Average Rating:

.

Double Standards

Childrens Toy Shop > Music > Jazz
by: Martin Taylor

October 13, 2008
I heard a sneak preview of "Triste" on a jazz programme on the radio last Sunday night. I was immediately seduced and ordered the album on-line. It arrived yesterday and I haven't stopped playing it!
I've seen Martin Taylor play live several times and he has GOT to be the greatest jazz guitarist - ever. He manages to play basslines, partial rhythmn and melody all simultaneously making him sound like two guitarists playing together.
On this album he has recorded some jazz standards then overdubbed himself improvising over the original track, so now he sounds like THREE guitarists all playing together.
The clarity and tone of his Vanden guitar is phenomenal - this recording is so well produced, no gimmicky digital effects - Taylor's ... Read More:

Average Rating:

.

Simply Swing

Childrens Toy Shop > Music > Jazz
by: Various Artists

August 08, 2005
I heard a sneak preview of "Triste" on a jazz programme on the radio last Sunday night. I was immediately seduced and ordered the album on-line. It arrived yesterday and I haven't stopped playing it!
I've seen Martin Taylor play live several times and he has GOT to be the greatest jazz guitarist - ever. He manages to play basslines, partial rhythmn and melody all simultaneously making him sound like two guitarists playing together.
On this album he has recorded some jazz standards then overdubbed himself improvising over the original track, so now he sounds like THREE guitarists all playing together.
The clarity and tone of his Vanden guitar is phenomenal - this recording is so well produced, no gimmicky digital effects - Taylor's ... Read More:

Average Rating:

.

Turntable Soul Music

Childrens Toy Shop > Music > Jazz
by: Belleruche

July 16, 2007
I have to agree with the reviewer "El Burrito" here. I too have been trying to understand "what all the fuss is about". I have been searching for something catchy about this album but am struggling to find it. The first track Northern Swing is a promising number however in my opinion none of the other tracks live up to it. Generally speaking I find that if an album such as 'Turntable Soul Music' has been reviewed twelve times on Amazon, eleven of which have favorable reviews that this is usually a good indicator to whether an album is worth buying or not. However in this case I'm guessing all the favorable reviews came from mates of the band or such like....?

Average Rating:

.

Moanin': Remastered

Childrens Toy Shop > Music > Jazz
by: Art Blakey

May 03, 1999
This is the sort of Jazz you'll hear in (coffee) bars. More emphasis on the (drum) beat than, for instance, in Miles Davis 'Kind of Blue'. Excellent playing, original compositions. Title track is one of the all time classic, instantly recognisable jazz tracks.
No freak rythms but big bouncy jazz. Classic album on par with the aforementioned. Better still, less 'cool' and less 'boring'(can one really say this?) than many of Miles late 50's and early 60's stuff. Recommended as an introduction or addition to the uniniated of jazz (like me). Can't be disappointing.

Average Rating:

.

Come Fly With Me [CD + DVD]

Childrens Toy Shop > Music > Jazz
by: Michael Buble

May 17, 2004
The star rating is for the music. Michael sings many popular songs and must face the possibility of being compared to the people that made tem popular. Many people in that position do funny things with the music, thinking that they have to make it unique; Michael does not have to do this (with little exception). He is just being his self and it is great just the way he is.
On the other hand this package also contains a DVD which can make great jewelry or maybe hung from a tree to scare birds. It is like one big sound bite; there is no constancy or course to his rattling. On the technical side the soundtrack is out of sing with the video. The video itself looks like the Blair Witch Project; it can not hold steady or focus.

Average Rating:

.

In The Wee Small Hours

Childrens Toy Shop > Music > Jazz
by: Frank Sinatra

November 09, 1992
When you are looking for something you can sit and listen to with lights dimmed and drink at hand, then this is surely it. Sinatra's voice is at its expressive best, so much so, if you close your eyes you could be on the next bar stool.

A superb colection of saloon songs that ranks among Sinatra's best.

Average Rating:

.

Polar Bear

Childrens Toy Shop > Music > Jazz
by: Polar Bear

July 28, 2008
Apparently recorded in late 2006 but not released until now, Mercury-nominated Polar Bear's third album is also their longest, and sees them making increasing use of electronics to add texture to their music. Songs like Goodbye dissolve from the kind of tuneful, genre-hopping upbeat cool jazz we recognise as Polar Bear's signature sound into a cloud of low-key electronic droning before transforming seamlessly into the following track, while Voices is out-and-out ambient jazz, and good with it. All the while Polar Bear weave through bop, fusion, free and any other kind of jazz they fancy with scant regard for conservative classicism, proving themselves yet again to be about the best band in the world in any musical field. Awesome.

Average Rating:

.

Motion

Childrens Toy Shop > Music > Jazz
by: Cinematic Orchestra

September 27, 1999
I agree with most of the reviewers comments - dark, smokey, jass/fusion etc. etc. I would suggest that anyone who enjoys works from early Soft Machine (first to fifth), Ian Carr's Nucleus, Isotope to Angelo Badalamenti's Fire Walk With Me should give this album a listen.

Average Rating:

.

I Like This One

Childrens Toy Shop > Music > Jazz
by: Joe Stilgoe

October 13, 2008
I happened to stumble into a Ronnie Scotts the other day, without knowing what was on the bill and I was lucky enough to encouter this extraordinarly talented young man. He is not just a virtuosic musician, but a tunesmith, a songcrafter, (this makes him sound like a character from Lord of the Rings) and without undermining the seriousness and quality of his musicianship his songs were interdispersed with witting anecdotes and silly wordplay. So what can I say? Luckily the CD did not disappoint - I'm hooked. Move over Jamie Cullum and Michael Bubble. Oh, and incase you're reading this Joe, I too love the Isle of Wight, and the Donkey Sanctuary there - maybe one day we'll meet whilst admiring the the slightly deformed spines of those lovely creatures.

Average Rating:

.

Call Me Irresponsible: Special Edition

Childrens Toy Shop > Music > Jazz
by: Michael Buble

April 30, 2007
From top to bottom, this is a great CD. Every track Michael does it perfect.
I have yet to see him in concert, but should I get the chance I will. Probably one of the greatest singers (now) of our time.
He has taken off where Frank Sinatra left off.