STU'S
TOP CD PICKS FROM 2003 ANNOUNCED
Finally!
I chipped away and pruned and re-listened and thought it all over,
and finally settled on my favorite CDs from 2003. Now, I am not
saying they are the best cabaret CDs produced for last year, since
I know that I didn't listen to every one made - just the 150 CDs
or so I actually received for the year. And many of those 150 did
not fit into my definition of cabaret CDs. My original plan was
to choose just 10, but it was impossible. If there is one thing
I learned from the "judging" was that the quality of cabaret CDs
has improved tremendously over the past few years.
My method
in making the choices was to first pick the CDs I really liked and
put them in a "Favorite" file on my iPod. Then I listened to all
the favorites completely, for a second time, now judging on the
basis of technical and production quality. I even looked over the
packaging and art design of the album stuffer. Removing the ones
that didn't meet those tests brought the count down to just 25.
Then I did one more listen-through and made the final cut to leave
the 18 CDs listed below. They are separated into 3 groups, and listed
alphabetically by album title.
FULL FLEDGED REVUES
LISTEN TO MY HEART: The
Songs of David Friedman - Midder Music (with Alison Briner, Joe
Cassidy, David Friedman, Michael Hunsaker, Alix Korey and Anne Runolfsson)
REEL ONE - AT THE MOVIES (with Will McMillan, Michael Ricca,
Nina Vansuch & Brian Patton) - www.atamusic.biz
SOLO FEMALE VOCALISTS
ALMOST LIKE BEING IN
LOVE - Stevie Holland - 150 Music
THE DELICATE HOUR - Patty Morabito - LML Music
IMAGINE ... If We Only Have Love - Marieann Meringolo - Golden
Chords Music
IN TIMES LIKE THESE - Jane Scheckter - Doxie Records
LIFE IS BUT A DREAM - Linda Kosut - Linda Kosut
MAKING LIGHT - Joanne Tatham - UE3 Records
REVEILLE - Carolyn Montgomery -
SEPTEMBER SONGS - Wesla Whitfield - High Note Records
SOMETHING WONDERFUL - Pam Tate - Left Field Records
WATERLOO SUNSET - Barb Jungr - Linn Records
WIDE AWAKE AND DREAMING - Rebecca Spencer - LML Music
SOLO MALE VOCALISTS
ANYWHERE WITH YOU - Nathan Martin - LML Music
HAYDEN TEE - Hayden Tee - Lambert House
WHO KNOWS? - Tom Andersen - Other Music, Inc.
WRITTEN IN THE STARS - Tom Michael - LML Music
SHAWN RYAN - Shawn Ryan - Shawn Ryan Productions
SPECIAL AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE
I know that I don't
have all the CDs in the BROADWAY BY THE YEAR series released
by BAYVIEW RECORDING CO. (http://www.bayviewrecords.com/
), but I have a small stack of them, and every one received is on
my iPod - and they have given me hours of delightful entertainment.
These CDs are all recorded live at TOWN HALL, in the series presented
by Town Hall and created, written and hosted by Scott Siegel. If
you have not been able to attend the actual performances, this is
the second best thing to being there. I have a special folder on
my iPod for the ones I have - and just received a new one yesterday.
Well done!
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