Songs for My Father

by Heather MacRae

Overview

Once there was a New York bistro called Eighty Eight's. Downstairs had a singalong piano bar while the second floor hosted performances by such stalwarts of Broadway and cabaret as Nancy LaMott, Julie Halston, and for its coda, Heather MacRae, daughter of Gordon MacRae. This album captures the last performance of this venue before it shut its doors in 1999. Daughter MacRae takes this opportunity to honor her famous talented father with a program of songs from shows in which he appeared. There are tunes from Carousel, The Desert Song, and Tea for Two. Understandably, the show that gets most attention is Oklahoma, where MacRae had perhaps his greatest role, that of the mostly out-of-work cowhand Curley. In addition to the music, daughter MacRae tells some family stories about father MacRae's comings and goings in this role. One of the more improbable, but true, tales is that James Dean was one of those actually considered for the Curley role, which MacRae says would have made him "a cowboy without a cause." The singer and piano accompaniment and sometimes vocal companion Mark Nadler delivers most tunes with what they call for -- vigor and enthusiasm. MacRae shows a great deal of sensitivity, however, as she runs the gamut from stern determination to tenderness in "Soliloquy" from Carousel. She and Nadler have a lot of fun with a music hall-flavored "Piano, Bass, and Drums" from About Face. There's a lovely vocal recounting of "What's the Use of Wondrin'," whose lyrics have special place here following a MacRae discourse about her sometimes-tumultuous relationship with her father. While the vast, thoroughly delightful Hollywood musicals that made household names out of rich baritones like Gordon MacRae are likely gone forever, albums like this one keep the memories warm. Recommended. ~ Dave Nathan

Product Details

Release Date:	09/18/2001
Label:	Harbinger Records
UPC:	0632433190227
Rank:	253527

Tracks

1. Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin', song (from "Oklahoma")
2. Heather's Intro (Speech)
3. Long Before I Knew You
4. I Only Have Eyes for You
5. Tea For Two, song
6. The Desert Song, operetta~Medley: The Desert Song / One Alone
7. The Desert Song, operetta~Medley: The Desert Song / One Alone
8. Face to Face (for film Three Sailors and a Girl)
9. Piano, Bass and Drums (for film About Face)
10. Crazy rhythm
11. Oklahoma! Stories (Speech)~Bench Scene/If I Loved You
12. Oklahoma! Stories (Speech)~Heather and Her Father
13. The Surrey with the Fringe on Top, song (from "Oklahoma")~The Surrey with the Fringe on Top
14. The Surrey with the Fringe on Top, song (from "Oklahoma")~The Surrey with the Fringe on Top
15. Oklahoma!, song (from "Oklahoma")~Oklahoma!
16. Oklahoma!, song (from "Oklahoma")~Oklahoma!

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Heather MacRae   Primary Artist,Vocals,Speech/Speaker/Speaking Part
Mark Nadler   Featured Artist,Piano,Vocals,Musical Director,Musical Direction
Barry Kleinbort   Director

Technical Credits

Barry Kleinbort   Producer,Direction,Concept
Mark Nadler   Concept,Arranger
Sigmund Romberg   Composer
Irving Caesar   Composer,Lyricist
Oscar Hammerstein II   Composer,Lyricist
Jamie deRoy   Executive Producer
Richard Rodgers   Composer
Heather Sullivan   Photography
LuAnn Graffeo   Art Direction
Frank Mandel   Lyricist
Lu Ann Graffeo   Art Direction
Rick Rowe   Mastering
Otto Harbach   Composer,Lyricist
Buddy DeSylva   Composer
Heather MacRae   Concept,Arranger,Arrangement Collaboration
Vincent Youmans   Composer
Jerome Kern   Composer