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Free Music Notes for Passing StrangeFree Music Review: Exciting and wonderful Hit: 5 Stars
I highly recommend having this CD if you have seen this show. If you missed this show you will get a good taste of the show from the music. Whimsical, covers every genre of rock music, very colorful sounds, groovy, beautiful. Stew and Heidi Rodewald have created a masterpiece. Enjoy !
Veronica, NYC
Free Music Review: Really Good! Hit: 5 Stars
I really enjoyed this show, and the CD captures it unusually well. I think it was a great choice the producers made in taping it live, as it captures the heart of the music.
Free Music Review: Rocking! Hit: 5 Stars
I loved this musical - saw it three times. The narration is witty and the music ROCKS!
Free Music Review: whoa!!!! Hit: 5 Stars
This is an excellent cd.However the show was unreal!I can not wait for the dvd!
Free Music Review: Strangely Passing Hit: 4 Stars
"Passing Strange" defies all musical theater dictums and is actually a recorded performance of what was really more of a concert than a traditional Broadway musical. So what's wrong with that? There have been a lot of complaints on both sides of the fence about "Passing Strange", i.e., that it's "rock" and doesn't belong on a Broadway stage, or that Broadway music is dead and this is so much better. Well, both sides miss the point. More challenging yet just as necessary as the more accessible "In the Heights", these two companion pieces make a strong case for a broader musical theater palette. Theater is a living, breathing thing and without those who push the boundaries (and those who are willing to accept that) it becomes an antiquated art form.
While Stew's music has neither the sophistication nor the complexity of Lin-Manuel Miranda's score for "In the Heights", it's raw urgency is both startling and immediate. True, there's no attempt in his work to adapt to the musical theater idiom, but he shouldn't have to. That's not the point and it would defeat his purpose, which is to present something utterly personal that is also universal. Not so surprisingly, many of these songs are just as listenable, albeit in a different context, than anything on Broadway these days. "Church Blues...", "Arlington Hill" and "Keys" all have moments of beauty, while "Identity", "Amsterdam" and "Love Like That" are powerful statements of longing and discovery. The cast, headed by Stew himself, is terrific. Tony nominee Daniel Breaker, a true star-in-the-making, is the heart and soul of this recording and he deserves to be heard from again soon. He is supported by the marvelous Rebecca Naomi Jones and an ensemble that includes Chad Goodridge, Colman Domingo and Elissa Davis, all of whom acquit themselves nicely.
"Passing Strange" may not be for everyone, but it deserved a longer life on Broadway and will hopefully find a broader audience in some other permutation. For anyone who loves musical theater and the future of musical theater, it's worth a listen.
More Free Music Notes: 1 2 3
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