Search - Judy Garland, Liza Minnelli :: Judy Garland and Liza Minnelli: Together

Judy and Liza sold these songs without even trying--and that

Matthew G. Sherwin | last seen screaming at Amazon customer service | 04/09/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Judy Garland and Liza Minnelli: Together is a budget priced CD that gives the casual fan an assortment of songs from Judy and Liza's critically acclaimed and very popular November, 1964 concert at London's Palladium Theater. Judy and Liza sound great together; and the sound quality couldn't be better either. The artwork is also very nicely done.



"Together (Wherever We Go)" is a great way to start the track set; Judy and Liza do this one up right and their duet shines brightly! Judy and Liza clearly enjoy an excellent rapport with their audience and they never miss a note! The musical arrangement to accompany them lacks nothing, either. "The Man That Got Away," a Judy garland signature song, gets the royal treatment from Judy as she sings this to perfection--and beyond! Judy could take a song like this and effortlessly turn it into a classic masterpiece, all the while making you feel that she was truly singing just to you and you alone. What talent!



"Who's Sorry Now?" features Liza singing so sweetly; her voice is very good and there's certainly nothing rough at the edges here! Liza's talents shine through even at an early age here; she was only 16 when this concert was recorded but already Liza was outperforming many of her peers in the industry.



"Hello Dolly" is one of the strongest duets between mother and daughter; and they enjoy every minute of this tune! The brass is used to great advantage and Judy and Liza belt this one out like pros! I love it! Listen also for Liza to perform "Gypsy In My Soul;" she handles this effortlessly and the tempo changes pose no problem for her! In addition, there's also "Swanee;" this was always one of Judy's best loved numbers and the audience applause clearly proves it!



"Over The Rainbow" gave Judy the chance to sing her signature song; and part of the song was sung with the audience for a very special effect. The CD ends nicely with the two ladies singing their hearts out on "He's Got The Whole World In His Hands;" this spiritual song shines like silver and gold and this makes a strong ending for this album.



Of course, Judy Garland and Liza Minnelli remain huge icons in show business; but I think their fans will have these numbers already in their collections. This CD is truly geared toward casual fans and people wanting to decide if they like Judy and Liza.

"

Not the entire concert, but outstanding nonetheless

Daniel Jolley | Shelby, North Carolina USA | 03/26/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I know there has been talk about releasing a much more complete, two-CD recording of this incredible concert at the London Palladium, but I've yet to see it happen. For the time being, this release, woefully incomplete as it is, is more than capable of making the wait a pleasant one. On November 8, 1964, in the famous London Palladium, musical history was made when Judy Garland and her daughter Liza Minnelli performed together live in concert for the very first time. Young Liza didn't really want to do it, but she had little choice after Judy told the press that Liza was coming to perform with her. Still a teenager at the time, Liza was obviously nervous at first, but once she settled down she came pretty darned close to stealing the show. On this night she transformed herself from "Judy Garland's daughter" to "Liza Minnelli." You can hear her grow up as she sang Gypsy in My Soul; Liza starts slow and quietly, but she is wailing by the time she approaches the end of the song. Her increasing comfort and confidence is also easily discerned in her performance of Who's Sorry Now. Amazingly and disappointingly, Liza's best solo performance that night is not included on this CD; I became a Liza fan the first time I heard her sing It's Just a Matter of Time, and it is a crying shame that the song is not included on this album. It is simply amazing.Of course, one can never forget about Judy herself. The duets she sings with Liza are a lot of fun and show just how proud Judy was of her oldest daughter. Judy truly shines on her solo numbers, though; whoever picked and chose between the songs to include on this particular CD could not have made three better choices. Two of them are basically Judy's trademark songs: Over the Rainbow and The Man That Got Away. Both songs come out beautifully, but it is the third Judy solo track that means the most to me. Judy Garland sings What Now My Love with more passion and feeling that any other singer I have ever heard, never failing to give me chill bumps when she sings the lines "No one would care, no one would cry, if I should live or die." While it is true her voice isn't in its finest form on this recording, it is still magical and more than capable of penetrating even the hardest of hearts. I'll be the first in line to buy a complete recording of this remarkable concert if and when it is released, but for now I am more than happy to get by on this wonderful selection of songs."

Great Duo, but Poor Showing

Daniel Jolley | 04/20/2001

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I bought the 2-LP album when it came out in 1965 and was thrilled by the exchange between the audience and the mother-daughter duo. This CD leaves out all the highlights of the concert and just leaves some of the duets. The concert began with a riveting overture, and when the audience roars with the song "The Man Who Got Away" and the entrance of Judy, it brought chills to this listener. (I really understood how much the London audience cherished Judy.) But it was Liza who stole the show, particularly with her "Mamma" medley, ending with a rousing "My Mammy." The audience roared its approval, and a star was born. The album didn't bring out their (supposedly) competitiveness, but only their humor and affection. The orginal album needs to be released, in order to experience their show-stopping concert in its entirity."