All That Jazz: The Best Of Ute Lemper

Ute Lemper | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (September 1, 1998)
• Original Release Date: September 1, 1998
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Decca
• ASIN: B00000AFBY
• In-Print Editions: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #124,003 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. All That Jazz

2. Don't Tell Mama

3. Mon Légionnaire

4. Whenever We Get Close (We Fall Apart)

5. Careless Love

6. Die Moritat Von Mackie Messer (Mack the Knife)

7. Alabama Song

8. Nanna's Song

9. The Bilbao Song

10. Surabaya Johnny

11. Le Grand Lustucru

12. My Ship

13. Want to Buy Some Illusions

14. They Call Me Naughty Lola/Ich Bin Die Fesche Lola

15. L' Accordéoniste

16. La Vie en Rose

17. Psalm

18. When the Special Girlfriend

19. The Smart Set

20. I Am a Vamp!

See all 21 tracks on this disc

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Many American theatergoers discovered Germany's Ute Lemper when she took on the part of Chicago's Velma Kelly on Broadway. Except that Lemper already was well known as an actress and singer in Europe, where she got noticed with her performance of Kurt Weill and Weimar cabaret songs. (I even remember seeing her as Sally Bowles in a 1986 Paris production of Cabaret, whose "Don't Tell Mama" is included here). To say Lemper is a mannered interpreter would be an understatement. On the Weill songs, she makes Lotte Lenya sound downright minimalist. In addition to Weill, this CD includes a fairly comprehensive selection of the range of Lemper's repertoire, from tunes popularized by Marlene Dietrich and Edith Piaf to an excerpt from the Michael Nyman Songbook album. (No trace of the singer's downright strange take on "The Ladies Who Lunch," though.) The embodiment of the European tradition of art-song interpretation, Lemper may be a bit of an acquired taste, but her fans are certainly as passionate as her detractors. --Elisabeth Vincentelli

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Want To Buy Some Illusions?, October 17, 2001

By 

douglas barton "emotions in motion" (Arlington, Va.) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: All That Jazz: The Best Of Ute Lemper (Audio CD)

I had initially been made aware of Ute Lemper's incredible talent by her cd featuring the music of composer Kurt Weill. While the work was impressive I didn't exactly run out to make any quick puchases of that disc. A nice enough cd but perhaps too Germanic for my tastes. Who knows!? Well, once again another drastic over-sight on my part! Fortunately with her cd of songs by Edith Piaf and Marlene Dietrich "Illusions" I was simply awed by the honesty and the sheer power of her ability to project a self-confidence that I found almost inspiring....to say nothing of slightly erotic! Add to that her simply peerless performance and I became an instant fan! So with the release of "All That Jazz: The Best Of Ute Lemper" I was, for once ahead of the curve...so to speak.

That being said..." All That Jazz" is a marvelous introduction to one of the real, truly great cabaret singers of our time. Singing fluently in English, German and French she effortlessly touches upon so many different styles, giving each the consideration and respect they deserve. The music is at once campy, fun, daring and most of all just a little "naughty". Which, I suspect, is what good cabaret singing should be. And make no mistake...these are truly difficult songs to attempt. A good assortment are 'signature' songs by some of the world's greatest singers i.e. Lotte Lenya, Edith Piaf and Marlene Dietrich and performing them takes a woman of considerable character and, how to say, chutzpah! But obviously she more than holds her own and perhaps manages just a liitle more than that! Personal highlights are "Careless Love", "Don't Tell Mama" and "La Vie en Rose". Plus, a wonderful version of "The Special Girlfriend" a song that really brings home how 'diverse' Ute truly is. Simply put this artist lays herself bare with every selection and, other than Holly Cole, I know of no other singer who takes the risks that Ute Lemper does!

All in all a wonderful cd for putting on in the evening with a glass of wine and one or two mischevious thoughts. So enjoy and think of me when you're nearing the end of that glorious bottle of wine. Who needs illusions....we all do!

15 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Weill at his best..., February 15, 2000

By 

Amy Addis (London) - See all my reviews

This review is from: All That Jazz: The Best Of Ute Lemper (Audio CD)

This album is an ESSENTIAL C.D. for ANYONE with good taste in music. Ute Lemper's wonderfully dramatic voice is highlighted on tracks such as 'My Ship'(a Kurt Weill classic) and 'All That Jazz' (from Lemper's stunning prtrayal of Velma Kelly in the hit musical Chicago). One C.D. surely cannot capture the enormous range of styles that this artist has to offer, but her fresh sound and intensely powerful voice is surely an excellent starting point, a door into the world of Weimar Cabaret (Kabarett), and Kurt Weill.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars What an amazing artist..., January 10, 1999

By 

[e-mail] (California, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: All That Jazz: The Best Of Ute Lemper (Audio CD)

I purchased this CD quite by accident and am I glad I did! Ute Lemper has a great voice and her interpretation of Kurt Weill is unique and first rate. I actually like it better than the classic treatment by Lotte Lenya. Her singing of Surabaya-Johnny is mesmerizing. This CD is a good introduction to the artistry of Ute Lemper.