A Tony winner and Oscar nominee, Broadway and movie lyricist David Zippel has collaborated with Cy Coleman, Alan Menken and Marvin Hamlisch, among others. This collection assembles his top songs, with Zippel's comments about each, a foreword by Larry Gelbart, a biography, a discography and more. Includes: Go the Distance - How Can I Win? - It Started with a Dream - Just in Time for Christmas - Reflection - With Every Breath I Take. David Zippel has a dry and lively wit that not only gives his lyrics sparkle but offers interesting interpretive opportunities. - New York Times

Songlist: How Can I Win?, Go The Distance, With Every Breath I Take, Reflection, Just In Time For Christmas, It Started With A Dream, It's Better With A Band, You Can Always Count On Me, You're Nothing Without Me, Another Mr. Right, Born For You, Why Don't We Run Away

A film noir-style musical comedy set in Los Angeles in the late 1940s, City of Angels was nominated for 11 Tony Awards in 1990, and walked away with six, including Best Musical and Best Score. Our songbook features 11 tunes from the show (Alaura's Theme - Funny - L.A. Blues - Lost and Found - Stay with Me - more), plus bios of the composer, lyricist, and writer.

Songlist: Stay With Me, With Every Breath I Take, Funny, You Can Always Count On Me, You're Nothing Without Me, Lost And Found, Alaura's Theme, City Of Angels - Theme, Everybody's Gotta Be Somewhere, L.A. Blues, What You Don't Know About Women, Stay With Me, With Every Breath I Take, Funny, You Can Always Count On Me, You're Nothing Without Me, Lost And Found, Alaura's Theme, City Of Angels - Theme, Everybody's Gotta Be Somewhere, L.A. Blues, What You Don't Know About Women

Founded in 2002, all-women Dutch Vocal Jazz quartet Velvet Voices has been appearing in some serious European and international events, like the 2003 Voice Mania in Vienna, the Jeunesse-the largest German a cappella festival in Munich), and they won the Jazz Gold at the international "Ward Swingle Awards." There are 11 finely-crafted tunes on "Essence," the group's 5th excellent album, some wonderful covers like Lennon/McCartney's "Come Together," Duke Ellington's "Don't Get Around Much Anymore," Cy Coleman's "With every breath I take," Freddie Mercury's "You take my breath away," Brown, Sutton and Brody's "Stop," a fine faux trumpet solo on Harold Arlen's "Somewhere over the rainbow," Jones and Wilder's "A child is born," and Paul Jabara and Paul Shaffer's "It's raining man." There's also a pair of very nice originals by group member Gerda, the moody "Try to remember" and "Quarter to five," and one original by group member Monika, the title tune. Each of these beautiful young women can easily sing perfect solos and leads, so even a difficult, dissonant piece like "A child is born" comes off as effortless, and the harmonies are clean, sharp and on perfect pitch. Even a powerful rocker like "It's raining man," which is reprised as a surprise bonus cut with amped-up vocal percussion, is cleanly nailed both times with no sweat. The voices here are so perfect, the sound so effortlessly clean, we had to listen to it again just to fully appreciate it. "Essence" is a gift for the ears by the Velvet Voices, who have, in a very short time, risen to a level attained by only a few elite Vocal Jazz groups, like the Real Group, Vox One and the Swingle Singers. Treat yourself to one of the best of the year!

Songlist: Come Together, Don't Get Around Much Anymore, With Every Breath I Take, Try to Remember, Quarter to Five, You Take my Breath Away, Stop, Somewhere over the Rainbow, A Child is Born, Essence, It's Raining Men, Surprise