CD-Charts Position 1
Average Rating:

On the Town

by: Leonard Bernstein, Betty Comden, Adolph Green

Release Date September 15, 1998
What in the world was MGM thinking eliminating most of these songs for their stupid film? All of the songs are fabulous! I love them all, & I have such fun listening (and singing) to them. I've recently purchased this CD & I'm glad I did.

CD-Charts Position 2
Average Rating:

Wonderful Town (2003 Broadway Revival Cast)

by: Leonard Bernstein, Betty Comden, Donna Murphy, Jennifer Westfeldt, Adolph Green

Release Date March 09, 2004
Jennifer Westfeldt hits all the notes required for the role of Eileen, yet her voice isn't my favorite. Donna Murphy's voice is not great either. The real talent there is Gregg Edelman, but I honestly prefer him along Brooke Shields and Jennifer Hope Wills.

CD-Charts Position 3
Average Rating:

Say, Darling (1958 Original Broadway Cast)

from: DRG Records

Release Date March 04, 2008
Despite being panned by most critics, SAY, DARLING (based on Richard Bissell's book of the same name) managed to run for 332 performances in a banner season on Broadway, which was also marked by THE MUSIC MAN and WEST SIDE STORY. Vivian Blaine (GUYS AND DOLLS) stars in this bouncy musical treat with a score by Jule Styne.

The premise for SAY, DARLING is the making of a Broadway musical, the virtual plot-less show is spun around several different songs, performed by the would-be diva, her handsome leading man, their eager writer and a supporting gallery of colourful theater folk. In a bold departure for a major Broadway musical of the period, the songs were played "rehearsal-style" using only two pianos (although the cast album greatly benefits ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 4
Average Rating:

Wonderful Town (Original 1953 Broadway Cast)

by: Leonard Bernstein, Betty Comden, Adolph Green

Release Date September 25, 2001
This is a terrific show. It has a famous composer, great tunes and a good, upbeat story. Why it has so thoroughly faded from memory is a question that puzzles me greatly.

The orchestrations are attributed to another individual, but Bernstein must have taken some substantial role in their creation, for large parts of "Wonderful Town" resemble only one other musical, "West Side Story."

Rosalind Russell is the star here, and rightly so. She sings--or rather croaks--her material very well, indeed. Only in "Swing" is she overmatched by the musical requirements and even then she fights them to a draw.

Edith Adams is very good, too, as Eileen. I think of her as Edie Adams, a sixties icon, wife of comedian Ernie Kovacs, mayhem ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 5
Average Rating:

Follies in Concert (1985 Live Performance) + Stavisky Film Score

from: RCA Victor Broadway

Release Date October 25, 1990
I have very definite views on this - in other words, my word rules, ignore the others. Random thoughts - pay no attention to those who disparage Mandy Patinkin singing "Buddy's Blues." This is an album of brilliant pastiche songs, right? Patinkin is giving us the old vaudville, split week in Jersey, performance. Of course he's over the top! Outstanding. However - sorry, I love Barbara Cook, and it's a lovely rendition of "Losing My Mind," but no one, I repeat no one, does it like Dorothy Collins from the original cast. Dorothy Collins, the Hit Parade lady? Come on! Well, OK, I don't know how she did it, what she pulled up from inside herself, but it tears your heart out. The song belongs to her. "Beautiful Girls" is ... well, if you're a woman (or not!) I dare you to listen ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 6
Average Rating:

On The Twentieth Century (1978 Original Broadway Cast)

by: Cy Coleman, John Cullum, Imogene Coca, Original Broadway Cast, Betty Comden, Adolph Green

Release Date November 19, 1991
ON THE TWENTIETH CENTURY was the first "original cast" album I bought 25 years ago. I've never been a particularly big fan of "stage musicals" - - even to this day I own only a handful of original cast albums. I bought this album mainly because I was a Carole Lombard fan and a big fan of the original film TWENTIETH CENTURY as well as an admirer of the great Madeline Kahn and I was curious about this musical. Well, it knocked me out so much I played it constantly for years. The songs are generally hilarious, the arrangements highly innovative and downright thrilling.

It's sad to hear of the backstage squabbles that led to Ms. Kahn's departure early on in the run - you certainly can't detect any undercurrents of tension in the record. I have never seen this musical ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 7
Average Rating:

On the Town (1992 London Concert Cast)

from: Polygram Records

Release Date September 14, 1993
I had to force myself to listen beyond Sam Ramey's first "I feel like I'm not outta bed yet"... why?... it comes down to two things:

1) When listening to opera singers performing musical theater I always have difficulty understanding "what" they're singing about. Sure, I can hear the words, but the purified sound sands down everything that was gritty and emotional. It's almost like a Musak treatment, taking the raw energy and vitality of the original and softening it for easier listening. This is usually never a problem with original cast recordings which may have less-than-perfect vocal production, but are 100% locked in with singing-saying what the music and words mean TOGETHER.

2) I find these type of recordings patronizing to the great number of extremely ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 8
Average Rating:

Bells Are Ringing (1960 Film Soundtrack)

by: Adolph Green, Jule Styne, Betty Comden

Release Date May 21, 2002
Dino at his best! Judy Holiday is charmingly funny. Her vocal talent is amazing!

CD-Charts Position 9
Average Rating:

The Will Rogers Follies: A Life In Revue (1991 Original Broadway Cast)

by: Cy Coleman, Betty Comden, Adolph Green

Release Date September 03, 1991
On my birthday in 1992, I enjoyed this show at the Palace Theatre in New York with Keith Carradine. I fell in love with the music, the rope tricks and the set. A month later I purchased the cassette. Fast forward to 2007. I now have the CD and enjoying reliving every minute of watching this show! It certainly brought back memories of one of the finest musicals in the 1990s. It's a C.D. that I know you are going to like. Who knows...it might be revived in the future! Stay tuned!!

CD-Charts Position 10
Average Rating:

A Total Embrace: The Composer

from: Sony

Release Date September 09, 2003
On my birthday in 1992, I enjoyed this show at the Palace Theatre in New York with Keith Carradine. I fell in love with the music, the rope tricks and the set. A month later I purchased the cassette. Fast forward to 2007. I now have the CD and enjoying reliving every minute of watching this show! It certainly brought back memories of one of the finest musicals in the 1990s. It's a C.D. that I know you are going to like. Who knows...it might be revived in the future! Stay tuned!!