Whole New Ballgame

Boots Randolph | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (June 12, 2007)
• Original Release Date: 2007
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Zoho Music
• ASIN: B000P6R6VA
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #263,283 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

41 of 41 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars At 80 and he's still rocking !, June 13, 2007

By 

a tois (New York) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Whole New Ballgame (Audio CD)

His legendary name will always be associated with country music and to the smach hit music from Yakety Sax! (Sony), but he has long loved swinging jazz.

This album is composed entirely of classic jazz standards - what he calls "evergreens" - and none have appeared on any of his dozens of previous albums.

His history as a country star, or even before that, his experiences playing sax for singers like Buddy Holly, Elvis Presley, or Johnny Cash, would lead you to believe that he'd be a little adrift on the songs on this album, but you'd be wrong.

He does very well with them, and if his breathy style isn't to your taste, you still have to admire the sentiment he puts into every song.

On every song in this collection, you will hear a master musician deliver the melody in a way that only Boots can, and you will hear the most adventurous jazz solos that Boots has recorded to date.

He is in great form and shows amazing tecnique and skills.

Pianist Steve Willets and guitarist Roddy Smith have solo space and do a great job, but Boots is the true star!

This is a delight of an album, one of his best ever.

You will be positively impressed!

My favourite tracks are "I'll Be Seeing You", "'Round Midnight" and "L-O-V-E".

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars VERY Smooth, Classy Jazz Collection, June 30, 2007

By 

Grady Harp (Los Angeles, CA United States) - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (TOP 50 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Whole New Ballgame (Audio CD)

Boots Randolph has been around for many years, his style of music may have changed over time, but here he reassures us with this fine CD that the tenets of fine jazz are alive and well. He is as accomplished on the tenor sax as anyone out there and his intuitive sense of rhythm and variation on tune lines is sensitive and so secure that listening to his music is as relaxing as an evening with old friends.

Randolph is backed by Roddy Smith, guitars, Steve Willets, piano, Tim Smith, bass, and Ray Von Rotz, drums and percussion. The interplay among these musical giants makes the finest of collaborative adventures. The songs interpreted are oldies but goodies including 'You'll never know', 'Round Midnight', 'Cry me a river', 'I'll be seeing you' and ten others. The sound is smooth, wry, fanciful when called for and melancholic for the blues works.

For an album of 'solid old-fashioned jazz' played by the gifted Boots Randolph and associates, this is hard to beat. It is refreshingly solid music making. Grady Harp, June 07

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars It is a Whole New Ballgame., August 12, 2007

By 

Terry L. Hunt "honkin hogger" (Adrian, MI USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Whole New Ballgame (Audio CD)

If you only thought of Boots Randolph as the guy who played Yakety Sax or only played country music then do yourself a favor and purchase this CD. This CD is certainly his best recording effort to date and sadly his last as he passed away about a month after its release. His musical artistry shows through on each and every selection. My personal favorite is Nature Boy with just Boots and his sax. What a well defined and solid tone. What he does to Take me out to the Ballgame is simply amazing. Get it you won't be dissapointed.