CD Review
1. Grateful (Michael Feinstein) 2. Sweet Dreams (Judy Collins)
3. That Smile (Liza Minnelli and Billy Strich) 4. It Feels Like Home (Daisy Prince)
5. A Powerful Man (Jimmy Webb) 6. Unexpressed (Adam Guettel)
7.
Temporary (Lois Sage) 8. Dancing (Patti Lu Pone) 9. If I Ever Say I'm Over You(Art Garfunkel) 10. Sepia Life (Andrea Marcovicci) 11. The Song With The Violins
(Amanda McBroom) 12. In A Restaurant By The Sea (Ann Hampton Callaway)
13. Not A Cloud In The Sky (John Bucchino) 14. Taking The Wheel (Brian Lane Green)
15. Better Than I (David Campbell) 16. This Moment (Kristin Chenoweth)
Piano - John Bucchino
Produced by John Bucchinno RCA Victor: 09026 635942
Take one of the foremost contemporary songwriters in the business, bring together some of the finest singers of our generation to perform his songs and with the inevitability that hindsight lends such moments of creative inspiration, you have an album that didn’t exist and so had to be invented.
This eagerly awaited project does not disappoint. For track after track the listener is treated to the breathtaking combination of John Bucchino’s genius for the genre with the diverse talents of the glorious collection of performers assembled for the occasion.
Michael Feinstein opens joyfully with one of Bucchino’s best-known creations: the title song ‘Grateful’, offering thanks for all that life has brought him. Slowly, serenely, the astounding voice of Judy Collins sweeps in with a majestic performance of ‘Sweet Dreams’ before a playful and witty rendition of ‘That Smile’ from Liza Minelli and Billy Stritch has served to underline the variety and range of Buchhino’s work.
The sixteen songs presented here certainly demonstrate that variety. Romantic ballads with a strong melodic line are juxtaposed with rhythmic, staccato polemics; deceptively simple lyrics used with repetition to convey their message are contrasted with densely packed words in songs such as ‘A Powerful Man’. Even the singers seem happy to experiment: Amanda McBroom in particular ventures into a whole new tessitura and emerges triumphant.
It may seem invidious to highlight particular songs or performances but that won’t stop me suggesting that Andrea Marcovicci’s contribution of ‘Sepia Life’ does provide a very special moment. Miss Marcovicci creates exactly the right sense of butterfly fragility tempered by steely resignation as she illuminates the lyrics and creates a movie in our mind’s eye. Vocal colouring, intelligent phrasing and skilful use of her dynamic range bring the song to life and turn it into a masterpiece of understatement.
By the end of the album there is no answer to the question: what makes a typical Bucchino song, such has been the variety of work performed. Certain features seem common, however, in particular the writer’s ability to use the commonplace and the mundane to identify universal truths. Bucchino often focuses on the everyday objects and activities of our lives that can become invested with monumental symbolism at times of crisis or intense emotional outpouring. By so doing, his work resonates with the audience and enables the singer to find considerably more than one layer of meaning in each piece.
This album marks a high
watermark in the fortunes of contemporary cabaret; it will surely stand
the test of time and instantly become a prized possession in the music
collections of all who appreciate the art of fine song writing and
interpretation.