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List Price: $18.98
Our Price: $14.99
You Save: $ 3.99 (21%)
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Manufacturer: Concord Records
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Average Customer Rating:  
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Binding: Audio CD
EAN: 0888072300507
Label: Concord Records
Manufacturer: Concord Records
Number Of Discs: 1
Publisher: Concord Records
Release Date: 2007-04-24
Studio: Concord Records
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Editorial Reviews:
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Jane Monheit has a lovely voice, one that in its purest, most lilting form reminds you of the young Barbra Streisand, with the show-stopping qualities that suggests. Her haunting rendition of Sergio Mendes'"So Many Stars," the runaway highlight of Surrender, is also one of the best things she's ever done. (Mendes arranged and produced the track and plays keyboard on it.) Since she stopped trying so hard to be a jazz singer and found her mark as a popular vocalist specializing in Brazilian music (there are also guest turns by singer Ivan Lins and harmonica great Toots Thielemans), Monheit has sounded more at home with herself. The problem is, as delectable as her instrument is, her performances, more often than not, have a perplexing emptiness to them: they're like romantic settings with candles providing the requisite glow but no real warmth. She's only 29, which means she has plenty of time to deepen as an artist. But it could also be that what you hear now is what you're going to get in the future. --Lloyd Sachs
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Customer Rating:
Summary: Surrender by Jane Monheit
Comment: There's not much to say other than her voice is enchanting and the selections are fabulous.
Customer Rating: 
Summary: Jane's weakest record so far
Comment: I've been a huge fan of Jane since her first release, and was unfortunately quite disappointed by this album.
True, her voice is in wonderful form (when is it not?) but the weakness of this album lies mostly in the arrangements, which seem highly over-produced, sappy, and bland.
I get what she was going for here, perhaps a more lush and luxurious sound than the jazz combos of most of her previous recordings. But where as Diana Krall did this sort of thing very successfully with the interesting, haunting arrangements on her "Look of Love" CD a few years back, Jane's effort comes across as elevator music to my ears. The paint-by-number orchestrations and syrupy production values don't help, either.
I'd like to hear the results if she were paired with more adventuresome arrangers and orchestrators. But "Surrender" just doesn't serve Jane's artistry the way it should.
Customer Rating:
Summary: R & R Bossa Nova
Comment: R & R Bossa Nova is a musical phrase I coined to classify some of the CDs from my collection ... it stands for Refreshing and Relaxing Bossa Nova music. This CD, "Surrender" is a fitting example for it contains quite a lot of Brazilian-infused numbers that are absolutely enchanting and very pleasing to the ears.
Sergio Mendes, Ivan Lins, Toots Thielemans, Vince Mendoza and Jorge Calandrelli are some of the most trusted names when it comes to exquisite music - their presence in this recording adds beauty, brilliance and timeless appeal that most listeners often look for in an album.
What makes this disc so special? Jane Monheit's impeccably refreshing, relaxing and soothing renditions; tasteful choice of material from the pens of Henry Mancini, Johnny Mercer, Sergio Mendes, Johnny Mandel, Antonio Carlos Jobim, Burt Bacharach, Hal David, Stevie Wonder, Alan and Marilyn Bergman, among others; sublime musicianship from a fine group of studio musicians that include pianist Michael Kanan, percussionist Paulinho Da Costa, drummer Rick Montalbano (Monheit's husband), saxophonist Ari Ambrose, just to name a few; a lush string orchestra; and more importantly, Vince Mendoza's arrangements and Jorge Calandrelli's grand orchestral charts.
The Bossa Nova charmers include "Caminhos Cruzados" featuring Toots Thielemans on a stunning extended harmonica solo, an enthralling duet with Ivan Lins, "Rio De Maio" and "So Tinha De Ser Con Voce." The tasteful repertoire wouldn't be as wonderful as it is without "Moon River," "A Time For Love," "Overjoyed" and "Alfie," the track that spotlights Monheit's impressive vocals accompanied only by the romantic sound of Michael Kanan's piano.
Monheit is at her most gentle and relaxed mood in "Like A Lover" treating the lyrics like the delicate petals of pink roses. "So Many Stars" is breathtakingly beautiful! It features on piano its famed composer and Bossa Nova icon Sergio Mendes, whom I've met at his 40th anniversary concert at the Hollywood Bowl over a year ago. Its lovely arrangement is based on the original chart recorded by Sergio Mendes and Brasil '66 entitled Sergio Mendes & Brasil '66 - Greatest Hits.
Who could better interpret "If You Went Away" with heartfelt emotion and tender perfection? She aced it and made it her own. This track is such a beauty from the first note to the last.
"My world is safe and it's worth living for
Even more with you
I've learned to treasure each moment of time
You've even taught me how high love can climb."
If you will listen closely with undivided attention to each track focusing not only on Monheit's vocals, but also the arrangements, instrumentations especially the solos, you'll agree with me that this is by far her best offering.
A gem of a CD. With my heartfelt recommendation.
Customer Rating:
Summary: The Amazing Monheit....
Comment: Jane proves again her amazing vocal skills. I saw Jane recently at the Birchmere in Alexandria performing mostly songs from this CD. She made a special point of thanking us at the end of the concert, before her encore, for "really listening." And we did. It's the first concert I've been to in a long time where people were literally sitting at the edge of their chair to hear every note, every breath and every nuance. This jazzy-bossa nova style suits her perfectly and her singing in Portugese is flawless. Superb CD, superb performer. I can't recommend this CD highly enough.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Happy to surrender to Jane
Comment: I am gripped by Monheit's voice whenever I hear it. "Surrender" is a terrific lilting song, and "Moon River" pretty much always makes me cry. I go through Monheit kicks and alternate this album with Live at the Rainbow Room and Taking a Chance on Love. I love that she sings some songs from previous eras, making them perfectly contemporary.
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