The Ultimate Broadway Fake Book [Plastic Comb] Review

This is a good buy for a pro pianist like me who might get requests for tunes I've never heard of from shows I've never seen. It has three indexes: by tune, by show, and by composers and lyricists.

One of the best things in the book is an alphabetical show-by-show synopsis, containing information about each show's history, its major personnel, and its plot.

However -- and it's a BIG however; in fact, several howevers: an awful lot of the songs are second-rate and I can't imagine getting requests for them, or even wanting to play them myself.

The bookproclaims its inclusion of "great songs" from several more recent shows such as "Rent"; gimme a break -- these songs are barely listenable, much less "great."

Throughout the book, many of the chord changes are incorrect (this is a musician's constant complaint about ALL fake books).

Most of the songs do not include the verse (and for Rodgers & Hart, Gershwin, and Kern these are often essential parts of the song). And there are inexplicable omissions.

For example: (1) Some of the included shows are lacking some of their best songs: "The Nervous Set" omits "Spring Can Really Hang You Up the Most," "Finian's Rainbow" omits "Necessity." "The Merry Widow" omits "The Merry Widow Waltz." "Mack and Mabel" omits "I Promise You a Happy Ending." (2) Some excellent shows are missing altogether. No "L'il Abner." No Cy Coleman's "I Love My Wife." And Leonard Bernstein is represented only by two songs from "Wonderful Town"; no "Candide," no "On the Town," no "West Side Story."

And of course there are many songs I already own in other collections, although the book is useful as a one-stop source for all of these, and there are about fifty to a hundred decent to superb songs that I own nowhere else.

There is ample representation of Rodgers & Hart, Rodgers & Hammerstein, Kern, Gershwin, Porter, Frank Loesser, Jerry Herman, Harold Arlen, Lerner & Loewe, Andrew Lloyd Webber, et al.

In the end, despite its flaws, to me the book was well worth the price.

Click Here to see more reviews about: The Ultimate Broadway Fake Book [Plastic Comb]

Product Description:
Over 720 songs from over 240 Broadway shows! Recently revised to include hits from Martin Guerre, Rent, Smokey Joe's Cafe, Sunset Boulevard, Victor/Victoria, and more! This is the definitive collection of Broadway music, featuring: * Song title index * Show title index * Composer and lyricist index * Synopses of each show. Song highlights include: Ain't Misbehavin' * All I Ask of You * Another Op'nin' Another Show * As Long As He Needs Me * At The Ballet * Bali Ha'i * Beauty and the Beast * Bewitched * Cabaret * Camelot * Can't Help Lovin' Dat Man * Castle on a Cloud * Consider Yourself * Dance: Ten, Looks: Three * Day by Day * Do-Re-Mi * Don't Cry for Me Argentina * Down in the Depths (On the Ninetieth Floor) * Edelweiss * Everything's Coming Up Roses * Ev'ry Time We Say Goodbye * Getting to Know You * Give My Regards to Broadway * Hello, Dolly! * How Are Things in Glocca Morra * How High the Moon * I Don't Know How to Love Him * I Dreamed a Dream * If I Can't Love Her * If I Were a Man * If I Were a Rich Man * (I'm a) Yankee Doodle Dandy * The Impossible Dream * The Lady Is a Tramp * Last Night of the World * Love Changes Everything * The Music of the Night * Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin' * Oklahoma * Ol' Man River * On My Own * Only You * People * The Rain in Spain * Seasons of Love * Send in the Clowns * The Sound of Music * Starlight Express * Tell Me on a Sunday * Tell Me to Go * Tomorrow * Unexpected Song * Waitin' for the Light to Shine * What I Did for Love * With One Look * You'll Never Walk Alone * more!

Get 30% OFF

Want to buy The Ultimate Broadway Fake Book [Plastic Comb] at other amazon sites? Click the corresponding icon below:

Favorite Hymns (Piano/Vocal/Guitar Songbook) [Paperback] Review

Sing praise to The Lord!This is a wonderful book!Many of the classic hymns and easy sheet music.You can't help but "make a joyful noise!"

Click Here to see more reviews about: Favorite Hymns (Piano/Vocal/Guitar Songbook) [Paperback]

Product Description:
An outstanding collection of 71 all-time favorites, including: Abide With Me * Amazing Grace * Ave Maria * Bringing In The Sheaves * Christ The Lord Is Risen Today * Crown Him With Many Crowns * Faith Of Our Fathers * He's Got The Whole World In His Hands * In The Sweet By And By * Jesus Loves Me! * Just A Closer Walk With Thee * Kum Ba Yah * A Mighty Fortress Is Our God * Onward Christian Soldiers * Rock Of Ages * Swing Low, Sweet Chariot * Were You There? * and many more!

Buy cheap Favorite Hymns (Piano/Vocal/Guitar Songbook) [Paperback] now Get 10% OFF

The Best Jazz Standards Ever (Easy Piano Songbook) [Paperback] Review

Some of the more popular tunes in this compilation are A night in Tunisia, Satin Doll, Sophisticated Lady and All the things you are. Missing out on classics like Take the A-train in lieu of several rather obscure tunes that aren't exactly Jazz standards, by my measure, is the book's greatest flaw. For the beginning to intermediate jazz student, its a nice book to own. All the songs are full arrangements and not too difficult to play. Advanced pianists will probably be happier with a nice, solid fakebook.

Click Here to see more reviews about: The Best Jazz Standards Ever (Easy Piano Songbook) [Paperback]

Product Description:
Easy arrangements of 71 favorites: Ain't Misbehavin' * Autumn Leaves * Body and Soul * Come Rain or Come Shine * Don't Get Around Much Anymore * The Girl from Ipanema * How Deep Is the Ocean * I'll Remember April * It's Only a Paper Moon * The Lady Is a Tramp * Lullaby of Birdland * Misty * My Funny Valentine * The Nearness of You * Satin Doll * Some Enchanted Evening * Stardust * Stormy Weather * The Very Thought of You * more.

Buy cheap The Best Jazz Standards Ever (Easy Piano Songbook) [Paperback] now Get 15% OFF