groups, these guys rely on the delicate Yin/Yang balance that The Glimmer Twins possess when each of them is operating at full strength (minus the heroin).

If you want great funk from the period, try Sly and the Family Stone, Stevie Wonder or Parliament/Funkadelic. If you want disco, try a Chic album or the "Saturday Night Fever" soundtrack. If you want Reggae, try Bob Marley's "Legend" or Peter Tosh's "The Toughest". If you want jazzy lounge-singing, try some Frank Sinatra or Tony Bennett. If you want soul, try Aretha Franklin or Roberta Flack. What you get here is nothing more than watered-down versions of each genre. Keith Richards is the driving force behind this band, and when he's not fully engaged, "Black and Blue" style efforts are what you end up with.

This album sounds like a collection of B-sides. It has alot of character and is a pleasant experience while you're doing the dishes on a Sunday afternoon, but don't expect an engaging listen. Anyone new to the Rolling Stones should probably start with "Exile on Main St." for an excellent view of the group at their best-a nicely interwoven two guitar attack, classic riffs, a blaring horn section, soulful backup singers, good left/right sound separation, a dirty-blues feel and a gritty/seedy vocal performance by Jagger throughout. It was recorded in Keith's basement-and that is actually part of what makes it so great!

And, of course, the latest hits collection "40 Licks" (one of at least a dozen compilations out there now) is a nice survey of the groups better efforts.

Plain psychotic...plain insane..........2006-12-23

'Black and Blue' continues the malaise that the Stones were in since the end of the Jimmy Miller years and the stranglehold that drugs had on Keith Richards' life. It is not a bad album and like its immediate predecessor 'Only Rock N' Roll', does contain some classics. To be fair the bad was in a state of flux as Mick Taylor, their brilliant and underrated lead guitarist of the last half decade was out the door, pissed off due to neglected songwriting recognition in the Jagger-Richards machine. 'B&B' is an audition album recorded prior to the band's 1975 US Tour and featured extraordinary contributions from American players such as Harvey Mandel and Wayne Perkins. The fix was in though and it was no surprise that longtime Stones associate Ronnie Wood was the perfect fit. Though Wood was on the cover and made his performance debut here, to call 'Black and Blue' Ron Wood's first album as a Rolling Stone is slightly inaccurate. Anyway as far as the tunes go, the Stones are all over the stylistic map here: funk, disco, jazz, reggae and hard rock. The songs that work for me best are the two out and out rockers, "Hand of Fate"(good Wayne Perkins solo here) and "Crazy Mama" (featuring Woody). Not only are they great rock songs but they are two of the most underplayed and underrated tunes in the entire catalog. "Memory Motel" is a great ballad which probably could have been a single if the length wasn't an issue(Keith's vocal here is heartbreaking). "Hey Negrita" is a great funk/hard rocker with punishing drums, guitar and an amazing groove and vocal (Mick's nickname for his Central American wife). I have never liked "Fool to Cry" and it is the worst single the band has ever done. The performance is sound, the lyrics and singing are good but it is too goddamn boring!!! (Keith allegedly fell asleep playing this in concert!). I don't care for "Melody " also and if I want cool jazz, I'll buy a cool jazz album...sheessh! "Cherry Oh" and "Hot Stuff" round up the stinkers for me, especially "Cherry Oh, Baby", which although I like reggae, this ain't no "Sweet Black Angel" or even "Luxury", it's pitiful! "Black and Blue" is a quality album from a fallow period in the band's glorious history and people like it for different reasons. Two years later the band would storm back with a little record called 'Some Girls'.

BLACK AND BLUE IS THE STONES GREAT UNDERRATED ALBUM!.......2006-12-13

I will be writing a review on the brilliant legendary masterpiece CD album entitled "BLACK AND BLUE" by THE GREATEST ROCK N' ROLL BAND IN THE WORLD, I give you THE ROLLING STONES! This album was originally released during the Bicentennial in 1976 on vinyl/LP and cassette on the infamous Rolling Stones Records label manufactured by Columbia Records/CBS Records. I purchased the very first print issue or release of this album on CD and the matrix or ID number is CK 40495. I also purchased the re-release print issue on CD in the Collector's Edition on the Virgin Records label and the matrix or ID number is 7243-8-39499-2-2. If I hear any new additional information concerning this legendary album, I will edit this review so that you the consumer will get the best and most accurate review possible.

In my opinion, "BLACK AND BLUE" is another great album by The Stones that is underrated. This album also combines Rock and Raggae together perfectly. This album also marks the historic debut of a guitarist who already had a reputation prior to joining The Stones. This legendary guitarist previously played in another great band which comprised of the legendary lead singer Rod Stewart, Ian "Mac" Mclagan on piano and organ, the late great Ronnie Lane on bass and Kenney Jones on drums. His name, Ron Wood! I have made this statement before but I'll say it again, RON WOOD WAS BORN TO BE A ROLLING STONE! It was destiny that brought Ron Wood and The Stones together. Wood's debut with The Stones harmonized and blended beautifully and perfectly together. This is really a great album when you think about it.

I will list and briefly review all the song tracks in their exact order as follows: (1.) "Hot Stuff," (Outstanding! This was a great song to dance to in the 70's, I believe it still is today. I think this song is a great way to begin this album. I love it!) (2.) "Hand Of Fate," (Outstanding! Another great rock song! I love this song!) (3.) "Cherry Oh Baby," (An outstanding Raggae song!) (4.) "Memory Motel," (Outstanding! A beautifully brilliant song! It makes you feel like you're taking a long trip or journey down memory lane. I love this song very much!) (5.) "Hey Negrita," (Outstanding! This is a great song that was inspired by newcomer Ron Wood. I love it!) (6.) "Melody," (A beautiful song that was inspired by the late great Billy Preston. Great song.) (7.) "Fool To Cry" (Outstanding! This is the pure unadulterated Mick Jagger pouring his heart and soul out, it doesn't get much better than that from Mick! I love this song!) and (8.) "Crazy Mama." (Outstanding! Another great rocker! This song is a great way to end this legendary album. I love this song very much!) Overall, I would say that all of the songs in this album are great! All the songs compliment and blend together beautifully and perfectly!

As you can see, this is a great underrated album that true Stones fans as well as everyone in general should definitely purchase and own as part of his or her music collection. I truly believe that this album will be enjoyed and cherished for many years to come.

In closing, Ron Wood did not disappoint The Stones or the fans in his debut. In my opinion, Ron Wood complimented and was perfect for Keith Richards! Ron never tried to out do Keith when it came to playing guitar live on stage, he just wanted to harmonize and blend beautifully and perfectly together with him. When you think about it, it was a perfect marriage made in heaven. Ron Wood is one of the main reasons why The Stones have survived and stayed together successfully to this day. The Rolling Stones ARE STILL THE GREATEST ROCK N' ROLL BAND IN THE WORLD to date, need I say more? Thanks for reading my long review and I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it for your reading pleasure. I also hope that you will read all of my other reviews in the near future when time permits. God bless and long live The Rolling Stones! Long live Rock n' Roll! Rock out always and take care. J.L.

Some real mistakes on here.......2006-07-22

No longer guided by ex-producer Jimmy Miller, who was responsible for the Stones greatest albums, and having now lost ace guitarist Mick Taylor, B&B was probably the first real indication that the Stones were starting to lose direction.

This shows up particularly on tracks like 'Hot Stuff', a cliched attempt to jump onto the disco bandwagon. Similarly with the popularity of reggae at the time they try to emulate that genre on 'Cherry Oh Baby', but very unconvincingly IMO. The Stones were always a blues/rock band, never a reggae band. And Mick Jagger cannot do reggae to save his life.

However on 'Hey Negrita', the Stones take on funk. This song, although repetitive, works much better, because it is doesn't last too long, and has a nice gritty feel to it.

'Memory Motel' is a C&W narrative parody, which just about comes off ok - they'd done this kinda thing before (but better) with 'Dear Doctor' on Beggars Banquet.

'Melody' sounds promising for the first minute or so, but soon becomes very repetitive and monotonous. It just doesn't go anywhere.

'Fool To Cry' was the hit single from B&B in the UK - A ballad which is pleasant at best, and where Mick sings falsetto in the chorus, but it's nothing inspiring - far inferior say to 'Angie'.

'Hand of Fate' is the only real standout track on this album. This is the Stones back to the form captured a few years earlier.

The Stones may have been in a period of transition at this time with Mick Taylor leaving the band and Ronnie Wood about to join it. But most of the songs on B&B, as to an extent on their previous album were already providing further proof that the Stones long period of creativity and originality was starting to show serious signs of fatigue. There was only one more decent album to come from the Stones in the '70s, 'Some Girls'. After that they were pretty well a spent force, musically.

One of the Most Underrated Stones Albums.......2006-06-28

Often dismissed as just a "guitar auditions album," Black and Blue is infact an overlooked gem, unfairly placed in the same league as Goats Head Soup and It's Only Rock 'n' Roll. What you get here is perhaps The Rolling Stones' most musically diverse album. There's disco rock in "Hot Stuff" and "Hey Negrita," Exile on Main Street style rock in "Hand of Fate" and "Crazy Mama," reggae in "Cherry Oh Baby," Wild Horses/Angie type ballads in "Memory Motel" and "Fool to Cry" and jazz in "Melody." Overall, Black and Blue is a Stones album not to be ignored and forgotten. I highly recommend this one. The only problem is that there's only 8 songs.

Average customer rating:

Not bad
Old CD But a Good CD
Better than Millenium
should be black and blue for owning this
Backstreet Boys are back on the street!

Black and Blue
Backstreet Boys
Manufacturer: Jive
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Millennium
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ASIN: B00005056C
Release Date: 2000-11-21

Tracks:

The Call
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The Answer to Our Life
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Amazon.com

The Backstreet Boys' previous outing, Millennium, was a tough act to follow, combining as it did the storming pop of "Larger Than Life" and the sublime balladry of "Show Me the Meaning of Being Lonely." Black & Blue is a worthy successor, if a slightly more mature sound for the boys. There's plenty of uptempo pop, such as the catchy advice dished out on "Get Another Boyfriend" and the slinky beat-riddled R&B of "Shining Star," nicely balanced with some smooth ballads--you can almost hear the lighters sparking up as the Spanish guitar gently plucks away on "I Promise You (with Everything I Am)." However, it's when they take up immediately where Millennium left off that they are at their strongest: "The Answer to Our Life" and "Not for Me" form a sturdy bridge from their previous output onward to the future. If this is the state of things to come, the future is decidedly rosy for Brian, Kevin, Howie, A.J., and Nick. --Helen Marquis

Customer Reviews:

Not bad.......2007-01-25

I'll start by saying that this CD is not fantastic, but it's fun to listen to. I don't particularly like several of the songs, but I adore "Shape Of My Heart", "Get Another Boyfriend", "Answer To Our Lives", "It's True", and "How Did I Fall In Love With You?". I also quite enjoy "The Call" and "More Than That". However I'm not a big fan of the sort of hip hop side of the Backstreet Boys, and there are several sort of hip hop-y songs on this CD, so I find myself hitting the skip button a lot. Plus, what's up with Nick's hair??!!!?? Get the man a hairdresser!!!!! Or at least a mirror...
But the CD is defenitely worth the money, just for the numbers listed above. If you're a Backstreet Boys fan, you'll love this album.

Old CD But a Good CD.......2006-11-19

This isn't a half bad CD. I think that this is when their downfall began. There newer songs are quite a bit better. The Backstreet Boys are now maturing... they are also now a quartet, which means a singing group made up of four people. I happen to like the call, shape of my heart, as well as others on this album. I look forward to hearing their album in 2007.

Better than Millenium.......2006-02-16

I know everyone just loves millenium and so do I but this cd is far better to me. I love every song on here and again the harmonies the melodies the emotions are raw and heart felt. The fast tracks are great to dance to and I love the remix of The Call. Why do ppl insist on comparing pop music to rock music, the pleas of the " i love good music crowd" that want to dismiss good pop for the so called rock music. Rock music has its purpose Pop music has its purpose if you are a Rock fan and a male you will not like this cd. BSB are the Kings of Ballads, and women love ballads so don't be jeolus males, keep listening to your rock with its supposedly hard edged lyrics and guitar playing memebers and let us enjoy the smooth melodic sounds of BSB.

should be black and blue for owning this.......2006-01-09

it sucks and the album cover is pretty boring too

Backstreet Boys are back on the street!.......2006-01-01

This is one of the best CDs I own. I will make this a short review- each and every song on it expresses all sorts of heartwarming words and amazing emotions that show just how some people feel about the girl they want to love, even if they keep those feelings only to themselves. Every song has wondrous lyrics, a terrific beat and is perfect for those who need soft and relaxing music. Nuff said! Buy this CD! It's well worth your $, especially if you like boy bands!

Average customer rating:

Superb
Gene Harris at his best
Gene's finest
"marvel at Gene Harris music, as natural as sunshine"
Outstanding CD! Harris Quartet in top form - Again!

Black and Blue
Gene Harris Quartet
Manufacturer: Concord Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B0000006K6
Release Date: 1991-10-27

Tracks:

Another Star
Black And Blue
C.C. Rider
Hot Toddy
The Best Things In Life Are Free
Nobody Knows You When You're Down And Out
It Might As Well Be Spring
Blue Bossa
The Song Is You
Will You Still Be Mine

Customer Reviews:

Superb.......2005-08-02

I have 3 other albums by Gene Harris.
Gene was a superb pianist. His choice of harmony and his peculiar technique of chord attack turned him into one of my preferred jazz pianists, along with Oscar Peterson.
I am also a pianist. I know it is very difficult to make an album review. We are not able to transmit all the emotion of such an experience, so that I urge you to listen the tracks.

While awaiting a kidney transplant, Gene Harris died on January 16, 2000, at the age of 66.

Gene Harris at his best.......2005-06-02

I admit it, I'm a huge Gene Harris fan. I'm working on collecting all of his 89 (or so) recordings including the Japanese imports. But, without a doubt, Black and Blue is Gene Harris at his finest. You can put this album on and listen from start to finish and feel great the whole way through. If you could only buy one Gene Harris album, this is it.

Gene's finest.......2004-12-23

I am a big Gene Harris fan. Black and Blue is my favorite, hands down. This one will not disappoint.

"marvel at Gene Harris music, as natural as sunshine".......2001-02-03

Now to many people Gene Harris' style varies - Hard-Bop, Fusion, Soul-Jazz, but no one, and I mean no one can play the "Blues" better than this man. Harris is known to jazz aficionados, and to his peers, as one of the "Greatest Blues Pianists in the World", and his fame is finally catching up with his virtuosity. And critic Joe Morgenstern adds - "I never cease to marvel at the joyous might of Gene Harris' music."

Following this mans career - Gene Harris & The Four Sounds, Gene Harris & The Three Sounds, Gene Harris & the Philip Morris Super Band, Gene Harris All-Star Big Band, Gene Harris Trio and now, the Gene Harris Quartet...all have that driving blues-force we've come to love and enjoy. Harris strived for perfection, always knew exactly who he was and what he was doing in this life. His combination of ineffable delicacy and inexorable power became richer and fuller with each day, like natural sunshine, just keeps shining through.

With gifted accomplices like Ron Eschete (guitar), Luther Hughes (bass) and Harold Jones (drums), Gene sets out free as a bird with arrangements that send you reeling, as the quartet just keeps moving on filling in the gaps, great stirring performances all around.

Of course there are stand outs - "THE BEST THINGS IN LIFE ARE FREE" the whole group swings, swings and then swings some more..."NOBODY KNOWS YOU WHEN YOU'RE DOWN AND OUT", a Jimmy Cox tune brings out some gospel-soul that will lift your spirits, inspirational..."BLUE BOSSA" has the rhythm section working over-time, but Gene knows what needs to be done..."WILL YOU STILL BE MINE", almost ten minutes in length, Harris takes the group into orbit and steers them into a classic performance.

The highlight is - "BLACK AND BLUE", the great "Fats" Waller tune, recorded several times by Louis "Satchmo" Armstrong with clever and impassioned lyrics has become a classic, but listen to this slow-tempo arrangement by Harris, blues pours from a cup of love and understanding, sending a message that is LOUD AND CLEAR.

Total Time: 62:22 on 10 Tracks...Concord Jazz CCD-4482...(1991)

Outstanding CD! Harris Quartet in top form - Again!.......1999-10-09

Just a great album! Every cut is outstanding, but "Black And Blue" is worth the price alone! You will not be disappointed purchasing this gem!

Average customer rating:

Too long a wait...
A timeless classic!
Long Awaited Black & Blue and Tobacco Road
The voice shines through

Black and Blue/Tobacco Road
Lou Rawls
Manufacturer: Blue Note Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Release Date: 2006-05-16

Tracks:

Roll 'Em Pete
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Customer Reviews:

Too long a wait..........2006-08-05

Adding this CD reissue of "Black and Blue" and "Tobacco Road" from 1963-64 was a no-brainer, for this was the first time I'd had a chance to hear two of the greatest albums Lou Rawls has ever recorded.

It was a treat to hear Lou do justice to some of the greatest jazz and blues classics ever written, brilliantly arranged by Onzy Matthews and played by a smokin' hot big band made up of A-list musician talent. The liner notes were very informative and gave insight of the creation of each album.

Judging by the fantastic arranging and conducting on these two albums, I cannot believe that Mr. Matthews' career did not take the more successful turn of other arrangers of that period. As for Lou, thank God that his early work is finally in circulation for all to enjoy...why wait until after his death for this to happen?

A timeless classic!.......2006-07-12

Lou Rawls is one of the greatest singers of this era. I have several of his albums. But I rejoiced when I found songs not included on other CDs such as "Blues for a Four-String Guitar," "Stormy Weather," "Georgia on My Mind," and "Summertime" as well as some of his signature tunes like "Tobacco Road." Lou Rawls really makes the standards his own. This album is Lou Rawls at his best, and a must-have for any fan!

Long Awaited Black & Blue and Tobacco Road.......2006-07-06

It's very hard for me to be objective about these two recordings by Lou Rawls and Onzy Matthews. I wore out my vinyl long, long ago and have been waiting for the CD issue of these records for 20 years. FINALLY! Great and creative big band writing by Onzy Matthews....The arrangements never get in Lou's way and such mature singing for a young guy. Lou's in great voice, the selection of material is first rate and the writing and playing top notch. Enough with the cliches........buy it..at two for the price of one!

The voice shines through.......2006-05-23

This CD comprises of two albums recorded in 1962 & 1963, with two tracks, numbers 7 & 24 as bonus tracks. Arrangements on both albums were by Onzy Matthews, with a whole slew of hand picked session players to perform them.On both sets Lou Rawls displays imperious styling and phrasing, and his voice is distinctive and given lots of space in the arrangements. There is, however a distinct contrast between the choice of material on the two albums. The "Black and Blue" set contains a much better chosen range of songs, and the arrangements more in empathy with Rawls style. Stand out tracks are a version of "Every day I have the Blues", Count Basie's "Going to Chicago Blues" and an outstanding reading of Oscar Brown Junior's "World of Trouble". The bonus track would not have been out of place in the original programming. The "Tobacco Road" set starts with an excellent version of the title track, but the rest of the set is good without ever being outstanding, except for "Blues for a four string guitar" which is really quite weak. Throughout, Rawls does his best to impart something new to all of them, though he's not helped in places by the arrangements, where on the second album the guitar sound is weak. It's also difficult not to compare the version of "Georgia on my mind" with what Ray Charles was doing with it at about the same time in another place! The remastering is excellent throughout, mixed as it was from 3 track tapes. I welcome the re-release of these long deleted albums, but on reflection despite Rawls' valiant efforts elsewhere the "Black and Blue" set is the highlight of this CD.

Average customer rating:

Critics said "Nay"
Blackbyrd...
Heading towards the light and fluffy elevator style jazz....
FLYING 5
IT's TIGHT BELEIVE ME

Black Byrd
Donald Byrd
Manufacturer: Blue Note Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000005HDT
Release Date: 1992-07-14

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Amazon.com

Dr. Donald Byrd's deeply rooted jazz background never stopped him from constantly pushing jazz forward, opening the minds of his listeners in the process. Produced by Larry Mizell in 1973, Black Byrd is filled with beautiful music that captures his passion for sound. The sophisticated, uptempo instrumentals are funky and danceable, but also extremely smooth. Byrd's impeccable trumpet meshes perfectly with the African-influenced beats and rhythms. Jazz purists may want to look into earlier Blue Note recordings such as Royal Flush and Byrd in Flight. --Shane Hunt

Customer Reviews:

Critics said "Nay".......2007-01-10

When this recording was first introdused critics laughed and downplayed this album, Just to prove and show that some critics are sometime way OFF. This was the best selling album on "Blue Note" and is a NOW criticly aclaimed masterpiece.

Blackbyrd..........2005-09-24

I heard "Flight Time" as a teenager on a wax "Greatest Hits" collection by Mr. Byrd. When I saw "Blackbyrd" on CD, I bought it without hesitation! A very good contemporary jazz collection!
Five stars!

Heading towards the light and fluffy elevator style jazz...........2004-09-16

....but not there yet. I prefer the deep funk of Byrd's "Ethiopian Knights", but "BlackByrd" has grown on me considerably. On my first listen I was taken by surprise because I wanted more "Little Rasti" and I put this away for a long time. I've been listening to it now for a few weeks straight and it's laid back summertime groove has consumed my soul. "Street Lady" has the same vibe, so I picked it up to, but I will have to stop there and dig on all the great Byrd I have. It seems after Street Lady the music got really really light and fluffy. Snore...zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz. Go get "Fancy free", "Electric Byrd", "Ethiopian Knights", "BlackByrd" & "Street Lady" and you will have the funkiest of Donald Byrd and the best in my opinion.

FLYING 5.......2000-04-19

Donald Byrd is A Musical Genius.His Music takes Jazz Into So many Directions&Yet Never Looses it's Roots&Foundations.THis Disc Is Smoking From start to finish.

IT's TIGHT BELEIVE ME.......1999-09-16

this cd is one of the BYRD MAN slickest especially 'LOVES SO FAR AWAY' I've made this cut into my personal LIFE THEMES with out a doubt a winner -get up -get out-and get dis cd-CAN YA DIG IT?????

Varese Sarabande 25th Anniversary Celebration

Average customer rating:

A good value
The Sound Track Since Bernard Hermann
Good mix of film music
A mixed collection of movie music
Uplifts your soul, takes your mind into the heavens

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Manufacturer: Varese Sarabande
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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The Man from Snowy River (Bruce Rowland)
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The Player (Thomas Newman)
Black Robe (Georges Delerue)
Medicine Man (Jerry Goldsmith)
2001 (Alex North)
Star Wars: Shadows Of The Empire (Joel McNeely)
The Crow (Graeme Revell)
Blade (Mark Isham)
The Omen (Jerry Goldsmith)
Vertigo (Bernard Herrmann)
Scream (Marco Beltrami)
The Sixth Sense (James Newton Howard)
Xena: Warrior Princess (Joseph LoDuca)
Air Force One (Jerry Goldsmith)
Starship Troopers (Basil Poledouris)
The Matrix (Don Davis)
The Iron Giant (Michael Kamen)
Youve Got Mail (George Fenton)
A Little Romance (Georges Delerue)
Pleasantville (Randy Newman)

Tracks:

Sunset Boulevard (Franz Waxman)
L.A. Confidential (Jerry Goldsmith)
Rounders (Christopher Young)
The Score (Howard Shore)
The Replacements (John Debney)
Gone In 60 Seconds (Trevor Rabin)
The Bourne Identity (John Powell)
Rush Hour 2 (Lalo Schifrin)
XXX (Randy Edelman)
Die Hard (Michael Kamen)
The Last of the Mohicans (Trevor Jones)
Moby Dick (Christopher Gordon)
The Mists Of Avalon (Lee Holdridge)
Cleopatra (Alex North)
Life As A House (Mark Isham)
Emma (Rachel Portman)
In The Bedroom (Thomas Newman)
Cast Away (Alan Silvestri)
One True Thing (Cliff Eidelman)
Unfaithful (Jan A.P. Kaczmarek)
Far From Heaven (Elmer Bernstein)
Ice Age (David Newman)
Shrek (Harry Gregson-Williams and John Powell)

Customer Reviews:

A good value.......2007-05-17

I wasn't expecting to have 4 discs for this price, and the music is a quality selection of film music, giving a good scope of the genre, and a very listenable transfer.

The Sound Track Since Bernard Hermann.......2006-07-25

This collection is bound to capture your heart and evoke a tin ear on successive tracks. I found much to like and some duds - easy to skip over.
Very good value.

Good mix of film music.......2006-07-02

Good mix of films!
I'm a big fan of this soundtrack music and will be looking for more CD's like this.

A mixed collection of movie music.......2006-02-23

For the price, this CD is a great bargain. The musical selections, as you might expect, are mixed in quality ranging from extraordinary to so so, the balance being worthwhile and interesting. Sonically the CD is excellent.

Uplifts your soul, takes your mind into the heavens.......2006-01-06

I have been listening to great scores for many years and this collection is truly inspirational in so far as the choice of different scores takes you on a journey of listening pleasure matched by only a few collections.The price is incredibly reasonable for hours of listening pleasure. Don't pass this one up

Average customer rating:

Black 'N Blue - 'Ultimate Collection' (Hip-O Records)
New Rules
On of the 80's best
Low par
A really over looked band

Ultimate Collection
Black 'N Blue
Manufacturer: Hip-O Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

General | Rock | Styles | Music

General | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music

Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music
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The Best of Britny Fox
Ultimate Collection
Danger Danger
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Cool from the Wire

ASIN: B00005LNHQ
Release Date: 2001-07-03

Tracks:

Rockin' On Heaven's Door
Autoblast
Hold On To 18
Wicked Bitch
Without Love
Miss Mystery
Nasty, Nasty
I Want It All, I Want It Now
Nature Of The Beach
Stop The Lightning
Bombastic Plastic
Suspicious
I'll Be There For You
Heat It Up! Burn It Out!
Does She Or Doesn't She
Live It Up
Chains Around Heaven
Get Wise To The Rise
School Of Hard Knocks
I'm The King

Customer Reviews:

Black 'N Blue - 'Ultimate Collection' (Hip-O Records).......2006-10-24

Haven't listened to these '80's metal merchants in some time now. It's been SO long. 'Ulimate...' has twenty tracks of, I guess what is a pretty wide scale of their repertoire. But, DIDN'T they have like just two lp's out in their initial existence, like in 1984-86? Could have sworn they had at least one or two more. Maybe not. Anyway, cuts here that brought back a couple of distant memories were "Rocking On Heaven's Door", the catchy MTV rarity "Miss Mystery", "Nasty Nasty", "Heat It Up!Burn It Out!" and the awesome rocker "School Of Hard Knocks". Line-up: Jamie St.James-vocals,Tommy Thayer(liked him taking Ace Frehley's place on the semi-recent Kiss tour)& Patrick Warner-guitars,Patrick Young-bass and Peter Holmes-drums. Should appeal to fans of Kix,Britny Fox,Tyketto,Ratt and Slaughter.

New Rules.......2006-08-17

To paraphrase the great Bill Maher, it's time for some new rules, people.

First, if your only exposure to this band and album is listening to the 30-second clips provided here, you have no business reviewing the album. That's like reading the first page of each chapter, then reviewing the book. Leave the review to those of us who have actually heard the whole album.

Second, if you don't like hair metal or AOR/melodic rock, you probably shouldn't be reviewing this album either. You can pretty much tell what kind of music you're going to get by looking at the band photo. If you hate hair metal, then don't buy hair metal albums. I'm sure there's a Coldplay album out there that's just aching for your review.

I feel so much better now. Now I actually own Black `n Blue: Ultimate Collection, so I'd like to share some observations.

Despite hailing from Oregon, Black `n Blue was a pretty active player in the L.A. metal scene. They released four studio albums from 1984-88, but for whatever reason never quite found the success that their peers in Ratt and Motley Crue achieved. Musically the band had a sound that was equal parts Ratt and King Kobra. It was definitely L.A. hair metal, but instead of being overly sleazy it had an AOR polish. It's upbeat and melodic, and what it lacks in originality it makes up for in pure energy.

2001's Ultimate Collection features a whopping 20 songs - more than half of the band's studio output! If they had added another disc they could have covered the band's whole catalog. Still, the song count is pretty impressive when you consider that most "greatest hits" packages have at best a dozen tracks. The songs have been digitally remastered, which is a nice bonus. There is also a hefty band history in the booklet that gives some insight into this often overlooked band. All told, Ultimate Collection serves as the perfect introduction to Black `n Blue's music, and is ideal for newcomers. Longtime Black `n Blue fans will no doubt prefer buying the remastered studio albums or tracking down the limited edition box set.

NOTE: There is allegedly a Black `n Blue reunion album in the works, but it has yet to see the light of day. In the meantime, guitarist Tommy Thayer is busy playing for KISS and vocalist Jamie St. James recently replaced Jani Lane as Warrant's frontman.

On of the 80's best.......2006-03-26

Rock solid album!! Takes me back to the glory and grandeur of the metal hair bands.

Low par.......2006-03-09

I only listened to the samples and I summize not buying this album (unless your a girl that wants to stare at the album cover and go gaga over these pretty boys). Sub-par talent, mainly regurgitated guitars/leads and terrible vocals. They make bon jovi who I think are ok seem kickin ass; and I loved some big hair bands- believe me (Ratt, Dokken and White lion) anyways... They pretty much SUK!!!

A really over looked band.......2006-02-09

I first heard B'N B on KMET'S Local Licks show in early 1983.
They played the demo version of Chains Around Heaven. The same version that wound up on the second pressing of Metal Massacre. I was hooked. I saw them perform live at least 10 times over the next 2 years and this is where they really shined (despite another reviewers comment that they were "hit and miss"). These guys were born to be rock stars. Truly one of the most enjoyable bands I've ever seen live. When their debut arrived in 1984 I was quite pleased. Almost all of their live favorites are on that first disc (except "Violent Kid"). This for me was the best thing B'N B ever recorded. Six of the best songs are represented here. Their second release, Without Love, is widely criticized by hardcore metal fans because of this albums slick production and poppy songs. I loved it. Great hooks, fun songs and lots of hair. I am amazed this was not a huge hit. Bon Jovi, who was not yet a household name and eager for a hit of his own chose Bruce Fairbairn to produce "Slippery When Wet" after hearing the job he did here. There are six songs from "Without Love" on this collection. Their last two records were both produced by Gene Simmons. Nasty Nasty and In Heat are my least favorite B'N B releases. By the time these records came out in the late 80's I had all but given up on this type of music so they don't have any nostalgic value for me, but when I replayed them recently I was surprised how much I enjoyed the songs from this time period.

Like all collections there are songs I would have liked to see here and others that I think should have been left off, but overall a lot of fun and worth getting if you like sugar coated metal ala RATT, Dokken and Bon Jovi. Enjoy.

Average customer rating:

Would you like ketchup with your bug?
he makes you get up and dance
Live in Dublin
Live in Dublin
Live audience is great.

Live In Dublin
Andre Rieu
Manufacturer: Denon Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

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$9.99 and Under | Blowout Music | Stores | Music

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Tuscany
Andre Rieu in Concert
The Flying Dutchman
The Vienna I Love, Waltzes From My Heart
At The Movies

ASIN: B0000CABHH
Release Date: 2003-10-07

Tracks:

Dark Eyes
Thunder & Lightning
The Merry Widow
Song of the Volga Boatman
Hor Ich Zimbalklange
Espana Cani (Bull)
O Mio Babbino Caro
The Blue Danube Waltz
Announcement Olympia Song
Song of Olympia (puppet)
My Heart Will Go On (Titanic)
All Men Shall Be Brothers - Beethoven 9th
Radetzky March
Opera Potpourri
The Red Rose Cafe
The Marino Waltz
Irish Washerwoman
The Last Rose
Chianti Song
Lullaby

Album Description

Recorded at the filming in Dublin's famous downtown train terminal, LIVE IN DUBLIN features Andre and the orchestra performing a collection of old favorites and exciting new selections. Already a smash PBS program LIVE IN DUBLIN captures Andre Rieu and his magical live performances at their most elegant best!

Customer Reviews:

Would you like ketchup with your bug?.......2007-05-05

The person who sang O Mio Babbino Caro is Carmen Monarcha. Do a search for her on YouTube; she's really fantastic!

Anyway, I saw Andre Rieu on a PBS special on television and it looked like such an awesome, high-energy concert! The CD is not so exciting, but it is worth buying just for that beautiful aria.

he makes you get up and dance.......2007-04-10

my 3 yr old enjoys this as much as us

Live in Dublin.......2007-02-17

The music is really toe tapping and excellent. Andre Rieu is a master of music.

Live in Dublin.......2006-07-05

This concert is magnificent in its energy and in the great performances by Andre Rieu and the Johann Stauss orchestra. I watch it when I need lifting up. I love the audience interaction which makes me feel as if I'm there in person.

Live audience is great........2006-05-03

This has to be one of Andre's best. The live audience adds much to the music being played. I wish I had been there for the performance.

Average customer rating:

Outstanding
Incredible..Worth 30 stars
Superb singing matched with superb arrangements
Beautiful music
Beautiful Music, Yet There Is No There Here

Blue Wheat
Stephen Foster , John , American Traditional , Spiritual Traditional , and Dale Warland Singers
Manufacturer: American Choral
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Folk | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Harvest Home
Christmas With the Dale Warland Singers
Cathedral Classics
December Stillness
Christmas Echoes, Vol. 1

ASIN: B000003M4T
Release Date: 1996-06-18

Tracks:

Oh, Shenandoah (Traditional)
He's Goin' Away (Traditional)
Skip To My Lou (Traditional)
Steal Away (Spiritual)
Wayfarin' Stranger (Traditional)
Soldier, Soldier Won't You Marry Me? (Traditional)
Pretty Saro (Traditional)
Johnny Has Gone For A Soldier
Black Is The Color (Traditional)
Red River Valley 9 (Traditional)
Nelly Bly (Stephen Foster)
My Lord, What A Mornin' (Spiritual)
Jeanie With The Light Brown Hair (Stephen Foster)
Hard Times Come Again No More (Stephen Foster)
Single Girl (Traditional)
Deep River (Spiritual)
Buffalo Gals (Cool White [John Hodges])
The Water is Wide (Traditional)
Black Sheep (African-American lullaby)

Customer Reviews:

Outstanding.......2007-06-06

Robert De Cormier's remarkable arrangement and Marie Spar Dymit's and Lynette Johnson's pure vocals of "Johnny Has Gone for a Soldier" are well worth the price of the entire CD.

Incredible..Worth 30 stars.......2007-05-16

The Dale Warland Singers are my benchmark by which I judge all other choirs. The uniformity of sound, blend, and precise entrances, uniformity are incredible - almost inhuman. Excluding the all male Chanticleer from the roster, this was the finest choir in America. Now that they have broken up, buy all of their CD's you won't be disappointed!

Superb singing matched with superb arrangements.......2004-07-03

A project like this one inevitably highlights the skill of arrangers, and Dale Warland has selected some of the most talented anywhere. Most of these selections will be familiar to listeners, but I doubt most people have heard, for example, "Red River Valley" in Carol Barnett's haunting version here, and ditto for her magnificent "Deep River."

The disc opens with a spectacular, panoramic "Shenandoah" that takes maximum advantage of the Dale Warland Singers' refined sound, and things only get better (if that's possible). Other favorites are a cheery, fizzing "Nelly Bly" and Mark Keller's strong reworking of Stephen Foster's "Hard Times Come Again No More."

Throughout the recording, the freshness of the arrangements is matched by the irresistible singing. This group is known for its outstanding performances and recordings, but this must be counted as one of their all-time best. The sound quality is terrific, capturing the gorgeous blend and precision of the group in a natural-sounding acoustic. Just stunning.

Beautiful music.......2003-07-03

I bought this CD after hearing a few of the recordings on our local NPR radio station. I was not disappointed in any of the selections. Very beautiful.

Beautiful Music, Yet There Is No There Here.......2003-01-13

The Dale Warland Singers (DWS) are among the relatively few musical professionals, who by their aesthetic standards and demonstrated artistry, have taken the less traveled and narrow road to exemplary artistic excellence.

The sound quality and acoustics are excellently engineered in this 20-bit original recording. The most delicately blend and inflection of the singers' voice can be heard. This sheaf of choral works has once existed in real space and time in the kaleidoscopic folklife of past generations. In recording the "Blue Wheat", the 40-member DWS, the creme de la creme of professional choral ensembles, has elevated the common oral tradition of American folk music into a rarified choral art form a capella "in the style of the chapel."

If the soul of the DWS is a capella singing, then Warland and the arrangers are the wings of the same soul. Among the kapellmeisters whose arrangements have graced this folksong anthology are the late Norman Luboff and Roger Wagner. Also included in this album are contemporary arrangements by other esteemed composers: John Rutter (conductor of The Cambridge Singers), Carol Barnett (the DWS resident composer from 1992 to 2001), and Stephen Paulus.

Gertrude Stein is famous for saying of her childhood home, Oakland, California, "When you get there, there's no there there." Purportedly, Stein opined this city by the San Francisco Bay lacked a defining sense of place. Bel canto notwithstanding, the folk melodies of "Blue Wheat" invoke a longing for something no longer possible. The abyss between the America today and the its past is impossible to bridge. Already, we have yielded to the abstractness of political correctness. Our past is either neglected, actively destroyed, or selectively museumed. We do not live in an understood land and culture. There is no there here in the presence of this music. It is only the poignancy of the moment that these beautifully rendered tunes live in our mind. We have to accept this reality as part and parcel of our rootlessness.

Tracks:

Pumpkin
Subterfuge
Black Fire
Cantarnos
Tired Trade
McNeil Island
Land Of Nod
Pumpkin (Alternate Take)
Black Fire (Alternate Take)

Album Description

Alfred Lion called Andrew Hill his last great discovery and "Black Fire" was the pianist's brilliant Blue Note debut. Despite the originality and complexity of Hill's compositions, Joe Henderson, Richard Davis and Roy Haynes sound like they've been playing them for years. Added to the original LP are two alternate takes.

ANDREW HILL, piano
JOE HENDERSON, tenor sax
RICHARD DAVIS, bass
ROY HAYNES, drums

Customer Reviews:

Black Fire, my review from Barcelona.......2007-06-16

While it can be considered that Andrew Hill and his recordings qualify as avant-garde, his music has melody, rhythm and harmony. Hill's sounds are as analytical as powerfully visceral. In some parts of his music it is noticeable the influence of three monsters of the piano: Earl Hines one of the best, the great Bud Powell and the supernatural and influential Thelonious Monk.
"Black Fire", Andrew Hill's powerful debut record for Blue Note, is an impressive and original record which builds from hard bop and even flirts with free music in some of its songs. Perhaps this "Black Fire" is more suitable to begin with Hill's music rather than his allegedly best albums, "Point of Departure" and "Judgement". Here he is backed by a kind of dream team, with Joe Henderson on tenor sax, playing it sensationally, in his usual way, the virtuous bassist Richard Davis, and the highly acclaimed drummer Roy Haynes, all of them leaders in their own bands. None of them are content within the limits of conventional hard bop and that is what makes "Black Fire" an outstanding classical record of modern Jazz. All of the themes, seven originals plus two alternate takes, are very good, so I highly recommend it. It is an essential and a must-have record. You can't go wrong buying it.

A powerful debut.......2006-05-01

Andrew Hill's leader debut for Blue Note is one of his best recordings. The story is that Hill played piano on Joe Henderson's excellent album Our Thing and was then approached by producer Alfred Lion to make an album of his own music. Hill rose to the challenge, bringing seven strikingly original compositions that didn't fit into either the "free jazz" or "hard bop" categories.

It wasn't unusual in the mid-60s for Blue Note albums to include original compositions, but sometimes these compositions were pretty generic: a modal number, a "Sidewinder" clone, a blues number, etc. But not here -- each of Hill's tunes is distinct from those generic categories, and from the other tunes on the album. Hill's tunes include weird twists and turns, starts and stops, alternating sections with clashing ideas or moods, unpredictable rhythms, and of course a touch of Monk. "Subterfuge" is a percussive, claustrophobic piano trio performance. "McNeil Island" is another trio performance, but this time Roy Haynes sits out. Joe Henderson plays very lyrically on this one. "Black Fire" is a waltz, alternating an upbeat theme with a darker one. It's interesting to see how the soloists adjust to the frequently adjusting moods in their solos. "Pumpkin" (introduced by a striking Richard Davis bassline) and the sorta-Latin "Cantarnos" both feature intense, passionate melodies.

Hill got a major assist from his quartet: Henderson (tenor sax), Davis (bass) and Haynes (drums). Hill had great chemistry with all three guys, and each would appear on at least one Hill recording after this one. Henderson's playing is more avant-garde than on contemporary albums such as Lee Morgan's Sidewinder and Grant Green's Idle Moment. Haynes could perform brilliantly in any context, while Davis's virtuosic bass playing is perfect for Hill's music. (I guess that's why he played on Hill's first seven albums for BN!) Together, Haynes and Davis push and pull against the soloists, giving Hill's music the flexibility it needs.

Though Point of Departure might be a better album, Black Fire is probably a more accessible introduction to Hill's music. Be sure to check out his other Blue Note albums, including Judgment, Andrew!!! and Passing Ships.

(Note: this review is based on an older reissue of the album. I have not heard the recent RVG remaster.)

"Black Fire" Burns Again.......2004-07-13

Andrew Hill's "Black Fire," out-of-print domestically for nearly ten years as a single-disc and often impossible to find used, makes an improbable return to the Blue Note catalog in the RVG series. This November 8, 1963 seesion is the underrated pianist's debut as a leader, and what a fine introduction it is to this unique jazz composer and performer. Joined by tenor saxophonist Joe Henderson, bassist Richard Davis and drummer Roy Haynes, this quartet runs through the seven Hill originals (plus two alternate takes) like they'd been playing together for years. Those familiar with Hill's music know this is no easy task, as these songs, with their creative melodies, complex rhythms and intricate interplay make playing together cohesively quite difficult. Many are too quick to lump Andrew Hill into the jazz avant-garde, and while his music is expansive and exploratory, it is certainly firmly grounded in the post-bop jazz tradition. "Black Fire" must have been hard to put out, but now that it is here, listen to it burn!

Music Review: