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DRG has released Infiniment, a two-disc collection of Brel's songs, sung by the master himself. Of the forty tracks, eleven are receiving their inaugural release, including five unpublished songs Brel wrote in 1977, less than a year before his death, while inhabiting a shack in the Marquesas Islands (chronicled in the song "Les Marquises"). Most of the album's forty tracks represent a 'best of' collection of his works, and those numbers have been given new life thanks to a sparkling new digital remastering by DRG. Those familiar with the Shuman/Blau translations will be amazed at how pallid those versions are when compared to the originals (the booklet to this set contains a near word-for-word translation of each of the songs). One of Brel's most famous songs, "Ne Me Quitte Pas" (usually translated as "If You Go Away" instead of the more literal "Don't Leave Me"), for instance goes beyond the "I'll be the shadow of your shadow" of the English translation by furthering the desperation of the singer by having him or her swear to "become the shadow of your shadow/the shadow of your hand/the shadow of your dog" if only the other person would stay. An added bonus, the set includes "La Quete," Brel's version of "The Impossible Dream" from his French translation of Man of La Mancha which guarantees that listeners will rush out to track down a copy of the full score.
As always, the album is a delightful mix of the well known (such as Brent Barrett recreating his Paper Mill performance as King Arthur in Camelot with "Camelot" and "How To Handle a Woman" or Tovah Feldshuh's rabidly comic take on "Kids" from Bye Bye Birdie) and of rarities (Tovah showing her childlike side with the politically pointed "Ism," a Sheldon Harnick/David Baker number from Vintage 60). Other highlights include Douglas Ladnier's tenderly wistful "Tall Hope" (Wildcat), Marc Kudisch revisiting his role as Conrad Birdie with a delightfully over-the-top "One Last Kiss" (with an incredibly playful arrangement by Ross Patterson) and a highly romantic "I Know About Love" (Do Re Mi), and Eddie Korbich's tour de force performance of "The Late Late Show" (also from Do Re Mi). Also giving solid performances are Liz Larson (especially on The Unsinkable Molly Brown's "I Ain't Down Yet") and Lisa Vroman.
Other highlights include lesser performed numbers such as the title song (by Victor Young and Ned Washington) and "Talk To Me Baby" (Robert Dolan/Johnny Mercer), as well as a high-energy swinging version of Kern and Hammerstein's "Nobody Else But Me" and a haunting take on Johnny Mandel/Paul Francis Webster's "A Time For Love." The album is mostly accompanied by a trio (Tedd Firth or Peter Eldridge on piano, Dave Finck on bass and Lewis Nash on drums), with other instruments joining in when needed to add a specific and well realized tonal color to the proceedings.
Based on a little-known play by Ashley Dukes, the plot of the show involves ever-shifting romantic triangles and mistaken identities between members of upper and lower classes. The score, with music by John Clifton and lyrics by Clifton and Ben Tarver, is surprisingly pleasant with the servant's songs (sung by Alex Santoriello) being especially strong. "Masquerade," a touching number that would not have been out of place in The Scarlet Pimpernel, and "Make Way For a Lady" are especially delightful and exquisitely performed. All of the performers are strong and amply display why this show has been a favorite of small regional theaters around the world. The album is hampered, however, by some of the worst synthesizer work heard in quite some time, which casts a cheesy, lifeless pall over the album (while synthesized strings are never satisfying, these in particular are painful to the ears, as are the synthesized 'flute' and 'woodwind' parts in the "Overture"). Still, as this will probably the only recording of this gem released for quite some time (for some odd reason Decca Broadway has been slow in releasing the original Off-Broadway recording), it is well worth purchasing, especially by artistic directors looking for well-written and engaging musicals with a small cast.
Jay Records recently re-released a one-disc highlight version of the 1987 English National Opera production of Pacific Overtures. While the album cannot replace the must-have Original Broadway Cast album of the show, it is surprisingly effective. The sound on the album is much fuller, thanks to the large orchestra used by the production. Also, given the presentational nature of the piece, having operatic singers perform the songs does the show no injustice and actually adds to the stylized and slightly emotionally distant feel inherent with the piece. The only jarring note of the show is the realization when one reads the superbly illustrated booklet's cast list that apparently not one Asian performer took part in the singing (some of the non-singing roles appear to have been filled by Asian performers). Perhaps it is only a sign of the overly politically correct atmosphere of today's world, but it does smack as more than a tad distasteful and would be likened to an all-white production of Ain't Misbehavin'; while it may be beautifully sung, one can't help but feel that the point of the production has gone horribly missing. Also, one wishes Jay Records had re-released the two-disc TER version, which preserved most of the show's instrumental and book tracks and which was only released in the United Kingdom.
The female leads, Judy McLane as Vienna (the role immortalized by Joan Crawford) and Ann Crumb as her nemesis Emma, are a hoot and tear into every overripe moment with gusto, especially in their Alexis/Krystle bitch-fight-to-death number, "Bad Blood." The men's numbers, however, are weak and as a whole there is too much repetition of melodies on an album that only lasts 40 minutes.
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