In Tokyo

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
This performance was recorded when Yevgeny Kissin was 16, several years before his U.S. debut. Kissin is a major pianist, but this may not be one of the essential items in his discography. The longest item on the disc is Prokofiev's Sonata No. 6, which Kissin plays extremely well but without the crushing power of Richter (preferably on Praga PR 250 015) or Kasman (Calliope CAL 9606). However, Kissin plays the rest of this recital, which consists of shorter pieces by Rachmaninov, Liszt, Chopin, and Scriabin, with the color, power and facility that marked him as a major pianist in the making. --Leslie Gerber

In Tokyo, Music, Anonymous, Fryderyk Chopin, Sakunosuke Koyama, Franz Liszt, Sergey Prokofiev, Sergey Rachmaninov, Alexander Scriabin, Evgeny Kissin, 20th/21st Century Music for Voice and Keyboard, 20th/21st Century Sonata/Sonatina for Keyboard, Classical, Classical Artists, Classical Music, Etude for Keyboard, Folk Song, Keyboard, Mazurka for Keyboard, Miscellaneous, Miscellaneous Music, Nocturne for Keyboard, Polonaise for Keyboard, Vocal

Fantasia - Live In Tokyo: 2007 (2CD)
Average customer rating:

ASIA's Live Show Now on CD

Outstanding!

Worth the wait!

Captures their Great Sound

ASIA IS BACK-WELL WORTH THE MONEY

Fantasia - Live In Tokyo: 2007 (2CD)
Asia
Manufacturer: Eagle Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000QFCD5O
Release Date: 2007-06-26

Tracks:

Time Again
Wildest Dreams
One Step Closer
Roundabout
Without You
Cutting It Fine
Steve Howe Guitar Solo
Fanfare For The Common Man
The Smile Has Left Your Eyes

Tracks:

Don't Cry
Court Of The Crimson King
Here Comes The Feeling
Video Killed The Radio Star
The Heat Goes On / Carl Palmer Drum Solo
Only Time Will Tell
Sole Survivor
Ride Easy
Heat Of The Moment

Album Description

Asia, featuring members of Yes, ELP and King Crimson, was the first "supergroup" of the eighties. Their eponymous debut album, released in 1982, was a huge success racking up global sales in excess of 15 million copies. In 2006 the original four members reunited for the first time in over 20 years for a series of concerts in the US and the UK. The success of this tour led to a full-blown world tour running throughout 2007 in celebration of their 25th anniversary. This CD was recorded in Tokyo in March 2007 on the Japanese leg of the tour. The companion DVD will be released in Fall 2007 on Eaglevision.

Customer Reviews:

ASIA's Live Show Now on CD.......2007-07-17

WOW! If you remeber the early 80's power prog and pop hit makers you'll love this collection. All the Wetton era hits summed up on two CD's. One of the things that caught my ear when I saw ASIA live and on this cd was Carl Palmer's fantastic playing. As a matter of fact the whole band is spot on. If we can only get them to do a DRAMA era yes song.

Outstanding!.......2007-07-15

I was a bit more than pleasantly surprised upon my first listen of this fantastic album. Meticulous in every respect, you'd be hard pressed to find four musicians that top these gentlemen. I love their rendition of "video killed the radio star". And truly the finest rendition of "the smile has left your eyes" they've done to date. I too consider John Wetton one of the finest vocalists on earth. And Steve Howe's guitar and mandolin playing never sounded better.

The press and public did them "dirty" a few decades ago, but Asia has staying power and excellent material to see them through. I'm ecstatic that they're back again. I met John Wetton in May 1996. You won't find a finer gent anywhere. And his guitar and bass playing coupled with Downes and Palmer move like a well-oiled music machine. Great album (er`oops CD). Buy it and ride easy.

Worth the wait!.......2007-07-14

How many times I've kicked myself since 1982 for not seeing Asia in concert when I had the chance! How joyful I am today, a quarter century later, that I've seen them at last -- not once, but twice in less than a year!

"Fantasia" is nearly as good as being there. Music quality on live albums is either good or bad, never in between. Fortunately, this one delivers. The talents of Geoff Downes, Steve Howe, Carl Palmer and (my favorite) John Wetton are clearly evident, both individually and collectively. When you consider how long they've been at this business, well before Asia was formed, it's mighty impressive how they continue to bring considerable skill and enthusiasm to the stage.

It's also great to see them dig out examples of their individual earlier work, something they were pressured to shun in the '80s. Asia isn't ELP, Yes or King Crimson, but there's a legacy in those bands that resonates in Asia's music, so those songs certainly weren't out of place.

In short, this is well worth buying, listening to and celebrating four very talented musicians and their considerable contributions to rock music.

Captures their Great Sound.......2007-07-03

I saw the reunited Asia last year in Boston and this disc captures the great show that I saw.
They sounded great in Beantown and they sound just as great in Tokyo.
All the hits are here plus songs from each of their respected bands they played in before Asia.
It's a great live disc.
Check it out!

ASIA IS BACK-WELL WORTH THE MONEY.......2007-07-02

ASIA IS BACK!! The Original Members of Asia show after 25 years since release of the 1st CD and this CD shows they have not lost a thing.Wish they had recorded in different country as they would have had a much more enthusiastic audience.

Average customer rating:

CD COLLECTORS ARE BEING INSULTED ALREADY
Love every minute of it :)
Fantastic
Fantastic - but not an album!
Cheer it on

A Lesson in Crime
Tokyo Police Club
Manufacturer: Paper Bag
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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The Good, the Bad & the Queen
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ASIN: B000F2BP0W
Release Date: 2006-05-01

Tracks:

Cheer It On
Nature Of The Experiment
Citizens Of Tomorrow
Shoulders & Arms
If It Works
Be Good
La Ferrassie

Amazon.com

It's nigh on impossible to review a young, indie rock band anymore without referencing their predecessors, their colleagues who have created the anxiety of influence. Here, David Monks' voice, combined with Joshua Hook's compressed-spray on guitar, certainly conjure early Strokes, but then comparisons just fall short. Tokyo Police Club's command of multiple tempos and rhythmic palettes sets up spacey atmospheres to tumble through, with a hefty blast at their beck and call. There's a languid undertow here, Monks pulling you in with a slow, warm-water voice only to let his pals bludgeon you with just-so rhythms that, even in flight, last a sharp, fast two minutes on average. --Andrew Bartlett

Customer Reviews:

CD COLLECTORS ARE BEING INSULTED ALREADY.......2007-07-17

Let me reiterate that 16 minutes is not an LP. I fully beleive in making a shorter album by removing all filler, but come on...this is not a full length album by any stretch of the esoteric imagination. I understand why spazzcore punk bands like Some Girls, The Locust, & XBXRX release 20 minute albums (because more would be clearly too much), but in this case it's not enough to do anything more than load my IPod with, and in which case why did I buy the actual CD? The robot pictures are cool and everything, but if this was a dollar a song, then that means most people are paying three dollars or more for the cover art. I have the strong suspicion that this will be repackaged later with more songs to try and get more of my money, when the band gets done being dragged around the world on a short leash by their management. All I'm saying is that I bought this used and I still wish I had bought the last Strokes or Interpol album instead. That having been said, this is an album of seven potential singles, which you should buy on iTunes. I would give it five stars for good music, but 16 minutes in this genre is false advertising. If this was five dollars and printed on small vinyl like an EP then we could talk, but at this price it's a full length record with one side blank.

Love every minute of it :).......2007-07-09

Although extremely short (16 minutes and 19 seconds), "A Lesson in Crime" is good from start to finish. Since there are only seven songs, there isn't room for any filler. Very fast-paced, fun and catchy...buy it!

Fantastic.......2007-05-15

I bought this EP knowing nothing about the band and without having read any reviews. It turned out to be a wise impulse buy. I love this CD. Lots of energy, quirkiness, catchiness, and no fluff. As for those who complain about the brevity of this release and the price: [1] it's an EP, not a full length CD [2] great music is priceless.

Fantastic - but not an album!.......2007-02-08

This is a really fantastic EP. But it's an EP! The other reviewers don't seem to be familiar with the concept of the EP. It's not a full length album! The album's out sometime 2007.

Cheer it on.......2006-12-23

I was skeptical about this band at first after hearing different kinds of hype from different kinds of people.
But I must say that I'm very impressed with this band.
Their music is innovative and interesting.
It's music that I can continuously go back to.

I'd really rate it at 4.5 out of 5 stars.

Also check out their Tour EP with acoustic versions of a few of these songs.

Average customer rating:

Very Relaxing
This is so beautiful
A Musical Tranquilizer
guaranteed to relax you whether at home or in the car

Mozart for Relaxation

Manufacturer: RCA
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Beethoven for Relaxation
Bach for Relaxation
Vivaldi for Relaxation
Chopin For Relaxation
The Most Relaxing Classical Album in the World...Ever!

ASIN: B00000I9M0
Release Date: 1999-03-09

Tracks:

Concerto For Flute and Harp, K. 299: II - Andantino - London Symphony Orchestra
Eine Kleine Nachtmusik, K. 525: II - Romanze : Andante - Guarneri Quartet
Piano Sonata In B Flat, K. 333: II - Andante Cantabile - Alicia De Larrocha
Violin Concerto No. 3 In G, K. 216: II - Adagio - Prague Chamber Orchestra
Andante K. 315 - Chamber Orchestra Of Europe
Concerto In A For Clarinet And Orchestra, K. 622: II - Adagio - English Chamber Orchestra
Serenade No. 10 'Gran Partita,' K. 361: III - Adagio - Sir Colin Davis
Trio - 'Soave sia il vento' Act 1, Scene 2 - New Philharmonia Orchestra
Clarinet Quintet In A, K. 581: II - Larghetto - Richard Stoltzman
Concerto No. 21 In C, K. 467: II - Andante - English Chamber Orchestra

Customer Reviews:

Very Relaxing.......2007-04-03

I love this CD! I listen to it every time my world feels like it's about to spin out of control because I have too much to do and not enough time to do it. Very calming and serene. My 12 year old daughter now knows who Mozart is and can recognize his music on the radio!

This is so beautiful.......2006-02-07

I've been a massage therapist for seven years, and I have lots and lots of relaxation music. I have owned this c.d. three different times because I have listened to it to the point of wearing it out several times over. It is so beautiful and rich in perfection, and if your smart its really easy to time your massage to. If your not an M.T. just get it to have in your collection when you'd like to relax, you won't be sorry.

A Musical Tranquilizer.......2000-07-22

This is a terrific collection of many of Mozart's best known and most beloved pieces. You will probably recognize many of the melodies - and with this CD, of course, you'll learn their names. This CD is really aptly named - it is a very 'relaxing' collection of beautiful music. One reviewer said that its great for the car - but also after that long, grinding day at work - you know, the kind of day where you feel especially eaten-up. You just want to go home and sit in your favorite chair and put on some music... It is also an excellent album to get the kids started on lovely classical music. Highly recommended!

guaranteed to relax you whether at home or in the car.......1999-04-23

this assortment of melodies is the perfect gift for the new mother, the new baby, or anyone else who wants to be stimulated by the classical sounds and soothed by the melodies. a definite must for the car - where much stress occurs in traffic jams.

Average customer rating:

Anita O'Day a Jazz Icon
Anita O'Day at her very best in Tokyo
Anita at her best surfaces after 44 years in the vault

Live in Tokyo '63
Anita O'Day
Manufacturer: Kayo Stereophonics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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High Times Hard Times

ASIN: B000MMLPF0
Release Date: 2007-03-06

Tracks:

Boogie Blues
Trav'lin' Light
Honeysuckle Roe
Avalon
Bewitched
You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To
Night and Day
Let's Fall In Love
Sweet Georgia Brown
Tea For Two
Stella By Starlight
Love For Sale
Get Out Of Town
That Old Feeling
Four Brothers

Album Description

This astounding soundtrack to the 1963 live televised concert from Japan is destined to become the quintessential Anita O'Day concert. Anita is backed by a full orchestra. This particular concert has never been released, until now. It is a classic performance capturing Anita at the pinnacle of her Verve period. Bob Corwin on piano with Toshiyuki Miyama and The All-Star Orchestra and Takeshi Inomata and His West Liners. Arranged by Buddy Bregman.

Customer Reviews:

Anita O'Day a Jazz Icon.......2007-05-14

I first heard Miss Anita O'Day in 1956 at a friends house and have never ceased listning. she was a natural jazz voice and her interpretations of the lyrics swung every time.whether in front of some of biggest bands or small groups. this album is a glowing example and I do not why it so long to be released.

Anita O'Day at her very best in Tokyo.......2007-04-11

Anyone wishing to understand the fully greatness of that most swinging and original of jazz singers need look no further than this sizzling release. Never before on CD, this is an unedited, live concert featuring O'Day fronting a top-notch Japanese band playing her famous arrangements. It's all here: her sensual sound, her hip, flip attitude, her incomparable use of musical time, her unparalleled improvisational gifts, an entire arsenal of talents focused on the task at hand. If you already know and love O'Day, grab this one with confidence. If not, what a voyage of discovery this disc will provide. Freeman Gunter

Anita at her best surfaces after 44 years in the vault.......2007-04-07

Kayo Stereophonic has has a real knock out with this sound track of a TV concert songstress Anita O'Day performed in Tokyo 44 years ago during the acme of her jazz singing career. With a minimum of comments and a maximum of music, the late legend offers 15 of her best-known tunes from her years with Verve and her own Emily label. Kayo has issued or reissued other O'Day CDs in recent years, and this is the best of the bunch. Anita plus fine tunes, sound quality and musicianship from two Japanese groups add up to a real bargain. Agent Robbie Cavolina and producer Takao Ishizuka have outdone themselves in adding this to the Kayo inventory.

Average customer rating:

I love it!
Famous Beethoven slow movements
Number of discs
I Know Music, and This is Not the Best (by Beethoven Lover)
Not the Best By beethoven Lover

Beethoven for Relaxation

Manufacturer: RCA
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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The Most Relaxing Classical Album In the World Ever, Volume II

ASIN: B00000I9LZ
Release Date: 1999-03-09

Tracks:

Piano Sonata No. 14 In C-Sharp Minor, Op.27 No.2, 'Moonlight': Adagio sostenuto
Symphony No. 2 In D, Op.36: II. Larghetto
String Quartet No.13 In B-Flat, Op.130: V. Cavatina: Adagio molto espressivo
Violin Sonata No.5 In F, Op.24, 'Spring': II. Adagio molto espressivo
Fur Elise
Triple Concerto In C, Op.56: II. Largo
Piano Sonata No.8 In C Minor, Op.13, 'Pathetique': II. Adagio cantabile
Fidelo, Act I: Quartet 'Mir ist so wunderbar'
Piano Sonata No. 18 In E-Flat, Op.31, No.3: III. Menuetto: Moderato e grazioso
Serenade In D, Op.8: II. Adagio
Symphony No.6 In F, Op.68, 'Pastoral': II. Scene By The Brook

Tracks:

Piano Sonata No. 14 In C-Sharp Minor, Op. 27 No. 2, 'Moonlight': I Adagio sostenuto
Symphony No. 2 in D, Op. 36: II Larghetto
String Quartet No. 13 In B-Flat, Op. 130: V Cavatina: Adagio molto espressivo
Violin Sonata No. 5 In F, Op. 24, 'Spring': II Adagio molto espressivo
Fur Elise
Triple Concerto In C, Op. 56: II Largo
Piano Sonata No. 8 in C minor, Op. 13, 'Pathetique': II Adagio cantabile
Fidelio, Act I: Quartet 'Mir ist so wunderbar'
Piano Sonata No. 18 In E-Flat, Op. 31 No. 3: III Menuetto: Moderato e grazioso
Serenade In D, Op. 8: II Adagio
Symphony No. 6 In F, Op. 68, 'Pastoral': II Scene By The Brook

Customer Reviews:

I love it!.......2007-01-21

I've had this CD for about 6 years now and it never gets old. As the title suggests, it's great for relaxing with a good book and a glass of wine. I find myself reaching for this CD whenever I get a migraine. I had always heard that the complexities of Beethoven's music could ease a migraine, or I suppose any headache. I've never been able to find any substantiated proof of this but from my experience the music eases my headaches. Whether it's psychological is still a mystery to me. Fact is, I love this CD and it's never far from me.

Famous Beethoven slow movements.......2006-01-15

The real Beethoven would probably be irritated with compilation CD's like this that "cherry picks" a variety of slow movements from various works he composed. But, the average listener today will see it as a great way to get to know his music and enjoy an hour of more serene music - less Beethoven's more intense movements. The variery here is broad: solo piano, violin + piano, string quartet and full orchestra symphonies and concertos. The dreamy solo-piano pieces are some of Beethoven's most beloved and alluring slow movements that vaulted him to fame. While these and the chamber music tend to be more "relaxing," the latter orchestral pieces especially contain shifts in tempo, dynamic range and emotion that some might not find so relaxing. After all, this is Beethoven with a full orchestra and not Bach or the Baroque.

But, all is not lost if you are looking for a collection of serene, lyrical music composed by the great Beethoven. There actually is a CD that features some of Beethoven's most endearing and melodic adagios and largos: "Beethoven for Book Lovers" (Philips label). This CD is mostly comprised of the nicest slow movements from Beethoven's ten violin sonatas (violin + piano) played by the legendary David Oistrakh - a violinist with one of the most gentle and beautiful tone ever recorded. Fortunately for those wanting uninterupted peacefulness, there are only a couple of those typical "Beethoven outbursts" in this CD (very brief though). But, overall, the flow and tone of the entire CD is truly relaxing, enchanting and not distracting. All of these works reveal the gentle side of Beethoven and his surprizing ability (for such a fiery composer) to write music of such poinant and tenderhearted emotional appeal. Also, the "Chopin for Relaxation" is one of the better ones in this series and features some of Chopin's slower, more serene solo-piano music and the ever-so lovely middle movements from his two legendary piano concertos.

Number of discs.......2005-03-16

The ad above shows 2 discs with the same track names... this item has only 1 disc with 11 tracks (names as shown above).

I Know Music, and This is Not the Best (by Beethoven Lover).......2005-02-21

Ok, I'll admit, this is a pretty good album, but it lacks the feeling of Beethoven. Its songs don't sound like Beethoven is playing, and its not too relaxing. It deserves three stars because of this lack of the great Beethoven himself. Sure, the songs are pretty, but I'd buy a different album if I was you.

Not the Best By beethoven Lover.......2005-02-20

not completely a delight...shows little Beethoven in it all, deserves only about two or three stars.

Average customer rating:

For Jambased Music Fans Everywhere...
Astounding!
Make my Funk the L-Funk
Diggin on the Live Funk
TOOK A CHANCE

Live in Tokyo
Lettuce
Manufacturer: KUFALA Recordings
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Outta Here
Super Heavy Organ
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Flyin' the Koop
Breakout

ASIN: B0002IYLEG
Release Date: 2004-06-29

Tracks:

Intro
Nyack
Break Out
The Dump
Kron Dutch
Reunion
Flu The Coop
4 On 6
Squadlive
Break Out Reprise

Album Description

Live in Tokyo captures Lettuce on their November 2003 tour of Japan. After a week of shows the tour climaxed at their Blue Note performance in Tokyo. Taking the greatest moments of that night and condensing it down to one disc was a five month process. Let the Funk begin.

Customer Reviews:

For Jambased Music Fans Everywhere..........2006-01-14

In order to find quality tracks, quality musicians, you must dig in the crates! It took a little while to discover this CD, and I am happy to have stumbled upon this treasure. These cats understand, straight pocket, injecting jazz funk and hip hop flavors through out. Ride with this one. g

Astounding!.......2005-05-11

Absolutely the best cd I've heard in a long, long time! This bad is powerful enough to turn goat p*ss into gasoline! I loved the disc from the time I hit play and on through the last tune. These guys are great and deserve more recognition. Nothing like a great music that makes you wanna move! If you like Soulive, you'll love Lettuce....The Soulive Big Band! Hit me!

Make my Funk the L-Funk.......2005-02-24

As I try to sum up what exactly has drawn me to this group, and how it differs from old school funk, I simply quote Bootsy Collins: "Somebody been messin' with my funk. Funkin' 'round, funkin' with it 'till they funked it up!"

If you want a straight answer, these guys are not only the real deal, but will be what other new funk bands are measured by. These guys are nasty, low-down, self-proclaimed "Defenders of the Funk". I challenge anyone to show these guys down.

If you're a lover of funk, and love to hear how funk can evolve, this album is defnintely for you. Eric Krasno (Soulive)and Adam Deitch (John Scofield Band) have furthered the sound of funk, and this ensemble is right on their wavelength. With the addition of Neal Evans (Soulive) on keys, Lettuce found the missing ingredient from their studio release, "Outta Here", which was a brilliant piece of work in its own right. But in this release, "Kron Dutch" explodes with the most modernized funk sound to date.

If Parliament's P-Funk were the rulemakers for an oppressed society, Lettuce's L-Funk may very well be today's lovers of the oppressed Mother Earth.

Funk on.

Diggin on the Live Funk.......2005-01-21

I'm a big fan of the genre: Soulive, Greyboy Allstars, Galactic, Karl D and all those cats. But as anyone who listens to live music knows: Studio albums fall so short of the live act. It's all about the energy shared by the musicians and the crowd. It is a shared experience. This CD rocked my world from start to finish. I had just come off a wailing Galactic show the night before and I was ready for some funk. Lettuce delivered the produce ( forgive the pun, Just had to) The energy of this live album is off the charts, just some funky cats throwing down some nasty grooves. It comes highly recommended by someone who knows the scene. Pick this one up...you're gonna love it!

Beers

TOOK A CHANCE.......2004-11-11

I'm a Soulive fan so I figurd I'd take a chance, man was I stoked! This live record captures live funk at it's best, not to mention for a live show the sound quality AMAZING!

Average customer rating:

Excellent music, excellent performers
Strongly recommended

Joan Tower: Instrumental Music

Manufacturer: Naxos American
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

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Black Topaz - Joan Tower

ASIN: B000A17GHY
Release Date: 2005-08-16

Tracks:

In Memory - Tokyo String Quartet
Big Sky - Joan Tower
Wild Purple - Paul Neaubauer
Holding A Daisy - Ursula Oppens
Or Like A...An Engine - Ursula Oppens
Vast Antique Cubes - Melvin Chen
Throbbing Still - Melvin Chen
Island Prelude - Richard Woodhams

Customer Reviews:

Excellent music, excellent performers.......2006-03-17

Joan Tower's "Island Prelude" has long been a favorite of mine. The work unfolds with an absolute mastery of control and exquisite orchestration. Choosing between its version for oboe and string orchestra and this version for oboe and string quartet is like choosing between full strings and quartet in Barber's "Adagio for Strings". When you have the Tokyo String Quartet playing, as you do here, you don't miss the warmth of a full flank of string players and you get the added bonus of hearing a lot more detail. The quartet also shines in Tower's "In Memory", one of my favorite works of hers, period. Indeed, the works on this disc are all extremely strong. The piano piece "Throbbing Still" is a stunning tour de force, and pianist Melvin Chen holds nothing back in this great performance. Despite raising their prices to now midprice level (remember the $5.98 Naxos bins?), kudos must be given to the label for generating this recording featuring amazing performers and outstanding American repertoire.

Strongly recommended.......2006-01-07

Dr. Tower is a well-known American composer and a performing pianist. Her thoughtful music is always filled with interesting melodies and tinged with just enough modernistic dissonance to add interest. I first discovered her music on the Sharon Isbin (classical guitarist)album Nightshade Rounds, where the composition Clocks appeared. Fascinating music, listen to it if you can.

Since as of this writing Amazon has not listed the tracks, I will:

1. In Memory (string quartet)
2. Big Sky (violin, cello & piano)
3. Wild Purple (solo viola)
4. Holding a Daisy (solo piano)
5. Or Like a...an Engine (solo piano)
6. Vast Antique Cubes (solo piano)
7. Throbbing Still (solo piano)
8. Island Prelude (oboe & string quartet)

In Memory is a poignant piece about grief and death, inspired by the loss of a close friend and the 9/11 victims. The one movement piece is string quartet writing at its finest. Big Sky, on which Ms. Tower plays piano, is every bit as deep and contemplative as In Memory as is the very beautiful Wild Purple whose themes make extended use of the viola's lowest string. The piano solos are filled with interesting sounds and vary greatly in mood. Island Prelude features an oboe weaving its way among the strings, and, like In Memory, it is performed by the famous Tokyo String Quartet. Also, like all of the string pieces on this recording, the tempo is andante or slower.

With a tremendous variety of instrumental combinations, this CD is a delight and one that I will enjoy many times. My only complaint is with Naxos who skimped on the quantity of music and gave us only 58:26 minutes of pleasure.

Strongly Recommended

Redgecko

Live in Tokyo with Special Guest Robben Ford

Average customer rating:

Its ok.

Live in Tokyo with Special Guest Robben Ford
Larry Carlton
Manufacturer: EMI
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Jazz | Styles | Music
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CARLOS SANTANA & WAYNE SHORTER/LIVE @ MONTREUX JAZZ FEST/CD
Close as You Get
Live

ASIN: B000NVL0AK
Release Date: 2007-03-26

Tracks:

That Road
Burnable
Cold Gold
Rio Samba
Derrick's Blues
Two Bad
Talk to Your Daughter

Album Details

Features a Performance from September Four - Seven 2006 at the Blue Note Tokyo.

Customer Reviews:

Its ok........2007-05-12

First of all, this is really Robben Ford and Larry Carlton--not the other way around. And with all due respect to those who think Larry Carlton is some kind of mellow jazz god, Robben is the better player (singer, too).

The good news is that Steve Lukather is not on this so there's no "bull in the china shop". The bad news is, these guys pretty much coast through the whole thing. As always, Robben is gutsier, blusier and knocks off some sensational jazz licks. Larry has that nice tone and the volume swells but when he tries to play fast its just a jumble of good, bad and sloppy notes. He's like your friend who's a great guy, but wasn't born funny, trying to tell a joke. The strain is obvious.

Of course, if you're not a guitar player you won't notice any of this. And when the chords are simple, as with Talk To Your Daughter, Larry does fine. In fact, its the best track on the disc. But before you spend the money on this one, why not get On Solid Ground (Larry's last great album) and any Robben Ford and the Blue Line disc.

Average customer rating:

Eric Alexander almost reached greatness on NLIT...
The search is over . We have another great Tenor sax player.
I think he's reached critical mass
It's A Keeper

Nightlife in Tokyo
Eric Alexander
Manufacturer: Milestone
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Bebop General | Bebop | Jazz | Styles | Music

General | Jazz | Styles | Music

Modern Postbebop | Jazz | Styles | Music
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It's All in the Game
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ASIN: B00009QG7B
Release Date: 2003-06-17

Tracks:

Nemesis
I Can Dream, Can't I?
Nightlife In Tokyo
I'll Be Around
Cold Smoke
Island
Big R.C.
Lock Up And Bow Out

Customer Reviews:

Eric Alexander almost reached greatness on NLIT..........2007-02-20

This is a brilliant CD that belongs on the shelves of any sax-loving jazz afficiondao, but it's also frustrating how close Alexander came to greatness on this particular album but fell short. In fact the first 4 tracks have a compunctory by-the-numbers feel that really prevents them being anything more than sterile showcases for Alexander's technical virtuosity on tenor saxophone. On the second half (tracks 5-8) the band starts to cook, with Alexander and the rest of the quartet improvising more freely, playing more as a unit than as a four guys taking turns soloing. This is when the magic really happens and why the CD is brilliant. Unfortunately I still couldn't escape the feeling that Alexander is playing more from his head than his heart. If he'd trusted the music more ("use the Force, Luke!") and gone with the flow on these jams I think thuis would have been a jazz album for the ages.

The search is over . We have another great Tenor sax player........2006-11-11

This album clearly demonstrates Eric Alexander's virtuosity. He belongs amongst the tenor sax giants; John Coltrane, Dexter Gordon, Joe Henderson and Sonny Rollins. In my view he is the best 'new' Sax giant around.

This album is a pleasure to listen to from start to finish. Apart from Alexander's phenomenal tone and dexterity, he is a polished musician who has created a superb album with 'Nightlife in Tokyo'.

He is accompanied by Harold Mabern on piano, who clearly revelled in the making of this cd. His playing is extraordinarily satisfying and enjoyable.

Do I need to say anything about Ron Carter on Bass? It is self-explanatory.

Joe Farnsworth is on drums and creates a great groove.

Like 'Longboard Jazzer" this album carries my highest recommendation. I feel unable to add much to his excellent review below which I endorse.

I think he's reached critical mass.......2004-01-25

Some guys work at it forever, learn the idiom, become quite competent, and that's about it. They never really find their own distinctive voice. Other guys just seem to have it right from the beginning. Somehow, they intuit the entire history of jazz early on, emerge on the scene as full-blown monster musicians, and everyone's shaking their heads as these cats transform the music as twenty-somethings.

Then there's guys like Eric Alexander. I'd pegged him for a journeyman--a guy with significant chops who knew the hard-bop/post-bop language inside out, but didn't really have much original to say conceptually, tonally, or compositionally. A better-sounding and higher-echelon journeyman, but still a journeyman.

Until this date.

Granted, I haven't heard every single disc he's put out over the years, but I've heard my share. And I must say that, at least to these ears, he's experienced a quantum leap forward, vaulting himself out of the vast swamp of saxophonic proficiency into the highest plateaux of wind instrument brilliance. There's simply so much more substance, res, power, ease of execution, maturity of conception, tonal and timbral depth, sheer authority, and brash confidence here than ever before that he hardly seems the same player.

It's like he's suddenly become an Old Soul.

A Sax Master.

An Overnight Sensation (albeit a decade-plus--and scores of discs as leader and sideman--in the making).

Let's start with his tone. OK, he's not Pharoah Sanders yet, but he's darn close. He's finally come into that huge fullness of tone that characterizes the best tenor sax players. And he's worked hard to nail the tone center throughout his instrument's register. Indeed, he sounds just as authoritative up high as in the middle or lower registers.

Then there's his compositions. There's a fairly major Milesish/Tyneresque modal/Latin thing happening here ("Nemesis," "Cold Smoke," in 5/4, I believe)--and Harold Mabern has McCoy's moves stone down, but in his own unique voice. But there's a lot more going on as well--an Afro-Cuban groove on "Island," with it's entirely authentic Caribbean Calypso vibe; heavy blues ("Big R.C."); and very nifty post-bop ("Lock Up and Bow Out"). The thing about these compositions is how natural they sound. There's none of that "Hey, watch me, I can do Wayne Shorter!" vibe. Or, "Look how many idioms I've mastered!" thing happening. Instead, there's such complete familiarity with all major jazz languages that his compositions come out sounding absolutely effortless, almost instinctual, like instant classics. That's what endless hours on the bandstand as well as major woodshedding will get you, if you've got the right stuff.

You can always tell a major session. Everyone seems to play just a little bit better; there's an uncanny electricity combined with warmth and intimacy. The leader's in a zone, and the rest of the guys sense it and find a way to lock into the extraordinary thing that's going down. That's what I sense here. And it can only happen when a player has reached a certain level of maturity. This may be the most important aspect of this disc--Anderson's emergence as a brilliant leader. One sure sign of this is that everyone plays at the top of their capability--and beyond. Now understand, this is a very accomplished band: the great but underappreciated Harold Mabern (piano); Ron Carter, perhaps THE premier bassist of his generation, sounding as good as I've ever heard him; and the simply stunning Joel Farnsworth giving the young lion drummers (of whom there is certainly no shortage) a lesson in swing, coloration, and polyrhythmic dexterity.

Conceptually, there's nothing radical going on here--just highest-order playing from young and old jazz masters. No hip-hop, trip-hop, trance, dance, house, alt-rock, or any other alien influences. Nothing to hide behind. Nothing to give the music some exotic sheen that will fool the unwary listener into thinking more's happening here than really is. Just the classic, naked jazz quartet. It takes consummate musicianship, chutzpah, and conversational interaction of the highest order to separate a disc like this from the hundreds, perhaps thousands, of similar sessions released during any given year. That's one reason, I'm sure, so many guys are (quite successfully, in many cases) resorting to expanded musical palettes and soundscapes. But it's harder--and therefore in a weird way probably more significant--to make great-sounding music in this pared-down environment.

That's why I'm giving this disc my absolute highest recommendation. Do check it out.

It's A Keeper.......2003-09-23

An excellent setting for tenor saxophonist Eric Alexander. A wonderful group which includes legend Harold Maybern on piano. Eric studied with George Coleman in New York and it shows, reworking of standard "I Can Dream Can't I?" allows Alexander's melodic sense to really blossom. A world class band playing jazz as it was meant to be....swung.

Average customer rating:

ACP / Germany
Our greatest Jazz trumpeter!
JAZZ GENIUS AT HIS BEST- A G A I N !!
Should be in every Baker fan's collection
Fantastic - a must-have!

Chet Baker in Tokyo
Chet Baker
Manufacturer: Evidence
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Cool Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music

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Chet

ASIN: B0000014N1
Release Date: 1996-08-13

Tracks:

Stella By Starlight
For Minors Only
Almost Blue
Portrait In Black And White
My Funny Valentine

Tracks:

Four
Arborway
I'm A Fool To Want You
Seven Steps To Heaven
For All We Know
Broken Wing

Customer Reviews:

ACP / Germany.......2007-06-14

...one of the best Chet Baker recordings I've ever lissened to...
...GREAT STUFF!!!!....

Our greatest Jazz trumpeter!.......2005-10-27

I am a lifelong Chet Baker fan and I in fact knew him in the 50s. In the 1956-59 time frame I was taking trumpet lessons from the great lead trumpet man Carlton MacBeth in California and Chet took a few lessons from Carlton to get help with his problem of missing a front tooth. Carlton told me "He has an ear like an elephant!" A essential part of Carlton's teaching was the playing of Pedal Tones to form the correct embrochure and to freshen the lips. In 1957 I heard Chet play at the Los Angeles Jazz club called "Peacock Lane" and between songs he turned his back on the crowd and blew a few Pedal Tones. At the Peacock Lane he played "Bernie's Tune" for me. Later in San Diego, in the 1980s, I saw him playing with Stan Getz at a supper club looking out on the bay. The physical change in him was shocking. In the 50s he had been really handsome with everything about him together - well dressed and all. In the 80's his hair was bedraggled and deep furrows in his face and he was wearing Levi's. But he was playing great and it was really nice to talk to him again!

I would like people to know something about Chet. For one thing, he was really fast and intent. He looked right at you and into your eyes. He read your face very quickly and I have often thought that he would have made a great gun fighter. In his music, Chet relied on his ear and I'm pretty sure that he didn't even know how to read music. In this record you hear these qualities. Everytime Chet played a song, it was different, really different. Listen to My Funny Valentine on this record. Chet saved the best for last. This time My Funny Valentine is full of fire and Chet's solo seems to come from nowhere. Who would have ever thought that such a fantastic solo could have ever been conceived and executed by anyone. There is so much on this Album! I listen to it in my car with my windows down. I even want to be seen listening to it and I want others, probably for the only time in their life, to hear really great Jazz. The whole band cooks.

Chet was selected by Charlie Parker to be his trumpet player and I think there was probably no better judge of a Jazz player than Charlie Parker. To play with Bird you had to be great and to top it off, Chet played with everyone else as well. I have been listening to music and Jazz in particular all my life. I'm 66 now and I have heard it all. It is my opinion that Chet is our greatest Jazz trumpet player. He was not our greatest trumpet player. He couldn't scream double and triple C's and hold down the lead chair like Carlton, Bud Brisbois, or Cat Anderson, but he could make every band cook when he took the solo and that was his gift. Buy this CD and hear the Master!

JAZZ GENIUS AT HIS BEST- A G A I N !!.......2004-04-11

This double CD`s set, approved, that Chet Baker, going BETTER AND BETTER , through years.Fantastic performans, and one of the VERY BEST JAZZ ALBUM , E V E R recorded , by anybody.
TRULY MASTERPIECE !!!!!!!

Should be in every Baker fan's collection.......2003-01-27

I was one of those Chet Baker fans who only bought his early recordings. A few attempts to give his later years a try had me back at the used-CD bin, making a deposit.This Tokyo recording, made in the last year of his life, shows that he still had it...big time. His level of playing seems to be inversely related to his physical appearance of that last year. This "living ghost" of Chet sounds strong and clear, lyrical; at times,very fast, and still with that great sense of phrasing. His vocals are surprizingly good.The quality of the sound in this live recording is very good. Also, Harold Danko is outstanding.

Fantastic - a must-have!.......2002-11-03

This is an awsome album which also have good sound quality. It ranks as the best album together with "His Last Concert."

Music Review: