Catch a Rising Star / Encore

John Gary | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (February 5, 2002)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Collectables
• ASIN: B00005YHZP
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #30,895 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #62 in Music > Indie Music > Jazz > Vocal Jazz
  • #71 in Music > Indie Music > Pop > Traditional & Vocal Pop

Track Listings

1. This Is All I Ask

2. My Kind of Girl

3. Once Upon a Time

4. Till the Birds Sing in the Morning

5. Your Cheatin' Heart

6. Yellow Bird

7. Unchained Melody

8. Half as Much

9. More

10. The Possum Song

11. Somewhere Along the Way

12. Ebb Tide

13. Tender Is the Night [From Tender Is the Night]

14. Anywhere I Wander [From Hans Christian Andersen]

15. Melodie d'Amour (Melodie of Love)

16. And This Is My Beloved [From Kismet]

17. Ol' Man River [From Show Boat]

18. Stella by Starlight [From the Uninvited]

19. Take Me in Your Arms

20. Far Away Places

See all 24 tracks on this disc

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Memories Came Flooding Back, February 26, 2002

By 

Shamrockgirl (Wilmington, MA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Catch a Rising Star / Encore (Audio CD)

My daughter just purchased this CD and another from here...I received them today. They are a Birthday gift for me. My old LP's have worn out and are scratched, and receiving these was a wonder to behold. John's voice is as beautiful as the day he sang them..without echo chambers and "maniuplation" that is so common with "singers" these days. John was one of those rare singers who when you heard him "in person" the voice was as perfect as his recordings, in fact it was even better. I was lucky enough to hear him perform in person a number of times during his career. He is much missed by all his fans. friends and family.

The first album which was Mr. Gary's first LP recording "CATCH A RISING STAR" was probably one of his best. "ONCE UPON A TIME" is a signature piece of Mr. Gary's and is timeless and lovely. "YELLOW BIRD" is a playful calypso song with two part harmony...the two parts being Mr. Gary's wonderous voice. "UNCHAINED MELODY" is probably the most beautiful rendition of that often over recorded song. Rumor has it that this was "THE KINGS" favorite version. "EBB TIDE" another song which isn't sung enough. "MORE" was another song that Mr. Gary often sung on stage.

His second LP was "ENCORE" and that was another masterpice of music and more Marty Gould's perfect arrangments for Mr. Gary's 3 octave voice. This contains many songs that were not often sung by the pop singers of the 60's and 70's. Many movie themes and award winning songs,including the haunting "STELLA BY STARLIGHT" which evokes such tender feelings of love. Two songs from "KISMET' are here both of which are very complex and need to be sung by a singer with a broad vocal range. "AND THIS IS MY BELOVED" and "STRANGER IN PARADISE". I also hope that they release more double LP's especially "SPANISH MOONLIGHT". Alas..this is edited, I e-mailed the makers of these CD's and they say as of this time no more John Gary CD's in the works....DARN.

These double CD's are what all John Gary fans have been waiting for and we thank the publishers.

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Classic love songs, lovingly rendered, February 27, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Catch a Rising Star / Encore (Audio CD)

"Catch a Rising Star" was the first of John Gary's albums and, I think, still represents some of his finest work. What a boon it is to have him back in circulation again on CD! I'll challenge anyone to listen to John's version of "Unchained Melody" and not be moved. He starts out simple and direct, with just a background guitar; increases the intensity with power to spare, and then drifts quietly somewhere off into the stratosphere! In John Gary's hands a song becomes an experience and you find yourself getting caught up in the lyrics even if you've heard them dozens of times before. And he negotiates that 3-octave range with such ease - rising from a warm bronzed baritone to a pure, natural tenor.

Gary was born to serve the love song and there is a rich sampling of them here: "Ebb Tide", "Somewhere Along the Way", "Once Upon a Time", and "Till" - to name just a few, backed by Marty Gold's always inspired orchestral backgrounds.

If you love classic love songs or if you're just being introduced to them (let's hear it for a long overdue revival of the love song in this country!); if lyrics really matter to you, you owe it to yourself to check out John Gary. Once he draws you in, with one listen you'll be hooked!

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars JOHN GARY'S SHINING HOURS, February 19, 2002

By 

Giovanni (Chicago, IL) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Catch a Rising Star / Encore (Audio CD)

This is the third of three great 2fers released by Collectables Records and may I add, much anticipated. John Gary's popularity came during the 60's and has endured time. Let the myths that his music would not be marketable or profitable be ended; the masses have waited for his albums on CD. (Hoping the distributors will make a "2fer" out of his "Spanish Moonlight" and "Country & Western Favorites" albums next!) The remastering of these wonderful old songs is impeccable, as is any of the work that Collectables does (their work on Andy Williams' catalog stands among some of the best reissues on the market in years). But on to the music: John's soaring vocals on YELLOW BIRD and STELLA BY STARLIGHT are highlights and among John's very best recordings. But it is his work on two songs made famous by the Righteous Brothers, EBB TIDE and UNCHAINED MELODY that will absolutely floor you. John's trademark three octave vocals are at their most sensuous and brilliant here. John's arrangers on these two albums are to be commended as well.
THE POSSUM SONG is a cute bit of folk art, written by John Gary himself! He has fun with that one, and you will too. I must name my favorite on the first sides as SOMEWHERE ALONG THE WAY. With John's sweeping vocal, the arrangement harkens one back to a ballroom affair, complete with a sumptuous trumpet solo (wish I knew who it was!) The ENCORE sides are just as good, and we even find John with a pretty good crack at "swinging" OL' MAN RIVER, but in my opinion he was best to stick with ballads, because his voice was too beautiful to "go fast". Other songs of note here are the lovely TENDER IS THE NIGHT, the touching A BEAUTIFUL THING and the great IT'S BEEN GRAND KNOWING YOU. Please check out the other two "2fers" from the Collectables label, for at long last we have some of John Gary's greatest albums on CD format. This is music that you will thoroughly enjoy for years to come.