March 9, 2010

Dawn Harkins: Dawn of a New Day!
(Vero Voce - new on CD)
From Dawn Hawkins' solo cabaret by the same name which debuted in May 2009 at Davenport's Cabaret in Chicago. "Not For the Life of Me," "Stop, Time," "The Baby Song," "Patterns," "Good Thing Going," "I Double Dare You," "Someone Like You," "A Little Bit Off," "Children Will Listen," "Knowing When To Leave - Promises, Promises," "The Girl In 14G," "What About Today," "Willing To Ride."

Hairspray
(new on CD)
Original German cast recording. Nicole Berendsen, Rob Fowler, Maite Kelly, Uwe Ochsenknecht, Jana Stelley, Leon Van Leeuwenberg. Available for per-order at Dress Circle

Julian Yeo: Homage
(Yeomo Productions - new on CD)
How Deep is the Ocean," "So Nice," "The Shadow of Your Smile," "Mon Manège à Moi," "A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square," "Bei Mir Bist Du Schon," "Desafinado," "Tico Tico," "Give Me the Simple Life," "Life is Just a Bowl of Cherries," "Just a Gigolo," "Besame Mucho," "It’s Been a Long Long Time," "You Go to My Head," "I Love Being Here with You."

LoveBites Original Australian Cast(new on 2 CDs)
New Australian musical from the composers of The Hatpin. Music by Peter Rutherford and lyrics by James Millar. Amelia Cormack (Priscilla, Queen Of The Desert), David Harris (Miss Saigon, The Full Monty, Gutenberg!), James Millar (Gutenberg!, Jerry Springer the Opera, Company) and Sophia Ragavelas (Les Miserables, Mamma Mia, The Lion King). Available at Middle 8.

Love Never Dies
(Polydor - new on 2 CDs) 
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Studio recording of Andrew Lloyd Webber's Phantom of the Opera sequel. Lyrics by Glenn Slater. World-wide release. Also available at Amazon UK and Dress Circle. New Andrew Lloyd Webber musical, with lyrics by Glenn Slater. To debut March 9, 2010 in London, and November 11, 2010, in New York. Ramin Karimloo, Sierra Boggess, Summer Strallen, Liz Robertson, Joseph Millson, Niamh Perry. Prologue, "The Coney Island Waltz," "That's the place you ruined, you fool," "A Little Slice of Heaven," "Only For Him / Only For You," "The Aerie," "'Til I Hear You Sing," "Giry Confronts The Phantom / Are You Ready to Begin," "Christine Disembarks," "Arrival of the Trio / Are You Ready to Begin," "What a Dreadful Town," "Look with Your Heart," "Beneath a Moonless Sky," "Once Upon Another Time," "Mother please, I'm scared," "Dear Old Friend," "Beautiful," "The Beauty Underneath," "The Phantom confronts Christine"; "Disc Two:," "Entr'acte," "Why Does She Love Me," "Devil Take the Hindmost," "A Little Slice of Heaven (Reprise)," "Ladies. / The Coney Island Waltz (Reprise)," "Bathing Beauty," "Mother, did you watch?," "Before the Performance," "Devil Take the Hindmost (Quartet)," "Love Never Dies," "Ah, Christine!," "Gustave! Gustave!," "Please, Miss Giry, I Want To Go Back."

Love Never Dies Deluxe set
(Polydor - new on 2 CDs/DVD) )  - music only
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Includes special bonus material containing behind the scenes interviews and exclusive images. World-wide release. New Andrew Lloyd Webber musical, with lyrics by Glenn Slater. To debut March 9, 2010 in London, and November 11, 2010, in New York. Ramin Karimloo, Sierra Boggess, Summer Strallen, Liz Robertson, Joseph Millson, Niamh Perry. Prologue, "The Coney Island Waltz," "That's the place you ruined, you fool," "A Little Slice of Heaven," "Only For Him / Only For You," "The Aerie," "'Til I Hear You Sing," "Giry Confronts The Phantom / Are You Ready to Begin," "Christine Disembarks," "Arrival of the Trio / Are You Ready to Begin," "What a Dreadful Town," "Look with Your Heart," "Beneath a Moonless Sky," "Once Upon Another Time," "Mother please, I'm scared," "Dear Old Friend," "Beautiful," "The Beauty Underneath," "The Phantom confronts Christine"; "Disc Two:," "Entr'acte," "Why Does She Love Me," "Devil Take the Hindmost," "A Little Slice of Heaven (Reprise)," "Ladies. / The Coney Island Waltz (Reprise)," "Bathing Beauty," "Mother, did you watch?," "Before the Performance," "Devil Take the Hindmost (Quartet)," "Love Never Dies," "Ah, Christine!," "Gustave! Gustave!," "Please, Miss Giry, I Want To Go Back." Bonus DVD includes footage from the recording sessions in London, interviews with Andrew Lloyd Webber, designer Bob Crowley and the stars of the show, plus "Coney Island Waltz" music video set to archival film footage of Coney Island. Also at Amazon UK and Dress Circle

Mary Martin: Cinderella / Three to Make Music
(Sepia - new on CD)
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Mary Martin sings selections from Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella, songs from Three To Make Music, a musical composed by Mary Rodgers and Linda Melnick (CD debut), and standards in medley form entitled A Musical Love Story. 33 tracks.

Nine Film Vocal Selections
(Hal Leonard - Paperback Book)
11 Maury Yeston selections from the 2009 Rob Marshall film, a plot synopsis, notes on the project's genesis, and photos from the film. "Be Italian," "A Call from the Vatican," "Cinema Italiano (The King of Cinema Italiano)," "Folies Bergeres," "Guarda La Luna," "Guido's Song," "I Can't Make This Movie," "My Husband Makes Movies," "Only with You," "Take It All," "Unusual Way (In a Very Unusual Way)."

Philip Fortenberry: Broadway My Way
(PK Music - new on CD)
Collection of piano solos by Philip Fortenberry, music director and pianist on Broadway, Off-Broadway, West End and touring shows. "Sometimes a Day Goes By," "Where is Love," "With You," "All I Ask of You," "You Made Me Love you," "New Music," "Only Love," "Solla Sollew," "Sunrise, Sunset," "If Ever I Would Leave You," "Seduction (Sympathy, Tenderness)," "I Won't Send Roses," "Hard Candy Christmas," "A Quiet Thing," "Fallen Angel," "Memory," "I Only Want to Say (John 19:41)"

Sophie Tucker Cabaret Days
(Sepia - new on CD)
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Studio album. Sophie Tucker's recreation of what it was like to sing in the rowdy saloons of her youth, complete with thunderous applause and chatter from a simulated audience. Most of the material is on CD for the first time, including a rare and private recording of “Some of These Days”. "Cabaret Days," "I Wanna Say Hello," "After You'Ve Gone," "Margie," "I'm Living Alone and I Like It," "Put Your Arms Around Me Honey," "Nobody Loves a Fat Girl," "I'm Sorry I Made You Cry," "Hello My Baby," "Waiting For the Robert E. Lee," "Some of These Days," "Mister Siegel," "Horse Playing Papa," "Make Him Say Please," "I'm Having More Fun Since I'm Sixty," "No One Man is Ever Going To Worry Me," "There's a Lot of Little Boy," "Mr. Fink," "No One Woman Can Satisfy Any One Man All the Time," "How Am I Every Going To Grow Old," "You Can't Deep Freeze a Red Hot Mama," "I'm Starting All Over Again."

March 2, 2010

Everybody Sing
(MGM - on DVD-R)
Amazon on-demand. 1938 film with Judy Garland, Allan Jones and Fanny Brice.

A Hundred or More Hidden Things: The Life and Films of Vincente Minnelli
(Da Capo Press - New Book)
By Mark Griffin. Drawing on more than 100 interviews with such icons as Kirk Douglas, Angela Lansbury, Lauren Bacall, Tony Curtis, and George Hamilton, Griffin turns the spotlight on the enigmatic "elegant director," revealing long-kept secrets at the heart of Minnelli’s genius. 368 pages.

I Know Where I'm Going: Katharine Hepburn, A Personal Biography
(Simon & Schuster - Hardcover Book)
By Charlotte Chandler. Biography of Katharine Hepburn, based on interviews Charlotte Chandler conducted with her in the 1970s and '80s. 366 pages.

John Barrowman
(Arista/UK - new on import CD)
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When I Get My Name In Lights," "One Night Only," "Copacabana," "I Won't Send Roses," "Memory," "The Kid Inside," "My Eyes Adored You," "Don't Cry Out Loud," "So Close" (from Enchanted, with Jodie Prenger), "Unusual Way," "You'll Never Walk Alone," "The Winner Takes It All," "Oh What A Night." Limited edition gift box version also available. Also available at Amazon UK.

Tomorrow Morning
(new on CD)
2008 Chicago cast recording of Laurence Mark Wythe score. Charissa Armon, Michael Mahler, Jonathan Rayson, Emily Thompson. Jeff Award winning musical. "Everything Changes," "When I`m A Bride," "The Reasons Behind Our Impending Divorce," "I Remember," "The Recurring Dream," "The Secret Tango," "Catherine`s Moment," "Lonely Child," "After Tonight," "The Pool Guy," "Inventory," "POVs," "The Girl in the Mirror," "Autobiography," "Look What We Made," "Self Portrait," "All About Today." Available at Dress Circle.

Plenty
(Lionsgate - on DVD)
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1985 film version of David Hare's play, with Meryl Streep, Charles Dance, Tracey Ullman, John Gielgud, Sting, and Ian McKellen.

February 23, 2010

Colette
(Stage Door Records - new on CD)
1980 Original London cast recording. Cleo Laine, Kenneth Nelson, John Moffatt. Score by John Dankworth. First time on CD. Digitally remastered from original master tapes. Sleeve notes by John Dankworth and rare production photos. "You Can Be Sure Of Spring," "He's A Captain!," "I'm Special," "Ambitious," "Paree!," "Our Relationship," "Alone With Myself," "Attention Will Wander," "You've Got To Do What You've Got To Do," "We'll Stick Together," "I Never Make The Same Mistake," "Little Girl," "Nothing Special - Kenneth Nelson," "A Little Touch Of Powder," "Love With Someone Younger," "Will He Ever Be Back?," "Little Red Room." Available at StageDoorRecords.com and Footlight.

Elaine Paige - Celebrating 40 Years On Stage
(new on uncoded DVD)
Filmed in Sydney at The State Theatre. Elaine Paige's "Greatest Hits" tour celebrating her 40th Anniversary in showbiz, and includes some new material (including a song written for her, when she was in Evita, by Dustin Hoffman and Bette Midler that she's never performed before) together with West End / Broadway hits. She also tells anecdotes from her career, and performs a number of the songs in costume. This is the first time she's been filmed in concert since 1991. All Regions DVD. Available at Amazon UK (though they list it as a Region 2 DVD) and Dress Circle.

Hollywood Singing and Dancing: Movies That Swing
(Great Musical Treasures - new on DVD)
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Most recent installment in this series focuses on films with big band and jazz stars. 90 minutes.

John Pizzarelli Rockin' In Rhythm: A Tribute to Duke Ellington
(Telarc - new on CD)
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"In a Mellow Tone," "East St. Louis Toddle Oo/Don't Get Around Much Anymore," "Satin Doll," "C Jam Blues," "In My Solitude," "Just Squeeze Me," "Lost/Perdido," "All Too Soon," "I'm Beginning To See The Light," "Love Scene," "I Got It Bad and That Ain't Good," "Cottontail/Rockin' in Rhythm."

Our Gracie: Best of Gracie Fields
(Indie Europe - new on import CD)
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Brand new collection brings together 25 recordings, including 5 which have never been released commercially before now. Taken from broadcasts on US radio during the 30s,they have been newly discovered in the Decca vault. In addition, a brand new duet has been recorded, using themagic of 21st century recording techniques to add the voice of Jane Horrocks (BBC drama Gracie!) to Gracie’s original recording of "Now Is The Hour." 22 tracks. Also ordering at Dress Circle

Secrets of My Hollywood Life 5: Broadway Lights
(Poppy - Paperback Book)
Part of a young adult book series by Jenn Calonita. Hollywood teen starlet Kaitlin Burke packs up her entourage (ok, her showbiz family, friends, assistant, and publicist, but not the dreamy boyfriend) and moves to the Big Apple for the summer. Kaitlin is the toast of the town and she hits the most exclusive New York nightspots, enjoys the best food (Hello, Magnolia Bakery), and even guests as a celebrity host on Saturday Night Live! But New York isn't all cupcakes and virgin daiquiris. Long distance and a handsome new costar put a huge strain on her relationship with Austin, and it turns out Broadway divas are a whole different breed of neuroses and competition from Hollywood starlets. 384 pages.

February 16, 2010

Gypsy: The Art of the Tease
(Yale Univ Press - Hardcover/Paperback Book)
Rachel Shteir (Striptease gives us Gypsy Rose Lee's story, from her arrival in New York in 1931 to her sojourns in Hollywood, her friendships and rivalries with writers and artists, the Sondheim musical, family memoirs that retold her history in divergent ways, and a television biopic currently in the making.

An Old-Fashioned Christmas (Bell Telephone Hour Telecasts 1959-1966)
(VAI - new on DVD)
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1965 Bell Telephone TV special. Florence Henderson stars in and hosts. Over 40 Christmas favorites, with Gianna d'Angelo, Phyllis Curtin, Lisa Della Casa, Anita Gillette, Mildred Miller, Sherrill Milnes, Giorgio Tozzi, Earl Wrightson, Bruce Yarnell, and the Buffalo Bills. Released 11/17/09.

Show Tunes: The Songs, Shows, and Careers of Broadway's Major Composers - 4th Edition
(Oxford Univ Press - Hardcover Book)
By Steven Suskin. Chronicles the shows, songs, and careers of the major composers of the American musical theatre ... this newly revised and updated edition discusses almost 1,000 shows and 9,000 show tunes. Updated through May, 2009, it features the entire theatrical output of forty of Broadway's leading composers, in addition to a wide selection of work by other songwriters. The listings include essential production data and statistics, the most extensive information available on published and recorded songs, and lively commentary on the shows, songs, and diverse careers. Suskin also uncovers dozens of lost musicals, including shows that either closed out of town or were never headed for Broadway, and catalogs hundreds of previously unknown songs ... 624 pages.

Sing Me A Love Song: Harry Warren's Undiscovered Standards
(Such Sweet Thunder - new on CD)
The David Berger Jazz Orchestra with vocal performances by Freda Payne and Denzal Sinclaire (National Jazz Award Winner). For the first time ever, these previously unrecorded and unpublished melodies by Harry Warren are seeing the light of day with a thrilling big band sound. These songs with lyrics by Paul Mendenhall are appropriate to the period yet never dated. They have the quality of Golden Age classics with their beautiful melodies and distinctive hooks. Released 1/19/10.

February 9, 2010

Canvas Falcons: Live At the Orpheum
(new mp3) 
Troy Gleeson musical, stage at the Orpheum Theatre in Phoenix, Arizona (the film of the production was awarded Best Feature Length Musical by the New York International Independent Film & Video Festival).

How to Start Your Own Theater Company
(Chicago Review Press - Paperback Book)
By Reginald Nelson, with a foreword by David Schwimmer. Guide for would be playhouse practitioners on everything from fundraising and finding a space to selecting plays and navigating legal issues. Chronicling three seasons at Chicago's award-winning Congo Square Theatre, this journey behind the curtain reveals the nitty-gritty details - such as managing rent, parking, and safety issues; determining tax status and calculating budgets; and finding flexible day jobs—that are often overlooked amid the zeal of artistic pursuit. Includes lists of Equity offices, legal advisers, and other important organizations.

I Am an Emotional Creature: The Secret Life of Girls Around the World
(Villard - Hardcover Book)
Book for girls by playwright Eve Ensler (The Vagina Monologues).

Latin Roots: Lucie Arnaz
(LML Music - new on CD) 
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"You and The Night and The Music," "I'll See You In C-U-B-A," "Blame It On The Bossa Nova," "Johnny Angel," "Promises," "It's Alright With Me/Something's Gotta Give," "Fools Rush In," "Just To Be Near You," "Rumba Mutumba," "El Cumbanchero," "Leader Of The Band," "Para Abuelo (Joe's Tune)," "Babalu/La Copa De La Vida."
`

Love, Linda: The Life of Mrs. Cole Porter
(150 Music - new on CD)
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From Stevie Holland's one-woman musical about Linda Porter and her life with husband Cole Porter. "So In Love/What Is This Thing Called Love?," "Prelude: Linda meets Cole (dialogue)," "Ours," "I Love Paris," "Miss Otis Regrets," "The Scampi," "In The Still Of The Night," "Medley: Let's Do It/You've Got That Thing/Let's Misbehave/You Do Something To Me," "Let's Be Buddies," "Ridin' High," "Love For Sale," "My Heart Belongs To Daddy," "Night And Day/There's A Hollywood That s Good," "Wunderbar," "When A Woman's In Love."

Melora Hardin: All the Way to Mars
(LML Music - new on CD)
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Award-winning actress/singer/songwriter, Melora Hardin (Chicago, Les Misérables, The Office), delivers a versatile 17-track album featuring songs from Broadway as well as standards, pop and some originals. "Raise the Roof," "You (Once Tomorrow Now Yesterday)," "All Messed Up," "Everybody Says Don't," "Close to You," "Boy and His Cat, A," "I Never Meant to Hurt You," "Fading Away," "He's so Married," "Makin' Love," "Ride Your Rocket," "Girl Talk," "Teenager," "Everything Must Change," "I Dreamed a Dream," "Roxie," "Come Home with Me for Christmas." Digipak.

Twelve Angry Men/An Almanac on Liberty: Studio One
(E1 Entertainment - on DVD)
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1954 TV version of Twelve Angry Men with Robert Cummings, Edward Arnold, Walter Abel, Norman Fell, Franchot Tone; and An Almanac On Liberty with Pat Hingle and Eli Mintz. Previously included in Studio One Anthology set.

February 2, 2010

Captain Jinks of the Horse Marines
(Albany Records - on 2 CDs)
Reissue of long out of print 1976 Columbia label, Kansas City Lyric Theatre cast recording of Jack Beeson/Sheldon Harnick operetta. Based on the play by Clyde Fitch.

Erin Shields: I'd Rather Be Lonely
(new on CD)
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"You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To," "All Or Nothing At All," "Never Let Me Go/When Your Lover Has Gone," "Bill," "Someone To Watch Over Me," "Love Me Or Leave Me," "My Funny Valentine," "The Boy Next Door," "I'll Be Seeing You." Released 12/11/09.

Julian Yeo: Deep Purple Dreams
(Yeomo Productions - new on CD)
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"No Moon at all," "Close Your Eyes," "Whatever Lola Wants," "How Insensitive," "Deep Purple," "Love for Sale," "Quizas, Quizas, Quizas," "Anything Goes," "Let Yourself Go," "Too Darn Hot," "On a Slow Boat to China," "September Song."

Finian's Rainbow
(PS Classics - new on CD) 
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2009 Broadway revival cast recording. Burton Lane/Yip Harburg score. Cast includes Jim Norton, Kate Baldwin, Cheyenne Jackson, Christopher Fitzgerald and Chuck Cooper. Produced by Tommy Krasker. Recorded December 7.

Liza's at the Palace
(MPI - new on DVD)
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Liza Minnelli's show, filmed during September 30 and October performances at Las Vegas' Hollywood Theater in the MGM Grand. Directed by Matthew Diamond. With Billy Stritch, Cortes Alexander, Jim Caruso, Johnny Rodgers and Tiger Martina. To air on PBS. 120 minutes.

The Music Man
(Warner - on Blu-Ray)
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New transfer of 1962 musical version of Meredith Willson musical. Robert Preston, Shirley Jones, Buddy Hackett, Ron Howard. Same bonuses as most recent DVD.

Raise the Curtain: Caroline Sheen
(new on CD)
Debut album by European and West End actress (Mary Poppins, Witches of Eastwick, The Light in the Piazza, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang). "Carrie Makes A Decision" (Grant Olding) *, "A Part Of Me" (Maltby & Shire), "Isn´t This What Every Woman Wants? (Dempsey & Rowe) *, "Higher (Richard Taylor) *, "Will You? (Frankel & Korie), "What Did You Want From Love?" (Conor Mitchell) *, "I Lay My Armor Down" (Stitt & Greenberg), "Wait A Bit" (Stiles & Drewe, "Mr Hopalong Heartbreak" (Jason Robert Brown), "Miss Hardcastle´s Wedding" (Goodall & Hart) *, "The Light In The Piazza" (Adam Guettel), "Anything Can Happen" (Stiles & Drewe), "Bonus Track: "Nothing Is Too Wonderful To Be True" (David Yazbek - duet with Michael Jibson). * = Previously unrecorded. Available at Dress Circle.

Rooms: A Rock Romance
(Time Life - new on CD) 
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Off-Broadway cast recording of Paul Scott Goodman and Miriam Gordon Score. Leslie Kritzer and Doug Kreeger. Recorded May 12. Already available on iTunes.

A Steady Rain: A Play
(Faber & Faber - Paperback Book)
Keith Huff's play. Broadway production featured Hugh Jackman and Daniel Craig.

Vanities
(Ghostlight - new on CD) 
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Recording of Off-Broadway musical score by David Kirshenbaum. Lauren Kennedy, Sarah Stiles and Anneliese van der Pol. Produced by Joel Moss. Eight-piece led by music director Bryan Perri. Orchestrations by Lynne Shankel. "Setting Your Sights (Reflections)," "I Don’t Wanna Miss A Thing," "An Organized Life," "I Can’t Imagine," "Setting Your Sights (City Limits)," "An Organized Life (1968)," "Fly Into The Future," "Cute Boys With Short Haircuts," "Let Life Happen," "Setting Your Sights (What You Wanted)," "The Same Old Music," "An Organized Life (1974)," "The Argument," "Friendship Isn’t What It Used To Be," "Looking Good." Already available in mp3 format at Amazon. Store date. Recorded August 21, 2009.

January 26, 2010

Fame
(WHV - on Blu-Ray)
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Original 1980 musical film featuring Irene Cara, Eddie Barth, Meg Tilly, Richard Belzer, Barry Miller, Lee Curreri, Paul McCrane, Billy Hufsey, Maureen Teefy.

Leonard Bernstein: Omnibus - The Historic TV Broadcasts
(Koch - on 4 DVDs)
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Hosted by Alastair Cooke, the Omnibus series feature diverse live broadcasts on science, the arts and the humanities. This historic collection includes seven episodes featuring lectures, performances and master classes from the legendary conductor and composer Leonard Bernstein. Includes: Beethoven's Fifth Symphony (1954), The World of Jazz (1955), The Art of Conducting (1955), American Musical Comedy (1956), Introduction to Modern Music (1957), The Music of Johann Sebastian Bach (1957) and What Makes Opera Grand? (1958).

Torch: Lina Koutrakos
(LML Music - new on CD)
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"Lush Life," "Come Rain or Come Shine," "You Don't Know Me," "How Long Has This Been Going On," "It Had To Be You," "Stormy Weather," "You Fascinate Me," "My Foolish Heart," "Night Moves," "Don't Explain," "What Are You Doing The Rest Of Your Life," "Joan Of Arc," "Man That Got Away, The," "One For My Baby."

Two Shows Nightly Deluxe Edition: Peggy Lee
(Collector's Choice - new on CD)
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Culled from three nights of a three-week April run at the Copa during which Peggy played two shows per night (and three on Saturday), Two Shows Nightly was pressed and ready to go to retail in November 1968 when Peggy, unhappy with the mix, pulled the release on the eve of its street date. 41 years later, Peggy's estate has consented to the release of this long-lost album - with a dozen bonus tracks. From the original album: "Do I Hear a Waltz," "By the Time I Get to Phoenix," "Reason to Believe," "Didn't Want to Have to Do It," "Personal Property," "Hand on the Plow," "Until It's Time for You to Go," "Something Stupid," "What Is a Woman," "Alright, Okay, You Win," "Here's to You" and "Come Back to Me." Bonus tracks include the unreleased "Money" and "I Wound It Up" as well as nine rare single sides and the the obscure "Make Believe." New liner notes from Peggy Lee discographer Ivan Santiago.

You're A Good Man, Charlie Brown
(WHB - new on DVD)
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Remastered 1985 animated TV special. 50 minute feature plus "Animating A Charlie Brown Musical" documentary featurette that explores the twenty-year journey of the Clark Gesner concept album that became a 1967 Off-Broadway hit and finally an animated TV special.

January 19, 2010

A Changing World
(new on CD)
The words, the music and the wisdom of Noel Coward delivered with fresh, modern arrangements. Sung by West End star Simon Green and piano by composer/arranger David Shrubsole. Played at New York’s 59E59 theaters under the title Coward at Christmas. "There Have Been Songs In England/You Were There," "Couldn't We Keep On Dancing," "Where Are The Songs We Sung/A Room With A View/I'll Follow My Secret Heart," "What's Going To Happen To The Tots," "Time And Again/Wait A Bit Joe," "On Leaving England/London Pride/I Travel Alone/Sail Away," "Three Theatrical Dames," "Why Must The Show Go On?," "Twentieth Century Blues," "I'm Old Fashioned/Let's Do It," "Alice Is At It Again," "I'll See You Again/This Is A Changing World," "Someday I'll Find You," "Come The Wild, Wild Weather."

Chuck Wagner
(Wagner Dreams Unlimited - mp3 album)
mp3 version of Chuck Wagner album. "I Need To Know," "Stars," "Hello Little Girl," "This Is The Moment," "Dangerous Game," "Brother, My Brother," "If I Can't Love Her," "Agony," "Take Me As I Am," "If Ever I Would Leave You."

Colm Wilkinson: Broadway and Beyond The Concert Songs
(new on CD)
Recording of the songs from Wilkinson's concert tour. Mix of Broadway, pop, Irish ballads and more. "The Music of the Night," "Tennessee Waltz," "The Wind Beneath My Wings," "Bring Him Home," "This is the Moment," "Runaway," "Some Enchanted Evening," "Country Roads," "Somewhere," "Hallelujah," "The House of the Rising Sun," "If I Ever Would Leave You," "Old Man River," "Whiskey in the Jar," "Danny Boy," "Anthem," "Imagine/Peace Will Come."

The Cranford Collection
(BBC Warner - new on 3 DVDs)
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Includes complete five episode BBC series adapted from Elizabeth Gaskell's novels.

Cranford: Return To Cranford
(BBC Warner - new on DVD)
Order at CD UniversePart of BBC's Cranford series. Judi Dench, Jonathan Pryce, Imelda Staunton, Francesca Annis, Julia McKenzie.

Giddy On Up
(new digital download) 
Laura Bell Bundy single from upcoming album Achin' and Shakin'.

The Great American Songbook - The Composers: Volume 2
(Hal Leonard - Paperback Book)
Nearly 100 more classics from the American repertoire of classics, including: "Always," "But Beautiful," "Caravan," "Falling in Love with Love," "I Concentrate on You," "It Don't Mean a Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)," "Long Ago (And Far Away)," "My Romance," "Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin'," "Ol' Man River," "Once in Love with Amy," "So in Love," "Some Enchanted Evening," "Wedding Bells (Are Breaking up That Old Gang of Mine)," "Yesterdays," "You're the Cream in My Coffee" and more.

Green Sneakers
(Blue Griffin - new on CD/mp3) 
World premiere recording of Ricky Ian Gordon mini-opera, sung by Jesse Blumberg with the Miami String Quartet.

Reading the Plays of Wendy Wasserstein
(Applause - Paperback Book)
By Jan Balakin. Essays which place Wendy Wasserstein's seven major plays, in a historical context, showing a connection between the evolution of the women's movement in America and the conflicts within her plays. Interviews with the playwright before her death in 2006, and with Wasserstein's close friends, playwright Chris Durang and director Dan Sullivan, lend further insight into Wasserstein's political concerns. The author's access to handwritten pages from Wasserstein's notebooks at the Wasserstein archives at Mount Holyoke also provides readers a window into the playwright's creative process. Features 50 black-and-white illustrations, including handwritten pages from Wendy Wasserstein's notebooks.

Salaam. Peace: An Anthology of Middle Eastern-American Drama
(TCG - Paperback Book)
Holly Hill and Dina Amin, editors. Collection of new plays by American writers of a variety of Middle Eastern backgrounds, from artists born in Egypt and Iran, to Israeli and Palestinian Americans. Ten Acrobats in an Amazing Leap of Faith by Yussef el-Guindi; Between Our Lips by Nathalie Handal; Nine Parts of Desire by Heather Raffo; The Black Eyed by Betty Shamieh; Call Me Mehdi by Torange Yeghiazarian; Browntown by Samir Younis; Desert Sunrise by Misha Shulman.

Shakespeare and the American Musical
(Indiana Univ Press - Hardcover/Paperback Book)
Irene G. Dash explores the influence of Shakespeare on American musical theater through analyses of five important productions from 1938 through 1971 - The Boys from Syracuse, Kiss Me, Kate, West Side Story, Your Own Thing and Two Gentlemen of Verona. Dash argues that adaptations of Shakespeare were instrumental in the alteration of the musical theater formula from the stock plots and song forms of the 1930s musical comedy to the more organic "integrated musical" ...

Streamers
(Shout! Factory - new on DVD)
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1983 Robert Altan film version of David Rabe play. Matthew Modine, Michael Wright, Mitchell Lichtenstein, and David Alan Grier.

Toronto Sings the Breithaupt Brothers Songbook
(GDM - new on CD) 
Live album tribute to songs of Don Breithaupt and Jeff Breithaupt (Seeing Stars). Denzal Sinclaire, Adi Braun, Brent Carver, Patricia O'Callaghan, Wendy Lands.

Turning Thirty, The Musical Live Debut
(new on mp3) 
Live recording of Atlanta benefit performance of Tom Willner musical, based on his personal experience with cancer. Tom Willner, Kristi Budd, Pam Duncan, Jose Cordero.

January 12, 2010

8 1/2
(Criterion - new on Blu-Ray)
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Federico Fellini's 1963 film that was the basis for the musical Nine. Marcello Mastroianni, Claudia Cardinale, Barbara Steele, Anouk Aimée, Sandra Milo, Mario Pisu, Rosella Falk. Black and white; 138 minutes. High-definition digital transfer of restored film elements plus extras: introduction by filmmaker Terry Gilliam; audio commentary w/ Gideon Bachmann and NYU film professor Antonio Monda; A Director's Notebook 52-minute Fellini film by Federico Fellini; The Last Sequence 52-minute documentary on alternate ending; Nino Rota: Between Cinema and Concert 48-minute documentary; interviews with actress Sandra Milo, Lina Wertmuller & Vittorio Storaro; rare photographs from Bachmann's collection; behind-the-scenes and production photos; trailers; improved English subtitle translation; booklet featuring writings by Fellini and essays by critics.

Fame Extended Dance Edition
(MGM - new on DVD & Blu-Ray 2 discs)
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2009 film remake featuring Thomas Dekker, Paul Iacono, Kristy Flores, Charles S. Dutton, Kelsey Grammer, Bebe Neuwirth, Debbie Allen, Megan Mullally, Naturi Naughton, Anna Maria Perez de Tagles, Paul McGill, Kay Panabaker, Kherington Payne, Collins Pennie, Walter Perez. 15 deleted scenes, Fame National Talent Search Contest Winner, and a music video.

Fame: Season Two
(MGM - on 5 DVDs)
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Second season (1982-3) of TV show. Erica Gimpel, Debbie Allen, Gene Anthony Ray, Lee Curreri, Valerie Landsburg, Carlo Imperato, Lori Singer, Albert Hague, Carol Mayo Jenkins. Guests include Marge Champion, Bruno Kirby, Betty White, Nancy Walker, Arte Johnson, Brenda Vaccaro, Milton Berle, Malcolm-Jamal Warner, Previously available in combination pack with season one.

The Lion King On Broadway Special 2-Disc Edition
(Disney - new on CD + DVD)
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OBC album plus bonus DVD with all-new addition behind the scenes material of the London production of The Lion King.

Passing Strange
(IFC - new on DVD)
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2009 Spike Lee film of Stew's musical. Filmed live. Eisa Davis, de'Adre Aziza, Daniel Breaker, Colman Domingo, Stew.

Road Show
(TCG - Paperback Book)
Libretto for Sondheim/John Weidman musical about Addison Mizner and Wilson Mizner.

January 5, 2010

All the Things You Are: Transcriptions and In-Depth Analysis of Solos by Jazz Pianists Playing Jerome Kern's Classic Songs
(Hal Leonard - Paperback Book & CD)
By Gene Rizzo and Jerome Kern. In-depth analysis of how a variety of jazz musicians have handled the Kern standard "All the Things You Are." Artists include Oscar Peterson, Andre Previn, Ahmad Jamal, Hampton Hawes, Ralph Sharon, Dave Brubeck, Phineas Newborn, Marian McPartland, and many more. The book includes details and transcriptions of key passages from each artist's version along with references to the specific recording being discussed. The CD includes sound-alike examples of each of the passages to aid in the study and analysis.

Broadway: An Encyclopedia of Theater and American Culture
(Greenwood - 2 Hardcover Volumes)
Thomas A. Greenfield. Explores just how much the "Great White Way" illuminates our national character. In two volumes spanning the era from the mid-19th century to the present, it offers nearly 200 entries on a variety of topics, including spotlights on 30 landmark productions — from Shuffle Along to Oklahoma! to Oh Calcutta! to The Producers — that not only changed American theater but American culture as well. Plus, thirty extended thematic essays gauging the powerful impact of theater on American life, with entries on race relations, women in society, sexuality, film, media, technology, tourism, and off-Broadway and noncommercial theater. Also, 110 profile entries on key persons and institutions — from the famous to the infamous to the all but forgotten — whose unique careers and contributions impacted Broadway and its place in the American landscape.

Conversations with Peter Brook
(TCG - Paperback Book)
Margaret Croyden (editor). Director Peter Brook shares his most insightful thoughts and deepest feelings about theater with Margaret Croyden, who has followed his career for thirty years, gaining an unparalleled perspective on the evolution of his work. In these interchanges from 1970 to 2000, Brook freely discusses major works, the establishment of the Paris Center, his work in the Middle East and Africa and more.

The Director's Voice, Volume Two
(TCG - Paperback Book)
A cross-section of stage directors defining today's American theater, in conversation with director/producer Jason Loewith. Interviews include: Anne Bogart, Mark Brokaw, Peter Brosius, Ping Chong, David Esbjornson, Oskar Eustis, Frank Galati, Michael Kahn, Moisés Kaufman, James Lapine, Elizabeth LeCompte, Emily Mann, Michael Mayer, Marion McClinton, Bill Rauch, Bartlett Sher, Julie Taymor, Theatre de la Jeune Lune (Barbra Berlovitz, Steven Epps, Vincent Gracieux, Robert Rosen, and Dominique Serrand), George C. Wolfe, and Mary Zimmerman.

Speak Low: Ashley Brown
(Ghostlight/Razor & Tie - new on CD) 
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Jazz album of American Songbook songs by star of Mary Poppins. To include "Smile," "Make Someone Happy," "My Funny Valentine," "I'll Be Seeing You," "My Only Love” and "The Very Thought of You."  Produced by David Lai.

-- Sound Advice Staff

Additional information provided by
Max O. Preeo