Joni James - Latest and Greatest Hits

Joni James | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (June 20, 2000)
• Original Release Date: June 13, 2000
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Taragon
• ASIN: B00004TTJR
• Also Available in: Audio Cassette
• Average Customer Review: 3.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #36,112 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. I Wanna Be with You

2. Blue Hearted

3. You're Changing My Mind

4. Sweet Talk

5. Patches (On My Lonely Heart)

6. Blue Starlight

7. I'm in Love Again

8. The Miracle Is You

9. Peace and Love

10. Have You Heard

11. Almost Always

12. Purple Shades

13. Your Cheatin' Heart

14. Why Don't You Believe Me?

15. Is It Any Wonder

16. Wishing Ring

17. My Love, My Love

18. How Important Can It Be?

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

20 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful new music from a champion, June 13, 2000

By A Customer

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This review is from: Joni James - Latest and Greatest Hits (Audio CD)

Nearly a half-century separates the first nine tracks and last nine tracks in this album but you'd never know it. Joni James sounds as young as ever and, because the same creative team was involved in creating both sets of recordings, the new and the tried and true blend seamlessly into one totally enjoyable collection. It takes a lot of courage for a veteran performer to tackle new material and then go another step by holding it up by comparison to a string of multimillion sellers. The hits sound better than ever. The new songs are totally delightful and range from big beautiful ballads to country swing to blues to a weepers. James does everything up to perfection aided by the arrangements of Lew Douglas, who also arranged the first round of hits. This is a most unusual album and a most daring concept and she pulls it off handsomely. It will sell big and merits recognition both as a totally enjoyable album and an example of a front runner staying up front.

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The price of being original?, February 20, 2001

By A Customer

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This review is from: Joni James - Latest and Greatest Hits (Audio CD)

I'm a little confused by the comparisons of Joni James to jazz singers. In the records here she unmistakenly a pop singer, so why is she being held up to the mirror of jazz singers? Joni did do some jazz-inflected albums in a later period of her career, and they sold well, particularly in Japan. But here she is a pop singer. Regarding her phrasing, I don't think it's clumsy. It's original and unique, influenced clearly by Gregorian chants with a bit of Sarah Vaughan. As for Louis Armstrong, he was a big admirer of Joni's, they knew each other, and she grew up listening to his records, Sarah Vaughan's, Dinah Washington's, Billie Holiday's and Anita O'Day's. And as for Joni not swinging, ALL her first albums take usually slow ballads and speed them up, adding all sorts of nuances, time stretching and especially phrasing behind the beat. She sang a lot backed by Stan Kenton's orchestra in concerts and he thought she WAS a jazz singer at heart with an incredible sense of time. This album is well worth getting, even just to hear a singer unlike any other. Selling more than 100 million records she can't be so bad.

11 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Still the Greatest, November 2, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Joni James - Latest and Greatest Hits (Audio CD)

This is a lovely collection of music. The "latest" songs are sung with the same warmth and conviction that Ms. James has always been known for. Her voice is still sweet and clear, but with a strength that comes from time and experience. My favorite of this group is "I'm In Love Again," which is the best new ballad I have heard in a long time. Of the "greatest" songs, I had never before heard "Is It Any Wonder," and what a wonderful song it is. That and "Wishing Ring" rate as two of Ms. James' most intimate, heartfelt performances. "Almost Always," with its lush Latin arrangement, is another treat. A CD with new recordings combined with old recordings is an unusual concept, but in this case it works. I recently had the privilege of seeing Ms. James in concert, which was a treat. I have never seen a performer who has such a rapport with an audience. Plus, she sounds as great in person as she does on the CD.