Barbara Cook Is A National Treasure!
I had the pleasure of seeing Barbara Cook in concert last evening, and I'm still amazed at how incredible this performer is. She just turned 78 and her voice is virtually unchanged, bringing to mind the voice of a woman in her thirties. And her dramatic instincts have never been better or stronger: a way with a lyric that's a how-to in show song interpretation; great taste in material and presentation that's a how-to in concert performing. Her selection of Broadway theatre songs is notable for some gems that only hard-core musical fans might know: from "Wait Til We're 65" (On A Clear Day You Can See Forever)to wonderful material from Carnival, Mack & Mabel, etc. And when she sings "In Buddy's Eyes" from Follies---well, you just shake your head at the end of the song in the realization that it doesn't get much better than this. I would highly recommend this collection as a good place to begin if you've not heard her perform. And if she does a concert in your city or anywhere nearby, by all means, just go buy a ticket. You'll feel privileged to have experienced the magic of her incredible talent.