Amazon.com

A live concert at Carnegie Hall, My Favorite Broadway: The Leading Ladies collects a top-notch cast in a kind of VH1 Divas for Broadway. While big names such as Bernadette Peters and Patti LuPone are conspicuously absent, and Julie Andrews hosts but doesn't sing, there is still plenty of talent on display. The program mixes stars of the '90s (Bebe Neuwirth with "Nowadays," Linda Eder with the unusual yet appropriately bombastic selection of "Man of La Mancha (I, Don Quixote)"), along with stars of the '70s and '80s (Elaine Stritch with "The Ladies Who Lunch," Jennifer Holliday with "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going," Nell Carter with "Mean to Me"). Particularly welcome are Andrea McArdle's sweet, understated combination of "Look for the Silver Lining" and, of course, "Tomorrow," an appearance by Priscilla Lopez ("Nothing"), and a trio of Andrew Lloyd Webber love songs performed separately then woven together by Audra McDonald, Marin Mazzie, and Judy Kuhn. Some of these performances might be nearly equal (or even slightly inferior) to the original recordings, but there are a number of gems, and the star power of the whole lineup is undeniable. If there's a downside here, it's that the 99-minute video program was cut to 61 minutes for the CD release.--David Horiuchi ... Read more

Reviews (13)

What Happened?
I was looking forward to buying the My Favorite Broadway CD after seeing the PBS broadcast. I was so disappointed when I received the CD. Could they possibly leave off any more? The cut out so many of the great songs and left all of the old dead ones like "And I'm Telling You" and "Adelaide's Lament". How often do we have to hear those songs? The worst part is how many great songs were left off like Marin Mazzie's "Bewitched" and Karen Ziemba in "I Wanna Be a Rockette". Above all the most missed is Audra McDonald singing the incredible "Down With Love". Of course there were some great songs like Webber Love Trio and "Nothing" sung by Priscilla Lopez, but there were just to many things taken out. My advice is skip the CD and go for the video. You wont miss anything that way.

It's All About Linda Eder (but the rest rock too)
When I saw this performance on KCET, I was blown away! Such amazing talent all brought into one performance is amazing. So the next time it was on TV, I taped it and I've watched it several times. Still realizing that wasn't enough, I bought the CD, and it keeps amazing me every time I listen to it. Although I wish that all of the songs from the show were on it, they have most of my famorites. Linda Eder obviously stole the show, but Jennifer Holliday, among others, came close. What a tremendous addition to my musical theatre collection! I would recomend it for anyone who likes modern female musical theatre vocalists. Noah (17)

Half Of Those Songs Are Not On The CD
I would just like to tell the person that wrote Over All A Great Compilation the reason why this CD Is bad is because many of the songs you mentioned are not on the CD. Rebecca Lucker is no where to be found on it and Marin Mazzie's Bewitched was one of the best songs of the concert and it is not on there. Karen Ziemba's I Wanna Be A Rockette was probably the greatest number in the whole show but funny, it's not there eather. So Yes like that reviewer said these people gave great preformances but unfortunitly that person forgot to mention that all of the numbers were left off the CD.

Overall a great compilation, a must buy for Broadway fans!
Okay first off, do not pay attention to any of these other reviews, they were really not well-founded arguments (minus thes ones who actually liked it). Okay this CD does leave out a lot of the good stuff from the VHS and DVD, so I recommend you buy both. The performances were fantastic, most of the original singers from Broadway sang their trademark songs. Priscilla Lopez did pretty good after 20 years, I mean today she's not as amazing but it was nice to see her. Liza Minelli can't sing very well anymore but has a great acting ability. Marin Mazzie is unbelievable and by far always amazing (she's herself). Rebecca Luker is great too, Dee Hoty is amazing as usual, Judy Kuhn is one of the best singers ever born. Audra McDonald is not as good as she could be -- buy the original Ragtime CD. Bebe and Karen are great, Karen is awesome and very versatile. Debra Monk did a nice job but was overacting a bit in the actual performance. It was nice to see Julie Andrews talk and to revel in her memories of her great roles. Elaine Stritch was astounding, she sounds just the way she did when she originated the role in "Company" back in 1970. She is not supposed to have a great voice but she can definitely sing. Her song means something and she can still get that message across, by far her version is the most authoritative in all of Musical Theatre. Nell Carter and Jennifer Holliday were sensational as well. No one sang or acted badly and the show was a great success. You need to buy it if you like Broadway or any of the singers on it, the final Chorus Line number "One" is the best recording ever, of course you must consider it's all female voices.

"And I'm Telling You......"
This cd is definately worth buying. Although, some of the songs are on the more boring side, others rock like "man of la mancha", "nothing", "i can cook too," and others. The ladies did a wonderful job! TO THE STAGE! TO BROADWAY! ... Read more

Reviews (13)

Every Single Song is "Heavenly"
Every single song in the album "Heavenly" is just -- what else can I say -- Heavenly. I listen to this CD every day and just can't get enough of hearing it. Johnny Mathis's voice is so very smooth and glorious.

I have many albums of his, but somehow I think this is his very best, at least one of his very best and would recommend it to anyone who really loves beautiful songs with a beautiful voice to sing them.

I hope Johnny Mathis never stops singing because he has been blessed with such a voice, as is reflected in "Heavenly"

rockymary

Gone to Heaven and back !
Having listened to the Maestro of romance since the 60's, I found the quality of this album superb! I have most of his cd's and never tire of listening to them

For instance the main title 'Heavenly' on this cd sent my heart racing. 'More Than You Know' when he hits that hight note sliding up and down in an effortless musical embrace had me racing for Click button to buy this album.

I DO RECOMMEND ANY JOHNNY MATHIS DEVOTEE TO ADD THIS TO THEIR COLLECTION OR START ONE!!

A Masterpiece
This is my favorite Mathis album! You can't get more romantic than this album. I highly recommend it to anyone who likes Johnny Mathis. Nothing beats sitting in front of a fireplace with a glass of wine and the person you love while listening to this album (except what happens as a result of it).

Timeless Appeal
What gives this album ( along with Open Fire Two Guitars, and Faithfully ) true distinction is the quality of the songs contained. Apart from the evergeen MISTY, the selections could hardly be considered commercial in their appeal. The youthful Johnny Mathis was conveying a mood of deep sophistication during the period 1958/59, offering flawless renditions of songs by Porter, Berlin, the Gershwins, Dietz&Schwartz, and best of all Bart Howard (I'll Be Easy to Find). On the album HEAVENLY the arrangements are unabashedly romantic, yet the simplicity and directness of OpenFire/Two Guitars showed that Johnny Mathis didnt always require lush orchestration to get the message across.The suppleness of his voice, the perfect phrasings that gave value to every lyric, the good taste throughout, impress me as much today as they did forty years ago.

The sound is intimate (but so is all his music)
There's just something about this particular album that is sooo
touching.
Like Eugenio Lira, I've lived with "Heavenly" since 1959, along with every other Johnny Mathis album I could get my hands on. They've been through a lot of play and several moves, and I've been trying to replace them with CD's. I've been trying to find "Heavenly" on CD for years. Now, thanks to the Web & Amazon, JM can sing me to sleep like he did when I was 10!!! ... Read more

Reviews (8)

As Mel Torme used to say of Ella "She could do no wrong"
And Mr. Torme was right, she could do no wrong. These singles are swingin.' No they are obviosly not on the same level as her Songbooks or concept albums, but they are very good for being attempt at commercial hits, though there are few standards, Ella was in prime voice here, and the orchestra's taht back her up are the top names. This will fill a big gap in Ella's fans colelctions. This essential cd should be owned by fans who thought there was nothing left of Ella's to be put onto cd! A great cd set, well worth acquiring for the jazz fan, or pop fan.

Undiscovered Ella
I was so surprised when I listened to this 2 CD set. I'd never heard most of the recordings included! How often does that happen with an artist as well represented as Ella Fitzgerald? Not very often. When it does happen you have to jump on the opprotunity. I'm so glad I picked up this set. I can't imagine not having tracks like "I'm A Poached Egg", "The Secret Of Christmas", "Dreams Are made For children" and "Too Young For The Blues" in my collection now. HIGHLY recommended.

On a side note, the packaging is superb. It's a cardboard tri-fold in pastel colors. This discs themselves are imaginatively decorated and there is a 16 page bookelt included.

"first installment on the complete singles ~ Ella!"
Norman Granz, Ella's manager knew a good thing when he took her under his wing ~ even though a contract was never signed between them, love and respect was there right from the start. The latest release from Verve Records "Jukebox Ella:The Complete Verve Singles 1", features Ella during the early days with this label ~ a delightful bit of improvisation is on every cue. Her style is so timeless that you're instantly amazed and she's got you hooked line and sinker. This is a great introduction to her career which blends a vibrant expressive signature approach to each song.

A wonderful compilation of Seasonal and Chart hits ~ some stand outs are prevalent "BEALE STREET BLUES", "SWINGIN' SHEPHERD BLUES", "DREAMS ARE MADE FOR CHILDREN" which are some of the lesser known tracks ~ "BILL BAILEY WON'T YOU PLEASE COME HOME?", "WE THREE, MY ECHO, MY SHADOW AND ME", "THE SHADOW OF YOUR SMILE" and "DESAFINADO" reflects her impeccable interpretation giving you the impression you've heard this song for the first time.

The highlight is "THE SECRET OF CHRISTMAS", which has become one of my favorite songs for the Holiday Season ~ only Ella could melt my heart with her sweetness that surfaces with every phrase she sings. Her talent for singing has never been equalled ~ Ella's musical career has always been top notch...gotta love it!

Total Time: 2-CD-Set ~ Verve B0000092-02 ~ (9/30/2003)

At Long Last! The Singles!
Ella recorded a lot of singles during her Verve years and many of
them were never even on LP so this compilation is most welcome.
Her first recordings for the label were singles with Buddy Bregman
conducting. For years we have had ESSENTIAL, PURE, IMCOMPARABLE
and other recyclings so this is a great set. I understand the
next volume will comprise singles that were part of albums and
I will be glad to have that also. Ella's Verve years were her
greatest and these singles are a welcome addition to the Ella
canon.

Worth the Wait!
To me, Ella embodies artistry and is the standard by which all other singers are judged. I thought I'd heard the best Ella had to offer until Jukebox Ella arrived on Friday. Many unknown songs (to me at least) that became instant favorites. I found myself dancing around the house, grinning ear to ear and loving every note, every nuance, every Ella moment. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Well-done collection of her early jazz attempts...
Rosie made her initial impact singing on novelty songs for Columbia, most of which sound dumb today. This Legacy collection avoids those, thank goodness, and gives us 18 tracks from six LP's issued between 1951 and '57. These are ballad and mid-tempo performances of less commercial songs, and most are wonderful. Four tracks have backing by Duke Ellington and his men, and three by Benny Goodman's group. The four weakest performances have vocal backing by The Hi-Lo's in the typical Fifties style, but by no means do they spoil the overall worth of the CD. If you like Rosie, and do not have CD versions of the source materials here, you will be happy with this purchase. My favorites are "Memories of You", "It's Bad for Me" and "Goodbye", all done with Goodman, and "I'll Be Around", a sparse ballad done in '51 and not issued until four years later.

Nice set of early solo material
A nice, generously programmed selection of Clooney's early jazz-oriented recordings made for the Columbia label between 1951-57, following her exit from her partnership with her sister Betty and bandleader Tony Pastor. At the time, Clooney was famous for singing novelty hits such as "Come On-A My House," which were masterminded by pop arranger Mitch Miller... As mentioned in this collection's liner notes, Clooney hated recording that type of cornball material Miller gave her, and after she established herself as a major star, she broke away from Miller, and lined up work with weightier talents such as Duke Ellington, Benny Goodman and Billy Strayhorn. The results sound pretty nice to me! This is a great introduction to her work as a serious ballad singer and jazz stylist... recommended listening!

CLOONEY is a MUST HAVE for all Music Lovers !
ROSEMARY CLOONEY has a unique vocal gift. She will always be remembered as a musical legend due to her pure vocal style.
ROSEMARY is considered by many as being on the same musical level as ELLA FITZGERALD.

You could fill a multitude of CDs with her legendary performances, however, this compilation from Sony is a great product to become introduced to her music and to become the owner of at least one recording from this talented American artist. All the songs included on this compilation are classics in AMERICANA MUSIC.

This CD is a must have for any fans of VOCALS/POP and or JAZZ recordings.

Thanks for the memories
Rosemary Clooney is my favorite female vocalist, and this compliation is a wonderful tribute to a great lady. Thanks to Michael Feinstein, her friend and fellow performer, for bringing us this lovely retrospective of some of her best. I especially enjoy the three tracks recorded with Benny Goodman. Most of these songs are available on other disks, but this is an excellent listen. If you love this, try "Love", "Blue Rose" and "Deddicated to Nelson" for her early work, and any of the Concord Jazz recordings for her mature voice. ... Read more

Amazon.com

This box set earns the "deluxe" designation not only because of its handsome packaging, insightful essays by Holiday scholars, and testimonials from the likes of Tony Bennett, Sonny Rollins, and Etta James, but also because of the vastly improved remastered sound that makes Lady Day the definitive issue of Billie Holiday's pivotal 1930s and '40s Columbia/Vocalion/Brunswick/OKeh oeuvre. The sides here include epochal collaborations with Count Basie, Benny Goodman, Lester Young, Teddy Wilson, and others. Six-plus discs chronologically present 151 masters, with the rest of the 10 CDs' space given to alternate takes and radio air checks.

It was during the early years of this period, of course, that Holiday quickly developed into one of the 20th century's vocal monuments. Her incisive way with lyric and melody, often deploying playfulness, wit, and pain in a single song, became a model for both many a female singer, as well as Frank Sinatra and Marvin Gaye. These are records to be endlessly replayed for many kinds of appreciation. Played end to end, they introduce ideals of groove and emotional expression that remain fresh and even startling many years on. Lady Day is not only a perfect example of how to reissue key material, but is an album that will stand as a beacon for veteran Holiday fans and for the new ones it will no doubt attract. --Rickey Wright ... Read more

Reviews (17)

Fabulously Packaged Dynamic Sounds
Finally...Columbia Records outdo themselves in the remastering department. You would think that a record company that has made billions of $$$ since its beginnings(first quarter of 1900's)and that has among the finest & best selling artists' catalogues in recording history would have already invested in the most stellar remastering technology to preserve great music. This BILLIE HOLIDAY Box Set is THE Treasure Chest from the "Golden Age Of Jazz". This completes most of my BILLIE Collection...The Legacy Box; Commodore Recordings; The Complete Verve. She's definitely the GREATEST Female Vocalist that ever existed! I love OLD music cos those people sang with a heartfelt soulful passion. Nice packaging; remastering is definitely much better; great artist info included for us younger fans who were born decades later. Thanks Columbia!

In a word...WOW
I have never been able to appreciate Lady Day's Columbia years because of the bad quality and age of the existing sources...UNTIL NOW. Recordings that used to be a challenge to this listener are now remastered to a quality that surpasses what would be typically expected from recordings of this vintage. You can now fully appreciate Holiday's delicacy in her phrasing, the arrangements, all brought back to life. This may be considered a pricey set for some, and one may decide on the highlight disc instead. But to have this whole set and have the songs all in their recorded order is Holiday heaven. You really won't know what you're been missing, some real gems, until you own this set. One track flows so nicely into the next. Repeated takes are all saved for the last discs so there is no disruption in the flow. And the packaging and book are lush and handsomely packaged, most aesthetically pleasing. A most prized and eagerly awaited complete addition to the Holiday catalogue. A treasure.

Just the most essential music of the 20th century
I would need much much more than a thousand words to tell you about my feelings related to this sublime music.How many times I cried listening to some tunes,or was feeling incredibly high and happy listening to other ones.
If you want me to play to the "desert island" game,I would only take this set with me;you don't know how I treasure Monk,Duke,Armstrong,Trane,Bud,Bird,Bill Evans,Bechet,Fats Waller,Hines or Tatum,but I''d surely forget them all to keep these Columbia years of Lady Day with me.Here is the most fantastic music I've ever heard,here are the highest moments of the history of jazz.NOBODY never recorded such a bunch of masterpieces in some eleven years;nobody,even Duke.Here is a colossal set of the most amazing music you'll ever hear.
This is the third time I purchase these sessions:first,I bought them on 33rpm,some 25 years ago;then on separate CDs;then,a friend of mine let me listen to this set,and what a shock!!! The sound is so great that I thought I was discovering tunes I knew for years and years.It seems that Billie and the guys are playing in your room,just in front of you!!!
Now,for those who have no idea of what's in this very beautiful set,let's have a glance at the musicians you'll listen to:the ghotta of jazz is here!!! LESTER YOUNG,Teddy Wilson,Johnny Hodges,Duke Ellington,Count Basie,Benny Goodman,Chu Berry,Jo Jones,Buck Clayton,Roy Eldridge,Ben Webster,Benny Carter,Charlie Shavers,Red Allen,Cootie Williams,Hot Lips Page,Bunny Berigan,Jack Teagarden,Walter Page,Milt Hinton,John Kirby,Cozy Cole,Sid Catlett,Kenny Clarke,Freddie Greene,Dickie Wells,Hary Carney,Harry James,and many more.
About the tunes: masterpieces,masterpieces and masterpieces!!!
It would take some ten pages to describe it.Of course,the most magnificent ones are those in which Lester Young plays.Lester and Billie,Pres and Lady Day;they had the most magical musical complicity of the history of jazz,they really LOVED each other,even if their lives had separate ways;Lester,the Greatest of all jazz saxophone players,was born 1909;Billie,the Baltimore child,was born in 1915;they both died 1959,Lester in March,and Billie in July.The tunes they recorded during these years,the tunes you'll listen to in this set are very simple to describe: it's LOVE.and maybe the most beautiful that ever was.Maybe,these are the most sublime masterpieces in the history of Music."when you're smiling","he's funny that way","travelin' all alone","mean to me","foolin' myself","me,myself and I","born to love","gettin' some fun out of life","I'll never be the same"....I could listen to these tunes a hundred times everyday.This music is magic;it'll make you feel great.And you'll cry sometimes too,because of too much beauty.Here is the very best of Jazz,a music that gave us tons and tons of beauty;Billie's voice is at her most expressive,so young,so fresh,so joyful,and so sexy (and even sometimes,so sexual);Lester 's playing ,even if he only blows short choruses,is the most beautiful one that ever was ("all of me","foolin' myself","born to love","mean to me",...).
Here is sublime music;the most magnificent you'll listen to.I couldn't live without these records.They are my copanions since I was 15 years old;I spent hours and hours listening to them,wether I felt high or bad;and even after 23 years of frequent listening,they seem to me as fresh and new as when I discovered them.
Thanks a million,Lady Day (a nickname Lester gave to Billie),thanks a million for so much beauty.It never happened in the history of Art.

Save money and buy the German set instead!
Don't bother paying a ton of money for the Billie Holiday Columbia box set when you can buy the 10 disc German box set called "Portrait" for a whole lot less.
The American set goes for $150 to $160 where the German set is going for $25 to $35.
I've heard both sets and the German one is MUCH better with far less surface noise without sacrificing the sound.

But I must warn you that the German set does have a touch of stereo reverb added to the recordings, but it's very
tastefully done. I'm usually one of those who hates doctored up old recordings, but this is so well done. It's okay.

The German collection also has more songs which includes great recordings from the other labels Decca and Commodore. For some reason the set is missing four great tracks (Strange Fruit, Yesterdays, Fine And Mellow and
Until The Real Thing Comes Along) but the American set doesn't include Strange Fruit, Yesterdays and
Fine and Mellow either. The American set only deals with the Columbia sides, but does give you lots of
alternate takes, which the set from Germany avoids. But that's alright, I just want the official recording, not
the alternates or outtakes as I call them.

As far as packaging, the American set wins hands down, but the imported German set does have a nice
40 page booklet and is better about protecting your CD's and most importantly...far better sound quality.

5 Stars if you're an early period Billie person, like most
Nothing wrong with the presentation. Me, I'm a late period Billie person. But this gets the job done (to say the least!). ... Read more

Reviews (18)

Relaxing Barbra
During most of the 60's, to the chagrin of Columbia records, Barbra challenged the way standards were sung, she sang cry me a river with rage rather than sadness, she sang broadway tunes that suited her voice, but werent songs that could ever be hits. This album is almost an example of the kind of work Columbia probably originally intended for Streisand. Middle of the road songs with generic slightly jazzy arrangements, nothing histronic and nothing dramatic. The result is a very pleasing album but none of the tracks will really knock your socks off. Its excellent background music, which is rare for Streisand most of the time her tracks make it impossible to ignore her. Probably a perfect album for a fan of jazzy music who isnt necesarily a fan of Barbra

If You Love Good Singing Give This One A Try
There will always be opinions about Barbra...too dramatic, too nasal, too loud, too whatever but Simply Streisand is a perfect example of what good female singers can go if they want to. This collection of standards arranged by Ray Ellis, a veteran arranger for female vocalists proves the fact that good presentation, a selection of great songs, and a cool and relaxed style makes it. Doesn't matter if you are a diehard Streisand fan or not....good singing is good singing and you will find it here.

Craig Satterfield
Hawaii

PURELY BEAUTIFUL STREISAND
I was never really hooked on Streisand until I heard this recording: the singer is simply singing beautiful songs, not trying to be a movie singer (even though most of these songs come from movies!!!). Streisand should have done more of this. Grab it; you'll never forget it!

All the things she is!
I would actually give this album four-and-a-half stars. This record is generally thought of a disappointment since it was Streisand's first record to miss the Top Ten, although it still charted at a very respectable #12 and went Gold years later. Truth is, however, that the record is extremely entertaining, just a little more ordinary than the nine albums that proceeded it. Some of the material (such as "My Funny Valentine" and "The Boy Next Door") are a little over-obvious (and had been performed by countless other crooners by this time), but Streisand does all of the songs justice. She shines on Broadway tunes "I'll Know" and "Loverman" and brings a incomparable tenderness to "The Nearness of You" and "More Than You Know." The only real fault with this disc is that, even though it is all well performed and arranged, it really doesn't contain anything that Barbra hadn't done better before. But while it may not have broken any new ground, SIMPLY STREISAND is still an excellent addition to Streisand's sixties catalogue and a strong contender for her most underrated album.

Long-time Streisand fan....
I have been a fan of Barbra Streisand's since 1967 when I saw "Funny Girl" on the big screen. I began collecting her records/cd's from that moment on and Simply Streisand is one of my favorites. In my opinion she has had many albums of great success. In thinking about it, I would say that "Simply Streisand" is the stand-out album of the 60's, "The Way We Were", would be my choice for the 70's, "The Broadway Album" from the 80's and Higher Ground from the 90's. "The Nearness of You" cut from "Simply Streisand" is probably my favorite on that album and possibly my favorite bar none... Anyone wanting to explore the artist in a less tradional way, take a listen to "Lazy Afternoon" or "Till I Loved You" certainly not her most successful albums but revealing and interesting. ... Read more

Reviews (9)

Great songs, bad recording
I like the songs on this CD. Unfortunately the recording is poor. This is a live recording complete with audience. The recording of the songs is very quiet, while the sounds of the audience clapping is very loud. To listen to the album, you have to keep turning up the sound to hear the songs and turning down the sound after every song because of the loud clapping.

Song Power II!
Like another reviewer, I too used to pull this out of my parents' lp collection and play it. Belafonte's energy, strong voice, and diverse material made a lasting impact. It's great to see it available on cd. The sound is crisp and vivid, and doesn't break up in loud climaxes like the lp's sound did.

I didn't much care for Odetta's material-sounds like a bad combination of 1920s blues and 1950s coffeehouse poetry--though I do like her fun duet with Belafonte on "There's a Hole in the Bucket". That song got our family through many a long road trip when I was young. South African Miriam Makeba sings an interesting Xhosa (IINM) song. Belafonte's backup singers make some great harmonies in their featured numbers, especially "The Ox Drivers". And Belafonte himself is just sparkling-the folks back then didn't know how good they had it!

He sings a sweet Scottish (English?) ballad, "I Know Where I'm Going". "Old King Cole", a military novelty song, is another tune that passed the time on long vacation trips. And his _con brio_ delivery of the Israeli song "Hene Ma Tov" is stirring. The only disappointment is the final song, an uproarious version of "La Bamba". Another performance of the song has been substituted for the one originally on the lp. The original version is so frenetic that Belafonte is practically gasping his lines. On this version the vocals are still very good, but not as exciting. Don't worry, though-if you've never heard the lp, you'll be content with this.

Slightly different than the original...
First off, let me just say I LOVE this album. My father had the original vinyl double album and I listened to it all the time. I am a professional entertainer myself now and this album was certainly among my early influences...and my dad still has the double LP. But this is also why I knocked a star off the review. The CD is not the same as the original album!!! For example, on the original LP Belafonte does not introduce Hene Ma Tov...he just starts singing it. Also the La Bamba track on the CD is obviously a completely different performance altogether! There is an extra verse and some vocalizing missing that Belafonte did on the original. Picky stuff I suppose, but since I searched for several years to find this CD and was thrilled that it was finally released, it was a slight dissapointment to not get the exact album I remembered from my childhood. I still LOVE the album...I just wish it hadn't been altered.

One of the best ever collections
Harry Belafonte at his (second) best. The first place goes to the original concert. But this is just as wonderful a collection, and the voice of the great Belafonte absolutely thrills the soul. I was always a great admirer of Belafonte since 1956 and nothing has changed in 43 years. I wish I could find the other Belafonte CDs and keep listening them over again and again!

Misplaced review
I have already reviewed this recording. I just wanted to point out that the review from the music fan from Seattle - 9/1/99 relates to the CD of Belafonte's original concert at Carnegie Hall, not the return. I share the reviewer's comments but feel that customers may be confused when they examine the title tracks. ... Read more

Amazon.com

This is the album that transformed Tony Bennett from crooner to hipster, a run that culminated in his 1994 MTV appearance. Steppin' Out is Bennett's tribute to Fred Astaire, who introduced as many American standards as anyone due to his relationships with such songwriters as Berlin, Porter, Kern, and the Gershwins. While Bennett avoids some obvious choices ("Night and Day" and "A Foggy Day" had been covered in his earlier Sinatra tribute), he picks a number of classics from Astaire's 1930s heyday as well as some songs from his MGM years, including the gem of the album, "You're All the World to Me." Bennett is ably assisted, as always, by the Ralph Sharon Trio. Great singer, great songs, great album. --David Horiuchi ... Read more

Reviews (11)

Pure Class
Steppin' Out is that too rare event: a perfect singer, world class accompaniment and popular music's standards coming together. Tony Bennett continues to astound -- his 1993 voice remains as vital and powerful, and sensitive, as ever. Even in 2000, Tony does not sound any the worse for wear after 50 (!) years of performing.

Given that Tony is the best singer around today, this album is a treat because of Ralph Sharon's incredible piano: age has done nothing but make this guy BETTER. The timing and touch are a pleasure. At a recent concert, I could only sit there and marvel at how this older gentleman simply puts the next generations to shame.

Finally, the songs are exactly what you want to hear Tony sing. Irving Berlin, Cole Porter and the Gershwins deserve the kind of appreciation and swinging treatment that only someone like a Tony Bennett can give them. It is extremely rewarding to find the singer in his element, recording a successful, satisfying album by sticking to the best standards and doing them right.

Even if you cherish the Tony Bennett of the I-Left-My-Heart-In-San-Francisco '60s, you will find the 1993 version to be essentially the same -- masterful interpretations of great songs. Less of the booming '60s echo, but a nice clean recording. Pure class. Thanks, Tony.

Master of style!
There is something about the aging of the great ones. As they lose a little in vocal power and range, they seem to be able to make up for it with superior interpretation and emotion. Tony Bennett (and Nat Cole, Sinatra, Rosemary Clooney and a few others), proves the point in this tribute to Fred Astaire. Ironically Astaire, who never had vocal power or range, always relied on interpretation to sell his songs. That he did so successfully, is attested by the fact that he was considered by Ira Gershwin and Irving Berlin to be the one vocalist they trusted to sing their songs exactly as they were written.

Bennett may struggle here and there to reach a note, but he can be forgiven because he sells each song with mastery of style and meaning. His version of WHO CARES is unique and makes what most singers use as an uptempo swinger into a sweet near ballad. HE LOVES SHE LOVES is sung at almost a whisper and Bennett wrings more emotion from the song than I've heard from any other vocalist. Indeed, he performs the Gershwin and Berlin numbers wonderfully. No easy task. Although they are for the most part familiar, they are difficult to sing as many a kareoke performer has learned to his or her regret.

This one is a keeper! It belongs in every pop music lovers collection, right alongside his previous work, Sinatra tribute PERFECTLY FRANK.

Not a good showcase for Bennett's great talent
Fred Astaire will never be remembered for the songs he sang. These songs were only great while he was dancing to them! I am a huge Tony Bennet fan and felt so disappointed by this CD. The songs gave him nothing to "wrap his voice around" or put his heart into. I listened to it many times, hoping it would grow on me, but after six months I'm still disappointed. His other tributes (to Sinatra and Billie Holliday)are so much better. Sink your money into those!

Must have
Have not read anyother reviews so no influence from others. This is a simply great album. Bennett's backup trio really swings and everyone fits together. Unless one is a dodo where music is concerned, this is music one can listen to without getting tired of the performances. So Tony is getting older. Big deal! We all do, but he is a perfect example of how treating your voice with respect can keep one singing for many years. Bennett treats the songs the way they are supposed to be treated. Try it, you'll like it. The whole album is an upper for one's soul.

A Disappointment
We would like to think the voices of some of the greatest contremporary singers of the 20th century never decline, but that is a delusion. This disc, released in 1993, is proof that Tony Bennett's voice was no longer what it once was. In fact, it is startling to compare his singing in Steppin' Out with his 1990 release, Astoria.

With Astoria, Bennett still had a degree of range, even if his voice was starting to show some raspiness. With Steppin' Out, his range is gone and the raspiness is most noticible. Just recently (December 2002) I watched and heard Mr. Bennett singing--I should say croaking--in a live concert on PBS. It was sad to listen to. But like Frank Sinatra, Mr. Bennett refuses to retire, even though he should have long ago.

My suggestion is to buy, instead, one of his finest albums from the 1960s now on CD, "If I Ruled the World: Songs for the Jet Set" (# CK65317). What a voice! Mr. Bennett is one of the greatest singers of all time, and fortunately most of his best work is on CD. Steppin' Out, for me however, was a disappointment. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Best known as a star vehicle for Liza Minnelli and Chita Rivera, The Rink was a minor success for the team of John Kander and Fred Ebb (Cabaret, Chicago). Long unavailable on CD, the original 1984 cast recording has been rereleased by JAY in an excellent remastering (though with the odd plot it's unfortunate the package includes no lyrics or synopsis). Terrence McNally's story follows a mother (Rivera, who won her first Tony for the role) who has sold the family roller rink to developers, triggering a series of flashbacks for her and her daughter (Minnelli). There are a number of good men's songs, capably handled through multiple roles by, among others, Jason Alexander, Scott Holmes, and Ronn Carroll, including "Blue Crystal," the ballad "Marry Me," and the Dolly-esque welcome number "After All These Years." But the true firepower belongs to the stars: Minnelli's "Colored Lights" and "All the Children in a Row," Rivera's "Chief Cook and Bottle Washer" and "We Can Make It," and the duo's "The Apple Doesn't Fall," a model of Broadway diva swagger. --David Horiuchi ... Read more

Reviews (10)

Wow! A suprise for all musical theater fans!
For Musical Theater fans, especially those of Kander and Ebb, you will want this CD. It is very reminiscent of Chicago, and Cabaret, and has bestiful performances from Chita, Liza, and everyone else!

Strong performances, weak material
This disjointed work is clearly not up to the best of Kander & Ebb (Cabaret, Chicago), but is saved by the powerhouse performances of Chita Rivera and Liza Minnelli. Chita's solos and the duets between the two are strong, but the rest doesn't follow through. Still, the first three songs are gems--although I'm partial to Karen Ziemba's recording of "Colored Lights" on the masterful "And the World Goes Round...", which is a cabaret-style, Off-BWAY performance of Kander & Ebb's work. Minnelli tends to sound a bit ponderous with repeated listening, but there's no denying that manic Minnelli edge. Rivera, of course, is a master of the stage.

Liza and Chita - TOGETHER!
THE RINK is a fantastic musical from the pen of John Kander and Fred Ebb, starring two of the best triple-threats in the business, Chita Rivera and Liza Minnelli, as feuding mother and daughter Anna and Angel. Rivera and Minnelli are always at their best with Kander-Ebb material (Rivera in KISS OF THE SPIDER WOMAN and CHICAGO; Minnelli in FLORA THE RED MENACE, CABARET and THE ACT). THE RINK was a splendid showcase for these 2 formidable divas. Chita and Liza had (briefly) co-starred when Minnelli filled in for a sick Gwen Verdon during the run of the original CHICAGO.

The story concerns freewheeling hippy Angel (Minnelli) who returns to the family nest after leaving as a teenager. Her weary-yet vital mother Anna (Rivera) has been running her husband's rollerskate rink by herself ever since he walked out on her when Angel was a little girl. Now the time has come that Anna can sell up and start living her own life...imagine her shock when her daughter shows up broke and looking for a reunion!

Touching and bittersweet, THE RINK also features a pre 'Seinfeld' Jason Alexander in a great role as Anna's wannabe-suitor Lenny, singing the heartfelt "Marry Me". Other standout numbers include "Colored Lights", Anna's riotous "Chief Cook and Bottle-Washer", "The Apple Doesn't Fall" and the cataclysmic "Mrs A." where Angel confronts her mother's indiscretions.

THE RINK was a mild success when it opened on Broadway, buoyed by the star-power of Rivera and Minnelli. The show folded a few weeks after Minnelli's departure (being replaced by Stockard Channing of GREASE fame). The London production featured A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC's Diane Langton but it quickly shuttered. A sadly underrated musical featuring a strong and memorable score. Highly-recommended.

Another Kander and Ebb show that went sadly unappreciated
The 1993/94 Broadway season was one of the best of the past 25 years. Among the shows: LA CAGE AUX FOLLES (Tony Award Winner); SUNDAY IN THE PARK WITH GEORGE (Critics Circle & Pulitzer Prize winner); BABY; THE TAP DANCE KID; DOONSBURY and THE RINK.

THE RINK was a top notch effort from Kander & Ebb and bookwriter Terrence McNally. The book deserves special priase for being several notches above standard musical theatre fare. The characters are clearly defined. They are not, however, terribly likable and this put audiences off. As the warring mother and daughter Chita Rivera and Liza Minnelli both offered no-holds-barred performances. The cast album preserves a bit of the dialogue but the performances come through so strongly in the songs that the dialogue and synopsis are not really essential.

This is a great theatre score...songs loaded with character and plot detailas but also entertaining songs. It's no wonder Kander and Ebb remain so proud of this show, even though it ran 6 months. Perhaps someday THE RINK wll be revived and audiences will discover it.

A London production was mounted in 1988 and yielded a cast album too. It doesn't have the star power of the original but does offer a little more of the score.

Refreshing and Breezy Cast Recording.
The Rink was a 1984 show on Broadway with 2 wonderful actresses. Unfortunely, due to the lack of acting and musical talen from the supporting cast, the show flopped and left Broadway after less then 100 performance. Years later...the recording comes out...and believe me..this is when I started to really hate the critics. So what if the supporting cast wasn't 100% correct...it's still an enjoyable recording. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Though already in business in 1961 with his own record label, Frank Sinatra was contractually obligated to give Capitol one more record before moving on to Reprise. Sinatra gave them the ironically titled Point of No Return, which is hardly the deal-fulfilling throwaway one might expect. Expertly arranged and conducted by longtime Sinatra ally Alex Stordahl, it's an elegant collection of farewell songs (including "I'll See You Again," "As Time Goes By," "There Will Never Be Another You," and "It's a Blue World"), delivered by Sinatra with a profound sense of sadness and loss. Fans of such downbeat Sinatra concept albums as In the Wee Small Hours and Sings for Only the Lonely would do well to pick up on this oft-overlooked gem. --Dan Epstein ... Read more

Reviews (10)

A Beautiful Album!
I'm well aware that people are entitled to their own opinion. And there are two sides to every story, as they say, but, there are a few things I will never be able to understand why someone wouldn't enjoy certain things. One of those things being, why would someone NOT like Frank Sinatra?! Isn't that a sin or something?
When I first heard this album I must admit, I didn't like it. It's not that Sinatra's singing is bad but the arrangment's weren't to my liking. I'm not a fan of Axel Stordahl. I like Nelson Riddle, Billy May, Gordon Jenkins, & Johnny Mandel. I thought the arrangments were dull, boring and flat. And because the arrangments were bad, it had an affect on the way Sinatra sang the songs. The next day I listened to the album again. This time I noticed something I should of the first time. This "concept" album is meant to be slow, and "mellow". That's the effect of the album. It's perfect for a rainy night, or for lovers to play softly in the background over some candlelight. The "mood" of the album escaped me, but, now I appreciate it far more. Listen to Sinatra sing "September Song" (One of my all time favorite songs ever) listen to the somber mood he creates, I admit though it's not better then the Jenkins version heard on Sinatra's album "September of My Years". Listen to what he does with Noel Coward's "I'll See You Again" from his play "Bitter Sweet". Sinatra's reading of these two songs should be enough for you to buy the album right there. Other high points on the album are "Somewhere Along the Way","I'll Remember April", & "It's A Blue World".
Sadly not all the tracks are at the same high standard. Stordahl sadly ruins Sammy Fain's WW2 classic "I'll Be Seeing You", one of the 5 most beautiful songs ever written in my opinion. And "As Time Goes By" suffers, but only in the arrangment department.
Is "Point Of No Return" worth buying? Yes, absolutely! It's a beautiful album that works nicely if put as a companion piece to "In the Wee Small Hours". This is a album that you'll be glad you bought, and than again, should anyone really have any doubt about buying ANY Sinatra album? Nope!

A Pinnacle.
If it's tempting to pass this recording by because of its being Sinatra's last "contractual obligation" to Capitol or because of the assumption that Sinatra's old Columbia orchestrator, Axel Stordahl, was wanting in comparison to Nelson Riddle and Gorden Jenkins, dismiss the thought immediately. This is Sinatra at his very best--feeling, thinking every lyric; breathing, living every phrase--but also achieving an intimate relationship with his orchestrator that borders on the uncanny.

Take "There Will Never Be Another You." After the first time through, the orchestra plays the melody to the final 8-bar section, building to a crescendo that the singer picks up on like a relay runner, taking it to an even higher level. Or "It's a Blue World" when, after the first pass, Stordahl daringly gives the melody to practically the entire orchestra, challenging the singer to match the orchestra's melodic statement in boldness and intensity. He uses the same device on the last 8 bars of "I'll See You Again," defying conventional wisdom about not duplicating the singer's melodic line. The point is that it works. As though sensing that he's not being provided with mere "settings," Sinatra rises to the occasion, responding to the orchestra's prodding voice as a Domingo might sing if paired with a Rene Fleming.

The song selection is equally inspired, from the essential ("As Time Goes By") to the mistreated (Noel Coward's "I'll See You Again") to the fragile ("When the World Was Young"--given a time-capsule reading here). Only "A Million Dreams Ago" represents a falling-off from the standard maintained throughout the rest of the album. But more than atoning are the 4 extra song selections from an earlier Sinatra-Stordahl Capitol recording session. In fact, one of these performances, in particular, is all by itself worth the price of the album: "Day In-Day Out."

No musical artist registers deeper and truer emotions on the theme of "obsession" than Sinatra. His many recorded versions of "Night and Day" range from swing to ballad, from orchestral strings to solo guitar accompaniment, yet each version registers the song's message of driving obsession more convincingly than the interpretations of any other performer. The same is true of Sinatra's different versions of "Day In-Day Out," but not only is the version here the most expressive of the lot: it's perhaps Sinatra's most artful, most soulful performance on record, more deeply felt, even, than "I'm a Fool to Want You."

As for the voice on both dates, it's never sounded healthier, which is a good thing because Stordahl makes Sinatra sing his heart out.

The most overlooked album from Frank's Capitol years
When praising Sinatra's concept albums, few give "Point Of No Return" any high priority. As his last album for Capitol Records, you'd think Frank would have filled up this 'contract filler' with a batch of leftovers and throwaway tunes. I was extremely surprised myself when I first heard this album, it is absolutely beautiful! This is an unexpected gift if you love Sinatra's sad saloon masterpieces like "In The Wee Small Hours" or "Only The Lonely" (which this album has been repeatedly compared to, although I think it shares more similarities with the "No One Cares" and "Where Are You?" albums). Sadness, nostalgia, regret, longing and loneliness are the emotions running throughout, but not the "24-karat manic-depressive" variety that you know Frank can display. This is a more gentle album - wistful, melancholy, somber, almost meditative at times.

The album has that unmistakable after hours, late-night atmosphere - you can hear it in the yearning and emotion of Sinatra's voice - graceful, classy and instantly recognizable. As Frank's arranger, Alex Stordahl never won the praise that Nelson Riddle, Billy May or Gordon Jenkins earned, but he does an impressive job here. Emphasizing strings instead of horns (as Jenkins also did), Stordahl's orchestra moves with ease from lighter-than-air romance into heavy drama, sometimes within the same song - especially on "When The World Was Young" and "It's A Blue World". Another surprise is Frank's slow-paced reading on the American classic "September Song," sounding much more relaxed than the faster version on the "September Of My Years" album. Even "These Foolish Things Remind Me Of You" gets turned around from a playful love song into a mournful flashback of better days gone by. Only Frank can do this!

Perhaps it's intentional that this "farewell" album doesn't stand out too much amongst fans, because it's full of emotions from the guy at the bar that you never notice. He's sitting in the corner alone, stretching out his last drink for as long as he can, because he knows he's got to get up soon, walk away from the memories washing through his mind, and go back into the real world...but for the time being, for the moment, the memories remain. This album sounds exactly as the cover painting suggests.

A lush and beautiful album...about 4.75 stars
This is an underrated album and at the time of its release it was of course overshadowed by RING-A-DING-DING, Sinatra and Strings etc. But I bought this album after my fiancee had broken up with me because I think deep inside I had reached the POINT OF NO RETURN......

Sinatra sings very reflective on this album. He's ready to move on but he's sorting through his memories. His voice I think is at its peak; mature but still tender. This is not ONLY THE LONELY or WHERE ARE YOU. It wasn't meant to be that sad. It's an album about a man who is now coming to terms with the reality that he HAS to move on because he has INDEED reached the POINT OF NO RETURN. Things at CAPITOL had changed, Axel was dying and the music world was about to be shaken up by rock so you could say this is also an album to say good-bye to the era of the great American standards.

The arrangements are superb and the sounds is excellent. I own the non-remastered CD but is excellent too!

THE ROLLING STONE ALBUM GUIDE
I have an old edition of THE ROLLING STONE ALBUM GUIDE who ranked this gem **and and a half,so naturally i said to myself,i'll buy it at the end of my FRANK SINATRA collection,since this is the last CAPITOL album.Strangely(maybe the ROLLING STONE reviewer was drunk when he reviewed it),this is my second favorite ballad album from SINATRA(the first being CLOSE TO YOU).This cd is full of hidden treasures(let it be known),it is definitely not a filler program.It was a very good idea to include FRANK's first recordings with the label.In a way it is a fitting ending to the marvelous theme oriented CAPITOL collection albums.Don't wait at the end to get this,follow your instincts who are telling you to go to the nearest AMAZON store now.If you are tired,you might fall asleep listening to it,but LEAN BABY(being the only swinger) will wake you up.Never let a critic influence your jugment;i learned my lesson. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Bing Crosby has been called the "Voice of the Century," a title that's rooted in considerably more art and accomplishment than mere show-biz hype. Others may have scaled more spectacular peaks during the 20th century, but one could make a well grounded argument that without Crosby's pioneering vocal artistry the careers of Frank Sinatra and Elvis Presley might well have never blossomed. This 50-track double-disc anthology chronicles the most productive years of the crooner's career, a period that spans the early '30s to the mid-'50s; his final years at RCA largely rested on the laurels garnered herein. His rich, effortlessly dreamy baritone has become a pop-culture cliché, but it was in fact as radically pioneering in its day as anything the King or the Chairman of the Board would muster in later decades. Radio and modern electronic recording were in their infancy on many of the '30s hits here, yet Crosby mastered both with preternatural grace--and an innate, jazz-born sense of timing--he later brought to his successful film and TV careers. What's remarkable here is the breadth of styles and influences Crosby's dulcet tones make there own here. The dizzying slate here includes standards and early hits ("Star Dust" and "Where the Blue of the Night" in Decca re-recordings of his original Brunswick sides), country-western ("New San Antonio Rose," "Don't Fence Me In"), island exotica ("Sweet Leilani," "Blue Hawaii"), Irish affectations ("McNamara's Band," "Galway Bay"), holiday favorites ("Silent Night," "White Christmas") and film hits ("Pennies From Heaven," "Swinging On a Star"), performances that represent the very cornerstone of American vocal tradition. --Jerry McCulley ... Read more

Reviews (5)

A Perfect Sampler!
I bought 9 copies of this - one for myself, one for each of my seven siblings, and one for my parents. Growing up, we had lots of Bing Crosby music in the house (along with various other wonderful artists). I gravitated to Bing, and my siblings remember that - and were tickled to receive these 'samplers' during in Bing's 100th year. Why? Because, while Bing wasn't their favorite, he was *A* favorite of theirs, yet they had nothing of his on CD! The variety of themes reminds us how vast Bing's repetoire was.

The song selection is a perfect introduction - or re-introduction, if necessary - to Bing's Decca years. The sequencing is perfect for the casual fan, and the notes are informative and educational without a hint of preachiness.

This collection is a MUST for any general music lover - it'll broaden their senses and their knowledge of America's first true entertainment superstar. My thanks to the team who put this gem together!

Two and one half hours of recorded bliss!!!!
For years, I have been searching for a comprehensive collection of Bing Crosby's Decca recordings. Since his career at Decca spanned a quarter century, and because he was such a prolific artist, it seemed that I might never find what I was looking for. But this collection, released in 2003 has it all.
Here you will find a compendium of Crosby at his absolute best.
You'll hear the great standards such as "Stardust" and Pennies From Heaven". You'll enjoy tunes from his movies including "The Bells of St. Mary's", and "Too-Ra-Loo-Ra-Loo-Ra".
Hear several of his classic Irish recordings as well as a few numbers with the Andrews Sisters. Then there's Bing with some country and westerm cuts and oh so much more. Included in this 2 CD package are a number of his biggest hits that I have not seen on other collections including "June in "January", "Moonlight Becomes You" and one of my personal favorites "Dear Hearts and Gentle People." The recordings are of very high quality and the set is accompanied by a neat 20 page booklet containing some very informative liner notes and interesting photographs. Although my first reaction was that this collection was a bit expensive I am happy that I purchased it. If you are a huge Crosby fan, break down, just this once and grab this one. As a record collector for nearly 40 years I have long since learned that when you see an item this good, you'd best get it while you can. Very highly recommended!!!

Excellent edition. Great songs, Great quality.
These two cd's are fantastic. Excellent quality with beautiful songs. A good edition. I'm on my way to purchasing all the Bing Crosby cd's which will probably take a lifetime. But this edition put a good dent in the time it'll take to acquire them all.
It has charming information in the pocket sleeve about the different genres that Bing participated in. Little details about his music history.
It's quite nice to read, while you listen.
PERFECT.
I recommend this 110%. A thousand even.

Good introduction to the Crosby magic
This is a pleasing introduction for those who don't have other Crosby CD's in your collection. It contains his standard hits which have been recycled time and again on other anthologies. Most Bing-ologists will have all these songs in their collection, some of them many times over. But if you are new to Bing, this is an acceptable choice and the sound quality is very good. It's a little weak on Bing's earlier work and it does contain some curious omissions. Yet there are some stellar songs included as well, like one of personal favorites, "Sioux City Sue..." adorable!

Hopefully this collection will convince you that Bing's vocal mastery was unparalled. Then you can sample his earlier, jazz-influenced work during his Columbia years in the early 30's and branch off into his 20's work with the Rhythm Boys. But for the beginning Crosby listener, this is as good a choice as any.

Der Bingle at his best!!
A nice, sweeping, but also quite affordable, 2-CD overview of Crosby's Decca years, fifty songs drawn from his commercial heyday in 1934-57. Including golden oldies such as "Swingin' On A Star," "Don't Fence Me In," "White Christmas" and others, as well as plenty of tunes that are probably far less well remembered these days. For a modern audience the early material, particularly the opening tracks of Disc One, may seem a bit rinky-dink... But, of course, that's a big part of the charm. These recordings trace Crosby's growth away from his jazz roots into a cleaner-sounding, smooth pop formula, but while swing dyanamos like the Venuti-Lang duo or the Dorsey Brothers (who he worked with in the '20s and early '30s) might not be backing him here, Bing still had some serious jazz chops to draw on. Sweet stuff from the king of the crooners; a real delight for fans of old-style Depression-era pop. Recommended! ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Classic & An All-Time Favorite
One of my all-time favorite films & soundtrack albums with great big-band era music. The numbers were arranged by the late Ralph Burns (Cabaret & All That Jazz), who had worked in that era and knew it well. Liza Minnelli used singers like Peggy Lee for vocal inspiration, and the film even has her doing an imitation of Lee while recording a demo, Kander & Ebb's "There Goes the Ballgame". In fact, you wouldn't know it was Liza, just hearing her sing the '40s-era numbers! (I wish she'd incorporate that singing style again, especially now that her voice has changed somewhat.) Of course, she reverts back to her usual Judy/Liza showbiz-belting style when her character becomes a Hollywood star. In fact, the uncut version of "Happy Endings" is a wonderful tribute to and affectionate satire of big '50s showbiz musicals, like "A Star is Born". (Liza's character and relationship to DeNiro's in the movie, however, are based more on the real-life story of big-band girl-singer and movie star Doris Day than Garland.) In my opinion, this is one of the best big-band recordings made after that era had faded and a wonderful Minnelli recording, as well. This is also the film where she introduced "But the World Goes 'Round" and - of course - "Theme from New York, New York".

The Big Band Sound,and Liza.
I love this type of Music.The Big Band Sound,and Liza Minnelli.Kids were jamming to"Opus Number One"back then, like they are dancing to "Livin La Vida Loca"today.I love Frank Sinatra's voice,but when I think of "NewYork,NewYork," its Liza's version that blows me away. One song you can't believe is from Liza is "There goes the ball Game." The voice sounds nothing like her. If only this movie was a hit,the soundtrack would be right up there with "Saturday Night Fever"and "Grease."

Brilliant soundtrack with Liza at full throttle
This is a great soundtrack from a one-of-a-kind movie musical. Splendid big-band numbers segue into pure show-biz heaven as Liza knocks Kander and Ebb classics right out of the park. Bullseye! ... Read more

Reviews (18)

BARBRA'S VERSATILE 70'S CLASSIC!!! BRAVO!!!!!
As a complete Streisand fan from when I first caught her wonderful performance on the classic "The Judy Garland Show, I felt that Barbra started to show incredible growth upon the release of the great but strangely overlooked "What About Today" and this growth continued with the classic "Stoney End" release and then hit new heights with the release of "Barbra Joan" which is an incredible mix of everything that Streisand does great!!! John Lennon's "LOVE" is haunting and mesmerizing while "MOTHER" is a truly extraordinary vocal sung with breathtaking passion. Laura Nyro's gorgeous "I NEVER MEANT TO HURT YOU" is so deeply moving that Laura Nyro herself must have been deeply moved as this is a glorious vocal. "ONE LESS BELL TO ANSWER/A HOUSE IS NOT A HOME" is a brilliant tour de force medley that Barbra sings the hell out of and it is simply stunning!!!Produced by Richard Perry, Barbra was at her creative and vocal peak throughout this awesome collection so if you love great singing do not miss this one!!! Both "THE SUMMER KNOWS" and "SINCE I FELL FOR YOU" contain hauntingly beautiful Streisand vocals plus Barbra knows how to rock out with a brilliant take on Elton John's "SPACE CAPTAIN"! Marvel at a talent who can take a wide variety of works to their ultimate peak!!! Bravo Barbra!!!!!

Barbra's most rocking album
From the piano-pounding "Beautiful" to the head-spinning, gospel-tinged rocker "Space Captain", it's apparent Barbra was intent on conquering the rock music corner, and she's entirely capable, esp. with Richard Perry's smart production behind her and help from all-girl rockers Fanny. It also features one of those lost Streisand performances that must rank as a classic and a career high-point: her vocal on Laura Nyro's "I Never Meant To Hurt You" may be unequaled, it is so incredibly beautiful. Other highpoints: a gritty little gem called "I Mean To Shine" and a wild version of John Lennon's "Mother"(with Barbra fully in-character, stunningly so). Probably Barbra Streisand's best CD out there.

GREAT COLLECTION OF SONGS.
As does good wine, this CD only gets better with time. To claim (as did the previous reviewer) this CD to be rock would be very misleading.
This CD is purely Adult Contemporary. On this compilation, STEISAND records vocals that sound young and innocent when compared to her most recent release (THE MOVIE ALBUM). Several gifted composers provide STREISAND with quality material to sing. BURT BACHARACH, HAL DAVID, MICHEL LEGRAND, CAROLE KING and even a JAMES TAYLOR classic (You got a Friend). In 1971, this CD was never considered ROCK. Today, this CD would never be classified ROCKl. Its simply an extension of a gifted female vocalist. Worth the price to own if only to see the inside sleeve that has Diva Streisand in a funky 70s hat. A strong album from Barbra that sounds very early 1970s.

Beautiful she is!
While criticized at the time of it's release for attempting to mix too many different styles of musical genres into one album, BARBRA JOAN STREISAND has nevertheless endured as one of the brightest gems in Streisand's massive catalog. Sequencing soft ballads next to mild rockers may have seemed disorientating in 1971, however time (and repeated listenings) has uncovered and enhanced the disc's unique sense of dizzying cohesiveness.

The hit was "Where You Lead" (#40 Pop, #3 Adult Contemporary) but virtually every track is a treasure, and they play out in a highly satisfying manner. Her powerful renditions of John Lennon's "Love" and Laura Nyro's "I Never Meant To Hurt You" are stunning and her bone-chilling take on Lennon's "Mother" brings down the house. In between the contemporary cuts, Streisand even manages to deliver the definite renditions of the often-covered standards "The Summer Knows" and "Since I Fell For You."

However, the absolute show-stopper is the Hal David-Burt Bacharach medley "One Less Bell To Answer/A House Is Not A Home," which Barbra brings thrillingly to life with a dramatic intensity that deserves comparisons with even the very best performances of her long career. This album was successful when it was initially released (it hit #11 on the Hot 200 and went Gold), however I do not believe it has received the respect it deserves from Streisand's fans and remains among her most underrated recordings.

Stresisand's Secondary Follow-Up To STONEY END
As with most of Richard Perry's contemporaries, his intricate and excellent production formula doesn't always work well the second time around. His production on BARBRA JOAN STREISAND, the follow-up to STONEY END, is no exception.

As for Barbra Streisand, she soars on the Bacharach medley, "One Less Bell To Answer"/"A House Is Not A Home", and she is very much at home on Carol King's "Beautiful" and "You've Got A Friend", as well as on "The Summer Knows" and Laura Nyro's "I Never Meant To Hurt You".

But she's caught between being over-extended on "I Mean To Shine", the sometimes recorded Steely Dan-demo, and John Lennon's "Mother" and rather unemotional in her delivery on Buddy Johnson's oft-covered "Since I Fell For You", another Carol King tune, "Where You Lead" and another Lennon track, "Love". And "Space Captain" just seems to be a little of both, done with the all-female rock group, Fanny, but otherwise seems a bit out of place.

Like the Photo-Collage on the inside of the gatefold of the LP, a lot of this album seems Over-Produced. For the most part, the material is fairly well-chosen, and Barbra seems just as at-ease as she was on her previous effort, STONEY END. But augmented by a lot of Studio Heavies, some of the over-extravagant arrangements by arrangers, Gene Paige, Dick Hazzard and Nick De Caro should just "Mellow Out" or seem too harsh and out of place.

In all, a Snide, Secondary, Smug and Sophomoric effort, that just couldn't do as well as STONEY END. It suffers from mostly trying to follow through the weight of Stresisand and Perry's expectations, but at least did open a new and sometimes modest (Though, Too Elaborate!) dimension. ... Read more

Amazon.com

This album received a lot of publicity when it came out in 1984, chiefly because of the title track, a rather obvious attempt to rack up another hit along the lines of "Chicago" and "Theme from New York, New York." Much better, however, are Sinatra's renditions of standards such as "How Do You Keep the Music Playing?," "Mack the Knife," and "Stormy Weather." Sinatra's voice is showing its age, but his masterful phrasing repeatedly saves the day. Unfortunately, the musical backing (by Quincy Jones and his Orchestra, which includes such luminaries as George Benson, Lionel Hampton, and Urbie Green) is nauseatingly slick; there's very little of the give-and-take between singer and band that marked Sinatra's finest work. --Dan Epstein ... Read more

Reviews (16)

For Sinatra completists/die hards, otherwise avoid
What a difference twenty years makes. In 1964, the young Quincy Jones arranged superlative charts for an album with Count Basie which included two tracks that went on to be Sinatra staples: "Fly Me To The Moon" and "The Best is Yet To Come." The latter song's title foretells the opposite of this collaboration: what was to come were the single worst batch of arrangements in the Sinatra canon. Only "Mack the Knife" stayed in Sinatra's concert set list, and with Satchmo, Ella and Bobby Darin unable to complain too much the song became Sinatra's property by default (after all, Bobby WAS trying to be like Frank when he sang it). The rest of the cuts, especially the title track, suffer from "smooth jazz" arrangements that are simply bland. Like Burt Bacharach's work around this time, the urge to sound contemporary in a Light AC Radio sort of way overshadows these proceedings for the worse. Listeners might also be put off by Sinatra's deepening voice and propensity to project his vocals on every take (Tony Bennett has this same problem these days, only worse: he shouts at full volume at the start of *every* song and is obligated to a BIG finish at the top of his lungs.) On all the tracks, they're sung with full force almost as if he's belting out these songs; no delicate phrasing here. With the digital compression, added reverb and other processing, Sinatra's vocals have no dynamics whatsoever. This is especially obvious during "How Do You Keep The Music Playing", as the soft piano intro is soon greeted by Frank's bulldozing vocal reminiscent of Vaughn Monroe or Frankie Laine shouting in a canyon, and destroying the mood. The sad part about this is that since he can't tackle the frilly love songs, he could've sure swung like mad with a blastin' big band back behind him. But noooooooooooo! Quincy's gotta show how much of a cool cat artiste he is (even though he farmed out most of these charts) because he produced "Thriller." He shoulda taken out his old LP with Frank and Basie and used that as a guide. A serious mis-step for all involved, redeemable only because even at his worst, Sinatra is the best there ever was.

Simply Great!
Frank Sinatra hits another homerun with this 1984 album that wasn`t released on a compact disc until relatively recently!This great Sinatra cd was orchestrated by the fabulous Quincy Jones and Orchestra.This cd features such jazz musicians as george benson,bob james and lionel hampton.Recorded at A and R studios on the seventh floor of a new york city office building the Sinatra sound comes to life!Quincy Jones first takes us through a new journey with the songs L.A.Is My Lady and The Best Of Everything.Sinatra is never better singing the ballads How Do You Keep The Music Playing and Stormy Weather.Frank then adds some new twists to the old classic Mack The Knife.Theres 11 great songs on this supercharged cd.A must for all Sinatra fans!

Frank Should Have Called It Quits Prior To Tiis Fiasco
The seventy year old Sinatra sounds horrible. Unlike Perry Como or Bing Crosby who were crooners and not belters, Sinatra's voice did not grow old gracefully. In this CD, "L.A. Is My Lady," Sinatra sounds like an old, deteriorating singer still trying to hang on and sound "hip." Instead, his version of "Teach Me Tonight" sounds like a funeral dirge, and Sinatra's attempt at Bobby Darin's "Mack the Knife" is a travesty: Frank can't even keep his voice from quivering as he tries to match the vocal gymnastics of the much younger and more rythmic Darin. The whole album is humiliating and only diehard Sinatra fans would disagree, since thier misplaced loyalty to Sinatra blinds thier common sense. Don't waste your money!

Frank Trying to Be Bobby is "Uncool," babe!
I agree with the music fan from Philly. "Mack the Knife" belongs to Bobby Darin, and Sinatra's attempt at the classic tune is a disaster. I still can't fathom how nobody in the studio told Frank what an embarrassing job he was doing on that recording! The young Frank had a smooth yet powerful voice----and it was this period in his career that established him as a supreme vocalist. But as his voiced aged and deepened, he needed to rely more on style than natural tonal quality. And even at this point in his career (Capitol Records--late 1950s and early 1960s)he did a marvelous job. However, Bobby Darin is kind of a unique and tragic story. While even the young Darin never had Frank's silky and powerful pipes, he did have a fine voice of his own as well as tremendous talent as a vocal stylist. Darin was also imbued with an uncanny sense of rhythm and an unmatched ability to add pizzazz to his recordings. Hence, Darin's "Mack the Knife" is a true, genuine classis that should not be attempted by any other singer unless he or she is willing to suffer the ridicule resulting from the one-sided comparison. Sadly, Bobby died at only 37 years old, after years of personal illness and emotional sadness. But in the two years before his finally succumbing to life-long heart disease, Bobby was making a universally-applauded comeback. Had he lived another decade or two, I truly believe his later years would have propelled him past Sinatra as an all-around song stylist with stage presence and magneticism that even Sinatra could not surpass. What we should acknowledge, at the very least, is that Bobby's version of "Mack" is the definitive one, as not even Frank could come close to matching Darin's outstanding performance.

Frank Should Not Have Attempted Bobby's "Mack the Knife"
Let's face it, Sinatra is an icon, and icons can attempt anything and a certain percentage of the public will accept the end result----no matter how horrendous. Such is the case with Sinatra's embarrassing version of "Mack the Knife." Both Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong did far better versions, and of course, THE DEFINITIVE VERSION belongs to Bobby Darin. The sixty-five year old Sinatra cannot compete with the twenty-two year old Darin on "Mack." Indeed, I'm not so sure the twenty-two year old Sinatra would have been able to compete with the young Darin (prior to his soon to worsen heart condition), since the tragic Darin had such an uncanny sense of timing, rythym, and vocal improvisation. Some songs belong to one singer, and they should therefore be left alone. Even as legendary a figure as Sinatra should have known better than to apply his crackly, strained, off-key voice to the Darin classic. Frank sounds like an old fart trying to be hip---unnatural. Further, despite all the hype about arranger Quincy Jones, his charts on "Mack" pale in comparison with those of Darin's arranger, Richard Webb. Sinatra's version is strained, loud, blaring, and monotonous. I think you get the picture. Darin's and Webb's version had feeling, syncopation, and verve. Sinatra's and Jones's has none of these attributes---just unbearable volume that culminates in the instruments sounding like a tidal wave of noice---discordant and out of tempo. The rest of the album is OK, but nothing to write home about. Frank's best material is from his Capitol years. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

What a difference a songbook makes!
Would Ella held onto her place in Americana if not for her songbooks? I love the majority of them. She may well been relegated to novelty singer because of her Decca material. Starting in 1956 new manager, Norman Granz, had her record on his own Verve label the best & most enduring of America's music. Ella recorded albums that will always be in stores, catalogs, & on line. Mainly, the Songbooks and Nelson Riddle arranged material. Every song here was not defintive but collectively they sparkled! Johnny Mercer wrote so many great lyrics & a few good melodies that had this been a bigger collection, like her massive Gershwin, it could had very well been *****. Other reasons it's only **** are the including of the medicore SINGLE-O & WHEN A WOMAN LOVES A MAN & Ella's flatness on DAY IN-DAY OUT & SOMETHING'S GOTTA GIVE. Still, Ella had class, diction, good taste when alllowed, & a great swinging flair.

THE MAN FROM SAVANNAGH
Now people read this, JOHNNY MERCER was probably AMERICA's most prolific songwriter.From 1930 to 1976 JOHNNY wrote more than 1,000 songs.He also sang with his good natured SOUTHERN accent and co-founded CAPITOL records.Still, many people don't know him apart from singers who sang his songs.You might not know it but you certainly have heard many of his songs : THAT OLD BLACK MAGIC,I'M AN OLD COWHAND FROM THE RIO GRANDE,MOONRIVER are only a few of them not present here.ELLA and conductor NELSON RIDDLE have chosen true swinging greats TOO MARVELOUS FOR WORDS,SOMETHING'S GOTTA LIVE but also some songs not often recorded like SINGLE-O and MIDNIGHT SUN.ELLA has recorded other MERCER songs in the HAROLD ARLEN SONGBOOKS

"Laura" and "Midnight Sun" hits!
The below review was mine from a long time ago, so I added it again under my name.

I haven't heard the rest of the album, but I'm going to give it a four just on the strength of "Laura" and "Midnight Sun." Laura, a fine ballad from the superb film-noir classic, lives up to the film's standard with Ella's timeless vocal, along with a beautiful arrangement. The repeating crescendo, representing the hypnotic tick of the grandfather clock at the film's end, is what first pulls you in. Then, Ella's classic reading of the already descriptive lyric puts image after glorious image in your head. The arrangement, gentle as a breeze, takes on its own life without upstaging her, and as she hold that last note and trails off, you'll want more, you'll want to hear it again, and as I did, you'll almost certainly play it once more.

"Midnight Sun" almost rises to the level of "Laura." The classic tune popularized by swing-era vibraphonist Lionel Hampton, was given a truly classic lyric by Johnny Mercer that should go down in music history, if only for the incredible rhyming job ("Your lips were like a red and ruby CHALICE/Warmer than the summer night/The clouds were like an alabaster PALACE/Rising to a snowy height/Each star its own Aurora BOREALIS/Suddenly you held me tight/And I saw the midnight sun..."). Ella masterfully (as always) guides herself through the words, singing them so well that, once again, you can see what's happening. And, as an added bonus, there's a vibe accompaniment, as a nod to Hamilton. Both of these are among her very finest work and should be near the top of her "Very Best" list.

"Laura" and "Midnight Sun" hits!
I haven't heard the rest of the album, but I'm going to give it a four just on the strength of "Laura" and "Midnight Sun." Laura, a fine ballad from the superb film-noir classic, lives up to the film's standard with Ella's timeless vocal, along with a beautiful arrangement. The repeating crescendo, representing the hypnotic tick of the grandfather clock at the film's end, is what first pulles you in. Then, Ella's classic reading of the already descriptive lyric puts image after glorious image in your head. The arrangement, gentle as a breeze, takes on its own life without upstaging her, and as she hold that last note and trails off, you'll want more, you'll want to hear it again, and as I did, you'll almost certainly play it once more. "Midnight Sun" almost rises to the level of "Laura." The classic tune popularized by swing-era vibraphonist Lionel Hampton, was given a truly classic lyric by Johnny Mercer that should go down in music history, if only for the incredible rhyming job ("Your lips were like a red and ruby CHALICE/Warmer than the summer night/The clouds were like an alabaster PALACE/Rising to a snowy height/Each star its own Aurora BOREALIS/Suddenly you held me tight/And I saw the midnight sun..."). Ella masterfully (as always) guides herself through the words, singing them so well that, once again, you can see what's happening. And, as an added bonus, there's a vibe accompaniment, as a nod to Hamilton. Both of these are among her very finest work and should be near the top of her "Very Best" list.

What a gal! What a show! Yowza. Yowza.
Who can compare? Salieri? Yankovich? Can't touch this.. ... Read more

Reviews (10)

Liza - a great "Act"!
My first copy of "The Act" is in vinyl from the late 70's and during one of my trips to the US in the 90's, I was so happy to come across the cd version of this Broadway musical in one of the small record shops in San Francisco . This cd has always been on major rotation in my player and has provided me with great music ever since - everytime! Liza is at her best in this recording. Every number, from "Shine it On", to "Walking Papers" is electric! Liza tears into each song and makes it her own - and no other singer attacks and gives 101% on every number like Liza does! She makes you want to jump and tap during her showstoppers - particularly in "City Lights". She also hypnotizes and makes you listen to each of the words - big and small in her ballads. She breaks me everytime I listen to "There When I Need Him" and the "Money Tree". Even the gosple-like "Turning" and the naughty "Arthur in the Afternoon" never fail to amaze. My husband even whistles to "Bobo's"! A friend who listened to this cd in the car asked for a copy and has been hooked ever since. I can't blame her.

Liza shines it on!
In 1978, a friend and I drove overnight from Ohio to New York City without tickets to try to see "The Act." The Broadway Gods were looking down on us, because we were able to get front row aisle seats for an outrageous $25.00 a piece. I thought I had died and gone to heaven. What a wonderful reminder this CD is of that evening. Every song is a gem, but the showstoppers are "Bobo's," "There When I Need Him," "Arthur in the Afternoon," and of course, the mega-showstopper, "City Lights." But my favorite moment from the CD and from that night 25 years ago is "The Money Tree." Even typing those three words just now, gave me chills. The only thing better than hearing Liza sing that song on this CD was watching her sing it in person.

MINNELLI'S MUSICAL TOUR DE FORCE CLASSIC!!!!!
Anyone lucky enough to experience the Magic of Minnelli in the Kandler-Ebb classic "The Act" which was specially created to showcase Liza's kaleidoscopic talent, knows that this Legend has no peer then or now on the live concert stage and each time I attended this incredible event standing ovations were far too many to count and all well earned by The Star!! From the exhuberant opener "Shine It On", it is apparent that Liza is in peak soulful vocal form singing with passion and greatness that is her trademark. Romantic and reflective make "It's The Strangest Thing" a wonderfully appealing ballad while "Bobo's" is fun and energetic. Liza was wearing a beautiful red dress and came twirling down a pole and "Turning" became a beautiful and flowing ballet like dance that turns into an engrossing spiritual! "Little Do They Know" is a cute number for the chorus while love in the afternoon to relieve stress with a personal trainer make "Arthur In The Afternoon" a Liza classic which she would continue to include in her concerts for a number of years to great effect. Torchy and soulful make "The Money Tree" a passion filled stunning masterpiece as Liza pours everything she has into this greatly sung song and follows with a equally stunning performance in "City Lights" which is also a classic dance routine with Liza being carried high in the air by the troup and belting out classic notes that are showstopping and legendary and is the best staging I have ever seen. Full and rich yet tender and passionate is Liza's breathtakingly beautiful vocal on the winning "There When I Need Him". I cannot think of any other singer that could bring so much to these songs like Liza-she is incomparable here and simply classic and amazing with what she does with this great collection of songs. "Hot Enough For You" is funky fun and the chorus does a reprise of "Little Do They Know" while Liza readies for the finale which is the reflective ballad "My Own Space" which is just a sublime Liza vocal with piano which is always a special treat! A soaring and soulful "Walking Papers" end this classic show in a great spiritual fashion that has Liza singing with all her passion and vocal brilliance. Once anyone who appreciates great singing gets into this great collection of songs it is one you will play over and over for years to come!! Enjoy!!! And Viva Liza Minnelli!!!!!

fine Liza Minnelli vehicle
THE ACT was written for the talents of Liza Minnelli by her logtime friends and collaborators John Kander and Fred Ebb. It earned Miss Minnelli a Tony Award, though quickly began to flounder when she became ill and started missing performances.

THE ACT was built for Liza, so we're not going to see a revival of this show. The score is second-rate when you compare it to other Kander-Ebb scores like CABARET, CHICAGO and even THE RINK.

Liza Minnelli is the only reason to buy this cast album, where she belts out numbers like "Shine It On", "There When I Need Him", "Walking Papers" and the gorgeous ballad "It's the Strangest Thing".

A fine testament to Miss Minnelli's talents. [DRG CDRG6101]

Kander & Ebb & Minnelli in far from top form
THE ACT was a mess on stage. The book was incoherent, and the score by Kander and Ebb was nowhere near the level of their earlier shows like CABARET and CHICAGO. Fortunately they had a star who could sell tickets even with inferior material. Liza does indeed sell every number but apart from "The Money Tree" and "City Lights" there is nothing for her to work with.

DRG's cast album tries hard to hide the fact that this was a Broadway show at all: There is no synopsis or background information on the musical. It's troubled road to Broadway could make a novel with all the backstage battles, changes of directors and changes of title. Once it opened to less than glowing reviews and Miss Minnelli began missing performances it slowly ground to a halt after 8 months. It is a show that will never be revived and one that all the participants feel would be best forgotten. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Musician of the Highest Order
Johnny Mathis has been a family tradition all of my life. I grew up in a home that played his music, and we went to his concerts from the time of my childhood through today. His music was something that was shared in my family, because we had an appreciation of great musical song stylists, and there are no others who can exceed in the quality of their emotion, phraseology, and presentation the way that Johnny can!

This CD has some of his finest songs, including "How Can You Keep the Music Playing", which we had the pleasure of hearing in concert even before he recorded it. Michel LeGrand and Marilyn and Alan Bergman know how to create wonderful music, and Johnny's interpretation brings out the best of their songs. You will thoroughly enjoy this recording!

All I Hoped It Would Be
I purchased this CD with the intent of acquiring a collection of movie themes written by Michel LeGrand that were not abstract jazz (which is apparently the composers prefered style). I grew up with Johnny - my mother adored him and when I saw he had a current collection of LeGrand themes I thought "what the heck, I'll try it". I was very impressed that Johnny was still able to "do it for me" after all these years. If you like Johnny Mathis you will enjoy this CD a great deal. In addition to Johnny's voice the arrangements are gorgeous. I can't tell you how many CD's I've purchased trying to find a recording of LeGrand music that was straight forward - elegant - and recognizable.

Thanks, Johnny!

Great Credits but Something Went Wrong
Great songs and arrangements by Michel Legrand, great lyrics by Alan & Marilyn Bergman. Unfortunately, Mathis established himself as a big singer in the 60's and then stopped. Since the 70's, his albums have covered every bad surprise anyone could ever imagine: cover-hit albums, songbooks on the-composer-of-the-moment and some very rare exceptions which send us back to his best 60's production. This could be one of those exceptions was not Mathis so worried about reaching the highest musical note any singer could ever reach. By doing this, his voice approaches a soprano tone and phrasing sounds dramatically over.

Quality Production/Timeless Songs in Classic Mathis Style
Finding quality songs, using quality producers, and performing with quality musicians has been the Mathis method for many years. Quality is certainly the hallmark of this recording featuring the music of French composer Michel Legrand and the lyrics of Alan and Marilyn Bergman. In fact, the exceptional sound clarity is the first thing that should strike the listener upon playing the compact disc for the first time. Non-existent background noise, crystalline piano, and undistorted vocals all reflect the loving care put into the production of this recording. Mathis comes home to the style and sound that made him one of the first black millionaires in the entertainment industry over 40 years ago. Unlike the previous two recordings, 1990's Grammy-nominated, jazz-based "In a Sentimental Mood-Mathis Sings Ellington" and 1991's eclectic "Better Together-The Duet Album", this 1993 recording features the style that made Johnny Mathis famous: simple romantic solo ballads backed with tasteful orchestration. Mathis has never been afraid to find new avenues for his voice; on the other hand, he is aware of his limitations. He knows he will never be a soulful singer; but as a song stylist, Mathis is one of the best, being second only to Frank Sinatra in album sales. Anyone wanting to relax after a hard day at work or school will find that this recording hits the spot. Get the compact disc, because tapes just don't do justice to quality recordings such as this one. In this age of degrading lyrics and senseless noise, Mathis remains a welcome staple in popular music's menu. END ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Oscar's Primary Progenitor?
If like me you came to jazz after 1955, chances are you're quite familiar with Nat the pop singing star but know far less about his piano prowess. This is the album that finally set the record straight for me--he was above all a talented, creative jazz pianist whose sensual voice seduced not only the public but Nat as well into listening exclusively to its promises of fame and fortune. Had he not sung a note, he would no doubt have taken his place right alongside Teddy Wilson and Art Tatum. In fact, listening to him on this album is so much like hearing Oscar Peterson (who ironically inherited Nat's singing voice as well) that I've had to revise my life-long assumption that Oscar was above all a descendant of Tatum. The Cole lineage seems ever more traceable, especially when you consider that one of Oscar's favorite jazz performances was "Easy Listening Blues," one of 18 tracks on this CD.

Twenty-five years ago I had a chance to have a brew or two with Monty Alexander. When I asked him if Oscar was a major influence, he responded: "Yes, but not as much as Nat." Now I finally understand what he was talking about.

(Note: No doubt Capitol will replace this 1992 reissue with a remastered version minus the surface noise. Bear in mind, however, that there's always a trade-off: Eliminating "scratchy" sounds also erases high-frequency musical information.)

GREAT ALBUM
After Listening to this Disc You will say what COuldn't Nat King Cole do? Nat&Crew are Unstoppable here.A Must.

Classic Music
Folks only familiar with Nat King Coles Silky VOice will be Shocked by His PIano Playing &his Group.this is Great Music.Nat King Cole was Unstoppable as a Artist.Genius at Playing&singing.

Early Nat King Cole, the making of a legend.
Before Nat King Cole became famous for his vocal style, he was the leader of this phenomenal jazz trio. This 1992 release showcases Mr. Cole's roots as a jazz instrumentalist. If you're looking to build a great jazz collection, I highly recommend this compilation! ... Read more

Reviews (4)

MAGICAL
An electrifying performance in an intimate setting. A true master of cabaret entertainment.

Singing Weasel

ABOUT TIME!
I start this review by expressing my gratitude to Altovise Davis, who bravely hung in there and cleared Sammy's estate with the IRS and, teaming with the good people at Rhino Records, is giving us wonderful recordings like this one (and a spectacular box set of a few years ago) of one of this world's truly greatest entertainers on CD format. While Sammy could sing, dance, act, and play any number of instruments, many agree his forte was found in his live performances. Here is a prime example.Sammy swung "The Grove" on this night with long time arranger/conductor George Rhodes. He sang, joked, danced, and did his famous impersonations of singers and actors alike. To truly understand this man's uncanny talent, never mind all that; you need only listen to the tracks he does with drummer Michael Silva (a medley of Cole Porter's "I've Got You Under My Skin", "Night And Day" and a tune of the day (back then) "Big Bad John"...some combination huh?) and the "West Side Story" Medley he did with Michael's cousin, bongo player Johnny Mendoza. To never miss a beat, to stay in tune and tempo with just percussion, is mind boggling. The remastering is second to none (as is the case with everything Rhino does) and the liner notes, both original and new are the finishing touch on this great re-issue. After enduring years of meager offerings of Sammy's work, this is one helluva payoff. As my fellow reviewers have mentioned, please also buy (and thoroughly enjoy) the corresponding release of Sammy's "THAT'S ALL" album, comprised of two fantastic discs, recorded live in Vegas. Keep up the good work Rhino!

Sammy swings the Grove!
It is so fantastic that Rhino & Warner Bros. have resissued this classic live recording on CD, complete with original artwork, liner notes and even the original Reprise Steamboat logo as it appeared on the vinyl. The re-mastered recording sounds great and it is an awesome document of Sammy's multi-talented prowess. There's even a plug for the Southern Poverty Law Center in the booklet, so you can help make a difference as well as be entertained. Also check out "That's All," which was released in conjunction with this CD and features Sammy live at the Sands Hotel a.k.a. the House That Frank Built. It's a wonder the joint didn't implode back then due to the sheer force of Sammy's talent. One request for Rhino: please, please, please re-issue "When the Feeling Hits You," which features Sammy live with Sam Butera & the Witnesses at the Sands.

THE WHAM OF SAM!
This is Sammy Davis, Jr. @ his very best! The little room @ the old Coconut Grove was excellent for recordings and this one turned out FABULOUSLY!

The energy, the personality, the Frank-isms are all there. His "West Side Story Medley with just bongo accompaniment is breathtaking...and his swinging of "Falling in Love Again" is crisp.

This is one that even those who are "eh!" about Sammy should try out. You will LOVE it1 ... Read more

Amazon.com

Blessed by an impeccable showbiz gene pool (her mother was Hollywood legend Judy Garland, her father producer Vincente Minelli), Liza Minelli seemed to effortlessly fuse Garland's song 'n' dance acumen with a boisterous, footlight-bred persona rivaled only by Ethel Merman. This 16-track collection is a fine introduction to her body of work, especially as it's the first anthology to cull material from her keyat different labels. Bookended by her Hollywood musical icons Cabaret and Theme From New York, New York, and seasoned with Broadway tributes like "All That Jazz," it also contains a healthy cross-sampling of her compelling live work (ranging from the show-stopping "Some People" to the precocious effervescence ofLiza With a Z). Though the disco-affectations of "Losing My Mind" confirm she was never able to capture the pop zeitgeist of the moment with the chameleonic ease of Streisand, her interpretations of "Quiet Thing" and "Maybe This Time" argue she was every inch her rival's equal as a torch singer. --Jerry McCulley ... Read more