Bloggerhythms

This review was originally published on Bloggerhythms in 2006. After all of these years it's still one of my favorite Celtic albums of all time so I'm giving it another chance to be loved by all. It's been updated ever so slightly from the original. Commercially, The Corrs became a blockbuster success but to me they were never totally satisfying because they always lacked a clear identity. Did they want to be a mainstream pop band who frequently recorded some wimpy material or did they want to explore their Irish folk roots? The quartet tried to have it both ways, and unfortunately the two genres didn't always mesh well together. That uncertainty often lead to some schizophrenic and uneven albums. With Home , their aptly named CD from 2006 - and their last before a lengthy, decade long hiatus - The Corrs finally appeared to have found a home. The band still sounds very much like they always did but the three sisters and their brother ha...

Most people are unaware of Jacques Loussier. He was an excellent French, jazz pianist and classical composer who passed away on March 5, 2019. Many years ago, without any knowledge of who they were, I picked up an album by the Jacques Loussier Trio, Play Bach, Vol. 3 (1963), from a woman who held large record sales in her cellar twice a year. Her bargain basement prices demanded that purchasers take an occasional risk with their cash and sometimes they paid off handsomely. I could go on forever about some of the gems I discovered there and Loussier's record was one of them. Since this was the 80s, after greatly enjoying the pianist's unique work, I purchased more of the trio's later albums on what was, at the time, the new and exciting CD format. (My, how times change). Until now I never knew a thing about Loussier. I just played his albums and that was the end of it. I only discovered he had a long, successful career when I saw his recent obituary on another music w...

The Chieftains attempted to widen their audience with the release of Long Black Veil in 1995. This very cool CD featured many classic rock and pop musicians (all except for Ry Cooder come from the British Isles) singing lead vocals on mostly traditional songs. The arrangements makes you feel as if the guest stars lived with these folk songs on a daily basis because, to their credit, the Chieftains don't try to sound like a modern rock band. They play these songs with their traditional Irish folk instruments using their own natural style and special gifts. The Rolling Stones assist on "The Rocky Road to Dublin" while Mick Jagger alone tackles the title track. Mark Knopfler lends both his singing and producing skills to "The Lily of the West" while Welshman Tom Jones' version of "Tennessee Waltz" is so heartfelt that you momentarily forget his Vegas lounge-lizard image. (There's obviously a lot more to Jones than what meets the eye.) Sting a...

Many jazz purists who hate the whole smooth jazz scene have partially blamed American saxophonist Stan Getz, Brazilian guitarist/singer João Gilberto, and their famous 1964 classic album, Getz/Gilberto , for contributing the DNA that allowed Kenny G and other related criminals to run amok in the music world. However, their hate is completely misdirected and after listening to this eight song set recorded by the first two "Gs" you’ll understand why. Getz and Gilberto teamed with another famous Brazilian, pianist Antonio Carlos Jobim, who co-wrote most of the tracks on this album that jump-started an international craze for Bossa Nova. This somewhat dated, lighter jazz style thrives on vibrant melodies with upbeat tempos that are mostly supported by light and loose drum and percussion work. The guitar playing is mostly acoustic. The vocals are usually soft, tastefully refined, and often mysteriously sexy. All of these components thrived together in an atmosphere that cre...

You've probably only heard Israel (a. k. a. Iz) Kamakawiwo'ole's most famous song, "Somewhere over the Rainbow," on TV commercials or in a handful of movies. The tune features Iz's gorgeous vocal accompanied only by his solo ukulele. My love of his version of the classic song is second only to Judy Garland’s original from The Wizard of Oz . Iz recorded the song twice. The longer version combines Garland's classic with Louis Armstrong’s "It's a Wonderful World" and it's the one I prefer. The shorter track features just "Rainbow" without Armstrong’s hit. Recently, the song rode to the top of the charts in Germany even though it was first recorded for his 1993 CD, Facing Future . By selling 1,000,000 copies it is the first album in history by a Hawaiian artist to achieve platinum status. I became fascinated with Hawaiian music during my vacation there two years ago and I listened to more than a little bit of Iz on CDs I f...