Amazon.com

The one thing you can say about Frank Wildhorn is that he doesn't give up. Like The Scarlet Pimpernel, Jekyll & Hyde , based on R. L. Stevenson's classic depiction of a split personality run amok, went through several rewrites and casts--each show is a work-in-neverending-progress for Wildhorn. This recording immortalizes the show's classic Broadway cast: Robert Cuccioli as Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Linda Eder as Lucy, and Christiane Noll as Emma. Appropriately for the show, Wildhorn's score is both tempestuously romantic and unabashedly ominous. While Cuccioli handles both parts with elan, Wildhorn saved his best songs for Lucy and Emma, confirming that he really is the contemporary master of the power ballad. --Elisabeth Vincentelli ... Read more

Reviews (156)

Amazing music!
Written by Frank Wildhorn and Leslie Bricusse, "Jekyll and Hyde" tells the story of Dr. Henry Jekyll and his desire to concoct a formula that will eliminate the evil elements that exist within the human personality. Unable to secure a volunteer for his dangerous experiment, Jekyll decides to secretly inject himself with the mind-altering formula. His medical experiment backfires, however, and gives life to his evil alter ego, Edward Hyde.

Wildhorn's music is amazing, and when you listen to the album, this show is incredible. (I personally don't think the production flows very well on stage, but maybe that's just me.) Robert Cuciolli and Christine Noll are amazing (cuciolli does the best rendition of "Take Me As I Am" that I've ever heard), beut we all know that this is Linda Eder's show. Her voice is incredible, and no one who tries to sing these lyrics can even come close to touching her performance.

My favorite selections on this album are Eder and Noll's duet on "In His Eyes" and Cuciolli's duet with Eder on "Dangerous Game." I think those two songs are better on this album than on the 1994 Concept Cast album, but that version has twice as many songs as the Broadway Cast album, so you'd be wise to get both of them.

WORTH THE PRICE- BUT NOT THE BEST J&H RECORDING
I saw the show twice on it's pre-Broadway tour. I was blown away. Robert Cuccioli performed Jekyll & Hyde superbly. It's a very physically demanding role and he accomplished it wonderfully. Linda Eder was fantastic. What a voice! I have this CD and I have the "Highlights", but the 2-CD set of The Complete Works of Jekyll & Hyde is far superior, plus there are many great additional and better performed songs. If you listen to all three different versions, you'll see what I mean. Anthony Warlow is Jekyll/Hyde. The current tour is as close to the 2-CD set at you can get. The Broadway cast version is great if you've seen the show on Broadway. It takes you back to the stage by visualizing it in the music. But it is very different than the current tour. Please buy the 2-CD set and compare. You won't be sorry.

Makes me want to "Hyde" and (Je)kyll myself.
Dear Frank Wildhorn:
STOP WRITING MUSIC FOR THEATRE. If I wanted to hear your music performed, I would go see a Celine Dion show. Unfortunately for her, I wouldn't pay to see her, either. Why do you insist on writing 90's power ballads and trying to slam them into a show set in another century? I highly doubt Robert Louis Stevenson was singing power ballads while he was writing this. Hunter Foster poops out better songs than you write.

Disappointing Broadway Version!
I can understand people who do not like Jekyll and Hyde. I can also understand people who love it (like me). I think you have to know all of the music before you can find it great. however, the show has a lot of potential for the Broadway. But what's this now? Let's start with the good things on this CD: Linda Eder (great, great, great!), Christiane Noll (the best Lisa (!!!) ever), nice arrangements, ultimate (that means the best) versions of: Someone like you, A New Life, In his Eyes, Once upon a Dream, Prologue. Now the bad things: Where's the originale prologue? I remember some talking... Great Songs like for example Alive were made more short. If you shorten that song, there's no fun about it's reprise! What has happened to I need to know? Lost in the Drakness is ridicoulos against it. Great Songs were cut (Bring on the Men) or replaced by songs which may not be all bad, but which don't fit in in this show at all (Good and Evil). And the worst: Robert Cuccioli!!! Why him? Why God? Sorry Bob, you're a nice singer, but you are NOT Jekyll/Hyde!!! His Performance is terrible and he doesn't give any atmosphere. My Advice: OBC ok ok, but if you like this Musical, buy the 1994 Concept Recording. It may have some very small "Mistakes" too, but it has got Anthony Warlow!!! He is reason enough to buy this and avoid the OBC...

Deserved a longer run
"Jekyll and Hyde" is one of the best musicals I've ever experienced. I never got the opportunity to see it on Broadway, unless you count the DVD with David Hasselhoff, but I did see it twice on tour. Like the popular musicals that emerged in the late '80s, most of the show is sung through. The plot, adapted from the original novel, takes a few liberties with the source material, but ultimately leaves its theme intact (brilliantly illustrated through the big production number "Facade" and its numerous reprises). It introduces not one but two love interests into the good doctor's life: Emma, the upper-class, aristocratic daughter of Sir Danvers Carew, and Lucy, the young prostitute who desperately wants to turn her life around. All of the performers in the leading roles are excellent, the songs are memorable, and will leave you wondering why it didn't stay on Broadway longer. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Never mind the project's odd couple, "He's got a girlfriend; so does she" marketing shuck. This is a musical love affair in all its splendor. Produced by the seemingly chameleonic producer T Bone Burnett (who previously revived traditional bluegrass with spectacular success on O Brother, Where Art Thou?), the septuagenarian legend and his unlikely contemporary foil affectionately court a dozen songs from the Louis Armstrong repertoire with the warmth and natural grace that have been a deceptively effortless Bennett trademark for 50-plus years. The pair kick proceedings off with a playful, irony-free "Exactly Like You," then perform a tender vocal waltz across both the ages and the masterful, sympathetic orchestrations of the late Peter Matz, one of Bennett's longtime collaborators. But it's on the more melancholy performances, like "If We Never Meet Again," "I'm Confessin'," and the Armstrong perennials "Wonderful World" and "Lucky Old Sun," that the pair tap into something akin to timeless musical telepathy. Her own talents hardly in need of burnishing, lang invests the project with some gratifying new smokiness and is rewarded with a postgraduate course in saloon singing for the ages. It's an album that begs the best kind of question: When do we get an encore? --Jerry McCulley ... Read more

Reviews (46)

"You Can Depend On..." This One
Louis Armstrong is my favorite instrumentalist AND vocalist of all time. So, we have Tony Bennett (the best old style jazz singer still kicking) and K.D. Lang...well, what do you say about K.D. Lang? Just the best voice in so-called country and easily one of the top four vocalists in jazz (with Cassandra Wilson, Diane Reeves and Diana Krall). Now we have these premier singers doing Louie songs. How about that cover of "Exactly Like You". Oh man. I listened to that one four times before I went on the rest of the album. Every song is exquisite. "What a Wonderful World" is my numero uno song on the hit parade of all songs ever written. What a great cover. And dig that cover of "Lucky Old Sun". Whoa. I had to go through that one three times before moving on to "If We Never Meet Again".

So on my fifth listening to this CD, I'd say T-Bone hit another one out of the park...

Lazy Sundays and Lounge ...
Tony Bennett shows no sign on slowing down and when you mix k.d. lang's languid vocals, you have a wonderfully lazy album to enjoy while frittering away a Sunday afternoon. "A Kiss to Build a Dream On" and "That Lucky Old Sun" are wonderful and beautifully done. k.d. lang is a fantastic torch singer, giving us an intimate vocal with the barest hint of jazz accompanimentI believe one reviewer mentioned the absence of a trumpet. This is true. In my humble opinion, I think the artists have paid a great tribute to the source material by using the dusky low notes of a sax to complement their voices instead of having someone emulate Louis' trumpet playing ... which should be left alone as stand alone music, if that makes sense. Give this CD a try and you will be hooked after the first listen, I promise!

If only kd ...
.. would have done this on her own I'd have added the fifth star to my review! Maybe I'm a little partial (I'm a big fan of miss kd) but I think that this project would have been managed so much better by kd alone.
Probably she would have choosen a different kind of production, (by T Bone Burnett) that sometimes is a little... anonymous, flat, to much classicaly jazz.

The highlights of the project are "A kiss to build a dream on", "Exactly like you" and mainly "That luky old sun", probably the most touchy standard version of the album.. and kd is alone. In any case, I recommend this album, unless you really can't bear Tony's voice.
You won't be disappointed by kd's talent.

MOSTLY Agree w/Other Reviewers...
Only complaint is the "mood" of the music is breached a few times when Tony "talks" a line or two at the end of a song ... makes an otherwise lovely duet seem schlocky/variety show-ish.

Bennet is class.......
Thanks to another artist (Michael Bublé) I've learned a lot about the making of good music. Mr. Bennett makes beautiful music.
I really enjoyed this cd. I now know why he is so respected..... ... Read more

Reviews (1)

It would be easy to dismiss this disc as inconsequential
. . . it would also be wrong.

Scott Hamilton, recently described, not unfairly, one supposes, in a recent prominent jazz publication, as a "journeyman saxophonist," here delivers the record of his life.And if he is just slightly overshadowed by the finest straight-ahead jazz rhythm section on the scene--Bill Charlap (piano), Peter Washington (bass), and Kenny Washington (drums)--that is nothing to be embarrassed about; almost anyone alive would be.

Indeed, it is the impossibly deep swinging vibe laid down by these three that vaults this session out of the doldrums of competency into the precincts of gloriousness.How long have Charlap and the Washingtons been together now--five years?Ten?I don't know, but somewhere along the way they've achieved an interactive conversational capability that would be scary if it weren't so wonderful.That they've managed to lure the entirely willing Hamilton into their magical web is not so much a surprise as the level his playing consequently achieves.

I have to confess that this kind of session--a rather straightforward reading of hoary jazz chestnuts--isn't ordinarily my thing; I've enough romantic Houston Person and Fathead Newman sides to paper a small office cubicle, and I find myself seldom listening to them.Not because there isn't a certain level of creativity, even sometimes genius, but because no matter how well such dates come off they leave me wishing for something more adventurous.This set, however, achieves something rare in jazz recordings, a kind of serendipity that blesses certain sessions with what can only be described as jazz fairy dust.Everything just works here: the program, achieving a kind of thrust that although somewhat unlikely eventually arrives at inevitability; perfectly balanced production, where each instrument's voice achieves pure clarity while perfectly blending with its counterparts; top-drawer playing by all; and some kind of je ne sais quois, a visit by the ever-fickle jazz gods deigning to grace this disc with their often-sought-but-seldom-delivered favor.

Very much worth acquiring. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential recording

Plucked from the piano bars of New Orleans, Harry Connick Jr. was an unlikely choice to pen the soundtrack for a major Hollywood release. But everyone concerned hit the jackpot. As with the best of Connick's music, When Harry Met Sally resonates with a whimsical yet sophisticated and urbane energy. That smooth, breathy tenor, combined with some inventive arrangements, brought color and setting to the film, playing a plum supporting role for Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan. Beyond the film, this collection of reworked standards stands on its own quite well. A lustrous vocal line bookends the hopping instrumental swing in the middle of "Don't Get Around Much Anymore," playing that song's central melancholy up with a Nelson Riddle-esque big-band sweep. Connick's take on "Love Is Here to Stay" puts a gentle cha-cha behind the familiar verses, slowly working in a lazily wandering tenor sax. By the time the record fades out in a hushed, tender rendition of "Where or When," Connick has managed to thoroughly charm us, whether we'd seen the movie or not. --Matthew Cooke ... Read more

Reviews (38)

I totally agree with "The Music Fan" from L.A. on 12/19/99
This is NOT the Soundtrack. If you liked the first two songs in the movie, "Our Love is Here to Stay", and "Let's Call the Whole Thing Off", then buy the CD "Ella and Louis Again", (Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong). Those are the versions which were played in the movie. If you like good, traditional jazz, then I suggest you stay away from this CD. Although Harry Connick is popular, his music is too much like Chet Baker, which is not my favorite type of jazz.

You gotta have it!
It Had to Be You, Love Is Here to Stay, But Not for Me, Don't Get Around Much Anymore, I Could Write a Book, Let's Call the Whole Thing Off and When or When are vocal numbers, others are instrumental. Soundtrack is featuring only covers. Songs are mostly performed by trio Harry Connick, Jr. (piano and vocal), Benjamin Jonah Wolfe (bass) and Jeff 'Tain' Watts (drums), sometimes with Big Band or by Harry alone (Where Or When, Autumn In New York and Winter Wonderland).
Harry Connick Jr.'s interpretation is great.

Harry Connick Jr., Always A Class Act!
I recently purchased this CD and have really enjoyed listening to it. Harry Connick Jr. always lives up to my expectations, and the music from this soundtrack is no exception. Almost single handedly he has managed to create a new fresh awareness to these musical jewels, and even now in 2004 he continues to reacquaint the world to the beautiful songs from the Great American Songbook. His classic interpretations of these timeless songs brings them back to life, and proves once more that these perfectly crafted tunes will last forever. This CD is great for dancing, listening, and especially when you want to be romantic.

If you LOVE listening to GREAT CROONERS and BIG BAND SWING, I would also recommend, Monte Procopio "Swingin' With Style" CD. He is another great crooner that can really SWING and deserves a listen. Buy both these CDs, you can't go wrong!

This one will make your heart sing
This is a heartwarming CD from Harry that is spending a lot of time in my disk spinner. Connick's youthful and delicate, yet rich timbre conveys these romantic songs of love and longing in a way that brings a smile to your face. An then there is his idiosyncratic sense of rhythm and awesome piano playing. Who cares if it is exacly the music from the movie? Get the CD and hear for yourself.

There are four wonderful instrumental tracks Stompin' At The Savoy, Winter Wonderland, Autumn In New York and It Had To Be You, which showcases Harry's amazing piano playing and his signature sense of rhythm and timing.

THIS IS THE ORIGINAL SOUNDTRACK!!!
Don't listen to the other reviewers this IS the original soundtrack for the film when Harry Met Sally. Buy it and enjoy it. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential recording

The epic sweep of Ragtime is captured in its opening prologue, a nine-minute kaleidoscope of fictional characters mingling with historical figures from the early 20th century as originally captured in E.L. Doctorow's sprawling novel. As the story continues, we meet pianist Coalhouse Walker Jr. (Brian Stokes Mitchell) and his child's mother, Sarah (Audra McDonald), who has been taken in by a respectable family (including Marin Mazzie as Mother). Parallel story lines of the Latvian immigrant Tateh (Peter Friedman), the entertainer Evelyn Nesbit (Lynnette Perry), and even Harry Houdini (Jim Corti) and Emma Goldman (Judy Kaye) eventually mingle and merge. Stephen Flaherty and Lynn Ahrens (Once on This Island) mix marches, cakewalks, and of course ragtime to create a rich, compelling score, including Sarah's song to her baby, "Your Daddy's Son," her soaring duet with Coalhouse, "Wheels of a Dream," Mother's self-revealing "Back to Before," and numerous set pieces, all performed by a perfect cast. Ragtime was nominated for 12 Tony Awards in 1998, with wins for McDonald, original score, book, and orchestration.The CD also includes an eight-minute symphonic suite conducted by Paul Gemignani and a booklet with photos, full lyrics, and a history of how the score was written. Tragic, touching, and ultimately triumphant, Ragtime is an American classic. --David Horiuchi ... Read more

Reviews (140)

Ragtime shows muiscal theater has a future!
In a time when Sondheim is unfortunatly writing fewer musicals and Lloyd Webber tends to be dominating with his somewhat gratuitous "blockbusters," Ragtime is the glimmer of light through the hopes of the stages resonance. In this musical you have a show with a excellent melodius score and wonderfully resounding lyrics. This proves that the "classic" musical will still be around as longs as Stephen Flaherty is around to composer more music. This is a two cd set with full libretto and a top-notch original cast.

Brian Stokes Mitchell, as Coalhouse Walker, gives a stunning versitile and energetic performance. Marin Mazzie, who is usually superb, soars higher then she ever has as Mother (Although with the revival of Kiss Me Katie now out, that might be a challenged comment). Audra McDonald sings and acts her way to a much deserved Tony. She takes her supporting role and makes it shine, while not distracting from Mr. Mitchell. Peter Friedman is superb in the role of the immigrant, Tateh. He brings such charm and inncocense to the role the listener falls into his grasp. These characters along with wonderful supporting characters help make this show one of the best to come along in nearly a decade.

If you feel like the classic American musical is gone forever buy this cd and Im sure you will feel differently after the first listen. Every song is beautifully resonant of every culture and time period depicted in the show. Ragtime is, indeed, a dream come true.

"Ragtime" Rules!!
WOW! Is no wonder that the songwriting team of Stephen Flaherty and Lynn Ahrens won the Tony Award for Best Original Score! Always engaging, this soundtrack is a Broadway musical triumph with incedible and moving performances from Brian Stokes Mitchell, Marin Mazzie, and three time Tony winner Audra McDonald. From humerous tracks like "The Crime of the Century", "What a Game!", and "The Show Biz" to emotional tracks like "Your Daddy's Son", "Wheels of a Dream", and "Back to Before", I recommend this CD to any Broadway fan! "Ragtime" rules!!

An Incredible Show
I think this show is amazing. Absolutely point blank amazing. I am in the show right now and I play the role of Sarah and I can't get enough of Audra McDonald. Amazing. What else can I say? And I am also writing in protest, because there is this extremely stupid person who writes negative reviews about every musical ever. I am very frustrated after hearing their opinion about Ragtime, Wicked, Le Miz, Little Shop, The Scarlett Pimpernel, Phantom of the Opera, Urinetown, Once on this Island, and a ton of others. Are you some kind of idiot? Wow you are rediculously dumb. Because honestly, you hate every show in existance. And really, why do you bother to review any of them? We know you hate everything ever written. What's the point. And really its amazing because I have never in my whole life met someone who hates as many of the greatest shows ever as you do. Next you're going to decide to hate Miss Saigon, The Sound of Music, Chicago, Cabaret, Parade, Songs for a New World, oh and wait, everything else EVER. I am very angry right now. VERY. You are the dumbest person that has ever existed and I would just like you to know that. As for everyone else reading this, ignore this person's reviews. Their opinion means absolutely nothing to almost everyone. I think 4 people found any of this person's 12 reviews helpful. REDICULOUS. And who are you exactly to be discussing anyone else's performance, since I doubt you have any talent and I really doubt you have been on broadway. And since you haven't...

I love this CD and this show
This CD was like the best thing I've heard in a while. IF you haven't heard it, go find it because you are missing out on something good. I've heard Audra McDonald sing "Daddy's Son" a billion times and I still get teary. That should tell you something about her performance. Some of Mother's work also makes me teary. I'm serious: GET THIS CD!!

Good also from experience...
I was recently involved in a production of "Ragtime" at my community theater. It is not only one of the best shows we have ever done, it is also an amazing show within itself. I purchased this cd shortly after to get the chance to listen to every song with this cast. I am so amazed by the pure talent shown in every single song. Mind you, it's not one of the usual musicals. This one has more emotion and raw feelings involved, and doesn't have a happy show stopper ever 5 minutes. it does, on the other hand, have mind blowing songs that show the true talent of these performers. My personal favorites are "Wheels of a Dream", "Your Daddy's Son", "Til We Reach That Day", and "He Wanted to Say". I hope you buy this cd and go see the show, it's one of the best shows I have ever seen. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

De-Lovely Soundtrack Ugh! This One Great!
Simply listen to the current film De-Lovely soundtrack then listen
to this one. Based upon the soundtrack CD I don't even plan to see the movie now. It would be great for theater owners to play the Very Best of Cole Porter CD prior to screening De-Lovely & watch them
squirm trying to sit thru the movie sondtrack minutes later. Great songs dserve great singers which the Very Best of Cole Porter delivers!

Better than the DE-LOVELY Soundtrack!!
I really can't say it any better than the notes from inside the CD (read below). This is an incredible collection - just look at the artists on here - Ella, Tony Bennett, Billie Holiday, Louis Armstrong...not to take anything away from the soundtrack to the film, but this is some real starpower!! I listened to the other collections floating around out there, and THE VERY BEST OF COLE PORTER truly lives up to it's name.

The amazing thing about Cole Porter is that the most sophisticated of all songwriters is also the most passionate. You wouldn't normally expect those two qualities to go together hand in hand. Indeed, one of the essential components of sophistication is coolness-a blasé quality. The most heinous breach of upper-crusty behavior would be to actually show that you care about something. Yet, Cole Porter takes passion to its ultimate extreme: people in Cole Porter songs are always at the end of their rope, they are borderline obsessives who have the object of their obsessions under their skin and can't stop thinking about him or her night and day. They are mystified, hypnotized, and every time their lover leaves them, they die a little.
As one of Porter's progeny, the lyricist and showman Alan J. Lerner put it, "Cole was the only composer lyric writer in the entire musical world who ever knew how to write a passionate song. Everybody else could-when we're fortunate-write a tender song, or romantic song, or a wistful song, or a nostalgic song. But only Cole could write passion." It's in that duality-the contrast between describing the day to day activities of the uber-rich, those who keep their cool at all costs, and those of us who feel love with such a burning passion that they would, nay must, die for it.
Porter himself was, likewise, a mass of contradictions, which began with his birth. How can it be that the Prince of New York sophisticates was actually born in the Midwest- Peru, Indiana no less? He did, however, enter the world exceedingly rich (in 1891), went to Yale and probably never would have had to labor a day in his life had he not wanted to.
All the major songwriters created myths about themselves. For Richard Rodgers, it was his wholesomeness. Rodgers knew more about the dark side of life than he wanted you to know, and the evidence is there in his music. Irving Berlin created the character of a tight-fisted Jewish businessman, but you didn't have to look very far to find the artistic generosity in his music. Cole Porter wanted everyone to think he was a gadabout playboy, a rich dilettante who knocked off bauble-like songs in between cocktail parties and polo matches. The truth was that Cole Porter worked as hard as any coal miner-he wasn't pining over lost loves night and day, he was laboring at his piano. He had an amazingly deep knowledge of music theory. Along with Jerome Kern and George Gershwin, his are some of the most musically advanced songs ever written. And he approached each lyric like an especially intricate crossword puzzle, struggling with the thing for hours and hours until it came out right, finding precisely the right word to fit precisely the right note.
The durability of the songs themselves is proof that he succeeded. A Porter song could tell a whole story, and, like that other great American artform, the blues, Porter could often communicate more with what he leaves out of a song than what he puts in. What exactly is the relationship between the singer of "My Heart Belongs To Daddy" and the individual she refers to only as "Daddy?" Is she her husband, her paramour, her father? Is she somehow challenging expectations and gender roles? Porter could be comically salacious, as he is in "Let's Do It (Let's Fall In Love)," and Louis Armstrong captures every minute nuance of the mighty man's text when he asks the listener, "What's the use of balls?" At the same time, he could be amazingly sincere, almost naïve. "True Love" is a text that suspends all disbelief and approaches love with a wide-eyed innocence.
Throughout, it's the contradictions that make the songs work. The exuberant declamations of the young swain who has found true love are almost always undercut with an undercurrent of melancholy. "You'd be so easy to love," the song goes, but it ends with a note that "it does seem a shame that you can't see your future with me." "You Do Something To Me" and "I Get A Kick Out Of You" have their protagonists only begrudgingly and not very happily admitting that their own happiness is bound up with, and even controlled by, someone else-rather like Angelo in Measure For Measure. The reality is that all your money and power and social position and intellect and logic or whatever, can not protect you from heartbreak.
Although his songs can be done upbeat and swinging, "I Get A Kick Out Of You" is also potentially one of the saddest songs ever written. There are times when Porter is purely playful, as on "It's De-Lovely" and "Too Darn Hot," where the sonics of the words themselves are everything, cases when Porter the lyricist takes a backseat to Porter the composer. There's a certain kind of rhythm in "A-list" songs, and much of Porter's work is highly rhythm-driven. Other Porter songs are almost operatic in their scope and their range. "In The Still Of The Night," for example, has the sort of soaring, classical melody you might find in Jerome Kern or Giacomo Puccini. At the same time, the masterstroke of "Begin The Beguine" is that it's a virtual symphony in its structure (over 100 bars)-anything but classical in its texture and driven entirely by pan-Caribbean rhythmic modes.
Porter continually finds a note of sadness in the highs and a hint of optimism in the lows. "Love For Sale" and "Just One Of Those Things" are nothing if not arias of resignation, yet there's a haughty hint of defiance in the first and optimism in the second. In Porter's songs, as in his life, nothing is ever exactly what it seems. His melodies and lyrics have inspired great instrumentalists and vocalists and beguiled listeners for nearly a century, and they show no signs of stopping now.

Will Friedwald
New York City
December 2003 ... Read more

Amazon.com essential recording

Andrew LloydWebber'sadaptation of T.S. Eliot's poems may not have become Broadway's longest-runningmusical without the original cast to begin the raves. Which is why every aficionado ofthis theatrical classic will tell you that this is the one you have to own (although they'llprobably tell you that you need the import Original London Cast album as well,the show having originated on London's West End and all). But this is the one with BettyBuckley singing "Memory"--the song that turned her into a star--and the two discs areappropriate for the musical that helped set off Broadway's "operatic" phase. The show isnow also available--in its entirety--as a home video, but the music still stands on its own,though some cynics have wondered why so much music only produced one hit standard.--Bill Holdship ... Read more

Reviews (87)

THE BEST MUSICAL EVER WRITTEN!!!
CATS is an awesome musical; a lot better than most people realize! It's very upbeat and fun. My favorite songs are The Overture, Prologue: Jellicle Songs for Jellicle Cats, The Invitation to the Jellicle Ball, The Rum Tum Tugger, Bustopher Jones, Mungojerrie and Rumplteazer, Old Deuteronomy, Skimbleshanks: The Railway Cat, Macavity: The Mystery Cat, Mr. Mistoffelees, Memory, and The Journey to the Heaviside Layer.

A lot of the people who don't like this musical is because they don't understand it (they're looking for a non-existent plot). But the thing is is that to understand CATS you have to let go of all reality for two hours and just enjoy the music and the show. The musical is actually about the naming of Jellicle cats and the choosing of what cat will journey to the Heaviside layer (heaven) and will cone back to a new Jellicle life. I definately recommend this CD!! Enjoy!

It was okay, but I wasn't awed by it!
I bought this CD before I saw the musical, well I still haven't seen the play live but I saw it on tape and I didn't really enjoy it and the cast recording just didn't do any thing for me I had bought it because since I loved the Phantom of the Opera I figured (Wrongly) that I would also love Cats. Cats is Ok but it just didn't thrill me as much as Andrew Lloyd Webber's wonderful The Phanom of The Opera did or as much as the non webber musicals Les Miserables and Miss Saigon did and since I didn't enjoy the Cats cast recording I recently gave it away to a relative who loved Cats and will get better use of the CD's. I'm not saying that people shouldn't go see Cats or listen to the cast recording and that they shouldn't like it I'm just saying that I personally didn't care for it.

Not NEARLY as Good as the London Recording
I am Sorry if you like the Broadway Version, but it sucks. I was raised on the London version, may be that is why I prefer it. The Broadway version doesn't even compare. I heard it and I was like, "This is Broadway?" Community Theater is better than that, and more believeable. They just try too hard, and it just sounds stupid. I guess my main problem with this recording is Growltiger's Last Stand. That is my favorite number, and I just HATE it when the Broadway cast sings it. They just make it REALLY stupid. I mean, they start to SING OPERA for crying out loud, OPERA??? What the heck is up with that? I just can't stomach it. If you are looking to buy CATS, and I sincerely hope that you do, buy the London Cast Recording from 1981. It is much better in every which way.

CATS, N&F
This is the first recording (Not counting the video) of CATS I received (And I owe a 57% on a math test to it:-P), and I love it. I must admit I'm prejudiced to other recordings because of it, although there are a few faults about it (What recording is without?) For one, the music seems . . . lame and unenthusiastic. The voices of the singers drown it all out. Which, being that they are wonderful voices, isn't bad, but it sounds weird being almost-a cappella. So the prologue sounds a bit empty and oldie. But it's not bad.
Timothy Scott is on this recording as Mistoffelees/Quaxo, and does a remarkable job at it. His voice may not be the best, but it's just right for the conjuring cat. Oh, for Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer fans, Misto sings all the lyrics.
Terrence Mann as the Rum Tum Tugger wasn't the absolute best choice, but he really does a good job. He really sounds like he's having a good time, and, if you get the book, you can see just how well he got into his part. Don't be fooled, he's a really great actor.
Betty Buckley as Grizabella really isn't thrilling. Her voice just doesn't hold the sadness and despair and hope and hatred that her character is supposed to have. It's too strong. Period.
Ken Page is here as Old Deuteronomy, and, as far as it goes, he is the best Deuteronomy. His voice is deep and kind and stern and old and perfect for this role.
OoH, let me just say something about the Jellicle Ball. In the middle, when the music goes from a soft chime to the CATS theme music . . . it's the best . . . no weak music there!
Let me say that Growltiger's Last Stand is terrific. Bonnie Simmons is the best Jellylorum I have heard, her voice is beautiful. Growltiger (the actor's name escapes me) seems to me a great actor, although he hasn't the greatest voice.
And Macavity . . . Demeter (Wendy Edmead) just didn't seem right, don't ask me why. Bombalurina (the actress's name escapes me) seemed to be too tame to play the fiery, spirited queen.
In this review I have mentioned the aspects that I figured stood out most. If you want the best recording, this wouldn't be my top choice. The original Australian cast is good . . .
Don't let my review make you think that this recording isn't good . . . it *is*, just not the best. (Hey, it's still my favorite). Believe me, if you buy it, you won't regret it.
~~purzz, Mysta =^_^=

CATS IS AWSOME!!!
I ALWAYS HATED CATS. BUT THIS CD WAS HARD NOT TO LIKE. I GUESS THAT THE MUSIC IN CATS IS OK. BUT THE STORY IS AWFUL!I SAY YOU SHOULD LISTEN TO THIS CD AND NOT SEE THE PLAY. THE PLAY IS STUIPED. IT'S ALL ABOUT FREAKS IN COSTUMES TRYING TO BE CATS.
SURE,IT'S A GOOD LAUGH,BUT WEIRD. ... Read more

Amazon.com

In the late '90s, Burt Bacharach--thanks to a boxed set, new collaborations, and numerous reissues--just keeps popping up. And for good reason: his music is nostalgic, filled with great melodies, and instantly recognizable. For many, he's the essence of pop. Promises, Promises, the composer's 1968 Broadway collaboration with lyricist Hal David, is based on the 1960 Billy Wilder film, The Apartment, written by Neil Simon. Jerry Orbach's performance as Chuck Baxter is powerful (it also won him a Tony Award), and though some of the music in Promises, Promises is dated, it's simply infectious. As Fran Kubelik, Jill O'Hara (Hair) performs reflective numbers such as "Whoever You Are" and "I'll Never Fall in Love Again." Bacharach's title theme (a hit for Dionne Warwick) sounds better than ever here--both performed instrumentally and sung by Orbach. At 45 minutes, it's a short listen, but for fans of Bacharach or Broadway, it's highly recommended. --Jason Verlinde ... Read more

Reviews (24)

TheUnsungHeroofPromisesPromises
I'llneverforgettheLondonproductionIsawoftheshowin1969.Itisatransitionmusicalinit'sMichaelBennettdirection(theGrapesofRothchoreographywasfantastic andscenetransitionshadsecretariesbouncingthroughrevolvingdoors)andBurtBacharachhiptunes.ThetransitionwouldleadtoCompanyandA ChorusLine(seeACHORUSLINEANDTHEMUSICALSOFMICHAELBENNETTbyKen Mandelbaum).

TheunsungherooftheshowwasJonathanTunick.Istilltreasurethememoryofseveralofusat show's endgoingdowntotheorchestrapittomarvelathisorchestrationsfortheexitmusic(justtheovertureagain.)Therewassuchanelectricpulsingsensationtothemusic.Anda3girlchoruswhichwasnew.TheJillO'HaraleadwastakenupbyBettyBuckley (whosoundedbetterthan MissO'HaradoesontheCD).TonyRobertswastheleadandhemarriedDonnaMcKechnie duringtheLondonrun.

Therewasaninterestinglightingtrickintheoverture.They dimmedwhenthemedleygottothetitletune.Thatwasveryeffective.

POP! Goes Broadway
The pop/mod sound of the 1960s perfected by the songwriting duo of Bacharach and David made it's way to the Broadway stage in 1968 with "Promises, Promises", a musical adaptation of Billy Wilder's 1961 Oscar winning film "The Apartment".

The plot is simple: It revolves around Chuck Baxter who lends out his apartment to various executives at Consolidated Life hoping for some kind of an advancement in return, the twist comes when Fran, the charming cafeteria hostess he's smitten with turns out to be the mistress of "THE BIG BOSS".

The Overture is one of the best composed for the stage, right up there with the overture from "Gypsy" in that it captures the mood and spirit of the entire show.

Jerry Orbach shines as "Chuck" and he tackles the signature Bacharach meter changes head on with his renditions of "Half as Big as Life", "She Likes Basketball" and "Promises, Promises". Orbach was awarded the Tony for Best Actor for his performance.

Jill O'Hara who made a splash as "Sheila" in the Original Off Broadway production of "Hair" the previous year hit the big time (and scored a Tony nomination) for her turn as "Fran Kubelik". Her voice is perfectly suited for the vulnerability and fragility of her character, especially in the show stopping number "Knowing When To Leave". "Whoever You Are, I Love You" and her duet with Orbach on "I'll Never Fall In Love Again" are also standouts.

"Turkey Lurkey Time" may be weak as far as lyrics go but no one can beat that infectious Bacharach beat that frames the entire song. It became one of the best remembered show stoppers of it's time thanks to the brilliant choreography of the late-great Michael Bennett. The number brought the house down EVERY TIME.

The show has yet to receive a full scale Broadway revival but in 1999 it was given 2 concert stagings: City Center's ENCORES! series did a staging which starred Martin Short and L.A.'s Reprise staged it starring Jason Alexander. There were hopes of transferring the ENCORES! version to Broadway but the plans were scrapped. All we have to remember this great show is this recording. A MUST HAVE FOR ALL THEATRE LOVERS!

Forgotten sixties hit.
This was one of the biggest hits of its time - coming at the very height of the great vogue for Burt Bacharach melodies. Really a must for Broadway collectors, or anyone seriously interested in sixties music - and quite entertaining in its own right, especially for those of us old enough to remember the period.

BUT the only individual song that is up to Bacharach's best standard is "What do you get when you fall in love", possibly the catchiest thing he ever wrote. In the last analysis one is more surprised that the show ran so long, than the fact that is has been more or less forgotten ever since.

There is no plot synopsis in the liner notes - while I was able to rustle one up in my library this is a strange deficiency for a re-release.

Happy to secure my copy at last - but I want to forget what I paid for it as quickly as I can!

Contrary to another review
Promises, Promises is a fantastic score and (contrary to what another review says) there were concert revivals on both coasts in the late 90s (with Martin Short for Encores and Jason Alexander for Reprise). In fact, Bacharach and David wrote a new song for the Encore version. Also, Jill Haworth NEVER appeared in Promises.

It is amazing that Promises was so popular but remains unique and unimitated. Even if it was revived again and recorded again, the OBC would remain important since it establishes the sound of this piece in its time. Today someone would be imitating that 60s-70s sound. This is the actual idiomatic thing.

This so far is the only Broadway production!
It is a complete mystery to me why this musical has never been revived on Broadway or Off-Broadway, and not even in a concert version.I mean, other "dated" musicals have been successfully revived in recent years ("How To Succeed" and "Dreamgirls" spring to mind immediately), but even with the recent resurgence of interest in Bacharach's music, no one has seen fit to re-do "Promises, Promises."This is a great pity, as anyone who saw the energetic teen performance of "Turkey Lurkey Time" in the indie film "Camp" can attest.The score is great; the book, not so much (terribly sexist and mysoginistic, but then, so was "How To Succeed") -- still, this musical cries out for someone to re-invent it.

At any rate, it's lovely to hear the late Jerry Orbach's performance on this CD, which is great, and even the folky Jill Haworth does a good job on songs later elevated to pop perfection by Dionne Warwicke. This musical is an undiscovered gem. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

This Disk Captures the Energy
I was present at Feinstein's at the Regency in New York City for the show that is recorded here.This disk captures the energy that pervaded the room.Keely was in great voice and had a great rapport with the audience.This disk has it all: high energy Louis Prima arrangements tightly played by great New York sidemen (including saxman Jerry Vivino playing the Sam Butera parts and drummer Joe Cocuzzo), luscious sweetly-sung ballads, and nice-as-can-be Keely interacting with the audience. Sitting inches away from Keely and just feet from a band that blew the roof off, this was one of the great musical nights of my life.Amazingly, this disk captures the experience.The only things missing are the delicious lamb chops I ordered that night.

What a wonderful album
She is still the best. Sorry Louie couldn't be here to sing with her but I'm sure he is wherever he may be.
Keely's voice has never changed.
If you want 54 minutes of pure delight buy this album ... Read more

Amazon.com

In 1855, Walt Whitman--arguably the greatest poet the United States ever produced--first published his magnum opus,Leaves of Grass. Now 150 years later, jazz pianist Fred Hersch has skillfully adapted Whitman's work to music.With a mid-sized ensemble featuring cellist Erik Friedlander, saxophonist Tony Malaby, and vocalists Kate McGarry and Kurt Elling, Hersch, himself a fluid and finessed pianist, takes a back seat to his wonderful arrangements, which encompass martial cadences, hymn-like timbres, Latin rhythms, and ballads. Part VII and Part X of "Song of Myself," the longest work on the disc, range from Charles Mingus, Scenes in the City-style effects to a bluesy, down-home slow drag. Clearly, Elling's majestic baritone voice is the centerpiece of this work. He scats like a bop improviser, narrates like a Shakespearean actor, and sings like an opera star. It is fitting that that the elasticity of jazz truly captures the timeless essence of Whitman's words. --Eugene Holley, Jr. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

nice music, but not really Whitmanian
I greatly admire both Hersch and Whitman--the former is my favorite living jazz pianist and the latter one of my favorite poets--but this CD doesn't add much, in my mind, to the legacy of either. Hersch has recorded some of the most beautiful jazz piano music you'll ever hear (especially in a solo setting--I highly recommend Let Yourself Go and especially Songs Without Words) but I'm not sure he's the right musician/composer (if anyone is, and I'm somewhat skeptical) to set Whitman's words to music. That is indeed an ambitious project, and the unfortunate irony here is that Hersch does not seem to have approached it with sufficient ambition: his Leaves of Grass is ultimately too pretty, too timid, too neatly trimmed around the edges to come across as convincingly Whitmanian.

One wonders how such a project would have turned out in the hands of a Mingus or an Ellington--but then again, one could argue that their work, at its most ambitious, was (and is) already Whitmanian in spirit and scope: which is to say, perhaps, that the connection between Whitman and jazz doesn't need to have been made explicitly as Hersch has tried to make it here. That connection has already been made, much more profoundly, through an extraordinary tradition of improvisers who have made music in the same celebratory spirit of individuality, multiplicity, freedom, democracy, sensuality, complexity, contradiction, and community that informs Whitman's work. (Hersch, I'm sure, recognizes this--and without a doubt much more intimately and deeply than I do--so it's somewhat puzzling and unfortunate that, in his liner notes, he reduces the Whitman-jazz connection to something having vaguely to do with the Beat poets.)

All of that said, the music is lovely, as one always expects from Hersch (though fans of his should be aware that his piano playing is not the focal point of most of the program); that alone earns Leaves of Grass a three-star rating. The shortcoming is simply that Whitman's words serve as little more than distraction: all in all, the whole ends up being less than the sum of the parts. The trick is to simply try to enjoy the music, and not think of it as an interpretation of Whitman.

And by all means check out Hersch's other recordings--this just isn't the place to start.

Syncopated Poetry
As Fred Hersch points out in his liner notes, since the syncopated rhythms of Walt Whitman's poems led directly to the bebop of the Beat Poets, why not set Leaves of Grass to jazz? Selecting 17 passages from Whitman -- 11 of them from Song of Myself -- Hersch adds four horn players, a cellist and two vocalists to his trio to create "a small-scale oratorio." Kate McGarry caresses the spiritual lyrics in "Song of the Universal"; in "The Mystic Trumpeter," she scats with Ralph Alessi, who in turn contributes a cutesy trill on flugelhorn at the outset of "I Celebrate Myself." On "The Sleepers," Whitman's fantasy of universal brotherhood, Tony Malaby's tenor sax complements Kurt Elling's falsetto, with the rhythm section providing a sleepy, minimalist drone. In "A Child Said, `What Is the Grass?'" Hersch's orchestration soars from tenderness to ecstasy.
Most people, perhaps understandably, will browse over jazz-piano-guy-with-nerdy-name-plus-some-poet and walk on by. But if the Venn diagrams of your interests include Whitman and jazz, why not have them intersect? What I assume, you shall assume; we contain multitudes. So does Leaves of Grass. ... Read more

Amazon.com

On May 3, 1960, a chamber-sized variation on Romeo and Juliet by composer Harvey Schmidt and writer-lyricist Tom Jones opened off-off-Broadway at the Sullivan Street Playhouse. On May 3, 2000, The Fantasticks opened again at the Sullivan Street Playhouse, celebrating 40 continuous years of performances and having long since become the longest-running musical in the history of the world. And while many cast members have come and gone, it's the original cast recording that has become an indelible part of our memory, from the dual pianos dotting the overture and Jerry Orbach's rich reading of "Try to Remember" to the fathers' lament "Never Say No" and the gorgeous duet "Soon It's Gonna Rain." Even better, this anniversary edition CD benefits from remastered sound (you can now hear the harp strum in the opening bars) and a new booklet that includes a note from Jones, an introductory essay, and (drumroll, please) full lyrics. Yes, it's still true that the voices may not have the sheer beauty some modern ears might expect, and the pit band (augmented from two players to five for this recording) sounds a bit dated, but who cares? It's The Fantasticks, an essential piece of musical theater history. Long may it run. --David Horiuchi ... Read more

Reviews (14)

This is more than any metaphor will ever ever be.
From the first staccato notes of the solo piano to Jerry Orbach and company urging us to "Try to Remember" this is a classic CD. The music and lyrics, though possibly a little odd at first, is witty, whimisical, clever, smart, and beautiful. This is one of the few cast albums of a show in which there is not a single bad song. The performances do nothing but enhance the music. This simple little show, which has been running off-Broadway for over thirty years, is well represented with this CD. Thirty years of audiences can't be wrong, and they aren't. This is a wonderful recording of a wonderful show. I gureente you will not be dissapointed.

When less gives more
If a show opens in 1960 and is still running after about 16,000 performances, one can reasonably assume it is a good show in every sense of the words. Standing on the other pole (so to speak) from the current run of Broadway's visually rich/musically barren spectacles, is a charming little work designed for a basement production and so perfect that many have seen it several times, especially when friends come in from out of state. In fact, when they wanted to close it at last, the neighborhood would not let them!

So I don't have to sing the praises of this classic, which has been available for many years on the original cast LP. Now the Good News is that it has been made available in a "re-mastered, completely repackaged edition," as the press release expresses it on the Decca Broadway label (314 543 665-2). So sit back and enjoy once more the voices of Jerry Orbach, Kenneth Leson, Rita Gardner, William Larsen, Hugh Thomas, and all the others in this anti-spectacular with good dialogue, decent lyrics, and (Heaven be praised) lovely melodies. (And give the Rostand play, "The Romantiques," a read too. It is lovely.)

Try to Remember...
It was the spring of 1960. Dwight D. Eisenhower was the President, and Senator John F. Kennedy had yet to squeak by VP Richard Nixon in a to become President. Elvis Presley had recently been discharged from the U.S. Army. The average American's annual salary was around $4800, and minimum wage was $1.00 per hour. Cadillac had lowered their high tail fins. Elizabeth Taylor won an Oscar for her performance in Butterfield 8. The first manned space flight wouldn't take place for another year. The formation of the Peace Corps was a year away as well. Gary Powers was shot down in a U2 spy plane over the Soviet Union. Barbie dolls had just been introduced the year before. The Flintstones were almost five months away from their premiere. The Beatles hadn't even cut their first single record, and there were no Russian missiles in Cuba. Osama bin Laden was only three years old. The World Trade Center wasn't even on the drawing board yet.

But in early May, a small band of actors entered the Sullivan Street Playhouse, a tiny 150-seat theater in Greenwich Village, to perform a beautiful, romantic little musical about a boy, a girl and the pains of young love.

The week that The Fantasticks opened on its sparse stage, it was suggested to producer Lore Noto that he close the show. It suffered from mixed reviews, and the ticket sales could have been better. He decided to try and keep the show running for awhile, to the relief of the relatively unknown cast members. One of these was a young actor with a rich baritone voice named Jerry Orbach, who played the role of El Gallo, the narrator. He imagined that the show could well succeed if it had time to develop a following.

"I thought it could run for like five years," Mr. Orbach recently recalled.

It ran for thirty-seven years beyond that then-optimistic estimate.

The Fantasticks featured music by Harvey Schmidt and lyrics by Tom Jones, who began writing musicals together when they were students at the University of Texas. It became the longest running musical in the world and the longest running show of any kind in the history of the American theater.

But on Sunday evening, January 13th, 2002, after 17,162 performances, The Fantasticks did what few thought possible: it made its final bow.

Lyricist Tom Jones told those who offered their sympathies, "You can't be sad for a show that has run forty-two years, " as he and composer Harvey Schmidt greeted the closing night crowd. The final performance was delayed for nearly a half hour late as the show's former cast members, many who hadn't seen each other in years, held tearful reunions in the aisles and largely disregarded the ushers' attempts to get them to stay seated. Among the attendees were the original "Girl" Rita Gardner, original "Mortimer" George Curley, Oscar-winner F. Murray Abraham, who had played one of many El Gallos throughout the run, and set/costume designer Ed Wittstein.

The timing of its closing is particularly moving, given the horrible deaths of other lasting New York City monuments in the past few months. The message of The Fantasticks proved to be dissonantly significant in the days after the September 11th terrorist attacks. The opening words of Tom Jones' lyrics could have been written that very week:

Try to remember the kind of September
when life was slow and oh, so mellow.
Try to remember the kind of September
when grass was green and grain was yellow.
Try to remember the kind of September
when you were a tender and callow fellow.
Try to remember and if you remember
then follow...

It's been noted often that there were quite a few handkerchiefs wiping tears from the eyes of the patrons in the theater when this song was performed during those performances last September and into the fall.

On Sunday night, there probably wasn't a dry eye in the house, either.

Don't miss this excellent remastering of the 1960 off-off Broadway original cast recording. Simply put, it's superb.

My wife and daugters love this musical
A classic that needs to be brought back

Fantastck!!!!
I have seen the play, i actually work in the crew, i was the stage manager and i loved this show, it's amazing! the romanticism, the moods, enough to make you cry. And it is a pleasure to hear it over and over again... Try to remember... Understand and feel the joy and sadness of those two lovers... Amazing! ... Read more

Reviews (40)

Menken's Masterpiece
This is the one. If there was one Menken soundtrack I would recomend above all others, it would be this one. It's easily the best in both score and songs

The CD starts off with 'Prologue'. The music is here is wonderful, and while there is a storyteller on top, it's still a beautiful piece of music that I wouldn't want to live without. 'Belle' is probably one of the best songs I've ever heard. Great melody, great orestrations, great lyrics, great everything. The rest of the songs are wonderful too, from the humorous waltz of 'Gaston', to the playful Can-Can of 'Be My Guest', to the wonderful ballade 'Beauty and the Beast'. Every one of the songs has everything that makes a good song.

And what of the score? Well, it's great as well. 'West Wing' even contains more of the wonderful 'Prologue' music, and 'Transformation' is a wonderful choral version of 'Beauty and the Beast', and makes for a grand finale. As usual with Menken, the songs are all integrated nicely into the score, which makes for a highly coherent listening experiance.

The final track is the pop version of 'Beauty and the Beast'. It's done very well as far as pop songs go. And unlike the later Lion King pop songs, the lyrics are actually the same.

Overall, you can't go wrong with this. The singing is great, the instrumentations are great, wonderful melodies, and there's just a certain spark to it that makes you put a smile on your face.

A wonderful mix of romance and comedy
For many years, I have thought of "Beauty and the Beast" as the standard by which all Walt Disney animated musicals should be measured. The music by Alan Menken, the lyrics by Howard Ashman, and the performances of a superb cast combine to create one of the greatest movie song scores of all time.

The story is based on the timeless tale of a handsome prince who is changed into a monstrous beast, and who then must earn the love of a beautiful maiden. Robby Benson brings a touching mixture of pain and hope to his performance as the Beast. Paige O'Hara is a revelation as Belle ("Beauty"): she possesses a voice of great power and purity. The leads are well complemented by a superb supporting cast: Angela Lansbury, Jesse Corti, Jerry Orbach, David Ogden Stiers, and Richard White. Each performer brings something special to both the songs and the occasional bits of spoken dialogue on the CD.

The CD begins with a wonderful spoken prologue, and then moves into the excellent Menken-Ashman songs. The first song, "Belle," quickly establishes the rich, stirring "Broadway musical" tone of the CD. As a whole, the collection of songs attains an effective blend of humor, romance, and drama. The title song appears in two versions: the character version by Angela Lansbury (as Mrs. Potts), and the "pop" version, a duet between Peabo Bryson and Celine Dion. Both versions are excellent, but I'm somewhat partial to Lansbury's emotional performance.

The movie is a beloved classic, and so is the soundtrack. This CD is essential for fans of Disney music, and of film music in general.

Best of Disney!
This is a wonderful album. With all the fun lyrics, and lovely instrumentals. Whenever I hear the song "Beauty and the Beast" sung by Angela Lansbury, it makes me feel great.
The songs that are the most fun are "Be our Guest" and "Something There". The loveliest instrumental is "Transformation" and the most lively is "Battle on the tower". The only thing I don't like about this album is the pop version of "Beauty and the Beast" by Celine Dion and Peabo Bryson. It's really sappy (too many ooooo's and aaaaaa's). Buy this album and listen to all the songs except that one.

Where is the rest of the Score??????
Do not get me wrong, this is my favorite movie of all time! I can watch the movie over and over and over again! BUT!!!!!

The soundtrack is missing so much! The original version of Prologue and MOST OF THE SCORE IN THE MOVIE! We only get 25% of the score! WHERE IS THE REST? Why not put the rest on the Special Edition Soundtrack?

Overall you still get all the songs! :)

Perhaps the best Disney soundtrack ever
We all have heard the songs in "Beauty and the Beast" and not one of them is bad. They are all great. As a matter of fact, they are all flawless. The musical themes also resonate in the score, which is composed by Menken in his best work ever. The special edition contains a few extra tracks, and definitely buy it if you can, but even the cheaper version is great too and contains all of the original album. Even if you are someone who (like me) dislikes sappy Disney songs, you will still probably like Beauty and the Beast, for there are none of them in it. This soundtrack is highly recommended. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Peter Allen was an Australian gay man who was once married to Liza Minnelli and was still officially in the closet when he died of AIDS in 1992. It's obvious that when it comes to sheer drama, Allen's life is pretty hard to beat, and Hugh Jackman's portrayal in this bio-show terrifically brings home the music man's energy and inner contradictions. Too bad his life's intensity wasn't reflected in Allen's milquetoast songs, which are generously sprinkled throughout the show. Technically, Jackman's not the best singer (Brian Stokes Mitchell continues to rule Broadway in that regard), but his charisma is undeniable. His take on "I Go to Rio" is appropriately high octane, for instance, while "I Still Call Australia Home" (Oz's unofficial anthem) is rather poignant. As Judy and Liza, respectively, Isabel Keating and Stephanie J. Block try hard to emulate their models' vocal styles, which can be really distracting. Overall, though, this album is mostly for serious fans of either Allen and Jackman. --Elisabeth Vincentelli ... Read more

Reviews (52)

Hugh Jackman Channels the Spirit of Peter Allen
As a longtime fan of Peter Allen's music, and someone lucky to have experienced the legendary stage performer in person three times, I was ecstatic when "The Boy From Oz" came to Broadway. The show itself is a basic pain-by-numbers affair that never fully mines the pathos and brilliance of its subject, with shoddy sets and awkward designs that feel better suited to a high school production than a stage on the Great White Way. But all of the incidentals of this show are completely forgotten and take a much needed back seat to Allen's inspired music and the glorious star-making performance of Hugh Jackman in the title role. I haven't experienced anything quite like the feelings that came up for me as I watched this talented Aussie pin-up and actor literally transcend definition and BECOME Peter Allen - mind, body and spirit. Whereas supporting cast members are given fine opportunities to embody the likes of Liza Minelli (Allen's ex wife) and Judy Garland - and do so admirably despite the obvious challenges that come with playing a well known entertainer - it's Jackman who astonishes in a role that ideally suits his tenuous but forceful voice and his gentle, though complete grasp of character. Watching Jackman on stage was at times like watching the original Allen, who whipped his audiences (and myself) into a frenzy with boundless stage energy, costumes galore and a quick witted manner that was both adorable and dismissive at once. Funny, light, abrasive and ultimately sad, Jackman captures the human qualities of the late great singer-songwriter, whose "DOn't Cry Out Loud" and "I Honestly Love You" became staples for the brokenhearted. This cast recording seems blessed - if that's possible - by Allen's spirit. It's a fitting tribute to a vocalist whose singing ability was secondary to his phrasing and showmanship, and an eerie reminder that when you find huge new musical theater talent like Hugh Jackman, you RUN (do not pass GO, do not stop at the light) to get tickets. A stratling once-in-a-lifetime stage performance, reserved here for eternity. Let's all pray for an eventual DVD of the show! Jackman is TONY and GRAMMY bound!

WOW!!!!
Fabulous! After being disappointed in so many Broadway recordings of late, this is the real deal. I had a show me attitude toward this one, but I loved it from the very first listen. A high octane, high energy show full of great tunes and numbers. I was never a big Peter Allen fan during his heyday, but I was only exposed to a few of his songs. I was surprised at the breadth and depth of his work on here. (Granted, he often worked with other lyricists). Havent seen the show, but if its as good as this recording, it has to be specactular. Isabel Keating sounds so much like Judy Garland its a little creepy. The whole cast, led by Hugh Jackman, is great. If you've only known Jackman from his movie roles, prepare to be bowled over. His version of Once Before I Go, alone is worth the price of the CD. Dont Miss This!! Tony, here we come!

Simply Amazing
Hugh Jackman has truly outdone himself with the hit Broadway show, 'The Boy From Oz'. This CD is proof of that.

It includes the 26 broadway songs, all of them sung wonderfully. Those songs include--The Lives of Me--My Name in Lights--Love Crazy--All I Wanted was a Dream--Older Woman--The Best That You Can Do--Don't Wish too Hard--Come Save Me--Continental American--I Love to Hear the Music--Quiet Please, There's a Lady on Stage--I'd Rather Leave While I'm in Love--Not the Boy Next Door--Bi-Costal--If You Were Wondering--Everything Old is New Again--Love Don't Need a Reason--I Honestly Love You-- You and Me--I Still Call Australia Home--Don't Cry Out Loud--Once Before I Go--Rio--Tenterfield Saddler.

Hugh Jackman is refreshingly different from his previous roles [X-Men (Wolverine) and Van Helsing], and puts his heart and soul into every note he sings. I recently saw the Broadway Show, and his performance was truly hilarious. He would interact wth the crowd and get everyone riled up for the next scene. Every motion he did was part of his character, and truly made it a worthwhile experiance. I highly reccomend seeing the show and buying this CD.

Wish I hadn't bought it
I was raised on show music, normally can't get enough. This one is too loud, tuneless, with pretentious pronunciation and annoying vocalists. Yuck.

Peter Allen (the Boy) is NEW Again
I have seen the "The Boy From Oz" twice on Broadway and believe it is definitely the most fabulous Broadway show in years. Hugh Jackman's performance in the role of the late Peter Allen (songwriter, cabaret singer and recording artist) is clearly one of the most outstanding in Broadway history. Part of that performance is captured on this CD (ie, the vocal part). So, I bought the CD. While the CD brings back great memories of the show, I have learned to value the CD for its own merits. Firstly, the music of Peter Allen is incredible (the most amazing feat of this show is that the late Peter Allen's music is used to tell the story of his life). Each song on this CD is either moving, rhythmic, melodic and/or plain fun to listen to. Secondly, Hugh Jackman and the other cast members all give competent performances of the many classics contained on the CD. Thirdly, the arrangers outdid themselves refreshing and modifying some of the old arrangements (some are totally reinvented). As the song goes, everything old is new again. ... Read more

Reviews (23)

A Classic Musical and an Essential Recording
Meredith Wilson's THE MUSIC MAN is one of the most beloved of all Broadway musicals. The story is charming and endearing, while the score is tuneful and very inventive. There are rhythm numbers ("Rock Island" and "Ya Got Trouble"), ballads ("Goodnight My Someone" and "Till There Was You"), barbershop numbers ("Sincere," "It's You," "Lida Rose"), quirky comedy songs ("The Sadder but Wiser Girl," "Marian the Librarian," "Shipoopi") a march ("Seventy-Six Trombones"), and even an aria ("My White Knight"), as well as other wonderful songs for the ensemble ("Iowa Stubborn," "The Wells Fargo Wagon"). The original Broadway cast recording, starring Robert Preston as the fast-talking con man Harold Hill and Barbara Cook as the skeptical young librarian and music teacher, Marian Paroo, is the finest recording of THE MUSIC MAN. Preston's charisma seems to leap right out of the speakers; his patter in "Ya Got Trouble" is a marvel, absolutely clear and precise. Cook's pure, golden soprano and heartfelt phrasing are a joy to hear. Add the famous barbershop quartet The Buffalo Bills and the rousing orchestrations of the legendary Don Walker, and you have a truly fabulous show album. This original Broadway cast recording of THE MUSIC MAN is a must-have for anyone who loves musicals.

Brava, Barbara Cook!
Robert Preston IS Harold Hill. Pert Kelton, Eddie Hodges, the Buffalo Bills, the women's chorus, and Don Walker's orchestrations are all perfect. But it is the singing of Barbara Cook as Marian that makes this MUSIC MAN a great recording. Cook's golden renditions of "Goodnight, My Someone," "My White Knight," "Will I Ever Tell You?," and "Till There Was You" make it clear that she is one of the best female singers in the history of Broadway.

Magnificent!
Any lover of American theater should own the original cast recording of THE MUSIC MAN. For me, the high point of this recording is Preston's intoxicating performance of the speak-song number, "Trouble". His performance here is cool and rhythmically precise, unlike his "white hot", vitriolic performance in the 1962 movie. But the whole CD is a lot of fun. Enjoy!

The recording that all others are measured by!!
What a great recording! This is aimed more toward for families, but anyone with taste in music can enjoy it. The sound is crystal clear. The voices are the best. Barbra Cook is Excellent as Marian Paroo, and should have playd her in the film, although Shirley Jones does a good job. Robert Preston IS the Music Man. I perfer this version to the other versions because of the little dialouge. These songs are meant to be heard un-adulterated, and pure. The soundtrack has too much talking, and Buddy Hacketts not so great vocals.
You may have noticed that I enjoy Sondheim. But sometimes I need to take a break from the complex scores and return to Broadways roots. Without shows like these, there may NOT have been a broadway today. These are the tunes that I grew up with, and they will never die, thanks to great recordngs like this. This is a must for anyone who enjoys musical theater!!!!!!

Never Gets Old
The Music Man has always been one of my very favorite musicals. This cd is well worth owning. Barbara Cook is the perfect Marian Paroo. Way better than Shirley Jones and Kristen Chenoweth put together. There's even a song on the cd "My White Knight," which doesn't appear in the movie. Just in stage versions. In the film they sing "Being in Love." But some of the lyrics in the two songs are the same. Both songs have the following verse somewhere in them.

ALL I WANT IS A PLAIN MAN, ALL I WANT IS A MODEST MAN
A QUIET MAN, A GENTLE MAN, A STRAIGHT FORWARD AND HONEST MAN
TO SIT WITH ME IN A COTTAGE SOMEWHERE IN THE STATE OF IOWA
AND I WOULD LIKE HIM TO BE MORE INTERESTED IN ME THAN HE IS IN HIMSELF AN MORE INTERESTED IN US THAN IN ME. AND IF OCCASIONALLY HE'D PONDER, WHAT MAKES SHAKESPEARE AND BEETHOVEN GREAT. HIM I COULD LOVE TILL I DIE, HIM I COULD LOVE TILL I DIE.

Another interesting fact is that after Barbara Cook retired from acting, she became a singer. She's still singing as far as I know. I also reccomend her "All I ask of You," album. ... Read more