Album

Maurine Watkins' satirical play Chicago has gone through several permutations since it opened at the Music Box Theatre on Broadway on December 30, 1926. There was a silent movie version in 1927, followed by a sound film called Roxie Hart starring Ginger Rogers in 1942. In 1975, director/choreographer Bob Fosse and the songwriting team of John Kander and Fred Ebb brought a darker vision to the story of a murderess who achieves acquittal due to publicity and slick lawyering, and their musical ran 898 performances back on Broadway. But the show really came into its own in 1996 when, in the wake of the O.J. Simpson trial, a revival was mounted that was still running on Broadway six years later when this movie version of the musical was released. The story and setting are perfect for Kander & Ebb, who delight in using musical pastiches of the interwar era to underlie a deeply pessimistic world view in such works as Cabaret. Indeed, listeners will be much reminded of that earlier score by this one, in which each character gets one or more hot jazz-style numbers to illuminate his or her villainy. What may surprise listeners is how effective the principals—Renée Zellweger, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Richard Gere, and John C. Reilly—are, given that none of them are known for their singing abilities. Modern studio techniques can do wonders, of course, making actual dubbing virtually unnecessary, but the actors really throw themselves into these performances. Less impressive are the extraneous songs (not actually featured in the film) tacked on at the end, presumably to expand the album's commercial appeal, including a rap by Queen Latifah (who co-stars in the film) and Lil' Kim, and a musically irrelevant dance tune by Anastacia that wasn't even written by Kander & Ebb.

© William Ruhlmann, Rovi

CD 1
John Kander/ Elfman, Danny Composer Chicago, film score (2003) Work 1:06:23 Harrison Beal Vocals, Scott Fowler Vocals, Cynthia Onrubia Vocals, Lil' Kim Vocals, Queen Latifah Vocals, Tara Nicole Vocals, Perry J. Cavari Drums, Darius DeHaas Vocals, Lawrence Feldman Saxophone (Soprano), Mitchell Dalton Guitar, Paul Bogaev Conductor, Dennis Collins Vocals, Tony Kadleck Trumpet, Rick Negron Vocals, Brian O'Flaherty Trumpet, Michael Johnston Vocals, Mark Russell Bass, Sara Ramirez Vocals, Fonzi Thornton Vocals, Laura Seaton Violin, Keith O'Quin Trombone, Singleton Palmer Band Vocals, Denise Faye Vocals, Roxane Barlow Vocals, Mitch Dalton Guitar, Kate Kaufman Vocals, Nathan Durham Tuba, Jamie Talbot Soprano, Deanie Richardson & Second Fiddle Vocals, Richard Gere Vocals, Lou Marini Saxophone (Alto), Laura Dean Vocals, Jeff Siebert Vocals, Desmond Richardson Vocals, Dana Calitri Vocals, Chuck Wilson Saxophone (Tenor), Melanie Gage Vocals, Renée Zellweger Vocals, Greg Laswon Vocals (Background), Nicky Richards Vocals, Macy Gray Vocals, Eric Troyer Vocals, Curtis King Vocals, Steve Bartek Conductor, Mark Harrison Vocals, Larry Farrell Trombone, Willy Falk Vocals, Jocelyn Dowling Vocals, Capathia Jenkins Vocals, Nicki Richards Vocals (Background), Mary Ann Lamb Vocals, Charley King Vocals, Stan Sulzmann Soprano, Shaun Amyot Vocals, Deidre Goodwin Vocals, Charles King Vocals, Paulette McWilliams Vocals (Background), Stan Saltzman Clarinet, Michelle Johnston Vocals, Edgar Godineaux Vocals, Rob Marshall Director, Susan Misner Vocals, Roxanne Barlow Vocals, Jack Cavari Guitar, Catherine Zeta-Jones Vocals, Freddie Green Banjo, Jim Saporito Percussion, Cleve Asbury Vocals, Colm Feore Vocals, Damon Sharpe Vocals (Background), Willie Falk Vocals, Taye Diggs Vocals, Joe Pizzi Vocals, Ray Swinfield Saxophone (Tenor), Eric Kupper Keyboard, Jeff Saver Piano, Robert Montano Vocals, John Beal Bass, Vicky Lambert Vocals, Timothy Shew Vocals, Sean Palmer Vocals, Tata Nicole Vocals, William Hartung Vocals, Billy Hartung Vocals, Freddy Green Banjo, Derek Watkins Trumpet, Mýa Harrison Vocals, David Hartley Piano, Paul Morgan Double Bass, Pete Beachill Trombone (Tenor), Margaret Dorn Vocals, Ekaterina Chtchelkanova Vocals, Darren Lee Vocals, Owen Slade Tuba, Alan Barnes Saxophone (Tenor), Marc Mann MIDI Manager, Audrey Martells Vocals, Christine Baranski Vocals, Gary Kettel Percussion, Nick Richards Vocals, Keith O'Quinn Trombone, Laura Saxon Violin, Chris Garrick Violin, John Saver Piano, Jim Sapporito Percussion, Nate Durham Tuba, John C. Reilly Vocals
1	Overture / And All That Jazz	6:03			Album Only
2	Funny Honey	3:39			$0.99
3	When You're Good To Mama	3:18			$0.99
4	Cell Block Tango	7:22			$0.99
5	All I Care About	3:48			$0.99
6	We Both Reached For The Gun	3:57			$0.99
7	Roxie	3:20			$0.99
8	I Can't Do It Alone	3:50			$0.99
9	Mister Cellophane	3:56			$0.99
10	Razzle Dazzle	3:45			$0.99
11	Class	2:52			$0.99
12	Nowadays (Roxie)	2:14			$0.99
13	Nowadays / Hot Honey Rag	3:26			Album Only
14	I Move On	3:58			$0.99
15	After Midnight (Elfman)	3:24			$0.99
16	Roxie's Suite (Elfman)	3:53			$0.99
17	Cell Block Tango (He Had It Comin') [bonus track; not used in film]	3:38			$0.99
Damon Sharpe / Greg Lawson / Denise Rich / Ric Wake Composer Love Is A Crime (inspired by the film "Chicago", 2003) Work Harrison Beal Vocals, Scott Fowler Vocals, Cynthia Onrubia Vocals, Perry J. Cavari Drums, Darius DeHaas Vocals, Lawrence Feldman Saxophone (Soprano), Paul Bogaev Conductor, Dennis Collins Vocals, Tony Kadleck Trumpet, Rick Negron Vocals, Brian O'Flaherty Trumpet, Nikki Richards Vocals (Background), Michael Johnston Vocals, Mark Russell Bass, Sara Ramirez Vocals, Fonzi Thornton Vocals, Laura Seaton Violin, Singleton Palmer Band Vocals, Marc Russell Guitar (Bass), Roxane Barlow Vocals, Denise Faye Vocals, Mitch Dalton Guitar, Nathan Durham Tuba, Jamie Talbot Soprano, Deanie Richardson & Second Fiddle Vocals, Lou Marini Saxophone (Alto), Laura Dean Vocals, Jeff Siebert Vocals, Dana Calitri Vocals, Chuck Wilson Saxophone (Tenor), Melanie Gage Vocals, Greg Laswon Vocals (Background), Eric Troyer Vocals, Curtis King Vocals, Steve Bartek Conductor, Mark Harrison Vocals, Larry Farrell Trombone, Willy Falk Vocals, Jocelyn Dowling Vocals, Capathia Jenkins Vocals, Nicki Richards Vocals (Background), Mary Ann Lamb Vocals, Stan Sulzmann Soprano, Shaun Amyot Vocals, Deidre Goodwin Vocals, Charles King Vocals, Paulette McWilliams Vocals (Background), Edgar Godineaux Vocals, Rob Marshall Director, Susan Misner Vocals, Jack Cavari Guitar, Freddie Green Banjo, Jim Saporito Percussion, Cleve Asbury Vocals, Damon Sharpe Vocals (Background), Joe Pizzi Vocals, Ray Swinfield Saxophone (Tenor), Eric Kupper Keyboard, Robert Montano Vocals, John Beal Bass, Timothy Shew Vocals, Tata Nicole Vocals, Billy Hartung Vocals, Derek Watkins Trumpet, David Hartley Piano, Paul Morgan Double Bass, Pete Beachill Trombone (Tenor), Margaret Dorn Vocals, Darren Lee Vocals, Ekaterina Chtchelkanova Vocals, Owen Slade Tuba, Alan Barnes Saxophone (Tenor), Marc Mann MIDI Manager, Audrey Martells Vocals, Gary Kettel Percussion, Nick Richards Vocals, Keith O'Quinn Trombone, Chris Garrick Violin, John Saver Piano
18	[bonus track]	3:19			$0.99