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Cats [5/23]
 

Cats [5/23]

"Cats (Original Broadway Cast) [Slipcase]" (05/23/2006) Pop Vocal Original Cast, Decca (U ... more

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Cats [5/23]
"Cats (Original Broadway Cast) [Slipcase]" (05/23/2006) Pop Vocal Original Cast, Decca (USA)Music composed by Andrew Lloyd Webber. Based on a book by T.S. Eliot. Principal cast: Hector Jaime Mercado (Alonzo); Stephan Hanan (Asparagus/Growtiger); Donna King (Bombalurina); Steven Gelfer (Carbucketty); Rene Ceballos (Cassandra); Rene Clemente (Coricopat/Mungojerrie); Wendy Edmead (Demeter); Christine Langner (Etcetera/Rumpelteazer); Betty Buckley (Grizzabella); Bonnie Simmons (Jellylorum/Griddlebone); Anna McNeely (Jennyanydots); Timothy Scott (Mistoffelees); Harry Groener (Munkustrap); Ken Page (Old Deuteronomy); Kenneth Ard (Plato/Macavity); Terrence V. Mann (Rum Tum Tugger); Timothy Scott (Mr. Mistoffelees); Anna McNeely (Jennyanydots); Bonnie Simmons (Jellylorum/Griddlebone); Herman W. Sebek (Pouncival); Whitney Kershaw (Sillabub); Reed Jones (Skimbleshanks); Janet L. Hubert (Tantomile); Robert Hoshour (Tumblebrutus); Cynthia Onrubia (Victoria). Producers: Andrew Lloyd Webber, Martin Levan. Recorded in New York, New York in October 1982. Composer: Andrew Lloyd Webber. Andrew Lloyd Webber's musical version of T.S. Eliot's OLD POSSUM'S BOOK OF PRACTICAL CATS was one of the longest running Broadway musicals, and featured the smash hit song, "Memories." This original Broadway cast recording contains other favorites, like "Macavity: The Mystery Cat," "Old Deuteronomy," and the poignant "Moments of Happiness," and should tide diehard fans over nicely until the production's next revival.

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Sweeney Todd [1/31]
 

Sweeney Todd [1/31]

"Sweeney Todd [2005 Broadway Revival Cast]" (01/31/2006) Pop Vocal Original Cast, Nonesuc ... more

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Sweeney Todd [1/31]
"Sweeney Todd [2005 Broadway Revival Cast]" (01/31/2006) Pop Vocal Original Cast, Nonesuch Records (USA)Lyricist: Stephen Sondheim. Adapter: Christopher Bond. Personnel: Michael Cerveris (vocals, guitar); Benjamin Magnuson (vocals, cello, piano); Lauren Molina (vocals, cello); Donna Lynne Champlin (vocals, flute, accordion, piano); Diana DiMarzio (vocals, clarinet); Alexander Gemignani (vocals, trumpet, piano); Mark Jacoby (vocals, trumpet, percussion); Patti LuPone (vocals, tuba, percussion); John Arbo (vocals). Audio Mixer: Tom Lazarus. Liner Note Authors: Jeremy Sams; Sarah Eagle Feather Travis. Recording information: Avatar Studios, New York, NY. Editor: Bart Migal. Photographer: Paul Kolnik. Based on the legend of the London barber who murdered his clients and made meat pies from their cadavers, the musical SWEENY TODD, with music and lyrics by composed by Stephen Sondheim, had a stunningly successful revival in 2005. This album features the production's Broadway cast of actor/musicians, who perform their own musical accompaniment.

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Jersey Boys [11/1]
 

Jersey Boys [11/1]

"Jersey Boys [Original Broadway Cast Recording]" (11/01/2005) Pop Vocal Original Cast, Rh ... more

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Jersey Boys [11/1]
"Jersey Boys [Original Broadway Cast Recording]" (11/01/2005) Pop Vocal Original Cast, Rhino Records (USA)Composers: Denny Randell; Dorothy Fields; Doug Flett; Peggy Farina; Robert Feldman; Raymond Bloodworth; Gaynel Hodge; Gerald Goldstein; Guy Fletcher ; Thomas Austin; L. Russell Brown; Billy Dalton; Abel Baer; Jimmy McHugh; Judy Parker; Kenny Nolan; L. Wolfe Gilbert; Maurice Williams; Otis Blackwell; Sandy Linzer; Stan Rhodes; Barbara Belle; Bob Crewe. Lyricist: Bob Crewe. Original Broadway Cast: The Four Seasons, Daniel Reichard, John Lloyd Young (vocals); Steve Snyder (synthesizer); Ken Dow (bass guitar); Kevin Dow (drums); Christian Hoff, Ron Melrose, Bill Hayes, Randy Andos, Larry Saltzman, Ben Kono, J. Robert Spencer. Personnel: Christian Hoff, Donnie Kehr, Daniel Reichard, Tituss Burgess, John Lloyd Young , Sarah Schmidt, J. Robert Spencer (vocals); Larry Saltzman (guitar); Joe Payne (acoustic guitar, electric guitar, 12-string guitar); Louise Owen, Shinwon Kim, Robin Zeh, Cenovia Cummins, Belinda Whitney (violin); Debra Shufelt, Maxine Roach (viola); Anik Oulianine, Stephanie Cummins (cello); Matt Hong, Ben Kono (reeds); Dave Spier (trumpet, flugelhorn); Bob Milikan (trumpet); Randy Andos (trombone); Ron Melrose (piano, synthesizer); Steve Orich (keyboards); Ken Dow (electric bass); Bill Hayes (percussion). Audio Mixers: Pete Karam; Jason Stasium. Recording information: Right Track Recording Studios, New York, NY. Actors: J. Robert Spencer; John Lloyd Young ; Mark Lotito. Photographer: Joan Marcus. Broadway musical JERSEY BOYS brings to the stage the story of 1960s singing sensations Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons, recounting their rise from working-class kids to pop-music superstars. The soundtrack, naturally, is filled with Four Seasons hits, including timeless classics like "Sherry," "Big Girls Don't Cry," and "December 1963 (Oh, What A Night)." Interspersed between the songs are snippets of dialogue from the play, and the actors playing the Four Seasons nail the group's famous vocal harmonies impressively. JERSEY BOYS is a fun listen for those looking to take a walk down memory lane for historical curiosity or even just nostalgia's sake.

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Fiddler On The Roof [Remaster]
 

Fiddler On The Roof [Remaster]

"Fiddler on the Roof (Original Broadway Cast Recording)" (06/03/2003) Pop Vocal Original ... more

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Fiddler On The Roof [Remaster]
"Fiddler on the Roof (Original Broadway Cast Recording)" (06/03/2003) Pop Vocal Original Cast, RCA Victor Records (USA)Composer: Jerry Bock. Lyricist: Sheldon Harnick. Original Broadway Cast/Zero Mostel: Maria Karnilova, Zero Mostel, Bea Arthur, Bert Convy, Julia Migenes, Austin Pendleton, Joanna Merlin. The original 1964 Broadway cast recording of FIDDLER ON THE ROOF is one of the great albums of musical theater. Featuring Zero Mostel as Tevye and Maria Karnilova as Golde, the original Broadway cast left their indelible stamp on the iconic work of Jerry Bock (music) and Sheldon Harnick (lyrics). Nearly every song is a classic, with "Do You Love Me?" "Sunrise, Sunset," and "If I Were a Rich Man" still standing out as favorites.

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Rent
 

Rent

"Rent [Original Broadway Cast Recording]" (08/27/1996) Pop Vocal Original Cast, Dreamwork ... more

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Rent
"Rent [Original Broadway Cast Recording]" (08/27/1996) Pop Vocal Original Cast, Dreamworks SKGMusic and lyrics written by Jonathan Larson. Principal cast: Adam Pascal (Roger Davis); Anthony Rapp (Mark Cohen); Jesse L. Martin (Tom Collins); Taye Diggs (Benjamin Coffin III); Fredi Walker (Joanne Jefferson); Wilson Jermaine Heredia (Angel Schunard); Daphne Rubin-Vega (Mimi Marquez); Idina Menzel (Maureen Johnson); Kristen Lee Kelly, Byron Utley, Gwen Stewart, Timothy Britten Parker, Gilles Chiasson, Rodney Hicks, Aiko Nakasone. Additional personnel: Stevie Wonder. Recorded at Sorcerer Sound and Right Track Recording, New York, New York. Includes a 36-page booklet with a plot synopsis and complete lyrics. RENT was nominated for a 1997 Grammy Award for Best Musical Show Album. Composer: Jonathan Larson. Lyricist: Billy Aronson. Personnel: Daphne Rubin-Vega, Rodney Hicks, Jesse L. Martin, Gwen Stewart, Idina Menzel, Aiko Nakasone, Taye Diggs, Byron Utley, Wilson Jermaine Heredia, Gilles Chiasson, Adam Pascal, Anthony Rapp (vocals); Anthony Jackson (guitar, contra guitar); Daniel A. Weiss (guitar, synthesizer); Kenny Brescia (guitar); Ira Siegel (electric guitar); Dominic Derasse (trumpet, piccolo trumpet); Tim Weil (piano, synthesizer); Steve Skinner (keyboards, synthesizer, drum programming); Jeffrey Potter (drums, percussion); Kurt Fischer (sound effects). Audio Mixer: Michael O'Reilly. Recording information: Right Track Recording, NY; Sorcerer Sound, NY. Directors: Michael Grief; Michael Greif; Robin Sloane; Tim Weil. Photographers: Joan Marcus; Richie Lee; Amy Guip. Unknown Contributor Roles: George Marino; Anthony Jackson; Stevie Wonder; Tim Weil. Arrangers: Arif Mardin; Steve Skinner; Tim Weil. This 43-track set includes in its entirety the unlikely opera about AIDS, drugs, squatters, down-and-out artists and (of course) love that won the 1996 Pulitzer Prize for drama and went on to knock Broadway off its feet at a time when the Broadway musical was widely assumed to be dead. Like the climactic love song that seems to magically rescue one of the main characters from near-death, RENT itself may well be responsible for bringing Broadway back to life. RENT was written and composed by Jonathan Larson, who died suddenly hours after the final dress rehearsal. Larson's music is almost seamless in the way it quilts together show-tune tradition with current pop styles, reflecting the story's blend of a classical plot (it's loosely based on Puccini's opera "La Boheme") with a thoroughly modern setting. A tango, in which a man and woman compare notes on a lover they have shared, fits comfortably between an electronic dance tune with rapped vocals ("Today 4 U," sung by the play's drag-queen hero) and a rocking entreaty to come "Out Tonight." The latter is sung by Daphne Rubin-Vega, whose coquettish pop voice and sensual presence help her stand out from a great ensemble cast. The play's unexpectedly optimistic message is spelled out in a breathtaking pop song called "Seasons Of Love," which leads off the second act. As a bonus, Stevie Wonder joins the cast for a reprise that puts a soaring coda of hope on this dark opera.

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Oliver! The Original Broadway Cast Recording
 

Oliver! The Original Broadway Cast Recording

"Oliver! [Original Broadway Cast] [Bonus Tracks]" (08/01/1989) Pop Vocal Original Cast, R ... more

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Oliver! The Original Broadway Cast Recording
"Oliver! [Original Broadway Cast] [Bonus Tracks]" (08/01/1989) Pop Vocal Original Cast, RCA Victor Records (USA)Composer/Lyricist: Lionel Bart. Original Broadway Cast: Georgia Brown, Barry Humphries, Clive Revill, Wiloughby Goddard, Bruce Prochnik. Lionel Bart's musical version of Oliver Twist, Charles Dickens's novel of Industrial Revolution London in the late 19th century, was far more entertaining than the subject matter would suggest. The show has Dickens's sad story of poverty and crime, but also one of the strongest scores heard on Broadway in the 60s -- "I'd Do Anything," "Be Back Soon," "Oom-Pah-Pah," "As Long As He Needs Me" -- in fact, it's one hit after another (no wonder this album reached #4 in the charts and went gold). And it has the incomparable Georgia Brown too. ~ William Ruhlmann

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Big River: The Adventures Of Huckleberry Finn
 

Big River: The Adventures Of Huckleberry Finn

"Big River: The Adventures Of Huckleberry Finn [1985 Original Broadway Cast]" (10/25/1990 ... more

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Big River: The Adventures Of Huckleberry Finn
"Big River: The Adventures Of Huckleberry Finn [1985 Original Broadway Cast]" (10/25/1990) Pop Vocal Original Cast, MCA Records (USA)Composed by Roger Miller. Although Roger Miller is best known for his 1960s country-pop hits (most notably "King of the Road" and "Dang Me"), the Texas-born singer/songwriter received acclaim--and a Tony Award--late in his life for his work on the 1985 Broadway musical BIG RIVER: THE ADVENTURES OF HUCKLEBERRY FINN. From its orchestral, bluegrass-tinged opening "Overture" to its celebratory closing, "Muddy Water (Reprise)," the production deftly fuses Mark Twain's timeless story with Miller's effortlessly charming, easy-going sensibility, as best revealed on the gentle, yearning "Waitin' for the Light to Shine" (performed by Cat Stevens sound-alike Daniel H. Jenkins as Huck) and the thoughtful duet "River in the Rain" (which also features Ron Richardson as Jim). Sadly, Miller died in '92, while only in his mid-50s, leaving BIG RIVER as his last major achievement. Though Miller doesn't sing on the album, it marks a latter-day high point in his relatively short but impressive career, and is recommended listening for his devoted fans.

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Monty Python's Spamalot [5/3]
 

Monty Python's Spamalot [5/3]

"Monty Python's Spamalot [Original Broadway Cast Recording]" (05/03/2005) Pop Vocal Origi ... more

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Monty Python's Spamalot [5/3]
"Monty Python's Spamalot [Original Broadway Cast Recording]" (05/03/2005) Pop Vocal Original Cast, Decca (USA)Composer: John Du Prez. Composer/Lyricist: Eric Idle. Original Broadway Cast: David Hyde Pierce, Hank Azaria, Steve Rosen, Tim Curry, Christopher Sieber, Michael McGrath, Christian Borle. Silliness abounds on the Broadway cast recording of MONTY PYTHON'S SPAMALOT, a loose adaptation of the revered (and much-quoted) film MONTY PYTHON AND THE HOLY GRAIL. Penned by Python member Eric Idle (along with his musical collaborator John Du Prez), SPAMALOT follows the absurd adventures of King Arthur (Tim Curry) and his Knights of the Round Table, including Sir Robin (David Hyde Pierce) and Sir Lancelot (Hank Azaria). While the production plays into the conventions of the musical, with plenty of over-the-top singing, it also subverts those cliches, most notably on the hilarious "The Song That Goes Like This," which skewers the Broadway standard of sugary-sweet romantic duets (where a couple can "overact like hell"). Throughout SPAMALOT, cheeky Python-esque humor is always on hand, so much so that the production even includes "Always Look on the Bright Side Of Life," the classic sing-along number from another favorite Python movie, LIFE OF BRIAN.

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Woman In White [11/8]
 

Woman In White [11/8]

"The Woman In White [Original Cast Recording]" (11/08/2005) Soundtracks Original Cast, EM ... more

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Woman In White [11/8]
"The Woman In White [Original Cast Recording]" (11/08/2005) Soundtracks Original Cast, EMI ClassicsComposer: Andrew Lloyd Webber. Lyricist: David Zippel. Original Cast Recording: Maria Friedman, Michael Crawford, Vincent Pirillo, Oliver Darley, Martin Crewes, Angela Christian, Edward Petherbridge, Jill Paice. Andrew Lloyd Webber, who scored the biggest hit of his highly successful career adapting Gaston Leroux's 1911 horror/fantasy novel Phantom of the Opera to the musical theater, returns to familiar ground with what is described as a "freely adapted" musical version of Wilkie Collins' "classic" (and, more important, out of copyright) 1860 novel The Woman in White, considered the first full-length example of detective fiction in English literature. Collins' tale is a gothic melodrama with an innocent heroine married off to an upper-class villain and a terrible secret revealed only in the final moments. Lloyd Webber, an industry unto himself, tends to employ different librettists and lyricists on each project; here, Charlotte Jones does her best with the penny-dreadful plot in her book, while Broadway veteran David Zippel (City of Angels) writes efficient, occasionally witty words for the cast to sing. (Typically, the two-CD album, with a running time of two hours and 24 minutes, contains a complete audio rendering of the show, not just song highlights.) That cast sings as well as it can, although only Michael Crawford (Lloyd Webber's original Phantom) gets a juicy part, mincing around the stage in a fat suit and an Italian accent in the part of Count Fosco, the villain's charming associate. For his part, Lloyd Webber turns in one of his less tuneful but more consistent scores. The trouble is simply that the story is a poor choice for musical theater. It has too many main characters -- in fact, there are actually three heroines -- and, despite Crawford's efforts, it is much too dreary. Lionel Bart managed to enliven the work of Collins' contemporary, Charles Dickens in Oliver!, his musical version of Oliver Twist, but Lloyd Webber has either picked the wrong book to adapt or failed to make it sufficiently compelling as a musical. (The recording was, for the most part, made live on opening night in London, with some studio recordings substituted when there was too much audience reaction. One example is retained as a bonus track, with Crawford's second-act tour de force, "You Can Get Away with Anything," considerably hammed up from the studio version. At least it's amusing.) ~ William Ruhlmann

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The Altar Boyz [5/17]
 

The Altar Boyz [5/17]

"Altar Boyz" (05/17/2005) Soundtracks Original Cast, GhostlightOriginal Cast Recording: A ... more

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The Altar Boyz [5/17]
"Altar Boyz" (05/17/2005) Soundtracks Original Cast, GhostlightOriginal Cast Recording: Andy Karl, Scott Porter, Tyler Maynard, Ryan Duncan, David Josefsberg (vocals). Personnel: David Anthony Matos (guitar); Clayton Craddock (drums). Additional personnel: Lynne Shankel (keyboards); Doug Katsaros (programming); David Anthony Matos, Clayton Craddock. Audio Mixer: Jonathan Kaplan. Recording information: Sound On Sound Studio A, New York, NY. Photographers: Chris Cassidy; Nick Ruechel; Carol Rosegg. The peak of the so-called boy band craze in pop music came in about the year 2000; by 2002, the fashion was over. Altar Boyz, a musical about a boy band, arrived off-Broadway on March 1, 2005, which may be as close to currency as the musical theater gets. But there is nothing as out as that which was recently in, and the show plays as a period piece no less than Forever Plaid, another off-Broadway musical about a male vocal group. And similar to Forever Plaid, Altar Boyz is intended as a lightly satiric, yet affectionate take on its subject. The big joke here is that the fictional Altar Boyz are a group of Catholics -- Matthew, Mark, Luke, and Juan (and, oh, yes, Abraham, who, for reasons never really explained, is Jewish) -- and they are here to sing about their faith. They do so in the combination of dance, Latin, and ballad styles, complete with overly emotive harmony and solo singing, that will be familiar to anyone who's ever heard a Backstreet Boys album. Songwriters Gary Adler and Michael Patrick Walker clearly have their tongues in their cheeks. "Church Rulez" is an account of what the Catholic Mass is like, with its constant cycle of standing, sitting, and kneeling. "The Calling" announces that Jesus Christ has spoken to the singers -- by calling on a cell phone! "The Miracle Song" repeats familiar Gospel tales in rap style. The big romantic ballad, "Something About You," finds lead singer Matthew (Scott Porter) explaining to his girlfriend his adherence to abstinence. "La Vida Eternal," the inevitable Latin track inevitably handled by Juan (Ryan Duncan), reveals that "the afterlife is not a scary place." And "Epiphany," with lead vocals by Mark (Tyler Maynard), is a declaration of Catholic identity in terms reminiscent of a homosexual coming-out ("this is who you are, it's not a choice"). The singers, of course, render all these potted sentiments with mock sincerity, and, particularly on the cast album, it's possible to mistake that for real sincerity now and then. At very least, the songwriters have brought a knowledge of their musical and theological subjects to their writing, and as much sympathy as critical intent. And maybe the boy band trend has been gone just long enough to be ripe for such treatment. Meanwhile, both non-believers and the devout (as long as they have a sense of humor) should enjoy the music. ~ William Ruhlmann

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I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change
 

I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change

"I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change" (11/19/1996) Pop Vocal Original Cast, Var&Scaron ... more

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I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change
"I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change" (11/19/1996) Pop Vocal Original Cast, VarŠse Sarabande (USA)The original cast recording of I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change features the musical revue's witty songs detailing the travails of dating and romance in the age of safe sex. ~ Jason Ankeny

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25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee [5/24]
 

25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee [5/24]

"The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee [Original Broadway Cast Recording]" (05/24/20 ... more

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25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee [5/24]
"The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee [Original Broadway Cast Recording]" (05/24/2005) Pop Vocal Original Cast, GhostlightOriginal Cast Recording/Original Soundtrack: Jose Llana, Derrick Baskin, Craig, Deborah S., Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Dan Fogler, Lisa Howard, Celia Keenan-Bolger, Jay Reiss, Sarah Saltzberg. Who would of thunk it? That some ingenious soul(s) would use the spelling bee -- that great American institution that millions of children have suffered through -- as a gristmill for a Broadway musical? The 25th Annual Putnam Country Spelling Bee does exactly that, and Ghost Light has provided an original Broadway cast recording of the musical. The compositions and lyrics are from William Finn, and with a Tony under his belt, he's got the experience to make even a spelling bee dramatic. As one might imagine, the cast includes a number of overachievers gathered at a junior high gym for the contest. There are love songs to the dictionary ("My Friend, the Dictionary" rhymes Nietzsche with Christiana Richie), expressions of inferiority ("I'm Not That Smart"), and lots and lots of spelling. The music is catchy and the cast are fine singers, though numbers like "Pandemonium" are a bit overwhelming as what seems like a dozen spellers trade lines and build to a crescendo as the band plays louder and louder. A musical without the visuals can seem a bit fragmented, and that's true of The 25th Annual Putnam Country Spelling Bee. Some may find all of this a bit precious and not unlike sitting through another spelling bee. Others (i.e., overachievers) will no doubt enjoy a glance back at their glory days. ~ Ronnie D. Lankford, Jr.

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Bright Lights, Big City [6/21]
 

Bright Lights, Big City [6/21]

"Bright Lights, Big City [Original Cast] [PA]" (06/21/2005) Pop Vocal Original Cast, Razo ... more

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Bright Lights, Big City [6/21]
"Bright Lights, Big City [Original Cast] [PA]" (06/21/2005) Pop Vocal Original Cast, Razor & Tie MusicPerformers include: Patrick Wilson, Jesse L. Martin, Sharon Leal, Sherie Rene Scott, Gavin Creel, Christine Ebersole, Ann Marie Milazzo, Eden Espinosa, Celia Keenan-Bolger, Everett Bradley, and Richard Kind. Original Cast Recording: Christine Ebersole, Everett Bradley, Melissa Dye, Patrick Wilson, Ann Marie Milazzo, Sherie Ren? Scott, Gavin Creel, Richard Kind, Eden Espinosa, Jesse L. Martin, Celia Keenan-Bolger, Sharon Leal. Personnel: Roger Butterley (guitar, keyboards); Jim Mastro (guitar). Audio Mixer: Joel Moss . Recording information: Masque Sound, New York, NY (05/23/2004); Sound On Sound Studio, New York, NY (05/23/2004); The Hit Factory, New York, NY (05/23/2004). Photographer: Chris Cassidy. Arrangers: Ann Marie Milazzo; Roger Butterley. The idea of taking Jay McInerney's Bright Lights, Big City and turning it into a musical is a cool, if odd, idea. Why not update the tired form (the musical) with a portrait of Generation X's dissipated lifestyles? This is exactly what Paul Scott Goodman's music and lyrics do, diving headfirst into a hedonistic world of coke, meaningless sex, and all-night parties. For those who found the musical version of Dirty Rotten Scoundrels a bit old fashioned, Bright Lights, Big Cities should prove titillating. In the title track, Jamie and the Coke Girl admit that they "love drugs," while "Oden"'s lyric joylessly shouts, "I want to have sex tonight!" These songs tell the debauched tale of a week in the life of Jamie (Patrick Wilson), from his boring office job at Gotham Magazine ("Fact and Fiction") to his attempts to build meaningful relationships with the opposite sex ("To Model"). The music itself reminds one a bit of the Hair-Jesus Christ Superstar school of musicals, with acoustic guitars and ballads like "Perfect Feeling" set against more bombastic numbers like "I Hate the French." The singers -- Wilson, Eden Espinosa, Sharon Leal, and others -- do a fine job with the material, filling Goodman's lyrics with lots of energy. While the Gershwins may roll over in their graves, anyone who came of age in the '80s or later will enjoy Bright Lights, Big City's updating of the musical. ~ Ronnie D. Lankford, Jr.

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Promises, Promises [Remaster] [4/12]
 

Promises, Promises [Remaster] [4/12]

"Promises, Promises [Varese] [Remaster]" (04/12/2005) Soundtracks Original Cast, Varese ( ... more

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Promises, Promises [Remaster] [4/12]
"Promises, Promises [Varese] [Remaster]" (04/12/2005) Soundtracks Original Cast, Varese (Japan)Composer: Burt Bacharach. Lyricist: Hal David. Original Broadway Cast: Dick O'Neill, Donna McKechnie, Edward Winter, A. Larry Haines, Jerry Orbach, Jill O'Hara, Marian Mercer, Norman Shelly, Paul Reed. Recording information: A&R Studios, New York, NY. Authors: Neil Simon; Burt Bacharach. The 1969 Grammy-winning score by Burt Bacharach and Hal David, Promises, Promises was adapted by Neil Simon from Billy Wilder's screenplay of the 1960 film The Apartment (with Jack Lemmon and Shirley MacLaine). A Broadway smash that lasted over 1,200 performances, the play won one Tony Award alongside four Grammys, and was out of print for many years before being reissued on CD in 1999. The songs include several of Bacharach-David's best, including "I'll Never Fall in Love Again," "What Do You Get When You Fall in Love" and the title song. ~ Jenna Woolford

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Forever Plaid [Digipak] [9/20]
 

Forever Plaid [Digipak] [9/20]

"Forever Plaid [2005 Las Vegas Revival Cast] [Digipak]" (09/20/2005) Pop Vocal Original C ... more

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Forever Plaid [Digipak] [9/20]
"Forever Plaid [2005 Las Vegas Revival Cast] [Digipak]" (09/20/2005) Pop Vocal Original Cast, DRG (USA)Stuart Ross' musical comedy revue Forever Plaid, in which a vocal quartet covers many of the pre-rock pop hits of the 1950s, is based on the conceit that the singers were killed on their way to their first professional engagement, which just happened to be on the night the Beatles played The Ed Sullivan Show, thus wiping their chosen form of music off the pop charts, but now they have been granted one night to come back and perform their show. That happened for the first time on May 20, 1990, at Steve McGraw's, a supper club on Manhattan's Upper West Side, and it happened again for more than 1,500 off-Broadway performances, leading to touring companies and regional productions around the world. (After all, the show was packed with hit songs, and it only took four singers, a piano, and some dinner jackets to pull off.) RCA Victor released an original cast album in November 1990, and there has even been a holiday disc, Plaid Tidings. It's not clear why the world needs another recording of the show 15 years later, except perhaps that it has taken up a permanent residence at the Gold Coast Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas and a CD makes a good souvenir for patrons. J. Gregory Davis, Bruce Ewing, Douglas Frank, Mark Perkins, and Dale Sandish (you must need five performers to give people days off), veterans of previous productions, handle themselves well, re-creating the sound of the Four Freshmen and the Four Aces, and applying it to a variety of '50s pop figures, good-naturedly copying Johnnie Ray, Tennessee Ernie Ford, Sam Cooke, Perry Como, Harry Belafonte, and Tony Bennett. They even toss in a version of the Beatles' "She Loves You" in which "Yeah, yeah, yeah" becomes "Yessirree, Bob!" Those who own the original album probably don't need another version, but fans discovering the show for the first time in Vegas will get a good accounting of it here. ~ William Ruhlmann

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Music From The Films Of Marlon Brando [5/2]
 

Music From The Films Of Marlon Brando [5/2]

"Music from the Films of Marlon Brando" (05/02/2006) Rock & Pop Original Soundtrack, ... more

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Music From The Films Of Marlon Brando [5/2]
"Music from the Films of Marlon Brando" (05/02/2006) Rock & Pop Original Soundtrack, Silva AmericaA musical tribute to Marlon Brando, this two-disc set features the Crouch End Festival Chorus and the City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra and Chorus performing key songs from many of the revered actor's finest films. Drawing from classics such as THE GODFATHER, A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE, and ON THE WATERFRONT, the 21-track collection showcases sweeping pieces by lauded composers Nino Rota, Alex North, Leonard Bernstein, and many more. Impressively, the release even includes the majestic main theme from SUPERMAN (Brando played Superman's father, Jor-El) and Richard Wagner's ominous, soaring "The Ride of the Valkyries," which was, of course, used in APOCALYPSE NOW.

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Fine & Dandy [5/25]
 

Fine & Dandy [5/25]

"Fine and Dandy" (05/25/2004) Soundtracks Original Cast, Image Entertainment (Audio)Compo ... more

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Fine & Dandy [5/25]
"Fine and Dandy" (05/25/2004) Soundtracks Original Cast, Image Entertainment (Audio)Composer: Kay Swift. Lyricist: Paul James. Original Broadway Cast/Various Artists: Deborah Tranelli, Jack Donahue, Jessica Molaskey, John Pizzarelli, Mario Cantone, Andrea Burns, Ann Hampton Callaway, Gavin Creel, Jennifer Laura Thompson, Mark Linn-Baker, Anne Kaufman, Natalie Douglas, Carolee Carmello.

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Dirty Rotten Scoundrels [5/10]
 

Dirty Rotten Scoundrels [5/10]

"Dirty Rotten Scoundrels [Original Broadway Cast Recording]" (05/10/2005) Soundtracks Ori ... more

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Dirty Rotten Scoundrels [5/10]
"Dirty Rotten Scoundrels [Original Broadway Cast Recording]" (05/10/2005) Soundtracks Original Cast, GhostlightComposer/Lyricist: David Yazbek. Original Cast Recording: Gregory Jbara, Joanna Gleason, John Lithgow, Sherie Ren? Scott, Norbert Leo Butz. Personnel: Erik Dellapenna (guitar, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, lap steel guitar, banjo); Claire Chan, Michael Nicholas (violin, viola); Cenovia Cummins, Paul Woodiel, Belinda Whitney (violin); Anja Wood, Sarah Carter (cello); Andrew Sterman (flute, alto flute, piccolo, clarinet, soprano saxophone, alto saxophone); Mark Thrasher (flute, clarinet, bass clarinet, bassoon, baritone saxophone); Dan Willis (flute, clarinet, oboe, English horn, soprano saxophone, tenor saxophone); Jim Hyne (trumpet, cornet, flugelhorn); Dave Stahl, Hollis Burridge (trumpet, flugelhorn); Theresa MacDonnell (French horn); Michael Boschen (trombone, bass trombone); Dan Lipton (piano, keyboards); Sherie Ren? Scott, Bill Charlap (piano); Jan Rosenberg (keyboards); Dean Sharenow (drums); Howard Joines (percussion). Audio Mixer: Billy Straus. Liner Note Author: Peter Marks. Recording information: Right Track Studio A509, New York, NY; Sound on Sound Studios, New York, NY. Ensembles: Grasan Kingsberry; Tom Galantich; Julie Connors; Rachel Debenedet; Michael Paternostro; Jason Gillman; Amy Heggins; Greg Graham; Laura Marie Duncan; Sally Mae Dunn; Timothy J. Alex; Rachelle Rak; Stephen Campanella; Joe Cassidy; Andres Asnes; Roxane Barlow. Illustrator: David H. Cowles. Photographer: Carol Rosegg. Arranger: Ted Sperling. For years, Hollywood made a habit out of turning Broadway musicals into films, so it probably shouldn't be too surprising that the tables have turned: Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, a 1988 feature, became a Broadway musical in 2004. Like the movie, the musical follows the exploits of two con men, one smooth and debonair, John Lithgow, and the other, Norbert Leo Butz, simply small potatoes. Of course, since it's a musical now, a soundtrack had to be added, and David Yazbek wrote both the melodies and the lyrics. Ghostlight's original Broadway cast recording features both Lithgow and Butz along with Sherie Ren? Scott, Joanna Gleason, Gregory Jbara, and a number of others singing lots of bouncy bright show tunes. In a way, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels' music and lyrics ("Give Them What They Want" and "Great Big Stuff"), save for a few four-letter words here and there, seems very traditional. Yazbek enjoys wordplay and puns, reminding one a bit of Cole Porter, and has a knack for writing tuneful, memorable melodies like the other purveyors of the classic songbook. Even the music itself on songs like "Here I Am," filled with piano, brass, and the vocal backing of the ensemble, qualifies as a bit old-fashioned. While these aspects might not please the avant-garde, this approach, along with good performances by all involved, are real crowd-pleasers, and make Dirty Rotten Scoundrels easy to listen to over and over. ~ Ronnie D. Lankford, Jr.

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70 Girls 70
 

70 Girls 70

"70, Girls, 70 [Original London Cast]" (07/01/2003) Soundtracks Original Cast, Jay Record ... more

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70 Girls 70
"70, Girls, 70 [Original London Cast]" (07/01/2003) Soundtracks Original Cast, Jay RecordsComposer: John Kander. Lyricist: Fred Ebb. Original London Cast: Dora Bryan, James Gavin, Shezwae Powell, Pip Hinton, Stephanie Voss, Buster Skeggs, Joan Savage, Len Howe, Brian Greene . Personnel: Martin Frith (flute, clarinet, saxophone); Trevor Barber (trumpet); Joe Stewart (piano); Julian Kelly (synthesizer). Liner Note Author: Michael Kennedy.

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Children's Letters To God [1/4]
 

Children's Letters To God [1/4]

"Children's Letters to God (Original Off-Broadway Cast)" (01/04/2005) Soundtracks Origina ... more

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Children's Letters To God [1/4]
"Children's Letters to God (Original Off-Broadway Cast)" (01/04/2005) Soundtracks Original Cast, Jay RecordsLyricist: Doug Cohen. Original Off-Broadway Cast: Gerard Canonico, Jimmy Dieffenbach, Libbie Jacobson, Sara Kapner, Andrew Zutty. Personnel: David Phillips (acoustic bass, electric bass); Howard Joines (drums, percussion). Audio Mixer: Andrew Dudman. Recording information: Clinton Recording Studios, NY (09/13/2004). Editor: Sophie Marchant. Photographer: Carol Rosegg. Unknown Contributor Role: Allison Fischer. Arranger: David Lawrence.

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