The Cotton Club: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack [Import, Original recording reissued, Soundtrack]

John Barry | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (September 23, 1997)
• Original Release Date: December 14, 1984
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Import, Original recording reissued, Soundtrack
• Label: Universal I.S.
• ASIN: B000000OXV
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #97,192 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. The Mooche

2. Cotton Club Stomp #2

3. Drop Me Off In Harlem

4. Creole Love Call

5. Ring Dem Bells

6. East St. Louis Toodle-O

7. Truckin'

8. ILL Wind

9. Cotton Club Stomp #1

10. Mood Indigo

11. Minnie The Moocher

12. Copper Colored Gal

13. Dixie Kidnaps Vera

14. The Depression Hits / Best Beats Sandman

15. Daybreak Express Medley

Editorial Reviews

titolo-cotton clubcompositore-john barry etichettaspectrumn. dischi1data9 ottobre 2000supportocd audiogenerejazzcolonne sonore

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

21 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good but too short, September 29, 1999

By 

"brasscowdotcom" (Minneapolis, MN) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Cotton Club: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (Audio CD)

The soundtrack to the troubled 1984 movie is interesting because of the recreations of Jazz Age hits by Duke Ellington and company. However, only about half the music from the film made it onto the 45 minute soundtrack. Too bad because there are some real gems performed in the movie and the first-rate performances can only be experienced while watching them and not by listening to their entirety on the CD.

18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars An "A" for Quality; a "C" for Quantity, November 22, 2002

By 

Karen P. Smith (Chicago, IL USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Cotton Club: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (Audio CD)

What a relief to hear so much of the instrumental music in the glorious score of "The Cotton Club" without the annoying cutoffs of the songs, and cutaways from the performers to the often-gory and sometimes-boring "story!" I own the Video of the film and have watched it many times, skipping from one musical number to another, feeling frustrated that I can't hear the MUSIC the way it was meant to be heard. I mean, those musicians were knocking themselves out to please the listeners and dancers and I thought the movie wasted their talents by putting them in the background so much of the time.

Like other reviewers here, I am mightily impressed by the faithfulness of the arrangements of songs created by some of the greats--Arlen and Ellington, in particular. The excellence of the music's realization truly comes through on the CD.

The vocal productions frequently do not match the high level of the instrumental work, but it is wonderful to hear all the lyrics of so many classics of the "Cotton Club" era. And, Gregory Hines's rendition of "Copper Colored Gal" is a special treat for those of us who love his singing even when we can't watch his dancing!

Overall, I'd say "The Cotton Club" Soundtrack CD is a welcome addition to any collection of original Elligton and Calloway tunes. I also think the CD can provide a terrific introduction of the music to anyone who hasn't been fortunate enough to discover it yet. I only wish the CD contained more of it.

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars time traveler CD, April 29, 2000

By 

"drrbr" (so california) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Cotton Club: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (Audio CD)

Where else can you hear the earliest Ellington stuff recorded with today's recording technique? with today's best studio musicians nailing it? The band is hot, the music swings, big time, everyhing's right, musically, historically, and the recording technically. Too bad the CD version didn't get the rest of the soundtrack as bonus tracks. This is a wonderful musical experience, every time. My only reservation is its brevity. If you love the sound of early/1920s-1930s jazz, and enjoy listening to it in spite of the sad quality of recordings from that era, this modern version of Cotton Club Ellington is heaven. I wake up to it every morning.