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7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A JOSEPH soundtrack that sweeps the board perfectly., January 15, 2001
Of the Joseph recordings I have heard, I feel compelled to say that this version with Jason Donovan in the eponymous title character is the best of all I've heard. The well-balanced cast gives an energetic performance of this Andrew Lloyd Webber score, even though the recording quality in some of the big production numbers is a little muddy that you cannot make out what is being sung. Nevertheless I feel this is an enjoyable and somewhat unbeatable recording of this well-loved score.
Jason Donovan gives a realistic portrayal of the eponymous dreamer-hero. Although his voice may not have the richness of Donny Osmond's portrayal, he acts the part convincingly and gives solid renditions of his songs. He really understands the essence of the character, and he never fails to incorporate this into his glossy polished performance. The fact that he performs the role with a sense of being naive gives him an edge over his contendors. Linzi Hateley as the Narrator is a real treat for the ears. She has the lung-power of the late-lamented Laurie Beechman of the Broadway cast, but she infuses her portrayal with charisma and a keen enjoyment of telling the story. Her intelligent portrayal of the Narrator is one of solid musical values and subtletly, as in the Act Two opener, Pharaoh Story.
Perhaps the most impressive part of this performance is David Easter's portrayal of the Elviessque Pharaoh. Not only does he give an authentic Elvis accent, but he really makes the part his own and includes a few touches of humour into his "Seven Fat Cows" song. Besides delivering a convincing Elvis impersonation, he acts the part and tickles the listener pink with his touches of humour, giving a deliciously ripe 3-D characterisation. The brothers, though they are more human on this recording than others, deliver powerful choral backings and make the most of their songs. Nicolas Colicos's "One More Angel," Philip Cox's "Canaan Days" and Johnny Amobi's "Benjamin Calypso" all resonate for an extremely long time in the memory. It's true that Nicolas Colicos and Philip Cox could be a little bit more authentic with his accent, but they are enjoyable standout potrayals nonetheless. Johnny Amobi's "Calypso,", I should say, is the best rendition of all those I've heard. The supporting chorus contribute superlative quality performances, though you can't hear them on some numbers, resulting from the slightly poor mixing job, that does not affect the high quality of the recorded sound. This doesn't matter as you can make out what they are singing, so keep the libretto booklet in handy. As for Aubrey Woods and his cameo appearances, he makes the parts of Jacob and Potiphar his own, and delivers an extremely fierce and powerful roar towards the end of Potiphar's song. The orchestrations are well done and well-characterised,. This is not as cheesy as some may think, as only two synthesisers were used.
Overall, I can safely say that because of the highest quality performance presented on this recording, if you want to buy just one record of this entertaining musical, you should make it this one. As much as I revere Donny Osmond's solid portrayal of Joseph, I know that nobody can ever go wrong with this solid, handsome and well-balanced interpretation that gives you a certain kind of spirit and atmosphere.
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7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
The British Recording, June 6, 2000
This review is from: Joseph And The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (1991 London Revival Cast) (Audio CD)
This recording is my fourth, and the only one I own of a British cast. By the time I got it, I knew the entire show inside out, from the Prologue to the Megamix. So I could really pay attention to the performers and not focus so much on the material.I found this cast to be a little too low energy during "Go Go Go, Joseph," and the Megamix, but I suppose that's because they're British, and Brits are more reserved than Americans. Jason Donovan is just as good a Joseph as Donny Osmond, as far as his performance goes. In fact, I think Donny might have been copying him in some parts. Jason seems to be the least reserved of the cast members. And I just love his accent. Linzi Hately is one of my two favorite narrators, Kelli Rabke being the other. I love the way she sings her parts in "Jacob and Sons/Joseph's Coat." Everyone else is all right. The brothers are all eccelant, exept for the one who sings the line "Let no tear be shed," in "One More Angel in Heaven." I don't care for basses.But the rest of them are good. For some reason, I think they seem more human on this recording than on some others. I like the brothers, in spite of what they do to Joseph, and I hate it when they are portrayed as thugs, or as violent by nature. That isn't a problem with this cast. And Johnny Amobi does the best "Benjamin Calypso" of all time. David Easter would be my favorite Pharaoh, but for that I thought I heard him call Joseph "Sugar" in one part. That dosn't sound like something I would call him if I were the Pharaoh. Aubrey Woods is the only Jacob/Potiphar that I know of who is good in both roles, and not just one. Overall, I suppose this recording is the best quality of the four that I own.
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Musical Forecast, August 31, 2003
By A Customer
This review is from: Joseph And The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (1991 London Revival Cast) (Audio CD)
My parents should have known that I would become a musical theatre actress because at age 8, I walked down to the record shop on the corner and aclmly chose this cd. it was mainly because I thought the cover was pretty, but hey, it still counts, right? I was hooked from Hately's first, breathy yet powerful words . . . Some folks dream of the wonders they'll do before their time on this planet is through . . . My entire family knows Joseph inside and out, backwards and forwards, and I love it still, at age 20. That original copy was worn out, and so were my two subsequent copies. I have heard other ecordings and seen the dvd as well as participated in a few productions myself, but in my mind, none can compare to this, the definitive Joseph. Hately screams out the high g's and belts the low f's. She rocks with emotion and swirls with despair along with Donovan, who aside from being great looking can also sing incredibly. He is really the only Joseph I have heard or seen who captures both the innocence of the 18 year old boy at the beginning and the wise, knowledgable man Jseph becomes at the end. Donovan's best song is the unforgettable any Dream will do, while Close Every Door and joseph's Deams are teriffic as well. Hately's best would be her Prologue and Pharaoh Story, which is the best song in the entire show. Forget Donny Osmond, Philip Scholfield and Michael Damian! Jason Donovan is THE Joseph. Hear him, and bow before his awesome vocal talents. Hey, I'm exaggerating, but at least listen to the recording that changed my like, okay?
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