3 comments about New York Songs.

1. These are the essential New York songs that should have replaced almost every song on this collection:
   1) New York, New York (Frank Sinatra, Gene Kelly and Jules Munshin)
   2) The Brooklyn Bridge (Frank Sinatra)
   3) Lullaby of Broadway (The Andrews Sisters)
   4) Forty-Second Street (The Boswell Sisters)
   5) Take Me Back to New York Town (Billy Murray)
   6) Streets of New York (Billy Murray)
   7) Give My Regards to Broadway (Billy Murray/George M. Cohan)
   8) Theme From "New York, New York" (Frank Sinatra)
   
   This collection pretty much sucks.



2. This is the most diverse themed collection I have ever seen. I think that's what interested me enough to purchase it. I was not disappointed, although I didn't care for a couple of arrangements. This collection represents 4 decades of music, ranging from Ella Fitzgerald to Mel Torme; from Sammy Davis Jr. to the Drifters; and from Judy Collins to Ben E. King. Of course no New York collection would be complete without a couple of Broadway songs. This collection seemed to have something for everyone, including comic relief with Allan Sherman. I recommend "New York Songs" to anyone that likes eclectic.



3. This is the most diverse themed collection I have ever seen. I think that's what interested me enough to purchase it. I was not disappointed, although I didn't care for a couple of arrangements. This collection represents 4 decades of music, ranging from Ella Fitzgerald to Mel Torme; from Sammy Davis Jr. to the Drifters; and from Judy Collins to Ben E. King. Of course no New York collection would be complete without a couple of Broadway songs. This collection seemed to have something for everyone, including comic relief with Allan Sherman. I recommend "New York Songs" to anyone that likes eclectic.

5 comments about The Complete Capitol Collection.

1. This wonderfully entertaining anthology reminds me how much I always loved Liza's Capitol LPs. It's great to have them all together. The singles are fascinating ! Liza had to record lesser material sometimes, but she is always fully invested in what she does. I was a friend of the producer, Scott Schecter, and he's done a wonderful job here. He's a true Judy-Liza expert. This set is recommended both to fans who are new to Liza, and those who need some Liza CDs but don't know what to pick. Good music all the way !



2. We should all be grateful to the folks at DRG for making the deal with Capitol and getting Liza's first three albums and all of the singles released in one comprehensive package. It's a great treat for Liza fans to be able to listen to the work from her early years -- when she was young and raw and, really, quite thrilling. The albums are terrific. Liza was in good hands and they found material for her that was targeted toward a sophisticated pop audience and not unlike the material that Barbra Streisand was recording over at Columbia during the same time period. She had the pipes and wasn't afraid to get out front and use them.
   
   The singles are interesting and amusing. They're more aimed at the teen market and it's fascinating to hear Liza doing work projected to the younger crowd. Largely, the singles weren't made to be remembered and they'll get less spin in my iPod than the other stuff, but I'm grateful to get to hear them.
   
   If you're a Liza fan -- this is a must. But, if you've never thought you'd like her, then you should try this collection because the first three albums were astonishingly good and have been overlooked for many years.



3. This is a very welcome issue, the three LPs and a raft of rare singles. Liza Minnelli was a teenager and given her vocal style the raw quality just pays off, there is an almost rock energy fed into standards and new material by the likes of Kander and Ebb. This is also the period when she most sounded like her mother, the power. Her instrument only wore down over her career even five years later. (Though the A&M material, due for this kind of issue, has a lot of interest too, particularly her early recordings of Randy Newman). Though "Cabaret" is her height, Fosse was her undoing as a singer and actress, those mannerisms took over. Here she is fresh and surprising; the same kind of difference between the early Streisand and later, though in Streisand's case she got too refeened, her voice airbrushed of feeling. Like early Frank Sinatra, Liza's just a different performer young. Success didn't enhance her abilities. I wouldn't trade this for all her later recordings. Hopefully the "Dangerous Christmas of Red Riding Hood" will be issued, which in spite of some odd Bob Merrill lyrics has a good Styne score and more Liza of this era.



4. Kudos to Scott Schechter for all the blood, sweat, tears and years of devotion to this latest Liza treasure..."The Complete Capitol Collection." Brilliant!
   
   There are so many gems here, but having listened to the previously released albums over and over, I was particularly intrigued by the never-released material, and especially "At My Age," which showcases Liza's vocal control and vibrant vibrato. How on earth did this beautiful song not make the cut originally?
   
   The liner notes must be the longest I've ever read...beautifully written with stunning Liza images. Who could ask for more?
   
   Now I wonder when Capitol will release the on-the-shelf restored, re-mastered "Judy and Liza at the Palladium" two-cd set. Come on, Capitol, release it already. You missed the 40th Anniversary (November, 2004) boat...please don't make us wait any longer.
   
   Thanks so much, Scott. What's next...the A&M catalog (w/all the goodies that were never released), the complete Winter Garden Columbia release, with all the songs in proper sequence.
   
   More, please!
   
   Here's to your continued good health and success and congrats on your recent Germany and Greece concerts, Liza May!
   
   If you love Liza, you'll cherish this amazing DRG release featuring a young legend in waiting.
   
   Enjoy!



5. A big fat "HALLELUJAH" to the folks at DRG for releasing all three of Liza's Capitol albums from the 1960s exactly as they were originally packaged, along with the singles.
   
   The first two albums paired the amazing Liza with the arranging genius of the brilliant but sorely missed Peter Matz, while the third "There is a Time" (heard by these ears for the first time) featured gorgeous settings by Ray Ellis. Messrs. Matz and Ellis are two of my favorite arrangers for singers, period.
   
   A huge bonus was the singles - need I say more?
   
   The only low spot for me was NOT including the fabulous double pow-wow concert album with Mama Judy at the London Palladium - that would have made this package really complete. But Miss Liza is the star here - and Capitol knew that at the time of her signing that a future superstar was in the making.

5 comments about The Pajama Game (1954 Original Broadway Cast).

1. "The Pajama Game" is one of the basic reasons why I enjoy musicals so much today. When I was a graduate student in Fort Worth Texas in the 1950s, a new professional theater was begun (and still continues today).
   One of their opening season shows was "The Pajama Game," and students were admitted for one dollar. I liked the show so much that I invested in season tickets. Through the years since, I have enjoyed many productions by touring companies, community theater, and local professional troupes. And I have listened to this particular show over and over, first on lp and now on cd.
   Listening today, it occurred to me that this score is basically for-fun music. Other than "A New Town Is a Blue Town," "Hey There," and parts of "Small Talk," there is none of the serious, melodic, ballad-type music. This does not diminish the score. "Steam Heat" and "Hernando's Hideaway" both became well-deserved hits. The most fun, I think, comes from "Think of the Time I Save." But, I wonder if anyone else has noticed in "Seven-and-a Half Cents" that Adler and Ross are better lyricists than they are mathematicians. Apparently, they had not "figured it out."
   If "The Pajama Game" is new to you, familiar yourself with the story, and the music will lead you through the plot.



2. If you're a Broadway musical comedy fan you'll enjoy this CD
   "Hey there" by John Raitt is a standout



3. My father was a big fan of Broadway musicals. I remember going to see the Pajama Game and Damn Yankees in a summer stock theater in Warwick R.I. which contributed to me developing my own love for musicals in the 50's and 60's. This recording though in monaural is an excellent reproduction of the LP record my father had and I used to listen to (sans scratches!). I would recommend this to any person who used to like these old classics. I would like to see a local theater group do this some day before it's completely forgotten. The interviews with the composer/lyricist and notes in the CD were wonderful too.



4. A monster hit when it opened in 1954, and still a staple of community theatre groups, PAJAMA GAME has a delightfully refreshing score that never takes itself too seriously. On the whole it offers a better-than-average number of stand-out songs: "I'm Not At All in love", "Hey There", "Small talk", "Steam heat", "Hernando's Hideaway" and the ensmble "7 1/2 Cents." There are, however a few stumbles. "A new Town is a Blue Town" is dreary. "Her Is" is silly although the Bob Fosse dance routine made it work on stage. Both these were dropped from the movie version, so I suspect the authors also felt this material was weak.
   
   The movie retained all of the original cast leads except for Janis Paige as Babe (replaced by Doris Day.) Day sings Babe's songs better, so your choice between the cast album and the movie soundtrack will depend on whether you need the whole score or not.
   
   As for ths reissue...once again Sony has done a first-rate job. The sound is full bodied and rich, though necessarily mono, and the package includes some well-written liner notes.



5. "The Pajama Game" is a truly great musical. Although it's most popular songs have truly been immortalized, such as "Hernando's Hideaway" and "Hey There", the show itself seems to be sadly forgotten by many (depite winning both Best Score and Best Musical in the Tonys). It remains very popular with amateurs and high schools, though.

   This recording of The Pajama Game, a remastered version on the original cast, has VASTLY improved sound and some great extra tracks. Despite the new tracks, though, a lot of the score is completley missing from this recording, and a lot of the songs have been abridged, cutting out dialogue sections and a lot of dance music, like the wonderful "Jealousy Ballet" number, but the loss can be both a blessing and a curse.

   The cast is the best recorded, in my opinion.

   John Raitt as Sid - I'm not sure if this show was Raitt's star turn or Carousel was, but regardless, he is a fantastic talent and it really shows on this recording. His solos on this recording are superior to any other renditions. "Hey There", "A New Town Is a Blue Town", and "There Once Was a Man"(my personal favorite) are just fantastic. Great all around.

   Janis Paige as Babe - Ok...she grows on you. If Paige is not singing in a more characterized voice, than she needs to be shot because she sounds like a wounded animal, BUT for the role her funky voice is very well suited. Her belt voice doesn't use much vibrato or any classical broadway norms, but her much grittier voice brings a more "real" feel to her character. "I'm Not At All In Love" is great and her comedic-like turn in "There Once Was a Man" is also fantastic.

   Eddie Foy Jr. as Hines - I just recently finished performing as Hines in a production of "The Pajama Game" so I know the role well. Foy is my favorite recorded Hines, he has such a different voice and personality to his character that simply cannot be imitated. It's a shame so much of his role was cut from the movie. "I'll Never Be Jealous Again" is pleasantly comic, "Think Of The Time I Save" is cute and pleasant, and the opening is also great. An excellent performance.

   Carol Haney as Gladys - Gladys is THE show stealing role of "The Pajama Game", and the underrated and underused Carol Haney stole this production way back when. Haney is cooky, lovable, and on stage, a fantastic dancer. Haney stepped into the role originally envisioned for Gwen Verdon and made it the role it is today, funny and wonderful. Haney sings two of the show's classics, "Steam Heat"(the best recorded), and "Hernando's Hideaway" both totally wonderful.

   Stanley Prager as Prez - A really great performance. Prager gives a rough, growling voice to Prez and it comes off as a great perfomance. "Her Is" is great, as is "Seven and A Half Cents"(although Prager's voice humorously cracks in mid-verse). A good performance.

   Reta Shaw as Mabel - Can't pull off a cute and perverted old lady any other way. Shaw's performance is solid in "I'll Never Be Jealous Again" with Foy. Pleasant to listen to.

   Well, all in all, this recording, though very abridged, has the best cast and is just as good as a choice for a recording of the show. Both is better, but for casual and curious listeners, this one beats the London cast. For those who really want the full score, go London. If I had to pick the superior, I would very reluctantly choose this one(reluctantly, due to the abridged score and Ms. Paige. One thing is for sure, every theater lover must own a copy of this wonderful show.

2 comments about Misty.

1. My wife and I love this CD. The only reason we did not give it five stars is because as noted, there are not enough tracks on it! Johnny does a truly excellent version of The Look of Love and This Guy's in Love with You. And never miss his immortal version of Misty! Great sampler of Johnny Mathis at a good price!



2. Only 9 tracks. Only 31 minutes of music. This CD does not match longtime fans' demand neither is a representive hit collection which would honor Mathis career. Browse back and buy the CDs "Heavenly", "Johnny", "Johnny's Greatest Hits". Forget this one.

5 comments about Absolute Beginners.

1. The 1986 film Absolute Beginners is sort of the British/European version of 1984's Streets of Fire(though Beginners was a film-musical fantasy epic about the 1958 British riots)...Both contained characters, themes and elements of rock, rebellion, and 50's noirish movie theatrics, boy meets girl or saves girl...Both films suffered miserable ticket sales and luke warm reviews(if you blinked, they were gone)... Both films contained hot soundtracks that probably did better in sales than their film counterparts. Yet, Beginners like Streets shares that underground mutual cult following status among soundtrack music collectors such as myself or anyone with an eclectic music collection and a taste for the nostalgic...
   
   The soundtrack is a great mixture of late 50's pop-swing-jazz stylings with a few tracks containing some Latin influences (check out the bossa nova flavored Have You Evere Had It Blue by the Style Council).Clive Langer's Napoli and Working Week's Rodrigo Bay also have that Latin or Carribean island backdrop feel and atmospheric sound. The real highlights include a swingin' jazz torch tune by Sade (Killer Blow). Jonas' hip song Little Cat is a riveting and highly catchy 50's sock hop throwback that could have been saved for the Hairspray soundtrack a couple of years later(though Hairspray takes place in the early 60's). Actress Patsy Kensit (Lethal Weapon 2) does a whispy voiced jazz beat-nik number complete with bongos and background fingersnaps...This soundtrack will take you to a different era and time (late 50's, beginning 60's).
   
   There is a lot of wonderful musical arrangements and toe tapping orchestrations. The David Bowie title track tune is probably the only modern contemporary sounding song. Absolute beginners is absolutely infectious and I love the strong pop-jazz influences...You can almost picture a party in someone's retro 50's-60's entertainment parlor or lounge or even a classy nightclub of that era...
   
   This is a soundtrack I recommend for anyone who loves be-bop, jazz, swingin' pop infused tunes with some Latin elements, along with some big band orchestrations ! Also, make sure you can get a hold of the c.d. European import (difficult to find nowadays) which contains 18 tracks as opposed the the American cassette version I once owned which only had 10 tracks.In addition, the import cd/album cover displays the brilliantly colorful great art work/ and comic book-like painting you see here on Amazon.com. The 10 track cheap American version cover artwork had a photo of the two main characters sitting or riding on a moped.



2. I'm SO PSYCHED to find this CD available on import. It was one of my favorite cassettes -- so much so that tape is warped and unlistenable by now. I've never found it on CD in the US before. Even better this import contains trakcs not available on the American release, such as Bowie singing "Volare" which you can only hear in the background in the actual film.

   Some of the songs are pure pop, some are full-out movie musical production numbers. One thing is album isn't is boring.

   From Sade's track "Killer Blow" to the effortlessly cool "Have You Ever Had It Blue" this album really is quite special. The film was directed by Jullian Temple, a hot music video director back in the 80's, and while the film itself is flawed, Temple's music background comes raging through. FAB ALBUM!




3. I originally bought this on cassette during my musical heyday. That piece of music only had the first ten songs. Imagine my surprise when I discovered that the CD had an extra eight songs, all of them songs I enjoyed from the movie and fretted from their exclusion.

   David Bowie's title track, played in its full eight minutes glory, is one of his best songs ever, ranking up there with "Space Oddity" and "Life On Mars?" It captures the hope yearned for amid the jungle of broken dreams and teeming nightlife. The verses are more melancholy, but rises to a chorus of hope "If our love song/could climb over mountains/could laugh like the ocean/just like the films" The female singer accompanying Bowie has the right stylings for this number. "That's Motivation", his number about what drives people to succeed, does not quite reach that height, but it's still enjoyable. The third song he does is a cover of "Volare," made famous by Dean Martin.

   Sade's "Killer Blow" is extraordinary in a different way than her songs up to that point, and shows she is quite at home doing the 50's jazz genre. The bongo drums are a nice touch. If she made an entire album like this, I'd buy it!

   "Have You Ever Had It Blues?" with its backing female vocal rhythm and jazz stylings demonstrates why Style Council was a great Paul Weller vehicle, much underrated in the US.

   The Kinks' Ray Davies, who plays Colin's father in the movie, has a serene number with "Quiet Life." The main point in the song is that despite his being buried in the past, "confidentially between these walls, I'm on top of it all. Other lyrics that struck me: "Can't communicate with minds that are small/with some people it's like talking to a wall."

   Patsy Kensit's "Having It All" demonstrates why she should have stuck to acting. Her singing is mousey/squeaky, as if she inhaled a mixture of weird gases, including helium. However, it's not that bad a distraction from the album.

   The Caribbean sounds of Working Week's "Rodrigo Bay" with a husky wailing female vocalist, is yet another aspect of the soundtrack. Clive Langer's "Napoli" begins slow but gathers up pace and is accompanied by reggae keyboards, resulting in a hybrid of jazz and reggae.

   Jonas' "Little Cat (You've Never Had It So Good)" is the song Baby Boom, the child singing sensation, sings in the movie, complete with roars. It's perfect late 50's pop and another favourite on this collection. Tenpole Tudor's rockabilly number mocks Buddy Holly, Eddie Cochrane, and Jerry Lee Lewis. There's also Smiley Culture's reggae number, "So What", played after the climactic riot.

   Gil Evans' fast-paced numbers represent the horns and drum swing jazz aspect with "Va Va Voom", the number Suzette dances to at the fashion show, "Boogie Stop Shuffle," which is played during the opening scenes revealing the London nightlife, and "Better Git It In Your Soul." However, he is rivalled by Slim Gaillard's raucous "Selling Out" with horns and xylophone and quick-paced female backing vocals going "Will he? Won't he? Can he? May he? Maybe." This is the number done at Dido Lament's party and represents a festivity in full swing.

   This disc is a combination of contemporary pop, jazz, and 50's-style pop, and as such is a delight, with the latter two genres effectively capturing the spirit of the times.




4. From the opening number to the closing track, this album is sharp, witty, funny and so full of music, one ends up drunk listening to it all.
   It's all done in a jazz/pop style with some ska, rock n' roll and Teddy boy thrown in for good measure.
   Sade does a turn with the sultry "Killer Blow" (arrangement by veteran American jazz arranger Gil Evans) that includes lines that snakes around her vocal and then proceeds to careen like a train running through traffic.
   Bowie does the title track, a big brassy Evans arranged "commercial" called "That's Motivation" and a send-up of the old Italian tune- "Volare"- done in a lounge style.
   There are latinish songs ("Rodrigo Bay"), discoish jazz songs ("So What"), strange moody songs ("Have You Ever Had It Blue?") dance intrumentals ("Va Va Voom") and a ballet-like voodoo number ("Riot City")that is a soundtrack for many a performance to come.
   This version even includes musical interludes by Evans that set a mood to keep you into this LP for the duration.
   A definite must have.



5. I had this on cassette in the mid-'80s. Used to play it in college while getting ready to go out. It's got a very upbeat, hip mood to it. "Having It All" is fantastic female bravado, "Killer Blow" is Sade's best - very dramatic. Bowie's songs are fair. Some of the performers I didn't know I enjoyed, too. Having dug out the cassette and played it recently--it's worn out--I'm going to get it on cd. This one's a keeper.

3 comments about I Still Believe in Santa Claus.

1. In 1993 an Andy Williams Christmas special aired on TV. The songs featured on the program were from this album. At the time I was relatively young and had not really heard of Andy Williams (I had listened mostly to Bing Crosby and Perry Como at Christmas to that point) but enjoyed what I heard.
   
   A few days later my mom bought me the cassette version of this album. It was played every time I was in the car until the end of the Christmas season. Since then I have brought the tape out annually and this year decided to purchase it on CD-that tape won't last forever at the rate I play it every Christmas season!
   
   This tape brings Andy Williams into the 1990s. The songs have a very modern feel to them and vary in style...
   
   "Santa Claus is Coming to Town": This traditional song is done as a modern jazz piece and is a radical departure from Bing Crosby or Perry Como (I'd describe their recordings as 40s style swing, not jazz). A saxophone solo is the highlight. I have listened to many Christmas albums but I can't think of any other album that opens better than this one; this song is arguably the best on the entire CD.
   
   "Christmas Needs Love to Be Christmas": The tempo slows down big time on this one. It's a song I'm not overly familiar with, having heard it only on this album. A very good reminder of what Christmas should be, right here. It can best be described as a ballad in style and has only minimal background instrumentation.
   
   "Blue Christmas": This song goes to show how talented Williams is as a singer. He goes from jazz to a slow ballad to an upbeat country song! This one is more like the Glen Campbell recording than the Elvis Presley one and sounds even more like something you'd hear on the top country station than the Campbell version. A very interesting albeit good take on a modern Christmas classic.
   
   "The Christmas Waltz": Anyone who has studied music knows that a waltz is a dance in 3/4 time. However, I have heard so many recordings of this song (such as Frank Sinatra's) which turn it into a ballad. While I do enjoy many of those variants (including Sinatra's) I feel this recording captures the "waltz" aspect of the song perfectly. It's got a shuffle-type beat that you can actually get up and waltz to.
   
   "My Christmas Vow": Here's another one that seems to be unique to this album. It's a song that seems to be dedicated from a man to his wife/girlfriend, although it could also be from a father/grandfather/uncle to his children/grandchildren/nephews and nieces. It's another ballad and reminds me somewhat of the second track in terms of style.
   
   "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus": Forget what you know about the Jimmy Boyd version of this song that came out in the 1950s. This is a modern version with a tap dance section in the middle (which featured tap dancing reindeer on the TV special!) and a relative swing feel to it. This song was the reason I asked my mother to buy the album and is certain to be the favorite of any child who is listening to this album.
   
   "I'll Be Home for Christmas": Most versions of this song are relatively slow and sentimental. This one changes direction dramatically and takes on a bright pop feel. It sounds more like something from a modern adult contemporary station than the slow ballad Bing Crosby and Perry Como among others present it as. A welcome change to an excellent song!
   
   "What are You Doing New Years Eve?": The rendition of this song reminds me somewhat of something you'd hear in one of those old gangster movies. It's got a rather dark jazz feel to it and builds to the end, becoming more and more vibrant as it does. I feel this is the album's weakest track overall yet the weakest track on this album is as good as the best track on many other Christmas albums I have come across.
   
   "When You Wish Upon a Star" and "Toyland": When I first heard the beginning of this two-for-one I was slightly confused and asked myself why Williams had included a song from Disney's Pinocchio on a Christmas album (much like Bing Crosby's version of "Faith of Our Fathers" somehow made itself onto some of his collections). However, the song transitioned into "Toyland" and suddenly made a lot of sense. Williams sings this one in a very soft and smooth voice, almost as if it is being done as a lullaby. I feel he is even more "dolce" (if you will) than Cliff Edwards (the man who played Jiminy Cricket and sang the song in the Disney recording) in this arrangement. "Toyland" is the middle section of the song, with the first verse of "When You Wish.." being sung at the beginning and the end. It is soothing to any youngster and makes anyone who is past their childhood look back and reflect on it, remembering the days when they would run down the stairs in the morning to be greeted by shiny new toys under the tree.
   
   "Happy Christmas": This is a more modern version of "War is Over" and, to me, is a better recording than the original John Lennon version. The "War is Over" part of the song is replaced with "Merry Christmas" and "Happy New Year", erasing the anti-Vietnam War element of the Lennon recording. It is a brighter and more majestic sounding recording than the original and presents itself as more child-friendly.
   
   Williams was older when he recorded this album yet his voice still sounds excellent. Every song on this album is unique in its own way and will appeal to a wide array of ages. I enjoy this album as an adult as much as I did when I was a child and everyone in my family agrees that it is one of the best Christmas collections out there. (If only they had included a DVD of the TV special with the CD-the TV program was also excellent!)
   
   For a modern Christmas album with a traditional singer, you can't go wrong with this album. You too just might end up claiming you still believe in Santa Claus after listening through it a few times...
   
   One interesting thing to note: all of the songs on this album are secular. Williams did not record any of the religious carols on this collection.



2. As you may know, Andy Williams (AW) has released a handful of Christmas Albums over the years; "AW Christmas Album", "Merry Christmas", "Christmas Present", "I Believe In Santa Claus", "The New AW Christmas Album", "Personal Christmas Collection", "We Need A Little Christmas", and "AW Live - Christmas Treasures". I believe that "Christmas Present" is the best Andy Williams album of all, but this album, "I Believe In Santa Claus" rates in 2nd place in the holiday category, and is the last album where he is in fine vocal form before all of his Branson concerts started to put strain his voice. The LP's after this (except for the compilation albums - Christmas Collection and Live Treasures) have poor arrangements and a tired voice. This album has excellent arrangements and finds Andy in fine voice. You don't get tired of these songs as you don't hear 200 other artists performing them. His first 2 albums, although in great voice, are too 'commercial' and almost phoney. But this is a great album to get right after you buy Andy's "Christmas Present" album first. A close 2nd overlooked holiday classic.



3. I've got the LP version, but I'm trying to move my extensive Andy Williams collection to CD's.

   PLEASE re-issue this album!?!?!?!?!?

   Alice Thomas

5 comments about Is There Life After High School?.

1. We were told that this was the musical that we would be doing next term at my school, Randolph Academy for the Performing Arts in Toronto, Ontario. At first I was worried that this was going to be a dumb musical (due to the dumb name) but after I received the CD in the mail I fell in love. The first track on the CD is the best (I think) The Kid Inside - it is so catchy, I find myself singing it different times through out the day! The other songs are also very good and will sometimes play through my head as well.
   
   This is a great soundtrack to have if you love musical theatre - it gets two thumbs up from me!



2. I saw this show on Broadway and loved it right away. I too found myself humming these songs as I left. Anyone who had fond memories of high school should get this recording. There's something for everyone - the prom, the nerds, gym class, dating, and even songs expressing why we even had to learn certain facts in school but never needed them as adults. After I got this cd I emailed my high school friends and told them they had to get this. I even brought it to a high school renunion and we sat around laughing and singing with the songs.
   From the first song to the last - you can't go wrong. Enjoy this and smile. (you may shed a tear too.)



3. This is a an amazing soundtrack. I suggest anyone who is looking for a great graduation song and any cabaret song or ANY SONG at that to pick up this CD and learn it from front to back! You won't be disapointed! Truely it is an amazing piece of work and more theater companies should do this show more often! Musical theater at it's best!



4. Last week, I was on the stage crew for a student production of the show here at University of Michigan. It was quite an interesting experience. Most of the cast were musical theater majors who had great voices. You'll definitely find the tunes in the show catchy. Most of all, there is no way you can watch this show without having some memories about you high school days.



5. I saw this show on Broadway and loved the music! I was thrilled when they came out with this recording. The songs take you back and make you laugh and cry with all the antics from high school. If you ever have been or are contemplating going to a high school reunion, these songs will put you in the mood and make you smile all over again. "Kid Inside" will make anyone who cared anything about high school, feel like you're 17 all over again. "Fran and Janie" hit a cord with anyone woman who had a best friend in high school. These songs are timeless (unlike the musical Grease) and anyone can relate to them no matter when you graduated from high school. All I can say these are great lyrics and easy listening tunes!

5 comments about Anna Karenina: The Broadway Musical.

1. This recording recreates the ill-fated 1992 Broadway musical version of ANNA KARENINA. Based on the classic novel by Tolstoy with a score by Dan Levine and Peter Kellogg, the show played a run at Circle-in-the-Square (where it received Tony Award nominations for it's book and score), then faded into the void after only 46 performances. On this brand-new recording, we can once again hear the amazing score.
   
   The story of Anna Karenina, who walks away from her marriage to have an affair with dashing Captain Vronsky, has been the subject of many movie and television adaptations (including versions starring Greta Garbo, Vivien Leigh, Nicola Pagett, Jacqueline Bissett and Sophie Marceau); but the story also easily lends itself to the principles of musical theatre, where these kinds of tragic, Fate-thwarted romances are commonplace.
   
   Ann Crumb and Scott Wentworth originated the roles of Anna and Vronsky on Broadway. For this new recording, the roles are filled by the talented Melissa Errico and Brian d'Arcy James. Both hugely talented Tony-nominated stars in their own right, Ms Errico and Mr James bring lots of passion and emotion to their respective roles. Ms Errico originally played Kitty (and understudied Ms Crumb) in the Broadway production, and it's fun having her "graduated" to Anna on this album.
   
   The score of Kellogg and Levine's ANNA KARENINA has a true pre-Revolution Russia flavour (especially in numbers like "I Shall Work", "Journey to Moscow", and the dreamy "We Were Dancing"); the orchestra for the most part is quite understated and minimalist; a true chamber piece.
   
   Brian d'Arcy James and Melissa Errico sparkle with the main love theme, "Waiting for You". Melissa Errico's haunting voice later tears through "I'm Lost" and "Seryozha" with all the pain of a woman who has given up her entire life to be with a man she'll later be torn from.
   
   The talented cast of Broadway vets assembled for this album also includes Kerry Butler, Gregg Edelman (recreating his original role of Levin), Jeff McCarthy and Marc Kudisch. Definitely one for the top shelf of your cast album collection.



2. This cast recording is superior to most I have listened to in the last several years. What a joy it is to hear it over and over again. The lyrics are inventive and the score is truly amazing. The voices are wonderful and the cast will be familiar to many broadway theatre goers. Its nice to hear a full orchestra instead of the skimpy orchestrations used on many studio or concept cast recording. The opening "Journey to Moscow" has a wonderful way of setting up all the actors and their situations. The love songs are stirring. I never saw the show, so I cannot comment on the book, but some shows work best on their recordings and not in the theatre. This might be one of those shows. What a gem!



3. If you're a musical buff, you'll want to own Anna Karenina. Brian D'Arcy James is a native son of Saginaw, Michigan, and we're all tremendously proud of his musical accomplishments. Anna Karenina will quickly become one of your favorite musicals. Not only is the story captivating, but the music reflects its timeless charm. Buy this CD and enjoy!



4. Melissa Ericco is great. This is a good listen and I'm glad to have it.



5. I got tickets to see this musical when it was on Broadway. But my tickets were for two weeks after it opened and by then it had closed. Judging from the score, I'm glad I didn't get to see it. What I don't understand is why it was recorded.

5 comments about Very Best of Judy Garland: The Capitol Recordings 1955-1965.

1. The previous reviewers have set most everything that I would about this set. This set along with The One and Only Judy Garland, the Capitol Years, give anyone a superb overview of the artist in her later prime, when she was no longer the very young belter, but the voice was still dependable. The One and Only tries to give an overview of all phases of Garland's recording career, Studio on Disc l, Live on Disc 2 and the definitive London sessions of her signiture songs. This set concentrates on the studio material, and much of this was new to her repetoire at the time, or at least the arrangements were. The transfers from the original tapes are simply superb, and the artistic decisions are all first rate, such as releasing the Mono version of Judy in Love. I have a CD transfer of the stereo mix, and the decision makers were right, the stereo mixing is very flawed so the mono packs much more punch. The last reviewer said that only one completel album is featured, that is incorrect, three albums are included in their eitirety, Alone, Judy in Love and Thats Entertainment. Most of her other studio albums are represented by 4 to 6 cuts from each, so that you can get a feel for what the entire album is like. Alone, is an absolute classic, setting and maintaining a bluish mood, as only a great singing actress could. Every other CD transfer of this album has left out one or two of the cuts, and that damages the entire product. The album is one of those great Capitol theme albums of the 50's that is all of a piece, such as Sinatra's Only the Lonely or In the We Small Hours of the Mornng. There is a very strong emotional arc to the whole. Absolutely essential to anyone trying to explore Garland. I can not believe it was released at such a small price, what a great bargain.



2. The Very Best of Judy Garland: The Capitol Recordings 1955-1965 gives us a remarkable 72 tracks on three CDs all proving beyond a doubt that Judy Garland remains the world's greatest entertainer. The sound quality is very good (at least on the copy I purchased) and the artwork reflects good taste, too. The liner notes are very informative.
   
   The first CD starts with a stunning medley from Judy's LP entitled Miss Show Business. "This Is The Time Of The Evening/While We're Young" introduces Judy with a chorus that sings sweetly; and when Judy comes in her voice never sounded better! This is followed by an even better medley of "You Made Me Love You/For Me And My Gal/The Boy Next Door/The Trolley Song." Judy performs this second medley with great panache; she enhances the beauty of each tune with her singularly beautiful voice. The strings add to the arrangement very nicely, too. "Rock-A-Bye Your Baby With A Dixie Melody" has great brass and strings to accompany Judy's sublime vocals; Judy sings this with all her heart and soul. This number lacks nothing--it's THAT good.
   
   "Over The Rainbow," is, quite naturally, given the royal treatment by Judy Garland as this was her principle signature song. It's perfect! "I Feel A Song Coming On" gets a snazzy arrangement and Judy doesn't sing a single superfluous note! Listen also for "Maybe I'll Come Back;" this old vaudeville song was reportedly one of Judy's father's favorites--but in any event Judy delivers this brilliantly! "Lucky Day" sparkles like gold when Judy sings this with heart and soul. "Me And My Shadow" begins with a musical flourish from the strings; and when Judy comes in this number truly takes flight!
   
   The second CD is equally beautiful. "I Get The Blues When It Rains" is a striking torch song that Judy aces easily; and the strings on this tune are fantastic. "Just A Memory" is another torch song that Judy enhances with her singularly beautiful rendition of this ballad. "Zing! Went The Strings Of My Heart" was always one of my very favorite Judy Garland songs; I could never tire of this one! The percussion, brass and strings greatly enhance the natural beauty of this song. "Do It Again" has Judy singing a rarely heard opening verse; and as Judy sings the main lyrics to "Do It Again" this blossoms into a lush love song. There's also the zesty "That's Entertainment" from the LP of the same name; Judy attacks this number with all her might and she truly gives blood to make this perfect! I love it!
   
   The third CD gives us even more. "Just You, Just Me" has a fine piano arrangement and Judy makes this sound fresh and new even if you've heard this a million times before! The "Judy At The Palace" medley gives us "Shine On Harvest Moon/Some Of These Days/My Man/I Don't Care." "I Don't Care," from the movie In The Good Old Summertime, thrills me every time I hear Judy sing this with all her might--it's a brilliant performance from Judy--as usual! The strings and more enhance the melody to make this extremely pretty and sweet. After being treated to an alternate take of "Over The Rainbow," we hear Judy performing another signature song, "The Man That Got Away." The horns make this so beautiful along with Judy's voice; this live track really is electric! "I Could Go On Singing" is from the movie of the same name; Judy delivers this so smoothly it stuns me every time I hear it. Listen also for two duets Judy sings with her daughter Liza Minnelli; we get "When The Saints Go Marching In" and "He's Got The Whole World In His Hands."
   
   If you're a fan of Judy Garland this is a must have CD set for your collection. It's also a wonderful CD set for people who appreciate classic pop vocals and even some of the "oldies" songs as well. Get this today and enjoy!



3. This release is almost great, but hold onto your copy of CLASSIC JUDY GARLAND - THE CAPITOL YEARS: 1955-1965 2-CD set! I compared the tracks that are available on both releases and found that THE VERY BEST OF JUDY GARLAND has some inferior sources for some songs!
   
   Disc 2 - Track 7 (It's So Lovely to be Back in London) suffers from horrible echo on the VERY BEST CD, and the liner notes say it was impossible to lessen the echo because it was recorded into the masters. Well, check out CLASSIC JUDY GARLAND (Disc 1 - Track 10) and hear this song WITHOUT the echo and sounding far crisper and "present". The liner notes also claim this is a problem with the London Sessions recordings, but they do sound arguably better on THE LONDON SESSIONS CD (though any added reverb seems to be the same).
   
   The 1961 singles on VERY BEST (Disc 3 - Tracks 13-14) sound like they are a generation down from what was used on CLASSIC JUDY GARLAND (Disc 2 - Tracks 8-9). The other tracks the two releases have in common sound either remarkably similar or slightly better on this release, with the exception of those I have noted.
   
   Also, the remixed version of "I Could Go On Singing" on this release blows away the excessively hissy previous releases on MANY a compilation album! It's amazing how CLASSIC JUDY GARLAND, the THAT'S ENTERTAINMENT/I COULD GO ON SINGING CD, J.G. IN HOLLYWOOD and many other releases all put out such a substandard recording when VERY BEST has managed to remix the song from the 4-track master and improve its sonic clarity by a wide margin. Why wasn't this done before?



4. For anyone whose image of Judy Garland is that of an exploited and fragile woman, a sad and tragic figure, or just some sort of camp icon, this collection could just open your eyes to why she was - and continues to be - such a big deal. Free of the narrow limitations MGM placed on her musical style, her interpretations of the songs in this collection are thrilling.
   
   Sure, there really is something of the fragile woman, the tragic figure and the camp icon in the lady. But her performances are exciting despite those facets of her persona that could relegate her permanently to the list of hollow icons. Listening to her, you're not always sure where a song is going to end up. At times she's subtle and beautifully measured. But at others it looks like that vibrato - so big it's almost out of control - is going to make her slip and miss a note all together, sliding her into something almost grotesque or, worse yet, into a caricature of herself. But she never goes there. And it's her ability to walk so close to the edge of artistic mishap without ever taking a false step that pushes some button deep inside the listener. Fragile? Yes, but fearless in the risks she takes. Tragic? Maybe, but she has that ability to laugh at herself which only comes with real strength and years of real living. Camp? Not really: because, despite the desire to imitate her, no one really could. She was smart enough and had enough self-awareness to be in complete control of her image.
   
   And this is a great collection through which to explore what she's all about. The first disc gets off to a slow start, as if her first recordings for Capitol were meant only to build safely on the songs she'd already made famous. But it doesn't take long for the arrangements and Garland's vocal style to explore new dimensions.
   
   Judy Garland never seemed to get away with being just a great talent. There was always something of the curiosity - or the freak - in the way people related to her: that odd little girl with the voice and heart of a grown-up, or the middle-aged performer people hoped to see crash and burn with every performance. This collection is a chance to hear her as just a truly great musician.
   
   I don't mean to dismiss Garland's movie work. It was really wonderful and stands on its own merit. But it's a very different thing all together. If that's what you're looking for, Rhino has put together a great sampler: Judy Garland In Hollywood: Her Greatest Movie Hits - Original Soundtrack Performances 1936-1963.



5. This collection is amazing!!! It is a must have for any Judy Garland fan or aficionado of the American Songbook. This CD set has some of the best gems ever recorded. Judy's voice on these recordings is clear and delivers a ***POW***! The orchestrations are resplendent.
   
   "I am Loved" is my partner's favorite..."Just in Time" (she pulls out all the stops on this one), "I confess to the breeze" (the sweetest song), "Old Devil Moon" (swings!)...just to cite a few. AH MAZING!!!

5 comments about Barbara Cook's Broadway!.

1. Folks, don't walk, but run to buy this cd. It doesn't get any better than this.
   
   Ms. Cook is at her absolute best on this cd. While I didn't have the opportunity to catch this concert I did see her at the Strathmore Center in Rockville, MD and she was nothing short of extraordinary. Sure, she may forget a word or two but to hear her phrasing and witness that power that she commands is a sight to behold. Like another reviewer, I practically fell to my knees when I heard her sing In Buddy's Eyes. No one can sing this song like her. The Gentleman is a Dope should be required listening for any vocalist, bar none. It sets a standard for communicating a story through song that people will be speaking about for years.
   
   One of my favorite male vocalists, David Campbell, took a class from her in Australia. When he asked her what "he needed to change"? She remarked that he "had it" and didn't need to change a thing. I would encourage you to check out David's album, Taking The Wheel, that he recorded here in the states about 10 years back.
   
   Anyway, getting back to Ms. Cook. All I have to say is buy the dang cd and you can all envy me since I get to see her in DC with Audra McDonald in a few months.



2. Like Don, I attended Barbara Cook's concert November 12 at the Haugh Auditorium. We first became aware of her in the original cast of She Loves Me on Broadway almost 50 years ago. She sang like an angel then, and still does. I is hard to believe that a 78 year old could sing so beautifully. As she wanders around the stage, shuffling a bit, you realize she isn't a young woman, but to hear her you would think so. We've seen her in concert a lot of times on her visits to Southern California. The CD is a treasure for those who can't see her in person and a reminder for hose who have.



3. I had the pleasure of seeing Barbara Cook in concert last evening, and I'm still amazed at how incredible this performer is. She just turned 78 and her voice is virtually unchanged, bringing to mind the voice of a woman in her thirties. And her dramatic instincts have never been better or stronger: a way with a lyric that's a how-to in show song interpretation; great taste in material and presentation that's a how-to in concert performing. Her selection of Broadway theatre songs is notable for some gems that only hard-core musical fans might know: from "Wait Til We're 65" (On A Clear Day You Can See Forever)to wonderful material from Carnival, Mack & Mabel, etc. And when she sings "In Buddy's Eyes" from Follies---well, you just shake your head at the end of the song in the realization that it doesn't get much better than this. I would highly recommend this collection as a good place to begin if you've not heard her perform. And if she does a concert in your city or anywhere nearby, by all means, just go buy a ticket. You'll feel privileged to have experienced the magic of her incredible talent.



4. Mere mortals half her 75 years would walk on hot coals to have the voice Barbara Cook still commands today.
   You need proof? Just listen to how effortlessly she negotiates Rodgers and Hammerstein's deceptively difficult "This Nearly Was Mine".
   
   Diction coaches everywhere must swoon in quiet delight when they hear the way she totally commands the English language.
   You don't believe me? Then you try wrapping yourself around all those words Jerry Herman squeezes into "Look What Happened To Mabel".
   
   Voice? Sure. Diction? Absolutely.
   
   But singing, real singing, as Miss Cook demonstrates, is far more. It's about heart and it's about soul. And she has both. In abundance. Almost embarrassingly so.
   
   But, of course, we already knew that. After all, she's Barbara Cook. And Barbara Cook, as we've all known now for something approaching half a century, ain't no mere mortal.
   
   She's Barbara Cook.



5. Yes, Barbara Cook is a shining jewel of BROADWAY. And, she keeps glittering brightly !
   
   This CD is a gorgeous testament to a stellar BROADWAY star whose fame never caught up with her talent.
   
   Each selection is special on this CD, even with the connecting patter.