Mathis
On Broadway
Johnny Mathis
Fans
of
Johnny Mathis have had to wait a long time--since the
legendary Ballads
and Rhythms of Broadway from 1960, in fact--for a
recording of the singer performing nothing but Broadway tunes. In Mathis
on Broadway, he turns his attention to the musical as it has
developed in the last two decades, with very pleasing results.
Instead of falling into the aging crooner syndrome--and its
predictably ridiculous attempts at sounding hip--Mathis can bring
convincing personality to an anthem like "Seasons of
Love" from Rent
and at the same time play off Nell Carter's gritty emotionalism
with flair. His gentle vibrancy even gives life to the musical
clichés Frank Wildhorn stitches together for Jekyll
and Hyde's "Once upon a Dream." Mathis is
especially wonderful with Sondheim, including a song from the
unjustly neglected but marvelous Passion and "Children
Will Listen" from Into
the Woods--the latter embedded in a tune from Ragtime
and featuring a duet with Betty Buckley. Whatever the material,
Mathis reliably recoins it with his trademark suavity, but also
with a sense of entering into the given character and his
situation--a pity then that we only get 33 minutes of music, since
Mathis provides the kind of company you don't want to leave. --Tom
May
The
Ultimate Hits Collection
Johnny Mathis
This man has an elegance
in his tone and the way he presents his music. He has been so good
at just singing the heart into a song. When you need music with
style, class and feeling this is a must have. He sounds even
better today than before. If he gets solid material than folks
would really have to worry cuz the guy can still phrase. --
Anonymous Review
16
Most Requested Songs
Johnny Mathis
It's been suggested
that almost as many baby boomers were conceived to the romantic
sounds of Johnny Mathis's voice as to Sinatra's--and when you
consider that Johnny's Greatest Hits stayed on Billboard's
Top 40 chart for 178 weeks beginning in '58 (that's more than
twice as long as Dark Side of the Moon, folks!), it's easy
to understand why. Sony has used this "16 Most
Requested" routine on a number of their easy-listening
vocalists (including Sinatra and Andy Williams), but this one is
special in that it takes the cream of Mathis's Greatest Hits
album and rounds it out with his 1970s take on several movie theme
hits, including Love Story and Romeo & Juliet. A
truly unique and romantic sound. --Bill Holdship
![The Music Of Johnny... [BOX SET]](../images/cover_mathis8.gif)
The
Music Of Johnny... [BOX SET]
Johnny Mathis
Mathis
was among the singers who, in the '60s and '70s, churned out an
album every few months--often made up largely of the same recent
chart hits his peers (Andy Williams, Jerry Vale) were covering.
Despite the presence of "Feelings," however, this
four-CD box is low on chaff and high on the wispy romanticism of
hits such as "Chances Are," "Misty," and
"It's Not for Me to Say." --Rickey Wright
