june 3.2005
Just out 55
MUSIC
..........▼............
Off Broadway
Double Standards
have a deep, dark
secret that will set
Laura free. But
hen you think of Lea Delaria, the foul-
after an excruciat
Delaria delights, Disney (and Lloyd Webber) bites
mouthed lesbian comedian, you probably
ingly long first act,
don’t think subtle chanteuse. Yet her lat
who cares?
est album, Double Standards, conjures up images
Lloyd Webber’s
of smoky nightclubs filled with hipster patrons
music here is like
and sultry sirens.
It remains to be seen whether the
W oman
I On the Record
second-rate Victor
On Delaria’s previous album, Play It Cool,
slight premise is erfbugh to build an entire
Herbert. There are
Various Artists • Disney
Wi ll I F
she reinterpreted Broadway tare with a jazz
evening around. As for the recording, if
few of the lush,
flair. Now she turns her sights to pop and rock,
isney is a company that’s as well known tor
you find rhe animatrons of “It’s a Small
romantic melodies
infecting songs by Patti Smith, the Pretenders
marketing savvy as it is for creative ingenu World” adorable, then you’ll probably enjoy
that we expect from the composer of The Phan'
and even Jane’s Addiction with a silky sound
ity. Its latest theatrical venture, ()n the
On the Record. But if you’re like me and find
tom of the Opera, and the words by gay lyricist
that is reminiscent of Peggy Lee.
Record, hasn’t come to Portland yet and, with Disney Cute cloying, then this mishmash of
I David Zippel (The Goodbye Girl, City of Angels)
With Delaria, Blondie’s “Call Me” becomes
luck, won’t.
slickly packaged and sickly sweet sounds will
range from trite to downright bad (“Nothing’s
a slinky ’60s ballad (think Eartha Kitt) and No
A smorgasbord of
send you flying for the pause button. On „
duller/than my watercolor...ing” lands with a
Doubt’s “Just a Girl” becomes a peppy, upbeat
| more than 60 tunes,
the other hand, now 1 don’t have to shop
thud).
swing number that would have been perfect for
On the Record takes
tor my 4-year-old goddaughter’s next
In the title role, Angela Christian sounds a
Ella Fitzgerald (Delaria is a terrific scat singer).
place in a recording
birthday present.
lot like Bernadette Peters but has the same
Best of all is her tender rendition of Neil
studio where a group
annoying habit of gasping between phrases as
Young’s haunting “Philadelphia” from the semi of performers and
Idina Menzel (Wicked). It appears that a whole
nal Tom Hanks film.
musicians come
generation of young musical theater wannabes is
The Woman in White
Delaria is accompanied by a first-rate
together to record
beginning to imitate Menzel’s wheezing vocal
Andrew Lloyd Webber • EMI
ensemble including pianist Gil Goldstein (who
songs from 7 5 years
technique, and the art form is not well served by
also arranged 10 of the 11 songs) and bassist
of Disney films
ndrew Lloyd Webber’s The Woman m
it. The usually wonderful Michael Crawford (the
Christian McBride, executive director of the
beginning with
White is a pedestrian piece*of over
original Phantom) is wasted in a ridiculous sec
Jazz Museum in
Mickey Mouse’s
wrought drivel that spends more time
ondary role. What a sad state the theater must be
Harlem and a
earliest black-
paying homage to the composer than
in when even Crawford can’t get a decent part in
protégé of leg
and-white animated shorts from the 1920s.
expressing any new musical ideas, thoughts or
an Andrew Lloyd Webber musical.
endary jazzman
Selections are also included from live-
emotions.
Perhaps the production itself will overcome
Wynton
action films, television shows, park attrac
The Woman in White is “freely adapted”
the shortcomings of the score and lyrics. (It
from Wifk le Collins’ Victorian novel of the
Marsalis.
tions and stage productions.
certainly worked for other Lloyd Webber fias-
With Double
The songs are chirped by eight capable
same name. I haven’t read it, and after listen
coes like Cats and Starlight Express.) But as a
Standards, Delar
but bland voices, the kind you nonnally
ing to the newly released discs (which were
stand-alone recording, with its tinny, synthe
ia has clearly
encounter on a cruise ship or at a Disney
recorded live on opening night in London),
sized sound, there is little reason to listen to
expanded her
theme park. (Imagine a grown-up version of
I have no desire to. The slim plot concerns
this clunker. jm
appeal beyond
the Mickey Mouse Club where the principals Laura, who has been married off to Sir Percival
the Broadway
sing with the soulless conviction of Miss
Clyde, an abusive cad only interested in her
Within Portland free-lance writer FLOYD SKLAVER is
crowd.
America contestants.)
fortune. Enter a ghostlike figure claiming to
a Broadway Baby just bursting to belt out.
Lea Delana • Telarc
W
D
Peacock Productions, Inc.
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