The Color Purple (2005 Original Broadway Cast)
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Free Music Notes for The Color Purple (2005 Original Broadway Cast)
Free Music Review: So Much Promise, But Only A Few Standout Tunes
Hit: 4 Stars
Alice Walker's classic novel and outstanding 1985 motion picture adaptation raise the bar quite high for a Broadway offering. The results are nice & performances, especially Tony Winner LaChanze (Celie), Felicia Fields (Sophia) & Elisabeth Winters-Mendes (Shug), are excellent.
The score, contains a few noteworthy tunes, but could/should have been so much more. Best tracks:
Hell No!
Push Da Button
What About Love?
The Color Purple
Free Music Review: Great Expectations...Greater Disappointment
Hit: 1 Stars
I have listened to this cast recording twice and I wish I would have saved my money. With one or two exceptions, all the songs seem to sound the same. And I almost fell asleep listening to it the second time. Usually when you see a show or hear a cast recording, you end up humming or singing some of the songs because they are so good. I hate to say it, but there are no songs on this CD that are catchy or even likeable. Such a big disappointment. This CD is destined to attract much dust on the shelf.
6 Months Later...listened to it again just to see if it got robbed of the Tony award for best musical. It did not. Most of the songs still sound the same to me, but I found myself appreciating the music more than the previous two times. Still, I think a show this big needed a more diverse score. I probably won't take this CD off the shelf for a long time.
Free Music Review: Not perfect, but it's got LaChanze!
Hit: 3 Stars
Well you can call me a big LaChanze fan now.
I admired her on the cast recording of "Once on This Island," but that was a long time ago, and now, in the space of a month, she's appeared in a starring role on two major cast recordings: the new Stephen Flaherty-Lynn Ahrens musical "Dessa Rose" and now this one, "The Color Purple." She's fantastic in both. What is particularly impressive is that though her two characters are not exactly miles apart (both are downtrodden women who age over the course of the show and eventually triumph over troubling beginnings), LaChanze creates two fully realized portraits-- you can listen to both recordings one after another and not mix up her Dessa with her Celie here. This is strong acting and she's very impressive. "Dessa Rose" is long gone, but I'm sure LaChanze can expect a Tony nomination for her work in "Purple."
While we're speculating on nominations, let's not forget Elisabeth Withers-Mendes, who's songstress Shug Avery is a sexy highlight on this recording. Felicia P. Fields also makes a memorable impression on disc as the strong and defiant Sofia. Okay, really the whole cast is good-- men included. They are the best reasons to own this recording.
As for the music-- well it's not the most distinguished you'll hear, but it's fairly full of energy and works well enough. If some of it tends towards the generic, there are also moments of power sprinkled throughout. There's a lot of variety in musical styles (though the time period feels like it moves from the 1930's to the 60's or so, rather than the 10's to the 40's, or really just back and forth all over the century). There are also little "snippets" of music in addition to longer, traditional numbers. That's a trend in musicals I like-- in which not every musical number needs to be a bona fide "song." The score is by first time musical composers Brenda Russell, Allee Willis, and Stephen Bray. If it's not a complete success, it's a worthy attempt, and a perfectly enjoyable listen.
Plus it has LaChanze. (Did I mention she's really, really good?)
Free Music Review: Like The Color Purple...Look What God Has Made.
Hit: 4 Stars
The Color Purple is the story of Celie, a young, black and "Ugly" girl in the south and the trials, hardships and tragities she suffers as she grows and learns.
The musical produced by Oprah Winfrey is a very good re-incarnation of that central story. With perfect casting, LaChanze as Celie and Elisabeth Withers-Mendes as Shug Avery, and a score that is full of rich lyrics, Too Beautiful for Words, and orcestrations, What About Love, "The Color Purple" is poised to be a broadway hit.
This recording captures the heart of the show and the wonderful music.
Stangout songs are:
Huckleberry Pie
Mysterious ways
Sombody Gonna Love You
Our Prayer
Big Dog
Hell No!
Brown Betty
Too Beautiful for Words
Push Da Button
What About Love?
The Color Purple
Miss Celie's Pants
Ant Little Thing
I'm Here
The Color Purple (Reprise)
If you liked the book or the movie or both, you will like this cast recording. This show was somthing needed on broadway espically after show like.
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang or Little Women.
Free Music Review: This ALL STAR cast was the BEST!!!!!
Hit: 5 Stars
I truly enjoyed this musical and loved seeing the book come to life!!! I especially love the songs on this soundtrack with the three "gossips"!
Virginia Woodruff is absolutely amazing!!!!! Watch out for her!!!
I definitely recommend this cd for anyone looking for tunes that touch, entertain and minister to the show's fans!!!