St. Louis Woman
1998 Encores!/City Center Cast
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| # | Track | Artist/Composer | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Overture St. Louis Woman | The Coffee Club Orchestra | 5:15 |
| 2. | Li'l Augie Is A Natural Man | Chuck Cooper | 3:57 |
| 3. | Sweeten' Water | Vanessa Williams | 1:26 |
| 4. | Any Place I Hang My Hat Is Home | Vanessa Williams | 3:12 |
| 5. | I Feel My Luck Comin' Down | Stanley Wayne Mathis | 3:05 |
| 6. | I Had Myself A True Love | Helen Goldsby | 3:54 |
| 7. | Legalize My Name | Victor Trent Cook | 3:45 |
| 8. | Cakewalk Your Lady | Joseph Webster | 4:36 |
| 9. | Come Rain Or Come Shine | Vanessa Williams | 3:28 |
| 10. | Chinquapin Bush / Lullaby | Vanessa Williams | 2:41 |
| 11. | Sleep Peaceful, Mr. Used-To-Be | Helen Goldsby | 3:02 |
| 12. | Entr'Acte St. Louis Woman | The Coffee Club Orchestra | 2:17 |
| 13. | Funeral Scene: Prelude | Vanessa Williams | 2:46 |
| 14. | Leavin' Time | Vanessa Williams | 2:25 |
| 15. | Come Rain Or Come Shine (Reprise) | Vanessa Williams | 2:32 |
| 16. | It's A Woman's Prerogative | Yvette Cason | 2:55 |
| 17. | Ridin' On The Moon | Stanley Wayne Mathis | 3:01 |
| 18. | I Wonder What Became Of Me | Helen Goldsby | 3:38 |
| 19. | Least That's My Opinion | Chuck Cooper | 2:26 |
| 20. | Come On Li'l Augie | Vanessa Williams | 5:14 |
| 21. | Finale: Come Rain Or Come Shine | Vanessa Williams | 1:25 |
| 67:00 |
After it flopped in 1946, Harold Arlen and Johnny Mercer's musical about nightclubs and jockeys featuring an all-black cast had simply vanished. The original cast album was long out of print, and, worst of all, no orchestral scores had survived. After lengthy sleuthing, New York's Encores! team brought the show back to life. From pulsing big-band dance stomps to a cakewalk to near-operatic blues (yes, it works) the score is breathtaking, and both orchestra and singers rise up to the challenge, obviously exhilarated by the material. A special mention goes to Vanessa L. Williams, who confirms her natural affinity for Broadway ('Come Rain or Come Shine' with Stanley Wayne Mathis, 'Any Place I Hang My Hat Is Home'). Original cast recording of the year for 1998, bar none. --Elisabeth Vincentelli