First of all, I have to come clean. I’m a big fan of Sarah Jane Morris. I’ve seen her many times live and have all of her albums. I’m also a big fan of John Martyn’s music although the only time I saw him live was when he staggered drunkenly onto the stage at the Shepherd’s Bush Empire to sing with The Band and almost fell off into the audience! Sarah Jane has recently released an album of her interpretation of eleven superb Martyn songs called “Sweet Little Mystery” and to support it, she’s put … [Read more...]
Reviews of Cast Recordings, Soundtracks from Musicals & Music
Reviews of music from performers from the stage, cast recordings, soundtracks from stage productions, albums etc...
London Musical Theatre Orchestra’s debut album GIRLFRIENDS
With such a talented cast, it’s difficult to single out stand-out performances. But the ones that stick in my mind are Bronté Barbé’s rendering of ‘The Chances Are’, a heartfelt number about the sitting and hoping that goes on when one’s partner is out to war, and Rob Houchen’s tenor voice is perfectly suited to the soaring melodies in this musical. It’s not often that a new recording of a musical with an orchestra as large as the LMTO is released these days. Rather longer than most cast recordings, coming in at just under two hours, this is set to be the go-to album for Girlfriends, a hearty and passionate listening experience.
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Sinatra: RAW at Wilton’s Music Hall | Review
This week I have seen two famous Wulfrunians. On Monday I saw a play about Wolverhampton’s most famous cook Nigel Slater and last night Sinatra: Raw starring the wonderfully charismatic Richard Shelton. With Wolverhampton Wanderers back in the Premier League clearly there is something of a renaissance in the famous old Black country city. Richard Shelton is Sinatra. He has got him off to a T. He looks, acts and sings like Sinatra. Shelton is Sinatra as SING-ART-RA. A monologue interspersed with … [Read more...]
Graceland Live: With Josh Turner as Paul Simon | Review
Graceland Live would do well to follow in the footsteps of The Simon & Garfunkel Story (different show, same production company) and get into a West End theatre for a few dates. The original live event, Graceland: The African Concert, was held in Harare, Zimbabwe, in 1987, and featured several South African musicians, most notably Miriam Makeba (1932-2008), Hugh Masekela (1939-2018) and the famed male choir Ladysmith Black Mambazo. The event was politically slanted, as many of the guest … [Read more...]
Melinda Hughes: Off The Scale Live At Zédel
Like the boy who dares say that the emperor has no clothes on Melinda Hughes takes down pomposity and bigotry without fear or favour. Now more than ever we need her no holds barred comic deflation of megalomaniacs everywhere. Comfortable in her own skin Melinda is sassy, sexy, street smart and satirical. Seamlessly weaving together stand-up comedy, spot on impersonations and superb singing, her show is quite unique. And the intimacy of the Crazy Coqs is the perfect place to see Melinda up close … [Read more...]
All You Need Is Love with The National Philharmonic Concert Orchestra
In January 1963 I was lucky enough to see The Beatles at the Finsbury Park Astoria in their Christmas show. And see them is what I did as a combination of two thousand or so screaming pre-pubescent girls and the tiny amps they used in those days meant I couldn’t hear a thing! I was a big fan of the band buying all their records the day they came out and seeing their three films “Help”, “A Hard Day’s Night” and “Yellow Submarine” within days of their release at the London Pavilion in Piccadilly. … [Read more...]