1 comments about Best of Broadway: Tomorrow.

1. This CD has a new song of Ronnie, under the name of Ronnie Aldridge, playing the main theme of this CD, "Tomorrow".
   I buy each CD of Readers Digest that has songs of Ronnie himself, or under the name of Richard Alden or Ronnie Aldridge.
   The other songs are beautiful.

2 comments about Ultimate.

1. Peter Allen exploded on the music scene in an extraordinary way in the early seventies as a singer/songwriter of great composing and tremendous performing skill. Starting with catchy sets of songs in the beginning, by the mid-seventies something happened and from "Just Ask Me I've Been There", "I Go To Rio", "I Honestly Love You", "Quiet Please, There's A Lady On Stage" and numerous other classics, depth and dimension that came in to his work was peerless & tremendous and this high level of quality continued to the end making him one of the most exciting concert acts in decades with all of his recordings becomming instant classics and memorable collections that have become timeless works of art filled with great substance and are a joy to experience. This magnificent collection spans mid-seventies to mid-eighties filled with stunning examples of Peter Allen's extraordinary talent and is a great place to start for anyone not familiar with this legendary giant whose sold out highly entertaining concert events coast to coast and from small clubs to long engagements at the famed "Radio City Music Hall" all became legendary memorable events. This sublime collection makes it clear what the excitement was all about and is one to enjoy over and over again!!! Bravo Peter Allen and we miss you!



2. Said to be a companion to THE BOY FROM OZ but it doesn't have all the songs used in the Aussie and Broadway productions. Nice to see "Not the Boy Next Door" and "Once Before I Go" alongside his A&M work though.

5 comments about Classic Disney, Vol. 3.

1. This CD is a wonderful collection of some 25(!) of the most beloved Disney hits. Indeed, the songs on this CD are all songs from the great Disney movies that you remember from your childhood. There's "You've Got A Friend In Me" from Toy Story, "Oo-De-Lally" from Robin Hood, and "I Wan'na Be Like You" from The Jungle Book (I love that Louis Prima!).What's also wonderful is that the hits are from the great Disney movies right up to the present, with such songs as "Jack's Lament" from The Nightmare Before Christmas.
   
   My whole family loves these songs, and often sings along with them. My personal favorite is The Silly Song from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs - I love that scene!
   
   Buy this CD you won't regret it!



2. This third CD of Disney music is a good mixture of the old with the new. Track 1: "Colors of the Wind" from POCAHONTAS is one of the best songs composed to date for a motion picture. Track 18: "Bella Notte" from LADY AND THE TRAMP brings back many memories as does Track 21: "The Ballad of Davy Crockett" from television show and movies. Going back even further is Track 24: "Little April Shower" from BAMBI, which is an interesting composition representing nature's beauty, fury and return to tranquility. Track 6: "Les Poissons" is a great number from THE LITTLE MERMAID that is well composed musically but also is used to advance the story of the film. This is yet another great CD in this series.



3. Disney has once again put some of its most liked songs into a single album. The songs on this CD are some of my favorite songs and I'd recomend the CD for anyone that has kids or just likes the songs.



4. Burton movies are great. Burton movies with Elfman's music... well, they're out of this world. Nightmare before Christmas is my favorite movie of all times, and someone who hasn't seen it, doesn't have to make those comments. It's a movie full of great feelings; plus the music is great. Someone who hasn't seen the movie wouldn't understand "Jack's Lament"... I invite Caroline to see it and THEN critize it. BEST MOVIE OF ALL TIMES.



5. These Disney CD's are so great. People of all ages can enjoy them. My favorite is volume 2. My 3 year old LOVES it but so does my 22 year old friend!

2 comments about Neo: A Celebration of Emerging Talent in Musical Theatre, Benefiting the York Theatre Company.

1. OK, I don't pass out many 5-star reviews--this one gets one.
   
   A live recording of a benefit concert featuring songs from developing musicals, this 2-disc recording alternates between introductions to the songs and the songs themselves. At times, the introductions are as entertaining as the music, and the live nature of the recording only makes the recording all that more entertaining.
   
   The performers here are top-notch and in top form--they ooze artistry, and it shows (hears). The songs themselves are a joy, ranging from good to excellent. It is doubtful (unfortunately) that most of the musicals to which the songs are attached ever will reach the light of full production, but at least the songs are a joy to listen to here. I challenge anyone to listen to the song "The Sensitive Song" from the planned musical "Cops" (!!), as performed by Deven May, not to leave with a smile on your face. (Caution: adult lyrics.)
   
   This is highly recommended (as you can tell), and was an unexpected pleasure to listen to. The only thing I would like to see improved is Amazon's price for the recording, as it is a bit high (although the recording tends to go for a higher price, perhaps because of its benefit and off-the-beaten-track nature).



2. It is simply New, Emerging, and Outstanding. It is a must for musical theatre fans because this CD is a sneak peek into the next 10 years of musical theatre! It shows off talent from today singing the writers of tomorrow making one very excited for the years to come!

3 comments about The Nervous Set (1959 Original Broadway Cast).

1. It's fascinating to discover what passed for sophisticated in 1959 as the musical sought new forms. This album is a cultural landmark, of sorts -- a show that broke a lot of barriers and paid for it with a short run. The songs have the feeling of Nichols and May improvisations. Certainly it's worth picking up for people who want complete OC collections, especially since it wasn't available in vinyl in the 1970s except for lots of cash at out-of-print record shops in Manhattan (remember them?). And you can't pass up Larry Hagman singing. Still, the score simply doesn't match up to the evident aspirations of the writers; it anticipates "Company," but Sondheim's songs are so much better than the ones here. Still, there are a couple of gems, including "Night People" and "A Country Gentleman."



2. The songs in this musical are simply wonderful! Canny, passionate, "beat," and sardonic. The story, its characters, and the lyrics are classic Greenwich Village of the late 1950's. This CD features talented singers and actors (including a very young Larry Hagman),a great lyricist, lush and complex music. To reiterate, it's just WONDERFUL! I ruined my LP long ago, and am THRILLED to find this CD replacement.



3. A fun recording to have on CD. Very beatnik oriented musical from 1959 with such interesting names in the cast as Tom Aldredge (Into the Woods, Passion) and Larry Hagman!? The song "New York" is a lot of fun. The best of the rest the score include "The Ballad of the Sad Young Man" sung by Tan Seitz and "Laugh, I Thought I'd Die" sung by Richard Hayes. Larry Hagman has one song, "Travel the Road of Love" and although he doesn't embarrass himself, thank God "I Dream of Jeannie" and "Dallas" were still be come. He definitely did not inherit his mother's singing ability. In fact, I think his mother was performing in "The Sound of Music" during the short run of this show.

1 comments about Celebrate Broadway, Vol. 5: Hello Young Lovers.

1. I will always credit this CD with exposing me to two duets I adore: "It's Never That Easy/I've Been Here Before" and "I Don't Remember You/Sometimes a Day Goes By". Both are impressive performances that I have so far not tired of, despite having owned this for about ten years now. I'm sorry to see that it's no longer in print.

3 comments about Jerry's Girls (1984 Original Cast).

1. folks,

   Herman's Jerry's Girls might be pretty familiar to you, for us germans it's new. Not that we don't know the tunes of "Hello Dolly" and "La cage aux folles" (those two belong to the most played musicals in germany and have at least about 10 different productions per year) but musicals like "mack and mabel" just had last year it's german premier. Nevertheless I try to convince my producer that "Jerry's Girls" would be the right thing for our small dinner-theatre (aside of the big one, where we just have the tour of "stomp" playing) for autum and winter 2000. So, do me a favour! For germany we have to give different information than for the states. Little things like "in how many different languages was dolly translated" etc. will gonna help me to make my "very budget-minded" producer believe and trust in that "Jerry's Girls" is the right thing for our theatre. Okay, it's up to you now to keep me well-informed. :-)))) Marcus




2. I saw this musical in Denver, Co. when I was 17 (I'm 33 now, ugh!). I've been a long time fan of Andrea McArdle, & spent every dime I had just to see her (AND Carol Channing) in person. I have never had a better night then that, before or since. I bought the album (yes, ALBUM) the next week & played it to death! If you like Broadway, alot of fun (Carol), beautiful voices (Leslie) & just downright, "blow ya outta your seat" powerful vocals (Andrea), then this CD is for you!



3. You don't need to see this musical to appreciate these Jerry Herman broadway classics. Leslie Uggams, Carol Channing and Andrea McArdle all have unique qualities to their voices which make their renditions both exciting and entertaining. I saw the show only once, but I've listened to the music hundreds of times. I always find the songs humorous and touching... they always uplift me. Buy this CD!

5 comments about Songs from Ragtime - The Musical (1996 Concept Album).

1. Fantastic Soundtrack. Great music. This music as great as the show was. Highly recommend to all. Thanks



2. With 38 tracks of Broadway's best songs, this soundtrack is incredible. The show itself is so moving and this cast features some of the best voices I have ever heard. Marin Mazzie as Mother, Audra McDonald as Sarah, and Brian Stokes Mitchell as Coalhouse are my favorites. All of the songs are show-stoppers, but I would name the following as my absolute favorites: "Your Daddy's Son," "New Music," "Wheels of a Dream," "Til We Reach that Day," "Sarah Brown Eyes," and "Make Them Hear You." The booklet of this two-disk soundtrack also features incredible stills and lyrics from the show.



3. There are parts of this musical that just blow you away. Sure it has it's dry narrative moments too but the vocal heights that it reaches are awe inspiring.



4. From beginning to ending this CD is a non-stop musical journey through the turn of the century. The music is just unforgettable, and the performances are all top-notch. If you love escaping into a world of beautiful musio and a compelling story, this CD cannot be beat.



5. I first read the book when it came out in 1975.
   
   It turned out to be one of the best books I ever enjoyed.
   
   Later, I saw an ad for the musical on TV, and thought:
   "They can't possibly change that into a musical!"
   
   I had some lady friends in town, and the musical was playing at our main auditorium here in Phoenix, so I took them and explained the story to them.
   
   I left there that night saying "They pulled it off!"
   
   To this day I love it!
   
   I love my Country, and this is one of the best examples of why I feel that way.
   
   Don't bother replying, as I probably won't be back...

No comments about A Jolly Theatrical Season.

No comments about Something Within Me.