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Barnum - Original Broadway Cast
Sony/Columbia
While this remastering does improve the sound of the original CD release, the main
attraction for theater buffs is a quartet of demo tracks featuring composer Cy Coleman
and lyricist Michael Stewart. Along with spirited renditions of "Come Follow the Band"
and "Join the Circus," we get two ballads that are so damn good you may wonder why they
were cut from the show – in particular, "So Little Time" (intended as a final ballad for
Charity) deserves a life of its own, in cabaret at the very least. Handsomely packaged,
this joyous score still gets me cheering. Jim Dale and Glenn Close are tops, and
Terri White a standout in the glorious supporting cast. Hey, its been over twenty
years – why hasn't someone staged a Broadway revival.
Bravo Giovanni
DRG
Not all flops are created equal. Bravo Giovanni is set apart by some delightful
melodies and vocally delightful performances by Met opera bass Cesare Siepi,
Michelle Lee and others. The plot, involving a Roman trattoria that fights
a competing chain restaurant by stealing from its kitchen, was too silly to be
believed – but thanks to this DRG release, we can skip the old liner notes
(which is, sadly, all that DRG's package offers) and enjoy the handsomely
remastered recording. Highlights include Maria Karnilova singing the insane
"Kangaroo," and her real-life husband George S. Irving cuts his usual capers.
And its grand to hear Siepi pour his black velvet voice into a showtune.
Certainly not a classic, but I've seen worse shows run far longer. Fun for buffs
with a taste for little-known scores.
Ernest in Love
DRG
This delicious adaptation of Oscar Wilde's The Importance of Being Ernest started
life as a 30 minute TV musical, winning so much praise that the authors expanded it to full
length for an off-Broadway run. The results still sound fresh, aided by a first
class remastering courtesy of DRG. "A Handbag is Not a Proper Mother" and "Wicked Man"
are showstopping treats, but the entire score augments Wilde's classic comedy effectively.
Long overdue for a new hearing, this show – and this fun recording – will give fans of
musical comedy lots to smile about.
Hairspray - Original Broadway Cast
Sony Classical
Praise be, a shameless Broadway musical comedy! Let the dancing in the street and shouting from
the housetops begin! Songwriters Marc Shaiman (who co-created the hilarious score for the
South Park movie) and Scott Wittman have turned out a tuneful score that artfully teeters
between hysterical humor and nostalgic sentiment, easily the best musical comedy score to
hit New York since Little Shop of Horrors. Uniformly superb performances from everyone
here, with special kudos to Marissa Jaret Winnokur as overweight Baltimore teenager
Tracey Turnblad, and Harvey Fierstein as Tacey's omnivorous but still-sexy mother Edna. They
are supported by a sensational ensemble, particularly Matthew Morrison, Corey Reynolds,
Kerry Butler and Broadway veterans Dick Latessa and Mary Bond Davis. This CD is one of the
most enjoyable cast recordings in decades – no wonder the show is such a sensational hit.
The It Girl - Original Off-Broadway Cast
Jay
This charming adaptation of Clara Bow's classic 1927 silent film had an acclaimed run at NY's
York Theatre, and it deserves a lot more attention from musical theatre lovers. Paul McKibbins
provides a parade of period-perfect melodies, and the B.T. McNichols lyrics fit the characters
to a T. Jean Louisa Kelly sparkles as the lingerie clerk who has "it" – and finds love and
fame in 1920s New York. The super cast also features Jonathan Dokuchitz as the handsome
boss, and Jessica Boevers as the villainess "so crooked she could hide behind a
corkscrew." If a copy of this comes your way, it is well worth a listen.
Jacques Brel is Alive and Well and Living in Paris
Sony/Columbia
If you do not know this show or this classic recording, it is high time you got aquainted!
With a cast of four, this intimate revue of songs by a charismatic (but then little-known)
Belgian singer-songwriter won Off-Broadway's heart back in 1968. It ran for years, toured
the world and became a staple of community and college theaters for more than a decade. A
dazzling mix of searing ballads and pointed up-tunes, this is not fluff –
"Amsterdam," "Jackie" and "If We Only Have Love" remain staples in the cabaret repertoire.
If you don't fall in love with this on the first listen, trust me and stick with it –
Brel is an acquired taste, but one well-worth acquiring. Elly Stone, Mort Shuman, Shawn
Elliott and Alice Whitfield are all sensational, even when their sound is anything but
conventional. Complete on one disc (with one added track), this is a must for serious
collectors.
La Boheme - Original Broadway Cast
Dreamworks Records
Baz Luhrmann's acclaimed 1993 Australian Opera production of Puccini's beloved opera took
its time getting to Broadway, but critics and audiences greeted it with cheers. We
only get highlights of the score on this sonically lush recording, with all three sets of leads
taking turns. Don't ask me to pick a favorite team – they all know what to
do with this material. Most purists will be thoroughly satisfied, since every note is played
and sung with all the heart and soul one could ask for. The only crime is that we have not been
allowed to enjoy the complete score. The 1993 cast is available on a superb uncut DVD
that collectors should track down.
Lil' Abner - Original Broadway Cast
Sony/Columbia
This delicious Johnny Mercer-Gene DePaul score is a longtime favorite of mine, pure
1950s musical
comedy fun served up with tons of style. "If I had My Druthers" and "I'm Past My Prime"
are delicious, and the beloved Stubby Kaye stops the show with both "Jubilation T.
Cornpone" and "The Country's in the Very Best of Hands." Pity that the decline of
this once-popular comic strip has made this show a rarity. This release claims to be
the first ever on CD (not true – I've had it on a Columbia CD release for years), and
includes three numbers not included on the original album plus an alternate version of
the overture. Fellow Abner fans, rejoice!
The Music Man - TV Soundtrack
Disney Records
It pains me to tell you that this is easily the worst performance of The Music Man that
I have ever heard. Matthew Broderick is not just miscast as con man Harold Hill – he sounds
as if he is reading through much of the score for the first time, giving a lifeless performance.
Kristin Chenowith offers a luminous "Goodnoght My Someone," but the keys are brought down on
all her other numbers, wasting a chance to hear her at her best. The rest of the cast is
competent but uninteresting – even Debra Monk's performance of Mother Paroo sufferes from an
Irish brogue that comes and goes from word to word. The new orchestrations are not bad, but
far from inspired. Overall, a surprising disappointment.
My Fair Lady - Original Broadway Cast
Sony/Columbia
I will gladly grab any excuse to listen to this classic recording again, the best-ever
recording of my nominee for the greatest musical ever. To my surprise, there is an
audible improvement in the sound – warmer and more satisfying than the previous CD
release. Harrison, Andrews, Holloway and company are just magical, and the score
has more genius per track than Broadway usually manages in a full season.
We also get two fun bonus tracks – one of the cast interviewed at the end of
the exhausting 14 hour recording session, and another of Lerner and Loewe that includes
bits of some unknown songs.
The Night of the Hunter - Studio Cast
Varese Sarabande
Don't ask me how this 1998 recording escaped my attention for so long – just take my word
that it is a knockout! This is a musicalization of the powerful 1955 film about a murderous
religious fanatic chasing two children to get at a fortune stolen by their father. While
the subject matter sounds unlikely, the results are riveting. Claibe Richardson's melodies
range from haunting to vivacious, and Stephen Cole's lyrics bring the characters to vivid
life. Ron Raines makes the bloodthirsty preacher three dimensional, and Sally Mayes is
irresistible as the latest widow he sets his sights on. But the show-stealer here is
Dorothy Loudon, who is simply sensational as the old woman who offers the escaped children
a safe home – her rendition of "One More Harvest" is everything great theatre music
should be. If you are serious about musical, this challenging recording will offer you tons
of pleasure – now if only someone would give New York a first-class staging of this
remarkable show!
Oklahoma! - Columbia Studio Cast
Sony/Columbia
Yes, the new orchestrations are no match for the originals, and the overall effect is
off base, but who can complain about a chance to hear John Raitt at his best soaring
through a classic Rodgers and Hammerstein score? A very young Florence Henderson is
on hand as a so-so Laurie, Met bass Ara Berbarian rumbles menacingly as Judd, and
Phyllis Newman is surprisingly laid back as Ado Annie. The main problem is that the
atmosphere is too syrupy, missing the edge that makes Oklahoma believable.
(Case in point – this slow take on "People Will Say We're in Love" sounds downright
sappy.) So the main issue here is Raitt, who played Curly throughout his career. His
solos are great fun. Is that reason enough to buy this recording? That's your call.
Sibling Revelry! - Ann Hampton Callaway and Liz Callaway
DRG
If you want to hear one of the most entertaining cabaret acts of all time, grab a copy of this
delicious recording. Ann and Liz, two of the most talented siblings in the business, have a
shameless blast with songs and banter aimed to delight, and oh, the harmonies are sweet!
Each sister is a powerhouse – together, they offer a non-stop thrill parade.
Recorded live in performance, this is as good as it gets, a showtune lovers treat.
Victor/Victoria - Soundtrack
Turner/Rhino
We gat far more material and much better sound than on the previous independent CD release
of this soundtrack. Julie Andrews, Robert Preston and Leslie Ann Warren sparkle in this,
the last truly great live-action musical film to date. Among other pleasures, we get the full
version of the "Cherry Ripe" aria, and Preston's campy reprise of "Shady Dame" in a
laugh-filled rehearsal. This coincides with the release of the film on DVD –
which is delightfully done too, I might add. The Mancini-Bricusse score is a joy to
hear again – this will be spending a lot of time in my player!
Yankee Doodle Dandy - Soundtrack
Turner/Rhino
Well its about time! For years, fans have had to settle for a lousy pirate version of this
soundtrack. We finally get the real thing, with a first-class remastering and generous
bits of crucial dialogue included. The best of several bonus tracks is Cagney singing
the little-known Cohan song "You Remind Me of My Mother." Now what will it take to get
Turner to put this classic on DVD as well?
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