Showing posts with label Liza Minnelli. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Liza Minnelli. Show all posts

July 3, 2021

Liza Minnelli articles/mentions

 ~        
         
 
 
mentions:      
 
Baker, Cocteau, Hemmingway & Picasso 
Lena Horne ~ The Lady And Her Music    
Leo Friedman ~ Broadway's Photographer  
The Rolling Stones ~ Some Girls      

      
Liza Minnelli     
date & photographer unknown     
     
      
     
      
     
      
     
      
     
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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June 30, 2021

20,000 Vinyl LPs 296: Lena Horne: The Lady And Her Music (Live On Broadway)

  ~          

vinyl LP front cover detail 
album cover photo by Christian Steiner
detail photo of album cover by Styrous® 


Today is the birthday of Lena Horne who was born on June 30, 1917, in Bedford–Stuyvesant, Brooklyn. She was an American dancer, actress, Grammy-winning singer, and civil rights activist. Her career spanned over 70 years, appearing in film, television, and theater. Horne joined the chorus of the Cotton Club at the age of 16 and became a nightclub performer before moving to Hollywood.        


vinyl LP front cover
album cover photo by Christian Steiner 
photo of album cover by Styrous® 


Lena Horne: The Lady and Her Music was a 1981 Broadway musical revue written for and starred her. The musical was produced by Michael Frazier and Fred Walker, and the cast album was produced by Quincy Jones. The show opened on May 12, 1981, and after 333 performances, closed on June 30, 1982, Horne's 65th birthday.            
 
 
 
This is a great documentation of the show once you've gotten past the overture. It is a musical after all, so, just live with it and get on. The best parts of this album are the monologues by Horne in which she talks about the challenges she faced in her career.      
 

vinyl LP back cover
album cover photo by Christian Steiner 
photo of album cover by Styrous® 

Throughout the show Horne sang and danced to Tin Pan Alley songs, jazz standards, music from films in which she had appeared, and songs written for her. The show sought to portray Horne's life from her beginning in show business to the present. During the show she spoke of the racism that she had encountered, describing how Hollywood producers told her she opened her mouth too big when she sang and devised a makeup for her, Light Egyptian, which was applied to white actresses such as Ava Gardner and Hedy Lamarr, who took roles that Horne could have possibly played (links below).    


vinyl LP back cover detail
detail photo of album cover by Styrous® 
 

Horne performed her signature song, Stormy Weather, twice in the show, the first time more subdued than the second. She was accompanied by dancers and backup singers. Costumes were designed by Giorgio di Sant' Angelo.       


album cover photo by Christian Steiner 
photo of album cover by Styrous® 


There is a great cut, Where or When, in which she is being directed while she sings the song, funny but she comes out on top (link below).         
 
 
Lena Horne ~ The Lady And Her Music
vinyl LP gatefold interior
album cover photo by Christian Steiner 
photo of album cover by Styrous® 
 
 




 
 
She is wonderful with Can't Help Lovin' Dat Man and she talks about her rejection for the role of Julie Laverne in the 1951 film version of Show Boat. She did sing the song in a mini-production of Show Boat in a fictionalized biography of composer Jerome Kern.    
 
 
 Lena Horne as Julie Laverne 
 
 
At the height of her career, Lena Horne accidentally stumbled into a power struggle between Hollywood communists and McCarthyites; complete info in an Atlantic article (link below).            
 
Horne received a special Tony Award for distinguished achievement in the theater for her one-woman Broadway hit Lena Horne: The Lady and Her Music which opened to rave reviews in 1981 and played to capacity audiences there for 14 months before going on tour.          





 
Lena Horne died of congestive heart failure on May 9, 2010. Her funeral took place at St. Ignatius Loyola Church on Park Avenue in New York. Thousands gathered and attendees included Leontyne Price, Dionne Warwick, Liza Minnelli, Jessye Norman, Chita Rivera, Cicely Tyson, Diahann Carroll, Leslie Uggams, Lauren Bacall, Robert Osborne, Audra McDonald, and Vanessa Williams.      











    

 
Tracklist:

Side 1:

A1 - Overture - 3:24
    Act I
A2 - From This Moment On, written by Cole Porter - 2:01
A3 - I Got A Name, written by Charles Fox, Norman Gimbel - 4:00
A4 - I'm Glad There Is You, written by Jimmy Dorsey, Paul Madeira* - 3:07
A5 - I Want To Be Happy, written by Irving Caesar, Vincent Youmans - 2:45
    Cotton Club Revue    
A6 - Copper Colored Gal, written by Benny Davis, J. Fred Coots - 1:25
A7 - Raisin' The Rent, written by Harold Arlen, Ted Koehler - 0:55
A8 - As Long As I Live, written by Harold Arlen, Ted Koehler - 2:16
A9 - Lady With A Fan, written by Al Brackman, Cab Calloway, Jeanne Burns - 1:10
A10 - Lena's Dialogue ("Cotton Club To Hollywood") - 1:06
A11 - Where Or When - (Hollywood Sequence), written by Richard Rodgers/Lorenz Hart* - 2:18

Side 2:

B1 - Can't Help Lovin' Dat Man, written by Jerome Kern/Oscar Hammerstein II* - 2:35
B2 - Lena's Dialogue ("Hollywood") - 1:36
B3     Just One Of Those Things, written by Cole Porter - 0:38
B4 - Stormy Weather (Part I), written by Harold Arlen, Ted Koehler - 2:37
B5 - Love, written by Hugh Martin, Ralph Blane - 1:40
B6 - Lena's Dialogue ("Broadway") - 1:38
B7 - Push De Button, written by E.Y. Harburg, Harold Arlen - 2:56
B8 - The Lady Is A Tramp, written by Richard Rodgers/Lorenz Hart* - 2:54
B9 - Yesterday, When I Was Young (Hier Encore), written by Charles Aznavour, Herbert Kretzmer - 5:15

Side 3:

C1 - Deed I Do, arranged by Grady Tate, Lena HorneWritten-By – Fred Rose, Walter Hirsch - 3:53
C2 - Life Goes On, written by Craig Doerge, Paul Williams (2) - 3:09

    Intermission
    Act II
C3 - Watch What Happens, written by Michele Legrande*, Norman Gimbel - 3:10
C4 - The Surrey With The Fringe On Top, written by Richard Rodgers/Oscar Hammerstein II* - 3:37
C5 - Fly, written by Martin Charnin - 5:29
C6 - Bewitched, Bothered And Bewildered, written by Richard Rodgers/Lorenz Hart* - 5:11

Side 4:

D1 - A Lady Must Live, written by Richard Rodgers/Lorenz Hart* - 2:31
D2 - Lena's Dialogue ("Love This Business") - 2:04
D3 - That's What Miracles Are All About, written by Charlie Smalls, Sam Harkness - 3:51
D4 - Lena's Dialogue ("Early Career") - 8:24
D5 - I'm Gonna Sit Right Down And Write Myself A Letter, written by Fred Ahlert*, Joe Young (3) - 3:00
D6 - Stormy Weather (Part II), written by Harold Arlen, Ted Koehler - 4:39
D7 - If You Believe, written by Charlie Smalls - 2:21
D8 - Curtain Music (Stormy Weather, Bows), written by Harold Arlen, Ted Koehler - 1:25

Companies, etc.

    Phonographic Copyright (p) – Qwest Records
    Produced For – Quincy Jones Productions
    Recorded At – The Nederlander Theatre
    Manufactured By – Warner Bros. Records Inc.
    Distributed By – Warner Bros. Records Inc.

Credits:

    Arranged By – Bob Freedman (tracks: A5, B4, D6), C.T. Perkins (tracks: B5, B8), Coleridge-Taylor Perkinson (tracks: A6, C5 D1, D3, D5), Gary Anderson (tracks: C3, D7), Gil Askey (tracks: B5, B8), Harold Wheeler (tracks: A3, A8, B9, C2, C6, D7), Lennie Hayton (tracks: A4, C4), Mark Wolfram (tracks: B5, B8), Ralph Carmichael (tracks: A1, D8), Ron Roullier (tracks: A2, B1, B3, B7)
    Bass – Anthony Jackson, Bob Cranshaw
    Concept By – Lena Horne, Sherman Sneed
    Conductor – Bob Freedman (tracks: B4, D6)
    Conductor [Musical Conductor] – Linda Twine
    Conductor [Musical Direction] – Harold Wheeler
    Drums – Grady Tate
    Executive-Producer [For Recording] – George Lee (5), Sherman Sneed
    French Horn – Peter Gordon (8)
    Guitar – Steve Bargonetti
    Keyboards – Leon Pendarvis, Linda Twine, Michael Renzi*, Pat Rebillot
    Mixed By – Bruce Swedien
    Percussion – Warren Smith
    Performer [The Company] – Clare Bathe*, Tyra Ferrell, Vondie Curtis-Hall*
    Photography By [Cover] – Christian Steiner (6)
    Producer – Quincy Jones
    Recorded By – Bruce Swedien
    Reeds – Danny Bank, George Young (2), Harold Vick, John D. Parron, Lou Marini, Michael Brecker, Mort Silver, Roger Rosenberg, Romeo Penque
    Transcription By [Book] – Lena Horne
    Trombone – Craig Harris (3), David Taylor, Jack Jeffers, Wayne Andre
    Trumpet – Cecil Bridgewater, Frank Gordon, Glenn Drewes, Jon Faddis, Ron Tooley

Notes:

This issue has a slight center labels layout variation.

Recorded live in New York City at the David T. Nederlander Theatre.

Issued in gatefold jacket. Some copies carry a custom sticker with reviews of the show.
 
Barcode and Other Identifiers

    Barcode (Scanned): 075992359719
 
Lena Horne ‎– Lena Horne: The Lady And Her Music (Live On Broadway)
Label: Qwest Records ‎– 2QW 3597
Format: 2 × Vinyl, LP, Album, Gatefold sleeve
Country: US
Released: 1981
Genre: Jazz, Stage & Screen
Style: Musical, Contemporary Jazz   
 
 
         
Viewfinder links:        
         
Harold Arlen        
Charles Aznavour        
Lauren Bacall            
Cab Calloway         
Jimmy Dorsey          
Ava Gardner        
Oscar Hammerstein II         
Lorenz Hart           
Quincy Jones         
Cole Porter         
Leontyne Price         
Richard Rodgers         
Dionne Warwick        
         
        
Net links:        
         
The Atlantic ~ The Red-Baiting of Lena Horne        
The Kennedy Center ~ Lena Mary Calhoun Horne         
Masterworks Broadway ~ Lena Horne    
NY Times ~ The Lady And Her Music        
Swing Street Radio ~ Lena Horne: The Lady And Her Music        
        
YouTube links:        
         
The Lady and Her Music (complete album)      
Stormy Weather (Pt. I)        
Stormy Weather (Pt. II)        
Stormy Weather         
Where or When        
       
       
       
       

 
        
        
        
        
        
        
Styrous® ~ Wednesday, June 30, 2021       
       
















 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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December 1, 2020

20,000 vinyl LPs 256: The Dangerous Christmas Of Red Riding Hood & Cyril Ritchard

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vinyl LP front cover detail 
cover design by ARW Productions, Inc.
illustration by Bentz 
detail photo of album cover by Styrous®


Today is the birthday of Cyril Ritchard, an Australian stage, screen and television actor, and director. He is best remembered today for his performance as Captain Hook in the Mary Martin musical production of Peter Pan.              
 
Looking through my record collection, I discovered I have many recordings that he has appeared on, including the above mentioned Peter Pan, however, I settled on this recording as it is perfect for this time of year, Christmas.          


vinyl LP front cover
cover design by ARW Productions, Inc.
illustration by Bentz 
photo of album cover by Styrous®


In addition to Cyril Ritchard the cast includes a very young Liza Minnelli, she was only 21 at the time and she was adorable.        
 
 
 
Jule Styne ~ The Dangerous Christmas Of Red Riding Hood
vinyl LP back cover detailscover design by ARW Productions, Inc.
detail photos of album cover by Styrous®
 
 
Vic Damone was the romantic lead as the The Woodsman. The wolf pack was played, of course, by Eric Burdon and The Animals; they were just beginning to hit it big time.         
 
 

Jule Styne ~ The Dangerous Christmas Of Red Riding Hood
vinyl LP back cover details
detail photos of album cover by Styrous®
 
 
The music was written by Jule Styne who wrote the music for the 1949 stage version of Gentlemen Prefer Blondes which starred Carol Channing and was made into the film with Marilyn Monroe and Jane Russell. The lyrics are by Bob Merrill who wrote the lyrics for New Girl In Town in 1957, Carnival! in 1961, Sugar in 1972 which  is based on the 1959 film Some Like It Hot with Marilyn Monroe, Tony Curtis, and Jack Lemmon.      
 
 

Jule Styne & Bob Merrill
vinyl LP back cover details
detail photos of album cover by Styrous®
 
 
 
Of course, the story line has been altered to a wacky version of the original story, but that's ok; it's called poetic license. It's a lot of fun to watch (link below) and listen to; there's the silly and bouncy, Ding A Ling, Ding A Ling, sung by  Liza Minnelli and Cyril Ritchard.     
 

vinyl LP front cover detail 
cover design by ARW Productions, Inc.
illustration by Bentz 
detail photo of album cover by Styrous®




vinyl LP back cover
cover design by ARW Productions, Inc.
photo of album cover by Styrous®




vinyl LP back cover details
cover design by ARW Productions, Inc.
detail photos of album cover by Styrous®





 

vinyl LP back cover details
detail photos of album cover by Styrous®




vinyl LP back cover
photo of album cover by Styrous®



vinyl LP, side 1
photos by Styrous®





   
Tracklist:

Side 1:

A1 - Overture, Orchestrated By, Conductor – Walter Scharf - 7:15

A2 - We Wish The World A Happy Yule, Vocals [The Wolf / Lone T. Wolf] – Cyril Ritchard - 2:04

A3 - My Red Riding Hood, Vocals [Red Riding Hood] – Liza Minnelli - 3:05

A4 - Snubbed, Vocals [The Wolf / Lone T. Wolf] – Cyril Ritchard - 2:05

A5 - Woodsman's Serenade; Granny's Gulch; Along The Way, Vocals [Red Riding Hood] – Liza Minnelli, Vocals [The Woodsman] – Vic Damone - 4:05

A6 - I’m Naive, Vocals [Red Riding Hood] – Liza Minnelli - 2:38

Side 2:

B1 - Red Riding Hood Improvisation - 4:05
B2 - I’m Naive (Reprise), Vocals [The Wolf / Lone T. Wolf] – Cyril Ritchard - 2:42

B3 - We're Gonna Howl Tonight, Producer [For Records] – Mickie Most, Vocals [The Wolf Pack] – The Animals - 1:39

B4 - Ding-A-Ling, Ding-A-Ling, Vocals [Red Riding Hood] – Liza Minnelli, Vocals [The Wolf / Lone T. Wolf] – Cyril Ritchard - 2:15

B5 - Poor Mouse     4:05

B6 - Granny; Along The Way, Vocals [Red Riding Hood] – Liza Minnelli, Vocals [The Wolf / Lone T. Wolf] – Cyril Ritchard, Vocals [The Woodsman] – Vic Damone - 1:55

B7 - We Wish The World A Happy Yule (Finale), Vocals [Red Riding Hood] – Liza Minnelli, Vocals [The Wolf / Lone T. Wolf] – Cyril Ritchard, Vocals [The Woodsman] – Vic Damone - 1:40

Companies, etc.

    Published By – Chappell-Styne, Inc.
    Published By – Wonderful Music Corp.
    Mastered At – Bell Sound Studios
    Produced For – Eritas-General Electric

Credits:

    Arranged By, Conductor – Walter Scharf
    Choreography – Lee Theodore*
    Chorus Master [Choral Direction] – Buster Davis
    Cover, Design [Liner] – ARW Productions, Inc.
    Directed By – Sid Smith (2)
    Engineer – Bob Arnold
    Illustration – Bentz
    Liner Notes – Rick Ward
    Lyrics By – Bob Merrill
    Music By – Jule Styne
    Other [Scenery & Costumes] – Raoul Pene DuBois*
    Producer – Richard Lewine
    Script By – Robert Emmett
    Supervised By – Bob Thiele

Notes:

 A2 credited as "Creatures Of The Forest"
B1 and B5 credited as "Ballet"

Cyril Ritchard, Liza Minnelli, Vic Damone, The Animals ‎– The Dangerous Christmas Of Red Riding Hood
Label: ABC-Paramount ‎– ABCS-536
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album, Stereo
Country: US
Released: 1965
Genre: Stage & Screen
Style: Musical
 
   
         
Viewfinder links:        
         
The Animals        
Carol Channing         
Tony Curtis         
Vic Damone        
Jack Lemmon        
Mary Martin         
Bob Merrill      
Marilyn Monroe         
Cyril Ritchard           
Jane Russell       
Jule Styne        
        
Net links:        
        
         
        
        
         
        
        
YouTube links:        
         
The Dangerous Christmas Of Red Riding Hood ~     
Original TV Broadcast (49 mins., 49 secs.)        
      The Animals ~ We're Gonna Howl Tonight        
Complete soundtrack recording (39 mins., 25 secs.)        
The Animals ~ We're Gonna Howl Tonight         
Liza Minnelli ~ I'm Naive        
Liza Minnelli & Cyril Ritchard ~ Ding A Ling, Ding A Ling     
Cyril Ritchard ~ Snubbed        
        
         
        
        
        
Styrous® ~ Tuesday, December 1, 2020       
       
















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