Pop

My favorite Performance artist is Madonna. I have been a fan of hers since the release of "Everybody", since the beginning. I was just a kid when she came onto the scene, and I have grown up with her music. The appealing quality about her as an artist is that she is always changing and reinventing her style. She has become more sophisticaed over the years. Eventhough she has been able to change herself at what seems like sheer whim, she has always maintained a high level of quality in her work. That is what I admire most about her. I really loved her in "EVITA", her vocals on the soundtrack were fabulous!

Rap

I guess I am still into the old school a bit. I still like the old Too Short that I liked as a teenager. Must be a link to my youth. I have always liked LL Cool J , he is my favorite, handsdown! Of the new generation, I like Missy Elliot and BustaRhymes. There are some others out there, but I don't keep up!

Country

My favorite country singer is Shania Twain. My favorite song by her is "Any Man of Mine" and I also like her new album. My favorite male country singer has to be Garth, of course! Who doesn't like Garth Brooks?

Alternative

My favorite alternative CD is the soundtrack from "StealingBeauty". Some of the artist include: Hoover, Portishead, AxiomFunk, Cocteau Twins and Liz Phair. This is a wonderful CD and the movie is awesome! Check it out, you won't be disappointed!Some of my other favorite artists (some are cross overs) Paula Cole,Fiona Apple, Everything but the Girl, Lisa Stansfield, NO Doubt,and Aria. Aria is a tie for my favorite! It is a smooth blend of techno,orchestral, opera and funk! I don't know how else to describe it,true music lovers will really enjoy it, check it out!

Opera

My favorite Opera recording , without a doubt, is a CD called "Esole Amore". It is a collection of Puccini Arias. I can disappear into this for hours at a time. The superb vocalist is Kiri Te Kanawa.The music is performed by the De Lyon National Opera Orchestra, conducted by Kent Nagano. This CD is available from ERATO.

Classical

My favorite piece of music of all time is "The Four Seasons" by Vivaldi. The most excellent recording of this is performed by Gil Shaham and Orpheus. This available from Deutsche Grammophon. This is a mellow and rich recording , the most superior I have ever heard. A close second is Tchaikovsky. The music I love by him is "Romeo and Juliet" and of course "The Overture of 1812" and the "Nutcracker Suite". My favorite American composer is Gershwin with "Rhapsody in Blue".