What: Liza Minnelli Live At The Winter Garden (Original Soundtrack)
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Liza Minnelli seems to be a performer who inspires either adoration or annoyance. People like yours truly who don’t have strong feelings one way or the other seem to be in the minority. Which may make me the ideal reviewer for the Masterworks Broadway’s re-release of Liza Minnelli Live At The Winter Garden.
The story behind the release of this newly remastered recording of the famous 1974 concert is a bit convoluted. Here’s how the official press release explains it:
The 27-year-old dynamo had sold out an entire month’s run of 24 concerts in 36 hours, setting a house record for the Winter Garden Theater. The show itself, which opened on January 6, was simply titled Liza. The album Liza Minnelli Live At The Winter Garden was quickly released by Columbia Records in April, but had to be withdrawn from the market due to contractual conflicts over her performance of songs from the Cabaret film score, which were available on the then-current soundtrack album. Only pirated versions of the album have circulated since. This is the first time that the entire show will come out on CD and digital release.Bob Fosse directed the show, with choreography by Ron Lewis. Marvin Hamlisch served as musical director, and Kander and Ebb supplied new songs.
Just a bunch of unknowns, right?
I have a total of three Liza Minnelli CDs in the collection: the soundtrack of Liza With a ‘Z’ (1972), a 2004 “Best Of” collection on Columbia/Legacy, and the somewhat embarrassing (to my ears) Minnelli on Minnelli from 2000. “Liza Minnelli Live At The Winter Garden” is, as you might expect, much closer to Liza With a ‘Z’ or the “Best of” disc than it is to Minnelli on Minnelli. That means that when it’s good—which it mostly is—it’s very good indeed.
Of course, Ms. Minnelli was at the top of her game when she recorded this. Fresh from Broadway, film, and television triumphs and performing for a wildly enthusiastic audience, she sounds energized and completely engaged. Yes, her breathy patter can become a big precious at times, but nobody can accuse her of not being honest in her performances. We say in the cabaret world that you must, above all else, be genuine, and she certainly seems to be that.
The selection of material is quite good as are the arrangements. I found a pair of Azanvour songs (“And I In My Chair (Et Moi Dans Mon Coin)” and “There Is A Time (Le Temps)” especially powerful and the “If You Could Read My Mind/Come Back To Me” works quite well. Among the Kander and Ebb numbers written specifically for the show, “Exactly Like Me” is probably the most amusing, describing the star’s humorous encounters with fans who think they look “exactly like” her. And Edith Piaf’s “The Circle” (with lyrics by Ebb) is a keeper.
Minnelli fans will, of course, want a copy of this. If, like me, you’re neither and admirer or a detractor, your purchasing decision might depend on whether or not you have a copy of Liza with a ‘Z’ already and/or whether the mix of material on this disc (see below for a complete track listing) appeals to you. The recording is available for purchase on CD and digital download now at www.MasterworksBroadway.com. The album will be available from all retailers and digital service providers on May 8, 2012.
Legends Of Broadway: Liza Minnelli Live At The Winter Garden track list:
| Track | Title | Songwriter(s) |
| 1 | Overture | J. Nash, Fred Ebb, John Kander |
| 2 | If You Could Read My Mind/Come BackTo Me | A.J. Lerner, B. Lane, Gordon Lightfoot |
| 3 | Shine On Harvest Moon | J. Norworth, N. Bayes |
| 4 | Exactly Like Me | Fred Ebb, John Kander |
| 5 | The Circle | E. Piaf, Fred Ebb |
| 6 | More Than You Know | E. Eliscu, W. Rose, Vincent Youmans |
| 7 | I'm One Of The Smart Ones | Fred Ebb, John Kander |
| 8 | Natural Man | B. Hebb, S. Baron |
| 9 | I Can See Clearly Now | J. Nash |
| 10 | And I In My Chair (Et Moi Dans Mon Coin) | Charles Aznavour, D. Newburge |
| 11 | There Is A Time (Le Temps) | J. Davis, G. Lees, Charles Aznavour |
| 12 | Quiet Thing | Fred Ebb, John Kander |
| 13 | Anywhere You Are/ I Believe You | Fred Ebb, John Kander |
| 14 | Cabaret Medley | Fred Ebb, John Kander |
| 15 | You and I | Stevie Wonder |
| 16 | It Had to Be You | Gus Kahn Isham Jones |
| 17 | My Shining Hour | Johnny Mercer Harold Arlen |
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