Infinite Joy: The Songs of William Finn (Live at Joe's Pub)

William Finn, Carolee Carmello, Liz Callaway

Product Details

• Audio CD (May 15, 2001)
• Original Release Date: May 15, 2001
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: RCA Victor Broadway
• ASIN: B00005IAG3
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars See all reviews (27 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #99,037 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com
Recorded live at Joe's Pub in New York in January 2001, this collection is a wonderful treat. William Finn is best known for In Trousers, the award-winning Falsettoland, and the criminally underrated A New Brain. This CD includes excerpts from all those shows along with some rare gems and even some tantalizing bits from the upcoming The Royal Family of Broadway. Performed with Vadim Feichtner at the piano, the versions are sometimes wacky (in "The Baseball Game," Stephen DeRosa sings all the roles as if auditioning for an amateur production of Falsettoland), but they're always beguiling. Guests include Liz Callaway, Carolee Carmello, and Mary Testa, and Finn himself handles a few tunes. While he's not a traditionally good singer (think craggy enthusiasm), the least you can say is that he knows the material inside out. As with all good live recordings, this one makes you wish you had been there. --Elisabeth Vincentelli

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Infinite 'Heart and Music'..., May 23, 2001

By	Dr. Kittybrains (New York, NY) - See all my reviews

A lovingly-recorded keepsake from a memorable evening of performance. For those of us who consider Finn America's greatest living songwriter (yes, there are some of us), what a treasure to have these songs preserved for posterity.

Any one of these gems is worth the purchase price: Lewis Cleale's passionate "Hitchhiking Across America," Wanda Houston's soulful "That's Enough for Me," Norm Lewis' stunning "Anytime," Liz Callaway's sob-in-the-throat "Infinite Joy." Best of all, though, is Carolee Carmello's rendition of the heartbreaking "When the Earth Stopped Turning," perhaps the finest song the man has yet written.

The glory of Finn's songwriting is that it continually surprises you with its onslaught of emotions. Just when you think you've reached the peak, he raises the bar again and again, leaving the listener exhausted and breathless.

Special mention must be made of music director Vadim Feichtner's wonderful piano and vocal arrangements, which perfectly complement and enhance the songs.

If you consider yourself at all interested in contemporary musical theatre, or even just literate, well-crafted music full of fire and passion, this CD is whole-heartedly recommended to you.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Buy this CD now., June 29, 2002

By	Michael (New York, NY USA) - See all my reviews

The only gripe I have about this CD is that every time I pop it in, it drives me absolutely crazy that I'd missed out on actually being there.

As a young actor and a contemporary music theatre enthusiast, this recording is a prime example and a constant reminder of why I'm in this business. Hearing the soaring voice of Carolee Carmello, the rich tones of Norm Lewis and the absolutely hysterical Mary Testa (some of the random dialogue is classic) makes me break out in goose bumps upon every listen.

Personal highlights are: Carolee singing, "I Have Found," Liz Callaway's rendition of "Sailing," and everything out of Wanda Houston's mouth. Mr. Finn, while not exactly a pleasing vocalist, breaks up the night (and the audience) with a classic rip on "Republicans" and "Stupid Things I Won't Do."

I couldn't think of a better title than "Infinite Joy" for this recording.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Like being at the club, September 20, 2001

By	jjo (Chicago, Illinois United States) - See all my reviews

This album (is that word still usable?) is a recording of a nightclub tribute to the music of William Finn, one of our best current composers of musicals. The songs are excellent and the singers fantastic. You don't get the polished sound of a studio recording but instead the feeling that you are there listening to an all star cast sing some wonderful songs. You also get some of the banter between Finn and the singers as he introduces them. Finn sings a few tunes, and while you wouldn't cast him for a real show, his sense of humor makes his performaces in a few mostly comic tunes a delight as well.