Customer Reviews

Yarmolinsky: April 15th Blues (1999 Studio Cast)

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

 

 

Obscure musical I've never heard of? I have plenty, I collect and don't discriminate in my collection. I think its fun to have musicals no one has ever heard of, but I don't always enjoy listening to them. This is one of those. The music is boring. The lyrics are rather clever at times, but not engaging for a widespread audience. Maybe if your in the tax business you will get a kick out of this, but I doubt you'll listen to it more than once. The singers are classical, or at least trying to sound classical. Maybe over the top on purpose? I don't know, it doesn't work. As for a favorite song... its hard. I didn't really like any, but I think I will choose, "Under the Table Tango," its got its moments.

Apart from the appropriateness of the music and the choice of instruments the words are clever, the rhymes ingenious, the performers well chosen, overall entertaining and delightful.

The music is catchy and the story is touching, and the emotional ups and downs of filling out a tax return are naturally operatic. A very successful piece of music theater. How come this is Ben Yarmolinsky's first CD? The performance is great too. Elaine Valby and Randall Scarlatta are very convincing in their roles, and the duet "At the post office" is simply delightful. The concluding trio--featuring Jane, Jeremy, and form 1040--is also very original (and nicely recorded).

If you're getting panicky about the ides of April, take a half hour off and listen to the plight of Jane Q. Public. This is a funny and all too timely work, with wonderfully expressive performances. Ben Yarmolinksy has done it again. He sure knows how to get to the very heart of our democratic society!

Well, given the state of late 20th century mindsets, it had to happen! Somebody has set the 1040 Tax Return Form to music. No kidding. A label called CRI has issued a short (31 minutes) little opera or at least a through-composed musical called April 15th Blues (CD 1040) and it is a riot. With words and music by Ben Yarmolinisky, the concept is as the press release puts it: "Through 11 short and varied numbers, APRIL 15th BLUES tells the story of Jane Q. Public and her struggle to complete her taxes on time." Since her income is all unreported, she needs the help of her boyfriend Jeremy at H&R Block. Okay, so it's not "Manon Lescaut" (who also had lots of unreported income), but it's a lot of fun and a great gift for you favorite tax accountant. [I gave a copy to mine.] Musically, of course, it is also light years from Puccini or even Gershwin, but the score serves its purpose and the spoken lines from the 1040 instructions (read with voice distortion by Randall Scarlatta) blend nicely with the vocalizing of Elain Valby and Mr Scarlatta). The backup ensemble is violin, cello, piano and percussion. My only complaint is the brevity. At mid-range price, perhaps a filler would have been appropriate. But what there is is so good that why quibble?