Classic Yo-Yo CD

Classic Yo-Yo Those kings of cinematic quirkiness, the Coen brothers, fashioned their film O BROTHER, WHERE ART THOU? as a contemporary adaption of Homer's Odyssey, centering around a group of American chain-gang prisoners. The film's earthy Southern setting makes it a natural for a bluegrass-oriented soundtrack, for which producer T-Bone Burnett picked the cream of the country crop. "Didn't Leave Nobody But the Baby," for example, is a summit meeting of some of the finest contemporary female country vocalists (Gillian Welch, Emmylou Harris, and Alison Krauss). The old school isn't forgotten either, as evidenced by a chilling a cappella rendering of "O Death," courtesy of Ralph Stanley, and by the closing cut, where the Stanley Brothers issue an elegant plea to heaven with "Angel Band." Liner Note Author: Robert K. Oermann. Arrangers: Ed Haley; Gillian Welch; Alan Lomax; T-Bone Burnett; Carter Stanley. Personnel: Chris Thomas King, Dan Tyminski, Norman Blake, Sharon White (vocals, guitar); Sidney Cox (vocals, banjo); Suzanne Cox, Buck White (vocals, mandolin); John Hartford (vocals, fiddle); Wilson Waters (vocals, tenor saxophone); Cheryl White, Sarah Peasall, David Rawlings, Porter McLister, First Baptist Church Choir of White House, TN, First Baptist Church of Norfolk Choir, Joseph Rice, Dub Cornett, Gillian Welch, Harley Allen, Robert Hamlett, Leah Peasall, James Hill, Isaac Freeman, Willard Cox, Sam Phillips , Alison Krauss, Maura O'Connell, Tim Blake Nelson, Tim O'Brien, Pat Enright, Hannah Peasall (vocals); Mike Compton (guitar, mandolin); Chris Sharp, Evelyn Cox (guitar); Curtis Burch, Jerry Douglas (dobro); Ron Block (banjo); Sam Bush ...

Classic Yo-Yo COME AWAY WITH ME won the 2003 Grammy Awards for Album Of The Year, Best Pop Vocal Album and Best Engineered Album (Non-Classical). "Don't Know Why" won the 2003 Grammy Awards for Record Of The Year, Song Of The Year and Best Female Pop Vocal Performance. Arif Mardin won the 2003 Grammy Award for Producer Of The Year (Non-Classical). A direct descendant from the pedigree of one of the 20th century's virtuosos, Norah Jones might not be on such a lofty artistic level as her dad Ravi Shankar, but certainly inherited some musical intuition from him. With nary a sitar nor raga within earshot, the young newcomer sounds very much an assimilated, western, 21st century pop-jazz singer. One thing that separates her from the pack is Ms. Jones' own piano stylings--not flashy, but deftly doubling or echoing her voice--that discreetly act as the glue holding together these airy, delicate, and beautiful arrangements. But the centerpiece is certainly the 22-year-old's confident-beyond-her-years vocal delivery in addition to a precise diction and velvety tone. Shades of Nina Simone, vintage Phoebe Snow, and a less beatnik Rickie Lee Jones are evident throughout as the young siren coolly sashays through mostly new material by guitarist-songwriter Jesse Harris (formerly of Once Blue) and a few choice covers. Veteran producer Arif Mardin frames a most notable debut with a translucent touch, and appearances by jazz heroes Bill Frisell and Brian Blade gild the lily. Norah Jones won the 2003 Grammy Award for Best New Artist. Recorded at Sorcerer Sound, New York, New York and Allaire Studios, Shokan, New York. Personnel: Norah Jones (vocals, piano, electric piano, Wurlitzer organ); Kevin Breit (guitar, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, National guitar); Adam Rogers (guitar); Adam Levy , Jesse Harris , Jesse Harris & the Ferdinandos (acoustic guitar, electric guitar); Tony Scherr (acoustic guitar, slide guitar); Bill Frisell (electric guitar); Jenny Scheinman (violin); Rob Burger (accordion, pump organ); Brian Blade (drums, percussion); Dan Rieser, Kenny Wollesen (drums). Audio Mixers: Jay Newland; Arif Mardin. Audio Remixer: Jay Newland. Recording information: Allaire Studios, Shokan, NY (2001); Sorcerer SOund, New York, NY (2001). Photographer: Joanne Savio. Personnel: Norah Jones (vocals, piano, Wurlitzer piano); Jesse Harris, Kevin Breit (acoustic & electric guitars); Tony Scherr (acoustic guitar, slide guitar); Adam Levy, Bill Frisell (electric guitar); Adam Rogers (guitar); Jenny Scheinman (violin); Sam Yahel (Hammond B-3 organ); Rob Burger (organ); Lee Alexander (bass); Brian Blade (drums, percussion); Dan Reiser, Kenny Wollesen (drums). Producers: Arif Mardin, Norah Jones, Jay Newland, Craig Street.

Classic Yo-Yo In the course of putting together the live Led Zeppelin DVD for 2003 release, Jimmy Page came across some great concert recordings from the band's 1972 stint in California. HOW THE WEST WAS WON is three discs' worth of vintage Zep, far superior to the band's only other live album THE SONG REMAINS THE SAME. Here is the fearsome foursome in all their glory and fury, coming off like crazed rock & roll Vikings on the opening "Immigrant Song," reinventing the blues form on "Heartbreaker," and just plain rocking the doors off the joint on "Rock and Roll" and "Black Dog." This being 1972, the band had made its journey into the folk-rock realm as well, and come out with the touching "Going to California" and "That's the Way," the earthy "Bron-Yr-Aur Stomp," and the minstrel-in-the-hills fancy of "Over the Hills and Far Away," all of which are given strong voice here. A 25-minute "Dazed and Confused" and epic-length drum solo on the John Bonham feature "Moby Dick" show that Zep was unafraid to venture into anything they damn well pleased, but the bluesy grit and primal hard-rock crunch of their feel throughout this collection reveals the pure visceral magic of which these '70s icons were capable. Recorded at Los Angeles Forum, Los Angeles, California and Long Beach Area, Long Beach, California on June 25 & 27, 1972. Personnel: Robert Plant (vocals, harmonica); Jimmy Page (acoustic guitar, electric guitar); John Paul Jones (mandolin, keyboards, bass guitar); John Bonham (drums, percussion). Audio Mixer: Kevin Shirley. Recording information: LA Forum (06/25/1972/06/27/1972); Long Beach Arena (06/25/1972/06/27/1972); Sarm West Studios, London, England (06/25/1972/06/27/1972). Photographers: Jeffrey Mayer; James Fortune; Michael Putland; Jim Cummins. Led Zeppelin: Robert Plant (vocals); Jimmy Page (guitar); John Paul Jones (keyboards, bass); John Bonham (drums).

Classic Yo-Yo Although the subtitle suggests that A HUNDRED MILES OR MORE is just a standard greatest hits set, this anthology is actually something far more useful. The career-spanning 16-track set gathers nearly all of Alison Krauss's soundtrack appearances, guest shots on other folks' albums, tribute songs, and a handful of other rarities. By gathering all this material in one place, it's a hugely useful album for fans, but on its own musical merits, A HUNDRED MILES OR MORE contains some of Alison Krauss's best work. Highlights include "Down to the River to Pray," her haunting a cappella addition to the Grammy winning O BROTHER WHERE ART THOU soundtrack, and her version of Elvis Costello's "The Scarlet Tide" from the soundtrack to the Civil War romance COLD MOUNTAIN. Audio Remixer: Gary Paczosa. Liner Note Author: Jim Bessman. Recording information: Blackbird, Nashville, TN; Capitol Studios, Hollywood, CA; Emerald Studio A, Nashville, TN; Ocean Way, Nashville, TN; Seventeen Grand, Nashville, TN; Sound Emporium, Nashville, TN; Steerpike Studio; The Brown Cloud, Nashville, TN; The Castle, Franklin, TN. Photographers: Gary Paczosa; Pamela Springsteen; Robert Alford; Russ Harrington; Michael Wilson ; Randee Saint Nicholas; Matt Barnes. Arrangers: Paddy Moloney; Gordie Sampson. Personnel: Alison Krauss (vocals, fiddle, viola); Alison Krauss (background vocals); John Waite (vocals, bass instrument); James Taylor Jr., James Taylor (vocals); Tom Bukovac (guitar, guitars); Ron Block (guitar, electric guitar, background vocals); Steve Buckingham (dulcimer); Sam Bush (mandolin, background vocals); Matt Rollins, Keith Ciancia, Matt Rollins, Keefus Ciancia (piano); Jim Cox (Hammond b-3 organ); Viktor Krauss, Dennis Crouch (bass instrument); Harry Stinson (drum set); Cheryl White, Sting (background vocals); Brad Paisley (vocals, acoustic guitar, baritone guitar); Stuart Duncan (guitar, baritone ukulele, violin, fiddle); Gordie Sampson, Tony Rice (guitar); Carl Jackson (acoustic guitar, gut-string guitar); Dan Tyminski (acoustic guitar, mandolin, background vocals); Jeff White, Michael Spriggs, B. James Lowry (acoustic guitar); Mike Johnson (steel guitar); Jerry Douglas (lap steel guitar, dobro); Bill Piburn (classical guitar); Béla Fleck (banjo); David Schnaufer (dulcimer); Adam Steffey (mandola); Bryan Sutton (mandolin); Chris Carmichael (violin, viola, cello); Natalie MacMaster, Justin Williamson (fiddle); Martin Tillman (cello); The Nashville String Machine (strings); Gordon Mote (piano, Fender Rhodes piano); Catherine Marx (piano); Patrick Warren (harmonium); Scott Baggett (keyboards); Kevin Grantt (bass instrument, upright bass); Abraham Laboriel, Sr. (bass instrument, drums); Barry Bales (acoustic bass, electric bass); Shannon Forrest (drums, percussion); Greg Morrow, Larry Atamanuik, Tony Creasman, Andy Peake, Ben Sesar (drums); Eric Darken, Kenny Malone (percussion); David Rawlings, Porter McLister, First Baptist Church Choir of White House, TN, Dub Cornett, Gillian Welch, Kenny Lewis, Maura O'Connell, Norman Blake, Sam Phillips , Tim O'Brien, Pat Enright (background vocals). Audio Mixers: Paddy Moloney; Jeff Wolpert; Justin Niebank; Mike Piersante; Mike Shipley; Brian Masterson.

Classic Yo-Yo THE LOOK OF LOVE won the 2002 Grammy Award For Best Engineered Album. While there's no denying that jazz-pop star Diana Krall's movie-star good looks went a long way toward endearing her to mainstream America, that's just the tip of the iceberg. Just as undeniable are Krall's gifts as a pianist and singer. Far from a crass populist, she's a subtle, nuanced performer who approaches her craft with an excess of skill and knowledge. This is apparent from the very beginning of THE LOOK OF LOVE, when Krall tackles the overly familiar Gershwin chestnut "S'Wonderful" not the way countless jazz singers have done in preceding decades, but in a style influenced by Joao Gilberto, who recorded the tune years before in a simmering bossa nova mode. This marriage of canny craft and artistic inspiration is repeated again and again throughout the album. Most of the songs here have been trotted out countless times by Krall's contemporaries and (especially) predecessors, but her thoughtful phrasing and low-key dynamic shifts match her unhurried, pastel piano style on each tune to bring out something special at the song's core. Asian exclusive version featuring a bonus CD Single with 3 tracks: 'Have Yourself A Merry Xmas', 'Xmas Time Is Here', & 'Jingle Bells' Recorded at Avatar Studios, New York, New York from Januray 22-27, 2001 and Capitol Studios, Hollywood, California on June 3 & 4, 2001. Personnel: Diana Krall (vocals, piano); Dori Caymmi , John Pisano, Romero Lubambo, Russell Malone (guitar); Jeff Hamilton , Peter Erskine (drums); Luis Conte, Paulinho Da Costa (percussion). Audio Mixer: Al Schmitt. Recording information: Avatar Studios, New York, NY (01/22/2001-06/04/2001); Capitol Studios, Hollywood, CA (01/22/2001-06/04/2001); EMI Abbey Road Studios, London, England (01/22/2001-06/04/2001). Photographers: Jane Shirek; Bruce Weber. Personnel includes: Diana Krall (vocals, piano); Claus Ogerman (arranger, conductor); Russell Malone, Romero Lubambo, John Pisano, Dori Caymmi (guitar); Christian McBride (bass); Peter Erskine, Jeff Hamilton (drums); Paulinho Da Costa, Luis Conte (percussion).

Classic Yo-Yo Vocalist Stacey Kent may or may not be "the greatest ballad singer in half a century," as her PR claims, but her straightforward renditions of these by-request ballads are not at all generic. What makes them consistently delightful is her unique sound and delivery. There's a certain brassiness, a trumpet-like pointedness, in her voice, as well as a host of endearing idiosyncrasies. Listen to her pronounce the word "idea" in George and Ira Gershwin's "Isn't It a Pity?" Or deliver these remarkable lyrics from the same song: "What joys untasted!/You, reading Heine/Me, somewhere in China." And later, "My nights were sour, spent with Schopenhauer." Kent knows how to make every tune fit her own musical persona. Dreamsville includes a number of seldom-heard gems, particularly "You Are There" by Johnny Mandel and Dave Frishberg, "You're Looking at Me" by Bobby Troup, and the ever-stunning title track by Henry Mancini. She also presents perennial favorites like "Polka Dots and Moonbeams" and "Thanks for the Memory" (the latter not exactly a ballad). And although this is Kent's hour all the way, her band provides expert backing and more than a few surprises. The singer's husband, Jim Tomlinson, takes a break from tenor sax to play a sumptuous clarinet solo on "Polka Dots." And in the midst of Rodgers & Hart's "Little Girl Blue," pianist David Newton, bassist Simon Thorpe, and drummer Jasper Kviberg fall away, entering again only after Tomlinson and Colin Oxley perform a hushed tenor/guitar duet chorus. ~ David R. Adler Here's a collection (originally released in 2001) of some of the greatest ballads ever written, but chosen by the fans rather than Stacey or her record label. The whole album is dedicated to all those fans, friends and family who have supported Stacey ov Recorded at Curtis Schwartz Studios, Ardingly, England from June 19-21, 2000. Personnel: Stacey Kent (vocals); Jim Tomlinson (flute, clarinet, tenor saxophone). Audio Mixer: Curtis Schwartz . Recording information: Curtis Schwartz Studios, Ardingly, England (06/19/2000-06/21/2000). Arrangers: Jim Tomlinson; Stacey Kent. Personnel: Stacey Kent (vocals); Jim Tomlinson (tenor saxophone, flute, clarinet); David Newton (piano); Colin Oxley (guitar); Simon Thorpe (bass); Jasper Kviberg (drums).