Search - Soli Deo Gloria Cantorum, Conductor Almeda Berkey, Composer/Pianist Jackson Berkey :: Norman Luboff Remembered

Norman

05/15/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"...I want to thank Almeda and Jackson Berkey for helping to keep Norman's legacy alive and Soli Deo Gloria Cantorum is wonderful."

The choir is superb

03/19/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This CD is a Nebraska product, and a fine one it is! The director of the choir, Almeda Berkey, has combined with her husband, composer and professional pianist, Jackson, to produce this nostalgic look at the wonderful arrangements of their former mentor and employer, Norman Luboff. The liner notes in the accompanying booklet tell of the surprising association of Omaha's Chip Davis as a singer in the Luboff choir, along with Almeda. The choir is superb, well balanced, displaying beautiful voices and a thoroughly professional sound equal to that any of the Luboff choirs on the twelve LPs this author owns...Good variety in programming is a plus, as folk songs, pop songs, folk hymns and spirituals are all presented. Congratulations to the Berkeys, Recording Engineer Clete Baker and all involved on a first-rate recording!""

A Labor of Love

03/19/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"1000 word review for Amazon:
"...Clearly a labor of love. The disc, a superb tribute to a man who gave so much to so many, groups some of Luboff's best-loved arrangements...performed on this recording by...singers who toured and performed with Luboff for more than a decade. The choir is led by an insightful Almeda Berkey and is accompanied with sensitivity by Jackson Berkey. The Berkeys, who met at a Luboff choral workshop, credit him as a primary influence on their musical careers. The arrangements are quintessential Luboff, thick and rich in texture and harmony. The liner notes provide a wealth of information about each song....A `hidden' track, Underwater Mandolins, illustrates the joie de vivre that Luboff bequeathed to his singers...Chip Davis, composer for Mannheim Steamroller, also contributes his recollections of Norman Luboff. Norman Luboff Remembered is a powerful reminder of Luboff's love for his art and his fellow man, and his profound influence upon generations of musicians."March 2003 Choral Journal
American Choral Directors Association"