Album Details: Digitally Remastered Edition of the 1991 Original Cast Album of the Hit Andrew Lloyd Webber Musical featuring Pop and Stock Aitken Waterman Star Jason Donovan in the Lead Role. Includes Full Libretto and Deluxe Packaging.
Disc 1:
Act 1. Prologue
Act 1. Any Dream Will Do (single version)
Act 1. Jacob & Sons / Joseph's Coat
Act 1. Joseph's Dreams
Act 1. Poor, Poor Joseph
Act 1. One More Angel in Heaven
Act 1. Potiphar
Act 1. Close Every Door
Act 1. Go, Go, Go Joseph
Act 2. Pharaoh Story
Act 2. Poor, Poor Pharaoh
Act 2. Song of the King (Seven Fat Cows)
Act 2. Pharaoh's Dreams Explained
Act 2. Stone the Crows
Act 2. Those Canaan Days
Act 2. The Brothers Come to Egypt / Grovel, Grovel
Act 2. Who's the Thief?
Act 2. Benjamin Calypso
Act 2. Joseph All the Time
Act 2. Jacob in Egypt
Act 2. Finale: Any Dream Will Do / Give Me My Coloured Coat
London version of Joseph & The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat Highly enjoyable version, although my personal preference is the Canadian version with Donny Osmond. The narrator in the London version is top notch as are the other cast members - well worth the money for all this listening pleasure
REMASTERED RELEASE OF LLOYD WEBBER'S FIRST HIT MUSICAL Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat is Andrew Lloyd Webber's first staged musical work and his first staged collaboration with his best lyricist Tim Rice. The very first musical they wrote together, called `The likes of us', didn't reach the stage at that time and was put there for a single special performance in 2005, luckily, captured on CD and also available here at Amazon.
With `Joseph', it all began when in 1967 Lloyd Webber and his friend Rice were commissioned by the head of music at Colet Court School, London, to write a religious concert for the school choir. Joseph was first presented in 1968 and, after further performances at St Paul's Cathedral and the Roundhouse in London, and the Edinburgh Festival, opened in the West End in 1973. It wasn't much of a success, however, until Lloyd Webber bought back the rights to it in the early 90-is, reworked it and put on stage a very successful production that has been put in many other countries in the world and filmed for a special DVD.
The plot takes motives from a well known biblical Old Testament story of Joseph, the youngest son of Jacob, patriarch of Israel, and the coat of many colours that Jacob gave to Joseph as a sign that he is the special one among his sons. Joseph's older brothers became jealous and sold Joseph to be a slave in Egypt, telling their father that he's been killed by a passing goat. After being imprisoned by his equally jealous master, Joseph helps the pharaoh in solving his enigmatic dreams and becomes his first adviser who saves Egypt from the great famine. Back in Canaan, Joseph's brothers and father are starving and so the brothers go to Egypt where food is in abundance. Joseph recognizes them, but not vice versa. After he learns them a lesson because of their past behaviour, Joseph is reunited with his brothers and father in Egypt.
This is one of those Lloyd Webber shows that are aimed at everybody, the young and the old (just like `Cats' or `Starlight Express'. The songs are mostly pop and a merry note can be found in most of them. Also, this show is supposed to be fun, so there are numerous musical styles in it. For example, there is a country song that the brothers sing; at the other point they sing a French chanson with the French accents. The pharaoh sings like Elvis and one song is in a calypso tone. Overall, it's a nice whole of diverse songs and singing styles. Tim Rice has written his funniest lyrics, blending beautifully with the score. The most notable songs are "Any dream will do" and "Close every door" sung by Joseph and the big number "Jacob and sons" .
This London cast recording features Jason Donovan, the Australian pop singer as Joseph and Linzi Hateley as a female narrator. Donovan's voice isn't as strong as that of the American Joseph Donny Osmond, but his voice has the boyish charm that Osmond lacks. Hately's soprano follows the speedy tempo of her songs with ease. She hits all the high notes without problem and remains one of the best Joseph narrators to date. The children choirs add a special touch to the songs.
This is a remastered and improved release of the 1991 original CD. This means that it has resolved the main problem of the past, i.e. the bad sound. Now we hear everything with crystal clarity. The CD comes in a nice slipcase, with a separate libretto and a booklet with new production pictures. All this is a significant and welcome improvement.
The flashy production of Joseph can be seen at the DVD of the same name with Donny Osmond playing the lead. Joseph remains a part of Webber-Rice trilogy that cannot be overlooked.
A wonderful JOSEPH recording Of the recordings of JOSEPH I've heard, I consider this to be the most wonderful and characterful recording of this Lord Lloyd-Webber musical. Osmond offers us all a rich portrayal of the eponymous dream-teller, filled with presence, but Donovan captures more subtleties of the character. Donovan conveys more wide-eyed and youthful innocence in his portrayal of Joseph and turns in a wonderful performance, capped by his renditions of the beguiling Any Dream Will Do and the pathos of Close Every Door. Donovan is well-partnered by Linzi Hateley as a charismatic and winning Narrator. Yes, I know you'll argue that the late-lamented Laurie Beechman virtually owns the role with her superior lung-power but Hateley engages the listener and makes the role her own. The superb line-up includes David Easter in an overripe performance of the Elvis-styled Pharaoh, and one can hear the little touches of humour he brings to his portrayal. The ensemble features a strong line-up of Brothers, and Nicolas Colicos as Reuben and Johnny Amboi as Judah make the most of their solos in One More Angel and in the Benjamin Calypso. Philip Cox gives a wonderful solo in Those Canaan Days (though Jeff Blumenkrantz is probably more memorable). To have it remastered makes it better than ever, especially with an improved libretto booklet despite some errors. Highly recommended to those who want their first recording of Joseph.
SOME GREAT MUSIC!!! This is a great CD if you are doing this musical for your school play. I liked this CD because it had some great music and had pictures of this musical, and a packet full of lyrics to the show. The guy who's palying joseph(Jason Donovan) had a stict londen voice which sounded good but it didn't sound as good as Donny Osmand or Michael Damian. Also to me, the people singing the Joseph megamix seemed not exciting and dead compared to the other CDs of Joseph. Still, if you would like the original Londen new cast of Joseph, buy it!
SOME GREAT MUSIC!!! This is a great CD if you are doing this musical for your school play. I liked this CD because it had some great music and had pictures of this musical, and a packet full of lyrics to the show. The guy who's palying joseph(Jason Donovan) had a stict londen voice which sounded good but it didn't sound as good as Donny Osmand or Michael Damian. Also to me, the people singing the Joseph Remix seemed not exciting and dead compared to the other CDs of Joseph. Still, if you would like the original Londen new cast of Joseph, buy it!
Anything Goes Trivia
Megaton Man
Tailipoe
Trevor
