Judy At Carnegie Hall

Album Review

This 40th anniversary edition of Garland's seminal Judy at Carnegie Hall recording is a completely fresh experience even for those intimately familiar with previous versions. By accessing tapes which have not been used on any other release — including the pricey DCC gold disc — many sonic foibles which plagued the original have now been repaired. The overwhelming success of this album, which initially spent 95 weeks on the charts and garnered five Grammy Awards, makes it a prime candidate for a sonic overhaul. By reclaiming tapes that were once considered MIA, the sound is now notably more balanced. In addition, much of the fake applause has been thoughtfully removed, unveiling previously masked dramatic pacing and audience interplay between songs. But the highlight of the entire package is the return of "Alone Together" from the actual Carnegie Hall performance. The song had been replaced by a studio version on the 1989 CD reissue due to missing master tapes. Since then, those tapes have been put back into commission and provide the jaw-dropping sound on this delightful set.

There is a good reason that Garland historian Scott Schechter titled his specially-penned liner notes essay "Two Hours of POW!" With relentless verve, Garland takes on her entire musical catalogue with astonishing aplomb. There is little sign of the decades of self-abuse which had left her frail by the early '60s. But what we are fortunate enough to have is the magic and youth of her voice. Especially poignant are "You Go to My Head," "Just You, Just Me," and her quintessential reading of "Somewhere Over the Rainbow." Judy at Carnegie Hall is far and away the finest live performance to be issued during her lifetime. The numerous improvements made on this 40th anniversary edition will no doubt serve her legacy well.