Judy Garland - Miss Show Business (2015 HD Release)

I downloaded and have been enjoying the HDtracks release of Judy Garland’s Miss Show Business album which was her very first with Capitol Records. It’s the 60th anniversary of the release of this album which was a tie-in with Judy's first television special for the Ford Star Jubilee in 1955. It’s a great representation of her strong voice after the release of A Star is Born and she sings some of her classic numbers in addition to a few that she hasn’t recorded before. The arrangements of the songs, especially Over the Rainbow, are similar to how they were performed during her famous concert days at the Palace Theater.

• The 1989 release was mastered by Bob Norberg and was very harsh and tinny sounding.
• The 2002 release on an EMI two-fer along with her Judy album sounded okay but there was a really terrible tape glitch at the end of the Palace Medley. There weren’t any mastering credits listed.
• In 2007, a compilation was released called The Very Best of Judy Garland where all of the original tapes were used and mastered by Dave McEowen and the 7 tracks pulled from the Miss Show Businessalbum sounded really nice and pure there. It’s a mono album so it sounds best presented that way without any widening.
• This 2015 release is mastered by Robert Vosgien and it’s a very clean and thoughtful master. There is a little bit of tape hiss but it isn’t distracting and it’s nice to know that noise wasn’t excessively removed. I was thrilled to hear, at the end of the Palace Medley, that the tape glitch heard from 2002 wasn’t present and the song was complete and in it’s full glory. It’s a solid mono album and this new mastering isn’t muddy or loud like the past releases and I especially enjoyed actually hearing the drums and being able to pick apart different instruments where the previously releases just sounded busy and clunky.

I would definitely recommend this for anyone who loves those classic Capitol records from the 50s!

In related news: In October of this year UME is releasing new vinyl releases of Miss Show Business, Judy at Carnegie Hall, and Judy Garland and Liza Minnelli – ‘Live’ at The London Palladium. I have a feeling that this HD master will be used for the vinyl release as well and I hope that this is a sign that the Carnegie hall album will get an HD release as well!

R


(Image from www.thejudyroom.com)

P.S. I posted this in the HDtracks thread as well. I'm sorry for the repeat post!

 

Anyone have a clue as to who produced and engineered Garland's 1955 debut Capitol LP, Miss Show Business? I can find no information anywhere. Thanks.

Lawrence Schulman

 

Miss Show Business was produced by Douglas Lawrence, conducted by her brother-in-law, Jack Cathcart, and the arrangements were written by Harold Mooney. I am unsure about the engineer though...

 

Douglas Laurence not Douglas Lawrence. Sorry!

 

I have now completed my review of this download for the Fall 2015 ARSC Journal, which should be published in October. The review is very positive. For those interested in subscribing to the Association for Recorded Sound Collections, and receive the ARSC Journal, which is published twice a year, go to: http://www.arsc-audio.org/index.php .

 

My review of the MISS SHOW BUSINESS download that appears in the Fall 2015 ARSC Journal can now be read online at:
http://judygarlandnews.com/2015/11/...-of-judy-garlands-1955-lp-miss-show-business/ . Enjoy!

 

Hi MLutthans,

That was my mistake. At the time, my amp was set on surround and not direct, and I didn't realize this until after that review.

All best.
Lawrence Schulman

 

When did the Capitol Tower open? And if Garland recorded Miss Show Business before it was constructed, where then could she have recorded it? Thanks for the information.