From the Vault...

11/30/2014
#1440

info
Liza Minnelli
"The Complete Capitol Collection"


© DRG/EMI Records

Year of Release: 2006
Rating:

track listing
Disc One:
  • It's Just A Matter Of Time
  • If I Were In Your Shoes
  • Meantime
  • Try To Remember
  • I'm All I Got
  • Maybe Soon
  • Maybe This Time
  • Don't Ever Leave Me
  • The Travelin' Life
  • Together Wherever We Go
  • Blue Moon
  • I Knew Him When
  • Wait Till You See Him
  • My Shining Hour
  • I Like The Likes Of You
  • It Amazes Me
  • Looking At You
  • I Never Have Seen Snow
  • Plenty Of Time
  • For Every Man
    There's A Woman
  • Lorelei
  • Shouldn't There
    Be Lightning
  • Nobody Knows When
    You're Down
    And Out
  • Walk Right In/
    How Come You
    Do Me
    Like You Do
  • Imprevu
    Disc Two:
  • There Is A Time
    (Le Temps)
  • I (Who Have Nothing)
  • M'Lord
  • Watch What Happens
  • One Of Those Songs
  • Days Of The Waltz
  • Ay Marieke
  • Love At Last
    You Have Found Me
  • I'll Build A Stairway
    To Paradise
  • See The Old Man
  • The Parisians
  • One Summer Love
  • Day Dreaming
  • His Woman
  • My Little Corner
    Of The World
  • We'll Be Together
  • A Quiet Thing
  • All I Need
  • Sing Happy
  • Dear Love
  • I'm Not Laughing
  • Did I Hurt Your Feelings
  • The Many Faces Of Love
  • At My Age
  • Middle Of The Street
  • Everybody Loves
    My Baby
  • Marriage Is For Old Folks
  • Come On And Baby Me
  • Liza With A Z

  • WSVNRadio Archives
    A B C D E F G H I J K L M
    N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

    Liza Minnelli related sites:
    Liza Minnelli Website
    Wikipedia
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    Tom Tom Club--Tom Tom Club
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    National Lampoon--Gold Turkey
    Liza Minnelli
    "The Complete Capitol Collection"



    Liza... Most people would not have to know the last name. For those who may not, Liza Minnelli is one of the most popular artists in the genre of Adult Contemporary. More importantly, she is the daughter of legend Judy Garland. Like her mother, she achieved great success as a singer, yet she did have her "demons" as her mother, with drugs and alcohol. Sadly, Judy Garland passed away at the young age of 47 (June 22, 1969); the cause of death was barbituate overdose. Luckily for Liza, she would talk openly about drug rehab, and, she would outlive her mother; she is currently 69 years old.


    By the time she was 17, she was already performing professionally, playing in the chorus of Flower Drum Song. She performed on Broadway by age 19. It was this age, she would turn to music, as a nightclub singer. In 1964, she began recording for Capitol Records. Three studio albums were released, from 1964 to 1966. (There was a live album on Capitol, released with her mother, in 1965.)


    The three studio albums were reissued on CD as The Complete Capitol Collection, consisting of all three original albums, and unreleased tracks. The three albums were: Liza! Liza! (1964), It Amazes Me (1965), and There Is A Time (1966). Despite poor record sales for all of the releases, they were all well-received by the critics.


    Liza! Liza! (1964)
    There is no doubt, we can all hear Judy Garland in practically every song recorded by Liza Minnelli. Although what stands out for Liza, are the Broadway/Cabaret-type tracks. There are plenty of those here. The more sensitive tracks (fitting the Adult Contemporary category), gets great comparisons not only to Judy Garland, but other well-known and famous AC artists, such as Frank Sinatra, and Tony Bennett. Also to mention another popular AC artist, Barbra Streisand.


    For her first album, she received advice from a classmate, by the name of Marvin Hamlisch. He had already been working on Broadway (Funny Girl), and he suggested songs for the album. Of course, Hamlisch would become a future music producer/arranger in his own right -- his most popular was the soundtrack to the Paul Newman/Robert Redford film, The Sting. Two songs that they had already worked on some years prior, would become part of Liza's first album -- "It's Just a Matter of Time", and "The Travelin' Life." Producer Paul Matz would also be a huge impact on Liza's career, with his orchestration arranging, as he would be a part of her long recording career, until his death in 2002.


    Definitely the Broadway sound is the peak style of Liza! Liza! Easily fitting the Adult Contemporary category, the "Broadway-sound" tracks makes her debut a solid, and energetic album: "It's Just A Matter Of Time," "Meantime," "I'm All I Got," "Maybe This Time," "The Travelin' Life," and "Blue Moon" (the popular '50s tune, yet recorded much differently, with it's Broadway-ish style, only Liza can put her name on). As for the remaining tracks, they fit the AC genre: "Try To Remember," "Maybe Soon," "Don't Every Leave Me," "Together Wherever We Go," "I Knew Him When." And if there was a particular track that would closely resemble Judy Garland, it would be "If I Were In Your Shoes."


    Although this album did not do well on the charts, the reviews were very positive. During three years from the release, the album sold over half a million copies. The reviews were "an auspicious debut,""fine new talent", impressive, beguiling, and beautifully varied album from a major singing talent," "simply great, with clarity of tone, genuine feeling, emotion".


    It Amazes Me (1965)
    Just as her debut, everyone involved from the first album collaborated on Liza's second solo album. It contained 11 pop standards, of which they were upbeat tunes and ballads. One thing to mention on her second release, there weren't as many Broadway-sounding tracks, as the style was more as lite-sounding Adult Contemporary. Frank Sinatra-type tracks would be the best comparison. Of the "Broadway-sounding" tracks to mention, there is the opener, "Wait Till You See Him." "For Every Man There's A Woman" best describes Broadway as well, even to the like of Tony Bennett. A mix of Sinatra and Broadway is heard on "Lorelei."


    The Sinatra/lite-AC compare gets the remaining songs. They are all wonderfully crafted, and beautiful in sound: "My Shining Hour," "I Like The Likes Of You" (which is one of those songs that you feel that Liza was having a great time recording it). The title track, "Looking At You," "I Never Have Seen Snow," "Plenty Of Time," "Shouldn't There Be Lightning," are all beautiful. The closing track for the album, "NObody Knows When You're Down And Out" is beautiful as well, and ends on a great vocalized "belting it out," which Liza has done with many of her songs.


    One track that was left off the original release of It Amazes Me, was the medley of Walk Right In" (a #1 hit for The Rooftop singers) and "How Come You Do Me Like You Do." This song, and the single "Imprevu" are included on this Complete Capitol Collection.


    Disc two begins with Liza's third solo release from 1966, There Is A Time.
    Once again, she returns with 11 pop standards. The Broadway-sounding tracks return more on this release, and afew lite-sounding AC tracks. The Broadway-ish tunes: "M'Lord," "One Of Those Songs," "Days Of The Waltz," "Ay Marieke," "I'll Build A Stairway To Paradise and "The Parisians."


    Then there's the AC tracks: "There Is A Time (Le Temps," the Tom Jones hit "I (Who Have Nothing)," the "AC Sinatra" "Watch What Happens," and the beautifully AC "Love At Last You Have Found Me" and "See The Old Man'


    Just as her debut, both It Amazes Me and There Is A Time resulted the same on the Albums chart (low), yet the reviews were very positive.


    The remaining tracks were unreleased songs and singles, from 1963 to 1966. Of the unreleased tracks, they were: "My Little Corner Of The World, "We'll Be Together" (AC, upbeat AC), "The Many Faces Of Love," "At My Age," "Marriage Is For Old Folks" (theatrical Jazz, soft Jazz, offbeat Jazz), "Come On And Baby Me" (Broadway), and "Liza With A Z" (a song that would be a future TV show; she indicates that "My name is Liza, with a "Z", and remember this..." Liza has become a Legend.)


    The singles: "One Summer Love, "How Much Will I Love You," "Day Dreaming (AC), "His Woman" (Cuban/Mambo/Jazz !!), "A Quiet Thing" (AC), "All I Need" (Mambo/Broadway), "Sing Happy," "Dear Love" (Streisand AC), "I'm Not Laughing," "Did I Hurt Your Feelings" (Jazz), "Middle Of The Street," "Everbody Loves My Baby" ('60s Pop)


    This was the beginning for a very successful music career for Judy Garland's daughter, Liza Minnelli. She would become a crowd favorite, and concert events. I was lucky to see her perform in 1980, at the Chicago Theatre. Bob Hope was the first act. I was employed at River Oaks Theaters at the time, as Plitt Theaters was the main company that had sent their theater employees to the Chicago Theatre to work as ushers, concession, and doormen. Both Bob Hope and Liza Minnelli were outstanding. We did return the following year in Chicago, but I cannot remember who were the main acts.


    Liza proved to be a Legend. She recorded 11 studio albums, yet recorded many live albums, which is what she was most famous for, performing in concerts. Like her mother, she was well-loved and highly popular. Yet Judy Garland's downfall was her abuse with drugs, alcohol, and depression. Liza had her bouts with these demons too, yet she was able to get help, and she is still with us today. She is currently 69 years old. She has been married and divorced 4 times. She has no children. She has kept herself involved with charities. Her most recent musical works have been a studio album in 2010, and a live cast recording in 2009.


    Liza is a true Legend. The Complete Capitol Collection begins her journey into a long and prosperous successful career in music. For the main Broadway fan, this is a must. Also, her performance in the movie Cabaret is a highly recommendation. The soundtrack to this film is also a must for your collection. As "Dorothy" from the Wizard of Oz said, "There's no place like home." Music is home for Liza Minnelli. Liza Minnelli is music.


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    Previous Review: #1439
    Tom Tom Club--Tom Tom Club
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    National Lampoon--Gold Turkey