Live the Life

FOR the collector - get all three recordings currently available - the 1997 London version is the most complete, the Gertrude Lawrence? It's more of a Star Vehicle for Miss Lawrence - lots of dialogue - with really only the two "Liza' numbers - "Saga of Jenmny" and "My Ship" intact - but also well worth the journey.

AS A BONUS - Miss Stevens recording contains the Danny Kaye contribution missing from the Gertrude Lawrence recording - plus his versions of "My Ship" and "The Saga of Jenny".

There IS a more complete recording. . ........2000-12-06

This recording is terrific, but for a more complete recording with much better quality, look for the Original Cast Recording from the Royal National Theatre Production. It's got all the bridging music which is phenomenal.

Great Fun.......1999-04-15

Until the definitive full version of the score comes out--with all the bridging material and orchestral interludes--this is probably the most complete of one of the greatest and most charming classic Broadway scores (and probably Ira Gershwin's masterpiece). Rise Stevens was born to play the part, and though at times she gets a bit excessive (especially in the dialogue) her voice is beautiful and confident (a high point is her counterpointing the chorus during "The Best Years of His Life"), and iat times really soars, as in "This is new." Adolph Green is hilarious--it's a great tragedy he never got to play this role on Broadway.

A fun, if abbreviated, recording.......1999-04-02

A nifty performance of one of Broadway's classic scores. The biggest problem is that just about everything is slightly abridged (mostly verses, connecting material, dialogue underscoring and choral repeats--although if I'm reading the vocal score right, most of this would still be interesting to listen to); still, a reasonably good taste of the whole thing. The liner notes also don't really give a story synopsis, so if you aren't familiar with the plot, seek out a summary so you aren't completely confused by what is going on. Rise Stevens' acting is pretty mannered, and she goes over the top vocally every now and then; she seems to be shouting, not singing at the end of "Jenny." Adolph Green is hysterically funny and acquits himself supremely well in "Tchaikovsky." How you'll enjoy the appendix of Danny Kaye's recordings depends on how much you like Danny Kaye--enough said.

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Sometimes Mother Really Does Know Best
Christine Lavin
Manufacturer: Appleseed Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Contemporary Folk | Folk | Styles | Music

Singer-Songwriters | Contemporary Folk | Folk | Styles | Music

General | Folk | Styles | Music

Traditional Folk | Folk | Styles | Music

Contemporary Folk | Live Albums | Folk | Styles | Music

General | Live Albums | Folk | Styles | Music
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ASIN: B0001Z4PTQ
Release Date: 2004-05-11

Tracks:

Strangers Talk To Me In Colorado Springs On A Thursday Night
Rocky Mountain... Hi!
Wind Chimes
You Should Have Seen The Frightened Looks On Your Faces
What Kind Of Ridiculous Glamour Trajectory Am I On?
What Was I Thinking?
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Who Are The Brainiacs In The House Tonight?
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You Look Pretty Good For Your Age
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Boston Red Sox Fans: The Most Loyal, Most Tenacious, Yet Most Troubled Of All Baseball Fans
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Sometimes Mother Really Does Know Best

Album Description

The hilarious Christine Lavin literally shines in live performance as she straps on a miner's headlamp and twirls her glowing batons. But the real sparkle comes from Lavin's sung and spoken wit - this singer-songwriter-guitarist regales and involves her fans with riotously acute original songs, comic monologues, quizzes, contests, and, in this case, her quest to identify Mr. Colorado Springs in the audience at the 2003 benefit concert captured on this CD.

"Sometimes Mother Really Does Know Best" is the award-winning Ms. Lavin's seventeenth album in a recording career that stretches back to 1981. Some songs here have appeared on her previous CDs, but never like this! One of Christine's signature compositions, "What Was I Thinking?," resurfaces with updated needling of Martha Stewart, while the affectionately rueful "You Look Pretty Good for Your Age" is wrapped around Christine's search for Mr. Colorado Springs. Five other favorites are captured "live" for the first time, including the tropical ordeal of "Wind Chimes and the anthem of the uncoordinated, "Ballad of a Ballgame." There are also three new songs here.

At least half the fun of this CD comes from Christine's giddy but incisively sarcastic song intros and a half-dozen comic monologues. "What kind of a ridiculous glamour trajectory am I on?" conveys her outrage at being mistaken for an ex-nun and a lunch lady; "Bernice, Carol, and tonight's crowd compete for the science prize" is a quiz that involves such brain teasers as "How many roads MUST a man walk down before they call him a man?"

Tracks:

I'm Going To Live The Life I Sing About In My Song
Comment Allez-Vous
But For Now
Ask Me Now (How I Wish)
Throw It Away
Dansez Sur Moi (Girl Talk)
Le Jazz Et La Java
This Is Always
Parce Que
Alone Together
Les Moulins De Mon Coeur
No Tomorrow

Customer Reviews:

Songbird.......2006-08-17

The cd is chockfull of uplifting music. I had the opportunity to attend a performance of Ms. Knopfler and I must say I enjoyed her show. She sings in both English and French. Even though you may not understand French, just the melodies will reel you. If you're into jazz vocalists, please add this to your collection.

Two Thumbs Up.......2005-11-08

I just listened to "Live the Life" and I really liked it. Ilona performs a rich collection of classic songs penned by greats such as Thelonious Monk, Thomas A. Dorsey and Claude Nougaro. I think it's kind of cool how she mixes the English lyrics with her native French because I don't hear that too often. I really think this album is worth buying...it's extremely enjoyable!

A gorgeously produced affair.......2005-10-31

In the past few months I've heard more c.d.'s by relatively young, relatively unknown jazz chanteusses who, based on their freshman or sophomore efforts, will remain relatively unknown, possibly soon to be criminally underrated.

Based on what I hear here, Ilona Knopfler has a bona fide chance to break out of that pack.

Ms. Knopfler has a pure, rich straight tone that remains pure, rich and straight no matter where she is in her register. And she interprets lyrics beautifully; her phrasing is second to none.

But I can say that about a number of the above-referenced jazz singers with whom you may be unfamiliar. What separates her from them are two things:

First, this is one of the most gorgously produced c.d.'s I've heard in years. Major kudos to Jay Ashby and Al Pryor, the producers. I don't know how they got such good musicians as Paquito D'Rivera, Antonio Hart, Alain Mallet, and the New York Voices' Kim Nazarian and Darmon Meador to play and sing on an album of a relatively unknown artist on "Mack Avenue" (the recording label here), but whatever favors they pulled were worth it. More importantly, this whole album has a lush sounding feeling to it, without ever getting goopy. I highly recommend this c.d. to anybody with a killer sound system.

Secondly, Ms. Knopfler has found a niche. She sings about half of the songs in French, including French translations of "Girl Talk" ("Dansez sur Moi") and "Windmills of my Mind" ("Les Moulins de mon Coeur"), and with the lush orchestrations, they really come across as atmospheric.

With Ms. Knopfler's stunning good looks and voice, it wouldn't surprise me at all if some indie film producer discovered this album and featured it and her in some well-acclaimed film of the future, and raised her stock considerably. If that happens, well folks, you read it here first. RC

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Superstars of Country: Live
Various Artists
Manufacturer: Time Life Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Cowboy | Country | Styles | Music

General | Country | Styles | Music

General | Traditional Country | Country | Styles | Music

General | Compilations | Country | Styles | Music
ASIN: B000EHQ8J6
Release Date: 2006-04-04

Tracks:

Coal Miner's Daughter -- Loretta Lynn
Don't the Girls All Get Prettier at Closing Time -- Mickey Gilley
Forever and Ever, Amen -- Randy Travis
Folsom Prison Blues -- Johnny Cash
He Stopped Loving Her Today -- George Jones
Two Story House -- George Jones & Tammy Wynette
Slow Hand -- Conway Twitty
I Was Country When Country Wasn't Cool -- Barbara Mandrell
(Old Dogs, Children And) Watermelon Wine -- Tom T. Hall
Old Flame -- Alabama
You're the Reason God Made Oklahoma -- David Frizzell & Shelly West
Mama He's Crazy -- Judds
Elvira -- Oak Ridge Boys
I Believe In You -- Don Williams
Lookin' For Love -- Johnny Lee

Tracks:

Bop -- Dan Seals
Louisiana Woman, Mississippi Man -- Loretta Lynn and Conway Twitty
Eighteen Wheels and A Dozen Roses -- Kathy Mattea
I'll Leave the World Loving You -- Ricky Van Shelton
Hello Darlin' -- Conway Twitty
Uncle Pen -- Ricky Skaggs
Swingin' -- John Anderson
If I Said You Have A Beautiful Body Would You Hold It Against Me -- Bellamy Brothers
For the good Times -- Ray Price
Lover Her Was Easier (Than Anything I'll Ever Do Again) -- Willie Nelson
Hello Mary Lou -- Statler Brothers
On the Other Hand -- Randy Travis
Stand by Your Man -- Tammy Wynette
Heaven's Just A Sin Away -- Kendalls
God Bless the USA -- Lee Greenwood

Album Description

Who can resist the appeal of legendary Country superstars such as Johnny Cash, Barbara Mandrell, Conway Twitty, Alabama, Loretta Lynn, George Jones, Tammy Wynette, Ray Price, the Oak Ridge Boys, Randy Travis, Willy Nelson, Statler Brothers and many more-30 favorites in all on Superstars of Country Live make this release a must-have for Country music fans.

Music:

Music

Music