Post by lora on Apr 27, 2004 9:43:34 GMT -5
I know I said I was going to review all those new CDs I got from my music club, but it was getting to be a little monotonous. I decided this time to go back and review something a little older...
Judy At Carnegie Hall
Remastered 2001
To me, a great live performer transcends time and space. There are many great recording artists and screen legends, but truly monumental live performers are hard to come by. One of the great stage presences that I speak of is Judy Garland. The woman owned the stage her entire life, beginning at age two with her own rendition of "Jingle Bells". Even though Judy's two older sisters took to the craft before she was even in the womb, Judy stood out at an incredibly early age. She, with the booming voice, sang like a woman trapped in a little girl's body. Years later, you could attest that instead she was a little girl trapped in a woman's body. Either way, the voice was the same.
The highlight of Judy's many concert performances, and on of the highlights of her illustrious career, was her famed Carnegie Hall concert on April 23, 1961. This record-breaking night was, luckily for all of us - well, me at least - put on record. It was the number one album on the charts for thirteen weeks and won Judy five Grammys, including one for Album of the Year. She was the first female to win this category.
Disc One
1. Overture: The Trolley Song/Over The Rainbow/The Man That Got Away (Medley)
The show begins with brief applause. The orchestra then kicks into this sprite, upbeat medley, capturing the glee of The Trolley Song, the yearning of Over The Rainbow, and the heartbreak of The Man That Got Away. The brass section is challenged in the first segment; the winds follow suit in the second. The end of the third segment culminates in the heavy durms, softening down to introduce the star, who enters on the downbeat and is welcomed by a hearty, lengthy ovation. In typical Judy fashion, her response is a meek, "Oh my."
2. When You're Smiling (The Whole World Smiles With You)
And into the first song. Judy's voice is soft and low at first, then as the song melts into other musical stylings, so does her voice. Then she ends with those big, loud high notes.
3. Almost Like Being In Love/This Can't Be Love (Medley)
This is one of my several favorite portions of the concert. The two songs go right into one another fabulously and the drums are huge. (Judy was told that her drums were too loud to translate properly onto the recording, and she said that she didn't care about the recording. Her drummer was going to play just as loud as he had been playing...I wouldn't have it any other way.)
After this medley, Judy tells her first story of the evening, about a Parisian hairdresser who insisted that she should look "nothing like Judy Garland, nothing like yourself!"
4. Do It Again
A great thumping cello and smooth clarinet are perfect on this light tune.
5. You Go To My Head
Another of my favorite moments, along with track three and any of Judy's monologues. Wonderful upbeat song with lots of brass.
6. Alone Together
Judy's vocals here are appropriately gentle and thunderous, not simultaneously obviously. After the song, Judy introduces her next number while the band fiddles with their sheet music for...
7. Who Cares (As Long As You Care For Me)
Other than the microphone wailing early in the song, this jazz number is superb.
8. Puttin' On The Ritz
I love Judy's comments about the striptease right before this song. She says, "The next one is sort of a striptease tempo. We don't do it, we just talk about it." Then after a response from the audience, "No, not in Carnegie Hall. It wouldn't look right at all." After that, Judy coaxes a moan out of the trombone player to start off the song.
9. How Long Has This Been Going On
From upbeat and fast into sad, bluesy-jazz, Gershwin style. Magnificent. Just Judy and a piano, the way she was meant to be heard. The finale is brilliant.
10. Just You, Just Me
Back into upbeat.
Then Judy quips, "I don't know why it is that I can't perspire. I just sweat. It's so unladylike."
11. The Man That Got Away
Naturally, another favorite. The orchestra is fantastic here and Judy sounds wonderful. I'm still a little partial to the movie version of this. Her voice was a little stronger then. But she's really in her element and, IMO, each reading Judy does of this song is phenomenal. One of my top five favorite songs of all time.
12. San Francisco
Judy gets a little comedic with the intro of this song, but it's very cute. And the remainder of this song is very brassy and big. Excellent ender to the first act.
Another ovation envelops Judy, which she thanks the audience for before bidding them adieu for a costume change so they can have intermission and "smoke or drink or whatever it is you do at intermission."
Disc Two
1. That's Entertainment!
You hear the orchestra warming up, then brief applause as the orchestra leader, Mort Lindsey, enters. The music begins and Judy pops right in and starts her vocals on this song full of pop culture references.
Following is another of Judy's humorous anecdotes, this one about the British press. This tale is probably my favorite on the album. Very funny, proving what a terrific raconteur Judy was.
2. I Can't Give You Anything But Love
Right into a ballad. Smooth and mellow. Nice. Watch out for the sax solo.
3. Come Rain Or Come Shine
This song is another favorite. I love this upbeat jazz version. Judy's energy is really up here and she sounds fantastic. After the song concludes she asks Harold Arlen, one of the song's composers, to stand. She goes on to say he wrote "all the most beautiful songs."
4. You're Nearer
Now we go back to just Judy and a piano...for three whole songs! This is my favorite of the three, a beautiful, simple song from the movie Too Many Girls.
5. A Foggy Day
This wonderful Gershwin composition is just Judy's style. The piano is exceptional, but I can't give credit where it's due. None of the band members are credited on the album.
6. If Love Were All
I really love the lyrics on this one. Great.
7. Zing! Went The Strings Of My Heart
This is quite different from the arrangement from Judy's initial version, way back in like '37. It's a great change of pace from the previous numbers. The tempo is really peppy.
8. Stormy Weather
The orchestration on this song is fantastic. I especially love the brass/percussion combo in the intro. The strings sound fantasic as well. Judy's vocals are very effective.
9. You Made Me Love You/For Me and My Gal/The Trolley Song (Medley)
The first song is slow and pretty. Things pick up a bit for the second, as Judy asks the audience to sing along. Naturally, everyone in the crowd knows every syllable.
And the song culminates in the quick-paced Trolley number. It still doesn't touch the film version, but I love it live too. This is another of my favorites.
10. Rock-A-Bye Your Baby With A Dixie Melody
The ultimate performance on this album. It's far superior to the studio version, orchestra included. I love it. Judy's vocals on this are some of the best of her career. Just wait for the drums starting at 2:21. They rock for the rest of the song. Singing along with this I can FEEL the rhythm right there every single time.
Now the orchestra plays Over The Rainbow through this extended ovation. After a song request, Judy cries, "I know. I'll sing 'em all and we'll stay all night!"
11. Over The Rainbow
While this song is always welcome when coming from Judy's lips, her greatest live performance of this is from her Palace concert in '51.
12. Swanee
Another upbeat number. I always loved this one too.
Following this, Judy starts taking song requests. When someone asks for "Liza", Judy says that the orchestra doesn't have an arrangement of "Liza" but that Liza is there with her. So all of the kids join Mama onstage for a few moments while the audience applauds. Judy then informs the audience that the orchestra only has two songs left. Of the two, they choose...
13. After You've Gone
I'm pretty sure Judy did this first in For Me And My Gal. It's an interesting song. Like many jazz numbers of the day, the song is soft at first with an upbeat, big finale.
14. Chicago
Excellent.
After yet another playing of Over The Rainbow, Judy finally says goodnight. Music and applause continue for a bit, then everything dies down as the disc closes.
So...any thoughts?
Judy At Carnegie Hall
Remastered 2001
To me, a great live performer transcends time and space. There are many great recording artists and screen legends, but truly monumental live performers are hard to come by. One of the great stage presences that I speak of is Judy Garland. The woman owned the stage her entire life, beginning at age two with her own rendition of "Jingle Bells". Even though Judy's two older sisters took to the craft before she was even in the womb, Judy stood out at an incredibly early age. She, with the booming voice, sang like a woman trapped in a little girl's body. Years later, you could attest that instead she was a little girl trapped in a woman's body. Either way, the voice was the same.
The highlight of Judy's many concert performances, and on of the highlights of her illustrious career, was her famed Carnegie Hall concert on April 23, 1961. This record-breaking night was, luckily for all of us - well, me at least - put on record. It was the number one album on the charts for thirteen weeks and won Judy five Grammys, including one for Album of the Year. She was the first female to win this category.
Disc One
1. Overture: The Trolley Song/Over The Rainbow/The Man That Got Away (Medley)
The show begins with brief applause. The orchestra then kicks into this sprite, upbeat medley, capturing the glee of The Trolley Song, the yearning of Over The Rainbow, and the heartbreak of The Man That Got Away. The brass section is challenged in the first segment; the winds follow suit in the second. The end of the third segment culminates in the heavy durms, softening down to introduce the star, who enters on the downbeat and is welcomed by a hearty, lengthy ovation. In typical Judy fashion, her response is a meek, "Oh my."
2. When You're Smiling (The Whole World Smiles With You)
And into the first song. Judy's voice is soft and low at first, then as the song melts into other musical stylings, so does her voice. Then she ends with those big, loud high notes.
3. Almost Like Being In Love/This Can't Be Love (Medley)
This is one of my several favorite portions of the concert. The two songs go right into one another fabulously and the drums are huge. (Judy was told that her drums were too loud to translate properly onto the recording, and she said that she didn't care about the recording. Her drummer was going to play just as loud as he had been playing...I wouldn't have it any other way.)
After this medley, Judy tells her first story of the evening, about a Parisian hairdresser who insisted that she should look "nothing like Judy Garland, nothing like yourself!"
4. Do It Again
A great thumping cello and smooth clarinet are perfect on this light tune.
5. You Go To My Head
Another of my favorite moments, along with track three and any of Judy's monologues. Wonderful upbeat song with lots of brass.
6. Alone Together
Judy's vocals here are appropriately gentle and thunderous, not simultaneously obviously. After the song, Judy introduces her next number while the band fiddles with their sheet music for...
7. Who Cares (As Long As You Care For Me)
Other than the microphone wailing early in the song, this jazz number is superb.
8. Puttin' On The Ritz
I love Judy's comments about the striptease right before this song. She says, "The next one is sort of a striptease tempo. We don't do it, we just talk about it." Then after a response from the audience, "No, not in Carnegie Hall. It wouldn't look right at all." After that, Judy coaxes a moan out of the trombone player to start off the song.
9. How Long Has This Been Going On
From upbeat and fast into sad, bluesy-jazz, Gershwin style. Magnificent. Just Judy and a piano, the way she was meant to be heard. The finale is brilliant.
10. Just You, Just Me
Back into upbeat.
Then Judy quips, "I don't know why it is that I can't perspire. I just sweat. It's so unladylike."
11. The Man That Got Away
Naturally, another favorite. The orchestra is fantastic here and Judy sounds wonderful. I'm still a little partial to the movie version of this. Her voice was a little stronger then. But she's really in her element and, IMO, each reading Judy does of this song is phenomenal. One of my top five favorite songs of all time.
12. San Francisco
Judy gets a little comedic with the intro of this song, but it's very cute. And the remainder of this song is very brassy and big. Excellent ender to the first act.
Another ovation envelops Judy, which she thanks the audience for before bidding them adieu for a costume change so they can have intermission and "smoke or drink or whatever it is you do at intermission."
Disc Two
1. That's Entertainment!
You hear the orchestra warming up, then brief applause as the orchestra leader, Mort Lindsey, enters. The music begins and Judy pops right in and starts her vocals on this song full of pop culture references.
Following is another of Judy's humorous anecdotes, this one about the British press. This tale is probably my favorite on the album. Very funny, proving what a terrific raconteur Judy was.
2. I Can't Give You Anything But Love
Right into a ballad. Smooth and mellow. Nice. Watch out for the sax solo.
3. Come Rain Or Come Shine
This song is another favorite. I love this upbeat jazz version. Judy's energy is really up here and she sounds fantastic. After the song concludes she asks Harold Arlen, one of the song's composers, to stand. She goes on to say he wrote "all the most beautiful songs."
4. You're Nearer
Now we go back to just Judy and a piano...for three whole songs! This is my favorite of the three, a beautiful, simple song from the movie Too Many Girls.
5. A Foggy Day
This wonderful Gershwin composition is just Judy's style. The piano is exceptional, but I can't give credit where it's due. None of the band members are credited on the album.
6. If Love Were All
I really love the lyrics on this one. Great.
7. Zing! Went The Strings Of My Heart
This is quite different from the arrangement from Judy's initial version, way back in like '37. It's a great change of pace from the previous numbers. The tempo is really peppy.
8. Stormy Weather
The orchestration on this song is fantastic. I especially love the brass/percussion combo in the intro. The strings sound fantasic as well. Judy's vocals are very effective.
9. You Made Me Love You/For Me and My Gal/The Trolley Song (Medley)
The first song is slow and pretty. Things pick up a bit for the second, as Judy asks the audience to sing along. Naturally, everyone in the crowd knows every syllable.
And the song culminates in the quick-paced Trolley number. It still doesn't touch the film version, but I love it live too. This is another of my favorites.
10. Rock-A-Bye Your Baby With A Dixie Melody
The ultimate performance on this album. It's far superior to the studio version, orchestra included. I love it. Judy's vocals on this are some of the best of her career. Just wait for the drums starting at 2:21. They rock for the rest of the song. Singing along with this I can FEEL the rhythm right there every single time.
Now the orchestra plays Over The Rainbow through this extended ovation. After a song request, Judy cries, "I know. I'll sing 'em all and we'll stay all night!"
11. Over The Rainbow
While this song is always welcome when coming from Judy's lips, her greatest live performance of this is from her Palace concert in '51.
12. Swanee
Another upbeat number. I always loved this one too.
Following this, Judy starts taking song requests. When someone asks for "Liza", Judy says that the orchestra doesn't have an arrangement of "Liza" but that Liza is there with her. So all of the kids join Mama onstage for a few moments while the audience applauds. Judy then informs the audience that the orchestra only has two songs left. Of the two, they choose...
13. After You've Gone
I'm pretty sure Judy did this first in For Me And My Gal. It's an interesting song. Like many jazz numbers of the day, the song is soft at first with an upbeat, big finale.
14. Chicago
Excellent.
After yet another playing of Over The Rainbow, Judy finally says goodnight. Music and applause continue for a bit, then everything dies down as the disc closes.
So...any thoughts?
