Once upon a time, it was all the craze to issue instrumental versions of show tunes. Right from the concept of the ‘cast album’ jazz combos, instrumentalists, and even classical orchestras were taking the popular songs and either creating direct instrumental versions of them, jazz workings or sometimes dance or disco extravaganzas, Apart from a couple of notable exceptions, it’s been pretty quiet in that area of my collection. Until now.

Imagine Stephen Sondheim’s music and lyrics pumping through the magical haze of a discotheque. No? Me neither. Step up to the mic, Losing My Mind: A Sondheim Disco Fever Dream.

Adapted and expanded from a 2018 concert, this studio recording conceived and created by Joshua Hinck and Scott Wasserman places Sondheim's work into the popular music of the 1970's and '80s, fusing the master of musical theatre with various styles of disco.

Broadway Records have chosen such an album to celebrate Stephen Sondheim’s 90th birthday , and it’s certainly a unique and imaginative reinterpretation. Inspired by previous efforts such as The Ethel Merman Disco Album and Gordon Grody’s The Ballad of Sweeney Todd, the 12-track album combines over forty of the master’s songs and features the talents of Alison Luff (Waitress, Wicked), Blaine Krauss (Pose, Great Comet), Aneesa Folds (Freestyle Love Supreme), Charity Angél Dawson (Waitress), Vishal Vaidya (Groundhog Day), Brittnie Price (Postmodern Jukebox), Juwan Crawley (Aladdin), Deonté L. Warren (Aladdin), Joshua Hinck (Hail Oblivion), Aili Venho (50 Shades! The Musical), and Onyie Nwachukwu (Rent Natl Tour), as well as a special cameo from Chip Zien. The singers are backed by a thirteen-piece orchestra, and the album features liner notes by David Levy.

Not sure where to start to be honest. This album is joy from the first track. The 'Opening' track is just so clever, and this continued throughout the album. It really is so much more than a lot of songs with a disco beat added, like some 1980s Yamaha keyboard preset. It’s extremely musical, and clearly it’s been a labour of love. The way that songs are interwoven, not only with Sondheim songs (yes, I heard 'I Wanna Dance With Somebody'!) is very, very clever.

'Hello Pretty Lady / Lovely Moments By The Sea' was certainly a favourite - I think I smiled the whole way through, as I did with the opening and 'Our Time', with its amazing vocals. The selection of songs is spot on. And there’s even a Megamix.

If you want some light relief in these troubled times, you’re not going to go far wrong with this album.

9

Ian Gude