John Kander: Hidden Treasures

Composer John Kander turned 99 in March and has had at least one show running on Broadway for the past 45 years. Those shows include Cabaret and Chicago, but so many more: 13, in fact.

In this deluxe two-CD set, produced 10 years ago by TMTP/Harbinger, Ken Bloom and I worked with John to select 49 songs from his body of work, most of it with lyrics by the composer’s longtime collaborator Fred Ebb. The set includes a 64-page booklet with notes by former New York Times theater critic Jesse Green, and many of the recordings are rare demos.

It all makes for essential listening. John once said, “I think I’d like to be remembered as an emotion-stirrer, whether the emotions are happy or tender or sad. But emotions that have impact.”

Here is the proof positive. –B.R.

Track List 

1-1    John Kander, Fred Ebb – I Love Music    
1-2    John Kander – Janie    
1-3    Robert Mesrobian, Ray Pitt, Oberlin College Student Cast – Excerpt From Requiem For Georgie    
1-4    John Kander – Dance With Me    
1-5    John Riddle, Elena Shaddow, David Loud – There's A Room In My House    
1-6    John Kander – My Coloring Book    
1-7    John Kander, Fred Ebb – Happy New Year    
1-8    John Kander, Fred Ebb – A Simple Thing Like That    
1-9    John Kander, Fred Ebb – The Kid Herself    
1-10    John Kander – A Quiet Thing    
1-11    John Kander, Fred Ebb – So What?    
1-12    John Kander, Fred Ebb – Guten Abend    
1-13    John Kander, Fred Ebb – It'll All Blow Over    
1-14    John Kander, Fred Ebb – Cabaret    
1-15    John Kander, Fred Ebb – In His Own Good Time    
1-16    John Kander – Walking Among My Yesterdays    
1-17    John Kander, Fred Ebb – Getting Younger Ev'ry Year    
1-18    John Kander, Fred Ebb – If You Leave Me Now    
1-19    John Kander, Fred Ebb – I Have A Friend    
1-20    John Kander, Fred Ebb – Look There    
1-21    Anita Gillette, David Loud – Only Love    
1-22    John Kander, Fred Ebb – Seven O'Clock    
1-23    John Kander, Fred Ebb – Coffee In A Cardboard Cup    
1-24    John Kander, Fred Ebb – You Old Bastards    
2-1    John Kander, Fred Ebb – Wait For Me, World    
2-2    John Kander – Isn't This Better?    
2-3    John Kander, Fred Ebb – Roxie    
2-4    John Kander – Windowpanes Of Rose   
2-5    John Kander, Fred Ebb – It    
2-6    John Kander, Fred Ebb – Good Thing Going    
2-7    John Kander, Fred Ebb – Theme From New York, New York (Original Version)    
2-8    John Kander, Fred Ebb – Theme From New York, New York (Final Version)    
2-9    Michael Winther, Grant Wenaus – I Get My Music From My Dad    
2-10    Brent Barrett (2) – Summer With You    
2-11    John Kander, Fred Ebb – The Man About Town    
2-12    John Kander, Fred Ebb – Not Enough Magic/Round It Goes    
2-13    John Kander, Fred Ebb – Man Overboard    
2-14    John Kander, Fred Ebb – Never You    
2-15    Karen Ziemba, David Loud – Nobody's Fault    
2-16    Clarke Peters, Jim Laev – The Wheel    
2-17    Linda Emond, John Kander – He Always Comes Home To Me    
2-18    Jim Newman (4), Jim Laev – Nice People    
2-19    David Standish, Michael McCormick (5), Jim Laev – Military Man    
2-20    Brent Barrett (2) – The Skin Of Our Teeth    
2-21    Alix Korey, Barbara Walsh – You Know Me    
2-22    Julia Murney, Paul Anthony Stewart (2), Paul Masse (2) – Look Up    
2-23    Lewis Cleale, Greg Pierce (2) – You, If Anyone    
2-24    John Kander, Greg Pierce (2) – People Like Us    
2-25    John Kander, Fred Ebb – Yes