Best GUYS AND DOLLS recording?

[jamiekennywicked]

Posted: 11/21/10 at 2:47pm

Can someone tell me which recording of Guys and Dolls is the best in your own opinion?

[D2]

Posted: 11/21/10 at 2:50pm

1992 Revival hands down. Sparkling new orchestrations, clean, crisp sound and stellar work from all four leads.

The 1950 original preserves Vivian Blaine's glorious Adelaide and should also be in every collection.

Updated On: 11/21/10 at 02:50 PM

[Almira]

Posted: 11/21/10 at 2:54pm

This is one of few times when I think a revival recording is worth exploring BEFORE the OBCR.


I'd go for the 1992 Broadway Revival recording. It has a great performances and energy.

Updated On: 11/21/10 at 02:54 PM

[Alivis]

Posted: 11/21/10 at 3:00pm

I like the 1992 revival with Nathan Lane and company. Interesting also is the 1976 all black cast recording starring
Robert Guillaume.(sp?)Ken Page's rendition of "Sit Down, You're Rocking the Boat" is not to be missed.

[TheatreFan4]

Posted: 11/21/10 at 3:09pm

My 2005 London soundboard.

[Jake01]

Posted: 11/21/10 at 3:11pm

Definitely the 1992 revival, but the 95 studio recording is worth checking out, too. I LOVE the "Runyonland" on that one!

[broadwayguy2]

Posted: 11/21/10 at 3:39pm

I have to agree with Almira... I actually listen to the Original Broadway cast less often than almost any of my Guys and Dolls recordings. I WILL say that Guys and Dolls is one of those shows where you are well served by owning the full array.. Of the recordings that I own, I can only rank them according to how often I listen to each...

1.) 1992 Broadway revival with Prince and Lane - pitch perfect.
2.) 50th Anniversary Cast Recording / tour cast with Maurice Hines - great cast, great record of the show. More complete than the revival recording and has a couple bonus tracks.
3.) 1995 Studio Cast
4.) Original Broadway Cast
5.) 1976 "Blaxploitation" Broadway Revival - Totally unnecessary and gratuitous revival of the show during the "all black" craze of the late 70s, but ken page is great to hear.

[dragonlp86]

Posted: 11/21/10 at 4:06pm

Another vote for the 1992 revival!

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 11/21/10 at 4:09pm

It ain't the one with Sinatra & Mumbles

[SingingChef]

Posted: 11/21/10 at 4:22pm

I absolutely love the 1976 all-Black cast recording. It's my favorite by far.

[Ed_Mottershead]

Posted: 11/21/10 at 6:58pm

If I had to make a choice, OBCR has never been out of my collection, no matter what format. But the '92 revival is great. Forget the rest.

[Jake01]

Posted: 11/21/10 at 8:52pm

A bit off-topic, but what are some thoughts on the tour with Maurice Hines? I thought it was a bit bland, but I loved how there was palpable sexual chemistry between Nathan and Adelaide, and how Nathan was slightly converted into a dancers' role. I have the cast recording, but never listen to it.

[CockeyedOptimist2]

Posted: 11/21/10 at 11:04pm

Another vote for '92 revival. Wish I had been old enough to see it!

I was also fairly young when I saw the Maurice Hines tour but I remember liking it a whole lot- it's the only non-community theater production I've seen, so it's the best one I've seen! Here's hoping for a worthy revival or that one somewhere near me sometime soon!

[frontrowcentre2]

Posted: 11/22/10 at 12:11am

I did see the 1992 production and it remains teh best GUYS AND DOLLS I have ever seen on stage. The cast album of that production is about as close to perfect as we'll get. The sound on the old Decca OBCR is the major drawback there, along with the fact that Sam Levine can't sing, Isabel Biggley has one of those 1940's soubrette voices that doesn't carry much warmth on records (especially those flat sounding Decca albums), and Robert Alda sounds like he has a cold.

For a giggle try the Reprise discs with Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis, Debbie Reynolds and The McGuire Sisters.

I don't know how widely available it is but Delta Music has a (bootleg) Cd of the film soundtrack that includes almost all of the music featured in the film. (there never was a legitimate full soundtrack release. Decca did a 4-song EP and there have been various bootlegs. You'd think Rhino would have given this one the deluxe treatment.)

For a complete recording Jay has a Masterworks edition, well sung by Gregg Edelmann and Emily Loesser.

[Disneyland Magic Man]

Posted: 11/22/10 at 2:46pm

1976 Revival Cast!!!

Guys & Dolls is hard enough to stomach as it is. At least you get to hear Ken Page do amazing things to Sit Down You're Rockin The Boat... And the "special" rendition of Bushel and A Peck is not to be missed.

I wish all shows would do a black version... sigh. And black shows do a white take. I'd love to hear a "white" re-imagination of The Wiz... Just as a "what if" situation.

[jewishboy]

Posted: 11/22/10 at 6:30pm

I'm obviously in the minority, but I prefer the OBC. I haven't heard the '76 version, so maybe that would change my opinion. I love Isabel Bigley's "If I Was A Bell." She hits all the right notes, technically and interpretively. As good as Faith Prince is, I just think there is no comparison to Vivian Blaine, and although Sam Levene doesn't have the best voice, who cares? His "Sue Me" is much more believable then Nathan Lane's. Also, Stubby Kaye is just glorious. Robert Alda has an incredibly rich voice which especially comes through in "I'll Know" and I think it is Peter Gallagher who sounds like he has a cold.

[trentsketch]

Posted: 11/22/10 at 8:19pm

My knee-jerk reaction is the OBC just for Stubby Kaye's performance. The '92 recording has better audio quality, but I'm not particularly turned off by any fuzz or imperfections in the OBC.

[jsg03jd]

Posted: 11/22/10 at 11:15pm

For completeness, the Jay Records one with Emily Loesser is the one to go with.

But in terms of quality of the audio and vocals, the Peter Gallagher, Josie DeGuzman, Nathan Lane and Faith Prince CD can't be beat, in my view.

[madbrian]

Posted: 11/22/10 at 11:17pm

While I agree that the '92 revival is terrific, I still prefer the original cast recording.

[PeteGonBway]

Posted: 11/23/10 at 9:53am

I absolutely LOVE the 50th Anniversary Tour Cast Recording with Maurice Hines. It's by far the most complete recording, and the orchestrations are fantastic. I wish I could have seen this production - the voices are great!!

[doodlenyc]

Posted: 11/23/10 at 10:12am

The 92 cast was terrific, but my favorite is the 76 revival as well. It's the best "Marry the Man" and "Sit Down..."

The original is hit or miss for me. I cant stand Alda's vocals, flat most of the time. Blaine is so great, tho. LOVE her voice.

I find the Tony wins and misses very interesting as well for these performances. Blaine wasnt nominated at all...Bigely won for supporting actress (I assume because she was under the title?) Alda won as lead and Levine wasnt nominated.

In 76, Guillome and Jackson were both nomed as leads...Nathan and Sarah...nothing for Donaldson and Randolph. Page got his Theatre World award.

In 92, Prince, deGuzman and Lane were all nomed as leads...and Burke Moses got a Theater World award for replacing as Sky two years later.

[mallardo]

Posted: 11/24/10 at 11:46am

I agree on the '92 revival but I have to admit to a problem with Josie de Guzman's Sarah. I didn't see it and maybe she was great on stage but on the recording she sounds stiff and inauthentic. In a production in which everyone else seems perfect she sounds like she wandered in from a different show.

[frontrowcentre2]

Posted: 11/24/10 at 5:22pm

Any recording you select but TODAY (Wednesday November 24) is the day to play it...the show premiered on Broadway 60 years ago tonight.

[sparrman]

Posted: 11/25/10 at 6:34pm

De Guzman gave a good performance, but she was surrounded by great ones.
Updated On: 11/25/10 at 06:34 PM