On Tonys Night / Gonna Be a Fight / With 'Hamilton' in for a Staggering Sixteen / Yet It Won't Achieve a Feat Never Before Seen

Phillipa Soo, Renée Elise Goldsberry and Jasmine Cephas Jones in "Hamilton." Photo by Joan Marcus.

BY TAMARA BECK

DON’T you just hate a foregone conclusion? There's no room for surprises when the outcome is inevitable.

Since it began its hot-ticket run, transferring from The Public Theatre last July,"Hamilton" has been the anointed, all-around Tony winner. Its inevitable rise to the top of the list started way back at the White House Poetry Jam in 2009 when its auteur, Lin-Manuel Miranda, rapped excerpts from the musical in the works.

"Hamilton," based on Ron Chernow’s biography of Founding Father and the nation’s first Secretary of the Treasury, Alexander Hamilton, is expected to win and win big come the “70th Annual Tony Awards.

The ceremony, hosted by British actor-comedian and Tony winner James Corden, will be broadcast live on CBS at 8 p.m. from the Beacon Theatre in New York City.

Truth be told, this reviewer has also been party to the boosterism behind "Hamilton." I first became enamored with the musical during L-MM's American Songbook appearance in 2012 and have called it a "Perfect 10!" on several occasions.

The adoration was nearly universal. Earlier this spring, "Hamilton" won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama. The Broadway production has also received an unprecedented number of Tony nominations this year. It sets the record at 16.

My history with predicting Tony winners has been spotty over the years, but that won’t discourage me from prognosticating about the 2016 Tonys from a "Hamilton-"centirc point of view, starting with the ones that I expect "Hamilton" to lose.

Word on the street is that the most beautifully lit show on Broadway is ”Shuffle Along, Or The Making of the Musical Sensation of 1921 and All That Followed.” That’s no exaggeration. So, the Tony for Best Lighting Design of A Musical will go to the team of Jules Fisher and Peggy Eisenhauer.

Adrienne Warren and company perform "I'm Just Wild About Harry" in "Shuffle Along ..." Photo by Julieta Cervantes.

David Korins’ sets for "Hamilton" tell their story with a spare simplicity. Best Scenic Design of a Musical, however, should go to David Rockwell for his solidly whimsical and inventive sets for "She Loves Me." DR's designs have a dollhouse quality that add to the effervescence of the show.

Andrew Blankenbuehler puts the 1776ers through some moves, but choreography is not entirely the point in "Hamilton" the way, say, Sergio Trujillo's congas are in "On Your Feet." Meanwhile, the expressive tapping of "Shuffle Along ..." is vital to its plot. Consequently, Best Choreography will go to Savion Glover because the dancing is such an essential element in moving the story along in "Shuffle Along …"

Orchestration is a little outside my wheelhouse, but let's assume that it, too, goes to "Shuffle Along ...," a hybrid of a 1921 show put in a new context. The Best Orchestrations winner, in this case, is Daryl Waters, because of all the complexity the music handles.

As for Best Direction of a Musical, John Doyle's helming of "The Color Purple" has all the buzz, nearly guaranteeing him a win. Inevitable.

Carleigh Bettiol, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Leslie Odom Jr. and Anthony Ramos in "Hamilton." Photo by Joan Marcus.

Likewise, it seems inevitable that "The Color Purple" will deliver a winner in the Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical category. British singer-songwriter-actress Cynthia Erivo has taken Broadway by storm in this revival. She is placed in contention with some old Broadway hands, too.

Phillipa Soo, in her first Broadway role as Alexander Hamilton's wife in “Hamilton,” is not one of them, of course. For now, she will remain a Tony nominee.

Then there are the Tony categories in which "Hamilton" is likely, even very likely, to win.

With three in the running in the Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical category, "Hamilton" has a better than even chance of walking away with a Tony. My money is on Jonathan Groff, though he left the show in April to work on a new Netflix series. He was an audience favorite as King George.

Less of a shoo-in for “Hamilton” is the Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical category. The competition includes a charming Zachary Levi in "She Loves Me" and a charismatic Alex Brightman in "School of Rock – The Musical."

With L-MM and Leslie Odom, Jr., contending, however, "Hamilton" has a good chance here. LO,Jr. plays Hamilton's rival and frenemy, Aaron Burr, and is more likely of the two actors to emerge victorious.

Though Renée Elise Goldsberry most assuredly faces the stiffest competition from Adrienne Warren ("Shuffle Along ...") in the Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Musical category, she is likely to sail ahead for her role as the excellent and savvy Angelica Schuyler in "Hamilton."

Red coats, blue coats, high-bodiced dresses, tri-cornered hats will likely yield Paul Tazewell an award for Best Costume Design of a Musical (“Hamilton”).

Now for the three sure "Hamilton” wins:Best Musical, Best Book of a Musical and Best Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics) Written for the Theatre.

L-MM's genius had been awarded often before now. In 2008, he won with "In The Heights," with a book by Quiara Alegría Hudes, which was that year's best musical.

Is "Hamilton" really the best musical of 2016. You bet. It is, in fact, the Best Musical of the decade. It is iconic like "Phantom of the Opera," "Les Miz," "Rent" and "Chorus Line." It will have a very long run and will be a memorable musical drama.

Cynthia Erivo and Jennifer Hudson in "The Color Purple. Photo by Matthew Murphy.

As for breaking records, "Hamilton" falls a little short; it will go home with around seven Tonys, matching the number won by a revival of "South Pacific" in 2008. The record number of wins is held by "The Producers" with 12 in 2001.

In closing, in the spirit of “Hamilton”:
Nominated for sixteen
A feat never before seen

"Hamilton" is sure to win
How can it not with Lin

L-M, you'll take Tony home for your mantle
To your story, nothing holds a candle

It's The BEST in show
The score and lyrics glow

Will Tony make "Ham" a Barmitzvah boy
It'll take just 13 the record to destroy

No, "Hamilton" will get its shot
With seven, it still stays hot

So "Hamilton" walks away with only seven
Not the record-tying one plus eleven

Or the record-breaker, lucky thirteen
Broke the mold it did, getting sweet sixteen

Visit http://www.tonyawards.com/ to learn more about the Tony Awards.

Lin-Manuel Miranda Ascends New Heights With a Humorous, Hip-Hop 'Hamilton'

Lin-Manuel Miranda, center, as Alexander Hamilton in the musical, "Hamilton." Photos by Joan Marcus.

BY TAMARA BECK

ALEXANDER Hamilton was America's first-ever treasury secretary. If that sounds a tad dull, you haven't been listening to the buzz around Lin-Manuel Miranda's breathtaking bio-musical of the Founding Father.

All that buzz preceded "Hamilton," – at the Richard Rodgers Theatre in an open run – from its wildly acclaimed start at The Public Theater where it premiered earlier this year.

"Hamilton" is a brilliantly intelligent musical. It riffs on the large canvas of the American genesis with humor and insight. It tackles a big swath of history and wraps it in an unconventional mode. (See video below).

Not to mince words, there are not enough superlatives to throw at this production: it is simply perfect – almost, anyway.

Inspired by Ron Chernow's biography, "Alexander Hamilton," L-MM frames the story of America's genesis in period costume (by Paul Tazewell, with hair and wigs by Charles G. LaPointe and sets it to a hip-hop and popular beat. The rhythms of our country's road from revolution to burgeoning democracy are modern and filled with references from Gilbert&Sullivan to Sean Combs.

Visit http://www.hamiltonbroadway.com/ to learn more about “Hamilton.”

God Bless This Child: Celebrating the Centennial of the Incomparable Lady Day

The Billie Holiday plaque on the Apollo Theater Walk of Fame was unveiled yesterday (6 April 2015) ahead of today's 100th anniversary of the singer's birth. Photos by Karmyn Caraballo.

PRAISES to her have been ringing out hither and yon.

On 31 March, there was the release of The Centennial Collection, 20 classic songs, including “Summertime” and “God Bless the Child.” (http://www.amzn.to/1DHckMh )

In January and February, increasingly iconic performance artist Joey Arias garnered good notices for his tributes in New York City at both Joe's Pub and Lincoln Center's American Songbook Appel Room. On 7 April, he is back at it again, in London at Southbank Centre. (https://www.facebook.com/joeyariasnyc; see video at end of article).

Legacy Recordings president Adam Block, Apollo Theater president and CEO Jonelle Procope and Cassandra Wilson pose beside the Billie Holiday plaque.

Yesterday, longtime friend, the Apollo Theater, rolled out the red carpet for an induction ceremony – the first since Louis Armstrong late last year – on its Walk of Fame.

The occasion for all of this jollification and homage-paying? To mark the 100th anniversary of the birth of Eleanora Fagan. To you, you, you, you and you, that's Billie Holiday.

TODAY is that milestone.

And hot off the presses is “Coming Forth by Day” (Legacy Recordings), Cassandra Wilson's homage to the Philadelphia native. The record has one original song by CW – the last track, fittingly titled “Last Song (For Lester).” It honors Lester Young, the collaborator who famously named the tortured, troubled, temperamental talented singer Lady Day.

“Coming Forth by Day is a compilation of songs made popular by BH, reworked in an out-of-the-box kind of way, according to CW. She, along with Lester Young, Jr., was among notables at yesterday's BH Apollo Walk of Fame induction ceremony.

“We knew we had to do something different,” the daughter of Jackson, Mississippi has said about the making of “Coming Forth by Day.” We couldn't just revisit Billie Holiday and regurgitate the usual things that jazz musicians do. So all of the genres go out the window. All of those preconceived notions about how to approach a song go out the window.” (See video above).

BH celebrations abound. Tomorrow, the Billie Holiday Music/Band performs at the Parisian venue, La Bellevilloise (https://www.bandsintown.com/BillieHoliday?came_from=74)

Lester Young, Jr. addresses the crowd during the Apollo Theater Billie Holiday Walk of Fame induction ceremony.

Google "Billie Holiday" and become inundated with articles, tributes and concerts.

On Friday (10 April), CW headlines her first show at the Apollo – “Cassandra Wilsion: A Celebration of Billie Holiday.”

At a reception after the induction ceremony, CW invited the crowd to come and see her “and bring your friends.”

Visit www.apollotheater.org to learn more about the Billie Holiday induction ceremony, “Cassandra Wilson: A Celebration of Billie Holiday” and general program information; visit http://www.cassandrawilson.com/ to learn more about “Coming Forth by Day” and Cassandra Wilson's concert schedule and general doings.

Before Apollo Begins Its New Orleans to Harlem Jazz Weekend It Gives Louis Armstrong His Due

Michelle Miller, Second Line umbrella in hand, talks to the crowd outside of the Apollo Theater. Standing behind her is Stefon Harris who performed later at the Apollo Music Cafe. Photos by Yours Truly.

NEW Orleans is in the house at the Apollo Theater! And, no doubt, the joint will be jumpin' tonight as it was last night to the sounds of Irvin Mayfield Jr., the New Orleans Jazz Orchestra (NOJO) and friends.

Friday night's concert was preceded by the Louis Armstrong Apollo Walk of Fame Induction Ceremony. This bit of jollification jump started the Apollo's New Orleans to Harlem Jazz Weekend.

The occasion was met with fanfare in the form of a Mardi Gras second line parade and enthusiastic speechifying by IM. Also at the mic was Robin Bell-Stevens of the Louis Armstrong Educational Foundation and Jazzmobile. (http://www.jazzmobile.org/; http://www.louisarmstrongfoundation.org/)

Having her say, too, was Michelle Miller, a Big Easy native, former first lady of that city and current CBS correspondent. Herself greeted the crowd with a spirited Laissez les bons temps rouler! (See video above and below).

The Armstrong plaque will join those bearing such august names as James Brown, Quincy Jones, Patti LaBelle, Celia Cruz and Chuck Jackson, out on the sidewalk and cutting a debonair figure in dark suit and bright pink scarf.

The festivities also marked the reveal of the enshrined plaques of the latter two legends. It is not yet clear where outside the famed front doors of the Apollo that the Satchmo plaque will be laid in to rest.

Louis Armstrong is the new kid on the block on the Apollo Walk of Fame.

According to the Apollo's pr, “the Walk of Fame is a relatively new addition to the landmark Apollo and represents a new way for New Yorkers and tourists to be introduced to the Theater and to discover what the Apollo has contributed to American popular culture.”

Indeed, the Apollo is on a campaign to inform the world that there is far more to it than its famous and infamous amateur night. The Apollo Music Cafe, the venue of tonight's two remaining shows of the weekend, is also part of that information campaign.

On the bill at 8 is IMJr. and NOJO featuring Aaron Neville. The 10 o'clock lineup is Irvin Mayfield's Jazz Playhouse featuring Jon Batiste and select NOJO members.

Hard to imagine that the joint won't be jumpin'.

Visit http://www.apollotheater.org to learn more about the Apollo Theater, including tonight's concert information and a list of events and programs.

'Red Tails' and 'Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close'

INCREDIBLY, “Red Tails” is the first widely released feature film based on the story of The Tuskegee Airmen. HBO’s “The Tuskegee Airmen” (1995) enjoyed a very limited release in theaters, but only after its debut on cable.

For those scratching their heads, the flyboys in question is the U.S. Army Air Corps' 332nd Fighter Group, the all-black combat unit trained at Moton Field in Tuskegee, Alabama around the time of the WWII. They served and fought heroically in a segregated military.

The George Lucas-produced “Red Tails,” which opens today, picks up the action in Italy where the airmen are grounded 100 miles behind enemy lines except for meaningless flight exercises. It is an important film because it puts the spotlight on a piece of American history and military history that continues to linger in the wings. Even today – in the 21st century – one still hears through the grapevine the occasional story of a university history professor, for instance, asserting that no black pilots served during WWII.

If for no other reason in a culture where books are increasingly falling out of favor with the masses, “Red Tails” should be required viewing. The service of these young men to their country should be as well-known to the general public as the number of days Kim Kardashian was married.

While “Red Tails” is important viewing, it is aside from some spectacular fight sequences not an engaging film. In fact, it has many cringe-worthy moments … More shortly.



Also opening today is “Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close,” another film based on true events.

Specifically, it is adapted from Jonathan Safran Foer’s best seller about precocious and extremely curious 11-year-old Oskar Schell (Thomas Horn in his acting debut) who finds a key left behind by his father Thomas (Tom Hanks) who died in one of the Twin Towers on 9/11. Oskar sets out across the boroughs in an Alice in Wonderland-like pursuit of the item that the key opens.

As with the book, many reviewers are ambivalent. Whether they like the film or not, they cite the nature of the material, wondering whether it is exploitative; some disdainfully dismiss it as cloying. The tragedy of Sept. 11, 2001 is still fresh in the psyche of many Americans, particularly New Yorkers and those in the Tri-state area. It is sacred territory on which one must tread extremely carefully, lest s/he upset tender sensibilities. Generally, reviewers based in the Northeast are a bit more circumspect than those from other regions.

There is almost universal agreement, though, that the film is well-acted. For his turn as Oskar, TH is getting a lot of positive notice in a cast that also includes Sandra Bullock, Viola Davis, John Goodman, Max von Sydow and Jeffrey Wright.

“Red Tails” is rated PG-13 for some sequences of war violence. “Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close" is rated PG-13 for emotional thematic material, some disturbing images and language.

Neshobe River Winery: A Wicked-Good … in Vermont!

Visitors to Vermont can drink in more than fall foliage with a trip to a winery. Photo courtesy of Leaf Peepers.

BY TAMARA FISH

BRILLIANT fall foliage.
Excellent cross country skiing.
Damn-near mystical maple syrup.
And some wicked-good wine?!

Who woulda thunk it? That’s Vermont. Full of quirky little surprises. Imagine my surprise when a wine called Purple Haze proved to be far superior to the lighter-fuel, rot-gut hazy hangover its name seems to foreshadow.

Purple Haze. Created in the same year as the 40th anniversary of Woodstock. Did I ever get the reference wrong! But to be fair, the label does say, “Relive the experience Woodstock 1969-2009.” I was thinking one would have to re-live the experience, because just how many who went could actually remember it?

And, who in the world would have the audacity to evoke such an iconic rock legend and slap its name on a wine bottle?

Enter the Foley family, and Bob Foley, Jr. in particular. A short six years ago, BF got it into his head to start the Neshobe River Winery (http://www.neshoberiverwinery.com/about_nrw.html). One son, Patrick, had already embarked on a winemaking career, learning the trade in California, South America and South Africa. The lessons must have stuck, and one lesson in particular: respect the grape.

Label of Purple Haze. The wine is Neshobe River Winery's new take on an old Jimi Hendrix classic song. Photo courtesy of Neshobe River Winery.

Respect for the Hybridized Grapes of Vermont
The tried-and-true, run-of-the-mill varietals simply will not thrive where the ground is wet and the climate is cold; their wines suffer, if one can call them wines at all. Staying true to Vermonters’ passion for supporting local agriculture, BF and other local vintners turned instead to grapes that thrive in the region.

Ever heard of Frontenac? Neither have I. How about Traminette? Not so much. St. Croix and Marquette? Ditto. Many of these grapes are kissing cousins of varietals from Northern Germany and Northern France – also wet and cold climes.

The Traminette grape is derived from the German Gewürztraminer. Photo courtesy of Cornell University horticulture department.

Romance or Science: The Origins of Some Vermont Varietals
Depending on whether one speaks with Vermonters or academic viniculturists, there are two distinct stories about the origins of these grapes. On the one hand, the romantic Vermont version is that French explorers tried desperately to plant the vines of their homeland in North America. That didn’t work. Then some explored producing wines from the wild grapes grown in the region and others spliced in grafts of French vines, creating hybrids that after hundreds of years have become, well, not exactly indigenous, but pretty darn close. From these wines come innovative Vermont wines.

On the other hand, university horticultural experiments of the past 20 years have developed hybrids specifically to develop or enhance varietal characteristics. SPOILER ALERT: That delightful little Traminette? A derivative of Gewürztraminer developed in 1965 by H.C. Barrett at University of Illinois (New York’s Food and Life Sciences Bulletin, No. 149 [1996] http://http://www.neshoberiverwinery.com/about_nrw.html).

Marquette? Developed in 1989 by Peter Hemstad at the University of Minnesota (Vitis International Variety Catalogue (VIVC) Datasheet, [2007], http://www.vivc.de/datasheet/dataResult.php?data=22714).

Frontenac? Also another UMinn product, released in 1996 (Frontenac Enology, [2008], http://www.grapes.umn.edu/frontenac/enology.html). Who knew that two NCAA Big Ten schools could produce great grapes as well as great football?

Label of Neshobe River Winery's Traminette. Photo courtesy of Neshobe River Winery.

Now before anyone goes and has a kitten about genetic engineering, keep in mind that the millennia-long history of viniculture is all about genetic engineering: hybridization, grafts, etc. These forms of genetic engineering are quite traditional – and quite apart from today’s genetically modified plants wherein DNA material from one species is injected into another. This is not that.

Breathe. Pour a glass of Vermont wine. Relax. The point is simply that laboratory science has facilitated traditional winemakers in developing varietals that thrive in the cool, wet weather of northern New England and Canada. Such varietals have begun to flourish in these regions, and the wines they create are distinctive.

Neshobe River Winery
By respecting the grapes that the climate supports, Vermont vintners are beginning to develop a truly regional wine. For its part, Neshobe River Winery is elevating the cultivation of these grapes to an artform. Out of such quirky little varietals delicious, full bodied and unexpectedly complex wines emerge.

The Frontenac grape was created in a test tube. Photo courtesy of the University of Minnesota horticulture department.

I first encountered Neshobe wines at A Taste of Woodstock, a high-quality but surprisingly affordable local artisanal outdoor festival one week before the floods of Hurricane Irene arrived in late August. Organic cheeses, hamburgers made from beef of grass-fed cows, handmade quilts and hand crafted soaps surrounded the wine and cider booths.

Tucked toward the back was the Neshobe River Winery display. BF manned the fort gently while his T-shirt declared otherwise. An understated presence, he chatted just a bit, drawing our focus to the wines and letting us savor them silently. Then ever so slightly with a twinkle in his eye, he gave a slightly wicked little nod that said, “Didn’t expect that, huh?”

Of the five wines that Neshobe produces, let’s focus on two: Traminette and Purple Haze.

Traminette
$17
Mention that Traminette is Gewürztraminer’s kissing cousin and one might think a rather sweet white wine is on the horizon. Not so. Imagine a Gewürztraminer with a dry Riesling backbone: all the flavor is there with only a hint of sugar. This wine drinks well, unfolding with richness as the taste lingers for a moment on the tongue (smooth finish). Perfect for seafood and hearty cheeses.

Sporting a T-shirt that reads, "Come out ye coward and fight the six of us" Bob Foley, Jr. holds down the Neshobe River Winery winetasting fort in Woodstock, VT. Photo by Tamara Fish.

Purple Haze
$17
Take a walk on the wild side. Pure 100 percent Frontenac, the wine is an imp. Cloaked in a Zinfandel’s rich jammy-berry scent (completely fruity nose, strong), Purple Haze does a switcheroo: not a hint of sweetness at all while still retaining a sense of fruitiness. Take a Zinfandel’s hearty fruit-filled fullness (blackberry) and make it dry, dry, dry (not sweet). What a paradox! Don’t even think of drinking this alone. Purple Haze demands food. Good food, not munchies. Let Woodstock recede into that thick purple haze. This is a mature grownup’s drink.

Curious about Neshobe River Winery’s other wines? Go and visit. Stay at the Foley’s Old Mill Inn Bed and Breakfast (http://www.neshoberiverwinery.com/media.html) in lovely Brandon, VT ... To purchase from this small very boutique winery, call BF directly at 802.247.8002 or email neshoberiverwinery@gmail.com.

Next up: Indian Summer’s Perfect White Wine: Casas Patronales Reserva Sauvignon Blanc 2010

Is No 'Michael' Preferable to a Flawed Version?

The cover of Michael Jackson's latest album, the posthumous "Michael," above, features a crown in its proper place. Photo from michaeljackson.com.

HEAD’S UP: December again already. It’s the gifting season, which means more things to do with less time to do them in. Don’t despair. At VEVLYN’S PEN, we are here to help. For the next week or so — 12 days before Christmas ending on 22 Dec. — each day we will introduce a product/item, brand or nifty shop that we believe is worthy of consideration for those very special gifts.

Gift Idea No. 12 - the finale:

THE world, of course, loves and is still mourning Michael Jackson. Is it any wonder, then that the posthumous record, “Michael,” is the word’s No. 1 album at the moment. It was released on 14 Dec.

Last week a few hundred lucky New Yorkers were invited to the Roseland Ballroom where DJ Cassidy played MJ hits, dating to the Jackson 5. The actual reason for the gathering, however, was a listening party to celebrate the worldwide release of “Michael,” the next day.

The release has been the source of controversy because MJ died before it was finished. Critics, including the legendary Quincy Jones and MJ uber-collaborator, believe the record should not have been released for this reason. Many in favor of the release, except for fans, stand to gain financially from its release. Understandably, their sanctioning its release would be questioned by some.

Opinions, notwithstanding, the record is out. To buy or not to buy, that is the question. Surely, millions who haven’t heard it are curious, that includes the more than 25 million who stopped by the MJ Web site (http://www.michaeljackson.com/) where before its release they could listen to the whole album, then preorder it.

Yours Truly has listened and listened and listened to the CD that she came into possession of at a certain listening party. Below are my thoughts – track by track – of the 10 songs, featuring three guest artists:

Photo from www.fanpix.net.

TRACK 1. HOLD MY HAND (DUET WITH AKON) – Akon reminds fans in the liner notes that parts of this track were leaked before it was finished. He assures fans that they can now “hear it the way it was meant to be heard.” The lyrics are simple, uncomplicated and intelligible. MJ and Akon harmonize well together. It’s a good song in the spirit of “Rock with You.” Not a bad start. (Listen: http://www.michaeljackson.com/us/news/listen-entire-michael-album; See/hear: http://www.michaeljackson.com/us/hold-my-hand-video)

TRACK 2. HOLLYWOOD TONIGHT – Included in the liner notes are what are supposed to be personal notes written by MJ. About “Hollywood Tonight,” he scribbles, “… Runaway age 15 she dreams of fame riches … Her mission is to make it in Hollywood … the obstacles … are unbearable but she makes against her parents will = a true … based on a true story.”

The song starts off with chanting. Then scat-like sounds. A note from one instrument – a guitar perhaps – followed by too many to count. Danny Ray McDonald, Jr. and Michael Durham Prince should take a bow for some extra fine whistling. It sounds like a horn making a whistling sound rather than humans. The spoken word in the bridge by Taryll Jackson (no relation) heightens the drama as he recounts the pitfalls facing those seeking Hollywood fame. The arrangement is fantastic. “Hollywood Tonight” is catchy, engaging and thoroughly danceable. It will be huge in the clubs and on radio. All within earshot will be singing the hook: She’s going Hollywood/She’s going Hollywood tonight/She’s going Hollywood/She’s going Hollywood tonight/She’s going Hollywood/She’s going Hollywood tonight/It’s true, that you, may never ever have that chance again.

TRACK 3. KEEP YOUR HEAD UP – Though it is an inspirational anthem, "Keep Your Head Up" is terribly disjointed. It starts off recounting the travails of a jobless, single mother; from there man is destroying the environment, then all the world needs is love, and finally it is important to make every moment count, as the days are not promised. A mix of MJ’s velvety pop alto and a church choir give it a slight gospel tint as it nears the end, which is the best part of the song. It’s tight and goosebump-inducing with Michael and the chorus overlapping the hook and the last verse: Keeping your head up to the sky/Keeping your mind up stay alive/Gimme your wings so we can fly/ … I need your love/ I need you now/I need your light right here today/I need you now.

TRACK 4. (I LIKE) THE WAY YOU LOVE ME – A perfect companion for “She’s Out of My Life.” Think of “(I Like) The Way You Love Me” as the before and the former as the after. Vintage MJ in ballad mode. One of the best tracks on the record; it sounds finished, too.

Photo from Getty Pictures.

TRACK 5. MONSTER (FEATURING 50 CENT) – This one might have been on “Thriller" or "Bad.” “Monster (Featuring 50 Cent)” would be a perfectly fine funk/soul ditty, but for two poor marks: 50 Cent, whose rapping adds nothing to the track. Nothing! Elsewhere, one lyric in the hook, He’s an animal, sounds cringy-worthy odd with the others, He’s a monster/He’s a monster ... Back to the drawing board.

TRACK 6 BEST OF JOY – This is the track on every CD that is serviceable. It doesn’t stir emotions too much one way or the other. It’s squarely middle of the pack. “Best of Joy” will probably be on Side B of the album.

TRACK 7. BREAKING NEWS – Apparently, MJ didn’t completely have his say with “Leave Me Alone.” Here’s another screed against the media for its intense scrutiny of him. On “Leave Me Alone” he was angry, and rightfully so. With “Breaking News,” he is resigned. He’s rolling with the go. The main instruments, which lend the song a whimsical, teasing quality are the cymbals and the strings of The Benjamin Wright Orchestra. MJ is both amused and perturbed by the media elements that have a beef with him: Everybody watching the news on/Michael Jackson/They wanna see that I fall cause I’m/Michael Jackson/You write the words to destroy like/it’s a weapon. He is aware, too, of how technology has given birth to the 24-hour news cycle, No matter what/You wanna read it again/No matter what/You just wanna feed it again.

Photo from www.fanpix.net.

TRACK 8. (I CAN MAKE IT) ANOTHER DAY (FEATURING LENNY KRAVITZ) – I walked away but I was wrong/I can’t make it another day/You’re the one that makes me strong/I can’t make it another day/ You’re the fire that keeps me warm/I can’t make it another day/How did I get through this storm/I can’t live another day without your love … MJ’s vocals. LK’s electric guitar, lyrics and background vocals. The cymbals. LENNY’S ELECTRIC GUITAR. ROCK it ooouuut! The best vocal collaboration on the record and one of the best of MJ’s career … (See/hear: http://idolator.com/5346722/supposed-michael-jackson-song-another-day-leaks)

TRACK 9. BEHIND THE MASK – Most of the songs on the record have a prelude. One of the most arresting is courtesy of Mike Phillips' sexy, sultry, seductive saxophone (with cheers laid underneath) on rocking, pulsing “Behind the Mask” about a woman who may or may not be deceiving a man besotted with her. MP brings the sax sexy back several times, including at the bridge before MJ picks up again with one of the most muscular vocals on the record. Listen for this one, too, in the clubs and on radio ... Who do you love?/Is it me? Well?/I don’t know/Who do you love?/You know me … LOVE it.

TRACK 10. MUCH TOO SOON – The tempo, understandably is downbeat on this ballad, about the loss of love. Speckled with harmonica and accordion, “Much to Soon” is the record’s sole country-pop track. It is engaging, and the lyrics are tender. A stronger closer, however, would have been something like “(I Can Make It) Another Day (Featuring Lenny Kravitz)” or “Behind the Mask.”

Doubtless, MJ would have made some tweaks to “Michael” because he is a perfectionist. The record is not “MJ perfect” but it is good – far and away better than many finished records on the market. Does that mean that fans should not buy it? That is for each individual to decide for him/herself.

Millions the world over have already spoken ... Who do you love? Is it he? Well?

”Michael” is available wherever CDS are sold and also various places on line, including the official Michael Jackson store run by distributor, Sony, http://www.sonymusicdigital.com/michael-jackson/pages/5709473/; Amazon http://www.amazon.com/MICHAEL-Michael-Jackson/dp/B00192IV9U and Target, http://www.target.com, Search: Michael.