5 comments about Grease - The New Broadway Cast Recording (2007 Broadway Revival Cast).

1. Contrary to some other reviews here, Grease DOES indeed have real depth to it, when it's done the way it was intended. This awful, mindless revival is an insult to the very adventurous, very raw and rowdy original production of Grease, a show that paints an incredibly accurate and insightful picture of a pivotal moment in American history when rock and roll was giving birth to the Sexual Revolution. You'd never know it from this revival, but Grease is not a silly, brainless 50s parody -- it's a smart, insightful, somewhat alternative piece of theatre (inspired in many ways by HAIR), and this terrible, shallow revival misses everyting that's special about Grease, robbing it of its muscle, its attitude, its rawness, and its thrilling, subversive, over-sexed energy. If you want to hear what Grease SHOULD sound like, if you want to hear the REAL, raw sound of early rock and roll, get the original 1972 recording. That's Grease the way it was meant to be.



2. Oh boy, where do I begin. No question about it - each member of the cast can truly sing. They however do not even begin to compare to John Travolta and Olivia Newton John. I really could get past them not looking like JT and ONJ but that fact in conjunction with the difference in their voices is too much to take.
   
   This CD was really not "The one that I want..."



3. I purchased this CD because my performance is using the 2007 version. I was really disappointed with many of the performances. The strongest song is definitely Grease, as it is a super rockin' rendition of the classic intro from the 1978 movie. Many characters voices are showcased, too.
   
   Summer Nights is decent, but not as good as the original cast or the movie. Sandy does have a beautiful voice.
   
   Those Magic Changes is still fun, but the singer just doesn't have the "oomph" this time. I did like the back-up singers.
   
   Freddy My Love features Marty's amazing voices. She nails the teen absurdity of the song with a charming juvenile naivety: My ma's gonna kill me when she finds the pedal pushers with the black leathers patches. Oh, how I wish I had a jacket that matches. (Marty's also pleased with the ring " cost you fifty" b/c it means he's "thrifty" which is "nifty".)
   
   Rydell Fight Song is what it is- a silly cheer sung by the overly excited Patty Simcox. It showcases her obnoxious enthusiasm for all things high school. It's very short, though.
   
   Greased Lightning is very energetic. This time, they cleaned up the language, so anyone can enjoy it.
   
   Mooning just doesn't have it. The guy is pretty solid, but Jan sounds goofy. Goofy can work, as Jan is the loud compulsive eater, but the spark is missing.
   
   Look at Me I'm Sandra Dee is so dull. Rizzo attempts to sex it up with "oh, you bad boy". More like, oh what a bad performance. I miss the Pink LAdies doing back-up. If anything, Sandy could make fun of Rizzo for delivering such a poor performance.
   
   We Go Together is a big disappointment. I believed the kids were happy to be together, but when they all solo different noises, it loses its happiness. They sound like they are soloing at gunpoint.
   *************************************************************************
   
   Shaking at the High School Hop is a treasure for me, because I wasn't familiar with this song. It's a generic 50s song that's fun to dance to. The vocals are average for Boradway.
   
   It's Raining on Prom Night is sung by Jan and Sandy. Jan has a great voice in this song. I was shocked that it's the same Jan who sang Mooning. IROPM still conveys the story of romantic disappointment, 50s style. (It's wilting the quilting on my tafetta dress. It's running all over my Maidenform.) Poor narrator is struck with the Asiatic flu! However, the monologue by Sandy just didn't show enough sorro and desperation for my liking.
   
   Born to Hand Jive stays true to the original with the amount of energy put forth. BUT, Johnny Casino just doesn't sing all that well. Even something as simple as "How low can you go?" just doesn't sound like a naughty challenge anymore. The instrumentation is still jazzy!
   
   Beauty School Dropout has always been my least fav Grease song. Teen Angel does a great version. The back-up vocals are adorable. I also like that we hear Frenchy's mini-monologue in the beginning. By the end, I was wow'ed by Teen Angel's high notes. If you like BSD, you'll enjoy this version.
   
   Rock N Roll Party Queen is still so much fun. This is my fave song on this CD. It does not deny the original at all. You will be pleased.
   
   There Are Worse Things I Can Do shows Rizzo's emotions and vocal strengths. As with Jan's second number, I was surprised that this was the same Rizzo. A big change- she sounds just like Stockard Channing, which is a good thing for Jenny Powers.
   
   I'm Sandra Dee reprise is good. Sandy sounds like a wounded angel. I never paid much attention to this song before, but now I am. Sandy shows Rizzo how hurt she is by Rizzo's insults. Sadly, instead of asking Rizzo to accept her as she is, she decides to have Frenchy make her into someone else.
   
   You're The One That I Want is high energy fun with watery vocals here and there. The back up singers save the song with their strong voices.
   
   Finale of We Go Together is a bit better than the first time. Still, it doesn't pack the same punch at the original or 1978.
   
   If you are a Grease lover, you'll want this new cast recording in your collection. If you are new to the broadway version, get the original recording. And, definitely pick up the polished movie soundtrack.



4. Love the energy on this CD.It is different from the original. But, I still play it all the time! I do recommend this title and think you will
   love it, like I do!!!



5. I love,love,love this CD. I am a big Grease fan. I followed the show. I went to see Max & Laura on Broadway. The show was awesome. The cast was great. When I listen to the CD I feel like I'm back watching the play. All the songs are good.

1 comments about Seussical the Musical [karaoke].

1. Great product - awesome for kids. The tracks make singing fun but the music book allows students to learn correct notes, time values etc.

5 comments about Carnival (1961 Original Broadway Cast).

1. Perhaps "Carnival!" suffers from excess baggage -- starting with Bob Merrill, the guy who banged out his tunes on a toy xylophone and wrote "How Much is That Doggie in the Window?"; or its movie inspiration "Lili", notorious for its theme song and its treacle; maybe even Anna Maria Alberghetti, famous for her temper. Perhaps it suffers from following "Jumbo", the majestic circus musical; perhaps with the circus itself having been dumbed down into mere arena spectacle it wouldn't work. Perhaps it was done in when Arthur Freed abandoned a film version. I doubt all this, for here is a truly charming score, and though hampered here by some needless production edits and very prominent tape hiss its charm still comes through. It should not be too hard to revive it; but Branson East nowadays is nothing without bloated spectacle. When Jones and Schmidt rebelled at "Camelot" for its bigness they could not have foreseen contraptions like the upcoming "Shrek The Musical" and "Spider-Man". No, there is a place for such low-key, effortless drolleries as "Carnival!" Why not again?
   
   P. S. I thank D. Fletcher for the most interesting display of LP cover art; evidently MGM Records couldn't make up its mind. I must note that "Carnival!" did have an exclamation point in its title -- the Internet Broadway Database says so -- and I'm certain it appeared on a record cover. Maybe D. Fletcher could find that one and download it.



2. I am listening to this Musical at the present time, and the more I listen the more I like it....I had orchestral arrangements of Carnival in my collection, but only recently purchased the CD of the Show...as everyone indicates, the music is something to behold, and the voices of all of the leads are in rare form...Kaye Ballard, Jerry Orbach, James Mitchell (from the movie Band Wagon and is still with us at the age of almost 88 years) and the wonderful Anna Maria Alberghetti...Bob Merril's excerpts also add to the enjoyment of the CD and he even comments on the proceedings from time to time on the extras...as to how one song leads into another..I wish there would be a revival of this, even by our local Muny Opera..I don't think it has been done in years..."Her Face", "Love Makes the World Go Round" "Mira" "Beautiful Candy" etc... not a loser in the bunch..please go out and get this won as it is a winner all the way!



3. I recently had the pleasure of seeing the revival at the Kennedy Center and was blown away by this show. Totally delightful, beautiful score, warm, witty and engaging book, marvelous performances, all made it a memorable evening.
   I had forgotten what a masterpiece of theater music this is. Her Face is one of the most gorgeous ballads written for American musicals. The carnival numbers are all catchy and rousing and the novelty pieces for the puppets are terrific. What a thrill the original production had to have been!



4. Carnival is a gem of American musical theater. It's too bad that it's been largely ignored in favor of warhorses like Carousel, My Fair Lady and Mame.
   
   The music is lovely and the lyrics are witty, and often poignant. The performers - Anna Maria Albergetti, Jerry Orbach and Kaye Ballard are in top form. Kaye Ballard's rendition of the tune "Humming" is a riot - musical comedy at its best.
   
   If you enjoy Broadway musical comedy, you must have this CD in your library.



5. The VHS tape arrived quickly and in good shape. I sent it to friends and I believe they appreciated it very much. Thank you.

5 comments about Pal Joey: 1995 Original New York Cast Recording.

1. The original Broadway production of "Pal Joey" was in 1940. For the 2008-2009 season Roundabout Theater at Studio 54 is reviving the show with a new book by Richard Greenberg (of "Take me Out" fame). In the original the book was the weakest link; most critics found it wanting. Listening to the CD, it is impossible to grasp the story. It's every song for itself as you listen.
   I had heard the show had a wonderful score with a number of standards. I found only "I Could Write a Book" and "Bewitched, Bothered, and Bewildered" as enduring standards. "Zip" a song about Gypsy Rose Lee made famous in the original by Elaine Stritch still holds up.
   Much of the score sounds dated, and some of the lyrics are inane. There's an old-fashioned quality to some of the songs. I don't mean they engender nostalgia; rather that some of the material is creaky and not worth reviving. Examples are "The Flower Garden of My Heart" and "You Mustn't Kick It Around."
   On this CD of the Encores production of 1995 they added the song "I'm Talking to My Pal" which adds a nice coda to the score. It was cut from the 1940 version. This Rodgers and Hart score is, I think, rather a disappointment for listeners who have had the advantage of sixty-eight years of great American musicals.
   Nine Lives Too Many
   The Daemon in Our Dreams
   The Rice Queen Spy
   Clawed Back from the Dead



2. This is one of a couple broadway productions where i've never seen it, but still like it. I remember(Aaron says) when "Plant You Now, Dig You Later" got me confused because of the odd choice of song names(where do they pick song names, anyways).



3. Having already purchased the original cast and film score its interesting to compare the different songs that make up each and the different styles of vocal production. But if you are only going to have one recording this is probably the best as its combines songs & versions from all of the show's performance history. The singing style is much more what an audience in 2006 would expect as well. Traditionalists and purists might not be happy though.



4. "Pal Joey" is my favorite Rodgers and Hart musical. This Encores! recording is excellent. Peter Gallagher is a wonderful Joey Evens and the supporting cast, including Bebe Newirth is great.
   I have not mentioned Patti Lupone yet, however I will now. We all know that you either love or hate Ms. Lupone rarely do people "like" her. I think she has incredible range in her voice, comic timing and acting ability. Then there is her diction. "Evita" was fine, although there were several moments where you couldn't understand her. Tim Rice's simple lyrics were perfect for her. Once she starts singing Cole Porter and Lorenz Hart lyrics, she's gone too far. "Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered" literally sounds like "Bewitched, baba-ba-ba-wildered am I." Although her voice is wonderful, she must work on her diction.
   Otherwise, this recording is wonderful. There are several moments on the 1950 recording I like better ("Take Him") but this is more complete and wonderfully sung.



5. I hadn't heard the other recordings of Joey, or even the complete score, but this is great stuff. I wish someone would revive this on Broadway again. Such a great score. A top notch cast of singers, headed by the wonderful Patti Lupone as Vera and Bebe Neuwirth doing Zip! How can you lose? Essential for any Broadway musical lover. I just wish they'd record all the other Rodgers and Hart shows. Many are still waiting to be recorded.

5 comments about The Will Rogers Follies.

1. On my birthday in 1992, I enjoyed this show at the Palace Theatre in New York with Keith Carradine. I fell in love with the music, the rope tricks and the set. A month later I purchased the cassette. Fast forward to 2007. I now have the CD and enjoying reliving every minute of watching this show! It certainly brought back memories of one of the finest musicals in the 1990s. It's a C.D. that I know you are going to like. Who knows...it might be revived in the future! Stay tuned!!



2. A grand return to the golden heydey of Broadway musical comedies, THE WILL ROGERS FOLLIES features a suitably-nostalgic score from Cy Coleman, with attractive and comedic lyrics from Betty Comden and Adolph Green (one of their last major efforts for the stage).
   
   The show revives the one and only Will Rogers (played by Keith Carradine) a talented, homespun entertainer from the midwest who found great success on Broadway, hosting and headlining the annual "Ziegfeld Follies" revues (and later became a mainstay character-actor in movies). Playing his wife Betty Blake, is the charming Dee Hoty; with game, scene-stealing support from Cady Huffman, as Ziegfeld's Favourite. Appearing as the voice of legendary Ziegfeld himself is Gregory Peck.
   
   The score is littered profusely with charming material, but highlights include Betty's introductory ballad "My Unknown Someone", Will's "Give a Man Enough Rope", Betty's "My Big Mistake", and Will's "Look Around". Cady Huffman dazzles with the more earnest numbers like "Willamania" and "Wild West Show". THE WILL ROGERS FOLLIES was embraced by critics and audiences, and enjoyed a very solid Broadway run as well as an extensive tour.
   
   A delightful musical.
   
   [COLUMBIA CK 48606]



3. I HAPPENED TO BUY "THE WILL ROGERS FOLLIES" BY CHANCE, AND NOW IT IS ONE OF MY ALL-TIME FAVORITE BROADWAY CAST RECORDINGS
   (AND I HAVE A LOT OF THEM, AS ANY MUSICAL-FAN WOULD HAVE)!
   THE PERFORMANCES ARE GREAT, WITH GREAT ORCHESTRATIONS
   AND SOUND. FOR ME THIS IS A CLASSIC! HIGHLY RECOMMENDABLE!



4. Will Rogers was simply a great American. He had his finger on the pulse and understood the zietgeist long before that word had come into popular usage.
   
   Admittedly, doing stage biographies is tough (witness the Peter Allen show from a few seasons back and imagine it without the tour-de-force called Hugh Jackman) and this proved no exception. But, one cannot take these shows literally...that's the magic of the theatre...and if you just hunker down in your seat and take the spirit and the essence of what they're trying to get across, then you'll be both entertained and touched by the show and the man who Will Rogers was.
   
   Several of the on-line reviewers are critical of the material...yet if you give this CD a listen to more than once, it completely grows on you. Coleman, Comden & Green have captured well the times that Will Rogers lived in and brought it into a Revue format that completely works as a vehicle to present the story.
   
   The comic numbers are great, the bluesy numbers given to Dee Hoty (as Betty Blake Rogers) are classic Broadway showstoppers and Keith Carradine gives a tremendous performance as Will Rogers -- conveying the simple truths and down home honesty and observations that were Rogers' trademark.
   
   I've seen many, many shows over the years and have a huge collection of Broadway cast albums. I love the art form. And, perhaps I'm charmed by the oft mentioned "Ah shucks" personality that Mr. Rogers embodied in an age so much less cynical than today, but this show got into my craw and has stayed there since I first saw it. It's a winner. Will Rogers shines again here and when compared to what we have now that are presented as role models and heroes, we could use another one of him any day.



5. This CD was very enjoyable. The songs were fun. I recomend it to anyone who enjoys broadway musicals.

2 comments about Broadway Christmas.

1. I totally bought this CD for the first track, but found out I love the entire CD. If you like Christmas and broadway music, I HIGHLY SUGGEST you buy it!



2. This has become my favorite Christmas CD. So many shows have Christmas songs and this CD brings some of them together. From the silly "Turkey Lurkey Time" to the poignant "I thank you for your love." This is such a nice change from the overdone traditional songs. I just wish they'd do a second CD with all the shows they didn't include.

5 comments about Kiss Me, Kate (1948 Original Broadway Cast).

1. "Kiss Me, Kate" is a masterfully written show. The interplay between the stage and backstage is superb. The variety of music, from the near-classical "Were Thine That Special Face," to the comic "Brush Up Your Shakespeare," with the more traditional Broadway sound of "Wunderbar," holds the listener's interest throughout.
   But, about this recording--
   Who else but Alfred Drake could carry the role of Fred Graham? Patricia Morrison, properly shrewish as Lilli. The flirty voice of Lisa Kirk. Even Harold Lang, who is not the greatest singer ever to hit Broadway.
   Wonderfully written, wonderfully performed, wonderfully recorded and remastered!



2. I wish I was about 20 when Kiss Me Kate opened so I could have witnessed this body shaking, gut bursting work of Cole Porter. This is the first time I've heard it. I can still feel the voices and music pumping through my blood stream with pleasure. You have to get it to get it so get it. You'll be more than greatful you did. Pardon me, I'm going to listen to it again!



3. Now is the perfect time to buy the CD of this.
   
   Sony's transfer engineers used state-of-the-art restoration software to remove the roughness and surface noise from the originals, but (thankfully) they resisted the urge to tart-up the sound with artificial reverb, faux stereo, and thundering bass. This is by far the best-sounding CD of this ever released, and it may be the last.
   
   The age of music ownership in America could be drawing to a close. Five years from now, this music may only be available by download, you might only be "borrowing" it, and it probably won't come with the the authentic cover art or the 26-page booklet.
   
   (See also the original broadway CD of Out of This World.)



4. Recorded in January 1949, this album of KISS ME KATE has remained in print adn a steady best-seller for over 50 years now.

   The sound on this newly remastered CD is crisp and clear and easily surpasses all previous issues. Sony even uses the original artwork from the very first LP release.

   The performances remain as fresh as ever. Alfred Drake was Broadway's top leading man and sounds just glorious. Pat Morrison had less of a career but sounds just perfect as Lilli. Lisa Kirk is wonderful as Lois, and Harold Lang makes the most of his few moments on the record as her boyfriend, Bill. In an unusual move these peopel reunited 10 years later to re-record the score for Capitol in true stereo. They still sound great on that recording (on CD as part of the Broadway Angel series) but the performances are fresher on this recording made just 2 weeks after KIS ME KATE had opened on Broadway to rave reviews.

   The CD booklet has good info about the show, though curiously, no synopsis. There are, however, a half dozen pictures of the original production. This edition featureds longer takes of "We Open in Venice", "I Hate Men" and "Too Darn Hot" though the total extra music adds but a minute to the album's running time. A bonus track of the Overture dates from a 1958 stereo recording by Lehman Engle.

   KISS ME KATE was the first Tony Award winner for Best Musical (1949). The 1999 revival won a Tony for Best Revival.




5. KISS ME KATE is still regarded as Cole Porter's greatest musical; a charming backstage story detailing feuding ex-spouses Lilli Vanessi and Fred Graham as they star in a musical version of Shakespeare's "The Taming of the Shrew".

   Very rarely has the score been bettered than the original 1949 cast album, reissued here on the Columbia Broadway Masterworks label. Patricia Morison plays Lilli, with Alfred Drake (OKLAHOMA!, KISMET, GIGI) as Fred, the feuding, ego-ridden leads. Lisa Kirk (ALLEGRO, MACK AND MABEL) is the sexy young starlet Lois, with Harold Lang (PAL JOEY) as her caddish boyfriend Bill.

   KISS ME KATE opened at the New Century Theatre on Broadway in 1949, making history in its run of over 1000 performances. Patricia Morison is perfectly-suited to the role of Lilli. She offers a glowing rendition of "So in Love", whilst her duet with Alfred Drake in the tongue-in-cheek "Wunderbar" is sublime. Lisa Kirk gets three of the big showstoppers ("Why Can't You Behave?", "Tom Dick or Harry" and "Always True to You in My Fashion"), and nails each and every one. Harold Lang was a better dancer than he ever was as a singer, but is quite good on this disc.

   A must-own.

5 comments about Favorite Love Songs.

1. This recording is such a mish-mash from other recordings, that it is difficult to review it as a whole.
   Michael Crawford has a pleasantly unusual voice and a distinctive, sensitive style of interpretation. His style is especially well represented on this album by "Papa, Can You Hear Me," "When I Fall in Love," and parts of the "West Side Story Medley." "The Music of the Night" and "All I Ask of You" are little short of spectacular, as well they should be after his singing them how many (?) times on Broadway.
   On the other hand, there are times--"The Power of Love" and "You'll Never Walk Alone"--when the orchestra completely overpowers the singer, and the numbers should be identified as "orchestra accompanied by Michael Crawford." This is acceptable for "The Phantom of the Opera," if you are familiar with the musical and understand the context. But it does not work for the other numbers.
   Also, and this is probably because the recording is drawn from multiple sources rather than from one recording session, consistent volume is a problem. I found myself adjusting the volume time and again.



2. Michael Crawford is known for "Phantom" and little else, except maybe the 1969 movie version of "Hello Dolly". If you want to hear him at his falsetto worst, check out that movie. Even if he is best known as the Phantom, he is by far and away NOT the best Phantom. Crawford has always brought falsetto to a new "high" (pardon the pun). You want to see the best Phantom, check out Craig Schulman, best known for almost 2000 performances as Valjean in "Les Miserables"... or Cris Groenendaal... or the current Phantom, Howard McGillin. All so much better than Crawford.
   
   To hear Crawford sing "Bring Him Home" from "Les Mis".... well, that is simply a travesty. Get your hands on the CD "Craig Schulman on Broadway" and hear how it SHOULD sound, not to mention a rendition of "Music of the Night" which will bring tears to your eyes.



3. As far as I am concerned, Michael Crawford is a great singer. His phrasing, voice range, interpetation of the songs, makes me feel like he is singing right to me. I suppose the only thing better would be to hear him in person. (should I be so fortunate???)



4. OK. Not too shabby. Now, I like Michael Crawford circa 1986. That is Michael Crawford/Phantom. He is and was and will be the only greatest Phantom. Now, keeping that in mind, there is also Brad Little, (whom I have met), but I'll pass that for now.
   Anyways, this CD is alright. I have had this for a very long time, and the songs are all fairly popular. He's a pretty old man, but he has a great set of lungs. Michael Crawford is a classic, and I recommend anyone who enjoys his music to check out Phantom. Of course, I am sure that most everyone who likes Michael Crawford likes him because of Phantom. Right?
   
   OK, but I could never say this man inspires me. Uh, how could you say that? This is not a five star CD by any means, and even if Michael Crawford is a good singer, he's good enough for broadway musicals and the Carnival Cruise Line, but that's about it. No offense, he can sing, but......



5. I had of course heard Michael Crawford sing as the Phantom, and was absolutely enthralled. Nobody else does it like him. Then a friend sent me this other song he made a cover of: "When I Fall in Love". I was instantly in love myself. I decided it would probably be worth it just to buy one of his CDs, but I didn't know which one to try. I found that this one had "When I Fall..." so I decided to give it a try. Some of the songs on this album move me to tears because his voice is just so beautiful. Like many other people have said, it's amazing to just put in some of his work and just listen when things aren't so good. Something in that voice just makes it all alright again. Very highly reccommended.

5 comments about Revelations.

1. I SOARED when I heard this CD. The CD, "Revelations," by Alvin Ailey is one of the most inspiring, beautiful, soulful and moving CDs I've listened to in a long time. I heard one of the numbers on "So You Think You Can Dance," as dancers moved brilliantly over the stage in a choreographed number. I went online to search for it. Thankfully, the TV show listed its songs online and I was able to find it. You cannot sit still if you listen to this CD. Some of the songs are slower-paced and sorrowful -others are upbeat, soaring, roaring, fast and energetic. It will make you want to get up and dance, exercise - MOVE. (It feels like dancing to the speed of light.) It is a pure joy and fills the heart with the most wonderful feelings. The songs remind me of a mixture of African, Gospel, World Music - all of it. I would highly recommend this CD to anyone who loves inspiring and motivating music. DP



2. Ok. so they're spirituals. It's religious music. But I garauntee you'll be moving to the beat before you get "Wash My Soul". When you get to that song, you can't help but be up and moving. Compiled by the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theare for their ballet "Revelations", this combines the best presentations of the music. And if you think the music is great, go see Alvin Ailey.



3. I really enjoy listening to this album. The vocal arrangements are top notch. The addition of African drums and electric bass to "Wade in the Water" and "Didn't My Lord Deliver Daniel" is inspiring. The contemporary gospel sounds of "You May Run On" and "Rocka My Soul" end the album on an energetic, positive note. Where this album really shines is in its honest and brilliant acapella arrangements. The only bad points are 1)that the fun ends to soon, and 2) the excrutiatingly long (but informative) interview with Judith Jamison at the end.



4. This CD is one of the most ecstatic experiences I've ever had with a work of art. Billy Porter in particular is magnificent.



5. I was very pleased and excited about this work. After seeing the dance company perform "Revelations", I found it powerful and cathardic. The music is now apart of my collection and I shall include it in the art of pedadogy. This work is very important to understanding the history of the African American progression in America with Negro Spirituals being parallel. Not enough can be said about this work.

5 comments about Pal Joey (1950 Studio Cast).

1. Brooks Atkinson wrote of "Pal Joey," "Although it is expertly done, can you draw sweet water from a sour well?" He was referring to the anti-hero lead character. Unsympathetic lead characters make for limited positive response to musicals, as others have discovered as well. Witness, "What Makes Sammy Run?" "Do I Hear a Waltz?" and "Sweet Smell of Success."
   "Psl Joey" cannot claim great reception for the original production, although revivals have fared better.
   I do not find this to be one of Rodgers and Hart's better scores. There are only two stand-out songs, "Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered" and "I Could Write a Book." Three of the numbers were parts of a night club routine, and really add nothing to the plot. The rest of the music is quite pedestrian.
   I have no fault with this particular recording. The voices are all quite good. The orchestrations are rich--I do not know if they are the originals or not. Was the finale arranged just for this recording, or is it from the original? I notice that the only tunes included are the two I mentioned above.



2. If you've never heard Vivienne Segal sing "Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered," then you've never really heard it sung before. And Harold Lang has the most infectiously appealing singing voice that is absolutely perfect for Broadway musicals. Considering that Harold Lang was known more for his dancing than singing, what a brilliant dancer he must have been. If you want to be taken back in time to another era of Broadway musicals, this CD will put you there. The only reason I did not give this recording 5 stars is because a couple of the supporting actor-singers did not give what I consider to be stellar renditions of their songs.



3. And by "H" I mean HART! Every music theatre person should be familiar with this show, and this recording is well worth having.



4. Maybe I shouldn't be writing this review just yet, as although I've heard other versions of Pal Joey, I've not heard any except this one in a long time, so I can't compare and contrast versions to recommend one over another very well. I did see the film again not too long ago, and believe that I preferred those versions of these songs, but I'd have to hear it again, and as far as I know, the film soundtrack isn't available on CD, anyway. At any rate, no matter how good other versions are, this one is good, too, so it's worth picking up if you're a fan of this music, or older Broadway music in general.
   
   Track 1, "Overture" 4/5
   This is your standard Broadway overture. There's nothing particularly unusual about it, but it's certainly competent with a couple interesting rearrangements of the songs that will follow.
   
   Track 2, "You Mustn't Kick It Around" 4/5
   Harold Lang, who sings the part of Joey on this "studio cast" recording, has a very pleasant, "clean" tenor voice. This is not one of Rodgers and Hart's best melodies in the show, especially as a couple of them are masterpieces, but it's nice enough, and the arrangement/orchestration of the verses is very unusual and effective with the "start/stop" chords. The instrumental bridge features impressive horn ensemble work.
   
   Track 3, "I Could Write a Book" 5/5
   One of the masterpieces from the show. It's a gorgeous, serpentine melody. This is a song that has deservedly become a jazz standard. The arrangement here is very mellow, heavy on strings and woodwinds, with a bridge sung by Beverly Fite that's almost classical. The second time through the principal melody, also sung by Fite, the arrangement retains some of those traditional classical nuances. Very nice, and very different from the typical jazz standard way of approaching the song.
   
   Track 4, "That Terrific Rainbow" 3/5
   This is a bawdy, burlesque number. The intro is played with a lot of appropriate near-overblowing by the horn section, and there's a nice clarinet solo weaving its way through the changes. Barbara Ashley takes the vocal with a very campy delivery. It fits the song. The main flaw here is that this type of material was already fairly clichéd in the early 50s. Although it's competently done here, I would have preferred some artistic stretching from Rodgers and Hart.
   
   Track 5, "What is a Man?" 4/5
   There are a number of very unusual, subtle-but-hip harmonic changes in this song, which also has a nice melody. The harmonic changes often suggest key or modality changes without actually being key or modality changes. The bridge takes a brief stylistic left turn that works for the show dramatically.
   
   Track 6, "Happy Hunting Horn" 5/5
   Lots of interesting stylistic and rhythmic changes throughout this song. It has a catchy, bouncing groove overall, and also a very catchy melody that quotes from/modifies a couple different folk/traditional melodies, including traditional hunting horn and bugling melodies, appropriately enough.
   
   Track 7, "Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered" 5/5
   The other masterpiece from this show, and my personal favorite. In fact, it's one of my favorite songs of all time, and also a jazz standard that I love playing. The principal melody employs one of my favorite devices--a kind of ostinato with changing harmonies beneath it. Like "I Could Write A Book", this has a lush string arrangement, with some nicely contrasting muted brass parts, that fits well with the show overall. Vivienne Segal approaches the vocal almost operatically.
   
   Track 8, "Pal Joey (What Do I Care for a Dame?)" 5/5
   An intriguing melody in that the verses consist of a single note repeated for four bars before rising chromatically with another repeated note for the next four bars, then suggesting it's going to do it a third time before resolving into a more standard melody. The second verse repeats the theme, but with higher pitches, reflecting the structure more broadly. This is a very catchy song, well arranged. The instrumental bridge is especially impressive, with some very modern sounding orchestration and harmonies--almost Stravinskian at times. The coda features a beautifully and bombastically orchestrated reprise of "Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered".
   
   Track 9, "Zip" 4/5
   Speaking of Stravinsky, there's a reference to him in the lyrics to this song, with a very funny orchestral blast right after his name. This is the primary novelty number of the show. It's fairly traditional as that, but there are a couple wonderful outside pitches--again inserted pretty subtly--in the melody. Nicely orchestrated. The singing, this time by Jo Hurt, is campy again, as it should be.
   
   Track 10, "Plant You Now, Dig You Later" 3/5
   The second low point. It's not a bad song, but it's fairly generic.
   
   Track 11, "(In Our Little) Den of Iniquity" 4/5
   If anything could be called "Broadway Opera", this song would fit that description perfectly. There's nothing particularly unusual happening musically, but it's an attractive song, nicely arranged and performed.
   
   Track 12, "Do It the Hard Way" 4/5
   The beginning of the phrases on the chorus are very unusual rhythmically, especially given the arrangement, and pleasant melodically. A nice song, overall.
   
   Track 13, "Take Him" 3.5/5
   Very traditional, but competent. Maybe a trifle overlong.
   
   Track 14, "Finale" 5/5
   The two best songs, "Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered" and "I Could Write a Book" are reprised again and combined in maybe the best arrangements of them in this version of Pal Joey. A beautiful ending to a very good show.



5. You state: "However, cast recordings were not a regular practice in the 1950's. Columbia Producer Goddard Lieberson rectified this 10 years later...NO! You must have meant in the 1940's. I saw PAL JOEY about a dozen times in 1952. I had two friends in the cast Lionel Stander and Beverly Bozeman (who took over the part of Gladys Bumps). I have the cd of this and many of the songs are not in order or left out. Check the CD again! Did Jane Frohman really sing the part of Vera on disc?
   
   Roger Myers
   rpm104@verizon.net