Solo CDs

I know this is going to come off mean, but I was wondering if anyone was disappointed when one of their favorite Broadway performers came out with a solo CD and in your opinion it wasn't great.

I'm a huge fan of Adam Pascal and have been for almost 10 years, but I can't stand his solo albums. I don't know what it is, but I couldn't find one good song on them and ended up giving the cds away. I just tried to watch his new video on here and the song went nowhere, and the video was boring.


Maybe I'm alone on this....

I have two candidates: Elaine Stritch's solo album made years ago is pretty hard to listen to, especially when she attempts to scat sing; Ella Fitzgerald she is not.

The other singer is Nancy Dussault who was prominent on Broadway in the 1960's. She is perhaps best known for appearing in DO RE MI and BAJOUR. Her solo album is awful except for one lone song: "Make Someone Happy" from DO RE MI, although John Reardon sings the song in the show.

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I liked Adam Pascal's first solo album, but haven't gelled with the second. John Barrowman is one of those performers who's great live but just doesn't work well on a CD.

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I liked Victoria Clark's CD, and it's definitely a CD I can listen to over and over, but I don't think it has quite the same dynamic quality that she has.

Kerry Butler's solo CD is so perfectly her, I think. it's sweet and quirky and she did an amazing job choosing songs that fit her voice well.

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Orfeh's solo CD is, in my opinion, the only Broadway solo album that is radio-friendly and contemporary, but at the same time, doesn't sacrifice quality of music and writing. Then again, she had Andrew Logan and Toby Gad working on songs for her, which is a luxury most Broadway stars can't afford, so it makes sense that the end result was so far and beyond.

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Definitely agree about Alice's solo CD Sondheim_Geek. It's actually probably my favorite CD in my entire collection. (Her stuff with her band is fun too!)

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Brian Stokes Mitchel's is pretty bad, the arrangements are so boring.
Daphne Rubin Vega's album is kind of a mixed bag, some of the songs are great others are hard to listen to.

I'm pretty sure John Barrowman is Scottish.

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My favorites:
Christine Ebersole's "Live At Cinegrill", "Sunday In NY", and "In Your Dreams". All of her discs capture her personality and the songs selections are wonderful

Caroline O'Connor, "What I Did For Love" and "Stage to Screen" are both stunning. Why isn't she in NYC more?

Kelli O'Hara... I love the somber tone of her disc. It's haunting and gorgeous. I dont know if it is a reflection of her.

Patti LuPone...all of her discs are stellar, except Les Mouches, but I think she had little to do with that one.

Lea Salonga...I love her first CD "Lea Salonga" which was a stab at a pop career. It's arrangements are dated, but she nails all those power pop ballads.

Least Faves:
Sherie Renee Scott "Men I've Had"...I've tried many times and couldn't get into it.

Howard McGillin...not loving it.

Karen Murphy "Torch Goddess"...I loved her in White Christmas and bought her CD at the theatre. Couldn't get through it.

I think Kerry Butler's Disney themed album is a yawn...it's cutesy, but she might as well have released a kids album. Kerry has a great voice and could have showed some range on the disc, but instead played her impish ingenue completely going with type.

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I have several solo CDs .. and agree: A lot of them aren't worth it for a full album unfortunately...

I really like Judy Kuhn .. but not really her solo albums which is a shame; her arrangement of "You'll Never Get Away From Me" sounds almost like it belongs in an elevator or something...just bizarre arrangement. Elaine Paige's "Encore" has some whacky orchstrations too .. not to mention she decided to do some duets .. all by herself?

Ones I do enjoy within "recent" times:
Linda Eder ("Broadway My Way," "It's No Secret Anymore" and "Greatest Hits" I think are her best!)
Lauren Kennedy (both of them!)
James Barbour (Is it called "Back from Broadway"? I think?!)
Natalie Toro

Jackie Hoffman has a solo CD? I am totally looking this one up!

If Kristin Chenoweth does another one I would love for her to record "Glitter and Be Gay" for a CD.

Though I love them both, Brian Stokes Mitchell and James Naughton have two of the most boring solo CDs I've heard. But John Barrowman's Music Music Music is one of the best. His duet of I Know Him So Well with Daniel Boys (another guy with a great solo CD) is the best arrangement of the song I've ever heard recorded.

And though they are not solo CDs, I never get tired of Alice Ripley/Emily Skinner Duets and Unsuspecting Hearts.

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I haven't bought Kerry Butler's album, but I have listend to tracks on itunes and the fact that she is doing a Disney album does not interest me at all. I do not want to hear ANYONE sing 'The Bare Necessities'!

I may be in the minority in this one, but I actually don't want to hear them sing original songs...just showtunes! So I welcome those type of albums!

I reccommend Joanna Ampil's album if you want to hear someone sing a variety of songs from musical theatre!