Editorial Reviews

The original cast album of Kiss Me, Kate has been reissued before, on a late 1980s CD, but the 1998 20-bit remastering can be taken as definitive, and not just because of the improved sound. (Actually, sound is still something of a weak link in this release; the audio is rather dry and the voices often seem somewhat distant and always compressed.) This is the best representation we likely will ever see of this cast -- Alfred Drake, Patricia Morison, Lisa Kirk and Harold Lang -- in these roles; further, it is the cheapest and easiest way for listeners to discover songs like "Tom, Dick or Harry" and, especially, "Too Darn Hot" (definitely not a featured number for a girl singer, as it appears on the movie soundtrack), in their original, intended form. The richly detailed liner notes are a delight to read and, with the accompanying photos, make this a very compelling purchase. In addition, the producers have restored the play's original overture (left off of the original recording), from a recording of the piece made a decade later. (Unfortunately, its presence is also a reminder of the fidelity, warmth, and crispness that is lacking in the original cast material.) Bruce Eder, All Music Guide

Customer Reviews

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