Joshua Bell At Home with Friends CD Review

I spent my afternoon relaxing and listening to Grammy-award winning violinist Joshua Bell’s newest release. Joshua’s new album, At Home With Friends, was released in stores a few days ago, on September 29. As a member of the One2One Network I was lucky enough to receive an advance copy for this review.

For those unfamiliar with Joshua Bell, take a look at some interesting facts about him.

• He’s a Grammy Award-winning violinist.
• He’s been in the spotlight since he was 14 years old.
• 30 original albums.
• He’s a soloist, chamber musician and orchestra leader.
• He’s earned countless awards and honors for his work as a concert stage performer and recording artist, including “Classical Artist of the Year” and “Classical CD of the Year” by Billboard Magazine.
• He’s the first musician to have a classical music video played on VH1.
• He’s appeared on Sesame Street.

Within the diversity of the artists and selections, something is sure to please everyone. It’s a house concert that encompasses a variety of music–classical, pop, bluegrass, Broadway, jazz, and ethnic world. The album is duets, both instrumental and vocal, coupling Josh with music greats including Chris Botti, Sting, Carel Krayayenhof, Tiempo Libre, Kristin Chenoweth, Edgar Meyer, Sam Bush, Mike Marshall, Sergei Rachmaninoff, Frankie Moreno, Nathan Gunn, Regina Spector, Dave Grustin, Chris Thile, Anouoshka Shankar, and Marvin Hamlish.

I guess I didn’t pay attention to the word “home”. I thought At Home would be more orchestrated than it was. I expected accompaniments on piano, viola, French horn, probably flute. I was somewhat surprised with the trumpet, clarinet, bass, percussion, synthesizers. But I never thought that sitar, tabla, tarpura, or mandolin would be included in the renditions.

My own personal taste in music runs to the Hell Freezes Over concert that the Eagles recorded when they came back from their fifteen year “vacation” or Charlie Daniels breaking out with “The Devil Went Down to Georgia”. It was different, unique, and worth the listen. I think this album will soon become classic because of its flair.

Here’s the album track listing.

Tracklisting (Originally performed by):
I Loves You Porgy featuring Chris Botti, trumpet
Come Again featuring Sting, vocals
Oblivion featuring Carel Kraayenhof, bandoneon
Cinema Paradiso featuring Josh Groban, vocals
Para Tí featuring Tiempo Libre, various
My Funny Valentine featuring Kristin Chenoweth, vocals
Maybe So featuring Edgar Meyer Sam Bush and Mike Marshall, strings
Grieg: Sonata No. 3 featuring Sergei Rachmaninoff (Zenph re-performance)
Eleanor Rigby featuring Frankie Moreno, piano & vocals
O, Cease Thy Maiden Fair featuring Nathan Gunn, baritone
Il Postino featuring Carel Kraayenhof, bandoneon
Left Hand Song featuring Regina Spektor, piano & vocals
Chovendo Na Roseira featuring Dave Grusin, piano
Look Away featuring Edgar Meyer, bass and Chris Thile, mandolin
Variant Moods: Duet for Sitar & Violin featuring Anoushka Shankar, sitar
I’ll Take Manhattan featuring Marvin Hamlisch, piano

You can learn more about Joshua Bell on his website http://www.joshuabell.com/ or on the Joshua Bell Facebook page.

The Joshua Bell At Home With Friends CD is now available for sale HERE.