Bruce Hornsby - Here Come the Noise Makers

Since Bruce Hornsby first infiltrated the pop landscape in 1986 with the year's most socially conscious ballad, the Virginia native has proven himself to be a gifted singer-songwriter, piano player, and bandleader. All of those talents are much in evidence on this double CD of live material culled from his band's last two years on the road. A pianist with the chops to evoke everyone from Keith Jarrett and McCoy Tyner to Floyd Cramer and Vince Guaraldi, Hornsby takes a number of opportunities to stretch out here, including a solo introduction to his breakthrough hit, "The Way It Is," that explains why he almost ended up on the Windham Hill label. Not surprisingly, the latter-day Grateful Dead sideman also gives his band plenty of instrumental slack, which can make lengthy workouts like "Spider Fingers" a bit daunting for pop listeners. But devotees of Hornsby's more straightforward material will still find much to love here, including haunting renditions of "The End of the Innocence" (written with Don Henley) and Hornsby's more recent "Fortunate Son" (not to be confused with the Creedence song). There's not much that could be called noise here, but Here Come the Noise Makers proves Hornsby is still a jack-of-all-trades and master of many. --Bill Forman Amazon.com

KING OF THE PIANO

Instead of a guitar strapped across his shoulder, Rock Star piano prodigy Bruce comes on stage with a grand piano. These CDs are selections of live performances between 1998 and 2000. These CDs (at the time) were a gift to dedicated fans. They are good listening, really good music, & lots of fun, and Bruce really lets loose on the keyboard lots of times, but Intersections is a superior collection of live masterpieces. However, I was utterly speechless listening to these CDs on more than one occasion. It is clear that Bruce is not only a prodigy, but an exceptional prodigy who is WAY off the charts. In these CDs, he takes you (the listener) to the NEXT LEVEL of his piano skills, if you are not already familiar with all his works--like me. He plays the piano with unbelievable mastery and skill--that you can notice lots of times. Listen to his interpretation of Gershwin (the whole thing) and then listen to the entire #10--Twelve Tone Tune/King of the Hill. 2.5 minutes into the piano playing he says, "I just like to do this so much." He just loves to show off and receive all that love and admiration from his fans. He really races those fingers across the keyboard with amazing speed--all notes always clear and sharp. He satisfies a request from the audience for two-handed independence!! He storms the keyboard with unbeliebable mastery, speed and elegance that left me breathless. He then asks his fans for a pay raise for that unrehearsed showmanship!

I LOVED #4 The Road Not Taken--and he really lets loose on this song also. If you have not already heard "What a Time" and "Pastures of Plenty" on his CD, Harbor Lights, you should! They are unbelievable! Listen to them all the way through--until the end because they are super masterpieces in composition, melody (especially melody in Pastures of Plenty), and EXECUTION. They are heart-stopping, jaw-dropping performances. Unbelievable, unbelievable, to say the least. I kept saying "Oh my God!"--so many times when I was listening to these songs. I understood he was gifted from The Way It Is, but after listening to some of his work, it is evident he is exceptionally gifted. (He wrote the deep lyrics to Pastures of Plenty).

"The Way It Is" is the Messiah of all songs ever written--for me. It is probably just a simple tune for Bruce (oh yeah!), but for me it should be worshiped upon an altar. To alter it any way, even by Bruce our hero--the creator of the Messiah of all songs, is a sacrilege. Only the original will do for me--(My only gripe in this live CD).

Bruce gets lots of ooooos!! (short for Oooh! La, La!). For Europeans tuning in, whistling is very good here in America.

I liked Sneaking Up On Boo Radly better in Intersections. I don't think it gets any better than that.

Going back to Intersections--In the videos and in pictures, Bruce looks like a prince. In these CDs, you will hear him play like a King.

To call this musical genius a songwriter is a huge understatement. Rather say, he is ALSO a songwriter? WOW!

Music critics who ask Bruce to dumb down his music skills to please the mediocre populace should crawl underneath Bruce's shoes. Amen.

HOT NOTE: The quality of stereo equipment makes all the difference in music enjoyment. The lesser the quality, the more sounds get shuffled. The recordings were done perfectly. The subtle music mix and delicate piano notes of Pastures of Plenty gets a WHOLE new sound when played with excellent equipment. Good portable CD players simulate excellent stereo equipment.

June 21, 2008

1000 stars is more accurate!!!

If you have never had the pleasure of listening to Bruce Hornsby, this is the ONLY album you need to hear! Not only are his vocals amazing, the band behind him is is AWESOME as well! It's a live album and the sound quality is so crisp you feel as if you sitting front stage at the Belk theatre listening to the Noisemakers. Please don't be misled by the title, this sound could HARDLY be mistaken for noise! Worth every dime!!! August 5, 2007

Best from Bruce

This is the best Bruce Hornsby CD yet. It is a live CD with amazing piano work. If you like Bruce Hornsby, you will love this CD. January 11, 2007

To my fan

Apart chapter of this live songs, with a little erudite effort retrospective anti-academic repetitive pomadas, are at least six fine bonbons masterpieces:

The lady with the fan
Stander on the mountain
The road not taken
Fortunate Son
The End Of The Innocence
Mandolin Rain/Black Muddy River

They rock and stay at this sensitivity heart.
June 19, 2006

Live and At Their Best

As most Hornsby fans know, Bruce and The Noisemakers are one incredible live show. They play and play and then, play some more. There is nothing like the live music of Hornsby & The Noisemakers. So, obviously, a live recording is heaven for the Hornsby fan, but I would say that it is heaven for anyone who loves a great and passionate jam.

Suffering from the inferiority complex of the underrated college football team, most followers of Bruce Hornsby call out something like "He doesn't get the respect he deserves!" Which, by the way, IS true. But the bottom line is this is one universally gifted talent that must be heard in the live context. Songs like "The Way It Is" and "Mandolin Rain" get mastered by extended solo sections that blow you away. And song after song, you wonder if it could get any better than this. This is music the way it was meant to be. As Sting's "Bring On The Night" brought jazz music's gifted musicians into the pop spotlight, "Here Come The Noisemakers" shows that pop music has its own share of musical genius. The adventuresome nature of this phenomenally talented group proves that the jam band is not only dead, but they are darn good.

If you like Hornsby, you'll love "Here Comes The Noisemakers." If you don't get Hornsby and wonder what all the hullabaloo is about, get this CD and turn it up loud. You won't regret it.

By the way, if you love this recording and want more live Hornsby action, check out munckmusic.com for over 20 live shows (including solo piano shows from Germany and Denmark). February 14, 2006

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