Reviews :
Noel by Josh Groban is wonderful
I've heard him sing, but this is the first CD I've purchased. I'm hooked! The $10 price tag was the cheapest I've seen. My favorite song is Ave Maria.

Good music
Wish the mixing were more even, too many highs and lows with the volume! No criticism whatsoever of his beautiful voice!
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Reviews :
Johnny Cash had been breaking new ground for a decade when At Folsom Prison suddenly made the world at large take notice. The interaction of a volatile prison population starved for entertainment and a desperately on-form Johnny Cash was electrifying. His somber machismo finally found a home. The songs, which included every prison song Cash knew ("I Got Stripes," "The Wall," "25 Minutes to Go," "Cocaine Blues," plus his own "Folsom Prison Blues") were tailored to galvanize the crowd. This set is all about atmosphere. Live at the Grand Ole Opry this ain't. The 1999 version drops the San Quentin portion of the original CD reissue, instead adding three cuts to complete the full and uncensored Folsom show. --Colin Escott
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Reviews :
Anyone looking for the key to Abba's enduring appeal should look no further than "Voulez Vous" and "Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight)" for their answer. There was an innocence to the Swedish quartet, even when they were singing about one-night stands and the invitations to them. Gold establishes that the band, while appreciated as campy, were actually multifaceted in their execution. "S.O.S." has a raw urgency in its chorus, and "Does Your Mother Know" draws its energy from classic '50s rock & roll. Likewise, you don't have to be Priscilla to swoon over "Mamma Mia" or "Dancing Queen." And when it comes to drama, those soaring vocals on "The Winner Takes It All" turn the song into a bitter anthem of every relationship that has ever fallen apart. The much-covered "Lay All Your Love on Me" is practically epic. --Steve Gdula
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Reviews :
She may be beautiful, but Alicia Keys is a musician first and foremost. She plants herself firmly behind the piano keys on her debut, unlike many of the booty-waggin' junior divas who are crowding the R&B videoscape these days. Though many of the tracks on Songs in A Minor are embellished with adolescent angst, this 20-year-old's substantial, gorgeously soul-drenched alto putties the cracks between notes with astonishing ease. "Fallin'," the album's first single, showcases Keys at her best. She wails plaintively and passionately over rolling blues chords, in the tradition of the greats that this young talent clearly wants to align herself with--Stevie Wonder, Donny Hathaway, and Aretha Franklin. She swoops and soars over the spicy, flamenco-fueled melody that opens "Mr. Mann," one of the many winning tracks gathered here. And she digs deep into a remake of the beloved Prince B-side, "How Come U Don't Call Me Anymore?" packing more heat into her melismatic wails than most singers twice her age. --Sylvia W. Chan
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Reviews :
wonderful
It was a wonderful performance and a well produced DVD. Brought tears to my eyes. Rented it on netflix. Now buying from Amazon.

Too much of a big stage musical
Fáilte!

My guess is that the people that will like this DVD and CD as a top five star rating would generally be a marginal audience of traditional Irish Music without the big stage production to sell it. I suppose it is just a matter of taste and there is nothing wrong in liking big stage productions. But there is also nothing wrong in a preference for Irish Traditional Music the Irish traditional way in a much simpler and friendlier pub style form as roots music.

Between the two projects of this producer, my preference would be High Kings. That is a simpler production that includes a pub style sing along for the "Irish Rover." If there are more productions in the future, I would certainly encourage taking this direction.

I have been involved in playing and listening to Irish Traditional Music for decades. The pub can offer what they call "craic" (pronounced "crack") in Ireland, or an atmosphere of community fun and friendship. This was captured in Danu's DVD "One Night Stand." This was captured in the Cheiftains DVD "Water from the Well." This was captured in Dervish's two DVD's, "Midsummers Night Session" and "Live from Johnny Fox's." On CD, this is captured on "Music from Matt Molloy's." I would also have to say the DVD "Ragus" presents a small theatre production PERSONAL approach to the same type of music.

Slán agaibh!
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Reviews :
Better known as the "White Album," this was meant to be the record that brought them back to earth after three years of studio experimentation. Instead, it took them all over the place, continuing to burst the envelope of pop music. Lennon and McCartney were still at the height of their powers, with Lennon in particular growing into one of rock's towering figures. But even McCartney could still rock, and the amazement on "Helter Skelter" was that he had vocal cords at the end. From Beach Boys knock-offs to reggae and to the unknown ("Revolution #9"), this has it all. Some records have legend written all over them; this is one. --Chris Nickson
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Reviews :
Lovely Classic Mix
This is a lovely, classic mix of interesting and complex choral arrangements of Christmas and holiday classics.

Angelic Voices for the Christmas Season
They are magnificent. However, the popular traditional Christmas songs, I thought, detracted from the wonderful tone they set with the Celtic-type music.
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Reviews :
For the first time during his historic career the world's best selling tenor Andrea Bocelli will be releasing a collection of his greatest hits. The CD will feature selections from the Bocelli repertoire and include "Time To Say Goodbye" in duet with Sarah Brightman from the 4 time platinum selling Romanza CD, "The Prayer" in duet with Celine Dion from the 2 time platinum selling Sogno CD, plus Bocelli favorites "Because We Believe" from his most recent platinum recording Amore, "Melodramma" from Cieli Di Toscana and more. The release will also feature 4 new exclusive recordings: A duet with one of the world's most popular pianists Lang Lang and new David Foster compositions.

There will be a nationally televised concert special airing on PBS - Andrea's first full pop concert that was recorded in July with the Tuscan country side as a backdrop. The concert repertoire includes all the songs the will be on the forth coming Greatest Hits CD and features guests Chris Botti, Kenny G, Lang Lang and more. Look for PBS to broadcast this program multiple times during their upcoming December 2007 pledge period reaching over 10 million households.

"Vivere" translates from Italian to English as "To Live"

Andrea Bocelli Photos

More from Andrea Bocelli

The Best Of Andrea Bocelli - Vivere (CD & DVD Deluxe Edition)

Under the Desert Sky

Under the Desert Sky

Amore

Romanza

Cieli di Toscana

Andrea

Sogno

Sacred Arias

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Reviews :
This is the one jazz record owned by people who don't listen to jazz, and with good reason. The band itself is extraordinary (proof of Miles Davis's masterful casting skills, if not of God's existence), listing John Coltrane and Julian "Cannonball" Adderley on saxophones, Bill Evans (or, on "Freddie Freeloader," Wynton Kelly) on piano, and the crack rhythm unit of Paul Chambers on bass and Jimmy Cobb on drums. Coltrane's astringency on tenor is counterpoised to Adderley's funky self on alto, with Davis moderating between them as Bill Evans conjures up a still lake of sound on which they walk. Meanwhile, the rhythm partnership of Cobb and Chambers is prepared to click off time until eternity. It was the key recording of what became modal jazz, a music free of the fixed harmonies and forms of pop songs. In Davis's men's hands it was a weightless music, but one that refused to fade into the background. In retrospect every note seems perfect, and each piece moves inexorably towards its destiny. --John Szwed
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Reviews :
The BEST Christmas Album is The Celtic Woman
A Christmas Celebration As perfect as The Celtic Woman group is, this Christmas album is undoubtly the best musical work that they have done and a lot of the credit goes to David Downs. As a "retired" member of a chorale with 150 members I tend to be more critical than most people since I come from a musical background. Buy the DVD and you will not be disappointed!

A Wonderful Christmas Gift...
2007's Celtic Woman: A Christmas Celebration" features the famous Irish group in their five-woman configuration, performing in Dublin backed by the Irish Film Orchestra and the Philharmonic Choir. The result is a beautifully arranged mixture of traditional Christmas songs in a visually lush presentation.

Among the selections: Carol of the Bells, Little Drummer Boy, In The Bleak Mid-Winter, and Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas. Some songs are presented ensemble, others feature solos by one or another of the Celtic Women. David Downes did many of the arrangements and alternately accompanies on piano or directs the orchestra.

"A Christmas Celebration" is very highly recommended to fans of Celtic Woman and those looking for a classic Christmas presentation on DVD. This presentation has been previously broadcast on PBS in 2007 and 2008.
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