Come to My Garden

Minnie Riperton | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (March 26, 2002)
• Original Release Date: 2002
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Varese Fontana
• ASIN: B000063BNX
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (40 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #91,443 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Les Fleurs

2. Completeness

3. Come To My Garden

4. Memory Ban

5. Rainy Day in Centerville

6. Close Your Eyes And Remember

7. Oh By The Way

8. Expecting

9. Only When I'm Dreaming

Editorial Reviews

An amazing vocalist with an impressive five octave range, Minnie Riperton will go down in the annals of Soul music history as one of the greatest singers of the 20th Century, even though her career was cut short by cancer - she was only 31 years old when she died. Produced, arranged, and orchestrated by Charles Stepney in 1970, Riperton's first solo album, Come to My Garden, largely went unnoticed upon its initial release in 1970, but has since become recognized as a masterpiece by fans and critics alike. All selections have been newly remastered.

This product is manufactured on demand using CD-R recordable media. Amazon.com's standard return policy will apply.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Thing of Rare Beauty, September 23, 2002

By 

D. Stewart "duglas" (Glasgow, Scotland United Kingdom) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Come to My Garden (Audio CD)

Well first of all I came to this album knowing very little of Minnie's work except "Lovin' You" which was a big radio hit here in the UK when I was a kid. I heard this album by chance playing in a store and was straight away thrown in a panic trying to find someone in the store who knew what was playing. I couldn't leave until it had finished playing...and it was only on the 2nd track when I arrived.
The arrangements are like a funkier Burt Bacharach meets Jimmy Webb, some of the songwriting is also Webb-esque...especially the magnificent "Rainy Day in Centerville", which with all it's twists and turns wouldn't have sounded out of place on one of Jimmy's Richard Harris albums. "Rainy Day..." also features one of the most soulful and moving vocal performances you are ever likely to hear. This is the when great soul singers weren't frightened to sing the melody and Minnie's remarkable voice never sounds pompous of like she's showing off, like too many soul divas today. Another major highlight is the title track "Come to my Garden", with Minnie almost sounding like Yma Sumac in places.This is a track to chase away dark clouds and demons...it's like a fresh mountain stream trickling and winding it's way around a green mountain in the sunshine.
The album's orchestrations and rhythm section couldn't be better, never overly lush or flowery and it keeps an edge and real human warmth from start to finish. Also I don't mind some of the dirt left over on the remastering, everything sounds too clean these days anyway. BUT most importantly it's that incredible beautiful voice...WOW. Come to this garden and you'll never want to leave.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Minnie Lives On, January 6, 2001

By 

Sharon A. (Florida) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Come to My Garden (Audio CD)

In the late 60s, early 70s, Miami AM radio genius China Valles introduced us to Rotary Connection and Minnie Riperton. He was a big Minnie fan and was the first to showcase her solo album "Come to My Garden" on his late night show. Minnie and Rotary were never mainstream - so if you didn't hear them on China's show you didn't hear them at all.

I found the album languishing in a seconds bin about a year after its release and felt I'd found gold. Over the years I nearly wore the vinyl out - and once again, happened upon another vinyl about 10 years ago. To have "Come to My Garden" released on CD is manna from heaven.

"Come to My Garden" is magnificently produced and arranged by Charles Stepney (who went on to Earth Wind and Fire) with lush orchestrations that complement Minnie's five octave vocal range.

I interviewed Minnie in August 1977 as she came through my college town in North Central Florida. She had gone public with her breast cancer and felt she had won the battle. Sadly, in July 1979, we lost her, but her angelic voice and the beautiful songs, many written by her husband Dick Rudolph in collaboration with Stepney, will live on.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars MINNIE RIPERTON:"The Supreme Voice", December 6, 1999

By 

Cassandra Gates (mobile, alabama USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Come to My Garden (Audio CD)

We are all blessed to have been in the presence of such a beautiful spirit.Come To My Garden is a rare collection of polished gems,showcasing Minnie's collective talents as singer,artist,communicator and visionary..Each cut is timeless and a masterpiece in it's own right.In my honest opinion I don't think there has ever been a recorded work as beautiful as CTMG.