How Long Has This Been Going On?

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
When Sarah Vaughan recorded this session in 1978, her voice was still one of the finest instruments in jazz, an almost impossible combination of resonant depths, subtly sparkling highs, and myriad slides that could join one note or word to the next. She's accompanied here by an all-star quartet of pianist Oscar Peterson, guitarist Joe Pass, bassist Ray Brown, and drummer Louis Bellson. There are moments of inspired exchange and improvisatory brilliance from the quartet, but the emphasis is less on their skills as soloists than on their extraordinary taste, Peterson and Pass revealing once again their special abilities as supporting players, highlighting another artist's every note. Vaughan's performances here of "Midnight Sun" and "Body and Soul" are virtuosic statements, as inspired as anything in her later career. --Stuart Broomer --This text refers to the Audio CD edition.

Tracks:

Let Yourself Go
If
How Long Has This Been Going On?
My Funny Valentine
Hanging Around with You (with Jason Alexander)
The Girl in 14G
I'll Tell the Man in the Street
I'm a Stranger Here Myself
Nobody Else But Me
Nobody's Heart Belongs to Me/Why Can't I?
Should I Be Sweet?
He's Just an Ordinary Guy
Going to the Dance with You
On a Turquoise Cloud
You'll Never Know
Daddy

Amazon.com

Kristin Chenoweth won a Tony for the supporting role of Sally Brown in the 1999 revival of You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown, made a memorably vampy Lily in the 1999 television film of Annie, and had an NBC sitcom created for her, Kristin! Now she grabs the spotlight in Let Yourself Go, her first solo recording. She mixes torchy standards ("My Funny Valentine," "How Long Has This Been Going On?") with Faith Prince-style sauciness ("If"), gets to show off her operatic and scat chops in the miniplay "The Girl in 14G," and shares a light duet with Jason Alexander (reviving his musical theater career post-Seinfeld). Perhaps her "Stranger Here Myself" isn't the weightiest you've ever heard, but this is an enjoyable album with a good deal of old-fashioned class, expertly accompanied by Rob Fisher and the Coffee Club Orchestra. --David Horiuchi

Customer Reviews:

One of the best ever!.......2007-04-24

Do I mean the best album or the best singer? You are correct if you said both! I saw Kristin Chenoweth on a PBS show "Broadway's Best at the Pops," (though it was not the first time I had heard her) and decided to check out the offerings here. This is a collection of the kind of music and performances I love. She has a great range, a precise pitch, and a great style that is at the same time true to the music and to herself. In an era when singers try to outdo each other re-interpreting the composer's original work, not usually with great success, she is a blessing!

Kristen Chenowith.......2007-02-26

I bought this CD for the Girl in 14G. Yes, it's that good...

Has its moments.......2007-02-19

After watching Candide endlessly and going to see Ms. Chenoweth in The Apple Tree, I was hungry for something more portable to listen to. At times this fits the bill, but what surprised me the most is how thin her voice comes across on this recording. Perhaps it was the joy of seeing her live that has ruined this listener; perhaps I need to upgrade my aging music system. Then again, maybe the recording is just not as good as Ms. C singing Bernstein or as good as staring at Ms. C command a Broadway stage.

Great CD!.......2007-01-19

I truly enjoy listening to this CD. Kristin Chenoweth's vocal style and abilities are very well-matched to the songs selected for this album. If you enjoy classic, older-style Broadway/popular tunes, I would highly recommend this CD. Ms. Chenoweth has a bright, expressive voice and does a fantastic job with this material.

As with any full-length CD, there are a couple of songs I am not as crazy about, but that has to do with the songs themselves, not Ms. Chenoweth's vocal performance. Overall, I love this album and have listened to it several times now, since receiving it as a Christmas gift last month.

This woman has what it takes, and then some..........2007-01-12

Kristin Chenoweth brings new life to some timeless Broadways tunes while introducing a few wonderful new ones. This high pitched vocal goddess effortlessly provides for a nearly flawless and easy listening experience. I definitly recommend this CD for anyone who enjoys jazz vocals, showtunes, or just a new spin on some old classics.

Average customer rating:

In the still of the night
A great jazz score
This album is the best!!!!!
JAZZ ROUND MIDNIGHT: A SOUNDTRACK
A great soundtrack

Round Midnight - O.S.T.
Dexter Gordon
Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Movie Soundtracks | Soundtracks | Styles | Music

General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music

4-for-3 Pop | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music

4-for-3 Soundtracks | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music

4-for-3 All Music | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music
Similar Items:

The Other Side of Round Midnight
Ballads: Dexter Gordon
Round Midnight
Our Man in Paris
Go!

ASIN: B0000658N8
Release Date: 2002-04-16

Tracks:

'Round Midnight
Body And Soul
Berangere's Nightmare
Fair Weather
Una Noche Con Francis
The Peacocks
How Long Has This Been Going On?
Rhythm-A-Ning
Still Time
Minuit Aux Champs-Elysees
Chan's Song (Never Said)
'Round Midnight - Bonus Track

Amazon.com

Soundtrack buffs may know that this score to director Bertrand Tavernier's alluring jazz period piece inexplicably won the 1986 Oscar for best soundtrack instead of Morricone and his rich, enduring music for The Mission. That injustice aside, it remains a worthy collage of vintage jazz standards, new material, and contemporary performers, as filtered through the spirit of the story's main character (an amalgam of Bud Powell and Lester Young) and the '50s Paris jazz scene. It's also a tribute to Round Midnight musical director Herbie Hancock, with his crucial understanding that jazz--and especially bebop--can never stand on tradition, lest it lose its very reason for being. Thus he lets then-newcomer Bobby McFerrin loose on Monk's moody title track, gives vet Chet Baker's horn and voice a warm turn in the spotlight on "Fair Weather," and allows Lonette McKee and star Dexter Gordon to infuse Gershwin's "How Long Has This Been Going On" with some languorous, subtly sexual heat. Other highlights include a romp through Monk's "Rhythm-a-Ning," Hancock's tense, modernist "Berangere's Nightmare," and the spare, enchanting duet with Bobby Hutcherson, "Minuit aux Champs-Elysees." Remarkably, most of the film's music was recorded live on the set, giving it a compelling warmth and immediacy that's increasingly rare. This new edition features expanded liner notes as well as a bonus cut of the title track performed by Dexter Gordon's quintet live at the Village Vanguard in 1967. --Jerry McCulley

Customer Reviews:

In the still of the night.......2006-11-10

Amazingly good! Whether you're chating, reading your favorite writer, making love or just spending some time for yourself, this music will overwhelm you.

A great jazz score.......2006-07-01

I'm not so keen on jazz music; however, I must say that this album is excellent, probably the second best of its kind after the all-time classic soundtrack for "Ascenseur Pour L'Echauffaud" ("Elevator to the Gallows"), one of the masterpieces by Louis Malle. The music here is certainly high class material: atmospheric, suggestive and wonderfully interpreted. If you're a jazz buff and haven't heard it yet, be sure that you've missed half of your life, so GET IT RIGHT AWAY!

This album is the best!!!!!.......2006-06-15

I've never seen the movie and really, I don't have to. I love this album. I thought that it was very nicely done and it is so perfect. But really, it was the song "Round Midnight" with Bobby McFerrin that caught my ear. Listening to him singing that muted trumpet is sooo heavenly. So, I had to find this album if only to hear this song. It was a real treat that I got the other songs as well. "Fair Weather" by Chet Baker is another favorite of mine. I would urge any jazz lover to pick this album up. I guarantee you that you will not be disappointed.

JAZZ ROUND MIDNIGHT: A SOUNDTRACK.......2005-05-26

This is an Original Motion Picture Soundtrack CD. The DVD of the movie is available but I would start here first. Maybe because one doesn't need to have the story told to you on wide screen and dolby sound. This CD is "intimate". Like the "Blue Note" it resonates lonesome nights in distant foreign places where the echo of the night is in Dexter Gordon's lingering Sax wail. Then perhaps none of that is important. Perhaps it's the compilation of so many jazz voices all in this one CD. While making this movie, Warner Bro could have bought rights to the Blue Note records as background. But it was important to give a fresh sound to the challenge of making a film about jazz. Warners turned to Herbie Hancock to develop the music background and Dexter Gordon to write compositions for the film. They did so beautifully without loosing the essential flavor or sense of place and time depicted in the film: Paris and the Fifties. If your interest is to develop or explore jazz music from the early 50s, here's your opportunity. Central to the background are musicians of the caliber of Chet Baker, Ron Carter, Billy Higgins, Freddie Hubbard, Bobby Hucherson, Bobby McFerrin, Lonette McKee, John McLaughlin, Pierre Michelot, Wayne Shorter, Cedar Walton, and Tony Williams. You can rent or buy the DVD. This CD will help you soak up that atmosphere now lost from places like the "Blue Note". In this CD you will hear the echo of the strains of 50s jazz normally heard "back then and round midnight". Listen to "How Long Has This Been Going On?" and "Una Noche Con Francis" and your heart will be lost. ps: I have the original vinyl LP version of "Round Midnight" and somehow, scratches and all, it's almost better heard this way.

A great soundtrack.......2005-03-28

This soundtrack is an attempt by Herbie Hancock and his line-up of excellent jazz performers to evoke the jazz scene of Paris in the 50s. I have no way to judge how successful they were since I wasn't conceived until '63 and have never been to France, but I can and will testify that they have produced an enduring recording that I have never tired of in the many years that I have been listening to it. Bobby McFerrin demonstrates that he is much more than "Don't Worry Be Happy" as he does an amazing job of evoking a horn with his voice on the title track. "Chan's Song" and "How Long Has This Been Going On?" also leap to mind, but there really isn't a single clinker in the bunch.

Average customer rating:

There are no words..................
"I Never Regret The Years I'm Giving . . . They're Easy To Give When You're In Love"
Sheer Virtuosity and brilliance...
It Just Doesn't Get Better Than This!
Not long enough!

How Long Has This Been Going On?
Sarah Vaughan
Manufacturer: Pablo
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Jazz | Styles | Music

Traditional Jazz General | Traditional Jazz & Ragtime | Jazz | Styles | Music

Vocal Jazz General | Vocal Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music

Traditional Vocal Pop | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music

General | Vocal Pop | Pop | Styles | Music

Traditional Pop | Oldies | Pop | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Crazy & Mixed Up
Send in the Clowns (20 Bit Mastering)
Sarah Sings Soulfully
After Hours
Sarah Vaughan W/ Clifford Brown

ASIN: B000000XJG
Release Date: 1991-07-01

Tracks:

I've Got The World On A String
Midnight Sun
How Long Has This Been Going On?
You're Blase
Easy Living
More Than You Know
My Old Flame
Teach Me Tonight
Body And Soul
When Your Lover Has Gone

Amazon.com

When Sarah Vaughan recorded this session in 1978, her voice was still one of the finest instruments in jazz, an almost impossible combination of resonant depths, subtly sparkling highs, and myriad slides that could join one note or word to the next. She's accompanied here by an all-star quartet of pianist Oscar Peterson, guitarist Joe Pass, bassist Ray Brown, and drummer Louis Bellson. There are moments of inspired exchange and improvisatory brilliance from the quartet, but the emphasis is less on their skills as soloists than on their extraordinary taste, Peterson and Pass revealing once again their special abilities as supporting players, highlighting another artist's every note. Vaughan's performances here of "Midnight Sun" and "Body and Soul" are virtuosic statements, as inspired as anything in her later career. --Stuart Broomer

Customer Reviews:

There are no words.........................2007-06-18

What a mix, Granz and Vaughan, the songs, musicians all come together to make a brilliant album. LOVE IT.

"I Never Regret The Years I'm Giving . . . They're Easy To Give When You're In Love".......2007-06-13

"The interaction of Oscar Peterson, Joe Pass, Ray Brown and Louie Bellson with Sarah is what great jazz is all about." ~ Norman Granz ~

Norman Granz, producer of this CD who had produced countless of remarkable jazz recordings for Ella Fitzgerald, Joe Pass, Oscar Peterson, Stan Getz, Bill Evans, Anita O'Day, Bud Powell, Sonny Stitt and Lester Young, among many others, pretty sums up on the above quote what is to expect in this CD, Sarah Vaughan's "How Long Has This Been Going On." It is definitely "what great jazz is all about." The Sassy One teaming up with some of the greatest jazz giants of all-time is so overwhelmingly delightful!

With this CD, Sarah Vaughan brings a wealth of experience in the genre of jazz. It is a blend of Ms. Vaughan's extraordinary vocal style and the splendid instrumental chops of Oscar Peterson on piano, Joe Pass on guitar, Ray Brown on bass and Louie Bellson on drums.

Being an avid music listener, I find it easy to love this CD that promises a delightful listening experience with its ten par excellence performances of the "Divine One." No matter what song she sings, she brings sincerity, love and dedication that shine all throughout from the first track to the last one. Her interpretations will surely evoke moving emotions. Her sparkling vocal artistry is the perfect compliment to the top-notch instrumentations of Peterson, Pass, Brown and Bellson.

Sarah Vaughan is full of spirit and grooves as she sings "I've Got The World On A String" and "Teach Me Tonight" while she remains so emotionally-charged in "More Than You Know," "Body And Soul" and "Midnight Sun." Joe Pass' virtuosity in guitar can be best heard in "My Old Flame." You'll love the guitar sound that is very articulate and so powerful.

Her stirring rendition of Leo Robin and Ralph Rainger's "Easy Living" is one of the highlights. No other singer could have sung it with more poignancy and genuine emotion than Sarah Vaughan. Some of the singers who recorded this meaningful song with charming melody are Diana Ross in "Blue" and Art Garfunkel in "Some Enchanted Evening."

"Living for you is easy living
It's easy to live when you're in love
And I'm so in love
There is nothing in life but you

I never regret the years I'm giving
They're easy to give when you're in love
I'm happy to do whatever I do for you

For you maybe I'm a fool but it's fun
People say you rule me
With one wave of your hand
Darling, it's grand
They just don't understand

Living for you is easy living
It's easy to live when you're in love
And I'm so in love
There's nothing in life but you."

This is one of Sarah Vaughan's finest works and certainly a great addition to your collection of jazz music.

Wholeheartedly recommended!

Sheer Virtuosity and brilliance..........2007-04-04

A veritable all star team in assemblance!!! Joe Pass, Oscar Peterson, Ray Brown, Louis Bellson and the Divine Ms. Sarah Vaughan.

Ms. Vaughan's voice was at the height of it's powers. Deeply resonant, mellifluous with those beautiful round tones. Her powers of transformation were also in high form also. By that I mean is that Sarah Vaughan could transform even the most over-performec piece into something unique and special, not just with her voice but her ability to find that crucial space or note to accent in just such a way to create a new take on whatever song she is singing.

If that weren't enough, then you have the accompaniment of this incredible quartet. Given the sheer virtuosity, one would be afraid that they might overpower a recording or take the focus away from the vocalist. They don't. They are, in this case brilliant accompanists and when called upon they display they soloing is essential.

There is a series of four pieces that are my favorites and true high points were Sarah performs duets with each instrumentalist. "More Than You Know" with Oscar Peterson, "My Old Flame" with Joe Pass, "Body and Soul" with Ray Brown and "When Your Lover Has Gone" with Louis Bellson.

In "More Than You Know" her voice is just a marvel. Oscar's accompaniment is incredible. He displays a virtuosity and sensitivity to both the sentiment of the song and what Sarah is attempting to do with it. This one is captivating as is "My Old Flame", which is filled with romance longing as Joe really backs her up with fluid lines that lilt like her voice does.

"Body and Song" is looser. She plays off of Ray's bedrock bass. They trade lines and spaces. They walk and they do so hand in hand. This one is a unique and clever reinterpretation of this standard. Very unique in that it goes for these subtle takes and redefinition of the accents and rhythm. This song is most often done as a ballad. Here it walks and strides, stops and looks around before continuing on.

"When Your Lover Has Gone" is out and out fun with Louis and Sarah just swinging like no tomorrow.

"You're Blasé" - A warm ballad featuring the whole quartet with Sarah working her magic as she does so with so many ballads.

You can't go wrong getting this one. If you love good jazz, great vocals, virtuosity and artistry, then you'll love this one.

There are too few recordings like this one. Sarah left us way too soon.

It Just Doesn't Get Better Than This!.......2006-04-16

Sarah Vaughan. Oscar Peterson. Joe Pass. Ray Brown. Louis Bellson. On Pablo. Man, I'm tellinya, it just doesn't get better than this!

However, some below dissent. They say "Crazy and Mixed Up" is better.

Personally, I can't decide. On "Crazy" (with Pass and Roland Hanna in lieu of Oscar), the tracks "That's All", "Seasons," and "The Island" just knock me out. But on this one, Sassy's incredible vocal pyrotechnics on "More Than You Know", and her breathtaking duets with Brown on "Body and Soul" and Bellson on "When Your Lover Has Gone" do likewise.

If I'm ever stuck on a remote desert island (with electricity, of course), and I can have only 5 recordings with me, give me a package of "Crazy and Mixed Up" and "How Long Has This Been Goin' On", and I'll take it. ("That's cheating, Cornell!" You say. "You said 5 recordings, and that's two!" Oh, fine, fine. Give me 10 recordings, and I'll take them both!) RC

Not long enough!.......2004-07-07

This cd should go on forever! Here's another Sarah Vaughan courtesy of Pablo Records. This one was a long overdo comeback album. I remember seeing Sarah in concert when the lp was 1st released. Track 1, I've Got The World On A String, was the 1st song I heard her sing live. I don't know which version was better, live or recorded. Of course, here we have Oscar Peterson, Joe Pass, Louis Bellson, & Ray Brown. No jazz singer could do better for instrumental back up. Live, I heard her own trio on percusion & then husband on horn. Still, not shabby. If one loves jazz singing this is it. To me her voice sounds richer on the cd than the lp. So, don't be satisfied with the latter. She wisely choosed Midnight Sun, You're Blase, Easy Living, My Old Flame, & Body & Soul. These are the jazz jems that pop singers strayed away from but jazz singers relished in performing. Our Sarah probably surpassed her contemporaries on all the versions. Only Jo Stafford rivaled, maybe surpassed, Sarah on My Old Flame, I've Got The World On String & Midnight Sun. Still, can't we have 2 definitive versions? It's amazing how Sarah could disect the lyric & melody in such wide ranging manner. Her range wasn't operatic but it appeared to combine the best of jazz & opera. Or, at least, jazz & good pop singing.

An American in Paris (1951 Film Soundtrack)

Average customer rating:

Magic of love
Filled with musical gems
TOO LONG !!!!!!!!!!!
GERSHWIN'S TALENT
Ga Ga for Gershwin

An American in Paris (1951 Film Soundtrack)
George Gershwin , Gene Kelly , and Oscar Levant
Manufacturer: Rhino / Wea
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Preludes | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Musical Theater | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Movie Soundtracks | Soundtracks | Styles | Music

General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music

1990s | By Decade | Soundtracks | Styles | Music

General | Musicals | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music

Cabaret | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music

Traditional Vocal Pop | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music

General | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music

Traditional Pop | Oldies | Pop | Styles | Music

Rhino Records | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music
Similar Items:

Singin' in the Rain (1952 Film Soundtrack) (Deluxe Edition)
Singin' in the Rain (1952 Film Soundtrack)
Gene Kelly At Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer: 'S Wonderful - Motion Picture Soundtrack Anthology
Easter Parade: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
For Me And My Gal: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack

ASIN: B0000033JE
Release Date: 1996-07-16

Tracks:

Main Title (An American In Paris/'S Wonderful/I Got Rhythm) - MGM Studio Orchestra
Paris Narration/Left Bank (Themes From An American In Paris) - MGM Studio Orchestra
Nice Work If You Can Get It (Outtake) - Georges Guetary
Embraceable You - MGM Studio Orchestra
By Strauss - Gene Kelly, Georges Guetary, Mac MacLain, Grace Stark, Pete Roberts
Street Exhibit - MGM Studio Orchestra
I Got Rhythm - Gene Kelly, MGM Children's Chorus
But Not For Me - Benny Carter & His Orchestra
Medley: Do, Do, Do/Bidiin' My Time/I've Got A Crush On You/Love Is Here To Stay - MGM Orchestra
Someone To Watch Over Me - Benny Carter & His Orchestra
Medley: My Cousin In Milwaukee/A Foggy Day/The Half-Of-It Dearie Blues/But Not For Me (Outtake) - Oscar Levant
Tra-La-La - Gene Kelly, Oscar Levant
I'm No Enemy (Love Is Here To Stay) (Outtake) - MGM Studio Orchestra
Love Is Here To Stay - Gene Kelly
Medley: What Time Is It?/Love Is Here To Stay (Reprise) - MGM Studio Orchestra, Gene Kelly
(I'll Build A) Stairway To Paradise - Georges Guetary
I've Got A Crush On You (Outtake) - Gene Kelly
Love Walked In (Outtake) - Georges Guetary, Oscar Levant
Medley: We Would Get Married (Love Walked In) (Outtake)/I Don't Think I'll Fall In Love Today... - Oscar Levant, MGM Studio Orchestra
Concerto In F (3rd Movement) - Oscar Levant, MGM Studio Orchestra

Tracks:

Painting Montage (Tra-La-La/Love Is Here To Stay) - MGM Studio Orchestra
Kiss Me (Outtake) - MGM Studio Orchestra
'S Wonderful - Gene Kelly, Georges Guetary
Lise, I Love You ('S Wonderful/Love Is Here To Stay) - MGM Studio Orchestra
Strike Up The Band (Extended Version) - MGM Studio Orchestra
Liza (Complete Version) - Oscar Levant
Medley: Oh, Lady Be Good/'S Wonderful - MGM Studio Orchestra
Medley: That Certain Feeling/Clap Yo' Hands - MGM Studio Orchestra
I've Got A Crush On You (Outtake) - MGM Studio Orchestra
I Got Rhythm (Extended Version) - MGM Studio Orchestra
Tra-La-La (Outtake) - MGM Studio Orchestra
But Not For Me - Georges Guetary
Utrillo Did It (Love Is Here To Stay/An American In Paris/Nice Work If You Can Get It) - MGM Studio Orchestra
An American In Paris Ballet (Extended Version) - MGM Studio Orchestra
Finale (An American In Paris) - MGM Studio Orchestra
Painting Montage (An American In Paris) (Deleted Version) - MGM Studio Orchestra
Main Title: An American In Paris (Alternate Version - Outtake) - MGM Studio Orchestra
Adam Cook Monologue (How Long Has This Been Going On?) (Extended Version) - Oscar Levant
Nice Work If You Can Get It (Partial As Used In Film) - Georges Guetary, Oscar Levant
Third Prelude (Outtake) - Oscar Levant
My Cousin In Milwaukee (Outtake) - Oscar Levant
A Foggy Day (Outtake) - Oscar Levant
The Half-Of-It Dearie Blues (Outtake) - Oscar Levant
But Not For Me - Oscar Levant
Bidin' My Time (Outtake) - Oscar Levant, Saul Chaplin
'S Wonderful (Reprise) (Outtake) - Gene Kelly
Finale (Alternate Version - Outtake) - MGM Studio Orchestra

Amazon.com essential recording

This is a considerably expanded version of the soundtrack album to Vincente Minnelli's Oscar-winning film. With two discs and 100 minutes of music (much of which is presented for the first time), these original session masters are highlighted by the MGM Studio Orchestra, Oscar Levant, Benny Carter, and Gene Kelly, all of whom perform such memorable Gershwin tunes as "Someone to Watch Over Me," "Love Is Here to Stay," and "S'Wonderful." Just about all of the material has a monotonously mono sound, but Levant's version of "Concerto in F" is included here for the first time in true stereo. Along with several Levant improvisational piano solos based on Gershwin's music, there are also some outtakes as well as extensive production and historical notes. --Joseph Lanza

Customer Reviews:

Magic of love.......2007-03-10

Nothing but Gene and George: the hard work and the happiness in music, conducting by the magician Vince.
Noone is better, noone could do better.
American masterpiece with european feelings.

Filled with musical gems.......2004-02-17

This comprehensive edition is a must have for fans of the movie and of the Gershwins. The outtakes, contrary to the first review above, are excellent. Gene Kelly offers a wonderful vocal of "I've Got a Crush on You" and his short riff on "'S Wonderful" is almost like an acoustic version, much different than the over-the-top duet in the movie. And the Oscar Levant piano pieces are as close to George sitting down at the keys as we're going to get.

TOO LONG !!!!!!!!!!!.......2002-06-17

I would not suggest buying this version of this sondtrack!!! The underscores and the extra tracks that are not featured in the film are not neccesary. Rhino records puts the extras out to jack up the price of the CD (making one LP into 2 CDs).
I would buy the ORIGINAL CAST SOUNDTRACK released by MGM records. You will enjoy this version ever so much more without all the extras!!!

GERSHWIN'S TALENT.......2001-08-12

Many agree that the talented George Gershwin is a fabulous pianist, and alongside Ira, he helped to create some of the most beloved music ever. After viewing the movie that was filled with song and dance, I was pleased to discover that the soundtrack was readily available. The plot of An American in Paris mainly focuses on the lives of three friends and their dreams in addition to the romance that they encounter in the most popular European city. Gene Kelley is a struggling artist who soon falls in love, and the many songs in this cd express his emotions. Who wouldn't want to dance to Gershwin's spectacular tunes such as "Embraceable You?" These original songs included in this two cd set are well worth the price. Furthermore, "I'll Build a Stairway to Paradise" is a true favorite with unique lyrics. Don't miss out on this must have cd collection.

Ga Ga for Gershwin.......2000-12-13

Average customer rating:

Peculiar
Gershwin Never Sounded Better!

Gershwin: Piano Music

Manufacturer: Nonesuch
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Preludes | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Modern & 20th Century | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

English | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Musical Theater | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Movie Soundtracks | Soundtracks | Styles | Music

General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

After The Ball plus Highlights from Vaudeville
Moonlight Bay: Songs as Is Songs as Was
The Gershwin Plays Gershwin: The Piano Rolls, Vol. 2
Cabaret Songs (Complete)
Gershwin Plays Gershwin: The Piano Rolls

ASIN: B000005IY8
Release Date: 1992-04-09

Tracks:

George Gershwin's Song Book (1932): Swanee
George Gershwin's Song Book (1932): Nobody But You
George Gershwin's Song Book (1932): I'll Build A Stairway To Paradise
George Gershwin's Song Book (1932): Do It Again
George Gershwin's Song Book (1932): Fascinating Rhythm
George Gershwin's Song Book (1932): Oh, Lady Be Good
George Gershwin's Song Book (1932): Somebody Loves Me
George Gershwin's Song Book (1932): Sweet And Low Down
George Gershwin's Song Book (1932): That Certain Feeling
George Gershwin's Song Book (1932): The Man I Love
George Gershwin's Song Book (1932): Clap Yo' Hands
George Gershwin's Song Book (1932): Do Do Do
George Gershwin's Song Book (1932): My One And Only
George Gershwin's Song Book (1932): 'S Wonderful
George Gershwin's Song Book (1932): Strike Up The Band
George Gershwin's Song Book (1932): Liza
George Gershwin's Song Book (1932): I Got Rhythm
George Gershwin's Song Book (1932): Who Cares?
Other Piano Pieces: Rialto Ripples
Other Piano Pieces: Three Preludes-Allegro ben ritmato e deciso
Other Piano Pieces: Three Preludes - Andante con moto e poco rubato
Other Piano Pieces: Three Preludes - Allegro ben ritmato e deciso
Other Piano Pieces: Impromptu In Two Keys
Other Piano Pieces: Three-Quarter Blues
Other Piano Pieces: Merry Andrew
Other Piano Pieces: Piano Playin' Jazzbo Brown (Jasbo Brown Blues)
Other Piano Pieces: Promenade
Songs By George And Ira Gershwin: I'll Build A Stairway To Paradise
Songs By George And Ira Gershwin: How Long Has This Been Going On?
Songs By George And Ira Gershwin: By Strauss
Songs By George And Ira Gershwin: Someone to Watch over Me
Songs By George And Ira Gershwin: Nice Work If You Can Get It
Songs By George And Ira Gershwin: The Man I Love
Songs By George And Ira Gershwin: Just Another Rhumba
Songs By George And Ira Gershwin: Isn't It A Pity?
Songs By George And Ira Gershwin: They All Laughed
Songs By George And Ira Gershwin: Love Is Here To Stay

Amazon.com

William Bolcom is my kind of musician. He writes music that is sometimes adventurous but always based in a recognizable American idiom. And he's a terrific ragtime pianist, the best Joplin player I've heard. With these credentials, of course he's a wonderful Gershwin player. These are the best piano performances of Gershwin I know. After you hear those, Bolcom joins his wife Joan Morris for very flavorful versions of 10 George and Ira Gershwin songs. The whole disc is a delight, and the original analog recordings still sound fine. Highly recommended to all Gershwin lovers. --Leslie Gerber

Customer Reviews:

Peculiar.......2005-01-26

I can see how someone might enjoy this album. William Bolcom is a top-flight pianist and the idea of playing the tunes as George Gershwin played them at parties is intriguing.

Because my ear is used to it, I guess, I would like to have heard longer performances of fewer songs. Each one sounded to me like a snippet -- over too soon. Because of that, plus the fact that I'm not a fan of Joan Morris' showy voice, I give the album one thumb up.

Gershwin Never Sounded Better!.......2002-06-25

This is a fantastic CD! Back in the 70's, pianist William Bolcom and his singer wife Joan Morris made a delightful series of albums on the Nonesuch label of old songs from the first half of the twentieth century - just glorious voice backed by brilliant piano. As Ira Gershwin might say - who could ask for anything more? The music is not only beautifully performed, you can hear the joy of the performance in every note. And Bolcom and Morris were never better than when doing Gershwin.

A combination of two albums, the first part of this CD is all piano. The Gershwin Songbook consists of brief (some under a minute) versions of some of his more popular songs in the way that Gershwin himself famously played them at parties. They demonstrate that Gershwin was as gifted a pianist as he was a composer. The other instrumental tracks are some of Gershwin's solo piano pieces, including the wonderful Rialto Ripples, a rag written when he was just seventeen. For me, the pinnacle of both Gershwin's and William Bolcom's artistry is reached on the second of the three preludes - a classic study of a bluesy mood.

Just when you think things can't get any better, Joan Morris arrives. She effortlessly sings and swings her way through ten of Gershwin's best songs from the cheeky comedy of By Strauss to the smoky moodiness of Someone To Watch Over Me. Maybe I'm just an incurable old romantic, but the ballads are the best of all.

Tracks:

'S Wonderful - Buddy Clark, Dinah Shore
He Loves and She Loves
My One and Only - Jack Hylton Orchestra
How Long Has This Been Going On? - Mel Torm
I've Got a Crush on You - George Gershwin, Sarah Vaughan
Liza (All the Clouds'll Roll Away) - Al Jolson
Strike up the Band - Carroll Gibbons & His Orchestra
Bidin' My Time - The Foursome
Could You Use Me? - Judy Garland, Mickey Rooney
Embraceable You - Frank Sinatra
I Got Rhythm
But Not for Me - Teddy Wilson
Treat Me Rough - Mickey Rooney
Boy! What Love Has Done to Me! - Jane Froman
You've Got What Gets Me - Roy Fox & His Band
Gems from of Thee I Sing: Wintergreen for President/Who Cares?/Of Thee - Jane Froman, , Victor Salon Group
Mine
Slap That Bass - Fred Astaire, Johnny Green & His Orchestra
(I've Got) Beginner's Luck - Roy Fox & His Orchestra
They All Laughed - Red Nichols
Let's Call the Whole Thing Off - Greta Keller, Brian Lawrance
They Can't Take That Away from Me - Fred Astaire, Johnny Green & His Orchestra
Shall We Dance? - Fred Astaire, Johnny Green & His Orchestra
I Can't Be Bothered Now - Fred Astaire, Ray Noble & His Orchestra
Things Are Looking Up - Fred Astaire, Ray Noble & His Orchestra
Foggy Day
Nice Work If You Can Get It

Average customer rating:

The Best Of Gershwin Love Songs

Manufacturer: Avalon (Rock Bottom)
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Modern & 20th Century | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

English | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Musical Theater | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

General | Rock | Styles | Music

General | Compilations | Rock | Styles | Music

Movie Soundtracks | Soundtracks | Styles | Music

General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music

General | Vocal Pop | Pop | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Great Ladies Sing Gershwin

ASIN: B00001X5B3
Release Date: 1996-07-01

Tracks:

Summertime (4:28)
Someone To Watch Over Me (3:43)
Somebody Loves Me (3:51)
They Cant Take That Away From Me (2:45)
But Not For Me (4:40)
My Mans Gone Now (4:11)
The Man I Love (5:16)
Love Is Here To Stay (3:23)
How Long Has This Been Going On (3:21)
A Foggy Day In Londontown (4:29)
Love Walked In (4:02)
Bess You Is My Woman Now (4:34)
Love Is Here To Stay (1:17)

Average customer rating:

Funny Face: 'S Paradise
somewhat dissapointing
"Paramount's only MGM Musical"
This album is truly enjoyable
FUNNY FACE really is "S'Wonderful"!!!

Funny Face (1957 Film)
Ira Gershwin
Manufacturer: Polygram Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Jazz | Styles | Music

Traditional Jazz General | Traditional Jazz & Ragtime | Jazz | Styles | Music

Vocal Jazz General | Vocal Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Musical Theater | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Nostalgia | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music

Movie Soundtracks | Soundtracks | Styles | Music

General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music

General | Musicals | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music

Traditional Vocal Pop | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music

General | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music

General | Oldies | Pop | Styles | Music

Traditional Pop | Oldies | Pop | Styles | Music

Tin Pan Alley | Oldies | Pop | Styles | Music

General | Vocal Pop | Pop | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Funny Face
Music From The Films Of Audrey Hepburn
Gigi: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
Breakfast At Tiffany's: Music From The Motion Picture Score
Oh, Kay! (1955 Studio Cast)

ASIN: B00000472J
Release Date: 1996-04-23

Tracks:

Overture; Funny Face/'S Wonderful/Think Pink - Fred Astaire/Audrey Hepburn/Kay Thompson
How Long Has This Been Going On? - Audrey Hepburn
How Long Has This Been Going On? (Instrumental) - Fred Astaire/Audrey Hepburn/Kay Thompson
Funny Face - Fred Astaire
Bonjour, Paris! - Fred Astaire/Audrey Hepburn/Kay Thompson
Clap Yo Hands - Fred Astaire/Kay Thompson
He Loves And She Loves - Fred Astaire
Bonjour, Paris! (Instrumental) - Fred Astaire/Audrey Hepburn/Kay Thompson
On How To Be Lovely - Fred Astaire/Kay Thompson
Basal Metabolism - Fred Astaire/Audrey Hepburn/Kay Thompson
Let's Kiss And Make Up - Fred Astaire
'S Wonderful - Fred Astaire/Audrey Hepburn

Customer Reviews:

Funny Face: 'S Paradise.......2007-03-23

I was never a real `fan' of musicals until I saw Funny Face. Even then, it took a second viewing for it to really sink in. While not as exuberant as Singin' in the Rain or as grandiose as My Fair Lady, it holds a special place in Audrey Hepburn's heart as one of the most enjoyable performances of her career--and it shows. Audrey only had to play herself to portray Jo, the pearl trapped inside the shell of self-doubt. In many ways, this mirrored her real life at the time. Reflecting her desire for something light after the grueling War & Peace of 1955, the film is bursting at the seams with energy throughout.

Sound quality-wise, the recording does leave a little to be desired. Though not pulled directly from the film as some may indicate, but rather the recording sessions that make up the film's soundtrack, it is identical to what you'll hear while watching it. This would be a prime candidate for a remaster.

On to the tracks! If you're reading this review, you have probably seen the film, but I feel like writing a bit for each one as a reminder.

1) Overture: Funny Face/'S Wonderful/Think Pink

Welcome to Funny Face! As the track begins, the listener expects an orchestral arrangement of the highlights; however, Fred Astaire politely interjects. We're treated to a slightly up-tempo and jazzier version of the title track, which melds into a dreamlike choral interpretation of "`S Wonderful". Also included is Kay Thompson's classic "Think Pink," which makes you wonder why it didn't receive a track of its own.

2) How Long Has This Been Going On?

A close tie with Moon River as my favorite vocal performance of all time from Audrey Hepburn, "How Long..." encapsulates the essence of Jo at the beginning of the film. Endearingly melodramatic, it is a very meticulous performance that places importance in every word, their pace, and placement. The orchestral interlude late in the song brings up the memory of Jo's unforgettable scene dancing with herself and the hat left behind in the wreckage of her bookshop.

3) How Long Has This Been Going On? [Instrumental Reprise]

A short postscript accompanies the performance involving a delicate clarinet lead following the melody of the title lyric, floating on a soft backdrop of intermittent strings.

4) Funny Face

Earning its distinction as the lightest and most unassuming number on the record, the title track melds the ballroom elegance and zest of its music with the silly, cheerful spirit of its subject matter: "You fill the air with smiles, for miles and miles and miles." My favorite part of the song is the step-ladder ascent of the strings, climbing up the scales at the climax--perfect!

5) Bonjour, Paris!

My favorite song on the record! "Bonjour, Paris!" is a boisterous, energetic production; in a word, BIG. It starts out with what sounds almost like the beginning to a national anthem, and leads into a snippet from the film--Jo, Dick, and Maggie display a false air of indifference to Paris upon arrival, perhaps to impress one another with their worldliness. Once separated, their true tourist curiosity is revealed. Thus begins a romanticized jaunt into Paris led by our three explorers, starting first with Dick: "I want to step out, down the Champs-Elysées..." Conspicuously (and deliberately) left absent is the Eiffel Tower, recognized by our three protagonists later in the song: "There's something missing, I know; there's still one place I gotta go," whereupon they discover the same "strictly tourist" nature in each other and embrace it. If this song doesn't put a smile on your face, I'm afraid there's little hope that anything will.

6) Clap Yo' Hands

If each of our three stars has a signature performance on the album, "Clap Yo' Hands" is unequivocally Kay Thompson's. A spicy mixture of swing, jazz, and blues, peppered occasionally with scat vocals for good measure, the track is perhaps the most uncharacteristic and unexpected. It fits into the story through Dick and Maggie posing as the flamboyant, country-fried pair from "Talluh-hassee" in order to gain admittance to the empathicalist gathering. In the middle of the song comes one of my favorite moments in the film: after the brash "ringa dem bells" section, the music comes to an immediate halt. What directly follows is a light, lilting melody accompanied by a hilarious synchronized jig by the actors: "Why, we's the two most friendly vibrations you ever seen." Thompson proves herself to be a force to be reckoned with vocally, demonstrated by the surprisingly high note she hits at the end. Another track sure to make the surliest of surlies crack a smile.

7) He Loves and She Loves

The most romantic song on the album, "He Loves and She Loves" is an ethereal, nearly percussion-less expression of Dick's falling in love with Jo, structured around a clever conjugation theme that reminds me all too well of my foreign-language class days. The delicate orchestral interlude, to allow for the dance, sharpens into a climax in a decidedly dissonant way, resulting in one of the albums few flaws. However a single, wistful violin saves the day and tastefully leads the listener to the close of the song.

8) Bonjour, Paris! [Instrumental Reprise]

Ira Gershwin presents us with a snappy jazz-fusion interpretation of "Bonjour, Paris," barely over a minute, and headed up by a marimba and saxophone leads. A light, brush-like snare drum and the occasional piano contribution are the supporting actors. If you didn't know better, you'd swear this was a Mancini piece written for Breakfast at Tiffany's.

9) On How to Be Lovely

"On How to Be Lovely" is the cutest track in the list. Featuring Thompson and Hepburn, it is an ambitious mid-tempo stage number with less emphasis placed on the band as compared to other songs to accentuate the vocal performances. Thompson's character, Maggie, takes on an almost motherly role to Jo (her parents are left a mystery to the viewer), demonstrating how to be "lovely" when she gets her first taste of fame. Maggie sings her teachings to the budding model, which are then repeated by Jo in true pupil fashion. Their two vocals occasionally meet into a pleasant harmony, and the "doo-wee-oo" sections prove to be delightfully charming.

10) Basal Metabolism

The only true instrumental on the album (barring, of course, the short instrumental reprises), "Basal Metabolism" is at first a disjointed exploration of avant-garde jazz. It is loosely based around the melody of "How Long Has This Been Going On," and conjures up images of a dimly lit, cigar smoke-filled gentleman's club. A minute or so into the song, as demonstrated in the film, a bass string is lifted at an exaggerated height and released, which begins a pluck-pluck rhythm, slowly evolving into a high-energy swing-jazz rendering of the song "Funny Face."

11) Let's Kiss and Make Up

Though the placement of this song belies its appearance in the chronology of the film, I feel the decision to place it as essentially the last song is well merited--for some reason, it just feels right that way. As I mentioned before, each of the stars had their signature moment in the soundtrack, and this is without a doubt Fred Astaire's. It shows his sweet nature, both on camera and off, and his incredible dance routine in the film proved to audiences this old favorite still "had it." The song has lovely flowing sections as well as staccato stop-start rhythms that are reflected in his dance steps. Midway into the song, the melody turns to an alarming tone indicative of a Spanish bullfighter, humorously acted out by Astaire.

12) `S Wonderful

And this, folks, is the icing on the cake. A dreamy, feather-light melody reminiscent of "He Loves and She Loves," it is a love song that plays upon the slang of those who speak too fast to let articulation catch up: `S Wonderful, `S Marvelous that you should care for me. As Dick and Jo have their final dance in the chapel yard, the orchestra takes over the last half of the song, culminating in an extravagant finish.

Above all, if you're anything like me, the soundtrack to Funny Face will make you happy, no matter what mood you're in. I can't think of any other recording that has such an effect on me. We need to be reminded every so often not to take life too seriously.

somewhat dissapointing.......2006-05-31

I agree mostly with the other reviews, but am amazed that none mentions the glaring omission from this soundtrack Kay Thompson's show stopping number "Think Pink". It is even more disappointing when one realizes how this soundtrack was created. Taking the people who sung the songs in the movie into a recording studio, and re-recording the score, with a full orchestra behind them, is the way some motion picture soundtracks are created. Sometimes, as in the case of "Funny Face", sound engineers simply lift the musical numbers from the audio track of the film, and transfer them onto new tape to create the soundtrack one buys in the stores. So, what you hear at home on your stereo is exactly what you hear when you watch the film.
This being the case with "Funny Face", how easy it would have been to transfer Kay's wonderful number. I could have understood if they'd re-recorded it and she was unavailable, but since all they had to do was take a song already recorded and transfer it, I cannot. If you haven't seen the film, watch for this tune early in the picture and you will see what I mean, and perhaps you'll be as disappointed as I am at the decision to exclude it from the soundtrack, and will understand why I can only give 3 stars to an album I would have otherwise given 5 to.

"Paramount's only MGM Musical".......2006-04-10

Paramount Studios made attempts @ musicals but could NEVER achieve the magic made consistantly by MGM, except this time. (Maybe having MGM's Astaire, Thompson, Donen, Edens, etc. didn't hurt). A delicious confection for any Musical fan. You can't go wrong with such class and grace and EXPERTISE on every level. ENJOY!

This album is truly enjoyable.......2005-02-08

This album represents one of the last of the Hollywood musicals.It is a very enjoyable soundtrack with the beautiful music of George Gershwin,the dancing of Fred Astaire,and the stunning presence of Audrey Hepburn. There are some very interesting songs that this album has;one of them,'How long has this been going on' is sung none other than Audrey herself,and she does an admiringly good job singing it.There is another song that Audrey and Kay Thompson sing-'On how to be lovely'-this song sounds fantastic. Beautiful music,beautiful dancing, and beautiful actors-what a perfect combination!I highly recommend this movie,and I'm sure you'll agree,you'll like it as much as I do.

FUNNY FACE really is "S'Wonderful"!!!.......2003-11-26

FUNNY FACE is still regarded as one of the most enjoyable movie musicals ever made, with a top-notch cast headed by Fred Astaire, Kay Thompson and Audrey Hepburn, with a perfect Paris location. The soundtrack album of the film is a particular delight.

Fred Astaire croons and breezes his way through numbers like the Title Song, "S'Wonderful" and "Let's Kiss and Make Up". Legendary song-stylist and arranger Kay Thompson (who had also worked as a vocal coach to many of the big M-G-M musical stars) brings down the house with her show-stopping "Think Pink", as well as her engergetic 11 o'clock number "Clap Yo' Hands". She later instructs Audrey in the finer points of womanhood in "On How to Be Lovely".

Audrey Hepburn is charming as Jo Stockton, the 'dowdy, bookish intellectual shopgirl' (as she was referred to in the original ad campaign for the film), and sings an affecting version of "How Long Has This Been Going On?", and joins Astaire and Thompson for "Bonjour Paris!", a fast-paced valentine to the City of Lights.

Tracks:

I've Got the World on a String
Midnight Sun
How Long Has This Been Going On?
You're Blase
Easy Living
More Than You Know
My Old Flame
Teach Me Tonight
Body and Soul
When Your Lover Has Gone

Amazon.com

Customer Reviews:

There are no words.........................2007-06-18

What a mix, Granz and Vaughan, the songs, musicians all come together to make a brilliant album. LOVE IT.

"I Never Regret The Years I'm Giving . . . They're Easy To Give When You're In Love".......2007-06-13

Sheer Virtuosity and brilliance..........2007-04-04

It Just Doesn't Get Better Than This!.......2006-04-16

Not long enough!.......2004-07-07

Music:

Music

Music