2 comments about From Barrelhouse to Broadway: The Musical Odyssey of Joe Jordan.

1. I guess we'll never really know exactly how much and what kind of groove this music "should" have. Early recorded information (piano rolls, acoustic discs) creates an ambiguous impression. It seems really obvious that it shouldn't "swing" like Jazz. But it also seems obvious that its "Afro-American-ness" is situated somewhere within its rhythmic and gestural language. Finding out exactly where - there's the challenge. And Paragon Ragtime Orchestra doesn't exactly rise to it. Beautifully played - but stiff. Not the stiffest I've heard, but stiff enough. The CD gives us a real picture of this pioneer of that region where Ragtime met Show Business. He's definitely not one of the true greats, but if you're interested in the genre you should hear this. I think it's always good to have a clearer picture of what a musical milieu was really like. Otherwise one might imagine a musical world where there was no transition between Joplin and Euday L. Bowman. Joe Jordan was somewhere in the middle. My favorite track is "Dat's Ma Honey Sho's Yo' Born". To call it "dated" would be an understatement. But in the middle of its forced bonhomie, there is something truly touching. Jordan seems to have lived a basically happy and productive life, always somewhat in the margins. This CD allows us to live in that lost world, if only in a very refracted way. I would suggest, however, that if you the listener want a clearer picture of what this music really sounded like in its day, you must pick up all those James Reese Europe, Bert Williams and Wilbur Sweatman reissues that we are fortunate to now have out. They're not exactly Ragtime, but you can hear those little elements of pre-Jazz wildness that were in the performance style of the time. These performances here are perhaps, to put it nicely, a little too textually based.



2. I own several PRO albums. They are a class act in every way. But this album does not hold up to the high standard of repertoire as the other albums. All the material (except one) is a single composer. There are 2 interviews with Joe Jordan. If you're not a historian of American music you likely won't find this album to be as musically engaging as the other PRO offerings. Along a similar theme is the Clef Club album but with a wide selection of composers. Buy that one before you buy this one. Just gotta say that PRO is a musical treasure and their music has provided immense enjoyment to me, my family and friends. I will continue collecting PRO albums until I have them all.

4 comments about Around the World.

1. This CD is a collection of songs from all over the world! What I am going to say is that it even contains a Chinese song which is originated from one of the four famous ancient novels in China--Dream of the Red Mansion. Amazingly,Jose Carreras pronouces those Chinese characters very well.
   It's an awesome CD for JC fans AROUND THE WORLD~~



2. The golden voice still got its old magic. A marvellous collection of songs that suit that world-famous tenor voice like tailored up for it. José Carreras sings these popular classics with the velvet sound he is so famous for. I'm sure this album will win the maestro a lot of new fans!



3. This CD is wonderful. I think it's his best recording in several years. Carreras' facility with so many languages is remarkable and this album showcases that ability in every way. There's no opera, but a variety of pieces sung with the passion and nuances we've come to expect from him. All of it is in the voice range in which he still has the beautiful timbre and tone that have kept him so successful for so many years. When you listen to Wind of Change, one realizes that he probably could have been a "pop" star if he'd gone that direction instead of opera.



4. In Jose's so called "Autumn" of his carreer he has never failed to amaze me. Around The World features several different types of songs that convey Jose's fondness of the world in which we all live. This is evident in songs like "Wind Of Change" featuring a duet with Klaus Meine (from The Scorpions), "Kawa No Nagare No Yoni" from Japan, "Vurria" from Italy, & "Hine E Hine" from New Zealand. You are not going to hear Jose belt out high c's on this one. What you are going to hear is Jose sing, with his golden velvet voice, evergreens of love and passion. In my opinion Jose sounds every bit as fresh and in command with his voice as he did in the late 80's and early 90's. This is a must for all who love Jose and enjoy great singing from the soul.

5 comments about The Very Best of Michael Ball: In Concert at the Royal Albert Hall.

1. I have had the chance to meet & chat with Michael, while he was in NYC, & he is a terrific singer & an even nicer person. This CD is one of my favorites & I would encourage everyone to buy some of his music. He is one of the most celebrated talents in the UK & his CD's & DVD's are all amazing.



2. Michael is a wonderful performer. I would love to see him in person, but thisDVD will have to do. He is the best in our theatres today.



3. Michael Ball's vocal talents are amazing and this Concert at the Royal Albert Hall CD is the perfect showcase for them! From the opening song, the techno pop 'Hot Stuff', to the last, his signature, always popular, (and my favorite), 'Love Changes Everything', Michael delivers non-stop delightful entertainment.
   
   I especially loved the medley goups, 'The Way We Were' and 'The Rose'; 'Prepare Ye The Way of The Lord' and 'Gethsemane'; 'We Have All The Time In the World' and 'Millennium'; and The Blues Brothers Medley: 'Shake Your Tail Feathers', Think (Everybody Needs Somebody to Love)'. This Broadway Baby ROCKS!
   
   'Empty Chairs, Empty Tables' was excellent as expected. He has performed it many, many times on stage as Marius in Les Miserables. What was unexpected was a beautiful performance of 'My Heart Will Go On'.
   
   I have seen Michael perform live and already had another studio CD but this one is wonderful. He really put his heart and soul into this performance and it shows!



4. I bought this CD after falling in love with his voice form Les Miz... and I can't get enough of it! He really put his all into this concert. Every song is perfectly written and perfectly sung. I woulrd recommend this CD in a heartbeat, especially for all of those broadway fans out there. The ONLY problem is, that I wasn't there to experience the concert myself. PLEASE COME TO THE U.S.!



5. One word: Gethsemane (from Jesus Christ Superstar). That one song is worth the price of the CD now as it was in 1999.
   
   (The rest of the CD isn't bad, either.)

5 comments about Les Miserables - The Complete Symphonic Recording.

1. This being the only complete recording, if you really desperately want all the bits and pieces of music that don't usually make it onto the soundtracks, you'll probably want to buy it. Aside from that, there is really only one compelling reason to buy this recording, and that is Philip Quast. Though I hate to repeat something everyone else has already said, he really is an excellent Javert -- definitely the best I've heard so far.
   
   Most of the other singers are decent, but not outstanding -- I do think Kaho Shimada was something of a poor choice for Eponine, though. While she can sing, and I like her on the Japanese Red Cast album, her heavy accent detracts from her performance somewhat. It was a nice idea to have someone from one of the non-English-language performances on the album, but perhaps they could have found someone who spoke the language a little better.
   
   Furthermore (and more importantly), I greatly dislike Gary Morris's Valjean, which ruins quite a bit of this recording for me. His performance just feels cheesy, and it looks even worse next to Quast's Javert. Some people do like him, so your mileage may vary here, but I really think he's the worst thing about the album (and as Valjean is more or less the protagonist and has a part in quite a few songs in both acts, it's worse than if the weak link were, say, Fantine).
   
   So, to sum up, this recording has one outstandingly good performance, one outstandingly bad one, and quite a few decent but largely forgettable ones. I don't particularly regret buying it, but I can't recommend it with any enthusiasm. Honestly, my best advice is to get Javert's tracks off of iTunes and leave the rest.



2. Firstly, I'd like to know why everyone thinks the Tenth Anniversary concert is so great. The quality is terrible, the cuts are annoying, the singers are drowned out, "One Day More!" is the worst version ever because it echoes and has absolutely no clarity, and the old preformers didn't come close to their previous preformances. Granted, the new people were good, just not my favorites. If it were a "Dream Cast," it would have Patti LuPone and Anthony Warlow. The only songs I listen to from it are "On Parole" and the encores. It was fine as concert, but not as a recording.
   But I digress. The Complete Symphonic Recording is a must-have, and if you can only have one recording, get this one. The orchestrations were one of very few things I liked about the Tenth Anniversary, and while the orchestrations aren't quite that quality, they're good nonetheless.
   
   Now, on to the preformers-
   
   Gary Morris- while he may not be the "best" Valjean, he places above Colm Wilkinson for his heart-breaking "Valjean's Confession" and "The Bargain." If you can't imagine an American Valjean, you need to know that Wilkinson is Irish and Valjean is French. Actually, Morris kind of sounds like a young Colm Wilkinson without the wierd stops.
   
   Philip Quast- astounding. No one can top him. He doesn't do the wierd diction that he did at the Tenth Anniversary. He also gets more material this time!
   
   Michael Ball- not much to say, but no complaints.
   
   Tracy Shayne- clear voice and sounds half Judy Kuhn's age. A little shrill, but so was Sarah Brightman in Phantom, and that's the way the part was written, anyway. Her voice goes so well with Michael's.
   
   Kaho Shimada- she sound like Frances Ruffelle and Lea Salonga mixed together. She has the best version of "On My Own" because of extended notes. And she gets more material.
   
   Barry James & Gay Soper- James sounds like Alun Armstrong and Leo Burmester toether, and combines the best parts of their preformances. His only fault is "beyond ru-bleah-ies" in "The Waltz of Treachery." Gay Soper sounds shrill, but I've heard her in other works and she didn't sound the same, so blame the direction. If you just bear with it, she sounds better.
   
   Anthony Warlow- he murders enery other Enjolras. He's fantastic at everything he does.
   
   Debbie Bryne- my second favorite Fantine, the first being LuPone. Henshall was good, but she had some nasty notes in "I Dreamed a Dream." Debbie has some almost-called-it moments, like in "Come to Me," where she starts to belt the last note, but softens out. In a word, she's easy on the ears.
   
   The company is great as well, and most numbers are more emotional than other recordings.
   The main benefit of this recording is that it's the complete show on CD, and the only one that includes the full Wedding Chorale and "Valjean's Confession," along with "The Robbery" and a ton of other sequences.
   I whole-heartedly recommend this CD to any Les Miz fan. My review may be a bit biased because this was the first recording I got, but somehow, I get the feeling that it's truer than the reviews bashing it.



3. Right now, there are four official English-language versions of Les Miserables: the Original London Cast Recording, the Original Broadway Cast Recording, the Complete Symphonic Recording, and the 10th Anniversary Concert Recording. Les Mis' addicts are best served by purchasing all recordings, as they showcase different stages (as in the OLC and the OBC) of the development of this mega-musical, as well as the interesting variations in presentation and performances by the different casts and orchestras.
   
   If you're the average musical-theater listener who can't afford to buy all available English-language recordings, however, my advice would be to get the CSR (due to the fact that it's "complete") and the TAC recording (due to the fact that performer- and performance-wise, it's leaps and bounds better than all of the other recordings). You deserve no less.



4. I can't believe all the negative comments about Gary Morris. He is so much better in the role than Colm Wilkinson. I've seen Gary perform the part three times and there is NO better Jean ValJean (seen the play 14 times). It's an international cast and some of the accents do take time getting used to. But the power of the music supercedes it all. Listen with your heart people. It's so incredible.



5. "Les Miserables" is a marvelous musical; a stunningly faithful interpretation of Victor Hugo's masterpiece, with an inspiring storyline and unforgettable characters. There are 2 reasons for buying a Les Mis CD - (1) you've seen a performance and want ONE CD to remind you of it or (2) you've become a les Mis junkie (like me) and want multiple versions so you too can hold forth on the rival merits of Andy Warlow vs Michael Maguire, Patty LuPone vs Ruthie Henshaw, Frances Ruffelle vs Kaho Shimada vs Lea Solonga. If you are in the first category, you really want the Tenth Anniversary Concert. The TAC has the complete storyline (albeit slightly abridged), it was recorded live (so there's an unique intensity and chemistry between performers), and from top to bottom it has by far the best cast.
   
   However, if you're a serious Les Mis fan, you should buy this CD (in addition), simply because it does have the complete score. (The trouble with THAT is that it includes practically the only misstep in the whole script - if Jean Valjean has his number branded on his chest, then how is it credible that someone else will be convicted in his place?) I bought it for that reason and to hear other interpretations of the roles (in particular Andy Warlow's). I have all 4 versions, and they have all have their pluses and minuses, but frankly, I'm glad I didn't pay full price for this one. This version has a rather weak cast in general, but that does add to the fun arguing about it. On the plus side, it has Philip Quast ( THE BEST Javert, but he's even better on the TAC), Michael Ball (THE BEST Marius, also on the OLC and TAC versions), and Andy Warlow (a stirring Enjorlas for sure, but not THAT much better than Michael Maguire on the OBC and TAC). The scenes at the barricade are the best part of the CD. Kaho Shimada is an uneven Eponine, OK sometimes, less so at others. Debbie Byrne (Fantine) is OK, but I don't find her as moving as Patty LuPone (OLC) or Ruthie Henshaw (TAC). Tracy Shayne (Cosette) is irratating, not nearly as sweet as Judy Kuhn (OLB and TAC) or even Rebecca Caine (OLC). I find Barry James and especially Gay Soper (M. and Mme. Thenardier) grating as well.
   
   I really miss Colm Wilkinson (OLC, OBC and TAC). OK, he has a unique singing style, but such heart. Not always perfect, but so powerful and emotional. All his solos and "Confrontation" just stop me dead in my tracks. The sweetness and purity of his "Bring Him Home" and "Epilogue" move me to tears. But really, there must be someone else who can do at least an adequate job or the show wouldn't have run so long in so many venues. I am willing to listen to another interpretation, but not this one. This is the central role in the play, it really can't survive without a good performance here. Gary Morris is horrible as Jean Valjean, cringe-provoking at times, merely weak at others. He's totally overmatched by Quast in "Confrontation" and by everyone in "One Day More" and "Epilogue". I haven't tried the recommendation of one reviewer of listening while squinting and shaking my head hard, but I don't see how that will help. Morris's "What have I done?", "Bring Him Home" and "Valjean's Confession" make me cover my ears or send me running for the fast forward button, although "Who am I?" isn't so bad. (I just tried the head shaking trick, it didn't help.)

5 comments about A Child's Celebration of Silliest Songs.

1. My 6-year-old and 3-year-old love this, as does their 9-year-old cousin. They all belt out "My Name is Cheech and I am a School Bus Driver" and dissolve into giggles, and wander around singing "I'm my own grandpa ..." Very funny stuff. Probably kids 5 and up will get the humor better. This is by far my children's favorite of all our "Child's Celebration" collection.



2. Our 3-year old daughter LOVES this CD. Some of the other people that reviewed it need to lighten up - they obviously are music nerds and don't enjoy SILLY songs with their kids. Hello - the title does say "Silliest Songs". I rented it from the library, as I do with all our CD's before I buy them. She loved it, so I bought one. As with any CD there are a couple songs that aren't our favorites and we skip them, but the CD is very fun and, as the title says, VERY SILLY! We are a bunch of silly people around here and have a blast with our kids - especially with "Cheech" the school bus driver! In fact, in our house, this CD is referred to as "Cheech". So clear the floor space, crank up the volume and get ready to have fun and be silly!



3. A big disappointment: too many cheesy, saccharine, patronising tunes in the old Disney style. The odd classic like the Danny Kaye piece is overwhelmed by the material specially recorded for the album, using naff, dated synthesisers.



4. If your 2 year old is a fan of RAffi and Laurie Berkner and Toddlers Storytime/Playtime et al - this will be a ho hummer. It's too bad the compilation isn't more engaging and tends to swing between too wide an age range to be worth the investment. 50% nice songs and 50% blahs



5. Fun cd to sing & dance to with baby! A really cute cd!

No comments about Early Movie Hits.

3 comments about Live at the Café Carlyle.

1. Item arrived quickly and in excellent condition. Was listed very accurately so I knew exactly what I was buying. I recommend this item to anyone who has listened to Bobby Short's music - I first heard him on a Woody Allen movie soundtrack.



2. To many people Bobby Short exemplified sophistication and wit. To see him live at the Cafe Carlyle was to take a trip down memory lane. A time when people dressed up when they went out. Men wore suits and tuxedos, women wore evening gowns. You also had the pleasure of hearing some of the greatest songs ever written from the likes of Cole Porter, George Gershwin, Rogers & Hart, Noel Coward and Harold Arlen. Where else could one go and see an entertainer, of the stature of Short, and hear such songs?
   
   I had the honor, and I do consider it an honor, of seeing Bobby Short at the Cafe Carlyle. In fact I saw him twice. No record can really capture the feeling of being in the room, I've been slightly disappointed with some of his "live" albums, but "Bobby Short Live at the Cafe Carlyle" does have some bright moments, and at time we can sense the joy that filled the room.
   
   One of the reasons I haven't enjoyed Short's "live" albums is if you notice he usually sings too many slow songs. When you do that you run the risk of boring an audience. You have to mix things up a bit and throw in some up-tempo tunes. Listen to Short's "Late Night At The Cafe Carlyle" album, every song, with the exception of two, are slow. So far the best "live" album I've heard is called "Songs of New York".
   
   Short does start things off with a bright up-scale tune called "Real Live Girl" written by Cy Coleman, who also recently passed away. Short then follows that up with "Miss Brown To You", a song I personally associate Billie Holiday with. It too is up-scale.
   
   Now don't get me wrong, I'm not suggesting Bobby Short did not how to sing a slow song, he did. I especially like a Stephen Sondheim tune called "Losing My Mind", which I'd never heard before.
   
   The program can be summed up by naming three composers; Cole Porter, Sondheim and Harold Arlen. Porter tunes consist of "Mister and Missus Fitch", a funny little tune, "All of You" Short sings some lyrics I never heard before, "Let's Misbehave" I like the song but didn't care for Short's arrangement but did like "I Get A Kick Out Of You", "Miss Otis Regrets" and finally "I Happen To Like New York". The Sondheim tunes are as mentioned "Mind" plus "Sorry-Grateful" and "Send in the Clowns". I was a bit surprised to hear Short sing Sondheim, I didn't think he had the right voice of those tunes but he handles them pretty well. And Arlen tunes include "Ill Wind", "One For My Baby (And One More For The Road)" and "I've Got The World On A String".
   
   Bobby Short fans should enjoy the album, though it seems to no longer be available on CD. I bought a copy of the LP. If you really want to hear this album you may have to do the same. New York's nightlife will never quite be the same now that the master is gone.
   
   Bottom-line: Pretty good "live album" that doesn't quite capture the feeling of seeing Short live but it does have some bright moments. Interesting song selection makes the album worthwhile for Short fans.



3. This album was recorded when Bobby Short was at the height of his talent. It contains what I consider to be the finest interpretation of Sondheim's "Send in the Clowns" It's simply the best album in my collection. Listening to Mr. Short changed my taste in music forever and for the better.

5 comments about Bye Bye Birdie: An Original Soundtrack Recording (1963 Film).

1. This has most of the songs from the Broadway Soundtrack, but not all. Some of performances on this CD are not up to the Broadway version, either. Dick Gautier WAS Birdie, and Chita Rivera will always be Rosie. I bought this version BEFORE I realized that the Broadway version was available...now I will have to purchase that one, also! If you have a choice, purchase the Original Broadway Cast version.



2. I first purchased this original soundtrack recording on LP when the movie was first released. It's great to be able to listen to it on pristine cd technology.
   The entire soundtrack is a collection of really enjoyable songs and music. "The Telephone Hour" is now a "classic" and has even been parodied by the cast of "Xena-Warrior Princess" on one of the "Xena" episodes and soundtrack.
   "I've Got A lot Of Livin' To Do" has also become a well recognized pop classic.
   My favorite tracks on this album, however, happen to be sung by Ann-Margret. Particularly great are the opening and closing renditions of her "Bye Bye Birdie"! Ann-Margret has alwas had the nack of bringing real "character" and "personality" into her performances, and these tracks are no exception. No one else could have recorded them anywhere near as interesting and captivatingly as did Ann-Margret. She made this soundtrack recording "memorable".
   This musical was and is an "American Classic". This soundtrack recording is also "An American Classic" . . . and a most enjoyable one at that!



3. This is a really great soundtrack, but there are couple tracks missing from the original stage version. Spanish Rose isn't on either Birdie soundtracks...but it's still a really fun soundtrack if you ever did the musical and want to get all nostalgic! Yay UC FOLLIES!



4. In all reality, I would love to give this show a rating of 0 stars, but amazon.com won't let me. This is the WORST music I have ever heard in my life! I rented the 1963 video when I found out my drama club was performing it for our spring musical. I now think they have lost all grip on reality! I will be doing tech for this play...



5. We have just finished doing Bye Bye Birdie for my high school play last night and I have loved the songs since way before, I don't know were i would be with out the bye bye birdie music.It is catchy, and fun! You will defintly enjoy this cd!

No comments about The Melody Lingers On: 25 Songs Of Irving Berlin.

3 comments about Singin' in the Rain (1996 Studio Cast).

1. Don't be mislead by the other reviewers' grudging appreciation of this 'British' cast recording. Whilst it was made at Abbey Road Studios in London, the principal performers are all American. Of these, Michael Gruber is outstanding in the Gene Kelly role, which he's reprised in several productions in the US. As far as I know these shows have never been filmed, but if you want to see the multi-talented Mr Gruber in action, check out the Cats DVD - he's Munkustrap.



2. I was first somewhat skeptical when I saw that a british cast had attempted an American music classic; however when I heard the vocals I was pleasently suprised. All of the leading performers are excellent, including the performer who is being critiqued against the famous Gene Kelly. Nancy Ringam's voice is magical, and defenetly adds a modern touch to the piece. Stand out numbers on this soundtrack include "make em laugh," "moses," "good morning," and of course the lengendary title song. This item is defenetly a must have in your collection.



3. When I heard that several school Drama departments use this recording as sort of a "how-to", I thought I'd look up a copy. An American movie musical done by a British cast I thought?

   Well, I was quite pleasantly surprised. This recording is light, bubbly and extremely well done. The songs and music have all the right effects where they should, all the right rhythms, nuances, etc. This really is an excellent archival copy to listen to if you want to know how this show should be done. I would recommend this highly to anyone who enjoys the musical theater.