Conference cookie::notes$archive:cd_v1

    The Whittney Houston CD is very enjoyable.  One of the first I ever
    bought.  Had not listened to it in a long time until the night before
    last.  Now I remember why I bought it.

There are two 'greatest hits' albums that I like: 

	Linda Ronstadt's Greatest Hits Vol 2
	Melissa Manchester's Greatest Hits

I'm not sure if you would classify it as 'easy listening' or 'soul', but I think
one of the better albums along that line is:

	Billy Ocean - Suddenly

Dan

    This may be "pushing it" a bit, but you might
    consider Dave Grusin's "Mountain Dance".  This
    is technically a jazz album, but has some
    *nice* piano work and is fairly laid-back.
    
    David.
    

    Again, it depends on how you define "easy listening", but two
    I have that might fit into that category are PETULA CLARK'S
    GREATEST HITS and Neal Diamond's JONATHAN LIVINGSTON SEAGULL
    soundtrack. The first is especially good, considering the age
    of the recordings. It's an import on the Vogue label (I have
    a few other Vogue CD's, and they're all of good quality).
    
    --- jerry

    The first cd I bought was the Windham Hill 1986 sampler.  I had
    heard of W.H. and its artist but never had given them a listen.
    
    Very clean sounding and wonderful "easy listening".  I have since
    gotten the 1982 and 1984 sampler as well as most of George Winston,
    though not all on cd.
    
    Try them, I think you'll like them.
    
    _stew-

    Dan Fogelberg's greateat hits CD sound exceptionally good.
    

    If you like John Denver, his album It's About Time was digitally
    recorded and the CD sounds great--nice songs, too.

If you like sax and mellow jazz I can recommend John Klemmer.  One album on
CD which comes to mind is Touch.  A little hissy but sound is very good.

-peter

Try the following:

    Fresh Aire I-V          -   Mannheim Steamroller
    High Country Snows      -   Dan Fogelberg
    Greatest Hits Vol 3     -   John Denver
    The Promised Land       -   Willie Nelson
    The King James Version  -   Harry James  (if you like Big Band)


The Mannheim Steamroller albums are more Jazz but are excellent. All of the 
above albums are Digital and sound quality is very good.

    Ricki Lee Jones - Ricki Lee Jones (first album) and Pirates are
    both excellent albums.
    
    						-Dave

    re:.10
    
    So is MAGAZINE, her third. I'm not sure I'd classify her as
    "Easy Listening", though.
    
    --- jerry

	Then you should probably also try Jim Croce - His Greatest
	Hits.

    Night-Lines by Dave Grusin is one of my favorites for good-mood
    backgrounds.  (Includes theme from "St. Elsewhere" -- incredible
    sound.)
    
    George Winston for more pensive moments.

    Another pair of CD's you might check out:
    
    GROWING UP IN HOLLYWOOD TOWN and WEST OF OZ, both by Amanda McBroom
    and Lincoln Mayorga. McBroom is the person who wrote the title song
    for THE ROSE (which appears on the first above-mentioned album). I
    can heartily recommend the second; I haven't heard much of the first
    (my CD player or pre-amp --- I haven't isolated the problem yet ---
    is giving me some problems). Both are on Sheffield, a true audiophile
    label. I managed to pick up both from BCD's used boxes.
    
    --- jerry

    Re: -1
    
    I heartily recommend Amamdas stuff. She is not only a good song
    writer, but one of the best closet singers I have heard. She did
    GROWING UP IN HOLLYWOOD TOWN at Lincoln Mayorga's prodding after
    he heard her sing THE ROSE for his piano accompanyment of Bette
    Middlers vocals for the movie and single (Lincoln and Bette did
    the tune at different times so Lincoln needed someone to accompany
    for the piano track).
    
    I have both on DD and havent heard the CDs, but if Sheffield took
    the same care with the digital master as they do with their analog
    stuff, it is bound to be a good pair of discs for the pop/easylistening
    crowd.
    
    Walt

     I have both the DD and the CD of GROWING UP IN HOLLYWOOD TOWN, and
     have spent a lot of time listening to both; in this case the DD wins
     all the way.  The CD has a lot of background hiss (I assume it was
     an analog tape recording of the original DD session) and the CD does
     not have the bass that the record does.  Maybe Doug Sax did this on
     purpose!

     Dennis

    re:.16
    
    Yes, GROWING UP IN HOLLYWOOD TOWN's reference tape was analog,
    but WEST OF OZ's was done with a digital recorder. I didn't notice
    any hiss on the GUIHT CD, at least no obvious hiss.
    
    --- jerry

    
    I would like to suggest Sade "Diamond Life" and also her latest
    which I think is called "Promises".
    
    Steph

    
    			<Really PUZZLE::ECTOR>
    
    Don't laugh - BUT - I highly recommend Manilow's "Paradise Cafe
    - 2 A.M." digital recording with most songs done on first take with
    some top-notch writing/playing. Duets with Sarah Vaughn and Mel
    Torme really hit the spot. Picture yourself driving through upstate
    N.Y. at 1 a.m. and stopping in a quiet roadside joint with a piano
    bar. That's what you get - apparently Barry left the orchestra pit
    in the studio.     Al Ector  (The Cruiser)
    
    

    I strongly recommend the following CDS:
    
    	Whitney Houston
    	Paul Mauriat (Laser Magic Hits)  * All insrumental but nice
    					   to listen to
    	Billy Ocean Suddenly
    	Barbara Streisand Broadway Hits CD
    	Sade
    	
    I listen to all of these with regularity, and their all
    favorites...Excellent recording quality and ho hiss!