5 comments about The Music Man (1957 Original Broadway Cast).

1. I suppose that everyone who is interested in Broadway musicals is familiar with "The Music Man," from seeing it on Broadway, to the movie version, to touring companies, to the unfortunate recent television adaptation, and even to local theater groups.
   And, I suppose that most of them listen to the music repeatedly, as I do.
   Meredith Willson has written a wonderful variety of music: the rowsing "Seventy-Six Trombones," which became the musical trademark of the show; the hilarious "Pick-a-Little;" the romantic "My White Knight;" and what about the combination of "Trombones" with "Goodnight, My Someone."
   The original cast is superb. This is a role which suits Robert Preston's voice and demeanor to a tee. Barbara Cook, of course, is the best, and it really shows here. Add in the supporting cast and the Buffalo Bills, and you have as near perfection as a musical will ever reach.
   As I said, a must for Broadway fans.



2. I cannot rate this product because I gave it as a gift.
   I haven't heard the CD.
   All I can say is that my friend was thrilled to get it for Christmas.



3. though not for everyone, if you enjoy a classic Broadway musical, and a thoroughly classic Broadway performer, then this Original Cast Recording of Robert Preston singing The Music Man can hardly disappoint. The score, the voice, the show, is all well-known - it is hard to imagine anyone being unfamiliar with the production. Yet if you do not recognize this recording, or have not heard it - if you are a true fan of classic Broadway productions, you won't want to exclude this one from your collection.
   in its own stubborn Iowa way, it is timeless.



4. I loved this show when I saw it on Broadway and I love it now. Thanks!



5. One of the greatest American musicals. The score, book, performances...all combined to make one of the greatest musicals in American theater. Robert Preston was magnificent, Barbara Cook was perfection,the supporting cast were delightful! This is a GREAT cast recording. Fortunatley for the world, Preston's performance is preserved on film. Sadly, Cook's is not (though Shirley Jones is wonderful). Barbara Cook is one of the great treasures of the theater world. Just see one of her concert performances today (nearing 80 yrs old) and you will see why. Her voice is still glorious, she is positively ethereal!

5 comments about Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat: London Palladium Cast Recording (1991 London Revival Cast).

1. Highly enjoyable version, although my personal preference is the Canadian version with Donny Osmond. The narrator in the London version is top notch as are the other cast members - well worth the money for all this listening pleasure



2. Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat is Andrew Lloyd Webber's first staged musical work and his first staged collaboration with his best lyricist Tim Rice. The very first musical they wrote together, called `The likes of us', didn't reach the stage at that time and was put there for a single special performance in 2005, luckily, captured on CD and also available here at Amazon.
   
   With `Joseph', it all began when in 1967 Lloyd Webber and his friend Rice were commissioned by the head of music at Colet Court School, London, to write a religious concert for the school choir. Joseph was first presented in 1968 and, after further performances at St Paul's Cathedral and the Roundhouse in London, and the Edinburgh Festival, opened in the West End in 1973. It wasn't much of a success, however, until Lloyd Webber bought back the rights to it in the early 90-is, reworked it and put on stage a very successful production that has been put in many other countries in the world and filmed for a special DVD.
   
   The plot takes motives from a well known biblical Old Testament story of Joseph, the youngest son of Jacob, patriarch of Israel, and the coat of many colours that Jacob gave to Joseph as a sign that he is the special one among his sons. Joseph's older brothers became jealous and sold Joseph to be a slave in Egypt, telling their father that he's been killed by a passing goat. After being imprisoned by his equally jealous master, Joseph helps the pharaoh in solving his enigmatic dreams and becomes his first adviser who saves Egypt from the great famine. Back in Canaan, Joseph's brothers and father are starving and so the brothers go to Egypt where food is in abundance. Joseph recognizes them, but not vice versa. After he learns them a lesson because of their past behaviour, Joseph is reunited with his brothers and father in Egypt.
   
   This is one of those Lloyd Webber shows that are aimed at everybody, the young and the old (just like `Cats' or `Starlight Express'. The songs are mostly pop and a merry note can be found in most of them. Also, this show is supposed to be fun, so there are numerous musical styles in it. For example, there is a country song that the brothers sing; at the other point they sing a French chanson with the French accents. The pharaoh sings like Elvis and one song is in a calypso tone. Overall, it's a nice whole of diverse songs and singing styles. Tim Rice has written his funniest lyrics, blending beautifully with the score. The most notable songs are "Any dream will do" and "Close every door" sung by Joseph and the big number "Jacob and sons" .
   
   This London cast recording features Jason Donovan, the Australian pop singer as Joseph and Linzi Hateley as a female narrator. Donovan's voice isn't as strong as that of the American Joseph Donny Osmond, but his voice has the boyish charm that Osmond lacks. Hately's soprano follows the speedy tempo of her songs with ease. She hits all the high notes without problem and remains one of the best Joseph narrators to date. The children choirs add a special touch to the songs.
   
   This is a remastered and improved release of the 1991 original CD. This means that it has resolved the main problem of the past, i.e. the bad sound. Now we hear everything with crystal clarity. The CD comes in a nice slipcase, with a separate libretto and a booklet with new production pictures. All this is a significant and welcome improvement.
   
   The flashy production of Joseph can be seen at the DVD of the same name with Donny Osmond playing the lead. Joseph remains a part of Webber-Rice trilogy that cannot be overlooked.



3. Of the recordings of JOSEPH I've heard, I consider this to be the most wonderful and characterful recording of this Lord Lloyd-Webber musical. Osmond offers us all a rich portrayal of the eponymous dream-teller, filled with presence, but Donovan captures more subtleties of the character. Donovan conveys more wide-eyed and youthful innocence in his portrayal of Joseph and turns in a wonderful performance, capped by his renditions of the beguiling Any Dream Will Do and the pathos of Close Every Door. Donovan is well-partnered by Linzi Hateley as a charismatic and winning Narrator. Yes, I know you'll argue that the late-lamented Laurie Beechman virtually owns the role with her superior lung-power but Hateley engages the listener and makes the role her own. The superb line-up includes David Easter in an overripe performance of the Elvis-styled Pharaoh, and one can hear the little touches of humour he brings to his portrayal. The ensemble features a strong line-up of Brothers, and Nicolas Colicos as Reuben and Johnny Amboi as Judah make the most of their solos in One More Angel and in the Benjamin Calypso. Philip Cox gives a wonderful solo in Those Canaan Days (though Jeff Blumenkrantz is probably more memorable). To have it remastered makes it better than ever, especially with an improved libretto booklet despite some errors. Highly recommended to those who want their first recording of Joseph.



4. This is a great CD if you are doing this musical for your school play. I liked this CD because it had some great music and had pictures of this musical, and a packet full of lyrics to the show. The guy who's palying joseph(Jason Donovan) had a stict londen voice which sounded good but it didn't sound as good as Donny Osmand or Michael Damian. Also to me, the people singing the Joseph megamix seemed not exciting and dead compared to the other CDs of Joseph. Still, if you would like the original Londen new cast of Joseph, buy it!



5. This is a great CD if you are doing this musical for your school play. I liked this CD because it had some great music and had pictures of this musical, and a packet full of lyrics to the show. The guy who's palying joseph(Jason Donovan) had a stict londen voice which sounded good but it didn't sound as good as Donny Osmand or Michael Damian. Also to me, the people singing the Joseph Remix seemed not exciting and dead compared to the other CDs of Joseph. Still, if you would like the original Londen new cast of Joseph, buy it!

5 comments about Matthew Broderick in "How to Succeed in Business WIthout Really Trying!".

1. The reviews below are of the Broadway revival cast album with Matthew Broderick. This is the soundtrack of the delightful movie version with Robert Morse and Michele Lee.



2. While the satiric aspect of corporate America may not be as biting, and is now more nostalgic than satiric in this terrific revival, it's still an oppurtunity to enjoy this great Frank Loesser classic. The performances are marvelous and the score as snappy and catchy as ever. Matthew Broderick is perfect as J.Pierpont Finch (basically a grown up Ferris Bueller anyway!), and Megan Mullalley is totally winning as Rosemary (pre-Karen Walker), exhibiting a sweetness and warmth seldom seen on that TV show. The rest of the cast are all first rate, Victoria Clark and Lillias White standing out!!



3. Megan Mullally, who plays Rosemary Pilkington, is fantastic in everything she does... this is an incredible performance. I love her!!! Paris Original is fantastic!
   Victoria Clark, who plays Smitty, is hilarious and is an incredible singer... I love this woman!
   Jeff Blumenkrantz is the perfect slimy nerd who you love to hate. His vocals are amazing... Love him!
   
   Three of my favorite actors... My favorite show... AMAZING CD!!!!
   
   (Been a Long Day is the best song in life!)



4. In 1995, I had the opportunity to see this show on Broadway however John Stamos was playing the role Matthew Broderick played in H2$. Stamos gave a super performance. Anyway Broderick and the rest of the cast delivered in this recording of this revival. My personal favorite is the upbeat, "Brotherhood of Man"! The music still stands the test of time after all these years!



5. Frank Loesser's HOW TO SUCCEED IN BUSINESS WITHOUT REALLY TRYING (or `H2$' as it came to be known thanks to this revival), is one of the top Broadway musicals, winner of the Pulitzer Prize in 1961 with the original production, and immortalised on screen with its original star Robert Morse. In 1995, H2$ came back to Broadway in a snappy new revival, starring Matthew Broderck in a Tony-nominated turn as J. Pierrepont Finch, the window-washer with dreams of making it in the world of big business. Megan Mullally (pre-'Will and Grace') makes for a thrilling and endearing Rosemary Pilkington, while Victoria Clark (TITANIC) plays Smitty and Luba Mason is Hedy La Rue, the office bombshell. Matthew Broderick is a warm and winning `Ponty', and his performance alone is worth the investment of this cast album.
   
   Megan Mullally can belt it with the best of them, as evidenced in her numbers "Happy to Keep His Dinner Warm" and "Paris Original". Victoria Clark is a lovely Smitty (too bad they dropped "Cinderella Darling" which Clark would have turned into a showstopper). Jeff Blumenkrantz is a campy and suitably-slimy Bud Frump, and Ronn Carroll is fantastic as the pompous J.B. Biggley. Lillias White makes the most out of the role of Miss Jones (commanding center-stage during her "Brotherhood of Man" solo). As an added delight for this revival, every time Ponty opened his `How to Succeed..' book, the voice of Walter Cronkite would be heard as the Narrator! Later on in the run, Matthew Broderick's wife Sarah Jessica Parker would replace Mullally as Rosemary. If you've already purchased the original cast album (w. Robert Morse) I would recommend you also buy this version.

5 comments about Kiss Me, Kate (1999 Broadway Revival Cast).

1. When KISS ME, KATE opened in Philadelphia on December 2, 1948, "the show and its dazzling cast . . . elicited an avalanche of critical praise. Not one song was added, dropped, or shifted in position from that moment until the Broadway opening, nor was the book altered significantly." (from Miles Kruger's notes for the 1990 EMI recording) Therefore, if something is so perfect, why mess with it? Why try to update it? Why attempt to ". . . [invigorate] the material with a contemporary sensibility that permeates everything: the way it looks, the way it plays, the way it sounds." (from Sheryl Flatow's note to the 1999 DRG recording) Would anyone even consider putting a blond wig and a push-up bra on the Mona Lisa?
   
   Not that "the classics" should be never be fiddled with. It happens all the time with Shakespeare and Verdi and Puccini - sometimes with pleasing results. Sometimes not. The 2005 rethinking of SWEENEY TODD works admirably well (although I still prefer the original, more operatic version) and I understand so does the new revival of COMPANY. Both can be understood as reinventions that clarify and enhance character and motive. But this KATE doesn't work, because it's just Mona Lisa in a push-up bra.
   
   The fault doesn't lie so much with the singers as it does with the concept. Perhaps KATE played differently on stage, but recording producer Hugh Fordin is quoted in the liner notes as saying, "I want a cast album to sound as if the performers are doing the show for you in your living room." How preposterous! Has he seen the size of my living room? Musical director Paul Gemignani says, "I pick up the pace, so the music is faster on the recording. I do that because the listener doesn't have visuals, and because it energizes the performers." Really, but at what cost. Brian Stokes Mitchell is forced to sing "Where Is the Life That Late I Led" at such a pace that it loses all nuance. Compare it to Alfred Drake on the original or to Thomas Hampson's on the EMI recording and you'll understand. Marin Mazzie has the most pleasing voice of all the Lili Vanessi/Kate's on record. Her "I Am Ashamed That Women Are So Simple" is lovely, but someone unwisely encouraged her to do some extremely ugly vocalizing during "I Hate Men." I see visions of nodes growing on her vocal chords as she growls through this number. Mazzie could take a lesson from Patricia Morrison on how to sing angrily without abusing the voice. Michael Berresse is a fine Bill/Lucentio, but Amy Spanger is too much of an air-head, dumb blonde (see Adelaide in GUYS AND DOLLS) for me. I prefer the 1948 (also 1959) original Lois Lane (Lisa Kirk), a fully mature and confident woman who definitely knows her way around men.
   
   But most irritating of all, this KISS ME KATE, like many other recent revivals, does NOT SOUND LIKE BROADWAY! Robert Russell Bennett's marvelous orchestrations have been discarded and replaced by Don Sebesky's wimpy Las Vegas-style arrangements. Even though "So in Love" is beautifully sung by both stars, it sounds more lke "Sinatra at the Sands" than Broadway. And what's with the "Steam Heat"/"Cool" intro to "Too Darn Hot." This is Cole Porter, not Leonard Bernstein or Adler & Ross.
   
   All carping aside, there is much to recommend this recording. But for authentic Broadway, you're better off with the original 1948 Broadway cast recording, even with its dated sound. The 1959 Angel "Reassembled Original Cast" benefits from better sound, but the performances aren't as fresh as they were 11 years earlier. John McGlinn's 1990 EMI "complete" recording offers excellent sound, an outstanding orchestra & chorus, every note & every lyric written for the show, a rather stiff-sounding Thomas Hampson, a Lois Lane/Bianca (Kim Criswell) almost as good as Lisa Kirk, and the strangest-sounding Kate you'll ever hear (Dame Josephine Barstow). An essential recording, it is now out of print.
   
   The choice? Simple, you must have one of each.



2. This is a case of fixing something that ain't broke. Cole Porter is a master of musical score, his genius lies in the superbly witty blend of the story line, lyrics, and score. Technically this recording may be superior to the original 1950 Broadway version, but that's all. Modifying the score is an interesting effort but inferior to the original. The singing voices of the actors in this new Broadway cast probably appeal to the less-well trained ear of to-day's young adults, but to someone a bit older than that these, their voices sound ill trained, screechy and oblivious of the original score and lyrics. Cole Porter's elegant wit blows completly by them.
   I give it 3 stars for technology, but suggest you stick with the original for pure enjoyment.



3. I have to say this totally changed my views on Kiss Me Kate. After seeing the movie I thought it was good, but at times to operatic and it made my ears ring too much. After buying the broadway cast CD I pretty much put this musical in the catorgory of musicals I just didn't like that much. I got the new cast album as a gift and was hesitant to listen to it. I put it on in the background and was so suprized! Finally instead of the normal sing ever song the same operatic way these actors were feeling there music! I mean I can see why some would perfer the ballad operatic tones in "I hate Men" and "always true to you" because that's how they were always done, but I loved the attitude that this cast displayed by her snariling angry version of I hate men and the none operatic "Always True to You". There were countless other songs I enjoyed so much more beacause they didn't cause you to go death from having the same operatic ring to them. This version of Kiss Me Kate is the best ever!



4. The 1999 Broadway revival of KISS ME KATE was a big success, running nearly 3 years and spawning a national tour as well as a London production (which was taped for DVD release). The cast album is a real delight. Brian Stokes Mitchell (KISS OF THE SPIDER WOMAN, MAN OF LA MANCHA) is a grand Fred Graham, and Marin Mazzie is a thrilling Lilli Vanessi, the feuding ex-spouses starring in a musical version of Shakespeare's "Taming of the Shrew". Michael Berresse and Amy Spanger add a playful sexiness to their performamces as Bill Calhoun and Lois Lane, with Adriane Lenox as a perfectly-belted Hattie. The orchestrations by Don Sebesky are bright and full of bounce; I especially love the bluesy arrangement of "So in Love". This cast album is highly-recommended if you already own the OBC with Alfred Drake, Patricia Morison and Lisa Kirk.



5. The 1999 Tony award winning revival of KISS ME KATE managed to show there was still life in this 50-year old show. Brian Stokes Mitchell and Marin Mazzie are ideal as a modern day Fred and Lilli. Amy Spangler has the proper saucy style for Lois. There was some (needless, though minor) tinkering with the book and the show's famous Overture was dropped. (That Overture must be jinxed: on both the Columbia and Capitol cast albums it was replaced by the Entr'acte. The 1987 London cast uses a new Overture.) The "updated" arrangements by Don Sebesky are no improvement on the originals, although the use of Elizabethan styled music for the Shrew sections is appropriate. The new recording includes more dialogue than previous releases. The production moved to London after its Broadway run and that edition was taped and has been released on DVD and is well worth checking out.

5 comments about Warm/Swing Softly.

1. Love the music of Johnny Mathis and this is a good selectin of his songs. I will be purchasing more of his music as the budget allows



2. Warm is a Johnny Mathis album I used to listen to when I was in high school and have had a hard time finding it on CD, so I was especially happy to find it available at Amazon. The title song has always been on of my favorite Johnny Mathis songs.



3. So glad I have these on CD now. My old albums are pretty worn out!



4. I owned both of these individual items in original vinyl. They helped me to realize that Johnny Mathis was something more than just a romantic ballad singer. He has an unmatched ability to convey every single heartfelt line of a soul stinging ballads while putting an upbeat flavor to some unexpected swinging standards. Even in his seventies, he still sings and comminicates each song he sings. My lady and I saw him live last year. I am now eagerly searching for the rest of the CD's to match all of the classic Mathis vinyl that I own. New lovers will get a charge out of these tunes that I was wooing young ladies with years ago (before I was spoken for). Mathis is still the guy whose music can set a romantic mood. His up beat stuff is just too good.



5. Without a doubt Warm is the best album that Johnny Mathis ever did. I am surprised that it took so long for the CD release.

5 comments about The Nightmare Before Christmas: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack.

1. I bought this for my girlfriend, who used to have a copy before it got lost, but I ripped a copy to my computer first because I love it too. Excellent quality for having been bought second hand. If I have need to, I will definetely shop with this seller again!



2. Of the many collaborations of Director Tim Burton and composer Danny Elfman, Nightmare Before Christmas has been a favorite of mine. One thing that lends the film so much of its charm is this brilliant soundtrack. The songs are catchy and make you WANT to sing along. At times some of the words seem creepy " children throwing snowballs instead of throwing heads..."but that creepiness has a charm to it that is almost like that of Dr. Seuss. The only thing that makes the soundtrack BETTER than the film, is the narrations read by the great Patrick Stewart. If they were to re-release the films with those... it could only make a GREAT film better.
   Note: buy THIS version and not the 2 disc special anniversery edition with the remixes by different artists.



3. Seriously, there are great artists in this world, yet they aren't recognized like they should be. I'll admit I just finally got into this duos work (my mom would never let me see Nightmare becuase it's pretty dark themed) but, I'm a very musical person, so I could tell this is something that is worth so much more than it's given credit for. But everyone has an opinion, don't worry I haven't counted that out. Not just this soundtrack or even just the music but all aspects of their work. Danny Elfman and Tim Burton are freakin geniuses yet they are not acknowledged anywhere near enough for their work. Corpse Bride was not given near enough publicity or credit where due. It mat not be "as good" as Nightmare" but that what it's compared to and understandably so, but Corpse Bride is fantastic in it's own right! I mean, we'd be comparing Nightmare to Corpse Bride if CB is what came out first.anyways, this dynamic duo of geniuses needs to be given some award, they are so much more talented than some certain authorities in the show biz/music world(whoever they may be) are saying by not ackknoledging them near enough. I just realized I'm pretty repetitive.



4. 
   Setting aside that Danny Elfman (Oingo Boingo, The Simpsons, composer extraordinarie...) is "God," this album is one of his greatest masterpieces ever. His scores and songs truly bring Tim Burton's greatest movie masterpiece (with due respect to Beetlejuice) to life. The music of Nightmare is a full half of the magic of the film, the characters being the other.
   
   Every song is faithfully set to order here and flows seamlessly from one to the next. Unlike other soundtrack albums, this gem stands on its own as an auditory representation of the film, but also a pleasant album to listen to in its own right. I am far from being a fan of musicals, but this album is one of the great exceptions.



5. The Nightmare Before Christmas is a legendary movie in my house, and this soundtrack, of course, follows suit. Danny Elfman is a genius! These songs are so much fun to listen to and sing along with! I highly, highly recommend adding this brilliant soundtrack to your collection!

5 comments about Wearing Someone Else's Clothes.

1. I really like songs for a new world and the last 5 years. was excited to purchase this disc but was kinda disappointed. lacks the edgy variation and creativity of the others. not bad and the cover track is fun--just not up to the success of the other jason robert brown work.



2. What a great writer! The lyrics are clever and often humorous. I especially love "Music of Heaven" and "Grow Old With Me".



3. Mr. Brown is the future of the American Musical. Each of his songs are like novelettes filled with rich specific detail. The range of his talent are exhibited here--from gospel to the 'big band' sound of Sinatra, with every stop along the way covered.



4. Definitely is good stuff. Great voice. Diverse and wonderful. Check out Someone to Fall Back On.



5. I liked Jason Robert Brown before (I knew his musicals and one or two of his many names), but I love him now. Here is someone working in the world of musical theatre who is doing it right. To new listeners - be warned that it takes a few times listening through a song to begin to appreciate it - I've found that I, at least, get easily bored with songs I like right away, so consider this a good thing. To old hats, if you loved one of his shows, you'll love this. No question. So, Wearing Someone Else's Clothes. There is some absolutely incredible stuff on this CD. Take for instance the title song, a funked-out tale of a common problem - what do you do when society doesn't like you as you are? Wear someone else's clothes, of course! This falsely cheerful song doesn't preach against this occurrence, as I think a lesser writer would have done, but gets his character in deep - "anyone can be a bland infatuated sellout," he says, but amends "I think you are gonna be impressed" (at how far he takes it). It feels good fitting in ("it's been highly recommended that I smile"), but if it's not who you are it does feel like someone else's life. Very clever.
   
   Then there's the beautiful "Someone to Fall Back On" which I guess in one of his oldest songs on the album. Much like the last number I described (and many others on this CD), it tells of an insecure man who is unsure of what he has to offer the world - this time the woman he loves. As he lays out his faults and insists that having someone to come home to is a greater joy than a fast and furious flame, his assertions grow stronger until he becomes all the things he insisted he wasn't. Also - this song contains some of the best lyrical moments on the CD ("I've been alone, I'd rather be...the half of us, the least of you, the best of me").
   
   "Over" is a beautiful ballad of an ugly subject, the narrative of a soldier recently killed in war, flying over the world as he leaves it. It pokes at patriotism but treats the human elements of war with much sympathy. "Nothing in Common" took me a few more listenings (I was distracted the first several times, so I missed important lyrics) - it's yet another beautiful song, this time about JRB and his relationship with his brother, beginning with the boy he knew several years back that lived in his house and looked like his mother and going through the different people that this constant in his life became as they grew up. "I Could Be in Love with Someone Like You," as I said, is the superior version of The Last Five Years' song (there was a lawsuit of sorts, so really he couldn't use it). This song is riddled with wonderful jokes, lines that jump out and surprise you, and a couple wonderfully driving moments that are very exciting and musically powerful.
   
   Lastly, another fantastic song is the final, very jazzy "Grow Old With Me," in which he's finally offering himself as all he is and all that he'll become. Written very much in the style of cheesy-broadway love-me-forever songs, it includes lines like, "grow old with me, baby lets fossilize," and "don't leave me cold, don't leave me rusted and crusted with mold." It's adorable and it's funny in the same way as the Beatle's "When I'm Sixty-Four."
   
   So, if you have any interest in musical-type numbers and aren't afraid of songs that tell a meaningful story that you have to work a little bit to uncover, then you will love this album. This isn't music to have quietly playing in the background - it's stick-it-in-your-ears-and-let-the-rest-of-the-world-slide-away stuff. You won't be sorry.

5 comments about Barnum (1980 Original Broadway Cast).

1. Yes the score for this musical is beautiful. So much going on in each one, perfect for that circus atmosphere. Each instrument has character which is so lost in modern musicals. Now my thing with the lyrics is not that they're bad. They get rather dulled at points, and I just tuned them out. When Jim Dale was singing I listened just to hear him, but otherwise, take them or leave them. It Seems to be show you need to see not hear. Favorite song: "There Is a Sucker Born Ev'ry Minute"



2. I LOVE this Broadway musical! I find myself humming the tunes all day. There is only one cut I am not crazy about, and all the rest are lively, fun, interesting, musically appealing and joyful. The music is terrific and the words are throught provoking and entertaining. I am so very glad I bought this.



3. I saw this production with Jim Dale and Glenn Close when I was 14 years old at the St James Theater in NY, with my drama club. It was my first BIG show ever, and to this day rates in the top 5 productions I have seen.
   
   Enjoyed so much that even as a young teen I bought (and still own) the album, even though I have nothing to play it on. Still, 26 years later here I am, very surprised and pleased to find this CD version available, needless to say I'm buying it.
   
   It was interesting to read some of the comments here. The only song I didn't care for was the operetta "Swedish Nightingale" song. If the creator was trying to get us to hate the "other woman", just by using that song he succeeded.
   
   Yes PLEASE ignore the London version. It simply does not compare. I can still see clearly in my mind, Jim Dale on the tightrope, Glenn Close with her bricks, and the whitefaced clown who entertained the audience prior to the opening act. You had to be there, but even if you weren't, there are enough upbeat and happy songs here to get you tapping your toes, and even a few that might make you a bit introspective.
   
   And hey, learning the "Museum Song" by heart is a great way to spend time in a traffic jam.



4. This 1980 Cy Coleman musical, starring the terrific Jim Dale and Glen Close, has its moments, but doesn't compare with his best efforts: "Sweet Charity", "City Of Angels", "The Life" or "The Will Rogers Follies".
   
   Best Tracks:
   
   There's A Sucker Born Ev'ry Minute
   One Brick At A Time
   Come Follow The Band (great Act II opener!)



5. I love everything about these songs. I wasn't much of a circus showtune person until I watched my classmates reenact it in our new auditorium. I love everything about Phineus Taylor Barnum's history. I play in the pit for the high school show, and it's the most fun music to play. I love it. I definitely recommend this to anybody.

5 comments about Sweet Charity: A New Musical Comedy (1966 Original Broadway Cast).

1. Fellini's NOTTE DI CABIRIA adapted into a Broadway show? Almost impossible! Yet, here it is, wonderfully conceived. The music, the lyrics and the interpreters are terrific. Through the music, you really sense it's Fosse material. This digitally remastered edition is technically perfect. If you have the movie soundtrack, get this theatre version as well because it contains songs that did not appear in the film. Destined to become a landmark in the history of the Broadway show.



2. THERE IS AN OLD SAYING "THEY DON'T MAKE THEM LIKE THAT ANYMORE" AND SWEET CHARITY AS DIRECTED BY BOB FOSSE AND DANCED,SUNG AND ACTED WITH GRACE AND VULNERABILTY BY THE GREAT GWEN VERDON AND WONDERFUL ROUSING SONGS BY CY COLEMAN AND DOROTHY FIELDS AND ESPECIALLY THE ENERGETIC, SENSUAL AND WITTY CHOREOGRAPHY OF BOB FOSSE. THIS CD HELPS RECAPTURE THAT MOMENT IN TIME BUT ONLY AURALLY AS THE ELECTRIC DANCING OF VERDON TO 'IF MY FRIENDS COULD SEE ME NOW' 'THERE'S GOTTA BE SOMETHING BETTER THAN THIS' AND 'I'M A BRASS BAND' CANNOT BE REPLICATED ON CD. ANOTHER DANCE HIGHLIGHT WAS 'THE RICH MAN'S FRUG' WHICH EVEN ON THE RECENT REISSUE OF THE OBC STILL HASN'T BEEN FULLY RECORDED. FOR THOSE INTERESTED IN HEARING HOW WONDERFUL A BROADWAY RECORDING CAN BE WOULD BE WELL ADVISED TO RUSH TO THEIR NEAREST RECORD STORE AND RECAPTURE FOR AT LEAST 50 MINUTES A SHOW SCORE FROM THE DAYS WHEN MUSICALS WERE TRULY MUSICAL AND A MUSICAL COMEDY WAS TRULY A MUSICAL COMEDY.



3. "Sweet Charity", starring Gwen Verdon as the hopelessly optimistic Charity, is a classic mid-sixties musical, with a terrific score by Cy Coleman & Dorothy Fields.
   
   Best Tracks include:
   
   Big Spender [classic!]
   If My Friends Could See Me Now [classic!]
   There's Gotta Be Something Better Than This
   Baby, Dream Your Dream
   Sweet Charity
   Where Am I Going?
   I'm A Brass Band
   
   Actually, most of the above are probably Broadway standards!



4. This is a Braodway musical that has it all, and the great songs from this classic are all beautifully preserved on this CD.
   
   The best thing, though, is the performance of Gwen Verdon in the title role. Just through her vocals, you will be able to imagine her in her prime..hoofing, mugging and charming you as she did with so many lucky audiences over her long, illustrious career.
   
   A great tribute to all the creative forces involved in the creation of this durable, toe-tapping, musical production!



5. One of my all-time favorites.
   
   Only a few tracks seem to drag it down - "Too Many Tomorrows" with James Luisi, and "You Should See Yourself".

5 comments about A Cabaret Christmas.

1. The fifteen songs on this CD, recorded in 1993 and re-released in 1999, show off the talents of a wide variety of singers, from the relative youngster, Mary Cleere Haran (then about 40), to the mature talents of Julie Wilson, Barbara Carroll, Margaret Whiting, Dorothy Loudon, and Barbara Cook. All are cabaret singers, accustomed to singing with minimal accompaniment in the intimate confines of clubs. Here they give Christmas songs an unusually intimate sound.
   
   Of the several outstanding tracks, Ann Hampton Callaway and Billy Stritch are in peak form with "Winter Wonderland," a jazzy treatment filled with interesting harmonies, key changes, and variations, including scat, which they do in spectacular harmony. Callaway's range is enormous, and the arrangement by Stritch shows it off. Another duet, the surprising combination of smoky-voiced Karen Akers with the intense Andrea Marcovicci in "Silent Night," begins a capella, with fine harmonies, the two echoing each other in the lead-up to Mike Renzi's piano accompaniment. The strength of Akers and the intensity of Marcovicci make this one of the best songs on the CD.
   
   In Karen Akers's own solo, "I Don't Remember Christmas," a dark, ironic, and fast-paced song, she comments on her ability to "forget" a lover, whose echoes are "gone without a trace," though she remembers the smallest moments throughout the year in which she has "forgotten" him. Akers's Piaf-like passion makes this another high point, though it is more about lost love than about Christmas. Mary Cleere Haran, in "What Are You Doing New Year's Eve," is in complete control, making easy key changes and giving new interpretations to the intimate lyrics.
   
   Of the "mature" singers here, Julie Wilson (aged 69) sings "Season's Greetings" with dark irony and a whispery interpretation. Barbara Carroll (aged 68) still swings and plays a mean piano, Barbara Cook (aged 66) still has fantastic range, Margaret Whiting (aged 69) has almost the same great range, and Dorothy Loudon (age 60) still interprets with great passion. Their amazing professional skill (and longevity) more than compensates for any tremulo in their voices.
   
   The out-of-the-ordinary selection of songs, the widely varied talents and obvious enthusiasm of the singers, and the outstanding arrangements, many of them by pianist Mike Renzi, make this a Christmas album which will delight lovers of cabaret music. n Mary Whipple



2. What a find! Basically new to cabaret,(but do like jazz vocal) I'm loving this CD. Unlike most Christmas CDs, this sounds good even when Christmas is over. The variety and quality of talent is wonderful...of course the material is great too. My personal fav's are KT Sullivan, Barbara Carroll, Gerry Mulligan, Ann Hampton Callaway & Billy Stritch, and Jay Leonhart; well, it's hard to stop naming names, they're all so good and so much fun. This type of music offers simplicity, irony(at times), and heaps of personality...of course delicious musicality too. The accompaniment is clever and gorgeous. I'm looking for more cabaret!



3. This is a diamond gem of a holiday recording when most offer, at best, mere rhinestones. Warm and nostalgic without being sappy, with just enough pepper to season it all. The track listing on Amazon.com is very inadequate as is the list of performers. Miss Cook was never lovelier than on White Christmas. Karen Akers, Mary Cleere Haran, Ann Hampton Calloway, Julie Wilson, Margaret Whiting, Andrea Marcovicci and on and on. A veritable encyclopedia of cabaret "standards" doing many standards of the season,with a few specials thrown in. A vocals or cabaret lover could not go wrong with this one. I bought it the instant it came out in 1993 and have played it FIRST each season since, and play it throughout the season. Now I ask you, is this a RAVE review? You bet it is.



4. What else can be said about this collection other than is the best colection of holiday songs done in the almost lost art of Cabaret....from KT Sullivan, Ann Hampton Callaway, Barbara Cook, Julie Wilson, Billy Stritch and Barbara Carroll....comes the most beautiful sounds as never before...presented in a simple way...song, singer and piano...this cd is best heard at the last hour on the Eve, while in front of a fire place and with a glass of merlot....a great collection of songs and singers for the Holiday... A MUST HAVE....FOR ALWAYS....Happy Holidays!!!



5. "A Cabaret Christmas" is an essiental holiday album. Ann Hampton Callaway offers a "sleigh" stopping performance of "Winter Wonderland" and "A Christmas Love Song". Andrea Marcovicci's performance of "After the Holiday's" will truly remind you of what the holiday's are all about. If you are looking for that speical holiday album for the year, order "A Cabaret Christmas" today and have a Merry Christmas!!