The Collection

Paul Hardcastle | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (May 26, 2009)
• Original Release Date: 2009
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: TRIPPIN & RHYTHM
• ASIN: B0024F13KU
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #24,549 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

The definitive collection of some of Paul Hardcastle's finest works.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars There's no one like him in the world of jazz, August 11, 2010

By 

Mike (San Jose, CA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: The Collection (Audio CD)

I have a CD's worth of Paul Hardcastle / Jazzmasters tracks on my iPod that I listen to while taking my daily exercise walk. In addition to tracks from "The Collection," the sources also include Jazzmasters 1, Hardcastle 3, Hardcastle 4, Jazzmasters 3, Hardcastle 5, Jazzmasters 5, and Jazzmasters: Greatest Hits.

Here's the list, in order:

01). The Circle

02). Northern Lights

03). Slomotion

04). Acoustic Dreams

05). Rainforest

06). Golden Gate

07). Desire

08). Serene

09). Moments In Time

10). Lucky Star

11). Return Of The Rainman

12). Starchild

13). New Dawn

14). Chime

15). Shine

16). London Chimes

17). Peace On Earth

Hardcastle has many different styles...this set list represents the instrumental, slow-to-mid tempo, somewhat moody and melancholy side of the artist, which is what first attracted me to his music. I don't consider him to be "smooth jazz" because he has so much more substance and versatility than the average "smooth jazz" artist...even though the word "smooth" pops up all over the place in his own descriptions of his music.

The difference between Hardcastle's situations and the average "smooth jazz" track is that he actually takes you on a journey, from "Point A" to "Point Z," with some pleasant twists and turns in the road along the way. Example: "Peace On Earth," which begins as a very nice slow keyboard piece with drums and a nicely thumping (but not overpowering) bass line. You're three minutes into this song, thinking "how nice," and it is, then...out of nowhere...you hear a sigh and this sweet David Gilmour-ish melodic and distorted guitar solo snakes in, and it all fits together perfectly. "Smooth Jazz" tends to be either too bland and vanilla or too bombastic and abrupt (how many times have you had a perfectly good song ruined by a screeching, honking sax solo?)...Harcastle expertly avoids either of these extremes. This is intelligent music, carefully planned and passionately performed.

So the playlist I have above represents only one side of Hardcastle's music. He also does more upbeat Euro Disco-style "dance" type numbers and a lot of vocal tracks as well. You may like it all, you like one or more of the styles, but I am confident that if you are even casually drawn to this kind of music, there are good times waiting for you on the road ahead.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars dennis mcgee, June 16, 2009

By 

Dennis Mcgee - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Collection (MP3 Download)

I really love this album very smooth and easy to Listen To Good Travel music.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best of the Best!, October 21, 2009

By 

Rudy C. Collins (Vian, Ok United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Collection (Audio CD)

I have all of his Albums. This collection is probably the best hits from each of them. A couple of new ones are included.