Patti Lupone at Les Mouches

Patti LuPone | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (November 11, 2008)
• Original Release Date: November 11, 2008
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Razor & Tie
• ASIN: B001G4V1R0
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #109,723 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Back in 1980, immediately after the curtain had come down on the Saturday performance of Evita, Patti LuPone would leave Broadway and hurry down to a Chelsea boite called Les Mouches. There she performed the midnight nightclub act immortalized on this album. If you’re looking for clean, traditional interpretations of show tunes, stay away. But if you want to relive an over-the-top night from back when New York truly was a wild and crazy town, Patti LuPone at Les Mouches is fantastically fun. Backed by an ace quintet led by pianist/musical director David Lewis, LuPone throws herself with manic intensity into a set list split between Broadway tunes (“Love for Sale,” “Meadowlark” and of course “Rainbow High” and “Don’t Cry for Me, Argentina” from Evita) and pop/rock songs like Paul Jabara’s “Heaven Is a Disco,” Bruce Springsteen’s “Because the Night” and the Kinks’ “Superman.” The energy is infectious and the between-song banter downright hilarious, with LuPone chuckling and guffawing and speed-talking, and generally sounding like she’s just put her fingers into an electric socket (her shout-out to Stephen Sondheim is particularly funny). Those were the days… -- Elisabeth Vincentelli

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Eva with her hair down, December 31, 2008

By 

James Hiller (Beaverton, OR) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Patti Lupone at Les Mouches (Audio CD)

Patti Lupone's been a singing force for years now, as is proven by her latest and most interesting find "Patti Lupone at Les Mouches".

As the liner notes say, her involvement with Les Mouches came after a noticable lack of applause during her now infamous and Tony winning run as Eva Peron in Evita. Somehow, after performing for over two hours in a B'way show in the lead, Lupone had enough voice and gumption to perform in a more intimate show, which is this one.

Lupone in the recording is surprising. At first, with her between song banter, she sounds girlish and not quite the professional of her later years. But then, as she gets into her act, her powerful voice grows and booms out some of her songs. When she gets to the career defining "Don't Cry for Me Argentina", she's in full form.

Some reviewers have complained about the quality of the recording. Is it 2008 sound standard? No. This is from found tape, recorded nearly thirty years ago now. It's amazing to me the sound is what it is. There is not one song distorted to the point of unenjoyment. It's Patti, and her powerful voice is one to awe in. Her song selection is representative of her career up to 1980.

This CD is for Broadway lovers, musical historians, and those who appreciate hearing singers with just a piano and a microphone, and a mighty set of lungs.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars THIS IS SHOWBIZ HISTORY!, January 5, 2009

By 

NYC Music Lover (New York, NY United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Patti Lupone at Les Mouches (Audio CD)

Anyone who is a Patti LuPone fan or is interested in cabaret should pick
up this exuberant CD. No, the sound isn't state of the art, but when you
consider that it was compiled from OLD CASSETTE RECORDINGS that were found
in a shoebox somewhere, the producers and engineers did a heck of a job
getting it to sound as good as it does. If you can get past that, you will hear a performance that is as energetic and heartfelt as anything out
there. At the time it was recorded, Patti was the toast of Broadway, starring in "Evita". She performed this act every Saturday night at midnight (after finishing "Evita" for the night) for half a year and it was
the hottest thing in town. I was living in NYC at the time (I still live
here) and you couldn't go anywhere without seeing the posters for this
show. Her singing is vibrant, real, warm, engaging and her choice of
material is eclectic and risky, and it works. On the one hand, you have
songs you'd expect her to sing, like "Rainbow High" or "Meadowlark", and
then she does things like Patti Smith's "Because The Night" or a reimagined version of Pet Clark's "Downtown", all with great results. This is a rare example of a cabaret performer doing the unexpected, and boy does she pull it off! The CD booklet is filled with reviews of the
show, rare photos and memorabilia, and interesting essays. All in all,
they could not have done a better job considering the age and source of
the material. Get this CD and hear a living Broadway Legend enjoying the
first peak of a long and dazzling career. Go, Patti!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Lupone Rocks The House, December 31, 2008

By 

Dean G. Ehlers "Dean G. Ehlers" (New Mexico) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Patti Lupone at Les Mouches (Audio CD)

She is the diva! Patti sounds wonderful in this most priceless find. This CD has been restored to perfection from analog tape recorded almost thirty years ago! The sound quality is wonderful as is Patti belting out some really great music. She has since become a legend and will remain so. I treasure her and this CD. Bravo!!