I watched the 2007 Eurovision Contest and the only song and performance I could honestly relate to was….the German entry, a old style ’swing’ number, complete with suitably attired crooner, plus a line-up of tenor sax, trumpet, trombone, piano etc.
As I write I’m listening to the excellent Rod Stewart - Thanks For The Memory, The Great American Songbook IV CD. Super songs like I’ve Got A Crush On You and You Send Me.
Other CD’s I have feature artistes like Billy Eckstine, Sarah Vaughan, Harry Connick Jr, Charles Aznavour, Jerry Vale, Dinah Washington, James Darren, Bobby Vinton, Edith Piaf, The Temptations, Barbara Cook, Matt Monro, Nancy Wilson, Robert Goulet, Dean Martin, Il Divo, Pavarotti, Ted Hockridge, Dean Martin, Al Bowlly, and Al Jolson.
I also love big-band music, and the classical piece that features a flugel-horn solo played by a brass band and played/mimed by Tara Fitzgerald in the movie Brassed Off.
The musical theatre has played a large part in my musical education. Favourite musicals include Oklahoma, Follies, Hello Dolly, Chicago, Guys & Dolls, Carousel, Miss Saigon, Me & My Girl, Singing In The Rain, The Music Man, Mack & Mabel, West Side Story, and Valmouth.
Great memorable voices of the musical theatre include Barbara Cook, Robert Goulet, Robert Preston, Lea Salonga, Barbra Streisand, Gordon McCrae, Shirley Jones, Stubby Kaye, Howard Keel, George Hearn, Millicent Martin, Maria Friedman, Hugh Jackman, Millicent Martin, Bernadette Peters, Elaine Paige, Joanna Riding, and Ted Hockridge.
What were your favourite musical theatre moments?
