Customer Reviews

Jimmy Beaumont & The Skyliners: 40th Anniversary Edition

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Although I was born in 1953, I have been a fan of Jimmy Beaumont and the Skyliners from the first time I heard "Since I Don't Have You" as a teenager. Already considered "Oldies" artists by the 1970s, the Skyliners had only a couple of albums available on LP format, so some of their better music was unavailable at all because it was not really mainstream music any more. Nevertheless, I always enjoyed songs like, "This, I Swear" and "It Happened Today." This latest BOX SET collection, however, provides the first real opportunity to hear some wonderful and rare recordings. There is no question that a song like "Comes Love" is as enchanting as any music from that period, and this 2-CD set allows Skyliners fans to literally re-discover their music--- a great collection!

Forever and Always the Skyliners will be my favorite Doo Wop group. The 40th Anniversary Edition CD was a must have for me,and I recommend it to anyone who wants to be treated to what I would call the best vocal arrangments ever set down in "Wax" In 1993 the Skyliners performed at a local outdoor concert and I got to see Jimmy Beaumont, Rick Morris and the rest perform many of the songs on this Anniversary Edition. It was thrilling to see the group performing on the TV DooWop 50's show presented by Public Television.

What sets this group apart from so many of their time period is the use of wonderful orchestral arrangments using stings. If I were asked to choose just one of the Skyliners hits,it would have to be This I Swear. The song's blend of close and complicated vocal harmony's at the bridge, gives me goosebumps. Who can forget Janet Vogel's vocal range at the end of the song,what a true talent. The Collection is a must have for anyone who wants a piece timeless, perfection to add to their music collection.

All too often, doo wop groups of the 50's tend to have one or two hit records and their other songs simply don't measure up. The Skyliners will always be credited with having two of the era's greatest songs (This I Swear, and, Since I Don't Have You), but many of their others deserved to be counted among this genre's best.

Listening to this collection reinforces what others have said: Jimmie Beaumont has one of the best voices in the history of rock and roll, and the Skyliners really are good. If you like early rock and roll doo-wop style, you'll like this album, trust me.

Who could not possibly fall in love with Jimmy Beaumont's voice? And what a voice! I just received this CD and I am playing it right now. Wow! What a group! Recently saw them on Public Television with the Doo Woop Show and just purchased the tape on it also! They are really the best and you could not possibly pick a favorite amongst all that is on this 2 CD set. You will certainly love each and every song. I only wish we all had the opportunity of seeing them on TV more often. If they are appearing anywhere, please email me right away. This certainly is money well spent. You won't be sorry. Best group around.

Hi, I'm Joe Rock, manager of Jimmy Beaumont and The Skyliners from the beginning to the present. As co-writer and producer for 40+ years. I feel this is the ultimate musical portrait of my act, and showcases the best material and personnel from 1958-to-1990. Thank you all.

It's safe to say that this album is fantastic. I've got over 3000 high-quality mp3's now - and am in the process of finalizing my collection. I needed a great Skyliners album, because I only had 3 tunes of theirs previously (Since I Don't Have You, This I Swear, and Footsteps). Wow, was I pleased with this one! This 2-CD collection is filled with great songs - and I'd Die is a real gem! It's not digitally remastered at 20 or 24-bit (which would have been wonderful), but has been remastered, none the less, and won't dissapoint (I compared Since I Don't Have You from my American Graffiti album, with the one on this 40th anniversary set, and immediately noticed that the strings were less muted and muffled, and Beaumont's voice seemed clearer than before).
So, why a real shame? The answer's threefold: For one, I thought it would grab people's attention. Music this good reminds me of how much worse todays is (I'm 31, and so don't have any particular bias). Lastly, it was very hard to get anything by the Skyliners, which it too bad. It would be nice if music like this weren't so hard to find - however, I must admit - shopping online has made things much easier, in this respect. Thank God for Amazon. I went to various major record stores, including HMV, and couldn't find any of the Skyliners material. To make matters worse, I couldn't order anything in either, as the 40th anniversary Edition is only available in America, apparently - I live in Toronto.
'Nuff said..grab this album!

IF YOU DON'T ENJOY THIS CD THEN YOU DON'T LIKE DOO WOP. EVERYONE KNOWS HOW GOOD THEIR TWO BIGGEST HITS "SINCE I DON'T HAVE YOU" AND "THIS I SWEAR"ARE AND MAYBE EVEN "PENNIES FROM HEAVEN". WELL YOU CAN HEAR THEM ON THE RADIO ANY OLD DAY. BUT WAIT TILL YOU HEAR SONGS LIKE "MY LONELY WAY", "I'LL BE SEEING YOU", "BELIEVE ME","TIRED OF ME", "WHEN I FALL IN LOVE","WARM","IF I LOVED YOU", "COMES LOVE", "YOU'RE MY CHRISTMAS PRESENT", AND THE SONG WITH THE LATIN BEAT "I CAN DREAM CAN'T I". JUST ABOUT ALL OF THESE ARE SLOW. DANCE CLOSE TO BALLADS.THEY ARE ALL WONDERFUL SONGS WITH BEAUTIFUL VOCAL HARMONY AND THAT BIG TIME ORCHESTRA LIKE BACK UP.I THINK "BELIEVE ME " IS MY FAVORITE . THAT STEEL GUITAR SENDS CHILLS UP MY SPINE WHEN I LISTEN TO IT.YOU WILL LOVE THIS CD. I BOUGHT AN EXTRA ONE JUST FOR ARCHIVE PURPOSES.

How did the Skyliners do it? No matter how many times I listen to the endlessly gorgeous release of "This I Swear," I realize that this group took a cliched genre and broke through to genuine creativity and beauty. The Skyliners are artists, not just a harmony group. The sound they put across was Spectoresque in its drama--before there was a Phil Spector (I wonder if Spector would list the Skyliners as an early influence?). Oh, those waltzy violins! One wishes this group had made ten more albums, and Skylinerized every standard along the way.

Of the 20 (Twenty) Bonus Tracks 5 (Five) are Outakes, but this Double Disc covers almost all of The Skyliners recordings from 1958 to the late 80's! Including the Billboard Charted Hits: "Since I Don't Have You" (#3), "This I Swear" (#20), "It Happened Today" (#59), "Pennies From Heaven" (#24), "The Loser" (#34) and "Where Have They Gone" (#100), Plus Regional Favorites and Collector's Items: "Comes Love", "Tell Me" and "I'd Die". For an Extra Treat there are 2 (Two) of the Group's Christmas Favorites: "You're My Christmas Present" and "Another Lonely New Year's Eve". It should also be noted that Jimmy Beaumont is not singing lead on every cut. Several feature other members of The Skyliners singing lead, so it really should have been titled: "The Skyliners 40th Anniversary Edition". In short if you're looking to explore MORE recordings on The Skyliners other than the
"Greatest Hits"...This 40 (Forty) Track Double Disc collection is about as good as it's gonna get!

These two CD's are filled with songs that bring back wonderful memories. Beautiful voices, harmonies, and timeless songs make this 40th Anniversary Edition a favorite of mine.