American Ballads

Editorial Reviews
Lynnda Greene, Fanfare Magazine November/December 2000
“Here is technique so good you're not even aware of it…and yet she never flaunts it, never gets in the way of the music.”

National Public Radio
“A most delightful artist, with a unique blend of musicianship and showmanship.”

Album Description
Pianist Lara Downes takes us on a journey through the heart and soul of the USA with American Ballads, as she interprets 20th century works by Barber, Copland, Ives, Thompson and features the world premiere recording of jazz composer/saxophonist Benny Golson's On Gossamer Wings.This collection of solo pieces reflects the influence of popular music on our master composers and captures the essence of the American spirit, brilliantly performed by one of today's remarkable talents.

Lara Downes has attracted attention as one of the most exciting and communicative pianists of today's younger generation. She has been cited by critics for her breathtaking virtuosity and penetrating, sensitive accounts of classical and romantic repertoire. She has been hailed as an artist worthy of placement in the highest rank of classical performers. Since making noteworthy debuts at London's Queen Elizabeth Hall, the Vienna Konzerthaus, and Carnegie Hall's Weill Recital Hall, Ms. Downes performs regularly throughout Europe and the United States.

Ms. Downes eclectic and engaging programs encompass both the standard repertoire and works by young composers such as Augusta Read Thomas and Stephen Paulus. Her recent projects include a Copland Centennial recital, a recently discovered piano concerto by Clara Schumann, and a four-part recital series entitled This American Century. She recently made the world premiere recording of On Gossamer Wings by legendary jazz composer Benny Golson for the Arkadia/Postcards label.

The eldest of the three musical daughters of a civil-rights attorney mother and a Jamaican biochemist father, Ms. Downes began her piano studies at age five at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. At seven, she composed an opera based on the book Charlotte's Web, which was performed in San Francisco. Home-schooled through high school, Ms. Downes completed her advanced studies under Hans Graf at the Vienna Hochschule and with Rudolf Buchbinder at the Music Academy in Basel. She has received highest honors in the Claude Kahn, Palma d'Oro and Artists International competitions.

Ms. Downes' busy solo and chamber career is strongly impacted by her commitment to expanding and developing new audiences for the arts. She dedicates time during her concert tours to elementary school workshops, and has developed a wide network of community outreach through the University of California at Davis. She is the co-founder and artistic director of Arts Exchange, a project dedicated to building creative partnerships between the visual and performing arts. In her own words: "I'd like to re-define the concert experience, to give it new relevance in our 21st-century world".

Ms. Downes speaks fluent English, Italian, German and French. She lives in Northern California.

American Ballads

Tracks:

Star Dust - Louis Armstrong & His Orchestra
Soon One Mornin' (Death Come A-Creepin' in My Room0 - Mississippi
Memphis Blues - Lieut. Jim Europe's 369th Infantry ("Hell Fighters") Band
Livery Stable Blues - The Original Dixieland Jazz Band
Charleston - James P. Johnson
Chimes Blues - King Oliver's Creole Jazz Band
Back Water Blues - Bessie Smith
The Pearls - Jelly Roll Morton
Dead Man Blues - Jelly Roll Morton's Red Hot Peppers
Wild Cat Blues - Clarence Williams's Blue Five
Cake Walkin' Babies (From Home) - Clarence Williams's Blue Five
Sugar Foot Stomp - Fletcher Henderson & His Orchestra
Heebie Jeebies - Louis Armstrong & His Hot Five
Potato Head Blues - Louis Armstrong & His Hot Seven
West End Blues - Louis Armstrong & His Hot Five
The Mooche - Duke Ellington & His Orchestra
East St. Louis Toodle-Oo - Duke Ellington & His Washingtonians
Black Beauty - Duke Ellington & His Orchestra
Mood Indigo - The Jungle Band
There Ain't No Sweet Man (Worth The Salt Of My Tears) - Paul Whiteman & His Orchestra featuring Bix Beiderbecke
Singin' The Blues - Frankie Trumbauer & His Orchestra featuring Bix Beiderbecke
Riverboat Shuffle - Frankie Trumbauer & His Orchestra featuring Bix Beiderbecke
Hotter Than 'Ell - Fletcher Henderson & His Orchestra
I Got Rhythm - Ethel Waters

Tracks:

It Don't Mean a Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing) - Duke Ellington & His Orchestra
Echoes of Harlem - Duke Ellington & His Orchestra
Moten Swing - Benny Moten's Kansas City Orchestra
St. Louis blues - Louis Armstrong & His Orchestra
Ain't Misbehavin' - Louis Armstrong & His Orchestra
For Dancers Only - Jimmie Lunceford & His Orchestra
King Porter Stomp - Benny goodman & His Orchestra
Rose Room - The Benny Goodman Sextet
Sing, Sing, Sing (With a Swing) - Benny Goodman Sextet
Jumpin' at the Woodside - Count Basie & His Orchestra
Sent for You Yesterday and Here You Come Today - Count Basie & His Orchestra
Lester Leaps In - Count Basie's Kansas City Seven
Oh, Lady, Be Good! - Jones-Smith Incorporated
Without Your Love - Billie Holiday & Her Orchestra
Strange Fruit - Billie Holiday
God Bless the Child - Billie Holiday with Eddie Heywood & His Orchestra
Three Little Words - Art Tatum
Rebecca - Pete Johnson & "Big" Joe Turner
Harlem Congo - Chick Webb & His Orchestra
A-Tisket, A-Tasket - Chick Webb & His Orchestra featuring Ella Fitzgerald
Shine - Django Reinhardt & Le Quartet du Hot Club de France
Dear Old Southland - Noble Sissle & His Orchestra

Tracks:

Body and Soul - Coleman Hawkins
Cotton Tail - Duke Ellington & His Orchestra
Take the 'A' Train - Duke Ellington & His Orchestra
Begin the Beguine - Artie Shaw & His Orchestra
In The Mood - Glenn Miller & His Orchestra
Well, Git It! - Tommy Dorsey & His Orchestra
Solitude - Billie Holiday with Eddie Heywood & His Orchestra
Drum Boogie - Gene Krupa & His Orchestra
Salt Peanuts - Dizzy Gillespie & His All Star Quintet
Groovin' High - Dizzy Gillespie Sextet
Ko-ko - Charlie Parker's Re-Boppers
Scrapple From the Apple - Charlie Parker Quintet
Enbraceable You - Charlie Parker Quintet
Get Happy - Bud Powell Trio
Epistrophy - Thelonious Monk
Straight, No Chaser - Thelonious Monk
Manteca - Dizzy Gillespie & His Orchestra
Moon Dreams - Miles Davis Nonet
Just Friends - Charlie Parker
Rockin' Chair - Louis Armstrong
They Can't Take That Away From Me - Sarah Vaughan & Her Trio
Walkin' Shoes - Chet Baker & Gerry Mulligan
Fine and Mellow - Billie Holiday

Tracks:

Doodlin' - Horace Silver & The Jazz Messengers
I Get A Kick Out of You - Clifford Brown & Max Roach
St. Thomas - Sonny Rollins
Django - The Modern Jazz Quartet
Take Five - The Dave Brubeck Quartet
So What - Miles Davis Sextet
Giant Steps - John Coltrane
Rick Kick Shaw - Cecil Taylor Trio
Chronology - Ornette Coleman
Original Faubus Fables - Charles Mingus
Acknowledgment - John Coltrane Quartet

Tracks:

Hello, Dolly! - Louis Armstrong
Desafinado - Stan Getz & Charlie Byrd
In a Sentimental Mood - Duke Ellington & John Coltrane
Tourist Point of View - Duke Ellington & His Orchestra
E.S.P. - The Miles Davis Quintet
Spanish Key (single version) - Miles Davis
Birdland - Weather Report
Mister Magic - Grover Washington, Jr
Rockit - Herbie Hancock
Un Ange en Danger - M.C. Solaar & Ron Carter
Tanya - Dexter Gordon
Soon All Will Know - Wynton Marsalis
Death Letter - Cassandra Wilson
Take The "A" Train - The Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra

Amazon.com

This five-CD box set soundtrack to filmmaker Ken Burns's 10-part, 19-hour documentary Jazz spans nearly a century of jazz styles, from the martial rhythms of James Reese Europe to the soul-jazz of Grover Washington Jr. It includes time-tested classics like Benny Goodman's 1938 classic, "Sing, Sing, Sing"; John Coltrane's chanting 1965 immortal track, "A Love Supreme"; Billie Holiday's blue-ember ballad, "God Bless the Child"; and Ella Fitzgerald peeling off "A-Tisket A-Tasket." Bebop is represented by Charlie Parker's orchestral bop version of "Just Friends"; Thelonious Monk's nocturnal calling card, "'Round Midnight"; and Dizzy Gillespie's "Salt Peanuts" and "Groovin' High."

The jazz-instrumentalist-as-singer comes to life on Coleman Hawkins's "Body and Soul" and Horace Silver and the Jazz Messengers' "Doodlin'." Clifford Brown and Max Roach's "I Get a Kick out of You" epitomizes the hard-bop era, while Miles Davis's "So What" stands as the modal masterpiece. The cool school is in session with Chet Baker and Gerry Mulligan dishing out "Walkin' Shoes," and the Modern Jazz Quartet's soulful elegy "Django" straddles all the above musical orbits. As for Django Reinhardt, he's featured on "Shine" with the justly famed Le Quartet du Hot Club de France.

Louis Armstrong's "West End Blues" and "Potato Head Blues" and Duke Ellington's rousing rendition of Billy Strayhorn's anthem, "Take the A Train," and his moody "Solitude" show why they are the Olympian masters of this art form--and the most frequently featured artists in the series. Although Ken Burns tries bringing the music up-to-date with Wynton Marsalis, Cassandra Wilson, and two jazz-hip-hop-influenced tracks--Herbie Hancock's robotic "Rockit" and the French-language "Un Aige en Danger" by MC Solaar and bass legend Ron Carter--there are significant holes here. After Cecil Taylor and Ornette Coleman, the avant-garde period from the late 1960s to the 1980s is lacking. And aside from the bossa nova hit "Desafinado," Latin jazz is also missing. It's a tough task summarizing jazz in five CDs, and Burns has given us a vibrant and vivid multicolored aural portrait of the music. --Eugene Holley Jr.

Customer Reviews:

A Good Selection, An Odd Accompaniment to the Documentary.......2007-04-25

To chronicle the first six decades or so of American jazz in five CD's is an ambitious undertaking. Ken Burns pulled it off by making it the soundtrack to stories he wanted to tell. This made for heavy representation of songs from Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, Charlie Parker and Miles Davis easy choices. The documentary, in some ways, tells like an allegory of racism and civil rights in 20th century America, yet the soundrack includes white musicians like Chet Baker, Stan Getz, Dave Brubek and Benny Goodman in the CD selections. Brubek's inclusion is particularly notable after the documentary was so dismissive of "West Coast Jazz" - I don't even remember Take 5 being mentioned in the documentary. It would have been nice to include Bill Evans since every jazz pianist that followed him credited Evans as an influence, but his work as side man on "So What" is all we get. Herbie Hancock's Rockit is nowhere close to representative of his body of work. My main disappointment is that after Free Jazz and the like, jazz had nowhere left to go except backwards, yet the contemporary "pop" jazz at the end comes across as the latest and greatest thing yet. I respectfully disagree.

Great Intro to Jazz.......2007-03-23

For those just getting into Jazz or just need a refresher course this is a great CD. I brought it for my husband who is a big Jazz fan and he just loves it and gets alot of use out of them.

Ken Burn's Jazz CD.......2007-01-14

A great cd with many remastered original recordings of jazz greats. Each cd features a different jazz era, so one can select a jazz genre to suit one's mood.

A must have.........2007-01-05

..for any jazz fan or music history buff. LOADS of content, hours and hours of great music.

Good starter set for jazz beginners.......2006-02-22

This is a beautifully packaged 5 disc set highlighting some of the greatest jazz artists of all time. If you buy this set and are really excited about the sound and the masterful artists presented then, I highly recommend collecting the 22 discs of individual artists by Burns which showcase the popular and influential music of those artists. Having all of the Ken Burns Jazz editions is of course just a start but a good start into the world of jazz it will be.

Great Records Of The Decade: 40's Hits, Vol. 1

Average customer rating:

Thank You
Love it
Romantic tunes
a real winner
Great Records Of The Decade: 40's Hits, Vol. 1

Great Records Of The Decade: 40's Hits, Vol. 1
Various Artists
Manufacturer: Curb Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Western Swing | Country | Styles | Music

General | Traditional Country | Country | Styles | Music

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Swing General | Swing Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music

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4-for-3 Broadway & Vocalists | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music

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4-for-3 Jazz | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music

4-for-3 Pop | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music

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4-for-3 All Music | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music
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Those Were Our Songs: Music of World War II
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ASIN: B000000CVK
Release Date: 1990-08-20

Tracks:

Swinging On A Star - Bing Crosby
On The Atchison, Topeka And Santa Fe - Johnny Mercer
(I Love You) For Sentimental Reasons - Nat 'King' Cole
Manana (Is Soon For Me) - Peggy Lee
Slippin' Around - Margaret Whiting & Jimmy Wakely
Smoke! Smoke! Smoke! (That Cigarette) - Tex Williams
That Lucky Old Sun - Louis Armstrong
The Trolley Song - Judy Garland
Personality - Johnny Mercer
A Tree In The Meadow - Margaret Whiting
Rum and Coca Cola - Andrews Sisters
Don't Fence Me In - Bing Crosby & Andrews Sisters
Baby It's Cold Outside - Johnny Mercer & Margaret Whiting

Customer Reviews:

Thank You.......2007-05-14

I loved the CD. I used it for my parents 60th wedding anniversary. Thank you.

Love it.......2007-04-05

This is music from before I was born, but I love the happy beat.

Romantic tunes.......2006-11-05

This is a nice CD to bring back more soothing and romantic music. Wanted a more diverse collection to add to my currect CDs.

a real winner.......2006-10-11

wonderful collection- good clear sound- you can't go wrong with this collection-can't wait for Vol. 2

Great Records Of The Decade: 40's Hits, Vol. 1.......2005-08-30

Great. I love for the classsroom.

Average customer rating:

Ella burns up the track as she and these songs become one
There is no one like Ella
great songs and great singing, but not jazz exactly
Ella
Wonderful!

The Best of the Song Books
Ella Fitzgerald
Manufacturer: Verve
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Oh, Lady, Be Good! Best of the Gershwin Songbook

ASIN: B0000046R2
Release Date: 1993-09-21

Tracks:

Something's Gotta Give
Love Is Here To Stay
Bewitched, Bothered, & Bewildered
I've Got My Love To Keep Me Warm
The Lady Is A Tramp
I Got It Bad (And That Ain't Good)
Miss Otis Regrets
'S Wonderful
Between The Devil & The Deep Blue Sea
Love For Sale
They Can't Take That Away From Me
Midnight Sun
Hooray For Love
Why Was I Born?
Cotton Tail
Ev'ry Time We Say Goodbye

Amazon.com

Trying to cull a single-CD "Best of" from the 16-CD set of The Complete Ella Fitzgerald Song Books may seem like a daunting task, but it's also foolproof. The complete set is a monument to the century's greatest songs and, arguably, its greatest singer, and this selection is a series of gems programmed to simulate a Fitzgerald performance, carefully sequencing joyous uptempo swingers and moving ballads. Recorded between 1956 and 1964, Fitzgerald's finest years, the CD includes arrangements by Nelson Riddle, Billy May, and Buddy Bregman, as well as a superb rendering of "I've Got It Bad" with the Ellington orchestra and Johnny Hodges. Balancing the orchestral settings are some intimate small-group performances, including a witty rendition of Cole Porter's "Miss Otis Regrets" and Rodgers and Hart's "Bewitched, Bothered, and Bewildered." This is an ideal introduction to the "Song Books," a selection so good it will appeal to owners of the box sets. --Stuart Broomer

Customer Reviews:

Ella burns up the track as she and these songs become one.......2007-07-04

Ella Fitzgerald turned out numerous song books at a time when her voice was quite possibly at its peak. This CD attempts to cover the very best of the numbers from all her song books. Although no single CD can truly do that; this CD comes pretty close and every number is a huge hit.

The CD track set starts with "Something's Gotta Give;" and Ella sings this with all her might as she swings brightly. The musical arrangement bolsters Ella's vocals wonderfully for this relentlessly upbeat number. "Something's Gotta Give" provides a strong start for this album. "Our Love Is Here To Stay" features Ella massaging this immortal Gershwin tune. Ella swings gently for this romantic tune and the musicians accompany Ella to perfection. The horns really shine in this Nelson Riddle arrangement, too.

"Bewitched, Bothered And Bewildered" features Ella singing rarely heard additional verses; her voice is rich, warm and vibrant. The slow tempo and piano work well as Ella swings very gently to make "Bewitched, Bothered And Bewildered" a rare gem shining brightly! "The Lady Is A Tramp" gives us a change of pace; Ella sings a beautiful opening verse slow and sweet before this number takes off and Ella takes flight! The vivacious arrangement by Buddy Bregman reflects great judgment that enhances "The Lady Is A Tramp."

"Miss Otis Regrets" showcases Cole Porter's talent; and when Ella sings "Miss Otis Regrets" she infuses it with such understanding that Ella's rendition is THE ultimate interpretation of this melancholy ballad. The piano playing by Paul Smith never misses a note, either. I believe you will appreciate "Miss Otis Regrets." "S'Wonderful" changes the pace once again as Ella sings a relentlessly upbeat song. "S'Wonderful" glows when Ella interprets it with her unique sense of style; and Ella swings very well for this number. In addition, "Love For Sale" has Ella singing extra verses yet again--what a treat that is! "Love For Sale" sports a grand arrangement by Buddy Bregman as Ella sings of a young woman who wants her men to pay her for romantic time alone with her. "Love For Sale" has melancholy lyrics but the beautiful arrangement and interpretation makes this a very special number. The arrangement gradually gets louder for a crescendo effect--love it!

"They Can't Take That Away From Me" receives careful treatment from Ella as she sings this with panache and excellent diction. Nelson Riddle's arrangement does quite the trick, too. "Midnight Sun" uses the percussion well; and Ella massages the lyrics as only she could to sing this romantic ballad so very well. "Cotton Tail" has Ella scatting and jamming her heart out; she puts all her might into this jazzy, breakneck Duke Ellington number. Stuff Smith really does it well on that violin, too!

The CD ends with "Ev'ry Time We Say Goodbye" by Cole Porter. Buddy Bregman delivers a heavenly arrangement as Ella sings with great sensitivity, grace and confidence. "Ev'ry Time We Say Goodbye" is some strong ending for this album!

The liner notes include a commentary style essay by Geoffrey Mark Fidelman and you get all the song credits with their recording dates as well.

Ella Fitzgerald turned out so many superlative song books that it's not truly possible to create a single CD "best of the song books" album. Too much is omitted; I would have preferred a two CD set for this effort. However, I will give this CD five stars anyway because the high level of quality control impresses me to no end. The quality of the sound is excellent; Phil Schaap did a great job of remastering these songs.

I highly recommend this CD for Ella Fitzgerald fans and for people who want a quick overview of the song book albums Ella recorded in the 1950s and 1960s. People who enjoy classic pop vocals with an occasional jazzy twist would do well to get this album, too.

Thank you forever, Ella Fitzgerald!!!

There is no one like Ella.......2007-01-30

This collection shows, once more, why Ella reigns supreme. As usual, Ella delievrs each song in such an heartfelt, intense, personal way. The accompnaiments on this album are superb as well.

great songs and great singing, but not jazz exactly.......2006-10-11

These Tin Pan Alley songs are the primary source of the jazz standards played by bop instrumentalists; I decided to listen to them in their original settings since I've heard so many improvisations over the chord changes to them. My impression is that the original songs aren't jazz exactly. These cuts do swing at times, but mostly they come off pretty straight, square, and old-fashioned; they belong to that bygone era of American popular culture before rock and roll, to the style of Crosby and Sinatra.

I don't mean to say that these aren't good renditions, only that they aren't what I was expecting. (Connoisseurs of this genre won't find me very helpful, then.) If you like old-time songs from the big band era you will love this album. Fitzgerald was a consummate master of this kind of music, and I really admire her singing here. But if, like me, you hear this disc with hard bop renditions of these tunes in your ears, if you know them because you've heard Clifford Brown and Sonny Rollins playing them, you almost won't even recognize them as presented here. The jazz instrumentalists who improvised over these tunes made them into something very different.

Ella.......2006-03-15

Ella. In this world of 36 Mafia do I have to say more.

Wonderful!.......2005-12-07

Since I discovered Ella & Louis my "musical life" has never been the same. This is the kind of music that makes me wonder how I could have lived so long without. Ella's voice is magic. All of the Best of Verve Songbooks CDs are pure magic. If you like old-fashioned jazz, and you like great voices, you should buy at least 4 or 5 of Ella and/or Louis Armstrong's CDs. Just listen to the audio samples on Amazon.com, and you will find out why, in case you don't know how great they were. These guys were fantastic artists. They should have had 500 more years to live on this planet, and make it a better place with their voices.

Average customer rating:

Absolutely peerless
once-in-a-lifetime greatness
We love this album
Simply great
Porgy and Bess

Porgy & Bess
Ella Fitzgerald , and Louis Armstrong
Manufacturer: Polygram Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B0000046Z5
Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

Overture
Summertime
I Wants To Stay Here
My Man's Gone Now
I Got Plenty O'Nuttin'
Buzzard Song
Bess, You Is My Woman Now
It Ain't Necessarily So
What You Want Wild Bess?
A Woman Is A Sometime Thing
Oh, Doctor Jesus
Medley: Here Come De Honey Man/Crab Man/Oh, Deh's So Fresh And Fine (Strawberry Woman)
There's A Boat Dat's Leavin' Soon For New York
Bess, Oh Where's My Bess
Oh Lawd, I'm On My Way

Amazon.com

Getting the two most personable voices in jazz to sing an hour's worth of George Gershwin's opera Porgy & Bess (Ella doing all the female parts, Satchmo all the male) was a good idea, but not quite as great as it sounded. Armstrong savors the down-and-dirty Charlestonisms that inspired the cadences of the music and lyrics, and they fit his happy rasp like an old shoe; Fitzgerald, conversely, sounds almost prissy every time she has to sing the word "ain't," though her melodic genius gets Gershwin's bold, supple tunes over. The arrangements are full-throttle Broadway, with a few leaps into Dixieland (including some fine Armstrong trumpet solos), but the disc works best when the vocalists break character and let their jazz side out. --Douglas Wolk

Customer Reviews:

Absolutely peerless.......2006-11-17

"Porgy and Bess" has just opened (with some controversy) in London's West End, though as a musical and not as an opera as it was originally conceived. Reviews have been promising and I aim to go down and see it soon. I decided to listen to this CD to put myself in the mood. I hadn't listened to it for years and I'd completely forgotten how good it actually is. Ella's voice blends with Louis' perfectly and Russell Garcia's orchestration gives them a dreamy landscape to perform against. I have one or two other CDs by Louis and Ella but this one is by far my favourite. The CD opens with "Overture" and its orchestral performance of classics like "Summertime", "I Wants To Stay Here", "I Got Plenty O' Nuttin'" and "It Ain't Neccessarily So" set the tone nicely, leaving one ever so keen for the vocal versions. Louis Armstong has a very rough tone to his voice but the emotion he packs with it is moving, most especially on the mournful "Bess, Oh Where's My Bess?" And we get all this and Louis' wonderful trumpet playing too?

Gershwin and Gershwin must be among the top composers of the last century and this opera showcases their talents more than anything I've heard. Ella and Louis are peerless as a vocal duo and though I doubt the West End performance will capture the magic in the same way they did, I still remain very keen to go see it. Is it opera or is it a jazz performance? I don't really know. I just know that I love it. And strongly recommend it.

once-in-a-lifetime greatness.......2006-10-06

Two thousand five hundred musicians have recorded "Summertime" --- it's a classic. (I bet most Americans can name Janis Joplin and no other singer.) As for "Porgy and Bess," the folk opera from which "Summertime" springs, it's such a classic that it's hard to believe anyone ever had a harsh word to say about it.

But after its premiere in 1935, no less than Duke Ellington said, "It has grand music and a swell play, but the two didn't go together. It does not use the Negro musical idiom --- the times are here to debunk Gershwin's lampblack Negroisms."

A quarter of a century later, the producers of the film version had trouble assembling a cast. Harry Belafonte rejected their offer to play Porgy. Sidney Poitier took the part --- and wished he hadn't. Poitier later wrote that the movie insulted black people; when he chose clips of his best performances for his tribute at the American Film Institute, he picked nothing from "Porgy and Bess."

And in 1985, when Grace Bumbry was a sensation as Bess in a Metropolitan Opera production, she slammed the opera: "I thought it beneath me, I felt I had worked far too hard, that we had come far too far to have to retrogress to 1935."

All that may be. All I know is that I have, in a long life, rarely been confronted with more genius than in the Fitzgerald/Armstrong recording of "Porgy & Bess." Set aside the achievement of George and Ira Gershwin in transforming DuBose Heyward's novel into a folk opera. Let's just focus on Armstrong and Fitzgerald, who were at the peak of their popularity when this record was made in 1957.

"Summertime" --- the first song --- sets the tone. A baleful horn figure, then violins. And then Armstrong's trumpet: slow, steady, dignified. But wait --- here comes a slurred note. And a cool little improvisation. Just enough of each. Very tasty.

Fitzgerald sings a verse. She is cool and formal. A lady. Not to be taken lightly. Now it's Armstrong's turn. Tender, but let's not kid ourselves --- this is not singing as others define it. This is melodic speech: rough, gutteral. And thus he is ideally cast: His Porgy may have his charms, but he'll have to stretch to keep Bess.

And so it goes throughout the CD. Trumpet mastery --- Armstrong has dazzling control. His tone is bright, but never shrill; there's a warmth in his playing no one else could produce. And Fitzgerald is just a study in inevitability; to hear her is to wonder how anyone could sing these songs any other way.

"I Got Plenty O' Nuttin'." "Bess, You Is My Woman Now." "A Woman Is a Sometime Thing." "There's a Boat Dat's Leavin' Soon for New York." "Bess, Oh Where's My Bess?" "Oh Lawd, I'm on My Way."

All brilliantly conceived, orchestrated and recorded.

The greatest trumpet player in this history of jazz.

The father of scat singing.

The queen of the jazz vocal.

There are no-brainers, and then there is this Ella Fitzgerald-Louis Armstrong collaboration --- music that imprints on your soul.

We love this album.......2006-08-22

We hope they will someday bring this beautiful story back to the stage

Simply great.......2006-03-04

The fusion between the great two voices and the orchestra is just brilliant. Very good brass and violins that accompany Fitzeralds and Armstrongs magic voices leaves you with your mouth open.

A must have for everyone!

Porgy and Bess.......2005-10-14

Could not find this anyway locally. It is a great recording

Oh, Lady, Be Good! Best of the Gershwin Songbook

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Oh, Lady, Be Good! Best of the Gershwin Songbook by Ella Fitzgerald
no one like Ella...
Oh Lady Be Good is BETTER Than Good!
MUST HAVE!!!!
The Best of the Best....

Oh, Lady, Be Good! Best of the Gershwin Songbook
Ella Fitzgerald
Manufacturer: Polygram Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000004711
Release Date: 1996-01-30

Tracks:

Fascinating Rhythm
'S Wonderful
Someone to Watch over Me
He Loves and She Loves
Oh, Lady, Be Good!
A Foggy Day
How Long Has This Been Going On?
Let's Call the Whole Thing Off
But for Me
My One & Only
I've Got a Crush on You
Nice Work if You Can Get It
The Man I Love
Funny Face
Embraceable You
They Can't Take That Away From Me
I Got Rhythm

Amazon.com essential recording

Ella recorded five LPs' worth of Gershwin tunes for her songbook series, which was frankly a little much, so this single disc skims the cream. These songs are the ur-texts of American pre-war pop, straightforward love songs made to flow off a singer's tongue, and here they're in the hands of a master. Nelson Riddle's arrangements tend toward the soupy side--the bombastic string sections are distinctly nonjazz--but Ella, as always, sings with absolute taste and authority. She doesn't seem to be living inside the lyrics the way she does with, say, the Cole Porter songbook, but the simplicity of the Gershwins' melodies and sentiments let her get across some gently nuanced, technically exquisite singing. --Douglas Wolk

Customer Reviews:

Oh, Lady, Be Good! Best of the Gershwin Songbook by Ella Fitzgerald.......2007-01-09

I love Ella and I love Gershwin. They're both great! The musical arrangements by Nelson Riddle are another story. They take away from Ella's beautiful voice and misinterpret Gershwin beautiful music. You get over it after a few listenings however and the music is still enjoyable. I guess it's a product of the era it was made in.

no one like Ella..........2004-08-18

frankly, there's no one out there i'd rather hear sing gershwin than ella fitzgerald, and this is an excellent compilation of ella singing some gershwin classics.

however, i was initially disappointed by this cd b/c i'd been searching for an album the showcased ella as opposed to the songs themselves. the highlights of this album are gershwin's songs (and ella does them sweet justice), but if you want a simple collection of ella at her best, in my opinion this isn't it.

Oh Lady Be Good is BETTER Than Good!.......2003-07-11

For those who want to hear Ella weave her magic in crisp, sparkling STEREO this is one of the VERY best of her many CDs. On this one she performs a unique, slow-tempo "Oh Lady Be Good" (that's right, SLOW and MELLOW as you've never heard it before and as only she could do it - and this alone is worth the price of admission). All the other top Gershwin goodies ("A Foggy Day", "But not For Me", "The Man I Love", etc.) are enhanced by Nelson Riddle's incomparable arrangements recorded in magnificent wrap-around sound that puts you right in front row center. So buckle up. This is a thrill-ride you'll want to experience again and again and again!

MUST HAVE!!!!.......2002-10-13

Anyone who enjoys Ella Fitzgerald has to have this album in their collection. Every since I bought it, it's played on a continual basis on my stereo system.You'll appreciate this album as one her her greatest.

The Best of the Best...........2002-09-22

Ella's voice is part of my childhood. She and George Gershwin played my lullabies. Not a bad introduction to music. Even now when I can't sleep I bring her back and let her sing in my head. Was there ever anything as lovely as Ella's voice? Everything falls away except the for the pure magic of her voice, the orchestra soaring...
This CD comes as close to the old "Ella Sings Gershwin" LP my parents had that I have found. Only "Clap a'Yo Hands" is missing. These are songs you love to listen to and love to sing. All my life I'll be grateful that Ella taught me how to sing! How can you not sing when you hear "Someone to Watch Over Me"? "The Man I Love"? How sweet is "I've Got a Crush on You"? I feel like I've just found buried treasure! I've got more Ella recordings that anything else in my collection, but like the CD itself says, "The Best of the Best of the Best of the Best." It's fabulous to have the all these amazing songs on one CD.
I just got myself a great present. You should get one too!

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All That Jazz!
When a woman loves a man...

The Very Best of the Song Books
Ella Fitzgerald
Manufacturer: Verve
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000JCET9W
Release Date: 2006-12-05

Tracks:

Night And Day
I Get A Kick Out Of You
Begin The Beguine
Love For Sale
My Funny Valentine
The Lady Is A Tramp
Where Or When
Take The 'A' Train
I Got It Bad (And That Ain't Good)
It Don't Mean A Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)
Cheek To Cheek

Tracks:

Blue Skies
'S Wonderful
Embraceable You
I Got Rhythm
The Man I Love
Blues In The Night (My Mama Done Tol' Me)
Over The Rainbow
That Old Black Magic
All The Things You Are
Skylark
Too Marvelous For Words

Customer Reviews:

All That Jazz!.......2007-03-26

This collection is awesome, is has the largest collection of Ella's songs I could find (after looking at Border's, Best Buy, f.y.e., etc.). Only leaving a couple of her big hits out; i.e. "Dream a Little Dream Of Me," which I found on iTunes! None the less, definetly a great gift for her fans or even those only just discovering jazz.

When a woman loves a man..........2007-01-07

The only thing better than singing is more singing. ~ Ella Fizgerald

Dreamy hardly describes this collection and romantic perfection barely unveils the heart beauty. Ella Fizgerald's music soothes the soul and presents a hope of happiness in many of her exquisite music moods.

Her creamy smooth vocals infuse this album with a decadent purity. Sweet, silky and soothing. That is what this album promises and "My Funny Valentine" is a little overwhelming with its message of unconditional love.

Ella's voice can draw out every romantic emotion you have ever felt and spins them into one sweet longing. She invites you into a beautiful world no one else will ever create. Her music feels like you have just received a warm hug and you are happy for the rest of the day.

"You are the promised kiss of springtime
That makes the lonely winter seem long.
You are the breathless hush of evening
That trembles on the brink of a lovely song.
You are the angel glow that lights a star,
The dearest things I know are what you are."
~All the Things You Are

~The Rebecca Review

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Great listening for anyone who remembers him at his best
The Man With The Velvet Voice
Smooth
Trying Out the King? Start Here
Capitol has outdone itself with the finest Nat King Cole single disc set ever offered

The World Of Nat King Cole
Nat King Cole
Manufacturer: Capitol
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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The Greatest Hits [Capitol]

ASIN: B00065YMRG
Release Date: 2005-01-25

Tracks:

Smile
It's Only A Paper Moon
Straighten Up And Fly Right
(Get Your Kicks On) Route 66
(I Love You) For Sentimental Reasons
Nature Boy
Too Young
Unforgettable
Walkin' My Baby Back Home
Orange Colored Sky
Send For Me
A Blossom Fell
Quizas, Quizas, Quizas (Perhaps, Perhaps, Perhaps)
On The Street Where You Live
Almost Like Being In Love
Darling, Je Vous Aime Beaucoup
Mona Lisa
Ramblin' Rose
Let There Be Love
L-O-V-E
You Stepped Out Of A Dream
Just One Of Those Things
Let's Face The Music And Dance
Day In - Day Out
Thou Swell (live at The Sands, 1965)
When I Fall In Love
Unforgettable (virtual duet w/ Natalie Cole)
Stardust

Amazon.com

Commemorating the 40th anniversary of Nat King Cole's death in 1965, this compilation is the CD companion of an excellent DVD/documentary. Produced with the blessing of his estate, this disc is a thorough survey of his timeless genius--all recorded on the Capitol label. It captures his sumptuous and soothing tenor voice crooning on the pop tunes he made famous, like the ethereal "Nature Boy," the melancholy "Mona Lisa," and the bouncy "Straighten Up and Fly Right," and "Route 66." It also features Cole's often-overlooked skills as an Earl Hines-style pianist. "Quizas, Quizas, Quizas (Perhaps, Perhaps, Perhaps)," and "Darling, Je Vous Aime Beaucoup," attest to his international appeal, and see if you can keep a dry eye when you listen to Natalie Cole's posthumous, digitally-enhanced duet with her father on "Unforgettable." From strings to big bands, Nat King Cole is never out of style. --Eugene Holley, Jr.

SPECIAL CONTENT: Watch Free Clips about Nat "King" Cole

The World of Nat "King" Cole (high bandwidth)
(300k stream)

The World of Nat "King" Cole (low bandwidth)
(56k stream)

Customer Reviews:

Great listening for anyone who remembers him at his best.......2007-07-18

This is a excellent mix of well known Nat King Cole hits and very easy to listen to songs that show the true talent of this great singer. I give it five stars simply on it's merit and enjoyment. But one I wish was on this CD is "Those Lazy, Hazy, Crazy days of Summer". Why it isn't I don't understand. But,I haven't found it yet on any other NKC mix either. Don't let that stop you though. You'll enjoy every song that is on this CD.

The Man With The Velvet Voice.......2006-06-18

It's been around forty years since the passing of the legendary Mr. Nat King Cole.And even to this day his music lives on thorough his many fans some new and some old.Mr Cole was a extraordinary singer,piano player and a musical genius who had a natural feel for music.And to this day his influence and style is still having it's effect on the music world.And in this modern age I think only Luther Vandross came close to matching the magic and style of Nat King Cole.This ablum 'The World Of Nat King Cole' gives us some of his best vocal songs like 'When I Fall In Love,Too Young,Smile and A Blosson Fell'.That's just a taste of the Cole magic.And if you want more check out the unforgettable 'Unforgettable' one of Cole's best songs with it's wonderful lyrics.The way he sings 'Mona Lisa' really touchs the heart.The Velvet voice of Cole is at it's best on 'Nature Boy' with its philosophical overtures.And I just love the songs 'On The Street Where You Live' and 'I Love You(For Sentimental Reasons'.Beautiful songs for people in love.So just how popular is Mr. Cole's music today? Well a few years ago his daughter Natalie wanted to rejuvenate her career.She was smart enough to record a album of her fathers work titled 'Unforgettable'.Needles to say the album was a big hit for her.And it did wonders for her career.Yes,Mr.Nat King Cole the man with the velvet voice.Wonderful musical world just keeps turning and entertaining.

Smooth.......2006-03-13

Nothing beats the smooth sound of Nat King Cole. Some songs I hadn't heard in years. Brought back a lot of good memories.

Trying Out the King? Start Here.......2006-03-08

If you're an avid Cole Collector, there's really nothing new here. However, if you're new to Nat King Cole's music, this is an excellant starting point. Not only are the Original versions of his influencial singles here (except Smile which is from his 1961 album "The Nat King Cole Story", and "Send For Me", which is a re-engineered version of the 1957 hit from the 1965 album "Looking Back")but there are also some gems from his LP releases as well, like On the Street Where You Live, from his "My Fair Lady" album, and "Let's Face the Music", from the '64 album of the same name. This album is pretty much a retread of the "Greatest Hits" package from 1994, and the "Capitol Collectors Series" from 1990, but with a few extra goodies. You've got a beautifully created booklet, with lots of rare photos of Nat with President Kennedy, Queen Elizabeth, and even relaxing at home with his kids. Good Stuff. Now, Capitol, where is the long awaited television documentary "The World Of Nat King Cole", that was supposed to accompany this CD? It has already aired in Great Britain, and is on DVD there. Why not here?

Capitol has outdone itself with the finest Nat King Cole single disc set ever offered.......2005-10-07

Over the years I have owned any number of Nat King Cole collections. Although I never failed to enjoy the music I found each of those vinyl LP's or compact discs to be flawed in some way. Collectors like myself have long been clamoring for something better. Finally in 2005 Capitol Records has seen fit to correct this egregious oversight.
Nearly three years in the making, "The World of Nat King Cole" provides the listener with nearly 80 minutes of the very best that this beloved and legendary performer has to offer. Please understand that this disc is not really intended to be a "greatest hits" package. That would be virtually impossible for Nat King Cole because just about every song he ever recorded had the potential to become a "greatest hit". Rather, "The World of Nat King Cole" provides the listener an outstanding overview of a recording career at Capitol that spanned nearly a quarter century. You'll hear several of his biggest numbers with the King Cole Trio. Songs such as "Straighten Up and Fly Right", "Nature Boy" and "Route 66" were huge hits in the early 1940's and remain popular to this day. If you are hoping to find some of Nat's biggest solo hits you certainly will not be disappointed. Enjoy once again all-time favorites like "Ramblin' Rose", "Too Young", "Walkin' My Baby Back Home" and so many others. But what distinguishes "The World of Nat King Cole" from so many other of the previous compilations is the inclusion of some of the best material from his LP's. I especially enjoyed a tune called "Let There Be Love", a terrific jazz number that was featured on the 1962 album "Nat King Cole Sings/George Shearing Plays". There is also a song from his "Live At The Sands" LP and three upbeat numbers backed by the swingin' Billy May Orchestra. Rounding out the collection is the remarkable 1991 recording of "Unforgettable" with his daughter Natalie Cole.
Kudos to the engineers at Capitol Records for the unbelievable remastering job on these songs. Each and every one of the songs on this disc is crystal clear. I was simply overwhelmed by the sound on songs like "Nature Boy", "Orange Colored Sky" and "L-O-V-E". It was literally like hearing many of these songs for the very first time! And I would be remiss if I failed to mention the outstanding 28 page booklet that is just packed with photos and facts about the man and his music. Whether you are a long time fan of Nat King Cole or sampling his music for the very first time this is the collection you want. "The World of Nat King Cole" stands head and shoulders above all the rest. Very Highly Recommended.

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The Essential Rosemary Clooney cd
Digitally remastered 2004 collection is the one you want
Excellent introduction to Rosemary Clooney!

The Essential Rosemary Clooney
Rosemary Clooney
Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B0002S94V6
Release Date: 2004-08-31

Tracks:

Come On - A My House
In The Cool, Cool, Cool Of The Evening
Hey There
Half As Much
Botch-A-Me (Ba-Ba-Baciami Piccina)
The Lady Is A Tramp
You Started Something
You Make Me Feel So Young
Blue Rose
Love, You Didn't do Right By Me
Blame It On My Youth
Mambo Italiano
This Ole House
Tenderly
Mangos
From This Moment On

Amazon.com

Though she would finish her career as one of the most respected jazz singers in American popular music, Rosemary Clooney fought long and hard for those props. This 16-track collection chronicles the early stages of her struggle, mixing the outright, if still vibrant novelty songs (tunes like "Mambo Italiano" and "Come On-A My House" were foisted on Clooney by label exec Mitch Miller) that helped make her a popular film, radio and TV star with more sublime fare like "Tenderly" and the emblematic hit "Hey There." But it's on tracks like Duke Ellington's "Blue Rose" and a pre-Sinatra take on "The Lady is a Tramp" that her true muse comes shining through. Though limited in scope, this anthology manages to showcase the early hits that made Clooney a star and, more importantly, the beginnings of the willful jazz sensibility that forged her legend. --Jerry McCulley

Customer Reviews:

The Essential Rosemary Clooney cd.......2007-01-05

Good price and if you've not had the pleasure of hearing Clooney sing, do yourself a favor and get this cd. If you love a mellow voice, you'll adore Clooney!

Digitally remastered 2004 collection is the one you want .......2005-06-11

My first encounter with the music of Rosemary Clooney was as a 14 year old teenager in 1966 playing one of my aunts scratchy old LP's. That collection of early 1950's pre rock and roll hits included Rosemary Clooney's #1 smash "Come On A My House". "How silly..." I thought. "and adults think our music is stupid." My first impression of Rosemary Clooney would stay with me for a good many years. It was not until the 1980's that I really began to appreciate just what an incredibly gifted singer she was.
"The Essential Rosemary Clooney" features 16 of her very finest recordings. Sure you will find all of her big hits from the early 50's including "Half As Much", "This Old House", "Hey There" and of course "Come On A My House". But you will also be treated to a dozen other great tracks including Rosemary's first hit from 1947 "You Started Something" recorded during her stint as lead vocalist with Tony Pastor and his Orchestra. Next, enjoy her swinging rendition of "The Lady Is A Tramp" from the Broadway musical "Babes in Arms". Also featured is "Blue Rose', a rare collaboration with the legendary Duke Ellington. I would also recommend to you a pair of other tunes. "In The Cool, Cool, Cool of The Evening" is a fabulous
Hoagy Carmicheal/Johnny Mercer tune which Rosemary recorded with Harry James back in 1952. Outstanding. Finally, you are sure to enjoy Clooney's rendition of the great standard "Tenderly".
Sad to say we lost the great Rosemary Clooney on June 29, 2002 from lung cancer. She was still making memorable records. "The Essential Rosemary Clooney" reminds us just how great a singer she was. Although Mitch Miller and the folks at Columbia records insisted she release a good many novelty tunes that became wildly successful hit singles Rosemary Clooney preferred to sing sad ballads. Happily, she got to do a lot more of what she enjoyed most in her later years. "The Essential Rosemary Clooney" is a "must have" for fans of classic pop. The remastering job is absolutely superb and will greatly enhance your enjoyment of this marvelous collection.
Highly recommended!

Excellent introduction to Rosemary Clooney!.......2005-01-06

I'm just recently discovering what is being coined as "nostalgia music" -- having found an "adult favorites" channel on my dish network. I absolutely love the upbeat sound and happy, spirited tunes from the 40s and 50s. Rosemary Clooney was my first purchase of crooners that I've enjoyed on this channel and this cd has all of my favorites. Next stop is Pat Suzuki!

Bitter Tears (Ballads of the American Indian)

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Replaced copy that was distroyed years ago...
Classic Cash
Home
THE WHITE MAN'S EVIL: Songs From American Indian Folk Singer Johnny Cash!
Bitter Tears

Bitter Tears (Ballads of the American Indian)
Johnny Cash
Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000002AU0
Release Date: 1994-10-11

Tracks:

As Long As The Grass Shall Grow
Apache Tears
Custer
The Talking Leaves
The Ballad Of Ira Hayes
Drums
White Girl
The Vanishing Race

Amazon.com

With his highly personal early 1960s work, Johnny Cash had been trying the patience of the Columbia brass, who were less than thrilled with his commercial performance. When "Ring of Fire" topped the country charts in 1963, it allowed him to continue the many ambitious concept albums-history lessons close to his heart. The eight songs on 1964's Bitter Tears are sung from the point of view of the American Indian (still the accepted term in 1964), and together they form a potent work that is both deeply real and highly spiritual. With assistance from co-composer Peter LaFarge, Cash offers an earnest, solemn portrait of Native Americans that examines a variety of issues through a range of viewpoints and contained in unadorned musical settings. Cash actually took out full-page ads daring radio programmers to play "The Ballad of Ira Hayes," but all of the material hits home, from LaFarge's defiant "As Long as the Grass Shall Grow" to Johnny Horton's mournful, spooky "The Vanishing Race." --Marc Greilsamer

Customer Reviews:

Replaced copy that was distroyed years ago..........2007-03-24

I am happy that I was able to replace an old LP that was distroyed years ago...thanks

Classic Cash.......2007-01-09

Johnny Cash was singing about the plight of Native Americans long before it was cool -- or even universally acceptable. However, this is not just an historical document or a message album. It's another example of why Johnny Cash still sells records from the '60's: great music. I like his mid-sixties stuff the best; I recommend all of the "theme" albums, plus Orange Blossom Special. These are musts for anyone who wants to venture beyond the greatest hits packages.

Home.......2006-11-10

I'd had it in mind to get this recording for a while. The song about the Seneca is about my home. It's where I came from. I was 3 years old when they had The Removal from our homes for the Kinzua dam. I never really knew life before the relocation areas, except through my elders. We have our own version of what happened, and how it happened. The US gov't. knew our attachment to the land, and they wanted to break us. The alternative plan to Kinzua would have better served the purpose that the gov't. put out for doing what they did. They rejected that plan because they had they're own plan. They thought our spirit lived in the land, they didn't understand that each person's spirit lives inside them. They had lost touch with they're own spirit, and they thought that they could do the same with us. They were wrong. The song does a fair job of portraying this.

THE WHITE MAN'S EVIL: Songs From American Indian Folk Singer Johnny Cash!.......2006-09-16

This is a bare bones CD release that really should have gotten the re-issue, re-master treatment ahead of some of the less artistically accomplished albums from Johnny Cash's early to mid 1960's era with Columbia Records. There are 8 songs in 31 minutes, but if you like any of these, you will probably like them all equally, as well!

It is a bit of a fantasy piece, like Johnny Cash's urban legendary life as a supposed convict in prison; here Johnny (during some of his most drugged out years) imagines himself in the moccasins of the American Indian peoples. I was raised in Dayton, Ohio, where I still live, and growing up around many Kentucky Southerners, I heard plenty of them claim an Indian descent somewhere, somehow, in their blood, like a badge of honor that always went unquestioned and respected, though not necessarily entirely believed. The thing is, like his pretend "outlaw" persona, this notion really works well on this BITTER TEARS album, and it is very entertaining and heartfelt.

The sparse CD insert says the songs are written by Peter LaFarge and Johnny Cash. Pete was a real American Indian activist of the time, and he died in the mid-1960's. He was a good friend of Johnny's--they wrote this album together!

The songs are all about how the White Man has lied and cheated the American Indian out of the country. This album is like the birth of "multiculturalism" and self-loathing of White Americans, which has grown to epidemic proportions 40 years later. This album also came out during Johnny Cash's folk music era, when he was really into the folk music scene, with Bob Dylan and others, and they all loved folky songs about hard living in America, past and present.

"As Long as the Grass Shall Grow" is a long tune where every verse is pretty much a spoken word rhyme about how the Indians were lied to and cheated out of land, and such, by the White Man.

"Custer" is the shortest tune, where Johnny seems to enjoy the defeat of General Custer, with great glee, while explaining the list of Custer's wrongs against the Indians. The lyrics are mean-spirited and almost black humorous.

"The Talking Leaves" is a spoken word song about the true story of how Cherokees got their own reading and writing skills with paper and pen, after one of them sees the disdain that his elder has for the talking leaves of the White Man found scattered at a battle site; why shouldn't the Cherokee have THEIR own talking leaves!

"The Ballad of Ira Hayes" is probably the best know song on this obscure Johnny Cash album. It tells the tale of Ira Hayes, who was a drunken homeless man, as well as having been one of the soldiers depicted in the very famous war image of the soldiers raising the American flag at a battle site.

"Drums" is about how the White Man enforced their culture upon the Indians, trying to erase Indian culture.

"White Girl" is my favorite cut, about a nixed marriage between a white girl and an Indian boy.

"The Vanishing Race" has Johnny Cash doing Indian-style singing, yelping, whooping. This is very heartfelt and very interesting.

The entire, short album plays as very authentically caring and a labor of love from all involved. That is what makes it so entertaining and interesting, especially for Johnny Cash fans who are digging much deeper into his musical library than just his mega-hits.

If you like this album, then I can highly recommend a DVD called PETE SEEGER'S RAINBOW QUEST - JOHNNY CASH, available from amazon.com. This is a b/w, low budget interview and casual acoustic jamming TV show from the same mid-1960's era as this BITTER TEARS album. Johnny and June Carter (before their marriage) visit with Pete Seeger in a casual atmosphere, discussing some of the songs on BITTER TEARS, and many other things. The Johnny and June portion of this DVD is probably longer than the 31 minute playing time of the BITTER TEARS album, itself! Johnny even mentions the BITTER TEARS album and tells Pete Seeger that he has about 700,000 copies of BITTER TEARS that he can give to Pete (a joke about how BITTER TEARS did not sell well).

If you are new to Johnny Cash, then I would recommend starting with THE LEGEND OF JOHNNY CASH, the single disc version (not the boxed set), from the American label in cooperation with other labels. It has ALL his biggest hits that never sounded better on any previous CDs, and it covers virtually all of his nearly 50 years in the music business!

My favorite Johnny Cash project is his 16 CD spoken word reading of the entire New Testament of the Bible! So check THAT out! You will even get the last CD where Johnny reads the entire, famous book of Revelation, about the end of the world, and such! Cool!

My favorite Gospel CD is GOSPEL GLORY, but PERSONAL FILE (a two CD set) is a very close second, including one entire CD of nothing but Johnny Cash, his acoustic guitar, and over an hour of him singing Gospel songs circa the 1970s.

Bitter Tears.......2006-08-09

There is no way I can cry bitter tears over this album. It captures the essence of Johnny Cash's greatness as a musician; his willingness to tackle social issues, no matter what others may have thought. I consider the ballad of Ira Hayes to be one of his best songs. In one short song, he has managed to capture the attiture of white america toward the American Indian.

Send in the Clowns: The Ballads of Stephen Sondheim

Average customer rating:

Wonderful songs

Send in the Clowns: The Ballads of Stephen Sondheim

Manufacturer: RCA Victor
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Comedy Tonight: Stephen Sondheim's Funniest Songs
Sondheim - A Celebration at Carnegie Hall (1992 Concert Cast)
Sondheim Evening: A Musical Tribute (1973 Concert Cast)
The Sondheim Collection (Studio Cast Re-recordings)
Sondheim: The Stephen Sondheim Album

ASIN: B00006LSQJ
Release Date: 2002-10-22

Tracks:

Send In The Clowns (From 'A Little Night Music') - Cleo Laine
Losing My Mind (From 'Follies') - Barbara Cook
I Remember (From 'Evening Primrose') - David Korman
Liasons (From 'A Little Night Music') - Hermione Gingold
With So Little To Be Sure Of (From 'Anyone Can Whistle') - Jerry Hadley
Not A Day Goes By (From 'Merrily We Roll Along') - Bernadette Peters
Pretty Women (From 'Sweeney Todd') - Michael Rupert
In Buddy's Eyes (From 'Follies') - Barbara Cook
No One Is Alone (From 'Into The Woods') - Cleo Laine
Johanna (From 'Sweeney Todd') - Victor Garber
So Many People (From 'Saturday Night') - Suzanne Henry
Sorry-Grateful (From 'Company') - Stephen Collins
Too Many Mornings (From 'Follies) - Barbara Cook
Finishing The Hat (From 'Sunday In The Park With George') - Mandy Patinkin
Not While I'm Around (From 'Sweeney Todd') - Angela Lansbury
Like It Was (From 'Merrily We Roll Along') - Julie Andrews
Unworthy Of Your Love (From 'Assassins') - Annie Golden
Anyone Can Whistle (From 'Anyone Can Whistle') - Cleo Laine

Customer Reviews:

Wonderful songs.......2003-02-07

If you're a Sondheim ballad fan, this a must-have. While there are a few renditions that aren't great (Not a Day Goes By is way overdone), the selections from Follies sung by Barbara Cook are outstanding. The Cleo Laine version of "Send in the Clowns" is lovely and Stephen Collins does an amazing good job on "Sorry-Grateful" from Company. Still, it's the Follies songs that truly shine!

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