Customer Reviews

Chicago The Musical

5 star:		(65)
4 star:		(25)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(8)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

For many, this was their introduction to the galvanising score of Kander and Ebb; the delightful cast-recording to the 1997 Broadway revival that would have never been possible without the now-legendary Encores! concert version in 1996.

The cast is uniformably excellent; Ann Reinking is a playful powerforce as Roxie Hart, Bebe Neuwirth's dry wit serves her well as the bitchy Velma Kelly, James Naughton is the epitome of suave as crooked lawyer Billy Flynn, Joel Grey is the perfect foil for Roxie as the henpecked Amos Hart, Marcia Lewis' powerful voice brings Matron 'Mama' Morton to life, and D. Sabella's breathtaking operatic chops are put to the test with gender-bending sob sister Mary Sunshine.

Rob Fisher's unparalled musical direction enlivens each and every recording that he conducts for, and CHICAGO is no exception. Brassy, well-paced and evocative, his direction is fantastic under the renowned Coffee Club Orchestra.

Ann Reinking's vocal style is fine; her singing is quite character-driven, and one can forgive her lack of singing finesse on the fact that she IS Roxie Hart, and danced the role for all its worth.

Numbers like "All That Jazz", "Funny Honey", "Cell Block Tango", "When You're Good to Mama", "Mister Cellophane", "Nowadays" and "Roxie" are all show-stoppers. I've said it many times; this score is simply dud-free, and in my opinion only rivals CABARET as Kander and Ebb's greatest score.

First of all, this is the recording that got me interested in Chicago. Velma, (my favorite character)is played by the beautiful and talented Bebe Neuwirth. She is a wonderful and witty Velma Kelly. Ann Reinking is a great Roxie. I actually prefer her raspy voice over Renee Zellweger's soft Roxie. James Naughton is SUPERB as Billy Flynn, he can make you laugh without hardly trying. Joel Grey as Amos Hart was a wonderful choice, and finally, Marcia Lewis as 'Mama' Morton and D. Sabella as Mary Sunshine were also great contributions to this album. Here is a list of the songs and their ratings.

1.Overture- Great music, 4 stars

2.All That Jazz- Love Velma's voice, great kaereoke song, 5 stars

3.Funny Honey- Lovely song about Roxie and Amos's love, 5 stars

4.Cell Block Tango- Film version of this song is better, 3 stars

5.When You're Good to Mama- Marcia's voice is perfect, 5 stars

6.All I Care About- Better version than the film by far, 5 stars

7.A Little Bit of Good- Interesting..., 3 1/2 stars

8.We Both Reached for the Gun- One word... fun, 5 stars

9.Roxie- Ann Reinking's best performance, 4 1/2 stars

10.I Can't Do It Alone- I love this song, 5 stars

11.I Can't Do It Alone (reprise)- Not really a song, 3 1/2 stars

12.My Own Best Friend- Roxie and Velma's duet, 4 stars

13.Entr'Acte- Fun to listen to, 4 stars

14.I Know A Girl- Witty song about Velma's jealousy, 4 1/2 stars

15.Me and My Baby- Cute song about Roxie's new "baby", 5 stars

16.Mister Cellophane- Amo's life story, very sad, 5 stars

17.When Velma Takes the Stand- Self explainable, 4 stars

18.Razzle Dazzle- Interesting song, 5 stars

19.Class- Powerful and funny song, 5 stars

20.Nowadays-Good song, 4 stars

21.Hot Honey Rag- Very fun music, 5 stars

22.Finale- Great ending, 4 stars

When I originally saw this revival (& Bebe Neuwirth deserved her Tony!), I enjoyed many of the songs, but the plot was somewhat lost on me. The movie totally cleared things up and seeing the show on tour again last year only solidified my enthusiasm for this show and Kander/Ebb's music.

The original production surfaced in 1975 & was completely overshadowed by "A Chorus Line" (which came out at the same time), but the voices and orchestrations are so much more improved in this 1996 revival cd.

The best tracks include:

All That Jazz [Bebe Neuwirth makes this standard her own]
Cell Block Tango [great staging/lyrics]
When You're Good To Mama
All I Care About [James Naughton introduces us to Billy Flynn]
We Both Reached For The Gun
Roxie [Ann Reinking's big song, though her dancing is better than her voice]
Mister Cellophane
Razzle Dazzle
Nowadays [a classic!]

A MUST have!

I'm not going to go into the merits of the Chicago musical itself here. I'm sure you all know of its cynical, witty plot, its joyously gritty mood, and its dazzling, jazzy score. Instead, I'm going to compare this cast to the original.

In general, this cast is something of an improvement over the original, especially in the field of singing, although the acting is a little off in some cases. Bebe Neuwirth has turned the mood-setting "All that jazz" into a true show-stopper, combining seduction and snobbery to form a Goddess-like feel that will make any man melt. She continues this throughout the score, adding a touch of cynical grit when appropriate, and dazzling us with her stunning, hypnotic vocal beauty.

The only performer to surpass Ms. Neuwirth is Joel Gray, who is in his sixties, but still sounds almost as wonderful as he did in Cabaret. Thank God his voice didn't fade, as so many do. His acting is perfect, stunning, turning Amos from an outright idiot to an immensely naive, sweetly pathetic slave to his own love for Roxie. Amos was already my favorite character (I've always been intrigued by his being the one decent person in the Chicago cast), but I absolutely worship Gray's interpretation of him.)

As for the rest of the cast, Mama Morton is actually a good bit scarier and more fascinating in this version. James Naughton as Billy Flynn sings far better than Jerry Orbach, but his acting is nowhere near as good. Mary Sunshine is less impressive than in the original, and her dark secret (which I won't reveal, as it would spoil the surprise) is less well hidden. Also, quite apart from that, she is simply a less effective singer, though still so talented that I have little right to complain.

However, the real reason I gave this recording four stars rather than five is twofold; first, my favorite song, the sardonic humor number "Cell Block Tango", is rather ruined by the addition of sub-par singers and actresses and the lack of subtlety in line delivery. And secondly...

Anne Reinking, the star, was clearly chosen both for her dancing abilities and because she was the late Bob Fosse's wife, which made her an ironically fitting choice to succeed Gwen Verdon, the original Roxie and also Fosse's ex-wife. However, Reinking _completely_ misinterprets Roxie, portraying her as a vicious, drooling psychopath. The original Roxie was meant to be portrayed as selfish, cynical, extremely shrewd and cunning, and in general far _too_ sane, to the point of being almost pure evil. In addition, Reinking's singing, while certainly tolerable, is slightly sub-par in comparison to the rest of the cast. This is mainly a problem because Roxie is, after all, the star, and thus the most crucial role of all in the play, although she thankfully has a relatively minor role on this CD compared to Ms. Neuwirth.

Despite this, I simply cannot pick a favorite from the main pair of Chicago recordings. Both are a must have, and as an intro to the actual music, this one is more flattering due to its stars' greater vocal talent. If you like cynical humor, fast, jazzy music, Bebe Neuwirth, or Joel Gray, get this CD. You'll love it.

When reviewing a show or concert recording, readers are looking for one of two (if not both) topics to be covered: the music itself, and the particular ensemble's interpretation. I just saw the show on Broadway a few hours ago today, so I thought the music would be fresh in my mind to compare to this soundtrack, with which I have been previously familiar. I won't dwell on the movie version in this review, for practical reasons.

A) The Music: Identifiable yet unique, sing-along yet cynical. That all gives multiple layers of depth to the story line where women are driven over the edge and hire a "silver-tounged" lawyer to make a mockery of the judicial system, turning the women into stars, in the process. Of course, the lead off number "And All That Jazz" is a ragtime romp laced with bluesy licks and dixieland character, and that sets the atmosphere for the entire production, which barely contains a non-memorable number. Kander and Ebb have masterfully given life to song after song that uses the musical backdrops and sarcastic lyrics to grow by feeding off one another. Second song "Funny Honey" doesn't stray too far from the musical territory established by the opener, but now the music is restrained, more subtle, ready to bubble over any minute - like a silent serpant ready to go in for the kill. John Kander uses just the right moment to modulate a half step and explode into heavy rag, as it collides with Fred Ebb's pushing character Roxie over the edge.

What's nice about this show, is several characters have a song all to their own, to sum up his or her role to the audience, and thus each of these numbers takes on a personality of its own: "When You're Good To Mama" (the prisoners' lenient liason to the outside world), "All I Care About Is Love" (Smooth Talking Lawyer Billy Flynn basks in the spotlight), "A Little Bit of Good" (find this one out for yourself), "Roxie" (main character Roxie's lament to her own life dreams), "Mister Cellophane" (one of the best songs, an ode to anyone who feels left out), etc. etc.

The show itself clocks in at just over 2 hours, and this soundtrack is well over one hour - so, you pretty much get most of the show, as there is very little dialogue between scenes that needs to be edited for the cd anyway.

B) Interpretation: First of all, it is a given that not everyone will ever agree on a preferred performance. I know nostalgia is a strong bug, so it surely isn't a horrible thing if a recording of the pre-revival days is your cup of tea. Still, much needs to be said about this recording right here. As I said, I just saw the show in NYC, and I am also familiar with the mostly ultra-tasteful movie adaptation. Perhaps this is because the actors have to do it every day of their lives, but I find the recording has MUCH more personality and creative wit than it would need for a merely adequate rating. Don't get me wrong, the live show is great, and maybe I just caught an unspired performance, but let's get real - when you're recording a cd, there's such a thing as overdubs, i.e. doing it till you get it right. It is recorded and mixed with such fresh crispness and polish, we'll never know if it took highly abnormal techniques to get what we hear - but what we hear is good, and any fault one finds with it may just come down to personal preference. At the live show, I wanted more accentuations, more voice fluxuations, more life in the characters - keep in mind, however, don't get so used to the recording that you can't tolerate anything else!!! But as for the cd, Ann Reinking is overflowing with character (as Roxie), and some conservatives may not like that - but for a show like this, you really need individuality - and as a bonus, there's no weak link. From Bebe Neuwirth's convincing portrayal as a star that has fallen (as Velma Kelly) to the comical Tina Paul who portrays Hunyak, an inmate who only knows two words in English, the generally minimal cast gets the job done - and then some. I'll take quality over quantity any day.

I'm not slow to find fault - truth is, I'm quite hard pressed to find a weak link to this cd. I still suggest the movie soundtrack in ADDITION to this, as both are full of character that is slightly different from one another, but this recording isn't a bad place to start. Every song is unique, but all of the songs function well into the whole story and musical. Unlike many of the shallower, sappy musicals that would rather play ignorant to the overall corruption of society (then and now), Chicago (i.e. Kander and Ebb) isn't afraid to ruffle a few feathers. And who are we to complain? We get entertained in the process!

The Revival Cast Recording of Chicago is fantastic, and definetly gets 5 stars in my opinion.
Ann Reinking and Bebe Neuwirth are the two leading ladies. They are both very good. Ruthie Henshall from the Original London Cast definetly outsings Ann, but Ann interprets Roxie's songs fairly well. Bebe is a fantastic Velma. Bebe's "All That Jazz" is sexy and a simply amazing rendition of the classic song. She gives an hilarious "I Can't Do It Alone", and "I know A Girl". Her "When Velma Takes The Stand", is also wonderful. So, you just can't go wrong with Bebe. Ann Reinking sings Roxie with a very raspy and husky voice, and gives a very crude Roxie. Ann gives an angry "Funny Honey", a funny version of "Roxie", wish her monologue was included here. Ann and Bebe's "My Own Best Friend" is no where as good as Ruthie and Ute's version from London.

Here Velma's "I Can't Do It Alone" reprise is included, which is fun too have. But missing the great Act 1 Finale, and Roxie's monologue.

James Naughton is an amazing Billy Flynn. James give a fantastic "All I Care About", "We Both Reached for the Gun", and "Razzle Dazzle". James completely surpasses Henry Goodman from the London cast. Marcia Lewis gives a soulful Mama Morton, and Joel Grey gives a sympathetic Amos, and they both surpass the Mama and Amos on the London Recording. Also D. Sabella as Mary Sunshine is excellent.

So overall this is a great recording of an amazing score. Definetly something too have in your CD collection.

After seeing the show in London, I bought the 1996 Broadway revival recording because I am large fan of Bebe Neuwirth. She absolutely shines on this recording and was well deserving of her Tony Award for her portrayal of Velma Kelly.

As for Ann Reinking, well...the casting directors could have done better. MUCH better. I don't care for her voice too much, but after awhile it grew on you, whether you liked it or not. However, it was her presence that made me give this CD four stars instead of five.

James Naughton and Joel Grey lend good support to a talented ensemble. My personal favorites were "Cell Block Tango", "I Can't Do It Alone", "When Velma Takes The Stand", and one of the best opening numbers in the history of musical theatre: "All That Jazz".

Back in September, I saw CHICAGO for the first time at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas, and loved it. Charlotte d'Ambroise and Jasmine Guy WERE sensational. Their interpretations and voices by far surpass Bebe or Ann. Which leads me to the "one major casting flaw" which is...Ann. This nice little character voice she gave Roxie would have been nice if she hadn't lost her mind with it. When she growls (and trust me, she does growl) "I'll get me...a whole bunch of boys!" you become scared for your life. Joel Grey is vocally good for his role, however, his interpretation leaves something to be desired. The real star of this album is James Naughton. His smooth, crisp, voice is something so rare and beautiful, you can't help but love every moment he's there for.

Although I try to catch as many Broadway musicals as possible, I compare everything to Le Miserables. I recently went to see the movie Chicago and was so impressed by the music I ran right out to buy the soundtrack. It wasn't available yet, so I purchased the Broadway version. I listened to the CD once, and was drawn back again and again. During a two week period I played the CD probably 30 times. Then the movie soundtrack became available. Although the movie soundtrack is good on its own, it pales beside the Broadway version. The Broadway version has a depth lacking in the movie soundtrack. It quickly becomes apparent that the musical artists were selected for quality of voice, the movie actors were selected for a combination of their voice quality and acting ability. From the overture to the finale the musical Company puts their hearts and souls into every word they shout, sing, or whisper. The orchestra is outstanding. I can't even pick two or three favorite songs from this album. That might indicate that there were some I didn't like. In its exuberance the album transports the listener into the roaring twenties. Seldom does one find an album with such magical abilities. Bottom line: see the movie so you have a basis for comparison, but when you buy, "Chicago, The Musical" is the CD of choice.

Chicago is a classic, and that classic status remains in the revival recording. Bebe Neurwith is truly a delight as Velma Kelly, and shines in the star number of "All That Jazz", but it's the men who steal the show. James Naughten and Joel Grey are perfect as Billy Flynn and Amos Hart. Every single one their numbers is absolutely perfect are true classics. There are, however, two downsides. First is that the film soundtrack exceeds vocally with Catherine Zeta-Jones as a belting Velma. Second, and ultimately, Anne Reinking's rendition of "Roxie" is downright awful. I love her versions of "Funney Honey" and "Me and My Baby", but "Roxie" is disgusting. In all, however, a wonderful, fun, and classic recording.