Best Broadway stars solo records?

[Jay Lerner-Z]

Posted: 4/8/11 at 8:49pm

What non-cast albums by Broadway stars are any good?

In particular, which records by Broadway stars are good for discovering musicals one might not be familiar with? Thanks!

[Annas_Priest]

Posted: 4/8/11 at 9:06pm

Alice Ripely's Everythings Fine is AMAZING

[musicalsFan]

Posted: 4/8/11 at 9:52pm

My favorite is still Christiane Noll's Broadway Love Story.

Second favorite at the moment is Laurie Gayle Stephenson's I Believe My Heart -- http://www.lauriegaylestephenson.com/recordings.html

[singtopher]

Posted: 4/8/11 at 10:08pm

All of Streisands are pretty good.

[blacktie]

Posted: 4/8/11 at 10:10pm

Norm Lewis' 'This Is the Life' is a great album and he sounds smooth as ever.

[taylorPHENOMENON2]

Posted: 4/8/11 at 10:19pm

Gavin Creel - GoodTimeNation, Quiet.

[givesmevoice]

Posted: 4/8/11 at 10:20pm

I was going to say that Patti LuPone has some great solo CDs, but she doesn't sing much in the way of showtunes, so if that's what you're looking for, hers aren't the ones to buy.

[madbrian]

Posted: 4/8/11 at 10:22pm

Posted: 4/8/11 at 10:59pm

As a huge disco and camp lover that Merman album just makes me cry. Such wasted potential, it's just not even good bad, but bad bad. After two mins you wanna shut it off (part of the prob is she found singing to beats too hard, so they added them in later...)

I don't own many Broadway stars solo albums (If Streisand counts I like her 60s stuff, have a soft spot for her two disco songs, and not much else which tends to be over produced shmaltz, though if drunk I'll tolerate The Way We Were). I do really like, despite a few iffy moments, Debbie Shapiro Gravitte's Alan Menken album.

[noradesmond]

Posted: 4/8/11 at 11:04pm

Christine Andreas -"Here's To The Ladies"

[CockeyedOptimist2]

Posted: 4/8/11 at 11:09pm

It hasn't been released yet, but I'm pretty sure Kelli O'Hara's "Always" album due out in May will be great. I heard her sing all of the songs on it at her Feinstein's concert last fall and she's just amazing!

[canmark]

Posted: 4/8/11 at 11:16pm

I really like Streisand's "The Broadway Album," but don't care for the follow up, "Back to Broadway."

[fingerlakessinger]

Posted: 4/8/11 at 11:23pm

I know many are going to disagree and I'm prolly gonna catch flack for it but I think Idina's "I Stand" album is pretty damn good. Some of those songs are beautiful.

[husk_charmer]

Posted: 4/8/11 at 11:29pm

I prefer Streisands "Back to Broadway" to "The Broadway Album."

[CockeyedOptimist2]

Posted: 4/8/11 at 11:41pm

I also find myself listening to Sutton Foster's "Wish" very often. Especially the second half of the CD. She does a duet with Megan McGinnis called "Flight" and it's just gorgeous.

[Overkill]

Posted: 4/9/11 at 1:19am

As a huge Disney geek, I love Kerry Butler's "Faith, Trust and Pixie Dust". But it is very nasally. Very.

One of my favorites is Sutton Foster's "WISH". I LOVE it.

I don't know if this counts, but Brent Spiner's albums, "Ol' Yellow Eyes is Back" and "Dreamland" are both AMAZING. Especially Dreamland.

[uncageg]

Posted: 4/9/11 at 1:24am

Mine is not a recording that was released on CD. It is Audra McDonald's concert for PBS Live at Lincoln Center. I taped it and then transferred it to CD.

[CurtainPullDowner]

Posted: 4/9/11 at 1:32am

Mary Martin sings Richard Rogers
Barbara Cook, The Champion Season

[gravity87]

Posted: 4/9/11 at 1:35am

all of Audra's albums are fabulous.

[BroadwayBound062]

Posted: 4/9/11 at 1:36am

I can't believe no one has mentioned Lauren Kennedy's albums both of them!!!

[muscle23ftl]

Posted: 4/9/11 at 3:41am

I can't disagree more about Idina's "I Stand", I'm a HUGE fan of hers and I was so dissappointed about her CD. The lyrics and the songs made my ears bleed.

I enjoy Babra's "Back to Broadway" CD, Liza also has some good CD's, but the best CD's by any Broadway star(although she is thorougly questioned to be one on BWW) is of course, SARAH BRIGHTMAN. "Harem", "La Luna", "Symphony", "Eden", "The ALW Collection" are jewels.

Also, this is not a solo CD, but I LOVE Sherie Rene's "Everyday Rapture", and although she is not a B'way singer, Sinead O'Connor's "Am I not your Girl?" CD with her fantastic version of "Don't cry for me, Argentina".

Updated On: 4/9/11 at 03:41 AM

[fashionguru_23]

Posted: 4/9/11 at 4:09am

Personally, I like Shoshanna Bean's "Superhero", Kristin Chenoweth's "Let Yourself Go" and "As I Am", along with Kerry Ellis' "Anthem". Liza's new album "Confessions" is one of my favourites of hers.

I"m not saying the only solo stuff I like is of Wicked alumni. It just worked out that way!

[Overkill]

Posted: 4/9/11 at 4:17am

I agree, Let Yourself Go is another fave. :)

[wickedfan]

Posted: 4/9/11 at 4:58am

Liz Callaway's The Story Goes On.
She sings "Knowing When to Leave," "Our Time," "Sleepy Man," "Meadowlark" (the definitive imo), "Marry Me a Little," and, of course, "The Story Goes On" among others.
Pure bliss.

[best12bars]

Posted: 4/9/11 at 8:02am

Laurie Beechman's album has the best version of "As If We Never Said Goodbye" from Sunset Blvd. that I've ever heard. It beats everyone who ever played the part.

EDIT: And I agree about Liz Callaway's The Story Goes On. I also love her first album "Everywhere I Wander," which is all Frank Loesser tunes, either Broadway or film songs. She does a great How To Succeed mini-medley with the title tune and I Believe In You.

I'm not a fan of the whole CD, but Sam Harris has "There's Gotta Be Something Better Than This" from Sweet Charity, together with "Move On" from Sunday in the Park" in a mini-medley that is electrifying. His Broadway CD is good, but that's the real highlight. You can check it out here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=smsPNIZcmL0

Updated On: 4/9/11 at 08:02 AM