Jamaica/ Porgy and Bess

Harry Belafonte, Lena Horne | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (January 21, 2003)
• Number of Discs: 2
• Label: Collectables
• ASIN: B00007JGTM
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #135,347 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

Disc: 1

1. Savannah

2. Savannah's Wedding

3. Pretty to Walk With

4. Push the Button

5. Incompatibility

6. Little Biscuit

7. Cocoanut Sweet

8. Pity the Sunset

9. Take it Slow, Joe

10. Yankee Dollar

See all 18 tracks on this disc

Disc: 2

1. A Woman is a Sometime Thing

2. Summertime

3. I Got Plenty Of Nothin'

4. I Wants to Stay Here

5. Bess, You is My Woman Now

6. It Ain't Necessarily So

7. Street Calls: Strawberry Woman / The Honey Man / Crab Man

8. My Man's Gone Now

9. Bess, Oh Where is My Bess

10. There's a Boat That's Leavin Soon for New York

See all 19 tracks on this disc

Editorial Reviews

Two Lena Horne soundtracks on one CD! And joining Lena are such luminaries as Harry Belafonte, Ricardo Montalban and Ossie Davis. Includes Summertime; It Ain't Necessarily So; Pretty to Walk With , and 25 more songs!

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Classic PORGY & BESS but JAMAICA is missing something!, May 23, 2004

By 

Mark Andrew Lawrence "Theatre Reviewer" (Toronto) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Jamaica/ Porgy and Bess (Audio CD)

The welcome CD reissue of the famous album of highlights from PORGY AND BESS by Lena Horne and Harry Belafonte will make collectors happy. While not a "theatrical" or cast recording, it offers some exciting performances that have been long out-of-print.

JAMAICA, on the other hand, is a true original cast recording. The 1957 musical was originally written for Belafonte, but when he left the project Ricardo Montalban took on the role and the show was re-written to showcase Lena Horne.

RCA Victor's original cast recording has had a curious history. It was made just as the labels were transitioning from mono to stereo recording. At that time it was not possible to fit as much material on a stereo 12-inch LP as on its mono counterpart. RCA Victor issued JAMAICA in mono as LOC 1036 containing all the show's songs but leaving out the Overture and editing out the introductions to "Savannah's Wedding Day" and "What Good Does it Do?" A few months late a Living Stereo release came out as LSO 1036 and including the Overture but dropping 4 songs ("Pity the Sunset", "What Good Does it Do?", "For Every Fish" and "Savannah (Finale)") These issues were deleted in 1961. In 1965 RCA Victor re-released JAMAICA in mono and stereo as LOC/LSO 1103. Now, LOC 1103 was a direct reissue of LOC 1036. BUT...are you following all this? ... LSO 1103 had all the songs, includng the extended versions of "Savannah's Wedding Day" and "What Good Does it Do?" but like its mono counterpart, left off the Overture. The 1995 RCA Victor CD release had the complete song program and the Overture. That CD, sadly is now in cut-out limbo. THIS edition (paired with PORGY AND BESS) reissues the program as heard on the 1965 stereo LP edition (LSO 1103) and is missing the Overture.

With or without the Overture, the score of JAMAICA is quite enjoyable, even more so on disc where you don't have to deal with the show's book! This is one case where the songs work better out of context. Mostly, the numbers offer a chance for Lena to take the spotlight and belt out the great Harold Arlen numbers: "Pretty to Walk With", "Push De Button", "Cocoanut Sweet", "Napoleon" and especially "Ain't it de Truth." The last song was originally written for Lena to sing in the film version of CABIN IN THE SKY. It was cut from the final release prints of the film (Censors objected to the number being staged so that she sang it in a bubble bath!) so Arlen recycled it into JAMAICA. THAT'S the kind of patchwork show JAMAICA was and although it was a minor hit (557 performances) it will never be revived and you don't hear fans of the score clamouring for a revival. It was all about Lena Horne.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars At Last!!!, February 15, 2003

By 

ellafan (MI) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Jamaica/ Porgy and Bess (Audio CD)

I have been waiting for the Horne/Belefonte version of "P&B" to come out on CD since CD's were invented!! And here it is! Of all the versions of "P&B" I own,this is the one I love the most.I have worn out about 5 of the LP's,since I bought the first one in '59,when I was 11,and now I will be able to listen to it forever. Harry and Lena's voices mesh together so perfectly,it's audio-heaven.Especially on "Bess,You is My Woman." What a gorgeous duet.The arrangements and orchestras are wonderful,too.If you love Gershwin;love Harry;love Lena,get this CD.
I have not listened to "Jamaica" yet,as I am so into listening to this "old friend" I found so many years ago.So this review is based only on "P&B." I will say that the audio quality is perfect,though.And if you love Lena and Ricardo,I'm sure you won't go wrong.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars 2 cast albums for the price of 1!, September 11, 2003

By 

Byron Kolln (the corner where Broadway meets Hollywood) - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 100 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Jamaica/ Porgy and Bess (Audio CD)

This great double-CD from the Collectables label includes two great cast albums: the original 1958 Broadway cast of JAMAICA and the 1959 studio cast of PORGY AND BESS, both starring the gorgeous Lena Horne.

In JAMAICA, one of the lovelier Broadway shows of the late 50s, Lena Horne stars as Savannah, and sings a gorgeous score written especially for her by Harold Arlen and E.Y. Harburg. The cast also includes Ricardo Montalban, Adelaide Hall, Josephine Premice and Ossie Davis.

I have absolutely fallen in love with this score, which features many beguiling numbers like "Cocoanut Sweet", "Pretty to Walk With", "Take it Slow, Joe", "Ain't it the Truth" (originally written for CABIN IN THE SKY), "Napoleon" and "Pity the Sunset".

PORGY AND BESS pairs Lena Horne with Harry Belafonte under the musical direction of Horne's husband Lennie Hayton. Horne is well-suited to the colorful score, and sings superb treatments of "I Wants to Stay Here" and "My Man's Gone Now". Harry Belafonte is wonderful singing "Oh, I Got Plenty of Nothin'" and "Bess, You is My Woman".

2 fabulous, long out-of-print cast albums, back and better than ever! Highly-recommended.