By Steven Suskin
15 Nov 2009

LIZ CALLAWAY: Passage of Time [PS Classics PS-984]
In the 1983 musical Baby, songwriters Maltby and Shire had a middle-aged character sing a song called "Patterns" (which was cut) while their twentyish heroine Liz Callaway sang songs, shook the rafters of the Barrymore and gave birth to the title character. I mention this only because 25 years later, Ms. Callaway is singing that same "Patterns" on her new CD "Passage of Time." To those of us familiar with the original cast recording of Baby, it sounds like there has been little-to-no passage of time; this is not the same 22-year-old voice, certainly, but no way does it sound middle-aged. Callaway went on to create the role of Ellen in Miss Saigon, picking up her second Tony nomination in the process. Such was the nature of musical theatre job opportunities in the 1980-2000 period that Ms. Callaway's most profitable gig was a five-year stint singing "Memory" at the Winter Garden.

At any rate, Callaway's new CD does indeed address the passage of time. Among the highlights are "Nothing to Lose (But Your Heart)," a fine new song from Ahrens and Flaherty. Not new, exactly; it was written four or five years ago for a Norwegian pop star, who never recorded it. Ms. Callaway had done the demo for Ahrens and Flaherty back them; when looking for songs for "Passage of Time," she remembered it and called the composer (who orchestrated it for this recording, and plays the piano part too). The aforementioned "Patterns" is especially good, with an effective orchestration provided by composer David Shire; so is "Better," from Ed Kleban, and Carly Simon and Jacob Brackman's "That's the Way I've Always Heard It Should Be" (a fine duet with Ann Hampton Callaway). The latter two are orchestrated by Callaway's musical director, Alex Rybeck. Standing out, perhaps surprisingly, is a wonderfully touching rendition of John Lennon and Paul McCartney's "Eleanor Rigby."

What's more, the singer favors us with a couple of special pieces of Sondheim. (Callaway comes naturally by Sondheim, having made her debut in the original Merrily We Roll Along, playing the Nightclub Waitress and understudying Mary, followed by the 1983 "A Stephen Sondheim Evening" and as Young Sally in the 1985 "Follies in Concert.") Here we have an especially good "Children Will Listen," incorporating material from the rarely heard verse and well orchestrated by Michael Starobin. Callaway ends the disc with "Being Alive," in a solo version (as opposed to that heard in the show, with dialogue breaks) prepared by the composer for the above-mentioned 1983 anthology.

*

Two Christmas albums benefiting worthy causes have also appeared. BROADWAY'S CAROLS FOR A CURE: Volume 11 [Rock-it Science Records] comes along as it has every season for more than a decade, with contributions from cast members (and musicians, conductors, arrangers and more) benefiting Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. Twenty-two groups are represented; Broadway shows, Off-Broadway shows, and some other local groups. As always the holiday songs range from traditional to vibrantly nontraditional, resulting in an enjoyable sampler. As always, you can buy "Carols for a Cure" through broadwaycares.org or in many theatre lobbies during the upcoming fund-raising period when cast members — instead of rushing out the door after curtain calls — come out to the cold, drafty lobby to greet theatregoers and pass the basket.

A second such album has come our way, NEW YORK CITY CHRISTMAS [Ghostlight 8-3332] to benefit ASTEP (Artists Striving to End Poverty). Assembled by orchestrator and musical director Lynne Shankel (of Cry-Baby and Altar Boyz), the studio CD is drawn from last December's benefit concert. Raul Esparza, Sierra Boggess, Chester Gregory II, Andy Karl, Constantine Maroulis and Orfeh are among the singers. (The songs include a new number, "Wish for a Daddy," from the new musical comedy Naughty/Nice by composer Gerald Stockstill and Playbill.com's own Kenneth Jones, a lyricist. Sally Wilfert sings it.) ASTEP will present a live, encore performance of New York City Christmas on Dec. 14 at Joe's Pub.

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