Customer Reviews

All You Need Is Love

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I have played my CD no less than 100 times. Jens Lindeman plays the Picc solo on Penny Lane so precise and beautiful, it is hard to believe someone can play that high that well. Articulation and tonality for a Picc is superb. One of the best albums I have ever purchased. I saw them do this live and they are just as good live . Go get it!

ANYBODY OUT THERE GOT A PROBLEM WITH ME LIKING THIS CD! well, you may have a point. i know it looks bad on paper: a group of geeky looking canadian guys playing beatles tunes on brass instruments. but i really enjoy this album. the tone here is not cheesy. it really isn't! well, at least not too much. there is an elegant classical feel to this band's delivery, and i have always felt that the beatles melodies lend themselves nicely to classical workouts. who knows: maybe this review is really a cry for help. i don't care. i am recommending this to you (that's right, you), and i really believe that i am not insane in doing so.

I haven't heard the whole CD yet, but I just saw the Brass perform part of it live...and awsome is the only way to describe it. "Come Together" will send chills up your spine.

If you like classical music and especially the sound of brass bands, and/or if you like - but who doesn't? - the Beatles, you should enjoy this disc. These are fine transcriptions of some of the most endearing standards of the Beatles, all made by Christopher Dedrick. I find this collection much more successful and convincing than the "Beatles Go Baroque" published by Naxos, as it doesn't attempt to mix two musical universes that have very little in common - they are straight transcriptions of the songs, and enable you to hear those songs you thought you knew so well in a totally different sonic environment: old bottles but new wine, so to speak. Of course, these are now "songs without words", but hearing how the different brass instruments, with their specific sound colors, substitute to the original voices, is not the smallest enjoyment to be derived from this disc.

Actually, calling these "straight" transcriptions may not be an entirely apt description, as they are far from applying a simplistic "one to one" substitution; on the contrary, they are quite elaborate in their orchestration and harmonies, and the nice thing about them is that, while never letting you loose track of the original vocal melody, they are very instrumental too, perfectly suited to the technical and sonic particulars of the brass quintet (there are even original instrumental intros to some of the songs).

Another such collection - but with the lyrics - is the King's Singers "Beatles Connection" on EMI: The Beatles Connection: The King's Singers.

Nice cover art, inspired from The Yellow Submarine. The disc was subsequently reissued by the Musical Heritage Society, and you might find it cheaper under that entry: The Canadian Brass - All You Need Is Love (Beatles Music)

The Canadian Brass are known for their impressive performances and virtuosic skills, and this album seals the deal. I have been listening to this album since it came out in 1998, and not once has it become tiring to listen to! These are some of the most creative and ingenious arrangements of Beatles tunes out there. Instead of doing a straight transcription, arranger Christopher Dedrick creates incredible arrangements that breathe new life into these Beatles songs.
Beginning with "When I'm 64," the Magical Mystery Tour is off and running... Favorites of mine include "Penny Lane," with an amazing Piccolo trumpet introduction played by Jens Lindemann. The introduction to "Come together" is absolutely astounding; it features Ronald Romm and Jens Lindemann in a trumpet battle royale playing to the top range of their instruments.
There are some really beatiful moments on slower pieces like "Michelle," "She's leaving home," and "Blackbird." With each of these arrangements you will hear interesting harmonies, cool mute choices, and some virtuosic playing by every member of the group. Ronald Romm, Jens Lindemann (trumpets), David Ohanian (horn), Eugene Watts (tbone), and Charles Daellenbach (tuba) astonish me every time I pick up this album and give it a listen. I have also played through many of these arrangements with a brass quintet, which makes me respect the playing on this album even more. These musicians really work together and respond to eachother extremely well, which makes this a great musical journey for all interested!
If you want to hear a great brass quintet, this is a good starting point!

I loved the idea of this album... until I actually listened to it. Most of the tracks sound like aimless noodling, especially the original material (the "introductions" to several songs). On the few tracks that are well-suited to a brass band, such as "When I'm 64", the results aren't bad, though. If only Canadian Brass had chosen to cover more appropriate songs--"Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite", perhaps, "Because", or even "Only a Northern Song"--they might really have had something.

I believe that this CD is of low quality; Don't WASTE your money. Get another CD, like Canadian Brass Super Hits. Trust me, this CD is boring, and it some of the songs sound have no tune. It's just sounds. Believe me, this is the worst of the CB.