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Victoria Clark -
Fifteen Seconds of Grace (PS Classics)
Andrea Burns - A Deeper Shade Of Red (PS Classics)
Lauren Kennedy - Here And Now (PS Classics)
Released: November 6, 2007
PS Classics - a label that bills itself as preserving the "...heritage
of Broadway and American popular song" - has released three discs by
women of Broadway that deserve a listen.
Victoria Clark is a 2005 Tony-Award winner for "Light
in the Piazza." Her other Broadway credits include "Cabaret," "Urinetown,"
"Titanic," "How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying," "Guys and
Dolls" and "A Grand Night for Singing."
The disc is "Fifteen Seconds Of Grace," and of the three, this one
features the most familiar tunes. From "It Might Be You," to
"Something's Got To Give," to "Before The Parade Passes By," this is a
solid first outing by a veteran stage performer.
I particularly liked a track or two I haven't heard before. "Someone To
Cook For" was written by Jessica Molaskey and John Pizzarelli - a
pleasant surprise. Very highly recommended.
Lauren Kennedy has taken a turn as "The Lady Of The
Lake" in "Spamalot" on Broadway, and last year, she released "Songs of
Jason Robert Brown."
This disc - titled "Here And Now" - features two more of Mr. Brown's
compositions - "In This Room," and "Mr. Hopalong Heartbreak."
But it also includes songs written by other young composers. I
particularly liked the opener - David Yazbek's "Here I Am," from 2005's
"Dirty Rotten Scoundrels," Georgia Stitt's "My Lifelong Love," and the
closer, Dan Lipton's "You'll Want Me To Shine."
Ms. Kennedy has a fine voice, and this disc is a treat. Highly
recommended.
Andréa Burns' "A Deeper Shade Of Red" blends both new
music and some familiar pop - Gerry Goffin and Carole King's "Up On The
Roof," along with Joni Mitchell's "Chelsea Morning" are two of those,
and are among my favorite tracks.
So, too - are a clever Lin-Michael Miranda tune, "BTW, Write Back," a
take on the new ways of communicating. And the Adler/Ross song from
"Damn Yankees," titled, "A Little Brains, A Little Talent." This
one is highly recommended.
PS Classics is selling these three individually, or together as a set -
for a few dollars more, they'll throw in a disc of demos by the late
Jonathan Larson, the man who wrote Broadway's long-lasting "Rent."
All are worthy - but they're iTunable, too - so you might want to go
cherry-pick your own "Best of the Divas" collection.
"Fifteen Seconds of Grace" -   Three
and one-half microphones (out of four)
"Here and Now" -
Three microphones (out of four)
"A Deeper Shade Of Red" -
Three microphones (out of four)
- Doug Boynton
(00/00/07) |
