Customer Reviews

10 to 23/Fireworks

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JOSE FELICIANO is a legendary vocalist of the highest order and this is one of his greatest ever recordings and clearly a definitive collection...music lovers will enjoy listening to the opening song from Jose at ten years of age then on to a classic reading of the BeeGee's "First Of May" which features a gorgeous and deeply soulful vocal with a first-rate arrangement...a haunting "The Windmills Of Your Mind" & stellar "Miss Otis Regrets" make it clear that nobody is finer than the legendary & tremendous Jose Feliciano!!!
Classic composer Jimmy Webb must have been blown away by the glorious guitar featured beautifully in Jose's classic "By The Time I Get To Phoenix" and the Beatles had to be amazed by Jose's stellar versions of "She's A Woman", "Lady Madonna" and the incredible mesmerizing tour-de-force "Hey Jude" that has got to be on of the greatest "Beatle" cover songs ever..."Rain" is a Jose original that is equal to anything in this stunning collection showing that Jose is a legend that American Radio has foolishly failed to program when it should have...what is wrong with these tone-deaf idiots...no wonder the music industry is in such sad shape with big chains closing left and right!
Jose Felicano is one of the greatest singers and guitarists ever and this collection of legendary performances is a must have...thank you to the Sony Import division for finally releasing these incredible classic Jose Feliciano works & Bravo to the amazing Jose Feleciano, still going strong and we love you!

If you loved Jose Feliciano in the 60's and 70's, this CD is a must have. This recording gathers two of his greatest albums in a career that is as legendary as the artist himself. 10 TO 23 released in 1969 and FIREWORKS released in 1970, are milestones in Feliciano's diverse and colorful career. Every song on these two albums are bonafide classics and there are no fillers. What you will hear is Feliciano at the zenith of his creative genius. His soulful and distinctive voice paralleled with his amazing guitar virtuosity makes this a landmark recording that will bring years of listening pleasure to everyone who has followed and admire this singer-guitarist unique and colossal talent of expressing himself through music that is undeniably profound and inspiring. You will not be disappointed, if you love Jose's music specially back in the day when he was one of the biggest stars in the music industry you will love this amazing collection of hits.

I am stunned that they finally released these two gems on CD. For years his fans have written (practically pleaded) with the various record companies that he has recorded with throughout his career to release his English albums from the 60's and 70's but nothing ever came of it. Apparently all of the letters and pleas from his countless followers not to mention the demand to release the older Feliciano material has finally soften the hearts of the top record executives to release (at a very slow rate I might add) his older albums. Little by little a few of his albums from the 70's are turning up on CD and that is great news for Jose Feliciano fans and people in general who enjoy and appreciate his "special kind" of music. Whoever decided to release this two great albums into one compilation I thank you and I am certain that anyone who loves Jose's music thanks you also.

I've been searching for this album on CD for years. My father owned a copy of 10 to 23 and we listened to it all the time. I was born in 1964, so I was about 5 years old when I would be singing along with Jose Feliciano, word for word. Somehow, the album was lost and my brothers and I spent years trying to find another copy. This album means so much to my entire family, especially since my Dad's passing in 2005. When I listened to the CD for the first time, I cried all the way through. I was immediately transported back in time to 1969 when the world was such a warm, happy and safe place. It's a great CD and now I'm happy that I can share it with my 5 year old son as well.

The music on this CD which was only available on a very rare record is absolutely some of Jose Felciano's best. It is a very good recording and the songs really show off his true talent when he was young. I recommend this album to anyone who loves good music. Most of the songs are ones that were by other artists but with a style only Feliciano can do. Trust me, you will not be disappointed. Gary

I first heard the 10 to 23 album between 1969 and 1970 and was completely blown away.The staccto chord changes on Little Red Rooster are fantastic.[I don't know of anyone else that can play that fast].

I have been looking for this album in excess of thirty years and finally found it on cd.Can't wait till it comes in the mail so I can relive those days again

10 TO 23 / FIREWORKS is a single disc double album set that takes José Feliciano's music to an even greater level from FELICIANO!, encompassing everything from classical to blues, jazz and rock. 10 TO 23 was released in 1969 on the heels of FELICIANO!, a landmark album for the artist planting himself squarely in the music mainstream. FIREWORKS followed in 1970.

If there was one artist in the late 60's/early 70's who could bridge the "gap" between our parents and ourselves, in our god-awful rock and roll music, it was José Feliciano. José was cross cultural, cross genre, and definitely cross generational. I had a latino mother who tolerated my Santana music easily enough and a father who took delight in swing, jazz, folk, calypso, and blues. That broke the barriers enough for toleration of some of my music, but you couldn't sneak Beatles, Stones, Jefferson Airplane, even The Mamas & The Papas past them for a second. However, when José was featured on a television variety show, performing The Doors classic "Light My Fire", now that swung right by them and when I brought home FELICIANO! I was amazed how easily they ate up Mamas & Papas ("California Dreamin'"), and The Beatles, as well as The Doors, all wrapped up pretty in a latin-folk-jazz bow!

José is probably one of the world's greatest guitarists and without hesitation I will go so far as to compare him directly to Segovia. On "Fireworks" he tears through a classical guitar composition like a maestro (the title track is from Handel's Fireworks Suite). His technical prowess on acoustic guitar without a hint of slide-squeak on the neck strings, with finger-picking at lightning flamenco speed is nothing short of amazing. He can run up and down strings and chords like a programmed machine and never show an ounce of fatigue and if he makes technical errors I challenge anyone to find so much as one!

10 TO 23 kicks off with an actual recording of José when he was ten years old and even though the quality is terrible it is a quite fascinating display. Never mind that José is singing like a ten year old boy (and not too badly I might add), the guitar playing at his young and tender age is remarkable! 10 TO 23 captures even more of the feeling José commanded in FELICIANO! it is just more better! The album begins with soft and beautiful ballads wrapped up in orchestral arrangements which are lightly caressing and not invasive. The Bee Gee's "First Of May" and one of the best ever renditions of "Windmills Of Your Mind", right into a soft latin jazz instrumental cover of Glen Campbell's hit "By The Time I Get To Phoenix" and by this point you are hypnotized by those incredible fingers. Centerpieces for the album are José's brilliant blues covers of Willie Dixon's Little Red Rooster (stealing the title of "best interpretation" away from The Rolling Stones) and The Beatles "She's A Woman". José knows how to sing the blues with every ounce of his being and his latin scat coda's are ever impressive. His own penned song "Rain" is one of his best compositions ever, a beautiful song that will haunt you and have you replaying it over and over, or ripping it to your mp3 player and making sure it comes up often in your sets. Cole Porter's "Miss Otis Regrets", more Beatles and another Bee Gee's tune set out to prove that José deserved a spot on the podium of folk, rock, and jazz greats and that he was one of the best Soul and R&B vocalists of the era.

FIREWORKS kicks it again up another notch. After opening up with a fantastic classical guitar and orchestral fireworks display and a beautiful self-penned ballad ("Destiny"), José again takes us on another even better voyage of re-interpretations of rock standards: The Stones' "Satisfaction" and again a salvo of Beatles (José is one of the most definitive interpreters of Beatles music ever, and between him and George Benson, it is hard to find better covers), and a sexy twist on "Suzie Q". By a mile, the most outstanding song on the set is his instrumental latin jazz take on "Norwegian Wood" an incredible arrangement of jazz guitar picking and keyboards and Latin percussion with light orchestral fills. Mr. Feliciano stands head and shoulders with Wes Montgomery, Lee Ritenour, Pat Metheny, and with classical guitarist Sir Julian Bream. Seasoning this set of covers are two Feliciano penned songs (Pegao and Once There Was A Love written with his producer Rick Jarrad). Pegao is a classical flamenco structured piece that goes from 0 to 60 in no time flat, another brilliant display of talent. José closes FIREWORKS with a lush instrumental of "Yesterday" and a heartfelt cover of "Let It Be" again demonstrating outstanding soul vocals.

Being able to purchase 10 TO 23 and FIREWORKS in a combined package is as good as it gets. If you don't know José, you owe yourself a favor. Either pick this CD or the unparalleled FELICIANO! (see link below) or both. The three albums are must-have desert island perfect 10 works of art that should be included in any collection of rock, folk, blues, or jazz. José drips talent from every pore and to listen to these works is to swim in the ocean of musical ambrosia. To those who owned this original masterpiece on vinyl: the remastered sound is gorgeous! Same applies to the other CD referenced below.

For more amazing guitar work and soulful blues vocals please don't miss [Feliciano!], the album that virtually introduced José to all of us and garnered José two Grammy Awards, and made two generations sit up and take notice together.

I have been a fan of Jose for many years. It all started with, "Light my Fire". Now I love his music for his voice and guitar. No one even comes close to his unique sound and style. He has many CD's available, but if is your first "Feliciano", this is the ONE to buy. Turn off the lights, lean back and enjoy.

Great selection of songs - 8 Beatles, 3 Gibb songs - great deliveries by Jose. I love his flamenco-style guitar backing, too. This CD is my new favorite, don't care how old it may be.

I believe 10 to 23 to be Felician's best English album. I owned it in "74" on vinyl and literally played it to death. This CD is a must for any serious music listener. enough said Ordered CD from Amazon and received in about a week

Just as I expected, great music by a great musician!! Too bad it is so difficult to get good music and thank God for Amazon.