Amazon.com

After the guest-star extravaganza Playin' with My Friends and the k.d. lang duets album What a Wonderful World, Tony Bennett goes his own way, settling into a mellow groove with The Art of Romance. Slow- and midtempo from top to bottom, Romance partakes mostly of deep-dish orchestral takes of classics (three by Johnny Mandel; two by Johnny Mercer). The end-of-the-affair "Where Do You Start" is the disc's quiet heart-stopper, while memories of happier days are conjured by Mercer’s "Time to Smile" and the wry Mandel/Dave Frishberg "Little Did I Dream." Perfect fall listening, alone or with a partner, this proves one of the richest albums of the singer’s late-career renaissance. --Rickey Wright ... Read more

Amazon.com

Barbara Cook's Broadway doesn't actually document this magnificent singer's engagement on the Great White Way, but instead a Lincoln Center show compiling her favorite musical-theater tunes. Cook includes material from two of her signature shows: "Till There Was You" from The Music Man and a superb four-song suite from She Loves Me (though she doesn't do "Ice Cream"). The rest ranges from standards ("A Wonderful Guy") to underestimated pieces ("His Face" from Carnival). Like Rosemary Clooney before her, Cook has maintained her standing as a singer by reinventing herself from ingenue to supremely elegant and precise stylist. Just listen to her unexpectadly dark-edged version of "The Gentleman Is a Dope" and you'll see how a brilliant interpretive singer can out wring new meaning out of the most familiar material. It's not all about belting, folks. --Elisabeth Vincentelli ... Read more

Reviews (7)

A Legend Outdoes Herself
As an avid Barbara Cook fan I can only add to the praise of her other fans. This CD has music from Broadway shows of the Golden Era. She knows how to pull an audience in with each word she sings. There will never be another like her.
The patter between numbers describing her career and other show business luminaries is wonderful.
My only regret is that she did not sing the entire "Til There Was You." A small price to pay.

A living legend...
An absolute MUST for musical theatre lover. A trip down memory lane with songs and wonderful anecdotes by one of the last remaining divas of Broadway's golden age. Her rendition of "The Gentleman is a Dope" should be required listening for any cabaret or art song singer- it's simply amazing!

She Still Has It
OK .. here we go. I am a FAN. No question, no apology!
I "discovered" Ms. Cook late in life. I was 26 in 1976. Sorry it took me so long. Unabashedly, I have been her's ever since. This latest CD is just another superb example of why I love Barbara.
Who else can or will sing with just a piano and a bass? Not just a piano, but Wally Harper. Thank you Mr. Harper and Mr. Donovan.
Just listen to "This Nearly Was Mine", "His Face", and "In Buddy's Eyes." I challenge you to not be moved. The rest of the selections are icing on a delicious cake. Barbara Cook never disappoints. As I have said before, she is simply the BEST.

Broadway The Way It Should Be
With each successive release it gets harder to think of new adjectives to describe Cooks prowess. She is continually improving, ever growing. On this live recording she not only reaches the bar of excellence she has set before, but surpasses it. She is by turns, tragic, comedic, bitter, and tender yet she never looses a beguiling sense of youthfulness.

If you saw her recent appearance on 60 Minutes you'll know how seriously she takes her craft. Yet that seriousness never restrains the songs she sings. In fact they seem to fly to heights and areas you'd never have thought of before. This CD is full of such moments. Especially on the songs "The Gentleman Is A Dope", "This Nearly Was Mine" and " A Perfect Relationship".

Cook takes time between some songs to relate her thoughts and experiences on Broadway. During one such moment she tells of her dream to have her name in lights. Not just lit up mind you, but in real bulbs. DRG was kind enough to style the CD cover with her name rendered in light bulbs as a consolation until such a time when that dream is realized. I hope she realizes that to all her fans new and old her name will always be in lights.

A Broadway Legend At Her Very Best!
I was very fortunate to have seen Barbara Cook perform this show at the Gielgud Theatre in London. It was a memorable afternoon and this CD captures the show perfectly. Ms Cook just gets better and better every year and she performs a host of unforgettable songs. My favourites include "Wait Till Your'e Sixty Five", "Tonight At Eight", "Perfect Relationship" and "His Face". There is expert backing from her musical director and pianist Wally Harper and the CD has a very generous running time of 77 minutes.

I was pleased to find that many of Barbara's anecdotes between songs have been captured on CD as she tells them in such a warm, engaging and informal style. As the majority of tracks start with the song, one can easily move on to the next tune and bypass the stories if required.

I cannot praise this CD highly enough and certainly recommend it - it is a class production from a top class act. ... Read more

Reviews (100)

ENTERTAINING SUDS
Barbara Hershey and Bette Midler form an unlikely alliance in this contemporary/traditional "woman's picture". Well-produced musical numbers, charting CeCe's (Bette) singing/performing career, add zest and emotion, though the central relationship is exceptionally well-played by both the young and older versions of the characters. I particularly loved the way this movie grows with the characters; the story evolves over much time, and, unfortunately, spends too much time, and the film's most overrated song (Wind Beneath My Wings, which has a bizarrely self-involved lyric) in its final half hour wallowing in suds. However, the actresses retain a power throughout, and the tears this movie works to summon forth do not feel shameless -- an age-old friendship will likely always suffer its highs and lows, though perhaps not with this many strings playing in the background.

Friendship that never dies.....
I fell in love with the movie the first time that I saw it and still love it. One of the most brilliant performances by both Bette Midler and Barbara Hershey I have ever seen.I enjoyed very much seeing Bette showcase her voice in the movie because she has such a strong and beautiful voice, not to mention she is so hilarious. The scenes in this movie are emotional, uplifting, comedic and poignant. This film reminds of a special friendship that I have, and just watching the movie reminds me a lot of my relationship with my friend. It depicts that all friendships aren't perfect, everyone has their differences but that in the end that one special friend will always be there for you. In this world today, it is hard to find a friend like that. There were also some stellar performances by John Heard as the love interest of Bette Midler, Laine Kazane as Bette's mother Leona. What a wonderful movie, a real tearjearker and call it a chick flick if you want but this is a movie that was made for both men and women.

I love this movie
Bette Midler is wonderful in this movie. Barbara Hershey gives an outstanding performance. I love their friendship and how it goes through the different phases, and yet at the end they are there for one another, to support one another. This movie is definitely a tear-jerker, yet a classic.

Made me feel dirty
Watching this movie was a very unpleasant experience for me and left me feeling like an emotional voyeur. It was just too harrowingly weepy. I'm not saying that there's anything wrong with a movie that appeals primarily to the emotions, but I felt that Beaches went way past the saturation point. By the end I was simply tired of feeling!
I have, however, given Beaches three stars because the fact that it is so well loved by so many suggests that it must successfully fulfill some sort of need for many viewers. Just be warned that, depending on your tastes, you may want to fulfill that need elsewhere.

Sad but Good!
I never read the book this movie is based on but we rented Beaches and I thought it was a good movie. It is a tearjerker that is really sad and I don't always like sad movies because sometimes they can be too melodramatic and real downers but I liked this movie and I think Bette Midler and Barbara Hershey gave good acting perfomances and I was also impressed with Mayim Bialik (Blossom) who played Bette Midler's character C.C. when the character was 11 years old. I recommend this movie! ... Read more

Amazon.com essential recording

Stephen Sondheim's Company still sounds as modern as it did when it opened in 1970. Donna McKechnie, Susan Browning, and Pamela Myers spoof the Andrews Sisters with gusto in the tongue-twisting "You Could Drive a Person Crazy," while Browning and Dean Jones's "Barcelona" is filled with longing and heartbreak. And, of course, Elaine Stritch reigns supreme, proving once more that you don't have to be the best singer to steal a musical. An extra track features Larry Kert (Tony in the original West Side Story) singing "Being Alive." Kert had replaced Jones early in the run but wasn't on the original cast recording. It would have been nice to finally get the lyrics, though. --Elisabeth Vincentelli ... Read more

Reviews (36)

A Sondheim masterpiece
COMPANY is one of the greatest musicals to emerge from the 70's, which proved to be a rather thin decade for Broadway and the musicals.

COMPANY is a "concept musical" in the best sense of the word, where the songs act more as vignettes than form a scene-to-scene story. The cast, headed by Dean Jones and Elaine Stritch, has never been truly bettered.

Dean Jones, in his brief time as Bobby, displayed for the first time his rich and beautiful singer voice. After years playing the goofy leads of Disney comedies like "The Love Bug", "Monkeys Go Home" and "That Darn Cat", Jones was established as a Broadway star to be reckoned with. His renditions of "Someone is Waiting" as well as the life-affirming "Being Alive" are fantastic.

The supporting cast is headed by Elaine Stritch as Joanne, the sardonic older woman who sings the masterpiece "The Ladies who Lunch" (still yet to be equalled). Beth Howland, as kooky Amy, sings the difficult patter-sing "Getting Married Today" with gusto. Pamela Myers, in her Tony-nominated role as Marta, sings a mean rendition of "Another Hundred People". The rest of the cast; Barbara Barrie, Charles Kimbrough, Merle Louise, Charles Cunningham, Teri Ralston, George Coe, Steve Elmore, Charles Braswell, Donna McKechnie, Susan Browning, Cathy Corkill, Carol Gelfand, Marilyn Saunders and Dona D. Vaughn; all sing with gusto.

Stephen Sondheim certainly created what is considered one of his most polished and questioning scores; including "Barcelona", "Have I Got a Girl For You", "Sorry-Grateful", "Poor Baby" and the dance arrangement for "Tick-Tock", which provided a showcase for the galvanising dance talents of Donna McKechnie (who would go on to create the role of Cassie in the original cast of A CHORUS LINE).

One of the Greatest Musicals
"Company" -- along with "Follies", "A Little Night Music", and "Sweeney Todd", represents the pinnacle of Sondheim's achievement and a bastion of the greatest music Broadway has ever sponsored -- both from a musical and literary perspective. "Company" itself is by turns warm, acerbic, amusing, frantic, and is a magnificent expression of the convoluted emotional lives of modern urbanites. (Indeed, it has one of the most perceptive songs ever written about New York City--"Another Hundred People".) The ambiguity of the human spirit is a major theme running through Sondheim's ouvre of lyrics. (Which are, in my opinion, arguably the greatest body of lyrics composed for the stage, Gerschwin, Berlin, Porter, Rodgers & Hammerstein & Hart AND the rest notwithstanding.) Such brilliant songs as "Sorry-Grateful", "Someone Is Waiting", and "Being Alive" attest to that. The words reach down into the gut, and even when cynical they ring true (as in the wonderful "The Ladies Who Lunch"). Although there have been alternative casts and revivals and numerous concert performances of the score, in whole or part, this original cast recording still towers above them all: Dean Jones' magnificent performance, fraught with all the pain and bemusement and alienation (the role nearly caused him to have a nervous breakdown, it affected him so much); that national treasure, Elaine Strich, in "The Little Things You Do Together" and the incomparable "The Ladies Who Lunch"; Beth Howland's tour-de-force panic attack while "Getting Married Today"; the wonderful cast (including Charles Kimbrough of "Murphy Brown" fame and Barbara Barrie, and alumnus of "Barney Miller"). Even the ostensibly "Big" crowd-pleaser numbers, like "Side by Side by Side", for all their conscious nods to popular tastes, have an edge-- how Bobby, at the end, finds himself alone when his married friends pair off with their spouses-- beside the wonderfully witty and insightful lyrics; in "Barcelona" -- one of the most realistic "post-coitus" numbers even written -- where Bobby, after insincere and fulsome praise of his recent bedmate, at a climax calls her "June" -- and she quietly corrects him-- "April" -- there's nothing quite like it, or many of the numbers, elsewhere in Musical Theater. ALL IN ALL -- this album is a classic, probably not for people with bubblegum tastes whose preferences run to the simpy or bathetic-- but for people of intelligence and introspection. It cannot be recommended too highly.

"Company"-The zenith of Sondheim wit and knowing?
Marked for over 40 years as the single most observant, wittiest, most revealing composer/lyricist of the Broadway stage, Stephen Sondheim distills every iota of his remarkable talent in this multi-faceted piece of commentary of the human condition and the human willingness to commit that pulls off the extraordinary trick of being refreshingly- and painfully- honest at the same time.

"Company," the 1970 Tony winner for Best Musical, still stands as a marvelous example of music, cast, and production blending together to create something modern and uncommonly great. The plotless story dealing with the concern of five Manhattan couples for their mutual friend Bobby (Dean Jones) and his romantic life (or lack thereof) is as relevant today as it was to 1970's audiences. As the friends discuss their concerns, we learn that not only has the domestic life they picture for their friend not worked out well for them, but what would they do without Bobby to support them? Bobby himself is ambivalent about committing to a serious relationship, while trying to supplant his friends' concerns for him and themselves.

Just about any married couple will recognize themselves in one of the show's intricately sketched couples, and the uncertain bachelors out there will certainly identify with the angst-driven Bobby. As Bobby, Dean Jones creates a wholly likable character, and a realistic one that can be sympathized with and understood. There are other standouts in the cast: Pamela Myers, Donna McKechnie, and Susan Browning as Bobby's frustrated girlfriends. There are also wonderful performances to be enjoyed from Elaine Stritch, Beth Howland, and Charles Kimbrough.

Each of Sondheim's songs gives us a wry, telling look into the lives and thoughts of the characters. From the bombastic opening of "Company" on, the score never fails to capture interest. The ambivalent "Sorry-Grateful" sung by Bobby's married male friends, is a perfectly integrated mix of the regrets and consolations of the married man. "You Could Drive a Person Crazy," an amusing triplet sung by Bobby's girlfriends, sprinkles laughs throughout its breathless pace. Bobby's plaintive "Someone Is Waiting," in which he dreams of his ideal woman (which can not be lived up to) is still a beautiful dream. Myers' commentary on the connectionless, empty existence of New Yorkers is straightforwardly expressed in "Another Hundred People." Bobby's friend Amy (Howland) suddenly finds herself in a hilarious (and understandable) panic at the prospect of "Getting Married Today." "Barcelona," Bobby's duet with one of his girlfriends, April (Browning) ranks among the most heartbreaking, poignant soliloquies ever composed for the Broadway stage. And as Bobby's elderly married friend Joanne, Elaine Stritch creates a show of her own with the arsenic-filled "The Ladies Who Lunch," a tour-de-force from simmering start to bombastic finish. And there is the wonderful, wonderful eleven o'clock number, "Being Alive" which Jones sings with every ounce he has to give, bringing the emotional heart of "Company" full circle.

These vivid characters and resonating attitudes make "Company" a stark, uncompromsing vehicle in the Broadway canon. But it is a brilliant show at the nth degree of brilliance. It is a show to think about, to be moved by, and to contemplate in everyday life. Because it still is life.

Just Go Buy It Already
Company from the very first chords of its opening, is very much a product of it's time, but that in no way condems it to being anything but brilliant. It's amazing how you can go to the happy, and comical Side By Side, and then go to the melancholy, and slightly haunting Another Hundred People, but this is Sondheim, so could you really expect anything less? Every song is worthwile, which is surprising, because on all of my cd's there's atleast one song that I don't like. My only problem with it, if I had to have one, is that Dean Jones's voice really bugs me, not much mind you, just enough to sometimes make me cringe a little bit, especially on Being Alive, his voice is wavy and seems to be all over the place. Also, the same song being sung by Larry Kurt, the original Tony from West Side Story and Jones's understudy, who actually took over the role on Broadway since Jones left after doing the premier and this cast recording. Kurt has a smooth voice and is a welcome change to Jones's, but you gotta give the guy credit, he was going through a mental breakdown. When I bought this cd, I wasn't quite sure what I had gotten myself into, I listened to the title song, thought it was ok, and just let it sit on my shelf for a few months. I decided to take it on trip to Europe, and on a train listenening to it, it finally clicked and I kept listenening it over and over again. If I haven't convinced you to buy it, then either you've already made up your mind, or dumb, BUY THIS NOW.

I Love a Stephen Sondheim
I can see why everyone proclaims COMPANY the ignition of modern musical theatre. It's a great score that could stand on its own if (magically) it didn't need a cast of names. Sondheim and Jonathan Tunick, the orchestrator, are probably the only remaining artists who know how to use an orchestra the way it wants to be used (although, said skill is only demonstrated occasionally on this recording, such as the pulsating "Have I Got a Girl for You").

I could ooze more and more compliments for Sondheim's score, but I'm going to focus on my critique of the performances. I saw PUTTING IT TOGETHER and was captured by Jim Barrowman's interpretation of some of Robert's songs (he later portrayed the entire role at the Kennedy Center): he's young and attractive with a pure, no-nonsense voice. Dean Jones and Larry Kurt do not have that intensity. Jones sounds too old, too cautious for the desperate Robert; Kurt, in his one song on the CD, sounds like he's not thinking too much, which goes against the character. To me, yes, Robert is careful, but he wants to and tries to be spontaneous and exciting, and on this CD, he just isn't given that specific flavor.

The colorful cast around him is also problematic in my view. Is it just me, or does everyone sound too old? They all have that geriatric quiver in their voices: they all sound like they know too much about marriage when they should just be spouting off what they think they know. Amy should be more of a belter and Beth Howland isn't. Teri Ralston's soprano (especially on "Poor Baby") is delightful--she's probably the best sung in the cast. Pity the important songs go to Elaine Stritch.

What did I just say? Am I criticizing Elaine Stritch? Sadly, Elaine Stritch is probably the least appealing to me on the recording. Yes, I know, everyone knows she can't sing, but why give her such pivotal songs as "Little Things..." and "Ladies Who Lunch" if she can't bring out the music that completes them? I much prefer Carol Burnett's "Ladies...": even when she can't hit the high notes, she carries and uses the melody to the devastating suicidal effect that Stritch doesn't find beneath the music.

Nonetheless, COMPANY is a five star score that would be a five star CD with a younger, more vocally powerful cast. Maybe the 1995 revival is worth investigating. This CD is still worth having: the original has the power of the full orchestra and Sondheim's direct influence on the production, and therefore is priceless to musical theatre. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

The 3 Stars Has Nothing To With Nancy's Singing
I assigned just 3 stars to this compilation not because I agree with another reviewer who regards her as the "queen of mediocrity." Rather, it's due to the complete lack of liner notes, some questionable sound quality, and the omission of some pretty signifcant hits in favour of some obscure cuts.

Emanating from CNR Records of Belgium the selections are: 1] These Boots Are Made For Walking; 2] Summerwine; 3] Things; 4] Did You Ever; 5] Friday's Child; 6] You Only Live Twice; 7] Highway Song; 8] Elusive Dreams; 9] Storybook's Children; 10] Sugar Town; 11] Something Stupid; 12] Jackson; 13] Sand; 14] Sundown Sundown; 15] Some Velvet Morning; 16] I've Been Down So Long; 17] Tony Rome; 18] How Does That Grab You, Darlin'; 19] Lady Bird; 20] So Long Babe.

Tracks 2, 8, 9, 12 - 16, and 19 are duets with Lee Hazlewood, track 3 is with Dean Marin and, of course, track 11 features her illustrious father, Frank.

However, tracks 3, 4, 7, 8, 9, 14, and 16 were NOT hits - not on this side of the Atlantic anyway. They may have been in Europe, but of course there are no liner notes to tell us this. "Sand" was the B-side of Lady Bird.

Much better selections would have been In Our Time [# 46 in 1966]; Love Eyes [# 15 in 1967]; Lightning's Girl [# 24 in 1967]; 100 Years [# 69 in 1968]; Happy [# 74 in 1968]; Good Time Girl [# 65 in 1969]; and God Knows I Love You [# 97 in 1969].

On track 18 - at least on my copy - her voice only emanates from one side which is disconcerting. The others are only "OK" in terms of sound quality. The best to be said about this CD is the inclusion of her first charted hit from 1965 - So Long Babe - a # 86 that October and one that is hard to find.

As for her ability as a singer, I don't buy into that mediocrity slight. Granted, she was no Aretha Franklin, nor did she have her dad's unique way with a song, but nevertheless she had 21 Top 100 singles, six of which went Top 40 WITHOUT Lee Hazlewood. In 1981 she even had three Country charters in duets with Mel Tillis - Texas Cowboy Night, Play Me Or Trade Me, and Where Would I Be. Not too shabby a career, I'd say.

Greatest Hits
This is a good greatest hits compilation featuring a lot of Nancy's well known hits. We have Nancy by herself which is my favorite way to listen to Nancy, but there are also many of her duets with Dean Martin, Frank Sinatra and of course Lee Hazlewood. Nancy had 21 charted hits and with this CD we get a nice sampling.

Greatest hit compilations are a nice way to be introduced to Nancy but to really appreciate her talent and her contribution to the world of music, you must get hold of her reissues starting with "Boots" and continuing through to her latest CD "California Girl"

Nancy's Greatest Hits (import)
This import collection of Nancy Sinatra's greatest hits covers an eclectic array of Ms. Sinatra's collection. She has had 21 charted hits in her career and some of them are included on this album. Greatest hits CDs from this artist are getting harder and harder to come by so when one is available it is wise to buy it now. The songs on this particular CD are varied in that they include not only Ms. Sinatra's solo hits but also a selection of duets with partners Lee Hazlewood, Dean Martin and Frank Sinatra. I prefer Nancy by herself with the attitude of "Friday's Child" incredibly sexy "Son of A Preacher Man" and "Light My Fire" and the beautiful "You Only Live Twice".
I must add however, those who only limit themselves to greatest hits collections, they are missing out on what Nancy is all about. Find her reissue albums beginning with "Boots" and "How Does That Grab You" and then move through them all to her current release "California Girl" and you will discover why she was the beginning of the evolution of females in rock and roll.

Great Collection!
This is one of the finest collections of Nancy's songs. It includes the #1 hit "Something Stupid" with Frank Sinatra as well as classics as "Some Velvet Morning" and "Summer Wine" with Lee Hazelwood. It also includes a nice bonus, with Nancy singing "Things" with Dean Martin on her TV special "Movin' With Nancy."
This is a hard-to-find CD, because most stores usually carry her
Sundaze CD's. IT's great to see that... sells it!

has Summerwine
Nancy Sinatra is a pretty woman with a sweet voice and used them to make a difference to our GIs in Vietnam when they needed a note of support from home. She is justifiably the Vietnam War's "sweater girl", and I am greatful for what she meant to my father and others who served.

The CD has all her usual favorite songs, including my favorites Summerwine, Sugartown, Something Stupid, Things and, of course, ...Boots... which is just fun. Unfortunately Amazon doesn't provide the songlist and since this is an import, a web search reveals mostly foreign sites, which universally list "Summertime" instead of "Summerwine". I assume this is a spell checker gone amuck, in the hands of someone who was not alive in the 60s. ... Read more

Amazon.com

As an interpreter, Nancy LaMott shunned extremes. Whatever clouds may have darkened the sky, she always sounded as if they couldn't possibly lead to a thunderstorm--only a gentle rain that would eventually becomes, well, shine. And so her tribute to lyricist Johnny Mercer typically avoids emotional extremes, exploring instead subtle in-betweens. The low-key version of "Moon River" that starts things off is indicative of this album's subdued mood. LaMott was well aware she wasn't a swinger, so her take on finger-snapping classics such as "Accentuate the Positive" (instead of the song's usual spelling "Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate") and "That Old Black Magic" is sensitive rather than jazzily buoyant. Her minimalist approach reaps maximum rewards on "P.S. I Love You" and "On the Atchison, Topeka & the Santa Fe," on which she basically engages in duets with carefully selected instruments (an acoustic guitar and a stand-up bass, respectively). --Elisabeth Vincentelli ... Read more

Reviews (10)

The great female vocalist shines!
Nancy Lamott was the great female vocalist and she shines on this set of classic songs.

Beautiful and moving
American standards, intelligently delivered with well-thought-through arrangements. The highlight, for me, is one of the few recordings of both parts of "Hit the Road to Dreamland," as it was originally written for the movies. I wasn't familiar with the haunting "Whistling in the Dark" until I heard her sing it; it's wonderful. There isn't a bad cut on the CD. Her untimely death was a tragedy, but her voice and sense of style will live on in this must-have CD.

Brilliant
Combine the talents of a songwriter like Johnny Mercer, a singer like Nancy Lamott, an arranger like Chris Marlowe and miraculous things happen. Nancy wraps herself around each and every song, making every word meaningful.It's just a joy to hear.The legal battle over her estate is now settled and her entire discography is available from Midder Music. Don't delay a minute to add this jewel to your collection!!

The American Songbook Shines.
This was the first Nancy Lamott album I purchased, after hearing her do "Moon River" live on the Charles Grodin show.A week later she was dead.Unfortunately, her recordings nearly suffered the same fate, apparently the result of legal problems surrounding her estate.I considered myself lucky to have latched on to them before they temporarily went out of circulation.They're back, but for how long?The combination of her luminous, crystal-clear voice, passionate yet intelligent interpretations, and Johnny Mercer's timeless musical poetry makes this album indispensable if not "urgent" for any serious collector of the art of American popular song.I would place it just slightly behind "My Foolish Heart" among the spare but priceless recordings she left behind.

Nancy sings standards like they were supposed to be sung!
Many have tried to sing these old familiar songs; few have succeeded in doing so. Nancy achieved something that most could not: honest, informed, and thoughtful interpretation. She didn't change them; she made them better. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Excellent if not ultimate...
Hailing from the U.K., Petula Clark was an established star there and in other parts of Europe, especially France (one should not hold that against her though) when she, paired with the songwriting talents of Tony Hatch, blasted onto the American pop charts with her signature tune "Downtown" in 1964. And she was no one-hit wonder by any means as she saw 20 more of her recordings appear in the top-100 over the next decade. Though she has been an active performer for four decades, her golden era was in the 60's and this collection from BMG gathers up her biggest hits along with a few non-pop-charting tunes. And while this piece does offer the cream of her musical pop crop, it is by no means the "ultimate", inferring a complete or comprehensive, collection. With the plethora of Clark CD's in the market, the title may merely be a way to garner attention for what otherwise would be perceived as just another PC compilation. However, as a single disc, greatest hits piece, this is top of the line. Anyone who ever had a pop station tuned in during the 60's will instantly click with such tunes as "I Know A Place", the bouncy "Downtown" follow-up, "I Couldn't Live Without Your Love", "My Love", the multi-Grammy nominated "Don't Sleep In The Subway" and the heart-wrenching bittersweet "Kiss Me Goodbye". While some of her lesser-charting tunes are absent here, there are so many superb tracks here that the avid fan and casual listener alike can enjoy the entire disc without tiring of the music. Adding to the qualities here is the excellent sound quality encouraging the listener to relish every nuance of these performances. Finishing up the package is a 16-page liner notes booklet with the artist's history, track details and pics. As such this piece represents about the best single-disc collection of this icon of 60's adult pop music. A definite buy.

All the American sixties hits on single CD
Petula began her recording career in the forties (at a time when she was more interested in acting than singing) and continued to record in the new millennium, making her career one of the longest in popular music history. Despite some excellent recordings at other times, the sixties were her best and most productive and it is that music that forms almost the whole of this collection.

Downtown is the song that people remember Petula best for (at least in the English speaking world) and it rightly opens this collection. Other hits include I know a place, Round every corner, My love, A sign of the times, I couldn't live without your love, Color my world, This is my song and Don't sleep in the subway. You're the one is a song written by Petula, which was a hit for her in other counties, but it was the Vogues who had the American hit.

If you are looking for a single CD containing all Petula's American hits of the sixties and you're not interested in other aspects of her career, this is the ideal collection for you.

The first eighteen tracks here also formed the first eighteen tracks of the double-CD Downtown to Sunset Boulevard, a compilation that also includes plenty of songs from stage and screen as well as some of her seventies music. If you are interested in these aspects of career, you might consider buying that compilation instead.

Petula Clark's American Hits
The pairing of Tony Hatch with Petula Clark was perhaps the best composer / female vocalist match of the 1960's. This CD contains all fifteen of Petula's American top forty hits. Her vocals in these tracks are characterized by impeccable timing, finesse, and deceptive power. The #1 hit My Love, The Other Man's Grass Is Always Greener, Colour My World, and Round Every Corner are playful songs with silly lyrics that are elevated by lush musical arrangements and Pet's superb vocals. Don't Sleep In The Subway is a beautiful, buoyant, up-tempo song, and Downtown and I Know A Place are 60's classics. Don't Give Up is a beautiful uplifting song with Petula's trademark jazzy improvisations and The Cat In The Window is an excellent pop/jazz blend with odd lyrics.

The other six songs display Petula's versatility. Her recording of You're the One is the equal of the Vogues version. Happy Heart and Call Me are also excellent tracks and I Don't Know How To Love Him is one of many excellent show tunes Petula has recorded during her long career.

If you like a few of her American hits, this is the Petula Clark CD to purchase. However, if you enjoy several of her songs, you will obtain more value and enjoyment from one of her multi-CD compilations which draws from her extensive, diversified catalogue of more than 1,000 recorded songs, such as Downtown To Sunset Blvd, Legendary, or the 2002 release, The Ultimate Collection.

FINALLY . . . ALL THE U.S. HITS ON ONE COMPILATION CD
Petula Clark was not only the first British female vocalist to top the U.S. charts when "Downtown" hit #1 in early 1965, but she was the most successful as well. Over the next few years, she followed her introduction to American audiences with fourteen more titles that registered in the Top 40, and for the first time ever, all of them have been compiled on one CD. Those not familiar with Clark's work beyond "My Love" and "This is My Song" may be surprised to find included here songs more commonly associated with the Vogues and Chris Montez - but Clark not only recorded "You're the One" and "Call Me" for her "I Know a Place" LP, she also co-wrote the former. Kudos to Sony Music Studios in NYC for mastering the originals, giving them a crystal clear quality that perfectly showcases Clark's distinctly impeccable phrasing. This is the perfect collection not only for long-time fans who still follow Clark in her 64th year of entertaining - having just hit the Top 20 in France with a new release there, she holds the record for the longest span on international music charts, an astounding 49 years - but for those who want a definitive compilation of hits from the most successful British female vocalist in recording history. ... Read more

Album Description

"Hot Club Swing" in the style of Django Reinhardt, with vocals!Jazz vocalist Connie Evingson sings with three different Hot Club groups: Pearl Django, Parisota Hot Club and Clearwater Hot Club. This CD features tunes typical of the genre ("Caravan", "Night and Day", "I'm Confessin"), Django originals ("Nuages", "Anouman"), and some unusual offerings by Sting ("Until") and Dizzy Gillespie ("Dizzy Atmosphere"). ... Read more

Amazon.com

It's well known that Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice cut their teeth on Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat before shifting to the New Testament and hitting the big time with Jesus Christ Superstar. And thanks to the box-office clout of Lloyd Webber, as well as the rather sparse supply of new tuneful musicals, this charming little show has reached audiences far beyond the schoolchildren it was intended for. The score shows off Rice's clever lyrics and Lloyd Webber's wide eclectic tastes, with his takes on country, calypso, French café music, Rudy Vallee, and Elvis. The show also includes some simply very fine songs, including "You Are What You Feel/Jacob and Sons," "Close Every Door," and the peppy "Go Go Joseph." Leading the 1982 Broadway cast is the enormously appealing Laurie Beechman in the role of the narrator. Joseph has been subsequently revived in bigger, bolder incarnations starring Donny Osmond and then Sam Harris, presumably to justify a big ticket price for what at heart remains a small-scale show--proof that you don't always get what you pay for.--David Horiuchi ... Read more

Reviews (26)

My First Joseph
This was my first recording of Joseph. I owned it even before I saw the play on stage for the first time. Before I got the revival recordings, I would listen to this one sometimes as much as three times a day. I thought it was perfect. Now, I don't find it perfect anymore, but I do like it. Bill Hutton has an absolutely beautiful voice.I've never heard anyone do vibrato quite like him. But I don't think that he has quite the right kind of voice for his role. I think Donny Osmond's voice is much better suited for the role of Joseph. Laurie Beechman sounds as if she comanded the stage more than Joseph did. She does such an amazing "Pharaoh Story," that sometimes I just skip to that track on the CD and leave the rest unlistned to. And she gets very in to the songs. I'm sure that if she hadn't been a woman, she probably could have played Joseph. The brothers here are just the opposite of the ones on the revival recordings.While the revival brothers basicly sound good as individuals, but not so good as a group, these sound great as a group, but only so-so as individuals. Napthali sounds so much like a woman that I thought he was the narrator until I read otherwise. I don't know who's idea it was to have Potiphar do his own song, but it is interesting. I don't own the recording that has a male narrator, but with this CD, I get a taste of what it might be like. Tom Carder does an almost perfect Elvis impression, but I just don't like him as much as some others. This recording may not be the best of the bunch, but it was my first. It helped me get hooked on an amazing musical.

Joseph's review
I thought that this CD was an incredible comelation of melody, tune, and lyrics.

Adding to the debate, this is my favorite version
I like this version much better than the Canadian cast with Donny Osmond. First, the sound levels are not so extreme - in the Canadian version, I have to up the volume to hear the intros to the songs, then lower it when they get into the full-chorus productions, very annoying. In this version, it all flows smoothly. Donny Osmond is good, but I think Bill Hutton is just as good, and Laurie Beecham is so much stronger than the Canadian narrator. I had this version on LP and asked for the CD as a gift; unfortunately, I got the Canadian version so I am now buying myself this one. Next, I guess I need to try the London cast...

Re: the debate about whether this is a "real" musical. Just like TV and film, theater is NOT always about sophistication, and among "just for fun" musicals, this one certainly ranks near the top! And it is not only because it is usually a big, flashy production -- I have seen it performed on Broadway, dinner theater and in amateur productions by a high school, a mixed-ages community theater group, and an under-12 drama troupe. All were excellent! The high school performance had to be done in a gym because their auditorium was under renovation, and even without a lot of sets to change or fancy lighting, it was awesome (lots of creative ideas and props like Groucho Marx nose & glasses on the Ishmaelites go a long way in a simple story with such fun music!) And while the storyline is simplistic and somewhat confusing (what is the moral anyway? the egotist wins? oh no, that's right, follow your dream), and the use of canned song genres like Elvis, country, calypso is pretty cheesy, I find most of the songs to be pretty clever, i.e., the list of colors in the coat is a very interesting composition. And the lyrics have lots of sophisticated lines and humor, the butler as the "Jeeves of his time" for example.

Oh, and now that I'm a mom of a 3- and 1-year-old, I'm glad to have at least one musical that I can play without getting a request for a change to a children's CD! Go go go Joseph![*]

Entertaining and Still Fresh; Great Performance by Beechman
This CD of the Broadway version from more than 20 years ago is still fresh, entertaining, and features singing that is top notch! In particular, Narrator Laurie Beechman's performance is superb--she has one of the best singing voices you will ever hear! The songs are very catchy, and will stick in your head all day. The audio quality is also quite good. I enjoyed the 1990's Canadian version (with Donny Osmond and Maria Friedman), but this is the CD to buy--because of Beechman's incredible performance.

Go-go-go Joseph!
This is the musical which introduced me to musical theater, so Joseph will always be a personal favorite. I much prefer this recording to the harder rock edge of the concept album, or the overdone, glitzier Broadway remake versions with Donny et al. If you are looking for a recording which captures the small-scale heart of Lloyd Webber's creation, THIS is the one to get. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential recording

Based on James Michener's Tales of the South Pacific, Rodgers and Hammerstein's Pulitzer prize-winning South Pacific is one of the most beloved musicals ever to hit the stage. The appeal is simple: a collection of stunning compositions--immense symphonic sound orchestrated by Rodgers collaborator Robert Russell Bennett--and characters with a simple though cohesive through-line. On this original Broadway cast recording, the lovely, girlish Mary Martin (Peter Pan, Annie Get Your Gun) is the heartily feminine American nurse Nellie Bly to the dashing former Metropolitan Opera bass Ezio Pinza as French plantation owner Emile de Becque. This release takes from the original high-quality tapes cut in 1949 (rather than the acetates, which were recorded simultaneously for the vinyl release of the day). There are alternate takes of a few songs and the restored original version of the hard-hitting racial commentary number "Carefully Taught." Pinza's "Some Enchanted Evening" is tender and lovely without being cloying. Martin's confidence and warm vocal expressiveness on numbers such as "Twin Soliloquies" and the bonus track, "Loneliness of the Evening," are stellar, and the choral numbers are both solid and spunky. --Paige La Grone ... Read more

Reviews (27)

Simply Phenomenal
No recording of this score will EVER replace this original cast album. "South Pacific" deserves to be heard this way, and no other. Accept no substitutes! Mary Martin shines on "A Cockeyed Optimist," "Twin Soliloquies," "I'm Gonna Wash That Man Right Outa My Hair," "A Wonderful Guy" and "Honey Bun" and is well supported by Ezio Pinza. Although many critics find fault in his performance, Pinza is very effective on "Some Enchanted Evening" and "This Nearly Was Mine." But aside from the star performances from Martin and Pinza, the score is best-remembered from Juanita Hall's haunting "Bali Ha'i." What a number! I still remember the first time I ever saw the film. I couldn't believe they had the nerve to dub Hall with Muriel Smith. I've sinced learned that Rodgers & Hammerstein preferred Smith's singing and Hall's acting, but that seems preposterous to me. Hall's delivery of this number is dead-on and cannot be surpassed. Whether you are a fan of American musical theatre or not, you should own this album. It is THAT good!

Nothing to shout about. It was better on stage, right?
I think the recording I listened to was the original, unrestored version, which may affect my opinion.

There really is nothing in this recording that gives you the sense that you are listening to one of the greatest musicals in Broadway's history. The only word I can think of to describe it is vague. (Even that doesn't sound quite right.) "I'm Gonna Wash That Man Right Outta My Hair," "Cockeyed Optimist," "A Wonderful Guy," and "Honey Bun" are vaguely tuneful, and mary martin is vaguely energetic in her delivery. The same goes for the sailors' two songs, "Bloody Mary" and "There Is Nothin' Like a Dame." Ezio Pinza and Juanita Hall are vaguely mesmerizing in "Some Enchanted Evening" and "Bali Ha'i," respectively. "You've Got to Be Carefully Taught" isn't even vaguely searing in its commentary, because it only lasts about 30 seconds. (Is the the song actually longer, or is this all there is?)

Since this has been hailed for 50 years as one of the greatest of all Broadway musicals, I assume it probably is. But there's really no evidence of that in this recording. I guess the restored version must do it better justice. I'll just have to keep an eye out for that one...

Sterling-quality SOUTH PACIFIC with some minor demerits
This world-premiere recording of South Pacific is justly regarded as one of the best recordings of this classic Rodgers & Hammerstein score. Although it was recorded in 1949, way before today's digital technology, it still sounds magical, seductive and wonderful, until it allows other performances to pale in comparison. The score is wonderfully served by the original Broadway cast, still immersed in the glowing reviews that were given for the show and the score. And, the Sony recording, deapite being a constricted and rough-sounding mono recording, sounds much better than ever before thanks to a sparkling 20-bit remastering of the original source tapes.

The highlight of this recording is Mary Martin's full-throated, sassy and spunky portrayal of Nellie Forbush. Every song she sings is a delight from first note to last, and she carries with her an infectuous and winning persona. Her renditions of "A Cockeyed Optimist" and "A Wonderful Guy" are delightful and charming, and she is able to bring out the comic relief in "I'm Gonna Wash That Man Right Outa My Hair" and also a truncated version of "Honey Bun." Martin's outstanding performance is ably matched by Ezio Pinza's sonorous Emile. He dives into Emile's numbers with a full-throated operatic fervour, and gives us ravishing performances of "Some Enchanted Evening" and a somewhat edited version of "This Nearly Was Mine." He is also magical on his duet with Mary Martin, the "Twin Soliloquies." The rest of the cast is just as superb, with William Tabbert showing the romantic and prejudiced sides of his believable portrayal of Lietunant Cable, when he sings 'Younger than Springtime" and "Carefully Taught." And, Juanita Hall makes a characterful and colloquial Bloody Mary. She is superb in dhe dreamlike quality of "Bali Ha'i" and the lightly frolicsome "Happy Talk." The sailors are full-throated on their numbers, but perhaps there needs to be more comedy in their version of "There is Nothing like a Dame", something like the version in the film soundtrack.

This reissue of this recording is graced by some bonus tracks that make it feel more complete. Mary Martin's honeyed alto voice shines on her renditions of the cut songs, "Loneliness of Evening" and "My Girl Back Home". She sings them wonderfully until you wonder why these two songs were cut from the final version of South Pacific. It also makes you yearn for a professional production that restores these two cut songs. Those wto listen to these recordings will undoubtedly feel that Mary Martin's voice has never sounded lovelier on record than on these numbers. Ezio Pinza tries his vocal cords at "Bali Ha'i", even if, for an opera singer, it may not be as dreamlike as Bryn Terfel's cover version, but even then, Pinza sings it wonderfully, even if the song may not be within his range. These three bonus tracks, which had incidentally been included on the previous Sony Broadway reissue of the recording, show up here again and help to make the recording more complete. And, to round off the experience, Andre Kostalanecz leads the Philadelphia Pops Orchestra in a sumptuous and atmospheric "Symphonic Scenario for Concert Orchestra." They do it wonderfully, even if it is slightly truncated. Besides the wonderful and gorgeous remastered sound, the real icing on the cake comes in the deluxe packaging. There is a well-written and insightful essay, and synopsis, by Marc Kirkeby that runs through the booklet pages, and it is jam-packed with rarely-seen photographs from the Broadway premiere.

If I had any qualms about this recording, it would be about the cuts that were made at some points in the score. Because this recording was made for 78 rpm discs and for vinyl at the same time, some songs had to be cut to fit the 78 sides. "Honey Bun" has lost its choral refrain, and ends only after Nellie finishes her verse, just as the sailors and Luther Billis are about to join in the fun of the performance. There are also cuts in the middle section of Emile's "This Nearly Was Mine," and in the overture (which can be heard complete on the outstanding Mauceri disc of the complete Rodgers & Hammerstein overtures.) But these cuts were only minor, considering the limitations of the recording media at the time. The other qualm I have is about the comic numbers, "There is Nothing like a Dame", "Honey Bun" and "I'm Gonna Wash That Man." Because of the slow speeds, they come off as staid, stoic and stiff, lacking in an extra degree of humour. Listeners like me can find compensation in the fact that this recording's finale makes use of the "Some Enchanted Evening" ending when Nellie and Emile sing the song together after the children finish "Dites-moi." It makes me wonder why Hammerstein did not write his script for that song to have the last word, and it makes me long for this more ravishing ending to be the standard for all South Pacific productions and recordings.

Overall, though, this is a wonderful gem of a Rodgers & Hammerstein cast recording, well-deserving of the acclaim that it has heaped up through the years. This is definitely a magical, essential and (as some might add), compulsory cornerstone of any Rodgers & Hammerstein collection, and can be recommended to any beginner of R&H musicals, or to any newcomer to this glorious musical that is South Pacific.

SOUTH TERRIFIC!
A first-rate score by Rodgers & Hammerstein; four sensational and perfectly cast leads; and an ensemble (orchestra and chorus) that does more than just support the stars. The album always has been a joy from start to finish! In just under 46 minutes you get all the key musical moments from the score. The Cd includes 4 bonus tracks: Mary Martin's solo recordings of the cut songs "His Girl Back Home" (Originally to be sung by Cable as "My Girl Back Home") and "Loneliness of Evenng"; Ezio Pinza's solo recording of "Bali Ha'i" and a Symphonic Scenario for Concert orchestra conducted by Andre Kostelanetz. Best of all the CD re-produces the original artworked that was on the first LP issue in 1949.

That leads to my one very minor quibble: The mono sound is a little "old" sounding. The top end is just a little brittle. Still, miles ahead of Decca's OKLAHOMA and CAROUSEL or Victor's ALLEGRO. And a far better recording of SOUTH PACIFIC than any subsequent cast or sountrack album.

The original is still the greatest
Growing up in the musical wasteland of the 1980s, I often raided my parents' record collection out of sheer desperation for songs with meaningful lyrics and real instruments. Among the many wonderful discoveries I made that way was an exotically titled soundtrack album with a pretty yellow and green cover, which my grandfather had apparently bought new in 1949. Perhaps intrigued by the record's vintage, or maybe by the vague familiarity of some of the song titles, I brought it back to my room...and it hasn't left my collection since.

It's hard to pinpoint just what makes this album so majestic from start to finish, because every song is a gem in its own way. This is perhaps the only soundtrack on which the overture holds my attention just as much as the vocal numbers do (on most other soundtracks I skip through the overture), and it provides the perfect segue into the childish innocence of "Dites-Moi," still a favorite of mine years after I finally became proficient enough in French to decipher its pidgin pronunciations.

While the songs fit together flawlessly and tell the play's story, most of them also stand well on their own. Perhaps "There is Nothin' Like a Dame" and "Honey Bun" are less than politically correct (though still harmless) by today's standards, but they're still a lot of fun all the same. "You've Got To Be Carefully Taught," on the other hand, was decades ahead of its time and is still all too relevant, as Americans are once again at war with "people whose skin is a different shade." On the lighter side, "Bali Ha'i" can always be counted on to take you to Your Own Special Island - just close your eyes and see! Then there's that Broadway staple, the spine-tingling, move-you-to-tears love song. Not all musicals have given us even one of these. This one offers three, and after more than half a century, "Some Enchanted Evening," "Younger Than Springtime," and especially "This Nearly Was Mine" are just as touching as ever.

The bonus tracks, while they naturally sound somewhat out of place alongside the original songs, are surprisingly enjoyable. "My Girl Back Home" sounds rather dated (in contrast to the rest of the album), but it is a fascinating piece of circa-1950 Americana in any case. Overall, though, there's nothing "old" about this album. It's timeless! ... Read more

Amazon.com

Dionne Warwick's vocals were never more strong, more vulnerable than when she sang the songs of Burt Bacharach and Hal David--and, oh, yeah, "Who Can I Turn To" and the theme from "Valley of the Dolls," the two non-Bacharach/David songs included among the 24 singles collected here. Both technically and emotionally, this was an unstoppable team: from the drama of "Don't Make Me Over" to the tongue-in-cheek backing singers on "Are You There (With Another Girl)," the barely veiled civil-rights message of "Reach Out for Me" to the deceptively bouncy "Do You Know the Way to San Jose," this CD sheds light on one of the most perfect marriages of pop form and content this side of Sinatra's classic Capitol work. --Rickey Wright ... Read more

Reviews (34)

Who does it better?
The answer, of course, is NO ONE! Dionne Warwick is simply the BEST! I will never understand why this fine singer is so underappreciated by the media - her peers, like Aretha Franklin and Patti LaBelle, benefit from the support of radio and a million television appearances, but Ms Warwick is left out of the limelight. What a shame. This album represents the best of Ms Warwick's golden days with Scepter - a period that found her in excellent voice and unsurpassed technical ability, with devoted fans all around the world. She has made truly outstanding music since those days, but the music captured in this collection is permanently etched in all music lovers' hearts and minds. One of the other customer reviews said that Warwick's cousin Whitney Houston could learn a thing or two from her, and I COULDN'T AGREE MORE! Warwick managed to remain a class act for the course of her whole career (minus the Psychic Friends thing) and never comes across as a tempermental prima donna! Also, she doesn't feel the need to yell, scream, and perform all of the other vocal gymnastics that her cousin and many other singers find so necessary. She stays true to the meaning of a song, as is beautifully illustrated on this collection. All of you young singers out there, TAKE NOTES! THIS IS WHO YOU WANT TO EMULATE!

Classic Dionne
This is perhaps the definitive collection of 1960s classics by that synergetic team of Burt Bacharach, Hal David and Dionne Warwick. Ms Warwick has always been able to smooth over the rough edges of Bacharach/David's arrangements better than anyone. She makes the difficult time changes and occasional lip-knotting lyrics flow seamlessly. Hers is a classic pop voice - clear, clean, sexy and emotional. My favourites on this disc full of classics are Don't Make Me over, Are You There (with Another Girl), Message to Michael and, of course, Windows of the World. My only gripe is that it doesn't contain Wishin' and Hopin' - surely that should have made it ahead of one or two which are there. PS. I saw Dionne in concert here in Australia some few months ago, and although her voice now struggles at the top of the range, that beautiful phrasing and smooth, warm, confident delivery is still there. It was a great night full of reminiscence and reassurance.

I love her songs I love her voice
I love her songs and I love her voice. "The Dionne Warwick Collection" is a must have. "Do You Know the Way to San Jose?," "Walk on By," "I Say a Little Prayer" and "I'll Never Fall in Love Again" really demonstrate the coolness and soothing quality of her voice. She has an ability to deliver a tune and make the listener just sit back, slow down and just take it nice and cool.

The Very Best by Burt Bacharach's Muse
Gifted with one of the most recognized and loved voices in music, Dionne Warwick's collective body of work is nothing less than outstanding. This Greatest Hits CD contains 24 of her best known songs. My personal favorites are "I Say A Prayer" (I prefer this version even to Aretha Franklin's), "I'll Never Fall In Love Again" and "Message To Michael" (I'm very partial to that one).

Dionne Warwick always managed a good balance between sentimental torch song/heartbreaker and sweet love ballad. While touching on the painful side of lovers' quarrels, the songs always offer an uplifting hopefulness about a happy ending. She says she'll never fall in love again, but you know she will.

Dionne Warwick represents a rare "mentor/muse" relationship (with the writer/lyricist Burt Bacharach being the one inspired by the great songstress) unseen since Marlene Dietrich/Friedrich Hollander. The two must have truly believed in one another to collaborate on so many wonderful music arrangements. Ms Warwick can easily be counted among the top ten female vocalists of our time. I highly recommend this CD.*...

A beautiful, musical package deal
I scoffed when a friend of mine recommended this cd to me. I focused on her latter efforts of psychic network fame. I'm glad I kept an opened my mind because this cd is a treasure. You can't go wrong with the perfect combination of Bacharach/David arrangements and the fresh, talented voice of Warwick. "A House Is Not A Home" is worth the price of the cd alone. You can hear the vulnerability of a young Dionne Warwick in "Don't Make Me Over"(the song written specifically for her). The final track,
"The Green Grass Starts to Grow" is like medicine. The song can truly lift you up when you're down. If anyone ever told me that this would be one of my favorite cds a few years ago, I would have laughed in their faces. Today, this is a cd I could never live without. I play this cd all the time. Go out and get this one!!! ... Read more

Amazon.com

The "Golden Age" referred to here spans The Jazz Singer and the advent of the talkies to the death throes of the old studio system in the 1960s. So vast was the era's musical landscape that even this 42-track, double-disc anthology can't encompass all its peaks. Not surprisingly, the bulk of this collection originated with the Tiffany's of the screen musical, M-G-M, a body of work whose riches here encompass both pop-cultural bedrock ("Over the Rainbow," "Singin' in the Rain," "There's No Business Like Show Business," etc.) and some less familiar, if equally delightful star turns: Clark Gable gamely "Puttin' On the Ritz"; the sassy, 1948 original of "The Lady Is a Tramp" by Lena Horne; and a loopy duet of "Baby, It's Cold Outside" by Esther Williams and Ricardo Montalban. Fred Astaire's elegant, epochal reign at RKO and M-G-M is represented by"Night and Day," "Let's Face the Music and Dance," and three others, while Metro mainstays Gene Kelly and Judy Garland share equal time and billing. It's not perfect--Cagney's "Yankee Doodle Boy" and/or some Sinatra seem more logical choices than the odd "bonus" duet of Casablanca's "As Time Goes By" and "Lara's Theme" from Dr. Zhivago that close out disc one--but it's a stunning, surprisingly comprehensive primer on the Hollywood film musical nonetheless. --Jerry McCulley ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Hollywood at it's Best
The music on this double CD is excellent, as is the sound quality. Every song brings a smile to my face. I love Classic Rock, and although I'm not going to compare apples to oranges, I love to just stop rocking now and then, and listen to the great music from this era. Over the last few years I have been adding great music from the likes of Frank Sinatra, Judy Garland, Glen Miller, etc. to my library, and this one ranks very high on my list for a compilation of great Hollywood musicals. Crank up the volume and enjoy!

Wundebar!
This is a a fun-filled walk down Memory Lane!

Very Good
I've been writing a musical comedy for awhile, and needed some music for the scene segues. It takes place in Hollywood circa 1940s, and I'll tell you, this captures the era perfectly. It wasn't the classics like "Singin' in the Rain" or "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" that really impressed me. Some of my favorites are "Going Hollywood", an upbeat and hopeful tune...Astaire's "If Swing Goes, I Go Too", Brilliant! Stop reading this review already, and add this to your cart. You'll be the envy of all your friends-Ok, maybe not. But who the heck cares, its a great CD.

A must for any musical nuts!
That's it, guys! This two CDs will make us return to the golden era of musicals, it selects the most famous songs of movies of 30's, but mostly 40's and 50's.
Some people say it should have been more Fred and Ginger musics, others say there should have been more Bing Crosby... but one thing is undeniable it's a true masterpiece that I never get tired listening.

It includes some classics that I had already known- "Singin' In The Rain", "There's No Business Like Show Business" (the original, not the Ethel Merman version), "S'wonderfu"l, "That's Entertainment"(4 people singing!), "Lullaby of Broadway", "Night and Day"(a gem, even today!), "They Can't Take That Away From Me", "Over the Rainbow"(moving), "The Trolley Song", "Gigi", "I Got Rhytm", "The Lady Is a Tramp" (I knew the Sinatra version from Pal Joey), "Cheek to Cheek" (immortal), "A Kiss To Build A Dream On" (I prefer other orchestration, this one is too calm), "Let's Face The Music And Dance" (not by Diana Krall!), "Be a Clown, Embraceable You, On The Atchison, Topeka and The Santa Fe" (I knew the Crosby version), "One For My Baby" (I knew the Sinatra version).
But there where a lot of musics that I didn't know and I began to love- Easter parade (too bad there wasn't "It Only Happens When I Dance With You"!) True Love (I'm a huge Crosby fan), "Baby It's Cold Outside" (Delicious! Fantastic! No wonder it earned the 1949 oscar!), "Bless Your Beautiful Hide", "Taking a Chance On Love" (very beautiful), "Wunderbar" (I adore Cole Porter), etc.

There are two tracks that some guys might say that they aren't from musicals- "Lara's Theme" from Dr. Zhivago and "As Time Goes By"- but I was happy to found them here, cause I'm not going to buy the complete soundtracks.

A word to describe the CDs-TIMELESS!

You won't be able to stop listening to this gem. A WINNER!!
Take all the greatest songs from Hollywood's greatest musicals, use top modern technology to make them sound amazing (while maintaining faithfulness to the original sonics), put them all together in a beautifully designed double CD, and you've got SOMEWHERE OVER THE RAINBOW.

I've had this for over two weeks now, and still don't want to listen to anything else. All my favorite performers are here from Bing Crosby to Doris Day and everyone else in between. There are great liner notes, wonderful pictures, and at this price, getting so many songs for so (relatively) little money is an amazing bargain. I highly recommend this CD set. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Curb Records has long specialized in low-budget repackagings of previously released material, and they certainly haven't gone out of their way with this 12-song Dean Martin compilation. Culled from his Capitol years, this does indeed feature some great moments--"That's Amore," "Volare," "Inamorata" and "Come Back to Sorrento" are all present and accounted for--and if you need a little Dino to spruce up a mix tape, this'll certainly do ya. However, Collectors Series offers much more bang for your buck, even if it costs a few extra dollars. --Dan Epstein ... Read more

Reviews (10)

All Time Favorites
This is a good disc to grab up most of Dino's biggest Capitol recordings. Seven of the twelve tracks are Italian numbers which is not unusual, this is Dino we're talking about. The swinger on the disc is "You're Nobody Till Somebody Loves You", and in my opinion the best ballad on the disc is "Innamorata". There really are no filler tracks here, each song is pure Dino.

Totally Dino!!! We love him as always!
Steubenville, you must be proud of the man. Every song makes you feel good, and Dean's smooth delivery is as fresh as the day he decided to give up being a blackjack dealer. Buy this and play it til Somebody Loves You!!! Then you must compare it to his live stuff as well, as he is now featured in the Ratpack Uncensored. the studio quality of this CD is much higher than the live performance, but the comparison is well worth it, to get a flavor for his sense of humor.

It's Dino
Hard to go wrong with this. Some of Dino's better known work! The sound quality isn't bad, making this is a great selection to drive to, or just kick back and unwind with!

Velvety with Satin Overtones
Not one recording in this collection leaves the listener flat. Indeed, each stands on its own in substance and depth. My favorite is "That's Amore" because it has a special private meaning. Continuing, though, one wonders how an Italian velvety smooth voice can create a vision of twilight in the South Pacific when singing "Return to Me." While it may not take place on an island beach, the softness and satin-like coolness of this recording brings forth such a vision--how utterly refreshing. The warmth of Mr. Martin's voice has been a gift to us all.

memories
I have had the tape for years,but I wanted the CD. I have loved listening to his voice and still miss is TV show. I wish they would rerun the show ... Read more

Amazon.com

Although his commercial triumphs rivaled Frank Sinatra's during his late 1950s breakthrough, Johnny Mathis the pop singer could seem both overshadowed and confined by that early success in the years since. But this rich, often warmly surprising entry into the contemporary Pop Standard Reinterpretation Sweepstakes finds a singer more artistically focused than he's been in years, employing a voice that remains one for the ages. His definition of "standard" here is variously classic (the majestic title track and "Love is Here to Stay"), loose (a take on Jobim's lilting "Dindi" that's the perfect showcase for every delicate nook of the singer's vibrato-rich tenor) and left-field (Herman's Hermits' brit-invasion hit "A Kind of Hush" perfectly recast as prime Mathis ballad), but his performances flow with a deceptively effortless grace that's a tribute to his nearly half-century as a recording artist. Producer/arranger Jorge Callandrelli frames Mathis in spare orchestral backdrops that allow him ample space to soar, then nudge him gently into swing mode on "This Can't Be Love" and "Day By Day." The album closes with an evocative, de facto medley pairing a magically innocent, if unlikely cover of The Muppets' "Rainbow Connection" with Mathis' duet with Ray Charles on "Over the Raindbow," culled from the r&b legend's final album. --Jerry McCulley ... Read more

Reviews (13)

Isn't it the Best?
This cd is one of Johnny Mathis' best! His voice is as smooth as ever and like fine wine he gets better and better with age.

MATHIS- Greatest Album since 1960s- BUY, BUY, BUY,
MATHIS ALBUM BEST SINCE 1960s---
Johnny Mathis has done the best recordings since 1960 on this album "Isnt It Romantic" its gone straight in to my top 10 favourite Mathis albums.(I have 100 plus)
The mans voice is astounding, so rich smooth and as usual effortles. The orchestra is just out of this world and the pace of each recording brings a new quality to the lyrics of the Great writers of these classic songs.
I love the song "Dindi" my favourite here, I wish Mathis would record a full album of latin songs like this one, this recording just blows me away. "The Rainbow Connection" is a heart-melter from The Muppets. "A Kind of Hush" tenderly sung and then swings to the orchestrations. Mathis and Ray Charles duet " Over the Rainbow is included here what can be said that already hasnt,a deserved Grammy Winner for being original and so unique.
This album shows that Johnny Mathis is the best singer in the business and I would say Tony Bennett is a close 2nd.
I cant fault this album in any way. The younger stars of today like Bubble and Feinstein 2 other great artists,would struggle to match the quality of this singer. You can hear the difference in Johnny Mathis from yesteryear, naturally, he is nearly 70 but he just doesnt sound it at all.
The voice is not worn or tired in any way. Its richer,deeper, softer,less highly pitched, more baritone- just beautiful.
The Producer and arranger here has to be mentioned "Jorge Calandrelli" whom Ive never heard of before now ,"where have you been all the years Johnny Mathis has been recording?" Please do another album with him soon you have the ul