Joshua Bell - At Home With Friends

Throughout their school years both of my kids played the viola in the school orchestra.  We went to many programs and competitions through the years, including once travelling to New York City to compete (from Dallas - that was awesome!). So when I got the opportunity to review this CD I was thrilled.  

Joshua Bell's newest CD, At Home With Friends, is far different than you'd first think of violin music.  He’s well known for holding ‘musical soirées’ at his Manhattan residence – parties with musicians, actors, comics and authors who get together just for the sheer joy of sharing their art. So with this new album, Joshua fulfilled a life-long career dream of recording a CD of instrumental and vocal duets with an amazing roster of musicians and friends.

Here is the list of songs on the CD and who is preforming with:
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
Left Hand   featuring Regina Spektor, vocals

I can honestly say I've had this CD playing often in our home since we received it.  We play it while eating dinner, while relaxing in the evening with my knitting and it's on my iPhone to play while working.  It is amazing music and I'm so glad to have found this artist.

Disclosure:  I was sent a free copy of this CD in order to do a review on my blog.