Ravel: Boléro

Advantages: Superb Musicianship, Superb Music and a sense of humour
Disadvantages: No Bloero (on Mine)

...The title is The Best Band You Never Heard In Your Life. This is an amazing album. My only complaint is that my version doesnt include their version of Ravel's Bolero. This was masically , the best band that Zappa ever put together, recorded in 1988 and released in 1991. The blurb say that it's "big band arrangements of concert favourites and obscure album cuts along with deranged cover versions and a few premiere recording", which sums up the album. The album opens with "Heavy Duty Judy" basically a jam over three chords with lots of twiddly bits, which segues into a reggae , big band version of "Ring of Fire" complete with spot on Johnny Cash impersonation. The first CD continues in a similar vein , touching down on "I left My Heart in San Franciso" culminating in "Inca Roads" and the sublime "Sofa No 1". The second CD opens... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: Brilliant Selection of Music
Disadvantages: None, I love it!

...I never thought I would learn something from the Saturday morning Jonathan Ross radio show but there I was driving home from work a couple of weeks ago when they started talking about this album. They then played track 1 and I was hooked. It stayed in my head all the way home and as soon as I got home I went onto Amazon and ordered the disc. Now, I am a musician so hear new music all the time and this is something I would very rarely do. I just loved that first track. Anyway, the album, track 1, Oh What A World. Its a great song very simple in style. It has a big orchestral backing and is actually inspired by Ravels Bolero, (If you don't know it, think of ice dancing and Torvill and Dean, they did their really famous dance to it!) There are a couple of quotes from the Bolero but it doesn't distract from the song and it has been done... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: A wide variety of music CD contains lyric booklet
Disadvantages: Not easy to find in strores

...- it is just that your ears pick up the tune and you know where it comes from! The 14 piece group show a versatility to play a wide variety of styles of music. This is actually an American band founded by a guy called Thomas Lauderdale and the principal vocals are by a lady called China Forbes, although there are some purely instrumental tracks. The music is an eclectic mix - somewhere between a 1930s Cuban dance orchestra and a classical chamber music ensemble, with a bit of Japanese thrown in! It is jazzy, salsa, samba, French music hall, and a somewhat bizzarre version of Ravel's Bolero with vocals thrown in… My favorite tracks are Amado mio, Sympathique, Brazil (instantly recognisable chorus), Donde Estas Yolanda (upbeat samba?) and a very slow but moody version of Que Sera Sera Sympathique track listing: 1. Amado Mio (Fisher / Roberts) 4... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: Superb Musicianship, Superb Music and a sense of humour
Disadvantages: No Bloero (on Mine)

...The title is The Best Band You Never Heard In Your Life. This is an amazing album. My only complaint is that my version doesnt include their version of Ravel's Bolero. This was masically , the best band that Zappa ever put together, recorded in 1988 and released in 1991. The blurb say that it's "big band arrangements of concert favourites and obscure album cuts along with deranged cover versions and a few premiere recording", which sums up the album. The album opens with "Heavy Duty Judy" basically a jam over three chords with lots of twiddly bits, which segues into a reggae , big band version of "Ring of Fire" complete with spot on Johnny Cash impersonation. The first CD continues in a similar vein , touching down on "I left My Heart in San Franciso" culminating in "Inca Roads" and the sublime "Sofa No 1". The second CD opens... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: Brilliant Selection of Music
Disadvantages: None, I love it!

...I never thought I would learn something from the Saturday morning Jonathan Ross radio show but there I was driving home from work a couple of weeks ago when they started talking about this album. They then played track 1 and I was hooked. It stayed in my head all the way home and as soon as I got home I went onto Amazon and ordered the disc. Now, I am a musician so hear new music all the time and this is something I would very rarely do. I just loved that first track. Anyway, the album, track 1, Oh What A World. Its a great song very simple in style. It has a big orchestral backing and is actually inspired by Ravels Bolero, (If you don't know it, think of ice dancing and Torvill and Dean, they did their really famous dance to it!) There are a couple of quotes from the Bolero but it doesn't distract from the song and it has been done... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: A wide variety of music CD contains lyric booklet
Disadvantages: Not easy to find in strores

...- it is just that your ears pick up the tune and you know where it comes from! The 14 piece group show a versatility to play a wide variety of styles of music. This is actually an American band founded by a guy called Thomas Lauderdale and the principal vocals are by a lady called China Forbes, although there are some purely instrumental tracks. The music is an eclectic mix - somewhere between a 1930s Cuban dance orchestra and a classical chamber music ensemble, with a bit of Japanese thrown in! It is jazzy, salsa, samba, French music hall, and a somewhat bizzarre version of Ravel's Bolero with vocals thrown in… My favorite tracks are Amado mio, Sympathique, Brazil (instantly recognisable chorus), Donde Estas Yolanda (upbeat samba?) and a very slow but moody version of Que Sera Sera Sympathique track listing: 1. Amado Mio (Fisher / Roberts) 4... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful