News

Kritzerland has announced its first slate of releases for 2022.

Leading off the trio is the latest volume in the label’s long-running reissue series from Ben Bagley’s Painted Smiles Records. Harold Arlen and Vernon Duke Revisited Vol. 2, first released in 1980 and expanded in 1991, celebrated the two composers’ oeuvres with a typically eclectic Bagley cast including jazz singer Blossom Dearie; stage and screen stars Sandy Duncan, Helen Gallagher, Dolores Gray, and Tammy Grimes; and songwriter-pianist Arthur Siegel.  Dennis Deal and Albert Evans provided the arrangements for these selections which feature lyrics from Ira Gershwin, Martin Charnin (Annie), E.Y. Harburg (The Wizard of Oz), John Latouche (The Golden Apple), and Howard Dietz (The Band Wagon).  Arlen’s compositions include a medley from the 1934 revue Life Begins at 8:40 (lyrics by Harburg and Gershwin) as well as cut songs from Jamaica (1957, lyrics by Harburg) and more.  Among the Duke songs are rarities from the scores of Banjo Eyes (1941, lyrics by Latouche and Harold Adamson), Zenda (1963, lyrics by Charnin and others), Walk a Little Faster (1932, lyrics by Harburg), and The Lady Comes Across (1942, lyrics by Latouche).  Harold Arlen and Vernon Duke Revisited Vol. 2 is limited to 500 units.  The CD will ship by the by the second week of February, but pre-orders from the label typically arrive earlier (subject to change and COVID delays, of course).

Next up is the first-ever reissue of the 1996 Cast Recording of Tom Jones and Harvey Schmidt’s musical I Do! I Do!, originally released on Varese Sarabande.  The show premiered on Broadway in 1966 in Gower Champion’s production starring the legendary pair of Mary Martin and Robert Preston in its only two roles.  Based on Jan DeHartog’s play The Fourposter, I Do! I Do! spans fifty years in the life of a married couple, Michael and Agnes.  The original staging closed after 560 performances, but the show had a further life thanks to Ed Ames’ hit recording of “My Cup Runneth Over” as well as a 1970s tour with Carol Burnett and Rock Hudson, and a 1982 television adaptation with Lee Remick and Hal Linden.  In 1996, director Will Mackenzie’s revival opened at New York’s Lambs Theatre, starring Karen Ziemba and David Garrison.  The intimate production featured the two actors accompanied by just two pianos; producer Bruce Kimmel recorded the beautifully intimate production (which ran just 52 performances) for Varese but the release soon went out-of-print.  Kritzerland’s reissue has been remastered by James Nelson and features one bonus track, the cut song “Thousands of Flowers,” sung by Ziemba and Garrison.  The booklet boasts new liner notes from author Jones, Kimmel, Ziemba, and Garrison plus color photographs.  It’s limited to 500 units and also scheduled to ship by the second week of February.

The third Kritzerland release is the first CD release of Ray Leppard’s score to the 1969 film Alfred the Great.  Director Clive Donner’s historical epic starred David Hemmings, Michael York, Colin Blakely, Ian McKellen, Julian Glover, Vivien Merchant, and Prunella Ransome, but the illustrious cast and big budget didn’t keep it from flopping at the box office upon its release.  However, certain aspects of the film have grown in stature over the years, including the score by Ray Leppard.  Better known as a conductor, Leppard supplied his only full-length movie score for Alfred the Great.  Kritzerland’s CD features the original 1969 album program plus two bonus tracks of original film versions, all remastered by Chris Malone.  As with the other two titles, this one is limited to just 500 units and scheduled to ship by the second week of February.

You’ll find the track listings and pre-order links for all three titles below.

Various Artists, Ben Bagley’s Harold Arlen and Vernon Duke Revisited Vol. 2 (Painted Smiles LP PS 1373, 1980 – reissued Kritzerland, 2022)

Harold Arlen: Life Begins at 8:40 Medley

1. Life Begins at 8:40 or Thereabouts – Arthur Siegel and Chorus
2. C’est La Vie – Helen Gallagher, Jamie Rocco, Arthur Siegel
3. Will You Love Me Monday Morning – Sandy Duncan
4. Such Unusual Weather – Blossom Dearie and Arthur Siegel
5. When the Wind Blows South – Dolores Gray
6. Things – Helen Gallagher
7. Sweet Wind Blowing My Way – Tammy Grimes
8. Poor As a Church Mouse – Dolores Gray
9. Promise Not to Love Me – Blossom Dearie
10. The Elks and the Masons – Arthur Siegel and Chorus

Vernon Duke

11. I’ll Take the City -Arthur Siegel and Chorus
12. Let Him Not Be Beautiful -Blossom Dearie
13. Off Again, On Again -Tammy Grimes

The Lady Comes Across Medley

14. This Is Where I Came In – Sandy Duncan and Arthur Siegel
15. I’d Like to Talk About the Weather – Helen Gallagher and Arthur Siegel
16. You Took Me By Surprise – Blossom Dearie
17. Sailing at Midnight – Dolores Gray

Walk a Little Faster Medley

18. That’s Life – Arthur Siegel and Chorus
19. So Nonchalant – Sandy Duncan, Arthur Siegel, and Chorus
20. A Penny for Your Thoughts – Sandy Duncan

Additional Arlen

21. Midnight – Sarah Knapp
22. Could Be Good for You – Martin Charnin
23. Why Do You Make Me Love You? – Sarah Knapp
24. Little Travel Bug – Sarah Knapp
25. Summer in Brooklyn – Sarah Knapp

I Do! I Do! 1996 Cast Recording (Varese Sarabande VSD-5730, 1996 – reissued Kritzerland, 2022)

1. The Wedding (All the Dearly Beloved/Together Forever/I Do! I Do!) – Both
2. Michael Gets Undressed – Pianos
3. Goodnight – Both
4. I Love My Wife – Michael
5. Something Has Happened – Agnes
6. The Waiting Room – Michael
7. Love Isn’t Everything – Both
8. Nobody’s Perfect – Both
9. It’s a Well-Known Fact – Michael
10. Flaming Agnes – Agnes
11. The Honeymoon is Over – Both
12. Entr’acte – Pianos
13. Where Are the Snows? – Both
14. My Cup Runneth Over – Both
15. When the Kids Get Married – Both
16. The Father of the Bride – Michael
17. What Is a Woman? – Agnes
18. Someone Needs Me – Both
19. Roll Up the Ribbons – Both
20. This House – Both
21. Thousands of Flowers – Both (Bonus Track)

Ray Leppard, Alfred the Great: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (MGM (U.K.) LP CS 8112, 1969 – reissued Kritzerland, 2022)

1. Main Title
2. Invasion of the Vikings
3. Alfred Turns Back the Vikings
4. First Meeting
5. First Quarrel
6. The First Kiss
7. Death of King Ethelred
8. King Buhrud Deserts Alfred
9. Queen Aelhswith Leaves Alfred
10. Aelhswith Surrenders to Guthrum
11. Alfred in the Outlaw Camp
12. A Night in the Forest
13. The Nobles Rally to Alfred
14. Alfred’s Victory

Bonus Tracks

15. Prologue/Invasion of the Vikings/Ordination (Film Version)
16. End Title (Film Version)