Catfish

Track Listings

1. Ferneyhough Remix (Affection Aphorism 1) - Steven Schick

2. Janus - Harvey Sollberger,

3. Omnibus Etude

4. Entre Funérailles IV - Helen Bledsoe

5. Licensed to Fail - Mark Applebaum, Paul Dresher

6. Meditation - Mark Applebaum, Christopher Jones,

7. Catfish - Brett Reed

8. Discipline V - From Saturn to Alabama: Travels in Outer Space - Shannon Wettstein

9. Snagglepuss Remix - Mark Applebaum

Tracks:

Rhapsody In Blue
Cuban Overture
'Porgy and Bess' Suite
An American In Paris

Customer Reviews:

As good as any Rhapsody.......2006-11-11

I've also got Bernstein and Wild and this Rhapsody is as good as any of them. But the real reason to buy this recording is for the couplings--which are far better than the rest. The Cuban Overture absolutely ROCKS.

Everybody gives you "American in Paris" with the Rhapsody, but, come on, Porgy & Bess AND the Cuban Overture vs. Grofe's Grand Canyon Suite or the Piano Concerto in C? No contest!

Good intro to Gershwin - Great gift.......2006-08-05

Bought this CD for our 7-year-old daughter for her birthday. She loves it. Certainly didn't listen to it once and set it aside. She even takes it in the car.

In short, it's a nice performance of some of Gershwin's best work. Very enjoyable.

Outstanding performance and sound engineering.......2005-10-24

I am not a sound engineer but, clearly something was done outstandingly right in the production of this CD. I have listened to this CD on several different stereo systems with the same result: crystal clear sound that gives the impression that the instruments are right in front of you. I would add that I do not have an SACD version of this CD, nor an SACD player, nor a hi-end expensive stereo system. Nevertheless, the sound quality of this CD was noticeably superior to that of the recordings of Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue and American in Paris that I have with Bernstein and Ormandy conducting. Part of the superior sound quality of this recording is due to its being digital, whereas Bernstein and Ormandy were recorded in analog. However, I have hundreds of other CDs that were recorded digitally and comparatively few have a sound quality that is as fresh, sharp, and, simply put, as outstanding as the one on this CD.

In addition to the freshness and immediacy of the sound, the playing of both the orchestra and of Levine as the piano soloist in Rhapsody in Blue are the best that I have heard amongst my various recordings of this work. I had never heard James Levine as a pianist before, only as a conductor, and was very pleasantly surprised at the excellence of his performance. There is a real joyful dynamic energy on this CD, together with a quality that is not apparent on the other recordings I own of Rhapsody in Blue - a feeling of playfulness, and even humor. I got the distinct feeling as I listened to this CD (several times, and always with great pleasure) that the orchestra and conductor/pianist were thoroughly enjoying themselves. All of the selections on this CD radiate with outstanding musicianship coupled with tremendous energy and love of life. This is one of my desert island CDs. I give it my highest recommendation.

The Finest Recordings of These Four Selections.......2004-03-13

George Gershwin (1898-1937) first made a name for himself as the composer of one memorable popular song after another--songs that have proven remarkably durable and have entered our collective consciousness to become "great standards" by which others are judged. In 1924 he began to leap the gulf between "popular" and "serious" music, and between 1924 and his untimely death in 1937 he created a number of famous works--but although he is regarded as a genius today, it was not so at the time. For then as now, "serious" composers and critics were an insular group, and many considered his fusion of jazz, strong melodic lines, and symphonic treatments at best pretentious, at worst common.

In the wake of Gershwin's untimely death, many of his works underwent a facelift of sorts, with various composers reworking the material in an effort to give it more snob appeal: the original arrangements were touched up, retoned, and in general fiddled with--and today it is almost impossible to find a recording of a Gershwin piece recorded as originally written. But here Chicago Symphony conductor James Levine accomplishes the impossible, restoring four major Gershwin pieces to either original or near-original condition.

The great reason to purchase this CD is "Rhapsody in Blue," which will come as a revelation to listeners accustomed to hearing the piece awash in strings, for here it is returned to all the sharp edged, strident, and jazzy glory of the original 1924 Ferde Grafe arrangement for the Paul Whiteman orchestra. And it is stunning, clean, a true period jewel that is ultimately the definitive musical statement of the Deco era; hearing it performed in this stripped-down original version is akin to seeing a beautiful gemstone purged of a vulgar setting and restored to true brilliance.

Also notable are "Cuban Overture" and "Catfish Row," both of which are performed essentially as Gershwin created them. "Cuban Overture" has never been one of Gershwin's most popular concert pieces--but listening to it here one is hard pressed to know why; certainly less melodic than other Gershwin constructions for orchestra, it is nonetheless a magical thing that combines a sense of ocean and tropical flavors to tremendous effect. "Catfish Row," of course, is drawn from Gershwin's opera "Porgy and Bess"--but should not be confused with the various suites typically heard, for it was actually arranged by George Gershwin himself and offers a pleasing (and to my mind far superior) variation on these oft-heard themes.

Unfortunately, not all of the original arrangements survive. (Liner notes indicate that even "Cuban Overture" is slightly effected in this regard.) The arrangements for "An American in Paris" received an overhaul around 1947; the originals have been lost forever, and it is performed here very much as we are accustomed to hearing it. Still, Levine and company give it tremendous style and substance in execution, and without knowing what the original arrangements were like we would be hard pressed to fault them in the performance.

Whatever the case, when it comes to these four selections, and particularly so re the legendary "Rhapsody in Blue," this is the recording to have. Everything here is flawless--and very often unlike anything you've previously heard when approaching these works. Strongly recommended.

GFT, Amazon Reviewer

Gershewin is the Master of Mixing Jazz and Big Band.......2001-12-26

Gershwin lived a short life but the pieces he made are marvelous. His fusion of jazz of big band creates a unique sound that is very pleasing. Listening to a Rhapsody in Blue, or An American in Paris always gives the feeling of a big bustling American city in its prime, full of rich color and glamour. Uneven, busy syncopated rythyms by the brass and percussion add the sense of the workaholic society of America during its time. It's the old timely sound to it all that makes Gershwin's so songs irresistable to the ear. Cuban Overture sounds equally robust and majestic, complete with native Cuban percussion, and the "Porgy and Bess" Suite, while operatic and huge in proportion, doesn't stray far from its jazz roots. The Chicago Symphony played the music with gusto and vigor, and James Levine thoughtfully interpreted each piece with the utmost care the way Gershwin had intended it. I highly recommend this piece to anyone with a fine taste in the big band, all-American sound. Of all the music I've heard, Gershwin's music sounds the most American of them all.

Average customer rating:

Tull a la Tupelo
Jethro Tull - Back To Blues Rock Roots
Too old to rock... too smart to play the blues
Reeling in the Blues

Catfish Rising
Jethro Tull
Manufacturer: Capitol
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Rock Island
Roots to Branches
A Little Light Music
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The Best of Acoustic Jethro Tull

ASIN: B000GIWRIE
Release Date: 2006-11-21

Tracks:

This Is Not Love
Occasional Demons
Roll Yer Own
Rocks On The Road
Sparrow On The Schoolyard Wall
Thinking Round Corners
Still Loving You Tonight
Doctor To My Disease
Like A Tall Thin Girl
White Innocence
Sleeping With The Dog
Gold Tipped Boots, Black Jacket And Tie
When Jesus Came To Play
Night In The Wilderness
Jump Start (Live)

Album Description

Remastered edition of this 1991 album. Jethro Tull's best album of the 1990s, a surging, hard-rocking monster (at least, compared to anything immediately before or since) that doesn't lose sight of good tunes or the folk sources that have served this band well. Features ''Sparrow On The Schoolyard Wall'', ''Still Loving You Tonight'' and more.

Customer Reviews:

Tull a la Tupelo.......2007-07-08

Yes, this is Jethro Tull's best album of the '90s, which really isn't saying a whole lot, but this one does have some fine tunes and an insistent, consistent, and ultimately irresistable bluesy groove and snarl.

Jethro Tull - Back To Blues Rock Roots.......2007-06-11

By the time "Catfish Rising" was released in 1991 Ian Anderson had once again assembled a full large band as Jethro Tull. Along with Anderson, Barre and Pegg this version of the band also featured Doane Perry on drums, Andy Giddings on keys. Additional keys and bass were provided by David Pegg, longtime Who sideman Rabbit Bundrick, and Foss Paterson. The album is a decent one, but I would not rank it up with the band's best. The disc is somewhat a return to the band's early blues roots. Anderson and company mix in traditional blues with folk, progressive rock, and just plain strangeness at times to come up with an interesting mix of music. For me the two big highlights on this album are the prog rock-ish "White Innocence" with it's killer instrumental break in the middle and the album closer "When Jesus Came To Play" concerning a modern day Messiah playing music in a dive bar. It sounds odd, and you would probably have to hear it, but I think it is one of the cleverest songs Anderson has written in a long time. Other good ones are the rocking single "This Is Not Love", the road anthem "Rocks On The Road", and a few others. Maybe it is just me, but some of the lyrics on this disc have Mr. Anderson coming across like a dirty old man. He has always used sexual innuendo in his lyrics, but this time it just comes across as......for lack of a better word "creepy" at times. Overall I would call this a good, but not great Jethro Tull disc. Worth owning for fans of the band, but I wouldn't start out with this album if you are just looking to explore them.

Too old to rock... too smart to play the blues.......2007-03-07

Tull makes a mistake on this one. The music is stagnant and smells of tired Dire Straits. I am glad they have not revisited this boring blues trap. I know it is part of their past but Tull is much more than this. I was happy they returned to the prog on Roots to Branches.

Reeling in the Blues.......2006-12-20

Catfish Rising came after the rock out that was Rock Island, and while it starts out as if it's going to be another record full of guitar bravado, with This is Not Love, it quickly moves itself off into bluesy musical territory, making Catfish Rising a completely different kettle of fish altogether. Less serious than Rock Island, Catfish playfully mingles the blues, with folk, rock, Indian and something else slightly twisted and mad. Mr. Anderson seems especially playful and wicked on Thinking Round Corners, one of my favorite songs on the album (as well as one of my favorite songs from any record, period.) He sounds like a crazed version of Popeye who has eaten way too much spinach, lusting after Olive Oyl while given to poetic flights of fancy. Gold Tipped Boots, Black Jacket and Tie is another mad rush through a folk/rock maelstrom that whirls and twirls breathlessly about. Meanwhile the more traditional blues-rock of Sleeping with the Dog tells the tale of the 'damned if you do and damned if you don't' story that every man who has ever been involved with a woman can probably relate to. In fact just the other day..., Er, um ... anyway, back to the review. Roll Yer Own is a country fried blues number that ambles through the backwoods of the deep south, while maintaining the purely English humour of the Tull. Rocks on the Road is a contemplative blues song from a road weary band, and another highlight on the record. White Innocence is an epic story song that features lush musical arrangements, and some of the most picturesque lyrics Mr. Anderson has ever written. Other highlights for me are Occasional Demons, Doctor to My Disease and When Jesus Came to Play.
As for the bonus tracks...
The song Night in the Wilderness, previously only available as a bonus track on the Rocks on the Road single CD (I think?) is now rightfully added on to this record. An excellent song that also includes a line related to the title of the CD. In fact there were many great songs written and recorded during this period, some of which can be found on their Nightcap CD (another excellent release that you should have in your collection.) The live version of Jump Start included here is one of the best performances of that song I've heard.

Average customer rating:

Good job
Masterful!
Great CD of Classical music's power pieces!

Time Life Presents: Classical Thunder

Manufacturer: Time Life Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

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Thunderous Classics
Thunder & Lightning
25 Thunderous Classics
Classical Thunder II: Time Life Library of Classical Favorites
Heavy Classix

ASIN: B00081U6XC
Release Date: 2005-04-26

Tracks:

Introduction
Ride Of The Valkyries
Mars, The Bringer Of War
Montagues And Capulets
Sabre Dance
William Tell Overture (Conclusion)
In The Hall Of The Mountain King
The Hut On Fowl's Legs
The Great Gate At Kiev
Fanfare For The Common Man
Allegro Con Brio
Marche Au Supplice (March To The Scaffold)
Sacrificial Dance (The Chosen One)
Circus Maximus
Les Toreadors
Finlandia, Op.26
1812 Overture, Op.49 (Conclusion)

Tracks:

Procession Of The Nobles
Rakoczy March
Ritual Fire Dance
The Hero's Battlefield
Pines Of The Appian Way
Dies Irae
Allegro Con Brio
Allegretto
Air Et Danse Bacchanale
Farandole
Infernal Dance Of King Kastchei
O Fortuna
The Wedding Of Kije
Hurricane
Marche Slave, Op.31

Customer Reviews:

Good job.......2005-08-26

I remember when I was little, I had this cd, but i lost it. I bought a similiar type of one through TIme Life and decided to try the Classical Thunder one. I have like it so far.

Masterful!.......2005-06-15

This two CD set is magnificent. I got the set in the early 1990's when it was advertised on television, along with other releases in Time Life's set. I was struck by the interpretations of the conductors. Whenever I hear these pieces now, I judge them against this recording. Amazing selection as well. There are staples of orchestra repetoire, like Beethoven symphonies, but also gems that are not heard very often, like the Rimsky-Korsakov "Procession of the Nobles." A very impressive recording.

Great CD of Classical music's power pieces!.......2005-06-07

I got this CD when I was around 16 because I loved a lot of the music on this double CD set. As a student pursuing a Music Education major, it has been a great asset for my musically, and just great for listening to. I will drive on short trips and take this with me and blast it louder than the guy in the next car blasting rap music. I also take it skiing as it sets a great tempo down the mountain. This is a great CD for anyone that loves music.

Average customer rating:

The best performances at the cheapest price!
Great performances, excellent engineering
Insipid uninspiring performances; miserable engineering
Terrific playing at a bargain price
Siegel is amazing

Gershwin: Works for Piano & Orchestra

Manufacturer: Vox (Classical)
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Quartets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

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Suppe: Overtures: Light Cavalry, etc.; Auber: Overtures
Dvorák: Cello Concerto; Bruch: Dol Nidrei; Bloch: Schelomo
Von Weber: Piano concertos, Symphonies, Overtures
Borodin: Orchestral Works
Liszt: Works for Piano and Orchestra

ASIN: B000001K1Z
Release Date: 1992-11-04

Tracks:

Allegro
Andante Con Moto
Allegro Agitato
Lullaby For String Orchestra
Cuban Overture
Second Rhapsody
Promenade

Tracks:

Rhapsody In Blue
'I Got Rhythm' Variations
Introduction - Act 1, Scene 1
Porgy Sings
Fugue
Hurricane - Act II, Scene 3
Good Mornin', Brother - Act III, Scene 3
An American In Paris

Customer Reviews:

The best performances at the cheapest price!.......2001-08-16

I own many recordings of Gershwin but this inexpensive colection is my favorite! The performances are moving, the recording is excellent, and the whole package cannot be beat for value. Simply a great value!!!

Great performances, excellent engineering.......2001-03-22

I'm confused by the previous reviewer's comments.

The engineering is fine analog, but it isn't "in your face" kind of engineering (a la some older Sony recordings; Bernstein's are some of the worst offenders, although recent remasterings have tamed them somewhat), it isn't brightly lit (ditto a lot of von Karajan's DG recordings), but it's pretty natural. Nothing is spotlit, and sounds the way one would hear it in the concert hall. I would hazard that sound systems have a way of filtering the music. I've found that some of my terribly-engineered, really ancient monophonic recordings sound much better on lesser equipment, while my best engineered recordings sound mediocre on lesser equipment, but wonderful on the high end stuff. And the speakers, and, well, this isn't about equipment. Just second guessing how the impression can be made that the enginnering is poor on this disc.

Powell Symphony Hall, while not the sonic masterpiece that is, for example, New England Conservatory's Jordan Hall (one of the best I've ever been in), is still a wonderful acoustic space, both for listener and player (it's one of those halls where I was able to hear myself play as well as I was the whole orchestra, and you can almost feel your sound being projected into the auditorium). The hall, btw, is gorgeous, graceful, and characterful; much so than the design of Symphony Hall in Chicago (brilliantly finished, btw), or the cavernous feel of the hall in Boston. While some of Slatkin's RCA recordings in Powell recess the sound too much, such is not the case here.

The performances are electrifying, with the exception of the Concerto in F. Even that piece, an awkward attempt on Gershwin's part, has many rewarding aspects, and the performance reveals many of them. Seigel isn't a "polished" pianist--I'd never be interested hearing him play Mozart based on these performances--but here his style (or the style he has captured) is just right.

These are classics in the Gramophone. Not that the critical consensus (well, as consensual as it ever gets) is always correct, but I agree with them.

Insipid uninspiring performances; miserable engineering.......2000-12-07

If only 0 stars were an option!

I found these interpretations of Gershwin lacking; both in the orchestra and piano. None of the performances reached out and pulled me in, they left me wondering what anyone could possibly hear in Gershwin. Thankfully I own several recordings which do not leave me feeling that way! Specificaly in the Rapsody in Blue: Mr. Siegel does not demonstrate a command of the piece; more than once I wondered if he was practicing the piece instead of performing it, as his approach was tenative at best. Mr. Slatkin and the St. Louis Symphony rendered the piece with a lush/loose orchestral feel that just does not feel right.

The sound engineering is wanting in all of these performances; the balance between orchestra and piano is poorly maintained throughout. I found the piano lost in sections where a balance between forces is called for. Exchanges between piano and various instruments routinely found one or the other anoyingly out of balance. Nothing in the notes describes the recording process, but from the instances of voice dropout I would hazard to guess that two micropones were placed in the worst seats available in Powell Symphony Hall with the subsequent recordings transfered directly to disc with no review or attempt at editing. What an engineering travesty!

Overall I was glad when the CD's were done. I pulled out other recordings and played numerous tracks back to back to see if I had missed something. I had not! All around the performances are insipid and uninspiring, and I can usually find something redeeming in just about everything to which I give a listen.

If you want an inspired performance of Rhapsody in Blue that will reach out and grab you from the opening wail of the clarinet to the closing orchestral chord, get the recording made by Michael Tilson Thomas and the LA Philharmonic. Unfortunately, he did not record all the orchestral pieces you find in this recording.

Terrific playing at a bargain price.......2000-05-29

This is a terrific collection of Gershwin's orchestral music, including all of his works for piano and orchestra, all at a bargain price. Jeffrey Siegel's piano playing is great, as is Leonard Slatkin and the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra. For the bargain hunter in search of Gershwin, this is the set to buy.

Siegel is amazing.......2000-04-17

I have been privileged to listen to Jeffrey Siegel's Keyboard Conversations in Fairfax, VA for many years. I heard him play some Gershwin during one performance, and I had to buy this CD. If you like Gershwin, if you like great piano, if you like music, this is a CD that belongs in your collection

Average customer rating:

Tell Me
Catfish Haven
Manufacturer: Secretly Canadian
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000H30A1E
Release Date: 2006-09-12

Tracks:

I Don't Worry
Tell Me
Crazy for Leaving
All I Need Is You
Down by Your Fire
Another Late Night
If I Was Right
Grey Skies
Let It Go (Got to Grow)
This Time

Amazon.com

This dreadfully-named Chicago-based trio delivers soulful rock music that's actually soulful. Singer-songwriter George Hunter writes songs that are straight-ahead and very emotive, but not emo. This stuff is not breaking any new barriers, but it's surprisingly good. The real star here is Hunter's throaty baritone, buoyed by a delightfully bare-bones, gritty production. If you sing along to the Black Crowes, Otis and CCR whenever they show up on the radio and also dig Palace and the Detroit Cobras, this might be your favorite new band. Lyrically, Tell Me is one doozy of a broken-hearted breakup album. It almost seems like a concept album. Whatever the details are behind this sucker, you don't want to know, but you will want to listen to it. Especially when it's raining and you feel like bawling your poor head off. --Mike McGonigal

Album Description

Their Secretly Canadian debut is one hell of a break-up record. Love is a confusing thing and it always leaves the mind with more questions than answers.

Grofé: Grand Canyon Suite; Gershwin: Porgy & Bess Symphonic Suite "Catfish Row"

Average customer rating:

Poor volumn control
THE GRAND CANYON SUITE - An American Classic

Grofé: Grand Canyon Suite; Gershwin: Porgy & Bess Symphonic Suite "Catfish Row"

Manufacturer: Telarc
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

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Copland: The Music of America
Orchestral Spectaculars
Symphonic Spectacular
Classics of the Silver Screen
American Piano Classics

ASIN: B000003CT1
Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

I. Catfish Row
II. Porgy Sings
III. Fugue
IV. Hurricane
V. Good Morning, Sister
Sunrise
Painted Desert
On The Trail
Sunset
Cloudburst
Crickets & Distant Thunder
Cloudburst (With Thunderstorm Effects)

Customer Reviews:

Poor volumn control.......2005-09-21

The music is wonderfull, especially the real thunder. Unfortunately the sound is either too low or too high and the volumn control has to be adjusted constantly to hear the whole CD properly.

THE GRAND CANYON SUITE - An American Classic.......2003-11-26

___________________________________________________________________________________

This is an abolutely masterful rendition of The Grand Canyon Suite! By far the best I've ever heard. Erich Kunsel is to be highly praised for this masterpiece. The recording quality is magnificent and it comes with two versions of the thunderstorm movement; a traditional one with instruments only and an utterly fantastic one with actual thunderstorm recordings which is extremely well done. What a wonderful American classic! I venture to say that anyone listening to this performance could not help but develop a much greater appreciation of Ferde Grofe and the musical heritage he left this country.

Tracks:

Catfish Row - Summertime
Porgy Sings
Fugue
Bess, You is My Woman Now
Hurricane
My Man's Gone Now
There's a Boat Dat's Leavin' Soon
Good Mornin' Sistuh !
Second Rhapsody for Orchestra with Piano

Tracks:

An American In Paris
Concerto In F For Piano And Orchestra - Allegro
Concerto In F For Piano And Orchestra - Adagio
Concerto In F For Piano And Orchestra - Allegro Agitato

Amazon.com essential recording

Michael Tilson Thomas's Gershwin credentials are second to none, and include several recording premieres, most notably the first modern version of the original jazz band orchestration of Rhapsody in Blue (for Sony/Columbia). This new double-CD set offers an impressive selection of Gershwin favorites and rarities: the Second Rhapsody, with Tilson Thomas himself at the piano; An American in Paris; the Concerto in F, this time with Garrick Ohlssohn as soloist; and finally, Gershwin's own Catfish Row suite from Porgy and Bess, here fleshed out with the best and most popular songs from the opera, ably sung by Audra McDonald and Brian Stokes Mitchell. As a tribute to America's most popular composer, these swinging, idiomatic performances are irresistible. --David Hurwitz

Customer Reviews:

Brilliant.......2006-08-09

Clean, full sound and the best singers for Porgy and Bess around these days.

Excellent recording.......2000-08-19

This is simply one of the best renditions of Gershwin yet recorded. Exciting, and technically flawless, MTT has again proven his skill and mastery at conducting. Finally, the San Francisco Symphony has joined the ranks of the worlds other great orchestras. If you like Gershwin, get this recroding before any other!

Average customer rating:

Brilliant Range of Contemporary Blues Sound

Sweet Pea
Catfish Keith
Manufacturer: Fish Tail Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Blues | Styles | Music

Acoustic Blues | Blues | Styles | Music

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Jitterbug Swing
Rolling Sea
Pepper in My Shoe!
Twist It, Babe!
A Fist Full Of Riffs

ASIN: B000CAFVOI
Release Date: 2005-10-13

Tracks:

Gonna Get My Hambone Boiled
Lightning Flash, Thunder Roll
Salty Thang
When I Was a Cowboy
A True Friend is Hard To Find
Put Your Bucket in Your Basket
Blotted Out My Mind
Baby, I'm a Fine Artiste
Deep Sea Moan
Pile of Plates and a Carving Knife
Little Sweet Pea
That Ain't No Way for Me To Get Along
I'm Going to German

Product Description

Catfish is back with a brand new disc, his tenth, right here at home on Fish Tail Records. This is one of his most fully-realized recordings to date. Tracks were laid down pure and live and nearly naked on three hot summer nights this August. Catfish sings, stomps, and plays seven different guitars; two acoustics and five new Nationals, including his two baritones and his exciting first appearance with the 12-string tricone. This album features Keith solo, and powerful duos with the "big bottom" stand-up bass of Marty Christensen on half the cuts. Songs come from deep down in the treasure trove, and include originals as well as songs re-invented from Sister Rosetta Tharpe, Leadbelly, Cannon's Jug Stompers, The Otis Brothers, Dock Boggs, Blind Willie Johnson, Skip James and much more.

Customer Reviews:

Brilliant Range of Contemporary Blues Sound.......2006-06-26

This CD presents the true richness of sound of the range of the new National Reso-Phonic gutars and what this musical genius can do with them. Every track is a joy.

Average customer rating:

Tribute?
metaphors don't get much thinner than "i want a piece of your custard pie"
It's Not What You Think!

The Blues Roots of Led Zeppelin
Various Artists
Manufacturer: Catfish UK
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Chicago Blues | Blues | Styles | Music

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Celtic Tribute to Led Zeppelin: Long Ago and Far Away

ASIN: B00004Y333
Release Date: 2000-10-17

Tracks:

When The Levee Breaks - Memphis Minnie
Sugar Mama - Sonny Boy Williamson
Jesus Gonna Make Up My Dying Bed - Josh White
Nobody's Fault But Mine - Blind Willie Johnson
Traveling Riverside Blues - Robert Johnson
The Girl I Love She Got Long Curly Hair - Sleepy John Estes
Shake 'Em On Down - Bukka White
I Want Some Of Your Pie - Blind Boy Fuller
Gallis Pole - Leadbelly
My Mama Don't Allow Me - Arthur Crudup
My Baby I've Been Your Slave - Sonny Boy Williamson
Fixin' To Die - Bukka White
Boogie Chillen - John Lee Hooker
Lone Wolf Blues - Oscar Woods
Got The Bottle Up And Gone - Sonny Boy Williamson
Truckin' Little Woman - Big Bill Broonzy
Going Down Slow - St. Louis Jimmy Oden

Album Description

21 classic blues tracks that inspired the rock gods. Listen to 'Shake 'Em On Down' by Bukka White and compare it to Zep's 'Hats Off To Roy' or Memphis Minnie's original take on 'When The Levee Breaks'. Third in the popular series. Remastered by the Catfish label. A Must for all Led Zeppelin fans. 200 release. Standard jewel case.

Customer Reviews:

Tribute?.......2007-05-12

I have been a blues fan and a fan of Led Zeppelin for years. [...] It is not the roots, but elements of Zeppelin constantly brought up throughout the albums. Along with the roots, they may have stolen the whole tree. Songs like 'When the Levee Breaks' and 'Nobody's Fault but Mine' are near identical to the originals but if you look at the writing credits for Zeppelin, they go to the band. I view this album as more of an expose than a tribute to blues. It's more of the painful reality that American racism kept the original blues down and instead all you heard was a hyped-up echo that was British bands like Zeppelin, The Who, and the Stones. Sure, they did a lot to unearth the origins, but this album is a reminder that respects haven't been fully paid just yet.

But back on top. This album is good. It's a good reflection of early blues with Mr. Johnson and Leadbelly, among other greats. Good album if you want to hear the originals.

metaphors don't get much thinner than "i want a piece of your custard pie".......2005-07-11

the only thing that keeps me from giving this five stars is the lack of howling wolf songs on here... "no place to go" (sometimes called "you gonna wreck my life") comes to mind first. but it's a great transition cd: i let friends borrow it who are kinda hesitant to get into blues but already love zeppelin.

It's Not What You Think!.......2000-12-21

First of all do not get the impression that this is a remake of Zeppelin tunes. This is the raw source from where Jimmy and the boys had cut their teeth on. If you are a stanch blues fan like I am, you will appreciate this disk for what it represents. If not, then you will find no use for it. I personally like knowing what inspired certain artists and enjoyed this copulation. If you weren't a blues fan before, it will introduce you to a new (old) area of music field that is very entertaining and satisfying, compared to the norm.

I gave this a 3 star rating because I owned most of the selections, prior to listening to "The Roots of Led Zeppelin".

Please Come Back
Average customer rating:

music with whiskers

Please Come Back
Catfish Haven
Manufacturer: Secretly Canadian
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music
Indie Rock | Indie & Lo-Fi | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music
General | Rock | Styles | Music
Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music
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ASIN: B000CNFBBI
Release Date: 2006-01-24

Tracks:

Catfish Haven
Please Come Back
You Can Have Me
Crying Shame
Madelin
Still Hungover
Love I'm Saving

Album Description

This Chicago-based three-piece has played alongside the likes of My Morning Jacket, Daniel Johnston, Kings Of Leon, and Zwan, flooring audiences with the raw intensity of their live set. Akin to guitarists/vocalists like Bruce Springsteen and John Fogerty, George Hunter - a howling crooner with gravel in his honey-sweetened voice - is known to strike his acoustic while stomping through each number. Miguel Castillo's pounding bass grooves are heightened when joined by Ryan Farnham's forceful, yet tasteful, drumming. Howling + pounding = smooth.

Customer Reviews:

music with whiskers.......2007-02-20

This album helps me look ahead to those longer, sunny days where the only thing icy is my beer bottle. Grab a seat outside, bring out the little TV & mute some baseball, pop in some Catfish Haven. Animal parts roast on the Weber while me and some friends roast on the deck. Maybe toast an old dog with a whisky during the 7th inning stretch. Ah, will those summer days please come back.

Music Review:

Music Review

music review

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