Friday, August 3, 2012

HEY MR. PRODUCER!: THE MUSICAL WORLD OF CAMERON MACKINTOSH (PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED MATERIAL)


HEY MR. PRODUCER!
This Cd has got it all! Diva Songs, Diva Singers, you name it! This Phenomenal Collection of songs is in salute to Mr. Musical Theatre himself, Mr. Producer, Cameron Mackintosh. Producer of such shows and Mega hits as Les Miz, Phantom.., Cats, Miss Saigon, Oliver, Carousel and a gang of other great shows! This CD is not to be missed.
 
Recorded on a different night than the PBS airing and the video, the CD starts off with about 150 children singing "Food Glorious Food" from OLIVER. A wonderful catchy start to this double disc CD. It soon goes into 5 songs from the revival of MY FAIR LADY starring Jonathan Pryce (Prof. Higgins), Liz Robertson (Eliza), Peter Bayliss as (Eliza's Father). They all do well with the material. John Barrowman dives right into "One Two Three" from the new rock musical THE FIX. Next up is the LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS montage starring Original Audrey, Ellen Greene. After 15 years Ellen still sounds Phenomenal. Not only does she sound great, but her acting is fierce, you can hear it!!
Then we are graced with Bernadette Peters singing "Unexpected Song", a song that she originally sang in SONG AND DANCE (And won the TONY). Next the unknown (to me) DIVA newcomer, Jasna Ivir, dazzles us with her vocal acrobatics in the rousing dance song, "Nicer in Nice" from THE BOYFRIEND. Sail through LAUDER, FIVE GUYS NAMED MO to the OLIVER section where Russ Abbot (Fagan) and Adam Searles (Gavroche from Les Miz Concert, potrays Dodger) in "You Gotta Pick A Pocket Or Two." Then out comes Nancy (Sonia Swaby, Gigi from Miss Saigon Complete Recording) to blow us away with her fierce rendition of "As Long As He Needs Me."
We are next treated with a "sneak peak" at the, then , new Rendition of MARTIN GUERRE with David Campbell (of Saturday Night) singing the title song with tremendous intensity. His voice is clear and powerful. Then Maria Friedman sings "How Many Tears" exploding to it's belting climax, only to softly melt away. MISS SAIGON blasts it's way through the speakers. We are then graced with Lea Solonga reprising her role as Kim. She and David Campbell sing a stunning rendition of "Last Night Of The World." Campbell is literally the BEST Chris I've ever seen or heard. Jonathan Pryce then wows us with the show stopping "American Dream." And all this is just CD 1!!
 
Disc 2 opens with Colm Wilkonson and Lisa Vroman in PHANTOM OF THE OPERA. Next, all the ladies in the show come out and beg the producer with "Broadway Baby." OKLAHOMA is then represented by Hugh Jackman (Wolverine from the New X-Men movie) singing "Oh, What A Beautiful Morning." CAROUSEL'S segment is wonderful too.
The Sondheim section is next, and a real treat at that. "You Could Drive A Person Crazy" is just wonderful sung by Lea Solonga, Maria Friedman, Millicent Martin, and the fabulous Ruthie Henshall (Fantine of Les Miz Concert, Roxie of Chicago!) Judi Dench then sings a stirring, acting rendition of "Send In The Clowns" from A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC. True her singing voice isn't strong, but her emotion is haunting. Michael Ball treats us, and his fans to "Losing My Mind" from FOLLIES. Bernadette graces us, yet again with the crowd pleasing "BEING ALIVE" from COMPANY. We then switch gears into the sizzling "You Gotta Get A Gimmick" from GYPSY sung by Bernadette, Julia McKenzie and, of course, the fabulous Ruthie Henshall, who sings most of the song on Ballet Pointe, not to mention in the sizzling hot Butterfly Costume!!
The Cast of CATS electrifies the stage and stereo with "Jellicle Song". Then, when all is quiet, out steps Elaine Paige to sing the infamous "Memory", but this is like you've never heard it before. Elaine has now matured gracefully as an actress and can fully utilize her age to shine through Grizabella, and let me tell you it's the most Phenomenal and Touching rendition ever recorded.
 
They saved the best for last. LES MISERABLES. Philip Quast, Lea Solonga, Colm Wilkonson, Michael Ball and Lisa Vroman now treat us with a 15 minute montage of LES MIZ. My number one complaint would be the absense of Ruthie Henshall's outstanding performance of "I Dreamed A Dream" as seen on the video. LES MISERABLES is the perfect ending to this wonderful callaboration of song
Disc: 11. We Said We Wouldn't Look Back [Salad Days] - Martin Koch
2. Cats Overture [From Cats] - Martin Koch
3. Food Glorious Food [From Oliver!] - Workhouse Children
4. Wouldn't It Be Loverly [From My Fair Lady] - Gillian Lynne, Liz Robertson, Company
5. Quit Professor Higgins [From My Fair Lady] - Company
6. Rain in Spain [From My Fair Lady] - Jonathan Pryce, Liz Robertson,
7. Get Me to the Church on Time [From My Fair Lady] - Peter Bayliss, , Company
8. I've Grown Accustomed to Her Face [From My Fair Lady] - Jonathan Pryce, Liz Robertson
9. Introduction (Show Medeley) - Julie Andrews
10. One Two Three [The Fix] - John Barrowman
11. Little Shop of Horrors - Wendy Mae Brown, Dawn Hope, Femi Taylor
12. Somewhere That's Green [Little Shop of Horrors] - Ellen Greene
13. Suddenly Seymour [Little Shop of Horrors] - Ellen Greene, Teddy Kempner
14. Day by Day [Godspell] - Company
15. I Get a Kick Out of You [From Anything Goes] - Laurie Holloway, Marian Montgomery,
16. Variations [Song and Dance] - Julian Lloyd Webber, , Company
17. Unexpected Song [Song and Dance] - Bernadette Peters
18. Nicer in Nice [The Boyfriend] - Jasna Ivir, Company
19. I Love a Lassie [Lauder] - Jimmy "Doc" Logan, Scottish Power Pipe Band
20. Five Guys Named Moe/Is You Is or Is You Ain't My Baby? [Five Guys ...] - Trent Armand Kendall, , , ,
21. Pick a Pocket or Two - Russ Abbot, , ,
22. As Long as He Needs Me [From Oliver!] - Sonia Swaby
23. Introduction - Julie Andrews
24. I'm Martin Guerre - David Campbell
25. How Many Tears? [Martin Guerre] - Maria Friedman
26. Heat Is on in Saigon [From Miss Saigon] - David Campbell, , Lea Salonga, Company
27. Wedding [From Miss Saigon]
28. Last Night of the World [From Miss Saigon] - David Campbell, Lea Salonga
29. This Is the Hour [From Miss Saigon] - Company
30. American Dream [From Miss Saigon] - Jonathan Pryce, Company
Disc: 21. Phantom of the Opera [From The Phantom of the Opera] - Lisa Vroman, Colm Wilkinson
2. Music of the Night [From Phantom of the Opera] - Colm Wilkinson
3. Broadway Baby [Follies] - Maria Friedman, Julia McKenzie
4. Oh, What a Beautiful Morning [From Oklahoma!] - Hugh Jackman
5. Carousel Waltz/Ballet [From Carousel] - Dana Stackpole, Company
6. Porch Scene [From Carousel] - Hal Fowler, Barbara King, Joanna Riding, Dana Stackpole
7. You'll Never Walk Alone [From Carousel] - Joanna Riding, Company
8. Introduction - Ned Sherrin
9. Side by Side [Company] - David Kernan, Millicent Martin, Julia McKenzie, Ned Sherrin, Stephen Sondheim
10. You Could Drive a Person Crazy [Company] - Maria Friedman, Ruthie Henshall, Millicent Martin, Lea Salonga
11. Send in the Clowns (A Little Night Music) - Judi Dench
12. Losing My Mind [Follies] - Michael Ball
13. Being Alive [Company] - Bernadette Peters
14. You've Gotta Have a Gimmick [From Gypsy] - Michael Ball, Judi Dench, Maria Friedman, Ruthie Henshall, David Kernan, , Dean Martin, Julia McKenzie, Bernadette Peters
15. Introduction - Stephen Sondheim
16. Duelling Pianos - Andrew Lloyd Webber, Stephen Sondheim,
17. Poisoning Pigeons in the Park [Tom Foolery] - Tom Lehrer
18. Jellicle Songs [From Cats] - Brian Blessed, , Paul Nicholas, Company
19. Memory [From Cats] - Elaine Paige
20. At the End of the Day [From Les Miserables] - Company
21. Stars [From Les Miserables] - Philip Quast
22. Do You Hear the People Sing? [From Les Miserables] - Hal Fowler, Company
23. On My Own [From Les Miserables] - Lea Salonga
24. Bring Him Home [From Les Miserables] - Colm Wilkinson
25. One Day More [From Les Miserables] - Michael Ball, Hal Fowler, Ruthie Henshall, Tammi Jacobs, Teddy Kempner, Philip Quast, Lea Salonga, Colm Wilkinson, Za
'26. We Said We Wouldn't Look Back [From Les Miserables] - Cameron Mackintosh

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