Flying High [Import]

Track Listings

1. Casuelita

2. El Grillo & La Cucaracha

3. Por Seguir Tu Huellas

4. El Lunar

5. No Te Olvido

6. El Panuelito

7. Esa Va & Suena Bien

8. Una Experiencia

9. Antes La Tuve Yo

Flying High,Pacheco Y Melon,Fania,Latin

Tracks:

Somebody To Love
Other Side Of This Life
White Rabbit
High Flying Bird
Today
She Has Funny Cars
Young Girl Sunday Blues
The Ballad Of You And Me And Pooneil

Album Description

Jefferson Airplane created the sounds of a generation. Their smash hits "Somebody to Love" and "White Rabbit" provided the soundtrack to the Summer of Love, virtually inventing the era's signature pulsating psychedelic music and personifying the decade's radical counterculture.

Customer Reviews:

Weep for a lost dreamworld!.......2007-04-20

Let's face it - we are never going to hear a sonically perfect version of this legendary recording. But this latest package is the best I have heard and is certainly clearer in sound than the Thunderbolt release (welcome as that was) from the early 90's. The concert is pitched between the Airplane's two most innovative albums 'Pillow' and 'Baxters' and features a band that was youthful, hungry and at a creative peak. 'Today' with its one off harpsichord-like arrangement, is especially haunting. RCA are continually releasing a seemingly endless series of recordings from the Fillmore East. These have merits of their own but to my ears at least, Jefferson Airplane were never as other worldly as they were at Monterey. Buy this album - and weep for a lost dreamworld!

Yet another re-issue of the same music.......2007-03-14

This music has been released several times under many different titles. It is about 36 minutes long and the sound quality fair to poor. It is better than most of the other performances by other groups released from the Monetery Pop Festival. It was recorded for a TV show and was never meant to be a high fidelity recording.

This set is also on the Monterey Pop Festival boxset.

The peformance is fairly good, but not the best of live Jefferson Airplane. With the mediocre sound quality, I would suggest getting many of the other live albums (except Miracle Live) before getting this one.

IDENTICAL to earlier release.......2007-01-29

Despite a reviewer's claim that this release has superior sound quality to the 1995 U.K. label Magnum release, to my ears they're identical. If you have the earlier release, you gain nothing by buying this. Great music, but don't buy this if you have the earlier release.

When they were good, they were very good........2007-01-29

Out of the dozens of shows I saw in the 60's and 70's, Jefferson Airplane was one of the best. Unfortuantely they were also one of the worst. This Monterey Festival set sounds like one of the best. Very nice sound quality. And although the order of songs is screwed up, I am really glad they left in some of the mistakes like eq'ing the microphones with rumbles and all. A couple of times the band appeared to be lost but Jack Cassady just kept going strong until the others caught up. "Ballad of You and Me and Pooneil" gives us a glimpse of where the band was heading. History has proved this a very important performance for the bands that were there-same for the Airplane. The four page booklet gives a general history of the band by Alfie Falckenbach (Records Collector) and a much shorter history of the Festival itself. Both are helpful.

Change track order to real performance order and bring back stage banter!.......2007-01-21

Audio quality is very good, however track orders are switched for this edition which causes some confusion when listening. For example the electric piano in "Today" can be heard before some tracks as Grace is preparing to play it, but then "White Rabbit" starts playing. If the tracks were left in the order they were played, this would be a stronger release. There are no fades either, which sounds quite choppy at times. I also dislike how they edited down the introduction group where Grace laughs, chosing to barrel into "Somebody to Love" instead. Until then, most of the material can be found on the Monterey International Pop Festival Boxed Set. Still, "The Ballad of You, and Me, and Pooneil" stands out as whats to come with After Bathing at Baxters later in the year.

Average customer rating:

Great music!
Roger Rocks
Fun songs with your Kids
Rhinos and Monsters and Hiccupopotami OH MY!

Ready to Fly
Roger Day
Manufacturer: Roger Day
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Children's Music | Styles | Music

Pop Rock | Pop | Indie Music | Stores | Music
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Rock 'n' Roll Rodeo
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ASIN: B00005NVCN
Release Date: 2001-08-02

Tracks:

Ready to Fly
Hiccupopotamus
It's a No, No to Kiss a Rhino!
Open Up the Coconut
Parachute Girl
Big Balloon
Freddie Frog
If You Jump on the Bed
Monster Face
Helicopter Harry
Gravity
The Goodbye Song

Album Description

12 action-packed, high-flying, rhino-kissing kid's tunes (plus a mystery bonus track!) by award-winning singer/songwriter Roger Day. Features special guests The Indigo Girls and Nanci Griffith.

Customer Reviews:

Great music!.......2005-02-26

Roger Day is one of the best children's entertainers I have seen. I first met him when I was scheduling him to perform at my children's elementary school. He was a big hit and has been returning every year. I also use his cds with my 3 year old preschool class and they love the songs. Almost every day one of them asks to sing "Helicopter Harry" or "If You Jump on the Bed". His songs are great for dancing and the lyrics are fun and unique. Every song contains a surprise or two. Any of his cds will be an instant hit with your kids.

Roger Rocks.......2004-07-05

We have seen Roger perform locally and my 3 year old son loved him. I ended up buying the CDs and his video. only drawback is I end up having to play them over and over and over.... for my son. The songs are fun, easy to sing to and make you want to get up and dance!!!

Fun songs with your Kids.......2002-01-20

My kids (ages 3 to 10) LOVE to sing along and do a silly dance with Roger's songs and imaginative lyrics.

Rhinos and Monsters and Hiccupopotami OH MY!.......2001-11-12

Ready To Fly is a 35 minute musical adventure limited only by your imagination. Fans of Roger Day's first kid's CD, Rock n' Roll Rodeo, will fall in love with the new set of characters including a hiccupping hippo, parachute-wearing girl, and a little boy named Harry who sprouts "helicopter hair" because he doesn't like to take baths.

Parents and teachers will delight in the lyrics and music as much as their children and will recognize some familiar artists singing background vocals (the Indigo Girls and Nanci Griffith). It's definately not your average kid's record...no syrup-y sweet sounds here...this record ROCKS!--kids and their parents can listen to it over and over again on the way to school, the grocery store, or on a rainy Saturday and not grow tired of it.

Tracks:

High Flying Bird
Buckeye Jim
Till the Real Thing Comes Along
Oh, You Engineer
Baltimore Oriole
Columbus Stockade
Blues Chase Up a Rabbit
Lovely Train
Duncan and Brady
God Bless the Child
Good Old Wagon
You Are Not My First Love
Charlotte Town

Product Description

1. High Flying Bird
2. Buckeye Jim
3. Till The Real Thing Comes Along
4. Oh, You Engineer
5. Baltimore Oriole
6. Columbus Stockade
7. Blues Chase Up A Rabbit
8. Lonely Train
9. Duncan & Brady
10. God Bless The Child
11. Good Old Wagon
12. You Are Not My First Love
13. Charlotte Town

Format: CD

Customer Reviews:

Amazing.......2007-01-09

I had this album when I was in college and played it so much that it wore out. It has been a long time since I have heard Judy Henske but she did not disappoint. Her voice was as clear and strong as I remember from those many years ago.

A longer half-life than plutonium.......2006-06-07

This CD contains "Duncan and Brady," the first Judy Henske tune I ever heard. At the time, thirty-some years ago, I was sitting on a porch in the middle of Africa, and it nearly knocked me off. "God almighty, who is that?" I squawked, and my hostess serenely replied "Judy Henske. Don't you know about her?" No, I didn't, but I've made up for it since, by grabbing every Henske recording I could get my hands on. Miraculously, unlike much of the music of those bygone days, Henske's can still leave me as breathless now as it did then. Oh sure, the title cut "High Flying Bird" is everyone's favorite Henske folk classic, but give a listen to the sauntering "Blues Chase Up a Rabbit" or Henske's sultry reading of Hoagy Carmichael's "Baltimore Oriole" if you want to know what singing is really all about. Me, I'll listen to the whole CD a couple times through, and then go back for one more last shot of "Duncan and Brady" (a song about a murder in a saloon, sentimental old me). Listen to this CD once and you too will be a Henske addict for life.

Judy is GREAT...But Recording is Distorted.......2006-04-25

It is wonderful to again hear these almost-forgotten Blues/Folk tunes from the early days of Electra Records. Judy is quite a performer! BUT, I hear quite a bit of distortion on this CD. Perhaps I got a bad one, or perhaps this due to the age of the tapes that were used for the transfer to digital. Other CD re-releases by Collectors' Choice Music have been quite good. (see my other reviews)

The Real Thing.......2003-03-31

Judy's music opened up a part of my soul when I first heard it forty years ago, and rehearing it still sends the goosebumps up and down my spine. Judy's music is powerful, it's raw, it's full and deep... and best of all, there's humor in it. At 17, I went out and bought a kazoo straight away.

In retrospect, I'm not sure why it's categorized as "folk" music, except that it was the music that moved us at the same time as Baez, Dylan and Fred Neil and she played in coffee houses. To me, it's just great dirty blues.

Magic Judy Judy Judy.......2002-07-11

We've gone from a famine to a feast in terms of Judy Henske's back catalog. The import double album, containing Judy's two early 60s Elektra albums, was released a bit earlier than the Collector's Choice editions. That's a very attractive package, but for anyone who wants to start more modestly, this re-release of Judy's second album may be the place to begin. It's a bit less raucous than the eponymous first album, which is to say that it lacks the zany spoken intros of that record. It is also a bit sparer musically, a bit more characterisically folky.

I have known one or two people in fact, who were a little put off by the intros on the "Judy Henske" album. They were music purists and maybe a little humor impaired--but we need those folks in the world too. And they do have a point, the music DOES come first. "High Flying Bird" is the best available introduction to Judy Henske's MUSIC currently available. Of all the several recorded versions of the title song, none can compare to Judy's soulful interpretation. And that's just for openers. Judy Henske is one of those rare performers who can go from the ribald to the ethereal with ease, often within a single song. From the surreal lullabye "Buckeye Jim" to the barrelhouse sensibility of "Oh, You Engineer," she doesn't falter once on this classic album.

Tracks:

Jesus Christ Superstar: Overture - Andrew Lloyd Webber
Jesus Christ Superstar: Everything's Alright - Yvonne Elliman/Murray Head/Ian Gilllan
Jesus Christ Superstar: I Don't Know How To Love Him - Yvonne Elliman
Jesus Christ Superstar: Gethsemane (I Only Want To Say) - Steve Balsamo
Jesus Christ Superstar: Superstar - Murray Head
Evita: Oh What A Circus/Sing You Fools - Antonio Banderas
Evita: I'd Be Surprisingly Good For You - Elaine Paige/Joss Ackland
Evita: Another Suitcase In Another Hall - Barbara Dickson
Evita: Don't Cry For Me Argentina - Julie Covington
Evita: High Flying, Adored - Mandy Patinkin/Patti LuPone
Cats: The Jellicle Ball - Andrew Lloyd Weber
Cats: Memory - Elaine Paige
Cats: Gus: The Theatre Cat - Susan Jane Tanner/John Mills
Cats: Mr Mistoffelees - Paul Nicholas
Song And Dance: Take That Look Off Your Face - Marti Webb
Song And Dance: Tell Me On A Sunday - Marti Webb
Song And Dance: Unexpected Song - Sarah Brightman
Song And Dance: Nothing Like You've Ever Known - Sarah Brightman
Song And Dance: Introduction - Andrew Lloyd Webber
Song And Dance: Variations 1 -4 - Andrew Lloyd Webber

Tracks:

Starlight Express: Starlight Express - El Debarge
Starlight Express: Crazy - Greg Ellis/Reva Rice/Caron Cardelle/Samantha Lane/Voyd
Starlight Express: Next Time You Fall In Love - Reva Rice/Greg Ellis
Starlight Express: I Am The Starlight - Lon Satton/Ray Shell
Starlight Express: Light At The End Of The Tunnel - The Company
Requiem: Hosanna - Placido Domingo
Requiem: Pie jesu - Sarah Brightman/Paul Miles-Kingston
The Phantom Of The Opera: The Phantom Of The Opera - Michael Crawford/Sarah Brightman
The Phantom Of The Opera: The Music Of The Night - Michael Crawford
The Phantom Of The Opera: All I Ask Of You - Sarah Brightman/Steve Barton
The Phantom Of The Opera: Entr'acte - Andrew Lloyd Webber
The Phantom Of The Opera: Masquerade - The Company
The Phantom Of The Opera: Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again - Sarah Brightman
Aspects Of Love: Aspects Of Aspects - Orchester Der Vereinigten Buehnen Wien
Aspects Of Love: Love Changes Everything - Michael Ball
Aspects Of Love: Seeing Is Believing - Michael Ball/Ann Crumb
Aspects Of Love: The First Man You Remember - Kevin Colson/Diana Morrison
Aspects Of Love: Anything But Lonely - Sarah Brightman
Aspects Of Love: Chanson D'Enfance - Sarah Brightman

Tracks:

Joseph And The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat: Any Dream Will Do - Jason Donovan
Joseph And The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat: Joseph's Coat - Maria Friedman/Richard Attenborough/Donny Osmond
Joseph And The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat: Close Every Door - Donny Osmond
By Jeeves: Travel Hopefully - John Scherer/Martin Jarvis/Don Stephenson
By Jeeves: When Love Arrives - Steven Pacey/Diana Morrison
By Jeeves: Half A Moment - Sarah Brightman
Sunset Boulevard: With One Look - Glenn Close
Sunset Boulevard: New Ways To Dream - Glenn Close/Alan Campbell
Sunset Boulevard: The Perfect Year - Glenn Close/Alan Campbell
Sunset Boulevard: Sunser Boulevard - Alan Campbell
Sunset Boulevard: As If We Never Said Goodbye - Glenn Close
Whistle Down The Wind: Whistle Down The Wind - James Graeme/Lottie Mayor
Whistle Down The Wind: Cold - Everly Brothers
Whistle Down The Wind: No Matter What - Children/Adult Chorus
Whistle Down The Wind: The Nature Of The Beast - Marcus Lovett/Lottie Mayor
The Beautiful Game: Overture - Andrew Lloyd Webber
The Beautiful Game: The Beautiful Game - The Company
The Beautiful Game: Our Kind Of Love - Hannah Waddingham
The Beautiful Game: Dont Like You - Josie Walker/David Shannon
The Beautiful Game: Let Us Love In Peace - Josie Walker/Omagh Youth Community Choir

Tracks:

Oh What A Circus - David Essex
Memory - Betty Buckley
The Phantom Of The Opera - Sarah Brightman/Steve Harley
All I Ask Of You - Sarah Brightman/Cliff Richard
Love Changes Everything - Michael Ball
Any Dream Will Do - Donny Osmond
Amigos Para Siempre (Friends For Life) - Sarah Brightman/Jose Carreras
As If We Never Said Goodbye - Barbra Streisand
The Perfect Year - Dina Carroll
With One Look - Petula Clark
You Must Love Me - Madonna
The Heart Is Slow To Learn - Kiri Te Kanawa
A Kiss Is A Terrible Thing To Waste - The Metal Philharmonic Orchestra
Whistle Down The Wind - Tina Arena
No Matter What - Boyzone
The Vaults Of Heaven - Tom Jones
Try Not To Be Afraid - Boy George
Pie Jesu - Charlotte Church

Tracks:

Make Believe Love - Wes Sands
Down Thru' Summer - Ross Hannaman
I'll Give All My Love To Southend - Ross Hannaman
Believe Me I Will - Sacha Distel
Joseph And The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (1969 Radio Luxembourg Commercial) - Joseph Consortium/Pete Murray
Try It And See - Rita Pavone
Come Back Richard Your Country Needs You - Time Rice And The Webber Group
Goodbye Seattle - Paul Raven
John 19:41 - The Andrew Lloyd Webber Orchestra
What A Line To Go Out On - Yvonne Elliman
Disillusion Me - Gary Band
The Ballad Of Robert And Peter - Tim Rice
Christmas Dream - Maynard Williams
It's Only Your Lover Returning/All Through My Crazy And Wild Days/Don't Cry For Me Argentina - Julie Covington
It's Easy For You (1977 Jungle Room Session Version) - Elvis Presley
Magdalena - Tony Christie
Buenos Aires - The Roja Rockers
Pollicle Dogs And Jellicle Cats - Andrew Lloyd Webber
Mungojerrie And Rumpleteazer (Live At The Sydmonton Festival 1980) - Gemma Craven
I Could Have Given You More - Petula Clark
I've Been In Love Too Long - Marti Webb
Benedicite - The Stephen Hill Singers

Album Description

Disc 1: Selections from Jesus Christ Superstar, Evita, Cats, and Song and Dance

Disc 2: Selections from Starlight Express, Requiem, Phantom of the Opera, and Aspects of Love

Disc 3: Selections from Joseph nad the Amaziong Technicolor Dreamcoat, By Jeeves, Sunset Boulevard, Whistle Down the Wind, and The Beautiful Game

CD 4: 1. "Oh What a Circus" --David Essex 2. "Memory" - Betty Buckleey 3. "The Phantom of the Opera" -Sarah Brightman, Steve Harley 4. "All I Ask of You" --Sarah Brightman, Cliff Richard 5. "Love Changes Everything"--Michael Ball 6. "Any Dream Will Do"--Donny Osmond 7. "Amigos Para Siempre (Friends for Life)"--Sarah Brightman, Jose Caerras 8. "As if We Never Said Goodbye"--Barbra Streisand 9. "The Perfect Year"--Dina Carroll 10. "With One Look" --Petula Clark 11. "You Must Love Me" 12. "The Heart Is Slow To Learn" --Kiri Te Kanawa 13. "Whistle Down the Wind"--Tina Arena 14. "A Kiss Is a Terrible Thing To Waste"--The Metal Philharmonic 15. "No Matter What"--Boyzone 16. "The Vaults of Heaven"--Tom Jones and Sounds of Blackness 17. "Try Not To Be Afraid"--Boy George 18. "Pie Jesu"--Charlotte Church

Disc 5: (All tracks available for the first time) 1. "Make Believe Love"--Wes Sands 2. "Down Thru' Summer"--Ross Hannaman 3. "I'll Give All My Love to Southend"--Ross Hannaman 4. "Believe Me I Will"--Sacha Distel 5. "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat: 1969 Luxembourg Radio Commercial--The Jospeh Consortium, Pete Murray 6. "Try It and See"--Rita Pavone 7. "Come Back Richard Your Country Needs You"--Tim Rice and the Webber Group 8. "Goodbye Seattle"-- Paul Raven 9. "John 19:41"--The Andrew Lloyd Webber Orchestra 10. "What a Line To Go Out On"--Yvonne Elliman 11. "Disillusion Me" --Gary Bond 12. "The Ballad of Robert and Peter"--Tim Rice 13. "Christmas Dream" --Maynard Williams 14. "It's Only Your Lover Returning/All through My Wild and Crazy Days/Don't Cry for Me Argentina--Julie Covington 15. "It's Easy for You" (1977 Jungle Room Session version)--Elvis Presley 16. "Magdalena"--Tony Christie 17. "Buenos Aires"--The Rioja Rockers 18. "Pollicle Dogs and Jellicle Cats"--Andrew Lloyd Webber original demo 19. "Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer" (Live at Sydmonton Festival 1980)-Gemma Craven 20. "I Could Have Given You More"--Petula Clark 21. "I've Been in Love Too Long"--Marti Webb 22. "Benedicte"-- Stephen Hill Singers

Customer Reviews:

I waited for this for five years.......2006-06-30

Between Amazone, Ebay and Napster, I don't usually buy CDs anymore, and I usually wait till I can buy them cheaper "new and used". When this set came out, I was excited, mainly by Disc 5, but wasn't going to spend $70 on it. I waited till it was cheap enough, and got it for Father's day this year.
It was worth the wait.

The concept is great. The packaging is great. The recording is great. Disc five is really cool for an ALW aficionado. There are a few real gems on it; my favorites are Petula Clark's "I Could Have Given You More" and "Benedicite."
I've always thought "Gus the Theatre Cat" made a great medley on the piano with "Unexpected Song" and "I DOn't Know How to Love Him," but wished there was an alternate lyric to match the other two songs. Now that I know there *is*, and it's a good lyric, it's a dream come true.
The melody of "Benedicite" is one of my favorites from _Sunset_ (the book mis-identifies it as "SUrrender"; it's actually "The Lady's Paying" and "Eternal Youth is Worth a Little Suffering"). The lyrics are the canticle from Daniel 3, which comes up every odd Sunday in the Divine Office, so it's nice to have cool music to sing it with.

I haven't bought _By Jeeves_ or _THe Beautiful Game_ yet, to it was great to sample them.

There are other parts of the CD taht aren't found in my collection. I like CD 4 "The Hits."

But the selections on CDs 1-3 don't make sense.

First, any self-respecting ALW fan has the Original London Cast of _Phantom_, so six tracks are totally useless. Why not draw from the Canadian cast with Colm Wilkinson? Or pull out some obscure recordings never published.

Why two different tracks with Michael Ball singing "Love Changes Everything", yet they're hardly any different?

On Disc 5 is "It's Only Your Lover Returning," sung by Julie Covington. It's an early draft of the song (Lloyd Webber and Rice went through several suggested titles) and quite nice. The very thing one expects on a Boxed Set.
So why have the Julie Covington "Don't Cry for Me" on disc 1?? The only difference is a few words, but it's otherwise identical. Why not Elaine Paige or Patti Lupone or Madonna?

The _Evita_ section is otherwise the best, choosing a sample from each major recording, though I'd have chosen slightly differently (as above).

There is a great selection of "Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer" from the Sydmonton festival, using the original music that was changed when _Cats_ went to Broadway_. It would have been nice if they'd included more recordings from Sydmonton, like the original lyric of "All I Ask of You" shown on the second DVD to the _Phantom_ movie.

With so many great actress-singers who've played Norma Desmond, why does the collection beat us over the head with Glenn Close?

Paul Miles Kingston must be set for life in royalties, for the number of albums the original recording of "Pie Jesu" has appeared on. "Amigos Para Siempre" is nice, but it reminds me of Shari Lewis's "The Song that Doesn't End," especially when it's been used on so many compilations.

In short, this is a great collection for the obscure material, if you can get it cheap. But for a boxed set, it's a poor sampling, drawn mostly from the most familiar recordings.

Excellent collection but BIG PUBLISHING MISTAKE! .......2006-01-10

Please beware they made a mistake on this. It's actually the shortened Ray Shell version of STARLIGHT EXPRESS from the original 1984 London cast - NOT the El Debarge single from 1987 like it says on the box. I don't know how they let that goof pass. Sorry to Ray Shell. Having said that, this is an outstanding compilation of Lloyd Webber's greatest hits.

ONE OF LLOYD WEBBER'S BEST COMPILATIONS, DESPITE A FEW FLAWS.......2005-03-21

Regardless of the fact that some of his latest efforts (most notably, The Woman in White) are disappointing, there can be little doubt that Andrew Lloyd Webber is one of the greatest composers ever to work in the musical theatre. Ever since his "Jesus Christ Superstar" hit the stage in the early 70-is, it was clear that the conception and perception of musicals are never going to be the same again. Many of his songs became standards not only in the theatre history, but also as tops on the charts. Even though he's British, his influence on the shape of the modern musical theatre expanded over the West End boundaries long ago and has thus made an enormous impact on Broadway. Two of his shows ("Cats" and "The phantom of the opera") hold the record as two the longest running shows in the history of Broadway. He has also been the only composer to have three of his shows running at Broadway concurrently. Some of his awards include three Grammies, a Golden Globe, an Oscar and a bunch of Tony awards. But perhaps most of all, Lloyd Webber is responsible for bringing the musicals and the theatre appealing to the wide audiences, who in different circumstances would not consider seeing a musical. The secret of his success is probably the mixture of beautiful and catchy melodies, interesting subject matter (though some, like Starlight Express, are too thin) and grandiose staging.

Over the years many compilations of his work have emerged. In the late 80-is and early 90-is it was the "Encore" series and lately the one-disc collection called "Gold". The one in question here can be considered one of the best currently on the market. First, it includes a 3-disc selections from all of his shows, minus the latest one, i.e., "The Woman in White", which, considering the triviality of the score, is no great lost. The fourth disc covers some of his most known songs sung by the famous artists. Then, there is the fifth disc with previously unreleased material, most of which are the songs ALW wrote with Tim Rice for various artists during the 70-is. The disks are all neatly packed in a hardcover book that features 67 pages of pictures and text with information about each of ALW's shows. One of the other assets here is the perfect sound quality, since all of the tracks have been digitally remastered.

Here are my basic impressions and comments regarding the material on the discs:

* Disc #1 has the selections from "Jesus Christ Superstar", "Evita", "Cats" and "Song & Dance". The Superstar material mostly comes from the Concept Recording. Although the songs sound beautiful as always, their orchestration is a bit dated now. Only Steve Balsamo's "Gethsemane" from the 1996 revival cast has a modern rock sound. "Evita" comes with the material from all of the major recordings: London, Broadway and the movie productions, as well as the Concept album. No objections here; since this is one of ALW's most satisfying works, every song is just perfect, although Patti LuPone, the Broadway and overall the best Evita, is left with only a couple of lines. With the selections from "Cats", however, I have some doubts. A plus to the choice of the "Jellicle ball" impressive orchestral sequence from the 1998 movie version and "Mister Mistoffelees" from the 1981 London cast. One of the best known ALW's songs, "Memory", also comes from that album. It's a pretty version and Elaine Paige's rendition cannot be matched, but why include this when the definite version, featuring an 80-piece orchestra and Elaine Paige with much better interpretation, can be found in the same movie version. Thusly, one has to buy Elaine Paige's latest 2-disc compilation "Centre Stage: The very best of Elaine Paige" to get that one. And "Gus the theatre cat" is more a recital than a song, so there was not much point in including that. Marti Webb brings her vocal charm to the "Song & Dance" sequence, Sarah Brightman sings "Unexpected song" with her famous soprano, but as much as I like her version, Bernadette Peters, who was in this show on Broadway is strangely left out here.

* Disc # 2 starts with "Starlight Express". This was never one of my favorite ALW's shows; the plot is even lighter than in "Cats" and the 1984 original cast recording is terribly dated. Yet, here we have one terrific duet, "I am starlight" from the original together with three songs from the later revivals and it seems that fresh orchestrations were just the thing Starlight needed. My favorite remains a touchy ballad, "Next time you fall in love". "Requiem" is the most solemn of all ALW's compositions, written in 1985 to commemorate the death of his father. Placido Domingo's tenor rides together with the chorus all the way through the strong "Hosanna", only to be joined by Sarah Brightman in the final moments of this song. She then gives an echoing deliverance of "Pie Jesu". What can be said of ALW's next show, "The Phantom of the Opera"? A phenomenon in its own right, it's easy to see from the six numbers included here why this is one of the best and most beloved musicals of all time. The cast, the music, the story - everything is perfect. Although "Aspects of love" was never a popular hit, it does have some of the most beautiful love melodies ALW has ever written. "Love changes everything" sung by Michael Ball is probably one of the best tunes ever about love. The rest of the selected material here has a dreamy love flavor and the melodies find their way into your brain in the best Lloyd Webber way.

* ALW's first musical, "Joseph and the amazing Technicolor dreamcoat" was more successful in its revival form than the original from the 70-is. The three songs included here are sung by the show stars, Jason Donovan and Donny Osmond. Maria Friedman was not a lucky choice to play the narrator, as the track from the 1998 movie version shows. "By Jeeves" was ALW's only big flop when it came to the stage in the 70-is. The 1995 revival sounds much better though, full of funny numbers in the best manner of the musical comedy. "Travel hopefully" remains one of the show's highlights on this compilation. "Sunset Boulevard" comes next. "Sunset" remains for me one of Webber's best scores; lush and beautiful. I listen to the original cast recording with Patti LuPone all the time. However, here most of the songs are performed by Glenn Close. A big mistake. If you've ever listened the American premiere recording with her, you'll know what I am talking about. She may have a strong stage presence, but her vocal abilities are too limited, and her aggressive approach to the role lacks any subtlety. Therefore, the two big numbers from this show, "With one look" and "As if we never said goodbye" are ruined by the fact she can't sing. The same goes for the American Joe Gillis, who was played by Alan Campbell. Luckily, Patti LuPone and Kevin Anderson, the original Norma and Joe from the London production, make their brief entrance here with the "Perfect year"; enough to show how better they are. The funny thing is, on the jacket and inside of it, Glenn Close and Alan Campbell are credited as performers in this song as well. If this was a mistake on ALW's part, it was a good one. The next ALW's show, "Whistle down the wind" was never a critic's dear and yet the audiences rushed in to see it in London. The score brings back ALW to his rock and roll roots of the seventies and the story is quite interesting. But the selections here are not the happiest, since the cast recording boasts with much better songs. And finally, "The Beautiful Game". Again, we have one of those ALW's shows that is worth in its individual parts rather than as a whole. "Our kind of love" and "Let us love in peace" are two catchy ballads. The latter is a nice amalgam version not available elsewhere. The two other tracks here I could live without.

* Disc # 4 has the songs from all the above shows performed by different artists. The assembled tracks have their pros and cons. For example, we have some previously unreleased stuff, like Dame Kiri Te Kanawa's operettic rendition of "The heart is slow to learn", or a stunning and epic "A kiss is a terrible thing to waste" from "Whistle down the wind", performed by The Metal Philharmonic Orchestra. Then again, what was the point in including almost identical tracks as the ones on the previous disks? So we have Michael Ball again singing "Love changes everything" with only a bit different orchestration; Sarah Brightman comes out again with the same Phantom duets, but only with the different male singers. It would be much more appropriate to include tracks from the Toronto Cast of the Phantom, with Colm Wilkinson. Other pop deliverances (Tina Arena's "Whistle down the wind", Barbra Streisand's "As if we never said goodbye", Boyzone's "No matter what" and many more) were wisely chosen. Patti LuPone is again nowhere to be found and Petula Clark's "With one look" sounds too worn-out.

* The last disc is probably the one that will be of most interest to Lloyd Webber aficionados. It consists of entirely previously unreleased material ALW for the most part wrote for various artists during his early years, with Tim Rice. Some of these tunes, not successful as a singles, were later used in his shows. Thus "Down thru' summer" became "Buenos Aires"in Evita, "Try it and see", an unsuccessful attempt for the Eurovision was used for "King Herod's song" in "Superstar" and so on. Some of these songs are nicely made pop songs: "Make believe love", ALW's first recorded composition, for which he provided the lyrics; "Goodbye Seattle", sung by Paul Raven, who later became Gary Glitter; "Come back Richard, your country needs you", from a never made musical, sung here by Tim Rice, or Latin flavored "Magdalena", with Tony Christie singing. My all time favorite here is a song called "It's easy for you", sung by none other than Elvis Presley himself. Lloyd Webber and Rice sent him a demo recording that he accepted and recorded this live version a couple of weeks before he died. It's amazing to hear how his voice remained in the perfect shape. Also, there is a track of Andrew Lloyd Webber singing "Policle dogs and Jellicle cats" while plying the piano. His voice doesn't sound bad at all.

Taken as a whole, this compilation makes a perfect birthday or Christmas present to any fan of Andrew Lloyd Webber shows, or just anybody interested in some of the best tunes from the modern era of the musical theatre; despite the flaws I mentioned above. To the former, it may just be the final addition for the Andrew Lloyd Webber collection.

SUCH MAGICAL MUSIC OF THE NIGHT!.......2003-01-19

"Evita." "Sunset Blvd." "Starlight Express." "Jesus Christ Superstar." "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat." "Requiem." "Aspects of Love." The man who is the most recognized composer in the history of the musical theatre, the man who has won more Tonys than any other composer, the man who boasts the best-selling show of all time ("The Phantom of the
Opera") and the longest-running show of all time ("Cats"), the man whose homes are filled with three Grammys, five Oliviers, a Golden Globe, and Oscar and too many other honors and hosannas to mention, the man knighted in 1992 certainly doesn't need an introduction. Now Decca Broadway pays tribute to Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber with "Now and Forever," a spectacular 5-CD set compiled and produced by Sir Andy himself. It's cheaper than a
ticket to "The Producers" ... and more much exciting. This treasure trove contains highlights from all of Webber's shows, and a bonus disc of tunes sung by Betty Buckley, Barbara
Streisand, Jose Carreras, Boy George, Charlotte Church, Madonna, Tom Jones, Petula Clark, even Elvis! A must for lovers of theatre---and good music.

A Must Have for Sir Andrew fans.......2002-05-21

This five-CD collection of Andrew Lloyd Webber's career is fantastic. It leaves virtually no stone unturned. I have no doubt that diehard Webber fans will love this, especially for the 5th disc entitled "From the Vaults." This disc alone is worth the price as it contains tunes never before heard by the typical fan. Who knew Elvis did a Lloyd Webber tune?!? I didn't! Also the tune "Benedictine" which the composer wrote for his most recent marriage is not only pretty, but it has the same medley as "The Lady's Paying" from "Sunset Blvd." which I found highly enjoyable. Another great track is the composer himself singing a cut song from "Cats" entitled "Pollicle Dogs and Jellicle Cats" which has the same tune as "Jellicle Songs for Jellicle Cats," but to hear Sir Andrew sing is a blast...he sounds a lot like Al "Year of the Cat" Stewart.
The cuts from the musicals are great but are likely owned by ALW fans as they are on the original cast albums. And I'm glad that there were tunes included from the composers most recent efforts which have yet to make it beyond London (Whistle Down the Wind, Beautiful Game).
My only complaint is the inclusion of way too many tracks by Sarah Brightman. She must've received a great divorce settlement that included having tunes on any ALW collection until the end of time!! Her interpretations of some of the tunes were limp and uninspired. I would've much rather heard casts from around the world rather than yet another song by this disdainful soprano! How about Colm Wilkinson's version of "Music of the Night" from the original Canadian cast of "Phantom"? Or Michael Crawford's version of "Unexpected Song"? What? No Betty Buckley from "Sunset Blvd."? And of course there are songs you KNOW are going to be on the collection before you even listen to it as they have been on EVERY ALW collection for the past decade or so.
A great collection but too much Sarah Brightman!

Average customer rating:

The High & The Mighty
A Perfect Recording

The High & The Mighty
Richard Kaufman , London Symphony Orchestra , and (Soundtrack)
Manufacturer: Varese Sarabande
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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The High and the Mighty (Two-Disc Collector's Edition)
Award Winning Movie Themes: The 50's
Award Winning Movie Themes: The Sixties
Great Film Fantasies
Film Music of Ron Goodwin

ASIN: B000BRD720
Release Date: 2005-11-22

Tracks:

The High And The Mighty - Dimitri Tiomkin
Those Magnificent Men In Their Flying Machines - Ron Goodwin
The Boy Who Could Fly - Bruce Broughton
Spitfire - Sir William Walton
Spitfire - Sir William Walton
E.T. The Extraterrestrial - John Williams
The Spirit Of St. Louis - Franz Waxman
The Great Waldo Pepper - Henry Mancini
Out Of Africa - John Barry
633 Squadron - Ron Goodwin
Airplane! - Elmer Bernstein
The Last Starfighter - Craig Safan
The Tuskegee Airmen - Lee Holdridge
Star Trek: The Motion Picture - Jerry Goldsmith
A Century Of Flight - Brian Shyer

Customer Reviews:

The High & The Mighty.......2007-07-20

Excellent music by London symphony. We used it during an airshow and it worked great! Very happy

A Perfect Recording.......2005-12-03

At its best, film music aurally heightens the drama, pathos, passion, joy and emotional intensity of the visual experience. And when film music is artfully written and skillfully performed, it can create a magnificent aesthetic experience.

Richard Kaufman and the London Symphony Orchestra have created an album featuring some of film music's greatest moments, all of them related to flight. The title track, "The High and the Mighty" features a theme that literally soars, capturing the sweeping energy and pensive drama of the film. Bruce Broughton's "The Boy Who Could Fly" is a beautifully lyrical and tender work.

There are many great films about military flight and fliers, and this recording features some of the best music of the genre. One of the highlights of this album is the great Prelude and Fugue from "Spitfire" by Sir William Walton. One feels the tension and courage exhibited by the great pilots of the RAF. Ron Goodwin's "633 Squadron" and Craig Safan's "The Last Starfighter" are two significant contributions to the genre.

Some of the best loved music about flying is from comedies, and there is no funnier and more clever score than the one Elmer Bernstein created for "Airplane!" Featuring a choir that literally screams, this music is laugh-out-loud funny. With it's homage to John William, "Airplane!" is joined on this disc by one of the greatest pieces of "flying" music ever written - John Williams' brilliant Flying Theme from "E.T. The Extraterrestrial."

While the music itself is brilliant, the performance by Richard Kaufman and the London Symphony is breathtaking. This orchestra has a long history of performing the soundtracks for motion pictures, but this recording features performances that are, for the most part, even better than the originals. The brass plays with more richness and the strings with more finesse than can be heard in a movie theater.

Richard Kaufman has created a perfect album - a compilation of film music built around the theme of flight that covers every emotion, every nuance and every sensation of the genre - performed with more skill and passion than has ever been captured on a recording before. You have to hear this one!

The Essential Songs of Andrew Lloyd Webber

Average customer rating:

Okay, but kind of disappointing
Not quite what I expected...
Some great performances, some not so great...
Disappointed
Musical Talent at Its Best

The Essential Songs of Andrew Lloyd Webber

Manufacturer: Metro Music
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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The Very Best Of Andrew Lloyd Webber: The Broadway Collection
Gold: The Definitive Hits Collection
Swings Cole Porter
Reflections From Broadway

ASIN: B00005Y47E
Release Date: 2002-02-22

Tracks:

Any Dream Will Do
Close Every Door
Heaven On Their Minds
Everything's Alright
Gethsemane
I Don't Know How To Love Him
Jesus Christ Superstar
Could We Start Again Please?
Don't Cry For Me Argentina
Another Suitcase In Another Hall
Buenos Aires
Rainbow High
High Flying Adored
Memory
Jellicle Cats
Mister Mistofeles
Unexpected Song
Last Man In My Life
Rolling Stock
U-N-C-O-U-P-L-E-D

Tracks:

Only You
Starlight Express
There's Me
Pie Jesu
Angel Of Music
Masquerade
Wishing Somehow You Were Here Again
All I Ask Of You
The Phantom Of The Opera
Music Of The Night
Love Changes Everything
The First Man You Remember
Seeing Is Believing
As If We Never Said Goodbye
Sunset Boulevard
With One Look
Too Much In Love To Care
Half A Moment
Whistle Down The Wind
Our Kind Of Love

Album Description

Full title, 'Essential Songs Of Andrew Lloyd Webber'. UK budget-price compilation. 40 superlative performances featuring songs from every one of Andrew Lloyd Webber's hit musicals. Guest artists include John Barrymore, Issy Van Randwyck, Dave Willetts, Maria Friedman, Kim Criswell, Graham Bickley and the National Symphony Orchestra. Housed in a slipcase. 2002.

Customer Reviews:

Okay, but kind of disappointing.......2006-04-17

This isn't a bad recording, but the tracks are not the actual performances off of any cast recording of any of Andrew Lloyd Webber's musicals. The reditions of the songs on the disc are of varying quality. Some are pretty good. Some are borderline awful.
It is a good collection for inexpensively getting a lot of Andrew Lloyd Webber's most popular songs in one place and having them there to be able to listen to get the idea of what a certain song sounds like and is about. It isn't the collection of definitive recordings for certain roles. In fact in a couple examples, I wonder if the performer fully understood the context of the song he or she was singing &/or what it was about. Overall, the album is good, for the most part, if not excellent.

However, the liner notes for "The Essential Songs of Andrew Lloyd Webber" is another matter. I don't mean to be unkind, but the author of the comments on the different tracks (one Rexton S. Bunnett) is blatantly WRONG in multiple instances. I don't mean just in nit-picky details, but in major plot details/context of songs, like the fact that Bunnett identifies "Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again" as being sung by "our heroine" (who he does not even identify by name as Christine Daae) as she thinks about her lover, not as being sung about Christine's dead father. He also says that the Phantom has found his perfect love and "Angel of Music" in Christine... because HE is the Angel of Music who Christine believes has been sent to her by her dead father, and because although the Phantom is obsessed with Christine, that relationship is far from "loving" (even if Christine shows him compassion. I feel like these (and a couple other mistakes) are major plot points to get wrong. A good amount of the commentary reads as if Bunnett might have written it at the last minute, fudging his way through entries on musicals of which he had little knowledge; like what an essay I might write on a book I never read for my college class but had quickly looked up on Cliff's Notes would sound like. In terms of sheer editing, there are spelling mistakes, run-on sentences and spacing errors ("Any DreamWill Do")in the liner notes. Where was the copy editor?
And the most frightening fact of all, under Bunnett's credentials, it says "Harper Collins has just published his revision and updating of the Collins Book of the Musical."
I am being very critical, but I think that for a widely-released CD it is reasonable to expect the liner notes to be at a professional level, as they were most likely supposed to be.

Not quite what I expected..........2005-04-23

I was looking for a CD of the original performances and this CD doesn't have them. I suppose it was my fault for not looking closer, but the songs just weren't the same. Personally, I was not impressed. If you don't care that they aren't the originals then it is nice to listen to.

Some great performances, some not so great..........2005-04-18

This CD is actually pretty good, considering you get 40 songs for less than $16. Let's evaluate the pros and cons.

Pros:

Two classic songs that are performed excellently are Phantom of the Opera and I Don't Know How to Love Him.

Of course you want to compare Phantom to the classic Michael Crawford/ Sarah Brightman version. Well, guess what? This version is BETTER. The woman has a deeper voice than Brightman, and her singing style is just awesome. The ending of this version (you know, the "Sing, my angel of music, sing for me!") is different, but in a good way... I think.)

And of course, the standard for I Don't Know How to Love Him is Yvonne's version. This version is different, but it grew on me quickly. This version has a country feel to it, almost. Somehow it works and sounds great.

There are a lot of great performances in this collection. My favorites include: Heaven on Their Minds, Everything's Alright, Could We Start Again Please, Another Suitcase in Another Hall, Buenos Aires, Rainbow High, Only You, Starlight Express, Angel of Music, Masquerade, All I Ask of You, Half a Moment, and Whistle Down the Wind. I think they're all great versions of their more famous counterparts.

Cons:

First of all, there are some technical problems that are kind of disappointing. A few of the songs have a very echoey sound. Any Dream Will Do, Another Suitcase in Another Hall, Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again, and There's Me are the songs that come to mind that are the worst in this regard. It isn't really bad, just enough to be slightly annoying, more so when the volume is turned way up on your CD player.

A few songs are worthy of skipping over when listening to this collection. In my opinion, Superstar, Sunset Boulevard, and Gethesmane are the biggest disappointments.

Superstar just doesn't cut it for me. The singer really overdoes it, making it overstylized... really makes you yearn for Murray Head. I can't stand listening to it. Just my opinion.

Sunset Boulevard is one of my very favorite musicals, so I was really hoping that the singer would do justice to its title song. Unfortunately I don't think he did. You can't help but compare it to Alan Campbell's fantastic version. This guy has a very choppy way of singing, when I'm used to it being sung so smoothly. Maybe it would grow on me, but I don't think I'll give it a chance to. However, that last note is much stronger than Alan Campbell's. It doesn't make up for the rest of the song, though.

Finally, Gethsemane. The inevitable fact is that NO ONE can sing this song like Michael Ball. This guy tries, he really does. But he doesn't have the right voice or the right style. So please listen to Michael Ball's performance of Gethsemane if you want to know how breathtaking of a song it can be. It's on the Royal Albert Hall DVD, and I'm sure he's got it on one of his CDs.

Anyway, overall, this is a good CD if you like quantity over quality. Don't buy it for the classics, you'll probably end up disappointed with many of them. Buy it for the lesser known songs. You probably won't like every song, especially if you're a big ALW fan, but for the price, it's worth it.

If you want classic versions of classic ALW songs, you might prefer something like "The Very Best of Andrew Lloyd Webber: The Broadway Collection".

Disappointed.......2005-03-11

The singer(s)does not do justice for the lyrics. It was grating to the ears. Save your money for the originals.

Musical Talent at Its Best.......2003-01-03

What a pleasure to hear a collection of Andrew Lloyd Webber's beautiful music from such wonderful voices accompanied by an outstanding symphony. This sensational CD is a treasure to own.

Average customer rating:

Beware; Excerpts
THE HIGHLIGHTS DISC OF THE ORIGINAL LONDON PRODUCTION
Not the Original Broadway Cast, but not bad
Misleading CD cover
MISSING SO MANY GOOD SONGS

Evita (Original London Cast)
Tim Rice
Manufacturer: Mca Import
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Evita: An Opera Based On The Life Story Of Eva Peron 1919-1952 (1976 Studio Cast)
Evita (1978 Original Broadway Cast)
Evita (2006 London Cast)
Cats (1981 Original London Cast)
Encore

ASIN: B00000B9FS
Release Date: 1998-08-19

Tracks:

Requiem for Evita - David Essex, Elaine Paige
Oh! What a Circus/Requiem - David Essex, Elaine Paige
On This Night of a Thousand Stars - Mark Ryan
Buenos Aires - Elaine Paige
Goodnight and Thank You - David Essex, Elaine Paige
I'd Be Surprisingly Good for You - Joss Ackland w/ Peter Bayliss, Elaine Paige
Another Suitcase in Another Hall
New Argentina - Joss Ackland w/ Peter Bayliss, David Essex, Elaine Paige
Don't Cry for Me Argentina - Elaine Paige
High, Flying Adored - David Essex, Elaine Paige
Rainbow High - Elaine Paige
And the Money Kept Rolling (In and Out) - David Essex
Waltz for Eva and Che - David Essex, Elaine Paige
She Is a Diamond - Joss Ackland w/ Peter Bayliss
Lament - David Essex, Elaine Paige

Album Details

Original London Cast of Andrew Lloyd Webber's Evita.

Customer Reviews:

Beware; Excerpts.......2006-12-05

I bought this thinking it was the entire show. It's missing some of my favorite songs, such as "Rainbow Tour." Elaine Paige is great, but I don't care much for David Essex as Che.

THE HIGHLIGHTS DISC OF THE ORIGINAL LONDON PRODUCTION.......2005-09-17

Over the years Andrew Lloyd Webber has made many musicals, some more successful and appealing to the public than the others. Most people will, however, agree that "Evita" remains one of his most satisfying works to this date. Numerous reasons confirm this statement. Just like in its predecessor "Jesus Christ Superstar", "Evita" is almost entirely sung-through; the lyrics are witty and appropriate; the subject matter is again a personality larger-than-life who rises from obscurity and dies at the peak of its fame, thus becoming a legend; the score is captivating and appealing to the listener, at home or in the theatre.

Following the suit of the Superstar, ALW and Tim Rice first published Evita as an album, which appeared in 1976. It was an instant success and soon afterwards the preparations began to put it on the stage. The veteran of the musical theatre direction, Hal Prince, accepted the offer to adapt the original album and Elaine Paige, then an unknown actress and musical theatre performer was cast in the role of Evita. The show premiered in London in 1978, winning acclaiming reviews and numerous awards. And yet, since the concept album was selling so well, the authors felt it unnecessary to release another full version of Evita, with the London cast. That is why we only have this highlights 53-minute recording of the original London production. The story of Evita is widely known, but for those who are new to this let's repeat the essentials: We follow the life story of Eva Duarte Peron, wife of post-World war two president of Argentina, Juan Peron. However, the musical is very loosely based on the actual life of the real Evita. The story follows Evita from the day of her death in July 1952, and then we have flashbacks until that moment, covering her coming to Buenos Aires, alleged love affairs, meeting Peron, being the first lady and dying of cancer at 33.

Being the first theatre version of the somewhat revised concept album material, this disc is not the best recording available. There are several drawbacks. First, it lacks a great part of the show, since all we have here are snippets, i.e., the main musical numbers, meaning it is a bit difficult to follow the story if you are a first-time listener, even though the booklet provides a basic story outline. One of the other obvious weaknesses is the minimalist orchestrations used on this recording. After the lush and epic sound of the concept album featuring the London philharmonics and a rock band, here we have the usual pit orchestra, consisting of only the basic instruments. Thus the beauty of the score remains somewhat lost and is only traceable in hints. The authors seem to be aware of it, since for the upcoming Broadway recording of the show, the orchestrations were improved and sounded clearer.

In addition, the cast performance here is also mixed. Although the role of Eva Peron raised Elaine Paige to stardom, I find her performance not the best, simply because her voice sounds too young. With time her vocal abilities matured, but here she just doesn't reach a much needed uncompromising determination of the character, the way Patti LuPone did on Broadway or Julie Covington on the original album. That is not to say that Elaine performance here is altogether bad, but it could have been much better. David Essex, on the other hand, is a very good Che. He has the strong vocal power Colm Wilkonson and Antonio Banderas both demonstrated in their interpretation, which leaves one wondering why was Mandy Patinkin cast in the role when the show was transferred to Broadway, since he had a very light and unpleasant voice. Joss Ackland, an esteemed British actor is a well chosen Peron, with a suitable dark note in his performance.

The CD comes with a couple of the production photos, but no lyrics are included.

For those of you who are getting acquainted with the story of Eva Peron for the first time I must point out: Bear in mind that this musical is only loosely based on the life of the real Evita. As much as Tim Rice's lyrics are craftily made, they lack a lot of historical accuracy. As a historian I became very interested in Eva Peron's life story so I did some research after seeing the movie. It turned out that the authors based their entire work on a single book called EVITA: THE WOMAN WITH A WHIP by Mary Main. It was based on rumors, lies and myths, written with the single purpose of slandering Eva Peron as much as possible. It contains no footnotes and no bibliography. The authors used it mainly because it was one of the few books available on the subject in the English language during the 70-is. So one should be very careful in making any conclusions based on the musical or the movie alone.

So this disk is more of a welcomed addition for the collectors of the Evita cast recordings, rather than a first-choice album for the new listeners. The latter should get one of the three available 2-CD albums: the 1976 concept recording with Julie Covington, the 1979 Broadway cast with the best Evita of them all, the Tony-winning Patti LuPone, or the very good 1996 movie soundtrack with Madonna in the lead. They all have the complete score and are much more satisfying than this highlights album.

Not the Original Broadway Cast, but not bad.......2005-08-17

This soundtrack does not, in my opinion, rate as high as the Original Broadway Cast album with Mandy Patinkin and Patti Lupone, but it is not too bad. It is incomplete, which was a disappointment. Elaine Page doesn't hold a candle to Patti Lupone as Evita, and the Che leaves much to be desired. The highlight of this album is "Another Suitcase in Another Hall" which is simply superb. It was worth buying the cd just for that song. Some of the lyrics are different, which was interesting to hear, because they changed them around a bit when Evita was brought to the US. If you are an Evita lover I would suggest this album, but if you are just being introduced to Evita I would suggest going with the Patti Lupone and Mandy Patinkin cd.

Misleading CD cover.......2005-05-07

I wanted the complete Evita soundtrack, and this rendition was terribly disappointing. The cd ends abruptly mid story. Voices are spectacular of course, but the cover suggests this is the original London peformance and a buyer, like me, expects the entire musical score. I wouldn't buy this again.

MISSING SO MANY GOOD SONGS.......2004-07-11

THANK GOODNESS FOR THE BROADWAY PRODUCTION OF EVITA! THIS MUSCIAL IS VERY GOOD, YET IT HAS SOME WEAK SPOTS, BUT THAT DOSN'T MEAN LONDON SHOULD TAKE THEM OUT IN THE FIRST STAGE PRODUCTION OF EVITA. THERE ARE A LOT OF MISTAKES AND THINGS THEY SHOULD OF ADDED. HERE'S A LIST.

*THEY SHOULD OF ADDED 'RAINBOR TOUR' I LOVE THAT SONG
*BUENOS AIRES SHOULD OF BEEN LONGER
*A NEW ARGETINA SHOULD OF BEEN LONGER
*THEY SHOULD OF ADDED 'DICE ARE ROLLING" ANYTHING THAT HAS THE 'A NEW ARGETINA' MUSIC I JUST LOVE.
*THE COVER LOOKS TOO OLD. IF THEY WERE GONNA PUT IT ON A CD, THEY SHOULD OF MADE A NEW LOOK OR COVER.
*IT SHOULD OF HAD 23 SONGS INSTEAD OF 15

Tracks:

Low Down Alligator
Empty Bed Blues
Ballad of Little Romy
Wade in the Water
Hooka Tooka
I Know You Rider
Lily Langtree
Lilac Wine
Love Henry
Every Night When the Sun Goes In
Salvation Army Song
High Flying Bird
Buckeye Jim
Till the Real Thing Comes Along
Oh, You Engineer
Baltimore Oriole
Blues Chase Up a Rabbit
Lonely Train
Duncan and Brady
God Bless the Child
Good Old Wagon
You Are Not My First Love
Charlotte Town

Album Description

UK reissue combines the folk-rock pioneer's first two albums for Elektra, 'Judy Henske' (1963) & 'High Flying Bird' (1964). Includes new liner notes & rarely seen photos. 2001.

Album Details

Digitally Remastered Coupling of Two Albums Recorded for Jac Holzman's Elektra Label in the Early 1960's.

Customer Reviews:

"High Flying Bird" is "Loose in the World".......2002-04-05

The release of this "two-fer" is a cause for celebration for Judy Henske fans everywhere. Visitors to Judy's fan site know how long fans have been campaigning to get these two classic albums on CD. Now at last, this British import has been made available, which while not as likely to get the promotion a domestic release might receive, certainly is preferable to the previous miserable state of affairs.

Judy Henske is an enormous talent and has always been a marketer's nightmare. She was eclectic to the point of being virtually unclassifiable in the early 60s folk boom. Unlike Joan Baez and Judy Collins and so many other women of the era, she sang with barrelhouse gusto and passion. Sure Collins or Baez might do the occasional gospel number, but always with a kind of stately reserve. Henske was much rootsier, attacking Bessie Smith numbers before Janis Joplin was out of high school and covering Billie Holiday tunes while Diana Ross was still cooing "Baby Love." And there are wags out there who insist that Bette Midler did nothing but steal Judy's act.

You'll never see Judy's releases in the blues section though (if you're lucky enough to find them in a record shop at all). She would follow up a blues standard with an olde Englishe murder ballad like "Love Henry" or a modern American folk-rock classic like "High Flying Bird." She was, as Dave Marsh has written, "beyond all categories except 'legendary' and 'great' "--a marketing problem as severe in the early 60s as it is today. She might have been better suited for the more eclectic and experimental later 60s, but by then, she was somewhat marginalized (although still recording--and making wonderful records--both as a solo act and with then-husband Jerry Yester).

But the two early Elektra albums have a special place in the hearts of Henske fanatics. "Judy Henske" is a splashy debut, replete with comedy monologues and with sassy horn arrangements. "High Flying Bird" is more classically folky with sparer instrumental backing and a less raucous atmosphere. Together they make for a superb introduction to a major talent of the era (well, of any era really). It may surprise you that someone so abundantly talented never got the recogniton she deserved...but hey, she's still alive and kicking and it's not too late. Check her out now!

If you sample this release and love it, be sure to get a hold of her recent comeback CD, "Loose In the World." I'm not sure if Judy's getting much in terms of royalties from the re-issues, but the independently released "Loose..." is all her baby and also deserves your attention and support.

Henske at her best.......2002-03-01

This is the one of her albums that I would consider essential. The title cut alone is worth the price. I've had a copy of this record on hand for about 38 years - the last one bought by auction in order to have it again. I think the import price is a bargain.
If you're not familiar with Judy Henske, you've missed out. Don't pass into the great unknown without hearing her -- especially "High Flyin' Bird" = the album and the song. Her version of 3:10 to Yuma is equally amazing.

The Super Voice is back!.......2002-02-26

Judy Henske, a small farmer's daughter (only 6'4") who fled from her southern Wisconsin youth, not only was one of the great legends of the 60s folk revival but simply is one of the greatest voices ever downside of the operatic stage. In one way, she was and is everything Janis Joplin would have become. In another, she's everything that Maria Muldaur is trying to be. And in still one more aspect, she does everything fort the blues, folk, cabaret and Moritat songs that Kirsten Flagstad or Birgit Nilsson did for Wagner's Brünnhilde. First and foremost, she's an original, a genuine rarity in any kind of music. Her singing flows from many legacies and still it is all her own, regardless of whether it began with Hoagy Carmichael, Bessie Smith or an unknown songwriter of a century past. This double CD re-release from 1963 and 1964 is simply not to be missed!

Magic is real........2001-12-20

If you're a reader of Andrew Vachss' novels then you're familiar with 'Magic Judy' as he calls her.
And for very good reason!
If, like me, you like to feel your heart soar, your spine tingle, your cheeks hurt from hard laughing, goosebumps on your body, and a deep feeling of joy and a banishing of the blues then get and listen to this music.
She is truly all that and more.

What took them so long???.......2001-11-02

I have loved Judy Henske and her music since I first heard her in the 60's. A friend played her album JUDY HENSKE for me and I was blown away. I had never heard a singer before that literally gave me chill bumps, but Judy did and I have been a fan ever since. These two albums are my favorites - they are what sold many people on Judy Henske and caused them to remain fans over the past thirty plus years. We have long awaited the re-release of these albums on CD - we begged and pleaded for someone to bring us Judy's music from the 60's on a CD and finally someone heard us. Andrew Vachss (the writer) in every one of his Burke novels refers to Judy Henske and calls her "Magic Judy". She is indeed magic. Her voice is like no other - deep, powerful, haunting. She is definitely one of a kind and I can guarantee that if you listen to her once, you will be hooked. I ordered two CD's - one for now and one to put in a safe place for the future. I don't ever want to be without Judy's music.

Average customer rating:

Outstanding Collection of Love Songs
It is in need of 1 more musical.
Not enough songs...

More Broadway's Greatest Love Songs
Various Artists
Manufacturer: Decca Broadway
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Similar Items:

Broadway's Greatest Love Songs
The Greatest Love Songs From The Musicals (Musical Compilation)
My Favorite Broadway: The Love Songs
The Best Of Broadway (Cast Recording Anthology)
Broadway - The American Musical (PBS Series)

ASIN: B00005UWL2
Release Date: 2002-01-29

Tracks:

Mamma Mia!: Our Last Summer - Paul Clarkston
Hair: Good Morning Starshine - Annable Leventon
The Phantom Of The Opera: All I Ask Of You - Sarah Brightman
Sweeney Todd: Not While I'm Around - Vanessa Williams
The Best Little Whorehouse In Texas: Good Old Girl - Henderson Forsythe
The Fantasticks: Try To Remember - Jerry Orbach
Pippin: Love Song - John Rubinstein
Aspects Of Love: Love Changes Everything - Michael Ball
Big River: You Oughta Be Here With Me - Patti Cohenour
The King And I: I Have Dreamed - Peabo Bryson
Les Miserables: I Dreamed A Dream - Randy Graff
Evita: High Flying Adored - Mandy Patinkin
Babes In Arms: My Funny Valentine - Julie Andrews
Kiss Of The Spider Woman: Dear One - Howard McGillin
By Jeeves: Half A Moment - Emily Loesser
Call Me Madam: You're Just In Love - Dick Haymes

Customer Reviews:

Outstanding Collection of Love Songs.......2007-06-22

I have to quickly disagree with those who are looking for more songs crammed in to what is such a breathtaking album of Broadway love songs. The rendition of the songs on this album and the Broadway singers selected for each piece, just are so beautifully recorded and make chills go through me. Whoever created this album, knew exactly what they were doing. This CD is full of nostalgia and artists who know how a song should be sung. They are certainly not making noise as on some Broadway CD's, but they have created an album that will go down in history for some of us who have longed to see such muscials come back to life in a way....that sadly has become a memory.

It is in need of 1 more musical........2005-05-29

I think they need to consider putting one more musical on this CD. This musical would have to be Wicked. What about As Long As Your Mine (from Wicked of course)? I think I would like this CD better if they could put Wicked on it. But of course this may not be true for everyone because obviously my favorite musical of all time is Wicked.

Not enough songs..........2004-10-20

Okay, so I have yet to hear this CD but already I have a quip: Why are there only 16 songs on this CD when the original Broadway's Greatest Love Songs had 20. They're cheating customers out of 4 songs! Also, why doesn't this include any songs from Aida, Triumph of Love, Beauty and the Beast, R&H's Cinderella, The Lion King, or Wicked! And please, "Our Last Summer" from Mamma Mia? Don't get me wrong, I love Mamma Mia, but that is NOT a love song.

Average customer rating:

What might have been...
check this out too
American Dreamer...
Wonderful music from a forgotten Byrd
A testament to unheralded genius . . .

Flying High
Gene Clark
Manufacturer: Ume Imports
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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The Fantastic Expedition of Dillard & Clark/Through the Morning, Through the Night
Roadmaster
No Other
So Rebellious a Lover
American Dreamer

ASIN: B00000IHEP
Release Date: 1999-04-27

Tracks:

You Showed Me
Feel Awhole Lot Better
Set You Free This Time
She Don't Care About Time
Tried So Hard
So You Say You Lost Your Baby
The French Girl
Los Angeles
I Pity The Poor Immigrant
That's Alright By Me
Train Leaves Here This Morning
Why Not Your Baby
The Radio Song
Git It On Brother
Something's Wrong
Wall Around Your Heart
No Longer A Sweetheart Of Mine
Through The Morning, Through The Night
Kansas City Southern
Polly
Dark Hollow
One In A Hundred
She's The Kind Of Girl

Tracks:

With Tomorrow
Spanish Guitar
The Virgin
Opening Day
Winter In
The American Dreamer
Full Circle
In A Misty Morning
I Rember The Railroad
Silver Raven
The True One
Lady Of The North
Hear The Wind
Silent Crusade
Past Addresses
Fair & Tender Ladies
Changes
Mr. Tambourine Man

Album Description

41 track anthology of the late Byrds member's entire musicalcareer, 1965-1990. Includes two unreleased outtakes from hisfirst three solo albums, three previously unreleased songs from 1968, tracks from his Dillard & Clark days (including unreleased material) and two tracks from 1970 with the original Byrds line-up. Contains tracks from his other '70s solo albums, along with collaborations he did with Carla Olson in the '80s/ '90s. All cuts are digitally remastered. Double slimline jewel case. 1998 A&M release.

Customer Reviews:

What might have been..........2006-10-26

Gene Clark was a truly great artist. He was awesome with the Byrds and he gets deserved accolades for his work with them (he IS in the Rock N' Roll Hall of Fame after all!), but his solo stuff, basically neglected during his time is very intriguing and VERY GOOD (if not GREAT). He was every bit the "country-rock" pioneer as the better known Gram Parsons was and was pretty much up there in songwriting greatness as Bob Dylan, Neil Young, etc. He should have been HUGE in his day, but for various reasons (some of them brought upon himself) he wasn't. This two CD set is an excellent overview of his career and made we wonder what might have been had he been more appreciated in his lifetime.

check this out too.......2006-07-08

I am a huge fan of power pop with a little twang. I strongly recommend that you check out the following:
1) Teenage Symphonies To God by The Velvet Crush
2) Papa Nez: A Loose Salute To The Work Of Michael Nesmith by Various Artists
3) Nashville by Josh Rouse

American Dreamer..........2005-04-22

To say that Gene Clark was The Byrds would be a disservice to a talented group with four strong songwriters. That said, Clark was the heart of The Byrds; his vulnerable songs recall John Lennon and Bob Dylan at their best while remaining uniquely his own. This terrific collection put together by Sid Griffin features key album tracks recorded with The Byrds, solo and with various collaborators over the years. Featuring a number of previously rare or unreleased tracks, "Flying High" may not be the ultimate Gene Clark anthology (it would take more than these two generous discs to do him justice), it's a great collection nonetheless.

Opening with "You Showed Me" (which Clark co-wrote and ultimately was covered by The Turtles), the CD moves sequentially through Clark's career with The Byrds (he appeared on three albums but departed during the recording of the band's third)moving through a handful of the band's classic Clark penned tracks. We get three previously unreleased recordings "Los Angeles", "I Pity the Poor Immigrant" and "That's Alright By Me". Moving into the groundbreaking country rock album that Clark recorded and released at the same time as The Byrds (now consisting of McGuinn, Hillman and Clarke)that Clark recorded as part of Dillard & Clark. We get a number of tracks from their debut and follow up album plus one previously unreleased track they recorded before their split. The first disc concludes with the single Clark recorded for A&M "One in a Hundred" and "She's the Kind of Girl" which ended up on "Roadmaster". These two are rare alternate mixes.

Disc two opens with key tracks from Clark's great album "White Light" including two tracks that appeared on the 2002 reissue as bonus tracks. From there we move to "The American Dreamer" a rare track recorded for Dennis Hopper's film and tracks from both the unfinished "Roadmaster" and the baroque-country-rock of "No Other". Three tracks from the MIA and excellent "Two Sides to Every Story" (which will hopefully see the lightof day on CD), a single track from Clark's album with Carla Olson and a single track recorded for the "True Voices" album. Finally, a bold re-recording of "Mr. Tambourine Man" featuring the verses cut for The Byrds' classic recording. The only material MIA that really matters are the tracks Clark recorded for "The Byrds" album for Asylum Records. While that album was a disappointment, Clark's tracks (including his remake of Neil Young's "Cowgirl in the Sand") were highlights that briefly revived his career.

The 16 page booklet features notes by Sid Griffin and a brief note by Chris Hillman. There's quite a few pictures from throughout Clark's career and a discography of the material this anthology was pulled from. A fine tribute to a great singer/songwriter who got lost midflight, "Flying High" redresses some of those wrongs.

Wonderful music from a forgotten Byrd.......2003-12-30

The music on these two discs make one wonder why Gene Clark wasn't a solo star. He tasted solo stardom with the Byrds, but success on his own eluded him. On song after song, some previously unreleased, Clark mixes rock, folk, country, and even bluegrass into a brand of his own. This set covers his entire career, which can be looked at in its totality, unfortuately.

From "Set You Free This Time" to his cover of Phil Ochs "Changes", this is music performed with conviction. One note though, Clark did not write "The French Girl." It was written by Sylvia Fricker and Ian Tyson. Always give credit where it is due and that's a wonderful tune. My hope is that more listeners will discover the riches that Clark's recordings have in abundance.

A testament to unheralded genius . . ........2003-05-22

After Bob Dylan, Gene Clark was possibly the best American songwriter of the 60s. While it's easy to admire artists such as Brian Wilson, his particular genius was based more in his arrangement and production skills than in writing tunes which hold up when performed by just a singer with an acoustic guitar.

Clark was the most gifted songwriter in the Byrds, a fact obscured today by his early departure from the group, as well as the perception by many that Roger McGuinn was their leader, and the subsequent fame of David Crosby. Clark's gifts were many, but most important was his ability to write long and sensuous melodies which elevated otherwise verbose songs to heights that obscured just how difficult that ought to have been - try writing a concise and gentle melody to a line like "the first thing that I heard you say when you were standing there set in your way was that you were not blind". It's not easy. Clark's departure from the Byrds has been attributed to an unwillingness to travel and a fear of flying . . . but one wonders if there weren't other reasons, given that stellar Clark-composed tracks like "She Has A Way" and "The Day Walk" were left off early albums in favor of lesser songs and even cover versions like "Oh! Susannah".

Clark's early success was never matched commercially as a solo artist. His first album was released the same time as his former band's "Younger Than Yesterday" and it sunk like a stone, despite the fact that it was arguably the better of the two. Recordings Clark made after shortly the album's release remained in the can (until now - four are included, all better than what the Byrds were doing at that time), but later that year Clark teamed up with Doug Dillard (of the Dillards, famous for their portrayal of the musically amazing but socially backward hillbilly family the Darlings on "The Andy Griffith Show") to make two amazing albums for A&M. These too, failed commercially. Two previously unreleased songs from those sessions are included here for the first time.

His career continued along this path - great, even groundbreaking albums, followed by dismal sales, record company and promotional hassles and periods of inactivity, depression and alcoholism, which eventually contributed to his very early death.

But don't let the sordid details get in the way of this music. Clark's voice (at the meeting point between pop, country and Dylan) feels like an old friend. The arrangements are often full of orchestration, which adds a panoramic grandeur without ever overtaking the essential calm beauty of the compositions. If you like the Byrds, Gram Parsons or Bob Dylan, but have never heard Gene Clark, congratulations, you're about to discover a connection between all three which equals their best qualities.

This is an excellent place to start enjoying Gene Clark. If you dig this material enough to continue searching out the rest of his work, there is still enough fine and rare material here to prevent this from becoming redundant. After this, I'd recommend the A&M UK issue of the two Dillard & Clark albums (plus three 45-only tracks) on one CD. Beyond that, "Echoes", which combines some Byrds' tracks with his entire debut album (and three rare tracks), "White Light" (possibly his best solo album) and "No Other" (slightly flawed but amazing, and his most ambitious work) are all great.

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