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Music Nominations Wanted

Thanks to the munificence of a long-suffering sibling and a recent birthday I am looking to buy some MP3 music tracks from Amazon. In the past I've gotten some good suggestions, so let's try it again. I am primarily interested in:
  1. Movie musical scores ("soundtracks")
  2. Solo piano or piano concertos. 
  3. Female vocalists.
In the first category are composers like Jan Kaczmarek, Mario Darianelli, Patrick Doyle, and Gabriel Yared among contemporaries. Of course I love the movie composers of an earlier generation, such as Bernard Herrmann, Victor Young, Maurice Jarre, Ennio Morricone, etc.

In the second category I like much, but not Valium-capsule music, or nambi-pambie nature soundtracks, e.g., waves hitting the shore, seagulls squawking, or whales mooing in the ocean.

In the third category, there are divas like the bluesy EmmyLou Harris, moody Celtic lasses, Puccini heroines, or Broadway musicals.

I do not listen to music dominated by electric bass guitars or any kind of thumpah thumpah ghetto crap. On the other hand Caribbean or Cuban music does interest me sometimes.

Classical music and operas interest me, but not gigantic Beethoven/Mahler type symphonies.

As someone who is impatient at doing internet searches, I will be grateful for any ideas.

Comments

Jim and Gayle said…
OK, tried this once and it did not take so. Female vocalists, Cassandra Wilson, Melody Gardot, Khani Cole. Piano, Keith Jarrett, Manolis Moumouzias and Paolo Pavan. The last two can be found at jamendo.com but that is free so it doesn't help you spend your money.

Buena Vista Social Club for Cuban

Safire The Uppity Blues Women.

Just a few ideas.

Jim
Steve said…
Expand your musical horizons with Metallica playing with the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra. :)
TomInBellaVista said…
Piano: João Carlos Martins - for the left hand
Vocals: Betty Carter - try her on Pandora, Ella Fitzgerald at the Montreaux Jazz Festival
Bon vivant said…
You should try the Wicked Tinkers. They'll make you want to secede!
Thanks Jim. A quick run-through made me interested in Jarrett and Melody Gardot.
If you don't already have Norah Jones, I recommend her for Category 3. Her first CD, "Come Away with Me" will always be among my favorites. If you really are interested in opera, one of my favorites is Cecilia Bartoli's "If you Love Me." A nice combination of soprano and piano...
Bob Giddings said…
http://www.amazon.com/Chopin-Waltzes-Barcarolle-Nocturne-Mazurka/dp/B000TENNTW/ref=sr_1_12?ie=UTF8&qid=1411568520&sr=8-12&keywords=dinu+lipatti
Thanks Bob, I'm going to buy the Nocturne on that album.
Bob Giddings said…
http://www.amazon.com/Mandeli-Pepe-Habichuela/dp/B00K5RNY6K/ref=sr_1_3?s=dmusic&ie=UTF8&qid=1411610436&sr=1-3&keywords=pepe+habichuela
Bob Giddings said…
http://www.amazon.com/Rubinstein-Collection-Vol-49-Nocturnes/dp/B001V3SV9C/ref=sr_1_2?s=dmusic&ie=UTF8&qid=1411613794&sr=1-2&keywords=rubinstein+-+the+chopin+collection
dr.dave said…
Here are some more mo-dern female vocalists who may be of interest:

Lana del Rey
Florence and the Machine
Laura M'vula
Neko Case

Neko Case is particularly incredible. Here is Middle Cyclone for you to preview:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MSbyx2YlRAY
Dr.Dave, yea, I watched the youTube. Nice voice.
Unknown said…
Not female. Leon Redbone. any album.
Soundtrack to Lawrence of Arabia. Great for watching desert sunsets, though I rarely listen to anything much. But I do like the theme from Bagdad Cafe.
Also, anything by Eva Cassidy.
A few more:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3q7TRVOM9KQ

^^^(KD Lang, not religious)^^^

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x346VoDX3pA

^^(world's greatest acoustic guitarist, Tommy Emmanuel)^^

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nzFdlLzhVhM

^^(Eva Cassidy, now gone, most beautiful voice ever)^^
Yes, I liked her voice. Need to check out more albums to find the mood I am looking for. When I get faster internet I'll get to see the youtubes.
John V said…
I can't believe there have been 18 commemts so far and nobody has mentioned the greatest female vocalistt group of all time.......Maroon 5!
edlfrey said…
Greatest FEMALE vocalist group of all time and I never even heard of them.

I had to do a Search.

Current members:
Adam Levine
Jesse Carmichael
Mickey Madden
James Valentine
Matt Flynn
PJ Morton
Former members:
Ryan Dusick
Touring members - Current
Sam Farrar
Former touring members:
Tommy "Boom-Boom" King
Adrian Young
Ryland Steen

I did not recognize any of the names but they do seem to be male names rather than female. I think John V may be pulling your leg or he is somewhat confused.