Customer Reviews

Playing by Heart (1998 Film)

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Well, Chris Botti has done it again. He has created trumpet music that is relaxing,suggestive,and warm. This is a must CD for any jazz fan. In fact,this is a great CD to introduce a friend to the wonderful world of jazz.

"Playing by Heart" never fails to induce a depth of emotion in the listener from its yearning, twilight-evening feel; watching the ripples on a pond in the night time, dreaming of past and future moments with the cherished one that we hold in our heart.

A dear friend introduced me to Chris Botti, but he warned me not to listen to too much all at once for fear of an overwhelming melancholy that would surely befall me. Whether melancholy is the right word, I'm not sure - it's perhaps the sweetness of a lingering memory, the dreamlike quality of Botti, Baker et al that makes an impression. To coin an overused phrase, it is a hauntingly beautiful collection of pieces that soar somewhere between the unspoken mystery of the heart and the ethereal no-mans-land between body and spirit. Listeners beware its overt romantic influence.

John Barry just seems to get better and better. This music deserves to be included among his best. Chris Botti's trumpet playing only adds to the haunting beauty and brilliance of this very special music. I thank John Barry, Chris Botti and Chet Baker for their wonderful talents.

Sadly, John Barry seems to be basically retired now. He hasn't scored a film since "Enigma" back in 2000. This was the film he did immediately before that, and while most of his score was dumped from the final theatrical version of "Playing By Heart," this album presents the score as he intended it, along with a few key pieces by Chet Baker that inspired the filmmakers and Barry.

This is not the Barry of the James Bond films, doing big, brassy orchestral sounds. Instead, we get a thoughtful, moody, jazzy Barry, closer to his roots in 50's clubs.

Reading the liner notes, with the director gushing about how perfect Barry was for the film, is a bit odd, since he proceeded to replace almost all of Barry's music with another composer. Still, this doesn't diminish the power of Barry's compositions.

I'm just glad we get to hear them, since rejected scores are almost always locked away in a vault somewhere. This music is too good for that, and somebody was thinking straight and knew this. Thank you to whoever approved the release of this album, it's unforgettable.

I picked this up in the midst of a John Barry kick. I'd never actually heard of either Chet Baker of Chris Botti until this, nor have I ever seen the film, so I can only be critical of this in terms of John Barry.

That said: wow. Barry's work on this album strikes a perfect balance between the sugary romanticism of Somewhere In Time and the dark suspense of his James Bond scores. Like Antonio Carlos Jobim's melancholy twin, his melodies wind through all kinds of improbable chord changes, yet feel so decisive, so gentle-but-strong, so right. A handful of melodic ideas are explored repeatedly, but the variations are so gripping that instead of being redundant, the CD has a connected, cyclic flow. Chet Baker's counterpoints are expertly chosen and timed. Cigarette smoke seems to waft from the speakers.

This album doesn't need a film to fall back on; it makes movies in the mind.

This music is a perfect match for a rainy, cool day. Rainy days can be nice. This music makes you stop and think about life. Chris Botti's trumpet is always smooth and melodic. John Barry is one of the great composers of our time. (Think 007 themes).

You can immediately pick out the Chet Baker tunes in this CD. These songs transport you back to a speakeasy bar in the 50s. You feel you're in a smokey bar way after midnight contemplating life's troubles. This is an excellent CD to introduce or reintroduce yourself to Chet Baker, Chris Botti and John Barry.

This is a great soundtrack. Typical John Barry sweet melancholy melodic work. Marries well with many other Chris Botti CDs. Paralleling Chet Baker's work alongside Chris Botti's is an interesting approach. Barry, of course, is perfection itself.

Okay, I admit, I mistook this CD for the "Music from the soundtrack of Playing by Heart" CD which has a variety of bands on it. Still, I was not upset, it's a very mello album great to listen to when trying to get over the urge to throttle your boss or that guy who cut you off in traffic.

One of my most cherished jazz albums. Chris Botti, Chet Baker and John Williams, the finest musicians and composers together in harmony. Softly played with soft double bass, gentle tunes of the trumpet and romantically dramatic. Worth the investment! I get the goosebumps every time I play the album!

This is a great CD from John Barry. It is a fine example of his distinctive style. John Barry just seems to be getting better with time. I really enjoyed this music.