Liza Minnelli was fresh from winning "Best Actress" Oscar for Cabaret and "Emmy Award" for television spectacular "Liza With A Z" when she hit Broadway full force with "Liza Minnelli Live At The Winter Garden", month long engagement quickly sold-out in one day...needless to say audiences were ecstatic and ready to experience Superstar Liza and all of that excitement is captured throughout this wondrous recording, thankfully expanded from original vinyl release that shamefully has been out of print for decades, this beautifully remastered welcomed release is long overdue but better late than never!
Liza is in sublime form with varied song selection being a mix of classic standards, original material written specially by Kander/Ebb plus current songs of the day all blending well to show off the great singers voice and extraordinary performing ability to the maximum. Opening with a powerful mix of old & new, "If You Could Read My Mind/Come Back To Me" show Liza in command as she nails this stunning medley, creating an incredible opener that has the audience cheering for more right from the start. "More Than You Know" is a gorgeous ballad done by many great singers including her mom, but Liza makes this classic standard her own and the magical ending final note show a singer with a glorious voice unlike any other.
John Kander and Fred Ebb loved writing a creative mix of epic songs for Liza, "I'm One Of The Smart Ones" is a rousing tour-de-force that becomes a riveting performance from Liza that is one of her finest, amazing vocal is stirring, powerful and supremely soulful...at the other end "It's A Quite Thing" show how they created fine deeply illuminating gems for the singer that show her soft vulnerable side in a way that is most touching. Another legendary singer/composer close to Liza through the decades is Charles Aznavour, represented here with the mesmerizing "And I In My Chair" and the tremendous "There Is A Time", both songs find Liza at the peak of her amazing interpretative powers.
Song after great song find Liza Minnelli in her realm on the Broadway stage in front of an adoring audience, doing what she does best; singing from her soul and giving her all to an enthralled audience, easy to understand why a special "Tony Award" was given to Liza for this kaleidoscopic performance...Bravo Liza Minnelli!
Track Listing:
1. Overture; Liza With A "Z"\ Ring Them Bells\ I Can See Clearly Now\ Maybe This Time\ Cabaret (Live)
2. If You Could Read My Mind/Come Back To Me; If You Could Read My Mind\ Come Back To Me (Live)
3. Shine On Harvest Moon (Live)
4. Exactly Like Me (Live)
5. The Circle (Live)
6. More Than You Know (Live)
7. I'm One Of The Smart Ones (Live)
8. Natural Man (Live)
9. I Can See Clearly Now (Live)
10. And I In My Chair (Et Moi Dans Mon Coin) (Live)
11. There Is A Time (Le Temps) (Live)
12. Quiet Thing (Live)
13. Anywhere You Are/ I Believe You; Anywhere You Are\ I Believe You (Live)
14. Cabaret Medley; Cabaret\ Curtain Bows : Cabaret (Live)
15. You and I (Live)
16. It Had to Be You (Live)
17. My Shining Hour (Live)
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