ULTIMATE COLLECTION STEVE LAWRENCE / EYDI GORME The first track on this 4-CD set is "This Could Be the Start of Something Big," and it sure is: here, at last, is the Steve Lawrence and Eydie Gorm� collection all of their fans have been waiting for, the biggest and (by far) best-sounding set ever devoted to the pair of legendary pop vocalists. Under the supervision of their son David Lawrence (who contributes a personal note to the booklet), we've gone back to the original tapes for most of these 72 tracks; some of these have never appeared on CD, and, with Eric Boulanger's new remastering, the ones that have come out sound much better than they did before. Disc One, "Duet Classics," features such career touchstones for the couple as "Baby It's Cold Outside," "For Once in Your Life," and "We Got Us." Disc Two, "Steve Classics," brings the hits with "Portrait of My Love," "Footsteps," and "Go Away Little Girl" along with such signature renditions as "I've Gotta Be Me" and "I Want to Be with You" and even an unreleased track, "You and I." Eydie takes over (and how!) on Disc Three with such smashes as "Blame It on the Bossa Nova," "What Did I Have That I Don't Have," "If He Walked into My Life," "Tonight I'll Say a Prayer, and her Spanish-language classic with Trio Los Panchos, "Sabor a M�." And Disc Four revels in the duo's love of Broadway with songs like "Mama, A Rainbow," "The Ladies Who Lunch," "Two on the Aisle," and the uproarious "The Honeymoon Is Over." Like this collection, Joe Marchese's liner notes follow Steve and Eydie's career every step of the way, and we've included some rare photos courtesy of the estate. The ultimate collection indeed, the comprehensive, career-spanning collection these two icons have long deserved!

What Makes Sammy Run? is based on the 1941 novel by Budd Schulberg and tells, through memorable songs and tragicomic situations the story of movie producer Sammy Glick, brilliantly portrayed by Steve Lawrence. The plot turns the inspiring rags-to-riches story upside-down revealing Sammy's manipulative rise to the top of Hollywood through intimidation, blatant plagiarism and back-stabbing. Sammy will stop at nothing yet he always seems to come out ahead, making Sammy Glick among the most memorable and complex of Broadway show villains.
In addition to Steve Lawrence, the cast includes Sally Ann Howes as ghostwriter Kit Sargent, Bernice Massi as Laurette Harrington and Robert Alda as Al Manheim.

The songs for the 1964 musical were composed by Ervin Drake with the show's script written by novelist Budd Schulberg and his brother, Stuart Schulberg. What Makes Sammy Run? was earlier dramatized into several made-for-TV plays starring José Ferrer and later Larry Blyden, but in its depiction of the decadent side of Hollywood, it is telling that though the rights to a movie version were purchased by Warner Brothers, the musical and the original novel and TV dramas have never been made into a movie.

The album includes all the songs from the original Broadway cast recording plus an illustrated booklet with a thorough and entertaining story of the show and complete plot synopsis written by Curtis F. Brown and Lucy E. Cross.

What Makes Sammy Run?
Based on the novel by BUDD SCHULBERG
Music and Lyrics by ERVIN DRAKE
Book by BUDD and STUART SCHULBERG
Starring STEVE LAWRENCE, SALLY ANN HOWES, BERNICE MASSI, ROBERT ALDA
Musical Staging by MATT MATTOX with BARRY NEWMAN, ARNY FREEMAN, RICHARD FRANCE ,GEORGE COE, GRACIE LA DANIELE , MACE BARRETT , RALPH STANTLEY,EDWARD MCNALLY and WALTER KAVUN
Vocal Arrangements and Musical Direction by LEHMAN ENGEL
Orchestrations by DON WALKER Dance Arrangements by ARNOLD GOLAND
Production Manager: MICHAEL THOMA

Production Supervised by ROBERT WEINER
Directed by ABE BURROWS
Produced for records by GODDARD LIEBERSON

Giacomo Facco (1676–1753), born near Venice, was active in southern Italy as violinist, choirmaster and teacher before his appointment to the Spanish royal court c. 1720. Although highly esteemed in his own time, Facco had disappeared from musical history until his Pensieri Adriarmonici were discovered in a Mexican library in 1962. Bright and buoyant, they have much in common with the music of Vivaldi, Albinoni and Facco’s other Venetian contemporaries – but are here given a distinct twist with a basso continuo of vihuela and guitarrón, as they might have been performed in 18th c. Mexico.

"• Giacomo Facco (1676–1753) was active in southern Italy as violinist, choirmaster and teacher.. • Once highly esteemed, Facco disappeared from musical history entirely until a set of his twelve Pensieri Adriarmonici were discovered in 1962, a story told in the accompanying booklet. • The Pensieri Adriarmonici have much in common with the music of his Venetian contemporaries. • This first volume of the first-ever complete Pensieri Adriarmonici performances are by the Mexican Baroque Orchestra."

Setting texts for chorus or solo songs occupied Samuel Barber throughout his creative life. In particular he sought out English and Irish writers, many of whose melancholic and nostalgic texts aptly matched his own musically romantic persuasion.

2014 compilation of hits from one of the most influential figures in modern Gospel music. After a stint as music director for Soul legend Stephanie Mills, Lawrence made a splash in the Gospel world by reshaping the regional Tri-City Singers and transforming them into an internationally acclaimed choir. The creative mind of the Grammy Award winning producer, composer and recording artist has set the standard for excellence in the Gospel music field over the last two decades with signature #1 radio smashes such as 'Back II Eden,' 'Encourage Yourself' and 'The Blessing of Abraham' which spent 18 weeks at #1 on Billboard magazine's Hot Gospel Songs radio chart. Lawrence blends the classicism of traditional Gospel music and retro soul grooves with uplifting messages of self-affirmation. Featuring 15 of his most popular hits, THE BEST OF Donald Lawrence & CO. Is the ultimate choir collection, including 'Healed,' 'I Speak Life' and 'Spiritual.'

The Swedish baritone Peter Mattei has made a formidable reputation for himself performing at the most prestigious opera houses in the world: the Metropolitan, Teatro alla Scala and Covent Garden, to mention but a few. He first came to the attention of an international audience when Peter Brook selected him as his Don Giovanni, for an Aix-en-Provence production which was later filmed. Something of a 'director's opera singer', Mattei has also worked with Ingmar Bergman, Michael Haneke and Patrice Chereau, and regularly astounds audiences with his exceptional acting skills, coupled as they are with a voice of rare beauty. In the recording studio he is, however, a more rarely seen guest. On this his first and long-awaited disc of arias, he revels in the rich opportunities offered by the baritone literature, performing a selection of his favourite arias and roles. Lovelorn young men and cynical libertines, friends faithful unto death and innocent victims of oppression - all of these are brought to life as one of today's finest operatic baritones displays his entire range with the eminent support of the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra and Lawrence Renes on the podium

On this CD twofer are two best-selling Lawrence Welk LPs, LAST DATE and MOON RIVER plus 6 bonus tracks. Apart from making best-selling albums of easy listening "champagne" music, bandleader Welk also hosted a popular TV show from 1955 until the 1970s. As a single the song LAST DATE was a Top 30 hit. Re-mastered in glorious stereo with 6 bonus tracks (including a re-recording of his signature theme BUBBLES IN THE WINE in stereo) this 30 track CD of popular tunes from the early 1960s is one musical trip down memory lane.

2018 release. It will come as no surprise to fans of Azar Lawrence that his life's work is to bridge the gap between his listeners and the Elementals (the spiritual essences of the four elements earth, air, fire and water). For over four decades he has unstintingly explored music as a healing force, and the mystical connections between past and future, myth and fact, the physical world and that which is beyond. Lawrence hopes that in a holistic sense, Elementals encourages a spiritual awakening. "All of this music is healing music; that's our whole concept is to heal and uplift," he explains. "If it's delivered and received on the right level, it will raise our own vibrations and bring us in touch with those higher spirits that respond when the music is pure with love and joy." It also happens to be an intensely powerful and swinging recording.

Two of today's most brilliant tenors, Michael Spyres and Lawrence Brownlee, celebrate the art of the trailblazing star singers of Rossini's time. Amici e Rivali - 'Friends and Rivals' - comprises arias, duets, and trios from seven of the composer's operas, written between 1815 and 1826: the most famous comic opera of them all, Il Barbiere di Siviglia, and six serious dramatic works Otello, Armida, La donna del Lago, Elisabetta, Regina d'Inghilterra, Le Si�ge de Corinthe, and, the rarest title here, Ricciardo e Zoraide.

MacMillan's Viola Concerto was written for Lawrence Power, who brings a unique authority to it's first recording. A major addition to the repertoire, the fourth symphony is a generous and appropriate coupling. Both works incorporate and transform musical elements from the distant past.