Customer Reviews

Am I Blue? well a little bit - By: M. C Coulson, 19 Feb 2006
Clunker or Classic, you can't ignore The Cotton Club after all its mix of onstage dance numbers blurring into the action off stage blazed a trail for movies like Chicago.

The Cotton Club soundtrack is a perfect accompaniment to the movie & features 13 of jazzman Bob Wilber's stunning recreations of jazz classics of the era & two examples of John Barry's evocative & deeply romantic score.

The CD seems to be a straight lift from the vinyl released at the time of movie & therefore reflects the limitations of an LPin terms of time. Consequently, many fine performances get lost - notwithstanding John Barry's score other casualties include Larry Marshall's none too convincing version of Cab Calloway's Jitterbug & The Lady With The Fan, Sydney Goldsmith's bawdy rendition of Lucille Brogan's Barebecue Bess, Diane Lane & Richard Gere's charming Am I Blue? & Gregory & Maurice Hines supercharged performance of Crazy Rhythm - there's lots more missing. I suppose it's because the movie tanked at the box office so no-one at Geffen Records is going to bother to expand the score which is a shame.

Moans aside, what you do get is great. Bob Wilber should be applauded for his attention to detailin creating the spirit & feel of the great dance music of the 30's without the pops & crackles.