A comprehensive collection of Sakamoto’s instrumental songs and film music from a master of Minimalist piano. Famed worldwide as a film composer, Ryiuchi Sakamoto began his career as a pianist, creating patterns, phrases and innovative arrangements before joining his first commercial electronic pop band in 1978, the Yellow Magic Orchestra. Around the same time, he worked on his first solo album, the Thousand Knives of Ryuichi Sakamoto (1978), which blends up-to-date electronic techniques with an old-fashioned gift for good tunes. Riot in Lagos brought him fame beyond Japan, and he went on to work with many top producers of pop, dance and electro.
Whether you're decorating the Christmas tree, hosting a holiday gathering, or simply trying to get hyped for the holiday season, a festive soundtrack with all the best Christmas songs is essential to set the mood while you deck the halls. When you’re ready to make your Christmas playlist, consult this list of the top Christmas songs of all time to make sure you don’t forget one of your faves.
Of all the factors making the more cynical amongst us dread the oncoming of another festive season, the preponderance of the same dozen records spun endlessly across the airwaves and in department stores for months prior to the big day, is one of the most potent. But with a compilation as refreshing, thrilling and eclectic as this alternative yuletide collection now available, with its delightful tunes actually complementing the event in question, the time has come to welcome in the season of goodwill while enjoying the likes of The Reindeer Boogie, North Pole Rock, Mambo Santa Mambo or one of 53 other Christmas Crackers as presented on this 2 disc set.
A nostalgic and varied Christmas compilation, not only for the holidays, either danceable or dreamy with a mixture of swing and jazz, rhythm & blues and crooner pop! Bear Family's latest edition of 'Season's Greetings' for 2020! Nostalgic Christmas with 31 Lindy Hop-Jitterbug-Boogie-Jive and Easy Listening rarities of the years 1940-1967! Among them the title song Christmas Ball, as well as the B-side of the rare 1951 Coral single of the Georgie Auld Orchestra with the great singer Bill Darnel, never before on CD! Knuckles O'Toole & The Brigadiers version of Jingle Bells is also included, as well as New Year's goose bumps classic Auld Lang Syne in the worn version by Guy Lombardo, and the famous version of the classic Sleigh Ride in the interpretation of orchestra leader Leroy Anderson, also known from the movie 'Polar Express'! Besides The Andrews Sisters there are more ladies with their great voices, above all the stunning Dinah Washington, the crooner lady Dorothy Collins and last but not least Kay Martin, who makes it quite slippery and erotic.
The album 1996 contains 12 pieces arranged for violin (Everton Nelson, David Nadien, or Barry Finclair), cello (Jaques Morelenbaum), and piano (Ryuichi Sakamoto), including both new compositions and music used in the soundtracks to The Last Emperor, Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence, The Sheltering Sky, and High Heels. The music is for the most part restrained and reflective, as Sakamoto makes use of the contrasting timbres of the chamber instrumentation, mixing melodic and rhythmic effects soothingly (the exceptions being the more quick-moving "M.A.Y. in the Backyard" and "1919," which uses a barely audible voice and staccato playing to stirring effect).