A delicious bite of the Big Apple!
10/05/1998
(4 out of 5 stars)
"Anyone who has used the New York subway system knows that one of the delightful day-to-day pleasures is the presence of the subway musician. Sometimes it's a full band, other times it's just an old fella singing the blues. But it adds a bit of harmony to an otherwise hectic day. A number of these musicians recorded studio tracks for this album, and it's a perfect example of the variety of fine music they have to offer. Everything from Latin jazz to Chinese classical is represented here. It's a delicious bite of the Big Apple, and wholeheartedly recommended! The only down side to this album, and it's a minor point, is that there's far too much obviously-faked subway "banter" between the tracks. All the "N-train is now departing" stuff was cool once or twice, but it's not needed between every track. It cuts down on the space devoted to the real music, which as a result only takes up 10 or 11 full tracks."