- Published on
I am very happy to report that Sepia Records will soon be releasing yet another Mario Lanza compilation: Never Till Now, a collection of some of the man's finest recordings in English (ballads, operetta, love songs, etc). Armando Cesari, Vince Di Placido, Lee Ann Cafferata and yours truly were the compilers, and the material that we have chosen spans most of Lanza's commercial recording career: from 1950 to 1958.
While none of us has any financial interest in this CD, I think it's safe to say that we're all delighted to be associated with a compilation that not only represents Lanza at his best in this genre, but is stunning to look at as well. As I never tire of saying, Sepia is truly a class act.
The sources for this CD were the best-available vinyl reproductions, reel-to-reel tapes (including the original Coke Show broadcasts of songs like "If," and in the case of the 1950 "Because," the aurally resplendent RAI programme La Mia Vita per il Canto from 1959), and some of Lanza's own tapes and acetates (courtesy of the late Colleen and late Damon Lanza), all lovingly remastered by Sepia's resident sound guru, Robin Cherry.
More than anything else, though, it's the stunning consistency of the selections presented here that I think will bowl over listeners. There are no off-days in the studio to be heard here! In each instance where more than one Lanza version of a song exists, we've chosen what we consider the best rendition. Examples include the discarded MGM take of "All the Things You Are" (a mono reproduction, I should acknowledge, but one that compares not unfavourably sound-wise with the long-deleted Rhino stereo reproduction---its only previous outing on CD) and the glorious 1956 Cavalcade version of "Yours Is My Heart Alone," which I believe has never sounded better. The restored spoken intros to "The Night Is Young," "If I Loved You," and the Albert Hall "Because You're Mine" are also a delight to hear.
UPDATE #1 (9 February 2016): The CD is available now directly from Sepia Records (it's listed there as a "forthcoming release," but it's actually already in stock), and will be released at propermusic.com, amazon.co.uk, and amazon.com on 4 March 2016. Sepia Records and ProperMusic are probably the cheapest options, especially for those outside of the UK.
UPDATE #2 (23 February 2016) Lindsay Perigo has posted a rave review of the CD at his web site here.
While none of us has any financial interest in this CD, I think it's safe to say that we're all delighted to be associated with a compilation that not only represents Lanza at his best in this genre, but is stunning to look at as well. As I never tire of saying, Sepia is truly a class act.
The sources for this CD were the best-available vinyl reproductions, reel-to-reel tapes (including the original Coke Show broadcasts of songs like "If," and in the case of the 1950 "Because," the aurally resplendent RAI programme La Mia Vita per il Canto from 1959), and some of Lanza's own tapes and acetates (courtesy of the late Colleen and late Damon Lanza), all lovingly remastered by Sepia's resident sound guru, Robin Cherry.
More than anything else, though, it's the stunning consistency of the selections presented here that I think will bowl over listeners. There are no off-days in the studio to be heard here! In each instance where more than one Lanza version of a song exists, we've chosen what we consider the best rendition. Examples include the discarded MGM take of "All the Things You Are" (a mono reproduction, I should acknowledge, but one that compares not unfavourably sound-wise with the long-deleted Rhino stereo reproduction---its only previous outing on CD) and the glorious 1956 Cavalcade version of "Yours Is My Heart Alone," which I believe has never sounded better. The restored spoken intros to "The Night Is Young," "If I Loved You," and the Albert Hall "Because You're Mine" are also a delight to hear.
UPDATE #1 (9 February 2016): The CD is available now directly from Sepia Records (it's listed there as a "forthcoming release," but it's actually already in stock), and will be released at propermusic.com, amazon.co.uk, and amazon.com on 4 March 2016. Sepia Records and ProperMusic are probably the cheapest options, especially for those outside of the UK.
UPDATE #2 (23 February 2016) Lindsay Perigo has posted a rave review of the CD at his web site here.
I think the cumulative effect of hearing so many outstanding tracks in succession is going to surprise even Lanza aficionados :) In fact, when I recently shared the master file with one very discerning Mario admirer, this was his response:
"This is a magnificent compilation! Listening to it again I cannot help but marvel, not only at the beauty of the voice and the total involvement with both the music and the lyrics, but also at the sheer versatility of the man and his ability to use different shades of colouring. From the darker tone in For You Alone, to the lightness of All The Things You Are, the poetry of Some Day, Serenade, Beloved and Deep in My Heart, the ring and brilliance of Only a Rose to the seductive tones of A Night to Remember, the combined agility and mellowness of Begin the Beguine just to single out a few, each and every number in this collection is impressive."
Now you can't ask for a better reaction than that!
Cheers,
Derek