Music » Cabaret Music

Release Date: 2002-01-29, Audio CD, EMI Classics

At the time of this show's 1968 Greenwich Village debut, French singer-songwriter Jacques Brel's body of theatrically insightful ballads was already an obscure but deeply influential treasure trove for many American musicians. The revue's success would go on to influence artists as diverse as Leonard Cohen, Bowie (who covered "Amsterdam" shortly thereafter), and Sinatra, and it may even be responsible for one-hit wonder Terry Jacks's revival of "Seasons in the Sun". More important, the pioneering musical-without-a-book helped introduce Brel's oft-brooding, ever evocative art to a wider American audience--and arguably had an evolutionary influence on Broadway itself. This complete reissue of the 1968 boxed set cast album offers up a rich cross-section of Brel's songs about life, death, and love--and typically sharp-eyed observations about the human follies that season them--deftly performed by a cast that includes Elly Stone, Alice Whitfield, Shawn Elliott, and, crucially, rock pioneer, Brel associate, and co-producer Mort Shuman. This new edition fleshes out the set with the sessions' only unreleased song, a sprightly take on the deliciously cynical "The Middle Class." --Jerry McCulley

Release Date: 2002-07-16, Audio CD, EMI Latin

Torch Songs are particularly sultry ballads, named for their slow-burning, sensuous quality. In this unique collection, Six Degrees presents a new generation of songs of passion, loneliness and unrequited love from Cassandra Wilson, Roy Nathanson w/ Elvis Costello & Cyrus Chestnut, dZihan & Kamien, Mandalay, Sylk 130, David Holmes and others

The international cast of artists on Torch takes a modern approach to the Torch song, creating new smokey ballads dealing with affairs of the heart.

Release Date: 2003-05-06, Audio CD, Gray Cat Records

Release Date: 1999-05-04, Audio CD, Capitol

Release Date: 1997-04-08, Audio CD, Capitol

Release Date: 1997-02-25, Audio CD, Island / Mercury

Hailed as a musical, visual and historic landmark, Roger Waters' The Wall - Live In Berlin has been remixed and remastered (by Nick Griffiths, the original engineer) for the first time since its original 1990 premiere. The CD contains the entire two-hour-plus concert, featuring performances by Bryan Adams, The Band, Thomas Dolby, Cyndi Lauper, Sinead O'Connor, Van Morrison, Scorpions and more. The package boasts new, 2003 artwork, photos and liner notes. Mercury/Universal.

Release Date: 1997-04-08, Audio CD, Capitol