Talkin' Broadway Sound Advice Recap Week of 12/12/17 (updated 12/15/17)

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See the complete list of Upcoming/Recent releases.

Please note: the next Tuesday recap will be published on January 2, 2018.

Earlier recaps:

2017: December 5 | November 28, 21, 14, 7, October 31, 24, 17, 10, 3 | September 26, 19, 12, 5 | August 29, 22, 15, 8, 1 | July 25, 18, July 4 & 11 | June 27, 20, 13, 6 | May 30, 23, 16, 9, 2 | April 25, 18, 11, 4 | March 28, 21, 14, 7 | February 28, 21, 14, 7 | January 31, 24, 17, 10, 3

2016 | 2015


CDs Now Available:

Expresso Bongo OLC
(Kritzerland Records - new on CD)
1958 musical with music by David Heneker (Half a Sixpence) and Monty Norman, and lyrics by Julian More, David Heneker, and Monty Norman. Paul Scofield, James Kenney, Millicent Martin, Meier Tzelniker, Hy Hazell, and Elizabeth Ashley. Remastered by James Nelson. Also included are the songs from the film version, performed by Cliff Richards, and two covers. "Overture," "Don't You Sell Me Down the River," "Expresso Party," "Nausea," "Spoil the Child," "Seriously," "I Never Had it So Good," "There's Nothing Wrong With the British Youth Today," "The Shrine on the Second Floor," "He's Got Something for the Public," "I Am," "Nothing is for Nothing," "We Bought It," "Time," "The Gravy Train," "Finale. Bonus Tracks: soundtrack EP with Cliff Richard and The Shadows: "Love," "A Voice in the Wilderness," "The Shrine on the Second Floor," "Bongo's Blues"; Cover Versions: "He's Got Something for the Public" (Stephen Hill Singers/The Tony Hatch Orchestra), "Seriously" (Millicent Martin/Tony Osborne Orchestra). Limited to 500 copies. Expected to ship by mid-December. Order at Kritzerland.com.

High Tor
(Stage Door Records - new on CD)
1956 musical CBS TV film, based on the based on the Maxwell Anderson 1936 play. From the Decca album that featured the songs and story (dialogue tracks), plus two bonus tracks. Music by Arthur Schwartz, lyrics by Anderson. Cast includes Julie Andrews (U.S. television debut), Bing Crosby, Nancy Olson, Everett Sloane. Why yes, I'll tell you what happened on High Tor, "Living One Day at a Time," Just after that, two first class skinflints, "When You're in Love" (Crosby, So there I was up there alone, "Sad Is the Life of a Sailor's Wife," And then they all drifted away, "When You're in Love (Sloane and Julie Andrews)," I don't know whether you'll believe this, "A Little Love, a Little While," I don't know whether I believe this next part, "When You're in Love (Reprise)" (Sloane, At that moment the bank robbers came back, "John Barleycorn," They began to offer me real money for High Tor, "Once Upon a Long Ago," I didn't hear Judy coming., "Once Upon a Long Ago," There isn't much more to tell, "John Barleycorn (Reprise)," They got out in a couple of days, "A Little Love, A Little While (Reprise)." Bonus tracks: "When You're in Love" (Leroy Holmes and His Orchestra and Chorus), "When You're in Love" (The Lancers). First time on CD. Part of Stage Door Records' Collector's Series with special packaging, bonus tracks, and limited to 500 units. Looks like it will only be available from third party sellers. Also at StageDoorRecords.com and Amazon UK.

Mad Libs Live!
(Broadway Records - new on CD/mp3/at iTunes)
Original (Off-Broadway) cast recording of score by Jeff Thomson (music) and Robin Rothstein (lyrics). Jeanfranco Cardentey, Lindsey Brett Carothers, Max Joseph, Melody Madarasz, Zachary Noah Piser and Santina Umbach; plus special guest Mike Woods. I'm Doing It Right Now!," "This Is How It's Going Down," "How to Be Famous," "My (Adjective) (Noun)," "I'm the Most Awesome Athlete in the World," "Disaster!," "You Give Me Meaning," "Finale." For audiences 7 and up. Executive produced by Kevin Duda. Produced by Michael J. Moritz Jr. Also at BroadwayRecords.com.

William Tabbert: Younger Than Springtime and Other Rarities
(Stage Door Records - new import CD)
Debut on CD of William Tabbert's (South Pacific) "Younger Than Springtime" album, plus bonus tracks from 1959 studio album An Evening with Jerome Kern, holiday single, and selections from Up in Central Park preserved on a V disc in 1945. "Gigi," "Giannina Mia," "Fanny," "Tomorrow ," "Girls Medley: Standing On The Corner / A Fellow Needs A Girl / Old Fashioned Girl / The Girl That I Marry," "Younger Than Springtime," "Tempo D'estate A Venezia," "Autumn Medley: Autumn Leaves / Another Autumn / Tristesse Eternelle ," "If Ever I Would Leave You," "If You Are But A Dream ," "The Song Is You," "All The Things You Are," "I've Told Every Little Star - With Dolores Perry," "You Are Love," "Where Or When," "Santa's On His Way - With The "400" Quartet And Joe Lipman Orchestra [Listen] ," "Ma! My Toys Are Broken - With The "400" Quartet And Joe Lipman Orchestra," "Up In Central Park Medley - Part One," "The Big Back Yard / Close As Pages In A Book," "Up In Central Park Medley - Part Two," "The Fireman's Bride / When You Walk In The Room / Carousel In The Park." Part of Stage Door's Collector's Series, limited to 500 units. Also at StageDoorRecords.com.


DIGITAL RECORDINGs Now Available:

The Band's Visit digital
(Ghostlight Records - new on mp3/at iTunes)
OBC recording of score by David Yazbek. Cast: Katrina Lenk, Tony Shalhoub, George Abud, Etai Benson, John Cariani, Adam Kantor, Andrew Polk, Ari'el Stachel, Bill Army, Rachel Prather, Jonathan Raviv, Sharone Sayegh, Kristen Sieh, Alok Tewari. Kurt Deutsch, album executive producer. David Yazbek and Dean Sharenow producers. Musicians include Andrea Grody (conductor/keys), Alexandra Eckhardt (electric & acoustic bass), Ossama Farouk (darbouka/riq), Philip Mayer (drums/Arabic percussion), Sam Sadigursky (clarinet/saxophone/flute), Jeff Theiss (associate conductor/keys 2), Harvey Valdes (oud/guitar) and Garo Yellin (cello). "Overture," "Waiting," "Welcome to Nowhere," "It Is What It Is," "The Beat of Your Heart," "Soraya," "Omar Sharif," "Haj-Butrus," "Papi Hears the Ocean," "Haled's Song About Love," "The Park," "Itgara," "Something Different," "Itzik's Lullaby," "Something Different (Reprise)," "Answer Me," "The Concert," "Afifi" (Bonus Track). Amazon links to be added. CD format due in early 2018.

"Ben Franklin's Song"
(Atlantic - new digital single on mp3/at iTunes)
Song featuring Lin-Manuel Miranda's lyrics cut from Hamilton with music by the Decemberists. Kicks off Miranda's year-long #Hamildrop series. Non-explicit version also available on mp3/at iTunes.

Hamlisch Uncovered - digital
(Broadway Records - new digital album on mp3/at iTunes)
Unrecorded songs by Marvin Hamlisch, including songs from the original version of Smile (lyrics by Carolyn Leigh), Ballroom (lyrics by Alan & Marilyn Bergman), his final musical The Nutty Professor (lyrics by Rupert Holmes), and several songs from his scores with Craig Carnelia: Imaginary Friends, Bullets Over Broadway and Sweet Smell of Success. Singers include Kelli O'Hara, Randy Graff, Tony Sheldon, Hayden Tee, Nancy Opel, Leah Horowitz, Marissa McGowan, Lisa Brescia, cabaret stars Klea Blackhurst and Steven Brinberg. Produced by Michael Lavine, Chip M. Fabrizi and Craig Carnelia. CD to be released 1/26/18.

Melissa Errico: "Hurry Home"
(Ghostlight Records - digital single mp3/iTunes)
Newly recorded song originally written for Jerry Lewis' last movie Max Rose, with lyrics by Marilyn and Alan Bergman. Band arranged by producer/arranger Rob Mathes. Also at Ghostlight Records. [Relisted with links.]


BOOKs Now Available:

The Art and Making of The Greatest Showman
(Weldon Owen - Hardcover Book)
By Signe Bergstrom. "The glorious world of P.T. Barnum and the holiday movie The Greatest Showman come to life in this lavish art book. Featuring unit photography and concept art of stars Hugh Jackman, Zac Ephron, Michelle Williams, and Zendaya as well as behind-the-scenes tales of the film's making, and lyrics to the movie musical's showstopping tunes, by the Benj Pasek and Justin Paul. 160 pages.

Fenella Fielding: Do You Mind If I Smoke?
(Peter Owen Publishers - Hardcover Book/Kindle Edition)
Memoir by British actress Fenella Fielding. The story of her remarkable 65-year career in theatre (Hedda Gabler and Colette), radio, TV and film. Spiced with star-studded anecdotes and personalized with moving stories about innocence and experience. 208 pages. Available at Amazon UK.

A Taste of Broadway: Food in Musical Theater
(Rowman & Littlefield - Hardcover Book)
By Jennifer Packard. Looks at popular musical theater shows to examine which foods are used, how they are used, why they are important, and how the food or usage relates to the broader world. Included are recipes for many of the foods that are significant in the shows discussed. 214 pages.


Recordings RECENTLY MADE AVAILABLE FOR PRE-ORDER:

Dear Evan Hansen: Through the Window audiobook
(Grand Central Publishing - Audiobook on CD)
By Steven Levenson, Benj Pasek, and Justin Paul. Official behind-the-scenes book of the new hit musical. Includes interviews with the cast and crew, a PDF featuring the play's libretto and beautiful photos, a deeper look into Evan's fictional world, as well as reflections on the creators own formative memories from their adolescence as it relates to the show's themes, and important examinations of how we present ourselves online and mental health. Photo gallery and unabridged libretto. Audiobook read by Taylor Trensch. Hardcover and Kindle versions released 11/21/17.

Hamlisch Uncovered on CD
(Broadway Records - new on CD)
Unrecorded songs by Marvin Hamlisch, including songs from the original version of Smile (lyrics by Carolyn Leigh), Ballroom (lyrics by Alan & Marilyn Bergman), his final musical The Nutty Professor (lyrics by Rupert Holmes), and several songs from his scores with Craig Carnelia: Imaginary Friends, Bullets Over Broadway and Sweet Smell of Success. Singers include Kelli O'Hara, Randy Graff, Tony Sheldon, Hayden Tee, Nancy Opel, Leah Horowitz, Marissa McGowan, Lisa Brescia, cabaret stars Klea Blackhurst and Steven Brinberg. Produced by Michael Lavine, Chip M. Fabrizi and Craig Carnelia. Released digitally on 12/15/17. At BroadwayRecords.com.

Harry Clarke: and Lillian
(Audible Studios - Audiobook)
David Cale's play Harry Clarke read by Bill Crudup (who debuted the play at the Vineyard Theatre). Also includes David Cale's Obie Award-winning solo play Lillian, performed by the author.

Kelly Hall-Tompkins: The Fiddler Expanding Tradition
(Broadway Records - new on CD)
Hall-Tompkins, the Fiddler/violin soloist in the recent Broadway revival, with all new Fiddler solo music. Collaboration with arranger Oran Eldor and music director/orchestrator Ted Sperling. Also features Danny Burstein in guest appearance for a duet of "Sunrise, Sunset."

LEVI! A New Musical
(Krizerland Records - new on CD)
world-premiere cast album of new musical score by Richard M. Sherman and Robert B. Sherman (book by Larry Cohen and Janelle Webb Cohen). About the life of Levi Strauss, and written in the very late 1970s but never produced. Recorded live in the Camino Theatre. limited to 1,000 copies only. Expected to ship first week of February. Pre-ordering at Kritzerland.com.

Once on This Island
(Broadway Records - new on CD/digital)
2017 revival cast recording of Lynn Ahrens/Stephen Flaherty score. Cast includes Lea Salonga, Alex Newell, Merle Dandridge, and Quentin Earl Darrington, Hailey Kilgore, Phillip Boykin, Darlesia Cearcy, Rodrick Covington, Emerson Davis, Alysha Deslorieux, Tyler Hardwick, Cassondra James, David Jennings, Grasan Kingsberry, Loren Lott, Kenita R. Miller, Isaac Powell, T. Oliver Reid, Aurelia Williams, and Mia Williamson. New orchestrations by new orchestrations by original orchestrator Michael Starobin and AnnMarie Milazzo. Album produced by Elliott Scheiner, Lynn Ahrens, Stephen Flaherty, Hunter Arnold, and Ken Davenport. Also at BroadwayRecords.com.


OTHER NEW ANNOUNCEMENTS:

Added for 2018:

The Band's Visit
(Ghostlight Records - new on CD)
OBC recording of score by David Yazbek. Cast: Katrina Lenk, Tony Shalhoub, George Abud, Etai Benson, John Cariani, Adam Kantor, Andrew Polk, Ari'el Stachel, Bill Army, Rachel Prather, Jonathan Raviv, Sharone Sayegh, Kristen Sieh, Alok Tewari. Kurt Deutsch, album executive producer. David Yazbek and Dean Sharenow producers. Expected early 2018.

In the Heights vinyl
(new vinyl LP)
Vinyl version of the 2008 cast recording of Lin-Manuel Miranda's score featuring Miranda, Mandy Gonzalez, Christopher Jackson, Karen Olivo, and Seth Stewart, as well as Priscilla Lopez, Robin de Jesús, Janet Dacal, Andréa Burns, and Olga Merediz.

Jesus Christ Superstar
(studio cast album)
All-female cast featuring Morgan James and Shoshana Bean. Andrew Lloyd Webber/Tim Rice score. Based on a Highline Ballroom concert. Currently crowdfunding at PledgeMusic.com.





Compiled by Talkin' Broadway Staff.

Corrections and questions may be directed to SoundAdvice@talkinbroadway.com