1 comments about Gigi.

1. In the far-off golden days of the 1950's, there was a series of albums by Shelly Manne and Andre Previn that featured jazz versions of songs from various Broadway shows. The first of these was "My Fair Lady" which was a surprise hit and was for many people, like me, the first jazz album they ever bought. It was an inspired combination - West Coast jazz stalwart Manne and the young Previn, then the boy wonder of the MGM music department. Manne may have provided the initial inspiration for the recordings, but it was Previn's heavily Art Tatum-influenced piano that made the series. "Gigi" was one of the best, possibly because Previn had just completed his assignment as musical director on the film. For this album, he was clearly in charge and, as a jazz pianist, he has seldom been better.

   The lineup is the classic piano/drums/bass trio - anything else would be superfluous, especially since Previn's left hand frequently sounded like another instrument anyway. Occasionally, the tempo is a tad frenetic and you sometimes find yourself wishing that Shelly Manne had a slightly lighter touch. But these minor carps are soon forgotten as you listen to Previn's laidback breeziness on "Thank Heaven For Little Girls" or when he breathes out a ballad such as "Gigi" which is as seductive as it is beautiful. In fact, for me, the best tracks on any Previn jazz album were always the ballads. They are not only romantic in the extreme but reflect a time when both life and music seemed somehow simpler and almost innocent.

   A great album if you're feeling nostalgic - or if you just enjoy a wonderful set of jazz.

5 comments about Irma La Douce (1960 Original Broadway Cast).

1. Very enjoyable Broadway Show Cast Album. The music varies from lively to romantic. Highly recommended.



2. This is not a sophisticated musical nor does it have a deep plot. The music is that which you could hear in some small bistro in Paris where you could just sit back and sip your wine. Let your mind run wild imagining action which fits with the music and you will have a very enjoyable time.



3. "Irma La Douce" was once a big international success, but now for the most part is forgotten. Premiering in France, a city that did not embrace musicals as the rest of the world did, the score is wonderful. Columbia gave it a sparkling cast album. "Sparkling" is an understatement. Elizabeth Seal proves that a wonderful performance can beat even the toughest competition. The rest of the cast is wonderful too. Overall, if you want a sampling of a by-gone Broadway (or Paris) "Irma La Douce" is a wonderful trip down memory lane.



4. The quintessential French musical, IRMA LA DOUCE is a charming fable of love and romance set against the colorful backdrop of Paris' red-light district.

   IRMA LA DOUCE, with music by Marguerite Monnot and book/lyrics by Alexandre Breffort opened at the Plymouth Theatre on September 29, 1960 and ran for 524 performances. It ran twice as long in London and for over 1,000 performances in it's native France.

   Starring the incomparable Elizabeth Seal as Irma along with Keith Mitchell and Clive Revill, the show moves along at a cracking pace and is helped no end by a bouncy, tissue-paper-tinkling score that is given a grand treatment. Ms Seal, reprising the role she created in the London production a year earlier, won the Tony for her performance in stiff competition from Julie Andrews whose performance in CAMELOT was tipped to win.

   Among the highlights are the rousing "Dis Donc-Dis Donc", "Our Language of Love", "The Bridge of Caulaincourt" and "Irma-la-douce".




5. I think this is my all-time favorite musical. The tone is boyant even when the song is sad and the score is pretty much perfect. Every song is a winner, whether it's a beautiful ballad ("Christmas Child","Bridge of Caulincourt")or one of the witty, cynical shots at Parisian life. The original cast was flawless(forget the movie) and the effect of the whole is to leave you smiling and wanting to listen to (and/or see) it all over again.

2 comments about Du Barry Was a Lady (1943 Movie Soundtrack) (Rhino Handmade).

1. I thought this cd was great it brings out the 1940s big band swind ! And Lucille Ball is lovely
   as madam Dubarry !!!!



2. I bought the CD to get a hold of Cole Porter's intellegent score. After a few songs in, I realized the movie score wasn't written by Cole, but by a string of Hollywood hacks (the most recognizable of the bunch being Finian Rainbow's Burton Lane)! What a ripoff! And Cole Porter's broadway score is currently not available anywhere. What a waste of resources (mine and Rhino's).
   
   Still...if you want to hear the Tommy Dorsey band at their peak, or hear Red Skelton sing, before his TV tramp days, or Gene Kelly in his prime (Lucille Ball's voice, for the most part, was dubbed by another Hollywood hack, Martha Mears) pick this one up. I figure, when the buying public reads about how the movie moguls handled this project--not giving Ethel Merman the role she originated on Broadway, and replacing Cole's score for a bland, glossy, Hollywood hackjob, this CD will soon go out of print. Nice, bright remastering, though.
   
   My two cents.

5 comments about Serious Playground.

1. I have been waiting and waiting for Ms.Kuhn's new CD and I was excited that she was doing Laura Nyro. I still have the first Nyro, "More than a New Discovery" on LP --which I lucked into buying the week it came out.
   
   I liked this CD immediately but I didn't love it. I wished she had chosen differently. I think that this was because I haven't been listening to Nyro lately and only had in my ears the more well-known songs.
   
   Now, after repeated listening, I get the combination of Kuhn's awesome voice and sensitivity to the Nyro New York magic.
   
   I still want to hear more songs!



2. Laura Nyro's music has been so much a part of my life that I wondered if I would enjoy hearing another sing her work. This is my introduction to Judy Kuhn. Judy does a great job on "Sweet Blindness" with a jazzy arrangement, giving the song a unique treatment, "A little magic, a little kindness." "To A Child" is one of my favorite Nyro songs with its obvious maternal feelings. Judy does a great job with it, "Is there hope for a mother and an elf on speed?" "California Shoeshine Boys" boogies delightfully with sass, "John can make sweet Cindy cry, but Joe can make her crawl." "Stoned Soul Picnic" boasts a rawness in Kuhn's vocals with a lovely arrangement, "And from the sky come the Lord & the lightning." Aaron Heick's sax solo on "Lonely Women" is pure ambrosia, although Kuhn's vocal vibrato is a bit distracting for me. "Mother's Spiritual" is one of the most beautiful songs for me; so I'm thrilled to hear Judy's excellent cover, "Feel this love, my brothers & sisters, feel the seasons turn; She is the mother of time; Light & darkness come to her kiss, that's where mother's spiritual lives." "Upstairs by a Chinese Lamp" is such a lovely song. I loved Leni Stern's instrumental version on the tribute CD Time and Love: The Music of Laura Nyro. Kuhn's version blooms. On "Buy & Sell" from Laura Nyro's The First Songs, Kuhn's version is worth it's weight in gold. She nails the lovely melody and the moody ache of Nyro's music, "Coc*ine and quiet beers, sweet candy & caramel, pass the time and dry the tears on a street called Buy & Sell." While no one will replace Laura Nyro as a singer for me, Judy Kuhn's excellent CD polishes some excellent material delightfully. Enjoy!



3. Judy Kuhn
   Serious Playground
   (Ghostlight Records)
   US release date: 2 October 2007
   UK release date: Available as import
   
   by Tony Sclafani
   
   Judy Kuhn is a Broadway singer, three-time Tony Award nominee and winner of an Obie Award for her role in the off-Broadway musical "Eli's Comin'" (which was comprised of songs of the late pioneering singer-songwriter Laura Nyro: "Wedding Bell Blues", "Stoned Soul Picnic"). Kuhn cut a well-received CD of Jule Styne American Songbook classics in 1995, and attempts to do the same here with Nyro.
   
   The Bronx-born Nyro, who helped define the role of the singer-songwriter in the 1960s, was a multifaceted writer who created wildly individualistic music when she took her teenage love of soul, R&B and girl group music and melded it with poetic lyrics and innovative song structures. But Nyro wrote from an R&B foundation, and that makes for an uneasy match with the pristine-voiced Kuhn. Kuhn's trained voice is so professional-sounding that it doesn't meld easily with the bluesy notes that are at the heart and soul of Nyro's melodies (accent on the "soul").
   
   For the arrangements, musical director Jeffrey Klitz brings out the jazzy elements in the songs, but too often makes them overly busy or ornate. Not that Nyro wasn't complicated; she often was. But when Nyro played with tempos, rhythms or dynamics it was always to underscore an expressive point she was trying to make. Kuhn and Klitz's approach works when they tackle artsier songs, like "Upstairs by a Chinese Lamp" or "Black Patch" or jazzier numbers, such as "Buy and Sell".
   
   They're less successful with the songs that depend on an interior rhythmic drive for their melodies to come to life ("Stoney End" and "Save the Country"). Still, credit Kuhn for her enthusiasm and good taste. She's brought to light some lesser-known Nyro gems like "Mother's Spiritual" and "Lonely Women" and put together the first-ever solo CD celebrating the work of a pioneering, often overlooked songwriter.
   
   From Pop Matters -- 24 October 2007



4. I'm one of those rare people who is a big fan of both Laura Nyro and Judy Kuhn. I saw Judy Kuhn in CHESS on Broadway 20 years ago and have been a fan ever since, and I've been a Laura Nyro fanatic for decades.
   
   And, usually, I feel that no one can perform Laura Nyro's songs like Laura Nyro herself. Most artists who interpret the material seem to bleed all the energy out of it.
   
   But this CD is a rare case of a great voice singing great songs with great production. After reading some of the online reviews, I was a bit apprehensive about what I would hear when I bought this CD. There was definitely no need for me to be apprehensive -- this CD is just plain good.
   
   Judy Kuhn has the energy and passion in her voice to carry off this sometimes tricky material. The arrangements help keep that level of energy up, which is where this album really shines.
   
   I hesitate to give this CD five stars, though, because I don't feel it's the greatest vocal performance of Ms. Kuhn's career, nor is it the best collection of Laura Nyro songs ever assembled. But it's awfully darned good and well worth a listen for any fan of Judy Kuhn or Laura Nyro.



5. JudyJudyJudy...Tain't personal, Judy, but I had high hopes for this (I love your voice and I loved your Jule Styne CD and your performance in "Passions"!) and it just fell far short of my expectations. I love Laura Nyro too and I guess other singers usually fall short in interpreting such original, singular "singer/songwriter" songs (remembering Fifth Dimension, Streisand...altho "Eli's Coming" by Three Dog Night was pretty good, I think).
   
   Most of the songs feel like "cabaret" interpretations. There are a few exceptions (Lonely Women, To A Child were good).
   
   I think that the "singer/songwriter" version often stands as the "definitive" version and that's hard to get around. People have also failed to interpret Joni Mitchell's songs successfully, as another example. And you don't hear people trying to sing Billy Joel or Elton John or...well, you see what I mean.
   
   For someone who has never heard the original Laura Nyro songs, you might like this. Or if you have seen Judy perform some of this material in person (which I'm sure was better, as live music usually is)you might also enjoy this.
   
   I do wish that Judy would come out with a mixed selection of standards from the 30's, 40's and Broadway stuff. A "cabaret" mix...It's exactly what I would love to hear from her.

3 comments about Close as Pages in a Book.

1. I HAVE BEEN LISTENING TO MUSIC FOR A LONG TIME, AND I THOUGHT I KNEW ALL THE BEST VOCALISTS - BUT I DIDN'T - UNTIL I HEARD BARBARA COOK. I CAN'T IMAGINE HOW I NEVER HEARD OF HER - SHE IS ABSOLUTELY "THE BEST". "CLOSE AS PAGES IN A BOOK" STARTS OFF WITH A JAZZY RENDITION OF "IT'S NOT WHERE YOU START - IT'S WHERE
   YOU FINISH", THEN THE BEAUTIFUL "CLOSE AS PAGES IN A BOOK" AND
   FROM THERE, YOU HEAR SONGS LIKE YOU HAVE NEVER HEARD THEM
   BEFORE - SUCH AS "I CAN'T GIVE YOU ANYTHING BUT LOVE", "MAKE THE
   MAN LOVE ME", "DON'T BLAME ME". BUT BARBARA COOK SINGS THEM LIKE
   YOU ARE HEARING THEM FOR THE FIRST TIME!! A TREASURE.



2. Barbara Cook brings all her subtle artistry to bear on this album of Dorothy Fields songs. Barbara's attention to the nuances in Fields' witty, sexy lyrics is quite remarkable. One of the many highlights is an aching version of "Make The Man Love Me", a gorgeous Arthur Scwartz melody with one of Fields' most heartbreaking lyrics; unrequited love at its most moving. Barbara's wonderful rendition of "I Must Have That Man" also proves she has no equal in this department. There is also a wonderfully romantic "I'm In The Mood For Love" (with a sensuous orchestral backing) and the crystalline quality of "April Snow" is extremely poignant. On the upbeat side, we have a definitive "Sunny Side Of The Street", turning this jazz standard into a theatrical statement. Every song is a winner: Fields and Cook (and, of course, the wonderful Wally Harper) are an extremely happy team.



3. This album is filled with amazing renditions of songs with lyrics by the great Dorothy Fields. Songs filled with longing and heartache, especially "April Snow" and "Make the Man Love Me"--achingly beautiful. Add to that a swinging version of "Sunny Side of the Street," Wally Harper's amazing accompianment and you've got one great album.

5 comments about Saratoga (1959 Original Broadway Cast).

1. I've seen the reviews that don't seem to like this as much as some of Arlen's other shows, and frankly I think they're too critical for their own good. This may not be Arlen and Mercer at their best, but it's still pretty wonderful (really, the only Arlen score that strikes me as a turkey is Jamaica - aside from Push de Button and Lena Horne, that one has nothing). There are some so-so numbers. Petticoat High is bouncy and melodic, but it seems to strain. Love is a Game of Poker has a lyric that just comes off as a little silly. On the other hand, there's an awful lot to like here.
   
   Goose Never Be a Peacock is a bluesy art song and self-affirmation that is up there with Arlen's best music, and Carol Brice does it justice. Love Held Lightly is just gorgeous. The Men Who Run the Country and The Cure are tuneful and hilarious commentaries on the gilded classes of the gilded age. It never before hit me that the rhumba, You or No One, is out of period for the show, but I guess I'd have to agree that the reviewer who wrote that comment is right. That said, I love Porter's latin mode, and this is every bit as good as something he would have done. It's lush, rhythmic, melodic, and terifficly sung by Howard Keel.
   
   All in all, this is well worth the price and a must have if you appreciate Harold Arlen's work.



2. A. Anderson, in a May 9, 2001 amazon.com review sums it up in one word: dull. And it's not just the music that's dull: dullness hangs like a veil over the whole CD. It's as if everyone involved was aware that they had "a turkey that they knew would close" and are merely going through the motions, with the exception, perhaps of Carol Brice and the Robber Barons ("The Men Who Run the Country"). Even the orchestra seems to be doing nothing more than playing notes. And RCA, who gave us some of the worst-sounding cast albums in history, appears to go overboard this time with thin, tinny, edgy, unexceptional sound. As much as I admire Howard Keel and Carol Lawrence, they both seem to be holding back and looking forward to their next projects, no matter how far off they might be. Lawrence went on to SUBWAYS ARE FOR SLEEPING (1961) & Keel replaced Richard Kiley in NO STRINGS, which I saw in Los Angeles. Although Keel was rather wooden on stage, boy, could he sing!
   
   I also find it curious that RCA would keep SARATOGA in its catalogue while deleting a score of much worthier shows: 110 IN THE SHADE, NEW GIRL IN TOWN, FANNY, TAKE ME ALONG, etc. (See my "So You'd Like To Know Where RCA's Cast Albums Have Gone?, parts 1 & 2). Not that I wish them to drop SARATOGA; I just would like RCA to preserve those shows that are part of the musical theatre's history. And although this is a disappointing work by some of America's greatest musical talents, it belongs in any serious collector's library.



3. SARATOGA was flop, no question, and a deserved one too. It was ineptly put together and based on a novel that does not really lend itself to a musical comedy treatment.

   This would be Harold Arlen's final Broadway score and a sad farewell. Arlen reportedly became so depressed during the try-outs that he went home to New York leaving Johnny Mercer to write three songs on his own.

   All this might lead one to believe the score is a washout. It isn't, even though itr is nowhere near as good as HOUSE OF FLOWERS or ST. LOUIS WOMAN. "Gettin' a man" is a great comedy song ("they understand the promised land, but buying the property ...NO!") but this is followed by "Petticoat High" which has the carefully controlled Clio kicking up her heels with the peasants.

   Howard Keel sings so well that you imagine if SARATOGA had succeeded he would have made a career of musicals in the 1960s: He would have been far better than Sydney Chaplin in FUNNY GIRL!
   Carol Lawrence is quite wonderful, but nothing in the score really shows off her voice. The most interesting voice belongs to Carol Brice who shows up in two cuts.

   SARATOGA is for collectors of Broadway flops and Harold Arlen fans only.




4. SARATOGA is one of those musicals that would be a perfect candidate for revival by Encores! or Reprise; a musical that has a gorgeous score but a dead-weight book.

   It starred MGM veteran Howard Keel, and Carol Lawrence - fresh from originating the role of Maria in WEST SIDE STORY - as the love leads. The impressive supporting cast was headed by veterans Carol Brice, Odette Myrtil and Truman Gaige. The score was written by Howard Arlen and Johnny Mercer with accomplished direction from Morton DaCosta (AUNTIE MAME, THE MUSIC MAN), and lavish in design by Cecil Beaton. It was in expert hands. What went wrong? Most of the praise went to Cecil Beaton's extravagent sets, but you can't hum those, can you?

   Howard Keel and Carol Lawrence sing some gorgeous stuff, including "A Game of Poker" and "Why Fight This?". Just try not to get your feet tapping to the infectious "Petticoat High", or get choked up with emotion in "Goose Never Be a Peacock".

   I love this score, and it is rarely out of my CD player. Snap it up before it disappears...again.




5. Great score by great performers, but the most melodious song are far too short.

5 comments about A Grand Night For Singing (1994 Original Cast Members).

1. Take some of the lesser known R&H songs from their shows, give them a new setting and theme (romance, love and marriage)assemble a talented and enthusiastic cast and you have, truly, a Grand Night for Singing. I saw this show performed with a different cast and I was just swept up in the different feel of these songs, most of which I knew...or thought I knew. The new settings and arrangements produced new reactions than when the songs were performed as part of the orginal shows. I went back and saw the show again. Listening to a CD, you miss the excitement that comes with live performance but there is still enough here it make the CD worth its price...and then some.



2. While the quality of the music is adequate, I was disappointed that many of the selections from the actual production were missing from this CD. The compilation of R/H classics is well sung, but some of the songs are almost comical in their presentation, in my opinion - w/ a hurried rendition of "It Might as Well Be Spring", and a "too jazzy" version of "Kansas City", just to mention two. Some of the castings were interesting, as well: females singing traditionally cast male vocals. If you're just looking for nostalgia, this fits the bill, but you might be disappointed in the presentation.



3. I am currently in this play and the cd goes exactly with the play. However, there is a few songs not on the cd in the play.The cast that did the CD did a magnificent job!!



4. I purchased this album years ago at the recommendation of a friend. I've loved Rogers and Hammerstein since I was 6 and my grandmother brought me home The Sound of Music, so I was really excited to hear this. This recording is so enjoyable, and it still gives me the fuzzies every time I listen to it. The performers are amazing, and they perform the songs like no other people I have heard. Rogers and Hammerstein fans must have this, as must fans of Victoria Clark, Jason Graae, and Greg Edelman for some really priceless moments.



5. This is a must for R&H musical fans. Wonderful wongs are turned out to be very "up-to-dated" and sung well by these cast members. If you want to hear the new style and new arrangement of R&H's song, I recommend it highly to you!

5 comments about Amour (2002 Original Broadway Cast).

1. While one would be hard-pressed to call this a masterpiece, AMOUR is a charming, heart-felt piece which grows in impact as you revisit it. This recording is pretty darn close to perfect, with a masterly performance by the under-rated Malcolm Gets and an enchanting Melissa Errico. if you need a "taste" to convince you of this album, sample "Somebody", "My Special Time of Day" or the title number. The singing on each of these is gorgeous and the melody soars in a gentle, wistful, oh-so-Legrand kind of way. Some of the patter numbers are more derivative, with lyrics that strain to be witty (and some that are clearly meant to strain to be witty, which is what MAKES them witty). The supporting cast does the heavy lifting in these numbers, and are rewarded by each being handed a gem of a solo. My personal favorite is "The Painter's Song", which has become the most played on my i-pod. If you enjoy "The Young Girls of Rochefort" and cry during "Umbrellas of Cherbourg", this one's for you.



2. It's a shame this musical fared as poorly as it did. It deserved to do better.



3. I'll make it short and sweet, just as the play's run
   was short and less than sweet: I'm writing this in 2007, and AMOUR remains the best musical of the new millennium. Malcolm Gets was just about perfect, Melissa Errico's voice is magnificent, the seven other cast members were remarkably good in multiple roles, James Lapine did his usual superb job of directing...but the real star of AMOUR is, of course, composer Michel Legrand. I hope someday he'll forgive Broadway for this play's reception; I won't.



4. So theres this show "Amour" and the music sounds really good, but when the lyrics and story line get added in, it should never have gone to broadway. There is nothing redeeming about the... stupidness of the plot. Not even funny stupidness. But like I said the music is actually quite nice. This is STRICTLY a show for collectors, Legrand fans, and people looking for flops. Sometimes flops can be fun, but this one isnt. This is a disapointment for the amount amazon charges. Favorite song (I do this in all my reviews): "An Ordinary Guy"



5. AMOUR quickly expired on Broadway, though its cast album will remain to testify its greatness. Michel Legrand's quirky, romantic score and Jeremy Sams' English translated-lyrics are right on the mark. It's very difficult to summize the death of AMOUR when mindless dreck like MAMMA MIA! runs for years.

   Melissa Errico and Malcolm Gets, two of the best in Broadway's young talent, are fine in the lead roles. Nora Mae Lyng, Sarah Litzsinger, Lewis Cleale, Christopher Fitzgerald, Norm Lewis, Bill Nolte and John Cummingham are all likewise top-drawer Broadway talents.

   Standouts in the glittery score include Nora Mae Lyng's hilarious "Whore's Lament", as well as choice numbers like "Office Life", "Somebody", "Waiting" and "Special Time of Day".

   AMOUR, sadly, just doesn't fit into the current, hyper-commercial tapestry of Broadway. More's the pity. [SH-K-BOOM 4003-2]

5 comments about Chicago - The Musical (1998 London Cast).

1. Contrary to all the other review on this page, I have to say that *yet again* a second, unnecessary cast album was punched out to make more record sales and proves my theory that these cash grabs are inferior. Say what you will about Ann Reinking and Bebe Neuwirth -- their performances are stellar in the revival cast that can never be topped, not even by this shallow performance. Critics on this page would have you believe that these London Cast Members have better vocals than those of the Broadway Revival. However... we're talking about "Chicago": a tawdry tale of jazz, booze and sex with a little murder for good measure. The smoky elements of Ann's voice, and Bebe's, make the original cast recording more realistic than the more classical sound of the London Cast. Another flaw worth noting is the harsh accents of the London Cast -- a trait that plagues many UK recordings of shows that take place in the US. Normally, for shows like Les Miz and other classical pieces, I prefer the accents... but in this case, it's hard to get past the singers tripping over their tongues as if they're singing with a wad of gum in their mouthes.
   
   Buy the Broadway Revival Cast. Ann Reinking was instrumental in bringing it to the stage. She choreographed the show and helped initiate the revival, she was trained by Bob Fosse... the REVIVAL cast was a long awaited feat and a piece of history in the making.



2. It's unique in recording history when four productions of a musical are staged (and/or filmed) and all four produce superb original cast/soundtrack albums. Such is the case with CHICAGO. The 1975 Original Cast, the 1996 New York Revival Cast, the 1998 London Revival Cast, and the film version all boast superb recordings with superb performances.
   
   The length of the lp being what it was, the original cast recording is shorn of some numbers which are present on the revival cds.
   
   Both revival recordings feature new recordings of the Entr'Acte, the song I Know A Girl, as well as the Hot Honey Rag. The NY revival adds a short reprise of I Can't Do It Alone, which the London revival does not. To counter this the London revival provides the short Act One Finale, which the NY revival does not. The London revival also adds the opening spoken soliloquy intro to Roxie, whereas neither the original cast nor the NY revival recorded this piece.
   
   Of the two revivals the London revival comes out the strongest in my opinion. It has more spark, more dazzle. Lemper imitates Chita Rivera in a number of spots and Ruthie Henshall is vocally amazing (especially in her Roxie number) as she runs the gamut of her origial characterization.
   
   Ann Reinking does an amazing job of totally mimicking Gwen Verdon's voice in the NY revival - why, I don't know - but it is amazing.
   
   Buy the original cast but if you can only afford one of the revivals, make it the London cast.



3. This recording of the 1997 London revival with the breathtaking musical greats Ruthie Henshall and Ute Lemper, has got to be the best we can expect from this show. With mainly supreme performances and a perfect big-band orchestra, this (if there has to be one) is the recording that Chicago should be remembered by once it has gone from the stage.
   
   Henshall, playing the jealous and somewhat bitchy character Roxie, sparkles with the theatrical excellence that we always expect from this musical superstar. Her not so much `theatrically-veteran' (more like `well-seasoned') status adds that air of perfection that is unmatched by anyone else. Lemper, with her crisp voice and electric performance, takes on the song that everyone knows, "All That Jazz" with sizzle and great aplomb as the diva, Velma.
   
   Goodman, with his confident personality and pretty great voice, is one of this recording's sadly overlooked hidden treasures. Whilst there have been better Billy Flynn's from an acting perspective, his singing is impeccable.
   
   When compared to the nigh-on perfect performances from the leading ladies and supporting cast, the material slightly lets them down with predictable and, in some cases, blatantly over-jazzed musical spectacle. For example, the song "Cell Block Tango" is less of a revealing power-song than a simple method of conveying rather unexciting sensation. Having said that, some music is beautiful, "Class" being a gleaming example of Kander and Ebb's ballad-writing niche, sung by the butch character Mama Morton (this role being played with faultlessness by the powerful Meg Johnson). With good humour mixed with, in general, complex emotion and character, this is a fun show which appeals to many a theatregoer. Whilst I don't like the show in a musical sense, I have to applaud the effort with such a remarkable recording and production.
   
   One for your collection, most definitely.



4. The excellent original cast album is sadly truncated, the longer Broadway revival album features performances that aren't as impressive off stage, and the soundtrack (like the movie) is missing much of the score.
   
   This is not only the most complete reading of CHICAGO (including lots of dialogue, brief reprises, dance music and other odds and ends), but it's possibly the best performed overall. Ruthie Henshall seems at times to be channeling Judy Garland as Roxie; it's a shocking, thrilling, totally satisfying account of the role. Also excellent is the great jazz singer Ute Lemper, perhaps the most distinctive vocalist ever to take on Velma Kelly.
   
   Henry Goodman has all the voice required for Billy Flynn and puts a wonderfully wry spin on the lyrics. Nigel Planer is the most obvious piece of casting of the leads as Amos, and curiously the least successful; even if he can't touch John C. Reilly, he's an improvement over Joel Grey. Meg Johnson snarls more than she sings, but that's absolutely fine for Mama Morton, and she's a riot.
   
   The orchestra is marvelous and the tempi are kept brisk. Every minute of this album is compulsively listenable, which is important because it's such a long sucker. If you can only get one recording of this great score, this is definitely it.



5. The 1998 London version of the smash hit Broadway Musical Chicago, is quite a good album.
   
   Ruthie Henshall and Ute Lemper are the two leading ladies. Both ladies are spectacular. Ruthie has an amazing voice, which definetly surpasses Ann Reinking's voice, but also Ann had some great contributions to Roxie. Ruthie gives a powerful "Funny Honey", and "Roxie". Meanwhile, Ute Lemper is just as entertaining. Ute has a very powerful voice. I think Ute's renditions of Velma's songs are fantastic. I think she's very comical as Velma, and I actually enjoy her accent. I can't choose who is better though, Bebe or Ute..they are both just amazing.
   
   The London cast recording is also a plus because here the great Act 1 Finale is included, along with Roxie's Monologue. But missing is Velma's "I Can't Do It Alone" reprise. Another plus is the beautiful harmony Ute and Ruthie do in "My Own Best Friend", the harmony is definetly what the song needed.
   
   Henry Goodman is no James Naughton, but Henry pulls off a pretty good Billy. The supporting cast is mediocre, not as good as the Broadway Revival supporting cast. And the ensemble is better on the Broadwy Revival recording. But I think the male ensemble members do better harmonies than the Broadway male ensemble members in songs like "Roxie", and "When Velma Takes The Stand".
   
   So, this is a great version of Chicago, goes great with the Broadway Revival recording. Ruthie and Ute will amaze you!

5 comments about Mame.

1. Jack Warner and Warner Bros. had a history of ruining Broadway musicals with poor casting choices in transfering them to film. The list includes My Fair Lady (ignoring Julie Andrews for the non-singing Audrey Hepburn, though it's a terrific film, with Andrews it would have reached cinema perfection!), Roz Russell in place of Merman in Gypsy, Vanessa Redgrave and Franco Nero in Camelot, the entire cast of Paint Your Wagon,among others. Lucy in Mame was the worst mistake! Period. She was far too old, could not sing it, and didn't have the joi de vie that Mame must have. While it was a fairly faithful re-creation of the broadway show, thanks to Lucy it seems to just plod along. Only when Bea Arthur is around (or occasionally Jane Connell re-creating her role as Gooch) does it perk up. However, those scenes are too few and far between to keep the film compelling. And most of the score was retained and kept intact ( despite Lucy's harsh non-voice), there was a gorgeous addition in the song Loving You, written for the film and smartly given to Robert Preston. It's absolutely beautiful, though it does slow the movie down even more than it already is.
   
   Perhaps someday there will be a full scale Broadway revival with a competent, appealing star, and filmed for PBS and televised. Too much to hope for I guess!



2. Before I go on, let's get the usual gripes out of the way. Yes, Lucille Ball was too old. Yes, she couldn't sing. Yes, she couldn't dance. Yes, her closeups were shot with an entire jar of Vaseline on the lens to hide her wrinkles. Yes, the incredible Angela Lansbury would have been far better for it, singing-wise, and it's very much a shame that she wasn't allowed to preserve her Tony-winning performance on film for all time. Now, let's get to the soundtrack CD review.
   
   Mame was to be a grand big budget musical extravaganza in the vein of classics like My Fair Lady and The King And I. And because of this, Warner Bros. wanted some insurance, same as when they made Gypsy and My Fair Lady. Sadly, this insurance meant casting a big name star with little singinbg prowess in a major role, as opposed to casting the original Broadway star. In the case of Gypsy, this meant casting Rosalind Russell as Mama, a role Ethel Merman had become famous for on Broadway. (Coincidentally, Angela Lansbury would play Mama in a Broadway revival...and win a Tony for it.) For My Fair Lady, this meant passing up Julie Andrews in favor of Audrey Hepburn for the role of Eliza Doolittle. (Honestly, this worked out fine for Julie. It freed her up to later accept the title role in Mary Poppins, for which she won an Oscar. And when the producer of The Sound of Music saw a rough cut of Poppins, he decided that he needed Julie to play Maria.) However, both Roz and Audrey had something Lucy didn't - a professional singer to redub their vocals. Roz had a lady named Lisa Kirk (who has been said to have also been considered for dubbing Lucy in Mame), while Audrey had Marni Nixon, well known today for her work My Fair Lady as well as dubbing for Deborah Kerr in The King And I and An Affair To Remember and for Natalie Wood in West Side Story. After brief consideration, both Lucy and the producers decided it'd be more honest and in the best interests of the film to include Lucy's true singing vocals. Many are still shocked to know this isn't the first time Lucy had recorded her own vocals for a musical number in a film - due mostly in part to Lucy Ricardo's legendary inability to carry a tune. (Apparently, separating the actress from the character is a concept many people can't quite seem to grasp.) Although most of her singing in DuBarry Was A Lady was dubbed, that's Lucy's actual vocals in the song Friendship. And the song Breezin' Along With The Breeze from The Long Long Trailer also includes Lucy's real voice.
   
   However, when she'd made those films, she wasn't over 60 and hadn't been smoking for as long. A lifelong smoker, by the time Lucy was 60, her singing ability was basically diminished by cigarette smoke and, frankly, being a post-menopausal woman. But she gave it her all, staying up late nights, recording her songs a few notes at a time so that they could be pieced together to create one good take. Although on the movie's video and DVD releases, as well as the original vinyl release, this is a bit less noticeable, this soundtrack CD makes it very clear that Lucy's vocals were not recorded in a single take, but in many many takes. When Rhino originally made this digital master, they chose not to use equalization in order to cover this up, but rather thought it'd be interesting to keep it like this in order to display the overdubbing and splicing processes required to get a "good" vocal take out of Lucy. The end result is pleasant enough. Lucy does a decent job on her songs. She's no Julie Andrews or Angela Lansbury, and when If He Walked Into My Life plays, no matter how much you love Lucy and love the film version of Mame and no matter how much of a guilty pleasure Lucy's recording of the song is, it's know that odd to find yourself praying for Angela Lansbury.
   
   Lucy isn't the only presence on here, of course. There's also Kirby Furlong...who also wasn't really a great singer...as young Patrick. He sings on four of the album's tracks - Open A New Window, My Best Girl, We Need A Little Christmas, and The Letter. He does sound like a typical kid, though, so that's kind of a good thing in that it makes it a little more believable. (Like how Lucy's rough vocals are more believable to fit a woman who drinks and parties and smokes at all hours of the night.) Robert Preston, best known for his role in the Broadway and film versions of The Music Man, lends his vocals to the title song and Loving You, a song written by Jerry Herman specifically for the film. Original Broadway cast member Jane Connell returns as Agnes Gooch, lending her vocals to We Need A Little Christmas, St. Bridget during the film's main title, and Gooch's Song. Connell's voice is also odd on here, but in her case, it's supposed to be a little odd. And finally, Bea Arthur, best known for her Emmy-winning work on the classic TV sitcoms Maude and The Golden Girls, reprises her Tony-winning role as Vera Charles and provides vocals for The Man In The Moon and the classic Bosom Buddies. Frankly, Bea is the most impressive singer on this CD, which surprises a lot of people who wouldn't think that Bea could actually sing. *They must not watch enough Golden Girls. ;)*
   
   As is usual with the movie versions of Broadway musicals, this soundtrack has its ways in which it's superior. Movie orchestration is always fuller and more grand than Broadway due to the simple fact that Broadway orchestras are limited to what can fit below the stage, while movie recording sessions can use bigger orchestras. The main title, which uses instrumental versions of Mame and Open A New Window mixed with a shortened version of St. Bridget, performed by Jane Connell, is an impressive overture for the film and a great example of the superiority of film orchestration over Broadway.
   
   As was the order of the day for many soundtracks of the day, several of the tracks have been shortened by removing long instrumental portions. Specially recorded intros and outros were recorded for several tracks, small reprises were dropped altogether and very little instrumental score was included. However, one song on the CD is longer than its film counterpart - a few lines of Bosom Buddies were excised from the film, but are left intact on the soundtrack album. This CD basically transfers the original vinyl release to CD. Excised instrumental portions are not restored, reprises such as the Bosom Buddies reprise are not restored here, none of the instrumental score is restored, and neither are original intros and outros. My guess is that since Warner Bros. had been unable to recreate the film's audio in stereo due to the varying quality of Lucy's vocal tracks, Rhino figured they wouldn't be able to recreate the film's soundtrack to be more of a complete record of the music from the film, so the next best thing would be to simply take the original album masters and transfer them to a digital master. Although it's still a great listen, and sadly, the only source available to the public to hear the film's main musical numbers in stereo, a fan can't help but wish for something more complete. (Although if one wanted, they could simply record missing audio from their VHS or DVD and mix it in with the tracks from the CD to get a more complete soundtrack album. But that's another discussion entirely.)
   
   I'm a fan of Mame the movie all the way. Despite major shortcomings involving its star, Lucille Ball does a fine acting job. And despite her frog vocals, the soundtrack is one of my favorites and a very nice listen. I'm very happy to finally own this CD in my all too small collection of movie soundtracks. Soundtrack aficionados will definitely want it just for the curiosity of hearing Lucy's obviously overdubbed and spliced vocals, as well as simply for the relative rarity - this was only released on CD in 2004, and still isn't to be found in most big chain stores. Definitely pick it up if you're a fan of Lucy, film musicals, and film soundtracks.
   
   NOTE: The Collector's Choice CD is the same as the extremely limited edition Rhino Handmade release. CCM even says "Manufactured by Rhino Entertainment Company" on the back. After Rhino's limited edition of 2,500 sold out quickly, they made the decision to license their digital master out to Collector's Choice Music, a label devoted to re-issuing out of print titles, many quite obscure, on CD. The Rhino release has more extravagant packaging - the liner notes suppsedly contain an incredible essay and a ton of photos from the film. However, it gets quite expensive now when people sell their copies on the internet. This CD is less extravagant - the insert is only two pages inside, which contain a different essay from the Rhino one on the making of the film. The front and back of the insert faithfully recreate the original vinyl album artwork, with the only change being the addition of the Collector's Choice Music logo on front. While Rhino probably had access to all the original artwork, meaning their cover was probably clearer, this looks like a really good scan-and-printjob of the album art. A really good high quality printjob, but a printjob nonetheless. It's not really a gripe, and most people probably won't notice it. Frankly, I think it's wonderful they wanted to preserve the original artwork. The back of the case also looks fairly cheap - like a custom cover I whipped up in Photoshop. But it does use the logo from the front cover on there as well, which is a nice touch. Again, not really a gripe - this is an independent company. They're more focused, as they should be, on getting rare titles like Mame out there on CD, not in making amazingly mind-blowing packaging. It's a satisfying package and does great justice to this soundtrack.



3. This is even worse than the other Jerry Herman broadway show transfered to film-Streisand's Hello Dolly! Lucy was too old (and couldn't sing OR dance) and Barbra was too young. (at least she could SING!) The sound quality on this CD is pretty bad. I'll stick with the OBC album, thank you!



4. I love the movie from which this soundtrack comes from. I also love the music of Jerry Herman. That being said, I think the producers kind of dropped the ball on this album.
   
   Lucille Ball never claimed to be a singer, and as such, her vocals had to be recorded in sections, and sometimes had to be spliced on top of one another. This is barely noticeable in the film, which is a monaural mix of the music. The soundtrack, however, is in stereo.
   
   The stereo mix is glorious, but the equalization used on Lucy's vocals are less than pleasing to the ear, making it painfully obvious where the splices and overlaps are. But the technology in 1974 was there to make this less obvious. I'm a singer who's done studio work, I know how these splices are done, and if the engineer is fast-fingered, it's near seemless. Also, when the mix down happens, if you turn the treble all the way down, as they did on Miss Ball's vocals, you can hear the splices.
   
   In short, I love the soundtrack because I love the movie, I just dislike how in was put together. That is not to say that there aren't some wonderful moments on these recordings, the best of all being Beatrice Arthur. What a singer! And the rest of the cast turn in stellar vocal performances, especially Robert Preston, who is a gem as Beau.
   
   So, would I recommend buying this? Depends. If you're a fan of the musical Mame, a fan of Lucille Ball, sure. If you could care less, don't bother.



5. I have the CD version of Mame and the original LP that came out in 1974, in addition to a special promotional LP of Mame that was supposed to be released during Christmas 1973 but the release date was later changed to March 1974. Lucy might not be the best singer, but these songs don't require a Barbara Streisand voice. Lucy did a very good job in getting the songs across. There was a genuine love in the way she sang the songs. I prefer this to the broadway version album/CD w/Angela Lansbury's shrill voice. Lucy is the best Mame and that's why the DVD release is selling great.