Jason Robert Brown, Lauren Kennedy - Songs of Jason Robert Brown

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Music reviews of Songs of Jason Robert Brown

Music Review: The most beautiful CD in the history of the world!
Rating: 5 Stars

The eleven distinctive tracks include at least one composition from each of Jason Robert Brown's three hit musicals: "Songs For A New World", "Parade" and "The Last 5 Years". Those owning the respective cast recordings are in for quite a surprise with this album, as no song is presented in its original theatrical form and often takes the experienced listener into unexpected territory.

From "Songs Of A New World" there are three tracks. `Christmas Lullaby' gains a country feel, and particularly in the final verse Lauren superbly conveys the emotion and suffering which the lyrics suggest. Jason Robert Brown makes (as far as I am aware) his vocal recording debut in an incredibly passionate duet with Lauren in `I'd Give It All For You'. `Flying Home', meanwhile, features wonderfully strong vocals from Lauren, soaring above a gospel-style choir.

One song is featured from "Parade" and it is almost unrecognisable from its show form. `Pretty Music', sung in the show by a Governor to his wife at a tea dance, sees its tempo slowed considerably to a New Orleans style, the introduction of tuba and banjo accompaniment, and more than half of its lyrics rewritten (e.g. the Governor's "I'm the lucky guy who gets to dance with you" is replaced by Lauren's mischievous "Look at what's standing in front of you") to superb effect.

As a great admirer of "The Last 5 Years" in particular, I was initially unsure how I would take to the new arrangements of the three songs featured here. Such doubts were quickly dispelled, however. Here, `I Can Do Better Than That' is as strong as ever albeit with a slightly altered ending, and the major reworkings of the other two songs are amongst the many highlights of the album. In the show - both when Lauren originated the female role in Chicago and in its subsequent New York transfer - `When You Come Home To Me' is somewhat buried within `A Miracle Would Happen', as an audition number for the female character. Here it undergoes a rich orchestration and, complete with ten-piece string section playing at a leisurely tempo, it clearly demonstrates how adaptable and effective Jason Robert Brown's compositions can be. And I cannot imagine anyone other than Lauren making so much of the new, full version of `Goodbye Until Tomorrow' - as soon as one hears the new added percussion at the end of bar four, it is clear a treat is in store! Oh, and for those familiar with the song's context in the musical, prepare for a big surprise when the number reaches the show's "I called Elise to help me pack my bags" male character entry. Lauren takes the song in a totally different direction and leaves you breathless. All in all, it rocks!!!

Then there are the four `premiere recording' tracks. Three of these, `And I Will Follow', `Letting You Go' and the hauntingly beautiful `If I Told You Now' have been performed by Lauren and/or Jason at recent concerts but never have they sounded better than here. `Letting You Go' again features a ten-piece string section, but also a highly effective sudden cut-out of a crescendo accompaniment during Lauren's last lines. As a complete contrast, `If I Told You Now' contains only simple piano accompaniment, in a recording so clear that one can hear Jason Robert Brown's pedal movements. Finally a brand new track recorded just before the album's release, `Dreaming, Wide Awake' which, together with `Letting You Go', confirms that Lauren has the most incredible vocal range and dexterity.

The whole production is clearly a labour of love from start to finish and the immense quality shines through in every aspect. The twenty page booklet accompanying the CD is a joy to peruse, containing lengthy and entertaining introductions from the two artistes, together with full lyrics, individual track notes, over twenty photographs and a very insightful concluding note written by Trevor Nunn who directed Lauren at the National.

All in all, this recording perfectly captures Lauren's truly unique vocal talents. I cannot think of a single performer whose solo album encompasses such a variety of styles: country, gospel, swing, art song and rock, and the vitality and expression she brings to every track is simply breathtaking. As Trevor Nunn suggests, Lauren Kennedy doesn't merely sing songs brilliantly - she inhabits them. In my opinion, she owns them too.

For everyone who loves Jason Robert Brown's writings, and for everyone who has not discovered them yet (an exhaustive combination surely?), I cannot recommend the recording highly enough. The Amazon five-star scale is just not adequate in this case; this masterpiece requires at least a sixth. *

Once this CD is in your player, you won't need to worry if the player's eject button ever breaks. You will have no further need for it.

Description of Songs of Jason Robert Brown

Broadway & Vocalists CDs

• Music > Styles
• Pop