The Many Music Genres of Manilow

Over the years, Barry has taken us on a magical ride of musical expression. He's sampled genres from pop, to jazz, to rock (yes rock), to big band music, to Broadway show tunes, to Christmas classics, to themed projects, to "live" recordings, and even the highly underrated decade albums. There are only a few recording giants with catalogs to match the likes of Manilow. Today, I'd like to pick the ones that truly stand out as masterpieces of talent and creativity.

Ultimate Manilow
This album is "the best of the best". Every power ballad Barry has ever recorded is in this collection. From Mandy to Weekend in New England Barry shows his talent to reveal his emotions and ensure that the listener is moved by every lyric and enraptured with every note.

2:00AM Paradise Cafe
Jazz. Barry is most comfortable in this genre. And it shows. It's his first love and the way he brought the jazz greats together to record this once-in-a-lifetime project was absolute genius. Watching the "Making of 2:00AM Paradise Cafe" makes it clear that he is at his best composing and arranging the music he loves.

Here Comes the Night
What a rockin' album! The rock vibe is apparent from the very first song I Wanna Do It With You until the last song Stay. The guitars, synthesizers and drums amp up the music and make all of us eager with anticipation to hear more.

In the Swing of Christmas
What could be better than combining jazz and Christmas? This Grammy nominated album takes the sounds of Christmas and the vibe of jazz and manges to magically entertwine the two and create a final work of musical art.


2 Nights Live
When I'm looking for all the dynamics of a Manilow concert, this is the album I listen to. On this album there are such gems as You're There, excerpts from Harmony and Here at the Mayflower, and some absolutely moving renditions of his infamous power ballads.


Here at the Mayflower
This album tells a story, with the music and the lyrics. It's about relationships, and emotions, and reveals the heart of the the composer/musician in every song, culminating with the bonus track, Shadowman.

The Greatest Songs of the Eighties
This is my favorite decades compilation. There are some incredibly fun songs (Islands in the Stream, Never Gonna Give You Up) and some surprise arrangements (I Just Called to Say I Love You, I've Had the Time of My Life). The sax solos by Dave Koz are standouts and bring the jazz element into this great decade collection.

There is something for everyone in the Manilow catalog of music. And we wait with anticipation for the next work of genius!


Loving the smorgasboard of music,
Texas Fan