Well, dear readers, I am sitting here like so much fish, listening to the Broadway cast recording of West Side Story. I know this was one of the first stereo Columbia cast albums and it still sounds pretty great, although it’s surprising how ragged the band is. But it has a real electricity to it. And before that it was Bernstein’s Trouble in Tahiti. I don’t love Bernstein’s own stereo recording of it – for me, the definitive recording is the mono version on MGM Records, conducted by Arthur Winograd, starring Beverly Wolff and David Atkinson. It’s just brilliant and perfect and I love the music. Prior to that, I did watch a motion picture on Blu and Ray entitled AngelA, un film de Luc Besson, certainly an eclectic and interesting filmmaker. This is a very atypical film for him – a whimsical semi-comedy about a nebbishy loser who’s in debt up to his ears and being threatened hourly by the bad people he owes money to. He’s contemplating jumping off a bridge when he notices a VERY tall, blonde young woman about to do the same. She jumps, he jumps after her and saves her. But she’s not a suicidal woman, she’s the title character, an Angel sent to help this guy see the good inside him so he can learn to appreciate the person he really is. It’s a little cloying occasionally, but I really enjoyed it this second time through. It’s photographed in black-and-white scope and looks great. The two leads are terrific. I also listened to the Australian cast album on Nine, which is TERRIBLE. Also, the JAY recording of 110 in the Shade. It’s not a patch on the butt cheeks of the Broadway cast album, which I love, but it sounds decent and it’s complete. As a bonus, you get some tracks from the New York City Opera production, which includes Shooting Star, yet another try at making Evening Star work, but the lyric isn’t nearly as good and it fails for the same reason it always failed from the very first tryout – no bridge. Once I got Harvey and Tom to write a bridge and my close personal friend Guy Haines recorded it, then people began putting it in the show because it finally worked. It’s now in the licensed version. And shortly, just for the comedy of it, I’ll be listening to the Japanese cast album of Scarlett, the Harold Rome musical of Gone With the Wind. Haven’t heard it in ages.
Yesterday turned out to be a pretty nice day. I was up at eleven after almost eight hours of sleep. I shaved and showered and then I had to be on my way for a rehearsal with the singer and her pianist, who’s new to both of us, but who came highly recommended by Robert Yacko. It was quite a drive to Santa Clarita – we were meeting at the pianist’s church, which is near Magic Mountain. The freeway was actually fine until the 405 becomes the 5 and it goes down to three lanes. That was outrageous. Once you’re past that, it’s fine again. I allowed forty-five minutes for what should have been a thirty-minute drive (and was on the way home) – it took forty. Once there, I met the new pianist, whose name is Cassie. I instantly liked her energy and positivity. Then we began going through the show, stopping and starting – I did some arranging things – I found one really funny bit for a song that made us all laugh out loud and that all took two-and-a-half hours, so we finished thirty minutes early. Cassie is a wonderful player, and I should think that once we’re through with this she’ll join our Kritzerland troupe – I’d like to have three pianists to share the shows with, then I’ll never have to worry about anything. It’s just so nice to be around positive people who are fun, and it was a very pleasant rehearsal.
Then I came back, stopped at Jersey Mike’s and got a “regular” turkey and provolone, and a “mini” ham and provolone, came home, and ate turkey and provolone. It was very good. Then I answered some e-mails, had a telephonic call, then sat on my couch like so much fish and watched Angel-A. After the film, I ate the mini ham and provolone, also good, then ordered a little frozen yogurt – vanilla with almonds, crushed Reese’s pieces, and chocolate shell. That arrived and I ate about a quarter of it, and it hit the spot. The rest you know.
Today is a total ME day from start to finish and from finish to start. I’ll be up when I’m up, I’ll putter around the house, I’ll eat something fun – maybe out, or maybe I’ll make something here – and then I’ll just watch, listen, and mostly relax, and I don’t care who knows it.
Tomorrow is our first Kritzerland rehearsal, so I’m really looking forward to that a lot. I’ll also hopefully pick up some packages and perhaps and envelope or two, I’ll eat something, of course, and then that will be that. Thursday is our second rehearsal, which will include our mystery guests, and then we do our stumble-through on Saturday, and then the show on Sunday. And then it’s onto about three or four other projects immediately.
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, be up when I’m up, putter around the house, eat, and then watch, listen, and mostly relax. Today’s topic of discussion: There have been a lot of motion pictures that feature angels – which are your favorites? Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst I hit the road to dreamland, happy to have met a new pianist/musical director of such positive energy and since musical directors have been such a boy’s club for so long, I’m happy to work with a female musical director. And so is the singer.