Cantabile, AKA The London Quartet, have been wowing audiences across the world since the 1980s with their shows that blend performance flair, comic timing, and a deep passion for high-quality vocal music. This album is an eclectic tribute to the very British obsession that is cricket, bringing together works from the turn of the century to the present day. Featuring guest performances from the likes of Richard Stilgoe, Rory Bremner and Tim Rice, this album should prove a must-buy for cricket- and music-fans alike.

Recorded live in - you guessed it - in Cambridge, this male quintet is a stylistic whisper away from the King's Singers, both in terms of sound and choice of material, though the influence of the Swingles can be felt as well ('The History of Western Music'). The selections on this CD encompass several centuries, beginning with William Byrd's 'Deo Gratias.' Embracing the British folk ballad (Morley and Henry the VIII), and the European classical form (Chopin), the group then travels forward in time to include period classics such as 'Sentimental Journey' and 'The Lambeth Walk,' finishing up with the wholly appropos doo wop closer, 'Goodnight Sweetheart Goodnight.'

'Madrigal' was recorded at Victoria Memorial Hall in Singapore in February 2001, and features 15 tunes, ranging from sacred early Christian music like Weelkes' 'Hark, all ye lovely Saints above,' Passereau's 'Il est bel et bon,' and Wm. Byrd's 'Agnus Dei' to a wonderful 'Tribute to the Beatles' medley of 18 Fab Four classics and 'Yesterday,' to Gershwin's 'Summertime,' Rodgers and Hart's 'My Romance' and Sinatra's 'Strangers in the Night.' Two bonus tracks include Richard Rodney Bennett's 'A Good Night,' commissioned by Paul McCartney from 'A Garland for Linda,' and 'Brahm's Lullaby.' Certainly an odd repertoire mix, but Cantabile's perfectly pitched, fresh, joyous sound works well with just about anything they choose to perform.

Founded as an a cappella group at Cambridge and one of our favorite British male quartets, Cantabile's pure, bright, spirited harmonies have won them many fans over the years. With most arrangements done by the group, we could expect some of the group's trademark humor, which comes in spades on their a cappella 'Twelve Days of Christmas,' featuring silly and rude barnyard sound effects that underline the absurd problems associated with having an impossibly generous 'true love.' Other favorites are the spirited, a cappella 'Gaudete!,' a romantic 'Winter Wonderland,' a very Bing Crosby-like take on 'White Christmas,' the lovely a cappella 'Wexford Carol' and 'Coventry Carol,' 'The Jimmy Brown Song,' which has added lyrics which may or may not be tongue-in-cheek; and a Doo-Wop 'Lonely This Christmas,' (ditto). Tom Lehrer's quintessentially sarcastic 'A Christmas Carol' has no such ambiguity, nor does the silly 'The Carol Singers.' 'Silent Night,' also sung in German a la The Comedian Harmonists,' one of Cantabile's favorite influences, attempts to make amends for the craziness, but the surprising musical collage 'Carol' and the bonus track 'Les Trois Cloches,' which is, as far as we can tell, 'Jimmy Brown' sung sweetly and dramatically in French, are certainly non-traditional and may be parodies. There is piano accompaniment on several cuts. 'Christmas with Cantabile' is a beautifully sung and arranged, eclectic, often silly and unexpected collection that we totally enjoyed, and we bet that you will too!

Cantabile is an ensemble of four male voices who came together as a group while studying at Cambridge University in the 1980s and have gone on to become one of England's premiere choral ensembles. The programme on this release is a very eclectic mix with nearly all the music excellently arranged by the group themselves. The singing itself is all first class. The four voices blend beautifully and there isn't a sour note to be heard. Diction is consistently crystal clear although texts and English translations, where appropriate, are provided. As you'd expect, the contribution of Malcolm Martineau is first rate. There's a great deal to enjoy here and I can imagine this being particularly restful and enjoyable late evening listening, perhaps with the fire burning gently and a glass of something warming at your elbow. Try this for something a bit different!

One of the UK's most popular and respected all-male quartets, known for their humor and pure sound, pays a well-earned tribute to The Comedian Harmonists, a funny, eclectic and talented 6-man group who were popular on the radio and in German cabarets from 1927 until forced to disband by Nazi anti-Semitism. Mostly lightly accompanied by piano, 'On the Tracks Of' has 14 authentic, spirited tunes, most of them originally performed by the CH, like 'Meine Kleiner, Gruner Kaktus,' 'Sandmannchen,' 'The Way You Look Tonight/A Fine Romance,' the silly 'Voila Les Gars De La Marine,' the poignant 'Der Lindenbaum,' Duke Ellington's 'In My Solitude,' the waltz parody 'G'schichten Aus Dem Wienerwald,' the delightful yodel and whistle-fest 'Medley from Snow White And The Seven Dwarfs: Heigh-Ho/Whistle While You Work/The Dwarfs' Yodel Song (The Silly Song)' and the appropriate last cut, 'Auf Wiederseh'n!'. We love the droll, 'Roaring 20's' sound of the Comedian Harmonists, and Cantabile's take on them is as good as any we've heard. Classic, cabaret stuff that tugs at your heartstrings, makes you laugh and makes you want to dance!

One of the UK's finest vocal groups, Bill, Paul, Mark and Michael of Cantabile, The London Quartet, have a unique and unmistakable sound and a reputation for originality and humor. Although the group was founded as a purely a cappella student group, the sixteen cuts of 'A Tribute to Hollywood' are mostly accompanied, with the exception of two tunes, Harold Arlen's 'Over the Rainbow' and the theme from the Streisand/Redford classic 'The Way We Were.' 'As Time Goes By' and Stephen Sondheim's 'Sooner or Later' are piano accompanied; and Herman Hupfeld's 'Take My Breath Away' is accompanied by guitar. 'Up Where We Belong,' Sondheim/Bernstein's 'Gee, Officer Krupke' from 'West Side Story,' the Gershwins' 'I Got Rhythm,' 'Under the Sea' from 'The Little Mermaid,' and the classic 'Lullaby of Broadway' are all orchestrally accompanied. That aside, we loved this dynamic, entertaining collection, with plenty of the sweet leads and harmonies, humor, eclecticism and big fun of Cantabile!