CD Review – As Time Goes By – Alfie Boe

AS TIME GOES BY – Alfie Boe (DECCA – 6796403)

Star rating: five stars ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

I first got wind of Alfie Boe when he released Bring Him Home in 2010. I was writing reviews for another musical magazine at the time (which is sadly no longer in publication) and was sent the CD. I fell in love with his voice right away and, ever since, I have been a huge fan.

Anyway, this new CD arrived and I couldn’t wait to get it in the player, sit back and listen to it – and I certainly wasn’t disappointed. It isn’t always successful for someone who studied opera to make the transition to other styles of music but Boe has certainly accomplished that over the years. Especially in musical theatre, such as with Les Misérables, for example.

This CD sees him take on the Big Band genre of music. He has a style all of his own but it sort of reminds me of a young Howard Keel rather than, say, a Vic Damone. He is exceptionally well-served as far as orchestra and Big Band are concerned – the first-rate City of Prague Philharmonic and a Big Band led by Gordon Goodwin. On certain tracks he is joined by Kara Tointon, Brennyn Lark and even Kelsey Grammer on ‘Minnie the Moocher’!

Tracks include: ‘La Vie En Rose’, ‘Moonlight Serenade’, ‘Sing Sing Sing’, ‘Stompin’ at the Savoy’, ‘A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square’, ‘The Way You Look Tonight’, ‘Minnie the Moocher’, ‘As Time Goes By’, ‘My Funny Valentine’, ‘Ain’t Misbehavin’, ‘Mood Indigo’ and ‘I Don’t Stand a Ghost of a Chance With You’. It would be silly to try and choose a favourite – so I won’t.

This will not only appeal to his myriad fans but the more mature lover of this genre of music. Hopefully, the younger readers will also give it a listen too.

Nick Wakeham