Best Of Louis Armstrong, The (The Hot Five & Hot Seven Recordings/Original Masters) - Louis Armstrong

Advantages: Amazing contrast of voices,
Disadvantages: Some sonic quality is lost due to the age of the recording

...This CD is a brilliant stepping-stone into the Jazz world. The instantly recognisable voice of Louis Armstrong is familiarly heart warming, Louis stood next to the sensational Ella, make a fine pair. The strong vocals are supported by the excellent band, with great instrumental links keeping the listener on the edge of their seat. The intensity and coarseness of Mr. Armstrong's voice compels the audience to wish for the next scat solo or the next parade of incredible human talent that is Louis. Of course the same can be said of the sassy Ms. Fitzgerald who can sustain these high levels of aptitude. I recommend this CD to any budding music fan who wishes to broaden their Musical horizons! HAPPY LISTENING! BY, JAKE HEMMING... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average somewhat helpful

Advantages: Some great songs
Disadvantages: Not a true career retrospective

...A quick survey of my CD collection betrays my taste in Blondie, the Strokes, REM, Talking Heads, Scissor Sisters, Duran Duran, the Ramones, Franz Ferdinand and others. Something of an eclectic mix already in that bunch, but it would be safe to argue that at least the above artists all safely fit into the typical 'rock' category. Well, maybe not Duran Duran, but there we go (and quit the sniggering at the back, Duran Duran are quality, quality I tell you!). Nestled among these various albums (the number of which are getting quite out of hand but there we go, what can you do when you have such fine taste in music?) are a few little gems by one of soul's greatest singers and one of the best and most under-rated songwriters of all time, Mr. Stevie Wonder. While admittedly something of a sharp contrast to anything else in my music collection... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful

Advantages: It's Neil Diamond
Disadvantages: It's Neil Diamond

...but people actually thought it looked cool. It's only to be expected from him but me? Nah. Even so, I made a mental note at the time that if I could find a Neil Diamond album from the 60s at a car boot - he'd warned me off pretty much anything recorded after 1972 as "for hardened Neil-aholics only" - I'd swipe it, for experimental purposes. Spool forward a few years, five, to be exact and Mrs Sweary is busy compiling her Christmas CD list on Amazon - I buy what I want, other people give me the money. Having selected the greatest hits of Faithless, Daniel Powter and Athlete - I'm telling you this is a brazen attempt to prove that I listen to real music by proper popular music combos as well as erm... the stuff I'm describing - she then finds she is about 3 pence short of the £25 required to qualify for free postage. Arse! What to do... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful