By Steven Suskin
15 Nov 2009

We listen to Kate Baldwin's "Let's See What Happens," with songs by Lane and Harburg, and Liz Callaway's "Passage of Time."

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KATE BALDWIN: Let's See What Happens [PS Classics PS-986]
"That Something Extra Special" is a song title, from the Jule Styne-E.Y. Harburg musical Darling of the Day, which serves as the opening track on Kate Baldwin's new CD "Let's See What Happens." "That something extra special" just might be a phrase you'd pick to describe Ms. Baldwin. Starring just now in the vibrant revival of Finian's Rainbow at the St. James, this newly-minted leading lady is especially well-showcased on her new solo CD from PS Classics.

Following her appearance in the Burton Lane-Yip Harburg classic at Encores! last March, Baldwin had the good sense to go into the studio with a stackful of songs by Lane and Harburg. Lane or Harburg, we should say; only four of the 16 songs come from the pair, who did not get along especially well. On the first day of rehearsals of Finian back in 1947, Lane performed the songs for the cast. When he finished and they applauded enthusiastically, Harburg dismissively told them "he's just the piano player." Lane stormed out, and that was that. However difficult the collaboration might have been, they certainly turned out a remarkable score for their "Glocca Morra" musical.

The decision to shake songs from the Lane/Harburg tree turned out to be sound; in come contributions from Lerner, Loesser and Fields on Burton's side and Arlen, Styne and Duke on Yip's. So what we have is an excellent (if underactive composer) and an excellent lyricist, compounded by some of the finest composers and lyricists of our time. And the song pickers on this occasion — Ms. Baldwin and producer Tommy Krasker, presumably — know how to pick 'em. Little known songs mostly, other than "How Are Things in Glocca Morra?" "Come Back to Me" and "How About You?," but fine songs all. What's more, there are nine orchestrators on display, with some especially fine work. "How About You?" — that's the one that goes "I like New York in June, how about you?" — is given a swinging rendition by Jonathan Tunick, who plays the solo clarinet solo here. (This and his other two tracks, a breezy "Come Back to Me" and a jazzy rendition of Arlen's "Paris Is a Lonely Town" from the animated film "Gay Purr-ee," are performed by "Jonathan Tunick's Broadway Moonlighters," featuring 13 top pit players.)

Rob Berman, the musical director from Finian and Encores!, gives us not only "Glocca Morra" but two little-known charmers, "Have Feet, Will Dance" (written by Burton and Dorothy Fields for the TV musical "Junior Miss") and "I Like the Likes of You" (from Vernon Duke and the Ziegfeld Follies of 1934). "Moments Like This," an early Hollywood songs from Lane and Loesser, sounds very good as handled by Georgia Stitt, while Jason Robert Brown gives us a whimsical "I Don't Think I'll End It All Today" (from the Arlen-Harburg Jamaica).

If it seems like we're addressing the arrangers while ignoring the singer, that's because Ms. Baldwin sparkles throughout; no need to follow her progress song-by-song. The CD ends with a high point, just Baldwin and Mr. Berman (at the piano) giving us "The World Is in My Arms." I don't know what this sounded like when Lane and Harburg wrote it for Al Jolson in their only stage musical other than Finian's Rainbow, the 1940 Hold On to Your Hats; here it sounds just wonderful. Continued...

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