Customer Reviews

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

5 star:		(17)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

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.

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.

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.

In a sentence: I liked this CD. A lot.
Of course, one does have to be in the know of the NY musical theatre at the time to understand some of the in jokes, and while Bill Finn isn't exactly the best interpreter of his own work, there is such an earnestness and beauty to the music, I wish I was actually there to enjoy it.

Well, campers. This disk is a wonderful intro into the wacky and highly litterate world of William Finn. My one carp is that he sings (though it works on "Republicans") but so what? This is a fun evening.

There are three main pleasures on this disc. The first are songs we've heard but with different singers. This includes Lewis Cleale's rendition of "And They're Off" from A NEW BRAIN and Stephen DeRosa's one-man take on the baseball game scene from FALSETTOS.

Pleasure #2 is discovering newer performers and hearing old friends. In the newer category we have Mr. Cleale and Wanda Houston (who gives an elegant rendition of "The Music Plays On"). In terms of old friends we have the lovely Liz Callaway (granted I like her sister more and yes her rendition of Sailing doesn't hold a candle to Norm Lewis's but it's a treat to hear her crystaline mezzo anytime).

The third pleasure is the form of lesser known songs such as "Anytime" (sung by the always amazing Mr. Lewis) and "Hitchhiking across America" (another great performance by Mr. Cleale).

As good as the assembled are there are two performers who stand out for me. The first is Carolee Carmello who managed to belt the soaring end of "I have Found" whilst being eight months pregnant. May her voice continue to astonish for a long time. The other star of the cast (and normally someone I'm not that big a fan of) is Mary Testa. Her idiosyncrasities (which made her such a poor choice in Forum and 42nd Street) are perfectly suited for Finn's idiosyncratic writing. Her rendition of "All Fall Down" was brilliant and "Set those Sails" was glorious.

William Finn is definitely one of the best. That's all I can say. My favorite songs in the CD are ANYTIME - something you'd want your significant other to sing to you on your wedding day (or well, 'commitment' day), SAILING, and INFINITE JOY. This CD is indeed an INFINITE JOY to the ears - I haven't gotten tired of it, really.

I bought this CD after merely borrowing a friend's...and now I'm going to buy it as a gift for another friend. The music and performances so perfectly fit the idiom. Knowing the CD and then reading some of the other reviews, I can't help wondering what these people were looking for. Does William Finn have a horrible voice? Yes, it's terrible--even when he tries to do well. But when he caterwauls, it only adds to the comedy of the songs he chooses to do. He leaves the beautiful songs for beautiful voices. That's why he has Carolee Carmello sing "When the Earth Stopped Turning" (easily one of the most beautiful songs by a contemporary composer--it shines with the perfect balance of dissonance and tenderness). Buy this CD or borrow a friend's and want to buy it. You have to hear what you're missing!

What a wonderful cd of Bill Finn's live concert! The voices are incredible, and not only that, but we get a smattering of Finn's best work (if only he included "I Feel So Much Spring" from his A NEW BRAIN). The standouts on this CD include Mary Testa on "Set Those Sails" and Carolee Carmello in "When the Earth Stopped Turning." Stephen DeRosa's interpretation of the East Milford Community Center's production of FALSETTOS is nothing short of hilarious! Definite must buy for anyone that loves Finn's work or modern musical theatre!

I bought this cd for a few reasons - I love Bill Finn's work (Falsettoland, March of the Falsettos, A New Brain); I will buy anything that Norm Lewis sings on; and a friend told me I had to hear the one man version of the "Baseball Game" from Falsettoland.

I am so happy that I bought this CD - it's amused and entertained me on roadtrips, skating trips in the park, and the privacy of my own bedroom. I highly recommend it to anyone who is a fan of Finn's.

Like many composers, Finn should not sing, but that's what makes it fun. While he has wonderful and talented stars sing for him on this CD, I get a real kick out of his few attempts at the mic.

(Republicans beware - you have been made aware of the content herein.)

Finn's raw charm shines though on this one, and it make a nice accompanyment CD to the Off-Broadway Musical "Make Me a Song."