Search - Connie Francis :: At the Copa

A Tour de Force!

Kenneth R. Slavin | San Antonio, Texas United States | 01/19/2002

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This is a "must-hear" for any Connie Francis fan! She has been my favorite singer for many years. I first heard this "live" album on LP and was very happy to discover it has been re-released on CD. It was recorded in 1960--early in her career--and it is a wonderful study in first-rate "supper club" performance. You can hear the audience's reactions to her every sung or spoken line and can experience the atmosphere of the legendary Copa, right down to the tinkling of glasses and audience chatter. If you close your eyes and listen, you can almost imagine the smoky room and a gorgeous Connie Francis holding court! It's just like being at a front table the night the show was recorded. I am a professional jazz and cabaret singer myself, and I often re-play this album to get a feel for how I should properly pace a show. Connie's pure and powerful voice, incredible rapport with audiences, impeccable taste, fabulous phrasing and overall enthusiasm for every song she sings make her number-one in my book!"

Versatile!

Kenneth R. Slavin | 04/01/1999

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This was Connie's first Copa and NYC appearance. Connie's performance is amazing when one considers her tender age at the time. Connie appealed to all audiences, and this CD idicates her ability to capture the sophisticated adult audience. Her greatest hits captured all markets. This Copa appearance, along with the release of her Italian Favorites album, marked a major turning point in the spectacular career of Connie Francis. A very young star handling the Jolsen Medley so competently. Her swinging versions of Ol Man Mose and Smack Dab In The Middle are first rate Connie. Her rendition of Mama was a just released million seller at the time, and has become her evergreen, unable to leave any stage without performing it. It All Depends On You sounds reminiscent of the time this song was written. There's none better than the great Connie Francis, and this live recording is just one reflection of this."

An excellent collection of songs by an excellent artist.

Kenneth R. Slavin | 08/08/1999

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This cd gives us a glimpse of the many facets of Connie's talent, from the her heart-rending version of Mama to her swinging versions of Old Man Mose, and Smack Dab in the Middle. She sings in Italian, Jewish and English. Listening to this cd makes me wish I had been there at the Copa when Connie was performing these songs."