1 comments about Taffetas.

1. If you don't, or don't know anything about the show, I am not sure if you'd enjoy it... It has a lot of great songs from the 50s in beautiful harmonies, great theatre voices, but is presented mostly in medleys with dialogue in between.
   
   I performed in this show twice in 2005, and found it very useful to practice to.

No comments about Gilbert & Sullivan Vol. 1 [karaoke].

2 comments about Far from the Madding Crowd/Dusky Sally/The Awakening.

1. There are some very nice art songs in these 3 musicals. Unlike Sondheim or Guettel, the songs follow quite traditional classical patterns and make for very nice but unchallenging listening.



2. These excerpts of the original musicals by Gary Schocker are simply a pleasure to listen to. This shows once more, that Musical Theatre litterature can range in a wide variety of styles. Far From the Madding Crowd is like a cross between The Secret Garden and Riverdance, complimented by the fantastic voices of Liz Callaway, Brian d'Arcy James, Victoria Clark, Emily Skinner, and many more. A must for any Musical Theatre lover who is constantly seeking the songs that "no one has yet heard".

1 comments about The Souvenir Album.

1. Julie Andrews shines on this lovely CD (which is sadly now out-of-print); where she gets to explore a whole set of numbers which all stretch and display her voice in entirely different ways. There's some bawdy, fun British music-hall ditties where she gets to really cut loose ("Who Threw the Overalls in Mistress Murphy's Chowder?", "Don't Go in the Lion's Cage Tonight" and "Everybody's Doin' It Now").
   
   From the original London cast album of MY FAIR LADY are Julie's three big numbers "I Could Have Danced All Night", "Without You" and "Just You Wait"; those tracks instantly conjure back Miss Andrews in her trademark, Tony Award-nominated performance as Eliza Doolittle. Andrews also sings such delicious musical theatre standards as "Baubles, Bangles and Beads" (KISMET), "This is New" (LADY IN THE DARK), and "Alexander's Ragtime Band".
   
   Although these tracks can be found on several other Julie Andrews CD releases, this whole album is a real delight, and highly-recommended from this reviewer. [COLUMBIA 471122 2]

No comments about Cast Recording.

5 comments about Chicago.

1. The soundtrack arrived within about a week. (I never opt for faster delivery.) It was exactly what I wanted and, as far as I can tell, plays flawlessly.



2. This music is so faithfully performed by the very talented ensemble that it brings back the 1920's vividly. Each song reflects a specific style of the music popular at the time. After listening to this CD I had to see the movie (which was also terrific) and then I had to buy the sheet music. Usually I simply enjoy a CD and move on. This one reached me.



3. The cd is very good. There are only songs, no speaking parts really, even ones that precede certain songs. There are a couple of songs that are not in the movie or that were inspired by the movie. The first time you listen to it if you haven't read the fine print it kind of throws you for a loop. I highly recommend it for all who love the movie!



4. I truly loved the music with the movie is excellent. I was very impressed of the singing of the movie stars.



5. Rob Marshall and company got it exactly right in transferring Chicago to the screen. Though I was not a Renee Zellweiger fan, she changed my opinion with her total tartiness here (and she was terrific in Cold Mountain), she dances competently, and sings the role wonderfully. Katherine Zeta Jones was perfect as Velma Kelly. The rest of the cast are marvelous too....Queen Latifah coudn't have been better cast. Though I have never been conviced of Richard Gere's acting ability, he pulls off the role of Billy Flynn admirably, even his singing and dancing work effectively. They brilliantly wrote a screenplay to encompass most of the stage show, where songs were cut, they needed to be. A well deserved Oscar winner for effectively bringing a musical back to the screen!!

No comments about Music of Francis Johnson.

No comments about The Vocalists: Masters of the Big Band.

5 comments about A & E Biography: A (Musical) Anthology [ENHANCED CD].

1. A & E released a small series of musical anthology enhanced CDs in conjunction with their familiar Biography series. This CD features 17 various tracks covering much of Judy Garland's incredible career. Rather than produce yet another greatest hits CD, the folks who put this album together apparently tried to capture various sounds and personas of the Garland magic, mixing in several less familiar tracks alongside a good sampling of immortal favorites. The one real weakness of this CD, though, is its heavy emphasis on Judy's later career; you won't find very many songs from the adorable early Judy Garland here. That's perfectly fine, of course, but personally I would have liked a more representative selection covering Judy's entire career. In addition to some nice biographical material contained in the liner notes, this item holds a truly precious gem in the form of a previously unreleased performance by Garland some six months before her untimely death.

   I think it's a felony not to include Judy's trademark song on a collection such as this, and the version of Over the Rainbow included here is a particularly impressive one; the amount of passion Judy puts into the song is palpable, with Judy sniffling with very real emotion toward the end. Somewhat strangely, a 38 second cut of We're Off To See the Wizard also finds a place on the disc. I'm really not sure when I Don't Care was recorded but it sounds like the recording of a young Judy. That's basically it for the early recordings. Zing! Went the Strings of My Heart and "The Garland Medley" of You Made Me Love You/For Me and My Gal/The Trolley Song are songs from Judy's first decade in Hollywood, but the recordings of these songs found on this CD actually come from Judy's historic 1960 London recording sessions.

   Judy's incredible performance of The Man That Got Away from A Star is Born demands inclusion here, and we get a spirited live performance of this trademark song of her later career. Two songs that always brought the house down when performed in concert, the ubiquitous Rock-A-Bye Your Baby (With a Dixie Melody) and Come Rain or Come Shine, appear here in the form of studio recordings. Both of these tracks, powerful and almost boisterous even without the inspiration and energy of a live audience, are, if I'm not mistaken, taken from Judy's aforementioned 1960 London sessions. Maybe I'll Come Back is another song I usually think of in a live performance context that appears here as a studio recording. Among the remaining studio recordings to be found here are Hello Bluebird, a joyous song sung enthusiastically by Judy, the energetic After You've Gone, and the always soul-stirring Danny Boy.

   There are a select few live recordings on the CD as well, though, including perhaps the second most puzzling selection for this anthology, The Party's Over. Daughter Liza Minelli joins Judy for a memorable live performance of He's Got the Whole World in His Hands; this is a nice song to have because it is not among the most prominent of the Judy/Liza recordings, but there are a number of much better selections out there to choose from. The best of the live recordings has to be Just in Time; Judy knocked them dead at Carnegie Hall with this amazing performance, and few recordings better show the absolute love audiences had for her. Another highlight of this album is Judy's Palace Medley. This medley consists of songs performed by other entertainers over the years at the legendary Palace, and while Judy did sing this medley during her own historic run in that glorified venue, this track is yet another recording from the 1960 London Sessions.

   Of course, the track that catches the eye of the Judy Garland fan is It's All For You. This is a previously unreleased recording of a December 1968 performance on the Tonight Show. Garland, scarcely six months away from the end of her illustrious career, sounds somewhat frail and unsure of herself as she begins the song, but the eternal Judy shines through by the time she closes the number. Any Garland fan will want to own this CD for this one historic track alone.

   I should mention that this is an enhanced CD, meaning there are extra features available for those with a PC. In all honesty, the extras aren't that impressive, consisting almost solely of a short "biography byte" that is little more than a narrated slide show encapsulating Judy's unparalleled career. As a rabid Judy fan, I tend to do a little nit-picking with this CD, but I do consider it a very nice, respectful tribute to the one and only Judy Garland.




2. What a great collection! From the terrific song selections, to the CD bookelt (which includes a full yet concie bio and many pictures) to Judy's performances, this is one CD that's sure to please die-hard fans as well as newer ones. Most of these selections are concert recordings which really show how much Judy gave in live performances. Highlights for me were the energitc 'Zing! Went the Strings of My Heart' and 'I Don't Care' as well as the previously un-released 'It's All For You'. A song that perfectly sums up her career and she knows it. My only qualm woud be that for a career overview, her early career isn't paid enough attention. But by the end of the CD all I want to do, is put it on again...and again...and again...



3. This album is so good. I had always known that Capitol Records can produce a good Judy Garland CD. Not one bad song on this album, except He's Got the Hole World, because Liza messes it up Overall, this is a decent look of Garland's career.



4. This is an excellent CD both quality and Value wise for all Judy Garland Fans, with many "live" tracks and top notch session recordings from movie soundtracks, An absolute must for all Judy Garland fans and fans of Capitol world class artists.



5. This remarkable collection put together from segments of A&E's Biography of Judy Garland is like hearing Judy's life told through the songs. The first song, "Zing! Went The Strings Of My Heart" harks back to Garland's start on the road to stardom. "Over the Rainbow" confirms Garland's status as a superstar. "I Don't Care" and "Maybe I'll Come Back" are nostalgic MGM numbers Garland made famous. "The Palace Medley" remembers Garland's first steps on the stage of the Palace to sing for an audience. "The Man That Got Away"... the old favorite from Garland's "A Star Is Born". "He's Got The Whole World In His Hands"... the last decade of her life, one of her only concerts with daughter Liza Minnelli. The final number, "It's All For You" (recorded six months before her death) is significant in many respects. It is a look back on a significant career, and a remarkable life... and a love letter to the people who loved her. For the true Garland fan, this one is definitely one to put on the list of CDs to buy.

4 comments about NBC's Chamber Music Society of Lower Basin Street.

1. The radio program "NBC's Chamber Music Society of Lower Basin Street" did a series of radio programs, which introduced some outstanding jazz arrangements and relatively new vocalists, such as Lena Horne and Dinah Shore. Unfortunately, much of Levine's music on 78's never made it to 33's and some of his LPs have not made it to CDs; but this is at least a sample of what good radio provided in the l940's. Hopefully, more will be forthcoming!



2. This is a compilation of early-1940s material based on NBC's popular radio series, which featured jazz soloists and vocalists jamming with "Dr." Henry Levine's dixieland octet and Paul Laval's woodwind ensemble.
   
   Part of the fun was (and is) the slangy, faux-highbrow commentary by "the Society's chairman, Dr. Gino Hamilton." This writer agrees with reviewer Ms. Hopper that this CD should have included the commentary. The radio show and even the commercial records (both represented here) always included Gene Hamilton's enjoyable introductory remarks.
   
   No complaints when it comes to the performances. Henry Levine's traditional Dixieland "readings" highlight this collection, with the rarely heard "East St. Louis Blues" a standout. There is strong support from Paul Laval's woodwind ten ("Shoemaker's Holiday" and "Runnin' Wild" demonstrate that flute, oboe, etc., are capable of hot jazz). Vocals are split between Lena Horne (excellent on "Beale Street Blues" and "Careless Love"), Dinah Shore (very effective on "Dinah's Blues"). and their successor, the underrated Linda Keene (memorable on "Somebody Loves Me").
   
   The programming may be disappointing to those who know the original records: sometimes both sides are included on this CD, but sometimes not. (Two especially good Henry Levine instrumentals, "Satanic Blues" and "Farewell Blues," didn't make it onto the CD.) There is only one guest instrumentalist, Sidney Bechet on soprano saxophone, with a single selection. Also, "Careless Love" and the identical melody "Loveless Love" appear redundantly here, and the W. C. Handy composition, "Sounding Brass and Tinkling Cymbals," is a musical sermon that is mostly of academic interest. (This and other material on this CD are borrowed from a broadcast honoring Handy; the entire show is also available on the Nostalgia Arts label).
   
   The audio remastering on this CD is great; the fidelity on the show's theme song, "Basin Street Blues," as originally released on 78, is incredible. If you have the 78s, these CD versions are a step up. This is a fine addition to a jazz enthusiast's or vintage-radio fan's collection, and it's great to have this material in release.



3. I bought the first CD of the Chamber Music Society of Lower Basin Street and enjoyed not only the music but the commentary. Unfortunately the 2nd CD did not include the commentary. Although, the music is great on this one also I really missed the tounge-in-cheek dialog and "high-brow" references from the program.



4. I've had the 78 rpm versions of about half of these sides for many years; it's nice to hear them without scratches, finally, as well as being (as far as I can tell) a complete collection.

   Dinah Shore never sang sweeter than on these earlier sides, the only possible exception being in the "Up In Arms" movie soundtrack from 1944. Her style was somewhat out of place with the predominantly 2-beat Dixieland style that these bands played, but they made room for her and she shines. Lena Horne was singing a softer style here than the charismatic belting that she became known for in later years, but she is more at home with the Dixie stylings than Dinah.

   This is a slice of history nicely preserved.