It is funny how one thing leads to another, and how nearly eleven years after becoming pen-pals with a girl, I’m finally listening to, and falling in love with one of her favorite artists, Joshua Bell.
When I was about 14 I started writing a girl named Sarah. We had lots in common, including our love for music and photography. When Ryan and I married in October 2005, Sarah was our violinist, and provided the only music for our outdoor wedding.
Over the years I heard Sarah mention Joshua Bell on several occasions, but I never bought any of his music because I’ve never been a huge fan of classical music, and I figured that’s probably what he played and while I was sure it would be beautiful, I didn’t expect it would be my cup of tea…
When One2One Network gave me the opportunity to review Joshua Bell’s newest masterpiece, At Home With Friends, I decided to accept. From the description, I gleaned it would be a good mix of musical genres and both vocal and instrumental pieces. I figured this would be a good chance to “try” Joshua Bell and see if I liked him…
“Like,” as it turns out, is an understatement.
Last night I had At Home With Friends playing while I cooked supper. When my husband and his brother, a musician and composer himself, arrived for dinner, my husband commented that with all this good food and Joshua’s music playing, he felt under dressed for dinner. Both hubs and his musician brother inquired about the music, and we enjoyed the tunes while we ate supper.
It’s true, music can set the tone for an event. What would have been an ordinary supper, was worthy of black-tie attire, candle light and champagne.
I’d liken this recording to standing on the peaks of the Blue Ridge Mountains, watching the fog lift off the fall foliage. Every piece is breathtaking. Demanding one to slow down and revel in the serenity of the violin combined with silken vocals and instrumental duets, At Home With Friends is a very special collection of music.
Joshua Bell is well known for holding musical soirées in his Manhattan home, where he and his comic, musician, author, and actor friends gather to share and enjoy each other’s talents. With his new album, Joshua fullfills a lifelong dream of recording vocal and instrumental duets with the likes of Josh Groban, Regina Spektor, Chris Botti, Sting, Kristin Chenoweth, and more.
Joshua Bell – Official Website
Joshua Bell on Facebook
Buy At Home With Friends on Amazon.com!
Another review by my friend, Courtney from Giftfully Simple
From One2One Network…
At Home With Friends covers all of the genres, from classical to pop, bluegrass to Broadway, jazz and ethnic World Music. There are even a couple of seasonal tracks in there, just in time to celebrate the holidays. Check out the track list:
I Loves You Porgy featuring Chris Botti, trumpet
Come Again featuring Sting, vocals
Oblivion featuring Carel Kraayenhof, bandoneon
Cinema Paradiso featuring Josh Groban, vocals
Para Tí featuring Tiempo Libre, various
My Funny Valentine featuring Kristin Chenoweth, vocals
Maybe So featuring Edgar Meyer Sam Bush and Mike Marshall, strings
Grieg: Sonata No. 3 featuring Sergei Rachmaninoff (Zenph re-performance)
Eleanor Rigby featuring Frankie Moreno, piano & vocals
O, Cease Thy Maiden Fair featuring Nathan Gunn, baritone
Il Postino featuring Carel Kraayenhof, bandoneon
Left Hand Song featuring Regina Spektor, piano & vocals
Chovendo Na Roseira featuring Dave Grusin, piano
Look Away featuring Edgar Meyer, bass and Chris Thile, mandolin
Variant Moods: Duet for Sitar & Violin featuring Anoushka Shankar, sitar
I’ll Take Manhattan featuring Marvin Hamlisch, piano
Left Hand featuring Regina Spektor, vocalsOh yeah, that’s right. Left Hand Song featuring Regina Spektor. This fan-favorite has never been recorded before… At Home With Friends is your only chance to own this song. You don’t want to miss this opportunity.
More about Joshua Bell, from One2One Network:
Grammy Award-winning violinist Joshua Bell has been in the spotlight since he was 14 years old. Fourteen! Now, 20 years and 30 original albums later, Joshua has the public’s attention like no other classical violinist of his time, captivating audiences worldwide. He’s a soloist, chamber musician, orchestra leader and he’s earned countless awards and honors for his work as a concert stage performer and recording artist, including “Classical Artist of the Year” and “Classical CD of the Year” by Billboard Magazine. He’s the first musician to have a classical music video played on VH1, and he’s appeared on Sesame Street. And you know he’s big if he’s been on Sesame Street.
Great review…I can’t wait till mine arrives in the mail!
Great review…I can’t wait till mine arrives in the mail!
Girl, you are going to love it! I’ve only had mine a few days and I’ve listened over and over and over.
Girl, you are going to love it! I’ve only had mine a few days and I’ve listened over and over and over.
[...] friend of mine, Erica, also did a review of the same CD and played it during a dinner party she had, enjoying it with friends, food and [...]