CHICAGO Revival Cast Recording- Page 2

[cubanpab]

Posted: 7/23/07 at 10:39pm

LJay I am new... figuratively. I've been a member for a year or so but until now I have only really paid attention to whats current... to what ive seen myself... now i'm starting to learn more about the older stuff...

and again... no matter how much of a "legend" she was, it doesnt change the fact that i dont like what i hear...

[ljay889]

Posted: 7/23/07 at 10:40pm

But you're judging her on one recording. That is so silly. Plus she purposely over did it on that recording. It was a tribute to Gwen Verdon. I'd love to know what you would think of Verdon's voice.

And back to ALL THAT JAZZ. Here's Reinking aka Gramps looking sensational in it.

[wonderfulwizard11]

Posted: 7/23/07 at 10:41pm

Well, ljay, Verdon isn't exactly the most pleasant singer on the ears to begin with, especially in Chicago.

[cubanpab]

Posted: 7/23/07 at 10:43pm

lol. i never said i was judging her entire career... just saying that i didnt like the recording of the revival. thats all i ever said. :)

promise. i will rewatch the movie... if i remember correctly there was a whole mess of naked chicks in it... so i will rewatch gladly.

Updated On: 7/23/07 at 10:43 PM

[C is for Company]

Posted: 7/23/07 at 10:45pm

ljay, I LOVE that picture. That is my favorite moment, and moving all the way to the end of the "Jessica Lange Hallway."

[ljay889]

Posted: 7/23/07 at 10:45pm

Well, ljay, Verdon isn't exactly the most pleasant singer on the ears to begin with, especially in Chicago.

- Have you heard the feather stories? I don't feel like getting into that now. But that's why she sounded like that in Chicago. The incident ruined her voice.

Have you heard her in DAMN YANKEES, NEW GIRL IN TOWN, REDHEAD? What about her solo album THE GIRL I LEFT TOWN FOR? She sounds beautiful on her album - and it's rasp free.
Updated On: 7/23/07 at 10:45 PM

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 7/23/07 at 10:46pm

*WOOF!* Updated On: 7/24/07 at 10:46 PM

[ray-andallthatjazz86]

Posted: 7/23/07 at 10:46pm

Cubanpap, while I definitely respect your opinion, I think you're overreacting a bit about Reinking's vocals. My first introduction to CHICAGO was the movie as well, I remember getting the soundtrack, then the OBCR (and being beyond fascinated by it), and then I got the Broadway and London revival cast recordings. My initial reaction to Reinking's vocals was somewhat similar to yours, I thought her voice was disastrous but I kept listening to the recording over and over because I'm so in love with the score.
By now I very much respect Reinking's performance, she was clearly in many ways paying an homage to Verdon while playing a convincing Roxie Hart. You can't expect her to play the role the way Condon, Marshall, and Zellweger portrayed Hart in the movie, she is doing the role for the stage version and she actually really knows how to make those numbers work on the recording. Her "Funny Honey" is great, IMO, and her "Me and My Baby" is my favorite in any of the recordings--including Verdon, mostly because they did the ballad version I dislike in the OBCR.
I can't agree with you about Neuwirth though. She is top-notch on the recording, her "All That Jazz" sounds like a true showstopper and her "I Know That Girl" cracks me up to this day.

Updated On: 7/23/07 at 10:46 PM

[cubanpab]

Posted: 7/23/07 at 10:47pm

would love to hear you explain yourself brody... about me being married... just dying to hear what you have to say...

[C is for Company]

Posted: 7/23/07 at 10:50pm

Me and My Baby is perhaps the highlight of the cd.

[cubanpab]

Posted: 7/23/07 at 10:51pm

ray, thank you... i know what u mean... maybe with time i'll learn to appreciate it more... just my initial reaction. the vocals were pretty unpleasant.

i'm still waiting for brody's cowardly remarks about my marriage...

[wonderfulwizard11]

Posted: 7/23/07 at 10:51pm

Yes ljay, I'm well aware of what happened to Verdon's voice. And yes, she's lovely to listen to on other recordings. But on thr Chicago CD, it's not as lovely.

[wonderfulwizard11]

Posted: 7/23/07 at 10:54pm

Oh yeah...


UGH BROADWAY!

[ray-andallthatjazz86]

Posted: 7/23/07 at 10:57pm

Verdon's voice in DAMN YANKEES is incredibly beautiful, her vocals in CHICAGO are not "pretty" but her own ability to sell a song like few still comes through on that recording.
I don't think anyone beats Chita and Verdon singing "My Own Best Friend." Oh, and Chita's "When Velma Takes the Stand" is the best recorded version, IMO.
Cubanpap, how did you like James Naughton as Flynn?

[cubanpab]

Posted: 7/23/07 at 10:59pm

ray i didnt think he was bad... but in my opinion it was obvious were gere got his influence for the film...

[ljay889]

Posted: 7/23/07 at 11:07pm

Sorry guys, If I seemed bitchy in this thread. I just get REALLY defensive with Verdon, Rivera, and Reinking. And I think most of you know that by now, lol.


James Naughton is sensational on the recording. His "Gun" note is amazing. Not easy to sustain a high G that long.

[cubanpab]

Posted: 7/23/07 at 11:13pm

dont stress it LJay. i know we're all just talking. no ones fighting. i'm not atleast... :)

as for Brody, thats a different story. miserable pathetic human being... still too much of a chicken**** to talk to me about my marriage... go figure. i was kind of mad for a moment there, and then i remembered something someone said about Brody a while back... and i quote:

Brody is the person most people on this board would vote "Most Likely To Be Thrown In Front of a Moving Bus".

i tried. i did. but no thanks. done.

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 7/23/07 at 11:18pm

No doubt that was Stacey who voted that. Damn c*nt.

[zooxanthellae]

Posted: 7/23/07 at 11:22pm

Someone Suggested trying the London Revival with Ruthie Henshall and Ute Lemper, and I agree, try that one! They're both fantastic! Or of course there's always the OBCR.
Personally, I understand what you mean about Ann Reinking's voice, it takes some getting used to on this recording (especially if your initial exposure, like myself, was the movie), but I thought Bebe Neuwirth was nothing short of amazing!

[ljay889]

Posted: 7/23/07 at 11:29pm

The London recording is great. But the tempos are all screwed up. Way too fast. Ute and Ruthie sound great together. But the supporting cast isn't as strong as the Broadway revival's supporting cast.

[Unknown User]

Posted: 7/23/07 at 11:30pm

I love how quickly this thread got personal :P you guys *shakes head*

Actually for some reason I can't warm up to Naughton's performance--something about him has always slightly irked me so it's not a resonable thing (and of course when I saw Chicago first live I only knew the OBCR--and happened to catch probbly the best touring cast--in 98 Vancouver with Charlotte D'Amboise as Roxie, Brett Barrett as Billy and Donna Marie Asbury as Velma. At the time I had no clue who any fo them were except I vaguely remembered Brent from All my Children when I was really little--I remember there was a second touring company with Alan Thicke, who I can't stand, and I was just glad I didn't get him. But of course they were all outstanding--especially Charlotte and I wish I could get a recording of them. It's kinda funny how sometimes a touring cast can be better than who you can see on Broadway.

I wish you guys hadn't brought up All That Jazz--I just remembered I still haven't shelled out the money to upgrade to the new DVD edition--grrr

[Kringas]

Posted: 7/24/07 at 1:22am

First of all, wow, that cubanpab is getting defensive. Someone must have really hit a nerve.

Secondly, I don't love Reinking on that recording. I don't like her tribute to Gwen Verdon's voice. There's one speaking line in "Roxie," (I forget which line, though as it's been ages since I listend to it) where she's just unintelligible, like she's It's Pat or something.

Thirdly, what is a pab? We have a cubanpab and just a pab. Are they related?

Updated On: 7/24/07 at 01:22 AM

[BrianIdol]

Posted: 7/24/07 at 1:35am

Brody -

the revival does have sets and costumes - they were done by John Lee Beaty and William Ivey Long, respectively. They were done in a style known as minimalistic. Even if a show is performed on a blank stage that is still somone's choice, and they chose it by design. Check the playbill credits.

[ljay889]

Posted: 7/24/07 at 1:39am

Actually the Weisslers chose the design because it saved money. Their investors kept telling them to get a real set and costumes. But the Weisslers chose to keep it in the concert setting of the Encores! production. Barry & Fran now agree it was the best decision they made.

[BrianIdol]

Posted: 7/24/07 at 1:43am

that's fine, but it's still a set and costume DESIGN, to not give someone credit for the choice is ignorance.