Pastels - Stan Hope

Advantages: Near perfect saxophony.
Disadvantages: Too smooth.

...The Very Best of Stan Getz. Sax Moods. The cost of this double CD varies, I actually got mine from a boot sale for £3, it can be bought on Amazon for less than a fiver. Stan Getz, to me, on tenor sax is like Kenny G is to soprano, Mr smooth. There is no doubt that this has been both his accolade and his downfall. Traditional jazz fans may well find him too smooth, yet his pedigree and grounding was in some of the more bebop style bands. His 'tone' when playing has been called 'the sound' as it is pretty near perfect, now personally I like something a little more 'off' perfect. This double CD is broadly (though not completely) split into two genres. The first CD is more traditional jazz tunes and ballads whilst the 2nd CD is dominated by Latin, Bossa Nova type tunes, not my favourite genre (CD 2). The thing I do like about... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful

Advantages: A great jazz collection
Disadvantages: Stan is the only soloist

...I don't know if this album received that much attention when it came out but I've been listening to it lately a lot. I'm a saxophone player, and Getz is not even usually one of my favorites. I always thought his sound was too lightweight or something. The only albums I liked were the early Bossa Nova ones, but not any more. He plays so soulfully on this album, it's like he's literally crying, wailing, and his sound is so beautiful and big and perfect intonation--all the more amazing since he had terminal cancer at the time of the recording. You would never know it. This is a very arranged album with lots of horns and synthesized instruments and percussion and lots of different styles and grooves, but don't let that discourage you because it's very intimate and Stan is the only soloist, blowing all the way through. Occasionally... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: Very easy to listen to, relaxing
Disadvantages: Not enough songs on the CD

...Who are they? Have you ever heard of them? Thats what i said when i heard everybodys changing for the first time. I came home later that day had my dinner and went online and thought i'll buy that album, that sounded good. I'm glad i did because it was easily the best album i bought last year. Excellent vocals, Moving lyrics, A wonderful array of excellent tunes to tickle your ears, much better than u2 last album by a country mile.(And i like u2)Definitely the best album of the last year. I just hope Keane can produce more great albums like this in the very near future. A must have if you dont already have it. My only complaint is that theres not enough songs on the CD.... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average somewhat helpful