Dress Casual

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
Mandy Patinkin follows up his successful solo debut with Dress Casual. Keeping the same pattern, he provides some Sondheim ("Sorry-Grateful," "Giants in the Sky"), triple-tracking ("Triplets"), and medleys of standards, as well as some Yiddish ("Yossel, Yossel"). The real highlights, however, are two extended suites, one from Rodgers and Hart's Pal Joey (and no, he doesn't sing "Bewitched" in falsetto) and one from Sondheim's 1966 television drama Evening Primrose. For the first full recording of these four songs, Patinkin recruited Sondheim specialist Bernadette Peters, who sings the only song that got significant play after the show, the beautiful ballad "I Remember." Six years after their collaboration in Sunday in the Park with George, the stars are in perfect sync and give Evening Primrose a well-deserved resuscitation. --David Horiuchi --This text refers to the Audio CD edition.

Tracks:

Doodle Doo Doo (Medley): Doodle Doo Doo
Doodle Doo Doo (Medley): When the Red, Red Robin Comes Bob, Bob Bobbbin' Along
Doodle Doo Doo (Medley): Tchaikovsky
On the Atchison, Topeka, And The Santa Fe
Bein' Green
Triplets
I'm Always Chasing Rainbows
Evening Promrose: If You Can Find Me I'm Here - Mandy Patinkin/Bernadette Peters
Evening Promrose: I Remember - Mandy Patinkin/Bernadette Peters
Evening Promrose: When - Mandy Patinkin/Bernadette Peters
Evening Promrose: Take Me To The World - Mandy Patinkin/Bernadette Peters
Pal Joey Suite: Great Big Town
Pal Joey Suite: You Mustn't Kick It Around
Pal Joey Suite: I Could Write a Book
Pal Joey Suite: Happy Hunting Horn
Pal Joey Suite: What Do I Care for a Dame
Pal Joey Suite: Do It the Hard Way
Pal Joey Suite: I'm Talking to My Pal
Sorry--Grateful
Being Alive
Ya Got Trouble (in River City) - Mandy Patinkin/Boys Choir Of Harlem
Giants In The Sky
Mr. Arthur's Place
Yossel, Yossel
Hollywood Medley: Intro
Hollywood Medley: Steppin' Out with My Baby
Hollywood Medley: A Shine on Your Shoes
Hollywood Medley: It Only Happens When I Dance With You
Hollywood Medley: That International Rag
Hollywood Medley: I've Got Them Feelin' Too Good Today Blues
Hollywood Medley: Let Yourself Go

Amazon.com

Mandy Patinkin follows up his successful solo debut with Dress Casual. Keeping the same pattern, he provides some Sondheim ("Sorry-Grateful," "Giants in the Sky"), triple-tracking ("Triplets"), and medleys of standards, as well as some Yiddish ("Yossel, Yossel"). The real highlights, however, are two extended suites, one from Rodgers and Hart's Pal Joey (and no, he doesn't sing "Bewitched" in falsetto) and one from Sondheim's 1966 television drama Evening Primrose. For the first full recording of these four songs, Patinkin recruited Sondheim specialist Bernadette Peters, who sings the only song that got significant play after the show, the beautiful ballad "I Remember." Six years after their collaboration in Sunday in the Park with George, the stars are in perfect sync and give Evening Primrose a well-deserved resuscitation. --David Horiuchi

Customer Reviews:

"Evening Primrose" slaughtered.......2004-05-26

I bought this for the complete "Evening Primrose" sequence, and boy, was that a mistake. The main problem, I think, is that these four songs were recorded here without composer and lyricist Stephen Sondheim's supervision, and that makes all the difference in the world. Left to his own devices, Mandy Patimkin greatly distorts "If You Can Find Me"'s melody; Bernadette Peters's voice is under the accompaniment on "I Remember" (although she's faithful to the song at least, unlike Patimkin and his arrangers), and the arrangements on "Dress Casual" are over-elaborate, gooey, and unrestrained. Neither singer effectively plays his character.

I didn't care for the other stuff either, but that's your own lookout. Just don't do as I did; don't buy this for "Evening Primrose". Buy instead the "Evening Primrose" that comes with "Frogs".

By the way, WHY is amazon.com listing this under "classical music"? It's about as far from classical as you can get.

Innovative...Beautiful...Spellbounding.......2001-09-24

I can not attempt to begin writting about this album. It is reminds me of what I forgot music could accomplish... "Show Me the World" is breath taking. I simply love this album, it combines standards with rare matterial, and frankly I can't say enough. Mandy and Bernadette Peters together on a few tracks- who could ask for anything more? The orchestations(sp) are mystical and magical, and...and... what can I say? You like Mandy? You love this album. The music can be soft and gentle and emtional, or fast paced and occsionaly silly. If you like muscials, I mean really *good* musicals, and appreciate talent, buy this album. If you do not like it, I will be surprised. Truely.

Fantastic! I just love this man!.......1999-06-30

He could sing the phone book to me. He sings joy, sadness and love all in the same CD. I love everything he sings.

Mandy does..........1999-03-21

...dress casual, that is. At his concerts, Mandy lets nothing distract from the music--no fancy stage costume & set--just his comfortable old black t-shirt, slacks, & sneakers, a hands-free microphone, stool, piano, & accompanist on a bare stage. Dress Casual started out as a Broadway show, & I just happened to be in NYC when it was playing. Did I go see it? Nope--I had no idea who Mandy Patinkin was then. If I had, I wouldn't have been on line for 7 hours to get standby tickets for Phantom of the Opera! Mandy's 2d album finds him in top form, & highlights include previously unrecorded songs from Stephen Sondheim's little-known musical, Evening Primrose. Mandy is joined by fellow Broadway baby, Bernadette Peters, in some stirring duets. Peters & Patinkin are well-matched & exciting to listen to in this tale of a poet who takes refuge from the world in a department store & the mannequin come to life that he falls in love with. Other standout numbers include the nostalgic & lushly orchestrated "On the Atchison, Topeka and the Santa Fe," (introduced by Judy Garland in the "The Harvey Girls"). Mandy, ya done Judy proud! Singing on all 3 tracks, Mandy races through "Triplets," the novelty number from "The Bandwagon," at about triple the original tempo--whew! He also pays tribute to the original "Music Man," Robert Preston, in "Trouble in River City." And there's always Sondheim & then, some more Sondheim on Mandy's albums. If ever there was a singer's composer...the wrenching "Sorry/Grateful" segues into a bravura performance of "Being Alive" -- "someone to know me too well/someone to hurt me too deep/someone to sit in my chair/& ruin my sleep/& make me aware of being alive..." There are so many show stoppers on this album that you'll find yourself hitting the repeat button as a matter of course. If you've only heard Mandy sing snatches of songs on Chicago Hope, then you haven't heard Mandy sing. Let 'er rip!!!!!!!!

Jettisons me from excitement to warmth and comfort.......1998-10-25

Although every Mandy Patinkin CD is a joy, this one has the music I return to most frequently. There are so many cuts that explode in my face - Tschaikowsky is one. (How does he remember...?). I immediately feel the kind of excitement one usually experiences only during a live performance. Then there are the tender and equally passionate numbers such as Mr. Arthur's Place or the Evening Primrose medley which make me feel safe and calm, yet curious, wondering what will happen emotionally the next time I play this fabulous CD.

Music:

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