ON THE RECORD: Lost and Rare Judy Garland, Plus Jane Krakowski's "The Laziest Gal in Town"

By Steven Suskin
24 Aug 2010

JANE KRAKOWSKI: The Laziest Gal in Town [DRG CD-91519]
"The Laziest Gal in Town," at Feinstein's at Loew's Regency last October, was not Jane Krakowski; she was out there workin' her way through a high-octane act (entitled — for the record, but not for the CD — Jane Krakowski Has Sold Out... Tickets Available). She opened with Cole Porter's tune about that lazy gal, which lends its title to the CD. Krakowski knows how to sing and dance and entertain, as those who've seen her in the original Grand Hotel or the 2003 revival of Nine (for which she won a Tony) or the 2005 West End revival of Guys and Dolls (for which she won an Olivier) can avow. The "30 Rock" star can also charm an audience, which she did handily on this occasion.

The CD reflects the act, recorded live at Feinstein's. Eleven musical numbers were presented, two of them being two-song medleys; the rest of the CD consists of patter. Krakowski presented a fairly successful mix of the old and the new, the tame and the racy. "Laziest Gal" is very fine, as is her second number ("A Little Brains, A Little Talent," which she sang at City Center's 2009 summertime revival of Damn Yankees). Then came a perfect example of mixing old and new; Krakowski had Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman — those droll boys — update Rodgers & Hart's "Zip," from Pal Joey. "Tweet," it's called, and it's a comic marvel.

More of the same old/new is attempted with Jule Styne and Leo Robin's "Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend," from Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, and not to the advantage of song or singer. Transformed with a rap section by Chad Beguelin, this one has the opposite effect of "Tweet." Krakowski scores with Eubie Blake and Andy Razaf's "My Handy Man," that suggestive old hit of Ethel Waters' (which is enhanced, and how, by the playing of Jay Leonhart on the bass). But "An Englishman Needs Time," from Eartha Kitt, just goes on and on and on and on with little payoff.

Krakowski makes "The Laziest Gal in Town" great fun, with musical director/arranger Michael Kosarin and his band adding to the merriment. And "Tweet" is a gem.

(Steven Suskin is author of the recently released updated and expanded Fourth Edition of "Show Tunes" as well as "The Sound of Broadway Music: A Book of Orchestrators and Orchestrations," "Second Act Trouble," and the "Opening Night on Broadway" books. He can be reached at Ssuskin@aol.com.)

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