JCS cast recording

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JCS cast recording

Posted: 4/6/13 at 11:39pm

Hi, I own only the Broadway hightlights recording of Jesus Christ Superstar. I want to get a full recording of the show but don't know which to choose, they have so many on amazon. Which recording do you think has the best cast nd is the the most complete ? :)

JCS cast recording

Posted: 4/6/13 at 11:54pm

I enjoy mine...it's a 1996 recording with Zubin Varla as Judas. It has all I need, just wish for a bit more edgy, rock star vocal.

"The price of love is loss, but still we pay; We love anyway."

Updated On: 4/7/13 at 11:54 PM

JCS cast recording

Posted: 4/6/13 at 11:55pm

I always vouch for the original concept album in this case, because of it's historical importance both to the history of the show and also the history of rock operas in general.

The recording just sounds like a legitimate classic rock album. The production is so perfect to the time, and as a music buff as well as a theatre buff I always appreciate the particular fuzzy tones on the guitars and the sharp mix of the bass and the strings and the percussion... all such an early-'70s classic rock feel to it, it's glossless and wonderful.

Also, Murray Head is definitive. Whether you prefer his kinds of Judas' is up to you, but for rock voices performing the score, Murray leaves them all in the dust.

Words don't deserve that kind of malarkey. They're innocent, neutral, precise, standing for this, describing that, meaning the other, so if you look after them you can build bridges across incomprehension and chaos. But when they get their corners knocked off, they're no good anymore…I don't think writers are sacred, but words are. They deserve respect. If you get the right ones in the right order, you can nudge the world a little.

Updated On: 4/6/13 at 11:55 PM

JCS cast recording

Posted: 4/6/13 at 11:57pm

I also recommend the 1996 London one. Not even a big fan of the show but I love that recording.

JCS cast recording

Posted: 4/6/13 at 11:58pm

It's hard to say. I have over 100 recordings of the show when you count official recordings and bootlegs and its hard to have a favorite because a perfect recording just does not exist.

The best recording of all time, in my opinion, is a bootleg of the 1990's tour (the AD Tour) staring Ted Neeley, Carl Anderson, and Dennis DeYoung (of STYX fame).

It's hard to say when it comes to official recordings. The original concept album is amazing and may be your best bet. It's a bit gritty and does not include Could We Start Again, Please but it's about as good as they come.

If you're looking for a nice clean (boring) full recording, the 1996 London Cast is the way to go.

The best modern recording is th Ultrasonic Rock Opera recording which gave a very modern twist to the orchestrations. It's the best recent JCS recording but not a good full recording to start off with!

JCS cast recording

Posted: 4/6/13 at 11:59pm

I rarely would recommend a movie soundtrack for a musical--but in the case of JCS, that's my favorite recording. The slightly more rough concept album has a lot to recommend it too--but is lacking one of my favorite songs which was added later--Can We Start Again, Please.

JCS cast recording

Posted: 4/7/13 at 12:04am

I wish, more than anything, we could get an AMAZING start from scratch re-master of the film soundtrack. I feel like it was never engineered right in the sound studio and it stops it from being a definitive recording of the show.

JCS cast recording

Posted: 4/7/13 at 12:05am

I'm also a fan of the 1996 London cast recording.

JCS cast recording

Posted: 4/7/13 at 12:05am

I second getting the movie soundtrack. Ted Neeley's voice fits the part perfectly, and Carl Anderson is most peoples's favorite Judas (mine is Ben Vereen). My opinion might be different if I had the Australian recording, which sounds great on youtube if you can handle the orchestrations. Also, Johnnycantdecide what are some other favorite bootlegs?

Updated On: 4/7/13 at 12:05 AM

#10

JCS cast recording

Posted: 4/7/13 at 12:08am

I wouldn't call that high note in Gethsemene on the 1996 album that he holds for forever "boring"

Updated On: 4/7/13 at 12:08 AM

#11

JCS cast recording

Posted: 4/7/13 at 12:09am

I read theres a recording of JCS with Frances Ruffelle as Mary. Not sure if its a bootleg or a official recording

#12

JCS cast recording

Posted: 4/7/13 at 12:30am

The recording with Frances Ruffelle as Mary is not commercially available. It was a BBC Radio 2 concert from 1996 that also stared Roger Daltrey (front man of The Who) and Tony Hadley (lead vocalist of Spandau Ballet) as Jesus. Roger comes out shinning and Tony is awful.

Some of my other favorite bootlegs:
* An audio recording of the original Broadway tour of the show in Providence, RI. It was recorded in December of 1974 and stars Kurt Yaghjian (Annas in the 1973 film) as Judas. It's amazing quality for it's age and amazing to listen to. One of the best recordings of the show.

* A pro-shot video recording from a production in Amstetten, Austria in 2005. It stars Drew Sarich and is easy to find on youtube in one big chunk. It's one of the best stagings of the show.

* A recording of the recent Broadway revivals final night on Broadway.

* A recording of the final night of the Carl Anderson/Ted Neeley AD tour.

*And a knock off recording from the 1970's that titled the National Rock Opera cast. It's surprisingly amazing.

And Steve Balsamo's high note in the 1996 recording is boring because you can hear the tape edit in it. He did not hold it for that long. That's studio magic.

Updated On: 4/7/13 at 12:30 AM

#13

JCS cast recording

Posted: 4/7/13 at 3:33am

I agree with those who say the original concept album is the best place to start. If you really want "Could We Start Again" then it's pretty easy to buy just that track on iTunes from either the movie soundtrack or original Broadway recording and drop it in that way. Since Yvonne Elliman appears on all three of those recordings, and the role of Peter has little else in the rest of the show, it's not really jarring at all to have that track be from a different recording.

#14

JCS cast recording

Posted: 4/7/13 at 10:31am

^^ That's actually a pretty great idea!

#15

JCS cast recording

Posted: 4/7/13 at 11:38am

That one with Kurt Yaghjian intrigues me. Who playes Jesus? Also, for you who prefer the Original Concept Album, why do you like it better than the film soundtrack?

#16

JCS cast recording

Posted: 4/7/13 at 12:08pm

It's hard to say. I have over 100 recordings of the show when you count official recordings and bootlegs and its hard to have a favorite because a perfect recording just does not exist.

^This! I couldn't have said it any better. At this point, my ideal recording would be a complete recording with a half-way decent cast. Most recordings still have two or three tracks that fade out at the end which I don't consider complete. The end of "Superstar" is one of my favorite moments in the show and most of the commercially available recordings fade it out in an effort to be more like the concept album. Even the 1996 London recording fades it out and it's really irritating.

There is no perfect recording.

#17

JCS cast recording

Posted: 4/7/13 at 12:26pm

Far from a perfect recording but I do love the 2006 European production with Drew Sarich as Jesus. I think Serkan Kaya KILLS it as Judas. Love their confrontation in The Last Supper.

#18

JCS cast recording

Posted: 4/7/13 at 12:37pm

^I definitely like the Judas better on that recording than the more recent recording with Drew Sarich.

#19

JCS cast recording

Posted: 4/7/13 at 12:52pm

"That one with Kurt Yaghjian intrigues me. Who playes Jesus?"

It's not really known who any of the cast is besides Kurt as Judas and Paul Ainsley as Herod (who played the role in the Original Broadway production).
Some people have said that it is the tour that eventually came to Broadway without Paul and Kurt. ((https://ibdb.com/production.php?id=4030) But I've never heard that confirmed and personally don't believe it is. I've seen it said it was recorded in 1972 and in 1974. But every time I listen to the recording I get sad for a time I never got the live in. A time when Jesus Christ Superstar was truly a rock piece. With riffing, an almost out of control band, risk, and killer vocals.

Message me if you want more... "info" on this recording.

And I agree about the recording with Drew Sarich as Jesus and Serkan Kaya as Judas. If you can get past the dialects and the cuts in it, it's a killer recording.

Updated On: 4/7/13 at 12:52 PM

#20

JCS cast recording

Posted: 4/7/13 at 1:15pm

Johnnycantdecide do you really have a recording of last year's revival? I am still upset over it not getting a cast recording! Is there any way I can get a copy?

#21

JCS cast recording

Posted: 4/7/13 at 1:19pm

^I'm pretty sure there's tons of bootlegs. I'm bummed that we didn't get a cast recording as well, or at least a soundboard recording.

#22

JCS cast recording

Posted: 4/7/13 at 1:54pm

I think my favorite is "Jesus Christ Superstar: A Resurrection."

It may be tough to locate nowadays, but it's a recording done by The Indigo Girls and some of their friends. Amy Ray is Jesus and Emily Saliers is Mary. It's a bit unorthodox, but it works well, and I love the arrangements.
http://www.amazon.com/Jesus-Christ-Superstar-Resurrection-Studio/dp/B0000018CA/

#23

JCS cast recording

Posted: 4/7/13 at 2:17pm

I'm sure this production gets flack, (perhaps deserving, because it was a pretty obvious cash grab)but I really liked the last tour with Ted Neeley. Ted could still sing the part great, but towards the end he seemed warn out. Corey Glover was, in my opinion, better than Carl Anderson. He played the part very bitter and emotional, but kept his voice controlled which is rare considering he doesn't have a theater back round. In fact, he is probably tied with Ben Vereen for my favorite Judas, since I saw actually saw Corey.

#24

JCS cast recording

Posted: 4/7/13 at 2:30pm

I sat front row for the Neeley/Glover tour right after it opened.

Glover really was great in the role and so was Neeley. I was 15 at the time and obsessed with Ted Neeley so it was a bit of a religious experience (forgive the pun) for me.

But I just can't see Glover being better than Anderson in my mind.
I rank my Judas' as
1) Carl Anderson
2) Tim Minchin
3) Ben Vereen
4) Drew Sarich
5) Kurt Yaghjian

#25

JCS cast recording

Posted: 4/7/13 at 3:02pm

CATSNYrevival do you know how I can get a copy? I especially want a copy with Jeremy Kushnier as Judas. His performance was a revelation and I need to hear him sing those songs again.

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