Search - Irving Berlin :: Louisiana Purchase - The Musical Comedy Smash Hit: 1996 Original New York Cast Recording

Good Job!

Arne Jansson | Stockholm, Sweden | 01/18/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Once again has a classic musical been professionally recreated after years of negliance. Berlin's score bubbles with his usual marvelous twists and the artists seem to enjoy themselves. Great listening all the way."

I Just Got This

ljs | Baltimore, MD USA | 07/08/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"and I have to agree that it's a marvelous surprise. Wow! As one of the other reviewers noted, this one ranks right up there w/ Annie Get Your Gun and Call Me Madame among Berlin's shows. Definitely better than Miss Liberty, which was no slouch of a score either. Here you have a man who had been writing songs and shows for almost thirty years by the time he did this (1940), and yet the score was right up to moment for that year. Swing, Latin, Ballads - it all sounds exactly like you'd want 1940 music to sound. My taste generally runs more towards Cole Porter and Rodgers and Hart. I've never fully appreciated what a master Berlin was, but this one has me sold. It makes you understand why Porter always professed to admire Berlin so much. Since I got this CD last night, I haven't stopped listening to it. In fact, I'm listening as I write.



You'll know what I mean if you get this recording yourself. There's not a single clinker here - even the songs that were cut from the original production and restored for these performances are superb. All of the numbers are tuneful, charming, and bright, and most are very lively, to boot. You may have heard It's a Lovely Day Tomorrow and (if you're lucky) What Chance Have I With Love before. They're great. I've also heard the title song, also great, in the movie version. Unfortunately, for some unfathomable reason the movie version used almost none of the sparkling score, so I didn't hear the rest of it there.



Among the songs, Latins Know How is a luscious and lush rhumba. Wild About You is another good latin-influenced song. Louisiana Purchase and You Can't Brush Me Off are great swing numbers - you want to get up and dance. Outside of That I Love You is a breezy love/hate comic turn, reminiscent of Rodger's and Hart's I Wish I Were In Love Again. It'll Come to You is a swingy ballad, and just dandy. The Lord Done Fixed Up My Soul is a stirring revival number. The real stand out song for me, though, is the ballad, Fools Fall In Love. The liner notes call it "exquisite," and I can't think of a better word. I can't believe that this isn't a standard. If this were the only good song on the CD, it would still be worth having.



The cast is uniformly excellent, from the always incredible Debbie Gravitte to the very veteran George S. Irving. Mark McGrath and Judy Blazer are wonderful as the romantic leads. The New York Voices, recreating the tight harmony sound of the original Martins, give out with a real 1940's sound. All in all the singers are fully worthy of the material, and are clearly having a ball with it.



It's true, not every lost show is an undiscovered gem. This one sure is, though. I'm glad I finally took the chance and got this CD. I'll be listening to this for years. Take a chance and you will be, too."

A Must for your Music Theatre Collection

J. B. Peterson | New Providence, NJ | 11/06/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is a sparkling and swinging recording of Berlin's long forgotten but very hot musical "Louisiana Purchase". Pure pleasure with plenty of songs that you will want to listen to again and again. Loved it."