Sold Your Soul - Blue J's

Advantages: Some decent rhythm and blues
Disadvantages: Film dialogue in the wrong places

...the potential to be a great song, but the constant switching of vocalists and musicians so everyone gets a go in the spotlight leaves the song feeling more like a patchwork quilt than one piece of music and like "Season of the Witch", it does seem to go on a bit too long. The next track is far more what Blues Brothers fans would be expecting from this album, as it has the band playing true to form on "Turn On Your Love Light". This is an upbeat rhythm and blues number with a horn backing that in parts reminds me of the horn section in "Everybody Needs Somebody", one of the band's better known numbers from the original film. This is the song that shows the whole band, musicians and vocalists, at their best and working together, although J. Evan Bonifant's vocal sounds a little shrill. The big closing number is another where everyone, both... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful

Advantages: The wonderful tracks My Man, Don't Explain etc
Disadvantages: The dialogue interupts musical flow

...is heavenly! This is one of those haunting songs that sends cold shivers down the spine. My Man is just triumphant! The real beauty, essence of soul in Dianas own unique sound really pours out on this exalting number. Her diction and lyrical phrasing are so precise and her prenounciations on the more complex material are impressivley mastered to perfection. Other highlights on the Lady Sings The Blues soundtrack (1972)range from the sassy Gimme A Pigfoot And A Bottle Of Beer, an almost frivoulous song, seemingly screaming out about fun and rebellion, to the playful tone of Love Is Here To Stay, to the restrained anguish in her voice on You're Mean To Me and to her more bubbly presentation of What A Little Moonlight Can Do. Diana displays such yearning naievity which was so true to Billies style on I cried For You whilst absolutely... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: Great vocals, great music, great songs...Perfect!
Disadvantages: None

.... In short he's versatile and difficult to categorise. As 'whispering' Bob Harris would've said presenting such an artist on 'The Old Grey Whistle Test', Mario Biondi's musical influences and expressions are an 'eclectic' mix. The debut album 'A Handful of Soul' recorded in 2006, the title track of which is taken from one of the classic American Soul/Jazz tracks he covers, perfectly displays his vocal talents and his consummate choice of songs helps to exhibit those talents. The record is indeed a mixture of old and new and also a mixture of musical styles from the Bossa Latin jazz beats of covers like 'A Child Runs Free', the samba influenced upbeat 'Rio de Janeiro Blue', the pure soul sound of 'No Mercy For Me' and 'Never Die' to the swing style of 'On A Clear Day', 'You Can See Forever'. To say the record grows on you would be a little... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful