Search - Betty Buckley :: The Doorway

Moving, Intimate, Personal

10/31/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Betty Buckley has a unique ability to really draw an audience in. Whether it be on film, on stage, or in person she's such a warm presence. This may sound all New Age-y and ethereal but it's really how I feel.The majority of these songs were from show she toured with last year and into this current one. Songs from both her last CD (Stars and The Moon - Live at the Donmar) and this were the selection along with her encore of her signature song - Memory.Ms. Buckley came to The Guthrie Theater for a one-night only concert and I got tickets almost as a lark. Just to hear her sing Memory live would be worth the ticket for me, I thought.Then September 11th came and things changed. Suddenly the concert was here, only weeks after 9/11 when everyone was still in a daze. I never expected this concert to resonate the way it did.First off, Ms. Buckley sang the title song on this CD and proceeded through her program. In the middle of her 2nd or 3rd song, she forgot the words! It was a fairly new song to her and she just made up stuff until it was clear to us as well that she was lost. Apologizing, she got out her music and followed along. It was refreshing to see a star of her caliber still needing something to fall back on. We were excited to see her before, but that little moment brought us all in closer.From that moment on the concert took on such a personal tone. She explained that her concert was altered dramatically due to September 11th. Patriotic songs like God Bless America and America the Beautiful were last minute additions.Up until the end, Ms. Buckley was such a fluid presence. She seemed to make eye contact with everyone in the large house and you felt bonded. This sounds weird, yes, but it's the only way to describe it. By the end of the show, she was in tears...thanking us for overlooking her misstep early on and for going through this journey with her. She had words of encouragement and prayer for the 9/11 tragedy and then the big moment came.There was no song list provided and when she broke into America The Beautiful it absolutely brought down the house. Not with thunderous applause, but with tears. You'll know what I mean when you hear her begin the same song on the CD with no accompaniment. A clear voice in the darkness. I still remember the goose bumps I got when she sang that song...and segueing into Bridge Over Trouble Water sealed the deal. Not a dry eye in the house...including hers. It was such a singular moment...I'll remember her singing that song until the day I die.While nothing compares to her live...the CD alone is worth having for her rendition of America The Beautiful/Bridge Over Troubled Water. Also of note are Sycamore Trees and A Loss of Heroes. Wonderful...through and through."

Another meditative work from Ms. Buckley

Mitchell J. Mcgee | Greensboro, NC USA | 11/09/2002

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This CD in many ways follows a pattern that was started with Ms. Buckley's CD "Heart to Heart" and follows with "Stars and the Moon" - a more reflective quality to the material, enhanced by the singing approach used. None of the "bombastic broadway" style that if often associated with her (which I also love by the way, her version of "Rose's Turn" is excellent) I must admit I was apprehensive about buying the CD when I saw the song list... some of the material had been on other CD's. The versions here are different, yet I always want to hear that voice with new material. When reading the liner notes, you learned that this is material she used in concerts following September 11th, and this is a chance to record that experience. (By the way, it also said that a portion of procedes will go to charity) I enjoy this CD as much as her two previous releases, all three are CD's that I put on to listen when I am experiencing a stressful day. This is another lovely gift from Ms. Buckley to her fans."

Better Than The Stars...

Harry N. Cohen | New Haven, Ct. USA | 10/31/2002

(4 out of 5 stars)

"My lack of enthusiasm for Betty Buckley's last release Stars And The Moon, led me to approach Betty's new release with a bit of trepidation. My fears were unfounded as The Doorway is definitely one of Bety's best albums. It has a post 9/11 feel, but in a hopeful and most of all peaceful way. The title cut is lovely, haunting and will stay with you...and Betty wrote it! Other highlights are St. Francis Prayer(truly beautiful)and For The Beauty Of The Earth/Imagine. No New York based diva albim would be complete without a song or two from those "new theatre composers with three names" guys. This album gives us Sycamore Trees by Ricky Ian Gordon. There are two instrumentals, A Loss of Heroes and a beautiful interpretation of God Bless America performed by Betty's long time accompanist Kenny Werner. In the past, Kenny's extravagant playing has gotten in the way, but on this release he is truly supportive of Betty's lovely vocals. Of couse, I do have a few minor quibbles. There are a few medleys on the album. I feel medleys should flow from one song into another, but on Meditation/I Concentrate On you, the first song comes to a jarring stop before the second kicks in. This is also true on the America The Beautiful/Bridge Over Troubled Water medley. Speaking of which...Bridge has been recorded by Betty before. Will Betty ever do an album of entirely new material. She loves to reuse! The artwork and photography are very good, and as I mentioned earlier, Betty is in fine voice. Quibbles aside, The Doorway is a welcome addition to Divaland."