5 comments about All That Jazz (1979 Film).

1. Since I adore the movie, I can't help but love the soundtrack to All That Jazz. I'm not sure this CD would move every listener as it does me, but I see every scene as I listen and can't help but dance along now and then. Like the movie, this soundtrack is bittersweet and very raw in some places, cheeky and sentimental in others. For a Fosse junkie like me, it's a must have.



2. Loved the DVD and this CD is just as entertaining. George Benson oozes showmanship so much so that it comes across just listening. "On Broadway and Bye bye love" are the stand out's.



3. Funny to be writing a review so many years after it first opened, but I recently caught it on cable and taped it on my DVR. I recall the first time I saw it--I was mesmerized, and I still am. If I were to compile a top 10 list, this would be on it, nearly on the top.
   
   Strange how this film repels many people, those who are squeamish about death; this is, after all, a film about a man dying, albeit gloriously but on his own terms. I married a man like Fosse, one who recognized himself as a "deeply flawed individual," though he wasn't. He was magnificent.
   
   What struck me most in this reviewing was the ending number--Bye Bye love, particular the dance sequence featuring Ben Vereen. His sequence with the vessels is sexy and stylish and brought out unique aspects in his dance profile. He clearly dominates those few minutes, and he must have loved that part of his number.
   
   I remember taking a friend with me to see the movie with me. She was one of those people who just couldn't handle the theme and for that reason couldn't appreciate anything in the movie. The very last shot in the body bag disgusted her. I thought it was perfect.



4. Finally this soundtrack is released, but the mastering of the tracks is so horrible, I had to turn it off. Between the fallen voices and overly pumped flat drum beats, the non existing bass and the muddy quality - you might as well play your old beaten VHS copy through your old mono speaker tv and be happier. Too bad.



5. While I would recommend this item...the music was wonderful the dealer sucked big time. First they sent me the wrond CD. Then at my own cost I had to return it. In the interim I was able to purchase the same item at the same cost locally. I e-mailed the company to cancel the order but they ignored me. I would never, ever order thru this company again....they aren't worth it!!!!

5 comments about It's No Secret Anymore.

1. Everyone has said everything that could be said about the superb Linda Eder. I have only just received and listened to this, my first Linda Eder CD, and I am on an absolute high. Every song is sung from the heart. I just had to add my few words of support for this lady. Do buy this CD, it is wonderful. Yes, there are 14 cuts but you wish it could go on and on. This will not be my last Linda Eder CD. Well done Linda - may you always be remembered in years to come - you are superb.



2. This album is great! I love almost all of the songs on here. I think "Vienna" is my favorite. Linda's voice is so full of feeling. It is remarkable! I definitely recommend it.



3. Linda Eder's vocal brilliance shines in this CD. She sings the classic pop songs like no other female artist alive today. Her song "Even Now" is a full force anthem. The lively salsa number "Havana" will transport you right into Cuba's 50's hey-day. "Vienna" is a rich, gorgeous tribute to Linda's homeland. This gifted vocalist sweeps you into a wonderfully orchestrated trip on every cut on this CD. Don't miss this one for your collection.



4. This is the first Linda Eder CD I have and I can not stop listening to it. Her voice is wonderful, and and range is amazing. I recommend this CD to everyone. She has one of the most beautiful voices in the world. She has become my all time favorite singer. If you want to hear great music by the most amazing singer BUY THIS CD! You won't regret it! She is awesome. I hope one day I'll be able to see her in concert!



5. Linda Eder's voice is powerful and filled with emotion as she tells her tales through music. The cd has 14 cuts, covering a wide variety of styles, from the jazzy feel of "I Guess I Love You", the cabaret smoky rendition of "Romancin' The Blues", to the light pop (and my favorite), Vienna. The arrangements are all lush and don't overpower Ms. Eder's voice. I recommend this cd, especially sitting in front of the fire, sipping your favorite drink, and relaxing as the music washes over you...

5 comments about Peter Pan (1997 Studio Cast).

1. My daughter is playing Wendy in a community youth theater production of Peter Pan. She has been singing along with the CD ever since we received it in the mail. Wonderful sound quality.



2. Ever since I saw Cathy Rigby play Peter Pan in the 1997 production I was like Holy crap she plays this role very well!
   The production on this CD is very well done! Unlike Mary Martin's CD! Mary Martin's CD is the worst Peter Pan CD I've ever heard! Cathy Rigby on the other hand she beats Mary Martin's production by a huge landslide! They also add parts of the play into the CD which makes the CD even more exciting! I saw Cathy Rigby on her final tour of Peter Pan and she was so amazing! Cathy Rigby Rules!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



3. Cathy Rigby is a very good Peter Pan. Her recording surpasses Mary Martin's by a landslide! Her voice is very good on this recording. She also has a DVD out for her production of Peter Pan. Cathy Rigby Rules



4. This 1997 studio cast album of PETER PAN is a fine testament to this magical musical. Cathy Rigby, star of various Broadway runs and national tours of the show, gives thrilling voice to the title character, and is joined by a first-rate supporting cast.

   Paul Schoeffler, also a veteran of the Broadway/national tour, is a great Captain Hook, especially during "Hook's Waltz" and "Hook's Tango". Traditionally, he also portrays the bombastic Mr Darling.

   Elisa Sagardia is, like Rigby and Schoeffler, reprising her role of Wendy from the Broadway/national tour. She gives a lovely weight to "Tender Shepherd" and "Distant Melody". She also has a great voice.

   Rounding out the cast are Susan Lamontagne as Tiger Lily, Lee Honey-Jones as John, Myles Anderson as Michael, Helen Hobson as Mrs Darling, Anne McVey as Liza, Susan Dale as Jane, Julian Forsythe as Smee and Jenny Agutter as the Narrator. [CDJAY 1280]




5. Forty some ye3ars ago I saw Peter Pan on its premier performance on television. I bought the record with Mary Martin and I have loved it. I have to say that the Cathy Rigby recording is even better. Cathy beings a youthful presence in her songs. The recording itself is technologically better. The recording includes bits from the play not on the original. And the whole recoding seems to have a life the original does not have. "I'm Flying" is exhilerating. "Once Upon a Time Long Ago" has a more haunting ache. The timing of the songs is different, but not worse than the original. Ms. Rigby is not trying to copy Ms. Martin. Which means for Peter Pan lovers there are two distinctive performances to appreciate. I wish I could see Ms. Rigby on stage. I saw Sandy Duncan some years ago and she was good. This is a great recording.

5 comments about Cabaret (Original Broadway Cast).

1. Get a group of baby boomers together and ask each what vinyl album he or she played to near extinction. In my case, I wore out my "Cabaret (Original Broadway Cast)" with the bright yellow album cover.
   
   I cannot tell you how many hot tears fell upon that spinning black disc, how many times I sang the title song at the top of my lungs "alone in my room" along with Jill Haworth as Sally Bowles, a wondrous affirmation of life. Every scratch on that vinyl is like a groove on my heart.
   
   I was thrilled to find this 1998 rerecording on audio CD, released the same year as the Broadway revival. Like memory itself, some of the tracks are different from the 1966 vinyl release. Much to my delight, it also included four previously unreleased Kander & Ebb demo cuts with brief intros. Although one cannot dispute that the Bob Fosse-directed movie with Liza Minnelli deserved its eight Oscars, the original Broadway cast recording is definitely worth exploring!
   
   What's more, both the original Broadway production and film share the incomparable Joel Grey, who won both the Tony and the Oscar for his role as the Master of Ceremonies. Whatever version, Joel beckons to us, "Willkommen, bienvenue, welcome! Im Cabaret, au Cabaret, to Cabaret!"



2. I have never seen the film version of CABARET, nor the stage version. Yet, when I first heard the vinyl version of this original cast recording, I felt like I was in the audience, watching the creepy Master of Ceremonies (the wonderful and understatedly sleezy Joel Grey), beautiful British Sally Bowles (Jill Haworth), and her American boyfriend, Cliff (Bert Convy), from my seat on at mezzanine level, with a pair of field glasses on opening night!
   
   The plot of CABARET is a bit elaborate, so, I won't go into details, here. What's more, giving away too much plot will ruin your experience. This is a musical that you just have to experience for yourself. Set during the height of Nazi occupation, the cabaret is the one venue people go to escape war and pain. The sleezy underworld of the cabaret runs rampant with sexual innuendo, dancing girls and hedonism. The Master of Ceremonies (Grey) presents sexy dancers, a dancing gorilla and welcome everyone to the venue in three languages ("Wilkommen"). Due to fate, he encounters Sally Bowles (Jill Haworth), a free spirited performer who falls in love with Cliff, an American (Burt Convey).
   
   Okay, no more plot. I will tell you this. The music is catchy, wickedly bawdy and full of entendre. Written by John Kander and Fred Ebb, it examines the ins and outs of cultural clash, identity and human violence. The instrumental is deceptively peppy, as if to conceal a reality that the performers are desperately trying to hide. I reccomend this as an engrossing period piece, as well as a great example of the musical theater repertoire.



3. If you want to hear Cabaret well sung, get the film soundtrack. Liza Minelli is sublime, and adapting the role of Sally Bowles to suit her talents was a stroke of genius, and part of the reason why so many consider the movie (arguably) a masterpiece.
   
   If you want to hear it performed in the true spirit in which it was written, get the OBC. Not for Jill Hayworth as Sally, or even Joel Grey as the Emcee, both are excellent, but get it for Lotte Lenya as Frau Schneider. Her throaty, raspy, accented singing style is totally captivating. Her duets with Jack Gilford (also perfectly cast in the best role of his long career) are charming and bittersweet. But the real reason, and I think the core to Cabarets story, is the song, What Would You Do? It is gut wrenching, her delivery is full of pain, yearning and bewilderment. She asks the question that I'm sure thousands of Germans asked, pre-WWII, in the event of having to sacrifice or face painful consequences. No easy or pleasant answer, and what Cabaret is really about, the sacrifices each character must make, and the choices they have to choose.



4. This is one of those musicals that you may perfectly describe as a landmark in the History of Musicals. It helps to define the transitional period between the Golden Age of the fifties and the musicals that came right after. Impossible to classify it as a musical comedy, since it deals with most dramatic issues, as WEST SIDE STORY did it before. It's rough, dramatic, violent staff but so wonderfully conceived! If you have the movie soundtrack (who doesn't?) and you think that's it, you're wrong. The musical play differs a great deal from the movie, which was "remodelled" to stress Liza Minelli's talent. She certainly did a wonderful job in the excellent movie adaptation, but the musical play contains some songs that were cut out or replaced to fit Miss Minelli's leading performance. Even the story line suffered some changes once translated into the silver screen. Both the movie and the play are excellent, but different. So, if you have the movie soundtrack, get this one as well, and you'll be surprised to find some different material from the movie recording.



5. While the 1972 movie starring Liza Minnelli is probably the most well-known version of "Cabaret", this 1966 Broadway version is where it all started.
   
   Led by a talented cast, including Jill Haworth (Sally Bowles), Lotte Lenya (Fraulein Schneider), and the incredible Joel Grey (Master Of Ceremonies), this Kander & Ebb musical is excellent and contains a classic score.
   
   Best tracks include:
   
   Wilkommen (Mr. Grey's signature song)
   Two Ladies
   It Couldn't Please Me More
   Tomorrow Belongs To Me
   The Money Song
   Married
   If You Could See Her
   Cabaret
   
   One should note, however, that two classic "Sally Bowles" songs were added for the movie: "Mein Herr" & "Maybe This Time".
   
   This is a great cd! ... but if you want a version that includes these songs, try the movie soundtrack or the 1999 Revival Cast (which also includes "I Don't Care Much").

5 comments about Phase 4 Stereo: Gilbert & Sullivan: HMS Pinafore / D'Oyly Carte Opera Company.

1. I expected to receive the entire performance. What I received was one CD out of a two CD set. Fortunately, it contained the one piece that I was most interested in, but I feel cheated. This is the second time this happened with Amazon. I will take my business elsewhere.



2. I love the versions of "I Am The Very Model Of A Modern Major-General" and "When I Was A Lad". The lyrics were fairly easy to understand and the vocals were fun and spunky, just as Gilbert & Sullivan should be:). I have no complaints (even the price was right); all in all two great CDs.



3. This recording dating from 1971 is now realised on CD with superb sound quality. The cast was probably the last great line up of the late years of the former D'Oyly Carte Company.

   John Reed does appear tired and stale, this is due to the closeness of the recording making for a 'radio broadcast' effect. Thomas Lawler as Capt Corcoran (at the time husband of Pauline Wales, Cousin Hebe) is excellent. I remember seeing this cast in performance, minus Valerie Masterson, who was brought in as guest artiste for the recording. They were superb then, with particular mention of the brilliant Christene Palmer (a fantastic Katisha in The Mikado), Arthur Jackson who had a great presence on stage and was a superb Pooh-Bah, his round tones suit admirably the role of Carpenters-Mate.

   Ralph Mason, as Ralph Rackstraw (pronounced as Rafe, a Victorian English idiosyncracy) made a superb attempt at all the parts he played in repertory, of particular note being Earl Tolloller in Iolanthe.

   This recording is worth the purchase to recall or find for the first time the last glimpses of this much lamented troupe. Except for the weak John Ayldon, Dick Deadeye, who does not have the satanic glitter of the late Donald Adams or Darrell Fancourt, the rest are superb. A pity the newer, yet fresher company does not have the subtlety of tradition or performance quality. Ah well, lack-a-day! we can't have everything...Can we?




4. Ever since D'Oyly Carte made this wonderful recording of Pinafore in 1971, it has been given somewhat unfair critiques, including one that called it "infamous." That criticism came about because of the distorted sound on the original LP issue, but things seem to have improved with this CD reissue, allowing the performance to be heard more clearly. Nevertheless, the artistic distinction of the performance still manages to shine through brightly, and this alone can contribute to the winning appeal of its admirers.

   Even despite the fact that John Reed gives a memorable performance of the Ruler of the Queen's Navee, his portrayal seems to have deteriorated a little bit. This is due to the obvious staleness of his voice (well, it was a feature of all the D'Oyly Carte recordings that were made from the 1968 Pirates onwards, so you mustn't blame him!) and his deteriorating diction. Some of the words were not pronounced clearly, as in his character's famous comical autobiographical song, and there is evidence of sloppiness of hte notes in places. The other major drawback is John Ayldon's Deadeye. Like all D'Oyly Carte recordings to which he contributed, this one was ruined by the unpleasant gruffness of his voice. His portrayal seems not to match Donald Adams on every level. However, for the rest of the cast, there is much to please the ear. Thomas Lawlor makes as first-class a Captain as Jeffrey Stitch, Gordon Sandison or Thomas Allen, but even though he has a slightly heavy and dark-timbred voice, he nevertheless manages to remove it from this recording. He is certainly better suited to this role than to Deadeye, the role he played on the New Sadler's Wells recording. Ralph Mason makes a heady-toned Rackstraw, and he certainly is a joy to hear on record, determined to win the hand of Josephine, who is memorably characterised by the best G&S prima donna, Valerie Masterson. She sings with a full-blooded mature soprano voice with which she gives a melancholy air to her opening ballad and blood to her grand operatic scene. She is certainly better than Jean Hindmarsh, if only by a small margin, even though the twitter in the latter's voice does not hurt at all. And lastly, I would like to highlight the underrated Christene Palmer's fruity portrayal of Little Buttercup, which is on par with Gillian Knight and Felicity Palmer. The rest of the cast is splendid, the choral singing as well-disciplined as the orchestra, and James Walker paces the tempi nicely, with some small quibbles that don't matter a lot. The recording has transferred well to CD, and the sound effects kept to a minimum, to help give a sense of atmosphere. The dry recording is also characteristic of all D'Oyly Carte recordings made from their 1968 Pirates onwards. The major complaint is the Spectacular fill-ups which don't seem to fit in with Pinafore, as they are too improperly chosen and the tempi too slow. If the CD ends with The flowers that bloom in the spring, it does not give a definite sense of an ending.

   Overall, I would safely say that while this is not necessarily a first-choice, its artistic merits shine through compellingly to make it be one. Let me advise you to ignore the Spectacular items by programming them out. Anyone who wants a standard D'Oyly Carte performance will be well pleased with this.




5. This CD release of an early 70s recording has been given something of a reprieve from the original branding of it as "the most infamous Pinafore". The added sound effects of seagull, creaking timbers and the sea sloshing against the ship's sides seems mostly to have been forgiven. These aural props are only present between songs and when present provide a pleasant theatrical quality to the recording. D'Oyly Carte is in good form here and the close microphone Phase 4 recording makes audibility excellent - something Gilbert would have appreciated if the Savoy had offered anything as good.

5 comments about Carousel (1994 Broadway Revival Cast).

1. This recording has a few lines that make the songs more complete, The great Audra Macdonald and that's it. The earlier london recording is vastly superior. Julie in London was acted to perfection, not as a dopey ingenue but as a three dimensional character and it shows on the recording, Micheal Haydyn's Billy is acted more than sung on both and on stage it's great but on a recording I prefer a "real" voice as Billy. But except for the missing
   "Greatest Judge of All" this recording and the earlier London cast , together make the most complete Carousel. My favorite of all the recording though is the old RCA studio cast with Robert Merril, Patrice Munsel and Florence Henderson.



2. If you want a very simple analysis (not a review) of whether or not to buy this:
   
   1)The Reason to Buy It:
   
   Audra McDonald. You have to hear her sing the Carrie songs. She really is unique, marvelous, perfect. You have to hear it. She is a national treasure. I can't say this role was meant to be sung this way but we were all meant to enjoy Audra singing it.
   
   2)The Reason to Buy Another:
   
   I don't like Eddie Korbich's Billy (the main character.) It's overblown. And his singing is just not as good as any of the other Billy's I've heard. Carousel is truly a "sung" show. If the singing isn't rapturous the show feels academic, an exercise and becomes more interesting than moving. On this recording Mr. Korbich sounds like one of those singers who is probably a really strong and powerful actor. But the singing part is just not there and so neither is the emotion. He is an extremely talented man (check him out in the ASSASSINS cast recording where is is great.) Check out one of the others and you will see what I mean.
   
   BTW - try and hear John Raitt sing this role sometime before you die. You might like the others more but man did he nail it.



3. MUCH better than the 93 London cast recording! Rodgers and Hammerstein were so superior to any composers of the 40' and 50' (with the exception of Lerner and Lowe perhaps), they should be in their own category of music. Carousel holds up as one of the 4 or 5 greatest American musicals, and this revival clearly proved that (ironically produced by the Royal Shakespeare Company). This recording is magnificent in that it captures almost the entire score, including the ballet. Gritty, earthy and passionate, the two leads may not be the greatest of stage singers, but you can feel every ounce of yearning, sorrow and heartbreak in their voices. If I Loved You has never been recorded with such wrenching emotion before. And Michael Hayden's performance of Soliloquay is riveting. Hayden has since gone on to prove that he is one of the most talented actors currently working on the American stage.
   I don't think I need to expound on the talents af Audra MacDonald, just listen to one verse of anything she sings and you will know. Astonishing!
   The Carousel Waltz is my alltime favorite piece of music and what a joy to have such an outstanding recording of it in it's entirety. The memory of Carousel's opening to The Carousel Waltz will remain with me forever. Brilliant!
   Now if we could just get a revival of South Pacific with this kind of quality!!



4. I own many recordings of Carousel and I have to say this one is, by far, the best. It has an emotional depth to it that other recordings don't quite match and the 'Carousel Waltz' sends shivers through me every time I hear it and Audra McDonald stands out as a shining star among the others in her singing. Excellent addition to anyone's CD collection!



5. Despite being only sixteen, I have learned, watched and studied theatre, opera and such quite extensively. Rogers and Hammerstein are the reason I began to explore theatre in the first place. 'Carousel' was one of the last of their's I saw, and I have to say it is exceptional, its sheer theatricality and brilliance of writing is a true testament not only to Ferenc Molnar's Lilliom but to American musical theatre.

   This recording however is not. True, the new revival(s) is visualy spectacular, but as many of the other reviews have already said, the casting of the two leads is unfortuneately sub-par (though Ms.Murphy isn't that bad; Consider her predecessors.) I love the show, and I honestly think the 1956 film recording with Gordan Mac Rae and Shirley Jones is far superior vocally and emotioally.
   Carousel is a shining example of sophistication oddly ahead of its time. I truly belive that the show should have, if not the affection then the respect of even the most discriminating theatre afficiando.

5 comments about It's Time.

1. You know that list of best albums ever. This is on mine. I've had it since it came out and I still pull it out over and over. Linda is in top form in this one. I only wish her and Frank would make more music together.



2. That word describes the quality of Linda's voice, her vocal range, phrasing, and, especially here, her song selections. (It also points to the fact that two of the loveliest pictures I've seen of her are attached to this album.)
   
   I stumbled across Linda's work while browsing iTunes (where I have discovered many performers I wasn't aware of) but decided to buy the three Linda Eder CDs I have, including this one (my favorite) from Amazon.
   
   I like every song in this album but especially recommend these (in order): "I Want More", "It's Time", "Candle In The Window","I'm Afraid This Must Be Love", "I Don't Know How To Say Goodbye", "Someone Like You".



3. I heard this cd just once, and thats what turned me into a True Linda Eder FAN!!! All of these songs are Super! If your that slightest unsure as to Miss Linda's talents. Stop here and pick up this CD. You will Not be disappointed.



4. I received "It's Time" as a gift from my oldest son....and honestly, after listening to Ms. Eder I will unequivocally state that this is one of the best gifts I have received in a long, long time. This talented, vivacious lady has a set of pipes that can definitely compete with the Dion's, Streisands, and Garlands and, in some instances, surpass their best efforts.
   
   Her performance on this CD is spectacular, with some numbers projecting an electrifying sensuality that vicariously transports the listener to an intimate jazz club back in the days when Frank, Tony and Ella were the reigning royalty. Other numbers shift tempo and literally sweep you along with an energy and excitement reminiscent of the internal fireworks you feel while sitting in the audience enjoying the "big musical number" of your favorite Broadway show.
   
   If it sounds to you like I'm "gushing" praise all I can say is, buy this CD and decide for yourself whether or not Linda Eder is one gifted performer.



5. Linda Eder is a great voice for a new generation. First coming to many people's attention in Jekyll & Hyde, she'll be the person we go to venues to hear for many years to come.
   
   "I Want More" is the anthem for anyone whose partner ever let romance drift from a love relationship. Sometimes you need to ask for what you want and need.
   
   "Big Time" is a tongue-in-cheek view of reality for many female entertainers - what does it really take to get to the top (and what do you find when you get there...?).
   
   If you like women with powerful voices and a way with a lyric, you'll definitely enjoy this album.

5 comments about George Gershwin's "Porgy & Bess".

1. When I got the product the third disk titles were all in an asian looking language. I couldn't read a thing it said. Vendor took the item back, and gave me a refund, I was well satisfied with that...but wished he had had the one with all english, it looked like a good album.



2. I purchased this in preparation for seeing the opera in Los Angeles in 2007. This version of Porgy & Bess lived up to its billing. It is a beautiful rendering of the opera. What I most appreciated about this version was the well told history of the opera, as well as the inclusion of the libretto.



3. I agree with the positive comments made here about this production and this recording. This is the best recording of the full score that I know. Haven't heard the Simon Rattle recording but did not need to, since I already had this one which is practically perfect in every way.
   
   I have owned at least four recordings of this work, starting with the movie soundtrack, then the 1951 revival because I wanted the hear the `complete' score, and then when it was finally recorded complete in stereo for the first time, I bought the Maazel recording (which contrary to a comment made here was done in the 70's not 1969--I think it was 1976). Maazel's tempos are heavy and ponderous and lacking all humor. Elsewhere it's said, he was not the greatest Gershwin conductor. Too true.
   
   Was lucky enough to have seen this production in NYC with the top cast recorded here (the leads alternated as it was too tough to sing either Porgy or Bess 8 nights a week). It was beautifully done, musically and theatrically. DeMain gets nearly all the tempos just right and that is an important thing for Gershwin. The cast act convincingly and sing beautifully.
   
   I understand that Porgy and Bess is one of record producer Thos. Z. Shepherd's favorite operas and the care he put into this recording shows it. It is a live with appropriate sound effects that reproduce the action of the stage version.
   
   Overall lovely recorded sound, with a wide dynamic range (pre-digital, you can hear a very few tape dropouts that I wish they fixed, but who cares). And it works on record theatrically, because it worked on the stage! According to a musician friend of mine, who did the percussion here, RCA took a while to decide on committing to this recording, despite the rave reviews the production got, but who can blame them since Maazel's recording had just come out a year or so earlier. Lucky they did. So far this production has never been duplicated for getting all the elements, most especially the Gershwin sound, which more often than not is the antithesis of lingering sentimentality, just right.



4. After several years of frustration, my search is over. This is overall the most satisfying complete recording of this opera.
   The first complete set I heard was Maazel's, and while it has much to recommend it, it never truly ignites the way every good opera should. I then purchased the Rattle set, and found it very beautiful, but even less dramatically coherent than Maazel's. It even caused me to wonder, Lawd forgive me, if Gershwin's sense of dramatic timing wasn't inherently flawed.
   How wrong I was. In this set, conductor John DeMain vindicates the work's claim to be a great opera, but never loses sight of the incontrovertible fact that it it is an opera conceived in Tin Pan Alley, and raised on Broadway. Best of all is his expert pacing. DeMain unfailingly seizes the dramatic point of a scene, giving the work a sure structure. Poor Rattle on the other hand seems to be so in love with the music - and who can blame him? - lingering over a phrase here, wallowing in an orchestral and choral wash there, that the music slowly succumbs to Wagnerian torpor.
   Rattle may have a higher quotient of gorgeous voices and a more polished orchestra, but DeMain's performance makes me feel I'm in the theatre watching what must have been a thrilling performance. Bravo!



5. Composer Stephen Sondheim has frequently cited PORGY AND BESS as his favourite calling it "a gift from above." And indeed it is.
   
   And you could not ask for a better recording than this lavish set from the 1976 Houston Grand Opera, lovingly translated to discs by Thomas Sheppard with the same care and dedication he brings to his original Broadway cast recordings.
   
   This album puts you centre stage with extensive use of sound effects and creative use of the stereo spread. The cast is perfection, honed by having performed the show live several times before going into the RCA studios. It's packed with a full libretto and synopsis.
   
   The other "complete" recordings don't measure up. London's is correct but uninspired. EMI's set is well sung but lacks theatricality. All of the elements are in perfect balance on this set.
   
   The old Columbia 1951 album was complete in its day but musicologists have since restored much of the material cut before the Broadway premiere.
   
   Among the highlights discs are the Decca set featuring some of the cast members from both the 1935 and 1942 Broadway productions. A 1950s CD featuring Leontyne Price and William Warfield offers the key arias in a well sung collection. Readers Digest offers excerpts in their Gershwin CD set featuring a woefully bad Porgy, Valentine Pringle.
   
   There are also a variety of Jazz interpretations. A strange 1956 Bethlehem Jazz album with Mel Torme and Frances Faye on Rhino, a highly prized album with Lena Horne and Harry Belafonte, and albums by Sammy Davis Jr and Caremen MacRae, Ella Fitzgerald, and Miles Davis.
   
   Sammy Davis also appeared in the 1959 Samual Goldwyn film version with Sidney Poitier and Dorthy Dandridge. The film was withdrawn from circulation by the Gershwin estate in 1974 and has rarely been seen since. The Columbia Records "soundtrack" album was briefly available from SONY on CD but it too has been withdrawn. (Strangely, contract problems prevented Sammy Davis Jr from appearing on that album and his songs were redone for the record by Cab Calloway!) It is still the preferred version of "highlights" from the score for many listeners who enjoy the well-sung program and lush orchestrations.

5 comments about We All Love Ella: Celebrating the First Lady of Song.

1. Various artists have gotten together in tribute to The First Lady of Song, Ella Fitzgerald. The selections are among Ella's biggest hits - and singers with chops, we've got. Dianne Reeves providing a very nice Lady Be Good, and Queen Latifah contributes The Lady is a Tramp. Natalie Cole does a delightful A Tisket, A Tasket, and Chaka Khan does a great job on Lullaby of Birdland. But when the two combine their talents on Mr. Paganini, standing ovations are in order.
   
   Relative new singer, Ledisi, brings the house down with a roaring interpretation of The Blues in the Night. Etta James' smoky version of Do Nuthin' Til You Hear From Me plays like a road map charting the long, winding journey of a "seasoned" woman in love. Gladys Knight steps in with a very nice version of Someone to Watch Over Me, and I love K.D. Lang's hauntingly subtle Angel Eyes.
   
   I was awe-struck by the Ella-like scatting of Nikki Yanofsky on Airmail Special. My God, how I miss Ella - and it took this particular performance to remind me of how much we lost when Ella passed.
   
   This is a 5-Star recording that throws in the bonus of Ella herself, singing a live version of Whatever Lola Wants. BRAVO! It's a definite GIT-IT



2. My memories of the late Ella Fitzgerald are sketchy at best. I certainly do recall her numerous appearances on the Ed Sullivan show in the 1960's and I do own a vinyl collection of her greatest hits. However, jazz has never been one of my favorite genres. Recently I came across the 2007 Verve release "We All Love Ella". I must say that this disc certainly piqued my curiosity. And after listening to "We All Love Ella" I find myself longing to hear more of this stuff.
   A good many of the artists who appear on "We All Love Ella" are among the most versatile vocalists in the business today. The disc opens with a splendid rendition of Ella Fitzgerald's huge 1939 #1 hit "A-Tisket, A-Tasket" by Natalie Cole. Seems to me that Natalie just keeps getting better and better with age. Queen Latifah does an outstanding job on the venerable standard "The Lady Is A Tramp". From what little I have heard from her it appears that she is right at home with this kind of material. Among the younger artists whom I had never really heard of I was most impressed with Ledisi's sensational take on "Blues In The Night". Blue Note recording artist Dianne Reeves, who many consider to be the pre-eminent jazz vocalist on the scene today blew me away with "Oh, Lady Be Good". Perhaps my very favorite recording in this collection is Linda Ronstadt's "Miss Otis Regrets". Culled from her outstanding 2004 CD "Hummin' To Myself" this tune reminds us that Linda Ronstadt remains one of the most gifted and versatile vocalists on the planet! And I would be remiss if I failed to make mention of Diana Krall's moving take on "Dream A Little Dream of Me" backed by the terrific piano stylings of Hank Jones. It pains me to say this but one track that probably should not have made the cut is Gladys Knight's "Someone To Watch Over Me". I don't think I have ever heard a bad version of this tune....until now.
   At the end of the day "We All Love Ella" has succeeded in making me want to hear more of this kind of music. Perhaps I will pull out my vinyl 2 LP set "The Best of Ella" and give it a listen for the first time in a long time. While there were a couple of tracks that I personally did not care for overall I found "We All Love Ella" to be an enjoyable and highly entertaining album. This is certainly a disc that I would listen to from time to time. I am confident that you will agree. Recommended!



3. Listening to Ella Fitzgerald is like sinking into a hot tub with a tray of chocolate-dipped strawberries next to you. Fitzgerald was brilliant at what she did, in the way she made her voice a blend of the warm, the rich and the knowing--she was seductive, but also smart. This CD, made with love and the best intentions, tries to match her, but just can't; it's like pygmies trying to match an Amazon goddess. Natalie Cole is in fine, silvery voice, but lack's Ella's velvety richness; Queen Latifah and Chaka Kahn both contribute respectable tracks, but there's no weight or snap to them. Buble swings enthusiastically and has a hint of mischief in his voice, but not Ella's joy. k.d. lang offers another of her dreamy sleepwalking tracks, while Linda Ronstad's "Miss Otis"--one of the few Ella tracks I'm really lukewarm on--is sweetly affecting but not one for the ages. (Bizarrely, Bette Midler's knockout Latin take, with lots of blaring horns and crackling electricity, is one of the very few versions of that song I've heard that really works.) And Stevie Wonder's track is irritating beyond belief--it's nice to hear Ella duet with someone, but why on "You Are the Sunshine of My Life?" of all things? (Her gushy tribute to Wonder is also odd, considering this CD is supposed to be about Ella; still, after hearing Wonder piledrive his way over Tony Bennett, I guess we should be grateful he's as restrained as he is here.) However, a few tracks really do just what they're supposed to. Diane Reeves, her voice like a perfectly aged Merlot, skips lightly through "Lady Be Good" with Ella-like dexterity; Lizz Wright croons "Waiting For the Moon" with appropriately moody seductiveness; and the final "scat track" is joyfully contagious. Best of all is a red-hot "Blues In The Night" by Ledisi--ah, Ledisi! She, apparently, didn't get the memo about restrained, bland good tastefulness, and she tears through the song like a triple-shot Mexican mocha with an aphrodisiac chaser; her final, yowling note on "Night" is a throw down challenge to every other diva (and wanna-be)in jazz: I Am The Future. Yay, and hooray; back to the hot tub, everyone, Ledisi's got the jets fired up!



4. This is one of the finest tribute albums I've ever heard. I'm usually skeptical about tribute albums and find many of them to be just commerical product capitalizing on the death of someone or mismatches of styles. This one is first class all the way. Artists like Natalie Cole, Queen Latifah, Chaka Khan, Stevie Wonder, Michael Buble, Diana Krall and many others sound naturally comfortable with this album which sounds ideal for a Manhattan Martini get together. Sophisticated productions by Phil Ramone make this tribune to Ella one that she would be proud of. I enjoyed every single song on this CD, all from the classic Great American Songbook with the exception of "Reaching for the Moon", which I found slow and boring, but it's only because all the others are so uplifting. If you love jazz singing and scat singing with sophisticated arrangements, you'll love this CD. I betcha Ella is smiling upstairs.



5. We All Love Ella is a touching tribute to The First Lady Of Song. This album gives us a terrific fifteen classic Ella Fitzgerald ballads covered by some of the best artists currently in the business. Just one listen proves it!
   
   The CD track set starts with a bouncy rendition of "A-Tisket, A-Tasket" by Natalie Cole. The bass works well and so do those horns and percussion! Natalie swings brightly on "A-Tisket, A-Tasket." Chaka Chan truly does prove her wide vocal range with a pretty awesome rendition of "Lullaby Of Birdland." The key changes between major and minor work well for "Lullaby Of Birdland." Chaka sings this passionately with all her heart and soul; her excellent diction bolsters her performance. Moreover, Queen Latifah turns in a rousing interpretation of "The Lady Is A Tramp." Queen Latifah never sounded better; and the arrangement for piano, horns, drums and percussion really shines!
   
   "Dream A Little Dream Of Me" features Diana Krall and Hank Jones; although some may think that this interpretation runs a little too long I personally like it very much. Diana Krall and Hank Jones perform a marvelous version of "Dream A Little Dream Of Me." Listen also for a flawless performance of "(If You Can't Sing It) You'll Have To Swing It (a.k.a. Mr. Paganini)" by Natalie Cole and Chaka Khan.
   
   Ledisi performs "Blues In The Night" with panache; and the big band style arrangement impresses me with its percussion and horns. Ella would be smiling! "Miss Otis Regrets" gets the royal treatment from Linda Ronstadt who sings this with excellent diction, sensitivity and style.
   
   We get an excellent duet between Ella Fitzgerald herself and the great Stevie Wonder recorded live in concert; their electric chemistry is unmistakable. Together Ella and Stevie Wonder perform "You Are The Sunshine Of My Life." The crowd loves every minute of this duet; and Ella and Stevie never miss a beat! I predict that you will enjoy "You Are The Sunshine Of My Life" very, very much.
   
   The liner notes feature some pretty fine artwork; and we get a couple of excellent black and white photos of Ella as well. Excellent!
   
   Ella Fitzgerald, The First Lady Of Song, will never be forgotten; and this CD is a wonderful tribute to her and her legacy. We are all remarkably better off for Ella sharing her artistry with us; and I assure you that her CDs will be available for ages to come.
   
   Great job, everyone--and thank you, Ella!

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