Is it possible to have too much of a good thing? I would have said no, but when offered the chance to review the next instalment of Broadway Records' Live at 54 Below series, featuring a double CDs worth of the music of perhaps my favourite Broadway songwriting team, I was a little concerned. I needn't have been.

The award winning team of Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty are currently represented on Broadway with Rocky and are behind numerous other Broadway and Off-Broadway musicals including Ragtime, Once On This Island, Seussical, My Favorite Year, A Man of No Importance as well as the classic animated film, Anastasia.

Nice Fighting You: A 30th Anniversary Celebration Live at 54 Below was recorded live over a series of six performances last September (2013). Winner of Broadway World's NYC Cabaret Award for "Best Revue" of 2013, the concerts featured hits and rarities from across Ahrens and Flaherty's career and offered previews of material from new shows as well.

The talent line up on the recording is immense. Annaleigh Ashford, Stephanie J. Block, Liz Callaway, Kevin Chamberlin, Quentin Earl Darrington, Lewis Grosso, Julie Halston, Jeremy Jordan, LaChanze, Kecia Lewis, Rebecca Luker, Marin Mazzie, Sean McCourt, Brian Stokes Mitchell, Jessica Molaskey, Bobby Steggert and Mary Testa. And, of course, Ahrens and Flaherty themselves, along with a great band, under the direction of Ted Sperling, who also plays some exquisite piano.

This is simply one of the best releases that I've ever had the pleasure of listening to. The choice of music is perfect, and features perhaps all of the showstoppers from their 30 year career. Picking highlights is almost impossible, there are just so many. How can you compare Liz Callaway singing 'Journey To The Past' from Anastasia to the wonderful Kevin Chamberlin singing the Seussical fantasy 'Alone In The Universe'? My personal favourites, and that's all they are, were the tracks from the wonderful A Man Of No Importance and Ragtime - two of my favourite musicals of all time. 'The Streets of Dublin' and 'Make Them Hear You' are two of the finest show tracks you will hear, and are portrayed here by Sean McCourt and Quentin Earl Darrington with emotion and style.

It was also great to hear new tracks, from their latest hit Rocky, and their soon-to-be hit Ballerina, the later being performed by the uber-talented Stephanie J Block. Rarely have such an array of A list Broadway stars featured on such an album - which is some testament to the quality of the writing.

I've no need to comment further on the quality of the releases from Broadway Records - as usual, the best in the business. The album sounds glorious, despite being a live recording, and the artwork, with great pictures, is again, perfect. My only one criticism, and it's what stopped it getting full marks, is I would have liked to have heard more of the Ahrens & Flaherty back-story, or something more about the shows. I know that may have been at the expense of a couple of tracks, but for me it would have made this even more unmissable.

Still, it's more than worth getting hold of this set and setting aside a few hours, as one listen will not be enough.

9

Ian Gude