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    • The Songs of West Side Story

    The Songs of West Side Story

    01/30/1996

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    Lyrics from The Songs of West Side Story

  • Somewhere - Phil Collins
  • A Boy Like That - Selena
  • Somewhere - Dave Brubeck Quartet

    • All Music Guide Review

    In 1992, AIDS Project Los Angeles staged an all-star benefit concert in which contemporary artists performed songs from +West Side Story. It was a cute one-shot idea and well-received (especially with such inspired choices as having Elton John sing "I Feel Pretty"). That should have been the end of it, but several years later, producer David Pack organized this recorded version and enlisted a cast of middle-level stars with the intention of contemporizing the Leonard Bernstein-Stephen Sondheim score. So, naturally, "Gee, Officer Krupke!" becomes a rap song performed by Salt-N-Pepa and others, and "A Boy Like That" is rendered with a new jack/Latin vibe by Selena. Other such practitioners of the style include James Ingram, Michael McDonald, Kenny Loggins, Natalie Cole, and Tevin Campbell, and session regulars like Greg Phillinganes. Brian Setzer turns in a sizzling "Prologue/Jet Song." A version of "Cool" featuring Patti Austin, Bruce Hornsby, and Branford Marsalis captures the song's feel in a jazz context. Aretha Franklin and Little Richard are here, as is Phil Collins. Leonard Bernstein, a card-carrying eclectic and media maven, would have loved this record. He also would have loved a Merseybeat version in 1966, a disco version in 1976, and a synth pop version in 1986. ~ William Ruhlmann, All Music Guide

    The Songs of West Side Story Track Listing

    Credits of The Songs of West Side Story

    • David Pack
    • Synthesizer, Percussion, Keyboards, Drums, Arranger, Guitar, Vocals (Background), Performer, Producer
    • Brian Setzer
    • Guitar, Vocals (Background), Performer, Arranger
    • Jerry Hey
    • Trumpet, Horn Arrangements, Flugelhorn
    • Def Jef
    • Programming, Noise, Performer


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