CD-Charts Position 71
Average Rating:

The New Bossa Nova

CD-Charts > Music > Vocal Jazz
by: Luciana Souza

Release Date August 21, 2007
This is my first album for Luciana Souza and I am well impressed. Smooth voice; Smooth re composition for each song, James Taylor nicely adding his lovely voice on "Never die Young"; This album is a bouquet of nice songs of Sting, James Taylor, Antonio Carlos Jobim, Walter Becker and Donald Fagen. Brazilian Bossa Nova? No.
Bossa Nova Luciana Souza's style? Absolutely.
Highly recommended for all the smooth Jazz, Smooth Rock and Bossa Nova lovers, who are into some great music, composed by all the artists I mentioned above, played, twisted and sang in an absolutely lovely and charming way.
4 stars or 5 are well deserved.
Other well recommended album of a similar great style:
Joni Mitchell: Turbulent Indigo
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CD-Charts Position 72
Average Rating:

That's Amore: Italian American Favorites

CD-Charts > Music > Vocal Jazz
by: Various Artists

Release Date September 30, 2008
This is my first album for Luciana Souza and I am well impressed. Smooth voice; Smooth re composition for each song, James Taylor nicely adding his lovely voice on "Never die Young"; This album is a bouquet of nice songs of Sting, James Taylor, Antonio Carlos Jobim, Walter Becker and Donald Fagen. Brazilian Bossa Nova? No.
Bossa Nova Luciana Souza's style? Absolutely.
Highly recommended for all the smooth Jazz, Smooth Rock and Bossa Nova lovers, who are into some great music, composed by all the artists I mentioned above, played, twisted and sang in an absolutely lovely and charming way.
4 stars or 5 are well deserved.
Other well recommended album of a similar great style:
Joni Mitchell: Turbulent Indigo
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CD-Charts Position 73
Average Rating:

The Ultimate Tony Bennett

CD-Charts > Music > Vocal Jazz
by: Tony Bennett

Release Date October 03, 2000
With all due respect to the people involved with the production of this 2000 Sony release (Didier C. Deutsch, Darcy M. Proper, Danny Bennett and Steve Berkowitz), not to mention Tony himself, it's really quite impossible to come with a definitive single 20-track CD "ultimate" compilation for a man who racked up some 67 hit singles from his first in 1951 (Because Of You - # 1 for TEN weeks that summer) to his last in 1976 (As Time Goes By - # 28 Adult Contemporary early that spring). Never mind his many albums.

The insert explains the choices of the tracks this way: "With a career spanning five decades, over 50 million records sold, and nine Grammy Awards to his credit, this collection of standards, many of which Tony introduced, were ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 74
Average Rating:

The Very Best of Julie London

CD-Charts > Music > Vocal Jazz
by: Julie London

Release Date January 10, 2006
I am not a Jazz aficiando or any kind of fan, but i've always found Julie L's music entertaining. Her CDs are in a group i play from time to time, usually while driving. Her attitude demands attention. the music is mostly old standards. The music and she are icons of a time when the lyrics actually were listened to.

CD-Charts Position 75
Average Rating:

Handel's Messiah: A Soulful Celebration

CD-Charts > Music > Vocal Jazz
by: Dianne Reeves, Patti Austin, Stevie Wonder, George Duke, Take 6, Al Jarreau

Release Date September 29, 1992
Quincy Jones already rocks my world. I have nothing but respect for him and the level of musical excellence that has always surrounded anything he put his considerable mind and talent to. But this re-imagining of Handel's Messiah from an African-American perspective is exceptional, extraordinary, unabated joy--especially in "And He Shall Purify" and "Hallelujah!" I am a middle-aged white musician/pianist/voice teacher in New York City. I got my Master's at Indiana University in voice. I was raised a Southern-Baptist even! I only offer up this information to suggest what an unlikely candidate I might be to enjoy this CD. I can't stop smiling and moving with these extraordinary performances when I put this CD on. God bless Michael O. Jackson for these vocal arrangements. ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 76
Average Rating:

Tony Bennett - An American Classic [Blu-ray]

CD-Charts > Music > Vocal Jazz
starring: Tony Bennett, Christina Aguilera, Billy Crystal, k.d. lang, Chris Botti
directed by: Rob Marshall

Release Date December 12, 2006
Bluray looks good on my 1080P, but I could have saved money by sticking with my regular DVD.

CD-Charts Position 77
Average Rating:

Twentysomething

CD-Charts > Music > Vocal Jazz
by: Jamie Cullum

Release Date May 11, 2004
Jamie has a voice like silk and considering he is at the beginning of his career, well he's definately one to watch.
I've been listening to his album for months and there are a few songs that grow on you and you end up loving even though the initial impact isn't earth-shattering. On the other hand there are a great many songs that just bowl you over the first time you hear them. The covers he does are great and doing covers is always risky since they are rarely better than the original... but not a problem for Mr Cullum. He just breathes new life into them.

Having also seen him live at Kenwood House (and anyone there will tell you)- I haven't walked away from a gig feeling so inspired and with such a huge grin on my face. Now how can that be bad? I challenge anyone to ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 78
Average Rating:

The Language of Music

CD-Charts > Music > Vocal Jazz
starring: Thelonious Monk, Aretha Franklin, Ahmet Ertegun, Tom Dowd, Ginger Baker
directed by: Mark Moormann

Release Date August 24, 2004
I don't know how Tom Dowd's identity and influence escaped me for so many years. His influences as engineer, producer and omnipresent encourager of creative greatness were all over the music and albums that were like oxygen to me during the 60's and 70's. And I read every word about every person and player on every album cover like they were scripture. It really speaks to Mr. Dowd's dedication to putting the music first that his undeniable influence is so hard to find an acknowledgment for.

I remember first hearing about him on NPR a few years ago and wondered how he had slipped by my attention as his milieu was Atlantic Records during that label's most incredible heyday and he knew and worked with every amazing musician and band that was affiliated with Atlantic Records.
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CD-Charts Position 79
Average Rating:

Astrud Gilberto's Finest Hour

CD-Charts > Music > Vocal Jazz
by: Astrud Gilberto

Release Date May 15, 2001
Astrud Gilberto was the Brazilian Dionysian lark per excellence and the embodiment of the sensuality, lyricism and tropical alluring of the best known Latin American music all over the world. Despite the terrible circumstances that made she left us before the used, she found in Antonio Carlos Jobim the perfect key for her to exhibit her sensitiveness, charisma and unforgettable charm.

This album picks up a very significant part of her musical legacy.

CD-Charts Position 80
Average Rating:

Frank Sinatra Sings for Only the Lonely

CD-Charts > Music > Vocal Jazz
by: Frank Sinatra

Release Date May 26, 1998
This is one of the better albums, yes I'm old, that I have in my collection. Would recommend it to everyone