"perfect score for the jazz idiom"
J. Lovins | Missouri-USA | 03/19/2001
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This their fifth album for Varese Sarabande - "The Fantasticks In Jazz", is truly an astonishing event that this is the first time there has been a jazz album devoted to this score. Back in the early '60s there were a plethora of both jazz and instrumental cover versions of popular shows. It is a mystery how this score escaped, a perfect score for the jazz idiom.The only man for this album was Terry Trotter - through his series of Sondheim in jazz albums, Terry's impeccable musicianship and his ability to be true to the tunes is to say the least, unique. Along with Terry Trotter (piano), is Tom Warrington (bass) and Joe LaBarbera (drums), their blend of style and harmonies is simply wonderful - each track is forever embedded into my consciousness.Hats off to - Bruce Kimmel (producer/liner-notes), Vincent Cirilli (engineer), Steven Gamberoni (asst. engineer), Joe Gastwirt (digital mastering), Gretchen Weiss (asst to the producer), Jamieson Trotter (music preparation) and Varese Sarabande...if you enjoyed this CD, why not try "Passion In Jazz" (1994), "Stephen Sondheim's Sweeney Todd in Jazz" (1995), "Michel Legrand Album" (1996), "Sketches on Star Wars" (1997)...all on the Varese Sarabande banner, featuring the brilliant - THE TROTTER TRIO!Total Time: 55:56 on 11 Tracks...Varese Sarabande 302 062 103 2...(2001)"
HAPPY 40TH BIRTHDAY!
MOVIE MAVEN | New York, NY USA | 08/08/2001
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This album begins to enchant the moment you look at the cover art--the original graphics, printing, drawing from the now 40 year old off-Broadway phenomenon called THE FANTASTICKS enhanced with silhouettes of a performing jazz trio.THE FANTASTICKS is one of those shows (like FIDDLER ON THE ROOF, I suspect) that everyone has had a chance to see and almost everyone has had a chance to perform in, whether it be professionally from New York, New York to Sidney, Australia or in a community theatre in Buffalo, New York or Adelaide, Australia. In its simplicity and romance, in its characters' struggle for a better world through love and music it reaches for and manages to touch everyone. Here then, is a new album of jazz variations from the musical themes in the show. The Trotter Trio is simply grand. This is not jazz that disguises Jones and Schmidt's score---it is jazz that enhances. Every number is a winner, just as every number in the original show is. There are even two versions of that more-than-famous "Soon It's Gonna Rain:" the first featuring the show's composer, Harvey Schmidt, on piano (who, by the way, is also the artist who drew the above mentioned art work) and the second with one of the greatest jazz/pop singers around: Maureen McGovern. There is even a bonus track: "A Perfect Time To Be In Love" was written for the national touring company starring Robert Goulet. It is lovely. The whole album is lovely.I wish that Bruce Kimmel's charming story of how he first came to the music through the original cast album were expanded. It is such a sweet story and so genuine in its respect for the show, that I wanted to know more. I also would like to know something about the first rate Trotter Trio whom I've never heard before. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED."
Track Listings (11) - Disc #1