Simply Sondheim [Live]

Los Angeles Times, October 11, 1999
"This [performance] may be the most important event ever for the gay community here." (St. Petersburg, Russia)

Product Description
GMCLA's final performance with Dr. Jon Bailey as Artistic Director was dazzling, for it confirmed Dr. Jon's extraordinary legacy, building GMCLA into a nationally-heralded musical ensemble. Fortunately, that special show was captured on this live CD. Entitled Simply Sondheim, and featuring guest star Joanna Gleason, all material was written by Broadway's reigning genius Stephen Sondheim, whose gay sensibility puts an extra spin on his acclaimed lyrics. In fact, lyrics from songs unsung by GMCLA can be heard as clever narrative links throughout the performance.

Hear some of your favorite Broadway classics, like Send In The Clowns and No One Is Alone, performed as only GMCLA can, along with rarities like Pleasant Little Kingdom (cut from the score of Follies) sung by Joanna Gleason, as well as new arrangements created especially for the occasion, like the Sweeney Todd Rhapsody. Join the ecstatic audience as GMCLA performs with humor, depth, and emotion, while closing a chapter with Dr. Bailey and preparing to welcome its new Artistic Director.

Simply Sondheim [Live]

Simply Sondheim,Denise Briese,Stephen Sondheim,Earle Dumler,Loiuse M. Ditullio,Megan Foley,Tom Shell,Bill Trusten,Joanna Gleason,Gay Men Chorus L.a.,Classical Artists,Miscellaneous Music,Miscellaneous Vocal Music,Music Theater,Musical Theater,Pop,Pop Vocals,Vocal

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Average customer rating: ONE OF THE BEST A Must for Sondheim & Musical Theater Fans More is much much less

Simply Sondheim: A 75th Birthday Salute Stephen Sondheim Manufacturer: Kritzerland ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Movie Soundtracks | Soundtracks | Styles | Music General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music General | Musicals | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music Easy Listening | Compilations | Pop | Styles | Music General | Easy Listening | Pop | Styles | Music Similar Items: Company (2006 Broadway Revival Cast) Grey Gardens - A New Musical (2006 Original Broadway Cast) Curtains (2007 Original Broadway Cast) Spring Awakening (2006 Original Broadway Cast) A Chorus Line - The New Broadway Cast Recording (2006 Broadway Revival Cast) ASIN: B000HXDTHQ Release Date: 2006-09-05

Tracks:

1. Make The Most Of Your Music
2. The Love Medley
3. Hello, Little Girl
4. I Know Things Now
5. Love, I Hear
6. Sooner Or Later
7. Anyone Can Whistle
8. Last Midnight
9. Come Play Wiz Me
10. I'm In Love With A Boy
11. The Marriage Medley
12. Ah, But Underneath
13. Good Thing Going/Not A Day Goes By
14. Broadway Baby
15. The Saturday Night Medley
16. What More Do I Need?
17. Back In Business
18. Not While I'm Around/Children Will Listen
19. More
20. A Parade In Town
21. The Glamorous Life
22. I Remember
23. Take Me To The World
24. Everybody Says Don't
25. The Girls Of Summer
26. Farewell
27. Sunday In The Park With George
28. Bounce
29. Hades
30. No More/Everybody's Got The Right

Product Description

Kritzerland is proud to present Simply Sondheim, a two-CD live recording from the San Francisco tribute concert in honor of Stephen Sondheim's 75th birthday. In December of 2005, some of San Francisco's most talented artists came together to pay homage to one of musical theatre's greatest composer/lyricists. The concert was a smashing sold-out success and featured one great Sondheim song after another. All of Mr. Sondheim's major shows are represented, along with his most recent, Bounce, and the new version of The Frogs. Also included is the world premiere recording of "Farewell," which was written for the 1971 revival of A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum. The cast features James Brewer, Amy Dondy, Kelly Ground, Hannah Rose Kornfeld, Kim Larsen, Tom Orr, Shay Oglesby-Smith, Steve Rhyne and Stephanie Rhoads, as well as special guests Lisa Vroman, Guy Haines, and Judy Butterfield.

Customer Reviews:

ONE OF THE BEST.......2007-01-20

This 2-CD set is a revelation. At first I hesitated buying it because I was familiar with only a few of the performers: Lisa Vroman ("Phantom," "Sweeney Todd in Concert on PBS"), Amy Dondy (the "Maria Callas of cabaret") and the fabulous Kelly Ground (the original Fantine in the Nat.Tour of "Les Miz"). Much to my surprise, the performers were uniformly fabulous. The unique song choices, the great performances and the incredible energy onstage and in the audience made me sorry I wasn't there. It must have been quite a night. I was able to see some clips from the show itself on Youtube (is there a DVD in the making?),and I'm hoping to see it come to Broadway.

A Must for Sondheim & Musical Theater Fans.......2007-01-19

The recent Broadway offering of "Sweeney Todd," set the tone for a sudden trend in Sondheim productions, and this CD right here is at the forefront of that movement---call it "stripped down Sondheim," if you will. However, stripped down doesn't mean it isn't utterly lively, bubbly, engaging and masterfully sung---it just means that there is not an overblown orchestra to drown out the enthusiasm and skill of these dedicated singers. This one-time 75th birthday salute to Sondheim was produced in San Francisco at the end of 2005, but was only recently released. Thank goodness that this special night was captured in all its glory, with stellar performances by Lisa Vroman of "Phantom," Judy Butterfield (a hot new cabaret artist---keep an eye on that gal), and some of San Francisco's best musical theatre talent. While listening to it, I find myself charmed, yet wistful---the down side is the fact that this ensemble performed the show only once. One hopes these folks will assemble again in the future---till then, get this CD. The full-color booklet is full of photos of the show, and it's as much of a collector's item as the CD is. With the help of the photos, the music, and the seemingly charmed & happy audience, this package can transport one into fantasyland---it's easy to imagine being there, having a great time. This is definitely a must for every Steven Sondhim fan.

More is much much less.......2007-01-12

This is a CD for someone who saw the show. Given the fact that Sondheim has been my favorite composer since I first heard the LP for Company in 1970 (I was 13), this seemed like a necessary purchase. My mistake.

Average customer rating: Great Concept. Poor Delivery. Cult Classic

Simply Sondheim Manufacturer: Gay Men Chorus L.a. ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Pop | Styles | Music General | Vocal Pop | Pop | Styles | Music General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music General | Pop | Indie Music | Stores | Music Traditional & Vocal Pop | Pop | Indie Music | Stores | Music General | Soundtracks | Indie Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: Simply Sondheim: A 75th Birthday Salute Live! A Grand Night For Singing Grey Gardens - A New Musical (2006 Original Broadway Cast) Company (2006 Broadway Revival Cast) Barbara Cook at the Met with Special Guests ASIN: B00005V5XZ Release Date: 2001-12-01

Tracks:

1. Our Time
2. Good Thing Going
3. Merrily We Roll Along
4. Pleasant Little Kingdom
5. The Little Things You Do Together
6. Send In The Clowns
7. Sweeney Todd Rhapsody
8. No One Is Alone
9. Loving You
10. Could I Leave You?
11. I Remember
12. Sunday
13. Goodbye For Now
14. Old Friends

Album Description

GMCLA's final performance with Dr. Jon Bailey as Artistic Director was dazzling, for it confirmed Dr. Jon's extraordinary legacy, building GMCLA into a nationally-heralded musical ensemble. Fortunately, that special show was captured on this live CD. Entitled Simply Sondheim, and featuring guest star Joanna Gleason, all material was written by Broadway's reigning genius Stephen Sondheim, whose gay sensibility puts an extra spin on his acclaimed lyrics. In fact, lyrics from songs unsung by GMCLA can be heard as clever narrative links throughout the performance.

Hear some of your favorite Broadway classics, like Send In The Clowns and No One Is Alone, performed as only GMCLA can, along with rarities like Pleasant Little Kingdom (cut from the score of Follies) sung by Joanna Gleason, as well as new arrangements created especially for the occasion, like the Sweeney Todd Rhapsody. Join the ecstatic audience as GMCLA performs with humor, depth, and emotion, while closing a chapter with Dr. Bailey and preparing to welcome its new Artistic Director.

Customer Reviews:

Great Concept. Poor Delivery........2002-08-30

Having been a long-time fan of GMCLA, I have to say I'm severely disappointed in the quality of this recording.

Problems start with the selection of material. With such a heavy focus on Merrily We Roll Along and Sweeney Todd, you get a feeling a concert version of these shows was their true interest. Sweeney in particular takes up a full fourth of this performance with selections (Wait and These Are My Friends???) that aren't particularly suited to choral arrangement.

Problems continue with the quality of the chorus as a whole. I was surprised to hear the group's tone drifting noticeably flat repeatedly. Arrangements that seem to favor disonance over harmony don't seem to help matters.

Then there's the odd and out-of-place bits of lyrics spoken instead of sung as a seque between the numbers. The rhyming structure makes them sound forced and unnatural when spoken.

On a whole, a big disappointment from a chorus I've often lept to my feet after hearing.

Cult Classic.......2002-02-12

Those remarkable men within the Gay Men's Chorus of Los Angeles have done it again! After delivering that powerful classical CD With A Mighty Voice, they pivot-turn and deliver this show-stopping performance of music composed for Broadway by Stephen Sondheim. The diversity of these singers is magnificently realized in an event that could possibly only succeed in L.A. Part of the fun of Simply Sondheim is imagining yourself among that theater-savvy audience 3000 miles away from Broadway as it devours every nuance of these modern show-biz classics arranged for 150 male voices. It's apparent right from the start that Stephen Sondheim's gay wit is ideal material for these talented men, whose memorable performances are captured live on this terrific recording.

And what a sound! Fans who think they know Sondheim's Sweeney Todd for example, will revel upon hearing the 15-minute Sweeney Todd Rhapsody where 150 voices bring new depth to some of Sondheim's greatest work. Familiar tunes like Send In The Clowns sound fresh when delivered by these gents, thanks to their unique and ingenious arrangements. Equally great are the Sondheim rarities, like Goodbye For Now (composed for the film Reds,) or Pleasant Little Kingdom (cut from Follies, performed here by guest star Joanna Gleason), or Loving You from Passion, all charged with the humor, bite, and aching tenderness that keeps the live audience in a whirl.

Sure wish I could have been in that audience! Owning this CD is the next best thing. To Sondheim fans, this is a cult classic; to theater fans, this CD makes a terrific gift. Perhaps the real gift is knowing that the Gay Men's Chorus thrives so well in Los Angeles. What can they possibly record next? Can't wait!

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