Customer Reviews

The Best Is Yet To Come: The Songs Of Cy Coleman

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Let's hope this is a trend, this all-star cast of fantastic female singers celebrating the great songs left by one of the genuine royalty of the American songbook. Cy Coleman's better known works are standards that have passed over many sets of tonsils but this album takes some lesser known gems and allows them to shimmer next to the big blockbusters. With the inspired direction of producer/arranger/musical director/pianist Dave Palmer, Coleman's songs give off a lovely light here covered by some of the best singers in the world. The arrangements are fresh and the approaches are tailored to the vocalists, making for some astonishing results. The big songs and the big names are in the fold including the incomparable Patty Griffin singing "the Best Is Yet to Come," Madeline Peyroux pouring honey all over "I Live My Love" Fiona Apple doing some of her best singing ever on "Why Try to Change Me Now" and the amazing Australian Missy Higgins putting some velvety touches on the sultry "In Love Again." Still I have to say my favorites are from some ladies who have paid their dues and are now getting the proper recognition amongst the best. Julianna Raye's "I'm Gonna Laugh You Right Out of My Life" is sung in a deceptively sweet bossa nova considering the rough edges on the lyrics that send her lover packing with a derisive laugh, albeit to hide her tears. Young Sara Watkins really makes the most out of "Too Many Tomorrows," with a story of insecurity and heartbreak made palpable by her rich vocal and fiddle accompaniment.
Perla Batalla, who just keeps getting better and better really transforms "Hey Look Me Over" from a chestnut into an anthem of hope and confidence that makes you forget everything but the long forgotten message in the lyric. Palmer's arrangements seem to lead all of these ladies and the material into new places that still stay absolutely true to Coleman's original creations. Many of the performances are quite contemplative which only highlights the complexity of the melodies and makes clear the smart lyrics.
Jill Sobule tackles the quintessential show tune "I've Got Your Number" and sort of gives Barbra lessons on how it is done now. Ambrosia Parsley takes what was formerly the personal property of Tony Bennett in "Then Was Then and Now Is Now" making it a dreamy message of forgiveness and hope. Sam Philips gets the deliciously two sided love song "You Fascinate Me So" that sort of worships a lover along with stating "danger TNT!" The beauty of these compositions is that Coleman's music is often paired with lady lyricists whose work seems to trip easily from these female interpreters including the truly existential "Where Am I Going" by Sarabeth Tucek and the playful but longing "I Walk a Little Faster" by Fiona Apple that certainly expresses the vulnerability on both sides of the war between the sexes. One of my very favorite Coleman songs is the hard-edged "the Rules of the Road" sung with bluesy authority by the perfectly chosen Nikki Costa.
While the music celebrated here belongs to the great Cy Coleman it most certainly is appropriate that all selections are sung by these strong and talented women who make this compilation one that you really have to have in your collection for a couple of reasons. This is a superb tribute to the music of Cy Coleman but it is also a CD that is literally a succulent sampler of some of America's great singers, doing the very best kind of material.

Broadway composer and songwriter Cy Coleman's musical genius is already well-preserved with his many hits (including Sweet Charity and The Will Rogers Follies, among others). Now comes this tribute album, masterminded by produces Dave Palmer.

"The Best Is Yet To Come: The Songs of Cy Coleman" (13 tracks; 54 min.) brings a wide array of Coleman tunes. First thing that you'll notice is that all the singers on this album are female. Not sure why Palmer felt it necessary to go that route. Second thing you'll notice is that some well-known Coleman songs are conspicuous in their absence, in particular "Witchcraft " (the Frank Sinatra hit). Once you get past those issues and you start listening to the music, there is a lot of great stuff on here. My favorite tracks are the two covers by Fiona Apple, "Why Try To Change Me Now" (with Fiona's huskiest voice yet, just superb) and also "I Walk a Little Faster". Other highlights on here include "I Live My Love" (by a certain Madeleine Peyroux, whom I've not heard before), and Patty Griffin's cover of the title track. Not so good, unfortunately, is "The Rules of the Road", as covered by Nikka Costa (and I'm a HUGE fan of her), as is simple pales in comparison to other (better-known) versions. But it's not a major quibble, and in all I've been really enjoying this album.

I will admit that, but for the fact that Fiona Apple appears on this compilation, I don't know that I would've picked this up. That said, I really hope that this will find a broader audience as this is a fine tribute to Cy Coleman.

As a child prodigy, Cy Coleman was giving piano recitals at Steinway Hall, Town Hall, and Carnegie Hall between the ages of six and nine. Before beginning his Broadway career, he led the Cy Coleman Trio, becoming a popular club attraction. In addition to working with just about everyone who is anyone, from Neil Simon to Lucille Ball, Dorothy Fields, Gwen Verdon, and Shirley MacLaine, Coleman wrote several film scores, including Father Goose (the standard Pass Me By), The Art of Love, Garbo Talks, Power, and Family Business, and has won several Tony awards.

And, at age 53, I'm embarrassed to say he never really made it on to my radar. When I heard on a recent House episode Why Try to Change Me Now, sung by Fiona Apple, I did a little digging and found the song was part of a collection of Cy Coleman songs entitled, The Best Is Yet to Come. I immediately purchased the CD and it quickly became one of my favorites.

From the CD title one surmises, correctly, that this collection doesn't contain Coleman's biggest hits, but that shouldn't deter one's enjoyment of these tunes. From the title track to the melancholy Why Try to Change Me Now, Then was Then and Now is Now, and Too Many Tomorrows, to the up tempo I've Got Your Number, Hey, Look Me Over, and I Live My Love, to the bossa flavored I'm Gonna Laugh You Right Out of My Life, to You Fascinate Me So, I Walk a Little Faster and The Rules of the Road, this collection contains a little of everything.

With Coleman's compositions, the lyrics are the thing--"I'm sentimental so I walk in the rain ... I've got some habits even I can't explain ... could start for the corner, turn up in Spain ... but why try to change me now?"; "You're like the finish of a novel that I'll finally have to take to bed ... you fascinate me so;" "Pretending that we'll meet ... each time I turn a corner ... I walk a little faster;" "So these are the ropes, the tricks of the trade, the rules of the road ... You're one of the dopes for whom they were made, the rules of the road ... You follow that kiss and recklessly miss a bend of the road ... Then suddenly this, the end of the road ... So love is a hoax, a glittering string of little white lies ... But these are the jokes and what if they bring the tears to your eyes"--but the arrangements on this CD, while never overshadowing the vocals, are nothing short of spectacular--check out Aaron Sterling's slick brush work on Why Try to Change Me Now, John Yoakum's bass clarinet on I Walk a Little Faster, and Dave Palmer's piano throughout.

It's interesting to note that all the vocalists are of the female persuasion--Patty Griffin, Jill Sobule, Julianna Raye, Sam Phillips, Sara Watkins, Perla Batalla, Ambrosia Parsley, Sarabeth Tucek, Nikka Costa, Missy Higgins, Madeleine Peyroux and the aforementioned Fiona Apple all sound terrific.

Sadly, we lost Cy a few years ago, at a too young age of 75; but thankfully his music will live on.

Highly recommended.

I love the musical theater, and I especially like the work of Cy Coleman. When I saw this CD and read the reviews, I ordered it an awaited its arrival. Unfortunately the CD is almost a total disappointment. Thank God for Fionna Apple and Nikka Costa. They both sing well and understand the words they are singing. If you want to hear these wonderful songs sung by real singers buy or download the original cast singers. Or, find singers who know how to sell a lyric. What about Peggy Lee or all those who have recorded Coleman's wonderful work. I want to hear the song sung as written, not the styling of women (and Sam) who can't or won't actually sing the melody. When has total lack of breath control, wandering around the tune, and singing - not just crooning into the microphone taken the place of real understanding and real talent. I guess the days of singing the song and respecting the composer's wishes are gone, only to be replaced by "styling" a song. For heaven sakes, take the time to find real singers who can handle such wonderful material.

The songs by Cy Coleman are now sung by such gifted interpreters as Fiona Apple and Madeleine Peyroux - it's just wonderful jazz music! Fiona Apple's highly dramatical, heart-felt version of "Why Try To Change Me Now" is an absolute all-time classic.

I loved that album, and was introduced to the warm voice of Julianna Raye. We will probably hear a lot from her.

You could buy this album just for the Fiona and Nikka songs and be happy.
Fact is there are only two songs on this entire album that I skip.
Worth every penny.