effort to show that she can handle a number of different roles. Does that mean it's bad listening? Of course not. McArdle (and husband/producer Edd Kalehoff) proves her point that she is one of Broadway's greatest and most versatile voices of the last quarter century and is still going strong at the ripe old age of 30. Here she sings numbers from the various places she's been over the years, including State Fair , Les Misérables , and, of course, Annie , as well as her wish list-- Evita , Oliver! and Meet Me in St. Louis (it's tantalizing to imagine her in the Judy Garland role). Anyone who had tried to file Andrea McArdle under the category of "Whatever happened to..." should pick up this album and enjoy. --David Horiuchi  (less)

this is a 12-song ode to escapism, a vividly spun world where reality meets fantasy. From dreamy to dramatic from playful to ironic, the songs jump out of a dynamic foundation featuring Andrea at the helm on piano. As befits such fantastical lyrical content, evocative arrangements make use of a broad and colorful sonic palette weaving spooky Mellotrons, quirky Farfisas, and luscious string quartets into the mix. But as is true of real artists, these adventurous arrangements are all in support of one thing; Andrea Wittgens and her instantly arresting voice. Born in Nova Scotia, Andrea grew up studying classical piano, singing jazz vocals and training as a dancer. After a spontaneous move to the Pacific Northwest in the late 90s, she began a po...  (less)

the 1996 Ricordi critical edition, and somehow unveil world premieres of three Vivaldi concertos. Their period-instrument performance of The Four Seasons is beautifully played and recorded. Andrea Marcon's conducting stretches the Adagio movements out, but the group makes up for lost time in some feverish Allegro sections. Carmignola's tone is impeccable and his playing sounds incredibly fresh throughout, even on this tried-and-true work. Does the ensemble's Italian background help their understanding of Vivaldi's music (as the liner notes surmise)? Probably not, but they've done their homework on these pieces, and they put plenty of drama into their performances. The violin concertos they dust off are impressive as well, especially for the deft f...  (less)

to Enjoy Str8 Or Warped, You Simply Can't Forget It. Includes Mixes from Marc Aurel and Tillmann Uhlmacher. Simply Irresistable!  (less)

Women'- this is the perfect summer funky house tune! La Griffe comprise of DJ Mazza (Aka Flickman and Phunk Electric Fame) & Andrea Cerutti (DJ Fuzzy Hair). DJ Mazza is most renowned for his work alongside Black Box in the Mid-Nineties and Fuzzy hair for his international smash 'Higher' in 2002 , he has remixed for house heavyweights like David Guetta, Eric Morillo, Inaya Day and Benny Benassi. Now the duo join forces to define their brand of high-fashioned funkified house music by reworking an 80's dance floor classic into an up to date club smash.  (less)

sensation that has entrenched itself so deeply so fast, and a first spin of Ancora makes it harder still: while predictable selections like "I Believe in You," a duet with Celine, and "You Raise Me Up," a Spanish-sung Josh Groban retread, ratchet up the treacle, the foreign-language tracks that are truly foreign lend this foursome enough Euro mystique to redeem them. Particularly melt-worthy is "Poor Que Tu M'aimes Encore," the closer. Singing in tongues, on the face of it, sounds like a bad idea. Ancora counters that with bold voices, brimming hearts, and its cover--if the songs aren't quite enough to seduce you, the singers might just do the trick. --Tammy La Gorce  (less)

Mark Horowitz (flute), John Catchings (cello), Sam Bacco (percussion), and Mike Bub (bass). Favorite holiday tunes make up this 15-track album!  (less)

that it's impossible not to get caught up in their passion for the music. Carmignola attacks this music with the expressivity of a superb Italian tenor; his control over dynamics, fast runs, and leaps are remarkable--and he does it all without a trace of vibrato (not very Italian-tenor in that respect). The finale of RV 325 features urgent downward scales from the orchestra while the violin carries on insanely above it; the Largo of RV 303 contains some wonderfully odd chromatic writing. RV 190 is a complicated work, featuring a rich first movement cadenza by Olivier Foures, a lovely song-like Largo, and a final Allegro that will make you want to dance. In short, this is a very exciting CD. Vivaldi lovers won't have to be con...  (less)

tearful tenderness always seems one step away from breaking, but it never does; he always delivers. Instead of opening his throat and letting the voice ride the wave of the breath, Bocelli unabashedly throws his voice towards the high notes. And it works! The sound is light, nasal, and effortlessly produced, and the money notes at his tenor's top expand as vividly as a hot-air balloon. Like a pop singer, Bocelli leans on the middle voice. What he lacks in phrasing, he makes up for through his commitment to passion. Conductor Zubin Mehta's sensitive orchestra teases, expands, frolics, and enriches, frequently upstaging the singers with his rich orchestral emotion. Barbara Fritto...  (less)

this themed compilation. What does the Largo from Handel's opera Serse , featuring countertenor Andreas Scholl (his name consistently misspelled on the CD, by the way), have to do with the Yuletide season? No matter, it is after all one of the world's supreme melodies, and Scholl is part of the motley collection of big-name performers Decca has culled from its catalog for this release, which also includes Luciano Pavarotti, Cecilia Bartoli, Marilyn Horne, Bryn Terfel, et al. The anthology is weighted heavily toward the baroque, with a number of Bach selections and seven tracks from Messiah (another work that has by popular tradition become most associated with Christmas even though it was conceived as an Easter celebration). The latter make a sort of mini-a...  (less)

and softens the arrangements as guitarist/keyboardist Dustin O'Halloran goes for a Mazzy Star-like intimacy. Not that there hasn't always been a little Hope Sandoval in vocalist Sara Lov's lilting and lovely alto, but Devics miss Mazzy's nocturnal, psychedelic edge. The record's best moments come when O'Halloran and Lov decide it's OK to raise a small ruckus and combine drawn-out phrasing with some rhythmic momentum. "Distant Radio" makes wonderful use of Lov's tone, and recalls some of The Sundays' wistful bliss, while "A Secret Message To You" features a cute typewriter click for tempo and atmosphere. But too often, songs leave compelling ideas dangling around the edges. "Salty Seas" mines a Cat Power vibe, but can't match Chan Marshall's emotional highwir...  (less)

thanks to Andrea Boccelli, Josh Groban, Mario Frangoulis, Russell Watson and many others. Forte is a collection of classical and contemporary music including 'Show Me The Way Back To Your Heart' composed for Destino3 by Grammy Award winning songwriter Diane Warren.  (less)