Search - Jerry Herman, Robert Weede, Mimi Benzell :: Milk and Honey: The Original Broadway Cast Recording

Jerry Herman's first Broadway score.

Mark Andrew Lawrence | Toronto | 03/10/2004

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Jerry Herman made an impressive Broadway debut with his score for this musical set in Israel. Although the show ran 543 performances, it never quite developed into a blockbuster and was quickly forgotten once it closed. RCA Victor reissued the cast album on CD in 1994 but unfortunately the master tapes had been lost and the sound quality of the CD is less than perfect: you can hear noise and drop-outs from time to time.Nothing can dim Jerry Herman's delightful score, however, and Robert Weede, fresh from his Broadway triumph in MOST HAPPY FELLA displays his warm baritone in "Shalom." Molly Picon is wonderful with her "Hymn to Hymie." The title song becomes a brisk march, similar in style to the title number in Herman's DEAR WORLD. You'll also hear some of Jerry Herman's trademark love songs in "Let's Not Waste a Moment" and "As Simple a That."The booket has a detailed synopsis, a history of the production and biographies of the stars as well as photos of the recording session.The CD has gone out-of-print and copies often sell for $50 or more...if you can find one for sale."

Promises of Beautiful Things to Come

robertak | Chicago, IL United States | 09/23/2002

(4 out of 5 stars)

""Milk and Honey," Jerry Herman's first Broadway musical shows the promise of the wealth of hummable, memorable scores he would compose, with "Hello, Dolly!", "Mame," "LaCage Aux Folles," "Mack and Mabel," etc. in the future. Like all of Mr. Herman's scores, the songs remain in your head long after you have put the CD back in its jewel case. This is a mature score, always a deeply melodic score, sometimes deeply emotional, other times, wonderfully funny, but always touching.I loved the score the first time I heard it, and still love it today."

IT's BACK!! Gorgeous Jerry Herman Score!

Tom George | Wash. DC | 07/25/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Finally the CD has been re-released to this magnificent, if somewhat forgotten gem of a musical. Jerry Herman's first Broadway show has a score full of stunning ballads, marvelous comedy numbers and hummable ensemble pieces. The songs performed by Robert Weede and Mimi Benzel (and there are several) are fantastic, Molly Picon's numbers are witty and catchy and there is a ballad, I Will Follow You sung by Tommy Rall (he of the numerous MGM musicals) that causes goosebumps, it is so beautiful. Though the show had a respectable run of over 500 performances, it wouldn't be until years later, after Herman's success with Mame, Hello Dolly! and La Cage Aux Folles, that people began to take a look at Milk and Honey. If ever there was a show deserving of a revival, this may be it!!

A wonderful CD even if the recording technique at the time is annoying today, having the vocals move back and forth between tracks to create (what they thought at the time) a live performance feel, a stereo style that mercifully did not last too long!! I wish they had remixed this release to eliminate that annoyance."