Nick Wakeham casts an eye over some of the latest CDs and Books with a theatrical theme.
Musical Theatre Review’s CD and Books page is presented in association with DRESS CIRCLE, the longest-running Musical Theatre specialist shop in the world.
BARRY THE PENGUIN’S BLACK AND WHITE CHRISTMAS – Lesley Ross and John-Victor (Matador Books – ISBN: 978-1-78462-357-9)
Delightful! I think that sums up this wonderful book and CD in one word.
The wonderful story concerns Barry the Penguin detective, a little girl called Phoebe and Father Christmas, who has been kidnapped by the evil Bedbug Queen, who is determined to ruin Christmas for everyone. Can Barry convince Phoebe to help him? Will they be able to reach Father Christmas and save him before it is too late? If they save him, can they then destroy the evil queen?
This is an adaptation of the Lesley Ross/John-Victor musical in book form by Rachel Bellman and Lesley Ross with beautiful, humorous illustrations by Matt Rowe. Not only that, but you get a CD of the book narrated by Christopher Eccleston, complete with sound effects, which includes the eight songs from the show performed by a fantastic West End cast including Kerry Ellis, Michael Xavier and Haydn Oakley.
This is the ideal present for any musical theatre lover, especially those who have children. The idea of the read-a-long and sing-a-long CD is brilliant and Eccleston certainly brings the whole story to life. I felt like a kid reading along and, I have to admit, singing along the second time round! Okay, so it’s ideal for small and big kids too!
Click HERE to buy from Dress Circle.
THE ESSENTIAL LIZ CALLAWAY – Liz Callaway (Working Girl Records –889211916962)
I fell in love with Liz Callaway when I first heard a track from her 1995 album The Story Goes On. That track was ‘Since You Stayed Here’ from the short-lived musical Brownstone. I think I had that song on constant repeat for weeks – I just couldn’t get enough. It wasn’t simply the song itself, it was the haunting voice singing it that had me mesmerised. Since then I have avidly collected all Callaway’s albums so when this arrived in my inbox to be reviewed I was over the moon!
I love everything about this album, even though it is basically a ‘best of’ with a couple of live tracks thrown in for good measure. It doesn’t matter – it is Liz Callaway at her best and she is constantly at her best. There is not one dud track on this album. It shows that no matter what this lady turns her hand to, she can master and make it sound new, refreshing and simply wonderful. Even my most hated song in the musical cycle, ‘Memory’, is bearable but only through Callaway’s rendition. I think if I were talented enough to be a songwriter, the pinnacle of my career would be if this artist decided to record one of my efforts!
Tracks include: Journey to the Past, ‘Leaving On a Jet Plane’, ‘Meadowlark’, ‘Since You Stayed Here’, ‘Not a Day Goes By’, ‘Didn’t We’/‘MacArthur Park’ and an absolutely fabulous re-write of Sondheim’s ‘Another Hundred People’ called ‘Another Hundred Lyrics’, which demonstrates just how much of a sense of humour this lady has.
The recording is aptly titled The Essential Liz Callaway, as it not only includes some of the stunning highlights from her fantastic career, but also captures the idea that indeed she is essential to musical theatre. I for one can’t wait to get a copy of The Essential Liz Callaway Volume 2. If you have never heard this lady sing, then you are missing out on the musical experience of your life – put this album on your ‘MUST BUY’ list today.
DOROTHY LOUDON AT THE BLUE ANGEL AND OTHER RARITIES – Dorothy Loudon (Stage Door Records – STAGE 2320)
To many, Dorothy Loudon is the lady who created the role of Miss Hannigan in the musical Annie and perhaps appeared in other musicals such as Follies. If you are one of those people then you are in for the most wonderful surprise. However, if like me you have had a lifelong love of this powerhouse personality, then you are in for a wonderful treat.
The first part of this CD was originally released in 1959 on the Coral label in true fidelity stereo. On this album she is accompanied by the Norman Paris Trio. This portion of the CD shows Loudon in her cabaret guise where she slays the audience with her comedy talent as well as her flawless renditions of songs such as ‘Red Hot Mama’, ‘Louisiana’, ‘I Like a Hungry Man’, ‘Six Feet of Papa’, ‘Great Day’, ‘Jamboree Jones’ and ‘Bei Mir Bist Du Schoen’. Recorded live, this is a true collector’s item and one you will certainly want to have on your shelf.
However, it doesn’t end there. Stage Door Records has also included an extra 15 bonus tracks of her recordings between 1951 and 1960. Some wonderful stuff here. ‘Nickelodeon Rag’, ‘How High the Moon’, ‘A Good Man Is Hard to Find’, ‘Nickel and Dime Man’ and ‘Mississippi Mambo’ among them. There is also one doolally of a track called ‘All for the Lack of a Bobbin’ which comes from an industrial musical called Sing a Song of Sewing. For those of you who have never heard any songs from these wonderful, unintentionally camp, corporate shows – head straight for track 28!
Always an absolute pleasure hearing Dorothy Loudon and especially great to listen to some of her earlier recordings. Add it to your Wish List now.
BECAUSE OF YOU – Richard Woodford (SimG Records – SimGR-CD029)
Celebrating his 20th year in musical theatre, it is about time we heard from Richard Woodford and, thanks to SimG Productions, we now can!
Richard Woodford has appeared on the West End stage in some of the biggest musical productions including: Tommy, Saturday Night Fever, Joseph, Cats, Starlight Express, We Will Rock You, Les Misérables and The Phantom of the Opera, to name but a few. Now he has had the chance of recording some of the tracks from these musicals, and others.
The tracks include: ‘Who I’d Be’, ‘The Music of the Night’, ‘Under Pressure’, ‘Bring Him Home’, ‘Starlight Express’, ‘I Only Want to Say’ and ‘You Raise Me Up’ and he is joined on a couple of these tracks by Helen Power, Alice Fearn, Amanda Coutts, Mark McGee, Lauren James Ray and Sabrina Aloueche.
I do like the album, although I have to say I prefer the less commercial of the tracks, such as ‘Who I’d Be’, ‘The Prayer’, ‘Angels’ and ‘The New World’ over the other ‘old favourites’ like ‘The Music of the Night’ and ‘Bring Him Home’. That has nothing whatsoever to do with Woodford’s interpretation, but the fact that they have been recorded so many times by so many people that they begin to get tedious and lose any impact – just a personal thing I assure you.
There is no denying the talent on this album, especially the amazing voice of Richard Woodford himself, and it is certainly one to add to the Xmas list.
Click HERE to buy from Dress Circle.
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