[.ca] Stars & the Moon - Live at the

From Amazon.com:
While Stars and the Moon does open with Sondheim's "Not a Day Goes By," followed by Jerome Kern's classic "Just the Way You Look Tonight," acclaimed singer-actress Betty Buckley here departs from the expected format of Broadway standards. She is accompanied on this live performance in 2000 at London's celebrated Donmar by a band of jazzmen, whose central voice ideally pairs Buckley with arranger-pianist Kenny Werner. Under these optimal conditions, the remarkably talented Buckley sings from inside this somewhat surprising collection of tunes, delivering them with heart, soul, and beautifully imperfect grace. The warm, craggy, emotive tones of her instrument are well preserved in the recording. "Poet's Medley" fashions the lyric from bits of Dorothy Parker, Edna St. Vincent Millay, and Emily Dickinson, and Buckley's turns on James Taylor's "Fire and Rain" and the traditional "Amazing Grace" come across as invitingly fresh. --Paige La Grone

the unsung singer's singer:
I have seen over a hundred performances at the Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts and Betty Buckley's concert there a couple of years back remains in the top five ever. What makes her a truly great singer is her dedication to making the audience understand and feel the meaning of the song. Her ego is secondary to conveying the heart and soul of the work of music and she is careful to make the band part of this delicate balance. The emotion she stirs is part of her craft which has been honed by countless performances on stage. This album has moments of brilliance which demonstrate Ms. Buckley's artistry but above all she makes you feel right down to your soul what a songwriter wants to give his or her listeners. Show tunes are a breeze for this wonderful singer but her interpretation of the poetry of Edna St. Vincent Millay, Dorothy Parker and Emily Dickinson set to music in a medley is as great as it gets in popular recordings. I wish Betty Buckley had ten more albums, I would buy them all.

Haunting, mesmerising, inspired:
I saw Betty Buckley in concert at the Donmar, and was in fact there the night the video cameras invaded the small auditorium. I had not previously heard her perform, but knew of her varied successes on stage and in film. I left a fully-fledged fan. What a voice. What presence. What a sheer unadulterated DELIGHT to be in the presence of such a phenomenon. The CD conveys some of the mood and is certainly a welcome addition to any eclectic CD collection. Ain't nothing like the real thing - go see the great lady in concert!

Great Performance:
I had the pleasure of seeing Ms. Buckley Perform in Scottsdale, Arizona last year and she performed many of the same songs that appear on this album. I was so pleased to be able to listen to them again, and will surely listen to them repeatedly. She is a great performer and this is a wonderful addition to anyone's CD Collection.

A very intimate recording of Betty Buckley:
The first Betty Buckley CD I heard was her Carnegie Hall Concert. It was such a magnificent display of vocal and acting prowess. However, what strucked me most was her version there of "Come on, Come on" and "Everyday a little death". The simple songs with minimal instrumentation proved to be very effective and heartfelt. Then, I got her HEart to heart; and St. Bart CD. I was smitten. She is indeed a wonderful actor and singer, a rare find in today's Broadway belters. Then, I got this CD. I really have no idea of the song, "Stars and the Moon". Then I heard hers. With minimal instrumentation, she was able to put across the message. The timing and humor was preserved. I got to listen to other singers' version, but B Buckley's version is my favorite. Some would ache for the BIG buckley voice. However, I would prefer this CD. The intimacy is a fresh welcome. I really find enjoyable her version of the poem songs and Stars and the moon. I was able to watch the video of the concert, and I must say that it is a shame that her performance of Come On Come on, and the dialogues were not included in the CD. Watch the video, it is a real treat.

A Ruminative Betty, Flowing and Ebbing.....:
Okay, I love Buckley, but so far, I'm not too crazy about this CD (and I really wanted to love it). It's not that I need Hurricane Betty (a la Carnegie Hall) all of the time (e.g., I love the last, very contemplative CD), but this live concert somehow just isn't my cup of tea. I hadn't heard this until after I saw Buckley do the Rosie O'Donnell show the week after its release, and I was quite taken aback by the jazz-oriented arrangement of "Stars and The Moon" (a song, through Audra McDonald, I really love) and her Cat "chow chow chow" stage movements of Buckley when singing this wonderful, brilliant song. I'm trying to get it to grow on me, but for my ears and money, the often overly elaborate ("fussy", I think Stephen Holden called them in his review last week of Buckley's Lincoln Center debut) arrangements detract from Buckley on this go-around. If I want to listen to Keith Jarrett, I'll put him on. I'd rather hear Buckley sing (huge, somber, whatever), rather than be distracted by Werner's listen-to-me! arrangements. Especially on Stars and the Moon and on Old Friend, where the jazz-orientation, for me, cuts away for the most part all of the dramatic aspects of the songs. And his piano break on Send in the Clowns is fairly nervewracking. And yeah, I wish Buckley had at least one big fat "Hurricane Betty" song here. Maybe it will help to *watch* her do these songs on the DVD instead, but this is a mixed bag for the most part and those who relish Buckley in her big-belter mode will just not get this lineup at all.

• Not a Day Goes By
• Just the Way You Look Tonight
• Stars and the Moon
• Finding Home
• Answer Me My Love
• Migratory V/A Horse With Wings
• Fire and Rain
• Poet's Medley: Red Dress/Souvenir/Will There Really Be a Morning
• Old Friend
• Send in the Clowns
• Close to Home
• Amazing Grace