Orchestrion Review

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Orchestrion ReviewI've got tickets for Pat's Orchestrion tour in May and I'm bringing my son who is 11 and just starting out his young percussion life. I can't wait to introduce him to one of the finer things in life: i.e. Pat Metheny's Music.
Do I wish he was touring with his band? Yes. Lyle Mays and rest of the crew. I would give anything for a chance to introduce my son to that very rare treat - live especially.
After listening to the Orchestrion CD for the first time, will this be worth it? I think so. I give Pat credit for trying something like this. What the heck: a multi-Grammy winner can step out a little bit I think. I agree with some of the other reviewers that it's definitely Pat, albeit 'mechanized mallet percussion Pat'. But it's okay. It's a project that's close to him and I can imagine the experience of seeing this setup live will be quite original and fun!
The CD is not going to shock and awe you. It's solid Pat Metheny - right on the money in terms of harmonics, improvisations, tonalities, and substance; he's attempting something different here in terms of instrumental backup. I'm giving Pat a 'Hall Pass' on this one. It's decent work!! Go for it Pat!!
There are many like me who slip a Pat Metheny CD into their player while driving to work (or wherever) and are instantly transported back to some of the finer times in their lives. I'm sure I share this sentiment with many, many other people. For this I can't thank Pat (Lyle and various other contributing artists) enough. Pat has laid the background track for many of our lives and it's been a good one. The vibrations have always been filled with inspiration, order, spirit, compassion, kindness, expression, and dare I say Loving Hope. And for the opportunity to let my son feel even a single bit of this, now through this Orchestrion effort, well so be it - I am thankful.
Thanks Pat for another chapter!!! Keep it going man!!!! You make me believe in things I can't see...Orchestrion Overview

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Bright Size Life Review

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Bright Size Life Review28 years later, this debut disc by a young upstart guitarist from Lee's Summit MO STILL sounds as fresh, engaging and surprising as the day it was first unleashed!
What an amazing chemistry that took place here! Start with Pat's Jim Hall-meets-rural country and lyrical post-bop sensibilities, combined with another then-young upstart, Jaco Pastorious playing a supremely singing fretless bass and the explosive and yet detailed drumming of Bob Moses made for a whole new sound in jazz, with lots of wide-open spaces, impressionistic pastel-like harmonies, a Country inflected yearning and challenging intricate melodies that stay with you for days.
Pat wrote all but one track, the closing medley of Ornette Coleman's "Round Trip/Broadway Blues", in which Pat gets to the essence of Ornette's music and shows a very lyrical, compelling side of it that I think many people miss when they think of Ornette, he wasn't ALL skronk and honk, that's for sure! The original Metheny pieces are by turns fiery yet lyrical and loaded with subtle colorings not normally associated with jazz-guitar, which up until that point either stayed very conservatively bluesy with extended harmonies, or went to the opposite extreme of atonality, but here, Pat begins his rich musical journey and finds a well-defined voice normally associated with players twice his age in those days.
Not one bad track, this will haunt you for days and live in your CD player for long periods I'm sure.Bright Size Life OverviewNo Description AvailableNo Track Information AvailableMedia Type: CDArtist: METHENY,PATTitle: BRIGHT SIZE LIFEStreet Release Date: 02/29/2000

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Glow Review

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Glow ReviewPeter White never dissapointed me. I think his CDs are made for "Shuffle" mode. No matter what song it is, you will be listening with pure joy and happiness. Okay, here's my review:
Track 1 Chasing the Dawn. Uplifting song, great to hear when you're down, it'll bring your spirit back. 9/10
Track 2 Who's That Lady. One smooth track! 9/10
Track 3 Turn it Out. Now this is funny... how can a song be uplifting and soothing at the same time? 9/10
Track 4 Bullseye. Funky! This track is so catchy, you can't help but moving your feet/hand/head.. 9/10
Track 5 Just My Imagination. This is a great song to unwind from a hectic day. 10/10
Track 6 Bueno Funk. A little bit too repetitive, but not a bad track at all. 8/10
Track 7 Glow. Very very calm and soothing. Just imagine you're on the boat, in the middle of the ocean... 10/10
Track 8 Pedro Blanco. Very spanish-feel and unique. 10/10
Track 9 When I'm Alone. Look at the credits, he did it ALL by himself! Certainly tells you how talented this man is. 10/10
Track 10 Life Story. What a beautiful and soothing melody. 10/10
Track 11 Baby Steps. This is the song that made me furiously hunting this album. This "cute" track will make you feel all warm and fuzzy inside. 10/10Glow OverviewJapanese version featuring a bonus track--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Fourplay: Live in Capetown (2008) Review

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Fourplay: Live in Capetown (2008) ReviewFor smooth jazz fans Fourplay, Live in Cape Town is a must-have. Bob, Nathan, Larry, and Harvey are all at their best as they play their standards. The sound quality is perfect, especially for those who have DTS playback on their AVRs. The stage is beautifully lit and the audience is really in to the performance. This concert was recorded in 2005 so the music from their two latest CDs is not included, but it is, nevertheless, a great DVD.Fourplay: Live in Capetown (2008) Overview

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Wired Review

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Wired ReviewI own everything Jeff Beck has ever recorded that I can obtain, many bootleg recordings included. This album Wired is still and probably always will be my all-time favorite among them. Many reviewers have mentioned his jaw-dropping technical prowess and passion and commitment he brings to every song, solo and note he plays. But IMO Jeff Beck's most overlooked talent is his lyrical lilt and melodic mastery. He is the modern incarnation of J.S. Bach in his absolute mastery of melody and harmony, less contrapunctally expressed than by the baroque composer, but still conveying a tremendously profound understanding and feel for what note and chord combinations would sound perfect where and when, never a note out of place, and his resolution of multiple developed themes within a piece is always richly satisfying. That is a large part of what makes this album so listenable again and again as the decades roll by.
It is inconceivable that this man can get these sounds to come out of six wires and NO PICK. His speed is unrivaled even by the many neck tappers of the 90s, though some of his most effective playing is when he takes it slow. Nowhere is this more elegantly proven than on Goodbye Porkpie Hat, the classic by Charles Mingus. This track contains a 150-second slice of euphonic heaven that is in my mind one of the best slow guitar solos ever recorded by anyone. It may simply not be possible to play the electric guitar any better than this; time will tell. It eclipses Stevie Ray Vaughn's version of Little Wing; it eclipses Beck's own miraculous playing on Blow By Blow. And his scorching, searing, vicious soloing on Head for Backstage Pass and especially the opener Led Boots stacks its raw power against such titans as Johnny Winter's soloing on Still Alive and Well, Edward Van Halen, Hendrix and Santana. For pure musicianship, technical wizardry and soaring, transcendent melodies, Jeff Beck is the unparalleled genius of our modern age. We are all fortunate to live at the same time as Jeff Beck, to witness his live performances, and to live in the age of electronic recording so that we can reset our minds at the end of a trying day with this fantastic music, again and again.
But this. It never gets old.Wired OverviewGenerally more muscular than its predecessor, the follow-up to Blow by Blow offers some of the best jazz-rock fusion the '70s have to offer! Though Beck contributed no original material to the album (instead relying on the talented lineup of keyboardists Max Middleton and Jan Hammer, drummers Richard Bailey and Narada Michael Walden and bassist Wilbur Bascomb), he's nonetheless in top form on Led Boots; Come Dancing; Head for Backstage Pass; Blue Wind; Sophie; Play With Me; Love Is Green , and a dazzling take on Charles Mingus' Goodbye Pork Pie Hat .

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Countdown To Ecstasy Review

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Countdown To Ecstasy ReviewHow bizarre it is that Steely Dan's brilliant second album, 1973's "Countdown To Ecstasy," wasn't exactly a hit upon it's initial release. Maybe it was the weird watercolor painting on the cover. Or maybe it was the first single, "Show Biz Kids," which contained the f-word (though the naughty word was edited out for single release). Or how about bad marketing on MCA Records' part...who the heck knows? Thankfully, time has proven "Countdown" to be one of Steely Dan's very best albums. Dan masterminds Walter Becker & Donald Fagen, along with guitarists Jeff "Skunk" Baxter & Denny Dias, as well as drummer Jim Hodder, totally cook on this magnificent set. Practically every single cut here is a Dan classic: the outstanding jazz/rock blowout that is "Bodhisattva," the cocktail pop of "Razor Boy," the awesome melodic rock of "The Boston Rag" (tell all your buddies that it ain't no drag!), and the salsa-esque "Your Gold Teeth." But it doesn't end there---there's also the slinky "Show Biz Kids," in which the band get into a single groove, stay there for the whole song, and jam into the heavens. This is followed by the masterful piano bopper "My Old School," the tasty, country-flavored "Pearl Of The Quarter," and the groovy finale, "King Of The World." The songs are amazing, Becker & Fagen & the gang are superb (both in their musical chemistry and studio skills), Fagen's vocals are very soulful, and the street-sensibile lyrics are intruiging. YOU will be in total ecstasy listening to Steely Dan's "Countdown To Ecstasy," one of the Dan's most supreme offerings.Countdown To Ecstasy OverviewTheir second release was their second straight Top 40 album-and their second album in a row with two charting singles, Show Biz Kids and My Old School . None of the album's songs charted particularly high, but if you're a Dan fan, you know that this 1973 album is maybe their best ever. Features original notes and lyrics plus new notes, remastered sound and an unbeatable price.

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Solo Para Ti Review

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Solo Para Ti ReviewOttmar Liebert plays a very good guitar and he wants to share his expertise with a global audience. His music is truly beautiful and very relaxing. When listening to this CD you can partake in just about any activity. If you like to read or have creative endevors this is perfect music that stimulates but does not demand your complete attention. The songs for the most part are very mellow. Lush and lyrical the arraignments are a sophisticated blend of pop flamenco that works. There is an intersting version of the "Marvin Gaye's" classic "Mercy, Mercy, Me". The difference here is that it is sung in Spanish in a flamenco style that would make the deceased Motown artist proud. Lots of good tunes here, with a variety of tempos to keep your interest. One of Lieberts better efforts that he has released over the years, this CD has withstood the test of time. Released in 1992, the fine instrumentation keeps it alive. A highlight from this CD is the duet with Carlos Santana which I never get tired of. The song is 'Samba Pa Ti", originally penned and made famous by Santana. The different arraignment makes it hardly recognizeable as Liebert has taken creative freedom to make something new. The music is enchanting and bordering on mystical inspiration. An excellent addition to any complete collection of nuevo flamenco.Solo Para Ti Overview

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Hot Rats Review

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Hot Rats ReviewBasically just dropping the name `Mothers of Invention' and releasing this as his first solo album, Mr. Zappa showed, who had been boss all the time, and let the unsuspecting music world cop it in the teeth with this blast of basically instrumental work. Gone were the dropping off into the world of parody or spoken word humour, that had often enlivened, but more often marred `The Mothers' albums. A joke is only funny the first couple of times, but soon becomes annoying, especially after repeated playing in between bits of your favorite music.
But here on `Hot Rats' Mr. Zappa surrounds himself with some of the finest musicians in the United States of America, who just happened to also be his best friends, and went from cult figure to International Superstar. In the high brow student world of 1970, if you didn't have the Hot Rats poster in your bed sit, you were considered very square. The album was an absolute `must have'. (Mind you it was also required to wear your hair down to your ankles, platform boots 2 foot tall, huge bell bottom trousers that hid them anyway, say things like "Cosmic" or "Groovy" a lot, and end every sentence with "Man". Eat your heart out Austin Powers, looking back it all seems terribly complicated now.)
But that was one thing that Mr. Zappa had mastered, although all of the playing on this album is intricate in the extreme, with great lolloping extended solos and each song has a terribly gripping hum able tune that makes your fingers twitch and your feet tap.
The first piece of music presented here for your edification (it would almost be an insult to label them down as just plain old songs) is the wonderfully monickered "Peaches En Regalia", where Mr. Zappa on guitar, and multi-instrumentalist Ian Underwood get to flex their musical muscles. These two musicians are the only two to appear on every track. "Peaches En Regalia" is certainly one of Mr. Zappa's most commercial and popular tracks and, almost certainly, one of his best. In an amazing way the album starts, leading us into a treasure trove of sound. Yes, this was what started what is called `Jazz/Rock', but at the time it was just a convenient label for journalists to put it under. Mr. Zappa should not take the responsibility for the driveling of some, who tried to follow in his footsteps.
Next up is the infamous "Willie The Pimp" the only vocal track on the album sung by the esteemed Don Van Vliet, better known as `Captain Beefheart', and what lyrics they were too!
"I'm a little pimp with my hair gassed back
Pair of khaki pants with my shoe shined black"
You can hear the gleam in the great Captain's eye, the guitar solo that follows will take the roof off your head every time you hear it. And remember, Steve Vai was an apprentice of Mr. Zappa's for many years and has never been able to step out of his shadow.
After "Son of Mr. Green Genes", and for this album the short "Little Umbrellas", you get the full version of "The Gumbo Variations". This had to be severely edited for the vinyl release due to time constraints, but now with the wonders off compact discs, you get the whole thing remastered from the original tapes, all but seventeen minutes (what's three seconds between friends), where the soloists, Mr. Zappa guitar, Ian Underwood everything, and Sugar Cane Harris on violin, all vie for the spotlight, holding your attention with every nuance of sound.
Then finally we get "It Must Be A Camel" (the title of which sounds like something J.K. would say out on the golf course after a bad night), where the legendry Jen Luc Ponty joins the fray to bring it all to a fitting climax.
A truly magnificent collection. If it's not in yours, make it so.
You may notice the artist referred to as Mr. Zappa through out this review commanded a fair amount of respect, did the Guvnor.
Mott the Dog.Hot Rats OverviewImported from Japan by Rykodisc.Packaged in deluxe mini-album jacket sleeves, these 10 classic albums by rock legend FRANK ZAPPA are now available as limited edition Japanese Imports! These packages re-create the original vinyl packaging in miniaturized form!--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Performing This Week...Live At Ronnie Scotts Review

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Performing This Week...Live At Ronnie Scotts ReviewIn late 2007 Jeff Beck played several shows at Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club in London and he awed and enthralled the audiences with his searing, exquisite and ethereal guitar virtuosity. He's a complete master of the fretboard and whammy bar whose guitar can sound angelic and then suddenly thunderous. Many of his most riveting and agressive songs were played including "Becks Bolero," "Big Block," Brush With The Blues" and the intense "Scatterbrain." His eastern influences also resonated on wonderful songs such as "Nadia" and the psychedelic "Blast From The East." Jeff Beck's most tender and complex songs really impressed the audience and UK music critics. Examples are "Angel (Footsteps,)" Cause We've Ended As Lovers" and the inimitable "Were Were You." Beck's majestic rendition of the Beatles' " A Day In The Life" is utterly captivating and it has rightfully won a 2010 Grammy Award for Best Rock Instrumental Performance. "Led Boats", "Behind The Veil" and "Stratus" are also spellbinding highlights on this flawless all instrumental CD. Jeff Beck can literally coax, caress and strangle a universe of sounds from his guitar without using hardly any effects.
Jimmy Page, Eric Clapton, David Gilmour, Brian May and Tom Scholz have all declared that Jeff Beck is the greatest solo guitarist. This CD verifies their erudite assertions.Performing This Week...Live At Ronnie Scotts Overview

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Larry & Lee Review

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Larry & Lee ReviewThere is something special about two guitarists trading licks back and forth. Funny how four years after this album Larry Carlton would end up replacing Lee Ritenour in the group Foreplay. This album will not disappoint you if you're a fan of either guitarist. Both men are incredibly talented with the guitar, and play with real drive and emotion.
The album starts out with a great tune in "Crosstown Kids", which prepares you for what's to come. "L.A. Underground" really steps it up with Ritenour leading the way, breaking in several places to give Carlton a place to play. On the cut, "After the Rain" they lay back and play a very smooth piece before turning it up again on "Remembering". Throughout the album, these guitarists use each other to springboard to new levels of playing. They take turns expanding on an idea, combining their styles to really bring out some fun music.
There is some very good stuff on this album. Ritenour's smooth playing is counterbalanced by the bluesy edge of Carlton's. The complement is enjoyable, and it gives quite a coloring to the music. Guitar fans should find this album very impressive. It is one that I keep revisiting.Larry & Lee Overview

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Blow By Blow Review

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Blow By Blow ReviewI've been a professional guitarist and music teacher for over two and a half decades. I listen to guitar music day in and day out, ranging in style from Luis de Milan (1536) to Leo Brouwer and Alan Holdsworth. It isn't difficult to observe that almost all music that has survived the test of time has had something valid to say: some of it expresses well the particular fashion/taste of the period; some successfully pushes the existing musical boundaries; and some is just uniquely personal to its creator.
As a musician Jeff Beck belongs mostly within the last of the preceding three groups. Examination of his output suggests it would be hard to argue that he created any new genre, but whenever he experimented in a new field he always sounded unmistakably true to his own unique musical identity. I also believe that a creative performing musician can receive no greater compliment.
The hallmark of Beck's style is melodic fearlessness. This boldness sets him apart musically from perhaps 'superior' technical and 'harmonically informed' peers, especially those of the so-called 'improvisational' based jazz scene. Beck's playing is instantly recognisable and is almost devoid of cliche. Jeff Beck only ever sounds like Jeff Beck. On the occassion that he ever employs a tired phrase of (say) Chuck Berry's, it is in such a manner or in such a place as to turn it on its head or throw new light upon it.
To those wondering whether to add this CD to their collection I recommend that you bear in mind Duke Ellington's words - "There are only two kinds of music: good music and bad music", because this CD belongs unquestionably to the first category. All instrumental, it contains a variety of styles - including ballad, reggae, funk, and rock - read the other reviews for the details. And finally, please don't ever pretend to have any inkling of what Jeff Beck is about, or what he is capable of, without being familiar with this particular album.Blow By Blow OverviewBlow by Blow served as a new creative peak for Beck and is, to date, his most commercially successful release. Offering a one-two punch of ingenious production and imaginative soloing, the wonderfully unpredictable guitar genius meshes stinging jazz-rock with string arrangements and energetic rhythm for You Know What I Mean; Constipated Duck; Air Blower; Scatterbrain ; Stevie Wonder's Cause We've Ended as Lovers; Thelonius; Freeway Jam; Diamond Dust , and a clever arrangement of Lennon and McCartney's She's a Woman .

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Pretzel Logic Review

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Pretzel Logic ReviewSteely Dan's third album, 1974's "Pretzel Logic," was the last album the group made before co-leaders Walter Becker & Donald Fagen decided to quit touring altogether and make the recording studio their exclusive musical laboratory, using various top-notch session players to help them flesh out their latest creations. But first, there was still room for one more "band" recording (as well as a tour), with Walt & Don helped out by fellow members Denny Dias & Jeff "Skunk" Baxter on guitars, and Jim Hodder on drums. Without foregoing their flare for rock, "Pretzel Logic" finds Steely Dan in a looser, jazzier mode. There's an ace Duke Ellington cover on it ("East St. Louis Toodle-oo"), as well as a very hip salute to jazz great Charlie Parker ("Parker's Band"). And of course, more terrific, totally cool Dan numbers, with Fagen's trademark lyrical acid wit. The pop radio staple "Rikki Don't Lose That Number" was a big Top Five hit for the band (though I think Walt & Don are tired of it these days--they never play it live!). "Night By Night" is a classy, funky rocker. "Any Major Dude Will Tell You" is a lighter number but tremendously melodic, "Barrytown" has a great rollicking feel to it, "Through With Buzz" is brief but strong (with a clever string arrangement on top of it), and the title song is a swinging jazz throwdown. "With A Gun" is almost country, but has terrific, strumming acoustic guitar to drive it. "Charlie Freak" has a dark, almost ominous tone to it's piano line, but it certainly sticks with you, and the concluding "Monkey In Your Soul" is a great groover, with a memorable baseline that literally quakes. As always with Steely Dan, the band's musicianship cooks, the production is tremendous, and Fagen's lead vocals are soulful. "Pretzel Logic" is a classic Steely Dan album, one of the band's best. Make sure you don't lose this number, Rikki!Pretzel Logic OverviewHas it really been 25 years since Steely Dan thrust into the Top 10 with Pretzel Logic ? It's true-so now's the perfect time to celebrate their landmark 1974 album. Here are Rikki Don't Lose That Number; Pretzel Logic , and the rest of the original album, with (for the first time on CD) complete lyrics and all original graphics and notes. Plus-new liners by Walter Becker and Donald Fagen!

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Gaucho Review

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Gaucho Review"...and why is he standing in your spangled leather poncho and your elevator shoes?"
The absurdity of the lyrics--their audacious swagger--married to such righteous music can only be the work of one great band. Steely Dan doesn't rock. They don't necessarily do jazz. Their music is so unique it can only be described as "Steely Dan" music-- a trademark of quality since 1972.
While Aja is generally hailed as their triumph, I'm personally partial to this one. In fact I would rank it as one of the great albums of all time. It was also their most complex. This is amazing in light of the turmoil the Dan were undergoing during this time. Much of the work on Gaucho fell on Donald Fagen's shoulders since Walter Becker was dealing with drug problems. During the mixing sessions, Becker was largely absent after severely mangling his leg in a taxi mishap.
Gaucho is filled with songs surrounding the seamy underside of society's high rollers. It reveals a world seen through the haze of drugs and despair. It's a cathartic aural experience. If you haven't heard this album, you haven't experienced the full potential of music and the human imagination.
The title track, depicting a gay love triangle, is exquisite beyond description with its precise construction, stately horns, and a tricky melodic vocal line that tests Fagen. But what the heck is a "Custerdome?" Fagen visualized it as a fictional skyscraper with a revolving restaurant at the top. "Third World Man," an off-the-wall sketch of a child as terrorist in his sandbox bunker, features a sneering vocal and Larry Carlton's acidic guitar solo. The song began as "Were You Blind That Day?" which they left of the Aja album.
"Babylon Sisters" is hipper than hip with its funky keyboard run-up, slick horns, and girl singers biting off quick syllables. This is followed by the equally jivey "Hey Nineteen" in which the singer gushes over "The Cuervo Gold" and "the fine Columbian." It's a real hoot, as the singer, an older dude, tries to enlighten his teenage companion about Sixties soul music.
"Glamour Profession" concerns the activities of a coke sniffing basketball player named Hoops McCann. It burbles with synths and sleazy saxes. It's luxuriant tone is intoxicating. The bridge is co-opted from Kurt Weill's "Speak Low," with a dash of disco added.
This would prove to be the last great Steely Dan album. More trouble followed it's release. Keith Jarrett successfully sued the band for plagiarizing his "Long As You Know You're Living Yours" on the title track. Shortly after the album was issued, Fagen applied for a spot in Dylan's touring band. He never heard back from Zimmy. One can only imagine what that collaboration would have wrought!

Unable to top this masterpiece, it would be 20 years before Steely Dan put out another album of new material.Gaucho OverviewFagen and Becker followed Aja with another Top 10 LP, this one released in late 1980. At #10, the song Hey Nineteen gave 'em their biggest hit in six years; it joins the hit Time Out of Mind (featuring Mark Knopfler); Gaucho; My Rival , and more!

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One Size Fits All Review

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One Size Fits All ReviewThis one is my personal nominee for Best Frank Zappa Album Ever.
That's a very subjective evaluation of a career that spanned three decades and included forty-plus releases as of Zappa's untimely death in 1993. But I suspect most FZ fans will know why I make it, even if they disagree.
For one thing, this album's got the guitar solo on 'Inca Roads'. I stand second to none in my admiration for FZ's all-around chops and I love _Shut Up 'n' Play Yer Guitar_. But this is my single favorite (recorded) FZ guitar solo. Lifted from a live performance in Helsinki (and available in a slightly shorter edit on _You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore, Vol. 2_), it's one of his most fluid and melodic ever, and after thirty years it still never fails to grab me. (And notice his subdued, thoughtful use of the so-called 'wah-wah' pedal. He doesn't use it to go 'wah-wah-wah'; he uses it as a tone control.)
For another, it's got a _lot_ of great studio recordings. To my taste, at least, this is where FZ really fulfills the promise of _Hot Rats_.
For another, it's got the Mothers' dream lineup of the mid-1970s: Ruth Underwood, George Duke, Napoleon Murphy Brock, the Fowler brothers, Chester Thompson, and the rest (the same folks who accompanied him on his very best live album, _Roxy & Elsewhere_). Probably every FZ fan has his or her favorite backing band; this is mine.
Finally, there's Cal Schenkel's brilliant and hilarious cover art -- which, in the CD release, is included in a full-sized unfoldable version for you to appreciate in detail.
FZ was a musical genius and an incredibly prolific one; if you're just now being introduced to him, there are lots of places to start. I recommend starting here. Your mileage, of course, may vary.One Size Fits All OverviewIMPORTED FROM JAPAN BY RYKODISCThis collector's dream set completes our 20-disc series of limited edition Frank Zappa Japanese imports. Packaged in deluxe mini-album jacket sleeves, these 10 classic albums are packaged to re-create the original vinyl packaging in miniaturized form!--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Instrumental Moods Review

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Instrumental Moods Review"Instrumental Moods" continues the "Moods" series of New Age music. It is probably the weakest "Moods" CD, but then again, these are instrumental songs, so they don't have any searing vocals in them. The few vocals that *are* in the songs have no real lyric to them. Here's a quick run-through of the ones I liked:
1. "In the Full Moon Light"--3rd Force. A jazzy instrumental dance piece combining piano, percussion and some kind of brass instrument that sounds like a trumpet. Very cool, great opener.
2. "Knocking on Forbidden Doors"--Enigma. A very nice piece, and certainly worthy of being in the "Instrumental Moods" compilation. Just remember that since it is instrumental, it is not one of this artist's best works.
3. "Barcelona Nights"--Ottoman Liebert. A peppy flamenco song featuring distinctive percussion and guitar work. It's sure to make you sweat!
7. "Tempest"--Jesse Cook. Another flamenco song, but a bit more contemporary than "Barcelona Nights", and just as much fun to listen to!
8. "Cliffs of Dover"--Eric Johnson. A great electric guitar instrumental, and the only roof-shaker on the CD. Curiously, however, it reminds me more of Hawaiian surfers than cliffs in Delaware.
10. "Weather Storm"--Massive Attack. See #2.
13. "Widescreen"--Vanessa Mae. An achingly beautiful song, featuring a seductively played violin.
14. "Gabriel's Oboe"--Ennio Morricone. A slow song, featuring the soothing sounds of an oboe. A wonderful example of the brilliant soundtrack for "The Mission".
15. "Cristofori's Dream"--David Lanz. This exquisite piano piece has the honor of being the most beautiful song I've ever heard, and my favorite one on the album. It's also in "Pure Moods III".
"Monteczuma" and "Cradelsong (Dawa)" are two good songs that are also in "Pure Moods II", but "Monteczuma" is much shorter in this CD, and this edition of "Cradlesong (Dawa)" doesn't feature Cherokee Rose, so if you're only buying this CD for those two songs, just stick with "Pure Moods II".
The rest of the songs ("Heat [from The Fifth Element]", "Midnight Express", "Samba Pa Ti", "Sure-As-Not", "Gathering of the Tribes") are just dull, forgettable techno. However, I would still say that this CD is worth buying, and is certainly one of the best instrumental compilations out there. A "Pure Moods IV" will be released in October--I can hardly wait until then!Instrumental Moods Overview

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Ah Via Musicom Review

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Ah Via Musicom ReviewWhat do I say about this record? Can I possibly express how it's shaped me through all my various stages, from rock and jazz to funk to hip-hop to psychadelic trance and breaks? I guess one has to be familiar with the mountains, and do lots of solo hikes to really dig the magnitude of "High Landrons", as that song was made for sitting on top of a mountain and contemplating the world. In the town where I grew up, you could hear the trains pass at night even though the tracks were miles away -- "Forty Mile Town". And I dare you to sit outside (or in a house with lots of glass) and look at the stars and the moon and listen to "East Wes" without feeling a thousand deep emotions at once.
If ever an album rode that mile-high razor's edge between pure cheese and deeply moving rock-and-roll, this is it. "Cliffs of Dover" is the song most folks cite as their first Eric Johnson experience, and to hear it in context with Nirvana, Pearl Jam, and all the other stuff coming out in the early 90's is to realize just how different a cat Eric really is. Here he has washy reverb all over the track, high-falutin' guitar pyrotechnics, and a myriad of swooshes and swirls and shimmering cymbals. All the makings of a Kurt Bestor or Yanni song, yet the depths here reach to the very bottom of your soul and there's only one word which adequately describes the feeling you get -- stately, regal, as if you were blessed to be king for a day and the best musicians in the land made music in your honor.
And despite all that it's an excellent record. Not only does it not dive into rock dumbness or Yanni cheese, it also manages to use every smooth jazz effect and _still_ not sound like crap. Witness "East Wes", Eric's tribute to Wes Montgomery. You could almost hear this song on a smooth jazz station (the antithesis of good music), but if you did it'd make everything else sound like the consumer plastic it is. Eric isn't trying to do straight-ahead Jazz, instead he's showing us this whole other world where none of these genre references really make sense.
It's not often that someone makes a really great record. It's even more rare when almost all the songs stand outside the accepted limits of hipness and make the rest of music look so unnecessary. Highly recommended.Ah Via Musicom Overview

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Aja Review

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Aja ReviewNot many albums have influenced me as much as Steely Dan's Aja. Donald Fagen and Walter Becker have created a most unique flavour of Jazz meets Rock where beatiful melodies, genius production and perfect performance blend to produce a timeless masterpiece. This album should be on the A-List of everyone who appreciates the beauty of music. The album is full of complex musical concepts which immediately remind the progressive rock fan some of the common manoeuvres in classic progressive rock albums. Take the title song "Aja" for example. This piece takes you on a eight minutes ride to diverse musical patterns that vary between rock and jazz moods, amplified by rich orchestration. Other songs such as "Decon Blues" and "Home At Last" constantly prove to be intriguing while "Black Cow" is captivating. The presence of saxophonist Wayne Shorter on "Aja" is blessed - as a serious Shorter's fan I was delighted to see his inclusion on the album and I regard this decision as a wise one - the solo part he plays is terrific, bringing his genius and gifts to combine perfectly with the different environment he plays in. I would also like to add it is worthwhile for Steely Dan fans to get the remastered version of the album, just for the sound quality. Usually I cannot tell the difference, but since I had the original CD release and heard it so much, I could compare. The difference is amazing, the quality is much better - you can actually hear new sounds and appreciate the separation of the different instruments. The liner notes are quite disappointing, so I ordered the DVD to learn more about making of this unusual album. This album made me buy all of Steely Dan's albums, so if you like it I would recommend underrated "The Royal Scam" and "Countdown to Ecstasy" albums, although all are excellent. Get this album, it may be one of your best musical purchases ever. I know my getting to know it was a bless.Aja OverviewThe biggest smash of Steely Dan's career-their #3 album from 1977, featuring three classic hits: Peg; Deacon Blues , and Josie . This jazzy album was also their biggest critical success, and this reissue adds new notes by Fagen and Becker!

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Transformation Review

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Transformation ReviewMany of us first saw Ms. "W" on the Eric Clapton "Crossroads" broadcast on PBS and were amazed by her bass playing with Jeff Beck. Her first solo CD shows that she is even better than her performance with Beck. Her songwriting abilities are commensurate with her bass playing. She is surrounded with great players. The joy she showed on the Crossroads performace is evident here...this young lady truly feels the joy of music and is gifted...a strong recommendation if you enjoy jazz/rock.Transformation Overview

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I Sing the Body Electric Review

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I Sing the Body Electric ReviewWayne Shorter and Joe Zawinul were arguably the two geniuses most responsible for Miles Davis's development from the mid-sixties into his electric period that revolutionized jazz in the seventies. Shorter constantly pushed the music forward with his adventurous compositions for Davis's "second great quintet" (some fantastic music there) and participated in "In a Silent Way" and "Bitches Brew" which launched fusion. Zawinul was the mastermind behind many compositions in the electric Miles period and helped define the different sounds that were to come from keyboardists in this style. Then the two left Miles to do things their own way, and thus they started Weather Report. Their first album, self-titled, was filled with fascinating quick sketches of new musical ideas capitalizing on the new palette of sounds that came from electronics. This album continued those experiments, but in a more developed and profound way. "Unknown Soldier" in particular is a masterpiece in angular, unconventional composition that manages to be beautiful and very challenging. "The Moors" features an appearance by guitarist Ralph Towner who plays an improvised introduction filled with ideas and lines nobody had ever thought of before, while managing to be extremely funky in some spots. I read that Towner was practicing some ideas for his intro, and Zawinul was concerned that he would be overly self-conscious when actually being recorded, so they recorded Towner practicing for the intro without his knowledge. It was good enough that they actually used his run-through, and when he finally said "okay, I'm ready," they told him he was already done.
The second half of the album is edited down from a performance in Tokyo, and the energy of the band in a live setting is astounding. They do an electrifying version of "Directions," the tune Zawinul wrote for Miles which became Miles's signature piece during his electric period. There's something angularly funky and otherworldly about this very simple melody and the way they play it.
The unfortunate thing about this album is expectations after the fact. Weather Report had only a cult following at this time, so the sound associated with this band from their later recordings is nowhere near what this album sounds like. This music is a lot closer to electric Miles, though it backs off a bit from the rock rhythms and focuses more on the headier aspects of the electronics. As a result, the music is very esoteric and difficult to approach even from familiarity with later Weather Report. If you find the description of this album interesting and want to appreciate it, explore Miles in the late sixties up through "In a Silent Way" and "Bitches Brew," and then get the first Weather Report album, the self-titled one. This is very deep, exploratory music that is completely enthralling for those people who know how to listen to it. Become one of those people.I Sing the Body Electric Overview

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Jeff Beck: Performing This Week... Live at Ronnie Scott's (2009) Review

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Jeff Beck: Performing This Week... Live at Ronnie Scott's (2009) ReviewThe overwhelming majority of this DVD consists of Jeff Beck's nonpareil guitar virtuosity. The instrumental performances that showcase his inimitable whammy bar mastery, tones, riffs and fretboard prowess include "Becks Bolero", "Where Were You'" Blast From The East," "A Day In The Life," "Stratus," "Scatterbrain," "Brush With The Blues," Big Block," and "Angel(Footsteps)." No other guitarist on the planet can strangle, coax and caress a universe of sounds from his instrument like the incomparable Jeff Beck. His guitar and bare fingers are fused and hardwired to his heart. Jeff Beck only uses his fingers and very few effects to summon majestic tones. There are sterling guest performances by Eric Clapton "Little Brown Bird," "You Need Love" and Imogen Heap "Rolling and Tumblin" and "Blanket", and a soulful Joss Stone rendition of "People Get Ready." Not only is the music magical-so is the aura and ambience of Ronnie Scott's renowned Jazz Club in London. This DVD is all killer and no filler. An imperative purchase!!!!
Update. " On January 31, 2010, Jeff Beck won a Grammy for his iconic instrumental performance on "A Day In The Life."Jeff Beck: Performing This Week... Live at Ronnie Scott's (2009) Overview

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