In answer to all of this, Cole simply proceeded, crooning beautifully even after he'd walked away from the piano and become primarily a vocal sensation. This 1956 collection is famous as Cole's riposte to the critique that he wasn't jazzy. The session brings several Swing Era stars on board: violinist Stuff Smith, trumpeter Harry "Sweets" Edison, trombonist Juan Tizol, and alto saxophonist Willie Smith. The horns and violin fronted a semistandard jazz setup of guitar, drums, and percussion, along with Cole's own considerable chops on piano. As an improviser, Cole heavily influenced a generation of ivory ticklers, including Oscar Peterson and others, and here he shows himself a stellar pianist. His runs bespeak Cole's utter perfection on the keyboard. Th...  (less)

harmony. Brooks isn't the only notable guest on Jasper County --Ronnie Dunn drops by on "Try Me," and Beth Nielsen Chapman (always one of Yearwood's favorite tunesmiths) harmonizes on "Trying to Love You," one of the album's prettiest heartbreak songs. Yearwood varies her repertoire with such loose and funky numbers as "Pistol" and "Sweet Love" (where she's on the make in a dangerous blue dress) and the hypnotic song of swirling romantic obsession, "River of You." But while never less than thoroughly enjoyable, the album somehow falls shy of her best work. Yearwood remains one of the genre's finest interpretive singers, but this collection lacks a song that showcases the full range and power of her glorious soprano, and also...  (less)

modern club classics full of rump-shaking rhythms and sugar high hits - all in Almighty's trademark, seamless Megamix. Highlights of this non-stop dance party mix include massive dance hits from Leann Rimes, Kim English, Abbacadabra, Hannah Jones, Mary Griffin, Déjà vu, Indigo, Natalie Browne, Obsession and many more! Special treats include Hannah Jones' "You Only Have To Say You Love Me," Alisha King's "Heat You Up, Melt Me Down," as well as the exclusive "Where Were You Last Night" from 3AM feat. Tracey Cole - produced especially for Almighty by Mike Coppock from Clone Zone. Plus, 80s pop stars Mai Tai offer a second sip of their sweet sonic cocktail "Don't Forget To Live," a new version featured here for th...  (less)

rapt forgiveness. Vollman (or more accurately the character/characters that occupy his wandering lyrics) finds himself in a dizzying swirl of desperation, weaving his way through 11 songs that, each unto their own, reveal stark, motion-picture glimpses into the broken, collective consciousness of rock-n-roll--a sometimes bleak obsession with the inescapable, laced with a hopefulness of tomorrow's would-be fortune. A trickle of blight remission haunts the aptly titled opening track, 'Glass City Lullaby', a wistful elegy on Sylvia Plath, followed by a lovesick ode to the boulevards of Los Angeles (The Sweet Hereafter), and a call to the middle west high plains (Lincoln, NE). Midway through the disc, Vollman pushes love in 3/4 time (White City) and reflect...  (less)