Full of unabashed emotion and saturated with gorgeous melodies, this is a CD for romantics, a special musical Valentine from a singer who obviously takes immense joy in singing; one can feel the pleasure recording this album gave Bocelli...it is palpable. Though I initially didn't care for Bocelli's sound, the more I listen, the more I enjoy it.
The orchestra is lush and beautiful, with a fine assortment of excellent musicians, like Celso Valli on piano.

Heavenly tracks are: Lucio Dalla's "Caruso", which is a glorious composition, performed to perfection. The delicacy of "Le Tue Parole", sung with melt-your-heart tenderness is a winner, as is another lovely number with a spoken intro, "Rapsodia".
Though most people are familiar with "Time to Say Goodbye", with Sarah Brightman (the first track, "Con Te Partiro", is the solo version of this song), the other duets are also wonderful: "Vivo per Lei" is one of my favorite tracks, and the petite pop star with the big voice, Giorgia, is fabulous in it; another young Italian singing star, Gerardina Trovato sings in "Vivere", and English rock singer John Miles is marvelous in a live recording of "Miserere", with his deep gravelly voice making a good contrast to Bocelli's.

The booklet insert has all the lyrics in both Italian and English, and total time is 66'03.
If you want to indulge in undiluted Italian heart and soul, this CD is a five course meal of anima e cuore...a delicacy to be relished !

This lovely CD has heart, soul, and superb musicianship, and much credit must be given to Vince Gill, who with Brown Bannister did most of the arrangements, wrote two of the songs, sings on one, and plays guitar or mandolin on all but one track. Some of the songs are given a gentle rendition, and others a rousing interpretation, like tracks # 2 and # 14, with their up-tempo Celtic sound, but all are inspired and beautiful.
Favorites include the delicate and serene "Softly and Tenderly", the terrific duet with Vince, "Nothing but the Blood", with its gospel music rhythm, and the exquisite purity of the "What a Friend We Have in Jesus"/"Old Rugged Cross"/"How Great Thou Art" medley, with just the trio of Michael Omartian on piano, John Catchings on cello, and Vince on electric guitar backing the vocal.

"What You Already Own" was written by Amy, and it has honest words full of true Christian spirit; she also co-wrote two other songs on this album, evidence of her songwriting talent. The foldout insert contains all the lyrics, and some liner notes by Amy where she describes the meaning these songs have for her, going back to early childhood and her "earliest sonic memory". The sound is excellent, and total time 53'17.
Amy makes the most of her voice with musical intelligence, a heartfelt delivery of the lyrics, and plain and simple good taste in her choice of material; paired with the artistry of her husband Vince Gill, this CD is a winner.

When Mr. Browne's son Adam was leaving for college in 1990, Browne wrote the first installment of "Life's Little Instruction Book" for Adam to take with him, with basic principles to live by and live well; as the years passed, it grew into three volumes, and here we have all three books under one cover with 1560 entries. It provides food for thought, in subjects that range from mundane and practical to occasionally, some of remarkable spiritual depth.
Much is on ethics; we are constantly making choices, some that can affect the rest of our lives, and there are some sections here that might stir us to bring our choices into sharp perspective.

There is a lot about taking responsibility for one's actions, and on doing the right thing ( # 636: "Do the right thing, regardless of what others think"), and on respect and kindness to humanity and the environment.
There are two entries, on tape recording the laughter and memories of one's parents, which is a wonderful idea, and one I wish I had done (# 248 and # 440), and much useful advice on finances, getting a job, and a lot on having a fruitful and happy marriage (# 364: "Every day look for some small way to improve your marriage").

Being that this was written for a young man, it is an especially good book for the male of the species, but it would make a wonderful gift for all young people starting out in life, and for those of us who are in our later years, nice reminders to keep us sharp and on the right track.

This terrific multi-platinum album spawned three hits, the biggest being the post 9/11 song that became almost an anthem for Operation Enduring Freedom, "Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue (the Angry American)", and though some used words like "belligerent" to describe it, Toby is uncompromising, speaks his mind, and knows his audience appreciates him for doing so. The other hits were the great duet with Willie Nelson, "Beer for My Horses", and "Rock You Baby".
The favorites for me are the vigorous and lusty "Who's Your Daddy", and the final song on the CD, which has heartfelt words and a haunting melody, "That's Not How It Is".

Toby wrote the first 2 tracks alone, and co-wrote the rest of the songs, and though a couple of the ballads might be the weakest elements on the CD, as a whole, this is a very strong album, with outstanding musicianship from his backup band.
The last track is a live performance introduction to "Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue", where he talks about his father, and his family's beliefs.
Toby's rich, virile voice is fabulous, and one of the best in the current music scene in any genre. Now at 42, he is the country music superstar of the moment, but is a singer we will be listening to decades from now. The booklet insert has all the lyrics and total time is 43'46.

Biblically based, with an emphasis on the lives of Moses, Joshua, and David, this slender volume is extremely helpful to those of us either pursuing the Big Dream, or those who have it in their hearts, but have not taken any action to fulfill their Destiny. It will be of particular value to those who might feel that they have lost their way in the WasteLand.
The first part of this book is in the form of a parable; it is as wise as it is charming, and is an almost Tolkienesque tale of Ordinary, who lived in the Land of Familiar, and who one day leaves his Usual Job, and his Comfort Zone, to persue his Dream. There are many trials and tribulations in his path, and Giants to slay (Giants like Moneyless), but his faith gets stronger, as he learns his lessons.

In Chapter Nine, "Living Past the Edge", Mr. Wikinson describes his fear of public speaking, and the steps he took to overcome it. I recently had the good fortune to be at the Crystal Cathedral in Garden Grove, California, where Mr. Wilkinson spoke not only to the vast crowd in attendance, but to millions on televison, and he is a truly gifted speaker; it is hard to envision that at one time he had felt inadequate in front of an audience. With this book he will help you conquer your own fears, and get past the feeling of being Unworthy and Unable.

In Chapter Twelve, he talks about the Dream that has not been surrendered to God, and the pitfalls that can bring; how "Your Dream will become your idol", and how that can "make people 'successful' but not fulfilled" (pg. 133) and further, to face the areas in our lives that need cleansing, where we may be making compromises and have "unfinished business".
In the final chapter, Mr. Wilkinson describes how his Dream has led him to South Africa, to help the millions of children who have lost their parents to AIDS, and it is an example of how once you have reached one Dream, it can lead to another, with God continually working through you. "You are meant to be a river of blessing, not a puddle drying in the sun".
The layout is lovely, with small but beautiful images by Steve Gardiner, good quality paper, and a readable font size. I found a lot in this book to inspire me and give me the tools and armor to slay another Giant, and perhaps you will too.

These delectable rancheras harken back to Alejandro's 1999 CD, "Mi Verdad", and follows a similar mold, even to having a sound-alike to the award-winning "Loco" in its 5th track, "Mujer". Among the other similaries would be "Dejame" vs. "Amante Torero".
"Niña Amada Mia" is the theme song of a popular telenovela of the same name, and it is always a coveted prize for a singer to get a TV "soap" theme song, for its huge audience and nightly exposure, and has been a feather in the cap of other greats like Juan Gabriel and Alejandro's legendary father, Vicente.

Like "Mi Verdad", this CD was produced by Pedro Ramirez, who also did many of the arrangements, and every song is smooth and lovely, with terrific musicianship throughout. The insert booklet has the lyrics to all the songs, and here is where the comparison to "Mi Verdad", which had seven of the best photos of this stunningly handsome singer ever taken, comes to a screeching halt. "Niña" has as its centerpiece an inexplicable closeup of the back of Alejandro's head, indicating some mystical significance that is no doubt lost to most of his adoring female fans.
The sound is excellent, and total time 41'36.

Alejandro's exquisite voice, which reminds me somewhat of the velvety richness of Mexico's famed idol Javier Solis, is remarkable in its power, breath control, and the sensitivity of his interpretations. Though there is nothing particularly groundbreaking in this recording, it is superb music, beautifully performed, and a marvelous addition to any CD collection of Mexican music.

This film has some of the best flight sequences I have ever seen. The cinematography is superb, and one gets a glimpse into the speed a pilot experiences as he tries to outmaneuver an oncoming missile; it also shows the "nuts and bolts" of the ejection seat process, which I found fascinating.
Having fairly low expectations for this film, I was amazed at how entertaining and visually stunning it actually is, and am surprised it did not receive greater success in its theatrical release.
It takes place in Bosnia during an imaginary time, with US forces under NATO command, and though fiction, it uses captions at the end, telling the audience what happened to the characters, as if it were a true story.

Filmed on the USS Carl Vinson, and in Slovakia, with the beauty of the Carpathian mountains as a backdrop for the horror of a war zone, director John Moore keeps the pace of this film constantly pumping. Though some characters are somewhat cartoonish, and the script at times silly, much of the acting is good. Gene Hackman can always be depended upon for a solid performance, and Owen Wilson does well as the main protagonist, who starts out as being a rather shallow, whiny fellow, and grows with his extreme experience, as he plays a cat and mouse chase with a Serbian "tracker", played by Russian actor Vladimir Maskov. Gabriel Macht is excellent in the smaller part of the fighter pilot Stackhouse.

Yes, there are times the plot is contrived and not altogether believable, but this is more than made up for by the dazzling cinematography by Brandan Galvin, a fine score by Don Davis, and astounding visual and sound effects...and if you like jets and choppers the way I do, you are guaranteed to like this film.

This CD is balm for the soul, as Cesaria's warm voice hugs you with her lilting melodies and Brazilian rhythms; though some of the songs have wistful themes, it is uplifting music, and would set a lovely mood for a friendly gathering.
There are some guest artists on a few tracks: Canary Island singer/songwriter Pedro Guerra joins Cesaria in his "Tiempo y Silencio", and his smooth voice makes a wonderful blend with Cesaria's. This is the only song on the CD that is sung in Spanish (the rest are in Portuguese).
"Regresso" is a marvelous duet with the great Brazilian artist Caetano Veloso, and the arrangement for this song is fabulous, with terrific solo piano and guitar work.
"Negue" is exquisite in its simplicity, with Cesaria accompanied by Chucho Valdez (who is known as "The Duke Ellington of Cuba") on piano, and "Linda Mimosa" has the backing of the famous Cuban band Orquesta Aragon. Perhaps the weakest track on the CD is the duet with Bonnie Raitt; it doesn't quite work, with Raitt sounding a little uncertain and out of place.

There is a gentle tenderness to Cesaria's voice, and an honesty in her clear tones. By the time one gets to the gorgeous "Fada", which is perhaps my favorite track on the CD, one will simply love this woman.The musicianship is excellent throughout, as is the sound.
The booklet insert has all the lyrics in their original language and translated into rather clumsy English (they have translated "Sabor de Pecado" as "Peach Flavor" for instance), as well as photos of Cesaria, who though she would not be classified as pretty, has an extraordinary strength and beauty in her face. Total time is 64'24. Put it on when you are feeling sad, and feel it lift your spirits, and fill your heart with esperança e amor.

This is perhaps the most puerile dribble I have heard. What it has is a seductive, strong drumbeat, hypnotically sucking the listener into a morass of silliness. Some of the lyrics are almost funny in their awkwardness, and verge on illiteracy.
"My friends say you're so into me
And that you need me desperately
They say you say we're so complete"
Worse yet is the cover of the Jagger/Richards "(I Can't Get no) Satisfaction", which is full of vocalized wiggles and oooh ahhh uhhhs in a girlish whisper.

Without the heavy percussion, and the electronic effects, one is left with practically a vacuum; one that has been polished, packaged, rehearsed, and sold as "music".
There should be a new category for stuff like this. Maybe somewhere between "Books", "Music" and "DVD" we could have "Rubbish".
The booklet insert has extensive recording info, some of the lyrics, and lots of "cute" photos. The sound is lavish, and the total time too long.

Though Roselli has numerous recordings available, he's not very well known outside the Italian-American community, which is a pity, because with his powerful voice and 2 octave range, his interpretations of old time favorites are a treat.
He does some Al Jolson numbers on this disc (sung in the same "heart-on-sleeve" style), and inexplicably, the vaudville sounding "Oh, You Million Dollar Doll" is followed by "The Lord's Prayer"...both are good, but it's an odd segue.

The standouts for me are the incredibly poignant "Little Pal", a fabulous rendition of "My Melancholy Baby", sung with passion and full use of his huge voice, and a wonderful "Rock-a-Bye Your Baby".
There's no recording info (the insert only lists his 27 other recordings) and no composer list, but the sound is good and the total time is 37'10.

For a sentimental journey with some nostalgic music, all of Jimmy's CDs (the Italian ones are great) are a sure bet. Though this CD has an occasional lapse, the strengths outweigh the weaknesses and make this one deserve its 5 stars.