Customer Reviews

Whole New Ballgame

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

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".

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

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.

With the passing of Boots Randolph this summer, it marks the end of the 3 top instrumentalists in Nashville - Chet Atkins on Guitar, Floyd Cramer on piano and Boots Randolph on sax. This is Boots' final album recorded from February-April in 2006. This set is jazz which he had dabbled in quite a bit in previous recordings. It starts off with the upbeat 'I'm Beginning To See The Light' but the most adventurist tract is 'Take Me Out To The Ballgame' where Boots even outdoes himself. Two tunes that were recorded by Nat 'King' Cole are L-O-V-E co-written by Bert Kaempfert and Sax only on the too short 'Nature Boy'. Good liner notes by Tim Smith who produced this album and played bass. Terrific album and he will certainly by missed.

Love this cd! Boots inspired me to play saxophone 50 years ago. This is more jazzy & warm than most of his recordings; "Round Midnight" is gorgeous & soulful. Thanks for the great music, Boots. We miss you.

CD came in promised time - I don't know much because I bought it for a gift. Looks new and OK to me.

LAST CD RELEASED BY BOOTS, A MUST HAVE FOR FAITHFUL FOLLOWERS, WHICH I HAVE BEEN SINCE THE 60'S. I SAW BOOTS LIVE NUMEROUS TIMES AND THIS CD IS STILL UP TO THE LEVEL OF PERFORMANCE WE EXPECT.

This CD contains an amazing variety of tunes and all played artistically. If you're a Boots fan, you have to have this recording! If you are not a Boots fan...shame on you! How fortunate that he recorded this one for us.