Judy Collins and Betty Buckley both emerged as stars in the 1960s. Collins’s first recording was released in 1961, and Buckley made her Broadway debut in the musical “1776” in 1969. Their recent live recordings, performing songs from the theater and elsewhere, confirm that they are still in top form. Though their voices and styles are quite different, both coincidentally end with the same song, Sondheim’s “I’m Still Here” from “Follies.”
This past theater season, Betty Buckley received some of her best reviews. This is surprising, since she didn’t appear in any shows. It was her absence in the revival of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s “Cats” that led to memories of Buckley’s Tony-winning portrayal of the role and her spine-chilling singing of “Memory.”
Buckley’s latest release, “Story Songs” (on Palmetto Records) is a double CD live album, recorded at the Samueli Theater at the Segerstrom Center for the Arts in Costa Mesa, California, and at Joe’s Pub at the Public Theater in New York.
Her group features arranger Christian Jacob on piano and Oz Noy on guitar. On the first CD, Trey Henry plays bass and Ray Brinker on drums. On the second disc, the pianist and guitarist are the same but Tony Marino plays on bass and Todd Isler on drums. (Note: Jacob is an excellent jazz pianist and he contributes a lovely solo piano performance of the Gershwins’ “How Long Has This Been Going On.”
