Along the Way

1. "Sina" - Missing You

2. Don't Miss Out

3. Buffalo

4. Walk

5. Sundown

6. Young Scouts

7. My Friend

8. Nita-Ta-Keet

9. Bulls

10. Ma and Pa

11. Wishes

12. Blackfoot

Along the Way,Algin Scabby Robe,Canyon Records,Int'l & World Music,Native American,Pop

Average customer rating: Soviet Army Band & Chorus aren't taking any prisoners! Good music. Magnificent! I loved it! The ultimate collection

Best of the Red Army Choir Red Army Choir Manufacturer: Silva America ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | International | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music Similar Items: Soviet Army Chorus & Band Russian Favourites The Hunt For Red October: Music From The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack Best of Communism: Revolutionary Songs Echoes of a Red Empire ASIN: B000066RMJ Release Date: 2002-06-25

Tracks:

1. Kalinka
2. Partisan's Song
3. Souliko
4. Korobelniki
5. On The Road (A Soldier's Song)
6. My Country
7. The Red Army Is The Strongest
8. Moscow Nights
9. Along Peterskaia Street
10. Smuglianka
11. Troika Gallop
12. Ah Nastassia
13. Echelon's Song
14. My Army
15. Civil War Songs
16. Bella Ciao

Tracks:

1. National Anthem Of The USSR
2. Oh Fields, My Fields
3. The Cliff
4. The Cossacks
5. In The Central Steppes
6. Gandzia
7. Cossack's Song
8. The Roads
9. Song Of The Volga Boatman
10. Dark Eyes
11. Let's Go
12. The Birch Tree
13. The Road Song
14. The Samovars
15. Varchavianka
16. Slavery And Suffering

Customer Reviews:

Soviet Army Band & Chorus aren't taking any prisoners!.......2007-05-12

If you enjoy a good stiring martial male chorus then spend some time with these guys. They're all graduates of Soviet musical acadamies and any one of them could have graced the top opera houses of the world. You don't have to know any Russian to appreciate this CD. The songs are glorious (just don't translate them -- machine guns, death to foes, etc.), and will make you want to march on Berlin all over again.

Good music........2007-03-09

I had heard a few songs by the Red Army Choir in the past and happened upon this CD set a while back, I found it to be far better than I had hoped and would reccoment it to anyone who enjoys Russian folk music, choir in general, and cultural items from when Russia was still the Soviet Union.

Magnificent!.......2007-02-27

I'm so glad I stumbled onto this.

Spirited, committed, manly singing. Soul-shaking stuff! The ensemble is incisive; soloists are marvelous. The folk melodies are enchanting. The songs--and the singers--are bound up in the cultural fabric of the Cossacks, Tchaikovsky, Prokofiev, Tolstoy, Dostoevsky...on and on.., Chekhov, Trotsky, Nabakov... This music conveys the great romantic, dignified, boistrous soul of the Russian People. (Loosely speaking. Some members of the chorus were presumably of other nationalities once part of the Soviet Union. And some of the songs are not Russian).

I don't speak Russian, but listening to this makes me wish I did. What a beautiful-sounding language it is.

I loved it!.......2007-02-22

Even though I cannot speak Russian, the quality of this choral group is beyond excellent. Many of these pieces are extremely moving and stirring. The rendering of the Soviet anthem and the song "Let's Go" (V'put) come to my mind. "Let's Go" became a huge hit in Russia when it was featured in a movie about the Great Patriotic War, and indeed, hearing it - you can well imagine ranks upon ranks of hard-eyed, grim-faced Soviet soldiers striding into battle against the Wehrmacht.

The ultimate collection.......2004-06-15

Excellent performance by the choir and the orchestra. The grandeur, the charm, and the romance! Great collection of songs, sure to bring back memories!

Average customer rating: Great CD Great Songs for Kids Monotonous after a while memories My toddler LOVES this!!!!!!!

Songs Kids Love to Sing: Sunday School Songs Various Artists Manufacturer: Straight Way ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Christian & Gospel | Styles | Music Christian Contemporary Music | Christian & Gospel | Styles | Music General | Children's Music | Styles | Music Sing-A-Longs | Children's Music | Styles | Music Pop Rap | Rap & Hip-Hop | Styles | Music 4-for-3 Pop | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music 4-for-3 Rap & Hip-Hop | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music 4-for-3 All Music | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: Songs Kids Love to Sing: Bible Action Songs Songs Kids Love to Sing: Toddler Songs Songs Kids Love to Sing: Favorite Hymns Sunday School Songs Action Bible Songs ASIN: B0000996GZ Release Date: 2003-05-20

Tracks:

1. Arky Arky
2. Down In My Heart
3. The B-I-B-L-E
4. God Is So Good
5. He's Got The Whole World In His Hands
6. If You're Happy And You Know It
7. I'm In The Lord's Army
8. Trust And Obey
9. All Day Song
10. The Light Medley: This Little Light Of Mine/Sunbeam/Let The Light Shine In
11. The Jesus Medley: Jesus Loves The Little Children/Jesus Loves Me This I Know/I Have Decided To Follow Jesus/When I Get To Heaven
12. O Be Careful Little Eyes
13. The Lord Is My Shepherd
14. The Birdies In The Treetops
15. This Train
16. Whisper A Prayer
17. Zacchaeus Was A Wee Little Man
18. Father Abraham
19. Kum Ba Ya
20. The Wise Man Built His House

Customer Reviews:

Great CD.......2007-06-27

My son and I have really enjoyed the songs on the CD... We just finished a kids version of the bible and the songs have been fun to listen to and remember the story from the bible :)

Great Songs for Kids.......2007-05-21

We love this music at our house. I plan on using it in my 3 year olds class that I teach at pre school. It is a lot of fun and the kids sing along.

Monotonous after a while.......2007-03-08

We've been letting my [...]listen to mostly Sesame Street music. Compared to Sesame Street music, this CD was rather boring. All the tunes sounded similar after awhile since the children's voices kept the same range through the CD. It's not that bad but I'd give the other CDs in this collection a miss.

memories.......2007-01-10

This CD brought many memories of songs from my childhood, my grandson loved the music.

My toddler LOVES this!!!!!!!.......2004-09-08

Because of the success of this CD with my 17 month old, I bought several other "kid" sing-along CD's from different companies. Huge disappointment. The "kids" were teenagers and they weren't songs a toddler could relate to, like or sing.

THIS CD however, gets him bouncing up and down in his car seat. He loves it. If he's cranky while doing errands, I just turn this on and he's Mr. Happy. You will NOT be disappointed. Stick with this brand.

Average customer rating: Just what I wanted I Want to be a producer Spring Time for "The Producers" Mel Brooks = Brilliant it won 11 (if im correct) TONY awards for a reason!

The Producers (2001 Original Broadway Cast) Mel Brooks , Matthew Broderick , Nathan Lane , Roger Bart , Gary Beach , Cady Huffman , Jesse Levy , and Grace Paradise, Jennifer Smith Tony Kadleck Manufacturer: Sony ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Musical Theater | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Movie Scores | Soundtracks | Styles | Music Movie Soundtracks | Soundtracks | Styles | Music General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music General | Musicals | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music Contemporary Musicals | Musicals | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music General | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Theatrical, Incidental & Program Music | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Blowout Music | Stores | Music Soundtracks | Styles | Blowout Music | Stores | Music Classical | Styles | Blowout Music | Stores | Music All Blowout Music | Blowout Music | Stores | Music More Titles at Least 25% Off | Blowout Music | Stores | Music Classical Music | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music Opera & Vocal | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music Movie Scores | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music Musicals | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music Similar Items: Monty Python's Spamalot (2005 Original Broadway Cast) Hairspray (2002 Original Broadway Cast) Wicked (2003 Original Broadway Cast) The Producers (2005 Movie Soundtrack) Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (2005 Original Broadway Cast) ASIN: B00005AY6I Release Date: 2001-04-17

Tracks:

1. Overture
2. Opening Night
3. The King of Broadway
4. We Can Do It
5. Unhappy
6. I Wanna Be a Producer
7. In Old Bavaria
8. Der Guten Tag Hop-Clop
9. Keep It Gay
10. When You Got It, Flaunt It
11. Along Came Bialy
12. That Face
13. Have You Ever Heard the German Band?
14. It's Bad Luck to Say Good Luck on Op'ning Night
15. Springtime for hitler
16. Where Did We Go Right?
17. Betrayed
18. 'Til Him
19. Prisoners Of Love (Leo & Max)
20. Goodbye!

Amazon.com's Best of 2001

The Producers was the vehicle that first proclaimed Mel Brooks's decidedly singular comic vision as a film director in 1968. At the time, the world may not have been entirely ready for the depth charges of hilarity he unleashed; but more than three decades later, it seemed almost foreordained that the film's retooling as a full-fledged musical--directed and choreographed by Susan Stroman--would become the smash hit of the 2000-2001 Broadway season (even before opening at the St. James Theatre in April). Brooks is, of course, no stranger to the Broadway musical genre or to songwriting, but skeptics might find themselves taken by surprise at just how outrageously well all the threads come together for the new show.

The film's absurd core vignette--the infamous "Springtime for Hitler"--if anything gains a few notches in hilarity when framed by a character-rich musical that comes off as both parody and valentine in its mimicry of Broadway's "golden age." Brooks (with the help of idiomatically expert arrangements by Glen Kelly) has cooked up a variety of numbers constituting a virtual primer of old-fashioned American musical comedy styles (there's even a toying with Cabaret-style decadence), but they're always coated with an extra layer of zaniness. In fact, the whole show becomes a Chinese box of parodies within parodies. But what really gets the whole mix working is a surefire cast headed by Nathan Lane playing Max Bialystock and Matthew Broderick doing a delightfully nebbish turn with delusions of misplaced glory as his sidekick, Leo Bloom.

From his first big number (musically winking at Fiddler on the Roof), Lane hungrily lays claim to the role, undaunted by his formidable predecessor, Zero Mostel. Even on disc, you can visualize his over-the-top mugging as a dethroned "king of Broadway" who was "the first producer ever to do summer stock in the winter." Comedy, as they say, is all about timing, and that's exactly what Lane gets right. His interactions with Bloom, Franz Liebkind (Brad Oscar), and Roger de Bris (Gary Beach) are priceless, even when only in sound. As for the tunes, Brooks crafts a number of truly memorable ones--don't be surprised to find yourself horrified as you hum along with "Der Guten Tag Hop-Clop" and, of course, "Springtime for Hitler." --Thomas May

Customer Reviews:

Just what I wanted.......2006-11-06

I saw the making of the CD on TV. The cast does a great job. I have the CD in my car stereo and listen to it often.

I Want to be a producer.......2006-03-06

This recording is great! I saw the play in november and loved the music. I bought the CD a little later and i am still listing to it. The cast are all great singers and did a great job. The songs are witty and catchy and never get old. You should listin to this.(Warning:See the movie or the play before you listin to this, you might hate it if you've have not.)

Spring Time for "The Producers".......2005-12-13

While I'll abmit that Nazi regemes and Hitler are probably some of the least funny thing in the world...i have to admit that the words to Springtime for Hitler are hilarious, just like the rest of the songs on this cast recording.

While "The Producers" Is not as musically complex or mature as other "Best Musical" scores of recent years (Spamalot, Avenue Q, Hairspray,) It is funnier than all of those put together. Nathan lane And Matthew Broderick Are perfectly cast in their roles and Caddy Hoffman is great, and when Ulla belt, she Belts!
the rest of the cast is amazing.

As for the song I can't think of one that I don't like, They are all great!

I would hope that the fact that the show makes light of Hitler doesn't turn you off, because you would be missing somthing great.

Mel Brooks = Brilliant.......2005-12-12

My theatre group went to New York two years ago, adn we did a marathon 4 shows in 3 days. Each show got progressively better, finally culminating in seeing Nathan Lane and Matthew Broderick's final performance of "The Producers." I have been a fan of Brooks' since I saw "Robin Hood: Men in Tights" 5 years ago. Naturally, I was beyond excited to see the show he made of his most brilliant film.

I was not disappointed. It was funny, racy, and downright fabulous. I bought the soundtrack at intermission and have been listening to it ever since. I highly recommend it to anyone who loves musicals. Lane and Broderick play off each other perfectly, Cady Huffman has one of the best belting voices I've heard in ages, and the songs are actually FUNNY.

Aside from raving about one of my favorite shows, I would like to address the comments made about the show downplaying Hitler and being racist towards Germans. In no way does this show downplay Hitler's terrible deeds. Bialystock and Bloom make several comments about how disgusted they are about the play- the fact that it is so insulting to our sensibilities is the reason why it was chosen in the first place. I am Jewish and have studied the Holocaust and WWII for years. I was not offended in the least, nor did I feel the Brooks was promoting or trivializing Hitler's war crimes. Brooks himself is Jewish for god's sake.

Second, I see nothing in the show that is racist towards Germans. Yes there is a Nazi in it who is German. How is that racist? The Nazis went all over the world after WWII- it is possible that several ended up in New York City. And no one will argue that some Nazi's were German. You might as well say that the show is discriminatory towards Swedes, or gay directors, or producers, or the countless number of things made fun of in the show.

it won 11 (if im correct) TONY awards for a reason!.......2005-12-08

This is by far the funniest thing I have ever seen. I got the chance to see it on broadway with Lane (unfortunatly not Broderick) and most of the original cast. For some reason, certain people seem to think this play is racist. First off, the whole thing is pure 100% SATIRE. I'm 15 and I can realize that. Also, are you aware that Mel Brooks is jewish? Yeah, so lighten up. I realize what Hitler did, and it will never be forgotten. But my God, get a sense of humor. In case you never saw the play, the Bavarian guy breaks his leg (making "It's bad luck to say good luck on opening night funny) and is replaced by the gay director for the song "Springtime for Hitler". ITS HILARIOUS! BROOKS MADE HITLER A GAY GUY! And why do you think he did that? Geeze... just lighten up!

So about the CD...awesome. I love these songs, and I am very much looking forward to seeing the movie version of the musical coming out in late December! GO SEE IT!

Average customer rating: Old School Fun! A Must Have for Anyone with Kids!! What Friendship Means We really enjoy this CD Saw the show at the Children's Theatre Company in Minneapolis

A Year with Frog and Toad (Original Cast Recording) Robert Reale , Willie Reale , Jay Goede , Mark Linn-Baker , and Kate Reinders Manufacturer: P.S. Classics ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Musical Theater | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music General | Musicals | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music General | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Theatrical, Incidental & Program Music | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Sing-A-Longs | Children's Music | Styles | Music Similar Items: Frog and Toad All Year (I Can Read Book 2) The Frog and Toad Collection Box Set (I Can Read Book 2) Days with Frog and Toad Frog and Toad Are Friends (I Can Read Book 2) Frog and Toad CD Audio Collection ASIN: B0001IN0LW Release Date: 2004-04-06

Tracks:

1. Opening
2. A Year With Frog And Toad
3. It's Spring
4. Seeds
5. The Letter
6. Gotta Loada Toad
7. Underwater Ballet
8. Alone
9. The Letter (Reprise)
10. Cookies
11. Entr'Acte
12. The Kite
13. A Year With Frog And Toad (Reprise)
14. He'll Never Know
15. Shivers
16. The Letter
17. Down The Hill
18. I'm Coming Out Of My Shell
19. Toad To The Rescue
20. Merry Almost Christmas
21. Finale

Amazon.com

A winning combination of a talented cast, appealing music and lyrics by Robert and Willie Reale, and Arnold Lobel's classic children's books made A Year with Frog and Toad a Broadway success that earned 2004 Tony nominations for best musical, best book, and best original score. The brainchild of Adrianne Lobel (the author's daughter and a veteran stage designer) and the Reale Brothers, Frog and Toad was originally produced at The Children's Theater of Minneapolis, turning Lobel's stories into entertaining vignettes starring the titular amphibians (played by Jay Goede and Mark Linn-Baker, Adrianne Lobel's husband) and colored by jazzy '30s-style music. "The Kite," for example, is an energetic Charleston, "He'll Never Know" is a soft shoe, and "Seeds" illustrates Toad's gentle love of plant life in a lyric ballad. This recording captures the original cast from Minneapolis (which transferred intact to Broadway, except Jennifer Gambatese replaced Kate Reinders as one of the birds) and adds an attractive 32-page booklet filled with photos, lyrics, and notes by Adrianne Lobel and the Reales. A Year with Frog and Toad deserves a long life in the repertory of children's theater alongside such fare as You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown. --David Horiuchi

Customer Reviews:

Old School Fun!.......2007-05-26

We just love this family CD. The songs are so much fun... Even I find myself lost in imagination as I listen to these songs - It reminds me of simpler times when a book is all you needed for entertainment. A must for Frog & Toad lovers!!!!

A Must Have for Anyone with Kids!!.......2007-05-23

We've seen the musical twice now and would love to see it again. The songs are catchy, clever and cute. The characters are wonderful and richly developed. The songs go along perfectly with the stories if you have the book (if you don't you should get it). This is fun for our kids and I like it too!
Absolutely delightful!

What Friendship Means.......2007-01-15

This is a delightful musical designed to appeal to children of all ages. (I'm 65 and found it magical!) Although I sure it's better to see the show than just hear it, this cast recording captures the energy of the show quite well. Most importantly, the valuable message of the show comes through very well on this recording. The message of the show is to answer the important question: "What is friendship?" Frog and Toad teach us the true meaning of this wonderful word in a way that is fun to hear!!

We really enjoy this CD.......2007-01-10

My daughter saw the play, my son did not. But both of them are singing along with this CD all the time! It's very fun music.

Saw the show at the Children's Theatre Company in Minneapolis.......2006-11-20

I am about to order my third copy of this disk. I have two boys, ages 11 and 7, and theater-going is the one art-y activity I can get them to do. We are ardent Children's Theatre Company fans, and this is one of our favorites. Even their dad- who doesn't usually accompany us to the theater, LOVES this disk. (Now, if we could only quit wrecking it up!)

The book is based on the Arnold Lobel books. Interesting facts: His daughter and inspiration, Adrienne, was twice involved with the production. First-wise as the set designer, secondly as real-life wife to cast-member Mark Linn-Baker (Toad, also seen on TV in Perfect Strangers, and in the very enjoyable movie My Favorite Year).

All the cast is simply wonderful. The lyrics and music are so much fun. You'll be singing along before you know it!

Highly recommended - you don't need to see the show to *love* this music.

Average customer rating: Ring introduction critique FASCINATING STUDY FOR NOVICES AND AFFICIONADOS ALIKE Welcome back to a classic analysis Essential for Understanding Wagner's Ring Cycle Very Functional

An Introduction to Der Ring des Nibelungen Deryck Cooke , Georg Solti , Wiener Philharmoniker , Anita Valkki , Berit Lindholm , Birgit Nilsson , Brigitte Fassbaender , Christa Ludwig , Claire Watson , Claudia Hellmann , Dame Gwyneth Jones , Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau , Eberhard Wächter , George London , Gerhard Stolze , Gottlob Frick , Grace Hoffmann , Gustav Neidlinger , Hans Hotter , Helen Watts , Helga Dernesch , Hetty Plumacher , Ira Malaniuk , James King , Jean Madeira , Joan Sutherland , Kirsten Flagstad , Kurt Böhme , Lucia Popp , Marga Höffgen , Marilyn Tyler , Maureen Guy , Oda Balsborg , Paul Kuen , Régine Crespin , Set Svanholm , Vera Little , Vera Schlosser , Waldemar Kmentt , Walter Kreppel , and Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra Manufacturer: Decca ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Chamber Music | Forms & Genres | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General Modern | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra | ( V ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Baritones | Voices | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music The Decca Records Store | Specialty Stores | Music Similar Items: Wagner's Ring: Turning the Sky Round Wagner - Der Ring des Nibelungen (Ring Cycle) / Sir Georg Solti Decoding Wagner: An Invitation to His World of Music Drama (includes 2 CDs) Wagner - Der Ring des Nibelungen / Levine, Metropolitan Opera (Complete Ring Cycle) Ring of the Nibelung ASIN: B00000424H Release Date: 2005-09-13

Tracks:

1. Of All Great Musical Compositions... (Examples 1-4)
2. The Fundamental Symbol... (Examples 5-11)
3. Returning Now To The Nature Motive... (Examples 6, 12-16)
4. A Number Of Further Motives... (Examples 5, 17-21)
5. A Second, Much Smaller Family... (Examples 22-25)
6. So Much For Nature. (Examples 26-38)
7. The Cause Of The Deterioration... (Examples 39-44)
8. The Other Transformation... (Examples 45-48)
9. Several Other Motives... (Examples 49-52)
10. Two Further Motives... (Examples 41, 53-61)
11. The Basic Motive Associated With The Spear... (Examples 62-68)
12. Along Another, More Complex Line... (Examples 69-72)
13. In Act Two Of Walkure... (Examples 69, 73-75)
14. Returning Now To Act Two Of Walkure... (Examples 76-79)
15. Love Is Another Of The Central Symbols... (Examples 80-83)
16. Later In The Same Scene... (Examples 84-87)
17. Freia's Motive Has Two Independent Segments... (Examples 88-91)
18. The Label 'Flight'... (Example 92)
19. When Fasolt, In Scene Two Of Rhinegold... (Examples 93-98)
20. A Little Later In The Interlude... (Examples 99-103)

Tracks:

1. The Other New Motive... (Examples 104-109)
2. There Are Several Independent Love-Motives... (Examples 110-114)
3. The Characters In Whose Lives... (Examples 115-120)
4. One Further Motive Belongs... (Example 121)
5. The Sword Motive Recurs... (Examples 122-130)
6. Ironically, This Phrase... (Examples 131-135)
7. Closely Associated With Gutrune's Motive... (Examples 136-140)
8. Here We Come To The End... (Examples 141-146)
9. Complemtary To This Symbol... (Examples 147-149)
10. One Last Central Symbol... (Examples 150-157)
11. One Further Motive Connected... (Examples 158-161)
12. There Are One Or Two Motives... (Examples 162-168)
13. These Motives Of Alberich And Mime... (Examples 169-171)
14. Quite A Number Of The Subsidiary Motives... (Examples 172-176)
15. Besides This Family Of Motives... (Examples 177-180)
16. Our Final Example... (Examples 10, 181, 182)
17. In The Final Scene Of Gotterdammerung... (Examples 181-183)
18. Even More Masterly... (Examples 184-188)
19. Now If We Return... (Examples 189-191)
20. This Masterly Way... (Examples 192, 193)

Amazon.com

When Wagner set the Ring to music, he intended the orchestra to act in the fashion of a chorus from a classic Greek tragedy--setting the mood and commenting on the action. In order to allow a nonverbal musical line to reflect on the plot, Wagner developed a psychologically and musically complex symbology to communicate his thoughts to the listener. From the beginning the Ring has spawned numerous written commentaries on the relationships of the motif structure, but by using examples from the Decca Ring recording, Deryck Cooke's thoughtful spoken commentary is by far the most accessible guide for either the fledgling Ring enthusiast or the seasoned veteran. --Christian C. Rix

Customer Reviews:

Ring introduction critique.......2006-11-04

This is very worthwhile, at the same time it requires time, patience and attention, but it does provide some keys to better enjoyment of a sensational piece of music.

FASCINATING STUDY FOR NOVICES AND AFFICIONADOS ALIKE.......2006-08-16

This may look an intimidating, daunting and dull prospect - a 2+ hour lecture on the motifs in the Ring. Don't be put off. Whether you're a relative novice to the Ring and want to find out what it's all about, more experienced with a desire to understand the composer's methods better or an afficionado who thinks he knows it all inside out, there is great pleasure as well as elucidation to be had from this set. Originally made to accompany the Decca Solti Ring, it contains a multitude of musical illustrations taken from those recordings as well as some specially recorded by Solti just for this Introduction.

It wasn't the first time this has been tried. The famous HMV sets from the late 20's also included recorded examples of over 100 motifs. (These, by the way, are available as part of the Pearl reissue of those wonderful HMV recordings). What that set lacked was the wonderful insights as well as the approachability of the talk by Deryck Cooke. Cooke was a great and much missed musicologist - a Mahler expert responsible for the performing edition of the Tenth Symphony still most played today, a fascinating explorer into the nature of music's basic building-blocks in his excellent book, The Language of Music, and an inspiring and elucidating critic of Wagner's work as shown by the fascinating book he left unfinished at his death, I Saw the World End.

On these CDs he does much more than list the leitmotifs and identify them as calling-cards. He shows the amazingly integrated and organic growth of the musical material that Wagner uses throughout his vast work. He demonstrates how motifs can change their sense and meaning as they evolve through the drama. And he shows how the complex combinations of motifs can radically advance both the musical and the dramatic narrative of the piece. There are even places where he corrects the misinterpretation of some of the motifs that had become ingrained from early commentators' false labels.

This set should engage and enlighten anyone with an interest in Wagner's huge and inexhaustible tetralogy. Do give it a try - no matter how far down the road to Wagnerianism you are.

Welcome back to a classic analysis.......2006-05-28

Deryck Cooke's lecture series upon THE RING is almost as much a classic by now as the Solti RING cycle, with which it was originally issued on LP, and from which it derives its musical examples. The difference is that whereas the Solti RING has been continuously in print ever since it was completed, and was among the first opera sets to benefit from the CD revolution, the Cooke analysis was for long almost totally unobtainable. Now we have it back. It should be welcomed: it is a classic. Cooke's mellow, deep voice with the hint of a Celtic burr - which made him ideal on BBC radio - patiently explains Wagner's melodic, rhythmic, and harmonic metamorphoses to such good effect that if you own this recording, you really require no other RING analysis. (A pity about the abrupt beginnings and endings of too many vocal and orchestral illustrations, though.) Musicology lost a fine, sensitive thinker with Cooke's premature death in 1976.

If all you want is dilettantish baby food, there are plenty of dumbed-down Wagner commentaries on the market, stretching from Anna Russell's famous monologue (which doesn't pretend to be anything other than a parody aimed at morons) to the latest standard-issue "Wagner-was-a-Nazi-boo-hiss" feuilleton (which, unfortunately, does). Without reasonable score-reading skill you will find Cooke useless, however diligently you have ploughed through Marx, Jung, Freud, or other gurus purportedly relevant to THE RING. Cooke expects you to use your brains and your musical sense. Quelle horreur. At today's BBC his "elitism" would render him unemployable.

Essential for Understanding Wagner's Ring Cycle.......2006-05-15

I originally bought this set on vinyl in the early 70s when I discovered the Ring in college. I studied the records and booklet assiduously, and after about three run-throughs I finally started getting it. Wow! Thirty-five years later, I still remember Mr. Cooke's analyses of various motive families, and I don't know how I could have mastered and loved the Ring without him. I now own this set on CD and listen again on the rare occasion of attending a Ring performance. My wife calls me a "Ring nut," but of course I'm nuts about many other things as well.

Bottom line, buy this set and study it if the Ring has captivated you as it has countless others. The presentation is dry, but sticking with it brings measureless and longlasting rewards.

Very Functional.......2006-03-19

This CD set is excellent for what it sets out to do: present the leitmotives of the Ring according to their relationship to one another and their role in developing both characters and plotlines. Deryck Cooke's lectures on each motive are very insightful, very helpful at cueing the listener into the semantic aspect of Wagner's orchestral writing. The one drawback is that the musical examples are a bit jarring. Without fade-ins or -outs, the engineering is quite barbaric. And though the orchestra was, I believe, conducted by Solti, and is beautifully done, the vocal performances can be quite unpleasant. Point being: this is not background music, but in accomplishing what it sets out to do, it is very successful, and I don't know of anything else like it.

Average customer rating: Simply amazing! Not My Favorite Sondheim Score, But Has Its Moments Sondheim Had a Good Thing Going A detailed comparison of the two versions of this CD It's okay, but...

Merrily We Roll Along (1981 Original Broadway Cast) Stephen Sondheim , Jim Walton , and Lonny Price Manufacturer: RCA ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Sondheim, Stephen | ( S ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General Modern | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Theatrical, Incidental & Program Music | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Musical Theater | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music General | Musicals | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music Traditional Vocal Pop | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music Classical Music | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music Opera & Vocal | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music Musicals | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music Similar Items: Sunday in the Park with George (1984 Original Broadway Cast) Sweeney Todd, the Demon Barber of Fleet Street (1979 Original Broadway Cast) Into the Woods (1987 Original Broadway Cast) Curtains (2007 Original Broadway Cast) Company (2006 Broadway Revival Cast) ASIN: B0009A40L6 Release Date: 2007-03-20

Tracks:

1. Overture
2. Hills of Tomorrow/Merrily We Roll Along (1980)/Rich and Happy
3. Merrily We Roll Along (1979-1975)/Old Friends/Like It Was
4. Merrily We Roll Along (1974-1973)/Franklin Shepard, Inc.
5. Old Friends
6. Not a Day Goes By
7. Now You Know
8. It's a Hit!
9. Merrily We Roll Along (1964-1962)/Good Thing Going
10. Merrily We Roll Along (1961-1960)/Bobby and Jackie and Jack
11. Not a Day Goes By
12. Opening Doors
13. Our Time
14. Hills of Tomorrow
15. It's a Hit [*]
16. Not a Day Goes By [*]

Amazon.com

It's a shame that Merrily We Roll Along was such a flop on Broadway, for it contains some of Stephen Sondheim's best, brightest, and brassiest music. The reasons have been well documented: a youthful, inexperienced cast; cheesy sets and costumes; and, most of all, a confusing plot structure that starts in 1980 with bitter, cynical characters and winds its way backward to 1955, when a high school graduating class is dreaming of making its mark on the world. The main focus is on three friends (Jim Walton, Ann Morrison, and Lonny Price) who share musical ambitions but are gradually driven apart by the turbulence and fragmentation of their lives and the America around them. (You'll also hear a pre-Seinfeld Jason Alexander, and even a young chorus girl named Liz Callaway.) Sondheim almost imperceptibly reworks his themes as his characters develop, and the score includes the infectious "Old Friends," the driving title tune, the ballad "Not a Day Goes By," and "Our Time," an uplifting anthem of hope when performed out of the show's context, but emotionally devastating within it. And if the backward structure--inherited from George S. Kaufman and Moss Hart's 1934 version of the show--really bothers you, you can run it almost completely chronologically by reprogramming the CD. --David Horiuchi

Album Description

A Classic Stephen Sondheim Musical Available Now at a New Low Price!

Features bonus tracks, digitally remastered and new liner notes.

Customer Reviews:

Simply amazing!.......2007-06-24

I'll admit, I was completely ignorant of musicals and of Stephen Soundheim until my son joined his high school theater troupe and he got the role of "Terry". I reluctantly attended, only because I wanted to see my son's performance, and prepared myself for what I thought would be a boring night. Boy, was I wrong! Not only was it amazing but my 10 & 8 yr. old daughters, whom I thought were going to be whining after 10 minutes, were enthralled too! I didn't realize my son's theatre troupe was so amazingly talented, the musical was so professionally performed I felt I was at a broadway show! The music is wonderful and entertaining! We have been transformed by this. We now own the soundtrack and often we catch ourselves humming various parts of it often! Especially love "Franklin Shepard, Inc.", which isn't on this copy. You've got to see this to appreciate it!

Not My Favorite Sondheim Score, But Has Its Moments.......2007-05-30

While I have never seen this show, I picked up this remastered version of the original 1981 production due to my interest in Mr. Sondheim's scores. An interesting premise - to stage a show in reverse - but the score doesn't captivate like "Company" or "Sweeney Todd", two of my favorite scores ever. Still, a worthy effort w/ a few standout songs:

Old Friends
Not A Day Goes By
Our Time

Sondheim Had a Good Thing Going.......2005-02-08

Several years ago I saw a college production of MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG. At the time, I knew the musical had been a flop in its original run on Broadway; I went to see the production only because two friends of mine were playing the leading roles of Frank and Charlie. But while watching the show I realized that MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG has a great score -- probably one of the greatest of any unsuccessful musical. "Like It Was," "Not a Day Goes By," and "Good Thing Going" are all haunting ballads, unusually emotional for Sondheim, while "Now You Know" and (especially) "Franklin Shepard, Inc." are patter songs in Sondheim's typical, brilliant style. Even the school "commencement song," "The Hills of Tomorrow," is memorable, as are the ensemble numbers "Rich and Happy" and "Merrily We Roll Along," not to mention the moving anthem "Our Time." Both the title song and "Old Friends" are woven through this backwards-told tale of disillusionment, recurring several times as commentary on the action.
Another original idea was to have all the roles played by very young actors -- teenagers, in fact. (Sondheim and director Harold Prince must have thought that a story about broken youthful ideals would be even more affecting if the cast itself was youthful.) Fortunately, Jim Walton, Lonny Price, and Ann Morrison as the three "old friends" INHABIT their roles to a degree that few mature actors could hope to match, while singing with confidence; Walton's "Not a Day Goes By" in particular is beautifully sung. At times, it is truly hard to believe that these performers are little more than children, so thoroughly assured do they sound. And the choral work is stunning; the chorus, in fact, may be the real star of the recording. Those unfamiliar with MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG and this original Broadway cast recording don't know what they are missing!

A detailed comparison of the two versions of this CD.......2004-02-25

Here, I will give a detailed comparison between the two version of this musical available, character by character, song by song. To begin...

Frank Shepard: Jim Walton (OBC) has undeniable potential, and does especially well in "Old friends", the original Frank version of "Not a day goes by". Still, his performance has serious flaws, and his "Our Time" in particular is painful to listen to. By contrast, Malcolm Gets (NBC) was quieter and subtler in the role, but "Our Time" is the character's most important moment, and he handles it terrifically. His spectacular vocals and soaring idealism contrast sharply with Walton's shrill, shallow delivery.

Charley Kringas: Lonny Price (OBC) is spectacular as Charley. Since Charley remains an uncorrupted idealist at the play's "end", casting a teenager in the role was actually a wise move, and despite his lack of experience, Price turns out one of the most skillful performances in all of Broadway history. I tell you, the kid's a prodigy! Adam Heller (NBC) was adequate in the revival (personally, I'd love to see him do Buddy in "Follies"), but most of Charley's personality is expressed in subtext, and without the tragic complexity Price gave him, he seemed rather boring.

Mary Flynn: Ann Morrison (OBC) is quite talented, and did an excellent portrayal of an angsty teen late in the play, particularly in the second half of "Our Time". Still, she simply sounded too upbeat to be convincing as a cynical middle-aged drunk. Amy Ryder (NBC), on the other hand, is perfectly suited to the role; she has a wonderfully expressive voice and does an excellent job of subtly altering her personality over time.

Beth Spencer: This role requires a measure of overacting, but Sally Klein (OBC) goes so over the top it's not even funny. Anne Bobby (NBC), on the other hand, kept her control and gave a charmingly flamboyant and very human performance.

Gussie Carnigie: Michelle Pawk (NBC) sounds like a real Broadway headliner, and she is just delicious as the show's evil seductress. Terry Finn (OBC) had only a brief dialogue bit on the CD, and she couldn't even handle that without making a fool of herself.

Joe Josephson: Famed comedian Jason Alexander (OBC) made this character funny and charming. Paul Harmon (NBC) was intensely annoying.

As for the individual songs...

Merrily we Roll Along: The song has excellent lyrics, deep and introspective, but in the OBC you can't hear them because the obnoxious Geoffrey Horne is shouting something pointless over them.

Like it was

Amy Ryder sounded far more authentic here than Ann Morrison, although I will say Lonny Price handled his dialogue bits extremely well.

Franklin Shepard INC.

Adam Heller's diction was better in this wordy monologue-song, but I prefer Price's more passionate version.

Old Friends

The OBC has better peformances by everyone except Ann Morrison, as well as two very interesting extra verses tacked on the end.

Not a day goes by

This song was blessed with two great performances, and I honestly can't decide on a favorite between Jim Walton's gorgeous vocals and Anne Bobby's intense acting.

Now you know

The OBC did a great job of setting the mood for this number, and Walton and Morrison are at their best. Still, Amy Ryder did a decent job of salvaging the watered-down, badly edited NBC version.

It's a hit

The OBC cast were much more interesting in this number, and some key material was cut in the NBC anyway.

Good thing going

Heller was by no means bad in this number, but Price blew him out of the water.

Bobby and Jackie and Jack

The NBC is far better; Sally Klein was at her worst here, and Lonny Price, for all his many talents, is no comedian.

Not a day goes by (reprise)

Due to an asinine recording job, you can barely hear Amy Ryder in this number. Thankfully, Ann Morrison does a fabulous performance here.

Opening Doors

Jason Alexander sings beautifully and projects a loveably pushy personality in this montage. Let me say delicately that Harmon does neither of these things. The rest of the cast is excellent in either versioon, except for Jim Walton, who foreshadows the problems with his next song in an unsubtle, extremely annoying performance.

Our Time

If not for Jim Walton, the OBC would have this one in the bag; they close it with a haunting ensemble chorus led by Ann Morrison that gives the song a beautifully profound feel. However, Walton was horrendous in the first half of the song, and because he was so utterly outclassed by Malcolm Gets' exquisite performance, the song overall is far more effective in the NBC.

Finally, as for the songs that were in both versions...

The Hills of Tomorrow (OBC)

A lovely song and an excellent opening. I appreciate its importance to the plot as the first song Frank ever wrote, but I think reprising it to close the show was not as effective as simply closing with "Our Time".

That Frank (NBC)

Weak as a plot climax. I understand that in the show, it was merely intended to "set up" a dramatic confrontation in the book scenes, but on the CD it was a noticeable letdown. Still, Amy Ryder's antics as Mary were fun and powerful.

Rich and Happy (OBC)

A powerful and disturbing climax and an excellent alternative to the shallow "That Frank", even if Walton could have performed it better.

Growing up (NBC)

A complex and thought-provoking song with a beautiful melody, performed extremely well by Malcolm Gets and Michele Pawk. I personally think it serves a necessary role in the play, and I'm very glad they added it to fill that void. It gives us a chance to see into Frank's mind, something none of the other songs do. Gussie's later reprise of this song, however, is watered down and, despite its beauty, completely unnecessary.

The Blob (NBC)

A satirically funny and mildly disturbing song. Part of it appears in the OBC, but Gussie's cynically witty second verse really brings it to life.

In general, I actually recommend you get both version if you get either. Each one contains wonderful moments the other one screws up. If you must get only one, though, get the NBC. It may not be as good is some places, but it has fewer flaws.

It's okay, but..........2003-08-25

You're better off with the 1994 York Theater Off-Brodway version with Malcom Gets...while this one is pleasent at best, it's much too clunky and all over the place to really, really enjoy...the songs that were cut from this version like "Rich and Happy" are genuienly solid, but there are far too few of them to make up for the lack of fluidness that accompanies this version. Many people complain that the new version is "too artifical" with it's use of (minimum) synthesizers, and that the cast isn't adequate enough to handle the score, but I disagree...the cast for this version is simply much too young and inexperienced to really get a grasp on what it's like to play middle aged cynics. On the other hand, the '94 cast is well-equipped to handle the their roles both emotionaly and mentally. That's not to say that this version is completely devoid of any redeeming qualities...it's just far too overrated to earn the place as the definitive recording of Merrily...start with the '94 version, and if you like that one, move on to this one...the former is much more solid and fluid. There is talk of a staged reading this fall, which will hopefully lead to a full-fledged return of this extremely underrated masterpiece...a return more akin to it's latter day revival, and not the original's choppy performance.

Average customer rating: Great CD Simply the Best Inconsistent, but mostly excellent "Celebration" is not strong enough a word A maginificent evening, a magnificent album

Sondheim - A Celebration at Carnegie Hall (1992 Concert Cast) Stephen Sondheim , Betty Buckley , Paul Gemignani , Patti LuPone , Liza Minnelli , and Bernadette Peters Manufacturer: RCA Victor Broadway ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Sondheim, Stephen | ( S ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Theatrical, Incidental & Program Music | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Hadley, Jerry | ( H ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Musical Theater | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music General | Musicals | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music Traditional Vocal Pop | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music General | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music 1990s | By Decade | Soundtracks | Styles | Music 1990s | By Decade | Pop | Styles | Music General | Vocal Pop | Pop | Styles | Music Traditional Pop | Oldies | Pop | Styles | Music 1990-1999 | Decades | Compilations | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music Classical Music | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music Opera & Vocal | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music Musicals | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music Similar Items: Side By Side By Sondheim (1976 Original London Cast) Sondheim Evening: A Musical Tribute (1973 Concert Cast) Send in the Clowns: The Ballads of Stephen Sondheim Sondheim - A Celebration at Carnegie Hall Sondheim, Etc.: Bernadette Peters Live at Carnegie Hall ASIN: B000003FDW Release Date: 1993-02-23

Tracks:

1. Symphonic Sondheim: Sweeney Todd--orchestra, Jerry Hadley ("Johanna"), Eugene Perry,Herbert Perry ("Pretty Women")
2. Evening Introduction--Bill Irwin
3. Loveland/Getting Married Today--Ensemble, Jeanne Lehman, Mark Jacoby, Madeline Kahn
4. Waiting for the Girls Upstairs--George Lee Andrews, Michael Jeter, James Naughton/Love, I Hear--Michael Jeter/Live Alone and Like It--James Naughton
5. Someone Is Waiting--Richard Muenz/Symphonic Sondheim: Barcelona--orchestra
6. Being Alive--Patti LuPone
7. Good Thing Going--The Tonics
8. Losing My Mind/You Could Drive a Person Crazy--Dorothy Loudon
9. Our Time--Boys Choir of Harlem/Children Will Listen--Betty Buckley
10. Anyone Can Whistle--Billy Stritch
11. Water Under the Bridge--Liza Minnellli, Billy Stritch
12. Back in Business--Liza Minnellli, Billy Stritch, Ensemble

Tracks:

1. Symphonic Sondheim: Comedy Tonight--Bill Irwin, orchestra
2. Sooner or Later--Karen Ziemba
3. Pretty Lady--Mark Jacoby, Eugene Perry, Herbert Perry
4. Green Finch and Linnet Bird--Harolyn Blackwell
5. The Ballad of Booth--Patrick Cassidy, Victor Garber
6. Broadway Baby--Daisy Eagan
7. I Never Do Anything Twice--BETTY
8. With So Little to Be Sure Of--Jerry Hadley, Carolann Page
9. Not a Day Goes By--Bernadette Peters
10. Remember?--Ron Baker, Peter Blanchet, Carol Meyer, Bronwyn Thomas, Blythe Walker (Quintet)/A Weekend in the Country--Kevin Anderson, George Lee Andrews, Mark Jacoby, Beverly Lambert, Maureen Moore, Susan Terry, Quintet
11. Send in the Clowns--Glenn Close
12. Old Friends--Liza Minnelli
13. Sunday--Bernadette Peters, Broadway Chorus

Customer Reviews:

Great CD.......2006-08-06

This is a wonderful double CD of fabulous musical numbers performed by theatre greats and directed by a legandary musical director.

Simply the Best.......2005-06-29

First, to the person who criticizes the recording b/c of "Broadway Baby." Daisy Egan (who sings in in this recording) sounds like she's 10 becuase she IS young. She had just appeared on Braodway in Secret Garden and won a Tony for it. It's a joke...Broadway BABY...hello, it's a joke.

In a compilation of songs like this you're always going to have tracks that you prefer over others, but the majority of the renditions in this CD are great. This is simply one of the best collections of Sondheim out there. You get interpretations that span from "classical" (Green Finch), to bordering on insane (Anything Twice). This is to demonstrate how versatile this composer really is.

In my opinion, some of the best renditions are "Not a Day Goes By," "Anyone Can Whistle", "Girls Upstairs Medley," "Losing My Mind/Drive a Person Crazy," and "Weekend inthe Country." Makes me wish I had been there to witness it first hand.

If you love Sondheim and enjoy hearing Broadway performers, get this CD. A great recording.

Inconsistent, but mostly excellent.......2004-03-21

I am sure no knowledgeable person would deny how absolutely perfect all these songs are. However, the performances on this album are extremely inconsistent. It will go from an excellent rendition (Waiting for the Girls medley, Sunday, With So Little To Be Sure Of, Sooner or Later, Green Finch, Send in the Clowns, Pretty Lady) to the weird (I never Do Anything Twice), to the bad (Broadway Baby, Our Time). I still have absolutely no idea how they managed to butcher one of the best songs ever written--Good Thing Going--and turn it into smooth jazz elevator music. Why would they give Broadway Baby to someone who sounds like she's 10? That said, Liza Minelli, Glenn Close, Karen Ziemba, Dorothy Laudon and the "Waiting for the Girls" performers are all very good. And ending with Bernadette Peters and "Sunday" ends the set on a absolutley fabulous note.

"Celebration" is not strong enough a word.......2003-04-30

This review is by Crosley.

I have been a major Sondheim fan for quite some time, and I finally obtained a copy of this album. I was blown away by the excellent cast and phenomenal selection of music. It is obvious how much work went into this production, considering that this is the live recording of a one time show, and it's flawless. The songs cover all of his shows with the exception of "Passion," which was released 3 years after this show. Also, the shows for which he wrote only lyrics are ommited, like West Side Story, Gypsy, etc. Thus, you can find material from A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, Anyone can Whistle, Company, Follies, A Little Night Music, Pacific Overtures, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, Merrily we Roll Along, Sunday in the Park with George, Into the Woods, and Assassins.

There are two striking things about this CD (besides the music and performers themselves). First of all, some of the songs are completely stylistically reworked. The most obvious are "Good Thing Going" and "I Never do Anything Twice." Both are traditionally very ballady with a piano accompaniment, but here they have been redone as jazzy tunes. The result is excellent. Such reworkings demonstrate that Sondheim writes music for virtually any style, and in these cases, across several styles. It's a great example of his variety. The other interesting thing is how many songs have overlapping melodies of songs from different shows. Case in point, "Our Time" and "No one is Alone" are sung seperately by the Harlem Boys Choir and Betty Buckley (the original Grizabella in Webber's atrocious "CATS," although Buckley was excellent) respectively, and then combined. Putting these two songs together offer different meanings to each, and the music is only enhanced. Another example, the trio of "Waiting for the Girls Upstairs," "Love, I Hear," and "Live Alone and Like It" are sung in that order, and then the latter two are combined. Again, the meanings of the songs change, this time in an almost narrative style, and offering different takes on love in the same montage. Lastly (at least for this review, there are more), Dorothy Laudon's (the original Ms. Hannigan in Annie) combination of "Losing my Mind" and "You Could Drive a Person Crazy" is brilliant. Those who are familiar with these songs will wonder how exactly they fit, but trust me, they do. She swtiches back and forth between melodies to create a number that starts poignant and beautiful, and soon moves to become uproariously funny. Both the song reworkings and overlapping melodies of unrelated songs are all for the better.

I recommend this recording to anyone wanting to get better acquainted with some of Sondheim's best work, or those already familiar who want to hear a tour de force of phenomenal music. It has been said that Sondheim is a masterful lyricist (which he is), but lacks real talent for music. This CD is the final proof that such critics are wrong. His music may take a few listenings to get into, contrary to Webber or Wildhorn, but unlike those two, he doesn't cater to the audience. He challenges them to think outside of traditional musical theater in a glorious repertoise of shows that reach for a smarter, more sophisticated form.

A maginificent evening, a magnificent album.......2001-12-16

There's something to be said for the first concert you ever see at Carnegie Hall. I was fortunate enough to have this be my first. This entire evening was devoted to his genius and the performers did not disappoint.

This wonderful double CD shows off the best and brightest of the musical theatre composer and it is, as one person put it, "an embarassment of riches." With songs from his finest works done in amazing arrangements (listen to that harmony in "We Had a Good Thing Going"!) combined with fabulous performers this is a Sondheim lovers delight.

My favorite song is, without a doubt, Dorothy Louden and her wonderful medley of "Losing My Mind" into "You Could Drive a Person Crazy" followed very closely by the recently departed Madeline Kahn singing "Getting Married Today."

Average customer rating: Another good smooth jazz guitarist Smooth Jazz Grooves The way pop jazz ought to be played Very good cd. Another great CD from Brian

Along the Way Brian Hughes Manufacturer: A440 Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Jazz | Styles | Music Smooth Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music Similar Items: Shakin', Not Stirred One 2 One Between Dusk...And Dreaming Pacific Coast Highway Under One Sky ASIN: B00009Y3QA Release Date: 2003-07-08

Tracks:

1. Along The Way
2. Picture This
3. Cruisin' Route 66
4. Omaha Unbound
5. Son Y Lola
6. Brighter Day
7. Thinkin' Of You
8. Wherever You Are
9. Endless Road

Customer Reviews:

Another good smooth jazz guitarist.......2007-03-30

Brain has been playing for years, went more towards Jazz style about 10
years ago or so. This is one of his best, especially with guest Chris Botti plugging in some great horn.
GCH

Smooth Jazz Grooves.......2006-07-15

Poppy Jazz beats infuse this album with playful spontaneity and exciting flourishes. Brian Hughes has a sexy sophisticated style that still retains a playful effervescence.

~The Rebecca Review

The way pop jazz ought to be played.......2005-06-19

Pop, or lite jazz is one of the hardest forms to do because too often it can sound like Muzak, aka formulaic and uninspired. Miles Davis and Wes Montgomery were able to play pop/lite jazz in a superb manner.

There is a bit of Wes, plus George Benson in Brian's playing, with a bit of Pat Methany world beat theme. Quality stuff.

By the way, why does Amazon include a 'NO' in 'was this review helpful to you?'. People are only human and don't like opinions that differ from themselves, thus the 'NO' makes it too easy express such displeasure.

Are they trying to discourage negative reviews, hence not purchase the CD. Such reviews only help a person in not being dissatisfied a product that received positive reviews

Very good cd........2005-03-02

Light and moving jazz which really emphasises Brian's moving guitar.This cd beats "Shakin not stirred" and "One 2 one".I would consider this Brians Hughes best effort.Trumpeter extraordinaire Chris Botti accompanies Hughes on Cruisin Route 66.Son y Lola, quickens the pace with Latin flavored and Cuban inspired rhythms. Well versed in world music, Hughes shines. Brian HUghes slows it down a bit on Omaha Unbound where the song is performed on acoustic guitar in a country style, this number is mesmerizing and reflective. It's an easy listen for the ears! Joining Brian Hughes on this record are: Les Portelli (piano and synthesizers), Tim Landers (electric and acoustic bass), Neil Wilkinson (drums) and Jason Hann (percussion). Each musician is exceptional in their own right and together they are an outstanding ensemble!

In conclusion, this cd is very good and it is worth the wait.I am happy I purchased it.

Another great CD from Brian.......2003-07-27

The newest Brian Hughes CD is really great. You can hear it from the first tunes. Most of tracks has some latin traces and his guitar is easily recognizable (in some solos he sounds just like Pat Metheny). There are also great guests on the CD including Eric Marienthal and Chris Botti. The music on CD is very optimistic and uplifting. Another MUST HAVE from Brian.

Average customer rating:

Songbird of the South Kate Smith Manufacturer: Asv Living Era ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Jazz | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music General | Easy Listening | Pop | Styles | Music General | Vocal Pop | Pop | Styles | Music Traditional Vocal Pop | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music General | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music General | Jazz | Indie Music | Stores | Music Traditional & Vocal Pop | Pop | Indie Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: The Best of Kate Smith The Columbia Years 1940-1946 The Encore Collection Two Dozen Roses The Voice of America ASIN: B00006RSMJ Release Date: 2003-01-21

Average customer rating: Great stuff Blues with some Funk Mixed In

Somewhere Along the Way Chris Cain Manufacturer: Blind Pig ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Chicago Blues | Blues | Styles | Music General | Blues | Styles | Music Electric Blues Guitar | Blues | Styles | Music Modern Blues | Blues | Styles | Music General | Jazz | Styles | Music General | Blues | Indie Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: Hall of Shame Can't Buy a Break Unscheduled Flight Late Night City Blues Cain Does King ASIN: B000000N9J Release Date: 1995-08-08

Tracks:

1. Street Of Broken Dreams
2. Steppin' On A Highwire
3. Don't Let The Same Dog Bite You Twice
4. On This Fine Morning
5. Trouble Makin' Woman
6. Movin' Back To Memphis
7. Know Who You Can Trust
8. My Baby's Got It
9. Before The Rooster Crows
10. At The Club
11. Skeletons In Her Closet
12. Somewhere Along The Way

Customer Reviews:

Great stuff.......2002-08-13

Just saw Chris Cain live for the first time. He stood on stage in sun-glases and overalls looking every bit the old rural bluesman, and just proceeded to tear the roof off. Actually there was no roof, it was outdoors, but you get the picture. How a guy for San Jose (capital of Silicon Valley) could learn to play the blues like he was from another-town-another-era is beyind me. I guess I heard his playing as a more lyrical Stevie Ray Vaughn, or a more mercurial BB King. Either way, lovers of great guitar and great music will love his shows. The one I saw left the usually mild crowd howling for more. As for the album, it's very good, but it can't evoke the atmosphere of the live show itself. Very few albums ever do...

Blues with some Funk Mixed In.......2001-08-29

Chris Cain is remarkable. He has amassed an admirable body of work over the years, despite (or perhaps because of)) lack of widespread acclaim. Great chops, solid writing and gritty vocals. This CD stands out, however, for its tight, funky arrangements. Those crisp, punchy horn fills add a groove to Cain's songs and give each one a distinctive sound. And the rhythm section could make your grandma sound good. Coupled with Cain's many other assets, they make this perhaps the finest of his many fine projects.

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