Park Chan-wook’s Oldboy (2003) is one of the most popular and iconic of Korean films of the 2000s. A sensational and provocative piece of Asian extreme cinema, the film also has a superb score by Jo Yeong-wook, a regular composer for a number of Park’s works. Jo’s original score is rather eclectic in style - a mix of classical waltzes and modern electronica. Several tracks such as ‘Out of the Past’, ‘Dressed to Kill’, and ‘Frantic’ are inspired by the minimalist music of Philip Glass. There’s an unsettling quality to the music, particularly when it is haunted by the listener’s memory of the picture. Those who haven’t seen the film are likely to appreciate most of the tracks on offer here - the album is highly listenable and any fan of movie scores will dig this.
Box set containing a compilation of works for the Erato label performed by the soprano Sumi Jo. As well as the tracks listed it also includes 'Gualtier Mald…Caro Nome' from 'Rigoletto' by Giuseppe Verdi, 'No, No, Che Non Sei Capace, K419' By Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, 'Son Vergin Vezzosa' from 'I Puritani' by Vincenzo Bellini, 'Qual Farfalletta Amante' by Domenico Scarlatti, 'C'est bien L'Air Que Chaque Matin' from 'L'toile du Nord Scribe' by Giacomo Meyerbeer, 'Overture' from 'Die Fledermaus' by Johann Strauss, 'Unusual Way' By Maury Yeston, 'Amazing Grace', 'Cantata Pastorale Per La Nascita di Nostro Signore' by Alessandro Scarlatti and 'As Steals The Morn Upon The Night' by George Frideric Handel, amongst others.
Possessing a tone as clear as a bell, perfect diction and phrasing, and no shortage of personality, Jo Stafford was one of the greatest and best- selling female singers of the pre-rock and roll era and beyond; whether it’s her early sides with the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra and The Pied Pipers or her classic solo recordings for the Capitol and Columbia labels with arranger/conductor husband Paul Weston, there is no mistaking the sound of that magnificent voice. Now, we at Real Gone Music have a very special treat for fans of this superb, yet to some degree overlooked, vocalist: a treasure trove of 24 radio performances taken from The Carnation Contented Hour, which Jo co- hosted on the Columbia Broadcasting System. These previously unreleased 1950-1951 recordings come to us from the Tony Martin estate courtesy of Michael Feinstein and with the blessing of Jo’s son Tim Weston, and are taken from original master tapes, not transcription discs; remastered by Mike Milchner at SonicVision, these are studio quality sessions and thus a major, major find in the Jo Stafford discography. It is such a treat to hear Jo interpret songs like “Dream a Little Dream of Me,” “Ain’t Misbehavin’” and “I’ve Got the World on a String” that became big hits for other artists.
The rock era saw a few white female singers, like Janis Joplin, show they could sing the blues. But one who could outshine them all - Jo Ann Kelly - seemed to slip through the cracks, mostly because she favored the acoustic, Delta style rather than rocking out with a heavy band behind her. But with a huge voice, and a strong guitar style influenced by Memphis Minnie and Charley Patton, she was the queen. Her debut studio album was released in 1969.