Something To Dance About: The Music Of Irving Berlin

Editorial Reviews
Culture Vulture
"...Criswell’s success is her extraordinarily versatile voice, which ranges from Mermanesque belt to crystal soprano with equal facility..."

All Music Guide
"...Criswell may be an unknown quantity, but this album should change that; show music fans will be delighted."

Album Description
Kim Criswell has starred on both London and New York stages in such productions as Dames At Sea, The Slow Drag, Annie Get Your Gun, Kiss Me Kate, Anything Goes and many more. Although she spends most of her time in London these days, her brassy performances are always eagerly welcomed back to her homeland, where she is currently starring in Call Me Madam at Connecticut’s Godspeed Opera House.

Something To Dance About: The Music Of Irving Berlin

Something To Dance About: The Music Of Irving Berlin, Music, Kim Criswell, Pop, Showtunes / B'Way, Soundtrack
12 Songs From Call Me Madam (1950 Studio Cast) With Selections From Panama Hattie (1940 Original Cast Recording)
Average customer rating: 3 out of 5 stars
  • Ethel Deserved Better Than This
 12 Songs From Call Me Madam (1950 Studio Cast) With Selections From Panama Hattie (1940 Original Cast Recording)
Ethel Merman , and Irving Berlin
Manufacturer: Decca U.S.
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

All Works by PorterAll Works by Porter | Porter, Cole | ( P ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
General ModernGeneral Modern | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Classical | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Theatrical, Incidental & Program Music | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
Musical TheaterMusical Theater | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
NostalgiaNostalgia | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Musicals | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music
Traditional Vocal PopTraditional Vocal Pop | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Soundtracks | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Oldies | Pop | Styles | Music
Traditional PopTraditional Pop | Oldies | Pop | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Vocal Pop | Pop | Styles | Music
The Decca Records StoreThe Decca Records Store | Specialty Stores | Music
Similar Items:
  1. Call Me Madam
  2. Annie Get Your Gun (1946 Original Broadway Cast)
  3. A Connecticut Yankee
  4. A Tree Grows In Brooklyn (1951 Original Broadway Cast)
  5. Coco (1970 Original Broadway Cast)

ASIN: B000002OJO
Release Date: 2001-05-15

Tracks:

  1. Call Me Madam: The Hostess With The Mostes' On The Ball
  2. Call Me Madam: Washington Square Dance
  3. Call Me Madam: Lichtenburg (Cosmo's Opening)
  4. Call Me Madam: Can You Use Any Money Today?
  5. Call Me Madam: Marrying For Love
  6. Call Me Madam: The Ocarina
  7. Call Me Madam: It's A Lovely Day Today
  8. Call Me Madam: The Best Thing For You
  9. Call Me Madam: Something To Dance About
  10. Call Me Madam: Once Upon A Time Today
  11. Call Me Madam: They Like Ike
  12. Call Me Madam: You're Just In Love
  13. Panama Hattie: My Mother Would Love You
  14. Panama Hattie: I've Still Got My Health
  15. Panama Hattie: Let's Be Buddies
  16. Panama Hattie: Make It Another Old Fashioned, Please

Customer Reviews:

3 out of 5 stars Ethel Deserved Better Than This.......2001-06-22

There may indeed be no business like show business. RCA was a major backer of this musical, and fully expected to record the original cast album. Decca, Merman's recording label, wouldn't allow her to appear. The solution the two compnaies decided on was an original cast album on RCA featuring Dinah Shore doing Merman's numbers, and this mediocre studio album.

Decca was never a winner when it came to modern recording techniques. Merman's voice has no echo or reverb to enhance her performance. The arrangements are by Gordon Jenkins, which fit Ethel's style like it was a dress bought in a bargain basement. It is a shame that in the later years of her life, Ethel didn't choose to revisit this score and re-record it, as she did with Annie Get Your Gun twice.

The selections from Panama Hattie are a nice rarity, but they are taken from scratchy shellac originals. There are several compilations that include these numbers with no annoying extraneous noise.
Something To Dance About: The Music Of Irving Berlin
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • THE BEST BROADWAY VOICE TODAY
  • Overdone Arrangements, some good vocals
  • Something to Shout About
 Something To Dance About: The Music Of Irving Berlin
Kim Criswell
Manufacturer: Jay Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

GeneralGeneral | Musicals | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music
Traditional Vocal PopTraditional Vocal Pop | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Soundtracks | Styles | Music
Similar Items:
  1. Back to Before
  2. Defying Gravity
  3. Opposite You

ASIN: B00029RTE4
Release Date: 2004-07-13

Tracks:

  1. How Deep Is the Ocean
  2. The Hostest with the Mostest (Call Me Madam)
  3. Heat Wave (As Thousands Cheer)
  4. Mr. Monotony (Jerome Robbins' Broadway)
  5. Blue Skies (Betsy)
  6. You're Just in Love (Call Me Madam) (with matt bogart)
  7. The Best Thing for You (Call Me Madam)
  8. Washington Square Dance (Call Me Madam)
  9. Let Me Sing and I'm Happy
  10. Always
  11. Down in Chattanooga
  12. White Christmas (Holiday Inn)
  13. Something to Dance About (Call Me Madam)
  14. Count Your Blessings (White Christmas)
  15. God Bless America

Album Description

Kim Criswell has starred on both London and New York stages in such productions as Dames At Sea, The Slow Drag, Annie Get Your Gun, Kiss Me Kate, Anything Goes and many more. Although she spends most of her time in London these days, her brassy performances are always eagerly welcomed back to her homeland, where she is currently starring in Call Me Madam at Connecticut's Godspeed Opera House.

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars THE BEST BROADWAY VOICE TODAY.......2006-11-16

I have recently become aware of the powerful vocal prowess of this amazing singer. She has such a variety of vocal colors to her voice. She combines the best qualities of Ethel Merman, Mary Martin, and Julie Andrews. Highly recommended!

3 out of 5 stars Overdone Arrangements, some good vocals.......2006-05-26

For the variety of Irving Berlin songs this is a great CD, however much of the arrangements are overdone and ruin perfectly wonderful songs. A good example is "Blue Skies" the first half of the song is a wonderful Jazz rendition of the classic, but after the interlude for some reason it goes into a full broadway belt number, which just ruins the piece.

Kim is a belt legit that is for sure and she can mimic Merman perfectly, which she does in "Your Just In Love" perhaps a little too well.

Where she knocks it out of the park is Mr. Monotony great tune and done exceptionally well in all aspects.

This is a good CD for those who like pure broadway, but if you are expecting a more jazzy soulful sound ala Ella you will be disappointed.

5 out of 5 stars Something to Shout About.......2004-08-07

I picked this CD not because I had any idea who Kim Criswell is
but because I love the songs. I wasn't prepared for how wonderful
Ms Criswell's voice is able to master the incredible and sadly
under-recorded Irving Berlin songs from "Call Me Madam." This CD is
a must for those who simply want to hear great songs sung by
someone who knows great material and has a voice that will leave
you cheering for more
Something To Dance About: The Music Of Irving Berlin
Average customer rating: Not rated
    		Something To Dance About: The Music Of Irving Berlin
    Kim Criswell
    Manufacturer: Jay
    ProductGroup: Music
    Binding: Audio CD

    GeneralGeneral | Pop | Styles | Music
    GeneralGeneral | Soundtracks | Styles | Music
    ASIN: B0002LOFNA
    Release Date: 2004-08-03

    Tracks:

    1. How Deep Is The Ocean
    2. The Hostest With The Mostes' On The Ball
    3. Heat Wave
    4. Mr. Monotony
    5. Blue Skies
    6. You're Just In Love
    7. The Best Thing For You
    8. Washington Square Dance
    9. Let Me Sing And I'm Happy
    10. Always
    11. Down In Chattanooga
    12. White Christmas
    13. Something To Dance About
    14. Counting Your Blessings
    15. God Bless America

    Music:

    1. Sondheim Evening: A Musical Tribute (1973 Concert Cast) [Cast Recording] [Live]
    2. St. Louis Woman (1998 Encores!/City Center Cast) [Cast Recording] [Cast Recording]
    3. Stephen Sondheim's A Little Night Music [Soundtrack]
    4. Strait Up [Enhanced]
    5. Sunset Boulevard (1995 Toronto Cast) [Cast Recording]
    6. Tell Me on a Sunday (2003 London Revival Cast) [Cast Recording]
    7. The Best of the Motown Sessions
    8. The Broadway I Love [Cast Recording]
    9. The Cream of Fred Astaire
    10. The Irving Berlin Songbook

    Music

    Music