CD Review: All The Girls – Rebecca Luker and Sally Wilfert

ALL THE GIRLS – Rebecca Luker and Sally Wilfert (PSClassics – digital and physical releases)

Star rating: five stars ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

This latest recording from PSClassics comes filled with joy but also tinged with sadness. Two very close friends developed this show over many years and finally it was recorded and released just before one of them passed away. The lovely Rebecca Luker had been suffering from Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis since 2019 and, sadly, this caused her death in December 2020. However sad that may be, we have to look back and rejoice that we had the chance to experience such a talent on the Broadway stage.

All The Girls is a celebration of work by the likes of Stephen Sondheim, Lin-Manuel Miranda, and John Kander and Fred Ebb, amongst others. It consists of ballads, female duets, comic songs, art songs, cabaret material and even settings of poems written expressly for them by the show’s music director, Joseph Thalken. Separately they have powerful voices that deal with all genres of music but together you can almost feel the love they have for one another and blend beautifully.

Tracks are: ‘You Are My Best Friend’, ‘Lovely Lies’, ‘What Did You Do to Your Face?’, ‘Everybody Says Don’t’, ‘There Are Delicacies’, ‘I Have Loved Hours At Sea’, ‘Marilyn Miller’, ‘Shows We Could Have Starred In Together’ (medley), ‘A Quoi Bon Dire’, ‘War Song’, ‘Isn’t This Better’, ‘Millwork – I Could Have Been a Sailor’, ‘Not Funny’ and ‘Be Careful – Dear Theodosia’

This is a wonderful album filled with joy – even in the sadder moments. The voices are beautiful and the respect and love both women have for one another comes shining through. Definitely one for the collection.

Nick Wakeham