Customer Reviews

Romance on Film / Romance on Broadway

5 star:		(23)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I bought Michael Feinstein's new 2 cd set this morning. All I can say is "utter perfection." Each song is a gem to treasure and I should know, the cd has been playing all day. I love it!

This has got to be Michael's best effort so far. Do yourself a big favour and get "Romance on Film/Romance on Broadway" and prepare to fall in love.......with the music!

As the says goes "He isn't getting older, he's getting much better." His voice is so rich, I swear it could melt concrete.

After flipping through the feature on Michael's house (and it's majestic grandeur) in the November issue of Architectural Digest and reading about his new album, I picked up a copy of this two-CD set and I must say that Michael Feinstein is the ultimate romantic crooner. The songs seem to be lovingly handpicked with the first CD devoted to romantic songs from classic films including "As Time Goes By," "Isn't It Romantic" and my favorite "The Way You Look Tonight" and the second CD showcasing love songs from Broadway including "Always," "The Song Is You" and a brilliant rendition of "My Funny Valentine". I'm really amazed that I've never heard of him before...Feinstein defines exuberance with his exquisite style and the eloquent richness of his voice. This extraordinary romantic collection is the perfect addition to any evening with that special someone!

I've been a fan of Mr. Feinstein's for a while now but never felt compelled to rush out and buy every new release by him. But now all that's changed, after receiving the Romance cd set as a birthday present, all I can say is more, I need more of this man's music.

This two cd set is the most incredible collection of music on this or any other planet. The songs are so well chosen and so beautifully sung as to make one want to rush out and buy everything this man has every produced After my review is posted I'm going to buy every cd of his that's available in my area and then hibernate while I listen and devour every single note.

Thank you Michael for sharing your incredible gifts with the rest of us. I recommend that everyone reading this review rush out and buy this new collection, you will never, ever regret it.

Happy listening, I'm going back to listen some more.

This wonderful 2-CD set is an absolute musical gold mine filled with the most romantic songs from motion picture films and Broadway productions and penned by the finest songwriters: Irving Berlin, Cole Porter, Jerome Kern, Oscar Hammerstein II, Richard Rodgers, Lorenz Hart, Sammy Cahn, Jim Van Heusen, Johnny Mercer, Harry Warren, Mack Gordon, Dorothy Fields, Victor Young, Michel Legrand, Alan & Marilyn Bergman, Vernon Duke, among many others.

According to the liner notes: "I've always been a sucker for a love song. My favorite kinds of songs to sing are romantic songs, so it seemed a natural idea to put together a collection of songs of the heart." Yes, indeed, he did a fantastic job not only in selecting the most beautiful love songs from early 1920s to the '80s, but also interpreting them in his own unique style with some help from his talented musician friends namely: Marian McPartland (piano), John Oddo (piano/arranger), Alan Broadbent (piano/arranger), Bucky Pizzareli (guitar), Page Cavanaugh (piano/arranger), George Rabbai (flugelhorn/trumpet), Mark Vinci (sax/clarinet/flute), Dan Block (sax), Jay Leonhart and Chuck Berghofer (bass), Joe Cacuzzo and Peter Erkstine (drums). Warren Vaché played the solo cornet (I just love the sound of this trumpet-like brass band instrument) with Bucky Piazzarelli on guitar on "Darn That Dream," one of the nicest tracks on Disc 2.

For me, the most ear-catching track on Disc 1- "Romance On Film" is Harry Warren and Mack Gordon's "The More I See You," which Mr. Feinstein thinks (and I do, too) as the pair's most famous song. This is also one of my all time favorites. Warren's style was greatly influenced by his idol, Giacomo Puccini, the creator of famous operas, "La Boheme" and "Madame Butterfly." Warren and Puccini are two great composers in my long list of favorites. Alan Broadbent superbly arranged this track and he also played the piano. Great piano playing! I must admit I listen to this song repeatedly before I listen to the rest of the tracks.

On "Romance On Broadway" - Disc 2, the standout in my opinion, is a very old song with very nice melody and lyrics written in 1930s by two of my favorite great composers, Jerome Kern and Oscar Hammerstein II, "The Song Is You." I've been hearing it from my father's record (Frank Sinatra with Tommy Dorsey & His Orchestra) when I was growing up and considering the music in my soul, this beautiful song never left me since then. It's like a haunting refrain to me. This is one of the main reasons why I bought this lovely set of CDs. I know of only few recordings of this song, those of Oscar Peterson, Joe Pass, Doris Day and The Andrews Sisters. It's so nice a song to be completely forgotten! I'm so glad that Mr. Feinstein included it in his repertoire. Accompanying Michael in this performance is one remarkable pianist, Alan Broadbent.

All the performances in this 2-CD set are equally superb and outstanding. You'll never skip any track, and you'll get a double delight with his great voice and exceptional piano playing skills on the last track of Disc 2 "Every Time We Say Goodbye." The credit also goes to the exceptional line-up of back-up musicians who have helped Mr. Feinstein in making these recordings great that everyone, not only his fans, can truly enjoy listening to.

I fell in love with Michael's work when I discovered his cd "Isn't It Romantic," (thanks to the now defunct soap opera "Santa Barbara" playing Michael's "I'll Be Seeing You" in one episode). I have since replaced the cd three times, (so much have I played it) plus given it as a gift to at least 5 friends. I think this newest cd is the perfect companion -- or continuation of "Isn't It Romantic." The selection of songs -- especially on Disc #1 (Romance on Film)-- will warm the heart of lovers and lovers of old standards alike.I am particularly fond of Michael's interpretations of "The More I See You" and "The Way You Look Tonight." (And how appropriate that he's included "Isn't It Romantic" on this new collection of songs, as well!) Get a glass of wine, light the candles, relax, listen and enjoy. Oh, and if you like Michael Feinstein's work, you may well enjoy the cds: "A New Standard" by Steve Tyrell, "Here's To Life" by Shirley Horn and "My Romance" by Carly Simon.

I first heard Michael Feinstein play on the introduction to the THAT'S MORE ENTERTAINMENT! film. Then I found out that he had previously worked with Ira Gershwin. Then I saw him live with the Houston Symphony. This is the second Michael Feinstein CD that I bought -- after BIG CITY RHYTHMS.

Michael Feinstein shows that he has real talent by playing and singing the songs that he wants to work with. Of the several CD's that I have of his, I have never been disappointed by him trying to incorporate more pop attributes into his music as so many other musicians do to endear themselves to larger audiences. Michael Feinstein is not afraid to play the music that he enjoys, and he does it admirably.

With some of the tracks, he really makes them into stand alone songs. A couple of the songs previously were only associated with a particular show, like I'VE NEVER BEEN IN LOVE BEFORE (Guys and Dolls) or SOMETHING'S GOTTA GIVE (Daddy Long Legs), or a particular artist, like THE WAY YOU LOOK TONIGHT (Fred Astaire). Michael Feinstein really brings these songs into their own; they really stand out for their artistic merit, rather than who previously performed them.

The only real downside to this album is that he becomes too mellow on some of the tracks. I really would enjoy the album more if he punched up a few of the numbers. I think that he took a couple of numbers that were originally written to be jumpier and transformed them into ballads. I think that he needs to pick the beat up in a couple of the numbers.

I bought Michael Feinstein's new cd set today and it's just outstanding. What a concept, "Romance on Film/Romance on Broadway" and nobody does romance like Feinstein does. The selections are perfect and of course his voice is at it's best. I highly recommend this cd set as a marvelous gift for all your friends this upcoming holiday season.

Delectable, luscious, sweet, romantic....utterly ambrosial! What words can I use to describe this album's sheer perfection? Take my word for it, or better yet, go get yourself a copy of this double CD set as soon as possible! What a marvelous example of Michael's unique talent....He takes classic love songs and brings them to life. Somehow he captures the emotion and beauty of love and combines it with the soul and passion of jazz...the result is indeed wondrous. Mmmm....C'est Magnifique!!

This CD finds Feinstein with his best vocals and piano playing since his first release, Pure Gershwin. He is literally at the top of his game. The song choices and arrangements are terrific and the orchestration is reminiscent of the great arranger, Nelson Riddle. A must have for fans of romantic, classic American love tunes. If you have no other Feinstein recordings in your collection, this is the album to buy!

Listening to this double album of "American classical music" (which is what I call recitals of Gershwin, Porter, Kern, Rodgers and the like), I'm reminded of Frank Sinatra. And in turn I'm reminded of Bing Crosby's immortal quip regarding Sinatra: "Sinatra was a singer who comes along once in a lifetime. Why did it have to be my lifetime?"

Indeed - but not just Bing's. Since the passing of Sinatra (and Torme, IMO), there just hasn't been a male popular singer really to take up his (their) mantle. In the next generation you had Steve Tyrell and Harry Connick, Jr., but neither made it to that level, IMO. In the generation after that, you have "Jamie Cinsarble" (my moniker for the mix of Jamie Cullum, Peter Cincotti, Tony DeSare, and Michael Buble), but the jury is out.

But after listening to this two-c.d. set, I'm convinced that Michael Feinstein is the one.

I don't mean that the two singers are exactly alike. Sinatra was a bass-baritone, while Feinstein is a lyric baritone. But I would say that Sinatra was to Sherrill Milnes as Feinstein is to Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau. Which is to say, both popular singers are classically trained in the bel-canto style, both hit every note square on, and both interpret material like nobody's fool.

And, IMO, where Feinstein's brilliance really shines through is on disc #1, the live set. Mr. Feinstein has a naturally light voice; yet, he is perfectly in balance with such great musicians as Marian McPartland, Alan Broadbent, Bucky Pizzarelli and Gary Foster. No studio tricks here. He can sing loudly without singing loudly - much like Fischer-Dieskau, or Caetano Veloso.

But both c.d.'s sound glorious. As I said re. the recent release of Roberta Gambarini and Hank Jones, there is no new ground tread here; but there are plenty of beautiful flowers planted in the ground that is there.

Highly recommended, especially for fans of intelligent-sounding cabaret. RC

(p.s. - My great thanks to my friend and music-lover, Rebecca Preciado, for alerting me to this great set!)