Swings Cole Porter [Soundtrack]

Just One Of Those Things/ What Is This Thing Called Love/ In The Still Of The Night/ I Happen To Like New York/ Anything Goes/ After You, Who? / Ca C'Est L'Amour/ Don't Fence Me In/ Miss Otis Regrets/ Do I Love You/ You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To/ Ev'ry Time We Say Goodbye/ It's Alright With Me/ Easy To Love (bonus track from 'Anything Goes' 2003 cast recording). Running time approx 44 minutes.

Rarely does one have the perfect combination of performer, material and orchestrations that can be found in this new album from West End and Broadway star John Barrowman who can currently be seen in the hit Cole Porter musical 'Anything Goes' at The Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, London. The album comprising 13 new performances and a bonus track from the cast album of 'Anything Goes' is from the very start 'a breath of fresh air' and a most wonderful set of standards. John performs the songs in a number of different styles some reminiscent of West End staging, utilising all that he has learnt in the many musicals in which he has appeared, others are more cabaret in inspiration and some are in a grand concert interpretation all backed by the London Pro Arte Orchestra. I particularly liked his treatment of 'Ev'ry time we say goodbye' with it's little heard opening verse and a full version running over 4 minutes. Such is his skill that he can make even the most difficult of numbers sound the easiest to perform and this is the test of any vocalist. He passes with flying colours. All of these Cole Porter numbers are classics and there are now definitive John Barrowman performances of 'After you, who?' 'What is this thing called love?' with a great instrumental solo, 'In the still of the night' and a beautifully sung 'Miss Otis Regrets' accompanied on piano by the talented Beverly Holt. The arrangements by Larry Blank are superb and the sound is the best I have heard for a long long time and is a great tribute to Toby Alington the Chief Engineer on the album. The huge 38-piece orchestra plays Cole Porter at his best and supports John beautifully throughout his faultless performances. As a modern day collection of one of the most popular of composers this CD is a must.

Clive Fuller