Search - Bernstein, Comden, Rivera :: Bernstein Songbook

A great "first step" to the magic of "The Great White Way"

Reginald D. Garrard | Camilla, GA USA | 11/26/2006

(4 out of 5 stars)

"With the Thanksgiving passing of songwriter Betty Comden, I recalled that I had, in my album collection, this album, not just featuring her songs but Comden singing on "Carried Away" and "Some Other Time" from the Tony-award-winning "New York." Two other songs from the play are featured, culled from a 1960 recording.



This compilation has some of the best of Broadway, not just the songs but the performers as well. Familiar names like Boris Karloff, the legendary Rosalind Russell, Nancy Walker, Chita Rivera, and Carol Lawrence are showcased in various selections from the likes of "Peter Pan," "Trouble in Tahiti," "Wonderful Town," "Candide," "1600 Pennsylvania Avenue," and, in this writer's opinion, the best musical in the history of the stage, "West Side Story."



The liner notes provide brief but insightful descriptions of the various plays, including an introduction from Comden and her longtime collaborator Adolph Green, also heard on the album.



The music is definitely Bernstein with his uniquely American style, coupled with Old World influences."