I saw the JCS Farewell Tour last night and I don't have any recording of the show and am interested in getting one. I was wondering which one you guys would recommend. Also, I would possibly if need be purchase two, so let me know the top two if you want aswell.
I know I'll get smacked for this but I find the movie soundtrack my favorite--it's a bit more complete and theatrical than the original concept album (with the addition of Could We Start Again Please), is complete, has Ted Neeley back when he was the right age for the role, has Yvonne as Mary, etc
There are MANY options ofr your second recording choice though--then it becomes hard to choose
How was the tour? i'm tempted to go but not sure I wanna see Ted Neeley do the role now...
"I thought the tour was great and Ted Neeley was fantastic! His Gethsemane was out of this world!"
Um... Ok, I'll bite and review.
I saw the tour in San Fran over the holidays and I thought it was one of the worst things I'd ever seen. I was actually relieved when i looked it up and found that it was a non-equity production. Granted I'm a New Yorker, so I see a lot of Original Broadway casts and I may be a bit of a snob, but my family wasn't that into it either.
Poor Ted Neeley is just ridiculously too old to play this role anymore. He had a lot of "look, I can scream!" moments that came out of nowhere. I will say that his acting was great, and he attempted the music with dignity, unlike the rap star (?) playing Judas, who was either ill or just awful.
I thought most of the cast was uninspiring, the staging amateur, and even the sound awful. The best thing about the show was the lighting. and the music, of course, but you can get that off an album.
If you're in a place that doesn't get much theater, or if you're completely unfamiliar with the show, maybe it's worth going, but if you're looking for something of professional quality don't bother.
First off, the guy playing Judas is a ROCK singer, not a "rap star." But, I agree he was not good. Ted Neeley, though not the best out there, gained my respect for throwing himself into the role (sometimes literally) at his age. And he is LEAPS and BOUNDS better than the guy that played Jesus on the dvd version. Blah!
The woman the played Mary Magdeline stole the show for me, though. LOVED her.
But, to answer the original question . . . I would strongly suggest the 2000 London Cast Recording that looks like this:
"They're eating her and then they're going to eat me. OH MY GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD!!!!" -Troll 2
Its true, Ted Neeley was pretty sweet in this tour. But see, I had 3rd row center seats which kinda ruined it for me... cuz I just could not get past the fact that Jesus had more wrinkles than my grandma...
Seriously, if my Lord and Savior was a geriatric...
"The nice thing about the rain is that it always stops... eventually."
I saw Neely in JCS at Madison Square Garden Theatre about 7-8 years ago. He was painful to listen to. His voice seemed gone. I can actually say that was one time I actually felt embarressed for someone onstage. He was way too old back then, I can only imagine now. The concept album has always been my favorite.
Those Blocked: SueStorm. N2N Nate. Good riddence to stupid! Rad-Z, shill begone!
I prefer the London 2000 revival recording. However, their Mary Magdalen (forgetting her name) was terribly miscast and doesn't have any depth or richness in her voice.
I am an avid collector of JCS cast recordings, and I have yet to come across anything that beats the concept. I like different things about each recording, but the concept is the only one I'll listen to with any regularity. Also, americanboy, I agree with you. Joanna Ampil was not a good MM, nor did i care for the actor playing Judas. Just my opinion though.
Yes, that's his name Zubin Varla. He's even worse on the Chess recording as the American. His over-the-top american accent drives me bananas. Even though I kind of like his singing voice.
I also vote for the concept recording. It's the first recording of the show that I was exposed to which could make me a bit biased, but I've listened to a few different recordings, and nothing has been able to beat the concept for me.
Wow. I'm not sure I care too much for Joanna Ampil, but that could mostly be because MM is a pretty crappy role. I liked her a lot better in 'Miss Saigon'. But Zubin Varla is my favourite and my best! He's an awesome Judas! ;_;
Wait, so Judas is currently played by either a rock or rap star? Umm if he's a star does anyone know who he is??
I do liek the concept album a lot but it just lacks theatricality for me--and I really miss Could We Start Again Please--it's prob the second one IO play most though (and I echo the vote for the Broadway album with Vereen even if the actual production sounds like an amazing mess--love the story of the rehearsal where the cast had to strip down in the dark and lick honey off each other's bodies)
I saw Joanna Ampil in Miss Saigon the Summer it closed in London (2000?) and loved her, but she doesn't work on the recording as MM. However for the person who asked--the Broadway version fo the revival was actually based (for some reason) on the touring version in the UK (which I caught in Dublin around that time) not the superior London revival which the tour came from. Confusing, I know. All were directed by Gale Edwards (who also did the London Whistle Down the Wind, which I enjoyed despite myself). I have NO clue why she was asked, or felt she should, change her version for the tour/Broadway but there ya go.
The Broadway revival of course flopped (interesting, ibdb lists a revival in the late 70s as well that ran a few months) but I think the tour ran a while in EUrope and theoriginal London revival was a mild hit. Who staged the current N A tour--is it basically the same as the one Ted was touring forever in the 90s?
Ted's fantastic in the role still. To be wailing High G's for 30 years and still have a Bb for when it counts...fantastic. Getting past the age isn't an issue if you let yourself, he's one of the better actors to have taken on the role (he's not an especially good actor, but he identifies and really inhabits Jesus, it's stunning to watch.) The ensemble and supporting cast on the tour are boring. The staging is barely even present, Mary bleats like a goat. Judas, played by Corey Glover of Living Color fame has moments of brilliants strung together by mediocrity. He's certainly not an actor, but he's emotional, and when he lets himself go its a sight to see. His voice isn't holding up especially well what with the eight shows a week and whatnot. He'll either hit his stride in the next few months or he'll pitter out.
As for recordings...the 73 film soundtrack is, to me, the definitive version. Not only are you treated to the 70 piece London symphony, along with a truly rockin' band, you get Ted Neeley goin' balls deep into the piece. And you get Carl Anderson, the only Judas in most people's opinions, including mine. One of the most passionate, soulfull, beatuiful performances ever recorded. There isn't a tomorrow for him. Sadly he passed away a few years ago, while touring with the National Tour, and the film soundtrack is the only legal recording of his performance. He actually got better as he aged, but there's no moral way to see him.
I'd highly recommend the 73 film soundtrack. If your looking for something different though, the 1992 Aussie highlights recording is more than impressive. John Farnham is a revelation as Jesus, and the rest of the cast is superb.
There are literally hundreds of recordings of JCS out there, all legal (or semi legal) a boat load of foreign productions (the Czech cast is brilliant, as is the New Zealand cast) as well as a number of studio recordings from the 70s. Lots of choice, but I still recommend the 73 film soundtrack over all others.
I second all the votes for the original concept recording as your first purchase. And for the second I HIGHLY recommend the Austalian Highlights recording. It gives the score a ver hard edged rock sound and the singers wail! The cover and the amazon link to it is included. Australian JCS Recording - Amazon
