SONGBIRD

Until the Winter Olympics in which Michele Kwan skated to Eva's "Fields of Gold", I had never heard or heard of Eva Cassidy. Michele's performance that night was remarkable, but I was drawn immediately to the music. I knew the song but not the voice. All I could say was "who is singing that?" I was stunned by the purity, the phrasing, the eloquence. No one in my family knew who it was. A few minutes on the Net with just the song title and I found references to Eva. Within another few minutes I discovered she had already tragically left us at a very young age. I tried a few MP3 samples on the Net and instantly recognized Eva to be one of the greatest singers I had ever heard. I immediately went looking for every CD I could find of hers. This particular CD is a compilation from other CDs. I have it and strongly recommend it, but I would recommend you buy the source CDs. All of them have numerous other fine tracks. Listening to this woman sing is a transcendant experience. I can play "Fields of Gold" on the way to work and I am transported to a magical place, such that when the song ends and I transition back, I just have to play it again to experience the enveloping emotion of her voice. I can't think of another singer that does this to me. I would put Karla Bonoff in somewhat close company with Eva, and a fair amount of Sarah McLachlin, but Eva has far greater range and vocal sophistication. She revitalizes old, old standards like "Autumn Leaves" and "Wonderful World" with renditions that should be considered definitive. There are so many examples where she takes complete possession of other people's songs that I think this puts her on a musical pedestal with essentially no peers. Thanks to Michele Kwan for choosing Eva's music to skate to that night.

I didn't buy this, originally, because I thought it maudlin to reissue Eva's songs after her death...newly discovered material yes, but why songs she had already released? Boy, was I ever wrong! After wearing out two discs of "Live at Blues Alley", I went back in time to purchase "The Other Side" -- a jazz/blues/funk collaboration between the incredible Eva Cassidy and the funky Chuck Brown. Most fans of Eva have gone back to Blues Alley, where she originated "Autumn Leaves" and "Fields of Gold" -- two of the best tracks on "Songbird"; on Songbird, the audience appreciation has been eliminated, giving a welcome second listen to two songs that Eva makes her own (sorry, Sting). "The Other Side" contains her original version of the classic, "Over the Rainbow". Has there ever been an interpretation of an old classic that has touched people in the way that Eva touches you with "Over the Rainbow"? I think not. With Brown, Eva gets down and funky, and the true jazz leanings of her voice really stand out. Catch her rendition of "Fever", and you'll forget the original. But, I digress, on to "Songbird". I resisted its pull because of the way it was put together, simply collecting many songs that Eva had released while she was alive. But I've changed my mind and now purchase this CD for anyone who will listen -- there is a quality and a magic to this collection that transcends definition. Forget the tragic circumstances of Eva's death, and just celebrate her life with "Songbird", where her voice and eclectic mix of songs and arrangements transcend the Norah Jones', the Diana Krall's, and yes, even the Emmylou Harris' of the world. In addition to the incredible versions of the three standards mentioned above, Eva gives you 7 other songs, done exquisitely. From her gospel voice on "Wade on the Water", the old standards "Oh, I Had a Golden Thread" and "Wayfaring Stranger", done as only she could do them; from the title track of "Songbird", where she stretches over and beyond original artist Christine McVie; Eva takes you home on perhaps the CD's most enchanting piece, "I Know You By Heart". In this, which may have been a signature song, had she lived, Eva shows you all that an artist can add to a beautiful song -- with tone, timbre and feeling, she will make this song, and this CD come alive for you. With 498 reviews prior to mine, a rating of 4 stars, and being in the top 100 on Amazon this many years after release, you can bet that "Songbird" is the kind of a classic that everyone should own. Enjoy it, over and over.

Blues, Jazz and Soul music sung with a beautiful voice. I liked "Autumn Leaves" and I Know You By Heart".

I have a relatively large vinyl record collection, and this album is among the very best of them. To say that Eva Cassidy sang like a Songbird, is to put it mildly. I could listen to this beautifully performed and recorded masterpiece all day long. Remastering and pressing are as good as it gets. The vinyl is quiet, and the whole experience mesmerizing. I would highly recommend this record album.

The first time I heard this I was stunned. Who in the world could sing in so many styles, and nail every one? She became, instantly, my favorite singer in all contemporary genres. Fields of Barley, written by Sting who I believe said her version was better than the original, is powerful, tender, gorgeous - the girl was a marvel. To hear her sing "Wade in the Water," you'd think she'd been a gospel singer all her life. By the way: since she recorded that very old song, many contemporary artists have as well. Her version is the best. Then Autumn leaves, a standard performed by jazz artists, blows you away - especially when she sings the climax of the song. "I Know You By Heart" is beauty itself; she does all the harmony parts - it seems to touch the heavens. You'll see what I mean when you listen. But just wait until you hear "Over the Rainbow." I can't really explain it except to say that my husband - a musician who remains unmoved by anything but rock'n'roll - wept. I hear other singers sing the song trying to use her rendition - no one can touch her. She was truly a gift of G-d to music.

Simply put, this CD has changed my life. "Over the Rainbow" stopped me in my tracks the first time I heard it, bringing tears to my eyes. I've listened to it at least 50 times in the last few days, and it still moves me like no other piece of music ever has. "Autumn Leaves" and "Fields of Gold" are equally brilliant and have also set new standards for their interpretations. Then in the blink of an eye, Eva turns into a soulful,sultry, bluesy wailer on "Wade in the Water", "Wayfaring Stranger", and "People Get Ready". The range of expression and depth of phrasing in her songs are second to none. The most amazing thing about her singing, however is that no matter what type of music she sang, whether pop, soul, R&B, folk, jazz, or standards, she outsings the best of the masters in each area and does it effortlessly, simply and with no pretense. Are you listening out there, all of you graduates of the "Sam Harris(of Star Search infamy)/Mariah Carey School of Pyrotechnical Caterwauling"? Just sing from the heart, like Eva did! Eva Cassidy has raised the bar by which vocal performance will be measured from now on. And she did it on her own terms, singing what she wanted to sing, the way she wanted to sing it. After trying to work out a deal with record execs and refusing to be pigeonholed into a certain style of music, she said "I just wanna sing. I like to do a little of everything". Eva, I just wanna listen!

Quiet and unassuming, and taken from us much too soon, Eva Cassidy's postumous collection of material takes standards, gospel, country, blue eyed soul, and pop, creating arrangements even the songwriters never thought of. Record producers had difficulty pigeon-holing her since she sang whatever moved her, thus a recording contract was not forthcoming (though she did produce a couple independent CD's and thankfully has numerous studio recordings). Before dying of cancer in 1996 at the age of 33, she left behind a plethora of recordings, enabling her family and friends to release "new material" every so often. Relegated to obscurity outside of the Washington DC area that she jammed in, she was "discovered" five years later by an English radio station DJ who was mesmerized by her very beautiful take on Judy Garland's classic "Somewhere Over the Rainbow." Whereas most artists try to belt out the song in varied octaves (thanks to American Idol), Eva's version is quiet and melancholy, and stands the test of time. Though Cassidy has numeorus CD's of material, Songbird will always be my favorite for its timeless collection of such varied material. Stand out tracks include "I Know You by Heart," "Songbird," the exquisite "Over the Rainbow," a gorgeous and lush rendition of Sting's "Fields of Gold" (which is much better than his), and my personal favorite, "Autumn Leaves" an old standard that somehow seems fresh. Cassidy had a way of evoking so much emotion in her simple songs and soulful arrangements and would have been a joy to see live. Sadly we all miss out.

I don't normally review what I buy. I've never had a compulsion to tell the world what I thought of something. However, after buying this album I was compelled to add my review and second the 5 star reviews already posted. I first heard of Eva Cassidy in a small quilting store in Syracuse Nebraska where my wife was shopping. `Wade in the Water' was playing and I couldn't help but notice that voice. What a voice! Powerful or oh so tender as the music required. Now I should say, I'm a classical violinist and not really into this kind of music. The masterpieces of Beethoven and Brahms and the playing of Hilary Hahn are more my kind of stuff. But I was taken with that voice and had to buy the CD. After listening to it the first time I must say (almost to my embarrassment) that I loved it. Successive listenings have only impressed me more. The songs are so heartfelt, both the lyrics themselves and Eva's singing of them that I could not help but be drawn into the music. She was gifted with a marvelous voice, but even more wonderful is the way she used it. Her passion and expression makes the music sound as if she was singing directly to me and no one else. A couple of songs still bring a tear to my eye. The more I hear `I Know You by Heart' the more I think it may become my favorite simply because of the sentiment it expresses. But how can I place it ahead of `Songbird' or `Had I a Golden Thread'? Neither of them are second place songs - but I digress. She sings with a folk/blues/gospel flavor, but I think that is irrelevant. The making of good music in any genre is a miracle that touches the heart. Eva's music is a miracle and it will touch your heart.

エバァの歌声が素晴らしいです。

Si vous aimez Eva Cassidy, vous serez comblé. Voix cristallin, orchestration impeccable, du grand art ! Une disparition de cette artiste bien trop tôt.

Lovely record

It is unlikely that you know about Eva Cassidy.. not many know of her even in the US/Europe. But listen to her once, and you'd be hooked. The artist died prematurely, otherwise she'd have been among the top singers today. What a range, what a voice, what emotional singing! If you want to take a blind risk in buying an album, go for this one.

Mir war bekannt, dass Eva Cassidy Katie Meluas großes Vorbild ist. Das "virtuelle" Duett mit Katie Melua -"Wonderful World" - hat mich sehr berührt und neugierig gemacht. Daraufhin habe ich diese überwältigende Album erworben. Diese wirklich begnadete Stimme vermag Stücke in solcher Emotionalität und Tiefe zu interpretieren, dass es einem wirklich die Schuhe auszieht. Es ist schon schade, das ein solches Juwel nicht mehr unter uns ist. Heutige Popsternchen und vor allem diverse Produzenten-Teams sollten sich hier einmal ansehen, was wirklich einen Star ausmacht. Alle Stücke auf der CD sind mit glasklarer Stimme vorgetragen. Hinzu kommt eine - ich nenne es einmal sparsame - Instrumentierung, die allerdings perfekt und lebendig arrangiert ist. Man möchte die einzelnen Musikquellen (im Auto, CD-Player im Wohnzimmer, MP3-Player) gar nicht mehr ausmachen. "Autumn Leaves" ist eines dieser prächtigen Werke. Aber auch Stings "Fields Of Gold" ist bemerkenswert interpretiert und verleiht diesem ohnehin wunderschönen Stück noch einmal eine sehr persönliche Note. Gänsehaut ist aber in jedem Fall beim Titelstück garantiert. Sprachlos und zutiefst berührt bin ich jedesmal beim Hören von "Songbird". Wundervoll! Gäbe es mehr Sterne, ich würde sie vergeben. "Songbird" gehört garantiert zu den besten Alben, die ich mein eigen nennen kann. Einfach nur Klasse und nach dieser Hörprobe nicht das letzte von Eva Cassidy. Mit dieser Stimme kann sie nur im Himmel sein.