Blogcritics Category: Music: Broadway

Music Review: Liza Minnelli - The Complete A&M Recordings

The Other Chad — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 10:57:38 EST

A varied and rich collection of an under appreciated artist during her prime.
People who know me are usually shocked to discover I like Liza Minnelli, as if all her fans fit the exactly same profile. She is a polarizing artist, to say the least, and I've found that many people who despise the woman actually know very little of her work. Minnelli certainly hasn't remained blameless in the tarnishing of her reputation, with...

Interview: A Conversation With Taylor Hicks

Sherry Lipp — Mon, 1 Dec 2008 10:04:29 EST

The American Idol winner shares insights on his creative process and upcoming endeavors.
Taylor Hicks has kept very busy since winning American Idol in 2006. Despite speculation he might've faded into obscurity following his mutual split with Arista Records earlier this year, Hicks has been hard at work reestablishing himself as an artist. In addition to starting his own record label, Modern Whomp Records, he spent this past...

Music Review: Josh Groban - A Collection

Stuart A Hamilton — Thu, 27 Nov 2008 20:20:43 EST

From light classical to show tunes, Groban gets the best-of treatment, just in time for Christmas.
Josh Groban is insanely popular in America, but mention his name to someone in the UK and you'll get one of two responses — either a shrug or a reply of "Didn't he sing that Westlife song?" — both of which are just plain wrong.A lot of people sneer at pop/classical crossovers, but the record-buying public seems to love...

Retro Redux: Easy Does It - The Music Of Percy Faith

Big Geez — Fri, 7 Nov 2008 07:19:36 EST

A piano prodigy who lost his playing ability in a tragic accident, but still became a world-famous musical star.
I seem to be on a kind of 'easy listening' tear lately, spinning out a article about Frank Chacksfield a while back and a few others before that, so it seems - er - easy enough to continue down that road for a while. And even though Chackfield's name might have been a little unfamiliar to some, I'm willing to bet that Percy Faith...

Music Review: John Burnett Swing Orchestra - West Of State Street/East Of Harlem

Richard Marcus — Thu, 6 Nov 2008 20:52:00 EST

You'll find yourself listening to some great music performed by musicians who really care about what they are doing.
The first time I ever really paid attention to or appreciated big band and/or swing music was when I appeared in a play set during WW2. I was playing the role of a soldier and at various points I would pop up on stage for a letter home to be read out loud. The penultimate scene took place at a dance to the sounds of the Glenn Miller Orchestra's...

Music Review: Nina Simone - To Be Free: The Nina Simone Story

Matt Springer — Sat, 18 Oct 2008 10:03:22 EDT

A new four-disc boxed set of music and video offers an ideal introduction to the unique artistry of Nina Simone.
It's become fashionable for older artists to stretch their wings and sow their wild musical oats by trying out new genres. Bruce Springsteen rustled up a gigantic folk-jazz band and recorded a record of Pete Seeger covers. Pat Boone put on a creepy leather vest and did some vocal pop versions of hair metal tunes. And Elvis Costello... well,...

Retro Redux: Music And Memories From The Campaign Trail

Big Geez — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 09:21:18 EDT

Running for president has always been a tricky proposition.
Lately a couple of secondary stories from the presidential campaign have kind of combined to jog my rusty memory, causing me to reminisce about my slight involvement in a campaign many years ago. First, there's the attention being paid to the music played at the candidates' appearances -- what used to be called their theme songs. Apparently...

Dance Review: So You Think You Can Dance Live

Sherry Lipp — Sun, 28 Sep 2008 20:18:37 EDT

The finalists from the hit show dazzle on the live stage.
So You Think You Can Dance kicked off its live concert tour on September 20 in Tacoma, Washington. The Top 10 finalists from season four, plus three special guests (also from season four), are hitting over 40 cities across America. The tour concludes November 17 in Tampa, Florida.In addition to attending the opening performance of the tour, I...

Retro Redux: A Salute To Leroy Anderson

Big Geez — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 02:19:11 EDT

The Boston Pops wouldn't have been quite the same without his contributions.
It doesn't take a visit from Mr. Obvious to acknowledge that music has the power to trigger memories, and sometimes they're very specific memories, relating directly to a certain time or person. A good example is what happens when I hear "Blue Tango," one of prolific composer Leroy Anderson's most popular melodies. It reminds...

Music Review: Billy Joel - The Stranger (Sony Legacy Edition)

Mike Newman — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 07:15:19 EDT

With this deluxe edition of Joel's masterpeice, you really get a perfect up-close account of a true original American artist in his prime.
“Don’t take no shit from anybody,” announced Billy Joel to a mid-'80s concert audience in Cincinnati that included my now-estranged father. My dad recited the Joel quote to me the day after the show and thought it was just the coolest thing ever spoken; obviously he (and Billy Joel) felt like they were taking too much shit...