1 comments about Symphonic Magic, Vols. 1-4.

1. I enjoyed this music and am using some of it to choreograph a little different "Disney" for my students.I think it will come in handy in the future as well.

5 comments about Rimsky-Korsakov: Scheherazade for orchestra Op35; Stravinsky: Song of the Nightingale.

1. Certainly one of reiner's most famous recordings of the many superlative ones he made with the CSO, this remains an absolute favorite, from the time i first heard it, until now, while i currently listen to it while i type.
   I love the commanding opening the brass announce, and sidney harth, not john weicher as another reviewer said...it simply gets better, as harth doesn't indulge in the solos as many other violinsts have done, and continue to do. the first movement is a tidal wave of energy, and reiner's rubato has never been approached.
   the second movement solos by the principal winds are inimitable as well, proving that this piece is an orchestral showoff one as if reiner were saying, "look how good my orchestra is!" He was absolutely right.
   The third movement is wonderfully seductive in the strings, which were much better then than now, and the quirky clarinet and flute solos. Again, Reiner's rubato is unparalled.
   What absolutely stuns me is the last movement, played at such a dashing pace that reiner proves only the chicago symphony under his direction could do what they did. Listen to the incredible virtuosity of the strings, winds, percussion, and esp. the brass (how bout those 32nd notes, all you brass players?) any brass player ought to own this recording fo it proved that the brass of the CSO were indeed, the best of their era, and that includes the vienna and berlin philharmonics. sidney harth really does sing his heart out on the violin in the end, smartly opting to play the stratospheric high notes instead of opting for less invigorating and more dull harmonics that one usually hears. whether that was harth's decision or reiner's i don't know, but it works. oh, by the way, this movement was done in, get this...ONE TAKE! what orchestra today could do that? not many is the correct answer. Or, what conductor could make this cartoony music not sound incredibly cheesy? not many either. Hence why reiner and CSO have the best scherazade there ever will be.
   I've heard quite a bit of fritz reiner's recordings, and this, i must say, might be his finest.



2. Ok so... yes, the sound is brilliant, especially for the time. The performance is full of passion. The chicago brass have never been surpassed. The fourth movement is so loud it gives me chills!
   But... has no-one noticed that the all important first movement is taken way too fast. Most conductors clock in at 10 minutes for the movement. But Reiner shaves off a whole minute! Its just too rushed! As for recommending a better recording, I'm not too sure. I still haven't heard the Mackerras/LSO or the Spano/Atlanta ones, but I think the famous Beecham recording is a safer bet than this one. Thats the one I'm sticking with until I find a better one... if one actually does exist that is!



3. What a treat for the ears!
   
   The Living Stereo series was wonderful then and it's even better now. There are two editions of this music: this CD and a hybrid SACD that has both a 3 channel and this, 2 channel, track. Review is of the SACD but applies to this standard CD.
   
   The SACD release has fantastic sound quality and, thankfully, is completely true to both music and the original recording. Originally recorded in "3 channel stereo" that's what you get here--no, there's nothing in the rear channels of the surround mix but that's exactly the way it should be. Taken directly from the nearly 50-year old (!) masters, the engineers did nothing at all to the sound except digitize and transfer each track to the SACD/CD master. Nothing added, nothing subtracted. And the quality of those masters is astounding--clear, bright and full. No tape hiss. No loss of highs. Just wonderful music expertly performed.
   
   Dissapointed you're only getting 3 channels and not 5-7? Don't be. You'll hear musicians across the broad but shallow Chicago Symphony Hall just as the engineers heard them in the recording sessions in 1960 and 1956. And those musicians are superb, particularly to my ears, on the Sheherazade portion. This is an excellent orchestra caught at its prime resulting in a truly world-class performance of this well known and well loved music.
   
   In short, get this CD! Even if you don't have a universal player now, the 2 channel transfer is equally good, a faithful recreation of a classic LP. And if you can play the SACD layer so much the better because for the first time you'll hear exactly what was recorded and what the engineers heard in nearly 50 years ago.



4. In this review, I will mainly be talking about the recording of Scheherazade on the album. While the Song of the Nightengale is a very good piece, and this is an excellent recording of it, but if you are buying this album, it should be for this amazing-dare I say difinitive-recording of Rimsky-Korsakov's greatest piece.
   
   Fritz Reiner and the Chicagoans really outdid themselves here. Every member of the orchestra plays with inspiration, fire, and technical mastery. The solos are all amazing, especially Sidney Harth's beautiful playing of the prominent violin solos.
   
   Some will say the first movement is taken too fast by Reiner. Don't listen to them. Reiner's tempo is almost right on Rimsky-Korsakov's marked tempo, so everyone else plays it too slow. The faster tempo brings the movement to life. You will feel Sinbad's ship braving a massive storm, tossing around in the relentless waves of the sea. With a slower tempo, this feeling is completely lost.
   
   Beecham's recording is NOT better than this one.
   
   The narrative of the piece is based on the stories told to the Sultan by Scheherazade during her captivity. Each movement is loosely based on one of the stories. The violin solos that reappear throughout the piece represent Scheherazade. The theme is not followed closely enough to take away from the form of the music, but enough to really draw you in to the piece. The orchestra changes their style according to the theme well.
   
   The last movement is especially exciting. Legend has it that, after spending all day recording the first three movements, the orchestra nailed this movement on the first take. The climax, where the main theme from the first movement returns, is truly explosive.
   
   Basically, this is one of my personal favorites in my collection. I don't think it would be stretching it too much to say this is one of the greatest recordings ever made, and definitely the greatest recording of Scheherazade.



5. I am not a classical music buff but I bought Scherezade on a London Phase 4 lp by Leopold Stowkowski and the London Symphony Orchestra back in the 60's. It is one of my favorite albums. I haven't been able to find that version on CD so I decided to buy Reiner's version and Eugene Ormandy's version to see if either were close to Stowkowski's interpretation. I was very disappointed in this version. The quieter passages are so low that you have to raise the volume to hear them and then lower it again for the louder passages. Also, the violin solos, which I feel are the most beautiful parts of the piece, are difficult to hear unless you really raise the volume. The violin solos represent Scherezade and should stand out. The Eugene Ormandy version has much better sound and comes much closer to Stowkowski's version.

5 comments about Good Burger: Music From The Original Motion Picture [Enhanced CD].

1. When I took my kids to see this in the theater, it was pretty empty. And I'm sure I was the only one really laughing throughout. That's when I got that Good Burger was made more for people my age than theirs. As they've gotten older, they've come to appreciate it more.
   
   I know it was an expansion of an All That skit, but it had one big difference. On All That, the Good Burger skit was mostly about Ed, played by Kel Mitchell, and his goofy talk and attitude. This movie also had Kenan Thompson, as Dexter. That made all the difference, because Dexter actually had a story. Ed is funny, innocent, and what not, but he didn't bring the story by himself.
   
   So, I'm watching this movie, wondering how Dexter's going to get out of his problem, when everyone somehow ends up in a mental institution. And who's in the middle of the scene, but George Clinton, turning the dial on the radio to Knee Deep--one of my favorite songs of all time! And when Kel leads the room in a rendition of the Thriller dance, I knew I'd found one of my new favorite movies.
   
   Kenan and Kel, George Clinton, Sinbad as a tacky, over-the-top 70s jive talking teacher--this movie was hilarious! And it's definitely one of the 7 happiest black movies of all time.



2. I ABSOLUTELY LOVE KEL MITCHELL!! This movie is great! My son (now 13) loved it when he was 4 and my youngest son (now 5) loves it even MORE!! Kenan and Kel never grow old on you. I have watched this movie so many times I've lost count. I was glad to see this spin-off from the "All That" skit come to the big screen; Kenan and Kel are truly two gems whose careers were cut too short!
   
   Buy it and enjoy the silly laughs!



3. My grandson is 5 years old. He saw this movie on Nickelodeon and loved it. He asked if I could get a copy for him. He knows everyone's part in the script (glad the dialogue is clean) In todays market it is so hard to find a film for kids without profanity. So although it is a little silly to me he can relate to them as a child. It also helps him keep up with the members of the cast, as most of them have gone on to get their own shows on Disney or Nick.



4. I ordered this product for my 7 yr old son just before Christmas, even though I knew we would get it shortly after the holiday. If I remember correctly we ordered a new dvd and are very satisfied with the price and quality. I order dvd's (both new and used) via Amazon on average once a month and have yet to be disapointed. Keep up the good work.



5. My son asked me to buy this movie around Christmas. I looked high and low for it for several weeks, but could not find it anywhere. It never occurred to me to check here. Glad I did!! He tore into it as soon as it arrived and loves it.

5 comments about Sinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas.

1. Whilst not original, tantalising or explorative to a seasoned listener, "Sinbad" is a nice piece of music for a composer relatively new to the job.

   Working as a behind-the-coulisses entity, Gregson-Williams' name has graced many booklets already, but as yet, he has not scored many feature films. Nevertheless, it seems directors are beginning to notice him. And what more opportunity to write a diverse and exciting score than to an animated feature adventure of "Sinbad"?

   This soundtrack is full with whimsical classic adventure music, with several ear-catching themes and some great monster music (especially "The Sea Monster" and "The Roc"). For the enthusiasm lingering between the lines, simply listening to the opening cues brings a smile to my face.
   
   However, where the album fails is in fleshing all these themes and motifs out. Eris' theme and Sinbad's theme fly by too many times in undisguised vivacity. In addition, there is little difference in tone and ambience overall. What happens is that after the first two tracks, everything you will hear next seems unsurprising. Singular exceptions to this are the Roc's motif and the Sirens' calling. They do their best to kill the beat around the block, but - to me at least - they are tracks to return to rather than links in a chain. I'm not sure if that is what they are supposed to be, but I can guess.

   To me - even though I return to the album many times for its feel-good undertone - "Sinbad" spells `beginning composer' all over it. I don't like to say such things, but as the case stands, less minutes of music would have made a better listening experience.

   All the same, it's worthy of your collection but not worthy to the talents of Harry Gregson-Williams, who will bloom and produce much better music if he stays off the beaten tracks.

   This one gets three stars.

   Bram Janssen,
   The Netherlands




2. Do yourself a favor and order this music. It's just plain fun! Don't try to analyze what you are hearing. Just enjoy. The main theme may wear on you just a bit, but overall I have to say it's still great. The recording is very well balanced, and you can hear all the instruments clearly, even in the full-bore, high level passages (there are plenty of these). Also, there is plenty of bass energy, but it is not overwhelming. Track 3, the Sea monster, is a good example, with some excellently recorded tympani. This track has it all. I always look forward to hearing the bass trombones at the 0:46 mark. Track 5 has the Syracuse theme. I have no idea what this is (I have not seen the movie, and don't need to). Let me say that this theme is more like an Anthem to me. If you only listen to one track as your sample, make it this one. The orchestra sounds like it will just keep going through the roof (eight notes, orchestra all playing together, full-bore). This might qualify for the 'best one minute piece of music' award, if there was such a thing. It returns majestically on track 21 at 3:40, in a different key, even more thrilling because it's played twice and the last note is held longer. I guess I've run out of superlatives. The only sonic problem I noticed on my copy, is that when the strings are playing at their highest level, there is some distortion, but it's not overly objectionable. Favorite tracks - 1,3,5,14,17,21. Almost forgot. The arrangements are right on target.



3. Amazing adventure score. Highly recommended. Harry does it again! Hear and feel this masterpiece.



4. I love the themes for this movie. They are Oscar worthy, but didn't get the nomination. Eris' theme is my favorite (it's the song: Let the Games Begin). I looked for this on iTunes but it was unavailable. This would be a good website to buy the soundtrack from.



5. Absolutely wonderful! Especially if you know the film well, you can relive the adventure through the music!

5 comments about Coneheads: Music From The Motion Picture Soundtrack.

1. Red Hot Chile Peppers have a great song, "Soul to Squeeze" and "Tainted Love" is good as well, but all the others are at best average.



2. Short and simple is one description for this CD, but that's not what bugs me the most! Of most, I wanted to hear Dan Aykroyd's rendition of 'Tainted Love' and 'Don't Want To Hold My Cone Alone'. The other versions, I can get them else where! Very dissapointing.



3. I pretty much got this CD for one reason-"Soul to Squeeze" by the Red Hot Chili Peppers. There is only one more CD on the planet that has that song, and it's very hard to find. This and "Tainted Love" are great songs, but the rest was mediocre.



4. This is one of those times that you ask, "Why does this even have a soundtrack?" I mean, the best thing about the movie was Chris Farley, and he wasn't even a conehead. Actually this is half-way decent. Tracks 4-9 are all good. When this came out, I thought it was kind of strange to have the Chili Pepper's on it. It's like putting "The Thrill Kill Kult" on the "Flintstones" album. But hey, I guess that's what soundtracks are for. The last track is a dancy number sung by the Coneheads. Good or bad depending on what you want. Get this used.



5. Morten Harket's (of A-ha fame) cover of the Frankie Valley song is the best version of the song that I have ever heard, even surpassing the original. This song will be played at my wedding later this month; not bad for something from the Coneheads soundtrack! The REM song ain't too bad either. Other tracks are okay, but I bought it just for track #5 in mind.

4 comments about In Session: Film Music Celebration.

1. The music that this label releases is without a doubt in a class by themselves, always perfection. Here we have the 500th CD release from ~ "The Man Behind The Music" ~ Mr. Robert Townson. So much care is taken with each album, that you feel you are witnessing the birth of a newborn baby, and that may be just what it is.

   For those of us who buy each album ~ people who work to create them ~ the artwork ~ musicians ~ and a list of some of the most talented composers and conductors ~ John Barry, Elmer Bernstein, John Debney, Georges Delerue, Cliff Eidelman, Jerry Goldsmith, Bernard Herrmann, Michael Lang, Henry Mancini, Joel McNeely, Alfred Newman, Alex North, Miklos Rozsa, Dimitri Shostakovich, Frederic Talgorn, Franz Waxman, Rick Wentworth and John Williams ~ and as always the sound quality and performances by the Royal Scottish National Orchestra, Seattle Symphony Orchestra, London Symphony Orchestra and National Philharmonic Orchestra is dynamically flawless and simply superb.

   This economically priced 2-CD-Set ~ pure film score sampling ~ is worth it's weight in gold. One should not have a favorite from this vast collection, but if asked ~ it would be "TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD" (1962) composer Elmer Bernstein took it to the limit and beyond, the story-line, cast and score was the perfect marriage.

   A big, big thank you to ~ Matthew Joseph Peak (cover/session photography) ~ Jonathan Allen, Geoff Foster, Bernie Kirsh, Mike Ross, Mike Sheady and Al Swanson (recording engineers) ~ Rich Breen (mastering engineer) ~ and for the extensive 28 page liner-note booklet featuring "behind the scenes" memories of these past 500 albums, may we look forward to future classics on the next 500 CD's from producer...ROBERT TOWNSON!

   Total Time: Disc One 71:20 on 19 Tracks & Disc Two 71:24 on 17 Tracks...Varese Sarabande 302 066 225 2...(2001)




2. Words cannot convey what a collection like this means to a film music collector such as myself. Varese Saraband has been releasing quality film scores and music for the last 20 plus years. My vinyl and CD collections burst with so much great stuff from Varese. One day I was looking in the bins of my local record store and noticed this little gem of a collection. I looked at it and saw a virtual cornucopia of the great film score cues for only $ (and 2 discs). So I purchased it and opened it up. Much to my surprise, the booklet is chock full of information about each scoring session and pictures to boot. I also learned more about some of these wonderful pieces as well. Well thanks to Mr. Townson and this nice collection, I plan to purchase some of the recordings these cues were released on since I don't own classics like Viva Zapata, Alex North's 2001, Superman (not the Varese version, I do have the other release), and Patton. Guess I will have to save a few pennies, but it will be worth it. I recommend this collection to anybody who wants to discover and learn about the history of film music. I also think it's a great listen from the first song to the last on both discs. My compliments to Varese on a great collection of classics (and keeping it under $).



3. This disc is so chock-full of classic scores from classic films that every movie-and-music lover should own a copy. Thanks to Robert Townson for producing this collection and the entire Varese film score catalog. My favorite tracks from this disc are "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf"; "Star Trek: The Motion Picture"; and "Midway".



4. Robert Townson célèbre ici le 500ème cd à être édité par Varèse Sarabande en créant une compilation receuillant les nombreux réengistrements que Varèse Sarabande sut faire au travers des dernières années. Regroupant du matériel de Jerry Goldsmith, Bernard Herrmann, John Williams, Alex North et plusieurs autres, In Session propose un parcours éclectique au travers des années de compositions de chacune des bandes sonores présentées au sein de la compilation. Le voyage commence à avec la musique rejetée de 2001 d'Alex North, pour faire un parcours passant par Rebecca, Citizen Kane (Félicitons ici le FABULEUSE voix de la soprano Janice Watson et la direction impécable de Joel McNeely), Viva Zapata!, Psycho, The Sand Pebbles, Patton, Jaws, Platoon (Autre musique rejetée du regreté Georges Delerue, pastiche du célèbre Adagio pour cordes de Samuel Barber), Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire (Musique composée par Joel McNeely pour le livre se déroulant entre The Empire Stricke Back et The Return of the Jedi) pour finalement clore avec Tara's Bulba. Il s'agit ici d'une sélection très riche, des morceaux d'une durée appréciable et d'une direction et d'une sonorité incroyable. Il s'agit ici d'un merveilleux cadeau de Robert Townson et Varèse Sarabande (Label qui célèbre en 2003 son 25ème anniversaire. Surveillez aussi la compilation de Varèse Sarabande (4 cds pour le prix de un!) qui verra le jour le 22 avril 2003) et c'est une compilation que toute personne sensible à la musique doit posséder! Chapeau Varèse!

5 comments about The 7th Voyage Of Sinbad (1998 Re-recording).

1. I found that I was not disappointed by any of Herrmann's works, until this one. The first track is good, but much of the others do not sound like the Herrmann I know.



2. The original soundtrack recording of this score has long been highly prized by collectors for it's uniqueness, imagination and brilliant orchestral color. It is Herrmann at the height of his powers. This 1998 re-recording by John Debney sparkles a little less vibrantly than Herrmann's original recording, but it is powerful and lovely none the less, and contains far more musical selections. Some of the tempos are a bit off, and some liberties were taken with the final selection, and a complete presentation of the entire score would have been preferable, but given the unavailability of that, this album is still very worthwhile - a delightful listening experience.



3. I decided to revisit this soundtrack after viewing my VHS copy of the film from which the music came. Because of my fondness for Herrmann, I actually didn't think that there would be that great a difference.
   
   Man, was I wrong! While the music is definite Herrmann, the tempos and orchestrations on this recording truly fall short of the composer's original intent. Debney and company obviously didn't do their homework well.
   
   This release reminds me of Mona Lisa reproduction that might adorn a diner's wall.
   
   It "looks" like the real thing but everyone know's it's a fake.



4. I bought this on impulse. But what was the point? I already had the original soundtrack (one of the all-time-great film scores), conducted by the composer (or was it Muir Matheson?).
   
   Boy, was I surprised. Not only is this the complete score, but the performance is livelier and more imaginative.
   
   Strongly recommended.



5. Despite what some of the other reviews claim, this recording appears to be a performance by the Scottish National Orchestra conducted by John Debney using the original score to this movie. Perhaps some are noticing the faster tempo used in the treacherous "Battle with the Skeleton" music. . .or maybe the added prominence of the cast bell used during the "Cyclops" music. . .These things sound slightly different here than in the original motion picture.
   
   Nonetheless, this is the majority of actual score of the movie. Of course it is TRULY Bernard Herrmann's work. . .some here perhaps do not realize how different BH could be from score to score. Journey to the Center of the Earth is completely different than Fahrenheit 451, which is absolutely different from North By Northwest.
   
   I am a longtime fan and a freelance musician, so perhaps I can point out the truth in earlier reviewer comments about Williams and Herrmann. They are definitely related to each other. BH worked in an era when film scores were expected to routinely use the "leitmotiv" method to adhere to changes on screen. Thus, here in the 7th Voyage, we have a Princess's theme. . .just as there was a Princess Leia theme in Star Wars.
   
   Herrmann also used both "classic", and more "modern" effects and harmonic devices for a very basic purpose (e.g. extensive percussion work for fight sequences or "barbaric" content. . . .static, "tritone" distant chords or clusters slowly alternated to establish no key whatsoever, but to keep a level of tension going) and with a sense of "staying out of the way". . .that the best scorers routinely exhibit. Williams does this too.
   
   This is quite a dramatic score, since the movie features fantastic Ray Harryhausen clay animation figures. There is a dragon, a cyclops, a multi-headed bird, and chick. There is a dance of a "half snake-half woman". Herrmann uses percussion and brass to great effect here, yet the material is quite accessible to a wide audience.
   
   I'd heartily recommend this, though I've got a vinyl recording here, of "The Fantasy Film World of Bernard Herrmann" which has a better performance of the "Battle with a Skeleton".
   
   This should definitely be in your film score collection.
   
   Chris Tune

5 comments about The Great Fantasy Adventure Album.

1. No words can compare how remarkable this cd is. Combined with incredible sound quality, this cd will twist and turn you emotions with every single score. i can honestly say that this disc is the perfect relaxation and energizing thing ever.



2. I have a good number of Kunzel CDs, but this one could easily be called "Mark's Favorite Movie Themes." It doesn't matter that I have many of these repeated on other CDs; it saved me the trouble of having to burn my own 'faves' disc. It's good to see Basil Polodouris' "Conan" and "Red October" themes, he's often overlooked as a film composer, in my book, and regardless what one might think of the movie, the Conan score is still probably the best thing he's ever done. And the hard-to-find "Terminator" theme is hard NOT to listen to, with its highly unusual rythmic motif. I enjoy all the music selections, but having James Horner's sublime theme from "The Rocketeer" was well worth the price of the CD by itself. This is what a movie themes CD should be, and it helps that I happen to like Kunzel's choice of selections, for once. The sound effects that typically accompany these CDs are generally annoying, but I like the sonar segue into "Red October," and the T-Rex roar that precedes "Jurassic Park" is useful for scaring kids at Halloween.



3. "Caution: Digital Sound Effects of high levels with intrasonic frequencies to 5 Hz. Please establish safe playback levels before playing tracks [3], [5], [19], [20], and [21]. Excessive playback levels could result in damage to equipment."

   The above quote is found prominantly on the back cover and is a warning not to be taken lightly. The respective tracks are awesome and should be played, as well as listened to, with great care.

   A 20-bit digital recording that is perfect for surround-sound systems, "The Great Fantasy Adventure Album" is a wonder for fans of the sci-fi/fantasy film genre. Highlighting some truly landmark films, the 1994 release showcases compositions from the legends of past and contemporary film scoring. Themes from the likes of Rosza, Williams, Horner, Herrmann, and Elfman are grandiosely featured here.

   The best cuts are Goldsmith's "Total Recall: Main Title", "Conan the Barbarian: Anvil of Crom" (Poledouris), and Brad Fiedel's "Terminator: Theme".

   Upon hearing this trio, chills will not just go up the spine but will permeate every ounce of one's body




4. The Cincinnati Pops do an excellent job of faithfully reproducing movie soundtracks and this album is a perfect example. In fact after listening to this CD a few times, I tracked down some of the original soundtracks because I enjoyed the selections on here, such as the "El Cid" music and "Jurrasic Park." I also really enjoyed the music from "Henry V" "Robin Hood,"and "Hunt for Red October." The different tracks go together surprisingly well, like many of the pops other thematic CD's. While it might be helpful to have seen some of the movies the soundtracks come from, it is not crucial. The added soundeffects are a little gimmicky, but fairly short and on seperate tracks, so they can be skipped. If you enjoy movie soundtracks, this is a great investment.



5. Well, I suppose that depends on the type of music you're testing your equipment for. However, go to almost any online discussion of audio equipment, particularly subwoofers, and you'll come across this disc. Sure, most of the other reviewers mention the sound effects in less than glowing terms. It remains though that this disc contains some of the crazy lowest signals one can buy on disc. The T rex footsteps shake the windows in my house despite being below my hearing range with my Velodyne 12" sub. Incredible stuff. And the glass shattering sound effects in the Terminator theme can melt your tweeters too if turned up too loud. Don't take yourself too seriously for a few minutes and enjoy the noise!
   Beyond that, musically this is one of the Cincinatti Pops' finest soundtrack collections. Perhaps the best. Almost all of their recordings are sonically of the highest quality (Copland: Music of America won a Grammy for best engineering), but all too often in recent years the releases have not met the standard of this album. Arrangers that don't begin to care what the composer's intent was or tacking on pre-fab endings are the worst offenders, but most of the selections here meet or exceed the quality of the original soundtracks. All around, a great soundtrack collection.

5 comments about The Best of Broadway - The American Musical (PBS Series).

1. I loved listening to this CD. The music from Broadway's best loved musicals are on this album. I recogized most of these songs, even though I've only seen a few of them on the local stage. I have so many favorites on this CD. It is hard to pick one. I'm a big fan of Barbara Streisand. I loved her performance of People from Funny Girl. Memory is the hit song from the musical Cats. Betty Buckley's performance of this song is so emotional and sincere.
   
   I loved the song Annie. It is a wonderfully optimistic song performed by the original Annie Andrea McArdle. Another highlight for me is the song One performed by the cast of a Chorus Line. Luck Be A Lady Tonight is another of my favorite broadway songs on this CD from Guys and Dolls. The music of the night is a beautiful song by Michael Crawford from Phantom of the Opera. Richard Kiley has such a strong and powerful voice. He sounds so inspirational singing The Impossible Dream from Man from La Mancha. My dream is to see some musicals on Broadway someday and listen to these songs performed live.
   
   I'm surprised that there isn't any music from Miss Saigon or Jesus Christ Superstar included here. I think they are classic musicals with great songs Maybe they will appear on a future compilation from PBS.



2. This CD from Decca Broadway is a wonderful selection of some of
   
   the "Greatest Hits" of the Broadway stage. Decca and Sony have
   
   done an excellent job of remastering the various recordings, some
   
   of which still show some of their age, but come across quite
   
   well. Are there a lot of songs that I would have put on this
   
   disc? Yes, but the ones on here are good choices. I may have to
   
   get a copy of the Five disc set and the DVD's just to see if any
   
   more of my favorites made it on the list. What this disc seems to
   
   try to do is show the evolution of the Broadway song from it's
   
   early days to the present. It succeeds quite well I think.
   
   If you enjoy Broadway theater this CD is a must!



3. This one plays in the car, on the ipod and in the house. When the kids were little they would ask if we could take them to "The Street". That is what they called Broadway (little did they know at that time how famous that street is). They still love it and we can not get enough of it. This CD covers the best and makes you want to go and see a live performance. You can not beat that.



4. This is a pretty good compilation, but I have to wonder at some of the choices that went into it.
   "Good Morning Baltimore" is almost the least impressive song from Hairspray. "You Can't Stop the Beat" was a much more anthemic song from that show.
   I agree that it's too bad Les Mis didn't make it in. I would have traded that for anything Sondheim, although that's a personal preference :) .
   Still, the opportunity to hear the original performers and orchestras perform these works, all in one place, is a great deal.



5. Note that some of the recordings are not in stereo. While I expected that for some of the very old songs recorded in the 1920's to 1940's, I thought that the songs from the 1950's and more recent would have been recorded in stereo.

5 comments about Brain Damaged.

1. I have always been a fan of Sinbad's comedy and humor. I was a little bit worried purchasing this CD though. Sinbad was great in his concerts and movies, but I was afraid his humor would not transfer to audio means.

   I was not disappointed! Hearing Sinbad is almost as good as seeing him. His humor is so great, because he does not have to be vulgar to be funny. The CD is full of original as well as concert material. Sinbad even performs a rap song on marriage called "Brain Damaged". If you love Sinbad, you will definitely love this CD...




2. I perfer the HBO special that he had and if it ever gets back out on video/dvd I will get it.



3. It is unfortunate that this is Sinbad's only comedy CD, especially since he's done several HBO specials. Sinbad's brand of comedy is clean and many will find it extremely funny. This CD deals with things like Mike Tyson as a substitute teacher, spanking your kids, children in general, and more. The songs included didn't do anything for me, but that's just me.

   Bottom line: a worthy addition to any comedy collection!




4. This is the funniest stand up performance of all time by the funniest man of all time. The subject matter is varried and clean. Check it out.



5. I love Sinbad - his humor is clean and very funny. Unfortunately, I saw the HBO special of the same title and I know so much of the material included in that show is missing from this CD - that was very disappointing. Some of the missing parts were(Sinbad sitting on the bed talking with the kids about waiting for Mommie to pick out their clothes, getting a whippin' from his Mom when his Dad was away). These were some of the funniest scenes of the entire show. I am so disappointed. I did not like the added music. Sinbad's humor is wonderful - this cd is not!