Judy Garland - Judy At Carnegie Hall: Fortieth Anniversary Edition
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Free Music Notes for Judy At Carnegie Hall: Fortieth Anniversary Edition
Free Music Review: A Memorable Reminder of My 16th Birthday
Hit: 5 Stars
At age 16, I was one of the "thousands" of lucky people who got a chance to hear the incredible Judy Garland throw lightening bolts of talent at us during her national tour of 1961, where Carnegie Hall was the opening concert of that tour. I saw the show at the old Boston Garden with thousands of other fans, with Judy mounting a stage set up near the back of the arena and even the seats behind her completely full with students from the Perkins School of the Blind. I remember Judy's first comment to us that night, just after coming on stage after the overture and before she had sung a note: "Oh, my, I enjoy singing to a small, intimate room." We all houled and then began the ride of our life as she moved effortlessly thru the 26 songs of the Carnegie Hall album with ease, stopping only once for a 20 minute intermission to change from her signature black sheath dress with red silk jacket and high heels to her equally famous blue sequined top with black pants outfit. The Carnegie Hall album is an exact copy of that concert in Boston (many people don't realize that Judy's concerts, while appearing to be extemporaneous, are in fact, very well-rehearsed events) and every time I listen to this wonderful 2 CD remaster of Carnegie Hall, I am 16 again -- and that is no easy feat. Judy sings, dances, mugs, tells jokes, interacts with the audience and actually draws you to her. By the end of the concert, you are almost as drained as she is. There is no question that this Carnegie Hall recording presents Judy at the absolute zenith of her talent, in total control of her craft and her audience. The old 2 record album of the concert was one of my most cherished records; the unfortunate 1 CD Capitol re-release removed the "heart" of the concert. This 2 CD 40th anniversary re-release again restores this concert to its rightful place as probably the best live performance recording of the 20th Century. Not to be missed.Free Music Review: A Night That Lives Forever
Hit: 5 Stars
"Judy at Carnegie Hall" is the recording that reintroduced me to Judy Garland. Received it nearly 12 years ago as a Christmas gift when it was condensed and put on one CD. Having mainly known Judy as the MGM film star, I was astounded by her adult voice. It was richer, more powerful and had a more controlled vibrato than I ever recalled from TV presentations about the adult Garland. A couple of years later or so, I was so pleased to find the recording released in an uncut 2-CD format. The greatness that the abbreviated recording revealed in segments was fully realized, despite some variations in sound quality (especially during "Just You, Just Me" on the first CD). Many times I'd put on a pair of headphones, close my eyes and feel like I was at Carnegie Hall on that historic night. When the GOLD CD version came along last year to rave reviews, I had to have it, too. Despite the fine sound quality, I felt jaded. It's as though the engineers took a live recording and made it sound like studio work. There was no faulting Judy's vocals, which sounded great as ever, but her voice seemed too far forward and the ambience of Carnegie Hall was lost. Luckily, Capitol Records has remedied that on its 40th anniversary release. Not only is Judy's voice more present than on the original, but the orchestra comes through with full punch. It truly sounds like a LIVE recording -- one without the muddiness and left/right channel problems of the original. Judy herself said that she didn't want the drums toned down for the recording (as Capitol engineers suggested), so I'm sure this would be her version of choice -- the one that lets her vocals AND the band come through. It's also wonderful to hear the original version of "Alone Together" and Judy's additional dialogue on Disc 2. This is a fine tribute to an artist without equal -- Garland sounds more "alive" than ever on this newly released recording.Free Music Review: Every Re-issue Gets Better
Hit: 5 Stars
Old enough to remember my parents spinning the original Capitol double-album set on a then new Motorola super stereo, I often sat mesmerized at the incredible sounds coming out of the speakers. Later in life, I purchased my own copy of the recording on Capitol's orange label. Much had changed. Stereo systems had become more sophisticated and those original sounds--the vocal quality, unsurpassed Mort Lindsey pop concert arrangements--only became more exhilarating and hair-raising with each note. Through the years, as a music supervisor and music licensing professional for film, video and television, and as an associate member of the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (NARAS-Grammy) who voted a few years ago for this album as one of the Best Recordings of All Time, I have purchased all subsequent Capitol CD re-issues.Undoubtedly, this recording represents the honest and truthful epitome of the historic concert recording. The whole audio experience, for the non-attendee in 1961, is finally complete. Capitol has set aside all the original 60's commercial expected standards and afforded the public a glimpse into the real magic that happened at 8:30PM on Sunday April 23, 1961. As an Atlanta area resident, the amusing bantor immediately before breaking into "You Go To My Head," "...I think I picked up an old fungi in Atlanta, Georgia. . ." creates a personal connection to a once somewhat impersonal recording.
As a lover of live performances from the likes of Nat King Cole, Miles Davis, Sarah Vaughan, Dinah Wahshington, the Beach Boys, the Doors, the Beatles, Eddie Cantor, Fanny Brice, Barbra Streisand and many contemporary artists, this recording has my vote as the absolute Best Live Recording of All Time. Garland fan or not, if magical musical experiences are your "thing," don't pass this one up.
Thom Watson Media Music Supervision & Licenisng
Free Music Review: A *Force* Of *Nature* To Be Reckoned With!
Hit: 5 Stars
Judy Garland's JUDY AT CARNEGIE HALL 2 CD SET is one fantastic live album. It captures the enormous talent and versatility of this dynamic superstar, not to mention her rapport with an adoring audience, and her explosive performance that night.
Believe the hype and the other 5-star reviews because JUDY AT CARNEGIE HALL belongs in any music lover's library. Garland performs her own standards like "Over The Rainbow" and "The Man That Got Away," among others, and takes on other popular songs like "Stormy Weather," "Swanee," and "That's Entertainment," making them all her own. The orchestra sounds great and Garland's performance is firing on all pistons, as she attacks each song with vengeance, letting the world know she still had it. I'm not even a big Garland fan but I'm awestruck by this performance!
Oh how I wish Barbra Streisand would make an album like this (Barbra Streisand - Timeless (Live in Concert) comes close).
Anyway, the 24-bit remastering is wonderful and you can almost hear each instrument in the band. If you listen closely to CD 2, you can hear the audience singing the line from Over The Rainbow, "...if all the little blue birds fly, why oh why...," as the band plays the song in between Garland's set and at the end (actually almost anytime the band starts up with "Over...," LOL, they just couldn't help themselves).
I wasn't even alive then, but it sounded like a magical event and I see why this is a highly regarded "live" album.
The CD set comes with a small booklet with black & white pics, original liner notes with headlines from trade papers, and "Two Hours Of Pow" by Scott Schechter that gives a little background info on this concert and Judy's life at the time.
A truly great CD and I recommend it!
Free Music Review: How could anyone miss the splendor of this concert?
Hit: 5 Stars
After reading Paul from DC's review, I felt compelled to write an addendum to my original review (Judy Becomes a Legend at Carnegie Hall)....I don't think you need to be a "rabid" fan to enjoy what I feel (and about 39 other reviewers feel up to this point) is perhaps the best live performance ever by any entertainer in the history of live music. This concert is more than just a singing success, this concert epitomizes Judy Garland's lifelong victory over obstacles and struggles that faced her seemingly every day of her life. She's not just singing the songs, she's proclaiming to the world that there isn't anyone who can stop her from doing what she loved to do the most--and that was entertaining her fans.
This concert features Judy at her "best" voice and while Paul from DC laments Judy' failure to hit "the right notes", one wonders which concert he was really listening to. From the very first song ("When You're Smiling"), to the very last ("Chicago"), Judy's voice is strong, stable and incredibly forceful--not even close to Paul's "raspy" description. At the same time, she sings the softer songs ("If Love Were All", "Do It Again") with emotion and care, with the kind of sensitivity only Judy could give to a song.
I'm sorry, Paul from DC, but you completely missed this one. This is a wonderful, magnificent, victorious concert for Judy and one that I have listened to over and over again. It was an amazing night at Carnegie in 1961, and I urge all those who have not yet purchased these CDs to purchase them now. You won't come away feeling "embarrassed" for Judy at all. You'll come away feeling her happiness, her love for the audience, the audience's love for her, and you may just shed tears for this wonderful woman who ascended above so much adversity to claim yet another victory in her life.