Search - Patti LuPone :: Patti Lupone at Les Mouches

Eva with her hair down

James Hiller | Beaverton, OR | 12/31/2008

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Patti Lupone's been a singing force for years now, as is proven by her latest and most interesting find "Patti Lupone at Les Mouches".



As the liner notes say, her involvement with Les Mouches came after a noticable lack of applause during her now infamous and Tony winning run as Eva Peron in Evita. Somehow, after performing for over two hours in a B'way show in the lead, Lupone had enough voice and gumption to perform in a more intimate show, which is this one.



Lupone in the recording is surprising. At first, with her between song banter, she sounds girlish and not quite the professional of her later years. But then, as she gets into her act, her powerful voice grows and booms out some of her songs. When she gets to the career defining "Don't Cry for Me Argentina", she's in full form.



Some reviewers have complained about the quality of the recording. Is it 2008 sound standard? No. This is from found tape, recorded nearly thirty years ago now. It's amazing to me the sound is what it is. There is not one song distorted to the point of unenjoyment. It's Patti, and her powerful voice is one to awe in. Her song selection is representative of her career up to 1980.



This CD is for Broadway lovers, musical historians, and those who appreciate hearing singers with just a piano and a microphone, and a mighty set of lungs."

THIS IS SHOWBIZ HISTORY!

NYC Music Lover | New York, NY United States | 01/05/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Anyone who is a Patti LuPone fan or is interested in cabaret should pick

up this exuberant CD. No, the sound isn't state of the art, but when you

consider that it was compiled from OLD CASSETTE RECORDINGS that were found

in a shoebox somewhere, the producers and engineers did a heck of a job

getting it to sound as good as it does. If you can get past that, you will hear a performance that is as energetic and heartfelt as anything out

there. At the time it was recorded, Patti was the toast of Broadway, starring in "Evita". She performed this act every Saturday night at midnight (after finishing "Evita" for the night) for half a year and it was

the hottest thing in town. I was living in NYC at the time (I still live

here) and you couldn't go anywhere without seeing the posters for this

show. Her singing is vibrant, real, warm, engaging and her choice of

material is eclectic and risky, and it works. On the one hand, you have

songs you'd expect her to sing, like "Rainbow High" or "Meadowlark", and

then she does things like Patti Smith's "Because The Night" or a reimagined version of Pet Clark's "Downtown", all with great results. This is a rare example of a cabaret performer doing the unexpected, and boy does she pull it off! The CD booklet is filled with reviews of the

show, rare photos and memorabilia, and interesting essays. All in all,

they could not have done a better job considering the age and source of

the material. Get this CD and hear a living Broadway Legend enjoying the

first peak of a long and dazzling career. Go, Patti!"

Captures the late 70's

C. L. Van Note | Naples, FL | 04/18/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This recording perfectly captures the late 70's in the music, arrangements, performance - Patti is delightful and powerful, fun, brash, and intimate. She's a great talent."