Music Reviews, 1999-2000 Amazon Bookstore Cooperative produces a monthly newsletter. Each month we try to feature music that we think is especially noteworthy or of specific interest to our customers. This is a collection of some of those reviews between 1999-2000. Please note: This list is NOT regularly updated with price information or availability status. Though we keep these reviews here as a service, we do not necessarily keep the CDs in stock nor are they perhaps still available. If you find something here that interests you, we encourage you to send us a message to check availability. Lori's Music Pick of the Year & the Decade Reviews, 1999 Music Pick if the Year - 1999 Well, it's that time of the year when I select a musical release worthy of honor. It seems only appropriate that the 1999 Musical Pick of the year Award goes to Respect: A Century of Women in Music, five CD set, $59.95. A great buy for anyone who loves women's music! Arranged in chronological order, this set contains music from every genre recorded between 1907 to 1998. Check out the titles of the five discs: Broadway, Blues, and Truth; Torch, Twang, and Swing; Shoop-Shoop, Motown, Get Down Sister; Rock to Electric Shock; Hip-Hop, Pop, and Passion. Each disc also contains short sound bites of influential heroines representing each era, and the set includes a 80-page book filled with historical essays and color photos. Ann Reed: Amazon's Musical Artist of the Decade Since we have just completed a historic transition into the 21st century, it seems appropriate to recognize a musical artist who has entertained us with her creative songwriting, memorable music and intelligent humor. Ann Reed was recognized in 1990 as Minnesota Artist of the Year and in 1997 as Folksinger of the Year by the Minnesota Music Academy. We at Amazon would like to recognize her as our Musical Artist of the Decade. Commitment to community is an Ann Reed priority. She and her manager, Lin Bick, have set aside at least 25% of her touring schedule to do benefits for community organizations. She provided her talents for Amazon Bookstore's 25th anniversary concert; she has raised funds for domestic abuse shelters, AIDS research, the National Breast Cancer coalition. Her most recent community project has been providing entertainment for a variety of Girl Scout events, including the 85th anniversary of the Girl Scouts held in Washington D.C. where she sang for 75,000 scouts! Ann Reed is a self-made artist who has worked very hard to make a living in a tough and competitive world, and at the same time has found the energy to continually give back to her community. As part of the College of St. Catherine's "Women of Substance" program, Ann will celebrate the release of her 12th CD with a concert at O'Shaugnessy Auditorium on April 16, 2000. Should be one heck of a show by one heck of an artist! Ann Reed Songbook (III) $15.95 Back & Forth (Cassette) $10.00 Back & Forth (CD) $16.95 By Request (Cassette) $10.00 By Request (CD) $16.95 Hole in the Day (Cassette) $10.00 Hole in the Day (CD) $16.95 Just Can't Stop (Cassette) $10.00 Life Gets Real (Cassette) $10.00 Life Gets Real (CD) $15.95 Road of the Heart (Casette) $10.00 Road of the Heart (CD) $16.95 Strings Attached (CD) $16.95 Talk to Me (Cassette) $10.00 Talk to Me (CD) $16.95 Timing Is Everything (Cassette) $10.00 Timing Is Everything (CD) $16.95 REVIEWS 1999 Various artists, Forever Dusty! Melissa Ferrick, Freedom Magnolia Sisters, Chers Amis Various artists, Wizard Women of the North Sweet Honey in the Rock, Freedom Song Sweet Honey in the Rock, Continuum Sinead Lohan, No Mermaid Emmylou Harrid, Dolly Parton & Linda Ronstadt, Trio II Dusty Springfield, Dusty in London; Dusty in Memphis Cris Williamson and Tret Fure, Radio Quiet Ani di Franco, Up, Up, Up, Up, Up, Up     Various artists Forever Dusty! CD only $16.95. This tribute to a musical icon features 17 performances of Dusty Springfield classics by great female artists such as Jill Sobule, Laura Love, Indigo Girls, Michelle Malone, and The Butchies. Melissa Ferrick Freedom, CD only $16.95. This latest release is one of the current faves among our staff members. We play it a lot in the store and usually customers take notice of Melissa’s powerful songs and fiery guitar work. Ask for a listen and you’ll soon find out why it is such a hit with the Amazon women. Magnolia Sisters Chers Amis, CD only $15.95. Innovative and refreshing arrangements of traditional Cajun music featuring beautiful harmonies and excellent musicianship. Various artists Wizard Women of the North, CD only $16.95. Traditional Nordic music is represented here featuring some of the leading Nordic women vocalists and instrumentalists available today. Would make a great gift for a newcomer or lover of Nordic music. Sweet Honey in the Rock Freedom Song, CD only $17.95. I love this album. It is the soundtrack to the original motion picture of the same name. Wonderful songs which reflect the spirit and struggle of those people who were fighting for civil rights. Sweet Honey in the Rock Continuum, Songbook, $20.95. Compiled and edited by Sweet Honey’s Ysaye Maria Barnwell, this collection contains some of the best-loved and fairly new songs by this incomparable group. The song list includes "Breaths," "Sometime," "I Remember, I Believe," "Would You Harbor Me?" and "Cum Ba Yah."   Sinead Lohan No Mermaid, tape $11.50 CD $17.95. If you like Mary Black, you will like Sinead Lohan. With vocal technique that is immediately charismatic and beautiful and lyrics that reflect a wide range of human experience, I think you will agree with the music critics that she is an artist definitely worth our attention.   Emmylou Harris, Dolly Parton & Linda Ronstadt Trio II, CD only $17.95. After years of promise, this memorable trio has teamed up again and has finally released the follow-up CD to their hugely successful first release. True to their roots, these talented women will send you to aural heaven with their unique voices and harmonies.   Dusty Springfield Dusty in London; Dusty in Memphis, CDs only $16.95. Her recently released Anthology was a big hit with our music-loving customers. It must have been a financial success for her record label too since it is taking another risk by releasing these two collections. Dusty in London features material she recorded in England. With four exceptions, the tracks have never been issued in the U.S. Dusty in Memphis is the deluxe CD debut of a classic late 60s pop album. Both CD's are a must-have for any Springfield fans.   Cris Williamson and Tret Fure Radio Quiet, tape $10.95, CD $15.95. This talented duo's second musical release is great! There's not a fast-forward track on it! It is an album of storytelling filled with great descriptions and wonderful images as well as exquisite harmonies and impressive musicianship. The title track is inspired by the movie "Contact." Listen for a soon to be favorite, "Tomboy Girl." Cris and Tret have been in the independent music industry for over two decades, and when you listen to this album, you'll know why they remain still as successful today. (Tickets for their upcoming May concert will go on sale around the middle of February--check at the store.)   Ani di Franco Up, Up, Up, Up, Up, Up, tape $10.00, CD $15.95. A different musical style is what you'll hear on this prolific artist's 13th release on her Righteous Babe record label. She explores new music terrain visiting hip hop, electronic influences, and extended verses. Her last album debuted at #22 on the Billboard charts spending 10 weeks on this distinguished list. Will #13 be even luckier? I have a hunch it will be even more successful than her last album. She is an amazing talent.     © 1997-2000 Amazon Bookstore Cooperative Please send comments/questions to Amazon Bookstore Cooperative This site designed by: Only Connect