2 comments about Songs of the Depression: Boom, Bust & New Deal.

1. If you're even considering this superb box set, you probably don't have to be sold on the idea of owning four cds worth of pop from the 1930s. As you can see from the track list, these songs range from million sellers like Bing Crosby's reading of "Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?" to a rare early version of Cole Porter's now standard "Love for Sale" to songs people haven't heard for 70 years. The bulk of the songs are from 1929 to 1933, with about 20% coming from later in the decade. They are mostly Tin Pan Alley pop, sometimes by the cream of that crop (Gershwin, Porter, Arlen, Berlin, etc). Each track is well annotated, with a paragraph or two on the performers, writers, and performance. Often, you get a brief analysis about the music and the themes, peppered with the author's decidedly left-leaning/populist historical views (not surprisingly, as he is writing about a time when "Small Government" had failed us miserably). When appropriate, he groups songs thematically- like songs about money, songs about work, songs about selling your body for sex, and so on.
   In short, this is a typical multi-artist set from Bear Family, a label known for top of the line production, remastering, and packaging. No regrets here.



2. This set provides songs about the depression and they are arranged in chronological order. All the well-know songs are here but not always in the best-known versions. This is actually a wise choice. I suspect the producer assumed that the average purchaser already had versions of many of these songs and deliberately chose some alternative recordings. Some of these alternatives are good and some are not. I found it curious that the producer was critical of some of his own choices. One wonders why he would criticize his own selection rather than choose a better one. The book that accompanies the discs provides a discography for each song and a short essay that places it in the context of the depression. The essays are breezy and lack depth. There are a few howlers in the comments, but for the most part they are enjoyable. The mastering on some of the selections is questionable, but overall the job has been done well. Surface noise is sometimes high but my ears tell me that it was left so that the sound of the original recording would not be obscured. This is a terrific set albeit a bit pricey.

No comments about Hits of '32.

No comments about Andrew Lloyd Webber: Love Songs.

3 comments about The Intimate Miss Christy.

1. How great that Capitol continues to release CD's from the June Christy catalog with bonus tracks! They seem to be doing an annual release and this was the one from 2006. June sounds just great on "The Intimate Miss Christy" with low key, stripped down arrangements and a real focus on that captivating voice. Added is a non-album single from 1960 - two tracks I've never heard before. There are just a few more albums left that aren't out on CD yet. Let's hope Capitol releases them this year and next to complete her catalog. Thanks, Capitol Jazz!



2. If I could only own a single album of Miss Christy's, this would be it.
   
   It is the personification of vocal intimacy and superb handling of a melodic line that other female vocalists can only envy but never achieve.
   
   There is not a throwaway song on this CD. You will never again hear these songs sung so wondrously and creatively.
   
   People like Miss Christy should never die. They should never grow old. Their perfection should live forever on more than just vinyl or CD.



3. A clarion clear voice from the past - to revel in memories of bygone years. You cannot go wrong in adding this to your collection. You will listen to these over and over and again.

No comments about Cats.

4 comments about The Best of Judy Garland.

1. Judy Garland was one Old Hollywood diva I could never get into, especially her later years, where tragedy was etched in her face, voice, and manner. As a teenager I loved Bette Davis, as a woman in my early 20s I came around to Katharine Hepburn, and I've started making headway with Crawford in my mid-20s, but I still couldn't understand Judy. But then I saw the marvellous Judy Davis play Garland in a made-for-TV movie, and somehow the Garland genius broke through to me. Now I can't get enough of her, but especially her post-Hollywood years. This tape is an incredible steal. Not only fans but the merely curious should give it a try: you can't go wrong with this material at this price. I'm not enough of a Garland expert to know what shape her voice is in on these songs, but she is kinetic, mercurial, charming, winning, playful, and powerful. She is also surprisingly stylish: gaunt and androgynous in highly original costumes that brilliantly suit her unique personality, from boyish and minimalist to sequined and glamourous. As for the songs, I remain stone-heartedly immune to the over-the-top "Over the Rainbow" tramp number, but I sat up for everything else on the tape. My particular favourites are the Noel Coward "If Love Were All," simple,beautiful, and restrained, with a "Glitter and Be Gay" lighthearted bravado but with stronger emotion beneath, and the thoroughly unrestrained rendition of "A Couple of Swells," which Judy enjoys so much and gets so deeply into that it's infectious.

   Genius on a budget!




2. I have this video of Judy, as well as "The Concert Years". No matter what she was going thru in her personal life, when she was on stage and singing, she gave the audience "everything she had!" I never tire watching her, with her own renditions of "San Francisco", "Swanee",etc., she sang and danced her heart out. She made me smile when she sang and danced to "A Couple of Swells", and then I cried and prayed she would hit all the notes when she sat on the stage in her "tramp" costume and sang "Over The Rainbow." What a great performer! I really do not think there is anyone (with the exception of Liza) who can make such a close contact with the audience. She even sang while lying down on the floor. There are such fantastic voices out there now (Barbra and Celine especially), but they sing with such perfection....everything in the orchestra, lighting, etc. has to be perfect. I think of little Judy who just came out and sang her heart out. I wish she could have stayed with us much longer. I still miss her. I'm just sooo happy I have these videos of her....



3. "The Best of Judy Garland" collection includes excerpts from her short-lived CBS TV series of only 26 shows. How CBS managed to let a show like "Bonanza" overshadow the talents of Judy Garland is beyond me. Even a casual fan of Judy will come to appreciate the extreme singing and entertaining talent this woman shows in the 14 songs she sings in this wonderful collection. She starts out with a classic and loud "Swanee", then moves to one of my favorites, her medley of "Almost Like Being in Love/This Can't Be Love" with Judy belting out the last two "Almost like being in love" lyrics with power that seems unimaginable in a woman whose physical stature pales in comparison to the strength of her voice. But what amazes even more is the way Judy can switch gears and sing so sweetly as in the next song, "If Love Were All". It's a short song, but so moving and so expertly defined by Judy's heartfelt vocals. Next is a "Born in a Trunk" segment on the show where Judy would reminisce about her experience in show business and she tells an amusing story about the night of the Academy Awards when she was nominated for Best Actress in "A Star Is Born" (and Oscar she should have won!). Then she goes on to sing a spine-shilling version of one of her most famous songs, "The Man That Got Away". Next up is a fun version of "San Francisco" which is less poignant, in my opinion, than the incredible rendition she gave the crowd at Carnegie in her famous appearance there in April, 1961. "That's Entertainment" is next and is just plain joy, with Judy showing us her pleasant talents as a dancer. Onward we go to another excerpt from her show and a most thrilling version of "Come Rain or Come Shine". When she hits the last modulating note on "shine!", you almost believe the mike is going to explode in her hands. The TV audience simply goes berserk and even Judy is ecstatic over the delivery of this song. One of my most favorite renditions of one of her classics comes next with a very emotional and passionate version of "Stormy Weather", sung with the kind of wrenching feeling that only Judy Garland could give to a song--simply beautiful. "Who Cares" and "Zing!" are next, with the latter being a very enjoyable version of a song she sang her entire career. Next up is "Chicago" and is fairly good performance, but I tend to gauge these live performances with her pinnacle performance at Carnegie and I find that that version in 1961 to be her best (and, incredibly, it was her last song in a 2 hour and 20 minute concert!) and this version a little weaker. She picks it up in the next excerpt from her TV show with "Rock-A-Bye…", but I must say Judy looks almost frighteningly frail in this performance and when she roars out the last "melody", I'm almost afraid the power of her voice is going to shatter her frail body into pieces. Nevertheless, this is a rendition that will send chills of joy through your body--and only Judy can bring such inner joy to a listener. "A Couple of Swells" is next and is a rather entertaining and fun little song which brings a big smile on your face.

   But what makes this video a video of Judy you must have is the last song, which is Judy's performance on the "Ford Star Jubilee" TV special in 1955 of "Over The Rainbow". Judy comes out in her "tramp" costume, sits down on the edge of the stage (a routine she had been doing in concert since 1951) and with tears welling in her eyes and flowing melodically into her voice, Judy gives one of the most heart-wrenching, most emotionally intense performances of this song I have ever heard. It was beyond just a moving performance of this classic, this was Judy's dreams and hopes and happiness and tragedy all exposed for the listener to hear. I was moved to tears by this performance, and you will be, too. You can't help but love this woman. She gave her audience not only her talent, but her heart and soul as well.

   Please pick up this video. It's worth ten times [what] I paid for it. Simply excellent!...




4. This is another magnificent record of her performances. However, this one is consist of many previously released portion of her shows, including "Judy Garland Show(DVD)". If you have the collection, I wouldn't recommend this one because more than half of the content would be overlapped. However, this is Judy! There are some beautiful moment of her performances other than that. It is natural for anybody tearing at "over the rainbow" in the last scene.

5 comments about The King And I (Original Broadway Cast).

1. I have owned this recording for several years, and the vinyl lp before that.
   However, I have only recently discovered Amazon's customer reviews. So I decided to read them before I listened again. I was surprised by those who disparaged Yul Brynner's understanding of the role.
   Not so--according to the American Theater Wing, who awarded him a Tony.
   Not so--according to his co-artist, Gertrude Lawrence, who requested that his name be moved to above the title.
   Not so--according to the New York critics who reviewed the play. "His impulsive yet pathetic monarch is the most vital element of the show, which always lets down when he is not on stage." "Mr. Brynner lent such strength and realism to his role." "To an amazing extent, he gets depth, honesty, and complete credibility into an authentic characterization."
   Yes, even with remastering, it is still 1951 sound. Yes, many of the songs are abridged to fit the confines of the 78 rpm recording. Yes, much of the beautiful score is not included. For those, buy the 1977 recording with Constance Towers, which is also excellent. But do not disregard this one; it is an important part of Broadway's legacy.



2. A true musical theater classic. Wonderful melodies that will last for years to come.
   Other classics not to forget about are:
   Mary Poppins
   My Fair Lady
   The Wizard of Oz
   Chitty Chitty Bang Band
   The first Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
   The Sound of Music
   Oliver
   West Side Story
   Fiddler on the Roof
   Singing in the Rain
   The Wiz
   Little Mermaid
   Aladdin
   Beauty and the Beast
   Grease
   The King and I
   Oklahoma
   The Music Man
   South Pacific
   
   My Voice Students are always asking me for recommendations so I though I'd post it for all! We can't forget about these great musicals!



3. This was the first R+H recording i bought and i was enchanted by it from the very beginning. True, it has its limitations and it is certainly not my favorite R+H score,(one reviewer commented that this was the last of the great R+H musicals. Excuse me? Have you ever heard of The Sound of Music?) but it is undoubtedly a very necessary addition to any Broadway collection. The performances of the stars are incredable and the great collaborators are in their element, though for me this is more of a Rodgers triumph than a Hammerstein one. The soaring, romantic, exotic, colorful (etc, etc) music instantly captures each listener and is brilliantly arranged by their wonderful orchestrater Robert Russell Bennet. While the sound may not always be as good as it could be, one must take into account that the recording industry was still very much in its infant stages in 1951. Admitedly, the stars performances may not be as pleasing vocally as the could be, but they do extremely well in spite of this and are backed up by a stellar supporting cast. Doretta Morrow and Larry Dougles bring their own magic to what i consider to be one of R+H's greatest love songs, I Have Dreamed. Dorothy Sarnoff is magnificent in the soaring showstopper, Something Wonderful. Yul Brynner provides a fine rendition of A Puzzlement and joins Lawrence in that Wonderful closing number Shall We Dance, which it is impossible not to dance to. Lawrence's voice is weak but she still provides very pleasing renditions of Hello, Young Lovers and Getting To Know You. My one regret, (I can ignore the truncated numbers when the parts that ARE provided are so satisfying) is that there isn't even an incomplete rendition of the Uncle Thomas Ballet which is one of my favorite parts of the stage show. Still, that can be found on other recordings but the charm, the beauty and the freshness that can only ever be found on Original Cast Recordings, can't.



4. One correction to a review on this page. (Sorry) Yul Brynner was in his early thirties when this recording was made. (Born 1920). The only real value in this album is Gertrude Lawrence. Her star power was incredible, although this forced album does not allow her to completely shine. The recording technique is terrible. It's flat (not referring to pitch), the instruments are muffled, and everything is cut to fit either time for the 78 RPM's or for radio broadcast. Not a true representation of the great musical. I understand that this is 1951, but Columbia was light years ahead in recording technique (South Pacific-1949) The best representation is the 1977 Braodway Cast(RCA), which showed Yul Brynner in his return to Broadway. It is also the first recording with everything (except Uncle Thomas)to be uncut. Superb sound, and even some dialouge vignettes from different scenes, including a full Shall we Dance? Buy 1977, not 1951. Not recommending this recording.



5. THE KING AND I has always been one of Rodgers & Hammerstein's most popular shows. It has been frequently recorded receieving 4 New York cast albums, 2 London casts and 3 studio casts as well as the film soundtrack. Normally the first original cast is to be preferred but the limitations of the day prevent this 1951 recording from being definitive.

   Decca was not as advacnced in recording techniques as were some of the other labels and the sound quality of this disc is very tinny. Gertrude Lawrence's already thin voice is not helped at all. The lady has pitch problems and her celebrated stage presence just doesn't come across on the recording. Dorothy Sarnoff and Doretta Morrow at least have voices up to the demands of the music, but they too suffer from the flad sound of the Decca studio. Larry Douglas uses his voice to good effect and projects some warmth in his duets, while Yul Brynner is heard only in a heavily cut recording of "A Puzzlement" and for a few lines in "Shall We Dance." This last number, shorn of its dialogue and dramatic context is robbed of any meaning. It becomes just another number. Although this album was originally released in all 3 speeds (78, 45 and 33) the songs were heavily abridged to fit the 3 1/2 minute limitations of the 78 RPM format. All in all, it is not a satisfactory recording of the show.

   Those in search of the nearly complete score would be better served by the 1977 RCA cast album of the revival with Brynner in full command of the role.

1 comments about All by Myself.

1. Shirley Bassey is the best female vocalist of all time ! This package has it all..if you get the chance to see Bassey live - DO IT ! If you can't then buy this item !!!!!

5 comments about Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.

1. This soundtrack has multiple versions of the 10 songs in the film. The first are done by the characters' voices and then Burl Ives does a repeat of all the songs as well. It's not a bad thing; just a whole lot of music. Fun, lively soundtrack that reminds me of the movie and makes me feel cheery. I recommend the CD; just be prepared for a lot of repetition and a lot of Burl Ives!



2. This is the soundtrack to the classic puppetmation TV special. Although the album is credited to Burl Ives, he actually only sings on four of the tracks here. All of the songs were written by Johnny Marks. This is classic music from a classic TV special that you all know and love. But when the soundtrack album was produced, they ran into a slight problem. The total running time of all the songs was only about 15 minutes. So, to fill up the second side of the album, instrumental versions of all the songs from the special (plus some other Christmas songs written by Johnny Marks) were recorded. These instrumentals aren't bad, but most people probably won't want to listen to them too often. But the CD is worth getting just for it's first half. It should be noted that Rudolph and Hermey's duet "Fame and Fortune" is not on the album, because it was added to the special the second year it was broadcast, and hadn't been recorded when the album was released.



3. Originally released as a Decca record album (with Burl Ives' "Holly Jolly Christmas" released as a single--and apparently a slightly longer version that the one heard here), this Rankin/Bass TV special holds a warm, intimate place in many hearts, young and older alike. I particularly love Clarice's song, "There's Always Tomorrow" and the anonymous female voice who croons it so sweetly sad. The songs, all written by Johnny Marks (the unsung hero of the special) are wonderful ear-candy for the holidays. The CD adds lushly orchestrated versions of these classics, perfect for a night by the fire or wrapping presents. "Believing is not far away..."



4. Crediting this collection merely to Burl Ives has probably caused many to bypass it and assume it does not contain the original recordings from the Rankin-Bass tv special performed by all of the artists (not just Ives), when actually it does. These nine tracks are found at the beginning of the cd (the remaining ten are instrumental versions of the songs).
   
   This is the only cd where you can get all of the Rudolph special's recordings. The holiday collection Rudolph, Frosty, and Friends comes close as it contains all but the instrumental overture and finale). You can also get five of the tracks from the Rudolph soundtrack spread out over Nick At Nite's A Classic Cartoon Christmas and A Classic Cartoon Christmas Too.
   
   Whichever collection you purchase (I own them all), I guarantee they will make you feel like a kid again, no matter what your age is.



5. This is one of Burl Ives greatest holiday albums.It's actually the soundtrack to Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer but will sound great during the holidays.This cd also has Instrumental Lush versions of these songs which is why I bought it.The Decca Concert Orchestra does these superveley.One of these songs Holly Jolly Christmas(instrumental version with the Decca Concert Orchestra)got played on beautiful music stations in the 70's and 80s.The vocal version of Holly Jolly Christmas by Ives on this cd is similar but not the same as the one on his other Christmas album it sounds a little different on this album.Most stations play his other version.Both versions of it's the most wonderful day and silver and gold are my favorites on this cd.I highley recommend this cd to Burl Ives fans as well as people that listen to beatiful music from the Decca Concert Orchestra.Other artist Christmas albums I recommend include Percy Faith,Roger Williams,Mantovani,The 101 Strings,Johnny Mathis,Tony Bennett,Kenny G,The Carpentars,Radio City Music Hall,Manhatten Transfer,Air Supply,Frank Sinatra and James Last just to name a few.

2 comments about Golden Rainbow.

1. I've been curious about this show for years. One of those 60s musicals that had a good run, but wasnt considered great by any means at the time and probably wont ever be revived. It was conceived for Steve and Eydie and in that form it succeeds. One allmost feels like you're at one of their Vegas shows from days gone by. The songs for the most part are pretty good. Some nice ballads here and Steve and Eydie put them over as you'd expect. I dont know how good the show was on stage (and adaption of the movie a Hole In The Head) but if you're a collector of Broadway shows, it's not a waste of money by any means. Plus there's Steve singing I Gotta Be Me! Ths show's breakout hit..........



2. This was the first broadway show I saw, and I was dazzled at the time. Actually, it's not a bad show at all, has a pretty good score, with a couple of bona fide hits in He Needs Me Now and of course, I've Gotta Be Me. The rest is fine as well, with For Once In Your Life a very catchy ensemble number. It was glossy, colorful and fun. Good CD.