CD Review: John Ambrosini, "Songs For You"

 

I have a real treat for you today.  Singer, Pianist, Composer and Bandleader, John Ambrosini has recently released an inspiring new CD, "Songs For You".   I usually feature songs from the Great American Songbook on my blog but the popular songs that Ambrosini has included in the playlist for his new CD are going to enter the Great American Songbook as they meet the test of time.  John has a warm and wonderful earthy voice and style.  John plays piano as he sings and that produces a great melodic vibe that quickly puts the listener at easy.  This album is a tribute to some of the greatest songwriters of today who have inspired him.  The composers included on this CD are like the "Who's, Who" of greatest composers of the last 30 years.  Here is a list of these world class modern day Composers: Rickie Lee Jones, Colin Greenwood, Johny Greenwood, Ed O'Brien, Philip Selway, Thom Yorke, Greg Allman, Kim Payne, Elton John, Bernie Taupin, Donald Fagen, Walter Becker, James Taylor, Jackson Brown, Billy Joel, Stephen Sills, John Lennon and Paul McCartney. John Ambrosini is not just doing covers of these classic newer songs.  His style and Arrangements are uniquely his.  Ambrosini has added two of his own original compositions that fit perfectly with this classic composer playlist.  John has a busy career in NYC performing, Arranging, and Composing Music.  He is a brilliant musician and composer who will be at the top of his game for years to come.  Ambrosini wanted to pay homage to famous popular songs that inspired him, and you will be inspired after you listen to his CD, "Songs For You". 

The support cast of musicians who are featured on this CD are also terrific and make "Songs For You" one of the best new releases this year!

PLAYERS:

John Ambrosini- Piano,  Keyboard, Arrangements, Lead Vocals 

Steve Finkelstein- Percussion

Matt Miller- Drums

David Phelps-Acoustic & Electric Guitars

Zachary Swanson- Acoustic Bass

Christine Ambrosini, Amanda Bloom- Backing Vocals

PLAYLIST:

1. The Horses

2. Maybe I'm Crazy

3. High and Dry

 4. Midnight Rider

5. Rocket Man

6. Pretzel Man

7. Sweet Baby James

8. Lover

9. Doctor My Eyes 

10. New York State Of Mind

11. 4 + 20

12. The Long And Winding Road

                                                                        "Midnight Rider"

                                                                        "I'm Crazy"

Ron Aprea Remembers John Lennon

Steve Madaio, Ron Aprea and John Lennon
(Ron Aprea's photo from 1974)

Ron Aprea, composer, arranger, producer, saxophonist, clarinetist and flutist is working on a new CD, "Lennon and the Beatles, A Jazz Tribute". In 1974, Ron cut a album with John Lennon and Elton John called "Walls and Bridges". Also recording with Ron on this album was a super-talented horn section that included Howard Johnson, Frank Vicari and Palm Desert favorite, Steve Madaio.

Ron is raising money to produce this new Lennon Tribute album using the Kickstarter site. I know everyone will be interested to hear Ron tell some interesting stories about the making of this album and his experiences with John Lennon in recording the "Walls and Bridges" album. It's sure to be a blockbuster CD and Ron needs some help to raise the money for it.  I have attached some information I just received from Ron including  the site address so you can hear Ron's stories and also contribute to support this wonderful musical project.

Dear Friends and Relatives,

Just wanted to update you on my John Lennon jazz tribute album "Kickstarter" campaign, and thank those who've contributed.  I can't tell you how thrilled Angela and I are at the positive response we've received.

We are currently in Week 3 (of 6) and we are approaching 50% of our goal of $5,000, which is amazing, but we have to get to 100% to receive any of the pledges.  So please for this next push, forward the below link to any and all of your friends.  Also, I would love to give recognition to our donors via my Facebook and Kickstarter page, but I've been hesitant to do so, without your permission.  So for those who have already donated (or will) please let me know if you have any objection to your name being posted.

Here's the link:  https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/134490756/lennon-and-the-beatles-a-jazz-tribute

Thank you again for your continued support in helping me create my "dream" album.

Warmest regards,

Ron

The Twenty Greatest Love Ballads Ever Written

La Quinta Lemon

Recently I googled the title of this post and I was somewhat surprised that I could not find any posting of a top 20 love ballads list that includes any of the spectacular songs from the "Great American Songbook". How can this be? In fact, on most of the list of ballads that I found, I was not familiar with many of the songs.  How sad that today's generation is only into "Pop" ballads and might never have the pleasure of listening to great love ballads that have survived more than a 100 years. This is not to say that there have not been some great love ballads written more recently because there has been many. There have also been some interesting recordings of classic "Great American Songbook" songs sung by young artists.

So I dedicate this list to both young and old who love great ballads sung by great singers.  It's a mix of new and old songs that should be on everyone's ballad playlist in no particular rank.

1. "Wild Horses"                                                       The Rolling Stones                            

2. "Just The Way You Are"                                     Billy Joel

3. "Body & Soul"                                                       Frank Sinatra

4. "Your Song"                                                           Elton John

5. "Unforgettable"                                                      Nat King Cole

6. "When a Man Loves a Women"                           Percy Sledge

7. "A Song For You"                                                  Leon Russell

8. "You Are So Beautiful"                                          Joe Cocker

9. "You've Changed"                                                  Eva Cassidy

10. "Something"                                                          Tanya Tucker

11. "The Shadow Of Your Smile"                              Tony Bennett

12. "Everything I Do, I Do It For You"                     Bryan Adams

13. "The Very Thought Of You"                                Tony Bennett & Paul McCartney

14. "I Will Always Love You"                                     Whitney Houston

15. "What's New"                                                          Nancy Wilson

16. "At Last"                                                                  Etta James

17. "Here's That Rainy Day"                                        Peggy Lee

18. "Smile"                                                                      Stephen Tyler & Chris Botti

19. "Evergreen"                                                              Barbra Streisand

20. "The Nearness of You"                                            Norah Jones

Steve Tyrell On The Difference Between "The Great American Songbook" and "Contemporary American Music".

Steve Tyrell has been a favorite of mine ever since he recorded his first "Standards" CD and I love everything he has recorded. In addition, he is a great supporter of the "Great American Songbook".  I recently came across a Blog called "Wentzville Patch" that published an article about Mr. Tyrell and his upcoming May 15 performance at The Sheldon Concert Hall in St. Louis, Mo. I was surprised by Mr. Tyrell's answer to the following question: "In your opinion, what is the difference between the "Great American Songbook" and "Contemporary American Music" that includes the music of Motown, Paul Simon, James Taylor and Elton John?" Mr. Tyrell answered, "The biggest difference--and I'm not knocking them in any way, shape or form--"Fire and Rain" is as good as it gets.  But you don't want to hear anybody else sing them".  "That's the difference", he said.  "I mean, I couldn't make an album of James Taylor songs, you know? Nobody would want to hear it.  Even The Beatles, you don't want to hear somebody singing The Beatles' songs.  But there's been a million versions of Cole Porter songs. Then hundreds of versions, thousands of versions, of the Gershwin songs, or Harold Arlen.  And they've been done in every genre you can think of.  And you can love 25 versions of the same song." I have heard other artists make similar statements and with all due respect to Mr. Tyrell and those other artists, I totally disagree with this opinion on the subject. Let's use The Beatles Songbook as an example.  I put together a songlist of Beatles' songs titled "The Beatles Minus The Beatles Plus Paul" that I think in many cases are at least as good or perhaps even better than the orginial Beatles' recording (My apologies to those Beatles' fans that can't deal with this possibility). My playlist has two songs sung by Paul McCartney because no one does them better than Paul! Before you reject this possibility, head to iTunes and check out these versions of Beatles' songs!

Side note to Steve Tyrell: I am absolutely sure that you could do a great new CD of songs from James Taylor and Elton John adding the Tyrell touch and style to them.  "Steve Tyrell does James Taylor and Elton John". Please give this some consideration.  I would love to see how you would approach some of the wonderful songs these great performers have recorded. I would be happy to work on a draft playlist if you had any interest.


1. Help                                                              Little Texas

2. With A Little Help From My Friends              Joe Cocker

3. Yesterday                                                      Eva Cassidy

4. Nowhere Man                                               Randy Travis

5. Can't Buy Me Love                                       Shenandoah

6. Come Together                                            Delbert McClinton

7. Something                                                    Tanya Tucker

8.The Long And Winding Road                        Ray Charles and Count Basie

9. Eleanor Rigby                                               Liz Callaway

10. Oh! Darling                                                 Huey Lewis

11. Ticket To Ride                                            Joshua Rifkin

12. Baby I Am Amazed                                    Paul McCartney

13. Lady Madonna                                           Paul McCartney