On The Way Home

Editorial Reviews
Jennifer Lopez - Actress, Musician
"How did you get past security?"

Alan Peterson - Songwriter, recording artist
"Love the CD. It sounds both familiar and brand new. It feels like home to me."

Album Description
The first release from testament jONES is a fresh new sound that has a familiar feel. Stylistically the music ranges from alternative to jazz to alt. county to blues. It projects New Thought sensibility with a solid back-beat grove. You'll find yourself singing along in no time at all.

On The Way Home

On The Way Home, Music, testament jONES

Les Miserables (Highlights from the 1987 Original Broadway Cast)
Average customer rating:

BEST OPERA MUSIC EVER

Time well spent.

Great Score, But Highlights Missing Critical Songs

Buy the full version, please

Argh Matey!

Les Miserables (Highlights from the 1987 Original Broadway Cast)
Alain Boublil , Claude-Michel Schonberg , and Colm Wilkinson
Manufacturer: Decca U.S.
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000084TRM
Release Date: 2003-01-28

Tracks:

Overture/Work Song
I Dreamed a Dream
Who Am I?
Castle on a Cloud
Master of the House
Stars
Do You Hear the People Sing?
A Heart Full of Love
One Day More
On My Own
A Little Fall of Rain
Drink with Me
Bring Him Home
Javert's Suicide
Empty Chairs at Empty Tables
Wedding Chorale/Beggars at the Feast
Finale

Amazon.com

While not overly generous at 55 minutes, the highlights album of the 1987 original Broadway cast recording of Les Miserables is intelligently selected and likely to prove satisfying to most fans. It includes the best-loved numbers of Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schönberg's score, beautiful ballads ("Bring Him Home," "I Dreamed a Dream") and rousing anthems ("One Day More," "Do You Hear the People Sing?") alike, but eliminates some choral numbers ("Lovely Ladies"), redundancies ("Red and Black"), and connective tissue that propels the plot along ("Valjean Arrested," "Come to Me (Fantine's Death)"). Sure, a more perfect selection could have lasted longer than half of the two-disc set's 104 minutes by adding "At the End of the Day" and "In My Life," among others, but it's still a good representation on a convenient single disc. Of course, those who always want to re-create the theatrical experience will never be satisfied with a highlights album.

Re-creating their roles from the London production, Colm Wilkinson plays the heroic Valjean and Frances Ruffelle is the despondent Eponine. Randy Graff (Fantine), Terrence Mann (Javert), David Bryant (Marius), Judy Kuhn (Cosette), Michael Maguire (Enjolras), and Leo Burmester and Jennifer Butt (the Thénardiers) fill out the cast. --David Horiuchi

Customer Reviews:

BEST OPERA MUSIC EVER.......2006-11-03

This is the BEST!! I would highly recommend this to anyone who likes this kind of music!

Time well spent........2005-09-14

Each member of the Les Miserables cast stands to deliver this musical to its audience. Within moments we are transported to France during their Restoration. We experience sadness, laughter and, indeed, want to join in their crusade. The music and deliverance, in my opinion, is excellent.

Great Score, But Highlights Missing Critical Songs.......2005-08-05

Composers Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schönberg's score for "Les Miserables" is simply brilliant and the spectacular Broadway cast, led by Colm Wilkinson, Randy Graff, Terrence Mann, and Frances Ruffelle, help bring this incredible music to life!

While I normally enjoy "highlight" cds, this one clocks in at a mere 55 minutes and could have easily included a couple of additional tunes (thus losing one star). Most notably missing: "At The End Of The Day", "Come To Me", "Red And Black", and "In My Life". The show's most memorable songs, however, are included.

Best tracks:

I Dreamed A Dream
Master Of The House
Stars
Do You Hear The People Sing
On My Own
A Little Fall Of Rain
Bring Him Home
Empty Chairs At Empty Tables

Great cast, great score ... even a good buy. But I would suggest the full double-disc score instead.

Buy the full version, please.......2005-01-20

Highlights are never worth it. You will never get the little in-between songs which make a show complete, montages will be cut together badly instead of being full songs as they should be...so much is left out. This is a fantastic show and deserves to be heard in full.

Argh Matey!.......2004-11-22

"Highlights" albums are not the full show, blah blah blah... THIS TAKES UP ONLY ONE SPACE IN YOUR CD RACK INSTEAD OF TWO LIKE THE FULL RECORDING. I rest my case.

Average customer rating:

Fiorello
A sleeper of the first order
A new York-centric non-hit
Laguardia isn't just an airport
a classic, underrated Broadway gem

Fiorello! (1959 Original Broadway Cast)
Sheldon Harnick
Manufacturer: Angel Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum (1962 Original Broadway Cast)

ASIN: B000002SOJ
Release Date: 1993-09-14

Tracks:

Act 1: Overture - Fiorello Orch
Act 1: On The Side Of The Angels - Bob Holiday/Nathaniel Frey/Patricia Wilson
Act 1: Politics And Poker - Howard Silva/Chor
Act 1: Unfair - Tom Bosley/Chor
Act 1: Marie's Law - Patricia Wilson/Nathianiel Frey
Act 1: The Name's La Guardia - Tom Bosley/Chor
Act 1: The Bum Won - Howard Do Silva/Chor
Act 1: I Love A Cop - Pat Stanley
Act 1: 'Til Tomorrow - Ellen Hanley/Chor
Act 1: Home Again - Bob Holiday/Nathaniel Frey/Patricia Wilson/Pat Stanley/Tom Bosley/Howard Da Silva/Mark Dawson...
Act 2: When Did I Fall In Love - Ellen Hanley
Act 2: Gentleman Jimmy - Eileen Rodgers/Chor
Act 2: Little Tin Box - Howard Da Silva/Chor
Act 2: The Very Next Man - Patricia Wilson
Act 2: Finale - Tom Bosley/Patricia Wilson/Chor

Amazon.com

The team of composer Jerry Bock and lyricist Sheldon Harnick came up with only six shows--but what shows! In addition to the phenomenally successful Fiddler on the Roof, aficionados usually gush about 1963's She Loves Me and 1959's Fiorello!. The latter turned a not particularly appetizing topic--the years leading to Fiorello LaGuardia's election as mayor of New York--into a great musical. (It even won the Pulitzer Prize for drama, only the third musical to do so.) Harnick and Bock's versatility was in evidence as they wrote numbers in every Broadway style: novelty, ballad (about sweatshops), duet (the absurdly catchy and funny "Marie's Law"), and, of course, a rousing number that doesn't really fit anywhere but is so good that it simply must be included (Eileen Rodgers's "Gentleman Jimmy"). This may be one of the wittiest, most melodic shows you've never heard. --Elisabeth Vincentelli

Customer Reviews:

Fiorello.......2007-03-09

Great music. Only; I wish I had a DVD of the show.....

A sleeper of the first order.......2007-03-06

Fiorello is a very dark comedy about the corrupt back-room politics, croneyism, and skulduggery surrounding Fiorello laGuardia's political career. Oh, and there's a romance thrown in. "Politics and Poker" in particular has a timely poignancy in light of the runup to the 2008 elections with Clinton, Obama, and -um - whoever the heck else is on the Democrat wanna-be list. I have to think there are some pretty stark parallels here. But then, that's what this timeless, delightful sleeper of an operetta is all about.

A new York-centric non-hit .......2006-11-15

This never rose to the level of a 'hit'. At this time (2006) it is dated
technically and artisticly. It didn't win in '59, there is little hope that it will be remembered fondly in '06.
In the end I bought it for archival purposes only and I'm being kind.

Laguardia isn't just an airport.......2006-08-07

Fiorello! was basically a play about New York City's great mayor, Fiorello Laguardia, that was turned into a musical by having an overture and 14 songs. Long ago, back in the late 1950s, I saw it as a child and really liked it - I've always wondered what it would be like to hear it again. Well, it is nothing less than spectacular! It has the best song about politcal corruption (!) ever written, Little Tin Box; a great song about a broken date, Marie's Law; a lyrical paean to back-room politics, Politics and Poker; and 11 others, all equally good (in fact, there's not a single dud in the score - as you would expect since it was written by the writers who did Fiddler on the Roof). The voices are great, the lyrics are all to the point, the music is unforgettable, and, for all those who don't know the story, the disc notes are really helpful. Maybe this is politcs seen through rose-tinted glasses, but it's wonderful to hear!

a classic, underrated Broadway gem.......2003-11-04

FIORELLO! is a lovely, ahead-of-its-time musical, based on the career of New York mayor Fiorello La Guardia. It starred Tom Bosley as La Guardia with a dream cast including Ellen Hanley, Pat Stanley and Eileen Rodgers.

The score, an early collaboration from Jerry Bock and Sheldon Harnick (SHE LOVES ME, FIDDLER ON THE ROOF) is very strong, and includes several show-pieces like "Politics and Poker", "Little Tin Box" and "On the Side of the Angels".

Ellen Hanley (who had previously been criminally under-used as Polly Bergen's understudy in FIRST IMPRESSIONS) glows in the role of feisty Thea, the sweatshop workers' leader. She has two of the score's best ballads, "'Til Tomorrow" and "When Did I Fall in Love".

Pat Stanley (who earned a Tony for her performance in the disastrous GOLDILOCKS) gets the cute number "I Love a Cop". Eileen Rodgers (who later starred in a successful off-Broadway revival of ANYTHING GOES) sings the showstopping "Gentleman Jimmy", a manic flapper tune. FIORELLO! is a fantastic show in that it has no less than 3 strong female roles.

For those who only started following Tom Bosley's career during his 'Happy Days', the fact that he was a top-drawer musical theater talent will come as a big surprise. Bosley played the entire run of 795 performances. Bosley later made many more successful Broadway appearances including BEAUTY AND THE BEAST and (as of this review's writing) a triumphant stint in the Sam Mendes revival of CABARET.

Tracks:

I'm Looking for Something, Baby
Goin' Downtown
Takin' the Long Way Home
Move (You're Steppin on My Heart)
Scene: Fifty bucks says the Dreamettes don't win
Fake Your Way to the Top
Scene: It ain't working, Marty
Cadillac Car
Cadillac Car (On the Road)
Cadillac Car (Recording Studio)
Scene: I don't believe they can do that
Steppin' to the Bad Side
Scene: I'm working on a long shot
Party, Party
I Want You, Baby
Scene: I'm a woman now
Family
Scene: What are you doing to that girl?
Dreamgirls
Press Conference
Heavy
Walkin' Down the Strip/Scene: Las Vegas
It's All Over
And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going

Tracks:

Opening Act II: Dreams Medley
Scene: Effie White is the best singer you're gonna find
I Am Changing
Vogue Sequence
When I First Saw You
Ain't No Party
I Meant You No Harm
The Rap
I Miss You, Old Friend
One Night Only
One Night Only (Disco Version)
I'm Somebody
Hard to Say Good-bye
Dreamgirls (Reprise)

Amazon.com

A Chorus Line may be better known, but Dreamgirls was a towering achievement for director Michael Bennett. Loosely based on the Supremes' story, the 1982 musical told a typical show-biz tale of fame, backbiting, and survival. As is often the case for one-night only events, the cast in this concert version (recorded in New York on September 24, 2001) is led by an eye-popping assortment of Broadway powerhouses: Lillias White (The Life), Audra McDonald (Ragtime, Marie Christine), and Heather Headley (Ragtime). McDonald reveals a previously undisclosed comic streak, while Headley confirms her status as a rising star. Reprising the role of Effie Melody White (created by Jennifer Holliday), White belts the classic "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going." But the beauty of Dreamgirls is that it's so packed with catchy, Motown-influenced R&B numbers that each lead can sink her teeth into some prime material and get a turn in the spotlight. This double-CD set really makes you wish you'd been there when the show was recorded: you can hear the crowd going berserk at times, and the temptation is strong to do the same thing in the comfort of your living room. --Elisabeth Vincentelli

Customer Reviews:

Dreamgirls 2001.......2007-06-27

This was the worst reproduction of Dreamgirls that I ever heard. I was so disappointed the CD went into the garbage. This is one CD that I would not sell to the public because I expect so much and get so little.

Not the real "DREAM" experience.......2007-04-04

Forget about the film sountrack. Get this CD set. And it's far better than the original cast recording which goes lacking. More songs and more everything that makes a live performance just what it is. Live (compared to film where anything can be done to enhance a performance!) -- the energy, the excitement and the performances make this a rare treat for anyone wanting to share in the real DREAM experience.

Isn't a full Broadway revival long over due. But wait: I've heard rumors that a rvial may be "in the works. I certainly hope so. Maybe this time it will receive the Tony award it deserved in the first place.

Absolutely brilliant!.......2007-01-28

There is atleast 5 new songs on this album that were not in the movie! These girls kill it I mean they are just amazing singers, and this all live! This is needed for any Dreamgirls fanatic like me! You are gonna love it! Enjoy! love live laugh :)

Amazing!!!!!!.......2006-12-04

As a theatre lover, this recording is amazing. I actually prefer this recording to the OBC. Sheryl Lee Ralph is okay, but can't touch Audra's Deena. The first time I heard Ms. White's "And I Am Telling You..", goosbumps all over my body. The only weak cast member in my opinon is Heather Headly. Vocally, she just isn't there. Too much Aida, not enough Dreamgirls. But all in all, a great live recording of a great show.

One Night Only .......2006-07-19

I was lucky enough to attend this One Night Only concert performance of Dreamgirls and it was a night I will never forget!! The cast was brilliant and the cd is as good if not better than the Broadway cast recording because it is the entire show not just the songs. Bravo to everyone involved !!!

Average customer rating:

Not the best.
What a magnificent Heritage
A Review
Heritage, The Irish Tenors
Tattered Tenors

Heritage

Manufacturer: Razor & Tie
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B0001FVEVI
Release Date: 2004-03-16

Tracks:

The Harp That Once
Red is the Rose
Off to Philadelphia
Golden Jubilee
Little Brigid Flynn
Fields of Athenry
I'll Take You Home Again Kathleen
My Heart Will Go On
The West's Awake
Danny Boy
Song for Ireland
Dublin Medley (Dublin Can Be Heaven/Rocky Road to Dublin)
South of the Border
Whiskey in the Jar
The Parting Glass
God Bless America

Customer Reviews:

Not the best........2005-03-02

I bought this CD with high hopes. I absolutely loved the first one, the one recorded live. This one was a disappointment though. The guys songs are good and their voices are in good form but it was missing something...feeling, I guess. The live concert version can make me cry and laugh it's so sung with feeling, but this is just singing. I just felt it lacked feeling. I guess that's why I was disappointed with it.

What a magnificent Heritage.......2005-01-22

I highly recommend this album to all fans of Irish music. This is the last album with Ronan as a memember and it is one of their best. Ronan's "I'll Take You Home Again Kathleen" is wonderful, so too is Finbarr's "South of the Border". The theme from the Titanic "My Heart Will Go On" is the best version since Celine Dione's. My favorite track is Anthony's "The West's Awake" . One point to note is that this group is one of the few out there who can perform live with an equally good recorded sound. Having listened to them at Meadowbrook NH the night of Ronan's farewell I can assure you that live or recorded they have a fantastic sound. I highly recommend this CD to all fans of Irish music.

Isaac Chute

A Review .......2004-10-30

I have never really been a fan of Traditional Irish Music and had never even HEARD of the Irish Tenors....That is until a friend of mine introduced me to the recording of "Live In Belfast" Instantly, I was hooked. I have become addicted to a lot of these songs. Especially the goofier ones they sing. like "Phil the Fluther" and "Courtin in the Kitchen" When Heritage was released I was estatic....As I had loved all the songs they had released before. Even though they recycled some of their songs. I loved the way they re recorded "Red Is The Rose" with Finbar in place of John and also "Fields Of Athenry" I Found this version to be better than the other one. I found it really bizare that they would sing "My Heart Will Go On" as that is not an Irish Song...Ireland was where the Titanic sank. but still. I really enjoyed listening to it. "South of the Boarder" and "Golden Jubilee" along with "Little Brigid Flynn" were quite entertainingly cute. I really enjoyed Anthony's "The West's Awake" and "The Parting Glass" and "The Harp That Once Through Tara's Halls" I would, too also love to see Anthony put out a solo album.

Heritage, The Irish Tenors.......2004-09-30

This is another delightful effort by Anthony, Finbar and Ronan.
My favorite songs were "Off to Philadephia" (Anthony) and "My Heart Will Go On" (Finbar). I didn't even mind the repetition of some songs heard on past CDs - but wondered about it, until I learned of the departure of Ronan Tynan. I am curious to see the kind of arrangements they have included on their new CD, due to come out later this year, which they made upon the return of John McDermott. John is a Canadian of Celtic descent, whose voice, though pleasant in a folksy way, does not seem to blend as well with Anthony and Finbar as did Ronan's trained vocals. I would be very pleased to see Anthony make a solo CD, including such ballads as (my all-time favorite) Bantry Bay and some of the wonderfully playful Irish ditties he sometimes performs at his solo concerts.

Tattered Tenors.......2004-08-20

When the Irish Tenors burst upon the public scene not too many years ago, they were heralded as a refreshing change in the sea of musical mediocrity. The original trio of McDermott, Kearns and Tynan thrilled us with their exuberance and vocal virtuosity and frankly, I miss that. (Please note: since I originally wrote this review the threesome has changed to McDermott, Kearns and Wright with Tynan having left the group).

As one of their latest efforts, "Heritage" is an "okay" album, but it certainly lacks the freshness and fun of the Irish Tenors' earlier efforts. Of course, there are notable exceptions such as Kearns' roguish "Off to Philadelphia", the sprightly "Golden Jubilee" and the beautiful "The West's Awake" solo by Kearns. Wright's "Little Brigid Flynn" is downright fun but his "South of the Border" is oddly out of place. With too many recycled songs and a little too little Anthony Kearns, I personally found "Heritage" to be the weakest effort in the generally stellar Irish Tenors' discography.

Average customer rating:

a wonderful surprise
What!? How is this possible?
Beauty and grace, charm and wit - Maury's got it all
A perfect marriage of music and lyrics
The Maury Yeston Songbook

The Maury Yeston Songbook
Maury Yeston , Christine Andreas , Brent Barrett , Betty Buckley , Liz Callaway , Alice Ripley , Sutton Foster , Brian d'Arcy James , and Philip Chaffin
Manufacturer: P.S. Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Jule Styne in Hollywood
The Drowsy Chaperone (2006 Original Broadway Cast)
December Songs
Grey Gardens - A New Musical (2006 Original Broadway Cast)

ASIN: B00008H2LJ
Release Date: 2003-04-08

Tracks:

Please Let's Not Even Say Hello - Alice Ripley
Only with You - Brent Barrett
I Want to Go to Hollywood - Sutton Foster
Danglin' - Johnny Rodgers
I Had a Dream About You - Betty Buckley
My True Love - Philip Chaffin
A Call from the Vatican - Alice Ripley
Now and Then - Laura Benanti
You're There Too - Christopher Fitzgerald
Is Someone Out There? - Eden Espinosa
New Words - Brent Barrett
My Grandmother's Love Letters - Christine Ebersole
By the River - Christine Andreas
I Am Longing - Philip Chaffin
Home - Laura Benanti & Robert Cuccioli
Another Day in the Modern World - Michael Holland
Simple - Liz Callaway
Unusual Way - Brian d'Arcy James
Be On Your Own - Betty Buckley
No Moon - Howard McGillin

Amazon.com

Despite racking up Tony nominations and/or box-office success with Nine, Grand Hotel, and Titanic, Maury Yeston remains a relatively unknown Broadway auteur. And yet, what a fabulous songwriter he is. Listen to "Home," for instance: This excerpt from Phantom (the other adaptation of Phantom of the Opera) has great melodic hooks, along with natural sweep and unrestrained emotion. Like every song on this CD, it also has such dramatic drive that it easily stands on its own outside of its regular narrative frame. This collection of new recordings provides an excellent overview of Yeston's talent, juxtaposing numbers from his three best-known scores (though there's only one from Titanic) with rarities and a generous selection from his 1991 song cycle December Songs. Christine Ebersole, Liz Callaway, and Betty Buckley turn in expectedly strong performances, but watch also for Laura Benanti (the star of the 2003 revival of Nine), Christine Andreas, and Foster Sutton, who completely make the material theirs. --Elisabeth Vincentelli

Description

The Tony Award-winning composer/lyricist -- who's given us the smash hit musicals Titanic, Phantom and Grand Hotel, and whose first stage show, Nine, is currently being revived in New York with Antonio Banderas -- is celebrated in song by the best stars o

Customer Reviews:

a wonderful surprise.......2007-07-22

Like others, I bought this CD primarily for Sutton Foster's rendition of "I Want to Go to Hollywood." And while that's wonderful, the real surprises here are the songs from Yeston's song cycle "December Songs." Christine Ebersole and Christine Andreas give absolutely lovely, technically proficient, completely heartfelt renditions of "My Grandmother's Love Letters" and "By the River", respectively. I'd heard Andrea Marcovicci's recording of "December Songs" and was seriously underwhelmed. These two tracks just prove that Yeston might have over-estimated Marcovicci's range and technical ability. "By the River" is a revelation in the right hands, and Ms. Andreas's rendition is just four minutes of wonderful. I also want to mention Howard McGillin's "No Moon". This little song from "Titanic" is just so moving. Pulled out of context, it becomes a little jewel of metaphor.

The CD as a whole is beautifully recorded, with an intimacy and clarity that makes you feel like you're in the first row of a very small theatre. If you come across this and you're on the fence, take a chance. I bet that you'll be as pleasantly surprised and deeply moved as I've been.

What!? How is this possible?.......2007-01-20

How could one put together a Maury Yeston Songbook cd without a track from Andrea Marcovicci? He wrote a song cycle for her. Granted there are some great singers here but a grave oversight to not include Ms Marcovicci.

Beauty and grace, charm and wit - Maury's got it all.......2006-11-14

Maury Yeston may be musical theatre's unsung genius to the public at large, but I've heard his praises sung many times. A friend convinced me to buy the original Broadway cast of "Nine", and while there were some fantastic songs and an undeniable melodic gift throughout, it left me lukewarm. The same with "Grand Hotel". And I couldn't stand "Titanic" - too big, too self-important, too reliant on booming low brass and bombastic orchestral swells.

"Phantom" was the only one of his scores that touched something other than distanced admiration in me. It was everything Sir Lloyd Webber's popera travesty could never quite aspire to - epic yet human, beautiful and touching, with songs that showed actual details and emotions. So it was with that in mind that I purchased this, figuring that maybe Maury could prove me wrong, shorn from the restrictions of a book musical format.

And by God, did he prove me right and then some.

Maybe it's the singers. Maybe it's the perfect orchestrations. Maybe it's just the absence of a plot to follow. More than likely, it's all three, but this is one of the most gorgeous, enjoyable, heartbreaking albums I've ever purchased. Yeston has assembled an impressive cast to give voice to his music - such heavy Broadway hitters as Alice Ripley, Brent Barrett, Betty Buckley, Christine Ebersole and Howard McGillin mix with up-and-comers like Eden Espinosa, Sutton Foster, and Brian d'Arcy James. But the most impressive turns are given by people I'd never heard of before - Johnny Rodgers (who?) has a voice spun from gold, and he's absolutely perfect in "Danglin'", a simple and powerful song despite some odd lyric choices by Yeston. Likewise Philip Chaffin in "My True Love" and "I Am Longing", and Michael Holland displays a warm and untrained performance of "Another Day in the Modern World". These three men, who I'd never heard of before, absolutely stole the show. It doesn't hurt that they're given some of the best songs from the album.

Of course, the rest of the ensemble uniformly turns in worthwhile performances. The professionalism of Broadway is gloriously evident here, each singer making their song uniquely theirs. Brent Barrett made me hear "Only With You" as if for the first time. Betty Buckley is surprisingly vulnerable in "I Had A Dream About You". Alice Ripley is her usual bundle of raw emotion in "Please Let's Not Even Say Hello", and turns in a rare comic performance in "Call From The Vatican" to great effect (listen to that surprise high note near the end! Wow, Alice!). Christine Ebersole is heartbroken, elated, vulnerable, and tough all in the course of "Grandmother's Love Letters"' 4 minutes.

There are some weak spots - Eden Espinosa is mostly one-note during her song, and while it's certainly a high note, it's nothing you haven't heard her do better elsewhere. Laura Benanti's "Now and Then" goes by without much notice, which is a shame for this talented actress. And Betty Buckley goes back to her usual high-volume stridence in "Be On Your Own", which despite its chilling music deserves a more nuanced performance than Buckley gives here. But these songs would be standouts on any other album, and it's only the company they keep that prevent them from being excellent.

Oh, and "Unusual Way", possibly Yeston's best-known song, is so beautifully performed here by Brian d'Arcy James and a three-piece band that I nearly cried hearing it. And that's quite a feat for a song that I swore never to listen to again after the seventeenth girl in a day auditioned with it (badly). But the gender swap works perfectly, and d'Arcy James' golden Irish tenor swings through the music effortlessly.

As for the band - there are no missteps here. Each song is given exactly what it needs, from the Romantic-with-a-capital-R string section on "Home", to the jazzy saxophone on "Letter From the Vatican", to "Be On Your Own", which is given a Herrmann-esque string section. Some particular touches stand out - that lovely acoustic guitar on "Danglin'", the simple piano line on "Modern World", and the sublime cello/piano outro in "Unusual Way" really stuck with me after the album stopped playing. And the recording is without fault - crisp, encompassing, personable and expansive as the mood requires. The whole album sounds fantastic.

There is such a wide range of style and substance here that each song would deserve purchasing individually. As a collection? It's bliss. If you're a fan of theater music, appreciate great vocals, or just need something to keep you company on long nights, this is required purchase.

A perfect marriage of music and lyrics.......2006-09-07

I think Yeston must be the most underrated talent in music theatre. And not just music theatre ... for as far as I know, "Danglin'" is not from a show - a jewel of a song ... and a disarmingly honest rendition from Johnny Rogers (what a beautiful voice! Why hasn't he made more CD's?) Some other favourites are "New Words" (not enough parent-child love songs out there ... and I can't imagine it could be sung any better than this), "You're there too" (with a charming and unexpected twist), "Simple" (Callaway is superb), "Only With You" (loveable rogue!) ... to name but a few. Inspired music theatre writing. A must for any musical buff, composer or singer seeking repertoire that will help them stand out from the crowd.

The Maury Yeston Songbook.......2006-08-30

A good album sung by good singers. I have been an admirer of Maury Yeston for a number of years . I am a great fan of "Nine"
which I consider his best work.(If possible try to listen to the
Australian Cast Recording with John Diedrich) I enjoy listening to artists like Alice Ripley, Brent Barrett, Sutton Foster,and my very favourite singer Liz Callaway. All in all a great CD to just sit back ,relax and enjoy Les Breen

Fiddler on the Roof (1967 Original London Cast)

Average customer rating:

Miracle of Miracles!
Gross
Now I Have Everything...

Fiddler on the Roof (1967 Original London Cast)
Jerry Bock , Sheldon Harnick , Topol , and Sandor Eles
Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Musicals | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music

General | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music

General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music

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Similar Items:

Fiddler on the Roof (1964 Original Broadway Cast)
Fiddler on the Roof (2004 Broadway Revival Cast)
Fiddler on the Roof (Special Edition)
Fiddler on the Roof
Company (2006 Broadway Revival Cast)

ASIN: B00005ARE2
Release Date: 2001-03-20

Tracks:

Act One: Tradition
Act One: Matchmaker, Matchmaker
Act One: If I Were A Rich Man
Act One: Sabbath Prayer
Act One: To Life
Act One: Miracle Of Miracles
Act One: Tevye's Dream
Act One: Sunrise, Sunset
Act Two: Bottle Dance
Act Two: Now I Have Everything
Act Two: Do You Love Me?
Act Two: Far From The Home I Love
Act Two: Anatevka
The Dream (Early Sketch) - Jerry Bock
Sabbath Prayer (Early Version) - Jerry Bock
Sunrise, Sunset (Early Version) - Jerry Bock
The Dream (Another Early Sketch) - Jerry Bock/Sheldon Harnick
We Haven't Missed A Sabbath Yet (Original Opening Of The Show) - Jerry Bock/Sheldon Harnick

Customer Reviews:

Miracle of Miracles!.......2007-01-28

This music is to die for! I love to hear these songs and to be able to sing with the music. This CD is definitely a miricle of miracles!

Gross.......2005-04-04

I think just be looking at the cover, you can tell how rough this looks. Topal's poytrayal as Tevia dosn't help it. This is a very dark, quit version of Fiddler and the bonus tracks will scare the ever living flesh out of your kids. The early sketch for the dream was very very upsetting. Now I can't go to sleep at night because of this recording. Everything after the dream is just dissapointing and I don't blame the muscial because that is good but this is bad. The bonus tracks are just tracks you'd hear at a Halloween party. Not on an Original London cast recording. Seriously, the tracks at the end are very very scary. Do not buy.

I reccomend the American recordings. [The original Broadway and the New Broadway cast recordings].

Now I Have Everything..........2004-10-10

What is it about Fiddler on the Roof that makes it such an enduring and breathtaking masterpiece? Is it the charming and very unusual plot line coupled with the delightful music and the moving lyrics, or is it something more?...What FOTR really is is a character musical; every archetypical jewish and Russian figure is embodied in this piece. It is impossible not to love and laugh over delightful figures like Tevye, Golde, Yente, Motel...i could go on and on. It is this endearing quality that has made FOTR the timeless classic that it is...other musicals are breathtaking or touching or hilarious...this musical is all of those things and much more. While I would not go as far as to say that it is my favorite musical, I cannot deny it the credit it undoubtedly deserves. For those who have never seen it performed,I heartily reccomend the excellent film, for those who have and who want to bring the music into their homes, this is the recording for you. By all means buy the broadway recording as well but do not overlook this one which is in my opinion infinetly superior. Zero Mostel was certainly an extremely talented performer, (A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum testifies to the fact) but he does not have that utterly perfect Israeli/Yiddish flair which Topol brings to the role. Also, the extracts that i have heard from the broadway recording are slow; they do not capture the intensity of the piece as well as this one does, and several members of the cast simply cannot do justice to the songs in the way that the London cast members can. Topol's If I Were A Rich Man and his duet with Lazar Wolf(Paul Whitsun-Jones) To Life! cannot be beaten and the full company songs (Tradition, Tevye's Dream, Sunrise, Sunset amd Anatevka) are equally brilliant. The younger cast members occasionally have trouble with their songs but they still provide sweeter more vibrant moments to those on the Broadway recoding. Miracle of Miracles and Far from the Home I love are especially good. Even if i have not been able to convince you that this CD is your best option, buy one recording of the score at least; I am certain that you will not regret it.

Average customer rating:

The Queen of Country, Beautiful and Genuine Music
Real McCoy without the twang...
A Little Short of the Mountain Soul Standard
Patty is the Best singer ever!!
GOOD CD

On Your Way Home
Patty Loveless
Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Contemporary Country | Country | Styles | Music

New Traditionalist | Contemporary Country | Country | Styles | Music

General | Country | Styles | Music

Contemporary | Bluegrass | Country | Styles | Music

Mountain Soul
Dreamin' My Dreams
Strong Heart
When Fallen Angels Fly
Long Stretch of Lonesome

ASIN: B0000BV20W
Release Date: 2003-09-16

Tracks:

Draggin' My Heart Around
Nothin' Like The Lonely
I Wanna Believe
On Your Way Home
I Don't Wanna Be That Strong
Born-Again Fool
Lookin' For Heartache
Higher Than The Wall
Lovin' All Night
Last In A Long Lonesome Line
The Grandpa That I Know

Amazon.com

Patty Loveless has spent her career choosing between country pop and hardcore country, and she's produced masterpieces in both styles (Long Stretch of Lonesome and Mountain Soul, respectively). But now it seems she's sick of having to choose at all. On Your Way Home is built equally around the boot-scooting rhythms of contemporary country and the phrasing, melodies, and instrumentation of honky-tonk and bluegrass. For instance, "I Don't Want to Be that Strong" begins, hushed, in a manner as perfect for a front-porch performance by fiddle and guitar, then skyrockets into right-now power ballad territory even as an old-school pedal-steel guitar keeps wanging away. She cries here at a grandfather's funeral; gets so horny, on the Rodney Crowell-penned first single, that she calls in sick; goes carousing on Buddy and Julie Miller's "Lookin' for a Heartache Like You"; and on the title track, confronts a husband about where he stops on his way home from work. Loveless' every strangled, knotty note is classic in content and contemporary in execution. And vice versa, too. --David Cantwell

Customer Reviews:

The Queen of Country, Beautiful and Genuine Music.......2007-05-25

While Mountain Soul is undeniably my favorite of Patty's albums, this one is the most brilliant and satisfying mixture of traditional country and accessibility. All of her prior albums contain songs seemingly included to garner airplay to draw unfamiliar fans into her music, and they weren't always representative. "I Think About Elvis" comes to mind. None of that is present on On Your Way Home. On this one, Patty and husband/producer Emory have undoubtedly hit the perfect formula for her style and voice. To echo other reviewers, this is a "home run," and country music "can't possibly get better than this."

If you're unfamiliar with her work, "Lovin' All Night" and "Draggin' My Heart Around" will be immediately appealing. "I Wanna Believe" is uptempo fun in the same vein. No where has Patty been more emotive or plaintive than on the title track (my favorite). "Born Again Fool" would have fit on Mountain Soul perfectly. "The Grandpa I Knew" is reminicient of the earlier "Where I'm Bound" and "She Never Stopped Loving Him" or even her performance with Vince Gill, "Go Rest High on that Mountain." No contemporary artist conveys melancholy like Patty. Maybe it's her eastern Kentucky roots.

This is the perfect vehicle for her emotional resonance. It is inspired and inimitable; no other country diva expresses the range of emotions that Patty does. I admit to bias; I've been a huge fan for about 15 years, but her music just keeps getting better.

Real McCoy without the twang..........2004-10-19

Now this is good country music...the real McCoy without the twang and so much better than what the music industry tries to pass off as country. There are lots of guitars, fiddles and pedal steel giving this CD a real down-home rootsy feel. Loveless possesses an excellent voice that emotes honestly. The one negative is that none of the songs are hers but she covers some great talent such as Jim Lauderdale, Buddy Miller and Rodney Crowell. The last cut is a real tearjerker called "The Grandpa That I Knew".

A Little Short of the Mountain Soul Standard.......2004-09-23

Among many other sterling attributes, Patty Loveless and/or her husband-producer Emory Gordy sure know how to close out a CD. The Grandpa That I Know tears me up every time, as sure as One Day I Will Lead the Parade, Where I'm Bound and Sounds of Loneliness did on previous albums.

Much of On Your Way Home continues the roots bluegrass of Mountain Soul. Songs like On Your Way Home, Born Again Fool and Higher than the Wall -- all by different songwriters, some of them mainstream country regulars -- nonetheless manage, in the hands of Loveless and her band, to sound as if, to take a lyric from Grandpa, they "never dreamed beyond the county line." There is also a terrific long-term substance abuse song, Last in a Long Lonesome Line, that great though it is simply does not track with the gorgeous Ms. Loveless. Hank Williams, George Jones, yes, but Patty Loveless singing "They say the blood in my body is agin' like wine"? I don't think so.

On Your Way Home lacks Mountain Soul's consistency because two or three cuts yank it back as close to country FM radio bland as Loveless gets. Looking for a Heartache Like You, ironically co-written by the enormously talented Buddy and Julie Miller -- along with Jim Lauderdale --, is just dull. And where The Boys are Back Again immediately introduced Mountain Soul as a fresh, traditional sound, Draggin' My Heart Around and Nothin' Like the
Lonely are good but nothing that grabs you and won't let go.

Stay out of the city, Patty, stay in Harlan County and think about doing some writing or arranging of your own, as on a couple Mountain Soul songs.

Patty is the Best singer ever!!.......2004-04-22

This is a great album !!!!I don't think there is anyone that can sing songs the way Patty does. The songs on this album pull my heartstrings real good.

GOOD CD.......2004-03-25

but dont buy from CDNOW IF YOU WANT THE DVD WITH YOURS I GOT 2 COPYS AND BOTH NO DVD AND THEY DONT LIKE TO SHOW THERE # SO HERE YOU GO 1-866-771-5460

Average customer rating:

Lerner & Loewe Songbook
Wouldn't it be lovely?
A Successful Sequel
Delightful Listening

Lerner & Loewe Songbook for Orchestra
Frederick Loewe , and Erich Kunzel
Manufacturer: Telarc
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Orchestral Pop | Easy Listening | Pop | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Rodgers & Hammerstein: Songbook for Orchestra (Orchestral Suites)
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Puttin' on the Ritz: The Great Hollywood Musicals
Classics of the Silver Screen
Beautiful Hollywood

ASIN: B000003D0E
Release Date: 1994-01-25

Tracks:

I Wonder What The King Is Doing Tonight - The March To Welcome Guenevere - Et Al.
Wouldn't It Be Loverly - With A Little Bit Of Luck - Et Al.
The Night They Invented Champagne - Waltz At Maxim's - Et Al.
They Call The Wind Mariah - I Still See Elisa - Et Al.
Sword Dance - Down On MacConnachy Square - Et Al.

Customer Reviews:

Lerner & Loewe Songbook.......2006-02-24

If you like Percy Faith's music, you'll like this one. He quit recording and died much too young. But while he lived, he recorded some great music.

Wouldn't it be lovely?.......2005-09-26

This CD represents some of the best of Broadway done in a great pops style. There are five orchestral suites, one each for the following: 'Camelot', 'My Fair Lady', 'Gigi', 'Paint Your Wagon', and 'Bridgadoon'. They are all arranged for orchestra by Robert Russell Bennett, save that for 'Paint Your Wagon', which was arranged by Cincinnati Pops Orchestra director Erich Kunzel.

The works of Lerner and Loewe were a mainstay of Broadway for decades in the 1950s, 60s, and 70s, but it was during the late 50s and early 60s that their true glory days took hold. The presidential term of John F. Kennedy gained the nickname 'Camelot' in part because of the influence of the Lerner and Loewe production going on at the start. The songs contained in these suites are instantly recognisable by many, as the Lerner and Loewe songs have become so well known that many know the songs better than the musicals or the composers from which they come. 'I Could Have Danced All Night' and 'Wouldn't It Be Lovely' come from 'My Fair Lady', 'Thank Heaven for Little Girls' from 'Gigi' - these are but the most of famous of the familiar tunes.

There are a lot of pieces here that the listener will appreciate, both in remembering old pieces or in learning new nuances to the tunes.

This particular disc by Telarc has a feature called 'Spatializer', which gives a three-dimensional quality to the sterophonic sound, enhancing regular players and working well with surround-sound systems, too. The Cincinnati Pops are expert at this kind of music, having produced dozens of CDs of popular music and modern composers of musicals, film music, and pops-oriented major compositions.

This is a fun disc to have.

A Successful Sequel.......2005-08-03

This CD is a follow-up to the Rodgers & Hammerstein Songbook for Orchestra (1991) from the same team. It is a thoroughly successful sequel: I believe anyone who enjoyed the R&H will enjoy this one as well. If I am very slightly less enthusiastic about this one than the R&H, it's not because of any shortcoming of Kunzel, the Cincinnati Pops, or Telarc, all of whom are at the top of their form. Rather it's because Frederick Loewe, for all his undoubted expertise, is not quite in the same class as a composer with Richard Rodgers. But that's asking a lot, since Rodgers was the American musical theater's leading light. Lerner & Loewe's musicals were second only to R&H's during the golden age of the American musical, and their My Fair Lady is by any standard one of the best musicals ever staged. If Loewe did not create as many unforgettable numbers as Rodgers, he nevertheless wrote many delightful songs and much enjoyable music. This CD features five orchestral suites, ranging in length from 9 to 18 minutes (total playing time 68:06), from Brigadoon (1947), Paint Your Wagon (1951), My Fair Lady (1956), Gigi (film 1958; staged 1973), and Camelot (1960). The arrangements (all but one by Robert Russell Bennett) are expert. The performances are masterly (if perhaps lacking in just a tad of the infectious brio that the same team brought to R&H). And Telarc's robust sound (recorded 1993) would be hard to improve on. Warmly recommended.

Delightful Listening.......1998-12-05

Some of the nicest and nearly forgotten music (Paint your Wagon & Brigadoon) is nicely compiled here. It will make you want to listen to the full soundtracks again, but for a quick tour of Lerner & Lowe, it is very nice.