"I was a fan from the word go, or rather when she set her foot on American soil. I have seen her live many times at Wolftrap near DC and she always amazes me with her talent. The fluidness of this music and he handling that CLeo gives this music are little slices of heaven. She can be brassy, or breathy, warm or clipped. Either way she has class and talent. One of the things I like especially about Cleo is that she knows how to handle a song, or the approach to take, it is always right on que. I have even met the lady and she is gracious. I believe her recording of Sometimes When We Touch, makes other versions, including the one who made it famous, seem small and dated. After Cleo is through with that song, it is an instant classic. Buy the album, if you love CLeo, you will adore this CD. Now on the other hand if you are not familiar with Cleo and need to get your feet wet first, BUY THIS CD. Its great for new commers. Trust me, it will stay in your CD tray for a long time."
A DIFFERENT CLEO / / /
MWillia142@aol.com | 03/07/1999
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This album is beatiful music...the jazz element is not very evident in these arrangements. DRIFTING, DREAMING is written by Eric Satie, HOW, WHEN, WHERE is the famous Pachebel Cannon. James toots his flute on THE FLUTERS BALL and Galway and Laine soar on LO,HOW THE GENTLE LARK. ANYONE CAN WHISTLE is a Sondheim classic. This is a different album but a very worthwhile one to listen to.Check out CLEO LAINE and her husband John Dankworth."
Cleo's And Galway Are A Wonderful Blend!
MWillia142@aol.com | Illinois, USA | 04/09/1999
(4 out of 5 stars)
"I've been a fan of Cleo Laine's for a long time. This teaming with James Galway is fantastic. The choice of songs if perfect for the two of them and arrangements by John Dankworth (Dame Cleo's husband) are smooth and lend themselves to Galway's dancing flute. Favorite cuts of mine are "Skylark", John Denver's composition "Like A Sad Song", "Drifting & Dreaming" and the title cut "Sometimes When We Touch". I'm a songwriter/singer and I wish Dame Cleo would sing one of mine-she's outstanding!"
A bit of a lark
RogerDWMccutcheon | Alicante, Spain | 12/09/2006
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This disc is worth having just for the neat coupling of the Carmichael and Shakespeare songs, "Skylark" and "Lo! Here (not hear) the gentle lark.." from Venus and Adonis. Quite beautiful. Unlike another reviewer I do also enjoy the scat version of Percy French's "Phil the Fluter's Ball"!"
Cleo & James - A Beautiful Duo!
Darlene | NC USA | 07/23/2006
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I've been a devoted fan of Cleo Laine since I first saw her and her husband, John Dankworth, in concert in the mid-70s and was amazed by her incredible vocal range and loved the primarily jazz repertoire. In my opinion, there is no other artist who can outperform her in that medium. This collaboration with James Galway is a change from her usual style and yet is delivered in an engagingly appealing fashion that I found to be delightfully charming.
From the very first song, 'Drifting, Dreaming' to the last, a lovely rendition of John Denver's 'Like A Sad Song', Cleo and James perform beautifully together, and as usual, Cleo becomes the song itself. A few songs are slightly out of place in the lineup but I can understand why they were included - 'The Fluter's Ball' showcases James' talents extremely well. 'Lo! Hear The Gentle Lark' is a perfect example of Cleo's phenomenal vocal range. I especially love Cleo's renditions of 'Sometimes When We Touch' and 'Consuelo's Love Theme'. Okay, I confess. I love the entire album - all of it - every track! My favorites? - I think the compelling 'How, Where, When?' and the lovely, beguiling 'Keep Loving Me'. I'd be first in line to buy a sequel to this wonderful album.
I purchased the LP of 'Sometimes When We Touch' over 20 years ago, the CD only recently because I love the music and play it all the time. This is becoming difficult to find but the search is well worth the effort. This CD would be an excellent addition to a Cleo Laine or James Galway collection!"