Traditional Pop Music

This CD contains several old and famous recordings that I have always loved, since "O Happy Day" first came out. New items have been added, but it's the old favorites that I wanted. Robert Porter

Yeah....couldn't believe I found this....My mom still has the record & used to play when I was a little girl.....I can remember most the songs....love it!!!I'm a music director in our local church and wanted my choir to do this for Easter, I have the perfect soloist.....this song is so filled with the presence of the Lord!.....sounds like the original recording too....

I've been in love with this song for years. Everytime I forget it, it comes back to the forefront. Most recent was in Sister Act II. I've been to see the Hawkins Singers several times and have always had a blessed and enjoyable experience.

Regis Monahan, BGen, USAF (ret)

I first noticed Edwin Hawkins when I heard "I'm Going Through" on an episode on Homicide Life on the Street - The Complete Season 4, called "For God And Country". I thought at the time that it was an excellent tune but after making a note of the performer, didn't really think much else of it.

Then "Oh Happy Day" turned up recently on TV adverts for chocolate biscuits. I'd heard this one before of course but didn't know who performed it. I certainly didn't realise that it was the same choir who performed the tune I'd noticed on "Homicide" just a few weeks earlier. I immediately knew I had to get my hands on this CD and placed my order.

I'm not a religious person by any means (any more) but there's something about the sound of a gospel choir with its collective voice raised in praise, that just gets to me. I try to rationalise it but fail every time. This is about more than just a bunch of people with very good voices. It's purely emotional and maybe even spiritual. I just love the sound of gospel choirs. It's the main reason I bought The Preacher's Wife: Original Soundtrack Album. For me, that album is less about Whitney Houston, much more about the Georgia Mass Choir.

And I certainly love the sound of The Edwin Hawkins Singers. "Let Us Go Into The House Of The Lord", the album opener, is very moving. "Joy, Joy" I could listen to all day. Other favourites include "Give Me A Star", the jazzy "I Shall Be Free", "To My Father's House", "Jesus, Lover Of My Soul", "Ooh Child", "Precious Memories", "Late In The Evening"...

And of course, "Oh Happy Day" and "I'm Going Through".

In fact, to be honest, I love the entire album. It's called "The Best of The Edwin Hawkins Singers", after all.

When you have a rough day the sounds of Edwin Hawkins can lift your spirits! My number one recommendation is OH HAPPY DAY!! It's another one of the songs I am proud to have in my collection! The hand clapping and gospel singing will lift your heart like is does mine! Enjoy!!

I got this for my mother-in-law for her 72nd Birthday, she pushed "replay" 5 times.By the time we left, I knew the words to songs I hadn't heard before.A dozen roses wouldn't have made her as happy!

Your review of Perry saying that he had no flow,voice cracked etc etc..I also am a Sinatra Fan but you had to be listening to someone else other than Mr Como...I think he had the smoothest voice around and sang any song effortlessly as did Nat & Bing...Give Perry another chance..Purchase his set of Today and yesterday and listen to ..Do You Remember Me and Making love to you.......Walt Bates 10/30/2008

This is a collection of Perry Como's songs. It is not a full collection but certainly will cover more than just the basics of this man's singing career. The songs are ones recorded as early as 1945 and as late as 1970. My personal favorites are "It's Impossible" and "Hot Digity" and "Papa Loves Mambo." Early in my freshman year in college, one of my friends heard "Papa Loves Mambo" from this CD and enjoyed it so much, he blasted it out of his dorm room as most blast rap music. How about that? Perry Como being played loudly and proudly in a Freshman College dormitory in the fall of 2005? RIP Perry Como, you were a huge inspiration to all for whom you have sung.

This man's voice just calms the nerves and gives a new meaning to life itself. His warmth and love surround you until you're totally engrossed in a dream of peace and tranquility. The man is sincere in anything he does and it comes thru in this album quite clearly. Can't wait for vol 2! I have all his recordings since the early 40's (yes, they are breakable and pretty scratchy now (78's) that's why I appreciate this album or cd so much.I can now dream along with Mr. Nice Guy once again.

Perry Como - All-Time Greatest Hits, Vol. 1 gives us some of Perry Como's greatest hits--and this CD also works as a great sampler of his incredible vocal talents. The artwork is grand and the quality of the sound couldn't be better!

"Round And Round" features Perry at his best; his voice is very strong and full of warmth. The backup chorus enhances the melody but make no mistake about it--this is Perry's song and Perry's song only! The whole number is gorgeous. "Hot Diggity (Dog Ziggity Boom)" was a pop number that Perry recorded to please the people who wanted such a number; Perry far preferred to record ballads like "It's Impossible." I applaud his willingness to go along with the flow!

"Catch A Falling Star" features Perry front and center--and that's great! Perry sings this flawlessly and the melody gets a fine arrangement for the piano, too. "Magic Moments" is a fine example of Perry delivering a peppy tune with panache; he handles the tempo changes effortlessly and I love every minute of it!

"Don't Let The Stars Get In Your Eyes" has a big band arrangement that works wonders for this ballad; the brass really shines! Perry sings this with heart and soul; and just one listen proves it. "Wanted" is a beautiful love ballad that features Perry crooning like no other singer ever could; and this impresses me greatly. "It's Impossible" comes from Perry's later years in show business; but you'd never know it--he sings this with all the energy of a man half his age! "It's Impossible" is one of my favorite songs--ever.

"Some Enchanted Evening" comes from South Pacific; and Perry does great justice to this fine ballad. Perry sings this without a superfluous note and it all works wonders. "Some Enchanted Evening" is clearly a major highlight of this album. "Temptation" is an earlier ballad and Perry again aces this effortlessly. This tune sounds fresh and new even today when Perry takes it in his capable hands.

The album also ends well with Perry Como performing "Dream On Little Dreamer." Perry sings this flawlessly and it's great to hear it. Perry also gets some help from the wonderful Anita Kerr Quartet.

Overall, this is one album Perry Como fans will want; and people who enjoy classic pop vocals will treasure this album for years to come!

Barbra Streisand had done this program in September, 1986. It was an event that the many people had attended would never forget. Barbra's voice shines (as always) in this program. It had stated that this was her first full-length concert in twenty years, but she had done several live performances since then. The last one was probably from back in 1972, when Barbra sang for George McGovern. Some of her most memorable staples are sung as well. The Way We Were, Evergreen, People, Happy Days are Here Again are among the few memorable ones, and she also sings Guilty and What Kind of Fool with Barry Gibb. In regards to these two songs, it had been six years since she and Barry had sung them and had been released on her Guilty album. These two songs sounded great in concert form. She also sings Over the Rainbow, which was her dedication to Judy Garland. For Barbra to say, "Who knows, she may even be listening," is very true indeed. I would love to say that Judy herself was listening to that song, and witnessing Barbra singing it. Judy must have been beaming from ear to ear on that. America the Beautiful is the closing song, and Barbra allows the audience to sing along with her. Very touching, and I give the whole program two thumbs up...way up!!!

Recorded after the disaster of Chernobyl in the 80s, Barbra Streisand decided to fight her notorious stage fright and put on a concert for many famous people of the day, and in turn charging $5000 per ticket. However, even though few people would pay that kind of money for one simple concert, Streisand delivers her best, and for that, $5000 is a discount.

Unlike later concerts, where she takes you more on a personal journey through her life, she just comes out and sings her biggest hits, as well as a few other songs. "People" will still move you, "Happy Days are Here Again" sounds great, and "Somewhere" (for the first, and last time, being performed first) really sets the mood for the evening. The new songs are all great too, with "America the Beautiful" being a surprisingly addictive recording.

This concert, however, is not perfect. First off, you get the feeling while listening that you'd get more if you were there, and you would. Also, her nerves are clearly present, even effecting her performance, where she oversings on certain songs (or, on "Happy Days," screams a note at an inopportune time). And seeing that it's a concert for her political causes, it is inevitable that she shoves her sometimes trite views down our throats (even more irritatingly, she seems to be mumbling when she talks throughout the speeches).

Despite it all, though, this is a good live album if you just want a concert with all the hits, even if they are not flawlessly sung. While all Streisand fans will want it, it should not be the first album, either studio or live, of hers you own.

If it's Streisand, then it's definately good. This is no exception. One of her best.

"This woman may or may not be Barbra Streisand, but she certainly has a beautiful voice," my now dceased father said upon being introduced by me to Barbra; he was uncertain for about thirty-one years whether they had met, until he trusted me they, indeed, had. Since this album demonstrates the political voice Barbra had in part of 1986, it requires of me some (very-rare-for-me-so-far-in-my-sixty-three-plus-years) political comments. A then prospective uncle-in-law of Barbra noted that questions of use and weapons had been raised; this happened with this work in the midst of what has been termed the largest so-called defense build-up in history up to the end of the now deceased Ronald Reagan's U. S. Presidency. Mr. Reagan knew about this concert before I did; neither Barbra's current husband, who with her first husband performed in a movie suggesting that even more corruption was involved in landing on "the" moon than so far has been apparent, nor I were invited to this concert; I would have been impractically invited; so it's okay by me what happened.
I suppose there have been Democratic and Republican candidates for office who ran via good-natured instead of cut throat competition. Certainly Al Gore's first book dealing largely with environmental issues disqualified himself in my, not Barbra's eyes, as an authority on them, due to his horrifying support for war the book clearly shows. I do not believe any weapons, including those made of symbols like this words, should be aimed at anyone.

Barbra Streisand puts her whole heart and soul in this performance. One is taken away as she sings "Somewhere," "Evergreen," and "Papa, Can You Hear Me?" Her voice touches deep within and brings you to a level of peace and serenity. So much passion is given to each song she sings.

I especially enjoyed her rendition of "Over the Rainbow." Streisand shares with her audience a bit of reluctance she has in singing this song due to the fact that it is identified with one of the greatest singers of all time who first sang it. She dedicates the song to this wonderful woman (who we all know is Judy Garland and who Barbra had the privilege of working with.)She says, "Who knows...she might even be listening." Those words really touched me. A beautiful song sung by Judy Garland and now being sung by another legend. I once saw them perform together on Judy's television show. I'm sure Judy Garland would have wanted Barbra Streisand to sing the song with all the passion she had. And believe me, she didn't let Judy down. What a tribute! And what a voice!

This is one of Barbra Streisand's greatest works. I'm sure glad I purchased this gem.

Nancy Draper (Author) A Burden of Silence: My Mother's Battle with AIDS

Danny Boy is by far my favorite song -- and finding a disc with such a variety of versions of "my song"
was like a miracle.

Thanks for fulfilling my dream.

By the way, I was put in touch with your company through a representative of Yesteryear Music.

Joanne Kammer

A well done collection; Elvis Pressley has a stirring rendition and perhaps there are copyright reasons as to why this is not on this album; and the Glenn Miller bigband version would have fit in well too. The Roger Whittaker track is moving and has a nice contemporary sound; but I still find fault with his ommission of some of the lyrics, poetic license should only go so far. Still, you will not be disappointed; I was in fact, captivated for the first few hours of listening to this CD, glad I got it on a Saturday. I am already, to the dismay of my old college roommates, one of those sorts who might listen to the same song 5 times in a row off an album. This is certainly solved here. My favorite versions must be the Mario Lanza and Kate Smith tracks; however, my choices may well change because each version certainly has it's merits. Oh, and lastly, some of you may need a box of kleenex to go along with this set.

This CD is enchanting from the very start. The variety of renditions keeps the listener tuned in. While it would be hard to imagine anyone purchasing this CD that didn't like the title song, the music is wonderful, especially when shuffled with other similar music on a multiplay CD player.

I urge all unheroes of Archies,rightists, leftists and deGrEEd licensured dogooders to listen to these spirited cleansing sounds in quiet solitude, as did I; briefly--.It is, I believe, for all for have suffered the Terror,Fear, Anger,shame--and (in) dignity of surviving a war or two--Whether domestic, foreign, Corporal-(including religious,Judicial,legal, or NFP "Living Entity") or as a mere de facto human being.This one is a definite threat to the licensured do g-ooders--of long term chit bounty medical pillings!In Short--I felt my inner stoned walls melt with oh so cleansing pearls of solitude(ed) remembrances--briefly--passionately--and timelessly.Its a gemmed must for any who think they are stone cold dead and who dont think they have the best of the spirits of lost ones preserved within them as their shining lights-!A few times with this one and Viagra sales will suffer your mates amazements--from sea to shining -saltined sea !shew--Still welling on this one! But oh so cleansing--and "self" inflectively reflective and healing(softening)-- lil mac g!

The concept of a single CD or multi-track recording focusing on a single melody has always seemed out of reach -- at least in a manner that would hold me in rapture from beginning to end. This CD did the job! In spades! Who could imagine the likes of Al Hirt, James Galway, Peter Nero, Richard Stoltzman (amazing! How does he do it?), Mario Lanza, Roger Whittaker and on and on . . . all in a dreamlike collection of wonderful renditions of a familiar melody that transported me back to my childhood (and that's over several decades to before World War II)? It's a good thing that CDs don't wear out! I put the Stoltzman (clarinet) solo on "repeat" while sleeping the other night and wow! My dreams were like none I can ever remember. Anyone who enjoys the "Danny Boy" melody should absolutely hear this marvelously well-balanced collection of . . . well, what else? . . . "Danny Boy" !!!

I have many CD's of hymns that I listen to when I'm going to sleep at night. This one is not as calming at times as some of the others that I have. Nevertheless, it has many of the "old favorites" and worth buying, just for that reason.

It must surely be a challenge for record companies to decide on a new Mantovani program. The program here is excellent, imaginative. One hears the haunting MOON RIVER in the best instrumental version of that Mancini favourite. One hears the very lovely MAIN THEME FROM EXODUS... oh my friends, do you know the sound of Mantovani? One hears the delicate and rythmic SOUNG FROM MOULIN ROUGE... reminiscent of Percy Faith. A pleasant surprise here is the inclusion of ELIZABETHAN SERENADE, even though the notes call for OUR LAST AFFAIR at no. 7. (The Ron Goodwin version is better, and also Richard Clayderman's). An almost dream program, and excellent value. The impeccable engineering sound here is remarkable. Buy and enjoy.

It reminds me the sound of the Phase 4 vinyl records of the 70's extensively used by Mantovanni, great music...

I was led to this album [...]. There is great guitar work on this album, both fingerpicking and slide. I really don't know how it compares to other Fahey albums, but this album on the surface has a laid back sitting on the porch quality, but the more I listen to it, the more I hear a foreboding dark quality to the playing. It's not the highest quality sound since it was recorded on the fly in the '60's. Don't let my review be the only one you read about this album.

Have listened to John Fahey since the 70's......his music is relaxing, energizing, and uplifting. I never get tired of it and still play it often. His playing is wonderful company....peaceful, retrospective, and makes me happy to hear it.....JS

I am transported by this music, maybe a dusty road in the country, or a dark wood, or a lazy afternoon by the river with a long reed in between my teeth, lightly splashing my feet in the river, watching a turtle or something. Or its Mexico in the late 1800s..Or... Its really an amazing album with a slew of wonderful compositions. My favorite Fahey album, though America and Blind Joe Death are close. The best song is perhaps Wine and Roses. I would describe these records for the uninitiated as fine finger-picking steel string compositions, no singing (thank goodness), similar to some Kottke but less flashy and more contemplative. Folksy and bluesy but more than that. Melodic, rhtyhmic, very accessible but not predictable, not sugary sweet, sophisticated construction. A rambling feel generally. All kinds of different images and colors being suggested. Just a great composer! Anyway if you are only going to buy one Fahey album I recommend this one.

Fahey was a modern Orpheus.
He stands head-to-head with such great intrumental "pickers" as Manitas de Plata and Ravi Shankar.
All guitar players young and old (especially young) should ingest Fahey NOW.
All guitar lovers (and indeed all music lovers) should
sit back,
relax,
and let his music transport them into transcendental states.
I do.

Being sans record player and all my LPs in storage I thought it was about time to start replacing some of my favorites with CDs. I bought all of Fahey's albums in the 60's after hearing this one at a friends. I was zapped! I think that's the way it is with Fahey. You have ten or none. In my opinion his early work was his best. John is at his somber best here! I don't have a favorite Fahey album but this one ranks high for sure! You can't go wrong with any of those 60's "color" albums. This one is,"You know, the orange one"! Great!

I purchased this CD to update my mono phonograph record of "Rally 'Round" which remains one of my favorite Brothers Four albums. "Rally 'Round" is one of their earliest albums (second, I believe) and still displays an energy and simplicity that began to disappear soon after as the group became more and more a cover group. The songs are, in general, good and performed well. Thoroughly enjoyable.

"Roamin'" is a totally different story. To me, there are only two songs ("Low Bridge" and "Frogg") that are better than mediocre and "The Ballad of Sam Hall" is really distasteful. This album is only tolerable and not recommended by itself.

Thus, this collection really is a mixed bag and only marginally recommended -- probably best for die-hard Brothers Four fans and collectors.

What wonderful music this CD carries, it's just incredible in today's Wolrd.
No words can say enough so I'll just say...FANTASTIC!
The sound is beautiful, all clear, clean, wide front STEREO, fills our living space of joy.
One last thing; if this is your first CD of the B4', listen to "Brothers Four/B.O.M.C." first, if you are interested read my review. Best is buy them both, you can't make a mistake.
...now fly away on their wonderful notes.
Ciao,
Franco

Don't forget
"BROTHERS FOUR/B.M.O.C."

ONE OF THE VERY BEST. IF YOU ARE A FAN OF THEIRS OR LIKE FOLK MUSIC DON'T MISS THIS.

As a fan of the Brothers Four from way back when, I was excited to find this CD. After receiving it, it was but a small step to kick back, close my eyes, and let the special harmonies of the Brothers Four carry me back to some great memories and beautiful times.

When I was in elementary school my father bought Rally Round Boys and we played it over and over. Once he became a grandfather he enjoyed singing "The Fox" to all of the grandkids. Well they are now in their 20's and it is one of their strongest and fondest memories of grandpa. I bought this for my 83 year old Dad and the smile on his face was beyond belief. The quality of the recording is perfect and there are 2 of the wonderful Brothers Four albums included. Great sound, great songs, great group and wonderful memories. Thanks for an amazing return to the 1960's.

WOW! The Blind Boys of Alabama prove that they're the undisputed kings of Gospel-Rock! This DVD is on fire and it's almost like being at Tipitina's down in New Orleans. I saw the band live and they were great but with all these special guests and the horn section added in, this DVD is really over the top! I recommend this for anyone who loves live music and especially Blind Boys fans. This is a 'must have'!

THIS DVD CONTAINS SOME GREAT SOUTHERN GOSPEL ("BLIND BOYS FROM ALABAMA STYLE"), WITH A NEW ORLEANS FLAVOR ("PLENTY OF RYTHUM & BLUES & SOME JAZZ"). Plus you get guest musicians of Susan Tedeschi (She is an outstanding blues vocalist), Dr.John (a New Orleans musical legend), The Preservation Hall Jazz Band (A long time New Orleans treasure), plus Henry Butler & Marva Wright (Two more New Orleans musical legends). Total run time is approx. 100 minutes. THIS IS ONE GREAT CONCERT DVD!!!! THESE GUYS CAN REALLY HARMONIZE GOOD TOGETHER. Some of the "Blind Boys" play musical instuments, and also, you get plenty of back-up musicians. THIS IS A GREAT CONCERT!!!

The "Blind Boys" have won 4 grammy awards, plus a 2009 grammy lifetime achievement award.

The Blind Boys of Alabama are a "Southern Treasure" and a "National Treasure". Although, the name of the band includes "Blind Boys", these are real men, with a great gospel message. The Blind Boys from Alabama have been performing for years.

This dvd is was filmed at the famous "Tipitina's Music Club" in the "Crescent City" of New Orleans. You get a concert performance of 16 great songs. Some of the highlights include "Free at Last", "Down by the Riverside", "Amazing Grace", and "People get Ready".

You get some great bonus material also, including the music video of "Free at Last" filmed in New Orleans. Also, somewhere in the dvd, you get commentaries from members in the band. These guys have a wonderful attitude. One of them said, "I'm not blind, I just can't see". These guys are great period!!!! These guy's are "heaven-bound". This concert leaves you with a great feeling. If you want that "great-feeling", then buy this dvd, it'll make you feel good!!! If you like music, you'll love this one, and I highly recommend it!!!! Thanks!!!

Excellent replacement for my long since worn out LP
It certainly ranks up there with the best of Kenton recordings

This is an absolutely stunning album. If you are "into" high-register trumpet playing, your jaw will be on the floor after the first shake in the Prologue. And then you realize that it was just a small, throwaway taste of what they can do. All the band sections are incredibly tight, including the trombones, saxes and drums, but it is the trumpets and mellophoniums that set the virtuoso standard for big-band jazz. Listen to the perfect pitch and the soulfulness of the mellophones in "Maria"...check out the mind-blowing extended shakes in "Cool"...the breakneck speed of "I Feel Pretty"...the way that, maybe to show off, the band twice covers a 4-octave rise at the end of "Officer Krupke." Folks, if you like your big band brass loud, fast, high, and difficult, this is the virtuoso pinnacle. The album benefits tremendously from the consistency of adapting a single musical work. Unlike many jazz arrangements, which keep only the chord changes after the melody is stated, this is always recognizably Bernstein - except even more muscular and hyped-up, and with space enough for some inspired solos.

I consider Cuban Fire the greatest Kenton album (also arranged by Johny Richards), and the early '50s Kenton's bands, with some all-time soloists, as the best set of years for any big band - but Kenton's West Side Story is the most stunning, "I can't believe I just heard that" of his albums.

If you want to hear Lenny Bernstein's score played as he composed it, this is not the CD to listen to. However, if you are a fan of big band swing music in general and Stan Kenton in particular, you will enjoy listening to this CD. Kenton's version of West Side Story is a free interpretation; arrangements, phrasing, and rhythms are altered to fit Kenton's exotic style. For example, the prologue from the opening scene is played with a relaxed shuffle beat, not the tense syncopated rhythms and phrasing that Bernstein intended. One does not tamper with a work of a genius without incurring the risk of degrading it. Fortunately, in this case, Kenton can be forgiven, because this is his band at its best.

My favorite track on this CD is Cool, a free interpretation which swings and rocks the rafters. I can listen to it again and again. Another hard-swinging track is Something's Coming.

Perhaps the world needed a refreshing new interpretation of West Side Story in 1961, when this CD was recorded. However, a half century after Lenny Bernstein composed his masterpiece, the listener may prefer to hear the music as the composer intended it to be played.

This album received a Grammy Award in 1961 for the best big band jazz recording of the year. The producers of the motion picture of the same title, commented when they heard Johnny Richard's arrangements: "We had no idea. If only we'd known!". It's that good and would have definitely fitted well into the youth-based story.

Kenton's arrangements in this particular album are among my favorites from his repertoire. While we've all heard Berstein's West Side Story tracks numerous times I'm sure (and if you haven't, they're certainly wonderful in and of themselves!), Kenton's interpretations are full of vibrant emotion. No matter how many times I listen to this album, each time brings out some of the most lavish flavors I've heard from a big band. Throughout the CD, you'll find yourself on a rollercoaster of mellows and climaxes that somehow makes the transitions so smooth you'll listen to it over and over....and over.....and over...