It has been argued that Kazaa and other file sharing services were going to kill CD sales, among other things. Well… I haven’t bought as many CDs in the previous two years as I have in the last six months.

My CD-buying spree started two weeks ago when I spied Cyndi Lauper’s latest album, “At Last“. I’m not a big fan of hers - at least not like my being a big fan of Barbra Streisand’s where I buy almost every single one of her albums - and I haven’t really followed her music since the late 80s (oh God… I sound so old…), but when I read through the track listing on the back cover, I knew I had to have it. And I’m glad I bought it.

Cyndi Lauper is usually at her best when she sings poignant, introspective songs and this album is peppered with them. That’s not to say that there aren’t any upbeat, happy songs to provide interesting texture to the album. Fortunately, in this album she does them (almost) equally well. If you like to be touched and moved when listening to music, this is one album to hear. The material is not too heavy to bring tears to your eyes, but neither are they so light and superficial that you forget them the moment the CD ends.

After reading a review in a local newspaper, I thought I’d give Laura Fygi’s “Live at Ronnie Scott’s” a try.

I know I’ve said previously that I’m not quite a fan of jazz. However, after listening to Laura Fygi, I might be turning around. Maybe, I just don’t “understand” non-vocal jazz. Or perhaps, I need to redefine what “jazz” means to me. In any case, this is a fabulous album - wonderful voice, great vocal phrasing, lovely arrangements and selection of music… I could go on… It is in short an extremely entertaining, enjoyable and highly recommended album.

When you think about it, while Laura Fygi is considered a jazz singer and Cyndi Lauper a pop singer, the two albums I bought are not too different. While the “styling” of the music do contrast with each other at times, both albums, however, are enjoyable because of the emphasis on the song and music. It is this great interpretive art that comes across in both albums that tugs your heart, engages your mind and forces you to stop and pay attention with your ear. Both albums are also similar in the “nature” of their selection of music, and they both couldn’t be more different than the pop/rock offerings in the mass market today. For a beguiling and enchanting musical experience, these are two albums to hear.

Perhaps it’s a sign of aging that I’m now listening to “slower”, “jazz-ier”, more introspective music. But it is also perhaps an inevitable development given my foray into classical music the last six years. This week, I went out to and bought a couple more albums: Stacey Kent’s “Collection” and “Collection II“. She’s another jazz artist but in what I perceive to be “stereotypical” jazz - music that borders on being background lounge tunes. That does not make her music any less enjoyable, but she’s definitely no Laura Fygi. Or Cyndi Lauper in this case.

Posted on November 29th, 2003 by jl
Filed under: lost blah blah