Cast Recording or Vocal Artist Suggestions?

[Joviedamian]

Posted: 5/29/14 at 4:47pm

I am a Casting Recording and Solo Album Collector of Broadway and more. I am always looking for the next best album or cast recording (or rare things as well). I think I am pretty much up-to-date on what recently has been released (Rocky, Aladdin, Violet) etc, but can anyone make any good recommendations on what to maybe buy? Any suggestions will be appreciated.

Thank you!

[hanabana]

Posted: 5/29/14 at 6:58pm

If you are pretty much up-to-date, I assume you know about Bridges of Madison County? That cast recording is golden, filled with amazing talents! Highly recommended. I also really liked Big Fish, even though the show did not last very long, I really enjoyed the music. It's very upbeat (mostly anyway), so it lifts my spirits up when I'm down. Norbert Leo Butz sounds awesome on that cast recording!
If you are into some fun, you might enjoy A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder, the lyrics are very witty, and the score is pretty great too. I also think First Date is pretty good, some songs in there are fun!
As you can see, I am focusing on the newer recordings, within this past year or so, because I assume you already own the more classic ones (being a collector and all). But if these by any chance escaped you, I recommend them: Jekyll and Hyde Original Broadway Cast Recording (With Robert Cuccioli and Linda Eder. This is one recording that I can listen to over and over again and will never get tired of), Next To Normal, Bonnie and Clyde, Catch Me If You Can.

[adam.peterson44]

Posted: 5/29/14 at 7:16pm

The ones that I have most frequently played in the past 2 years or so (other than new releases this year which you are following) are Next To Normal, Side Show, and the Chess concert at the Royal Albert Hall.

[trpguyy]

Posted: 5/29/14 at 8:41pm

In the "Vocal Artists: category, have you heard the EP's from Rachel Potter or Desi Oakley?

[Michael Kras]

Posted: 5/29/14 at 9:03pm

Fun Home, February House, Gabriel Kahane - The Ambassador, Here Lies Love!

[another sloe eyed vamp]

Posted: 5/30/14 at 5:14pm

Dogfight is great. I'm not sure why it's not talked about a lot more.
some samples

[Mr. Nowack]

Posted: 5/30/14 at 8:52pm

If you're looking for some older ones, the OBCs of NINE, ON A CLEAR DAY YOU CAN SEE FOREVER and the revival of NO NO NANETTE are perennial favorites of mine.

As for Broadway performer solo albums, these are some of my favorites, some well-known and some more obscure:

Chita Rivera - And Now I Sing!
Georgia Brown - September Song: The Music of Kurt Weill
Jane Krakowski - The Laziest Gal In Town
The Many Sides Of Pat Suzuki
Laura Benanti - In Constant Search Of The Right Kind Of Attention
Presenting Karen Akers
Pearl Baily - Pearl’s Pearls
Laura Osnes - Dream A Little Dream Of Me: Live At The Cafe Carlyle

I don’t know about some of their availability, but if you can find them they're really quite good.