The Essential Hollywood

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The Essential Hollywood album cover
Album Information
  • Artist: Various (See All Albums by Various)
  • Genre: Classical

  • Label: Sony Classical

Total Tracks: 27   Total Length: 111:27

eMusic Features

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Rising Tide of Female Jazz Singers

By Dan Ouellette, eMusic Contributor

While the legendary voices of such jazz icons as Billie, Ella and Sarah still ring true, subsequent generations of female jazz vocalists have taken the music in new directions, especially in the '90s, ranging from Cassandra Wilson's new-standard caress to Diana Krall's classics with a twist. Taking their lead, young singers over the last decade have been swinging the vocal tradition onto a new plateau with a pop sensibility. In the mix are tunes by… more »

They Say All Music Guide

Sony’s two-disc Essential Hollywood compilation collects 27 of the silver screen’s greatest themes. While most choices are obvious (Jaws, Gone with the Wind, Star Wars, Lawrence of Arabia etc.), a few, like Max Steiner’s “King Kong/The Forgotten Island/Natives/Sacrificial Dance/The Gate of Kong” and Erich Korngold’s “Kings Row/Main Title” are pleasant surprises. There are countless other collections like this out there, but as far as quality goes Essential Hollywood features a decent cross-section that pays its respects to both the past and the future of celluloid without coming off as over-bearing. – James Christopher Monger