CDs make great Valentine's gifts

Next Thursday is Valentine's Day.

And while I feel it's important to always tell your significant other how much you love her or him throughout the year, it's still nice to celebrate Feb. 14 in a special way. (And if you're the type who doesn't tell your soulmate how much she or he means to you throughout the year, you'd better do something next Thursday.)

There are the regular stand-bys — dinner and a movie; dinner and a DVD; dinner and flowers; dinner and candy; dinner and a romantic evening alone or dinner and a walk in the frigid winter night. But, you can also change things around. I mean try a movie and a walk in the frigid winter night for a change.

My wife and I have given each other books and video games on Valentine's Day in the past. We've also given each other music.

And, let me tell you, music doesn't get old.

This year there are a few new releases that need to be mentioned.

Columbia, Arista and Legacy recordings have released a series called "Beautiful Ballads & Love Songs." Two of the artists who have CD compilations for that series include Miles Davis and Barry Manilow.

There are some music styles that fit the mellow feel of Valentine's Day. Thrash metal isn't one of them, but jazz is. (However, thrash band Testament recorded a song called "The Ballad" on 1989's "Practice What You Preach," but that's another story altogether.)

Saxophonist Kenny G, trumpeter Wynton Marsalis and singer Al Jarreau have released individual romantic CDs on Concord, Columbia and Warner Bros. Those are "Rhythm & Romance," "Love Songs" and "Standard & Ballads," respectively.

Here's a glimpse of the Legacy recordings:

The late Davis' disc features nocturnal slow jams as "'Round Midnight," "Summer Night," "Corcovado (Quiet Nights)" and "Stella by Starlight."

He also plays with the sentiment on "I Thought About You," "I Loves you Porgy," "I Fall in Love Too Easily" and "Time After Time." And what would a Davis love-song compilation be without "My Funny Valentine"?

The disc of the self-proclaimed "hopeful romantic" Manilow features "Could It Be Magic," "My Baby Loves Me," "Weekend in New England," "Somewhere in the Night," "I Don't Want to Walk Without You" and newer covers of "Unchained Melody," "Can't Take My Eyes Off You" and "If."

That's right. No "Mandy" or "Even Now."