Customer Reviews

Anything Goes - Rebecca Luker Sings Cole Porter

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

After listening to this album many times over the past couple of years, I find it impossible to identify a single track that I can call my favorite, but the one that, for me at least, most clearly demonstrates Rebecca Luker's ability to find something wonderful in a song and give it to her audience is "Don't Fence Me In". I'd always thought of this song as a mildly comic novelty number that regarded its subject, Wildcat Kelly and his love of wide-open spaces, with a strong dose of irony and condescension. That is certainly how Ellas Fitzgerald presented it in her recording, where the emotional distance from the subject inherent in her swing delivery is reinforced by the inclusion of a second verse, omitted in Luker's recording, in which Wildcat's reluctance to be fenced in is expressed, not to the sheriff who is taking him to jail, but to the sweetheart who wants him to marry her. Luker's version of the song appears at the start to be in that same vein, when she seems to parody a Western accent in the opening bars: "Wildcat Kelly, lookin' mahty pale..." The Western accent remains in the rest of the song, but, as with the Scottish accent Luker sang with in her cast recording of Brigadoon, all hints of irony disappear as Luker transforms the song into a deeply felt and utterly sincere hymn to the beauty of the Western landscape. The Western persona, which in other performances serves to insulate us from the feeling of the song, does just the opposite here, and so effectively does it do this that when Luker begins to yodel toward the end of the song, instead of groaning and rolling our eyes we are so completely convinced by her that we find ourselves blinking back tears. It's a wonderful thing that Rebecca Luker has done with this song, and she does the same thing throughout the album, consistently finding the strong emotional core beneath the clever and sophisticated surface of Cole Porter's music.

Rebecca Luker has shone onstage ever since her Broadway debut as Christine in Andrew Lloyd Webber's The Phantom of the Opera. Since then, she has gone on to play Maria in The Sound of Music and is currently starring as Marian Paroo in The Music Man. She is famous for her clear, beautiful soprano, and her vocal talent is fully exhibited on this recording. Rebecca shines on "After You, Who?", "Night and Day", "Ridin' High", "Everytime We Say Goodbye", and the title track. Backed by creative orchestral arrangements on such classic tunes as "You Do Something To Me" and with the help of such talent as Emily Loesser, Sally Mayes, and Brett Barret. Rebecca has chosen a fine arrayment of songs to flatter her beautiful voice. This CD is recommended to Luker, Porter, and jazz fans alike, but also those with an appreciation for outstanding vocal talent.

For those who enjoy real singing, there is no better example of how it is supposed to be done than Rebecca Luker's collection of Cole Porter songs, Anything Goes. She is, without question, one of the best singers in the world today, and this CD is evidence of that.

I was in a play with Rebecca at University of Montevallo. She played Guinevere in Camelot and she was wonderful then. She has a marvelous voice. I don't know what the person that mentioned her R's was talking about. Maybe we in the South say them differently. Love Ridin' High and shows her great range. Wonderful clear soprano as usual. Small Town Gal made it good. Look at her Broadway past. She also sings on one of Placido Domingo's albums. Wish they still did musicals because she would be perfect for an old fashioned one. I do love the album, agree maybe that arrangements on some of them could have been a little more fine tuned. Her voice shines on all the selections though. I particularly like the fast songs. Everytime We Say Good-bye is reveiewed by Hal Prince as his favorite. Hal Prince is a big time producer of Broadway shows for those who don't know. This is a beautiful song and have heard it before but always thought it was depressing song though Rebecca's lush vocals do it marvelously and will make you cry. (I wish I had gotten to know her better and could do a duet with her) If you are wanting to hear great vocals,buy this and you will want to listen again and again.

If you've been into the broadway scene lately you will know Rebecca Luker, the star of the current Music Man revival. The show is great and she is better. What you may not know is that Ms. Luker is one of the most talented musical-theater actresses today. Don't believe me? LISTEN TO THIS CD! I loved every one of the wonderful Cole Porter songs, "Don't fence me In", and "Ridin" were my favorites. She shines in "anything goes" and "dream dancing" is just beautiful. If you love broadway, cole porter or jsut really awesome music get this CD!

The lovely and talented Broadway actress Rebecca Luker sings a great collection of Cole Porter in that clear and stunning voice! She's the Barbara Cook of the New Millenium. An actress who sings - a singer who acts. My favorite: the devasting beauty and simplicity of "Everytime We Say Goodbye". Anyone with a dry eye after this one needs to check their pulse.

And Luker has the voice to match it. Don't be dismayed by a first screening though, The first track, 'ANYTHING GOES' gets better and better. Plus, you have to stick around for the wonderful salsa-inspired beat to 'RIDIN'. I LOVE it!

She has a classic voice the covers the high ranges. She puts new spark into Cole Porter's hits. Her energy jump starts the old hits.

Too much orchestration hiding Luker's spectacular voice. Like a Martini with too much vermouth.

Rebecca Luker is one of the greatest singers of the current generation gracing the Broadway theaters. Her liquid soprano voice floats along on two of the best musical recordings ever made, EMI's BRIGADOON and the original cast of THE SECRET GARDEN. Here's an entire CD of Ms. Luker singing the best of Cole Porter. She's backed up by some other people whose work I enjoy: musical director and arranger Patrick Brady, singers Brent Barrett and Sally Mayes, and producer Bruce Kimmel. Two of the theater's greatest directors also play small parts: John McGlinn is listed in the "Thanks" section, and Hal Prince wrote the (extremely sparse) liner notes.

Five of these tracks are absolutely wonderful: "I Am Loved," an up-tempo duet with Barrett; "True Love," the famous ballad from HIGH SOCIETY; the comical combination of "I Like Pretty Things" and "Where Oh Where?"; an authentic-sounding country-western rendition of "Don't Fence Me In;" and the heart-breakingly beautiful "Every Time We Say Goodbye."

As in other recordings (such as some Varese Sarabande Broadway anthologies and Encore's THE BOYS FROM SYRACUSE), Ms. Luker occasionally breaks into a slightly more nasal voice and over-emphasizes her R's. While I'm sure the effect is intentional, I wish she'd use this technique more sparingly. Don't get me wrong: all the tracks are beautiful, and most lovers of Porter and/or Ms. Luker will be more than satisfied with every selection. It's just that since I have such high expectations for anything involving Rebecca Luker, I am slightly disappointed with a few of the tracks.