CD Review: Ahrens and Flaherty: Nice Fighting You (Live at 54 Below)

Broadway has had famous composing teams throughout is long history - Rodgers and Hammerstein, Rodgers and Hart, Lerner and Loewe, Bock and Harnick, Kander and Ebb... For the last twenty-four years, Broadway has had its share of tunes contributed by the team of Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty.

They've had only five new scores on the Great White Way (so far), and they won a Tony, but they still haven't had that big breakout hit.  They've had two beloved , if modest, hits with Once on this Island and Ragtime, two flops with Seussical and My Favorite Year, and the jury is still out on this season's Rocky, a bigger hit in Germany than here.  And they've had modest success off-Broadway and regionally with shows like Lucky Stiff and Dessa Rose, and with the animated film (again, a modest hit) Anastacia.  To celebrate their 30 years together, they put together a series of concerts at 54 Below, featuring some of the stage's biggest stars, singing a sampling of their songs, past, present and future.  Listening to this terrific 2-CD set, Nice Fighting You, makes you realize that, despite not having a huge hit under their belt, they have quite a cache of amazing songs in a really astonishing variety of styles.  And you will also realize that Ahrens and Flaherty belong in that list of great Broadway composing teams.

Grade: A+

Title: Nice Fighting You (Live at 54 Below)

Artist: Lynn Ahrens, Stephen Flaherty and Various Artists

Label: Broadway Records

Number: BR-CD54B-012

Format: Double CD

Case: Single Jewel Case, with double CD center

Booklet: Full color, 14 pages.  CD package design and layout by Van Dean. Photos by Nathan Johnson.  Liner notes by Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty.  Album produced by Michael J. Moritz, Jr. Executive produced by Van Dean and Stephanie Rosenberg.

THE TOP THREE REASONS YOU NEED THIS RECORDING

1.  The hosts are terrific! 
They are articulate and charming.  Their patter is the perfect blend of humor, self-deprecation and "insider-y" gossip.  And best of all, Ahrens and Flaherty's affection for their chosen profession and each other comes shining right through your ear buds!

2.  The great selection of songs!

This is more than a greatest hits recording - and there are plenty of great hits here.  But there are also some great lesser-known songs from shows like Dessa Rose and Lucky Stiff.  And there are a few awesome gems, like Flaherty himself playing the overture from Ragtime on the piano, a song that was cut from the same show, and a few new songs from their upcoming new musical, Little Dancer.

3.  The cavalcade of Broadway stars!
The "cast list" here reads like who's who of current Broadway stars, including Kecia Lewis, Rebecca Luker, Stephanie J. Block and Mary Testa. Then there are the stars who have come back to sing the songs they created on Broadway and beyond, including LaChanze, Brian Stokes Mitchell, Bobby Steggert, Marin Mazzie (who also shows off some of the crazy she brings to her role in Bullets in an hilarious number called "Speaking French"), and the absolutely sweet Kevin Chamberlin, who recreates his Suessical numbers, "Alone in the Universe" and "Solla Sollew."  (There are several others on this recording, too.)

The bottom line is this: If you are new to their work, or love their work, this CD is for you.

Jeff
5.202

CD REVIEW: Jarrod Spector: A Little Help from My Friends (Live at 54 Below)

I think this may be the first time that I'm reviewing a CD that one of my former "Broadway Boys" has put out.  Jarrod Spector, who is one of the main reasons to even bother with Beautiful, has a new recording - part of Broadway Records' Live at 54 Below series - called A Little Help from My Friends. How much you might enjoy this effort depends totally on how much of his male falsetto shtick you can stand.  Apparently, I have a low threshold for it - though I'm sure he was a great Frankie Valli in Jersey Boys. The "uni-sound" of this set is, well, boring, and, worse yet, pretty self-indulgent.  Boy, how I hate that, even from a performer I really enjoy.

Grade: C

Title: Jarrod Spector Live at 54 Below: A Little Help from My Friends

Artist: Jarrod Spector

Label: Broadway Records

Number: BR-CD54B-011

Format: Single CD

Case: Jewel Case

Booklet: Full color, 8 pages.  CD packaging and design by Robbie Roselle.  Photography by Jeremiah Hall.  Liner notes by Jarrod Spector.  Produced by Jarrod Spector and Michael J. Moritz, Jr.  Executive Produced by Van Dean, Rob Hinderliter and Dominick LaRuffa, Jr. for Broadway Records; Rich Aronstein for The Broadway Consortium.

Jarrod Spector

ON THE UP SIDE

I hate to sound like a broken record, but... as usual, the quality of this recording in the Live at 54 Below  series from Broadway Records is superb.  From the recording itself, which is wonderfully mixed and mastered, to the superlative photography, the entire package is first rate, and totally worth whatever you pay for it.

The variety of the set... is great.  In tracing the history of the male falsetto in music, Spector covers a lot of territory - everything from opera great Caruso to Little Richard to Billy Joel, Paul McCartney and U2.  I suppose it is worth noting that there isn't a show tune in sight.  But that's OK, too, especially for a Broadway guy best known for playing pop singers.

And what is good here is really good... Interestingly enough, the first track, "With a Little Help From My Friends" and the last track, "I Still Haven't Found What I am Looking For" are among the best on the whole disc.  Both are high energy tracks (the latter gets a little nuts at the end, reminding me of The Ike and Tina Turner Revue at its most manic) and they bookend the show wonderfully.  In between, there are some other nice numbers, too, like "Sweet Home Chicago," with its excellent guitar work.  The Little Richard stuff ("Good Golly Miss Molly/Tutti Frutti") is also a lot of fun.  Oh!  His band and back up singers are terrific!

Spector and his band

ON THE DOWN SIDE

The lack of variety of the set... makes for one boring listen.  While his falsetto has gotten him far - he does a mean Frankie Valli and he knows it - 16 of 24 tracks that are basically variations on a theme gets to be a more than a little grating.

The risks aren't worth the return... I am all for new arrangements of classic songs, and I admire the attempts at it, I really do.  But time after time, the riskier things fail.  Miserably.  For example, someone thought that a jazz version of "Unchained Melody" was a good idea, and maybe on paper it is.  The song is virtually un-listenable.  I had to turn it off before it was over.  Doing an aria made famous by Caruso is daring, but it sure sounds bad. Yikes.  And poor Freddie Mercury... There are a few others.  (I have no idea why "When You Wish Upon a Star" is here.  Was Jiminy Cricket using a falsetto?)

Maybe it plays better live, but his patter is awful... From the self-indulgent (OK we get it...you played Frankie Valli in Jersey Boys for years... he mentions it at least three times, plus it's in his liner notes) to the faux humility (what musician isn't a "music dork"?).  And his know-it-all tone as he shows off his "dork-dom," going into such detail about all he knows isn't so much interesting as it is tedious.  (The "Ebony and Ivory" bit, is greeted with noticeable silence, as he points out that he isn't ebony, and proceeds to point out who would be ivory, and who would be ebony.  Racist?  Everyone is a little bit.  And he doesn't even sing the song after all of that.)

Jersey Boys fans, and of course, Jarrod Spector fans might enjoy this.  And like I said, what is good here is really good.  But he really should stick to his Frankie Valli impression.

Jeff
5.137

CD REVIEW: Sierra Boggess Live at 54 Below: Awakenings

I've been smitten with Sierra Boggess ever since her heartwarming performance as Ariel in The Little Mermaid, so I've been looking forward to her CD capturing her cabaret act at 54 Below (since I couldn't get there myself.  It was worth the wait.  A great mix of the expected - songs from shows she's done, self-deprecating humor, and some nice surprises, her act is always entertaining.  And I'll say it now: she gets my vote for the role of Eliza Doolittle in the upcoming revival of My Fair Lady.  Her act (and the CD) is called Awakening, and is all about those people and events that have inspired her.  Even she admits that she might be a bit young for such heady themes, but it (mostly) turns out she's learned a lot.  I'm glad she is sharing.

Grade: A

Title: Sierra Boggess Live at 54 Below: Awakening

Artist: Sierra Boggess

Label: Broadway Records

Number: BR-CD54B-010

Format: Single CD

Case: Jewel Case

Booklet: Full color, 8 pages.  CD packaging, design and layout by Van Dean.  Photography by Matthew Murphy.  Liner notes by Hal Prince and Andrew Lloyd Webber.  Executive Produced by Van Dean and Kenny Howard for Broadway Records.

THINGS TO ENJOY ABOUT AWAKENINGS

1.  The Words: Ringing endorsements from no less than Hal Prince and Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber speak volumes for the respect this still-blossoming musical star engenders in the industry, and the uniformly adoring response to everything she says and sings tells how much her fans love and respect her.  And then there are the words of her between songs patter.  She's warm, very funny and, when she isn't doing the "keep to the theme of the evening" stuff that sounds rehearsed, she's nicely genuine.

2.  The family: How great is it that she has her sister as part of her band, playing a mean cello?  And that she has her father - after a sweet bit about her dad's "awesomeness" - accompany her in a great rendition of "Wildflower."  I love the pride in her voice when she announces that he made the guitar he played!

3.  The music: As I said, there is a great mix of what you'd expect and some nice surprises.  On the "expected list": Broadway songs like " Before the Parade Passes By" and "A Good Thing" (from Hello, Dolly! and Flora, the Red Menace, respectively) and film songs, "I Have Confidence" and "Colors of the Wind," and others. I should note that she includes "Parade" as a tribute to the influence of Barbra Streisand, who did the movie of Dolly.  Granted, she sings like Babs, not like Carol!  And, though it isn't something I generally enjoy, I'm glad she included two operatic arias from La Boheme, proving she can handle both Mimi AND Musetta!

4. The big surprise: She does a killer "Part of Your World," which is no surprise since it comes from her big Broadway break The Little Mermaid.  The big surprise comes from the entire Lloyd Webber sequence.  She doesn't give us the expected solo number from Phantom.  Instead she tells a very funny story about Prince, Webber and Gillian Lynne, and then launches into "The Ultimate Medley with Apologies to ALW."  I won't spoil it; you need to hear it for yourself.

The entire CD is a fun listen, and a high quality performance.  I hope she makes it back to Broadway, and soon.  Will it be Rebecca?  Either way, I'm sure Miss Boggess will find some inspiration from it to add to her next cabaret!

Jeff
5.092

CD REVIEW: Bebe Neuwirth Live at 54 Below: Stories... In NYC

When I think of Bebe Neuwirth, I think of a dancing actress.  The woman has moves and a way with a line and a character that can be a powerful combination.  I think about the first time I saw her live - in Sweet Charity, and marveled at how damn funny this very pale twig of a thing was, and how perfectly she executed Bob Fosse's joint-specific choreography. In the years between then and the next Tony-winning role I watched her glide through, it was Bebe on TV and at the movies.  Then it was her cold as ice and smooth as silk Velma Kelly in Chicago that wowed me.

I love her work, truly I do.  But it is funny.  Even though I've seen her in three musicals, I always think dancer-actress.  Never singer.  Oh, it isn't that she can't carry a tune - she's a good, reliable singer.  But it isn't what makes her dynamic to me. And as I sat listening to her new CD, Stories...in NYC, it hit me.  She is Broadway old-school: she actually remains in character and cares more about the story that character is going through than holding a note or going all Idina-Kristin-Kelli on a song.  And that is not a bad thing; and it suits this CD perfectly.

Grade: B+

Title: Bebe Neuwirth Live at 54 Below: Stories...in NYC

Artist: Bebe Neuwirth

Label: Broadway Records

Number: BR-CD54B-009

Format: Single CD

Case: Jewel Case

Booklet: Full color, 8 pages.  CD packaging, design and layout by Van Dean.  Photography by Chris Calkins.  Liner notes by Bebe Neuwirth.  Album produced by Michael J. Moritz, Jr..  Executive Produced by Van Dean, Kenny Howard and Chris Calkins for Broadway Records.

THINGS TO ENJOY ABOUT STORIES... IN NYC

1.  The package fits the gift: With her brief notes explaining how this CD is the result of years trying out several versions of her act as a starting point, the booklet also contains some really cool photos of Ms. Neuwirth at all ages and at various stages in her career.  And the new photos reveal both sides of this classy, funny lady - on the cover, an evening gown and Fosse bowler in the middle of a busy Manhattan street, and tipping her hat to a street horse; inside, what I imagine the "real Bebe" is: jeans, leather jacket and tee shirt, hair down and smiling.  Normally, this would be a nice extra.  But here, minus the visual of this actress who sings, it all provides a nice context for the evening we are listening to.

2. Heartfelt, sincere and amusing patter: Since this is a compilation of "story songs," some explanations and personal stories are a natural fit.  Despite the fact that this act has been done many times, her personal stories - with a lovely warmth and affection - and background tales come across as unrehearsed and almost off the cuff.  Again, this totally fits the show and the performer.

3. A nice variety of material: Even though there are many standards - there are even songs on her CD that can be found on others in the same series - her take on them is easy, familiar and still "Bebe-specific." There are pairs of songs by Kander and Ebb, Tom Waits and Irving Berlin, and there are several from the Kurt Weill canon.  She starts the evening with a zesty "I Love a Piano," and ends with a sweet "I'll Be Seeing You."  Highlights in between include a very funny "Ring Them Bells," a moving (considering Neuwirth's background as a dancer) "Mr. Bojangles," and a fierce "But the World Goes 'Round."

I suspect that I'd enjoy this highly enjoyable set even more had I seen it in person.  But even still, I, and you, will enjoy this evening with the intriguing Bebe Neuwirth.

Jeff
5.085

CD REVIEW: Michael Cerveris and Loose Cattle Live at 54 Below: North of Houston

Those of you looking for another "Broadway-star-does-solo-act-of standards-and-Broadway-hits" CD will need to look elsewhere than the latest in the Live at 54 Below series.  Featuring one of my favorite Broadway talents of 2013 and his band, it isn't really all that surprising that he'd come up with something so different.  After all, Michael Cerveris has never been one to get pigeon-holed in his eclectic 20 + year career.  With his band, Loose Cattle, he has, instead, delivered a honky-tonk set with a slightly urban edge.  His only nod to his "other" career is an album-ending country-western version of, get ready for it... "Pinball Wizard" from The Who's Tommy.  I feel obligated to say that I really don't care for the country-western sound, so this album is really a tough sell for me.  That said, there is still much to be very positive about, and my grade more reflects my personal taste than the quality of the recording.  Fans of Cerveris, no matter what he does, will definitely want to have North of Houston in their collection, as will fans of this style of music.

Grade: B

Title: Michael Cerveris and Loose Cattle Live at 54 Below: North of Houston

Artist: Michael Cerveris and Loose Cattle

Label: Broadway Records/Low Heat Records

Number: BR-CD54B-008

Format: Single CD

Case: Quad-fold Cardboard

Booklet: Full color, 3 pages.  CD design by Brad Egnor.  Photography by Jacob Blickenstaff.  Liner notes by The Cattle.  Album produced by Loose Cattle.  Executive Produced by Van Dean and Kenny Howard for Broadway Records.

THINGS TO ENJOY ABOUT NORTH OF HOUSTON

1. The sense of humor and whimsy that pervades the whole album: I think that the cover photo says it all about this album: a lone loose cow on a deserted country highway that appears to be waiting for service at a decidedly New York City institution, a hot dog cart.  That same whimsy shows up in the very brief patter between songs, and in the spare, but highly effective arrangement of the instruments.  The album also includes one of the most bizarre and effective mash ups I've ever heard: a combination of Dolly Parton's "Jolene" and Cee-Lo Green's "F**k You."  The mix is jarring, kind of funny, and makes you pay attention to it; you realize that they fit together very well.

2. The variety of songwriters and styles: As you might guess from what I've already said, there is a nice variety of songwriters on this album, which, in turn, has created a nice variety of song styles, which avoids the constant drone of one type of music that often holds similar records back.  In addition to Green (and co-writer Bruno Mars) and Parton, the likes of Pete Townshend and Bob Dylan are included.  Most notably, and definitely a reason to buy this collection, is the inclusion of several songs by Mr. Cerveris himself.  He has quite an ear for tunes and an obvious gift for lyric writing.  Three of his songs stick out as exceptional: the very mellow "Lost in  Amsterdam," the story-song "Dog Eared," and the most theatrical sounding number, "Evangeline," which would fit very comfortably in Floyd Collins.

3.  The vocal stylings of the band's lead singers: Cerveris is the lead vocalist on most of the numbers, and as you might expect, his voice is in excellent shape, and he is a skilled singer-storyteller, from the energetic opener, "Get Downtown," to the satisfying "Run That By Me One More Time," to the old school-sounding "Electricity."  There is another vocalist, Kimberly Kaye, who provides high-powered back ups, a compelling duet in the mash-up, and in her own solo, "Raise Hell."  I'd be interested in hearing her on her own album!

Though I don't see me listening to the whole thing again, I can see me adding a few numbers to my playlist.  Like I said, this type of music isn't really my cup of tea.  But I never once wanted to just turn it off, and it really made me listen closely.  That says a lot for Mr. Cerveris, Ms. Kaye and the other Loose Cattle.

Love this blog entry? Totally disagree with it?  Somewhere in between?  Scroll down a little bit and click your reaction and/or leave a comment.  I'd love to hear from you!

Jeff

5.079

CD Review: Laura Benanti Live at 54 Below: In Constant Search...

Ever since I first saw Laura Benanti in the revival of Into the Woods, I've been smitten.  Not in any kind of dirty way, but in the I-think-she'd-be-an-awesome-little-sister-slash-friend.  I mean, sure she's pretty, but in that cool, girl-next-door kinda way.  And in everything I've seen her in - on stage or TV - her innate sense of humor shines through.  I bet she's a blast at a party.  Of course, there is her talent.  She is equally at home with comedy and drama, plays and musicals.  And I love her voice - the range, the ease, the belt, the "chest voice," the "head voice."  All of it. The whole package.  Unfortunately, I missed her solo show at 54 Below.  Fortunately, Broadway Records continues its preservation of these concerts for all of us who love Broadway.  And I am thrilled to report that Laura Benanti Live at 54 Below: In Constant Search of the Right Kind of Attention only solidifies my admiration of the Tony winning star.

Grade: A+

Title: Laura Benanti Live at 54 Below: In Constant Search of the Right Kind of Attention

Artist: Laura Benanti

Label: Broadway Records

Number: BR-CD54B-007

Format: Single CD

Case: Single Jewel Case

Booklet: Full color, 6 pages.  Package design by Robbie Rozelle, Ghostlight Design.  Photography by Nathan Johnson.  Liner notes by Laura Benanti.  Album produced by Aaron Ankrum.  Executive Produced by Van Dean and Kenny Howard for  Broadway Records.

THE TOP 3 REASONS YOU NEED TO BUY THIS RECORDING

3.  The quality of the sound: Kudos to Aaron Ankrum and Greg Reierson who oversaw the mixing and mastering of this live recording, who made this the perfect balance between live sound and full sound.  The songs sound as clear and layered as studio recordings, and the live patter and interplay between artist and audience sounds like you are actually there.  Honestly, this kind of quality is usually reserved for big concert rock bands.  How awesome that Broadway records takes these recording that seriously.

2. The sense of humor of the whole thing: From Nathan Johnson's sweet and very funny photos of La Benanti to her own equally amusing liner notes (even her "thank yous" are chuckle-worthy), you get the sense of fun and appreciation of life Laura has.  And that carries over in her show patter - just a smidge too perfectly timed to be entirely convincing as "spontaneous" - which is witty and charming, especially when she giggles right along with us.  You'll love the bit with the occupation of a certain audience member, and I had to smile at the memory she shares of singing in the stairwell of her apartment building, and its effect on the residents after she became a Broadway star.  Plus, there's a blink and you'll miss it contribution from one of her frequent stage collaborators.  And then there are the songs...

1.  The set list: Eclectic is the word I'd use here.  Sure, there are a couple of obligatory show tunes, including a nifty rendition of "On the Street Where You Live," "Unusual Way" from Nine, and what has become her signature song, "Model Behavior," from Women on the Verge.  Also on the show tune front are two numbers from two new musicals by Todd Almond (also the musical director here).  Both show a lot of promise, with elements of Guettel, La Chuisa and Pasek and Paul in the music and the lyrics.  Almond's is a unique and derivative one at the same time - I suspect we'll hear a lot about him.  Ms. Benanti does both songs justice, not just as a singer, but as an actress, no small accomplishment on an audio recording.  Of the two "Tilly's Aria" makes me look forward to hearing an entire score for that show.  She also includes some Joni Mitchell and Harry Chapin for good measure.  And two of her own songs: the crazy "Ukulele Song,' and the charming "New Mexico."  Like I said, eclectic.

IF I WERE ONLY GOING TO BUY 3 SONGS FROM THIS ALBUM ON ITUNES...

3. Track 18: "I'm Glad I'm Not Young Anymore" - a Lerner and Loewe classic you don't hear often...
2. Track 10: "Tilly's Aria/Frank and Tilly Make Love" - a great story song sung by an intriguing character in an equally intriguing new musical...

1. Track 20: "Mr. Tanner" - a great interpretation of an often forgotten song-storyteller, Harry Chapin...

Laura, if you read this... I think you'd be the coolest little sister!  Thanks for a great album!

Jeff
5.022

CD Review: Andrea McArdle: 70's and Sunny (Live at 54 Below)

BE SURE TO VOTE IN THIS WEEK'S "HOT OR NOT" POLL!

Despite the huge fan bases and social media frenzy surrounding such shows as Wicked and Newsies, Broadway just doesn't generate household names like it used to.  You might be thinking what about Kristin Chenoweth, right?  I'd say she's more generally famous for her TV work than being a Tony-winning actress. Broadway was her springboard to national recognition, not necessarily her calling card.  Not true of Andrea McArdle, who, as a pre-teen, was a national icon for being a Broadway star.  Period.  Even when she was on TV, it was because she was talking Annie and singing "Tomorrow."  Now, more than 35 years later, she is still around and is as fantastic as ever.

Grade: A

Title: 70's and Sunny: Live at 54 Below

Artist: Andrea McArdle

Label: Broadway Records

Number: BR-CD54B 004

Format: Single CD

Case: Single Jewel Case

Booklet: Full color, 8 pages.  Package designed by Van Dean.  Photos by Grace Lanier Long.  Liner notes by Director Scott Logsdon and Andrea McArdle.  Album produced by Aaron Ankrum.  Executive Produced by Van Dean and Kenny Howard for  Broadway Records.

The cover art of this latest CD in the 54 Below series by Broadway Records really says it all as far what you are going to get when you buy it: a 70's icon with a coy smile with material the goes down a smoothly as another 70's icon, TAB.  The content is strictly 70's - Broadway standards and songs by other 70's icons.  In between, she keeps the patter light and quick and, most importantly, sincere.  She sounds almost as embarrassed as she is proud to have met Barbra Streisand, Brooke Shields and Michael Jackson.  And she tells some really nice stories - her obsession with A Chorus Line is sweet, and her story of being taken down a peg or three by none other than Carol Channing is as charming as it is funny.  She does a hilarious Channing impression.

Artwork announcing this show
at 54 Below

Ms. McArdle is in fine voice here.  She's got an amazing range and a nice throaty lower register.  And her legendary belt is as lusty and powerful as ever.  I love her selections, quintessential 70's all.  She does a sweet "Fallin'" from They're Playing Our Song, a terrific "Wherever He Ain't" from Mack and Mabel, and a full on "Nothing" from A Chorus Line.  I particularly enjoyed her "Meadowlark" from The Baker's Wife.  Is she LuPone or Buckley? No.  But she still delivers an amazing version all her own.  And, naturally, she does "Tomorrow" from Annie; gone is the cloying nasally child, here she is all grown up and as optimistic as ever.

She also picks some great 70's standards, including a fine tribute to The Carpenters' "Rainy Days and Mondays" and a fierce reading of Billy Joel's "Angry Young Man."  And she includes lesser known songs by giants like The Jacksons and Peter Allen. She ends with a soaring "Over the Rainbow," from her film Garland in which she played Judy.

Director Scott Logsdon keeps things going at a brisk pace with just enough time to savor one delight before moving on to the next.  And McArdle's band is top notch, most notably pianist/arranger/musical director Steve Marzullo.

When you buy this CD, and you really should, be sure to take a close look at all of the publicity stills of young Annie, Miss Andrea McArdle, giving audience to such luminaries as Streisand, Jackson and one Mohammad Ali.  They were coming to see her.  A real American icon of the Broadway stage.

Jeff
4.217

CD Review: Patti LuPone: Far Away Places

A part of Broadway Records' Live at 54 Below series, the new Patti LuPone concert Far Away Places has been preserved on CD and is a triumph for all concerned.  Written by Jeffrey Richman and conceived and directed by Scott Wittman, the concert has the feel of a full blown stage show, with smart patter, an eclectic mix of tunes that seem to fit together like a fine jigsaw puzzle, a back up band that sounds as full as an orchestra at times, and a singular sensation in the person of Ms. LuPone.  The booklet also has several photos of the new venue, which reveal exactly why this is an important, and lovely, jewel in the New York City club crown.

One of Broadway's greatest talents, LuPone has had an almost as lengthy club/concert career, and her experience shows.  She's smart enough to make the patter work, and she knows how turn each song into a mini musical.  I've had the pleasure of seeing her perform two other of her acts, and she was superb.  I wish I had had the opportunity to see this one - even just hearing it is remarkable. (Review continues below.)

Grade: A+

Title: Far Away Places: Live at 54 Below

Artist: Patti LuPone

Label: Broadway Records

Number: BR-54B 001

Format: Single CD

Case: Single Jewel Case

Booklet: Full color, 12 pages.  Package designed by Van Dean.  Production photos by Rahav Iggy Segev; cover photo by Marc Bryan-Brown; 54 Below photos by Grace Lanier Long.  Liner notes by Jeffrey Richman, Scott Wittman, Andy Propst, Van Dean, Tom Viertel, Marc Routh, Richard Frankel and Steve Baruch.  Album produced by Robert Sher.  Executive Produced by Van Dean and Kenny Howard for  Broadway Records.

Far Away Places: Each Song a Treasure

I suppose it is the actress in her that makes the chit chat between (and often in mid-song) numbers seem so genuine and off the cuff.  The little laugh in her voice is all that betrays the fact that this is scripted, and that she's giving us a taste of "Patti the Persona" as much as she is giving us the "real" her.  Her story about working on a set in Italy is funny and memorable.  And when she riffs as "diva Patti" you can tell she loves that we love that part of her.  Cases in point: She talks about being around Broadway long enough to have been in Evita and Anything Goes, both which were playing in revival once again.  Another time, hilariously, she bellows, "Turn off that cell phone!  Who do you think you are!!??" a la her much documented rail against a patron at Gypsy.

Of course, the real reason to see and have recorded this endeavor, is to capture a master songstress at the top of her game.  As the title suggests, the set is a mix of songs about far away physical places - China, Times Square and London, among others.  But it is also a nice mix of far away time places - the 1800's, the early and late 20th century - and far away musical places - a little Broadway (an amusing, spot-on "By the Sea," from Sweeney Todd, Weill's "Pirate Jenny"), a little jazz (excellent riffs on the two number opening: "Gypsy in My Soul" and "Night Life"), and some serious European flare in such numbers a "I Wanna Be Around" and "I Cover the Waterfront."

Stand out numbers include the riotous "Come to the Supermarket in Old Peking," the Edit Piaf tribute, "Hymn to Love," and the act closer, an amazing arrangement of - get this - a Bee Gees number, "Nights on Broadway."  The CD ends with the same power with which it starts: her encore, "September Song," made me want to applaud right along with the appreciative audience.

Well done, Broadway Records!  Brava! Ms. LuPone!

Jeff

4.150

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CD Review: Norbert Leo Butz: Memory and Mayhem

Kudos to Broadway Records for starting the 54 Below recording series, capturing various cabaret acts by Broadway stars.  I hope the series proves successful, since most of us don't live in New York City with easy access to such events.

First up is, two-time Tony-Winner, Norbert Leo Butz, with an act he calls Memory and Mayhem.  Given the song list - a curious mix of classics and contemporary, blues and jazz, rock and country - and the banter, the title seems fitting enough.  The execution, however, is somewhat short on mayhem and is only occasionally memorable.

GRADE: C

Title: Memory and Mayhem: Live at 54 Below

Artist: Norbert Leo Butz

Label: Broadway Records

Number: BR-54B 002

Format: Single CD

Case: Single Jewel Case

Booklet: Black and white, 8 pages.  Package designed by Van Dean.  Production photos by Thomas Singer.  Liner notes by Norbert Leo Butz.  Album produced by Aaron Ankrum and Michael J. Moritz, Jr..  Executive Produced by The Broadway Consortium and Ken Mahoney.

The "Mayhem"

I suppose I should preface my negatives by reiterating something I said in my review of the Laura Osnes concert CD: of all the things there are about Broadway, I generally dislike the "Broadway-actor-solo-CD."  I find them forced and phony feeling.  That was not the case with the Osnes CD, and it is only partially true in this case.

Especially at the start of the CD, Mr. Butz' patter feels very forced; even his voice goes up as he tries to be funny and "casual."  He's only a tinge funny - even the audience's "woo hoo's" and laughing applause wanes as he goes on.  And the first couple of numbers feel equally forced.  Don't get me wrong, the man has vocal skills that work remarkably well across genres.  But in what feels like an exhausting over-attempt to distance himself from his Broadway vocal stylings, the first few numbers (especially "Home" and "The Way Young Lovers Do") feature what sounds like a strained Butz riffing on end notes in an odd combination of jazz scatting, yodeling, and Idol style histrionics.

Mr. Butz is wise enough to include a bone for his avid Broadway fans, which surely made up the majority of his audience that night.  That tease is a mash-up between "Sixteen Tons" and his Tony-winning turn as Freddy singing "Great Big Stuff." But, as the kids say these days, it is an "epic fail."  What starts out as clever, ends up being a tedious and way too long "Great Big Stuff" sung to the tune of "Sixteen Tons."  It is clever for the first verse and goes down from there.  His oh-so-brief guest star, Lauren Kennedy does her job and nothing more in their duet, "I Could Be In Love With Someone Like You," a song cut from fan favorite The Last 5 Years.  Another nod to his theatre fans, another disappointment.

OK, I get it.  Norbert is using this opportunity to get back to his vocal roots.  I applaud that attempt, really.  In fact, maybe the whole thing would have been better without any reference to his stage career.

The "Memories"

Norbert Leo Butz is one of my favorite Broadway actors; I'd go so far as to say he's on a very short list of my top favorites.  That said, even I recognize that watching him perform is much easier on the senses - the visual and aural together even each other out - than just listening to him.  (Try listening to the audio of his Tony telecast number from Catch Me If You Can without watching it.  YIKES!) So perhaps much of my objection to parts of this live recording has more to do with not being able to see him work each number than anything else.

Yet, there are whole sections where he sounds at ease.  His vocals flow, strain-free; his patter is affectingly sincere.  When he talks about his new daughter and launches into "Georgia On My Mind," I think we are hearing the "real" NLB, the man connected to his life and his life connected to his music.  And it is wonderful to hear.  Another part of the show has him talking about the ups and downs in his life recently (he doesn't elaborate, but if you follow his career/life at all, you know what they are) and there is a catch in his voice, understandably.  And then he sings with even more emotion.

Truly, the "memory" part of the CD comes across exceptionally well.  His liner notes are equally emotional in spots.  It's when he tries on the "mayhem"... the "smart ass New Yorker" that the act falls apart.  Mr. Butz is at his best connecting with a cabaret audience when he is being himself.  He should leave the actor on the stage where he belongs.

Jeff
4.143