THE BEST IS YET TO COME – THE SONGS OF CY COLEMAN
The work of Cy Coleman may not seem to have much of a place within the context of the popular music of the 2000’s, and maybe his songs do belong on the threshold of the old world. But one must remember that Coleman, one of the youngest and hippest of the Jewish-American aristocracy of Broadway composers, was responsible for some of the most enduring and smartly written showbiz tunes of the 20th Century, deftly avoiding the middle-of-the road sentiment and foggy-eyed romanticism of other popular composers of the era. Take for example the eternally snappy Rhythm of Life, the tawdry, gyrating Big Spender (both curiously absent from this collection), and who could stay standing on their knees when cooed by Lucille Ball as she begs, Hey Look Me Over? This collection of re-interpretations of some of Coleman’s more popular tunes is approached with the same era-crossing confidence as the failed film experiment De-Lovely (during which one can witness the brutalization of Cole Porter’s repertoire at the hands of giants like Alanis Morrisett, Robbie Williams and Kevin Kline). But the difference is that here the musicality of the arrangements by Dave Palmer and the gracious vocals of modern indie divas Fiona Apple, Missy Higgins and Madeleine Peyroux makes this a sumptuous listen, highlights including the irresistible lilt of I’ve Got Your Number and the sad and weary Too Many Tomorrows. It’s all pretty glossy, but in a good way. Broadway is Broadway, but at least Cy Coleman did it with a bit of verve.
***1/2
